The next morning, Christian and Satine walked across the street to the Moulin Rouge. Satine seemed very nervous, and was glad when Christian reached over and touched her hand.
"Christian, you go in first. I'm scared." Satine said. She wasn't quite sure why she was scared. After all, she was just going into the Moulin Rouge, a place where she had spent the better part of the last ten years. Still even being outside Christian's apartment made her feel unsafe. She felt like she was a small child separated from her parents in a new city. Everything seemed bigger and more ominous than it had before her fall, which she still could not remember happening.
They stopped walking, and Christian looked at Satine. "Scared? Satine, you know you have nothing to be scared of. We're just walking across the street. You're just going to work" he said. As Christian looked into Satine's eyes, he saw a fear that he had not seen on Satine before. He began to have doubts as to whether Satine was really ready to go back to work. If a walk across the street was scaring her, he was not anxious to find out how she would fare at the Moulin Rouge. However, everyone there was expecting them so he decided to take Satine in, show everyone she was still alive, and then get her out of there as fast as possible. They began walking again. When they got to the front door, Satine tightened her grip on Christian's hand.
"You're going to stay with me, right? You're not going to leave me alone?" Satine asked. Christian gently stroked her face and said "Of course I'm staying with you. We're not going to stay for that long. I don't think you're quite ready to stay all day yet. Now come on, let's go inside.
Satine maintained her death grip on Christian's hand as he opened the door. She looked around at the rehearsal in progress. If Satine had been scared outside on the street, now she was terrified. Christian led her through what seemed like the biggest crowd of people she had ever seen to Harold and Toulouse. For the moment, it had completely escaped Satine's mind that she knew every single one of the people in the room. At that moment all of them were scary to her. The "lost child in the city" feeling came creeping back as her and Christian reached the front of the room. She was glad to see Toulouse and Harold, both of whom she at least vaguely recognized. Christian tapped Harold on the shoulder, and when Harold turned around he seemed overjoyed to see Satine.
"Chickpea, you're alright! You gave us quite a scare yesterday with that fall. How are you feeling?
Despite the fact that Satine had heard Harold's loud, boisterous voice many times before, at that moment it scared her. She wasn't quite sure why, but she receded behind Christian and whimpered a little bit.
"She's been better." Christian said in response to Harold's question.
Toulouse walked over to Satine. "What's wrong? You seemed fine yesterday", he asked gently as not to scare her more.
Satine wasn't quite sure how to answer his question. She wasn't sure what was wrong with her. She looked around her. Everything and everyone seemed familiar, but at the same time it was very new and scary. Her fear was only added to by the knowledge that she shouldn't be afraid and that something was most likely wrong with her. At that moment, all of the noise in the rehearsal hall seemed to intensify. Her world was spinning again. Satine couldn't take it anymore. She dropped to her knees and held onto Christian's legs. "Christian, I want to go home! I'm scared. I can't..." Satine was unable to finish her sentence as she burst into tears.
Everyone in the rehearsal had now stopped what they were doing and was watching Satine have her breakdown. "Take her backstage." Harold whispered to Christian. Christian somehow managed to lift her off of his legs and into his arms. He hushed her softly as he carried her backstage to her dressing room. He sat down with her on his lap.
"Shhh. It's alright, Satine. It's ok. You're safe. I'm here. Calm down." Eventually his efforts to comfort Satine worked and she fell asleep on his lap. Just as she was falling asleep, Harold and Toulouse came in.
"Christian, what is wrong with her?" Harold asked. "Toulouse said she looked fine yesterday.
Christian looked at Satine and then back at Harold. "I'm really not sure. She seemed fine last night, but then this morning she seemed afraid of everything outside my apartment. As soon as I took her onto the street she had my hand in a death grip. She only came inside after making me assure her that I would stay with her. She says that she remembers everyone and everything but I'm not so sure. The way she's been acting, it's like she's experiencing all of this for the first time.
Marie, who had just entered the room, said, "You don't know how right you are.
"What do you mean?" asked Christian.
"She's right, Christian. What happened out there was exactly like what happened Satine's first day here." Harold said.
"Why? What happened?" Christian asked.
"Poor thing. I had to lead her in by the hand, just like you did. All of the girls are a little nervous their first day but Satine, well, she was the most afraid out of anyone I've seen come in here. The farther in we walked, the tighter she grabbed my hand. When I showed her to Harold, she ducked behind me just like she ducked behind you. It took at least three days before she would let me out of her sight." Marie explained.
Christian looked at Satine sleeping on his lap. He started to stroke her hair, but stopped himself upon remembering their love affair was supposed to be kept secret. Instead, he urged Marie to continue. "How old was she?
"Couldn't have been more than 16, 17. Not the youngest girl we've had start here, but nowhere near ready to be here.
Christian knew he had to get out of there. Not only for Satine's sake, but for his own as well. The more of this story he was hearing, the harder it was to hold back his affection for Satine. "Harold, I think it would be best if I took Satine back home with me. I don't think anything constructive is going to come out of her staying here all day.
Harold nodded. "Yes, I think it's best if you take her home. But if you could, try to run some lines with her. I don't want my lead actress getting too out of shape.
Christian lifted the sleeping Sparkling Diamond into his arms and carried her back to his apartment. Once he had tucked her in the bed, he sat and stroked her hair. He thought of Harold not wanting his actress to be too out of shape. "Hoe could he say that? She couldn't get any more out of shape than this." Christian thought.
He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Everything will be fine, sweetheart. Everything will be fine.", he said not so much for Satine's assurance as for his own.