The Aria Within the Rhapsody **ON HIATUS**

Chapter 7: Who's That?

Freddie's POV:

It's quite funny actually. As much as I hate it when either of my human babies are under the weather, I love it at the same time. Before you think me mad, I love getting to spend one on one time with them. It helps me get to know my children better. Whenever I hear any parent say that they know their children, I think about how true it really is. The way I think of it, you know your children one day, but the next day they are completely different. Our children change everyday right under our noses . God I remember the first time Aria was ill as an infant! I swear I thought I was going to lose her because at the time, I had no idea how poorly her immune system was.

*Flashback: August 1974* "Who's Papa's girl?" I coo to the baby lying on her back staring at me with my thumbs in her delicate little hands. I make silly faces at her as I wrap my fingers around her little hands and she starts laughing. When I'm with my baby, I tune out any and everything around me. In that moment, my Aria is all that matters to me. "Who's Papa's girl?" I ask her again. "Aria is!" I say to her. I start kissing her belly and she goes into full blown laughter. God her laughter is just. . . It's everything to me. This child is my world and my life. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for her. I take the blanket beside her and hold it up as to hide her. "Where is my Aria? Where did she go?" I ask playfully. I look around and drop the blanket and pretend surprise. "There she is!" I say smiling at her while she still laughs. I pick her up and bring her forehead to my lips and hold her there so I can breathe in her new baby smell. God I love this baby so damn much! I love her more than I ever thought possible. "Oh Farrokh. She is just beautiful." my little sister, Kashmira, says bringing me out of my thoughts. "I have to agree, Farrokh. She is a beautiful child." my father agrees from the doorway. He has been ill with a cold so he doesn't want to risk passing his germs to my baby. "Thank you, Baba." I say in return not taking my eyes off of my baby. This whole thing still doesn't seem real. I have been taking care of her since the beginning, but I still can't wrap my head around the fact that she's mine and that I'm a Papa.

"Alright. Mimi's turn!" my mother chimes in gleefully. Ugh, I don't like sharing her. Not even with Mary! I know I probably sound awful but I mean Aria is mine. Anyways. . . I hand Aria to my mother with her never leaving my sight. She looks so happy. They both do. I can't help but smile at the sight while placing a warm head on the little girl's head. My smiles fades quickly when my mother bombards me with a question that I didn't expect, "Farrokh, are you sure you are ready for this? This is a baby. A little baby and not one of your cats." I am dumbfounded. . . I quickly stand and take my baby back into my arms and say, "I know she is a baby, Mama! Yes, I am ready. I have been reading books and even taking a class on parenting!" I pause to take a breath. "It was a lovely time as always, but I have to get Aria home." Both my parents and sister look at me confused but I didn't say anything. I just left. I couldn't believe that my own mother was questioning me! You believe in me, right? I put my little piece of heaven in her car seat as she falls fast asleep and Mary starts our drive back to our flat. I gently run the back of my index finger along her cheek before getting in the front seat passenger side. 'My ciela.' I think to myself. "Are you alright?" Mary asks bringing me of my thoughts. "I don't know." I replied truthfully. "What happened?" She inquired. "My mother actually." I begin. "She gave me the impression that she doubts my ability to raise my daughter. Just the way she asked me if I was ready. . . Mary?" "Hmm?" She hummed in response. "Do you think I'll be a good papa?" I questioned. "I think you will be the best papa any little girl or boy would be lucky to have. And I'll be right there beside you every step of the way." She gave me one of her special smiles with out taking her eyes off of the road. I gave her one in return and take a look at the sleeping baby in the back and continue to smile.

*Three days later*

I can't get what my mother said out of my head. I mean, I know she wants what is best for Aria, but I still think she had no right to say that. I didn't realize that my paternal instincts would be undergoing their first test very soon. The boys and I were in the studio recording when I receive a phone call. "Freddie!" I hear Paul call for me. "you have a phone call and apparently it can't wait." he tells me like it's nothing when it is clearly something. "Hello?" I say into the receiver. "Freddie?" I hear a very worried Mary asks on the other line. "Oh thank god! You have to come home now!" "Are you mad?" I begin. "We are in the middle of recording I can't just. . ." I am cut off by Mary crying out, "ARIA IS SICK! SHE HAS A TEMPERATURE OF 103.6 DEGREES FARENHEIHT AND I CAN'T GET IT DOWN! I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!! PLEASE, FREDDIE, COME HOME!" I drop the phone and sprint trying to find a ride home. "Brian!" I cry for him. He turns quickly to look at me and says, "What's wrong, Fred?" I can't hold my tears in anymore, "Please, Bri, I - I need to g -go ho-home! Aria is really sick and has a fever and - and. . . " I try to ramble but Brian takes my hand and whisks me to the car. 'Oh god please let her be ok.' I think to myself over and over again. Bri goes as fast as he can so I can get to my baby. An ear piercing wail causes me to jump out of the car before Bri can stop and I sprint to my baby. I swipe her from Mary's tired form to see if I can calm her. "Oh my baby." I begin to coo to her, "Papa's here. Papa's got you. What's wrong with Papa's baby?" She nuzzles her little head into the crook of my neck as she calms herself down. As soon as her head touches my neck, she lets out this body rattling cough. I catch her head before she can whip it back and hurt herself. That didn't sound good. "Freddie, if we hurry we can make it to the pediatrician." Mary says. I didn't even realize she left. With out a word, I rush Aria to her car seat and hop in right beside her. I don't want her to be alone.

We make it to her pediatrician, Doctor Teddy, and rush inside. Oh god my poor baby is miserable! She finally calmed down but won't stop coughing. Doctor Teddy sees us come in and takes us back immediately. "How long has she had the fever?" She asks us. "Since this morning. She woke up and started wailing. I checked her temperature and saw it was 103. 6. I tried the entire morning to get it down but nothing took." Mary explained. "Ok." The doc begins. "When did the cough start?" I take over this time, "Last night. She woke up about 3:15 and had a little coughing fit I sat with her as she finished and rocked her back to sleep." "Did you say her temperature was 103?" The doc asks concerned. "Yes. 103.6." Mary responds frightened. "Well, it has gone up to 104.7. By what you are telling me, I am going to say that she has pneumonia. When was the last time she was fed?" Doc Teddy asks. "Honestly, she hasn't taken one today. I tried but she would refuse. I tried to give her a bottle before he came home but she still refused." Mary says disheartened. With that knowledge, the doctor makes a phone call. "Hello, sweet girl." I coo to Aria, "Everything is going to be just fine. Mary and I are right here with you." She looks so helpless. I give the small baby little kisses on her forehead before Doctor Teddy speaks once more, "That was the hospital. It is vital you get Aria there as quickly as possible." I can't speak. I have no words. "Is she going to be ok?" Mary asks for the both of us. "Yes, with the proper treatment and care, little Aria will be just fine. Time is of the essence which why I am sending her to the hospital. They can give her the treatment I cannot." She looks at me, puts her hand on mine and says, "Don't worry. I used the name, Bulsara, so no one would ask questions." She pauses. "I promise Aria will be in good hands." If I'm being honest, I don't really remember leaving the pediatrician's office. I stare at the sleeping baby and watch her chest rise and fall. God, I hope she will be ok. I don't know what I would do if I lost her. How the fuck did this happen? Time passes and suddenly we are in the waiting room of the pediatric section of the hospital playing the wonderful game of waiting. "Mr. Bulsara?" the doctor calls. Mary and I follow him to the room where my daughter sleeps peacefully in a crib hooked up to more wires. God this New York all over again. "So, just as her pediatrician suggested, your daughter has pneumonia. We have her on IV fluids and basic antibiotics since she is so young." The doctor says plainly. I don't like him. He is too. . . too dull. I don't like him at all. How am I supposed to let this man take care of my baby girl when he acts as if he doesn't care?! After a few more minutes of his droning, I get the spark in me to speak, "This is MY baby! My question is. . . is she going to be ok?!" "Her prognosis is good. The first thing we need to focus on is getting her temperature down. She is holding steady at 104, but we don't want her to start seizing because of her high temperature. It is in her best interest if she stays here so we can begin treatment, but I can't keep her with out your consent." He explains. What do I do? Since I have had her, we haven't been apart. After a few minutes of pondering, I know what I have to do. "If she stays, I stay. I will not be apart from my daughter." *End of Flashback*

It took 3 days before Aria's fever broke and she had to stay in the hospital for 2 weeks. It turns out that even thought my father stayed away from her, she still managed to pick up some of the left over germs which is why I keep anyone in my house who might be getting sick away for a period of time because I don't want to go through that again. As my child sleeps, I hear a knock on the door. Who on earth could it be? As I open the door, I see a very familiar Irish man. "Jim?" I ask startled. What is he doing here? "What brings you to my lovely home?" He looks disappointed. "Did you forget? We had a lunch date planned?" I dig into my memory and. . . Shit! "Fuck! I'm sorry! My daughter had one of her attacks last night and then another small one this afternoon so I kept her with me today. She is upstairs as we speak sleeping. I didn't even think to call you!" I apologize. "Oh no! I hope she is alright! Don't worry, I understand. Is she feeling better?" Jim asks concerned. "Yes. Much better actually. Give me a moment to go check on her." I say. Before I have a chance to get up, I hear a small voice ask me, "Who's that?" Well, shit!

*Here it is! After working on it for a little over two weeks, it is finally finished! And we finally get a taste of Jim! How will Aria and Ash react to him? Who is the first to see him? Stick around to find out. . . Tell me what you think! Please like and comment! lots of love to all of you beautiful people! ~Freddies_Misfit*