In The Wings

Act IV Scene I

"A new song?" Ian asked, squinting down at the music that had just been shoved into his hands. This was the first rehearsal after the masquerade dance and the run in with the Phantom.

"Several new songs, mostly for Clara," one of the ensemble members explained to him, heaving a sigh.

"And cuts," Carly added in, rolling her eyes.

"Courtesy of our friend, the Auditorium Ghost, I'm guessing?" Ian replied to the two of them. They both nodded back. Ian and Carly turned their gaze to Christine. It was certainly very suspicious that this mysterious person who now held so much power was so fascinated with Christine. It seemed to be that this Phantom's goal was to raise Christine up as high as possible. But she looked afraid, tiny as her eyes tended to flit around nervously.

Christine breathed heavily but in short little bursts. She looked as if she was going completely mad. The poor Daae girl tended to lean in and out of these emotions. Sometimes she would seem completely normal, but then she would spot a shadow moving and her nerves would snap.

Her fingers ran over the black notes on the music pushed out in front of her. Almost all of it had been written for her, but every time she tried to sing it she felt a darkness overtaking her heart and making her waver. But, at the same time, she felt something forcing her to sing it well. The Phantom had written this music for her, and as soon as she got past her initial fear her voice overtook her mind and she was singing it almost perfectly.

Christine had to admit, what the Phantom had written was beautiful. He had integrated the deeper feelings of the Light in the Piazza perfectly within not only the singing but the accompaniment as well. There were hints of that music of the night that had enchanted Christine so much all that time ago.

"Oh, look at the star of the show!" Carly drawled, making her way over towards Christine. Ian followed right behind her like a loyal dog who could never leave her.

As she saw them coming towards her, Christine closed her eyes and forced herself to calm down. Everything had been fine for the longest time, but now the Phantom was in control of the Light of the Piazza and even more in control of her.

"I see you have all of these new songs," Ian said. "Very, very interesting. You're very lucky, you know."

"It all seems to be handwritten, as well!" Carly noted. "Wait a moment - didn't the Auditorium Ghost give us this music?"

"You've got a point there, Carly," Ian said, putting his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders. "Since so much of it is for Clara, it must have been written for her."

"Oh, imagine that!" Carly said. "Christine, do you have some connection with this Auditorium Ghost? Have you two set something up? Maybe you're doing something for him in order to get yourself whatever you want."

"I'm not doing anything," Christine cried. Where was Paul when she needed him? "I don't want any of this, I don't-"

"You don't want to be the lead any more?" Ian replied. "Well, I think we can arrange that. I think we both know there's someone far more deserving of the role. She's standing right next to me."

"I have to...I think I have to do this. It's my duty," Christine said.

"Your duty, you say?" Carly asked. "Then why are you being so shy about it. Come on! Why don't you go ahead and show us your duty, then?"

"What?" Christine asked, her voice hoarse.

"Come on, Christine," Carly said, her voice almost taunting her. "Let's hear you sing what this ghost has written for you."

"Actually," Ian said, "I think we'd all like to know why exactly the ghost has written anything for you."

Carly immediately jumped in on Ian's scheme, the two of them ganging up on Christine.