We have officially passed the one year anniversary for this story. Hooray! Fun fact, I was actually inspired to write this after seeing the Phantom of the Opera on Broadway shortly before its closing. It completely reignited my love for it. Happy reading :)

The rest of the week went by like a shooting star, in the blink of an eye. Your days were full of seemingly endless tasks, and your feet were throbbing from all the running around. At night you snuggled up to Erik, holding him tightly, the fear of losing him still an ache in your chest. It took yourself a lot of coaxing to assure he was now safe. You took a few doses of the medicine Christine had given you to be on the safe side, and, frankly, you were very lucky you hadn't gotten sick from all of the kisses you'd given Erik!

In the early hours of the morning, you'd made sure to write a letter to Christine, extending your greatest thanks for her help, and letting her know Erik was alive and doing well. You offered your help, or your ear, to her should she ever have need of you. You weren't sure if there was much you could offer her, after all she was now married to the Vicomte, but you offered it nonetheless.

On Thursday afternoon a large delivery of vases, candelabras, and other decorations had arrived. Monsieur Martin had briefly discussed holding a gala, after the Opera House's grand reopening that would double as a Christmas party. You had never been allowed to attend any parties as a child, so you were beyond elated even though you would technically be working.

Monsieur Martin had also increased your salary a handsome amount, allowing you to buy a finer uniform more fitting of the manager's assistant. You also promised to buy yourself a lovely gown for the gala, although you hadn't found one quite yet that caught your eye. Not that you had a lot of free time to look. As for the uniform, you'd purchased a skirt and petticoat set both in black and navy in addition to some white blouses. Along with this you wore your Mother's locket, and in your hair, the black ribbon you'd found in the Prima Donna's dressing room what felt like ages ago.

Erik had been surprised to see you wearing it, and asked you where you'd found it. When you told him where, he had only smiled and said it was fitting it found its way to you.

Later that evening, long after you had both turned in, you woke to a soft splashing noise coming from the lagoon. You immediately panicked and shook Erik awake, the words trespasser, intruder, danger shooting through your mind in quick succession.

Erik swiftly dawned his mask, something you had finally managed to convince him not to constantly sleep in, only by reminding him that you loved his face the way it was a thousand times. You would do it a thousand times, no, a million times, more just to see the peaceful look on his face while he slept. To gaze upon the face of the man you loved most in the whole world.

Holding his hand, you both edged out from his bedroom, peaking to the lagoon. At first you saw nothing, but then a whining cry met your ears and helped you pinpoint two glowing eyes. A tiny black form paddled its way toward the edge of the lagoon, only illuminated by a few still lit candles.

"Leave it, it's just a rat."

"That is not a rat!"

You quickly threw off your socks and hitched up your nightgown around your thighs. The bottom of your legs bare, you walked into the freezing water of the lagoon and picked up the struggling kitten. It cried and shivered as you carried it back to land. Just a few seconds in the lagoon had chilled you to the bone, you couldn't imagine how this poor baby was feeling. You knew you didn't have long to warm it up.

Grabbing a towel, you rubbed the kitten gently but quickly, drying off the excess water. It looked to be only 7 or 8 weeks old, and was a little boy. You noticed he had a tiny white spot on the middle of his chest.

Once you were finished, you wrapped him in your Mother's blanket as snug as a bug in a rug. Erik watched you, mesmerized as you cared for the kitten. He knew your kindness well, and yet he was still enchanted as he watched you care for this wild, dirty thing.

Erik tried to stop you as you rose and walked towards the bedroom, "that thing is not going in our bed."

"Oh yes it is."

"But it's filthy."

You gave Erik a look that said "fight me on this and I'll kill you" and he shut up.

You nestled the wrapped up kitten against your chest on the mattress and pulled the covers over you, hoping some of your body heat would help soothe him. Erik climbed into bed next to you, still quiet, and watched you as you watched the kitten, both of you falling slowly asleep.

~

You woke to the sound of purring and the feeling of sandpaper on your cheek. When you opened your eyes you found the little kitten staring up at you, his eyes green with just a hint of their baby blue.

"I can't believe you're letting that thing lick you."

"Don't be mean to him. He's just a baby."

"He probably has fleas."

"Erik Destler, you will hush or I will throw you in the lagoon."

Erik narrowed his eyes at you quickly, but said nothing. Getting up, you dressed yourself for the day. The little kitten watched you closely, a rumbling pur percolating the air every now and then. Erik watched the thing warily, still not a fan of the cat. Taking your shawl, you wrapped it around you almost like a sling, and tucked the little kitten inside.

You gave Erik a kiss goodbye and left to the surface to find the kitten something to eat. In the kitchen you managed to sneak some chicken and milk for him after getting your own breakfast. While he ate you watched as he lapped up the milk and pondered what to name him.

Maybe Midnight or Pepper or Loki? Was Shadow too cliche? Or how about Raven? Was that silly to name a cat after a bird? You had no idea.

After the kitten finished eating you ran into Paul who was arriving to work on some of the set pieces for Faust.

"Say hello to our new little mouse catcher," you smiled, holding the little kitten out to Paul.

"Aw, where did you find him?"

"He was swimming in the lagoon. Poor thing was half frozen."

"The lagoon? Where's that?"

"Nowhere," you winked, and Paul understood your message.

After checking in with Paul and the stage crew, you made your rounds throughout the opera house. Chef Antoine was putting the finishing touches on his restaurant menu, the housekeepers were shining the floors and banisters, and the producers, well, they were arguing as usual. This time it was about who was to be Marguerite and who was to be the understudy.

You were excited to finally meet the new cast on Monday, but you were also as equally as nervous at having to manage even more people. The producers hadn't even given you a completed cast list yet.

After making your first round through the opera house, you returned to the lagoon to drop off the kitten who had gotten quite antsy being confined to your shawl. Erik was less than excited you had only come back to deposit the kitten.

"Don't let him wander too far," you said, kissing Erik on the cheek. He half grumbled in response.

When you returned upstairs you heard a commotion in the entrance hall, and found a very expensively dressed woman along with the producer brothers and a small crowd. One Monreau brother looked very happy to welcome the woman to the opera house, while the other looked somewhat peeved.

"Bonjour Madame, how may I help you?" You asked the finely dressed woman.

"Oh, Y/N, this is Colette Aubert, our Marguerite!"

"Oh, it's wonderful to finally meet you! What brings you to the theater early?"

You tried very carefully to not let your nervousness or your annoyance show. In fact, the cast had specifically been asked not to come until Monday.

"I wanted to see my dressing room and see if it could use anything."

You couldn't tell if she meant to use this as an opportunity to redecorate herself or to instruct you to redecorate. You hoped it was the first.

"Of course. Let me show you the way."

You led Colette along the backstage hallways until you reached the dressing room whose door was labeled "Prima Donna." Entering the room, you turned the gas up on the lamps so she could examine the room's features. You waited patiently, hands folded, as she examined the wallpaper, the vanity, the makeup, the carpet, and then the mirror. The mirror? The mirror!

You held in a breath as she stroked its gold frame, praying she wouldn't somehow open it to the secret passage beyond. She seemed to stare at it for a long time, although maybe it was her reflection she was studying.

"Does everything seem to be in order for you?" You asked finally, drawing her attention away from the mirror.

"Oh, yes! Everything is very nicely decorated. I only hoped there would be some fresh flowers."

She gestured half heartedly to the empty vases accompanying the tables and vanity and frowned. You were sure you felt your eye twitch a little. Of course, there would have been fresh flowers if you came on Monday like you were supposed to!

"I apologize. We haven't gotten our flower shipment in yet. I will make sure to have plenty of fresh flowers for you come Monday."

"Perfect. If you don't mind, I'd like to be by myself now for some time. I need to get into the right mindset."

You almost reminded her that she wouldn't need to be in the right mindset for anything until Monday, but you decided to let it go, and left her to her dressing room. Every artist had a different creative process and you didn't want to hinder hers. You realized, however, as you left the dressing room that you still didn't know the other passages to the lagoon. You would have to ask Erik to show you as soon as possible, lest you get stuck up here forever.

Thankfully, Colette didn't stay forever so you were able to use the mirror passage safely that evening. And your journey through the lagoon was going quite smoothly until you discovered a stowaway on the boat you'd missed initially in your eagerness to go home. The raccoon you'd beaten with a broom and had removed from the orchestra pit ages ago had come back for revenge and this time it was biting!

You shrieked and shook your leg aggressively, trying anything to dislodge the raccoon. You hated this thing. France doesn't even have raccoons! What idiot brought a raccoon to France?

Unfortunately for you, your shaking rocked the boat hard enough that it tipped and you fell into the lagoon. Fortunately, you took the raccoon with you. You panicked for a moment in the water until you remembered that the lagoon was shallow and you wouldn't have to rely on your nonexistent swimming skills. However, with your legs still submerged, the raccoon had no choice but to let go and swim to safety, which thankfully, wasn't the boat.

You cursed and flipped off the raccoon, very unladylike, and climbed back into the boat. The remainder of your journey to Erik's lair felt like forever as you shivered and your teeth chattered. When you finally reached land, your boots made a loud squelching sound as you stepped off the boat. Erik turned around on his organ bench at hearing your approach and his eyes widened.

"What happened to you?" He asked, rushing from his pipe organ to your side. "Are you all right? Did someone hurt you?"

"The raccoon happened."

"No," he gasped in disbelief, relief and humor hinted in his voice. "Are you sure it was the same one?"

"It has to be. That thing has it out for me!"

"Maybe he just doesn't like you because you invaded his home. He'll come to like you in time. Just like I did."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."

"You know something?" Erik asked, a grin on his face.

"What?" You asked, Erik wrapping his arms around your wet form.

"I guess it was you who ended up thrown in the lagoon. Not me."

"Ugh!" You laughed. "I can still change that!"

If you'd like to help me choose a name for the kitten comment which of the names above you like best, or suggest something different! :)