Louise had fallen asleep watching the late, late show. 

When Rich and George stumbled in she sat up stiffly from her slumber on the floor. Paul too, having heard the lads enter the warm quiet lounge room like a bomb exploding, was now rubbing his eyes and shaking his head at the intrusion.

"Oh hullo there" George weaved towards the two half-awake individuals "What are you two up to then?"

"Sorry.... I'll put Sir Geo to bed and let you two get on with the telly" Richy grinned, he wasn't anywhere nearly as plastered as George.

"Where's John then?" Paul asked once he realised Lennon wasn't back.

"Took Miss Mansfield home, he did" George tottered off down the hall with Richy shushing him and glancing back at Lou and Paul now both seated on the sofa together.

"Tea?" Louise stood and stretched, her voice not conveying her thoughts or emotions in the slightest.

"Yeah righto" Paul tapped a comforting hand on Lou's shoulder and followed her towards the kitchen. 

 After sharing bicky's and tea Paul led Lou back to the sofa to see what was on the telly. A western movie was starting, so they sat quietly for a time.

The clock on the mantle ticked.

With the lights off and the movie rolling, the clock chimed on the hour.

Then chimed once more.

After the first hour Louise began to feel restless, her fingers drummed and she stood to check Evie a few times for something to do.

Lou watched the second-hand spin.

She wouldn't cry, no.

She wouldn't become upset or angry or inconsolable or throw things.

No sit - watch telly. Wait.

This is maddening.

Paul watched Louise stand and walk out the double glass doors towards the pool area.

He let her be, he had watched her demure change over the hours and could understand the frustration she felt. John was up to his bits in tits no doubt about it and Louise was waiting. Her face fell a little more as the minutes worked their way through the night and each chime of the hour had her sit up a little more then slump down in dejection.

"Louise, where'd you get to luv?" Paul stood at the double doors and tried to see into the gloom of the night, no moon tonight only cloud, maybe it would rain later but now it was high and blotting the moons beams with it's dense coverage.

It was a lovely pool, good size for parties to which they'd had a few. The who's who of tinsel town all in a tizz wanting to visit a few kids from Liddypool; Pretty funny Paul thought, that four scruffs could get so far "Lou babe?"

"Over here, on the sun lounge"

"There's like ten out here Louise"

Louise huffed "Oh Paul.... the one by the waterfall"

The furthest away and the darkest spot Louise had found, not really wanting company but wanting to be found and comforted too. Paul's red glowing smoke loomed towards her and she felt the lounger dip and fill beside her. Louise turned on her side or else she would have been tipped off.

"Alright?" The waft of sweet smoke hit her nose as Paul exhaled from his post a little higher than her. Louise took the stumpy piece that was left and took a drag herself, coughing a little she tried again and was rewarded with a slight buzz, it wasn't a Marlboro, that was for sure.

"s'pose" Lou was rewarded with a view of Paul's features when the clouds parted, silhouetted and angular she laid her hand on his cheek. "Don't you do this to your girl will you"

Paul glanced down at Louise and tried to read her mind. "He'll be back"

"Oh, I know he'll be back" Lou dropped her hand heavily onto his shoulder, so sad that she was bothered to be upset. "He'll not upset the apple cart of Beatles obligations"

And no ..... Louise Lennon wasn't one of the Beatles obligations, she was just a moocher, a hanger-on-er, didn't do nearly enough for them to warrant all the bedlam she caused. Couldn't even keep John happy in the bedroom by the looks of things too.

Paul squirmed down so they were face to face, once you got used to it you could see. Louise dropped her gaze and wondered if he was having a good time, was the sex worth it, was he going to leave her, cast her aside for this one ... Lou gulped back a sob and mentally smacked herself, so dumb so idiotic.... again and again she went around on this merry go ground and for what- some sort of weird half-hearted love.

Paul wiped a tear away that Lou hadn't been able to keep in check, then another and another till he pulled her close and cuddled her to his frame, he stroked his fingers gently through her hair in a lulling and comforting manner. So beautiful and warm she was and where was John. Paul shook Lou a little. "Come on stop that, chin up, toughen up. You know John, never means a thing does i-"

And then she hit him, his chest pummelled and attacked til she fell silent in heartwrenching pain. Once more she lashed out and Paul held tightly, all the while holding her and talking gently, kissing her hair as she tossed about and belted him halfheartedly. He soothed carefully, stroking a hand down her back.

Lou slowed her angry movements and pushed away not wanting his comfort because Paul might as well be John, tarred with the same brush they were, never bothering about hurting the ones they loved.

Maybe I shouldn't bother either, she through about in her mind, just take anything and everything.

Be greedy, use, abuse, make a mess and leave destruction and hearts broken.

Lou found herself looking at Paul with anger, with a sense of despondency, coupled with a spiteful sense of payback and eye for an eye, she shook her head and felt like she was sick of waiting, sick of behaving and toeing the line in everything she did.

Louise leaned close and kissed Paul like her sanity depended on it and he responded, kissing her back just as quickly as she attacked. But where was this from? They had been good, not laid a hand on one another or thought about doing the other or had any inklings to get with the other.

Now this.

Louise pulled herself up more and was hovering over Paul her lips pink and shiny wet, face tear stained but set in marked determination.

Seconds fled and Paul wanted to go and kiss those sweet tearstained lips again and simultaneously stop and desist, but above all else he wanted to remember how she looked at him. How she seemed to want him to make her feel better and cure her heartache. Louise kissed him once more. With wide eyes she watched him question her silently.

The clouds parted and between the moonlight, the pool and the darkness Louise crushed everything in her head, twisted it tight in denial and shame. She laid her hands on Paul's shoulders and kneeled over him, kissing him gently now, testing his lips as opposed to Johns.

Testing her heart, weighing the pain and even though Paul was brilliant at kissing her back and she thought he was marginally half-hearted in the exchange. She still kissed him though, testing presses against the lips of the most wonderful friend she had... hesitation hovered in her heart yet she kissed him deeper, angling, tasting, hovering...

As her lips returned to touch his she felt a stalling in her endeavours, with her lips still pressed against Paul's she paused, eyes squeezed shut. She wanted this for John, she wanted payback, she wanted to hurt him, she wanted to make him feel gutwrenching torment.... She tested once more, lingering heavily on his flesh, with salty rivers of tears they both tasted too.... Paul eventually was the one to pull away, taking her hands from his shoulders, holding them between them.

This wasn't right.

She loved John- hell or high water, which he lashed her with both  consistently, she loved John.

He kissed the inside of her wrists, the pulse points betraying the rattling emotions she tried hard not to display. Leaning his forehead against hers their breathing calmed together and the night became silent for a time.

Sniffling, huffing back the upset over her brain explosion, she began exchanging the tears for fortitude and mettle. Louise apologised quietly into the lips breathe of space between them "I'm... Oh god, I'm so sorry Paul" Her breathy voice hitched as Paul drew her into his embrace. "So sorry"

"Don't be. You worked out your heart, didn't you darlin'?" His fingers drifted over her back like silk, smooth and soft.

Louise cringed into his chest remembering the wanton kisses she had all but attacked him with "Can we keep this between the two of us" Lou leaned back to scan Paul's beguiling face, the small grin tugging at his lips was sincere and thankfully not jest.

"Keep what between us- friendship, trust?"

"Yeah that, I'd very much not want to lose that"

"Done darlin" Paul sat up and wiped his face, she was beautiful but her heart was with John "Look, might be best if I go to get a hours kip. What about you, I don't-"

A car door slammed and voices sounded from the front of the complex.

John was home.

"I'll stay here, I think"

"OK, suit yourself" Paul stood, then leaned over and straightened Lou's wayward locks gently.

Smiling gently, he turned and began sauntering away, fists shoved in the front pockets of his jeans, whistling quietly. Lou fell back onto the lounger and watched him put more distance between them, he opened the back door, then paused in his stride "Don't kill him, Lou ..... we haven't a replacement for rhythm guitar handy"