Michael's point of view

I was helpless. Totally, and completely helpless as I watched the love of my life walking away from me for the second time. However, this time, it was all my fault. I was the one who caused this.

I hoped she would at least hear me out and talk to me so that we can make things better between us, but the only words I had come out of her mouth were "I hate you" and "get out". It hurt me to know she hated me, but I understood: I hated myself for what I did too. During the days I had been away from her, my only wish was to run back to her side and erase everything I had done to her, but I knew it wasn't possible.

I decided to be brave, and face the responsibility of my behavior and run back to June, thinking that everything would be back to normal when I talk to her.

I was wrong.

Nothing is that easy.

"June!" I practically cried in agony as June was leaving.

She didn't stop, she didn't turn around, she just kept walking without turning back, just like I did.

I felt half of the pain she felt when I left the same way just after she spoke her heart out to me, and it was killing me from the inside.

"I can't let her do that," Michelle whispered next to me, shaking her head. "June Aurélie Wellington!" She yelled across the room, which caused June to release the front door's handle. "If you leave this house withtout talking to this man standing right here, I swear you're gonna hear from me."

June laughed sarcastically, turning around, "y'all are on his side, aren't you?"

"There's no side to be on! You love Michael, and he loves you, you are one!" Michelle argued, as I stood beside her with tears in my eyes.

"He loves me, huh?" She said, averting her eyes to me as a tear escaped her left eye, "This man who's shamelessly standing here? The same man that left me like I was some shit on the sidewalk? That same man I opened my heart to and who, in return, gave me nothing but a fucking heartache? That same man who has such a low opinion of me and believes I cheated on him? Well, if this man loves me, then he has such a weird way to show his love," she said in a crying voice as the tears wouldn't stop from falling on her wet cheeks. "I don't need this kinda love, I don't need him, I don't need anybody."

"Please, at least hear him out," my little sister asked her, and I appreciated the support.

That was the whole point in having Janet here. When I explained everyone what my plan for winning June's heart back was, my first supporter was my sister, and asked me if it would be possible for her to be here, so that I have her support throughout this. To me, it wasn't a problem at all, but I had to check up on Michelle and Damon if that was okay.

When I called Michelle, she was pretty angry at me. Of course, June told her about what happened, so she knew I broke her daughter's heart. For my defense, I explained how frightened I was of being committed again, after what happened during my lastest marriage, which was the truth, but of course, it wasn't a good enough reason for leaving the way I did. Truth is, when June got down on one knee, I think my heart stopped for a few seconds, like I couldn't breathe anymore. I realized at that moment that what we had was real, and that things shouldn't be this way between us. She shouldn't be the one proposing, I should be. I should be the man who wants to make her my wife, to make her Mrs. Jackson because I want her to finish her life as such.
I was so scared that I tried to find excuses when I found her in Prince's arms, while I was the one to push her in his arms. I was absent for two months, I left her alone, and she barely talked to me because of that conversation she heard between Brooke and I, and I barely talked to her because I couldn't stand the fact she became a friend of Prince's. However, he was there when I wasn't, and I hate to admit that, but she was right about him: he actually has another side of his personality.

"Hear his apology? I don't want it. Nothing could ever excuse what he did to me," she shook her head, holding her chest with a face on.

"I'd do anything to make it up to you, June. Anything," I lowly said, walking towards her. "Just tell me, and I'll do it."

"I want you to leave!" She shouted. "I don't want to talk to you! I-I don't want to see you!" She shouted before coughing heavily. "Leave New York," she commanded, breathing heavily.

"I won't leave without you," I cried, trying to reach for her hand.

She swatted my hand away, "don't fucking touch me! I just want to leave this house, and be left alone! I hate you, you're nothing to me anymore, y-you made your p-point--" June trailed off as she visibly had issues to breathe.

"June, what's going--" I asked, concerned, but she went on.

"-- clear when you l-left and, and--" her eyes suddenly rolled at the back of her head, and in half a second, she fainted, and I caught her before she hit the floor.

"Jeremy!" I instantly yelled across the room as he was the only doctor present here.

"Oh my God!" Michelle shouted, running to the front door where June's unconscious body and I were.

"June, baby, wake up," I whispered, shaking June who was in my arms. "Come on, June! Wake up!" I hissed, tears flowing down my cheeks.

"Everybody step back!" Jer called after everybody that was gathered around the two of us.

They did as they were told, and Jer kneeled beside me, and directly put his ear over June's mouth to check out her breathing, and then checked out her pulse.

"She's barely breathing," he stated, and my heart fell in the pit of my stomach at his words. "Michael, bring her upstairs, I'll be right behind you," he said, in a calm tone while everybody around us was freaking out.

"What is wrong with her?" I asked him in a soft yet panicked tone.

"She might had a sudden drop in blood pressure, and as she was angry and tired, she fainted, and her heart is beating way too slowly now."

"W-What?" Michelle shouted from afar. "Why are we still here then? Shouldn't we be taking her to the hospital right now?"

"Michelle, calm down, I know what I'm doing," Jeremy assured her, patting her shoulder. "This happened last year, and ever since, I take the right stuff to take care of her everywhere I go. Michael, take her upstairs now," he repeated, and I nodded, trying to calm down.

"I got you baby, I'm not letting you fall," I whispered, taking June bridal style.

"Is auntie June okay?" I heard Tim ask his father.

"She's going to be fine, Jeremy is taking care of her," he answered, holding his son's shoulders as he was watching us. "She'll be fine," he repeated like he wanted to believe his own words.

When I reached June's bedroom, I pushed the door open with my back, and came in. I laid her unconscious body on her bed, and rubbed her cheek with my knuckles as tears slipped out of my eyes.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered, rubbing her hair back. "I've been such a jerk. Baby, I want to be your husband, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me," I sobbed quietly.

"Michael," I heard Jeremy's voice called from behind me, and I wiped my tears before turning my head towards the doorstep. "You should go downstairs with the others until I'm finished here."

"What are you going to do to her?"

"She needs an IV with her medecine flowing in it, and most of all, she needs rest. She didn't wake up because she's too tired to. She'll be fine."

"What happened? Did I cause this?" I asked, looking at June.

"She was drained and had a low blood pressure, and from what David told me, she didn't sleep for days. She had a rush of adrenaline that her heart, that was already weakened by her lack of sleep, couldn't take, that's why she fainted," He explained in a professional tone. "And uh, I don't want to seem harsh or anything, but you're the main reason this happened to her, yes."

"I feel so guilty," I murmured. "I never meant to cause her any of that."

"I know, Mike. I know," Jer said, patting my shoulder gently. "She's gonna get some sleep, and hopefully you guys could have a talk once she's awake. Just... Maybe you shouldn't propose today. I think it's better for her heart," he chuckled a bit.

"Okay," I nodded, finally looking at him. "Take care of her, I'm going back downstairs."

"Yes sir. And tell everybody I got this."

I nodded once again and closed the door behind me, before leaning on it once it was shut. I closed my eyes and rubbed the space between them, attempting to stop my tears to fall. In vain.

When I imagined this moment, I thought about a happy reunion between me and the love of my life: June was supposed to forgive me, and I'd propose to her and she'd say yes, and we'd have a wonderful evening with the people we love.

I reached in my jacket's inner pocket and took the little black velvet box from it. I opened it and stared at the diamond ring before my eyes.

Three days. It took me three days to realize that June was all I wanted, and that I should make her mine before someone else does. As hard it is for me to admit it, Prince turned out to be a good and honest guy. He came by  Neverland the day after I left that studio, and we talked for hours, something I thought wouldn't be possible between the both of us.

Everything he said was stuck on my mind, and I kept replaying his words in my head all over again.

"Why are you here?" I coldly asked as Prince was standing on the doorstep of my house. "You want another punch in the face?"

"Of course I came here so you can punch me," he sarcastically said, rolling his eyes. "I'm here to talk to you."

"Talk about what? How you stole my girl from me? Thanks, but no thanks."

"Michael, this is serious. I need to talk to you. For June. Let me in," he said, and the sincerity in his voice shocked me.

"I have security all over this house, if you dare--"

"I ain't gonna do anything. I'm here in peace. Please," he practically begged me.

I didn't speak another word and let him come inside the house, taking a step aside so that he could come in.

"Follow me," I sighed, leading him in my office.

Once there, I closed the door behind the two of us, and motionned Prince to take a sit as I sat in my leather chair across from him behind the desk.

"Such a beautiful place you've got here," Prince complimented, examining his surroundings.

"Let's make this short. Talk now," I harshly said.

"So polite," Prince muttered, and I narrowed my eyes at him. "Anyways," he sighed. "You're a douche."

"Excuse me?"

"You. Are. A. Douche," he enunciated, leaning closer to me. "What the fuck is your problem? You realize what you did to her?"

"If you're here to lecture me or tell me how to handle my relationship, then you can show yourself out. I don't need advice, and certainly not from a loverboy like you."

"Yeah, a lover boy like me," he snorted, and I could have sworn I saw a hint of sadness on his face. "When you came in the studio, I was only comforting her because you weren't there. You were away, and she was devastated because you guys wouldn't talk to one another. She wasn't herself, and you knew it. Why didn't you try to see what was wrong with her, what happened?"

"Because I knew what was wrong! You happened!"

"I don't have anything to do with that, this is all your fault!"

"My fault? Then tell me, as you visibly know more than I do. Tell me what happened to her and why she acted so distant towards me?"

"Because she heard your conversation with Brooke about marriage, dumbass!"

"She told me that, but she never mentionned to me that she absolutely wanted to get married, so this is not a good enough reason!"

"You didn't leave her a chance to tell you what she wanted! You made up your mind on your own, without  asking her what she was thinking about all of this. You've been so selfish, you don't even see that."

"I want you out of my house. Now," I commanded, standing up from my chair.

"I'm not going anywhere. You have to face the damn truth, Michael. You fucked up pretty badly, and I don't know if you'll ever be able to win June's heart again, but you have to try, and I'm willing to help you."

My eyes widened, and a sarcastic laugh escaped my mouth, "I thought you wanted my crown and my girl, what happened?"

"Love happened," he said, looking down at his feet before looking back at me with sadness written all over his face.

"What do you mean?" I frowned, sitting back down on my chair.

"Are you going to let me explain myself now?"

"Talk, before I change my mind."

"June never cheated on you. Ever. God knows I tried to have her in my bed though, but never did she give herself to me."

"You fucking jerk," I muttered through gritted teeth.

"Please, don't interrupt me, it's hard enough for me to tell you all of this," he said, looking at me.

I was really taken aback by the person I had in front of me: the sincere, emotional kind of person.

June was right, and I never dared listen to her when she said that Prince wasn't that bad person the press says he is not the person he claimed to be. He's just going along with this bad lover boy image, just like he was going along with this rivalry between the both of us.

"For those two months, I discovered the most wonderful woman on this planet. I never met a woman like June: she makes me laugh, she touches my heart with her sensitivity, and most importantly, she showed me it was okay to love and to be loved, thing I was afraid of before I met her.

"She kept saying she was glad to have me, but she doesn't know how good it was to have her as well. You know just as well as I do that being famous is not easy: you feel lonely, like you can't trust anybody... And June saved me from that, and I'll always be thankful for that. Thing is, you're not the only one who messed up with her," he admitted in a soft sadenned voice.

"What happened?" I asked, captivated and a little bit worried by his story.

"After you left the studio, I just wanted to go after you and kick your ass for turning June's proposal down. You can't do that just because you can't trust her. I've never met someone as faithful and in love as June. Never. You don't even realize how much she cares about you," Prince declared, shaking his head from side to side. "I was so mad at you. I couldn't bear to see her in such a pain. She was devastated."

I gulped, trying to swallow my tears away.

"I tried to comfort her, but nothting seemed to make her feel better," he said, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. "I tried to make her believe that she didn't need you, that she didn't need a man who wasn't aware of how lucky he is to have her in his life... And then I kissed her."

"Wh--"

"But then she slapped me. Real hard," he said before I could say anything. "She said I was exactly what you told her I was, a lover boy who just wants to fuck around and have tons of women in his bed. I was hurt she still believed you after the two months we spent together as close friends. So I thought that, if she needed to hate me, then I wanted her to hate me for something worth being hated for.

He gulped, and looked up at my confused face before focusing his gaze on his hands again.

"I forced her to kiss me again, so that she hates me for being a horrible person who takes advantage of a heartbroken girl. Then again, she slapped me, and I threw her out of the studio," he shamefully admitted, as anger was boiling in me. "Michael, I'm sorry I've done that to her. You don't even know how sorry I am, but she needs to hate me because if she doesn't, I won't be able to stay away from her while I have to. I'm not easy to love, but June saw through me, and I thank her for that."

"So you're saying you kissed her a second time so that she can hate you... why?" I asked through gritted teeth, trying to keep my cool.

"I'm not a good friend for her. She doesn't need me, and she doesn't-- She doesn't l-love me the way I do."

What?

"You're in love with her?"

"I think I am, but please don't get mad. I'm sorry, Michael, I can't explain how it happened, and why it happened but--"

"No," I shook my head, interrupting him. "Don't apologize. It's all my fault."

"Michael?" my little sister's voice called, which tear me out of my thoughts. "Are you okay?"

I averted my eyes towards her and closed the little box I had in my hands with a sigh before stuffing it in my jacket again.

"I'm fine," I lied, giving my sister a little smile.

"How is she doing?" She asked, concern filling her voice.

"She'll be okay. Jeremy knows what he is doing," I assured her. "Come on, let's go downstairs."

"Mike wait," Janet stopped me by grabbing my arm as I walked past her.

"What is it, Dunk?"

"She's going to say yes. She loves you."

"I'm not proposing tonight. She's too fragile," I declared, and Janet's eyes widened. "I'm sorry you came all the way from Cali for nothing."

"Mike, you have to propose," Janet hissed. "You're not letting her live another day without being engaged to you."

"You don't get it, Janet. She's way too fragile for this, and I'm the reason why she's in this state. To top it all, she hates me. She said it herself. I'm just going to wait until she's awake and fine, and I'll leave. I'll let her the space she needs."

"She doesn't need space. Don't you remember what she said to you when she proposed? All of those wonderful things she said? I can assure you she doesn't need space, she needs you. She's afraid and lost, and she doesn't know anything anymore since you left her. She's not herself without you, just like you're not yourself without her," Janet softly explained to me, as tears gathered in my eyes again. "Fragile or not, you need to tell her how you feel before it's too late."

"Before it's too late?"

"Before another guy comes into the picture and steal her from you and make her life miserable."

"I won't let that happen. You need to trust me, Dunk," I assured her, patting her shoulder when I walked past her to go back downstairs.

I've got this, I can do this.

***
June's point of view

I grimaced at the pressure I felt on top of my hand, and finally opened my eyes, only to find myself lying in bed with an IV on top of my hand. I let my head fall back on the pillow lazily, as I understood this happened again. The drop in blood pressure stuff. I sighed, feeling a bit numb, and sat up in bed, ignoring the throbbing pain in my head.

I rubbed my forehead, quietly groaning in pain, and took a look around my dark room. It was pitch black now, while it was still daytime when I arrived here. I frowned, wondering for how much time I was out of it, and looked at the digital clock on the nightstand.

4:56A.M.

Damn.

I switched the lamp on, as it would help me to get my ideas clear, and discovered the sight before my eyes which caused my heart to flutter, and my memories to come back to me at once.

Michael was there, asleep on the rocking chair that was situated a few feet from my bed, with a sleeping Timmy in his arms, a little blanket covering the both of them.

I couldn't believe that Michael was still here, as I remembered the lively conversation we both had before I fainted.

I regretted the way I acted with everybody, but I was directed by my exhausted mind, and I didn't mean to act this way. I really meant the fact that I hated Michael for what he did to me though.

"Auntie June?" Tim's little groggy voice whispered. "Are you okay?"

"Hey buddy," I cooed in a whisper, sliding my legs out of bed. "I'm fine. Why aren't you home with your daddy?"

"I was worried about you," he simply said, gently leaving Michael's lap to join me.

Before doing so, Tim made sure to cover Michael's body properly, and I smiled at his cute gesture.

"You're an angel, you know that?" I whispered, postionning him on my lap. I laid a kiss on his temple, and wrapped my arms around his little figure.

"I'm not the only one who stayed, uncle Michael stayed too, so he is an angel too," my godson pointed out, and my smile faded a bit. As I didn't answer, Tim went on, "he was worried sick about you too, as you wouldn't wake up."

"See, I'm fine," I reassured, rocking him like a baby.

"Are you still mad at us?"

"No I'm not. I'm sorry you had to witness that, baby boy. I was just really tired and--"

"And mad at uncle Michael for leaving you?" He innocently asked.

"How do you know this?" I frowned in confusion.

"I heard daddy and Jeremy talk together about uncle Michael leaving you, that's all I know. Do you still love him?"

"Things are complicated when you're an adult," I sighed, resting my chin on his little shoulder as Tim was drawing circle around the needle that was in my hand.

"I know, but you can't stop loving him. I really love him and I just got him back, I don't want to live without him again. I know you love him too. Daddy says that people argue because they love each other."

"You're right, buddy. I love him," I admitted, stealing a glance over at Michael. "But it's not easy to love someone more than they love you."

"You know, before we fell asleep, uncle Michael kept telling me how beautiful you were. He even cried," Tim let me know as he was now playing with my hands.

"He did? Why?"

"I don't know, he just said he was tired," my little boy said before yawning.

"Just as you, apparently," I smiled a bit. "Here, take my bed."

"No auntie, you should rest."

"I'll be right back, I'm just a little bit thirsty," I reassured him, standing up from the bed. "Here, go back to sleep," I murmured, tucking my godson to bed.

I placed a kiss on his forehead, stole another glance at Michael, and switched the lamp off before leaving the room with my IV pump following behind me.

When I got downstairs, I slowly made my way to the kitchen, careful not to wake anybody up. There, I made myself a hot cup of tea, and wrapped a blanket around my shoulders before heading on the porch at the back of the house.

The cold air of New York hit my face as soon as I was out, but I enjoyed the feeling as it reminded me I was alive.
Any traces of anger were gone and I felt well rested, even though my head was still aching. 

Soon, my mind drifted toward Michael and our situation, as it was the main thing that occupied my mind at the moment.

Of course, seeing him asleep with my godson in his arms melted my heart, but I wouldn't allow myself to be weak, for he didn't give me a valuable reason for his previous behaviour.

A part of me was happy to see him, because I missed him very much during those days we were appart, but the other part of me was angry at him for showing up shamefully like this.

"What a mess," I sighed, gazing into the distance.

I found myself missing my dad at that instant, because I knew he would have had the right words to cheer me up. He knew better than me how to handle those situations.

"Hey," Michael's voice softly said from behind me. "What are you doing here?"

"Nothing," I shook my head. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you," he shrugged, sitting across from me. "How are you feeling?" He asked with concern.

"Wonderful," I said with irony.

"I mean, are you feeling better?" He corrected himself.

I simply nodded and drank from my cup of tea, looking everywhere but in Michael's direction. It was hard for me to look at him in the eyes after the pain he caused me.

"Are you ready and willing to talk to me?" He asked in a soft and high pitched voice, letting me know he was nervous.

"What are you doing here, Michael?" I asked, finally looking at him.

"Trying to fix my mistakes. I've been such a jerk."

"Tell me something I don't know."

"I shouldn't have left the way I did..."

"Why did you, then?"

"Because I-I freaked out, this wasn't supposed to be this way."

"You freaked out? That's your reason?" I asked, raising my brows. "Then I'm sorry, but this reason is not enough," I said, standing up to leave.

"June, please wait! I uh... I've talked to Prince!"

And here's the second name that was painful to hear for me.

"So what?"

"He told me everything."

"Whatever he's told you, you can't believe him, it's garb--"

"So he didn't force you into kissing him?"

What the actual fuck?

"Uh, yes, he did," I frowned, turning around to face Michael again. "Why did he talk to you?"

"He came by Neverland yesterday," he announced, and my eyes widened a bit. "He told me everything, and why he wanted you to hate him."

"He didn't even tell me this. He just said it would be easier for me."

"And for him. He made sure you hate him so that you don't want to see him anymore."

"Why would he do that?"

"Because he's in love with you, and he knows I'm the right one for you, not him."

Now he's just hallucinating.

"Excuse me?" I asked for clarification.

Just thinking Prince could be in love with me warmed up my heart. It finally showed that he was capable of falling in love, thing he denied being capable of.

"He told me that. He's been honest, and sensitive and... Human. I've never seen Prince this way before, and I want to apologize for not believing you when you said he was different with you," Michael shamefully admitted, looking down at his hands. "Now, I'm sorry to ask you this, but I have to know... Do you umm... Do you have f-feelings... For him?"

"If I had feelings for him, I wouldn't have asked you to marry me," I said, reminding him what was the actual topic. "You're such a coward for leaving the way you did after I laid myself bare for you. I never felt so vulnerable and pathetic before, until this particular moment."

"You know this is not like me to leave people this way, I'm not the kind to walk away from my problems--"

"Not like me," I cut him off, nodding my head. "I got it."

"No June. This is not what I meant," he shook his head. "Ever since we're back together, I noticed your efforts. I noticed them, and I'm so proud of you for sticking with me the way you did. I see how much you want our relationship to work, I see it!"

"Then why don't you want to get married?"

"Because if you leave me as my wife, then I dont think I'll be able to survive."

"Then you're just being selfish again, because you didn't think about the possibility that I would die if I stayed by your side without being your wife, did you? You never asked my opinion about all of this, and you kept making decisions for me!" I shouted.

"And I'm sorry about that," he softly said, his voice cracking. "I want you back. You and only you. Talking with Prince reminded me how much of a treasure you are, and how lucky I am to have you. I love you, June, with all my heart, and I'm sorry I caused you pain. Baby, you're everything I need, without you I'm nothing," Michael declared with tears running down his cheeks. "I'm so sorry," he repeated, crying his eyes out while collapsing in my arms. "I love you so much baby girl, please forgive me, please," he begged, and a lump formed in my throat.

"Stop crying," I commanded in a whisper, so that my voice didn't crack from the tears that were gathering in my eyes and the lump that was forming in my throat.

"Please, tell me you love me too. Don't hate me, I couldn't stand the thought of you hating me," he begged, tightening his hold around my shoulders.

"I--I... Love you," I simply said, rubbing his hair.

And I felt good for a moment, until...

"Please marry me," he softly said, his face hidden in the crook of my neck, and my eyes widened. "June, marry me, please."

What do I do now?