~John's~
I couldn't take my eyes off of him. I was filled with anger. Mike was still hiding behind me, not making a peep. Paul stood frozen staring at Jim McCartney. It took a few moments before anybody could speak, I think we were all trying to analyze the situation and trying to believe it was really happening. Jim took his eyes off of Paul and locked with mine. "I think it's best if you leave." I managed to growl out. The sound of my voice made Mike tighten his grip around my waist. "This is my home, son. I believe it's best if you leave." Jim spat back, his voice sounding weak and shaken.
"Take Mike upstairs." Paul ordered as he tilted his head slightly toward me. "Paul, no I'm--" I tried to object before Paul interrupted. "John, now." He said sternly. That meant walking right by Jim. I spun around and picked up Mike, who quickly hid his head in my neck and wrapped his limbs around my body. I took a deep breath and as I walked by Jim toward the stairs, it took every ounce of my strength not to head butt him. He glared at me as I walked by.
I made it up into Paul's room, and sat Mike down on the bed. I sat down next to him and took another deep breath. "Are you okay?" I asked Mike quietly. He leaned into my side and I put my arm around his shoulder. I could hear him begin to cry, the poor lad. I did not want to be locked up here and away, Paul needed me. "P-Paul is downstairs..with him," Mike said quietly. I nodded. "G-go sit on the stairs and listen, Johnny, he might need you," Mike told me. "Are you gonna be okay if I do?" I asked, already standing up. He nodded and lied down on his older brothers bed. I opened the door quietly and tip toed down the stairs half way, sitting down and listening carefully.
It was silent at first, I heard a chair shuffle and Jim sigh loudly. "Why are you here?" Gin asked. "I want my home back, I want my children." Jim said quite loudly. I shook my head to myself. I waited for Paul to object, but he didn't speak. "The boys have learned their lesson, I've quit drinking. I need my boys back." Jim ordered. I wanted to throw things. I wanted to hit Jim McCartney so hard he didn't wake back up. "Stupid git." I mumbled to myself. "Paul, don't you have anything to say?" Jim asked. "Don't you? An apology, perhaps?" Paul spat back quickly. I wanted to stand up clapping, and place a huge kiss on Paul's lips. I was so proud of him for standing up for him and Mike, not backing down. "Paul I did those things because I care about you, you're my son after all." Jim scoffed. It was all so unreal. "You nearly killed me because you care? That's bullshit." Paul laughed. "Don't take that tone with me, young man." I heard him stand up. "Or what? You'll put me back in a hospital bed?" Paul stood up as well.
I braced myself. "Don't you have any respect for your father?" Jim raised his voice. "Fuck you." Paul spat back and left the room, he stormed up the stairs passed me and slammed his bedroom door shut. Jim showed up at the bottom of the stairs. I stood up. "Yer a swine." I growled at him. "Let me pass, kid." Jim shoved me, I fell but caught myself on the stairs. I took another deep breath, I couldn't hit him. Oh how I bloody wanted to, but I knew if I started hitting him I wouldn't be able to stop. I'd end up killing the old sod. Gin stepped out from around the corner. "Come on, let's all sit down in the living room and talk." She ordered, speaking loud enough so Paul and Mike would hear. Paul walked out of the bedroom with a still frightened Mike holding his hand. I leaned against the wall, allowing them to pass me. As Paul walked by, he lightly grabbed my hand. His touch reminded me that he was okay, and we were going to figure this thing out.
Paul and I sat down together on the couch, Mike jumped up into my lap, Gin was in the chair, and Jim stood in the doorway. "Jim, you know the boys are both legally mine. Now that Paul is an adult, he's a secondary guardian to Mike. This is not your decision, its our's." Gin told him sternly. I couldn't believe how calm Paul seemed. Mike was fumbling with my fingers, not looking up at his dead-beat father that I oh-so-badly wanted to knock on his ass. "Then you should know that I've quit drinking and all I want is to be a father to you boys again." Jim said, calmly. "Had yer chance already and ye blew it, didn't ye?" I blurted out. The sound of my voice seemed to sooth Paul because his face softened. "Why are you here, Lennon? This is a family matter." Jim said as he stared me down again. "John is more family than you are." Paul said in an extremely low, monotoned voice. Jim's stare didn't break with mine.
"If Paul and Mike agree, we can begin with visitations. Once a week, under my supervision." Gin said and sighed loudly. I tensed up immediately. "No." Paul said as he stood up and stared Jim in the eye. Paul had gotten quite a bit taller since the last time he'd seen Jim, and he looked more like a man than before. He was more muscular now with a lot more definition in his face. "I think it's time to go." I said as I stood up and shifted into the space separating Jim and Paul. "Bloody hell boy, what are you doing protecting him so much? Are you a queer? For MY son?" Jim spat at me as his nose inched closer to mine. I clenched my fists and huffed loudly in his face, using every ounce of my will not to hit him. Paul grabbed my shoulder and shoved me back. Paul grabbed Jim's collar, his eyes looked black with rage.
"Don't you DARE speak to him like that!" Paul began yelling as he dragged Jim out into the vestibule. "Get the FUCK out of this house, and don't bother trying to be apart of mine and Mike's lives. FUCK YOU." Paul was screaming in Jim's face now, still beat red with anger. He opened the door and held his hand out toward the exit. Jim looked like his heart had just been ripped out and thrown in a puddle. Good. As he walked away, Paul slammed the door shut and slid down it, sitting on the floor with his head in his hands. I knelt down beside him. "I'm so proud of you." I whispered. Mike flew into Paul's arms, burying his small crying face into Paul's shoulder. Paul stood up with Mike in his arms and swayed him back and forth as if he was a crying toddler. Gin stood in the doorway of the sitting room, clenching her chest, tears rolling down her cheeks. I should've felt out of place, but I didn't.
Paul didn't stop swaying back and forth in that spot for a while. Gin and I gave them their alone time and sat back down in the kitchen. "Do you think they would want some tea?" Gin asked me, still sniffling as she placed a pot of tea on the table along with four cups. "I'll go ask them." I half smiled as I stood up and approached the boys. Paul still hadn't moved from the spot he had been swaying Mike in. I kissed Paul's cheek. "Cuppa tea, love?" I whispered and kissed his temple. I noticed Mike was asleep on Paul's shoulder. Paul nodded and walked over to the couch, lying Mike down and placing a quilt on top of him. "Mum made this, she did." Paul whispered to Mike before kissing the top of his head.
Paul walked back over to me, his head hanging. I lifted his chin with my index finger and kissed his nose lightly. "Are ye okay, m'love?" I asked him quietly. "Hard to look at him, y'know?" Paul said, his voice cracking a little bit as he wrapped his arms around me and squeezed. "Thank you for staying." He added. "Oh I wasn't going anywhere if my life bloody depended on it, Macca. C'mon, Gin is gonna see us." I told him as I pulled his arms off of me and dragged him into the kitchen. "I'm glad you boys are home safe, but I think it's time for me to resign. It's getting late after all." Gin said, almost awkwardly as she left the room and went to Jim's old room. "I love you, Paul." I said quietly as he poured us each a cup of tea. He let a smile creep out the side of his mouth. "I love you, John. I'm surprised you didn't kill the bastard." Paul laughed a little and put his hand on my thigh. "Oh trust me, I wanted to. Took all me bloody strength not to! Just seein' his bloody face got me blood boiling. Seein' wee Mike scared like that, and well, seein' you all red and mad." I told him as I sipped at my tea. "Seein' me like that made you wanna hit him?" Paul giggled a little. "Well, of course. But afterward I wanted to jump your soddin' bones, lookin' all sexy like that, y'know." I smirked and grabbed his hand, still placed on my thigh.
"Are you hitting on me, John Lennon?" Paul said, trying to sound as shocked as possible. "I just might be." I said, in a low grumble as I leaned over and kissed down Paul's jawline and to his neck.
"Paul?" Mike's little voice made us both jump. "Yes love?" Paul said as he took Mike's hand and pulled him up into his lap. "Thank you for protectin' me," he mumbled through a small whimper. "Ah Mikey, I'll always be here to protect ye." Paul said with a smile on his face as he hugged his small brother close, looking at me over his shoulder. "Eh, Mike, do you wanna know a secret?" Paul said as he pulled away from the hug. "Yeah!" Mike said, sounding a bit happier. "Johnny and I are gettin' married." Paul whispered with a smile from ear to ear. My eyes widened, I hadn't expected him to tell anybody. I suppose Mike wasn't just anybody, though. "YOU ARE?!" Mike hugged Paul and quickly hopped off of him to hug me.
"That we are, son." I smiled and hugged him back. "I'm gonna go t'bed, but remember to walk me to school tomorrow!" Mike was giddy, but yawning at this point. We said our goodnights and Mike ran up to his bedroom. "Brush your teeth!" Paul yelled after him. I laughed. "What are you on about, then?" Paul laughed too as he sat back down at the table, scooting closer to me. "Don't go freakin out on me, but I just wanted t'say I think you'd be a really great Dad, Macca." I smiled and kissed his cheek. Paul's cheeks went a light shade of pink. "Let's talk about Paris.. when were ye plannin' on goin' to do that?" Paul asked as he poured us another cup of tea. "Well I was thinkin' on me birthday." I replied with a smile. Paul nearly choked on his tea. "Ye birthday?! Bloody hell, Johnny. That's in a few soddin' days!" He said, surprised. "Shh, Mike and Gin are sleepin'!" I reminded him with a smile. "Is that too soon? Did you want time to think about it more?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "'No! I know I wanna marry ye, ye daft git. I'm only just surprised you'd wanna do it so quick." Paul said, defending himself and smiling. "It's settled then. We'll go to Paris for me birthday, and I'll marry the crap outta ye!" I giggled and kissed his hand, he laughed along with me. "Do you wanna tell anybody else?" Paul asked me a little quieter. "I suppose we could think about it, I don't mind just goin' the two of us y'know. But if you wanna best man er somethin'..." I replied.
"Lets talk more in the morning." Paul sighed and finished his tea. "Well we can at least think about it, love." I smiled and took our cups to the sink. Paul grabbed my hand and began pulling me toward the stairwell. "I don't wanna think about it right now. I've got something else on my mind." Paul said with a smirk. "Oh bloody hell." I smiled and picked him up over my shoulder, and carried him to the bedroom, throwing him down on the bed.
"I'll give ye somethin' to think about." I growled as I winked and crawled on top of him.