Ever Victorious (A Michael Jackson Tale)

Rescue

Maria's P.O.V

I had slipped out of the hotel and was making my way across the car park, although I couldn't see entirely well with my blurry vision. I wiped the cooled tears from my cheeks. Just the thought of him made my heart bleed. I couldn't face him in that state so I backed out and left before he answered the door.

I guess I was a coward as well as a psycho now.

I couldn't believe how much I had lost in a space of a week or so. I had lost my home, my job, the children I cared about and even the love of my life. Now I was starting to lose my sanity.
It's funny how you only realise what things mean to you when they're gone, and I had took it all for granted.

Suddenly a car horn blared into my ears making me swivel round. I instantly recognised the familiar red Aston Martin.
But instead of walking towards it, I turned on my heels and walked the other way.

"M! HEY! WAIT UP!" I could hear Jack calling to me, his running footsteps getting louder. I stopped and decided I was being cruel, so I gave in and walked slowly over to him. He was bent double, panting.

"Oh my god M I'm so unfit"
"What do you want" I snapped. I wasn't in the mood for him.
"Hey girl, chill out. I was just wondering if you were okay you know? I saw it all on the news and I immediately came here to look for you, isn't that what friends do?"
"Oh so you're my friend are you? I'm sorry I must have missed that when you ditched me the other night"

He looked hurt. Good, now he knew how I felt.

"Woah M, that's a bit below the belt, you knew I had a meeting that night, and if you recall correctly, you told me that a certain Michael Jackson was going to pick you up?"

My heart froze as I heard his name.

"When were you gonna tell me, huh Maria? If I knew you were in danger I would never have left you! I saw it on the TV, how do you think that made me feel, knowing my best friend didn't trust me? And then I go to the hospital thinking you'd be there and they say you quit? You didn't have to do that, I would have helped you"
"You couldn't have helped me Jack, I would have had to quit either way"
"What? What are you talking about?"
"I'm pregnant..."
His mouth dropped open "it's not.... it's not Michael's is it?"

I laughed. "What so you think I'm that f*cking easy right? Beautiful. Just great, why don't you all just throw more labels at me? I'm an alcoholic, a liar, a psycho, a good-for-nothing sleaze, what else? You know what? F*ck you, I didn't ask for any of this! I just wanted to be normal and live a normal f*cking life with a job, a home, a boyfriend maybe? It's not too much to ask is it? But no I just get all this crap instead, just because I decided it would be a good idea to go to a damn concert with some kids! And now the only thing I have left is this unborn burden left by my sick, perverted ex boyfriend who is going to grow up wondering why I can't look it in the face. I don't want this-this thing inside me, I quit because they told me that I was a child obsessed freak! How can I be a mother to a kid like this?!"

I couldn't believe what I had said, I regretted it as soon as it left my mouth. I put my hand on his shoulder. "Jack... I'm sorry..."

Jack pulled me into a hug I didn't want and sighed.
"M, I'm so sorry babe, you didn't have to go through that alone, in fact at all. Why do you push everyone away? You did the same with your dad, when we're just trying to help you. Please, let me help you, don't push me away too"

We were interrupted by the sound of sirens. Jack looked in the direction of the hotel and his eyebrows furrowed.
"Wait... they got here pretty quick"
I peeked round him and saw the commotion for myself, paramedics were rushing into the building.
"What do you mean? What's going on?"
"I went in there to look for you and I overheard some chap on the phone asking for an ambulance not 10 minutes ago, said a gentleman had collapsed"

I felt my face turn white. "Collapsed? As in blacked out?"
He shrugged. "I'm not sure but trust me, ambulances don't get here that quick unless it's someone important, it's messed up but it's true"

Suddenly my legs were running, something inside me knew what was happening but my mind hadn't quite caught up. I felt a pulling on my arm and whirled around to see Jack shaking his head.
"M, stop! You can't just run over there, do you have any idea what people will say? I heard the crap on the news girl, it ain't good. They wouldn't let you near him anyway, you're not his family"

The ambulance was being loaded, but I couldn't quite see enough to tell who it was, but my heart already knew.

"Let go! Please I need to get to him!"
"Just get in the car, M, please just for once in your life think rationally, I will drive you there if you want"

I was already getting in the car as he finished his sentence.

"Jack you better not have just been showing off the other night. You better break a few laws right now"
He smirked at me as we belted up "Hold on tight then, it may get a little bumpy"

I looked at him "Thank you, I'm sorry I pushed you away"
He shrugged at me and smiled "Good job I came to the rescue then"

Jack thrusted the car into gear and peeled away in the direction of, not the hospital I was so familiar with, but the general hospital across town. We got out of the car park just before the ambulance pulled out, we had to get there before he did if I was to stand any chance of seeing him before the press swarmed.

I gripped the seat as we went through a red light, suddenly aware of Jack's reckless driving. I just hoped we'd all get there alive.

Michael's P.O.V

I opened my eyes and was greeted with nothing but fuzzy outlines. My body shook, and I suddenly recognised the sensation as my vision cleared and sounds hit my ears. I could hear a siren that was all too close to me, but muffled as if it was on the outside of this...

I suddenly knew where I was. Memories flooded back to me as I remembered the pain I had felt the last time I was in one of these. An ambulance.

Then I started to panic.

I felt a pressure on my face but I couldn't move my arms to take it off. I was trapped. I felt very claustrophobic and my heart quickened as I moved my head to the side. Then a familiar voice cut through my thoughts
"Hey doc, he's awake!" It was Matt, but I was facing the medic instead. He looked at me and nodded.

"Mr Jackson, can you hear me?"
I made a feeble nod, I tried my best to keep composure, when was I going to get out of there?
"Good. Okay Mr Jackson sir, you collapsed in your hotel room and are currently making your way to hospital. You're friend here, Matt, he called us. We're going to take you through some tests but now you're awake, you should be relieved to hear that you won't be with us for too long. Try not to panic, it's not good for your blood pressure sir. Deep breaths, you're going to be okay"

Easy for you to say, I thought. I looked over at Matt, who gave me a weak smile, but it didn't comfort me much.

I was thankful he had come to my rescue since I had pushed him away earlier. The concert must have taken its toll on my body, but it was odd, I had only done one show, my body was more than used to it. There was something strange about all this, and it wasn't helping me to remain calm.

My body shook as I was unloaded from the ambulance, a flock of medics all too keen to meet me, just like the last time. I closed my eyes, not wanting to look at their greedy eyes. I knew what they wanted, an autograph, a photo, anything to make them feel important. But then I guess I was used to that too.

After their overly thorough checks, they finally left me alone on a secluded ward. I finally had time to think.

I heard a door open and close. I looked away and out the window.
"Can I just have a moment, please? I'm real exhausted, I'm sorry"

I felt a warm hand on mine. "I'm sorry too, Michael"
I turned and was immediately taken by her beautiful blue eyes.

Maria.

*