Chapter 3

Christian looked at his familiar surroundings. Here he was, back in familiar settings, back even in his own old quarters.

"Christian!"

"Toulouse!"

"You are back!"

"Ah, it's good to be back, Toulouse. How is everything?"

His friend peered at him from above his small spectacles. "Opening night is tonight, Christian. Satine has been involved in nothing but her work. Although she brushes me off everytime I so much as mention your name. But honestly Christian, Satine has been involved in absolutely nothing but work. She ignores even the Duke if she can help it."

Christian's heart swelled with relief. It relieved him that she was keeping the Duke at a distance. Perhaps it actually means something. Perhaps that there was still a chance that Satine was still in love with him.

"I need to see her, Toulouse."

Toulouse sighed. "It's difficult, Christian. The Duke has guards waiting to stop you from even entering the Moulin Rouge."

"You have to find a way, my friend."

He frowned. "Harold." A familiar grin broke on Toulouse's face. "Yes. Harold Zidler should be able to help you."

"Take me to him."

"Of course."

When Toulouse made no indication of actually moving, Christian gestured to the door. "Now."

A surprised look crossed Toulouse's face when he realised that Christian was serious. "Oh! Of course, Christian. Come."

Satine sighed as she stared out the window from the Elephant. Today was opening night. Tonight was the night that she would have to sleep with the Duke. There mere thought of it brought out goosebumps.

Satine glanced at her pale porcelain skin. There was goosebumps but there was something else that seemed to be the cause of her unease. She glanced downwards into the streets that were below her tower. The streets were empty. Empty but for a single man who stood across the street from her tower. Satine could not make out the man's face, he was too far below. But for a completely unknown reason, Satine could not divert her attention from the dark figure. It was as if there was an unknown force compelling her, drawing her to him.

'Who was this man?' She wondered. Even though it was utterly impossible to see anything, Satine had a strange feeling that the man could see her. That he was watching her.

Shuddering, Satine backed away from the window and sat down in front of her mirror. A pale reflection greeted her as she reached for her lipstick to prepare for the night. She was going to have to get through this. She had chosen this life. She had given up Christian and all her hopes of love and a renewed life with Christian. She has to get through this. Then maybe, just maybe, she would have a bit, just a bit of happiness with all the fame, richness and splendours that the Duke could offer her before her final day came.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. "Come in," she called out, expecting Harold.

Harold Zidler walked into the room, his worry masked by the smile playing on his lips. But Satine knew him well. She could see the worry in his eyes. But this game was not new to her. She pretended nothing was wrong and he did the same. Both masking the truth that threatened to change everything.

"All ready, my dear?"

"Of course, Harold. Tonight's the big night," she replied, a smile playing on her own lips.

"Nervous?"

She laughed. "Harold, you should know me by now. When do I ever get nervous?"

"True. Now come, we should head for Moulin Rouge. The show will be starting soon. You need to get ready for the first act."

She shook her head at him. "You go ahead Harold. I need," she paused, "A moment. I will join you soon."

Ordinarily, Harold would not have bothered with such nonsense of needing "a moment". He was a businessman and Satine knew that "moments" cause money and time. But times have changed.

Nodding his head, he warned, "Don't be late."

"He's gone to find her."

"Come on, Nini, please, help me once. When will he be back? I have to speak to Harold."

Nini simply shook her head in reply. "I'm not sure when he'll be back, Toulouse. I'm sorry I can't be of much help. But he should be back soon with Satine. The show is starting soon."

Toulouse did not hear her last few words. He was distracted by the man coming through the door. "Harold! Harold!"

"Toulouse! What are you doing here?"

"I need a favour from your Harold. He's back. Christian is back!"

The look on Harold Zidler was unreadable to Toulouse. Harold kept his emotions carefully masked. 'It would be good for Satine to be reunited once more with the man she is in love with. But would it jeopardize the way things would turn out tonight? Would Christian's presence make her want to leave the Duke, to leave the play?' Questions were running uncontrollably through his mind as he contemplated what was best for both Satine and Moulin Rouge.

"Harold, you have to help him meet her. You've seen how Satine was since he left. Though she hides it well, you know just how much pain she's in." Toulouse pleaded.

Harold Zidler frowned. Toulouse was right, he did know just how much pain she was in, but heartache was not the only thing that Satine is suffering from. She was in a greater deal of pain than any of them can imagine.

"Harold."

A new voice interrupted his train of thoughts. Harold looked up only to find himself looking into the familiar handsome face of Christian. All his thoughts disappeared, leaving his mind in a blank state of panic. He had not set in stone what his decision would be - whether it would be to prevent the meeting between the two or to allow Christian to meet her.

He looked at Christian for a moment, noticing that he seemed to have lost some weight. His face was much thinner and he looked as though he had not been sleeping well. Clearly, the separation was taking a toll on Christian as much as it was taking a toll on Satine.

Finally deciding, Harold nodded at Christian and said, "Come with me, Christian."

Relief flooded Christian as he followed Harold. His smile grew wider when he heard Toulouse cheer behind him.

"Where is she?" He asked the older man.

Satine drew her cloak closer to herself as the cold wind blew. She had decided to take a longer route to Moulin Rouge. She needed the time to compose herself, to mentally prepare herself for whatever that awaits her that night. This time goosebumps broke out on her skin but it was not from the cold. An image of the Duke had appeared in her mind, reminding her.

"Excuse me."

A soft voice startled her. She relaxed a little when she saw the well-dressed gentleman approach her.

"I'm sorry. But do you know where the Moulin Rouge is?"

Satine stared at the man. The streetlights were too dim for her to see his face clearly but there was something in his voice that just simply caught her attention.

"Yes I do. In fact, I'm heading there myself. Shall I show you the way?" She replied, slightly embarrassed at her own slow response.

Satine assumed that he smiled when he said thank you because she thought she could almost make out a smile on the stranger's face just before he turned away from her. The pair walked side by side in silence. They were still a distance away from the Moulin Rouge, not too far away as she could already hear the buzz of voices and songs that would always surround the Moulin Rouge at night. She assumed that tonight, the atmosphere would be even more boisterous than ever before as tonight would be the opening night of their very first play.

"Are you performing tonight?"

Satine turned to the man, startled at his question. He could not have been from around here or he would have known that Satine was in fact the leading lady of Moulin Rouge, the famous Sparkling Diamond. Not that she thought that everyone should know who she is but simply because the men of Montmartre, Paris, and sometimes, more often than not, beyond the district itself, were constant and faithful customers at the Moulin Rouge. So it was always quite common to have someone recognise her even when she was not in Moulin Rouge.

"Yes, I am. Where are you from, sir?" She asked, simply to keep the conversation flowing and to calm her nerves which had begun to fray since every step they took brought them closer to the place she called home. Although it certainly does not feel like home at the moment.

"Not around here." Came the easy reply. "I see we're here."

Satine stopped in her tracks herself when the man stopped to survey the view of the busy and happening Moulin Rouge. She turned to see his reaction to the inviting atmosphere.

"There is a new play today..."

But words failed her. The moment her eyes caught sight of the man next to her, words failed her.

Note: Yes, I'm back on the writing scene after a very long absence on my part, which I'm very very sorry about. It was a mixture of writers' block and a tremendous load of coursework. Anyways, please do review. I'll update more often. Thanks!