this isn't the last chapter! the next one will be. i decided to split it up into two :)
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The run-up to Live Aid, which was well on track to being one of the biggest concerts there will ever be, was filled with rehearsals and meetings with the organisers Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to find out their time slot and decide what songs they were going to do.
Thankfully, Morag had agreed to come and look after the twins so Rebecca could go without having to worry too much. Ellie and Heather would both be coming to watch. It was their first proper gig and what better place to start than with their father's band.
And knowing his daughters as well as he did, Roger knew that they'd be stood at the side of the stage with Rebecca and the others where they could see him.
The night before the 13th, Roger barely slept. He's never felt nervous before but then again, they've never played anything on this sort of scale before.
The gig kicked off at 12 noon in London, 7am in Philadelphia and that morning, the Taylor house was a flurry of activity; Roger was trying to find his drumsticks before the car arrived and Rebecca was trying to juggle making breakfast, getting Ellie to put her shoes on and trying to tell Heather that no, Pippi couldn't come with them.
Finally, Morag stepped in and took both little girls upstairs so Ellie could find her shoes and Heather could actually get dressed which allowed Rebecca to finally start plating up the food but before she can, Roger interrupts.
"I'll take over," Roger mumbles, placing a hand on her hip as he stands behind her, "We've only got twenty minutes and you're still in your dressing gown, love."
His wife nods, kissing his cheek lightly in thanks as she darts out of the room and Roger looks down at the food. If they run out of time, they'll just have to take the food with them in the car.
"Daddy," both girls call as they come thundering down the stairs, ignoring both their mother and grandmother when they yell for them not to run down them, "Daddy, we're ready!"
He turns off the hob and turns in time for them to crash into the kitchen, the two of them dressed in matching Live Aid t-shirts that he had gotten them.
"My girls," he grins, kneeling down so they can wrap their arms around him and Heather climbs onto his back just as Rebecca follows them, also wearing the Live Aid shirt that was supposed to be his.
"Are you sure you don't want to wear this?" she asks as Ellie darts by her, yelling something about saying goodbye to Seth and Norah.
"No," he mumbles, groaning when the buzzer for their gate goes off, signalling the arrival of the car and Heather slides down off of his back, "Go get your sister for me, Poppet."
She does as asked, blonde curls bouncing as she runs out of the room and Rebecca steps forward and wraps her arms around his torso.
"What's this for?" Roger asks though he doesn't push her away. Of course he doesn't.
"You're nervous." she says simply, "'m just wanting you to try and relax."
Smiling, he wraps his arms around her shoulders and presses his lips against her forehead, allowing the smell of her sweet perfume and the feeling of her hand running up and down his back do just that, relax him.
When she feels that he has calmed down, she pulls back just ever so slightly and gives him his favourite smile, "Let's go watch you rock that stadium, Rog."
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When they arrive at Wembley, so they don't lose Heather in the crowds that are backstage, Roger is quick to lift her up onto his shoulders, making sure that he's got a safe grip on her ankles.
Ellie holds her mother's hand tightly, much more put off by all these people than her little sister but when they reach the backstage area where the acts are all gathered and she sees Brian, she leaves Rebecca's side to go sit with him and Halley.
Rebecca was in awe at just how many faces there were there; Bob Geldof and Adam Ant were talking quietly on one side of the room, Nik Kershaw was talking with Tony Hadley of Spandau Ballet and of course, there was Queen, all greeting each other as if they hadn't seen each other in forever when in reality, they'd all stayed at Freddie's the other night after their final rehearsal.
"Rebecca!"
She spun around at the sound of her name, eyes lighting up when she saw Alice waving her over to where she was sat with Hannah, Jim and...
"Mary!" Rebecca shrieked, rushing over to them where she threw her arms around her friend who she hadn't seen in too fucking long.
It's not as if they hadn't tried to meet up or go visit one another, it was just finding the time. Mary had her own life now and with Rebecca completely swamped with her family, it was just hard to find time.
"I've missed you!" Mary gushed, hands on Rebecca's shoulders as she stepped back, "Look at you!"
"Look at you!" Rebecca cried, "You look amazing!"
Where they were, there was a couple of speakers and screens dotted around so if they wanted to, they could watch the gig when it started, which it did with Status Quo.
Queen weren't on until later on that night, 6:45 if Rebecca remembered correctly and so there was a lot of waiting around but it wasn't hard to find things to do to pass that time.
There was a lot of catching up to do.
On the screens, she, along with the others watched Ultravox (she loved their song Vienna), Phil Collins (who had joined Sting on stage before rushing off to the airport so he could get the Concorde to America).
At six, when the Dire Straits were on, one of the stage hands came to fetch the band to take them to another area since they were next on.
Roger appeared beside the ladies with Ellie and Heather holding his hands and Rebecca stood up.
"They say you lot can move to the side of the stage when we're on," he informs them, "If you'd like of course."
Their two daughters start jumping up and down in excitement, yelling over each other as they try to get Roger's attention.
"Alright, alright," Rebecca laughs as David fricking Bowie looks their way, "Daddy's gotta go get ready now. Say good luck."
Ellie throws her arms around Roger's waist while Heather hugs his leg.
"Good luck!"
"Ellie!" Charlotte yells, "Come see this!"
Their oldest runs off with Heather in tow, their father's imminent performance forgotten and Roger shakes his head.
"I don't know if I'll see you before we got on," he says quietly as they watch them with smiles on their faces.
"I'd best give you your good luck kiss now then," she grins and he smirks.
"I think you'd better."
He pulls her in and presses his lips to hers, feeling her smile when they hear the girls' cries of disgust.
"If I don't see you," Rebecca whispers, "Good luck. You guys are going to smash it."
"Punch a hole in the sky," Freddie grins, patting her husband on the back, "Right, Rog?"
He nods, letting out a quiet laugh, "Right."
One by one, she goes around the band, wishing them luck before they're being led out of the area to go wait somewhere else.
"Rebecca," Alice says as she rejoins them, "Jim here has just told us that he's never been to a rock concert before."
She raises an eyebrow, "Seriously?"
He nods, "Never. Do you know what songs they're doing?"
Rebecca shakes her head, "No. Roger wouldn't tell me."
"Same with Brian," Alice frowns.
"And John."
Mary welcomes Ellie onto her lap, her hands braiding her hair gently, "Freddie mentioned Bohemian Rhapsody but he never said if it was going to be the full song."
"Surely not," Hannah shakes her head, "That would be half of their time gone."
"Will Uncle Freddie sing my song?" Ellie asks, looking at her mum instead of Mary's engagement and wedding ring.
Rebecca smiles. Her song was what she called Radio Ga Ga. It was no secret that Ellie was the inspiration when he had written it.
"Mummy?"
She snaps out of her thoughts, giving her daughter another warm smile, "We'll just have to wait and see, won't we?"
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At 6:35, Rebecca and the girls, along with the other wives and kids, Mary, David and Jim all make their way to the side of the stage where, in just five minutes, Queen would be taking to the stage (their slot began at 6:40, not 6:45 like she had first thought.)
She could feel her excitement building with every growing minute and when the techs and stagehands weren't looking, she and Hannah took a peek out at the crowd.
She doesn't think she's ever seen that many people before.
Now she gets why Roger was nervous.
To protect their ears, the kids all have large earphones over their heads and while Ellie and Charlotte push their way through the grown-ups to get to the front, Jim wasted no time in lifting Heather onto his shoulders so she could see the stage too.
At exactly 6:41pm, the curtain mere feet from them all was pulled back and Queen stepped out into the stage to deafening cheers.
Rebecca could tell that all of them were nervous; looking at Roger as he settled behind his drums to see him letting out a deep breath and though he looked their way, she wasn't quite sure if he could see them.
With bated breath, everyone watched as Freddie sat down in front of the piano; fiddling with a couple of the dials, testing the keys before inhaling deeply.
This was it.