Chapter 1: A Spirit in flesh

2006 (136 years after the Phantom's Reign)

" From the beginning Mademoiselle." the conductor said

The leading soprano looked at the conductor and began from the beginning clearing her throat. Her voice very high and those around her felt it was much to high for the part.

" Could you take an octave lower Mademoiselle…it is much to high for all of us to follow?" the conductor asked

" You are to follow me sir…not I follow you!" she spat

" Sabine please not this today." the lead tenor asked

" He is being difficult!" Sabine hissed, " I have been trained by many professionals to get where I am and I have to listen to this old man!"

She walked off and the tenor looked at her.

" Could you talk to her Monsieur Abney?" the conductor asked

" I shall…but in the mean time perhaps you should have one of these lovely ladies sing for practice…their voices need as much training as Mademoiselle Sabine's."

" I shall go now please." the conductor said

Monsieur Abney walked off to find his fair lady Mademoiselle Sabine to come back.

" Henri this is not good." an older man said, " that would be the second time this week that Mademoiselle Sabine has walked off."

" She will be back I assure you Victor." Henri stated, " Monsieur Abney will fetch her."

" We need an understudy." Victor sighed rubbing his head, " How did past mangers handle Prima Donnas like this?"

" Very carefully…now I'm sure there is a young woman that could study under Mademoiselle Sabine." Henri remarked, " Look at them their all willing to fill the shoes of Mademoiselle Sabine."

" Ah, but they also try to fill the shoes of Mademoiselle Daaé!" Victor exclaimed

Both mangers watched as they conductor warmed up the chorus and had some of the girls take the lead so they could get on with rehearsals. Neither gentleman expected their opera house to be disturbed unless it was Mademoiselle Sabine being her normal self.

A cold winter's wind blew that afternoon bringing a young woman to the opera house. She carried only one suitcase and a book bag with her, this was all she had and nothing more. She was sent for after her father past on by Monsieur Victor for a possible chance to sing on stage. Her voice was strong and yet it was slightly untrained for her age, but still she continued to study. She entered the lobby of the historical opera house and looked around at all its glory.

" Hello!" she called

She stopped and gawked at the beautiful 18century artwork and then continued to walk around.

" Is this where you lived before you became who you were?" she thought

Her bluish green eyes closed as she listened in the walls of music.

" Hello?" a voice called

The young woman turned around to see a gentleman dress in black slacks and a white polo shirt.

" I'm Mademoiselle Sommer, Monsieur Victor sent for me." she said

Her black hair fell over her shoulders and the man looked at her.

" Forgive me if I startled your Mademoiselle, I am Gaston Facet." he introduced himself, " the Patron here."

" Oh, it is a pleasure…do you happen to know where Monsieur Victor is?" she asked

" Come this way Mademoiselle." Gaston instructed

He guided her towards the auditorium where Victor and Henri were.

" Monsieur Victor has become a very busy man in the last 20 years…may I ask how you know such a busy man?" Gaston asked

" My father was a dear friend to him…I was instructed that if my father died before I was trained in music that Monsieur Victor would take me in. He would have someone train me and I would become an understudy." Mademoiselle Sommer said

" Ah, he's a noble man to do that." Gaston said

He opened the door and Victor and Henri looked over to see Gaston escorting a young woman.

" Monsieur Facet what woman have you found for us?" Victor asked

" A woman I believe you might wish to speak to sir…Mademoiselle Sommer," Gaston answered

" Dearest Patricia what brings you to Paris?" he asked

She walked over to him and smiled then handed him a letter. Victor looked at her and opened the letter. He sighed and nodded at her as he folded the letter.

" Dear child I am sorry you lost your father." Victor said

" Thank you Monsieur, but I can not mourn for him when I have a promise to fulfill in his name." she said

" That is right, let me help you settle in and then introduce you to your teacher." he said

She smiled and followed the older man then Gaston took a seat beside Henri.

" Does she remind you of someone?" Gaston asked

" Yes, my boy she does. Her very presence offers a foreboding feeling." Henri said

" Who?" Gaston asked

" It is no body my boy." he said, " Perhaps it is just a dream."

" I saw something in her eyes that I have not seen before. A shadow of a past person." Gaston sighed

Henri nodded and looked at Gaston.

" I leave that to you Gaston to find out who she is. If she is who I think she is then I want her out of here. She does not belong here and she will bring danger to this very opera house." Henri said

" You have no worries Monsieur." Gaston said

Gaston got up and walked off and Henri looked into the distance.

" Do I have such a belief that my grandmother is warning me." he thought

" Grandpa!" a soft voice called

Henri looked over to the stage and the young woman on stage gave a wave to him.

" I am coming my dear." he said

He walked down to the stage and the young ballerina looked at him.

" Grandpa is it true that there is a new girl!" she exclaimed

" Yes, it is." he said, " she will be studying under Mademoiselle Sabine…God save her soul." Henri muttered

" How could you put her under that horrible woman. She will eat her alive." the girl said

" Agatha my dear do not worry she will survive." Henri smiled

" You look like you've seen a ghost."

" No, I have just seen the past before my eyes." he said, " Where is your Mama and grandmother it is nearly time for a bite."

" Their fixing the other girls costumes. Mama said I'll be good enough to dance a solo. She said my leg is much better and much stronger." Agatha said

" That is very good…I would hope to see you dance again after that horrible fall you took." Henri said

Agatha smiled and went off and Henri sighed and looked around. He looked at box five and saw a shadow move and he sighed.

" I believe it is to late." he muttered

Victor looked at Patricia and Patricia pulled out a black leather book with wear and tear on it.

" Here is the first book. I kept them all." Patricia said

Victor flipped through it and then shut it.

" He was a good man Patricia…despite what they said about him." Victor said

" Did you know him?" she asked

Victor laughed and said, " No, I'm afraid he was before my time, but my father did. In fact it was strange that an old fool like me would use the money I have made to co-own an opera house my father practiced at."

" Monsieur Henri gave me a strange look, do you think he knows?" she asked

" I will not let looks scare you off…it is in your fate that you return to the place where it all began." Victor said, " when they hear you sing Patricia is when the opera house will be full."

Patricia smiled and hugged Victor.

" Papa spoke so highly of you." Patricia said

" Do not worry I shall keep you under my wing. Just keep those journals close or there will be hell if someone finds them." Victor said, " I will have your lessons set up tomorrow just relax."

Victor left and Patricia unpacked and looked around the room. It was cold and dreary and she could understand why back in the old days people got sick. She looked at the worn black journal and began to read it. She smiled softly at the softhearted parts and tears fell when she found the really sad parts.

" Do not worry I will become great. I won't let you down." she whispered

She walked out the room and in the distance there was music playing. She became curious and walked ever so graceful carrying the bag. As she approached a room she heard someone shift a little then pages turned.

" Who could this be? Perhaps a musician getting extra practice in?" she thought

Patricia stopped and looked into the room seeing only candles lighting up the room. She saw a shadow at a beautiful grand piano and music laid out on the ground.

" Could it be?" she thought

As she got closer the shadow stopped and turned quickly to look and Patricia stopped in her tracks.

" What are you doing here?" he questioned

" Heard you playing." She gasped

The shadow stood and walked towards her and she looked at the young man. His face was not normal…it looked just like his face. The shadow grasped a mask in his hand before he slipped it on.

" Monsieur your music is beautiful." She remarked

" I wrote it myself…but you spoke no answer of what you are doing here." He said

" I told you I heard you playing." Patricia answered

" No that is not what I am asking. Why are you here in this opera house? Why have you brought his spirit to this opera house?" the shadow remarked

Patricia looked at him and breathed deep as he stopped and looked her over. His hand reached and she stepped back.

" You are a child…. a child of a man of power." He whispered, " how can a man like him produce such a creature like you?"

" Excuse me!" she exclaimed

The shadow smiled and pushed her hair back behind her shoulder and stepped back. He rubbed his chin and nodded then turned to his music.

" Monsieur Victor has brought you here because you are to sing the aria that is to open in two days." He said

He cleared his throat and looked at her once more.

" Who are you?" she asked

" Gabriel de Chaney." He remarked

" De Chaney?" she asked

" My great, great grandfather and grandmother were the De Chagnys," he said

"Mademoiselle Daaé." She whispered, " was your great, great grandmother."

" Aww now don't get misted eyed about it." Gabriel sarcastically remarked

Patricia narrowed her eyes and hissed, " you show no loveliness to her. Perhaps your great, great grandfather."

" And you show spite like him." Gabriel replied, " I take that as an offensive remark mademoiselle Sommer."

Patricia folded her arms and then Gabriel looked at her and laughed. She turned and looked at him with a distasteful look.

" You are a bitter man."

" And you are far from a elegant woman like Mademoiselle Daaé." Gabriel remarked

Gabriel turned away and Patricia narrowed her eyes and turned away. Gabriel glanced over his shoulder at her and saw he had gotten to her. He caught glance of one of the journals in Patricia's book bag and walked towards her.

" You have his journals!" he gasped

" I have all 45 journals…and I am the soul guardian of them as well." She remarked

" Let me see them." He demanded

" No, I am the only one who can read them. My great, great grandfather past them on to my grandfather and so forth."

Gabriel grabbed her shoulder and turned her around and Patricia glanced up at him. Her breaths became deep and her heart raced as Gabriel glanced down at her.

" How can you be so thirsty for these books?" she whispered

" I have searched the cellars for 26 years of my life." He answered

" 26 years of your life looking for books of the Phanto…."

" Don't finish that title!" he growled

" Why are you scared of that title?"

Gabriel turned away from her and looked at the glimpse of sunlight that pierced through the dusty window.

" I don't have to explain myself." He whispered

He ran his hand through his hair and then turned to her.

" Leave me." He told her

" Monsieur your looking pale." She said

" Leave!" he shouted, " Just leave!"

Patricia backed off and left the room and Gabriel fell to his knees. He grasped his chest and breathed deep as tears fell from his face.

" Mother, what have I done to deserve this punishment? I am, but a humble man suffering for what curse that was placed on our family. Father sent me to the grave with his disgust." Gabriel whispered

The following day Patricia sat down to breakfast with Victor.

" Gabriel de Chaney, who is he?" she spoke

Victor choked a little and looked at Patricia. She had a look of curiosity on her face. He wiped his lips and cleared his throat.

" Gabriel de Chaney is Duke Alfred de Chaney's son." Victor said, " Why do you ask of such a boy Patricia?"

" I met him yesterday." She replied, " he wears a mask…like…like him."

" He is the guardian of past." Victor remarked, " the man we do not speak of, successor."

" You know him then?" Patricia questioned

" We have crossed paths in this opera house before. The Duke's son has been here for 28 years. I believe I was just learning the ways of the Opera house. Gabriel was a bright young boy, his father found him a disgrace to the de Chaney name and left him here for dead of the winter's grasp." Victor said

" Was he always disfigured?" Patricia asked

" Yes, born and hidden from the world like the old days. I have been his care taker like my grandmother was once his care taker."

Patricia looked around her guardian's home and sighed. She looked at her book bag and then sighed.

" He wishes for the books of him." Patricia remarked

" Keep them from his grasp Patricia. If he has them then he will be unwilling to forgive us for what we have done. Mademoiselle Daaé would not forgive us either. Patricia believe me you must only trust yourself and myself in this opera house. The man who wrote those wrote those to repent for his sins."

Patricia nodded and finished breakfast then went off to the market place. She studied the people that inhabited Paris and she sighed.

" My father spoke of a man so powerful that even he could not live up to him." Patricia said, " his name strikes fear in Parisians. Am I to be isolated like he was 136 years ago?"

Patricia sighed and then suddenly someone came up to her and presented her with a red rose. She looked at the young boy and presented some money, but he shook his head.

" Monsieur de Chaney has given this as a gift." He said

Patricia looked and saw a shadow walking off and then the boy handed her a piece of paper.

" Thank you." She said

She opened the piece of paper and saw it was a deal.

" The journals for my voice training." She whispered, " How dare he think that I would give him any of this!"