Hee Hee Cliffhangers are great especially when you're not sure how the next chapter will be done, but no fear I have come up with Lotte's plan to free Erik, but as Lotte mentions "I'm making it up as I go along." Plus this was created with lack of sleep so I apologize if it's really bad. I'll make up for it later I promise.

Chapter 35: Like Father Like Daughter

"I need your mask and cape," Lotte whispered to him.

"What?"

"Don't question my actions. Just do it," she hissed as she watched the guard.

He handed her the items and cocked his head to one side in confusion as she put on the mask. "Do you know what you're doing?"

"Not actually. I'm making this up as I go along," she said as she pulled the cape around her.

"I feel so much better now," he said sarcastically.

She glared at him. "I could just leave you there. I don't have to be doing this."

He was taken back by this. "I was wrong. I shouldn't have said that. Now if you'll kindly get me out of here I would be most grateful."

She smiled and touched the deformed side of his face before looking through the pocket of the cape. "Father, I'm rather curious why you don't carry a Punjab lasso anymore. I could use one right about now."

"I promised your mother I wouldn't kill anymore. That man I killed back at the Opera House for you was an exception. If I had let him go free he would have told the first person he met on the street. Our seven years of solitude would have been ruined by constant attempts to seek us out. And I won't allow youtokill anyone either."

"Well what do you carry in this thing? It feels heavy all of a sudden," Lotte said searching the entire mess of fabric.

"There's a lower pocket on the other side with a knife in it."

Lotte reached into the pocket and pulled out the knife. "Why did you never tell me about this? It could have been rather helpful. Well it doesn't matter now. Watch my back I'm going to try and unlock the door with this." She went under the wagon and crawled towards the opposite side. Then while the guard's back was turned she got up and put the pointed end of the blade into the key hole.

Working quickly she had finally gotten the door open when someone grabbed her shoulder and threw her aside. "Nice try girly," the guard sneered slamming the cell door shut again.

"Lotte!" Erik cried out running to the side closest to her and rattling the bars. "Lotte run, get out of here!"

"I'm not leaving you," Lotte said standing and holding the knife out in front of her. The guard pulled out the whip and let it crack in the air. Lotte was unfazed by the noise and stood her ground. "Do you actually think I'm afraid of you?"

"You will be," the guard sneered and with that he snapped the whip and it wound its way around Lotte's body. The end hit Lotte's cheek and she let out a cry of pain. Blood dripped from the wound and she hit the ground unable to move.

"What the hell is going on in here?" Madame Esmeralda cried coming into the tent. A crow was sitting on her shoulder and it gazed at Erik as it began to caw loudly. "Hush you miserable creature," the woman said as she swung her hand at the bird.

"This girl was trying to free the Phantom. I caught her just as she opened the door. Look she's even trying to fool us by looking like the Phantom. Well she didn't do a very good job. What should we do with her?"

"I have no use for her. I got what I wanted," she said pointing to the cage. "Kill her for all I care and you have my permission to use your favorite method."

"Burning at the stake has always been my favorite. I'll have the boys round up some firewood."

Lotte's eyes grew wide and she gave Erik a long hard stare. Erik however was more occupied on the plan to get out and free her. He began shaking the bars again hoping to get some attention. Madame Esmeralda looked up at him.

"Do you want something?"

"Yes, to be let free."

"Nice try. You pulled in quite a bit of money today. Why would I let you go if you were making me rich? Quite a stupid question if you ask me."

"I didn't ask you. But seeing as there is no use in asking you to let me go I'll just have to let myself out." He got up against one side of the cage and with a running start slammed himself into the other.

"Stop this at once Erik!" He did it again. "I command you to stop."

He continued to ram into the bars until the moment when he hit them hard enough to push the wagon over and throw the cage to the ground. It fell with such a heavy thud that the lock was busted right off the door. Erik crawled over to the door, his shoulder in pain, and pushed the door open.

From outside Mme. Giry saw the cage fall and realized she had to do something. She walked up calmly and with the guard's back to her she rose up her cane and smashed it into the back of his head. He let out a grunt and fell forward onto the ground in front of Lotte. She gasped and tried to wiggle away, but after moving a centimeter found that the knife was up against her chest.

"Father, help," she squeaked.

Erik heard her plea and crawled over to her. Slowly untying the whip he pulled the knife away and collected her in his arms. He took the mask back and put it on. Christine and Pierre ran in from outside.

"We have to leave now. More gypsies are beginning to gather," Christine said terror in her voice.

Erik helped Lotte to her feet and called to Mme. Giry. "All right we just need to remember not to panic."

They raced outside and were soon surrounded by 20 or more gypsies. Lotte gulped. "Father, can we panic now?"

"Erik, you are just full of surprises aren't you?" Madame Esmeralda said pushing some of the men aside and joining them in the center of the circle.

Erik pushed the others behind him. "If you have any love in your heart you'll let us go without a word to anyone."

"I had love once, but you murdered it you fool. Why should I let you go and be happy while I must live as a widow? I don't see the fairness in that like you do. You're not clever enough to trick me Erik."

"You're right I'm not," Erik said coldly.

"But I am," Lotte said stepping forward. Erik called to her to come back, but Lotte ignored him and walked up to Mme. Esmeralda. "I wouldn't call myself his daughter if I didn't know a few tricks now would I?" She reached into the cape, clutching some dust in her hand, threw it down at the ground creating a huge cloud of smoke.

Everyone started coughing and when the smoke cleared they saw Lotte was gone. "Find that girl! I want her dead!" Madame Esmeralda screeched.

There was a wave of heavy laughter coming from the tent. Lotte had appeared atop of the cage and she was giving an evil grin as her laughter became chuckles. "You will find Madame that killing me will not be that simple. I posses every trick in my father's book and I have no fear in using them against you." She was now annoyed, because the lasso or the sword would have been a nice touch to her threat.

"Erik what is she talking about?" Christine asked.

"She's only explaining that I did teach her every trick in the book. I might have gone overboard on sword fighting and the use of a lasso, but she knows better. The only thing she ever killed was a harmless rat."

Christine wasn't amused, and then she let out a scream as one of the gypsies began tugging at her skirts. "Let go of me."

Mme. Giry took up her cane and began smacking the man's hand. "Didn't you hear her? Let go of the dress." She gave another forceful whack and the sound of crushing bones was heard as the man drew back in pain. "Do any of the rest of you dare to take up the challenge?"

They all looked at one another and began backing away. Erik, Christine, Pierre, and Lotte all stared at her then exchanged glances with one another. "Mme. Giry, are you feeling all right?" Erik asked.

"Never better Erik. But right now it's cold and I would like to wrap this up and go to bed. I have them under control so do something."

Erik looked around. His eyes fell on the rope holding up the tent, but if he was to detach that it would fall on Lotte as well. And the only way to keep Lotte free from the curse was to kill Madame Esmeralda. But he had no weapon. "I really didn't come prepared for this did I?"

"Here Erik take this," Pierre said slipping Erik a pocket knife. "It's mine, but it might prove to be useful."

"Thank you. Now if I can just get her in the heart we can end all this." He took aim and chucked the knife, but instead of killing Madame Esmeralda he buried the knife into the chest of the crow. The bird gave a harsh squawk "DAMN!"

"You killed my crow! Twice now you have taking important things from me. You vile creature now you will pay!" She began to mutter something and rose up her hands. Blue mist swelled from her fingers and began to swirl around Erik. He let out an agonizing scream as it felt like hundreds of needles were being driven into his skin, and to make it worse he was being lifted into the air. "Yes, I will make you suffer. All of Paris will hear your cries of pain."

Lotte watched as this witch caused her father pain. She looked around hoping to see a bottle or something scattered amongst the trash to kill her with when her eyes fell on the twisted lock hanging off the cage door. The locking mechanism had snapped off leaving a long jagged piece of metal. Silently she climbed down and pulled the lock off.

Inching towards the witch she pinpointed where the heart was and with all her force drove the metal into the woman's back. Breaking the concentration of the spell Erik was sent back to the earth and hit the ground pinning his already injured shoulder under him. Hissing through his teeth he managed to look up to see Madame Esmeralda began to dissolve into nothing but a mere pile of dust and blood.

Lotte was breathing heavily and her eyes were a mixture of terror and triumph, yet she knew she was going to be in so much trouble when they got free; which was going to need a little bit more force. "There I have destroyed your leader. You're free from the fortune teller's evil and are free to go on and do as you will. But if you ever come back to Paris be sure that the daughter of the Phantom will find you and make sure you don't live to see another dawn."

Every one of the men looked at her and she held up the piece of twisted metal, now covered in blood over her head. One of them stepped forward. "We will leave. Don't worry we'll be gone by morning."

"Good. Now not a word of what happened here to anyone, because I will find out," she threatened. She pulled Pierre's knife out of the crow and wiped it off. They all nodded and backed away as she walked towards her family. No one moved. "Well what are you waiting for? Clear out!" she barked.

In an instant the only ones standing there were the4 of them and Erik had managed to roll himself onto his other arm and stand up. He put a hand to Lotte's forehead. "Who are you and what the hell have you done to my daughter?"

"It's me father. I guess I did go a little over board didn't I?"

"A little; you killed someone after I told you I didn't want you too," Erik yelled at her.

"I saved your life didn't I? If we were to let her go she would have controlled us again. When I woke up this morning I felt like so much weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I wanted you there to appreciate it with us. But how could you when you're locked up in a cage entertaining people? I told you a long time ago, that I wasn't going to let anyone make fun of you and I meant it." She went up and hugged him, minding his arm. "I meant every word."

Christine wiped away a tear as Erik hugged Lotte, but suddenly he gasped as the pain in his shoulder began to bother him again. Also for the first time she noticed the whip marks across his back. "Erik the town is beginning to stir. I think it best we get you inside," she said placing a loving hand on the other shoulder.

He looked at her still hissing though his teeth. Nodding slightly he allowed for Christine to come under his arm and leaned against her. Holding his other arm tightly to his chest he gave a small growl.

Together they walked back to the Opera House and went into Mme. Giry's room where she put Erik's arm into a sling. "You won't be playing the organ for awhile until that arm sets itself again. From the way you were complaining it's quite possible you broke it. Come back to me time to time and I'll check on it for you."

"Thank you Mme. Giry. Tomorrow I have to fix the mirror."

"We'll take care of it. You rest up and take it easy."

Erik groaned. He hated not being able to do anything. He walked back to the lair with Christine, Pierre, and Lotte and sat down at the organ bench staring at the keys eager to play. He tried to play with his one good hand, but soon became frustrated with the single notes and cursed.

Christine came and sat next to him on his right. She leaned against him and took his hand into hers. "Be patience dear. You'll be able to play again in no time."

He lifted up his good arm and wrapped it around her. "Oh, how I wish I had both arms so I could hold you closer to me." She moved closer nuzzling her nose up against his chest.

"Better?"

"Yes, much better." He leaned his head against hers, but she pulled back a sec and tenderly reached up and took off the mask. "Does it hurt you?" he asked as she set it aside.

"No, I just want to feel your real face against me. I missed it so much and even though the mask is your one true power I feel I like you more with it off; if that's all right?"

"Anything is all right when I'm with you Christine." He took up his good hand and cupped it to her cheek, then he leaned in placing his lips against hers, not kissing her yet, but to feel just how soft her lips were. She looked at him confused, but soon smiled. The movement of her lips made Erik shudder and soon they shared a loving and devoted kiss.

And Lotte was there to captured everything on the back of a piece of parchment.

Okay this chapter started out rather weak, but I hope it ended up strong. Thanks tine/psycho for the best Phantom fanfic you read award. I am so honored. Like all good stories do this one will soon come to an end, but I will give you plenty of things to look forward to before the end. Once I finish this one I will be doing more stories. Maybe fanfiction will allow for a section for Black Beauty. I have a great idea for a story.