"Natalie!"

Natalie stirred then opened her eyes. Hovering over her was the absolute last person she expected to see. "Shelby?" she asked in surprise. "Is that you? What are you doing here? Where am I? What happened?"

"Of course it's me! I'm your best friend! We were supposed to meet up at the movies but you crashed your car," Shelby explained. "You're in the hospital now. You got a seriously nasty concussion. As in, any harder and you could've wound up as a vegetable or worse."

"Wait, movies? Car?" Was she really speaking 2012 language?

"You know basic 21st Century technology. But the doctor said you'd be all confuzzled, with you being in a coma and all."

"A coma?" So everything with Erik was a dream? None of it actually happened? But it all seemed so real to her. How could it not have really happened?

"Yeah, for three days."

"Three days?" Natalie screeched.

She nodded. "I'm so glad you're awake, the doctor said it could be weeks before you woke up and that's if you woke up at all."

Shelby hugged Natalie tightly, making her cry out. "OUCH!" There was a horrible pain in Natalie's chest.

"Oh my God, I'm sorry. I forgot you've got a couple of broken ribs."

"That would be the excruciating pain I'm now feeling," Natalie gasped. "What else is wrong with me?"

"Well, you've got the concussion and the broken ribs. You needed some stiches in your forehead because it got cut in the crash. I think you had some internal bleeding too. And on top of it all, you also got like a gazillion smaller cuts and bruises."

Natalie reached up and felt the neat line of stiches across her forehead. "So, in other words…"

"You're lucky you aren't dead," Shelby finished.

"Yeah," Natalie said with a sigh. She wondered if she really died, would she return to Erik? And if any of her crazy adventures with the Opera Ghost had actually happened. It wasn't fair! Why would she have to spend the rest of her life wondering if her happiest memories were nothing more than a hallucination?

"Natalie, why are you crying?"

Natalie shook her head. "I don't know," she lied. "I guess it's all just too much to take in at once. But I'll be okay." Shelby nodded in understanding, but Natalie felt somewhat bad about lying. But she couldn't exactly say she was crying over the loss of a love that may or may not even exist.

"Hey it'll be just fine. The doctor says that you'll make a full recovery. As soon as you're out of here, everything will go back to normal."

Natalie didn't have the heart to tell her friend that nothing would ever be normal again. But that didn't mean she couldn't try. "So any idea on what my grade was for that book essay? The one where you had to rewrite the ending."

"I got a B; the teacher said I didn't use enough creativity. I don't know for sure what you got, but you're such a good writer there is absolutely no reason you didn't get an A. That you could write that story inside out and upside down because you're so freaking in love with Phantom of the Opera."

"You have no idea," Natalie said with a sigh.

"Hey by the way," Shelby added. "Who's Erik?"

Natalie felt like someone hit her ribs again. "Where did you hear that name?" Shelby wasn't the brightest; otherwise she would've figured it out in a heartbeat.

"You kept saying that name when you were out. You actually screamed it right before you woke up. Who is he?"

"I don't know," Natalie insisted. She had spent enough time being the crazy girl in Erik's time; she didn't need to be one in her own world. "I haven't heard that name before. Did I say anything else?"

Shelby shook her head. "Nuh uh. Just 'Erik' over and over again. I wonder who he is."

"Me too."

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Shelby got really excited. "I remember! I can't believe I forgot! How on earth did you forget is the bigger question."

"Who?" Natalie asked, in fake confusion.

"Remember that game we were playing online a few weeks ago? Well, not a game, just one of those stupid spam things that bounce around the internet. You picked some random numbers and plugged them into a code and it 'revealed' the name of your true love."

"No, I don't remember that!" Natalie was really truly confused now. "What does this have to do with anything?"

"Well your answer was Erik."

"I don't remember that." Natalie laughed nervously. "Weird huh?"

"Really. I mean, those internet things are so pointless. But it's kinda freakishly coincidental that you're mumbling that name in your sleep."

"Yeah." Natalie closed her eyes and leaned back, trying hard not to cry. It wasn't Shelby's fault, but she sure was hitting a nerve repeatedly. "Hey, I don't mean to be rude but I'm really tired. This whole being in a coma thing is exhausting."

"Hey no problem," Shelby said. "Don't worry, you need to get better. I'll drop by later to check on you. Sleep tight."

When her friend was out of the room, Natalie broke down. It wasn't fair. She would do anything to go back, even if it was all her imagination. She wanted Erik so badly it physically hurt her, even if he was fictional.

With a sob, Natalie rolled over onto her side. She sat back up when she heard the crinkle of paper. She looked under the corner of the mattress, where she found a piece of paper tucked away. Holding her breath, she unfolded it, to reveal the picture Erik had drawn of her.

"Oh God, was it a dream or not?"

So yeah, that's all folks! XD You shall forever wonder and hate me for it! Or hate me for ruining their happiness just as they got it, but that's how I roll. I'm not a huge fan of sugary happily ever afters. However, I do have a few ideas for a possible sequel but I'm not sure if I'm going to do anything with it, so keep your eyes peeled just in case. Thanks for putting up with me and thanks for all your support! Until next time!

~nibblesfan