Love Is Worth Dieing For chapter 2: Husband and Wife

Disclaimer: I clearly don't own "Corpse Bride" yet, as its ending is still Victor/Victoria. But someday...

Important - I have story ideas in the following categories: "Carl Squared" and "Class of the Titans." (Cartoon T.V. Shows.) I have looked everywhere I could think of, but I couldn't find sections for them. Does anyone know where they might go, or what I should do in terms of posting them? Please, guys, I really need help on this. Anyone who helps me out will receive my heartfelt thanks and a virtual hug of mythical proportions.

Thanks SO much to all my kind reviewers! It was beyond amazing how many people read and enjoyed this story and I'm still blushing over all the wonderful comments. I'd like to buy you all a couple of rounds at The Ball and Socket Pub. (Just remind me of that when we end up there, as it is probably far in the future.) ;)

And now, put your fleshy or skeletal hands together for...Chapter Two!

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For a moment after swallowing the poison, Victor did not move. The congregation, still dumbfounded, did the same.

Emily gazed at her almost-husband through the film of tears his speech had wrought. His eyes were closed, his breathing fast and shallow. With every breath his spidery, black hair shifted and shivered. Emily was sure she could hear the rapid beats of his heart.

He's frightened, she thought. And really, why shouldn't he be? He was living the final moments of a life which, though unpleasant, was the only life he could ever have. Even though he knew what awaited him on the other side, it must still be very hard to let go of everything he had done in his life.

He had given up his life for her.

Impulsively, she crossed the foot and a half separating them and wrapped her mismatched arms around him. She felt him stiffen slightly, then relax into her embrace. She could feel the warmth of his body through his cloths. He opened his eyes and gazed into her tear-streaked face, and she saw that, though his whole frame was knotted with apprehension, his eyes were steady. He smiled at her, every line of his face proclaiming his love.

Then a shudder wracked his body from head to toe and he convulsively grabbed for his heart, his hands moving jerkily like a puppet's. But he made no sound, instead, it was Emily who cried out. For as Victor's hands groped jerkily at the front of his coat a scene flashed before her eyes. It was a scene she always strove to forget, but which had never fully left her mind.

Once again she felt the excitement coursing through her as she stood under the dark bows of the twisted tree that fateful night. Her dead heart seemed to beat wildly again, and her veins, dry and still now, tingled with lifeblood. Then came a sound behind her; a twig cracked like a splintering bone and she turned with relief. And then...

The sharp pain in her chest, sudden and swift and unbelievable. The horrible fiery agony as the dagger pierced her heart. And the equally horrible blow to the heart she had received as she looked up into the face of her beloved, transformed now into a gloating devil.

And then the blackness of death.

Coming back to herself, Emily found that she was kneeling on the floor, Victor's crumpled body face down on the cold tile beside her.

Because of her he would never live out his full life, but remain locked like this forever. Was this any better than what her former husband to be had done to her? What if Victor hadn't really been sure he was ready for death, but hadn't wanted to let her down? What kind of a wife was she if she was so selfish?

What had she done?

What had she done?

Then he stirred, shifting on the hard, pail floor, and as he moved his hand out from under him, bracing it against the marble for support, she saw the cold blue skin, identical to her own.

"Oh, Victor," she murmured, more to herself than him. "Forgive me." Fresh tear tracks were marking her still wet cheeks. Victor rose slightly and turned so he was facing her, supporting his raised torso with his arms.

In a voice so low only she could hear he whispered "I can't."

Despairingly, she turned from his eyes, dark in his deathly blue face, but he caught her cheek with one hand and forced her eyes back to meet his. "Because there's nothing to forgive," he said, and a gentle smile crept across his face. And Emily understood without his saying anything more. When she had died her life had been stolen from her. Victor was leaving his life behind for a happier future than he could ever have in the land of the living. She smiled back at him slowly. Then his arms went round her and his lips found hers in a wonderful, magical kiss.

And this, at last, was enough to release the spectators from their awed silence. Slowly, hesitantly, a smattering of applause began and swept round the church, growing louder as it went until it was a storm. Victor and Emily reluctantly parted and rose to face the Elder once again. The old skeleton raised his warped and bony hand and waited for the applause to die down. Then he said the words everyone had been waiting for.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. I'd tell you to kiss the bride," he added, turning to Victor with a smile, "but you seem to have beaten me to it."

"That's all right," Emily said. "We wouldn't want to disappoint." Then she giggled softly and moved closer to her new husband, guiding his lips to her own. How could she have let herself give in to her doubts twice?

Amid the shower of cheers and congratulations directed at the newlyweds, the single uninvited guest vanished and was not missed.

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The sky had clouded up and big, fat raindrops had already begun to fall as a lone, white gowned figure fled from the church. How fitting, Victoria thought fiercely as the drops increased to match the ones flowing from her eyes.

It wasn't just that Victor had married someone else, that hurt, but she knew that when potential spouses became unavailable parents usually made shift to fine others. No, what had really shocked her had been the total wrongness of it; A man was marrying a corpse. And, what's more, how loving and sure of himself Victor had been. He was like a completely different person from the one she had known.

Despondently, Victoria sat down on an unadorned bench a stone's throw from the church. The marble was cold and hard through the fabric of her dress. Dead. Victor was dead.

"I'll never see him again," she murmured, another glittering tear escaping and rolling down her cheek.

"I wouldn't be too sure of that, my dear," someone said from behind her.

Before she had time to recover from the shock and do something sensible, such as scream, Victoria felt the cold circle of a revolver pressing into the back of her neck.

"What are you doing," she managed to choke out.

"You'll see soon enough," Barkis whispered exultantly. The pressure of the gun increased, as he grabbed the young bride's arm and jerked her to her feet. His hand was like a vice. "Now walk," he hissed. "And don't make a sound, or..." He left the sentence hanging.

Victoria felt a cold chill, like icy water sloshing through her veins, as her new husband steered her towards the bridge out of town and into the forest. She knew in her heart she would not come out of those dense trees alive.

And when she died, she would be alone.

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Oooooo! Dark, I know, and you probably want to kill me for the cliffhanger, but I couldn't resist.

If anyone's sad that I didn't have Emily find out about Barkis keep in mind that this story is far from over. I promise there will be lots of action. There will also be lots more V/E fluff for fans like me. ;)

Oh, and don't worry, this story will be a bit dark, but I plan on having a happy ending. And I'm sorry for the short chapters, I find it almost impossible to write long ones.

So, R&R and tell me how I'm doing. And if anyone has and answer to my Important question at the top please e-mail me and tell me. Thanks!