The Original Taylor Daughter

The Press

Roger was wrong, Alice's front page cancer-free headline is still the talk of the town a week after it appeared in the papers. The media want to know all about her cancer story.

"Why can't the media just piss off?" Roger huffs, he's had enough of the reporters outside his house and made up stories in the newspapers.

"Only you can do something about that Roger, love," Winifred sighs reading the last of the article. She's in London for a few days with Pippin to visit them, she hasn't seen her granddaughter since Christmas.

She puts the paper away, Biscuit takes that opportunity to get a fuss from his grandma, "How is Alice getting on?"

"Much better. She's not as tired anymore, her appetite is almost back to normal and she's enjoying school more," He thinks about his mum's previous words, "I'm gonna speak to Reid, see if he can get an interview set up."

"It might be the best option, love. At least this way, you know they have the right information, how are you getting on? Have you found anyone?"

Roger frowns, "What do you mean?"

"Well the last time I saw her, Alice might have mentioned that you were lonely."

He smiles inwardly, Alice likes to look after him because she thinks she owns him for looking after her, "I'm not lonely. She's got it into her brain that because Freddie has Mary, John has Veronica's and Brian has Chrissie that I need someone too."

He honestly hasn't thought about it. Which is surprising even to him but the past year has been focused on Alice and Queen so maybe now Alice is better he could find the time again.

"Would it be a bad thing to find someone?"

"No, but not many women want a guy who as a child. It's fine with me, I'd never give Alice up for anyone but I promise I'm not lonely, mum."

"Okay," Winifred smirks, "I won't ask anymore. What time does Alice finish school?"

"I'm leaving to pick her up in a moment, you want to come? I'm taking Biscuit with me, he needs a walk. "

Winifred stands smiling, "I'll get Pippin."

------

Roger spoke to Reid and he set up a radio interview to talk about the success of the last album and of course about Alice too.

A week later Alice is sat doing her homework with the radio on the listen to the interview, Brian, John and Freddie have popped to listen and look after her since Winifred has gone home now.

Brian was helping her with her maths homework when the radio presenter introduces Roger, "Joining me in the studio is Queen drummer, Roger Taylor. Roger, great to have you."

"Lovely to be here," Brian can hear his friend biting his tongue not to get annoyed at the real reason he's there. It's not the radio stations fault after all.

"So to start, let's talk about the last album A Night at the Opera, a huge success I bet you were jumping for joy when it reached number one and nine weeks at number one for Bohemian Rhapsody."

"Yes, the jumping for joy part is right." Roger chuckles, "We actually ended up stuck in a lift after finding out the news, it broke down because of us jumping."

"Are you still riding the wave so to speak?"

"Yes and hopefully it will help the next album."

"Now I want to come to the main reason your here, your daughter, Alice. The newspapers headlined with her being cancer-free. Is she well now? Getting better?"

"Yes, very well, thank you. Thankful that the chemo has ended, she can enjoy being a kid again."

"Was it a long battle?"

"About 8 months. She had a Wilms tumour also known as kidney cancer."

"Well, at least she can get better now. Your Alice looks to be around five am I right?"

"Six."

"You've been seen with a few women before but none recently is her mother still on the scene."

"No, her mother left her on her first birthday."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Does Alice ever worry you're going to leave her too?"

Brian can almost hear Roger frowning "No, why would she?"

"Wankers," Freddie growls, "How dare they ask him a question like that."

"Freddie, language," John nods his head to Alice.

"Sorry, lovie."

"It's okay, daddy does it all the time."

"Well, the rock star life isn't the best for a child, she can't come on tour with you."

"She did when she was a lot younger. She doesn't now because she has school, so she stays here with her aunt. But I'm telling you, Alice means more to me than any band, if giving up Queen was the only way for me to keep my daughter then I'd do it in a heartbeat. So the answer to your question is no, she doesn't have to worry about me leaving her because it's not going to happen."

"Yes well, we'll leave this interview they. That was Roger Taylor of Queen."

"We won't be interviewing on that radio station anytime soon," Brian mutters, he'd like to say he can't believe they'd ask such a question but honestly he's not surprised. The media always try to make celebrities look bad.

"Yes well, they shouldn't have asked such questions. Now I must be off," Freddie bends down to hug Alice when she opens her arms for a hug, "See you soon, lovie."

"Yeah, I need to go too. Veronica is meeting her mother so I'm looking after Robert," John stands also getting a hug.

"Bye Uncle Deaky, bye Uncle Freddie."

Once they're gone Alice climbs into Brian's lap looking sullen, "You okay, Ally?"

"Why did my mum abandon me?" She slumps against his chest playing with Biscuits ears.

"I don't know, Ally, but your mum wasn't a very nice woman, you're better off with your dad." That answer doesn't seem to make her feel must better.

Brian adjusts her in his lap to see her face, "Hey, I know your sad that your mum isn't around but you're loved. You have your dad, me, Freddie and Deaky, Veronica, Mary and Chrissie, your grandparents and Clare. Then there's your friends at school, Rami and Hazel."

"I'd like a mum though. I love daddy but I'd like a mum to do girly things with."

"I can't do much about that I'm afraid. That's only something your dad can do something about," He decides to change the subject, "Do you want to do that evening photo session soon, we never got to do it did we?"

"Yes, please. It's been forever since I last took a photo."

When Roger got home, Brian told him about the conversation he had with Alice, "I'm not entirely surprised. She told my mum at Christmas that I was lonely and I should find someone but, I think it's Alice that wants me to find someone."

"I'll leave that problem to you, see you later, mate."

"Cheers for looking after her," He closes the door behind him and goes to find Alice.