Here is the next chapter. Enjoy it! And thank you Rebecca! I would love to become a professional writer. That is a dream of mine...
maroli29 - Why do you say that Toulouse died? And besides, this is my story, I will put whoever in it. Not trying to be mean, just saying.
IrishRavenX - Horrible demise for the Duke? Are you mad? Of course there is a horrible demise for the Duke planned! You'll just have to wait!
And what got you people all teary-eyed? I think there are a few parts that may do that, but I was just wondering.
And thank you to everyone else who reviewed. I promise, one day, you will all get the individual thanks you deserve.
Enough of that, here is the next chapter!!!
Two days later, Christian sat his bags down in the small flat and looked around. Having been shot there, you would have thought that he would shudder to set foot in it again, but it didn't bother Christian. Satine lived here, and that, for him, was enough to wash away all the evil. He smiled as he looked around at the small flat. Dishes were everywhere in the kitchen, Ryan's clothes were scattered on the floor, but it looked so perfect to Christian. Satine stepped in after him, looked around her flat and blushed.
"I haven't had much time to clean up around here, and Marie's gone to visit family." She began to frantically pick up things, but stopped at the look on Christian's face. He had a look that was a mixture of pure joy and amazement. She smiled. "What?"
"It's nothing. I've just never had a place I would like to call home before. But this place, it just...feels right. Like the place I would *want* to call home." He laughed as if he were embarrassed and looked down at the floor.
Satine laughed and stepped toward him. "You may call this place home for as long as you like, Christian, if you truly wish to."
Christian smiled and nodded, then looked around. "And where is Ryan?"
"At a friend's."
Christian frowned slightly. "He doesn't go to school?"
Satine shook her head. "School is only for the rich. But I refuse to let him work in a horrid factory."
Christian nodded. "I agree. A factory is no place for a child. How did you get by for all these years with him with no job?"
"Harold helped me. I suppose he felt guilty or something, so he would always send us money. Where he got it, I don't know. Nor do I want to know."
"Does he not send it anymore?"
"I began to refuse it. I don't want to live off of him anymore, Christian. He wants me to come 'work' for him again."
Christian's eyes went wide. "No!" he said, as if in denial.
Satine nodded and began to fold Ryan's clothes. "He does. Somehow he got himself another brothel and wants me back. I told him no. I can't do that anymore. Not with Ryan." She shook her head. "And I don't think I could bring myself to do that again."
Christian took her hand. "That is good. I don't want you to ever do that again."
She smiled and threw her arms around him. They stood like this for a moment, both living the moment. They were together, and no one could change that. Christian just held her and revelled in her warmth, the smell of her hair, and the security that he felt in her being so close. Satine did the same, and nearly cried at the thought of how close she had come to losing him. They finally pulled apart and just looked into each other's eyes.
Christian smiled, and Satine smiled. Both were happier than they had been in years.
For the next few months, the three of them were inseperable. Christian, despite Ryan's initial whining, taught the boy how to read and write. He felt that Ryan, being such a bright child, was deprived of a chance in life due to the fact that he could not go to school. Ryan stopped his whining soon after beginning his schooling, and developed the same love for reading and writing as his father.
'Father' was something that Christian had never thought he wouls hear himself being called. At first being a father had scared him, but he soon found it to one of the best things that ever happened to him. To have Ryan look up to him the way he did lifted his heart.
It also warmed Satine's heart to see how Christian took to Ryan. She had feared that he would be intimidated by him, and keep his distance but Christian did neither. For now, she watched as they both slept. Christian had been teaching Ryan to read a novel, and both had fallen asleep sitting on Ryan's bed. Ryan had leaned his head against Christian, and Christian's head lay on his son's. Satine smiled at the sight and longed for a camera, but she had none. Instead, she pulled up a chair beside the bed and just watched them.
She then saw how alike they were beginning to look. Ryan was growing up, and was looking more and more like Christian everyday. They had the same dark hair, the same face, and the same boyish smile. Ryan, however, had inherited his mother's eyes, but they only added to his fledging good looks.
*He will break many girl's hearts,* Satine thought as she gazed at him. She smiled and ran her hand over his hair. She laid her hand on Christian's cheek for a moment, and he stirred in his sleep. She shook her head, laughing silently, and went out of the room.
The next day, Satine could not find Christian anywhere. She searched the flat at least ten times, then went to look in the marketplace. But she still could not find him. She sighed and plopped down onto a chair. Ryan came in a few moment later, his nose buried in a book Christian had bought him. Satine looked up at him. "What's that, Ryan?"
He closed the book and turned to her. "A collection of Shakespeare's plays and stuff. He actually writes pretty good. Want to read?" he asked, holding out the book.
Satine shook her head. "No, dear. Have you seen Christian today?"
"I saw him early this morning. I was getting a glass of water and he was leaving." Ryan smiled. "He told me to keep quiet."
"Do you know where he went?"
Ryan shook his head. "No. But if I did, I still wouldn't be able to tell you. He made me promise."
Satine smiled. "But you did just tell me that he left. Did you promise him to not tell that?"
"No. He just said that if I saw him somewhere to not tell you."
Satine shook her head. "You guys are two and the same. Alright then, I guess we'll just have to wait to see where he went."
"Guess so."
And Satine did wait. She waited for hours, then finally, around six at night, Christian came in the door. Satine had been fixing some supper, but stopped what she was doing when he came in. She smiled at him, then continued to stir the food. "And where have you been?"
He stuck his hands in his pockets and looked down at the floor. "Around town. You know."
She turned to him and was surprised by the way he was acting. He was fidgeting, much like the time they had first talked on the elephant. He seemed to have something to say, but didn't know how to say it. She walked up to him and forced him to look her in the eyes. "Christian, what's wrong."
"Nothing." he said and smiled. He looked down at the floor once more then back at her, determination in his eyes. "These past months have been some of the best in my whole life, and I would like them to continue. Um..." he looked down again, lost for words. Then he suddenly sank to one knee and pulled a box from his pocket. He opened it, and inside Satine saw a ring. Her hand flew to her mouth.
"I promise you that I will take you away from here, if you wish. You will have a house, not a flat. Ryan will learn from the best and you won't have to worry about Zidler anymore if you accept this. Will you marry me?" he asked, suddenly looking very afraid and no longer his very articulate self.
Satine smiled. "You've promised me a house, the best for our son, and security. That is not enough. Do you promise your love?"
Christian nodded. "Eternally yours, as it has been. I give it all to you."
"That is all I needed. Yes, Christian," she said as she took the ring and placed it on her finger, "I will marry you."
Christian's face broke out into the biggest smile ever and he stood straight and wrapped his arms around her. Satine laughed and kissed him. "Took you long enough to ask!" she said between the kisses.
"I know. I'm sorry!" They were both laughing so hard that they were crying. Ryan then stepped out of his hiding place where he had watched the whole thing and smiled at them. Both Satine and Christian saw him and smiled even wider. He smiled and rushed to his parents, who both hugged him. He laughed as Christian picked him up with one arm, then complained that Ryan was too big. Christian put his other arm around Satine and kissed her cheek. Ryan smiled. He now had all that he wanted: a family.
maroli29 - Why do you say that Toulouse died? And besides, this is my story, I will put whoever in it. Not trying to be mean, just saying.
IrishRavenX - Horrible demise for the Duke? Are you mad? Of course there is a horrible demise for the Duke planned! You'll just have to wait!
And what got you people all teary-eyed? I think there are a few parts that may do that, but I was just wondering.
And thank you to everyone else who reviewed. I promise, one day, you will all get the individual thanks you deserve.
Enough of that, here is the next chapter!!!
Two days later, Christian sat his bags down in the small flat and looked around. Having been shot there, you would have thought that he would shudder to set foot in it again, but it didn't bother Christian. Satine lived here, and that, for him, was enough to wash away all the evil. He smiled as he looked around at the small flat. Dishes were everywhere in the kitchen, Ryan's clothes were scattered on the floor, but it looked so perfect to Christian. Satine stepped in after him, looked around her flat and blushed.
"I haven't had much time to clean up around here, and Marie's gone to visit family." She began to frantically pick up things, but stopped at the look on Christian's face. He had a look that was a mixture of pure joy and amazement. She smiled. "What?"
"It's nothing. I've just never had a place I would like to call home before. But this place, it just...feels right. Like the place I would *want* to call home." He laughed as if he were embarrassed and looked down at the floor.
Satine laughed and stepped toward him. "You may call this place home for as long as you like, Christian, if you truly wish to."
Christian smiled and nodded, then looked around. "And where is Ryan?"
"At a friend's."
Christian frowned slightly. "He doesn't go to school?"
Satine shook her head. "School is only for the rich. But I refuse to let him work in a horrid factory."
Christian nodded. "I agree. A factory is no place for a child. How did you get by for all these years with him with no job?"
"Harold helped me. I suppose he felt guilty or something, so he would always send us money. Where he got it, I don't know. Nor do I want to know."
"Does he not send it anymore?"
"I began to refuse it. I don't want to live off of him anymore, Christian. He wants me to come 'work' for him again."
Christian's eyes went wide. "No!" he said, as if in denial.
Satine nodded and began to fold Ryan's clothes. "He does. Somehow he got himself another brothel and wants me back. I told him no. I can't do that anymore. Not with Ryan." She shook her head. "And I don't think I could bring myself to do that again."
Christian took her hand. "That is good. I don't want you to ever do that again."
She smiled and threw her arms around him. They stood like this for a moment, both living the moment. They were together, and no one could change that. Christian just held her and revelled in her warmth, the smell of her hair, and the security that he felt in her being so close. Satine did the same, and nearly cried at the thought of how close she had come to losing him. They finally pulled apart and just looked into each other's eyes.
Christian smiled, and Satine smiled. Both were happier than they had been in years.
For the next few months, the three of them were inseperable. Christian, despite Ryan's initial whining, taught the boy how to read and write. He felt that Ryan, being such a bright child, was deprived of a chance in life due to the fact that he could not go to school. Ryan stopped his whining soon after beginning his schooling, and developed the same love for reading and writing as his father.
'Father' was something that Christian had never thought he wouls hear himself being called. At first being a father had scared him, but he soon found it to one of the best things that ever happened to him. To have Ryan look up to him the way he did lifted his heart.
It also warmed Satine's heart to see how Christian took to Ryan. She had feared that he would be intimidated by him, and keep his distance but Christian did neither. For now, she watched as they both slept. Christian had been teaching Ryan to read a novel, and both had fallen asleep sitting on Ryan's bed. Ryan had leaned his head against Christian, and Christian's head lay on his son's. Satine smiled at the sight and longed for a camera, but she had none. Instead, she pulled up a chair beside the bed and just watched them.
She then saw how alike they were beginning to look. Ryan was growing up, and was looking more and more like Christian everyday. They had the same dark hair, the same face, and the same boyish smile. Ryan, however, had inherited his mother's eyes, but they only added to his fledging good looks.
*He will break many girl's hearts,* Satine thought as she gazed at him. She smiled and ran her hand over his hair. She laid her hand on Christian's cheek for a moment, and he stirred in his sleep. She shook her head, laughing silently, and went out of the room.
The next day, Satine could not find Christian anywhere. She searched the flat at least ten times, then went to look in the marketplace. But she still could not find him. She sighed and plopped down onto a chair. Ryan came in a few moment later, his nose buried in a book Christian had bought him. Satine looked up at him. "What's that, Ryan?"
He closed the book and turned to her. "A collection of Shakespeare's plays and stuff. He actually writes pretty good. Want to read?" he asked, holding out the book.
Satine shook her head. "No, dear. Have you seen Christian today?"
"I saw him early this morning. I was getting a glass of water and he was leaving." Ryan smiled. "He told me to keep quiet."
"Do you know where he went?"
Ryan shook his head. "No. But if I did, I still wouldn't be able to tell you. He made me promise."
Satine smiled. "But you did just tell me that he left. Did you promise him to not tell that?"
"No. He just said that if I saw him somewhere to not tell you."
Satine shook her head. "You guys are two and the same. Alright then, I guess we'll just have to wait to see where he went."
"Guess so."
And Satine did wait. She waited for hours, then finally, around six at night, Christian came in the door. Satine had been fixing some supper, but stopped what she was doing when he came in. She smiled at him, then continued to stir the food. "And where have you been?"
He stuck his hands in his pockets and looked down at the floor. "Around town. You know."
She turned to him and was surprised by the way he was acting. He was fidgeting, much like the time they had first talked on the elephant. He seemed to have something to say, but didn't know how to say it. She walked up to him and forced him to look her in the eyes. "Christian, what's wrong."
"Nothing." he said and smiled. He looked down at the floor once more then back at her, determination in his eyes. "These past months have been some of the best in my whole life, and I would like them to continue. Um..." he looked down again, lost for words. Then he suddenly sank to one knee and pulled a box from his pocket. He opened it, and inside Satine saw a ring. Her hand flew to her mouth.
"I promise you that I will take you away from here, if you wish. You will have a house, not a flat. Ryan will learn from the best and you won't have to worry about Zidler anymore if you accept this. Will you marry me?" he asked, suddenly looking very afraid and no longer his very articulate self.
Satine smiled. "You've promised me a house, the best for our son, and security. That is not enough. Do you promise your love?"
Christian nodded. "Eternally yours, as it has been. I give it all to you."
"That is all I needed. Yes, Christian," she said as she took the ring and placed it on her finger, "I will marry you."
Christian's face broke out into the biggest smile ever and he stood straight and wrapped his arms around her. Satine laughed and kissed him. "Took you long enough to ask!" she said between the kisses.
"I know. I'm sorry!" They were both laughing so hard that they were crying. Ryan then stepped out of his hiding place where he had watched the whole thing and smiled at them. Both Satine and Christian saw him and smiled even wider. He smiled and rushed to his parents, who both hugged him. He laughed as Christian picked him up with one arm, then complained that Ryan was too big. Christian put his other arm around Satine and kissed her cheek. Ryan smiled. He now had all that he wanted: a family.