CHAPTER 28

The light of the moon was like a spotlight on the two lovers in the tower. Erik had sung his last note and Christine was incredibly caught up in the moment and couldn't speak a word. They were kneeling before each other, both in complete adoration. Erik held her face in his hands, searching for a sign. All he could make out was Christine's tears that came tumbling down her face as she tried to speak, but nothing came out. Feeling he would collapse at any moment, Erik took in a breath and gathered every bit of strength he had and spoke.

"Christine, listen to me now, mon amour. The day you came to the opera house was the day my life began. It was through you that I felt whole. In loving you, I felt I could truly live like any other person." Erik stood, bringing Christine up with him.

Looking deeply into her eyes, he continued, "You have been the light in my never-ending world of darkness. You have come to me from the heavens above to be my salvation and I am so unworthy of you," his voice broke with emotion as he fell to his knees once more, holding her hands within his and looking up at her with pleading eyes, "yet I will not be able to survive without you." He kissed the inside of her palms, cherishing them. "You have given this broken man a chance to live and I wish to live this life with you forever, if you will have me, mon ange."

Erik slowly brought himself up to stand before her and gazed intently into her brown eyes desperately. "To simply say I love you will never be enough to express just how much you mean to me. All I have to offer you is myself." Erik brought his right hand up and slowly removed the mask upon his face. "I am Erik and everything I am is yours." He drew in a shuddering breath, as he could no longer hold back his tears. His soul now lay bare before her, his voice belying the trembling terror within his heart, "Marry me, Christine Daae and I promise to spend the rest of my days protecting you, honoring you, and loving you with everything in me." Erik closed his eyes trying to calm his anxiety.

Christine touched the right side of her Angel's face with so much love and compassion. With that one caress of his unseen beauty, she found the strength within to answer him in the only way she could.

"Father once spoke of an angel . . . Now that you're here from above . . . Here as I sing, I shall answer . . .Yes, I will, my love . . ." On her last note, she smiled then said in a solemn whisper, "Erik, my Angel of Music, I would love nothing more than to be your wife, now and into eternity."

Disbelief gave way to an overwhelming euphoria as Erik lifted her off her feet and spun her around. "I will not disappoint you, my bride!"

Their lips met and they kissed each other with blissful passion.

Taking a moment to catch her breath, Christine proceeded to place tiny kisses all over Erik's face, paying more attention to his right side. His marred side always held more sensitivity than any other part of his body and he wasn't used to this much contact, but she was being gentle with her feather light kisses. Erik found it soothing to his skin.

"Come, Christine. The night is still ours." Erik smiled.

He held onto her hand as they descended the spiral staircase of the tower. Reaching the bottom, Erik pushed a small stone block that opened the doorway leading into the rose garden.

As they stepped out into the garden, a faint sound could be heard, rising with the sweet scent of the blossoms.

"Erik, I hear music. Am I imagining this?" Christine questioned.

Erik led her among the sea of roses as the music grew with every step they took. "You are perfectly sane, my bride. What you hear are harps, for you are my angel as I am yours. They play for us tonight. It is Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring." All my life I had dared to dream of something I thought would never come true, but it has, mon ange, for you have given yourself freely to this man's desiring and now this gift I give to you."

Making their way to a small path she could see flickering lights near the river. As they got closer, Christine drew in a surprised breath at the sight before her. Several candelabras partially encompassing a wooden gazebo, which had carvings of cherubs painted in gold. Madame Giry stood inside with Meg as well as Nadir. There were four musicians playing across from them and in the middle of it all was a priest. Completely overwhelmed by everything that had come to pass that evening, Christine began to cry again.

Meg ran up to Christine and hugged her. "Oh, Christine, I am so happy for you! This place, this whole affair is so much like the fairytales we used to tell each other at the opera house. I cannot believe you are getting married. It is like a beautiful dream!"

Meg began to cry with Christine as Madame Giry walked up to them and placed her arms around both girls. "Shhhh… It is alright to cry such tears of joy, but we must not spend all night doing so." As she tried to comfort them, Madame Giry found herself crying too.

As the women lost themselves in their tears, Erik walked over to Nadir and extended his hand. "I am amazed you were able to pull it all off exactly as I requested, Nadir. Your talents, although questionable at times, really do serve you well."

Nadir patted Erik on the back and replied, "Well, I have to say I am impressed, old boy. You surely know how to make women cry."

They looked over at the women and then to each other and had a boisterous laugh.

Coughing to get everyone's attention, Father Rémy addressed, "I beg your pardon, but there is to be a wedding, no?" The old man smiled.

Madame Giry wiped at her tears with her handkerchief as Erik and Nadir offered theirs to the girls.

"I need a moment with my fiancé, Father, and then we can begin." Erik said as he took Christine aside.

"Whenever you are ready, my son," answered the priest.

Kissing Christine on her forehead, Erik began, "Mon ange, I cannot give you a traditional wedding, since I have never had much of a religious upbringing. This man here is a Catholic priest and it is the best I can offer you, Christine, on behalf of your faith. Father Rémy will allow me to say my own vows and will marry us even though the circumstances do not meet the proper guidelines of the Catholic Church. I have given him a favorable Church donation and he assures me everything will be binding in the eyes of God." He brushed a tear from the corner of Christine's right eye, saying, "Do you still wish to marry me, bel ange?"

Christine looked into Erik's eyes and smiled. "I don't think I can wait any longer, Erik. Please make me your wife."

Erik's heart soared as he smiled back at her and took her by the hand. "Let us be wed then!" He turned to the priest and said, "We are ready now, Father."

Father Rémy asked everyone to take their places. As the priest asked who would be giving Christine's hand away, Madame Giry spoke up and he nodded to her. He said a few prayers in Latin as Christine followed, quietly mimicking the words, and then he blessed the couple with holy water.

"Erik, you may say your vows now," Father Rémy said.

Nodding to the priest, Erik turned to face Christine and held her hands within his. "From this day to the next until my last dying breath, I will honor and cherish you, no matter what life may bring us. I have found heaven on earth with you and I will love you beyond God's eternity when he chooses to take me from this world. My love for you is everlasting and I wish to share it with you for the rest of our lives. Christine Elisabet Daae, I ask with utmost devotion, will you be mine?"

Christine kissed his hands and answered, "I will."

Father Rémy looked to Christine and asked if she would be giving the traditional wedding vows to Erik. She asked if she could say her own vows as well. The priest nodded and told her to proceed as she wished.

Looking into Erik's sea-green eyes Christine began, "You gave me wings so I could fly; musical wings to make my voice reach heaven above. With your music you gave me love and it has filled me with such peace and happiness. My father promised me the Angel of Music and here you stand before me. You say I am your savior, but truly you are mine, for all I ever prayed for was you and now you are here with me, offering your love and I accept it whole-heartedly. Erik Delacroix, my Angel of Music, give me your hand in marriage and I shall spend the rest of my life loving you as much as you love me. Will you have me?

Erik traced her face with both his hands and answered, "I cease to exist without you, mon ange. I am humbly yours always. I will."

Madame Giry and Meg wept silently in the corner as Christine and Erik exchanged their vows of love.

Nadir stood tall. He was proud to be a part of his old friend's happiness. A few tears escaped the Persian as he quickly brushed them aside, hoping no one saw him.

Father Rémy said another prayer in Latin before motioning the couple with the sign of the cross. "I now pronounce you both, under the eyes of God, husband and wife. You may kiss your bride," the priest smiled.

Erik and Christine looked at each other with renewed hope. They had a future to look to now, together. Their lips met and they kissed with such raw emotion, their tears mingling upon each other's face. They were truly soul mates and now they were bound together for eternity.

Father Rémy motioned to the harpists as he said officially, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Monsieur and Madame Delacroix!"

The harps began to play Telemann's "Viola Concerto in G," as everyone began to clap and gather around the newlyweds.

Author's Note
Ok, I'm a Catholic, though not avid. Nevertheless, I think it went alright, given the timeframe of those days and the obscene donation Erik probably donated. -giggles- Besides, traditional weddings can be super long, and well, we all know Erik doesn't have that kind of patience. -wink- I gave Christine a middle name. "Elisabet" is Swedish for Elizabeth, meaning "Devoted to God." Very appropriate, no? -smiles- It may or may not have been used before in other author fan fics, but just letting my readers know I use it for my own personal liking of the name. Thanks for all the lovely reviews for my rendition of the great Charles Hart's "Music of the Night." I am truly overjoyed by everyone's responses. -bows- To those that cried during Erik's proposal, he sends you all "swirling cape intimate hugs." -swoons-

Disclaimer
I do not own any rights to Telemann or his composition of "Viola Concerto in G." The same disclaimer applies to Bach and his composition of "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring." Both of these classical artists will forever be immortalized in their music.