Borrowed Time: Saving John Lennon - A Beatles Fanfic

Chapter 23 -LIFE BEGINS AT 40

December 9, 1980

Holly awoke, completely unsure of what time it was. She and John had fallen asleep sometime after 7:00 AM, and he was still asleep next to her, laying on his side with one arm partially draped over her waist. She was so content, and if it wasn't for her bladder's insistence, Holly felt like she could lay there forever. Instead, she slowly slid out of John's grasp and made her way to the bathroom. When she came back, Holly stared at John as he slept, still in awe that he was alive. When she finally attempted to slip back into bed, John stirred from his slumber.

"Morning," he said with a yawn.

"Probably more like 'afternoon' now," Holly laughed, sitting up in the bed and leaning against the headboard. "I'm surprised no one's come looking for you yet."

After a few minutes, John decided to head out into the apartment. Holly lagged behind, unsure of what might be happening out there and not wanting to be in the way.

When she finally ventured out of the bedroom, Holly found herself in a sea of people. Many of the same faces from last night were in the living room and kitchen. The phone started ringing, and Fred walked over to answer it. In the kitchen Sean was sitting at the table with Helen eating lunch, and Rosaura was at the stove preparing something. The clock on the wall showed that it was just after 1:30 PM.

Holly sat down next to Sean who looked up at her with a grin, blissfully unaware of the previous night's events.

"You wanna see my car?" Sean asked with a mouthful of food.

"Sure!" Holly smiled.

Sean held up a small toy car just inches away from Holly's face. He then took it and vrrooomed it on the table.

"That's a really neat car," Holly said as Sean continued to roll it around the table and then up Holly's arm. She smiled at Helen who seemed amused by the interaction.

Helen took Sean's plate from the table and guided Sean out of the kitchen. She turned back to Holly. "I'll see you in a bit," she said. "I'm gonna get him situated in his room."

Rosaura offered Holly something to eat, and within a few minutes a plate was placed in front of her. The phone continued to ring periodically and there was a continual stream of people in and out of the apartment. From what Holly could gather from overheard conversations, various media outlets were relentlessly trying to get interviews and statements from the Lennons.

"I don't give a flying fuck what she wants to do!"

Holly turned to see John walking in to the kitchen talking to Elliot Mintz.

"She wants to give a damn statement, then let her," John continued. "I'm not making any statements today." He walked to the stove and poured a cup of tea from the kettle. "Where the fuck is she, even? I haven't seen her at all since it happened, have I?"

"Yoko has been in the office fending off some of the attention being tossed our way and trying to appease the media," Elliot responded in an eerily calm voice. "It's been suggested that this ordeal could be beneficial as some publicity for the album."

John sat down at the table across from Holly. "Well they can all sod off, Yoko included. I almost died and she thinks it can sell more albums? Fuck them all!"

"Perhaps we can discuss this in private," Elliot replied with a quick glance at Holly. "Once you've had a chance to cool off."

"I am fucking cooled off!" John bellowed. "I told you if Yoko wants to make some damn statement, then fine. She certainly wouldn't bother to ask my damn opinion first, would she? I'm the one that got fucking shot, right?"