A/N: Hi people! I take it that you don't like my cliff-hangers? Well, I'm sorry you guys, they are necessary. Please enjoy this chapter and before we start, take it away Shock.

Shock: The Incredible Nameless wonder owns nothing from this Phandom; she is only a Phan who really likes this story.

Me: Cool, here we go!

Chapter Six: Rescue Mission

"It's true Mme. Giry! She just vanished!" Raoul burst into the empty theater with Mme. Giry behind him and Buquet hissed in annoyed way, drawing back just as quickly and throwing me down onto the seat with as much force as he could. My heart was beating so very fast I thought I'd die of a heart attack as I processed what could've just happened.

I put hand over my chest to try and slow down my essential organ as he ducked out of sight behind the curtain so only I could see him. Facing me with anger in his eyes as the ballet Mistress and Vicomte argued below the two of us on the floor, he leaned in close to that the two wouldn't hear before letting a frightening smirk curl up on his lips. My mind was racing and my cheeks were red and wet with tears as I tried to get my breathing to go back to normal but it was shallow and rapid, like a squirrel, making it hard to get the needed oxygen to my brain, but I just couldn't concentrate!

"Tell anyone; and this" He paused, reaching into his shirt pocket, pulling out a small knife one might use for self defense and brandishing it in front of me in a menacing way. "And you'll feel this sliding between your ribs." I was shaking so hard that I just nodded and didn't bother trying to scream for help. He nodded in what would've been a gentlemanly way if he had not been giving me a horrible death glare and exited the balcony as the Vicomte shouted at Mme. Giry from down below one last time before storming off to God knows where.

My vision grew hazy and began to swim before my eyes and for a second, I thought I would lose consciousness. But just when I was about to faint, I heard something that jarred me back to reality.

"The Phantom." The words were spoken in a horrified and completely paralyzed manner by none other than my almost-murderer; Joseph Buquet. I didn't hear any strangled sounds of death or anything like that, just hurried footsteps in the other direction. They sounded drunken and graceless, so I knew it wasn't Erik, he let the scumbag live.

I sat up a little bit, fixing my dress that had begun to ride up my legs when the Phantom in question stepped from behind the curtain.

I'm pretty sure that my heart stopped for real.

I took one look at him standing in front of me and that was all the push I needed; I collapsed from my sitting position onto my back and fainted dead away. I felt someone come closer to me before fully losing consciousness and the world faded into black.

I didn't know where I was when I woke up; everything was too dark to see. I opened my eyes and found that I the darkness left and I realized that I was back in my room, gray and dismal. I rubbed my eyes and turned my head to the side, cracking my neck before wincing in pain and reaching a hand to the skin there. It hurt to touch, but I couldn't see why, so I stood up slowly and made my way over to the mirror, a hand flying to my mouth at the sight of my reflection.

The golden dress that I was wearing was ripped in places, my hair was a horrible mess, and finger-shaped bruised covered my arms. I moved my messy blonde hair out of the way and almost screamed when I saw the large, deep-purple bruises all around my neck and collarbone, accompanied here and there by scratches that look like someone clawed at the skin trying to get to the bone.

Tears welled up in my eyes again at how hideous I looked and I couldn't bear to see myself any longer. I turned away and walked over to the chair where I carefully folded the blue dress I was allowed to borrow. I hung the golden dress back up in its dark closet, giving it an apologetic pat for the rips that Joseph Buquet made. I felt bad that it would be forgotten again, but when I summed up the courage to take another look in the mirror, I found that I didn't look as homeless with an intact dress.

I noticed a white basin with a lovely rose design on the side on a table that I didn't know was there before, and I made quick use of it, washing the grime from my face and hair that had built up over the past few days, tying my wet locks above my head with the small towel provided. I walked back over to my bed and began to make it, as I found myself doing quite often as a coping method, and stopped again when another note and a small package were found underneath my pillow.

I carefully reached down and took the note, my hands shaking as I opened the wax seal gently. The script was the same, large and loopy and beautiful, but this note was not one of welcome.

My Dear Newcomer,

You should have listened to Miss Giry. Stay away from my box and Joseph Buquet, the Vicomte and ballet Mistress will not always be there to save you. Wear what I've given you until the bruises fade.

-O.G.

I felt a wave of shame wash over me as I realize he was right. I shouldn't have been anywhere near his box, and I shouldn't have stayed around so long talking to Joseph Buquet. I undid the black ribbon around the small parcel that was wrapped in the same snowy, thick paper edged in black that he wrote his notes on.

I opened the box and gasped when I pulled out a black, lacy choker that was big enough to hide the bruises and scratches. I walked back to the mirror and tied it behind my neck, adjusting it to conceal the injuries just as I heard a knock on the door.

I didn't have to wait five seconds before the door burst open and the while corps de ballet flooded into my room. I hid the wrapping paper and note with the other one in one of the empty drawers, trying to appear casual as poor Meg shook from fright.

"Oh Annika, c'est terrible!" She said, her English falling away and being replaced by French.

"What's happened?" I asked, foggy as to what was going on. I found my memories of the book I'd read fading away from me. It was most annoying.

"Christine... she's… she's…" Collette couldn't get the words out and it was up to Lynn to shake them out of her. "She's been taken by the Phantom!" She exclaimed, bursting into tears and crying onto Lynn's shoulder.

My mouth hung open as this part of the novel came back to me. Oh my God. I thought the temperature in the room increasing rapidly as I sat down on one of the old, threadbare settees.

"She's been kidnapped?" I asked again. I couldn't believe it! Well, I knew this was coming so technically I could, but it was still horrible, not so much for her, but for poor Erik, she was going to break his heart!

There wasn't much I could do about it, that I knew, but I told myself I had to at least try. I told the girl's I wasn't feeling well, and they dispersed quickly as to not catch the illness I pretended I'd contracted in the night, and Mme. Giry would be absolutely livid if they couldn't dance for the upcoming performance of Ill Muto.

I flew to the drawer that I'd explored last night, ripping it open and tossing out costumes everywhere until I found the pair of dark breeches and poet shirt that the pageboy wore in an older version of Ill Muto a long time ago.

I changed quickly, but then looked to the only pair of shoes that I could say I 'owned'. The heels had a porcelain tip for some reason that could only be explained as a 'late-1800's-fashion-mystery- and would do no good for sneaking into a secret lair. I intended to save Christine Daae and high heels just weren't going to cut it.

I grabbed a shard of glass from the cracking mirror, wincing as tiny cuts were made in the skin of my hand, before tucking it into the pocket of the breeches and heading for the door. I let my hair down from the towel and sighed, taking one last look behind me before letting the door close.

It was around lunchtime and the corps de ballet would be off eating somewhere, so I snuck into their ballet dressing room, rooting through their costumes. I opened the first drawer I saw and my nose wrinkled in disgust at the sight of that particular ballerina's taste for pink tutus. The next drawer was no better, as this ballerina seemed to like blue.

The next couple of drawers were the same, all the way up to the last one, Meg's drawer. The first drawer I opened, a black tutu and corset greeted me, and sitting on top was a pair of lovely black ballet shoes. I laced them up as best I could, as I didn't really know how, and took a few steps around, smiling when no noise was made.

I spun around and landed messily, crashing into a chair knocking it over. I stood up quickly when I heard the sound of footsteps behind the door and began to panic, ducking into the armoire that was thankfully open. Lynn bounded into the room and with an annoyed groan, lifted her chair back up again.

"Kitty, what have I told you about my chair?" She asked and a small kitty-cat with white and orange fur crept out from underneath the sofa. Lynn was obviously very simple if she thought that a kitten of that size could knock over a chair like that, but I wasn't complaining, I sure as hell didn't want to be caught.

She picked up the little kitten and cooed something in its pointed ear before retreating from the dressing room, leaving me alone. I sighed and stepped out of the armoire, knowing that was way too close. I opened the door and looked down the hallway, relieved to see no one, and so I stepped out and headed for Christine's dressing room.

I was overwhelmed by the amount of pink in this girl's room, it was everywhere, from the lampshade to the rug, and it was horrible! I gagged and made my way over to the mirror, running my hands over the top and sides of the frame. I smiled when my finger hit a small switch, barely noticeable and carved expertly into the wood that was painted gold.

The mirror's glass slid open, revealing a curtain behind it that I pushed back. I gripped the shard of glass as it was my only weapon and not a very good one, but it would have to do. I turned back for a moment to grab a candle from her dressing room desk, lighting it and stepping into the dark hall behind the curtain as the mirror slid shut behind me.