I love that everyone has given positive feedback towards Brittney and Erik's relationship. I went to Gala; which is a big party for the theatre department on May 7th, and the whole evening wished I had Erik there dancing with me. Needless to say that even though I had a date we didn't dance together, so I was mostly left to dance by myself, but I imagined Erik there holding me and whispering sweet things in my ear. Man I wish he was a real person. But alas he isn't. I can dream can't I? Well in this installment the group decides what to do about Christine.

Chapter 15: Plan of Attack

Right at seven Brittney ran out to the rugby field. She was the first one there, so she stood and waited patiently for everyone else to show up. Meg soon appeared followed closely by Nadir. Raoul came running up to them 5 minutes later and Erik, who had been there the whole time stepped out of the shadows making Brittney jump nearly a mile high.

"If you were already here why didn't you say something?" she groaned as she moved down the path towards the clearing.

"I'm practicing to be stealthy. I can't really do that if I give away my position; now can I?"

"Whatever. Sometimes I sit and wonder why I still hang around with someone so mysterious?"

"Because you love me and I show you that love in return," Erik said.

"We have a winner and now you get your prize." She leaned into his arms and gave him a sweet kiss.

"Can we get on with this please?" Raoul grumbled as he hurried past them.

They gathered together in the clearing pondering on what to do about Christine. Brittney started by addressing the problems. "Okay the evidence we have of Christine driving us all in sane is 1.) She had Erik and I stage our own break up just, so I wouldn't be left to suffer at her hand, 2.) She won't allow Meg and Nadir to go out together, because Nadir is Erik's friend and Erik stood her up, and finally 3.) She dumped Raoul with a very small reason as to why she was doing it. I'm sure that about all of the things she's done so far."

"Don't forget she constantly talks my ear off while I'm in the room, so I try really hard not to be in there anymore," Meg brought up. "I'm hardly getting any of my school work done."

"All right is there anything else I'm missing or can I move on with this?" Brittney asked as she looked around at the others standing around her. No one moved or spoke. "Good, now we have to come up with something that solves all four of these problems. If we don't we can go on feeling miserable for ourselves while she wins. I know none of you want that."

"Why doesn't Erik just go out with her? That's what started the whole thing," Raoul snapped.

"I won't go out with her, because I don't like her anymore. She had you and it seemed all she ever talked about was how great you were. I couldn't make her my girlfriend even if I had wanted to," Erik growled.

Brittney took his hand and patted it. "Calm down we'll figure something out. The last thing I want for you is to have you go on a date with her and pretend to enjoy yourself. I won't let that happen to you."

"Yeah, but I know her. She'll keep pushing till she gets what she wants, even if there is a threat standing in her path. She'll find a way abound that road block and strike when we least expect it."

"Brittney I feel bad for you falling into all this. We've been dealing with this issue for years now and you're just getting involved," Meg said sadly.

"Well I honestly don't care. Erik and I love each other and now some spoiled Prima Donna wants to break apart the one thing we've been searching for all our lives. Well I personally will not stand back and let it happen. I refuse to stand aside while she makes her move and gets what she wants!"

Erik reached forward and wrapped his arms protectively around her waist. Leaning his head on her shoulder he whispered calm words of reassurance in her ear as he felt her heart beat rapidly against her rib cage and her breath quicken.

"At least you still have somebody," Raoul spoke up. "My ex-girlfriend won't let me speak to her every again. I have no one to hold me when I'm upset."

"Aw, does Raoul want a hug?" Erik joked as he came toward Raoul with open arms.

"Not from you," Raoul said in disgust.

Erik shrugged. "Fine, I wouldn't waste a hug on you anyway."

"I'll take that hug. That is if it's still being offered," Brittney said sweetly.

"But of course," Erik said as he pulled her into his arms. "My hugs will always be for you."

"There's no one to hug me," Nadir said from the side, and then Meg suddenly tackled him and held him close.

"You have me you silly goose," she said with a grin on her face.

"Right, of course I do."

"Alright will the four of you knock it off? We have a very important thing to discuss and you all keep kissing and hugging. It's making me sick."

"You're just jealous," Erik teased.

Brittney smacked him. "You don't like when people tease you, so don't stoop to their level and do the same to others. Have some respect for your fellow classmates."

Erik was half understanding and half shocked. Brittney had been picked on all her life and didn't want to see those she cared do the exact same thing, but she was standing up for Raoul; the one, who had hit here just weeks ago.

"Fine I'll behave."

"Thank you."

"So can we finally get down to business?" Raoul asked.

"All right so does anyone have an idea other then, "let's screw with coming up with an idea and let nature take its course.""

Everyone thought for a moment. Nadir finally looked up. "You know I thought this was the plan. You stage a break up and still stay together and keep Christine from knowing. What more can you do than that?"

"If I knew I wouldn't be asking for help," Brittney groaned as she buried her face into Erik's shoulder.

"I had a crazy idea," Erik said recalling the conversation with the Phantom he had earlier. "I know all the secrets of the theatre. I could cause small problems for Christine while she acts in the up coming play."

"Where did you say you got this idea?" Nadir asked.

"I just came up with it a moment ago," Erik lied.

"I really don't like the sound of that Erik," Brittney said lifting her head. "You could get in a lot of trouble for doing something like that."

"I'll make them look like technical difficulties. No one will ever notice."

"I'll notice. What's wrong with you Erik? You seem to be changing right before my eyes."

Erik only heard that she would notice his tricks, before the Phantom's voice started flooding his ears. "Sure, genius you use my idea, but you don't put more behind it. Brilliant, you'll have the girl practically falling into your arms now. Either come up with a good cover story or you'll lose her for good."

"I wouldn't cause accidents like that. It was only an idea."

"I know you wouldn't, but it's the fact that you brought up the idea that worries me. What happened to the Erik I know; the one with feelings and kindness within his heart?"

"He's here; he'll always be here," Erik said stroking her cheek.

The wind began to pick up and Meg pulled her windbreaker tighter around her tiny form. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm starting to get cold. I'm going back to the dorms." With that she hurried down the path and out onto the rugby field.

"Sorry guys, but I better go with her," Nadir shouted over his shoulder as he ran after her.

Raoul kicked the toe of his sneaker into the dirt before he shrugged and followed behind them. Yet as he passed he gave Erik a venomous stare. If he was to get Christine back it may mean removing a certain obstacle as soon as possible. Brittney looked past Erik's hand and caught the gesture before Raoul stalked off. She clearly saw hatred in Raoul's eyes and pressed herself closer to Erik in a desperate attempt to make herself known. It had worked.

"What ever is wrong with you my little kitten?"

"I don't think we can trust Raoul anymore."

"Why can't we?"

"He gave you a death glare. We can clearly say that once again you and Raoul aren't on good terms."

Erik looked over his shoulder and watched Raoul descend along the field. "Ha, someone like him trying to kill me. I would love to see him try."

"You don't think he would; would he?"

"Not likely."

"He seemed pretty determined Erik. I wouldn't take my chances anymore." She let out a long frustrated sigh and walked over to the closest patch of forest. "I don't know what to think anymore. I've dealt with so much crap over the years that I just want to curl up into a tiny ball and say to hell with it. But you helped me see that not all things are bad. You get angry from time to time, but you're not bad. I know bad people Erik and you're not one of them," she shouted into the trees.

Erik didn't move. She had spoken of suicide. To hear that she had once been so willing to just die and get rid of her problems scared him. Slowly he moved towards her, but hesitated before touching a hand to her shoulder. "You were once willing to die?"

"Does it really surprise you that I would say something like that? My life isn't exactly perfect except for you and my stories; so many times I wanted to dive into one of my stories and write so that I to can have a happy ending. It's not fair!"

She turned and cried into his chest both hands balled up into fists. Erik wrapped his arms around her and could feel her body tremble. Nearly losing her in the accident was one thing, but to lose her on purpose was a whole other concept and he wasn't willing to face it, but he had to do something to turn Christine away or their very lives could be in danger.

Right now however he needed to get Brittney's mind off the matter and he looked around into the trees. A doe stepped out of the trees and gazed over at them. He smiled and held up Brittney's chin. "Look over there, but be silent," he whispered as she followed his gaze.

"Oh, look at that. A doe," Brittney said quietly watching the doe with interest.

"I'm surprised we didn't startle her."

"If we stand very still she may come closer. I don't know what it is what other people, but I think deer are such beautiful creatures. They're graceful and can run like the wind."

Gently Erik moved up his hand and guided Brittney to lay her head on his chest once more and together they watched the doe approach them with slow, awkward movements. Within moments it was standing there next to them and it reached out to sniff Erik's arm.

A car drove past on the nearby road causing the deer to take off once again through the trees. Brittney looked up watching it go. "That was so cool. I never thought I would experience something like that. Thank you Erik."

"You're welcome."

The wind picked up again and Brittney pulled her army jacket tighter around her. "Man, I hate the cold."

Erik pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Here you take it. The cold has never really bothered me before."

Brittney sniffed at the material of the jacket and sighed happily as Erik's unique smell engulfed her. He wrapped a protective arm around her and began leading her back to the dorms. "I think it best we go about this one day at a time and see what happens. If we plan it all out Christine may find a way around it and we'll be without a back-up plan. But I have made it quite clear that I won't replace you. I will never replace you."

Sorry it took so long to update you guys, but I got so busy with my other story and had some writers block with this one, but I finished it just now hurray. Got my tattoo of the Michael Crawford mask and a rose with a black ribbon wrapped around it on my shoulder blade it's so cool. I love it so much. Can't wait to hear from all of you.