26th of November, 1996
Brooklyn and Janet are 30, Michael is 38

Janet: "Come on, Jan, just take the damn picture." Brooke rolled her eyes.

"Michael is coming home in a month, he'll see your bump then. Why do you have to keep sending him pictures?" I whined.

"Because, Janet, I want him to see every week when he's away. It grows, you know."

I groaned and clicked the button, snapping a picture of her exposed stomach.

She just started her seventh month, which meant good news. But it also meant more hormones, more back aches, and more complaining. Was I this annoying when I was pregnant?

"Thank you." she smiled, taking the camera from me.

She took a seat on her bed and sighed.

"Mommy!" Kate's shriek was heard.

It was followed by another kid's scream. Both Kate and Benjamin ran into the bedroom, a smile on their faces.

"Benjamin, what are you doing here?" Brooke asked, interrupting their little tag game.

"My mommy brought us." he answered.

"I can go kick her out." I whispered to my best friend.

She shook her head, "No, it's fine. I'll go talk to her."

Brooklyn got up carefully and left the bedroom.

"Katie, why don't you show Benjamin your toys?" I suggested.

"Otay, mommy!" she nodded, pulling on Ben's hand.

~

Brooklyn: Lisa Marie looked around the living room, mostly at pictures of Michael and I and our families that sat neatly on the piano.

I cleared my throat, making her turn around to face me.

"Where's Riley?" I asked.

"Outside, playing." she answered, staring at my bump.

I nodded, "I thought I made it clear that I don't want you in my house."

"Well, I'm here. I doubt you're gonna do anything to get me out."

"I called security on your husband, what makes you think I won't do the same for you?"

"Because you won't." she stated, smirking.

Lisa took a seat on the couch and bit her lip.

"How many week in are you?" she questioned.

"Twenty-seven. Why do you care?" I said, skeptical.

"You have to stop thinking I'm this evil bitch that's after you." she rolled her eyes.

"I don't think you really showed me otherwise, Lisa. Now seriously, what do you want?" I said.

"Shouldn't you be sitting down? Michael told me you're in bedrest."

I raised my eyebrows, "You talk to Michael?"

"Of course, all the time." she said like it was obvious.

I was ready to choke her, but I held myself back. I couldn't let her get to me.

I sat across from her and narrowed my eyes.

"There," I mumbled. "I sat down. Tell me what you want, Lisa."

"I just wanted to see how you're doing. Maybe talk."

I raised my eyebrows. She can't be that bored.

"I'm serious. We can't be enemies forever. I am still staying here until my divorce is final, so why not try to be friends? For Michael." Lisa looked at me.

I snickered, "Why not? Because I think you tried to sabotage our marriage. To say I don't like you would be the nice version of what I really want to tell you."

"You have every right to be mad, but I think we can really be friends if we just try. There must be some things we have in common. After all, we did fall for the same man."

Wow, did she really have to bring that into the conversation?

"How can I know this isn't some plan of yours to ruin us again?" I asked.

"I have almost no interest in doing that. Really, I'm done with games. I've been accepting the fact that he will never be mine for the last two months. And last time I thought I could really convince him to fall for me. You were away and you just lost a child... But now, as you can see and feel, I can't compete with you. You're making his dream come true, I have no intention to ruin that dream." she smiled.

I looked down at my stomach and nodded.

Lisa Marie was convincing, but I still had my doubts.

"I'm giving you a chance. I swear, Lisa, if you take this as an opportunity to do something, you'll regret it," I warned. "And we'll never be able to be 'friends'. Like I said, I don't like you."

"Fair enough. I deserve it." she sighed.

I groaned when the baby inside me started his daily routine of kicking the hell out of me. It also felt like he gained two pounds over night, making my back ache worse.

But I was glad that I made it this far into the pregnancy... I could've never imagined this would happen.

"Is he kicking?" Lisa asked, snapping me from my thoughts.

"Oh, yeah."

"Can I feel?"

I scoffed and wrapped my arms protectively around my bump.

"Don't push it, Presley." I murmured.

She raised her hands up in surrender, "I'll go look for my kids. See you around."

~

30th of November, 1996
Brooklyn and Janet are 30, Michael is 38

Michael: "Mike, you got more pictures from Brooke! And she's on the phone!" Brandon knocked on my suite door.

I ran to the door, almost yanking it open.

"Here, and here." he said, putting an envelope in one of my hands, and his phone in the other.

"Thanks." I mouthed before pressing the phone against my ear.

"Don't forget we're leaving in thirty minutes for the sho-" before Brandon could finish, I slammed the door shut.

"You little..." I heard him say.

"Michael?" Brooke's soft voice came through.

"Hey, babe." I smiled, sat down on a couch, and opened the envelope that had my name written on it neatly.

"Did you get the pictures?" she asked excitedly.

"I'm opening them as we speak." I told her.

It was quiet on her end as I took the pictures out. I gasped, admiring her big bump. It looked like the baby grew so much since last week.

"Oh, my," I let out a whistle. "He's so big."

"You're telling me. He got heavier all of a sudden."

I went over the few pictures she sent, loving each and every one.

"I think I spotted a stretch mark." I joked.

"That's not even funny." my wife scoffed.

I chuckled, saving the moment. I was going to be a father, and the woman I love was going to give me a child. After everything we've been through, I couldn't be more thankful for some happiness in our lives.

"You know what I heard?" I questioned, putting the pictures on a table nearby. "That you and Lisa Marie became friends."

"Is that what she told you? Come on, you know me better. I am tolerating her presence, that's all. She's more of a frenemy than a friend. She suggested we'd get along since she's staying for a while, and all I did was agree."

"You don't sound too cheerful about it." I said.

Brooklyn groaned, "That's because your son is making my body ache."

"Would you like a massage when I come home for Christmas?" I offered.

"...Or maybe you can get me Gabriel as a present."

"You wish."

She burst into laughter, which made me join her. When our laughs died down, I couldn't help but have the biggest grin on.

"But seriously, baby, you sound irritated." I urged.

"Your mother invited Joseph for dinner... And my dad.... And Marie."

"Oh."

"Yeah. You know I don't mind Joseph and dad, I'm even delighted to see them... But it feels like Marie is trying too hard. Can't she understand that I don't want her in my life?"

"Did you tell her that?" I asked, playing with the fabric of my pants.

"I thought that not giving her any attention made it clear enough." she answered.

I rolled my eyes, "When did that ever work out for you? Talk to her."

"But-"

"Talk to your mother, Brooklyn."

She huffed but stayed quiet.

"Brooke." I called.

"What?" she questioned, obviously annoyed.

"If you were willing to tolerate Lisa, you should try doing the same with your mother." I told her.

"That's a whole different thing, Michael," she said. "I might be able to forgive Lisa for what she did... But Marie left me, my brother, and my dad, alone. I never knew her until she showed up last year. What mother abandons her children like that?"

I was hoping she might work out things with her mother after what happened to Chris, I thought his passing might bring them closer. But I was wrong, Brooke wanted nothing to do with her.

I rubbed my face, "Babe, talk to her. If not for yourself, then for baby Michael. Don't you think he deserves at least a grandmother, after losing an uncle?"

"Don't start, Michael. I don't want her in my life, and definitely not in our baby's. He might deserve a grandma, but she doesn't deserve to be one. She wasn't there for me, why should I let her be there for my child?"

My wife had a point.

"Okay, if that's what you want. I'm not here to fight with you," I said, looking at the clock on the wall. "I gotta go, babe. It's show time. I love you."

"I love you more, Mike. Have fun." Brooklyn sighed and hung up.

I took another look at the pictures of her, then got up just in time for Brandon to start knocking on my door.

~

Janet: "He got the pictures." Brooke smiled and put the phone back.

"Good, now, get your pregnant ass in the shower and get ready for dinner with our parents." I ordered.

"Ugh, don't remind me. I can't believe I have to see my mother, again," she groaned. "Could you please call Lisa and invite her and the children as well? The more people to distract me from Marie, the better. Her number is in the first drawer in my nightstand."

I nodded, though I hated the fact that this whole "friendship" of theirs was happening.

She used to hate Lisa. Like, really despise her. Just last week we were gossiping about her, saying how trash this woman is.

Brooklyn stepped into the bathroom, giving me time to call her so-called friend.

I didn't tell her, but I had a bad feeling about this whole thing. Lisa was up to something... For sure.

"Hello?" Lisa's annoying voice asked.

"Lisa, it's Janet," I said. "Brooke invited you for dinner."

"Wow, that's refreshing to hear."

"Don't get too excited, she just wants a distraction from her mother." I rolled my eyes.

"Do I hear jealousy in your voice, Janet?" she chuckled.

"Go fuck yourself, Lisa. Dinner's in an hour." I mumbled and hung up.

Damn, she gets on my nerves.

I let Brooke have her time while showering, so in the meantime I looked for my daughter so I could get her ready.

~

"Ben!" Katie squealed, hugging Lisa's son.

I sighed as mother greeted her kindly, though I knew that just like me, she didn't like Lisa.

They even hugged, but I had my limits.

"Where's Brooke?" she asked.

"I'll go see if she's ready." I mumbled, going up the stairs of Neverland.

As I walked into the master bedroom I heard my best friend's frustrated groans from her closet room.

"What's wrong now?" I said, leaning against the door frame.

Brooke looked at me, her nose scrunched, "Nothing fits, Jan. I've tried dresses, jeans, tops, but nothing, and I bought clothes two weeks ago! I am not having dinner in sweatpants."

"I can go get you some maternity clothes from my house." I told her.

I kept all of the clothes I had from Kate's pregnancy, in case, God forbid, Brandon knocks me up again.

"Please." she begged.

"I'll grab my keys and go. But you're gonna sit down."

She nodded and took a seat on the bed.

~

Brooklyn: As I waited for Janet to return, I organized a little album that I had done with the pictures I've been taking of my baby bump.

It was a little Christmas present I was making for Michael. I was planning to keep adding pictures of every passing week, then when the baby's born, and when he's one year old, and so on.

When I reached the picture of the 23rd week, baby Michael started kicking again.

"Why aren't you restless? Come on, give mommy a break." I whined as I rubbed my stomach.

"It's so overwhelming to see you pregnant." I heard Marie's voice, making me snap my head towards the bedroom door.

"What are you doing here, Marie?" I questioned, annoyed.

"I came to have a talk with you-" she started saying, but I cut her off,

"No, what are you really doing here? Why are you back after so many years? Why are you trying to work out things with us?"

"Because your father's illness effected me." my mother said.

I had to snicker at that. She was basically saying that she returned just because dad is sick.

"Whatever, Marie."

"Um, Michael called me earlier... He told me you wanted to talk to me." she shifted her weight from one leg to another awkwardly.

I'm gonna kill him.

"My husband says a lot of things that aren't true." I murmured.

Marie sighed, "Honey, please, I'm just trying to work things out with you. I want to be your mother."

"I don't want you to work out things with me. You should've done that a long time ago. You should've been my mother when I actually needed a mother."

"Everyone needs a mother, at any time, Brooklyn."

"I have a mother figure, Marie, and that's not you. Katherine was always there for me. She's here for me now, she's taking care of me. You, on the other hand, left me when I was just a little girl." I told her.

She looked down in shame. She should feel shameful about what she did.

I can't believe my mother really thought I'd just forgive her.

"Brooke, I'm back!" Janet announced, showing up behind Marie.

Thank God for Janet.

She had a big bag filled with clothes in her hand as she stepped into the room.

"You can go now, Marie." I snapped.

I heard her sigh again before passing Janet.

I was on the verge of tears, and my best friend saw it clearly.

"Don't let her get to you, Brooke. If she wanted to be your mother she could have, but she chose not to. Don't mind her," she said, sitting down next to me and rubbing my knee slightly. "Now come pick something to wear."

I nodded and she helped me up. Janet's taste in clothes was the best, so it took me no time to find me something pretty.

~

Joseph and dad hugged me slightly, both probably afraid of getting too close to my baby bump.

"Oh, my God, sweetheart, this baby got so big." my dad laughed, taking a good look at my stomach.

"Daddy." I whined, not wanting a reminder of how big I actually was. I could barely see my toes now.

"What? I'm just pointing out the truth."

Joseph smiled at us. Ever since Destiny's pregnancy he's been the most supportive father-in-law there is. Even Michael got a bit more closer to him in these past five years. It took him some time to forgive him, but eventually did.

"Dad, Joseph, this is Lisa Marie Presley." I said, introducing them to Lisa who stood next to Katherine awkwardly, with her children.

"We know." they said simultaneously, in a harsh tone.

"Why don't we all sit down?" Katherine suggested.

"Yeah, I'm starving." I said, going into the dining room.

Everyone sat around the table, and started digging into the delicious food Katherine made.

I looked at Marie, who hadn't said a word since we had our talk.

"So, do you have a name for my grandson, Brooklyn?" Joseph asked, taking a bite from the salad.

"Well, once we found out it's a boy, I, uh, thought of putting Chris's name in his... But, considering this is Michael's first son, he's gonna be Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr." I answered, the smile probably clear on my face.

Katherine's eyes lit up, "Really?"

I nodded, my smile getting bigger.

"Does Michael know?"

"Nope, I'll tell him when he comes home for Christmas."

"Sweetheart, that's great. I can't wait to meet him." dad said.

"Um, Josh, I think I'll be heading home." Marie cleared her throat.

"What, why?" he frowned.

"I don't think I'm wanted here." she whispered, standing up.

My dad pulled her hand, "No, don't go. Brooklyn, tell your mother to stay."

I looked down, speechless. Dad knew I wasn't going to say anything.

"See, Josh? She doesn't want me here. She doesn't even want to hear about me."

"Don't act like you're the one hurt from this, Marie. I have every right not to want anything to do with you. It was you who abandoned me, not the other way around." I spat.

"Brooklyn." dad had a warning tone.

"What, dad? What did you expect, that she'd come back and everything would be alright? News flash, this woman means nothing to me! I hate her, and there's nothing you can do to about it!" I raised my voice a bit.

"Brooke. Calm down. This isn't good for you." Janet put a hand on mine.

I sighed, leaning back in my chair. No stress.

Marie picked up her purse and left quietly. Dad followed her, giving me a disappointed look on the way out.

I put my face in my hands and let out a groan.

"Katherine, do you mind if I go to bed?" I questioned.

"Of course not, honey. I'll get you a plate upstairs as soon as we're finished." my mother-in-law smiled.

"Thank you."

I hurried to disappear into my bedroom and lock the door before bursting into tears.

A knock on the door was heard, followed by Lisa's voice. "Brooke?"

"Lisa, go away." I mumbled into my pillow.

Michael's had his scent on it, making me miss him more than I already did.

~

This was basically a filler, so I'm sorry if you found a bit boring!

~ShoamEmily