OK so i know that i have kept you in suspense for two days now and i myself have found myself in suspense as well! Unfortunately i will be unable to write tomorrow, and Saturday (helping my boyfriend move into his dorm for college) *crying*, but I promise to upload a chapter on Monday after we all get back from our first day of school if I am unable to do it sooner!

Your obedient servant,

PhantomsAngel1870

Chapter 18: We Have All Been Blind

"…and at the end of our duet with the trap door underneath us I will grab Christine and trigger it to open and allow us to escape to the tunnels underneath the stage. From there we will take the already loaded suitcases with our valuables and rush to the carriage that will waiting for us at the back of the opera house that I will need you to get prepared Antoinette. Then we will be able to live our lives and settle down in a small mansion I own outside the city of Paris without worrying about DeChagny finding us. The mansion is secluded in a forest that I am sure that he will never be able to find us there."

Christine listened to Erik's entire plan for the performance of Don Juan and she had to admit that it seemed pretty much foolproof, how could anything go wrong? But as she looked over to Madame Giry to see how the older woman reacted, Christine was surprised that her foster mother's face was ghostly white as she listened to Erik's plot. Along with her drastic drain of color in her skin, Christine also saw how she failed to meet Erik's eyes as they talked. Christine knew from the few lessons that Erik taught her that if someone refused to meet your eyes that it meant that they were hiding something, and Christine knew that she needed to find out what the older woman was keeping from them.

So with as much comfort that she could muster Christine placed her hand on top of Madame Giry's shaking hands and saw the older woman look up to her adopted daughter with tears at the corner of her eyes. Never before had Christine seen Madame Giry show such grievous emotion, everyone knew Madame Giry to be the rock at the Opera Populaire—she was one of the most sternest people in the world to the corps de ballet and the ballerinas all thought that she held only one emotion and that was anger—but how they were all so wrong.

"Madame Giry, please tell us what it is that you are keeping hidden. Please Madame Giry, I don't think it will do any of us good if you keep the information away from us. Please, for all of our sakes." Christine spoke softly and gently towards the motherly figure before her. This extraordinary woman had done so much for Christine and Erik both throughout their lives at this opera house and now it was their turn to help the older woman soothe the worries that were harbored in her mind.

Antoinette flinched slightly at the last sentence that Christine had spoken to her. It was just what he told her last night. No matter how much she hated thinking about him—let alone talking about the damned boy—she knew that Christine was right in the end. She needed to tell them all about what had happened that morning before she raced down her. As she collected and calmed her nerves she looked up at Erik, "Please sit down dear brother. I am afraid that this is going to be a long story to tell, and Christine, you will need to keep your hand on him just in case his temper acts up again". Christine nodded and watched as Erik reluctantly sat down beside the young soprano.

"I do not have a temper Antoinette so I do not see why you insist—" Erik began speaking as he sat down but was momentarily interrupted when Christine pressed one of her fingers to his lips to silence him. He looked towards the dark haired beauty that dared to make him stop talking questioningly and waited for her to explain herself.

"Yes you do, do not lie. Now Madame Giry please continue," Christine first spoke to Erik in a mock serious tone as she felt Erik kiss the finger of hers that was pressed against his mouth. In order to reduce her blush drastically and quickly she turned back to her foster mother and begged her to continue on in her story.

Madame Giry made herself a little more comfortable on the small chair that she was seated in and looked at the two people in front of her and thought of her daughter Meg. She knew that she will do everything in her power to keep these three people safe because they were her world and if she lost any of them she would not know what to do with herself. She briefly looked at Erik to make sure that he was ready for what she was about to tell them, for what she is going to say will change everything they have known at the opera house for so long. With a reassuring nod from both people in front of her Madame Giry began recounting the morning's trivial matters that have set chaos into motion and all too soon she was drawn back into time to when it happened…

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…Madame Giry was walking quicker to keep with the Vicomte's pace. As a prominent figure to the Opera Populaire she was always accounted for when the matter that was being discussed what about the wellbeing of the Opera Populaire. But when she saw Carlotta and Piangi Guidicelli join the group she knew that whatever the matter was it could not be good. Anything they were involved in had to be complete and utter nonsense.

As she tried to make her way to the front she saw a particular blonde head that she would have recognized from anywhere—her daughter Meg was at the arm of the Vicomte DeChagny! At any other time she would have been a very proud mother to have her daughter catch the eye of such a prominent figure in society but in the given circumstances right now all she could think about is why she was called to this adjourned "meeting". What did this young boy have in mind that he thinks everything would agree upon for the opera house? After thinking about these things for a while Madame Giry found that the Vicomte had been talking the entire time and she was disappointed in herself that she will only have the ending to catch ahold of.

"…and that's what Meg has informed me of. I believe that she is correct in the fact that this is a complete and utter danger to the lives and wellbeing of each and every person and animal that works at this opera house, and it is in my best interests as a Parisian and Patron that I put an end to this nonsense immediately. I would hate to see my future fiancée worried about such trivial matters gentlemen, and so I wish to have your blessing in order to free all of us from this accursed man that prevails to wreck havoc on all of our lives. None of us want this Phantom of the Opera here anymore so I believe we should take him in and let the government see fit to do with him as they please. I am sure that he would be mercifully given a quick death if he pleaded guilty, the French are known for their kindness in such matters," the Vicomte had been discussing this with the managers as he held Meg at his arm. Madame Giry was not aware who the Vicomte had taken as a fiancée until she saw the white ring glimmering on her daughter's finger.

The first thing Antoinette felt was fury—how dare that insolent boy take her daughter away from her without even asking for her blessing! Not that she would have given it to him anyway, no matter how much her daughter thought she loved him. No, this man is anything but good and she would rather die than to see her only daughter become this boy's prisoner in an aristocratic life. Madame Giry knew that once Meg was married off to the Vicomte DeChagny that she would have very rare opportunities to see her daughter after that. The upper class never mingled with the commoners for very long even if they were relatives.

Just as she was about to speak up about how this was all nonsense, there was no absolute way to capture a ghost—Madame Giry remembered that she had told the Vicomte about Erik's past—and she kept her mouth closed. If she gave him any reason to release that information she was sure that the managers would even stoop low enough to search out the same gypsy caravan to return Erik to just so that they would not have to deal with him. Oh how she wished that they would all just accept him into their world, he has so much to offer them and so little he wants in return—all he wants is to be accepted and belong and be needed. He has enough money to last him and Christine a lifetime, he doesn't care about material things, and he wants the things that other humans take advantage of. So with a heavy sigh Madame Giry continued to listen to the Vicomte's plans knowing very well that she would need to report this all back to Erik and Christine as soon as she heard everything that the Vicomte needed to say.

Raoul looked up to everyone that was following him throughout the hallways of the opera house and after a moment of serious thought and planning he scrunched up his eyebrows and looked everyone dead in their eyes and began, "Gentlemen…

We have all been blind

And yet the answer is staring us in the face

This could be the chance

To ensnare our clever friend…"

This brought everyone to attention as they listening to the beginning of the Vicomte's plan to capture the Phantom of the Opera. Firmin and Andre stepped forward towards the Vicomte and shouted to him, "We're listening! Go on!" To Raoul's delight at having everyone wrapped around his finger he continued on listing out his plot to exact revenge on the man that had taken what he desired most from him.

"We shall play his game

Perform his work, but remember we hold the ace

For if Miss Daae sings

He is certain to attend"

The two managers nodded as they walked with the Vicomte towards their office. They looked at each other before shouting out more commands that will be handled on the premiere of Don Juan.

"We are certain the doors are barred! We are certain the police are there!..." The two managers were shouting out many things that will happen when Raoul cut them off with a demand of his own, "We are certain they're armed," and in unison they all cried out together, "The curtain falls, his reign will end!"

The entire group had finally made it to the manager's office and they all quickly scrambled into the large room. They all moved out of the way as they allowed the Vicomte to sit down at the main desk and intertwine his hands and fingers together. Madame Giry in particular felt very uncomfortable being in a room that was filled with such hate for a man, and phantom, that had brought nothing but success to their beloved Opera Populaire, and now that a spoiled Vicomte did not get what he wanted everyone turned against the man that brought out their true potential just because he was not like everyone else. It truly sickened Antoinette and she wanted to do nothing more but leave as soon as she could before she heard any more of his plot to kill her dear brother. But all at the same time she knew that she had to stay and listen to all the details so that she was able to tell Erik more.

"I am sure that each and every one of you has felt angered by the Phantom of the Opera's constant attempts at having full control of the Opera Populaire?" Raoul opened their conversation with something that he felt that everyone would relate to. When he got many nods and glares from everyone that was directed to the opera ghost he continued on.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have a solution to our little friend. As I had said earlier, the police will be there to block each and every entrance from our little convict from entering and/or escaping. We will most definitely have this madman trapped like a mouse—just as he has had us trapped for so long here." Raoul flipped open the script for 'Don Juan' and tried to understand the music, he had never been one for learning music and it frustrated him. Ever since he was little he remembered someone around his age, maybe a little older, trying to teach him but Raoul never had fully grasped the concept of music. He just wished that the boy was still around so that he could help him make sense of all these black and white notes with slashes and little b's and sharps. Thankfully though, Raoul was able to understand the words and managed to understand the plot line to the opera by reading the lyrics.

"I feel that the best way of going about doing this would be to have the guards ready themselves during the love duet between Don Juan and Aminta. Piangi I am sure that you have your part completely prepared and ready, yes?" Raoul looked up towards the heavier Italian man that was standing beside Carlotta.

"Yes sir, I have had this part ready for many weeks. I assure you that I will not let you do on this role, your Vicomteness." Piangi bowed slightly towards Raoul as Raoul raised an eyebrow to the title that Piangi had bestowed to him. With a shake of his head he looked up to the script once more and continued on with his plan.

"Yes we will have the guards ready during the two main characters love song and then when the Phantom makes himself known as Piangi wraps his arms around Christine—for we all know that the Phantom of the Opera hates for anyone else to touch something that he claims as his—we will have the police place him under arrest and then when he is taken to court we will all be able to attest against him, leaving him without any chance of escape from the law this time. He has murdered Joseph Buquet and who knows how many other lives he has taken from this world! Now we all know that Christine is in danger as well and does any of us want to risk her destiny to be lived out just as Joseph Buquets' was?"

Raoul watched and judged each of the people in the room, he saw how everyone reacted, especially Meg and was secretly pleased by how easy they complied with his plan of action. Even though he was engaged to Meg now—something that he did not really care much for—he knew that she was a leverage to hold against Antoinette Giry and Christine. With her by his side he knew that it was impossible for him to lose this war that he had waged against the Phantom of the opera.

Madame Giry had just about heard enough and began moving to the door to leave this room filled with such hatred, she needed to warn Erik and Christine and quickly if they were to do anything about this! Oh god how she wished that she could take Meg and leave this place behind but now with Christine and Erik to help, along with her daughters recent engagement towards the villain himself, Madame Giry had nothing else to do but to stay here with her family and do her best to make everything right in the end. As soon as her hand touched the brass doorknob she heard something clear their throat.

"Oh Madame Giry, I do have a personal favor I need to ask of you as well," she heard the icy voice of the Vicomte that dripped with venomous honey call out to her. With all her strength she had to keep her face and voice stoic she turned around and faced the one man that she hated more than ever.

"Yes Monsieur Le Vicomte, what service may I be for you?" Madame Giry's voice sounded flat as she spoke to the boy sitting in front of her. She watched as a smile crept upon the boy's face as he walked around the desk to stand in front of her. His tall slim figure stood at about six inches taller than her own height and she tilted her head up a little so that she could look him into the eyes.

"I would appreciate it if you could go tell Christine Daae that I am in need of having a private audience with her tonight. There are plans that need to be fulfilled that means that I need her upmost willingness to be part of this plan. She needs to be told of the type of danger that she is in and I am the only way that she will be able to get out of this place and leave it behind entirely," Raoul glared down at the older woman as he watched her process the words that he spoke to her. Madame Giry was frightened about what Christine would think to such a plan, but she knew every well how Christine would react and so as she straightened her posture against her cane Madame Giry's body straightened another couple of inches as she challenged the Vicomte.

"And if she refuses to come to see you?" Madame Giry spat as she raised one of her eyebrows towards the young man in front of her. She watched as his demeanor changed from uncomfortably friendly to uncomfortably deadly in seconds as he glared down towards her.

"If she refuses to come to see me then I will be forced to send police in every room looking for her and I will have to arrest her on charges of plotting against the welfare of a prominent figure in the Parisian society. I am sure however, this is an offer that she will not refuse and so I am asking you as a friend to kindly bring her to me." Without another word Madame Giry opened the door and quickly made the journey back to Erik's home to warn him and Christine.

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Erik sat completely still as he heard Antoinette recount the tale of the Vicomte's plans to capture him and his threats to Christine's life. That is where the boy drew the line, Erik was not just going to sit down and wait for DeChagny to take the one thing that he loved more than music itself. But he also knew that if Christine did not go to the manager's office tonight then she would be arrested and Erik knew that there was a slim to zero chance that he would be able to rescue her if she was taken to the Paris prison.

He knew that his plan could still work but it was only a matter of changing the first move he played. This situation could go of two ways and he hoped that it was the one that worked in his favor. With the Vicomte's new plan he knew that he would have to make use of the chandelier now more than ever and so he knew that he would have to fix that trap as a distraction if he needed to. He looked over to see Christine eyes near the brink of tears and he held her closely.

"Oh god Erik what happens now? How can we get out of this situation? There has to be some way, please if you know of any way to stop him from hurting us please just tell me!" Christine began sobbing as she pushed herself against Erik and wrapped her arms around him. Of course Erik knew of a way to put this all behind them and he feared that it would eventually have to come to it.

"The Vicomte must die."

OH MY GOSH! I expanded on the Vicomte's plan more in this story than it did in the 2004 movie, mostly because i felt that it added to the plot. I wonder how the conversation with Christine is going to go, hmm? Do you have any ideas for what should be said/done? Is there anything that you want any of the characters to do that i have not done so already? If you have any ideas/comments please review this chapter and let me know! If i feel i can incorporate it into the story i will put it in when appropriate!