Because I love all my readers/reviwers so much, i have decided to give you all a gift-the second part to "Cut the Fun Short". I woke up at 3 in the morning and spent two hours nonstop writing this chapter because i love each and every one of my fans. I hope everyone has a great first day back and i hope that this little extra Phantom can help.

Your obedient servant,

PhantomsAngel1870

Chapter 20: Change of Plan

As Christine turned for the door she heard Raoul's threat. She was astounded by the two options—well actually it was only one option with two outcomes that depended on her answer—and took a deep breath before turning back to face Raoul once more.

"You shall have your answer by the end of tomorrow night monsieur. I hope you enjoy the performance," Christine gave Raoul her answer and opened the door before slamming it shut on Raoul's shocked face. She knew that he would not be chasing after her for the rest of tonight so she allowed her body to fall against a nearby wall as she began crying.

Madame Giry, having heard the fuss, came out of the room that was across the room and rushed to the small crying figure that was huddled by the door. She pushed the long dark brown curls out of Christine's face as she helped the young girl back to her dressing room. Along the way Madame Giry stopped by a servant's quarters and found a small stash of chocolate and tea and brought it along with her as she and Christine continued their journey back to Christine's dressing room.

Once the two women arrived Christine sunk onto her chaise lounge and cried deeply for her and Erik's life that seemed would never come. Raoul has ruined every hope of happiness for her and Christine was not sure what she was going to do now. How can she escape this dark world of aristocracy that was in store for her? Of course it seemed glamorous but underneath the riches and wonder was a prison for Christine—a prison that she would not be able to get out of—and she never wanted to pushed into that lifestyle again. He remembered how Raoul's mother had tried to make her into a proper lady in society but Christine was never interested in the rule's that governed future Duchess's and Ladies. She would always rather go out to the sea and get dirty playing in the yard. She wanted to sing her heart out and be an actress, but no one would listen, no one but Erik.

She knew that she wanted a life where Erik would always be there by her side. She knew of the traumatizing childhood he had to live and she felt sorry—not pity—that he would never have the type of memories that Christine had of her and father. She knew that she was the first woman to ever show him love—Madame Giry had always been a sister to Erik, that Christine knew—and Christine vowed to love Erik enough to fill a hundred people every day. She began to think about a little babe with Erik's eyes and musical abilities crawling around their future home. A blush formed at her cheeks as she realized what she was thinking about and looked towards the mirror waiting for Erik to come and retrieve her.

Christine looked at the mirror and saw Madame Giry in the reflection reading "Les Miserables". Christine sat back down on the chaise and cleared her throat to gain Madame Giry's attention once more. With a soft sigh Christine sat down across from Madame Giry and recounted what had occurred in the room with Raoul, she did not stop until she got to the very end and only then did she allow herself to cry once more and let Madame Giry hold her. Oh god I need Erik…

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Erik had kept his end of the promise and followed Christine to the manager's office with her through the use of his secret passageways. He had to hurry, however, because they twisted farther away from the source near the beginning and he found himself sprinting through the maze of hallways to reach the room before he missed anything that would be exchanged between the damned Vicomte and Christine.

He had made it in the nick of time to to the portrait that he could pull back a peephole through the eyes of the man who had orginally built the Opera Populaire, Charles Garnier. Through the "eyes" of Garnier Erik saw Christine seating herself into a smaller chair that was across from DeChagny and the desk. Upon the desk was his copy of 'Don Juan' that he had given to the managers, and now the blasted Vicomte was touching the pages of the exquisite music and staining them with his fopness.

He was pleased with how Christine acted around the boy, she was almost emotionless except with her small uses of shock and surprise to learn something "new" about the Phantom of the Opera from Raoul. Erik intensely watched the boy try to cleverly move himself closer and closer to Christine and was obvious by the grimace upon Christine's face that she was very uncomfortable with the Vicomte that close to her. The whole ploy infuriated Erik, however, he didn't realize how mad he could actually get until he saw DeChagny kneel and propose to Christine.

He watched Christine's face become shocked and was proud that she turned his offer away. But as he saw Raoul's eyes glance down to the necklace that laid against Christine's chest Erik knew that he had made a convicting mistake by giving the necklace back to Christine before her meeting with the Vicomte. Erik became infuriated with the boy and himself as he had to silently watch DeChagny yell at Christine and acuse her. But all the weight was lifted off his shoulders as he listened to the creative lie that Christine made up to keep them both safe.

As he finally watched Christine leave the manager's office Erik made his way back to his place behind the mirror just in time to see Christine and Madame Giry arriving. Erik didn't know much about women but he felt that it would be best to give Christine a few minutes alone with Madame Giry before he made his presence known, so he stayed silently behind the mirror as he watched Christine.

However, after he saw Christine crying he knew that she needed him more than anything. It's almost like I can feel what she is feeling. It must be true—I do not own my heart anymore because I gave it to Christine. If I can feel what she is feeling I wonder if she can do the same with me? Erik didn't leave her crying against Madame Giry for long because a protective (but not DeChagny protective) feeling came over him and he opened the mirror to see Christine's eyes shoot up and burst with happiness. It overwhelmed Erik still that anyone would be so happy to see him in the same room as them but Christine was just not like any of the other women in this world and for that Erik was very greatful.

Before he knew it Christine had run to him and crushed her body against his as he felt the tears overwhelm her again. Erik looked over at Madame Giry and gave her the "don't you dare say a word about this" look before picking up Christine and carrying her towards the chaise. He sat himself down and then placed his petite brunette into his lap allowing her to cry on his shoulder. Erik gently rubbed Christine's back as he hummed their song to her. When Christine had finally stopped crying Erik knew that it was time to discuss what had happened in the manager's office and what they needed to do now in regards to the conversation between DeChagny and Christine.

"I know that it would be considered very early to start discussing the matters of the conversation between Christine and the Vicomte, but I feel that now that we know what he has planned that we need to talk more about the plan," Erik began his speech towards the two women before him and watched as they both nodded in consent in return. Erik began processing all that the Vicomte had told Christine and finally decided on a course of action.

"Like I have stated earlier, I will take on the role of Don Juan right before his duet with Aminta. During the song I will stay very close to Christine at all times, and when we reach our destination the trap door will be there awaiting us in the middle of the leviated platform. But I know that it will not take the Vicomte too long to understand that I will not be in my Box Five as per usual so I am sure to believe that he will know that it is me on stage with Christine. Therefore, in the stage production Don Juan tells Aminta that he loves her and she responds back with the same love but the Devil takes Don Juan away because he never had the right to such beauty, while Aminta cries for the lost love that she had just found. However, I believe that we will be changing it slightly where Don Juan and Aminta both fall. I know that it not the way I intended the story to take place but given the danger that we are in I believe that this is the best course of action." Erik took a long breath after his monologue and waited as the women processed everythin that he had told them. After a while of complete and utter silence Erik began to become nervous until he heard Madame Giry clear her throat before talking.

"Erik, you are almost making it sound like you are using Christine as a way to keep the Vicomte from shooting," Antoinette pleaded with Erik silently as she watched him think his answer through. She didn't want any harm to fall upon either of them and it pained Antoinette greatly to think that should the Vicomte win she will be losing everyone that she cared for. She sighed as she remembered that her daughter was engaged to the Vicomte and it was a pairing that Antoinette disagreed completely on. But Antoinette knew that she had no say in the matter anymore because of the vast amount of power and wealth that befell upon anyone who held the DeChagny name, and so she had to accept that her daughter was going to live a Vicomtess's lifestyle in six months.

"I understand how you may believe that I would be using Christine in such a way. But relax dear sister, Christine is not going to be in any danger at all. I hardly believe that the Vicomte would want any harm to befall upon the one person that he wants. It is me that he wants dead and it will only be me that will be in any harm's way. I promise," Erik watched Antoinette nervously nod and dab her eyes softly with a hankerchief she hid in the folds of her dress.

"What happens are we fall through the flames?" Christine's soft voice spoke in the silence. Erik looked down at his angel and held her tighter to his body, almost as if to shield her against anymore of the world's cruelties. He would gladly take any blow and hit to keep Christine away from the evil people in this world.

"After we fall through the flames we will land on a large pile of pillows and blankets that I have already laid out for tomorrow's performance. Once we get up I will locate the hidden luggage that I have packed for the both of us and there will be a carriage waiting for us at the back of the opera house. It will be entirely conspicuous because with the number of people who will attending this event, it would not be unheard of to picked up in the back of the Opera Populaire because it will be less crowded and much easier to leave without worrying about getting blocked by another carriage near the front."

When Erik felt Christine's head nodding against his chest he knew that she agreed with the plan, mostly because there was no deaths involved in this master plan at happiness for the two of them. But Erik was also one of the most cautious men in the world as well and so he opened his coat pocket after shifting Christine over onto his right leg. When he protruded the small silver object he heard the women gasp.

"I know that you could never harm anyone Christine, but in desperate measures and events cause people to go back on such a vow. Should anything go wrong I want you to have this blade with you in case you are ever in need of it. Erik gently placed the small blade, built for speed and light weight, into Christine's awaiting hands. He watched her hold it and admire the handle that was decorated with small jewels—yes, it was most definitely made for a woman.

"How will I be able to hide such a thing Erik? I will have to be holding it the entire time during the opera, I can't keep such a thing a secret," Christine worriedly asked as she held up the knife to Erik. She wanted to keep it on her just in case, but she also knew that it would be very hard to even scratch someone with it without feeling sorry for her actions. Then again she understood that she could have a change of heart if Erik was ever in trouble but knew she couldn't help him if she didn't have the element of surprise.

Erik then pulled out a small thigh sheath made to hold a weapon around a woman's thigh. He held it up to Christine who looked a little confused to the bundle of leather that Erik was holding out to her. She didn't know how, exactly, this small roll of leather could help her hide the gun so she awaited for Erik to explain such a thing to her.

"This is a thigh sheath. This roll of leather will to used to strap around your mid thigh and on it is a small pocket to hold your blade in. The thigh sheath will be underneath your skirt during the opera so that nobody will see it on you. Should anything happen you quickly grab it out and you are armed. Nobody will suspect a thing." Erik placed the sheath in Christine's other hand and was pleased with himself that he was able to give Christine some solace about her safety. He knew that she probably never handled a knife for anything except eating, but he knew that if she were to be put in a circumstance where their lives were at stake she would be able to use it just as well as he could. Well, maybe just as he could.

Madame Giry watched as Erik gave Christine a weapon. She knew that he must believe this situation to be so serious if he felt that he could entrust Christine with a knife. She knew that there was very little she could do now to stop the events from taking place, the Vicomte should have heeded her warning when she told him how powerful the Phantom of the Opera could be. But the damned boy wouldn't listen to her, and now he has called war upon the most dangerous man in all of Paris. Madame Giry knew that all she could really do now was to help Erik and Christine to make sure that their plan ran smoothly by ordering the carriage that Erik told her was driven by the man with the name Gabriel—the same name as her late husband. The pain still stung in her heart but she knew that it would be best to not bring up the past but instead focus on the present and work towards the greater future.

Erik looked back to Christine and saw her mouth opened up in a small yawn. He rubbed her back again as he smiled down upon her and knew that it was time to get some sleep, tomorrow will forever change their lives in some way or another.

"Antoinette I am afraid that I must call it a night, we all need as much rest as possible before tomorrow's opera. I cannot have my star falling asleep on stage now can I?" Erik teased Christine gently and was pleased when he was awarded with a smile and a small shake of her head. Antoinette nodded in consent as well because she now felt the drain of tonight's events and she knew that in roder to help her family succeed she, too, could not be seen falling asleep at the wings of the stage.

Madame Giry stood up and walked towards the door but before leaving the room she whispered in a voice that she knew that only Erik's ears would be able to pick up. "Please keep both of yourselves safe, for my sake Erik," Antoinette waited for Erik to nod his head slightly and only then did she leave to return to her bedroom.

Erik held Christine as he opened the mirror and never once set her down as he walked them to the boat. Once he laid her down on the pillows he gently pushed the small boat back to his home again and then carried her into his room to lay her down. He knew that it went against all the rules that society has governed about propriety but he knew that Christine would not be thrilled to awake to find herself alone in a dark room. Also, Erik needed her closeby as well in case he had the nightmares again. With her by his side he would know immediately that the nightmares were not real. But most importantly this was their last night together—this was the deep breath before the plunge.

Erik took off all the different parts of his suit before replacing the clothes with a loose fitted shirt that deeply plunged with a low v-neck and pants before returning to his bed. Once he laid down beside the brunette beauty he kissed her forehead which caused Christine to stir in her sleep and make herself subconsciously shift her body against Erik's with her head against his bare chest. Erik fell asleep that night feeling as if he were in heaven.

What do you think about the plan, is it foolproof? How about Christine getting her own weapon, it seems that Erik has quite a bit of those huh?

If you have any questions/concerns or you want to see something happen/said please review/PM me and i will include it in the story