I Will [Paul McCartney/Beatles Fanfiction]

fourteen

"Oh, Paul, I... Oh, gosh, where do I even begin?"

Paul's jaw set as he leaned against the wall, nearly crushing the phone cord tangled between his fingertips. "I don't know, you tell me."

Jane breathed out a sigh. "I... Well, I've got three reasons for calling. I need to tell you two things and ask a question. Would... Would you be willing to listen to me?"

"Let's just say you better make it fast."

"Paul, please don't be horrible to me--"

"Just get on with it," he cut her off.

There was a slight pause, and then she responded, "...Okay. First things first, Paul, I am so, so sorry. I never meant to hurt you or embarrass you like I did. I never wanted things to go the way they ended up going. Just... Really, I regret it so much, believe me. I'm so sorry."

He stayed quiet.

"And... And the second thing... I want to ask for your forgiveness. I know I broke your heart and I know I don't deserve it, but if somehow you can find it in your heart to forgive me, it would mean everything. I'm really so unbelievably sorry. I can't apologize enough, Paul."

"Well, you had quite a long time to do it," he muttered.

"I wasn't ready to!" Jane exclaimed. "I was so frightened that you'd lash out at me... I thought I'd never even be brave enough to call you. And I'm still not brave enough, but I did it anyway, just because I knew I needed to for a really serious reason."

"What reason?" Paul asked, extremely unamused by her display.

"It's the third reason I have for calling you, actually..."

"Just say it, Jane."

"Paul, I... I'm still in love with you."

He felt himself tense up.

"I can never stop thinking about you and I've been an absolute wreck since the...wedding. Nothing has ever affected me this much, so I thought and thought about it and it's the only conclusion I could come to. Everywhere I look and everything I look at reminds me of you and it makes me want to cry. The way every time your name is mentioned makes my heart race... I love you. I love you so much, and I was so stupid for leaving you. Please... I would go completely out of my mind if I lost you for good. I'm head over heels in love."

Paul didn't answer.

"...Paul, please, say something."

"You know what, Jane?"

She hesitantly replied, "What?"

At this point, he wasn't even thinking about what he was saying. His mouth was moving and words were coming out, all of which were fine by him. "If you would really go out of your mind," he said, "then I'd suggest you get ready to head to the asylum."

"Paul-"

"No, don't even try! You ended our relationship the moment you ran off. And if it was just because you were afraid, then it was all just selfish, because guess what? I was terrified, and I still wanted to marry you! The idea of running off didn't even cross my mind! And you shattered my heart into a million pieces and left me broken and hating the world, thinking about you constantly and wondering what it was that I did wrong. But now I know there was nothing wrong with me, it was all you.

The only problem I had was that I just wasn't letting myself be fixed even though I very well could've been. I met someone that showed me that -- no, proved that, because they helped me put myself and my life back together without even knowing it. I'm a better person now; happier than I've ever been, and now here you are again, wanting to drag me back down into being this...this terrible human being I was after you left.

But you know what? I'm not going to let that happen.

I found love, Jane. Genuine love. Not like the one we had. Everything around just seems so much brighter and more hopeful and cheerful now that I'm with Carmen. I can see when I look at her that she actually really cares for me and I remind myself just how much I care for her in return. She's amazing, and I'd do anything to stay with her.

So that's it, Jane, this is all over. You're not in love with me, you just think you are. You'll find someone else like I did and you'll move on. I forgive you for hurting me just because it helped me be snapped out of the trance you had me in.

Now, please, never call me again. Goodbye."

As Paul put the phone down, however, he became aware of another presence in the room. Turning, his eyes met Carmen's as she stood in the doorway, gaping at him.

Neither of them said a word. They just stared at each other as if they were trying to communicate telepathically, gaze locked, standing motionlessly.

Carmen ended this, though, by taking a step forward. Paul did the same and kept doing it. Just seconds later, they were running to each other, tackling the other in a tight embrace. Their arms locked around each other, standing in the center of Paul's hotel room.

"What are you doing here?" he asked through a light laugh. "How much did you hear?"

"Well, apparently John's throwing a party or something and wanted me to come get you for it," she responded in the same manner, "and all of it."

"What'd you think?"

They parted slightly so they could look each other in the eye. "Of your conversation?"

Paul nodded.

"Well," Carmen said, "I don't really know how to say it, so let me put it this way."

She leaned in and gave him a gentle kiss then, an action to which he responded immediately. It drew out for a long time before they finally separated.

"Well said," Paul commented, making Carmen laugh.

"It's true, then? What you were saying about me?"

"All of it."

She smiled, and he smiled back.

"Did you want to go to John's party, then, or?" Paul finally chuckled after a while.

She laced her hand with his. "Sure thing."

***

THIS WAS SO FUN AND SATISFYING TO WRITE OH MY GOSH. I'VE BEEN LITERALLY WAITING FOR THIS SINCE I STARTED THE STORY HAHAH