Fragments of Memories

"Jewel!"

Aeris slammed the door shut as she ran to her friend, "Oh my god I was so worried. Are you okay? Where the hell have you been?"

She gasped at her blood stained clothes," What happed to you? You look terrible."

Jewel wouldn't respond to her questions she only hugging her friend breaking into sobs. Aeris cradled Jewel letting her cry freely on her shoulder. She wanted to tell her friend everything about her time in the opera house. She wanted to scream that Erik was real not an illusion or fantasy he was a real man of flesh and blood. Still the disbelief of what had happen held her back.

Jewel finally looked up at Aeris, "Please don't ask me any questions about where I was. For my sake please don't ask."

Aeris nodded stroking her hair.

Jewel clamed herself with a hot bath then she and Aeris went out to eat at a small café near their hotel. While they ate Aeris told Jewel of her shopping around Paris and what she bought. Aeris even confessed she'd taken some of Jewel's money to get a really cute pink French dress she wanted.

The two best friends took the next night to tour Paris's night life, sight seeing and going to all the French clubs that aeris could see.() Back at the hotel Aeris and Jewel talked each other to sleep in their bed. Aeris was excited to tell Jewel about this wild flower field she'd discovered on her day out. She said it reminded her of the field from Final Fantasy VIII. That fact alone won Jewel over and Aeris being a flower girl wanted those flowers!

Jewel realized now she'd been back for two whole days with no word or sign from the Phantom. Today they were in the car Aeris rented for the trip and we were heading to go pick flowers for the afternoon. After 30 minutes of driving Aeris finally pointed out her field. The girls got out of the car and Aeris wandered away quickly with her basket and clippers in hand. Jewel rolled her eyes watching her friend in the distance. A cool breeze blew by blowing the fresh sent of flowers passed her. Jewel sat admiring the scenery and landscape it was breath taking. She wandered around slowly to the edge of the field while keeping an eye on Aeris. She stopped at the edge of the field looking into the deep forest seeing a dirt road through the thickness of the tress. Jewel worked pass the branches finding a way through.

"Hey, Aeris come here" she called.

Aeris joined up with Jewel following her deeper down the path. The area became darker as they went along. Jewel wandered if she'd get her chair suck in the thick brush and thought of turning back.

"I see a gate up ahead," said Aeris.

It took some pushing but the girls opened the black rusty gate when they come to it.

Jewel stopped.

"It is a graveyard," said Aeris walking in, "a very old one."

Jewel felt an eerie presents follow her in as she tagged behind Aeris. Huge Angel statues, grey with age decorated the place intertwining with the tomb stones. The place looked abandoned because vines and brush grew thick everywhere. Some even cover the name marking the graves.

"Oh my god, look!" shouted Aeris running ahead.

Jewel's eyes fixed on the lager monument marked Daae. Her heart stopped as she got out of her chair sitting at the bottom of the lager stairs of the tomb.

"Wow this is Christine's father's tomb," said Aeris standing next to Jewel.

"She is buried with him," said Jewel pointing to towards carved into the stone,

Here lies Questine Daae loving father with his loving daughter

Christine Daae

Under it where listed the dates of birth and death.

"That solves the mystery for me…" said Aeris," I defiantly believe the Phantom was real now. Hes probably buried near here don't you think?"

"No…" Jewel answered dryly, "ghosts never die."

"What does that mean? Aeris questioned.

"I think we should leave," she answered looking at Aeris.

"Yeah okay," she nodded.

Jewel glance at the grave one last time a strange light caught her eye. Moving closer to it she found a shiny object hiding on the ground. Jewel carefully scooped it up in her hand. She open and stared down at her palm. It was a tiny gold wedding band. Faded from dirt and age she cleaned it as best she could.
"Erik gave this to you," whispered Jewel thinking of Christine. Respectfully she placed the gold ring on the grave and rejoined Aeris waiting at the entrance.

Jewel woke up to the sound of Aeris singing the Phantom of the Opera in the shower .

"It is all my fault i should have never told her about that movie and Gerard Butler," she thought trying to block out the singing.

Still sleepy Jewel rolled over and was shocked to find a note a rose on her pillow. Wide awake now she sat up. At first she thought it was from Aeris till she saw the black ribbon tied to the stem. She turned the note over breaking the red skull seal and pull out the note…

I do think you are beautiful please forgive me,

Your angel of music

-Erik

Jewel smiled smelling the rose. She untied the ribbon tiding it her own wrist. Tucking her note under her pillow Jewel rushed to get dressed. Banging on the bathroom door she called to Aeris,"Hurry up and meet me at the opera house!"