A/N: Hello all! Griffin-Queen here. Might I just announce that I think this is the first time in all my fanfiction history, (even since the birth of my brain-child "If Immortality Unveil") That a document has ever uploaded for me without a single strange thing happening to it? I'm marveling at this.
ANYWAY... this is a story that I really have no idea how it turned into what it did. It started with me mulling over the whole scene where Victor lies to Emily, and her reaction. I threw in some angst, and began to think about what would've happened if the scene ended differently. This is what happened as a result. So i hope you all enjoy it.
On a different note before I let you read. I am STILL working on If Immortality Unveil...my scatterbrained mindset has left me unable to pick a chapter to put up, out of the 15, give or take, possible chapters I have started. So stick with me.. I'm sure I'll have something up soon xD. and now I shut my trap and leave you to the reading... enjoy! (and I urge you to stick with it..even though it is a bit long...)
"No!!…You're married to me!…. She's the other woman!" Emily, The corpse bride, hollered, pointing seemingly upward to the land of the living, where "the other woman" lived. Emily then turned her back to Victor as she put her hands over her face and began to cry. Large silver droplets stained her blue cheeks as Victor felt a pang of guilt against his heart. Overcome with compassion he walked up to Emily and gently put his arms around her. He was slightly unnerved, however, when he felt what seemed like every muscle in her body tense up. She eyed him angrily. Her wet, puffy eyes seared a hole in him. He began to tremble as she tore herself from his arms.
"Just go!" she yelled, and Victor gave a strange glance up to the Elder, who was stationed at his podium, getting a bird's eye view of the situation. Her cries worsened as she swiftly exited the room. Victor extended a hand as if he was about to call out to her, but dropped it in defeat. He signed and let his eyes fall to the floor. He heard the elder cough slightly and looked up at him.
" But I…..I-I never meant to-"
" It matters not." the elder silenced him with a wave of his bony hand. " the damage has indeed been done….and quite soundly at that…"
"w-what must I do…?"
" I doubt that there's anything you can do… you're on your own for that my boy." Victor's face fell…and after a deep breath he exited the room to go find Emily. He walked down the stairs to the ground below. He walked down a large alley with coffins lining the walls…yet surprisingly, they did not frighten him this time. He leaned up against one and closed his eyes, rather startled when he heard soft whimpers and sniffles coming from up ahead. He ran farther until he got to a large open area. It was then that he realized he was at the back of the Ball and Socket. The red door was on the left wall, and just to the right of the door was a coffin laying down, with a red mattress in it. On this coffin-bed was Emily, grasping a moth-eaten red pillow in her arms as she cried softly into it. Victor slowly and quietly walked over to her and kneeled beside the bed. She did not notice his presence as she was too drowned in her sorrows, but when Victor placed a shaking hand on her waist she gasped and sat upright.
" w-who's th-….." she saw Victor and stopped mid-sentence. Her eyes narrowed. " how did you find me here…" She spat angrily, more tears leaking form her eyes.
" I-….I-I…..heard you crying…" His only response was a venomous glare as a fresh trail of tears ran down her face.
" Oh?….waterworks annoying you? Didn't want to hear me crying? Come to tell me to stop?" She glared, and he shook his head. Victor wished he could shrink into his shoes and hide there… He had no idea he'd upset her so badly. Slowly he moved over and sat next to her on the bed. She pulled her knees up and sat as far away from him as humanly possible.
"Oh, now… that's being a bit childish isn't it?"
" So is lying…" She continued to stare him down…and Victor Fumbled for a second, trying to choose his words carefully so as not to crush her further. He couldn't put a finger on why he was being so careful… but she seemed so fragile, and so sensitive. He couldn't find it in his heart to harm her. He mentally slapped himself as he found himself venturing so far as to think of her as beautiful.
" Look... E-Emily.."
" Oh I'm surprised you even remembered my name!"
" Well….I" He heard her growl angrily.
"Just leave me alone!!" She screamed, and he saw her whip out her skeletal hand, and the next thing he became aware of was immense pain on the right side of his face….she had slapped him…hard. He yelped in pain and his hand flew up to his face. He felt the pain bring hot tears to his eye … and he opened his right eye to find Emily, still with that hateful glare stuck on her face…though now, she was so fiercely enraged that a blue flush had spread across her cheeks as more and more tears ran down her face. The tears fell from Victor's right eye as he brought his hand back down, finding out that the force of the blow combined with the texture of her bony fingers had caused his face to bleed. He looked at her with wide eyes, and she spoke, her mouth being the only thing on her faced that moved. Everything else remained frozen in that angry expression.
" It hurts doesn't it? That's how I feel every morning when I wake up except… There's no physical pain. every morning for me is like a hit to the face…a slap that doesn't go away. When someone slaps you in the face you can put ice on it and the pain, with time, will go away but…" Her face fell into a look of deep and utter despair, and her words were mere whimpers…. " You can't put ice on a broken heart…" She cried… " You can't bandage it to stop the hurting … it just bleeds…and bleeds…and bleeds… until you've nothing left." Victor at this point had to fight to keep the tears running from dripping from both eyes… finally coming to grips with just how much pain she was in, and how confusing it all must have been for her. At this point she had turned away from him, sobbing pitifully. Victor wiped the tears from his eye, not surprised to find them replaced by new ones…and he slowly and carefully lifted her into his arms. She was once again to enveloped in sadness to notice that she had moved, but Victor nearly dropped her in surprise…. She did not feel like he imagined holding a corpse would feel… She had very soft skin…and was quite pleasant to hold in his arms, even though she had a certain chill about her. He sat her on his lap, supporting her with his one arm, and he rested his other hand on her lap, clasping her hand in his. Her fingers felt cool and bony against his…and he didn't know if she felt the warmth of his hands or not. He felt her head hit his chest as it shook with her tiny sobs. He cradled her still, gently stroking the top of her hand with his thumb. Emily was too dejected at this point to reject the comfort. She looked up at him, and his heart melted to the floor. He couldn't see past the pain in her eyes… it seemed to be all that was present.
"Y-…..you may as well just… leave…" She was having quite a bit of trouble forming the words.
"why…?"
" It just hurts worse to be h-here w-with you…I-I'm not the one you want…and she obviously I-is… so you should go back to her… stop w-wasting your time with m-me… I'll be alright…it's nothing n-new."
" I'm not wasting my time…" He was looking for words to follow up his last sentence, but they were lost as confusion overwhelmed him. In an effort to find words, he gazed up into the dark sky… " why don't you get some sleep..." Her eyes widened.
"No!" She yelped.
"W-why not?" She sobbed.
" You'll be gone when I wake up...which is obviously worse then you leaving now when I'm telling you to" He brushed flyaway strands of hair from her face.
" I won't leave you… I promise… I still have much I want to explain to you." At this point Victor felt a strange sensation course through his body, but he shook it away as her head hit his chest again. This time though, he felt all of her tenseness drain from her body as she fell into a fragile sleep. As Victor stared at her sleeping form his thoughts began to wander… images of Victoria danced in his head as a fierce battle broke out in his mind.
"I…I've never felt this way around anyone before….not even the one I am intended to marry…. " He looked at Emily and smiled. "She doesn't want me for the wealth my parents have….she doesn't care about my social class… she just sees me….No! I am intended to love Victoria…. And only Victoria…" Victor heaved a sigh, biting his lip as he saw that it made Emily stir slightly. He sighed a second time as she was still once again, and he gave a silent chuckle…. " Then if that is true… why do I find Emily earning my affection in ways that Victoria couldn't even fathom…?" Feeling rather bold, he reached out and gently caressed her undamaged cheek with his finger, taking in every little detail about the way it looked and felt. Returning his hand to her lap,Victor's eyelids slowly fluttered shut as he too, fell asleep.
Victor awoke the next morning to someone's face on his. He opened his eyes further and realized that they had slumped from their previous sitting position. Emily now rested curled up on top of Victor, and her soft cheek was pressing against his. She was smiling softly... But when she sat up and looked around the smile faded as she saw Victor looking up at her.
"…you're still here…?" She asked. He sat up as well.
" Of course I am… I told you I would be right here when you woke up."
" This is such a nice change from last time…" Victor looked at the ground.
" Oh Emily…." He sighed… " there's so much that needs to be said…"
" I think you owe me the whole story…"
" I do…look…oh dear this is going to be difficult… The reason I was so eager to get home is that… I do have a fiancé… Her name is Victoria. But, keep in mind that I have no choice in this…"
" An arranged marriage?"
" Yes… and nothing short of it… my parents just recently earned a place in the "nouveau riche" class… my father "hit it big" on the fish market, and we now have more wealth then we could ever ask for. The Everglots, Victoria's parents, have just recently gone bankrupt… So the whole point of this marriage w-."
" They get the wealth….you get the status."
"That's the whole of it…yes."
" That's awful…. But." Her eyes began to tear up again. " w-why couldn't you have just told me?… I would have understood that lot better then you lying to me and leaving me…" She whimpered. Victor couldn't take the guilt that her weepy eyes brought against him, so he took her in his arms once again, not so much as a loving gesture as it was a form of self comfort. She began crying again, and he rocked her slowly.
" I'm sorry… I never should have lied to you… I just…. I just panicked… truth be told… you're the first girl I've ever really known... I'm bad at talking to people in general… and girls are even worse… I didn't know HOW to tell you…I'm sorry I confused and hurt you so badly… I-I didn't mean it… I'm apparently just bad at talking to women…"
" Other than Victoria…. I saw how close you two were…" Victor turned a strange shade of red.
" I don't' even know what possessed me to do that…I-I just thought that i-… I don't' know, that's not the point. The point is, I spoke to her for all of about five minutes… I-I had such a hard time talking to her… I feel as though I'll be punished if I say the wrong things…god knowing my parents I probably would be punished…"
" And I'm easy to talk to….because I mean nothing to you? Is that how you're figuring this?" Her eyes became misty again. Victor sighed and hugged her closer to him…
" That's not it…that's not it at all!"
" Y-you know… you're being awfully contradictory…" He looked at her strangely, and she continued. "You were just about to kiss Victoria… and now you're holding me, talking to me, like you actually care for me….like I'm not just a disgusting corpse to you anymore….when just hours ago you wouldn't so much as give me a second glance… either this is fickleness is characteristic of the male gender, or you're just saying things to make me feel better…so that you can leave me on good terms."
" I do care for you…By all accounts of my personality I don't know why… but I do, I really do."
" No you don't… I've seen first hand that you don't... you're just saying that to make me feel better." Victor was silent…. Was he? He was pretty sure he wasn't…" She's such a sweet thing…so charming in such a morose, heartbreaking way…she just needs someone…I think I need someone too…but…there's nothing wrong with Victoria! Oh… why must things ALWAYS be so confusing….she's DEAD…. Why do I love her….do I love her? Why did that just cross my mind…oh…why can't I make her see…?..what have I done? What am I doing?!" Wrapped up in his thoughts, his head drifted to Emily's shoulder. Emily's eyes were wide open, and she seemed to be in a trance-like state. Victor curled his head around to see her face.
" I don't seem to mean much to anyone anymore…"
" oh now… t-that's not tr-"
" yes it is…everyone has someone…. Everyone but me…"
" I don't know why you sound like you're all alone…when I-….I'm sitting right here with you." Emily fell silent again… deathly silent. Victor, finally determined to prove it to her…stood up suddenly.
" You know I can prove it to you." This sparked her interest, and she picked up her head. " I can leave… I can walk away right now…" Victor's response was her face falling into depression again as her head drooped…and his thoughts turned from triumphant…to the most sincere form of apologetic.
"Please don't…" She whispered. " D-don't leave me…n-not yet." He slowly turned slightly, until he felt two very shaky arms wrap around his middle, and a quivering head hit his shoulder blade. "Though… I-I know you want to… " He couldn't think of anything to say… Then, the arms and head suddenly left his body as he heard footsteps traveling away from him, and a soft "thump" of the coffin cushions. Emily was sitting on the coffin, curled up on it as tight as possible, with her head buried in her folded knees. No longer able to hear the sniffling and sobbing, Victor walked over and sat on the cushion again beside her. Victor nearly jumped backwards when he used his fingers to lift her chin slightly. He face was devoid of all emotion…and her eyes were clouded over with a fog that Victor couldn't bear. He let her head fall back into her arms.
"I've never seen anyone in such emotional agony… It kills me to know that I've caused it… I've come to care for her so much… and I don't even know how to tell her…without her thinking it's a lie. But she also needs to stop thinking that all is lost… I don't know why she's acting that way…It's certainly different from when I first met her… " He kept asking himself why she was so inconsolable, and he kept coming up empty-handed. His thoughts drifted to the day's events, and the one lie that started all of this…He began to think of the look on her face when she dragged him back to the land of the dead..."I thought this was all going so well!!" That pitiful wail rang through Victor's head.Victor, all of a sudden was filled with that strange sensation he had felt earlier…. He was feeling extremely bold... a feeling that hadn't come over him since…well…ever. He gently muttered her name, and picked her chin up again, happy to find that her eyes looked just a bit more responsive. They stared straight into his, and Victor was slightly shaking under her fixed gaze. He drew ever closer to her, and began to shake a little bit more as he saw her begin to move forward as well, as if bewitched by the moment, undergoing a complete change of mood from depressed to completely baffled. He stopped as she did… their faces mere inches apart.
" Victor…..wh-…what are you-….?" She drew back from him slightly. He put gentle, shaking hands around her waist.
" Something I've never done before…Now that I see how much pain and misery I've caused you… I want to demonstrate to you…how sorry I am." She felt him draw ever closer, and she began shaking as well…she wanted this more than anything… yet she couldn't help but question his motives…All of her suspicions dissolved as she felt his warm body close to hers. " I didn't mean for any of that to happen to you. I didn't mean to be no better then the same man who cost you your life." She shook her head, unable to find or say the words "You're much better." She jumped as he began speaking again, their lips just barely touching.
" I told you I cared for you...Emily…but maybe… m-maybe this time if I can't tell you… I-I can show you." He whispered as he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. Victor nearly cried at the feel of her lips on his…and to think of how terrified he used to be…when those lips touched his for the first time. Now… now he saw her as not a cold, dead, corpse… but a woman… a woman with feelings that were just as easily hurt, and lips that were just as warm and inviting as any rich broad this side of the River Thames. He'd never felt anything like this before. He'd never felt such a swell of warmth within himself ever before. He slowly laid down on the bed, bringing her with him, and putting still shivering arms around her. Neither side seemed to want anything to do with ending this moment….so they didn't. Even after the end of their first mutual kiss…they laid there together. Emily had an almost relieved look on her face… relieved that he no longer was afraid... Or apprehensive of her… and so overjoyed was she that she had shared her very first kiss with the man she had fallen so deeply in love with…that joyful tears ran down her face. Her suspicions were gone, replaced by feelings of love and happiness. Victor smiled down at her, seeing that bright, vivacious shine return to her eyes. He hadn't seen it since that meeting where he had been reunited with his childhood dog, Scraps. Casting all his shyness to the ground, and throwing caution to the wind, he kissed her again, and to his surprise and joy, she did not object. Victor's mind was buzzing with questions…Why was he not afraid of Emily when just hours ago he was terrified to even look at her? Why did he find himself wanting to spend more and more time with her. When he pulled away from her she smiled up at him. He smiled back. "Father did always say that love makes people do crazy things…"
" They always say that the first kiss is awkward…..yet….that wasn't awkward at all." Victor's cheeks turned a light shade of pink, but then he thought of something.
" H-how was that your first kiss…i-if?"
" He never kissed me…well, not on the lips anyway…and now I know why…"
" I'm sorry that had to happen to you…" her smile faded further and she shrugged, the negativity returning as the butterfly-filled clouds that were occupying her mind faded and left.
" It's In the past now…if I dwelled on it ALL the time I'd be in worse shape then I am now…"
"You're not in bad shape…y-"
" Victor please…I know you thought it…and I know that's why you're here right now… it's all because of pity…and I don't need pity…I don't want pity…"
" what you need is love…that's why I'm here…" She turned her head.
" For how long…?" Victor sighed.
" Why do you keep asking me that?"
" Because I want to know…" He could hear her voice choking up again. " I can't help but get attached to you…so I want to know when you're leaving so I know not to…"
" What if I said I'm attached to you?"
" I wouldn't believe it…it's awfully strange that it happened all of a sudden…"
" I don't see how you can think so…considering you loved me when all I did was place my ring on your finger." Emily looked back at him, and he knew she saw his point. Victor sighed. " When I came down here to you… it seemed as little else then marrying a dead body. Of course I was terrified. But as I got to know you, and spend time with you as I am know, you became more. This whole place became more. I don't' see you as a dead woman any more. When you were crying in my arms I wanted to smack myself… because I realized you still have feelings… you still cry, and laugh, and feel things as I do, or as any living person does… you don't' breathe, feel physical pain, or have a pulse… but….. You're no different.. You still have a mind, and a heart… You're smart, funny, charming, and, for someone who's been dead for god knows how long you're frighteningly beautiful." Emily's stunned face turned bright blue. " I understand how badly you need someone….a-and… trust me… the only thing keeping me from being your someone is how much is riding on me upstairs…because quite frankly I'm happier down here with you…" Victor's face was now beat red, his shyness returning as he realized that the words had been just spilling out of his mouth, his brain forcing them out before he had time to think or hesitate. Emily was looking at him with a face that showed only confusion. He turned away from her, attempting to hide his shamefully red face. "A-and now I've fully succeeded in making myself look like an utter fool." Emily took his face in her hand and spun it back around to face her.
" How do you feel about me…?" She asked, chasing away all of the pain and fear from her face to keep from influencing his answer. Victor felt as if his mind were spinning out of control. He kept asking himself the same question she had just asked him, and after a few moments of silence the answer became clearer then ever.
" You make me happy…" She looked at him… " You make me feel comfortable in my own skin…and not so frightfully awkward all the time…" He looked up at her… "I love you….I know it may seem like a quick turn of mindset… but it's true… it's really true…and it took me until this meeting to get past all of the disguises my mind was setting up… I want to be your someone…I want to comfort you…and take away all of the pain you've dealt with for far too long now… but… w-will you still have me as a husband?" After a moment of stunned silence she threw herself at him, crying. He was knocked backwards onto the bed, and held her tightly as she cried. She cried for a long time, and Victor rocked her slowly until it seemed there were no more tears left for her to cry. She clung to him, and Victor was nervous enough to faint, fearing her answer, and also having little experience around females. Although whatever he was doing must have been working, because Emily soon stopped crying, and was now merely clinging to him. After a few more moments of silence she smiled and looked up at him, not knowing if this was a dream, or if it was truly happening…
" I will…" She replied. The young man smiled, happier then he'd ever been. He took Emily in his arms again and kissed her cheek gently. She giggled and pressed her lips to his. Victor was shocked, but soon found himself returning the kiss, unsure of how he had not fainted yet. When the two separated, they could only smile at each other, though Victor's smile was the first to fade.
" But there's one thing…I'm still living…."
" That's right…" Emily bit her finger gently in thought. " Well… If anyone can help us it's Elder Gutknecht."
" S-should we go...s-see him?" Emily got up off of his lap and took his hands in hers, pulling him up.
" Well we're not going to find out just sitting here are we?" She giggled, and Victor smiled in spite of himself. The two walked up the stairs to see the Elder in his tower.
" Elder Gutknecht?" Emily called. After a second calling of his name the old skeleton wobbled out from a little niche in his library.
" What is it, my dear?" The Elder saw Victor grasping Emily's hand, and his eye sockets widened in confusion, yet a smile crept across his jaw, if it were at all possible for a skeleton to smile.
" Can the living marry the dead?" She asked meekly. The Elder chuckled airily.
" I knew you might be asking me that sooner or later…and the answer is no." Victor and Emily looked at each other.
" No?… Isn't there anything you can do…?" She asked again.
" There is nothing I can do… it is a choice Victor must make on his own account. He would have to repeat his vows in the land of the living and drink from the wine of ages." He was flipping to a certain page in the large book he had been reading, meanwhile Emily gave a sharp gasp.
" Poison…" She said breathlessly.
" This would stop his heart forever… only then would he be free to give it to you…" The elder shut the book. "And that is all that can be done…the only thing within my power to make your union possible." Emily's face fell into despair again as she hugged her arms to herself, beginning to sway back and forth.
" I can't ask that of Victor… That's the ultimate sacrifice…I-I don't have the right to ask him…"
" You don't have to…because I've made up my mind." She stopped swaying and looked at him. " I'll do it…" She gasped.
" Victor… a-are you sure it's really what you want…? I mean… You'll no longer be of the living, we could never have children…think about all that you're leaving behind…oh I thought it would be so much easier then that…."
" Hmm… let me think…I'm leaving behind oppressive parents who reek of fish all the time, a life of ridicule and constant overwhelming obligation, and a village full of the most miserable, colorless people you can imagine…Emily, if I don't take this chance, right now, to spend the rest of my existence with someone who makes me truly happy and at peace with myself and the world... I know in my heart there will never be another…and on that note… even if there IS another chance… There will never be another you…" Emily was fighting back tears as she yet again threw herself at Victor. He caught her and spun her around, happy with his decision. The elder was watching the couple, still with that happy look about his bony features.
" now, now you two…Let's not celebrate just yet. There's still much to be done." the elder busied himself with squeezing another egg out of the raven perched on his desk. Then, reaching under his podium he pulled out an oddly shaped red bottle. "Alright then…I trust you know how to get back here." he said as he hobbled down to the ground level. "After you repeat your vows, drink this…and once that is all done, you may return home here…I'll be waiting."
" Thank you Elder." Victor said as the Elder cracked the egg, sending forth a cloud of sulfur-colored smoke. Once the two were in the land of the living, Emily was gazing up at the moon.
" It's so beautiful…" She mused. Victor put a hand on her waist.
" It is..." He replied as the two began to walk toward the church. When the church was in sight the two broke into a bit of a run, no longer hidden by the trees and the forest. Inside the church the air was stale and stuffy. Victor and Emily walked up to the altar and turned to face each other
" With this hand, I will lift your sorrows" victor said with his right hand raised, completely poised and smiling. Emily returned his smile "Your cup will never empty, for I will be your wine." Emily at this point had tears lining her eyes, her voice was seething with happiness as she spoke.
"With this hand... i will lift your sorrows…your cup will never empty.. Fo- " She stopped short as she heard the door to the church open. She gasped and looked at Victor, who was just as afraid as she was. They took the red bottle and hid ti under the alter as a safety measure.
" We finally found you!!" One of the constable said, pointing a finger at victor. "We been out lookin' fer you all night we 'ave! Your parents is worried sick!" He walked in and looked at Emily.
"So! You the miserable 'arlot what whisked master Van Dort away t' god knows where!" Another man said as he walked into the church. " Well…'aint you a looker…"
" Excuse me?!" Emily said, flustered.
" Gentlemen I think it best if you leave right now." Victor said angrily. " That was totally uncalled for…"
" We'll do nothin' o' the sort… yer Comin' with us Van Dort… Yer Mum'll 'ave our 'eads if we don' bring y' back." The one man grabbed a hold of Victor's arm. " Don' worry… we'll take good care o' yer lady friend…" He chuckled. " It's nice an' warm in the prison tonight…" the two men grabbed a hold of Emily, one of them yelping when he felt her skeletal arm.
" She's dead Stephen!! She's as dead as a bloomin' doornail!"
" Well then, all the better she be locked away where no one can see 'er." Victor was struggling wildly.
" Let her go!" He shouted. " Let her go this I-" He did not have time to finish as one of the men knocked him unconscious with a hand to the back of his neck. Victor fell to the ground, the last thing he heard was Emily screaming his name as they dragged her out of the church.
Emily screamed and struggled as the men dragged her along. She tried kicking and biting, but they would not let her go free.
" She's a feisty thing aint she?"
" Yeh…I'll bet she's a monster in bed!" The two men laughed wildly, and Emily stopped short, stumbling as the men kept dragging her. They fell silent for a minute, and the less intelligent of the two spoke.
" Would y' really do it wiv a dead body Stephen?"
"course not y' idiot!! I'd 'ave t' be dead meself t' do tha'! An' I dunno about you Ed… bu' I aint about t' give me life up fer sommin like tha'…which brings me to a question…what 'apened to yeh sweetheart?" He tugged her arm, making her stumble again. " Ow'd y' end up in such a state?" She was silent. " Oh Come on…y' can tell us…we won' tell nobody." She was still silent. "Aww… someone needs a li'le cheerin' up…" He chuckled as he grabbed her backside. Emily yelped and drove her foot backwards, her heel hitting him square in the groin. Stephen yelled and dropped to his knees.
" You… miserable- Ed! Don' let 'er ge' away!!" Emily had broke into a run. Stephen shakily dragged himself to his feet as Ed took off after Emily. Emily screamed and ran as fast as her long, thin legs would carry her. Tears blurred her vision, as suddenly the scenery changed . She was now back on that fateful night. Pale, milky flesh covered her body, and the torn rags that adorned her wrists were now beautiful gloves again. She ran form the dark figured that was chasing her. Screaming and crying, she ran faster and faster. Only this time, it was not a shaking arm around her waist and a knife driven into her back that ended the chase, it was a large tree. Emily ran smack into the tree, and the force of the blow knocked her unconscious. She laid there unmoving as the men picked her up and carried her to the prison.
" Damn crazy girl…" Stephen said as he threw her into the cell. Ed nodded his head, and the men wordlessly left the prison. Emily hit the ground with a thud. Her skeletal arm was torn from her body, falling down and clattering next to her in the stale hay that lined the bottom of the cell.
She awoke soon after, groaning and sitting up. She fell to the side, realizing that she did not have two arms holding her up. She frantically looked around her, sighing when she found her arm resting next to her. She picked it up and snapped it back in. Emily stood up, her knees wobbling, and wandered around the cell, hugging herself shakily. She was trying to ignore the wolf whistles and vulgar shouts from the cells next to her, but they were so loud and obnoxious that she couldn't. She walked up to the front of the cell, grabbing a hold of the bars. She slid down to a sitting position and cried, the tears slowly mixing and melding with the dried dirt on her face.
When Victor awoke he was in a very familiar place, his own bedroom. He sat up on his bed and put a hand to the back of his painfully throbbing head. Victor barely had time to think the word "ouch." Before another object came crashing soundly to the side of his face. Victor reeled and howled in pain, casting a glance toward the source of the object to find his mother's hand.
" Ow could Y' do this to us Victor?!" She was furious. " Now we got the Everglots thinking' we're a buncha loonies cause we been out all night searching for you!!. Y' had us worried sick!"
" Why? Because I blew your chance at fame?" She slapped him again.
" Don't you talk to me like that young man! Now.. We're going back to the Everglots now, whether your stutterin' li'le self likes it or not." She grabbed his arm and yanked him off the bed, dragging him all the way out to the carriage. Upon climbing in Victor looked up through the stinging and hot tears to meet the kind face of his father.
" You 'ad us in quite a frenzy, son… we thought we'd never find you…"
" Father I can't do this…There's someone in trouble that I happen to be almost married to, and she's locked away in prison." He said as he wiped the blood form his mother's nails off of his face.
" What on earth are you talkin' about Victor? Maybe Mum slapped you a lil 'arder then you thought?"
" Her name is Emily….when I ran into the woods practicing my vows I put my ring on a twig that happened to be her finger…and she rose from the ground claiming that we were married and at first I was terrified but now I've come to care deeply for her… I love her father…and I must save her…god knows what their doing to her in that jail…"
" S-slow down son…she's dead….in order for you two to marry…w-wouldn't you have to…die?"
" Yes.."
" Victor I can't lose my only son…I wont…and especially not to a corpse that you found under a tree…that's a little weird 'f y' ask me"
" you won't lose me… I-I can come back to visit…and the land of the dead is quite the friendly place.. You can come see me as well… I'm sure the elder can find a way to do that… I know you'd adore her father…she's wonderful." Victor's father was looking at his son, who was practically begging. He sighed, and was painfully silent for a good two minutes
" They always say love makes people do crazy things…and….I guess…I guess after all those years you deserve a chance to be happy…and if this Emily girl makes you as happy as you say she does I guess you'd find some way or another…and at the same time I won't be responsible for my son's suicide…..so… I guess I have no choice but to give my blessing."
" Thank you." William hugged his son tightly.
" Just promise me one thing…"
" What?"
" You let me meet miss Emily…" Both chuckled.
" Of course father…but…how will mother take this?"
" You know your mother Victor, she'll be "devastated" for a while…and she'll be furious for what the Everglots will think of it all… but she'll get over it I trust…she always gets over things rather quickly…"
" yes…"
" But I want you to go to the Everglots with us now… y' owe it to miss Victoria."
" I suppose I do." Just as he said this Nell shoved herself angrily into the carriage and they were off. Once at the Everglots house Nell and William were chattering frantically with Finis and Maudeline. Victoria walked over to Victor.
" Victor!" She said as loud as her strangled lungs would allow. " I can't believe your back!" She studied his face " There's a problem isn't there? I knew there would be…I'll bet it involves your corpse bride."
" Yes… it does… I-I'm sorry.." She smiled.
" It's alright…I did some thinking about it, and decided that It won't do any good trying to persuade you… Mother says it's improper to make a pest of myself…and I guess I agree." Victor gave a sheepish chuckle.
" You're a wonderful person, Victoria… I'm sure you'll have no trouble finding someone better suited for you then I…" He took her hands gently.
" That is if my parents will allow it.." At this point she was suppressing all of the negative emotion inside of her, as her mother had always taught her to… " I'm glad you've found happiness Victor…"
" Thank you…" He smiled. " But.. I need you to do me a favor…"
" W-what?"
" I must save Emily… She's locked away in prison… I need you to get me out of here…"
" The back door… I can't go with you… my mother will surely send someone searching if I were to escort you… Down the left corridor.. First door on the right… then all the way at the end of that hallway… you can't miss it…and If they ask…"
" I've run home to get the ring…" victor smiled
" Right...though I should hate o think about what will become of this quiet village when you don't return "
"That's their problem…just keep yourself safe…" She nodded… "I can't thank you enough…"
" W-will this be the last time I see you?"
" I doubt it…. But for now, goodbye until that day…" He kissed her cheek shyly as he silently took off down the corridor. Victoria discreetly walked over and sat in one of the chairs, desperately fighting back tears, pressing her hand to the spot on her cheek Victor had kissed.
Victor ran down the hallway and out the door of Everglot manor, bound for the prison just outside of town. He ran as fast as his thin legs could carry him, finding that they were faster then what He remembered. He ran past the bridge, stumbling as his foot got caught in an uneven cobblestone, and even though he fell he instantly picked himself up and continued running. He reached the prison.
The prison was a giant hulk of a building. It was surrounded by a wall on all sides, and it was made of worn gray brick. There were almost no windows, save the tiny ones in the cells, and one solitary flickering light shone in the turret directly at the top of the building. Victor had never been here before, though he'd heard many stories about it. An eerie wind blew through the prison yard, causing Victor to shiver and back up a step. But then the thoughts of poor Emily, alone and afraid in one of those dark cells drove him forward, and up to the guards standing at the gate. The guards were restraining ferocious looking guard dogs, each guard held down two ferocious beasts. Victor was shaking as he walked up to the guards, the dogs began to growl and lunge at him, but physically he didn't falter the slightest.
" Whadda you want?" The first guard shouted. " Visiting hours are over…."
" Yes, I was running late today… I need to see someone in your jail…It's rather urgent and I'd appreciate if you'd let me in." The guard rolled his eyes.
" Damn stragglers…" He grunted. "Y' got one hour… an' keep t' yerself an' yer jailbird… 'f the warden finds out I let you in 'ere… he'll 'ave' my 'ead…" Victor bowed, and the guards yanked the dogs back and yelled to the gatekeeper to let the tall young man in. Victor walked shakily into the prison, ignoring the searing pain on his hand as the dog grazed it with his teeth. The prisoners glared at him, and some of the women shouted nasty things at him. Victor was nothing short of terrified as he walked down the hallways, searching for Emily. Weakly lit torches were the only things that lined the hallways, and it was dreadfully cold. Victor sneezed as he shivered form the chill in the air. As he reached what appeared to be the last corridor, he saw one extremely dark cell. In the cell he saw a crumpled figure sitting on the ground, long blue hair covering her face. A long white dress fell around her in a puddle, and her hands grasped the bars as if there were nothing else to hold on to. She was shaking terribly, frightened as anything. Tiny whimpers occasionally came from her. Victor identified her immediately, and he kneeled down in front of her, putting his hands over hers. Her hands were chillier then he remembered, and he could feel them shaking against the bars. The feeling of warm hands caught her attention, she slowly picked her head up, and gasped as tears filled her eyes.
" Victor!" She gasped hoarsely. She let go of the bars and grasped his hands, still unable to control the shaking. " Y-you came for m-me…" He looked into her eyes, and noticed how dirty her face was, unable to get past the fact that they may have harmed her.
" Of course I did… I'd never forget you… but did they hurt you? Why is your face so dirty?"
" W-well they t-threw me around a bit… but I-I'm not hurt…"
" Good…" He stuck his arms through the bars for her to hold on to. " You're shaking terribly…"
" I-I've been so frightened… I-I was b-beginning to think you w-weren't coming b-b-back…"
" Of course I did…" He put his face closer to the bars and kissed her gently, feeling her lips against his, now chilled and quivering. " now how am I going to get you out of here…?" They sat for a while thinking…
" I've g-got it… Go and get th-the wine of ages… come b-back here d-during visiting hours t-tomorrow afternoon and we'll repeat our vows… then with that one word we'll be out of here…" He smiled and kissed her again
" Such a clever thing you are… but will you be okay for another night here?"
" As long as I know y-you're coming b-b-back for me I'll be a-alright." He took off his jacket, handing it to her through the bars.
" Keep yourself warm… I know you won't catch cold…b-but in case you get chilly during the night…or if you need something to hold onto.." She took the jacket with a smile.
" Th-thank you Victor.." She said, putting her face to the bars one more time for another kiss.
" I'll come for you as soon as I can."
" I'll be w-waiting." He stood up and walked from the cell, looking back at her, still clinging to his jacket and watching him, as she got farther and farther away.
The next morning, Victor awoke in the same tree he had fallen asleep in, all too relieved that he didn't fall out during the night. He stretched, the red bottle clenched in his hands. During his stretch he suddenly slipped off the branch and fell out. He sighed and stood up, dusting himself off and making sure the bottle was undamaged.
" I go a whole night without falling...and the minute I'm conscious I come crashing to the ground…Wonderful…" He stretched again and began making his way to the jail. He jumped up into another tree, waiting until the sun was high in the sky, and then he jumped down and walked up to the guards.
" Didn't I see you 'ere last night…?"
" You did… I'm back again on time today." The guard said nothing more, only called to the gatekeeper once again. Victor ran into the jail and up to Emily's cell. He found her in the same spot he had left her in, though now she was lying on the floor asleep, wrapped up in Victor's jacket. He sat down on the floor and called her name, though when this did not wake her. He picked up a piece of the hay that was lining the floor and tickled her ear with it. This made her twitch, and as he kept it up she finally awoke.
" Stop it…" She said, swatting sleepily at whatever was tickling her.
" It's time to go home my love…" Her eyes flew open and she sat up.
" you're back." She smiled and took his hands again. But before she could finish he raised his right hand.
" With this hand, I will lift your sorrows… your cup will never empty, for I will be your wine…"
" With this hand, I will lift your sorrows… your cup will never empty, for I will be your wine." She said, unable to restrain the tears falling form her eyes. Victor uncorked the bottle…
" And may the jaws of death never part us…" He whispered as he drank from the bottle. He barely had time to cork it before all of the air was knocked form his chest. Emily held his hand tightly as the convulsions of death shook his body. He was silent for a moment or two, before sitting up again, looking down at his hands… " That wasn't half as bad as I thought it would be…" He turned back to her,
" With this candle that is presently absent, I will light your way in darkness… With this ring. I ask you, to be mine." he slipped the ring over her finger again, and she put its companion on his as joyful tears slid down her cheeks. Their lips met in another kiss, and they just barely pulled away when they both uttered "hopscotch!" They were gone in a flash, and they were soon back home in the Land of the Dead. They said their thanks to the elder and were soon off heading towards the town again. They stopped up at the spot that overlooked the town. Victor followed her as she walked over and leaned over the railing. He shyly put his arms around her waist, and she turned around and put her arms around his neck. They stayed like this for quite sometime, swaying in a subtle motion. Emily brought her one hand down to Victor's chest, admiring the wedding ring on her finger and remembering that this time it was for real…it was no mistake. Victor rested his cheek on top of her head and closed his eyes.
"I-I don't know what I was so afraid of all this time….this is nice… love isn't something to fear after all I suppose…" It was just then that he noticed something he hadn't before….and he pointed it out without really thinking. " You're warm…" He said hazily.
" So are you…" She said with a giggle. How on earth could she be so warm? And why didn't he notice it when he was alive? Victor thought about this to himself for a while, gently rocking Emily as he did so. When he came out of his trance Emily was looking up at him. He was slightly unnerved for a second, but then he gently pressed his lips against hers. As they pulled apart, she smiled. Her eyes shone with tears and happiness.
" I love you…" Victor said, somewhat shocked that it was so easy to say.
" I love you too." She said shakily. " You have no idea how happy you've made me." She took his arm and lead him away from the town.
" W-where are we going?" Victor asked.
" I don't' want to go home just yet… I like walking." Victor smiled and looped his arm around hers.
" That's fine with me." He smiled.
The two walked to a forest at the edge of town. They walked along the brook that ran into the forest. Victor stopped for a moment, and spun Emily around to face him. He took a white handkerchief out of his pocket, and bent down to wet it in the water. He wrung it out gently, and stepped up to Emily. She could only smile at him as he gently cleaned her face off. He made sure all of the dirt was off, and stopped for a moment as he saw tears running down her face,
" now now… no more tears my love." He dried them with the cool cloth. She leaned into his touch, and he noticed how heavy her eyelids were. " You look sleepy…"
" Maybe a little…" She said wearily. Victor chuckled
" It looks like our wedding night might be better off delayed for a while." Emily giggled.
" I think so… plus, I still feel like I barely know you…even though I do….and I love you dearly." Victor kissed her.
" I know the feeling love…." He picked her up and spun her around. She laughed and clung to him. " But where is Home?" She giggled.
" When I'm not sleeping out behind it on nice nights... I live in one of the apartments above the Ball and Socket."
" R-really…? There're apartments above it?"
" Of course! Silly… what did you think all of those windows were for?"
" I-I…wasn't sure."
" Come on!" She was tugging on his hand. " I'll show you." She broke into a run, and he followed along behind her. They reached the ball and socket, and as they stepped inside they were bombarded by congratulatory remarks and gestures. Victor was trying to get over how fast news traveled as a freshly uncorked bottle of champagne was sprayed at him, the bulk of it missing him by not even an inch. He coughed and sputtered a bit as it hit him, but held tightly to Emily, who was fighting through the crowd. Once they reached the stairwell, they climbed it, grateful for the silence. They walked down a dimly lit hallway to more stairs. " I live on the Top floor." She giggled.
" Why?" She shrugged as they began to climb more.
" It's a change of pace." Victor chuckled and continued to follow her, until they reached the top floor. " There're three rooms on this floor, I'm in room 1C." They walked to the appropriate door. Emily stood on the doormat and reached into her bosom. Victor gasped slightly and tried not to stare, though he couldn't tear his eyes off of her. After a moment, Emily pulled a green coin purse out of her dress. She opened the drawstring and pulled out an ornate brass key.
" W-where did that come from?" Victor asked.
" This?" she held up the key. " From the purse."
" N-no! the purse!." Emily looked at him, then down at her chest, Then back up at him.
" Must I spell it out for you love?" He shook his head, and she smiled. Turning around, she turned the key in the lock. When she opened the door, a warm light nestled in victor's eyes. The walls were a rosy pink, and there was a floral aroma in the air, and the place was quite lavishly decorated. Emily stepped inside and turned on another one of the lights, the dim glow in the room brightening a bit. Victor walked in and closed the door behind him, smiling.
" do you like it?"
" It already feels like home." She jumped into his arms.
" I'm glad… shall I show you the rest of it?"
" Please do." Victor smiled, putting her down and taking her hand.
She led him down the hallway, pointing out the pieces of artwork she had hung on the walls. Victor each of them, finding out that they had similar tastes in art.
" That was the living room you came in through… you can get to the kitchen form there too… here is the piano room." She opened the door to a light purple room. An upright piano adorned the far wall. There were two sofas in the room as well. " I find this the coziest room in the house sometimes.
" Don't you get lonely in here all by yourself?" Emily stopped, and her smile faded.
" Terribly lonely…especially when the Maggot and Black widow aren't here…that's why I play piano all the time…" She looked up at him. " But you're here now… I won't be lonely anymore.
" Never again… I promise." He smiled, fighting back a yawn. " I don't want to seem rude… but perhaps you can show me the rest tomorrow? Why don't we get some sleep." She smiled.
" My thoughts exactly. I'll show you the bedroom." She walked with him, all the way to the door at the end f the hallway. She opened it, and warm air drifted out.
" It's so warm." Victor said as he walked in. Emily closed the door behind them.
" I can open a window if you like."
" No no.. it's wonderful." he mused. He looked at the walls. Once again lavishly decorated, they were a light sea foam green. Emily had disappeared for a moment, and Victor looked a her bed. It was a large bed, and yet out of all the space, it was the small, worn teddy bear that caught his eye. He walked up to the bed and picked up the tiny creature. He cradled it gently, as if it were an actual living thing. The bear had the same sweet smell that Emily did, and Victor studied its worn features. He jumped and yelped as a weak voiced sounded form behind him. Emily stood behind him, in a white, flowing nightgown. Victor stared at her for a moment. The veil was gone from her head, and Victor also noticed that the torn rags were gone from her wrists, revealing her smooth skin and bone.
" I-I sleep with him… don't think I'm weird…" She took the bear from him and hugged it tightly.
" Not at all…I had my teddy bear until I was about thirteen… then Scraps chewed him up…"
" really?" Victor nodded. Emily smiled and looked fondly at the bear. Then, she walked over to the chair in the corner of the room, kissing her bear gently and setting him down on it. She walked back over to Victor.
" what are you going to sleep in Love? I forgot to tell you to bring nightclothes…and even so I don't think you would've had time or the thought to grab them."
" You're right." he chuckled. " well.. I can sleep in these clothes until we find something suitable." He took off his suit jacket and vest and put them neatly on the chair in the corner. He untucked his undershirt and unbuttoned it, revealing his pale chest, thin as anything, but well toned. Emily stared at him, blushing lightly as he stretched and yawned. She quickly turned away as he looked back at her
" A-admittedly I'm a bit nervous…" He said. He'd barely been In the same room as a female for long periods of time , let alone in bed with one.
" Why ever would you be? I promise I won't bite you, Love." She giggled as she pulled back the thick blankets and crawled into her bed. Victor walked up to the bed and looked at her for a minute. He noted how positively angelic she looked, and all of his hesitance fell to the floor as he crawled in beside her. The sheets were very soft and warm against his skin as he made himself comfortable. He opened his eyes again and saw Emily looking at him.
" Can I come closer?" Victor smiled and nodded. She giggled and squished herself up against him. He put his arms around her, resting his head on the pillow and moving his face closer to hers. They spent a few minutes staring at each other, learning each others faces. Emily's eyes were the first to close.
" Good night." He kissed her lips gently. She smiled and moved even closer. Victor closed his eyes. He could feel Emily's forehead pressed lightly against his. He felt her drift into sleep. Her muscles became more and more relaxed, and she became silent. He heard no breathing, only the soft murmurs she made occasionally in her sleep. He could only smile fondly at her, yet the thoughts of how fast everything had happened kept him from joining her in sleep. He buried his nose in her hair, closing his eyes and waiting for sleep to take him. He found that as he held Emily, it didn't take long.
Before Victor could give it a second thought, he opened his eyes to sunlight pressing against the drawn curtains. Emily had rolled away from him, and he was facing her, his arm draped around her waist. He heard her make more gentle noises as she began to stir. Slowly she picked her head up, and he saw her look around for a few moments. She then looked down at her bed, and he saw her tiny frame begin to shake with tiny sobs. He gasped and wrapped an arm around her.
" Emily darling…wh-why are you crying?" He asked. She jumped, a small gasp sounding form her lips as she spun around to face him. She sniffled as she looked up at him.
" Y-…you ARE still here… I thought I was dreaming…"
" of course I'm here Love… I was only right behind you." he reached up and dried the tears from her face, then he laid back down and pulled her close. " It's no dream…" He felt her tighter her arms around him, sniffling against his shoulder.
" I-I'm so happy you're h-here." She said. He leaned his head forward and kissed her nose.
" More then happy to be here with you." He saw her close her eyes again and cuddle closer to him. He smiled at her, closing his own eyes and drifting off to sleep for a bit longer.
Once they had both awakened again, Emily yawned and sat up. Victor reached out and rubbed her back gently.
" Good morning Love." he said gently, sitting up next to her.
" Shall I show you the rest of the house today?" She stood up and pulled on his hands. Victor chuckled and got out of bed. He stretched for a moment When he opened his eyes again he noticed Emily staring at him.
" What is it love?" she jumped a bit when he spoke, and turned her head a bit, blushing a bright blue.
" I'm sorry…. I didn't mean to stare… I-it's just you…with your shirt unbuttoned…You've got such a wonderful body…" She turned even brighter blue. Victor was also blushing by this time.
" Th-thank you…" he walked up to her and kissed her cheek. She smiled and stayed wrapped in his arms for a while as he cheeks cooled down.
" So…shall I show you around now?"
" Lead the way my darling." She giggled and led him around.
" This is the kitchen… I don't use it much… but I feel like I'm always cleaning it." Victor chuckled, and it really was evident that she had cleaned it, it was immaculate.
She took him into the other rooms, the living room, the sun room, and showed him where every closet and storage space was. After her tour was finished, she led him into the living room, sitting down on one of the couches. He sat down next to her, very shyly at first, but then she sat on his lap. He put his arms around her and brought his legs up to lie down on the couch. He began rubbing her back, having no thoughts about what else to do, but he judged by the soft noise she made that he was doing something right.
" That feels good…" She muttered. He smiled and continued it. As he continued, he began adding a bit more pressure, using more of the tips of his fingers..
" Your back is horribly tight my love…"
" Is it?…. I never noticed." Before she could give it another thought, he was squeezing her shoulders. All of the words that were about to escape from her mouth now were reduced to a stunned groan. She turned to mush in his hands, and he felt her melting as he continued.
" Darling, You're falling backwards…" He said as he felt her melting against him. Another groan was his reply. He gently laid her down and continued to massage her. After a while, he had stopped squeezing her. She laid motionless on the couch. "Are you okay?" he asked.
" mmhmm…" She nodded. " You've got magic hands." Victor turned a brighter blue.
"Th-thank you?" He replied. She chuckled and sat up. She sat on his lap, and he put his arms around her, but the way he did so, he accidentally cupped her breasts in his hands. Emily gave a shocked gasp as she uttered a small noise.
" Victor.." She giggled. Victor had no idea what he was doing.
" Yes love?" He turned his head around, and yelped. " O-oh my! I-I'm sorry… I didn't mean it I-I didn't know…."
" Shhh… it's okay.." She giggled. " it felt rather nice….at least you have warm hands." Victor blushed brighter…he'd never touched a woman in such an inappropriate area before. Yet Victor couldn't help but think about it. She hadn't yelled at him, or hit him, or called him a pig. Victor's nagging curiosity overcame him, as he gently returned his hands to her chest. He heard her giggle, but could not ignore her gasp as he began to unbutton her nightgown. He began kissing her neck as he put his hands on her now bare chest. Victor's mind began buzzing, it was yelling at him, telling him to stop… but he could not control himself. His hands began a gentle massaging motion, and Emily let out a strange noise. Victor had never heard such a noise before, but it sounded like a good thing, so he didn't stop. When she finally got her mind back in working order, she spoke.
" wh-whaaat are you….doing?" Victor froze, and it felt as if a wave of ice cold water had crashed over him, and then a wave of hot water. His hands flew away from her chest, and he couldn't find the words to say. He flew away from her, cowering on the other side of the couch. Emily had a shocked look on her face.
" What was that for?" She asked, fixing her nightgown, but not buttoning it, rather holding it over her exposed chest.
" I-I-I'm s-sorry…. I-I don't know what came over me…." Victor began shaking, and tears came to his eyes. " I-I'm horrible… I-I should never ha-…I-I don't…" Emily crawled over to him, and crawled into his lap, putting her arms around him.
" Victor darling.. Victor… ti's okay…"
" N-no it's not… it's not alright…"
" Yes it is…" She picked his chin up, drying the tears that had just barely fallen. " Whatever you were doing felt wonderful…I only asked because it seemed a bit….unlike you…" Emily had turned a light shade of blue as well at that statement. Victor fell speechless, and Emily used this time to press her lips against his. He deepened the kiss, becoming mesmerized by her, as he had found was frighteningly easy. She let her nightgown fall again, and pulled away when she felt Victor hesitate.
" Darling it's okay…"
" b-but it's so…inappropriate."
" No it's not…we're all alone…"
" yes…. We are…but what does that have to do with the fact that I'm violating you?"
" No one is watching…and You're not "violating" me at all…do you have a desire to touch me like that?"
" obviously…" he said as a blush crept onto his cheeks.
" would you want it to harm me? Ever?"
" No! of course not!!"
" Do you love me?"
" More then you can imagine…" She crawled on top of him again.
" You just solved your own problem, love." She giggled and kissed him again. It took Victor a few moments to let that all sink in, but when it did, he returned Emily's kiss with more passion then he ever thought possible for himself. Emily gasped with delight as he did so, and could not restrain a soft groan
As his hand gently slid up to her chest again. There had never been a time in her afterlife, and he so wrongfully ended life, that she felt safer and happier than in Victor's arms. A sudden boldness rushed over her, and she pulled away from him. He looked at her quizzically, but soon matched her small smile.
" Perhaps we should resume our wedding night?" She asked shyly. Victor smiled and kissed her again, casting his eyes over her shoulder for a moment, and letting his grin widen.
" I don't know Love… why don't we save it for a rainy day?" He chuckled and stared deeply into her seemingly bottomless eyes as she searched for an answer, or an explanation…finally finding just the one she was looking for as a loud thunderclap pierced the silence…