A/N: Well, I'm back with the very last update to this story ever—
Erik: *sitting in the background at the organ* Hopefully.
Kates: *shoots him the look* Don't make me get out the sparkle paint again – I swear on everything that is holy, I will leave each one of your masks with flowers all over them again if I get one more comment from you, monsieur.
Erik: You wouldn't dare.
Kates: If all of your Punjab lassoes happened to have been conveniently misplaced, yes I would…
Erik: *growls*
Anyways, aside from that. Thanks to all of you who have reviewed so nicely for me – you are truly wonderful, and I am glad that you've been able to both tolerate and enjoy my warped-rendition of Phantom.
Disclaimer: I don't own Phantom. *grins mischievously* I do, however, own the idea for the end of this…
– Epilogue –
We left the lair and the Paris opera house forever that night, pausing only to close the doors that led from the organ room into the lair itself, so that the rooms that had become a home, for so short a time, to both Christine and me, would remain untouched. Then we traveled through the underground passageways, coming out of them and the darkness at the Rue Scribe. Christine took us back to her flat and we spent the night there – I slept on the floor, and her landlady did not take notice of our arrival, fortunately.
The next night, as soon as the sun had set, we made our way to the flat that Mme. Giry shared with her young daughter and surprised them at dinner. Meg, needless to say, was in great shock at seeing the legendary Phantom of the Opera, of whom she had told so many stories over the years, in her home, and even more surprised to see her best friend with him.
All right, perhaps saying that she was merely shocked by this isn't quite the full truth – she quite promptly fainted, and after an interim in events of about fifteen minutes, which we spent attempting to revive her, she seemed much more disposed to hearing the story. It was a large surprise, it must be understood, but she eventually bore it very well.
My reason in going with Christine to Mme. Giry was to inform her, firstly, that I was alive, as was Christine, and secondly – and more importantly – that we two needed the ballet mistress and her daughter to help us organize our wedding. It was possible for us to be married at only a moment's notice, but I would have nothing but the finest of marriage ceremonies for my bride, even if it were to be rather small.
This, I must say, worked out beautifully.
Mme. Giry and Meg moved Christine's most cherished possessions out of her flat two days after the whole affair at the opera house, all of us taking much care to avoid having their actions being marked by anyone who knew of the episode and our involvement with it. I, meanwhile, found an ad in one of the many Parisian newspapers that stated a need for a buyer of a rather ancient but very picturesque and romantic castle out in the countryside of France.
While Christine, Mme. Giry, and Meg prepared for the wedding, I made the purchase of this place and set about making it into a proper home. Then, one afternoon, before even a week had gone by, we all went out to a charming little church that was nearby our new home-to-be.
And there, Christine and I were married.
Surrounded by our small circle of true friends – Mme. Giry, Meg, and Nadir, whom I had made amends with – we took our vows and were proclaimed husband and wife. Then, we made our way out of that church and into the glorious sunlight beyond, laughing and talking as if nothing had ever been wrong in our lives before. I gazed at Christine with utter, blissful happiness in my eyes, reflected on my face in my smile, as she proudly displayed the engagement and wedding rings that I had given her to Mme. Giry and Meg, her respective maids-of-honour. Nadir came to stand by my side, watching them as well, and then he turned to me.
"Look at her, Nadir." I said, unable to take my eyes off of my bride. "Isn't she beautiful?"
He smiled in his grand, stately way, and replied, "Yes, she is beautiful – you both are beautiful. Your love is beautiful." We paused for a moment, and then he said, with happy, content finality in his tone, "You seem to have found your happy ending, my friend."
I shook my head, finally turning to him as I grinned uncontrollably.
"No," I told him, "No, Nadir – there are no happy endings."
I stepped away and took Christine in my arms, drawing her away from the others with me, and said, "There are only happy beginnings."
Then I gathered both of her hands in mine and stood back, gazing into her lovely face – into her eyes, into the gaze that had seen me as beautiful, as something worthy, something to be loved, into the face of the person who had changed my life.
"Christine, I love you." I whispered.
She smiled at me, her fingers caressing mine lovingly.
"I love you, Erik."
Then I stood away and whirled her around in circles, as our friends – who were more to the both of us than any family – looked on and the sun shone down on us, and time stood still for this one, perfect moment.
And that moment never ended…
* * * * * *
– Finis –
And now, just for phun – how about a cast list? (The actors, actresses, and just general people chosen as Kates imagines them…so don't Punjab me if you don't agree…)
Erik Dessler, the Phantom of the Opera – Ewan McGregor
Christine Daae – Jennifer Connolly
Raoul, the Vicomte de Chagny – need help…
Mme. Antoinette Giry – Angelica Huston
Meg Giry – really not sure…
Richard Firmin – Kelsey Grammar
Gilles André – really need help…
Carlotta Guidicelli – Bette Midler
Ubaldo Piangi – need help again…
Joseph Buquet – same here…
Nadir Khan – and here.
So, have you any suggestions? Please tell me! Oh, and twenty long-stem red roses for everyone who has reviewed! @{------
PS To Shelli: YES! I was hoping somebody would think that idea was a good one. Well, thank you for mentioning it…and I think we all need some "chocolate" at the end of Phantom, especially if we've only seen it once. ^_* I know what you mean there…