Golden Lockets

Let It Roll

To everyone's surprise (George's especially) the media took the announcement of Serenity's existence remarkably well. There was a lot of fuss and bother and a lot of questions, but none of the reporters asked anything that would cause trouble for the group. George was very cool when the media attacked him with inquiries about his secret daughter, but afterwards he looked so relieved that Ringo wondered if he was going to suddenly faint.

"That was bloody torture." George grumbled in the car going home. He buried his face in his hands and blew out through his nostrils. "I'm so glad it's over."

"Well, you did a grand job." said Ringo, gently patting his friend's knee. He glanced over at little Serenity. She was strapped into her car-seat beside John, her head lolling against his arm. The excitement had taken its toll on her - Serenity had fallen fast asleep. The heart-shaped locket was still hanging around her neck, glittering gold whenever it caught the light. George followed Ringo's gaze and stared lovingly at his daughter. 

"Poor girl." he said softly. "She needs to go to bed as soon as we get home."

"She's not the only one who's going to bed when we get home." John said, grinning slyly. Paul's cheeks flushed pink. He giggled stupidly.

"What's that supposed to mean, Johnny?" Brian asked.

"Oh, nothing." John replied, infuriatingly vague. 

Brian looked at both him and Paul, his head cocked to one side. John ignored his odd glance and leaned over to Paul, whispering hurriedly in his ear. Paul's face turned from pink to beetroot red, and he giggled so much that he had to shove his hand in his mouth to muffle the sound. Brian raised his eyebrows questioningly at John but didn't speak against it. He knew John was a really hardheaded person and wouldn't give a proper answer, no matter how hard Brian interrogated him. With a heavy sigh Brian left John and Paul as they were. He turned to George.

"Ringo's right, Georgie. You did a lovely job."

"Thanks, Bri." George said bitterly. "I'm still not happy with you."

"Why? What did I do?"

"You called my daughter a brat!"

Ringo's mouth fell open. "You did what?"

Brian groaned theatrically. "Don't you start too, Ringo!"

"You don't just call someone's kid something like that!" George hissed. "Especially when that kid is the sweetest thing you could ever ask for."

"Yeah." said Ringo, his arms folded tightly across his chest.

"Look, Brian, I'm sorry we're being bitches about the situation but I'm serious." George reached out and tenderly stroked Serenity's long fair curls. "She's a very good girl, and she means the entire world to me."

"I understand that." Brian said kindly. "I'm sorry for saying all that stuff."

"Never mind." said George, smirking a little. "I'm just glad you decided to apologise, you queer."

"I'm not the only queer here." Brian laughed, nodding at John and Paul. They'd nodded off a few minutes earlier and were now snoring softly, their faces soft and flushed with sleep.

"I worry about them." Ringo said, shaking his head fondly.

"So..." Brian leaned closer towards George. "When are you going to tell her?"

"Tell her?" George looked baffled. "Her who?"

"Serenity."

"Tell her what?"

"When are you going to let the girl know about where she came from and the truth about her mother?" Brian asked. "Any idea when you -"

"Never." George replied flatly.