Mysterious Boy - McLennon

28.

(A/N- TW/ mentions of abuse)

Paul could hear cries and screams, noises he felt like he remembered. In his mind, the same scene was playing over and over again. Yellow lighting, cream coloured walls. His head pounded and his shoulder ached.

He was in pain, so much pain. His head throbbed, his shoulder ached and his leg stung. But the scene continued to play out... The flash of the yellow lights, the broken screams.

It soon became apparent to him that the scene was the aftermath of him helplessly falling down his own staircase, along with Mike screaming and crying as all the young boy could do was watch. He couldn't see much, however did manage to hear something else that he did not remember, instead of a high pitched noise ringing in his ears, this time he heard footsteps, heavy footsteps.

They sounded like his father's heavy boots, banging on the steps as he rushed down them. He heard a door open too, slamming closed almost immediately. His father had left the scene, and now Paul could hear sniffles, along with a softer patter of feet making their way down the staircase.

"Paulie... Paulie..." He could feel Mike's hand on his cheek, stroking it desperately. "Are you okay."

Paul couldn't respond, he barely knew what was going on.

"I'm sorry Paulie... Oh, Paulie... Please... Please wake up..." The small voice began to cry again. "Paul? Paul! Please Paul! Please!"

Mike's hysterical crying began to fade out, and Paul wanted nothing more than to be able to respond.

He tried, but Mike got quieter...

~

"Mike... Mike..." Paul murmured, all he could see was the back of his eyelids. "Mike..."

"Paul?" A distressed voice began to speak. "Macca, are you awake?"

Paul was confused. Where did John come from?

"Johnny...?" Paul whispered.

"Yeah, yeah it's me, darling..." John tried to sooth him, but it wasn't enough.

The younger boy tried to shift his position to reach John, seething in pain as a sharp sensation ran from his shoulder through the entirety of the right half of his body.

"Ah!" He cried out.

"Hey... Macca, don't do that..." John calmed him, and he felt John's hand gently squeeze his own. "I'm here, don't worry... I'm here now."

Paul tried harder to open his eyes, wanting to go back to normal, back to where he could actually see what was going on.

"That's it." Paul's eyelids must've been fluttering.

Eventually, he managed, his sight being blurry. But through the blur, he could see a genuine smile on John's face. He seemed worried, his eyebrows lightly furrowed, but he was still showcasing that beautiful smile...

But along with the smile, he could see the bright and dreary walls of a hospital. The bright white lights where soon too much for his eyes, and so he began to squint them.

Why was he in a hospital bed?

Where was Mike?

"What- What happened... Where's Mike?" Paul asked, eagerly, clearly desperate for an answer.

"He's outside, with your aunt and Julia. George and Ringo, too." John explained, Paul opened his eyes once more. "God, Macca... We were so worried about you, baby... Took it in turns waiting for you me and your aunt." He gave a hollow laugh.