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.

A CHURCH WEDDING

Joséphine nodded.

"So we are here tonight to join you, Joséphine d'Escayrac, and you, Erik Perrault, in holy matrimony. I've learned enough during the conversation with Mademoiselle d'Escayrac to see that you both want to be married, whatever others may say to it. A love as this should never be underestimated." Gladly, the priest didn't see Erik flinch as he talked about the 'love' they had for each other.

"Do you, Erik Perrault, take Joséphine d'Escayrac to be your wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

Erik swallowed hard, but answered. "I do."

The priest smiled and turned towards Joséphine. "Do you, Joséphine d'Escayrac, take Erik Perrault to be your husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

Doubts claimed her for a second and she tried to hide the trembling that had taken a hold of her. But she had to do it, not just to spite her stepmother and keep her heritage, but also to honour her father and the contract he had made with her. Even if it was the Phantom of the Opera, a deformed criminal that she was about to wed.

"I do," she told the priest.

"Will you please join your hands?" The clergyman smiled at them.

They did as he asked, although hesitantly.

"Now, do you both promise to continue observing the Catholic faith and to do your best to raise your children as Catholics?"

Erik nearly choked on that, never having thought about this before. How could a monster like him even dare to think of having offspring? Not even in the dreams he had of Christine willingly becoming his wife children had entered his mind.

At the same time, it dawned on Joséphine that this implied to bed the man sitting next to her. She had known about her marital duties, but in her desperate attempt at finding a husband in time, it had escaped her what was awaited of her after the wedding. But there was no going back now.

She squeezed Erik's hand to get his attention. He seemed equally shaken by this revelation. Looking into his eyes, she pleaded with him to nod at the priest's request, which he did.

The priest took in their silent affirmation and proceeded. "Do you have a ring, Monsieur Perrault?"

Erik still had Christine's engagement ring, which she had given him as a 'souvenir' before leaving the catacombs with Raoul, in his pocket, but he wasn't willing to pass it along to Joséphine.

He wanted to shake his head when Joséphine spoke up. "I have the ring."

She took hold of the medallion around her neck and opened it to reveal a beautiful ring of white gold adorned with small diamonds around it. "It was my mother's, I kept it since her death," she explained, handing Erik the ring with tears in her eyes. He took a closer look at the exquisite craftsmanship and waited for the priest to continue.

"May this ring be blessed so he who gives it and she who wears it may abide in peace, and continue in love until life's end."

He motioned for Erik to put the band on Joséphine's finger. Her hand trembled lightly as she looked at her mother's ring, now a symbol of a union to a man she didn't love. Her tears started falling freely now, which the clergyman interpreted as tears of joy, but Erik saw them for what they were: signs of desperation and fear of what the future may hold for her now that she had bound herself to a monster.

"May you be prepared to continue to give, be able to forgive and experience more and more joy with each passing day, with each passing year," the priest went on.

"What God now has joined together, let no one tear apart. Congratulations, Monsieur and Madame Perrault." The priest rose to shake the hands of the newly-weds. The couple stood as well, and after paying the priest a few coins for his services, they bid him goodbye and left through the church.

Standing at the entrance portal, Joséphine looked pensively at the ring that now adorned her right hand, then at her 'husband' beside her. It was still night, and only a few stars lit the sky. Erik's gaze was drawn east, where behind the houses the orange glow of the still burning opera was visible.

Joséphine followed his gaze. "It was your home, right?" she asked, but didn't get an answer.

Both of them got lost in thoughts about everything that had happened this night and what was going to happen in the future. It seemed like a dream, but neither was sure if it was not turning out to be a nightmare.

Tearing his gaze away from the sight, he turned to the woman next to him. "The bank as well as the registry won't open until the morning; there are still a few hours to pass. If you don't want to spend the night in the church or at home, we should probably find a tavern," he suggested, seeing Joséphine stifling a yawn.

Erik was tired as well, he hadn't slept for a few days, preparing everything for 'Don Juan Triumphant' and to undermine the Vicomte's plan.

"You are right," Joséphine answered. She wished for nothing else than a few hours of dreamless sleep. "Where do we go?" she asked, yawning.

"I know of a tavern not so far from here, where nobody will ask too many questions," Erik replied.

Putting her hand on his arm, Joséphine let him lead her wordlessly towards the tavern.