I DO NOT OWN EMMERDALE OR IT 'S CHARACTERS...THEY BELONG TO ITV1

EARLY NOVEMBER 2015

THANKS TO THOSE WHO ENJOY-PISS OFF TO THE REST.

"He just has good days and bad days I think...last week were a good day...he talked and he smiled and he laughed...today he was...", Aaron couldn't find the words.

Joe sat in the armchair with a bottle of ale in his hand, he shrugged, "but at least he DOES have good days..it's a pointer in the right direction, int it?"

Aaron nodded and reached for his beer on the coffee table, "Yeah...I suppose...it's just sometimes...", he sighed and sat back, "...sometimes it's really hard...sometimes I want to rip his head off"

Joe laughed out loud, "well, with Jackson, sometimes you could do that at the best of times!"

Aaron laughed back. It was so nice to talk to someone who knew Jackson as much as he did, more even. Joe and Jackson went back years.

Aaron nodded at the wall above the mantel, "that walls come up a treat...I did a good job"

Joe agreed, "yeah you did...Jackson's a good teacher"

Aaron smirked, " I taught meself actually"

Joe stood up and went to feed the tropical fish, as he sprinkled the fishfood into the tank, he turned, "So...got any plans tonight...I really enjoyed our night out last week"

Aaron frowned at him, " really"

Joe shook his head, and tried to sound surprized by that fact himself, "Yeah...I found it abit wierd too"

Aaron finished off his beer and stood up, " I guess I can be persuaded to go out with you again, but this time...I can buy the kebabs"

Joe was already heading into the hall to fetch his jacket, "Nice one...I'll hold you to that"

Aaron laughed and went to switch off the lamp, there was a picture of Joe and Jackson on the side, he smiled at it and switched the light off.

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Joe was a prat. He was a prat because he was dancing with Simon and Carter. Nice couple, but they were abit clingy, he found that out in Ibiza when they followed him into clubs and kept calling around his room.

So he sat up at the bar, swinging on his stool, and clutching his bottle of ale. Some lad then knocked him making him spill some of his beer.

"Watch out you clumsy clown!" Aaron scathed.

The lad turned, he didn't know his name, but he knew that Jackson used to hang around with him a few years back, Dominic could've of been his name.

"Alright Aaron...how's Jackson...last I heard he was in the nuthouse...must be all those years of being with you" he laughed in jest.

Aaron glared at him, " You what...", he jumped off the barstool and faced up to him, " Come on then...SAY THAT AGAIN!"

Dominic held his hands out in defense, "Hey! I was only messing with yah, lad!"

"Yeah? It didn't sound like it, pal!"

Joe was then in between them, "Hey lads cool it yeah, last thing we need is a punch up in here"

Dominic looked at him, "I don't want one full stop, try telling HIM that", he said pointing accusingly at Aaron.

Aaron pulled a face and thumbed towards the exit, " DO ONE TOSSER!"

Joe watched Dominic shake his head and went off into the opposite direction, Aaron watched him go, and by the look in his eyes he wanted to rip the blokes head off.

"Come on Aaron, he's not worth it mate"

"Some mate him! Did you HEAR what he said, just now!"

Joe shrugged, " I can imagine...but to be fair, he never liked you so he was bound to wind you up about Jacko, wasn't he"

Simon was then standing with them, "Is everything ok?"

Aaron forced on a smile, "Yeah...do one"

Simon scowled and walked off, knowing he wasn't wanted at that moment. Joe turned, "Do you want another drink? My shout"

Aaron bit his bottom lip, " I shouldn't...I've got that job on tomorrow..."

Joe nodded to the exit, "You know what I fancy..."

Aaron looked at him and frowned, "What?"

Joe smiled at him and rubbed his stomach, " A curry...MY shout"

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Aaron loved his curry. Chicken Madras was the flavour for tonight. Joe watched him with a grin as the younger lad shovelled another spoonful into his mouth.

"Blimey...it's like you haven't eaten for a week!"

Aaron washed the mouthful down with his beer, " You'd be surprized, moneys abit tight at the minute"

Joe frowned, " Oh? But I thought you and Jackson were building the business back up"

"We are...but since he's been locked up, I've had to turn work down because I can't do the big jobs...I do all the poxy small ones that don't pay much"

Joe laughed, " Like dealing with the damp, and replastering on my living room wall"

Aaron raised his eyebrowes as he spooned another load into his mouth, he then ripped a piece of Nam bread off and started to dip it into the sauce around his plate.

"What about your Mum, can't she lend a hand?", but Joe soon could tell by the scowl on Aaron's face that he shouldn't have said that.

"You joking, aren't yah? I'd rather starve and ask HER anything, besides, she's spending all her money on scumbags poxy appeal"

"What about..."

"Paddy? He's got his own family to support...I'm not apart of that anymore, not since Rhona and Leo came along", he told alittle sombre.

Joe took a break from his meal and wiped his mouth with his napkin, "Look...have you NOT got that power back on...I can always..."

Aaron shot him a glare, " I CAN LOOK AFTER MERSELF!"

"But Jackson would want me to look out for yah...he wouldn't want you to be sitting there in that house all cold and alone"

Aaron pulled a face at him, " You're talking like he's dead or sommit! I'll be fine! Just leave it"

Joe reluctantly nodded.

Aaron changed the subject, "...anyway...at least with him being IN THERE, Jackson can't go to this poxy wedding of Craig's"

Joe took a sip of his ale, "yeah...I suppose he can't...pity that, I think Jackson wanted to show him that you two were still solid"

Aaron looked up somewhat surprized, "Is that what he said?"

"Yeah...you know, with all what he did and lied about, he just wanted to show him that what he did, hasn't changed things, that's all"

Aaron had cleared his plate and was smoothing his finger along the rim of the plate and licking the remains of curry off himself.

"Don't care...Craig's a pratt, hell would have to freeze over before I see THAT wanker again"

Joe turned towards the counter and nodded to the waiter, "Can we have the bill please"

Aaron was pulling out his wallet, "I'll get mine"

Joe tapped him on the hand, " NO...I said I'd get it, so PUT it away"

Aaron was about to have a go...but relently because he knew he wouldn't win...COULDN'T WIN...because he was skint. There was nothing inside his wallet but till receipts.

"Alright...but NEXT time it's my shout"

Joe laughed as he handed over his credit card to the waiter with the machine, "ohhhh, there's gonna be a next time is there?" he teased.

Aaron went all bashful, and watched him key in his PIN, once paid, they both grabbed their jackets and were off.

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It was cold out. Ice was forming on the cars.

"You know what, I think you should come back to mine tonight...without the heating on, you are gonna SO freeze tonight", Joe told him as they walked up the high street.

Aaron dug his hands into his pockets, "I'm alright...I've got plenty of covers and that..."

"So what are you gonna do when Jack comes to stay...he can't stay in a freezing cold house Aaron" Joe told.

"I KNOW THAT! I'll have the leccy back on by then"

They stood on the curb and crossed the road, Aaron changed the subject" It's a shame things never worked out between you and Jason, he was a right div to dump you", Aaron said.

Joe sighed, "Yeah well...it was just us...London and that...things change...you start to look at folk...differently...", he tried to explain, glancing briefly at him.

"I'll never look at Jackson differently...Jackson's just Jackson"

Joe smirked, " Simple little mind you have"

Aaron frowned as they crossed at the traffic lights to the taxi rank, "Are you calling me thick? I'm no Sam"

Joe laughed as he try to explain, " No...I'm not...it's just it's sweet to hear, that's all"

"Says the person who always used to warn him off me when we first met"

Joe sat on the bench at the rank, " That was a long time ago...AND you were abit of a thug back then, weren't yah, not Jackson's type at all...but now..."

Aaron sat beside him and turned, " and now what?"

Joe faced ahead like he was beginning to change the subject, "and now nothing...YOU'VE matured...grown up...you've grown on me"

Aaron looked at him then smirked and saw the cab pull up onto the curb.

Joe jumped into the back of the cab and Aaron climbed in after him, " 53 North Hotten way please mate"

"But that's YOUR place!" whinged Aaron, "I said..."

Joe slapped a hand down onto Aaron's knee, " MY SOFA...that's where you'll stopping tonight, I insist...have ago at me all you like sunshine, but I'm doing what, well what Jackson would want"

Aaron gave in, and within seconds they were on their way.

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