The Original Taylor Daughter

Tour Curse

Queen are currently in New York, they've just done six shows and their flight to Boston leaves later this afternoon but the band have some free time until then.

Roger and John are taking Alice to the kids play park in Central Park, Alice has been getting bored during soundchecks and gigs but she never complains so this is her reward for being good.

So no one notices them, the drummer and bassist stay back under a tree while Alice runs about playing, "It's good to see her be a kid."

"What do you mean?" Roger frowns at his bandmate taking his words to heart, "You saying I'm a bad dad and I'm not giving her the chance to be a kid?"

John hadn't meant to voice that aloud but he can't take it back now, "I never said you were a bad dad, you are a good dad to her but you can't tell me you haven't noticed she has no friends at home?"

Roger doesn't like his conscious concerns said out loud but his friend is right, "I know but what am I to do? I can't leave her at home alone and I'd feel bad leaving her with Mary or Veronica but that's my only option as of September, I don't want you missing school. She's already missed reception but it's not mandatory, I do want her to make friends though."

"Hey!" They look towards the shout, seeing a boy trying to push Alice off the swing to get on himself, "Stop it, I was here first," She pushes his hand away.

The park is quiet but busy enough that both swings are in use, the boy doesn't give up, "Well you're a stinky girl now get off," He really shoves her this time a she falls off hitting her face on the ground.

Angry, Roger storms over to his crying daughter, "How dare you push my daughter," He kneels beside her looking her face over, bloody scrapes on her nose and palms of her hands, "Where your parents? You don't push someone."

The little boy's mother came over looking very unhappy, "How dare you speak to my son like that."

"Me? Your son pushed my daughter off the swing and now she has scrapes on her nose and hands," It took everything he has not to push the little boy back and see how he likes it.

The woman eyes Alice looking a little worried she's going to lose this battle and gets even more defensive, "Well your daughter was hogging the swing."

"But she was there first," John butts in trying to be the calm voice of reason, "And that's still no reason for him to push her off."

She tries to turn the tide on them, "Oh I see, you puffs are always over sensitive."

"Excuse me?" John shudders at the implication that he and Roger are a couple but it's her choice of words that annoy him.

"You two, you're a couple. You queers bringing a child into the mix too, it's disgusting and unnatural."

Roger is fuming at this point, "Firstly, we are not a couple or gay, I'm her dad and he is her uncle but even if we were it's not causing you any harm and I'm doing a better job at raising my daughter than you your son. Second, you know nothing about us and this has nothing to do with sexuality, this is to do with your son pushing my daughter off the swing but were obviously not getting an apology." He picks Alice up, her cries have stopped but she's still got tears on her face.

"I feel for your son and the rest of New York if he's being raised by you," He walks away muttering to himself, "Stupid bloody woman. How dare he hurt my daughter, you alright Ally?" His tone becomes soft wiping her teary face.

She nods showing him her bleeding hands, "We'll clean it back at the hotel."

Walking behind John chuckles to himself shaking his head, never would he have imagined the drummer being so soft for his daughter.

------

Everyone is ready to go waiting in the reception, everyone but Brian, "Should I go find him?" Alice tugs at her dad's shirt worried for the guitarist.

"You know where you're going?" Roger takes the spare key from Paul giving it to the girl when she nods, "Be careful and tell him to hurry up or we'll go without him."

She runs down the hall to the lift, stepping inside she reaches up on her tiptoes to press the right button. Waiting until she reaches the floor, she runs down the hall past her room to the next door. She knocks waiting to see if he answers and when he doesn't she puts the key in pushing the door open.

"Uncle Brian?" She calls out letting the door shut behind her.

A groan comes from the bed and Alice goes over to see Brian under the covers, she immediately notes a yellow colour to his skin, "Uncle Brian? What's wrong?"

The guitarist could barely open his eyes, she touches his forehead with the back of her hand, "I think your poorly uncle Brian."

He leans into her cool touch but tries to protest, "I'm fine Ally, just give me a hand up."

Not knowing what else to do, she helps him sit up but his vision spins and he falls forward on top of her, "Uncle Brian!" Alice cries catching him.

"Sorry," He mutters he can feel her small heart thumping in her chest. Of all the people to come and find him, he wished it wasn't Alice, he doesn't want to frighten her.

"Um..." She looks around needing help, she lies him back on the bed, "I'm going to get daddy." She runs away then comes back seconds later putting a cold damp cloth on his forehead, "Don't move."

"Daddy!" She runs back down to the reception.

"Where is he then?" Freddie turns to the girl, worry evident in her eyes.

"Poorly, Brian is poorly. Yellow skin, burning up and he collapsed on me. I left him on the bed with a damp cloth on his forehead." Roger and Paul brush past her to go and see for themselves.

"Are we ever going to have a tour where some doesn't end up in the hospital?" John mumbles.

Freddie nods thinking the same thing, "Let's hope we're not cursed."

------

How they got Brian through the airport is a mystery, a doctor had been out to see him at the hotel in New York and said he has hepatitis. The doctor rang ahead to tell the London hospital to expect him.

Roger and Paul had to hold him up walking him through the airport to the taxi, Freddie and Paul stay with Brian at the hospital promising to keep them updated while the others go home.

Climbing up the stairs to their apartment, Alice trails behind her dad, the offer they put on the house has been accepted and now they're back from tour, Roger can sort the last of the paperwork.

"Will uncle Brian be okay, daddy?" Alice mutters as Roger holds the door open for her.

"Of course he will, this is Brian we're on about he doesn't give up easily. He'll be in hospital for a few days and then he'll come back here where you, me and Chrissie will look after him, help him get better," He won't lie he's worried about his friend too but Alice doesn't need to know that.

"I'll look after him," She yawns, carrying her bag to her room.

"I'm sure you will. Now let's go to bed, we've had a long day," He tucks her stepping out onto the fire escape for a cig before bed.