Rachel's POV

The door opens and those I expected stepped in. The managers trailed by Carlotta, Madame Giry, Meg, Christine, and Raoul.

"So Madame Giry tells us you're sick Miss Daae?" Firmin interrogates.

"Yes Monsieur," I reply in the weakest voice I could muster, "I've felt nauseous, had a sore throat, and a large migraine."

"I see you don't appear well, so we'll just leave you alone," Andre walks out of the room with Firmin.

"You stay here! I don't want to catch your germs little toad!" Carlotta backs out of the room quickly. Which is a good thing considering I need Erik to reach me without being seen.

"Get better soon, I expect you well enough to see you at rehearsal tomorrow," Madame Giry orders as she and Meg leave to prepare with the other ballerinas.

"Are you sure you not up to performing?" Christine asks nervously, "I really don't want to sing in front of so many people."

"You'll be fine," I reassure her, "Your role is silent so you don't have to worry about messing up a line and your a great singer if your needed in the chorus."

"Come Christine, you must get ready," Raoul stands up to leave, "we'll see you after the gala."

As they move out I secretly smile. Phase 1 of the plan is complete.

I decide to change into a more suitable dress for when I have to run through the secret passages to watch a ship set sail. I find a dress -with a white bodice and a pink skirt- and a red cloak, since in the movie it snows and the last thing I need is to actually get sick. I change behind the changing screen, then find a hairbrush to fix the rats nest my thick hair has become. After what seemed like a half an hour (probably 5-10 minutes) my hair was brushed and pinned into a braided bun. I then wash all the makeup off my face and redo it to a more natural look. As I lace up my shoes-brown boots which no one will see anyways- a familiar man in a mask startles me from behind.

"You know you don't have to be a phantom 24-7 right?" I ask Erik in a joking manner

"But that's the fun of it," he defended, "Also, how else am I supposed to get your attention?"

"Maybe try knocking next time."

He gave me a look like, 'Are you serious right now?' and I just laughed.

"So, did the gala start?" I asked Erik.

"Yeah, come with me and we can watch from a hidden spot."

He led me through the many passages through the opera house, and singing could be heard as we got closer.

"They say that this youth has set my Lady's heart aflame!" I heard the actors that played the fops sing. When we finally reached our destination. We went through a door that lead behind the large chandelier. I was able to see the performance, as well as Meg who was playing a maid.

"His Lordship, sure, would die of shock," One of them sang."

"His Lordship is a laughing-stock!" The other sang.

"Should he suspect her, God protect her!
Shame! Shame! Shame!
This faithless lady's bound for HADES!
Shame! Shame!! Shame!" They sang together as Meg wagged a finger punctuating that line. Then came Carlotta as the countess and Christine as the pageboy in a maid disguise. Erik had a look of distaste on his face.

"Serafimo - your disguise is perfect." Carlotta exclaimed as a wooden block was hit in the orchestra pit to represent the knocking of a door, "Who can this be?"

Then came on Piangi singing in his, very exaggerated tenor voice, "Gentle wife, admit your loving husband." he said and "smacked" Meg's butt.

"My love - I am called to England on affairs of State,
And must leave you with your new maid." he sang as he gripped Christine's backside. She had a look of pure mortification on her face as she looked up. I felt really bad, but it'll work out in the end.

"Though I'd happily take the maid with me." Piangi said before Carlotta whispered behind her large, pink, feathered fan, "The old fool's leaving!"

As Piangi walked off to hide Christine ripped off the maid disguise to reveal she was a guy.

"Serafimo - away with this pretence!" Carlotta ordered, "You cannot speak, but kiss me in my husband's absence!" Carlotta and Christine "kissed" behind the fan as Piangi shook his fist at the two. Carlotta then sang her solo.

"Poor fool, he makes me laugh!
Haha, Haha...
Time I tried to get a better better half!"

"Poor fool, he doesn't know!
Hoho, Hoho..." The fops joined in as Carlotta sang a small cadenza, "If he knew the truth, he'd never, ever go!"

Erik ushered me over out the door with him, and we were behind the large and extravagant chandelier. He put a finger to his lips to tell me to be silent, before asking in a booming voice, "Did I not instruct that Box Five was to be kept empty?"

Everyone tittered in fear and Meg exclaimed, "He's here: the Phantom of the Opera ..."

"It's him," Christine said looking around.

"Your part is silent, little toad!" Carlotta growled at Christine as she gestured the orchestra to continue. I about had enough, I was going to storm down there and give that witch a piece of my mind. That was before Erik held me back by the arm.

"A toad, madame? Perhaps it is you who are the toad ..." he smirked as he looked at me. I gave a small giggle, before Carlotta continued.

"Serafimo, away with this pretence!
You cannot speak, but kiss me in my ..." and she let out a croak. The audience let out a laugh and Carlotta clearly shook continued.

"Poor fool, he makes me laugh -
Hahahahaha!" Then there was a collective amount of croaking from Carlotta. She ran off the stage in embarrassment and in tears. I laughed silently behind my hand, but Erik let his laughter be heard. His were of pure evil. And I felt really attracted to him even more. In a blind panic the curtain closed and Andre and Firmin addressed the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we apologize, the performance will continue in ten minutes' time ..." They reached behind the curtain pulling Christine on stage once again, "... when the role of the Countess will be played by Miss Christine Daae."

There was a polite applause given by the audience.

"Meanwhile, we'd like to give you the ballet from Act Three of tonight's opera." The managers ushered for the maestro to conduct the ballet. It was pure chaos trying to get everything ready. The live sheep sure weren't helping either. As Meg and the other ballerinas performed a figure shifted in the flies. It was Joseph Boquet. Erik ushered me away, but I knew what we were dealing with, so I stayed.

Erik's POV

She was going to stay, but she didn't know what I was about to do. Boquet saw the young girl, and I know what he was going to do. I couldn't let that happen. She would be scarred.

"Aye young lass," Boquet said with a sneer, "What're you doing all the way up here."

"Nothing," she squeaked, "Just wanted to watch the performance, but I was on bed rest."

"I see," he put his dirty paws on her, "I know a good place where you can watch."

"Let me go please," Rachel said meekly, "I can walk on my own just fine."
"Come on," he said and pulled her, she tried to rip her arm from his grip, but to no avail.

"I told you no!" she said with authority.

I jumped down from the shadows, knowing he could hurt her. Boquet's eyes widened in fright as I approached them. He let go of my angel and stumbled back.

"Rachel, get behind me," I ordered, not wanting her to see what I was about to do. I took out the punjab lasso from my belt and wrapped it around his neck. He fell from the flies into the stage below, full of girls still dancing. There were screams and cries of terror, I saw Christine and Raoul run. The managers addressed the panicky crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please remain in your seats.
Do not panic.
It was an accident ... simply an accident."

Rachel's POV

Erik and I fled the scene, and he led us through a passage that led to the roof. When we got there I latched onto him and let out a sob. I couldn't fathom what would happen if Erik didn't step in when he did. I then heard Christine and Raoul rushing as well.

"Why have you brought me here?" Raoul asked, "We must return."
"We can't go back there," Christine said with terror, "He'll kill you.
His eyes will find us there."

"Christine don't say that," Raoul begged for her to calm down.

"Those eyes that burn!"

"Don't even think it," Raoul ordered.

"And if he has to kill a thousand men," Christine sang.

"Forget this waking nightmare..." Raoul pleaded.

"The Phantom of the Opera will kill..." Christine shouted.

"This phantom is a fable
Believe me," Raoul cursed for the thing that way harming his Little Lotte.

"...and kill again!" Christine continued.

"There is no Phantom of the Opera," Raoul tried to convince Christine otherwise.

"My God, who is this man..." They both sing then Christine sings "...who hunts to kill?"

"...this mask of death?" Raoul questions.

"I can't escape from him..." Christine sings with fear.

"Whose is this voice you hear..." Raoul asks her.

"...I never will!" Christine cries.

"...with every breath?" he says.

"And in this labyrinth," they sing together reaching the roof, "where night is blind
the Phantom of the Opera is here/there
inside my/your mind..."

"There is no Phantom of the Opera..." Raoul tries to reassure her.

"Raoul, I've been there
to his world of unending night
To a world with the daylight dissolves into darkness...
Darkness..." Christine sings. That's odd, I took her place.

"Raoul, I've seen him!
Can I ever forget that sight?
Can I ever escape from that face?
So distorted, deformed, it was hardly a face
in that darkness...
Darkness..." I looked at Erik, whose mouth was in a grim line. I won't address it now, until he's ready. Then Christine and I sang to show the good side of him. Me softer, so I was only heard by Erik.

"But his voice filled my spirit
with a strange, sweet sound...
In that night there was music in my mind...
And through music my soul began to soar!
And I heard as I'd never heard before..."

"What you heard was a dream and nothing more..." Raoul sang.

"Yet in his eyes
all the sadness of the world," us Daae sisters sang,
"Those pleading eyes,
that both threaten and adore"

"Christine...
Christine..." Raoul brought Christine back to light.

"Christine..." Erik and I sang, me sympathetic, his to follow through with the ship.

"What was that?" Christine whispered with fear in her eyes. She tried to run away, but Raoul took her hand. She looked back at him, her doe eyes glistening with tears and shock. He led her higher up, and it started to snow. I feel the song beginning and Raoul sings.

"No more talk of darkness,
Forget these wide eyed fears
I'm here, nothing can harm you
My words will warm and calm you
Let me be your shelter
Let daylight dry your tears
I'm here, with you beside you
To guard you and to guide you."

Christine turns to him, teary eyed. She sings softly, "Say you'll love me every waking moment
Turn my head with talk of summertime
Say you need me with you
Now and always
Promise me that all you say is true
That's all I ask of you."

"Let me be your shelter
Let me be your light
You're safe, no one will find you
Your fears are far behind you," Raoul sang hugging her.

"All I want is freedom
A world with no more night
And you, always beside me
To hold me and to hide me," Christine turned to him with a small smile.

"Then say you'll share with me, one love, one lifetime
Let me lead you from your solitude
Say you need me with you here, beside you
Anywhere you go let me go too," He sang before whispering in her ear, "Christine, that's all I ask of you."

"Say you'll share with me, one love, one lifetime
Say the word and I will follow you," Christine sang with love, they then sang together.

"Share each day with me,
Each night, each morning."

"Say you love me," Christine said with adoration in her brown eyes.

"You know I do," Raoul reassured.

"Love me that's all I ask of you," they sang and kissed. As they did so, Raoul picked her up, and spun her in the air. They smiled when they pulled away, cheeks red with the cold and with the love they have.

"Anywhere you go, let me go too
Love me that's all I ask of you."

They shared another kiss. And smiled like lovesick teenagers. Then Christine looked like she realized something.
"We need to check on my sister," Christine said with a worried tone.

"Yeah, and then we can escape from this place," Raoul agrees.

"Order your fine horses," Christine sings, "And meet me at the door."

"And you with me beside me," Raoul sings.

"To hold me and to hide me."

They walked down from the roof, and here I am with a huge stupid grin on my face. I counted about ten seconds after they left and squealed. When I turned around, I saw Erik looking at me funny.

"What?" I asked in a sassy tone, "I ship them."

"What's shipping?" Erik asked. That's when I know I messed up again. Me and my modern connections...

"Well," I tried to explain, "Shipping is when you want someone with another so bad you'll do anything to have them be together. So I ship Raoul and Christine because they were very attached to one another when we were younger. Now, look at them. Just-" I let out another squeal.

"You really like them together don't you?" he smirked.

"Don't judge, and besides it's nice to see her happy," I said gesturing to where they had just gone.

"Agreed, so now that they're leaving," Erik asked, "We can meet up more?"

I thought about that for a while, "Erik," I sighed, "I think I have to go with them."

"But, why?" he asked, "They can be by themselves."

"I know that," I try to explain, "It's just they might not let me stay alone until all that blows over. Also, they might get suspicious over me insisting I stay here."

There was an awkward pause. The silence was deafening.

"I understand," Erik says after a little while, "I'm going to miss you when your gone."

"I know," I said sadly, "We'll see each other soon, I just know it."

With that I hugged him and whispered, "I'll come back, I promise."
I walked down through where Christine and Raoul left. I turned to Erik one last time a waved, eyes glassy. The time to leave has come, but soon...

Erik's POV

I watched her leave, my heart breaking more and more with each step she took away from me. I waited a few beats to start leaving myself, when I saw it.

She dropped the rose. The rose I gave her just a day ago. I don't even think she noticed.

"I gave you my music," I sang sadly, "Made your song take wing
And now, now you've repaid me
Denied me and betrayed me
He was bound to love you
When he heard you sing.
Rachel..." I mumbled crying into the roses soft petals. I then heard distant voices, in my head. It was Raoul, but it wasn't Christine singing with him. It was Rachel. This must be how it feels to be heartbroken.

"Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime
Say the word and I will follow you
Share each day with me
Each night each morning," I tried to block them out, but it rang through my head. Still holding the rose, I jumped to the edge of the roof. Cursing the the world and God for giving me this demon face and taunting longing and emotion.

"You will curse the day you did not do
All that the Phantom asked of you!"

I stormed to my lair, and composed until the later hours of the morning, missing my angel of music. In my haste the post holding the chandelier was knocked off of the hold of the base. This caused it to come crashing down on the cast, during final bows.

Hey, guys! Well this took a while to write. I seriously had major writer's block for a while. Then I got busy with school, Harmonics, and Life In Between the Squad (second book is finished, third in production). Just bear with me with slow updates. To those who waited for me, thank you! Remember, comment and vote!

Luv ya,

Rachel the Short Potato Daae