Thanks: Well, no bonus one-shot this week; sorry to my reviewer. I wanted to thank some people before I start this chapter, I would like to thank 'teezmeez' and 'A-Broken-Amethyst-Heart' for choosing to follow my story. I would also like to thank my other followers and favoriters (sorry I don't know all of your names), even if you guys do not review it still lets me know that people are reading my story. Lastly, I would like to thank 'judybear236' for favoriting/following, not only my story, but me as well. She has been with this story since the beginning and she has helped me catch my mistakes that I will go back and fix once this story is completed and help me with my paragraph form. (God knows I needed help with that) You rock, and I can't really say how much it means to me that you take the time every Friday (or whenever I update) to go over my story and help me make it better.

Disclaimer: I do not own POTO or Hailey, I only own myself and my OC's.

Chapter 9

Erica released my hand, and stopped for a moment before picking her pace back up. We soon had reached the last cellar in the pitch darkness, the Fifth Cellar; how the hell Erica could see down here was amazing. I held onto the back of her gown, that way I wouldn't lose her if she decided to make a sudden movement. For example, in the next second she had a lit torch in her hand. Where did she even get that? Okay, it freaks me out that she can be as much of a Phantom as Erik sometimes.

Erica handed me the torch then began to unlace her dress, "What the hell are you doing?!" I asked as she looked at me curiously.

"I have another dress on underneath," Erica said as I saw her untie the long sleeves that were tied around her waist. She then pulled her smaller dress over her corset and shoved her arms through the sleeves; as she tied it she grunted, "I had a really strong feeling I was going to need it, turns out I was right."

She was silent for a moment then threw me her dress and ordered, "Hold this, and don't leave no matter what."

I nodded as Erica pulled her diamonds off then swiftly pulled her hair in a ponytail with a white ribbon. She now had on a navy blue dress with long sleeves, her hair tied and pushed out of her face, and her dress cut off at the ankles letting me see...

"You're not wearing any shoes?" I asked flabbergasted.

She shook her head, "Nope, there was no point. I'm tall enough to wear this dress without it dragging, so I took them off at the first cellar. How do you think I was able to see down here? I felt what was around me to find the steps."

Well, that makes sense. NOT! Erica looked at the steps then reminded me, "Don't leave no matter what, and I mean no matter what!"

I nodded, "I got it, but where are you going?"

Erica smiled ruefully, "Remember the 2004 movie? How Raoul was able to reach the Phantom's lair?"

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with-" I cut off. Oh no, Erica you're not going to do that!

Erica clucked her tongue then said, "See you in a few...hopefully."

I went to grab her but she took a giant breath then jumped down two steps. A trap door made her plummet down until I heard a loud, splash. I ran to the trap door and stopped it from closing; Erica came up for air, gasping from the cold of the water.

I heard the metal chains begin to rotate and the cage bars drop. Erica looked up then took another deep breath, swimming down into the murky water and far out of sight. She didn't come up for what felt like forever, the metal bars were already in the water and I was about to panic, then I heard a catch in the chain. The metal bars began to ascend at a rapid speed, I saw Erica holding on to it through the holes and when her head burst out of the water she began to cough.

I sighed in relief, "You idiot! You nearly gave me a heart attack, why did you do that?"

Erica waved me off saying, "Shut it, it's a short cut."

She coughed again then stepped up onto some stairs and pulled a hidden lever. When the lever was pulled a door swung open and stairs lead me down to where Erica was. I quickly descended the stone steps and met Erica at the bottom. She had begun to shake and just as I was about to ask her if she was alright she said, "I'm fine; I'm more worried about the fact that if Erik is not home then that was for naught."

I had to laugh at that; sopping wet, coughing up her lungs, and freezing to death she still managed to talk like she was from this century with slight humor in her voice. When she said it was a short cut she was right, nearly two minutes later we were at the Phantom's lair.

Erica trudged through the water since she was already wet and I walked along the two foot wide ledge along side of her. The gate was lifted and Erica scoffed, "He knew we were coming. What, could he have not made it a little bit easier for us?"

I shrugged, "Hey he's the Phantom, that's your expertise; not mine."

Erica scowled, "The Masquerade scene changed; I feel like I am out of my element right now, I don't know what to expect anymore."

Everything hit me full force at that moment, Erica was scared. She wasn't scared of the Phantom, and neither was I, but she was scared of not knowing what could happen minutes from now or how the story would change further with us being here. Erik said we would play major roles in his opera but...what did that mean? Well, it looks like we're about to find out.

Erik was sitting on his piano bench, back straight and his leg slung across the other. He really was waiting for us. Erica saw him sitting there after I did and quickened her pace. Erik seemed to notice her sopping form; he jumped up immediately then returned with a white towel and a blanket. He must not have expected her to enter that way, and then it hit me, "Why didn't we take Christine's dressing room mirror?"

Erica's teeth began to chatter as she stuttered out, "I d-did-dn't know h-how t-to m-man-nuev-ver th-through all of the t-tunnels. G-od kn-nows I w-want-ted t-to."

I threw Erica's gown down onto one of the rocks, then stood beside her as she shivered. She quickly pointed to her dress, "Gi-ive m-me my d-dress so-o I c-can chang-ge and yo-u t-talk to Erik."

I did as she said and as she walked into Erik's bedroom he walked up to me with an expressionless face. Great, Erica's the one who can read people; what am I suppose to do about him? I sighed, might as well start asking questions, "You were the one dancing with Erica, right?"

Erik raised his visible eyebrow, "Out of all the questions to ask...Yes, I was the one dancing with her."

I nodded, trying to stall for time; "She has two left feet doesn't she?"

Before Erik answered Erica yelled from his bedroom, "I heard that! I do not have two left feet...I just don't have any rhythm!"

Erik nodded in agreement, "She seems to be able to waltz fairly well."

Erica came walking out of Erik's bedroom, ringing her hair out with the towel. She had her ball gown back on, and her hair was a stringy dark brown mess instead of her blonde/brown Victorian curls. "I better be good at the waltz, it's the only dance I know."

Erica tossed the towel onto one of the rocks then rounded on Erik, which if any of you knew Erica, you would know that her being mad isn't a good thing. She gets mad maybe three times a year, and right now I saw that her patience was gone.

"What the hell was that?! Yes, I told you a bit about Hailey and I being in Show Choir back home, but that does not mean you can decide to throw the two of us into your Opera!" Erica screamed, flailing her arms as she talked with her hands.

Instead of jumping Erik seemed to simply twitch, I crossed my arms and sighed, she was on a roll. Erica glared as hard as she could at Erik, "I want NO part in this; and have you forgotten that we are trying to get home? We are trying to stay under the radar, not get hurt or killed, and...and, Ugh!"

Erica was trying to deal with the fact she couldn't tell Erik what was going to happen when his Opera was performed. She couldn't warn him that he was going to be unmasked in front of an entire audience and that Christine was going to break his heart.

"Please," Erik scoffed. "I wouldn't let anything harm the two of you; let alone do something to get the two of you killed."

Erica's eyes widened, she gripped her scalp tightly trying to hold in another scream as she quickly walked away from Erik, and then briskly walked back once she had calmed down saying, "You made us go through HELL to get down here, I nearly drowned, and Hailey nearly had a heart attack when I didn't come up. I did that only to tell you we are NOT, under any circumstances, performing in your Opera because...why in the world are you smiling?!"

Erik leaned up against one of the rocks ginning like the Cheshire cat, "I find this very amusing. You're yelling at the Phantom of the Opera; telling him you do not wish to be in his Opera, when really, you do not have a choice in the matter."

I swear I saw flames appear in Erica's eyes. He was either testing her patience...or he wanted to get bitten. Erica took a step towards Erik, looking like she were going to hit him, and I cracked my neck, ready to either pull her off of him or help...depending on any other remarks Erik had to say about us.

I was about to crack my knuckles when I noticed the flames in Erica's eyes had disappeared. Her tense form slackened a bit but she still held her ground, "There is always a choice. No matter how powerful you think you are, you are still human, and you can't control the world Erik; so stop trying to control us along with the others. We aren't meant to be in this story, so do me a favor and kindly leave us out of it."

Wow, all the bite was out of her voice. That was fast; but the resoluteness in her voice made her words even more powerful than if she had screamed at him. When it looked like Erica didn't have anything else to say I added, "Listen, I'm positive Erica didn't drag me down here just to yell at you. I'm pissed off just as much, if not more, than Erica but I'm not going to rant and rave. All I want to know, out of this crazy scheme of yours, is what do we have to do?"

Erica jumped in quickly, "We are not accepting, only asking!"

Erik chuckled, "Well, let me think now."

Erik walked off slowly like he was thinking, but the devilish smile he had said otherwise. He strode over to his miniature stage, picking up two dolls then walking back to us. He placed one in my hand and one in Erica's, silence engulfing us as we stared down at tiny versions of ourselves.

Erik cleared his throat then said, "Hailey, in my Opera you will choreograph my dance modernly...from your time. Since we are in need of male dancers I request you recruit Anthony; and as long as you mention you'll be his partner I'm sure he'll accept."

My eyes widened a modern dance? People back in our time danced like pole stri- oh, got it. That's the point. No wonder in the 2004 version they were dancing like that, and so far that's the version we're closest to. I sighed; hopefully Erica would remember most of the moves with her photographic memory, not to mention she's seen that movie over a billion times.

Erica stared at her little doll in shock while Erik kept relaying my instructions, "When the final scene in, 'The Point of no Return' comes along I'm going to need the lead dancer, which is you, to cue the dancers to dance to the center of the stage while you fall into the background and pull a lever that will release a trap door."

I saw Erica out of the corner of my eye stiffen, she knew that the trap door would be the escape for Erik and Christine while the Opera House burned to the ground. As a look of pure nausea appeared on her face it suddenly bloomed into a look of happiness.

"We'll do it." Erica said, "We'll do whatever you want us to do in your Opera! Then as soon as it's over we'll, hopefully, go home."

I looked at her confused, "Wait, what? Why did you change your mind; and what in the world have you been planning?"

Erica sighed, "The first question I'll explain later." She gave a pointed look at Erik then continued, "The second question, well, when Erik was a part of the Gypsy circus he learned about herbs and what happens when you mix what with what. Well, one of the herbs back home was the only one he needed to make us this, uh, tea that will put us into a deep sleep. It's like anesthesia. I'm hoping that when we are put under we'll connect with our bodies in our time and be able to jolt ourselves back in."

I looked at her as if she were crazy when Erik chimed in, "It's true; have you never heard of an out of body experience?"

At my confused expression Erik cackled like a madman at his little 'joke.'

While I was a bit confused as to how any of this would work, or how these two came up with this crazy idea in the first place, I shrugged it off. They both knew more about this stuff than I did.

Erik noticed my submission then asked, "So, we have come to an agreement? You will both be a part of my Opera?"

Erik held out his hand and I shook it, followed by Erica. She sighed after that then asked, "So, what's my job? Fill in for Anthony as a stage hand, design something, or be a part of the dancers?"

I let out an accidental, "Pfft."

Erica gave me an un-amused look and I said a quick, 'sorry' under my breath.

Erik smiled like he knew a dirty little secret that he couldn't wait to reveal, "Oh no, I have something better than that in mind. In Act One there is a small aria sung by one of Amanita's friends, Gabriella. This girl has discovered the plot between Passarino and Don Juan, and since she is in love with Don Juan she begins to sing of her broken heart, then frantically races to stop Amanita before she crosses the point of no return. You will be that friend."

I had to suppress my laughter when Erik said that; Erica turned as white as a sheet, then her legs must have given out because she fell to the ground with a hard exhale. She sat there for a moment then shook her head, "No way; no freakin' way! I am not going to sing a song on my own; I sing in a group for good reasons."

Erik rolled his eyes, "What reasons could you possibly have?"

Erica began to count them off on her fingers, "I could choke, I could forget the words, I could sing the wrong notes, I could get distracted and skip a verse-"

I cut her off adding in, "You could trip and fall flat on your face."

Erica glared at me, "You're not helping."

I held my hands up, "Hey, better you than me; I don't sing." I turned to point a finger at Erik, "And it better stay that way. I can dance no problem, but if you force me to sing like Erica I'll hang you by your own Punjab lasso."

Erik nodded, "Understood. Now, mademoiselle I believe this song will be fairly easy for you to sing; besides, you yourself are the one who wrote it."

Erica shot to her feet, "I beg your pardon? I did what?"

Erik looked away for a moment, almost embarrassed, "You were getting ready for the Masquerade ball and...I was in the De Chagny house checking in on Christine. I heard you softly singing the song; I kept thinking about it, and then decided to add it in instead of just having the character of Amanita's friend be there. I would say that for a last minute change, the song fits in my Opera quite well."

By the time Erik had finished Erica had successfully turned tomato red, ghost white, and then tomato red again. She opened her mouth to say something then closed it; she looked like she was about to pass out.

Erica took a deep breath then exhaled, "You were in the De Chagny house and you heard me singing the song...'On My Own,' right?"

Erik thought for a moment then said, "Yes, strangely that is also what I had named it. When did you come up with that song? It sounds very passionate, only someone who has truly had their heart broken would be able to sing it like that."

I looked at Erica as she blushed, "It wasn't my song; it was from the musical, 'Les Miserables.' The play actually doesn't appear on the stage for...at least another hundred years."

After getting over the initial shock of her only hearing the song once and remembering the words, that's when it hit me, "Erica, you can't sing that song!"

Erik huffed, "Why ever not? I do plan to work with her a bit on her pitch and accuracy; she has nothing to fear."

Erica put her hand over her mouth then began to search with her eyes, "I believe that if I were to sing the song...it wouldn't make a difference to the future; granted this is all real."

My eyes widened, "Why would you take the risk? This could destroy one of the greatest songs ever written for that play!"

Erica stared back at me hard for a moment, and then a hand gesture she made caught my attention. She swirled her wrist a couple of times, made a fist, then jerked her fingers open in one quick moment, and then let them swivel down. Fire. Of course, the fire after Erik crashes the chandelier; it would burn any and all trace of his music.

I smiled, "Okay, I'm in. This should be fun...I get to hear you try to sing by yourself with the Phantom of the Opera watching you."

Erica gave me a look then said, "Thaaaaanks. No pressure whatsoever."

I smiled, "I know, don't you just love me? I make your life easier."

Erica sighed as she ran a hand through her tangled hair, "Yeah, either that or you make it a thousand times harder."

Erik cleared his throat, "Well then, with that being said I take it we are all on the same page?"

Erica and I both nodded, and then Erik smiled, "Excellent; let's begin."

Well that was BY FAR the hardest chapter I have written. It took me forever to decide what our roles would be in his Opera. After 'Hailey' read that part she said, "Oh cool, what are our roles?" When I said I had no idea I thought I was going to lose my mind since I only had two days to come up with something. That's all water under the bridge now, and I can't wait to get started on the next chapter. I'm sorry for not updating last Friday, take pity on me though I caught the stomach flu and was miserable! Until next week, I'm Phan3145 asking you to,

PLEASE REVIEW! 8D