Just Around The River Bend

Hey guys! Just came up with another great Michael Jackson songfic! I got this idea from an interview with Katherine Jackson where she talks about Michael when he was a teenager and at the time already having people offering him a contract to be a solo artist and she was uneasy about the idea because he was still in high school and his brothers needed him more. When I saw that I IMMEDIATELY thought of 'Just around the river bend' from Pocahontas and started developing the idea. Well any way I'll let you all read for your selves and hope you all like it.

Katherine singing

Michael singing

Disclaimer: I do not own the song used in this fic and I am not making any money from it. This is just for fun.

--

"But mother I really think I have a shot at this." said 17-year-old Michael Jackson who was talking to his mother Katherine in the kitchen in their home in Encino California.

Just the other day Michael had been contacted by a very esteemed record producer who discussed the idea of producing a solo album for Michael, hereby starting the teen star on the path to a bonafied solo career. It was the chance of a lifetime and Michael was fully prepared to take it but since he was still a minor he had to ask his parents permission to do so; unfortunately Katherine was not to crazy over the idea of Michael leaving the family band so soon.

"I just don't think it's such a good idea at the moment honey." replied Katherine in a calm voice that was also quite firm. "Your still too young and you and your brothers are already in the middle of working on your new album as it is."

"But mother--!" pressed Michael.

"Michael please…" begged Katherine who wasn't in the mood to argue with her son.

"But mother…" repeated Michael in a more calmer voice. "I really feel that this is a great opportunity for me. I know I can make it as a solo artist so you don't have to worry about me. I'll be working with real professionals and I have so many new ideas of my own already. I wanna take this next step, please…!"

Katherine gave her son a sad look. She knew that he would make a excellent solo artist and that he was extremely talented--heck the whole band revolved around his talent, and that was the problem. His brothers needed him more, without Michael the band wouldn't survive. It's not that her other sons didn't show talent--quite the opposite really, but Michael brought heart and soul into the band and did things on stage that no other entertainer did. And it was that very reason that it would be disastrous to let him go so soon. Another reason is that Michael was simply too young and naïve which carried potential dangers of being a solo artist in the music industry. Worse case scenario he wouldn't survive a year and it would be heart breaking on his part.

Katherine leaned forward and placed her hand on top of Michael's and looked him right in the eye.

"Michael listen it's not that I don't want you to have a successful solo career, it's just that I don't want you to get your hopes up that everything is gonna turn out your way. This isn't a perfect world and not everyone gets what they want at the time they want it. I just don't want you to experience any heartache in case things don't go your way."

"But I won't--" stared Michael, but Katherine wasn't done.

"Please Michael let me finish." the Jackson matriarch took her son's other hand into her own and straitened up until she was sitting up straight in her sit and staring Michael dead in the eye. "All I'm saying is that right now your family needs you. You still have your duties to the band and your brothers and Joseph and I feel you all should stay together until your old enough to manage your career on your own."

Michael stared at his mother with slight disappointment in his eyes. The things his mother said were true to some extend, he did love his brothers and wanted to perform with them. But despite everything his mother said he still wanted to take this next step, he truly felt ready regardless of his age. He had been in the business long enough to know what and what not to do in the music industry and wanted so badly to get a head.

"Mother I don't know if I can wait that long. What if now's the time to get serious about my career? What if I try to start later and it's too late by then?" he asked desperately. Katherine gave her son a sympathetic smile.

"Darling I am so proud that you are considering serious business decisions," Katherine removed her left hand from her son's and stroked his hair affectionately. "But the fact of the matter is you are still 17-years-old and haven't graduated from high school yet, you still got a long time to think over your career options and I know you will make good decisions in the long run. Katherine stood up from her chair.

"Come here Michael." she said as she lead Michael by the hand outside. She guided him towards the backyard where in the far distance they could see a lovely river running by. In Katherine's mind it was a river that held great power. When ever you stared at it, it would just enveloped you and you discovered a strength in you that you never knew you had before.

"Don't rush into things so soon. You have to be steady like the river you see before you, and enjoy what you have now." As Katherine gazed at the river, a strange power enveloped her and she began to sing in her most gentle voice ever.

As the river cuts it's path
Know the river's proud and strong
He will chose the smoothest course

Her gaze left the river for a moment and looked at her son; he looked back at her.

"That's why rivers live so long." she said with a smile and returned her stare at the river and continued to sing.

There steady…
As the steady beating drum…

"Do you understand now Michael?" she asked as she turned to him once again.

Michael lowered his head and gave a slight nod.

"I understand mother…" in truth he didn't understand. He didn't understand at all.

--

It was the late afternoon and Michael was out in the forest sitting in the grass and staring at his reflection in the river that passed through which was a lot different then seeing it from a far distance. Michael always loved coming out here ever since they first moved to California. There was even a brown canoe near by that could hold three people and Michael would sometimes get in it by himself and sail down the river and take that opportunity to ponder over his thoughts or just to clear his mind of any troubles he had. And right now the teen idol had a lot of troubles to clear up.

He just couldn't understand why his mother wouldn't want him to branch out on his own. She kept telling him he wasn't ready despite what he thought; did she truly believe he wasn't ready or did she feel he wasn't talented enough to go on his own? He highly doubted the later considering everyone in the music industry was always telling him that he oozed talent. Maybe she was afraid that him leaving would cause a rife in the family like it did when Jermaine left. Michael really didn't know, and it was confusing just thinking about it.

Michael sighed. He didn't want to hurt anyone, he just wanted some room to breath, to establish his own identity away from his family and find out what he alone was capable of; and he knew in his heart that he was capable of great things if he was only given a chance to prove it.

As he was pondering these thought he didn't notice two small people running toward him.

"Michael!" called the little voices of his little brother Randy and his little sister Janet. Before he could turn around he was tackled from behind by Janet who was giving his backside a big bear hug.

"There you are! We've been looking everywhere for you?" said the little girl who hadn't let go of the elder boy's back.

"Is that so?" giggled Michael as he returned his sister's hug. She always knew how to put a smile on his face.

"Mom sent for us to get you. She says it's time for dinner." said Randy who was at Michael's left.

"Oh okay you guys, I'll be there in a bit." replied the older brother in a not so thrilled voice. Randy and Janet exchanged looks; they could always tell when something was wrong with their big brother, unbeknownced to him he always wore his feeling on his face and in his voice.

"What's wrong Mike? You alright?" asked Randy.

"Oh I'm fine Randy," replied said boy. "I'm just a little--"

"Is it what Mom said about her not wanting you to leave the band?" asked Janet innocently but bluntly. Michael stared at her in amazement.

"How did you--?"

"I heard her telling Dad before we left. Do you really want to leave the family Michael?" asked the little girl with sadness in her voice. Michael gave her a smile, (the kind of smile a parent would give a child when they were trying to tell them something difficult) and stroked her hair.

"No Janet. I don't want to leave the family, I just want to leave the band and embark on a solo career. But mother doesn't think I'm ready."

"Are you ready Michael?" asked Randy while tugging at his arm. Michael's attention switched to him.

"I really believe I am Randy. The thing is mother thinks I'm too young to branch out right now. She'd rather me take my time and focus on everything else that's happening now. She wants me to be steady…like the river."

With that said Michael stared contently into the river again, just gazing at his reflection as if trying to find the answers in life. Janet and Randy followed their brother and stared into the river too. They stayed like that for at least a quarter of a second until two fish jumped out of the area they were staring into; causing the two little ones to scream and fall backwards onto the grass. Michael giggled at his sibling's plight..

"But it's not steady at all!" said Michael, referring back to his mother's comment. He watched the two fish swim down the river as he stood up; a huge smile plastered on his face.

He didn't know what it was but a powerful forced was taking over him, just like that one that took over his mother just an hour ago, and he felt the need to express that into a familiar action; into song. With that thought in mind he began to sing.

What I love most about rivers is
You can't step in the same river twice

Michael took a one step into the river and got into the brown canoe. Feeling the energy that their brother was radiating, Randy and Janet stepped into the canoe after him. Randy in back and Janet in the front, which left Michael the center. The eldest sibling took hold of the brown ore that was in the canoe and began to paddle down stream; all the while singing the song that found it's way into his heart.

The waters always changing
Always flowing

Michael smiled at his little brother from behind him who returned it. It was clear they both felt the same way about what their mother thought of Michael's decision and decided to shrug it off.

But people I guess can't live like that
We all must pay a price
To be safe we lose our chance at ever knowing

As they came to the edge of the river bend Michaels voice grew stronger along with his desire to follow his own dreams.

What's around the river bend
Waiting just around the river bend…

Randy and Janet were literally on the edge of their seats in excitement seeing as this was the first time Michael took them, much less anyone canoeing down the river and with his lovely voice in the air it was like going on the adventure of a lifetime.

I look once more, just around the river bend
Beyond the shore

It seemed as if all the animals in the area were in tune with Michael's thoughts because at that moment all the fish game splashing out of the water and all the seagulls flew just above their heads. Michael rowed faster as his desire drove him.

Where the gulls fly free
Don't know what for
What I dream the day might send
Just around the river bend

For me…
Coming for me…

Soon they approached the calmer part of the river where the waterfalls were on the walls of the river and the beavers were building their dams, Michael rowed by gently not wanting to pass up the beauty that was nature itself. Michael looked down at his little sister as if he had a secret to tell her.

I feel it there beyond those trees
Are right behind these waterfalls

Getting excited Janet stuck her head out so that she was just inches away from the waterfall they were passing by. Instead of finding trees or dreams she got hit on the head three times by three fish falling down the waterfall.

She shot her older brother a mean glare who only smiled at her and tickled her chin in return.

Can I ignore that sound of distant drumming

Janet smiled and shrugged it off before they rowed further down stream, passing a small family of beavers building a dam. Michael stared at them intently immediately being reminded of his family.

For a handsome sturdy family
Who builds handsome sturdy walls
And never dreams that something might be coming
Just around the river bend

Michael picked up his pace as they approached a part of the river that seemed like it had no end upon closer inspection both Janet and Randy came to realize that what they were approaching was a waterfall. Janet turned sharply towards her big brother with a look that said 'are you crazy?!'.

Michael just smiled excitedly and rowed faster and continued to sing.

Just around the river bend...
I look once more, just around the river bend
Beyond the shore

Janet screamed and quickly leaped into Randy's arms (who was also screaming) as their canoe fell fast down the water fall. Michael spread his arms out as if he were trying to fly as they reached the bottom of the small but very steep waterfall. From there Michael dodged jagged rocks as they sailed faster down the river. The two little ones, having already forgotten about their fear, went back to being excited.

Somewhere past the sea
Don't know what for
Why do all my dreams extend
Just around the river bend--

They were coming to the next river bend and Michael just couldn't contain his excitement over this one.

Just around the river bend…

But as they got around the river bend, Michael stopped singing and rowing and just stared at what was in front of him. Randy and Janet did the same.

What stood in front of them was a fork in the road. The right side that was narrow and kind of wavy was the path that lead to their home. While the left, which was wide and straight lead somewhere else, somewhere unknown to Michael whom had gone down this way dozens of times.

Michael had always been curious as to what lay beyond the left path and had always wanted to take it but every time he thought about it he would always tell himself he would go down it another time. It was like that every time he came to this fork, he would always tell himself he will do it but never does it. Mainly because he always felt that he wasn't ready and wasn't sure where it would lead him. Why did that sound so familiar to him…?

Now he understood.

This fork in the road symbolized his current situation. Whither or not he should stay in the family band or go solo. If he stayed in the band he could still do what he loved and plan for his future when he got older. But if he decided to leave now and branch out on his own then there was no telling what would happen. Would he be successful in his own right or would he crash and burn?

His mother's words began making more and more sense to him; and now that he was seeing it from her eyes he didn't know what he wanted now.

Randy and Janet grew worried when their big brother didn't say a word to them for five minutes. They were starting to worry.

"Michael…?" stared Randy as he put his hand on his arm. But before he could say anything else, Michael spoke in his sing song voice.

Should I chose the smoothest course

Michael put his ore down and stared at his reflection in the river, Janet and Randy followed.

Steady as the beating drum

Michael immediately thought of his mother and father, and his brothers and could almost see them staring at him through the river, expecting him to make a decision.

Should I stay in the band
Is all my dreaming at an end?

Michael closed his eyes and thought long and hard. When he opened his eyes two minutes later, a small smile formed on his face as he came to a decision. He raised his head and stared at the fork. Randy and Janet exchanged smiles as they read their brother's emotions.

Or do you still
Wait for me dream giver?
Just around the river bend…

Michael picked up his ore and sailed down the right path which lead straight to home. He would sit his family down at dinner and discuses staying in the band just until he finished high school. And from there he would decide when the time was right for him to branch out on his own as a solo artist and maybe he will be able to truly see what lay beyond the river bend.