One Tough Love

The End

A few weeks after the shooting, Michael and I returned home. We decided to spend some time in Indiana with his family where we knew for a fact we'd be safe but we couldn't hide out there for too long. Once back in California, Michael hired more men to patrol the perimeter of the house. Things seemed to have gone back to normal until we started receiving threatening phone calls. Unaware of where or who they were coming from, we changed the number multiple times but then started getting letters in the mail. Whoever was doing it wanted both Michael and I dead but I'm not quite sure why.

Over the past few months, both Michael and I racked up a few hundred thousand dollars. Business was great and we were truly flourishing. The only problem was, who's after us?

"Hey, love!" Michael greeted me as he walked down the stairs and over to where I was. He plopped down on the couch next to me and rested his head on my shoulder. "How you feeling?"

"Fine," I smiled, kissing the top of his head. "Sorry I wasn't there when you woke up, I just couldn't sleep."

"Still having nightmares?" He asked, looking up at me.

"No, not anymore." I replied. "I've just been trying to figure out who's bad side we got on."

"Hey," He said turning around to face me. He cupped my face in his hands and held my gaze. "Don't worry about it. I have people working all over to help figure out who's doing this."

"How can I not worry?" I asked, standing up. "Did you forget that quick what happened only a FEW weeks ago??"

"No, I-" He started but I swiftly cut him off.

"Forget it," I snapped. "I'll let you handle it."

I stormed upstairs to our bedroom and slammed the door behind me. How could he possibly handle something that he wasn't even here to witness? I layed in bed still pondering everything that's been going on and i drifted off to sleep.

After sleeping for what seemed like hours, i finally awoke to the setting of the sun. I walked over to the curtains to shut them when I saw Michael talking to an unfamiliar man out in the garden. I cracked the door but i wasn't able to make out what was being said. Whatever it was, it was upsetting Michael.

"Bet you're wondering why he's so upset." A familiar voice from behind spoke up. I turned around to see Raé standing just a few feet behind me.

"Raé..?" I breathed. "When did you-?"

"Nevermind that!" She interrupted. "I'm here because I'm upset. I'm upset because you took something of mine."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, confused as to what she was talking about.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about!" She hissed. "You killed my boyfriend and now I'm going to take something away from you."

Before I could get another word out, several shots rang out through the air.
I ran on to the balcony and screamed. Michael was laid out on the ground in a puddle of blood. I ran past Raé who tried to grab me but i pushed her out the way and headed out to where Michael was. The man who shot him was nowhere around and Michael was struggling to get up.

"Michael!!!" I yelled.

"I'm okay," He breathed. "I just-"

He flopped back down and took a deep breath. I pulled him up so that his head was craddled in my arms as my hands searched for the wounds.

"Kennedy, listen to me," He whispered. He was almost inaudible but he still managed to speak with as much authority as possible. "You need to grab everything and go."

"No. Im not leaving you." I protested, as i pressed down on an open wound. "I'm staying right here."

"You have to leave. It's not safe for you here anymore. I already have a passport and a bank account set up for you overseas. Bill has already packed a bag for you, all you need to do is gather what's left of my money and go. Please." He explained.

"No, Michael, I'm not going-" I started to say but was cut off.

"I'm not asking you, Kennedy, I'm telling you!!" He expressed.

"Please don't make me go..." I cried.

"I promise you, I'll be okay. I love you so much and I promised you that I'd keep you safe."

We stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Every emotion in my body, even ones i didn't even know I had, came pouring out my eyes. Although I should've been the one comforting him, he was comforting me. I loved him with everything in me so i knew what he was telling me to do would be in my best interest. I wiped away my tears and pulled out my phone to call 911.

"911 what's your emergency?"

"I need an ambulance, someone's been shot."

"Are they still breathing? Is there a heartbeat?"

"Yes."

"Help is on the way"

"Thank you."

I let out a deep sigh and looked back down at Michael.

"You better be joining me soon or I swear to God Michael Joe..." I pressed before getting choked up.

"We'll be together again, I promise." He smiled. "We have soo many unfinished projects."

"We do, don't we." I responded back with a slight smile.

I leaned down and kissed his lips for what felt like would be the last time. Crying, I broke away and left him. I ran upstairs and throughout the rest of the house, gathering money from all of the hididng spots before running out to the car to meet Bill. We pulled out the driveway and out the gate, passing up paramedics and police who had arrived just in time.

Before i knew it, I was sitting on a private jet Michael had bought a while back, awaiting take off. As I looked out the window, my eyes began to water as i started rethinking the first few days Michael and I met up until this very moment. I hadn't realized I had started crying again until Bill broke me out of my trance.

"Mrs. Jackson, I know it may seem like this is the end, but i assure you....this is just the beginning." He smiled. "I promise you, it'll be just fine!"

"What, did Michael teach you to make promises you can't keep or?" I replied with a hit of sarcasm.

"No," He chuckled. "He actually taught me how to follow through on a promise, any promise, I make to you."

"Sounds like Michael." I laughed, my eyes welling up again.

As Bill turned to walk away and take his seat, he turned around and there was a sparkle in his eyes. The same sparkle Michael got when he was up to no good. "This is the beginning of something great, Ms. Kennedy."

It was as if Michael was talking through him. I looked at him for a moment and realized this was Michael. He was clearly working on something bigger, something he planned for awhile.

"We'll be together again, I promise." He smiled. "We have soo many unfinished projects."

He made me another promise, a promise he knew not to make unless he could keep it. That's when i knew, without a shadow of a doubt, we'd be together very soon.

I turned to look back out the window as we began to take off. This time I was smiling.

This was the end of something big, but the beginning of something even greater.

"See you soon."

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