The cries of little Elijah filled her bedroom. This was technically her second night alone with him and she was exhausted.

The more she tried to soothe him, the more he cried. She checked his diaper, nothing. Because he would not take the breast, she had to bottle feed, but nothing. She tried to give him the pacifier, but nothing. He spit that out too.

She was defeated and on the brink of tears.

She thought things would be different. At the beginning, she thought she would have the help of Michael but here she was alone. She thought she would have the help of her father and Donna, but here she was alone again.

After leaving the Jackson compound that day, her father immediately took Tayler to her new apartment, but instead of getting out and helping her settle in. Her father informed her that Donna and him would be going home and letting her be alone with the baby.

In the mist of the conversation, he said something about her learning a lesson that she brought on herself. It was there that she knew he was angry with her and resented her for what she had done, but what she was surprised about was Donna.
She sat in the passenger seat facing forward as Tayler was confused and almost begging her parents to stay.

However, the vulnerability she showed at the Jackson's house and already feeling defeated, she was tired of appearing weak. So being her child's father, she gathered her things from the backseat and slammed the car door with her baby peacefully asleep in the car seat, not knowing of the thick tension he had caused.

It hurt her to feel as if everybody was turning their back on her. She already lost her friends, her best friend and cousin Lydia, Michael, and now it seemed she lost Donna. Of course, she expected her dad to be more withdrawn after the truth came out about Eli's conception but she didn't think he would make Donna turn on her.

The feelings of loneliness was overbearing, she needed help. It seemed her sobs were louder than her son's and he eventually stopped crying and stared back at her. Noticing that he was watching her, she stopped crying and wiped her face and giggled.

"You are a funny baby, you stop crying cause you see me crying? You want all the attention to be on you huh?" She spoke to him.

She kissed his cheek and carried him around the darkened apartment, the only light shining was from the street lights through the blinds. She rubbed his back to soothe him and keep him quiet.

"I know I shouldn't be crying in front you, but I just don't know what to do Eli. I never thought it would just be me and you. I had big dreams, but then I had you and not that I'm complaining but my big dreams turned into smaller ones that had your father, you, and I in the picture. But now, I'm alone. I thought I could depend on your grandma and grandpa but I guess not and don't get me started on your other grandparents, especially your grandpa"

Eli cooed, making his mom giggle.

"See you know exactly who I am talking about"

She continued to hold him close to her beating heart and rocked him steadily, she kissed his fingers one by one. After the tears, the arguments, the fights, and the hard labor she loved moments like this.

She truly felt like a mother. She instantly regretted even thinking about not having him and even lying about him. The thoughts of her own mother flashed in her head and she couldn't even imagine leaving Elijah.

Maybe she didn't love me.

She thought

She continued to ponder the idea of her biological mother not loving her because if you truly loved your child, there was no way in hell you would leave them. It saddened her to think that her own mother didn't want her, she didn't even love her.

She was tired of feeling sad and just wanted to focus on the moment where she bonded with her son. She knew one thing, she loved him and she would never leave him. She would be a better mother than her own mom.

She continued to shower him with kisses as he resisted with his little movements.

"Looks like it's you and I little guy" she whispered to him as she noticed he was finally falling asleep.

As she laid back on the couch, almost falling asleep herself a soft knock was at the door.

She instantly sat up and rubbed Eli's back to ensure he was still relaxed.

"Who the hell could that be at 1 in the morning?" She asked herself.

Anxiety took over as she felt vulnerable with just her and her newborn child alone. Just then a clap of thunder was heard outside her window and she jumped slightly.

"Of course it would start raining and I'm in here about to freak the hell out" she spoke to herself.

Another knock sounded.

"God this better be you at this door, but if it is, you have the wrong apartment"

She looked around, searching for a weapon. She settle on a vase that sat on the coffee table. She shook her head at her own silliness, but she had no choice as she couldn't see anything in the dark and have yet to settle into her new apartment to where she would have weapons in the living room.

She looked through the peephole and was met with all black.

"Lord, it's satan at my door"

She placed Eli on the couch and held the vase up ready to crack it over the mystery person's head. She took a deep breath and quickly unlocked the door and yanked it open.

She halted immediately when her eyes met the familiar brown orbs. She quickly put the vase down.

"Michael, what are you doing here?"

Her heart started to speed its pace and her body started to heat up. As much as she hated Michael at the moment and the last time she seen him was at the disastrous home coming his family hosted, she couldn't control how her body reacted to his presence. She admired his features like she hadn't seen him in ages. She seen he had familiar gift bags in his hands.

Must be from the party she thought.

He sported some tight gray sweatpants and matching pullover jacket, with the hoodie over his large afro.

He bit his lip nervously. He hadn't seen her either. He admired her in her silk night gown. Her hair was pinned back in wild curls and she had some fly aways on her forehead. Her face appeared to be tired as he seen the bags starting to form under eyes and how red they were. His eyes moved further as he noticed how large her breast have gotten. Her nipples shown through the thin fabric and that was enough for him to start heating up. Although it had just been three days since she gave birth, her body was going back to its usual size but she still had a little bit of weight in her midsection, but he didn't mind. He finally looked at her feet, she had the cutest little furry house slippers on that made him smile. Although he could see how tired she was, she was still beautiful to him.

She cleared her throat annoyed by the silence that was building up.

"Dang girl, were you going to plant me?" he referred to the vase still in her hands.

He tried to break the ice with a joke, but it didn't work too much in his favor.

"No, I was going to crack it over your big moon shaped head" she cracked a smile.

He smiled back as her smile was contagious.

"What are you doing here?" She leaned back on the door frame.

"That's how you invite a guest in?"

"No, invites are for people who are wanted over and does not come waltzing in at 1 in the morning" she held a curt smile.

"I just wanted to drop these presents off. You-you you left them the other day, when you kind of stormed out" he said trying to be careful of his words.

"Michael that was about two days ago and you think now is the best time to drop some damn presents off at 1 in the morning. Why don't you try coming back tomorrow when I'm letting fools in" she said trying to close the door.

"Wait" he held the door open slightly.

"I didn't just come here to drop these off"

"Nooooo, you don't say?" She sarcastically replied.

"I came to see him and help you out with him"

"We're doing just fine-"

Before she could continue, she was betrayed by her own son when he let out a little cry.

"Traitor" she said under her breath.

"Tayler please, I know it's been a while and I know I shouldn't have come this late, but-but-" he tried to form a sentence, but he didn't know what to say. He just didn't want to piss her off and make her kick him out.

"Just please let me see him and after a while or whenever you decide, I will go. But I really want to see my son"

She sighed staring at him. She was looking for sincerity in his eyes. She knew better though, it was always in eyes because Michael was just a genuine person. She knew he wanted to see Elijah. However, based on the desperation in his voice he needed to see him.

She reluctantly moved to the side and let Michael in. She closed the door behind him. Michael sat her presents in the corner of a room. She then directed him to the kitchen to wash his hands before touching the baby.

She couldn't help but stare at him as he took his pullover off and watched as the plain white tee hugged his toned arms. She watched closely as he scooped up the crying baby and held him close. She couldn't hold back the smile or the heaviness in her heart that she felt. It seemed like this was second nature to Michael, it looked like this is where he belonged. Michael held the baby in an upright position to ensure they were eye to eye, he spoke to him in cutest baby voice she ever heard.

"What's the matter little guy? Did you miss daddy? Well I missed you so much. Mmhmm. I think about you all the time" he stood up with him and took him over to the window.

"You see that sky and you see that big beautiful round thing, well that's a moon. You see how the sky is all over and is above the moon. Well sort of...Well whenever you think of the sky and the moon. Just know you are my moon and daddy is your sky. I'll always cover you and I'll always be behind you" he spoke slowly to the baby.

He kissed him so much that she knew he was trying to make up for lost time and before she knew it, the baby was asleep in his daddy arms. Just like she pictured him, content.

She sat down as Michael and little Eli had tummy time together, Eli laying on Michael's flat stomach. He didn't want to put him down. It had been two long grueling days for Michael and he felt like it had been enough.

The days he woke up, he instantly felt sick with himself, he felt as if he had just abaonded his only son, his only child. It ate him up to hear his siblings ask about his baby. He had no answers to the questions they asked. He didn't know how he was doing or what he was doing, and even though she was mad at him and he was upset with her, he wondered how Tayler was doing too. The two days were even more torturous as he thought about her being alone taking care of the baby. This was their first time as parents and though they babysat and Michael took care of his younger siblings, he knew it was difficult for her trying to parent a newborn alone. The guilt was too much for him and he knew he had to come over and make up with her to save his family. Even if they didn't make up, he still wanted her to know she was not alone and this time she had his word, he would always be around.

After convincing himself to put the baby down, he laid Eli down in his crib and left the door open in case he started crying again. He sat down next to Tayler on the couch, but careful to keep distance between them.

She sighed. "I don't know how the hell you just did that. Every time I put him in that damn crib, he just wakes up so I have to keep him in a bassinet in my room. Thank you Michael"

He smiled as this was the only time she said something nice to him in a long time.

"Tayler you don't have to thank me. I'm his father, and I could help you out more if you let me"

"Michael, let you? I'm not keeping him from you. You're welcomed here any time, but 1 in the morning? That's ridiculous" she commented.

"I want us to have an understanding, I would never keep Elijah from you. I know what I said in the hospital about me taking him away from you but I would never. I said some things out of anger and that was it. You know about my mom leaving me with my father, how it affected me. Hell, it affects me till this day. So I would never want my son to go through the same feelings of rejection I went through and I'm still feeling as I've gotten older. You are his father and nobody will take that from you, not even his mother" she stared into his eyes.

"Look at you sounding all mature" he nudged her in the arm.

They both giggled and agreed.

"Yeah, motherhood would do that"

They sat like that a little while longer. Both were afraid to speak about the situation that happened at Michael's house. He was afraid because he didn't want to upset her and she was afraid because she didn't want to come off as angry. However, she was angry but she was mad at his family and not him. After she sat down and thought about everything, the dust settled and she saw clearly. Everything pointed towards Joseph, that's the only person she knew was to blame. But her anger and resentment for Michael sent her into overdrive as she took her anger out on anyone close in proximity and it just had to be him.

And though she knew he shouldn't take all the blame, she was still upset that he didn't defend her in front of his family.

"Look Michael-"

He sensed what she was saying and decided it was his place to speak. "No Tayler, please let me speak and I promise I'll leave once I have to say what I came here to say. I think it's only fair"

She nodded quietly for him to continue, she was truly interested in what he had to say.

"I want to start with an apology. I am sorry for what happened at my house. Baby I promise you, what was said at that table, the contracts, and whatever else I had no idea about. Do you really think I would let them talk about something like that that has to do with us and our son without even giving you a heads up? Tayler, despite the issues I still love you and before we got together we were friends first so it hurt me to think that you would think so low of me. You know how shy I am and how much I kind of resent being in the public eye. If it's not about my music, I don't like it in the media. You should know me enough to know I would never make a spectacle of myself and I definitely wouldn't do it to you or Elijah" he stared at her intently.

"I love that little boy so much and I just want him to have what I didn't, a normal life" he finished up.

"But why didn't you defend me? Why didn't you stand up for us? I know you said you changed but Michael I don't see it. You have yet to stand up to your family in front of me. You say you have but that was your golden opportunity to prove to me you want this family and I felt like you fell down on the job. But forget about me, you have to remember Eli is your family now and I need to make sure that his daddy will always have his back and never let anyone harm him-"

"I will never let anyone harm my son!" He calmed himself.

"Tayler listen, I am sorry for not sticking up for you. I know how important it is for you that I do that because of what happened during your pregnancy.
And I could sit here and make the excuse of why I didn't. 1. I was shocked and 2. Everybody else was already speaking and sticking up for you so I didn't think I had to. But looking back I was wrong and I should have. I'm sorry"

Once again silence filled the room. Neither one of them wanted to speak up. But the silence became unbearable to Michael as he knew she would kick him out soon if he didn't keep the conversation flowing.

"I just hope we can move pass this and just learn how to parent together. Im not asking for a relationship because I know that's probably not what you want right now but I'm just asking for us to continue to be friends as we parent but do it together. He deserves that much and so do you. Again, I apologize for what I took you through during your pregnancy and even now, you didn't deserve it. And I know you've said this to me but now I truly understand that you just wanted to protect me and save me" he scooted closer to her.

He cupped his hand on the side of her right cheek "I guess that shows how much you love me that you are willing to sacrifice your own credibility for me"

She let his hand linger as she melted at this small gesture. It had been a while since they were truly intimate and alone. She missed his touched, she missed this side of him, where he was vulnerable, truthful and genuine. He bit his lip and she braced herself for what was to come, a soft passionate kiss that she desperately needed from him but instead he stood up slightly and pecked her forehead.

He went for the door in an attempt to leave.

"I know I came late but I just had to see you two and let you know how serious I take this role as his father. Plus, everyone felt bad you left without the gifts and they thought these would be nice for you to have"

She watched him as he put his jacket back on. She didn't want him to go but her pride stood in the way of her stopping him. Her head was spinning from the mixed emotions she had. She was not one to let go of the past so easily but she wanted him back in her arms again. However, she couldn't say it.

"I'll come by tomorrow after the taping of the show and spend time with him, that's a promise. I'll even call tomorrow before I leave so you know I'll be coming" he smiled.

As he reached for the door handle, the rain begin pouring down harder and she used this as her opportunity to make him stay.

"Uh Michael, maybe you should just stay over tonight. It's already late and raining and I could use some help with the baby. I'll make sure you get home in time for the shoot"

He eyed her.

"Just please stay" she put her head down, slightly embarrassed by her pleas.

He walked over to her and lifted her chin with his index finger, he looked straight into her eyes "I would love to"

They searched each other's eyes for approval for a kiss but it never came. Instead she grabbed his hand and led him to her bedroom.

The tension rose as they both spoke no words. He quickly got back into his attire of a plain white tee and sweatpants and she pulled back the blanket for him to get in the bed.

They made sure the baby monitor was on so they could wake up at Elijah's call. They climbed into bed together, this is the first time they had been this close in months.

"Why are you way over there?"

Michael was surprised by her forwardness, he thought for sure she hated him.

"Come here, I want you to hold me" she almost whispered.

He obliged the love of his life. He held her close and she put her face in his chest, this is the first time she almost instantly went to sleep. She inhaled his scent and she was lulled to sleep.

"Tayler?"

"Mmm" she moaned, almost letting sleep capture her.

"When I asked you to marry me, I meant it. I do love you and I want you forever" he said into her hair.

It went silent, and the only thing heard was the rain pounding on the window. He thought for sure she had fallen asleep but just when he was about to follow suit, he was stunned when she spoke.

"I want to marry you too"