A/N: I added the cast! The girl above is Cindy btw :)

I had said goodbye to Pierre and headed upstairs to my room, when my phone rang.

"Hey Cindy." I answered. 

"What. Happened?!" She demanded. 

"Well... he walked me home." I admitted. 

"Who walked you home?"

"Er... To be honest I don't know."

"You let a stranger walk you home?" She asked, her disappointment audible. 

"He's not a stranger!" I replied defensively. 

"Oh?"

"Well I mean he is but he's not strange... Well I mean he's a bit strange but I feel safe around him..." I ramble.

"Girl you have a lot of explaining to do." She huffs. 

I sigh as i enter my hotel room and set my phone on speaker as I change into pajamas. 

"Well... where do you want me to start?" I ask.

"The french gangsters?!" She replied roughly. 

"Okay... so you remember the assignment I took down here?" I ask.

"The random address you were so keen to go watch?" She replies.

"Yeah that..."

"Go on."

"I saw some guys go into the building and ..."

"Tell me you didn't follow them." She interrupts. 

"I didn't follow them."

"...Tell me the truth."

"...Okay I followed them..."

"And..."

"And they found me but I managed to outrun them." I reply. 

"Into the Opera Populaire?" She asks.

"Yeah."

"Did you see anything?! What was that scream?!"

"You might not believe me..."

"Try me." She clipped.

"I met the Phantom of the opera..." I admitted, cringing as I awaited her reply.

"No way..."

"Really I did!" I reply defensively. 

"Alexandra! You know I believe in that kind of stuff, how dare you make fun of me for it!!" She stormed.

"I'm not!!!" I replied, my wandering eyes locking onto my recorder. 

"I'm not and I can prove it." I smirked.

"Sure you can." She retorted. 

"No really! I had my recorder running the whole time! Listen!" I smiled. 

I fast forwarded all the french...

"Phantom?" I heard myself say, "Are you boys threatening me with ghost stories?"

"English girl then? Ah that makes more sense."- "The ghost is real."

"I don't believe in ghosts."

"You will. If you spend any time in there you will."

"What do you suggest I do?"

"Come with us."

"I'll take my chances with the ghost thanks."

"Look at it this way. We can sit out here all night."

"And I can stay here all night too."

"The phantom of the opera does not take kindly to strangers in his domain."

"I'm not coming out."

"You will. It's just a matter of time madame."

"I have chills!!!" Cindy interrupted.

"Wait till you hear the phantom."

"I can't! please fast forward some more..." She squealed.

"I'm not going to hurt you." I spoke.

"I know." He replied melodiously.

"Madame you are not well... May I?"

"I hear shuffling, What is happening here?"

"He got me a bandage of sorts. And carried me to the steps."

"He carried you?! Like how did he carry you?!"

"Cindy!"

"I must tie it tightly so you do not lose more blood."

"Okay." I managed feebly. I hissed as he tightened the fabric.

"Come with me." He said , his voice demanding but not unpleasant.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, just very dizzy."

"Do you trust me?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"So then here we are at the stairs and he leaves then you called me."

"Uh huh." Cindy replied, absolutely absorbed in listening.

"Wait here."

*I fast forwarded through the phone conversation*

"I have to go."

"Alex don-"

The door creaked open.

"Shall we?"

...

"Are you staying near here?"

"I'm not sure I should tell you that."

...

"How about I take you someplace public then?" 

"Alright..."

"His voice..." Cindy swooned. 

"I know right?" I chuckled. 

"I didn't kill them."

"Pardon?!"

"Those men, I just scared them off."

"Oh."

...

"This is where I leave you."

"Thank you again. If you hadn't been there..."

"It's nothing."

"It's not nothing those men might have killed me. If they were so kind."

"Madame, what exactly did you see?"

"Ask me no secrets I tell you no lies." I smiled.

"I'm glad you hid in my opera house. I can not tell you how welcome your company was."

He stated awkwardly.

And just like that. The tape ended.

"Thoughts?"

"I feel it worrying that he needs to clarify that he didn't kill anyone... Mind you he does have a reputation." Cindy replied. I could almost see the scheming look on her face. 

"He does?!" I gasped. 

"Yup kidnapping and murder. Probably extortion too." Cindy replied nonchalantly. 

"What?!"

"He Murdered a man, hung him from the rafters. Demanded the opera owners give him some of the pay and last but certainly not least. Terrorized a young lady by the name of Christine Daae." Cindy listed. 

"But there is no possible way this could be the same man right? That was in the 1800's... nobody could life that long." I replied. 

"Unless he didn't." Cindy shot back. 

"What are you saying?"

"He's called the phantom for a reason."

"He carried me... aren't ghosts supposed to be nontangable?!" I exclaimed. 

"Maybe he's immortal?!" Cindy replied. 

"This is ridiculous... Look Cindy I love you but I have a story to write. I have to get Carl a copy of it soon too."

"But you saw, THE Phantom!!" Cindy replied. 

"Or did I? Look there are plenty of logical explanations..."

"Oh yeah? Name one!"

"Maybe the Man I saw today was just a random person who wanted the phantom to be real..." I replied. 

"An actor??? Really that's the best you got?" Cindy sassed. 

"Or maybe I'm in the city of love on my own and I'm hallucinating things! Look I really do have to go. I don't fancy dwelling on this right now." I reply shortly. 

"I still like my theory best."

"Well you would Cindy. Now goodnight." I sigh. 

"Goodnight. Good luck writing."

"Thanks."

"Oh and Alex?"

"Yeah?"

"Promise me you wont go back to the opera alone."

"Look I'll be leaving in three days anyways I won't have the time." I reply. 

"Alex."

"Scouts honor, happy?" I reply tactfully. 

"Very. Goodnight!" Cindy chirps. 

"Night." I reply, hanging up the phone. 

I threw my phone at the bed and plopped down next to it. It's not like me to imagine something so real. But today has been stressful even for me...I pulled my laptop onto my lap and started writing my piece, translating the french was not too difficult with the help of the program on my computer and my eyes widened at the amount that I had uncovered. I quickly called Carl.

"Carl! You won't believe what I've found!" I exclaimed.

"French gold thieves?"

"...how did you..."

"Gabby apparently has an informant in France."

"What?! No how could she!!" I screeched.

"I'm so sorry Alex, but she already got it published." Carl sighed.

"What are you saying?!" I asked, my stomach turning. 

"Gabby got promoted."

"No!"

"Listen, Alex. Try to get some sleep and... I don't know. I'm really sorry but there was nothing for me to do... You still can stay till Thursday and the company will pay for it."

"It's not your fault... I just."

"I'm sorry. Try to get some sleep... Sorry Alex...Bye." Carl finished lamely. 

I stared numbly at my computer screen.

Gabby had done it again.

She had pulled the rug out from under me.

I looked at the clock. It would be 3:00 am in London, so calling Cindy was out of the question.

I glared at my computer and the notes and writing that lived there.

"Of course Gabby stole my promotion. Because stealing my man wasn't enough for her." I hissed bitterly into the stillness of the room. I flung my recorder at the wall.

"Crap." I swore, standing and walking over to the window.

The moon gleamed off the buildings.

My thoughts wandered as my eyes took in the beauty of the french night. Is there nothing sacred to her? She stole my boyfriend and my one shot at gaining any upper hand in my job.

A thought dawned on me.

"But I do have one story that Gabby can't steal..." I whispered to myself, a smile curling at the edges of my mouth. I crossed over to the wall and retrieved my recorder from off the ground. I walked over and sat on my bed my smile growing.

"Sorry Cindy, but technically I didn't promise." I muttered as I typed some keywords into my computer.

The Opera Populaire Phantom...