A.N. Updated due to the request of my twin who said that this story is just the right one to update in the season of Halloween

okay new chapter and thus maybe a little insight on what happened, though than again... you never know. Sorry that it's alittle late for Halloween but whatever its up, and considering that I have no social life anymore what with school and work, you all should be happy that you are even getting this.

Disclaimer: Corpse Bride and all characters belong to rightful creators I claim no right to the character or original story.

Chapter 04

All This Time

Emily came to slowly with blurred images making it through her cloudy vision. Above her stood a shape of mixed blue and black and another shape entirely made of white.

"Oh a new arrival!" I voice above her exclaimed. Her vision began clearing and more of the scene came into focus. "She must've fainted. I think she's coming too though." another voice said, though this one was familiar. "Are you alright Emily?" It asked as a she felt a skeletal hand rest against the back of her head.

"Victor?" She inquired, he'd been dead so long and she'd so dreamed of hearing his voice again that to hear it now must mean only one thing.

"Their still breathing!" Another voice exclaimed from her right, then something jabbed into her side as a far younger voice then the rest spoke. "They're still soft."

"All of you knock it off and give her some space!" Victor's voice broke through and suddenly instead of skeletons and blue fleshed people she was looking at a wooden ceiling with music reaching her ears.

"Victor?" Emily asked again as she sat up. "What happened to you? Where am I? You died so how are you here?" she asked still trying to comprehend exactly what was going on. Two hands then rested themselves on her shoulders. One skeletal remains of what they once were, while the other still bared flesh only it was as cold as death. Though that made sense when she thought about it.

"Please Emily, it's okay." The familiar voice said and as aware as she was she still couldn't bring herself to admit that the thing before her was truly her beloved Victor. Even after saying his name multiple times she still didn't fully believe it.

"Victor, what happened that night? I arrived at the specified time to find you dead!" She wailed, she needed answers and the only one who had any knowledge was finally standing before her. "Everyone believes you took your life. Did you really hate the idea of marrying me? Did you hate the idea of being tied down? Did you see some error in marrying someone already betrothed?"

The questions continued, all the fears she had finally coming out into the world. Tears cascaded down her cheeks as she repeated all the things that her family and friends had told her in order to try and help her move on. It hurt speaking of those theories, it cut deeply into her and she fell to the floor wiping furiously at her eyes yet the tears refused to stop.

"Emily please who told you such lies, you know I've loved you since the day we truly met, and not one day has past since I died that I didn't think of you." Victor tried to calm down the bride. As she calmed down he took in the love of his life, or undead life, and noticed all the tears in her gown that running through the woods had caused.

"If you mean it, tell me what happened? I need to know what took you away from me." She demanded as she took his cold skeletal hand and clung to it like a lifeline. It wasn't the same as when he was alive and warm but it was him, she now felt it in her heart and she feared that if she let him go she would wake up and it would just be a nightmare.

"To be honest I don't quite know what happened myself." Victor stated.

"Darn right you don't know, and its a shame you don't know your own story." Came another voice before a skeleton peeked over Victor's shoulders He extended his hand to Emily. "Name's BoneJangles, Miss Emily, and from what is known of your little lover's story is quite the story indeed." He stated as Emily shook his hand.

The sole eye in the skeleton's sockets stared at her from the right socket then moved behind her, tilting his head where the eye rolled into the left. "Quite a story, with so many blanks that need to be filled." He said as Victor grabbed Emily and dragged her away from the skeleton. "That's enough, she's already shocked as it is, and looking for answers, we don't need you adding more problems on top of her own."

Emily pulled her arm out of Victor's grasp, staring at him in shock. "You're wrong, I've been living in the dark for so long I want answers, even if I end up with more questions."

Victor stared at her, taking in the features that he had forgotten over the months since he's died. A voice suddenly sounded from the back of his head. "You should tell her." Victor slapped his hands to the sides of his head "Shut up" he whispered, hoping that Emily wouldn't hear him.

Sadly that was the exact opposite of what occurred. He opened his eyes to find hers staring daggers into his head. "What?! I thought I'd never see you again and when I want to know what happened you tell me to shut up?!" She yelled.

Those who had went back to their drinks and music then turned and watched the newly weds fighting, curious as to what had caused such an outburst.

Victor reached out to Emily. "Please, you don't understand, it wa-" He was cut off as Emily pulled her arm away and distanced herself from him. "Oh no, I understand, the information must be so horrible, why should I worry my pretty little head with what happened?! Why should I even bother looking for answers when living in the dark is so much better!" She yelled before storming towards the stairs and out the door, leaving the small pub in dead silence.

"That was a great start." Came the voice within his head as the pub finally returned to its prior bustling activity. No one looked at him not even the Dwarf or his companion. Victor rested his head in his hands. "Would you please shut up Maggot, I know that wasn't the best outcome."

"Well you'd best go find her before she gets lost down here." Victor jumped to his feet, just now remembering where he was and that he had no idea where she was, and getting lost down here could have dire consequences. He raced out, leaving his untouched drink upon the counter as he ran through the town.

At the back of his eye came a pressure pushing at it before finally it was knocked out of the socket. "I'll keep an eye out for her." Said Maggot, no longer in the voice that echoed through his skull.

"Haven't you done enough?" Asked Victor even as he continued looking for his love, without pushing his eye and Maggot back into his head.

They past the Second Hand Shoppe with no luck and even stopped again at the pub to see if she returned. "Why don't you go to higher ground?" Inquired Maggot from where he rested in Victor's socket. Victor looked up and noticed that they weren't that far from the hill that over looked the city.

He ran, not wanting to have to worry about Emily's safety and just hoping that he could find her, hoping that she would allow him to explain.

His long legs carried him up the stairs, and he quickly caught sight of his favorite spot in all of the town where he could be alone and think, only to find that the spot wasn't as empty as it usually and was occupied by a sole person.

"Emily?" He asked as he took a stop towards the shaking figure. She slowly turned to him wiping furiously at her eyes. Upon seeing him she leapt from her feet and stared in fear or shock, Victor couldn't really tell.

"Victor, your eye!" She exclaimed as she made her way to his side. "What happened?" She asked.

Victor quickly recalled that his eye still occupied his hand and placed it back within the socket. "Sorry Emily, I didn't mean to surprise you like that, I just got a little help is all and forgot about it till now." He explained as he checked her over for any injuries without touching her.

"Help what kind of help knocks out your eye?!" Emily demanded already feeling he was going to continue hiding things from her. Before he could answer his eye was knocked out again, landing into his hand. Emily stepped back in surprise and watched as a small green maggot crawled out of the new opening.

"That would be me." Maggot stated as he rested upon the sockets edge, finally seeing Emily without the obstruction of Victor's eyes, and in all honesty he still couldn't understand what Victor saw in her. All he knew was that this female held a lot of spunk despite her small size.

Victor pushed his eye back in and lightly grasped Emily's arm again. "Are you okay? You were crying." He said as he and Emily made their way back to the sole bench that sat upon the cliff top. As they sat Victor noticed she was avoiding his eyes and was instead looking at her hands which were clasped together in her lap. Slowly and almost hesitant he gently grabbed them with his cold hands and brought her attention back to him.

"I know this is a lot to take in, but please tell me what's bothering you." He stated looking into her eye, no longer was there fear in them but a light he thought he'd never see again.

"You are right, it is a lot to take in, after so long fearing that I'd never see you again, here you are about as alive as one in your position can be, either way though I'd never change anything if it'd mean that we would've never seen each other again." She looked to their hands which were still clasped together. "But I worry, neither my mother nor my father know where I am, and Victoria is most likely worried sick." Again she met gazes, a thousand questions running through her eyes. "I'd everything just to stay here with you, but I'd like to at least tell Victoria that I am well."

Victor his eyes, he remembered the little shy Victoria from the times that he had seen her with Emily but never had the chance to meet her himself. He understood her need to tell someone but he wasn't sure how such a thing could be done. After all the dead were unable to return to the land of the living. He hummed to himself trying to figure out a solution to the problem when a series of barks caught his attention. He turned and caught sight of his companion.

"Oh, Scraps did you think of something?" he asked as the skeletal dog made its way to its masters feet. Emily reached down at pet the dog along its bony spine. "So this is the infamous Scraps that I never got to meet?" She inquired as the dog in question jumped up and situated itself upon her lap. "Well I'm glad you two were able to be reunited." She stated as her petting continued. Once again the dog barked and Victor nodded his head.

"You are right, there is always that." Emily looked up for her task. "Always what?" she didn't even question that Victor was talking to and able to understand his dog. "Elder Gutknecht, just a wizened old pile of bones who may just be able to help with our dilemma." Victor explained as he stood up from the bench and then turned to Emily. "We can go and ask him for help, if that's what you want." He offered, reaching out his hand to Emily.

She didn't hesitate in taking the offered hand, and together the two that not even death could separate made their way to where Elder Gutknecht resided.

A.N. Whenever it is in Italics that is Maggot speaking within Victor's head when his voice holds an echo, when he is outside his head.

Until next time Peace, Love, and Virtual Hugs