All You Need Is Love

Struggling to remember James' directions, Meredith weaved in and out of the London streets. She turned a corner and found a place that looked familiar. The last time she had been to his home, they had gone in through the back and she had stopped to admire the front. It was a white and clean building, like the many others in the rich suburb.
Pushing open the gate, she walked up the front steps and entered the cold foyer.
Walking up to his apartment, she hear increasingly loud voices of two frustrated men. Following the voices, she saw it was coming from James' apartment.

"You need to start pulling yourself together and pull your weight!" an unfamiliar voice yelled.

"Why? I don't want to work for Dad's company! He left us when mum died, remember? Why should I have to work for that slimy git?" James angrily yelled back.

"It's our job to carry on his name! I don't want to do it either! Why won't you just grow up?"

"Whatever, I've had enough of this...." James said sighing.

Hesitantly, Meredith knocked on the door. A glass shattered from inside as she heard James rush to the front door, swearing in pain.
The door swung open to reveal James' clammy and pale face.

"Uh, sorry 'bout that. Come in," he said dragging her in and slamming the door behind her.

"Do you wan't a drink?" he asked her, walking to the kitchen.

"Um, yes please," she said quietly, her voice echoing throughout the rooms.

She looked to the other side of the room. An older man with James' same features stood coldly away from them, near shattered glass. He looked tired and lifeless, he was tall, not like James' small stature.

"Merry, you haven't met my charming brother. Merry, this is William. William, Merry," James said walking from the kitchen handing her a glass of water. She looked up at James, he carefully eyed his brother.
William walked over to her and held out his hand.

"Nice to meet you," she said, shaking it. He smiled in acknowledgment.

"I have to go James. We'll finish this conversation later," William said pulling his scarf on and nearing the door.

"I look forward it," James grimly replied through his teeth, watching his brother slam the door behind him.

Sipping her water, she watched James as he frustratingly rubbed his hands through his hair.

"Did you hear any of that before? he queried.

"No," she quickly lied.

James rubbed his eyes.

"What happened?" she asked, flicking her head to the broken glass, near where James was standing.

"Nothing. Just talking about work," he said starting to pick up the fragments of glass.

Resting her glass on a table, she bent down to help him. He ushered her away.

"Don't, you'll cut your fingers," he said pulling the glass away and walking to the bin.

"Are you and William close?" she asked following him.

He quickly glanced her, not responding.

"Are you ok?" she pushed back his hair, feeling his sweaty forehead.

"I'm fine," he said, pulling away from her touch. She turned away in rejection. James saw this and quickly felt remorse.

"I'm sorry," he said, banging his head on the table, "William and I have never had the best conversations."

"Why? What happened?" she asked, stroking his hair.

He looked up, still buried in his arms.

"Our mother died when I was six and he was fourteen. Our father quickly re-married and shipped us off to boarding school. So I've never had the best relationship with either."

She sympathised with him, she had grown up without her parents as well. Only because she ran away with some friends at age fifteen.

"Do you want to do something to take your mind off it?" she asked still stroking his hair.

"Like what?" he raised his eyebrows?

She shrugged.

"Anything you want."

Straightening up and stretching, he looked around his living room. Spotting his records, he went over and picked one up. She immediatley recognised the cover.
The first track blared through the speakers and James took a bow, offering her his hand. Giggling, she took it, she loved the album Please Please Me. From there, James pulled Meredith in tightly and started dancing with her.
Trying not to step on each other's feet, they tried keeping in time with I Saw Her Standing There.
James mood quickly lightened, apologising to Meredith as he accidently stepped on her toes. He made up for it by quickly kissing her on the cheek.

"James, can I ask you a question?" Meredith looked up at him.

His eyes met hers.

"Of course."

"Why did you keep coming back those mornings? I'm not even good looking, so why did yo-"

"What do you mean?" His gentle brown eyes clouded with confusion.

"Well the fact that you-"

"Can you do me a favour?" he interrupted.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Can you shut up?" he said laughing and forgetting his troubles.