Tori crossed her arms and gazed at her old bedroom from back when she lived there. They both had to find a way to fit their bed inside the mini-cavern, but she was sure they would find a way...somehow. The entrance was smaller than what was actually inside, so who knew?

She bit her lip, gnawing on the soft pink flesh thoughtfully. What were they going to do now? They just couldn't go back to their normal lives, or even their lives from before they moved from the Opera House. People would suspect something if Tori suddenly and magically arrived to practices a good hour or two from when she was expected. She could just wait it out downstairs, but that would be terribly boring as well. What would she do? Just what she usually did when spending nights in with Erik?

He had exactly what he wanted- his old home, his old schedule, his old life. Tori happened to have to be pulled along into the mix, helpless to protest otherwise.

She turned on her heel and exited the room, standing outside the entrance to it. Just a few feet away was Erik, bags still unpacked, playing on the piano he had had transported here contentedly. It wasn't his old organ, but he had claimed to have that one arrive shortly after they had resettled so everything would be perfect. The loud sound reverberated off the walls easily and hit Tori's ears- hard.

It seemed that neither had gotten used to where they now lived.

"Erik!"

He stopped and turned, tilting his head as he gazed smugly at her. "Well? Are you happy?"

Tori hesitated. The wrong answer would have them back up on their feet, moving back to the house they owned before. Even worse, it could break his heart. "...yes."

She felt terrible lying about it, but the answer had its desired effect. Erik nodded, a teensy, self-satisfied grin creeping onto his face. It reminded Tori of a rather fat cat lying in the sun, relaxing after a large meal.

"Splendid," he replied, turning back to the piano and punching out a few notes. "We will be staying here for good."

"For good?! I-"

"For good, my dear!" He glanced over his shoulder at her, not stopping his playing. "I'm happier here."

Tori swallowed, looking back down at the ground. "I didn't expect that." Indeed she didn't; she thought it would only be a short time, until Erik got fed up with the house on the lake and switched back to their other house. But once he made up his mind, that was that. It had taken her a month or two, but she quickly figured that out for herself.

-----------------------------

During a break in the practice, Raoul approached Tori once again. She still didn't want to talk to him, but after their conversation at dinner she felt less tense whenever he was in the room.

"Tori?" He furrowed his eyebrows, a curious expression creeping over his features. "I went down to some of the cellars to take some time to myself..."

Tori's eyes widened slightly, but Raoul didn't seem to notice. How far had he gone?

"...and I heard a piano playing."

"You must be hearing things." Tori shook her head wildly. "The Phantom is gone, remember? He's been gone for a few weeks."

Raoul, determined to prove his point, looked her straight in the eye and spread his hands out. "No, I assure you! I heard a piano playing in the cellars of the opera again!" His voice was a low hiss, as not to attract attention from the rumor-hungry cast and crew, but some of them turned their heads anyway. A nearby dancer whispered into the ear of her friend, who grinned and scuttled off to tell her other comrads.

Tori became as defiant as him and stood on her tiptoes, face coming very close to Raoul's. "And I assure you, he is gone!" she hissed back

Taken aback, Raoul raised an eyebrow. He put his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed, lowering her back down to the ground. "Don't be defensive, Tori..."

"I'm not being defensive!" she insisted.

"You are."

Tori's features started to relax into an expression of shock at herself. Had she been too obvious? Her eyes darted over Raoul's shoulder. A group of girls were standing some distance away, talking to each other, some of them looking at Raoul and Tori in disgust.

Great. Now they knew.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I didn't mean to..."

Raoul shook his head and straightened to his full height. "It's not a problem. Not at all."

A silence settled carefully in the space between them. Tori looked up, scanning the rafters absentmindedly. She gave a small jump when she saw an almost humanoid shape in the shadows. It appeared to be looking down at them in silent anticipation.

"Tori..."

Tori's head snapped back down to meet Raoul's gaze, which was again full of curiosity. "Y-yes?"

"That night...a month ago..."

Don Juan Triumphant. Erik's opera, that's what he was referring to. Tori started to nibble on her nails slightly, nervous as all get out now. "Yes, I remember...the Phantom's opera, correct?"

"Yes." Raoul nodded, face becoming serious at what he was about to ask her. "You...wanted to save the Phantom..."

Tori's heart started to thump in her chest, so loud that she thought everyone could hear it. She swallowed past the blood beating in her ears and nodded, prompting Raoul to continue.

"And then when you became married...he disappeared..."

In the corner of her vision, Tori could see the shape in the shadows above her turn quickly and leave, melting into darkness. Her heart beat faster.

Oh, no...

"Are you...married to the Phantom?"