Winnie's POV

"What do you mean he's missing?!" I squeak. "Missing like on vacation or missing like kidnapped?!"

"I-I don't know. But by the way Dad sounded, it means missing like disappeared."

"Well where is he?!"

"If we knew that he wouldn't be missing, Winnie." he sighs out rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Give me your phone."

He furrows his eyebrows, handing it over. "What are you doing?"

I start to punch in the number fast. " Calling Tatiana...."

He snatches the phone away quickly. "You can't."

"Why? She has to know..." I say trying to grab it back as he pulls away.

"No she doesn't. Think Winnie..." he says slowly. "If she finds out that means she'll worry. She worries than she worries Michael, if she worries Michael--"

"Then it'll be exactly how it was, with them hating each other, and never being together." I groan leaning against the wall.

"She'll find out in the papers though..."

"They don't want it released." he mutters. "It's a secret for now, while they look for him."

"So while it's undercover from everyone, he's somewhere lying in a ditch?" I look over at him.

Even though Paul made me mad by lying to Tati after the accident, I still cared about him. He was like an older brother. And I didn't have anything against him.

I was just Team Michael.

"God..." I moan putting my head in  my hands. "I feel like crap lying to her."

"You're not lying.....necessarily....." he says slowly. "You're just leaving a detail out?"

"I never hid anything from her though." I mumble as we walk down the street slowly. "We tell each other everything."

"I know." he says stuffing his hands in his pocket.

"And usually you're the goody two shoes who would talk me out of lying." I say looking over at him as he shrugs sheepishly.

"Well to be technical I wasn't even supposed to tell you." he blushes and stutters. "Think of it this way...we are helping her. I mean we want her and Michael together right?"

"Yeah..."

"So we aren't doing this to be sneaky. It's for true love."

I snicker looking over at him. "Awwwww......."

He rolls his eyes, his cheeks turning pink. "Shut up."

I giggle and my smile fades slowly. "What about Paul though? And my parents?"

"Your parents?"

"I have to tell them eventually....after we look for Paul." I say flipping my hair walking ahead of him as he stops in his tracks.

"Wait....we?"

"Duh." I answer back as he begins to walk after me quickly.

"Winnie. No. No, no, no..." he says stepping in front of me. "Rachel is dead. Paul is missing, Tatiana almost died....we almost got killed the last time!" he shakes his head rapidly.

"No. I won't allow it. You have had a lot of crazy ideas Winnie. But this is extreme."

"Come on...please? I pout.  "Anyway you promised. You'd do anything for me. We're Bonnie and Clyde remember?"

He stays silent for a moment staring at me, as I stare at him pleadingly. He sighs out rubbing his forehead.

 "I'm gonna be so grounded." he groans as I squeal happily, kissing his cheek. He slowly breaks into a smile.

"You kissed me."

"Now we're even.." I giggle as I grab his hand as we run down the street.

Michael's POV

I listen to the band play as I stand onstage, drinking a bottle of orange juice. It was an early Friday morning in Hawaii, and one of the last rehearsals before the concert.

I tap my heel listening to them, before hearing;

"Hey..."

I turn around meeting Tatiana, who was wearing her usual high waist jeans, a white tank tucked in, and bright neon heels.

"Hey..." I chuckle. "Aren't you supposed to be in a fitting?"

All backup dancers, and singers didn't have to be at rehearsal today. A selected few had to come for wardrobe. 

"Yeah, but its packed down there." she shrugs. "They said I could come up here while I wait."

I nod and fixes my shades as I look back at the band.

"Just giving you a heads up, I changed your clothes." I say drinking more juice.

"Why?" She furrows her eyebrows.

"Rachel took them." I mutter lowly. "Anyway I like these better."

I smirk. "I picked them out myself."

She giggles softly. "Well I trust you." she bobs her head to the music. "You have good taste in clothes."

"I know, I'm an expert." I smile. She rolls her eyes and giggles.

"You're so cocky."

I look over at her a wide, cheeky grin on my face.

"I know that too." I laugh hard as she her face turns red, and she slaps my side.

"Stop!" I laugh dodging her as she giggles, shaking her head.

I move behind her as we turn our attention back to the band playing.

"Can you come to my room tonight?" I whisper softly in her ear, staring straight ahead. "I miss sleeping next to you..."

Even though I couldn't see her face, I could tell she was blushing, her body heat radiating onto me.

It's been a few days since I've been alone with her, or even slept next to her. The last time was on the beach.

Something was always coming up. A meeting, an interview, or something.

"Mhm..." she mumbles back softly.

"7:30...?" I whisper softly.

She nods as I smile looking down at my shoes.

"Tatiana! They're ready for you!" someone calls out.

"I'll see you tonight..." she bites her lip, before walking away.

"Wait..." I tell her as she stops turning around.

"The door will be open..." I blush as she smiles, walking away.

I look back down grinning to myself, before hearing;

"Kid!"

I look over seeing Frank motioning me over.

"Keep playing..." I nod to them as I walk offstage to Frank. He takes his cigar out of his mouth running a hand over his face.

"Kid, I'm sorry..." he mumbles. "I don't know how to tell you this."

"Tell me what...?" I furrow my eyebrows.

"Mike--" he closes his eyes before saying my nightmare out loud.

"Your father is here."

Tatiana's POV

I sing softly to myself walking down the steps to where the fittings would be held. I smile slightly to myself thinking about Michael.

"I miss sleeping next to you..."  his voice plays in my mind as I blush deeply, shaking my head.

The irony.

It was just last month where the thought of him made me cry, or my stomach churn.  Now the thought of him was making me smile like and idiot, with the circus in my stomach.

"Excuse me?"

I snap out of my thoughts turning around, feeling my heart go to my stomach.

Joseph.

He walks towards me with a smile on his face. "Listen-- I'm trying to find my son--" he stops speaking as he stares at me harder, recognizing my face.

"Tatiana...?" he says slowly.

My eyes narrow slightly as I stare him in the eye, nodding slowly.

I honestly couldn't tell if he liked me or not anymore. We had a strange relationship....the man was unpredictable, and intimidating at the same time.

He begins to smile and starts walking towards me.

"It's good to see you are well." he nods smiling. "I didn't expect to see you..."

"I've been hearing that  a lot." I mumble.

"I almost didn't recognize you, you're a lot more beautiful than I remember..." Joseph says, his smile wide, "Maybe you can help me out here, I'm looking for Michael. Have you seen him?"

"What. The. Hell." I think to myself. "He's like Dr. Jekyll, and Mr. Hyde."

I shake my head, not just at his question, but him. "I don't know where he is, sorry." I lie.

He nods, but I can see that he doesn't believe me, though he accepts my response. Then he looks back at me and his eyes skim down studying me over, "You dance, don't you?"

I nod, "Yeah..."

"Hmm..." he nods and leans back into me and then his hand reaches out for my waist and I stiffen under his touch, "I've really seen you come a long way, Tatiana. I would like to introduce you to some people. Why don't we go somewhere, talk together?" and on that word his hand dips lower.

Oh fuck no.

I instinctively step back, practically slapping his hand away with my own, "Sorry," I mutter awkwardly, shaking my head, "I really don't know where Michael is."

"I'm right here..." he says from the top of the steps, his hands in his pocket as he walks down the steps slowly his eyes on Joseph.

I swallow hard as Joseph takes a step back.

"Tatiana, you can go..." Michael whispers his eyes still on Joseph, as I stand still.

For some reason I was almost scared to leave Michael alone with Joseph, knowing how he was with Michael. As if I wanted to protect him...

"Why did I have to fall in love with him again?" I think to myself as he looks over at me, meeting my eyes.

He gives a gentle nod, as if to say he'll be alright before I walk down the next flight of steps leaving them alone.

Michael's POV

I watch Tatiana silently as she walks down the steps, listening to her footsteps disappear before looking down at my loafers.

Joseph stares back at me. Just stares. Nothing else, yet I could feel my pulse beating in my ears, blocking out all other sounds except my heart pounding. I find myself too staring in space, wishing I could be anywhere but here.

Alone.

With him.

I could no longer control my hands; they were shaking in an odd trembling rhythm as I feel my palms sweat.  There was only one person on this earth that could make me this way. And that was Joseph.

"Joseph..." I mumble weakly.

"What is she doing back?" he asks nodding his head in the direction she left, as I rub my bottom lip looking down.

"I asked her back."

"I'm surprised." he raises an eyebrow. "Are you still messing around with her?"

I stay silent and sighs out crossing my arms, changing the subject "Why are you here, Joseph?"

"Mike, I need to borrow money..."

Of course.

I stay silent looking down. "Let me guess..." I mutter sarcastically. "Another bad deal?"

"Don't you sass me, boy. I just need 50k--"

"How much?" I choke out. "Fifty grand?"

"You can fax a check to Encino and--"

"No." I shake my head swallowing hard. "I can't keep doing this with you, Joseph.  I can't keep shelling out all this money."

"And what are you doing with it? Spending it on the zoo or that circus you're living in?" he glares at me.

I stay silent my head down, as he continues;

"After all I've done for you this is how you treat me?! I gave you this!" he yells. "I practically gave you that girl!"

I close my eyes as I shake my head turning to walk away. He steps in front of me blocking my path as I feel my heart pounding.

"Don't you walk away from me boy." he grits his teeth, getting in my face.

"I don't know what's gotten into you, Michael." he boomed. "You must have forgotten your place. I brought you in this world, and gave you more than you asked or wanted. You're becoming such a disappointment to your mother, and I."

I stay silent looking away from him.

Over the years I've learned it's better to remain silent than talk back to Joseph.  Not only because he was intimidating, but it went by quicker.

"All you do is throw away your money! Either on childish garbage, or on that nose of yours!"

My mind goes blank as my body stiffens at his words, as I hear Wayne coming towards us pushing Joseph away from me.

They shout back and forth, but I can't hear them.

That familiar feeling was taking me over.

 It was as if a giant boulder was laid on me and I couldn't straighten up or catch my breath entirely. That feeling where I wanted to lock myself up in my room, and hide my face from the world.

Every flashback of being Joseph hitting me, or being called ugly or a freak takes over my mind.  I swallow hard closing my eyes, rubbing the bridge of my nose as I walk up the steps slowly.

"You get back here boy!" he yells from behind me.

I keep walking up the steps fast, before entering the hallway pushing past everyone quickly. I rush to the bathroom stall, with tears running down my face before letting my stomach go weak.

Tatiana's POV

It's 9 p.m and I'm in the elevator, leaning against the wall jiggling my leg. I was already late meeting Michael, since the fittings lasted longer than I expected.

Not to mention, I was curious to know how it went with Joseph-- but I could imagine.

As soon as the elevator comes to our floor, I rush out walking quickly down the hall to his room. I look around making sure the hallway was empty, before reaching his suite.

I bite my lip gently before opening the door slipping inside quietly. It was mostly dark inside, only the lamp glowing in the other room.

"Michael...?" I call out softly walking in the other room.

I see Michael, his back turned to me staring out the window. He turns around giving a slight smile, not reaching his eyes.

"Hey..." he says softly running a hand down his face.

"Hey.." I walk towards him slowly. "I-I'm sorry I was so late. The fittings lasted longer than I thought."

"It's okay..." he blinks clearing his throat looking down. His usual bright, sparkly, eyes were now clouded over with sadness.

"Michae--"

"What did he say to you?" he blurts out looking up at me.

I clear my throat looking down as he shakes his head looking away.

"Let me guess--" he chuckles lowly. "He complimented you? He promised to introduce you to people in the business right?"

I look away taking it as a rhetorical questions as he runs a hand through his hair.

"I hate him." he whispers softly.  "I don't want too. But I do."

I look up at him as he looks away.

"That's horrible to say, right?" he mumbles. "About my own father."

 "I don't believe you hate him. You hate how he is or what he's done." I say softly.

He stays silent for a moment, sitting on the bed.

"You slapped his hand away when he tried to touch you." he says softly.

 "You saw that?" I look at him sheepishly.

He smirks nodding slowly, chuckling softly.  "I think you're more intimidating than him." he looks down at his hands.

"Is that good or bad?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Both." he says softly. "Good because you drive me crazy. Bad because you drive me crazy."

The smile slowly disappears from his face, the clouded over look pulling him back in.

"What is it?" I ask softly.

"Do you think I'm ugly?" he asks suddenly as I furrow my eyebrows.

"Where would you get an idea like that?" I stare at him, as he quickly looks away. I didn't have to ask because I already knew.

He stays silent fidgeting with his hands, shrugging.

I walk towards him standing in front of him, before straddling him gently. I take his face in my hands staring in his eyes.

"You..." I whisper softly. "Are beautiful, Michael Jackson. Absolutely beautiful..."

"You're just saying that." he mutters taking my hands off his face, looking away from me.

"Even when I hated you, I still thought you were beautiful."

"You did?" his cheeks flush.

"You were the most beautiful asshole, I've ever seen." I smirk.

"What?!" he busts out laughing. 

He quickly turns over, making me lay on my back, pinning my arms down to the bed.
He stares in my eyes, laughing softly.

"I'm a beautiful asshole?" he asks blushing.

"Mhm..." I laugh

"Take it back!"

"Never." I smirk.

"Alright..." he chuckles and moves his hands, tickling me hard.

"No!" I squeal out, squirming me as he goes faster. "Michael! Please!"

"Not until you take it back!" he laughs out.

I look up at him laughing. If it took me to be tickled to death, just for him to light up again. It was worth it.

"No!" I squeal, as I tussle under him. "Please! I can't breathe!"

"Good!" he laughs as I grab a pillow socking him in the head. He falls over next to me, laughing.

"God..."

We laugh looking over at each other, staring in each others eyes giggling.

"I'm so glad you're here..." he whispers softly.

I blush deeply, my heart racing as I stare back in his. "I am too...."

**

It was late in the night and Michael was snuggled up against me holding me tightly. The whole evening was spent watching old movies with Humphrey Bogart, or Montgomery Clint, or our favorite  old Hollywood actors.  Right now we were watching this beach movie, which fit the mood for us being in Hawaii.

"Tatiana?" he whispers sleepily watching the screen, as he plays with my hair.

"Hmm?"

"I don't want to leave." he whispers quietly. "I want to run away with you, and never come back."

He stays silent watching the couple onscreen kiss. "I just want to stay away from everyone...except for you."

"Michael, don't be silly..." I whisper softly.

"I'm not." he fights to keep his eyes open. "I mean it."

I blush as he closes his eyes sleepily. "Where would we go?"

"We can stay in Hawaii." he mumbles. "Just you and I."

I giggle softly. "And what will we do?"

He chuckles softly. "Can you hula?"

"Michael..." I laugh quietly as he smiles, his eyes still closed.

"You can be a hula dancer...a-and I can...." he yawns. "I can learn how to fish. I'll be a fisherman."

I smirk. "A fisherman?"

"Mhm..." he mumbles against my neck.

"I like seafood." I blush as he holds me closer. 

He stays quiet for a moment.  "Tati?"

"Hmm?" I look down at him as he breathes out.

"I hope you love me soon..." he whispers.

And with that he was fast asleep in my arms. I look down at him as he sleeps deeply and I kiss his head softly.

"I love you...." I whisper in his curls.

Karen's POV

"Monday at 12' on the dot." he whispers sitting back. "It's gonna happen."

"You sure you want to do this?" I snort taking a hit from my cigarette. "Security is gonna be packed."

He chuckles. "That's why I have you..." he smirks.

"Besides..." he rubs his face shrugging. "We have to drop some hints before the big thing."

I stare at Jack as he hands me a check. "So are ya in?"

I stand up slowly, taking the check before shaking his hand slowly.

"I'm in."

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Happy 100 chapters! I expected this story to be at least 65 chapters....oops.

I tried to make this extra long, and I know you all have been wanting more cute Michael + Tati moments.

But thank you all for your support, reads, comments and votes! You guys are amazing! <3 It's been a couple of years working on this story, and you all have been so loyal to it. Thank you all so so much!

I hope you enjoyed!!

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xoxoxo,

moonwalkergal