Nails slammed into the coffin of the fake marriage as they slept, dreams tinged with sadness flooding their heads.

Just as the morning was to greet them so was the fact that they both couldn't move past the deal.....

The deal, done to save Lou finally creating a wedge so big he wasn't sure what he was feeling and a wedge so sharp she wondered what was real and what was fake in their relationship, what, if anything, was left of their previous friendship.

~~~~~~

"Oh look at my niece isn't she loverly" George bound in the door and scooted straight over to the mat baby Evie was lying on, tummy down on the floor, head lifting ever so slightly to view the world. George lay flat against the floor and chattered away to his niece while Richard and Paul followed John into the kitchen to start on lunch, Lou off out at the shop.

"Ok what did you do this time Lennon" Richy had stood chopping cucumber silently while Paul and John stood shoulder to shoulder in the back doorway facing out to the backyard. Rich heard the hushed grumpy words but didn't get what the actual problem was.

John spun on his heel, a hint of sadness radiating beneath the tough no nonsense Lennon veneer "Well RingO" John chortled heartily as he rounded the kitchen table to rib Richy in both jest and 'tortured; so torturer turned' grouchiness "We were just going over a list of drummers we could hire, you see"

"Sod off John you're such a tosser. Now I know you know I'm the bloody best so shut the crap trap and tell me the Lou goss" Ringo was sick of the joke, had enough, he had.... and decided to stare the lad down, the old haha not funny line of  'we're off to get a new drummer' wearing forever thin.

"Oh dear, Richy's got a knife stuck up somewhere uncomfortable" John laughed sarcastically as he sat at the kitchen table. Rich slammed the knife down on the chopping board "Alright, alright..... Keep you're drum skins on... Just keep the noise and your voice down Richard. The man from uncle is in the lounge room..." they all looked over at George rattling a noisy toy and kissing the little miss. "Pretty cute picture though, isn't it"

"John was just asking my advice on Lou, you see" Paul stood and poured the now boiled water into the teapot.

"Look Paul, you should really keep your nose out of people's private affairs" Ringo continued chopping "especially when they're bogus...."

John pushed his chair back abruptly.

If Rich knew George knew, if George knew the passengers on the London to Mayfair line would most likely know. Ok, that's a tad over exaggerating; perhaps he just told his new girlfriend then the train passengers knew, bloody women and gossip. John rolled his eyes.

"Shushhhh. Bloody hell Rich, what do you know!?" Paul twirled the teapot in two agitated albeit slow circles in front of his body, noisily he set the teapot down on the table then went about setting out the teacups and spoons... All the while biting the inside of his cheek to pieces.

"Well I didn't know anything much but now... well, I'm mildly intrigued" Richy shrugged his shoulders not really bothered, he was always last to know and he really didn't know anything... but the way John gallivanted about without a boo from Lou had Ringo wondering to their arrangement and quick nuptials.

"Well that's it then George will be next, then the games up, son" John walked over to the fridge and returned with the plate of sandwiches Lou had made after breakfast. Stood back by the kitchen table he dropped the plate from a great height, making a hell of a clatter.

"Look Lennon, I don't know your business alright I just know you've been a right gigolo prancing round behind Louise's back. You haven't been discrete now have you mate" Ringo hit the nail on the head and John sat down heavily, worn out from the mindless sex about town and the fights in the house.

He wanted peace but was unlikely to get any.

"Do you love her?" Richard continued on, now turned about to face a dejected John. Setting the knife down he relaxed and leaned back against the counter with arms crossed. John hesitated at the question so Richy threw his hands up in defeat at John's silence "It's a simple enough question, mate"

"Yes, no, I don't know. We are all upside down inside out and she has pissed me off something badly" John let go of the pent up words and his mouth ran "you know what she did...." John made sure Paul and Ringo were paying attention, leaning forward for their circle of ears only "she sucked me off then said it was an accident, a mistake" he then sat back and crossed his arms in renewed annoyance.

Paul covered his mouth to save a laugh and Rich rolled his eyeballs, John was belly aching over words and not looking at the actions Richy thought.

"Ok stop right there, John" Paul now sat down, the tea cup settled in his hand. Lou had mentioned something quite like this a while ago "Do you want to tell the whole story now?" Paul stared John down, sometimes Paul thought, John presumed he could dance around the edges and never be found out "hmmm"

"Paul" John picked up an egg and lettuce sandwich and then tossed it back on the pile "So what if I said the near same thing, it's what she did we are discussing"

"You're an arse John. All she is doing is giving as good as she gets. You said sleeping with her was the same... and I quote, 'a bad accident' . It was a crock of shit I bet, your overactive imagination had you ending it all before it started. Am I right?" Paul sat up a tad to peer over the couch, George was lying asleep beside the baby Evie as she tugged his nose repeatedly, he lowered his voice "Apologise about the last time and maybe she will take it back"

"I can't. She won't, she's a bloody female version of me and you know for a fact I wouldn't take it back"

"I'm back!! oh hi Georgie" Louise strolled in through the rooms and spotted the sandwiches untouched, nodding her head toward them "Something wrong with those?"

"No love just haven't started lunch yet, was waiting for George to wake up" Ringo kissed Lou's cheek and patted her arm "Paulie, get Lou a cuppa"

"I'll go put these bags away" Louise smiled and walked off humming. The smile was genuine, she must have had a nice morning at the shops.

"Go on John, after her then" Paul mumbled quietly, John stood and went toward Louise in her room.....