It was Sunday, the day of the final performance of Beauty and the Beast. It was an afternoon performance, and we had fifteen minutes until the start of the show. I put the final touches on my make-up, making sure my hair was just right as I looked at my reflection in the vanity's mirror. I caught a glimpse of Chrissy, who smiled at me in the mirror, then went back to making sure her costume was on just right. I smiled a little, happy that we were finally on some common ground, even if we weren't friends. I got up from the vanity and left the dressing room, shutting the door behind me. I wandered backstage for a moment, and then made my way to the curtains. I pulled one back slightly and gazed out at the audience. It was a packed house; not an empty seat in sight. For the first time all weekend, I grew nervous as I stepped away from the curtain, letting it fall back into its place.

"Jesus, what a crowd," I said softly, backing up and bumping into someone. "Oh, I'm so sorry," I said. I looked up and saw that I had bumped into Erik. He looked down at me, and then glanced at the curtain as if he was looking out at the audience.

"We're sold out today," he said softly, placing his hands on my shoulders to turn me around, putting me face to face with the curtain once more. "It doesn't surprise me. Not after that article about our production in yesterday's paper."

"I'm nervous, for the first time all weekend."

"I am too," he said, then leaned down to whisper something in my ear. "I'm breaking the news to everyone in a couple of minutes. They will all know that I'm leaving after graduation in three weeks."

I turned, looking up at him. "You can't wait until after?"

"No, I'd rather not prolong it anymore. Besides, you are all going out for dinner after the show, and I don't want to bring everyone's moods down."

"Well, if anyone's sad about it the most, it's going to be me."

"Just remember to channel those emotions that you're feeling into your acting and your singing," he said as everyone began to flood out of the dressing rooms. "Go warm up," he told me, before calling over the cast and crew over to talk to them.

I retreated to the dressing room, shutting the door behind me and I began to warm up. I sang my scales lightly and softly so my voice wouldn't flood his out. However, I stopped my warm-ups as I heard everyone protest against Erik and his announcement for leaving. I cleared my throat and stepped out of the dressing room, seeing him standing up on a chair and looking down at the casts, holding his hands up to quiet them down. "I am leaving for my own personal reasons, ladies and gentlemen. I have decided that there is nothing left for me here, and I want to move on." He glanced back at me before he spoke again, lowering his hands to his side. "Please, don't let this announcement flood your emotions too much. Remember to channel it into your acting and your singing and your acting. Now, let's get out there and have a great final performance!" He stepped down from the chair as everyone scattered to their places. I went to mine, standing still and breathing slowly. I felt his presence behind me. He gently placed his hands on my arms, leaning down to whisper in my ear. "Are we still on for tonight?"

I nodded, having almost forgotten about the whole thing. "I'll be there at 9:00, just like you asked me to be."

I felt his small smile against my earlobe, kissing it softly. I quivered a little at the feel of his lips. He drew the curtain back just slightly, enough so I could see the crowd once more. "They are all here for you, Sophie. Only for you."

I smiled, putting my head down as he moved the curtain back. He left me there, going out and greeting the audience, just as he did every night. He finished speaking, and took his place in the front. The lights went down, and the music began once again.

It was the final battle scene between Jay and Drake as I made my entrance on the stage, pleading them to stop. Drake seemingly surrendered to Jay and Jay turned his attention to me, reaching for my hand. As I placed my hand in his, Drake stabbed Jay in the back. Jay let out a fierce roar of pain, pushing Drake off of the balcony. I ran up the stairs as Drake let out a yell and Jay fell to the floor. I took his hand, placing my other hand on his face. He looked up at me, his back to the audience, speaking his line.

"You came back…"

"If only I had come sooner…"

"Maybe…its better…it's better this way."

"Don't talk like that. You'll be all right. Everything's going to be fine."

He raised his claw to my face, gently stroking my cheek. Something was happening to me. I could feel the tears forming in the back of my eyes. Damn it, I thought as I tried to blink them away, I didn't want this to happen, especially during the last performance. I blinked once more to block the tears in, I didn't blink fast enough. A single tear fell on Jay's cheek. He glanced up at me with an eyebrow raised, speaking his last line.

"At least…I got to see you…one last time…"

I swallowed the lump in my throat that had begun to form as I placed my hand on his, singing to him, but my eyes were on Erik. I knew he had seen my tears; I could tell by the look on his face. I took a breath as he gave me my cue and I began to sing.

We are home
We are where we shall be forever
Trust in me
For you know I won't run away
From today
This is all that I need
And all that I need to say is…
Don't you know how you changed me
Strange how I finally see
I've found home
You're my home
Stay with me…

Jay dropped his hand from my face, signaling to me that he had died. I gently grabbed hold of the cloak that he was wearing, gently shaking him as I desperately pleaded with him as I spoke my lines. "No! No, please! Please, don't leave me!" My eyes traveled up to Erik as I said the final line.

"I love you…"

I lowered my head onto Jay's body, hearing the music that the last petal had fallen from the rose. I sniffled softly, wiping my eyes discreetly on the cloak. The Transformation music began to play and I helped Jay removed the claw from his hand, discreetly placing it beside him as I got up, making my way to the bell jar. I looked up at Erik, and he looked at me with a small smile. I turned my focus back to the bell jar as the music began to swell and Jay began to stir, preparing for his entrance in human form. I let out a low sigh, my mind traveling between dreams, Christine, the Phantom, Erik and me. I heard the crowd gasp as Jay stood and turned to face the audience in his human form. He slowly made his way over me, placing his hand on my shoulder. I slowly turned around, softly gasping and placing my hand over my mouth. He took my hand away from my mouth, holding it and stepping closer as he sang.

Belle, look into my eyes
Belle, don't you recognize
The beast within the man
Who's here before you

"It is you!" I threw my arms around Jay as he hugged me and spun me around. He slowly lowered me down to the ground and kissed me. Even though it was a staged kiss, cheers and applause erupted throughout the auditorium. The human forms of the servants came out on stage next, and we finished the first part of our final scene. We went backstage and began our quick changes, Jay putting on his jacket as I went behind the screen with Annie and Chrissy so they could help me put the ball gown on. We quickly put it on and made sure that it was on correctly before I rejoined Jay at his side, taking his arm.

"Are you okay," he asked me in a whisper as we watched the scene, waiting for our cue. I nodded at him as Erik cued us to come out. We walked out slowly to the center of the stage, and began to dance the waltz. As the ensemble came out, the audience began to cheer. We sang the finale as Jay and I walked up to the balcony once more and the curtain dropped. Everyone scattered to their proper places backstage. Drake greeted me with a hug and Jay squeezed my hand as we took our places backstage.

"Why were you crying," he asked as the curtain rose and the ensemble went out to take their bows.

"To be honest, I have no idea," I replied with a laugh, smiling. But I did have an idea. No, more like a reason. I just didn't want to admit it. I looked out as the castle servants took their bows, then Drake and the boy who played LeFou took their bows together, and then Jay. Finally, there was me. I watched as the cast split in half and I cut through behind them, stopping at center stage facing the audience. Everyone was standing, cheering, and applauding, and it was all for me. I made my way to the front, curtseying center stage first, followed by stage left and stage right. When I rejoined the rest of the cast, they didn't join hands with me like they should have. Instead, two stage hands came out with two bouquets of roses, one with white roses and the other with yellow roses. I smiled, beaming with pride as I took another curtsey to the audience, looking up at Erik, who just winked at me. And I knew that one of the bouquets were from him. I bowed with the cast, saluting the pit, stage hands, and lighting crew before bowing again and watching the curtain drop. As everyone scattered to be the first ones back to the dressing room to change, someone caught my arm. It was a reporter from the local newspaper, wanting to interview me. I happily accepted, but it was not the interview that I was hoping to have.

"So, tell me about Buquet's death," he started after pressing the record button his tape recorder. "What was it like for you? Did you feel relieved now that he's dead?"

"I…I don't feel comfortable talking to you about that at this present time," I said simply, turning on my heel and walking towards the dressing room.

"Is it true that you were the one who found his body?"

"No comment," I said again, beginning to walk a little faster as he followed me, trying to get me to answer him.

"Was his death a murder or a suicide? Did you know that he was going to be found guilty? Come on, Miss Day! I'm on a deadline here!"

Just as I was about to say something, I heard the reporter gasp and gag. I turned around and saw Erik squeezing his throat, slowly lifting him off of the ground to face him. The reporter's eyes were wide as he looked at Erik, pressing stop on his tape recorder and placing his hands over Erik's wrist.

"I believe the lady said 'no comment,' sir," he said coolly and quietly, staring the reporter down as he looked fearfully at Erik's face.

"Hey man, I've got a job to do, and our readers –" He gasped again for air. I saw Erik's hand gripping his throat even tighter.

"If you don't leave now, I will make sure that you won't leave here alive. Do you understand me?"

The reporter nodded hastily, and Erik dropped him. I watched him as he breathed and coughed a couple of times, and then got up, running out of the auditorium. Erik turned me, his hands slowly sliding into his pockets. I looked at him, and there was only one thing that I could think of to say to him.

"Thank you."

He just nodded, and walked away, resuming his work back down in the pit. I went into the dressing room, putting my flowers on the vanity as I began to change and gather my costumes to return to Annie.

We were all at dinner later that night. My body was there, but my mind was not. My mind was wandering back and forth between the friends that I had around me and the one person that I would be seeing alone in a matter of hours. I didn't eat much, thinking about what his card had said. Secrets that wouldn't remain buried for long…what could that mean? I pushed my plate away and looked at my wristwatch, seeing that it was 7:00pm. I laid some money on the table, saying my goodbyes to Drake and Jay, then left the pizza parlor, walking home. My mind was also wandering back to what the reporter had asked me. Was I relieved that Buquet was dead? Was his death a murder or a suicide? I shook my head, trying not to dwell on it as I arrived at my house, going up to my room after I shut the door to find something else to wear. For some reason, something was telling me that this shouldn't be a jeans and a t-shirt kind of visit. I rummaged through my closet, finding a sundress that I hadn't worn yet. It was brand new, white and knee length, with a black ribbon that was around the waist to tie in the back. I looked at it for a few minutes, smiling softly at the thought of Christine wearing something like this. I threw it on my bed, finding flip-flops to match after I stripped off my jeans and my t-shirt. I put the sundress on, zipping up the back, and tying the ribbon. I looked at myself in the mirror, smiling softly as I turned to look back at the clock, seeing that it was now 8:45pm. I did the final look over as I slipped on my flip-flops, quietly leaving my empty home and walking to his. The warm night air felt good against my skin as I walked at an even pace, hearing a piano being played in the distance. I smiled, knowing it was him who was playing. I picked up the pace a little and I got closer to his house, growing more and more excited to see him. When I finally arrived, I went around to the back of the house, moving toward the back door. He must have seen my feet through the windows because the music ceased and the piano bench scooted away from it. I opened the door and I was immediately pulled inside, greeted with Erik's soft lips against mine as he pulled me in for a deep kiss.

The kiss took me completely by surprise as I closed my eyes. My hands slowly found their way to his neck as he held the kiss. His arms found their way to my waist, and I felt myself being slowly lifted off of the ground as he pulled back for air. I smiled softly, my hair dangling slightly in front of my eyes as I leaned in and kissed him back, softly and just as deeply as he did to me. After a few moments, he slowly lowered me back to the ground, pulling back and looking down at me with a smile as he brushed my hair out of my eyes.

"Well, that's one hell of a hello," I said softly, looking up at him as he slowly pulled away, holding my hand and looking me up and down. He chuckled at my comment, slowly leading me to the basement.

"You look beautiful, and you were fantastic this afternoon," he said, then pulled me close again, cupping my chin in his hand. "Be honest with me. Were you crying up there on stage? Were you crying because of me?"

I nodded foolishly, going to sit down on the piano bench, crossing my legs as I looked up at him. "I guess I had an unexpected flood of emotions that I wasn't counting on. My mind was racing between you, prom, graduation, me leaving for school, and your card. I can't get what your card said out of my mind. What secrets could be between us, Erik?"

He sighed softly, getting a chair and moving it in front of me, sitting down. "I guess there's no point in prolonging it any longer," he said softly, taking my hand. As I entwined my fingers with his, he began to speak. "Sophie, I wasn't entirely honest with you when I told you about my family history in Paris. I am a descendant of Erik Destler, the Phantom of the Opera. This…thing on my face is a hereditary deformity that ran in my family on his side and when I was born, I was the first one in my family to be born with it in over fifty years. What I told you about my mother and father was true; she gave me up and I was placed in foster care. I never knew my father. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner; I didn't think that it was appropriate with everything that had happened. I'm sorry for being so secretive with you."

I smiled softly, kissing him gently as I rested my forehead against his. "I have secrets of my own, Erik. I'm a descendant of Christine Daae. Ever since the accident at the Opera House, I have been having dreams that I'm her, back in time, you are the Phantom of the Opera, and Drake is the Vicomte Raoul de Changey. I went through her memories of that time, Erik, every single memory. Her first aria, the death of Buquet, her struggles with her feelings for the Phantom and Raoul, and there was even one dream where we were practicing this song for your opera that you wrote and…" I stopped, and had begun to laugh, my cheeks turning a dark crimson as I pulled away, placing my hand over my mouth. He chuckled softly, his eyes glistening as if he knew what I wanted to say, but knew I couldn't bear to speak it out loud. "Well, let's just say that it got pretty physical," I concluded, looking at him. Much to my surprise, he leaned in, kissing my lips softly, resting his forehead against mine, his eyes closed.

"I knew it."

"You knew what?"

"I knew that you were having the dreams too."

I gasped softly, standing up from the piano bench to look at me. He slowly stood, looking at me as he calmly put his hands in his pockets. "You knew, and you didn't tell me?"

"How could I tell you, Sophie? For so long, I have had the dreams and Christine would just be an image that I would only be reaching for distantly. Every time I fell asleep, she would return. Then, there was one night, in my dreams when I went to gather Christine for her lesson, and there you were, asleep in her bed. There wasn't just a spirit there any longer; it was you and I was calling you Christine."

I let out a shaky breath, taking this all in. "I can't believe this. What can it mean?"

He slowly reached out, taking my hand in his once more, entwining our fingers. "I think we're destined to be together. No matter what, we'll always find each other."

I smiled at the thought, looking up at him. "You know that I need time, Erik. Just give me some time."

"I will. You know I will. Sophie…there's something else that I need to tell you too."

"What is it, Erik," I asked softly, my fingers gently playing with his.

"I helped Buquet to his death."

My eyes widened. I dropped his hand from mine. I could feel the color draining rapidly from my face. I took a step away from him, backing away slowly. He took one step towards me, and then stopped, looking at me. "You killed him…"

"Yes…"

"You're a murderer."

"Hardly, my dear," he replied coolly, placing his hands upon the piano, watching me as I continued to slowly back up to the stairs. His eyes were cold and heartless, just as the Phantom's once were in my dreams. "I merely pushed him off of the catwalk. He put the noose around his own neck."

"I…I can't bear this…"

"Sophia, don't run away from me…"

"I-I'm sorry," I said softly, making a run up the stairs and bolting out the door, taking off in a dead run to my house. I could hear him calling my name, beckoning me to come back to him, but I couldn't. I kept running until I got to my house, slamming the door shut and locking it. I backed up into the living room, looking at the door, thinking he was going to barge in. I crouched on the floor, breathing heavily, soon realizing that he didn't follow me. My mind began to reel; how was I going to handle this? There was so much in my head; what was going to happen to him if they found out that he murdered Buquet? What was going to happen to us now, with prom and graduation only weeks away?

The bigger question was…who was I going to choose now? Drake or Erik?