Twisted Every Way(Phantom Of The Opera Fic)

Chapter 45: Forwards

"Never mind my Father." Gustave laughed merrily.

For once in his life he was truly absolutely undeniably happy.

Autumn gasped and bit her lip. "Luke!" She shouted joyously. "Oh, Gustave could we...no we couldn't possibly!"

He shrugged, curiously searching her face for her meaning, "Couldn't possibly what? Nothing is impossible today!"

She grinned overwhelmed with joy, "We could...adopt him! Not with all the paperwork and legal procedures of course but still he'd be ours and he's all alone and such a charming little boy and..."

Gustave smiled, "Say no more! Its as you wish!"

She hugged him, "It's all happening so fast, so perfectly! Oh, what will my mother say!? After all, that's happened? Will she even come to the wedding I wonder..."

"She will be happy. And, if she's not I'll be so perfectly charming and well behaved that she will have no choice!" Gustave exclaimed.

"Ever since that day when you first appeared in my room I knew, I just knew, well I dreamed, I never thought, I always hoped, and now!" Autumn laughed, she blushed and smiled awkwardly, "You're even more handsome than I remeMber."

"And you more beautiful than I could have tried to imagine."

"Sing something," She said tiredly resting her head on his shoulder. "It's been so long."

"I've somehow found you here again. Your voice whispers in my ear. Sometimes it seems, as if just a dream, that I'll wake and you won't be here."

Neither saw the little boy in the bed open his eyes as he heard Gustave's voice. No one saw the tears that came to his little eyes.

He finally had a home.

---------

When Luke was awoken the next morning with the smell of pancakes. Forgetting the previous day's events he quickly got dressed and ran into the kitchen calling after Peter for extra syrup.

Instead, he was greeted by Autumns sweet smile and excited eyes. He sat down in the chair and watched as she flipped the pancakes. She was perfect and Luke and Gustave both knew it. Perfect in everything from her hair to her dress and lace collar.

Luke didn't remember much about his parents or anything else. He remembered Gustave and the Post office and that was all. He remembered the old rusty trumpet he'd found in the trash when he was very small, but further back than that old beautiful piece of metal there was nothing.

Gustave came out and Luke's eyes followed him across the room. He was carrying a small case, Lukes scanned it. Gustave was carrying it a particular way so it must have been something delicate or fragile. Perhaps...

No, it couldn't be. He put the thought of a new instrument out of his head and instead played with his fork.

Gustave set the case in front of him. "Open it." He smiled eyes twinkling.

Luke looked to Autumn who had stopped flipping pancakes and stood now beside Gustave. They both smiled in a knowing way.

"For me?" Luke asked excitedly.

Autumn nodded and ruffled his hair.

She loved him, loved him as if she were her own son. His blue eyes looked up and shined at her, and oh how much she adored him. Her little boy, hers and Gustaves, theirs.

He was perfect, and she couldn't help but repeat to herself every so often that he was hers.

He was hers to love.

His small fingers traced the outline of the case. Each and every nook and cranny made his eyes twinkle and dance with excitement and suspense.

"Open it!" She urged him.

He nodded and unlocked the case. He held his breath from the moment he saw the first glimmer of silver.

"No!" He gasped with delight.

Autumn leaned against Gustave taking his hand and gave a happy laugh as he picked up the small instrument.

"No way!" He yelled feeling the brass and smooth shiny vales. The trumpet fit perfectly into his hand and he wished to just stare at it. he was afraid to blow into it for fear he may drop it and lose it forever.

"Play something!" Gustave urged him. Luke smiled and blew into the shiny trumpet. He played a simple scale and stopped. He was grinning too hard to continue.

He flew into Autumn's arms.

"Oh Miss,its the best thing I've ever seen. Its so beautiful and perfect and oh you both didn't have to but you did. And its perfect and brilliant and I will play all the time you know I will!" He cried, "I've never been so happy in my life! I'm not alone anymore! You like me I hoped you did! I hoped you both did but I wasn't sure! But now I know and oh yes I think I will love it with you! If you let me stay oh please let me stay! You'd be like my mother."

His little eyes gazed upwards adoringly as he stared up at her, "Please. I've always wanted to know my mother."

Autumn wanted to cry, he had called her mother. Words she had never dreamed of hearing. Gustave hugged her close.

As Luke stared at Gustave he no longer saw him as a nonsense big brother but instead as a father or a sort of one. Luke had a family, a family to call his own.

For the first time, someone loved him.

Gustave nodded to Autumn and said in a voice deep and low, "I'll discuss this with my father in the morning. I'll take the money from my college fund."

"Oh Gustave," Autumn exclaimed under her breath just quiet enough for Luke not to hear, "Gustave that's too much to ask. I won't have you throw away your future-"

"But I'm not!" He laughed placing two strong hands on her waist, "I'm not throwing it away. I'm investing in it. Investing in happiness in hope, in a better tomorrow. Besides my dad loves you."

Autumn raised an eyebrow, "That was before I was marrying his son."

Gustave gave a cheery laugh. "Please, with only Ilios and Eli around to bug him I'm sure he's as calm and happy as can be. He'll be so used to domesticity he'll be sure to say yes."

"Relax!" he exclaimed throwing a hand in the air, "What trouble could two little Destler kids possibly get up to?"