"Erik, when am I going back to rehearsal?" Ella asked. He was sitting at his desk, furiously writing something, and didn't even acknowledge the fact she had spoken. "If I don't go back, they'll replace me with someone else! I need to go or everything we've worked for will go to waste!"

"Antoinette has told the managers you are sick and will not be performing or rehearsing until further notice," Erik informed her without even looking up. "They have been advised to find an understudy until you are able to return."

Ella stared at him, her mouth agape. "That's it then? I'm not allowed to go? No discussion at all? Erik, I know Archer is up there, but I want to be able to sing again."

"You know you are more than welcome to sing than down here," Erik gestured towards the paper before him. "Let me finish this and I will play for you if you'd like."

"That's not what I meant," Ella replied.

Erik sighed before placing his pen aside and finally facing her. "Then what do you mean?"

"I want to start performing again. I know I'm not the greatest, but I was starting to enjoy it. You put a lot of time and effort into helping me learn to sing, I don't want it to be for nothing."

"Once Archer is gone," he promised before turning back to his desk. Erik signed the note with the letters O.G. before folding it, placing it an envelope, and sealing it with his signature red wax skull. "But you can't handle the stress that he causes you. If Meg's idea works, then it won't be too much longer until he's out of our lives for good."

"Doesn't what I want matter?" Ella demanded. "I realize you're trying to protect me and I'm grateful for that, I really am, but Erik this is my life. Don't I get an opinion?"

She knew that Archer had been pushing Erik's patience to the limit, but the second the words left her mouth, Ella could tell it was vanishing. "Then what do you want?!"

"I…I don't know!" she admitted in exasperation. "I want this to be over!"

He stood, anger glowing in his eyes. "I'm doing everything I can!" Erik shouted. "But you limit my options to practically nothing then get upset when I don't produce the results you want when you want them! You know where the door is! If you don't like my methods then leave!" Ella gawked at him, completely stunned by his outburst. The two stared at each other, neither saying anything. Finally she spun around and ran away, tears in her eyes.

Erik stared in the direction she had gone, suddenly realizing what he had done. Ella was already in such a fragile state, and screaming at her was probably the worst possible thing to do. He immediately took off after her.

For a moment, he nearly ran upstairs, but paused when he saw another door slightly ajar. Erik pushed it open and walked into his library. Books and music were scattered everywhere like always. He would tell himself all the time that he needed to clean it, but he knew where everything was when he wanted something. And looking over, he saw his angel crying in the corner.

Ella was curled up in fetal position, her face pressed against her knees. He fell beside her shuddering body. "Oh Ella, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to lose my temper."

She slowly looked up. "No, you're right," she replied between sobs. "I'm not being fair to you. I'm asking so much of you and giving you nothing in return."

He tilted her face towards him and lightly brushed his lips against hers. "Don't say that. You are the only light in my life. I need you."

"I don't belong here Erik," Ella said suddenly. "I don't belong upstairs. Maybe I just should just go somewhere else and save you the trouble of having to deal with me and Archer."

"What part of 'I need you' didn't you hear?" Erik asked in disbelief. "Why on earth would you say that you need to leave?"

"Upstairs, I don't belong. They treat me like I'm different. I am different. I love you, which means I just don't fit. But this is your world, so there isn't room for me here either."

Erik pulled her into his embrace. "I will do anything to make you feel like you belong here. It isn't my world anymore, it is our world. And I'm sorry if I ever made you think otherwise."

For a long while, she remained silent, before finally asking, "Erik, what were you writing?"

"A letter to the managers. The Phantom has been quiet for far too long, and it seems suspicious," he explained. "Especially with all the chaos that has been happening onstage. Besides, this may wind up working to our advantage."

"But what did you write?"

"Nothing you need to worry about," he replied. "I just asked them for a small favor." Erik kissed her forehead. "I need to deliver this; I'll be gone ten minutes at the most."

After hesitating for a moment, Ella nodded. "Alright. I'll wait for you down here."

Making his way upstairs, Erik realized that his definition of a small favor and Ella's probably weren't even on the same scale. Glancing at the cream envelope in his hand, he thought about what the note contained. Meg was smart to have come up with it. It was simple really. He ordered the managers to refuse Dubois' patronage or Dubois could be the patron to a pile of ash. Hopefully Andre and Firmin still remembered last time and wouldn't dare call his bluff. Because he couldn't set the opera house on fire again. He wouldn't risk losing Ella because he had done something stupid. But they didn't need to know that.

There was a knock at Archer's door. His valet walked in with an envelope in his hand. "Monsieur Dubois, I have a letter for you from the Vicomte de Chagny."

Archer ripped it out of his hand. "It's about time. I've been waiting for this for far too long."

He tore open the envelope and began reading the message inside with such urgency that he almost missed his valet's next few words. "Monsieur, the managers from the Populaire have also requested a meeting with you this morning. They said it was urgent and ask to see you as soon as possible." Absorbed by the letter, Archer just waved his hand dismissively. The valet bowed his head respectfully before retreating out the door.

"Mirror is a door…secret passages…underground lake…" Archer murmured as he read the letter. "My God, how much territory does this ghost have?" The Opera Populaire was clearly bigger than the average person knew about.

The next few lines caught his attention and he began to read them out loud. "Christine said he first started visiting her in the chapel, it's where he taught her to sing. She knows somewhere there is at least one hidden passage, but she doesn't know where it exactly the door is or how to open it. If you can find it, it could be your best chance of catching the Phantom off guard. He knows that the mirror and the staircase have been compromised and has probably taken measures against them. However, if you can surprise him in his own domain, you might stand a chance."

The chapel! Of course! He knew that he had heard Ella's voice in there! The Phantom must have pulled her into the tunnel and back into captivity. Archer placed the letter aside, marched down the stairs, and began calling for his carriage. He was going to the opera, and he wasn't leaving until he had his love back at his side.