Break Me One More Time [McLennon]

in which they're not okay but they're fine

~~~

When John came into the kitchen the following morning, he immediately started making his cereal. He didn't dare look at Paul for even a moment.

"John?" Paul said.

"Hm?" John said, still not looking up.

"Are you okay?" Paul questioned.

"Of course," still, he looked down at his cereal bowl. He began to eat. "Why wouldn't I be?" He asked through a mouthful of corn flakes.

"Because you had a pretty bad nightmare last night," Paul sighed. Why couldn't he just open up a little bit about how he felt? That wasn't at all like John, of course, but still... Paul could dream.

"Oh, that," John said. "It was nothing."

"John, can we just talk about it for a minute?" Paul sighed. "I just - I don't understand. You've never had nightmares like this before."

John quickly finished off his cereal and put the bowl in the sink. "Let me worry about it, okay, Paul?" John said and looked at him for the first time since he entered the room. "We've got a gig at the Cavern at nine tonight, so be ready to head over for eight." Then he left the room, leaving Paul standing there alone.

~~~

That night, while performing, John seemed stiffer than usually. He didn't jump around and rock out quite as much as he usually did. He didn't look at Paul more than once or twice and it was terribly awkward. But then he stepped up to the microphone, grinning, and said, "Now we're going to sing a song that a good friend of mine sang to me when we first met,"

Paul grinned.

"This is Twenty Flight Rock! Take it away, Paulie!"

Paul nodded and took the microphone. "One, two, three, four...!"

"Hey, John!" Ivan said. "I'd like to introduce you to someone."

John turned from Pete, one eyebrow quirked up and his lips curled into a permanent smirk. He extended his hand and shook the hand of the dark haired boy who stood beside Ivan. "Hey, there. John Lennon."

"Paul," said the boy and he shook John's hand.

"Paul plays, too," Ivan said, nodding to the guitar that was strapped onto Paul's back.

"What with himself?" John laughed and Paul rolled his eyes. "I do. All the time. It's good for the wrist muscles."

Paul raised his eyebrows.

"So did you see us play?" John asked.

"Yeah, I did," Paul nodded.

"Yeah? What did you think?" John asked.

"It was alright," Paul shrugged.

"Alright? Alright?!" John exclaimed. "It was more than alright if you ask me, you little shit."

Paul glanced sideways at Ivan, nervous.

John stared him down, then his expression softened and he laughed. "Ah, I'm just messing with you. You're alright. Ivan likes you and he's alright. How alright are you on one of those?"

Paul shrugged. "I'm alright," he swung his guitar around to his front.

"You've got that thing on backwards," John said and Pete laughed.

Paul began to strum. "Well I got a girl with a record machine,
When it comes to rocking she's a queen.
I took her to a dance on a saturday night,
All alone where I can hold her tight.
She lives on the twentieth floor uptown.
The elevator's broken down.

And I walk one, two flight, three flight four,
Five six seven flight, eight flight more.
Up on the twelfth I'm starting to sag,
Fifteenth floor I'm ready to drag.
I get to the top and I'm too tired to rock."

John couldn't help but look impressed. "Well. You are alright."

"Thank you," Paul nodded.

Paul and John were strumming heavily on their guitars, dancing around the stage, and Paul sang smoothly into the microphone. "You know she called me up on the telephone,
Said come on ever baby 'cause I'm all alone.
I said baby you're mighty sweet,
But I'm in bed with aching feet.
This went on for a couple of days,
But I couldn't stay away.

And I walk one, two flight, three flight four,
Five six seven flight, eight flight more.
Up on the twelfth I'm starting to sag,
Fifteenth floor I'm ready to drag.
I get to the top and I'm too tired to rock.

Well I sent to Chicago for repairs,
Till it's fixed I'm using the stairs.
I hope they hurry, before it's too late,
I want my baby too much to wait.
All this climbing is getting me down,
They'll find me hanging over the rail.

And I walk one, two flight, three flight four,
Five six seven flight, eight flight more.
Up on the twelfth I'm starting to sag,
Fifteenth floor I'm ready to drag.
I get to the top and I'm too tired to rock.

And I walk one, two flight, three flight four,
Five six seven flight, eight flight more.
Up on the twelfth I'm starting to sag,
Fifteenth floor I'm ready to drag,
I get to the top and I'm too tired to rock."

~~~

"John? Are you awake?" Paul said as he lay in bed that night.

There was a pause before John answered. "Yeah, I'm awake,"

"Listen, John, I don't want there to be any bad blood between the two of us, so I'll make you a deal," Paul said. "You stop badgering me about my health and my weight and how much I eat, and I'll stop pestering you about the nightmares."

"Really?" John said.

"Yeah," Paul said. "You keep out of my business, and I'll stay out of yours, okay?"

"Okay, deal," John said. "Deal... I'm sorry I freaked out on you."

"Yeah," Paul said. "I'm sorry, too."

It was silent for a long time. Then John spoke, "Night, Paulie,"

"Goodnight, Johnny boy."