Chapter 2: The Plan

The show was over. The patrons of Le Cirque Boheme left, and the performers were busy changing. Chatter could be heard throughout the halls. " She invited me to audition for the opera on Monday," Caroline told her friends.

"Well, are you going to go?" Elena asked, taking off her Gemini mask.

"I don't know. What do you guys think?"

"I think that you should try out. What's the worst that could happen?" Marie-Antoinette then asked.

"They could tell me 'no' again," Caroline replied.

"So? They will have then missed out on a wonderful talent twice," Tymara said.

"She's right, Caroline," Carly said.

"Besides, you will still have a job here," Olga replied.

"Thanks guys," Caroline said. "Now what if I get the job?"

Elisa replied, "Then we will be extremely happy for you." The other girls agreed.

"We would miss you," Adair said.

"But we will never stop being your friends," Adellina finished for Adair.

"I love you girls. Well, wish me luck," Caroline said.

The others chirped, "Good luck, La Belle d'Amour."

Caroline laughed. "No fair, I have more nicknames to say! Oh all right. Thank you, Dove, Venus, Aphrodite, Blaise, Chocolate Countess, the Gemini, and Caramel." Caroline hugged them all and left.

She opened the stage door to find rain. She drew her cloak closer to her and put up her umbrella. She hailed down a carriage and told the driver her address. The horse clip-clopped all the way from Le Cirque Boheme to Caroline's home at L'appartements de Napoleon. She paid the driver a tip before heading into her building.

The landlady was hardly ever in the apartment building, so the residents (mostly women) were allowed to do whatever they wanted freely. Unless the rent wasn't paid on time, no interference in the women's lives occurred. The only male in the building was the women's chef, but he was a sound sleeper. Caroline made her way up the stairs to her apartment. Most of the neighbors were either long asleep of still out on the town. Caroline opened her door and entered her apartment.

She changed into her nightgown and prepared to slip into a bed. Just as she went to dim her light, she heard a tap at her parlor window. She opened the window to find a wet Vicomte on her windowsill. Like old times, Raoul climbed up her neighbor's balconies to reach hers, but always tapped on her parlor window.

Raoul climbed in. "What brings you here? Why aren't you with Christine?" Caroline asked.

"I wanted to see you again. God, Caroline, I still love you!" Raoul said.

"Then why are you marrying Christine," Caroline asked.

"I told you, Caroline. I don't want to ruin-"

Raoul was cut off by Caroline. "My reputation. Yeah, right, Raoul. You don't want to ruin your reputation," Caroline said.

"No, no," Raoul pleaded. "I love you."

Caroline narrowed her eyes. "Keep talking, Raoul, you're very good at that," she said, coldly.

"Caroline," Raoul pleaded, "I have a plan to be with you again." Caroline wanted to keep his fiancée in the conversation. "What about Christine?" Raoul was taken about. "She doesn't know about our history," Raoul said.

"Yes, she does. She's not as stupid or naïve as you and I wish she was. She figured it out on her own. So, what about Christine?"

Raoul guided Caroline to her couch and sat her down. "Listen to my plan. No interruptions!" Caroline nodded as Raoul began. "Good. Christine told me that the Opera Populaire is holding auditions for new performers on Monday. You go and try out. Since I am a major patron of the Opera, I can turn both Monsieurs Andre and Firmin to hiring you. You're hired and quickly everyone there realizes your talent and they give you a good part in their next production.

"After the opening night of that production, you became the talk of Parisienne art society. You rise to surpass Christine as the Prima Donna of the Opera Populaire. A few nights later, Mademoiselle Daae turns up dead, apparently by suicide as she was tormented by your sudden popularity. After a few months of mourning, you and I become engaged and get married. We live happily ever after.

"But here is how Christine will really die. You will invite her to dinner at your dressing room to celebrate the Opera's success. She will agree and will bring wine. I will provide you with a poison which you will slip in her wine. Careful not to accidentally drink her cup! After the poison takes affect and Christine is dead, drag her back to her dressing room. I will meet you there and we will set up the scenario that Christine hung herself. You will return to your dressing room and I will leave to talk to Monsieur Firmin. I will make sure he walks down with me and we enter Christine's dressing room together. We will 'find' Christine's body and be upset. That night's performance won't be cancelled since Firmin and Andre don't like to do that. So, you will go on in Christine's place and the rest is history."

Caroline just sat there, dumbfounded. "What do you think?" asked a very breathless Raoul.

"What do I think? I think you're off your rocker!" Caroline exclaimed, using an expression Elena and Elisa taught her. "First off, I want to get into the Opera Populaire on my talent alone, not because of your meddling and bribery. Second, how do you know everyone will like me? You can't depend on the public. And most importantly: WHO SAYS I WANT TO GO ALONG WITH THIS STUPID PLAN AND KILL CHRISTINE!" Caroline was hysterical. Her blonde hair fell out of her bun, her blue eyes were flashing a stormy look, and her fists were balled up.

"Caroline, be still now. We don't want one of your neighbors to wake up and find us, do we now," Raoul tried to calm his one time lover.

"Raoul, you know as well as I that my neighbors wouldn't wake even if a war raged in our very own street below us!" Caroline said.

Raoul had an exasperated look on his face. "Please, Caroline, it's the only way we can be together," Raoul pleaded.

"No, it's not, Raoul. Why can't you and I be together even thought I am a nightclub dancer and a vaudeville actress?" Caroline asked.

Raoul had a sad look on his face that made Caroline pity him. "You want the truth then? All right, you can have the truth," Raoul said. He sat down on Caroline's couch, pulling her back down with him. "It's my brother. He won't let us be together. When I went to get his blessing, he said no de Chagny would ever marry a nightclub dancer. He ordered me to end the relationship. I didn't want to, but he threatened your life. To save your life, I had to break your heart," Raoul look lovingly on Caroline. She sighed.

"Alright then, Raoul. I'll go along with your plan on one condition," she said. Raoul's countenance lightened up as he asked her what that condition was. "That we get ready of Christine another way, not killing her. I don't want her death on my conscience for the rest of my natural life," Caroline said.

"How?" Raoul asked.

"I don't know," Caroline replied. "Use your position to get her another offer someplace else, someplace faraway. Then she'll leave you, end the engagement and ours will begin."

Raoul smiled. "You were always the clever one," he said, kissing her. Caroline was falling in love all over again. Raoul pulled away and made Caroline promise not to tall anyone about their plan. She promised and led Raoul to her room to sleep the rest of the night.

A/N: Thanks to all the reviewers. I received a tip to move this to the POTO section in the books. But I don't know, since I also use some things from the musical as well. Well, while I ponder that, I will just leave this be. Anyway, keep reviewing! Mac