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The children huddle together in the backseat of the car. This isn't the planned point of operation, but right now Jim couldn't give less of a shit.

"What do you mean he killed her?! Right in front of them-,"

"Shhh!," Jim harshly shushes her. Her eyes blankly stare back with a thin hard crease between her brows, not particularly fond of his commanding gesture. "They didn't see," he whispers above the children's whimpering cries.

Peering into the back seat, Jims heart aches to see miniature replicas of the love of his life in such a disheveled state. The three children hug one another, each trying to comfort the other though they all can hardly control their hiccuping whines.

"I've to go back there now, so the three of you stay put-,"

"Nooo! No, Jimmy please don't leave us alone!," Richie's little tough guy streak seems to have broken under the pressure. He sniffles his nose and uses those beautiful, glistening brown eyes for his best attempt at a pleading face.

"I'll be back, I swear it. I'll bring Papi here for you-"

"No you won't!," Charlie angrily hollers. "You're not gonna coming back! You... gonna leave us here ...with her! You're a bad guy- you're all the bad guys!,"

Barely able to complete her sentences with the heaving breaths Charlie tries to suck into her lungs. She's not confused by her emotions, too young to understand all that she's witnessed so far, but wise enough to know safety won't come until she's reunited with her family.

"Listen, you're safe here..okay?...I swear you're going to be safe now no matter what. Alright?," Jim looks between the three of them. He's unsure what the outcome will be at this point.

Will the children be orphans after tonight? Who's to say. Jimmy was a loose cannon. There's no telling what more he has in store. All Jim knows is that he must try his damnedest to help Freddie. Because at this point in time, staring into the unconvinced eyes of the Mercury children, Jims decided to put his own tears on ice to fight for their protection.

Nodding his head he turns forward in his seat again, grunting a goodbye to the driver, he pops open the car door to leave.

"I'll be back soon. Don't worry, my darlings- OOF!,"

His goodbye is left a choke in his throat as a pair of tiny arms wrap tightly around his neck from behind. He doesn't even get the chance to turn to speak before he hears, "Be careful, Jimmy. Thanks for saving us..," One single, quick peck of a kiss is placed on his cheek before the little hands unravel and Charlie sits back in her seat with her siblings. All of who seem to have calmed down now.

The act may seem simple to onlookers, but to Jim it was a breakthrough. He'd finally gained Charlie's acceptance, a small feat in the face of tonight's other dangers, but to him it meant the world.

Having the heart of the moment, Jim reaches for the amulet around his neck. One quick tug and the chain breaks as he slides it off. "Take this. It's a good luck charm. I don't need it anymore, but it will keep you three safe," In his outstretched hand is a delicate, square glass pressing of four leaf clover. It wasn't much, he knew that, but it did make little Richie smile as he plucked it from Jims fingers.

"See you in a bit," He gives a weak smile, blinking his eyes to mentally photograph what he considered one of his life's most precious moments.

As he walks away from the car, he looks over his shoulder to see Charlie's shadowy figure staring back at him from behind the closed window. He winks at her with a quick wave and treks on to complete what he's set out to do.

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As we enter the hotel suite, everyone has sleep in their eyes while mumbling their goodnights. It doesn't take long for the slight chill in the air to become bone-deep.

"I guess I should have been more specific," Freddie chuckles lightly as we go up the few steps that lead to our room. "I bet Ceci and the children enjoyed the sweets and decor of our honeymoon suite"

"Oh, my god!" Cherie giggles into her hand. "I think Ceci would know not to stay in there if you set it up to look like a lover's dungeon"

Slightly laughing at the awkward possibilities they might see upon opening the door, all of that is left in the dust when Freddie reveals the destruction of their room with one slide of the door. They stand in disbelief, neither one of them making a move to enter the room for a moment as they take in the blood-stained walls and drapery. The whole room looks to be turned upside down. A flash of memory streams through both of their minds, like they e been here before. A fierce swoosh of dejavu, they both knew better than to question the culprit that comes to mind.

Cherie's screaming without even realizing it. She stands shaking in the doorway as Freddie scans the room quickly, he starts to rummage around, examining the mess. He doesn't have the brainpower to comprehend what this means and comfort his hysterical wife at the same time. At least not right now. Not when the thoughts of his children's lives are flashing before his eyes.

Every first step. Their little twinkling bouts of laughter. The way they call for him. Each goodnight kiss. Did he kiss his children goodnight before they went to bed? Did they scream for him to help them when he was too busy and far away to hear their cries? Did he even say-

"WHERE ARE THEY!!?" Finally snapping back to reality, Cherie starts thrashing everything in sight. Physically expressing her distraught, the searing burn that sizzles her heartstrings begins to char at the thought of losing her babies.

"T-this. It...it's him! It's him, isn't it!? I knew it. I-tHIS IS ALL MY FAULT!!"

Her head shakes so viciously from side to side, trying desperately to erase herself from existence. She can't take the guilt that is suffocating her. This is all her fault. There's no one else to blame. He said he'd come for them. He warned her! She should have listened!

"Cut it out! Stop yelling- I can't fucking think straight when you're yelling like that!!"

Freddie grabs her roughly by her shoulders, not meaning to cause her any more pain by the strength he unknowingly grips her with. The shaking of his hands loosens the hold, the quivering of his own voice swarms with threats of breaking, too.

When he moves away, Cherie slivers to the floor, crying at his feet. Her hands grapple at his ankles as he back away from her, "Don't leave me! I'm sorry!"

He shakes his leg free and she seems to bend into herself, like a pretzel form her hands wrap around her legs, her knees tucked into her chest as she tries to clear her head. But the visions that haunt her mind won't allow her to blink. Every time she does, she's greeted with all the gruesome promises Jimmy warned would happen...

Trying to keep himself together to call the authorities, Freddie's chest feels like it's caving in, his lungs don't allow for much breathing room either, there may as well be an anvil weighted on them.

"They c-can't have got... they can't have gotten far," He pauses before bending down to lift Cherie in his arms. She takes his embrace in an instant, clinging onto his chest as he lifts the phone to dial police.

Cherie's eyes lock on his phone screen on one single text message. The wheels of her insecurity begin to spin like mad. Is this not her fault?

He took them once before, maybe she made him angry earlier by hanging up on him and interfering between the rekindling of his fling with Freddie.

"W-what? What does it s-say," Cherie stammers, full of mixed emotions of heavy guilt, mistrust, nerves and rage. Freddie slowly exhales, a quick smoothed look of relief tracing his features as Cherie ponders what the hell could make him so relaxed in this moment.

He turns the phone to her for her to read it herself. She's confused on how to take this. How does this explain the room. How does this explain the blood?

"Do as he says?!," Cherie's laugh is nothing short of menacing as her face twists into a dark glare. "Oh yes! Ha ha! The bastard!!"

"I don't understand- how does...how do they know each other...." Freddie's mind whirls back to the memories of his fleeting romance with Jim. Was it all a lie? No. No, it couldn't be. That doesn't make any sense!

"I knew it! I knew that guy was a fucking slime ball! My gut told me, but did I listen? Noooo- of course not! And now look! Look! He's kidnapped our children,"

With her anger bubbling over, her voice deepens to a lower register, an animalistic growl curls out of her throat as the tables turn and she points a finger in Freddie's puzzled face.

"You must have been talking with him still! Nows not the time to keep up this lie!"

"Maybe he helped them! For crying out loud there's blood everywhere! For all we know he got into a tiff with Jimmy and-,"

"For FUCK SAKE! Your too busy defending your fucking loverboy- what about our children! What about him following us here!"

She gives a huge kick to the suitcase on the floor before lifting it and launching it to the mirror directly behind where Freddie is standing.

"Your lover! You! Yours! If you still hadn't kept leading him on with contact! If you had just told him to rightfully fuck off!,"

She didn't mean a word she was spewing, but that didn't stop her tongue from running free.

"Me?!," Freddie retorts just as sinisterly, he's been bound to crack, his own delirium toppling over the edge having to deal with Cherie's nonsense.

"Your fucking lover is the entire reason we're ever in a mess to begin with! But you already know that, don't you!? Don't push this shit on me alone!"

They both knew a fight would get them nowhere. It's not helping at all, only destroying whatever decency that's left of them.

"Oh, so now the truth comes out! Now you want to tear into me for Jimmys bullshit like I wanted any of this!"

"Guys? What's going on-," Rose enters the room, her foot immediately scraped by shards of glass that line the walkway near the door. She stands watching Freddie and Cherie bickering at each other back and forth until the escalating commotion beckons the others to pluck their own curiosity.

"What's going on? Where are the twins and Lily?," Roger steps into the room first, as everyone else gathers in the doorway.

"Haven't you heard?! Jim took them!," Cherie storms away from Freddie who's hands ring through his hair in frustration, pulling at the ends as his tears finally emerge, spilling down his face.

"Where are you going?," Rose follows Cherie our into the sitting area.

"He said to go to the tour bus- he, well, he didn't say who, but I know it's Jimmy waiting there. The two of them working together! I should have known,"

Like a clicking chicken, Cherie keeps mumbling her angry rant under her breath, pushing against anyone in her way as she goes back into the room, strips out of her dress in front of everyone, not giving a single damn about it to change into street clothes.

"Well the two of you aren't going alone- we're coming with!," Deacy pipes, though his voice is a nervous jumble.

"No, Deaks, I can't let you do that. This is our battle-,"

"Like hell it is! We're in this together. Your children are our children, too. We're not gonna sit idly by!," Roger stands upright, fully prepared to continue his reasoning, but there isn't much time and clearly no further need.

"Fine.," Freddie's quick retort makes Ronnie jump back in surprise as he strides out of the room with Cherie on his heels.

"You all come with us, but your wives and children need to go downstairs to my parents and Kash's rooms," Freddie's voice is of stern instruction, with his finger in the air daring anyone to contradict his orders.

Anita, Ronnie and Rose nod in agreement. Roses eyes lock on Cherie's. She notices that Cherie can't seem to sit still, she's a wiggling mess and her eyes roam around her surroundings as if she's waiting for something to spring out and bite her.

"I'll call the cops! You all go on and please be careful," Anita quickly says before they all turn to leave. She pulls Brian back by his hand, his sorrowful face is full of fear, she can trace it up to his eyes. She smooths his wet curls back from his cheek and kisses him sweetly.

"You all better come back to us safely, you hear!," Rose calls out to them before the door slams shut.

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"How should I know? Check if it's locked," Brian says, tugging his coat more securely around himself as if the fabric could act as a shield against whatever is behind the closed tour bus door.

Cherie's hands squeeze around Freddie's forearm as he uses his other hand to open the door. As the five of the clamber you're the steps, they're immediately greeted by the hideous cackling of the armed man at the front end of the bus.

With his gun to the bus drivers head, he motions for the group to take a seat. "Well, would you look at that. If I will it, they will come.," he chuckles.

"Just the two people I wanted to see. And look you brought friends! Such a treat!"

Freddie's nostrils flare as his hands ball into fists at his side. He takes a step forward, ready to lunge at Jimmy, not caring a thing about the gun in his hand.

"Ah, Ah, ah. Not so fast!," Jimmy snickers, clearly enjoying the fact that he's got the lot of them flustered and helpless.

"One wrong move and you can kiss your children goodbye!"

"YOU SONOVABITCH!!!," Without thinking of consequence, Freddie almost runs up to Jimmy, but not before his mates hold him back.

"Think of the children, Fred-,"

"Oh, that's right. You won't be able to kiss them goodbye either way! Oh welll! Such a shame!," The barrel of his gun connects with the side of the bus drivers head, who has been viciously spitting prayers beneath his breath. The man groans in pain, his hands flying up to the freshly dripping wound.

"Drive, fatass! Now!," The driver, thankful to be released from the headshot position of the gun, starts the engine and begins to take off.

Never taking their eyes off of the gun, Cherie, Brian, Roger, John and Freddie all sit on the lounge sofa riveting in boiling rage. None of them dare to move as Jimmy carelessly waves his gun around, walking a tight line before them, laying out his rules and demands.

"We don't just have that type of money lying around!," Roger says through gritted teeth.

The bonds around his wrists and ankles itching and burning as he tries to twist into a comfortable position. With John constrained against Rogers back, there's not much room for movement.

"Like hell you don't! Look at this place, you all have your high-tech this and that equipment and luxury tour bus- and of course you have the money racking up from every concert!," Jimmy serves a fast kick to Rogers stomach, a punishment for lying.

"How much? How much do you want?! I'll write you the damned check right now!," Freddie's throat feels on fire from the words he's forcing hisself to swallow. The veins on his neck and forehead bulge and bounce with every roar.

"I don't want a check! For what?! So you can pull some slick shit- no! I need it in cash— the moneyyy," he bends to Freddie's level on the floor of the tour bus where he and Brian are back to back, tied against each other. He points the tip of his gun to the tip of Freddie's nose before slapping Freddie with the cold metal.

"If u want both of your children back in one piece, I need it all and I need it now. Now excuse me while I fuck your wife loud enough for you to hear!,"

As Freddie is tilted over in immense pain, his nose leaking streams of blood from the hit he tries to protest as Cherie's screams fill the silence.

"NO!"

"Get off of me! Get away! You fucking coward! G-,"

"LET HER GO!"

One forceful punch to Cherie's tear stained cheek shuts her up as she bends forward into Jimmy arms. He digs his fingers into her hair, dragging her to the back bedroom with him as she kicks and cries and screams, the others helpless to their restraints, only threatening with words before the door shuts.