One Thirty in the afternoon and the Cavern was once again overflowing with bodies pressed tightly together. Rivulets of condensation ran races down the walls, from the archways and low roof. A heavy cloud of silvery cigarette smoke muted the already dim lighting over the large vocal crowd.

The three tunnel vaulted storage cellar at 10 Matthew Street was a gloomy cellar not so long ago, now it was a rocking hangout for the young city workers on short lunch breaks. Paul's uncle Harry and Cousin Ian had built the stage and now here was Paul, commanding it.

The small stage was overflowing with young lads living the dream and musical instruments at full volume. Sound grinding out of the amps through the speakers set about the stage The Coffin taking up the most room , bulky and tall, Paul's speaker was like no other at the time. They flooded the ears in the room with new, recently born Liverpool Rock, the raw energy they created pushing outwards from them toward the mass of bodies, in wave after wave of indomitable music.

Above: Cavern 1961 - McCartney and band mates play off the "Coffin" nickname 

Louie took a few more pictures and stood watching another sprinkling of Cavern dandruff fall from the limestone above the patrons and group, the vibrations making it leave and sprinkle down from heaven like snow. She stood near back of the room, not wanting the crush of lunchtime office girls to bump her shots of the boys.

Lou sniffed the air, curling her nose. The mens' john were overflowing again by the stench that met her nose. Anytime now a timber plank would be set out on the floor so they could all teeter along it to keep their shoes dry, some guys always eager to muck about like they were walking a pirate ships plank, with various displays of gymnastics preformed.. a few poor souls would usually end up getting men's toilet water way higher than their shoes...

Louise...

She was pretty in a way that didn't draw too much attention but in the same breath it didn't make her plain, she was tall, lithe and outgoing and those boys knew her so well.

"Louie, Louie. Bring us another round, ta" The announcement of sorts fed through the speakers and the packed room turned in unison to find 'Louie'.

She stuck a thumb up then pressed the shutter once more capturing John grinning at her like the lovable lunatic he was.

Nigel tapped her on the shoulder and as usual she placed the cash down for their bevvies, her being the only one of them in regular work.  She loved being a working gal at the office of Liverpool solicitor Bartlete and Son about a minute or so walk from the Cavern. 

The boys never once paid her back, she didn't mind really, the lads were lots of fun, always good for a laugh and ample security if ever she was in strife.

Walking the drinks, held high to avoid spills, she made her way over to the stage where the lads sat or stood on the edge, chatting to girls and trying to recover their breath.

"Thanks sis" George grinned down at her from his standing position on the stage, towering over her for once. He skulled the beer down in a few seconds flat.

"Just a tad thirsty Georgie?.....Oh, tell Ma I gotta work late, Mr B has a case and needs me for dictation" Louie passed out the rest of the drinks.

"Hey Lou said dick" John smirked down at the long haired brunette and had his ankle smacked, they were quite alot alike these two with their swarminess, and she gave as good as she got. Keeping Lennon in line and the others on their toes.

John was the self-appointed leader of the pack, alpha male and always roaming, he outwardly was a tough teddy boy but he had a heart of gold in there somewhere, which poked out every now and then.

With the bands ever evolving fan-base and shiny new studio bookings, their style was shifting to uniform moptop haircuts and better, more co-ordinated stage outfits, although today they were back in leather. Lou didn't mind either style but could see potential in the better, definitely cleaner, outfits.

"Hey Louise, be a doll and take a picture of Richy, being new and all" Paul stood up, walking away from the three birds that stood chattering to him and brought Richard, Ringo forward.  He thanked her kindly for the drink, his blue eyes dancing over her as she looked up at him on the stage as Paul jumped off to 'help' Louise take the picture, looking over her shoulder as she played around with the lens cover.

"Hurry up, some of us have real jobs to get back to you know. Well then Richard, stand to the side of the kit, sticks in both hands, held together, yep, great" Louie took a couple of snaps, then, as she went to step forward, Paul tried to hit the button to rattle off another, Lou swung round and elbowed him, just enough to make him step back and groan with a sly cheeky grin.

John watched them rolling his eyes, then had a thought "Posh 'en aren't you now with a job and all. Now...does Bart's son use dick much?" John sat down on the edge of the stage sweat still pouring off his body, Lou laid the camera gently down beside him while she sculled the rest of her coca-cola. He went to tousle her hair and she batted at him to leave off "Only joshing Louie, they being good to ya?"

"Yes, it's ok, bit boring but at least I'm getting loads of experience" she internally cringed, biting her lip, just waiting for Johns retort about just what sort of 'experience' she was getting but he didn't this time, he was off on some other path, tugging her necklace forward then opening the locket to see the contents. It was empty, he frowned a little at the discovery... most girls would have family or Elvis or even that dork Cliff in the little frames inside, he idly wondered why she didn't.

She was friendly with all of them, well she had only just met Ringo in the last few weeks, but Paul and John were like brothers and George, being her actual brother, had his own love hate relationship with her, like siblings always do.

John and Lou were close in age and shared similar traits- outgoing, stubborn, said inappropriate things often and often found weakness in anything or anyone that crossed their path. They definitely hadn't dated and he teased her endlessly about the few beau's she had been out with.

They were each other's conscience in a way, the one person they relied on when no one else could understand or get them out of jam. If she couldn't talk to her parents, her few girlfriends or brothers, it was John that lent an ear. Same for him, although he had heaps of mates, Paul being the closest, he still posed questions to her that no one else would ever hear.

Louie snapped a few more photos and promised to get them developed over the weekend, she turned away to push through the girls wanting their piece of the hot 'new' band in Liverpool.

"Louie!" Paul jumped back down off the stage he had only just ascended and struggled through the lunch hour audience toward her.

"What Paulie? I have to be back" she glanced at her watch "2 minutes ago" Mister Bartlete, her boss, he was quite nice and didn't bother with the clock all that much with her nor ever deducting penalties, as she worked extra-long hours without fuss. Although she did have to tack on a sneaky extra ten minutes to every client's invoice after they had sat in Mister Bartlete's office, so that was a bonus for him anyhow.

"The party on Friday, wanna go"? Paul watched her bite her lip, she struggled with the question, she wanted to go but Paul was Paul and the internal conflict between him and George, if something should ever happen would be just plain horrible.He was nice and sweet and cute so it was kinda neat that he was asking.. Lou struggled to reply.

Paul was just being nice, Louie had broken up with her 'boyfriend' for want of a better word, a fortnight ago, said boyfriend had said some very nasty things but stopped suddenly when he met an unfortunate accident down some stairs near the Cavern Club that same evening.

Dot approached from the left and Paul soon forgot Louie was even standing there. She walked off back up to the street and headed to work.

A/N: I just read that apparently the Cavern was a dry house, patrons had to go up the street to the Grapes or White Star for a bevvie...... oops