I called Michael everyday checking on him to make sure he was ok. He'd simply tell me he was fine, but his tone said something different. I had no choice but to believe him. I sigh as I hang up from another routine phone call with Michael. "How is he?" Jermaine asks. "He says he's ok..." I shrug. Janet, Jackie, and Jermaine wanted to meet up at Jackie's and talk with me about Michael. They were like a second family to me, and since my only sibling was dead, they were all I had left. Apparently I was the only phone call he was answering. "No he's not." Janet responds. "I know..." I say somberly. "My poor little brother. Why him? He's the most sensitive of all of us." Jackie says shaking his head. "I really need him to be ok. I'm scared he'll relapse into his addiction." I worry. "I doubt he'll do that, when he was in rehab I remember us having a conversation, and he told me after he saw your face and how hurt you were he'd never touch a drug again..." Jermaine assures me, placing a hand on my shoulder and squeezing it lightly. "I don't know...you guys didn't see how mad he was, I've known him for 18 years and I've never seen him this way. This could drive him back." I say staring at the ceiling of Jackie's home. "Hey, the one thing we all know is how much that man loves you. He wouldn't hurt himself if it meant hurting you. I really don't think he'll relapse. But we'll all be there for him." Jackie says. I shrug, it's only so much a person can take, and Mike has taken almost 3 decades worth of crap. It's been a month since the documentary aired and Michael still sounded just as broken as he was when it originally happened. "Hello?" Janet answered her cell. "What?...Yeah, I'm in front of a TV..." She motions to Jackie to turn on the television. "Channel 8.." She mouths. Jackie frowns and changes the channel. There we saw big red letters.

"MICHAEL JACKSON ACCUSED AGAIN. The king of pop caught in another child molestation scandal."

I instantly run out the door to get to him. Lord knows what he was doing. He didn't call me, I wonder if he even knew yet. I called Sasha to cancel my studio session for today and try to get ahold of Michael. No success. I felt my breathing increase as I began to panic. After about a 30 minute ride, I pull in front of Michael's home. "Mike?" I yell through the door. Pushing the door open, the latch unlocked. "I can't believe this. They did this to me again... People take advantage of me for money. Just fix it!" I hear him yell and then a loud thud. I slowly walk towards the kitchen to see Michael standing over his broken cellphone. He looks up at me with watery eyes and I run to him to hug him. He returns my hug tightly with no resistance. Burying his face into my shoulders, I feel his knees buckle as we both kneel to the floor. I stroke his head holding him closely. "Why do they keep doing this to me..." He cries. "Why me?" He pulls away, burying his face in his hands and sinking into the floor on his knees. I keep my arms wrapped around him, rubbing his back to console him. There were no words for me to say to him. He was a different man. His anger and sadness had washed over him and overcame who he was. I couldn't help but cry with him. I help him into the living room and go back to clean the fragments of his cellphone off the kitchen floor. Walking back inside, I see him staring at the floor, his eyes bloodshot red and his heart broken. "Where are the kids..?" I ask slowly. He shrugs. "Somewhere in the house." He answers shortly. I nod my head and sit in front of him on his leg rest, grabbing one of his hands that hung in between his legs. "Are you ok?" He shrugs again. I simply nod, stroking his knuckles with my hand. I didn't have to talk, but he knew I was here and that's all that mattered. "It's not fair..." He says shaking his head. "As much as I've done for this world, for the children, for people. I've put my soul into my career and what I believe in. All I want is love. Peace. To be loved. Instead I'm hated, labeled a child molester.." He says choking up. "I'd slit my wrists..." He says wiping tears. "I would slit my wrists before I hurt a child Jay." "I know..." I answer back. "What do I do? I know this is all for money...it always is." He says looking up at me. His big brown eyes glossy from holding back more tears. He was so hard to look at like this, I hated that he hurt so much. "Don't settle, prove your innocence. Stand strong. Don't let them see you like this Mike. You're a strong man, I know you are. You can beat this, you've got a legendary fan base behind you, your family is behind you, and you've got me. You can do this." I place my hands on his cheeks pulling his forehead into mine. He gives a deep breath and leans back. Nodding his head, he runs his hands through his hair. "Thank you Jay. Just for being a friend. I don't know what I'd do without you." He kisses my hand and brings me in for a hug. "I've got a really bad headache. I'm going to rest, you're more than welcome to stay or you can go. The choice is yours." He says softly, rubbing his temples. He releases my hand and stands up to help me up. "I'll give you your privacy, if you need me just call me.. Ok?" I reply. He gives me another nod as I walk towards the door.

2004 (32 years old)

Michael began shooting a short film to his song "One More Chance" and decided to turn himself in to police before finishing it. Brian and I watch as we see Michael's statement being played on TV and I could never be more proud of him. He looked a lot more stronger than I had seen him and his demeanor was determined. Brian shakes his head. "This is crazy, he shouldn't have to do all this." He says angrily. "Coming from you?" I question. "Look he might've done some foul shit, but he's not a child molester. I can say that." He says. I nod my head and smile at my TV. "I'm just glad he's fighting back this time..." I hear a knock at my door and it was a detective. "Yes?" I answer closing my robe. "Hi Ms. Pearson, You're being served by the defense, for the case of the State of California vs Michael Jackson. You are expected to appear in court tomorrow morning at 9 am." I grab the paper and nod my head. "Thank you." Closing the door, I sigh. "I knew this was coming." I groan, walking back towards the kitchen with Brian and Angel. "What's wrong?" Brian asks. "I've been served, I gotta go to court for Mike. I was going to go anyway for support but I knew I'd have to testify." I say, tossing the papers on the counter. "How is Michael anyway?" Brian asked. I appreciated how he put his own problems with Michael aside and showed concern for him. I sigh. "He's dealing with it. They searched the hell out of Neverland and tore his house apart so he's no longer staying there.." I give him a thankful smile "But, I'll tell him you asked about him." Brian nods eating his eggs. "Me too Mommy." Angel chimes passing me a paper with a multicolored heart on it. I'm guessing she wanted me to give it to Michael so I took the paper and folded placing it in my pocket. "When is your date?" Brian asks. "Tomorrow at 9 a.m." I exaggerate. "Nine? Sheesh. You'll have to leave at 7 in order to get through LA traffic and be there on time." Brian says. I nod and groan.

I wake up to a harsh alarm clock banging my hand on it to stop it. I shouldn't have had that extended night with Brian, but it was well worth it. We both were pretty sexually frustrated until last night. I turn over to him and kiss his cheek then go prepare myself for this court date. I arrive at the court house to madness, fans everywhere, police everywhere, paparazzi everywhere, something told me Michael was already here. I was escorted inside to see more cameras and see Michael sitting in the defense chair, his head hung low. So many of his celebrity friends were sitting in the courtroom as well so I took a seat next to Macaulay Caulkin. He whispered a small hello to me and gave me a brief smile before court began. We sat and listened to the mother, Janet Arvizo, spew lie after lie about Michael as the Prosecution presented their case. Afterwards, the Defense called Macaulay to the stand and questioned his relationship with Michael. "I've know Michael since I was 9 or 10 and he's never done anything or tried anything with me... I'm the god father of his kids. He would never hurt anyone." Macaulay says angrily, ending his testimony. I sat there dreading the moment they called me. I had yet to see Michael in his face and I was afraid of what I'd see, I knew he'd look me right in the eye. Finally the moment came. "Jayla Pearson to the witness stand please." I took a big gulp as I stood and focused my eyes on the stand. The room was dead silent, all I could hear were my own heels clicking across the floor. I turn and out of habit glance at Michael to see his eyes watching me. He looked so broken but I could see he was holding on strong. I break my focus and glance at the Arvizo's, and I've never had a feeling of hatred until now. They sat there looking at me with guilt in their eyes. I hated them for putting my friend through this. I turn to look at the lawyer. "Hello Ms. Pearson" Michael's lawyer Tom Mezzero smiles. "Hello." I respond. "Tell me, how do you know the defendant?" I look at Michael as he gives me a soft, subtle smile. "Michael and I met, when I was 13. My older brother, who is now deceased, introduced us.. He was an engineer for a track Michael, myself and various other artists recorded and released." I smile fondly at the memory. "So you've known Mr. Jackson since you were a child, and you've known him for almost 20 years?" Mezzero asks. "Yes." "In those almost 20 years, what is the extent of your relationship with Mr. Jackson?" I sigh "God, Michael and I have a very long history, he and I were friends for a very long time maybe the first 7 years of my knowing him, and we started dating...got married, lost a kid, got divorced...gotten back together, broken up...and we've just been very close friends since then." "So you two have a very colorful background... and have you ever seen Mr. Jackson with children?" He asks. I nod. "Yes I have, he's got 3 children of his own and he's a wonderful father." "What about other children?" "Well, he's always had children in Neverland, he makes them feel comfortable, he plays with them, takes them to his park..I mean, I have a 2 year old daughter and he's amazing with her, she loves him dearly. Most kids do." I shrug. "Now when you say 'makes them comfortable' what do you mean?" He asks. "Usually the children that come to Neverland are, terminally ill or sick children... Michael tries to give them the most comfortable experience. He has hospital beds, oxygen tanks, wheelchairs...anything they need." I answer. "Have you ever seen Mr. Jackson do anything inappropriate to a child?" "God, no. Never." I answer adamantly. Tom nods and flips through his notepad. "Last question and then we can take a break. How would you describe Mr. Jackson by your personal knowledge?" I look at Michael as he watched me. "Michael is a strong, selfless, beautiful man inside and out. He's done so much for the benefit of children and less for himself. He's an amazing misunderstood individual with a huge heart filled with a tremendous amount of love. I wish there were more like him..." I say smiling. "Thank you Ms. Pearson. You may be called back to the witness stand at any moment of this case, but for now you may step down." Tom says.

The courtroom empties for an afternoon break and I meet up with Michael. I give him long hug and study his face. "How are you holding up?" I ask concerned. "I'm holding on. This is hard... I'm glad you're here. Thank you." He hugs me again. I couldn't understand why someone would put him through this.