Christian suddenly awoke, bright and early, the next day. He rubbed his eyes and glanced around his lonely garret. He closed his eyes and laid himself back down onto his soft pillow, as he softly smiled to himself. Satine, was all that was on his mind, Satine. She was beautiful in his dream but when he had seen her in flesh she was more like a dream. Her hair truly was that excellent shade of red and her eyes truly were dazzling blue. He knew today was going to be a good day because Satine was in the world.

Christian took long deep breaths a reflected upon the night before, when he had been in her dressing room, and her graceful dance to that wild song. A fairly extravagant smile was upon his face now as the thoughts of Satine were embedded deep into his head.

"Christian?" Some one called from above. Christian slightly opened one eye to peer at the immense hole in the ceiling. Satie was staring down at him, wearing a most joyous smile. Christian, annoyed from having been disturbed when thinking of his love, got up from his bed and walked over to the hole. He peered up at the whole bunch of Boho's and sighed.

"What?" Christian put his hands on his hips as Satie attempted to climb down the ladder only to stop half way in the middle so to be a little taller than Christian.

"How did things go with you and…eh hem….Mademoiselle Satine?" Asked Satie, with all the other bohemians glaring down on them with eager faces. Christian smiled as his face turned bright red. He turned to his type writer and chuckled. He casually scratched the back of his head.

"They went…ah…alright…" Christian faded off. The boho's looked around at each other and appointed Satie to be the one who asks why.

"What happened?"

"Well, I met her in her dressing room and that's about it," Christian replied, smiling.

"And???"

"And what?"

"Exactly!! And what??"

"Well, I, uh, read her this, uh, poem," Christian handed Satie a the folded papers and Satie took them cautiously. He slowly opened them up to reveal lovers heart written down into words. Quietly he read and all the while showed no emotion but was instead rather astounded.

"You read her this?" Satie asked, wearing an excited smile.

"Yes," Christian smiled as if proud of himself and quickly snatched the papers away from Satie. He put them back into his coat pocket and suddenly perked up. He got up from his seat and put on a black pair of slacks. He pulled a white shirt over himself and pulled the suspender straps over right and left shoulder. For the final touch, he placed his black hat upon his head, grabbed his coat and headed out the door without even a goodbye, let alone explanation, to the bohemians.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Satine held onto her vanity as if it were in her death grip. She clenched her teeth and breathed heavily, all the while closing her eyes. She hate this, it hurt her and almost felt as if her body was going to cave in. Her ribs would tighten up and her breath would become more shallow. Why were women subjected to such pain just o be beautiful? This she could never figure for herself, it was always such a puzzle. No, corsets were the puzzle.

Marie tightly tied each and every string on Satine's corset, making quite sure that it was so tight that her slim waist shrunk to about a size 15. She knew the pain of it and often felt bad for Satine but yet it was such a small price to pay for a beautiful body.

Satine felt the blood rushing through her body. She still held on to the vanity and she forced herself to make her breaths more light and more short, so she Marie could soon finish.

There was nothing more painful to Satine that this torture. It felt as it a vice had a hold of her and was squeezing every bit of life out. She tried to relax, she tried to ease the pain but nothing, nothing worked.

At least soon, or so she hoped, it would all be over, well for today anyway. She would be able to dress and go down to Montmartre and mingle with the people, her favorite thing. Or perhaps she could read in the garden of the Moulin Rouge, she loved to do that as well. No, she just didn't feel like doing any of those this day. No, there was something else but she didn't know what.

Marie heaved as she finished tying the last string on Satine's corset. Satine sighed with relief and turned around to finish dressing. She had picked out a lovely blue frock with a long, slender skirt and pale blue trimming. Marie helped her place it over top her tight body and tie that up as well. Satine placed blue heels on her feet and had Marie pulled her hair up into a bun with some hair in the back to cover he neck. She took a glance in the mirror at the smile at herself. A tune popped into her small head and she began to hum it.

She swiftly glided down the hall, smiling at everyone she passed, even Nini, who didn't appear to be happy as Satine. She headed across the dance floor and out into the world, where she was met by Jolie and Violette.

"Bonjour!!" Satine smiled at both her best friends.

"Bonjour, Satine" The girls both replied in unison.

"Satine, Uh, what was with the handsome man in your dressing room?" Violette asked as the three girls linked arms, headed down the steps of the Moulin Rouge, and out into the garden.

"Wh….What do you mean? What man?" Satine looked at Viollette, trying to hid her thoughts about Christian who had actually been in her room the past night.

"What man?!?! You know!! The one with the black hair and the absolutely gorgeous smile!!" Violette exclaimed, causing the girls to pause in their tracks.

"Honestly, I don't were you get such ideas Violette!! I mean, I was with Harbin all night," Satine smiled as she pushed the girls into continuing their walk.

"No, Satine. Be honest with us. I saw him too," Jolie glared at Satine who had now lost her smile and was absolutely speechless. Satine let go of the girls arms and pranced off, quite offended by them and quite bothered.

Satine stalked out into the streets of Montmartre, not looking back. It was stupid of her to have let Christian stay!! Though, he was rather handsome and he did read her the beautiful poem. Satine paused in her tracks once again and shut her eyes. She slowly tilted her head back as if to look at the sky and smiled. When, suddenly, she felt the stiffness of someone's elbow go right into her back, causing her to open her eyes and slightly fall forwards. Annoyed, Satine slowly turned around the face the stranger.

Their eyes met and they were face to face.

Satine smiled and found herself blushing as her eyes moved from his face to the ground and back again and again.

Christian smiled as he gently lifted Satine's hand into his and up to his mouth. His softly placed a tender kiss upon the porcelain hand of hers, making Satine quiver.

"Mademoiselle Satine, never thought I would be lucky enough to be graced by your presence in such a place," Christian looked deep into her eyes, but Satine turned away but found hard to resist not looking back at him.

"Well, I hate to disappoint you but I must be on my way," Satine quickly replied, trying to cover up her secret feelings for him.

"Yes, well, it was a pleasure seeing you again," Christian smiled at her. Satine brushed past him and glanced back a final time. Christian looked down at the ground and he, too, smiled. He watched as his love graciously walked back into the glory that is The Moulin Rouge.

Satine soon caught up with her friends again, Jolie and Violette. They both smiled at her as she quickly walked past them. Jolie and Violette paced themselves steadily behind her, only to leave when they both met with their true loves, Geurin and Alexandre.

Satine watched all four of them pranced off into Montmartre and held herself. She leaned against the doors of the Moulin Rouge and smiled to herself. She was finally not going to be lonely anymore. Though, how was she to confront Christian about it and Harold? Satine began to realize, more and more, how she was beginning to feel like a school girl once more and she wouldn't let it bother her. She was finally in love and she felt unable to show it.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Satine slowly glided down the hallway in the back of the Moulin Rouge. She held herself and couldn't stop smiling for it was finally her turn, her turn to love. She gazed around and new that she was finally going to be leaving this dreadful place that only sent lies out to those who came begging for them.

Satine turned her head to the right in the eye view of one of many pictures that were once there at the big Moulin. The painting was that of a women holding a small baby in her snow white arms. The baby itself was made of wonderful tans, pinks, and blues of many shades. She smiled and stretched her hand out, longing to graze the baby's short tan arm. Satine gently rubbed the painting baby's arm and felt his smooth curves. When, just then, a noise struck Satine that was of no noise that was un familiar to her. She turned from the painting and followed the noise into the back room. Upon entering, Satine checked both hallways and when she was sure they were clear she entered the dark room.

A white lump was lying upon the desk. Satine cautiously went over to it and placed her hand upon it as if to inspect it's contents. She gently pulled away the soft fold of the blanket to reveal a pleasantly plump face casting his big beautiful eyes back at her. Satine gasped and picked the baby up into her arms.

Satine hurriedly rushed the baby out of the room before a single soul could spot and question her. She jogged steadily all the way, up to her elephant. She pushed open the door and up the stairs so fast that she almost lost her footing. She was now breathing heavily and felt her eye lids getting heavy. The world around her started turning black and she could feel her chest tightening up. Her breathing became shallow and she felt her grip on the baby getting looser. Satine could no longer fight the pain inside her but refused to let go of the baby. Her knees below her got weak and Satine was forced to fall to the ground as she let out one…..last…..breath……