 
### Passion over Presley

Written and Published by: Rachel Martin

Published by J&R Publications

Copyright 2012 Rachel Martin

Smashwords Edition

This Book is dedicated with Love To:

My family and to

~Myles and Jared, My Inspiration~
Presley

Presley's mother always told him that despite his continuous experiences with failure, he would never learn. "Nice guys always finish last, Presley." She told his father the same phrase the day he left home for the last time. Presley would sit on the porch watching his father slurp down the second, then third bottle of gin and toss the trash on the front lawn. The bottles sat on the grass scattered and complacent, as if they were meant to be there. His father would just keep drinking until his mother's voice faded into the air.

"And you could take your son with you for once. John, that boy has been waiting to visit with you all day and you have yet to take him for a visit." She would always talk under her breath, loud enough for everyone to hear. To this day she did not stop to care who heard her mouthing off, as long as it was not a nun. Presley's father would chug his drink and fill his lungs to capacity and wave his hand around stumbling over the sidewalk.

Presley had hoped the man would come back this time, it was his usual routine. Even if it was for money and another round of physical fun with his wife, he would still come back. Not this time. And he certainly wasn't taking Presley anywhere with him, not even a discussion.

He would chuckle down the street yelling obscenities at his mother and Presley only watched in wonder from day to day at how his life functioned. It was a mutual agreement between the three of them. Dad would get drunk, mom would yell, dad would leave, mom would yell some more. Presley would wait, his father would eventually return, mom would give him some money, dad would get drunk and start the cycle over again.

That was 20 years ago, today Presley found him at the closest and cheapest funeral home in the city. All of his father's usual friends cluttered around John's dead body, as it lay in a closed casket full of embalming fluid and false glory. Presley's father was a figure to be recognized in these parts because there were other winos, but Drunk John was the worst addict. He would forget his own name from time to time, and even forget that Presley (his only son) even existed. John was only familiar with two things, drinking and cheating and it didn't really matter what order it came in.

Sometimes Presley found himself wondering how John didn't have a few fatherless children stashed around the funeral crowd. Unfortunately for Presley, the only bit of comfort he received was imagining his mother sitting beside him in the vacant space on the church pew. Presley could imagine her gritting those pearly white teeth, trying not to laugh at the "sorry excuse for half-a-man." She always knew how best to insult her husband, and taught everyone in the room how to do it correctly.

The crowd was small, consisting of haters and coworkers, John's usual women and the rest of them were his drinking partners. The elder yet obnoxious misfits all gathered around the funerals of their piers but neither one of them changed their ways afterward, deciding to live a decent life in memory of those that have passed. Instead these forty-something's would leave here and go celebrate John's death with more drunkenness, and then someone else would drop dead. Presley remained seated and nodded with the rest of the crowd as the uplifting sermon made the ice melt between the gatherers so that one and all could pay respects undeserved to a man Presley knew as father but not as family.

The reverend went on and on with his shenanigans, pretending to hold some spiritual TV show and did everything except backflip in front of the crowd. He preached for five minutes before sweat began to pour from his head and gather at the neck of his shirt. Then it was the finale of John's existence as a good man, Presley began his speech to ascend his father's soul.

"My father was a good man." It was the first line of his speech. Presley tilted the large glasses on the end of his nose and looked over the pulpit at the crowd still surprised so many cared enough to come. "My father was...a good person." Well hell this was going wonderful. "Honestly I don't know who the hell my father was. All I ever saw was the back of his head as he walked away or the bottom of a bottle as he chugged it down his throat." Presley looked up from the scribbled words, the lies he nearly told.

Presley could hear the silence in the room. Maybe the visitors were expecting a more fabricated speech. Presley looked around the room and noticed a beautiful familiar face. His heart began to speed up and his knees became a little weak. He finished the speech as quickly as possible and tossed a solid fist towards his father's coffin-a signal of triumph that his father would give him every day as he walked away from his responsibilities. There was a small yet strange applause and his eyes captured hers, then Presley led her outside the church to the front steps.

"Michelle!" Presley was so excited to see her that he threw his arms around her shoulders and hugged tightly. "I haven't seen you in a long time, what are you doing here?" Michelle smiled at him and tossed her hair to the back of her neck. She was skinny and her face looked rough, as if the world had gotten to her and spent more time beating her down rather than helping her up.

"I'm great Presley. I heard about your father threw the vine and, well I had to come. How are you?" She looked up at him and placed a hand on his arm in a comforting manner. It truly wasn't needed since Presley was not exactly grieving, but how could he ignore the gesture?

"I am fine Michelle. It wasn't totally unexpected. My father didn't take very good care of himself, and frankly my mother is turning over in her grave right now at how many people came to the funeral. Not even half of the people in there cared enough to yank that bottle from his lips." Presley sighed hard and looked away from her glancing towards the street. "My mother was an angel sometimes, and cared about her family before herself. No one came to her funeral, whereas my father treated us like dirt and he gets a going away party." Presley pulled his shades from a front pocket and jogged down the steps motioning for Michelle to follow.

Presley walked Michelle back to her car and waited for her to step inside. They began to talk about the good old days; it had been so long since the two enjoyed conversations with one another that Michelle decided on having dinner together before leaving for Memphis. It was a good feeling to know that she was happy and safe in a new homeland. Her past was also dark and unfortunate, but that didn't mean they had to show it or wear it like new high fashion clothes.

Michelle appeared happy, but Presley could easily tell when something was wrong with her. Michelle was the only thing to "family" that he had, and Presley would not let her leave without knowing how much he cared about their friendship. This was a quality he learned early, seeing as his father was always absent physically and mentally.

"I can meet up tomorrow around six. Does that sound good?" She said after stepping behind the wheel of her tiny car. Presley nodded and closed the door for her then waved her down the street. So many memories came into his head from seeing her face and he realized she was Presley's first love. Work seemed to keep piling up, and if he wanted some free time with Michelle it was time to wrap up the funeral and open his schedule.

Presley

The day was hot and long. Presley became accustomed to the heat the day the air conditioner went out at his mother's first apartment. She had resorted to ripping up all of their clothes and told him, "It's so you can breathe better." Presley had left that explanation alone. Yes, he was the laughing stock at school, and sometimes his favorite teacher Miss Riley would supply new clothes that he was only allowed to wear during school hours so his mother would not "fix" them also.

That is why Presley decided to go into the music business and eventually created his own fashion line under his label's title before moving to bigger business in music. Presley was tired of going to the store and finding pants that fit so tight around the crotch, trying on the clothes would give him diaper rash. Instead of buying the top brands of men's clothing Presley created a new line of men's fashion. Presley did not start out with a degree but instead worked himself up the ladder and in a very short amount of time made it big enough to go back for a degree in music arts.

Presley had a nice house, a nice car, and he could afford whatever was desired or needed on his current salary. Presley had a sizeable paycheck from sale, which was enough to purchase an uppity condo outside Beverly Hills, and his car could toot with the best BMW's around. Unlike the other people Presley knew, he lived in music.

Presley was not the best at singing, but he was good at critiquing. There's just something about talent and skill that drives his membranes wild. Presley loved finding talent and exploiting it for the big boys to rumble with, so his next business plan is to create his own production company and already was well on his way to succeeding. Sometimes he couldn't see the dead drop at the end of the road...so he just kept walking looking up instead of down.

Presley

Presley glanced down at the watch as the meeting with his subordinates concluded and closed the briefcase. Michelle said six pm, and Presley didn't want to be late. He was more than happy to meet up again after seeing her at the funeral. Michelle was beautiful, as she usually is but there was something else there.

Maybe her life had not gone the way she planned the day she left for Memphis, promising him a letter or two as she started college. He never saw a letter, not even a phone call for the past two years and wondered how she got the news about his father.

Presley charged down the stairs with a little pep in his step heading out of the office and to his car. What would she wear? Does she have a clue where he was taking her tonight? His intention was to make a good impression, and the first step was to have the car nicely washed, and the restaurant already reserved with the best seat in the house. Michelle always enjoyed Pasta, so he booked a spot at the Chef's table in the top Italian Restaurant in the city. He called her before pulling out of work and headed to her place to pick her up.

The moment he arrived at her house he knew she had changed. There was a cigarette in her mouth, something he had never seen her or any of her family members ever do before. She wore a short red dress with a rip at the bottom and her shoes were open toe and her hair was tossed to one side because of the wind.

When Michelle hopped into his car she smelled of booze and Stride Gum. He raised an eyebrow at her slightly wondering what happened to the girl he saw earlier. It was the same Michelle, but he was mesmerized by good memories that it completely clouded him from the truth of her appearance. She tossed the cigarette out of the window and coughed rubbing her hands together. Presley couldn't take her anywhere like that without Michelle feeling completely embarrassed.

"You want to just eat at my place? I can make lasagna." He smiled at her with a gulp and she nodded.

"Don't matter. You don't have a wife yet?" He looked over at her. He pulled out of her driveway and headed back to the Hills.

"No, I'm not married Michelle." He put both hands on the steering wheel feeling a bit uncomfortable.

"Well you don't have any kids?" She rolled down the automatic window and lit another cigarette.

He shook his head, as if she could hear his answer and turned on some music. She still liked Jazz, and also remembered all the stations pretty well. He was impressed that she had not entirely changed. She was the same Michelle. They chatted in the car on the way to his house, and he learned a few more interesting things about her.

After leaving for college she became mixed up into school and work that she had little time to herself. She was so determined to get her degree in nursing that she allowed her physical health decline to stretch a few more hours of studying in. Michelle was always the overachiever and their piers always admired her for it when they were younger.

After a year of overhauling in college Michelle dropped out and worked triple the hours to pay back her loans and keep her credit straight. Eventually the stress got to her and she had a nervous breakdown and ended up in the hospital for a month. The bills were enough to kill her poor mother with worry so Michelle was confronted by her father. He forced her back home to straighten out her life and despite his personal guidance she decided to leave on the first plain back to Memphis and her life of personal torture.

"I have nowhere else to go, and I refuse to move back in with my parents." She smacked her lips angrily over the cigarette and rested her head on the window.

An offer rolled rom Presley's tongue faster than his brain allowed him to think it through. "Stay with me." She giggled at Presley's comment and he repeated it looking from the road to her then back at the road. "I mean it Michelle. You can stay in the guest house. It's big enough to fit five of you."

Michelle chuckled enjoying the exaggerating remark, then sucked in the last puff of the cancer stick tossing it out of the window.

"Stop joking Presley. I have no business living with you because I am not the same person I used to be. I can't afford rent and all of that other stuff." She swallowed big and rubbed her exposed arms with her palms. How could Presley convince her with his words? He might as well show her since they were almost to his house by now anyway.

"Michelle I don't need any rent. I would prefer you live free, that way you have as much time and space as you need to get back on your feet and finish a valuable education. This is the prime of your life and the best place for you to be is with someone who can help you get your life back together. I can do that, and you know I appreciate helping my best friend." Presley looked over at her solemnly and continued driving.

They pulled up to the house and he parked underneath the elevated condo close to the stairs. The house was custom built and appeared to be floating in midair because the columns it was built on top of were hidden by shrubs and trees. He led Michelle under the house to the center where the staircase opened up to the front door in the center of the house. She was totally surprised by its size and held her mouth with one hand and examined the house in a quick turnaround of her shoes.

"Presley, this place is beautiful! How on earth can you afford this?" She walked ahead of him through all of the rooms and tapped the furniture as if making sure it was real. She galloped into the kitchen and swept her hands over the counter tops.

The smooth linoleum made her hands cold and she rubbed them together happily observing all the wonders the kitchen had in store. She opened the fridge and began to raid it savagely, and then found ice cream in the freezer. "Screw dinner. When can I move in?" She asked and he laughed at her.

_You can move in right now if it pleases you._ He wanted to open up the heavens for Michelle. Did she have any idea how much she was greatly missed in his life? How much he cared about her wellbeing? Presley wanted to give her everything her heart desired, and two years before when she desired to leave him for college he had to let go of the one person who had his heart since the death of his mother.

Michelle was more than a best friend. Presley had wonderful gifts in store and wanted her to enjoy every piece of life the Good Lord had to offer. He was tired of spending these spoils alone, and Michelle was the cure to his loneliness.

"We can arrange to have your stuff moved if that's what you need. I am sure you have to go back to Memphis for your things, and I can get the movers to help you out." Presley loosened his tie and text his agent to scratch the dinner reservations.

"My stuff can wait," Michelle replied. "Actually I don't need any of that stuff anyway since it could stay with my roommate. I have a few things at my parents' house." She laughed a little and stuck a spoon into the ice cream and ate out of the carton. He smiled.

"Fine with me, Michelle." Presley said and looked her up and down. He smiled to himself realizing that she was really here. There is no longer miles away from them, instead she stood only a foot away from him. The world became a little more kind now that she was back into his life, nothing else could make him prouder.

"Maybe we should hang out tomorrow. I can take the day off and show you around the hotpots and go shopping." He snapped his fingers at the idea and looked into her face. She nodded and picked up the ice cream carton exploring more of the house.

They decided to eat a little and watch a movie before heading back to her parent's house to get her stuff. Back at her place, her parents were eager to share with him all the latest news. They were both college professors and enjoyed conversing with him from time to time about the joys of American business success. He catered to their every whim, sharing all he could about his business and his future plans for the company.

Mr. and Mrs. Fontaine enjoyed Presley's company, ever since he was a kid walking Michelle to and from school every single day. He felt more their son, and they would agree he was more their child than Michelle was with all her wayward decisions that pulled her further and further from their approval.

After Michelle packed and they all said their goodbyes, she convinced him to stop at the closest market for some cheap tequila to celebrate whatever. She also bought three cartons of cigarettes and a large bottle of the cheapest vodka. She used her father's money for the purchase. If only he had seen the signs...

Presley

It had been two weeks since Michelle had moved into his guest home, and even though it was right behind his house, it became harder every day to see her face or hear her voice. Their shopping date went well, and he had not seen her since. After filling her closet with all the name brand fashions he tried his best to make her happy and didn't care how much it cost.

Presley had no children to save for, and no one special to share his spoils with so he was happy that Michelle indulged herself. He caught a glimpse of her after the shopping date, and she was nothing like the girl he had met at his father's funeral.

Michelle was eating more and talking less; she gained popularity quickly and made a few friends by returning to the mall day after day. She decided not to pick up a job and became really comfortable in the guest house, so much so that she even threw a party out there and had no intention of allowing Presley to chaperone. Had he not been so consumed with work, Presley would have tossed his responsibilities and partied with her till the sun came up, but someone had to work.

As time slowly went on he realized she was getting a little worse and a little distant. Michelle considered the guest house as her own and didn't seek his advice or input about any major decisions unless she needed money. To save her the trouble of the obvious things, he created a separate bank account where 60% of his earnings went straight into it and only Michelle had access.

The next thing Presley did was spend a pretty 60 thousand on a car that one of his business partners was promoting as the hottest pick of 2013. She was ecstatic about the gift, but not once did he see her face to thank him. Presley kept telling himself that working constantly, and spending most of his time in the studio was the reason he drew further from Michelle. In actuality the truth was too uncomfortable to figure out and Presley had no intention of making his situation better by removing her and suffering through loneliness again. It was a lifestyle that he had no intention of returning to, his love for Michelle was worth more to him. Michelle was getting out of control and it was Presley's fault for allowing it.

One particular party she threw for her new found friends went terribly sour when two of the guests recognized each other as girlfriends of the same guy. There was a big commotion and since more than half of the people attending the party was drunk, Presley had to step in as the voice of reason to calm the crowd. It was overwhelming from start to finish, and the only way to get rid of this many people this fast was to call the police and let the sound of the sirens scare them over the fences into his neighbor's yard.

After the conclusion of the party and the two trouble makers were arrested for underage drinking Presley attempted to have a long talk with Michelle. The guest house was completely trashed and utterly useless after all the damage she had done to it.

Naturally Michelle was not to blame, and Presley held onto the word when she apologized and said that the money, fame and power had misguided better judgment and she was done playing bad girl. It took a bit of convincing, but she eventually gave in to moving into his house and the guest house was shut down for renovations. The next few days after Michelle moved into the house, Presley realized his mistake.

Since most of his work was done at the office with his stockholders and representatives, Presley decided to take some private time and work on his music business at home. He hired a few scouts to find some really good talent and the latest and greatest of what they could find was a young guy named Travis Davis. He had the vice of a young soul artist could turn a crowd of women into a bowl of melted butter once he had his way with the microphone.

Travis had played around in church most of the time singing wild versions of old hymns to make the experience enjoyable for his friends in the choir. But when he became serious, his voice was that of a snake in the Garden of Eden. "You know you shouldn't bite the apple, but he made it look so good." Presley was going over in his head what title would make the album more appealing and what promotions he could set up to get the boy on the first tour flying as a debut.

Michelle charged into his studio across the hall from the guest room and poked Presley in his side to get his attention. He had seen Michelle a lot more now that they were in the same house and his business was mostly home based. He could not get enough of seeing her around, the thought alone that he was no longer spending his days as a one man party made him happy enough to keep her there for as long as he could.

"You staying up long, it's almost midnight?" She asked sliding across the marble floor in her expensive slippers.

"Yeah, I need to get this together for my friend who is coming to the studio tomorrow. Are you going to bed?" He asked and she shook her head. He went from computer to paperwork jotting down random information and ideas when he felt a hand on his shoulder and Michelle leaned down real close.

"I'm bored." She set her chin on his shoulder and hugged him softly. Presley looked up at her somber face. Her eyes were a glistening brown and her hair was down in long sheets of silk spilling over his shoulder where her head rested. All that money did her good when she treated it correctly because she looked like perfection to Presley.

"You want to join me then?" He asked staring back at his notes. She nodded and smirked then pushed his rollaway chair back and sat on his lap. Presley was a bit surprised but chuckled as she pulled them back under the table and stared down at his work. He put his arms around her and worked silently jotting down numbers and calculating his spending's when the room fell quiet.

"Can I hear a demo or something?" She looked at all of the music material in the studio and nearly grabbed a button to play with it when he grabbed her hand. Presley laughed at her again and turned on a song he recorded a week ago with the boys. It was still a fresh track and had not been heard by others but it was a good song, slow and sexy. She listened intently and closed her eyes rocking her body from side to side on his lap. He continued writing his notes and she began to dance a bit provocatively. He kept writing, trying not to notice.

Michelle was always his number one. Even when they were kids he had an attraction for her that went further than friendship, and even love. He cared for her, more than he cared for himself. Maybe he learned that from his mother. He was not even her biological child but the way she acted you would never know it. The only time he felt strange around his mother was when she forced him to spend time with his dad.

Presley's mother believed that even if his dad was a pathetic drunk, his only son would always regret not trying to have a relationship with him. Michelle was a lot like his mother. She cared about things deeper than anyone else when they were children.

Presley promised himself from very young that he would take care of her, that she would be his greatest project. He would tutor her, be there for her and show her how the good life was. He was determined even before he made it big to make sure she had the life he couldn't give his mother. So it was not a new feeling, this attraction to her. He always loved her, but he could never get past the thought of loving her. There was just nothing there, nothing on the other side of that wall. She stared at him.

"What?" He asked her and looked into her eyes. There was something there, something very strange. He didn't have the slightest clue what she was thinking, but he wanted to find out. She lowered her head to him slowly and he watched as she came closer, the silence between them growing as the space between them shrunk. Michelle kissed him. It was immediately awkward for him, so he stopped her.

Maybe his feelings for her would grow from this. She always saw him as a big brother, the guy she could look up to and run to for help when things got rough. But she had fallen in love with him before going to college, and he didn't have the slightest clue. She left to get rid of him. She left because deep inside her heart she believed she was not good enough for him. Fate brought them back together and she refused to let him slip away this time. It was true love.

In the past he would always run before they became intimate, leaving her in constant doubt about his true feelings for her. Maybe this time she would be the one running away. He was perfect in every way, the way a man should look. He always impressed her, and would continue to do so. She sighed and laid her head over his heart and listened to it beat.

"Michelle, you know I love you." He said, and she looked at him and tilted her head a little. "I love you so much...I always have. But you're like a little sister to me, and the reason why you're here is because I love you more than anything in this world. I won't do this with you unless it's what you really want. I am looking towards our future, a relationship and maybe marriage one day. I promise you...if we have a relationship, you will have my heart forever...and that's real." He told her quietly. He touched her face releasing her hands and she smiled at him.

Presley had become weak in his mind. He wanted to treat her the way his father never treated his mother. Presley wanted Michelle to have all the things his mother was denied in his parent's relationship. He wanted Michelle to see her worth to him. Presley wanted to prove to Michelle that his love went further than the depiction of what love was today.

Presley wanted to savor every bit of her being like the dew on the grass was his only source of water. He wanted to safeguard her body and make her shine like the prize that she was and prove to every man that she was loved and belonged with him. He wanted to show every woman on the planet what a man was supposed to give her, show them how a real man treated his woman, like she was his greatest accomplishment.

Presley wanted Michelle to feel the intimacy of his mind, body and soul, something that was of more worth to him than his money, his job, his house and everything he had. He wanted the memory of her body to be implanted in his brain so whenever he left her presence she would forever mold his expectations of what true beauty was.

He wanted to confide in her, believe in her, carry her around like a trophy, break down her doubts and replace every inch of her with contempt. He wanted to relive every good thing about her and study every way to make her happy and fulfilled slowly, as if she was a puzzle and each piece was a constant reminder of her happiness.

"You should go to sleep Michelle." He told her after his mind returned from trailing off. "We can go to breakfast in the morning. I can take you out for pancakes." He smiled at her and she looked at him in shock. Pancakes? She was about to offer the last piece of sanity she had to him and he was worried about pancakes?

Michelle stuttered a quick "Ok". She wanted to stop him, but his mind was made up and she didn't feel like playing the stupid one, desperate for love when the feeling wasn't even there anymore. He told her goodnight and that was it. She went to her room and shut her door completely disappointed in him, but Presley knew better.

He wasn't going to treat his best friend like common trash. Not when she was his pride and joy. If he had accepted her kiss, or even worse, made love to her tonight, there would be no reason to continue their relationship outside of sex. He didn't know her anymore, it was time to learn her, and relearn her. What made her happy? What made her sad? Where was she headed in her life? All of these things mattered to Presley because he wanted a stable relationship, a stable life and a beautiful wife.

Michelle

There was no mistaking Presley's intention last night. Michelle was convinced that Presley was still trying to get his life together, and somehow she was not a part of it. He said he cared about her, loved her and even wanted to have a deep relationship with her but all of that talk meant nothing.

She was tired of his excuses, the same excuses he had been using since they were younger. He didn't want to date her out of respect of her father and he didn't want to sleep with her out of respect of her mother. It was always something. The last time she asked to date him he refused because he wanted to have his life together first so he could "give her everything he never had." It didn't call for all that to see a movie and go out to eat.

After last night Michelle was convinced that Presley didn't want to have anything further to do with her intimately. The breakfast they shared today was bland at the start so they resorted to talking about the past to pass the time. They talked about their old friends and Presley kept her up to date about their old high school buddies.

Apparently the world didn't revolve around Presley, and even though he was rich and famous it did not keep him from staying in touch with their friends. He was two years older than Michelle, but their school was small so everyone had the same friends and social circles. Michelle saw the sparkling the expression when speaking about the friends, Presley still cared about the old clique and dropped a few royalties their way. Michelle was impressed, but the memory of last night clouded her from enjoying their time together.

After breakfast he dropped her off at the nearest strip mall and she met up with one of her friends. After a round of shopping she grew bored and decided to take a taxi around the old spot and see who was still hanging around. Presley told her that an old friend Nancy was staying around the corner, and she had every intention of hooking up with her girl. She could tell time had not done the spot any good, the old bar was still rusty and so were its customers. Seems like nothing had changed in two years, maybe this was a good thing. She didn't want her old hometown to do better than she was doing.

Michelle opened the door to the bar and entered it slowly taking a sweep of the room with her eyes. The bartender looked up and motioned for her to come over with a big smile on his face. It was Jasper, an old cat who used to run tails with her dad and he couldn't believe she had taken the time out of her day to visit the old town. "Come here girl!" He yelled and ran around the bar to give her a big hug. Michelle laughed a little and hugged him, the smell of booze filled her nostrils and she felt more at home than ever.

"Hey Mr. Jasper, how are you and the family?" She asked.

"Don't have any family." Jasper shook his head. "You are my family today! Want to drink, it's on me." Jasper was so excited he patted his grey hair and danced back to the bar pouring her some strange concoction. "You know folks don't like coming back here, it's like reliving the past just by standing in da-door way." He always spoke his own slang. "Swear it on my last liquor bottle I didn't think you would come to see me, since I heard your folks talking 'bout you moving back." Michelle lifted her head. She never said she was here to stay...not to anyone except Presley. Michelle closed her eyes and shook her head, knowing he always talked to her parents more than she did.

"I'm not staying Mr. Jasper. I'm just here on business." She lied. They continued to talk for a good few minutes and Mr. Jasper told her Nancy would be along soon since she worked there now. Bartending, and from the past you never would have known Nancy had the patients for people like this.

Whenever Michelle thought of Nancy behind a bar she imagined Tara from True Blood, her mouth got her in more trouble than anything else on her body. A few minutes later Nancy charged inside the bar with two men following close behind her. She looked around and slammed her purse on the counter angrily and passed right by Michelle not recognizing her and snapped at Mr. Jasper.

"Jasper, I need a drink!" She sat in one of the stools and cursed really loud looking back at the two men. Michelle followed Nancy's eyes and looked as the two men behind folded their arms in unison and one of them looked towards her. Michelle stood still then sat in the chair next to Nancy who still had not noticed her.

Jasper asked Nancy what the problem was while glancing toward the two men who stared blankly at the bar. "Well, apparently these jack asses say I hit their car when I parked, but I think it's a lie." She smacked a large piece of gum in her mouth and opened her purse.

Michelle was wondering how Nancy was able to function with her nails as long as they were. She looked up at her and Nancy looked over her shoulder then snapped at Michelle. "'The hell you looking at," Michelle raised her eyebrows and looked her up and down. Nancy's facial expression changed and she jumped out of her seat.

"Mickey!" She screamed and the whole bar looked over. She grabbed Michelle in a big hug and Michelle almost fell out of the seat. "Girl where have you been," Michelle laughed and then remembered she left for college without a trace, at least that's how it was for her street friends. None of them were told where she went and none of them were aware she had plans for college.

"Hey girl, I know it's been a while but you look good." Michelle complimented her friend. She was right, Nancy did look good. Her hair was rarely ever done when they were younger, probably because her mom never cared to fix it for her. She always wore the cheapest things and made them look like designers clothes that only the celebrities would wear.

Nancy was good at making a little into a lot. Today was no different, her hair and makeup were done and she looked flawless, but her flaws mattered little to Nancy and that is what Michelle loved about her. She kept it real when real was called for. The two men behind them interrupted the welcome party and Nancy looked towards them disgustedly.

"Can we have your insurance information now?" One of them said. The other one never took his eyes off Michelle, so she looked back at Jasper feeling uncomfortable by his gaze. Nancy rolled her eyes and smacked her lips then turned to Jasper and tapped the table.

Mr. Jasper gave her the drink and she swigged it down gulping hard. Mr. Jasper shook his head at her. He knew darn well she didn't have any insurance. Hell she probably didn't even have a license!

"Why don't you two have a sit down and I can make you a drink on the house. What would ya' like?" Mr. Jasper offered them a stool and filled two cups with bourbon. "How 'bout a Mickey special, it is still our most famous drink influenced by yours truly." He motioned towards Michelle and Nancy laughed as the men sat down still disappointed.

"Yeah I remember those days!" Nancy said. "I remember you were sick one day Mr. Jasper but the bar was still open from the night before. You were in the outhouse screaming like a baby on that toilet so Michelle offered to help you. Didn't know a lick about liquor so she threw all kinds of stuff together and charged the customers half the price for three hours till you got off that toilet. Boy you whipped her so bad when she got down the street the neighbors decided she had been beaten enough and let her slide."

"Yeah," Michelle laughed at the memory. "Naturally they felt sorry for me when usually they take turns whipping us." The three of them laughed together and shared more memories. As the conversation went on Mr. Jasper kept supplying the men with drinks buttering them up for the sake of his only employee.

Michelle noticed the one next to her still staring down her neck, as if she was a ghost or something. He didn't care if anyone noticed him staring and once she felt good enough to carry on the rest of her day she glanced back at him and smiled. She hugged Nancy and Mr. Jasper tight and was heading out of the door when he caught up with her and asked her name again.

"My name is Jake." His voice was deep and he had a tight lining in his hair, he extended a hand for her to shake. She took it and shook his hand lightly and smiled. She felt a bit awkward but something about this man made her feel at ease when she should have been worried.

The way he stared at her in the bar was just strange. "Your car near to the bar, I can walk you..." He asked her and she shook her head no since it was back at Presley's. "Can I drop you off somewhere?" He asked and she wanted to say no and end it, but what the heck you only live once.

"I live in the Hills. Can you drive me up there?" He smiled at her and nodded. He was a good looking guy and she was impressed at his chivalry. She had been in worse situations with strangers, and since she had nothing to live for at the moment why not take a chance? Besides if he tried anything she had something to hold him in her purse if need be. She observed him a little more when he led her to his car nearby.

Jake was tall and handsome in a Denzel sort of way, nothing like Presley. Yes she was comparing them, like she did every man. She compared them to Presley because besides her dad he was the only guy she knew that satisfied her appearance status. He was a dark chocolate toned man about six feet and he was not as buff as Presley, but he was cute enough to peak her interest. He opened the door for her and she smiled at his little Honda the color of blue and red. She hopped into the front seat and waited for him to enter the car before giving him directions.

"Want to get some lunch first? It's about that time, it will be my treat." He said smiling at her. She smiled back and accepted his offer and they headed towards the Hills. He drove for a while and then asked her what did she feel like, burger or taco. She said burger and he pulled into a McDonalds and asked what she would like to order. Michelle smiled the as they sat through the drive-in. Presley had spent a lot of money on her when eating meals and this man had hardly spent a fraction of the amount of lunch. Perhaps she needed a break from spoils.

Once they had their lunch they parked and he asked her a few questions about herself. She told him the basic information, she was here on business and was staying with a friend, and she was single but had no kids and no job. "Cool." He would answer and then look out of the window eating his food. "So how you know that girl from the bar?" He asked and she told him they were childhood friends.

"I bet she isn't going to pay for my friend's car. She hit us pretty bad, jacked up the bumper." He said and Michelle suddenly felt bad. She pulled out her checkbook and asked for a price. "Oh no thanks Ma'am, you can hold that. My friend isn't going to sweat it, he has plenty where that came from." He said referring to the car. "He just wanted to holler at her, so now he has a good excuse to get her number." He laughed and Michelle laughed with him. "Want to see a movie?" He asked and now Michelle was beginning to wonder what his intentions were.

"This isn't a date is it?" She asked giggling. His face lightened up a bit and he smiled at her.

"You're beautiful. I haven't seen a pretty girl like you in a long time. I can't just let it pass like this, why you have something else to do?" He asked and no...No she didn't.

"Let's go." She said and they were off to the movies. They were at the movies a few moments later and he got tickets to see some uppity film and Michelle guessed it was to impress her. They entered the door to the movie and he grabbed her hand as they went up the stairs to the perfect seat.

Michelle stared at his hand as it grabbed her and strange feelings crept into her mind. He was a sweet man, and she liked the way he talked to her, maturely and professionally. She liked the feel of her hand in his and liked the way he ushered her to the seat beside him. He put an arm around her neck as they watched the previews. The movie was boring and she knew for a fact he chose it on purpose because he spent the entire beginning talking in her ear.

"So why are you single? Your way to beautiful to be single," He whispered. She smiled a little at his charm and hunched her shoulders. "You know what? I think you are one of those independent women who think they are too good for any man." He said then looked back at the movie. Michelle laughed and punched his chest, and he pretended to be hurt.

"Ok, well you're pretty good looking yourself." She said in a soft tone. "Why are you single?" She asked and he looked at her for a moment before answering.

"Well, my recent partner believed that I was too consumed by appearances and wanted me to grow out of it. Sometimes I can knock the habit. But you on the other hand..." He put his hand to her cheek and caressed it softly. "You, I just couldn't help it." He smiled and she smiled back at him. He came close to her and placed a quick kiss on her lips then looked into her eyes for her reaction. They were intimate for a reason; both of them felt the attraction and wanted to squeeze the juice from its delicious fruit.

After their kiss was over Michelle sighed and put her head on his shoulder. She felt strange kissing him now after Presley's bail out last night. Presley kissed her last night and pretended like he didn't want anything to do with her, while Jake (being with her only an hour) had been more intimate by accepting her advances.

All week Presley showered Michelle with money and attention, when Jake only gave her McDonalds and a five dollar movie ticket. Presley was drop-dead gorgeous from his constant work outs to stay healthy and his connections with the music industry made him the number one up-and-coming stud producer.

While Jake she recently learned, worked as a tow truck driver on the weekends and a valet during the week. The difference between their statuses was so big Michelle could put an Ocean between them and name it after her dead cousin Roger. Presley and Jake weren't even on the same planet as the other.

Michelle looked up at Jake and asked him where he lived and if it was close by. The movie was stupid anyway, and she was sold on something much more interesting at the moment. "Yeah baby, I am right around the way, let's go." He said and they were out of the movies and into the car before the movie even started getting good.

When they arrived at his place they kissed some more outside and she was surprised he didn't try to get more out of her. Instead he opened the door for her to a little house he apparently shared with three of his boys and his room was tiny too. She lay on his mattress with the sheets tossed underneath her and he lay beside her, kissing her as if they were in high school again. She didn't mind as long as he didn't let her go.

Michelle was tired of playing games with men. Since she was younger her father kept the nasty ones from taking her home, taking her virginity and such things like that. She couldn't go to dances or clubs or anywhere else without her chaperone that both of her parents trusted to keep her safe from living a normal life. Presley. He was her mother's guardian angel sent straight from heaven to imprison Michelle, and she was glad he was nowhere around in Memphis when she left for college.

Her parents believe if she had went to school with him she would have finished early and gotten a decent job, or at least married him and shared half of his spoils and become successful herself. But she had her own mind, and she was not ready to stop the good times from rolling.

Michelle put her arms around Jake and let him kiss her neck. Who cares what Presley had to say, the moment she left his spotlight she was able to loosen the noose, drink her first shot of alcohol and attend a night club...and that was the first day of school! So now when she thinks about w-w-p-d or "What would Presley do?" All thoughts about his input, his permission and his influence went out the window. She watched all the thoughts of Presley float out of the room and she waved them goodbye.

Presley

After a fulfilling breakfast with Michelle that morning Presley was able to go through the rest of his day happy. It was so exciting to see her talk about the past, and learn about her friends that were left behind when she headed for Memphis. He was confident that last night he made his point to Michelle, that she was his prized possession and he wanted to treat her right.

Presley spent a few hours in the office after dropping her off, and now he was headed to pick up a really good lunch from one of her favorite restaurants. He grabbed the pizza he ordered and headed to the nearest flower shop and purchased a dozen red roses and a dozen pink roses fresh and cut to perfection. He had the florist mix them up evenly and put them in the most expensive vase available. Michelle should be home by now and he knew she would love the flowers. He grabbed a movie on the way home and called her cell phone. When she answered she seemed a bit breathless but told him she would be on her way soon.

He hung up with Michelle and sent the maid home early back at the house because of his good spirits. He was aware of the guest house being back up and running and would offer it for the maid to live in again if it made her happy, since he kicked her out for Michelle. That didn't go over too well, besides Michelle seemed more comfortable in the big house and Estela the maid didn't have to travel from her sister's house during the week to clean.

He waited in the living room for Michelle, flipping through channels and grabbing some pizza. His mind went through all of the things she probably did today. Met with her friend then went over to Mr. Jaspers bar and possibly hung out with Nancy all day. A while later she came home and rushed behind him to her bedroom and the bathroom adjacent to it, he was excited she was back.

"How was today, did you enjoy yourself?" he called to her and heard the shower running.

"Yeah, I met up with some friends from the bar and watched a movie." She called out stripping her clothes quickly and jumping into the cold shower then cursed nearly slipping to her death.

"Are you alright in there, Michelle?" He asked.

"Yup, I'm fine just slipped."

"How was the movie?" He asked her.

"Uh...it was boring, we talked most of the time." She said.

"How is she?" Presley asked now outside the bathroom door.

"How is who?"

"Nancy." He asked.

"Oh, Nancy is fine. She's still wild." Michelle said and scrubbed quickly.

"I bought some pizza for dinner. I really would like to talk with you." He said.

"Ok, I will be out in a second." She yelled and finished her shower and got dressed. He was waiting for her on the couch when she emerged from her bedroom. There was a large vase on the table wrapped in a big pink bow with red and pink roses coming out of it. It was beautiful and her heart fluttered at the sight of them. "Presley! They are so beautiful." She said and came over taking in a big whiff. He smiled at her and patted the seat on the sofa beside him. She joined him on the sofa and kissed his cheek and thanked him.

"I'm glad you like them, I didn't know how else to apologize for last night." His eyes dropped down in embarrassment and shame. He cleared his throat.

"I didn't mean to bail on you like that. I just don't want you to think our relationship is all about intimacy. If we even have a relationship..." She was silent and he continued to speak. "I want to ask you something. Will you go out with me? I know I am not the brightest tool in the shed when it comes to love, but you are the only person in this world who understands me and I want you in my life. Please Michelle, give me a chance to be with you and I promise you won't regret it." Michelle blinked her eyes and stared at him. She opened her mouth a little surprised at his request and lowered her head.

"Well," she tried to explain. "Sure Presley, I really like you a lot. I have always had that attraction to you and it's only right that I give us a chance. But I need some time to think about this." She said and Presley nodded.

"Of course Michelle, you know that you have all the time you need. I am enjoying you being back in my life and I want you to enjoy it too." He patted her hand softly and saw guilt in her eyes. "Are you ok Michelle? Did something happen today?"

Michelle

_I don't know what to tell you! I am trying to keep it together. Do you have to hold my hand like I'm three years old Presley? Stop smothering me!_ Michelle had signals going off in her head and one by one she tried to smother them. _Don't look at me like that, like you care about me and what I have done. Don't act like you're my best friend when all you do is criticize. Don't look at me like I am to blame, because of what I have done..._

"I-I am fine, just a little tired." Michelle could hear her voice shaking but she just couldn't stop it. What has she done? It was a huge mistake. Hopefully he wouldn't notice the shame in her voice. Michelle kept beating herself up in her head and Presley continued to speak holding onto her hand.

"Tomorrow is game day so my boys are coming over for a little football party around noon. I hope you join us, I would like to introduce you to them." He told her and she nodded. They both went to bed soon after that and Michelle felt better after a good sleep. There was no reason to draw any more attention to herself because what happened with Jake would never happen again.

The next day Michelle slept in attempting to get whatever beauty sleep she could until she heard a bunch of loud voices in the living room. The sound of the men in the other room caused her to jump up and get dressed quickly and she exited her bedroom in a flash. Presley greeted her with a soda and introduced her to all the guys around the room and in a strange unison they greeted her. She sat down between Presley's friends and listened to their conversation as they watched the game.

"Man I have said it once, and I'm going to say it again. Ramirez is the best quarterback these jokers could afford, and had he been able to get some blocking in we would not be playing these idiots right now. This game wouldn't even exist if we had some defense last week." said Presley's friend Chauncey.

"No bro!" yelled his friend Eric. "I am telling you this, it doesn't matter who has the ball, the quarterback or the running back the blockers are focused on one thing. Marcus Williams. That's all they need to focus on, the other fools are just sad and sorry. No point to block them, they are going to hit the ground in the end zone all by themselves. Fumbling little twinkle toes can't make three yards without tripping like a pansy."

"What!" Yelled Chauncey and he and Eric went back and forth. "Marcus Williams is no better than Gary Hampton on a bad day! Gary Hampton has talent, now let me show you young men a thing or two. There is a difference between talent and skill. A quarterback has to have talent, that's a natural God-given gift. Now see a running back, all that fool needs is skill to get him from one point to another. A to B is all he has to worry about. How he gets there is his problem, shaking, shimmying, jiving, diving and jumping is all included in his options. But true talent is in the Quarterback and Marcus Williams..." He stopped and looked around the room for effect. "Marcus Williams has NO talent." Then there was a loud riot between the men.

"Wait now hold up Uncle C!" said a younger guy maybe in his teenage years known as Manny. "Uncle C, at least Marcus Williams can run. If your boy Gary Hampton could move a little maybe he wouldn't get tackled every time he had the ball!" Then there was another riotous shout between them. Michelle wondered how they could hear each other, and with all the noise how did they decide whose turn it was to talk?

"Look youngster like I said you have talent and you have skill," Then Presley's friend Jason cut him off and it was not to Michelle's surprise that he jumped out of his seat to talk too.

"Skill doesn't mean anything if you don't have enough talent to catch the ball. While you all are talking about Gary or Marcus, the honesty is that if their roles were flipped, neither one of them could catch, run or let alone HOLD a ball!" Then they all burst into laughter and their voices fought for the spotlight.

Jason continued. "No wait, let me finish! I will show you some talent Mr. C. Put Gibson from the Phoenix on the line with Marshall and Thomas from Texas on the same team. Now you have a plan, that team is going to get the ball to score a touchdown every time it hits the air and no one is going to stop them."

"Yeah but you know these cats trading these teammates from state to state don't have a plan involved when they make their final decisions. That's why they fired the coach of the dingbats from Tahoe." said Presley starting up another riot.

"Fired?" said Eric. "They fired the coach? No man you're kidding me!" The guys argued during the whole game and took a break to scream and yell when someone scored. Michelle was amazed by them, she enjoyed hearing them speak this foreign language and she was constantly reminded of how it used to be at her parent's house on game day.

Sunday's were always about football at the church and they made the sermon end early so congregation could be home for the big game. They celebrated as if it was tradition, Church and football on the same day? It was a holiday every week and kept you happy until Christmas and New Year's started it all over again.

This was the day she enjoyed the most, even though Mother made her slave to get all pretty on Sundays she still enjoyed the youth group and eating Sunday dinner while dad watched the game. Michelle didn't have a clue what was going on in this game called football, but she loved how the men enjoyed it.

She looked over at Presley and he was already looking at her smiling. She smirked back at him and took his hand in hers and at that moment it didn't really matter what came their way. They were happy, and this moment marked the first reason of her new side of life that meant everything she existed for was worth the trouble. Yet still she was curiously asking herself..." _I wonder what Jake is doing right now?"_
Presley

The holidays rolled around and Presley began to see less and less of Michelle at night. She was home during the day, singing and joyful so he believed all was well with her. But once it hit six or seven pm she was out on the town doing Heaven knows what and having a great time doing it. She would come home early in the morning and sleep most of the afternoons, but Presley was so work consumed that he didn't notice the tension building between them.

She was still his beautiful and dainty little princess who he showered with gifts and money when she asked for it and even set aside a substantial amount of time out of his day just for her, but that didn't stop her from leaving at night. Presley tried to confront her about it, making sure she wasn't sneaking out to play bingo with the local madmen or something else crazy like that. The only response she gave him was "hanging with friends" and told him not to worry about her.

After the holidays were over and Presley had finished signing all the paperwork from his most recent demo CD the popularity of his protégé was hitting the big lists. His music became so popular that he had to ban the distribution of his new releases from internet websites since so many people were downloading for free. That's when the money really started rolling in, everyone wanted something they could get for free, but his business needed to make money somehow.

Then the parties started happening, he was invited to the big clubs where the hottest musical celebrities crashed. He was invited to so many debuts and shows and private audience viewings that he couldn't count. He tried to drag Michelle to every single event, but after the first round of drinks she would grow tired and check her watch, then she would tap her foot in desperation and Presley knew that meant it was time to leave.

Presley started to make Michelle bring her own car, that way she would not have to feel bad about leaving to party alone. Honestly Presley didn't want to party, it was just a way to spend time with her. Presley thought all women would love to be in the same room as the celebrities but Michelle did not value their presence.

Michelle could hardly care who was famous and who was not because her only concern was spending time with Nancy every night. Presley was so consumed with furthering their relationship that he could not see Michelle's constant disappearing acts were pulling her further away from his grasp.

After the football game with the guys she answered his request and decided to date. She was elated to find out that day once it was discovered that Presley had every intention of making her happy in any way possible. Eventually the hype would ware off and Presley would lose her again, so instead of using money and fame to impress her, Presley tried my charm.

Presley would take her back to the old spots they used to hang at and show her that there really isn't such a thing as a "better life" he just wanted her to be happy. Maybe she was looking for a little suffrage in her life, it was the only thing missing from the game Presley threw at her and all that he already had just wasn't enough. Presley was fighting an unwinnable battle, until one day she came to him with the truth, and Presley was not prepared for it.

It had been almost 7 months since she moved into his home and she was looking more stunning than ever. Presley could tell she was back to smoking again, even though she did it sparingly at the home; she had been picking up the pace triple time recently. The smell was on her, and the look, the look that appeared as if she was forty-five years old, yet she was barely twenty-two.

Michelle usually asks Presley to drop her home from the routine breakfast outing so she could grab her car and go to her friend's house but today she did not. Instead she packed a little overnight bag of all her most precious items both new and old, an action similar from her past. She put the little bag in the backseat and directed Presley to a little house outside the projects of our home-town. When the car pulled up to the house Presley looked at her and waited for an explanation, and since he was so confused Presley decided that whatever explanation she was about to give me he would accept it.

"Presley...I am leaving." Michelle guiltily stared away from him. "I can't stay with you anymore, I love you but I just can't stay." Presley wanted to tell her listen, not sure of what was going to exit his lips but Michelle stopped him saying not to bother.

"Just take the car you gave me with the money and just go. I know I don't deserve it from you, but I want your blessing to allow me to live my own life. We had a great relationship absolutely no one has shown greater kindness to me. But I am in love." She turned to Presley who lowered his head away from her gaze. Presley couldn't say that he was completely clueless because it was obvious. Especially with the way she had been acting these last few months. Presley nodded and looked at her lovingly for the last time.

"Presley, I am so sorry if I hurt you. But this man, he does things to me that I can't describe. He cherishes me and he makes me feel loved. He makes me feel special," She said swinging in an imaginary field of bliss and Presley just had to ask.

"Did you sleep with him?" Presley could hear the despair in his voice. She looked at him and blinked back sudden tears.

"Presley...please don't do this." She spoke so low, it was a whisper that even in the car with his face so close to hers the words hardly made sense.

"Did you sleep with him, while we were together? Did you tell him you were taken? Did you consider me at all Michelle? What about us? I want to treat you with respect and marry you! Did you sleep with him? Does he love you the way I do?" Presley was just so hurt, how could she betray them both like this. "I just don't understand!"

"Presley!" She screamed at him and began to cry clutching her face with her hands.

"Michelle I love you! I would never hurt you instead I would give my life for you! Tell me you are still with me, for two years all I could think about was giving you a better life. Giving you all the things I could not give my mother. Making sure you wanted for nothing, not ever, everything was for you!" She just kept crying and Presley cried a little too. "Michelle does he care about you? Will he be there for you for the rest of your life? Can he take care of you and put you before himself! Will he treat you with respect? Would he die for you?" It wasn't a question and Presley already knew the answer.

"I'm pregnant!" She yelled and instantly Presley was taken aback; speechless. They sat there in silence staring at each other. No...it wasn't true.

"You're lying to me." Presley spat.

"Presley." She said his name staring into Presley's eyes unmoving, with tears rolling down her face.

"You're saying that so I will let you go. But I can't Michelle, I won't. I don't care about your shortcomings, I don't care if you cheated, I don't care that there is a possibility that you're pregnant with another man's baby." Presley didn't see any other solution; and the disparity of the situation called for the best decisions to be made. Presley was in doubt when she said it, but one thing he knew about Michelle was that she never lied with a straight face. She _was_ pregnant. "Marry me."

Her mouth dropped open and she stuttered out a reply. "Y-you're joking!" Now it was Presley's turn to look at her seriously in silence. She closed her eyes and looked away. _I knew she couldn't help it, I knew the shame of what she was doing was forcing her to turn against me and my faithfulness to her virtues_.

"I won't marry anyone right now. I need time to think." Michelle said rubbing her forehead in pain from the headache. "I can't do this anymore Presley. Pretend like what you are giving me is what I want. I love you, and I appreciate all that you have done but I want to be with Jake. Don't look for me and don't bother talking to me unless it is to be my friend. If you want me and my baby in your life you will leave me and my decisions alone!"

She jumped out of the car and took his heart with her. She yanked open the door to grab her bag and ran to the house steps and entered it. She then turned around expecting to see Presley following her into the dark house, explaining how his undying love for her was what she really wanted. Unfortunately, all she received was the sight of his car speeding down the highway and right out of her life.

Michelle

The frost on the ground outside was a totally new sight to Michelle. She had not seen cold winds blow like this in years. All she could do at this point was shake her head, soak in the imaginary warmth of her fabricated happy life and relive all the reasons why she shouldn't have moved in with Jake those many months ago. Why is it that January was the coldest month of the year when everyone has their children under the impression that snow and unbelievably cold temperatures were for December and Christmas. Everything she did reminded her of a memory from her past.

Michelle would wake up in the morning and her past would be on the floor beside her bed and she would wear the memories like house slippers and it would shadow her all day long. None of her memories were complete without thoughts of Presley and his kindness to her over the years.

Even though she had recently left him, and removed her out of his life he still attempted to contact her in any way possible. He called, wrote a few letters, anything to get her attention so she would know he still cared. When she finally grabbed enough confidence to call him she expected him to beg her to return to him, instead the replies he gave were the replies she wanted to hear.

At least that's what she thought she wanted, she wanted him to be happy that she was making her own decisions. She wanted him gone so she could be with the man she truly loved. She wanted him to accept the facts, suck up his pride, and believe that she was a better person for making the right decision in a tough situation. _That's what I wanted right_?

Michelle rubbed her head and whimpered around the house like a weeping dog. She wanted to run out of this run-down joke of a cottage and go back to Presley's humble abode. Michelle imagined stuffing Jake's charming ways and sweet nothings and under his pillow case so he could sleep on them every night. That way he could constantly be reminded of how false they were and eventually stop saying such things.

Jake was evil to her the moment she moved into his home, but her pride would not let her run for help. Instead she put up with Jake and his "other women" who he claimed were men when she first met him. The type of things Jake did to Michelle represented a control officer and he treated her like a prisoner. She was not allowed to see family and friends without his permission. Jake took away the last bit of money and sold any of her items that were of worth after moving in. He was kind to her, or at least in his own mind he believed the life provided was good enough to keep Michelle satisfied.

Michelle cried often wondering if this was the biggest mistake yet, and even though her family was so close now she could not run to them for help without facing the consequences of her actions. She believed that her child would grow up in this wretched home and Michelle could not imagine a worse fate for the unborn baby. Michelle could hardly feel the child kick inside of her and over time she began to warm up to Jake hoping he would supply her with enough money to visit a doctor.

Jake was disappointed and extremely frustrated that Michelle was pregnant. He could not believe that Michelle was careless enough to have the baby and actually keep it. A few hundred bucks for an abortion was easier than thousands of dollars in diapers and baby formula over a longer period of time. School, homework and eventually grandchildren; Jake was not fit for the task and opted out of helping Michelle besides providing a roof over her head.

She would never get more than that from him, not ever. All she would get is a handful of regret and a big loss of power and stability in whatever peace and quiet she had left in the emptiness of her mind. She picked up the phone and called Presley to clear her head every now and then unable to take the loneliness with Jake's lifestyle. He always answered in a low tone, and she knew it was because he saw the caller I.D. It was time to set things right for good.

"I miss you Michelle, and so do your parents. Why move back if you're just going to avoid us?" He said and she sighed into the receiver.

"I have an ultrasound coming up in a few weeks; would you like to join me? Or would you prefer to chop my head off? How many times do I have to ask you to be my friend and not my father?" She said and lit a cigarette.

"I am not being your father Michelle, I am being your friend. Friends don't let their friends treat family like dirt and friends also don't talk on the phone with friends who smoke when they are pregnant." There was a loud click in her ear and she chuckled at his immaturity. She loved her unborn baby, but sometimes the stress was so bad in the home with Jake and his controlling attitude that a cigarette was the only relief Michelle could get.

That is how life was for Michelle over the course of her birth. She would call Presley to keep in touch for her own selfish gain rather than his. He would always give in, not wanting to converse with her and hear about the good old days because he was tired of playing the run-around game. But she was not over him and they both knew it.

The months went by and every day she wondered if Presley would get over that burning desire to rip Jake's throat out for stealing Michelle away from him. Presley was just too good to fight, he knew that Jake was not the problem but Michelle was the issue. If she had a little more attention and maybe a little less money, maybe a few more kisses and a few less hugs, then he would have his life with her that he so desired.

Presley had now become accustomed to her calls and after a few months of her convincing voice he decided to take her to the final ultrasound. Michelle could not have been happier since her life had a sparkle in it now that he was being her true friend again.

Presley was left with an eight month pregnant shadow of what Michelle used to be, a bundle of joy grew inside of her, and it didn't matter what had to be done because Michelle would not make the same mistake twice. Jake loved her to an extent, but she could not open the doors of their secrets and show Presley all the horrible things that had happened to her since she left him behind. When she saw him for the ultrasound it would be a friendly date, and they would talk about the good times and ignore her idiot mistakes. Presley would drop her home after the appointment to suffer eternal agony with Jake and regrets.

The moment he pulled up to her driveway Michelle had fear in her gut. She would describe it as butterflies, the baby kicking, or maybe even gas if she was smart. But all of it was a lie. The churning in her stomach, the fear, the loneliness-revealed, the heart wrenching reality was all a result of seeing Presley's face after all this time spent in doubt. She was excited just to see his face. As he jumped out of his car and ran up to the steps to help her down she imagined for a brief moment all of the horrible things they went through did not exist.

"Getting a little heavy I see!" He said and laughed. If he was still hurt, she could not tell. She would have spoken but instead she laughed a little, afraid that words would make her cry. She heard Jake come to the door as she walked with Presley towards the car. Jake did not say a word because he knew exactly who Presley was, and he knew what Presley came here to do; something he wouldn't. Michelle clutched Presley tighter unable to turn back at the mistake in the doorway.

She knew that Presley noticed her large size was from all the pills he supplied her with. As soon as Presley found out Michelle was pregnant he went the extra mile in making sure she had everything a pregnant mother needed. He was not present physically, but he watched over Michelle by sending prenatal vitamins, pregnancy books and even a home nurse to check up on the baby since Michelle had no way to get to a doctor.

Presley's over concern for the baby was the reason Michelle was so big and healthy, surely Michelle's unborn had a little something to do with her weight but not as much as Presley. The thought made her smile. They were in his car and headed to the clinic without delay and arrived at a speedy time. They were silent walking into the large building and held hands (something they often did as kids) until she made it to the forty-third floor of his office building.

He booked the appointment for Michelle at the clinic in his building so she had to see him one way or another, and Michelle noticed he appreciated her allowing him to pick her up for the appointment today _. I will have him in my daughter's life, even if he could not be in mine._ Michelle thought these things often to herself.

There was a silence on the elevator and someone saw noticed them holding hands while walking towards the clinic doors and congratulated the parents. Michelle did not bother correcting the passerby, but she should have because Presley was staring down her throat wondering when she would say something. Michelle's silence said what she could not put to words and he left it at that.

The two sat and waited for the doctor to become available and entered the little hospital room that was made available for Michelle's appointment. Presley stepped out while Michelle got dressed and asked if his company was needed for the appointment and she was in no mood to refuse.

Michelle had not gone to the hospital since the baby had been growing inside of her, and the nurse provided plenty of information and medication so she could stay at home since Jake denied her offer of hospital visits. She told mentioned there would be repercussions, since not everyone's baby grew healthily without regular checkups but Michelle was not too worried. The doctor was in a few minutes later and still she spoke to them as if Presley and Michelle were the joined parents, this time she spoke up but Presley over spoke her.

"I am not the father, just her friend." He said simply and the doctor smiled at them and gave a most thorough check up. She was nice and tiny but her hands were cold and the smell of Michelle's birth being so near as it was began to make the new mother ill.

Michelle was nervous, scared and Presley grabbed her trembling hand. Michelle just kept shivering wondering if she would make it through the birth, let-alone make it through the next half hour with Presley. The doctor eventually finished the exam and took a look at the baby with the ultrasound device. When Michelle saw the baby for the first time her eyes flooded with tears and the reality of the baby's safety and wellbeing, the beginning of motherhood hit Michelle pretty hard. She was really growing a life, creating a little extension of herself and finally there was someone who needed Michelle, depended on its mother and no one else.

Suddenly the sight of those little hands and feet on a dark grey and black screen changed Michelle's entire perspective on life. That little baby deserved better, she deserved more than Michelle's pathetic offer of a lifestyle. Deserving more than what Michelle or Jake could currently provide. She deserves a beginning, middle and after life. She deserved parents who loved her for who she was, adored her for everything she would become, and cherish her for what she hoped to be.

Suddenly a feeling of longing and failure washed over Michelle like another wave. Like a crashing wind against her skin as if she was outside in the freezing cold at the dead of night alone and scared, homeless and regretful. The realization was so bright and vibrant Michelle feared she would go blind and here was Presley staring at her unsure of what to do to help. Michelle was slipping away from his grasp, falling into a large cloud of nothingness, then the whole world shook and the room went dark as she passed out.
Presley

A machine she was hooked to went insane with loud alert noises and craziness. What in the world was happening? The nurse went completely nuts stabbing buttons and slapping Michelle's face as the entire room went from silent and somber to a riotous uproar of madness. The doctor looked at the machine where the baby appeared to be sleeping nicely in the womb but there was something else going on.

Michelle had slipped from consciousness while staring at the picture of her unborn baby and then the machine she was hooked up to by wires to monitor her vital signs, began to prove her heart had stopped. Presley jumped out of the seat and ran closer. The nurses were in the bustle and he stared at the doctor who was like him, as clueless as a deer in headlights. Then suddenly they all heard a loud gasp and Michelle's eyes shot open and she screamed for help. Right before him, her eyes rolled to the back of her head and her entire body started to spasm in an inhuman-like manner.

"She's having a seizure!" Said the doctor and they all burst into action. Before Presley could protest or at least get an answer when he yelled what was wrong, he was forcibly pushed by the male nurse and a large blue curtain was shoved across his face.

It took nearly an hour for the nurse to find him in the waiting room and tell him what was going on. The nurse went back into the room as he followed and he saw that Michelle was on the bed appearing perfectly fine. He wanted answers. When he tried to get them from her, he remembered what the nurse told him in the waiting room.

"Don't panic yet, we had some blood tests sent out and it is to our knowledge that whatever happened to the patient, she has no recollection of what it is or why she is suffering from these spells."

"Spells!?" he yelled. "What spells? This happened before? And she didn't tell me?" _Dear God Michelle don't you care about yourself!_ "I don't understand!" He yelled and the nurse tried to calm him.

"Sir, we really need you to calm down, you are the emergency contact and she is claiming not to have any family. She is fine right now, her body is back to normal but she is in need of a friend who is calm and able to convince her to stay for tests. She wants to leave." That was all Presley had to hear.

Michelle was staying for tests and he personally didn't give a hoot who didn't like it. He would keep her in that bed till kingdom come if need be, and as far as he was concerned they said the same phrase twenty-four generations before his mother and it would be used twenty-four generations after.

Michelle was shaking, her body jumping from the cold and it didn't really matter how many blankets she had on her body. Presley watched in pure agony. His heart was in his throat and he wished he could take all of her pain away. Her mouth trembled as he offered her some water. She refused it. He sat beside her bed and took her hand, he would never let go of it no matter what.

"My baby, I think I hurt my baby." She whimpered and all Presley could do was hold her hand tighter and promise her the baby was fine. Michelle kept shaking her head back and forth as tears rolled down her face. "No Presley. It's my fault...I shouldn't have left you; I shouldn't have followed a lie. I don't love Jake! I just wanted to prove that I had my own mind." She cried.

"Prove? Prove what to whom? I was always convinced you thought for yourself Michelle." Presley tried to console her.

"I know Presley, it was me. I felt that if you and I stayed together I would have never been myself. I could not tell if I was an apple tree or an orange tree because everyone was influencing me to be someone else! I just couldn't take it anymore and I...I am so sorry it fell on you." She cried into her hands, her head still shaking and her body still shivering. "I can never forgive myself. All I can do now is go to Jake and raise our child together and leave you to your good life without a backstabbing no-good like me."

What can I say? What can I do? How can I convince you that I love you? What can I say...?

Presley kept repeating the questions in his mind trying to hold back the anger in his body. Why had life betrayed him this way? The doctor entered the room and called Presley outside to speak with him alone. The doctor took her clipboard and crushed it to the side of her body and looked at him with a very sad face. Presley prepared for the worst, and was not prepared enough.

"I don't' know how to say this to you Presley." The doctor said. "I know you have been a good friend to me over the time you have been working upstairs, and I truly do love all the time you spend with my sons during the summer. But unfortunately, I have terrible news for you." He looked at her in the eyes and prayed there was something behind him in case he stumbled. Had she lost the baby? Was it stillborn? Were the attacks the result of something bigger that could not be fixed? What was it!

The doctor lifted her head. "Presley, the woman you brought to us today has a very terrible disease and I-" She shook her head a bit disgusted and a bit ashamed. "She has something we call the "Silent Disease", it is actually more common than you can imagine with one million to two million infections a year." When the doctor realized Presley was still confused with his eyebrows raised and his eyes vast and approaching exploding, she reworded.

"She has late signs, very late signs of Chlamydia." Presley instantly recognized the name of the STD. "Presley, because it has gone untreated, matter of fact _unnoticed_ for so long it has begun scarring her womb. We would operate, but she is far too late in her pregnancy for that. The reason she had such a horrible spell in the hospital room is because her body is fighting both the antibiotics she has been recently taking, and also the prenatal vitamins we supplied her with. Her body is basically under an attack and the only one losing here is the baby." Presley sighed deeply and he grabbed his throat trying to free himself. He grew dizzy.

"Well she wasn't on antibiotics." He said and the doctor shook her head.

"She is on them now. Maybe you should have a talk with her, the antibiotics are not working because the person she has been sexually active with has not been taking them either. I am a doctor and even if you lie on the paper work, and lie to my face the tests can only tell the truth whether you want to admit it or not." The doctor spoke to him intently.

"Michelle would have experienced immense burning sensations, abnormal discharge and extensive pelvic pain in a serious case. Or perhaps she had no symptoms at all, but she definitely contracted this disease a while ago and whomever she is dating at the moment has been making her situation worse." The doctor said and shuffled her feet a bit shifting her weight. Presley was glad Michelle was not dying, he took in a deep breathe happy that she was ok but the doctor's facial expression did not change.

"Presley...this is serious." She said and Presley looked at her again. Then the realization set in, it was not dangerous for Michelle, it was dangerous for the baby! "The baby inside of her has less than a thirty percent chance of coming out alive, and even less of a chance of surviving once it's here. She will need a lot of medication and a lot of attention if she is born alive." Presley could feel his breakfast, lunch and dinner from the day before preparing to make a grand re-entrance into his life.

"I am keeping her here for observation, if she makes some improvement I will send her to the nearest hospital for further testing. We don't have all the resources here but her blood needs to be tested immediately after she is deemed to travel." The doctor shook his hand and that was the end of it. Presley stumbled back into the room and the distraught look on his face said more than he could have guessed. Michelle took one look at him and burst into tears, and at that moment Presley truly believed the worst that could have happened was as far off as his happiness.

After two grueling days between hospital and clinic, test after test and good news with bad news, Presley and Michelle were able to take some time and weigh their options. If the baby was able to make it all the way to full term then she had a bigger chance of surviving but only with heavy medication and treatments for mother and child. Presley had spoken to Michelle about the disease she had and how she contracted it once she was strong enough to respond without crying.

He didn't ask to judge her, he wanted to know what she had been through and not as a father but as a friend he wanted to be there for her. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and escape this world by flying straight up to heaven and leave her by God's right hand. That seemed to be the only place safe enough for her and the baby, and anything else was just not good enough.

Presley and Michelle talked about her escape to Memphis and her flood of freedom was the worst gift she had ever received. She had gone from guy to guy and not realizing the toll it took on her body, she played around like the young and vibrant girl she always was. When she became aware of her problem she borrowed a few meds from her friends and it got rid of the pain but she didn't know it was only getting worse over time.

Jake could only make the situation worse. Michelle finally opened up to Presley and confessed to him about her life with her baby's father (now her husband) and how miserable she had been. She complained about him while they were together and told him that she had made a few changes in her life when she found out her daughter would suffer for her ridiculous mistakes.

When Presley asked what she meant, she merely said in time he would find out and he left it alone. They spent the final day at the hospital holding hands and Presley dreaded the foreseen future he was about to play a major part in. He helped Michelle into a wheel chair and drove her twenty-five miles back home to her house. During the drive Michelle opened her heart to him, as if it was their last time together, and confessed she would be leaving Jake and all his bad influences behind.

"Presley...I want to tell you something that I swear during the rest of my life I will never repeat again." Presley drove staring at the road but not seeing what was ahead of him. "The day in the hospital when I fainted I realized something that caused my body to completely shut down. When I saw by baby's face on that ultra sound, and I saw those little fingers and little feet I wanted to instantly give her everything. I wanted her to have the world, I wanted to make her feel special and teach her how she should be treated, like a princess. I wanted her to never want for anything, not anything at all. I wanted her to live life believing that she was loved and cared for no matter what." Presley listened intently and Michelle continued.

"I couldn't believe what I was saying to myself. I would look out the window and say, yes I can have his baby, and yes he will be a great father. Yes Jake and I will get married and he will supply my baby and me with all of those wonderful things." She stopped and he could hear the tears in her voice.

"But you know what Presley? I was looking for something I already had." She sniffed. "I was searching for a peace, for a love that was always there. I was searching for kindness and stability when it was surrounding me. I was searching for life, and life worth living and I was standing in it." She cried some more. "It was you Presley, the whole time it was you." She looked over at him and Presley looked at her speechlessly. _Here I truly believed she had chosen Jake over me, and I had become accustomed to losing and she was telling me, pleading with me to forgive her. She realized it all on her own._

Presley smiled at her and slowed the car to a stop at the red light. He leaned over and kissed her cheek then hugged her lifting his eyes to the window. The truck never stopped, it just kept coming and before Presley knew what had happened their car was struck hard and it rolled uncontrollably into a ditch.
Presley

Presley awoke to sirens, and he opened his eyes where a blinding light caused him to shut them again. He tried to speak, there was a sharp and sudden pain that went from his jaw to his brain and he cried out instantly. He tried to stand up but his body was flat as a board on something hard and sturdy. His head was held captive, frozen in a box of hard plastic and he could hear shouts around him.

He closed his eyes and tried to drown out the pain, the sound, the noise. He was tossed quickly into a moving van and paramedics were all over him trying to help him survive the accident. He tried to speak and ask where Michelle and the baby were but he couldn't manage a word. He just lay there, crying inside hoping and praying that the baby and his long lost love would survive.

It seemed like hours before the doctors and nurses stopped hovering over him and stabbing him with knives and needles. He was not hurt very badly at all, but his own condition was the furthest from his mind. His only concern was Michelle. After constant bribing and begging he was able to get the information of where she was and how bad her condition was.

Apparently she was doing better than him and her body was in the perfect position when in his expedition. Michelle and the baby were both alive but asleep. The doctors begged him to go home and get some rest while they kept Michelle under close observation. Presley refused to leave the hospital bed until she was out of surgery. The doctor told him she would be fine, just a few cuts and scrapes and soon she would be on her way.

Then the devastation began. As soon as Presley became comfortable Jake charged into the hospital. Jake rummaged through rooms without checking at the front desk and spotted Presley sitting in a hospital bed, but there was no Michelle in sight. He only said three words to Presley and didn't give two dead flies if he or Michelle had survived unscathed.

"Where's my baby?" he spat and Presley gave him a look of death. Presley ignored his question so he asked again and before Presley was able to answer Jake stepped over in one long stride to his bed. He braced himself then pulled back an arm and punched Presley in the jaw.

They scuffled and Presley used his recent situation, and the love he had for Michelle to beat Jake into the hospital floor and stomp on his body, not trying to stop until Jake's entire existence was ten feet underground. The doctors and nurses hurried to stop them and break the fight apart. Presley yelled at them for stopping him since they didn't understand how much the disgraceful bastard deserved it.

Then one of the nurses from Michelle's surgery came in. "I need the husband of Michelle! Is he in here?" She looked at Presley who tried for the life of him to outtalk the idiot of a husband but legally he had no standing. Jake jumped in front of Presley and the nurse talked quickly.

"We are having an extreme complication with your wife and she is going to need immediate surgery and a possible transplant from someone who is a positive blood match. Are you willing to test right now sir?" Jake fell silent.

"Yes!" Presley screamed holding out his arm. "Take my blood." He couldn't be more alert. The nurse nodded and grabbed Presley leading him to the testing room. Presley emerged moments later and waited for the results. He guessed that Jake had gone in himself to get tested, since he didn't see him when he came out of the room. He waited for his results and the nurse came out with Jake right behind her. She flipped a few pages and talked faster than before.

"Ok, we had to do an emergency delivery of the baby she was carrying and the baby was a six out of six match for the transplant which means there is a great possibility that the father is also a match." Presley looked over at Jake and he shot his nose up at him in anger. He looked and smelled drunk.

"We can do this privately sir," Said the nurse to Presley who cut her off and told her to yell his results for the whole of America to hear. She tried to fight against it but they were pressed for time. "It says here for Presley M. you are a 2 out of six match. I am sorry that's not good enough, we won't be able to use your blood. Thank you both for testing." She said and ran off down the hall. So apparently Jake did test and Presley looked toward him but the fool was already walking down the opposite hallway of his wife and child.

"Well?" Presley yelled after him. "Are you a match or what?" The no-good turned around and threw up five fingers then flipped Presley the bird. He was a five out of five match and was still heading in the wrong direction? Presley lost it. He charged down the hallway behind him at full speed and clutched the man's throat ignoring all the pain and humiliation he was currently suffering.

"How can you walk away?" Presley punched him in the jaw and Jake instantly began to bleed from his nose and mouth. "How can you leave her dying in there? She loved you, do you know that! Even to the end she loved you." Presley punched him again. He tossed Jake into a room behind them and slammed the door in a quick motion locking Jake's refuge outside. He grabbed Jake by the shoulders and slammed into the wall of the tiny office knocking over mugs and ink pens. He threw all his weight against Jake and the coward only squealed and dangled like a limp doll.

"I would give my life for her if I could! I would give her everything! And you can't even consider saving her life to make up for your miserable one! How pathetic of a man are you to leave her suffering in there when all she did this past year is dedicate her life to you!" Presley punched him again and the man wailed in pain and lifted his hands trying to defend himself.

"S-she said I would need surgery! And they would cut out my kidney and I may die from it! You can't tell me you would give it just so Michelle could live a few days anyway!" He cried like a baby.

"I wouldn't?" Presley lost complete control again. His eyes turned increasingly evil and he spoke death with every word. He was past anger and frustration, he was enraged. "I would give my last for a few minutes with her. I would give my last breathe so she could breathe long enough to see her daughter who is the one person in this life who can honestly thank you for spilling seed!" Presley could not hold back and he punched Jake again ignoring the shouts and banging outside the door.

"I would give my life over and over for her, because she deserves to live, unlike you Jake!" Presley slammed Jake's body against the door and began to kick, punch and stomp the man to death. His rage could not be controlled, not by the shouts of the security guards outside, not by the conversation Michelle had shared with him right before the accident, and certainly not the cries of this pathetic piece of worthless meat in front of him. Eventually he stopped, exhausted from fighting and his now severe injuries from the crash. Jake lay on the ground heaving and crying in pain. Presley crouched to the floor and put his head in his hands and cried.

Presley cried and cried not knowing why his body held in so many tears for all this time. He cried for the day he saw Michelle get on the plane for Memphis and he didn't try to stop her. He cried for her memories of that night giving her virginity to unruly men at the college and Presley was not there to protect her, to stop her from ruining her life. He cried for the baby who had to suffer because of things she would never understand, not knowing why her body failed to be normal and her mind failed to be unblemished.

He cried for the future nightmares the baby would have, and her mother not being there to console her. He cried for the many nights he wished he had his mother there to guide him, and knew that the unbelievable truth that he called his miserable childhood would also be the daily nightmare so precious a life would have to endure. He cried for Michelle, and her suffering on that table not knowing that the man who could save her life, was laying two inches from him and could not get past his own selfishness and fear to consider saving her.

Presley cried even when he was taken away by the cops and forced into a chair inside a small room with a very big window. Presley cried as the men took his information down and stared at him for a full half hour until he raised his head finally having the strength to address why he was even there.

The man before him was clean-cut and smelled of a thick cologne. He looked Presley up and down and told him that they were unable to get him any clothes, so he would have to sit in his hospital gown until something better was presented on his behalf. Presley sat at the table hardly hearing anything and unable to function more than a blink and a sob from his cloud of despair.

The investigator asked him how he ended up like this, how he planned on living after committing murder had they not stopped him from beating the poor fool to death. How would he fair if the man pressed charges and how would Presley explain what he had done to his significant other? Presley looked at the officer and the man saw how distraught he was. This was the face of a victim that the investigator knew too well. It was the same face a mother has when her son has been gunned down in the streets for the third time. He knew this look was pure distress and agony, losing something precious.

"I love her so much." Presley's voice was raspy and spent. "I love her so much and he is just going to let her die. He won't even try to save her." Presley explained what Jake was doing and how all of Presley's problems would be solved if Michelle lived. The investigator sat there silently and listened. He introduced himself as Marcus Haven, a city-wide problem solver who was on this case taking a bit of down time after hitting a few hard cases in the week.

"Look man, I understand how you feel. But you can't go around beating every man you hate to death. It was his decision to help her, and it is his sin that he didn't. You need to pick yourself up out of this chair, suck up what happened and pull yourself together because when she wakes up the first person she ought to see is the one who loves her most." Presley put his face in his hands feeling guilty and ashamed.

"I have been through some pretty bad situations in my life," continued the investigator. "I can say from experience, life is too short to waste on petty confrontations if something bigger and better deserves your attention." Presley looked up and nodded. He took the man's advice and asked how soon he could leave to make it back to the hospital. Unfortunately, Jake did press charges and Presley was not getting out until he had a stack of bail money.

Time went by so slowly Presley felt as if his own death could not be too far away. He called the hospital hourly since arriving at the jail house. With his new found friend Marcus by his side, he was able to make bail in time to visit Michelle in the hospital. What he found there nearly killed him. The morning of his discharge he found out that from the lack of transplant Michelle fell into a deep coma and was barely surviving on a breathing machine.

Because Jake gave up all rights to her health after his fight with Presley, Michelle was scheduled to be disconnected the following day for lack of funds. Jake didn't however, mind taking the time out to pick up his healthy daughter from the hospital and disappeared without a trace.

Presley could only stare at the hospital bed where a ghost of the Michelle he once loved lay there seemingly lifeless and thin. He could not express to her how he felt, and how he forgave her for choosing her passions over him. He could not tell her how special she was to him and how he wanted to give her everything he couldn't have. Instead he signed the necessary paperwork and paid the necessary fees to put her on life-support. He took out his cell phone and made a life-altering phone call to Marcus.

"I have been thinking about what you said Mark. I need to get myself together for when she wakes up. But I need to do something else first. I am tired of being the nice guy and I am sick of finishing last." Presley's voice shook as he clutched the phone. "I need your help man, and if you have anything you hold virtuous, then you will help me." Presley said.

"Alright man." Marcus said seriously. "What do you have in mind?"
The Finale

Presley

It had been two years since Presley signed his name on the life-support permission slip, and he was confident that at this funeral today he knew exactly what to say. "Michelle was my best friend, and even though we had some rough times together, she will always be my first and last true love. These past two years have been hard, and I always dreaded the day that God would take her home."

"Unfortunately her parents and I were unable to hear her laugh or see her open her gorgeous eyes before exiting this world. And I know somewhere, Michelle's daughter Abigail is thinking about those same beautiful eyes, the last gift her mother could offer." Presley gave a marvelous speech. Everyone said that it was fabulous, even her parents were unable to follow with something better. The funeral ended well, with no one shouting out Michelle's name yelling at the Lord for taking her so soon, instead it was a positive passing. The only person who was not present was Abigail and Presley knew why.

Presley had spent the very last penny he owned keeping Michelle alive. After her fall into the coma he was forced to quit his job to take care of her, he didn't even give her parents the option of taking over for him. He treated her as if she was his own wife, giving her the best in-home treatment his money could afford until every last drop ran dry. Then she survived another month or so on donations from the family, and after a while they were all forced to become near homeless to keep her breathing.

The last dime, the very final penny went into keeping Michelle alive one more second in hopes that she would wake up and reclaim her body. But that day never came in the two years of all their prayers and waiting. Presley did not fret; he had long since said his goodbyes to Michelle and did not complain a bit when his house, label and car were taken from him.

He stayed with Michelle's parents, the son that he was to them could not be replaced and they were more than happy to take him in. Now that Michelle had passed, and the funeral was over it was time to read the will that she had written before her surgery those many months ago.

She left all of her possessions to her friend Nancy, and that included all the items that were sold to prolong her stay on the earth and Nancy had paid no attention to the selling of the items. She held together well through a long song she performed at the funeral and proved that the last thing she wanted was the beautiful items Michelle enjoyed wearing while she was alive. How could she enjoy it if the items paid for a whole month of food to keep Michelle nourished.

Next was her parents, and they were left all of her money which was now turned into all of her bills and they lowered their heads in sadness realizing all the funds they had saved for her children, and for her college fund also went to keeping her alive. They would have made the same decision a million times if it meant a possibility of seeing her again. Finally was Presley. He expected that she gave him all of her old memory items, or something close to it. So as the others got up and left leaving him alone with her lawyer, he just sat there with his eyes glued to the floor.

"To you Presley, my life, my love, and my laugh from day to day, I leave you the only gift worth giving. If the good Lord spares her life, I wish for you to take full custody of my child Abigail." Presley's head shot up as the lawyer kept reading. "I never mentioned it, but Jake is not fit to have a child, and you will not have anything to worry about because I am leaving all of the rights to my daughter, and her insurance funds to you. It should be enough money to keep the both of you happy for the rest of your lives and I trust that you will not give Jake or his family a cent unless they are in dying need." The lawyer continued.

"You will have no problem getting custody, because Jake and I are not legally married, I only told you that so I would not sit and suffocate in my own guilt. I love you and I already know you have forgiven me, but I still took out this insurance policy to be sure that you understood that no matter what you do, or where you go, there is no amount of money that could replace what you have given me throughout my life. If I live through this, I will marry you. I love you Presley." The lawyer put down the will and lowered his glasses down his nose picking up another sheet of paper.

"Alright, it appears she has a policy under the name of her daughter Abigail, and that means all the rights of this insurance money now goes to her guardian which is you." The man looked at the amount and counted the zeros closely. "That's...five million dollars." He looked over his glasses and smiled and raised his frail body out of the chair and extended a hand for Presley to shake. Presley stared at him.

"What?" He couldn't say anything else. Presley's heart fell into his boots. All that money and Michelle could have lived for years. "I could have kept her alive...I could have kept her alive for years." Presley couldn't breathe, his voice cracked.

The lawyer frowned and shook his head. "I am sorry sir but we had strict orders in this will that the money for Miss Abigail was not to be exposed until after Michelle's death. My advice sonny," He looked at Presley watching him through teary eyes. "Take this money, find that little girl and do what Miss Michelle wanted you to do, and that's take her daughter and give her a better life. Now get out of my office, I am late for bingo. Your check will be in the mail but sometime they are extremely slow." The man gathered up his papers and Presley's legs wobbled raising him to his feet. He knew exactly what to do with this money and it would fold into his plan perfectly well.
Jacob

Sometimes I can't believe what I'm looking at. Michelle said it was my child, but the little chicken-head keeps running in front my TV like she possessed. Not to mention her crying is about to make me clock her with the remote. I keep telling Vera that if she doesn't tie the little girl up, I'm gone' beat her silly. She don't listen, a house full of women then' outnumbered me months ago. All these kids in here know when to stay away, but nary one of them want to tell Abigail to obey, so it's up to me to set her straight.

And you know what? The funniest thing happened today. There was a man outside my house, he thinks I don't see him but I do. I been seeing him for the past two years, scaling my house out here like he gone arrest me for all the things I have done, but can't anybody prove it. Yesterday I got an anonymous mail from a mutual friend of Michelle and me, hadn't seen him since the day we split at the bar and he was all up Michelle's friend behind. But he sent me this nice little piece, a beautiful Smith and Wesson masterpiece that I keep close to my night stand. The man with the clean cut in that car better not try to jump stupid, I will ware him out.

But today was something different. I was just in my house peeking out the window like I usually do and out of nowhere up come that crazy fool Presley. That old jackrabbit that nearly killed me at the hospital two years ago had the nerve and audacity to come to my house with a bat. If I didn't believe what I was seeing then my doubts became pretty clear when he lifted a big Timberland boot to my door and knocked it in. He looked mad and crazy and I just knew he was coming to kill me. He charged right at me threatening to hit me with the bat.

_I shouldn't have dropped those charges on him two years ago. But I knew they would need my information and eventually arrest me for all the tickets and selling I had been doing, and I didn't want to go to jail so I let his ugly butt slide by. But now he was asking for it! He grabbed Abigail and charged right back out the house. I tried yelling after him but I just wasn't loud enough._

It's alright though...I got something for him! I went to my little table and popped my trustee full of bullets and ran out the house wobbling my fat butt to his car. He was stuffing Abigail in the backseat when I called his name. He turned right to me and I squeezed the trigger into his chest.

He lay on the ground and I didn't unfreeze myself till I saw thick red blood pouring from his back. I killed him! But I wasn't going to jail. It was like they all knew I was going to do it! All of a sudden police came out of nowhere and jumped me. I was on the ground, gun out of my hand and my underwear scraped the ground collecting mud like a slave caught running for freedom. They had me...They had me and I was going to jail. It all went by so fast I couldn't stop for regrets before they transferred me from one jail house to another.

Time had no stamp on me, and when they told me I had been locked up for two years I couldn't believe they cared enough to tell me how long I was rotting. I went to court date, after court date, and they kept dragging me along like the worthless trash I seemed to be. Michelle's whole family was there, at every single trial and it seemed like Abigail, my own flesh and blood was laughing at me for being dumb enough to kill poor Presley. Daddy gone' get the big sentence for who knows what. They said the gun had been traced to so many murders, my girl Vera claimed to have no relation to me or her own children.

They took all my money, not like I even had any and they didn't even care when I told them the gun wasn't mine. No one believed me, all they gave me to survive on was their looks of hate and disgrace. Once I was given the final verdict the judge cracked the gavel and I was on my way to the big hole. They did strange things to me in there, and I know that as far as I am concerned, whatever I had done in my life wasn't really worth all the trouble I am in now. I tried to pray this morning for a little bit of comfort, but instead all I got was silence, I know God heard me but that didn't mean he was impressed with my sudden hypocrisy. Then one day the guard told me I had a visitor, and it seemed like my whole world stopped when I got to that glass and the little white phone holding all the answers while the man in front of me stared, completely pleased with seeing my agony.

It was Presley. "How?" He said and chuckled a little. Jake tried to get out his seat and point to him, telling the guards _I had been set up_. They all laughed at and said "Sure, like we don't hear that every day," and forced him back into the chair.

"How did I do it?" Presley asked again and Jake stared at him speechless while his voice poured through the little white phone. "Why don't you ask yourself Jacob Matthews? How did I end up here? Was it because of the stolen gun of a mass murderer that went missing out of evidence in a closed case? Was it because of my stupidity living with a woman who didn't even care enough about me to give a false statement to the police to save you from prison? Or maybe it was the fact that you left the mother of your child to die and rot on a machine when all you had to do was get over your fear and selfishness?" He looked at Jake and _I admit that all I can do is look stupid_.

"The next time you go to your happy place Jacob, think about Michelle and how she will be in heaven smiling over her daughter while she grows into a vibrant and healthy young lady. The next time you look into that dirty mirror across from your one bed, one toilet, and one-yard-long apartment in a maximum security facility, consider how much time and effort was put into your hospitality," Presley said and smiled.

It had been a long road with the investigator Marcus who had spent a lot of hours watching Jacobs home and reporting back to Presley what he found. Presley had spent two years planning Jake's decent and the money that Michelle provided him with was more than enough to supply his revenge. After constant back and forth Presley realized that Jake was not worth the trouble and he gave up. Then Marcus found some dirt on Jake and called Presley informing him of his findings. Jacob Matthews was no saint indeed; he was at the end of two open-end murders that his friend had been put away for.

Courtesy of Michelle's friend Nancy who was dating Jake's friend from the bar she was able to tell them all the dirt that Jake had done in his past. Presley found new determination to catch Jake; the only thing left was a murder. Presley would plant the perfect gun from Nancy's apartment and mailed to Jake which Presley was positive Jake would use if his life was threatened. It was all about perfect timing and now Presley could live happily ever after with Abigail and never has to deal with the likes of Jake again.

"Think about Abigail, and how she is going to live her life with the evidence of your retribution knowing that your life is in her hands and testimony. Consider the fact that she alone holds the rights to your survival as a free man, and then think about how she is going to feel knowing that you're the reason her mother is dead." Presley leaned back in the chair taking a deep relaxing breath. Jake couldn't help but cry and slam the table. _He set me up! Now he is laughing at me?_

"Look man, you won't be in here forever, it's like I said. Abigail has the choice of letting you go or making you stay, and when she comes of age I will be right there making sure she makes the perfect decision. How does it feel to know that your life..." He leaned close to the window. "Your life is in someone else's hands. And you can't do a thing about it." He slammed down the white phone and Jake screamed in desperation.

"I'm going to find you Presley! I'm going to get my life back! I didn't kill her! I did what I had to do!" Jake kept screaming until the guards hit him over the head with a long stick knocking him senseless onto the floor. Presley was right.

Jake did see him and Abigail in his dreams. They had left the country, her and Presley with Michelle's mom and dad and best friend. They all lived under new names far away from their past. Presley had a happy ending with Abigail, just the two of them and there was no room left for Jake's sorry regrets _._

I knew Presley was a man of his word, I know he told Abigail that she had the evidence to free me. And since I am still in this hell-hole, I know that she decided-just like her daddy-that she was going to use the right to make her own choices, and she didn't choose me.
Rebecca

Time went by so fast, little Alex was only three feet the last time she saw him and today she could tell around his tenth birthday, he would become nearly as tall as her. Rebecca was proud that her adopted son was growing so rapidly, but she would not be able to play the part as a strong and independent mother if she always had to look up to correct him.

He was only six, but he was going to become tall like his father and his mother. Rebecca unfortunately was border lining a midget height, and if she were to raise him as her own she would need an easy way to keep him in line without making herself totally embarrassed. _Bribe him._

"Well, if you get a good grade then I will be the first to congratulate you Alex. How about an ice cream day, just you and me trying all the flavors there is to offer?" She asked as she drove the tiny car into the parking lot of the private office. The little boy in the back seat only smiled and nodded softly.

He was staring out of the window and the scenery alone was new and exciting, he didn't want to miss a second of it. Moving to a new place was always an eye opener for Alex and Rebecca, so they enjoyed it while it lasted.

Rebecca parked her little car outside of the Social Workers office and pulled her briefcase from the passenger seat and told Alex to sit tight. "I will be right back," she said enthusiastically and shuffled to the front door. Her red hair bounced off her shoulders as she entered the office with a bright smile on her face.

No other day in her life was more exciting and she could not wait to get the good times rolling. She yanked a large folder from her briefcase while dancing towards her Social Workers desk and slapped the folder on the table in front of her. The old woman looked up snootily from her paperwork and slurped a gulp of coffee down before opening the folder shaking her head.

"Seems like everything is in order..." She said tossing the papers one after another. _You've got that right_! Rebecca thought about all the trouble she went through to get Alex's hospital records from 3 different hospitals in Japan and Germany. The hardest part was the wait, it seemed like everyone has their high-tech cell phones and iPods together but no one can use a fax machine.

"We will let you know at the end of the week." The social worker said, then pushed Rebecca's folder to the side with the rest of the useless junk. Rebecca looked back and forth between the folder and the woman trying not to choke her.

"I was told," she exclaimed. "I was told that you already had an answer for me." The woman looked at Rebecca through her big glasses. "Is he legally mine or what?" Rebecca had enough of the constant back and forth between adoption agencies and social workers, from 3 different countries! Alex was tossed around so much none of them could give a solid answer about his ethnicity and origin of birth.

"And I said," The woman did a little dance with her neck and gripped her mug tighter. "That you will get an answer at the end of the week," Then she took another sip of coffee.

"It's Monday." Rebecca retorted.

"The end...of the week." The old bag got up out of her chair and walked away. Rebecca turned around and stomped her pumps out of the office allowing the door to slam shut when she exited.

"What a mean old lady." Rebecca spoke under her breath. "You want the records, it takes me seven months, you want his proof of birth, takes me half a year. Now you're telling me that I have to wait another week to say my son is my son!" Rebecca probably didn't notice she was yelling now that she was in the car. She drove away from the office angrily then dropped Alex at baseball practice a few miles away.

It really was a mess, all the trouble she went through to prove that Alex was legally her child now that his father was long gone and out of the family photo. After serving two years in the service he found out a woman he had been with in Japan was pregnant with his child and claimed to abort if he did not retaliate. The girl was young and scared so she shipped Alex to the U.S. like a piece of holiday ham the moment her father found out about her indiscretions. Rebecca's brother woke her one night four years ago begging her to babysit and she had been babysitting ever since.

The call she made to her brother two years ago changed her life forever. "I am coming to get him, I am out of the service and ready to come home for a week and I will find somewhere to put Alex." He had said and Rebecca's heart sank into her shoes.

"No Will. You can't just toss him into an orphanage or something worse! Let him stay with me, I will adopt him, I don't care. I haven't heard from you in a year and a half and now you want your son back? No way am I letting Alex out of my sight. I want him." She almost cried and screamed for joy when her brother told their parents he was never coming home.

"Do whatever you want. He's not my child anyway, I am sure of it. She just needed someone to blame." Rebecca could have cared less what happened. There was a baby who needed a mother and since she was in school and well on her way to becoming a nurse she had someone close to her who could keep her company.

Unfortunately there was a big halt in the road that forced her away from finishing school and getting her degree. It's always something in the road that's bound to make you trip and fall but the way you land is what matters.

Rebecca stayed in the family home for a long time until her father decided to sell the business. He hit the jackpot with a major lawsuit and gave the family a little bit of money so they could all live well. Rebecca took her money and made a stable life for her and Alex, but that didn't stop her from constantly going to the hospital day in and day out.

She had some health issues of her own, and no matter how much money you have there are still two things you cannot buy. The first is love, which everyone knows and the second is warning you about the next nightmare that will alter your life as you know it.

Rebecca and Alex were on their way back home when she blew a tire. The street was full of cars and she had to grind on her poor rims in order to get out of the highway so she could use the spare. They were nearly home when the tire blew, the house was so close she could smell the dinner from last night that was stuffed inside of her refrigerator.

The little condo she had rented out was perfect for her and Alex, she wanted to be sure they could get home safely. It was time to sell this raggedy car for something better. She began to change the tire quickly and because she was no princess it was not that hard to change. Alex opened the door of the car and came to her while she tried to jack the car as high up as she could get it.

"Honey, go back inside the car I am almost done," She told him as sweat poured down her face. She kept working on the tire until she heard someone screaming on the opposite side of the street.

"Oh my God! Please, Riley stop!" Rebecca looked up from the car and saw a little boy running towards Alex. It was a neighbor they had recently met when moving in a few days ago and he had taken a liking to Alex. He was running right into the middle of the street to greet his new friend, and didn't stop at his mother's worried command.

Rebecca sprang into action and dashed into the street towards little Riley. She scooped him up at lightning speed and turned around to see a large SUV swerve right in-front of her. She crouched in a fetal position holding onto Riley for dear life and used all her strength to toss him out of the way.

The car's brakes were slammed hard and it swerved to the left in a rough turn trying to avoid her but the driver noticed a little too late. The car shifted and Rebecca caught the bumper to her back and it threw her forward onto the pavement. Her head swam and she couldn't move. She saw her son Alex running towards her crying and he sat beside her shivering body flat on the pavement and she felt him touching her hand.

"Mom!" He yelled and she began to drift away. She looked up and saw another face, her head was cradled and she fell into a deep sleep.

Presley

Presley could not believe his eyes. Certainly it was not happening. He clutched Abigail so tight he could feel her chest underneath his hand heaving from the crash. Flashbacks of the first accident with Michelle flooded his mind and he began to seize control again. He could not panic, now was not the time.

He looked at Abigail who appeared completely fine, but she was scared. He told her everything would be all right and hopped out of the SUV and ran to the back of the car. A little boy was crying, and the brave woman before him lay on the ground unconscious. He quickly grabbed her head holding upward and told the onlookers to call the police. He screamed for someone to give him some help as they pulled her out of the street and away from further danger.

Presley could not believe what had happened. He was driving one moment, talking to his daughter about how she would enjoy preschool and a new set of friends, the next second there was a little boy in the street and he did all he could not to hit him. He didn't even see the woman jumping straight into the street. Presley was concerned with keeping the child alive and had not noticed the woman attempting to save the boy. He had to slam on his breaks and try to swing the weight of the car out of the way but he saw the woman too late.

Presley grabbed his head and cursed because he knew this woman. She was actually his next-door neighbor, and now she might be dying. Presley had enough deaths to last him a life-time, there was no way this poor woman would die saving someone else. Not today.

Presley waited with the little kid for the ambulance after moving his car out of the street. The woman lay on the ground unmoving; her breath was extremely faint. Presley could only pray she would make it, and his daughter watched from the sidewalk crying. Presley listened to the little kid, and remained speechless on the ground beside her head. He could not say anything because he was too distraught inside his mind. There was so much going on that the only thing he could do was sit there and silently hope.

"Mom!" the little boy called her name holding her hand. "Mom please, please wake up, can you hear me?" He cried and laid his head beside her. He tried to wipe the blood from her forehead and Presley put pressure on the head wound. Presley looked at the boy's face. He seemed as if the ground was sinking sand and he would drown faster if he looked up. He stared into his mother's face heavily in dismay and agony. He waited until the ambulance came to strap her up and drive to the hospital.

After the ambulance took the woman, Presley felt directly responsible for what had happened and followed them. He and Abigail sat in the waiting room for a few minutes before the police came to take a statement.

"Well, it is how the woman said. The little boy ran into the street while I was on a green light and when I saw him I slammed my breaks and the car swung around and hit the woman who tried to save him." Presley watched as the man wrote down a few notes. Luckily the little boy who was in the street had an honest mother who said that it was definitely Riley's fault. There was just a lot of bad timing and Rebecca saved his life tossing him out of the way. He landed on the sidewalk with a scratch or two.

Presley found out that the woman who had been hit by his car was in a coma. Something he knew of very well, and was overly experienced with the issues that came with it. There was no investigation since the victim was unable to protest, also there were tons of witnesses who said she was a hero. Presley looked at Abigail in the waiting room and was glad she was safe. He called her nanny to come pick her up and put her to bed. Abigail didn't want to leave his side, terribly afraid that the situation would get worse even though she had no idea what was happening.

"Daddy, I don't want to leave. I want to stay with you and the little boy." She begged him. He told her no and kissed her forehead when Gina the nanny came to get her. He waved goodbye to her and slouched in the chair across from Alexander, the little boy from next door. He sat silently and Presley wondered if the boy had eaten, if he was ok and better yet if he could hold it together. He couldn't have been more than five or six. He was a strong little guy, but seeing his mother that way did things to him and Presley noticed.

"Hey kid." After the entire day of silence Presley finally addressed him. Alex's eyes were red and puffy and he sniffed over and over and his voice was shaky when he answered.

"Yeah?" He asked not looking up.

"I am so sorry about this. I didn't mean to hit your mom." Presley spoke low, only enough for the two of them to hear. He did not want Abigail to see how much blame he was taking in while she was present, so it was best to address the situation now that she was gone. She was just too young to understand. In the car she had repeated to him that it was an accident and not his fault that the lady tried to be superwoman. He wanted to correct her, but his mind was more concerned about if the woman would live long enough to be treated.

"But...you did hit her. She's going to die." The little boy said and his face twisted in pain. He cried in his hands. Presley had heard the same cry before. He got out of his chair and walked over to the boy. He put a hand on his back and attempted to console him. The boy hiccupped and whined, his whole body shook from crying.

"She is going to live. She is going to make it I promise you." Presley was not convinced himself. The nurse came over much later and told Presley they could see her and visit for a while but she was not awake. Presley pulled the nurse aside after Alex went into his mother's private room.

"Ma'am, may I ask did you contact her family?" Presley said.

"Yes sir. No one is picking up, and we cannot get in touch with the next of kin."

"What about the boy's father. I am sure he will need to know about his wife." The nurse shook her head at him.

"No, she is registered as single on her I.D. She recently moved here and our records do not show much else. I am terribly sorry. We will send someone for the child, he is too young to stay overnight by himself." The nurse began to walk away and Presley stopped her.

"Well wait, what if he stayed with me and my daughter for the night? I am her next-door neighbor." The nurse turned to him and flipped through her notes.

"Does she know you sir? Are you registered as an emergency contact perhaps? We would love to oblige, but its policy to have proof of relationship before we can release him to your custody." Presley nodded and thought for a moment.

"Well what if I was a volunteer? I am a volunteer firefighter and they usually call me for cases like this but it never had to do with a child. I would take in homeless animals and foster them for a week or so until there was a family for them. I have the credentials if you would like to see them." Presley waited for the nurse to nod and speak with her boss.

Ever since leaving the Hills he swore that he would give back in any way that he could. He told his old friends and family that he was leaving the country, which he did but none of them would expect he was only a few states away. He had trust in Marcus, his old pal who set him up a really good get-away after putting Jake away in the past. But he was extra careful to change his name and identity, including his job so that he could give Abigail a wonderful life. Only a select few knew the truth, and he trusted them to keep his secrets.

He waited at the door of the hospital room where Rebecca and her son Alex were. Alex had climbed onto the bed next to his mother and wrapped an arm around her waist sniffling into her hair. Presley's eyes began to water, he cleared his throat choking them down. He prayed that Rebecca would not suffer the same fate as his beautiful Michelle. The nurse was behind him a few minutes later and he wiped his eyes before addressing her.

"We have a few questions for you sir, if you don't mind." The nurse led him to a back office where he was heavily evaluated by the hospital's social worker. They had run around the same circles a few times, when people happened to abuse their children and set the homes on fire to hide the evidence (not that this particularly happened often), Presley would join forces with the hospital's social workers to get the situation under total control.

The social worker told him that he was more than trust worthy, and for the last three years and helping out with the school while his daughter was happy and healthy, he was more than fit to take care of Alex until his mother woke up- if she did wake up. There was only one more person to ask.

Presley walked back to the hospital room and found Alex sound asleep in his mother's room. Presley sat on the opposite side of the bed and looked at them both solemnly. The woman's face was bruised and her head was stitched up delicately. Her hair was long and red, and he could tell she had a mixed ethnicity from the freckles on her face.

Her son looked nothing like her, possibly taking after his father and his eyes were definitely Asian. You just don't get a unique look like Alex every day. He was a handsome boy and she had done a pretty fine job raising him. Visiting hours were over right after Presley had settled in. The boy awoke to the nurse changing the little bag of liquid above his mother's hospital bed and looked up to see Presley by his side.

"Hey kid." Presley kneeled down to match the boy's height. "I know you want to stay with your mom, but we will have to leave soon." The little boy's eyes lowered and tears rolled down his face. Presley was instantly hurt. "If you want, you can stay next door with me and Abigail. We can come right back as soon as visitor hours start tomorrow. I promise your mother will be fine until then." Presley held out his hand and the little boy only stared at it.

"I can't leave her. She wouldn't leave me." The boy sniffed and Presley hugged him.

"I know Alex. But what about you, have you eaten yet? And what if she wakes up and sees you haven't eaten, or slept in a bed? Do you think she would be happy about that?" Presley asked. Raising Abigail he knew what could make children respond, the best way was to treat them like adults. In this day and age, children don't respond like kids anymore.

"I am hungry." The boy said and looked down guiltily. His mother would never leave him in the hospital, but he was starving and he felt sick from seeing all the blood today.

Presley padded his back and with a little more convincing they were on their way to his house. Abigail was still awake, refusing to sleep until her daddy was home and lying next to her. She feared bad dreams would come if he were not there, and Gina could not appear half as brave if the monsters did come into her room.

When she heard the lock of the door and saw her father enter the house she jumped for joy and hugged him. Presley didn't ask why she wasn't already asleep and paid Gina for a full week's worth of work. She left happily and said goodbye to Alex, everyone in town knew what happened to his mother, the quiet little red-head from down the street. It was a shame she ended up in a coma after saving Riley's life that day.

Presley asked Alex if he preferred a guest room or the couch to sleep while they feasted on pizza and junk food. The boy's spirits were back up while they were munching, but when he had finished eating, his sorrow returned when he realized his mother wasn't coming to pick him up. There was nothing Presley could do, and the boy sat at the table with his head flat on his plate.

He began to cry softly, trying to hide it from Abigail who Presley found was one year his junior. Abigail began to cry too when she saw Alex crying and then Presley nudged for her to come to him. Presley placed his chin on the top of Abigail's head as she cried into his chest and closed his eyes. He soon felt a little head under his other arm creeping into his embrace. He opened his eyes and hugged Alex close and the three of them cried for his mother, gaining strength from the arms of each other.

Presley understood this pain, it was something that he had experienced over and over with Michelle's situation. He tried to explain to Abigail on countless occasions how Michelle was a loving and beautiful mother who cared for Abigail in the deepest ways. But Abigail could not cry for someone she didn't know, and she was too young to understand the loss of someone who was never there.

Alex was different. He loved his mother and was constantly reminded of how precious she was to his life now that she was gone. Alex could not express his loss in any other way besides tears. The following day was so stressful that Alex could hardly eat without crying or becoming sick. Presley had been through the same situation with Michelle, and he could not help but suffer all over again because Alex did not hide his pain.

Every day Alex would wake up and pray for his mother. He confessed to Presley that it was always hard to pray but now that Rebecca was in the coma, there was new determination to pray correctly. Presley comforted Alex as much as he could and they began to do other things with the kids to keep their minds strong.

Presley could feel the bond between the three of them grow, and it was worth every moment of their sorrow. Presley had no idea that he would not have to suffer this loss alone, and because Alex was so enthusiastic about his mother's recovery, Presley began to wish he had Alex's uplifting attitude when Michelle was in her coma the few years before.

Presley

It had been a full week since he had opened his home to Alex and every single day they spent most of their time at the hospital. Presley had never felt so close to anyone before, it was as if he and Alex connected beyond anyone else in his life. Abigail would never have this connection; she would never understand loss and hatred towards the cruelty of the world she lived in.

Not until she realized how important it is to have a mother in your life. Presley was glad he did not have to share this feeling with her, at least not right now. But Alex was dealing with the absence of his mother pretty well. Presley and Abigail got to know him so easily and now they were in unison, a trio that could not be broken or separated.

Presley showered Alex with love and care from the moment her entered the home. The first night together all three of them slept on the couch bundled like a real family. Presley knew Alex's mother would wake soon, her body was reacting the direct oppositely of Michelle's when she was sick. When they treated Rebecca's body, it would react and prove there was a sign of improvement where Michelle's body would constantly decline and piece by piece her entire body would shut down.

Rebecca was fighting, she was fighting hard and it was only a matter of time that she would awaken. Alex was happy to hear the news, he watched over his mother every day, but if he didn't start going to school Presley may lose custody of him. The first day was hard, he wanted to be with his mother but at the end of the school day he was happy to get out of the sad situation. Presley could see him holding Abigail's hand as they ran to the car happy and excited that another day had ended and their free time had begun. The sight brought back memories and Presley smiled to himself.

"We are hungry daddy. Alex wants McDonalds today, right Alex?" Alex laughed at her and so did Presley. She was doing this often, using Alex to get the upper-hand with her father. She was young, but could easily tell when her dad had a soft spot and she used it to her advantage.

"I want to go to see my mom, but yeah Mr. Presley, can we eat first?" Presley nodded and took them to McDonalds before heading to the hospital. It was going to be a long day, since Presley was going to work that night and cover a shift for one of the other Firefighters. He would not be able to watch the kids tonight so Gina was going to pick them up after their visit. When they arrived at the hospital Rebecca's door was closed and locked. Presley knocked on the door confused and the kids waited patiently behind him.

Someone was talking inside and then began to speak a bit quickly, then opened the door with a saddened face. The man had a black suit on and a small Bible in his hand staring at Presley then smiling. Presley feared the worst. When the man saw his expression change to immediate worry, the Pastor held up a hand and chuckled.

"No, don't worry I am not here for anyone. I'm not the grim reaper, just praying over the patients." The man said and held the door open for the three of them. Presley looked at Rebecca and she was still breathing, sleeping soundly. The Pastor shook his hand and said goodbye then exited the room. He looked a bit young to be a pastor but Presley paid it no mind.

Seeing the man reminded him of his last day with Michelle. Her body was declining so quickly that the nurse on duty could hardly keep the fluids from spilling out of Michelle's body. Michelle was not surviving anymore, she was suffering and if there was any life left in her, she would not be able to live long. After the very last dime went into her life-support machine the nurse told him without the proper treatment she would pass over-night and instead of allowing her to go peacefully alone, he wanted all of her family there when they pulled the plug. The feeling of watching Michelle's machine go blank made Presley weak.

Presley looked over at the sleeping Rebecca and made a personal promise that he would not allow Alex to live motherless like Abigail. He slumped into the chair beside Rebecca and put his elbows on his knees and began to pray for her.

The kids watched some TV and waited for Gina to get them. Before long Presley was alone in the quiet room with Rebecca beside him and the only person he could talk to was God. Presley tried to speak out loud but his voice was gone and he realized he had been crying. He cleared his throat and looked at the night stand where there was a phone, a bible and a vase full of roses he had purchased the day before.

He had bought the roses because he convinced Alex that the gesture would be nice in case Rebecca woke up when they were not around. She would see them and know that her family was waiting for her. It was also a gesture that he had done for Michelle in case her eyes opened for only a moment at least she could see the roses and know that she was loved. He had received many compliments from the nurses and doctors when he and Alex bought in the dozen roses, half red and half pink.

Presley looked at Rebecca's face under the little mask and reached for her hand on the bed. "My best friend didn't make it." He said, not really talking to anyone. "She lay in a bed just like this for two years, and she never once opened her eyes to see me waiting for her. I loved her, you know. More than life itself, I wanted her to be happy with or without me. I sat beside her bed every single day praying that she would wake up. Now I know that if she had awaked, I probably would not have my daughter." Presley lowered his head to the ground and tears fell from his eyes.

"I think I'm being greedy." He laughed at himself and became saddened again. "You're beautiful, nothing like Michelle though, you two look very different. But you're beautiful anyway." He looked away from her feeling a little guilty. "Your son is a fine boy. You did a really good job raising him." Presley knew that speaking to comatose patients usually gave them enough determination to wake. He had tried that a million times over for Michelle, and even though it did not work to her advantage, it still gave him something to do because he wasn't going to leave that bed.

"Yesterday, Alex went to baseball practice and hit the ball so hard it left the park." Presley smirked. "He is a showboat, I am sure you know that already." Presley laughed a little. "I wish you would wake up Miss Rebecca. Your son is pretty sad." Presley squeezed her hand then stuck it back under her covers. He kissed the top of her head out of habit and exited the room heading straight for work.

At his job he ran late into the night cleaning the truck and fixing up the locker room. There was some basic maintenance needed at the station and since he was pulling a quiet all-nighter it was the best time to get it done. He made it back home the next day and greeted the kids. They were up watching Saturday cartoons, and didn't care if he was tired.

Abigail was used to him coming home and ignoring his aching body and tired mind to spend as much time as possible with him. Even though he was tired he played a little ball with the kids and followed Alex into his house next-door when he requested to get a few things. Presley waited in the doorway and Alex re-emerged with a large bag full of DVD's and cassette tapes.

They went back to the house and Presley made lunch, then Alex popped in a home video telling Presley that it was time to visit his mother, even if he couldn't go to the hospital. Presley agreed and put Abigail down for a nap then joined Alex in the living room. Alex was already playing a tape watching it closely and laughing.

A beautiful red-haired woman was on the screen chasing after a very young Alex playing with him and tossing him in the air. It was Rebecca. Presley could not believe his eyes, he knew the crash had did a number on her but what he was seeing in front of him was a woman who was confident and flawless in every way. It made him hurt even more knowing that she was in the hospital, only a beaten mirrored version of what she used to be before he slammed his car into her.

"Alex, can you say mommy?" She said in front of the camera smiling at Alex's tiny hands reaching out for her face. She giggled into the camera and a voice behind it spoke to her.

"He is waving at you." The voice laughed, it was that of a woman in her middle ages and she sounded happy. "Alex, look at the camera." The voice said. Suddenly the video jumped and skipped to a later date. It was a video of a reunion of some sort, possibly a family gathering at Christmas or Thanksgiving.

Rebecca was chatting at a picnic table holding an older version of Alex. She looked at the camera and screamed. The camera person charged at her with a large pie and she hopped up from the table and ran with the baby. Eventually the pie caught up with her face and everyone laughed as Alex ate the topping when the pie squished Rebecca's lovely facial features. The videos were long and funny and Presley watched as many as he could with Alex until the child fell asleep. Presley put him into bed in Abigail's room and sat back on the sofa skimming through another video.

He searched the video bag, attempting to go back to Alex's birth. Alex told him that he had a father who was in the service, and that was all he knew about him. Presley tried to find any evidence from the years when Alex was born and found a chest inside the bag that appeared locked. Presley put the box down and decided that it may have been private and he should not bother digging further.

The videos had dates scribbled on them, and one said "Becky" on the side cover. Presley could not help himself. Presley popped in the video and there was a young Rebecca on the first section sleeping in a bed. Presley watched closely staring into her face. She slept the same way in the hospital bed, softly and calmly with her head leaning to the side. The camera person began to speak in a hushed whisper.

"Becky..." The voice whispered and giggled. It was a young guy's voice but Presley could not tell much else. "Ok everyone, she is officially asleep." The camera person shouted loudly and Rebecca gasped awake. He had never heard Rebecca speak on the videos, unless it was laughing or speaking to the baby in a child-like voice, so when she began to speak to the camera his heart lifted at the sound.

"John, you scared me." She said rubbing her eyes and laughing. John came from behind the camera and kissed her cheek. He whispered something to her that the camera could not hear and she looked at the camera then back at John. "Ugh...please not now." She said and tried to hide under the covers.

"Come on Becky please! Sing for me?" John begged and she rolled her eyes then sat up straight. She looked into the camera and began to sing.

"These voices in my head...Running up and wild...Running through my mind...And I'm not afraid." Her voice was light and beautiful. Presley watched as her and John sang in unison. Then she began to say a little biography.

"My name is Rebecca, and I am young, hot and wild." She winked at the camera and laughed. John told her to be serious then laughed himself. "I hope that when I grow up, I will have a big record label and a sugar daddy." She smiled at the camera and it faded to a pout when John told her to keep dreaming.

"I love being a dreamer John. It gets you places. If you don't dream, then you don't believe and if you don't believe then you're an idiot, and if you're an idiot I have no business being your girlfriend." She snapped and John jumped over the camera and wrestled her playfully on the bed.

The camera shut off then jumped to another scene with Rebecca staring into the camera under a heap of red hair crying. Her face was red and her eyes were swollen and she sniffed a little shuddering. She held the camera and placed it on a table on the side of her bed and cried some more.

"I hate myself." She whispered and looked into the camera. "I just want to die." She looked around her bedroom and put her face on her folded arms. "No one listens to me. I told them that I can't do this anymore. I can't keep doing this and still be myself. I am not going to be a doctor, or a nurse and I won't be a dentist either. I don't know what I want to do but I am tired of being smothered." She rubbed her eyes in her arms and looked back up.

"I am sick and tired of losing. I always lose, if I would have won that talent show tonight I would have enough money to do whatever I want. But no my dad had to sabotage me and drag me back home saying my dress was too provocative." She cried again. "He doesn't understand me! I want to sing, and be professional, but instead he wants me to be a doctor. I hate my life." She cried some more and ended the tape. The tape cut into a new reel.

It was Rebecca again and she was at an airport. She was still young but there was no Alex around and she stood there by herself with John holding the camera. "There he is." She smiled and waved to an Asian woman holding a small baby. "There's Alex!" She clapped her hands and ran to the woman and took the baby from her hands. She hugged him and showed him to the camera.

"He is so big, look at him. Oh my goodness he is adorable." She said. Presley's eyes squinted, Alex did not tell him that he was adopted; perhaps the child was not even aware. That was Rebecca's business anyway. Presley kept watching and the video cut to when John was playing with Alex and there was a distant but loud Rebecca in the background.

"No are you kidding me! I don't care what happened," she exclaimed. "He is my nephew and I am not letting him go. Are you crazy?" The conversation continued as John played with Alex and recorded him eating little plastic toys. "No Will! I don't care what you did, it doesn't matter. You think that you will not have consequences? You can run, but I am not going anywhere." She walked too far and Presley could not make out the rest of the conversation.

There were a few more tapes, they were of Rebecca and John and their life together with a young Alex. John had proposed to her on one tape, the next was about a family trip together, and then there were a few about their family get-togethers. These were happy videos, but they were hidden so well, each one of them hidden from Alex.

Presley wondered why these videos were locked away and hidden from Alex's reach. When Presley confronted him about "other tapes" the next day, Alex only mentioned that his mother said the tapes were old versions of "The Price is Right" and if he wanted to stay bored he could watch them. Thus, Alex had absolutely no interest in them.

Presley could see the undertones a mile away. When a parent didn't want their children to find something they never said "Don't go searching" because they knew their child would do it anyway. Instead Rebecca had locked away these DVD's and protected them by plastering boredom all over them, and that alone was safe enough to keep Alex away from the truth she was hiding. Presley did not press the matter anymore.

Instead he reminisced about the beautiful Rebecca in the videos. He had learned so much about her, the good, the bad and the ugly. Everything she was hiding and everything she had made clear to the people she loved was revealed to Presley. Somehow, over the past few weeks no one came to see her, not her parents, or her fiancé John. Presley attempted contacting him later on that week and left messages saying she was in a bad situation and could use some family members. Still, he never came or returned his calls.

Presley was back in the waiting room today and the nurse said that the night before Rebecca showed a significant response, she was well on her way to waking but her concussion made it hard to tell. She may not remember anyone or anything; she may have speech problems or worse, the inability to think or to move around. Presley could not concentrate on that, he was not telling Alex that his mother was going to be a vegetable. Instead Presley stood by her side and talked to her again.

Presley was alone by her bed and held her hand again. "Alex is doing great in school. He likes getting away from the hospital sometimes because he says this place gives him the creeps." Presley laughed and squeezed her hand a bit more. He talked to her about the videos, and how he felt her pain for what happened.

"I know that you had a hard time, I had a hard time too. I am awfully sorry all of this happened and I hope you can forgive me someday." Presley kissed her hand and set it back on the bed. He looked at her and overwhelming feelings of loss and regret flooded him. He leaned close to her and said a little prayer over her forehead then kissed her cheek softly. He fluffed up the flowers beside her bed and put fresh water in the vase. He pulled Rebecca's hair to one side and tucked the covers around her securely then left the hospital room.

Rebecca

Rebecca dreamed that she was running from someone. It was a dark place but it turned to light really soon. She felt the dryness of her throat and coughed a little. A machine beside her head was loud and ringing in her ears. She opened her eyes and it felt like sticky glue was covering her face.

She began to cry from the pain in her head and attempted to reach out a hand for Alex. Surely he was beside her, since they were in the hospital again as they usually were. But this time something was very different. Her parents weren't there, and neither was her son. She looked around the room and gasped for air as hot mist flew into her lungs from a large plastic tube over her gaping mouth.

"Help!" She tried to scream and the walls of her throat closed and she grabbed the side of the bed in panic.

The machine was choking her, it felt like her entire body was unmoving and strapped to a bed. There is always a help button, and Rebecca knew it was on the side of the bed. She searched for the little red button to call for a nurse, and once she found it not far from her hand she frantically pushed it.

She coughed and squealed trying to take the tape off her face and unhook the IV in her arm. A nurse ran in and called for the night doctor as she helped Rebecca with the tape. She tried to calm Rebecca down but she was frightened and scared not wanting to suffocate. When Rebecca realized the nurse was not helping her get the mask off, she yanked her hands away.

"Leave me alone!" Rebecca screamed. "I want it off, it's choking me!" She tried to grasp for air and her throat closed even tighter. Her head swam and she tried to yank the mask and tape right off her face. She yelped and squealed and the nurse stuck her arm with a large needle. Rebecca suddenly calmed and her whole body failed her. She took a deep breath and the doctor leaned over her head and spoke to her. Rebecca cried.

"It's alright, don't worry we will put you back together again. Bless your heart." The man said and gave her a quick checkup. "Well you're definitely awake! How about we notify your family after you get cleaned up?" Rebecca shook her head frantically.

"No!" She said. "Don't call anyone because I don't want them to know I am here." She said and slumped into the pillow behind her head. Everything she did or said took energy out of her and she was getting weaker by the second. She shot up from the bed and yelled in desperation. "Alex! My son, where is my son?" She looked around the room not seeing him then her body crashed back down to the bed forced by the doctor and nurses hands.

"He is with a local firefighter and is very safe. He visits you every day and will be here tomorrow first thing in the morning ma'am," Said one of the nurses. "He comes to see you all the time and he will be very excited to see you awake. Calm down ok, you're going to sleep now." And she was right, before she finished the sentence Rebecca passed out.
Presley

Presley arrived at the hospital at a reasonable time. He usually had the kids with him but Gina brought them today so that he could run off to work. Their car shouldn't be too far away now that he had arrived at the hospital and was riding the elevator to Rebecca's room.

As he jabbed her floor, he began to recollect all that he knew about her. She was beautiful, and a very good mother. She took really good care of Alex and loved him dearly. Presley wondered what she liked, how she would be in person and what exactly did she do for a living now that her plans of being a singer failed. Presley had a friend again in Rebecca. It had been a long time since he had come close to someone, and he did not even know Rebecca that well.

Presley arrived upstairs and greeted the nurses the same way as every day and headed to Rebecca's room. He fluffed the flowers and sat beside her bed then took her little hand in his and waited for the kids and Gina to arrive. He looked at Rebecca's face, she slept solemnly like she always did and he picked up her hair and pushed it to her right shoulder. He listened to her breathing and put his elbows on her bed and placed his face in his hands. Presley rubbed his neck and stretched a little then took her hand again.

"Rebecca, your son is amazing. He surprises me every single day. Last night he made dinner for Abigail and put her to bed for me. I think he is trying to take my job as father." Presley giggled. "Abigail loves him, she really does. She tries to use him as leverage, and whatever she wants he gives it to her. He reminds me of myself." Presley looked at the ground feeling guilty.

"I know that you can't hear me, and I know that you would probably kill me if you were awake right now. But your son has saved my life." Presley felt tears rolling down his eyes. "The way he looks at you when you're in this bed it reminds me of myself. I watched my father die this way, my mother, and my best friend. All of them died like this leaving me behind, and I could not come back from it." Presley clutched her hand and put it in his lap and stared at her hand inside of his. "I wish Becky, I really wish I could save you." Presley shook his head unable to stop his tears.

"I couldn't save my mother. She died right in front of me on a bed just like this. My best friend, I watched her spirit leave her body. I can't do it again." Presley put his hand over hers and cradled it softly. "I can't lose another person in my life. I know you have no idea who I am, but I can't lose you too. If Alex," He didn't want to finish. "If Alex has to lose you the way I lost my entire family, I think...no I know that it will break him." Presley continued.

"It will break me, and I can't live with that knowing that I am the reason you're here." Presley placed her hand on his forehead and cried a little then lowered her hand back into his own. "Please Rebecca, I need you to live, I need you to live long enough to forgive me for what I have done. I need to hear it, so please wake up." Presley cried for a moment and stared at her hand.

"I did something horrible Rebecca. I have seen your tapes and I feel like I know you now, so I really need to get this off my chest. I have done something horrible, I set up a man and though he isn't innocent-I still meddled into his life and caused him great pain." Presley shook his head in regret.

"This man hurt me so bad. He left someone I loved in a hospital bed and did not step up to save her. It was such a bad situation and now I understand what he was afraid of. Honestly I can no longer blame the man for deciding to let my friend die. He was afraid of death and after all the death's I have seen in my life, I can understand how fear can grip you." Presley sighed beside the bed and kept staring at the hand inside of his.

"Rebecca, I know that you don't know who I am, but I promise that when you wake up I will be here for you. I will be here for Alex and I will take care of you both after this is over and I swear to you that Alex will have a great life. I won't try to find your family and force them to put their differences aside for the sake of Alex. I am not going to meddle, instead I will do my best to ensure that both of you are safe."

Presley lowered his head to the floor, and a sudden sensation made him freeze. He felt the hand in his, grip him softly and it held him. Presley blinked and looked up to the bed. Rebecca's eyes were wide open.

Presley jumped back startled looked up at the bed with fear on his face. Rebecca stared at him and sat up in the bed. She took of the mask so she could speak. She sighed softly and a tear rolled down her face.

"I forgive you." She said and Presley could do nothing but blink in surprise. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Presley nearly lost his breakfast. He never did well with surprises. She continued to speak while he lay in the chair speechless.

"Are you the man who has my son?" She asked and Presley still could not catch his breath. Rebecca's face turned into concern. She reached for his hand again and Presley felt the warmth of it and looked down at his lap. "Please," her eyes flooded with tears. "Do you know where my son is?" She asked and Presley nodded.

"H-he's at school." Presley cleared his throat and wiped his face with his free hand. "I can go get him and bring him." Presley looked at her through puffy eyes and rubbed his neck again, he felt so awkward. How long was she awake, and how much did she hear!

Rebecca released his hand and sat back on the bed. "You weren't expecting me to wake?" She asked and looked at him. Presley shook his head and lowered it to the floor. He wanted to hide under a rock. "You hit me, didn't you?" She asked in a whisper. Presley's face shot up quickly and he nodded.

"I uh..." Presley rubbed his hands together feeling like a four-year-old caught in the cookie jar.

Rebecca closed her eyes and put up her hand to stop him. "I forgive you sir. I told you that, I mean it. I am in pain but it wasn't your fault." She said looking away. How could she blame him? She remembered the crash perfectly, last night her memory was gone but after all the rest she had, she remembered his face in that car behind the windshield. He was staring at Riley doing every possible maneuver he could manage in order to miss Riley. He had seen her after the fact. She told Presley just that.

"I understand but, I should have stopped instead of swerved. My daughter was in there and, I just reacted without thinking." Presley exclaimed. Suddenly there was a commotion outside and he realized it was Gina and Abigail running to the room calling for him, Alex was not far behind. Abigail hugged him close and he snapped out of his guilt trip and rubbed his eyes then tossed her into the air. He kissed Abigail in greeting then Alex ran up to him for a hug too. Presley stopped him and put Abigail down.

"Hey buddy, someone wants to see you." He said and guided Abigail and Gina out of the room. Alex screamed in happiness and hugged his mother. Rebecca and Alex cried into each other's arms and Presley shut the door behind them.

"She's awake now daddy?" Abigail asked and Presley nodded once they were in the waiting room. "So she is not going to die?" Abigail asked and Presley nodded and waved goodbye to Gina who was late for class.

Abigail patted her dad on the back with her tiny hands. "Don't cry okay daddy, you don't have to be sad anymore because she's alive." Presley stared at his daughter's hair and laughed a little wiping more tears from his face. She was right. He didn't have to feel guilty anymore. Rebecca was fine and reunited with her son. So why was he still in the waiting room? That's not where he belonged, waiting...constantly waiting.

But he did wait. Presley waited for close to an hour with Abigail sleeping in his lap hugging him close. Alex ran from the room and over to Presley happy but whispering. "She is okay Mr. Presley. My mom is fine and we are going home today. She is getting ready right now." Alex hugged Presley and Abigail in his arms and Presley was elated.

Rebecca was on her feet but was extremely wobbly so the nurse gave her a wheelchair. When they asked if she had a ride back home Alex told her that Presley had a car waiting for her outside and there was no need to call anyone else. Presley helped Rebecca into the same car that nearly killed her and she was happy for the gesture. She was tired and a bit ill but Presley wanted to take care of everything for her. They went through the rest of the day in silence unless it was to speak to the children.

Presley brought Rebecca into her bedroom in her house next door and the kids were in his home preparing a tiny lunch. He helped her out of the wheel chair by extending an arm and Rebecca took it shyly, not really wanting to accept his help, a bit embarrassed that she didn't have a choice.

After helping her into the bed she fell asleep and gathered her strength until later on that night. Since his mother was home, Presley did not force Alex to school the next day and decided to order a private breakfast for the two of them so they could catch up. Alex begged his mother to let Presley join them and after a lot of coaxing she accepted. When Presley arrived at the door he smiled at her and she looked at him in a confused manner. She let him in silently and sat at the table waiting for Alex to join them.

Rebecca watched them closely and Presley watched her too. They both talked to Alex and he enjoyed seeing both of them together at the table passing eggs and bacon to one another as if they were a real family. Rebecca didn't like what she was seeing. Her whole life she had wanted a family like this and now that Presley was in the picture she felt awkward. He was more into her son than she was, and Alex appreciated his company more than she expected.
Rebecca

The next few days were hard for Rebecca, and she had to quit her job at the local diner to spare them the trouble of firing her. She wanted to get another job, but she had just enough money left over for two or three months of rent and utilities so she was a little ahead.

She didn't drive her car because her legs were still weak and she was unable to shop for groceries because she could not walk to the bus stop. That's where Presley came into the picture. He would come over every day and take Alex to school for her. It was not even a question, he did it without request.

He would shop for the house and send Alex home with food and goodies for the both of them. Alex would ask every day after school if he could go to Presley's house next door and she could not believe what she was hearing.

Didn't he have any friends his age? She imagined Presley luring her son next door with candy and other things boys like such as toy cars and other stuff. One day she decided to drop in on them and see what was really going on.

She didn't bother knocking, instead she opened the front door to Presley's home. She waltzed right through the house expecting to see them in some strange room worshipping idols and she had every right to yank her son from this house for good.

She heard them talking and laughing in a back room and she sauntered back there then burst through the door. She was amazed at what she saw. The kids were on the floor, Presley's daughter Abigail was pulling a dolls hair and laughing at Alex. Alex was laughing holding his stomach and stared at an old home movie where Rebecca had taken a pie to the face. Presley was not in the room. She looked up at the video and smiled a little, wondering what would make Alex want to watch those movies.

"It's a bad habit." She jumped as Presley came behind her with popcorn. She turned around and looked at him, they never speak to each other and hearing his voice embarrassed her a little. "When you were, well...it made Alex feel better. He still enjoys those movies of you. I have to remind him that you're actually awake." He laughed a little trying to cheer her up. Rebecca slit her eyes a little.

"Mhmm..." She said then entered the room and the children greeted her. She sat on the bed behind her son and poked him. "Did you do your homework? Come on we have to go home and finish it." He nodded matter-of-factly.

"I'm finished mom, Mr. Presley helped me." Rebecca tried not to be obvious but her heart sank a little.

"Did you eat dinner?" She looked back at the bowl of popcorn that Presley held still standing in the doorway.

"Yup we all ate." He said and she knew he included Presley and Abigail. Her eyes lowered. She had lost her son to the better competition. She gave up and got off the bed walking towards the door.

"I think you better go home with your mother Alex." Presley said in a low voice. Alex turned around and lowered his head getting off the floor. "Here, take the movie and popcorn with you. Your mother can watch it with you at your house." Alex's face said it all. He didn't want to leave. Rebecca was too surprised at her son's reaction when Presley spoke. So maybe they weren't best friends, they acted like father and son. But then the visage fell down.

"Daddy I want to go with Alex too!" Abigail said and Rebecca nearly laughed at how Presley acted. He could be stern with Alex but when his daughter spoke his body language changed and he pleaded with her.

"But Abigail, this is their time to be together." He said.

"But I want to go daddy." Rebecca couldn't help herself and laughed at Abigail's reply to her father. She could tell Presley could not say no.

"Abigail," He started then Rebecca stopped him.

"Why don't we all watch the movie together," Rebecca said and they all agreed. Presley guided them all to the living room and they sat on the sofa, kids in the middle adults on the end. Alex sat next to Presley and Abigail snuggled into Rebecca's side smelling her and laying her head on her chest. Rebecca couldn't believe how comfortable Abigail seemed to be. The movie was funny, but that didn't stop the kids from falling asleep before it ended.

"Works every time," Presley's face was pure accomplishment and they silently laughed together. He looked at her and smiled, then looked away with his arm around Alex. Rebecca picked up Abigail and let the child rest on her shoulder.

"You're too young to be a father." She said after a moment of silence.

"You're too young to be a mother." Presley answered. She smiled.

"Why did you take him in? Was it guilt?" Rebecca asked sincerely.

Presley shook his head. "It was more like, security." Rebecca nodded and he continued. "He was lost and alone in the waiting room. I knew that I was to blame, but I could relate to what he was feeling. That's why I had to help him." Presley said and Rebecca was thankful.

"He really likes you a lot." She said and remembered all the men she tried to have relationships that Alex never connected with. She always wanted a father figure, and Alex just wanted a friend. They seem to have found both already...

"Well, he has gotten to know me. It was hard the first week, but now we are doing well." He said then looked at her seriously. "I know how you feel, Rebecca. I know that you feel distant from him because he has been with me for so long. But he still loves you, it's just sometimes when children find a good thing it's hard to let it go. He thought about you every day, he prayed for you too." Rebecca looked over at Presley then down at Alex. He had prayed for her, and still she kept so many secrets from him.

"He really doesn't look like me," Rebecca confessed and took a deep breath forgetting she spoke out loud. She looked up and cleared her throat blinking a bit rapidly.

"I noticed," Presley said low. "I also saw...well I can tell he is adopted." Presley didn't want to confess he saw her private video, perhaps she hid it because Alex was adopted and she didn't want him to find out.

"Yes but please don't tell him. I haven't found the strength yet and I don't want him concerned with it." She looked up at Presley and he was smiling at her. He then looked at Abigail and chuckled a little.

"Abigail looks nothing like me either. Her eyes are blue, her hair is black but she isn't my daughter." Presley confessed and Rebecca lifted her eyes in shock. "She is my best friend's kid; I inherited her after she died. Abigail is all I have now." Presley sad and Rebecca left it at that.

"She is beautiful, and very sweet." Rebecca said and Presley smiles. They looked at each other and Presley's smile slowly began to fade and he stared into her eyes seriously.

"Rebecca, why did you hide the tape from Alex, the one you said was old reruns. I know I shouldn't have dug in your business, but my curiosity took me over and I have to be honest with you because I am trying to be an honest man." Presley said and she wished he would stop staring. It made her weak...

"Well. It held truth about his birth and where he came from. I didn't want him to know about his father's indiscretions with a woman in Japan. I didn't want him to know that his grandparents sent him away to save their families name and it was not their fault. He should not have been angry with them. It was my brother's cowardice toward them that should shame us all. Had my brother done the right thing and married the girl, then paid for her birth expenses all would have been fine. But instead he disgraced the girl's father and their family by leaving her alone." Rebecca looked at Alex.

"William found out that because he would not step up, the father commanded the girl to give the baby up or to live alone disgraced from the family. William didn't want Alex when the poor girl called saying she was giving the baby up, he didn't even come to the airport to receive him, returned to sender and flew Alex to the U.S. at only two weeks old like an old package. I have had him ever since." Rebecca said as a tear fell down her face. Presley nodded and the pieces fell together.

"Rebecca," he called her name and she looked up at him. "What about your fiancé John? I tried to contact him when you were sick, so that some family members could be with you. No one called me back." Rebecca listened to him and lowered her eyes in dismay.

"John is dead." She said and put a sleeping Abigail gently to the side. She grabbed Alex and carried him to the doorway. Presley walked after her speedily.

"Rebecca, I am sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." Presley said and reached for her hand before she snatched at the front-door handle. He turned her around slowly and noticed she was crying. He suddenly wanted to hold her, and console her, but instead he took Alex from her and she turned around out of the door.

She walked to her home and entered it and held the door for Presley so he could put Alex to bed. Rebecca stayed at the door out of impulse watching over Abigail as he put Alex in the other room. When he came back to the door he told her goodnight and she hesitated closing it.

"Please, Presley" she said sternly. "I don't want you near my son anymore. I want the videos out of your house and the rest of my son's things. Don't bother us anymore, and don't speak to my son ever again." She closed the door in his face.

How could he be so insensitive? She went through a lot of trouble hiding those videos, not from Alex but mostly from herself. She wanted his memory gone because she needed to move on from him. She wished his face and existence entirely would disappear: and here was Presley bringing it up again.

She zoomed through the next few days trying to get her life back together. She had been asleep for weeks allowing her life to pass by and when her parents called wondering if she was still alive she didn't bother to explain. She told them never to call her again and that her and Alex were fine and did not need any family help. She went about her life from day to day and it was hard enough trying to force Alex away from Presley. Alex cried and screamed, threw tantrum after tantrum but she stood firm. She didn't want Presley and his nosiness in her life.

John was the biggest mistake of Rebecca's life. She wanted nothing to do with that idiot and the memory of his love for her was a foul after taste in her mouth. Rebecca had no intention of allowing him back into her life after his death and she struggled from day to day with his death. After Alex was in her custody, her and John raised him as their own child and became the picture-perfect family.

Rebecca was on to doing her life as a singer when tragedy struck the family. While doing some undercover work for the FBI, who John had been recruited into, he was shot and killed on the job. When the news reached Rebecca, her entire world fell and she was forced to raise Alex alone as the hopes and dreams of a beautiful wedding, and a wonderful life at John's side came crashing down. She spent three years as a single mother and fought the desperation to end her own life.

Rebecca loved John so much. They had met in college and had a fairy-tale romance for years before his death. Rebecca was far too young to understand how life could change her existence from happy and content to devastated and longing. Rebecca's family was at her side, despite her disagreement to follow their predestined road map for success.

Her parents had paid a lot of money to put her through college but Rebecca wanted to sing and pulled all of her parent's funds to support her habit. Before long she was exposed to drugs and life on the road with singers and rock stars, and the only influence that was able to pull her out was John. Their love grew stronger over time and once Alex was in their lives everything became perfect. Rebecca built a better relationship with her family and before the tragedy she was ready to marry John and complete their happy family.

After John's death Rebecca began to decline. Her family deserted her as rumors went around about Rebecca sinking into an unhealthy habit of suicidal attempts, until eventually she was disowned. Now that she was deserted by family members over a lie, her neighbors and even friends tried to take Alex from her too. Rebecca lived in constant fear that she would lose Alex because people she did not know hated her enough to pass the rumors everywhere she went.

Rebecca had change apartments and even move away until the popularity of her life died down and she was able to live normally again. The loss of John was so great that Rebecca felt alone and could not balance her life between child and work, she could no longer sing because her fans deserted her and she had no one to help her because her family believed the rumors.

Rebecca was more alone than she was alive and it was all because of John's death. She hated him for the life she was forced to live, and now that her father had made the money from the recent lawsuit he felt bad about her experience and sent some money. Rebecca had no intention of repairing ties with her family after what happened. She was extremely frustrated realizing that Presley found it upon himself to contact her wretched family when she was in the coma. She was so angry with him that it would take a lot of time before she would get over it.

A week or so after the fall out, Presley was walking his daughter inside their house and Rebecca saw them as she took out the trash. Abigail ran up to her and hugged her and Rebecca couldn't help but embrace the innocent child. Abigail showed her a new toy her father had given her and Rebecca smiled and patted her head. She looked up to see Presley in the doorway of his home watching her, and he called for Abigail to eat lunch. It was the summer and Rebecca dreaded the two months alone with Alex and his anger towards her. She needed to suck up her pride and set things right, or else she would suffer the next two months with her son's disappointment.

She knocked on Presley's door and Alex clutched her hand happily. Presley opened the door surprised to see her and she allowed Alex to hug him and greet Abigail. They all went out for ice cream and she had a little while to talk to Presley while the kids played at the park. "I am sorry about the other day. I was just so out of sorts. I don't like talking about John. I am trying to put him in my past and bury him." Presley sat next to her on the bench and nodded.

"How did he die?" He asked and Rebecca was still uncomfortable. "If you don't want to talk about it fine, but the way you reacted the other night I know that you are not over it." He looked towards Abigail. "See, Abigail's mother was my first and only love. I did everything I could for her, and even to the last moment she chose another man over me."

"I couldn't do anything about it, all I could do was hate myself for letting Michelle go and not being there to solve all of her problems. Before I could ask her forgiveness for it, she died, slowly and painfully." Presley lowered his head. "She was beautiful, but my mother always warned me about finishing last. I don't want her death to cloud me or it will cause me to lose Abigail." He looked at Rebecca.

"My biggest regret," he said. "Was that I have yet to tell Abigail that her birth father was the reason her mother is dead. He had a choice to save her life, but he didn't. Instead he chose to let his fear cloud his judgment and left her for dead the day Abigail was born." Presley looked at Rebecca and took her hand.

"We cannot fix our past, but we can fix our future. I know that you are suffering Rebecca, I see it in your eyes every single day. I saw the stress when you slept, and watched you suffer on that bed believing you were alone. But you're not alone anymore. Let me help you deal with his death." Presley told her and squeezed her hand. Rebecca looked at him. If it only it was that simple. He was nothing like what she expected. He did want to be her friend and his voice was calm and sincere.

The summer was bright and lovely. Presley offered to make lunch and dinner for the two of them every day and Rebecca and Alex instantly became spoiled on his attention. The four of them were close, best friends and they treated each other that way. Every day they all became closer and played together, ending their nights laughing and joking with one another.

Presley and Rebecca grew closer too. He would take her to dinner some nights while Gina watched the kids, he would shower her with gifts and even bought her a new car. Rebecca had to stop him at the end of the summer, she felt so guilty taking the gifts knowing they were all just friends.

"Presley, you know I appreciate all of this. But please, I can't accept it. I just can't, we are friends and I can't keep mooching you like this." She told him one night before school started again. They were in his home and the kids were asleep in Abigail's room. Presley came closer and put a hand on her cheek.

"If it bothers you that much then maybe we should change our relationship." He said and kissed her cheek. She smiled at him and he caught her eyes. Presley pulled her to him and hugged her close.

"I don't know any other way to treat you Rebecca. I don't want to be friends anymore, will you accept me then?" He asked her looking into her eyes. Rebecca didn't know what to say, she had her own issues to come to terms with and she was afraid of so many things. Presley smiled at her and caressed her face.

"Presley, these past few months have been wonderful but," she whispered and hesitated leaning against his touch. "I don't think we will work." She said. Presley looked at her seriously.

"Why?" He asked and waited for an answer. When she did not speak he kissed her lips. The sudden intimacy was so surprising and sweet that Rebecca instantly melted into his embrace. She put her hands on his face and kissed him passionately and hugged him close. They nuzzled each other and Presley took her into his arms and carried her to his room.

He laid her on the bed and cuddled her tightly and she fell asleep in his arms. She couldn't answer him because there was just no answer to be given. She was so happy here with him and they both agreed that there was no reason to worry. They were both happy and content and the life they had built separately could not compare with this wonderful life they had together. Maybe it could be even better if they were more than friends.

This philosophy of life surprised Rebecca, she had never felt more safe and proud when Presley came into her life and now that they declared each other dating it took them a few months to get over the excitement. They drew closer with each passing day.

Rebecca was out looking for work when a visitor came to her door. Since she was away at the time the visitor left a letter and she read it at dinner with the kids and Presley joking and laughing as they usually did. Rebecca glanced at the words scribbled on the letter and looked up at Presley from across the table. She kept the news to herself and continued dinner in silence.

She had been leaning on Presley far too much and she wanted to be sure that she could survive if anything happened. It was finally time for Rebecca to pack up her things and move again because it was habit and she could not find a suitable job. When she talked to Presley about leaving, that was the excuse she gave him. Presley glanced at the closed note and knew that it was the cause of her sudden decision to leave.

"I won't let you leave Rebecca. You understand I will do anything, anything at all to keep you here." He was smiling when he spoke but she knew he was serious. Rebecca only stared at him from across the dinner table and solemnly ate her food trying to convince them both it was what she wanted.

"I have to leave Presley. You aren't smothering me, but we have such a wonderful life together it's just too good to be true. You think I don't notice things but I do. You work as a firefighter and you're volunteering, you don't get paid at all. Even though this house is directly across from mine its worth is four times as much as any other house on the block. Also, you never pay any bills. You have no family or friends like me, and it is a mystery with a wonderful personality like yours that you don't use your last name when you greet people. How do I know you're being completely honest with me?" She said and Presley lowered his head and put his fork on the plate.

"I inherited a substantial amount of money from Abigail's insurance when her mother died and I paid off this house." Presley said. If he wanted Rebecca to be with him then she would need honesty and he was prepared to give it.

"Where is Abigail's father?" She asked.

"In jail," Presley answered.

"Does he belong there?" She asked and Presley cleared his throat.

"Not for the crime he is in for, but yes he deserves it." Rebecca's face twisted in disgust.

"Are you going to let him out Presley?" She asked and Presley stared at her. "I know you still love Michelle, and I also know that you hate this man for what he did to her. You are constantly telling me how to get over John's sudden death, when you have not gotten over Michelle." She said. "If you want me to stay then you have to be honest with me." She waited for his reply.

"I planted a gun in his house that was linked to multiple murders. He shot me with it and they gave him life in prison." Rebecca listened intently as he revealed to her his master plan. He told her about how he suffered by Michelle's bed every day hoping that he could get Jake back for all the things he put her through. He wanted Jake to suffer as much as Michelle had and he didn't care who suffered because of it.

"I want to be angry too Presley." She confessed after his story. "I want my brother William to drop his act and come to see his beautiful son. I want William to come to terms with Alex's mother so that she can tell Alex that she loves him. But things just don't work out the way you want them to. This man does not deserve to die in prison because his fear got the best of him. He deserves to rot because he shot you." Presley looked at her and listened intently. "What he did was wrong, but you provoked him. Jake did not kill Michelle, God took her from this earth- took her from you and you still have not accepted that." She said and Presley's body became tense.

"I know what I did wasn't right. But who was going to give Michelle retribution for what happened? She didn't deserve to suffer like that." He said and shot up from the table unable to stand still.

"I understand your frustration Presley, trust me. But I have to face my realization just like you do. I want to be with you, I want to stay and have a wonderful life with you and the kids. But I won't agree to stay unless you let Michelle go and release that man from prison." She told him and Presley sat back in the chair defeated.

"He is going to take Abigail from me." He spoke below a whisper and Rebecca heard the tears in his voice. "What have I done? If I set him free I will never see Abigail again." Presley wiped his eyes and folded his arms finding Rebecca only an inch from him. She sat on his lap and hugged his head cradling him.

"I forgive you Presley, but you have to let him go. Don't you understand that he is still Abigail's birth father? But you are her real father, and she knows you love her. Maybe Jake deserves the worst, but it is not our decision to judge his consequences." Presley nodded and she felt his pain. "I won't leave you Presley. I promise and neither will Abigail. We will get a good lawyer and win custody of her I promise you."

Presley was staring at her now. "What did you say?" Presley asked and she looked down at him repeating what she mentioned about the lawyer. "No I mean..." He stopped her then she spoke again.

"I won't leave you Presley. I swear it." She said and Presley nodded softly and lightly pushed her to her feet. He motioned for them to go to bed and offered to carry Alex home for her. "Presley wait," She pushed him backwards and spoke again. "Presley, I promise I won't leave you, don't you believe me?" Presley looked at her sadly and shook his head. He had always lost this game called love. Whenever he fell for it, his heart would get broken again. There was just too much evidence to think otherwise. Rebecca hugged him and stood on her toes to kiss his cheek.

"Presley I will never leave you, I don't care what you have done." She told him and began to kiss him again. He held her tightly as she deepened their kiss. She kissed him until her lips were red and mushy. She broke their kiss and looked up at him. "Presley, I want to get married." She said and Presley's eyes lit up. Perhaps he was surprised that she would want such a thing.

"I- don't know what to say? I'm usually the one asking." He said in shock, the idea had been on his mind for weeks but he was afraid of being shut down and erased.

"I mean it Presley, I love you so much. I want to marry you, and I want us to help each other through this." She said and hugged him closely. Presley grabbed her closer and swung her around laughing. He was so excited, he knew that Rebecca meant what she said; she wouldn't leave him, even after learning his darkest secret.

"I love you Rebecca, and I want to spend the rest of my life saying it." He said happily and the next day the four of them went ring shopping. By the time school started they were planning a nice wedding, with only a few close friends to join the celebration. Rebecca and Presley couldn't be happier, and even though there were a lot of loose ends, the both of them had no intention of facing it any other way, except together.

Now that school had begun and Rebecca was out with wedding shopping, Presley decided to clean the home. He enjoyed this private time, which gave him space to think about how to free Abigail's father and how to deal with the custody battle and false case. Also how would he show that he did not die on that tragic day? Presley had plenty of time to think about it.

As he went through the rooms one by one he noticed in the bedroom a little envelope underneath the stack of private tapes. He grabbed the little envelope and noticed it from the day Rebecca had told him she was leaving. He opened the little note and read what it said inside.

"Please stop running away from me Becky...I still need you, Love John." Presley's eyes twisted in confusion. He looked up at the private tapes in the back of the closet and began to go through them. If they were going to be husband and wife, the first step of a happy relationship was trust...And now his trust for Rebecca was slipping away.

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