A/N: Wow...last chapter! cry (Erik: there there dear... me: sniffle, hug him) All right, I'm fine. THANK YOU for those of you that hopped on board at the last minute and reviewed your lives away! Hooray! So...here's the last bit...for now, anyway...

Chapter 18—Anywhere You Go

"Never dreamed out in the wild, there are arms to hold you!

You've always known your heart was on its own!"

"Stop," said Christine, standing. "You're not hitting the high notes."

"I'm trying, Christine!" Erik whined. She went to him.

"Stand up straight." He obeyed. She placed a hand on his abdomen. "You must pretend that there is a fire here, and the fire creates your voice, like smoke. The smoke must travel from here—" she moved her hand up his torso and face in a straight line until it reached the top of his head, "—to here. And it must come off the top and billow away. Think of yourself as a chimney. Try again."

He repeated the line to her satisfaction. When he finished the song, he smiled at her. "You are a visual teacher."

"Only the best, darling," she replied, grinning back.

He cocked his head at her. "May I kiss you?"

"Since when must you ask?" she laughed. He swept her into his arms and smothered her with his lips, lightly but burning with pleasure all the same. He had a plan, and he hoped that it would work smoothly. When he pulled away, she touched his face, asking for more, but he shook his head. She looked at him, wondering, and he took her hands.

"You must face your fate, Christine," he said.

"What do you mean?"

He knelt before her and brought a gold ring from his pocket. "An eternity of this before your eyes!"

A look of absolute ecstasy spread over her face. She sank down to his level and pulled him to her, kissing him over and over. In the midst of it, she breathed, "You know I will!" He pulled away long enough to slip the ring onto her fourth finger, then surrendered to her with his entire body and mind.

k

The wedding was small. Madame Giry attended, as did her son, Raoul, who had been Erik's friend from the Opera's chorus. Christine had met the young man, but never for long. She worried slightly because he had never seen her unmasked, but Mame Giry, who was helping her get ready, reassured her. She would not be wearing the mask—she almost never wore it in her home nowadays—but would instead wear the traditional white veil, which Erik would lift when they sealed their promise. They had each written their own vows, and Christine had gone through many revisions to get exactly what she wanted to say.

She was dressed in a stunning gown, which was not white but deep red, and cut to exactly fit her frame. There were roses in her hair, the same color as her dress, and she held a similar one in her hand. It was tied with her signature black ribbon.

"Do not worry, dear," said Madame Giry soothingly. "All will be well."

Christine could not help but agree. With a deep breath, she drew the veil over her face and exited the room gracefully.

She could see Erik, waiting for her in front of the organ. He looked dashingly handsome in his black suit, and he bowed smoothly as she reached him. She took his hand, and began to recite her written vow.

"My beloved Erik, from the moment I saw you, heard your voice, I knew I loved you. I saw the pain you had endured at such a young age, and heard you cry out for the Angel of Music to save you. I called myself an Angel for you, and only you. It was you who brought light into my world of darkness. You are my love and my Angel of Music, and no one else can help me make the Music of the Night. I love you."

He smiled and began his pledge.

"Christine, my darling, I hardly can say I have any of the eloquence that you possess, but I must say this—when I first heard you call to me in my sleep, I believed with all my heart that you were the Angel I had dreamed of all my life. When I had your lessons, I became greater than I ever could have imagined. The night you brought me down to your home, I touched you and knew that I could never feel the same again. So, to others, you may be the Phantom of the Opera, but to me, you will always be the Angel of Music, and nothing makes me prouder than to give myself to you. I love you."

He reached up and pulled her veil back from her face as their voices became one.

"Anywhere you go, let me go too!

Love me, that's all I ask of you!"

And as they kissed, all the pains of their pasts melted away. They knew there was a future, and they faced it dead on.

The End?

—O. G.

A/N: YAAAY! They're happy! NOTICE the question mark after "the end"! THAT MEANS MORE! (Erik: calm down!) okay. THANK YOU ALL!

Now, to turn off the caps lock!

Be on the lookout for the PREQUAL! "The True Opera Ghost - Prelude"

IT WILL BE POSTED SOON!

Once again, thanks a million. I never thought I'd break 50 reviews, and here I am at 53! I LOVE you guys!

And now, for my final thought:

Some people leave you halfway through the woods,

But do not let it grieve you - no one leaves for good.

-Into the Woods

Thanks and goodnight!