Wow! You guys love to jump all over Meg don't cha? She is young and naïve, but don't worry she is always sees the light eventually. Please, please review! This chapter is super fluffy!

Chapter 27

Meg squinted as she looked out into the nearly empty auditorium of the opera house. She could barely make out the chiseled face of the Marquis de Condorcet as he sat alone in the middle of an otherwise vacant row of seats. He had been watching their first rehearsal since earlier that morning and Meg knew that he would approach her as soon as he had the opportunity.

You'll just have to tell him directly that no more of this wedding business can go on, she thought, trying to gather her courage.

Meg thought of Erik and how angry he had been the night before when she had told him of the Marquis plans to announce that their wedding had been postponed. He had demanded that she tell him immediately that this could not continue and she had agreed. Although the Marquis seemed harmless enough, Erik was going to be her husband and she could not ignore his wishes.

Moments later Meg found herself confronted by the very man she had hoped to avoid as she left the stage for a short break in rehearsals.

"Marguerite, you are looking quite well today, I trust everything is getting back to normal for you?" the Marquis said as he bowed to her formally.

As usual he was dressed impeccably. He was an incredibly handsome older gentleman and in a small way he reminded her of Erik.

"Yes sir, I am most well," she replied shyly.

"Good to hear it. I had hoped that perhaps you would join me to dine this evening," he said casually.

"Monsieur Marquis, I appreciate your kind offer, but I am otherwise engaged this evening," Meg said with eyes on the floor.

"Oh?" the Marquis said raising both his eyebrows.

"Yes, and I am also afraid Monsieur, that I cannot consent to your wishes of announcing our nuptials as being postponed either."

"I see. You must understand that this seriously grieves me Mademoiselle. It will be a very large embarrassment for me to announce that we are not to be married… after the way I adamantly conducted the search for you after your disappearance. I had hoped you could appreciate my situation more," he said with slight irritation.

"Forgive me sir, I simply have no choice in the matter," Meg answered with a hint of guilt.

"I am most seriously displeased Marguerite. I thought at the very least you could do me this small favor. It is not as if you are promised elsewhere, so I cannot see the problem with my request," the Marquis continued.

Meg looked up and met his gaze at the mention of being of promised to another man, thus giving herself away to him without realizing it.

"Again Monsieur, I beg your apologies, but I simply cannot consent to it, Good day," she said, and then began to hurry past him.

"Marguerite," the Marquis said, causing her to turn and face him again.

"Be aware that I am a very powerful man. It is not in your best interest to vex me," he said with sudden coldness.

Meg only nodded and then quickly dashed away. She could not wait to get out of his looming presence.

Several hours later Meg found her way back to her dressing room after a long day of rehearsals. She had sung only a few of her lines the whole time praying in the back of mind that Erik was not in the theatre somewhere watching her and comparing her pathetic voice to the elegance of Christine's.

Why did her voice have to be so perfect? I don't have even the slightest hope of sounding decent next to her, she thought.

Meg closed the door behind her; she was looking forward to resting in her bed until the time when she would sneak out of the opera to the side alley where hopefully Erik would be waiting for her. She desperately wished that when she told him about her encounter with the Marquis that he would no longer be angry with her.

Meg began to change from her rehearsal clothes when she noticed a cream colored note that sat on her pillow. She walked over and unfolded it.

My love,

A carriage waits for you in the alley. Come as soon as you can. I will be there when you arrive at your destination.

Affectionately yours,

OG

A carriage? What in the world could he have planned?

Meg's anticipation began to get the best of her. She bathed hastily and paced the floor of her dressing room waiting for the opportunity to leave her room and go to the carriage that Erik had waiting for her.

Erik sat quietly in the tiny room adjacent to the sanctuary of the small chapel that Nadir had secured for his marriage to Meg. It was a quaint old church just outside of the city and he knew that Meg would appreciate its subtle elegance. Everything was finally prepared, the chapel, the clergyman, the dress, and the flowers, all that he needed now was the bride. Erik stared at the winter white gown that hung from the mirror across from him. The imported silk was flawless, and it was ornately covered in an overlay of Italian lace. Erik was sure that there was not a dress of its equal in all of France, which was just what he wanted for Meg.

Every minute that he spent waiting for her arrival seemed like hours. He had walked through the sanctuary and scrutinized every flower and candle placement at least ten times already. He could not wait to see Meg's face when she saw it. The sanctuary was decorated beautifully in candles and white roses that put the flowers he had once covered her dressing room with to shame.

When Erik at last heard the clamoring of a carriage pulling up outside his heart began to pound. He could hear Meg and Nadir talking faintly from inside the room. A few minutes later there was a soft knock at the door. Erik opened it, and was once again he was taken aback by the woman who stood before him. Meg was wearing a simple blue gown, and her hair was pulled back in a white ribbon. Her pale skin had a pink glow and she seemed to be sharing in his excitement. Her eyes were sparkling, and Erik reached out and took her hand without speaking. He led her into the little room and nodded to Nadir, then closing the door behind them.

Before Erik could even say anything Meg had already found her way across the room to the wedding gown that hung from the mirror. Her tiny fingers brushed over the silk and lace gently.

"I hope it will do," Erik said quietly, feeling suddenly very nervous to even be in her presence.

"Oh, it so lovely," Meg said breathlessly. "I had no idea a dress could be so exquisite… and it is for me?"

"Oh course it's for you, my dear," Erik said with a smile. "I hope, Marguerite, that you be willing to put it on and meet me in the sanctuary very soon after."

Erik waited with hesitation for Meg to respond. He knew he was springing this on her quite suddenly, and he was deeply concerned that she may be a bit overwhelmed.

Meg turned to face him, "And we will be married this evening?" she said concealing the childlike giddiness that was consuming her.

"If you will still have me," Erik responded.

Meg rushed across the room and wrapped her arms around his neck. She kissed his uncovered cheek and his lips several times with extreme happiness.

"I most certainly will," she said continuing to kiss him over and over.

"Take your time dressing my dear. I will be waiting for you, as I have been all my life just outside that door in the sanctuary."

Erik kissed Meg gently on the forehead and then slipped out of the room. He placed his hand on his left breast pocket to feel the emerald ring still there waiting to be placed on Meg's finger once again. He walked into the sanctuary and saw Nadir and the old white haired clergyman making small talk at the front of the room by the alter.

About thirty minutes later Erik was beginning to get impatient. The anticipation of the entire day was beginning to take its toll on his disposition.

"What could she possibly be doing? How long does it take to slip on a dress?" Erik asked pacing in the front of the chapel while Nadir watched him with great amusement.

"Patience Erik… she's a young lady, and this is her wedding day…er…night. She'll want everything to be perfect, not a hair out of place. You must give her time," he said somewhat condescendingly.

"Yes, yes, I know you are right," Erik replied, continuing to circle the same area of the floor.

His mind wandered about aimlessly, until he found himself thinking of Antoinette Giry, Meg's mother. She was the woman who had saved him from a life of humiliating misery and who had brought him to live in the Opera Populaire. She was the woman to whom he owed his life, and now the woman to whom he would owe his every happiness. He could not help but wonder if she would approve of the match between himself and Meg. He could only assume she would not. For what mother would want to see her only daughter married to a monster that dwells in the cellars beneath the opera?

Oh Antoinette, I owe you so very much. I fear I will never be able to repay you. I promise I will spend my life trying to make your daughter happy though I know I will never deserver her.

Erik's thoughts were interrupted when the one of the large wooden double doors at the rear of the sanctuary began to open. He nearly collapsed at the sight of Meg, his bride, in the lavish wedding gown that he had acquired for her. The dress fit her perfectly. Its bodice clung to her chest and hips as though it had been painted on, yet without being too tight or snug. The full skirt of the gown swirled around her and gave her the air of a queen about to take her throne. Meg had styled her gold locks in shiny ringlets that fell down around her shoulders. Her deep brown eyes smoldered in the yellow glow of the candle light, and Erik could see that she was deeply moved by the sight of chapel before her.

Meg simply could not believe the sheer beauty of the room that she had just entered. The entire sanctuary was ablaze with the soft light of at least a thousand candles in bronze candelabras. White roses abounded wherever she looked. They went all up and down the isle in front of her, and huge arrangements of them decorated the alter next to where Erik stood. She truly felt as thought she had walked into a fairy tale. Of all the amazing decorations in the room, the one that stood out the most to her was the man at the front of the church whose eyes did not leave hers.

He was dressed in black with a crisp white shirt and cravat. The white mask that covered one side of his face only seemed to add to his incredible handsomeness. His thick black hair was combed neatly back, and his green eyes were dazzling. His stare seemed to pierce her very soul.

"Dear God, Erik, I should have known you would pick no less than the most stunning bride in all of France," Nadir whispered also clearly stunned by the sight of Meg in her wedding gown.

Nadir's words snapped Erik out of his dream like state and he adjusted his coat and waited for her to come towards him.

The clergyman slowly began to take his place behind the alter as Meg walked down the isle to stand beside Erik. He reached and took her hand. This was the moment he had had wished for more than anything in his entire life. It had finally arrived. He wanted so badly to be able to hold this memory somewhere in his mind so that he could always picture it perfectly. Meg was such a heavenly vision, but it was the love in her eyes that Erik could not help but see that brought him more elation than he had ever known.

The elder clergyman went through the traditional wedding vows in a painfully prolonged fashion. However, Erik realized that this was to be expected from a man who must have been nearing the grave more so than anyone he had ever seen. He did not mind the lengthy ceremony because he felt as though he could have gazed at his bride for hours and remained content. Erik could hardly breathe when he slipped the emerald ring back on Meg's finger.

Before the ceremony was complete and they were officially man and wife, Erik took Meg's hands in his, and the clergyman gave him the opportunity to speak.

"Meg, my beautiful princess, I could describe your fairness for days on end as you are quite possibly the most divine creature I have ever laid eyes on. However, more radiant than your enchanting face is your kind loving heart that has entranced my soul. I could never hope to deserve a moment of your time, let alone a lifetime of your love. You have granted me a happiness that I could never have imagined in my most pleasurable dreams. Here and now I devote myself to you and you alone. I will spend my life cherishing you and trying to bring to your life a fraction of the joy that you have brought to mine," he vowed as tears streamed down his cheeks.

Both he and Meg came to each other and their lips met in a kiss of pure love and devotion. They were lost in the moment and in one another until they heard the old man behind them say, "Well then, I now pronounce you husband and wife."

Erik took Meg's face in his hands, "My wife, my wife… I shall never grow tired of saying it!"

"Congratulations to you both!" Nadir said patting Erik on the shoulder and kissing Meg on the hand. "I have to say Erik; no one deserves this blessing more."

"Thank you Nadir, thank you for everything," Erik responded with more contentment in his eyes than Nadir had ever seen.

"It was truly my pleasure. I will go ready the carriage to bring you and your new bride back to the opera," he said as he walked out of the sanctuary.

Erik thanked the clergyman profusely who continued to smile and nod at him although Meg was sure the old man seemed quite confused by the whole situation.

When Erik turned to his ravishing new bride he proclaimed, "You are all mine now, my dear Marguerite…forever."

Meg looked up at him with a sly grin and a twinkle in her dark eyes, "I am not all yours yet, my Phantom husband. We have not yet had our wedding night."

Erik felt a sudden shudder of physical and emotional excitement run through his entire body, for he knew exactly what she was referring to.

"Already I stand corrected by wife. I must take you home immediately to remedy this situation," he said as he swept her off her feet and walked her back down the isle.