When Abby came back to herself and discovered Christian kissing her, she did what any normal woman would do. She threw her arms around him and fell forward so she was on top of him, keeping him from getting away; and deepening the kiss. Then she heard it.

"CHRIIIIIISTIIIAAAN!!!"

Uh oh.

Abby broke away smiling, letting Christian get up, a little dazed, so that he could explain to the indignant Satine who was standing with her arms crossed by the door, why he had been kissing Abby passionately enough to get lipstick all over his face.

"Satine, it's not what you think!" he whined as she pulled him away, yanking his ear.

"I'm… so….. sure," she hissed through her teeth.

"Whoo-chi! Coughwhippedcough" Abby commented just loudly enough for Satine and Chris to hear.

It inspired different things in each. Satine scowled, but Chris seemed to grow a backbone.

"Satine," he started, straitening and forcing her to release his ear, "I think Abby has a point."

"Standing up for that slut?!"

"Yes! I mean, she's not! I have a perfectly reasonable explanation for what you saw, but you never gave me a chance, even though you know I will always be true to you."

"Christian…"

"No, if this relationship is going to work then, although you have every right to demand my respect, I have a right to demand yours."

"I'm impressed!" I cheered, "Go Chris!" before going back to my ::wink:: previous occupation.

"Don't call me. Don't write.

Don't show up in the middle of the night.

You know that we needed some time and space to breathe in.

I've given all I had to give

and now it's time for me to live

and I won't look back and I won't regret,

though it hurts like hell,

some day I will forget" Christian sang in that adorable voice.

"Satine, we need some time apart." He said, walking over to Abby and putting his arm around her. "To discover what went wrong in our relationship."

"But… we're in love…"

"Love is special but it can happen again. To make it work, we need to be tuned to each other's needs. To do that, I think we need to see other people."

And with that, Chris left, grabbing Abby's hand and pulling her with him, leaving a speechless Satine behind.

I surfaced again long enough to giggle happily and earn a glare from Satine before she flounced out.

Later that night…

Me and Abby had decided that I would live down in Chris's apartment and she would live in Henri's- to keep from any, er, mixing among the couples at night. But before we settled down to sleep, I had spent a couple hours helping Henri with his lines, and she had been helping Chris write the script. I could hear her singing ideas down there,

"Yummy yummy yummy I got love in my tummy

And I feel like loving you.

Love you such a sweet thing,

Good enough to eat thing

And that's just what I'm gonna do."

And Chris singing back-

If you said goodbye to me tonight

There would still be music left to write

What else could I do?

I'm so inspired by you

That hasn't happened for the longest time

Once I thought that my innocence was gone

Now I know that happiness goes on

That's where you found me

When you put your arms around me

I haven't been there for the longest time

I'm that voice you're hearing in the hall

And the greatest miracle of all

Is how I ndeed you and how you needed me too

That hasn't happened for the longest time

Maybe this won't last very long

But you feel so right

And I could be wrong

Maybe I've been hoping too hard

But I've come this far

And it's more than I hoped for

Who knows how much further we'll go on

Maybe I'll be sorry when you're gone

I'll take my chances

I've forgot how nice romance is.

I haven't been there for the longest time

I had second thoughts at the start

I said to myself hold on to your heart

Now I know the woman that you are

You're wonderdul so far,

And it's more than I hoped for

I don't care what consequence it brings.

I have been a fool for lesser things

I want you so bad

I think you ought to know that

I intend to hold you for the longest time"

Now we were chatting, sitting on the couch in Henri's apartment so he could paint us.

"Life here is so… Beautiful." Abby sighed romantically.

"It's the bohemian lifestyle in a movie, Abbs, it tends to be fulfilling."

"I wish it weren't just a movie."

"It's not! It's something else now that we're here, we've changed it, but I bet if we went back, the MOVIE would be the same. This is a separate reality, OUR reality."

Never made it as a wise man

I couldn't cut it as a poor man stealin'

Tired of livin' like a blind man

I'm sick of sight without a sense of feelin'

"But we don't have to anymore, Abbs! We're in a world where we can live! Be who we are, take in every sight and sense and feel!"

And back at the elephant, lonely and dreading her meeting tomorrow night with the Duke, opening night…. Satine sang.

Sweet noble heart, I am forbidden

to ever see you again

your fair sweet face

which put me on the path of love

but truly I do not know

how I can expect

not to have to die soon

I am wounded by love

and have no joy or mirth

for to you, my sweet companion

I have given my heart.

"Christian, I'm sorry, I never thought you would leave me like this… I need you Chris… I love you… Come what May.

"Never knew I could feel like this,

It's like I've never seen the sky before

Want to vanish inside your kiss

Every day I love you more and more.

Listen to my heart

Can you hear it sing?

Telling me to give you everything

Seasons may change

Winter to spring,

But I love you

Until the end of time.

Come what may

Come what may

I will love you until my dying… day."

Back in the apartment, Chris tilted his head as if he'd heard something, then shook as if to clear it.