A/N: I am so sorry for the delay! School's been crazy. I re-wrote this chapter 5 times so I hope you enjoy it!
An organ started playing and the choir's voices rang out like church bells. Raoul stood on the alter, waiting for the large double doors to open. The heads of the guests turned as well. Raoul's heart was in his chest. It was only a matter of minutes before him and Christine would be married.
The oak doors swung open and the form of Christine came into view. She looked like an angel as she walked down the aisle. Raoul's breath caught in his throat and he couldn't take her eyes off the lovely brunette walking towards him.
Raoul was all Christine seemed to be able to look at as well. The handsome man seemed to be the only one who existed. No one else seemed to matter. Christine couldn't remember a time when she had been so happy. She was finally marrying the man she had been in love with for so long.
After what seemed like hours to the couple, Christine finally reached the alter. She took Raoul's arm and they walked to the priest standing before them. As the priest read the vows, Christine and Raoul stared lovingly into each others eyes. Raoul noticed Christine's brown ones seemed to have a sparkle in them that hadn't been there before.
Before they knew it, the "I do's" were said and the organ began playing again.
"Madame de Changey," Raoul said as he held out his arm for his new wife. A broad smile overtook Christine's face as she accepted his arm. The name sounded so wonderful to her ears that she could hardly contain herself. As they walked down the aisle, Christine noticed the guests for the first time.
Madame Giry, Messieurs Andre and Firmin were sitting in the front row along with all of Christine's friends from the Opera Populaire. She also spotted Raoul's parents.Elizabeth was smiling but Armand had a glower on his face that made Christine cringe. Then, someone else caught Christine's eye.
A man dressed in all black occupied a dark corner of the church. Christine knew at an instant who it was and stepped slightly closer to her husband but keeping a smile on her face. There was no way she was going to worry Raoul.
The mysterious man stared right back at Christine with a grimace on his face. A shiver went up her spine and she had to turn her eyes away. The glaring, yellow, eyes that bored into her were still visible in her mind. Fortunately, the vision didn't last long. The doors opened and a white carriage that would take them to the opera house came into view. Raoul ran ahead of Christine and gave her a boyish grin as he opened the door for her.
"After you Madame," Raoul chuckled. He took Christine's small hand in his and helped her into the carriage.
The couple turned and waved to everyone they would see in a matter of minutes as they drove off. This time, it was Raoul who spotted the masked man. He's never going to leave us alone; he thought and looked at Christine to see if she had also noticed. She was seated with a smile on her face and hadn't seemed to have noticed anything.
"That was wonderfully perfect," Christine sighed. She had forgotten all about the rose and the masked man sitting in the corner. "We're finally married," she exclaimed and looked up at her husband.
Raoul didn't say anything but smiled and pulled her close. Nothing was said the rest of the way to the opera house. The couple had each other and that seemed to be enough.
The tall, grand theater rose up before them. It had been redone and looked even grander than before. The night ahead of them would be filled with excitement and unknown terror.