@@@@
Ashley was laughing so hard she couldn't breathe, rolling around on the
floor as much as the glass case would allow. Lucy was doubled over in
laughter also, wiping the tears from her eyes on the red three quarter
length sleeve. She was wearing the same outfit she had worn to the club the
night of the arrest (so to speak). Lucy gazed up lovingly at Ringo, who
returned her smile, wielding the wire cutters victoriously. She blew him a
kiss.
Ashley finally finished, standing up but leaning heavily on the glass. She,
too was wearing the same outfit she had worn to the club that fateful night.
Looking up to George, he smiled, giving her the thumbs up. Ashley laughed
softly, wishing she could be there with him.
"Well, at least we can try a different song and hope for the best?" Jeff said, being optimistic.
"I Do...A Capella," Nick said, giving the count off. Paul sighed. He hated singing this one.
"I do, cherish you, for the rest of my life, you don't have to think twice, I will love you still..." It was a good performance, much to the Beatles dismay, and it got good marks from Superiors.
"We have to think of something else!" George thought.
"John...let's sabotage the sound system. just turn the mics off for a second or 120! then they would be missing half of the song, and the superiors would have to mark them down!" John looked at George, a gleam in his eye.
"I don't know...that's rather risky, don't you agree?" He asked.
"No!" Ringo sighed. "I need Lucy back, George. We can't sabotage too much...we might be disqualified, and I will never see her again...oh God," he said thinking about how terrible that would be for him.
"If I could never see Ashley again...we WILL win, we shouldn't talk about that. We will win." John nodded.
"I don't have as much at stake as you two do. I'll do it."
"It's the hardest thing I'll ever have to do, to turn around and walk away pretending I don' t love you It's the hardest thing I'll ever have to lie to pretend I don't notice when you start to cry..." they sang with power. The superiors were going to write down good marks for sure. John ran over to the control board behind the stage and began to hit buttons. He accidentally changed the colors of the lights on stage, and speeded up their musical track they were singing from (they couldn't get a live band, so they had to use a tape). He finally found the volume one. He turned it all the way down so that their voiced disappeared. The faces of 98 Degrees wrinkled as they realized their voices were not projecting.
"IT'S THE HARDEST THING I'LL EVER HAVE TO DO-" Nick began shouting. The others followed him, but it still sounded bad, and it was hardly a harmonious part at all. Suddenly, John turned their mics up full blast, and their loud voices nearly deafened everyone in attendance. The angels shook their heads and wrote down comments. John smiled in victory and took his place next to his other two band mates.
"We can't sabotage anymore. The Superior Angels are going to get suspicious," Ringo said, Eyeing Lucy, who's eyes were locked on him. He smiled and waved and her face brightened.
The song ended, and 98 Degrees abandoned the stage, sulking at all of their mishaps. Paul looked bright and happy though.
"BRITNEY JEAU SPEARS, TAKE YOUR PLACE ON THE STAGE!" angel #004 roared. Frightened at her name being called so loudly, she dropped to her knees and began bowing to the angels repeating over and over again "I am not worthy, Godly figures!" Angel #004 looked clearly amused.
"RISE, YOUNG INSOLENT GIRL, AND TAKE THE STAGE!" Britney rose, and walked away from the Angels. She got on stage and took off her long coat to reveal a short skirt and a midriff. Ashley collapsed laughing inside her little pod. Lucy did the same. it was quite funny to see someone barely dressed in the middle of winter. George shook his head at the sight of the young girl. She looked immensely pathetic.
"ARE YOU READY TO START YOUR PERFORMANCE, BRITNEY JEAU SPEARS?"
She nodded her head quickly and adjusted her mic. Suddenly, her music started. She began some sort of weird, jerky dancing motion that looked terrible due to her nervousness.
"Oh baby baby, how was I supposed, to know. That something wasn't right, yeah. Oh baby baby I shouldn't have let you go, and now you're outta sight, yeah Show me...I don't remember the words, tell me baby, 'cause I need to know now, because-" Paul cringed. He had never heard something so out of tune in his life. His bass never even got that pathetic. In fact, he wished that he could be in one of those sound proof pods at that moment. George was thinking the exact same thing....for a different reason. Britney got off step and fell down.
"Oof!" she cried loudly. The Superior Angels shook their heads at the pitiful sight. Her song finally ended, and she smiled wanly and began her next song.
"Oops I did it again, I played with your heart, got lost in the game, oh baby baby, oops you think I'm in love...don't remember the words..I'm not that innocent ," She sang rather shakily.
"Does anyone hear a pattern here?" Paul asked.
"All her songs sound the same. Wow...there is hardly and originality at all in the Year 2000!" Ringo said.
Ashley was pushed up against the glass, trying to ignore Britney's flailing limbs that seemed to be hard to miss. She studied George carefully. She had faith that they were going to win, but even so, she had to get a mental picture she could never forget. She sighed and wondered how exactly she got in this mess. Ashley hated the quiet. She couldn't stand it. So, to entertain herself, she began singing Beatles songs at the top of her lungs. Lucy caught on to what she was doing. She smiled at her attempt to lighten up the situation, but it wasn't working.
"Won't someone PLEASE shut her up?" George asked irritably. "I can't take much of her squealing any longer!" She had already started her next song.
"You drive me CRAZY!" She yelled confidently.
"Uuugggghhhh," John said, covering his ears.
"THAT WILL BE ENOUGH!" Angel 002 said, which sounded more like a plea than a command.
"But I'm not DONE!" Britney protested.
"EVACUATE THE STAGE OF ALL OF YOUR EQUIPMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!" Britney sulked off the stage. George sighed.
"It's time."
"BEATLES, TAKE YOUR PLACE ON STAGE!!!" A booming voice roared. The Beatles began lugging equipment up on the stage. John looked up and saw a car pull up. All the members of Sporadic jumped out. Ringo smiled as he lugged the drum kit on stage. He saw Candy wave at him. He continued to set up. George plugged in a guitar and started to tune it. John was concentrating on plugging things in, something he had learned from the guys in Metallica. Paul was pacing back and forth distractedly. He knew that they had sabotaged 98 Degrees set, but what would they do to them? Hopefully nothing at all. Paul sighed and picked up his bass.
"Yay, Paulie!" Britney yelled. Sam gave her the finger, and she gasped. Paul smiled and tried not to laugh. The moments between the sets were tense. Lucy and Ashley were glues to the windows. When George finished tuning his guitar, he walked up to the glass and put his hands where Ashley's rested. She felt like she was in a prison cell.
"I love you," she mouthed to him.
"I love you, too," he mouthed back. He blew her a kiss and turned around to help finish setting up. About five minutes later, Ringo walked up to Lucy.
"I wish I could kiss you," he said quietly, knowing that she couldn't hear him. "God, I wish I could kiss you." She nodded, and felt a tear slide down her cheek. It broke her heart to know that he loved her so much and she loved him in return, but there was nothing they could do about it.
"BEATLES, ARE YOU READY FOR YOUR PERFORMANCE!!!" they all nodded solemnly. John looked over at George, and he winked for him to start.
"Wun, two, three, fow, wun, two-" He broke into the song, smiling wearily over in Ashley's direction. It was going to be a hard, bloody battle...but the Beatles were determined to win the war.
"COS I'M THE TAXMAN, YEEEAH I'M THE TAXMAAAAN!!!" Ashley screamed at the top
of her lungs, singing to George's lip synching. She knew he was singing, but
she couldn't hear him, no matter how she longed to. A tear rolled down her
cheek, but she quickly wiped it away.
"AND YOU'RE WORKING FOR NO-ONE BUT MEEEE!!!" Ashley practically collapsed,
trying to catch her breath. She felt quite silly, but didn't really care.
Lucy watched Ashley in amusement, laughing at the sight of her friend
singing her lungs out. Her gaze slowly shifted to Ringo, who was playing
with her drumsticks, bashing away with gusto. She pressed her nose up
against the glass like a kid outside a candy store, and Ringo saw her and
winked. Lucy sighed, sitting down forlornly, her knees tucked to her chest,
staring at Ringo hoping that everything would turn out for the better.
They're going to win...aren't they?
@@@@
"Drew! Get over here!" Nick hissed furiously. Drew scurried to his side, arm
in a sling.
"What?"
"Those Beatle jerks sabotaged our show. Now's our chance to get back! I've
got an idea! C'mon!"
Drew followed Nick to the control board behind the stage. Nick pulled out a
small pair of wire cutters, and went to work. He snipped a wire here,
twisted two together there, until his plan was complete. Drew watched
nervously.
"Nick, is this a good idea? I mean, we could get disqualified for�"
"If those jerks can get away with it, so can we! Now, help me!"
@@@@
George stepped back from the microphone, taking a deep bow. The other three
followed his lead, looking to the judges hopefully. The superior angels
conversed for a moment.
8.5, 9.5, 9.0, 9.5
The Beatles smiled brightly, and George blew Ashley a kiss, mouthing an "I
love you". She smiled weakly, nodding. This was clearly taking it's toll on
his angel, George noted sadly. He stepped back for a moment to change
guitars to acoustic, plugging in the microphone to amplify the sound. He
gave it a quick strum to tune it.
A huge shock went flying through George's body, and he fell over backward,
dropping the guitar with a loud curse. He stood up quickly and shakily.
Ashley was pressed against the side of her pod, screaming his name urgently.
"George!" John ran over, his twelve-string acoustic bouncing against his
chest. "Are you alright?" George nodded, his eye catching a movement over
John's shoulder. He saw Nick and Drew scamper out from behind the stage.
"They're sabotaging our act." George said angrily. John's brow furrowed.
"Hang on a minute." John walked over to Paul, telling him quickly what
happened. The Superior Angels began to whisper among themselves, pointing to
the stage. George smiled nervously, stepping up to the microphone.
Ashley knew what was coming, but even with all her screaming, jumping and
waving her arms, George didn't see her.
"Uhm�sorry, we're having technical difficulties, so�" Suddenly, the
microphone gave George another massive shock, and he fell over again,
stunned. Ringo jumped down from his platform to help George up. Ashley
screamed, starting to cry.
"GEORGE!! They can't do this!" She sobbed, cursing 98 Degrees under her
breath.
John, Paul, George and Ringo huddled together for a moment, Ashley and Lucy
watching with worry and confusion. They split up, running off the stage. The
Superior Angels watched with confusion.
"BEATLES, DO YOU FORFEIT?"
"No!!! We just need�uh�a quick break!" Paul shouted back, darting around the
back of the stage. Ringo raced by Lucy's pod, blowing her a kiss. George ran
by Ashley, tapping at the glass reassuringly. John headed off the back of
the stage.
They reunited behind the stage, staring at the twisted, mangled wires in
shock.
"Shit," John breathed. "This is going to take hours."
"Well, we don't have hours, so get to work!" George cried, delving into the
wires.
Luckily for the Beatles, the wires were in four sections, each one
color coded. All they had to do was untwist the colors whose colors didn't
match and reunite them with the proper match. George worked furiously,
finishing before the others. He quickly jumped over to help Ringo.
"Ringo," He asked shakily. "Do you think we'll win?"
Ringo gave him a shocked look. "Of course!"
"But�what if we don't? I'll never see Ashley again, and I don't think I
could live without her�" He twisted together a pair of wires with shaking
hands.
Ringo finished, twisting together one last bunch. He laid a hand on George's
shoulder. "George," He said slowly. "I know what you mean. I don't think I'd
be able to live without Lucy, either, but all we can do is win this thing
and beat the crap outta 98 Degrees and Britney�" Ringo thought for a moment,
"Then again, I doubt we have to worry about Britney�"
Paul and John finished, and the four quickly returned to the stage. George
gingerly strummed his guitar, and it played softly as it was supposed to, no
major electric shocks involved. He quickly ran to Ashley, who was jumping up
and down with joy and nervousness. She smiled at him, mouthing "Good luck!"
He nodded. "Thanks."
On his way back to the stage, Ringo lingered for a moment by Lucy. He
pressed his hand against the glass where Lucy held hers. He mouthed a quick
"I love you", and she smiled wanly, nodding. Ringo quickly jumped back up to
his platform, adjusting his drums slightly. With a wink at Lucy, he whipped
out his tambourine for the performance of You've Got To Hide Your Love Away.
"Here I stand, Head in hand, turn my face to the wall. If she's gone I can't go on, feeling two foot small-" John sang soulfully. He tried to concentrate on what he was doing, but his mind kept wandering. What would happen if they didn't win...What would happen if they went back to the year 1968...and Paul wasn't with them? Would the world assume Paul was dead..AGAIN? Would they have to get a new Paul? What if George and Ringo never got to see their angels again? It was quite unusual for them to fall so madly in love so quickly...and with supernatural figures. Had John not been singing, he would have laughed at the shape of his world. Hell...he wasn't even alive.
"HEY, you've got to hide your love away."
Ringo hit his tambourine solemnly on every other beat of the song. All he could think about was seeing Lucy again. He had no idea what that angel had. It was some kind of charm...something he had never seen before in any other woman he had ever met or known. She was so compassionate, and caring, even when the situation was at its worst. He didn't know why he felt such a strong connection to her, but he just couldn't help himself. He knew that he had fallen hard for this exquisite angel, and he didn't regret a minute of his admiration.
Paul played his bass with determination. There was no way in hell he was going to be stuck in the year 2000 with those fiends. The Beatles were going to win, and he was going to go back to the '60's, and his life was going to continue as if there had been no interruption. Granted, he was going to miss Ashley. He really did admire her for her spunk and charisma, but he wasn't madly in love with her...that was George's crazy thing. He sighed and thought of his own bed...his house and his life. This was some strange, fake reality, and he just wanted out of the chains.
George was still a little stunned from the shocks he had sustained, but he continued to play skillfully without fault. Still, in the back of his mind, all he could think about was Ashley. Oh, Ashley. He never thought he would ever pine for someone like her. She was unbelievable...and he knew he would never take his time with her for granted again. If he ever got anymore time with her. He shook his head, trying to shake her out of his mind and concentrate, but her name was velcroed to his brain, and her picture was burned in the back of his eye lids.
They finished the song, and the Superior Angels enjoyed it, with marks ranging from 7.5 to 9.5. John sighed, happy that his turn was over. Next, Ringo was up, singing act naturally. He sighed, and looked to Lucy for encouragement, which she gladly gave. And then he started the song.
Lucy stared at Ringo the whole time he played. He was so innocent looking as he pounded on his drums. No one in the world knew how much she wanted to break out of her jail cell and go cling to him. Well...maybe Ashley, but she didn't think that Ashley was paying that much attention to Ringo. She was sitting down in the bottom of her pod, staring longingly out her window. She had a hand on the glass, as if it were some kind of link to the outside world. Her breath had fogged up the window around her. Lucy sighed. Ashley was going to turn into a nut case if they didn't end this quickly...not that she wasn't already.
"They're gonna put me in the movies. They're gonna make a big star out of me," Ringo sang, unfazed by all the distractions as people began to show up, wondering what exactly was going on. He was getting into it, and he was loving it. But, he kept sneaking peaks at Lucy, who would always return his distant gaze with an enthusiastic wave. he found renewed strength through her.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
"Britney, there is no way in HELL you are going to win this thing!"
"Am SO!!! The judges....they LOVED me.....those Godly beings...they liked me, I could tell," she said timidly.
"Britney......SHUT UP! Good God, you were terrible! You forgot half the moves, and you looked like you were on laxatives when you were dancing, for God's sake!" Justin said.
"I did not!" she said, pouting.
"I hate this song," Nick said plainly. "It sucks."
"I kinda like it," Drew said. Nick threw him a threatening glance.
"I have ALWAYS liked the Beatles, damnit! This is a once an a life time chance for me so shut up!" Nick rolled his eyes.
"Traitor," he muttered under his breath.
"AAAAHHHHH!!!!!" Drew yelled, lunging at his brother. "I AM SICK OF BEING MADE FUN OF IN YOUR SHADOW!!" he spat angrily.
"Drew...what, are you NUTS?! GET OFF!!" He said, smacking him across the face.
"Hey guys, now is just not the time for a family squabble," Jeff said. Drew had Nick penned down.
"Guys!" Britney whined. "DON'T FIGHT!" Suddenly, Drew kissed Britney.
"EEEewwwwwwwww!!!!! I was saving that for PAULIE!!!" She whined.
"GOD DAMNIT I HATE HIM!!!" Drew said.
"HEY, PAUL!! DREW HAS YOUR WOMAN!!!" Justin yelled to the stage. The Superior angels turned around to see what all the chaos was. The Beatles finished their song in a state of confusion, and Ashley and Lucy were screaming from their pods.
"He can have her," Paul said in his mic.
"NOOOOOOO!!! YOU LOVE ME PAULIE!! YOU LOVE ME!!!" Britney said. She tried to run away, but Drew grabbed onto her leg. He was still on top of Nick, who was ready to kill his younger brother.
"SILENCE!!!" The Superior Angels called loudly. Everything stopped. "ANOTHER MISHAP LIKE THIS, AND NO ONE WILL REIGN CHAMPION."
"IF I DON'T GET PAULIE, NO ONE DOES!!!!!!" Britney screamed wildly, lunging for the stage.
Britney tackled Paul, sending Candy's bass flying from his hands. It fell,
unharmed, a few feet away. Britney clung to Paul, refusing to let go.
"Britney...GET OFF!!!"
"NO!!!"
Paul sighed. "Please?" Britney looked confused for a moment.
"What?"
"I said please." She looked at him strangely.
"Oh, well, since you asked so nicely..." Britney got up, dusting herself of
and flipping her hair over her shoulder. The rest of the Beatles tried
desperately to control their laughter at her stupidity. John gave Paul a
hand to help him up, then handed him an acoustic guitar. Paul took it
wearily, brushing himself off and trying to forget the previous scene. He
perched himself on a provided stool, tuning his guitar. The other Beatles
watched on nervously; they weren't playing for this song. It was all up to
Paul now. He had to save himself, Ringo's sanity and Lucy, and George's
love, Ashley. He gave Ashley a warm smile, and she waved enthusiastically.
Turning to the Superior Angels, Paul began.
"Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away, now it looks as though..."
"GET OFF THE STAGE!!!" A rude passerby shouted. "YOU'RE NOWHERE NEAR AS GOOD
AS THE REAL BEATLES!!" John gave him the finger obligingly. Paul ignored
them, singing a bit louder.
"Oh, I believe in yesterday. Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be..."
Britney started sobbing. Nick wrinkled his nose. "What's your problem?"
"Paulie doesn't like meee!!!" She wailed, blowing her nose on Drew's hat. He
ripped it out of her hands, then tossed it in a nearby trash can.
"Nasty."
"Why she had to go, I don't know, she wouldn't say. I said something wrong,
now I long for yesterday..."
George snuck over to Ashley's pod, holding his hands to the glass. She
pressed her hands on his, then leaned her forehead against the glass sadly.
"I love you," She mouthed. George felt a tear slide down his cheek.
"I know. I love you, too. I hope you know," He said sadly. "If I never see
you again." His heart was ripped apart seeing her like this. Ashley's hair
was a mess, and she looked tired and ragged. But her eyes still held the
same excited, hopeful glimmer that George loved so much. He wanted to just
hold her tight, but clearly that wasn't going to happen, he thought
bitterly.
"Yesterday, love has such an easy game to play..." Ringo related unhappily
to those lyrics. Why an angel? He snorted. God does have a sense of humor,
he thought. Ringo gazed at Lucy, who was singing along with Paul, but
returning Ringo's gaze. He smiled, waving weakly.
John glared at the gathering crowd, looking viciously for any others who
dared to provoke him. He had his heart set on winning this, and no passerby
was going to ruin it for them. John knew that they had to win this. For all
Beatles fans, so they could go back to the sixties a complete band to
continue their composing and recording. For Paul, to save him from the grip
of 98 Degrees or the sickeningly sweet grasp of Barbie Girl. For Ringo, who
would probably go completely off his rocker should he never saw Lucy again.
And for George, who was glued to Ashley's pod, gazing into her eyes. John
shook his head, not wanting to even think about what would happen to his
little mate if he never saw Ashley again. He did know one thing; it wouldn't
be pretty.
Paul sang softly and with as much feeling as he could muster. He knew it was
all depending on him, and it didn't give him much comfort to think that he
may have to stay in this despicable year with 98 Degrees for the rest of his
life. As nice as it might be for the people who were born here, Paul wanted
to go back. Badly. So he sang.
"Why she had to go, I don't know, she wouldn't say. I said something wrong,
now I long for yesterday..." And he did long for yesterday, when he was safe
and sound in the 60's. Paul snuck quick peeks left and right. George was
still glued to Ashley's pod, the two looking into each other's eyes lovingly
and hopefully. Paul wouldn't let them down. John was looking rather bored,
but still nervous as hell. Ringo and Lucy gazed at each other across the
stage, both in their own little world.
"Now I need a place to hide away, oh I believe in yesterday...hmm mm mm mm
mm hmmm hmmmm..."
Britney wailed loudly as Paul finished singing. Jeff smacked her upside the
head hard, and she stood up angrily, fists clutched at her sides. Jeff
stared at her, astonished. She advanced, and Jeff took a step back.
"Uh...sorry?"
With an inhuman growl, Britney launched her catty self at Jeff, pinning him
to the ground.
"YOU SONUVABITCH!! You don't realize how much my little Paulie MEANS to me,
damnit!!!!" Jeff would've laughed if she weren't beating him senseless. The
other three members of 98 Degrees dragged Britney kicking and spitting off
Jeff, who sat on the grass with a stunned look on his face.
Paul started to laugh. Just a little, nervous laugh at first, but it quickly
crescendoed until he fell off the stool, rolling on the stage
laughing hysterically, his guitar cast unceremoniously to the side. All eyes
were on Paul as he convulsed on the floor.
"Paul...?" John asked softly, stepping up to Paul. "Paul, are you ok?"
Paul looked up at John, tears streaming down his face. "Hahaha! Oh, I'm just
peachy-keen, Johnny! Just lovely!" He laughed even harder at that, and
John's brow furrowed.
"Uhm...ok..." George and Ringo came over, hoisting the hysteric Paul to his
shaking feet and slinging his arms over their shoulders, Ringo on the left,
George on the right.
"It's the stress," Ringo said plainly. "It's just gotten to him. Good thing
this happened *after* he was finished." The others nodded, agreeing
wholeheartedly.
The superior angels whispered quietly about the curious sight on stage, but
their quiet words quickly changed to a heated debate considering the winner
of the celestial battle. A heavy silence hung over the entire gathered mass,
from the haggard-looking boyband, trying to separate the two feuding
siblings, to the silicone queen, trying to salvage her hairstyle and her
pride. From the silent crowd that could clearly tell the gravity of this
decision, to the six on stage, two trying to save their careers, two couples
trying to keep their loves. Not a whisper went through the tense air as one
of the superiors rose.
"WE HAVE MADE A DECISION."
All the parties rose to the sudden voice of the angel. The Angels in the pods were brought to attention by the sudden voice of the angels. While they were still in the pods, they were no longer soundproof.
"THE BEATLES HAVE COME OUT ON TOP WITH THE HIGHEST SCORE AND ARE THE DECLARED WINNERS." The angels spoke with a steady tone.
"YEEEEEESSSSS!!!!" Paul cried, jumping up into the air.
"NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" Britney wailed.
"SILENCE!" The angels called. "THE BEATLES ARE BEING STRIPPED OF THEIR TITLE." their celebrating stopped, as they looked at the Superiors in an uncomfortable silence.
"Wh-what?" George asked, his voice stuttering.
"THE PERFORMANCE OF 98 DEGREES WAS SABOTAGED BY THE THREE MEMBERS OF THE BEATLES WHO WERE NOT PERFORMING. YOU HAVE BROKEN A RULE, AND THEREFORE ARE DISQUALIFIED FROM THE COMPETITION." Everyone's mouth hung open. Ashley and Lucy began sobbing large, desolate tears. All of their hopes vanished before their eyes. The members of 98 Degrees high fived each other.
"DO NOT CELEBRATE. THE MEMBERS OF 98 DEGREES SABOTAGED THE BEATLES SET, AND THEREFORE ARE DISQUALIFIED." Everyone's mouth hung open.
"Oh my God!! that means I am the winner!! I get a Paulie! I get a PAULIE!!" Britney yelled excitedly. Superior angel #002 looked at Britney skeptically.
"WE ARE VERY STRICT IN OUR RULES. BECAUSE WE ARE SO STRICT, WE CANNOT ALLOW HER TO WIN...WE JUST CAN'T ALLOW HER TO WIN...SO-"
"I won, FAIR AND SQUARE!!" Britney protested.
"IT WOULD BE WRONG OF OUR CONGREGATION TO ALLOW A....PERSON SUCH AS YOU TO HAVE POSSESSION OF A PERSON LIKE JAMES PAUL MCCARTNEY. SO, WE HAVE DECIDED TO LET JAMES PAUL MCCARTNEY CHOOSE HIS PATH." Paul sighed. This was much easier.
"I choose the Beatles!" He said enthusiastically. The Angels nodded. Paul of course wasn't paying attention to his co-band mates. He was so happy that he could return to the '60's that he didn't notice George on his knees, tears descending slowly down his sunken cheeks. He didn't notice Ringo, who couldn't bare to look at Lucy for fear that he would burst into tears. He didn't notice the two angels sobbing against the glass in their pods. He was oblivious to everything accept the fact that he would be returning to the '60's.
"Um...Superior Angels...what will happen to Lucy and Ashley?" John asked meekly.
"BECAUSE OF YOUR FAULTS IN SABOTAGING THE SET, THEY WILL GO BACK TO HEAVEN, AND THEIR RECORDS WILL REMAIN. HOWEVER, YOU WILL GET TO SPEND THE REST OF THE EVENING WITH THEM. THAT WILL BE THE LAST TIME YOU SEE THEM." At this news, Ringo broke down. He hadn't believed in love in first sight...not until he saw Lucy. And now...he was being deprived of the love of his life. His Lucy...his beautiful, charismatic, Lucy was being taken from him. He could never have thought of a more harsh estrangement. He grabbed the olive grass in his hands and tore it out by the handfuls. George had already gotten up to go to the pod to see Ashley.
"I-I-love you so much...just...know that before...you get taken..away," George said, longing to take her in his arms and tell her that everything was going to be okay. Nothing was going to hurt them or ever take them apart, but that was the most faux reality that existed.
Suddenly the glass melted and Ashley fell hard into George's arms.
"Please don't make them take me away....please...don't let them take me away from you," she sobbed. She felt so alone and barren inside, and she was pleading like a four year-old, but nothing mattered at that moment. She couldn't even wish for death...she already had that. He stroked her hair, trying to keep his composure, but it wasn't working.
"Oh...oh sweet heart...please don't cry...please don't cry...." he said, contradicting his own words.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
Lucy stumbled around and found her way to Ringo. He was sitting on the ground, his hands caked with earth.
"Lucy? Oh God...They are going to take you away from me...they are going to FUCKING TAKE YOU AWAY!!!!" He yelled, not particularly at her, but to anyone. "Why, Lucy? Why are they doing this? HOW can they have the heart to take you away from me, my precious, precious Lucy? How can they stand to see my heart ripped apart in two? How?" Lucy shook her head in a loss for words, and just wrapped him in an embrace.
"The love of my life...the only person I have ever felt such a love for...and they are taking you away. I don't even want to go to the '60's anymore...I don't want to go back...I just want you." She nodded solemnly.
"I love you, Ritchie...I do...oh, God, I do," she said, feeling her entire world take an immense land slide. She didn't even care anymore, not in the slightest.
~~**~~**~~**~~
Paul had finally realized what was going on around him. He felt guilty for being so happy for himself and looked around at the chaos going on. Nick and Drew were bloody and not speaking to each other. The entire band was in a terrible uproar. Britney was in a corner sobbing. George and Ashley were holding each other, swaying back and forth on stage. Both of them were crying. Ringo and Lucy were sitting down on the grass, Ringo in more hysterics than Lucy, who was keeping quite a level head. Paul found this a little strange-Lucy was the last person he imagined would be keeping a level head. John was standing off to the side, looking extremely uncomfortable. The members of the band Sporadic had already left. They couldn't take the atmosphere, and they didn't want to be depressed. The Superior Angels had already gone back up to the Heavens. Paul walked over to John.
"Well, what do you think?" Paul asked.
"I have never in my life seen two men so messed up over two women," he said, quietly observing two of his best mates.
"But, they aren't women, Johnny. they are angels...The most beautiful angels that will ever grace our presence, no doubt, but still, they are angels. And as much as I love Ashley...They are angels, and they belong in Heaven. The supernaturals and the humans don't mix, John," Paul said quietly.
"I know it...but why does it hurt so much to watch their pain...think of yourself in that situation, Paul, God damnit! What if the love of your life was being taken away and there was nothing you could do about it. It's almost like...they are dying in front of our eyes," John said quietly.
"They are already dead...God, this is the most awful situation. I feel so bad for being happy in the beginning." John nodded.
"Don't worry about it, that was only natural." Suddenly, Paul felt a timid tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see Britney standing there.
"Can I go back to the '60's with you, Paulie? Please? I'll be a good little Brit-Brit, I promise!!" She begged.
"Britney..you belong in the year 2000. I belong in '60's. I'm sorry it can't work out like you want...we're just not meant for each other."
"But-But PAULIE!!! I loooove you! Please don't leave me here with all these insolent people who don't give a damn about me or my music but just care about my body and how I would be in bed!!!" Paul stood stunned, and a little scared.
"Who are you and what have you done with Britney?" He asked, backing away slowly.
"It's meeeeeee Paulie!! PLEASE let me go back to the '60's with you!!" Paul sighed.
"I was scared there for a second. I thought she said something halfway intelligent..." Paul said, trailing off.
"You know, this situation with George and Ashley, and Ringo and Lucy, raises a strange question that man has been asking for years and years- if you knew you were dying in a few hours, what are the last things you would do before you were gone?" John questioned sadly.