Author's Note: Okay so things are going to be a little different in my story, after all its all a work of fiction, based souly off of what I dream about, and where my imaginiation takes me. The timeline of allegations will be different. I also changed the name of the accuser because I just didnt feel comfortable using him or his families names in my story. Anyways, on to Chapter Eighteen! Read and Enjoy! Reviews are greatly appreciated and repaid with imaginary cookies (and reviews when I have the time to read other stories....this one takes up all of my time....) Thanks everyone :)

Chapter 18: The Leavers Dance

" I'm holding out my hand. Why don't you reach for me?"-Unknown.

I braid my hair slowly as I walk through my hotel room, smiling as I go. Tomorrow is Christmas, the beginning of a six day break. A soft knock on my door has me skipping and giggling, my heart hoping that it's Michael. I pull open the door, standing in shock at who stands before me.

" Well are you going to let me in honey, or am I going to be standing in this hallway all night?" the voice asks, and I shake my head, pulling me from my dazed state.

" Oh, sorry, uhm, come right in Miss. Taylor," I say, and I stand in shock watching as Elizabeth Taylor walks past me.

" Darling please, call me Liz. Any friend of Michael's is a friend of mine," she says smiling as she takes her seat. I stand, frozen to my spot by the door, still in disbelief that Elizabeth Taylor is sitting in my hotel room, then again being with Michael Jackson I should have, learned to expect the unexpected. " Please, please come sit, I want to talk to you." I walks slowly to the chair across from hers, pulling my legs underneath me, feeling somewhat plain compared to her beauty.

" It's wonderful to finally meet you Liz," I say, stammering over her name, cursing my nerves, " Michael has told me so much about you."

" All lies," she says, a glimmer of humor in her eyes as she waves an elegant hand. " I can say the same for you Daniella, Michael talks to me almost every single day, and he is always talking about you." I blush wildly, my heart soaring at the idea of Michael talking to the people closest to him about me.

" I assure you whatever he has told you is only ninety percent true," I say, giggling at her broad smile.

" Well, as one of Michael's best friends, can I just say thank you. I don't know what you did to him Daniella James, but whatever it is, its amazing. I haven't seen Michael this happy in a long time," she says, and I smile, slowly shaking my head.

" You don't have to thank me Liz, its what we do to each other, he makes me a better person, and so I do the same for him," I say, smiling dreamily at the thought of him.

" Well, I actually came here to surprise him. I know that Michael has told you a lot about his childhood by now," she says, and I stare at her perplexed.

" Actually he hasn't," I say, and she wavers for a second before recovering quickly, waving her hand quickly.

" I'm sure that he will, you guys have just been so busy what with tour, and before that with your daughter," she says, her voice ripe with sympathy. I wince slightly, the familiar ache in my heart at the mention of Carly-Ann. " Did Michael ever tell you that he has never celebrated Christmas? Growing up the way he did they didn't believe in it. Now that he doesn't follow that religion, I decided to surprise him, with his very first Christmas. But I need you help." My head whirls at the thought, Michael has never celebrated Christmas? How is that possible? He is nothing but a big kid at heart, Christmas is the perfect holiday for him.

" Whatever you need," I say, smiling as my head races with thoughts. What gift does one get for the King Of Pop?

A few hours later I sit in Michael's room, his head pillowed in my lap as I run my fingers through his hair. Whenever his eyes are diverted I can't help but smile foolishly, all but bursting from the surprise that Liz and I have planned for him.

" I'm sorry I'm so tired Dani," Michael whispers, covering his mouth as he yawns. I roll my eyes at him, tugging his hair lightly.

" Stop apologizing, just sleep, you have six days to rest, enjoy it," I say, smiling at the way that Michael laces his fingers with mine, falling asleep quickly.

I wake up, looking around Michael's room, no sign of him to be seen.

" Michael," I call out, silence echoing back at me. I gather my sweater around myself, making my way out to the hallway. I look from side to side, nobody around. I check my watch, hoping I didn't miss the surprise. Shaking my head, knowing its an impossibility, its not even seven o'clock yet. I make it to my room, opening the door slowly. I look up, Siedah and Max standing in my room, looks of worry on their faces.

" Merry Christmas you two, what are you doing in here? Wait, you guys weren't you know," I tease, knowing that they have a thing for each other.

" Dani, you need to sit down," Max says his voice gruff with anger.

" No, no, I think I'll stand. What's going on, where's Michael," I ask, my eyes pleading with Siedah to tell me what's going on.

" Something horrible has happened," Siedah says slowly, and I feel the room rock around me as my heart pummels my insides.

" What, what happened? Is Michael okay? Did he get hurt?" I ask, the words rushing out of my mouth. Siedah steps towards me, pulling me into a chair.

" No, no its nothing like that, he's fine, physically speaking. Okay, Dani, your going to have to be very strong right now okay," Max says, kneeling in front of me. I nod my head slowly, trying to slow my heart beat. He hands me a magazine and I turn it over, the headlines knocking me breathless. 'Michael Jackson: King of Pop, or King Of Pedophilia?' it takes a minute for what I'm reading to sink in, before I ball up the magazine throwing it across the room.

" What! What is this garbage, this is sick!," I scream, storming around the room. " Who, who is making the claims?"

" David and Grace Mitchell," Max says, and my world crumbles around me. The parents of the sick little boy who had captured my heart.

" I have to go, I have to find Michael," I say, rushing from the room with Max and Siedah calling after me. I run as fast as I can to the elevators, pressing the button fiercely, cursing rabidly.

" Damn It!" I scream turning to slam through the doors to the stair well. I race down the stairs, my bare feet slapping against the cement steps. I burst through the door leading into the lobby, my breath tearing out of my chest. I pant as I reach the conference room, shoving open the door finding Michael surrounded by people.

" Michael," I call out, everyone's heads turning to look at me.

" Miss, I'm going to have to ask you to leave," one man says, and I growl at him.

" The hell I will," I snap, pushing through him and everyone else, coming to Michael. His eyes are dead, staring at me hollowly. I throw my arms around him, holding onto him tightly.

" Daniella," Michael says, pulling me away from him gently. " You have to leave."

" What are you talking about? I'm not going anywhere. Michael this is ridiculous, we all know this is wrong, you could never," I stammer, trying so hard to show him that I know he is innocent.

" Well it doesn't really matter what you think Daniella, I don't want you here," he says, his voice forceful, angry.

" What are you saying? You don't want me here right now, or you just don't want me?" I ask, tears burning my eyes fiercely.

" I don't want you Daniella," he says, his voice remote and controlled. I back away from him, his words cutting into me.

" Oh, oh, I see," I say, though that was a lie. The minute those words escaped his mouth I had managed to go blind, deaf, and dumb. I turn quickly, everyone staring at me, perfect silence filling the room. I hold my head high as I walk through the crowded room, every step a shot to the heart.

I walk into my room, my body numb.

" Dani, Dani what happened?" Siedah asks me, taking my shoulders into her hands.

" He, he doesn't want me," I murmur, shaking myself free from her grasp. I walk stiffly to the closet pulling out my suitcases.

" Dani, you cant leave, he needs you now more than ever. He's just trying to push you away, save you from all of this hell," she says, yanking clothes out of my suitcase as I toss them in.

" No Siedah, you didn't see him. I know him, he was being serious," I say, repacking the clothes that she pulled out. " If he wants me gone, then gone I'll be."

An hour later Siedah and I are standing outside in the cold when the taxi approaches. I turn to my best friend, a weak smile on my lips. I pull her into a fierce hug, tears pouring down my face.

" Take care of him for me," I murmur in her ear, and she sniffles as she nods her head, tears glistening in her eyes. I slide my hand into my pocket pulling out the small wrapped box, handing it to her. " Give this to him." Siedah takes the box from me with shaky hands.

" I'm going to miss you girl," she says, hugging me one more time. I pull away, slipping into the awaiting car. I wave one last time as we pull away slowly, sinking in to seat I pull my sunglasses over my eyes, tears sliding rapidly and silently down my face. As the minutes tick by slowly the ache in my chest grows to overwhelming proportions and I fear there's no coming back from this.

Michael's POV

I smile as I walk, it's my favorite time of the day, before anyone awake, the stillness of the morning surrounding me. I hated leaving DanI though, her face the picture of peace as she slept. I smile at the thought of her, my hands wandering into my pocket, grazing over the small box. Perfect time of the day to think of just how I am going to ask her the most important question of my life. She would have to take on so much, being my wife. The rumors, the tabloid fodder, the speculations, but if there is only one thing I know about my Dani, its that she is strong enough to handle the weight of this world, and she loves me. I sigh happily as I make my way back to my room, caught off guard when Max is waiting for me in the lobby.

" Good morning Max," I say, smiling hugely until he looks at me, his eyes clouded with anger and grief.

" Mike, we have to talk," he says, pressing a magazine into my hands. I turn it over, curious as to what has my friend looking so serious. I stare at the headlines, my stomach rolling sickly. Just like that the world shatters around me.

The murmuring voices of my legal team have me wanting to scream at the top of my lungs. I sigh as I lean back, rubbing at my temple. All these words being tossed around, jumbling in my head. A sudden commotion has my head popping up and I see who is causing it. Dani. Her eyes fierce as she pushes through the crowd of people making her way to me. I wish I can smile when she throws her arms around me, wrap my arms around her and anchor myself to her strength, her love. But she doesn't deserve this, she doesn't deserve what would inevitably be said about her if she stayed attached to me. I pull her away gently, my heart breaking as I look into her eyes.

" Daniella," I say, my heart thudding madly in my chest, " You have to leave."

" What are you talking about? I'm not going anywhere. Michael this is ridiculous, we all know this is wrong, you could never," she stammers, her eyes shining at me. ' I'm going to miss that, the way she stammers whenever she's nervous, or frustrated,' I think to myself, shaking my head to remind myself that I am doing this for her own good.

" Well it doesn't really matter what you think Daniella, I don't want you here," I say, ensuring that my voice is disconnected, stand off-ish even.

" What are you saying? You don't want me here right now, or you just don't want me?" she asks, and I could kill myself for making the tears cloud her eyes. I wish that I could scream out at her, beg her to stay, plead with her to just be with me, to tell me that everything is going to be okay, but to do that would be selfish.

" I don't want you Daniella," I say, and I watch as she recoils from the words that I say, as if I slapped her in the face.

" Oh, oh I see," she says, her eyes dying slowly. But she couldn't see, she couldn't see that I wasn't doing this to hurt her, I'm trying to save her from all of this, protect her. I watch as she walks out of the room, every step she takes the voice in my head telling me I did the right thing, no matter how much it hurts.

A few hours have passed, and I sit in my room, not moving, barely able to breathe as I stare out of the window watching the world move around me. Nothing is the same now, nothing. I used to see the world as a beautiful place, full of beautiful people. Now its a dark world, full of liars and deception. A soft knock on my door pulls me from my thoughts but I ignore it, hissing slightly when the door opens and closes.

" Whoever it is, just go away," I say, not turning to see who it is.

" I'll go away after I say my peace," Siedah's voice rings through the room. I don't say anything, and barely meet her gaze when she looks at me. " Michael, what is happening right now is terrible, no its down right bullshit, and we all know your innocent. Just because your going through hell right now, doesn't mean you push away the people who love you the most."

" What are you talking about?" I ask, growing frustrated. How does anyone know how I feel? Were they the ones being put under a microscope? Being accused of something so outrageous and down right vile? Last time I checked it wasnt Michael Jackson and crew are accused, it was just Michael Jackson. I was undeniably alone in this, so who was she to try and tell me what is right or wrong at a moment like this?

" Its not what I'm talking about Michael, its who I'm talking about. Dani's gone Michael. She left. The girl that loves you Michael, the one who would go to the end of the world for you and even further than that if you asked is gone. You shoved her out of your life like she is nothing," she says, her voice rolling over me.

" What do you mean she's gone? She wouldn't just leave," I say staring at her in disbelief. If anyone knew Daniella it's me and she wouldn't just leave me, she loved me too much, right?

" Well she did. Whatever you said or didn't say to her Mike, had her pretty convinced that you didn't want her, period," she says, and I jump out of the chair, racing to the phone to call Max. He'll find her, he always finds her, but Siedah hangs it up before he can answer. " There's no point having Max go look for her Michael, she left a few hours ago. She's already on the plane headed back to L.A. She asked me to give this to you," she says handing me a small wrapped box. It's weightless and yet feels like it weighs a ton. " You know Michael, we all know you deserve someone like her. Someone who will stand by you no matter what, someone who looks at you like you single handedly hung the moon. When are you going to know that for yourself?" I watch as she leaves the room, closing the door with a silent click that echoes off of the walls. I open the box, gently tearing the paper aside, sliding the lid open staring in disbelief at the paper that stares back at me, tears forming in my eyes as I recognize Carly-Ann's handwriting.

'Dear Santa,

I know its eerly, but, I know what I want for Christmas this year. I want Mikey to be my daddy. He is perfect, hes funny, and he loves me, and Mama. I have been super good and that's all I want.

Love, Carly-Ann.'

I turn it over, crying harder seeing that Dani added more to the already heartfelt note.

'Michael,

All Carly-Ann wanted for Christmas was you to be her Daddy, and all I want for Christmas is to be yours. I hope it's a beautiful Christmas for you Michael, I love you.

Loving you always,

Daniella.'

I take my head in my hands openly weeping. What have I done?

Dani's POV

This is a familiar scene, sitting in a crowded airport, my heart aching at the thought of leaving Michael. Only this time I'm without Carly-Ann, her pleading voice begging me to go back. Maybe if she was there I would. I would go back and I would tell Michael that even if he says he doesn't want me I'm not going to abandon him when he needs people the most. Yet here I sit, the memory of the way his eyes bore into mine as he emotionlessly told me he didn't want me, fresh in my memory.

" Attention ladies and gentlemen, American Airlines flight number 9685 is now boarding at gate twenty seven A," a voice calls through out the terminal, and I gather my bags standing in the crowd of people. I look over my shoulder, pushing myself to my tip toes, searching the crowd for any sign of Max or Michael pushing through the crowd to bring me back. I'm sorely wrong when there is no sign of them and I turn back around, handing my boarding pass to the smiling flight attendant, my heart aching as I realize he isn't coming for me, its over.