Mysterious Boy - McLennon

Epilogue

(A/N- TW/ Mentions of abuse.)

"How long has this been going on for, Paul?" The police woman asked, her bleached blonde hair in a long ponytail behind her.

The only people in the hospital room were Paul, John and the police woman, which did make Paul feel more relaxed. She was polite, too. It seemed like she really understood...

"Three and a half years, just after my mother's passing..." The woman nodded, writing down in her little notebook.

"Would you say your mother's death was one of the reasons Mr McCartney was abusive towards you, darlin'?" John squeezed his hand, comfortingly.

"Yes."

"Did his behaviour towards you get worse over time, Paul?" Paul looked at her in confusion. "Did he only lash out at you sometimes in the beginning, but then... Over time, he got worse? His behaviour got, say, more irrational?"

It did. He remembered how in the beginning even a drunk Jim would apologise to him.

"Well..." His voice was quiet. "In the beginning... He- He used to apologise after he'd hit me or punch me, or even snap at me. but over time, that stopped."

"Would he verbally abuse you, too?" Paul took a deep breath, before nodding. "How?"

"Well... Well he'd always say how much he- he hated me... Mainly when he was drunk. But he also used to call me a terrible son, even when he was sober." She nodded, not writing down anymore. The woman just bit her lip, watching Paul closely. "But the worst thing he'd do, when he was really angry, was tell me how- how... Dissapointed... M-My Ma' would be..." The boy's voice broke, and tears began to fall from his face.

The woman noticed Paul quietly crying, quickly standing up to get him some tissues. John scooted his chair closer, using the tip of his thumbs to wipe the stray tears from his cheeks.

"Macca... That's not true... She'd have been so proud of you for speaking up, princess..."

Paul sniffed and nodded, allowing John to now wipe the rest of the tears away with the tissue.

"I-I know..." Paul stuttered out.

After around twenty more seconds, Paul felt okay again. He nodded an okay, and the woman began to continue her questions.

"And did he... Did he ever abuse you... Sexually?"

"No." Paul immediately added, sternly. "No... That's something that he never ever did, officer..."

She stayed silent.

"My father... He turned into a monster, for sure... But he never turned into a pedophile." Paul said, clearly, though his voice was hollow.

"I understand..." She took a deep breath, before closing her notepad. "Paul... I think we're done here..."

"Thank you, officer." The bruised boy responded.

"What will happen to Paul now, Miss?" John asked, looking worried himself. Paul knew that a part of John blamed himself, but none of this was John's fault... Paul just wanted to hug him and tell him that. "A-And Mike...?"

However, at John's question, Paul closed his eyes. He dreaded the answer...

His number one nightmare, and the reason he had never told anyone about what his father did to him, was because he was scared of being adopted by a family who only had room for one of the brothers. He was scared of Mike getting taken away.

"Well, your Aunt, Paul, is willing to take custody of you." Paul's eyes shot open in shock.

"R-Really?"

"Yes." She smiled, happy for him. "And your brother."

Paul could only let out a happy sigh of relief.

"Should I bring her in?" he eagerly nodded, hardly having any words to say. "Okay. You did well, Paul. So well..."

With that, she left.

"See, Macca?" John smiled, fondly. "It all worked out well, didn't it, baby?"

It had done.

"Yes..." He grinned. "But I'm missing something..."

"And what's that, eh Macca?"

"A kiss."

"Of course, princess..."

John leaned over, careful not to hurt Paul's bruised figure as he did so, and the boy kissed Paul, sweetly.

Paul really was happy.

-

On the 7th of November 2016, Jim McCartney was sentenced to 12 years in prison, without bail, under the Children and Young Persons act of 1933. He was charged with Child Cruelty, Neglect, and Violence, as well as given a fine of £50,000.

Paul watched in the courtroom as his father pleaded guilty to the crime, and was led out of the room. John, George, Ringo, Helen and Mike all watched from the side, too, relieved when the man was out of sight and the door had closed on him.

Since that day, Paul had slowly began to get better. He saw John everyday after school, as well as at the weekends. John would visit Paul, as the boy was housebound.

Both he and Mike had moved in with his aunty as soon as Paul was let out of hospital. He had sprained his wrist, broken his leg, and dislocated his shoulder, but with physio, he had began to gradually heal.

John and Paul's relationship had gotten stronger, and everyone was supportive of the two boys. Anyone with a pair of eyes could see that they were in love, John buying Paul a fresh bunch of flowers for the vase in his new room every 4 or 5 days, as well as a chocolate bar too. He always made Paul blush.

John also took Mike out to the park when Paul couldn't, treating Mike like the brother he never had.

Jim's actions on the day he had left Paul unconscious had led to a better life for his son, though he may not have known it. The man had been charged, and was out of Paul's life, Paul wasn't the only carer for his younger brother anymore, his aunt often playing with Mike when Paul and John were spending time together. He had two amazing friends who visited him every weekend too...

It felt like Paul belonged to a family again, a feeling Paul had dreamt about for the last 4 years of his life. Paul's own existence had been a mystery to him for those 4 years, and he was so glad that he'd found a place where he belonged.

The experience had changed him, definitely for the better.

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