I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time.

A/N Hey everyone! I apologize in advance for this short chapter, but the next scene will be quite long and would make for an extremely long chapter, so I decided to end it here. Also, I have a reviewer assignment at the end, so I need your help before I could continue. Here is the next chapter. Enjoy!

Author – ToryD

Choices

Chapter 15

Simone descended the plane's steps as though she were a queen arriving for a state visit, nodding regally at the various members of Erik's staff who were on hand to adhere to her every whim. Spying a waiting Nadir instead of her devoted son, she allowed the indignation she was feeling free reign as she approached the wary younger man. "Where is my son?" She asked in a chipped tone that set Nadir's teeth on edge.

Shit! My year-end bonus had better be huge for all that I have to put up with! Nadir thought to himself as he pasted a smile upon his dark face. "Simone, how stunning you look!" He said as he took the small impeccably groomed French Poodle from her.

Scowling in much the same manner as Erik, Simone once again demanded, "Where is my son?"

"I have wonderful news!" Nadir said in an overly excited tone. "Erik and Christine were wed last night." Watching her reaction carefully he continued with the rest of his much dreaded statement. "They are at this very minute in route to their honeymoon."

Inhaling a deep breath Simone clenched her perfectly manicured hands into tight fists. "What in the hell are you talking about?" She all but screeched. "Erik would never marry without my being present!"

Nadir winced at the fire shooting from Simone's deep green eyes. "I'm sorry Simone; Erik felt that with all of the press attention that he and Christine would fair much better if they just eloped." He offered with a sympathetic smile.

Her calculating mind already working overtime she pinned Nadir with a sharp look that would not allow him to escape her interrogation. "Tell me Nadir; was this really Erik's decision? Hmm? Or was it his 'wife'" she paused as she sneered the word as though it proved bitter tasting on her tongue "who perpetrated this fiasco?"

Swallowing hard at the intense feeling of hatred he felt radiating off Erik's mother, he acknowledged to himself that Erik had indeed made the right decision with his hurried elopement. "Erik was the sole instigator of the wedding." He said rather coolly as he shifted the tiresome dog to his other arm. "In face Simone, it was designed with the sole purpose of a surprise for Christine."

Simone gave him an unladylike grunt as she turned and stalked quickly to the awaiting limousine. Once seated comfortably inside she turned and once again directed her unhappy visage towards Nadir. "Well please tell me he had the common sense to have the little tramp sign a pre-nup?" She said with distain dripping from her pink glossed lips.

Rubbing his temple at the instant headache he was experiencing, Nadir sighed deeply as he dealt with Erik's bitch of a mother. "I don't have the slightest idea about Erik and Christine's personal business."

Glaring at him from across the elegant seat, Simone once again cut him with her sharp tongue. "Isn't it your job to protect my son?"

Nadir had to hold in the ironic laughter that threatened to erupt from his lips. For what was he doing at this precise moment if it wasn't protecting Erik from this vicious petty woman? "My job," he paused as he bravely gave her a chilling look of his own. "My job as you so eloquently put it is to serve Erik as he sees fit."

Turning away from Nadir's dark gaze Simone looked out at the cold overcast afternoon. Well, it seems as though I am too late to prevent this…this marriage my son so stupidly entered into. So what now? What can I do to ensure that the little conniving bitch doesn't take what is rightfully mine?

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Christine stared out the plane's small window with wonder in her clear blue eyes. While she had been to Europe many times, she had never experienced the splendor of the Australia coastline. Turning in her seat, she saw that Erik had a slight smile playing about his lips as he watched her. Returning his smile, she reached out and took his hand in hers. "So my husband," she said as she absently traced a small circular pattern across the back of his strong hand. "How is it that you knew that I have always longed to see Australia?"

Grasping her hand, he brought it to his lips for a quick kiss. "Ah, if I told you all of my secrets, what would you have to look forward too?"

Christine reached up and kissed him with a small sweet kiss that set his pulse racing. Gathering her into his arms, he deepened the kiss, his seeking tongue sliding seductively across her bottom lip as she gasped for air. "Erik…" she sighed with desire dripping from her parted lips.

With a sexy smile, Erik lowered his lips to delve in and kiss her with a thoroughness that left her clutching his shoulders in order to stay upright. Hearing the planes landing gear begin to drop, he slowly changed the kiss from that of intense passion to slow tenderness. Raising his head slightly he kissed each of her closed eyes softly, his hand caressing her cheek lovingly as her rapid breathing began to return to normal.

As the plane descended towards the private landing strip, Christine marveled at the man who was her husband. While she had been 'forced' into accepting this marriage she was amazed that she was feeling anything but forced as she gazed up into Erik's half-masked face. What about him drew her to him as though he was the very air she breathed? What special power did he posses that he could awaken such an all-encompassing desire within her?

As Christine was lost in her secret thoughts, Erik pulled out a small box from his jacket pocket presenting it to his bride.

"What is this?" Christine questioned as she took the small box from him.

"Well Mrs. Desmond, it is an anniversary gift." He informed her with a gleam in his eyes.

"Anniversary gift?" She asked him with a look of confusion gracing her face.

"Yes Mrs. Desmond, as of exactly two minutes ago we have been married for exactly one day." He said in a husky voice that created a shiver of delight within her heart.

Christine felt tears fill her eyes as the unending thoughtfulness of her husband.

Erik reached out and caressed her smooth cheek, "Why the tears?" he questioned with a tender look on his face.

Smiling through her tears Christine reached up and kissed his lips in a soft lingering kiss. "You just make me so happy." She said in a simple tone that filled Erik's heart with a feeling of long awaited hope. Hope that maybe Christine could come to care for him, that maybe he was deserving of her love. Hope that she could somehow look beyond his monstrous facade and see the man beneath. The man who was as normal and feeling as any other man who walked this earth. A man who wanted nothing more than the return of the love he felt so strongly with every beat of his heart.

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Cara sat in the darkened room finishing off the bottle of wine that she had started several hours ago. "Fuck you Janelle!" She said under her breath as she recalled her so-called friend's adamant refusal to help with the plans to break up Erik's marriage. "So I am on my own." She said to flickering lights of the New York City skyline. "Well if that is how it must be, then so be it!" she tossed the empty bottle across the room, taking a small bit of satisfaction at the resounding crash of breaking glass. "So, if I am to be successful with this endeavor I will need information." Standing up on shaky legs, she pushed her tangled red hair away from her tear blotched face as she crossed the room to the small desk where she stored her small address book. Turning the pages quickly she smiled a sinister smile as her eyes alighted on the phone number of the one person, who at a hefty price she could count on. Dialing the number with trembling fingers, she waited with anticipation for the answer from the other end.

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A/N Reviewer assignment! I need a name for the private detective that will assist Cara in her plans of destruction. Keep in mind that this man has absolutely no morals; he will do ANYTHING for the right price. Also, I would prefer not to use Joseph Buquet's name as I still associate that name to the deranged character in Broken Sparrow. Let me know what you think in the reviews.