And I Love Her (Paul McCartney/Beatles fanfiction)

Perfect Illusion

"It wasn't love, it wasn't love. It was a perfect illusion" ~Perfect Illusion - Lady Gaga

Dearest Charli,

I wish I knew where you were, I can only assume you're still in Minnesota until I hear otherwise.

We're touring the US again this year, just before your birthday! It took some convincing, but I sweet talked our manager into a couple tickets and a backstage pass for you, which I've enclosed as well as a surprise.

I miss you more each day. If I see you after the concert, I can promise you a good life in London, together. If I don't see you, I suppose it means you've moved on and I'll need to do the same.

I hope to see you, I love you.

JPM

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London, Abbey Road Studios, mid-July 1965

Paul finished writing his letter to Charli. He placed 2 tickets to their concert in Minnesota and a backstage pass. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small gold ring and placed it in the envelope as well.

"Mate, yer wasting your time," John said as he exhaled a cigarette startling Paul.

"Fuck sakes, Johnny...didn't know ya' were still here," Paul said closing the envelope.

"Just forgot me keys la," John grinned "Seriously, you heard from her 4 years ago? She's moved on"

"You don't know that" Paul sighed. It was late, he was tired and not in the mood to hear it from John.

"Just don't say I didn't warn ya's when she's not there," John said as he left the studio.

New York, early August 1965

Charli gritted her teeth in pain.

"Just about done there, Charli" a voice came over the buzzing of a small machine as dozens of small needles jabbed at her thigh.

"Hurry it up mate," she said gripping onto a small blue elephant tightly "Much as I love these sessions, I can only take so much!"

"And....finished," a large man, covered in tattoos and long hair said as he finished his work and began wiping away excess ink.

"Great!" Charli said excitedly "Thought I was going to have to punch ya's if ya' didn't finish soon"

He laughed "My favourite client," he said as he wiped the new tattoo clean and Charli winced as the soap stung at her skin. "always threatening to beat me up, but I'm the one with the needles"

"Alright, have a look in the mirror," he said. Charli hopped off the table and slowly made her way to the standing mirror in the small tattoo shop.

She stared at herself in the mirror. It had been over a year since she'd used heroin, over a year since she became an aerial artist. She looked healthy again, the curves she'd had most of her teenage and adult life returned, she had gained muscle, most of all she felt healthy. All of those thoughts flew through her mind as she looked at herself.

"Well? What do ya' think?" The tattoo artist asked shaking Charli out of her daze. She looked down at her right thigh. There, taking up most of her thigh was a new tattoo of a blue elephant reared up and an ornate, gold, Victorian frame surrounding it. She held up the small, blue, stuffed elephant she had brought along as a reference for her artist.

"It's perfect!" she grinned "You've outdone yerself Tommy"

"Excellent!" Tommy said happily "Now, let's get you wrapped up and home to take care of that new ink"