I Want to Tell You [Beatles Fan-Fiction]

Twenty-Four

Chapater 25 is the last chapter... beware.

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"I need you."

George hits his head against the hard bark of the tree. What went wrong? Why won't she marry me?

He's been building up the courage to ask her for days, been planning out how he was going to do it.  Nothing went wrong. He knows about Amber's fear, and hesitation, but thought he could find a way around it.  But it didn't work. 

George picks up the guitar, out of it's box. He takes the picks with the letter 'A' engraved into it, and begins playing. 

The words come easily. After almost two hours, he has a finished song in his hands. George wipes the tears off his face, and carries the guitar and it's box into the house, along with the blanket and picks.

He places the song on Amber's empty music stand, and places it in the middle of the living room. He spreads the blanket across the couch, with the guitar leaning against on of the cushions. He finds two lavender-scented candles and lights them, placing one on each side of the couch. Then he just has to sit there, and wait. 

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"So... Do you boys know what George has planned?" Kim asks, looking over Amber's dad. You can see a strong resemblance. The first thing you notice is the similar eyes, though his seem to look a bit less female and more muscular. And in the way they both have an easy-going yet intimidating way of acting. Both very tall, and very wise.

"I do." Ringo says, placing a cup of tea on the table in front of where Kimberly is sitting on the couch. 

"Thanks, Ringo." She smiles, wrapping her hands around the cup.  "What does he plan to do?"

"Well," Ringo sighs. "I can't really tell you." 

"Aw, c'mon, Rings." John makes a pouty face at him. "It couldn't hurt. We're going to find out either way."

"You have to at least tell me." Mr.Reed smiles. "Considering it's my daughter over there."

"Uh..." Ringo takes a seat next to Kimberly. "Well, you know about the guitar." Before Allyson can ask, he explains. 

"Oh." Allyson says, a wide smile appearing on her face. "She's always wanted a Rickenbacker. I remember her telling me when we were young."

"Anyway." Ringo continues. "He also brought me with him to buy a diamond ring, so I'll bet you can guess what that was for." 

The entire room goes silent. Amber's dad runs a hand through his short hair, thinking. Kimberly's body stiffens, worried how Amber would react. 

"How much did he think that through?" Her dad mutters, almost talking to himself. "He does know about... About her past, doesn't he?" 

"Yeah, he's had his own, er, experiences." Kim cringes. "He knows."

"Hey, I think Rebecca's here now." Marilyn's eyes have been focused on the window, not wanting to be involved in the current conversation. 

"Rebecca?" Mr.Reed quickly walks to the door, opening it for his eldest daughter. "Becca." She stares at him for a moment, but then goes in for a hug. Ringo closes the door behind her. 

"Hi dad." She pulls away from the hug. "I think there's something you should know."

"Right now?" He walks into the kitchen and begins pouring her tea. "You just got here, can't it wait a bit?"

"No, I don't think it can." She looks at Ringo. "Would you mind going out to the car and getting something out of the trunk before it leaves? It's the only thing in there."

Ringo smiles and nods, then rushes out the door. 

Rebecca looks her father in the eyes. "Dad... I don't know how you're going to take this, so promise you'll won't judge me for it."

Her dad laughs. "It can't be any more a surprise than your sister's boyfriend proposing, can it?"

She sighs. "Yes it can." Becca mutters. 

"Let's hear it, then." He leans against the kitchen island. 

"I'm pregnant." She smiles, hoping he will think it's a good thing. 

"P-pregnant?" The tea nearly falls out of his shaky hand. "With who? Who's the father?"

"Well... His name is Will, but I kind of broke it off with him after he sort of harassed my sister-"

"Harassed Amber?" His voice rises. "Rebecca, I though I raised you better than that!"

"Raised me better than that? You barely raised me at all!" Rebecca starts yelling. Ringo walks in with a cheesecake, but the smile is wiped off his face when he sees Becca's red face. 

"Don't talk to me like that, young lady!" 

"Young lady?" Rebecca's eyebrows raise. "You were never there! You practically ran away from me and mom, taking my sister with you! Neither you or mom ever tried to help us! Don't you see what it did to Amber? It completely broke her! I'm terrified of what is going to happen when George decides he wants to marry her, which will be soon." 

"Rebecca." Ringo mutters. "He's going to do it today." 

Rebecca's eyes go wide. 

"Did-did it really hurt her that bad?" Mr.Reed asks, his face going from enraged to sad. 

"Yes." Becca hisses. Then her face softens. "We can't help them now."

"Oh, Becca." Her dad walks to her and pulls Rebecca into a tight hug. "It's going to be alright. Does the dad know about the baby?"

She sniffles. "Not yet. But I put a letter in the mail." 

"Baby?" Ringo asks, his face breaking. He looks at Rebecca, and can tell just by the look on her face what he missed. He backs away from the room, to his bedroom. 

"Ringo! Wait!" Rebecca calls, but he flees, not wanting to talk to anyone. 

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It's not long before George hears quiet footsteps coming down the stairs. Amber walks into the living room, her face streaked with tears and her hair messy. 

"George, I-" Amber starts, her voice cracky and small, not at all like normal. George doesn't let her finish.

"Shh, love. It's alright. Sit down." Amber hesitates, but sits down next to him on the couch. George picks up the guitar and pulls the music stand close enough for him to see it. 

He begins playing the song he wrote, his eyes on Amber's. Bloodshot and painful, they're still a beautiful kaleidoscope of color. She doesn't interrupt the song once,  which George takes as a sign that he didn't mess up completely. 

Once the song is finished, George gently sets down Amber's guitar and looks at her.

"Are you alright now, love?" He smooth a piece of hair back from her face.

Amber shakes her head. "But... I will be. After I say I'm sorry. Because I really am. I love you so much, and I really don't deserve someone like you."

"That's a lie, and you know it. Now be quiet." George reaches into his pocket, and takes out the small black box that holds the ring.

"Amber Reed, will you marry me?" He asks, this time his voice clear and not nervous.

"George... I'm sorry, but I can't marry you."

His face falls. "Why not? I'll never hurt you, you know that!"

"I know, but-" Tears fill her eyes again. 

"But what?" He nearly yells. "Are you afraid of the commitment?"

"No, George! I'm just... scared. I'm not ready. Give me a few years."

"I can't wait years! I want to have you for as long as possible!" George takes her hands in his. "A lot could happen in a few years, and I want to at least have you before I have to lose you."

Amber sighs. "I-I want that too, George..."

"Then marry me." George whispers.