All In Good Time - A Time Travel Beatles Fanfiction

Track 9 - Shades of Life

Someone was whispering her name, and her face was damp and cold. When Lainey opened her eyes, Paul was holding the blanket tented over their heads. "It's raining," he said. "Let's get inside."

They stumbled up to the third floor. The door to the main suite was still propped open, lights blazing. Two girls were sleeping curled like a pile of kittens on a sofa beside the record player. Behind them a random musician Lainey didn't recognize was passed out on the carpet.

Paul made a circuit of the room, turning off lamps, drawing drapes.

He paused beside the sofa, looking down at the girls. "Poor birds, they'll pay for all that whisky in the morn." He wandered into an adjoining bedroom, came back with a blanket, and spread it over the girls.

"What about the dude on the floor?" Lainey whispered.

Paul shrugged. "He's used to it."

"Just another night on the road," Lainey said, barely suppressing a yawn.

Paul grabbed two handfuls of the blanket draped over Lainey's shoulders and reeled her in so that she was flush against his chest. "Your room?" he asked, his expression hopeful.

She shook her head. "No way."

"C'mon. We're too tired to do anything but sleep."

Lainey laughed. "Whatever. I wasn't born yesterday."

"That's right, I forget. You weren't born for thirty more years."

She yelped as she felt herself falling, but the landing came quickly and wasn't bad at all. Quite nice, actually. Paul was on his back on a sofa near an open window and Lainey was on top of him, in a tangle of Paul and the shirt of his she still wore and the damp blanket twisted around their legs. She was too sleepy and comfortable to move another muscle.

Lainey's next thought was that the smell of cigarettes was so strong it even permeated her dreams. Then she heard a low murmur of conversation and realized she was no longer dreaming. Her eyes flickered open and she struggled to focus.

Ringo was sitting on a sofa in front of her, puffing on a cigarette and calmly assessing her through a haze of smoke. A pretty brunette sat beside him, clutching his hand.

"Mornin'. Sleep well?" Ringo asked.

Lainey blinked from Ringo to the girl, sitting primly in a tight skirt and short-sleeved sweater. It was the girl from last night. She was no more than a teenager. Her dark hair was pulled up in a bun with full bangs, and she looked oddly familiar.

"Wait a minute...you're Maureen!" Lainey tried to sit up, but Paul's leg was thrown across hers and his hand was on her boob. Jesus. Paul groaned and slung an arm over his face as she extricated herself and sat up.

"Oh my god," Lainey continued. "I didn't recognize you last night with your hair down! This is so cool, I didn't know you guys were already together?"

Maureen scrunched her adorable nose. "Have we met?"

Lainey rubbed a hand over her eyes. Shit. She couldn't just wake up and start blathering without thinking.

Ringo took another drag on his cigarette and addressed the girl who would become his first wife. "This is Lainey, Paul's new bird. Conked herself on the head a few days ago and has been talking shite ever since."

Maureen frowned. "Have you seen a doctor about that?"

Lainey sighed. "No, I probably should though. Probably need my head examined."

Behind her Paul stretched and groaned again. He snuggled against her back and wrapped an arm around her waist. "I'm feeling a bit amorous this mornin', Lainey love. Fancy coming to my room?"