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 Howdy Ho! I know we are entering into my cliffhanger chapters so please bare with me. Thanks for all of the reviews. I need some assistance with choosing the last name of the next Erik character in the next story MJ and I are working on. Here is a small look into it; Erik will be a reclusive but brilliant scientist (a nerd). Christine is a college senior whose parents died when she was quite young so she has no family to go home to on the Christmas holidays, so her roommate Meg drags her to her mother's boss home, you guessed it, it's Erik. Now here is the surprising aspect. This is not going to be a drama, or an angst story. No, I am going to attempt a happy, humorous story. So there you have it, please either PM me or post your suggestions with your reviews. Thanks so much for your help! Here is the next chapter. Enjoy!
Author – ToryD
Beta – MJMod (Everyone say thank you to MJ, she is getting these chapters edited at super sonic speed.)
ChoicesChapter 26
Javert waited for Cara to pick up the line as he reviewed the article in the city's most notorious gossip column. Shaking his head, he marveled at his inventiveness as he read the lines that he had implanted in the columnist's head only ten hours earlier.
Cara dug through her purse in search for her cell phone, cursing as she broke a nail in the process. "What?" she snapped into the phone.
"Ms. Johnson, is everything all right?" he asked in a flat tone, as he rolled his eyes at the ceiling.
"No! Everything is not fine! Erik has left London!" She yelled into the phone earning her a sharp glare from the other passengers aboard the commercial plane.
"Yes, I have some news regarding Mr. Desmond's return. Mrs. Desmond is in the hospital, while she hasn't suffered a miscarriage yet, my sources tell me that in all likelihood she will lose the child." Javert said with an unemotional tone.
Cara felt a twinge of guilt as she processed the news of Christine's hospitalization. "Well, is that it?" Cara said defensively.
Sighing with an irritated look, Javert continued with his information. "No, I was able to call in a few favors on your behalf. When you get back to New York, be sure to take a look at the page six column." He paused as he heard her sharp intake of breath. "You will see that there is a small item reporting yours and Erik's trip to London, while the very pregnant wife remained at home."
Cara's face lit up as though she were a small child on Christmas morning. "Good! I hate to admit this, but it would be better if she lost the baby. I mean it won't be easy being a stepmother to Erik's child." She said in a dark tone that had even the hardened Javert frowning at her callousness.
"Yes, well. I just thought you should know that the press will be on you as soon as you arrive." Looking at his watch, he saw that it was going on 6:30 A.M., "Mr. Desmond is slated to land in about fifteen minutes. He will be met with a large number of journalists as well. It is imperative that you do not let on to the press that you and Erik are having an affair. Let me handle that aspect. Act as though you are trying to remain silent."
Cara leaned back in her first class seat and motioned for the bleached blond flight attendant. "Can I have my champagne already?" She demanded in a haughty tone, causing the attendant to mumble under her breath as she walked off to do her bidding.
"I'm not stupid! I know how to handle the press." She said into the phone as the plane turned off the tarmac and onto the runway.
"Miss, you will have to turn off your cell phone." The senior flight attendant said with a polite but firm tone, earning her a sneer from Cara.
"I have to go, the plane is taking off. I'll call you when I get back," Cara said as she flipped her phone shut with a gleeful smile. This is working out better than I had hoped. Not only am I getting rid of Christine, but of her rug rat as well. Yes, everything is turning out better than I could have ever hoped for. She thought to herself with a satisfied smile on her perfectly made-up face.
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Nadir and Erik pushed their way through the hordes of press camped out at the entrance to the hospital.
"Mr. Desmond, is it true that Mrs. Desmond had a miscarriage when she learned of your affair with Cara Johnson?" One of the sleazier tabloid reporters called out.
Nadir felt Erik stiffen in response to the outlandish question. Pushing through the last few photographers, he opened the double glass doors and held them for Erik as he entered.
"What in hell are they talking about?" Erik said as he walked quickly towards the information desk.
"I'm not sure, I'll get right on it as soon as we find out about Christine." Nadir said to his boss.
"I'm Erik Desmond, my wife Christine has been admitted." He said in an urgent voice to the young woman manning the desk.
With a few clicks of her mouse, Wendy found the information on this strange man's wife. "Christine Desmond is on the forth floor…room 418." She said with a curious look at Erik's half-masked face.
"Let's go," Nadir said as he motioned for the bank of elevators.
Erik leaned back and closed his eyes as the elevator shut out the outside world if only for just a moment. They have to be all right, the baby and her. A daughter, Christine and I are having a daughter, he thought to himself as he tried to hide the all-encompassing fear that was plaguing him.
As the doors slid opened, Erik walked quickly towards the nurse's station where Dr. Mesamore stood reviewing a chart. "Dr. Mesamore," he called as he approached.
Debra turned to face the man who had called her no less that fourteen times in the last five hours. "Mr. Desmond, Mr. Khan," she greeted both men.
"How is she?" Erik asked with an apprehensive look in his worried eyes.
Debra motioned then to a deserted waiting room. "Please have a seat," she said as she took one of her own. "As I said on the phone we were finally able to stop Christine's bleeding. The baby has a nice strong heartbeat. Christine's blood pressure still has me a little concerned." Debra paused as she looked over the chart. She knew that Christine had been insistent that Erik not be told the true extent of the life-threatening nature of her pregnancy. Closing the chart, she looked up into Erik's face. "Mr. Desmond, I cannot convey how important it is for Christine to avoid all stress in the next two months. Her pregnancy is still at risk, it is imperative that she remain as calm as possible throughout the next several weeks."
Erik let his head fall into his hands, squeezing his eyes shut to hold back the threatening tears; he vowed to himself that he would move Heaven and Earth to ensure that both Christine and their daughter would survive this crisis.
Nadir watched with concern as Erik received the news of Christine's health update. "Will she be able to leave the hospital?" he asked the Doctor.
"I want to keep her here for the next couple of days, just to be safe and to monitor her blood pressure." Debra said with a thoughtful expression. "I think it might not be such a bad idea if you were to engage the services of a private nurse for Christine. Even though she will be able to go home, it doesn't mean that we are out of the woods yet. I want her blood pressure to be checked at least once every two hours."
"What caused this?" Erik asked with his head still downcast.
"I'm not sure; some women are just predisposed to have serious complication in pregnancy. It could be genetic, Christine informed me of her mother's death in childbirth. In fact, after this pregnancy I am strongly going to recommend to Christine that she have her tubes tied. I don't think that she could survive another pregnancy." Debra said softly.
"Oh God," Erik whispered in a tortured tone. "Christine's not going to die is she?"
"Erik, it will not do Christine any good for us to think the worst." Debra said hoping to steer Christine's husband from the truth that Christine had made her promise not to reveal. "Christine is going to need all of your support over the next several weeks; she needs to feel as worry free as possible." Debra leaned over to place her hand on Erik's arm. "Now this is the most important thing you can do for her now, make sure that she doesn't get upset. I suspect that stress may have brought on this crisis."
"Stress?" Nadir asked as he looked from Debra to Erik.
"Yes,' Debra said with an almost accusatory tone. "It's not my place to say, but as her physician I feel it my duty to inform you that the press coverage on Mr. Desmond at the moment is less than flattering. And this possibly may have contributed to Christine's complications."
Erik looked up sharply into Nadir's frowning face. "Find out what they are after." He barked in a sharp voice.
Nadir rose as he took out his cell, dialing the head of Erik's public relations department as he exited the room.
"May I see her?" Erik asked.
"She is sleeping at the moment. I gave her a sedative so that she could rest." Debra rose from her chair and motioned Erik to follow her. "I will take you to her room."
Erik rose and followed. "Is she in any pain?" he asked as they made their way down the long narrow hall.
"No, she is heavily sedated." Debra replied as they reached Christine's door. Erik lifted his arm to push open the door only to be stalled by Debra's restraining hand. "Erik, let me just say this one more time. It is essential for Christine's and the baby's health that she remain as calm as possible."
Erik felt a chill enter his body at the ominous statement from Christine's doctor. "I understand."
Nodding, Debra let him go in as she walked away with a deep sigh of regret. Regret for the limitations of medical science. Regret that she was unable to stop the impending tragedy.
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Nadir pushed the end call button on his cell phone three hours later. He had called in numerous favors and even promised some in return for the squashing of the stories regarding Erik's supposed affair with Cara. Now that he had successfully completed his damage control he began to turn his thoughts as to who was responsible for these lies. He had a suspicion that the trail would lead him back to one Cara Johnson. Accessing his phone's preprogrammed address book he quickly obtained the number to reach Christine's off duty bodyguard.
Reggie groaned at the sound of his cell phone. Steve had just relieved him only an hour and a half ago and he was ready for some much-needed sleep. "Garibaldi." He announced into the phone.
"Reggie, it's Nadir Khan. I'm sorry to call you back to duty but this is urgent. I need you to trace last week's whereabouts of Cara Johnson."
"Cara Johnson sir?" Reggie asked to confirm the name with a sinking feeling in his stomach.
"Yes, she is a former mistress of Mr. Desmond's. She may be responsible for the lies being printed in the press. I want you to find out everything you can on her. Report back to me every hour." Nadir said in an authoritative manner.
"Yes, Mr. Khan. I will get back to you in an hour." Reggie advised as he hung up the phone. Swinging his legs to the side of his mattress, he cursed the bad luck that has brought him to this point. He had actually begun to care for Mr. and Mrs. Desmond, not a particularly good thing as he was being paid to work against them. Sighing he picked up his cell to call Javert. "It's Garibaldi, I think the Desmond's are on to Ms. Johnson, Nadir Khan just called and ordered me to begin investigating our client."
Javert wiped the fatigue from his eyes as he looked at his watch, "Ok, her plane doesn't land for three more hours." He said in a weary tone. "I think that we have done all that we can for Ms. Johnson. I propose that you do your job, and provide the Desmond's with a very thorough investigation. You will of course leave out any reference to me." Javert said as he acknowledged to himself that he would need to immediately terminate his services for Ms. Johnson.
Reggie felt a large measure of relief at the wise decision of his boss. "Good, then I will proceed and hang Cara Johnson out to dry."
Javert smiled at the thought of the atonement that Cara was about to face. "Yes, Reggie, you do a very thorough job indeed."
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Christine awoke feeling something heavy on her hand. Moaning softly she tried to pull her hand from underneath the heavy, warm object.
Erik, feeling Christine beginning to stir, immediately looked up into her pale features. "Christine." He called to her in a concerned tone.
Frowning Christine could have sworn that Erik was calling to her. "Erik?" she whispered.
Smiling, Erik leaned down to take her lips in a soft tender kiss. "Christine," he said as she opened her eyes to look into his.
"What are you doing here?" she asked with a bewildered expression on her face.
Lifting her hand to his lips, he sat once again on the chair beside her bed. "Where else would I be but with my beautiful wife."
"But you are supposed to be in London?" Christine closed her eyes as the events of the last twenty hours began to replay through her tired brain.
Erik watched a myriad of emotions play across her exquisite face, confusion, hurt, pain, anger and finally a coldness that confirmed his worst fears. "Christine, I know that the press has been making a lot of assumptions about my trip. But you have to believe me…" He began only to be stopped abruptly by Christine's upraised hand.
"No, Erik. I don't want to hear another word." She said in a firm tone. "I am going to do everything in my power to make sure that my baby stays healthy. So I will not hear one more word out of your deceitful mouth."
Erik felt as though someone had ripped his heart out of his chest at her coldness. "Christine," he called in a pleading tone.
"NO!" She yelled as she pulled her hand from his grasp. She felt the pain of his betrayal all over again as she looked up into his lying face. "Get out, I don't want you here!"
Erik paled at the pain in her voice. Pain that he had unknowingly caused for his failure to protect her. "Please Christine, listen to me. I love you; I would never do anything to jeopardize that." Just as the words left him, various alarms began to sound on the many machines that were monitoring Christine. "Christine!" he cried out in alarm.
Christine began to feel lightheaded as she closed her eyes to block out the sight of her adulterous husband.
Dr. Mesamore came bounding into the room with a team of nurses and an intern. Pushing Erik out of the way, she began to assess her patient. "Give me her pressure!" she demanded of one of the nurses.
"Its 80 over 60, Doctor." The senior nurse called out.
"Damn!" Debra said under her breath. "Give her 10 of Demerol." She instructed the intern to her right. Turning to Christine, she began to speak in a calm voice. "Christine, I need you to take several deep breaths."
Christine knew that she was endangering her baby with her uncontrollable emotions. Listening to Dr. Mesamore, she began to take the deep breaths as she was instructed.
Debra watched the fetal monitor closely as she breathed deeply with Christine. "Yes, that's better Christine. That's it."
As Christine began to feel the effects of the drug they just administered she looked up at her doctor with pain-filled eyes. "Make him leave. I don't want him here." She whispered in a pleading manner that cut straight through Erik's heart.
"Ok Christine, now you need to rest. That's it, you just rest now." Debra said as she patted her arm reassuringly. "She's out, I want another sonogram stat!" she ordered her intern. Turning to a distraught and frightened Erik, she motioned him out of the room. Once they were in the deserted hall, she shook her head disapprovingly. "Mr. Desmond, I specifically warned you not to cause her any upset."
"This is all my fault," he said brokenly. "Oh God!" he cried as he leaned heavily against the wall as though his legs were about to go out from under him.
"Erik," Debra called out to gain his attention. Seeing that he was truly suffering she felt horrible at the next statement she was about to impart. "Clearly Christine is upset by your presence, so I'm afraid that for her sake as well as for the baby, that you will not be allowed to see her again."
Erik felt as though a knife had just been plunged into his heart at the Doctor's words. Swallowing hard at the thought of not seeing his beloved Christine, he looked up into the sympathetic eyes of Christine's doctor. "For how long?" he asked in a distressed tone.
"For as long as she wishes Erik." Sighing she took his arm and led him to the small private waiting room. Once she had him seated, she took a chair directly in front of him. "Erik, as I told you earlier Christine is in a very delicate condition. She must not suffer any stress if she and the baby are to survive. I'm sorry, but at least until the baby is delivered, I don't think that you should try to see Christine."
Erik felt tears of self-loathing well within his eyes at the unmistakable knowledge of the pain that he had inflicted upon Christine. "I understand. I won't try to see her until she is ready." He said in a defeated voice that caused Debra's eyes to well with tears as well.
"I think that would be for the best as for now." Debra said in a sad voice. Seeing that Nadir was waiting outside she motioned for him to enter. "Mr. Khan, perhaps you can see Mr. Desmond home."
Frowning Nadir looked into Erik's distraught face and knew that something terrible must have happened. "Erik?" he asked in a worried voice.
"She thinks that I have been seeing Cara behind her back. She is refusing to see me." Erik said in a horse voice.
"If you gentlemen will excuse me, I need to get back to Christine." Debra said as she rose to leave.
"Thank you Doctor," Erik said as she walked towards the doorway. "Please call me if there is any change."
Smiling in a consoling manner Debra looked into the distressed features of her patient's husband. "I will."
Nadir had a bewildered look on his face. "Erik how is Christine?"
"She may lose the baby." He said with a weary sigh. "She believes that I could cheat on her Nadir. I love her more than anything in this world and she believes that I would betray her with another woman."
Nadir had a feeling that Christine was led into believing the vicious lies, and he had a good idea of who had helped the misconception along. "Erik, I have Reggie investigating Cara. I have a strong feeling that she may be behind this."
Erik felt an overwhelming rage begin to fill him at the thought of someone deliberately setting out to harm Christine. "I want to know every last detail Nadir." He demanded in a cold, ominous voice that even caused Nadir to draw back in fear. "If I find that she even attempted to speak with Christine, I swear that I will make her life a living hell." He promised with an iciness that chilled the blood within Nadir's veins.
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A/N Ooh, Cara's in big trouble now! Let me know what you think in the reviews.