Hello Stranger- I'm a Disaster (Freddie Mercury love story)

9.)A Little Bit of Tenderness (Part 1)

WARNING: Proceed with caution! More talks about violence/rape subjects come up in this chapter as Cherie explains her situation with Jimmy...just thought I'd put that out there...

Cherie's POV:

As soon as I was conscious, I felt my head pounding with a raging headache. I went to roll over before I opened my eyes, only to feel my body stiff as can be. I was too weak and sore to move.

I heard a cough followed by a light snore in my ear and my eyes popped open to the bright sunlight coming through my window. I had almost forgotten that my Fre- I mean that Freddie spent the night. I noticed now, that his arms wrapped around me added to the heaviness of how my body felt.

I can't believe how incredible this human being is. I decided to reflect on last night before I tried to move from underneath his arms. After all, he was warm and comfy. Wouldn't want to disturb my brave knight....

(Last night)

"Thank you for staying with me tonight, Freddie. It really means a lot. I-I want to be honest with you...is that alright...?," I waited for his response.

"Of course, Angel. Tell me what's on your mind...," he replied, while stroking my hair. I swooned inside at the sound of my new little nick name from him. Why was he so sweet to me?

"Weeeeell, I was going to say..um.. you..you just make me feel so safe. Like, right now, here in your arms..I feel like no one can hurt me any more...at least not while you're here with me...," I trailed off, picking my head up off of his shoulder and looking up to his face now.

We were both sitting with our backs against my broken headboard, both of our bodies under the covers. Just talking the night away...

I shut my eyes while looking away now..afraid that I'd said too much...

"Angel- I-I'm really very sorry I wasn't here when..well, you know, when everything happened. I would've stopped him- I-I would've sent HIM to the hospital if I'd so much as seen him raise his hand to you...and THAT is the honest to god truth...," he continued to stroke my hair and kissed the top of my head.

He really is my hero today. I wish he'd stop blaming his self for not being around when Jimmy was here. Obviously he didn't know. I'd seen myself through the security camera that he made sure that Jimmy left earlier. He tried. And he didn't even have to. He didn't have to put up with this nonsense. He's a rockstar for crying out loud. He can have an easy girl he wants- sans drama. I had to make him see that, he did the best he could and that I'd forever appreciate his kindness.

It was now or never. I decided he'd more than earned the right to the story of me and Jimmy. So I told him EVERYTHING. and he let me ramble and cry as I explained it to him. He didn't say a word until I was finished.

I told him how me and Jimmy started- and how Jimmy was the sweetest, romantic I'd ever been with. He was a perfect gentleman. That is, until he had me wrapped love-blind around his finger. Five months in- that's when things changed. You see, Jimmy was also the lead singer of a band-Backsplash. They were good, I'll admit that. But when they hired their new drummer, he introduced Jimmy to the life of partying. Hard drugs, late nights, and lose bottom barrel groupies. Jimmy started working hard to get the bands name known. He'd work all day advertising and writing new music with the guys and then they'd all party until the sun came up. Jimmy would come home completely wasted- and that's when he turned his daily frustrations on me. He'd even wake me from my sleep just to beat me down. I was his prisoner. I cut off my family, my friends because of the marks he left me. He even- he even killed my dog! My baby girl! I'd had her since high school, but he didn't car he killed her in front of me, because she was trying to protect me from him! He was in too much of a drunken bender to think straight. He thought he'd fix that by breaking down and crying that he was drunk and he was sorry and he would never lay a finger on me again!