Disclaimer: I do not own any part of The Corpse Bride. This fanfiction is for entertainment purposes only.

Chapter Nine: Broken Ceremony

The group of corpses made their way to the church, more or less ignoring Pastor Galswells cries of "Unholy demons!"

It took only a moment for Elder Gutknecht to set up the few things he had brought with him. A gold goblet and a red bottle.

Everyone quickly settled into their seats.

Victor heard the organ begin to play the traditional "Wedding March" song and he turned back to look at his bride.

The little boy and girl skeleton walked up the aisle in front of her, strewing dried flower petals as they went.

Behind them, Emily walked gracefully down the aisle, smiling up at Victor.

Victor knew he was staring, knew he probably looked pretty dumb too, but he didn't care. He just watched as she came down the aisle to join him at the altar. He extended his hand and escorted her up the step that brought her before the altar.

She smiled shyly at him before directing her attention to the Elder.

"Dearly beloved and departed, we are gathered here today to join this man and this corpse in marriage," Elder Gutknecht told all assembled. "Living first," he said, motioning for Victor to speak.

Victor turned to face Emily, raising his left hand and beginning, "With this hand I will lift your sorrows." He picked up the goblet and presented it to her, "Your cup will never empty for I will be your wine."

He had never meant anything more.

"Now you," Elder Gutknecht motioned to Emily.

For a long moment, Emily stared at him, like she couldn't believe he had actually done it.

"With this hand," she said, tears in her eyes, "I will lift your sorrows."

She picked up the bottle.

"Your cup will never empty," she continued, pouring the poisoned wine into the goblet he was holding, "for I will be…-"

She suddenly cut off, looking startled.

"I will be…" she stammered, sounding uncertain.

"Go on, my dear," the elder gently urged her.

"Your cup…will never empty…" she said, eyes drifting to somewhere behind Victor, making him wonder what had disturbed her, "…for I will be…"

She paused again.

"I will be your wine," Victor supplied for her, closing his eyes and raising the goblet to his lips…

Only to feel it pushed back down by Emily.

He looked at her, lowering it, wondering what was troubling her now of all times.

"She's having second thoughts," he heard someone whisper, and he wondered if it was true.

Emily looked away briefly, sighing in defeat. "I can't," she whispered, looking back at him.

"What's wrong?" he asked, starting to turn to see what had disturbed her.

She placed her hand on his face and turned it back to her. "This is wrong," she said, voice breaking slightly. "I was a bride," she whispered to him. "My dreams were taken from me. Well, now… now I've stolen them from someone else," she cried, tears running down her cheeks.

"I love you Victor," she told him. "But you're not mine," she sobbed.

Her hand slipped away from his face, beckoning someone forward from the shadows behind him.

He turned and saw…

"Victoria?" he asked, confused.

She was wearing her wedding dress. She came forward at Emily's gesture to stand beside him.

Emily took Victor's hand and placed it on Victoria's.

Now Victoria looked confused.

"Wait, you don't understand," she began, but was interrupted by a different voice.

"Oh, how touching," a voice sneered.