Michael's POV

Sunlight filtered in the large windows behind Katie and I on the couch and I squinted and let my eyes adjust to the light.

It couldn't be morning already.

Yawning, I covered my mouth with my hand and watched her sleep.  Curled up against my chest, a light snored escaped her nose and I chuckled softly as she slipped a hand under her head.  Still sound asleep, Katie shifted against me and nestled her head closer to my chest. Long strands of dark chestnut hair was scattered messily across the back of my arm and long ebony lashes framed her eyes.  My heart overturning with affection, I reached up and brushed a finger gently across her cheek.  Her skin velvety soft, I soaked in the contours of her face and the deep, red blush of her lips.

She was the most naturally beautiful women I'd ever seen.

Up most of the night talking, my mind replayed the end of the conversation we had last night and my heart turned painfully in my chest as I remembered hearing the longing in her voice last night when we had talked about her parents.

She'd lost them both so young.

Angrily I recalled a recent conversation Liz and I had about Katie's childhood and teen years.  It was true that Katie's parent's death had been the triggering factor in her grief, but in my opinion it had merely been the last straw.    Katie's awkwardness had made her the target of a lot of intense bullying at the private school her parents had enrolled her in.  Not to mention the ones she had trusted that had only been out to glean information about Liz.  Way before her parents had died Katie had felt alone and vulnerable.  Like her differences made her deficient.

It was a feeling I knew all too well.

My eyes closed painfully and the mental abuse I had experienced from my dad and the fake people I had encountered surfaced. I understood what it felt like to feel alone....different.
It broke my heart to know someone I loved so much had experienced such a rough upbringing.  She struggled with trusting, and most people would never understand how worth getting to know she was because she'd never let them in.

I had to get better at calling her when I was gone so she'd know how much I loved her.  How much I needed her. She was the best friend I'd ever had.  I just at times did a terrible job of letting her know that.

Sighing, I knew I had better get up and get ready.  Deciding to let her sleep I carefully slid my arm out from behind her head and pulled my other arm out from beneath her waist.  Getting off the couch I stood and watched her for a minute.

My heart pounded in my chest seeing her unconsciously adjust to my absence and out of nowhere I had the sudden urge to pull her back in my arms and hold her.  Shaking my head, I chalked up the desire to how much I missed her the last couple of weeks and I turned to get ready.

Unfortunately, it was going to be a really busy day.
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Katie's POV

Something tickled my nose, and I reached up to brush whatever it was off as my eyes fluttered open.  Releasing a loud yawn, I blinked a couple of times and realized that I was still on the couch.  Dejectedly, I saw that Michael had apparently already left this morning and I pressed my hand against the leather cushion and pushed myself up.  Pulling my hair back in my hands, I tried to remember where Michael had said he was going this morning.  I glanced across the room at a digital clock sitting beneath a gold lampstand with a black shade. 

Ten a clock.  Wasn't he doing a sound check for his concert tonight or something?

My purse sitting at the edge of the couch, I reached down and grabbed my cell phone out of it.  I leaned back against the cushions and pulled up my contacts.  Seeing Ella's number, Michael's assistant, I shot her a quick text and waited until she replied back.

I was right.  He was downtown at the arena.

Deciding to pull myself together so that I could head downtown and surprise him I hopped off the couch and walked over to my suitcases.  Unzipping the gold zipper, I sorted through my clothes until I found a pair of jeans and a ribbed tank top. 

Where was the bathroom?

Straightening, I glanced around the large room and spotted a hallway on the other side of the large kitchen area.  Grabbing my stuff I headed across the room and down the hallway and peered in each room until I stumbled across the bathroom. 

Which, of course, was huge.

My eyes roamed the speckled tan, white, and black tile sprinkled along the interior of the shower and the exterior of the smooth granite countertop and circular bathtub.  Soft recess lighting above each station, I laid my clothes down next to the large bowl sink and turned behind me to face the large glass shower.  Peeling my clothes off, I kicked them behind me and reached forward to pull open the shower door. 

The metal felt cool beneath my fingertips, and I frowned when I tried to pull it open and it didn't budge.  Jerking it harder, I let out a scream when the door jerked open quickly this time and knocked me off balance.  Quickly trying to right myself before I fell, I reached back and grabbed the counter and managed to keep myself from toppling into the floor.

Thank God. I breathed, imagining the conversation I'd have to have with Michael if I ended up with a huge bruise on my face. 

That would have been mortifying.

"Is everything okay?"

My bodyguard's deep voice rumbled from the doorway, and my head whipped around just in time to see him walk around the corner and stop in the exposed doorway.  Shrieking my hands quickly tried to shield my exposed body from his view and he coughed abruptly and whipped around to face the other way.

"I-I'm so sorry Miss Taylor.  I heard you scream and I thought...."

Blowing a strand of hair from my face, I could feel a blush rising in my face and I reached over to the sink and grabbed my shirt.  Laying it in front of me I crouched down so I'd be completely covered and I opened my mouth a couple of times and tried to form a sentence.

"It was slippery." I finally spit out. 

Brilliant.  Way to make things less awkward.

My bodyguard let out another awkward cough and rubbed his neck nervously. 

"Right.....well if you need any help the next time."

Help the next time I what?  Slipped naked trying to get in the shower? I was pretty sure I'd rather sit in the middle of the floor with a broken ankle for the two weeks it would take to heal than call him in if I had any trouble again.

Releasing a nervous laugh, I quickly hopped in the shower and watched him from behind the glass quickly shut the bathroom door.  Moaning, I tapped my head against the glass.
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Two Hours Later
Katie's POV

Michael's slender physique was visible on stage even from the large double door entrance.  Watching him interact with his guitar players for a moment, I smiled when he glanced over where I was out of the corner of his eye and shot me a wink.

My stomach flipped in a knot.

Inhaling a deep breath, I tried to put my embarrassment from this morning behind me and I walked down the long aisles of Osaka stadium.  Currently empty of anyone but those employed with the tour, I knew in a matter of hours the entire arena would be filled to capacity with fans screaming from excitement at his magical performance.

I stopped in the front row and settled into a chair.  Laying my large orange ostrich leather purse in the seat next to me I looked back up at the stage and saw Michael was all business again trying to get things ready for tonight. 

"Miss Taylor....?"  My body guard's flustered voice turned my attention away from the stage and I blushed again and looked down to my lap.  "Yes" I mumbled, picking at my nails.

"Do you need anything? If not, I'll be over here."   Shaking my head no, I saw him shuffle away out of the corner of my eye and I slunk deeper in my chair miserably embarrassed.

If it was possible to die of embarrassment, today would have been my expiration date.

Music started up from the stage, and keeping my eyes locked straight ahead I looked up and watched Michael take the center of the stage.  Dressed in a pair of black slacks, a white t-shirt and a blue over shirt Michael's long curls were half clasped behind his head and half loose.  I watched him, mesmerized as his long slender fingers reached for the microphone. Closing his eyes, Michael soulfully ran through a couple of songs.    Lyrics sang with sincerity and passion, watching Michael perform was something incomparable to any other experience and it was as intoxicating hundreds of times later as it was the very first experience.  

The music stopped, and Michael stepped back from the microphone and rubbed a hand on the back of his neck.  "Something's off Tony.  I'd like to run through Smooth Criminal again, please."

The stage erupted in motion, and Michael's brow furrowed in concentration as a stage hand brought his fedora out and placed it on his head.  I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.  He was such a perfectionist.  There really wasn't a need to run through any of them once, let alone multiple times.  Michael had the routines down and could do them in his sleep.

This pattern continued for a couple of hours- Michael running through routines, and then rerunning routines.  Finally at about one a clock Michael called for everyone to head out for lunch.  His eyes swinging over in my direction, Michael gave me a smile and walked towards me on the stage.  Grasping a bottle of water and a towel,  Michael glistened with sweat and his shirt clung to his chest.  Bending down, Michael gave me a cheeky grin.

My eyes widened and then narrowed warningly recognizing his game.  "Michael, no."

Michael took a taunting step closer to the edge of the stage and lifted a perfectly arched eyebrow.  "Michael...." I warned again, putting my legs up in the seat. 

A slow evil grin spread across his face, and I let out a shriek and shielded my face as water came spouting from his water bottle across my face and down my legs.  Droplets of water cascaded down my cheeks, and I glanced up and glared at him as water trickled down from my scalp.

"What?" He asked "innocently", trying not to chortle.  "You looked hot."

"Michael Joseph JACKSON."

Michael's eyes teasingly glistened from above me, and he dropped his empty water bottle down next to him and hopped down from the stage.  Crossing my arms across my chest I glared at him.

"I'm soaked now."

Still trying not to giggle, Michael stood and took a step closer to me.

"Come on Katy-did...."

"I didn't deserve it.  I don't fling water at you."

"No, you throw coffee."

Oh. I was going to kill him.

Hopping out of my chair, Michael's eyes widened seeing the challenging glint in my eyes and he turned on his heel and took off running.  Sliding a bit from the water on the floor, hair flung in my face and my sandals slipped against the slick floor. Glancing over a couple aisles Michael's blue over shirt billowed behind him as he weaved in and out of the aisles, and I could hear his gleeful giggles as I took a giant step forward, slipped, and fell backwards against the seat.

"Oomph."

My hands landed in the tiny puddle, and my rear smarted from the contact.   Letting out a small grunt of frustration, I looked up and saw Michael approaching.  His eyes roaming over me in apprehensive concern, Michael stopped a few paces away and looked me over.

"You alright, crash?"

An idea came to me.  Resisting the urge to roll my eyes and fire back a sharp retort I blinked rapidly in an attempt to look like I was holding back tears and I lifted my wrist limply.

"I think I may have sprained it" I sniffled, forcing a tear down my cheek.

Not moving, Michael's eyes studied me warily.  "Really?"

Biting my lip, I faked a hiccup and forced another tear.

Studying me a little bit longer, Michael's eyes finally softened and he closed the distance between us.  Getting down on his knees Michael looked me over carefully and then reached for my wrist.

"Let me see it.....maybe my doctor can-"

Not waiting for him to finish his sentence, I pounced on top of him.   His eyes flying open incredulously, his white undershirt riding up and exposing his abdomen, and I let out a loud giggle seeing the look on his face.  Locking his waist between my legs I began tickling him.

"You FAKED an INJURY?"  Michael guffawed from the ground, laughter erupting from his stomach.  Dodging my hands, Michael squirmed back and forth on the ground beneath me and snaked his hands around my waist

I shot him a victorious grin, not the least bit apologetic and continued my assault "Yep."

In one fluid moment Michael picked me up off his stomach and flipped us around.  I shrieked in surprise as his body flew over top of me and Michael's eyes gleamed mischievously as he locked his legs tightly against my sides.

"This isn't fair" I whined, laughter twinkling in my eyes.  Michael, lowering his head until it was almost touching mine, had the same laughter reflecting in his own features and mimicked me playfully.

"This isn't fair" he cried in a girlish voice.

Laughter finally bubbling over at his antics, I let the laughter I had been holding in slip again and both of us got lost in the moment, relishing the silliness we experienced together.  Tangled together in the floor, Michael collapsed against me in a fit of giggles and I wrapped my arms around his waist and sunk my head in his shirt.  We stayed like this for several moments, giggling and enjoying one another, until he finally pulled me closer to him and shook his head.

"Your crazy..." He mumbled against my ear, still chuckling.

Michael's hair tickled against my neck, and I felt the soft, slightly damp tendrils against my fingertips as I gently pushed them back behind his ear and looked up at him.  My breathing slowed, and the teasing from a few moments ago forgotten I stared into the eyes of the most important man in my life.  His soft, light giggling barely above a whisper now, deep chocolate brown eyes searched me from above, and the unfamiliar emotions from yesterday swirled up within me again like waves crashing against a shore.   

Seriously, what was going on with me?  I couldn't be falling in love with him could I? No.  That was ridiculous.

I blinked a couple of times and glanced away.  My heart pounding in my chest, I tried to push my emotions away and not dwell on them.

"So.....umm.....lunch?"

Michael's gaze turned quizzical with my abrupt change in subject, but I quickly pushed myself up and slid out from underneath him.  Swallowing a couple of times, I tried to steady my rapid pounding heart and I inhaled a sharp breath and let it out slowly.

"You okay?"

Pasting on a fake smile, I straightened my hair and glanced over at Michael.  "Perfect. Let's go."