Ringo turned his car into the drive of Studio one, giving a nod and slight smile to the girls who were clustered around the gate. As he got out of the car, he was met by a chorus of enthusiastic greeting, to which he responded a tired hello. A lot of things were getting tired.

With a wave to the girls, he made his way into the studio. Already inside were George, Paul and Linda.

"And when that--" Paul looked away from Linda and noticed Ringo, "Ring, you didn't have to come today..."

"Yeah," George added, picking up his guitar and plucking it distractedly, "Doin' the vocals to that 'Because' song..."

Ringo started to turn to the door, but then turned back around as he realized that he might like to stay. He said so.

"Your time," Paul shrugged and turned back to Linda and looked anxiously at her, "Are you sure it was a good idea to come? I mean with the--"

"Paul," Linda gently reminded him, "The baby isn't due until the 25th."

"Just get her here love," Paul reached over and put his hand on Linda's stomach, "You an' her both here, with me." He gave a smile and then snapped away with an irritated sigh, "Which is where I'd like Lennon to be now. I swear, the man'll be late for his own bloody funeral! Who does he think he is, the bloody--"

John walked in, cutting off Paul's statement. He was followed by Yoko.

"I was about ready to call in Scotland Yard," Paul said sharply.

"Sod off," John said, and then, noticing Linda, "Whys she here?"

"Look. You bring yours, I'll bring mine."

Yoko sat down, indifferent to Linda, and John gave her another look, tossed his hair over his shoulder and walked over and straddled the piano bench, "Rich, tell Paul that he's a--"

"Do it yourself. Or doesn't your--"

George Martin interrupted over the feedback button, "Ready?"

John looked up from the piano, "Almost." He sat down and started to play a melody on the piano. Ringo walked over and sat down near Linda and Yoko, feeling more than a bit useless. After a while, John noticed everyone looking at him expectantly. He looked up at the sultry group and realized that he had better get them in a better mood.

"Alright," John got up from the piano, "But lads," John continued, assuming the voice and stance of an old man, "Watch yourself, 'cause I've got replacements right over there.."John pointed to Linda and Yoko. Yoko smiled, while Linda ignored him. George grinned, feeling a little better.

"So watch it." He shook his finger threateningly. Paul put on his headphones.

John walked over to him, "Ya hear me son?" he asked, giving Paul a playful nudge.

Paul returned a not-so-playful shove.

"Rotten bloody--" John turned on his heel

"Ready?" George Martin asked again.

John walked over and grabbed his mike.

"No," Paul said decisively, "What did you say?" He asked John tauntingly.

"I simply said that you were a--"

"All talk are you? That's all you ever were you know! All bloody talk an' no show. I'd like to break your mouth."

"Would you?" John took a step towards Paul, "Well now's your chance."

Paul turned towards him and beckoned him with a finger, "C'mon. Not gonna be late again are you?"

John took another step then another, his face unreadable. Then he stopped.

"That's just what you'd like, isn't it? Another suit against me. Oh, you'd love that. Well fuck you!"

Pauls face fell and all the anger vanished as he listened to John's claim, with sheer wonder at the accusation, then his face took up all the anger it had dropped. He took a step towards John

An ear-shattering squeal broke forth from the sound system, driving John and Paul apart. It took Ringo a second to realize that it was the microphone John held getting to close to the amplifier behind Paul that had cause the sound, and not their actual approach.

Giving a suspicious look at Paul, as if he had made the sound just to get out of another fight, John turned and walked back to his mike.

"Voice check." George Martin announced.

John started talking into his microphone, monotonously at first, but then, with growing speed and rhythm "Check. Check. Check, check. Check, check, check. Check-ch-ch-check. Checkcheck-- "

"That's quite enough John. Thank You. George?"

George looked around for a second, rather like a mouse, peaking out of its hole to see if the cat is out or not. Finally, he started to speak. George laughed, nervously at first, but, seeing smiles, the laugh became a little more natural. He felt a release from the tension he had witnessed only moments ago, "And so he goes off an' he says that it's his fault after all, and I go--"

"Ok." George Martin cut George off.

George Martin nodded at Paul, who looked suspiciously at John, as if fearing his mike was booby trapped, and cautiously began to sing into his microphone, "Who knows how long I've loved you. You know I love you still. Will I wait a lonely lifetime, if you want me to--"

John took careful aim and threw his watch at Paul, cutting off his song.

Paul shot John an angry glare.

"Hope I didn't mess you up," John stated, "water under the bridge?" He walked over and offered his hand to Paul, who hesitantly accepted it.

"Forgiven."

To any onlooker, it might seem that John was apologizing for hitting Paul with the watch, but it was more of a momentary peace treaty sealed with a handshake and viable only for the duration of the hours that they would be together that day.

"Ok. That'll do. Be back on August fourth. We'll do the instrumental bit for that number. Ok, start whenever you're ready." George Martin turned on the tape.

John watched the little red recording light switch on. He got the other's attention and counted out to three.

"Ah........" the three voices melted together harmoniously and Ringo, silently watching from the side, couldn't help but envy the perfect counterparts and vocal ease with which they sang. He closed his eyes and sat back, silently sighing, reveling in the sound. He could almost feel the music, as if the walls were pulsating in tune. In fact, Ringo opened his eyes, they were! Actually it was more of a colorless ripple. A ripple that was drawing ever more quickly to a close around him. But, before Ringo could remark on this strange phenomenon, the shimmering engulfed him. He felt a strange electrical tingling, and everything around him turned a brilliant white that threatened to blind him. Ringo shut his eyes. Now he noticed a peculiar buzzing sound in his ears, soft at first, but then, with growing volume it drowned out the sound of the others singing which, until then, could still have been heard. The odd sensation of being pulled through a tube started to manifest. Then, as quickly as it had begun, it stopped.

Silence.

Ringo, rather shaken, opened his eyes.