Of Masks And Roses

Please Wake Up

Oh, it was so beautiful. The music was flowing throughout the room, soft at first but over the course of the song it started to pick up its pace. Erik quickly lost himself to it. He closed his eyes, tilting his head back slightly and relaxed as he listened. It had been quite a while since he was last able to relax, he had almost forgotten the feeling.

Erik opened his eyes and looked over at her. Her eyes were closed, smiling slightly as she played. He watched her fingers glide over the piano, as if she was simply skimming her fingers over water. So effortless, so free flowing. Then the music started to pick up even more. Erik took a glance at Scarlet's face for a brief moment, but then he did a double take.

She suddenly looked almost distraught, as if something was seriously wrong. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and her lips were pursed so tightly together that she seemed to be in pain. But, yet, the music kept playing. Faster and faster it went.

"S-Scarlet?" he whispered.

Suddenly her eyes shot open and she gasped. The music stopped as she stumbled away from the piano, a look of fear in her eyes. Fear that he surely didn't make. Erik quickly stood up and shouted her name. But she didn't seem to hear him. She just stared at the ground with a far away look in her eyes, panting and gasping.

"Mademoiselle!" Erik shouted, stepping towards her, "Mademoiselle? Scarlet?" She suddenly looked up at him, and for a second, he thought he had seen a light in her eyes, but the observation was quickly ignored as her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she started to go limp. Erik quickly reached out and caught her just before she fell to the cold, stone floor.

"Scarlet? Mademoiselle Scarlet?" Erik shouted as he wiped tray hairs from her face, "Please wake up."

XxX

"Ahem"

Emily bolted awake, jumping in her seat. She blinked for a second, then turned to the door of the hospital room, seeing the doctor in the doorway. She stood there with her arms crossed, holding a clipboard in her hand.

"You do know that it is.." She uncrossed her arms and took a glance at her watch, "Almost 10 at night, right? I'm afraid that visiting hours are over, ma'am." she said. Confused, Emily took a glance outside the window and saw that the sunlight that she could have sworn she had just seen ten minutes ago, was suddenly gone.

Emily sighed, "So it is. How long have I been sitting here?" she asked, turning her attention back to Scarlet. She noticed that her bruises and scraped had almost healed, but she still did not stirr.

"About five hours, last I checked."

Emily huffed, nodding, "Yeah, that sounds about right. I apologize, I guess time just went by too fast for me."

The doctor shrugged, "That's alright, ma'am. Just make sure you are out of here in a few minutes, alright? Visiting hours open at 10 tomorrow morning. Besides, I can tell that you really need some rest. You may have escaped the accident with only a few minor injuries, but you still need to take care of yourself too. Mental and emotional health is just as important as physical health."

Emily paused, biting her lip and furrowing her eyebrows.

"And if she wakes up you'll be the first we call. I promise you."

Emily nodded, turning to the doctor, "Thank you. She's the closest family I have," She sniffled, rubbing her eyes quickly.

"I understand. Trust us, ma'am. We're doing the best we can. Have a good night." The doctor said and turned down the hallway.

Emily stared at Scarlet, then reached over and grabbed Scarlet's cool, clammy hand; giving it a squeeze.

"Please wake up"

XxX

I stared at Emily as she held my hand. She looked so tired, depressed and forlorn that I could hardly recognize her. She had bandages on her wrists and arms as well as a piece of gauze taped on her forehead. She had a black eye that was beginning to yellow and another bruise on her collarbone.

Apparently, I was in a coma. And I have been, for a couple of weeks. Yet, I'd only been in France for one. I was puzzled as I stared down at myself in the hospital bed.

'What does this mean?' I thought, 'Is this whole Phantom of the Opera thing all inside my head? Is this all just a dream? I want to go home!'

"Please wake up," said Emily.

Tears started to fall down my face, "I don't know how!" I shouted, "I want to but I can't!"

All of a sudden, everything started to fade to black, swirling and warping as I began to lose consciousness.

"Emily?" I screamed, "Emily!"

"Emily!" I quickly sat up, and looked around the room that I was in. At first, I couldn't quite place it as I looked around fearfully, half expecting to have woken up in the hospital bed. Then the memories of last night came rushing into my head and I quickly remembered that I was in The Phantom's lair. I placed a hand on my chest to calm my breathing, trying to process the last 24 hours.

"Mademoiselle Scarlet? You're awake!" I heard someone shout and I quickly turned to the source of the voice, realizing that it was Erik. He rushed over to me and knelt down by my side, "You had me worried sick! What happened? One moment you were playing piano, the next you acted like someone shot you in the chest and you collapsed! Are you alright?"

I stared at him for a moment, blinking in wonder. Then I quickly grabbed his arm.

"What are you-" he started.

"-SHUSH!" I shouted. His eyes widened at my outburst, then his eyebrows furrowed.

"Now, listen to me-" he started to say.

"-Are you real?" I asked, shaking him slightly. He stared at me in confusion.

"Are... Are you sure that you are alright, mademoiselle?" he asked softly.

"NO!" I shouted, tears brimming in my eyes, "Are you real, or not? Is this," I waved around the room, "Is this all real, or is it a figment of my imagination?"

"Well of course it is real," he said and carefully grabbed my hand, "Can you feel my hand in yours?" he asked, rubbing his thumb on the palm of my hand.

"Yes," I whispered, "But I just... I just don't get it," I said as I stared at his hand.

"Don't get what?"

I looked up at him, "How can I be here, yet also be in a hospital bed with a coma 200 years in the future?"

"...What?"