Break Me One More Time [McLennon]

in which yoko is back

 George announced early on in 1978 that he was having a baby. Additionally, he and his new fiance, Olivia, planned to get married after the baby was born. Something about this was comforting to Paul, especially after the debacle in February with Heather. George's life seemed to be on track, for the most part. He'd met Pattie pretty late on, but he met Olivia right on time and, unlike Lee Starkey, Dhani Harrison seemed to be on the way at just the right pace.

Sure enough, Dhani was born on the right day at the right time in the right place. And then, the following month, George and Olivia's wedding was exactly when it was supposed to be, as well.

John was talking to Stuart again which was a little off seeing as Stuart was meant to be dead, but that was fine. If things were completely on track, then John would die.

Things were looking up once again.

Barney woke Paul up in the middle of the night, late in October of that same year.

"It's been a while since we did this," Paul groaned, dragging himself out of bed. "What is it this time? Are we leaving the house?"

"Yes," said Barney. "We're having a meeting."

"We being?" Paul asked, eyebrows raised. "The F.H.O.?"

"No, no," Barney said, shaking his head. "The Unknowables."

"Oh, okay," Paul said, breathing a sigh of relief. He started rifling through his drawers, finding something easy to put on. "How's the baby?"

"Good," Barney said. "He's getting so big. He's almost a year old now."

"Yeah, that adds up," Paul said, pulling a sweater and jeans over his sleep clothes. "I heard about him, like, a year and a half ago." He pulled shoes on.

"Ready?" Barney said.

Paul nodded. "Yeah," he said, but he paused in his tracks. He looked at John, fast asleep in bed, for a while. "I worry, you know. I worry a lot. Like, what am I even supposed to do to save him? I've been here for so long, and for all these years it's just been how to save John, how to save John. But I... what if I can't? What if I fail?"

"It's okay, Paul," Barney said softly. "You're doing well."

"Am I?" Paul said. "How do you know?"

"You're keeping him close," Barney said. "The Beatles are still together, which we've agreed from day one was in John's best interest. You live with him, he's got no reason to go to New York City without you, and if anything crops up you're going to know about it so far in advance that you'll be able to put a bump in the road somehow."

"I guess," Paul said. "Let's just go."

Barney nodded. He took Paul by the hand, and they were off.

They landed hard in the old, abandoned urgent care facility that had been turned into the new Unknowables headquarters. "This way," Barney said, gesturing down the hall. "Everyone else is already here."

"Oh?" Paul said, following Barney down the hall and rounding the corner into the meeting room. "Who else is —" he stopped, and he paused in the doorway. George waved at him and gestured to the empty seat beside him. Roger and Deaky were there, too, which threw Paul off for a second, but it made sense; they both waved at Paul. Darren was there, and Marbella, a few of the original Unknowables, and couple former Shadows that he recognized. And, finally, his eyes fell upon —

"Hello, Paul," Yoko said.

Paul pursed his lips. "Hello," he said shortly before sitting down next to George.