Author's Note: Ok sorry this chapter took a little longer to update. I had a writer's block big time but luckily I got over that. I hope I wrote the escape well enough. I am not too good on the whole fight scenes and stuff like that so you will just have to bear with me.

Disclaimer: Ok so don't you hate nightmares. I keep having these nightmares where Erik is in my dream except he keeps running away from me. He doesn't want me to see his face, I chase after him trying to tell him that it doesn't matter. Isn't that sad, it just reminds me that I still don't own Erik and what it more in my dreams I am chasing him. : ( sad days.

The Escape

"I am not sure if this is going to work Antoinette."

"I know but we have to at least try. If not for Christine, for Erik."

Monsieur Reyer and Madame Giry looked at one another knowing that what they were about to do was completely dangerous not to mention crazy. They hadn't really come up with a good plan of getting their friend out of jail. However this night would be their last chance to do it because he would be going on trial tomorrow. Once his trial started then there would be no opportunity to even enter the cell that they would be keeping him let alone get him out.

Once the streets began to die down the two stepped out onto the street and walked quickly away from their hiding position. They slowed their pace once the jail came into view. The jail was located right between a printing press and a stable. It was a two story brick building that had originally been a textile factory. However the gendarmes had taken it over long ago to use for keeping prisoners when the other jail began to fill up. Now the prison wasn't as full as it used to be. Erik happened to be located on the second floor which would prove to be a great problem. However it was only him and one other person who was kept on the upper story.

A dark shadow suddenly appeared in the stable doorway. It seemed to hesitate for only a second before making its way across the street. Madame Giry felt a jolt of fear run up her spine at seeing the black figure but soon realized that there was nothing to fear. This black figure did not stand as tall as she did, and she could see that the figure resembled that of a woman not a man.

"Christine I did not expect for you to be coming from the stable. You almost gave me a heart attack." Madame Giry whispered, amused that this small girl could accomplish such a feat as scaring the ballet mistress.

"I am sorry Madame Giry I did not mean to frighten you. I have been hiding in there nearly all day." Christine laughed nervously, feeling very apprehensive.

"Come let us converse in the ally, I do not want someone to see us standing here. They might get suspicious." Monsieur Reyer ushered them away from the street and into the ally.

"Erik is in the far corner of the jail. Not near any window."

"Well then we can't get him out from here now can we? Scratch plan A and moving on to plan B. We have to go inside somehow."

"This might seem far fetched but I managed to swipe some clothing from the costumes department." Madame Giry chirped in, taking a parcel out beneath her arm. "However there was only one and if examined closely you may see that it is not a real uniform."

"Hand it over then. Might as well get this over with."

"But Monsieur Reyer I cannot ask you to do this. It is my folly that he is in there in the first place, let me go in." Christine protested. Madame Giry raised her eye brows in surprise; she was impressed with the girl's determination.

"Christine you are too small. You would be discovered immediately. Not to mention your voice would give it away also."

"But. . . I" Christine tried to think of some reason to protest his logic but she knew that he was right. Monsieur Reyer would have to go in alone. Suddenly they heard an approaching carriage. They sunk farther into the shadows pressing their bodies against the wall and waited for the carriage to pass. However the closer it came to their hideaway the slower it seemed to go till it stopped all together right in front of the prison.

Christine peered around Madame Giry who happened to be standing in front of her. She could see the end of the closed carriage and felt her heart drop. This unexpected visitor could foil their whole plan. Christine glanced once more at the carriage and realized that there was something oddly familiar about the carriage. Edging closer she was amazed to find that it belonged to Raoul.

Suddenly a shadow of a man appeared at the open of the ally causing Christine to jump back in fear. They had been caught and there would be no saving Erik was the first thing that she thought.

"Christine?" The shadow asked the darkness timidly.

"Raoul?" Upon hearing his name he stepped further in the ally. "What are you doing here Raoul?"

"It will take to long to explain and by then someone will have found us out. Come with me."

"I can't, Erik."

"I will help you get him out but first you must trust me."

"Why? Why are you helping me?" Christine wasn't sure if she should trust Raoul, she had after all just refused to marry him.

"Because I love you Christine. Now come."

"He is right child we have stayed here too long." Madame Giry grabbed her arm and led her to the carriage. They all pilled in and took off down the road.

"Wait! We can't leave without Erik."

"We won't. But we can't do it now there are too many guards. I had thought that this would be the night that you would try to get Erik out of jail and I knew that you would fail if I didn't help. Tomorrow morning about 6 is when the guards change shifts. So for about fifteen minutes there will only be five guards total in the whole place. The night shift will have left and the next shift will be late." Raoul smiled mischievously knowing that he would be the cause of their tardiness. "That is when we get him out."

"You know I think that this might work." Monsieur Reyer agreed, feeling that he might live after this little adventure.

"But I don't understand. You would sacrifice everything for me." Doubt was edged in Christine's voice as she questioned her friend.

"Yes. I know now that I could never live with myself if I was not there when you needed me the most. I may not ever come of accept that fact that you can love that man," Raoul choked out, wanting to call him a monster, "But I do not want you to despise me."

Christine's eyes glistened with tears of gratitude. She reached over and grabbed his hand to give him a friendly squeeze. Thank you was the only thing she whispered and for Raoul it was really the only thing she had to say.

-o-

Erik opened his eyes slowly to only greet the semi darkness that surrounded him. He sat up gingerly feeling the bruises that were covered all over his body. He gave an exhausted sigh, another night come and gone and he hadn't been able to sleep a wink. He would doze in and out for hours but never be able to fall into the slumber that he so longed for. The only time that his body would shut down was when he would pass out from the pain or lack of blood. He felt weak and beaten especially on this night.

He didn't know how long he waited but he knew that it was well past waiting time. Christine's promise seemed to have been cast aside. He didn't know if that should surprise him. However he had once again believed her. He felt certain that the Vicomte had discovered her plan to get him out of here and persuaded her not to follow through.

Just then Erik heard the voices of people begin to float upstairs. He realized that it was a carriage that had awoken him from his much needed rest. A familiar voice greeted Erik's ears and he knew that he was about to have visitors. The guards didn't ever come to where he was kept but for one reason.

"I will escort them to the cell and let them have a look around sir. You need not be bothered so."

"Well I suppose, just be quick."

"Thank you so much sir,"

Erik's eyes went wide with the addition of a woman's voice. That angelic voice that had only yesterday tried to seek for his forgiveness. He couldn't breathe for fear that it was all a dream.

Joy filled his soul as he crawled over to the bars. He pressed his face against the cold steel and waited. Christine saw Erik before the others and rushed to his side. She reached into the cage and grabbed his hand. Erik glanced up and felt the tears stream down his face. She had come for him, she had kept her promise.

"Hurry we don't have much time, Reyer you work on the lock."

Just as quickly as Erik felt happiness seep back into his life he felt it being pulled away. He knew that other voice, which only reminded him that Christine could never be his.

"Why are you here Christine," Erik hissed. Christine's smile faded as she felt his coldness seep in.

"Because I have come to help you escape."

"Did I ask you to free me from this prison only to be brought into another one?"

"But I don't understand."

"Because you have never taken the time to." Erik let go of her hand like it was made of fire.

Suddenly the prison door swung open and Reyer left out an exclamation of joy. He quickly entered the cell and stood over his friend.

"Now Erik we must be quick. Change into this here outfit."

"I am not going anywhere."

"Erik! I have risked too much to deal with your stubbornness. Now get this one or I shall be the one to execute you."

Erik glared at his friend and realized that he would indeed be a simpleton if he was to refuse. This was his chance to escape and yet he felt that he no longer wanted to. He couldn't bear to be living when he knew that Christine was happy in someone else's arms.

"Hurry up," Monsieur Reyer said impatiently before shedding his attire and then proceeded to dress Erik himself.

"Stop! I can dress myself I am not a child." Erik put clothing over his own making sure that he was careful to avoid the really tender spots. "I can't believe I am doing this."

Once the transaction had been complete Christine entered the cell along with Raoul. She was afraid that if she spoke again then Erik would change his mind about leaving and she knew she couldn't deal with that, not now.

"Come on," Raoul said impatiently, trying not to look at Erik's unmasked face.

"I can't!"

"Erik this is no time to be stubborn." Reyer scolded.

"I am not being stubborn damn it. My leg happens to be broken."

Christine gasped with horror before joining him on the floor. "Oh Erik,"

Erik turned to look at her. His heart softened and he knew that he could not allow Christine to feel anymore pain. Even if that would mean that he would have to deal with being set free and letting her go. He grabbed the bars and lifted himself up hiding the pain as much as he could. Christine was instantly by his side to help support him.

"Alright Reyer you know what to do. We will meet you outside in ten minutes. Christine," Raoul's voice held a commanding tone as he tried to ignore the stabbing pain in his heart, "You will have to be in the middle. If we are going to get Erik out of here then you must pretend that you have a hurt foot. Erik do you think you can make it outside with only Christine for a support?"

Erik opened his mouth to say some sarcastic retort but decided to hold his tongue and nodded instead. The longer they stood there and chatted the longer he would have to remain on his feet.

Raoul appeared on Christine's other side as the trio walked out of the cell. Erik kept his head bent and pulled the hat that Reyer gave him further over his head. He never knew pain till this moment. Ever step he made was like a thousand needles shooting up and down his leg. He leaned against Christine's small frame and knew that if she wasn't there that he would surely collapse on the floor.

They made it down stairs before running into the first guard. He stared at them for a second before Raoul made their excuses.

"She hurt her foot really bad, we are taking her back to the carriage." The man seemed to accept this excuse as he left the trio and headed up the stairs. "That was easy enough."

"Don't speak so soon," Christine said, she wouldn't feel safe till they were all in the carriage and driving away from this place.

The man that had greeted them when they first came into the jail stepped out from the office which was located right by their way out.

"Oh dear what happened?" He studied the group carefully trying to figure out what happened.

"She fell on the steps and seems to have twisted her ankle. Your office has been kind enough to help us escort her back outside."

"Well I am dreadfully sorry. Did you find what you were looking for?"

"Uh no," Raoul said feeling nervous as the man stepped closer to them. "Perhaps she left her glove some other place."

"I thought she lost her necklace?"

Raoul only hesitated for a second before diving at the officer and knocking him to the ground. Their cover had been broken. "Run Christine!" The officer recovered quickly from the fall and reached for his gun. Raoul reacted fast and gave a punch square in the man's jaw sending him sprawling backwards. Another officer came up from behind and gave Raoul a punch to the face.

Christine and Erik hurried to the door in the only speed they could go, slow. Panic raced through her blood as she made her way to the carriage. She felt Erik's body become heavier with each passing step. She hoped too that Raoul would not be hurt as he was trying to ward off the guards.

Suddenly Christine could hear Madame Giry scream. She looked up to see a pale ballet mistress pointing in horror to something behind her. The gun shot rang out in the still air, before Christine could even turn around. Both she and Erik fell to the ground in an instant.

Christine lay on the ground stunned for a few seconds before glancing over at Erik. A small inaudible cry seemed to escape her lips. She reached out to touch him hoping that he would awaken. Suddenly both Madame Giry and Raoul's coachman were beside her. They grabbed Erik's lifeless body and put him in the carriage. Christine stumbled after him and sat next to his still form. She cradled his head in her hands too shocked to do anything else. Another gun shot fired as Christine cried out in anguish thinking that it was Raoul who had been killed.

Within a few seconds however, Raoul jumped into the carriage with blood splattered upon his coat. The carriage came to life instantly and they were off speeding down the road. Christine didn't murmur a protest although she had no clue where Madame Giry or Monsieur Reyer was. She was a little comforted to know that Raoul was there although breathing heavily. However, she felt the life beginning to drain from her soul as Erik's still form remained silent. She prayed that he was not dead. Not now when she just realized her own feelings. She couldn't lose the man she loved twice in her lifetime. She could only take so much before she would go mad with anguish.

Ahhhh! I am on edge, Erik dead! What on earth is this author thinking. . . ha wait I am the author, muahahaha. Well any who tell me if you liked it or not. Please give me a review and I might give you something extra special.