Tomorrow Never Knows - Chapter One

Authors: lovelyrita_mm, jenny_wren28, & pennylane_fic

Starring: The Beatles and Maggie Sue

Rating: M for language, implied sex (though none of it is explicit) & implied drug use. Characters used in this story are either our creation, or are historically-based (ie, The Beatles).

Disclaimer: We don't own any of the Beatles, this obviously never happened, and is a complete work of fiction.

June 1, 1967

Chapter One

June 1, 1967

Maggie ran her hands over the apple green satin of the jacket in front of her, smoothing it down even though there weren't any wrinkles to be seen. She frowned a bit as she tugged the trousers straight.

"Maybe you should buy it a drink first before going right for its trousers," John whispered in her ear teasingly. Maggie swatted at him, but he danced out of her way. He grinned at her. "Luv, they look fine, now come have a drink and relax. There's a good girl."

"I just want them to look right," she protested.

Standing back she admired the four dressed costume forms in front of her, each displaying one of the Sgt Pepper costumes worn by the Beatles for their famous album cover photograph. It had been her idea to display them at the album release party they had organized for their friends. Maggie had always been interested in costume, and had actually worked part time in a theater in college. She still couldn't believe that she had access to these Beatle costumes, to study them to her heart's content.

"Careful there, luv. If you stare at them any longer, people might start thinking you love the costumes more than me."

Maggie grinned. "Well, they already think you love Paul more than me so I'd say we're even."

Leaning over and giving her a quick kiss, John took her hand and dragged her to the bar. Maggie couldn't help but get lost once more inside her mind, her thoughts still on the costumes and everything they represented. How odd that the unbelievable part of this whole thing was that she could geek out over the real Sgt Pepper costumes. She must be getting used to her new life.

As a scientist, Maggie could still not quite accept that fact that she had actually found herself mixed up in time travel. The end result of it was that she was now voluntarily living 40 years or so in the past. And she was also now John Lennon's fiancé.

John and Maggie hadn't waited very long after she'd decided to stay in the past to get engaged, though they'd held off announcing it as long as they could. There were, of course, friends and family to fill in first. But the truth was that they'd enjoyed keeping their engagement private. Part of this was their reluctance to open themselves up to the inevitable firestorm. However, they both knew there was no way to delay it forever. Too many people knew and eventually it would leak. One year to the day from Maggie's arrival in 1966, on April 20, 1967, they'd let the Beatles' manager Brian Epstein announce it to the press.

The fan reaction was… Well, it was the best that could be expected given the situation. She was engaged to their John. One of the few single Beatles. And she was American. iAt least she wasn't a short, older, band-wrecking, Japanese performance artist/i, Maggie had comforted herself at the time. Okay, she was short - but she certainly wasn't older than John - he was really a good 40 years her senior, though in this timeline they were both the same age, at 26.

Yoko Ono. Maggie considered her a nemesis though she'd never actually set eyes on her in person. As far as she knew, John hadn't either as he had never mentioned her. Maggie had spent great deal of time desperately trying to recall every detail she could about John and Yoko's courtship. She had a good memory, and she'd read lots of books, but she didn't know what she might be forgetting. Maggie knew that in her original timeline John had met Yoko in November of '66 at Yoko's art show at the Indica Gallery in London. John had even mentioned meeting Yoko to Cyn, going so far as to call her a nutter. Maggie wasn't sure whether he was downplaying the event to Cynthia, or if he really hadn't quite known what to think of Yoko right away. Since he'd mentioned meeting Yoko to Cyn, Maggie felt fairly confident that he would have mentioned it to her as well. Plus, she'd been with John every time he'd been to the Indica – and she'd never so much as heard any mention of a show featuring Yoko's work. Everything had been quiet on that front, and maybe that meant that Yoko and John's paths simply wouldn't cross in this timeline. Already there had been substantial changes because of her presence here and maybe this was one of them.

Maggie sincerely hoped that her influence on the Beatles and any changes she wrought on the timeline would be positive. She knew there had been endless debate about Yoko: her seeming divisiveness, how much responsibility she bore for the Beatles' breakup, her part in John's heroin addiction, her use of John's legacy after his death. Maggie had her own opinions on Yoko as a fan, but now she had to admit she was more than slightly biased because of her personal involvement. If John met Yoko now, would the future patterns reassert themselves, leaving her jilted in Cynthia's place? Only worse - alone in a time not her own? Maggie tried to reassure herself – she had, after all, time traveled and against incredible odds, met and fallen in love with John. If anything, Maggie and John were the ones destined to be together. That was how she liked to rationalize it, anyway. Maybe it was selfish - but so be it. She had to be selfish about some things, didn't she? This was her life too, after all.

"You okay, luv?"

She didn't know how he did it. The few times that she had thought about Yoko and what John's life would be like if she hadn't shown up, John had instinctively picked up on her apprehension. She wanted to tell him what was wrong, but she just couldn't. Something always stopped her.

Looking up at him, Maggie tried to give him an encouraging smile. "Perfect," she answered.

Her life here and now with John was a good one. Not only was she engaged to one of the 60's most eligible bachelors but she was also setting an unheard of precedent for a woman. She was the chief executive of the Beatles' Apple Corps. Brian and the Beatles had put the company in her trust, and with her head for numbers and common sense, so far she had proved that trust to be well founded. The company was doing well, and she was (just barely) managing to balance her work duties with her Beatle fiancé duties.

The Beatles themselves were still going strong, and were working well together. Sgt Pepper had gone together smoothly and already Paul was bursting with ideas for their next album. When the last finishing touches had been put on the Sgt Pepper album, Brian Epstein had insisted on throwing a small dinner gathering as a pre-launch party. It would be just the Beatles family, some DJs, photographers, and journalists. In her own time, Maggie Sue had seen the pictures that those people had taken of the Beatles at this party, so she could hardly believe she was in the midst of it all.

She was unable to resist bringing her own camera and had even managed to snap a picture of Paul chatting with her pen pal, Linda Eastman, after she'd introduced the two of them. Maggie had insisted Linda fly over for a visit, timed so that she could come to any parties and, most importantly, fall in love with Paul. Linda had been happy to be invited - as a rock photographer, she hadn't wanted to miss the launch of a new Beatles album. Again Maggie smiled to herself - if only Paul and Linda knew what was in store for them. It was hard not to say anything, especially because she knew how much Jane Asher, Paul's current girlfriend, loved Paul, and because Maggie herself had developed a friendship with Jane. She didn't want to see Jane get hurt, though she knew that was inevitable and not one bit Linda's fault, since Jane wanted a career – and Paul wanted to sleep with lots of women. Maggie also knew how perfect for each other Paul and Linda were, and how devoted Paul would be to her. Plus, after first meeting Linda back in the 1966 American tour, Maggie couldn't help but like her too! She was a fellow American and she had good taste in men (Jim Morrison and Mick Jagger, plus she used to fancy John!).

Maggie had enjoyed herself at Brian's dinner party, even if the Beatles hadn't. Those kinds of events were work for them. Poor Paul never even got the chance to eat – every time he'd tried to get to the buffet table, another reporter cornered him. George had left early after a journalist had said something that had offended him. Maggie didn't catch what, but she had no doubt he'd tell her about it later. She and George were still as close as ever, though he had changed a bit since he'd come back from his trip to India. She'd expected it, of course, and even dreaded it a bit, having never understood his fixation with Indian spirituality.

George really had grown up since she'd first met him in 1964. He'd started asserting himself more – it was he that put a stop to the touring, though it hadn't taken much to get the others to agree that they were done too. George had also become more contentious towards Paul. She knew how that turned out. Paul's perfectionism and George's frustration with being treated like a second-tier Beatle would drive a huge, bitter wedge between them that would last for years. Though Maggie had known all this, she'd never really expected to see herself in the middle of it. Because of the closeness she and George shared, he expected her to take his side. She'd never been the best of friends with Paul and she really did think that George deserved more respect for his musical contributions to the group, but she wasn't a Beatle and she didn't want to be in the position she was. She wanted to keep peace, wanted the Beatles to last past 1970 and to not go through a period of hating each other. She smoothed things over when and where she could and hoped for the best. Balancing her loyalties with George and John, in addition to her vow to not take sides, was difficult.

Leaning against the bar, Maggie half-listened to a conversation that John was having with a few of their close friends. Everyone seemed to be having a good time; much better than the time that they'd had at Brian's dinner party. Since the Beatles hadn't really gotten to enjoy themselves at Brian's, Maggie had proposed they throw their own party here in one of the big studios at EMI and invite all their friends. EMI had been a stuffy place when the Beatles had started recording there – but they were so big now that the studio gave them free reign. They'd had a few parties there during the making of Sgt Pepper, most notably to record the orchestra for A Day in the Life. She'd really enjoyed running around the studio with the Stones, Pattie and Marianne Faithful, Mal and Neil, making noise and singing. Watching classical musicians in tuxedos wear clown noses and gorilla foreheads and creating cacophonous noise…being a part of Sgt Pepper, that was something special.

Maggie was so proud and happy to have been able to witness the birth of such a monumental achievement. Sgt Pepper was done and it was being released into history. It was brilliant – there were changes from the album she'd known, but they were subtle. The album truly was Sgt Pepper, which brought her a huge sense of relief. Maggie had worried that her intervention and attitude towards drug use might rob posterity of this revolutionary album. She knew she'd curtailed John's consumption of drugs, though she doubted very much she had stopped it entirely.

George had called her one night in late March to say that John, suddenly fallen ill, had gone home with Paul and wouldn't be home in the morning. He'd protested a little too strongly when she'd offered to go fetch John herself. Maggie had hung up the phone slowly, concerned that John was really with a woman – she knew well that the Beatles would always cover for him, even as much as they adored her. Their first loyalty was to John and their "Boys Club." Then she'd remembered that during the recording sessions for Sgt Pepper, John had accidentally taken some acid instead of an upper and had to be taken to Paul's for safekeeping. That was the night Paul had finally taken acid with John, his first time. As much as she didn't approve, she knew that it had been a powerful bonding experience for the two of them. Anything that could strengthen the bond between them was not something she could frown too heavily upon. She still had hopes that their relationship in future years wouldn't be as sour as it she had known it to be.

John had come home the next morning full of apologies and professions of faithfulness, but the fight he must have been expecting hadn't happened. Maggie had merely kissed him and given him a knowing look, which made him crack. "Dammit, woman," he'd cried. "You know something. You must. I expected to catch hell for not coming home last night."

She had promised herself she wouldn't let on how much she knew, but she couldn't resist. "Oh, I would never question the Emperor of Eternity. I'm sure he can be trusted," she'd snickered despite herself.

He'd stared at her for a minute, clearly wondering if she'd actually been there last night watching he and Paul trip on acid together. She saw the obvious answer finally dawn on him. "Damned biographers," he grumbled. "Am I to have no more secrets, then?"

"None, whatsoever!" She put her arms around his waist.

"You're not angry?" he asked tentatively, brushing her hair back from her eyes.

"I'm not your mother – or your jailer." She shrugged. "You're a grown man, John. And a Beatle. I know better than anyone how big a part drugs have played with you and the others. I know I can't keep you from them completely – I just don't want you to become addicted and unable to stop. You caused Cyn a lot of pain once; only this time it'll be me who suffers when you withdraw from everything and everyone. Me and Paul, actually," she corrected herself.

He hugged her back and rested his chin on her head. "It was an accident this time. I'm sorry. It won't happen again, luv."

"You can't say that - I know that you enjoy the whole LSD trip thing. But I appreciate the sentiment," she sighed. "It's just… I don't care if songs like "Cold Turkey" never get written – I just don't want to lose you to drugs."

"Cold Turkey? That sounds like a grim sort of song, doesn't it?"

"Unfortunately, it's also a pretty good one."

"I mean it, luv. And…" he hesitated before adding, "I wanted to be sure you knew that I really was with Paul. I swear there were no women. We were alone." He looked at her anxiously.

Maggie knew what a struggle addiction, to both drugs and women, would be for this man. At the same time, there was no point in replacing Yoko, only to be just as big of a controlling force in John's life. He was the sort who did need someone with common sense to pull him to the ground – but she didn't want to be a rock tied to his ankle either. She loved him for so earnestly trying to reassure her, for wanting her to know that he wanted to do right by her. It made her warm inside to know that he thought her worth fighting his inner nature for. She smiled up at him, and wanting to lighten the mood, waggled her eyebrows at him. "Alone with Paul, no chaperone, the two of you staring into each other's eyes? I hope he didn't take advantage of you in the state you were in. Unless you're into that?" It was an old joke.

John grabbed her and pressed her up against the wall, his body warm and hard against hers. He moved his face, so they were nose to nose, eyeball to eyeball, and batted his eyelashes at her. He was so close they tickled. "I've already told you, I've had him; he's no good! Besides, luv, if anyone can take my mind off of our Paulie's long girlish eyelashes, I'm sure it's you." His calloused fingers caressed her skin, and he kissed her, making her forget everything else. Her head was always so full of thoughts and worries – but John always knew how to unburden her of all those things. When she was alone with him, she knew she was in the right place and time.

How could she feel otherwise, when being here allowed her to witness music history up close? These pleasant thoughts brought her mind back to the present. Here she was, on the eve of Sgt Pepper's release, John's arm casually draped over her shoulder, the two of them enjoying the Beatles' private party. No uninvited guests, no work, just pleasure. Music played through the speakers, both Sgt Pepper, as well as other favorite current songs. A large spread of food covered a decorated table, and she was sure the inevitable party drugs were being circulated. Also present were the stars of the show - the brightly colored satin band uniforms Maggie had set up as decoration. And, of course, the Beatles themselves.

Maggie allowed herself to really relax into the moment. She smiled contentedly to herself, sneaking a look at the ruby engagement ring now worn on her left hand, and then up at John. Yes, life was good. Maggie gazed around, watching everyone around her having fun, dancing and laughing. Here she knew her worries could be safely put away for the rest of the night. What could go wrong? In such a happy moment, she could truly believe that everything was going to be just fine.

A/N

MAGGIE SUE IS SO SMUG AND HAPPY IN 1967!11! WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG? I'M SURE NOTHING WILL!111! AND THEN WE CAN WRITE A WHOLE BOOK OF MAGGIE JUST BEING HAPPY AND SMUG FOR 20 CHAPTERS! WON'T IT BE GREAT?!

Tune in next time to see how Maggie's Sgt Pepper party turns out! (If she will ever stop reminiscing about her fabulous life and amazing sex with John!)