“Johnny B. Goode!” Charlie yelled
Gabrielle pulled away from John and Paul and let them yell at the crowd for a bit. George wrappe d his arms around her and swayed her back and forth. “God. It’s so good to see you Gab”
“Yeah, you too” she pulled away and sneered “Didn’t come back with Syphilis though, did you?” George laughed “No, but guess what” he leaned forward conspiringly
“What” she whispered loudly
George looked around at their drummer and then turned back to her grinning broadly “Pete got the Hamburg throat *AND* crabs!”
Gabrielle laughed so hard she nearly fell of the stage. “Both?” she exclaimed, looking over George’s shoulder at Pete. He looked properly disgruntled but thank god he had enough good sense not to scratch himself in public. Oh, wait, there he goes, never mind.
“How long are you playing” she giggled, trying to remain serious “I need to talk to you”
“Uh” George looked at John and Paul, still hamming it up. John was smacking kisses on Paul’s cheek and yelling fondly in gibberish. Then he looked out at a blonde head Gabrielle recognized as Rory Storm. She spotted Ringo and decided to say hello later. “Dunno. Oi! John!”
John whipped around “Wot?”
“How long we’ve got?”
“Eh?” John whined and bounced on the balls of his feet “Dunno, we’ll do four songs”
“Right” George nodded “Wanna stay up here?”
Gabrielle snorted “And do a little dance? I think not”
“Gabby!” Paul waved at her and inclined his head towards his amp “Come ‘ead and sit here”
Gabrielle looked at George “Or” he said in that oh so George way “You could be a lazy git and sit on our amps”
She ruffled his new found mop top “Luv you Georgie, I think I’ll do that”.
The stage was small. That’s an understatement basically. And Pete’s small drum kit was roughly half of it’s size. The six amps (They’d gone from fifteen to thirty watts with the money they earned in Hamburg) were stacked and lined up near the left side of the stage where a brick wall was. The right side had stairs but girls had lined themselves up on them.
Paul came over and shook his mop top at her as she sat down. “What d’you think then?”
“About yer hair?” she grinned “I’m mad fer it. What was all that teasing George about”
Paul shrugged “The birds really go for it I guess. Dunno why”
Gabrielle giggled nervously. Oh how true it was. There was no special reason that she could put her finger on. But she was sure that Paul had gone from the third runner up in the Cute Beatle poll, to number one. It was quite odd.
“Gabby” he grinned and ran his fingers up the fret board of his bass “Yer staring, girl
“Oh yes, sorry” she was blushing so she took a sip form her beer and cleared her throat “Why doesn’t Pete have it”
“The hair?” Paul shrugged again “Me and John did it in France on the way back from Hamburg, er, and George did it last night. Pete’s being a silly arse about it. Wants to keep the Elvis do”
“Ooh” Gabrielle nodded “It looks nice”
“Ah, come on” he sidled up to her “You’ve got that randy look in your eye”
“I do not” she pushed him away “I much prefer my men not looking like woman”
Paul pouted swayed back and forth as if contemplating something. Another dormant bisexual comment most likely. “Well” he said hovering over her “Glad your back” and then he leaned down and kissed her. On the lips. Longer then he should have. Even if it was only a few seconds. He lingered there a bit too long and then shot backwards with a funny look on his face and bound over to John. “What we playing then?” he laughed
Gabrielle watched him go. Bastard. Stupid suddenly very good looking bastard. It wasn’t fair. How could that happen in two months. Oh god, why did she tell Shaz. What was going to happen if Shaz got pissed and started telling people with out meaning too. Oh god. She shot a look out at the corner where everyone was sitting. Shaz had her scarf wrapped around her head and was making everyone laugh. Ok. That was good. Typical Shaz.
“Gabrielle!” it was Pete.
She looked over at him and remembered the don’t kill yourself note and a smile graced her lips. “Wot?”
He was pointing to the ground near he feet “Hand me that screw thing. It fell off me drum kit”
“Bloody Christ Pete” John swore “Get a new fucking drum kit, man”
Pete ignored him “Ta” he muttered as she handed him the bit.
“Right, now, since Gabrielle has just emerged from her house for the first time in months” John was saying. Gabrielle groaned. God they wouldn’t make her sing would they? “And since you all probably missed her more then yea fuckin missed us.”
“We’re not German” George added.
“Yeah, anyway, we’re gonna do a song for her, that we wrote, Paul and I. If you don’t like it that’s to bad because we’re fucking doing it anyway. “
Gabrielle gabbed the edge of Paul‘s jacket to get his attention “You didn’t write a song about me”
John laughed “Christ, no. What would that sound like, ‘she won’t fuck me, what will I do?’ No. This is called ‘Love me Do’, Because..”
The three guitar wielding Beatles pushed their faces together and grinned cheerily at her “You know we love you” they sang. There was laughter and they started up the song. It wasn’t the first time Gabrielle had heard the song. They did it in Hamburg and usually got booed. She had an idea playing an original Lennon/McCartney was probably taking a lot of guts. She knew John especially was touchy about their original material. But if they were going for the topper most of the popper most they would have to.
Actually ‘Love Me Do’ went down surprisingly well. There was a roar from the crowd when the finished and the launched automatically into ‘Money’. Probably so the audience wouldn’t have time to boo.
The four songs were over before they began, after ‘Money’ they did a couple more fast tunes and then bowed over exaggeratedly. Paul was thanking them and telling them to press Cavern staff to hire them while John lit a fag and waved. Pete stood up in the middle of Paul’s promoting and grabbed a red head girl off the steps and then was gone.
Gabrielle sat patiently on her amplifier. The heel of her shoe was a bit bendy now. Damn it. Must have been from throwing it.
The remaining Beatles filed off the stage and made for the part of the room the Hurricanes were occupying.
“Oh Alan” John called
Alan turned around and sneered at them as the four approached “Rory, John. It’s Rory. Or do I need to start calling you Long John?”
John grimaced and flopped down in a seat “Do it, and I’ll beat the living shit outta yeah”
There were assorted chuckles
“Good enough?” asked George, Gabrielle was involuntarily cowering behind them as she didn’t know half these people. There were about ten girls, all draped over various hurricanes and their mates.
Rory smirked “It’s your hair you know. That’s all it is”
“Whatever you’ve got to go up there now” Paul laughed, he lifted his guitar strap over his shoulder and held the bass by the neck “We’re done. We need to get home and sleep. Still on Hamburg time”
“But,” said a pretty dark haired girl “Germany’s only an hour ahead”
Paul and Rory shared a look “Might as well be on the other side of the planet luv”
Gabrielle tapped George. Other side of the world. That’s right. She needed to tell them. How does one come out and say something like that.
“Er..” she started to say,
“Oh Gabby!” Rory said suddenly “I didn’t see you there luv, how the fuck are you?” he grabbed her hand and pulled her out into the little circle of people “Gabby, this is everyone”
There were assorted hullos and such “George’s…”
Two girls near Gabrielle’s elbow called attention to them selves “Girlfriend?” said one
“Sister?” asked the other
“Cousin?”
“Friend?”
“*special* friend”
There was giggling from the two girls. Gabrielle looked at George “He’s been my friend since forever” she smiled. He winked good naturedly at her.
“Oh you’re so lucky” said the dark haired girl from before. Gabrielle noticed Ringo had his arm around her. She wondered if this was his girl or just…. Another girl.
“Hello” Gabrielle waved at her
“Hi” she stood up “I’m Mo, Maureen Cox actually. Everyone calls me Mo” she held her hand out
“Nice to meet you” Gabrielle said shaking her hand “Ringo’s girl?”
“Yeah” she looked at Ringo and they smiled lovingly at each other “I am”
“Aw, he went on and on about you in Hamburg”
Mo looked up at her with surprised eyes as well as a few other people “You were in Hamburg?”
“Uh huh”
“Taking care of us” said John
“Not like that, though” added Paul
There was giggling again. Mo caught Gabrielle’s eye
“Er…” she said “Gabby, wanna go powder your nose with me?” she asked standing up
“Yes!” she said eagerly “I mean, er… Yeah, where’s the loo?”
Mo grinned “This way” she took Gabby’s elbow and directed her through the crowds of kids. Since there was no longer any music or entertainment they were amusing themselves. Still packed in tight as ever though.
“So” Mo was saying “You’re the famous Gab”
“And you’re the famous Mo”
She laughed “Am I famous”
Gabrielle shrugged “Dunno. Am I?”
“Well” she led her around a corner to a ladies room that was practically overflowing with girls. Gabrielle didn’t see the point in waiting in line to pee but she stood anyway. “You see, I heard that the Beatles brought their lady friend with them. I assumed, right, that it was some harlot”
Gabrielle laughed “Er, not quite”
“Yes. But I didn’t know it was *you*. Everyone knows about *you*”
Gabrielle shot her a sideways glance “They do?”
“Well I’ve seen you before, you know, you’re hard to miss being so tiny and pretty and all. But every time I see you you’re with those Beatles. And I’ve heard of George’s best friend being some bird. Didn’t know it was you” she laughed “I’m making you uncomfortable, sorry. I talk a lot and I’m not usually one for gossip”
Gabrielle pulled a face “Does this mean everyone thinks I’m a Beatle whore?”
“Nah” she shrugged “They just don’t know what to make of you”
She sighed “No one does. Mo, I’m really quite simple”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
She nodded “Me too. Wanna be mates?”
Gabrielle giggled “Wanna be mates? Yeah, why not”
“Great!” she giggled “Tell me about you that doesn’t have to do with the Beatles”
“Ah” Gabrielle paused and thought “Ok, why not”
**
“Where’s Gabby” Shaz whined latching onto George’s arm “I’m going *mad*”
George snorted and tried to shake her off “Shaz, you *are* mad”
She cackled “I know, but it’s worse now… who was that girl”
“Who?”
“The girl”
“Mo?”
“The girl?”
“With Gabby?”
“Yeah”
“Mo”
“Oh” Shaz nodded “Wher’ed they go?” she latched back onto George’s arm and he groaned
“I dunno, the loo I guess. Go find them”
“I wanna stay with you Georgie!” Shaz laughed madly
George just rolled his eyes. A wave of exhaustion rolled over him. Oh god. No sleep in two days. Just constant madness. The last week had been a blur to George. Paul and john left first then he’d been stranded at Astrid and Stu’s. Stu had thankfully gotten better and wasn’t moping around anymore. In fact he’d gotten on stage with them several times since Gabby left.
George remembered Paul and John where going home and had him meet them.. . Something like that. He couldn’t remember. It was to much of a haze and he’d run out of pills more then half the way through it. Why was he still awake.
He stumbled into Shaz “George” she laughed
“I need to get home Shaz” he moaned “Before I pass out”
“Oh wait” she put her hand on his arm “Gabby needed to tell you something”
“Well, where is she?”
“I.. Uh. Well how the fuck should I know?”
“I dunno. Was it important?”
Shaz bit her lip. Uh. Only a little. Only the whole New York thing. She could tell George. Then she would be killed. Killed by Gabby. It wasn’t her place to tell. “Yes. But it can wait”
“Great” eh started for the rickety old stairs “If you see someone tell them I went ’ome”
Shaz nodded and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear “On you own”
George turned to look at her “I’ll be fine. Go find Freddy”
Shaz grinned wildly “Ok! I will. See you around George. Don’t get hit by a bus”
“I’ll try” he called shouldering his guitar case and disappearing around the dark corner.
**
“I am so Jealous” Mo sighed for the eighth time since she was let in on the news of Gabrielle’s departure for America “I mean. So, so very jealous”
Gabrielle shrugged and watched Mo powder her nose, reapply lipstick, fix her smudged eye shadow and brush her hair. God that looked like an awful lot of work. Mo saw her watching and held a hand o her mouth while she giggled “I’m so Jealous!”
Gabrielle snorted
“Think of all the cute Americans you’ll meet”
Gabby shrugged “Ok, I’ll send one to you”
Mo laughed and took her arm again leading them out of the bathroom and past the line and back into the club. Shaz was standing near the exit with a rare pensive look on her face. She saw them and waved madly.
“Gabby! Gabby George left!”
“Who’s that?” whispered Mo
“My friend Shaz. Sharon, but we call her Shaz. She’s a bit mad” Gabrielle explained.
Shaz ran over to them and took a deep breath “George was tired so he went home and I nearly told him about New York but I didn’t think you’d want him to know so I kept me Gob shut but now he’s going home to rest since he’s not slept in a while and ran out of Prellies, I don’t really know what prellies are but I guess they kept him awake and he told me that if I saw you to tell -you so that’s what…I’m…er… doing”
All in one breath
“You’re right” said Mo with a grin “She’ is mad”
“Ta” Shaz grinned “Who’re you”
“Maureen Cox, call me Mo. I’m Ringo Starr’s Girlfriend”
“Ooh” Shaz giggled “He’s quite yummy”
“Yes, he is” Mo grinned
Gabrielle frowned “He went home?”
“Yes”
“He was tired?”
“Yes”
“He ran out of pills?”
“Uh” Shaz looked hesitant “Prellies, what are they?”
“Nothing” Gabrielle shook her head and sighed “Oh well, I’ll give him a few days and then go tell him”
“About New York?” Mo wanted to know, she clicked her tongue “I guess that’s the only down part”
Shaz gasped “So *what*? George will be here forever and so will all of us. You get to go to New York luv!”
“I know” Gabrielle sighed “And I want to go it’ll just be sad having to leave you all again”
The Hurricanes started on stage. Maureen and Shaz ‘Ooed’ in delight and started to dance. Gabrielle did as well. But just a little bit less jovial as she was before.
For some reason it was just less fun now.