The End (Beatles Fanfiction)

Chapter 13

"You're really considerin' it, then?"

John continued to walk, his guitar case swinging by his side. "Course I'm really considerin' it, Stu!" he said back excitedly. "This could be a really big break for us, mate!"

Stu sighed. "I don't know..."

"Aw, don't be in a tiz about it!" John turned the corner and stopped, gently placing his case on the ground. Leaning his back against the storefront, he pulled out a lighter.

"Got a fag?" he asked, motioning his lighter to Stu. Upon receiving one, John swiftly lit it, placed it into his mouth, and pulled up his collar, trying to shelter from the cold.

"I'm not in a tiz, John," Stu replied after lighting a cigarette of his own. "I mean, it's Hamburg. It's not Liverpool anymore."

"Exactly!" John exclaimed. "That's right! It isn't Liverpool. It's not this grimy old town. It's somewhere else!" He waved his hands as he spoke.

"But it's four months, John." Smoke swirled from the corner of Stu's mouth as he talked. "That's a pretty long time."

"I know it's a long time," John retorted frustratedly, "but it isn't forever. Just enough to make our mark on the world."

Stu puffed on his cig, then blew out a long cloud of smoke. A long pause ensued.

"But what about yer aunt? And Prudence? How are they goin' to feel about this?"

John let out a sigh, and turned his head to look down the street. "I don't know, Stu," he answered, his voice softening. "I'm sure Mimi will have a cow," he added comically.

The two of them chuckled. "You sure know how to slag 'er off," Stu joked.

"I bet she talks about me to all her tea-time friends, too." John smirked, then turned serious. "I won't tell her yet. Not Prudence, either. I won't let them know until everything is certain. I mean, we don't even know if we've got the gig."

"And what if we do get the gig?" Stu asked, looking at John intently.

"If we get the gig," John took another puff of his cigarette, "then we go. That's all there is to it."

Stu nodded slowly, a shred of doubt still showing. He straightened up, and picked up his case.

"Well," he said, "we still have time to think about it. I have to head off now, there's a painting I finished that needs to be framed."

"You self-centered sod, you," John teased. Stu let out a laugh, waved, and was off. John watched his silhouette until his ill vision could no longer allow it, and then stood up himself. He dropped his cigarette and put it out, picked up his guitar case, and walked in the other direction, towards the movie theater.

-------------------------------------------

John's boots clicked as he quickly crossed the street to the theater. A steady rain had begun to fall, and drops of water were trickling across his leather jacket.

Squinting up, he looked at the sign above the entrance. A list of movies was displayed, their showtimes written to the right. John studied the sign for a moment until he found the name of the movie he was interested in, and then ran under the roof of the theater for shelter.

"This bloody rain," he muttered to himself, dropping his case and searching his pockets for a cigarette. Realizing he had none, he let out an annoyed breath and stuffed his hands into his pockets.

Looking out onto the street, John watched the rain fall. Grey umbrellas walked back and forth, even greyer people beneath them.

John sighed. He hated all of it. The greyness was suffocating. It swallowed everyone and everything, and took no prisoners.

He could paint it. He could paint it all. Him and the lads. Starting from here, then to Hamburg, and then who knows where else. They could color the whole bleeding world.

"John!"

He broke from his daze, and turned to the source of the voice. Realizing who spoke, John smiled and stretched out his arms.

Prudence ran up to him, dripping wet, and fell into his embrace.

"Hi," she said, out of breath.

"Jesus, you're wet," John greeted with a laugh.

Prudence pulled away from him and crossed his arms. "You're no better, you know," she retorted.

John nodded. "Yeah, I know."

Prudence looked around the entrance, and asked, "So, what are we seeing?"

John put his hands back into his pockets. "Well," he began, taking on the tone of an esteemed movie critic, "the wonderful cinema we have prepared for you today is Come Dance With Me, the insightful and intriguing tale of a man involved in a cheating scandal with a dance teacher, and the consequential murder of said dance teacher. Very first-rate," he continued, returning to his normal voice, "and Brigitte Bardot is in it, which makes it even better."

"Well, don't give it all away now!" Prudence exclaimed, looking up at John's disarrayed hair.

"Your quiff's flat," she observed with a giggle, and reached up to fix it.

"Ey, ey, ey!" John slid away from Prudence's arms. "The hair is off-limits!"

Prudence let out another cheery laugh.

John grinned. He loved that laugh, the steady tinkling rise of her voice, and the equally steady ringing fall.

He would miss that laugh. If he went to Hamburg, he wouldn't be able to hear it.

And he would miss the way she brushed her hair behind her ears.

He'd really miss her small smile, the one she flashed when she was admitting something shyly.

And how she would fumble with her skirt and pick at the threads while she explained something.

And how her eyes twinkled when she was excited about something.

And how intently she listened when he told her how he felt.

And the way she grinned when he said he loved her.

How would he be able to leave her for four months?

"John?" Prudence looked up at him inquiringly. "Is something wrong?"

He looked down at her.

"No," he said. "Nothing's wrong."

Prudence looked past him at the ticket booth. "We should probably go in," she said. "Wouldn't want to miss such a fascinating movie, now, would we?"

John smiled, and planted a light kiss on her cheek. As he moved away, he saw Prudence's eyes light up.

"After you," he gestured dramatically. Prudence went ahead with a laugh.

John watched her walk to the booth, a wisftul smile on his face.

He really would miss it all.

Prudence turned around to face him.

"You coming?"

{HEY GUYS

so I will try to update another chapter tomorrow, and then after that I won't be so consistent. I really want to be more efficient with this, so I'll try to update at least one chapter every weekend.

No promises though :)

Bear with me guys, I know I'm a slow writer.

PEACE AND LOVE L***}