Dear Reader,

Perhaps I am prolonging this story because I love these characters and I want to give them those moments of happiness after being parted for so long.

Ritzybeth, this chapter was written with you in mind. It did not exist as it does now until a few weeks ago. You inspired a rewrite. Please leave a review, like, and or follow this story if you have been reading it and would like to receive alerts when the next chapters are released. Happy reading.

Chapter 36: All I Ask of You

Basking in the warmth of the bath, I cleaned off the remains of my perilous lake adventure. The lavender oils were relaxing and I reflected on Erik's account of Carolotta. His words and actions had done much to reassure me that he had changed. I rinsed off, wringing my hair, watching the water spiral its way down the drain. Then I wrapped a towel around my hair and another about my body while I wandered to the wardrobe. I pulled a rich blue dress with white lace and embroidery about the collar. I fit the corset around myself, lacing it up the front. Then I slipped the dress on, fastening it. I removed the towel from my hair, eager to start the rest of the day afresh and with Erik.

Sounds of his singing and movement traveled from the kitchen, where I tracked him. He had changed his attire and bath I presumed because his wispy hair held traces of water droplets. I was dismayed to see his mask on, wanting him to have a greater level of comfort with me. I boldly walked up to him and removed it as he was turning to settle the sugar pot on the tea tray. I pulled his face down to my level and kissed him. "I like you best this way. You cannot hide your thoughts."

He looked at me and laughed. Then he picked me up and swung me about the small space, holding me in a tight embrace. "You are too perfect and this dream will end."

My toes, then feet found the ground. "I am not perfect. Do not put me on so high a pedestal because I will fail you and you will become disillusioned."

"You are perfect for me. I cannot believe you love me, that you want to be here," he said hugging me too him.

"I too feel as if I am in a dream world and you will cease to exist, that I made you up because I wanted you so much," I replied leaning my head against his chest.

"I am too flawed to not be real," he countered as he brought his right hand up to stroke my hair.

We spent the day, filled with bliss that comes from reaffirming our love tempered with the familiarity from having cohabited. We had frequent intentional and accidental glancing touches with our hands. We played games, caring not if we choose to not finish the game in favor of a kiss or embrace. At present, I was cuddled to his side, leaning against him as his fingers played with my hair. "My Angel, would you sing with me?"

"Of course, my dear, I would love to," I said while standing up and reaching my hand to his and pulling him to stand. We walked with our fingers clasped as we made our way to the music room. He took his seat at the piano and I was forced to relinquish my hold while he began to play our warm up exercise, our voices hummed in tandem.

Once upon another time I had never known this man nor how to sing. I smiled as we continued to warm up for the next 45 minutes. Then Erik stood up and crossed to his music library of scores and he began to rifle through his music files, "I would like to sing this piece with you,Tornami a dir che m'ami. It is from Don Pasquale.

I smiled, the memory of his Christmas gift to me, the first Opera we had watched together. I knew why he had chosen it, the title translated to "Tell me once more that you love me". The song was lyrical and poignant, speaking to the feelings I had for Erik. The melody was gentle, allowing our voices to flow like water in stream together, then diverging like water around rocks, to return to each other as we shared the verse.

Tell me again that you love me,

tell me that mine you are;

when you call me

my life, you are mighty in me.

Your voice is so dear to you

reigns the oppressed heart;

secure to you near, I

tremble away from you.

Tornami a dir che m'ami,

dimmi che miamio tu sei;

quando tuo ben mi chiami

la vita addoppi in me.

La voce tua sì cara

rinfranca il core oppresso

sicurosicura a te dappresso,

tremo lontan da te.

Our notes whispered into the ether. His eyes were glistening and a few tears tracked down his face. His fingers reached out to my face and brushed my tears away. Then he took my hands in his and he looked down at me. "It seems music is deep within our souls, twining us together, you and I. Marry me, my Angel."

"Yes, I love you, yes," I spoke with certainty.

With reverence he removed his ring from my right hand. "With this ring I promise to be by your side and to love you. I will endeavor to be the man you deserve my Angel." He slid his ring on my left hand and then brought my hand to his lips.

I stared up into the amber eyes I held dear. "I promise to be your living wife, to be with you always. I will love you as long as I live."

He bent his head down and kissed his bride. His lips were so soft and gentle as they brushed mine. "Come my Angel. We must go."

Why was Erik breaking the beautiful moment? "Why must we go now Erik?" I asked, curious.

"Because I must marry my bride tonight. I shall grab the paperwork. How long will it take you to freshen up? Though you look lovely as is my Angel."

"Really Erik, we can marry tonight?" I asked with glee jumping up and down and I threw my arms around his neck.

"I am glad of your enthusiasm my dear, but I need to fix my appearance. I am afraid those we encounter tonight will not see past my face as you have my dear. You shall have to let me go. Quick, make haste my Angel."

I released him and scurried to my room. I had buried my wedding gown at the back of my wardrobe, where it could not mock me, when I was so angry and frustrated with him. Now I dived through the skirts until I found it balled up. I gathered the yards of fabric and dumped it on my bed. Unfurling it, I began spreading out the fabric and pressing the satin and lace ruffles down.

The memory came rushing back. "What do you think, my Angel?" he had asked, his long arms easily extending his sketch pad out to me. I placed a bookmark in Jane Eyre, setting the book aside to take his offering. He had drawn me in a beautiful Victorian wedding gown. It was surreal to see myself in a gown that really did resemble Christine's dress in the musical.

"It is beautiful Erik. I can almost feel the satin and lace because of all the details you have drawn."

"I want something worthy of my Angel. Be honest with me. I shall design another if you are not in love with this one. I want my bride, my love to be happy."

Rising up I made my way around the table, over to him and kissed his unmasked lips. "Oh Erik, it is wonderful, will I really get to wear this creation?"

"I shall have it made for you my dear."

Erik had paid her well I am sure. Made to my measurements by Mademoiselle Bisset, a resident seamstress of the opera house, it was beautiful dress. It had come and I had hung it over my wardrobe, eager for Erik to sort out the paperwork so we might be married soon. Then things had changed. I was drawn back into the present. But now they have changed for the better and I was never more certain I wanted to marry him. Erik was a bit particular about appearance but I hoped that he would not mind the dresses wrinkled state. I cared not for wrinkles when I would marry Erik. He would never leave me nor I him. I removed my blue gown and pulled the white satin ruffled and laced creation over my head.

I needed Erik to hook the dress closed. Unlike other girls of the period I did not have someone helping me. Oh Meg. Suddenly I wanted Meg and Madame Giry at our wedding. But do you want to be called Christine? No, I wanted to marry Erik as myself.

Would he mind seeing me before? Was he superstitious? He had designed the dress so did it really matter. I didn't care if he saw me in the dress. I didn't think anything could destroy our happiness. I would fix my hair and then ask him to hook the back up.

Holding up yards of fabric, I made my way to my mirror. The radiance I felt was reflected back with my smiling face, full of glee and happiness. I pinned up my hair but it felt wrong somehow. I had to pin my hair up so often to conform to society. This was my wedding and I had dreamed of my long hair down with my veil trailing over it. I twisted and pinned only the top part a bit back so that I might have something to nestle the veil into. I pulled the lid back, grateful my veil had been boxed so I had not harmed it when I shoved the box from view. I folded the tissue back. The lace was soft under my finger tips. He had designed the veil to reflect our love. Roses representing happiness and love were woven with ivy speaking of our fidelity, friendship, and affection. It was yards of lace that must have cost a fortune given it was all hand made. I tried on the veil, the translucent fabric was beautiful trailing down my back, over the bustle and brushing past the hem of my short train. He and I were really doing this. I removed my veil, replacing it gently into the box, so Erik could hook up my dress.

I gathered my skirts again and cracked the door open. "Erik," I called. He strode down the hall humming, adjusting his right cufflink. His tux was pressed and tailored to his lean frame. He wore his white half mask and his dark wig was in place. I swelled with pride. He was mine to love.

"Yes, my Angel?" he asked.

"Do you mind seeing me in my dress? I need your help to hook the gown closed."

He tilted his head and looked perplexed.

"It's considered bad luck to see the bride before," I explained.

"We have been a bit unorthodox out of necessity. I have seen the dress and you. I do not mind my Angel, do you?"

"Oh no, come in then," and I opened the door wide open and then clutched my hands to my dress to keep it up.

He took in the picture I must have made in the dress.

"You are so lovely. Thank you for marrying me," he said.

I blushed. "Oh Erik, I am happy you asked me again. Let us agree we are both fortunate."

"Yes my dear we are indeed."

I turned my back to him. I felt his fingertips brush my hair aside, then his fingers returned to my back as he hooked up the dress. His fingers lingered on my upper back and then his lips kissed my neck and I sighed. Then my eyes followed him as he opened my wardrobe and extracted my dark blue cloak. He swirled it around me and closed the clasp. "My veil," I said reaching to the box on the bed.

He easily picked up my veil box and turned to me offering his arm.

We made our way down the hall and to the door. I turned to take one last look at our house on the lake. His tall chair by the fireplace. The throw Erik had bought to keep me warm, lay folded neatly and draped over the back of the settee I had come to call my own. The current books we were reading lay piled on the table next to our tea cups we had neglected to finish in favor of singing. I would have Erik and music for the rest of my life.

"What is it my Angel?" he asked with concern, upon noticing my pause, as if afraid I had changed my mind.

I turned to him, willing myself not to cry for my eyes were moist. "Oh Erik, I have dreamed of you. You are not the angel of music, a phantom, nor a figment of my imagination but a man that I can love. Today I wed my best friend." I smiled up at him. "You have made me that happiest of women. I truly love you. We shall be husband and wife when we return to our house on the lake."

His eyes too had teared up. He reached his hand out and I felt his fingertips brush my hair behind my ear. "Yes we shall my dear and you have made me the happiest of men. I love you my Angel." and he bent his head down to kiss his bride.

It is over now the Music of the Night or is it? When I outlined this story it did not seem like it would be this long. It then took on a life of its own as the characters became more flushed out and asked for more time to grow as I wanted them to feel real. I feel that this part of their story is complete. The second part of my outline will be a sequel now. If you are content with this happy ending do not read the next chapter. If you are curious about what adventures they will go on then by all means join me next week for the next installment. There will still be a happy ending in the sequel. There were so many more things I wanted to explore that the characters did not get to while they were falling in love. Thank you for reading this story.

Please leave a review, like, and or follow this story if you have been reading it and would like to receive alerts when the next chapters are released. Wishing you all the best fellow Phantom fans.