"It's been five years since my mum died, Lucy.  Exactly...on this day."

"Oh, Paul, please don't cry.  It's going to be alright."

"I just miss her so much."

"I know you do."

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George smirked.  "I didn't know you could sing."

"Both Lucy and I can.  There are obviously a lot of things you still need to know.  But let's forget about Lucy for now...let me tell you a bit more about me."

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George and Layla tried their best to forget about their argument and her fear of something he could not see.  Instead, they played their guitars, and Layla kept wanting George to play Dark Sweet Lady for her.  And he never refused.

That morning, however, she said, "I really think that we should go back home.  I miss Ringo, John and Paul.  And you still have to see Lucy."

George was almost slightly disappointed.  "Can't we stay a little longer out here, love?  I got it just for us...we've still got time to spare."  Layla agreed that they could stay for a bit longer.  

As they made a lunch for themselves, George suggested that they put the food in a basket, bundled up and went for a picnic.  Though she was a bit nervous about it, she knew that George liked being outside, so she agreed.  

Once they had found the perfect spot to rest, they laid out their blankets and began to eat.  Layla hadn't much of an appetite, and George noticed...but that didn't stop him from stealing some of her fruit.  "Is something wrong, love?"

She quickly shook her head.  "No, no.  Everything's fine.  It just seems so...quiet.  I'm used the noisiness in the city."  That was partially true, but things also did seem to be eerily quiet.  Even though it was an overcast day, the birds would have normally been chirping...but they weren't.  And the wind wasn't blowing.  Layla felt a chill run up her back, and swore she saw a shadow in her peripheral vision.  Out of nervousness, she turned towards George.  

Only to find he wasn't there.  

Layla stood up.  "George?  This isn't funny, George!  Come on!" 

"George, please!"

The sky seemed to go black.  She could barely see two feet in front of her, but the grass rose to almost seven feet in height.  And in the distance, she heard something that stopped her heart.  A baby crying.  

She ran towards the sound, but it switched direction every time she moved.  And the grass was swishing all around her, as if there was something waiting to snatch her up.  The poor girl screamed out for George one last time, and then everything stopped moving.  The wind stopped blowing...but the birds started chirping once more.  It seemed to be going on for hours, and she did not dare move.  

But then something grabbed her from behind.  "Layla!"

The girl screamed louder than she ever had before.  

"Layla!"

"Layla, it's me!  You're alright!  It's just me!"  

She reached for George's embrace.  She was lying on the kitchen floor; and her head hurt terribly.  Her heart was racing and it refused to slow.  "We have to leave, George!  Please, we can't be alone out here!  It just keeps coming back..." she sobbed.  "I don't want it to get you...or take you from me..."

He held her close, stroking her hair.  "I-I promise, love.  We'll leave as soon as we can."  George tried his best not to get emotional while seeing her in such a fragile state.  Very few things could shake Layla.  She wasn't Lucy; she was tough and fierce.  

But feeling her tremble in his arms made him pack their bags as quick as possible.

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"Lucy?" she had refused to look at Paul.  Being afraid about what she had said, he quickly changed into his pajamas, pushed her down on the bed and held her close in his arms so she was unable to get away.  "Paul...stop it." she said half-heartedly.  

"I refuse to let go until you take back what you said earlier.  I will not let you hurt yourself so you will leave again...you still have so much to live for..."

And I need you.

She tried to wiggle away from him, but it was no use.  "Paul...let go..."  It was an hour after he fell asleep, still holding her tight that she did too.  

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Paul woke before she did, and gently let go of her.  His arms were incredibly sore.  Lucy was still sound asleep, so he silently left the room and shut the door.  However, when he was returning from his mailbox, he found someone by his apartment's door.  "Hello, Paul," the girl smiled.  

"What the hell are you doing here?" he blurted.  He knew he shouldn't talk to a woman like that...but he was so angry with her.  And himself, for that matter.

Catherine smiled.  "I just wanted to stop by and say hello.  I heard about what happened with Lucy; I'm so very sorry."  But she certainly didn't sound sorry.  Paul was disgusted.  "Is there anyway I could make you feel better?"  She went to touch him, but he took a step back.  "Come now, Paul...you've never been shy before."

"You need to go.  You're not welcome here...you never were.  I made a mistake with you."  Paul said. 

The girl was unconvinced.  "I was unwelcomed?  In case you forgot, you invited me over all those times when your poor little Lucy was sick, Paulie.  You used to love it when I called you that," she smirked.  "I only like it when Lucy calls, called, me that.  And how could I ever go back to you when I found out about all those vicious letters you sent to her?  She tried to starve herself because of you!  What if she had died?"

"She's already dead, Paul." Catherine said, silencing him.  "Don't you remember what you said to me one time?  She always dragged you down, and made you feel bad.  You said you pitied her.  You never really cared-"

"I never said that."

Catherine touched his shoulder.  "Why would I lie to you?" she ran her other hand up his chest.  "I never lied to Lucy in those letters...I just enlightened her."

Paul pushed her away.  "No...you humiliated her.  Whenever she saw you when I was around, Lucy couldn't even look at me she was so embarrassed of herself.  She never told me because she was afraid I would confirm what you said was true." 

"I would give you anything you want, Paul," she said.  "She's denied you before because she was scared.  I'm more mature, and I'm not afraid.  She's gone now.  The situation has been fixed."

"It never was broken!" he shouted.  "I love her!"  Then there came a little voice from the bedroom.  "Paul?"

Catherine looked horrified.  "What the hell?  Why...that can't be her."  He looked up at her.  "But it is.  You need to leave." he said. 

She took a step back, but then smirked.  "You never told her, did you?  About us?  Maybe she would like to know how truly passionate you are in your relationships."  Paul blocked the doorway.  "I'll have you arrested if you don't leave now.  Lucy and I are starting a new life...one that will not involve you."

The girl had one last thing to say.  "Oh...but you better tell her soon.  She will find out one way or another.  Lucy can expect to have one last letter in the mail."

And with that, Paul slammed the door.  He leaned against the wood, torn on what he should do.  There was no way that he could let Catherine say it...but Lucy could hate him forever if he told her.  He knew she was getting suspicious.  He was surprising her with gifts, taking her out on lots of dates and walks...but whenever he left the house, she seemed to be upset.  

Maybe she was just bored with staying at his house.

Or...

Did she think I was having an affair?

"Paul?" Lucy said, touching his shoulder.  "Are you alright?"  He kissed her cheek.  Dodging her question, he asked if she slept well.  She nodded.  "Was there someone at the door?"

"Just the postman."  But Lucy seemed upset still.  "Is everything right, my dear?  You seem distraught."

"I'm just fine."

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It was a quick drive home for George and Layla.  She fell asleep in the car, and George could only hope she wouldn't wake up in fear like she normally did.  He tried to right these things off as nightmares, but they were becoming worse and worse.  

As they neared the suburbs from the countryside, he heard her whispered, "Is everything alright, George?"  He looked at her only to realize she was still sleeping.  He smiled to himself.  But then he heard her mumble, "George...of course the baby's yours."

He touched her arm.  "Love, it's me.  It's time to wake up now."

"Please...George, you're scaring me."

"Layla."  

It was hard to concentrate on the road and on her at the same time, but he was afraid that if she didn't wake up right away she would wake up screaming.  And he couldn't calm her down and drive at the same time.  "No!" she said, loudly.  "Don't hurt me!"

He cut off another driver who honked his horn loudly and sped ahead of him.  He was going twenty miles per hour over the speed limit.  George's heart was pounding.  "Layla...please wake up!"

"No!  You'll hurt the baby!  No!" 

She snapped awake, and pointed out the dashboard.  "George, look out!"  He swerved to the side to miss a car coming straight at him.  He had been driving in the wrong lane.  However, he slammed on the break hard and they both were thrown foreward.  The seatbelt caught George and pushed him back, however Layla hit her head before she fell back too.  Once he had realized what happened, he looked over at her and saw she had a cut on her forehead.  He unbuckled himself.  "Oh, God...Layla!  Layla, can you hear me?"  He swore as he tried to keep her upright.  Please be alright.  I got us out of the way of the car...you have to be fine.  Her heart was still beating fast, but she was out cold.  He grabbed his coat from the back seat and held the sleeve to her forehead to stop the bleeding.  

A few minutes later she came to.  "Holy hell...what did you do?" she said, touching her bloody forehead.  "I'm so dizzy..."

He breathed a sigh of relief.  "I thought I had lost you again.  And...it would have been all my fault.  Oh, God, Layla." he hugged her, but she was a bit too woozy to hug him back.  "Should I drive you to the hospital?  I'm worried that after a hit like that-"

"Let's just relax a moment, please." she cut him off, holding her forehead.  

He leaned back in his seat when she spoke.  "I was...having a nightmare...about you.  You were angry with me again about the baby...and you thought I had cheated on you.  You started calling me names, and then...you hit me.  You kept hitting me in the stomach, because you wanted to punish me...for having a baby that you said wasn't yours."  She winced, but George wasn't sure if it was because of her pain or the nightmare.  

"Layla...I'd never hurt you if we had another child.  I'd kiss you...I'd never hit you.  If I had the choice, I'd take all of your pain away and let myself bear it...because you've felt so much of it already." George said as he took her hand.  "You shouldn't have nightmares like that...you should have dreams of love."  George rarely said such nice things.  It wasn't as if he was not nice...but he only ever spoke so kindly and thoughtfully to Layla.  He planned to do it more often, because he had realized only recently that someday that person might not be there when you need them.

After a moment, she said, "Let's hurry home.  I want to start dreaming of love as soon as possible."

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Lucy read her journal over and over when Paul went to pick up the groceries that day.  Especially the pages with the letters.  In one of the letters, Catherine and her friends had stuck pictures of her and Paul while they were on a date.  After she recieved that letter, she was absolutely terrified the entire night...and it always loomed on her mind when she went out on dates with him.  They never had privacy.  People were always watching.  

Look at him,  Catherine had written.  It was about a picture where Paul and Lucy were about to kiss. He's not even looking at you.  He's embarrassed of you.  He turned away right before you kissed him.  It's called a pity date, Lucy.  

She felt a tear drip down her cheek.  As soon as he kissed her goodbye and ran off to do a show at the Cavern or fool around with his friends...she would be up for hours at night locking the sadness away in her journal so that Paul never had to see.

If you really love him, you would leave him.  He's going to be famous with his band, and he'll have thousands of more appealing girls who love him more than you ever could throwing themselves at him.  Paul's too nice of a lad to break up with you...because he knows you'll never find anyone else.  You can't keep him forever, so you might as well let him go.

But where would she go then?  Her parents thought she was dead, John and Cynthia had their own problems to deal with, and George and Layla were gone.  And Ringo was probably off with a new girlfriend.  They didn't have time for Lucy.  

She heard the front door shut and immediately closed her journal, but the picture fell out.  She wiped her eyes before Paul came in.  "What are you up to?" he sat down next to her.  

"I was just reading this." she replied, avoiding his eyes.  She was afraid he could tell that she had been crying.  "Are you alright, my love?" he asked.  

No, Paul.  Please help me...I'm so scared and really sad.

"I'm...just swell."

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