~ 1 month later ~
The jade cloak whispered along the grass as Celeste walked through the iron gates of the graveyard, Erik's footsteps all but silent beside her and his hand a reassurance in hers.
They halted when they came to her parents' grave, and she stooped to carefully lay the rose in her hand beside the gravestone. When she stood again, his arm slid comfortingly around her shoulders. A single burning tear spilled from her eye but froze against her cheek in the chill evening air.
Erik reached out a gloved hand and gently brushed the tear away, then pressed a soft kiss to the spot. She stared forwards for a few more moments before turning her head to him and nodding.
"Okay," she said, a soft smile touching her lips. "I'm ready to go."
He held her gaze, his forehead creased with concern. "You're sure this is what you want?"
Celeste gave a half-laugh. "I can hardly change my mind now, even if I wanted to."
Erik still hesitated, and she sighed and stepped out of his hold so that she could face him
"What?" she asked, an eyebrow raised but her tone still gentle.
His gaze dropped away from her and his shoulders hunched a little. "You're sacrificing a lot if you give your life to me."
"I'm not sacrificing anything," Celeste said with a sigh, suppressing the flicker of irritation at repeating the conversation. "You're giving me happiness." She took his hands, making him look up. "I've vowed to love you until my dying day, and I stand by that."
He gave her a sheepish smile. "You still deserve more than I can ever give you. I haven't been a person worthy of loving, and I am hardly a thing of beauty."
"You've been a good man in the time I've known you, and I believe you will continue to act as such," she replied with a shrug. "And as for beauty, that fades anyway."
The tension that had crept into Erik's posture visibly dissipated, and his troubled expression relaxed into a playful smile. "You'll always be beautiful."
Celeste smiled too and shook her head at his flirtation. "Most people would hardly say I'm beautiful now."
"You're beautiful to me."
"And that's all that matters." Her smile widened fondly and she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him.
When Erik finally pulled back, he held out his arm to her. "Shall we, Madame?" he offered, cocking his head.
She smiled again to herself, sliding her arm through his. "Madame. I don't think I'm quite used to that yet."
"Shall I help? Madame, Madame, Madame, Madame, Madame -"
"Okay!" she interrupted, laughing. "Okay, that's enough. My God, you're a nuisance."
He grinned happily at her. "I'm your nuisance. And you promised to put up with me for the rest of your life."
She sighed, looking up at him. "I did, didn't I?"
They stopped as they reached the gates, Celeste glancing back over her shoulder, sadness touching her expression.
Erik squeezed her arm comfortingly. "You're not leaving them forever."
"I know," she said quietly, and gave a small smile. "Besides, I've got you now."
"Until my dying day," he affirmed, returning the smile as he repeated her earlier words.
They turned together and, still arm-in-arm, passed out through the cemetery gates. Ruby fingers of sunlight reaching from the distance brushed against their backs as they stepped into curling shadows.
The evening was quiet, a light breeze blowing through the Paris streets as the pair faded to silhouettes, the ghost and the angel still holding tightly to one another.