A month later.

"Gosh, I can't believe I'm getting married," Charlotte smiled as she pinned another curl in place. "There. Gustave, can you give me a hand with finding my shoes? I seem to have misplaced them."

Gustave bounced up out of his seat and walked across the room, lifting the hem of Charlotte's cloak to reveal the white, kitten-heeled shoes she would be wearing. "The cloak was hiding them," he said with a little chuckle.

Charlotte laughed a bit. "Gosh, I'm so nervous," she said breathlessly as she put in her earrings. "There. How do I look?"

"You look beautiful."

"Thank you," Charlotte said softly. "And thank for agreeing to walk me down the aisle. It means the world."

"I'm happy to. I just hope I don't trip." Gustave then turned to the mirror and frowned. "I can't get my tie right. It's all crooked."

"Would you like me to tie it for you?" Charlotte giggled.

"Yes, please. I don't want to look silly at your wedding," he said.

"Alright." Charlotte stood up and moved over to tie the boy's tie. "There," she grinned, resting her hands on his shoulders. "You look smashing."

"Thank you. I match with Papa!"

"Yes, indeed you do," Charlotte laughed softly, putting a hand to his cheek. "Are we ready?"

"If you're ready, I'm ready too," he replied with a smile.

"Alright," Charlotte smiled, fetching her bouquet and lacing her arm through his. "Do you have the ring?"

"Yes, I..." Gustave trailed off and his eyes went wide when he didn't feel the rings, but breathed a sigh of relief when he found them in the other pocket. "I do."

"Good," Charlotte chuckled. "Crisis averted. Let's go."

Gustave led her through the halls of the Opera House, but as they looked through the doors into the main lobby, Charlotte stopped short.

"What's wrong?" Gustave asked as he poked his head out to look down the stairs.

"Papa's here," Charlotte whispered, a wide smile growing on her face. "Nadir came! He actually came!"

"Is that Papa's friend that he mentions?"

Charlotte nodded. "And the man who took me in when I was sixteen."

"That was the surprise guest Papa told me about!"

"I can't believe your father did this," Charlotte smiled fondly. "Could you go ask Nadir to come over? I want to talk to him, but I can't let your father see me."

Gustave nodded and hurried down the stairs to where Erik and Nadir were standing. "Excuse me. Nadir?" he said quietly.

"Ah, Erik, is this your son?" Nadir smiled, turning to face Gustave.

"It is, yes. This is Gustave," Erik replied with a proud smile.

"It's nice to meet you finally," Nadir nodded, extending a hand to the boy.

"You too. Papa talks about you a lot," Gustave said as he shook his hand.

"Good things, I hope," Nadir chuckled.

"Most of the time," he said with a giggle.

"Erik, what have you been telling this boy?" Nadir sighed, shaking his head.

"Oh, little things here and there," Erik said with a shrug.

"Oh, boy." Nadir shook his head again, then turned back to Gustave. "Whatever he's told you, your father was ten times worse."

"Hey!" Erik said, glaring at Nadir. "Don't feed my child lies."

"I would never. I only speak the truth," Nadir smirked. "Now, my boy, what brings you over?"

Giggling at his father's irritation, Gustave turned to Nadir. "Charlotte wants to see you but doesn't want Papa to see her yet," he explained.

"Alright. Take me to the blushing bride," Nadir chuckled.

"Follow me," Gustave said, leading Nadir back up the stairwell. "I got him, Charlotte!"

"Papa!" Charlotte grinned, throwing her arms around Nadir. "I'm so happy you came!"

"Charlotte, it's so good to see you," Nadir said, hugging her tight and kissing the side of her head. "I wouldn't miss this for the world, my darling."

"I've missed you so much, Papa," Charlotte smiled. "It's been much too long since I've seen you."

"I know. Much too long. My home is so quiet without your little giggle," he said, tapping Charlotte on the nose.

Charlotte giggled. "I really never properly thank you for all that you did."

"Oh, stop," Nadir said as he waved her off. "It was an honor to have a young lady as beautiful as you in my care. But so much time has passed. I mean, now look - you're getting married."

"I can hardly believe it," Charlotte smiled. "Erik's such a wonderful man."

"Certainly. I still can't believe you're marrying my best friend. It's a small world. And I'm happy for you both. You deserve the happiness you have, and all the more the happiness you bring one another."

"Thank you, Papa," Charlotte said softly, kissing his cheek. "I suppose we should get on with the ceremony."

"Probably, yes. I should get back to your fiancé. Erik might have a panic attack if I leave him alone any longer."

"He's really nervous, is he?"

"Oh, petrified. But I got to talk to him before we walked out here. I haven't seen him quite so smitten. He did love Christine, but I dare say he loves you even more," Nadir said with a wink.

"I'm glad about that," Charlotte smiled. "But I feel bad that he's nervous. I can't say I blame him, though. Poor dear."

"He'll be alright. He's just new to the entire wedding idea," Nadir said. "So long as he has you, he'll be fine."

"I hope so," Charlotte nodded. "You had better get back to him before he gets cold feet and runs out on me."

"I think he's cemented to the floor, but I'll get back to him." Nadir gave Charlotte another kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you in a moment. I love you."

"I love you too, Papa," Charlotte smiled.

Nadir sent her a smile back and went back over to Erik, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Still nervous?"

"Oh, I'm terrified," Erik said as he tapped his foot to channel his anxiety.

"Perfect," Nadir nodded, patting him on the back. "In about five more minutes, you'll start to feel ill and then the ceremony will start and you'll realize that it's morbid to legally bind yourself to another human being for all of eternity. Then you'll remember that you love her and she'll walk down the aisle."

Erik looked at him with wide eyes. "I hate you," he said.

"When did you ever like me?" Nadir laughed.

Erik shook his head. "I am glad that you're here, Nadir," he said quietly.

"I'm sorry, what was that? I couldn't hear over your ego," Nadir replied with a smirk.

"Which I am putting aside to tell you the truth. I'm glad you're here. For both Charlotte and myself."

"Well. I actually got a kind work out of you. I'm astonished," Nadir chuckled.

The justice arrived as they were talking and approached the two men. "Bon jour, messiers. Are we ready to begin the ceremony?"

Erik took a deep breath. "Yes. Yes, I think so."

"Past the point of no return. No going back now," Nadir sang quietly, glancing at his friend with a smirk.

"Not now," Erik said through gritted teeth, though he couldn't help but smile as his friend referenced his opera.

They heard a young man clear his voice loudly and turned their heads to see Gustave standing at the top of the stairs with Charlotte on his arm.

Erik gasped a bit at the sight of Charlotte, both at her beauty and at the realization of how she was dressed. She was stunning to be sure, but her dress was the same one that Christine had worn when she made her debut in Hannibal all those years ago. Her hair was done up the same way too. It was like a little piece of Christine was with him at that moment, giving him her blessing to marry her sister. "Wow," he said softly.

Nadir looked up and smiled fondly. "She always did have a thing for making a grand entrance. I can't help but love that about her."

"Yes, I...I love it too."

Nadir nodded, smiling at how enthralled his friend was by his soon-to-be wife.

Gustave and Charlotte exchanged a smile before the former led the bride down the long staircase, being extra careful to not fall.

"Oh my god, if he trips and falls, I might just die," Erik whispered to Nadir.

Fortunately, the two made it down without injury and Charlotte handed her bouquet to Gustave before taking Erik's violently trembling hands in her own. "Hi," she whispered with a small, reassuring smile.

"Hello," Erik said softly. "You look gorgeous."

"You look handsome," Charlotte replied quietly.

"Thank you," he said, blushing slightly.

The justice began the ceremony, and after giving a lovely sermon, asked for the vows.

Erik took Charlotte's hands in his and took a deep breath. "Charlotte. My heart, my love, my life. I am the most privileged man in all the world to have a beautiful, intelligent woman like you in my life. For so long, I was deemed unlovable and an outcast, but you proved that it doesn't matter when the person of the heart is a beautiful one. Thank you for all you have done, and for our life together that awaits."

"Erik," Charlotte smiled, tears welling her eyes, "I hardly know where to begin. My life has been...well, put quite frankly, my life has been horrible, and I, for the longest time, had no one. I was brought up to think of myself as a worthless slave no one would want, but once I met you, all of that changed. You have helped me to see that I can be loved and that I have a place in this world and that I matter. But most importantly, you've helped me to see that I'm not alone and I want you to know that neither are you. You are truly the perfect man for me and I want you to know that I love you more than you can even comprehend. I promise that I will always be here to support you and love you and care for you for as long as we both shall live."

The justice then had the couple exchange rings. "I now pronounce you - husband and wife. Monsieur, you may kiss the bride," he said.

Erik smiled and lifted Charlotte's veil, his hands still shaking. He cupped her face in her hands as he leaned forward and gave her a gentle kiss, only to break it with a smile when he heard clapping from Gustave and Nadir.

"I love you so much," Charlotte smiled. "You're so amazing."

"I love you more, my dear."

"That's impossible."

"You'd be surprised."