Chapter Text
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"So baby, be mine,
(Baby, you got to be mine),
And girl I'll give you all I got to give,
So baby, be my girl (All the time),
And we can share this ecstasy,
As long as we believe in love,"
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Blue Esme Lee was a woman from a different time — the 21st Century to be exact. Trapped in a body and time that is not her own, she learns to adapt to her new life, hiding her true self and the knowledge of the future she has. An easy task given that she was just a simple Daycare Assistant.
However, when a night out with her brothers lead to her meeting THE greatest entertainer of all time, things get complicated as an unexpected bond is formed that could threaten the future that she knows. She must decide whether to be the friend the King of Pop never had or to let history play its course...
...ending with his death.
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Wendy
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"He calls me all the time because he needs a friend — nothing more."
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Peter Pan
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"Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if Wendy never went back home...and stayed in Neverland with Peter."
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"We're all American girls,
And we love the life that we lead,
We're all American girls,
Hear what we say, know what we mean,"
All American Girls -
Sister Sledge (1981)
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March 1981
William "Billy" Turner was a screamer. When he did not get things his way, he defaulted to a shrilling cry, turning his caramel skin red and pulling big fat tears from his dark brown eyes. He would tug on his overalls and stump his feet in a furious roar, making a scene for all to see. Most day care assistants, who were already paid so little, would have given the spoiled child what he wanted, but Blue Lee had a stubborn type of patience and was not going to budge until the toddler gave in to her demands.
She stared down at Billy with soft eyes, wearing a calm smile while holding her hands behind her back. She gave him her full attention, but she would not react to his tantrum and once he understood that his howling gradually became a whimper with him looking down in defeat.
Bending down to the toddler's eye level, the young woman gently rubbed his head, soothing him to stop the tears completely and take easier breaths.
"Billy," Blue spoke in her delicate, soft voice. It was naturally calming — especially for children — and was a keen to that of soft bells. "Are you ready to apologize to Erika now?"
The little boy looked as though he wanted to refuse but he merely sniffled and nodded, taking Blue's hand and following her across the play room to a little girl playing dolls.
"Erika, can you come here, honey?" Blue called, extending her hand to the little girl. Jumping to her feet, Erika ran over to her favorite teacher, holding her doll close as she took Blue's hand. Blue then squatted down to their level, being the intermediary between the two children as they met in the middle.
"Billy, don't you have something to say to Erika?"
"...Is sorwies I hit you, Ewika...," The boy finally said with a pout.
"...It's okeies...," Erika responded in a quiet voice. "...Wanna play?..."
Billy then looked to Blue for approval, wearing the widest puppy eyes she has ever seen. "Can Is pleaz, Mz. Blue?"
Giving the little boy a smile, Blue stood up and walked over to the book shelf, pulling out a Mickey Mouse plushie from the highest shelf she could reach.
"Yes, you can. You've earned this little guy back," She answered, handing the four year old the toy. "But if I catch you putting your hands on anyone else little boy, no Mickey for a very long time, okay?"
"Yes, Mz. Blue!" Billy nodded vigorously. "Let go Ewika!"
Grabbing a hold of each other's hands, the two toddlers ran over to the rest of their classmates in the room with Jasmine and Tina, enjoying the remainder of their free time before pick ups started.
Blue watched them run off with a pleased smile, taking a deep breath and finally relaxing. Whether she was in the 2020s or the 1980s, toddlers were always a handful, but she always managed. She had a special way with children — even in her previous life. They naturally gravitated to her, and she naturally gravitated to them. She was a nurturer by heart, so the role of care taker came easy to her.
Interestingly enough, that was not her career path in her original life.
Before she was born as Blue Esme Lee on February 3rd, 1963, Blue was Georgia Quinn Franklin, a lawyer for the New York Justice Department. Despite having such a soft voice, she was a fierce defense prosecutor and debater in the courtroom. She had a tender heart, but her tongue was sharp and ruthless — it had to be in the overachieving household she grew up in. Her parents demanded nothing but the best and drilled it into her early that she would be a lawyer.
And she was — until one morning when she woke up as a baby in 1963.
Her life completely gone.
"Daydreaming again, Blue," Mrs. Geraldine joked, coming behind the young girl. Her voluminous voice pulled Blue out of her thoughts, returning her to 1981 and pushing her memories of the future to the farthest part of her mind.
"I have to stop thinking about those things," She sighed, turning to face her boss with a weak smile.
"No ma'am. Just taking a breather. I'll start clean up now."
"I just teasing, honey," The older woman chuckled, rubbing Blue's shoulder. "No need to rush on clean up. There's a little time to waste before these children parents start coming, so relax a bit. It's well deserved after how you handled Billy. That boy is a hollerer and knows it. Haven't seen anything like it before — you the only one that can calm him."
"I wouldn't say that, Mrs. Geraldine. He gives me a hard time as well."
"But he listens to you!" She emphasized. "He barely listens to me and gives Jasmine and Tina so much trouble they don't even want to bother with him. If his daddy wasn't paying so good, I wouldn't keep him. Too spoil for me!"
"Mrs. Geraldine?!" Blue gasped, covering her mouth to hide her laugh. "Don't say that. You don't mean it."
"Oh, honey, I do! If you weren't here, I could not keep that child. No ma'am," Mrs. Geraldine doubled down, getting a full laugh from Blue. The older woman was definitely a character to the time traveler, but she was thankful for having such a boss.
She was thankful to have her job period. Blue had just turned 18 last month, but she was hired as an assistant when she was 17 last year. Typically, the hiring age was 18, but since Mrs. Geraldine needed the extra hands, she hired Blue without hesitation.
"I need another youngin around here."
And Blue needed a job after graduating from high school early.
College was, unfortunately, out of the question due to her family's finances and staying home with her mother was going to bore her to no end, so she decided to look for work. Her best options were either becoming a secretary or child care assistant — she decided on the latter. Caring for children was a far more appealing opportunity than sitting at a desk all day. However, the only downside of choosing such a career was dealing with the children's fathers.
Their married fathers.
Which is why Blue dreaded pick ups.
"Billy had another tantrum today, Mr. Turner," Blue informed as the father approached — late again as he always was for pick ups. As far as Blue was aware, Mrs. Turner was a stay at home mom who could pick up their child, but Mr. Turner seemed determined to do it himself.
"It's because he has a crush on you," Jasmine teased once, making Blue shiver.
"My apologies, Miss Lee. I hope he did not cause you too much trouble," The light skin man smiled, leaning in far too close to touch her shoulder.
Mr. Turner was an attractive man: he was tall and broad shouldered with a strong jaw, green eyes, and well trimmed hair. He always wore well tailored suits and expensive cologne, carrying an air of importance as Berry Gordy's #2 man. He was also a shameless flirt and womanizer, having bedded so many women that his wife found permanent comfort in pills and alcohol. Blue was aware of his interest in her, but she was not having it.
"He did not, but I am beginning to worry about him," The time traveler said, stepping away from the man's touch. "He's having trouble getting along with others. He hit a classmate today. I just want to make sure you are addressing these issues at home. It's very important that he knows how to be around other children."
"Of course, Miss Lee. I understand your concerns, and I appreciate your care in my son," He said — again getting too close and touching her. "I will make sure to talk about these things with his mother."
Blue nodded — again stepping away. "Thank you, sir. I will go get Billy."
"William."
"Pardon?"
Mr. Turner smiled at her, showing off his dazzling white teeth. "You can call me 'William', Blue."
Blue was speechless to his audacity. "...I prefer 'Mr. Turner' — and my name is only 'Miss Lee', thank you, Mr. Turner."
Blue walked away after that, retrieving Billy and his book bag and handing him off to his father.
"Byez, Mz. Blue!" Billy waved, being carried away by his father.
"Have a goodnight, Billy," She smiled, returning the wave.
"Take care, Miss Lee," Mr. Turner winked, receiving an immediate frown from the care taker. She did not like that man whatsoever.
Mr. Turner was not Blue's last flirty dad of the evening; she had a few more before the daycare officially closed with one being bold enough to ask her out. She wanted to bang her head against the wall by the time the doors were officially locked.
"Don't stress it too much, Blue. Dad's always flirt — we just got to be remember to not entertain," Jasmine comforted, rubbing the time traveler's back as they walked to the bus stop. "You taking the bus with me tonight?"
"Nah, you know I like to rollerblade home," Blue said, lifting up her skates. She rollerbladed everywhere around Los Angeles; it was her preferred mode of transportation despite having a beautiful, used Cadillac. Her skates paired with her Walkman Cassette Player equaled a nice ride home.
"Alright then. Be careful now, Bluey. See you tomorrow," Jasmine said, watching as her friend slip on her skates.
"Night, Jasmine. See you tomorrow," Blue waved, putting her headphones on. Hitting play, she began her trek home, going at a steady pace as "All American Girls" by Sister Sledge filled her ears.
"We're all American girls,
And we love the life that we lead,
We're all American girls,
Hear what we say, know what we mean,"
Swaying her hips to the grove of the early 80s hit, Blue sung the lyrics aloud in her soft, airy soprano voice, wearing a large smile on her face as she rode into the Los Angeles sunset. Her life might have been different from what she originally had — and she still had no clue as to how she ended up in the past — but Blue was determined to do as the song instructed and live her life on her own terms now.
No pressure.
No expectations.
No worries.
Just space for her to finally live.
Besides, the 80s were a great time for a girl to just have fun.
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Author's Notes:
Thank you so much for reading! I appreciate the love and support!
After watching the new Michael Jackson movie, I have been going down a rabbit hole about him and his family. He was so talented and gifted, but his life was so sad. He deserved so much more.
This story is, of course, a "What if?" about finding him finding the right girl when he was alive.
Until next time!