Phantom of the Opera 1. Prologue

Ghost Can't Hurt You

** Author's Note **

Unless like myself you are incredibly obsessed by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's film version of the musical The Phantom of the Opera (this is done to the 2004 film version starring Gerard Butler so there are scenes in here that are not from the stage production, this needs his voice to work ) and know every song by heart, I would suggest having the soundtrack/YouTube on hand for this fan fiction, the music makes it all fit together with the film. I have left the names of the songs ready before each character starts to sing so you can read it along to its original tune.

There are some things from the book in here, small details that are things I wanted to put in but this is not done by the book, nor does it have anything to do with Love Never Dies, I do not like LND and I prefer my ending.

Prologue

Paris 1870

It was the middle of the night, the dormitory was dark and quiet in the opera house; everyone was asleep, all but two girls who were out after curfew, two girls who were playing a very dangerous game. 

I awoke with a start, _what had I heard?_ I looked about blearily, blinking into the darkness to try and clear my head and figure out what had woke me, as I looked around I saw someone slip through the now open door. I sat up in wonderment and looked to the bunk beside me, as I thought, Christine was not there. 

I got up silently and balanced myself on my toes to keep my movements quiet, the practiced and disciplined years of ballet always helped me sneak about. I came out of the door to see the faint light from a hushed candle up ahead and I trotted after her, as we hurried down the dark corridors I could see she was heading to the room that held her father's shrine.

I waited a few moments after the door closed before I pressed against it, trying to listen to her. I wondered if she was going to speak to 'her teacher', an angel she insisted visited her in the night to teach her to sing. Many of the other chorus girls believed her to be deluded from grief of her father's death; others believed her to be seeking attention and pity. But my mother, Madame Giry who taught ballet at the theatre, believed her whole heartedly and often covered for Christine if she did not show for a long period of time.

As I listened, the room and corridor stayed silent for what felt like a terribly long amount of time, and then I heard her. She started to sing, softly, as if she was singing to someone right next to her. 

(Sung to the tune of Angel of Music)  
"Where are you?

My angel of music,

Come and speak to me.

Please be there,

My angel of music,

Show yourself to me."

Once again she was silent and not a sound was heard, as I leant into the door I wondered what on earth she was doing, until another sound broached the darkness.

"I am here, I am here,

Your angel of music,

Waiting in the night,  
Do not fear; do not fear my darling,

You will be alright."

I nearly dropped to the floor in shock as I heard the deep voice of her angel, I covered my mouth with my hand and supported myself with the other, clutching to the door handle in disbelief. He was real.

"Angel, angel I'm sorry,

I have been trying to no avail,

All the while La Carlotta is singing,

Everyone else will pail." 

"Christine, sweetest Christine,

Do not let yourself be distressed,  
I will make sure that you're given the chance,

Until then I will not rest,

No one here can come above,

That talent that within you lies, settling for something you should not compromise."

"What shall I do, oh angel of music,

I do not feel blessed,

This hopelessness seems to hold me,

It disturbs my rest."

"I am here, do not fear,

Whilst I am still breathing,

No one will take your place, within this darkness,

Your talent will be faced."

My heavy breathing rocked me back and forth as his voice echoed throughout the opera house; the sound was like nothing I had ever heard. His voice was like the softest silk, sweet and sultry like wine being poured, yet unrelentless and bold. Within my heart I felt a deep sadness, a longing that I couldn't comprehend, like his voice was conveying his deepest secrets to anyone who could hear him. I took my hand away from my mouth, digging my nails into my palm as I listened.

I closed my eyes and let his voice enclose me, sweeping me away from the world around me. The darkness that from his voice sounded felt like it would devour me if I stayed and listened for too long, but I could not pull away from its seductiveness. I wanted to see him, see the man that held such power and genius in his voice.

I stood up slowly, my legs feeling like they would surely buckle underneath me and I turned to face the door. I bent down to the keyhole and looked through; I could see nothing but Christine in the light from the candles. I took a deep breath as his voice once again swept over me; it truly was the voice of an angel. I turned the handle slowly, trying to compose myself as I eyed the dark room quietly.

"Oh angel, I truly am thankful for your guidance."

"Do not thank me, never thank-." His voice cut short as I opened the door, I tried to look confused and feign puzzlement.

"Meg, what are you doing here?" Christine looked worried as I approached.

"I heard you leave the dormitory, who are you talking too? There is no one here?"

She looked down and replied quietly.

"Oh, no one, I was just speaking to my father, though I know he will not answer me." 

She had believed me; I smiled in the dim light and came next to her.

"Do not worry Christine, though he may be gone from this world he will never leave you, he is always in your heart, keeping you from harm and guiding you."

I took her hand in mine and pulled her up. "Come, it is late and we must rehearse tomorrow for Hannibal, my mother will be terribly angry if we are not in top shape for the grand opening."


	2. Chapter 1 - Hannibal

Ghosts Can't Hurt You

Chapter 1 – Hannibal

That morning we were all called to the stage for rehearsals but something was different, as we finished putting on our costumes and approached the stage there were two men standing with our manager. We dipped our toes in chalk and came up the stairs as the men were introduced as our new managers and the new owners of the Opera Populaire. They then introduced our new patron, the Vicomte De Chagny and Christine gasped beside me as a young man walked briskly up to the stage. 

"It's Raoul." I looked at her in astonishment. "Before my father died, at the house by the sea… I guess you could say we were childhood sweethearts. He called me Little Lotte" 

I looked over to him and gasped too, he was incredibly handsome, with long hair and stunning features. 

"Christine, he's so handsome."

We watched as they greeted Carlotta and Piangi before rehearsals continued. We swept out onto the stage, twisting, prancing and leaping across the chains we had linking us together as the two men walked amongst us, making comments about our dance. Well, about our dancers.

As the act came to an end La Carlotta started to complain again, it happened at least twice with each opera we performed, she quit and expected to be flattered and grovelled too. They asked her to sing Think of Me and she started, a terrible high pitched sound that filled the hall, the cleaning ladies put pieces of cloth in their ears and continued about their business.

As she sung, the hall fell silent, suddenly a great noise sounded from above and part of the set came crashing down, landing on top of Carlotta and cutting her off mid song. Everyone jumped back and people screamed as she lay on the floor.

I pulled Christine to me as we looked around. "He's here, the Phantom of the Opera!" We looked about more wildly as the commotion flurried around us. Joseph called down to say he had not been at his post and it wasn't him, joking about ghosts as the men flustered to make sure Carlotta was alright.

My mother approached the men as the stage quietened, brandishing a letter as Carlotta stormed out, shouting and whining to anyone who got too close. 

"I 'ave a message, sir, from the Opera Ghost." She said, her thick French accent accentuating her every word.

"He welcomes you to 'is opera house and commands that you continue to leave box five empty for 'is use and reminds you that his salary is due."

Christine and I huddled at the side of the stage as the men got upset, ripping up the letter and talking of cancelling the show.

"Christine Daae could sing it, sir." My mother exclaimed.

"What, a chorus girl? Don't be silly." Said Andre in contempt.

"She 'as been taking lessons from a great teacher." My mother replied curtly.

"Who?"

Christine turned to face the men as I watched her closely. "I don't know his name, monsieur."

"Let 'er sing for you monsieur, she 'as been well taught." My mother came to Christine's side and put a hand on her shoulder, Andre and Gilles allowed her to step forward and sing for them. My heart leapt; finally she would get her chance to sing for real. Then something in my memory jumped out, a scene from last night, what Christine's angel had said to her. His fantastic voice filled my head once more and I sighed.

'_I will make sure that you are given the chance.'_

Of course, the man who sang to her in the night, he was the one who had dropped the piece of set on Carlotta, her teacher was the Phantom! He was not her father, not an angel, but a ghost; I tried my best to conceal my thoughts as Christine's beautiful voice filled the stage, how lucky she was to be given such a chance and to have someone watching over her. Though I ought to have felt jealous, I did not, she deserved this and was my best friend, my sister in everything but blood, I wanted nothing more than for her to succeed, a feeling I could tell others shared passionately.

That night, the crowd cheered as Christine was given a standing ovation once her song faded. Everyone in the rigging had stopped, many of the men from the backrooms piling around the stage to hear her wonderful voice. My mother and I stood just out of sight, listening with joy as she took the audience by storm.

I looked up to see the Vicomte had disappeared from his box during the crowds exclamations. As the celebrations began I looked around for Christine, she was nowhere to be found and I wondered if he had gone looking for her. I pulled myself away from the jumble of people and merriment and ran down the corridors to search for her, I wished to congratulate her and let her know how well she had done. As I hurried down the ever quietening corridors going deeper into the opera house I headed for the room that held her father's shrine, I called out to her as I found her kneeling by the candles that surrounded her father's portrait.

I told her how perfect she had been, and then decided to approach the subject of the Phantom.

"I only wish I knew your secret, who is your great tutor?"

"Meg, when your mother brought me here to live… Whenever I'd come down here alone to light a candle for my father, a voice from above and in my dreams he was always there. You see, when my father lay dying he told me I would be protected by an angel, an angel of music."

She still believed it was her father. "Christine, do you believe? Do you think the spirit of your father's coaching you?"

"Who else Meg?" _The Phantom, _I thought miserably. As she began to sing, I could hear all her love and compassion, but most of all, hope, belief, holding onto that one fragment of hope that she might not be alone in this world, her grief was hiding the truth from her. She wanted it to be her father and I could see I would not change her mind. Concern lined my brow as I looked away from her, wondering how to help her see.

"Christine you must have been dreaming," as she stood up I jumped up beside her and took her hand, "stories like this can't come true, Christine you're talking in riddles, and it's not like you."

She seemed lost in her own world as I led her away from the shrine, I tried to ask her who her angel was and she would not reply; she was cold and pale and it scared me, she was frightened of her angel. Something was telling her it was not her father but she ignored it.

My mother took her away from me and led her to a dressing room filled with roses, I followed quietly, keeping out of sight and once the door was shut I took again to pressing up against it, trying to hear their conversation. I knew my mother knew what was going on but she wouldn't ever answer my questions.

The muffled voice of my mother sounded just inside the door and I covered my mouth with my hands to try to keep my breathing quiet enough to hear.

"You did very well tonight my dear, he is pleased with you." She said and I heard movement as she turned away, quickly I ran from the door and hid down the corridor, watching as my mother left the room.

As she closed the door I heard the voice of Raoul coming towards the room, I stayed where I was, my back pressed into a door frame and I watched him enter her room. After a few short moments he burst out again, calling over his shoulder.

"I'll order my carriage." As she shouted after him, "Raoul wait!"

As he swept out I had to press myself into the door frame so as not to be noticed, I closed my eyes and held my breath, but as Raoul's footsteps carried out away from the room, I heard another noise. Soft footsteps followed by a click as a lock was turned, I leant forwards ever so slightly and looked down the corridor.

There I saw a retreating figure dressed in black, I ran after them but as I came to the end of the corridor and turned the corner they were gone, not even a whisper of someone passing through. I looked all around and saw my mother close at hand, I retreated back to the room Christine was in and noticed that the key had gone from the lock, I gasped as I pulled on the handle ever so quietly. She was locked in.

I pressed up against the door once more and listened, everything was quiet inside, I couldn't even hear Christine moving.

Then all at once the candles blew out, the darkness sweeping in around me and I clutched the door handle, I felt scared and closed my eyes, listening for the slightest sound.

Then it came again, that sound that made the air taste sweet and my legs turn to water, the voice of the Phantom.

"Insolent boy this slave of fashion, basking in your glory,

Ignorant fool, this brave young suitor, sharing in my triumph." His voice echoed through the darkness, its harsh tones made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up as the air around me seemed to crackle and distort.

"Angel I hear you, speak, I listen,

Stay by my side, guide me.

Angel my soul was weak, forgive me,

Enter at last, master."

Christine replied to the voice, her soft and gentle tones mingling with his deep tenor.

As he sang again, his voice softened at her words and they hung in the air after he finished. His last few words grew loud and strong and I felt my legs go weak again.

"Flattering child, you shall know me, see why in shadow I hide.

Look at your face in the mirror, I am there inside."

Christine began to sing again, the same sort of song she had sung as I led her away from the shrine and I listened for his reply.

"I am your angel of music."

His voice was almost a whisper now as he sang, it sounded like a snake baring it's teeth to it's prey and I shivered inadvertently at the sound, a noise came from behind me and I stepped away from the door just in time to see Raoul advance, he grabbed the door handle and tried to enter, when he met resistance he hammered on the door in panic, drowning out the Phantom's words.

He stopped and straightened up slightly. "Whose is that voice? Who is that in there?!"

"I am your angel of music." Came the haunting reply from the room.

"Christine! Christine!" Raoul knocked on the door again and again but no reply came.

He pushed and pulled at the door to no avail, all sound had gone now from the room. He shouted again before running across the foyer and back into the backstage area, I waited until I was sure he had gone before I hurried to where I knew the keys were kept, once I had the correct key I hastened back to the door and unlocked it quietly, peering in.

"Christine?" I called, but no answer came.

All was dark in the room as I looked about, all the candles were out and no one was inside, as I let my eyes sweep the room I noticed a faint glow from the end of the room where a full length mirror stood. As I came upon it I put the key down and walked towards it, I realised that the light was coming from the mirror itself and touched my hands to the cool glass. It wasn't a mirror at all, but a door hidden in the frame, I pushed it and it slid to my right, opening up to a hidden corridor in the walls.

As I stepped in, a cool breeze came through it, water dripped from the walls and cobwebs coated the ceilings, hanging like dank curtains over the dark stone. The further in I walked, the darker it seemed to get and I suddenly felt something brush against my feet, I screamed and stepped sideways to see rats at my feet. Calming myself down, I pressed on into the unknown, I could hear faint noises coming from the darkness and as I stepped lightly forwards I felt something behind me, a hand was placed on my shoulder and I inhaled sharply, ready to scream as I turned to face the person. I let out my breath as I came face to face with my mother; she gave me a harsh look as she grabbed my wrist and led me from the corridor, all the while I stared into the black gloom at the fading noises.

She took me back to the dormitories where everyone was gathered, Joseph was singing a song about the Phantom, trying to scare all the women gathered around him. I shot him a disgusted look before pushing through them and away from his drawling voice. I went over to my bedside and watched Joseph quietly, waiting for my mother who swept in and silenced him, holding him in contempt as I did and slapping him across the face.

I let a smile play my lips as I watched his cheeks turn red, an amazing feat when his face was already red and blotched from his drunken antics. I sat down on my bedside and pondered today's events.

The Phantom was real, a man, not a ghost and he had taken Christine into the bowels of the opera house, yet again my mother was covering up for he and her. She was the conveyor of the Phantom's messages and wishes and I knew she knew him, but she would never tell. The only thing she ever said about him was to keep your hand at the level of your eyes. No one could prise anything else from her.

As I lay down to sleep, I felt restless and slightly frightened. I turned the scenes around in my head until I fell into a fitful sleep, my dreams full of black clad demons and angelic voices from the darkness.


	3. Chapter 2 – The Phantom Strikes

Ghosts Can't Hurt You

Chapter 2 – The Phantom Strikes

By the next day, Christine had not returned and people were getting worried. Some believed she had fled with Raoul until he arrived at the Opera alone. We weren't allowed into the foyer so instead stood by the doors and tried to listen to their words they were throwing back and forth to each other.

As we all huddled round the doors my mother came past and shooed everyone back to their work, as I went to leave she grabbed me and took me with her into the foyer where everyone was gathered, she whispered to me before speaking to the group.

"Miss Daae 'as returned."

"Where is she now?" asked Andre.

"I thought it best she was alone." Replied my mother.

"She needed rest." I chimed in as I saw Raoul's pained face.

"May I see her?" He said as he started to descend the stairs.

"No monsieur she will see no one." My mother stopped him as the others hounded her.

"Will she sing? Will she sing?"

My mother pulled an envelope from her jacket.

"Here, I 'ave a note." My eyes fell in wonderment on the wax stamp on the parchment; it was in the shape of a skull.

"Gentlemen, I have now sent you several notes of the most amiable nature detailing how my theatre is to be run. You have not followed my instructions, I shall give you one last chance, Christine Daae has returned to you and I am anxious her career should progress. In the new production of Il Muto you will therefore cast Carlotta as the pageboy, and put Miss Daae in the role of Countess. The role which Miss Daae plays calls for charm and appeal, the role of the pageboy is silent which makes my casting in a word, ideal. I shall watch the performance from my normal seat in box five. Which will be kept empty for me, should these commands be ignored, a disaster beyond your imagination will occur. I remain, gentlemen, your obedient servant. OG."

The scene which ensued became terribly loud as Carlotta started to whine and complain in her high pitched tones, as we all followed her, the men trying to appease her and silence her and my mother warned them that to ignore the Phantom's threat would be dangerous, but they would not listen.

I watched her with disgust, I couldn't stand her, any talent she may once have had had disappeared under the jewels and fur coats which she covered herself with and now she was an ill tempered, spoilt diva who believed the world to exist only to make her happy. My mother and I left them to offer her gifts and I watched as Raoul contemplated what had happened.

I could tell he wasn't happy, but I had no words for him so instead went into the backstage corridors to get ready for the show. Everyone believed Christine had been sleeping with him but only myself, he and my mother knew better, I ran to get her and help her put on her costume and she didn't speak, she could barely look at me. She held a dazed and sleepy look and seemed to just glide along in her own little world. I tried to ask her questions but she turned away from my voice to gaze into the distance.

As we led her down one of the aisles backstage my mother worried about what the Phantom's letter had contained and watched the rigging like a hawk.

I stood with the other actors and danced along to my role, getting my backside squeezed by Piangi as Christine pretended to be the maid for her part as the pageboy.

I watched Carlotta sing and I dipped along to the tune, watching around me, only half paying attention to what we were doing on stage, as I looked around I heard it again. Booming out across the stage as everyone fell silent, his voice, the Phantom's, anger and disdain scored his voice as it sounded from above.

"Did I not instruct that box five was to be kept empty?"

Everyone gasped and looked around and Christine went pale beneath her make up. I leant into the others as I stared out at the worried faces of the audience, they couldn't understand if this was part of the act and the ones who knew the play were staring in shock.

"He's here, the Phantom of the Opera." I said as everyone fluttered close to me except Christine.

"It's him." She stared up towards the chandelier, her eyes wide and apprehensive.

"Your part is silent, little toad." Carlotta chuckled before trying to rouse us back into our roles.

She returned to the stage and waited for the orchestra to begin playing and as she sang her voice broke, she tried again and to no benefit as she gasped and spluttered, trying to get the words out. She ran to the side of the stage as the curtain fell and I couldn't help but let myself giggle at her situation. My mother had warned them.

Everyone started to laugh and Andre ran out to face the audience, letting them know that Christine would be replacing Carlotta and to enjoy the ballet from act three in the meantime. We hurried off the stage and bustled about trying to get the set in place. I hastily pulled my costume on and set to the stage as the music floated through the curtains. They were pulled away and everyone tripped over themselves in their rush to be in the right place.

The audience laughed as we bumbled about and I tried to keep my composure as I pranced about daintily. The sheep refused to move, it wasn't their time to go on and they had been enjoying their rest in the wings. As I twirled about I watched the ceiling in case the Phantom came back but there was nothing there, it seems we would continue unabated.

I heard screams from the audience as I twirled and looked up to see Joseph's body hanging from a noose in the riggings. I screamed as it fell to the floor and staggered back in terror. I looked around, Christine was nowhere to be found and I ran from the stage, I called out through the aisles and saw no one. As I ran through each aisle in the maze behind the stage I saw Raoul's retreating figure heading to the roof and followed them.

He closed the door after him and I heard Christine's frightened voice ring out into the snow, I opened the door slightly and looked out, they both had their backs turned to me, Raoul was trying to convince her that she was dreaming the Angel that spoke to her and she was telling him she had seen him.

He took her in his arms and held her close as she looked around, flinching at every sound, as he began to sing to her once more, calming and reassuring her, I closed the door and sat down on one of the steps, the door muting their voices until I sat in the dim glow from under the stairs and started to shake. I'd never seen someone die before, I felt sick and my eyes brimmed with tears. Who was this man who killed for no reason? This demon in the night whose voice drew you to him like a devil draws you into the ways of evil, and why did I still wish to see him, I was captivated by his voice, by his mystery, by his danger...

After a while I heard them approach the door and I pulled back into the wall as they opened it, hiding behind it as they ran down the stairs and into the throng of people. They were in such a hurry they did not even notice me in the gloom.

I hadn't noticed that I had been holding my breath and exhaled deeply, watching them disappear into the theatre I turned back to the door and rested my hand on the handle, it was slightly ajar and as I went to shut it I heard what I thought was footsteps outside. I flinched away from the door before composing myself and opening it enough to look outside.

I could hear his voice again, a deep longing, a desperate sadness filled it as I tried to see him but he was too far away from the door. I was about to step out when I heard him stand heavily, I fell back as he ran to one of the angels that was carved out of the roof and he howled into the night, a long cape blowing in the wind as the black of his clothes was broken by the white snow. I left the door and fled down the stairs and back to my bed, jumping in it and curling into a ball, my heart pounding and my breath coming in ragged gasps.


	4. Chapter 3 – At The Level Of Your Eyes

Ghosts Can't Hurt You

Chapter 3 – At The Level Of Your Eyes

A month had passed since Joseph had been murdered by the Phantom, everyone put it down to him being tangled in the rigging, but though my mother left them to believe it, she did not let me or Christine. She would regularly rant about how big a pair of fools our new managers were, how dangerously stupid they were to ignore his commands and threats and how the death of Joseph was on their shoulders, I don't think I had ever seen her so angry.

At night my dreams were still haunted by what I had seen on the roof and one night I awoke with a start, as I looked around I saw Christine's figure sleeping soundly in her bed and I remembered the first night I had heard his voice after following her all those months ago.

I got up and put my long black boots on, pulling off my night dress and dressing in my black trousers and white shirt before I crept out of the room; I headed quietly down the corridors until I found the room with the hidden passage way. I checked it was unlocked before entering silently, everything was quiet and dark and as I came upon the mirror I passed a box of matches, I struck one and lit a candle, finding a holder I placed it onto it and held it up before my face.

_Keep your hand at the level of your eyes._

I fumbled around the edge of the mirror until I found a groove and pulled it open; the corridor was dark and the smell of damp rose up from it. I followed the same way I had gone before, blinking away the darkness in front of me as best I could as I kept the candle by my face. The corridor seemed to go on forever and soon I could no longer see the mirror behind me and I was enveloped in darkness. As I walked down the corridor the cobwebs seemed to dissolve and the walls became smoother, I noticed that the corridor seemed to be widening and quickened my pace.

I came out into a twisting stairwell, larger and grander than anything I had ever seen in my life, its steps seemed to go on forever. I leant over the side and looked down into darkness; I could see nothing but stairs the whole way. I walked out tentatively onto the steps, clutching at the stone banister that twisted with the stairs and I walked down, I plunged into the darkness with my only light the small candle in my hand. On and on it went and as I looked up I could see nothing more but black above me.

I got about halfway down and was walking slowly, using the banister to guide me when my foot slipped into something, I screamed sharply before managing to pull myself into the banister and took my candle down to the floor, there in the stone was a trapdoor that I had almost stepped through, had I not been holding onto the banister I would be in there now. I leant down and looked through it to see a deep pool of water, as I straightened up the trapdoor snapped shut again and I shivered, I would not step away from the banister from now on.

I touched down from the stairs out into a long hallway, as my candle light glanced off the smooth floor I noticed scuff marks in it, I leant down and touched my hand to the cool rock and realised they were marks made by the metal shoes of horses, many of them defaced the floor and I followed them down a dark slope. As I wound my way along the passage my earlier confidence started to fade and fear took its place, I could still turn back, heaven knows what I expected to do or find but I wanted to see this masked magician that haunted our halls. A knot formed in my stomach as I prayed that I had not made a mistake.

After what must have been an incredibly long time the passage way fanned out and I could hear the sound of water to the left of me. As I looked about I noticed something to my right and went over to it. A large opening in the wall had a board across it, as I leant in I could see the faintest trace of light from inside it. I leant in further and heard a noise from inside, I gasped but before I could scream something came out of the darkness and into my candlelight.

A large black Friesian horse stepped in front of me, nickering softly to me. I held out my hand and it sniffed it tentatively before nibbling my fingers. I stroked its velvet muzzle and looked it over; it was well groomed and sleek, its broad muscles rippling underneath its glossy raven coat. Someone obviously cared for it, and it wasn't likely to be anyone but him. I unlatched the board, which was actually a door and entered its stable, careful to close the door behind me.

It blew out through its nostrils as I came near it, its eyes on my flickering candle light. I held out my hand to reassure it and stroked its thick neck; it licked its lips and relaxed as I ran my hands along its flank. It was a stallion, naturally, and incredibly well behaved. Though it was large and strong I wasn't frightened, I'd learnt to ride here from a young age and enjoyed the company of horses. As I passed behind it towards the light I found another door at the other end of its stable, I opened it and let myself out and after a few feet of dim light I found another door, this one was harder to open and I had to really tug at it. I stumbled out of it into the night air and realised I was outside, I looked around to see that I was by the stables, out of peoples view the old ravaged courtyard led off into the night. It was around near the back of the opera house and wasn't used, just left to its own devices.

I looked back at the door and realised it was hidden within the wall; unless it was open you would never know it was there. I shivered in the cold and ran back to the door, hauling it shut as quickly and quietly as I can. As I came back into the stable I clicked to the horse to let it know I was back and it came over to me. I stroked him gently once more before leaving the stable and heading towards the source of the water. As I walked into the darkness I heard the scrape of metal on stone and then a neigh rang out across the passage, bouncing off the stone walls and reverberating in all directions like an alarm. I cried out in my head as I strained to hear any noises of someone who had just been alerted to my presence. After a few minutes I had heard nothing and prayed that the horse would stay silent.

I came upon the source of the water and realised there was an underground waterway here, as I walked to the waters edge I brushed my foot against something, I placed the candle down to the floor and saw a post for the mooring of a boat. I stared at it in bewilderment before it dawned on me that this must be the way to the Phantom's lair. I slipped into the cold water, wincing as it soaked my clothes and I returned the candle to eye level. The water was barely waist deep but it was thick and heavy as I pressed through it.

The further I got into the waterway the warmer the air seemed to get and I knew I was on the right track, after a while the waterway widened into a large pool, still no deeper than my waist but the room it was in was vast and the ceiling high, I couldn't believe all this lay untouched underneath the theatre. More waterways appeared in my candle light and I realised they must run under the whole of the opera house, maybe further than it. I looked around, deciding which route to take when I noticed a pale glow from one of the pathways and I trudged towards it, as I followed it the water yet again widened out, opening to a large chamber and at one end there was a water gate, it took up one whole side of the chamber and I could see light through it.

As I approached the gate I made my movements as small as possible, I could see candles in golden sculptures rising from the water. To the left of the other gate was a boat, moored to a cavern like hollow protruding from the water. Carved steps followed it as it got higher the further right it went. Everything on the right was shrouded by curtains so I turned my attention to the left, candles in intricately sculpted holders lined the walls either side of a walkway that led to what looked like some sort of organ or piano. Other pieces littered the area but it was too dim to see, I dared not approach the gate for fear of who could be there but instead stood on my toes to look out across the second chamber.

I couldn't see anyone there and my fear rose up to my throat as I realised my candle was still lit, I blew it out hastily before returning my hand to my eyes.

Suddenly a loud noise of a chain being moved leapt out of the darkness and I bit my tongue to keep from screaming in fright as the water gate rose from the water with an almighty sound.

"No use blowing out your candle, I already knew you were there." Came the musical voice I had replayed so many times in my head. My lips quivered and I closed my eyes as I went to speak, his voice made me weak, but this time my weakness was tinged with fear. As I stood in the black water the darkness seemed to close around me and I wondered what horrors awaited me.


	5. Chapter 4 – The Opera Ghost

Ghosts Can't Hurt You

Chapter 4 – The Opera Ghost

"Are you the Phantom of the Opera?" I called out into the darkness, trying to hide my terror.

"I go by many names; the Phantom is one of them. Why are you here?" His voice was haunting and terrifyingly beautiful; it seeped through to my bones in the darkness.

I searched myself for the correct words and found none; I didn't know why I was there.

"I don't know."

"That is not a good answer." The voice jibed, echoing around the chamber.

"I don't have an answer for you; I came because I was drawn here."

"Drawn here you say? Drawn by what?" A hint of surprise tainted the dark voice.

"By the voice of the Angel of Music." I closed my eyes, hoping I was not making the biggest mistake of my life.

A small chuckle emanated from the shadows as the voice continued. "I am no angel, a demon maybe, a monster yes, but do not confuse me with something of good and light."

"But that is what she calls you, I hear her speak to you."

Silence followed and I realised he must be pondering what to say next.

"You are friends with Miss Daae? Has she spoken of me?"

"Yes, many times, though she believes you to be an angel sent by her father, possibly her father himself."

"She believes what she wants to believe, how did you find me?"

"I found your secret passage behind the mirror."

"Does anyone else know of this?" His voice bit through the air like steel and I started to worry for my safety.

"Only my mother I believe."

"Your mother?" Surprise again echoed in the darkness.

"Madame Giry is my mother, I know that she knows you, she always has your letters, and she says you leave them for her."

"Ahh, you are her daughter, the beautiful blonde ballet angel that dances with Christine. Yes, your mother is a dear friend, if you could call it that, of mine. Though she may not wish to believe it."

I wondered at his last sentence and decided to ask, there was no escaping now. I took a deep breath and continued.

"How does my mother know you?"

"My, you are a curious girl, your mother brought me here, she helped me escape the shackles of my imprisonment and become free to pursue my one true desire, music."

He paused and then I heard him take a breath before continuing, the sounds reverberated around the chamber making it impossible to judge where they were coming from.

"Your mother does not know you are here?"

"No."

"Does Christine?"

"No."

"Foolish girl, believing you could just walk into my home unannounced."

"What will you do to me?" I tried to hold my voice steady as I spoke but I could feel it start to tremble. "Christine would never forgive you if you were to hurt me, nor my mother."

"My my my, we are in a predicament aren't we."

I stood up as straight as I could and raised my voice.

"I am not here to expose you; my only wish is to see you."

"Is it now, what have you heard of me, of my grotesque inhuman features, of a face that made my own mother turn away from me in shame?"

"I have heard many stories, but they come from drunken men with too much time on their hands."

"Ah, our dear Joseph Buquet, his stories will ridicule me no longer." Another deep chuckle swept across the darkness.

"Please Phantom, show yourself to me, if you are to kill me anyway what harm may come of it."

"Harm will always come of it girl, but, approach if you dare."

I looked towards the open gate and took a deep breath before wading through the cold water towards the candle light, as I passed into the threshold of his lair the sound of chains rose up again and I spun round as the gate fell behind me. I fell into the gate, desperate terror filling my body and I bit back the urge to cry out.

I took another deep breath and turned to face the candles, there in the shadows stood the figure of a man. I raised my hand up once more the level of my eye and sang out to him.

(Sung to the tune of Angel of Music Reprise)

"Angel of music, hide no longer,

Show me yourself I beg you,

Angel of darkness, I surrender,

Step out from the shadows Phantom."

"Innocent child, why do you seek me?

Do you believe me a divine being?

I am no angel but a monster,

Dangerous waters you stand in."

His voice seemed to hang in the air afterwards; my heart felt like it would leap from my chest as I sang with him, my fear mingled with so many other emotions it seemed to become lost inside me.

"Why do you hide within the darkness?

Whilst your voice calls out to me,

You say you're a demon I don't believe you,

Please let me know your secret."

"Foolish girl what do you want for,

I am no angel of music,

I am the darkness you should fear,

The one your mother warned of,

Be gone foolish dreams of singing angels,

Beware the dark before you."

"Phantom of darkness I do not wish to,

Fear the voice I long for,

Your despair and grieving call out to me,

Let me see what haunts me."

Gentle footsteps filled the chamber as he stepped out from the shadows and into the candle light.


	6. Chapter 5 – Creature Of Shadows

Ghosts Can't Hurt You

Chapter 5 – Creature Of Shadows

"Brave young girl,

Get what you wish for,

Disappointment and desperation,

Look at me now,

See why you should fear me,

This monster from the shadows."

"I see no monster before me, I see nothing more than a man,

Let me see what you're hiding, move from where you stand."

He stepped forwards once more and drew what I took to be a cloak, but turned out to be a cape, away from his face. There in the candle light gleamed what almost looked like polished bone, startlingly white in the dim light. A mask covered the right half of his face, the other half of his face was tense and drawn back, but exceedingly handsome, his dark hair was slicked back and he wore a black suit with a white collared shirt underneath. Every piece of clothing looked to be from the finest material, as well as, I noticed, the drapes which hung from the walls.

"How can it be, that all I see, is a man hiding from the world,

The stories that I have been told are nothing but a lie."

"Do not speak of such things until you see the monster behind the mask."

"Then let me see."

"Curse you child." He seethed into the shadows as he placed a hand to his mask and tore it from his face.

The skin under the mask looked like it had melted, it was disfigured and ill coloured, some hair was missing and it fell in clumps from the distorted skin. I stared long and hard at his face, taking in every detail, yet I did not feel afraid, the only monster hiding behind a mask seemed to be inside of him, not outside.

"You do not draw back in fear from me girl."

"I do not need to, you are a man not a monster, my mother does not fear your face and neither do I."

"Strange child, after all I have done you still stand before me, why?!"

"I still have no answer for you Phantom."

(Sung to the beginning of Music of the Night)

"You have come here, to where I live in sweet music's heart,

You wish to see what the voice in the darkness belongs to, belongs to.

I have shown you, yet you still stand before me here,

What is it that you expect to find here, to find here?"

"I have come here, to find the face behind the mask,  
To see the creature that wallows in darkness, in darkness,

I have found him, but to be nothing more than a man,

Whispered stories do not do you justice, you justice."

"Why have you sought me, you say you have no answers for me,

Yet you searched for me here in the shadows, the shadows,

Tell me strange child, what was it that you wished to achieve,

Did you think you could draw me from this nightmare, this nightmare?"

I dropped his gaze and he replaced his mask, brushing his hair back into place with a leather gloved hand. He strode forwards until he stood at the waters edge and looked at me as I stood with my back to the gate.

"Come closer child, let me face you."

I walked forwards, ignoring the cold water churning around me as I moved through it; I came to a stop a few feet away from him.

"Your voice is beautiful, but untrained; tell me girl, do you wish to sing like Christine? Is that why you came here?"

"No, I do not wish too, I could never sing like her. I came here to find you, I don't know why; your voice has called to me from my dreams since the first time I heard you sing to her."

"Would you rather I am a more hideous shadowed beast than I am to satiate your curiosity?"

"No, I had hoped you were not the monster people said you were."

"Why?"

"Because such a beautiful voice could not belong to a monster."

He stood and stared down at me.

"I live down here because I am a monster, this face made my own mother turn away from me in shame, this face got me imprisoned and shown to the world to be the freak that I am, the devil's child they called me."

"No one laughs at soldiers who get disfigured during the war."

"That's just it, I was born this way girl, I am a wretched bastard whose face disgusts even the most gentle of hearts."

"The cruelty of men can turn even the most gentle of hearts into a monster."

He looked at me again, his green eyes pained with confusion as they bored into mine. He was waiting for me to laugh, to point, to stare like everyone else, to call him names and recoil in terror.

"I am not going to draw back from you Phantom; I am not here to run from you nor to ridicule you. I am here because I see you for what you truly are."

"A monster." He growled.

"A man."

"Do you wish for me to recoil in fear? To turn and run like so many others?"

"You unnerve me more by standing before me." He narrowed his eyes at me.

"What is your name Phantom?"

He blinked in surprise as my question caught him off guard.

"I do not have one."

"You don't have a name?"

"My mother detested me; I was passed along like a piece of meat, treated worse than an animal, so I chose my own."

"My name is Megan Giry; it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Phantom of the Opera."

He straightened up and stared at me like I was a puzzle he could not solve.

"Is this some kind of trick?"

"No tricks."

"Why do you speak to me like I am your friend?"

"Why am I still alive?"

"Do not test me girl, I am not a man to cross."

"I thought you were a monster?"

"Do NOT test me child."

"Why must you speak to me so, it is you who recoil from me, not I who recoil from you."

He was silent for a moment, completely at a loss of what to say, he just stood there, staring at the water around me.

"Why do you wish to know me? No one wishes to know me, not even your Christine."

"Because I wanted to know what she knew, everyone believed her to be crazy but I heard you. I needed to see you, to find the man behind the Phantom that haunts our opera house."

"You speak in riddles Miss Giry."

"Because I needed to see the man whose voice leaves me weak every time I hear it in the shadows." I tried to stand defiant, but I quailed under his piercing gaze and as the words left my tongue I felt the urge to hide my face from his glare.

He stood again silenced by my words, but this time the anger seemed to leave his eyes as he stared at me, he dropped down on one knee at the waters edge.

"Come closer Miss Giry; let me see you in the light."

I stepped towards him in the water; I could feel myself shaking and swallowed hard before meeting his gaze. His green eyes bored into mine and I tried my best to hold his fix on me. I realised that I wasn't shaking; I was shivering from the water.

"You have been in that water for some time now child, walk over there to the slope and come into the warmth of the candle light."

I almost fell over in shock at his words; his demeanour had completely changed since I accused him of recoiling from me. I held myself together and stepped out of the water, my soaked clothes dripping onto the cavern floor.

He walked away from the waters edge and into the shadows, upon his return he came over to me and produced a black jacket.

"Here, your mother would never forgive me if I let you freeze to death."

He didn't look at me as he handed me the jacket and I took it silently, pulling it onto my cold arms and relishing its soft warm touch. He backed away from me as I stood in the gloom of the slope; I stepped closer to him, ignoring the discomfort from my cold trousers.

I stepped closer again and he turned away, as he went to move I stretched out my arm, taking the arm of his suit in my hand. "Thank you." I said as he stared at me in what could almost be fear.

He looked me up and down for a moment then took a breath. "You are still cold, come with me."

He walked away without looking back to see if I was following, I walked after him as he moved up the stairs.

"Wait here." He stepped forwards and pulled on a silver tasselled rope hanging from black drapes, the drapes then lifted up to reveal a large silk bed of the most beautiful colours. He moved around behind the bed and pulled out a white dress, downed with feathers and small jewels, then came back and handed it to me. Without another word he stepped away from me and motioned me to walk towards the bed, once I had gotten but a few steps he pulled on the rope again and the black drapes fell back around the bed.

"Do not be afraid to change, I have lived in this opera house my whole life and never once spied on the women here." He said with his back turned to me, and then he walked away down the stairs.

As his footsteps became quieter the realisation of what was happening hit me with a dizzying force, I was standing the lair of the Phantom of the Opera, speaking to him. I pulled off my wet clothes and hung them on one of the candle frames before putting on the dress, the material was soft and light and it fit me well. I mused that it was because I was nearly the same size and age as Christine. Though she was younger than I, she was slightly taller and thinner.

I put the jacket he had given me back on as I sat on the bed, running my fingers over the cushioned silk, marvelling at it compared to the hard bunks we slept on in the dormitories. I then got up and looked around for another rope, upon finding it, tugged it gently and waited as the curtains were pulled up to let me out. As I walked to the stairs I saw the Phantom sitting at the organ, his fingers dancing over the notes gently.


	7. Chapter 6 – The Music Of The Night

Ghosts Can't Hurt You

Chapter 6 – The Music Of The Night

When he heard me at the top of the stairs he looked up at me. "You suit that dress well Miss Giry."

"Thank you, but it was not made for me."

He stiffened at my words and looked away; I made my way towards him as he spoke again.

"What can I hope to offer her when she is swept away by the crooning of a dashing young man, he does not see her potential and her talent, and her voice is suffering from his distractions. She has denied me and betrayed me when I offered her the world."

"I saw you, that night on the roof in the snow."

He looked back at me and I watched is face, his whole being seemed to scream at the pain and desperation he dwelled in every day.

"Perhaps she is blinded by him and does not see what she has already been given." I tried to offer words of comfort, though I knew them not to be true.

"Do not try to satiate me, I understand exactly how she feels and it only feeds my pain and anger, if I am not a monster on the outside, I am a monster on the inside and she makes that monster want to wreak havoc upon the world." He paused and then continued.

"Why do you not treat me as she does?"

"Because I want to believe that the voice that I hear is true."

"And do you?"

"Yes, you may be withdrawn, troubled and abused, but you are a genius and your voice holds so much beauty and passion it can barely contain itself."

"She would want me were it not for this face."

"There is nothing wrong with you."

"How can you say that and look at me." Anger crept up his throat as he spoke and he stood up, facing me, he reached out and grabbed my shoulders. "How can you look me in the eyes and lie to me, I am not a child, I know what I am and I know no woman will ever love me. Why do you think I spoke to Christine from the shadows for so long, I hoped she would fall in love with my voice as I had hers and when I revealed myself to her she would love me too much to care. It might have been so if that boy had not shown up."

"I do not lie to you; there is nothing wrong with you." I didn't pull away from his grip though his fingers dug into my arms.

"Nothing wrong, hah, you women are like vipers, you draw men in with your beauty and charm and then dash them to the sides when you have had your fill of amusement!"

"You have only known the cruelty of the world, but I am not cruel nor am I a snake. I say to you you are nothing more than a man with a mask, you hide behind it but you needn't. There is nothing wrong with you; it is the world that is wrong."

"Your words bite me girl."

"They needn't, I am not lying."

"Hold your tongue lest you anger me further woman."

"Why must you hide from the truth, why must you hide from someone who is here to show you not all people are cruel?"

"Because all people are cruel! Whether they show it wilfully or hide it, one day it will become clear."

"Not me, not my mother."

He stopped for a second, his eyes wild and angered as he thought over my words.

"Why do you come here and do this to me, break down my walls that I have so carefully built to keep people out. I want nothing more than to share my life but I know I am destined for despair and unhappiness. I had made peace with it and then Christine appeared, and now you! Can't people just let me be with my music?"

"If you wish to share your life with someone then share it, stop running away from it!"

"Share it with whom?!"

"Share it with me!"

He went to speak, and then stopped, his mouth hanging open as he clutched at me, his eyes wide and anxious.

"Why would you want to share your life with something like me…?"

"Because you draw me in, you make me weak with compassion and longing, the side of your face that you do not hide is beautiful and handsome and your voice is the only thing I ever want to hear in my life. I hardly dared believe my ears when I heard you sing to Christine, you awakened something inside me, a deep passion and longing that I can't explain, that is why I came to you, that is why I am here!"

"I don't understand." He softened his grip on me, but didn't let me go. I raised my hand up to the unmasked side of his face and he flinched at my touch, but did not pull away. I stroked his shaven cheek as he looked at me, what was it about this man that evoked such deep longing inside of me. His voice had seduced me within seconds and I could not bring myself to ignore it.

"I would give anything for you to speak to me like you do Christine, for your velvet voice to caress me when you sing."

He dropped his arms from my shoulders and I stepped closer to him, reaching out to his hand whilst I kept my other placed on his cheek. He didn't flinch this time and I took his hand in mine and held it gently.

"Everyone deserves to be loved, no matter who they are."

"Not when they are a monster."

"You're not a monster; you are a man who is misunderstood."

"And you understand me?" He sneered half heartedly, waning under my soft touch.

"No, but I'd like too."

He looked at me and I held his gaze, I stepped closer to him and he raised his hand in mine and placed it on his chest, holding it tightly. We were not even a foot apart any more and I was able to look up at him and watch his face, I could almost feel the battle going on inside him as we spoke.

He leant towards me and I could feel his breath on my lips, I could feel him tremble under my hands and I leant forwards before he had a chance to pull away and pressed my lips to his. I felt him pull back from my touch, but he didn't break away, I felt him tremble more violently and I pushed my mouth to his harder and this time he pushed back. He kissed me roughly, searching me for something to help his confusion. I let my hand drop from his face and pushed it around his neck, pulling him into me. His free hand wound its way around my waist and held me harshly as all the pent up longing from years of being alone burst forth from him.

I dropped his hand and placed my other arm around his neck, pushing my fingers into his hair as he in turn positioned his other arm around my waist, drawing me to him until our embrace was locked in passion and lust. He trembled still, his whole body shaking as his hands slid up and down my body, pushing them underneath the jacket I wore and taking hold of me.

As I broke away from him to catch my breath I looked around and realised his cavern had gotten slightly lighter. I kissed him once more, taking short breaths.

"It's got to be light outside, I've, been, down here, so, long." I breathed as his lips pressed against mine again and again. "People will wonder where I am."

He released his iron like grip from me and leant backwards.

"You are right." He snarled at the coming day light and stepped away from me, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards his boat. He stepped inside nimbly and held my arm as I stepped in uncertainly; he motioned to me to sit down and the pushed the boat off of the mooring, pulling the line off its post and raising the large staff he used to propel the boat along.

As he pushed the boat towards the water gate it lifted up with another almighty sound and we passed underneath it, for a few moments the only sound that could be heard was the breaking of the waves as the boat slid through it gently.

(Sung to the second tune of Music of the Night)

"Night-time sharpens, heightens each sensation,

Darkened longing, frantic desperation,

Silently the senses, abandon their defences." His voice rung out into the darkness as we swept along atop the water, I closed my eyes as I listened to his voice echo around me.

"Slowly, gently, night unfurls its splendour,

Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender,

I'll take you away, from the garish light of day,

Let your thoughts display the cold, unfeeling light,

And be taken by the music of the night."

"Close your eyes and surrender to your dark desires,

Purge your thoughts of the life you knew before,

Close your eyes let your mind start to soar,

Let us live as we've never lived before."

"Softly, deftly, my voice shall caress you,

Hear it, feel it, secretly possess you,

Open up your mind, as our fantasies unwind,

In this darkness you're my one unfurling light.

In the darkness of the music of the night."

"Let our minds start a journey to a strange new world,

Leave all thoughts of the life you knew before,

Let our song take us where we long to be,

Say you wish that you belong to me."

A gentle bump rocked the boat and I opened my eyes to see the passage way where the horse was kept. He jumped from the boat and held out his hand, I stood up shakily and gathered the dress as I took his hand and he pulled me onto the stone dock. The floor was freezing under my bare feet and I balanced on my toes to keep from stepping fully on its cold surface.

"Floating, falling, sweet intoxication." He pulled me close to him and slipped behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and stroking the dress, I placed my hands against his hips and leant back into him as he sang.

"Touch me, trust me, savour each sensation." he pulled a hand away and took mine, raising it to his face.

"Let this dream begin, let your darker side give in,

To the power of my voice that blinds the light,

The power of music of the night."

I turned round in his arms, taking my hand and pulling his face to mine to kiss him once more, my mind was reeling and my legs felt weak but his touch kept me from crumbling to the floor. His touch was gentler now, his lips more confident as they moved against mine. They moved from my mouth down my cheek to my neck where his mouth caressed my skin as I ran one hand up his chest, slipping it under his jacket and playing with his warm shirt.

He drew away from me, gasping as I loosened my grip around his neck. "I don't know what has come over me, but your touch makes me long for you as I thought only Christine's could. Why do you accept my advances whilst she resists."

"When you brought her here, what happened?" I leant my head against his chest, my hand still stroking his shirt as he dropped his arms to his sides.

"I sang to her and she seemed to succumb, but fainted. When she awoke she came to me and made as though to stroke me as you do, but instead tore my mask from my face and refused my advances. She made me feel weak and pathetic as I took her back to the room, I cannot bear to face her again after hearing her speak of me to her lover."

"Can you not allow yourself to be happy?"

"Tender as you are, I cannot bear to see Christine with another."

"Let her come to you, but for now, let me show you the care and love you have longed to know, Christine is not ready to be with you yet."

"Perhaps you are right dear girl, but I cannot begin to comprehend the feelings inside of me."

"Then don't, just let me be with you for now, let us not think of the future."

He looked down at me, pain and guilt racking his face. In answer to my words he put his head down to kiss me again, ever softer and calmer as we entwined ourselves together in the darkness. A moment passed before I pulled away.

"I must go, say you'll not toss this aside for Christine's sake just yet."

"I promise nothing Miss Giry, but you have awakened something within me as I have you, let us see where it takes us. Until we meet again."

"Until then, dear Phantom." I said as I pulled away from him, my fingers slipping out from under his jacket and away from his body as I stepped back from him. He had his hand in mine and stretched out his arm as I walked away, holding me until the last moment before leaving his arm outstretched after me. I went to take off the jacket and he held his hand up.

"Keep it, it is cold down here." I let go of it and turned away, I looked back over my shoulder once to see him standing there, watching me walk away. The next time I looked back he was gone.

A deep sadness filled me as I hastened down the dark corridor back to the room with the mirror; it was still open and the room dark. I ran through it and out the double doors, closing them quietly before slipping into the dark and heading for the dormitory. Nearly too late I realised I was still wearing the dress and jacket he had given me and that my wet clothes were still in his lair, I hurried away from the dormitories to the changing rooms behind the stage and rummaged for a sensible night dress. It was dawn and soon everyone would be awake and starting the days chores, I found a nightdress and pulled mine off, replacing it with the costume I'd found. I rolled it and the jacket up together and ran back to the dormitories.


	8. Chapter 7 – Christine

Ghosts Can't Hurt You

Chapter 7 – Christine

I opened the door as silently as I could and looked inside, no one was awake yet so I ran through the living space and into the rows of beds. I came to mine and quickly pushed the jacket and dress under my mattress as I heard someone stir, I looked beside me to see Christine stretching and yawning, she looked over at me with a questioning look.

"Where have you been?"

"I could not sleep, so I went for a walk in the gardens." I prayed she had not seen the jacket.

"You should have woken me, the theatre is a chilling place to walk at night and I do enjoy the gardens."

"I was fine, do not worry about me." She sat up and watched me for a moment before pushing off her blanket and stepping lightly out of bed. We got changed as the women around us stirred and left the room together to go to her father's shrine.

As we walked along the silent corridors she said not a word so I breached the silence of the early morning.

"How is Raoul?"

A wide smile lit up her face and she turned to me, taking my hands in hers. "He's wonderful, oh Meg I love him so much."

"Then why do you seem so scared to be around him?"

She stopped and let go of my hands, her face dropping to the floor. "It is not he I am scared to be around; I am scared of what may happen to him if he is around me."

"Do you believe your angel would do something?"

"I don't know, Raoul does not even believe he exists, only the Phantom who is no more than a monster, the angel was my dreams he said."

"What if they are the same?"

"My angel would never kill a man for no reason; my father would never send such a thing to me."

"Do you truly still believe after all this time that what you say is true?"

"I do not know, I am beginning to believe Raoul is right, that the angel is in my dreams, not the shadows. Everything is confused, the Phantom's appearance has made everything harder to understand, I feel like I dreamt everything that night he visited me, but at the same time my whole being believed it really happened. But how could it? He is a ghost, not a man."

Worry creased my brow as I realised she would not let herself see the truth for fear of what it would mean for her.

"Why do you think the angel disapproves of Raoul?"

"Because it means I am not focusing on my career and talents, the angel does not wish for me to be distracted."

I sighed deeply, there would be no reasoning with her, and I knew Raoul had already exhausted all his efforts trying.

"I think it is wonderful that you and Raoul have found each other again, it's the sort of love story that an opera would sing about."

She laughed then, turning her thoughts away from shadows and darkness, she grabbed my arm and we danced along the corridors until we reached the shrine. I stepped back from her and let her remember her father in peace, the quiet room seeming so much less intimidating in the light of day.


	9. Chapter 8 – The Man Behind The Mask

Ghosts Can't Hurt You

Chapter 8 – The Man Behind The Mask

The days passed uneventfully, we practised ballet together, Raoul would spend more and more time at the theatre with Christine and I took to wandering the halls alone when they were together. I no longer needed to fear the shadows of the opera house and started to revel in them, though my longing to hear his voice and see his face again pained me with every breath I took.

It was in the evening, a couple of weeks after the night I spent with the Phantom that my wish was granted. I had been wandering around hoping to hear his voice, he could be anywhere in the shadows and I'd walk further and further into the darkness just in case.

After a while, I felt bored and walked back to the stage area, I decided to go and stand in the riggings and look out over the hall, it was a beautiful view up there and one I enjoyed whole heartedly when I was feeling alone. I flew up the stairs, light as a cat and out onto the unstable supports that ran the length of the stage. I stood fast as they wobbled beneath me, my balance perfected by my dancing and I twirled and bowed across the planks, enjoying the feeling of being so high up.

When I reached the middle of the stage I jumped up onto the rope handrail, feeling it sway beneath my weight as I held onto one of the long rope supports. Some of the lights were still lit in the hall and by the stage and I could see everything from up here, even in the gloom. Every chair, every aisle, every box.

Out in front of me the ceiling opened up to reveal the 20ft crystal chandelier that hung like the sun in the painted circular dome. It was extinguished now but still reflected the lights from below, twinkling like stars in the now dark hall. I sighed as I rocked myself gently on the rope. I loved the feeling of weightlessness you got up here, the static of the air as I hung between the floor and the ceiling on a small piece of rope.

"It is beautiful up here, isn't it?" A velvet voice spun out into the darkness and I barely was able to maintain my balance on the rope. I put my other hand on the support and held on tighter as I looked around me.

"Where are you Phantom?"

(Sung to the second tune of Music of the Night)

"Night-time sharpens, heightens each sensation,

Darkened longing, frantic desperation,

Silently the senses, abandon their defences."

I looked around me again but all I could see was the blackened riggings around me.

"Day-time threatens, takes away salvation." I called out to him, my voice ringing around me.

"Help me, trust me, feed my fascination,

Please take me away, in the darkness we can play,

Until our spirits melt into the blackened light,

Taken over by the music of the night." I leant against the rope as I sang to him, all the longing surging to be freed.

He appeared on the riggings to the right of me, the darkness melting into him so only his mask was visible, he made his way along the supports, accentuating each step with song.

"Let your soul be stolen by a black desire,

Purge your heart of all the want you knew before,

Close your eyes, let my music help you soar,

As you feel things you've never felt before."

I leapt down from the rope, landing neatly, I slid across the planks, lithe and gentle as I stepped towards his dark figure.

"Weakened, longing, sweet intoxication,

Touch me, hold me, strengthen my elation,

Give your heart to mine; let this ecstasy run wild,

As we fall into the darkness of the night."

As we came upon each other our voices rose into one and our hands entwined as the black around us seemed to shy away from our song.

"Empowered by the music of the night."

He looked down on me, a slight smile curling one side of his mouth as our voices drifted away into the night. I pulled him closer to me and he bent down to kiss me, he slid my hands up and around his neck before letting them go. He then took my waist in his arms and pulled his mouth away from mine.

"You taste sweet dear child, why were you up here alone?"

"I was hoping I'd hear your voice my angel of darkness."

"I have been watching, up until now I had managed to control myself, but no longer."

He let go of me and ran across the rigging without waiting for me, I danced across it as if it were a ballet and followed him into the darkness. He hurried down the stairs and into a dark corridor where he reached up to a candle holder in the wall, pulling on it a door revealed itself in the wall and he pushed it aside. We dashed down a flight of hidden stairs and into a winding walkway, at the end of it we came out near the stone stable. As we passed it the horse inside put his head over the door and whickered softly.

The Phantom chuckled and looked at me. "Ghost seems quite taken by you."

He took my wrist in his hand and pulled me towards the waiting boat, all the waterway was lit up now and I marvelled in how the candle's flames danced on the water's surface. He stepped into the boat and I joined him, still feeling slightly unsteady on my feet as it rocked underneath me. He grabbed the pole he used to push the boat through the water as I clung to him, my heart pounding and my pulse racing as I breathed quickly, sheer excitement coursing through my veins.

The air seemed to crackle and pulse around us as we made our way towards the open water gate; he pushed us through it and into his lair until I felt the gentle bump that meant we had reached the protruding stone that made his hollowed home.

I pushed myself off him and jumped out, dancing around in the candle light, my ballet skirt lifting up to create a flower like look. He smiled and joined me on the dock, grabbing my hand and twirling me under his arm before pulling me to him, dropping me down and leaning over me as if we were dancing to some unknown tune.

"Softly, deftly, my voice shall caress you,

Hear it, feel it, secretly possess you,

Open up your mind, as our fantasies unwind,

In this darkness you're my one unfurling light.

In the darkness of the music of the night."

I looked into his eyes as we straightened up and I pranced away from him, singing the piece he had earlier sung to me, he sang it too, our voices twisting together to make one sound. He pulled his cape off and dropped it to the floor and sang out to me.

"Let your soul be stolen by a black desire,

Purge your heart of all the want you knew before,

Close your eyes, let my music help you soar,

As you feel things you've never felt before."

He smiled as he followed me; I bounced up the stairs and past the organ, its pipes gleaming in the firelight. I turned to face him, holding out my hand as I stepped backwards, he extended his hand and I took it gently, pulling him towards the black drapes that shrouded his bed. I looked behind me and pulled the silver tasselled rope and stepped back under them.

His smile grew wider and he sang again, drawing close to me, his hands gliding across my body as his voice grew louder.

"Weakened, longing, sweet intoxication,

Touch me, hold me, strengthen my elation,

Give your heart to mine; let this ecstasy run wild,

As we fall into the darkness of the night."

I stepped backwards again and lowered myself onto his bed, the carved frame cold on my legs, the soft silk rippling underneath me. I pushed myself up to the pillows and leant back, pulling him towards me. He let go of my hand and placed his hands onto the bed, climbing onto it and holding himself over me.

He held himself there, looking into my eyes and I lifted my hand up to stroke his cheek.

"I have never been this close to a woman before."

"I have never been this close to a man before."

He looked away as I called him a man and I turned his face back to me with my fingers.

"Just let the music take you away." I whispered and pulled him onto me.

**Incase it is unclear, the next chapter will be 18+, if you do not wish to read it, please skip ahead to chapter 10 :)**


	10. Chapter 9 – More Passionate Than Music

**This chapter is rated 18+, you have been warned (I bet most of you aren't 18+, you deviants you ;P)**

Ghosts Can't Hurt You

Chapter 9 – More Passionate Than Music

He lowered himself against me and pressed his lips to mine and I felt his exhilaration as his touch became strong and excited, his breathing became rapid and as our bodies touched I felt a hardness between his legs that made me want to cry out in nervous anticipation.

I slid my hand under his jacket and shirt and touched his bare skin, feeling him flinch slightly at my touch before relaxing back onto me. His hands grabbed my skirt and he sat up, his legs either side of my waist as he knelt over me. He tugged at it gently and I pulled it off my shoulders, slipping the leotard down my body and off my legs, he took it and threw it aside before looking at my naked chest. Longing filled his eyes and the bulge between his legs grew larger, pushing into me and making me writhe. His hands trembled as they touched my chest, savouring the softness of my skin under his bare hands.

I drew my hands up to his chest and moved his jacket down past his shoulders, he let go of me and shrugged it off, tossing it off the bed onto the floor. He unbuttoned his waist coat and chucked it away as my hands found their way to the buttons of his shirt; he pushed his hands over them and grabbed his shirt, ripping it off his chest as his impatience reached its peak.

I lay back in undisguised awe of his perfect chest; it was like he had been sculpted by an artist. Rippling muscles perfectly chiselled into his skin loomed over me and I touched my hand to them, feeling the rock hard frame of his body. How could anyone think this man a monster, he was an Adonis. He lowered himself back to me and I kissed him roughly, searching his mouth and pulling him into me as if he might disappear should I loosen my grip.

We unattached ourselves from each other and he rolled off of me to stand beside the bed, his hands reaching down to undo his trousers. I touched my hands to my tights and slipped them off, dropping them over the side of the bed along with my undergarments. I looked up to see him kick off his trousers and pull down his underwear then straighten up, as I looked at his naked figure I thought I could pass out through sheer undeniable beauty, he was perfect under his clothes.

He looked me up and down then touched a hand to my bare legs, marvelling at me. He looked almost mystified by me as he climbed back on top of me and my body tensed in ecstasy as his rigid shaft came closer to me. I could see his muscles tighten as well and I looked him in the eyes, I raised a hand to his mask and stroked it and he looked away, he didn't want to take it off.

"Leave it on, I like the air of mystery it gives you." He smiled at my words and kissed me as he pushed himself inside me. I gasped at the alien presence within me, pain mixing with pleasure to make a stimulation that was completely new to me. He took a sharp breath as he slid into me and moaned loudly, only driving my lust further. He dropped his head back and his once slick hair fell across my face as he moaned once more, one arm tensed and holding himself off me slightly, the other sliding its way up and down my body.

He lifted his head back up and kissed me once more, this time he kissed me harshly, the pleasure driving him into a frenzy as he started to thrust into me slowly. He dropped onto me, one hand caressing my breast as the other entangled itself in my hair, pulling my face to his. His breathing became ragged as he kissed me, pushing himself deeper into me as our lips struggled against each other. I slid my hands over his back and down to his backside, clasping it in my grip and he gasped, tensing his muscles and diving into me making me cry out in pleasure. I took my hands away, dragging my nails gently over his skin making his back muscles tighten and flex.

He took his mouth away from mine and moved his lips down to my neck, brushing my skin then kissing it and caressing it with his mouth. I groaned in bliss and pressed my lips to his neck, kissing it and biting it softly, feeling the smooth skin with my tongue. His hips moved in rhythm to mine like two dancers entwined and he pushed me into the bed, straining against me, as his mouth worked its way around my neck he came to where my shoulder joins my throat and took the soft skin between his teeth, biting down gently and purposefully, his warm mouth making my skin tingle.

"Oh my angel of darkness." I cried out as he drove himself into me, his hand gliding around to my back and stroking me, his hips unrelentless in their power against me.

I could feel the sweat lining our skin and mingling together as our passionate movements made our breathing heavy and intense. His strong body rocked mine as he thrust into me and I dug my nails into his biceps as each thrust made me want to cry out. The pleasure was so intense I could barely contain it as I felt myself start to climax; the being inside me throbbed as he too began to climax. His breathing became laboured and sweat rolled off his chest in beads, I pulled him to me, wrapping my legs around his, wanting him deeper inside of me.

He started to groan and grunt as he thrust deeper and harder, his whole body shaking with the vigorous movements, I moaned again and again as he moved his hips sideways on mine, making the pleasure even more intense. Ragged breaths shook my body as the pleasure became uncontainable, the throbbing inside me became unbearable and I clutched at his damp body, feeling the pleasure flow through me in waves. I inhaled loudly as I felt him explode inside of me, filling my body with a deep lustful fulfilment. He bayed as he came inside of me, almost howling, throwing his head back, his hair falling across his face.

As his body shuddered involuntarily and his muscles tensed and tightened one last time he lowered his head back down and swept his lips down my face until he met mine, his eyes closed as he kissed me deeply. My tongue brushed his teeth as he kissed me over and over until I broke away to gasp for air. I could feel his sweet breath on my face as he panted over me. He grinned, his eyes closed and his face full of delight, I touched my hand to his face and felt his smile grow wider under my hand, he opened his eyes and looked into mine, I smiled back and lifted my head up, kissing him gently.

"I thought only music could be this passionate." He breathed, his voice light and musical despite his fatigue.

"I never knew a man could make me feel so good." I exhaled deeply, my smile painted onto my face.

For the first time, he didn't look away as I called him a man and my smile grew, he kissed me again then kissed down my chin, along my neck and down my chest, pulling himself out of me slowly. He then kissed back up my chest, across my neck, pinching my skin softly between his teeth as he went. He made his way back to my lips and bit my bottom lip, pulling it gently and holding it in his mouth. I stroked his hair back off his face, letting it run through my fingers, he let go of my lip and I put my hands to his chest and pushed him off of me, rolling him onto his back. I pulled myself on top of him and repaid the favour, kissing his face, across his neck and down his chest, brushing the small hairs along his muscles. I came back to his face and bit his bottom lip as he had me; he closed his eyes and ran his hands up and down my arms before wrapping them around me. I let go of him and continued to kiss his mouth ever so softly, my lips barely touching his. I let myself half slide off him, so my upper body lay across his chest and my legs nestled in the soft silk bedding.

The scene before me was so surreal I almost believed I could be dreaming, no wonder Christine believed him to be an angel. I couldn't think of anywhere I could long to be more, through the opera I had met many fine men but none had stirred anything in me like him. It wasn't the type of love that Christine felt for Raoul, it was lustful, longing, wanting, intense seduction unlike anything I had ever thought possible. It was pure sexual energy that sparked between us.

I drew myself up slightly so I could gaze at him; he opened one eye and looked at me.

"What are you looking at?" His voice was cautious and I could almost feel all his fears flood back into him.

"I'm admiring you."

"Admiring what, exactly?"

"Your beauty." He pulled away from me but I held him close.

"There is no more need to lie to me girl, you have had what you want from me."

"You really don't realise just how perfect you are, if we ignore the hidden part of your face, you are like a sculpted statue of a god."

"Don't test me Miss Giry."

"I'm not, I'm telling the truth, to my eyes you are incredibly beautiful."

"Maybe you are blind."

I narrowed my eyes at him and raised my right hand to his mask, I wrapped my fingers around it and pulled it off gently, he went to stop me but I stared down at him.

"Don't." I whispered kindly.

"What are you doing?" His body trembled beneath my touch once more and I kept my eyes fixed on his as I took the mask away from his face.


	11. Chapter 10 – Angel Of Darkness

Ghosts Can't Hurt You

Chapter 10 – Angel Of Darkness

I put the mask down on his chest and raised my hand back to his face, he grabbed my wrist in his hand and I kissed him before he could stop me. He let go of my wrist but left his hand raised as he tried to get control of the situation, but couldn't. I drew back from him and he glared at me, he went to get his mask but I touched my hand to his. I put my hand back to his face and touched his disfigured skin, he flinched violently at my touch and I cooed to him like a mother would a frightened child.

"Don't be afraid, I want to touch you."

I looked up from his face to his eyes and saw tears rolling down his cheeks, he raised his hand and touched mine, pressing it down onto his distorted face. He clenched his teeth together and shut his eyes tight as I stroked the uneven skin under my hand. I kept my hand there until he opened his eyes and relaxed his jaw, and then I bent my head down to his. He recoiled from me, pushing his head into the pillows and I touched my hand to his unmarked cheek. I pressed my lips to his rough discoloured skin and kissed his cheek, I could feel the tears on my lips as I kissed his cheek again. His body was rigid under my touch and I could feel his fear.

When I took my lips away from his skin he lay there staring at me, fresh tears slid down his cheeks as he looked into my eyes.

"What are you?"

"You don't need to hide in the shadows or behind a mask to know love and adoration."

He blinked away the tears, his green eyes piercing and penetrating as he tried to relax his body. He sighed and took his hand up to his hair and pulled off the wig he had been wearing, fair hair came dislodged and I stared in wonderment at him.

"I don't know what to think anymore."

"Then don't think." I bent down and kissed his disfigurement once more before picking up his mask and placing it back on his face. I kissed the mask in the same place and lay my head on his chest.

"Why could I not have known you all those years ago when I was recovering from my torture, though your mother has always been kind to me, she could never stay with me and I sensed she was always afraid of me, but I don't blame her after what she saw me do."

"What did she see you do?" I raised my eyebrows at him; mother would never speak about her past.

"When I met your mother I was but a boy, a boy who was starving slowly to death in a travelling circus, the gypsy people had me in a freak show, they called me 'The Devil's Child' and kept me locked in a cage, beaten and abused worse than an animal. I used to wear a sack over my head to hide my hideous face and they'd drag it off me and beat me in front of spectators." He sighed deeply and looked away into the cavern as he spoke.

"As the audience left, ushered on to the next show your mother took one last look at me, as my captor turned his back to me to collect the money people had thrown at me, I grabbed a rope from the floor and strangled him until he died. Your mother wanted to run but instead grabbed me as I ran out of the cage and fled with me; she led me to a metal gate in the wall of the opera house and let me in. I found my way here and started my recuperation, your mother was kind, she fed me and clothed me but was always wary of my volatile nature."

I felt tears well up as he told me of his plight and I balled my hands into his chest.

"Did your mother ever warn you of me?"

"Yes, many times, she said you were dangerous and no one was to try to find you or speak to you, but to let you be or destruction would be brought upon them and the opera house."

"She is right, you may believe me to be no monster, but there is a monster within me. My anger is dangerous and I've killed men just because I could, it frightens me to know what I am capable of, to know that I enjoy it."

"What you did to Joseph…"

"I feel no remorse for, I took delight in his fear and death, and I cannot and will not change that. I revel in the pain of others as much as I do in my music but I fear my own power."

As he spoke I felt my pulse quicken and balled my fist tighter into his chest.

"Are you afraid?"

"No."

"Then why does your heart beat faster?"

I didn't quiet know how to say it, so I slid my hand down his chest to his thighs and stroked his crotch.

"I like that you're dangerous." I whispered in his ear.

He flinched ever so slightly at the words and looked down at me.

"Do you truly mean that or are you just humouring me?"

"It makes me want you even more and I can't explain why." I let my voice dance as I stroked him gently, feeling him grow in my hand.

"I honestly have no idea what to make of you; you confuse me more than anything I've ever come across. But the sheer delight you give me makes me want to understand you." He sighed as he closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth of my hand on him.

"I feel the same way."

(Sung to Angel of Music)

"Angel of darkness you delight me,

You make me sing so sweetly,

Angel of darkness you seduce me,

Making my heart tremble." I watched his face as I sang, enjoying his smile as he replied.

"Who is this girl that I yearn for, who is child that I seek,

Why does your touch excite me until I no longer care."

"I am your angel of daylight, who in truth is as dark as you seem,

I am the one who adores you; I'm the one you need."

"You my dear are making my mind fight my heart, making my desires change, my needs twist. Up has become down, black has become white. For the past 10 years I have thought only of Christine, to nurture her, to care for her until one day she could care for me. Now instead I lie here with you."

"Times change, feelings and people change."

"You know that I will never stop loving and wanting her, that I will kill for her."

"I do, but I don't care, I hope you can come to see me as you do her., even the slightest bit."

"Her voice is to me what mine is to you; you understand the longing, the sadness, the unbearable emotions you feel without it."

"I do, though I know mine is not as strong a longing as yours. Let us not dwell on the past or the future any longer, the present is what is important."

"For now, I agree." He pulled me closer to him and kissed me; I closed my eyes and tasted him, my body telling me I needed to be close to him to survive.

He chuckled then, his body shaking underneath me and he hummed quietly. I pulled myself up slightly to look at him questioningly.

"I just thought of how terrified your mother would be if she knew you were here."

"She doesn't approve of any men being around me, I'm at such a 'young and tender age' she says."

"You are, and here you are with a man much older than yourself, who knew your mother when she was your age. A murderer and a monster curled up with her only child."

"How old are you?" I looked him over, realising I couldn't tell at all.

"I don't know, I met your mother when she was just a bit younger than you and I was a child, I was somewhere between 10 and 14."

"How can you not know?"

"Just like my name, I was never told my age, I can only guess."

"What do you guess?"

"I believe I am somewhere between 30 and 40, closer to 30 if I had to try and guess, I've been in this opera house for over 20 years."

"I've always taken a fancy to older men, mother doesn't approve."

"I cannot be the only one who is completely confused by you?"

"I don't let people know such things, to everyone at the theatre I am the angelic, quiet, gently spoken daughter of the strict teacher."

"Even Christine?"

"Christine knows almost everything about me, almost; I keep some things to myself."

"Like this."

"That would be one thing yes."

He chuckled again, but sadness tinged it this time as he spoke of Christine.

We stopped talking after that and I lay my head on his chest, listening to his gentle even breathing, I don't know how long I lay there like that before I fell asleep.


	12. Chapter 11 – The Touch Of A Ghost

**Again, this chapter is 18+, bewaaree, bewaaaaare and feel free to skip ahead, warnings will be placed on all naughty chapters so no moaning you lot**

Ghosts Can't Hurt You

Chapter 11 – The Touch Of A Ghost

I woke up to gentle breathing underneath me and for a split second confusion welled up in me as I wondered where I was, then the events of earlier flooded back into my memory and I smiled. I closed my eyes and snuggled closer into his chest for a few moments, revelling in the warm touch on my face from his skin.

I then pulled myself up ever so quietly and looked at his face, his mask was still on and his eyes were closed, I looked him up and down, enjoying his naked figure before leaning over him. I touched my lips to his and kissed them gently, a few seconds passed and then he kissed back. I lifted my head to see his eyes open and a slight smile curving his lips, I kissed him again and he raised his hands up to my hair, entwining them in it and pulling me on top of him so he could kiss me passionately.

I pushed my hands round to either side of his face and held him there as we lay together, our lips locked in fervour and the world seemed to disappear. He let go of me and took a deep breath, sighing he turned to look at me.

"Softly, gently, revelling in your splendour,

Heart beats mingle, breath so light and tender,

Place your hand in mine; we leave our former life behind,

As we give in to the desire we cannot fight,

The passion of the music of the night."

His voice was gentle and tender as he left one hand in my hair, his thumb placed so it could stroke my cheek.

"Now our bodies have journeyed through a strange new world,

All thoughts purged of what we knew before,

Close your eyes, I can feel myself want more,

This passion of the music of the night."

I looked deep into his eyes and slid my hand down his body, touching it to his shaft and feeling the hardness underneath my hand. I smiled and he sat up as I stroked him gently, he moaned and placed his hands on my shoulders. He pushed me down roughly and angled himself over me and kissed me. I took his shaft once more and guided it into my body, feeling it fill me with its pleasurable sensation.

I wrapped my legs around his hips as we started to move together, his lips moving across my face and down my neck as they had before, his teeth tugging at my skin leaving a feeling of such desire I wrapped my hands around his back and dug my nails into him. He gasped but didn't pull away; instead as his hips rocked me he bit me harder, leaving red marks where his teeth had been. He moved down to the tender area between my neck and shoulder and grabbed it between his teeth, biting as hard as he dared, making me cry out, but there was no pain, instead there was a deep feeling of intoxication that wound its way down my body to in between my thighs. I dragged my nails across his back and he bit down once more, this time drawing the slightest bit of blood. He tasted it before taking his head back to kiss me, biting my lips and letting the fever of passion make him wild and untameable.

I could feel he wanted me to make him hurt, his dangerous volatile qualities made it lustful to him, not painful and as he pushed himself into me I knew I wanted him to make me hurt too, the pleasure was so intense I wanted to cry out. I pulled away from his lips and kissed down his neck, taking his skin and biting it, each taste made him thrust into me harder and I dug my nails into his flesh, ragging them down his back leaving deep red marks.

He gasped and dropped his head, his hair fell across his face as beads of sweat started to roll down his cheeks and he pushed his body into me as if I were something he was trying to over power. He sat up on my hips and grabbed my wrists, pinning them down either side of my head and growling like an animal, he placed his lips to my throat and kissed me, drawing his teeth down my skin onto my chest, he arched his back and pulled himself out of me as much as he dared before plunging back into me.

I cried out and he growled again, enjoying my helplessness as I struggled against his hands, wanting to pull him into me. He laughed deeply before he bent down and kissed me roughly, making me moan and writhe underneath him, my legs locked around his thighs and my toes pointed in pleasure. He took my wrists and placed them on his arms and I happily obliged, dragging my nails across his muscles as they tightened beneath my fingers, he gasped and kissed me again. His tongue entered my mouth and I pushed mine against his, each one trying to gain ground on the other. Our bodies entwined once more and his hips pushed me into the soft bedding with undeniable vigour. I pushed my hands up into his hair and ran my fingers through it, feeling the harsh texture that was so different to the wig he wore whenever I had seen him before.

His wild messed up hair gave him the look of such a dangerous man I wanted to scream with pleasure, but instead I pulled his face into mine, keeping our kiss going in exhilarated passion. He thrust into me forcefully as I felt him start to throb, making me twist underneath him. I started to groan as I felt the pleasure ripple through me once more, pure frenzied lust making me whimper as he gasped in large breaths of air, panting over me, his body juddering and trembling from the force of the pleasure that locked us together.

Once more he exploded inside of me and I gasped with him, my back arching under him as he threw his head back and cried out, he dropped onto me, his eyes closed, his mouth searching for mine. I touched my lips to his and he kissed me so gently our lips just seemed to brush against each other, our breath mixing together as the breaths racked our bodies from the strenuous love making.

He left his lips hovering over mine as his breathing slowed, sweat dropping off him and onto me. I pushed my mouth to his again before letting myself drop. He rolled off of me onto the bed beside me and lay there, his breathing becoming gradually slower and more controlled. He pushed himself up on one arm and rested his head in his hand, looking at me as I closed my eyes and replayed the scenes over and over again in my head. He leant over me and kissed me and I opened my eyes, my lips curving into a smile against his.

He drew his hand down my body and stroked my bare skin and I pulled my hand up and placed it on his neck, fondly brushing his neck with my thumb. What would become of us? I did not know, all I knew is that right now, there was nothing I wanted more in the world.

Suddenly something occurred to me and I sat up quickly.

"How long have I been down here?"

"All night, I'd expect longer."

"I have to get back before they realise I'm gone!"

The Phantom got up from the bed and slid off of it, passing me my clothes and I hastily pulled them on, sadness seeping into me at the thought of having to leave him. He dressed himself, leaving his waistcoat and jacket on the floor and then took my hand, pulling me up and into his arms; he kissed me quickly before taking me to the boat and helping me in.

He pushed us along through the water as I sat at the bow, my hand over the side brushing the water with my fingertips. He sang to me once more and I closed my eyes, his voice making my heart race and my head spin as we glided over the dark water.

We touched to the mooring with a bump and I stepped out, he followed me and turned to me as we stood together.

"Come, we shall go the way we came in, if people ask you can say you fell asleep in the riggings." I nodded and followed him down the passage way as Ghost watched us from his stable.

We fled through the winding corridor and up the stairs, our footsteps fleeting as he reached the door. He pressed against it and when he could hear no noise he pulled a candle holder in the wall and thrust the door aside, I stepped out cautiously, looking this way and that before darting down the lit hallway with him in close pursuit. I jumped up the stairs a few steps at a time and he flew behind me, his cape blown out behind him as the light got darker and darker the higher up we got.

As we reached the platform that went out onto the rigging he grabbed me and yanked me to him, kissing me with all his might. We let go of each other after a few moments and then I stepped out onto the rigging.

"Angel of music I'll be waiting,

Watching you from the shadows,

Angel of darkness, filled with longing,

Will be within your heart always."

His voice grew quieter and I looked around to see no one behind me, just his voice echoing across the empty theatre. I reached the end of the rigging quickly and hurried down the stairs the other side to where we had been, as I ran down the aisles I flew straight into Christine.


	13. Chapter 12 – Thank You

Ghosts Can't Hurt You

Chapter 12 – Thank You

She took a step back in surprise and grabbed my shoulders.

"Meg where have you been we have been looking all over for you."

"I know I'm sorry, I fell asleep up in the rigging last night after you left."

"Why where you up there, it is dangerous up there."

"I love the view across the theatre, I didn't even realise I had fallen asleep."

Behind me I heard footsteps and my mother came into view.

"Goodness child where have you been?"

"She fell asleep in the rigging Madame." Christine answered for me.

"You silly girl you know you should not be up there, come, you must wash and change for the days work, thank goodness we found you when we did most of the morning has already gone!"

They bustled me down to the bath rooms, stopping at the dormitory so I could get fresh clothes on the way and then left me to myself. As the bath filled with hot water and the steam enveloped me I looked at myself in the mirror, too late now to realise you could see the bite mark on my shoulder the Phantom had left, but luckily it looked nothing more than a scratch. I touched my hand to it and smiled as warm feelings filled my body in testament to the night's encounters.

I undressed and slipped into the bath, washing away the sweat from the night, washing away everything that hinted as to where I had been, no longer could I smell his body on mine and I lay back in the foam and sighed, letting the hot water relax me and soothe me.

As I lay there, exhausted, drifting in and out of a doze I dreamt he was singing to me once more.

(Sung to Music Of The Night)

"Weakened, longing, sweet intoxication,

Touch me, hold me, strengthen my elation,

Give your heart to mine; let this ecstasy run wild,

As we fall into the darkness of the night."

"Swiftly, sweetly, your music will caress me,

Softly, gaily, your music has possessed me,

Let your voice take wing, let this music take me in,

In this wonderment I know I cannot fight,

This wonder of the music of the night." I sang out loud, my eyes closed, my mind clinging to his voice.

"Let your body be awash with a great desire,

Turn your thoughts to the night you left behind,

Smile my sweet as your thoughts begin to soar,

From the passion of the music of the night."

My eyes flew open and I looked around, I hadn't been imagining his voice.

"Phantom, I thought you did not spy on the women here?" I chimed into the steamy air.

"Does it count when I've already touched the woman's bare flesh?"

He chuckled, as ever a sweet, musical sound that left the air tasting like sugar. Then like a great cat he dropped from the ceiling into the room, his cape rippling through the air as he touched the floor with the smallest of sounds for such a great leap.

"I just wanted to say thank you."

"For what?" I looked up at him as he stared at me in the water; he pulled off one glove and trailed his fingers in the bath as he spoke.

"For a great many things, actually. But foremost, I hear you speak to Christine, trying to convince her that I am not her father's spirit. Even after we had shared an embrace you still sought to help me win her, why?"

"Because I know what it is like to long for something so greatly, it is not my part to replace her, only to care for you in her absence."

"Such a strange girl you are," he cooed as he walked around the bath tub, his fingers still tracing the water's surface, "also, to thank you for coming to find me, for not giving in to my anger, for showing me something of life."

"Please, do not thank me Phantom; to even be allowed to speak to such a genius of music is something I never dreamt would ever happen."

Another soft chuckle floated through the air.

"You flatter me child but it is I who have been blessed to speak to you, you showed me something I never thought possible, something I don't fully understand, something that confuses, vexes and pleases me all at the same time."

"And what is that, my ghost?"

"That someone is able to view me as a man." He paused, looking at his fingers in the water. "I am not even going to ponder that someone could be attracted to me, physically, sexually or emotionally, that vexes me greatly. But you have made me rethink many things."

"Do you still believe yourself a monster?"

"I am a monster, I will not believe otherwise, but, I know I have a man inside of me somewhere and you seem to be able to see him."

I sighed; it was pointless trying to argue, it seemed that way with everyone in this opera house… So instead I smiled at him, watching his beautiful face fill with contentment. Maybe, just maybe, my adoration for him could one day make him see, if he could ever allow himself to be so vulnerable, that is.

"I hope one day you will be able to see what I see Phantom."

"Hmh." He raised one eyebrow at me, choosing not to answer; I knew he would rather avoid such things.

As the room fell silent, he took his hand from the water and placed it on the other side of the bath tub, leaning down he moved his face close to mine. I closed my eyes, breathing in his sweet scent as he touched his lips to mine gently, then roughly. I took one hand from the side of the tub and raised it to his unmasked half of his face, stroking his soft skin as we kissed.

He broke apart from me, his lips curving into a smile, his eyes closed. "Enjoy your day Miss Giry, I will be watching always."

He straightened up, trailing his bare fingers across my face as he did then ran across the room, leaping into the air he bounced up the wall and grabbed hold of the rafters before disappearing into a secret door or passage. I guessed he had secret access to every room in this theatre. More than 20 years to place passages anywhere he deemed fit and no one would ever know.


	14. Chapter 13 – The Secret Of Love

Ghosts Can't Hurt You

Chapter 13 – The Secret Of Love

Days came and went; the lead up to the annual masquerade ball kept us all busy and my moments with the Phantom were fleeting at best, we would steal embraces in the darkness but nothing more. Something was different, he felt off, distracted and I worried over it. I knew I should not expect him to be interested in me for very long, but I couldn't stop myself from hoping he might decide me worthy of his love.

Two nights before the ball I was in my bed when Christine came rushing it, she had been to dinner with Raoul and something had happened. Her face was flushed and her eyes wide, I stood up as she approached.

"Christine what is it?"

"Not here, he'll hear us, come Meg come!"

She grabbed my hand and dragged me from the room, we ran out into the aisles of the back of the stage and up the stairs towards the roof. She ran through the door leaving it wide open and yanked me out into the cold.

"Oh Christine is it freezing out here why have you brought me here."

"Because no one can know of this, especially not him."

"Him?" I knew the answer, but I still tried to make her speak of it.

"The Phantom of course, his obsession for me is terrifying, if he found out, I cannot bear to think of what he would do."

"Christine what is it, speak to me."

She reached into her dress and pulled out something on the end of a chain, she held it up in the light from the windows that shone across the roof and it sparkled like a diamond. It was a ring.

I gasped as I realised what this meant and she dropped the ring and took both my hands in hers.

"He asked me to marry him Meg."

I couldn't contain my excitement for her any longer, though all my thoughts screamed at the implications this would have, I couldn't deny her sheer joy at being so in love. I grabbed her and hugged her tightly and she nestled her head into my hair. We stay like that for a moment before she pushed away and spoke again.

"It stays a secret, I know I do not have to tell you but still, no one can know."

"Of course Christine, but, what if _he _finds out?"

"I do not know, it frightens me so, I am afraid he will kill Raoul if given the chance and take me away forever." Tears glistened in her eyes and I hugged her again."

"Raoul will not let that happen, do not worry, everything will be ok in the end." I couldn't help the sinking feeling as her words displayed the complete truth of what could happen, the Phantom could and would kill Raoul if he was given the chance. I looked around me nervously; I knew the Phantom could be here and hear every word.

"Come Christine, let us go inside and speak of this no more." I tried to smile, but I was scared for her, Raoul did not take this threat seriously and she was so driven by love she no longer hid it as she should.

"Yes, his eyes are everywhere, let us go inside Meg." We walked back from the roof hand in hand, her elation doing nothing for the disaster I could feel looming. I wanted to protect her, but there was nothing to do, he would come for her and either he or Raoul would win, I perished the thought, either way it would not end well.

As we walked down the stairs I heard a voice call out from below.

"Christine, there you are, do not wander off from me so." Raoul's gentle voice floated up to us and we looked down to see his smiling face as he waited for us to reach him, Christine let go of my hand and ran to him, flinging herself into his arms.

"I am so happy for you Raoul." I smiled at him as he realised she had told me.

"Why can we not just tell everyone, what is there to hide." He sighed as he dropped Christine gently to the floor.

"Do not let us speak of it my love, just trust me." She said tenderly, her arms still around him.

They walked away from me as I hung back in the darkness, letting them be together. A quiet sadness embraced me as I knew my best friend was growing up and leaving me.


	15. Chapter 14 – The Masquerade Ball

Ghosts Can't Hurt You

Chapter 14 – The Masquerade Ball

The whole city seemed to be buzzing with excitement, tonight was the annual masquerade ball at the Opera Populaire and everyone was talking about it. I felt so glad to be allowed to join, many of the people who lived at the opera house would not, instead they would run everything from behind the scenes, but myself, my mother and Christine were one of the few who were permitted to join in.

As we rushed to get ready, I waited until the dormitory was practically empty before lifting up my mattress and pulling out the dress the Phantom had given me to wear the first night we met, as I took it, his jacket fell out from underneath it. I placed the dress on my bed and took the jacket in my arms, lifting in to my face and breathing in his sultry smell. I held it to me for a few moments before I heard noises behind me, quickly stowing it away, I turned to see Christine.

"Hurry up Meg, what are you doing that ball is about to begin!" She sang loudly and excitedly.

"I know, I'm coming do not worry." I chimed back, pulling off my bath robe and taking the dress to one of the mirrors.

"That is a beautiful dress Megan, where did you get it?" She came up beside me and stroked the soft material.

"Not as beautiful as yours, Raoul sure knows how to charm a woman." I smiled at her before pulling on the dress. "It was left here for me after one of our performances with a note that said I was a wonderful dancer."

"Ooh, a secret admirer Meg, maybe we shall have a joint wedding." She laughed quietly, looking around her as she spoke.

"Hah! Unlike you I am not blessed like that, my day will come but secret admirer or not, marriage is not in my cards yet."

"Oh do not speak like that; you are as beautiful as an angel with the personality to match, any man would be lucky to hold you in his arms. No doubt when you meet the man you wish to be with he will never let you go."

I had to stop myself from sighing then, catching the breath in my throat before smiling sweetly. _If only it were so, but the only man I want for is in love with you._

"Do not be so gushy Christine," I shoved her playfully and she danced round me to help me do up the dress, "all this talk of men makes me glad to be here, until I meet my one true love I will enjoy my life dancing free as a bird. Men and love can wait, music is what is important. Though I might be forced to change my mind if I met someone as musically talented as your Raoul."

I smiled widely as the words played over my tongue. _Such a shame it is that no one can know that I have met a man more musically gifted and beautiful than any I could ever hope to meet._

"Come, let us stop speaking of such nonsense, tonight is a night to dance!" I grabbed Christine and twirled her round and we danced across the dormitory, our dresses twirling and our laughter floating around the room.

"Maybe you will meet a handsome masked man tonight who will sweep you off your feet."

_Oh, if only you knew how true your words already are. _I bit back a sigh of guilt as I knew she would never understand it if she did know.

"Maybe I will, but I do not rest my hopes. Opera is my one true love!" We both laughed together and spun around, stopping abruptly when a knock came on the door.

"Christine are you there? It is time to go." Raoul opened the door gently to see us arm in arm with wide grins on our faces. He was wearing a black and gold military parade type costume and had his hair pulled back in a black ribbon, he looked exceedingly beautiful and Christine's face lit up at the sight of him.

"Sorry to break up the party ladies, Miss Giry would you permit me to dance with my lady?"

"Why of course dear sir." I curtseyed low to him and released Christine, over the months I had grown incredibly fond of Raoul, and he had become part of our family here and was a good friend.

"I am much obliged, save me a dance for tonight will you?"

"Naturally Raoul, enjoy yourselves, I will see you in the foyer." I beamed as they left arm in arm.

A short while after they left my mother came to get me.

"Why Megan, whose is that dress?" She exclaimed as I danced out of the room to greet her.

"It was left for me after a show." She raised an eyebrow at me but said no more as we went to join our managers to take stage in the foyer. It was not uncommon to be left gifts of flowers, chocolate and jewels after a show.

They were both arm in arm with women when we arrived and we took our place behind them as the celebrations began, we would arrive on queue of the music so as to make a grand entrance.

Mother disappeared for a few moments and returned to place a bow hat in my hair and secured it along with small angel wings and gave me a feathered mask, she smiled at me.

"Of course you should be dressed as an angel my dear."

We marched into the foyer and joined in with the song. The hallway was filled to the brim with dancers clad in gold, silver, black and white, their costumes mixing together with the beautiful ornate colours of the room. Christine and Raoul arrived from one of the side entrances and they began to dance joyfully around us.

The dancers we had out in the throngs took their places to entertain the crowd and Monsieur Reyner struck up the band for their piece, we stepped aside and watched them.

They performed a perfectly choreographed dance to the song of masquerade and as the song drew to its climax the hall dimmed. The audience watched with interest but my mother grabbed my arm tightly, this was not part of the act.

The music distorted and changed as the hall fell dark and the dancers stopped in confusion, everyone looked up to where the music was coming from, I had heard that music many times before and I looked over to Christine who had turned white in Raoul's arms.

There he stood, clad in a red dressed as the Red Death, a military type uniform on and half face mask. The Phantom of the Opera. He had a sword attached to his belt and everyone stood back.

I watched him with awe from behind my mother, trying to conceal my worry and mystification at his presence here. He looked beautiful and majestic, but terrifying at the same time.

He walked down the stairs one step at a time, accentuating each movement, watching in glee as the crowd quailed underneath his gaze.

"Why so silent good messieurs, did you think that I had left you for good?" He looked around as he spoke, each time his eyes rested on someone or a group they stepped back in fright.

"Have you missed me good messieurs?" His musical voice echoed into the foyer as he sang out each word, his voice like a snake, his eyes blacked and the mask carved like a skull. "I have written you an opera! Here I bring the finished score, Don Juan Triumphant!"

He drew his sword as he sang. "Fondest greetings to you all, a few instructions for our cast before we start." He drew his sword through his hand gently as he approached the throng of people. "Carlotta must be taught to act, not her normal trick of strutting round the stage." He thrust his sword into her feathered hat and harried at it as she fell back in fear.

"Our Don Juan must lose some weight; it's not healthy in a man of Piangi's age." He jibed as he prodded his sword into Piangi's stomach. "And my managers must learn that their place is in an office, not the arts!" He thrust the sword into their faces and they barely managed to stand their ground. "As for our star, Miss Christine Daae," he turned to face her, sheathing his sword and I knew from his face that he knew of her engagement, "I'm sure she'll do her best no doubt, her voice is good she knows but should she wish to excel she has much still to learn, if pride will let her return to me, her teacher, her teacher." His voice trailed off to barely a whisper as he approached her.

He started to breathe heavily as she returned his gaze and he stared at her, I felt a knot form in my stomach as I saw her engagement ring glisten on the chain around her neck. I looked on from behind my mother in worry and slight distress, _why could he not look at me like that?_

Christine approached him, captivated by his voice and mesmerized by him, her fear over ridden by longing to not have to fear something so powerful. They drew close to each other and I realised Raoul had disappeared; I looked around for him and saw him running from the corridor, tightening a scabbard around his waist.

The Phantom's green eyes rested on her chest and flashed with anger at the crystal ring, he reached out and took it in his hand, wrenching it from her neck and breaking the chain.

"Your chains are still mine! _You belong to me!_" He hissed at her, shaking the ring in his fist, his anger rising into furious hate.

He ran back from her and twisted his cape into his hand, smoke seeped from the floor and a large sound erupted as he dropped into the floor through a secret trapdoor. Red fire and smoke flew from around him as he disappeared and Raoul leapt in after him as the dancers and audience alike screamed and gasped.

The trapdoor slammed shut, sealing Raoul inside and my mother ran from me and out of the foyer. I tried to follow her but the crowd of people grew thick as they ran from the now closed floor and I got pushed back.

I managed to fight my way out into the darkened corridors and headed for my mother's room, I drew back into the shadows as I heard her and Raoul hurrying towards it, Raoul pleaded with her to tell him about the Phantom and she gave in, pulling him into her room. I ran up and leant against the door, listening to her retell the story I had already heard.

Her voice was thick with sadness as she relived the tale and I felt the pain once more for the Phantom.

"I hid him from the world and its cruelties, 'e 'as known nothing else of life since then except this opera house, it was 'is playground and now 'is artistic domain, he is a genius, he's an architect and designer, he's a composer and a magician, a genius monsieur."

"But clearly Madame Giry, genius has turned to madness."

I pulled away from the door then, tears glistening in my eyes as I ran from the place. I didn't know what to do with myself, I knew this battle was drawing to a close and I knew someone would have to die.


	16. Chapter 15 – A Mother's Torment

Ghosts Can't Hurt You

Chapter 15 – A Mother's Torment

The days passed slowly after that, Raoul never left Christine's side, finally listening to her fears and worries.

One night, when Raoul had fallen asleep outside Christine got up and left, I only realised when I heard Raoul awake with a start and run from his place outside the dormitory. I got up in haste and followed him to see Christine disappear in a carriage from the window, as I watched; Raoul followed her bareback on a white carriage horse. _What is going on?_

As I looked out the window, bouncing on my toes, the carriage driver and stable manager came into view, rubbing his head and looking out into the courtyard. I gasped as I realised what was happening and ran to wake my mother.

"Mother, mother! The Phantom has taken Christine." She flew from her room, hastily pulling on her clothes and running into the darkness of the opera house. She shouted at me to wait there and after about 10 minutes she returned.

"You are right, 'e is gone. We must pray for their safe return."

"What will he do mother?" I grabbed her arm, my face filled with worry and fear.

"I do not know, but it will not be good. This is a battle we cannot fight my dear, someone must prevail, we must pray no one has to die for it to 'appen."

"Are you really afraid of him mother?"

She turned to me, tears rolling down her cheeks and took a deep breath. "More than you can ever know my dear child, I love him." I dropped her arm in shock as she heaved a great sob and patted at her cheeks with a handkerchief. I stammered for the words to speak to her and found nothing coming from my mouth, I couldn't speak as my eyes widened at her.

"He is a genius my love, he 'as the voice of an angel and a beauty that is only empowered by his mask, but 'is past has tortured him for too long. He terrifies me more than you can know, only because I am the only one he trusts. I have kept him safe for so long, now I cannot keep people safe from him. I 'ave wanted nothing more for many years for 'im to look at me the way 'e does Christine, but now I only wish 'e could find the love 'e wants, but not like this."

"Have you ever…" I trailed off.

"No my dear, no one knows and I never told 'im, I 'ad seen what he could do, I couldn't let myself get involved. He is not meant for that part of the world."

I stood there reaching for the courage to speak, nothing, my head span and my legs felt weak and unsteady. I wanted to cry and scream and drop to the floor in despair but instead I had to stand there and control myself, lest she pick up on my worries. What was happening, the whole world had gone mad and I was in the middle of this war, so stupid to get involved. My hands shook as my mother placed her hand on my shoulder.

"Come, we must wait for Christine and Raoul, let us 'ope they are ok. The Phantom is too dangerous a man to fight like this, too clever and too unstable, he will not be able to control himself for much longer, every day he is becoming more and more dangerous."

We walked down to the courtyard in silence as I thought of my mother's warnings and what she had revealed to me, pity welled up inside me as I finally realised why she was so scared of what was happening and why she was so angry, she had to watch the man she loved be goaded into murder and destruction by people who did not know what he was capable of. She wanted so much to support him and be on his side but he had gone too far, no longer the victim but the villain in this twisted play.

Now these thoughts were transferred to me, something she would do anything to never let happen to me. I didn't know what to feel, I knew I was falling in love with him and yet he was a criminal mastermind who put everyone in life threatening danger. What had started out as a curious fixation had evolved into a deep passionate longing that I could not escape. I wished I had never heard his voice that night, but at the same time I knew I would never want to forget what small unlasting moments we had shared. I felt like my whole body was at war with itself and I couldn't even begin to imagine how my mother had lived with this her whole life.

"Could you not have helped him? Stopped him from turning into this villain?"

"I fear he is beyond any 'elp anyone, even Christine can give him. His anger 'as eaten him up inside until the man he could have been vanished inside of 'im, he never even got a chance to try and live his life and 'e does not know how to be a man. His soul is blackened and broken beyond repair and 'is mind is as warped and deformed as his face, 'e is out of our reach and always had been, since before I rescued him. I don't think I or anyone else could ever have repressed the beast inside of him."

As we came outside into the misty morning air that surrounded the courtyard my mother grabbed the carriage master.

"Where did they go, what 'appened?!"

"I don't know, someone knocked me out and next thing I knows my carriage and 'orses are gone and this young fellow comes running past and steals another one of my horses. They headed for the cemetery."

"Be prepared my love." She took my hand and squeezed it tight as we waited.

After what seemed like an age we heard metal shoes clanging on the stones out in the mist, a few moments past before a figure appeared. A white horse cantered into the courtyard, blowing and sweating, it's neck lathered in foam that was dripping from it's mouth. It's flanks heaved and the carriage master ran out shouting at the two people on it's back.

Christine was in front and Raoul behind her on the mares back, she was pale and her eyes distant and I noticed there was blood seeping through Raoul's white shirt.

He cantered straight past the carriage master to us and pulled the mare up sharply, dropping off her side and patting her neck roughly before pulling Christine down to him.

The horse just stood there wheezing as the carriage master ran and grabbed her, cursing them and walking away with her reins in his hand.

"What happened?!" I shouted as I ran to Christine and grabbed her arm, she was shaking and freezing cold.

"Thank goodness you two are safe, Meg saw the Phantom take 'er away."

"He tried to get her to come to him in the cemetery, lighting up her father's grave and singing to her, I got there just in time and he attacked me. I barely escaped with my life." He touched his hand to the tear in his shirt. "After we duelled I managed to disarm him through some sheer luck and was about to run him through but Christine stopped me." He looked at her and she just gazed into the distance, she was in complete shock and couldn't speak to us.

My mother took her arm and led her away from Raoul. "Meg, take Raoul to get 'is wound cleaned, Miss Daae needs to be alone."

"That's the last thing she needs!" He roared and went towards her but I stopped him.

"Please Raoul, let my mother speak to her or she will never come back from her trance." He shrugged my arm off harshly but stayed still, when he looked back at me I took his arm again and led him back into the opera house.

"Why did she stop me Meg?! He would have killed me had I not gotten his sword from him; he kills without mercy or regret."

"By killing him you would have become the very thing you stand here and make out to detest, Christine could not bear to have another monster kill on her account."

He stopped dead and stared at me, his eyes blazing and his mouth taught with fury. As my words hit him he took a deep breath.

"You are right, I cannot let myself be lost to anger like he, I am sorry Meg."

"Do not be, you did the right thing, by showing him mercy you may just have saved your life."

"If it were not for Christine I would have killed him then and there, what is wrong with me?" He stared down at his hands in horror.

"You were protecting the one you love; do not dwell on what could have been, we must now prepare for the future."

"I already have a plan, come, let us get this wound cleaned and gather everyone, go, I can find my own way, get our managers, get everyone together for me."

I nodded and ran from his side to find Andre and Firmin.


	17. Chapter 16 – A Spiteful Spectre

Ghosts Can't Hurt You

Chapter 16 – A Spiteful Spectre

Raoul gathered everyone together and walked with them through the aisles of the stage, he explained his plan, we were to perform the Phantom's Opera and trap him through it.

Preparations had begun and everyone felt a sense of impending terror, no longer were we loud and rambunctious in our performances and rehearsals. We were quiet and subdued; it felt like the darkness was pressing down on us.

Christine never left her father's shrine, her fear escaping her as she sobbed until her eyes were red. Every time I saw her she could barely speak through her tears she was so terrified, we all tried to console her but to know avail. She had to risk her life to save herself.

I walked away from her and out of the room as Raoul entered and I wandered down the corridors. Everyone had been banned from walking alone and a curfew had been put in place but I ignored it, I walked the halls in the hopes I could see the Phantom. I wanted to know what he was planning but so far the shadows had been silent.

I went to bed the night before the performance and when everyone was asleep, I pulled the jacket out from under my bed and held it close to me, trying to hold myself together as the coming day weighed heavy on my heart. I knew what had to happen for this to end but I could not bear to think of it, I did not want to lose him but I did not want my friends to die. How could I be so torn and feel so useless.

As I lay there I knew I could not sleep so I put his jacket on over my nightdress and snuck out of the room, I crept past Raoul's exhausted figure slumped in a chair outside the door and headed to the riggings.

I hugged myself as I walked down the deserted corridors to the stairs and walked up them quietly, my breathing harsh and uneven as my despair welled up inside of me. I walked out onto the planks and when I reached the middle, sank down onto them and raised my knees to my chest, hugging them tightly.

I buried my head in my arms and sat there, sobbing quietly in the darkness in a place I once used to love, but now I feared.

"Why so sad my dear? Came a voice from the shadows.

I looked up and took a haggard breath, swallowing hard and wiping away my tears on the sleeve of his jacket.

"Phantom, where are you?"

"Right here." He called, but did not show himself

"Why are you hiding in the darkness?"

"Because the time has come for our little game to be over Miss Giry, I will not stand to see my Christine belong to another, especially one such as him."

"What are you going to do?"

"I see all and I know all innocent child, I know of the trap set for me, I know of their plans and their fears. Tomorrow, Miss Daae will belong to me and her lover will be gone." His voice was confident and mortifying as it rang out across the empty space.

"If you will not show yourself to me, why is it you speak to me?"

"I do not wish to see you so upset on the eve of my triumph."

I didn't answer and instead buried my head back into my arms; I couldn't deal with his taunting words. He had lost himself to the monster inside.

"Dear girl, do not be frightened." Came a voice in my ear and I almost fell off the rigging as he appeared beside me.

I drew back from him as he crouched down beside me and he stopped, he raised an eyebrow at me.

"So now you draw back from me like all the rest."

"You are going to kill Raoul."

"I thought you liked that I was dangerous."

"I do, but I fear you go too far, Christine is my friend."

"I promise you no harm will come to her, her lover on the other hand has a choice. He can fight me and die, or accept it and live."

"That is no choice you give him."

"I knew you would show your true self eventually, no one can stay near me for so long without recoiling."

I reached my hand out to him and he took it, pulling me to my feet.

"I do not recoil in fear of you; I draw back for fear of what I am doing to myself."

He looked at me and seemed confused.

"I am stuck in the middle of a battle that does not involve me, to be with you is to betray my friends, and to be with my friends is to betray you. I cannot handle it anymore; I don't know what to do. You said once your heart and your mind were at war, I feel the same way now more than ever."

"I thought you were prepared for this, I thought it was just longing?" His voice seemed weaker now.

"I thought I was too, but I wasn't prepared for you."

"For me?"

"I've fallen in love with you Phantom."

He stepped back in shock at my words, his eyes dark and undistinguishable.

"How could you love me, I am a hideous beast, a monster, my soul and heart are as black as the darkness I hide in."

"Love does not pick and choose for reason, that is why it is so complicated and relentless."

"You mistake lust for love I fear."

"No, I may be young but I am no child, I know what I feel whether I wish too or not."

He looked away, his hands balled into fists at his sides.

"You must feel something for me, whether you ignore it or hide it or push it away, otherwise you would not have come here tonight."

"I do not like to see you upset."

"Why, I am but a pawn in your game of chess, helping you to get closer to check the Queen."

"I-." He went to speak but found no words and just stood there.

"Tell me; tell me what you feel for me."

"What I feel?" He stood there for a moment before he looked back at me, now his eyes held anger and fire. "I feel lust for your body; I want your comfort and your warmth for my own selfish needs! Is that what you wish to hear?"

"I don't believe you." I whispered as he started to shake from the force of his anger.

"Curse you child, whether you believe me or not I used you to get what I wanted, but no longer, I know what I want and she is with another man!" He shouted down at me, his eyes wide as he flung one arm out to point down towards the dormitory, the other raised with his fist balled into his chest.

"I have spent almost my whole life down in that dungeon alone, with no physical or emotional contact apart from taking plates of food from your mother. I have been denied the pleasures of the flesh and the warmth of a woman's touch, when you came to me you were soft and warm and I needed a release from my torment."

I watched his wild eyes, his voice betraying that he believed his words no more than I.

"Then why have you come to comfort someone who you just wanted for sexual release!" I whispered to him, my tears gone now as I stood defiant before him.

"I was _trying _to be nice." He said through gritted teeth. "But we all know being nice gets you nowhere in this world; you have to be cruel to survive!"

"You are no better than the men who tortured you!" I shouted at him now, no longer bothering to be calm, he was becoming everything he hated.

Then he slapped me, it wasn't hard, it wasn't terribly painful, but it still shocked me none the less.

"You are everything you hate about the world." I spat at him as I raised my hand to my reddening cheek.

He stepped forwards and I pulled back from him, anger sparking in my eyes as I glared at him. He seemed to shrink back from my gaze.

"Megan…" He did not often call me by my name and he stood there, arm out stretched, eyes dark and saddened.

"You stand here and call yourself a monster, but I refused to believe you, I knew you were not. But now, now you become the men you hate so much; you become the monster you have claimed to be. So let it be that way, but tomorrow do not expect mercy from the man you provoke and do not expect love from Christine when you take her from him!"

He stood there once again lost for words and just stared at me with his mouth open.

"You have become accustomed to people bowing to your every will but you have pushed them too far this time Phantom, to think I once took pity on you. I am the only love you will ever know and you cast it aside to play god."

He shook his head and for a second I thought he may have blinked tears away, but when he took my gaze again there was nothing but fury.

"I told you once not to cross me girl, yet here you stand."

"I am not afraid of you Phantom, whether you love me or you kill me I will not just bend to your will or ignore what you do."

"You should be afraid of me, those who make the mistake of thinking they do not need to fear me end up dead."

"Then do it, strike me down for I will not hold my tongue in front of you."

He took a step towards me and I stood my ground, I could no longer tell what he was feeling, his eyes were back to being dark and emotionless.

He reached out to me and my every fibre said to draw away, but instead I stood fast, if he wanted to kill me then so be it, I could not hide from him, this was his kingdom. He grabbed my arm and pulled me to him roughly, his grip on my arm tight and painful as his fingers dug into his jacket that I wore.

"You speak like a woman yet you act like a child, snakes, all of you. Do you want to be given a reason to fear me? I am not a man to be tested." His voice was cold and quiet now, deadly and dark as it had been the first time I spoke to him.

"No, you are a monster." I said, my eyes staring into his as I watched his face contort with rage until his mouth curved into a smile, he grinned at me, flashing me his teeth and making him look like some feral wolf about to snap it's jaws around it's prey.

"Then you are the fool, for you have fallen in love with a monster." He grasped my other arm with his free hand and dragged me into him and kissed me, his kiss was full of spite as he held me against him in an unrelenting grip. I pushed away from him and he pinned me to him, kissing me harder as I struggled to free myself.

When he finally let go of me and I broke free from him he laughed.

"I thought this is what you wanted?" He barked at me viciously.

"I do not want this monster; I want the man hiding behind it." I pushed him away from me and ran across the rigging and onto the platform by the stairs, as I fled down them I heard the rustle of a cape and almost screamed as he appeared at the foot of the stairs in front of me.

"Come to your angel of music." His voice taunted to me, his singing dark and haunted, I calmed myself down and walked up to him. He swayed slightly as I approached, as if he had expected me to run.

I reached out my arms to him and he looked me up and down in confusion, his bared smile faltering slightly as he hesitated. I touched my hands to his cheeks and pulled his face to mine and kissed him, I kissed him as if we were back in his cavern lying on his bed together.

He froze in my hands as our lips touched and for a few moments he just stood there, a rigid statue before me. But then he let go of his monstrous anger and grabbed me, pulling me into him as he kissed me back with all the force he could muster. As soon as he started to hold me into him and move his lips against mine I let him go and pushed him back, he stepped back from me and stood there once more, his eyes boring into mine.

"You can lie to yourself Phantom but you cannot lie to me, I know you feel something for me in your twisted heart. Be sure you know what you are doing tomorrow for I may not be there afterwards."

He bared his teeth at me and went to speak but I swept past him, at first I thought he would come after me but I heard no footsteps, I chanced a look back and he was gone. Then I let all the tears I had been holding it flow out and down my cheeks, I stayed silent as I walked back to my corridor hugging his jacket to me, I felt so cold yet it was warm in the theatre.

I snuck past Raoul again and into the door, shutting it gently behind me, I felt such pity for him, he was trying his best to guard Christine but he was so exhausted he couldn't stay awake. I curled up in my bed still in his jacket and fell into a fitful sleep.


	18. Chapter 17 – The Phantom's Opera

Ghosts Can't Hurt You

Chapter 17 – The Phantom's Opera

"Meg, Megan." Came the quiet voice of Christine and I sat up in the early morning light that filled the dormitory. My blanket slipped off me and I shivered in the cool air.

"Is it time already?"

"Yes, time to rehearse once more for the Phantom's Opera." She sighed as I placed my legs over the side of the bed; she eyed the jacket I was still wearing.

I looked down and mumbled to her. "I was cold last night; I found this in the costume department."

She said no more and instead got up and walked over to wake Raoul who was still asleep on the other side of the door and together we went down to get changed and rehearse for the play.

The hall was soon filled that evening, news of what the Opera was about had sped across the city and we had sold out in a couple of hours of opening our ticket booth. Excited chattering filled the foyer and the hall as people filed in to take their seats, everywhere police milled about, their blue jackets standing out against the red velour seats.

As the first act started you could see everyone's confused faces, the Phantom had purposefully made his opera different and confusing, it was unlike any act we had ever done and the difference was startling to the audience.

It started off fine, the story was well written and the songs and lyrics were incredible._ He truly is a genius._ I sighed to myself as I danced about on stage, my thoughts still on the night before. The music filled the hall, dark and disturbed as the one who wrote it and the audience were hesitant. As I swung off to the side as our part ended I could see Christine hovering on the other side of the stage in the wings waiting for her part, Piangi left the stage and she entered, her face pale and her lips trembling as she started to sing.

As she started to sing, her smile returned, no matter where she was she loved to sing, it filled her heart with such beauty.

I stood to the side and heard a voice I had not expected to hear so early on. I looked onto stage to see the Phantom walk onto stage, singing to Christine. Piangi was nowhere to be seen and Christine tried to push back his music from her mind.

I watched on feeling helpless as they came closer to each other and started to sing together. He took her in his arms and she lay against him, her confusion and desire mingling on her face as his voice drew her to him. They parted and she pulled herself together, her face steadying and she turned to him, remembering the part she had to play.

My mother was the other side and she had stopped dead to watch the scene unfurling between us. Christine walked parallel to the Phantom and his face turned to longing once more, though he tried to keep himself reserved and serious.

They walked up the stairs constructed on the stage and fell into each other as I changed my costume and came beside my mother, she didn't look away from the two as I approached and I stared with her.

Then the Phantom started to sing the song Raoul had sung with her on the roof and Christine's eyes flew open, the realisation hitting her and her fear returning. She touched his face and swallowed hard before pulling his mask off, ripping off the cosmetics that he had covering his disfigurement and flinging his wig to the floor. This time he did not flinch away, and instead embraced it, pulling her to him and dropping through the floor as a great sound came from above.

I watched as a rope flew off the stage and a great moan came from the ceiling as the chandelier started to sway, screams erupted from the crowd and the sound grew louder until the chandelier flew out across the hall, dropping a dozen feet at a time and ripping through the ceiling with an almighty sound. I stared in horror as it came crashing down into the audience, distracting everyone from his disappearance with Christine.

Raoul ran to my mother's side and she agreed to take him to the Phantom, I tried to join them but she refused, telling me to stay and keep the others from following, as they ran away from the blaze I held back the people trying to get after them, shouting at them to stay. I couldn't bear the thought of this going on without me and looked around at something to help me.

Everywhere fire burst around me and I was pushed back as a great chant rose up from the people before me, I knew what I had to do and led them to the Phantom's lair, if I couldn't stop them I could slow them down and took them to the secret door hidden in the mirror.


	19. Chapter 18 – A Sad Discovery

Ghosts Can't Hurt You

Chapter 18 – A Sad Discovery

The corridor was dark and dismal as we made our way through it, I held them back every step making out to not know where I was going or if there were traps set for us, luckily the people stayed with me and I kept going as slowly as I could.

I prayed I could keep from coming across him until it was settled, which ever way it went, if Raoul was killed the mob would chase him down and kill him, if Raoul lived they would do the same unless he killed the Phantom.

We came out to the widened corridor that led to the waterways and I prayed Ghost would stay silent as we approached, the closer we would get the more frenzied and dangerous the mob would get. Police came out from corridors all around us, entering from doors and passageways from outside and the air grew hot and bright from the flames of all the torches.

We came closer and my heart hammered in my chest, what scene would I come upon when we reached his lair?

As I ran through the water I saw the gate was open and hurried through it, people milled around me and I stood in the dark waters, looking around. The Phantom, Christine and Raoul were nowhere to be found and I tried to keep my breathing steady as I ran around his cavern wildly. I went up to his bed chamber and found his mask on the desk. I picked it up and, checking no one was watching me, took it with me as we searched the rest of his chamber.

I slipped it under my shirt as everyone looked around and saw he had smashed all his mirrors, one seemed to have lost more glass than the others and I picked up the drape hanging over it, looking over my shoulder once more to make sure no one was watching. There I found a secret passage way hidden in the mirror and I slipped inside as the men were shouting about going out the other gate and down the rest of the waterway.

I followed it as the voices of the men grew quieter and quieter and light started to shine from the end of the tunnel, I came out by the entrance to the sewer and looked around, the place I was in was completely deserted and was somewhere close to the stables. I suddenly thought of Ghost and ran around until I found the gate to the stables and pulled it open, walking in I looked around, no one was here.

Everything was quiet and dark, but behind me a great glow came up from the theatre as it burned in the night. I slipped down into the stalls and out the back to look for the secret door, when I found it I prized it open and ran down to Ghost's stable.

He was gone when I reached there; I looked around as I came through the open door, _so he must have gone out from the stables and into the night_. I sighed deeply before turning back and running out into the stables, there I took my favourite mare, a black mare called Daystar, she was large with a thick neck and powerful quarters, half Friesian and half Thoroughbred, part of a driving team they kept here for wealthy patrons, and saddled her up. I could hear people now I had calmed myself down, out in the drive way of the theatre, out past the courtyard and still voices rang from the theatre itself. Too late to worry about how many people were still in there. 

I grabbed a riding cloak and jacket from the barn, stowing the Phantom's mask in one of the pockets and grabbed Daystar, pulling her out into the courtyard, as I swung up into her saddle I wondered about where I was going to go and what I was going to do. Where would he go, he would go back into hiding, but where and what would he do. Then it came to me, if he had taken Ghost he might be at the cemetery, hiding until all this is over. I put my heels to her sides and readied myself for what lay ahead.


	20. Chapter 19 – Into The Night

Ghosts Can't Hurt You

Chapter 19 – Into The Night

I urged Daystar out of the courtyard and her hooves rang out into the night, we came out and onto the road and turned right across a dirt track. I pulled her off the track and into the woods, knowing this was the quickest route to the grave yard. I thought back to the day I saw Raoul riding out to the cemetery and wondered if this was the track he took. Daystar was one of the mares that the Phantom drove when he took Christine away.

I pushed her into a gallop and ran my hands up her neck as she lengthened her stride, her short mane flying in the wind as she flew across the ground, taking the ground in large leaps as we raced into the night. A few times I had to pull her up and find the small horse made tracks but most of it was clear in the moonlight that shone through the trees. We came upon a fallen tree and I urged her into it, she pushed off the ground and took a flying leap over it, clearing it with ease and landing with a thump as I braced my legs against her movements.

We raced on and disturbed owls and night time creatures, once I thought I saw deer running beside us through the trees but when I looked again they were gone.

My mind was racing almost as fast as Daystar and I had no idea what I was doing, all I knew is I felt they were still alive, he must have let them go for I doubt he would have taken Raoul's body with them if he had killed him and taken Christine. I hoped my heart was right as we galloped on through the darkness, what would I do if I couldn't find him.

My cloak flew out behind me as we pushed through the black light and after what seemed like an age we came to the edge of the woods, I pulled her up and trotted out onto the dirt road that led to the cemetery, splashing through large puddles of water and turned her onto the grass verge that flanked it. I looked behind me to make sure no one was coming for whatever reason then pushed her on again. I whispered 'yah' to her and she leapt into a gallop once more, now we were out on the open she flew across the turf, her strides getting longer and longer as her sides heaved and her nostrils flared. She loved to run and the Thoroughbred in her made her fast and agile, whereas the Friesian in her made her strong and wilful with a gentle mouth and easy control. I lifted my head up off her neck slightly to feel the air across my cheek and revelled in it for a split second before my mind came back to the task at hand.

Within minutes we had cleared the driveway and I pulled her up as we came to the large gates that were the entrance. Normally at night they were chained together, but now the chain was on the floor in pieces and one gate was open wide. I prayed it was him and asked her on through them.

She blew out as we entered the dark cemetery and I patted her sweaty neck, thanking her for being so good for me. She walked tentatively through the graves and I looked around me, as I looked down I noticed there seemed to be fresh hoof prints on the floor. I jumped off Daystar and held her to me as I bent down and touched my fingers to the dirt in front of me, yes they were fresh prints. Had I truly been right in my belief of what had happened or would I stumble upon a scene of death and destruction, for all I knew the Phantom had Christine and Raoul had taken after them, but I couldn't see any other hoof prints in the dirt so prayed I was right.

I led her through the tombs and crypts towards Christine's father's tomb, it was a good a place to start as any. All was quiet, I could hear no shouts, no screams and no song as I approached the crypt and sighed deeply, at least, for now there was no danger here.

"Angel of darkness are you with me?

Please don't say you have left me,

Angel of darkness are you hiding?

Please let me know if you're here now."

I looked around me, hoping to hear someone sing back to me, but no sound came.

"Angel of music, please forgive me,

I only wish to see you,

Angel of music, no one is with me,

Please say you are here in the shadows."

"Where are you angel of music, I only wish to know you are here,

Please do not hide from me; you do not have to fear."

Still no sounds came from the graves around me and I felt a pang of sadness grasp at my heart, what had I hoped to find, it was a fools errand at best trying to find a man who didn't want to be found. For all I know he had fled somewhere far away and I was walking around a graveyard calling out to myself, completely alone.

I turned from the crypt and put my foot into Daystar's stirrup and swung back into the saddle, I looked around me once more before I put my hand into my pocket. I pulled out the mask and held it to my face, feeling tears well up as I sat there in the darkness. I heaved a great heavy sigh and replaced it in my pocket before turning Daystar around and walking away from the crypt. I let my head drop and tears rolled down my cheek and splashed onto my horse's mane.

_At least I tried. _I couldn't bring myself to smile and I just let the tears flow, blinking them out of my eyes as we walked gently through the rows of graves.

(Sung to Wandering Child)

"Wandering child, so lost, so helpless,

Yearning to try and find me,

Angel of darkness, not friend but Phantom,

Wanting for your comfort."

I gasped and a wide smile broke my saddened demeanour as I grabbed Daystar's reins and heaved her round, but all I could see was darkness.


	21. Chapter 20 – Angel In The Cemetery

Ghosts Can't Hurt You

Chapter 20 – Angel In The Cemetery

"You haven't forgotten your angel," Came the haunting music of the Phantom from somewhere in the dark graves.

"Too long I've wandered in shadow,

Far from the one that I need,

I have tried to resist that which haunts me, but it's what I need."

I looked around wildly, as his voice echoed and bounced off the graves, wondering if I was dreaming.

(First part sung by the Phantom, second by Megan, sung together as a duet)

"Angel of music, you came to find me,

Turning from true beauty,

Angel of music, do not leave me,

Come to your strange angel."

"Angel of music I came to find you,

Yearning for your true beauty,

Angel of music I will not leave you,

Come to me strange angel"

Our voices collided in the dark and rose up to a booming sound that rang out across the cemetery in beautiful chorus, our voices entwined and wound their way through the darkness as my spirit soared. There in front of me came Ghost, walking out from behind the Crypt and down the stone steps that led up to the doors. As he dropped onto the floor the Phantom looked up at me from his back, his disfigured face beaming in the darkness.

I pushed Daystar towards him and we cantered up to the crypt, coming to a sharp stop in front of them. There we stood, looking at each other in wonder and awe as if neither quite knew what to do.

"I am your angel of music," he sang out to me.

"You are my angel of music," I replied.

We sang together then, that beautiful sound dashing away all the sadness and fears we had felt.

"Angel of music, within the darkness,

Nothing has more beauty,

Angel of music, never leave me,

Come to me now, forever."

He pushed himself out of Ghost's saddle and left him standing there, he came over to me and raised his arms up to me, I leant down and put my hands on his shoulders as he pulled me from the saddle and into his arms.

As I touched the ground he bent his head to me and kissed me, all the longing, all the passion, the fear, the need and desires flowing through his touch into me and I pushed my hands into his hair, pulling it through my fingers as he pulled me too him as close as he could.

As I kissed him I felt my tears spill out onto my cheeks once more, the relief and the fear melting together as I pressed myself too him like never before, I never wanting to be apart from him again, but I pulled away, I had to know.

"Where are they?"

He looked at me tenderly and smiled.

"They will never be bothered again." He continued to explain what happened as I clung to him, my tears hot and fast on my cheeks.

"If it weren't for you, I think I may have gone through with it." He whispered to me as he leant his head in my hair.

"For me?"

"What you said to me that in the riggings, you were right. I had become everything I proclaimed to hate; when I saw what Christine would sacrifice to save the one she loved, all I could think of was you. When she kissed me, everything just seemed to melt away and all I could think was, _she is not mine to take, and I do not want to any longer._ I needed to kiss her to know where I belonged. I had hurt you so badly that I just wanted to be away from everything, to never see anyone again, never hurt anyone, never put anyone through such ordeals. I wanted to save the world from myself, but I knew nothing of life outside the opera, so I came here to wait until I could go back to my life underground."

"Oh Phantom, you did not hurt me, you hurt yourself."

"I hit you, I could never forgive myself for that, for the way I spoke to you."

"Don't think of it any longer, if you had hurt me I would not be here now."

"I am so sorry, for everything, for how I spent my life and how I treated people around me, for what I've done and who I've hurt and most of all for taking advantage of you. If only my stupid mind could have let me see sooner that all I need is you."

"Don't talk anymore, just hold me." He took his hand and touched my face, lifting it up with his fingers.

"Why are you crying?"

"Because I thought I'd never see you again, you could have been dead for all I knew."

"How did you know where to find me?"

"I didn't, I just followed my heart."

"My angel." He hugged me tightly and kissed me once more, this time it was nothing like it ever had been before. Fireworks exploded in front of my closed eyes and nothing existed anymore but me and him. I took one hand from his hair and stroked his disfigured face, and for the first time, he did not flinch or pull away. His lips didn't even falter against mine.

As we broke apart I stepped back from him but left my hand on his face, I reached into my pocket and pulled out his mask and placed it in his hand.

"I no longer need to hide behind this mask." He smiled before placing it on his face. "But I will not run from it either, it is part of who I am, but no longer the barrier between me and my life."

I ran my hand over its smooth polished surface and smiled. "It does look good on you."

He grinned at me and pulled me close to him again.

"I lied to you before." He sighed deeply.

"Lied to me?"

"About my name…" He looked away from me and out over the graves.

"Your name?"

"I do have a name, it is not my true name, I never knew what my mother called me and never met my father. But the name I was given throughout my travelling the world with the gypsies is Erik. I didn't want anyone to know it, but I feel ready to know."

"Erik, it suits you, kind of loses the air of mystery though." I smiled at him and he chuckled, the sound reverberating in his chest against me.

"What now?" I sighed into his jacket.

"Well, you have a horse to return and a terrified mother to abate." His smile stayed, no longer poisoned and deadly, but warm and tender, lighting up his handsome face underneath the moon.

"What then?"

"Then my dear, we shall just let the music take us away." He pushed his lips to mine and we embraced once again, the fireworks exploding all around me in my mind, I never wanted to be anywhere but here with him.

I loved him so passionately I felt I could faint from this burst of emotion, nothing else mattered in the world. This must be what Christine felt like when she kissed Raoul. I finally understood why she was so wonderful around him. I smiled, my lips curving against his and I felt his curve too as we stood there in the dark grave yard, time stopped in that moment and I knew nothing would ever be the same again.


	22. Chapter 21 – A Sad Goodbye

Ghosts Can't Hurt You

Chapter 21 – A Sad Goodbye

A light mist filled the woods as we rode through them back towards the opera house, a great plume of smoke could be seen rising up above the trees from the fire and worry filled me as I thought of all the people who had been in there. Daystar walked sedately beside Ghost as the Phantom and I continued in silence along the well beaten tracks that wound their way through the trees.

I looked over Ghost, it was the first time I had seen him in the light, he was a truly beautiful horse and suited Erik so well. But something seemed to jump out at me.

"I'm sure I have seen Ghost before, he seemed to recognise me when I found him underground."

"You should recognise him; he is Caesar, the prize stallion that was stolen from the opera stables many years ago."

"To think, the stallion people searched the whole of Paris for was right under their noses."

By the time we had reached the opera house it was early morning and the city was awake once more, as we came to the edge of the woods Phantom pulled Ghost up and I stopped beside him.

"I'll be waiting for you, how ever long you may be."

I leant out of my saddle towards him and he obliged, leaning across and kissing me, our legs brushing as our horses shifted about underneath us, then I asked Daystar on and out of the woods and back to the road that led into the city.

The closer I got to the Opera Populaire, the louder the commotion got and I could see fire fighters, policemen and many people milling around the drive way. I turned Daystar away from the throng of people and round to the stables, as I arrived through the archway I heard a shout from inside the barn.

"You bliddy little thief that's my 'orse! How dare you take it I've been going mad here trying to find-, Miss Giry, I didn't realise."

"I'm sorry I took her, I was running away from the blaze. I'm so so sorry."

He just looked at me in a confused manner before taking Daystar's reins so I could dismount, as he led her away I ran out through the gate and towards the drive way of the opera house. When I got there an almighty scene stood before me, the fire was out already, but the once great house now stood smoking, its windows smashed and its walls blackened.

Many people stood outside it that had been in when the blaze started, I could see La Carlotta sitting down with people around her. As she looked up I saw her face lined with streaks of makeup where she had been crying and remembered what the Phantom had done to Piangi. I felt a stab of pity to the woman I once loathed and tried to get the thoughts out of my mind, it was done now.

As I approached the building a policeman stepped out in front of me. "I'm sorry m'am you can't come any closer, its not safe."

"Please sir, I am a student who lived in the dormitories, my mother is Madame Giry the ballet teacher."

He looked me up and down and called over some more of the officers to me.

"She says she is Madame Giry's daughter, go and fetch her quickly, she has been frantic all night."

I stood waiting, bouncing on my toes as I looked around trying to see my mother, the men hurried back with my mother in tow, her face fraught with despair and pale as a sheet. She screamed as she saw me and I ran past the policeman and into her arms.

"Oh my daughter, where 'ave you been I feared you where dead!"

"Please mother, I'm alright, but let us not speak here."

"We cannot go back inside yet, it is not safe."

"Then let us move away from the people for what I have to say cannot be heard by anyone."

As we walked away from the people and towards the stables I pulled her through the barn and out into the disused court yard.

"I 'eard you had gone down to the Phantom's lair and disappeared, no one could find you they thought you had gone back to the dormitories, some said you ran away with Christine, no one knew what 'ad 'appened."

"I did go down to the Phantom's lair, oh, mother I don't know how to explain this to you."

"What is it my dear?" She looked worried and took my hand in hers and squeezed it tight, she looked into my eyes and hers widened. "You know what 'appened?"

I nodded. "Mother, I disappeared because I went to find the Phantom."

"What? Why would you do such a thing, you could 'ave been killed."

"No, I wouldn't, he would never hurt me."

She stared at me for a moment and I continued, trying not to stammer under her shocked eyes.

"Mother," I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, my words tumbling out of my mouth, "I'm in love with him."

"Who?" I knew she just wanted me to say it aloud.

"The Phantom of the Opera."

Shock, fear and confusion filled my mother's face and she dropped my hand.

"I went to find him because I love him. I took a horse and went out into the night after him."

"And did you find him?"

"Yes, he is waiting for me as we speak."

"Waiting for you?"

"He loves me too mother, I don't know how to explain it, it just happened."

"Just happened?!"

"I heard his voice one night, many months ago, singing to Christine and I was drawn to him. The night you found me in the passage way behind the mirror, a couple of weeks later I went down there again, determined to see the face of the voice I adored. I found him and I spoke to him, I managed to get through to him and I kissed him."

Her mouth hung open now and I could barely muster the words to continue.

"After that we started to visit each other secretly, that morning you couldn't find me and I came down from the rigging,

I had been with him. That dress I wore to the ball he gave me, I knew I was falling in love with him but tried not too, he wanted Christine and it frightened me, what he was capable of."

"Then the night before his opera, before all this happened, I went to find him. I wanted to try and stop him from killing Raoul, to try and make him see he didn't need to do this. Instead he tried to push me away, to hurt me, to stop me pursuing him. That night I said something which later saved Raoul's life. I told him he had become everything he hated about the world, and when he took Christine to his lair with the intent of killing Raoul he couldn't do it. He let them go and disappeared, I couldn't let him go so I went after him."

"Oh my love, my stupid angelic daughter, why 'im, after all 'e 'as done?"

"Do you really need to ask me for a reason?"

She looked away from me to the ground and sighed.

"I guess not, but he is so much older than you, you can't do this."

"You cannot change my mind mother, I'm sorry that it had to be like this but I cannot change how I feel."

"What will you do? 'e is a murderer on the run from the law, he cannot live in normal society, he cannot hide with that face. What about your 'opes? Your dreams?"

"I wasn't living them anyway, I love the ballet, but to be a chorus girl was not the life intended for me, just as it was not for Christine."

She sighed again and took my hand once more.

"I 'ope you know what you are doing, you are so young to be throwing it all away."

"What am I throwing away? The opera house is gone; no one will touch it after what happened in there. We have lost our jobs, our home, our lives. It is time to start anew."

"Where will you go?"

"Away from here, to somewhere we can live in peace, away from the memories and the ghosts."

"I don't want you to leave."

"I love you mother, but I have too."

"Say you will write, and visit, do not forget about me."

"I never could mother, never


	23. Chapter 22 – No More Memories

Ghosts Can't Hurt You

Chapter 22 – No More Memories

The police and the men who were searching the opera house had been pulled out when no trace was found, the fire had damaged the foundations and it was no longer safe to enter until they could get people to stabilise it. We had waited until everyone was gone before going into the bowels of the theatre through the hidden stable entrance in the abandoned courtyard.

The Phantom pulled open the secret door and went inside, checking it was ok before motioning for me to come in, we put Ghost back in his old stable and went to the lair, the Phantom had much left there hidden that we needed to collect before we left. We trudged through the dark waters, the only light a candle holder we had pulled from the wall.

The water gate was open when we got to his lair and most of the cavern had been rifled through, his miniature sets were strewn across the floor along with his paintings and writings, sculptures and busts were tipped over and smashed and drapes had been ripped from the walls. I could hear his sad sighs beside me as we looked over the trashed chamber; he pulled himself up onto the stone floor from the water and grabbed my hand, pulling me up and onto it with him.

"I remember the first night we were properly introduced; I don't know who was more scared." He mused as he looked about the place.

"I wasn't scared, I had everything perfectly under control." I tried to sound cool and collected and he laughed.

"Yes, I'm sure you knew exactly what you were doing standing in the water by the gate looking like a cornered mouse before a cat."

"I had it, I swear." He laughed again, louder this time and kissed me on my cheek before walking across the raised ground.

He rifled through his desks and looked around, his eyes sweeping the area for things that had survived, he chucked me many fine pieces of clothing that I stowed into a bag around my shoulder and then moved to his bed chamber. He pulled on some items, a waist coat, jacket, wig and cape and lifted his arms into the air.

"I hadn't realised how cold I was," He walked up to the bed and ran his fingers along its smooth surface, "now this was something you had under control."

"I know who was more scared then." I laughed as I walked around the hollowed out room, memories flooding through me of our first night together.

He gave me more clothes and then went behind his bed, the great carved bird blocking him from view as he dropped down and reached for something. As he stood up he had a small bag in his hand and passed it to me with a wide smile on his face.

I took it and opened it to see large wads of money in it, I gasped and he chuckled as he approached me.

"Don't look so surprised, you forget this was my opera house, they paid me to run it until our dear new managers arrived."

I pull the draw string shut and stowed it away in the bag, then turned to watch him search the rest of the chamber. He took a few more items that didn't seem to be of much value to me, but obviously meant a lot to him and then came back to me.

"I don't need any more memories, let us go now and never look back."


	24. Chapter 23 – The Final Act

Ghosts Can't Hurt You

Chapter 23 – The Final Act

The carriage master wandered down from his annex above the stables to see to the horses and yawned loudly, stretching his arms up behind his head as he approached the doors. He went inside and walked down the aisle between the stables to the lock up at the end; there on the table something caught his eye. There was an envelope on the table.

He picked it up and looked at it, noting the red skull stamped from wax that sealed it, he ripped it open and read the note inside.

'_Dear Carriage Master, I expect this will more than cover any expenses you could lose without your carriage mare Daystar, also for her tack. I hope you will not take it personally. OG' _

He stared in bewilderment at the letter then back to the envelope, opening it out and pulling from within it a large fistful of money. His eyes widened as he saw the amount inside it and nearly whooped aloud before looking back to the note, he turned round quickly and lumbered out to the stables and peered over a door. True to the note, the mare was gone and back in the lockup her tack was missing too.

He wanted to feel sad, but he had no business now the opera house was gone and had to sell up anyway, but now with the money left to him he could afford to start again, he smiled widely, stuffing the money in his pocket and grabbing a pitch fork, today was a good day.

xXx

A year after the great fire Madame Giry was working in the Académie Royal De Musique in Paris, she lived there with the students and she enjoyed it there but it was not the same. She often thought back to her previous life and the events that ended it.

That morning she was up early as usual and a knock came on her door.

"A letter has come for you Madame Giry."

"Bring it in."

A young girl walked in and placed the letter in her hand, as the girl left she dropped her hair she had been braiding and let out a small cry as she recognised the delicate writing on the front that spelt out her name. She turned it over quickly to see the red skull stamped into the wax that held it closed and her hands started to shake, she pushed her thumbs underneath the lid of the envelope and opened it.

There nestled inside was a slip of card with fancy writing and colours printed onto it.

'L'Opéra de Toulon presents their production of Tristan Et Isolde, starring Megan Giry as Isolde."

Tears wet her eyes and she stared down at the ticket in her hand as they rolled down her cheeks, splashing over the neatly printed letters of her daughter's name.

xXx

I ran through the aisle to the stage at the L'Opéra de Toulon, bouncing in my costume as rehearsals started. I took my place on stage and as I danced let my mind wander.

I lived here in the dormitories as I once did, but now, instead of being a chorus girl I was the lead dancer and sometimes the lead soprano, I got to teach the younger girls who lived along side me as the opera house was also largely a ballet school just like the Opera Populaire had been. It had been many days ride to find a place far enough away to start again and with somewhere Erik could hide, we had traversed to the other half of the country to seek safety.

The opera house was larger than the one I once lived in, it was so far the second largest opera house in France and underground its waterways extended far beyond the walls of the theatre, sometimes the girls would come to me saying they had heard haunting music coming from the shadows, but I always told them not to worry, ghosts wouldn't harm them.

Sometimes my managers would find a neatly written opera left for them outside their office; no name was ever left on the score but the letters 'OG'. If my managers liked what they read they would perform them, there was always a role in there for me, my singing had greatly improved, I had a great tutor to help me excel

As I flew across the stage with my arms in the air and my toes pointed I looked up to the ceiling and thought I saw a flash of white across the rafters. I smiled and continued to dance as my angel of music watched on from his place in the shadows, tonight I would join him in his underground haven deep beneath the opera house where no one would ever find him. Where he could write and sing and live out his life away from the cruelties of the outside world as he once had, but no longer bound by his imperceptible chains and dark desires.

Many years passed and as I stood on stage in front of the spectators I glanced over to a box along the side of the hall, there I thought I saw a long haired young man with a beautiful dark haired girl watching me, but I didn't have time to look again as my audience awaited. I smiled once more before I let the music take me away.

** C'est Finit**

**I did it, I finally managed to post an entire fanfiction, after so many interruptions, broken laptops, moving countries constantly, losing internet, thinking I had almost lost this work forever when my mum's partner shoved my harddrive in a bath full of water and finally, heartbreakingly this past week losing my mum's partner in a car accident, we have overcome! It is posted and I am so happy, well as happy as one can be in such situations but yeah. **

**Please review, I went through a great deal to get this fanfiction to you, my wonderful fans. **


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