LIWDF chap 6

Disclaimer: Wrong pairing regrettable ending not created by me.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed. Your comments mean a lot to me, and encourage me to keep updating as fast as I am, which is very fast for me. ;) I also apologize for the long wait in this chapter. I am having quite a bit of writer's block.

Okay, so this chapter is a little shorter than the last one, but I really wanted to post something for you faithful readers, who I know aren't very angry at me for the cliffie at the end of chapter 5. ;)

Enjoy!

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A shaft of moonlight, pure and untroubled by the somber tableau so far below it, fell through the tree branches, ghostly where it hit the retreating fog, and shone on Victoria's deathly blue face. She lay, wedding dress torn and dirty, long brown hair spilling from her once tight bun.

Around her the dead watched and waited.

They were usually less dismal at the prospect of new arrivals. Of course they sympathized with the poor soul, but death was really just a new beginning. The beginning of a life free from life's troubles. In Victoria's case, however, the dead had thought to save her, had thought they had saved her. And now she lay, silent and cold.

Hence this silent vigil under the carefree moon.

"Well," Miss Plum exclaimed, rubbing her hands together with finality, "that's that."

The old corpse was no less saddened than her companions, except perhaps for the newlyweds, who stood close, holding each other as though they would never let go, but she knew someone had to be strong for the others, and, as often seemed to happen, she was that someone.

At her words the dead shifted, shaking themselves out of whatever feelings and memories they had been reliving. Bonejangles came forward, hat in hand, and motioned to the skeletal party who had carried Victoria previously. She still had not regained consciousness, so they slowly gathered around her and gently lifted her onto their shoulder blades once again. Then, murmuring 'hopscotch' they vanished.

Gradually the other members of the rescue party followed, until only Mrs. Plum, Victor and Emily were left. Mrs. Plum cast a glance at the entwined lovers, then shook her head and took her leave of them. They needed each other right now, and nothing she could say would help.

When the were finally alone Emily raised her head from its resting place on her corpse groom's shoulder. His dark eyes met hers and he smiled wanly, asking pardon for the tears glistening on his pale cheeks. Emily smiled back. She was no longer worried about his feelings toward her, and knew he sorrowed for a friend, not a lover.

"I won't tell you not to weep," she murmured. "But understand that this is merely the start of a new existence, one without cares or troubles. And Victoria will need you to be strong for her." Victor nodded, his smile becoming more heartwarming.

"I know," he said. "It would be nice if you just held me for a little while before I have to start being strong, though."

Emily put a little more strength into her hug in response and laid her head back on his dark shoulder.

Above them, the moon no longer seemed coldly unfeeling, but instead gently silvered the two lovers where they stood under the dark trees.

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The first thing Victoria saw was a ceiling. It wasn't a particularly marvelous ceiling, being fairly plain except for several black boards which criss-crossed over it at intervals, but in her current state, Victoria found it the most interesting thing she could imagine.

Painstakingly, she scrutinized every inch of the ceiling with her eyes, noting the differences in the sizes of the knotholes which riddled the dark wood. If she focused very hard on this, not allowing herself time for thought, maybe she wouldn't remember why she had woken up in her wedding dress and corset, staring at the strange, but interesting, ceiling.

Unfortunately, she was only permitted a very few blissful, memory free minutes before something came between her and her new friend.

It was a skull.

Victoria screamed and lurched sideways. Suddenly there was nothing underneath her. She flailed her arms desperately and one hand grasped something soft, (a blanket?) but it came loose and she fell, landing on her shoulder on the hard wooden floor. She sucked in breath in expectation of pain, but there was none. She had felt her body strike the floor, but no pain had followed.

Somewhere in the back of her mind Victoria knew why she might have felt no pain, but she was interrupted before she could remember it.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," a deep, heavily accented voice said.

Victoria bit back another scream as the skull which had first frightened her loomed again in her vision. This time, however, she could see the out-thrust bony jaw moving with the words, and the single eye in one of the deep set sockets looked very aware. It was talking to her!

The young bride would not have been able to answer the talking skeleton had she not been meticulously trained for years on how a lady should respond in a variety of situations. She found herself speaking, though she didn't remember giving a conscious order to do so.

"No, no, forgive me, dear sir. I was merely startled by your somewhat unorthodox appearance." Did I say that? Victoria wondered incredulously. Who knew etiquette was actually useful?

Her new companion stared at her for a moment, his single eye rolling from one socket to the other. Finally he blurted out "blimey! Them's some big words fer a little maid!" Then he ducked his head slightly, and Victoria had the feeling he'd be blushing if he could. She felt a smile twitch at her lips, her terror gone. Yes, he was a skeleton, but so far he was one of the nicest people she'd ever met. Also, he reminded her a little of Victor.

Victor!

He was married to that corpse, and there had been other dead people there, at his wedding. Had this skeleton been there? Could he tell her where Victor was? But should she even look for Victor? He was married now. Victor had gotten married, and she had been alone.

Then Barkis had come.

She closed her eyes, unaware that the skeleton had sat back, looking worried. Barkis had come and made her go into the woods with him. He had a gun. They had fought and he had hit her with something. She remembered the searing pain in the side of her head. But now there was no pain. She had woken up here, with a skeleton, and there was no pain. But shouldn't she have a headache at least? Unless...

Victoria's eyes flew open and she began ripping at her gloves, desperately trying to get the slippery, white fabric off her hands. Her right glove came off and was sent flying across the dark paneled room. Victoria watched it, a spot of white in the darkness, as though it were the most important thing in the world.

She didn't want to see her hand, didn't want to see the proof of what must have happened. If she didn't look, that meant it hadn't happened. That meant she was only imagining things. That meant she wasn't...

She looked.

Pail, deathly blue skin covered her hand and arm, looking even more blue against the white of her wedding dress and left glove. Slowly Victoria laid her trembling left hand on her chest, feeling for a heartbeat she knew she wouldn't find. She felt the beginnings of tears finding tracks down her cheeks. Her cold, blue cheeks.

She curled up then, crumpling into herself, with one phrase repeating endlessly in her mind. I've lost everything. I've lost everything. I've lost everything.

Suddenly she was wrapped in something that felt like tree branches, but flexible. Only there weren't any trees. She knew it was the skeleton, and felt the instinct to recoil. But she felt so alone. She needed comfort. And if she was d... was d... was...not alive anymore, then she shouldn't push away someone who only wanted to help.

So she cried in his bony arms for a long, long time.

And strangely, it was comforting after all.

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So there's chapter 6! I will probably do at least two more chapters, because I'm starting to get more ideas now. :)

You've probably guessed who Victoria is pared with from this chapter, if not you'll get to really see more in the next one.

Oh, and way more V/E fluff coming your way in chapter 7 too, so don't despair if I haven't been putting in as much as you (and I) would like. ;)

Are you one of the awesome people who reviewed this chapter? And if not, how come?