Tomorrow Never Knows: Chapter Six
Tomorrow Never Knows
Title: Chapter Six
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.
When we left off last time, Maggie was waiting for the All You Need is Love broadcast to start, and John was trying to remember the lyrics to his song. Will he mess up his song? Will Maggie start a brawl with Yoko? It's live TV, anything can happen!
So, dearest readers, turn off your mind, relax and join Maggie Sue on another one of her Beatle adventures.....
Previous updates located HERE!
Chapter 6
In the end, John resorted to scribbling the lyrics of his song on the back of an envelope, and a wire stand had been found for him. This small weakness of his, his poor memory for lyrics, was oddly endearing, as was, Maggie had to admit, the flower tucked behind Paul's ear. Paul looked so cheerful during the broadcast, so in his element. She didn't see any of the nerves that John or George had. Adding to her general goodwill towards Paul was the fact that he had been abnormally nice to her lately. She suspected it was at least in part so Maggie would give a good report of him to Linda. Even so, it was pleasant - Maggie had never wanted to be at odds with Paul, but Paul had taken an instant dislike to her and John's attachment to her. Things had been better over the last year, but it seemed that Linda had finally given them some common ground.
Maggie wished Linda could have been here, but she'd been unable to get away. Maggie had promised to take lots of pictures, and to call her afterwards to tell her about every detail. Maggie tried to memorize it all - Paul grinning and plucking away happily at his bass as John chomped on his gum - or rather her gum - and sang, hands clutching the headset he wore like a lifeline. George sat a little apart from John and Paul wearing bright orange pants. He'd picked the brightest thing he owned, as a joke for her - though he'd nodded approvingly when he'd seen her new dress.
Maggie knew George was nervous as well despite the smile on his face during the broadcast. She and Pattie had squeezed each other's hands until he was past his solo, looking at each other in relief when he’d played it well. Ringo gamely pretended to hit his drums along with the pre-recorded track. Maggie didn't watch him as closely, partially afraid that if she did, Maureen would misinterpret her interest.
The song and the performance would be legendary and Maggie couldn’t believe she not only got to witness it, but that she got to be in the broadcast itself. The only damper on it was the solitary black figure, like a blight amongst the crowd of colorful clothing and flowers. Not even the shower of confetti could wash away Maggie's unhappiness, and by the end of the song, she found herself in a sour mood. Being nervous for John, added to the stress of watching Yoko watch John, had made her just want to go home and hide under the covers. She wished there was a way to skip the after-party, but there was no way she was leaving John to Yoko.
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After the broadcast was done Maggie was gratified that she had been the first one John had sought out.
"Did I do alright, luv?" he asked.
"Was it ever in doubt?" She smiled back.
"Always in motion the future is, isn't it?" John said, paraphrasing Yoda. Maggie had been unable to resist showing him her favorite Star Wars movies while he'd been with her in 2006. They were both counting down the days until they could see the first one again in 1977. "I'll be an old man of 37!" John had said. "I won't even be born yet!" Maggie had replied, and he'd groaned something about robbing the cradle.
Now the after-party was in full swing; it seemed like all of Swinging London was there. There had been so much tension built up around the live broadcast that everyone was letting loose and letting go. After their brief exchange, John had given her a big hug and kiss, and then sent her off to find Pattie, as he’d wanted to talk with George Martin and the other EMI techs to see if the recording was okay.
Pattie was near the bar, drinking a glass of wine. When she saw Maggie, she snagged another from a passing waiter.
"Here's to our Boys!" Pattie said, raising her glass and handing the other to Maggie.
"Cheers!" Maggie clinked Pattie's glass.
"I'm so relieved it went well!" Pattie mimed swooning. "George has been practicing like crazy all week."
"John has been reciting the lyrics over and over all week, though he ended up writing them down anyway!" Maggie giggled. "Paul didn't look nervous at all, though!"
"It's too bad Jane couldn't have been here to support him, not that he looked like he missed her."
"I know, Jane wanted to come, but she couldn't get away from the set."
"Did you talk to her recently?"
"Yup, just the other night." Maggie knew that Pattie was dying to know the real dirt on Jane and Paul, so she was purposefully vague, knowing it would drive Pattie crazy, but also knowing she'd give in and give her the scoop.
"Okay, come on, Mags, do give it over. Did Jane say anything about Paul? I hear he's seeing someone on the side. Do you think she knows? Do you think she cares?"
"All right, all right," Maggie smiled. "We both know Jane and Paul want different things. It wasn't accidental that she took that movie in the US. I think she wanted some time apart from Paul to sort things out. I think she knows that something is up with him too. He was pushing her to get engaged until just recently. Now he's completely backed off the idea and hasn't brought it up in months. He even encouraged her to take this job - usually he just complains when she takes work that takes her this far away and for this long." Maggie didn't spill that she knew exactly why Paul was distracted and perfectly happy to have Jane a continent away.
"Hmm," Pattie was thoughtful. "That doesn't sound good for Jane. But maybe it's for the best. I'll miss her though. We had the most in common, of the wives, I mean." Pattie smiled to show she meant no offense to Maggie.
"I know; you and Jane do have the acting and modeling in common. But why will you miss her? Just because she and Paul may be over doesn't mean you can never see her again."
"It doesn't work that way with Beatle wives," Pattie said sadly. "It's just the way it is. We never see Cyn anymore, not that we had much in common anyway. But we did used to vacation together." Again, Pattie gave Maggie a big smile to soften her words.
"But, if you wanted to have tea with her or whatever, why don't you? I hope you aren't staying away for my sake. I certainly don't have any objection to any of you still seeing Cyn."
"Oh, John wouldn't like it," Pattie said quickly.
"I'm sure he wouldn't care. Besides, Paul still sees Julian..."
"It's just different," Pattie said. "You'll see." And that's all she would say on the subject.
Maggie looked at her watch - it'd been almost an hour since John had disappeared. He should have been bored of the technical talk 55 minutes ago. Maggie excused herself from Pattie so she could try to find him.
Pushing past someone wearing a large cardboard sign that spelled out "LOVE" in four different languages, she finally spotted John.
Maggie started to call out his name, but then she froze - he wasn't alone. Yoko was practically glued to his side. Unable to speak or move, Maggie studied them, forcing her brain to take them in, to process the scene logically. Maggie had decided that she'd been very irrational about the whole thing - something it was hard not to do, given what she knew. This time she was going to make her brain analyze the scene, to try to keep her emotions in check.
John was gesturing excitedly, occasionally leaning over towards Yoko, most likely to better hear her over the din of the crowd. He looked like anyone talking to a fellow party-goer, but at this point her brain choked on logic. This was JOHN AND YOKO. They looked natural together, like any of the hundreds of pictures she'd seen of the two of them over the course of their marriage. Pictures of them naked in bed together flashed through her mind. It was impossible to be dispassionate about John getting to better know the woman he would have spent his life with if Maggie hadn't interfered.
Maggie didn't know what to do - she wanted to scream and cry, to push Yoko away and make a scene, but there was no way she could do that. She didn't want to embarrass herself (or John) so publicly, in front of so many people. She was afraid if she went anywhere near them, she would end up snapping at Yoko, acting possessive or jealous. Should she try anyway, and risk not being able to control her behavior? She didn't think she could stand John calling her to task for her rudeness again, for him to take Yoko's side against her. She'd already had a very small taste of that and it had been unpleasant.
Maggie stood there, frozen with indecision, unable to keep the unhappiness from showing on her face.
After what seemed like eons, John glanced up from Yoko and spotted Maggie. From where she stood, Maggie could see his expression change. His brows creased in a frown - was he upset that Maggie was breaking up his time with Yoko? Was she an unwelcome interruption? Now Maggie really didn't know what to do. She wanted badly to fling her arms around him, and for him to wrap his arms around her, to know she was safe there.
But Yoko still stood there, looking implacable. Maggie's eyes dropped to the ground - she knew John must be able to sense the hostility towards Yoko radiating off her. She couldn't bring herself to look back up at him. Couldn't bear to see his frown, his disapproval. Suddenly, the room felt like it was closing on her. She needed air right now.
John watched as Maggie saw him, froze, and fled, looking very upset. Had someone upset her? Or was it him? Had he done something wrong without even realizing it? He'd simply gotten caught up in a conversation with Yoko about the Apple Boutique. He'd thought maybe they could feature some of her art in it, and he'd been telling Yoko what a wonderful job Maggie had done managing it, and how well it had been doing, when he'd spotted Maggie standing there, like a deer in headlights. And now she'd run off.
Concerned, John excused himself from Yoko and pushed his way into the crowd to find her.
~~~~~~
Maggie slammed through the outer doors and stood panting in the darkness, trying to breathe the cool night air, letting it soothe her.
“Maggie, luv, you are a naughty girl.”
She jumped - Mick had been hiding in the shadows, smoking a joint.
"You scared me!" she accused. "What are you doing out here, anyway?" Maggie wasn't happy to see Mick - in fact, she'd been trying to avoid him since their last exchange at the Pepper party. Plus, she just needed to be alone right now - now she'd have to hold her tears back. It would never do for Mick to see them.
Mick stood, stretching his lanky form. He offered her a puff of his joint politely, which Maggie declined equally politely. He wrapped a sinuous arm around her shoulder. “Naughty girl," he said again, shaking his finger at her. "Naughty to invite me to a rendezvous in the loo and then not have the decency to show. Tsk tsk," he said.
Maggie tried to hide how upset she was. "Sorry, Mick, I had somewhere to be."
“No worries, luv,” Mick shrugged. “I found some birds who were willing to console me for being stood up.” Mick licked his lips, gazing at Maggie thoughtfully. Maggie couldn’t help but notice a little more than the usual amount of lust in his eyes. Maybe she had taken the game up a level, by actually promising to meet up. “You are going to owe me one, though.”
Maggie couldn't keep the tears from her eyes anymore. She wiped her eyes furiously, ashamed for Mick to see her like this.
"Oh, luv, I'm sorry, don't cry," Mick said, taken aback. "I was only teasing."
"It's not you, it's ...." she stopped herself before she said 'John'.
"It's that Beatle, isn't it," he said sympathetically. He shook his head. "The Beatles break hearts, and the Stones have to put the pieces back together again. Don't worry, luv, I'll take care of you."
Mick's arm cradled her comfortingly, though she couldn't help notice that his hand was where it could brush casually across her breast.
Mick breathed into her ear, "Now, tell Uncle Mick where it hurts, and he'll kiss it and make it better..."
"Oh, stop it, Mick," Maggie said, slapping him lightly on the cheek. But she smiled at him, despite herself.
She heard the door beside her open, and she looked up, only to have the smile freeze on her face. It was John, a shocked express on his face. John probably couldn't see the tears still drying on her cheeks from where he stood. He would only see Maggie smiling with Mick leaning over her like they had been kissing in the dark.
Maggie glanced at Mick, who was studying the joint still held between the fingers of his left hand. The door slammed, indicating that John hadn't stuck around to sort out the scene that had been before him.
Shit!
Without another word, Maggie pushed Mick away and pulled the door open, frantically trying to catch John. She thought she spotted his light blue frock coat ahead of her to the right, and she followed it, but when she finally caught up, she realized it wasn't John. Where was he?
She looked around her desperately - he was gone.
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Oh noes! Teh Dramaz! First Yoko, now Mick - who is going to cause problems for Maggie Sue and John next?!
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Continue to Chapter Seven
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