Disclaimer - I, do not own the rights to the "Sparkling Diamond[s]" of a movie, "Moulin Rouge" (If I did I would be a genius going by the name of Baz Luhrmann). I am simply one of the "Children of the Revolution" (Although one of "Elephant [Melody]" proportions) that writes fanfiction "Because We Can". "Come What May", but please do not sue me or I will be a "Sad Hindi Diamond". May this be "Your Song" and may you say "Some Day I'll Fly Away"! (I do not own the songs used in this story or in the titles of the chapters either.)

*A Bohemian Storm Is Brewing*

Truth * Beauty * Freedom * Love

~Casidy

§=Þ

*~*

"Quoi Qu'il Arrive"

~ Part XXVII: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road ~
By Mariclaire

On their way out of the park, Satine tightly wrapped her coat around herself and snuggled into Christian. She felt at ease now that she had talked to him about having children. She nuzzled his neck just as a sign that she was thankful for his love.

Christian laughed as he looked down at her smiling face.

"What is it?" she demanded playfully.

"You have some sugar left on your mouth," he said, pointing from his lips to hers.

"Where?" she asked, lifting her gloved hand to wipe away the sticky sugar. But before she could reach her mouth, Christian caught her hand and turned her around to face him.

"Let's see," he said, kissing her bottom lip. "You had some there." He moved up to the corner of her smile and ran his tongue across it, "and there." He then placed a kiss sweeter than the sugar itself on her chin. "And some was there, too. But now it's all gone."

Satine giggled, "do you know how much I love you?"

"I may have an idea," he smiled, running his hand across her cheek.

Their heads tilted, and they captured each other's lips in a heated kiss. A light snow flurry started to fall from the sky, but it took the happy couple a moment to immerge from their own little world.

"We better get home, looks like the snow might get heavy again," Christian advised, taking Satine's hand again as they started towards home.

Suddenly, Satine felt her knees buckle and if it hadn't been for Christian, she would have stumbled into a slushy pile of ice. Several ragged coughs escaped her lips and her throat felt raw from the quick gasps of frigid air that she had to take in.

"Darling, are you all right?" Christian asked, his eyes full of concern and his arms securely supporting Satine.

It took Satine awhile before she could catch her breath again, but when she did, she mustered a smile and replied, "Oh, yes of course. It's just a cough, probably from being outside in the cold too long." Satine could still see the worry in Christian's eyes. "How about we get home as quickly as possible. And then I'm sure we can find some very efficient ways of warming each other up," she added with a devilish grin.

Christian's brilliant smile quickly returned and the couple made it home in half the time it had taken them to get to the park.

*~*

"Are you warmed up, my darling poet?" Satine asked breathlessly, climbing on top of Christian, who was panting very hard.

"Oh…yes…" he breathed, exhausted and spent. No sooner had they walked in the door, had Satine taken him upstairs, stripped him of his clothes and gotten him under the covers. 'Warmed up' was an understatement.

Christian was pulled from his thoughts as Satine's wandering hands traveled down his slick chest.

He laughed, "you are just a bundle of energy, aren't you?" Christian pulled her delicate body to his and kissed her shoulders and neck. Satine arched her back in his grasp as his kisses trailed across her throat and down to her chest.

Christian looked up to face his love who's delighted expression and quickened pulse most certainly matched his own. She pulled him into a tight hug and Christian arranged the sheets around them and then pulled the down feather quilt up to rest just below their chins. He softly brushed his nose against hers.

They lay like that for almost an hour, just listening to the other breath and enjoying the feeling of skin against skin.

Satine suddenly felt her chest muscles contract and she frantically gasped for air. She sat up and grabbed a fistful of the bed linens in anguish, trying to get a full breath. Long after she finished coughing and sputtering, Christian continued to rub small circles across her back.

"Are you sure you're all right?" He asked.

"Yes, it's just a cough, it will go away," Satine said, trying to convince herself as well as Christian.

"I think you should probably go to the doctor."

"Oh Christian, that's not necessary," she replied.

"Darling, you had me quite scared there for a moment." he whispered.

Satine could see his obvious concern and said, "Today's a Sunday, I don't want to bother anyone at home. If I'm still not feeling well by tomorrow, we can schedule an appointment. Promise."

"All right," he agreed, slowly. "I just don't want to see anything happen to you."

*~*

Later that evening, Christian and Satine sat in their new dining room, enjoying each other's company and the delicious meal Daphne had prepared for them. Their plates were filled with herbed pot roast, lightly seasoned potatoes as well as a selection of pickled vegetables that had been stored from the summer.

Daphne came into the dining room and refilled their wineglasses and Christian nodded with a smile and thanked her. As he raised the glass to his lips, he couldn't help but notice the heavy circles under Satine's eyes, made even more noticeable by the dim candlelight.

Christian held out his hand and Satine wiped her lips with her napkin and willingly placed her hand in his. "I love you," she whispered.

He smiled, "I love you, too." He paused for a few moments, "Are you sure there's nothing wrong?" He asked.

"I am a bit tired," Satine confessed.

Christian's expression eased, "Well, we can retire early tonight, darling. And we aren't exactly on a very tight schedule," he said with a wink. "You can get all the rest you need."

"That sounds wonderful," she replied, suppressing a yawn. "I don't know why, I just feel like I don't have very much energy."

Christian smiled and made sure Daphne wasn't near before he lowered his voice and murmured, "I should say so, after our little escapade this afternoon."

Satine blushed and took one last sip from her water.

Christian stood up from the table and called out, "Daphne?"

The young girl appeared just as quickly as she had left. "Yes, sir?"

"Thank you for dinner, it was lovely, but I think Satine and I will be retiring early this evening," he said, helping Satine out of her chair.

Daphne nodded and began to clear the table as Christian and Satine walked hand in hand from the dining room. Once they reached the staircase, Christian swept Satine off her feet and began to carry her up the stairs.

"Christian!" Satine giggled. "What are you doing?"

"You said you were tired, I won't have you over exerting yourself," he replied with a hint of mischief sparkling in his eyes.

Satine smiled and tested his concentration, by nuzzling his neck and giving him hot, passionate kisses along the curves of his throat as he carried her up the winding staircase.

A growl came from deep within Christian and he said, "You know, I may not be able to let you sleep if you keep this up."

By then, the couple had reached their bedroom and Christian angled his wrist to open the door. He kicked the door closed and placed Satine on the soft, four post bed. "Thank you, darling," she whispered.

Christian didn't stop there. He picked out his favorite of Satine's nightgowns from the box of clothes that had been brought over from his Father's house. With the light garment draped over his arm, he approached Satine and slowly undressed her.

Satine giggled when he pulled off her dress and sensuously rolled the stockings off from her thighs to the tips of her toes. She flexed her foot once it was bare and Christian rubbed the pad of it and then softly kissed her instep.

"Mmm," Satine responded, his gentle, relaxing movements making her eyelids grow even heavier.

Once all her clothes had been discarded to various places of the floor by Christian, he took her nightgown and nudged Satine's shoulder as a sign to put her arms in the air. She did so and Christian let the garment fall loosely over her body.

Satine lowered her arms and adjusted the silky material. She tenderly kissed Christian's cheek before getting up to wash her face and brush her hair.

Christian sighed as he watched her gracefully glide across the room and into the adjoining bathroom. He then turned his attention to the box full of his clothes and found his cotton nightshirt. While stripping away his clothes, his thoughts returned to Satine. She had told him not to worry about the cough, but he couldn't help but think that it needed a doctor's attention. But then again, if Satine ever got so much as a headache, he would want to rush her to the nearest medical practice.

"I must be overreacting," he finally decided, as he slid his nightshirt over his head.

Satine soon retreated out of the bathroom, and was welcomed into the bed by Christian, who had already climbed in and fluffed their pillows. He decided not to bother washing up, since he and Satine had bathed together before dinner.

Satine was suddenly very aware of how her muscles ached, as she lay down, but was soon comforted by Christian's warm body spooned against her back.

"Good night darling, I love you," Christian whispered after turning the lamp by their bedside off.

"I love you, too, Christian," she breathed.

Immersed in the soothing blanket of darkness and the feeling of her husband by her side, Satine soon drifted into a deep sleep.

*~*

"No," Satine whispered, looking at Christian from the Gothic tower.

"No?" repeated the Duke into her neck. Then he saw him. That damn writer. From the beginning he had been nothing but a thorn in his side. "Oh, I see," hissed the Duke. "It's our very own 'sitar player'."

Satine tried to pull away so she could get back to Christian but it was no use. The Duke threw the shutters closed and his cold, beady eyes were set directly on her. "My dear Duke," she said pleadingly.

"Silence!!!" he yelled, infuriated. He grabbed her by the arms and his horrific power consumed her. "You made me believe that you loved me…" he trailed off and began to slide the necklace she was wearing off with his cold, sweaty hands.

Satine let out a desperate scream and broke away from him as she tried to find anything to put between them. She ran around the long table but he furiously swiped everything off of it with a wave of his arm. He finally reached Satine and threw her to the ground as she let out another piercing scream and tears began to stain her cheeks.

The Duke picked her up and began stripping away the rest of what she had on and an exasperated cough escaped her lips. She brought her hands to her face in despair as the Duke slid his hands down her body and violently kissed her neck. She let out another scream and he heaved her onto the bed. She was all too aware of what was about to happen. The Duke began to climb on top of her and in a final attempt to escape his touch …

Satine shot up in bed, panting heavily from the memory that still haunted her dreams. All of sudden a searing pain tore through her chest and she started coughing heavily. She got out of bed as Christian rolled over to see what was the matter.

"Satine?" he asked. When she didn't answer and all he could her was her gasping for breath and coughing violently, he shook himself awake and followed her. She was staggering, trying to reach the kitchen for some water. Her head began to spin and the pain in her chest seemed to eat away at her.

"Satine?" Christian called, louder this time, trying to be heard over her coughing. By this time Daphne had been awakened by all the noise.

Satine finally lost her remaining strength and fell into Christian's arms.

"Oh my God," he whispered as he saw the trail of blood down her chin. "Satine, Satine," he cried frantically.

"Christian," Satine gasped between coughs. "I can't-breathe…my chest…help…" she trailed off as she finally was put out of her misery and passed out in Christian's arms.

When Christian saw she was no longer conscious, he yelled, "Daphne, get a doctor!" Daphne stood a few feet away, petrified. "Don't just stand there, damn it, go get help!"

Daphne was shaken from her state and headed out to fetch the doctor in nothing but a nightgown and her robe.

It was then that Christian noticed he was shaking. "Satine," he whispered as he held her. "You'll be fine. I promise." He rocked her and buried his face in her hair as tears began to fall from his eyes.

*~*

With sore, puffy eyes, Christian sat at the edge of the bed; Satine's cold hand in his as the doctor examined her.

The doctor's face was expressionless as he carefully listened to Satine's breathing. After studying that, as well as the information Christian had given him, he stood up, only to catch Christian's worried gaze.

"What's wrong with her?" He asked, his worried eyes searching for answers.

"Please step outside with me for a moment," the doctor replied, solemnly.

Christian placed a soft kiss on Satine's cheek before following him outside. Once the door to their bedroom was closed, Christian asked again, "Tell me. What's wrong with Satine? Please…"

The doctor sighed, "I hate to have to tell you this…"

"My God!" Christian cried. "Just please tell me! What is wrong with my wife?!" Tears began to fill his eyes once again, "Please," he choked.

After several moments of tense silence, the doctor's eyes met Christian's. He took a deep breath before finally whispering, "Sir, Satine is dying."