It had been 2 years. 2 long, agonizing years since Satine had died at The Moulin Rouge in Montmarte. Christian had returned to England, after publishing his book, Come What May. He had fulfilled his promise to Satine, and now he did not know what to do with his life. He was living in London, in a villa. The book had made him rich, and he just couldn't stand to stay in Montmarte, in France any longer.
He usually sat in his parlor all day, writing and reading, or daydreaming. He still had his beard; it was always clean and well groomed. He missed Toulouse. He missed The Bohemians, but above all he missed Satine. He stopped crying and mourning long ago, but he almost never smiled. Christians' only companions in his villa were his maid, Sheleigh, and his butler Jack.
"Christian, you have to get out of this room," Sheleigh said to him one November day, organizing a pile of paper." Go for a walk, please, so I can clean up."
Christian sighed. "All right. Only so you can clean up." He grabbed his coat and headed out the door into the cold, November day.
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"Oi! Get back here with that apple!"
Natalie, a 15 year old, thin, redhead with dark blue eyes, who also shockingly looked like a young Satine, bolted down the street, clutching an apple to her chest.
"Get her!" She heard footsteps following her. She knew she shouldn't have stolen the apple, but she had had nothing to eat for 2 weeks. She was desperate. Natalie made a sharp turn down an alley and cursed herself as she saw the dead end. Her panicked breath rose in cloudy puffs as 5 men closed in on her. In futility, she threw the apple at one of the men. It flew through the air, past his head, and hit the side walk. One of the men picked it up. "It's bruised and cut. I think we should make her pay for it. What do ya say, mates?" The other men started laughing and closing in on her.
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Christian walked down the deserted street, quiet and somber. It looked as if it would snow any minute. As he turned one corner, he heard screams and laughing down one of the alleys. Christian looked into the alley and saw the five men, tearing Natalie's already ragged dress to shreds.
"Help me! Help me!" Natalie screamed.
Christian, without a second thought, lunged into the mass of men. He took the 3 of them out in less than five minutes. "Get out of here!" He yelled at the other two. They looked at each other, and bolted.
Christian kneeled net to Natalie. "Are you all right?" He was shocked at how much she looked like Satine.
Natalie didn't answer. The hunger was taking over. The world around her swirled and then blackened.
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Christian gently lifted the girl in his arms. She was very light. He carried her to his villa and set her upon his bed. He told Jack to call the doctor. The doctor diagnosed her as malnourished and gave Christian some tonic to give her once she awoken.
Natalie stayed asleep for a couple of hours. When she awoke, Christian was sitting next to the bed, reading. A bowl of warm broth was also sitting next to her on the nightstand.
"Welcome back." Christian said, closing his book.
"Is this Heaven?" Natalie asked.
"No, this is my home. You passed out after the men left."
"You're the man who saved me!" Natalie exclaimed. "Thank you so much!"
Christian nodded. "Why were those men chasing you?"
"I stole an apple. I haven't eaten for 2 weeks." Her gaze switched to the bowl of both.
"Go ahead. That's what its there for." Christian said. "Eat slowly, and then you have to take some tonic."
Thank you so much." Natalie said as she sipped the broth. "After that, I'll leave."
"Leave? No, I'm not letting you leave until you get better." Christian said quickly. He also wanted her to stay for she reminded him of his dear Satine.
"No, really, I need to find my sister." Natalie said, sitting up.
"Sister? You're staying with your sister?" Christian asked.
"Well, no. I need to find her. She sent me a letter saying she was in London. I did all I could to come to see her. I was in France, like she had been. I thought she was dead for a time. A lot of people still do, including the man she loves."
"Um, what-what is her name?" Christian asked, daring to hope.
"Her name is Satine De Blanche."
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"Satine! Satine! She's alive!" Christian jumped up and danced around the room. He felt like singing out to the rooftops, dancing on the street, even though people would call him crazy. He didn't care; the only thing he was crazy about was Satine. But then his heart dropped. If Satine loved him so much, why did she fake her own death? At her funeral, the casket was closed so no one else would take the risk of catching the consumption. Christian could do nothing to stem the flow of questions racing through his mind.
"Do you know her?' Natalie asked as she saw him falter.
"Know her? I still love her, even after all this time of me thinking she was dead!" Christian broke down into tears.
"You are the one she loves?" Natalie asked.
"If she loves me so much, why did she fake her death, making me believe she had been dead? It crushed me, I almost committed suicide, but I had a promise to keep, and I did, all for her!" Christian started sobbing harder. "Why? Why did she do it?"
Natalie slowly got out of bed and walked over to Christian. "I don't know. But she loves you still, I know from her letters. She is now living with a duke."
"That bastard! She faked her own death to-to be with that bastard! How could she?" Christian cried.
"She could explain to you. I am supposed to meet her soon. Maybe she could tell you." Natalie said.
"When will you meet her?" Christian asked.
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A/N All the last names come from Tanis' stories, not me! So, will Christian forgive Satine? Will she leave the duke? Is Natalie a pyromaniac? Wow where did that come from! Sorry! Anyway, the second chapter should be up soon!
