Gustave looked at the Phantom. "What do you mean? Who were you hoping to be rid of for good?"
"You shouldn't worry about it yet. We will see if he comes to the opera tonight." The Phantom muttered, more to himself then to Gustave. He paced around a bit then noticed that Gustave was still there. "Don't you have some practicing to do for tonight?"
Gustave nodded and left the room as quietly as he could, whoever he had seen earlier had put the Phantom in a particularly bad mood. Gustave went to the stage, feeling rather useless back in the dark hidden passages of the opera house. The director had wanted to review a number for the show tonight Gustave remembered as he wandered around and eventually ended up at the rehearsal. The director had planned to go through a song for the show tonight and was surprised when he saw Gustave there.
"You don't usually show up for these kinds of things Gustave. Usually you're hiding away where no one can find you." The director smiled, "Good thing you showed up today though it might do the others some good to hear you at more than just the final performance. Okay let's run though the second song of the third act! It was horrid at last night's show!"
Once the cast scattered to their appropriate places the director turned to Gustave. "Your performance was flawless, theirs was not."
"Thank you sir" Gustave said, bowing his head. He knew the director did not give out praise lightly.
The director turned red in the face from shouting at the other cast members who were attempting to eavesdrop. When he calmed down he consulted a piece of paper that Gustave knew to be a letter from the phantom, then proceeded to have everyone run though the scene, several times. When the performance was near perfection Gustave slipped away from the rehearsal and back down into the dark corridors of the secret passageways that led to the office.
Gustave knocked on the door softly and opened it a crack, "Are you still angry?"
The Phantom shook his head, and beckoned the boy in. "I could hear you singing, you will amaze anyone in the audience tonight."
"Even you?" Gustave asked. He knew that the phantom was proud of him, but he didn't know if it was a matter of relation or talent.
"Gustave, my son, you always amaze me when you sing. Your voice reminds me so much of hers, your mother's. Which reminds me, have you thought about your counterpart in the new opera?" The Phantom said.
Gustave shook his head, "The lead soprano here isn't very good."
The Phantom shuffled though his papers, "Now why do you say that, Gustave?"
"Well she's not bad, but she's not the best." Gustave explained. Gustave had noticed that she often missed very high notes, which his composition called for. She also lacked emotion when she sang, making her songs seem empty. The criticism he was giving the lead soprano reminded him of when they had gone to America, the reporters had said some awful things about his mother's singing being empty, without hearing her sing. Gustave remembered his mother singing to him when he was little. He had never heard any emptiness in her voice—it was filled with love—even though he couldn't remember what she had been singing.
The Phantom nodded his head understanding what Gustave had meant. "I will not send the script to the director until you have decided who you would like to play opposite you."
Gustave and the Phantom glanced at the clock on the wall at the same time then exchanged a look and Gustave ran off to the stage, the performance would be starting soon. Once on stage he played his part perfectly, every note memorable and clear. During the bow Gustave looked over the audience, it was a full house, but box five was empty. The audience stood up and a brilliant smile broke over Gustave's face. When the curtains closed Gustave slipped away and went to the Phantom's office.
"Did you see the audience?" Gustave asked excitedly as soon as he entered the room.
"Did you hear your performance?" The Phantom asked seriously.
Gustave shook his head and the smile quickly faded from his face, fearing he was going to be scolded.
"You were amazing there is no way that they would not be able to stand up after that kind of singing, my Angel of Music. The director should be pleased with you. If he isn't then he should not be directing opera." The Phantom said.
"I have a question, why is box five empty?" Gustave asked blushing from his praise.
The phantom looked at the boy, "I thought I had told you, that is where I listen from."
"But how? There wasn't anyone in there." Gustave asked
"I have my ways, my son, I have my ways." The phantom said smirking. "I think someone is calling for you now."
Gustave heard the voice a minute after the Phantom told him that there was someone asking for him. He didn't recognize the voice so he went to investigate.
The man calling for him looked very familiar, but different enough that he almost didn't recognize him. "Papa?"
Suddenly the Phantom was at Gustave's side.
"So it is you Gustave. I thought it was you when I heard you sing, you sound so much like your mother. You look like her too." The man said.
"Raoul I thought we had a bet that you would leave him alone." The phantom said.
"I've been alone for five years now." Raoul said bitterly.
Gustave caught a whiff of something awful, like dirt and sweat and alcohol, and realized the smell was Raoul. He wrinkled his nose.
"It's no wonder." The Phantom said. Gustave stepped back closer to the Phantom. "How did they even let you in here?"
"Having the title of Vicomte will get you in just about anywhere." Raoul said. "Now give me back my son!"
"Now don't you remember, that talk we had all those years ago." The phantom said staying cool in his battle of wits against the angry, drunken man.
"Yes I do, if she sang I would leave America alone. I did, but now we're not in America anymore. Now give me my son back!"
"I don't see your son anywhere around here." The Phantom said calmly "Will you please leave the wings of the stage?You really shouldn't be back here. You might get hurt. The stage is a dangerous place."
"Gustave! Gustave! Don't you recognize your Papa?" Raoul begged.
The Phantom chuckled softly. "His real father is here."
Gustave stepped back again closer to the phantom.
"Boy! Come to your father!" Raoul demanded.
Gustave stepped back until he stood next to the Phantom. Raoul's eyes widened as he realized the resemblance between the phantom and the boy. "You were telling the truth. He really is yours."
"Now that you've seen it for yourself why don't you leave quietly?" The Phantom suggested. He turned to Gustave, "Go get Squelch to make sure this drunkard is escorted off the grounds."
Gustave ran off to the Freak Show that was set up a few blocks away from the opera house he took back ways that only he and the phantom knew of to get there more quickly. When he got back with Squelch, Raoul was gone.
"Mr. Squelch, Raoul left of his own accord but make sure he doesn't get lost on his way off the property." The phantom said.
"Yes, Mr. Y." Squelch said then lumbered off.
The Phantom turned to Gustave. "Thank you very much, now I have one more favor to ask of you. Can you deliver this to your Director?"
Gustave took the envelope that the phantom held out to him and nodded. The boy ran off, and the Phantom went to his office muttering about the drunken fool.