Dear John,

We all miss you down here, and truthfully I don't think I'm the only one here who would go back in time and take those bullets for you. I honestly wish I could, but I can't, once again, I'm not the only one who wishes this. You were an amazing man, a confusing, creative, imaginative, and hilarious one. You were misunderstood in multiple ways, but you somehow had the ability to make anyone feel as if they knew you, even if they were really miles or years away. The world lost a creative genius on December 8th, and I believe that the world knows this, because every 8th of December feels colder than all the other days, the wind is chillier and the sun shines less than usual, it even rains sometimes. Maybe I'm being over dramatic, maybe I'm being perfectly reasonable, who knows? All I know is that a lot of people, even today, wish you were here.

All our loving,

~ The Fans and many, many Friends

The following is a self-insert fanfiction, because I know just how much you love these, but seriously, I wish I could do this, we all do at some point in our lives. We all wish that we could save someone. Time travel is used in the tale so backstory was required.

My short story began on a fun-filled Saturday night, my dad and I went to the local holiday parade that comes every December. The scene felt magical, with the carolers singing beautiful hymns, and the colorful floats levitating over us, the Christmas spirit was in the air. Except for one thing that most people identify with the holidays-----snow. I live in Florida so, snow isn't something I personally associate with the winter season, heck we're lucky if it gets chilly outside. Anyway, after the last float passed by us, my dad and I slowly migrated through the throng of people over to where he parked the motorcycle. I attempted to strap on my helmet, but the strip of cloth ripped. Since I trust my dad, I didn't think anything of it, we'll be fine, I'm sure of it, I thought to myself while throwing my right leg over the bike. I leaned against the backrest and we were off. We were forced to take highway nineteen on account of most of the roads being closed for the parade. Surprisingly it wasn't the normal stop-and-go traffic that frequently inhabits the highway, instead, it was the opposite, everyone wanted to go fast. For a while, the ride was smooth, despite the speed we were going, until......a minivan didn't use their turn signal to switch lanes, something as simple as that, caused the following actions. The truck next to the minivan swerved violently, causing the car behind the truck to slam into it, setting itself ablaze. A few other cars swerved into nearby ditches to avoid damage, those people were the smart ones. Collision after collision, wreck after wreck, eventually the entire eight lane highway was littered with flames, glass, and rubble. We were one of the last ones to crash, it was inevitable. For my own safety, my dad told me to jump, so I did, I leaped off of the backseat of the bike. That's when everything went into slow-motion. As twirled through the air, I was able to assess the damage of the fiery blaze that was underneath me, I watched my dad crash from above, sending chills and shivers down my spine. I rotated through the air one last time as my helmet flew off close to the impact, I hit the ground head first, somehow remaining conscious. I wasn't able to move or speak until a police officer asked me if I was alright.

"Where is my dad?!?! You have to find my dad!" I shakily exclaimed.

The officer put a hand on my shoulder and responded with " I'm sorry to tell you this but, he didn't make it,"

I felt like I just got hit by a train. My vision went blurry. The world seemed to stop, the last thing I remember is feeling the light rain that fell on the scene after most the officials arrived, and how it washed the tears off my face. That's when...

Everything went black.

When I regain consciousness, all I see is white. I reach out to feel my surroundings and realize that what I'm facing is snow, Snow? Why is there snow? Am I dead? What is happening? These thoughts among many others, traveled through my brain as I stood up for the first time in what felt like ages. I look at my bare arms and hands, they are covered in what appears to be a mixture of mud and blood. At this point, I don't even care what I look like, at least I'm alive. Glancing at the ground, I realize that the snow is only light, almost like frost, but thicker. I have no idea where I am. All I can gather by looking around is that it's night, I'm in an alleyway, and I'm all alone.

After walking for some time, I realize that I'm in New York. The tall buildings and people gave it away. I needed clues so I decided to walk some distance into the subway only to regret it immediately. After pushing my way in between a man who was so hairy he looked like a grizzly bear, and a literal clown. I arrived at the map and found out that 'ED WAZ HEAR' apparently Ed had a black sharpie, and the balls to deface the map, so that was useless. I shove my way through the hairy, strange-smelling crowd again, and run out of the subway. I walk for what feels like forever once more, until I find myself in Manhattan. After I rounded a corner, I spot someone from across the street, I dart behind a nearby wall and think to myself, What the hell!? Turns out, I'm not only out of state and culture, but I'm out of time, thirty-seven years or more out of time. I just saw John Lennon, what the hell do I do now?! I scan my surroundings, looking for a way out, I need to get out of here, I think to myself. That's when I notice a very suspicious man, near John, "If today is the day I think it is." I mumble to no one in particular, sure enough, that same man draws a gun. "I don't want to see this, why am I here?" I whisper. Once again, time slows. Do I fight? Or do I run? I make my decision, I'm gonna fight, I rush across the street as fast as I can, within seconds I'm in the air, gunshots fire, I feel the burning hot metal slice it's way through my skin. The gun hits the ground as I do, the padding of sprinting feet fade from behind me as I stare at my alive idol. I smile at him and wink as the world fades away once more, with my last breath, I have one final thought,

What a night..............

There is a story out there that "All my loving," started to play right before John was pronounced dead, if this is true, then the last words John heard were from his best friend, "Close your eyes and I'll kiss you, tomorrow I'll miss you,". Love. What he spent so much time fighting for, he received in his final moment.

"And the world will live as one,"

Rest in Peace, John..