Love Conquers All _The Sequel_

Chapter Thirty Six - Villainy

Mary's POV:

This is perfect entropy. My life is pure chaos. Ever since I came here everything has been executed with flawless disarray, hectic anarchy never ceasing to thunder down on my weary spirit. I want it to stop.

No...

No I don't...

To be specific, I enjoy scenarios such as this. Excitement sizzling in the air, adrenaline coursing through my very being... But what I really, really hate is the fear of losing any one of these people that I so deeply love. I want that trepidation gone, I want to appreciate these situations without fear burning in the pit of my stomach.

That is clearly not going to happen here. Truthfully, I can hardly enjoy any of what is occurring right now, as my throat twists around itself a million times. Nausea is holding me hostage; I am going to vomit any second.

I am huddled up against Michael, who is clutching onto me and Tex as tightly as he can, shivering as he rocks back and forth with his eyes shut. Julia and Kim sit parallel to us, watching with disturbance.

In addition to the daunting pounding on the windows downstairs, the police are demanding entrance. The further we refuse to grant them access, the further we disobey the law.

My mind is reeling as I think of the way Michael was the last time he was involved with the law. Anorexic and depressed... I felt like he was actually happy here, undiscovered and living a quiet life. Now, as I look up at him and I see the tears sitting on his lower lashes, I fear that whatever he goes through this time will be infinitely worse.

A new thought crosses my mind. How bad will I get when I am forced away from him? We won't be living in Neverland anymore... We might even be forced to live back with our old families. How will that be? How will they react? How will it feel, sitting down on our average couches, staring into our TVs, listening to the news drone on about this legendary man and this legendary news, as we are stuck there, knowing what it was like to live with him and knowing how he feels while everyone else doesn't?

It will be torture.

But that's only if he slips from our grasp...

We all know it is inevitable. There's no way of escape. We can't teleport, we don't have any secret underground passageways, and this is it, this is the end.

As we sit here together, all curled up in a big ball, shaking with fear, it almost feels like we are a group of war refugees hiding from the Nazis.

Suddenly a blast sounds from downstairs. The shattering of glass and the splitting of wood - the damage all being done by the police who have now forced their way in and are infiltrating. With the sounds of intruding I grasp onto Michael tighter and find Tex's hand, burying my head into my legs.

"No, no, no," I hear Michael quietly groan to himself. At the sound of his distress I immediately cry. We all just sit there together, awaiting our doom. We all know it's coming. We are bracing ourselves for it.

Abruptly, Michael is yanked away from our clutches and I scream, while Tex, Kim, and Julia all yell.

Michael is thrown up onto his feet by a big meaty hand. He catches his balance and brushes himself off. Looking down at the floor, Michael is silent as he readies himself for the allegations from the police. The rest of us look up at them, the police and Michael, in utter fear.

"Michael Jackson, you are under arrest for counts of fraud," one officer recites as another locks cuffs onto Michael's arms.

The officer turns to us. "And you all are being taken into custody for now. Come with us."

Each of us shakily stands. This is one of the most terrifying, embarrassing experiences of my lifetime.

We make our way outside, where the police have obviously gained control of the chaotic crowds. There are now barricades set up away from the house - there is room to breathe. Parked right in front of the door are two police cruisers. As we appear from the house, the people roar with excitement. The noise is almost deafening. I try to grab Michael's hand, but the officer ushers him away from us with swift and harsh shoving.

The moment is dehumanizing. The people screaming at the top of their lungs. The blades of the helicopters above chopping through the air. The blare of the police sirens, and the crackling of megaphones. All of this tearing into my ears as Michael is shoved into the back seat of the police car.

I catch one last glimpse of him before the door is shut. I look at him and he looks at me, with not just immense fear in his eyes, but also a massive look of defeat. And that is the moment my heart breaks.

The police car drives away and the rest of us are gradually forced into the other vehicle. As my head is pushed into the backseat, I look at the cruiser containing Michael as it speeds away, surrounded by security and followed by news helicopters.

And, as the car fades from my eyesight, I realize that I, once again, have lost Michael to our riotous, unending cycle of tortuous misfortune. And then I remember: Once upon a time, I overthrew the world. All of these people here were once murdered by me. I took over everything, just with my love. My love conquered all. But if that's the case, then why am I sitting defenseless in the back of a police car?

Maybe, in the end...

Love doesn't conquer all.