Waking with Daisy felt surreal.
Freddie kept expecting it all to be a dream, but it had been a week since her return and each morning there she was.
Outwardly, Daisy appeared to be coping, but her lack of communication and vagueness was concerning to everyone, particularly to her father James, who was convinced that she was heading for a breakdown.
Wanting to be supportive but not smother her, Freddie tried to get her back into some kind of routine and involve her in the bands upcoming tour which would take place in four months time.
The press had been, surprisingly, supportive of Daisy's return and despite Queen's PR team expecting the media to cash in on photos of Daisy and Freddie, they had been respectful and kept their distance.
Daisy woke each morning with a grateful smile, which grew further each time she saw Freddie.
"Good morning" she greeted as she came out of the bedroom and spotted Freddie in the kitchen attempting to clean a frypan.
"Good morning my love" he put the pan down and opened his arms wide for her.
She settled into his warm chest, as her wrapped himself around her, kissing her head.
There was no better place than Freddie Mercury's arms. He was always the perfect temperature, the perfect firmness, and smelt incredible.
Daisy rubbed his bicep while gently squeezing it "I was thinking" she began "maybe we should...I mean if you want....start wedding planning"
Freddie had been thinking the same since she returned, but worried that he would be rushing her.
"Is that something you're ready for?" He asked as he leaned back to see her face.
"I genuinely can't think of anything I want more Freddie. While I was....away from you, I couldn't think of anything else than wanting to be with you, starting a family....I want to start living Freddie"
********
James carefully looked around before opening the rusty gates of a run down factory in Leeds.
Walking across the yard, he pulled his jacket together as a gust of cold wind blew towards him, along with it the dust which had settled on the old machinery.
"Fucking shit" he cursed to himself as he tried pushing the factory door, before using his body weight to force it open.
Inside it was quiet. Not a sound could be heard. The tin roof squeaked outside, echoing above his head.
A dirty, once white, door ahead of him was locked with a shiny new pad-lock. He inserted and turned the key, popping the it open smoothly. He felt his hand around, as he opened the door for the light switch then headed down a flight of stairs.
The old lights flickered before staying lit continuously. The corridor began to warm up as he headed down further.
"Hello hello" he called out loudly.
"Help meeeeee!" Came a reply.
"Not likely matey" he chuckled to himself.
Removing a gun from the rim of his pants, he reached a metallic door which had been freshly bolted to the doorframe. It smelt like clean iron.
Opening it, he entered a room which barely gave enough space to even be classified liveable.
"How's my favourite prisoner going?" James cheerfully greeted.
Mikhael sat confined to a wooden chair, his arms bound behind him tightly "let me out you fucker! I'll kill you when I get out of here"
James gave a hearty laugh "buddy, there's no chance of that happening, but it's nice to have goals, gives the mind something to look forward too"
Sitting down infront of him on the ground, James crossed his legs and began to look over Mikhael who wriggled against his constraints "don't waste your energy son, you won't be getting out"
"Then kill me already and get it over with!" Mikhael spat.
"Oh don't you worry, you will be dying, but not today, maybe not even tomorrow or in 10 years. One day when you least expect it, someone, could be me, Daisy, Freddie, anyone really, will come in and bang!" He pointed him index finger and thumb at Mikhaels head.
Horror washed over Mikhaels face as the idea of being locked away for years hit him "you can't do that! You can't leave me here like an animal!"
"Pretty sure I can" James rose to his feet slowly "it's a small price to pay mate"
"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!"
James took a deep breath, trying desperately to repress the rage he felt growing inside him "you helped my daughter get kidnapped and raped. She trusted you, in my eyes that's as bad as doing it all yourself"
"It wasn't my idea! I had no say in it"
James nodded slowly " you could have come forward, but you didn't" he gave a smile "by the way, Victor found your hidden accounts, we drained all the money, thanks for that. Might buy myself a boat, get myself a missus, sail around the world"
"You'll never get away with this" Mikhael hissed, throwing James out of his day dream.
"I already did. And now you will rot here until I decide you're not worth my time to come feed you"
James turned on his heel and left the room. As he locked the door "by the way, a friend of mine will be coming by to feed you, FYI he's a raging homesexual and loves skinny Russian ass" he began to walk off while hearing Mikhael screaming behind him.
He wondered if simply shooting him would be a more humane way in dealing with his prisoner, before Daisy's face appeared in his minds eye. His own daughter was a prisoner, and would have been forever, if not by the chance that she was rescued.
His face turned cold and hate filled, no one would ever get away with hurting his child, and now, the only living connection to Daisy's ordeal would pay.
**********
Four days later
"Are you sure you're ready darling, you don't need to do this" Freddie took Daisy's shoulders.
Daisy nodded "its only time before the questions begin, I want it over and done with so I can move on. I need this to be over"
Freddie's concern was written across his face, but he would be sitting beside her, as the interview with Jane Francis, a well respected British journalist, would be conducted.
The interview would be broadcasted live, with the fee being paid to Another Life a charity dealing with PTSD.
Walking into the room, the bright lights were blinding, as the shone down on two armchairs where both Freddie and Daisy would sit.
"Daisy" Jane warmly extended her hand "thank you for doing this, I know how difficult it must be to share something so traumatic openly"
"I'll be ok" Daisy's gentle smile was hiding a myriad of emotions, namely fear.
"Let's start then" Jane sat down opposite the couple and waited for the camera signal.
"5-4-3-2-1"
"Good evening, I'm Jane Francis. And tonight we speak to not only a man who's name and voice are recognised across the globe, Freddie Mercury, but his fiancé Daisy Robinson, who's kidnapping and faked death, had the world mourning her.
Freddie and Daisy, thank you both for being here, I know that this must be incredibly hard for you, and I appreciate your willingness to share your experience and gain some closure"
"Thank you Jane" Daisy replied. She looked to Freddie who winked at her while rubbing the back of her knuckles with his thumb soothingly.
"So Daisy. What happened to you....."
**********
Daisy let out a loud breath as she sat into the car, and turned to Freddie, who was staring at her.
"What?"
He continued to stare, his face unreadable.
"Freddie! WHAT?!" Daisy asked again this time annoyed.
"You didn't..." he looked down and paused his breath.
"I didn't what?"
"You didn't tell me any of that. I mean...you went through all of that and kept it in, and hearing it for the first time I just don't know how you were able to survive that" turning his head, Freddie tried to hide his tears. Daisy's raw account of her ordeal was worse than he had imagined, and hurt him at a level he didn't think existed.
Taking his hand, Daisy gently squeezed it "I didn't want to upset you. Once I started talking I just felt that I needed to continue"
Freddie turned back to her, his eyes red as more tears flowed down his cheeks "I failed you. I didn't protect you"
Daisy felt as though her heart was breaking. How could he believe that any of this was his fault?
She quickly pulled him towards her and held into him tightly "you saved me, you kept me going, none of this was your fault baby"
"Let's get away from here. Let's go to Spain or...Malta....let's make a baby!" Freddie's sudden turn had Daisy blink in confusion.
"Uh, I mean yeah we could but....I mean when? You have the shows in a few months and isn't Deaky getting married soon?"
Freddie was completely overtaken by excitement now "Let's go for two weeks! Now Daisy, I want to go now! We'll go to the airport, I'll organise a jet, we'll buy clothes when we get there. Daisy! I want this with you, I need this. I want to have a baby"
"Freddie this is all so sudden"
"Daisy! We need this more than ever! Let's do it! Let's just run away, and fuck on a beach like animals!"
Daisy couldn't help but smile at the visual of his words "ok. Let's go find a beach to fuck on"