"Thank you again for letting me stay here without telling my parents."

"You're very welcome, Allegra," Meg smiled. "And just call me Aunt Meg, since your mother and I grew up together."

Allegra tried to smile back, but inside she felt troubled. She placed her cup of coffee down on the table. "Aunt Meg.. Why do you seem so fine about all of this, and why can't you tell me anything?"

Meg placed her black hair to the side while she thought for a second or two about what she was supposed to say. "I can't tell you certain things; I'm sorry sweetie. As the manager of the old opera house I can assure you everything is okay. Your parents are happy, why are you so obsessed about it?"

"I'm not obsessed. Merely curious. My parents never hide anything from me. I want to know the dark secret she's hiding, I'm worried."

"Privacy much?"

"You don't understand." Allegra shook her head, tears threatening to form. "You haven't seen my mother's expression after I've asked her about it too long. It's unbearable."

"I know, I know. But I want you to stay safe, that's all."

Allegra sighed, growing impatient. Obviously Meg knew what had happened. For all Allegra knew, even Melody, Meg's daughter, knew as well. "You'd keep me safe by letting me know," Allegra retorted, standing up.

"God, you're just as rash as your father you know. Look." Allegra paused at the doorway as Meg looked back. "I asked the director to start an orchestra here for a reason. I knew you'd get the role as concertmistress."

Unsure of what to say, she left to go to the rehearsal for the week's grand opening concert.

The director made sure to stress everyone out, saying stuff like it would either make or break the orchestra's, no, the house's, reputation. If we didn't sound as brilliant as the performers who had come before us, no one would ever supposedly come again.

No pressure at all for the leader of the orchestra.

Allegra warmed up with her section, made sure everyone had their music, and tuned everyone until it sounded close enough to perfection.

The rehearsal went amazing, but she knew all too well that once the lights started shining, once the crowd was sitting down, all of that could go up in smoke if they weren't careful.

Bethany tried to speak to her again, but she decided to ignore her for now. If she didn't show any respect for her role, then she had the every right to talk to the director, but of course she wouldn't.

Allegra climbed up to the balcony once she could slip away. As she was about to walk down it, an older looking man came up on the other side. It was hard to tell his age, but he had a foreign looking air about him, with dark hair and eyes. "Excuse me," Allegra stepped out. "Who are you?"

"Hmph. I should be asking you," he replied. It was deeper than the voice in the cavern, definitely not a match.

"Allegra de Chagny, concertmistress."

"That gives you no right to be sticking your nose wherever you please. Off-limits," he said, emphasizing the last word.

"Yes, sir," she mumbled, going back to the stage with him. She pretended to gather her things in the adjacent room. After two minutes she tried again. Poking her head out, the stairway seemed clear. She took her shoes off before running up it, careful to be soundless. Once she got far enough she put her shoes back on. She retraced the path, or at least what she could remember, and wound up at the entrance of the cavern once more.

The sound of a piano filtered out of the room, yet she remembered no piano when she shone her light. It was stone, nothing more, nothing less. It had to be a ghost. At least she knew who to call, if only they existed.

Residual emotions, scenes, voices. It couldn't hurt her, it was trapped... Trapped.

Allegra walked into the room, chin up and unafraid. "It's okay, it's only me."

The sound that followed seemed like the ghost slammed his hands down on his piano so hard it made Allegra wince.

"You again?! Look at the floor, girl, closely." Allegra did as he said, touching the cool stone covered with dirt. "That isn't dirt, it's gunpowder. I can still blow up this place if I chose to."

Allegra smiled. "But you're a ghost, aren't you?" Silence answered. "I can help you, show yourself to me… Please, trust me."

She shined her flashlight again, but this time a man stood partially in the water, his back to her. Only the water wasn't giving off any ripples. Other than that, he seemed normal. A black coat covered him, matching his slicked back hair. When he turned around, Allegra took a few steps back.

His face was covered with half a white mask, but that wasn't what startled her. The other half of his face looked at her with utter, heartbreaking sadness.

It looked like the expression Allegra had talked to Meg about earlier.