1988

Where was Michael?

Jerry had gotten worried when it went on two days and there was no word from Michael. No one seemed to be able to find him. He’d called various times but he was always told the same “No one has seen Mr. Jackson since he went out for his walk a couple days ago.”

It’d been at least a week now since he’d been told this. Where was he? Why had he vanished so suddenly? Was he okay? These various questions plagued anyone who knew he was missing. So far his publicist, Lee Solters, had helped in making sure the press didn’t find out. No one wanted to draw too much attention to this just yet. It would make finding him even harder. Perhaps he’d gone off on his own for a bit, due to stress?

---

1991

Dangerous Era Michael’s POV

I didn’t know what was wrong with me anymore. For some odd reason, I felt weaker. I didn’t know if I was just coming down with something or if I was just exhausted. I guess I hadn’t been sleeping well lately but I’d had sleeping problems for years now and I’d never felt like this. It was confusing.

Dangerous had been completed a while ago. The singles fully polished up and so far the record company was happy with it. We were working on different promotion ideas currently. They were asking me to do a tour for this one, just as I had for Bad. I didn’t think I’d be able to if I continued to feel this way.

I tried arguing against a tour. I didn’t like to tour as it was. It was exhausting and it took a lot of physical toll on my body. They wouldn’t hear it though. They told me this album needed a tour as well so we could boost record sales more. If more people know about it, the more people will buy it.

I understood that, I’d been in this business long enough now to know why certain things should be done. That didn’t seem to matter to them at the moment. Not to mention I wanted to spend time with Destiny. I felt like they were keeping me from my daughter and I didn’t like that. I also didn’t wanna take her along with me on the tour, going from place to place like we would be. I wanted her to have as normal a life as she could.

They still didn’t listen. Frustrated with them, I walked into the house and was almost knocked over by Destiny and my younger self.

“Get back here, you!!” I heard him call as he raced after her.

“Never!!” She called, laughing.

I blinked as I watched this. We’d done stuff like this countless times together. It made me a little sad that it took my younger self coming here to give her moments like this again.

I heard Destiny squeal from somewhere in the house and I shot after her, stopping when seeing that my younger self had captured her and started tickling her. I’d gotten worried.

Destiny seemed genuinely happy, something I hadn’t seen in a bit. I knew this past week had been rough but I was trying to get things to settle down. I just needed the record company to work with me on that. I sat down in one of the chairs and waited for them to settle down.

Michael let her go after a bit, smiling brightly. She grinned back up at him.

“Having fun?” I asked in a soft tone. This seemed to be the only tone I could use anymore. No matter how many times I tried to speak up.

Both of them looked over at me and nodded.

“Michael and I had been playing board games but he cheated. When I tried to confront him, he told me he wasn’t. But I saw him.” She said with a small frown.

“She’s lying! I didn’t cheat!” He said, defensively. I could see the small amusement in his eyes though. I knew we cheated at board games. We always did.

“I am not!!”

“Are too!”

I laughed quietly at their argument. Weren’t they both too old for these kinds of arguments? I caught Michael looking over at me with his lips twitching to smile. I wondered if he’d realized he’d been here for a week. In the future for a week... how odd.

Destiny shook her head and stood. “I’m going to go finish my book.” She said, coming over and hugging me tightly before dashing off.

Michael stood as well and came over to me. “She’s a very silly girl.” He said

“Yes, she is. I love that about her.” I said with a warm smile.

He smiled as well. “Is that one of the things you noticed about her?” He asked.

I nodded. “Once she’d warmed up to me.” I told him.

“Of course.” He replied with the smallest smile.

---

Bad Era Michael’s POV

Destiny was wonderful. In fact, I’d been having a lot of fun with her. It was clear why I’d chosen to adopt her. As happy as I was though, I couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to her real parents. Who could give up such a wonderful young girl?

I turned to ask my older self when I noticed he looked a little paler. Was he sick? I suppose he could be since he was running around so much lately. I doubt he’d had much time to relax and enjoy himself. There were countless times where I’d just felt rundown and needed a break. Perhaps that was the reason?

“Michael...” I said

He looked at me. “Yes?” He asked.

“Are you alright, you don’t look too good.” I said

“I’m fine. Michael. Do you realize you’ve been here for a week?”

I blinked. A... week? It’d been that long? It only felt like a day or so. I’d somehow gotten distracted from figuring out how to get back home. I shook my head no to answer him.

“I thought you might not have realized. What are you going to do?” He asked me.

“I... don’t know. I’ve been trying to figure that out myself.” I said with a sigh.

“Hmm, well. Think back to that night. What’s the last thing you remember?”

“Well... I remember I’d just gotten in from work. I’d grabbed an old blanket to lay outside for a bit and relax. I was looking at the stars when it started getting stormy... it may have been heat lightening though. So I went to go back in and then... I ended up here.” I explained.

“Hmm. That’s peculiar.” He said, “I was looking for something that might help us but that doesn’t sound like anything to out of the ordinary.”

“I know. That’s why I’ve been so lost trying to figure this out.” I told him. In a way, this felt like I was thinking out loud.

“Right. You’re sure that’s all you remember?” He asked me.

“I’m sure.”

“Alright.” He nodded and crossed his arms, a very thoughtful look crossing his identical features.

I stayed quiet and let him think. Maybe he could figure this out. One of us had to soon. I didn’t know what the effects would be of this and I certainly didn’t want to stick around to figure it out.

“Well. The only think that seems odd, is the heat lightening. Maybe that’s what played a part in zapping you here...” He said after a long silence.

“Maybe. But... wouldn’t something have had to have caused the initial command, so to speak?” I added.

“I suppose... but what? It’s not like you were randomly in a time machine outside.” He said.

“Right. If the lightening was the power.... what was the engine?” I said.

“I’m not sure. Sounds like you need to figure that out.” He replied.

“Yes I do.” I said with a sigh, “I’ll think about that tonight, hopefully it’ll come to me.”

“Hopefully....” He said, standing from the chair.

I shook my head and pushed that to the back of my mind for the moment. I wanted to know about Destiny as well. “Michael, wait.” I said

He stopped and turned to me. “Yes?” He asked

“What... happened to Destiny’s parents?” I asked him.

He bit his lip and motioned for me to sit, so I did. I didn’t know what to expect now.