sorry this took so long! i watched POTO again to regain some inspiration for this particular story and i think i got it down. :) guess what, Christine wakes up in this chapter! but will she regret waking up? :

disclaim, disclaim, disclaim...

This has to be a dream. I'm dreaming aren't I? I don't actually smell disinfectants and bittersweet medicines? I can't actually feel foreign fluids invading my body? I can't actually hear my own feeble heartbeat on a monitor somewhere near my bed? I can't actually hear—is that Erik's voice? Oh God, I am dreaming. To hear his voice again after what had happened between us—that did happen, right? Christine you need to wake up. God knows how long you've been sleeping. But I'm so tired. My heart hurts and my stomach feels so empty. Erik, I need you right now. Please be here with me. Tell me that I'll be alright. I was wrong to keep this from you. I promise to tell you if you promise to stay here with me. Don't leave me. I love you, too.

"Dr. Andres, I'm sorry about how I acted the other day. I was just so angry about what is happening to Christine, I think I just blew up. I'm sorry again." Erik stood up to greet the cardiologist who had visited the sleeping Christine to check up on her vitals and otherwise, progress. The doctor was holding her chart in his hands and was examining it before Erik had quietly apologized with a grave but sincere expression on his face.

"It's quite alright, Mr. Destler. I apologize as well for the remark I made about you. I believe that we are both just under some very stressful times as it is. Christine means a lot to the both of us, and I can assure you, for what it's worth, that I am doing all that I can to help Christine. In fact, I've just begun some research on a project. I think that I can find a way to surgically alter the endorphins flowing through her heart. Well, it get's a little technical from there, but I'll update you as soon as possible." Daryl ended with a kind smile and proceeded to examine Christine.

Erik could not comprehend the utter relief he felt after the doctor ended his little spiel. He sat back down on his arm chair near Christine's bed and pondered over what the doctor had said. His brow furrowed in confusion—hormones? What did Christine's hormones have to do with her being in a coma right now? Despite the fact that he wanted to satisfy his burning curiosity, he opted to be respectful and supportive instead.

Once the doctor had finished his check up and excused himself, Erik moved closer to Christine, holding her hand and fiddling with her slightly matted hair. His expression softened by just looking at how beautiful Christine looked despite her pallid complexion and sunken features. She'd lost a lot of weight in the past couple days and Erik made it a point to cook her healthy meals once she woke up. If she did…

Erik ran his free hand through his hair and touched his forehead to Christine's arm. He almost fell asleep in that position but the most miraculous thing happened.

"E-Erik?" a raspy voice called out.

He jolted his head up and happiness swelled inside to see a tired Christine forcing her eyes to open and moving her head this way and that. He didn't know what to do at that moment, but he decided to push the emergency button to call for her doctor.

"I'm here, baby. Shh, don't speak, your throat must be so dry, right now. I'm here, love. I won't leave. God, I was so worried." Erik was caressing the side of Christine's head. She smiled weakly at him, her lips, chapped and dry, stretched over her teeth in a strained effort.

"Erik, I need to tell you why. I'm so sorry I didn't—I didn't get to tell you before." Christine closed her eyes in an effort to speak but Erik could barely understand her through her croaky whisper.

"Hush, baby, I know, I know. You can tell me some other time. Right now, I'm just so stoked you're awake!" Erik laughed in his euphoria.

The door swung open, startling both people. A wide-eyed nurse looked at Christine and exclaimed. Dr. Andres was right behind her, smiling widely.

"Christine! Finally, the sleeping beauty awakens. Nurse Goodman, would you please adjust Christine's dextrose and her other meds?" the doctor motioned to the nurse and made his way over to Christine's bedside. Already, the color was returning to her face.

"Well, today was a miraculous day, wouldn't you say? Right now, I need you to regain your strength. You must be extremely hungry! We'll talk once you get your strength back. For now, Erik, why don't you see to it that Christine gets a good meal in her stomach?"

"Yes, of course. I'll get right on that. She can eat anything, right?"

"Oh yes, her stomach can cope with anything now that she's conscious. If you'll excuse me, I have other patients to attend to. I'll be back later this afternoon to check on you again, Christine."

Dr. Andres left the room, and after completing her task, the nurse quietly exited herself. It was just Christine and Erik in the room and the silence was pressing on both of them.

"I love you, too."

"Sorry, what was that, Christine?"

"I didn't get a chance to say it. I heard you that night, Erik. I love you, too." Christine's voice was getting stronger and she was struggling to get up, failing on her weak arms.

Erik's heart warmed at the very thought of someone reciprocating his feelings. Their kiss was one thing, but to actually hear her profession of her love for him was making Erik's head spin in delight. He sensed Christine's movements to get up so he pressed the incline-button on the bed causing Christine to blush a little at her own stupidity.

"I'm out of words, Christine. I'm just so happy that you're okay now. We don't need to talk now if it takes the energy out of you. I'm going to go ask the nurse to bring you some food first, okay?" Erik started to get up, but Christine held up her hands.

"No, please. They'll bring me something for sure, now that they know I'm awake. Please, just stay with me. I've missed you so much. Oh Erik, I thought that I wasn't going to wake up. I could hear you talking, and I could feel you touch me, but I just couldn't wake up, Erik."

He leaned into her and kissed her softly on the forehead then pressing his own to hers. He stared into her eyes, feeling the familiar sensation of being swept into the current of brown and amber vibrancy that were Christine's eyes. She brought her hand to Erik's head and their intimate moment almost made Erik cry. His feelings were too much, and he feared that she would relapse if he kissed her again.

After some time, Erik pulled back and settled into his chair, never leaving Christine's gaze. Nurse Goodman came back with a tray of food that she set in front of Christine. She ate hungrily and Erik quietly watched her nourish herself. Christine sipped the last of her apple juice and leaned back on the bed, contented.

"Full?" Erik remarked, amused.

"Oh shut up, I was out for what? A week?"

"Give or take a few days."

"Erik, I really want to tell you now." The smile slowly faded from Christine's face as it fixed itself into a serious expression.

He moved uneasily in his chair, suddenly nervous. But he had wanted to hear it from the beginning, hadn't he? There wasn't a reason to back out now. Erik remained quiet to allow her to continue.

"I-I have a heart problem. And, I've gone from doctor to doctor, and they can't seem to find out how to fix me. Only Daryl has the patience and will to really help me."

Erik remained quiet, as still as a statue, bracing himself for her next words. Christine continued.

"I've had this sickness since I was a little girl and it's only now that it's gotten worse. Erik, I have pneumo-cardioendogenous coagulation." Christine tried her best to remember every single word that Daryl used to explain her condition. But then again, how could she forget the day that her cardiologist told her she could die from love?

Christine finished with a tired sigh and drank some water that was also on the tray. She watched anxiously for Erik's expression but she could not read his face. It was frozen in a sort of blank, strained expression and he didn't as much as blink during her whole explanation. She bit her lip, fearful of what he might do but after a long while, Erik got up and faced the window. He had his hands resting on his hips as he determinedly gazed out the window facing the nearby park.

"Please say something." Christine whispered. She felt so weak and useless in her bed. She couldn't get up and hold him in his arms, or stroke his face. Tears began to blur her vision but Christine stubbornly blinked them away. Then Erik did the unexpected. He brought his right hand to his face and removed the mask. He was still facing away from Christine so she couldn't see everything but from where she was, she could make out the rough patch of skin that connected his temple to his face.

Erik held the bridge of his nose in between his fingers and exhaled. Then he replaced the mask and turned to face Christine whose bottom lip was crushed between her teeth. He walked over to her bed, trying hard to maintain his composure and he fought to keep a soft expression on his face. From the way Christine's eyes widened considerably, he wasn't doing much to hide his feelings.

"I'm still going to love you, Christine." Erik nearly growled his words out, grasping Christine's hands and forcing her to look at him. But Christine turned her head, knowing that her tears would soon be falling freely onto her cheeks.

"No, listen to me; we are going to find a way through this. I'll even help Dr. Andres in his research if it helps make you better. I'm going to make it all okay, Christine, please, I love you." Erik could feel his own tears coming to his eyes as he gently tightened his grip around Christine's hands.

She shook her head and faced Erik again. "I'm going to die, Erik. I'm going to die if I keep loving you like this. I love you so much but my heart will break if I love you even more. I can't do that to you. I'm not selfish like that. I will not die so that I can spend my time with you only to be taken away from you so quickly. Please, this is hard enough on me! I can't bear to see you like this." Christine fought to keep her tears in check but they just kept leaking out of the sides of her eyes.

"No, please, you're the best thing that ever happened to me. You won't die. You won't die." Erik began to kiss Christine everywhere on her face, trying to let her feel what he was feeling inside for her. He moved to kiss her lips but Christine shook her head and placed her thin fingers against his mouth. Erik tried to brush it away but instead, Christine placed the back of her fingers against her own pale lips, pleading with her tear-filled eyes.

Erik's heart was breaking; he could feel it. He had never felt so strongly about another person ever in his life. He needed to fight for this; they had to fight for their love because it was so unique and strong—why was Christine pushing him away?

He pulled away and started walking towards the door. He couldn't bear to leave Christine in her anguished and torn up feelings but she wasn't the only one feeling that way.

"No, no, please don't go." Christine's voice broke at the last word and more tears flowed out of her eyes. Erik turned around and threw his hands out in frustration.

"I don't know what to do, Christine! I want to love you, but you won't let me! I want to leave, but you ask me to stay! You need to make up your mind because I have! I will never stop loving you."

"I know you won't. But please, just stay for a while? Please…"

Erik knew better than to let his feelings get in the way of his decisions. Christine just woke up from a very troubling sleep and he was making it more difficult for her to get better. He decided to stay.

He nodded his head and moved back to his usual place on the armchair, refusing to meet Christine's pained stare. She quietly let out the breath that she'd unknowingly been holding. She leaned her head back against her pillow and she felt more exhausted. Silence enveloped both of them again.

Soon enough, Christine drifted back to sleep despite her being unconscious for a long time. All the while, Erik was holding her hand and staring hard at her pale knuckles, tracing the thin veins that tangled around under her skin. He noticed her quiet breathing and finally looked at her face. How could he have fallen in love with such an angel that all but ripped his aching heart right out of his chest?

He lightly disengaged his fingers from Christine's hand and deftly wiped the streams of tears on her cheeks with the back of his fingers. She moaned in her sleep and readjusted her head. He definitely knew that he couldn't stay there any longer so he wrote a note on the hospital pad on the side table, folded the paper in half and placed it on his armchair. He crept out of the room without looking back.

-oOo-

Uneasily, Christine opened her eyes, searching for Erik's in front of her. The armchair was empty save for a folded piece of paper. She reached over and grabbed it. With a heavy heart, she read the note written in his elegant handwriting.

I called Meg to watch you. If she isn't here yet, then you've woken before she arrived. I couldn't stay, Christine. I still love you.

~Erik

The door creaked open and Meg's head bobbed in.

"Christine?"

She glanced over at her friend, not realizing that her tears had once again fallen down her face.

"He's gone, isn't he?"

you KNOW you want to press that little green button...thanks for reading!