I Will [Paul McCartney/Beatles Fanfiction]

five

"I just don't understand why you'd think 'Lovely Rita' would be a good opening song!" Paul exclaimed exasperatedly.

"It would make a great opening song, mind you; besides, it's not like 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' would be any better!" John countered. "Why are you making such a big deal out of this?It's not like you'll make the final choice, anyway! You don't have that authority, Macca!"

"You don't either! Neither does Freda or George or Ringo or Mal or Neil; only Brian has that authority, John, and he's not exactly here to make a decision for us anymore! We've got to do it ourselves, and that's why it's a big deal! Our band's entire career is now depending on what choices we make as a group, even ones like this, and I was simply suggesting 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' when you blew up at me because of it, then said I was making a fuss! So, you know what, Lennon, consider other people's opinions rather than your own for once!"

"For once? I seem to recall you making every single decision about this show so far in the first place, so you can't get angry at me for trying to make things not about you! I have been considering others' opinions; yours! So you're being a hypocrite, not even letting me come up with a single freaking idea without demanding it goes your way instead!"

"Yeah, well, Lennon, guess what? You're being a hypocrite, too! You've made all the choices about all our shows before this one, so I'm sorry if I want to give that a--"

"Enough!" Freda yelled suddenly, interrupting their argument.

Her shout bounced off the walls of the studio, immediately silencing the twosome and earning the attention of the other two, who were off having their own conversation in the corner. The secretary agitatedly glanced back and forth between Paul and John, who were now avoiding eye contact with each other, then stepped forward so she was standing between them.

"Look at me, both of you," she commanded. "Think about what you're saying! You two have been best friends and a shoulder to lean on for each other since you were teenagers, and now you're wasting all of that over something that could really easily be decided on if you just asked for help from the others. You are not the only one in this band, and every last person's input matters in a band! I've had it with you guys always putting each other down. You're both very pressured lately, I get that, but don't take it out on each other. You're tearing apart something special by all of these arguments, so, please, on behalf of all of us, look past your egos and think about each other and what really matters."

They were both quiet, the only sounds being Ringo saying, "Yeah, guys." jokingly and George stifling a laugh because of it. Freda sighed with relief at their silence.

"What do you think, lads?" she asked softly after a moment, turning to the drummer and lead guitarist. "What's the opening song going to be?"

They glanced at each other, immediately stopping their cackling, then George said, "Um, 'Getting Better'?"

"That sounds good," Paul said quietly.

"And we could close with the song 'Sgt. Pepper,' don't you think?" John offered in the same volume.

"That'd make sense," shrugged Ringo.

John glanced at Paul for finality, and Paul shrugged, too. "Sure."

"See, that wasn't so hard, now was it?" Freda smiled a little. "Alright. Get to practicing, boys. I'll call the venue and tell them your lineup."

After she made the call and returned to find them warming up, still seeming pretty distant with each other, she made another decision, this one only in her mind. They've got to go on another tour, she thought, or this band is going to fall apart.