Time Passages (Queen or Freddie Mercury Fanfic)

33. A Star's War

Danny

"I won't," I sigh.  As I walk out, Farnsie flies to my head and comes along for the ride.  Fry stays with Mom this time. 

Why would he care? I say to myself, putting the bird away so he doesn't fly out the door.  Freddie would think they're cool.  He loves cats- plus they're jade, and- and it's not like I'm giving them to him or something!  I would never!  They're Dad's!

Oh, well.  Doesn't matter.  After all, Freddie wants me to keep secrets from Mom, too.  That's why I didn't say anything about what Roxie said this afternoon.  Sure, I told Mom that Cousin Roxie was asking questions about him- but I didn't say what she said, even though I think it's pretty cool- and a little weird.

"I'm just saying, that Rick of yours looks awfully familiar," she told me.  "Looks an awful lot like a man I used to know."

I sort of blinked and played stupid.  "What man?"

Lauren was already out of the car by this point, so it was just her and me.  Roxie looked around, turned off "You'll Be in My Heart" (which was kind of a bummer, because I do like Phil Collins and Tarzan was cool), and put on some Diamond Rio instead.

"I'd love to tell that story," she said, "but I promised him I wouldn't tell anyone."

"Promised who?  Tell about what?"

"Sorry, Mini-Prince.  No can do."

"Aw, come on!  Just tell me one thing!"  I took off my glasses.  "Pleeeease?"

Luckily, the glasses thing works on Roxie just like it usually does on Mom.  I don't know why, but it does. 

So, with a sigh, she sort of patted against the steering wheel, and turned to me. "I can't tell you how, or why, or who- but I will tell you what."

"What?"

"Mm-hm."  And she tapped at that ruby ring on her hand. 

"This is the what," she said.

I didn't get it, but she wouldn't explain, instead nudged me out of her car and asked me to tell Rick and Mom that she said "hi." 

So many things are happening lately that I don't get.  Freddie's the big one, but a lot of little  weird things are going on, too.  I mean, Roxie's being weird, Mom's being weird, even Uncle John's being weird.  He hasn't tried talking to us at all this afternoon, and he never misses a chance to; I hope he's okay. And also that guy on the "Invisible Man" thumbnail looked just like him too.  It's all really creepy.  And everybody's keeping a secret from at least somebody.  Why won't anybody just tell me what's up?

I go back to singing my solo in "O Holy Night," because Mr. Arthur says I need to practice more at home.  If I do this, I can at least say I did as he asked.  Good thing Mom doesn't suspect.  I've decided I don't want to quit, but I still want me singing to be a surprise-

Okay, yeah, I guess I'm keeping secrets too.  But anyway.

The visitor knocks again, and before I can shout at the door that I'm on my way over, I hear a muffled voice croon, "Open up, my dears!  I'm freezing my arse off!"

I grin.  It's about time he got home!

Right away I throw the door open against the wind, but before I can say hi, Freddie zips inside and drags me back in with him, slamming the door shut and setting his stuff on top of Farnsie's cage.

I begin, "Where were you-"

"Sh."  Freddie puts a finger against his lips.  "Tell you in a moment."