Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing except for the original characters Maria, Amelia, and Isabella.

Chapter 1

Four Months

Four months. Four months had gone by since the disaster at the Opera Populaire. Since the night the Phantom of the Opera had caused the giant chandelier to come crashing down, destroying much of the theater. Four months, and not a soul had heard anything of the disappearance of Christine Daae, the Vicomte de Changy, or the mysterious Opera Ghost.

Most believed all three to be dead. The most popular rumor floating around among the ballet rats was that the Phantom had killed the Vicomte and Miss Daae, and afterward had taken his own life. And at the head of this rumor was none other than Little Jammes, the girl making it sound more horrible with every chance she got to retell her tale.

"Christine begged and begged the wretched man for the life of her lover, but the Opera Ghost would hear none of it. He took his magical lasso and hung the Vicomte, right there in front of Christine! She was forced to watch as the man she loved died, right before her!" At this point, Little Jammes' eyes were wide, her breath coming quickly as she got into her story. "And do you know what he did next?"

"What?" Maria, another of the ballet rats and Little Jammes' best friend, asked.

"He took Christine by the shoulders and shook her roughly. Telling her that she must love him."

As if to demonstrate her point, she grabbed the closest dancer, which turned out to be Meg Giry, and shook her as hard as she could.

"She refused though. She told him she could never love a beast such as he. And then another lasso appeared out of no where! He took it, and used it to strangle poor Miss Daae to death!"

Gasps went up among the corps de ballets, all of them standing there in wonder, all except for Meg. She had managed to remove herself from the black haired ballet dancer's grasp, going over to stand on the sidelines. Rolling her eyes at the utter stupidity of the story, she couldn't believe how anyone could believe the blatant lies, let alone how Jammes could stand there and tell them everyday before practice. She might not know what had happened down below the opera house that night, but she knew the Phantom did not kill the Vicomte and her best friend.

Not even a week after the accident, for that is what the papers had been calling it, a terrible accident, Christine had written a letter to Meg. She told her how the Phantom had let her and Raoul go free, and that they were just fine. In fact the couple married almost immediately and were now living only a few miles outside of Paris. Meg was to keep this information to herself, at least for a while. Christine feared the Phantom was still alive and after everything that had been done, she didn't want to hurt him with the news that she had married the man he hated so. She would wait until the theater reopened, for she had assured Meg at the time that it would reopen, and then the new Vicomtess would arrive with her husband.

Even with Christine's reassurances that the Opera Populaire would indeed reopen, Meg had been weary. For certain she thought that Messieurs Andre and Firmin would flee as soon as they got someone to take the opera house off their hands. But instead an envelope had arrived with more than enough money to pay for repairs. The opera had since been restored to its former glory, new singers, dancers, and musicians had been hired, and now the company was planning its comeback. In two days time the doors would reopen and the first opera in four months would be played before an almost completely full house.

Many people were excited and wished to attend, but try as they might, Andre and Firmin could find no one to occupy box five. Even the managers, who knew first hand that the Opera Ghost had been silent for months, were not brave enough to take the box.

None of that mattered though, Meg was just happy to be able to dance again. It had been far too long since she had felt the thrill of being onstage, the thrill that only dancing could give her. This time would be different though. She was no longer Meg Giry, the little ballet tart, but instead, Meg Giry, Prima Ballerina of the Opera Populaire. She had earned the new position after La Sorelli left, the former Prima Ballerina refusing to come back. She had told the managers that like La Carlotta, she had had enough of this life. Constantly looking over her shoulders, always watching what she said for fear of angering the Opera Ghost. She wanted to live her life in peace, and the only way to do that was to leave the Paris Opera House for good. She would have no problem finding work else where, she was an excellent dancer and the Opera Populaire wasn't the only place in France that hosted ballets.

Meg, along with Little Jammes, Maria, and another girl by the name of Amelia, had all tried out for the coveted spot of Prima Ballerina. They all knew the prestige of the title, how not only would the girl finally be taken seriously by the other members of theater and no longer looked at as a simple "ballet rat", but she would also get her privacy. Having to share living space with twenty other girls who did nothing but gossip and sneak in and out through the night was the main reason Meg had even bothered to try out. Never had she thought that she would get the spot. She knew Maria and Amelia wouldn't get it, no matter how good they were, they both lacked the focus and the drive to truly make them great.

Of course those two wouldn't get it, even the newest of the rats were certain that neither girl could win over the managers, Monsieur Reyer, and Madame Giry. And they were quite right. Though both girls tried their hardest, they were told that even though they both were promising and had talent, they did not have what was needed to be the Prima Ballerina. While these events surprised no one, except it seemed Maria and Amelia, none of the corps de ballet were prepared when Little Jammes was told that she also, did not have what it took.

Meg remembered well the look of indignation on the face of Little Jammes, how she along with half of the dancers had been shocked to find that she didn't have enough discipline to take on the role. All eyes at that point had turned to Meg.

"All these years you have shown much promise. Ever since your mother first started to teach you the art of ballet, you stood out. And now my dear, we would be honored if you would be the new Prima Ballerina," Monsieur Reyer said kindly as he smiled at Meg.

"Yes, yes! We shall have new posters made immediately. And on them will be a painting of our new Prima Donna and Ballerina, La Isabella and La Giry!" Andre said, excited about how much money would come in once the pretty face of the Little Meg Giry was on the posters throughout Paris.

"No Monsieur, please. I really don't want to be on the poster, nor do I wish to be known as La Giry."

"If you insist, but I think it sounds better than La Meg."

"No, if my name must go on the poster, than please just let it be small and let it only read Meg Giry."

"But, why?"

"Andre, if that is what the girl wishes, then let us just keep it that way," Firmin said, not really caring what she went by as long as she danced as well onstage as she had just moments before.

"Thank you Monsieur," Meg had said softly as she turned to leave the stage.

While she was grateful for the opportunity to show off her dancing skills, she did not wish to be treated any differently than she had before. Plus she knew that there was the very real chance that Isabella would possibly try to run her out of the opera house if not only was her name right next to hers on a poster, but if she had to share picture space with a girl who, until recently, had gone almost completely unnoticed. No, Meg was just fine with the title of Prima Ballerina, she needed nothing else.

"It's just too bad that the Phantom had to off himself before he could have taken care of Meg," Little Jammes said loudly, snapping the other girl out of her thoughts.

Meg simply ignored her though; she was all too used to hearing these things. Little Jammes, along with the others, felt for certain that the only reason Meg had been able to secure the position of Prima Ballerina had been because of her mother. They all told stories about how Meg was about as graceful as an elephant when she was in her pointe shoes, but the worst of all came from Little Jammes.

Just as she told all that would listen her own version of what happened the night of the disaster, so did she tell what she believed to be the truth with Meg. By now most of the little rats thought her nothing but a whore, since apparently she was the mistress of both managers and of Monsieur Reyer as well. For according to the gossiping ballerina, that would be the only way that someone as untalented as Meg could ever move beyond standing in the background, waving a flower around.

"I guess it must be sad for you Meg that the Phantom isn't still around, for if he was, then you could sleep with him as well. Then I bet he would make sure his good little whore got La Isabella's spot by threatening the managers!"

"Enough of this! Jammes, hold your tongue. It is not proper for young girls to speak with such language," Madame Giry said as she walked onto the stage, ready to start practice. "Everyone, get into first position right now, we have much work to do before opening night!"

…

High above the stage in rafters, the man known as the Phantom watched on. He couldn't help the small half smile that came onto his face after the way Madame Giry had reprimanded Little Jammes. Oh how he longed to rid his opera house of the inept dancer, who seemed more concerned with the latest rumors than with actually doing well onstage. No matter how many accidents had occurred, or how many threatening notes had arrived, it seemed that nothing would scare her enough to make her leave. If only he had no qualms about harming women, then it would be so easy to let one of his Punjab lasso's slip around her little neck, much in the same way she said he did to Christine. That would surely teach the girl never to speak of things she did not know.

But for now it seemed he would have to be content with letting Madame Giry take care of the troublesome girl. He only hoped that she wouldn't destroy the opera's opening night with her careless flouncing about the stage. With one last look at the practicing dancers, the Phantom of the Opera made his way back to his home, far below the stage of the Opera Populaire.