Ebony&Ivory-Chapter 6

*the manager of the video shoot was waiting anxiously outside the entrance*

Luke: *manages to make it and runs to where the video is being shot, with Illust in his arms* I'm here!

Manager: Ur late! Not good for publicity, u knw~! *sees Illust* Ah, the famous little girl in Hot Topicz n the Weekly Tabloids

Luke: Yes yes. Tis my niece, Illust. *puts her down*

Manager: Well aren't u the cutest thing? Why do ppl find the time to write nasty stuff abt her, I will nvr knw

Luke: She's not the only one. *takes off his jacket and gets into the trailer* Hell ya *stepped into his trailer to get himself prepped for the video shoot*

Illust: *looked ard at his trailer n oogled at everything in sight. It had everything a pop star could ever need for*

Luke: *he gets his hair fixed up, his face cleaned up, etc.*

Illust: *her eyes sparkle when Luke was done; he reli looked like a star*

Luke: *steps out* Time for shot one. *he heads to a set of a driveway*

Illust: *follows suite n was abt to go into the set*

Tom: *picks her up by the waist* Oh no you don't. Mr. Oliva is at work. Don't disturb him

Illust: *pouts*

*The director shouts action and Luke starts doing his parts as he was told to do.*

Illust: *wants to cheer n clap bt was shushed by Tom to maintain complete silence*

Luke: *Does a spin and falls to his knees, the song ending*

Illust: *watches quietly, fighting the urge to clap n cheer*

Director: And cut! Print that!

Illust: *finally squeal out loud n clapped, almost bringing dwn the house*

Luke: *gets himself up and dusts himself off*

Manager: She's got a high pitch voice, doesn't she?

Luke: *picks her up* She sure does. Runs in the family

Tom: Though she still hums badly

Luke: I'll teach her to sing. You'll see, Tom

Tom: She can't evn talk, how do u expect her to sing?

Luke: She will talk again

Illust: *looks at the settings n the cameras, n smiled at anyone who spared a second glance*

Luke: *gets himself dressed for the next shot. He gets into a blue t-shirt, jeans and a black leather jacket*

Illust: *sees frm afar two ppl coming close, runs up to meet them, hugging one of them at their thighs*

Luke: Illust...*goes after her* What did I say about hugging people randomly?

Faira: Oh don't mind her. *picks her up in his arms* My, my, wat a cute child u are

Luke: Faira! That's my niece

Faira: I knw. Read abt her in the tabloids n saw her on Hot Topicz Corner. Sad for those ppl to write such things abt her

Thilius: Not to mention, the nerve to call Luke a pedophile when he's only 4 years older than her!

Faira: The things ppl will write to earn money is rather troublesome *hold Illust close n strokes her hair*

Thilius: She's an adorable little thing. *pats her head*

Illust: *looks up n dwn at Thilius n grins, pointing at him* Black!

Thili: Huh?
Luke: She says certain words

Faira: *chuckles* He's not black, Illust. He's just very tan

Illust: *points at him* Black! *giggles*

Thili: That's true

Faira: *laughs* So how goes the shoot?

Luke: Pretty good so far!

Illust: *imitates Luke's dance movement*

Faira: Seems like u have a real big fan here

Luke: Yea, she's beginning to admire me. Like she did my godfather

Faira: Oh? She used to knw MJ?

Luke: Somehow, she did. And I was around, not knowing at all

Faira: Life is odd tht way *passes Illust to Luke* Well, we're just here to chk on u, n to remind u tht the first shooting for our film will be starting nxt mth

Luke: Thanks Faira. I'm still practicing

Faira: Don't worry. You'll get the hang of it *held Thilius' hand* Cya, Luke

Thili: Peace out *walks off with Faira*

Illust: *waves goodbye to them*

Luke: *Nearly the whole day passes by for the video shoot* Whoo, what a day

Illust: *gives Luke a water bottle for drinking*

Luke: Thanks Illust *takes it and pats her on the head*

Illust: *smiles*

Luke: Cmon, let's go home. we're done for the day. *picks her up*

Illust: Wee~! *glad to go home. Her stomach starting to growl*

Luke: *gets into the van. he picks up his cell and calls a 24 hour pizza place for a large pepperoni pizza*

Illust: *tugs at Luke's sleeves n drew a fish then a big cross on it, then sticks out her tongue* XP

Luke: Hm? What?

Illust: *repeated again the same drawing with the same facial expression* XP

Luke: No anchovies?

Illust: *nods n made tht expression again, drawing extra crosses on the damn fish*

Luke: Don't worry, I only like pepperoni

Illust: *smiles, then draws a mushroom n a heart shape beside it*

Luke: *Also orders a kid-sized pizza with mushrooms*

Tom: Maybe she should be an artist or a cartoonist instead. She's got some skill in drawing *looks at Illust's notepad she brings along with all her sketches n doodles*

Luke: Yea she does. She drew a picture of me sleeping. Show him, Illust

Illust: *blushed a little before flipping to the page of Luke's sleeping picture*

Luke: See there? That's when I fell asleep writing lyrics

Tom: Wow. Looks pretty good. Almost like u

Luke: It is exactly like me

Illust: *looks away, embarassed at being complimented*

*They finally arrive home at the mansion*

Luke: *picks up the young girl, only to see the pizzas have arrived*

Illust: Wee~! *her body stretches ovr to reach the pizza*

Luke: *gives Illust to Tom and pays for the pizzas and tips the delivery boy*

Tom: Patience, u little rascal. The pizza is not going anywhere

Luke: *They head to the entertainment room, where Luke gets the pizza read for everyone*

Anita: Well something smells nice ard here

Luke: It sure does. *puts a movie in*

Illust: *stops Luke, waving a DVD of MJ's performance Live in Romania* Bubbles!

Luke: How did you get that?

Illust: *points at the collapsed pile of DVD because she took it out of the bottom*

Luke: *slaps his forehead* Okay. *puts the movie away and puts the live dvd in*

Anita: *laughs n help to rearrange the stack of DVDs*

Luke: *sits himself down and watches the DVD*

Tom: *sits down and watches also*

*as all MJ's movies show, it always starts off with screaming fans, some already crying n fainting before MJ evn showed up*

Illust: *squeals along with the screaming fans as well*

*Then Michael jumps out, pyrotechnics going off, and he stands there, like a statue*

Illust: *jumps up n dwn, squealing* Bubbles~!!!

*After a minute, he turns his head to the left, making the crowd go nuts. Then he proceeds to take off his shades and does a spin, Jam starts*

Illust: Bubbles! Bubbles! *waving her pizza ard*

Tom: Hey hey! Take it easy there, squirt

Anita: Just dont faint on us, little Illust, like those crazy fans ovr there

Luke: *just watches as his godfather performs with such movement*

Illust: *hums along whenever MJ sings, still bad at it*

Luke: *considering how big the room is. As Michael's back up dancers, he jumps up and follows the steps of his mentor very carefully*

Tom: *watches Luke* Damn

Illust: Nyu~! *claps her hands*

TV: *The song ends on the concert and goes to Michael talking to the fans*

TV: How you doing!? *the song goes into Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'*

Illust: Bubbles~!!

Tom: Didn't you do this at a concert, Luke?

Luke: Actually, this is a mainstay.

Anita: *seeing them finished eating, helped clean up*

Luke: *watches as it goes to Human Nature*

Illust: *while watching, hears something at the mail slot n tottered towards it*

Luke: What is it, Illust? *walks to her and picks up the mail*

*it was a brown envelope with no return address, n no address to say where it was frm*

Luke: I wonder what this is...*opens it carefully*

*the envelope revealed a picture of Lisa Marie Presley*

Luke: Lisa Marie Presley?

Anita: Isn't tht Michael's ex-wife?

Luke: Yes she is. I've met her. She's a real nice woman and a great singer

Illust: *looks at the picture curiously*

Anita: I remembered after she divorced Michael, a yr later she married ur brother, bt they didn't work out either n divorced a yr later\

Luke: I remember that! That's how I met her

Anita: Whatever happened to her tho?

Luke: I dunno. I haven't seen her in a month

Anita: *sees something written behind the picture* THere's something written on the flipside of the pic

Luke: *turns the picture around*

*on the bk of the pic was written "Illust's mother"*

Luke: O_O what?

Illust: *reads the words as well n was surprised* M...Mama...?

Luke: Well I'll be damned, No wonder she looked kinda big

Anita: But...if I'm not mistaken...I heard she was admitted in to the hospital roughly 3 yrs after ur brother remarried, n was nvr heard frm again. How could u have not seen her for a mth?

Luke: She posted about Michael's death and she called me

Anita: Hmm, u got a point. Bt if she is Illust's mother, how did Illust end up being raised by ur brother n his wife, n why did she not try to find her after their death, making her live in the streets? Dont u think it's odd as well, Tom?

Luke: *finally remembers something* I remember! The accident.

Anita: The accident? U mean the one tht killed ur brother n his wife?

Luke: Witnesses said there were three people in the car...and one was missing...I think that was Illust! She just didn't remember

Anita: Then tht means Lisa assumed Illust was dead n didn't look for her. No wonder Michael called Illust his 'little princess', because she was related to his ex-wife

Tom: It's possible an injury frm the accident caused Illust to forget, tht's why she doesn't remember ur brother n his wife

Luke: We gotta find a way to make her remember

Illust: *stares at Lisa's picture*

Luke: Something wrong, Illust?

Illust: Mama? *points at the pic, asking*

Luke: Yes, that's her

Illust: Mama... *continues staring*

Luke: *picks her up*

Anita: U think Lisa should knw she's alive?

Tom: I dunno. If she didnt raise Illust n gave her to ur bro, she might not want her at all

Luke: There's only one way to find out *calls Lisa's number8

Lisa: *picks up the phone*

Luke: Lisa?

Lisa: Hey, Luke. I'd recognize tht voice anywhere. Wht's up?

Luke: There's someone here I want you to meet

Lisa: Oh? Who is it?

Luke: Someone very special

Lisa: *chuckles* Wht surprise do u have up ur sleeves again there, Luke? Alright, I'll humour u. I'll be there in a jiffy

Luke: Thanks Lisa. *hangs up*

*in abt 20 minutes, Lisa's car could be heard parking at the driveway*

Luke: *opens the door* Hey Lisa

Lisa: Hey, Luke *hugs him* It's been a while. So, who's this mystery guest u wanna show me

Luke: *steps to the side and shows her Illust* Recognize her?

Lisa: *sees Illust n gasped a little, taking a step bk*

Illust: *look up at her n realized this woman was the woman in the photo* M...Mama?

Luke: Lisa, this is Illust. And she's okay. She just doesn't remember much

Lisa: *just stands there, not moving as she stared at Illust*

Luke: She survived the accident

Lisa: *glares at Luke* Do u have any idea wat u have done?

Luke: what do you mean? I thought you wanted to see her

Lisa: You shouldn't have shown her to me! *gets in the car* Don't ever do tht again *drove off*

Luke: *runs off* Lisa!! LISA!!

Illust: Ma...ma...? *her suddenly taking off triggered something in her mind as she fell to her knees* Ma...ma...?

Luke: Damn it!!

Illust: *on her knees, her body rock to n fro as her eyes filled with tears* Ma...ma...Mama...?

Luke: *goes back to Illust and holds her* I'm sorry

Illust: *was in a trance-like state, millions of images crossed her mind like a fast-forwarded video until something was rewired in her brain* NO~!! NO!! MAMA!!! MAMA, DON'T LEAVE ME, MAMA~!! *her hands flew to her head*

Luke: Illust calm down!

Illust: *tears poured out of her eyes* Mama...Don't leave me, Mama...Dont leave me and Papa... *sobs n rocks to and fro*

Luke; I'm sorry...your Papa's gone...*rocks her to calm her down*

Illust: *passes out into Luke's arms frm all the information overload in her brain*

Luke: *Gets into the mansion and gets her to bed*

Anita: *sees it* Oh my, what happened?

Luke: She got her memory back and then she panicked and passed out

Anita: Oh? She's remembering already?

Luke: *nods* She kept shouting Mama

Anita: But does she mean Lisa Mama, or ur brother's second wife Mama?

Luke: Lisa is her mom *puts the blanket over the young girl*

Anita: Yes, well...I'm still trying to get ard tht fact. I reli didn't expect tht

Luke: That means she's the granddaughter of the king of rock n roll

Anita: In a manner of speaking, yeah, which makes u slightly related to him

Luke: Son in law *his phone starts to ring. he looks at the caller id and answers* Hello Grandma Katherine

Kat: Hello there, Luke m'boy. How are u doing?

Luke: Pretty good. Just put Illust to bed. whatcha need?

Kat: Oh I just want u to come ovr for a while. There is something I'd like to give u

Luke: *checks the time* I'll be over soon as possible.

Kat: Alright. C u then, m'boy

Luke: Cya Grandma KAtherine. *hangs up*

Anita: Ur going out, Luke?

Luke: Yes, it sounds urgent

Anita: Alright. I'll look after Illust. You go see Kat n see wat she's up to

Luke: *gets onto a motorbike he owns, dons a helmet and starts it, making his way to the Jackson house*

Kat: *at home waiting, preparing some snacks for his arrival*

Luke: *parks the bike and heads into the house* Grandma Katherine?

Kat: Hey there, m'boy. So good to see u *came up to hug him*

Luke: *hugs her back* It's good to see you Grandma, haven't seen you since the memorial

Kat: Yes, we're getting Mike's things sorted out a little. Jam tarts? *offered him a tray*

Luke: *takes one* Thank you. So what is it you have for me?

Kat: Ah yes *disappears for a while n came out with a package* Here u are. Mike wanted u to have this

Luke: What is it...*is given the package and opens it, he nearly tears up* Grandma...are these...

Kat: Yup. These are all Mike's demos n unreleased songs. He wants u to have it. It's up to u wht to do with it

Luke: *tears fall from his eyes and hugs her*

Kat: *hugs him bk n pats his bk* There, there. I'm just fulfilling Mike's wishes. It's in his will tht u should have it. Ur his little Prince next to his children after all

Luke: *nods* Tell Prince, Blanket and Paris I said hi. *hugs again* I love you, Grandma Katherine

Kat: Love u too, Luke. Ur always welcomed here in the Jackson household

Luke: Thank you *puts the package in a pack on his bike and secures it. Heads home*

Illust: *is already awake n sitting on the couch, quietly sipping hot chocolate*

Luke: *arrives back at the mansion, but falls to his knees, crying*

Anita: Luke dear, wht is wrong? *comes to approach him*

Luke: *wipes his eyes and shows the package: it says "To Luke, From Michael."

Anita: *sees teh package* Aww, he still thought of u so much

Luke: He did. *sniffles*

Illust: *watched quietly frm the couch as Anita n Luke talked*

Luke: Illust?

Illust: *looked a while before hiding behind the couch again*

Anita: She's been like tht since she woke up. She didn't want to talk n just sits there, musing

Luke: *goes to her and sits by her* Hey

Illust: *looks up at him quietly*

Luke: What's wrong? Do you hate me now?

Illust: *shook her head*

Luke: *hugs her* I'm sorry

Illust: *hugs him bk, still being quiet*

Luke: Michael gave me something. *shows her the package*

Illust: *looks into it and sees the songs n demos, then smiled wen she saw a picture of MJ attached to one of the CD as a cover*

Luke: He wanted me to look after these. Will you help?

Illust: *nods*

Luke: Thanks *hugs his niece*

Illust: *looks thru all the CDs, then pointed at the player while gesturing at one of the CDs*

Luke: Sure *puts one in*

*the CD was playing a raw demo version of MJ singing Who's Loving You*

Illust: *giggled n hummed along with it*

Luke: *starts singing it*

Illust: *follows suite, trying to imitate MJ's voice n the way he dragged the words melodically*
When I...had you, I treat you bad...

Luke: When I sat around with my head hanging down, I wonder...who's lovin' you?

Anita: *listened to them sing*

Illust: *sang till the end, trying to pull off the falsetto as much as possible*

Luke: *pulls it off with ease*

Anita: *claps* U kids make a wonderful team, although Illust needs a little more work

Luke: maybe my coach can help

Illust: *sip her hot chocolate again*

*the rest of the day was spent listening to the demos n songs n deciding wht to do with it, while Illust continued to be quiet all day*

Luke: *then he finds the cd with him and Michael singing a song*

Illust: *hears Luke's voice in the CD n giggled*

Luke: That's me

Illust: *finally yawned, feeling sleepy*

Luke: *hugs her*

Illust: *falls asleep in his arms, almost dropping the cup of hot choco*

Luke: *picks up the cup and holds her close*

Anita: Fallen asleep?

Luke: Yea she did. *pats her head

Anita: Would u like to tuck her in or should I?

Luke: I'll do it *picks her up and takes her to her bedroom, tucking her into bed*

Illust: *curls into the covers n sucked her thumb as she slept*

Luke: *he just smiles and puts her to bed and heads back out to the living room, to watching one of his fav shows*

*A sinister laughing could be heard from the TV set*

Illust: *halfway thru her sleep, she woke up n got off bed, walking towards Luke n rubbing her eyes*

Luke: *he startred to write down lyrics for a future album*

Illust: *came up to Luke quietly, rubbing the sleep off her eyes*

Luke: *looks to her and smiles* Hey Illust

Illust: I...I remember everything

Luke: You do?

Illust: *nods* Everything

Luke: What caused that accident?

Illust: It was reli dark. The car headlights were malfunctioned n we didnt see a truck coming towards us. Everything happened so fast

Luke: *covers his face with his hands*

Illust: I dunno how I survived. I was so confused. I just remember getting out before the car explodes n running away. I didn't even look bk...I left Papa n Step-Mom to die there *sobs*

Luke: *holds her close* IT's okay. They said they died after they were hit

Illust: I remember days with Papa n Step-Mom, how they always took me to see Papa Bubbles

Luke: I remember when my folks died...it was a fire. Michael called 911 to help, and they managed to get me out...but not my parents

Illust: I'm...I'm sorry to hear tht... *looks dwn*

Luke: It's okay. It took me a year to get over it

Illust: Mama...she didn't want me...On the day Papa married Step-Mom, she gave me to him straightaway. I dont understand why. She just...left me there with him at the church. I cried n screamed for her not to go but...

Luke: Lisa...Why? She was nice to me since he died

Illust: *shook her head* I dunno...I nvr saw her since. But Step-Mom was nice to me. She treated me like her own

Luke: That's good. That's how Michael was with me. He taught me to sing and dance. Showing me another side of music.

Illust: Papa Bubbles was reli nice to me as well. He's always calling me his Little Princess. Why is tht?

Luke: That's because he was married to your mom for a while

Illust: He...He was?

Luke: They married in late 1994. but then split up in 1996. and then divorced in 97

Illust: Oh...tht's way before I was born

Luke: That's right. She married your dad a year later

Illust: Bt why doesn't she want me...? I dont understand...

Luke: Neither do i

Illust: *cuddles in Luke's arms* Will u give me away like Mama did?

Luke: Never

Illust: Promise me?

Luke: I promise

Illust: *snuggled against him* I love u, Luke

Luke: I love you too Illust *hugs her close*