𝘏𝘦'𝘴 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘰𝘮𝘦.

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝙴𝚕𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗.

They went to the hospital. John refused to step foot inside, claiming his mother died in one and it was just too traumatic. Of course, Paul offered to stay with him, much to George's annoyance.

The youngest walked inside alone. He felt scared, he's never been in a hospital before. It was cold, nurses were walking everywhere, and there was a man on a stretcher next to the door, his body and head covered in a white sheet.

"Why you here?" The nurse at the front desk asked with a cigarette in his mouth. (Damn you can tell this is the 60s lmao)

His voice stayed timid. "Here for Richard Starkey."

He looked at his charts, then said, "Alright. JANET!" An annoyed middle-aged nurse came, "Show this young man to Richard Starkey's room, please."

The two walked up the steps to the ICU. George felt even more frightened. The ICU was a very serious thing. People who on Death's door go there. It was depressing there, family members of all kinds were there, crying or silently accepting fate. Mostly old, pale, and rundown-looking people were the ones in the hospital beds. This certainly didn't look like a place for a teenager to be.

Yet here they were.

They stopped by a door. She opened it and told him Ringo was behind the light gray curtains. Slowly with trembling legs, he moved the curtains and nearly dropped to his knees.

So many machines. So many bandages. He was on a ventilator. He looked so happy to see his best friend.

"George!" His voice was light and very breathless, "George, you're here!"

Harrison wanted to run out of there, he couldn't handle seeing Ringo like this. It was distressing. But he knew Paul was staying with his boyfriend, and he wasn't about to up and leave him alone.

"Hey man. How you feeling?" That was a stupid question.

"Could be-" he stopped to take a breath. better."

George walked closer. He saw balloons tied to huge Teddy Bears. Either his mother or other kids at school were here before. Word got around quick about what happened, and there were already fingers being pointed left and right.

"Tell me what happened. I know you got beat up and stuff...." he stared at the thick white cast on Ringo's arm. "but what exactly happened?"

"Terrible. Pete set me up and Robert and his gang beat me."

George jumped up. "I KNEW IT! I'MMA BEAT HIS ASS!"

Ringo laid his head on the pillow, somehow even looking more withdrawn. "I wouldn't suggest it, that's not what I want."

"Then what do you want?"

Slowly and with shaky hands, the blue-eyed eyed one slowly grabbed a magazine and put it in George's hands.

"Turn to page 7."

When he did, he saw the green Statue of Liberty with thousands of skyscrapers behind it. The sky was a beautiful shade of blue, making the water look like a million little sapphires.

"I want that." He looked up as Ringo spoke, "I want America."

"You want to see 'Merica?"

"Yes. They have pretty lights in Chicago, big buildings in New York, they has everything we don't. I love Liverpool, but it could never compare to this."

George flipped around. He saw lights, more skyscrapers, delicious food, cars, everything a teenager could dream of and more. He knew America was the place rock and roll was at, but he had no idea it had this much to offer.