I didn't really want to have to stretch this into two chapters, but it appears that's what happened. I didn't expect this one to be so long...

I don't own The Phantom of the Opera. And do remember, voting and commenting is strongly appreciated!

Kat's POV

        The next day went by in a blur. Madame Giry excused me from rehearsals because of my shoulder, although she said it was because of my head. I wasn't sure why she was keeping secrets for me. From what I could tell I'd never done a thing for her, but I wasn't about to ask questions. 

        I stuck around to watch the ballerinas for a while, but eventually had to leave due to a major headache. The music was loud and Madame Giry was even louder.

        I decided to go back to my room and lie down. The opera house was quiet, other than the noise from rehearsals. I managed to, somewhat, remember my way to the dorms. It wasn't long before I had my face buried in pillows. 

        I hadn't been laying down but ten minutes when Ezra barged in. "What are you doing in bed?" 

        I lifted my head and groaned, then fell back into my pillow. 

        He cleared his throat and laughed at the same time. "Didn't sleep well, huh?"

        "Nuh uh." I'd spent most of the night tossing and turning. The room had been freezing cold and my shoulder was unbearably sore.

        Ezra chuckled and sat on the end of the bed. "Well, I was planning on going into town today and since you're...umm..." He paused, trying to find the right word. 

        I sat up and slumped my shoulders. "Blah, that's what I'm am. Bleck." I've never been a morning person and it was before noon.

        "Yes, that." He raised an eyebrow and continued. "Anyways, I thought you might want to accompany me?"

        My face lit up. Finally! I've been dying to see the rest of Paris. "Of course!" Okay, that may have been a bit much. I cleared my throat and lowered my voice. "I mean, sure. Just, uh, let me change first."

        Ezra's eyebrow went back up for a moment, then turned to his usual cocky grin. "Alright, I'll meet you in the lobby in...", he pulled out an expensive looking pocket watch, "ten minutes."

        Ten minutes later we were walking the streets of Paris. It was cold and windy but definitely worth it, although I did wish I would have pulled my hair back. It was blowing in at least twenty different directions and blinding me in the process. I followed Ezra, not really sure where we were headed. We eventually stopped in front of a small store. There wasn't a sign but from looking in the windows I could tell it was some sort of pawn shop. 

        "Wait here. I'll be right back." Ezra said before he slipped through the narrow door. 

        Weird. I sat down on a bench that faced the shop. I watched Ezra walk up to the counter and begin speaking with the cashier. About a minute later the man lead him to the back where he disappeared through a door. Even weirder. I figured he would be a while so I walked to the small bookstore that I had spotted across the street. Before we left I had grabbed my purse, at least I'm pretty sure it's mine. It had been hanging on my headboard and contained numerous things that only I would carry. 

        I stopped in front of the door and started digging through my bag, hoping I had some money. It was small so it didn't take me long to find the little coin purse nestled in the bottom. It felt light so I dumped it into my hand, not expecting change to fly everywhere.

        "Damn!" I mumbled as I hit the ground, scrambling to pick it all up.

        "You know a young women as beautiful as you should never speak that way." I looked up to find a dark figure standing over me. He held out a hand, which I took, and pulled me up.

        "Sorry if I disappointed you." I let go of his hand and crossed my arms. Tall, dark and creepy isn't really my thing.

        The man stepped closer to me and I studied his features. His hair was dark brown and short, well shorter than most of the weirdos I've seen so far. He had grey eyes and was fairly tall. Then I realized something, he looked just like-

        "Kat!" I turned to see Ezra jogging across the street, there was a small package in his hand. "Is everything okay?" He looked at me with a smile, but his face went deathly pale once he saw my new acquaintance. 

        The man noticed Ezra's reaction and his once warm smile turned sinister. "Excuse me monsieur, I was simply helping her up. Nothing more." He had a light Italian accent, and now that I thought of it, so did Ezra. I looked between the two as they shared wary glares. The resemblance was impeccable. They had the same hair, the same eyes, nose, mouth, stature. The only difference I could make out was the look in their eyes. Ezra looked shocked, scared, and maybe even a little protective towards me. The man though, his eyes were dark and menacing. I don't know how but these two definitely know each other.

        Ezra finally snapped out of his trance and grabbed my arm. "We should be getting on our way." He turned, pulling me with him. Just before we were out of reach, the man caught Ezra's arm and pulled him close. His mouth just inches from Ezra's ear, he whispered something I couldn't hear. Ezra's eyes went wide for moment then went back to an angry glare. He shrugged the man off forcefully and pulled me down the sidewalk. When I looked back the man was gone.

        "What the hell was that about." I asked pulling my arm out of his grasp.

        "Nothing." He grumbled then handed me the package he had stuffed in his back pocket. "Here, this is for you." He forced a smile, trying act like himself, even though it was pretty obvious that something was off.

        I took the package and opened it. Inside was a small book titled The Tell-Tale Heart and Other Writings by Edgar Allen Poe. I smiled down at the book then pressed it close to my heart. Poe was one of my favorite authors. "I don't know what to say."

        "A thank you would suffice." Ezra's fear had turned to annoyance. His cocky look had returned, but there was still a hint of worry in his eyes. 

        I figured now wasn't the time to ask any further questions so I decided to focus on my gift. "Is this what you were after in that store?"

        His eyes lightened a little. "Yeah. It was hard to find, with Poe's work being banned and all." 

        "Banned?" I asked as he helped me over a large puddle, it was starting to snow again.

        "I suppose Europe had to wait until the man was dead before it got the nerve to banish a classic." He rolled his eyes and frowned. 

        We walked the rest of the way home in silence. I turned my book over and over in my hands not because I was excited to read it, but because I was extremely nervous. I had no idea what had just happened in front of that bookstore. It was unnerving but it struck my curiosity. That man looked just like Ezra, and the way they acted toward each other! They had to be related or at least old friends, or enemies. 

        "Home sweet home." I looked up to see Ezra holding the front door of the opera house open for me. I had been so deep in thought that I hadn't noticed we were back.

        I muttered a thank you, then headed towards the dorms. Ezra didn't follow, but I could feel his eyes on me until I turned the corner. The opera house was quiet as rehearsals were still in progress. I have no idea what they're rehearsing for, but it's loud. 

        The dorms were empty, giving them and eerie feel. There was a small clock in the corner of the room that read two o'clock. Two hours to go. I went to my room and closed the door. I lied on my bed and decided to read. Every once in a while, I would get up to check the time. The last time I looked it was three and by then had given up on reading, but not before I marked my favorite poems. I placed the book down at my side and stared at the ceiling. 

        I must have fallen asleep at some point. When I opened my eyes it was dark. I jumped up and checked the clock. There were at least fifteen girls in the dorms and each one of them stared me down as I poked my head out of the door. The clock read nine o'clock. I slipped back through the door, closing it tightly.

        "Ugh!" I put my hands over my face and bit my lip. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! 

        I was about to bury my face in a pillow when I noticed something. My book was gone and in its place lay a single red rose bound with a black ribbon.

Ezra's POV

        It couldn't have been him! There was no way he could have found me. It was impossible.  There was no way she could have found me. I hadn't left anything when I ran. No note, no trail, nothing.

        I walked to the small room I shared with three other men. It was empty as expected. Everyone was still at rehearsals, I could hear the music coming from down the hall. Not that I really cared. My mind was focused on him, my brother.

        "Let the games begin." That is what he had said to me. I had no idea what it meant, but it made me uneasy nonetheless. What in the hell was he doing here? I hadn't seen nor spoken to him in years, but I remember the last time I did as if it were yesterday.

        "Don't worry Ezra, I'll make her understand." My brother grinned at me, his eyes hopeful. 

        I knew he was wrong, mother would never agree to this. "Damien, it will never work."

        He frowned at me. "Listen Ez, I love this girl. There is nothing she can do to change that, dragon lady or not."

        I smiled, admiring his optimism. Damien had fallen in love with a peasant girl named Elizabeth. She was tall and blond and beautiful and since he was now eighteen, they were free to marry. Although there was one minor problem, we were rich. I mean we were practically royalty and according to our mother, Damien could marry any girl he pleased. So long as she wasn't poor. 

        That little golden rule is what led to his 'foolproof' plan to convince mother otherwise. It wouldn't work, I knew she would never give in. "This cannot possibly end well." I mumbled under my breath, hoping he didn't hear.

        "Must you be so impossible?" He crossed his arms and looked down at me. "You are only thirteen, what could you possibly know about love anyhow?"

        I looked down my nose at him and narrowed my eyes. "I know that she despises it."

        He sighed, dropping the stern brotherly act. "No matter what happens tonight, just know that we are in this together." With a smile he put his hand out and waited. I placed mine on top of his and we said in unison, "One for all and all for one."

        We laughed as we left the stables, remembering our childhood dreams. Both of us had wanted to be Musketeers, but she had soon crushed any hopes we ever had of becoming anything. 

        Once we reached the house we wished each other good luck and went our separate ways. That night we, well Damien, planned to invite Elizabeth over so he could announce their engagement. He hoped that if he surprised mother with it, she would have no choice but to agree. If she didn't agree or something went wrong, we had a back-up plan. We had readied a carriage and planned to run. I already knew that we would be leaving that night. There was no way she would ever agree with it and from past experience, I could only expect the worst. After our father died, she had become unbearable to be around. She grew distant and cold. Every once in a while she would go on a 'trip' and we wouldn't see her for months at a time. No that we cared, it was relief to be away from her.

        Night fell faster than anticipated, and Elizabeth arrived not long after. Damien and myself greeted her at the door, we wanted to go over our escape route while we had time. Mother was waiting in the drawing room, I  stayed in the hall as instructed by Damien. He wanted me to wait until after he announced the engagement before I made my entrance. I supposed he wanted me to look as innocent as possible, just in case this completely backfired. 

        "Good luck." I whispered as they walked into the large room. 

        After about ten minutes I cracked the door open just enough so I could see inside. Damien and Elizabeth were sitting on the love seat across from mother. I couldn't see their faces but I could see hers. She looked angry but kept a cool composer, from that I could tell that he had told her. I slipped through the door and stood in the back of the room. Damien had seen me walk in but she hadn't flinched. Her eyes seemed to be burning a whole into poor Elizabeth. 

        Then she stood and did something extremely unexpected. "Well then, welcome to the family dear." She smile and outstretched her arms, engulfing Elizabeth in a seemingly warm embrace.

        Damien turned and smiled at me, but my eyes never left mother. I watched her intently, not believing what I was seeing. I stepped closer as her expression turned from warm and motherly to dark and vengeful. She made a quick movement with her hand, then Elizabeth was on the floor surrounded in a pool of blood. Damien dove down after her, staring in horror at the knife mother had placed in her abdomen. 

        "And you." She pointed at me, a crazed look in her eyes.

        She was going to kill me next, I knew it though I did not know why. Forgetting about Damien and his newly deceased finance, I ran. I ran to the stables and took the carriage. There wasn't much in it, other than some clothing and the little bit of money we had saved over the last month. It didn't matter to me at that point what I had, all I knew was that I needed to get out of there. The horses were already hitched and I was gone within minutes. I rode until I hit the next city, then took the first  train to Paris. 

        I stopped pacing the room and stood still, wallowing in shame and self pity. I had left the only person that had ever cared about me all because I was a coward. My life is meaningless, insignificant. All I've ever done is run from my problems, just as I'd done today. I slunk back against the wall and stared at the ceiling. I wasn't sure how long I'd been standing like that, when I heard a noise in the hall. 

        The door was cracked open just enough for me to see out. I could here footsteps and soon saw Kat walking toward the prima donna room. I knew what she was doing. She was going to see him, The Phantom. I hastily made the decision to follow her, and this time I wasn't going to stay in the shadows.