You couldn't sleep well last night. You've been thinking about what happened with Michael after he got home from work. The two of you shared your 'misunderstandings' about certain things, well... to tell yourself the truth... it was hell of a fight! You even ended up pushing and pulling yourselves... the memory of it made you giggle because now when you think about it, you must have looked like two little, stubborn children, fighting over a bar of chocolate.

The smile on your face disappeared as you remembered the collapse on the sofa... His face was just few inches away from yours... you've never before been so close to his body. He was warm and you could feel his heart beating against your chest, his curls were soft, and for the first time you noticed how big his hands were... At that moment, you felt both angry and nervous at the same time but there was something else that made you worry even more... for just a second you thought he might have kissed you!

But this couldn't actually have happened, you mean... it was probably only your imagination, he's with your sister dammit! But yet again, yesterday he took off his mask and revealed his true face. Before that you never thought this man could yell or curse or fight or do things like that... Who knows what else he's capable of doing but even if he did try to kiss you, which he definetely wouldn't have, you were gonna slap the shit out of him and show him who runs things around here!

Well, doing that might not be the best idea since you live in his house and he pays for everything! Which reminded you about the things he said concerning Courtney, that she's an adult and she can do what she wants... He was right! And the truth was, your sister didn't need you to be there, she's tough enough and she can handle it on her own. You were just living in his house but why!? You didn't know why but it wasn't right... you had to move out as soon as possible. He only took you there to please Courtney. 'This can't go on like this.. I have to talk to Michael today. I'm gonna tell him I'm sorry for last night, although I'm not, and I'll also thank him for everything because after all, he took care of us when we needed it the most... ' and then you were gonna look for another house and job and while doing it, go live somewhere else maybe with your grandma.

You took a shower, brushed your teeth and started dressing. You heard someone knock on the door.

"Who is it?"
"It's me..." Michael's voice came through the door. His soft and sweet voice has returned. You put your robe on because you weren't decent and said
"Come on in!" he opened the door and without coming in said
"Good morning." he looked like the Michael you met - well-behaved, soft, gentle, humble and very calm.
"Good morning."
"I aah j-just wanted to ask you if you have any plans for tonight because when I get back from the studio... I-I think we should talk..."
"I agree. We should talk. I'll be here when you get back."
"Ok, good... well then, see you later."
"Yes.." you nodded.
"Well, bye.."
"Bye." and he left, closing the door behind him.

Good. He wanted to talk too. Tonight you were gonna tell him all the things you thought about earlier. Until then, you had other things to do. You looked for job, went to a few interviews, called your grandma and explained her the situation, of course you saved all the details about Michael Jackson and Courtney, asking if you could stay there with her until you've found a job and a place to move in. She agreed.

You also called Courtney to check up on her. The funny thing was that she didn't ask anything about Michael. Actually, it was strange and not funny! You had to talk to him about this too, ask him what's going on between the two of them. Then, you remembered you decided to stay out of it but after hearing Courtney you thought that only asking won't hurt anybody.

However, the day seemed so short for it was already dark and you had to return to Neverland 'cause you said you were gonna be there when he gets back.

To your suprise, as you arrived at Neverland, you saw his car already parked in front of the house. He must have returned earlier from the studio tonight... However, you took a deep breath and entered the house. You asked the maid if she knew where he was and she told you he was in the living room so that's where you went.

He was sitting on the couch watching TV.

"Hi." you greeted him.
"Oh hi!" you could see that he was calm and relaxed. So you were too. The 'wildness' from yesterday had completely vanished.
"You got back early today!"
"Yes... we finished the shooting of the video few hours earlier than planned so I immediately got home to.." he wanted to say something but didn't. He just stopped his sentence there. "Well how was your day?"
"It was fine. I went to few interviews and called Courtney.." he didn't ask anything about her. After a short pause he asked
"You hungry?"
"No I already ate. You?"
"I'm not." after another pause he suggested "Well... I was thinking... we can take a walk outside in the gardens and talk?"
"Yeah, sounds nice."
"Then, let's go!" you nodded. He got up and you followed him outside the house. The weather was nice but it was dark. The air was fresh and it smelled of grass. As you strolled down the garden at a slow pace, the both of you begun at the same time

"I wante-"
"I jus-"
"You go first" he told you.
"No you can begin you started talking first!"
"Ok, well ahm..." he cleared his throat "I wanted to apologize for last night... I went too far.."
"I wanted to apologize too, it wasn't only your fault..."
"I shouldn't have provoked you... you were tired and only wanted to go to bed and I ... I just don't know what happened..."
"No it's ok, Michael, you were right! I was being rude, leaving so early... I also said pretty bad things so I'm sorry..."
"I'm really sorry too and also... sorry for pushin' you..."
"It's ok, I pushed you too so we're even!" he looked in your eyes for a second and smiled. You did the same thing.
"So... no hard feelings?" he asked.
"No."
"Maybe we can try to be friends?" friends with him? You didn't think so but he said TRY not BE friends.
"Yes!" you looked at him and nodded. You were walking next to one another, now silent, until his phone rung.

"Hello? Joseph... " he sighed "What do you want?" his voice got serious "WHAT? Are you crazy? What did you do this time?" Michael was listening to him talking, then said "I don't know... I have to think about it, that's a lot you know..." he was looking on the ground "I'll get back at you... I gotta go now. Bye." and he hung up.

He didn't look very well after the phone call. His facial expression changed into a sad and disappointed one. His eyes got watery and he tried to hide it from you by looking the other way or on the ground.

"Michael, are you ok?" you asked him.
"Yes.." then after a pause he sighed saying "I'm not..." almost inaudible.
"Problems at work?"
"No... my father... he asked me for half a million dollars.."
"WHAT?" you asked in amazement 'cause for you half a million was sooooooooo much.
"Yess."
"That's a lot of money!" he giggled at you because your eyes became so big.
"It is but he's asked me for more before so half a million doesn't seem that much in comparison to last time.."
"Last time?"
"Yeah, last time it was 2 million" your jaw dropped "He's been asking me for money quite often... Actually, that's the only thing he calls me for.."
"What do you mean?" you were confused. He sighed
"He doesn't care about me..." his voice became low and cracked "None of them cares about me.."
"None of them?" what did he mean?
"My family... they don't care 'bout me.. they only want my money. When they call me it's never to ask me how I am, or just to talk to me but it's to ask for money. Joseph always gets himself into trouble and depts... and my brothers aren't any better.. "
"I'm sorry..."
"It's ok. I already got used to it..."
"Used to what?"
"People wanting me for my money. It's always the same. The people I work with, they see me as a money-making machine, the women I've been with... it was never real. What I felt was, but they never truly loved me... they get into my pants and then into my wallet, deceiving and lying that they love me and when I want to take the relationship to the next level and talk about marriage, they quickly run away. In the end, they have all the things I bought them and I... well all I have is a broken heart... And on top of that, my family too.." he looked so sad and broken that you, without thinking, instinctively put your hand on his shoulder
"It's gonna be okay.." he looked at you
"Do you really believe that?"
"Yes! You'll see! It's just that things like that take time.."
"But I've been waiting for so long..."
"I know.." you tried to cheer him up. He didn't say anything for a few minutes then out of the blue
"Have you ever asked yourself why am I with Courtney?"
"Yes."
"Well do you know why?"
"Of course! It's very simple because she's young and beautiful!"
"No..."
"No?"
"Uh-huh. It's because I saw something in her that other women don't have.."
"What is it?" you were curious, he giggled "Tell me, tell me!"
"Well.. she's pure! She wasn't interested in money or shiny things, she just wanted to have fun.." you've never thought about that before... but he was right. Courtney may be a rebel, may have a bad mouth, may disappear on you and run to Mexico but she wasn't one of those money-hungry women. You didn't say anything, he went on "She got that from you..." he looked at you and when you did the same he quickly turned his head away.
"From me?"
"Yeah... You're even better, she still has a lot to learn from you!"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, not all girls would say 'no' when Michael Jackson invites them to live at Neverland or.." you burst out laughing, he smiled.
"Hahaha"
"Yeah! Or or even fight with me or not accept my present!"
"Haha you're killing me!" you calmed down and after a pause he said
"You should do that more often."
"Do what?"
"Laugh.." you looked into each other's eyes and kept on walking. This went for too long and you felt uncomfortable but was unable to stop staring in his eyes. Then you stumbled and were gonna collapse but he managed to quickly catch you. "Are you ok?" he was holding you.
"Yes! I'm sorry."
"No need to apologize." he was still holding you "Oh.. sorry!" then he let go of you.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome." you went on walking.

"I wanna ask you something.."
"Yes?"
"Since we were talking about my sister..."
"Yeah?"
"I've noticed some things lately... she cries all the time and you... well, you leave her alone at night and drink.." his facial expression changed. He didn't like this topic and you noticed but wasn't gonna just leave it... she's your sister you had to know what was going on between them "What is going on?!"
"Nothing." he was sharp.
"Nothing? C'mon! There is something going on between the two of you! When I called her she didn't even ask about you and when I told you I talked to her, you too didn't ask anything about her! What's wrong?"
"I told you it's nothing."
"Do you really think I'm this stupid?" he didn't reply instead he pretended he didn't hear you and tried to change the topic
"The weather tonight's really nice and I-" you stopped walking and pulled him by the hand so that he faced you
"ANSWER GOD DAMMIT!"
"I told you, there's nothing." he continued to walk, thinking you would follow him but instead

"Are you cheating on my sister?" he stopped and turned around
"WHAT?!"

Author's POV, meanwhile at Stacy's house

"I'm sure everything's gonna be fine!" Stacy assured Courtney. The two girls were sitting on Stacy's bed in her room, talking about boys, more precisely about Courtney's new boyfriend.
"I don't know... You see, everything was fine in the beginning! It was even more than fine but then, lately, he's changed!"
"What do you mean changed?" Stacy asked.
"It's like he's somewhere else! When we go to bed and I try to you know... he says he's tired or just leaves the room, making dumb excuses, and then drinks like... all night long! It's like his mind is... I don't know how to describe it and I don't know what's going on..."
"Men! They're all the same and who understands them anyway!"
"Certainly not me!" the two girls burst in laughter. Someone knocked on the door.
"Come in!" Stacy said. It was her mother.
"Girls, there's someone at the door who wants to see you?" Courtney and Stacy looked at each other in surprise 'cause they weren't expecting anyone.
"Who is it?"
"It's Chad." her mom answered.
"Oh Gosh... that's exactly what I needed..." Courtney said.
"You know what.. let's go see what he wants!"

Your POV, at Neverland

"You heard me! Did you replace her so fast? Are you fucking someone else?" he didn't reply "Why aren't you saying anything?" still no answer from him. "So you are! There's other woman!"
"Listen I-" you cut him off.
"NO! I'M GONNA TELL HER! SHE'S GONNA BE HURT BUT AT LEAST SHE'LL SEE YOUR TRUE FACE! AND I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU WERE PLAYING THE VICTIM FEW MINUTES AGO 'Women only want my money... I'm all innocent, they hurt me..'" you were imitating him "FUCKING LIES! AND I BELIEVED YOU!"
"I'TS NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL!"
"WELL HOW IS IT THEN?" he didn't reply.

"I knew it..." you said and he sighed. You just turned around, leaving him there and headed for your room. You were tired of all this and there was only one thing to do... Pack your things and be gone. After all, Courtney wanted him, you warned her, she didn't listen! The best thing to do was let her ALONE see the truth, she won't believe you anyway. Yes, she'll be hurt but at least learn a lesson about life and men.

In like 30 minutes all of your stuff were packed. You left the room. To reach the front door of the house, you had to go through the living room. Michael was there, with a bottle of whiskey in his hand. When he saw your luggage he quickly jumped and came over to you

'WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?"
"Something I should've done long time ago - leaving."
"Have you gone nuts?! Where are you gonna go and at this time of the night!"
"I'm a grown woman, I can take care of myself. Oh and you were right about Courtney... she is an adult and that's why my job here is done! And the best part is... I won't have to see your ass anymore!" he shook his head.
"You're just impossible! You're acting like a kid, you're making a mistake!"
"I don't remember asking your opinion!"
"Well you gonna have to hear it like it or not!"
"Have you any idea how fucking annoying you are?"
"Oh so I'm annoying you?"
"Yes you are!"
"I don't give a DAMN!"
"Ha big deal LIKE I CARE!"
"I know you don't, you only care about yourself!"
"THAT'S NOT TRUE!"
"Truth hurts haaa?"
"You know what... I HOPE WE NEVER SEE EACH OTHER AGAIN! FUCK YOU!" you started leaving and he was yelling behind you
"I COMPLETELY SHARE YOUR FEELINGS! THAT'S RIGHT LEAVE AND NEVER COME BACK I DON'T WANNA SEE YOUR STUPID FACE EVER AGAIN!" his words made you even more angry and you shut the door behind you really hard and for a second thought you were gonna break it. You got in the car and drove off.

Author's POV

Michael stood alone in the huge living room. He felt his chest was hurting. He slowly went to the corner of the living room and curled into a ball there. "What have I done.." he whimpered, trying to catch his breath. With his hands wrapped around his legs, he was rocking back and forth and looked around the room. It seemed empty... the whole house seemed empty just like him... He's never felt like this before, in the past he'd only think he was empty but now realized, he was wrong... It was tonight that he learned the true meaning of the words empty and gutted. Hot tears were falling down his eyes... 'This time is over... I won't be able to go on... I just know it! It hurts too much. I gotta go now or I won't survive until the morning...' he quickly got up, went in his bedroom and opened the closet. Inside was a safe. He entered the combination and took out some device. 'That's it!'
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