Chapter 6 –

A/N – Sorry it took so long to post this up! Since school has started it's been mucho harder. This chapter is dedicated to Kara, because frankly, I don't want to die by Velveeta cheese.

Two months had passed by and Satine's health couldn't have been better. Everyday Christian, Satine and Olivier went to the pasture behind the home, and then, would have lunch at the beach.

Olivier and Christian's relationship grew enormously throughout these past months. You could find them sitting together outside on the deck, watching the sun set and admiring the twinkling stars. You could see their heads sticking out from the tall grass in the meadow behind the house in the afternoons.

Of course, Christian felt bad about leaving Satine out of their hikes up the hill or the most recent scavenger hunt that Olivier and created, but Satine would just smile, shake her head and send them on their way.

One particularly hot and humid morning, Satine could be found washing the sheets of her and Christian's bed in a large tub on the deck outside the house.

"Good morning, Satine," Christian said happily, walking onto the deck. He looked out onto the ocean and took a deep breath.

"'Morning, dear," Satine replied with a smile.

Christian noticed what she was doing and asked, "Why are you washing the sheets? I washed them just a few weeks ago."

"Oh, I know that," Satine said calmly. "I just felt they were a bit stiff."

Christian just shrugged and went back into the house; Olivier was calling from his room.

The truth was, and Satine obviously didn't want Christian to know about this, was that Satine had found stains on her pillowcase and sheets this morning. This worried Satine extremely, she hadn't had a coughing fit for several months now. Her throat seized up just at the memory when she would be up hours during the night, coughing violently.

"Mummy! Mummy!" Olivier burst through the double doors, breaking Satine's train of thought and began to bounce around the deck. "Daddy says it's hot enough that we can go swimming!"

"Oh, that sounds like fun!" Satine commented as she rubbed some dirt of his cheek. How he got dirt on his face five minutes after he woke up, Satine couldn't say.

"Well, can we go?" Olivier cried, his eyes wide with anticipation.

"You and Dad can go," she said. "I'm not going to swim."

Olivier's face fell. "Why not?"

Christian walked out onto the deck, a piece of toast in his hand. "It would be best, though. In this heat, I mean."

Olivier turned back to his mother and stuck out his lower lip. "Pwease, Mummy?"

Satine threw up her hands and cried, "Looks like I don't have a choice, do I?"

~*~

Olivier rushed past his parents who were walking hand in hand along the beach and ran into the dark blue waters. Satine and Christian laughed as he shot back out of the water and onto the hot sand.

"T-The wat-ter's so c-cold!" Olivier cried, his teeth chattering violently.

Christian picked up Olivier and walked slowly into the water, the white foam splashing against his ankles.

"Come on, Mummy!" he called from behind his father's back.

Satine, suddenly feeling very hot, began to fan herself with her hand as she walked deeper into the water.

Christian set Olivier slowly down in the water, it eventually reaching waist. "Why is the water so cold?" he asked.

"Well, England isn't really –"

"Mummy!" Olivier's shriek cut Christian off. He turned around just to see Satine's legs collapse underneath her and fall into the knee-deep water.

Christian quickly grabbed Satine under her arms and pulled her onto the sand. Olivier was right behind him, arms flailing as he fought to run through the water.

Christian sat down, Satine in his lap as she violently coughed up salt water and blood onto the ground.

"Daddy, what's happening?" Olivier screamed, horror etched in his young face as he saw his mother's body go limp in his father's arms. He rushed to Satine's feet and began to pat her wet, blood stained face. "Mummy, wake up! Wake up! What's wrong, Mummy?"

"Olivier," Christian said sharply, standing up and holding Satine in his arms. "Run ahead of me and get a bowl of water – with a glass – and meet me in Mummy's room. Hurry!" Olivier sped off to the house and up the stairs to the deck.

"Don't worry, Satine," Christian muttered under his breath. "You'll be fine, just hang in there, darling." He walked up the never-ending steps that led up to the house. He could see Olivier dragging a basin down the hallway, splashing water onto the rug. "Bring it into Mummy's room," Christian said as he followed Olivier.

Olivier looked up at the limp form of his mother's body in Christian's arms and burst into tears. He sat there in the middle of the hallway, his head in his hands and fat tears falling from his eyes. Christian couldn't do anything except step over him and continue into Satine's room. He carefully lay her on the bed and put his lips to hers, beginning to breathe for her.

Minutes later, Satine's chest began to heave up and down as she struggled to cough up the water that had been collecting in her lungs. Christian sat her up and bloody water poured from her mouth onto the floor. Olivier's shrieks grew louder as Satine's breath became calmer.

"Olivier..." she gasped, clutching Christian's arms tightly as she got her breath back. "Olivier, come... here."

He jumped onto the bed and wrapped his shaking arms around his mother. Satine's frayed nerves finally began to calm and she set Olivier in her lap. Christian stroked her cheek, muttering comforting nonsense as she lay her head on his shoulder.

There they sat, breathing as one, and only two were ignorant to the events that would follow.

~*~

Christian walked back into Satine's room after putting Olivier to sleep. Exhausted from the day's fatigues he had fallen asleep immediately. Satine too was asleep in their room. The blood and water was cleaned up earlier and the three of them lay in that room, talking quietly.

He studied Satine's sleeping figure. Her breathing was back to normal, but she was still sickly pale and continued to cough up blood often. The moon's gaze fell upon her face causing her to look weaker and her eyes fluttered open. She looked at Christian standing in the doorway and smiled. He walked over and sat next to her on the bed.

"Christian..." Satine raised her hand weakly and set it gently on his shoulder.

"Yes, darling?" he replied softly.

"Where's Olivier?" she asked, looking at the light pouring in from the hallway.

"I just put him to bed."

"Bring him in here, please."

"But... why?" Christian grasped Satine's hand and looked into her sad eyes. "Satine! No! No, it can't be –"

Satine, knowing what Christian was thinking, lightly closed her eyes and nodded. "Please, Christian..."

He quickly rushed out into the hallway and opened the door to Olivier's room. Hacking coughs escaped from Satine's lips when Christian left. "Olivier," he said softly. "Wake up..."

Already fast asleep, Olivier rolled over in his bed, his dark hair falling in his innocent face. "Hmm?"

"Wake up, Olivier," Christian found his voice shaking. "Mummy want to talk to you."

Wearily, Olivier wrapped his arms around Christian's neck and he carried him to Satine's room.

"Hello, Mummy," Olivier climbed onto Satine's bed and crawled up to where she was propped up by many pillows.

Tears began to stream down Satine's and Christian's face as Olivier nestled himself in the crook of her arm.

"Olivier," Satine said slowly. "You understand that Mummy's very sick, correct?"

"Yes," Olivier yawned. "But you're going to get better. Daddy said so."

Satine raised her hand and stroked Olivier's hair. "Sometimes Mummy's and Daddy's don't know everything."

Olivier rubbed his eyes with his small fists. "Mummy, what do you mean?" He turned around on his stomach and lay his head on Satine's stomach.

Satine looked down at Olivier who had already fallen asleep and couldn't hold it in any longer. She covered her face with the sheet and began to cry. Blood stained through the linen as her sobs grew louder. Christian sat down on the bed next to Satine and put a cup of water to her lips. "It's all right, Satine. Drink this, darling," He bit his lips to hold back his own tears. "Don't worry."

"Mummy! What's wrong?" Olivier cried. "Why is there blood on the sheet?" He began to cry as his mother collapsed on the pillow.

"Listen, Olivier," she said hoarsely. "Mummy is sick... and – and Mummy isn't going to get better."

There was a moment of silence. Satine held her breath, her gaze on Olivier. His eyes were wide as he took this all in. Christian held out his arm and pulled Olivier to his lap.

"No!" he screamed, jumping from Christian's lap. "No, you're lying, Mummy! You can't be... you can't be dying!" He flung himself over Satine's limp body and dissolved into tears.

"Olivier, Olivier," Satine whispered. "Please stop crying. Don't cry over me..."

"Why not?" he sobbed.

"Because I love you too much." She smiled. "It hurts me to see you cry like this."

Olivier looked up at his mother and wiped his face with the back of his hand. "I love you too, Mummy."

Hot tears stung Satine's eyes and threatened to spill over onto her face. She turned to Christian who was sobbing silently in the corner of the room. "Come here, darling," she said gently. He jumped, startled and walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. Satine took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"Satine!"

"Kiss me," she whispered.

Christian put his hands carefully behind Satine's head and pressed his lips to hers. It was a kiss more passionate than their first, more passionate than when they were reunited. A kiss full of love and sorrow, of laughter and tears.

"Satine..." Christian murmured after a moment. "What am I supposed to do?"

She sighed. "Take care of our son, Christian."

Christian's face went white with panic. "How can I... without you?"

"Oh, Christian, you're an amazing father," Satine said, her eyes filling up with tears. "But you can't fall apart."

"I won't."

"Christian," she pleaded. "You can't fall to pieces just because of me. Olivier isn't worth it... promise me, Christian."

"I promise," Christian said through his tears.

"Promise me one more thing, dear."

"Anything, Satine," he replied.

"Tell Olivier our story," Satine said. "In whatever way you can, make sure you tell him our story."

Christian smiled down at Satine. "Of course, darling." He straightened up, sitting on the bed. Olivier climbed into his lap and clutched Satine's hands between his.

Satine beamed at Olivier and Christian; both with tear stained faces and looking more alike than ever. She squeezed Olivier's hand with the last of her strength and whispered, "You two will never know how much I love you..." Satine took her last shuddering breath, and her hand went limp in Olivier's grasp.

Christian bowed his head onto Olivier's shoulder and he began to scream, "Mummy, wake up! Mummy!"

"Olivier..." Christian said softly, holding him closer to his body.

"No! Get off of me!" Olivier screamed. "It's all your fault!" And he ran out of the room.

Christian followed him into the hall way and onto the deck. "Olivier, come here –"

"No!" Olivier turned around and was beating his fists against Christian's chest. "It's all your fault Mummy died! It's all your fault! I hate you!"

"Olivier!" Christian gasped, holding Olivier's hands away from him. "What are you talking –"

"Ever since you came here, Mummy started getting sick! I hate you!" He ran back into the house and sobs could be heard from his room.

Christian walked numbly down the hall and pushed open the door to where Satine lay. He took Satine's limp hand and put it to his face, tears flowing freely. Reaching down, he closed Satine's eyelids over her empty, blue irises.

Christian tried to pretend it was morning, and he was calmly waking Satine up from her sleep. But Olivier's cries and the cold hand against his cheek abruptly brought him back to Earth and a loud sob escaped his throat.

Christian fell to his knees and buried his face in her pillow. "He hates me, Satine," he cried. "He hates me."