Why couldn't we just meet at my place? Or her apartment? Or somewhere else? He had to wait for Jenna to arrive, and doing so in what looked like a creepily and unusually uninhabited Opera House wasn't one of them.

   About 30 minutes passed, and Steele was getting ready to leave. He, like his brother, could not take being patient, and heavily sighed, rolling on his back, staring at the skylight above the Staircase. Whilst he waited, he contemplated with what Jenna was going to talk to him about. Did it have something to do with their relationship? Maybe she wanted to patch things up?

   I doubt it, but it's not like I won't say no. Still, why does it have to be here in this-

   Psst!

   Steele thought he heard the sound of someone above the stairs, and he soon saw the red husky descend the gilded stairwell.

   "Jen-," Steele began, but Jenna immediately hushed him, placing a paw on his snout.

   "Please, follow me, we can't stay here." She said. Steele noticed that the husky seemed rather anxious, almost like she was being stalked. He hadn't seen her this way before, and he immediately knew something wasn't right. Either way, Steele gladly followed the husky up the stairs and towards wherever she might take him.

   Jenna lead the malamute up the staircase and towards on the hall that was next to the Grand Foyer, and they took a left to a small circle of statues and windows. Steele really couldn't help himself, and stopped himself.

   "Jenna, what's going on? What did you want to talk about?" He asked.

   "Steele, please, I'll tell you, but not here, we have to get away, he could be behind us." Jenna replied, as she looked behind her shoulder, "This way!" Jenna then lead the malamute down another hall, past the Grand Foyer hall to another section that lead to more hallways, with busts of different dogs along the walls. Steele still wanted to know what Jenna was wanting to say, and even though this strange behavior was making him a bit frustrated, he kept his mouth shut, and continued to follow the red husky.

   As they ascended the floors of the Canine, it seemed to get darker and darker, the lights flickering about, almost like the entire House was having some kind of electrical problem. Occasionally, Jenna would look over her shoulder, almost like something, or someone was following them. Steele thought it was trick of the light, but he too thought he saw what looked like a black shadow along the walls was close behind them. This was all too confusing, but he still followed the husky in hopes of understanding what this was all about.

   They made it to the 7th floor, and Jenna wasn't sure where to go to next. In her current state, she was somewhat discombobulated.

   "Jenna pant* slow down a bit pant*," Steele panted, having never ran that much in a while. He felt like he was running laps. "Where are you going?"

   Jenna really wasn't sure, and she was running out of options. They were at the last level of the Opera House, and there wasn't anywhere left to go…expect up! She then remembered that the rooftop was still accessible to the public, and that was the only place she knew well in the Canine. She would usually go up there when the sun was bright and the breeze was just right, and sit next to one of the golden angel statues above the façade, looking over the beautiful city and its residents below her. It was a place where she could think and be alone, and safe, which was what she really needed at the moment.

   "Steele, we're almost there, we have to get to the roof," She said, and they soon managed to find a small flight of stairs that lead to the very top of the Opera House, the second level of the roof, which was only used for construction workers. As she opened the door, they were soon hit with a blast of the cool air, and they were outside.

   Steele was surprised to see that the roof was in the shape of a pyramid, with the sides of the shape having small steps that lead to the middle of the pyramid which housed a few platforms. The pair ascended the steps, and as they grew higher, they neared the statue of Apollo's Lyre, his arms outstretched heaven-ward, his golden lyre shining brightly in the fading sunlight. He felt the cool air brush his fur, and he soon caught up with the red husky, making it to the horizontal platform. There was nothing after this. This was the final point of the Opera Canine, this long parapet of stone and brick. They placed themselves underneath the statue, Apollo and his companion's backs turned to theirs, its dark shadow cast over them.

   Jenna hoped this would be enough safety for them. Now it was time to come clean.

   "Jen, why did we have to come here?" Steele complained, shuddering in his black coat, "It's freezing up here!"

   "Steele," Jenna began, "I apologize for all of this, but this was the only way. He probably won't get us here."

   "Who's this he?" Steele asked, "Is someone following you?"

   "Well, sort of, he never used to, but now he is. I can't really explain it."

   "Jenna, I'm being serious, if this he or whatever is trying to chase you or hurt you, I'll take him down. You can count on me." He grinned, clearly glad that this might be an opportunity to protect Jenna, but the husky seemed rather reluctant.

   "Why do you care?" She said, turning her head away, "I don't think you'll understand."

   "Is this about what I said in your dressing room? Look, Jen, I was…"

   "Jealous?" The husky interjected, "Yeah, I know. Maybe this was a bad idea-," The malamute was seriously getting frustrated with this, and he knew that this might be his last chance at getting Jenna back with him. He knew he wasn't one to comfort others, and even though showing his "soft side" was probably going to embarrass him, he just had to know what Jenna wanted to tell him. So, he had to suck in his gut, and give it a try. It might make her trust him more.

   He suddenly took the red husky's paw in his, as she gasped and looked into his eyes. "Jenna," Steele began, "I know we haven't been able to have a normal conversation, and I know we haven't exactly been the friends we used to be when we were pups, but I just want you to know, I've…um…" He rubbed the back of his head, "I guess I've had a change of heart."

   "What do you mean?" Jenna asked.

   "What I mean is, I…well…" Just say the words! The three magic words! That's all it takes! "Just trust me on this, I'll understand whatever you tell me. I promise I'll understand you."

   "But, how can you?" She replied, "I don't even know if I can trust you anymore."

   "Just trust me," Steele then pulled her close to her, "I promise you I'll believe you, whatever it is you say, I'll understand you. Now, please tell what's going on, it's killing me!"

   "Well…" Jenna looked around the rooftop, and after making sure the coast was clear, she then pulled the malamute over right next to the statue's base, and sighed, "OK, I will, but please, Steele, you have to understand that everything I'm about to tell you is true. It's been one of the strangest and possibly scariest experiences of my life. Don't repeat this to anyone."

   Steele nodded, "OK, I promise," With this, Jenna began. However, in order for us to truly understand out heroines' predicament, let's go back to her first day in the Opera Canine.

   Several months ago…

   Ever since she was a pup, Jennifer Daae had been told that an Angel would be sent to her from her Father in heaven. However, this didn't happen, and upon finding this out, she seemed to lose faith in what her Father had told her, and promised her. This didn't really help with the fact that things were looking so well for the now 20-year-old ruby colored husky. Despite having a small apartment, with a few furniture from her Father's old house in Perros, a small handbag, a few francs, and a bit of money that was left to her by Madame Valerius, she hadn't had much luck in the ways of work. There wasn't that much in terms of work, and even though she would pretty much accept anything that was thrown at her, she was still unable to find a decent job that would suit her.

   This all changed when she had found a small ad in the papers, detailing auditions at the Palais de Canine. She felt something in the back of her head saying "Go try out!", despite having never had a singing lesson in a while, and she really didn't want anything to do with music. After her father had died, she hadn't been able to find the courage or will to sing again. So, auditions were out of the question.

   Despite this, she was somehow drawn to the Opera Canine, with it's beautiful façade and glamorous statues and incredible interior somehow bringing her towards the front doors. And, without even noticing it, she soon found herself asking the now retired Manager Levefre for a job. The old grey husky asked her if she wanted to audition, since there