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Description
Chapter Two: His Frightened Heart

I liked the way the room looked in the sunlight. I suppose to anyone else, it would have been just a normal room. But when you've lived in something that eerily resembled a prison for a few years, you suddenly appreciate any ounce of sunshine that makes its way into a room. I smiled as I curled my hair for the first time in years, making myself look as nice as I could in the three sizes too big clothes George let me borrow. I couldn't put my finger on where I had seen him, but he looked very familiar.

And, as far as I was concerned, he was my angel. I finally decided I had done all I could do to look presentable and made my way to the lobby. I looked around and spotted a laughing George, sitting with three other men. I felt my stomach turn as I looked at the four of them, laughing and chumming about. Just when I was about to turn around and make my quiet escape, I heard someone call my name.

"Ellie!" George said, waving his arm with a friendly smile. "You've found us!" I laughed nervously and he took my hand to lead me to the table, where the others were having breakfast.

"Lads, this is Eleanor. Eleanor, that there is Johnny Lennon, next to him is Paul McCartney, and on the other side of Johnny is Ringo." He smiled, pride washing over his perfectly carved face. I watched as they all looked at me, like they were waiting for a reaction.

I stared back at them and smiled politely.

"Hello." I said, blushing terribly. They looked familiar, but I still couldn't put my finger on it.

"Why aren't ye screaming?" John asked, mock offense strung through his sarcastic British voice like beads on a necklace. I began to sweat. "Don't ye know who we are, love?" I shook my head slowly, looking at George with a confused face. All four of them looked at me like I was crazy.

"I...I um..." I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. "I haven't gone out...or watched TV or anything in a few years." I choked out.

"It's no reason to cry, love." Paul said who had gotten up and draped an arm over my shoulders. "Just come and eat with us. Georgie here has taken a likin' to ya." I looked up at George, who had gone apple red.

"Shuddup Macca!" He said in a hard, fast tone. I sniffed back my tears and smiled, letting a small giggle escape my lips. "Sit here, we'll order ye some food." George said softly, putting one gentle hand on the small of my back to lead me to my seat. All the other lads were chatting again, usually trying to get John to stay seated. I laughed and ate my whole breakfast, feeling content for the first time in a long time.

As we sat in the hotel room, we heard a loud knock at the door. Paul stood up and answered, his features becoming anxious as he realized who it was.

"Brian I told ye, don't come up until noon!" He whined, slumping down on the couch.

"What's wrong with eleven thirty, Paulie?" Brian asked as he took his coat off. "Besides, we have important matters to discuss." I looked up at George and he blushed.

"Brian Epstein, official manager of The Beatles." He said with a chuckle. "A real tight wad, but we love 'im anyway."

"Why is Paul so anxious?" I asked, eyeing his red cheeks and constantly tapping foot.

"He's waiting for his bird to come around." George said casually.

Of course I sat there and pictured a canary attempting to knock on the door like in my favorite childhood cartoons. He noted the look on my face and blushed.

"What I mean is, his girlfriend. The object of his affections." He looked at Paul with a playful sneer. "Seems Paul McCartney, the great lover of women, the wild mustang, has finally been tamed."

"Ah shut it, Geo." He grumbled. "Ye know I've got a soft spot for redheads." Just as he said it, there was a soft knock at the door. Paul flew to the door in a flash and we all laughed.

When he opened the door, there stood a small girl, her short red curls pulled back in clips, leaving her straight bangs swept to the side of her round face. She peered her green eyes up at Paul through her glasses and smiled.

"Sorry I'm late, darling; I had to make a phone call." She said sweetly. Paul's face glowed as he pulled her in for a hug.

"Aw how can I be mad at you?" He asked, taking her tiny hand as he led her in. "Oh, how rude of me. Eleanor, this is Alex. Alex, Eleanor." She walked right up to me and took my hand with a big smile on her pretty face. She wasn't beautiful; I would be more inclined to describe her as adorable.

"It's wonderful to meet you, Eleanor." She said. She then looked me up and down and smirked. "Ever been shopping, Ellie dear?" She laughed. I shook my head and she beamed. "Why Paulie, I've found what I'm going to do while you do your photo shoot today!" She exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips. "We just need Annette to show up. Ringo hun what time did you say she was coming over?"

"Around twelve thirty." He said shyly. I blushed as Alex sat next to me, eyeing the bruises on my arm. She raised an eyebrow, as though she knew exactly what had happened to me.

"Aw John, you need to stop leaving poor Cynthia behind." Alex said as she graciously took the tea Paul offered her. "Thank you darling." She said softly, kissing his cheek. John let out an exasperated sigh.

"She wouldn't come even if I asked her to." He grumbled. "I swear, sometimes I think she and I are just too different." Alex huffed at him.

"She's motherin' your child, Lennon, the least you could do is be compassionate and put the offer out there. Poor dear could use a vacation." She said as she sipped her tea. I sat back and listened to the brotherly conversation between Alex and John. Paul took her hand and held it, his eyes adoring ever inch of her from top to bottom.

"You two make a lovely couple." I said, feeling an ache in my heart, missing my ass of a husband. The four lads didn't notice, but Alex sure did. She looked at me with wide eyes.

"Thank you, honey." She sighed with a smile. Then there came another knock at the door. Ringo stood up and answered, showing in a woman with short brown hair and expressive brown eyes. She smiled at everybody.

"Hello boys! Oh Alex, have I got stories to tell you." She mused, walking over to Alex after hugging and kissing Ringo affectionately. Before she began, she looked over at me. "Why, hello, you must be Georgie's new gal!" She smiled. I turned bright red and poor George went white as a sheep.

"Ah, Annette dear, I've only just met her." He mumbled. Annette laughed.

"Well, you two suit each other anyway." She smiled as she sat next to Alex.

After the boys left for their photo shoot, Alex had taken it upon herself to talk to me one on one, since Annette had to visit her family. After deciding that she would come back for dinner, Alex hugged Annette goodbye and made a b line for the seat next to me.

"Honey, what happened to you?" She asked, concern glittering in her eyes. I choked on my words.

"George happened to intercept an ugly situation." I whispered.

"Your last boyfriend; he hit you, didn't he?" She asked with distress wrung in her voice.

"He was actually my husband." I said softly. "He proposed when I was eighteen and we married right away." Alex nodded in understanding, obviously comprehending the reason for his early proposal. "He thought it appropriate to treat me like a dog, and rent me out to his friends like his own personal whore." I trembled, feeling tears pool up in my dark brown eyes. She put her hand on mine.

"Well, no use crying about it now, dear." She smiled. "No matter what has happened in recent history, you should bask in the knowledge that you're in the presence of the four most protective lads on the planet." She laughed. "I can see it George's eyes already."

"See what?" I asked, swallowing the tears like venom. She beamed.

"He likes you, Ellie." She said softly. "Those mysterious eyes of his give away more than he'd like to admit." I smiled, thinking of how he rescued me the night before, how he fed me and gave me his own bed to lay in.

"He is a sweetheart." I agreed with a chuckle. She patted my back and laughed.

"Would you like to go shopping with me?" She asked, her smile spread from ear to ear. "I'd hate to see that adorable figure go to waste."

Description
Chapter Two: His Frightened Heart

I liked the way the room looked in the sunlight. I suppose to anyone else, it would have been just a normal room. But when you've lived in something that eerily resembled a prison for a few years, you suddenly appreciate any ounce of sunshine that makes its way into a room. I smiled as I curled my hair for the first time in years, making myself look as nice as I could in the three sizes too big clothes George let me borrow. I couldn't put my finger on where I had seen him, but he looked very familiar.

And, as far as I was concerned, he was my angel. I finally decided I had done all I could do to look presentable and made my way to the lobby. I looked around and spotted a laughing George, sitting with three other men. I felt my stomach turn as I looked at the four of them, laughing and chumming about. Just when I was about to turn around and make my quiet escape, I heard someone call my name.

"Ellie!" George said, waving his arm with a friendly smile. "You've found us!" I laughed nervously and he took my hand to lead me to the table, where the others were having breakfast.

"Lads, this is Eleanor. Eleanor, that there is Johnny Lennon, next to him is Paul McCartney, and on the other side of Johnny is Ringo." He smiled, pride washing over his perfectly carved face. I watched as they all looked at me, like they were waiting for a reaction.

I stared back at them and smiled politely.

"Hello." I said, blushing terribly. They looked familiar, but I still couldn't put my finger on it.

"Why aren't ye screaming?" John asked, mock offense strung through his sarcastic British voice like beads on a necklace. I began to sweat. "Don't ye know who we are, love?" I shook my head slowly, looking at George with a confused face. All four of them looked at me like I was crazy.

"I...I um..." I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. "I haven't gone out...or watched TV or anything in a few years." I choked out.

"It's no reason to cry, love." Paul said who had gotten up and draped an arm over my shoulders. "Just come and eat with us. Georgie here has taken a likin' to ya." I looked up at George, who had gone apple red.

"Shuddup Macca!" He said in a hard, fast tone. I sniffed back my tears and smiled, letting a small giggle escape my lips. "Sit here, we'll order ye some food." George said softly, putting one gentle hand on the small of my back to lead me to my seat. All the other lads were chatting again, usually trying to get John to stay seated. I laughed and ate my whole breakfast, feeling content for the first time in a long time.

As we sat in the hotel room, we heard a loud knock at the door. Paul stood up and answered, his features becoming anxious as he realized who it was.

"Brian I told ye, don't come up until noon!" He whined, slumping down on the couch.

"What's wrong with eleven thirty, Paulie?" Brian asked as he took his coat off. "Besides, we have important matters to discuss." I looked up at George and he blushed.

"Brian Epstein, official manager of The Beatles." He said with a chuckle. "A real tight wad, but we love 'im anyway."

"Why is Paul so anxious?" I asked, eyeing his red cheeks and constantly tapping foot.

"He's waiting for his bird to come around." George said casually.

Of course I sat there and pictured a canary attempting to knock on the door like in my favorite childhood cartoons. He noted the look on my face and blushed.

"What I mean is, his girlfriend. The object of his affections." He looked at Paul with a playful sneer. "Seems Paul McCartney, the great lover of women, the wild mustang, has finally been tamed."

"Ah shut it, Geo." He grumbled. "Ye know I've got a soft spot for redheads." Just as he said it, there was a soft knock at the door. Paul flew to the door in a flash and we all laughed.

When he opened the door, there stood a small girl, her short red curls pulled back in clips, leaving her straight bangs swept to the side of her round face. She peered her green eyes up at Paul through her glasses and smiled.

"Sorry I'm late, darling; I had to make a phone call." She said sweetly. Paul's face glowed as he pulled her in for a hug.

"Aw how can I be mad at you?" He asked, taking her tiny hand as he led her in. "Oh, how rude of me. Eleanor, this is Alex. Alex, Eleanor." She walked right up to me and took my hand with a big smile on her pretty face. She wasn't beautiful; I would be more inclined to describe her as adorable.

"It's wonderful to meet you, Eleanor." She said. She then looked me up and down and smirked. "Ever been shopping, Ellie dear?" She laughed. I shook my head and she beamed. "Why Paulie, I've found what I'm going to do while you do your photo shoot today!" She exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips. "We just need Annette to show up. Ringo hun what time did you say she was coming over?"

"Around twelve thirty." He said shyly. I blushed as Alex sat next to me, eyeing the bruises on my arm. She raised an eyebrow, as though she knew exactly what had happened to me.

"Aw John, you need to stop leaving poor Cynthia behind." Alex said as she graciously took the tea Paul offered her. "Thank you darling." She said softly, kissing his cheek. John let out an exasperated sigh.

"She wouldn't come even if I asked her to." He grumbled. "I swear, sometimes I think she and I are just too different." Alex huffed at him.

"She's motherin' your child, Lennon, the least you could do is be compassionate and put the offer out there. Poor dear could use a vacation." She said as she sipped her tea. I sat back and listened to the brotherly conversation between Alex and John. Paul took her hand and held it, his eyes adoring ever inch of her from top to bottom.

"You two make a lovely couple." I said, feeling an ache in my heart, missing my ass of a husband. The four lads didn't notice, but Alex sure did. She looked at me with wide eyes.

"Thank you, honey." She sighed with a smile. Then there came another knock at the door. Ringo stood up and answered, showing in a woman with short brown hair and expressive brown eyes. She smiled at everybody.

"Hello boys! Oh Alex, have I got stories to tell you." She mused, walking over to Alex after hugging and kissing Ringo affectionately. Before she began, she looked over at me. "Why, hello, you must be Georgie's new gal!" She smiled. I turned bright red and poor George went white as a sheep.

"Ah, Annette dear, I've only just met her." He mumbled. Annette laughed.

"Well, you two suit each other anyway." She smiled as she sat next to Alex.

After the boys left for their photo shoot, Alex had taken it upon herself to talk to me one on one, since Annette had to visit her family. After deciding that she would come back for dinner, Alex hugged Annette goodbye and made a b line for the seat next to me.

"Honey, what happened to you?" She asked, concern glittering in her eyes. I choked on my words.

"George happened to intercept an ugly situation." I whispered.

"Your last boyfriend; he hit you, didn't he?" She asked with distress wrung in her voice.

"He was actually my husband." I said softly. "He proposed when I was eighteen and we married right away." Alex nodded in understanding, obviously comprehending the reason for his early proposal. "He thought it appropriate to treat me like a dog, and rent me out to his friends like his own personal whore." I trembled, feeling tears pool up in my dark brown eyes. She put her hand on mine.

"Well, no use crying about it now, dear." She smiled. "No matter what has happened in recent history, you should bask in the knowledge that you're in the presence of the four most protective lads on the planet." She laughed. "I can see it George's eyes already."

"See what?" I asked, swallowing the tears like venom. She beamed.

"He likes you, Ellie." She said softly. "Those mysterious eyes of his give away more than he'd like to admit." I smiled, thinking of how he rescued me the night before, how he fed me and gave me his own bed to lay in.

"He is a sweetheart." I agreed with a chuckle. She patted my back and laughed.

"Would you like to go shopping with me?" She asked, her smile spread from ear to ear. "I'd hate to see that adorable figure go to waste."