Michael's POV

Those three days without Rayne were the longest three days of my life and I wasn't even exaggerating, struggling to be Michael Jackson and Daddy in the same day was a serious task.

I had to have old staff come on days when they weren't working just to keep up. My long time chef Rudy, came in the morning to fix breakfast for Camille before school and Karen would do her hair. I leaned on the bathroom door frame watching Karen pull her dark and curly hair into a fluffy ponytail.

"Daddy how come you won't put my hair in a ponytail?"

"Cause daddy doesn't know what he's doing." I chuckle.

"How do you know if you didn't try?" She says, she's too smart for her own good sometimes.

Karen giggles, "she's got a point there Michael.."

"I don't even do my own hair! Would you trust me with my hair Karen?" I laugh.

Karen makes a funny face shaking her head. "He's right Camille, if it weren't for me your father would really look like a scarecrow." She chuckles, causing Camille to laugh.

"Hello?" I hear a familiar voice in the living room. I head out front to see Rayne, her eyes still dry like she's been crying the entire time she was gone. I simply wrap my arms around her tightly hugging her. "How are you feeling."

"I'm better" she smiles, "where are the kids?"

"Camille is in the bathroom, getting her hair done and Michael is sitting in his bouncer by the bathroom."

She heads upstairs, and not long after, I hear Camille scream "Mommy!" at the top of her lungs. It felt good to have her home.

***

Rayne decided to take Camille to school herself with Leon and she bought Michael with her leaving me to have time to record music. I sat at the soundboard in my studio messing with buttons. The tunes going through my head were so sad, even though I was happy Rayne was home. Those three days without her were scary, to think I could lose her at any moment terrified me. I scribbled lyrics on my notepad listening to my production of music notes.

"Don't walk away, i just can't find the right things to say. I tried but all my pain gets in the way. Tell me what I have to do to make you stay. Should I get down on my knees and pray?"

I continued writing what felt like a beg for security to my wife, praying that she'd never leave me. I honestly think I'd die, just thought of it caused me to tear up. Wiping a tear I was interrupted by a tap at the door, "hey.." she gleamed.

"Hey.. when'd you get back?" I ask sniffling quietly. I watched her walk inside and sit next to me.

"A few minutes ago, your eyes look wet.. you've been crying?" She examines, pressing a thumb under my eye to wipe away a loose tear.

"You know how I can be when it comes to my music." I chuckle, "guess I was a little too passionate."

"What were you writing about?" She smiles.

"Well. I was just thinking about how I'd feel if you left me again.. and it caused me to write. I really don't ever want you to leave me. I'm not sure how'd I'd deal with it."

She gives me a long sigh, pressing her lips against mine softly. "I'm not going anywhere. I was just... grieving, I needed that moment to myself.." she leaned her forehead against mine.

***
A Few Months Later

"I think it sounds great boys, I don't think you guys need me on it though.." I tell my nephews. They had me sit in on a studio session for their first official album. "Why didn't you guys have Tito come listen?" I ask,

"We did, but I mean...who's Michael Jackson?" TJ smirks, causing a giggle to slip from my lips.

"Yeah, but your father knows best." I say. "I don't think you all need me."

"Daddy just doesn't wanna sing anymore." Camille chimes

"Not true. They just don't need me." I respond

"Come on Uncle Mike. Please.." Taryll begs.

I roll my eyes, "y'all won't let me live."

"Sure won't." Taj smiles

I look at the hopeful faces around the room and hold up one finger. "One track!" I announce before a loud clap. I head into the booth to practically sing over their already harmonized chorus, watching as they smile at them getting their way. I spoil all my nieces and nephews, I can't help it.

As we rode back into the gates of Neverland, Camille sang almost every song Leroy played on the radio, I never paid attention but she had a nice little voice for a 7 year old.

"This is my favorite song daddy!" She says in between lyrics.

"Sounds like everything is your favorite song. You like singing?"

She nods, "I wanna sing like you when I get older."

My mind races, the thought of her dealing with what I dealt with, being in the public eye my entire life, being ridiculed. I couldn't imagine it for her, she can barely take when someone speaks badly of me, lord knows how she'd deal with someone talking about her. She's sensitive like me, but with her mother's temper, not a good mix.

"Are you sure?" I ask.

"Yeah, I wanna sing in front of a lot of people! Mrs. Keating is teaching us music for a school play!"

"Oh is she! Why didn't you tell us earlier?"

"It was a surprise.. surprise!" She giggles.

"Well, I'm surprised.. you have to work really hard if you wanna do well."

"I know, I practice every day!" She replies walking into the house.

"Are you gonna be nervous?" I ask.

"No, you're never nervous!" She says, hugging me and grabbing a snack from the table.

I chuckle at her before heading into my office to continue working on my own music, before Rayne walked in, her smile bright. "Well hello beautiful, why so happy?"

"Michael took his first steps, I tried your cell." She says, sitting on the corner of my desk.

"Oh, I never heard it ring.." I groan,

"I know you didn't" she laughs, opening my desk drawer and pulling out my cellphone.

I giggle, "I'm trying to get better with this damn thing... well where is he? I wanna see him do it." I chuckle.

"Upstairs sleeping, walking for the first time is tiring!" She giggles, her hair framing her face perfectly. She turns her body to sit in front of me, her legs draped over my thighs. "Thank you." She smiles.

"For what?" I ask, practically lost in her purple colored eyes.

"Dealing with my shit, you never left me no matter how many times I lost my temper, you're literally the best thing that ever happened to me." She leans down to peck my lips.

I wrap my hands around her hips and pull her off the desk and onto my lap, keeping her lips on mine. She doesn't even know the things she does to me, the reasons why I can't just up and leave her. She got up to lock the latch on my office door...

***

Rayne's POV

I watched as Michael and 'little mike' walked around in the living room. Michael laughing as he watched our son struggle with every step, landing on his butt giggling at his father every once and a while.

"Come on Jr, you'll get it soon. Work hard at it and you'll get it soon." Michael says to him.

"Daddy, Mikey doesn't understand you." Camille scoffs.

"Yes he does, I used to talk to you like this all the time on the phone. Daddy was away on tour when you were this age. But I always gave you words of encouragement."

"Yeah but I don't remember them." She giggles. "And I sure hope you didn't call me 'jr.'" she flinches at the word.

"No babe, you were always baby girl." I laugh, "you know your father has a nickname for everyone."

"When daddy brings the sick kids over he tells them to call him applehead. But the family calls him doo doo." She laughs

"Doo doo!" We hear little Michael repeat, more than likely making the sound Camille made.

"Say it again Miley! 'Doo doo!'" Camille giggles crawling down next to him.

Michael simply giggles at the noise, "Camille don't teach him that."

I laugh as he repeats it again

"Aw shoot." Michael chuckles, "No jr.. say Da da.." he tries to revert the noise but it was clear to see "doo doo" was his favorite word as he repeated again laughing after every time.

"He's a boy so he was bound to learn about something gross." I shrug picking him up, "speaking of doo doo.." I frown, taking him to the back.

***

With Camille it was hard to tell, sometimes I'd see Michael, sometimes I'd see myself, but with Michael Jr it was easy, he looked just like his father. I watched him sit up on his own nearly tearing up, he was growing up so fast and my daughter was already 7.

"Mom can we cut this off.. it's so stupid!" Camille whines.

"No buggy, this is for Michael. " I reply

We sat together on the floor watching a children show that honestly got on my nerves after watching it with Camille as a baby, but it helped her learn the alphabet fairly easy.

"He's not even watching, he just keeps laughing.." she pouts.

"You should be doing your homework anyway miss, turn towards the table please and thanks." I reply sternly.

I sat on the floor grabbing his hands and making them clap to the rhythm of the song, but he was so silly all he'd do is laugh. I couldn't help but laugh with him. "You are so silly!" I giggle "ok be serious now" I straighten my face and clear my throat. "A..B..C..D..E-"

He laughs again, this time tossing his head back onto my stomach. "Boy you are something." I giggle, giving up. Michael exits his office frustrated his fingers massaging his temple, "what's wrong?" I ask,

"The label is hounding me for another album. I didn't want to do another album."

"Then don't, you're retired." I shrug.

"I owed them an album I've just been prolonging it." He admits.

"Oh.. well, you've been writing a lot, why don't you just throw those songs together."

"I can sing for you daddy!" Camille turns.

"As much as I'd love you too, it doesn't work that way precious." He chuckles, grabbing Michael out of my arms. "I have been doing a lot of writing..." he sighs, while Michael picks all over his face. "Do you mind?" He chuckles.

'Doo doo!' He grunts causing Michael to roll his eyes. I laughed loudly.

"I've gotta make an album and my son calls me doo doo. This is great..." he chuckles.