CHAPTER EIGHT

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Emmerdale or it's characters, they are owned by ITV

A/N: Thanks sooo much for reviewing my story, hope it is still okay as I begin the second half of the story, that will turn much darker soon...

" Look...call me...me Mothers been rushed to hospital...just ring me when you get this!"

Jackson slammed his mobile down, and stuck his head down between his legs, and placed his hands over his head in sheer frustration where he sat.

Paddy had just then entered the family room of Hotten general, and heard Jackson's last words of the call, " Jackson...I'm sorry I wasn't interrupting...you know.."

Jackson looked up as Paddy closed the door, " Just me other half, who seems to have gone to a party, while I sit here worried sick over me Mum..." he replied sarcastically.

Paddy came forward " How is...your Mum..."

Jackson stood, " Hey thanks for coming Paddy, I'm so sorry I have had to call yah so late..."

Paddy shook his head " It's okay, don't worry...but how's Hazel, have you seen her...since they rushed her in?"

"She's in theatre...they just wheeled her away Paddy...the doctor's said something about the severeity of the heart attack" Paddy pulled Jackson in to an arkward, hug when could see Jackson was begining to choke up the tears.

" Hey... Hazel's a fighter, she'll pull through this, just you wait..." Paddy soothed in a reasuring tone.

Jackson pulled away, and sat back down on one of the many soft seats, Paddy sat next to him,

" The doctor's said other stuff, but I wasn't in the right frame of mind to take it in Paddy...I...I was just sooo scared for her..."

Paddy gently rubbed Jackson's shoulder " Don't worry, I'm sure they are doing their absolute best for her, and they will do all they can for her too..."

Jackson nodded desparately, praying Paddy was right, he suddenly turned toward him,

"...Aaron not come with yah...?"

Paddy nodded " no...he's...he's...well...at home..." Paddy was sure he glimpsed a brief disppointment in Jackson's face, but...

" With Ben I'd expect, good for him...it's Christmas he should be cheerful, even if that can be a chore for Aaron sometimes...I'm pleased for him..." said Jackson cracking a somewhat watery smile.

Paddy placed his hands on his knees, then stood up " Look...you stay here, I'll see if I can find out if there is any news..."

"Thanks Paddy, thank you so much for being here for me...", Paddy smiled and exited the family room, leaving Jackson full of worry about his Mum...

Aaron bolted shut the bathroom door at Smithy, and quickly took out his mobile from his pocket, and sat on the lip of the bathtub.

He was worried, worried about Jackson...all alone at the hospital, well, Paddy was with him, but that wasn't the same, Paddy wasn't him.

Jackson had a boyfriend, he wondered whether he was there, comforting Jackson through his hour of need, when it should have been him.

Aaron focused at the mobile, and scrolled down to Jackson's phone number, and chose the text message option, he wrote:

Thinking of you, x

he then opted to delete the kiss...then he added it again...before deleting the whole message completely.

What was he thinking, he'd promised Ben he would stay away...he had made a promise to him...and promises and honesty were important to Aaron.

Aaron pocketed his mobile, if he had contacted Jackson...and if Ben had found out, then he would lose him...like he lost Jackson before...

He wasn't going to risk it, he brushed his teeth, flushed the toilet and left the bathroom, to join Ben waiting for him in his bed...

Over at the hospital, Dr Carter accompanied Paddy and Jackson up the corridor toward intensive care.

"she's very ill, and the next 12 hours are going to be very critical...I'm afraid she is not out of the woods yet..." Dr Carter informed them.

"Can I see her...please...?" begged Jackson, Dr Carter looked at Jackson's watery brown eyes, and she nodded, " Okay, but just for 5 minutes, she's heavily sedated, so she will not know you are there...and...please don't be to alarmed with all the machines in there, they are just working to help your Mum..." she told.

Jackson looked toward Paddy and winked at him, " Could me dad come in with me..."

Paddy's mouth opened in surprize, but played along with Jackson, " Me...me and Hazel are...estranged..."

Dr Carter nodded " yes, in you go but 5 minutes...okay"

Jackson was shocked at the life support machine, but seeing his mum hooked up to an oxygen mask looked really scary to him.

Paddy turned " She'll be fine, why don't you hold her hand..." he told Jackson.

Jackson battled the tears, as he went to Hazel's bedside, and gently took hold of his mums hand in his own, " Alright mum...what scrape have you got us in to now hey...?" he said smiling, but Paddy sensed Jackson's fight not to break down.

"Paddy's wit me, wake up and say hello...will yah..."

Paddy bit his lip, and came to Jackson's side and put his arm around him, the tears rolled down Jackson's face, as he turned toward Paddy with the words that were his biggest nightmare,

" What if she dies Paddy...what will I do if me Mum dies...she irritates the hell out of me at times...but she's my world Paddy, she's me world..."

It was then Jackson broke full down, and Paddy grapped him as Jackson cried his pain away...

Aaron was wide awake...he laid in his bed next to Ben, who was fast asleep.

Aaron just couldn't sleep...he wondered if Hazel was alright, Paddy would of rang if she'd...got worse...or heaven forbid...died...

His mind raced to Jackson...going out of his mind with worry, he had to know if he was alright...

Aaron slowly pulled himself out of the covers, and grabbed his mobile from the side, he then moved in the darkness around the bed towards the door.

Ben was sound asleep.

Aaron exited the bedroom, and hurried down the stairs to the bottom, where he sat on the second to last step.

He stared at his mobile, and scrolled down to Jackson's number, and as his heart threatened to beat out of his chest, he pressed call, he closed his eye's waiting for his voice, but:

"You have reached Jackson Walsh, Ican't take your call at present, but leave a message and I'll get back to yah, as soon as I can..."

Aaron was thrown by the voice mail, he gulped and stuttered and whispered,

" Hey...it's me...Aaron...I...I...was wondering if you are okay...well you're not I know...sorry...I'm a div...look...just want you to know I am thinking of yah...I'm thinking of yah..."

He ended the call, and slapped his forehead in sheer embarrassment, he's gonna think i'm a div, he thought, before making his way back up to bed.

As Aaron climbed back into the bed, and settled back under the warm covers...

Ben's eyes opened...

TBC

All Reviews welcome x