In the Year of the Cat (Queen or Freddie Mercury Fanfic)

49. It's Always Something

"Honestly, though," I said as we turned onto Stafford Terrace. "Who holds a dinner party on a Tuesday evening?"

A pause, then Rudy and I answered in unison, "Freddie." He laughed, and I just rolled my eyes.

My stomach was kneading itself again, and had been ever since we finished brunch. Supposing Freddie hadn't gone to Wessex, in order to prep for the little soiree tonight? Supposing he would be home? At this point I was still skittish, and I had no way of knowing for certain that anything Rudy had told me was the truth. I took it all on blind faith- except the potentially complicated parts, like a tearful Freddie or the idea that he...

No. Uh-uh. It didn't even bear thinking about.

In short, my nerves remained shot; I was in no mood for a second installment of last night. That's why I quietly asked Rudy to put the top of his convertible back up.

"Just in case," I explained. So, with an understanding nod, Rudy pushed the button, and by the time we reached his door our heads were covered, our identities better hidden. For a moment, I hesitated, staring at the shut blue door as the Jag idled.

"Rudy," I said, half-stalling, "why'd you do it?"

He frowned, confused.

"You know. Why did you follow me all the way out there just to bring me back? You didn't have to put yourself out like that."

"On the contrary," Rudy replied. "It was my pleasure."

"But you didn't have to. You could have just let me go-"

"Julia, you have to understand something," Rudy interrupted. "However you think he feels, however you even feel, you're very good for him. Wait." He held up his hand, for he could see me opening my mouth to argue. "You are. And however this pans out, I think it's safe to say... to say he's needed someone like you in his life for a long, long time. Why should I let something like that slip away so easily when I have the opportunity to act?"

"I, uh- don't know about that," I whispered, "but thank you for saying it anyway. It helps."

I glanced at my tracker, still glowing red. Yesterday morning I had looked down and seen it go blue for a couple of minutes. Whoever or whatever had my Nokia Relic must have had quite an interesting conversation had they answered it- assuming they even knew how.

Ah, C and K. They certainly hadn't planned on this. I wondered if they'd given up on me, it had been so long. If they had, I couldn't blame them. The chances were devastatingly slim that the Relic would just magically fall back into my lap, no matter if it was working and within a five mile radius. My family? They likely would be giving up the search fairly soon, accepting that I was gone forever- and I would go down as another unexplained mystery, the missing naive psych student who just had to have a stupid 4.0 in the gradebook.

Maybe if I can keep it together the next forty years, I can attend my own funeral. Wow, that would be trippy.

"Nervous?" Rudy asked.

"Can you blame me?" I replied. "I'm about to sneak into his flat and I don't even know if he's home."

"Would you like for me to see?" he offered.

I didn't answer, which he took for a resounding "yes." So he squeezed out of the car and marched up to the front door. I ducked down behind the window, leaving only the top of my head and my obvious eyes visible. My fingers were crossed. Rudy rapped sharply upon the door.

No answer.

He rang the bell.

No answer.

Rudy turned back around and shook his head. I was in the clear. But somehow that only made my heart pound harder. Oh, please let Freddie have left the Passport here. Please, oh, please, oh, please.