AN: Thanks to all reviewers once more. Might not be able to update for awhile, since I'll be out the vast majority of the time this week, but I'll try to work on this when I can and post a new chapter ASAP. I love you guys so much. Thanks a bunch.

Chapter 17. Misery Loves Company

"Christian!" Cecille greeted me with open arms as I approached the Moulin Rouge.

I do not remember telling her my name…

"Have you seen Isabel?" I questioned. "Is she available?"

"For what, may I ask?"

"Voice lessons," I cleared my throat. "I…we both… I am teaching her how to sing."

"Isabel is with Duke Ambler," Cecille informed, crossing her arms and offering me a smile. "You know how love birds are, of course. They tend to lose track of time."

"Isabel… is with the… Duke?"

"Why, yes. I believe she is."

"You are not lying, are you?"

"What a hurtful accusation," Cecille placed a hand upon her heart. "Questioning a lady's words now?"

"Why are you being so aloof?" I said. "What reason have you to quarrel with me?"

"Christian, one on one, I have something to say." Cecille gave me a moment to object or react, but I only stood and stared. "I know about you. I know about you and Satine. I do not want you to hurt Isabel. This is for her protection. Gregory is the best thing in her life right now, and I will not have you ruin it for her. Even if it means giving up my own love to guarantee her security. Gregory loves her. Isabel is quite capable of loving him…"

"But she doesn't?"

"She loves you, which I am sure you already know." Cecille frowned. "But you don't love her, do you, Christian?"

"No," I lowered my head, ashamed.

"I thought so," Cecille moved my chin up to stare at me. "I did not do this to hurt you, Christian. You are a fine fellow, and someday you might be able to move on from Satine and find yourself a new lover. Isabel is not that woman. I will not let her face the same heartache I have went through, nor do I want Gregory to go through the same. Gregory is a wonderful man, Christian. I love him and mourn for him as you must for Satine. But I will die before I see him hurt because Isabel leaves him for a man who is still pining over a dead woman. Not when he can be with Isabel."

"Do you expect me to have sympathy for you?" I glared at her words. "To have respect because you are throwing your love away? You tell me this so I might see you in different eyes. You want me to have sympathy because you feel like you are sacrificing so much to just let destiny play its toll upon your Duke and Isabel. What kind of life are you living, Cecille?"

"That is none of your business," she snapped offensively. "Good day to you, Christian. Isabel is not present for visitors. Come back in the evening, but I cannot guarantee that she will be there."

"There's no guarantee for anything in this world," I grumbled before stuffing my hands in my pockets and walking away.

"Out?" I took a step back to allow his words to register. "As in out with Paris socialites? Mingling with moneybags? Dining with nobles?"

"Isn't it just dreadful?" Gregory grinned. "The people are quite dull, but I'll be there. The opera we are to see is splendid as well."

"I've never so much as stepped in the Paris Opera House."

"The largest opera house in the world."

"You know I detest fancying up for the sake of being taken seriously."

"It is only for one night."

"Must I be giddy and sophisticated and completely charming all night long?"

"It matters not to me, as long as I can spend every moment with you."

"Should I be coquettish and coy?"

"Only to me," Gregory teased. "I would prefer mon amour to stay exclusively with me. I would like the other men to realize that. You are not an object of lust, beau. You are mon ange and should not be treated as anything less."

"I do not deserve you," guilt possessed me over what I had engaged in the previous night. "You are far too good to me."

"Well… I love you." Gregory held my hands and kissed them as if I was the most fragile being in the world. "You are priceless. More precious than all the diamonds and gems in the world. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"I hope I can make you happy."

"Just agree to go to the opera with me. We can start with that."

"Of course I'll go. You do not even have to ask."

"You are amazing," Gregory grinned at me, his love completely reflected in his eyes. "You make it so easy to fall in love."

"Why do you love me?" I asked softly. "I cannot fathom why, out of all the women in Paris… in the world… you would choose me. Why me? Why Ziddler's penniless niece of the Moulin Rouge?"

"Maybe it's intuition

Some things you just don't question

And in your eyes

I see my future in an instant

And there it goes

I think I've found my best friend." (1)

Guilt seized by body as Gregory professed his love to me. How could I set aside his honest love for the chance- the night- to spend with Christian?

"I know that it might sound

More than a little crazy

But I believe

I knew I loved you before I met you

I think I dreamed you into life

I knew I loved you before I met you

I have been waiting all my life." (1)

"There's just no rhyme or reason

Only a sense of completion

And in your eyes

I see my missing pieces

And searching for

I think I found my way home." (1)

I returned his song, singing the tune in a melancholy fashion that got further ruined as I began to cry. Gregory held me close to him, humming his love song to me.

No longer did I hear his singing though…

…pressed against his chest, it was overpowered by the beating of his heart.

"Is Isabel here?"

"She is out with the Duke Ambler still," I shrugged, staring at a cracked ceiling atop Isabel's decrepit bed, more dust and dirt than feathers. "He took her to the Paris Opera."

"Does she have any intentions to see me?"

"None that I have heard of," I looked over and smirked at his doubt. "That's the honest truth this time."

"Shouldn't you be performing tonight, or have you forgotten you are The Sparkling Diamond?"

"I am too tired to deal with men tonight," I commented. "Ziddler understands since I am what is getting his niece engaged to the Duke. My purpose as Isabel's tutor exceeds that of being a Moulin Rouge courtesan."

"So we are both spending our evening alone, in heartache over our bien-aimé being with someone else?" Christian laughed. "We are not very different, you and I."

"I suppose," I nodded, motioning for him to sit with me upon the bed, although I was unsure if the bed had enough durability to hold us both up. "Both turned away. Both mourning over lost loves."

"You must hate me," he buried his face in his hands. "I led Isabel on. I wanted her because she allowed me the chance to write again. My reasons for being with her were selfish. I still love Satine. I cannot get over her. Just being in the Moulin Rouge again. Roaming halls and rooms I have grown so accustomed to. It is overwhelming."

"All my life I have loved Gregory. It seemed he loved every woman but me. A passerby in the street. A musician who could not hit the right key once. A maid who would sneak away whenever she could to do God only knows what. I would look at these women and ask what it was that they had that I lacked. Why did I look at them and see them for who they were, when Gregory saw mysterious Goddesses that intrigued him? It shall drive me insane until I take upon a grave."

"Might you tell him how you feel?"

"It would be of no use. I am engaged to his cousin. I thought I would have nothing to lose. Married into his family, it seemed the closest I would be to Gregory would be to marry his cousin. It mattered not at the time that I did not love Edmund. I only saw the opportunity to be closer to Gregory, and seized the moment. It was not until Gregory told me of love and how wonderful it was that I was in love that I realized the extent of my actions. Edmund is dull as can be. I cannot last over a few minutes without dozing off at his somniferous talking. I knew I could not marry Edmund. Then I knew I could not condemn myself to such a life, when I only wished to be with Gregory."

"Satine showed me what it meant to be in love. Our future… our love… was denied by the Moulin Rouge and the sickness that took her life. Now the Moulin Rouge is denying me a love I might have once more. I can never escape it."

"I wish a man might look at me as Gregory looks at all the women he has ever loved. The passerby. The musician. The maid. How he gazes at Isabel now. I have been with so many men. Had them look at me with lust. Call me beautiful. Gorgeous. Pretty. But no matter how many names… now many compliments… never have I seen a man look at me as Gregory has gazed at those women."

"Just look at us," Christian chuckled. "We are a complete mess. Lost within a love we will never have."

"You're right," I joined in his laughter, slapping his back. "We are not that different after all."

It was true that misery loves company.

1. Savage Garden "I Knew I Loved You"