One (A Michael Jackson Fan Fiction)

Chapter 11

One week and two cities later, we found ourselves in Paris. At around noon, there was a knock at the door. I peeked outside through the peephole and found nobody there. Sign number one that mischief was commencing. After deciding nobody would come into view, I opened the door. Sitting on the floor were two nerf guns and a box full of amo; a note written on a small post-it sitting on top. It read:

Management said no to water guns. This was the next best thing. You know where to find me.

"Hey Teagan?" I called.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Got your key?" I returned

"Yeah. why?" Teagan's curiosity grew.

"Come on." I answered, opening the door further and handing her a gun. "We'll load up on the way."

Teagan followed me out the door and I gave her a handful of extra amo. We left the box behind, stuffing our pockets and guns with whatever amo we could. As the elevator doors opened to his floor, a foam bullet soared past our heads. I ducked out of the way, grabbing it from the ground before the elevator doors closed it away for good. Teagan and I bolted around the corner, looking for some sort of protection. We didn't know how many we were against or where they were.

"Cover me." I commanded and she nodded. I slipped from behind the corner and inched down the hall as Teagan's gun aimed beyond at whatever threat may appear. My heart was racing the whole way there but luckily, I reached the next alcove before anyone else fired. To my surprise, Karen already waited there.

"Oh good, reinforcements." She smiled. "They're in the next one."

I pressed my back against the wall taking a deep breath before looking around the corner to check the hall once more. It still appeared clear so I waved Teagan forward. She krept towards me, army crawling on the floor as I kept watch ahead. Suddenly Siedah jumped out, firing a round at Teagan and she was lost. I shot back, taking out the singer as Bush and Michael bolted for Michael's hotel room. The diversion was a success and they managed to get inside before the bullets struck the wall.

Karen and I looked at each other, eyebrows raised in confusion as the sound of shuffling and banging came from behind the door. After a moment, it slowly pried open and the two Michaels emerged, using the mattress as a shield. They pressed forward, guns resting on top to defend the bed tank they had created.

"CHEATERS!" Karen shouted and Michael giggled from behind the mattress.

"I say we charge." I suggested. "Jump the barrier and take them out."

Karen nodded and we waited for them to get as close as we dared to let them. The shorter the distance we had to run, the better. When the moment was right, we sprinted around the corner, dodging the bullets that flew. One struck Karen in the chest and she fell to the floor, giving in, but I launched over the mattress, running up the surface and landing on the other side. They were too astonished to react so I used their hesitation to take both of them out and the game was finished.

"VICTORY!" I yelled and everyone got up, laughter in our hearts.

"If this were a water balloon fight, we would have won." Michael stated.

"I'm sure you would have. But this one, you didn't and I intend to relish in our glory." I returned.

"I want a rematch." he complained.

"So do I." Teagan joined in. "I only lasted like ten seconds."

Teams were switched up and we tried again. Three rounds were had and Michael won two of them. By the end we were all practically panting on the floor, exhausted from the day's fun, but as all good things, this too had to come to an end. We parted ways for dinner and didn't see each other until the show the next day.

My sister had landed in Paris that morning, using the show as an excuse to go on vacation. She met me around back at the end with a pass that my stage manager had given her. I greeted her with a hug and smiled at the young child that stood beside her; my niece. The girl had just turned five.

"It's great to see you, Quinn." She smiled, pulling away from my embrace.

"You too, Ash. How have things been?" I asked.

"They've been good. We just moved in to the new house so it's been pretty hectic. I imagine you've been busy too with all this." She said, gesturing to the chaos around us.

"It's been an adventure." I replied, snagging Teagan by the arm as she passed. She recovered from the shock of being pulled from her course and straightened up. "Ash, this is Teagan. Teagan, this is my sister Ashley and her daughter, Sage." I introduced and the pair shook hands before Teagan continued on to the task she was given.

"Do I not get an introduction?" Michael's voice intruded. Ashley's eyes widened as he approached, ever so slightly star struck.

"You don't need one." I scolded, but introduced him anyway. His smile brightened as he greeted Sage.

"Let's go get some snacks while these two catch up." he offered, picking the child up and carrying her off. Ashley moved to protest but I placed my hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"You can trust him." I promised. "Come on, let me show you around." Ashley looked back towards Michael and Sage who were approaching the table of snacks then reluctantly accepted.

As we wrapped back around to where we began, discussing missed events and probable futures, Sage ran up to her mother with a fist full of chocolates, Michael walking with a grin behind her.

"Sage." Ashley scorned. "You don't need all of this chocolate."

"But her having it contains one of the greatest lessons we can learn from children." Michael defended. "Children don't get caught up on whether or not they should eat something like we do. They just simply enjoy it; this moment of now. We can't go through life always looking at the complications. Sometimes, life just wants to be lived." Sage shoved a treat in her mouth and smiled a toothy grin, a few of the teeth missing from the rows. "And look at that smile... It is the smile of pure divinity."