After that night, it was two weeks before I saw him again. Not that he wasn't on my mind... because he was. All the time, really. What had he meant by "History repeats itself" ? How did he know where I worked? I had a hunch he went there often, so I began paying more attention to the audience. But that isn't really easy, when the lights are shining in your face. All you can really see off stage is a sea of pale ovals, the faces of the rich people in the crowd.

And... I couldn't help blushing when I remembered that he had called me perfect. And that I had a perfect name... maybe because his name was V? It was quite possible. But after two weeks, I had begun to think I had dreamed all of it. In fact, sometimes I got quite angry at myself for even thinking of that night, and him.

But I couldn't help it. He had saved me from... well, some very bad men. If he hadn't showed up, I might've ended up dead. Police officers or not, I know those men meant to hurt me.

My friend at the Opera House, Meg, noticed something was up after about a week. She kept badgering me about why I looked like I was daydreaming, or why I acted so happy these days. All I could do was scowl at her. But really, this was affecting me.

Anyway, after two weeks, I had given up on seeing my mystery savior. I figured he would have tried to get in contact with me, if he really cared about me. Maybe all he did was go around saving damsels.

It was a Tuesday night, and we had a full house. That was typical of Tuesdays, suprisingly. I was back stage, "day dreaming," when I heard my name whispered. I turned around, thinking I'd see Meg, but instead I saw a mask. Well, half of one.

I froze, and said nothing. The side of the face I could see turned up in what I figured was a smile, and the eye was gazing right into mine.

"Hello again, Evey," the man in the mask said, and I immediately recognized the voice. It was my savior!

"V!" I breathed, taken by surprise but extremely happy to see him. "I thought I'd never see you again!" I told him quietly. His half-face grin got wider, and he leaned in close to my face. I could smell his cologne mixed with his scent, and I found it intoxicating.

"You wanted to see me again? Why?" he asked me. He sounded confused, yet he was still grinning... as if he already knew the answer, but didn't want to come off as a know-it-all.

I stopped to think before answering. "Well," I finally said, "you did save my life. Or is that not a good enough reason?"

He leaned back and laughed quietly, and his scent disappeared. Without realizing it, I leaned towards him, trying to catch the scent again. But at that moment, Meg tapped me on the shoulder. I jumped about a foot in the air, and turned to face her. She must not have seen V, because all she said to me was "We're on!". When I turned around to say goodbye to V, he had disappeared. Again.

What was up with this dude?

---

After the performance had ended, Meg and I walked with linked arms out of the Opera House. She was chattering aimlessly, and I listened with only half an ear as she prattled on about her ex-boyfriend.

Finally she said something that I actually heard.

"... so I told him we were through! Hey, Evey, how about you? Any men in your life?" she asked. I looked at her, perplexed, shaken from my own thoughts about V; who he was, and why he wore the mask.

"Oh, me? Ha, Meg, you know I don't date. I haven't in a year. I guess dating just isn't for me...," I trailed off, because she had stopped walking and was staring at me.

"Evey, I've been watching you. For the past two weeks, you've been all googly eyed and acting like the ballerinas." We both laughed, but she wasn't done. "I thought we were friends, Evey. Are we? Tell me. Who's the guy?"

We had continued walking, and had reached the corner where we usually seperated ways. Again she stopped, and so did I. We stood in the pool of light from the streetlamp.

I sighed. "Meg, I swear, it's nothing. I just met some guy, once, and haven't seen him since. Nothing."

She stared at me, as if reading my mind, trying to figure out whether I was lying. I guess I had passed her radar, because she sighed too. She hugged me, and said, "Well, if you say so. I really think a guy'd be good for you... if something like that could make you bubbly for two weeks. But, that's just me talking, and what do I know? See you tomorrow, Evey." She turned and walked into the shadows.

I began walked again, thinking about our conversation. Would a guy be good for me? I guessed so... even a guy who disappeared at the drop of a hat. But still... that, and the mask, gave him an air of mystery. The visible side of his face had been handsome, and that didn't hurt at all. And that smell...

At first I thought I was remembering it so vividly that I simply thought I was smelling it, but after a minute I realized I was smelling it. I turned around frantically, but saw nothing. The nearest street lamp only cast shadows. But I smelled it... that irrisistible ocean smell...

I felt someone's breath on my neck, and nearly shrieked, but a hand was placed over my mouth, and the other around my waste. My eyes opened wide in panic, but I could still see no one. But I felt him. And smelled him.

And heard him. "Evey... you were beautiful on stage tonight."

And that's the last thing I heard, before blackness rushed in on me.

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Oooh, you just love cliffhangers.