Emmerdale and it's charactors belong to ITV, not me!
Aaron looked between Hazel and Paddy. "Where's mum?"
Hazel and Paddy looked at each other. "Where's my mum?" he asked again, in reality he was dreading the answer. He looked at Paddy expecting an answer.
Paddy sat down on the side of the bed. "I'm so sorry son, but your mum was hurt really badly and she didn't make it…I'm so sorry." Aaron looked at his would be father, then at Hazel. "No…no," he said shaking his head, "she can't be dead."
Hazel put her hand on Aaron's arm. "I'm sorry love, but it's true."
Aaron now had tears flowing down his cheeks, he couldn't believe it. "It's my fault," he said.
"No..no it's not," said Paddy.
"IT IS," yelled Aaron, "everything is my fault, anyone I love always end up dead," he said closing his eyes and putting his arm over them to block out the light.
Hazel sat down on the other side of Aaron's bed. "Now you listen to me young man, none of this is your fault, neither was Jackson," she reached out and touched his arm but he pulled it back.
"No," said Aaron, "get out."
Hazel looked at Paddy then back at Aaron. "Aaron.."
"I said GET OUT," Aaron removed his arm and looked at Hazel then Paddy, "you too, I don't want you here."
"You don't mean that," said Paddy, " we're your family, don't push us away when you need us the most."
Hazel knew she wasn't going anywhere. "You didn't want to leave me when I was in hospital, and I'm not going to leave you now. No matter what you say and how loud you say it, I know that you don't want us to leave…your mum would want us to be here for you, she wouldn't want you to be alone."
Aaron kept his arm over his face, what Hazel had said was true, he didn't want them to go, moving his arm he looked at Hazel. "I want my mum," he said.
Hazel held out her arms and Aaron gratefully let himself be pulled into a hug. "I know you do love, I know you do," she looked up at Paddy who put his hand on Aaron's back and rubbed gently.
A&H
A week later and Aaron was at home, well he was at Paddy's, he didn't want to stay at the pub. He felt safe at Paddy's and he knew that Paddy and Hazel would keep people away from him. The only people he felt like seeing since the accident, other than Paddy and Hazel, had been Adam and Cain. The first couple of nights, Adam had stayed with Aaron, sleeping on a camp bed in his room, Aaron was grateful for the love and support that his best friend was giving him during this hard time.
"What's happening?" asked Aaron as Adam walked in the bedroom.
"Paddy and Hazel are just making sure everything is going to run smoothly tomorrow," said Adam sitting next to Aaron on the bed. Tomorrow was his mum's funeral and Paddy and Hazel had taken all the responsibility off of Aaron because he wasn't really up to doing it himself.
Aaron looked down. "I don't think I can go."
Adam put his hand on his shoulder. "Yes you can, you will go because she's your mum, and …I will be there with you. We will all be there with you."
Aaron smiled through his tears. "Thanks."
A&H
"Aaron," said Hazel as she walked into the living room, "it's time." Aaron nodded, then got up off the sofa he had been sat on for the last hour. Paddy, Adam and Sam were stood in the kitchen waiting for him, he walked straight passed them and out of the house. The four of them followed Aaron as he walked towards the church.
Family and friends carried Chas' coffin into the church, Aaron was sat on the front row in between Paddy and Hazel, each of them holding one of his hands. Ashley did a lovely service and he said some really nice things about Chas, and Charity and Lisa also said some nice things as well. All the time Aaron just sat staring at the coffin, he hadn't heard anything that had been said. The funeral was bringing back memories of Jackson, why did everyone he loved always get hurt.
He felt Hazel squeeze his hand. "Come on love."
He looked at her and smiled and let himself be pulled up, they followed the coffin out of the church and into the churchyard where everyone gathered round to pay their final respects to Chas. Hazel gave Aaron a white rose she had been carrying and he threw it onto the coffin. "Bye mum," he said as he felt Hazel put her arm around him.
Everyone started to slowly disperse and make their way to Woolpack for the wake. Aaron, Hazel, Paddy and Adam stayed behind for a few minutes.
"You ready love," asked Hazel.
"Can you give me a minute," he asked as he looked at the three people closest to him.
"You okay?" asked Paddy, not wanting to leave Aaron on his own.
"I'll be fine Paddy, I just need a few minutes on my own."
"Okay, but if your not in the Woolpack in fifteen minutes, I'm coming looking for you," Paddy said with concern in his voice.
"I'll be fine Paddy," he said as he turned his face back to his mums grave. Paddy, Hazel and Adam reluctantly left Aaron alone in the graveyard.
"I'm sorry mum, sorry for all the heartache I gave you. I never made it easy for you did I," tears flowed down his face, "if you see Jackson, tell him I love him."
With one last look at his mum's grave he walked away, but he didn't leave he stopped in front of another grave and crouched down. "Hey babe, I'm sorry I haven't been for a while but it doesn't mean I'm not thinking about you. I need you so much right now, I need someone to hold me and tell me that everything will be alright. Mum's dead Jackson, and it's all my fault, I was driving. I want more than anything to hear your voice, god I miss you so much," he looked at the inscription on the grave stone, loving husband and son, "the proudest day of my life was when I married you, I just wish you had felt that your life was worth living….with me." He kissed the grave stone then stood up. "I love you."
A&H
Three weeks later and Hazel was reluctantly back home, she didn't want to leave Aaron but they had to get back to work. Saying goodbye to Aaron was hard.
"You know where I am if you need me," Hazel said pulling Aaron into a tight embrace.
"I know," Aaron said returning the hug, "thanks for being here for me, it means a lot."
"You sure your going to be alright?"
"You know me Hazel, I'll have to be," he said releasing himself from Hazel's arms, "you'll come back soon though, won't you?"
"Course I will, wild horses couldn't keep me away, you're my boy," said Hazel kissing Aaron on the cheek, "I love you kiddo."
"I love you too."
That had been three days ago and Hazel and Sam had gone back to work, Hazel was finding it hard though to be away from Aaron.
"He'll be alright," said Sam as they ate their breakfast.
"People think he's this tough guy, but underneath he's…well he's just Aaron," said Hazel drinking her last sip of tea, "come on lets get to work."
Hazel was just putting her coat on when her mobile rang, she saw it was Paddy, he was probably ringing to give her an update on Aaron. "Hello Paddy," she said.
"Hazel, have you heard from Aaron?" asked Paddy with a concerned voice.
"Not since I got back, but I was going to ring him tonight."
"He's gone Hazel."
"What do you mean gone," she said looking at Sam.
"I went to get him up for work and his room was empty, his drawers where open and some of his clothes have gone. He's left Hazel, god I'm so worried, what if he does something stupid."
Hazel was panicking. "Have you tried his mobile?"
"Course I have, but it's switched off. Where do you think he is?"
"I don't know Paddy, but Aaron is a sensible kid, he won't do anything stupid, you said he hasn't taken everything, that's a good sign."
"I'm hoping he just had to get away for a few days, and he'll be back soon. He's been very quiet since you left, even Adam's company didn't seem to bring him round."
"I'll keep trying his mobile," said Hazel, "let me know as soon as you hear anything, won't you."
"You know I will, and you do the same," Paddy said before he hung up.
"Hazel?"
"It's Aaron, he's left Paddy's and not told anyone where he's going, he's taken some clothes with him," said Hazel, "I'm scared Sam, what if something happens to him, I can't lose him too." Sam pulled Hazel into a hug. "He'll be alright love."
"I hope so," she said, "I really hope so."
tbc
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