CHAPTER 16…

ANOTHER DEATH IS WORSE THAN THE FIRST

The funeral for Billy was three days later, September 12. The day before had been the 8th year anniversary of 9-11. Kathy (the girl) had persuaded them to find all the family's family that had lived to see their family die. They had given cards to everyone and flowers and hugs. Michael thought it was the best thing ever for such a young girl to come up with. The 5 though still had to watch Diana cry over her son's body, as he was layed 6 feet under. Seeing the coffin brought back hard memories of the past weeks events. Kathy tried to shoo them away, but they wouldn't go away. She tried not to cry, but the tears came, and they were right there to comfort her and Diana. Everyone that was there cried a little to himself or herself. It was a 5-year-old boy gone too soon. While the boy was being layed into the ground, the newly formed group, Katherine and the Jackson 3 offered to sing Gone Too Soon. So they did with Michael. People cried more when they heard the precious line, here one day, gone one night, Gone Too Soon. After the song, Mike looked over at Diana who held a tissue continuously to her eyes. He put his hand on her back and patted it. He glanced up to see a briskly man with red hair standing there. He sat down beside Diana and tried to comfort her telling her that Billy was his son too. Diana didn't listen though, she would push him away. From that, Mike figured that he was her ex-husband. When they had went to the hospital, he never saw the man, just heard him, he didn't really want to see him. After the man left, everyone stood up to go to the after math party. Well, if you want to consider it a party. While everyone was eating, Katherine got up and went up to this post. She tapped the mike and cleared her throat. Everyone looked up at her.

"I didn't know Billy that well." She said. "All I knew him was of a brave boy at a hospital. He was fighting for his life, and what keeping him going was the sound of Michael Jackson's music. And was the thought of me, a 12-year-old, singing it." She paused and looked down. "He was only 5. He didn't know that my parents were dead, why; I didn't even know it yet. But, when he whistled that simple tune of Earth Song, and I sang it along with him, and to see his happy expression when people started to join in, when all the children that had cancer joined in, made me realize, that if he had lived, he wanted to save this world. And Billy, if you're up there listening right now, you changed the world just with your spirit. Your heart made this world a better place. Don't you see people? If we all just have a good heart, a good soul, a good spirit, and have courage to fight these battles like Billy did, then the world would become a better place." She sighed and looked around. People stared at her from every corner. She wasn't ever good about getting on stage, and yet, lately, she'd been doing that a lot. "I'm not the best person to be up here saying this," She continued. "But, that very moment, that very little time I spent with Billy, changed my life. He made me what I am right now. He gave me inspiration to do better in life. To spread the word that seems no one says much any more. Peace." People stared at her. "Peace to people, even to bully's, to people who don't understand, to people that have made a crime, that have killed. Peace, that is the key to the world. And Billy taught me that just by looking at me. Spread peace and love." She stepped down from the podium as people clapped for her. Don't clap for me, clap for Billy. She thought, but she couldn't talk any more, her throat was too choked up.

After everyone had left, that man came up to Kathy and the others and stared down at her. His eyes were red, he'd been crying. He breathed deeply then looked at her straight in the eye.

"Thank you." He said. Kathy nodded. He saw Diana helping Michael to the car and looked at the 4 remaining kids. "You 4 are very lucky to have a father like him." Kathy hushed at this. Father? She hadn't thought of Mike as a father since her parents had died. She didn't think she could even consider anyone as a father anymore. "Take care of him, and take care of Diana." They all nodded as the man left. They watched him drive away in his car and speed down the road, away from his son that would never be seen again.

Once they got to that place, it was unusually quiet. No one said a word; everyone's breath was slow and shallow. The clock ticked silently and the washer rumbled. No one said a word. Mike sighed and headed toward the shower. The door shut behind him and they heard the water turn on. The kids looked at Diana then at the door. Diana smiled slightly at them.

"That was hard going there and coming back knowing I would never see my boy again." They nodded. "I didn't want to leave."

"We didn't either." Paris said.

"I did. It was depressing." Blanket whispered. Paris elbowed him. Diana smiled at them.

"I'm going to tell you some more of the story." She continued. They looked up at her.

"Oh, you shouldn't. Daddy can say it, you need to rest." Paris said. They all agreed with her. Diana shook her head.

"No. He doesn't want to, he told me, so I'm going to tell you some more." They looked at each other. They were partially surprised that there was more to this story. Diana looked at the bath room door and breathed deeply. "Ok, it was the year of 1980. We were 21."

YEAR 1980…

"We love you Michael!" The crazed fan girls said as the bodyguards helped him threw the crowd to the car. The people tried to grab anything they could. Mike blocked his face so they wouldn't try to grab that. He finally made it to the car with his parents already inside. He looked at them and sighed.

"I thought I was going to get killed out there." They nodded. His bodyguards got in the car and it took off. They finally reached their house and Michael got out. Something felt different though. He looked around, the same pool, the same house, and the same grass from when he was a kid, but something was different. He looked around again and walked toward that same slanted hill. He saw a dim light there. Some one was holding a lamp there. He headed toward the light and put his hand over top his eyebrows to see.

"Haven't seen me in a while have you?" A mature woman's voice came. They woman appeared out of the shadows. She had dark brown hair and bright green eyes. She was white. Mike tilted his head. "Remember Mike? This was the last place you saw me." Mike squinted and looked at her harder. He gasped as she came running toward him.

"Diana! You came back!" They hugged each other and they stared at each other.

"Sadly, I'm only here for a little while. I'm on a business trip." He smiled at her. "I see you've become quite the celebrity." He nodded.

"You wouldn't believe the stress and how crazy girls can get." She looked at him.

"Yeah, well you tell them hands off, because you're all mine." They looked at each other and smiled. Something was different still. They turned to face away from each other. "I was just kidding you know."

"I know." It was quiet. "Diana, do you still have feelings for me?" She was shocked.

"Mike, I've always liked you, you know that."

"I know, but do you like me for me right now, not just because I'm a celebrity." She was shocked again.

"Mike! I can't believe you would ask me something like that! I've been your best friend since we were 4! How could you think that?" He looked at her.

"Diana, there are a lot of girls chasing after me and I don't know what to do, it seems like we're not going out. And every time you show up I hope to God we do, but we never do. It's puppy love." Her mouth dropped.

"Oh really? Mike, I show up here because I love you, not because this is some kind of goose chase."

"Well it sure seems like that." Everything was quiet then. Diana stared at him.

"Well, if you really think that's the case, then I'll just be on my way." Mike stared at her. She grabbed the lantern and started to walk off. Mike followed her.

"Diana! Wait! Diana!" She headed toward a car and started it. "Diana stop." He came to her window and she looked out of it.

"What?"

"I'm sorry." She stared at him. "I promised you a long time ago that I would always remember you and never lie to you. And I'm not about to break that promise." He got something out of his pocket and reveled it to be that small heart.

"You remembered?"

"Always keep it for good luck." They stared at each other for the longest time. "I love you Diana." She was surprised to hear this from him. He leaned in to expect a kiss, but instead her finger touched his lips.

"I must be going. I have to go to work tomorrow." Mike's heart broke as he heard that.

"Well, if you won't let me kiss you, then keep this." He gave the heart to her. "It's your turn to remember." She smiled and put the small paper heart in her purse. They leaned then and did kiss for a brief second. The Diana drove away. Mike knew that they would see each other soon.

YEAR 1984…

The fans roared high as Mike finished the moonwalk. He smiled proudly as girls fainted and men just screamed. He started to sweat. He'd been working hard on that move; he knew it would impress everyone. He giggled a little to see everyone's reaction.

"Thank you." He said. Everyone cheered. He briefly looked back to see his brothers in wow. He smiled at them. "Thank you." He walked back stage and wiped his face. He looked at him family he were shocked. "Yes, I know it was awesome." They all laughed as he went into a back ally. His family didn't bother him. He sighed and leaned against the door as he looked up into the dark sky. No one was around him. Finally, some peace and quiet. You barely got that when you're a celebrity. He looked down at his uniform. Sparkly. He thought. He sighed again and sat down on the ground.

"Life seems rough for you." He looked up to see the voice. There stood the same woman he always really loved. Diana.

"Diana." He said softly. They just stared at each other. Not a word. Mike stood up and walked over to her. Still, there was silence. Mike leaned toward her. She grabbed him then and kissed him. He was surprised at her reaction. They forcefully kissed each other and held onto one another. They started to walk. Mike frontward, Diana backward. The stopped kissing as he lead her into a building. They kept laughing and smiling at each other the whole time. This building was just a shed really. But there was a bed there. They closed the blinds and turned toward each other. They looked at the bed and didn't take any more time. Soon, they were well, you know.

It started to get hot and Mike looked into Diana's eyes. She looked back into his and they smiled. They continued to kiss.

"I love you Diana." She didn't answer. He looked at her. She grabbed his head and forced it back on her face. They pulled away from each other and looked into each other's eyes.

"I love you." She replied. Mike smiled at her. They just layed there then. They were sweaty. Mike looked at Diana who seemed to be thinking hard.

"What's wrong?" She turned to him.

"Do you really think this is right?" He was surprised at this. He thought for a minute.

"We love each other, we should do this." She turned the other way.

"Do we really?" Mike was shocked at her question.

"Well, of course, we just admitted we did."

"Mike, have you ever thought once that we just do this because it's the heat of the moment?" Mike rolled his eyes.

"Don't go all Asia song on me now."

"I'm serious." He looked at her.

"Diana, I, we,"

"You can't answer it can you?" He looked at her. He held her hand.

"Diana, I really do love you,"

"You're a celebrity!"

"And?" She got frustrated and let out an agitated sigh.

"I can't hide this."

"Hide what?" She looked at him and stood up. Mike stood up as well and walked over to her. "Diana, what's wrong?" She lunged on him then and they fell back on the mattress.

"Mike, I love you, with my whole life and soul, but I can't love you." Mike's heart shattered.

"Diana, what are you talking about?" He said while nervously laughing.

"Mike, I-" She paused and sobbed a little. A tear ran down Mike's cheek. "I can't love you because I'm a prostitute." His heart broke into a million pieces when he heard this.

"What?"

"I'm sorry!" She cried and grabbed her cloths.

"Diana!" He stopped her and turned her around. "Diana, why?"

"No one can love me!"

"It was your father wasn't it? The memories made you do this?"

"No! Shut up!" Mike was quiet.

"Or was it that you thought you could play me like a toy? Was that it Diana? An old friend that always liked you becomes a celebrity and you think you can play with his heart? Is that it?!?!"

"NO!" Mike was quiet again.

"Then what was it Diana?" She turned violently at him.

"I was raped! Not just when I was 13, but a month before I came and saw you when we were 21." Mike was shocked.

"Diana, why didn't you tell anyone?"

"Because I thought I could live with it! I didn't want to go through the same torture I went through when I was 12 and 13."

"So, because of your own needs, you let another woman get raped?" She got quiet.

"I never wanted that to happen."

"Yeah? Well, it probably did."

"Stop it!" She cried more. "I can't love any man. I can't even love you Mike." Mike started to tear a little. Diana saw this and shook her head. "I'm sorry." She touched Mike's cheek and kissed him. She stopped and let go of him. "I'm so sorry." She started to cry as she put her cloths back on and ran toward the door. She threw something down on the ground and cried. "I'm sorry." She said one last time before running out of the building. Mike put his pants back on and walked up to the thing that she threw on the floor. Their lied the little red heart. Beside it was a note that said,

"It's my turn to remember." Mike said as he picked it up. The little crumpled heart had been through a lot. But they always remembered it. Mike felt like burning the heart, tear it apart. But, although his heart was crushed, he still wanted to remember.

After that, Mike sat down in his room once he got home. His brothers had asked him where he had been, but he would not speak to any of them. Finally his mother came into his room.

"Michael?" She asked. He looked up to see her but then looked back down at the pictures he was shifting through. His mother sat beside him and looked at the pictures. They were of him and Diana smiling through the years. She got the hint that it had something to do with Diana. "Michael honey, Diana is a grown woman now and she probably has moved on, you should too." Mike looked at her.

"Yeah, she sure moved on." He said sarcastically.

"Michael, what do you mean?" He sighed.

"Diana and I ran into each other a few minutes ago and had a friendly chat. She says she's been doing wrong things."

"Like what?" Although Mike was severely angry with Diana, he still didn't want to get her into any trouble evolving the police.

"Nothing."

"Michael, if you're hiding something about her that might be illegal, you need to speak up." He looked at his mother.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore." She sighed and gave up.

"Alright, but, you should put your feeling into one of your songs. That's what makes them so great." She got up and left. Mike watched the door shut behind her and looked at the pictures. He grabbed a notebook and opened it to a fresh page. He started to write. Singing while writing.

She's out of my life.

She's Out of my life!

And I don't know weather to laugh or cry,

I don't know weather to live a lie, and it cuts like a knife, she's out of my life.

It's out of my hands.

It's out of my hands!

To think for two years, she was here, and I took her for granted, I was so careful, now the way that it stands, She's out of my hands!

So I've learned, that loves is not a possession, and I've learned, that love won't wait.

Now I've learned, that love needs expression, but I've learned to late and she's, out of my life, she's out of my life!

Damn indecision, and cursed bribe, why can't my love for her be like deep inside, and it cuts like a knife, she's out of my- He stopped then and planned it. He cried then, he didn't plan that, but it made him decide he would pause and make a teary scene for the video. What surprised him was that a tear fell onto the piece of paper. His heart ached when he said this, Life! The music would go on for a little while then end.

**************

PRESENT DAY: SEPTEMBER 12, 2009

The room was silent as the shower turned off and they heard a rustle of noise in the bathroom of him trying to put cloths on. Diana looked down at the ground and layed in the bed.

"That's why he came up with that song?" Paris asked. Diana nodded. The 4 looked at each other as Mike walked out. They looked back at him. He looked at their expressions. They were sad, heart felt for him. He knew then that Diana had told them some more about the story. He sighed and crutched over there. He kneeled down next to the 4 and put his hands on Blanket and Paris.

"Listen, that was about-" He paused and thought. "What part did she get to?"

"The one where we first want to cry for you." Kathy said. Mike knew.

"25?"

"Yes." He sighed.

"That was about 26 years ago, actually, that was 26 years ago." They looked at him. "It's ok now, it was a long time ago."

"You can never get over a broken heart." Kathy said. They stared at her.

"How do you know this? You're too young to understand." She put her hands on her hips and looked at him.

"When I was in 6th grade a boy two timed me, twice." They stared at her.

"Jerk." Prince said.

"Yeah, but I threw him a cross the floor and he hit his head on the wall." Prince stared at her and she stared back.

"Remind me not to get on your bad side." She giggled. Mike smiled at them.

"Well, go get ready for bed." He said. They all nodded and left. Mike stared at Diana. She looked down.

"I really was sorry."

"That doesn't matter now." She smiled and they kissed. "I was sorry too."