She checks every room until she hears a noise coming from the same room Freddie had been in earlier that day. She peeks round the door but it's empty, "Uncle Rog?"
"What?" A muffled sound comes from in the room.
That draws her into the room, "Where are you?"
"I'm... in the cupboard."
She stops in front of a big wooden cupboard where the spare music tapes are kept, she kicks the cupboard door.
"Ow!"
"Why are you in a cupboard? Are you stuck? Daddy says they need you in the studio."
"No, I'm not stuck," He sighs, "Tell you dad and the others I'm not coming out of here until they agree to put my song on the album."
"Okay..." She frowns, "I'll go tell them."
She comes back moments later with Brian and John in tow, "He's in there," She points to the cupboard.
Huffing Brian storms over the to cupboard and pounds on the door, "Roger, get out."
"Will you put my sound on the album?"
"Absolutely not."
"Then no can do, I will stay here until you change your mind. And don't worry," He rustles a bag, "I have plenty of food and water to keep me going."
"Stop being a child and get out you little shit."
"Language Brian, please. There is another child in the room," Freddie reprimands him but walks up to the cupboard, "Roger, get out."
"Not until my song is on the album."
"Fine."
"What!" Brian looks at the singer like he's crazy.
"Really," Roger opens the door a little.
"Brian, you've got your song, John has his and I'll be dragging you into work on my new masterpiece in due course. Roger, your song is in but I'm not singing it."
The blonde rolls out of the cupboard and stands wiping his trousers off, "I'll sing it then."
"Just get in the studio, or I'll trash your drum kit," Freddie leaves the room, followed by John, not entirely happy with it but what else can they do, no drummer means no album and Freddie is right it's only fair that Roger has a song on the album too.
"You heard the man, Brian," Roger smirks walking past Brian, "Come on, studio."
Brian follows but glares at the drummer's head the entire time as if trying to burn holes in his skill.
------
***
John looks up at the time after finishing a round of pool, "Right Lily, it's bedtime."
Yawning, she gives Brian and Roger a hug as always, "Oh, can I go say night to uncle Freddie?"
"Yeah go on, be quick," He nudges her to the door.
She runs out of the house and over to the barn, rounding the door she stops seeing Paul kissing Freddie, and she hides in the shadow.
The singer pulls away laughing a little in shock, "Don't miss understand Paul. Mary knows me in a way no one else ever will."
"I know you, Freddie Mercury," Paul insists tilting his chin up.
"Is that what you think?" Freddie scoffs, "Oh no, you don't know me," And pushes his hand away, "You just see what you want to see. We work together, that's all."
Face sours Paul huffs looking away from the singer and sees Lilliana at the door. She runs back to the house and up the stairs to the bathroom to brush her teeth.
While she is brushing her teeth the bathroom door opens, she looks in the mirror to see Paul coming in and closing the door.
Her heart races as he gets closer to her, "Lily, dear, what did you see back there?"
"Um..." She gulps, "You kissed Uncle Freddie."
He grabs her shoulders and turns her around with force, "No, no," He holds her chin tightly between his forefinger and thumb, keeping her from looking away, "Come on now, you're a clever girl and I know you know the right answer so I'll ask again. What did you see in the barn?"
"Nothing," She whispers.
"Right answer," He smiles loosening his grip, "We wouldn't want Freddie to feel embarrassed, would we?"
Lilliana shakes her head and he caresses her cheek with his thumb, "Good. Now off to bed and not a word about this either, you wouldn't want anything to happen to Tiger."
Gasping, she presses her lips tight together and runs from the bathroom. She jumps into bed and wraps her arms around Tiger, "You alright Lil?" John comes up to tuck her in after a moment but gets no answer, he doesn't push her and leaves her to sleep.
------
Like most of her free time, Lilliana is busy drawing, this time she is out in the stables drawing one of the horses. She's the only one out there, it's nice and peaceful or it was.
"That's very good you know," The Irish accent makes her quiver. She looks behind her and Paul is standing there towering over her.
"Thanks," She mutters, hoping he'll go away.
He doesn't, he crouches next to her, "I could help you get your work noticed, I'd need something in return of course," He puts his hand on her arm, "but I could make you feel special."
Standing she grabs her things, "No thank you," She tries to hurry away from him.
"Hey!" He grabs her and pushes her against the door of one of the stable pens, "Don't be so rude. You're a pretty girl and it's normal for men to look, now you remember my offer and when you change your mind come find me and I'll help. Run along now," He lets go and she runs to the studio.
Slipping in through the partly open doors, she leaves her stuff on the table and sits on the sofa by Brian, her heart racing. She struggles to zone into reality around her, and the guitarist notices her haze but stays silent.
"How was that?" She zones in hearing Roger's question.
"Higher," Freddie commands. They continue overdubbing it, again and again, getting higher each time till the singer deems it perfect then it's Brian's turn in the booth.
Roger sits beside Lilliana and it makes her jump since she zoned out again, "Sorry Lil," He smiles, he didn't expect her to drop her head on his shoulder. He wonders if she's having a seizure as she continues to lean against him zoning in and out, he silently times them.
His concern comes when she doesn't move until they've finished recording for the day over an hour later. John picks up on her strange behaviour and kneels in front of her, "Lily, can you hear me?" He shakes her shoulder gently but gets no response from her.
Assuming it's just a bad absence episode, John picks her up and carries her to her room, hoping that some sleep might help her, Tiger lays beside her concerned too.
He was downstairs for less than an hour when he hears her, crying for him. He races upstairs with the others behind, he finds her tossing and turning. Shaking her awake she sits up with a shout, "It's okay, Lil," John pulls her close, "It was just a nightmare.
Rocking her gently the boys leaves the father-daughter duo alone, "You want to talk about it?" He asks her once she's calmed down.
"There was a bad man, he hurt me and Tiger," She sobs into his chest.
"No one will ever hurt you, Lil, or Tiger, your safe," A thought pops into his brain, "Do you think maybe it's time to go home?" Perhaps she needs some normality again. He's heard of children becoming unsettled if they're away from home for too long.
She nods against him and the following morning, a car arrives to take her and Tiger home.