One and Only (Corpse Bride fanfic; Victor x Emily)

chapter eleven

...

"Emily! What has happened?" Victor questioned me, he grasped my shoulders as I tried catching my breath.

"Alice has gone missing. I need to find her." I told him. Victor's eyes saddens as his facial expression showed empathy.

"Allow me to help you. Go ahead, and I will follow." He addresses me, and I nod in agreement before sprinting to find Alice. I checked along the river, at the bookstore, at the drapers store, and at the cabin. Shouting for Alice's name, Victor had caught up with me and followed behind. We were on the bridge, calling out for Alice. I looked at Victor and pointed to the trees; he nodded, and we walked into the woods. It seemed like an hour of yelling Alice's name. We eventually discovered her, weeping on a tree stump.

"Alice! Thank god we've found you!" I cried while closely clutching her. When I raised Alice's chin, I noticed that her eyes were bright red from sobbing.

"What is wrong?" I asked of her. She sniffed, her eyes shining tearfully as she met mine. 

"I'm afraid." I furrowed my brows in confusion. What is she scared of?

"I wish it... I wish it not to be true." Alice muttered. I patted her back to comfort her. Victor knelt beside us and gave Alice a back pat.

"Although I do not know you as well as Emily, I can see she is concerned about you. You two had been friends since you were children. Tell her, especially if it's a crime." Alice softly laughs after Victor tells her. My pulse raced as I watched in fascination as Victor sympathized with Alice.

"I suppose you are right."

"Now please do tell us so we can help you, Alice." She smiled back at Victor, who offered her a little smile. Alice sat up straight and cleared her throat.

"I'm... Carrying a child and... Everett is the father." I can feel Victor and I's mouth hang open as she discloses the reason she's crying.

"I thought you never liked him."

"I didn't.. until he told me he liked me."

"Wait.. Is he the one you gossiped about at the cabin?" Alice sheepishly nods her head.

"Alice! I consider Everett as a brother, let alone fuck him?"

"He is a really good fuck though." Disgusted, I shook my head, but I should really be concentrating on getting Alice feel better.

"Well.. Are you going to tell Everett?" Victor questioned, Alice instantly shook her head.

"He cannot know. I planned to abort it."

"Are you sure? It can kill you." I warned her the risks of abortion.

"I don't want to be a burden to the Wilsons."

"Perhaps talking to Everett can change things." Victor says.

"Victor is right. Maybe it will." I tell her. Although it is Alice's choice.

"Tell me what?" We all turned to look at Everett. It appeared as though he had fallen into a mud pool from his ruined garments. His breathing was labored, as if he were in a panic. Alice rose to her feet and began heading towards him. They begin conversing, and when she eventually tells him the truth, he gives her a hug. When Everett comforted Alice, who was crying into his chest, I felt relieved.

"We shall talk more in the cabin." Everett says to Alice, they waved us goodbye and left Victor and I alone. We began walking back into the town but I had to make a quick stop to the big oak tree. I saw that the letter that I've written to Barkis was gone. It meant that he had read my letter. Victor and I walked in silence.

"Thank you," I say with a little smile to Victor.

"Anything for my good friend." Victor grinned back at me. Victor had walked me home after we found Alice. I broke the good news to Edith after she saw me entering. She hugged me tightly with tears in her eyes.

...

Victor's POV
The night after my tryst with Victoria, I was restless. The manner I had caused her to cry because I was angry with her. I must apologize for my behavior toward her. Don't get me started about the kiss. I was stunned when she did it. Victoria must think of me as a quim(female genitalia; pussy). I'm full of shit. I realized it was already dawn and that I needed to get ready for the day when the sun broke through the curtains. While my parents were having breakfast, I hurriedly left the house to see Victoria. I went around the Everglots' front door and up onto the balcony. Victoria is pictured sitting and looking forlorn in front of her vanity mirror. She turned to look at me when I knocked on the door, startled. She quickly let me in by opening the door. I gave her a hug and breathed in all of her perfume. Her aroma was all rosemary, as though she'd just completed cooking.

"Victoria forgive me for the way I upset you foreday(yesterday)." We sat down in her boudoir(it basically means the living room in the bedroom lol).

"Oh Victor, I forgive you. I apologize for the way I pulled us away from Mrs. Miriam." We begin to lean in closer, but I pulled away since I didn't think it was appropriate to kiss her at that moment. But I should do it then and there as I want it to be flawless. As Victoria looked at me puzzled, I put my hand on her jaw and softly kissed her. It's strange, but I didn't feel any butterflies in my tummy. I ought to obtain them, am I right? After we broke up the kiss, Victoria's cheeks started to flush. Now... I should be blushing too, why can't I feel them? I wanted to test if another kiss would evoke the same emotion in me but Victoria had turned her face away and hid her face. I gave her another kiss, but it didn't work.

"Victor, we mustn't do so much kissing as it might lead to fornication." Victoria covers her face with her hands, in embarrassment. I gasped as I realized what I was doing.

"You're right, we musn't." After a silent moment, I asked her if she wanted to take a walk. She complies cheerfully, and we start to exit her apartment via the balcony.

Victoria told me that she had a surprise for me and asked me to wait in the garden for her. I waited in the garden for her return. Then someone dashed towards me, straight into my chest. They looked up to apologize, but we both recognized each other. It was Emily!

"Emily! What has happened?" I grasped her shoulders as she panted.

"Alice has gone missing. I need to find her." When she caught her breath, she tells me. I felt sympathy for her and she seems to be in desperate help.

"Allow me to help you. Go ahead, and I will follow." Emily nods in agreement as I tell her, then dashes off. Victoria ran up to me carrying two large loaves of bread.

"Victor! I got us--"

"Victoria, you ought to be home now." I interrupted her, turning Victoria around and leading her back to her house.

"But--"

"Victoria," I say firmly, "go home." Victoria's face darkened as I guided her to her residence. After making sure she was safely home, I hurried to find Emily to help her.

...

Not long after we located Alice, I received a letter from the Taylors announcing that Alice and Everett were getting married, inviting my family and I to their engagement celebration. Having wanted to be friends with the Taylor family since she was a youngster, mother was thrilled to receive a letter from them. Mother gave her entire life to raising me, and now that I'm older, she can finally meet the people she has always wanted to meet now that she has a little bit of independence.

...