Sorry I didn't post at the end of the last chapter. I realized I left out the medley, but I promise it's in this chapter, and with good reason. Anyway, I don't own the characters yadda yadda yadda. I saw Star Wars yesterday. It was good. Sorry, I'm not pushing the movie, it's just yadda reminded me of Yoda and one thing led to another . . . Anyway, if you're curious about the French in this chapter, here's the interpretations:

Princess Fleur Diamant: Satine's character, the Princess Diamond Flower

Prime Minister bon Marché: Zibler's character, Prime Minister Cheapskate

Sir Audacieux: the male lead, Sir Daring

Kind of obvious names, I know, but just forget it. I think it's cute. And by the way, for those of you that are wondering, Zibler is not a typo. It's there on purpose.

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"So, at the end of act one, we have the princess locked in a tower in the evil Prime Minister's apartment." He gestured to Zibler, who had ended up taking the role of Prime Minister bon Marché and to Satine, who played Princess Fleur Diamant. He smiled at her, and she smiled back. Duke was sitting next to her, with his arm around her. She looked disgusted. "In the next act," Christian continued, "Princess Fleur will be rescued by her lover, the knight Sir Audacieux. An attempt at escape will be made, but bon Marché will discover them, and Sir Audacieux will be sentenced to death. Then the third act comes in."

"What happens in the third act?" asked an annoying young dancer named Nellie. Christian shrugged. "Don't know, haven't written that part yet." He winked almost imperceptibly at Satine. She smiled.

"All right, back to rehearsals!" Zibler yelled, replacing his hat and taking his place on the stage. Satine stood and took her place. Christian stopped her.

"Wait, Miss Satine. I have something to discuss with you. It's about your musical number in the fourth scene. Would you meet me tonight to work on it?" Satine smiled and nodded. "Of course. Anything for the show."

Duke jumped out of his seat. "But, my dear, we have dinner plans at the Restaurant Français De Fantaisie tonight! I pulled quite a few strings to get us in on such late notice!"

Satine turned and smiled at Duke. "Of course, darling, but my work calls. Scene four is such a pivotal scene, and we must have it perfected by tomorrow. Surely you understand?"

Duke nodded. "But just remember lunch tomorrow, sweet!"

Satine walked away with a fixed smile on her face. Christian leaned over a bit.

"Oh my gosh," she breathed through her smile.

"I know," Christian whispered back.

"Same time tomorrow, chaps!" Zibler called, breaking rehearsal for the day. The dancers all left at their own pace, either heading to the parking lot to drive home, or to their rooms in the club's apartment. Zibler called Christian over.

"This is some good shit, you s.o.b.," he said, hitting Christian on the shoulder, laughing. "I never would have thought sap could be so fuckin' good. You're a great writer, you know that? Shit, Christian, have you ever thought of having books published?"

Christian just shook his head. Zibler laughed again, then walked away. Christian walked slowly and nonchalantly toward a curtain covering a secret annex in the side wall. He found Satine waiting there for him. He walked straight to her and kissed her. They kissed for a few moments, until Duke called, "Satine? Satine, where are you?" She gently wiped the lipstick from his lips and around the edges of hers, kissed him on the cheek and said, "Tonight." Then she left. Christian hurried out of the back stairs. No one had seen him go in.

He got back to his apartment as quickly as possible. He didn't know why, but he had to get away. Henri was there already, making a wonderful dinner.

"Ah, Kwis, you'w hewe!" he said, pulling a roast turkey out of the oven. "I wath making thumthing thpecial fow youw dinnew tonight. Do you mind?"

Christian smiled. "Not in the least."

He threw his briefcase and jacket onto the couch, opened the door onto his balcony, and sat. He sat and thought until two hours later, there was a knock on his door.

"Come in," he called, going inside.

"Hi." Satine stepped inside. Christian thought she looked even more beautiful here in his apartment than in the harsh lights of the theater. So . . . pure and . . . innocent. He smiled.

"Please, sit. I'd like to tell you that I've made us a wonderful dinner, but that would be lying. Henri?" Henri came out of the kitchen carrying two platefuls of delicious-looking food. Satine clapped her hands together and looked as if she'd never seen a meal so grand. Christian lit two candles and had Henri turn the lights off. As they settled into their dinner, Satine asked:

"So, what are we going to do about the duet in scene four?"

Christian swallowed. "I don't know, I haven't really made up my mind."

"What if we . . . . what if we did a medley of every great love song you've ever heard?" Satine suggested.

"I like that idea. It could be . . ."

"All you need is love," Christian sang, pursuing Satine up the stairs in his building.

"A girl has got to eat," she said back.

"All you need is love."

"She'll end up on the street!"

"All you need is love."

She sang for the first time. "Love is just a game."

"I was made for loving you baby, you were made for loving me," Christian sang as he jumped in front of her and did a little dance.

"The only way of loving me, baby, is to pay a lovely fee." She didn't quite know what she was singing, but she flipped her hair as she walked past him.

"'A lovely fee'?" Christian asked, laughing.

"Shut up, it rhymes with 'me.'"

Christian laughed, but continued. "Just one night, give me just one night."

"There's no way 'cause you . . . can't pay? Shut up."

"In the name of love," he opened the door onto the roof and they climbed onto it, "One night in the name of love!"

"You crazy fool, I won't give in to you."

"Don't . . . leave me this way, I can't survive without your sweet love, oh baby, don't leave me this way." Satine leaned onto the railing around the edge of the roof.

"You'd think that people would've had enough of silly love songs."

"I look around me and I see it isn't so, oh no."

"Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs."

"Well what's wrong with that," he sang, trying to kiss her, "I'd like to know," she pulled away, "Cause here I go . . ."

He ran to jump onto the railing on the other side of the roof, "Again! Love lifts us up where we belong, where eagles fly on a mountain high." That was the last one he could think of!

Satine pulled him down. "Love makes us act like we are fools. Throw our lives away for one happy day." Shit, here I go, he thought.

Inspiration struck Christian as she walked expectantly toward the stair door. "We could be heroes, just for one day!"

"You," she sang, walking down the stairs, "You will be mean."

"No, I won't," he followed her.

"And I, I'll drink all the time."

They reached his room. "We should be lovers," he sang as a confused Henri looked on.

"We can't do that."

"We should be lovers, and that's a fact."

"Though nothing could keep us together?"

"We could steal time . . ."

"Just for one day," they sang together, "We could be heroes forever and ever . . . we could be heroes forever and ever . . . we could be heroes . . ."

Christian broke into, "Just because I will always love you . . ."

"I can't help loving . . ."

"Mmmm," Christian hummed.

"How wonderful life is," she sang.

"Now you're in the world," they answered each other.

"That's perfect," she whispered, her lips dangerously close to his.

"I'm glad you like it."

They kissed again. Their food was getting cold.

When Satine and her costar, the Narcoleptic Argentinean secretary, of all people, were on-stage the following day, Christian was directing them to their spots.

"No, no, that's not how I want it. Like this," he stepped into the Argentinean's place, put his arm around Satine and sang, "Just because I will always love you."

"I can't help loving . . ."

"Mmmm . . ."

"How wonderful life is . . ."

"Now you're in the world."

She leaned in. "You're going to be very bad for my reputation, I can tell." The orchestra built to an ending, and Satine and Christian kissed. They broke after realizing they had gotten a little too into it. Christian cleared his throat and walked away, slightly smiling. Satine was smiling as well.

"Right, so Audacieux and Fleur sing their song, then the Prime Minister comes in, and they pretend to be in the midst of singing lessons."

They took their places. Zibler walked in wearing a huge turban on his head.

"What are you doing?" he bellowed, script in hand.

"Why, my darling," Satine said, we were just having a singing lesson.

"Wait!" Christian yelled, "Is there a reason, Mister Zibler, why you're wearing that turban?"

After a brief argument, Zibler removed his turban. Satine giggled at Christian's face the entire time. She loved him. She really loved him.