Stop Crying Your Heart Out - McLennon AU

32.

29th April, 1963

Paul waked down Menlove Avenue, pulling a black suitcase behind him and carrying an old and warn out backpack over his shoulders. He'd collected most of his clothes and things like his toothbrush, however he had arranged to go back another day and collect his other items: Records, Photos, Books and his Guitar.

However he'd made sure that he took the green folder of photos from Astrid with him, tucked safely in his coat pocket.

Paul had called Mimi from a telephone box and informed her that he was the person coming to pick up Julian, so wasn't surprised when she answered the door almost straight away.

"Hello, Paul." Mimi smiled, widely. "How are you, son? I haven't seen you in ages..." She held Julian tightly in her arms, and he was wide awake.

I just broke up with my girlfriend and now I'm dating your nephew.

"Yeah I'm good, how are you?"

"Oh I'm good too, dear." She stepped out of the way, allowing Paul access. "C'mon love, come in."

Paul did as she said, a smile on his face as he walked inside, dragging his suitcase behind him.

The house was filled completely with alsorts of memories for him... When he and John used to write songs upstairs, when George, Paul and Ringo used to all come here after school and smoke and listen to music really loud until Mimi got home.

"What's with the suitcase, love?" The woman asked, closing the door.

Paul turned his attention away from the staircase leading upstairs and over to Mimi. He had to think fast at what he was going to say.

May as well not lie completely.

"Me and Jane have- Uh..." He scratched the back of his neck. "It didn't work out."

Her face which once showed happiness now showed the complete opposite.

"Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear that."

"Yeah... So John said I could stay there for a while." The smile appeared on her face again, although not as cheery this time.

"Oh, good." She smiled, looking down to Julian. "Anyway I'm sure you've probably had enough of talking about that, so c'mon. Follow me, Jules' stuff is just in here."

And with that, Mimi headed for the living room,  Paul leaving the suitcase at the door and following after her.

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"Hello, John?" Paul called throughout the house, pushing the pram slowly through the door.

The fact that he had hardly any experience in pushing a pram before was bad enough, but the fact that he was also dragging along a heavy suitcase behind him didn't make the situation easier.

However after a few tries, and complaints from the younger man, both the pram and the suitcase were in the house. Paul shut the door behind him with a tired out sigh.

"Johnny, are you awake?" He tried once more, but nothing. After waiting a few more seconds, he gave up, turning his attention back to Julian and lifting him from the pram. "Guess it's just you and me, eh little man?"

The baby just looked up at Paul, continuing to suck his dummy peacefully. Paul abandoned the pram and suitcase at the door, needing a sit down after the last hour or so.

That's what he did, placing himself on the sofa, holding Julian up underneath his arms so it looked like he was standing up on Paul's knees. The younger man couldn't help but chuckle, as the baby's face didn't move at the position.

"God, you have grown, kid..."

The first time he did this was the same day that John had snapped at him. The older man had come downstairs and saw Paul holding Julian in the exact same way, only the baby was still a newborn then.

But now he was almost a month old.

One month...

"God, you're gonna be runnin' around here soon, kid." Paul smiled, looking him up and down.

Paul was so glad that he didn't cry on him, it meant a lot to the man. It was like they had some sort of bond, and even if it wasn't genetical, then that didn't matter, because the baby felt safe with Paul.

That's what mattered to him. And he knew that's what would matter to John, too.