Keep Yourself Alive - Roger Taylor

97

I clutched the video camera in my hands as tightly as I could without dropping it as I chuckled at the pair before me. Freddie was extravagantly flinging bubbles around the bathroom as he sang away to Jim who was sat on the edge of the bath, laughing away at his partner.

"Oh I'm naked!" He sang, making Jim and I howl in laughter. He wasn't actually naked, of course, but the fact that Freddie was Freddie meant that he could say anything and it would be funny.

He flung bubbles at Jim, who was just trying to circulate the mass of foam around the bath.

(This is actually a real video, I hope you've all seen it and if not I'd look it up on YouTube)

When he got out I showed him the video clip of himself prancing his arms around flamboyantly in the bath, and his laughter was something that I hadn't seen in a long time from Freddie.

"Well I should probably head home Freddie, I just wanted to come and check that you were okay" I nodded, looking over at the singer with a grin.

He stared back at me, his eyes pained and his skin blotchy and red, yet he replied with a simple.

"Well now you know I'm fine" He forced a smile into his broken features and I rushed into his arms to give him a huge hug.

"I'll see you soon" I gave him a reassuring grin, which he mirrored.

Before I left I said a quick goodbye to Jim and left the house.

When I left it was utter carnage. People lined the streets with cameras and microphones, hoping to get a glimpse of Freddie in his darkest hours. It pained me to see, because although this was their job, it just shows how heartless a percentage of them can be.

I rolled my eyes before walking down the driveway, noticing all of their eyes lighting up and their cameras began flashing.

"Where is Freddie?"

"Will queen be making more music?"

"How's life with a dying band member?"

"Wait, is Freddie dying?"

"How's your baby, why are you not looking after her?"

I walked towards them calmly, actually willing to answer their rather rude and intrusive questions. They don't know about Freddie's illness, so I know that all of these questions about him dying are just rumoured speculations.

"Freddie isn't feeling great, but he is not dying" I nodded, lying through my back teeth, however if it kept Freddie safe I really didn't mind.

There was a rush in the group and more people congregated. Who knew that little old Rose should be so popular. However, I know they're not here for me, they're here for an inside scoop of Freddie Mercury's life.

"And for the question about my baby, Elizabeth, she is at home with her dad. I know it may seem hard to believe that a rockstar can be loving but I can assure you she's in safe hands" I laughed at the camera, which I'm sure would be making an appearance on some silly gossip newspaper later, that I didn't give consent to.

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"Rog!?" I shouted up the stairs.

As soon as I step foot in the house I noticed that there was a tent-like structure built in the living room. All of the sofa cushions were thrown around it, and the dining chairs were used to keep the bed sheet up.

"Yes darling?" He asked, rushing down the stairs.

"What is this?" I asked, motioning towards the huge mess covering our floor.

"It's a den! Lizzie and I made it" He grinned, nodding enthusiastically.

"Roger?" I asked with an unconvinced look, trying to suppress my laughter.

"Yeah?" He replied.

"How did Lizzie, the toddler that can hardly walk, help you build a den triple her size?" I asked, pursing my lips together to stop myself bursting into a fit of giggles.

"Well, she didn't. But I had fun" He shrugged, shuffling inside the den.

"So what did you do with her then?" I asked.

"She didn't really like it at first, she kept crawling away... but I picked her up and put her back in and after an hour or so she stopped crying" He grinned.

"You took our child hostage?" I was laughing freely now, joining him in the den whilst we both laid down looking up at the top.

"Not really... Yes kind of" He admitted, turning his head to the side.

"I've just told the press that you're a reliable dad, and that not all rockstars are unloving. I hope they didn't catch you dragging our child" I scoffed with a laugh.

"Shut up, you" He nudged me.

His fingertips grazed mine, and eventually our hands we intertwined as we stared into each other's eyes.

"I've given you a good life. Haven't I?" He asked with a tone of hopefulness. It wasn't cocky in anyway, he was actually curious.

"Roger of course. I couldn't imagine my life without you, it's been near to perfect" I smiled, leaning in to give him a quick kiss on the lips.

"Good, that's all I've ever wanted" He admitted, a small flush appearing on his pale skin, signifying that he was quite embarrassed to say it.

"You're too good to me, Taylor" I smiled, shuffling over to rest my head on his chest.

His arm wrapped over my back and he planted a kiss on my head.

"I love you, Rose" He whispered into my hair, leaving another kiss.

"I love you more, Roger" I smiled, listening to the familiar thumping of his heartbeat.