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"What is it?,"

Freddie walks in to see me sitting on his bed, Cherie's head in my lap as I continue to stroke her hair with a feathering touch, being careful not to wake her.

"What's happened?," I look up to see him watching us, his face drops when he sees Cherie's body begin to shake and shiver beneath the covers.

"Rose...," he stammers as he walks closer to the bed, stopping just near the end of the bed frame.

I start to get choked up, trying to find the words to describe the way I found Cherie. The image of her terrified, trance-like state is fresh behind my eyelids.

Every time I blink I see her there, mumbling incoherently, rocking back and forth, sloshing water over the rim of the overflowing bath tub.

"I found her in the bath. Freddie I don't know if anyone was here, but- but she was frozen to the spot! She couldn't hear me calling for her. She couldn't see me in front of her, with her eyes as wide as they could go. She was crying without blinking, staring off like she'd witnessed something horrible and I just-,"

"I'm sorry- please don't hurt them- I'm sorry- take me- leave them alone...," Cherie's whimpering mumbles lay out the outline of her nightmare as she twists and turns, profusely streaming beads of sweat from her forehead.

Gently laying her head off of my lap and on to a pillow, I motion for Freddie to follow me out of the room. He lingers there for a moment, probably unsure if he should leave her like this. She seems so helpless, so traumatized. It's heartbreaking to witness.

He closes the door as quietly as possible before we both descend the stairs into the kitchen. I almost miss the last step, making me lean again the banister for support, but Freddie's reflexes are quick and in an instant his arms are around me.

"Okay, Rosie?," His timid tone makes me relive every single time he's every asked me that exact same question throughout every hellish circumstance I've had to face.

I nod my head with a weak smile as his eyes bore into mine, searching for the lie. He gives one quick stiff nod, offering me his hand as he leads us to the kitchen table.

He pulls out a chair for me to sit and turns to busy himself with setting up a pot of tea. "So...you were saying?," he asks without looking at me, fiddling with the height of the flame from the stove top.

"Well, I don't know, Fred. Maybe someone was here? Maybe someone scared her..,"

He shakes his head, before turning to face my direction. He leans his back on the counter, letting out a huff.

"No- no ones been here. I've got the cameras alert setting on my phone now. I can check the video, but I'm sure that's not what's happened...,"

Pulling out his phone from his back pocket, he comes to sit beside me. The screen shows the notifications tab, but there's no intrusion alerts and the only video from today is Freddie leaving and me entering.

"She's been like this since she's come back...," he finally announces as he gets up to grab a couple of tea cups. "Only through the night, I mean. She thinks I don't know..."

"I thought maybe she'd move out of the night terrors...but, since the first night we had together...she did the same to me.," I meet his eyes as he sits back at the table again. They're full of worry and stress never seems to leave their core.

"She didn't let me touch her. She screamed for me to leave her alone. It-it really shook me, but I just kept talking to her and eventually she realized where she was...," He says it all as if it didn't pain him. As if watching the love of his life struggle with reality doesn't rattle him at all. But as he sips from his tea cup, his hand shakes slightly.

That's when we hear pounding steps coming from upstairs and a door slamming. Freddie gets to his feet immediately running up the steps.

It takes me much longer— damned winded breath causing me to take the stairs slowly, one by one.

When I walk into the bedroom again, the bathroom door is open and the sound of Cherie groaning and choking from inside, draws me in.

Freddie is kneeling beside her, holding her hair up and away from her face as she viciously vomits into the toilet. Her body is still shaking, the tremors worsen as she upheaved once again. The whole time, Freddie rubs her back, speaking to her in loving tones, telling her that she's alright.

He lays her back in bed. I feel like I'm intruding in this moment, but I'm just as worried as he is. We don't have time for this.

Freddie changes her out of her vomit stained robe, slipping on a thin strapped camisole, instead. That's when I catch sight of the dark bruises lining her back, that seem to scale to her upper arms and the red splotches marked on her chest.

"Freddie?," I question, pointing my finger to where my eyes stay glued.

He quickly covers her body with the blanket on the bed. She seems out of her mind, he easily lays her back like she weighs nothing at all. She doesn't fight him, she doesn't acknowledge me. She just stares blankly at Freddie's face the entire time as he speaks to her.

"Darling, what do you need?," She only blinks slowly as Freddie gets under the covers with her, sitting his back up against the headboard, before sinking down beside her on the bed, "Do you- do you want us to stay?,"

Cherie's only response is to lay her head, on freddies chest. The simple act of acceptance makes him let out a quick gasp, "Angel, you're burning up?," He swoops her hair away from her face, feeling her forehead for temperature.

Hurrying to the nightstand, I pick up a hair tie, crawling into the bed on the other side of Cherie, I lift her hair into a high bun to keep it away from her face. Before Im able to crawl back out of the bed, she reaches backward for my hand, tugging it across her body.

The three of us lay together in silence. Freddie on his back, Cherie on his chest and me cuddled behind her with my head on her shoulder.

"The marks....do you think they're from her back hitting the tub when I found her rocking herself?," I ask when I'm sure Cherie has fallen back to sleep.

My eyes feel tired, too. So much stress isn't really good for me.

Freddie's puffs out a sigh, shaking his head. "No," he whispers hoarsely and it's until now when I notice his tears streaming down his face that I fully understand.

————————————————————-

Cherie:

I wake up to Freddie's insistent snoring in my ear, feeling the warmth surround me as Rose snuggles closer to my other side. Her makeup is smeared and I know I'm the cause. I really scared them.

They were talking in whispers when they thought I was asleep. To have made it this far on this long ride together, it's fate for us all to be family. To comfort each other in this way.

A human body can only take so much. We got problems no one can fix, some that are hard to see if you don't know what you're looking for. I just hope it doesn't take such a long time for this human body.

You see, it's happening now— time speeding through us, unraveling our plans, killing our dreams, splicing our one true vision of happiness.

I should have stayed gone.

It wouldn't have made a difference.

————————————

Rose left after she was sure I had some food in my stomach. I feel badly about making her cook- well, I mean, she was the one that insisted I had a good home cooked meal.

I lay in bed, still, listening to Freddie playing the piano downstairs. The music soothes me as I lie back and contemplate everything. My head is too full, I need a break.

Just as the thoughts roam my mind, the ringing of the doorbell stops the melody in its tracks. It was awfully beautiful. I wonder what the finished product will sound like...I found myself humming along, stringing together words for the music. They're too harsh to share, though.

"She's asleep, she's been ill all night. She's resting now...," I hear Freddie's rushed whisper in the quiet house, before the rustling of our rambunctious bunch come hurdling inside.

"Papi! Papi! Richie kisses Laura!," Charlie announces, sounding a bit out of breath. "Is he in trouble? Oh, uncle John found the two and-,"

"Charrrrliiiie!!," Richie whines in complaint, stomping his foot and walking over to Charlie to clamp her mouth shut.

I giggle a bit, letting my presence be known as I come out of the bedroom. Walking down the steps, I just look like I'm knocking in deaths door. Ronnies eyes grow wide, her mouth opens in awe, before she quickly hides her expression away behind a fake smile of sympathy.

"Hello, dear— how are you feeling?," She asks, taking a step toward me as I take the last step off the staircase.

"Oh, fine. I'm fine. Just some nightmares is all," I shrug, trying not to let them make a big fuss over me.

"Well, I better be going. I've got the boys in the car-," Ronnie hugs me tightly, pressing her hand to the back of my head as I lean against her shoulder. She pulls back, smooths my hair and kisses my cheek. "You're so strong, Cherie. Whatever you need- whenever you need me, I'm always here,"

I nod and kiss her cheek, too. We say our goodbyes and she leaves after waving at us from the car. Her three boys shouting their goodbyes from the back seat.

Bending down to hug my twins, I lose my balance, falling back and landing on the last step of the stairs as they clamber into my arms. As I embrace them, I see Freddie's worried face. He's standing with Lily asleep over his shoulder, the other arm is outstretched to help me get to my feet.

"We misses you too much, Mummy! I was a good girl, but Richie was not," Charlie smiles while shaking her head back and forth slowly.

"That's it because I'm not a girl, Char," Richie says as all of us make our way to the couch.

He stands with one hand on his hip, rolling his eyes dramatically. "I was a good boy, Mummy. Charlie Just is jealous!," He sticks his tongue out at Charlie as the two of them begin to bicker back and forth.

Freddie and I exchange amused glances. I would have thought our little Rich would be too shy for girls at his age. Well, I guess we were wrong.

"So, whats this I hear about you kissing little Laura, hmm?," Freddie tickles Richie's belly when he sits beside him on the couch. Richie's tinkling giggles erupt as he kicks and squeals to the tickle attack.

"No-," he laughs. "Papi-stop-I-she-," he's in a full on fit of laughter by the time Freddie finally lifts his fingers away. Me and my girls laughing at the way the Mercury boys' smiles light up the room.

"Pa-pi..pa-pi..," Lily, who is sat in between us, reaches her arms out for Freddie to carry her again. Of course, he melts. Such a soft spot for his little girls.

Richie eyes Freddie when he sikes him out a couple of times, leaning forward with his fingers twinkling as if he'd tickle him again. My little boy runs to my direction, taking a seat between me and Charlie, as she switches the tv on.

"I like Laura, Mummy," Richie whispers as he leans closer to me, once everyone has been watching the TV movie for a little while.

"She's really nice to me. She doesn't make fun of my big toothes," Richie shys away from revealing his smile. A new habit he's grown into by interlacing his fingers and cupping both hands in front of his beautiful grins. His teeth are growing and they do look a bit big in contrast to his little baby teeth, but I don't think he sees it this way. I don't want him to be self conscious especially at his age.

I reach over to him, gently tugging his hands downward. "Baby, there's nothing wrong with your smile, you don't need to hide it," I explain to him in a soothing tone, trying to show him that he has nothing to be ashamed of.

"Papi does it, too.," He says, sucking his lips into his mouth, an unsure smirk lifting one cheek.

His eyes roam towards Freddie's face. I can tell that Freddie is listening, but he's trying to act like he's not.

"Robert says I get my big teethes from Papi and I have to grow a mustache now to hide them like him, too,"

Freddie smirks at this, the sides of his lips twitching upward. But as Richie says the words, his eyes cast downward with embarrassment. I feel my motherly instincts kick in— I'm gonna have to call Ronnie about her sons rude comments!

"But you love Papi and his funny smile, right?," He probes while climbing into my lap.

"Shhhh! Can't hear!," Charlie whines, annoyed with our little back and forth. She grabs the blanket that covers the back of the couch and helps Lily down with her to sit in front of the tv.

"Of course she does, don't you, Mummy?," Freddie wiggles his eyebrows, winking at us from the other side of the couch, before he scoots closer.

Richie looks in between us, not covering his wide smile this time. He sits facing Freddie, but still on my lap. His little stubby fingers stroke my hair as he watches Freddie give my cheek a ginger kiss.

"Not like that, Papi," Richie chuckles, getting on his knees on top of me as if he doesn't weigh a thing.

His fingers stop brushing through my hair and instead he grips onto the back of my head.

Stretching his other hand to the back of Freddie's head, our eyes shine down on our little prince as he attempts to push our lips together for a kiss.

Of course, we oblige. Sharing sweet little pecking kisses, side eyeing Richie smiling more and more with every moment.

"Get over here, you little kissing expert!," Freddies booming laughter brings us all together again as he swoops Richie off of my lap and up above his head and airplane's him around the room.

The girls both get to their feet, forgetting about the movie in the background. They start to clap and hop up and down, watching Richie and Freddie laugh hysterically, as Freddie weaves his way around the furniture and Richie giggles up a storm, flying in the air above Freddie's outstretched arms.

"My turn! Me! My turn, Papi!"

———————————————————-

Freddie:

Once we finished our dinner, we all settle around the fireplace. Charlie and Richie wanted to make some toasty s'mores for dessert and really, there's no saying 'no' to my two little beans.

"What do you think Santa will bring us this year?," Charlie asks, while twirling her marshmallow too far away from the flame to crisp.

"I don't know, Char. We already got our Mummy back. I's happy for that," Richie smiles back at me and Cherie, as they twins continue their conversation.

We're laid under a long cotton blanket with Cherie curled onto my lap. I nuzzle my nose into her hair, lining her neck with soft, delicate kisses causing her to giggle from the brush of my mustache. I'll never tire of that reaction.

"How are you feeling, darling?," I cup her face in one hand, rubbing small circles against her hollow cheek with my thumb. She doesn't feel febrile anymore, maybe her nightmares were just that upsetting.

"Good.," She hums, leaning back on me so that her head rests on my shoulder. She seems carefree, but I worry that she's not telling me the truth.

I tighten my arms around her waist, watching her eyes glow in the firelight as she adoringly looks at the twins.

"I forgot to mention, about the the tour...," It had completely slipped my mind from being so shocked to walk onto the scene yesterday. The tour Miami booked, starts much sooner than we would have hoped for.

"Tour? Now?," She turns in my arms, already looking frightful.

"Don't worry, you're coming with me," I murmur quickly before stifling a yawn.

Thankfully, this makes her body ease up, the quick built tension easing away as she relaxes on top of me again.

——————————————————-

Roger:

Rose had been gone all night. She called to say that Cherie was having trouble and she came home to go straight to bed. She needs her rest, but I know how much her mind will not falter away from worrying about her best friend.

I've been really worried here too with Emmy all by ourselves. But truthfully, I'm exhausted.

I put Emmy to bed with ease last night and this morning has been really easy going and quiet. After I made her some breakfast, we've been playing on her floor mat and watching Sesame street on tv.

Yes, I know.

What a rockstar.

"Can you children, help Elmo find Goldie?,"

Emmy stands to walk over to the tv, obviously listening to Elmo over me repeating the alphabet song to her.

As she talks to the muppet on the screen, there's a string of hard knocks on the front door, so I walk away to answer it.

Swinging the door open, the sunlight strikes my eyes first, making me shield them only to be even more blinded than ever by the piercing sight in front of me.

Hell hath frozen over, loves. It's all down hill from here. The return of the ice queen-

I slam the door shut in her face before she can even get a word out. This only makes her pound on the door more feverishly than before.

"Roger!! Open up!!," She knocks repeatedly.

"Open the door, Rog! This isn't funny!," She yells so loudly it sounds like she's in my house.

"What the fucking hell do you want now, Mary?! I mean- how much more destruction can one ice queen make?!,"

She has the nerve to tisk her tongue and roll her eyes at me as she crosses her arms, pushing her foot against the half open door.

"I wanted to check on Cherie-,"

"You don't get to check on her! What gives you the right to-,"

"Look— Miami put a restraining order on me not to be within whatever distance to the precious Mercury's. I just want to see how she is..and Freddie, too! I did help you find her, if you recall..,"

She grimaces at me and her iceberg blues threaten me with a glance over.

"You did leave me without other important information— if YOU do recall!," I mimic her scratchy voice just to pester her.

"Well, I've lost intel on all of that now. Besides, I think that plans over since he-," She pauses for quick second, I can see the wheels turning in her reflective chameleon eyes.

"You did hear didn't you?," She smirks— an evil, skin crawling smirk. "How Paul died in prison..," She chortles with a sick satisfying demeanor.

"Yeah, we heard. Good on him! Now if you could kindly get the hell away from us then-," I try to close the door, but her foot stops the clasp.

"Hmmmm....," she lures.

"But, did you hear how....,"

Her smile grows wider, revealing the gums of her teeth. With my eyes peering at her through the crack in the doorway, I slowly pull it open to listen...

And so, Eve bit the apple.