Ain't He Sweet - McLennon and Starrison One Shots

The Nightmare Is Over

2016

"Paul? Paul?" John searched their shared house. "Where are you?" He finally found him staring blankly at the computer screen. "You gave me a scare, love." Paul didn't respond. "Paulie?"

"He -" Paul swallowed, the words trapped in his throat.

"Who? What's wrong?" He looked over his shoulder. "What is -" He immediately froze.

PRISONER WITH LIFE IN PRISON ESCAPES

Last night, the 61-year-old Mark David Chapman climbed over a barbed-wire fence using a blanket. Chapman has been serving life in prison for the attempted murders of John and Paul Lennon-McCartney back in 1996. Police are still searching for his whereabouts...

"Oh my fucking god." John pulled him away from the computer. "Paul, don't look."

"He's out," he finally whispered. "He's really out. He's going to hurt me."

"Over my dead body." Anger washed over his face. "He's coming nowhere near you."

"But -" The phone rang, interrupting him.

"Hello?" John picked up.

"Dad, it's me," Zoeii whimpered. "Is it true?"

"It is, love," he sighed.

"Don't get hurt again!" she sobbed. "I don't want anyone else to die!"

"Honey, please." John sighed as the line went dead. "Paul, no." He dragged him off to bed. "I'll be back."

"Okay."

John double-bolted the door, turned on the alarm system, and grabbed a knife. "Perfect." He went back into their bedroom. "It's okay, we're safe."

"Promise?" Paul clung to him tightly.

"Promise." He turned out the light. "I love you."

---

BANG!

"Huh?" John sat up, glancing around in the dark. "Fuck, not again." He looked over at Paul. "I'm sick of this shit."

"Johnny?" Paul blinked sleepily. "What's going on?"

"Get in the closet," he commanded. "Call the police."

"John?" he whimpered.

"Go!" John shoved the cell phone in his hand. "I'll be back." He pulled the knife out from underneath the pillow. "Time to end this."

"John, what are you going to do?!"

"Shh!"

"J -" But he was already gone.

"Come out, come out wherever you are," John snarled. He opened the door, glancing in the kitchen. "You can't hide forever, I will find you."

"Mr. Lennon." The barrel of a gun pressed up against his head. "Long time no see."

"Indeed." He clenched his teeth. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to take care of some unfinished business." Mark cocked the gun.

"I see. Well then, I'll have to interfere with your plans." He ducked, then pulled the gun out of his hand. "I'm not an old man yet." He fired a bullet into the floor, making him fall over. "Get up, arsehole! You and me, right now!"

"If that's how it is." He hoisted himself up, then grunted as a foot was placed on his chest.

"Strike three, Chapman. You don't mess with my family." He raised the knife. "Tell Satan I said hi."

And he brought it down.

"You! Fucking! Bastard!" He kept stabbing over and over. "Don't! Fuck! With! Me! Ever!"

"JOHN!" Paul ran over, tears running down his face. "JOHN, NO! SNAP OUT OF IT!"

"Paulie?" John stood up, blood on his face and shirt. "Paulie..." He dropped the knife, hugging him.

"You killed him," he sobbed. "He's dead!"

"I know."

The police showed up only moments later, and officers were obviously shocked at the grisly scene. "What the hell?!"

Paul just sobbed, wrapped in a shock blanket. John sang Julia to him softly, rubbing his back. "He can't hurt you anymore. And it's Mr. Lennon-McCartney," he spat at the corpse.

Mark David Chapman was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The case was ruled an obvious self-defense, and John was released the next day.

"John!" Paul hugged him tight. "I love you!"

"I love you too. That's twice I've saved your life." His eyes darkened. "But I will carry his blood on me hands for the rest of me life."

"Don't talk like that," he sobbed. "Where would I be without you?"

"I'm proud of you lads." Ringo clapped them on the backs. "I know George is as well."

"Hope Chapman keeps his arse away from him, wherever they are."

"Eh, my George is tough." Ringo looked up with a smile. "Aren't you?"

"We know he is." Paul jumped as someone hugged him around the waist. "Zoeii?!"

"Don't leave me," she whispered against his chest.

"Yeah, what she said." Julian, Sean, Elica, and Julia appeared behind her. "Keep safe, dad."

"We will." Paul giggled as John kissed his cheek.