This is based on the movie version of Phantom. I do not own The Phantom of the Opera. The only thing I only take credit for Janice Digna LaLunette and the plotline of this story, obviously. Don't hurt me!

The morning air was cold as she ran to the opera house. She would be late for rehearsals again and Madame would have her skinned alive. She pulled her cloak tighter and ran faster through the streets of Paris. She had snuck out to snag a few pastries for her and her two best friends. The opera rats were never allowed to leave the grounds without permission, nor were they allowed anything to eat that wasn't healthy. How else could they be expected to dance so flawlessly? They were renowned for their ballet, after all.

As she snuck in through the bars that lead to the underground chapel she heard footsteps and feared she would be discovered. Quickly she hid her small frame behind a stone column and held her breath, lest the ragged sound give her away. She stood wide-eyed and waited. The footsteps stopped. Anxiously, she released a long slow, silent breath and peeked around the corner. She saw a shadowy frame standing but a few feet from her. She began breathing as slowly as possibly to keep from being heard as she examined the form. But all she could see was dark hair and a cape.

Fearing her punishment and knowing she needed to be on her way she slowly crept from her hiding place, keeping her eyes trained on the figure and her ears open to the sounds of others coming near. She had taken but only a few steps before her arm came in contact with a bit of errant mental protruding from the candle holder mounted on the wall she was walking along. It broke the skin and she whimpered in pain, surprising the man. He turned his head first in the direction opposite of her position and she saw a stunningly pristine white mask covering a portion of his face. She gasped and froze which cause his head to then snap into her direction and she saw that the mask only covered the upper right half of his face.

They stood there and stared at one another for a moment. She saw in his eyes the same shock and fear that she felt herself. She found it quite odd indeed to see such an emotion on a grown man. His eyes moved to her arm where a small trickle of blood had formed on her arm from the low-sitting sconce.

When she finally found her voice, she began stammering apologies. "I-I'm s-sorry sir, I didn't mean to…I mean I didn't think anyone came down here…"

Just then the orchestra began their tuning process, signaling the start of rehearsal causing her to turn to the stairway in fear. She turned back to tell the man that she was terribly sorry and she had to go but he was no longer there. She hadn't even heard him move. She looked around in wonder but he was no where in sight.

Just then she noticed something on the floor. Not quite at her feet nor quite near where the man had stood. She picked it up and saw that it was a clean white handkerchief with the letters "O G" embroidered in red on the corner.

Coming back to herself she realized she had to get going or Madame Giri was really going to kill her. And with that she took off running to the dressing rooms to get into her costume. There, Meg grilled her about what had taken her so long. She told her about her attempt at a surprise gift for opening night, but made no mention of the strange masked man she'd encountered.

"Oh, Janice, you are always getting into trouble like this," Meg scolded.

"I know, I know, but please, get Christine and help me get dressed. It's opening night! No sense in getting your mother all worked up over me when she has opening night to worry about."