Tell Me What You See

Tell Me Why

Rita pulled her head from Paul's shoulder. She kissed him gently and thought again how he had become so important in her life in such a short time. She felt him brush his hand against her face, as his eyes tenderly gazed into hers. She did love him, and it was a love she had never felt before. She couldn't sit and ponder it at this point as much as she wanted to. She felt better and she had a responsibility to these people. Never had she had so much trouble in changing things. This was the first time she had help from someone else and the first time it had been this challenging. It seemed everything they tried would be met with another change from the alternate destiny. The shadows were egging them on and confident in their abilities to win this. She and George had to keep them alive, selfish or not, neither could die! She got up and shivered as she thought of the shadowy figure and what he had said to her. Rita felt Paul and George's stare; she turned around and smiled, as if to tell them she was fine.

"I'm fine really." She reiterated to the two worried men.

Her stare fell on John. His focus was on the street below. He stood there with cigarette and a drink. He was quiet, she had seen him from Paul's shoulder give a cheerio salute with his drink to the shadowy figures and knew no one else had seen it. He just stood there in a daze, thinking, she figured. John Lennon's mind always thought on something, his mind never stood still. She felt for him and knew he just wanted to know, but had backed off when he was told to. She approached him and stood by the window looking down to the streets to see what he saw.

John felt her along side of him. He didn't flinch or acknowledge her presents until he spoke. John's voice was stoic as he spoke to the window.

" They just go bout their business. All have worries, but just keep pushing on, chin up and all that sort. " He sighed deeply staring at the people on the street and then continued, "Never knowing when their number is up, just bucking up. Great really if you think about it y 'know? Human natural, the human drive is to survive at all costs. There are sume selfless bastards that take the cost. Gotta admire that lot. " John was pensive for a moment.

Rita put her hand on John's shoulder. This time the strong emotions were no longer there. The only thing there was that void that she always sensed had been there for years and his lonely thoughts. She thought about what John had just said and saw the truth in it. One thing John never had a problem with was telling it the way he saw it. She felt bad for him and had grown very fond of this troubled, sarcastic, funny and complicated man.

"John I'm fine now if you and the rest want to hear what I saw." Rita told him gently.

John turned to her and gave her a small smile. He took his two fingers, resting them under her chin and he brought her face to look directly at his.

"Sorry lass, I mean about before. A bit of an insensitive lout I was. When you're ready to tell then I am ready to hear." A warm smile crossed John's face as he spoke to Rita.

Rita's heart warmed at this. This was a side of Lennon that only a chosen few were aloud to see, his softer side. She felt honored that he would show it to her. Filled with emotion, she hugged him tightly and whispered in his ear.

" Ta Johnny, I know how hard it is for you to say things like that. You're a right teddy bear underneath." Rita smiled full of affection for John.

John chuckled a bit and whispered back to her. "Ya tell anyone, I'll deny it." He gave her a final hug and then let her go.

Rita saw the curious glances from the others over the tender moment shared between John and Rita. The three Beatles figured it was John's soft side coming through. They all knew better then to question it and went back to smoking their cigarettes and drinking their drinks.