Disclaimer: Don't own POTO.

A/N: The wardrobe doors flew open, causing The Gerry to leap out of his beanbag with a startled yelp. A whirl of papers blew through the doors and then Misty herself stepped out, silver cloak and all.

The Gerry swept her up in his arms and whirled around the room.

"You're back! You're back! You're back!" he cried.

"My back!" she cried, wincing in pain as his strong arms squeezed her waist a little too tightly.

The Gerry set her on her feet again. "Sorry. You've been gone for almost a year!"

Misty nodded and sighed. "I know, but that is just the way of life. I had enough writing to keep me busy without updating. Yet, I did promise that I would finish Phantom Companions and so here I am."

The Authoress gazed about her old den. It was dusty with neglect and the rest of the house seemed to have been completely deserted. Even the sock army had disappeared. At last she cleared her desk and sat down to write.

"Gerry, would you pin this up in Minion HQ?" she asked, waving a note in his direction.

The Gerry blanched. "I can't go out there. If any of them are still around I'll never make it back alive."

"Take your Invisibility Cloak."

Moments later this note mysteriously appeared in Minion HQ for any remaining minions to read.

Dear Readers,

It's been far too long, I know. A few reviews have trickled into my inbox, all asking me if I am still alive. I told you I would finish this and I intend to do so.

So, for those of you who have been patiently waiting, thank you for your patience? Here it is.

Your obedient servant,

M.B.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

HIDE AND SEEK

Unbeknownst to the ballet rats that were warming up for the evening's performance, a shadowy figure was slithering through secret passages over their heads. Without so much as a whisper, the figure traced its way through the hidden paths of the Paris Opera House until it crashed headlong into another slithering shadowy figure.

Figure 1 fell back with a thud and would have cried out in surprise, but Figure 2 clamped a hand over Figure 1's mouth.

"Sh!" Figure 2 hissed, but the ballet rats were already alerted to the presence of the specters. The younger ones shrieked in excitement when they heard the bumps and thumps of ghostly activity taking place somewhere overhead. In general, the ballet corps rather enjoyed the terrifying company of the theatre haunts. It scared them half to death, but that was the fun of it.

There was one person standing in the practice room that did not share in the girls' giddy terror. Algernon Moncreiff stood stalk-still as he strained to hear where the mysterious noises came from, but the clamor of the ballerinas frustrated all attempts. For weeks now, Algy had been hanging about the Opera House. The detective told the managers that he had a hunch that could prove useful in the capture of the ever elusive and expensive Phantom of the Opera. Of course, the managers were eager to get rid of the costly ghost, so they allowed Algy access to any part of the theatre he wished to search.

He made some efforts to converse with the ballerinas on the subject, but they, whether from fear or loyalty, refused to say anything about the Phantom or his companions. The stagehands and other employees gave his some information, but none of much use. He even got an interview with the Opera's prima donna, Mlle. Christine Daaé. However, Christine knew better than to rat Erik out to a detective.

This put Algy back to square one. Snooping. Having heard that the ballet rats were often visited by ghostly noises while they practiced, he decided to spend some time in their practice room.

In the tunnels above the room, the two figures watched the detective carefully.

"We're in trouble," Erik whispered.

"He won't be able to find us," Anna replied.

"Perhaps not here in the Opera House, but outside it…" Erik trailed off. Anna could see his anger rising as he clenched his fists. He kept a check on his emotions. It wouldn't do any good to throw a fit here. There just wasn't enough room to do his fury justice.

"Let's go home," Erik said. "We can talk freely there."

The redhead nodded and followed him.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Back in the batcave…

Erik threw a royal temper tantrum. Brooke and Anna hid in their bedroom. Dresses, corsets, and bloomers littered the floor, looking as though a hurricane had blown through. They were in the midst of preparing for a weekend at Cecily's little country manor just a few miles outside the city. The girls had been looking forward to a break from stressful wedding planning, but now they feared the trip would be called off. Once the shouting had died down Anna ventured to Erik's room.

"Why does this happen? Why does this always have to happen?" he growled. "Every time I come close to living as a normal human being something or someone gets in the way."

"Isn't there something we can do to get rid of him," Anna said, quickly adding, "That doesn't involve death?"

"I highly doubt it," Erik snarled. He was angry about more than just the threat to his opportunity to leave his miserable life behind. He knew why that infuriatingly handsome detective was on their trail. The Phantom threw a glance at Anna. She was so pretty. He didn't really blame Algy for taking an interest in her; but all the same, Erik felt extremely territorial when it came to the redheaded time traveler. It took all of his will power to resist punjabing Algy in some dark corner of the Opera House.

"Are we not going to go to Cecily's this weekend then?" Anna asked quietly.

Erik looked her in the eye. "Do you still want to go?"

"Yes, wouldn't it be better than just letting him cow us into hiding?"

Erik heaved a sigh. He'd much rather not face a weekend out of the safety of his lair, but one look at Anna's pleading expression and he knew he was done for.

He shrugged. "I can't deny you anything, mon merle."

Anna smiled. Normally, she would have squealed in excitement, but at the moment, it did not seem appropriate. So, she simply stood on tiptoe and kissed Erik's cheek. "Thanks, Erik."

In a rustle of fabric she was gone, leaving a stunned Phantom in her wake. Erik closed his eyes. He could die happy now. All because of a simple kiss, but the kiss sealed his fate: he would find a way to deal with Algernon Moncrieff. Nothing was going thwart his plans for his and Anna's future. He paced his room for a few moments, trying to find a good solution. His first impulse told him to just kill the idiot and get it over with. No! Erik thought to himself, Murdering days are over.

Suddenly, the clouds broke and the sun shone through (not that you could tell from the opera's fifth cellar): Erik discovered a brilliant answer to his problem. Without wasting any time, he grabbed his cloak and mask. He stopped at the girls' door before leaving the lair.

"Ladies?"

The door cracked open, revealing a glimpse of the jungle of clothes within. Brooke stood at the door. "Yes?"

"I'm going up to the ground floor, but I'll be back in time to leave. It's a just a little matter of business."

Brooke quirked an eyebrow. "Getting in a round of haunting?"

"Sure."

"Just make sure you leave time to pack."

Erik snorted as he eyed their messy room. "I don't think that's my problem, Brooke."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Random Paris pub

Algy sat at his usual booth in some random Paris pub, sipping an Earl Grey tea. As usual, his detective work at the Paris Opera House revealed nothing significant about the true identities of the theatre's haunts. Maybe I'm wrong about the connection between the Lerouxs and the opera's ghosts?, the detective thought, Maybe I should just give her up for loss? His eyes darkened. Never once in his life had Algy ever known the disappointment of losing a woman to another man. Oh, there were women, like Cecily, who resisted his charms, but only because they were too smart for him. This was different. The beguiling redhead obviously had strong feelings for that strange guardian of hers. Algy bristled at the very idea of it.

His musings were interrupted by the arrival of Dominic and Jacques Cheney.

"Well, if it isn't our very own gumshoe!" Dom bawled.

Algy offered the boorish brothers a smirk and concentrated on his drink. His cold disinterest didn't go unnoticed.

"Hey, now, Dom, I think Algy here is still brooding over that little Mlle. Leroux giving him the cold shoulder," Jacques said with a snigger.

Algy slammed his glass down on the table. "Will you two just bugger off?"

Dom held up his hands in defense. "All right, throw your hissy fit. See if we tell you about a delightful little weekend getaway involving a private country house, with plenty of rooms and certain red-haired lady."

The Cheney boys pretended to turn away, but Algy called them back. "What are you talking about?"

Jacques laughed again and the detective got a blast of reeking breath in his handsome face.

"Tonight we're picking up two very amiable young ladies and heading out to the family house just outside the city. 'Twas Cecily's idea. Of course, she doesn't know about our two female guests, but the more the merrier, eh?" Jacques said.

"Yes, yes," Algy snapped, "Now what about Anna Leroux?"

"She'll be there with her sister and M. Leroux and the Vicomte de Chagny," explained Dom.

"I see."

"So? Fancy joining us?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Raoul's carriage, on the way to Cecily's house…

"I hate you. Both of you," Erik grumbled.

"You don't hate us," Brooke replied. "You're just too stubborn to admit that we've done you a favor."

Raoul buried his face in Brooke's hair to keep from laughing. Poor Erik had returned to the lair after his mysterious business errand only to find that the cousins had stolen all of his spare masks and redecorated them.

"Trust me, Erik," Anna said as she admired the gold Welsh dragon painted on the half black mask he now wore, "People will be a lot less intimidated of you and, hopefully, less intrusive if they think you're just an ugly, eccentric genius with one hell of a voice."

"As opposed to what?"

"An ugly, psychopathic killer with a vendetta against the whole of Paris."

Raoul lost control and began howling with laughter. Erik shot the nobleman a fiery glare. "I don't know why you're so amused, M. le Vicomte. They'll be after you next."

The rest of the journey passed with a good deal of silence. Brooke and Raoul slipped into that strange lovers' realm where the only other person in existence is the beloved. They whispered quietly and smiled often. The flash of Brooke's ring frequently drew her gaze to her left hand. The Vicomte had presented her with the elegant family heirloom just two days earlier. A large sapphire shone in the middle of a circle of diamonds. The brunette sighed in contentment and nestled against her fiancé's chest.

At the other side of the carriage Anna and Erik sat in total silence, each one staring out at the countryside flashing past the windows. Erik was only prepping himself for the idea of spending a weekend among friends, but Anna was deep in thought on a very serious decision.

Erik's rant about Algy had stuck in her mind all night. She hated the idea of Erik's life being ruined just because she gave some cocky jerk the brush-off. She knew that she had only to flirt with the detective to get him to give up his search for the opera ghosts and then Erik could emerge into society with greater ease. Her heart trembled at the idea of throwing herself at a man she so detested. In fact, it almost made her sick right then and there. She glanced at the masked man sitting beside her. He'd hate her for it, but what else could be done? She loved him too much to let him stay in the shadows forever when he should have had the world at his feet in awe of his beautiful music. Yes, her mind was made up. She would sacrifice everything and let him live.

But…the sacrifice could wait until they next saw Algy in Paris. Anna shifted in her seat so she could snuggle up to Erik. She had developed the habit of snuggling the Phantom a long time ago when it annoyed him, so it was nothing new in that sense. But as Erik returned the snuggle and pulled her closer, Anna felt she might cry. She buried her face in his shirt to hide her emotions. He would loathe her very existence, but at least she had one last weekend with Erik.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Cecily's country manor…

What the hell is he doing here? Anna's mind screamed. Standing in the parlor of Cecily's home was none other than Algernon himself, grinning like a tomcat on the prowl. Anna's eyes flew to Cecily's. The raven-haired woman looked as though she had bitten a lemon. Obviously, this surprised her as much as Anna.

"Pleasure to see you here, Mlle. Leroux," he purred as she stupidly allowed him to kiss her hand.

What do I do?! Start flirting? I'm not ready for this! Anna wanted to run out of the room, tearing her hair. A fleeting glance at Erik only confused her further. His displeasure in Algy's presence was clear, yet he seemed supremely smug and confident about the whole thing. Doesn't he care?

Anna swallowed her nerves and gave Algy a smile. "I didn't know you were going to be here, M. Moncreiff."

"Neither did I," Cecily snarled. She turned to Anna with an apologetic look.

To make matters worse it turned out that the Cheney brothers' unexpected female guests were none other than the air-headed bimbos they'd met at Perros: Lizette Lohan and Hilaire Duff. The two Parisian heiresses, unaware of the Vicomte's engagement to Brooke, immediately glued themselves to Raoul. The brunette vicomtess-to-be fumed.

For what seemed like endless hours they were all trapped in the parlor together: the vulgar people tormenting the un-vulgar people to distraction. The Cheney brothers downed tumbler after tumbler of fine brandy and made every embarrassing comment they could think of, Cecily remained red as a ripe tomato, Raoul cringed under the glare of his yet-to-be-announced fiancée while Lizette and Hilaire heaved their cleavage in his face, Algy continued to harass Anna who was dumbstruck by her inability to either flirt back or slap him, and Erik stood in a corner hating his life (but that was normal for him, at least). In reality this all took place over a matter of fifteen minutes.

At last, the butler announced that the new arrivals' rooms were ready to receive their occupants.

"Fabulous!" Cecily cried in a voice on the verge of hysteria. "Let's all get a good night's sleep. I'll show everyone to their rooms."

They all trooped out after her. When the group of mismatched companions reached the stairs, Anna finally decided to go through with her plan. Even while she was mentally cursing herself she began to return Algy's attentions—much to the horror of Cecily, Raoul, Brooke, and, of course, Erik.

"I'm sorry to have not seen you more often in Paris," she said gaily.

Algy, surprised by her schizophrenic switch in attitude, stammered, "Yes, well, I've been spending a good deal of time working on my cases."

Anna's eye brightened (in a terribly fake cheerful way). "Oh, like what? Detectives have always fascinated me."

The stupid man took the bait, hook, line, and sinker. "Well," he whispered seductively in her ear, "I've been spending a good deal of time at the Opera House."

He thought this would catch her off guard and, thus, answer some of his curiosity about her true identity, but Anna didn't even blanche.

"Really? Are you solving a murder mystery or, perhaps, recovering the diva's stolen jewels?" she asked in breathless anticipation, leaning into him just slightly as they followed Cecily down the hall. Anna repressed a shuddered at the physical contact.

"I've been hunting for the opera ghosts."

"Really? Aren't you afraid you might get hurt?" she asked with a pout.

Algy let out a manly laugh. "I've been in plenty of dangerous situations, Mlle. Leroux. It doesn't phase me in the slightest."

Anna only raised an eyebrow. She wondered how Algy's macho bravado would hold up amidst the sweltering heat of Erik's torture chamber. Oddly enough, Erik himself was thinking the same thing as he stalked along behind them, fingering the Punjab lasso in his pocket.

It was Cecily who broke up the conversation. "This is your room, Anna. And Brooke's."

Anna remained in the hall long enough to wish everyone good night before bolting through the open door. She forced herself to avoid Erik's eyes, but Brooke didn't. She saw the look that followed her cousin. It was one of absolute heartbreak and rage.

"What is Anna doing?" Raoul whispered in her ear.

"I don't know, but I'll find out. In the meantime you'd better behave yourself," Brooke replied with a warning glance.

Raoul's eyes sparkled mischievously. "Me? Behave? That's a tall order, especially when you're just a few rooms away."

Brooke blushed, bid everyone goodnight, and ducked into the room. The minute the door shut, she attacked Anna.

"Since when did you start flirting with Algy?" she hissed. "Did you see the look in Erik's eyes."

Anna wrung her hands in agony. "No! How could I?"

"Well, I did. And it wasn't good. You remember how he looked when we first saw his bare face?"

The redhead paled. "Oh, no."

"Oh, yes. Only this was worse. You just freaking broke his heart!" Brooke was shouting now. Her cousin's behavior utterly bewildered her. It hurt her, not only on Erik's behalf, but also because she felt Anna was keeping something from her. The brunette's anger abated, however, when Anna slumped onto the bed, crying softly.

"It's not like I'm enjoying this," Anna hiccupped.

"Then why—oh, no, don't tell me you're doing what I think you're doing."

Anna nodded. "How else do we get that idiot off our tails? He's only after us because I snub him." Just as she imagined all the implications of losing Erik's trust and love, Anna really broke down in tears.

Brooke rushed over to the bed to comfort her cousin. "Anna, you shouldn't do this. There has to be another way to get Algy to lay off."

"Well, when you come with an idea that doesn't involve murder, let me know. But, of course, it'd probably be too late by then." This brought on a new wave of sobs.

Brooke tried to think of another way to dissuade Anna from her present course of action. "You're doing this so Erik can live a normal life, right?"

Anna nodded.

Brooke continued, "How on earth do expect him to crawl out of his tormented shell if you do this? It'll only drive him further into the shadows and then it will all have been pointless."

"I thought of that, but I guess I hoped he'd understand somehow."

Brooke highly doubted the possibility of Erik understanding why the woman he loved had suddenly attached herself to a man she despised with her every breath, but she tried a new angle. This one hit home.

"You know, this is just the sort of thing Ophelia would do."

There was silence for a moment before Anna shot off the bed. She stared at Brooke with a look of pure disgust. "The Mary Sue?!" she screamed.

Brooke remained calm. "Yes. Don't Sues totally go for the whole sacrifice-on-the-alter-of-twu-wuv sort of deal? I mean, it's really melodramatic."

"Merde!" Anna slapped a palm to her forehead. With a loud groan she sank back onto the bed. "I can't undo it now."

Brooke waved it off. "I'm sure you can think of a way to tell Algy—nicely, of course—that you still think he's a pompous cockscomb. It's patching it up with Erik that I'd worry about."

Just then the bedroom door flew open. Both cousins shrieked in surprise as Lizette and Hilaire waltzed in.

"Time for hide and seek, everybody!" Hilaire announced with noxious bubbliness.

"What? Are you crazy?" Brooke snapped.

"We're having a private conversation if you don't mind. Besides, we're exhausted and it's late," Anna growled. She tried to shove the two intruders out the door, but suddenly found that she was the one being flung out into the hallway.

"No excuses!" Lizette said in that sexily breathless way of hers.

"It'll be fun!" Hilaire squealed as she dragged Brooke along with her. The obnoxious duo succeeded in rounding up everyone, excepting M. Leroux, who rather scared them. It was, as Anna had grumpily pointed out, an absurdly late hour, but Lizette and Hilaire were determined to make scandalous use of every moment they got away from home. Cecily looked pathetically resigned to the fact that she was no longer in charge of her own home.

"All right, here's how we're going to play," Hilaire chirped. "All of the gentlemen will hide somewhere in the house and each lady will seek the gentleman of her choice."

"That's it?" asked a very peeved Raoul. "What happens after that?"

Lizette seductively arched her well-groom eyebrows. "It's up to you."

"Everyone understand?" Hilaire squeaked. No one answered, so she took that as a collective 'yes.' "Get to hiding, then, gentlemen! You have to the count of two hundred."

The Cheney brothers gleefully charged out the door, Raoul begrudgingly followed. Algy stopped just a moment to whisper something to Anna, but Lizette shooed him away before he could tell her where he'd be hiding. After a long time Hilaire finally managed to correctly count to two hundred.

"Happy hunting, girls!" she quipped as she bounced out of sight. Brooke heard her whisper something about 'pinning that alluring Vicomte' to Lizette.

"Oh, no you don't," she snarled as she raced out of the room, leaving Cecily and Anna behind.

"Shall we?" Cecily motioned to the door.

"Yippee-ki-ay," Anna muttered. She desperately hoped that she wouldn't run into Algy. Maybe if she just went back to her room. Struck with the brilliance of her own idea, the redhead ran for the stairs. She had almost reached her destination when a door opened and a pair of strong arms jerked her inside. She almost screamed when she found herself in a pitch-black room…save for the two eerie pinpoints of light floating above her.

"Erik!"

"Would you mind explaining that disgusting display of flirtation?" the Phantom asked. Her blood chilled at the deadly tone in his voice. "I must admit I didn't expected such vapidity from you!"

Suddenly Anna burst into fresh tears. She reached out towards him, but sensed him moving away from her. So she backed up until her legs hit a couch, causing her to fall onto it.

"I was only doing it for you," she sobbed.

"For me?" Erik yelled. He struck a match and lit a single candle sitting on the fireplace mantle. In its feeble glow he could see Anna huddled on the couch, looking positively miserable.

"I thought m-maybe he'd leave the opera g-ghost thing alone. Then y-you'd have a chance," she whimpered. She cringed, waiting for the next scathing comment, but instead, she heard Erik's melodic laughter. Her head shot up to see an unmasked Phantom clinging to the mantle as he snickered uncontrollably. It wasn't his sarcastic laugh. He actually thought there was something funny about Anna willingly sacrificing all of her happiness and dignity for the sake of his future. Her brown eyes narrowed.

"What's so funny?" she snapped.

Erik's eyes danced with mirth as he replied between laughs, "It's just that the Vicomte and I have already settled the matter."

Anna jumped to her feet. "What!"

"Yes, Raoul will simply use his clout with the managers to get them to throw Algy off the premises. He's going to tell them he's just making everything up so he can seduce ballet rats."

Feeling like she was losing her mind, Anna grabbed two handfuls of her hair and screeched in fury. This only made Erik laugh harder.

"Really, my dear, it was quite noble of you to step into the line of fire." At that the Angel of Music found himself the target of a barrage of pillows.

"That's just rich!" Anna screamed. "You were just ready to bite my head off for flirting with that moronic detective, but since you've gotten everything under control, you think it's cute."

"Anna, please—" Erik easily deflected the pillows as he began moving toward her.

The incensed redhead ranted on. "—With no consideration to how I felt, throwing myself at a man I hate, pretending to actually like him, when I'm in love with you!"

The atmosphere of the room changed in an instant. Erik caught the last pillow, his eyes fixed on the woman before him. Anna stood stock-still in shock with a hand clamped over her mouth and her own wide eyes returning Erik's gaze. She shrank back as he approached.

"Did you mean that?" he asked, his voice tense.

Anna lowered her hand. "You know the answer to that."

Erik's mind was having an internal shouting match with his heart.

Don't make any sudden moves until she answers!

What are you waiting for? That's invitation enough.

No! Get it in writing. You can never be too sure she's telling the truth. That's how it always is.

Oh, come, on! Show some backbone!

Just back away. Give yourself some time to think about this.

You've BEEN thinking this thing to death. Just kiss her already!

Before he could change his mind, Erik grabbed Anna by her shoulders and pulled her close. He lowered his head as she tilted hers up and lightly pressed his lips to hers. Drawing back to gauge her reaction, Erik received the shock of his life when Anna threw her arms around his neck and dragged him back down for a significantly less chaste kiss.

It lit him on fire, but he didn't want to ruin everything by being imprudent. Finally, he pushed her away, wincing at the hurt look in her eyes.

"Anna," he said through ragged breathing. "I am in love with you. Please, please be my wife."

The volume of her shriek of joy nearly shattered the windows. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" She threw herself into his arms. "Did you think I'd say no?"

"Well, I didn't expect you to be this happy about it. I think you've permanently damaged my hearing."

Anna leaned back to catch his gaze with a playful look of her own. "So how long have you been in love with me?"

"I think it started when the imposter arrived in Perros. And you? How long have you…" Erik couldn't finish.

"Loved you? It's all right. You can say it. Repeat after me, 'Anna loves me.'"

Erik smiled sheepishly, but obeyed. "Anna loves me." Quiet tears of happiness began to trickle down his misshapen face. He buried his head in her hair and Anna let him cry as she rest her head on his shoulder. Her body language was all comfort and support, but her mind was running in a different vein.

OMG, he's a good kisser…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Else where in the house…

Brooke threw open the library doors. Sure enough, she found her beloved huddled in a corner, trapped by the voluptuous bodies of Lizette and Hilaire.

The bubbly blonde turned to see who had disturbed them. "Oh, Brooke, darling, you'll have to find someone else, darling. M. de Chagny's taken."

Before Brooke could utter a snide reply, flash her ring, or strangle them both, Raoul shoved his way past his captors and rushed toward her. To the utmost surprise of the ditzy duo, the normally reserved Vicomte snatched up the brunette and planted a steamy kiss directly on her mouth.

When he finally let Brooke come up for air, she looked at their audience with a dazed, yet triumphant smile, "Guess you'd better keep seeking, girls."

Angry and insulted, Lizette and Hilaire stormed off in a huff.

"You'd better go, too," Raoul said huskily.

"Why?" Brooke pouted.

"Because if you don't I'm going to take advantage of you."

Brooke gave him once last kiss before escaping his all-too-eager grasp.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A/N: Someone e-mailed me or reviewed asking if they could draw pictures of the event in Phantom Companions. I can't remember who it was, but if you're still inclined to do so, go for it.