I sadly don't own the Phantom or any other characters created by G. Leroux, S. Kay and A. L. Webber, but they always have a place in my heart.

TALKS

They followed the priest into a small room that served as parlour as well as dining room. He illuminated two oil lamps installed on the walls, then put the candle on the table.

"Please sit," he said, gesturing with his hand towards a settee. Keeping a respectful distance, Joséphine and Erik sat down next to each other. The priest took his place at a worn armchair and clasped his hands.

"Now, why don't you start with telling me your names?" He looked at Erik expectantly for he had yet to utter a word. But it was Joséphine who started the conversation.

"My name is Joséphine d'Escayrac. My father is away on an expedition in Africa, so my stepmother is ruling the house. In the last time she wouldn't let me leave the house, so I had no chance of seeing Erik."

She blushed and cast her eyes downward. "I really want to be his wife, and I didn't know what else to do besides meeting him secretly. I stole out after dinner tonight to meet him."

She slid closer to Erik and put her hand on his, as if to encourage him to speak openly to the other man. She felt his hand stiffen under the contact, but he gave no other sign that he was uncomfortable.

"My name is Erik Perrault," he said, but gave no further information.

The priest tried to prompt him with a gesture to continue, but he didn't seem to be a man of many words.

"How did you two meet?" The priest asked them.

Again it was Joséphine who answered. "In a church, actually. I was there for a prayer when he started talking to me."

Erik had to smirk at the way she chose her words to twist the truth. She was a good actress.

As Joséphine started recounting their 'courting', he allowed his thoughts to drift of. Even though this union increased his chances of seeing Christine again, he had to be very careful and lay low for a while. Society would soon find some other scandal to occupy themselves with, but the Vicomte would not so be so easily swayed. He and Joséphine better find a good lie to explain their sudden marriage.

He had told her in the church that he would wear a mask again. She no longer seemed to be afraid, but still, he himself didn't like being so exposed. But the mask would have to be different from the white one he used to wear or somebody could make the connection. A flesh-coloured one could work; maybe it would allow him to blend in better. And he needed a new wig.

Still, a new mask and hair weren't going to fool Christine or the Vicomte. He would prove to Christine that he could life a 'normal' life. He just had to prevent Raoul from informing the authorities of his whereabouts. He would need Joséphine's help for that.

He looked at the woman beside him. She was still holding his hand and talking animatedly to the clergyman. He admired her courage to go through with her plan at all costs, even if it meant to marry a monster. This arrangement would prove itself to be very interesting, Erik was sure of that.

"Erik?" she suddenly addressed him. "Were you even listening?"

Caught, he tried to cover up his mistake. "When you started, I got lost in the memories," he improvised.

She patted his hand. "It's okay, it's not as if you didn't know what I just recounted…" she said with a twinkle in her eyes. He actually had to smile at that. She was incredibly witty to react that fast.

The priest cleared his throat and brought their attention back to him.

"What Joséphine has told me has me deeply moved. I will join the two of you in marriage. Just give me a minute to get dressed and then we will go back to the church." With that said, he stood and left the room, leaving the couple alone.

Immediately, Erik pulled his hand away. "What did you tell him?" he asked.

"Not much, just enough to give him the impression that we are meant to be together," Joséphine replied dryly. "Don't worry, I don't think he's going to ask us any more questions, you can stay your taciturn self."

Erik gave her a stern look, but she wasn't intimidated by that.

As they heard the priest coming back, Joséphine took hold of his hand again and pulled him up from the settee.

"Please follow me," the priest told them. He held an oil lamp in his right hand to guide the way through the garden. Arriving at the Sacristy, he lit the candles on the candelabra.

"I should have asked before, but you do have the required documents, don't you?" He asked them as he sat down behind a small table, gesturing to two chairs in front of him. Joséphine grew pale, but this time it was Erik who spoke.

"I did not know that Joséphine would come to me tonight, so my birth certificate, as well as all my other documents is still in my bank safe. I can bring them to you tomorrow, if that is alright with you."

Although the clergyman wasn't too comfortable with that idea, he felt in both of them the strong desire to be wed this night, so he let it pass. "Tomorrow will be fine, just promise me not to turn up at such a late hour again."

Instantly, Joséphine relaxed and sat down with Erik beside her. She opened her purse and gave him her documents.

"Still, since you don't have your documents with you, I need you to tell me where you were baptized," the priest addressed Erik, while opening a folder lying on the table and copying Joséphine's birth date and baptize date in it.

"In Rouen, by father Erik Mansart. My mother didn't…hadn't decided on a name, so I was named after him," he answered.

Joséphine looked at him. If it was true what he had just said, it was actually the first real information she got about him, besides his name and all the rumours she had heard about him.

"Good, that will be enough for now." The priest put aside his pen. "Shall we begin with the ceremony then?"