Tomorrow Never Knows: Chapter Five
Tomorrow Never Knows
Title: Chapter Five
Authors: pennylane_fic, jenny_wren28 & lovely_rita_mm
Starring: The Beatles (specifically John Lennon) and Maggie Sue
Rating: R for language, sex, & implied drug use.
Disclaimer: We don’t own any of the Beatles, this obviously never happened, and much to the real Maggie’s disappointment, is a complete work of fiction.
Wow, where does the time go? It's Sunday again already, and that means another chapter, yay! When last we left our heroine, she was hiding Yoko's body in the woods...oh, wait, that hasn't happened yet. But maybe in this chapter. Let's see!
So, dearest readers, turn off your mind, relax and join Maggie Sue on another one of her Beatle adventures.....
Previous updates located HERE!
Chapter 5
Previously. Sometime in May 1967.
“Boys, I have the most fantastic news to report!” Brian Epstein swept into the studio. He was an infrequent visitor, so everyone stopped what they were doing, curious to hear his announcement.
Brian looked around, trying to build the drama, before finally saying, “Boys, you have been selected to represent England on a television program which, for the first time ever, will be transmitted live around the world via satellite!”
He was met with silence - and then the small sounds of everyone turning back to their business. Ringo fingered the rook in his hand, and then as quietly as he could, finished his move in the chess game he was playing against Maggie Sue. George went back to tuning the guitar he was holding, while John and Paul exchanged a look. The Beatles were long past wanting to be told what to do by their manager. Brian had a very different sensibility and adored performing for royalty and just generally being posh - but the Beatles wanted to be performing monkeys no more and just wanted to be left to their own musical devices. Maggie could tell that Paul was too wrapped up in the finishing touches of Sgt Pepper to care much about adding one more thing to his plate. That meant if Brian wanted a new song, it was John’s.
Awkward silence fell back over the studio, broken only by George plinking out tuning harmonics. He knew he’d never be asked for a song for something as important as a live TV broadcast anyway.
“Oh, okay, I’ll do something for that,” John finally offered. Brian gave a relieved smile. Maggie could tell John could care less about the assignment, but secretly, she was excited. He was about to write “All You Need Is Love” - a song that would be an anthem for the Summer of Love. Or he would if he could summon up the interest.
Poor Brian. He really was losing his grip on the band. It was sad in its own way, as Brian loved these Boys as he loved no one else - and it was worrisome, as Maggie knew his death wasn’t far off. She was still unsure of the best way to handle it. Perhaps she ought to call a meeting with the band to see if they could try to be more sensitive to Brian, and to keep a better eye on him. Perhaps Peter could keep an eye on his drug intake. And she should have a conversation with Brian herself. Brian knew she was from the future - maybe she could convince him that he was in danger. She would just have to think about it some more. She had plenty of time to worry about it later.
Several Weeks Later
John and Maggie Sue were in bed, each absorbed in a book. For all of John’s disgust with formal education, he adored reading and Maggie adored that about him. Suddenly Maggie’s eyes fell on the wall calendar. She had a Beatles one hung up on her bedside, much to John’s chagrin. (“What?” she’d protested, “They’re my favorite band!”)
“John, how is the song for that television broadcast coming along? Isn’t that coming up fairly soon?” Maggie knew that it was to be on June 25th, and that that date was fast approaching. She was also fairly sure John had long since forgotten about it.
“I dunno, when is it again?”
“In a few weeks…June 25th.”
“Oh God, is it that close? Well, then, I suppose I’d better write something.”
“What are you going to write?” Maggie suppressed her smile, but too late, John caught it.
“You already know what I’m going to write, don’t you! If you tell me, it will save me some time, so spill it!”
“John! I can’t do that! Besides, I have no idea. You didn’t do a live broadcast in my timeline!” she lied unconvincingly.
“You lie! Give it over, Margaret Susan!”
John lunged for her, and she was just a few seconds late in squirming away. John wrestled her down onto the bed, holding both of her wrists with one of his hands, so his other was free to tickle her.
She laughed uncontrollably, as he ran his fingers over her sides, finding her sensitive spots. “Come on now, tell your Uncle Johnny what brilliant song he’s going to write.”
“Okay, okay, I’ll tell you!” she gasped.
He let her go.
“It’s about Swiss cheese and midgets!” she shouted as she leapt off the bed, still laughing. John was still quicker than her and he succeeded in bringing them both crashing to the floor, which was fortunately covered in soft 1960s shag carpeting.
“Well, if you’re not going to tell me what to write, Miss Margaret, then it is your job to inspire me!” John waggled his eyebrows at her while sliding his hand up her thigh.
“John! Stop that!” Maggie said giggling, while squirming under him. “It’s not going to get you anywhere. I’m not going to tell you!”
“Ah, luv, luv, luv - this is what you need. You’re wound too tight!” John replied while nibbling down her neck.
“No, John, I need to sleep. Unlike you I don’t get to show up at work whenever I want,” Maggie protested ineffectually. He really was hard to resist, and she found herself responding to the touch of his hands along her legs and hips, and his kisses, which were now working their way down her collarbone.
“No, what you need is love. From me. Right now.” John said, pausing to look up at her and grin.
“So, you’re saying all I need is love?” Maggie asked innocently, batting her eye lashes at John coquettishly.
“Yes…” John began, squinting his eyes at her as he analyzed her innocent expression. One he’d seen far too often. “Love is all you need.”
“Love is all I need?”
“Love is all you need!” And with that, John attacked her with kisses once again, and Maggie attacked right back.
It turned out that John was right. Love is all you need.
June 25th, 1967
In a moment of insanity, John had decreed that he would be singing the vocals to “All You Need Is Love” live. This was insane because of John’s incredibly poor memory when it came to lyrics. He’d managed to mess up the second verse to Help! on The Ed Sullivan show, and that hadn’t even been his first time forgetting lyrics on TV. With the camera set-up the way it was here, John couldn’t have someone off-camera hold lyrics in front of him. Paul, always trying to one-up John, declared that he would play his bass part live. George simply shrugged knowing that he’d now have to do his solo live as well. Everything else had been pre-recorded, and after an intensive few weeks, was ready to go for the big day. This was no small feat thanks to all the sonic detail thrown into the song.
John, so confident before, was now very, very nervous. Maggie Sue stood with him, watching him chain smoke cigarette after cigarette. He’d cut down a bit on his smoking, partly in solidarity with George, but when he was under pressure or upset, the old habit came back in full force. All of the Beatles were dressed to the nines in Carnaby Street fashions - and this time Maggie Sue matched them. She would be in the crowd with their other musician friends, wives and girlfriends - and she couldn’t go on the BBC as a Beatle fiancé dressed as a 2006 grad student. It would never do. Pattie had taken her out shopping and between her and Mary Quant, Maggie had been dressed appropriately for the occasion. John’s only request in regards to her appearance was that her dress be red. Maggie had thought this rather romantic, and when Pattie had heard an abridged version of the story of her original red dress, she’d made sure Mary had a selection of red dresses available for Maggie to shop from.
Maggie smoothed her skirt down. It was shorter than she was used to, and when John had first seen it, it had made him leer delightfully at her. Right now, however, he was otherwise occupied.
“John!” Maggie scolded him. “Put the milk down!” He was swigging straight from a pint bottle.
“You sound like George Martin, luv. Stop nagging!” John looked at her over his granny glasses. “Or at least let me chew some gum if you don’t want me to drink the milk.”
“The milk’s not good for your voice and you’ll look awful chomping away on stage with the gum!” Maggie protested. She knew she was being unconvincing, as John had seen her put gum in her own mouth not long ago. Maggie resisted the urge to swallow it, hoping John had already forgotten.
“The milk worked well enough for Twist and Shout, didn’t it? And I like chewing gum. Helps the nerves,” John grumbled. “Luv, where’s my lighter? Go find one for me, there’s a good girl.” John patted his pockets, looking for his next cigarette.
Maggie sighed and gave up on talking some sense into John. He was nervous and stressed and she couldn’t blame him, though she knew he would do just fine. But when he was in a mood like this, it was better to let him alone.
George provided her with a lighter when asked, a guilty expression on his face. She gave him a hard look, but said nothing.
“Here you go,” she said, holding it out for John. Before he could grasp it, though, the lighter fell nervelessly from her fingers. Yoko bent over and picked it up, holding it up for John so she could light his cigarette.
“What are you doing here?” Maggie asked, uncaring that the question was rude.
“Luv, she’s here because I asked her to be here. Don’t be rude." John was curt and it stung Maggie to be scolded in front of Yoko.
Yoko smiled silently at Maggie.
“I have to return George’s lighter.” Maggie plucked the lighter out of Yoko’s hand.
She had to leave before the tears started coming. That meant leaving the two of them alone together to talk about what a bitch she was. Maggie had sworn she wouldn’t snap at Yoko, but the woman had a way of silently appearing wherever was least convenient for Maggie. It brought out the worst in her - silently she begged John to understand why she was prickly around Yoko, but there was no way he could know why she was having the reaction she was. She was going to have to tell him, but she just couldn’t bring herself to do it. Not yet.
Maggie silently handed George the lighter. He looked closely at her, and noticing a tear running down her face, wiped it away gently with a callused finger. “What’s wrong, luv?”
“Yoko.”
“She’s here?”
“She’s always around lately. Every time I turn around at a party or a dinner, she’s glued to John’s side. It’s like she just lurks in the shadows, biding her time for the opportune moment to jump out and strike. I don’t know what to do.”
George gave her a sympathetic smile. “I don’t know. But I’ll give it some thought, okay? I have to run through my solo a few more times before this thing starts, but we’ll talk after.” He wrapped his arm around her in a last hug before ducking out to find a private place to practice.
Maggie watched him leave, feeling strangely forlorn.
“If you’re done distracting our lead guitarist, Miss Margaret…” John cleared his throat behind her.
Maggie whirled around, surprised to see him there, and sans Yoko.
“John!” He grinned at her. She wondered if his last harsh remarks to her were forgotten. But they weren't.
“I’m sorry if I snapped at you back there, luv. I’m just so nervous. What if I forget the words?” John wrapped his arms around her melodramatically. “Oh, God, I hope I get the words right.”
She smiled, glad that he wasn’t totally disregarding her feelings, even in the state he was in. And frankly, she had been rude, though once again, John couldn’t have any idea why. “It’s okay, John. And you’ll be fine. I know it. Remember? Future Girl?” She pointed at herself.
“You’re right, you’re right, I know you’re right. Wait, how does the song start again? What’s the first line?” John panicked.
“There’s nothing you can do that can’t be done…” she prompted.
“Right, right.” He repeated the line to himself a few times and then took another swig out of the milk bottle he was still gripping.
“Places, people!” a tech shouted.
“I have to go. Pray for me,” John whispered. Then a lecherous grin came on his face and he pulled her in for a passionate kiss. When the tech shouted for places a second time, Maggie broke off the kiss unwillingly. Smiling, Maggie pushed John towards the other Beatles. “Go on! You’ll be late.” John gave her another quick peck, shoved the milk bottle at her, and ran off to join his bandmates.
Maggie had just sighed and put the bottle down on a nearby table when she realized she no longer had her gum in her mouth. John! A knowing smile crossed her face; clearly John had remembered that she’d had gum. It was okay, Maggie remembered seeing John chew gum in YouTube videos of All You Need is Love. Some things you just can’t change, she thought with a smile, which faded when she recalled Yoko. The thought suddenly seemed an ominous harbinger.
No, thought Maggie. She would put all thoughts of Yoko aside for now - she wouldn’t let tonight be ruined. Tonight was about peace and love, and it was just inappropriate to be focusing on the hope that Yoko would spontaneously combust. All you need is love, Maggie thought grimly, reciting the phrase again in her head like a mantra. All you need is love.
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Bad John for being clueless! Bad Yoko for being ....Yoko. Tune in next week to see what happens during the broadcast of All You Need Is Love! It would be really bad for Maggie Sue to kill Yoko on live TV, though I don't think any court would convict her, do you?
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Continue to Chapter Six
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