Return II

Chapter 26

Michael's POV

Everyone in our family surrounds Natalie in her room. Crying, laughing, joking around. I don't know how they did it, but they somehow convinced the nurses to let all of us back here at once. I guess that if it is what the patient wants, it's what the patient will get.

"How have you been feeling, sis?" Paris asks. Natalie nods with a smile. She reaches her hand out to her sister, and Paris takes it as she sits at the foot of her bed. I look over at Prince and Blanket, who are sitting on either side of Taryn across the room.

"When can she come home?" Paris asks and I shrug. 

"Shouldn't be too long, now." Ainsley's voice fills the room silencing everyone else's as she makes her way in through the large crowd that is our family.

"I'd give it a couple days, and she'll be good as new." Ainsley says.

"Hey, Ainsley!" I call with a smile and she smiles, opening her arms out to me. I stand from my youngest daughter's bed and embrace her. "Will you call my make up artist?" I whisper and she nods. "Anything for you, Michael." she says and I thank her.

Three taps sound at the door and everyone's heads snap in the direction of it. A young nurse, Grace, perhaps, walks in with a smiling face. Behind her is a man and another woman. Grace closes the door behind her and my heart pounds rapidly against my chest. I did not have time to cover my face.

I quickly turn in the other direction to face away from Grace in hopes of not being seen, and try to breathe steadily. Grace greets Ainsley, who taps my shoulder and tells me everything's alright. I turn around slowly and Grace smiles at me.

"It's okay," Grace says and I slowly turn around. "we already know... Michael." 

"Your secret is safe with us, man." the man says, walking toward my bed. "I'm Chris," he says, holding out his hand. "I'm a huge fan of yours." 

"Me too." Grace says with a smile.

"Make me the third in agreement," the other woman says. "I'm Janine, by the way."

I smile nervously and look around the room at my family. Their mouths are still hanging wide open in shock. I don't know if I can trust these people. 

"I already knew, anyway." Grace explains and I snap my head in her direction. Ainsley's eyes widen and she looks about the room aimlessly. "When I saw Blanket I put the pieces together. I knew he looked familiar." Grace finishes and my heart continues pounding.

I have soon forgotten that I am in hiding. I am dead to the world, and I need to keep it that way; for now, at least.

I look at Blanket from across the room and he shakes his head. He stands from his seat and walks over to Natalie, sitting next to her and across from me. I sigh and turn back to Grace. 

"I just want us all to go home." I explain

"Okay, Michael." Janine says. "Natalie is released in three days. We just need to keep an eye on her for the next couple days and make sure she's perfectly healthy and continues responding to treatment." I turn back to my youngest daughter, patting her leg as she smiles at me. That day cannot come soon enough.

I don't know if Grace or anyone else at the hospital will keep my secret from the outside world. It scares me that they know.. If the world finds out that I am alive, I will be in grave danger.

Then again if they do tell people, the world may think they are crazy fans who want to believe whatever the internet tells them. I saw all the conspiracy theory videos on YouTube. Some are true, and some are not. I mentally slapped myself when I saw the ones that are true, because my guards were not secure enough when they should have been.

When Natalie healthy enough to leave the hospital, I may just have to go back to Spain. I don't want to leave her after she is discharged when she has the chance to get to know me and actually spend time with me, and vise versa. I love my family and I want to stay here with them forever; until I actually die, but I don't know if I can. It's just too dangerous.

"Can my family stay here with me?" Natalie asks and Grace half smiles.

"Hospital policy is that only two close friends or family members can stay per patient, but we can probably make an exception." Grace says and I mentally praise her.

"Thank you." I say and she nods, standing from the foot of my bed. 

"Perks of being Michael Jackson." Natalie says and everyone laughs.

"We'll leave you to your rest now." Chris says and Natalie nods. "Evening." he says, I assume to the rest of my family. I listen as many footsteps tread out of the hospital room and I'm thankful that they're all finally gone. 

Part of me wanted them to stay here, because I know that they are going to be obligated to talk about how The Michael Jackson is at their hospital, but they promised me that they wouldn't say a word, and they have to keep that promise. I need them to.

...

Taryn's POV

"It's getting late." I say and everyone nods. A few yawns come from everyone in the room.

"Do you want anyone to stay with you tonight, baby?" I ask and Natalie nods at a very quick pace. I proceed to ask her who, and she looks at her father. Anyone could have guessed that that is who she would have picked of anyone for sure.

Michael smiles and looks up at me as I stand next to him above Natalie's bed.

"You can have two other people, darling. Or is that all you want for tonight?" I ask and my daughter nods, staring at her father with a wide smile on her face.

"That's all I want for tonight," she says. "We have a lot of catching up to do."

"We're gonna head out," Jermaine says. "I'm glad to see you're feeling better, sweetheart." All of the Jackson brothers and two sisters agree, and after a few short minutes, the only people left in the room are Katherine, Joseph, the kids, Michael, and myself.

"We'll see you tomorrow, darling. Y'all catch up lots now." Katherine says. Her, Joseph, and the other three kids hug and kiss Natalie goodnight before leaving. I do the same, then finally force myself out of the room, leaving Natalie alone with her long lost father.