Chapter Sixteen: Ashley's POV
Well I was home by myself for about an hour when George came in. He didn't want to talk at first, but I sort of just blurted out to him
"Paul's in the hospital and John may just have a death wish!" After further explanation, George decided to go down to the hospital and asked if I wanted to come. He was being so sweet to me that I felt like a monster for earlier.
"No, I should wait here for John." I said anxiously.
"Alright. I'll ring if I see him." He told me, which was nice. Once he left, I tried to keep myself busy but I didn't trust John's judgement. He had the same burning stubbornness he passed to his son and to me. The stubbornness that made us all act rashly. I could go find him but God knows where he even was! I took to cleaning up the kitchen to keep myself busy, but it didn't exactly work as well as I thought. As the day got later, I decided to make something up for dinner that the lads could eat when and if they came home later. I really knew nothing of how Paul was or how long he'd have to stay in the hospital. Regardless, I made up a chili from what I could find in the cupboards and fridge. It was really starting to smell good by the time six rolled around. With no one coming home by then, I really started to get worried, and wondered if I should call the hospital. But just as I was about to, the door opened and George and Ringo came in with Paul. He still looked awful, but he smiled when he saw me.
"Ashley...this isn't as bad as it looks, believe me." He tried to sound macho which was kind of adorable.
"Aww no you look fine. But you should probably lay down. I made up some chili, I'll bring you some." I cooed at him. I felt I should spoil him because he was hurt.
"Okay...where's John?" He asked. I looked at George and Ringo.
"Um, he's out. He'll be in soon." I fibbed. I didn't need him worrying. Ringo took him to his room.
"D you know where John is?" George asked me.
"Not a clue. I'm getting worried, he's been gone for hours." I said, wringing my hands.
"Well...the thing about John is you can't get in his way. Once he gets his mind on something, he's like a dog after a bone." George said. For some reason, my mind went back to earlier with the girl... I shook my head to shake the images from my head.
"Yeah and he really cares for Paul, so that would give him added incentive." I said, biting my lip.
"You got it." George replied. My chili was a success, I got George and Ringo fed before I took Paul's in to him.
"So, tell me the damage." I said, handing him his food. I'd never been in his room before, but my mind was preoccupied, so I didn't think much of it. He was sitting up in bed looking better than he had.
"Well, I guess I cracked a couple ribs but either than that, just bumps and bruises. It looked a lot worse I guess." He shrugged, not thinking much of it.
"Yeah. It didn't look that great. How's your head?" I touched his forehead gingerly. He had a small bandage on it.
"It's okay." He said though I know he winced when I touched the area.
"You poor boy." I smiled at him. It had been an eventful day to say the least.
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Hours went by and John still didn't return home. I tried to go to bed, exhausted after one hell of a day, but I laid awake, wondering where in God's name John was. Paul fell asleep early, the poor lad and George and Ringo called it an early one as well. Around 11, just as I was finally starting to doze, I heard the front door open and close. Half awake, I jumped out of bed and wrapped a new light shawl around me. I opened the door and went toward the entrance.
"John? Is that you?" I said, stifling a yawn.
"What are you doing up?" He asked in a dismal tone. I flicked on the lamp and almost shrieked. His face was all bruised and bloodied up, was worse than Paul's!
"John Winston Lennon! What happened!" I cried. He looked at me funny, obviously not remembering having divulged his middle name to me.
"You're not my mother, Ashley." Was his response.
"True, but oh my God, at least let me help you." I said.
"Fine." He agreed. I took him into the kitchen and made him sit while I dug out the first aid kit from under the sink.
"Do you want a tea or something?" I asked him.
"Sure. Why not." He seemed very closed off. So I put the kettle on before going to him with the first aid kit. I popped it open on the table and took a couple swabs and dabbed them in alcohol. He watched me looking amused.
"You should be a nurse, Ashley." He teased lightly.
"Don't go complimenting me yet. This is gonna sting like a bitch." I warned him. He looked alarmed at me.
"Language, miss Ashley!" He teased, warming up finally.
"Oh like you'd be offended." I rolled my eyes and attacked him with the swabs. He didn't yelp or anything, but he gritted his teeth. Of course he was just trying to be a man.
"So, do you wanna tell me what happened?" I asked as I cleaned his face up. He was silent for a moment or two.
"Fine, I went after the uni kids Ringo described." He said what I figured from the beginning.
"Ah...how on Earth did you find the exact ones?" I asked.
"After hours of looking for a blonde guy in a uni blazer." Was his 'well duh' answer.
"Did he admit to beating up Paul?" I asked.
"Oh yeah, after I punched it out of him." He growled.
"I see. So where did this all come from then?" I gestured to his face.
"The punk was tougher than I thought...He called me terrible names, Ashley." He said, his tone of voice getting all low and vulnerable suddenly.
"Terrible names? You realize it's just a uni kid, right? What's the matter to the whole grand scheme of things?" I said as I finished. His face looked better than it did, just a little purple. I went to stop the kettle as he sat there staring at the floor.
"But that's the fanbase really. Young people..." He trailed off. I'd never seen John like this before. I didn't really know how to take it.
"What did he say to you, John?" I said, sitting down next to him and plunking his tea in front of him.
"He said the only reason I avenged Paul was because I was his boyfriend." He said. I almost choked on my tea. John and Paul had an inseparable bond, anyone knew that. They were like brothers. But gay? This was the early 60's. That wasn't even near accepted back then, I could understand why John was upset by it. It was deemed an insult to him.
"Oh...wow...well he had a lot of nerve." I said.
"I don't act like that, do I?" He looked at me with worried eyes.
"John, no. You don't. You sought justice for your friend and that's commendable. Just next time don't go off all half assed about it. Just, call the police next time, alright?" I said, reaching into the first aid kit for some bandages.
"Fine, mother." He said, perking up again. That tease twinged at my heart. Mother. It's what he called his wife, my grandmother. I swallowed hard and tried to not let my mind go there. Instead I just pressed hard on a bandage to cover one open cut still on his left cheek and then he did yelp.
"Hey! Easy." He said.
"I'm not your mother." I remarked.
"Fine, would you rather, baby, darling, sweetheart?" He listed them off.
"Let's just go back to 'Miss Ashley.'" I said. He smiled.
"Do you like that one?" He said.
"it's growing on me, yeah." I shrugged, bandaging a few other cuts. He winced a little at one.
"Sorry." I apologized.
"It's fine I can take it." He gave me his best smile. I finished in silence, just making sure I got him all cleaned up. I didn't know what Mr. Epstein was gonna say when he saw Paul and John all beat up like they were. And we left for america in just over a week! I was just praying that it cleared up fast. No one was gonna keep quiet when two of the Beatle boys looked like they did. I wondered if this would happen if I hadn't been there. I sort of had made them all go out by my issue with George, so in a way it was all my fault.
"You're thinking." John said after a long while.
"What gave me away?" I smiled a little as I placed the last bandage into place just over his eyebrow.
"Your brow is furrowed deep. I do the same thing. What's on your mind?" He asked.
"Oh, nothing. You guys, America, George...." I listed off.
"Well that doesn't sound like nothing." He smiled.
"Hey I've always got something going on in my head. Runs in my family. We're very over imaginative." I shrugged.
"You should talk about them more, your family." He said, getting up from his chair.
"Yeah, well...there's not much to talk about." I lowered my eyes as I tidied up my mess. Silence again. I didn't see, but I knew he was watching me move about the kitchen.
"Thanks, Miss Ashley." He finally said, I smiled at my nickname.
"For stitching you up?" I asked.
"And you know, just talking with me." He said, looking a little sheepish.
"No problem. Nothing a good chat can't fix." I was quoting my dad again. He smiled.
"Hey, I like that." Perfect.
"So...are you headed off to bed then?" I asked. He shrugged.
"Nah. I'm not tired yet. Fancy a dance?" He gave me a devilish smirk.
"John Lennon! I'm not dressed, and it's late. Won't we wake the others?" I blushed a little bit, wrapping my shawl tighter around me.
"Oh they would sleep even if the place was on fire. Come on, you look fine." He said, reaching out for my hand. I couldn't pass up this side of John, even if his face was a little bruised.
"Well, very well. One song." I agreed as he led me to the living room. I couldn't help but smile which was what I totally needed after the day I'd had. By then it was midnight at least. John turned on one of the dim lights, softly illuminating the room.
"What are we dancing to?" I asked as I watched him go over to the record player and sift through the collection of LP's there.
"And if you choose your own song, I'll lose all respect for you." I teased.
"No it's not one of our songs. Just wait." He said, choosing his LP and putting it on the turntable. A familiar tune filled the room, not too loud but not too soft either.
Are you lonesome tonight,
Do you miss me tonight?
Are you sorry we drifted apart?
"Do you know this song?" John asked, coming over to me.
"Yeah I know it." I smiled, swaying to the music. He took my hand and placed the other gingerly on my waist. I could've cried. I was dancing with him. I was dancing with my grandfather. In 1964, to Elvis. It was both weird and memorable all at once. In the dim light you couldn't even see his wounds. All I saw was just him.
Does your memory stray to a brighter sunny day
When I kissed you and called you sweetheart?
Do the chairs in your parlor seem empty and bare?
Do you gaze at your doorstep and picture me there?
Is your heart filled with pain, shall I come back again?
Tell me dear, are you lonesome tonight?
"Are you excited to be going overseas?" He asked out of the blue.
"Yeah. are you?" I replied.
"Oh absolutely." Quiet again. We floated across the living room floor and it was absolute magic.
I wonder if you're lonesome tonight
You know someone said that the world's a stage
And each must play a part.
Fate had me playing in love you as my sweet heart.
Act one was when we met, I loved you at first glance
You read your line so cleverly and never missed a cue
Then came act two, you seemed to change and you acted strange
And why I'll never know.
"You're one of a kind, Miss Ashley." Another sudden comment. I looked up.
"In what way?" I asked.
"I dunno, I just never met anyone like you before." He said. I smirked.
"Am I better than that girl earlier?" I joked. He laughed.
"Again, I'm so sorry about that. And yes, I'd have to say so. You're strong. You don't let anyone push you around. You seem like you know what you want from life." I blushed at that.
"Well I don't know about that." I said softly.
"You are, believe me. I'm an excellent judge of character." He joked. I just smiled, still finding it hard to believe I was here with him right at that moment.
Honey, you lied when you said you loved me
And I had no cause to doubt you.
But I'd rather go on hearing your lies
Than go on living without you.
Now the stage is bare and I'm standing there
With emptiness all around
And if you won't come back to me
Then make them bring the curtain down.
"You're a wonderful dancer." I complimented him.
"Every man should be in my opinion. You're very light on your feet as well." He replied.
"Well you know, I just pick it up." I chuckled. The song finished with it's last verse and John actually sang along.
"Is your heart filled with pain, shall I come back again?
Tell me dear, are you lonesome tonight?" We stopped in the middle of the floor as he gave an elaborate bow. I giggled and curtseyed elegant enough to please the Queen.
"Thank you for this dance, Miss Ashley." He smiled, taking my hand and planting a gentle kiss upon it.
"Thank you too." Was my mesmerized answer. As I crawled back into bed shortly after, I was all smiles. If my reason for being here was to get to know John then I'd just made a huge breakthrough. And it was amazing. I never wanted to go back home right about then. I was happier than I'd been after a day of misery.
Tell me dear, are you lonesome tonight?
A/N - Hope you like it! I fangirled way too much. Paul's gonna be okay don't worry. John too. Thanks again! Love you all