Hi everyone!! Thanks for the reviews, and I hope I can fit some of your ideas into the next few chapters. I like your idea Saz, and I'll try to put it in this chapter!! Sorry about the format of the 1st chapter, I wasn't quite sure about the site yet seeing as this is the first thing I've done. Sorry about the huge block of text lol. Just to set things straight for you people that think Christian is going to die, I wouldn't ever think of that happening, so don't worry lol. Keep the reviews coming, and I'll keep writing. Thanx!! ~Katie~
Chapter 2- All the Luck in Paris

As the dark of night turned into the light of dawn, the Duke was about to give up his unsuccessful search for HIS Sparkling Diamond. He was as fed up with the whole situation as he could possibly be and couldn't think of anywhere else where Satine could be-until that precise moment. He had been sitting inside Zidler's office with the old man himself as well as Warner. He sat silently with a blank expression on his rather strange features staring at the wall that was covered in Toulouse's illustrations of Satine in her many flashy and colorful costumes. "I wonder what will become of Christian's belongings up in that little garret of his," Zidler continued after thinking about what he had just thought out loud," Maybe that's where my little chickpea was always running off to after rehearsals." Suddenly, the Duke sprang out of his chair, and Zidler silently regretted what he had just said. Christian's garret was virtually the only place in Montmarte where the Duke had not yet searched every corner of. "Of course!" he thought, "Why didn't I think of it before?" Warner had been sitting quietly and rather impatiently in the corner of the small room fidgeting with the gun that had almost killed Christian the night before. More suddenly than he had sprung from his seat, the Duke grabbed the gun from his servant and stomped out of the office slamming the door behind him. Zidler quickly ran after him, now having some sympathy for Satine and her penniless writer. He caught up to the Duke and tried to bargain with him, "You should leave them alone. Didn't you hurt the boy enough?" He was pushed aside by the force of the Duke's determination and was left staring at him dumbfounded as he headed to where Christian and Satine slept peacefully, yet little did the lovers know that this peacefulness wouldn't last much longer.

Toulouse sat hunched over on the rooftop drinking as he usually did every morning. He watched the passersby as they went about their morning affairs. He always had a hidden fascination with watching people, sometimes feeling a bit jealous of their movements as he considered his physical disadvantage. This morning he was distracted by something else. Though he kept a close watch on the people down below, his mind was occupied with the events of the night before. He wanted desperately to check on his injured friend but knew that Satine was caring for him at that very moment. Toulouse knew that Christian would recover, and past events showed proof that this certain knowledgeable dwarf was seldom wrong about the future. As this thought left his mind, he was distracted by a certain person down below that seemed to push his way through the moderately crowded street. He saw that the figure was carrying something, and could barely make out the shape of the object but quickly realized that it was a gun after seeing the mysterious yet familiar man load the weapon. Yes, this man was indeed familiar, almost too familiar for that matter. It was the person that everyone in the village of sin secretly despised, the man whose voice made everyone cringe, and the man who was on a deadly mission. Toulouse immediately knew exactly where the Duke was headed, and to his ultimate dismay, it was the worst place possible in his eyes. Toulouse hopped up from his perch and ran as fast as his unusually short legs would carry him to the apartment below where Christian and Satine slept peacefully. He would have done anything to make this peacefulness last forever, and he would do his best to achieve his goal.

Satine was awakened by the sound of Christian coughing. It really was a terrible sound, she thought, and she would have done anything to stop it from reaching her ears. He was quieted, however, when she gently laid him down on his back and massaged his chest with her warm hands. Once his breathing was back to normal she brought her lips to his shoulder and kissed him lightly. She then realized that, despite the rising of the sun, the temperature had dropped dramatically, and Christian was already more chilled than necessary. She grabbed his shirt that had been placed on the chair beside the bed the night before and buttoned it up before softly kissing his lips. He stared up at her with loving eyes the as she dressed him warmly and snuggled as close to her as he could trying to regain the warmth he had lost from Satine not lying by his side any longer. Satine was relieved to realize that her love's condition had drastically improved since the night before, and when looking down at him she saw that he had drifted back to sleep. Without any words except a barely audible "I love you" she left the bed to dress for the day. As she finished fixing her hair she was jolted from her spot in front of the mirror when the door opened with a loud crack. Toulouse suddenly appeared out of breath and with fear in his eyes. "The Duke is coming for you," he said in a low and slightly shaky voice. Satine was frozen in fear. What else could he possibly want? He had already left Christian near death. Was it possible for him to ruin her life any more? When Toulouse explained that the Duke carried a gun she realized that the answer to that question was a dreadful yes. After a quick pause in voices, Toulouse said quietly, "Come up to my studio, and the two if you can hide in my attic until he leaves." Satine nodded hopefully and strode back over to the bed where Christian still slept. She sat down on the edge next to him, and whispered his name. He slowly opened his eyes trying to chase away the bright light that the large window allowed in the room. Mustering all of her fearlessness and hope together, Satine calmly explained what was happening to Christian. He nodded slowly after she asked if he was able to walk, and she helped him out of bed. She quickly grabbed his faded navy blue coat and wrapped it around his shoulders. She also took his hat from the rack and settled it atop his head incase a disguise was absolutely necessary.

It took minutes just to help Christian up the stairs, and when finally in Toulouse's humble abode Satine and Christian were cramped into a small room above Toulouse's studio which was absentmindedly called an attic. They were told to remain as quiet as a mouse and nodded obediently as little children. After Toulouse had continued about his daily chores trying his best to not make anything seem obvious, Christian settled into Satine's embrace once again fearing his life. "Who called this a bloody attic? I can hardly breathe, and I was beginning to think that I was feeling a bit better." Satine giggled quietly and pushed a stray strand of near black hair from his eyes. She kissed his cheek and told him to save his voice, and he was soon asleep for the second time that morning. It definitely would take all the luck in Paris to win this battle, and when footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs to Toulouse's studio Satine felt as if they were losing.

Still, To Be Continued.