Author note: Hi everyone, I'm so sorry for the long wait! I didn't anticipate waiting so long between chapters, but this semester of college has been rough. I've been having a hard time juggling my course load with work, on top of fighting burnout. I also typically leave myself an outline after I finish a chapter, which includes where I'm at in the story and what I'm planning to include in the next chapter, but that seems to have mysteriously disappeared. I had to do a bit of rereading lol. If possible, it is my plan to finish this story before the new year, or, just shortly after. I'm not sure how many more chapters that will entail, but know this story is slowly coming to an end. I do promise to write one. If there's one thing I hate more than anything is an unfinished story, although I'll admit I am a bit of a hypocrite on that front. Anyways, without further ado...

In the following days you found yourself holding your mother's locker absentmindedly many times, and you were rarely silent. Your moments to yourself were often filled with music as you softly sang and hummed melodies, some Erik's and some your own spontaneous creations. You didn't think you had ever been happier in your entire life. All of your nights now were spent with Erik, and you'd never felt safer or more at home, more wanted.

On Friday you met again with Monsieur Martin who gave you a list of the remaining shipments, many luxury items which you were expected to sign for, like costumes, jewelry, makeup and props. New furniture and vanities for the dressing rooms were coming too, and nothing but the best for the future Prima Donna of the Paris Opera.

With only about two weeks left until opening, you and Paul's crew had been working on overtime. Thankfully, the full Opera House staff and stage crew were arriving for their first day tomorrow. Unfortunately, Monsieur Martin left you in charge of absolutely everyone from the cooks to the maids to the stage hands. You suspected it was a test to see your managing capabilities, and come Friday you hoped you'd be able to prove you deserved the position. In preparation, you'd made yourself an extremely long list of things to cover with each group of employees.

Monsieur Martin had also finally divulged some very exciting information, the first opera of the season. It was to be Faust. You'd never had the pleasure of seeing it performed before, but you knew the storyline well. You had asked Erik that evening what he thought of the opera and he said that he approved. You weren't sure you wanted to know what would have happened if he hadn't.

You retired to bed early that evening, unable to relax. Stress for tomorrows endeavors clogged your thoughts. Sensing your unease, Erik ran his fingers through your hair until you fell asleep beside him. He fell asleep watching you with a smile, his soul for once at peace.

However, at some hour deep in the night, gentle hands shook you awake. Erik wiped your tears from your face as your nightmare, your memories, replayed behind your eyes.

"You're all right, you're safe," he whispered, holding you and watching you closely.

"I'm sorry, I-I thought I was getting better..."

Your heart hammered in your chest and fresh tears sprung to your eyes. You suddenly felt very embarrassed, childish even, for having a nightmare. You thought you were passed this.

"Shhh," Erik coaxed. "There is no need to apologize. Our memories, our fears, never really leave us. And neither will I, I'm here."

Erik pulled you closer to his warm body, and you rested your head against his chest, listening carefully to the beating of his heart. Erik resumed tangling his fingers in your hair and slowly you fell back asleep.

~

You woke early the next morning from restlessness, finding yourself unable to sleep past 6 even after your nightmare. You rose quickly, dressing yourself and preparing a warm breakfast in the opera house's kitchen. It was one of those mornings where you found yourself very thankful for Erik's warm bed and the running heaters of the opera. The men who ran the heating, the lighting, and now the water, were the only current staff of the opera house, and yet you rarely saw them. They were almost as sneaky as Erik was.

After tidying up the kitchen, you gathered your lists and went to the entrance hall, propping open the front doors just enough for anyone coming through to see it was open. The air outside was chill enough that you didn't open it all the way. While you waited for people to begin arriving you adjusted your hair to cover your birthmark, and carefully applied a thin layer of makeup. You wished you didn't have to, but the prospect of meeting so many new people at once made you nervous. Perhaps in time you would be less scared.

Only a few moments went by before people started trickling in. You welcomed everyone warmly and asked them to wait by the grand staircase until everyone had arrived. Soon enough the room was buzzing with people chatting and acquainting themselves with one another.

Once it appeared everyone had arrived, you closed the door and walked toward the staircase. Taking a few steps, you stood halfway up the first staircase to get a good view of everyone.

"Bonjour à tous!" You called loudly, waiting a moment for everyone to quiet down. "I am so thrilled to have you all finally here, and so grateful that you are joining our team. For those of you who don't know, I am F/N L/N, and I am Monsieur Martin's assistant. He could not be here today, but will be here this Friday to welcome you all. He has asked that I introduce myself to all of you and help direct workflow for this week. It is our job to finish getting the opera house ready for the arrival of the performing and technical crews in two weeks and to keep it running thereafter. So, if you could, please organize yourselves into groups by kitchen staff, stage hands and crew, housekeeping and cleaning, box keepers, administrators, maintenance and the like."

Everyone began shuffling into their groups and talked quietly amongst themselves. You approached the first, which by their clothing, appeared to be the kitchen staff. You spoke to the man in the toque first.

"Bonjour Monsieur, you must be Antoine Durand. Monsieur Martin has told me much about you, and it is an absolute pleasure to have you and your team cooking for us."

"Ah, mademoiselle, you flatter me. What would you have us do?"

"Monsieur Martin has asked that you begin building a menu for the Opera House restaurant and one for the performers who will live in-house. Take your time to get to know the kitchen and practice your dishes. He did give me a small list of things he recommends be on the menu, but he told me to tell you that you have total creative freedom. He only asks that your dishes are high quality and fitting for high clientele."

"Oui, absolument, only the best for the opera guests. We will get started straight away."

After Antoine took your list for him, and you directed him towards the restaurant and kitchen. Next you moved on to the following group, and quite possibly the largest, the housekeepers.

"Bonjour, Bonjour. If there's one thing I've learned these past few weeks is that this opera house is tough to clean, but I think you all will have no problem when working together. The opera house has put on a little dust and dirt over the past few weeks that I haven't had time to manage, which I think would be the main task for the rest of this week for you all to accomplish. First, however, I would ask that you all make a decision on who will be tending what areas, and divide the work evenly. We will need some of you to be specific to the dormitories, some to the grand halls and ballroom, some to the restrooms, some to the lounges, and some to the theater. You may choose to remain on staff at one position only or to rotate between them. If you could please make me a list by the end of the day with all of your names and attending positions, I would appreciate it."

The housekeeping staff agreed, and you excused yourself from the grand hall for a moment to show them where the cleaning supplies were located throughout the opera house and where they would be cleaning. Then, as quick as possible, you returned to the others.

You addressed the administrators next, taking note of who was to do the accounting, sales, and scheduling and hiring of common staff. Also there were the two producers tasked in hiring the technical and performing crew, Alexandre and Charles Moreau, who you discovered were brothers. Monsieur Martin had said they were close friends of his.

After showing the administrators to their offices behind the grand staircase, you spoke with the stage hands and showed them the stage. You asked them to begin familiarizing themselves with the mechanics of the stage and working on the pieces for Faust. They seemed pretty well attuned to the stage already, and asked you questions about how new everything was. You reminded them of the fire and told them most of the stage, and it's mechanics, we're brand new. Then they asked you a question you hadn't expected or planned for in all of your stressing.

"So is the Opera Ghost real?"

"That's for you to decide," you smiled and winked at them with only a moments hesitation before turning to leave the theater room. You weren't sure where that had come from, maybe Erik was rubbing off on you.

Then you quickly addressed the box-keepers. While they were asked to come in today with everyone else, they wouldn't be needed again until the opera opened for shows. You asked them to familiarize themselves with the layout of the opera house and provided them with list of all the theater boxes they would be attending. Lastly, you presented them with the box full of their uniforms, which they could choose pieces from based on their size. They were instructed to each take two uniforms home with them.

Finally came the maintenance crew, who you only just realized included Paul. He waved at you, seeing your surprised expression, and you laughed. After speaking to the maintenance crew Paul stayed behind for a moment to speak with you.

"I didn't know you decided to stay and work here permanently."

"Yeah, I'm gonna work as both maintenance and technical crew. I didn't really fit in with my crew that much, and I like it here."

"You're sure this doesn't have anything to do with a certain someone being on the delivery crew every week?"

Paul smiled a bit sheepishly and you smiled back. You didn't blame him, and besides, you enjoyed having him here and considered him a friend.

By the end of the day you were exhausted. You'd made rounds through the opera house, collecting paperwork from everyone and making lists of any other supplies needed by the house staff. Your feet hurt and you could feel a headache forming already. You practically dragged yourself from the boat Erik delivered you on to your usual spot on the couch. A stack of half read books sat beside it, some with discarded sheet music as book marks.

"People are exhausting," you moaned, hanging your arm over your head dramatically.

Erik laughed at you, and stood over you from behind the couch arm, "I hope that doesn't include me."

"No, not you," you smiled, "never you."

Erik came around the side of the couch and kissed you. You smiled into the kiss and pulled him on top of you, never wanting to let him go.