Break Me One More Time [McLennon]

in which we remember barney

"Great. So, then there's just the matter of the... well, the..."

"The what?" Paul asked.

"The eulogy." Lilly swallowed hard. "There's the matter of the eulogy. I was wondering... I almost hate to ask but I really don't think I can manage it, and you've such a way with words, and it only makes sense... Paul, would you please consider...?"

Paul got up from where he was sitting to walk over and hug Lilly. "Of course."

Paul, John, and George soon bid her goodnight softly and took their leave.

"I've got to go tell Ringo," George said. "Are you going to be okay, Paul?"

"Mhm." Paul nodded. He and John said goodnight to George and continued to their room where they changed and got ready for bed.

"Paulie?"

"Hm?"

"Are you actually doing okay?"

Paul looked up at him. He shook his head. "N-no. No, not really. But, you know..."

"No, I don't know. You don't have to do this eulogy if you don't want to, you know."

Paul sighed. "Of course, I've got to. I want to. I just... don't know what to say. I don't... I mean, the last time I saw him I was..."

"Borderline unconscious."

Paul frowned. "I was gonna say there was a wall of rubble in between us. When was I with Barney when I was borderline unconscious?"

John frowned back at him. "Well, when I got you out of that awful room?"

"The White Room."

"Yeah. Well, I wasn't alone. Not at first. Like, I said, Barney gave me that phone..."

"Right," Paul said, nodding. "Right, I forgot... you said..." he trailed off.

"But like I was saying-"

"I think I know what to say now."

John raised his eyebrows. "Really? Just from that? I mean, I could tell you more about it if you wanted me to."

Paul smiled. "Thanks, John. But I'm all set."

On the fourth morning, Paul woke slowly, blinking into the sunlight that poured through their bedroom's window. He crawled out of bed slowly, doing his best not to wake his John, who was still fast asleep. He crept to the window and looked out at the field.

After some time, John began to stir.

Paul hurried back to bed.

"Couldn't sleep?" John said worriedly.

Paul shook his head as he climbed beneath the covers. "Just woke up a few minutes ago."

They laid side by side without speaking for a long time. They had not talked very much the night before. There wasn't much to say at present. They might have begun talking about something, sometime, but there was a knock on the door.

Paul opened the door. Ringo was standing behind George, just off his shoulder, and George held two garment bags under his arm. They were both dressed in suits, which was a little odd. Paul stepped aside to let them both in all the same, and then closed the door behind them.

"Good morning," John said. "I see that you two've made up, then?"

"Well, you know," Ringo sighed. "Some things just have a way of clearing the air, and I guess almost dying in a time war is one of those things."