~Michael's POV

"It's torture...

She was up the stairs to nowhere,
The room forever I'll remember.
She stared as though I should've known her.
"Tell me, what's your pain or pleasure?"

"Jermaine, you're a little off on that last note" our producer Steve says, clicking off the track. "Why is it always me? Maybe Mike's off or Tito!" Jermaine scoffs back. "Jermaine, it's you." Jackie says, hitting his shoulder. "This is stupid, I don't even wanna be here." Jermaine mumbles. "Well I don't either, you all practically forced me to record with you again. I could be working on my album." I argue. "Same here. This is a waste of time." Jermaine says lowly. "For once I agree." I mutter back. "It's only a waste of time because you two are wasting it complaining! Jermaine you were off, get over it and fix it!" Tito says. Jermaine tosses his headphones and storms out. "Is he serious?" Marlon says. I check my watch and place my headphones to the side. "I have a studio session to go to. It's obvious we aren't getting anywhere with this today." I exit the studio and head to my next session with Quincy grabbing a honey tea on the way.

My mood lifts instantly seeing Quincy behind the production board. One of my writing partners, Rod Temperton, hopped up excitedly. He'd been working on a song called "Starlight." I'm not sure it's gonna make it on the album. "Michael, I rewrote the song over the weekend and I think I've got it." He says, a huge grin playing on his face. "Lay it on me." I say. "Instead of starlight, we call it Thriller." He says as he begins to sing pieces of the song. "Just try it over the instrumental." He says handing me the lyric sheet.

"It's close to midnight and something evil's lurking In the dark
Under the moonlight you see a sight that almost stops Your heart
You try to scream, but terror takes the sound before You make it
You start to freeze as horror looks you right between The eyes
You're paralyzed..

Cause this is thriller, thriller night
And no one's gonna save you from the beast about to Strike
You know it's thriller, thriller night
You're fighting for your life inside a
killer,
Thriller,
tonight"

"I think this is it." I grin, my voice echoes through the mic. "I'm just hearing something missing.." Quincy says. "We need a rap. A speaking voice.." "I've got just the person." Rod smiles.

We continue to work on other songs as we await the arrival of our special guest for Thriller. Finally, Quincy and I hear a laugh that sends chills up our spines. I turn around to see Vincent Price and Rod Temperton walking back inside the studio as Rod explained what he was there for. I hop up quickly, "Vincent Price!" I say in shock. "I'm a huge fan, I loved you in House of Wax.. Well, you terrified me in House of Wax" I chuckle. "Thank you very much" he laughs back. Vincent and I make our ways inside the booth. "This is Michael Jackson.." "And this is Vincent Price.. And this is.." "The Thriller.." We say simultaneously. Vincent then releases this bone chilling laugh.

After a long 8 hours in the studio, the song Thriller was completed. I was making great time with this album, I figured it'd be ready for release by next year, especially if the album with my brothers is finished soon. I yawn as I feel my head droop onto the soundboard, the sound of loud feedback jolting me awake. "Michael, it's only 10.. Why are you so exhausted?" Quincy asks. I yawn again, "my brothers and I have been working on another album, it's really draining." "Well, why don't we postpone this album, you finish up with your brothers and we'll finish this later?" He suggests. "No, I'm not stopping my projects for them. Besides, who knows how long we'll be recording anything. We fight every time we get in the studio together. I wish they would just give up." "Why don't you guys record your own vocals individually?" He asks. I nod. "That just might be what has to happen. I'm so tired.." I yawn once more. "I'll tell ya what, How about we just call it a night. We've finished a full song, I'd say it's been a productive day." Quincy smiles. I agree and my driver takes me home.

"There he is.. Why did you leave the studio session earlier?" Joseph says angrily, walking towards me as I walk in the door. "Jermaine left first." I say gesturing to Jermaine, his arms folded. "I took a break. You never came back." Jermaine yells. "I had to work on my album." I say. "I wanna work on mine, you don't see me running out!" Jermaine argues. "You owe me $400 for that unfinished session Michael. You all need to get it together so we can get this album out by next year" Joseph says. "Next year?" I ask. "Yeah. Is that a problem?" He responds. "No." My album was coming out next year, Joseph knew that. "Like I was saying, the album comes out next year and then you've got 2 months before we head out on tour." He explains. "2 months?" I scoff. "I'm telling you Joseph, after this is over I am finished with this group." I walk back out and across to Rayne's. I was enraged, he knew I was busy with my album. He's trying to keep me away from it.

Rayne's house has been my safe haven since she moved here. It was almost 12 at night but Rayne's a night owl, I know she's awake. I knock at the door calling her name. My voice echoing through the quiet neighborhood. "Michael?" She asks, her eyes squinted as she opens the door. "Can I sleep here tonight?" I ask. "Yeah, of course. Come on." She whispers, grabbing my hand to guide me up the dark staircase. "It's a good thing you caught me when you did, I was just about to fall asleep." "Sorry." "It's fine, what happened? Joseph?" She asks adjusting herself into my chest, I wrap an arm around her as we both fumble with the blanket a little. "Yeah, I'm just stressed about my album and the album with my brothers. Joseph knows about my album deadline and he's making it really hard to focus on it with the way he's scheduled our sessions. He's so stressful." "I'm sorry.. I wish there was a way to help." She cuddles closer to me, her hand rubbing my stomach. I sigh. "Just try your best to stay focused on finishing your album. It'll be ok." She says before drifting off.

***

The brothers and I finally came to an agreement to record separately after another failed attempt to be together in the studio. Rayne and I sat in the studio waiting for Mick Jagger to come in so we could finish the song we started together. Quincy was coming right after so this was a perfect set up. I was just running myself ragged and I was always tired. I toss my head back breathing outwardly. I feel Rayne's hand clutch my shoulders, massaging them slowly. "You really should rest. Your shoulders are so tense." She says. "I can't. I've got too much to do. No rest. At least until our birthday." I groan. "That's not for another 3 months." She says, a slight whine in her voice. She sits on my lap facing me. "I know, but I promise I'll rest. Ok?" "Ok." I grin, admiring her beauty. "Speaking of birthdays.. What do you want for yours?" She smiles. "What do I want?" "Mm-hmm" "You know I don't ask for gifts, it's against my religion. I'm happy with just you and me." I peck her lips. "Although.. It's been a couple of weeks since we... You know." I smirk. She giggles closing in for another kiss before the sound of a cleared throat interrupts our flirting. "Am I interrupting something?" Mick says with a sly grin. Rayne shyly chuckles, "No.. I'll get out you guys' way." I stand to greet Mick, my cheeks flushed from slight embarrassment. "Good to see you again Michael." He smiles, shaking my hand. "Good to see you too, shall we get started?" I say diverting the attention from what he walked in on.

~Rayne's POV

Mick and Michael were pretty natural together. Most of the song they sang together and it sounded great, even the engineer was into it. They didn't spend to much time on the song before they had finished. After Mick walked out we had about 2 hours before Quincy was supposed to come. Judging by the conversation beforehand, I knew what Michael was thinking. He sat next to me quietly a cute smirk on his face. I cross my legs and laugh, "can I help you sir?" He scoots slightly closer, pulling me closer to him by my hip. I squeal as he pushes me on to my back, burrowing his face in my neck. "Oh come on really? In the studio? Get a room." Jermaine says shutting the door behind him. Michael releases a groan, "what are you doing in here?" He says lifting from being on top of me. "Hi Jermaine." I say awkwardly. "Hi Rayne, I came to talk to you Michael." He says "it can't wait?" Michael whines. "I'm kind of busy." "I didn't know we rent out studio time for sex now.." Jermaine says. I stifle a giggle. Michael sighs. "What do you wanna talk about?" "We should do a song together. I've got something already written, I just need another singer. Why not my brother?" "Are you kidding me?" Michael says. "That actually would be awesome Mike." I say "what?" He responds. "Hear me out, you and Jermaine are the lead singers of your group and since you're both going solo, why not sing a song together?" I smile. "It's perfect. Come on.. Just think about it. Let me know?" Jermaine says. "I'll think about it. Now get out, Quincy will be here soon." He jokes. This was the nicest I've ever seen Michael be to Jermaine, he even cracked a smile.

***

Michael and I get back to my house after a breakfast date and I check the mail, another letter from my mother. "Why won't she just leave me alone?" I whine, walking in the house. "Who?" Michael asks. "My mom, she's in rehab and she keeps contacting me." I say tossing the letter on the table. "Well did you open it? You never know what she might say." He grabs the letter and rips open the envelope reading it silently. "She wants you to come and visit her. It says 'my in house therapist says reaching out to the main problem I want to fix will be good for me.' ..are you gonna go?" "No." I say shortly. "Well why not? How do you ever expect to fix anything with her if you don't try?" He folds his arms. "Last time I tried to resolve issues with her she tried to attack me. I don't wanna fix anything with her anymore." My father was the only thing stopping her from hurting me that night, I shudder at the memory. "But I mean, she's in rehab. She's getting help. I think you should try, that's kinda selfish Ray. She's trying." He says disapprovingly. I roll my eyes, "selfish? You have no idea what she's done to me. The scars I have, the bruises that won't go away. You have no idea. " I start to cry at even the thought of facing her again. I feel Michael wrap his arms around me. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have called you selfish. You're right, I don't know what she's done to you. I'm sorry." He says. I grab his hand and lead him upstairs. Closing the door behind us I lift my shirt over my head and turn my back towards him, revealing scar after scar. I show him the scar on my hip, his eyes scan me with a worried look. "Why have I never seen these?" He asks, softly rubbing down my back. "This is why I always tell you close your eyes.. I look terrible, and she did this to me." I whimper. "Rayne, you are beyond gorgeous. Every inch of you is a piece of beauty. Don't let your mother do what my father did to me.."

"I just don't understand why she hates me. What did I do?" I weep. Michael wipes my eyes and places my shirt back on. "What if I go with you?" Michael says. "Will you go then?" He asks. "Michael.." I say trying to come up with another excuse. He wipes tears off my face again. "I just want you to be able to move on from this. I don't want this to haunt you for the rest of your life. I promise I'll go with you. Ok?"  I nod reluctantly as Michael hugs me muttering  "I'll keep you safe. I promise."