Disclaimer: I do not own Erik, or Meg, or Madame Giry, or any other characters from the ingenious mind of Gaston Leroux! Or anything by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. Anne, however, she's mine...well, she resides in my head until her story is done.

AN: Why so silent dear readers? Did you think I had left you for good? Well, let's just say that a very unfortunate incident over my Thanksgiving holiday put me in such a dark mood that I got all my writing mojo back! Elizabeth is definitely going to be getting what's coming to her. ~cue manical laughter~

Chapter 54

Elizabeth had been pouring over the documents for the better part of two days. In an uncharacteristic way, Elizabeth had cloistered herself up in the library at the Chateau de Chagny documents laid out over the main table. She was quite proud of herself and the plan that she had made. The packet of papers that her contact inside the Populaire had given her had proven invaluable, especially when they were compared to the will that had been written by the woman who had been called "mother." The plan itself was simple, but the execution was going to take a little time. Finding the appropriate people would take time, but once that was accomplished, everything else would fall into place.

She reclined back into her chair, taking a deep breath and releasing the aches in her muscles. Her husband, and the de Chagnys, had found it quite unusual that she would sequester herself away, but the time had been worth it. Elizabeth gave a moment's reflection over the past few months as she gently folded up the paperwork. It was true that she'd risen to great heights in society, but her Grandmother had proven herself right. Anastasia was infinitely happier than she would ever be and it confused her to no end as to how such a thing was possible. Anne lived in an Opera House, which was almost synonymous with brothel, and if the spectacle she had made of herself at the New Year's Ball was any indication, her happiness and joy in her situation was immeasurable.

"Elizabeth?" The Vicomtess's voice sounded from the other side of the library door.

The blonde scrambled to put her things in order, making sure that it was not obvious in the least what she was planning to do. Only when she was sure that her secret was safely secure did she call out to the Vicomtess to enter.

"Are you alright, Elizabeth? You've been in here for so long we were worried that something had happened to you."

Elizabeth smiled. There truly was something very naive about Christine de Chagny. In the months they'd been invited to stay, Elizabeth had managed to ensnare the attention of Raoul and had kept it from beneath the notice of both the Earl and the Vicomtesse. She felt a sense of pride as she realized that there was nothing she couldn't do.

"I'm quite fine, Christine. I've just found a bit of business that I've taken quite an interest in."

"Really? What might that be?"

Elizabeth picked up the folded parchments and walked towards the door. "Family business, Christine. It seems that there's more to...this...then I thought there would be and I'm fascinated."

Christine looped her arm through Elizabeth's and nodded. "I'm glad you are able to take an interest in Manchester's work. I've never been able to understand Raoul's."

Elizabeth laughed, more at Christine's lack of understanding than anything else. "Well, this is highly delicate business, so I would appreciate if we kept this to ourselves."

Christine nodded as the two walked away from the library and to the main parlor. "Of course, Elizabeth." The brown haired woman turned back. "I'm actually getting to run on some errands, so that I can leave Raoul to himself for a while. Since Manchester is also out for the day, perhaps you'd care to join me?"

Elizabeth frowned, sadly. "I'd love to, but I'm afraid I have some other things to take care of. Perhaps another time?" It was obvious that Chrisitne expected nothing as she simply nodded and grabbed her coat and hat. Elizabeth simply smiled and waved as the Vicomtesse left the house and turned out of sight.

The fact that Raoul was present in the house was the reason she stayed behind and Elizabeth quickly made her way up the stairs, dropping off her documents in her own chamber. She knew that Raoul was in his private study, which stood off to the side of his private rooms. Elizabeth looked at herself in the hall mirror, unbuttoning two of the top buttons of her blouse, and disheveling her hair just a little. She raised her hand and knocked, her heart speeding up when she heard him call out for her to enter. She opened the door and stepped over the threshold.

"Are you busy?" She asked, keeping the innocence in her voice. "I can come back another time."

His head instantly rose from where it had been bent over what appeared to be financial report, a devilish smile across his face. He instanty stood and walked over to her, his hands encircling her waist, and pushing her against the door, forcing their weight to close the portal.

"I'll take that as a 'no' then," was Elizabeth's reply when she came up for air.

"I am never too busy for you," Raoul whispered, his lips pressed against her neck. His fingers were deftly undoing the remaining buttons, his fingers soon carressing bare flesh, causing the woman beneath him to tremble. "Are we the only ones here?"

Elizabeth nodded, reaching for Raoul's jacket, vest, and shirt. "Everyone has gone for the day." There was little time for words then, as they quickly rid the other of their garments and gave themselves up to the wild passion that raced through them.

"Are you sure we should continue this liason?" Raoul asked, some time later.

Elizabeth rolled over on to her side, modesty going out the window as the sheets shifted around her. "My dear Vicomte is having second thoughts?"
Raoul reached out to touch her and the familiar shivers ran down her body. James had never been like this. He had always taken from her and had never bothered to give. With Raoul, Elizabeth had experienced the passion she had been lacking in her own marriage. Elizabeth knew that Raoul was just as entranced by this intoxicating experience as she was, for Christine could never have been given him the pleasure that she had.

"Your reputation shall be harmed, if we are discovered."

Elizabeth kissed him, feeling the heat rise between them. "I appreciate your thoughtfulness, but we are very careful." She moved away, realizing that either of their spouses could be home at any moment. She crawled out of bed and quickly put her clothes back on. She was entirely honest for she was very careful to make sure that there were no conflicts with their arrangement. She would never dream of using the word "love" to describe their relatioinship, she was much to smart for that, but she was going to get every bit of pleasure out of this experience that she could.

She turned back to Raoul, finding him still lounging on the bed. She pressed a quick kiss to his lips and swiftly evaded his embrace. "I must go. There are some things that I must do before dinner this evening." She gave him a glance that belied how she felt about him before leaving the room and returning to her own chambers. She took a moment to lean against the door and gather her thoughts before changing back out of her clothes and doning a more simplistic walking dress. The people she were going to be seeing were less than pleasant and she didn't want to draw attention to her status by wearing one of her better dresses.

Standing in front of her mirror in a plain tan dress with dark brown trim, Elizabeth placed a brown hat atop her head which also had a veil she could place over her face. Giving herself a final once over, she grimaced feeling entirely uncomfortable in anything less than her finery. However, the end game was worth it. She would exact vengeance. She would have her revenge.

As Elizabeth was planning her sister's demise, the hostess of the de Chagny household was walking the streets of Paris, not even a slight bit guilt because of the falsehood she told to her friend. The only reason Christine took her walk was to think over the words that she'd heard at the New Year's Ball. Anastasia had been a marvelous triumph, Christine would know, and it had not taken long for her to put together who had taught the upcoming star of the Populaire. The love that Christine had seen in her eyes was unmistakeable for she had had that same look for her beloved Raoul. But, there was no way that Anastasia could truly love the Opera Ghost. The love that he offered was passionate, and entirely consuming.

The Vicomtesse trembled thinking over a distant past and the memories that she thought she had laid to rest. At times, she thought she could feel his presence but it always turned out to be her imagination. She never heard his voice in her head ever since that night she left him for Raoul. Yet still...he was there with her. He never truly had left her and she realized now why he was still in her soul. He had never truly died. Christine had believed him dead, or at least had left the country of France. However, at the New Year's Ball, she knew that that was not true.

"The love I have for him has already consumed me."

Anastasia's words rang in her ears and she tried to push them aside. Once upon another time, Christine had been tempted by such a consuming love but she chose the safer road...a love that would give her security and protection. She did love Raoul...but it was a different type of love that she would have shared with her Angel. Releasing a sigh, Christine stopped at the nearest alley and took a few steps into it. She leaned against a wall, giving away to the tears that had suddenly formed in her eyes.

"It's no use..." she whispered to herself. "No matter how hard I try." The weight of the reality came crashing down on upon her. She was still torn between Raoul and her Angel, but what frightened and scared her the most was the her Phantom, had found a replacement. Christine had to find a way to rescue Anastasia from a fate that she could not realize. The only problem was that she didn't know how.

Standing up straight, she decided to return to her house to think over this dilemma further. Her steps were quick and efficient and she made good time, discarding her hat and gloves as she stepped inside the front door. As she stepped into the foyer and made her way to the parlor, she saw Elizabeth descending the stairs. The look on her friend's face was one of surprise and nervousness.

"Christine?" Elizabeth said, halting her steps on the stairs. "You're back early."

The vicomtesse smiled and adjusted her skirts. "I finished my errands earlier than I anticipated. So I came back to get a head start on a plan I am forming."

"A plan?" Elizabeth walked down the remaining steps and came to stand in front of the brunette. "What sort of plan?"

"I believe your sister may be in some danger at the Populaire and I'm trying to find a way to get her out."

Elizabeth's eyes widened and she pulled Christine into the parlor. "Annie is in danger?"

Christine nodded. "I just don't know what to do about it. I can't ask her to leave because she can't see the danger."

Elizabeth was silent before her next words shocked her host. "Simply take her out of the situation."

Christine's sat down in a chair, the weight of Elizabeth's words pressing down on her. "Forcibly remove her?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Why not? People often can't see the things that are right in front of them. If you believe that Annie is in danger, then just fix the situation."

"But how can I do that?"

Elizabeth smiled and laid a hand on Christine's shoulder. "My dear friend...leave that to me. However, I think that it's best if you tell me all so that I can further assess the situation."

Christine drew a shaky breath, weighing out her words before telling her friend what she could about the Phantom of the Opera.