Gustave's POV

"Gustave, where are we going?"

I was pulling Melody along as we left my papa's house. I wasn't sure where we were going to go, but anywhere was better than with him. In my pocket I had five dollars from my last pay, making the option of getting a hotel room out of the question.

"Gustave, it's getting dark…"

"I know," I said, pulling Melody to a spot beneath the boardwalk. "We're going to have to stay here for the night."

"Under the boardwalk? Gustave, we're outside…"

"And my father kicked me out. Where else are we going to go? I have a few dollars in my pocket, but that isn't enough for a room."

"What about your friends? Don't you have anyone that could help us out for the night?"

"I have an uncle, but…"

"But nothing…Please, Gustave."

If there was one thing I didn't want to do, it was talk to Nadir, for he would send me straight back to my papa, but what other choice did I have? Knowing that night was quickly approaching, I pulled Melody along to Nadir's house. I knew that he wasn't home yet, for the park was still open. I moved aside the welcome mat and picked up the key, pushing open the door and letting Melody pass. After flipping on the lights, Melody gazed at the surroundings, those surroundings being Persian rugs and paintings. Nadir's home looked like a Persian court, for he had more things from the Middle East than the Shah himself…

"What is all this stuff?" Melody asked, gazing at the strange paintings.

"My uncle is from Persia…He's very religious. Just don't touch anything."

I took Melody by the hand and led her upstairs to the spare bedroom. Nadir might have moved here a few years ago, but he had stayed alone. Yes, there were nights when he would pick up a woman or two around the park, but he never stayed with them. I guess it was because he loved his late wife too much. Sort of like the way my papa loved my mother.

"We'll stay here and when he gets home, I'll talk to him."

"What are we going to do?"

"We are going to stay here until I get some money. From there, we'll get a place and get married. All right?"

Melody looked like she was worried, which was why I squeezed her hand.

"Melody, do you trust me?"

"Of course…"

"We'll get through this. We'll be all right…I'll get a job. Two if I have to. I'm going to do everything I have to do in order to support us."

A little while later, I heard the front door opening. I turned to Melody and motioned her to be quiet. I didn't want to startle the man, but knew I would do just that if I made any noise. I waited for a few moments, before emerging from the bedroom and slinking down the stairs. Once there, I spotted Nadir standing in the kitchen. His back was turned, giving me the chance to silently approach him.

"Uncle Nadir?"

The man gasped and spun around. Oh, I had startled him.

"Gustave? It's late…what are you doing here? How did you get in?"

"The key was under the doormat. I needed to come in…"

"Gustave, is everything all right?"

"Yeah, everything is fine…"

"It is? Then why are you here?"

"No…Everything is not all right. I need help."

"Help?"

"I…I was thrown out."

Nadir crossed his arms. "And what did you do now? You're already in a lot of hot water with your father for what you did to Luna Park."

"I…I met this girl. She and I really connected and a few months ago, I took a her out on a date. We…we fell in love."

"Gustave, what did you do?"

A few seconds later, Melody came down the stairs and the moment Nadir saw her, he knew.

"Gustave…is this her?"

I nodded.

"And she's pregnant…"

Once again, I nodded. "Yes, with my baby."

"Of course you're in a lot of hot water…Did you really think that your father was going to be happy about this?"

"Uncle Nadir, I know. I tried to explain myself, but you know how he is. I don't know what I'm going to do. I have five dollars in my pocket an no place to go. Please let us stay…"

"Gustave, you can't stay here. If your father finds out that I'm helping you, it will start world war two. No…You can't stay."

"And where am I going to go? Under the boardwalk? My girlfriend is pregnant…"

Nadir sighed and ran his fingers through his dark hair.

"All right…You can stay here tonight, but I'm going to go speak with your father. I'll knock some sense into him, and then, tomorrow, you will be gone."

"Thank you, Nadir."

"Don't thank me, Gustave. Just be lucky that I loved your mother…"

"Nadir, this is Melody…"

Nadir smiled and shook her hand. "Hello, Melody, it's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Nadir. Gustave has told me a lot about you."

"Has he now?"

"Well, you have an interesting home."

"Home is home…Home to me is Persia."

Erik's POV

"Oh, Christine...pregnant, Gustave's girl is pregnant…"

I sat down on my bed and brushed my hands over my knees. I couldn't get the word out of my head. Pregnant…Oh, he couldn't be a father, he just couldn't.

"Erik, you took things the wrong way. I told you to be understanding, and you were anything but. This is your son…"

"Our son…Christine, what am I to do? Is this how you tell me that we haven't much time left with one another?"

"Don't be mad with the child, Erik. He's living…Plenty of boys his age have children. Look at me, Erik. How old was I when I had Gustave?"

"You were eighteen! Eighteen, Christine, not fourteen! Fourteen, Christine! Oh how could this be happening?"

"Erik, it was going to happen sooner or later. You know that I wasn't going to be around forever."

"I know, Christine, but this way? Oh ange…No…Don't leave me."

Christine caressed my cheek. "Erik, nothing lasts forever. You know this…"

"Christine, please…Don't act like this. Gustave is still a boy, you know this."

"No, Erik, he is turning into a man. He's going to be a father and a father is not a boy…"

I pressed my eyes closed, only to hear a knock at my door.

"Things will work out, love, they always do, but until then you have to be strong."

I expected to open the door and find Gustave standing there, but instead, it was Nadir. Oh, it was late and what could he want at this hour?

"Nadir, did something happen in Phantasma?"

"No, but may I come in?"

I nodded and let the man in. As soon as Nadir entered, he looked around and then at me.

"Is Gustave around?"

"No, he's not here…He ran away. I don't even know where he's at."

"Oh, I know where he's at…"

"You do?"

Nadir nodded. "Yes, I do…He's at my house."

"He is?"

"Yes…Him and his girl."

I sighed in relief. "Oh, I'm so glad…Oh, Nadir, I said some horrible things to him. I was angry and I called his girl a whore. I even said that he wasn't any son of mine. How could I have been so cruel? I'm a monster…He probably hates me and I don't blame him."

"No, he doesn't hate you, he just wants to come home and I would like it if you took him back."

"Nadir, he impregnated a girl that isn't his wife…How could he be so stupid?"

"Erik, boys do stupid things. You act as though you've never done something stupid."

"I didn't…"

"Erik, when you had sex with Christine, was she your wife?"

I shook my head. "No, but I was nearly thirty five…"

"What is the difference, Erik? You still weren't married to her. You created a child, and yet you weren't married to her. Oh, Erik, my wife and I got married when we were twelve, and Reza was born a few years later. He'll be fine."

"No he won't…I won't be fine."

"And what about you?"

"I won't be fine, Nadir… I can't go on living like this."

"Erik, you're speaking madness. Now, enough! Your son wants to come home, so, I suggest that you give him permission. He will do just fine. Let him come home and give the boy a job in your park. With the money, he'll be able to move out and start his life."

"That's the thing, Nadir…"

"Oh, so that's it? This isn't about Gustave having a child so young, it's about you, just like everything else is about you."

"This isn't about me! This isn't about me one bit!"

"Of course it is…You don't want to be left alone. You want Gustave to live with you for the rest of your life. You want to keep him a slave…"

"That's not the reason, Nadir!"

"Then you're afraid. Christine was taken out of your life, and now, Melody is taking Gustave away. You're afraid, and you have a right to be, but life does go on, Erik. It's not like she's taking him across the country. Gustave will still be working for you, and you will get to see him everyday…He's going to give you a grandchild. He will still be a part of your life, man… Don't be afraid of the future, Erik. Now, can we all be a bit sensible and let the boy come home?"

"And how am I to go on living?"

"You will, Erik…You just have to keep on swimming. No matter what life throws at you, man, you just have to keep on living. Everything will work out. This wasn't your fault…Things happen, and this may be something that one doesn't wish to happen, but it isn't the worst thing in the world. This could be a joyous thing…For Gustave, anyway."

I nodded, knowing that deep inside my heart I was hurt by this. Yes, Gustave was going to be a father, but I was still losing Christine.

"All right," I said. "I'll let him come home, but only until he gets back on his feet."

"Fair enough…"

When Nadir left, I waited until Gustave and Melody returned. When they came through the door, I stood before him and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Perhaps I was a bit harsh on the both of you. I'm sorry that I called you a bastard, and I apologize for calling your girl a whore. She deserves respect…And I'm sorry. So, if you can accept my apology, I will lay down some house rules."

Gustave nodded and stepped forward. "I accept your apology, papa…Though, it was wrong."

"And you know how I can be…"

"I know…"

"So, let's lay down some rules. I will allow you and your girl…"

"Melody."

"Melody. I will allow both you and her to stay here until you have enough money to move out on your own. So, in order to do that, I will give you a job in my park. You will be my assistant and I will pay you a nice rate. For the next few months you will save, and then, when you find a home, you will move out on your own. Does that sound like a deal?"

I held out my hand, and Gustave shook it.

"It's a deal…"

I then turned to Melody. "Young lady, I'm sorry…"

"And I accept your apology, sir. I thank you for taking me into your home. It is very kind of you."

"You're welcome."

I turned around to spot Christine standing behind me. She smiled and caressed my shoulder.

"You did great, my Erik…"

But I could only feel hurt inside, for my time with my angel was quickly coming to an end.

Here he comes to save the day...NADIR KHAN on the way! Haha...Nadir saves the day again! Please reveiw everyone!