A week later, Aaron was climbing the walls. He'd already been to the doctors for his follow up check up with Jackson, only to be told to continue taking his medication and resting. He didn't want to rest. He wanted to go back to work, go out, do something at least. But Jackson had often brought DVD's and ordered a takeaway in instead of going into town and Paddy and his mother had straight up refused to allow him to go back to work, receiving a life long lecture from both of them of over doing things. He couldn't cope with it much longer.

On Wednesday, Paddy was on a call out and Jackson was still at work, so he seized the opportunity to make a break for it. Nobody would be any the wiser he thought as he snatched his keys from the side and locked up behind himself. He'd be back before anybody noticed. He was heading nowhere in particular. He sent a text to Adam, asking him if he wanted to meet up in the Woolpack for lunch before he hobbled over to garage. He was getting a lot sturdier on his crutches now. No longer in so much pain as he used his arms to push himself forward, sending what was a searing pain into his broken ribs. The doctor had said he was healing nicely during his check up. Paddy and Jackson often took the Mick out of now, saying they could hear him before they saw him.

Cain looked up just as he was approaching him on the gravel forecourt. He'd had his head underneath the bonnet of his own B.M.W.

"Alright?" Cain greeted when he caught sight of his nephew.

"Yeah, you?" Aaron shot back.

"Not too bad, car's just gone and broken down on me." Cain sighed, gesturing towards it with a spanner.

"What's wrong with it?" Aaron asked looking inside the engine.

"Don't know otherwise it would be fixed by now." Cain drawled. "Anyway, what you doing here? Won't your mum kill you if she finds you out."

Cain received a glare from Aaron. He wasn't answerable to no one. "I am allowed out." He snapped

"Mmm. . . whatever." Cain said returning back to his car. "Is there something you wanted? Or did you just come here to bother me."

". . . I was er- I was wondering if I could come back to work?" Aaron hesitantly asked.

Cain laughed at his nephew. "You're as close to useless still on those things."

"I can still do stuff." Aaron shot back annoyed. He was still capable of doing things even if others didn't think he was.

"Look kid, you've just been discharged from hospital. You can't return to work just yet." Cain said seriously. "Maybe in a couple weeks time . . ."

"Whatever." Aaron sighed, fed up with doing nothing.

"Besides, your mum would kill me." Cain laughed. "But for now, could you stick the kettle on?"

"Get stuffed." Aaron smirked already turning round and heading towards the pub.

He hadn't been in the Woolpack since returning home from hospital. He'd often been told by Paddy that many people in the village had told him to send on that they were thinking of him and wished him all the best in a speedy recovering. He hadn't fancied even bothering to go inside and become centre of everyone's attention. He was the latest gossip in the village and he knew full well that Pearl and Betty would want to know all the ins and outs of it, what the police were doing about it and how he was coping. He didn't really want to go inside, but he had to face them sooner or later. Anyway, Adam was most probably waiting for him with a pint.

He wasn't wrong, as soon as he stepped foot into the bar he was greeted warmly Diane sending all attention his way. Many people wished him well and uttered how such an awful thing it was to happen to him, all the time he was looking for Adam. As soon as he found him by the other end of the bar, he made a beeline for him, escaping Brenda who was just about to ask him how he was.

"Cheers mate." Aaron said as he took a big sip from the beer Adam had ordered in for him.

"No problem looked like you needed saving." Adam laughed.

"Yeah. If anyone else asks how I'm doing I'm gonna go mad." Aaron told him shaking his head.

"They're only looking out for ya." Adam reasoned, knowing that Aaron wasn't just saying.

"Yeah well, I wish they wouldn't." Aaron said. "Went to the garage earlier, even Cain won't let me back at work."

Adam just laughed. It was typical Aaron wanting to run before he could walk.

Aaron spent the rest of the afternoon in the pub with Adam. He completely forgot he had snuck out of the house and had full intention of returning before either Paddy or Jackson returned back from work. He only had a few beers, but he felt like he had been chucking them back. His head was foggy as he stared back Adam who was running on about Mia again. He didn't even notice Jackson and Paddy enter the pub looking for him. Not until they were both standing right over him. He was in trouble now.

"Alright Jackson? Paddy?" Adam greeted with his biggest grin, non the wiser as to why they were there.

"Alright Adam." Jackson answered before gesturing for Aaron to shuffle along the bench seat, to make room for him. "You didn't tell me you were coming out."

"Don't have to." Aaron mumbled. His head felt heavy and he didn't like it.

"Would have been nice to know where you were though." Jackson sighed.

"You had me worried." Paddy told him as he still stood by the table. He was about to jump straight into a lecture before Aaron cut him off.

"I want to go home." Aaron slurred. He didn't like the feeling of not being in control of his body. His head felt foggy, vision blurred and his head weighed a tone. He was finding it difficult to do the simplest of things. He wanted to be in control.

"Aaron, are you alright?" Jackson asked him full of concern, only just noticing what sort of state Aaron had gotten himself into. "Aaron." He said more sharply when Aaron started to stare off into thin air.

"W-what- yeah. Just want to go home." Aaron slurred slowly, already trying to push Jackson out of the way.

"Woah, hold on." Jackson said as he got himself off the bench seat and out of Aaron's way.

As soon as he stood his world tilted and he felt himself falling. Luckily Jackson was already on his feet and close by to catch him just in time. He hooked his arm around Aaron's waist and tugged one of Aaron's round his own shoulders. Aaron's head lolled forward, resting on his chin on his chest, his eyes half closed.

"How many has he had?" Jackson hissed at Adam. Angry that Aaron was passed drunk in his condition.

"Only a couple!" Adam protested, pointing to the empty glasses on the table.

Aaron was no lightweight; he could soon drink Adam and Jackson under the table. So why was he getting so drunk only after a couple of pints in the afternoon. It seemed really odd. Usually it took more than a couple, eight at least to get Aaron this wasted.

"His medication." Jackson said, kicking himself for being so stupid. "He's not supposed to drink with his medication."

"Oh god, will he be okay?" Adam asked horrified.

"Yeah, once we get home and sober him up." Paddy told him. "Which will be fun, trying to get this lump through the village."

On their way out of the pub, Paddy and Jackson either side or Aaron helping to keep him on his feet, all the time reminding him not to put any weight on his right leg, they bumped into Cain on his way in. After seeing the state Aaron had gotten himself into and what difficulty both Jackson and Paddy were having carrying the younger man home, Cain offered to give them a hand. He took most of the weight, almost carrying Aaron home like a baby. He'd slung Aaron over his shoulder, something which resembled a fireman's lift. He'd refused to carry Aaron like he was a newly wed bride. He'd told Paddy and Jackson that neither of them would appreciate it. Paddy led the way back to Smithy cottage as Jackson tailed behind Cain watching Aaron.

"You know, you should really keep more of a closer eye on him." Cain said as he came back downstairs after depositing Aaron onto his bed. "Chas will kill you if she finds out about this, which no doubt she will."

"Thanks for that Cain." Paddy said as he put the kettle on.

"Only saying. He came down to the garage as well today. Asking if he could come back to work." Cain told him, taking pleasure into stirring things up for them.

"You said No didn't you?" Paddy rushed, hoping Cain had.

"It's not often you get a keen young mechanic wanting to come back to work early. . ." Cain smiled enjoying winding Paddy up.

"Cain. . ."

"What do you take me for? Of course I said no." Cain laughed as a pure look of relief flooded over Paddy. "But on serious note Paddy. Watch him." Cain said seriously before leaving.

Upstairs, Jackson had only just finished trying to get Aaron's trackies off. Not being the most cooperative of people, Aaron had passed out on the bed as Jackson struggled to get him more comfortable to sleep.

"What are we going to do with you?" Jackson sighed as he helped Aaron get his hoodie off.