For Love

Part 8

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"Marry me."

Satine stared at the ring, mesmerized with its beauty. She looked up at Christian, who eagerly awaited her answer. 'What would the others think?' Satine shook her head. 'Who cares about the others? It's what I think that matters!'

"Yes." She whispered. "Yes!" She shouted as Christian pulled her close to him. "Yes! I will!" She coughed and her throat burned, but she didn't care. "I love you. Yes, yes I will!"

Christian smiled as he held Satine. Today was the happiest day of his life. Satine truly loved him. What else mattered? "I love you, Satine. I love you." He spoke these words over and over again. He held Satine tighter, afraid that she would get sick again if he let go. Hands trembling, he slid the ring onto Satine's delicate finger before he kissed her passionately on the lips.

It would have been perfect if Satine hadn't pulled away gasping. And again, worry took over. "Satine, I'm sorry…" Satine shook her head as she caught her breath. "I forgot." Breathing was still difficult for Satine at certain times. She looked up and placed her arms around Christian's body. "Just hold me."

Christian nodded as he did just as Satine wished. As the sun began to set, Renee entered the room after knocking. "Christian, the carriage is here." But Christian shook his head. "If you don't mind, I'll be staying here with my fiancée." Renee nodded, closing the door behind her.

"But Dr. Solomon…" Satine said, and Christian shook his head. "He's but one man. He can't make me do anything I don't want to. Next time I go home, you'll be coming with me."

"How wonderful life is," Satine sang softly as her eyes closed. "Now you're in the world…" She was asleep in minutes. Christian lay awake by her side for a while as he felt her breath upon his face. How wonderful life was; Satine was still in the world. But life would be even more wonderful when she was finally released from this place.

Luckily, Dr. Solomon brought wonderful news the next day; Satine would be released in one week if her condition stayed how it was. Satine tried the best she could to stay healthy, and with Christian's help and encouragement, she walked out of the sanitarium six days later. Well, she didn't exactly walk. Christian carried her down to the carriage and again up to his garret.

"Home sweet…" Christian stopped dead as he opened the door. The room was a wreck; the blankets from his bed lay in a messy pile on the floor, his cooking utensils were everywhere, the curtains were torn and Christian's typewriter lay on the floor smashed into a million pieces. "What h-happened?" He noticed blood splattered all over the floor and walls.

Satine held tighter to Christian's arm and jumped when the pile of blankets began to move. "Satine…stay back there." He said as he went to see what was inside the blankets. "Christian," Satine sobbed. "Be careful." He pulled the blankets back and Satine screamed. Renee lay in the blankets completely naked and shaking violently.

It was almost impossible to recognize her. Her entire body was covered with dry blood. She had many bruises deep gashes, mostly on her arms and face. Her hair was cut and much of it had been torn out. But the look in her eyes was the most horrifying things about her. They expressed ultimate pain and terror, as they seemed to stare right through Christian and Satine.

"Christian," Tears slid down her cheeks. "Oh my god, Christian, what happened?" Christian shook his head as he began to approach Renee, who didn't move. "Renee?" He reached out a hand, which was slapped away. "No, don't! Get away from me!" She screamed as she tried to hide under the blankets.

"Satine. Go up to Toulouse's." He said sternly at Satine, who wouldn't move. "Please, do as I say and go!" Satine, her lower lip trembling, made her way to the ladder and disappeared through the hole.

"Renee, it's me…Christian. I'm here to help you." Christian tried again to get to Renee, only to be pushed away. "No you're not! Get away from me!" Christian racked his brain as he tried to think of something that would help. "Please, I promise I will do you no harm." And he sat down on the floor a few feet away from Renee, who didn't move an inch. Although it was frightening, Christian didn't break eye contact.

After a few minutes, Renee broke eye contact and started to sob loudly. Christian tried a third time to get to Renee and succeeded. She did nothing to stop him. Christian surveyed her body, noticing that there was so much blood. "You took care of me." He whispered in her ear. "Now it's my turn to take care of you."

Renee's body shook with sobs, but she looked up at Christian and nodded. "I-I know…" She whispered before fainting onto the blankets.

Upstairs, Satine was frantic. She kept telling Toulouse the sight she saw over and over again. Toulouse tried to comfort her as best he could.

"Renee?" Christian tried to wake her. "Renee, please get up." She woke up calmly, but when she remembered what had happened, her eyes darted around frantically as her breathing sped up. "Where is he?" She demanded. "Tell me where he is!" "Where who is?" Christian was puzzled. Could she be talking about the man who did this to her?

"He's coming back for me…" She gasped. "Wants…wants to finish the job…" Christian lifted her up in his arms and headed out to the stairs. "Wh-where are you taking me?" She began to struggle. "Don't take me away!" Christian continued to walk. "I'm only taking you to Toulouse's. It's safer there. Whoever did this to you won't know where you'll be." Renee still didn't believe Christian, but she was too tired to protest.

"You'll be fine." He said gently as he kicked open the door to Toulouse's flat. Satine was sitting in a chair gripping the armrests tightly. Toulouse was pacing around and gasped when he saw Renee in Christian's arms. "My god…who did this to her?"

Christian shook his head. "I don't know. I just found her. Can you watch her, please, while I get the doctor?" Toulouse nodded but Satine jumped from the chair. "I'm coming with you." Christian put his arm around Satine as they left the building. Renee lay on a bed, sobbing quietly.

"I think she was raped." Satine said suddenly as she and Christian walked through the streets. Christian's first instinct was to suspect the Duke, but then he remembered with a small smile that the Duke was dead. Instead, he didn't answer.

They returned with a doctor soon after. He cleaned and dressed Renee's open wounds and gave her medicine to help her sleep. "Just try and keep her calm." The doctor stressed. "If she is as terrified as I think she is, she might do something drastic."

"Where's W-William?" Renee spoke quietly, her voice cracking. "Where is he? I need him!" "Who is William?" Satine asked, sitting down on the end of the bed. "You're just trying to trick me…of course you know who William is! Stop lying!" Christian held her back before she leapt at Satine. "She doesn't know, Renee. I promise she doesn't know. None of us know."

"My William." Renee touched a small, thin bronze ring on her finger. "Too poor for gold…" She mumbled to herself. "He would get gold when he was richer…he promised me." Satine looked at Renee's ring. "Is he your husband?"

Renee nodded. "My William…"

"Christian, what about William?" Satine whispered as she walked into Christian's waiting arms. "Harold might know. I could go ask him." Christian shook his head, holding on to Satine tighter. "I'll go. You stay here." He gave Satine a gentle kiss and left.

But when he returned with Zidler, Renee went crazy. She screamed at the top of her voice and ran for the window. "Get away from me, bastard!" She shouted as she threw a vase at Zidler, who stepped out of its path. "Get away from me!!!" She screamed louder as Christian held her and put her back on the bed.

"Satine, you're back." Zidler pulled Satine into a quick embrace. "I was worried sick about you." "It's good to see you too, Harold."

Christian looked up, concerned. "Do you know anyone by the name of William? Renee's been begging for him." Renee punched Christian and pulled away from him. "He should know!" She cried. "He was the one that killed my William!"

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(A/N: Sorry about the suckiness of this chapter. Yes, it's kinda…well…sucky. Between a new play and being grounded, my muse has left me once again. Next one will be a tad depressing, but maybe not. I haven't written it yet **giggle** hee hee hee…)