A/N: This is my little take on the Phantom of the Opera. It is based character wise for the most part, on the 2004 Movie. So for Erik/Phantom will be Gerard Butler, Christine Daaé will be played by Emmy Rossum and so on. There is an original character in this story, Duchess Chantal Emblyn; she will play a pretty important role. I'm not exactly sure which actress I will have to play her... but when I do I will be sure to let you all know! This is a re post of the former prologue. I had received some reviews regarding how I took the words of the movies too exactly, which I agree with completely, so here is a new one. It falls along the same lines, however the dialogue is for the most part my own. Of course the beginning of this fiction will be parallel to the movie because it is loosely based on it, but in the future chapters, more specifically the next few chapters, it will astray from the movie almost completely. The Andrew Lloyd Weber movie is merely a familiar backdrop to aid the readers in following the story. For this chapter I got the lyrics of both "Hannibal" and "Think of Me" from:

http // www . any song lyrics . com / lyrics / p / Phantom - Of - The - Opera / Think - of - Me - Lyrics . htm
www . metrolyrics . com / lyrics / 235967669 / Phantom O f The Opera / Hannibal

What if when the young Vicomte came to the Opera Populaire he brought along his fiancée. How would that affect his relationship with Christine? More importantly how would that affect Christine's relationship with the Phantom? Somewhat movie based. EC, ROC and slight RC in the beginning.

Disclaimer: Don't own Phantom of the Opera

Defenseless

By August Grey

Prologue: No longer his Little Lotte

"And we are deeply honored to introduce our new patron…" the new owner, Firmin exclaimed brightly, his eyes scanning the attentive cast. He paused for a moment to which his partner, Andre, whom obviously was supposed to announce their new supporter. As soon as the taller of the two owners spoke his words, the group of ballet rats made their way up the stairs to hear this news, sixteen year old Christine Daaé was one of them. The dark haired girl just suspected it to be just another high society member of Paris that decided to toss some of their fortune to their weekly outlet of entertainment, which usually was the case.

"…the Victome de Changy," the gray haired man finished, clasping his stout fingers together. The young beauty's ears perked at hearing the name.

"Raoul?" she whispered, mostly to herself. As if on cue, the handsome Vicomte walked out onto the stage after she softly spoke his name, a wave of female gasps could be faintly heard as he entered their presence. Christine took a moment to soak in his fine features. A lot had certainly changed since that summer all those years ago. His hair was much longer, it fell roughly his shoulders, and it looked as soft as velvet. She bit her lips as she imagined what it would feel like between her fingers, the dirty blonde of his hair clashed with clear blue of his eyes, giving them an elegant sparkle. Letting her eyes drift slightly downward she noticed his toned body, snugly fitting in his expensive clothes.

However as the young dancer stared at her erstwhile friend, she didn't happen to notice the beautiful woman on his arm.

"It is a privilege and honor for my parents and I to support your fine Opera House," he began in his silky voice, "I am quite certain that our investment is well met by the distinguished reputation of the Opera Populaire." It was at these words that Christine saw the woman next to her childhood sweetheart. Jealousy then seemed to splash her in the face like a bucket of ice water. The feeling of a hand on her upper arm brought Christine back from her thoughts.

"Christine… look at him, he's so handsome," her best friend, Meg Giry, whispered into her ear. All words seemed to evaporate from Christine's tongue whenever she began to answer; so she merely nodded. "I wonder who that woman is?"

That seemed to be the question of the hour. Christine desperately wanted to know what connection this woman had to her Raoul. Even if it had been quite a few years since they had last seen one another, she still felt a little bit betrayed. 'You two were merely children then, you cannot expect him to pine for you after all these years… silly girl,' she rebuked to herself, a sullen frown seeping onto her pale face.

"I-I'm not sure," she finally answered, after thinking about informing her friend about their history together, Christine decided against it. Why both dwelling on something that is obviously now over? Looking back at the Vicomte she saw him kissing Carlotta's hand, and then someone finally asked who was clasped on his arm. He broke his gaze from the obnoxious soprano and turned to the mystery woman, the blue eyes that young Christine had been admiring earlier, staring deeply into her own.

"This is Duchess Chantal Emblyn… my fiancée." He finished his statement with a kiss on her rosy lips. The crew of the Opera once again began lightly clapping at this declaration.

If it were at all possible for Christine's heart to sink any lower in her chest, it would be now. Raoul was not only involved this woman… but he was going to marry her.

"It was an pleasure to meet you all, but we must be interrupting your rehearsal, Duchess Emblyn and I will be here tonight to see your esteemed production of Hannibal." At those words Andre and Firmin began escorting the couple back out in the foyer of the Opera House. As they did this, the four all passed by where the ballerinas were assembled. Christine felt her breath hitch as Raoul bumped into her, causing her balance to falter. Now Christine was a ballet girl, mind you, her balance was exceptional even among the other girls there, normally she would not stumble at a mere accident such as this, but having his body lightly knock into hers caused her to let her posture fail.

"Pardon me, Mademoiselle," he exclaimed, turning to her. His eyes and soft smile caused her innards to melt at his gaze. His apology would have made any other girl there giddy with excitement at him paying notice to them, but for Christine it made her sad. He didn't recognize her.

"Are you alright?"

Trying her hardest to make the lump in her throat go away and not look a complete imbecile by lack of a response, Christine managed to force out her words.

"I-I'm fine, Monsieur… thank you."

His smile broadened. "I'm glad, we would not want one of valued members of the ballet to be injured."

A pale blush began to show on Christine's cheeks. Everyone was staring at them, making this little occurrence extremely uncomfortable. "Then you have nothing to worry about then sir, I am quite alright."

He nodded at her statement, another smile creasing his lips, "Good."

With that said, the Vicomte turned from her and continued making his way backstage, with the praise from the new Opera owners echoing back through the relatively silent corridors.

"Thank you, Monsieur," the conductor, Monsieur Reyer interjected through the clamor made by the cast of Hannibal. "Once more if you please, Signor?" The tap of his baton on his silver orchestra stand catching the attention of less than half of the Opera personnel.

"Christine?" the soft voice of Meg inquired to her friend, shattering the girl's preoccupation. The surprised look on her face signaled to Meg that her friend was thinking about the Vicomte. "It seems that our Christine has an interest in the new patron, no?"

"M-Meg… you couldn't be more wrong." She let her eyes drift away from her friend's. Whenever Christine lied, her eyes would always silently proclaim the truth, which at the moment the dark haired dancer did not want Meg to know. Letting her chocolate brown eyes catch a glimpse of her friend's knowing smirk. It seemed that the only way to get the blond haired girl's mind off her notion was to fib that she thought she recognized him from somewhere, and that she just remembered they were acquaintances as children. Well it wasn't a complete lie… she was just leaving out the part that they were sweethearts and that the feelings haven't entirely subsided.

"When father was still alive, the Vicomte and his family would have us at their house by the sea, I just couldn't remember that we had met before until now." The change in Meg's smirk after her explanation was slightly relieving to her.

Suddenly the tap of a cane rang through the stage. Madame Giry, Meg's mother and the ballet mistress of the Opera, stood at the opposite side of the stage an impatient look on her stern face, her black cane clutched tightly in her fingers. Andre and Firmin had finally returned and Madame Giry turned to the two of them.

"The ballet at the Opera Populaire is world renowned, they are trained with exceptional discipline in order to achieve perfection," she explained, motioning with her free hand that they move to side. The sound of orchestra beginning to play signaled to the ballet to begin their dance. The older woman began walking around the front of the stage, the managers following her.

Monsieur Andre felt the corners of his lips turn into a smirk, "Your practice has paid off, Madame Giry, the talent is superb." His eyes drifted over to Meg. "Especially that little blond angel."

"My daughter," she clarified abruptly. "Meg Giry."

Monsieur Firmin, on Madame Giry's left, cleared his throat. "And that exceptional beauty." His eyes scanning over Christine's person. "No relation, I trust?"

"Christine Daaé," she explained. "She is very accomplished for one so young, Monsieur Firmin, she has been training at the Opera for quite some time, she was orphaned at seven, and came to live here."

"She wouldn't happen to be the related of the late Gustave Daaé, would she?"

The sharp gaze of the older Giry turned on Firmin. "His only child… Monsieur, now please if you would move to one side."

Christine couldn't help but blush at the new managers' words as they spoke of her. She was flattered at first, by what she heard, but then when they mentioned her deceased father, it only stirred painful memories within the young woman.

The dance continued flawlessly, and La Carlotta ended on her high note with Piangi. The crew of the Opera winced at her voice, it was a common theory of at the Populaire that it was so potent it could shatter glass.

The over gloried soprano began to complain about the ballet rats' dancing, and how it would distract every man in Paris from the glory of her talent.

The old manager, Monsieur Lefevre walked over to Firmin and Andre. "The Gala is going to be quite the affair tonight, gentlemen, I believe the Vicomte will be very happy with his patronage to your Theatre."

In order to calm down the Diva, the maestro quickly pulled out the aria from Act 3, suggesting that she should perfect her solo even more, and in doing so it would focus the lime light even more so on her. Feeling her demands being satisfied, along with her ego being stroked by her managers she signaled the conductor to start.

With that order, Monsieur Reyer began the music with a flick of the wrist. Andre and Firmin clearly could have been actors in a past life, for whenever Carlotta looked over at them when she sang they nodded their heads and smiled broadly, acting as if they enjoyed the performance. However, not everyone in theatre was as impressed, for above a backdrop had been released and it fell right atop of the singing woman. With a scream of agony coming from the Diva everyone quickly ran over to her trying desperately to get the scenery off her ankle.

"It must be the Opera Ghost!" Meg exclaimed softly. Christine looked at her friend skeptically for a moment before letting her gaze wander back to the scene before her.

"Signora! Are you alright?" Monsieur Lefevre asked frantically. "What the hell just happened?"

The dirty stage hand Buquet quickly appeared above. "There wasn't anyone there, Monsieur," he digressed with a sly sneer playing on his lips. "It must have been the Phantom." Christine frowned at Buquet's words. The older man always spread the rumors of 'Ghosts' at the Opera House, and his favorite seemed to be the Phantom of the Opera. What bothered the orphan the most was that Meg and Madame Giry both seemed to believe in this story. However the only supernatural creature that Christine believed in was her Angel of Music, the genius that inspired her voice, the only thing that warmed her heart after her father died.

"…these things do happen," she heard Andre chuckle nervously to the intimidating soprano.

The graying man's words, desperately trying to make light of the accident only backfired, and infuriated Carlotta more.

"You two, these things have gone on for too long!" She groaned, "Until you stop these things from happening, this thing does not happen! I'm leaving, bring my doggy and my…" Her words began to fade as she once again stormed off. It did not seem that attempting to convince the annoying singer of how this simply was merely ill fortune, and that they could guarantee her safety if she would just stay, would work. Contrary to that Andre still found a need to ask, only to answered by a shrug and groan of despair from Monsieur Reyer.

"What do you think they are going to do now, Christine?" Meg inquired, looking over her friend's shoulder to see her mother showing the manager's a letter from the 'Opera Ghost.'

"I don't know, Carlotta has made sure that no one is cast as her understudy, which probably is the only reason that keeps her around," Christine explained sourly, she couldn't stand Carlotta, like every other member of the Opera Populaire. Another reason that she probably did not want an understudy was that no doubt that girl would be better than her, and that would cause the singer to lose her power over them.

"Do you think that the Phantom of the Opera dropped that on her to get her to leave for good?" the blonde girl wondered aloud again. Christine shrugged. "Why would he want that, it would cause 'his' Opera House to fall apart." That fact was also true, Carlotta was one of the only things that kept the crowd coming, without her the Populaire would tumble into financial ruin.

"Christine Daaé could sing it, sir."

Her ears perked up at the mention of herself. Her sing? In Carlotta's place? Turning around suddenly she saw Madame Giry approaching her, putting her hand on her shoulder.

"She is just a ballerina, has she any proper training?"

Christine felt her heart fall a bit at his lack of confidence in her, even though he did have a point. She was just a chorus girl…

"She has been tutored by a very talented musician," the ballet mistress encouraged.

Andre sighed, "Alright, it is worth a shot. Come along, don't be shy."

'Easier said than done…' Christine mused to herself. She did not know what was controlling her legs at the moment but she was walking forward to the center of the stage.

"From the beginning of the aria, if you please…" Monsieur Reyer instructed with his baton raised.

"Andre," Firmin groaned from behind her, his gloved fingers rubbing his throbing temples, "I now know what Leferve meant by leaving for his health…"

"Firmin… please."

With one hard swallow, Christine began singing. She poured her heart and soul into every word, hoping to herself that her Angel could hear her… wherever he was. She looked over to Meg and her mother, who both smiled and encouraged her silently to move forward. That she did, she walked to the edge of the stage and belted the number, causing the large group of the opera members to return at hearing the angelic voice. Her voice was put to the test at the last note, which to her delight she nailed.

Inhaling deeply at finishing, Christine turned to Andre and Firmin, both who wore a look of awe.

"Brava!"

Everyone erupted in cheers and claps echoed through the Opera. Pride swelled in her chest at the reaction to her performance, not only because of the ovation she was receiving, but that she knew her Angel was pleased.

End of Prologue

A/N: Well there is the first chapter. What do you think? Keep or no? The next chapter will dig deeper into the plot, and we will bring our favorite masked man. Next chapter I will stray away from the Movie's plot line and bring about one of my own creation. I know that there was a bit of Raoul/Christine in that chapter but trust me after Erik make's his appearance it will be Erik/Christine all the way. Please give me feedback on what you think, which means review!

August Grey