Mysterious Boy - McLennon

19.

When Paul picked Mike up, he made John wait round the corner so that he could jump out and surprise Mike, seeing as though the younger boy had really took a liking to John. Paul was glad he had, because he felt like he'd be seeing a lot more of John recently.

Mike appeared at the doors of the school once again, a smile on his face when he saw Paul. The boy ran over to Paul immediately, a wide grin on his face.

"Paulie!" Mike exclaimed as he reached the boy.

"Hey, Mikey!" Paul smiled back, ruffling Mike's hair.

"Please can you pick me up?" He did what Paul called 'the puppy dog eyes' as he stared up at his older brother, but Paul just sighed.

"Mike... Paulie told you this morning... My shoulder's hurt, I don't think I can, darlin'..."

"Oh..." Mike frowned, but didn't say anything more.

Bless.

"C'mon." Paul leant down, taking Mike's hand in his own and beginning to walk. "Sorry, Mikey."

"It's ok-"

Mike had been in the middle of shrugging when a loud shout interrupted him. The young boy yelped, grabbing onto Paul's knee as his immediate reaction. When the boy could hear laughing begin, he looked up, to see John Lennon standing there.

"John!" He called, the same smile as before appearing on his face.

"Mike!" John smiled, widely, holding out his arms for Mike. Paul was glad he did that, feeling guilty he couldn't do it himself.

"Paulie, it's John!"

Paul couldn't help but fondly giggle at the young boy's excitement. It was sweet, Paul had to admit.

"I know!" Paul smiled. "And guess what?"

"What?"

"We're going to John's house!" Paul grinned, laughing when he saw Mike's face turn even more excited. He just buried his head in John's neck.

"Right, come on. We wanna get there before it gets dark..." John suggested, and the three began walking.

-

Paul was staring at the ground as they walked down John's street, picking at his nails. The boy seemed in deep thought, and definitely not over something good. John was glad he wanted to go back to John's house, he seemed to deep down really need some sort of company.

"We're almost here, Macca." John stated, adjusting Mike's position, as the little boy was now on his shoulders.

"Okay." He looked up, smiling and nodded.

Mike began to talk to John, ask him if he had any pets or any brothers... But eventually, the trio reached John's front door.

The door was unlocked, as Victoria, Julia, his mother and baby Jackie were home.

"John?" Julia called from the living room.

"Aye?"

"Jackie's gone into town with her friends." She shouted to him, as he slipped his shoes off.

"Alright. Come here, Jules."

Within a few seconds, Julia appeared in the living room doorway.

"Hi, Paul, is it?" She grinned.

"Aye, hello."

"And who's this?" Julia pointed at the little boy in John's arms.

"I'm Mike." The 4 year old exclaimed.

"Hello Mike, I'm Julia."

The TV was on in the living room, and all of a sudden, the theme from 'Phineas and Ferb' began to play. Mike gasped in excitement.

"Paulie! Phineas and Ferb! Oh, please can I go and watch it?" He begged his brother from in John's arms.

"I-" Paul looked around. "Well, as long as Julia doesn't mind, I don't see why not."

"Of course not. C'mon, Mike."

John smiled, putting him down. The boy ran straight over to Julia, who took his hand and led him over to the sofa.

In a way, John was happy that Mike was watching TV. He did really like the boy, but he sort of wanted some time alone with Paul. The time the two had spent together after Mike went to bed the other day was so fun, John just wanted something like it once again.

John beckoned Paul to follow him up the grey carpeted stairs.

"So..." The older asked once they were in his room, closing the door behind him. "How are you feeling now, Macca?"

"Uh..." He thought, standing rather oddly in the middle of John's room.

John lightly tapped his shoulder, leading the boy over to his bed. They both sat down, and Paul cleared his throat.

"I'm good."

John sighed.

"Paul, you barely spoke today..." John whispered to him, worried. The boy still barely had an expression on his face. "Look... Is there something you feel you wanna get off your chest, son?"

Paul shook his head immediately.

John was silent for a few seconds. The immediate reaction from Paul wasn't convincing to him, rather making him more suspicious as to that Paul was suffering through something.

"Promise...?" He eventually managed, his voice practically begging for Paul to tell him the truth.

But this time, Paul didn't say anything, just continued to stare at John's carpet.

"Paul..."

"I'm okay, John." He responded, but could tell that John wasn't convinced. He turned his face to look at John, giving him what John could tell was a false smile. "I'm fine, John" Paul reassured him, even going as far as placing his own hand on top of Johns, caressing it slowly.

"Good..." John whispered back.

But John could see... Barely, but he could still see a bit. There was a bruise on Paul's face, around his eye. The older boy tried his best not to gasp at the sight of it.

Paul had clearly tried to hide it, and John didn't know if he should mention it or not. But he had to, it was clearly part of the reason Paul had been so down today. He was hurting, and in physical pain.

Did he get mugged?

John didn't know what to do, feeling overwhelmed slightly.

"I-I'm just gonna go to the toilet..." John spoke, trying to stop his voice from breaking.

Paul nodded slightly, and John was up and on his feet. The auburn haired boy darted out of the room and into the bathroom, glad that nobody was inside as he hadn't even bothered to check. He clicked the door shut, holding onto the handle as he lent over it.

He started to hyperventilate.

So many things were rushing through his head. What happened to Paul? Did somebody rob him? Or hit him?

Something had to have happened in the last 20 hours, as he was fine the night before.

John felt tears start to slip down his face at the thought of Paul being hurt and in trouble. The thought of Paul being in danger was just...

He started to sob.