AUTHOR'S NOTE: i HAVE MONSIEUR DESTLER AND SOPHIA SINGING 'MUSIC OF THE NIGHT' AS A DUET IN THIS CHAPTER. SOPHIA IS SINGING IN ITALICS, MONSIEUR DESTLER IS SINGING IN BOLDED TEXT AND THEY ARE SINGING TOGETHER WHEN THE TEXT IS IN BOTH BOLD AND ITALICS. ENJOY! =) ~ DP

The first dress rehearsal went very smoothly, especially with my emotions running high between Drake and I. During the mob scene, I actually slapped him across the face, which was only supposed to be a stage slap. He was taken aback by it and he had to stop the scene to regain his composure. I ran up to him, apologizing, but he didn't want to hear it, and we continued the rehearsal. Monsieur Destler's comment about me was still in my mind. It made me feel better that someone still saw me for me and not as the slut as everyone thought I had turned into. I changed back into my normal clothes, seeing Drake coming out of the boys' dressing room. I ran up to him, grabbing ahold of his arm.

"Hey, I need to talk to you," I said as he stopped, shrugging his arm away from me. I put my hand down at my side, holding onto my purse and my hoodie. "I'm really sorry for the way that I've been acting. The trial is coming up and I'm worried about that, I'm worried about the show, and –"

"I think we need to take a break."

I blinked, looking at him. "A…a break? As in, you're breaking up with me."

"Just until this drama is over. I can't take it, Sophia. Your life is too dramatic right now between the trial that you have coming up, this musical, and everything else that you've done in the last couple of days."

I lowered my head, not looking at him. "I…I understand."

"You know, you can get as angry at me as you want right now. No one else is here. Don't hold it in, Sophia. It's not good for you," he said softly, placing his hands on my arms. I stepped back, clutching my purse.

"I can't be mad at you, Drake. I understand why you're doing this."

"I'll be there for you during the trial. I'm on your side; you know that."

"I know," I said, and I turned on my heel, leaving the auditorium, walking back to my house, taking my things back there, calling ADA Nolan. He answered right away, just as I relocked my house and began walking again. "Mr. Nolan, its Sophia Day. I hope I'm not bothering you."

"No, not at all, Sophia. What can I do for you?"

"I have some emails on my laptop, and I don't know who they're from, but…let's just say that they're not pretty."

"What do they say?"

"Um, pretty much that I'm a liar, slut, and whore, so on and so forth."

"All right, well, I'll call a tech person to come over and look at your laptop tomorrow, okay? We can use them as evidence against Buquet, if they were sent by him or any of their witnesses."

"Thank you, Mr. Nolan. I really appreciate it."

"Get some rest. I'll be by with the tech person tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay, Mr. Nolan. Thank you," and with that I hung up my phone. I had walked to the park again, but I didn't stop there. I kept walking, my tennis shoes splashing in the small puddles that were on the sidewalk. There was a low rumble of thunder in the distance; another storm was coming. It wasn't long before I found myself at Monsieur Destler's house again, hearing the music coming from the house once again. I noticed that it was louder than before, but I didn't care. The melody was intoxicating. I sat down in the same spot where I was before, away from the light and out of sight of any one that would pass by his house. I began to hum the melody again, closing my eyes and resting my head against the siding of his house. Soon, I grew tired of humming and I began to vocalize softly, following the same notes that I had heard before. Suddenly, as I vocalized a high note, I felt a hand wrap around my throat and I let out a gasp, which caused the grip to only become tighter, but not tight enough to choke me.

"So, it was you that I heard two nights ago," the voice said in a whisper, running his thumb along the soft skin of my neck. I shuddered softly. I was in trouble now; he had caught me and I was going to lose the part of Belle for sure. My eyes were still closed as he spoke again. "You know, I thought that I was just imagining things when I heard the humming a few nights ago. I even came outside to look around and there was no one here. But today…today when I heard you humming on the way back to the dressing room, I knew it was you. This is my private home, Miss Day, and you are trying my patience with knowing that I write my own music. I want to know why you are spying on me, and I want you to tell me right now." He slowly took his hand away from my throat, and I breathed slowly, turning my head to look into his eyes as he crouched to the ground, looking down at me. "Why, Sophia?"

"I am so sorry," I began, looking away from him as I spoke. "I didn't mean to spy on you. It happened completely by accident. I was walking and I heard you playing, and I watched you. It was only meant for a moment, but I saw that you were composing and I just…" I took a breath, letting it out slowly. I was rambling; I needed to regain my thoughts. I still couldn't bear to look at him. Just as I was about to speak again, I felt the tips of his middle and index finger, lifting my chin to look at him. I saw his deep, blue eyes. They were soft, gentle, and understanding; he just wanted an answer.

"You just what, Sophia," he asked in a soft whisper, still holding my head to look up at him.

"When I saw that you were playing the music that you had written in your own hand, I had to listen to it. And Monsieur Destler, it was beautiful. I haven't been able to get it out of my head since I first listened to it. The first night I listened to it, after I had went back to my house, it was in my mind and it lulled me to sleep. Your music…" I stood up on my knees, facing him, my hands moving over my chest. "Your music filled my soul with a strange, sweet sound. With your music, I felt like my soul just wanted to soar. I heard music as I'd never heard before." I moved again, this time standing on my feet, which was followed by Monsieur Destler standing up fully, looking down at me. "I'm sorry for imposing on you and your life. I'm going to go." I turned and took a step to walk away. Then, he grabbed my hand, and I froze in my place.

"Come with me," he said softly, pulling me closer to his house, more to the back door of his home, the door closest to his basement.

"No, I'd better not. He might get something that he can use against me in my case," I said softly. He touched my cheek with his soft fingers. I trembled at his touch, looking at him as he continued to pull me along into his home.

"Come with me, Sophia. Do not resist me," he spoke softly, leading me downstairs to his basement, closing the door once I was on the stairs. He took both of my hands, helping me walk down the stairs.

"Monsieur Destler, please…I really shouldn't be here."

He placed me next to the piano, his face close to mine. "Sophia…you were the first person who has ever heard my music. This is music that no one has ever heard before, and you heard it and you felt it inside of you," he said, placing his hand over my heart. "You felt it in here, in your soul. Now, I'm going to play the song that you heard, and I want you to sing what is in your heart."

"Do you have lyrics with your music," I asked softly as he moved to play the piano, sitting on the bench, my hand on its lid as I looked at him.

"No. That's where you come in. I want you to sing what's in your heart and show me how much this music has influenced your soul." He played the beginning chords of the piece, and I closed my eyes, listening intently for a good place to begin. I could feel the music and words flowing through me, and when he played the last chord, I took a breath, and sang.

"Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation. Darkness stirs, and wakes imagination. Silently the senses abandon their defenses…"

He played the interlude for that first part. I could feel him smiling. Then, he sang.

"Slowly, gently, night unfurls is splendor. Grasp it; sense it, tremulous and tender. Turn your face away, from the garish light of day. Turn your thoughts away from cold, unfeeling light, and listen to the music of the night…"

Then, we both sang together, our voices entwining together as one.

"Close your eyes and surrender to your darkest dreams. Purge your thoughts of the life you knew before. Close your eyes, let your spirit start to soar…and you'll live as you've never lived before…"

I took the next part, moving him closer to him as he played.

"Softly, deftly, music shall caress you…"

He sang his reply, watching me as I watched him.

"Hear it, feel it, secretly possess you…"

Our duet resumed again as I moved behind him, placing my hands on his shoulders. The music had overtaken both of us, and we weren't letting it stop.

"Open up your mind; let your fantasies unwind in the darkness which you know you cannot fight. The darkness of the music of the night…Let your mind start a journey to a strange new world. Leave all thoughts of the life you knew before. Let your soul take you were you long to be…"

I had hit my highest note ever. I held it and its tone filled the room. Monsieur Destler stopped playing and singing as he turned around, slowly standing up from the piano bench and standing in front of me, watching me as I stopped, panting softly, my hand over my chest. He slowly reached for my hand that was over my chest, smiling as he took it and he sang the next part without the melody from the piano.

"Only then can you belong to me…"

I shuddered at the thought, and he pulled me close to him, whispering into my ear, "Sing to me, my Angel…"

I melted at his words, obeying his command of me, feeling his arms wrap around my small waist.

"Floating, falling, sweet intoxication…"

He sang the next line into my ear, softly and sweetly, running one of his hands through my hair.

"Touch me, trust me. Savor each sensation…"

I moved my hands to his face, gently caressing his scarred skin while he closed his eyes. Our voices melded together as one once more.

"Let the dream begin, let your darker side give in to the power of the music that I write…the power of the music of the night…"

He held my face in his hands, and pulled me in for a kiss so sweet and gentle that it took me back. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he lifted me off of the ground, kissing me again and again, his lips moving down to my neck. I noticed that my breathing became deeper and quicker with each passing kiss. Suddenly, just as quickly as he began, he stopped, his own breathing quick and hard, placing a gentle kiss on my forehead. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath before I sang once more.

"You alone can make my song take flight…help me make the music of the night…"

We stood there together, frozen in time as to what had just happened. In my mind, I was seeing the Phantom and Christine, having sung together for the first time and him holding her just as he was holding me right now. In reality, we were Monsieur Destler and Sophia, the teacher and the student. Reality began to set it as Monsieur Destler slowly released me from his grasp, and I stepped back, putting both of my hands over my flushed cheeks.

"Oh, we shouldn't have done that," I dreaded, shaking my head, not looking at him. "We should not have done that. He probably heard. He probably saw…" I backed myself up against the wall, beginning to hyperventilate. Panic began to set in as Monsieur Destler stepped closer to me, slowly as not to startle me.

"What was wrong with it," he asked softly, reaching one hand out slowly to take mine down from my face. "It was beautiful. You shouldn't be ashamed of that, Sophia."

"No, he heard! I know he did! He'll say that we're in a relationship, and then he'll be free and he'll come after me," I yelled tearfully, putting a hand out in front of him to stop him from coming closer, but he continued to come to me, my hand pressing against his chest now as he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close to his chest as I cried. He rubbed my back gently, comforting me as I cried.

"Sophie…my Sophie…I promise that no harm will come to you. Do you believe me?"

"What can you do," I asked, which was muffled into his chest. "If we tell the court about this, you will lose your job and Buquet will be free and we'll both be in danger."

"I swear to you that James Buquet will never bother you again. He will never come near you again, no matter what happens in this trial. Do you understand?"

I nodded softly, holding onto him as I cried. He held me, cradling me in his arms, kissing the top of my head every so often. After minutes of silence, he lifted my head, kissing my forehead softly, looking down into my eyes. "Monsieur…thank you for your music," I said softly, closing my eyes as he lightly touched my cheek.

"Did you enjoy it," he asked, kissing my cheek, moving his lips slowly along my jawline, leaving a trail of kisses in his wake.

"With every breath in my body," I replied with a soft smile as his fingers began to caress my skin in the softest man. I felt his smile creep across his lips while they were still on my cheek. I blushed softly.

"My sweet Sophie…"

"Mm, I better go," I said softly, pulling back. "We do have rehearsal tomorrow, or have you forgotten?"

He chuckled lightly, taking my hand and kissing it softly. "I haven't forgotten, my dear," he said in reply, slowly releasing me from his grasp. "Would you like me to walk you home? It is late, unless Drake is waiting for you."

I frowned slightly, stepping back from him slowly. "Drake isn't waiting for me. We…we're taking a break." I saw this light in Monsieur Destler's face and another smile, but he kept his distance.

"From what I have seen, and forgive me if I'm being too bold, but it seems like it has been over for a long time for you. Am I correct?"

I didn't look at him, thinking about what he had just said as I walked up the stairs from his basement. He was right. For me, even though I did love Drake dearly, we had been together for so long that I didn't love him as I thought I did. When I didn't speak, he came up behind me, placing his hands gently on my shoulders. He wrapped and arm around my waist, walking up the stairs with me while he waited for me to reply. I gathered my thoughts, opening the door to go outside.

"I believe that it was over after the rape. He told me that he needed some space. Even though I resisted him, I told him that I was doing it to save your job. He…didn't like that very much."

"Well, here we are, your two character witnesses and we despise one another," he said as we walked, his hands in his pockets. "Have you told him about us?"

"No. I haven't told anyone about us, not even ADA Nolan."

His head made a quick turn, stopping in his tracks. "Sophia, you have to tell him."

"I can't. I don't want you to lose your job."

He sighed softly, and continued to walk. I followed him. I sensed that there was something that he wasn't telling me. I placed my hand on his shoulder and he stopped again, turning to me. "I'm leaving after this year, Sophia."

I froze, moving my hands to my side. "You're…leaving? But how can you leave? You're the best music teacher that our high school has ever seen!"

"I believe that my work there is done, and I have nothing else to do there," he said as he turned a corner, walking down my street. I followed him, thinking about what he had just said. I was a senior, and I would be graduating this year. He was leaving this year. Then, I said something that I thought would be too bold.

"You're leaving because of me."

"I'm not going to confirm or deny that."

"So, I'm right. You're leaving because I'm leaving."

"I have my own reasons for leaving, Sophia."

"I'm not going to pry because those reasons might be personal, but I know that the main reason that you're leaving is because of me," I said as we came to my house. It was still dark, no signs of life inside whatsoever. My parents were still out of town. "Well, this is me," I said shyly, stopping at the end of the sidewalk.

"Are you sure? There isn't anyone home."

"Yeah, my parents are out of town. ADA Nolan will be by with a tech person to get some emails off of my laptop."

"What kind of emails?"

"Oh, you know…just some emails."

"Threatening?"

"Not exactly…"

"Sophia…tell me what the emails said."

I sighed. "Wait here," I said, going up to my house and unlocking the front door and shutting it behind me. I went upstairs, getting my laptop from my desk and taking it back outside to the porch. I waved at him to come up, opening it for him to the emails. I couldn't bear to look at him as he started to read. I listened to his breathing get heavier and I sensed more anger coming from him than I ever had before sensed before. He slammed my laptop shut, coming over to me, grabbing me and turning me to face him.

"You are not what they say you are, do you understand me? You are nothing like them, and you never will be. Do you understand?"

When I nodded, he kissed my forehead, and parting his way, walking down to the side walk. He turned to me, and smiled. "There's one more thing, Miss Day."

"Yes, Monsieur Destler?"

"I thought you looked gorgeous in the ball gown today," he said with a smile, leaving and walking back to his house. I went in my house with my laptop and locked the door once more. I walked up the stairs and headed to my bedroom, completely exhausted from the day. I quickly changed into my pajamas, our song still ringing through my head as I rested my head on my pillow. I smiled softly at the thought of us singing together, and the sexual feelings that we hardly resisted between us. As I drifted off into a restful night of sleep, I thought about Christine and the Phantom again, wondering how they thought these feelings between them, if there were any sort of feelings between them.