Carry On (A Beatles Fanfiction)

Chapter Forty Five

A/N: Back again!! Trying to power through and finish this for you guys. I'm warning you now, have Kleenex and possibly ice cream on standby because the ending is in sight and I promise you it will be a feels fest. Anyway, this chapter is mostly filler, but fear not, I should have another one up for you all later today...maybe 2. We'll see what happens :) Enjoy.

Chapter Forty Five:

By the time we left, I was in a little better spirits. Of course, it was always exciting to watch the lads play their iconic music. I wondered though, as we piled into the car to take us to the venue, if this would be my last show with them.

"Stop thinking like that. You could still be here months yet." I thought. It didn't seem likely though, no matter how much I wanted to. I longed for my peppy mood I'd woken up with.

"Maybe the concert will perk you up again." I told myself as I watched the lads talking and laughing among themselves, like they normally did.

"So Ashley, how are you liking Paris?" Ringo leaned over and asked me, quietly. I smiled.

"It's wonderful. I almost don't want to leave." Boy, did that have double meaning or what? He nodded.

"I know it hasn't been as smooth as I'm sure you'd hoped, but I hope you are having a good time." He was referring to any number of things. The truth coming out in Miami, the horrid ending to a lovely night at a fancy party, my friction with John...

"Despite the bumps, yes I am having a nice time." I replied, choosing to look on the positive.

"Maybe tomorrow we can go to a real French café. With your grasp on the language, I won't look so foolish." Ringo smirked. I chuckled.

"Sure. That sounds lovely." Somehow, a simple outing with Ringo tomorrow was what I was most looking forward to. Maybe I needed a break and Ringo had been there in the past to provide that kind of break. I had no history with him, present or future, and he was a lot like a good friend to me. Someone I could rely on to listen to me talk. And that made him just as important as the rest of them. I knew he got ridiculed a lot in later years and even earlier in their career when he joined the group. He didn't deserve it either. In my eyes, he was a kind, calm person and I adored him.

"What are you two gabbing about?" John asked, noticing our private conversation.

"Our date tomorrow." Ringo answered, without missing a beat, but joking entirely. John's eyes widened.

"Date? Does Paul know about the competition?" He asked me, a smirk tugging at his lips. I smiled at Paul.

"You know, right?" I asked him.

"I know, and it's breaking my heart." He sighed, overdramatically.

"Oh grow up." I giggled, reaching across and punching his arm lightly. I felt my spirits rising again as we all laughed at just plain silliness. Maybe that day would turn out alright still.

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Well Paris was a lot less crazy than America was. There were crowds lined up already, hours before the actual show, but they seemed a little tamer. That or I had adapted to the craziness, I wasn't sure which it was. We were ushered into the building immediately and the vibe was infectious. To my surprise, once we got to the dressing room Brian Epstein was there! Funny, I'd kind of forgotten about him as of late.

"Finally caught up with us eh?" John asked him as he came in with the others in tow.

"Yeah, I haven't seen you around lately." I added, with a friendly smile. We'd had our issues, him and I, over whether I was good enough for the guys or not. But overall I had no hard feelings against him. I briefly wished though that I could forewarn the lads about their manager's death in 3 years time, but didn't.