Erik crept closer as Amelia slept. He wondered how she could sleep so easily knowing she had been kidnapped. She seemed rather at peace. Amelia had cocooned herself in the blankets and her chest rose and fell steadily. It unsettled him. No one in her situation should be that relaxed. He wanted to wake her and demand what on earth was wrong with her.

There were a lot of things that Erik didn't understand about Amelia. She didn't seem to fear him but was terrified of her own husband. How was that possible? Without thinking, Erik brushed his fingertips against her cheek. She shuddered and turned away from him. Amelia Barineau was a puzzle, one he was determined to figure out.

But first things first, he needed to make sure that the managers hadn't destroyed his opera house with their Masquerade. The parties at the Populaire were known to get rowdy in the later hours of the night, and Erik wanted to see how much destruction the drunken revelry had caused. And he wanted to be back before Amelia woke up in case she tried anything stupid again.

He found the managers in their office with Madame Giry and, much to his surprise, Barineau. There was something slightly disheveled about him, like a man who hadn't spent the night in his own home. Erik had seen men like that before, specifically the ones who spent a little too much time with some of the more promiscuous ballerinas. It appeared that his late night with the Prima Donna had gone beyond her dressing room.

"When did you say you were leaving Monsieur?" Firmin asked.

"Tomorrow, at first light," Barineau responded.

"And when do you return?"

"Don't worry, I'll be here for the grand reopening," he assured the managers. Erik knew that the opera house was officially reopening with the premiere of Romeo and Juliet in less than two weeks. Amelia didn't think he was coming back for at least a month. It looked like Barineau had built some time into his trip for his mistress. But luckily for Erik, it also meant that Barineau still wasn't going to return to his own home before then and risk exposing his affair to Amelia so Erik still had about a month to enact his plan.

With things seemingly going smoothly for once, Erik decided he needed to get back down to Amelia before she tried to drown herself again, or worse. But since she was so concerned about the cold, he slipped into the costume closet and stole a long-sleeved dress from an old production that looked about her size. It wasn't that he cared about her well-being; he just didn't want to listen to her whine anymore. And even if he wanted to care, which he didn't, it didn't matter because she was only a pawn in his plot to kill the Vicomte.

Please think I'm still sleeping, please think I'm still sleeping, Amelia pleaded silently in her head as she sensed the Phantom hovering over her. What could he possibly want from her now? She instinctively flinched as his fingers suddenly brushed against her cheek, since every time he touched her his intent was to cause pain. To hide the fact she was awake, Mia rolled over and wrapped herself tighter in the blankets, praying he would leave her alone.

After what seemed like an eternity, his looming presence left. A few more minutes later, she heard the soft splash of oars on water. So he was leaving, but where was he going and for how long? When Mia couldn't hear him rowing anymore, she rolled back over and opened her eyes as far as she dared. When she was certain he was gone, Mia climbed out of the bed.

She needed to find an escape route, a weapon, anything that could possibly get her out of here before the Phantom had a chance to hurt Raoul. Mia began rummaging around her captor's desk. She gasped when she found a letter addressed to Monsieur Le Vicomte. There was only one person that could be addressed to. Mia glanced over her shoulder to make sure the Phantom wasn't heading back this way for any reason before breaking the seal and reading the letter.

It seems to me that you have forgotten something rather important at my opera house. In fact, that something has managed to find her way into my lair. So if you wish to see your sister alive again, you'll come and collect her. I'll accept nothing for her safe return other than Christine resuming her rightful place at the Populaire by my side, the sole exception being perhaps your life. The choice is yours, but be warned, if you attempt to come near my home with anyone other than Christine, Amelia Barineau's blood is on your hands.

O.G.

Mia's hand covered her mouth in shock. The Phantom had to know that Raoul would never bring Christine back here for any reason. And even if Christine did return, the Phantom would attempt to kill Raoul anyway. But both she and the Phantom knew that Raoul was brave and bullheaded enough to attempt to storm the lair and single handedly try to save her. Obviously that was what the Phantom was counting on.

She quickly found a blank sheet of paper and a pen and began to write a letter of her own. Mia couldn't let Raoul risk his life for her. Not when she brushed his aside warnings so carelessly.

I'm sure I surprised you there, huh little brother? You would not believe the trouble I had to go through to find something as simple as a skull shaped seal for my little practical joke. Apparently they're not that appealing? Anyway, everyone says that your so called "Opera Ghost" seals his letters with a red skull. I just hope this one was close enough to fool you for a moment. Anyway, I'm writing this letter to let you know that Gaston and I are travelling to London for a few weeks. He has a business proposition of some sort there; you know I never pay attention to these sorts of things. However this means I'm going to be out of contact for the next couple of weeks, so don't panic if you don't hear from me.

Mia

After signing the letter with a flourish, Mia quickly stuffed her letter into the envelope, and pressed a dot of fresh wax on the envelope to reseal the letter. She put the envelope back where she found it and grabbed the Phantom's letter so that she could destroy it.

Just as she was about to rip the letter apart and drop it in the lake, Amelia could hear the oars of the boat. He was coming back! Mia glanced at the letter in her hands and realized that she did not want to find out what the Phantom would do to her if he found out she had switched the letters.

She ran deeper into the lair, and soon found herself in a room full of books, the Phantom's personal library. Mia looked around wildly as she heard the Phantom's footsteps heading in her direction. Out of desperation, Mia grabbed a random book off the nearest shelf and stuffed the letter in.

As soon as she put it back, the door opened, revealing the Phantom. Mia hugged herself tightly and backed up into the corner. "What are you doing in here?" he snarled.

"I...I..." Her stomach growled loudly. Mia gave an inward sigh of relief at having an excuse. "I'm hungry," she said quickly. "I was looking for something to eat and I found this room instead."

The Phantom rolled his eyes. "Spoiled child," he murmured. "Can't stand to have an empty stomach for even an hour." He threw a wad of spring green silk at her. "I found you a dress. It might fit; it looked about your size."

"And if it doesn't?" she asked timidly.

He shrugged. "Oh well. Go change, and perhaps I can find something for you to eat." Mia held her breath as she passed him to retreat into the bathroom, and once the door was shut behind her, she let out a sigh of relief. She had gotten away with the swap.