3rd of April, 1998
Brooklyn is 32, Janet is 31, and Michael is 39

Janet: Michael's head snapped to the phone once it rang loudly.

"Are you gonna answer it?" I asked.

"No. I don't want to talk to her if she's the one calling." he said.

He was so mad, anyone could see it.

"What if something happened?"

"I don't fucking care."

"Now we both know that's just the anger talking." I sighed.

His face muscles softened, and he took another glance at the phone before he picked it up.

I watched him, scared of what his reaction might be.

"Damn it, Brooklyn! I knew this would happen! Why can't you fucking listen to me for once in your life?!" he screamed.

"Mommy, why is uncle Mike yelling?" Kate whispered in my ear.

"Because your daddy and Brooke made him mad," I told her. "Why don't you take Prince to play in his room? The nanny's there."

"Okay, mommy. Let's go, Prince!"

She took his hand and they slowly walked out of the living room.

"Take it, I'm done with her. Let her have the baby without me, I don't even care anymore." Michael mumbled, handing me the phone.

I put it to my ear, "Brooke?"

She sniffled. Uh oh.

"Are you crying?"

"N- no." she sniffled, again.

"You know he didn't mean it." I said.

Brooke groaned loudly. "Oh, believe me, there was a lot of meaning in his voice. Listen, my water broke, and my contractions are pretty close. We're heading to UCLA Medical Center right now, so if he wants to be there, just tell him where we are."

She hung up. I looked up at my brother's glaring face, "They're at UCLA. It sounded like it's happening fast."

He shook his head, and went up the stairs.

~

Brooklyn: I wiped my tears and gave Brandon his phone.

"Hey, it'll be okay. We're almost there." he cooed.

"He's not coming." I said.

"Of course he is. You really think he'll miss his daughter's birth?"

"You heard the way he screamed. He's furious, and he has every right to be. I messed up badly."

Brandon sighed, taking my hand.

I squeezed it tightly as I felt another contraction hit.

"We're here, hang in there."

~

"Hey, hun," Dr. James smiled as she walked into the birthing suite. "How are you?"

"I could be better."

"Where's Michael?" she asked, spotting Brandon.

I didn't answer. Instead, I looked away and started crying.

"He's just being held up a bit... He'll be here soon." Brandon told her.

"Maybe I could check on you?" my doctor offered.

I nodded, and looked at Brandon.

"I'll be back when you're done." he smiled, giving my forehead a kiss.

~

Michael: I plopped down on the bed, hiding my face in the pillows.

I had mixed feelings. Of course I wanted to see Paris being born. But my ego was hurt and I honestly didn't want to see Brooke. I was so angry at her.

Suddenly I felt a small hand on my cheek.

I lifted up my head to meet Prince's curious eyes.

"Hey, baby boy." I said.

"Ma-ma?" he asked.

"Your momma's having a baby."

"Ma-ma!" he exclaimed.

"She isn't here, Prince. Go play with Katie, I can't deal with you right now." I raised my voice a bit.

His bottom lip quivered and his eyes watered.

Now I'm a monster.

My son burst into loud cries, making me sit up and take him into my arms.

"Shh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you." I whispered in his ear as I rocked him back and forth.

He pulled away from me, and I looked at his tear-stained face.

I brushed a few blonde hairs from his eyes.

He attacked me in another hug, "Ma-ma?"

"We're not going to her, baby boy," I kissed the top of his head. "She didn't listen, we need to let her learn."

My phone rang in my pocket, making Prince look at me.

I took it out, noticing a number that I didn't know.

Doubtfully, I picked up.

"Michael?" Dr. James asked.

"Please don't tell me something went wrong..." I pleaded.

"Oh, no, everything's fine... But I just left Brooke's room, and I couldn't help noticing you weren't here... And the tears in her eyes..." she said.

"It's a long story. I'm not coming."

She sighed, "I know it's non of my business-"

"You're right, it's not. I'm not coming, and that's final." I cut her off.

"Just let me finish. Remember our first meeting in '89? You told me how much you want children... How much you want to give each other children. Then for the next seven years I watched you lose not just one, but three babies. You lost a baby girl. Now, your wife is in the room next to me, in labor, ready to give birth to a baby girl. She's alone and scared. After trying so hard, don't you want to see your baby girl being born?"

Dr. James was right. My daughter was on her way and I wasn't there to see it and help Brooke.

"How far is she?" I said, standing up with Prince in my arms.

I could easily tell she was smiling when she spoke. "Eight centimeters. You better hurry."

"I'm on my way."

~

Brooklyn: "Is it really that bad?" Brandon asked as he offered his hand for me to hold.

"You have no idea," I murmured through gritted teeth. "Could you please call Dr. James?"

As soon as he left, I started crying again.

I felt so alone. I know Brandon was here to help me, but it wasn't right for him to be here. Michael was supposed to hold my hand and rub my back.

You brought this upon yourself, Brooke.

I felt my muscles contract around the baby's head. It made me cry harder knowing she was coming now and there's nothing I can do about my husband not being here.

"Okay, let's have a baby." Brandon said as he walked in with Dr. James and a few nurses.

Here we go.

~

Michael: "Don't push yet, hun." I heard Dr. James say through the door.

"But it hurts." Brooklyn cried.

"I know it does, but you have to wait just a bit more."

That was my cue. I opened the door, and everyone's heads snapped my direction.

Dr. James sighed in relief, then winked at me.

"Michael." Brooke gasped.

"I think you're in my spot, Brandon." I said once I saw he was holding her hand.

"Thank God, I was not ready to see this happening." he wiped his forehead.

"You have a daughter." I rolled my eyes.

"But I wasn't there!" he scoffed as I replaced him. "Just have the baby already, I suffered way too much for her."

"You suffered? I have to push her out of my damn body!" Brooke groaned.

He raised his arms up in surrender and left the birthing suite.

"Alright, let's deliver this baby girl safely." Dr. James smiled widely.

~

Janet: Brooklyn was groaning and moaning loudly, until I heard a faint cry.

I hurried to take out my phone to call the entire family.

When I reached La Toya, she sounded way too annoyed.

"Do I have to come? I was already there when Prince was born." she whined.

"La Toya. Your brother just had a baby, you need to come support him and his wife." I rolled my eyes.

"I can't. I don't have a car."

Now she's just making excuses.

"I'm coming to get you. Be ready in 30 minutes." I said, hanging up.

~

I quietly opened La Toya's front door. Her annoying laugh echoed through the house.

"Is Nicolas really that good?" she asked someone.

"The best. Thank you for setting me up with him. You're such a good friend." a woman said.

I peeked my head into the living room, surprised by what my eyes were seeing.

Lisa Marie Presley and my sister having coffee together.

"Our plan is totally gonna work. They'll be broken up in a year, tops," La Toya smirked. "Man, I can't stand her. Ever since I first met her she's been so annoying."

"Yeah, I can't believe I'm pretending to be her friend." Lisa snorted.

"My mother just called, and apparently Brooke messed up. I swear, she might make Michael leave her before we do it."

My mouth hung open.

Slowly, I backed away and left her house, still overwhelmed by what I witnessed.

I knew it was Lisa all along, I just never thought La Toya would do something so... Outrageous. What a bitch.

I started the car and drove back to the hospital, determined to reveal what happened to Michael.

~

Brooklyn: I was finally crying happy tears as the little baby was placed on my chest.

"Hi, Paris." I whispered.

"Paris?" Michael asked softly.

I sniffled, "Yeah, it's written all over her."

He grinned and kissed my forehead lightly.

"I'm sorry for going." I said when one of the nurses took Paris from me to clean her up.

He ignored my apology and kept his eyes on our baby girl.

~

Janet: Michael listened to everything I had to say.

"Mike, I swear, I saw them. I know it was Lisa and La Toya, together."

He studied my face, probably deciding whether to believe me or not.

"Why would La Toya do this?" he questioned.

"She said something about never liking Brooke." I said.

He scrunched his eyebrows.

"And," I continued. "I'm pretty sure she was the one who leaked those pictures."

His eyes turned darker.

"That's it, I'm gonna confront her." he murmured.

"You should. Now, can I meet my new niece?" I smiled.

"Of course."

~

Michael: I held Paris close to me.

"Sweetheart, she's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." Joshua beamed.

"Thanks, dad."

"I told you she would look like you." I said, studying my daughter's tiny face.

She had Brooke's everything. Her eye shape, her cute little nose. She'll probably have her green eyes, too.

"But her lips are like her daddy's." my wife blushed.

She seemed to like the attention I was finally giving her, since I've been ignoring her since Paris was born.

There was a knock on the door and mother along with Joseph and La Toya walked in.

Janet raised her eyebrows as she looked at me.

After she told me about what she saw, I decided not to trust La Toya until I get to the bottom of this.

"Let me see her!" my mother hurried to come by my side. "Well, isn't she just a little Brooklyn?"

"I don't know about you guys, but she looks like Mike." Brandon said.

Kiss ass. Like I'm gonna forgive him that easily.

"Shut up, Brandon." Janet smacked his arm.

I half smiled and looked at Paris again.

"Aww, Michael, she's so cute." La Toya gasped.

I mentally rolled my eyes.

~

Brooklyn: Michael closed the hospital room door after everyone left.

He took a seat with Paris in his arms on a chair that was in the other side of the room.

"So..." I cleared my throat.

"Listen, I'll make this short. I'm taking her home," he said, not looking at me. "I already talked to the hospital about it, and they say it's perfectly fine."

I raised my eyebrows. "What do you mean you're taking her home?"

"I just feel you don't deserve to have her with you after running off like you did." he explained.

"Michael, you are not taking my daughter from me." I scoffed.

"Watch me."

Michael stood up, taking the bag he had brought with him that was full with Paris's things.

I was too tired and weak to get out of bed and stop him.

"Michael!" I screamed as loud as my hoarse voice let me.

But it was no use. He was already gone.

~

4th of April, 1998
Brooklyn is 32, Michael is 39

Michael: Louise sat Prince on her lap when the pilot said we were about to take off.

I needed to take time away from my wife, and Prince and Paris were joining me.

I had zero tolerance for fights. I had zero tolerance for Brooke. When I told Janet I was done with her, I meant it.

No one knew about my little trip, except for the staff back at Neverland. I told them so they could inform Brooklyn once she's discharged tomorrow.

"So where are we going?" Louise asked.

"I rented us a private beach house in Cannes." I answered, holding Paris closer.

"Sounds fun." she smiled.

~

5th of April, 1998
Brooklyn is 32, Janet is 31, and Michael is 39

Brooklyn: "Thank you." I told Janet.

"Just because Michael is mad at you doesn't mean I am. I might think what you did was wrong, but I still support you." she said.

I hugged her before we walked into the house.

Really, I just wanted to see Prince. And hold my baby girl that was taken away from me.

I just couldn't believe Michael. I get that he was mad, but did he really have to do that?

"Congratulations, Mrs. Jackson!" Helen chirped when she saw me. "Oh, she's just so adorable!"

I smiled as she pulled me into a tight hug.

"Speaking of my daughter, where are Michael and the kids?" I questioned.

"He didn't tell you?"

I shook my head. Why am I getting a bad feeling about where this is going?

"He took them to France. Weird, he told us you approved it." she mumbled.

I felt my blood boil.

What an asshole.

~

What do you think is gonna happen? And what do you think of La Toya and Lisa? Let me know in the comments!

I love you! <3

~ShoamEmily