"Turn me in."

The words hit Raoul like a brick to the face. "... What?"

"You heard me," he told him. "If you turn around now and hand me over to the gendarmes like you want, you can clear your names." Raoul could only gape at him, completely in shock. Christine seemed to be the same way. Erik continued. "You can tell them I regained consciousness and kidnapped the both of you. I'll admit to it. Then everything can go as it should be. I'll be locked away, and you two can go on with your lives. You can be married without having to worry about me interfering."

Raoul couldn't believe what he'd just heard. All he could do was stand there and look at him like a fool. It was Christine who spoke next. "Raoul, we can't! It's not right! Yes, he's a criminal, but he had his reasons! He's not just some crazed killing machine!" She rushed over to him and took her fiancé'shoulders. "We can figure this out! There's got to be a way we can get through this together and end up happy!"

"This is the only way, Christine. I won't let you go to prison with me. You've done nothing wrong. I, on the other hand, have." Erik tore his arm away from Raoul's and drew back the hood on the cloak in surrender.

Christine continued to plead and beg in his ear, but Raoul's mind was elsewhere. He was having an argument in his own mind.

This is your chance! You can tie him up now, head back to France, find the gendarmes and get on with life. No more Phantom of the Opera. You and Christine can be happy and get married.

But will she be happy? This man is her friend. She'll be extremely upset if he's locked up forever or executed. You remember how she reacted when you saw what the mob did. After losing her father, this will hurt her terribly.

He's a criminal! A murderer! He broke the law and now has to face the consequences.

Yet Christine believes he can change. She thinks there is good in him.

The question is:… Do I think there is good in him?

"Raoul, please! I have a basic plan, we just need to work it out! We can't go back now! They'll kill him! Or worse!" Christine cried. "We can't have him thrown in jail, it's not right! Please!"

"Christine, you did your best and I thank you for that, but this is the end," Erik told her quietly. "It's my fault you are even part of this mess. If this continued and you were arrested, I would never forgive myself. That pain would be worse than anything they could do to me in prison."

"But what about your fear of cages? You may get life!"

Again, he looked to the ground. "... I suppose I shall have to attempt to overcome it. Please, don't be upset. I don't want you to get in trouble and lose everything you have because of me. You deserve to be happy."

"But don't you think you do, too?"

Erik didn't answer.

And right then, Raoul made his choice. "Stay here," he told him. He went back to the shop where he'd relieved himself…and bought some rope.

When he returned, Christine was trying to convince Erik to think of some other plan, being the genius he was. She saw Raoul and tears came to her eyes. "No. There has to be something we could do."

"Lotte," he told her, using the nickname to calm her. "Trust me." He turned to face Erik, who held his wrists out. Raoul drew a knife from his belt and cut off a part of the rope. He bound the masked man's hands tightly in front of him. Caesar neighed and nickered in protest. "Get on the carriage. I'll drive."

Christine tried to argue with Raoul again, but he insisted she got on top of the carriage and she'd understand. Erik sat next to Raoul in front, staring at his feet. "Alright Caesar," the Viscount said. "... Onward."

Erik finally looked at him. The horse stared at him for a moment, then went on.

"Oh, Raoul!" Christine cheered.

He could tell by Erik's face that he'd caught on. "You're heading to Germany still. To that boat going to America!"

"Yes, I am."

"Why?" he yelled, outraged. "You've wanted me to rot in jail this entire time!"

"Do I not have the right to change my mind?"

"You're putting her in danger! You're risking everything on the minute chance that this can end well!"

"It seems I am."

Erik snarled, shooting daggers at him. "Well, if you won't do it, I'll have to give myself up! I won't have Christine go down with me!"

"She won't. I'll make sure of that."

"You'll make sure of-"

"And you aren't going anywhere without us," Raoul interjected.

"Just try and stop me, you foolish Fop!"

He smiled. "I already did. Why do you think I tied your hands? It's harder to run." Erik's head looked like it might explode. He'd been outsmarted. "And don't even think about jumping out of the carriage or sneaking off in the night. If you do, I'll find you and drag you back."

"Why the Hell are you doing this?"

"Think of it this way: The kidnapper has become the kidnapped."

Erik shouted to Caesar, ordering him to stop, but the horse kept on to Germany. "Your friend doesn't want you to go to jail," Christine told him, laughing.

"You're going to regret this," he told Raoul. "There's no possible way this can go as planned. You'll lose everything!"

Raoul merely pulled the man's hood back up and looked at the road. "It's not smart to distract the driver. Now stop pouting. Christine? What was that you said about having a plan of sorts?"

"Oh, right, right," she nodded. "Well… like I said, it's still basic. But now with this newspaper, we really need to disguise ourselves if we want to get on this ship. So, last night around two in the morning, I had this crazy thought. But that paper makes it seem not so crazy.

"See, they're on the lookout for two men, you and Erik, and one woman, me. Well… what if we got on the boat… as… two women and one man?"

He pulled Caesar to a stop and slowly turned to face her. "... You're suggesting we cross dress? Make Erik a woman?"

"That's insane! It would never work!" the masked man shouted. "I'd just look like a wanted criminal in a dress!"

"Why don't you shout the words 'wanted criminal' a little louder and draw some attention our way?" Raoul snapped.

"Actually, dear," Christine said sheepishly. "I would be the man. You'd be dressed in drag as well. You're too recognizable as the Viscount and they'll be looking for you as well. I played a man before in Il Muto. I could just stay silent the whole time so no one would know."

Raoul was a bit in shock. He wasn't really liking this plan. "... What about Erik's mask? He'd have to wear it or they'd know it was him."

"You could both wear one. More feminine ones," she said. "We could say you're um...performers. Dancers. And you're in costume. That way no one will question it. Oh! And I can be your manager."

"A mute manager? Don't dance managers have to speak?"

"I could write things down."

"And we're getting on a ship to America becaaauuussse?"

"Because...you have a show there. In New York. The only thing we'd have to do would be stay out of the public eye, really. Just not draw too much attention to ourselves."

"You want us to pretend to be women and you think that won't draw attention."

"Erik's an actor. He can play a woman. Can't you, Erik?"

He just sort of...sat there, gaping mouth, completely in shock of what was happening.

Christine kept going. "And I could teach you some things. But I really think you'll be fine as long as you really stay away from people...What do you think? All we have to do now is you two should come up with names and basic backstories in case anyone starts conversation, and I'll buy you some dresses and masks and such when we stop in Hamburg. The ship doesn't leave until tomorrow."

Raoul pondered this for a minute and kindly shut Erik's jaw for him. What's happened to my life? "Well...It's crazy. And yet, it might be crazy enough to work." He waited for a minute, thinking Erik would have something to say about this. But it seemed his brain wasn't really working at the moment. Shrugging, he told Caesar to go on, content that it would at least be peaceful for a while.

A/N: I torture the characters I like. Get ready to learn how to walk in heels, Erik and Raoul.