And This One's For You (Moulin Rouge)

4. Accident

Christian's POV:

I walk through the streets of Montmartre, searching for the mysterious young women that cam looking for the Moulin Rouge. Thankfully Montmartre isn't a big district so it shouldn't be too hard to find her. I walk down on of the narrow streets, my arms folding to try and keep my body warm from the bitter cold air. All is quiet on the streets of Montmartre, when I hear a loud squeal from around the corner. The scream sounds full of fear and fright. My heart sinks to my stomach as I quicken my walk to a run. I race through the empty street, turning round the corner on the left and see one of the older men who live in this area grabbing a young girl. The same blue and white milkmaid dress the mysterious woman was wearing. My eyes widen in shock and horror as the man tried to take her bag. 

"Give me the bags bitch!" He shouts in her face, spit leaving his mouth. I quickly become very angry as I make my way to the horrid man. 

"Let her go!" I shout, shifting the man's focus from the girl to myself. He takes one look at me and laughs, realising who I am- the loner who lost his lover who was a courtesan. The girl struggles to set her wrist free from the tight grip of the drunk man. She yanks her arm to her chest, forcing her arm to leave the grip of the man's hand. But with the force she uses to set herself free, it causes her to stumble backwards, crashing to the floor and hitting her head on one of the raised cobbles of the street. She doesn't get back up, but remains lying on the floor not moving. The drunk man proceeds to pick her bags up, trying to take them inside. I charge to him with my fists clenched tightly, my knuckles going pale white. I throw a punch at the man with brute force, my fist smashing into the side of his face. He falls down, his hand covering his face, blood running from his nose and his now busted lip. "Now get lost before I hit you again! You leave this woman alone, and if I see you go near her again, I'll give you more than a bloody nose and a busted lips. Understand?" I say through gritted teeth, my body raging with anger. The man stumbles to his feet and spits in my direction. 

"You don't belong here you English Fuck! Go back to where you came from!" he shouts at me. I raise my fist in the air, getting ready for another punch. The man flinches, his hands covering his face for protection. I put my fist back down shouting at the man to go away. He does as he is told and leaves, not even taking a single belonging from the woman. Once he leaves I turn to face the girl, who still remains lying in the floor not moving. I go ver to her and kneel beside her. I remove my jacket and put it around her as she feels as cold as ice. There's a bit of blood dripping on the side of her head. She looks peaceful and I get to notice fully her soft features on her face. She is full of beauty and grace, I have never seen such a pretty girl since I first saw Satine. My heart aches for a moment as I feel like I am betraying Satine by admiring another girls beauty. 

Toulouse and his friends run over after hearing all the commotion. 

"What is all this? What has happened?" he asks frantically, sounding very out of breath after running here. 

"A drunk tied to mug her. She feel after freeing herself from his grasp and hit her head. Could you all pick up her bags and help me take them to my apartment. I shall carry the girl. We can call a doctor is she doesn't wake up in the morning." I say to the group. Everyone nods without saying a word and proceeds to pick up the girl's belongings. I place my arm under the crease of her legs and my other arm behind her back. I make sure her head rests against my chest so that it doesn't flop over my arm. I pick her up and carry her. She feels very light in my arms, as if I am carrying a feather. 

We all head back to the apartment, the group bringing her belongings into my place, placing them down by my desk. I gently put the woman down on my bed and head into my bathroom. I grab a flannel from the sink and rinse it with cold water. I proceed back into my living area to which I find the group standing over the sleeping woman, their eyes transfixed on her. Like they haven't seen such a beautiful lady in their lives before. I walk over to them to which they begin to disperse. 

"Do you need our help at all Christian?" Toulouse asks, the others already starting to leave. 

"I think I should be fine my good friend. I shall call you if I need anything. Thank you Toulouse." I say to him with appreciation. He simply nods before leaving and closing the door to my apartment. It now remains just me and the sleeping girl. I kneel beside my bed, finding myself once again staring at the woman before me. Her cheeks become more rosy now that her body is warming up. I take the wet flannel and lightly dab where the blood is on her head. I carefully wipe the wound, luckily it doesn't look too deep to need any medical attention, so I continue to cautiously clear her head from any remnants of blood. Once it is all clear, I throw the flannel into my laundry basket and proceed to grab a spare blanket and pillow so that I can go to sleep on the floor beside my bed. 

I lie here, staring up at my ceiling, trying take in everything that has happened in just one night. I begin to wonder if I am wrong for helping this woman out, wondering if I am betraying Satine. Everything feels strange and mysterious, my body desiring to know more about this stranger sleeping peacefully in my bed. Part of me feels a slight bit of excitement for this sudden change in my life. Will she stay here? What may come of her presence? Who is she? Will I change now that she is here? These questions swirl round and round in my head, sending me a little dizzy. I close my eyes, trying to block the tsunami of questions, trying to fall asleep too. Waiting for morning so that I can meet her properly.