So Sorry for the extremely long wait, but I've been quite busy.

Sorry this chapter couldn't be longer, but I had to stop it here.

Otherwise, chapter seven would two paragraphs long.

On that note, chapter seven shouldn't take long to update,

considering more than half of it is already written.

Enjoy the chapter (And please review)

Chapter 6

Paige sat in her room reflecting on the day's happenings. Well...most of them, the day was not yet over. Unfortunately. She had been put under house arrest. Both of her parents insisted that it was for her own safety, but neither of them would tell her what safety it provided her.

She wasn't allowed to leave her room whatsoever. God forbid if she asked to go outside. Luckily she had gotten a few days off at work; otherwise, her boss would fire her for sure! After a bit of consideration, she decided to keep the incident at the opera house a secret. When her mother asked her where she had gone, Paige simply replied that she had gone out walking. Of course they didn't believe her, but they didn't press her further. Paige really couldn't blame them for not believing her. After all a five hour walk after dark did seem a bit unbelievable.

Every time she decided to leave her room, she was yelled at and sent back. The last time she left her room, she returned with a splitting headache from all the yelling. Being locked alone inside her room made her think of the day that she found out that blasted secret. Being secluded in her room made her mind wander over all of the dark times. She couldn't seem to get of one single thought that would brighten her day now. Thinking of it made more tears fall.

She sighed with frustration and whispered to herself between small sobs "Crying will get me nowhere. I'll never find out anything about who I was by sitting here!"

Once her voice trailed off, it was met with deafening silence once again. Save the occasional noise made by the other people in the house. All of a sudden, a thought struck her.

"Maybe I can stay with someone else. At least until I get a few things straight." She thought out loud. "Maybe Christine will let me stay there. I can pay rent if need be."

With that, she made up her mind. Paige decided to wait until nightfall to carry out her plan.

XxXxX

Once the sun had set, and she was sure that both of her parents were asleep, Paige got a small bag out of her closet to pack a few clothes. She packed two dresses, a corset, and her favorite pair of shoes. Anything other clothing she needed, she could make herself.

She carried her bag into the parlor and fastened her cloak around her shoulders. She reached for the door handle, but paused before touching it. She thought of her parents fast asleep in their rooms, and what she may be doing to them by leaving. Even though they weren't her real parents, she still loved them dearly, and it hurt her to think of how much she would be hurting them by deserting them. After all, they were the only parents she knew.

Paige shook her head to clear that thought. "No, I'm tired of waiting on answers that are never going to come." She thought determined.

Biting back tears, she turned the doorknob with a slight click. The door slowly swung open. Un welcoming cold air from outside enveloped her, making her shiver. She took one last glance inside her house before swallowing grimly, and shutting the door quietly behind her.

"I bet I'm quite a sight!" She thought with a small laugh, imagining herself walking blindly down the street with a bag of clothing. Her mind took over as she continued down the street. Before she knew it, she had stopped. Looking up from the cobblestone street, she found herself gazing up at the Paris opera house. This made her think of Meg.

'I hope she's alright' Paige hoped. The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to find out, and tell her that she made it home alright. Paige was beginning to get tired but decided to go see Meg anyway.

XxXxX

Somehow, she managed to find Meg's room easily, without getting lost once. Paige glanced around at her surroundings, and they reminded her of the night when she was drug down below the opera house. The hallways were, once again, empty and very dark. She shuddered, hoping that Erik was not nearby. She decided that she didn't want another adventure like the last one with him.

She shrugged it off and knocked on the door quietly. After a moment, the doorknob clicked and the door swung open revealing an exhausted Meg, the exhaustion faded as she realized who was at the door.

"Paige!" She said excited, but with a hint of worry in her voice. "I was worried! I could have sworn that I heard you scream in the hallway last night. I thought that you might have been hurt."

Paige smiled "Well…um…it wasn't me, I went home, remember?" She asked nervously, not being able to think of a smooth lie. "Besides, the exit was the other way, I wouldn't have even been in that general direction at all." She added quickly.

Meg pondered this for a moment, "But you didn't meet me this morning like you said we would."

Paige had forgotten about that, with all of the other things going on, how could she remember?

"I'm sorry Meg" Paige said apologetically "I-I was in such a hurry to get home that once I got there, I just forgot. I'm truly sorry, maybe we could go first thing tomorrow?" She asked hopefully, not wanting her only friend to be angry with her.

Meg noticed the hesitation in her voice, but accepted her explanation. "Well, I would meet you tomorrow, but the new production is coming up, and rehearsals are going to be very early tomorrow."

Paige nodded "Well maybe some other time then."

Meg nodded "By the way, why are you out this late?" she asked.

Paige showed Meg her suitcase, "Well I left home for a while. It's a long story. I was actually going to see if I could stay with a friend."

Meg nodded nervously. "I know Christine wouldn't mind you staying."

Paige inwardly smiled, that's where she was headed in the first place. "I'll see, don't worry, I'll find some place." She said reassuringly.

Meg smiled, "Good luck then, Paige." She said both worriedly and sympathetically.

Paige smiled, and held back a yawn. "Thank you Meg, I'll come by tomorrow, alright?" She asked.

Paige wasn't sure how to get out, and wanted to ask Meg where to go, but she decided against it, seeing as Meg might get suspicious about how she'd gotten out the previous night. She turned to leave, but was stopped by Meg's hand on her shoulder.

"What is it?" Paige asked turning toward her.

Meg looked worried, "You know, the streets are dangerous at this time, I'm surprised that you made it over here safely. I don't want you getting hurt."

Paige turned her head to face the dark corridor, and then looked back to Meg. "I've got to try. Nonetheless, I am not going back home, that's for sure…I'll take my chances" She said determinedly.

Meg gave her a nervous stare and sighed, "Come inside." Paige was about to object, but a look from Meg told her that she most likely shouldn't.

She followed reluctantly "Alright, but only for a moment. I've got somewhere to be, and the later it gets, the slimmer chance I've got on staying there."

Meg ignored this "Why not stay with us tonight? You can leave in the morning, and go find someplace else to stay if you wish." Once again, Paige was about to protest but Meg interrupted, "Please, just one night, I just don't want you out there alone. You can sleep over there." She said pointing to a sofa in the corner of the room, "and I'll wake you early tomorrow morning so you can get an early start."

Paige sighed. "Meg I'll be fine, don't worry so much." She was about to go further. But caught a look from Meg that silenced her.

"Fine! But I'm leaving first thing in the morning. I don't want to bother you much more. After showing me around here, and risking you getting in trouble. I already owe you." Paige said defeated.

Meg smiled a relieved smile. "Thank you Paige. Did you bring a gown to sleep in?" She asked, walking over to a nearby closet.

Paige shook her head cursing herself for her forgetfulness. "No, I'll sleep in this." She said gesturing to the dress that she wore.

"I'll loan you something." Meg said pulling out a soft blue long sleeved gown with white trimming.

Once Paige had changed behind a changing screen, Meg handed her a pillow and some blankets. Then bade her goodnight, and went to bed.

Paige lay awake thinking of what to do next. 'What have I done?' She asked herself. "I've left them alone! They'll be out looking for me!"

For the first time, her thoughts shifted to who her real parents might be. Though she loved the set of "parents" she currently lived with, she couldn't help but think about them, and why they put her up for adoption in the first place.

A thump out side in the hallway broke her prison of thought. Quietly, Paige got up and peered out the door. No sooner than she did, a woman came stomping around the corner shouting in a heavy Italian accent, occasionally slipping in a few Italian words into her rant.

She was closely followed by two annoyed, yet horrified, looking men. One of them was tall with dark hair that contained just a dusting of gray. The second man was rather short with solid gray hair. Both of them wore suits and long coats.

"All I ask is that you stop these things from happening, but NO! You continue to let them happen! You want me to leave!" Yelled the woman.

"Madame, that vase breaking in your room was sheer coincidence." The shorter man said, trying to convince her.

Paige tried unsuccessfully to stifle a snicker, thus drawing her attention. She rounded on Paige. The moment she began yelling at her, she knew she should have kept quiet.

"You think this is funny, do you little rat?" She demanded at Paige.

Paige immediately shook her head causing dark brown curls to fall in her face. All three of them froze, merely staring at her.

"You!" The woman yelled, thrusting a finger in Paige's direction.

Paige stuttered dumbly "E-Excuse me?"

She glared at Paige. "Thought that you had run away with that patron! How dare you return!" She yelled.

Paige glanced at the two men who were also staring at her in disbelief. "I-I'm afraid I don't understand."

The woman opened her mouth to say something, but was pushed aside by the taller man.

"Miss Daae?" He asked.

Paige swallowed "Um…no…I'm Paige Giselle." She said shyly.

He blinked "Oh...o-of course. My apologies miss."

"I will not stand for this any longer! La Carlotta deserves better! Bye-bye!" The woman shouted turning and storming on down the corridor. The short gray-haired man fled after her, while the other held back.

"Forgive my manners, I am Monsieur Firmin. Are you not related at all to Christine Daae? You look so much like her." He said studying her.

Paige nodded, "I've been told that, but to the best of my knowledge monsieur, we've no relation at all."

He nodded to her. "Alright, goodnight then" He turned to leave when the shorter man came running up to him clutching his jaw.

"What happened to you Andrey?" He asked

Andrey huffed "She left!"

Firmin nodded "Yes, yes, I know, but what happened to you?"

"The vase in the foyer needs replacing." He said rubbing his jaw. "But we can't cancel the performance. It's in two days!"

Paige once again let out a small laugh. Both men turned to her.

"Can you sing at all?" They asked her desperately.

Her eyes widened. "No monsieur I've never been good at singing." She said "Granted no one's ever heard me sing, besides myself." Paige added as an after thought.

"Well there you go! Let's hear it then!" Firmin said happily.

Paige gasped "No, I-I-you don't understand…I-I don't even work here!" She said hastily.

"Really? Then what are you doing here?" They asked curiously.

Paige mentally slapped herself for telling them that.

"Well I'm only staying for one night with the Girys. I'm a seamstress, you see." She said quickly, not wanting the Girys in any trouble.

Firmin whispered something to Andrey, who nodded, and began whispering back frantically.

Paige cleared her throat, "Well it's quite cold out here. So I'll just be going back inside then, if you'll excuse me please, monsieur." She said stepping back inside.

"Wait!" Firmin called "Paige, was it?" He asked

Paige nodded "yes it was" she confirmed.

"You said you were a seamstress. You make clothing. Right?" He said slowly.

Paige sighed and nodded. "Yes monsieur, I work at the dress shop in town."

He smiled briefly, "Yes, well the reason I ask is that our last seamstress ran out on us for some absurd reason." He said sending a nervous glance at Andrey, who returned it.

Paige nodded "And?"

"And…we wanted to know if you would take her place?" He asked.

Paige's face lit up. 'A job! Here?' Before she knew what she was doing she replied, "I'd love to!"

Both men smiled. "Excellent meet us tomorrow in out office to deal with paper work and nonsense such as that. We'll have someone show you around tomorrow." Firmin said turning to leave.

"Oh! We'll also get you your own room." He called over his shoulder as he left.

"Alright" She whispered, not caring that he couldn't hear her. She smiled happily, feeling as if she were in some sort of blissful trance, and closed the door behind her.

Thanks for readding! Again sorry about the wait.

Not too sure on this chapter. Not one of my best...

Please review!!

Angel-777