Michael's POV

I just laid another track of my vocals for another song. This was the third song I'd recorded today, with minimal breaks. I wanted to get this album over with; I wasn't excited to record or release another album. But, I knew this was coming; the label wouldn't let me get away with no album for too much longer.

"Mike, that was pretty good.. I'd suggest you do it again because I know it can come out stronger..  at least that last part." My producer says.

I give a sigh, I knew my voice was tired. "I can't do it again..not today, my throat hurts." I admit.

"Giving up?" He chuckles. "Alright, let's pick back up tomorrow." I wave my way out the studio and back into the truck, while Leon slept in the front seat.

"L! Come on man.." Wayne taps him once shutting his door.

"We ready?" Leon jumps up like he's been awake the whole time, causing me to giggle.

My ride was quiet, it had been a long day, a long week honestly, every night I left at 4 in the morning, and would come home 1 in the morning, leaving nothing but 2 hours for me to lay awake. I was honestly exhausted.

We pulled up to the main house and I hopped out, "try and get some rest Leon." I chuckle. heading inside. "You too boss!" He replied.

I traveled through the pitch black living room hearing coughing as I go further upstairs. I peek into Camille's room to hear her coughing louder. "Hey, Millie.. you ok?" I ask quietly.

"My throat hurts and I can't stop coughing.."

I place my hand on her forehead, "oh baby, you're burning up, come on let's get you some medicine." I sigh grabbing her hand to lead her into the bathroom in my room.

"Why didn't you tell mommy you weren't feeling well?" I ask pouring the medicine into a small cup.

She shrugs, coughing again. "The school play is next week. I don't wanna miss practice.."

"Well, your health is always first Camille, you can miss one day." I say almost ironically.. meanwhile I haven't slept in a week, even pills weren't working anymore.

"But you never miss practice.." she whines, sniffing her now stuffed nose.

"I'll miss it tomorrow, if I stay home tomorrow, will you?" I ask.

She nods quietly, stifling a cough.

I grin, "ok.. go back to bed, that should help you get some sleep. I love you."

"I love you more daddy.."

Ever since that accident on stage, I've had these back spasms, so I grabbed a pain pill and swallowed it to prevent one from even happening before I get into bed.

As I laid down, Rayne rolled over, wrapping her arm around my torso, her leg entangled between mine, and her head pushed into my neck. "Everything ok?" She mumbled.

"Of course.." I respond quietly, gripping her closer.

"How's the album going?" She continued, her fingers stroking my cheek, and I could feel her lashes flutter against my neck.

"Ok.. I don't know how they're gonna promote it though.. I'm not going on tour." I groan. "I'm just so annoyed with this whole thing, But I've gotta get over it."

"I know.. doesn't mean you have to be frustrated though.." she sighs. I feel her run her fingers down my chest, stopping right at my hip bone, where the band of my pajamas were.

I chuckle raising my brow, "what are you up to?" Looking at her, a shy grin on her face.

"Nothing." She giggles, biting her lip. She wraps her fingers around me, causing me to release a small shuddered groan. She giggles coyly placing small kisses along my neck. She took complete control over me and I actually felt motionless, numb, practically paralyzed by her touch; as she climbed on top of me.

She brings my arms around her, gripping her backside, while she leans her body on top of mine, her lips pressing against mine. Grabbing hold of her waist, she guides me into a slow rhythm, pushing myself further inside her where she slowly breathes out my name. Even letting out a few obscene words myself, I pull her lips on mine again, tugging at her bottom lip softly.  "God..." she mumbled

I roll her onto her back, pushing her legs forward and continue the rhythmic strokes into her. "Why are you so good at this?" she says, biting her lip harder.  Her fingers clenched around my arms, gripping me tighter.
I smirk cockily as I watched as her pleasurable facial expressions change to giggles, pushing further into her. She covers her face, muffling the sound of her own moans, Taking a small piece of my satisfaction away. "Uh uh.." I mutter, placing her hands to her side. She giggles again "bossy huh?"

She wraps her arms and legs around my body, taking me in as deep as she could, her nails grazing against my skin. I feel her lips pushing against my ear as she released small huffs of pleasure into it. "Michael.."she whispers intensely.

Finally I feel myself release all I had as her own movements began to slow down, falling asleep in each other's arms after a well needed night of pure passion.

***

I stayed home with Camille while Rayne took Michael to his doctors appointment. I have to admit I was feeling a lot better this morning. I wished I could say the same for my poor daughter. Her fever was still pretty high and she still had a bad cough. I walk in her room quietly as she watched another Disney movie. Her sniffles causing me to laugh.

"How are you feeling?" I ask, knowing the answer.

"Sick." she says simply, pulling the blanket over her head.

"I made some soup.. think your stomach can handle it?" I ask.

She nods hopping off her bed, "can I bring my blanket? I'm cold."

Any other time, she knows I wouldn't allow it, but she's sick. "Yeah, I'll carry it."

She sits at the table and I drape the blanket over her shoulders. Once she eats and gets back into bed, I let her know I'll be in my office if she needs anything. Teddy Riley and I were meeting up to record for the first time again since Dangerous so I was excited.

Taking a few pain pills, more than usual, before I even began getting sore, it seemed like they weren't working anymore so I upped the dosage. I head into my office where Leon had already escorted Teddy.

"Teddy, it's so good to see you!" I slur unknowingly. My eyes started getting heavier before I felt like I was floating, honestly feeling lightheaded like I felt when Rayne and I had sex.

"It's good to see you Michael.. you all good?" He asked removing his glasses, revealing a quizzical look.

"I'm great, let's get started.." I sit at the engineering table playing back the track I had been working on last night. "Now, Ted.. Teddy." I chuckle goofily. "Sorry.. teddy, I need you to listen to the instrumental of this track. I stripped the vocals last night-"

"Mike, we talked about that over the phone..remember?" He frowns. "You sure you're ok?"

"We did? I'm sorry, my mind is all messed up. I didn't get any sleep and my daughter's sick so it's been a hell of a night." I chuckle. My mind was clearly slipping away from me this past week.

"Oh ok, understood.. yeah my kid had the flu bug this weekend." He says pressing play on the sound board. Revealing the new sound he created on the track I was talking about earlier.

I nod my head, "yeah this is perfect..this is exactly what I was talking about"

I head into the booth to sing an extra vocal track over the original,

"that girl I can't take her, shoulda known she was a heartbreaker..shoulda seen right through her she's a heart breaker.."

"Daddy?"  Camille says groggily.

I step out the booth wrapping her blanket tighter around her. "Yes baby girl?"

"It's time for me to take that medicine.." she coughs.

I had completely forgotten, "ok.. I'll be back Teddy."

I fumbled with the medicine cup, struggling to read the numbers until I dropped the cup. For some reason I was a lot more frantic than I usually would be. "Let's just do this the old fashioned way.." I mutter to myself grabbing a tablespoon.

"Daddy are you ok? You look sleepy." Camille squints.

"I'm fine Millie, I've just gotta give you your medicine and get back in the booth. I've got a lot of work to do."

***

Rayne's POV

I carry Michael and drop his diaper bag to floor before placing him in his walker.

Checking on Camille, I give a light knock on her door. "Hey, how are you feeling?" I ask, placing my hand on her forehead.

"My throat still hurts.." she replies rashly.

"Your fever is going down, that's a good sign.. are you sleeping?" I ask as she leans her head on my lap.

"Yes.. but you've gotta make daddy go to sleep. He looks like he's gonna pass out."

I frown, "he does.. ok, I'll check on him. You stay in bed and rest." I reply kissing her forehead.

I enter his office quietly, as he was in the middle of recording, but I could tell just by looking at him, something was wrong. I squint as he walked out of the booth.

"Why do you look like that?" He asked, attempting to straighten himself up.

"Teddy can we have the room, it'll only be a minute I promise.." I fold my arms, giving Michael a once over.

"Where's JR?" Michael asked.

"In the living room. What's going on with you?"

He frowns, "I'm fine why?"

"You don't look fine.." I say.

"That's not what you thought last ni-" he chuckles quietly.

I squint again, "seriously? How many did you take?" I ask.

He gives me a puzzled look, I couldn't even take it serious. "Michael are we really going down this route again?" I sigh.

"I needed them to concentrate. When my back hurts I can't think." He sighs.

"Michael, you were here with our sick daughter... you can't be serious right now!" I say angrily.

"Rayne, I'm not addicted before you get all upset." He says flailing his hands around dramatically.

"Do you even see yourself when you're like this??" I scoff.

He chuckles, "no but I feel myself and I feel great.. what's wrong with me wanting to feel good?"

I was enraged, to the point I couldn't even look at him. "He's all yours" I mutter to Teddy, storming out.

"Rayne!" He calls back. Ignoring him, I grab Michael and head in our room, slamming the door behind me. Checking our medicine cabinet to see half of Michael's pill bottle emptied and then flipped it around to see the label was revealing a different name.

I sniffle quietly to myself, while Michael watched his cartoon on the television.

I call his sister Janet, "Rayne? What's wrong?"

"I need your help.." I sigh "he's doing it again.. Camille saw the effects.. Janet I can't keep dealing with this." I sob.

"Rayne..ok, I'll be there soon.." she says before hanging up.

Within the hour, Janet was right over. "What's going on??" She asks.

"He's reverting back. He took those pills again and look at this.." I scoff, handing her the bottle.

"Who is Patrick Anderson?" She frowns. "How'd Camille see it?"

"She's been home sick today, she told me 'daddy looked really sleepy' I cannot believe him.. and when I looked at him his eyes looked glazed over. I can't let my kids see this.. they don't deserve this.. I don't deserve this.."

"Ok.. why don't we do an intervention? Maybe if he's forced to listen to everyone.. I'll get all of the siblings together and we'll do it.. ok?"

I breathe heavily, nodding. Janet reaches over and hugs me.

That night Michael and I didn't speak more than a sentence to each other, I took it as shame. He had to be ashamed of what happened. I curled myself into a deeper ball, further away from him.

"You really are upset about something so simple right now.." he muttered.

I ignored him, pulling the blanket over my shoulder tighter.