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 XXXVIII: A Prayer For the Dying ~
By Casidy
~*~
"I'm sorry signor, but I'm not sure she'll even make it through the night." The Italian said putting his hand on Christian's shoulder. "Stay by her side. Be with her. That is all you can do."
Christian stood in complete shock. It was truly over. By the time the sun rose the next day, his Sparkling Diamond would no longer shine. He was truly going to loose her this time.
The doctor packed up his medical bag then came back up to an unmoving Christian.
"I left some medicine beside her bed, to help with the pain. Stay by her side. That will give her the most comfort now. I'll come back in the morning…" The man had nothing left he could say. Not able to meet Christian's eyes any longer, he turned away and left.
Christian collapsed against the wall and slid down slowly. Reaching the floor, he pulled his knees up to his chest, hugging them close then buried his head in his arms. After several minutes, trying to collect himself, he slowly stood up, bracing himself against the wall. Loneliness and morning were only a few hours away but at that moment he still had Satine and he had to be with her. Angrily, he rubbed at his eyes, wanting to erase any sign of his tears before going to the bedroom door.
He opened the door slowly. Stepping into the dark room he almost collapsed again. Satine lay in the middle of their large feather bed, so still that she barely disturbed the bed and her skin was so pale it was almost undistinguishable from the starch white sheets.
"Christian?" Satine's rasping voice asked weakly, before she let out a pitiful cough.
He scrambled across the room to her. Lying down beside her on the bed, he took her in his arms and laid her head on his shoulder. "I'm right here Satine. I'm not letting you go."
Satine grasped Christian as tightly as she could and buried her head in his shoulder, "I'm going to die, aren't I?" she whispered fearfully.
Christian was silent not knowing whether to tell her the truth or soften the blow.
His silence had lasted too long to Satine and she sadly nodded her head in misery and burst out in silent tears,
Here in your arms,
Where the world is impossibly still.
Christian thought to stop her, singing would be the worst thing for her now, but he didn't. Singing would bring her comfort and the doctor had said that was all he could do.
With a million dreams to fulfill,
There was so much left she had dreamed about. She had wanted to make a family with Christian and live happily ever after, but…
And a matter of moments,
Until the dancing ends.
She didn't want to die, not when she had Christian to live for. There she was, hours at most, from death and she couldn't feel more alive than she did at that moment as she lay in his arms.
Here in your arms,
When everything seems to be clear.
She would not be afraid as long as Christian didn't let go of her.
Not a solitary thing would I fear,
Except when this moment comes,
Near the dancing's end.
But she didn't want to die,
If I caught the world in an hourglass,
Saddled up the moon so we could ride.
Until the stars grew dim, Until...
Her voice grew weak and she couldn't bear to go on. Christian pulled her even closer to him.
"I don't want to die Christian!" she cried desperately.
"Shhh," he whispered into her ear, rocking her gently. He pressed his lips to her temple and put his hands in her hair, "Who says you're going to die?" he asked in a choked voice, barely able to get the words out.
"Christian, I don't want to leave you…" she said miserably, unaffected by his words.
"You're not going to leave me." He whispered, "We've never been apart and we never will be." He assured her.
"Do you remember the night before our wedding when Babydoll insisted that we not see each other?" Satine asked softly.
Christian's laugh shook his chest, "And I stole into your room to find you in the tub."
Satine smiled weakly, "I thought you were a dream at first, I was missing you already and assumed I was imagining you."
Christian ran his fingers up and back down her arm, "How am I ever going to live with out you?" he asked brimming with tears,
I'll never smile again,
Until I smile at you.
Satine lifted her head off his shoulder and looked at him. Her face was gray and her eyes dull and glazed over, but they looked at her with such sadness that he was startled,
I'll never laugh again,
What good would it do?
What good would anything be without Satine beside him everyday?
For tears would fill my eyes,
My heart would realize,
That our romance is true.
He had gone to Paris to be a writer but in the end, he had devoted his very being to Satine. He lived only for her and although life was ending, their love never would.
I'll never love again,
I'm so in love with you.
He had no life without her,
Within my heart,
I know I will never start,
To smile again,
Until I smile at you.
"Oh, Christian." Satine cried, but then gasped suddenly. Christian tensed as he felt his angel's tiny body shake against his. She coughed for minutes on end until the worst came, she suddenly began to choke until blood came from her mouth and splattered against the back of her hand. Christian pulled away from her, reaching for the medicine on the bedside table but she pulled him to her with the little bit of strength she had left, "Don't leave me!" she begged, between wracking coughs.
Christian pulled her into his arms, "I told you, I'll never leave you! Come what may, Satine." He reached across the length of the bed and picked up the small tube of medicine the doctor had left. "Drink this," he said, gently tilting her head back.
She took the concoction into her mouth and the vile liquid crawled down her throat. It took several more minutes, but slowly her coughing slowed and she lay against Christian's chest, exhausted. Her eyelids felt heavy but the last thing she wanted to do was sleep. She had asked Christian not to leave her, she wasn't about to leave him.
They were quiet for a few minuets until Satine spoke up, "Christian?" She meekly asked, in a rasping voice.
"Yes, darling?"
"You have to go on." She told him.
"Can't go on with out you though." he said earnestly. He tried to laugh but it came out as a choked sob.
"Tell our story Christian." She told him in a whisper. "That way, I'll always be with you."
Christian had buried his head in her shoulder and was shaking his head furiously, he couldn't go on without her.
Satine pulled Christian even closer and began to comfort him. Her voice was quiet and far from the exuberant fortissimo it had once been, but she still knew the best way to get through to him.
May you never take one single breath for granted,
God forbid love ever leave you empty-handed.
She hoped that he was better off because of her, that she had given him more than just pain.
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,
He couldn't give up! He had far too much to offer the world.
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,
Never settle for the path of least resistance.
She had to admit, if she was in his shoes she wouldn't want to go on either, but he couldn't take the easy way out, it was going to be hard but he had to go on with his life.
Living might mean taking chances but they're worth taking,
Love might be a mistake but it's worth making,
He had to go on, and one day he would find someone else to love. Someone that understood what an amazing talent he was. He would sing his beautiful rhymes to someone else and would have another muse to uncover the poetry from the depths of his soul.
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance,
She knew they were soul mates, he'd never forget her, but…
"Darling," Christian cooed sweetly into her ear, "You shouldn't talk like that. You'll get better." You have to… he thought.
"Christian," Satine began slowly, "I'm dying. I have consumption, it's incurable. We've tried everything, I'm going to die!" she erupted in hysterics before bursting into tears and burying her head once again in Christian's chest.
He rocked her slowly, calming her as he would a child, but as she continued to cry he did the only thing he could.
There are no un-lockable doors.
There are no un-winnable wars.
There are no un-right-able wrongs,
Or un-singable songs.
Satine's crying had slowed suddenly with his words and she looked up at him as he sang to her.
There are no unbeatable odds,
There are no un-nameable names,
Shall I say it again?
Yeah, there are no impossible dreams,
They had too many dreams for her to give up now. They had overcome so much to be together, it couldn't just end.
There are no invisible seams,
Each night when day is through,
I don't ask much,
I just want you.
I just want you.
She was all he wanted. All he had ever wanted. Before he met her he had dreamed of a love like theirs. Now that they were together he wanted their love to last forever.
There are no incurable ills.
Christian had tightened his hold on his Sparkling Diamond and stressed that one line to her. They had overcome everything, why couldn't they overcome her illness?
There are no un-killable thrills.
One thing - and you know it's true,
I don't ask much,
I just want you,
If he were to lose her that night they would never be truly apart, no one could kill what they had.
I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired.
There are no unachievable goals.
Do you know what I mean?
Each night when day is through,
I don't ask much,
I just want you.
"We can make it through this Satine. I know we can." Christian affirmed, kissing her forehead gently. The room was filled with dead silence suddenly. Shear terror filled him as he gently shook the lifeless body in his arms. "Satine?" he cried in a desperate voice, "Satine!?!"
But she did not answer.
I will love you,
'Till the end of time.
~*~
* "Until" is performed by Sting
* "I'll Never Smile Again" is performed by Frank Sinatra
* "I Hope You Dance" is performed by Lee Ann Womack
* "I Just Want You" is performed by Ozzy Osbourne
* "Come What May" is from the movie Moulin Rouge