"Eve, Eveline," a soft voice whispered as she felt someone shaking her.
Eveline's eyes blinked open, as she looked to see who was shaking her awake.
Her heart stopped momentarily as she gazed at the figure.
It was Emmy Rossum.
After taking a closer look at the woman, what she was wearing, and how her hair was done, she spoke softly.
"Christine?"
The brunette chuckled softly, "Of course, silly. What other sister do you have that wakes you up whenever you sleep in?"
Sister?
What on earth was happening?
Before Eve could think on it too much, Christine spoke up, "Hurry up and get ready for rehearsal, or Madame Giry will have our heads."
And, without another word, Christine rushed out of the room, leaving a shell-shocked Eveline sitting on her bed.
"What the hell is going on?" Eve mumbled, gripping her auburn hair.
Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she realized she didn't have much of a choice other than to go to this rehearsal Christine spoke of.
She quickly got up and got ready, dressing in a similar outfit that Christine had been wearing, the slave's attire for Hannibal.
Once she was ready, she rushed out of the dressing room, quickly running down the spiral stairs. She dipped her pointe shoes in the container of chalk at the bottom of the stairs to keep her shoes from sticking to the stage.
Noticing Christine and Jennifer Ellison, or Meg, Eve rushed over to the dance bar, beginning warmups and stretches. This was a time when Eveline was extremely grateful for her years of ballet practice that her mother insisted on as a part of her musical theater 'hobby.'
Madame Giry walked in between the two parallel bars. She made eye contact with Eve, a warm smile blooming on her usually stoic features. Eveline easily masked the shock in her eyes, returning the woman's smile.
"This trophy from our saviors, from our saviors, from the enslaving force of Rome!"
Eveline winced at the piercing voice of none other than Carlotta Guidicelli. The soprano in question stood front and center on the stage, holding a severed dummy head, before tossing it to one of her maids.
"With feasting and dancing and song, tonight in celebration, we greet the victorious throng, returned to bring salvation! The trumpets of Carthage resound! Hear, Romans, now and tremble! Hark to our step on the ground! Hear the drums - Hannibal comes!"
Eveline had to bite her lip to keep herself from laughing when Carlotta tripped on the train of her elaborate costume.
"You made my dress train too long!" she hissed at her seamstress.
Eve rolled her eyes as Piangi stepped forward, his voice booming through the hall.
"Sad to return to find the land we love threatened once more by Roma's far-reaching grasp."
Monsieur Reyer tapped his baton on his music stand, trying to stop the orchestra as Piangi had once again messed up the line.
"Er, er, gentlemen, gentlemen, er..." he attempted to gain their attention.
"This way. Rehearsals, as you see, are underway for a new production of Chalumeau's Hannibal," Leferve wandered onto the stage, Andre and Firmin in tow.
"Monsieur Leferve, I am rehearsing!" Reyer exclaimed, clearly upset at the interruption.
"Monsieur Reyer, Madam Giry," Leferve began, making everyone look to him, "ladies
and gentlemen, thank you - may I have your attention, please? As you know, for some weeks there have been rumors of my imminent retirement. I can now tell you that these were all true and..."
Carlotta made an 'aha' sound, seeming to say that she knew it.
Nonetheless, Leferve continued, "it is my pleasure to introduce to you the two gentlemen who now own the Opera Populaire: Monsieur Richard Firmin and Monsieur Gilles Andre."
Andre waved to the now applauding crowd as Firmin simply nodded to them.
"I'm sure you've read of their recent fortune in the junk business," Leferve commented.
"Scrap metal, actually," Andre corrected, looking slightly offended.
Eve rolled her eyes as she heard some of the ballerinas whisper about how they must be rich.
"And we're deeply honored to introduce our new patron," Firmin stated.
"The Vicomte de Chagny!" Andre exclaimed, beside himself with excitement.
The crowd applauded once more, and Eveline shared a glance with Christine, a smirk on the former's face at her "sister's" blush.
Eve couldn't believe her eyes when Patrick Wilson, Raoul, walked out into the stage. She nudged Christine slightly.
"Look who it is, Christine," she mused in a teasing tone, causing the blushing brunette to hide her face in Eve's shoulder.
"Who is he?" Meg asked, clearly curious about the man who made her friend so flustered.
"His name is Raoul. We grew up together before our father died, at the house by the sea. He and Christine were childhood sweethearts," Eveline elaborated, having the lines from the movie memorized, laughing softly as Christine poked her side.
"He called me Little Lotte and Eve Little Eevee," Christine mumbled, looking up at the man.
Meg gently shook her by the shoulders, a giddy smile on her face, "Christine, he's so handsome."
Raoul sent a charming smile to the group, "My parents and I are honored to support all the arts, especially the world-renowned Opera Populaire."
Leferve continued to introduce Carlotta and Piangi to Raoul who apologized for interrupting rehearsal before leaving, not giving Christine or Eveline a second glance.
Christine looked at her two companions with a sad smile, "He wouldn't recognize us,"
"He didn't see you," Meg assured.
Eveline hugged Christine to her side, "We'll see him again, I promise."
Christine smiled at her sister, leaning into her embrace. Eveline has no clue how she already felt so comfortable with Christine, seeming to accept her as blood immediately. She could tell she was older than Christine, and that gave her an overwhelming urge to protect her "little sister."
"If you please," Madame Giry called to the ballet girls, gesturing for Firmin to move out of the way, "Monsieur."
Eve, Meg, Christine, and the other ballet girls began to dance. Eveline had never been in the ballet portion of Phantom, but the dance felt like second nature to her. She assumed it was the fact that she was now a character in this world who had, most likely, been practicing this dance for weeks.
"We take a particular pride here in the excellence of our ballets, Messrs," Madame Giry stated proudly s the girls danced.
"I see why," Andre agreed, before gesturing to Meg, "Especially that little blonde angel."
"My daughter: Meg Giry," Madame stated, causing Andre's eyes to widen as he looked between the two women.
"And that exceptional beauty? No relation, I trust?" Firmin asked, gesturing to Christine.
"Christine Daae. Promising talent. Monsieur Firmin, very promising," Madame introduced as Christine had her solo before allowing Eve to come forward.
"How about that gorgeous redhead? Marvelous little thing," Andre commented, his eyes falling on Eveline.
Madame's lips lifted into a warm smile as she watched the girl dance, "Christine's older sister, Eveline Daae. Remarkable talent and an enchanting personality. Just like her sister, very promising."
"Daae, did you say? No relation to the famous Swedish violinist?" Andre asked.
"His only children... orphaned at nine and seven when they came to live and trained in the ballet dormitories..." Madame stated, before noticing the lingering stares of the two men and narrowing her eyes.
"Orphans, you say...?" Firmin asked, eyes not averting from the girls who now danced together.
Madame glared at the managers, "I think of them as daughters also. Gentlemen, if you would kindly stand to one side?"
"Hannibal's friends!"
Carlotta's smile dropped when Piangi stepped on her dress, "Ay, not on my dress! Why?!"
"The trumpeting elephants sound - hear, Romans, now and tremble! Hark to their step on the ground - hear the drums! Hannibal comes!"
Carlotta was practically fuming, furious the new managers did not pay enough attention to her, "All day! All they want is the dancing!"
Firmin was speaking with Andre and Leferve, not noticing Carlotta's rage, "Well, the Vicomte is very excited about tonight's gala!"
Carlotta came up to the three of them, a sarcastic smile on her face, "As, ah-ha-ha. Allora, allora,
allora. I hope he is excited by dancing
girls as your new managers... because I will not be singing!"
She then stormed off, Piangi and her entourage in tow.
Eve watched as Leferve ushered Andre and Firmin to grovel to the Spanish diva.
She rolled her eyes, looking to Meg and Christine and whispering, "Good riddance."
The two girls had to stifle their laughter, gently smacking Eve's arms.
"Monsieur Reyer... isn't there a rather marvelous aria for Elissa in Act Three of Hannibal? Perhaps the Signora..." Andre suggested, making Eveline silently groan.
Carlotta continued to complain, even faking some tears, before smiling at the managers, "If my managers command. Monsieur Reyer."
"If my diva commands," Reyer said, clearly suffering in silence.
"Yes, I do," Carlotta huffed, before stomping closer to the orchestra pit.
Eveline rested her head on Christine's shoulder, "This is going to be miserable, isn't it?"
The brunette chuckled softly, wrapping an arm around Eve and nodding, "Yes. Yes, it is."
"Think of me, think of me fondly, when we've said goodbye. Remember me once in a while - please promise me you'll try."
Eveline grimaced at the horrible screeching. She knew Carlotta's voice wasn't great, but she wasn't expecting something this piercing in real life.
'Anytime now, Erik,' she thought to herself, looking up into the flies, swearing she saw some movement.
"When you find, that once again you long to take your heart back and be free. If you..."
Meg screamed, gripping onto Eveline as a backdrop fell and landed on Carlotta, knocking her down.
Everyone rushed to check on the diva, who was currently screaming her head off. Eveline simply stared up into the flies, smiling softly at the swoosh of a cape she recognized so well.
"He's here... the Phantom of the Opera..." Meg whispered to the Daae sisters.
"Buquet! For God's sake, man, what's going on there?" Leferve shouted up to the man in the flies.
"Please, Monsieur, don't look at me: as God's my judge, I wasn't at my post. Please, Monsieur, there's no one there: or if there is, well then, it must be a ghost..." he smirked, letting out an unsettling chuckle.
Eveline rolled her eyes as she noticed Madame Giry pick a note up off the ground. Her eyes widened at the wax seal: a red skull.
Andre turned to Carlotta, his shaking voice matching his trembling smile, "Signora, these things do happen."
Carlotta's eyes widened in shock before she began shouting, "For the past years these things do happen. And did you stop them from happening? No! And you two - you're as bad as him. "These things do happen!" Ma... until you stop these things from happening, this thing does not happen! Ubaldo! Andiamo! Bring my doggy and my boxy."
Piangi looked at Firmin and Andre before he said, "Amateurs."
When Carlotta was finally gone, Lefevre turned to Firmin and Andre and said, "Gentlemen, good luck. If you need me, I shall be in Australia."
Reyer took out his handkerchief and started to wipe away the sweat from his forehead. Andre looked at Reyer nervously and asked, "Signora Guidicelli! She will be coming back won't she?"
Reyer simply shrugged before Madame Giry spoke up, holding the note in her hands, "You think so monsieur? I have a message, sir, from the Opera Ghost."
Firmin groaned with annoyance. "Oh God in Heaven, you're all obsessed!"
"He welcomes you to his Opera House..."
Firmin looked offended. "His opera house!"
"And commands that you continue to leave box 5 empty, for his use and reminds you that his salary is due."
Firmin seemed positively outraged, "His salary?!"
Madame Giry didn't seem bothered in the slightest, "Well, Monsieur Lefevre used to give him 20,000 francs a month."
Firmin was extremely shocked when he heard her and grabbed the letter. "20,000 Francs!"
Madame Giry smirked as she said, "Perhaps you can afford more. With the Vicomte as your patron?"
Firmin growled as he started to tear the letter to shreds. "Madame, I had hoped to make that announcement public tonight. When the Vicomte was to join us for the gala, but, obviously we shall now have to cancel as it appears we have lost our star!"
Reyer and the cast all seemed distressed. Christine and Meg looked at each other with dejected expressions, while Eveline simply hugged the two, knowing what was going to happen.
Andre was trying to find a way for the show to go on. "But surely there must be an understudy?"
Reyer let out a sarcastic laugh and looked at Andre like he had two heads. "Understudy? There is no understudy for La Carlotta!"
Firmin looked very irritated as he sternly said, "A full house Andre, we shall have to refund a full house!"
Eveline smiled softly, assuming the next words that Madame Giry would say would be suggesting Christine sing.
But what was said shocked her.
"Eveline Daae could sing it, sir."
Well, this was not what she expected.