Author's Note: All right well before I let you all get on to this chapter I just want to give a few shoutouts to the following people, SmoothLadyCriminal, , & xFlipperx. Thank you guys so much for the reviews you guys are great! And dont think I forgot about you IvyRaven03....your reviews are so awesome and the messages you send me always brighten my day whenever I get them! Thank you all so much in following this story and for being just all around AWESOME! Here's Chapter Seventeen for all of you :)

Chapter 17: Fixing What's Broken

" There is no surprise more magical than the surprise of being loved. It is God's finger on man's shoulder." ~Charles Morgan

I sit backstage, filling bags with Michael Jackson merchandise, trying to keep my mind off of the conversation that happened between Max and I the day before, trying my hardest to stay focused on tonight. Tonight was a special night. A few terminally ill children and their families from all over the globe have been brought here by Michael himself to enjoy a concert, and then they get to spend some time with my generous boss. As dismally as I may think of him as a man, I cant deny that his love for children is very real and beautiful. After all he was great with Carly-Ann.

" Dani," Max calls to me, and I ignore him, carefully tying ribbons to the bags. " Daniella." I look up carefully, turning my head slowly.

" What?" I ask, standing up brushing my hands on the back of my jeans.

" The families are here," he says, and I nod my head, brushing past him, his hand catching my elbow. " Whatever you may think Daniella, you have to know that I would never hurt you, and neither would he," he says in a hushed voice.

" It's not a matter of what I may think Max, it's what I know," I say, pulling my elbow from his grasp. " Now if you'll excuse me, I have families to attend to." I brush my hands over my hair smiling broadly at the small group of children standing with their parents.

" Hello," I say, extending my hands to them, " I'm Daniella James, and I will be your tour guide for all intensive purposes." I smile at the warm hello's and excited questions from the children.

" When will we get to see Michael," one boy asks, his pale skin glowing with enchantment.

" Soon, I promise you. What's your name?" I ask, kneeling down so that we are eye level.

" Connor, Connor Mitchell," he says shyly, and I smile at his bashfullness.

" Well Connor, and everyone else, are you ready for a night you'll never forget?" I ask, and their excited responses washing over me. I take Connor's hand in mine, as I lead them to their seats, all feelings of anger disappearing in the glow and excitement of the children.

" Dani, Michael needs to see you right away," Max says, running up to me in the hallway of the hotel. I groan, my legs aching, my body screaming for the comfort of my bed.

" Are you kidding me?" I ask, whirling around. " Fine, whatever, its part of the job." I stalk towards the conference room, muttering to myself. I open the door to the conference room, knowing that it was set up for the movie fest that Michael had promised to the kids. Before I can scan the room to find Michael a water balloon smacks me dead in the face. I sputter caught off guard by the cold water.

" Get her!" Michaels voice screams from somewhere in the room, and the onslaught begins, water balloons flying at me from all directions. I cover my face, unable to do anything else but take the assault, when its finally over I open my eyes giggles echoing off of the walls. I walk steadily to a long table covered in pies, picking one up.

" So you think that was funny?" I ask, and answering giggles resound. " Then this will be hilarious" I throw the pie as hard as I can watching with delight when it hits Michael's chest with a satisfying 'plop.'

An hour later I'm sitting on the floor laughing hysterically at some of the jokes that the kids are telling. They are freshly bathed and in their pajamas while I'm in soaking wet, whip creamed covered clothes.

" Okay kids, the movies about to start," Michael says, clapping his hands enthusiastically.

" Ooo, you hear that guys. Go, go watch the movie," I say, smiling brightly at them.

" Wont you watch it with us Dani?" Connor asks, his glowing eyes pleading with me.

" Oh honey, I don't know," I say, wishing not to break his heart, but knowing that I need to get out of the room and away from Michael.

" Come on Dani, watch the movie with us," Michael says, his eyes unwavering from my face.

" Please," Connor's small voice pleads. I roll my eyes dramatically.

" Oh fine. I will come watch the movie with you, but only if you promise me two things, you wont start it without me, and you'll save me a spot so that I can sit next to you handsome," I say, running a dinger down Connor's cheek.

" Okay," he says, turning to go back to his parents. I walk towards the door, when a soft hand on my shoulder has me turning around, coming face to face with Michael.

" Dani, when are you going to talk to me?" Michael asks, his voice soft and quiet. I stare at him, looking for something anything to say.

" When you can take back breaking my heart," I say, slipping out of the door.

Forty five minutes later I slip back into the conference room, finding Michael sitting in a circle with the kids, reading to them. I cross my arms over my chest, smiling. They were all great kids, with horrible and sad stories. For some reason it's Connor who stands out in my mind, his sad sick eyes pulling at my heart.

" Daniella," a soft voice calls to me and I turn to see Connor's mom Grace standing behind me.

" Oh hi," I say, smiling at her brightly.

" I just, I wanted to say thank you. Connor was so excited to meet Michael, but since he met you, your all that he's talked about. I haven't seen my son this happy in a very long time," she says, tears clouding her eyes. " I'm sorry."

" Oh no Grace, don't apologize. Whatever I can do to brighten your son's life I'll do," I say, hugging her instinctively.

" Oh good Dani's here we can start the movie," Michael proclaims and I walk over, taking the seat next to Connor, noticing that Michael takes the seat next to me. I sigh knowing its going to take what little inner strength I have to make it through this movie.

When the movie is over I stretch slowly, noticing Connor's head on my shoulder. I look down, his angelic face relaxed from sleep.

" He's smitten over you Dani," Michael murmurs in my ear and I nod smiling when Connor's father, David lifts his sleeping son into his arms, a soft smile on his face. I watch as they walk away, waiting until they are gone so that I can make a break for the door. Unfortunately for me, Michael is a step ahead of me, catching me in his arms. " We have to talk Dani." I stare at him, my heart beating so heavily in my chest that I can barley breathe.

" Fine, we'll talk," I say, following him from the conference room.

I stand nervously by the door of Michael's room watching as he walks around the room, his hands shoved deeply into the pockets of his jeans.

" Dani, I have so much that I need to say to you, so many things that I don't even know how," Michael finally says his words trailing off, running a hand over his the back of his neck.

" The beginning is usually a good start," I say, clasping my hands together tightly.

" I wanted to apologize for last night, it should have never happened that way, the way I pictured making love to you for the first time was totally different in my head. I took advantage of the moment, and I don't know if I can ever apologize enough," he says, catching me completely off guard. Where did this come from? My mind races, war erupting in my head. One side telling me he really did love me, the other side reminding me that I hear what he said with my own two ears.

" Michael, it was just sex, I understand that, I can move on from that," I say, my voice barely above a whisper.

" How can you say that Daniella?" he asks, his voice wounded. " I have had 'just sex' and what we did was so far from it its not even in in the same atmosphere."

" Then what was it Michael? I'm not following you here, you said it yourself the night that it happened, that you knew you were stupid for telling me you loved me," I say, anger burning in me still alive.

" You didn't hear the whole conversation Dani. I told Max that I told you I loved you in the heat of the moment and after it was done I just left. He called me stupid, and I misunderstood him. I thought he was calling me stupid for confessing my feelings to you, but he told me that I was stupid for just up and leaving not that it was stupid that I told you I loved you. But I feel stupid and inconsiderate for confessing something so serious in the heat of the moment," he says, and my eyes shimmer, trying to decide if he is just trying to save himself covering his tracks, but that isn't Michael. I have never known him to lie to me. He walks to me, his hands rubbing down my arms.

" Michael," I whisper when he leans down his lips brushing over mine. I grip his wrists tightly tears flooding my eyes.

" Daniella I love you. I am so in love with you that sometimes I think its going to consume me. I cannot tell you in enough words how much I love you, what you mean to me. I wanted to wait, to prove myself to you, to show you little by little," he whispers resting his forehead to mine. I stare at him, his eyes closed, emotions flickering across his face. 'Tell him Momma, tell him,' Carly-Ann's voice echoes in my head.

" Michael, I love you, God I love you so much, I just," I'm cut off by his mouth crushing to mine, his strong hands tangled in my hair. I gasp when he pulls away, his eyes boring into mine.

" Let me Dani, God just let me show you," he pants, tearing open my shirt the buttons popping off of my shirt from his unadulterated strength. My mind wheels as he pushes my back to the door his fumbling hands pulling my jeans over my hips. He hooks my legs around his waist driving into me with such force that I cant help but cry out.

Later with the lights dimmed my body thoroughly sated, I lay next to Michael, enjoying the feel of his fingers running through my hair, as I draw lazy circles across his skin. I prop myself up one elbow, smiling broadly down at him.

" What?" Michael asks, chuckling lightly when he runs his finger down my nose.

" Nothing, I'm just, I don't know, happy," I say, giggling wildly when he pushes my elbow out from under me, his body rolling over mine, pressing me into the mattress, his hands cupping my face, his own smile matching mine.

" Good. I want to make you happy DanI," he says, brushing a kiss against my throat sending a shiver down my spine.

" That makes me happy," I say, smiling lightly. He looks up at me, a wicked glimmer in his eyes.

" I know what else makes you happy," he says, his hands parting my legs making my eyes roll into the back of my head. I moan loudly, smiling when Michael brings his lips to mine.