Two chapter's in one night? I'm good! Sorri guys but this is the last one for the night. I have school tomorrow and I won't be home till Saturday!
Please review!
Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN ANYTHING BASED ON PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
BUT I DO OWN CAT! HA! IN YOUR FACE!
...sorri, got a little carried away, back to the chapter!
Chapter 19: Hell Hath No Fury Like Raoul's Scorn
"Cat?" Trish called out to the girl who stood cowered in the corner, looking out of the window with great saddness in her eyes. "Girl, what's wrong wit' you?"
Cat stayed, unspoken actions towards the women in the cell. She had been this way since returning from the visitor's area. Always silent, never moving, not even attempting to eat anything brought to them during the day. The hookers tried constantly but the girl was a stone wall. All Cat could do was think of him...the Phantom...her father. What would he say if he learned the truth? There was so much doubt in her mind that she was even the Phantom's child. Could Christine be wrong? She had no reason to be but was this just another trick set up by Raoul. All kinds of thoughts ran through the young girl's mind and yet she spoke not a word about it. But the main concern within her is what to do now?
"Just leave her alone Trish," Marie stated. "It's hard for tha girl to be stuck in 'ere for so long. You remember those days right?"
"Ah, the good ol' days," Trish said with a smirk, tilting her head back as she looked at the ceiling.
"Catherine Revue!" shouted the old police officer that had been working in the building for a short time. He was as friendly as anyone could be to them, always asking the hookers if they needed anything and was even risking to haul stuff in for them. He even brought half-decent meals for Cat to eat and was sad to see her decline everyday that he worked.
"What's up old man?" Trish asked.
"Cat's bein' transferred," he stated slowly, sadly as he looked to the girl who huddled in the corner.
"Transferred?" the hookers exclaimed.
"Yup," the old man responded sadly again, surprised to see the young girl turn her head to them.
"To where?" Marie questioned angerily.
Raoul suddenly appeared, walking out from behind a wall, apparently listening to them. A wicked grin spread accross his face as he looked to the now angry girl in the back.
"You pig!" Trish yelled. "What are you doing 'ere?"
"Shut up wench," Raoul growled. "Come here Catherine, I fear you are no longer safe in Paris."
"And who are you to care for my sake?" Cat's voice croaked angerily as she stumbled over to the bars, surprising the hookers and the old man.
"I have every right as your father," Raoul barked back at her.
"YOU ARE NOT MY FATHER!" Cat screamed as she threw herself at the bars, the hookers having to pull her back in attempt not to hurt herself.
"I dare to think otherwise," Raoul stated back.
"I'm not leaving with you!" Cat shouted, spating in Raoul's face although her weak body begged to differ.
Raoul wiped the spit from his face and nodded to someone behind the wall that blocked the trio's view. Two other police officers appeared as another person was dragged into the room.
"Erik!" Cat cried out, rushing to the bars once more, hands reaching out to the Phantom. The hooker's backing away in shock.
"Cat," Erik called out but choked as the officers pulled on his arms, blood running down his bruised face.
"What did you do to him?" Cat questioned, fresh tears spilling down her face, as the ghost's eyes fell from her face, wracked with pain.
"Found him near the Opera House," Raoul responded as he dared to near the bars once more. "Looking for his pupil I suppose. I hear there's a huge bounty on his head. But, Catherine, since you are MY DAUGHTER, I will give you a choice to save this...friend of yours. And to even more generous, I'll even give you a day to decide."
"What do you want?" Cat sobbed, staring hard at the Phantom with pleading eyes.
Raoul nodded to the officers a second time, one of them moving to the cell, pushing Cat back as he began to open the bars. Cat gasped as they forced the Phantom into the cell, onto the ground where he grunted from the impact. Cat was immediately at his side, wrapping her weak arms around his broken form. Raoul growled at this.
"Your first choice," he began roughly. "I will let the Phantom go and take into my power a way to force the bounty off his head for good IF you agree to the murder of Claire Revue AND sign the contract that legally makes you my daughter."
"If she agrees to the murder, she'll be hanged!" Marie exclaimed.
"She'll die if she signs that contract," Eirk coughed as he attempted to stand, Cat's arms stalling him.
"What's the other choice?" Cat's voice questioned through her sobs.
"The other choice," Raoul began angerily. "The Phantom wil be displayed for the public to view without any police escorts as protection while you will return to America to be forever bound from Paris." He growled one last time. "I will return this time tomorrow." And with a final, wicked smirk he turned to leave with the younger police officers.
Trish and Marie sat on the opposite side of the cage as the old man disappeared, returning shortly with a first aid kit, in which Cat accepted kindly while helping Erik to lean against the wall.
"So...you're really the Phantom of the Opera?" Trish asked shakily as she watched Cat begin to help the man with a distorted face. Marie smacked her on the back of the head.
"Don't bother the poor guy!" she stated. "Course he is!"
"Friends of yours?" Erik asked quietly as he watched the hookers begin to argue. Cat smirked.
"Yeah," she croaked back, trembling slightly as her weak body began to break down. How could she talk to this man now? Her father! She wanted to sob and cry out in utter joy in his arms. Yet, he had no idea. Erik grabbed her wrist to and pulled her to his chest, concerned with her trembling, and wrapping his arms around her shoulders. Cat broke down in his arms, crying like a sad child would. How could anyone believe this man to be cruel?
"You must return to the Americas," Erik stated slowly as he began to rub her back.
Cat shook her head against the wide chest. "I won't leave knowing that you will be displayed like a wild animal that no one has ever seen before," she admitted through her cries.
"You can't stay here either," Erik said softly, almost fatherly. "Raoul may be your father but he is not a kind person. The minute you sign the papers, you'll seal your fate. A fate worse then death."
Cat hissed at the mention that Raoul was her father. In truth, she was thrilled she wasn't, but she was worried that if Raoul knew about her and what he would do when he learned she wasn't. She pulled away from Erik.
"Either way, your life is screwed," Trish stated as she walked over, sitting next to them. Marie rushed over and slapped her on the back of the head again. "What? You know it's true!"
"She's right Marie," Cat agreed. "If I go to the Americas I have no one there to take me in. If I stay here then my life belongs to Raoul." She looked into Erik's eyes. "But I'm going to give it a night to think about my decision."
Erik nodded reluctantly. "Though I wish I could make it for you, it is your voice alone that Raoul will listen to," he stated. "But Cat, you will always be my friend, my pupil, and I would rather suffer a life of ridicule then to watch you hang for a murder you did not commit."
"Aw," Trish and Marie said together.
Both Cat and Erik blushed. As the hours grew late, the old man delievered food and even sent in more First Aid items. The four people found that they could waste the hours singing and chatting, never speaking of Raoul's offers to Cat or Erik.
When Trish and Marie fell asleep, Erik and Cat moved far into the corner where they could talk more quietly.
"You said you see me as your pupil, your friend," Cat began slowly as Erik pulled her into his fatherly embrace. "But I see you as more of like my father and oh I wish I could tell you everything running through my head."
"Sh," he said softly. "It's alright."
"No, it's not," Cat disagreed. "Listen to me Erik. I'm going to sign the contract tomorrow...NO don't try to stop me. While I'm signing the contracts, I want you to go and get my mother out of Paris. I'll be fine...don't worry."
Erik sighed, turning his head from her. "If you wish it," he agreed. "Christine might be able to help you, but please Cat, do not admit to the murder so quickly. I'll find a way to bring the real killer to justice."
"And have another bounty on your head?" Cat exclaimed. "Don't even try to risk it!"
"Cat, I have had bounties on my head all of my life," Erik told her softly. "Raoul would be taking off one of the thousands that still thrive. Do not fret over me. I have lived through more then anything Raoul could dream of throwing my way." He sighed. "Now sleep, you're going to need a lot of rest for this week." Cat was soon to argue but Erik began to sing gently, sending Cat's mind into a world of possibilities.