Through the Mirror || Phantom of the Opera (Completed)

Epilogue: Part 1

Marianna drew in a shaky breath, her stomach completely tied in knots. After nearly a year of traveling the world playing Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera, she'd thought nothing would set those infamous butterflies into flight in her stomach. She'd seen it all, thought nerves were a thing of the past. And yet here she was, experiencing them all over again.
She brought a trembling hand to her stomach in an attempt to calm the nerves, and began mindlessly fingering at the beading on her elaborate wedding gown. A smile tugged at her lips as she looked down at the beautiful dress. It had taken her months to pick it, for she had to have the perfect one. But one day, at a tiny shop in London on a shopping trip with Martin's sister, she had found it. It very much resembled her wedding dress in Phantom, but was also uniquely different. She found the slight resemblance made it perfect, because not only did it symbolize how she and Martin had met, but it also reminded her of the friend she'd lost months earlier, on the day of her debut in Phantom.
She gently slumped down into her chair, careful not to damage her dress. Reaching into her little purse on the table beside her, she pulled out the note Erik had written to her before he left. The old stationary was crumbling from all the times she'd read it, but even so she caught herself reading over it constantly. Of course, she was happy for Erik. He was with his love. At least temporarily... He would send her away eventually, of course, but she hoped that hadn't happened yet. She hoped that maybe they could both be happy on that day. She couldn't help wishing he could be there for her wedding, but she comforted herself with the knowledge that perhaps he was there in spirit.
Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a knock at the door. She stuffed the note back into her little bag and hopped to her feet. Opening the door, she grinned excitedly when she saw her father waiting for her, smiling from ear to ear.
"Are you ready, love? They're all waiting for you."
Marianna nodded, though she felt her heart pounding furiously. "Oh yes, I'm ready. I've been waiting over a year."
She took his arm and they quietly walked down the hallway, reaching the door to the little church just as the flower girls were walking out. They walked in to an instrumental arrangement of "All I Ask Of You" from Phantom. Since Phantom was how they met, Marianna thought it was only appropriate that they have at least one song from it in their wedding.
Next, came the bridesmaids, and then her maid of honor- Kathy, her new best friend and her Meg Giry.
Finally, the doors closed and the music changed from the Phantom song to the wedding march. Marianna picked at her dress one final time, making sure everything was perfect. She flashed her father a nervous grin and tightened her grip on his arm just as the door opened.
All the nerves seemed to melt away when she saw Martin waiting for her at the other end of the aisle. He looked as handsome as ever, all dressed up in his fancy tux, almost like his Phantom costume but without the mask. She watched his reaction when he saw her dress for the first time. The sight seemed to take his breath away, and it made Marianna blush. He could make her feel beautiful without even saying a word.
The walk down the aisle seemed to take forever, but finally they made it, and her father passed her hand to Martin, who gratefully took it, looking into her eyes with a look that melted her heart.
Any fear or worry that she had had earlier was gone. The people around her were gone. In fact, nearly everything was gone.
In that moment, there was only her and her love.
And it was going to stay that way forever.

{Author's note: This is NOT the end! There is one more part, a part 2 to the epilogue :)}