The Original Taylor Daughter

Family Time

Just a quick bit of information, Roger's dad, Michael Taylor died in 1986 but I didn't realise until writing this chapter which is why it was never mentioned but it will be touched on in this chapter a little. Perhaps that's a chapter for a future deleted scenes book.

June 1990

Alice was in the middle of a show, photographing Bowie as he performs but she suddenly felt a headache forming and like her lungs are struggling to get the oxygen she needs.

She retreats to Bowie's dressing room to find her oxygen, hooking it up and starting it, she looks at herself in the mirror. Her lips have a blue ting to them and her skin is a little grey.

Letting the oxygen work, she didn't realise how long she'd been sat there till David came into the room, "Are you alright, Ally? One of the crew said you retreated backstage rather rapidly."

"I needed my oxygen but if I'm honest, I think I need to go home. The travelling is getting too much," She doesn't want to go home, this was meant to be her career going forward but she needs to listen to her body this time.

He's noticed it himself, the struggle she's been having, so he doesn't argue, "Then I'll sort your flight home. You call ahead once it's booked make sure someone will be there to pick you up."

She agrees and once she's back at the hotel, she calls her dad telling him what had gone on.

It had been hard for Roger to let Alice go on tour, especially now she's on oxygen. He would never stop her, but he was more than relieved to receive the call that she's coming home.

He picks her up from the airport, "I have an emergency check-up with Doctor Melrose this evening," She informs as she gets in the car.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Roger fears the outcome with every check-up she has and an emergency check-up makes that fear worse, but he doesn't want her receiving bad news on her own.

"I'd actually prefer it if you would take me. I don't want to have another headache and lung episode while driving," It would be irresponsible and she doesn't want to cost someone else their life because of it, "I'm sorry I've been pushing you away lately, I was trying to distance myself so you won't hurt as much when I go but..."

"It would make no difference," He might be Alice's dad, but he's needed her just as much as she's needed him. He doesn't want to waste a second of the time they have left together, "You're my daughter. Losing you is going to be the worst pain I've ever felt but I'll take the pain to have as many memories with you before your gone."

Roger pulls into the car park in front of the hospital later that evening, "Dad, I'm scared," Alice mutters, staring at the hospital building.

He turns the engine off and turns to face her, "I've been so selfish with my own feelings that I haven't stopped to think about how you must be feeling but not anymore. You're the one that's ill, not me. I'm scared too but I will come with you to every appointment from now on, I'm not letting you go through this alone."

August 1990

The emergency check-up revealed that Alice needed to be on an almost constant supply of oxygen, she can get away with not having it on at home but when she's out and about, the nose tube is a constant feature on her face.

So far they've been able to keep the oxygen out of sight from Felix and Rory, they are none the wiser that their big sister is ill or dying. But with the summer holidays starting and them on the way down to Cornwall to see Roger's mum for a couple of weeks, Alice knows they will see the nose tube at some point.