Unfortunately, Magical Mystery Tour didn't go over as well with the critics as it did with us. "Blatant Rubbish" they called it. It was all a blow to Paul's confidence, it was hard to see him so shaken, the interviews following the movie's debut didn't show that part of him...he never let them see that. I was spending most of my nights with him trying to brighten his spirits, I worked during the day and attempted to pack my things when I could. Sam, took the news of me moving well, she was happy for me...Ginny planned on moving in. I still planned to hit the pubs with them on a regular basis. We hadn't been out in quite some time and I felt bad the night I had to cancel on them...
I'd finished my lessons for the day and decided to surprise Paul that afternoon. As I pulled up to the gate I saw John's car parked outside. This wasn't unheard of, so I thought nothing of it.
However, as I walked to the gate to let myself in...the gate birds had a very different reaction to me. Silence. Usually, they'd make comments or the nicer ones would ask for an autograph.
Suddenly, one started crying. I raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
"Tilly," she sobbed "Say it isn't true! Not our Paulie! He couldn't!"
I was shocked. What did they know that I didn't?
"What of him?" I asked. She handed me a paper. There, on the front page...was a photo of Paul and myself from the premiere party...the reporter made a point of pointing out my black eye. I read the headline "Trouble in paradise? Paul and Tilly not as in love as they seem. Has The Beatle been striking his new girlfriend? Details inside!" My heart sank as I read the first paragraph while a gaggle of pre-teen girls watched me.
I handed the paper back to the young blond on the brink of tears.
"It's not true," I said firmly.
"But...it's in the papers..." she said biting back a sob.
"Yeah? Don't believe all you read" I said to her as I made my way through the gate.

I entered the very familiar house, slid out of my boots and hung up my coat.
"Just hasn't been your week has it mate?" I heard John tease in the kitchen.
"No, it really hasn't...I can't bloody well believe this, what am I going to do John?" Paul's voice was shaky. He had been upset after the reviews for the film came back, but this, this was a new tone to me. I entered the kitchen. Paul and John sat at the table. Paul rested his elbows on the table, his fingers tangled in his hair.
"Tilly luv," John said as I entered "Just in time"
"'Ello John" I smiled. I went to Paul's side, he wrapped an arm around me from his seat, not even looking up.
"I'm going to take the dogs out Macca, you discuss what you need to," John said as he got up from the table.
"Thanks, John" Paul said weakly.
I sat on Paul's lap, he wrapped his arms around me and buried his head in my shoulder, I stroked his hair. I felt horrible for the week he'd had.
"I'm so sorry luv" he whispered.
"Sorry? Why? What have you to be sorry for?" I asked "If anyone should be sorry, it should be the photographer or newspaper man who were paid off to print such rubbish. If anyone should be sorry it should be my bloody sister who caused all this. You have no reason, Paul"
"I never wanted any bad press written about you and I.." he sighed.
"You can't stop that luv, they'll try to turn up anything they can on all of you...I understood that going into this"
"I know...which is one of the many reasons I love you. I just want my personal life, personal. They can say what they want about our movie...but when they touch my life with you, it really hurts. I have no idea what to do"
"We'll sort it out; do you want me to stay with you tonight?" I asked.
"You're going out with Sam and Ginny...you shoul—" he began. I cut him off.
"Paul, do you want me to stay with you tonight?" I asked again. He sighed heavily; I felt a release of tension run through him.
"Yes." He whispered.
"Alright then," I said, I pressed my forehead to his and smiled "You just had to ask luv"
He smiled slightly. I hopped off his lap to ring Sam, however, almost immediately he reached for me again.
"You know I would never do that to you, yeah?" He asked nervously.
"Beg your pardon?" I asked. He pulled me back down to his lap and rested his hands on my waist.
"You know I would never hit you, I just don't want you worryin' about that because of some bloody paper, I promise it won't happen" he explained. I cut him off before he could say anything more.
"I know. The paper that printed it is rubbish," I smiled as I ran my fingers through his hair. "You've never given me any reason to think you'd do such a thing luv"
He smiled at me, finally the smile I was hoping for. He kissed me, it was at that point (it seemed it would almost always develop into something more...), very sweet, very tender. I was completely in love with him; I knew things would work themselves out.
"Chrissakes! Ya' think the two of ya's could at least go to the bedroom before ya' start in on it in front of yer guest?" John teased. Paul instantly laughed.
"Good to see ya' in better spirits, Macca" John laughed as he unleashed Martha and Angus.
"Getting better all the time" Paul laughed.
"Can't get no worse!" John grinned back.

"I'm going to ring Sam," I said as I got up "I'll see you soon enough, I'm sure Johnny boy"
"Too right! Jules has a lesson in two days, think you'll be on time?" He grinned.
"Sod off!" I said giving him a small punch in the shoulder. I heard him and Paul laugh as I made my way to the phone.

Sam was incredibly understanding;

"You've got a lot to sort out right now luv, we'll have drinks soon enough." She told me before I rang off.

My evening with Paul was relaxed, we'd both decided it was a night to spend inside, he showed me a new song he'd been working on...the piano part was absolutely intoxicating! I couldn't wait to hear it when it was complete!
I think we were asleep by about 1 am that night, I wasn't entirely sure.

It was late...after my bed time and I had school in the morning. I was fourteen, and I hated nights like this. I hadn't any school work as I always finished it first thing when I got home, my goal of leaving home would only work if I did well in my studies...at least that's how I thought. I tried reading to drown out the noise.

It seemed no matter how hard I tried I couldn't drown the noise, Thomas was in Daphne's room, right next to mine...I could hear them through the wall. It disgusted me, I was sick to my stomach that he even thought of such a thing, even more sick that she consented. The headboard of Daphne's bed banged against the wall, causing the wall in my room to shake, knocking a few books out of the shelf.

"Bloody hell!" I said exasperated, I wasn't supposed to have my music on late at night, but I didn't care. I flipped my radio on, Chuck Berry's "Sweet Little Rock n Roller" was just finishing. "I love that song...why couldn't I have switched on a minute earlier?" I cursed to myself. The next song came on, "Thank God!" I thought as Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally" began playing. I loved the song anyway, but it was ideal for drowning out unwanted noise. Little did I know in a few short years I'd be hearing the same song sung by a group of British lads. I reached for the volume knob and turned it as loud as it would go.

Peace. At last. I listened as Little Richard screamed the lines of the song.
"Turn that bloody rubbish off!" Thomas said as he opened my bedroom door. I jumped.
I turned down the radio.
"Perhaps if you weren't shagging Daphne, I wouldn't have to turn it up so bloody loud!" I yelled back. After all I'd dealt with in the previous years, I didn't care anymore. I was almost hoping I'd be kicked out of the house. Thomas was drunk, he held himself up in the doorframe, I knew I'd crossed a line...he came toward the bed, he got close to me, too close, he wreaked of gin.
"Perhaps if you were a better daughter this wouldn't be a problem," He said. I pushed him away
"FUCK OFF!" I yelled, "Just because Daphne is a fuckin' slag doesn't mean I'm anything like her, get the bloody fuck out!"
"Fine then! Should've made it so you couldn't get out of the bloody asylum" he stormed out of the room; I slammed the door and locked it behind him. I went to my window and opened it; there was a large tree just outside my window. I climbed onto its branches; I'd done so a thousand times before much as my mum pleaded with me not to. It was the one place I could get away from everything at night. It was spring; there was a cool breeze and a full moon shining over our garden. I could see into my mum's room, she lay asleep...unaware of what had happened. I sighed sadly, reached into a small hole in the tree and extracted a pack of cigarettes. Inside was a match, I struck it and lit myself a ciggie as I looked out over the English garden.

Of course, I woke from the flash back. Only I wasn't breathing heavy, no cold sweats, no screaming. This was a flashback that always had a different effect. It was sad, but I also felt immense pride...I kept my dignity at least. I moved out of the bed, put on my dressing gown and opened a window slightly. I lit myself a cigarette, I had a lot on my mind over all that had happened. I was lost in my thoughts when the familiarity of Paul's arms wrapped themselves around my waist from behind.
"Everything alright baby girl?" He asked as he rested his chin on my shoulder. I smiled.
"Yeah..." I said
"Are you sure?" he asked "If it's not, please tell me"
I thought a moment. I'd been thinking of the newspaper story and what to do to solve it.
"I think I'm going to come forward" I sighed.
"About?" Paul inquired
"Everything."
He simply raised an eyebrow.
"I've been quiet for years about everything, and now it's something that could hurt you." I began "I don't want my past to hurt you. I'm calling a paper tomorrow...they can interview me, I'll tell them everything...the abuse, the scar, Daphne, the institute, my dad...everything"
"You don't have to do this luv," Paul said pulling me closer.
"If it's what it takes to keep us together," I turned to him "I worry if any more suspicions arise about anything, it'll drive us apart. That's the last thing I want"
"If you're sure you want to," he said
"I'm not. But I think it's what I have to do" I stated.
"Alright then. What do you need from me luv?" he asked warmly.
"To keep loving me...and I may need you there" I said finally.
"I can do both" he smiled before kissing me. 

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A/N: More insights into Tilly's past...fun innit?  Thanks as always for reading!  I'm actually in the process of writing something new (and writing the follow up to this tale)

Soundtrack: Protection - Massive Attack