Hey, I got enough interest in a sequel for my story Lost Soul so here it is! I know that Lost Soul took place in 2012 and this is supposed to be four years later and all, but hey, it won't kill you to have a little time inaccuracies. But I also ought to warn you that my usual writing style is to figure out the ending then work my way there. And I'm not entirely sure how I want this to end yet so I have no clue where this is going to go XD

~nibblesfan

"See you later girl!" Shelby bubbled.

Natalie hung up the phone with a sigh. Today was supposed to be a happy day. After all, it wasn't your twenty-first birthday every day. Her friends had a massive party planned out for her, and they were promising it would be the time of her life. So why was she so miserable?

She knew the answer to that. In a few weeks, it will have been four years exactly. Four years since Natalie crashed her car. Four years since Natalie woke up in the world of Phantom of the Opera. Four years since Natalie fell in love with the famed Opera Ghost, and four years since she arrived back in her own world after being trapped in the opera house fire. Supposedly she had been in a coma the whole time. Even now, she still didn't know if any of it was real or just a dream.

After all, people don't magically transport into a fictional universe set in the year 1881. And Shelby insisted that Natalie had been in the hospital the whole time. But it seemed so real to her. Not to mention she had a picture Erik had drawn of her. She kept it hidden from everyone for fear of being called insane. Natalie had had enough of that living in the Opera Populaire.

A few months after the accident, Natalie had started dating to keep her friends off her back but each relationship was always meaningless to her, every guy only lasting a few months at most. Perhaps maybe she should start seriously looking for someone new.

Pulling out the picture, Natalie wondered what she was going to do. It had been four years now, she couldn't hold on forever. And she had never found a way back to Erik. Maybe, just maybe, it was time to let go. She wadded up the paper into a ball. "I'm sorry Erik," she whispered, tears forming. "But clinging to you is tearing me apart." Natalie tossed the picture into the trash can then ran out the door before she could change her mind.

An arm wrapped around her shoulder. "Hey babe." It was Craig, her latest boyfriend. Natalie couldn't help but cringe involuntarily. He was getting drunk, which meant he was getting obnoxious and possessive. Not to mention his breath already reeked of alcohol. Craig was not lasting much longer.

"Uh, hi." Natalie untangled herself from him and pulled the beer out of his hand. "You might want to slow down a bit. What's that? Your fourth beer?"

"Fifth," he replied. "And maybe I don't need to slow down. Maybe you ought to speed up. It is your twenty-first birthday. You should be getting hammered." Natalie started to roll her eyes. Like most men, Craig was only after one thing. Which he wasn't getting. But she took a swig. It was a party after all.

Hours later, she found herself laughing hysterically with her friends. Shelby pushed another drink into her hand. "Okay, I'm done!" Natalie announced. "Bad things happen when you have too much!"

"There's no such thing as too much," Craig argued, leaning in and kissing her.

Natalie pushed him away. "You taste like beer." He pulled her into his lap and tried to kiss her again. "That's nasty."

"You know you love it babe," he growled in her ear. His hands started to roam, and Natalie had enough. She shoved herself away and wound up crashing to the floor. Her friends cracked up, and Natalie giggled along, partially because of them, mostly because of the alcohol. Craig pulled her to her feet and pressed his lips to hers once more. This time, she "accidentally" dumped his beer all over him. "Hey!" Craig cried. "Not cool!"

Natalie was done with him. He obviously didn't get that he was repeatedly crossing a line. "Hey Craig can I talk to you? Alone?"

"Sure babe." Natalie cringed. She hated when he called her that and Craig knew it. "I got something I want to tell you too."

"Okay you first."

"No you."

Natalie sighed. She couldn't believe he managed to stick around this long. He was dumber than most of the other guys, and that was saying a lot. "Fine. We'll say it at the same time."

"Awesome. Count of three?"

"Whatever," she said with a wave of her hand.

"One…two…three!"

"Craig, this isn't really working out. I think we should see other people," Natalie said as Craig was saying, "Natalie, I love you. Will you marry me?"

The two stared at each other in disbelief. "Did you just propose?" Natalie asked in shock.

"Did you just break up with me?" Craig demanded.

"Yeah, I kinda did, didn't I?" This was about as awkward as things could possibly get. "Look, you're a great guy and all." Natalie knew she was lying through her teeth but she was trying to let the guy down gently. Besides, she actually had scripted out her breakup speech, seeing as she used it so often. "Any girl would be lucky to have you."

"I don't want any girl!" he protested.

Natalie ignored him and kept right on going. "It's not you, it's me. I'm just not finding any chemistry with you. I'm sorry."

"You're serious? You're really leaving me? I can't believe it! I won't!"

"Craig, I'm sorry." She turned and started to walk out of the bar. So much for the night of her life. Because it was pretty much sucking.

A hand fell on her shoulder. "Let me drive you home," Craig said.

Natalie shook her head. "We've both had a lot to drink. I'll just call a cab."

His grip tightened. "No. Let me drive you home." He marched her to his car and pushed her into the passenger seat. "I insist."

She was honestly scared now. "Craig…"

"Shut up!" he ordered. Natalie fell silent out of fear. She knew he could get very jealous, especially when he was drunk, but she had never seen him like this. "What's his name?" Craig asked, hopping in the driver's seat and taking off.

"What?"

"His name! There's someone else isn't there?"

"Craig…"

"Tell me his name!" he screamed in her face.

"Erik," she whispered.

"Erik who?" Natalie bit her lip and looked away. "Dammit, tell me his last name right now! Or I swear I'll…"

Natalie felt a sudden surge of bravery. "Or what?" she shouted back. "You'll beat me? Rape me? You're already kidnapping me!"

"I am not kidnapping you, we are talking." Craig's tone was getting very eerily calm. "Now what is his last name?"

"It doesn't matter. I haven't seen him since I was seventeen. Forget about him though because I would leave you either way. You are a selfish possessive pig!" Natalie yelled.

A second later, her cheek was stinging from his smack. "How dare you!" he roared. "You stupid…"

"Look out!" Natalie screamed as the car swerved right in front of an oncoming truck.