Michael's POV

Having to admit that we weren't able care for Nevaeh right now and handing her over to Jermaine and Aisha was the hardest thing Ocean and I have ever done, but even though to hurts we know we've done the right thing and they've kept their promise about letting us see her everyday. Aisha brings her over every morning and picks her up in the evening. Joseph still won't leave leave us in the house or go anywhere unsupervised because he's scared we're gonna run which we understand and even the we hate it, we know he's doing it for the right reasons.

We have our hour visits back with DJ and Abby agreed that we could have DJ for the whole day today unsupervised as a one time thing because we didn't get to celebrate his birthday and haven't seen him due to our 'personal family problems' and Ocean and I have been excited about it all week.

We're in our room finishing wrapping some presents and Randy comes in. "I thought you got all DJs presents weeks ago?" He asks confused "we did. These our for Nevaeh. We don't want her to feel left out so we got presents for her too" Ocean smiles. "so your celebrating both their birthdays today?"

"yup! And when it's Nevaeh's birthday we'll celebrate both their birthdays again" I smile. "you know I'd stay if could" he sighs "It's your first day at your first job. And like Michael said we're celebrating both their birthdays again in a few weeks when Nevaeh turns one... Now hurry up before your late" Ocean smiles and he heads off to work. "it's gonna be weird when you have to start working again" she turns to me. "I have,to find a job and be allowed out of the house first" I point out. "can't you go back to your old job with Jermaine?"

"well I haven't actually spoken to my boss since we left Jermaine's months ago, but I'm pretty sure he fired me" I chuckle. "you never know until you talk to him" she shrugs, smiling through pursed lips and leans over and pecks my lips then gets up to leave the room. "where do you think your going?" I say pulling her back and lock the door. "i'm going to take a shower"

"uh, uh" I shake my head. "your not gonna just kiss me and walk away" I smirk pulling her into me.

*********

Joseph's POV

I'm sitting in the kitchen reading the newspaper when LaToya walks in. "they've locked the door" she says nervously and I look at her confused. "Ocean and Michael. I noticed their door was closed and when I tried to open it, it was locked"

"their probably having sex. Leave them alone" I shrug "Joseph!" Kathrine snaps awkwardly "he's a 19 year old boy and 19 year old boys get horny... Alot! Trust me he's not up there watching Disney movies" I shrug. "well maybe you should have made him get a vasectomy while you were at the hospital when you got them checked out. the last thing we need is them having more kids" LaToya scoffs. "first of all... No man has the right to tell another man what to do with his dick! And second.. Them being upstairs having sex, is better than them injecting injecting heroin and God knows what else. Why don't you give them a break?" I frown. "I'm just saying.. They can't even be bothered to take care of the ones they have for more than a year." LaToya mumbles.

"enough!" Katherine snaps at her. "those poor kids have been through enough without you giving them a hard time. And them handing Nevaeh over wasn't because they couldn't be bothered! They did it because it was what was best for her"

"talking about us again? Shocking!" Michael gasps sarcastically coming into the room. "LaToya was just a little worried when she saw your bedroom door was locked that's all" Kathrine smiles through pushed lips. "I'm sorry... I didn't realise you wanted to watch me fuck my wife! I'll leave the door open for you next time" he frowns sarcastically at LaToya. "told ya so" I smirk at Kathrine and LaToya.

"so what times DJ and Nevaeh coming over?" Kathrine asks changing the subject. "well Jermaine and Aisha are coming over to take Ocean to get him on an hour and..."

"why can't they just get him?" LaToya cuts him off. "because it'll look weird if we don't pick him up and since we can't be trusted out of the house alone, Jermaine and Aisha said they'd take one of us"

"it's not that we don't trust you" I sigh "it's fine. We know why your doing it" he shrugs. "we're getting the whole day with both are kids. It doesn't really matter where we are"

"well it's great your both thinking positive" Kathrine smiles. "we're just concentrating on the future" Michael smiles. "and what's that?" I smile. "getting our life back and track and then getting Nevaeh and DJ back with us"

"not having to be locked in a house would be a pretty good goal" LaToya mumbles leaving the room. "don't..." I begin to say but get cut off by Michael. "it's fine. She's just be honest. We know we have a long way to go" Michael shrugs faking a smile which i can see straight through. Him and LaToya used to be so close and I can't imagine how hurt he must of been when she's was saying all those things about him and Ocean.

**********

Ocean's POV

After dropping Nevaeh off at Michael's parents Aisha and I drive to pick up DJ and there's an awkward silence. This is the first time Aisha and I have been alone since I went into hospital. Even though we've worked things out and despite everything Michael and I did to her, she's been there alot for us and especially for Nevaeh.

"why are you helping us?" I mumble breaking the silence. "because you needed help" she shrugs. "but we treated you like shit"

"I'm not exactly innocent now am I?" She smiles at me through pursed lips. "I tried to ruin your relationship and messed with you both, it's not like i didn't deserve it"

"nobody deserves what we did to you. We wouldn't have actually done it, you know that right?"

"why not? I was really going to steal Michael from you and lied about being pregnant... I guess karma bit me on the ass on that one huh?" She chuckles slightly. "so why help us now? It's not like you owed anything"

She doesn't say anything for a moment then sighs. "because you were both in a very dark place and you needed help... The same dark place my parents were in when they had me" she croaks. "they were very young when they had me young like you and Michael were when you had DJ and everybody just wrote them off as a lost cause and they ended meeting the wrong people and started experimenting with drugs and just like you and Michael ended up getting addicted to heroin... Maybe if somebody had helped them they'd be here today" she sniffles. "they died?" I ask softly and she shrugs. "social services took me from them when I was a baby. They never came looking for me so for all I know they could be or maybe they got help and have a new life somewhere, who knows?"

"if they had a new life then I'm sure they would have came back for you"

"not all parents are like you and Michael" she smiles through pursed lips. "you didn't abandon your kids. DJ was unfairly taken away and Nevaeh is with me and Jermaine while your getting better. Their really lucky to have you both"

***

We pull up at my parents and my mother is waiting outside with Abby and DJ "Mamma!!!" DJ squeals running over to me and I pick him up holding him closed to me. "I've missed you so much!!" I smile giving him a kiss. "no Michael?" My mother frowns. "he's waiting at the house"

"well at least one of you bothered to visit" she scoffs under her breath. "Michael's waiting at home with their daughter" Aisha steps in and my mother looks at her taken aback slightly. "well, um... He has to be back by 8pm. Isn't that right Abby?" She turns to her. "we'll have him back" I smile at my mother through pursed lips and turn to leave with Aisha and DJ. "Ok. Let's go see daddy and Neveah!" I smile excitedly at DJ, strapping him into his car seat.

******

LaToya's POV

Ever since they moved back everything's became the Michael and Ocean show once again. I get that they've had some hard times, but I wish everybody would stop acting like their some helpless, inocent little kids. Joesph never once cared about Michael when he was younger it was like he hated him sometimes and now all of a sudden he pretends to be this loving and caring father who'd do anything for his son and I'm constantly being made to be the bad guy for saying the truth. Even though Michael is my brother and I'll always love him, but the fact is... he's still a rapist, a wife beater and a drug addict and a straight up bully and Ocean's no any better either, yet everybody always makes out like neither of them can do any wrong and talk about how great parents they are despite the fact they can never keep a kid for more than a year. I've tried explaining to Joseph and mother how uncomfortable and even scared of them I am at times, but Neither of them will listen and turn it around like it's all my fault.

I'm sitting in my room watching TV and mother knocks on the door. "you coming downstairs?" She asks softly and I shake my head. "I'm watching a movie"

"you can't avoid them for ever. Michael's your brother" she sighs sitting on the edge of the bed. "why does everybody act like he's perfect?" I shrug annoyed. "nobody's saying he is. We're all aware of the things Michael and Ocean have done and..."

"and we just have to accept it?" I cut her off "nobody's asking you to accept anything. I don't think it was ecceptable that they were taking drugs or what Michael did to Ocean and I never will. But Ocean was the one he hurt and she forgave him"

"how do you know that for sure? How do you know he's not bullying her into staying? And if he's done before and got away with it nothing stopping him doing it again. And we still don't know what they were doing when they were gone all those months"

"we know what they were doing. We didn't lock them up for no reason" she sighs. "exactly! This whole house has to be locked up incase they get out by themselves and what were they doing for money? Michael lied about having a job so who knows what they were doing to get money for drugs or their baby. Which they her had around all that stuff"

"Nevaeh wasn't harmed and she was in good health. That's all we need to know. And she's downstairs right now and so is Duncan. I'm sure they'd love to see their auntie"

"I want to see them too but..."

"then come on downstairs. Duncan's only going to be here until tonight" she smiles through pursed lips and I sigh "you don't have to be scares of Michael or Ocean. If we thought for a second they'd be a danger to someone then we wouldn't have set it up for them to have Duncan and Nevaeh all day would we?" She smiles and eventually I get up and follow her downstairs.

****

Michael's POV

We're sitting in the living room playing with DJ and Nevaeh and LaToya walks in. I haven't really talked to her since she said about all that stuff about me to Joseph and it really hurt me hearing my sister say she was scared of me and clearly hating me as a person. I know I've done some shitty thing's but me and LaToya used to be so close and hearing how she really feels about be me still really hurts, but today is about DJ and Nevaeh so I'm trying my best to be civil towards her in front of them because I want DJ and Nevaeh to be close, like I am with Janet and seeing me fighting with my sister won't help.

"wow look at all these cool presents your mommy and daddy got. You two must have been really good" she smiles at DJ and Nevaeh. "there birthday toys" DJ smiles excitedly. "I thought Nevaeh's birthday wasn't for two more weeks?" She looks at us confused. "it's not, but we didn't want one of the to feel left out" Ocean explains "that's a really sweet idea" she smiles and I smile at her through pursed lips. I'm about to speak when DJ suddenly squeals opening another present. "Legos!!!!!" He jumps up excited. "he sure loves Legos" LaToya giggles at his reaction. "I'm gonna build the world!" He smiles and starts playing with it.

Neither of us say anything and there's an awkward silence for a moment, then LaToya sighs. "about what I said..."

"not here" I cut her off. I don't wanna fight with you in front of my kids"

"why can't I live here with you too?" DJ says out of nowhere and looks at Ocean and I like he's about to cry. "and you will soon" Ocean smiles picking him up. "you let Veah (Neveah) live here. Why not me? Was I bad?"

"Of course not! You and Veah are the best and most well behaved kids in the world! and she doesn't live with us either. She lives with uncle Jermaine and Aisha" I explain. "then why  don't you want us anymore? Don't you love us anymore?" He asks pouting. "Of course we do! We love you both more than anything and anybody else in the world! And we do want you both to live with us more than anything, but we're not allowed to right now. That's why you live with grandma right now and why Nevaeh's staying with uncle Jermaine" Ocean croaks "did you fuck up again!?" He frowns turning to me. "we both did, not just daddy" Ocean chuckles slightly. "then you both need to get it together" he frowns at both of us. "you know you probably shouldn't let him swear like that, Jessica won't be happy with him going back saying that stuff" LaToya looks at us sternly. "he has a point" I shrug picking him out. "and we will get it togther" I sigh "how did we such wise and responsible kids?" I smile cuddling him. "just lucky" he shrugs cockily.

****

LaToya's POV

Even though I don't always agree with Michael and Ocean's parenting techniques especially the way they talk to DJ about adult things like their custody issues and expect him to understand at two years old! and that they never scold him for cursing. It's clear both their kids love them and I felt so sorry for DJ when he was saying he wanted to be with them and didn't think they loved him anymore.

I've done as my mother asked and made an effort to be around Michael and Ocean while their kids are hear, but it's pretty clear by the way they keep glancing over giving me evil stares every now and then that they don't want me around them just as much as I don't want to be around them either.

"you two may wanna slow down after eating all that cake" Joesph chuckles watching Michael and DJ spinning around playing aeroplanes. "and watch my coffee table" mother says sternly going upstairs. "their really hyper today!" I smile through pursed lips at Ocean who's playing with Nevaeh with the very loud musical toys they got her. "kids usually are" she shrugs.

I about to speak when there's a loud crash from upstairs and Joseph and I rush up to check on mother, while Michael and Ocean stay downstairs with the children.

"what happened are you ok?" Joseph gasps running over to her, helping her up. "I'm fine it was just a little fall" she winces trying to stand.

"what happened!?" Michael asks worriedly as Joseph helps mother down the stairs and I follow behind them. "it was just a little trip. It's nothing. really I'm fine" she winces. "your not fine! Your in pain and need to get checked out at the hospital!" Joseph tells her sternly. "but what about?" I mumble. "you'll have to stay with them until we get back"

"but you can't leave me alone with them what if..."

"LaToya your mothers in pain!" Joseph cuts me off. "just take the key and lock the door behind us and hide the key and keep and eye on them " he mumbles. "if it's a problem, we can always call Aisha and ask her to come and get Nevaeh and DJ until you get back or ask her to stay" Michael mumbles. "no, you've been excited about today all week and Aisha's working. I'll be fine" mother insists. "no.. I'm taking you to the hospital and LaToya is going to stay here!" he tells her sternly.

When they leave I do exactly as I was told and lock the door and go upstairs to hide the key. As I'm walking out of my bedroom I see Michael coming up the stairs. "don't worry I didn't come up here to rape you!" Scoffs going into the bathroom and I go back downstairs not saying anything.

He comes back down a few minutes later and continues playing with Ocean and the children. "maybe you should clean up some of the other toys before you get more out" I suggest seeing the mess all over the floor. "we'll clean it up before they go" Ocean shrugs. "what is that smell!?" I ask scrunching my face. "looks like someone exploded again Michael chuckles and picks up Nevaeh and starts changing her. I'm about to speak when DJ throws up on the carpet. "and there goes another one" Ocean chuckles and starts cleaning him up. "how can you stand that!?" I ask trying not to vomit. "that's what babies do" Michael chuckles. "your both all clean up now though" he coos picking up Neveah. "I'll be right back" I gag going into the kitchen.

I wash my hands and go back into the living room and Ocean and Michael aren't their and neither are the kids. "Ocean? Michael?" I call out and nobody answers. I go to check if their all upstairs, but as I get to the hallway I stop in my tracks seeing the front door wide open. I rush outside and see Ocean and Michael quickly driving out of the drive with DJ and Nevaeh in the back seat