The Phantom and His Friend

Chapter 16

*Erik's POV*

Clara fainted in my arms. My heart sped up. I freaked out, not knowing what to do.

"Help!" I cried out cradling her in my arms.

Antoinette and a boy approached us. She pressed the back of her hand to sweet Clara's forehead.  "She's burning up" she murmured. The boy, I think his name was Alexander approached.

"Set her down" he said.

I shook my head no, not wanting to let go of her.

"Erik. He's a doctor. Do what he says" Antoinette growled.

I groaned reluctantly, before laying her on the soft marble.

"Well technically training to be a doctor" Alex corrected. Antoinette rolled her eyes.

He pressed an ear to her chest, then pressing two fingers to her throat.

"She's not breathing"

I reached for her corset, untying the strings as fast as I could. I ripped it off her body.

Alex pressed an ear to her chest again.

"Better. But we should get her to a hospital"

I nodded scooping her up in my arms. Antoinette shoved people out of the way. We ran outside into the cold. We spotted a woman climbing into a carriage, but Anty ran ahead knocking the woman to the ground, apologizing, and telling her we needed it, and it was urgent.

Antoinette climbed in, then me with Clara, and Alex. Those two sat on the other side, and I sat with Clara in my arms. The carriage rode off at fast as it could.

Clara stirred, shivering against my chest. "Erik-" she said reaching out.

"Hush darling. I'm right here" I pulled her closer. She cuddled into my chest.

I pulled her in for a desperate kiss. She shivered again, I went to wrap her in my cloak.

"No!" Alex stuck his arm out.

"Why?" I growled in anger at him.

"Because. She has a high fever. You'll just make it worse. She may not like it but we need to cool her off.

I reached for her mask, tugging it off trying to cool her off. I tugged off her boots and over coat, knowing they would be removed when we arrived at the hospital. Antoinette fathered the spare clothing, wrapping them in a bundle inside her cloak, like a laundry bag.

She held onto Alex's hands. He pressed a soft kiss to her temple trying to calm her down. He was a good man. I could tell. I liked him, even though I barely knew him.

Clara was asleep again and I tucked her under my chin, feeling tears fall down my face. Then she was cold. Too cold. I pressed fingers to her throat. Nothing.

"No. Come on!" I stood. "What's wrong?"

"She's not breathing"

I started doing chest compressions on her, then putting my lips on hers, giving her air.

I repeated this awful cycle until she was breathing again.

"She has too many layers. She can't breathe with them."

I untied part of her dress, tugging off the layers, feeling very inappropriate. But it was to save her. I couldn't loose her. I refused to loose her too.

Her eyes fluttered open.

"Erik" she coughed.

I must've smiled so big. "Shh, angel. Save your breathe. I'm right here"

~~~

I tucked her into my chest until we arrived at the hospital.

Alex ran ahead.

A doctor came and brought her into a room. Tearing off her clothes, and giving her a nightgown to cover up with.

They gave her cooling pads, she was coughing so much blood was appearing.

I was forced to sit in the waiting room. Even though I just wanted to be there with her.

Antoinette cried into Alexander's chest. I had never seen her cry. Ever. But this made me know how much she cared about my sweet Clara.

After what felt like days a doctor appeared, saying she was waking up. She could come home tomorrow night. She should be all good but they wanted to keep an eye on her.

I stood shakily, walking into her room. Alex and Antoinette following behind. She was in bed.

She looked almost like a corpse.

"Angel?" She asked lighting up.

I rushed forward to her arms. She gripped me in her tight embrace.

I was so happy she was okay, I felt tears falling down my face.

"Dearest why do you cry?" She asked rubbing my tears.

"I'm just happy you're okay darling"

She pulled me in for a quick kiss. I cupped her face in my gloved hands.

Anty and Alex stood on the other side of her bed.

"Antoinette?" She asked brightening.

Antoinette pressed a kiss to Clara's forehead.

She gripped her friend in a hug.

"Clara" Alex greeted.

"Alex" she pulled him in for hug.

"Are you feeling better" he asked.

She nodded. I pulled up a chair and sat next to her, taking her hands in my own. Holding them like they were made of glass.

She smiled weakly at me. Anty and Alex excused themselves to go home. I barely noticed their absence.

I held her hands. Not acknowledging my needs of hunger, and sleep. I would sleep when she was safe again.

I stood pressing a kiss to her temple.

She looked up at me. Before saying, "that felt good."

I chuckled, before lightly pressing my lips to her own. She pressed into me almost as if I were a lifeboat and she was drowning. I ran a hand through her dark hair.

Our lips moved in sync. I pressed my tongue against her lips. She parted them letting me explore her mouth. I had moved to lay beside her by now.

She wrapped her arms around my neck, mine were firmly around her waist pulling her as close as I could without discomfort.

When we broke apart I kissed the skin under her jaw. She inhaled sharply, I moved to her neck craving the feeling of her neck next to me.

I kissed beneath her earlobe, sucking and biting on the skin. Claiming it. She ran her fingers through my hair, letting her eyes flutter closed.

I dragged my nose around on her skin, inhaling the way she smelled. 

Her breathe hitched. I moved a hand down to the back of her thigh, tugging her closer.

Her hands moved to the small of my back.

She moved a hand to remove my coat. But I grabbed her wrist gently.

"Clara" I warned.

"Hmm?"

"We are in a hospital. Maybe not here"

"Sorry" She pressed a kiss to my nose.

When she had fallen asleep I rose to sit in the chair, watching over her until I fell asleep.