Erik's POV

"Oh, how many times do I have to call this boy down?"

Gustave was being rather strange this morning. Usually, he was up before I was, but this morning, he was still in his room. I had called him twice already, twice, and yet, he still wasn't down.

"Damn this boy…"

"Erik, be kind…"

When I heard Christine's voice, I spun around to find her standing before me. I sighed and continued making breakfast.

"Erik, I really need to speak with you."

"Yes, well I've been quite busy, Christine," I groaned. "I'm not an angel who can just float around all day and be seen when she wishes to be seen."

"And now you're being cruel. Erik, I've been asking to speak with you for a few days now and yet, you've denied my wish by telling me that you're too busy. Now, I'll ask you again, could you and I speak a little later?"

"I'm here now, aren't I? Why is it that we can't speak to one another now?"

I placed down the spoon I was stirring batter with and turned to face the woman.

"All right, Christine, what is it that you have to tell me?"

"I…I can't speak with you here, Erik. Plus, you shouldn't be speaking out loud to me. Not while Gustave is lurking around. No, I really need to speak with you a little later, in private."

"Christine, I don't have time for such games…"

"Who are you speaking to, Mister Y?"

When I heard Gustave's voice, I spun around to find the boy entering the kitchen. He took a seat at the table, a huge smile displayed across his face.

"I don't know what you're talking about…" I scoffed. "I was just making breakfast."

"I heard you use mama's name…It was like you were speaking to her."

"I did no such thing… You're hearing things, boy! But, on another subject, why are you so happy today?"

"No reason, I just had a really nice night with Melody is all."

"So, that's the girl's name…"

"Yes, it is… I can't wait to see her again."

The boy seemed to have drifted off into some strange dazed and confused mode. Oh, how it reminded me of the days when I would sit around and dream of Christine. But that was years ago, and I was a much younger man then.

"Hey," I snapped my fingers in front of his face. "Eat your breakfast before it gets cold. You have a lot of work to do today, Gustave and I need your mind to be focused on it. You can see your friend later."

"I took her to the opera last night and she loved it…Then, we took a moonlit walk. I'm thinking about doing something even greater next time."

"Gustave, I'm really happy that you found someone that you like, now please, eat your breakfast."

"I don't just like her, Mister Y," he replied. "I'm in love with her."

I squeezed my fists and slapped the back of his head.

"Snap out of it, boy… You're still a child for gods sake!"

"I'm not a child," Gustave whined. "I'm a young man… Everyone is nearly out on their own by the time they're fifteen… That's next year for me. I can do as I wish, and I love Melody…"

"Gustave, you don't need a woman in your life! I'm happy that you believe you've found one, but in the end they do nothing but break your heart. I'm only trying to look out for you. I'm glad that you had fun, but don't have your heart set on this…"

This angered the child, for he rose to his feet and crossed his arms in anger.

"The only reason you're saying this is because you don't have a woman! Just because you're lonely doesn't mean that I have to suffer the same fate!"

"You take that back, you little brat!"

I ran towards Gustave and grabbed his arm, but he pushed me away and went running out the door. My chest began to ache, but I quickly thought about something else…This was the only way I could stop my attacks from coming on. After rubbing my sore chest, I stomped back into the kitchen and tossed the dirty plates violently into the sink.

"You're trying to keep him needy of you, Erik…" Christine's voice whispered. "You're trying to keep him a boy, for as long as he is a boy, I shall be around. It's quite selfish of you… Gustave is nearly a man, and he will need to become one sooner than later."

"Don't you say that," I growled, tears welling up into my eyes. "Don't you ever say that. I still have a year at least…One more year."

"No, Erik…This is what I've been needing to tell you. This is what I've been wanting to talk to you about. You don't have a year."

Christine appeared before me and I immediately dropped to her feet. I wrapped my arms around her ankles and sobbed.

"No…No, you can't do this to me, Christine. You can't stand before me and tell me that Gustave will be a man in less than a year. No, he still needs me, he still needs you…"

"Erik," I felt her hand running through my locks of hair. "Erik, I have no control over staying or going. This is all up to God. I am controlled by him, and only him. These are the rules. You knew this day was going to come. Gustave has a job, money, a nice girl in his life…I know what is to come."

"How long?" I sobbed. "How much longer do you have here with me?"

"I'm not sure, Erik, but I was warned that my time is coming to an end."

"Don't leave me…I will be nothing without you. Oh, Christine, I have turned away from every woman who has given me a smile. I can only love you and only you. If you leave me, my heart will break…"

"I…I know, Erik, but I have no control over staying. If it were up to me, I would stay here as long as you want me to, but that is simply something I have no control over. You need to be strong for Gustave, mon ange… You need to be strong for yourself. I don't want you to be sad when I leave, I want you to be happy…"

"How could I ever be happy without you, Christine? If Gustave is no longer in need of me, then I am no longer willing to stay upon this earth… I will kill myself, and then, you and I can be together."

"Erik, it doesn't work like that. If you murder yourself, then you and I will never be together. You should know that anyone who ends their life goes straight to Hades… You and I will be together again soon, and when we meet again, I will smile and welcome you home with open arms, my Erik."

"Christine…"

My angel lifted me up and wrapped her arms around my body, her lips pressing a single kiss to my malformed ones.

"Erik, you should not be sad over this…Your son has grown to be a respectable young man, and all because of you. My death could have changed his life, and not for the better, but you were there to lift his sorrows. You should be proud of yourself."

"Oh, Christine, I couldn't have done it without you…You know how ill my temper can be at times. Without you, he wouldn't be who he is today."

And when Christine kissed me one last time, she left, bound to return later. Yes, I could have sat at my desk for the remainder of the day, but I had work to do, lots of it actually. A park wouldn't run on its own, even if I did have Nadir helping me…

Gustave's POV

Sometimes, my father's anger rubbed off on me. And yes, sometimes, I believed that he wanted me to follow in his footsteps when it came to everything. The man only cared about work, so, therefore, he wanted me to do the same. He was lonely, and so, he wanted me to live in solitude as well. I wouldn't do it… I loved working in Phantasma, but at the end of the day, I wanted a wife to go home to, I wanted a family to spend my evenings with. Yes, I did have Mister Y, but sometimes, even he brought his work home with him. I never understood how someone could just lock themselves away for hours at a time, composing and drowning out their sorrows with work, but I have seen it happen, and I knew it was possible. Working was how my papa coped with my mother's death, but it wasn't how I coped. There wasn't a day that went by where I didn't at least think of her thirty seconds out of every hour, but I knew she wasn't coming back, and there was nothing that could be done about it.

Like I had promised Melody, I made sure that I was at the pub around eight… For her, I was there at seven thirty. With a few roses in hand, I approached the back door and knocked. I already had the night planned, a night containing endless wonder and plenty of kisses. When no one answered, I knocked again, only to have the door hit me. I went flying back into a stack of trash cans, my landing making a loud clanking sound. Next thing I knew, Melody's father was standing over me, his monstrous hand reaching out to grab hold of my shirt and lift me to my feet.

"I thought I told you to never come around my pub again?! You filthy piece of dirt…"

"Sir, please… I came to see your daughter…"

"She doesn't wish to be seen by the likes of you…"

"What?"

"I'm going to give you a fair warning…That being to get out of here and never come back. If I ever see you hanging around my pub again, I'll hang you over the bar as a decoration!"

The man tossed me back into the pile of cans before storming back inside. I wasn't sure what was going on, but when I heard my name being called, I looked up in the nearby bedroom window to find Melody peeking out from behind it. The window was open, but it was covered by bars, much like a jail cell.

"Melody?"

I couldn't be certain, but I was sure the girl had a cut above her eye…

"Gustave, I…I can't see you anymore," she sobbed. "I'm not allowed. My father, he found out that you and I…...he knows what we did. He beat me…"

"Melody….I can get you out of there…"

"No, Gustave, just…just go…"

"Melody, I'm not leaving you here. Please, meet me somewhere…"

"I can't see you anymore, Gustave. Goodnight…"

With that, she slammed the window closed. That was it? This was how my relationship was going to end with the girl of my dreams? A closed window? My heart broke that moment, for she was my first and only…No, I couldn't let things end this way, but what could I do?

"Melody?"

I picked up a rock and tossed it at her window, though, it didn't reopen. My voice must have been loud, for the bar door opened again and the girl's father emerged.

"I should tear your dick off, you little brat!"

And with that, I took one last look at her window and ran, for the man was chasing after me. I wouldn't let this be the end. I knew Melody loved me just as much as I loved her. I would save her from that attic bedroom, even if I risked my life doing it. I wouldn't give up…I loved Melody, more than anything in the world, and I would never love another.

Awww...sweet chapter. Please review!