Chapter two: A request

Erik woke to find his entire family now crowded round the small crib-like hospital bed, his father's ebony orbs boring into his tri-colored ones as if trying to read his mind, that thought made him shiver. Mrs. Emerson was in the same position as she had been when he had awaked the previous day; only now her eyes were heavy and dark circled with the lack of sleep. Curtis on the other hand paced to and fro about the room making much more noise than he would have liked to hear at the present time.

Erik groaned in pain as he turned his head and looked at the clock on the bedside table. 9:30 AM. He wasn't due for his pain meds for another half an hour. Closing his eyes, he tried to imagine a happy picture in order to take his mind off the pain of his limbs due to the tenseness of his locking muscles. His brow furrowed in concentration, and he made great efforts and went to great lengths to complete his mental task. He tried so hard in fact that his head burned and throbbed splittingly and he had to open his eyes to focus again.

The sight that met his eyes, though blurry at first started him so much that he jolted. Michelle giggled and pointed her finger jeeringly at him, 'great just what I need right now.' He thought sarcastically as he looked at his sister. Why did she always have to be around when he didn't want her to be? It wasn't that he hated his sister, he liked her, loved her even. It was just that having a five-year-old laughing at him when he was in pain wasn't exactly his idea of fun at the moment in fact it annoyed him.

Mr. Emerson was the first to speak, "hey little buddy how ya feel this morning?" he asked. Erik groaned in response and glared at him irritated. How many times did he have to remind him that he hated being called 'little buddy' or any other pet names in general? His sister looked at him, her brown hair falling over her face, almost shielding her black eyes. He closed his eyes again the energy to keep them open drained from him. "That good huh?" his father joked.

Erik did not reply at first, for he found himself drifting off again, but was woken up by Curtis's loud obnoxious fake coughing as attempted to clear his throat. "Curt?" Erik muttered sleepily and his brother smiled a friendly gesture, and he did the same. "Mother?" he asked groggily.

Mrs. Emerson who had just drifted to sleep, roused herself enough to look at her so, He felt himself smiling inwardly as Michelle pecked his cheek. Mrs. Emerson smiled her motherly and fond smile that she always used in times of warmth or at touching moments such as now. Of course this moment did not last long for Elvira came in with his painkillers, this interrupting the family visit.

Erik took the meds and thanked her; as soon as he could he swallowed them. His mind became cloudy, the medicine having the desired effect on him. Numbing his pain, making him drowsier and very, very groggy. He ate the meal of fluffy pancakes, two scrambled eggs, and three strips of crispy bacon with two plump sausages like it was some poison from the devil. Very slowly, and then swallowed his milk gulping harshly to get the substance down his burning throat.

When he was done, he handed the nurse back the tray and in a few minutes called her back. "Yes?" she asked him as she knelt beside the bed.

"That man. The other one that got shot, may I see him?" he asked and the nurse turned very white. She denied his request saying simply that he was still quite in act too weak to get out of bed as of yet. The truth of the matter was that she did not want to tell the boy of the Mr. Daae's death and subject the boy to more traumas than he had already been subjected to in the first place.

Erik nodded his obedience, but knew that there was something else in the works here than just the weakness of his body. He knew there was something else going on here, and that all the nurse was doing was making a pointless attempt to conceal it from him. He was determined to find out what that something was or is that this dreadful woman was hiding. He asked her that if he could not go to the man that if she might bring the man to him so that he could thank him for his kind protection and see that he was all right.

Again the infuriating nurse declined to do as he had requested, saying a little to quickly for his liking that that the man was indeed quite well, but that he was sleeping and wished to be alone for the evening. Erik sighed, nodded, and thanked her and said that that was all he had required at the moment and politely dismissed her from the room, saying that he wished to be alone with his family for the remainder of the hospitals visiting hours. She then nodded and hurried off thankful that he had said such things and not pressed the matter.

He then turned to his family and said with a slightly sleepy and yet intuitive tone, "you are all hiding something. Come now out with it." And smiled knowingly as he gazed at the ashen look on his brother's face.

Curtis spoke up, knowing his brother to be as stubborn as an ass when he wanted something and knew he would not give up until he got what desired. "Erm… Erik Mr. Daae is in a way asleep, but I am afraid he won't wake up." He said and grimaced as an ashen pallor came over his younger brother's face, still he continued, " He didn't survive. The bullet pierced his skull and he died immediately." He finished.

"No…you're lying… no." Erik breathed, he couldn't be dead… he just couldn't be.

"I'm afraid not." His father said once he had found his voice. "I wish it were a lie believe-you-me I sure as heck wish it were." He said and came to embrace his son who'd broken down into tears.

"Did he have family?" Erik asked.

"Yeah, a daughter your age and a wife." Curtis answered; Michelle remained silent, as she had been the whole family visit.

"I want to see them, I want to apologize." He said and his father took out a pen and paper.

"Well, I'll invite them." He said and wrote the invitation. He then left the room and the hospital, and giving it to the postman and said, "deliver this personally to the Daae household, as soon as possible." And handed him three five-dollar-bills, the man nodded and walked off.

Ayden Emerson then walked back into the hospital, and had Elvira lead him to Erik's room. When he arrived he found Erik asleep and sat down in a folding chair, and watched his son sleep, while the rest of the family went home to rest.

- With Christine Daae-

Christine sat still as she made an attempt to catch some shut-eye. Last night had when exactly as she had thought it would. She had not slept at all… well that was overstating. She had caught fifteen-minute powernaps here and there about once every two hours. Just enough to keep her from collapsing, her mother slept still now. Exhausted form her own grief, she was at last able to rest, no peacefully fir she still was quite ashen with pain but rest all the same.

Christine roused herself long enough to re-cover her mother, and then she lay down beside her. Annabel moved over a bit, recognizing the gentle touch of her daughter's hand. Christine let out a deep sigh before drifting off into a practically dead sleep.

She was woken up soon after however by the sound of the phone ringing. She rose and went into the living room where she found the phone and picked it up. "Hello?" she muttered.

"Christine! I am so sorry!" the voice of her cousin Meg came blasting into the phone, causing her to wince.

"Hi Meg. Could you not be so loud please my mom is trying to sleep." Christine reprimanded her; she was so loud her voice echoed and that was not good. She did not want to wake up her mother, when she was sleeping after such a rough and sleepless night.

"Mama and I just read about uncle Gaston in the papers, I am so sorry." Meg said quieting slightly, "I can't believe anyone would do this."

"Thanks, and neither can I." Christine said and Meg told her that her aunt Marie wanted to speak with her. "Hi auntie." She said softly.

"Hello dearest. Is my sister well?" Marie asked.

Christine went through the whole story of the night's events and when she was done the doorbell rang. She asked her aunt to hold on a moment but she had to take Meg for her ballet lessons so she had to hang up. Christine then went to the door and answered it; it was the postman.

"Letter for your mum misses." He said and handed it to her, she thanked him and tipped him five dollars and went back inside. Leaving it on the table she went back to the bedroom and back to sleep.

This chapter was boring I know but it'll get better. Review please thanks to those who do.