What Is Life? - A George Harrison FanFic

Chapter 5

I had no idea what happened in the next few hours. All I knew was that I felt completely numb. However, there were many figures standing around me in my hotel room.

Why were they there? I grew slightly angry. I just wanted to be alone. I was completely and utterly devastated by the news of Darry's death and couldn't get the image out of my head. I felt sick to my stomach.

I batted my eye lashes and looked up at the ceiling and then my vision became more clear. Of course they were here. They were all here, even their manager Brian. I also saw a woman with blonde hair looking up at John.

Then a hand was suddenly in mine and spoke softly.

"Lauren," George spoke, "I'm here. We are here."

"I can't move," I began to cry once more.

"I know, don't move," he stopped me from trying, "it's okay."

I looked at others in the huge room staring at me in silence and I was slightly uncomfortable, but I didn't want George to leave my side.

He must have been worried when I didn't return to be picked up in his car for the drive to John's house. Yet here they all now stood, they must have all gotten down here because they heard the news. My news. If they hadn't met us they wouldn't know Darry or know the impact this had on everything in my life from here on out.

He was my protector, confidant, friend, agent, manager, body guard, and planned my life out for me most times.

"Lauren, we received the news at the office to try and reach you with the news and I got a hold of the guys to let them know in case they were with you. George said he knew where you'd be," Brian spoke for the group who were all still silent.

I felt George squeezing my hand and knew I wasn't paralyzed from shock anymore. I was going to be okay, but all I wanted to do was be alone, even still.

Then as if he read my mind, Paul spoke.

"We realize you'd want to be alone after this horrifying news," he said in a serious manner, "but we couldn't allow that, not when you are here all alone in another country. We felt you needed us. We know Darry was your manager and that he was due to come back and be with you and get you back home."

'Back home' I thought to myself.

I needed to be home. But I couldn't possibly get on an airplane. I also knew I was growing feelings for George Harrison and I didn't know what was going on between us, but it felt too good to be true. Maybe I did need to leave before it gets even harder to leave him.

Again I felt his touch steadily beside me.

Not one of the guys were questioning the bond we seemed to have. I'm sure this just was not the time or place for giving us a hard time.

After handing me a cold towel and some water, I was then introduced to John's wife, Cynthia. I was now sitting up and enjoying the presence of company instead of wishing them all to be far away from me.

She told me the story of someone's death in her family and I knew she meant well but it again made me want to begin sobbing. I was a physical and emotional wreck. The guys noticed this.

Ringo and John said some nice words next and then they walked out of the room with Paul to let me rest.

"Go with them," I encouraged George.

He stared at me and I felt as though I could read his mind. He wanted to protect me, and in that moment I knew I had already fallen for him. We needed to talk about what this was between us and what it means now that things are so complicated in my life. But now was not the time.

"Go," I again urged him, "I'll be okay, Be with the guys, I want to talk to Cynthia. I need girl time." I said half lying but half truly wanting to bond with her and...right on cue my new friend sat down beside me as if we were old pals.

"Yes, George, leave us be," she said sweetly to him.

"Well that's my cue to go make sure they don't get into trouble," Brian took George by the shoulder and led him out of my room, "we will be in touch."


With that it was just me and Cynthia Lennon sitting beside one another and she finally spoke.

"What's going on between you and George?" she asked, "please, do tell."

"We don't even know," I told her, remembering that George told me I could trust her and that she would understand, "it's quite complicated."

"It does seem complicated, but I know George and he is absolutely crazy about you, I can tell just by the way he was trying to protect you, he doesn't do that with women."

It made me feel good to know that this is out of the ordinary for George. Maybe he did see me as someone special in his life.

"I slept at his house last night," I told her and her eyes grew wide.

"Things are moving fast, aren't they?" She asked knowing that I was someone he had just met.

"Well, no actually," I corrected her, "very slow, I mean he kissed me and it was nice but it was just the once. He was a complete gentleman and he brought me home to sleep in his bed after I got completely wasted last night and he slept in the foyer on a sofa."

"Isn't that house a little big for him to need to sleep on a sofa?" She laughed at the thought and it made me laugh. This was the first time I had laughed since hearing the news. It was in this moment that I felt like things would be okay. I didn't need to shut people away, I needed to let them in, let them help me heal.

We sat and chatted about my work, my modeling and who Darry was to me and she told me all about her life as a Beatle wife and mother and how things are hard when John is away and she doesn't know if he's safe.

I thought about my career and how I could be my own manager or have Jenna be my assistant and help me.

Jenna.

I was wondering if she was okay, if she was as distraught as I was, or more. She worked directly for him and she could have been on that plane too, but wasn't. I quickly got up and ran to the phone. I dialed across the Atlantic to try and reach her.

We spent an hour talking and consoling one another. She didn't want to get back on an airplane and neither did I. She promised me she would be safe back home and then I told her about George. How great he was being to me and she was happy for me. She asked if I could let Paul know she was available in case he ever was single again.

This made me smile. I missed my best friend already. I began to count my blessings.

....

Cynthia had left me alone once I was on the phone with Jenna. And once I hung up with her I went and cleaned myself up. At least 5 hours had passed now since I first heard the news and I was still numb but knew I needed to be around my new friends.

I went down into the lobby and George and Ringo were still sitting down there, wearing hats and sunglasses. I smiled at how ridiculous they looked to try and disguise themselves.

I walked over to them and they both stood up as if I was this delicate flower ready to just wilt right before their eyes.

When I reached George he pulled me in close and hugged me and I felt so calm in that moment. I then lifted my head to his and we kissed so delicately, not concerned as to who was standing around us. He knew what I needed in that moment. And I felt Ringo's hand upon his shoulder as a "you did good, mate."

We swayed gently in each others arms and he whispered to me, "As long as you want me, I am yours."

I felt safe. I knew I needed him and from what it seemed he needed me just as badly. It was fate that we met each other and maybe he ended up saving me from being on that airplane with Darry.

My heart sank again but then I composed myself.

"Come on you lovebirds," Ringo said pulling us along, "let's go show Lauren the studio."

I took a step back, "where you guys record your music, you mean?" I asked them.

"Yeah, I wrote something I want to teach the guys," George flashed me a smile, "and I want you to listen, you still haven't heard me sing"

"I thought you said you played the guitar!" I quizzed him and he and Ringo both laughed.

"I'm a Jack of all trades, I could do some drumming if Mr Ringo Starr here wanted to lend his vocals to a track."

It was nice to see them joking and including me in on it despite my depressed mood. If they didn't include me I'd be just completely isolated and lonely.

"Did you write a song about me?" I asked him when Ringo was a little bit ahead of us and out of ear range.

"More like... it's about the idea of you. "It just came to me while I was away and I finished it today because you inspired me."

"It won't scare me away, as long as you want me I'm yours," I repeated to him what he had said to me a few minutes ago in the lobby.

He stopped me then right there dead in our tracks and picked me up and swung me around. Then kissed me so passionately I thought the whole world had stopped.

He was now mine and I was his. Whatever this would entail, I knew I needed him.