Yesterday - A Beatles Fanfic

Chapter The Eighteenth

Brian Epstein paced up and down his office, wringing his hands. Where on earth could the lads be? He'd tried to get hold of them twice yesterday afternoon, and then again in the evening. Both times had proved futile. As a last resort, he'd gotten in his car and driven round to Mendips himself where he knew the lads were all staying. Curiously, it was unlocked, yet there was not a soul to be seen.

Rather annoyed, the manager of the Beatles had left the house after locking the door behind him. The one time the boys weren't in his hair was when he actually needed them. They were due for a press conference in just two days!

"They better have done something about the kid too." He muttered, falling back into his office chair.

But little did Brian know that the Beatles and "the kid" were simply wandering around Liverpool. Well, they were wandering around Liverpool fifty years in the future.

* * *

Jessie and the lads had agreed that it would be best to spit up if they were going to have a decent chance of finding George. Ringo and Jessie were going to scout out the most popular public places in the surrounding suburbs, while John and Paul tackled the bustling city again.

"You sure?" Jessie had asked. "It'll have changed from what you're used to."

"Nothing Lennon and McCartney can't handle!" John had scoffed. "Eh, Paulie?" He jostled his friend. "We're unstoppable!"

Jessie and Ringo walked through the park. Actually, it was the very same park where Ringo had found the girl on that chilly morning. The pair walked briskly through the park, passing small children yelling and running about on the playgrounds while grandparents kept an eye on them from park benches. Being a Monday morning, there weren't too many people about. There was no good reason as to why George would be here, but they thought it was worth a try.

"I dunno how ye' do it." Ringo suddenly said, tossing a stone into the small lake as they walked by.

"Huh?" Jessie looked at him. "Do what?"

"Bring out the best in people, I guess." Ringo thought aloud. "Even John, ever since ye' showed up... He's acted different. Y'know, he's acted less like an asshole an' more like a carin' fellow."

Jessie thought about the times in the past few days when John's protective, caring side shone through his rough exterior - particularly last night when she'd practically broken down.

"Mm-hm," she nodded slightly, barely aware that they'd passed through the entire park and were heading down a road that was all too familiar.

It was only when the sight of the tall brick building dominated her peripheral vision that she stood stock still. "No." She shook her head firmly, turning around to walk the other way.

"Oof!" Ringo grunted as he bumped into Jessie. "What's the problem?"

"Not this way." She told him, keeping her head down. "They'll see me. I know it."

"Who?" Ringo caught up to her. "Who'll see you?!" He was slightly annoyed now.

"The school, Ringo!" Jessie hissed, glancing warily around, even though there were only three other people on the street. Two were a mother and toddler walking in the opposite direction. The other was a tired old man waiting at a bus stop. "That's my boarding school!" She said nervously. "I've been gone since last Thursday, I can't just saunter merrily past!"

Meanwhile, John and Paul had made it all the way to the docks. Albert Dock, to be precise.

"John, no." Paul tugged his friend's arm. "We couldn't."