Authors Note: I had to skip through events because I don't want you guys to get bored with the rehearsals and stuff. I get bored writing about it so I could only imagine reading it.

~Michael's POV

I watched as building after building passed by, before Bill came to a stop and opened my door to escort me inside my mother's house. As always, mother was the first to greet me with open arms, a huge smile on her face. While Joseph simply suited me with a nod, that I cordially returned.

My stomach went through flips the whole morning, dreading a confession and a broken hearted Rayne. After sitting with mother for a while, I slowly stepped across to Rayne's father's house. I knew she was there because I asked her to meet me there. Mr. Fleeson's assistant allows me inside where I see Rayne curled on the couch alone, flipping channels. "Hi." She says shortly, after taking a small glance at me. I frown, "Well that was not the hello I was expecting." I say nervously, sitting next to her.

"Sorry." She responds, her eyes not leaving the TV screen.

I lean towards her, preparing my lips for hers, before she leans back, placing a hand in front of me. "Seeing as how we're not together, we shouldn't kiss, have sex, cuddle, or tell each other 'I love you'" she says.

I chuckle, "but I do love you babe.."

She simply raises a finger in front of me.  I swat her finger down, "I do! I was actually wondering, if you wanna help me find a place back here in California?" Hopefully, this will soften the blow when I tell her what I did.

"You're moving back here?" She asks.

"After my tour... That I want you to come with me on.." I smirk. Her eyes widen at that. "A world tour?" She says excitedly, before quickly snapping out of it. "Wait, why? We're not even together.." She asks.

"I just want you to." I shrug. "Please?"

"I'll think about it." She says, folding her arms.

"Don't wait too long, I'd say 3 weeks is your time limit." I smile.

She didn't really hold any conversation with me, causing my nerves to become worse and worse. I felt like she knew what I did. After a torturous silence, I finally ask, "Why do I feel like there's something I did?"

"I don't know, did you do something?" She retorts rolling her eyes. "I just don't understand, when we flew to New York, you wanted to 'fix us' in one night. Now you wanna take your time. It doesn't add up."

"I just want us to make sure this is what we both want. I still have this key.. That's supposed to mean you trust me."

She bats her lashes, hanging on to her lock charm on her necklace. "I do trust you.." She says quietly.

"Good." I smile, running my thumb against her chin. "Did you still want to come to the studio with me?" I ask.

She hops up to go get her shoes. I take a deep breath, holding this secret is super exhausting.

***

We walk inside the studio to Tito, Jackie and Jermaine. "Little brother!" Tito exclaims, clutching my shoulder.

"What's going on fellas?" I smile weakly. I really did not want to do this."

"Is that Rayne?" Jackie grins, peeking behind me. I step to the side so he can see her.

"Hey!" She smiles, waving. Jackie gives her a big hug. "I don't know how you stick with this nutcase and stay sane yourself." Jackie chuckles pointing at me. I roll my eyes.

"So you guys are back together huh?" Jermaine says.

"No.." I say. I'm not even sure we'll be friends after this week. Rayne takes a seat on the couch behind us.

"Say, where are the girls?" I ask.

"Janet and Rebbie are on the way." Tito says.

"And Latoya?" Rayne chimes. She and Latoya have always been very close. Latoya treated her like sister.

"Latoya isn't doing it.." Jermaine says.

"Why not?" I frown.

"My guess? Her husband. You know she got married to that crackpot manager of hers..." Jackie says.

"She got married?" Rayne smiled, her obsession with weddings clearly showing.

"Unfortunately, that guy is a serious jerk. He's controlling." Jackie sighs.

"What about Marlon?" Rayne asks, hoping for a different answer.

Jermaine simply shakes his head, clearly still angry at Marlon for leaving the group.

"Hey family." Janet smiles as she walks in with Rebbie and Randy following behind. We finally get down to business as we look over the lyrics and configure whose part is who's. We all line up around 3 microphones to begin singing.

"In harmony, together we'll join
Hands and sign
Our love across the land"

I sing, sneaking a peak behind the glass at Rayne. She grins slightly shaking her head. Of course there were NO leads in this song, but Jermaine sang over all of us. I decided to mess with him a little and throw my "oohs and ahhs" in. Trying not to laugh, I watch as he sings slightly louder, giving me the side eye.

"You all sound so great." Rayne says, as we come out of the booth. "I think you're parents will love this. The child chorus was cute too."

"Those were our kids." Jackie smiles. "We've gotta get a video out there too."

I roll my eyes, "I can't do the video.. I'm going on tour soon."

"We can wait until you get back.." Tito says.

I groan inwardly, shrugging it off.

Rayne and I drive past a ranch on the way home. Honestly, I've had my eye on it for quite some time. "Bill stop the car please." I ask. My face plastered to the window. "What do you think of this?" I ask Rayne. She leans across my lap looking out the window. "It's beautiful. It's awfully big for one person though." She says.

"That just means it's ready for a family." I grin. There was a man dusting off the for sale sign. Rayne sits on my lap, and rolls the window down. "Rayne!" I whisper as I bolt my head downward behind her back.

"Excuse me!" She calls, "how much would this be if I knew someone who wanted to buy it?" She asks.

"Oh I couldn't even disclose that amount outside of these gates. It's a lot ma'am. It also depends on how much of the property you'd wanna buy. I mean the ranch is about 3,000 acres." The man calls out. "You're more than welcome to come look at it. I could take you on a tour."

"Yes! Yes!" I whisper, tapping her back. "Bill go tell him who I am so he doesn't lose his mind." I say. Rayne removes herself from my lap, a proud smirk on her face. Bill opens the door as I step out, grabbing her hand to help her out.

"You're amazing." I grin.

"I know." She smiles.

The man stood with a smile on his face. "Mr. Jackson. Pleasure to meet you and your girlfriend. I'm Jason Turner." He says shaking my hand. "Nice to meet you Jason, thank you for offering the tour.. And She's not my girlfriend, just a close friend." I smile, but inside that was the hardest thing to say.

Jason grabs a golf cart and Bill sits up front while Rayne and I sit in the back. I sneak my arm around Rayne's shoulders, and to my surprise she didn't object to it. The tour lasted about an hour, as we ended at the main house.

"To answer your question earlier Rayne, the price of this can range from 16 to 30 million dollars." He says, looking between the two of us for a reaction. Truth is, that wasn't an outlandish amount of money to me.

"I'm really interested in this land. All 3,000 acres. It's beautiful. If I paid your employees to fix it to my vision, how much more would I pay?" I ask.

"30 million. That's the highest amount. Workers included."

I nod. "I think I'll take it." He lays out his folder filled with paperwork and I sign everything needed. "Will Rayne be living with you?" Jason asks.

I hesitate to answer, hoping Rayne will answer for me. I want her to be with me, but given the circumstances, I doubt it would happen.

"No." She says politely.

After signing the final paper and handing over the check. It was official, I bought my new home. I wasn't going back to New York, I'll just have my things shipped.

***

I was staying with Rayne until we went on tour, and I have to say she was very successful in keeping us away from each other. No matter how much I tried to get closer to her, she would say "we're not together so we shouldn't do that." I knew this was bothering her. I just can't call her my girlfriend honestly, knowing what I did to her.

I use the phone to call Frank.

"We are working out the contracts for the venues now. Once those are done, the tour will be ready. You've been rehearsing for weeks, you're tickets are sold out. We're just waiting."

"That's great to hear." I respond. "Rayne is gonna be coming with us, but she and I aren't together, so I need you to plan for her own room and maybe her own car, depending on how things go."

"How things go?" Frank says. "If you guys aren't together, not to be rude, but what is she coming for?"

"I still have feelings for her Frank. I want her to come along."

"Ok ok." He says, "I'll get on that now. Oh, before I go, Tatiana has agreed to going on tour as well."

My eyes widen, "wait what?"

"You asked me to get Tatiana on the tour with you. I did it."

"When did I say that!?" My heart practically sinks.

"During the video release party.." Frank says, clearly clueless. "Oh no." I groan. "Can I say never mind?"

"It's too late, she signed her contract." Frank says. "She cannot touch me... Make sure you tell her that." I say adamantly.

This tour is going to be long and difficult. I hang up letting out an aggravated yell.

***

Rayne hugs her father tightly, kissing his cheek. "I'll call you when we land daddy." She smiles. Her father smiles and looks at me. "Take care of my kid Michael." He says pointing my way. I nod before allowing her in front of me to board the plane.

Her fear of planes made me halfway prepared for her to sit next to me and curl up but she walked behind me and sat next to Bill. I frowned, she was serious. I know that Bill has been protective over Rayne as much as he is over me, but it bothers me that she won't even look at me for protection, all because we aren't together.

I still haven't told her about the Tatiana situation, and we already are starting off wrong. I sigh, allowing myself to doze off on this 14 hour flight to Japan.

Once settled in our rooms, I make my way to Rayne's to check on her before a head peeks out of another doorway. "Michael." I hear a whisper. I turn to see Tatiana, "yes?" I respond. She motions me to come to her. I stammer making an excuse, continuing my walk to Rayne's room. I open her door and she was fast asleep on her bed. Her face buried in her pillows.

I sat there watching her for a while. I couldn't help but think of the many directions this entire trip could go. Honestly, I was afraid. I didn't wanna lose Rayne, she's meant so much to me over the years.

She'd kill me for sneaking a snuggle with her, but who knows if this could ever happen again. I wrap an arm around her pulling her into my chest. Her eyelashes flutter open, as she giggles. "What are you doing?"

"Not cuddling you." I say, a grin on my face. "I think you are." She smiles. "Michael, we have to get everything straight between us. That means no secrets.." I clear my throat. "I know."

"It's been 3 years, anything can happen between then." She says. "I just feel like you're holding back from me. I don't know why.. I just know you.. And you haven't been you recently."

I sigh. I can't do it. I can't tell her. "I don't wanna break your heart, I can't stand to see you hurt. Just know you mean more to me than anyone could ever mean. I see myself being with you forever. I honestly do."

I kiss her forehead before returning back to my room, slamming the door. "I can't do this to her. Why is this happening???? I'm so stupid" I scold myself.

***

Show after show, night after night we performed at our best. It was one night that ruined it all for me, and we were only 10 cities in.

We began performing "The Way You Make Me Feel" and as usual Tatiana walks across the stage while I follow her around. She and I sway our hips together, before all of a sudden, she kisses me. Of course on stage, I played it off. But inside I was embarrassed and angry. I happen to look offstage and Rayne was fuming, her eyes piercing at Tatiana.

I couldn't do anything about it until the show was completely over. I came backstage to madness. "Where is Rayne??" I ask.

"You're dressing room, cooling off. She punched Tatiana in the eye." A stage hand says, handing Tatiana an ice pack.

Rayne paced back and forth, grumbling to herself, locking eyes with me as I walked in. "CAN YOU BELIEVE HER?? HOW DARE SHE!" She yells.

"Ray, you gotta calm down.."

"I AM CALM." She yells again.

"Can you at least sit down. Take deep breaths.." I say calmly.

She agrees until she finally finds her center and gathers her thoughts. "I can't believe her. I knew she had a hidden agenda... 'Aren't you Michael's ex?' Ugh!" She scoffs. "How dare she!"

Suddenly, my room door flies open. "Michael what the hell?! Frank says I'm fired!" Tatiana yells.

"YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT YOU'RE FIRED.." Rayne hops up yelling.

"You have nothing to do with this PSYCHO." Tatiana points, Rayne lunges for her again before Bill catches her mid jump.

"Rayne you have to keep calm." Bill says, setting her back on her feet. She crosses her arms, angrily tapping her foot.

"Tatiana what you did was completely unprofessional and a breach of the contract. You were instructed not to touch me. Your fired."

"Fine you will never touch me ever again!" Tatiana says.

"What do you mean again??" Rayne says, looking at me.

Oh God... No no no.

"Michael and I had sex, for you to be such a close friend it's weird you didn't know. He and I were a thing." She smirks. "I'm leaving, my things need to be packed." She says walking out of the door.

"We were never a thing... Ray."

"When did this happen?" She asks.

"After you left New York.. I was drunk and it really meant nothing. I instantly regretted it in the morning and I've been trying to find a way to tell you the entire time." I plead. For a moment there, I thought she actually was listening to me and considering forgiveness. Her eyes were filled with tears but they were emotionless. She rips off her lock necklace, tossing it to the ground at my feet.

"Bill, take me to the hotel. I'm going home." She says, walking past me without a word.

Bill leaves Leon to take me back to the hotel.

I arrived a couple hours later, hoping she was still there. I know there was nothing I could say to her that could explain what I did, I just hoped she would reconsider leaving.

I knock on her door. "Rayne?" "I don't wanna talk." She responds.

"Ok, just listen.. Please?"

She opens the door still repacking her things. "The only reason I'm still here is because there are no flights leaving tonight. But tomorrow morning I'm outta here Michael. I can't believe you would do that to me." She shakes her head.

"Ray, there is no excuse for what I did.. But I didn't want you to know because I knew it would hurt you like this. I just want you to know how sincerely sorry I am. I really don't want you to leave."

"You really don't have a say so right now. I'm leaving." She says zipping up her suitcase. I remove my necklace and attempt to hand her mine and hers again. "At least take the necklaces back. She tosses her hands up, scoffing. "I don't even want them. I'm done! I don't want you to earn my trust.. Keep it. I'm over it. I'm. Leaving."

"This really was not the plan for this tour.." I mutter.

"What are you talking about?" She asks.

"Before all of this, I was hoping you and I would be perfect, like we were before I left. I was gonna propose to you. But after the thing with Tatiana I decided not to even buy the ring." I sigh. "I mean given all the problems.. we still work.. We still love each other right? I mean, would you marry me?"

"No." She says, placing her suitcase at the door, opening it for me. She wouldn't even look at me. I couldn't walk all the way out before the door loudly slams behind me. Bill looks at me sympathetically, "need anything?" I shake my head and close my room door, popping a sleeping pill and turning in for the night

What do you think? Would YOU forgive him? What'd you think of the marriage proposal?

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