It be a Reccie chappy! Woo! I didn't think this would be this much fun, but boy was i wrong! I love you today, Reccie!

Chapter 10

Raine

"Well that sure was an interesting adventure," Raine panted as they collapsed onto their beds.

"Raine! Be serious, I mean…I've never been so frightened in my entire life!" Cossette buried her face in her pillow.

Raine shrugged and than propped herself up on her elbow, looking at Cossette in the glimmer of the single candle on the dresser between their beds. "I just realized something," she said, sounding surprised.

Cossette turned over to look at Raine. "What?"

"Monsieur Phantom has saved my life twice."

"Wow," Cossette said, "I wonder if he remembers you." Raine shrugged and than smiled, "what?" Cossette said again giving her friend a quizzical look by the way Raine was grinning stupidly.

Raine shook her head and turned over, her back facing Cossette. "Oh nothing," her voice was dreamy. Cossette shook her head and smiled at her friend. She blew out the candle plunging the room into darkness.

"Good night, my friend," she whispered.

"Night," Raine said and with an audible yawn curled up and promptly fell asleep. Cossette tossed and turned for a few minutes, not able to figure out why she could sleep. Something was pressing against her stomach uncomfortably. She reached down her chemise and pulled out the note to the Managers.

"Oh," she whispered to herself and than placed it on the bedside table so she would remember to return it to the Managers in the morning. After a yawn and a stretch, she was able to fall asleep.

***

"Raine, wake up!" Cossette cried urgently. She was standing next to Raine's bed towering over her and shaking her shoulder. Raine groaned and turned around, squinting up at Cossette.

"What time is it?" she moaned, "are we late for practice?"

"No we aren't late, it's only seven."

"ONLY SEVEN?" Raine yelled and rolled over ripping the pillow out from under her head and without turning around aimed it at Cossette. It hit her stomach softly and fell back onto the bed.

"Get up!" Cossette said and grabbing onto the pillow she retaliated the attack, smacking Raine's side. Raine sat up, pulling the covers around her.

"It's cold and bright," Raine complained.

"Yeah, well I don't care," Cossette said nonchalantly. The large drapery was pulled back along the wall parallel to the one where Cossette and Raine's beds where. The large mirror that was next to Raine's bed reflected the light onto the opposite mirror, creating a bright atmosphere. Raine rubbed the back of her head and looked up at Cossette. "You look terrible," Cossette commented.

"Oh gee…thanks," Raine grumbled and opened a drawer next to the bed in the dresser where she found a brush. She began stroking it through her tangled hair. "So, may I inquire as to why I was so rudely awakened two hours before rehearsals start?"

"Yes, right…ok" Cossette sat down on Raine's bed, "so last night I couldn't get comfortable and I found out that it was the Manager's note sticking into my side. So I put it on the dresser table…"

"And what does that have to do with waking me up?" Raine asked slightly annoyed she had to hear about why Cossette couldn't sleep.

"Do you see said note anywhere on the table?" Cossette said pointedly, moving out of the way of Raine's line of vision. Raine took a moment to survey the surface of the table before her mouth formed a little 'o' and she sat back.

"I'm sure it just…dropped on the floor…or something…yeah…heh." Raine said uncomfortably, "things just don't…disappear."

"Raine, that's the point." Cossette couldn't help but sigh exaggeratedly at her friend, "what if he came in last night and took it."

"Cossette, the only door into this room creaks like crazy and I don't know about you but I'm a light sleeper, besides, we are closest to the door, we definitely would have heard it."

"I guess you right," she looked slightly disappointed.

"Then again," Raine said mischievously, "he is a ghost after all…well, phantom…or is it ghost?...or…hm."

"Raine, stop bothering with his name, it's not like we will ever see him again."

"You don't know that," she said as she went back to quietly to weigh the difference between phantom and ghost.

***

A week went by, eventless for the most part. Raine and Cossette grew closer than ever, O.G. (or as Raine has decided: Monsieur Phantom) had been quiet. Rehearsals had started for the new Opera being preformed at the Populaire: Les Miserables. Cossette had flipped out to Raine about how the leading female soprano for Les Mis (as apparently it is called) is named Cosette, but with only one 's' instead of two like the real Cossette. Ever since Cossette had been slightly sullen about the whole ordeal since she was only part of the chorus.

"No, no, no, no, no, NO!" came the whiny, high-pitched voice of the newest Prima Donna of the Opera Popular.

"Mademoiselle, please!" came the pleading voices of the managers as they followed the flaming Prima Donna across the stage. She turned around to face them, her golden gown twirling around her. The young woman appraised the two bumbling idiots before sighing and putting a hand on her forehead.

"Yousa—yousa two owe mesa!" she said.

"Ah, that's more like it La Camilla," said Andre taking her hand. Camilla smiled, her eyes glinting with the power she had over the managers.

"Perchance you will continue with rehearsals Mademoiselle Giudicelli?" Firmin said, bowing in front of her tensely. Camilla considered for a second before sighing and putting a hand on her hip.

"Ifa ma managers command," she said and walked—head held high—back to center stage. The managers smiled and walked into the wings where they struck up a hushed conversation as rehearsals continued on its way.

"Just because she's the famous La Carlotta's niece doesn't mean she can do whatever she wants," Raine pointed out in a hushed voice to Cossette; who smiled and replied:

"Nor does it mean she has talent."

Raine muffled her laughter on the sleeve of her costume. She was wearing a pretty silk gown, nothing like she would wear normally, it fit her well and the smooth green brought out her hazel eyes. The dress was slit down one side, allowing movement for kicks and other such things needed for dancers, and only came slightly pass knee length. Cossette was wearing a dress similar to Raine's but it touched the floor and did not have the open seam down one leg. Raine jumped down and up on her toes excitedly waiting for the dancers turn on stage.

Cossette watched her friend with wonder. It was so strange, it seemed the second she laced her pointy shoes on Raine was no longer the clumsy girl she tended to be but a graceful woman. Cossette laughed as Raine kicked up and spun in a circle causing the other girls to scatter.

Just that moment Madame Giry came up and put a hand on both of the girls' shoulders, whispering for them to kindly calm down and watch the performance. She picked a piece of Raine's dusty brown hair off her shoulder and smoothed it down her back, than touched Cossette's cheek lightly before returning to her spot at the front of the pack of young girls. Cossette sidled slightly closer to Raine.

"She's been acting so weird lately."

"Agreed," Raine replied as they listened to the half-way decent tones of La Camilla.

Just as Cossette was about to reply a loud sound like thunder echoed through the auditorium and someone screamed. A backdrop was falling from the ceiling, been set loose by someone or another. As everyone ran forwards to make sure the new Prima Donna was alright—for it landed on top of her—Raine and Cossette looked up and gasped.

Someone was looking down at them from the rafters, their eyes connected and than he was gone. His swirling black cape disappearing into the shadows behind him.

Was that not funny? Well, I better go check on Erik...I just heard a loud thud and heaven only knows why he's upset this time... *sigh*