Thirteen 
 

Chris' mouth fell open. “Melody. I'm sure…I'm sure she's still in the apartment.” Chris darted out the door with Justin on his heels.

“Babe, I'm sure…”

“Don't fucking talk to me,” Chris snapped.

Joey looked at Lance. “Can we hear your side of this?”

“It happened exactly like Justin said.” Lance grabbed some tissues and dabbed at his nose. “We were drunk. I was pissed off because Josh wanted to work instead of be with me, and Justin was pissed because Melody had come between he and Chris again. We got TOO drunk…you saw us, Joe, and things just started happening. It hadn't moved past groping before Josh called.” Lance looked at Josh, who was pressed back against the sink. “I am very sorry, Josh. I never meant for it to happen. I don't want Justin, I want you. I'm over him.”

“It doesn't look that way,” Josh said to him, his eyes sad. 

Chris burst into his apartment. The door was open, the way he and Justin had left it. “I can't believe you didn't look after her!” Chris said to Justin.

“Hello, she's not MY daughter, no matter how hard you try to make her my daughter,” Justin growled back. “She's YOUR responsibility.”

“Maybe she's hiding. Mel…baby girl, come to Daddy!” Chris called, tearing through the apartment. He looked under the bed and in the closets, while Justin checked the kitchen cabinets. One time she had hidden in there when they were playing.

“She's not here, Chris,” Justin said softly.

“I can see that, dumbass,” Chris almost yelled.

Joey came skidding to the doorway, Josh right behind him. “Well?” Joey asked breathlessly.

“She's not here,” Chris said in a lifeless tone. He looked out into the hallway, and Justin knew he was looking for Lance.

“He's in the apartment,” Josh said softly. “Putting ice on his nose.”

“She couldn't have gone far, right?” Joey asked. “I mean, she doesn't know how to use the elevator.”

“But we've used the stairs before,” Justin said. Everyone looked at him. “And they have the doors open right now since the janitors are mopping them down. She knows how to walk down steps.”

“Oh, Jesus,” Chris whispered. “She could be anywhere.”

“Where does she like to go?” Josh asked. Chris just shook his head. “Chris, where are her favorite places?”

“She likes the playground,” Justin said quickly. “And she likes the beach.”

“The beach. What if…” Chris' eyes grew big with horror. “What if…”

“Chris, stop,” Joey said. “She hasn't been gone long enough to just run out into the water. We need to go look for her.”

The four men went down the steps and out of the apartment building. “Okay. Josh, you go down the beach one way, I'll walk up on the boardwalk,” Justin said. “Chris, you go down the beach the other way, and Joey, go down the street to the playground. She loves to play hide and seek…so check behind anything and IN anything.”

Josh obediently started down the beach, calling Melody's name and looking behind every clump of grass. It was a chilly morning, but it was sunny and bright. For Chris' sanity, he prayed that they would find her.

Chris frantically called his daughter's name, scaring some joggers by the way he grabbed them and asked if they had seen a little girl. His brain was torn in so many directions…thinking about Justin and Lance, worrying about Melody. He tugged at his hair in frustration, wishing that he himself could just take a few steps into the water and keep on going. 

Josh sat down on the sand and tried to think. Her legs weren't very long, she couldn't have gotten very far. But there was no sign of her. What if someone had picked her up and carried her off? He sighed and stood back up again, but a sound made him slowly turn around. The sound was definitely sniffling, and it was coming from the shadowy area under the wooden steps that led to the boardwalk. He slowly walked up, his heart doing flip-flops. He knelt down by the side of the steps.

“Hello,” he said, trying to keep his voice calm. “Why don't you come out of there?”

Melody shrank back. “Daddy and Daddy Jussin yelling…Daddy said bad words…so angry…” Melody began to cry.

“Can I come under there with you?” Josh asked softly. She sniffled and nodded. Josh folded his long legs underneath himself and sat by her on the sand, not touching her. “Daddy and Justin were just mad at each other, Melody. Not at you.”

“They ran away!”

“No, I promise they didn't. They're so afraid…they're out looking for you right now.” Josh slowly put an arm around her. “They love you so much.”

“Daddy…” Melody wailed, crawling onto Josh's lap.

“Wanna go find them?” Josh asked. Melody nodded but kept a tight hold on him. With effort, Josh crawled out and stood up without putting her down. He went towards the water, where he knew he would be easily sighted.

Justin was the first one to see him. “JOSH!” Justin yelled, almost falling down the steps. “Melody…oh, baby…I'm so sorry we left you alone…”

“Daddy Jussin…” Melody reached out for him and he held her tight.

“Oh, baby…” Justin kissed her head again and again. He looked at Josh. “Thank you.”

“I didn't do this for you.” Josh's eyes were cold as he began to jog ahead to find Chris. 

Joey went back to his apartment, and Josh went to talk to Lance. Justin and Chris went to Chris' apartment. They got Melody cleaned up and dressed, and tried to get her to lay down and rest.

“No…” Melody said, beginning to cry again. “Stay!”

Justin picked her up and laid her down in Chris' bed, laying down beside her. Chris sighed and laid down on her other side. She shoved her thumb in her mouth and snuggled back against Justin. It wasn't long before she fell back asleep. Justin dragged his fingers through her hair, occasionally touching her cheek. Chris watched for a long time before speaking.

“If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have found her,” he said quietly. “You knew everywhere we should look.”

“If it wasn't for me, we wouldn't have lost her in the first place,” Justin gently corrected.

“You know my daughter better than I do, and that's all my fault,” Chris said. “I just forced you to become a parent.”

“I don't mind,” Justin said, smiling down. “Not anymore. I love her. It's like…she's mine, in a way.”

“I'm sorry, Justin,” Chris began.

“No,” Justin said sharply. “Do NOT apologize. I owe you the apology, and if you ever forgive me, it would be a miracle.”

“I do forgive you,” Chris said, and then they said nothing more. 

“How are you feeling?” Josh asked as he entered the apartment.

“A bit bruised. Did you find her?” Lance asked.

“Yes. I found her under the steps a few blocks down. She's fine.”

“Good.” Lance lay back down on the sofa. “Can we talk about this?”

“No. Not right now.” Josh began to clean up the breakfast dishes. “Here I was so worried that you'd find someone else at school. I never thought you wouldn't even have to look that far.”

“Josh, I'm not looking for someone else!” Lance insisted. “That was a mistake. An accident.”

“We'll talk about it later.” Josh gave up on the dishes and went into the bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

Fourteen