Don't Walk Away (A Michael Jackson Love Story)

Chapter 10: Nightmares

A shriek pierced through my dream. I bolted into an upright position, my eyes wide open.

The lamp on the other side of the bed clicked on. "What's wrong? Why'd you scream?" Michael asked frantically.

Tears blurred my vision when I looked at him. "You're okay," I gasped. "Y-you were dead, and I don't even know what happened. No one would tell me. They just kept saying, 'We need to get him to the hospital.' They were doing CPR and...and..." I broke off into a sob. Mike listened to me ramble. He pulled me into a hug.

"I'm right here. I'm alive. I'm okay," he whispered. "Don't cry." He stroked my hair softly.

I cried into him. "Please don't leave me," I begged. "Don't let me leave again. I didn't know what was happening because I wasn't with you."

"It was just a dream, Lily," Michael soothed. "I'm not leaving you." He was close to crying, too. I knew he didn't like talking about death.

I pulled back from his embrace. His shirt was soaked with my tears. "Sorry," I said. Mike followed my gaze. "It's fine," he chuckled. I rubbed my eyes. "I can't go back to sleep. I don't want another dream like that. You don't have to stay up."

Michael looked at me empathetically. "I'm not tired either. Wanna go somewhere, to get your mind off the dream?"

"Where?"

"That place where we snuck out to at night last time we were here together. The little cafe. It's open all night," he explained.

"How do you know? We went there once," I pointed out. He stood up. "I used to sit in there when I got sad," he muttered. "Wrote a lot of songs in that cafe."

He handed me my pants and put his jacket on. "I gotta stop sleeping half-naked," I groaned as I dressed myself. There was no point in looking fancy at two in the morning.

"Ready?" Mike held out his hand to help me up from the bed. I followed him into the hallway. He stopped. "Should we bring my sisters?" he mused aloud. I shook my head. "Let them sleep." I continued to trail him downstairs to the lobby drowsily. That nightmare still had me in shock.

We walked down the street hand in hand. "I love you," Michael said quietly after about a block."Do you know how much I love you?"

I giggled. Now he was getting cheesy. "I think I can guess with all the times you've told me."

"I love you so much, I denied every date from every girl who asked me out at the cafe. I knew you wouldn't leave forever."

I tensed. This was starting to go in the direction of why I left in the first place. "Wish I could say the same about myself, but you already know what happened to me," I joked. "I became a complete whore."

"No, you're the prettiest, smartest, funniest, realest girl I know." He put one arm around my shoulders.

"Really? Because I vaguely remember you saying I was your 'woman' just a few hours ago."

Mike blushed. "You're that too." He halted, dipping me down in his arms to kiss my neck playfully. I squealed and pushed him away. He skillfully pulled me back upright.

I pointed at the familiar tiny sign up ahead. A pinkish spotlight illuminated it. I grabbed Michael's hand and yanked him to the door.

We stepped out of the cold into the cafe. "Michael!" a woman behind the counter called enthusiastically. She walked out to greet him.

"Hey Edith!" he replied. He hugged the kind elderly lady.

"You haven't come by in over a week!" Edith exclaimed. She finally noticed me. "Is she why?" she asked, raising one eyebrow. "Welcome!" She hugged me too.

"I'm Lily," I introduced myself. "Sorry for coming at such a weird hour."

Edith gave Mike a look. "She's my girl," he said proudly, squeezing my waist. "My pretty flower."

I rolled my eyes. Here we go with the cheesy lines again. "It's nice to meet you," I gushed.

Edith gestured to the tables. "Pick a seat, have some food!" She poked Michael gently. "You're too skinny."

Mike pulled out a chair for me. I sat down and picked up a menu. "I'll just have a hot chocolate," I said. His eyes met mine over the menu. "Am I your hot chocolate?" he whispered seductively, a joking glint in his eye. I snorted with laughter. "That was the worst pick-up line I've ever heard!"

Michael bit his lip and shook his head. "I'll have the usual." Edith nodded. She disappeared into the kitchen behind the counter.

I leaned across the table. "Does she not sleep?" I muttered.

Mike laughed. "She likes the night shift. It's quiet," he explained. I noticed he wasn't looking at my face. Looking down, I realized he was staring down my shirt. I sat back in my chair, crossing my arms over my chest. "You're such a pig sometimes," I scoffed. He smirked.

Edith returned with two mugs. I took mine and sipped at it half-heartedly. Michael set down his tea. "Are you still upset?" I put my head in my hands. "Yes. I can't sleep. The dream will just come back," I whimpered.

He held my hand. "You have to sleep eventually. Just remember that I'm right here with you."

We both finished our drinks and started to leave. Mike left a large wad of the cash on the counter, pushing me out the door before he was denied of his extra-generous tip. "You know what would really get your mind off the dream?"

"What?" I wasn't ready for any more middle of the night adventures in the city tonight.

"Sex."

I looked at him. "When did you get so addicted?" I questioned.

"When you came back," Michael confessed. He winked at me. While I struggled to keep my hands off him long enough to do things, he just had to go and say stuff like that.

I winked right back. "Maybe when we get to the room..."