Miss Mercury

The Time Has Come

Grab the tissues and take off the mascara things are about to get teary.

A week after Amelia's theatre show, Queen recorded the last of the video for These Are the Days and it ended up being Freddie's last time in front of the camera.

Just two weeks before his passing he asked Roger and Brian to go and see him, "Freddie," Brian whispers nudging his friends arm gently, "you wanted to see us?"

Brian and Roger both sat on the right-hand side of the bed so Freddie doesn't have to keep moving to look at them, "Yes I want to talk about Milly," His voice is hoarse and dry.

"Sorry, shouldn't Deaky be here too?" Roger asks if this is about Amelia surely John should be there.

Freddie smiles weakly, his voice soft and faded, "I get the feeling that Deaky will take my death the worst and will eventually shy away from the music business but I know you two, as long as there is breath in your bodies you will stay in the music business. Plus she's still not as comfortable with Deaks as she is with you two, even after the past few years."

The two exchange a sad look they have noticed John's absences, he's very withdrawn and talks even less than is normal for him, "Then what is it?" Roger encourages.

"Firstly Brian, go into my wardrobe," Freddie points to the doors behind them, "Right in the back corner there are two wrapped presents. One is a small lightweight box the other is a bit larger and heavier, can you get them out and take them home with you?"

Brian stands from his chair and opens the doors to the walk-in wardrobe and sees the Christmas presents in festive red and green wrapping paper.

He takes a few steps forward and picks them up with ease, "What are they?" He asks and puts them next to him when he sits back down.

"They are Milly's Christmas presents, please make sure she gets them on Christmas day." Freddie had hoped to make one last Christmas but he just doesn't have the strength, "You'll notice on the bigger one there is an envelope make sure she reads that before she opens the bigger box."

"I'll make sure they're the last things she opens," Brian agrees.

"I want both of you to look after my little girl, keep her safe. Support her in whatever career choice she makes, I don't want her to think she has to do music because of me. Teach her everything you can but make sure she has fun, give her time to grieve of course but gently nudge her into a new normal life when you think it's needed..." He wracks his brain trying to remember everything that needs saying.

"Freddie, stop," Roger sniffs, resting a hand on Freddie's arm, "We'll look after her, you don't need to worry."

"But I do worry about her. I'm not scared of what's coming you know but I am scared of leaving her behind. I never thought I'd be a dad but she is my world now, I'm going to cause her so much pain in the weeks after I'm gone and I can't comfort her. Those gifts should hopefully be of some comfort to her though."

"Can we know what's in them?" Brian stares at the boxes wishing he could see through the paper.

"No, just keep them safe," Freddie warns, "If she doesn't get them I will come back and haunt you."

"Understood," Brian chuckles though he wouldn't mind Freddie coming back to haunt him.

------

Later that evening Freddie decided to stop taking the medication that is keeping him alive, Jim knew it wouldn't take long and he knew Freddie has had enough. The singer is starting to lose his eyesight now and that was the final straw

Miami was asked to issue a press release two weeks later. Then later the same evening Brian, Roger and John arrived at Garden Lodge staying in the guest bedrooms until he's gone.

Amelia climbs into Freddie's bed refusing to leave his side. No words were exchanged they just lay together Amelia cuddled into his side soaking up their last few hours together, enjoying each others company. Jim sat in the chair next to the bed holding his lover's hand.

It wasn't until early the next evening, on the 24th of November that Freddie finally said something, "Milly," He whispers looking at her a tiny smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, she looks back at him.

"You be good for Brian and Anita, remember that I will always be so proud of you, no matter what. I love you my angel and I will watch over you, always," He kisses her forehead and she kisses his cheek as his eyes close.

"I love you too Daddy, please don't go," tears stream down her face. She holds her dad tighter, focusing on his breathing and the sound of his sluggish heartbeat until they both stop.

Peering up at her dad, she put her small hand under his nose for sighs of breathing but there is none, "Please don't go," she whispers, her tears become a river and she sobs into his shirt.

Jim cries with her, squeezing his lover's hand until he has the strength to let go but Amelia can't, she can't let go because if she lets him go she'll never see him again.

Letting go of his hand Jim goes to inform all that are waiting, some downstairs and others on the landing just outside the door. The one he found the hardest is telling Freddie's parents that he's gone.

Everyone took their turn to say their goodbyes to Freddie, Jer weeps with her granddaughter. They all try there best to get Amelia to leave Freddie's side but they fail. Roger, John, Anita, Mary, Jim and even Brian tries but she just weeps, holding her dad tight.

They let her be while they waited for the undertakers to arrive and when they do Brian tries again, he's her guardian now and he will look after her like he promised Freddie. He tells the undertakers to wait outside the door and he'll call them in when ready.

He enters the room biting back his tears though he's surprised to find that Amelia is no longer on the bed but curled up on the window seat crying into Romeo's fur. He turns back to the door telling them to come in quietly and then he sits next to Amelia not entirely sure what to say.

Hearing the movement Amelia turns her gaze from the window back to her dad, "Wait," she stops them.

Putting Romeo on the seat she gets up rushing back over to the bed and kisses Freddie's cheek for the last time, "Daddy would never let me go without a kiss goodbye," She whispers telling the undertakers, "You can take him now but you must look after him."

The woman rubs the girl's arm, "We'll take good take of him, I promise."

Amelia goes back to her previous spot and picks the cat back up, she leans against Brian watching them. It's not until they remove Freddie's body from the room that she starts to cry again this time sobbing into Brian's side.

He sat back against the wall lifting her in his lap, his own tears falling. It was hard enough losing his father at the beginning of the year at the age of forty-four but for her to lose her dad at the age of five, he can't imagine the pain she must be feeling.

Eventually, her sobs turn into sniffles, "What happens now?" She hiccups looking up at him.

"We take things slowly," he sighs, "We'll stay here until after your dad's funeral and then we'll go from there, okay?" Brian hates that with Freddie's death her life is going to change, even more, moving house, living with new people and a new school.

Amelia was meant to start year one in the September just gone but because of Freddie's rapidly declining health and now his passing, she will stay off school until she starts her new one after Christmas giving her the time to grieve. Her theatre group has been put on hold for the time being too, understandable she's not feeling up to it.

A sombre silence looms over the house, the energy, life and laughter wiped away with the loss of its owner. Amelia retreated to her room a never-ending river of tears still running down her face, she couldn't find the strength to stop them, it hurts too much.

Excuse me, I'm just going to cry in a corner now.