For Love

By: Miss Aruri

Summery: What if Zidler wasn't able to get to the Duke during 'Spectacular, Spectacular' in time? What if the gun was fired? Reviews are /always/ welcome!

***

The duke heard the gun hit the floor. He turned back around, staring at Satine and Christian on the stage. Satine should have been his! He could've given her everything. But it was all because of that stupid writer! Rage surging through his body, The duke picked up the gun. He was going to finish what his servant didn't.

He aimed, but it was difficult. The dancers were in the way. He had but one shot. If he missed, someone would surely find a way to stop him. His finger tightened on the trigger. 'Move!' He thought as the dancers surrounded the two lovers. How could Satine love Christian? He had nothing to offer.

Finally, when Satine and Christian were lifted into the air, he Duke aimed the gun at Christian and pulled the trigger.

All was silent. Nobody moved. The sound of a gunshot echoed in the air. The Duke looked at Christian, whose eyes were wide with shock. There was a small, round hole in his chest. A single scream broke the silence as Christian fell. It was Satine.

When Christian hit the ground, the audience panicked, giving the Duke time to escape. Satine pushed her way through the crowd of dancers to get to Christian, whose blood was pouring out onto the stage. She was crying hysterically as she took Christian's hand, which had already gone cold.  

"Somebody get a doctor!" Satine choked. She coughed, but didn't care about herself. Toulouse heard Satine and dashed out of the theater. "Don't leave me, Christian." Satine cried, coughing again. "I need you." Zidler was trying to pull her away from Christian, who stared up at the ceiling with lifeless eyes. Satine tried to fight, but Zidler was strong. "I love you!" She called as Zidler pulled her away. 

With all the strength she had in her, Satine slipped out of Zidler's grasp and fell by Christian. She continued to cough, tears mixing with the blood dripping down her chin. She held on firmly to Christian's hand before fainting.

***

"Satine? Satine?" Someone was standing over Satine, who was crying in her sleep. "Christian!" She demanded, sitting bolt upright. "Where's Christian?" Marie was standing by Satine's bed, her face pale. Satine had been brought back to the elephant. But what about Christian? 

"Christian is at his hotel room. There are doctors with him." Marie added, seeing the frightened look on Satine's face. "The doctors don't know if he'll survive. That bullet was awfully close to his heart." Satine ran from the room, dressed only in a nightgown. She ran through the empty streets and up the steps of the hotel. There were people, Toulouse and some others, standing in the hall, all of them looking worried.

Satine went to Christian's door, only to be stopped by a doctor on his way out. "You can't see him." The tall man said curtly. "I'm sorry, miss."

"You don't understand." Satine protested. "I need to see him. I love him!" The doctor said nothing as he pulled out a key and locked the door behind him. "Please." Satine begged. "Let me in!"

The doctor ignored her pleas. Satine stood by the door as the tears started flowing again. But then, she had an idea. She pulled a pin out of her hair and attempted to pick the lock. None of Christian's friends tried to stop her. After many long minutes, she heard a 'click' that meant only one thing. The door was unlocked.

With a shaking hand, Satine reached for the door handle, only to find that she couldn't open it. She turned to Toulouse, her eyes pleading. "Go, Satine." Toulouse said. "You love him. He loves you. You two were meant to be together." Satine, still shaking, nodded and pushed open the door.

"Oh…" She gasped, seeing Christian. He lay on his bed, not moving. His skin was pure white. His chest was heavily bandaged, but blood stained the once white cloths. "Oh, Christian."

Satine sat in the chair by Christian's bed, crying softly. "I should have just taken the money…" She took Christian's hand; It was unnaturally cold. "I should've just let you pay me…" She laid her head on his shoulder, her tears falling onto the bed.

"Christian, you have to live. I may be dying, but now you are as well. You must live, for me, if not anyone else. I knew the Duke was going to kill you. That's why I lied to you. I really do love you with all my heart. I love you."

Satine lay with Christian for what seemed like years. The sun was setting and it had gotten colder. A breeze blew into the room, making Satine shiver. She heard, or maybe she was dreaming, a barely audible voice. "Come…what…may…"

Satine lifted her head and smiled, tears brimming her eyes. Christian was looking up at her, smiling. "Come what may…" Satine said, pushing hair from Christian's face.

At that moment, the doctor came in looking furious. "Out!" He said sharply, pointing to the door.

"No," Christian said, his face contracting with pain. "Let her… stay." It sounded as if each word was a great effort. "Shh…" Satine whispered. "I won't leave you."

"He needs his rest. So would you if you just got shot." The doctor grabbed Satine's arm and led her to the door.

"Stop." Christian said weakly. "She…will stay…here!" The words were soon followed by a coughing fit. The doctor moved back to the bed a second too late. Christian's eyes closed as the coughing ceased. Satine's lower lip began to tremble. "Christian!"

"He's fine." The doctor announced after checking Christian's pulse. He looked extremely angry as he walked back to Satine. "You really should go. It'll be better for him. But he wants you here, so you might as well stay." A smile flashed across Satine's face. "But try and keep him quiet. He needs to heal properly."

Satine nearly ran back to Christian. She sat on the chair, humming softly as she ran her hands through Christian's dark brown hair. How small and helpless he looked; his face as white as the sheets he lay upon. Satine took his hand in hers, which was still horribly cold.

"Christian…you shouldn't have stayed. I'm not worth your life." Satine bent over and kissed Christian's lips. They, too, were cold.

Satine remained with Christian until the late hours of the night when the doctor came and sent her away. "I'll be back tomorrow." Satine promised, blowing a kiss to Christian's sleeping figure and closing the door gently behind her.

'Christian is going to get better.' Satine thought, cold biting her bare arms. 'I know he will.'

***

A/N: So…the first chapter of my first Moulin Rouge fic. What did you think? Review and tell me – I want to know! Constructive criticism is allowed, but flames will be considered mean. Try not to flame. If my story is that bad, don't review at all.