Satine Out of Control

Disclaimer: One day perhaps, I will be a published author. People will read my books and write fanfics about them and I in turn will read their fanfics and laugh at how they manipulate my characters. Perhaps I will even write some of my own fanfics about some of my own characters. But today is not that day, and this is not that story. Alas, I do not own the Moulin Rouge.

So . . . I've reposted this story. If you didn't read it before then you won't really care, but thanks to the people to did, especially Trakrat, E. is .Fallingslowly. 4. Jake, and areyouabananalikeme who reviewed. I have read their reviews and changed the story accordingly, adding in lines for Christian and removing Satine's involvment with the gun - after actually seeing Nicole Kidman hold a gun (in The Interpreter, a very good movie, by the way) I decided I didn't like the gunpoint ordeal either. Enjoy!

The doors opened suddenly and Satine found herself blinded by the bright lights, on her knees in front of the crowded theater. There was a long pause during which everyone was silent. Then -

"Ha ha ha! I am not fooled! Though he has shaved off his beard and adopts a disguise . . . Mine eyes do not lie! For it is he - the same penniless sitar player! Driven mad by jealousy!"

Of course - Harold Zidler's motto was 'the show must go on.' But Satine realized she disagreed. The show mustn't go on. In fact, it was very important that it not go on.

"Stop it!" Satine yelled, uncharacteristically unable to contain her sudden fury at Harold.

"W-what?" So unexpected was her outburst, that for once in his life, Harold could think of nothing more eloquent to say.

"Stop acting!" Satine stood up. "I'm sick and tired of acting! She screamed the last word as loud as she could.

"But dearest, you're an actress-!" Harold began.

"NO! Not right now and not in real life! I don't want to act in real life anymore!"

"This isn't - "

"I DON'T CARE! Last night was real life, this morning was real life! And yet, what was I doing? ACTING!" Satine turned to Christian. "Everything I said this morning was an act! A lie! The Duke said he'd kill you if I didn't!"

As the echoes of the pronouncement faded away, stunned silence reigned. Satine herself was shocked at how loudly her words had rung out, but there was no taking them back now, even if she'd wanted to . "He - what?" Asked Christian, as startled as everyone else.

"He was going to kill you." Satine repeated. He voice was softer but still shaking with fury.

"That's not true!" the Duke yelled, standing up. "I said nothing of the sort!"

For a moment, Satine wondered whether this could be the truth - had Harold lied to her, to get her to stay? She wouldn't put it past him, any more then she'd put it past the Duke to commit murder. And Harold had sounded so sincere -

"Yes, you did!" Harold said, in his most authoritative voice. "You told me to tell Satine that you'd have him killed if she ever saw him again!"

The Duke stomped onto the stage angrily. "It's my word against yours, and -"

"No, it's not!" A new, angry voice contradicted.

"Warner?" Satine, Christian, Harold, and the Duke all cried incredulously at the exact same time.

Warner walked onto the stage, gun still in hand. "I heard you tell him that! And you ordered me to shoot him if he came anywhere near here tonight. Which I very nearly did - but I quit! I'm not going to kill a boy just because you tell me to!" He threw the gun down and stormed offstage.

"No!" the Duke screamed. "You can't quit! Come back here, you - " he ran off after his former manservant.

Suddenly, Satine burst into laughter. Christian turned to her, concerned. "Are you okay, darling?"

She smiled at him broadly. "Oh yes! I much better than okay - I was just thinking. What must this look like to the audience?" she whispered, still giggling.

As if on cue, a woman in the audience stood up and said. "That's all very well, but what about the play?"

"Yes," cried another theatergoer. "How does it end?"

Satine and Christian looked at Harold, who looked back, utterly bemused by the situation. Then Toulouse's unmistakable voice filled the auditorium. "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return!"

Christian smiled. "I like that ending."

"Me, too." Satine murmured and - to the audience's great satisfaction - they kissed.

Hope you liked it! If you did and wish to convey you liking through reviews - or if you didn't and wish to convey your disliking in a similar manner - then I will be happy to review something of yours, assuming you've written on a subject I know about. If not, you'll have to be content with a nice thank you PM. Please review!