Disclaimer: I don't own Across the Universe. If I did, Lucy wouldn't have been such a total bitch to poor Judey.
The White Album.
"You mean… you know them?"
They were sitting cross legged on the couch, facing each other. Lucy leaned forward, balancing her head in her hands, her elbows on her knees. Jude leaned forward and leaned his forehead against hers. "Yeah, sure. I went to school with them. Everyone my age back home knows 'em. 'S'not really a big deal, where I come from, ye know."
Seeming to not comprehend this statement, Lucy flopped back, pressing her body into the cushion. "That's just so cool. I mean it. Really. It's sooooo cooooool."
Jude stood up and walked to fridge, grabbing a beer for himself and tossing one to Max before replying. "I guess so. Sure."
"So do you think you could like, get me into to see them?"
"Well they don't tour anymore luv, you know that."
"I know," she whined. "and it's the saddest thing ever. But I mean, if you're friends and all, couldn't you, oh, I don't know. Call them up and schedule a visit? Or something…?"
Jude smirked at his girlfriend. Her long blonde hair spilled out beneath her, her feet wiggling in tune to some rhythm he couldn't hear.
"Ah, leave him alone, Luce. He probably hasn't talked to them in ages, anyway."
"Who ever said that? I called 'em up just the other day, I'll 'ave you know."
"No shit, man! Did you really??" Jude raised an eyebrow. "I mean, I'm too old for that now, but Lucy…" Max stammered.
"That is just soooooooo coooooooool."
"They 'ave this number you know. They've called 'ere before."
Max and Lucy both bolted upright. "NO WAY!"
"NUH UH! OG MY GOD THAT IS JUST—"
"Soooooo cooooool. Yes, I get it, Lucy. Thank you for reiterating."
Seeing that she wasn't really getting much success, Lucy adopted a new tactic. "Jude, I have to go to work now, but," she kissed him softly, "just think," another kiss, "about that time that you said," another kiss, a little deeper, "you would do anything for me."
Jude only laughed and pushed her off. "Get ter work ye bum."
The phone rang at exactly 3:07 in the morning. It was a Thursday, but it was still Wednesday, too. They hadn't gone to sleep yet, because Sadie had a late night gig, and the after-party was only just dying down. Lucy remembered everything about that night.
The phone rang. She answered it.
"Hallo? Um, is Jude there?" a think Scouse accent asked.
She screamed, and hung up the phone.
Jude had been passed out on the floor, too drunk to make it to a chair or a couch, and certainly too drunk to even think about making it to his bed. But he awoke when he heard a blood-curdling scream. Lucy. Lucy Lucy Lucy Lucy Lucy Lucy. Shit shit shit shit.
Suddenly he didn't feel so drunk and sprung to his feet with agility he didn't know he possessed. Had he been more aware, he would have been impressed with himself. But there was no time for that. Lucy was in trouble, or in pain, or…
He found her staring at the phone. "Lucy! What's wrong! What happened!" he demanded, out of breath. Okay, so maybe his amazing agility took a good bit out of him, after all. God, he was so drunk. She shouldn't scream like that when he was wasted.
"Th-the phone rang and I answered it and… and…" She screamed again.
"What? What is it?" he asked, more annoyed now. He woke up and rushed here for this?
"OH MY GOD I JUST TALKED TO ONE OF THEM!!"
The phone rang again later that morning, at six o'clock on the dot. Jude knew, because he made a point to check the clock when he was rudely awoken for the second time in one morning.
"Jude? Hey, sorry to call so early. I tried calling earlier cuz I figured ye'd still be awake, but the weirdest thing 'appened… Judey? Ye there?"
Jude groaned. "Wot the fook d'ye want?" His accent had a tendency to be stronger in the mornings.
"Well, I mean, good mornin' and all that ter ye, son."
"Look, Paul, I can't take you this early in the morning." Silence. Sweet, sweet, wonderful silence. "Okay. Good. Call back in a few. Goodbye." He slammed the phone.
Lucy came out the room then. "Jude? I had the most wonderful dream. One of them called here, and I talked to him."
Jude glared at her flatly. "Ye did. You hung up on 'im. So did I. That bloody twit should know not to call at this hour—"
"WHAT!" She grabbed the phone and shook it in his face. "What are you doing?? Call him back!"
He sighed, realizing that there was no way he'd be allowed to sleep until he obeyed her orders. The phone rang. And rang. And rang. And it rang. And it rang. "Oh no. He's not answering." He hung up and began the long trudge back to his room.
And then the phone rang.
"Hey Judey! Who knew ye'd be so hard to call! Macca just called me up and said that 'e gives up and its my turn to call."
"Winston," Jude greeted. Lucy silently spazzed beside him, pressing her ear to the phone.
"Yeah, cheerio and tha'. How're ye this fine mornin', and 'unky dory. First of all, don't ever call me that again. Secondly, let's get down to business. We need you to do us a favor, eh, mate?"
"THAT IS SOOOO COOOOOOL!!"
"Yeah, I get it."
"No, I mean, that is just SO COOL."
"Really? Ye hadn't mentioned it before."
"My boyfriend, MY BOYFRIEND, is designing an album cover. AN ALBUM COVER. For the best band ever. EVER."
"Your boyfriend is trying to work and you aren't helping," he muttered.
As it turned out, Lucy's fan moment never let up, and Jude never really designed a cover. Instead, he sent a blank page back to his friends, with a little note.
I was going for the minimalist look.
–Jude.