Chapter One: Yesterday

"Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be. There's a shadow hanging over me. Oh yesterday came suddenly."
-McCartney

***

"Oi! Mate!" Paul heard John call out. Paul said nothing but turned his head to John. "We're going to run it from the top!"

"Run what?" Paul said with a frown, he really didn't know what song they were recording.

"Yesterday." John said with a concern look upon his face. He knew the Paul had been out of it for the past few months.

"Oh right." Paul replied as he adjusted the grip on his bass and got ready to play.

John narrowed his eyes and watched Paul carefully as he did a quick re-tune of his guitar. It was obvious to anyone that Paul was going through a tough time. You had to be close to the band to see how Paul was really feeling. John knew that to most people that it looked like the same Paul that everyone had grew to love and know.

"I'm worried 'bout him." George leaned over and said in John's ear.

"You and me both."

The recording went without fail and the boys started to pack up. Paul carefully put away his bass and started to leave as he grabbed his jacket. Though everyone was questioning him as he was wearing such a heavy-duty jacket towards the end of spring. Of course it was starting to get a hotter, people are now starting to break out t-shirts and cotton-like fabric, you had a few people that wore jackets or blazers to look smart. But that doesn't mean people are wearing them, especially thick, woolen lined jackets.

"I'm off." Paul said as he walked out of the door.

"Are you going to come to the pub for a few drinks?" Ringo asked as he walked toward Paul from his drum kit.

"I might just stay at home." Paul replied.

After driving through many side roads Paul arrived at his flat in London. When him and the lads weren't recording or doing promo he would be up in Liverpool with his family. But for the times that Paul would be down in London he brought a small flat. A flat that only had two bedrooms, bathroom and a little open living space.

Paul's living room would is filled with his different instruments. His three guitars and bass lived down in the living room and a piano was set up in the guest bedroom. And his coffee table would be filled with transcript paper, sheets of music and a collection of completed and incomplete songs. You didn't have to look twice to realise that a musician lived here.

Paul sighed as he placed his base on the couch and placed his keys on the bench. He threw his jacket over onto the table that was stationed in the back left-hand corner of the kitchen area.

Paul grabbed the leftover pasta that he had when him and the lads (with there girlfriends/wives) went out to dinner a few nights ago. He couldn't be bothered to reheat the dish of pasta so instead he ate it cold at the table by himself.

Paul thought about his new song Yesterday. Paul had only written the song on his guitar by himself while he was in his house up in Liverpool. He had pictured how the the song was played a lot differently. He originally just wanted a single guitar playing. The band was trying to change the song to suit how they played, the needed to add in one extra guitar, percussion and a bass line. It just changed the mood of the song. So Paul actually regrets telling them about the song.

"Well tomorrow is our day off." Paul thought out loud to himself.

He thought that he could meet up with George (Martin) tomorrow and run past some ideas past him about Yesterday. He wanted this song to be his song.

Paul finished his pasta and started to clean up his dishes. It was easier to live by himself. He didn't have to clean up after anyone but himself. When the band first started to record in London they had all shared a house together as it was convenient and cheap as they all split the rent into quarters. Paul did admit that it was lonely living alone, he had thought about getting a cat at some stage but with him being consistently away he decided to not get a pet at all. The only thing that he would talk to would be his instruments if he accidentally took his anger out on them and he would apologise to them.

***

In the morning Paul got up and rung George and asked him to come down by the studio later today. They had agreed on just after lunch. Since the phone call the morning dragged on. Paul originally was trying to read but soon he had his guitar in his hands trying to perfect a few songs that he was trying to write with John.

"Ah." Paul said aloud to himself. "That's how I'll do it." Paul said as he hastily wrote something down on a back of an envelope from a bill that he had paid a few weeks ago.

All to soon lunch rolled around so Paul decided to adventurous today and buy a sandwich from a cafe on his way to the studio. Paul didn't mind giving out the odd signature, but sometimes when there was a huge crowd everything seemed to be daunting. Paul would be forever thankful to the fans it was just sometimes he felt a bit crowded from the attention that he would receive.

Paul started to get ready and put on his jacket and grabbed both his guitar and bass and put them in the boot of his car before he drove off to find a cafe. Paul found a cafe that was only a few blocks away from the recording studio. He hopped out of his car and walked into the cafe.

"Now here is the hottest hit from Four Top!" Paul heard the crackle of the radio.

Paul walked forward to an older lady standing behind the counter. She was minding her own business when she looked up to see Paul standing there waiting to order. Now this old bird did know of and about The Beatles because her two girls at home loved them. Though she wouldn't go all crazy about meeting the famous pop star she just was in shock for a wee while. She soon came back to her senses.

"What would you like today?" She asked him. 'Maybe after I have finished his order I can ask for his signature to give to my girls.' The old woman thought to herself.

"I would like a chicken sandwich please and a Sprite please." Paul said as he read off the menu.

"Coming right up." The old woman said. She looked awkwardly at Paul. "Could I have a signature?" She asked very awkwardly.

Paul chuckled. "Sure thing!" He said as the old lady handed him a notebook and pen. She looked gobsmacked as she saw Paul writing with his left hand.

"I didn't know that you were left handed." She exclaimed as she walked away to get Paul's order.

Soon Paul traded the notebook and pen for a chicken sandwich and Sprite. The old woman said her thanks and goodbyes as Paul walked out of the door waving to the old woman.

Paul made his way to the recording studio with only his Sprite in his hand. He had managed to eat his chicken sandwich before he arrived at the studio.

As promised, George (Martin) was ready in the studio to help Paul. They sat down together and started to decide what is going to happen to the song.

"I really just want to do this one by myself." Paul explained to George.

"Well I suppose it would work." George said carefully.

They started to talk more about the song's content. Paul said he originally wrote the song for just a guitar and the different inputs from the other members were driving him up the wall. George explained that the song was lacking another element.

"How about we add a string quartet to the song." George suggested to Paul. "The quartet could quite easily play the melody that your song needs." George further explained as he tried to sell the idea to Paul.

"You know," Paul said as he paused for a while so he could fully think over the song. "It could work."

***

A/N: This is my first Beatles fanfiction! I just recently gotten inspiration for this book after listening to Blackbird. I do apologise for spelling, grammar and incorrect information. It's not like I was related to Paul McCartney and know every little thing about him. I do like to check my facts and information on the internet before writing them.

-ash 💕