It's Only Love

Chapter Four

"You dork, wake up!"

Madeline is awakened rudely by a pillow in the face, thrown by her brother. Dizzily, she sits up, her head still swimming with last night's dream. There is little she can remember, but she does remember that it was about John.

"Stupid people living alone with no gits to wake them up on Christmas morning," she muttered furiously, rubbing her head. "Coming, Ritchie!"

Ringo hasn't even turned the lights on, and Madeline switches them on, revealing his eager face as he dumps out the stocking Madeline's filled for him. It's the same every year--Ritchie gets Madeline presents, Madeline gets him presents. And thus, the Christmases go by.

"Is Mo coming over?" Madeline asks casually.

"No, she's visiting her family, remember?"

"Oh, yeah, sorry," she mumbles, licking a candy cane. "Just us, then?"

"Just us. Sorry, Maddie."

Madeline continues to open her presents. Across town, over several streets to the West, there is an apartment where John is making himself an omelet and debating.

Unlike the Starkeys, he needn't open presents right away. And so he thinks about things he believes to be more important--such as the night before.

What would happen between him and Ringo if he starts going out with Madeline? Is one girl worth risking his band's togetherness? Of course, they have their scuffles, but if the leader--John is leader in his own mind, if not in all--and the drummer have a fight, could they survive that storm? Paul wouldn't like it. George will go with it. But the question remains, is Madeline worth it?

Is she? John thinks of the way she laughs, of the way her eyes sparkle in the light. He thinks of the way she understands him and loves the people around her. He thinks of how angry he was the night before when Connor broke up with her. And he knows the answer. He doesn't know if anyone will like it--but he knows the answer. He knows that they're not only friends, Madeline and him. He will never be satisfied if they are only friends.

John whistles a tune. A rough tune, but a tune. It comes from his mind, but the words come from his heart.

It's only love and that is all...