Time Passages (Queen or Freddie Mercury Fanfic)

47. Talk Blockers, Part Two

Freddie

The voice that finally greeted me on the other end sounded scrumptiously perplexed. "Freddie! You're back?"

"With a vengeance," I boomed, shaking my head at Danny when he offered me a gingerbread man. "And what can I do for you?"

He ignored the question. "How do you have Julia's phone?"

"I stole it, of course. Broke the first one, stole the other."

"You what?"

"Oh, it's quite true, you know. I'm such a lawless little tart."

"Yeah, I'll go with that," he said dryly, at last realizing that I was pulling his leg. "Where are you now?"

"I'm wherever you want me to be, dear," I purred as seductively as I could- not as easy as you might think, certainly not when I hated the man on the other end with a passion comparable to my feelings for those blood-sucking motherfuckers known the world over as the "press." I was still a little raw, after all, from my latest brush with them anyway, making the act that much more difficult.

Of course, Stuart hadn't any idea what I'd been up to- but he was not amused just the same. "I'd really prefer you be a little more cooperative, Freddie, for your own good. Just saying. Now. Where are you?"

I smirked to myself. "Who wants to know?"

Giggling, Danny poured himself a tall glass of milk and tiptoed closer to listen. Even he could tell that dear Gertrude was losing his cool. "Okay, if you're really going to keep acting like a prick, that's fine. I was calling to speak with Jules anyway, is she anywhere around?"

As if on cue, Julia called through the bedroom door, "Who is it, Freddie?" When I told her, she hesitated, then requested, very meekly, "Tell him I'll be right out, please."

So I did, sort of. "She's indisposed at the moment. Can I take a message?"

"No, thanks. I'll wait."

"Right," I grumbled. "She may be quite a while though."

"I've got time."

I rolled my eyes. "Very well." This was followed by an awkward silence that neither of us enjoyed- well, at least not until Julia started singing.

Since the record had stopped playing some minutes before, I could hear her softly crooning some very familiar lyrics- and from my solo album, no less: "Made in heaven, made in heaven... It was all meant to be..."

It was strange to hear anyone besides myself singing that song, especially since (for me, that is) the song had barely been out for any time. Even more peculiar was Julia's tone; she sounded so defeated. Beautiful, too, of course, but still tragic, almost as though she was simultaneously singing and choking back a wave of tears. On reflex I took a few steps toward the bedroom to see what was the matter- and whether I could perhaps comfort her in some way. Unlikely, considering how I had basically fucked up every attempt before this; all the same, I wanted to try.

But then Stuart's voice cut in again, "While we're waiting, I guess I might as well tell you."

"Oh, do," I replied, rubbing my eyes. "Tell me what?"

He smiled into his words. "Speck is fully repaired, ready to go."

I blinked. "It is? You are?"

"Just say the word and you're out of here, and headed back to Munich to finish that party."

"Are you really?" I said calmly. "Well, that's wonderful. Congratulations." Odd, how hearing this didn't immediately send adrenaline rushes to my brain, start me bouncing off the walls and the ceiling while I whooped and shouted with joy. I still wanted to go home, of course; I suppose I just wasn't as desperate to leave as I was in the beginning, is all.