⇾ 𝐈𝐓'𝐒 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 | 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐈

Chapter Five: What's Harder Than Getting Four Tipsy Beatles Home?

February 10, 1964

"Don't think you got away from it, love," John said as we'd gotten back up to our hotel room to get ready to go out.

"Got away from what?" I asked skeptically.

"I saw you leave. Was everything alright?"

I sighed and looked up at him, wishing he hadn't mentioned it. "Yeah, everything was fine. I just got a little...overwhelmed."

He nodded. "I'm sorry," he said. "I couldn't not mention it."

"I know," I replied. "I don't understand why it still happens. I'm so used to being surrounded by people now. It shouldn't happen anymore."

John sat down on the bed and pulled me onto his lap, putting his arms around me and burying his head in my shoulder teasingly. "I know, love," he said. "But it's okay because that means you still need me."

I swatted his arm lightly. "You idiot, I'll always need you."

"I love you so, so much," he cooed in a high-pitched voice.

"I love you too," I replied with a smile.

He pulled his head away from me, keeping his arms around my waist. "I've got a question for ye," he said, trying his best to smile. It looked like he had nerves hiding under his attempt.

I suddenly had an eruption of nervous butterflies in my own stomach. "Yes?"

"I wanted to ask—?" He was cut off by a knock at the door. "Hold on just a bloody minute!" John called back irritatedly.

"Alright," Paul responded and then a moment later, we heard: "Sixty! Fifty-nine! Fifty-eight!"

"Shut up!" John looked so irritated he could punch a wall.

"We wanna go!" whined Paul

"Bloody hell." He sighed and then smiled at me apologetically. "I can ask you later."

I was going to kill Paul.

I nodded and stood up, feeling uneasy about the time he'd taken to gather his words. I fought the oncoming air of disappointment. I'd be stressing about this all night.

John took my hand. "We won't be out long."

~~~

John lied.

I finally got the boys back to the hotel at 4AM. They weren't completely drunk, but just tipsy enough to not have control of their thoughts and actions.

"Donna, I love you, you know that?" John asked, his words slightly slurred, from the passenger side of the car. I was trying to get out onto the road without hitting any of the people in my way. The other three were passed out in the back seat from exhaustion.

"John, look," I said, turning to him seriously. "I love you too, but now is not—."

He cut me off by putting his lips to mine. Before I could even try to react, I knew we'd already had a dozen pictures snapped of us. So much for staying out of the public eye.

I could have hit him on the spot. I didn't, though. I just pulled away from him and sighed, hurrying out of there and booking it back towards the hotel.

"Get the hell up," I yelled to Ringo, George, and Paul in the back. "You've got to get back in there." Paul, leaning against the window, groaned.

Luckily this time, Brian was waiting to help us.

"C'mon, you three," snapped Brian to the three passed out figures in my backseat. When he opened the door, Paul nearly tumbled out, causing a domino effect. The other two, who were leaning on him, were jolted awake but the sudden feeling of falling. I went over to the other side of the car to get John out of the car.

He smiled happily when he saw me. "Hello, love," he slurred.

"John, don't say anything," I said sternly. He frowned.

"Where's the fun in that?" he asked.

"There is none, I know, but let's at least get inside, yeah? You tired? We can go to bed."

He perked you. "Yes, I'm tired."

"Well, c'mon then." I tugged one his arm until he finally followed. He didn't physically look drunk. He was walking normally. I'd seen him far more drunk, that was for sure. I'd worked out how to handle him by now.

On the way back up to our room, I stopped and got a cup of water from a water fountain. When we'd made it up to the room, I forced him to drink it. Needless to say, he wasn't thrilled with it. I knew it would ease the pain slightly in the morning.

After he drank it, he decided he wanted more.

"John, is that a good idea?" I asked skeptically.

He bobbed his head up and down. He'd taken his suit off, left in only his boxers now. He fell back against the bed. "That was a good time, Donna," he said.

I nodded. "That it was," I said, going into the bathroom to refill the cup. I walked it back out to him and sat down next to him, handing it over.

"Yer a doll," he said with a dopey smile, placing a kiss on my lips and taking a drink of the water. "This stuff's brilliant," he said. "Why didn't anyone ever tell me?"

"Where's the fun in that?" I asked cheekily.

He lowered the cup from his face slowly, smirking at me. "Watch your tongue," he said threateningly. "Or I'll have to teach you how to behave."

"I'm taking a shower," I replied, not acknowledging his words. He stood up and walked over towards the bathroom with me.

"Need any help?" he asked with a lopsided grin. "It'll definitely go quicker if we both take one at the same time."

I studied him up and down intently for a moment before shrugging sensually. "I don't see what's the harm in it."

He started to cast the cup aside and followed me into the room.

"Lay down your arms," he growled under his breath teasingly. "And surrender to me."

I smiled reminiscently at the lyrics. "We're just taking a shower, love. That's it," I reminded him.

He nodded. "See how that works out for ye." He took a last gulp of the water, finally putting the cup aside, and began to sing again. "Lay down your arms / And love me peacefully."

"Just a shower," I said again.