Ella picked up the white rose lying on her vanity. It was something Erik left for her after every show, whether he was able to talk to her or not. She touched the soft petals before placing the flower in a vase that contained the other roses he had presented her. "Who leaves you all these?" Meg asked. "Did you ever find out?"

She shrugged. "It doesn't matter really. I mean, it's just a rose. It's not like anything bad is going to happen from a flower."

"Someone is sneaking into your dressing room to leave you flowers! What if it turns into something more than that? Ella, this could potentially turn into something serious. I've already nearly lost one friend to a stalker! I don't want to relive that!"

"Meg, I swear to you that I haven't heard any 'angels'. And if I do, you'll be the first to know," Ella replied reassuringly. "And like I said, it's simply a flower. If anything changes, I'll tell you. It's probably just a stagehand anyway."

"Yeah you're probably right," Meg said with a sigh. "Wouldn't be the first time either. They either can't work up the nerve to say anything or they do it as a joke."

"But if I do randomly go missing, you should probably be alarmed," Ella added with a laugh. "Just saying. I really don't wish to be kidnapped."

"That would be bad," her friend agreed. "So if you're going to get dragged off, make sure you leave a note or something so I know."

The two girls laughed. "I'll be sure to do that." Ella wondered what Erik was thinking about this. She wasn't about to look with Meg in the room, but she was pretty sure he was behind the mirror. Pretending to check her hair, Ella offered the mirror a soft smile, on the chance that Erik was there.

"Now let's go!" Meg exclaimed. "You've been prima donna for a whole week now! That calls for some fun!"

"I think you're just looking for an excuse to go out," Ella said with a laugh.

"Of course I am! Now are we going or not? C'mon let's go."

Erik watched Meg pull Ella out. Already, after just a week on stage, she was becoming more comfortable. She still didn't like the attention, but she was learning to live with it, and it took less coaxing to get her to perform. The tutor part of him disapproved her going out so late, but Ella deserved a treat.

Then Erik realized what was happening. He was letting his emotions get in the way. Ella's career could be in danger if he let himself get too involved with her emotionally. Not to mention he risked scaring her away if he kept up this quick pace between them. Yes he loved her, but he didn't want to lose her. He had to slow down, or he'd potentially ruin everything he'd been working for.

Letting himself into her dressing room, Erik walked over to the vase of roses. He ran his fingers along the petals of one of the flowers, deep in thought. This was going to have to be a delicate dance. If his rhythm got off, then he'd lose. Moving too fast would frighten Ella away, but if he moved too slowly then Ella might think he was pushing her away.

He sighed. He had learned too many lessons from Christine, and Erik wasn't willing to go down that road again. That meant from now on he was going to have to take this one cautious step at a time. Hopefully this time he would succeed in winning over his love.

"Oh Ella," Erik murmured. "What am I going to do about you?"

Suddenly his attention shot to the door. Someone was on the other side, jiggling the handle, wanting in. Luckily Ella had locked it before she left, but Erik retreated behind the mirror just to be safe. Eventually whoever wanted in gave up and disappeared. He wondered who on earth wanted in here and why.

Jacqueline had had enough. Prima Donna was to be her title, and if Ella thought she was going to stand aside and let her have it, she had another thing coming. She was going to get the lead, no matter the cost.

It wasn't fair. The Phantom obviously had a tendency to pick the stupid girls out of the bunch. Christine thought he was an angel, and who knew what story he told Ella. Oh yes, she knew about their 'secret' lessons. Ella thought she was so careful, so sneaky. But she would leave at the same time every week. So predictable she thought with an eye roll. Jacqueline had tailed her a few times, but always the same result. She would always go to the chapel. From time to time, Jacqueline would stay and listen for a bit, and it was most definitely the Phantom that Ella was seeing. She had been there the night of the Don Juan incident, and that was one voice she'd never forget.

The Phantom was the source of her dilemma. She could never be the lead with Ella here because he would never allow it. But she couldn't go near Ella to get rid of her herself or she would have to face the wrath of the Phantom. Luckily she knew someone that could solve both of her problems. All it would take was a little timing and some good acting.

"So where are we going?" Jacqueline stepped aside to let Ella and Meg pass as they headed out the door, arm in arm.

"Oh there's this awesome little café down the street. Christine and I went there a few times after performances but then she suddenly wouldn't go out. You'll love it!" She smiled as they disappeared. She wasn't expecting to be able to put her plan in action quite so soon, provided he was still here.

She finally found him working his way away from the managers. Jacqueline quickly made herself look panicked and the second he was alone, she ran up to him.

"Monsieur Dubois!" Archer turned and saw a dark haired girl running towards him. He recognized her as one of the ballerinas. "Monsieur! Please!"

"What is it?" he asked, unsure why this girl would ever feel the need to talk to him, but she looked hysterical.

"It's Ella! She…she…"

Even though Ella had broken off their engagement, he felt a surge of fear. "What is it? What's wrong? What happened?" He grabbed her upper arms tightly. "Where's Ella?"

"I…I don't know!" she cried. "He's taken her!" The girl let out a sob. "He took her!"

"Who took her?" Archer demanded.

"The Phantom did Monsieur! The Phantom took her like he did Christine!"

"You're kidding," he replied, turning away. She grabbed his shoulder, but he shook her off. "I don't have time for ghost stories."

"It's not a ghost story! He's not really a ghost. He's a madman that no one's been able to catch! He burned down the entire opera house a year ago! Monsieur, Ella is in very real danger!"

He hesitated. If Ella was in danger, he had to do something. "How do you know it's this 'Phantom'?"

"Because he's been behind everything! He's the one who broke her ankle! He told me that if I said it was him, he'd kill me! He's the one who cause all her bruises! She disappears all the time. He takes her and God knows what he does to her! Monsieur, she loves you, but I heard him tell her that if she married you, he'd kill you both! That's why she left!"

"You're sure of this?"

"I've heard him talking to her! Monsieur, he has such an awful temper. His threats are far from idle. He will kill her if she disobeys him. She's in danger here! You have to find her and take her away."

"But why hasn't she told me any of this?" Archer asked. "If Ella loves me, then wouldn't she have told me?"

"Because Monsieur, he's got her under his spell. He's doing the same thing for to her that he did to Christine! His voice Monsieur, his voice can hypnotize people so they do whatever he wants! She can't tell you because he won't let her!"

Archer stared at her, his mouth hanging open. "I must be crazy for listening to you." He pushed past her and ran to Ella's dressing room, the girl on his heels.

"Wait!" she hissed. "If you just go in there, and he's there, he'll kill you!"

He paused and placed his ear on the door, listening. "Oh Ella, what am I going to do about you?" a male voice sighed. Archer looked to the girl with wide eyes. He immediately grabbed the door handle and began rattling it, trying to get in, but the door was locked.

The girl grabbed his arm and dragged him away. "Are you mad? What part of he'll kill you don't you understand?!"

"But if Ella's in there, I can't just stand there while some madman has her!"

"As long as you stay out, she'll be fine. But you have got to take her away from here!" she whispered before disappearing.

Archer spent the next few hours pacing the opera house, wondering what he was going to do. Eventually he saw Ella entering her dressing room. "Ella!" he cried. He grabbed her arm and brought her close but she tried to pull away, her face quickly draining of color. "Ella where have you been?"

"It doesn't matter," she replied.

"Where have you been?"

"With a friend!" she shouted. "Not that it's any of your business."

"Listen to me," he begged. "Ella, something's wrong. Just tell me what it is!"

"Nothing's wrong!" Ella cried. She tore herself from his grasp, walked into her dressing room, and slammed the door in his face. "Just leave me alone! Is that too much to ask?"

He spent a few minutes more trying to plead with her but she wouldn't open the door. Maybe this was as bad as that girl said. Archer needed to get her out of here and get her out quickly, but as the other girl warned, Ella wouldn't go without a fight.

A plan began to formulate in his mind. It was rather distasteful, but he couldn't think of any other options. "Don't worry love," he murmured, staring at the still-closed door. "I won't let anything happen to you."