"Hello my names John and I've been clean for 999 days. I couldn't make it in tomorrow to get the grand like I'd planned" Light applause and polite laughter met Johns ears and he grinned.

This was a comfortable place, one of many, many comfortable places he had stopped by on their way across the world but never-the-less it was an integral part of his journey. "I'd like to say did I pass the audition ha. No really, I have been travelling a lot lately and I've made myself a bit of a promise- come and support as you have supported me"

As Paul warbled, the long and winding road has indeed been long, and winding. Had a few more twists than a hurricane but with time and love, John had finally relaxed into the journey.

This part had been carrying on for months now. All over the States, Australia, Hong Kong, and now England, land of Hope and Glory. The motherland, home. And along the way a funny thing happened, John Lennon had actually become the roadie. Well he was the orator at AA meetings in every city but he was also luggage handler, back massager, foot rubber, stress reliever- closed sessions only.

Mal, bless the poor sod, would be hooting and hollering at the role reversal although he was never the actual stress reliever- get that part straight!

Mal supplied, chose, checked and gawked but he wasn't the actual relief, thank Christ.

The big man had a talent for getting the cream of the crop and we never did thank him enough, although the spoils did flow slipping and sliding in his direction.

"Now I know some of you are like me. Clean for a while, and some of you are sitting staring at the floor wishing for it to swallow you whole. But know you're not alone"

His neck was stiff and as he rubbed the knot, he nodded surreptitiously at the lad with the ruddy complexion that was indeed hoping for the floor to yield and crack open.

"Anyone can be weak, everyone can make mistakes but it takes yourself, you alone, to walk forward and climb up out of the slump" He was losing him- 'Ruddy'- the eyes had rolled as John straightened in his chair warbling poetic AA supporting dialogue.

He then realised he was being the old John again, lording over, instead of mucking in with the troops "Stuff this. Let's have a cuppa and chat, what do you say?" Relief shone in two sets of eyes- his and his new mate Ruddys; And, quite possibly, a few more scattered about the room.

And John knew then... that holding the stage was a tenuous tightrope of keeping them hungry for more and losing them to the door or, in this instance, the floor.

"How did it go?"

"You know"

"I don't you know. I've missed the last few of your interviews, what with my going to AA meetings" His socks hit the deck and Issy crinkled her nose. With a roll and a huff he was up, kissing her lips softly then walking off to throw the offending nuclear waste into the bathtub. He paused, looking from his socks swinging from his fingers to the few articles of clothing littering the bathroom "We should do laundry"

"Is we... short for you?"

"Alright I should do laundry. Although we'll be at Cavendish in the morning anyroad, might leave it til then"

Issy rolled on her side and watched John smell his socks, why do guys do that? "Do you have more fresh socks? Jocks?" She rolled onto her back, stretching.

"I can wear them twice or go commando. Up to you"

"What a lovely decision to make" Issy grinned up at the ceiling from the rooms bed. The suite was quite large and spacious but they ate, read, debated and cuddled, on the bed.

She hardly believed the itinerary and telling John she was taking him on a round the world soirée had been a dream come true. Well Giselle was really the one taking him out. John stood over her and fluffed his hair whilst effeminately fluttering his eye lashes and hooking a hip toward her.

"......Wash your feet first"

"Bloody hell. I wasn't asking for you to go back downunder"

"I could smell them from the bathroom"

"Alright, alright" Moaning and mumbling as he head toward the bathroom, John reflected on his feet.

Been down a lot of paths these have, not much dog shit and only a few landmines of foot in mouth traversed. Ok, maybe a lot of landmines of foot in mouth traversed. "Bloody hell, I think I need bleach. Holey phew! I recant my earlier grumblings Iss"

"Give me the hand wash please"

"Crap! Tell me when you're going to sneak up behind me like that! I thought you were still on the bed"

"I am now washing your feet"

"I can see that; can you wash the rest of me too?"

"Maybe later" An overdone wink was gifted and they both grinned.

With a tender touch John stroked his hands over the top of her hair affectionately, combing through the softness as she concentrated on his appendages. He pressed for an answer "Like years later or ten minutes later? Scrub that twenty minutes...Half hour tops! I've got jet lag"

Issy smirked up at him with a crinkled nose.

"Need a peg luv?" He teased.

Nodding with a giggle she rubbed his feet all over and he sighed, who needed a foot soakie thingo when Isabelle was handy; and handy she was.

If his foot had been a pretzel it would have been straightened and all the tight bends smoothed out. "You're very good at that. Should go into business, my love"

"Not for all the pegs in China" Slapping his legs Issy stood and John was graced with a show of knickers, lace bra and belly button.

She was a cool cat now, couldn't keep the knickers on her most days, something about being over forty and doing the naughty had her extremely horny, and the worlds records, they needed a smashing. "Ready?"

"Ready? I'm always ready darlin' ...Hotel number thirty-six, get ready to lose your virginity!"

Standing close, fingers drifting over her skin, his eyes lit up as she bit her lower lip. She loved it.

They had done it in every hotel, every city they stopped in. What started as a silent thought in both their heads on the first night morphed into John dropping the bags at the door and throwing her into the centre of the bed repeatedly. Issy giggled happily and jumped, hooking herself around him.

"Was this my idea or yours, I forget?" Kissing his neck and shoulders as he walked them towards the bed, Issy knew it was both but it was always nice to hear him say she was an instigator too.

She hoped she was living up to everything he needed, she felt like she was but he was John Lennon, so the goals of pleasing him were always set to high in the back of her mind. He was lovely though, and as the year had progressed his mind seemed to clear and set an even keel over his ups and downs, she sometimes thought she was the erratic one lately.

Her sex drive had morphed into overdrive, pushing him to preform, pressing repeat play often. She hadn't heard any complaints from John though.

"Mutual decision I thought. My idea for a new novel though. I thought up a working title today too- Around The World in 80 Lays" His fingers stroked her. Long runs of pressure over her body, teasing over lace. Lifting up to meet her lips John resisted the urge to take her face in his hands, the places his hands hovered and delved, too hot to resist, her body rising in anticipation to his touch. His lips grinned into hers when he had a hilarious thought "I vote keeping this up at Cavendish too... turn Paul's stomach and the Meditation Dome def needs to view a better pair of arses than theirs" Issy cackled at his grand idea, although desecrating Paul and Linda's home was not on her list of to do's.

"No"

"Meany" To press the point, his fingers rubbed and Issy's hips raised into them "If I had a meditation dome and Paul was there all alone I bet he'd do the same"

"Alone?"

"Well yeah that, and with Linda"

"I don't want to think of Paul doing that alone" Johns mouth moved a millimetre away from her skin.

"Oh come on, you're wet through"

"John"

"Hmmmmm" His hum went all the way through her, vibrating deep inside, shaking her to the core. He was very, very, very good at this. Her arms stretched above her head and grasped the pillows as she wiggled deeper into him.

"John- You're not listening, are you?"

"Hmmmmm"

"John.."

Teeth, oh yes, Oh Yes indeed, so gentle he was when he nibbled her with them.

Fingers yesssss pleaseeee ........... her breath left her lungs and Johns lack of response other than pressing her button made her bite her lip. She could keep conversing though, her mouth wasn't full, yet.

"Oh Paaauuuulll oh mmmmm"

"What!?! Hey!!"

"I called your name and you didn't look up"

"If you hadn't noticed... I was busy"

"We aren't having sex in Pauls dome"

"You know that sounds hilarious don't you- Pauls Dome.... Oh Isabelle, come on! Just once.... maybe twice if I'm lucky..........." Two could play at this game, conversing and sexing wasn't just a female dominated sport. His fingers and face lifted up and away making Issy pout. Oh yes payback.

She wants to talk, I'll talk. "No tour of Liverpool then" Shifting to the pillows beside her, John lifted his arms and tucked them behind his head.

Isabelle can wait he thought as he looked down at his humungous... (What can I say -you gotta build yerself up...) massively visible reminder of his own body's wants. "No Strawberry Fields...."

"That's blackmail!"

"Tough titties baby"

"You wouldn't be that mean"

"Agree to the dome"

"No, it's not right, that's Paul and Linda's home"

"They don't live in the dome, Isabelle"

"You know what I mean"

"No dome, no tour"

"You're horrible"

"If I'm a little horrible and blackmaily it only means I want you to really blow up Pauls dome. You know it has a lifty thing right?"

"Yes I know it has a lifty thing. Still doesn't mean I want to christen his dome"

"Ohhh babe, that thing got christened the day he got the keys- multiple times"

In his best singing voice John sang "Let me take you down..... in Pauls medi dome"

Soft fists pummelled his chest and she sat up crossing her arms, breasts heaving up and down in the process. "Alright!"

"Yes!!!" He excitedly flipped Iss on her back and grinned down at her. Her eyes following the laughter all over his face. His lips curling wildly, eyes crinkling up with the glee "We are going to soooo blow the top off that thing"

"Oh God"

"Yep, he'll be jealous too"

Darkness met her when she finally crawled out from the pleasurable sleep John had gifted her. She blinked and got her bearings, light flittered in the window, shadows and silvery grey shrouded the room. There was a glass a water where it hadn't been before, and she smiled.

John always thought about her, little things that wouldn't mean anything much to most but meant the world to her. He was caring and sweet and he was so not going to get it in the Dome.

Rolling into the middle of the bed, her leg carefully looped over his, she cuddled into his back, arms threading around him. England was lovely, so quaint and pretty. The history oozed and as she had passed Parliament House and Big Ben earlier that day she took loads of photos. To John this was another day, his mind flipping him back into hometown local. Her gasps as they whizzed past Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square had him laughing at first until he cocked his head and reminded himself this was all new to her.

Last time she was in the UK she had flown straight into Glasgow, Scotland and never set foot into England.

He was her tour guide, and after his realisation, he promised to point out everything.

Abbey Road tomorrow, Linda and Pauls for a few days reprieve. They had been globe hopping like mad. Every country that had taken up a publishing offer for her books wanting promotions and interviews.

At first, she baulked, her face must have turned ashen and John asked if she need a bucket. He was so funny, worryingly funny. But it was him of course, bringing her round showing her the road ahead, showing her that being a little left of centre was good and he offered to be by her side every step of the way. His ease of getting into her heart and mind undeniable as he suddenly began joking he was going to be getting a free trip. That really made her beam. Making her wake up and realise she had the means and opportunities to enjoy the fruits of her labour.

Her ring caught the light as she flipped the sheet up and over the blanket gently, John rolled and was blessed with his wife staring in whimsical wonder at the decent sized rock intertwined with a wedding band. Yep he'd bitten the bullet- third times a charm right!

"You can't be thinking of taking it off now mermaid" he whispered, snuggling against her, reaching out to thread his fingers with hers above them; them both watching the moonlight on their hands. She shook her head in the negative and he sighed in relief silently. It was always a worry... him being him and all. He was a prick and he knew it. Although Isabelle had this peaceful way about her that made him saner, less prick-ier, and happier than he'd been in years. "Do you regret Vegas..."

That was the humdinger, the clanger.

Elvis marrying them in a tiny white wedding chapel at one end of the dodgy stripe, EP in his white American eagle jumpsuit and both of them, being silly and daring as they raced all over Vegas in their pitstop of a visit. He, of course, had the driver end up there, after doing his arse on the slots, Iss in deference had won though; And not just the slots......

Her face lit up in a silly grin like she was twenty and innocent not forty (ish) and knowing. Knowing he was a punce and dick. And he'd knelt in the front foyer with EP at the end of the aisle, right by the eagle shaped altar and a grey-haired dame hovering over his shoulder with a couple of forms and a posy of artificial flowers.

And the great thing about Isabelle is that she rolled with it. Oh yeah, of course her eyes lit huge. Huge man. And seeing John Lennon on the floor down on his knee, she seemed to stop breathing and have a heart attack all at once. Then she was beaming and crying and kneeling and hugging and kissing and helping me, John Lennon,  put the rock on her finger 'yes, John, yes, yeses' flooding my ears and heart with crazy feelings and relief. Relief she'd take on me.

Had the ring. Had the ring made and hidden deep in the carry on luggage for months and months. Since Jules and Sally's wedding... That was actually the time the tinkering with a design in his head had commenced, drawing multiple sketches til he had the perfect size, shape and sentiment. Engagement- what engagement, cut that crap. Making a fella wait even longer for the big day was evil. So the ring held both, engagement ring and wedding band, looped and twisted; He wasn't waiting.

"How could I regret the best thing that's ever happened to me" She whispered as she rolled into his arms.

They were meeting everyone in Scotland in a week. Cyn, Jules, Sally, munchkin, Sean, even Mimi and of course, the lads and families.

John had Paul and Linda pulling together a surprise for Isabelle.

A belated reception in a five-hundred- year-old stone building that Paul insisted was safe enough not to fall down in a slight breeze and not too derelict to dress up for his best girl. He wanted it perfect so who better to get that done right but Mister Perfect himself- Paul. John kissed her lips sweetly and they snuggled deeper into each other. Tight, right. And ready for everything ahead of them. "Just checking"

"I love you"

"And I love you my mermaid"