Author's Note: Well welcome to my story. We all know that I dont own Michael Jackson...or do I? No I dont, but a girl can dream. Anyways, I dont know if anyone is reading this, but I'm going to still writing it, because its still in my head, and in my heart. Hope you all enjoy it. Read and Review, please :)

Chapter 4: Fast Friends

I stare in disbelief, only coming around when Carly-Ann tugs on my shirt.

" Mama, Mama, it's Mr. Thriller Man," Carly-Ann whispers, her voice filling with awe. I blink a few times, and finally shake my head, forcing myself to turn my attention back to my daughter.

" I know sweetie," I murmur, unsure of what I should say, or do. I wasn't expecting to see Michael again until we arrived in Ireland, and I definitely wasn't going to be wearing something so unprofessional. I pull at my shirt self-consciously, trying to make myself talk.

" You must be Carly-Ann," Michael's sweet voice flows through the car, and instead of Carly-Ann's usual shy demeanor at meeting someone new, she bounces from her seat next to me, to the one right next to Michael.

" Hi," she murmurs softly, and I watch in disbelief as she climbs noiselessly into Michael's lap, placing her small hands on either side of his face. I am stunned into silence when Michael just smiles, slowly at first, until finally he is grinning from ear to ear.

" Carly-Ann Sophia James, what are you doing?" I ask, my stomach flipping harshly around. She peers over her shoulder at me, her eyes shining brightly.

" I was just making sure its really him, and that he wasn't going to turn into a were-a-wolf," she says, and I cant help but smile at the way she enunciates the word 'werewolf.' Before I can reassure her that there are no such things as werewolves, and that Michael Jackson surely is not one, Michael's rich laughter fills the space, and I cant help but get caught up in the sweet and innocent humor that is my daughter.

" No big bad wolf here child," Michael says, running a hand over Carly-Ann's hair. I wait for her response, my heart beating loudly against my ribs.

" Mmm, good," she says, pressing a small kiss to his cheek before sliding off of his lap, making her way to curl up next to me, her head in my lap. It's an hour ride to the airport, and in just the first five minutes things have already gotten interesting.

" I'm sorry, about Carly-Ann just climbing into your lap like that, she is usually really shy when it comes to meeting new people, I have no idea what's gotten into her," I say twenty minutes later, when I know that Carly-Ann is out cold. Michael chuckles, looking up from the book that he's reading.

" Don't apologize, I thought it was sweet," Michael says, his angelic voice soothing me, causing me to blush fiercely.

" Your just saying that to be nice, but thank you for not reacting badly. Carly-Ann has done nothing but talk about you since she found out that I took the job," I say, my fingers brushing through Carly-Ann's silky hair as I talk.

" Why would you assume that I just said that to be nice? Your daughter is adorable and sweet Daniella, when I'm just trying to be nice, you'll know it," he says, and I smile, thankful that he was being genuine when he speaks so sweetly about my little girl. Something tells me, that the connection between him and my daughter is going to be a life long one. I lay my head back against the seat, closing my eyes and just before I drift off to sleep I can swear I hear him singing.

" Daniella, Daniella, wake up," a soft voice calls to me, pulling me through the cloud of my dreams. I pop awake, sitting up quickly, rapping my forehead against Michael's.

" Oh Damn, ouch," I say, rubbing my forehead softly, and then it sinks in that I just smacked my new boss in the forehead. " Oh I'm so sorry."

" No, my fault, now I know, when I wake you up, stay out of the line of fire," Michael says, his voice filled with humor as he rubs his own head. I groan slightly wishing I could just rewind and restart this whole trip over again. I sigh when he turns to slide out of the limo, and I struggle to get Carly-Ann in my arms just right so that I can slide out with her and my carry on in one trip. I make it half-way to the door when my bag gets caught on the seat, jarring my shoulder backwards.

" Ugh, really," I murmur, trying to hide my frustration. Okay, so maybe it wasn't so much frustration as it was crankiness.

" Here let me help," Michael says, reaching through the door of the car taking Carly-Ann from my arms smoothly before I can insist that I can do it on my own. I manage to untangle my bag and myself from the limo and I blink rapidly trying to adjust my vision to the brightly lit airport. I stand, bewildered when I see a lone plane sitting on a stretch of runway.

" Where are we?" I ask, straightening my black shirt, and sweat pants.

" The airport silly. I was worried at first, when I was told that you were thinking about not taking the job, so I chartered the plane, " he says easily, as if this was nothing new to him. Or at least, nothing out of the ordinary.

" I've never seen the airport like this. I'm used to long lines, security checks, more lines, you know, normal hustle and bustle," I say, walking forward to take Carly-Ann from his arms.

" I've got her," he says, and I smile at the way Carly-Ann buries her face into his neck, her arms tightening instinctively around Michael's neck.

" Okay," I murmur, following behind him in the warm night air towards the awaiting plane. I take the steps carefully behind Michael, holding my hand close to his back. I don't know how much experience he has carrying a sleeping five year old up metal stairs, and if he trips or falls I know that I'm the only thing that could, hopefully catch him and my falling daughter. The view of the inside of the plane takes my mind completely off of whatever danger there might have been, as I stare in surprise at the beauty of the vessel that would be taking us so far away from home.

" Get comfortable, its going to be a long flight," Michael says, motioning for one of the flight attendants to pull out one of the beds for Carly-Ann. I watch as he expertly tucks my daughter in, and cant help but to feel a strange tugging in my chest, a kind of yearning. I clamp down on the feeling. Anything romantic happening between Michael and myself is and always will be an impossibility.

" Eleven hours," I blurt out as I store shift my carry on bad from shoulder to shoulder.

" What was that?" he asks, and I look up at him, smiling softly.

" Eleven hours. That's approximately how long it takes to fly from Los Angeles to Ireland," I say, looking around. For it being a private plane, there were only two seats aside from the pull out bed.

" Yeah it is, most people don't know that. Unless your tired and want to stretch out with Carly-Ann, looks like your stuck sitting next to me," he says, patting the seat next to his. I eye the window seat next to him, and the bed where Carly-Ann is sleeping, her small form curled up.

" I don't think I could sleep, even if I wanted too," I say, pulling the pink hippo that Carly-Ann had chosen to bring with her, tucking it in beside her. I kneel down next to her, laying my head against hers, closing my eyes as I hum lightly. " Sweetest dreams little princess, Mama loves you, always and forever." I turn around, noticing the way Michael is watching me. I smile as I climb over him, my knee bumping against his lightly as I take my seat. I all but sigh with happiness as my body melts into the seat. This is unlike any plane seat I have ever been in, like first class seats on steroids. I fasten my seatbelt, and pull my knees to my chest, laying my head against my legs, I stare out of the window of the plane, watching as we begin to taxi down the runway. I shiver slightly, my heart thumping dully in my chest as tears sting my eyes. I bury my head in my knees in a futile attempt to hide my tears. The sudden warmth of Michael's hand on my shoulder draws my flooding eyes to his.

" Daniella, its going to be okay. You don't have to hide your tears from me, leaving behind everything that your used to is scary, but its going to be just fine. I wouldn't have chosen you if I thought that you weren't the one," Michael says, and in that instant I allow him to brush a long, slender finger across my cheek.

Michael's POV

I couldn't tell you what it is about Daniella that caught my attention, that held onto it. At first, looking for a new assistant seemed like it was going to be a nightmare, but when I came across her picture, there was something about her. Something about her eyes that grabbed at my heart and refused to let go. I shook my head at the thought. I wanted her for my assistant, not for my love. At least that's what I told everyone who asked. The truth of the matter is, yes I needed a new assistant, but more over I was looking for someone who might be more, and I think I found her. I sigh into the silence of the plane, the soft humming of the plane flying through the air is the only noise that accompanies me. Dani's tears lasted almost an hour, until she finally fell into an exhausted sleep. Now I find myself staring at her, watching her as she sleeps soundly, her pale skin illuminated by the soft moonlight that shines through the window. I lean over her, cautiously so I don't wake her, and pull down the shade on the window, and I cant help but smile when I settle back into my seat, DanI pillowing her head on my shoulder. I close my eyes slowly, a picture of DanI fast asleep in my head as I give in to sleep.

Dani's POV

I sigh softly shifting my head slightly, and open my eyes slowly. I look out of the corner of my eye noticing a red colored fabric. I turn my head slightly and pop up quickly, realizing that I had at some point fallen asleep on Michael's shoulder.

" Do you always wake up that way?" Michael asks, his voice barely a whisper, his eyes half closed.

" Like what?" I ask, self-consciously reaching up to smooth my hair.

" Like a startled owl," he says, and I laugh loudly clapping a hand over my mouth.

" Sorry. No I don't usually wake up like this. I didn't mean to fall asleep on you. You should have just pushed me over, I'm a deep sleeper, I wouldn't have even noticed," I say, stretching my arms above my head. " How long was I out anyway?"

" Not even an hour. Are you thirsty or anything?" he asks, standing from his seat stretching his long, lean body.

" Uhm, no. Well, maybe some juice if you have any," I say, and I watch in disbelief when he walks to the back of the plane, pulling a bottle of orange juice from a mini fridge. He walks towards me slowly, extending the bottle to me and I smile taking it from his hands. " Thanks. You didn't have to get it for me, I would have gotten it."

" It's no problem Daniella. We need to get something straight okay. You may work for me, but you aren't my slave. I'm hoping we can be friends," he says, taking his seat again. I smile as I sip from the bottle.

" Well, if we're going to be friends, then call me Dani okay, or Ella," I say, closing the cap tightly on my juice.

" Okay, Dani it is," he says, smiling at me brightly. We sit in silence for a minute, before Michael starts talking. " Well if we're going to be friends, maybe we should get to know each other better. Unless your tired." I stare at him like he's crazy. It isn't every night that a girl gets to sit down and have a heart to heart with The King Of Pop.

" No, I'm not tired. What do you want to know?" I ask, turning in my seat so that my back is resting against the window, and my legs are tucked underneath me. He stares at me for a minute, before laughing fully.

" You aren't the least bit star struck by me are you?" he asks, and I smile at him. If only he knew.

" Quiet the contrary Mr. Jackson, but the way I figure it is I'm going to be working for you, and I'm hoping that I will be working for you for a long time, what good would I be at my job if everytime I saw you I started blushing and bumbling like a school girl with a mad crush?" I ask, and it doesn't go unnoticed that he cringes when I call him 'Mr. Jackson.'

" You have a good clear head Dani, but please, call me Michael, or Mike. Mr. Jackson is my father," he says, and I smile at him, nodding my head.

" Okay, Michael," I say, testing it out. Part of me is flattered by his ease at letting me in, while the other part of me is worried what people will think when they hear that we are on such easy terms with each other.

" There see wasn't so hard now was it?" he asks, and I laugh as I shake my head. For the next ten hours we talk, never once faltering, or grasping for a subject to discuss. In those ten hours I have discovered that Michael Jackson is the closest thing to a best friend that I have had since I was sixteen, and that isn't such a bad thing.