Okay, this is finally the last chapter. I'm really going to miss writing this! I really hope you liked it, please review and tell me what you thought!

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Chapter 12

The sun shone brightly through my bedroom windows and gently nudged my eyelids open. I groaned as I sat up in bed. I had had a restless night, not being able to stop worrying about Christian. I just had the strangest feeling of dread whenever I thought about him. I wondered if last night had been a dream. It certainly felt like it.

I glanced at the clock as I entered the hallway. 10:30. I hadn't slept that late in a long time. I was usually up before Father went off to work. I sighed, changed into my clothes, and had the maid, Ms. Shannon, prepare breakfast for me. It wasn't long before there was a knock on the front door.

"I'll get it!" I called to Ms. Shannon. I scampered into the foyer and threw open the door.

There in front of me stood Christian. Not the one I had seen yesterday, but closer to the one I remembered and loved so dearly. His beard had been totally shaved off. There was still dark circles under his eyes, but they were not nearly as noticeable as before. He still wore the same dirty clothes.

"Christian!" I squealed. "You...you're..."

He smirked playfully. "Nice to see you, too."

I laughed and jumped into his arms. "I just got back from the publishers'," he told me. "I dropped my book off, and they're going to let me know if they decide to publish it or not. I think I have a pretty good chance."

"Are you serious?! That's great! I know they'll publish it!" I exclaimed, and started hopping up and down to display my excitement

Ms. Shannon came up behind me. "Master Christian!" she exclaimed, shocked to see him there standing on our front door step after over a year.

"Uh, oh," I muttered. I was worried that she would tell Father about Christian.

"Don't worry about it," Christian assured me. "Father's going to find out sooner or later."

I grinned. "Come in!"

He gazed slowly around the house as he entered, reliving old memories. "I'm, uh . . . just going to go up to my room and get some clothes," he told me as he headed up the stairs.

"Come back down and get something to eat when you're done," Ms. Shannon said kindly.

He smiled at her. Well, at least, he attempted to smile. The corners of his mouth turned up, which I assumed was his best effort at a smile. I knew he wasn't completely back to normal yet. He couldn't possibly change that drastically in one night. But at least he had taken a step toward recovery and filled me with hope. With my help, maybe he could even return to his old self one day. Just maybe.

I waited downstairs for awhile, but I soon decided that I couldn't wait any longer. I bounded up the stairs and knocked on Christian's bedroom door.

"Come in."

"Welcome back," I said as I walked into his room and sat on his bed.

"Thanks," he replied. He appeared to be in deep thought. "I. . . I need to tell you something. Something important."

"Alright," I said, not thinking much of it. He took a deep breath and began.

"Before you came over last night, after I gave you the book, I-I was going to . . . I was thinking about . . ." He avoided my intent gaze and fidgeted like mad. "Well," he went on, "I was thinking a lot and I couldn't imagine living the rest of my life without Satine, and. . .and I couldn't find a reason t-to go on." I didn't move a muscle. I just stared at him, trying to understand what he was attempting to tell me. "I thought about . . . maybe ending all the pain by. . .by. . . ."

I didn't need to hear anymore. I knew what he was planning to do. I held my breath as I thought about what it meant. If I hadn't come back to his apartment . . .

"But then you came," he continued, his eyes beginning to cloud with tears, "and you made me realize that Satine wouldn't have wanted me to be like this. I dreamt last night that she was crying for me up in heaven. She said that all she wants is for me to be happy, and move on with my life, and . . . and I remembered her last words. She wanted me to tell our story." He wiped his tears away. "You don't know how much you helped me. You practically saved my life." He stared at me and waited for my response.

I didn't know how to respond. I was still shocked from learning that my brother had nearly

ended his life just last night. He wrapped his arms around me after I didn't do anything. I shuddered, thinking that if things had gone differently last night, then I wouldn't be here in his embrace.

"Will you help me come back to life?" he asked, piercing my eyes with his gaze.

"Yes," I answered. I would do anything for him.

We sat there for a few moments in silence.

"Have you really stopped believing in love?" I asked after awhile.

He looked away for a moment and then shook his head. "No, no. I've always known that love was real. After Satine died, I just . . . I was so devastated and furious that she had been so unfairly taken away from me,. It was the first time I realized that love can't overcome everything." He sighed. "I learned a lot in Montmartre. I was so damn naive before."

No, don't say that! I wanted to say. I wanted to tell him that I still believed in everything he used to say; that I still clung on to his every word. But for some reason, I chose not to say anything.

"Do you think you'll ever love again?" I asked instead.

"No," he replied forcefully. "I'll never love anyone like I loved Satine ever again." He stared out the window with silent determination for a moment, and then turned to me. "But it's not too late for you," he said, and smiled. It was another glimpse of the old Christian, and the first time I had seen him sincerely smile since he had left over a year before.

I laughed. "You know Father would not like that. He's going to arrange my marriage," I said.

"Ah, yes, it would be absolutely dreadful if you ever turned out like that horrible brother of yours," he mimicked Father, making me break out into a fit of giggles. And for the first time since he had returned, Christian laughed. I savored the moment; the sound of his laughter was music to my ears.

"But seriously," he went on, "I'm sorry about what I said last night. I wasn't thinking right. Love is real, and I know that for a fact because I've experienced it. Love is still all you need."

A wave of relief washed over me as he said those words. "But what about you?" I asked meekly.

"Don't worry about me," he said resolutely. "Father can't control you forever. When you realize this, you can do anything you've ever wanted to do. Don't give in to him: marry for love only. Nothing else matters, do you understand?" I nodded in response, but that wasn't good enough for him. He held on to my shoulders and forced me to look him in the eye. "Promise me that you'll follow your own dreams; that you won't give in."

Before I could reply, I could barely hear the light clip-clop of horses on the street below, outside the window. I turned my head to look outside, but he seized my shoulders and turned me back to face him.

"Promise me," he said firmly. The intensity of his stare made his eyes seem as though they were burning into my soul.

"I promise," I answered as earnestly as I could. It seemed to satisfy him and he let go, sitting on his bed. I jumped up and glanced out the window.

"Father's home," I declared anxiously, watching as Father made his way to the front door.

Christian nodded, took a deep breath, and looked at the door nervously. I slipped my hand into his and smiled at him. He smiled back. We slowly approached the door. Whatever happened, we were in it together, for better or for worse. We would face Father down, just as we would face the problems and difficulties of life. And I would always be there for Christian for the rest of our lives, until the day when he would return to his beloved Satine in heaven.

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Please, please review! I'm trying to think of ideas for a new fanfic, but I can't think of anything. I'm proud of this story; it's the only Moulin Rouge story that I have completed. Thanks for reading and reviewing!