Lie To Me

Disclaimer - Emmerdale does not belong to me, it belongs to ITV

A/N - Chapter ten for your reading pleasure...or not!

Monday came and Monday went. Aaron had been told that he would most probably be allowed home on Monday but the Doctors changed their minds and asked him if he wouldn't mind staying a few extra days, just until Wednesday so that they could be sure he was perfectly healthy before he went home.

Aaron had protested. He didn't want to stay extra days, he wanted to go home but after a lecture of Paddy and his Mother telling him if he even thought about leaving she would just drag him right back he gave in and told the Doctors he would stay but on Wednesday, he was going home, no matter what.

Monday had been tough for Aaron, in more ways than one. He had to talk to his Mother about what he tried to do, Paddy came to talk to him too and then there was Cain. He'd come in, sat down and told him if he ever did something that stupid again he'd kill him himself. Aaron hadn't known what to say or do to that, he'd just nodded his head and said "Ok".

"Where's twinkletoes then?" Cain asks, it had been his nickname for Jackson ever since he came out. Aaron pulls a face at the question "Not here"

"You two haven't fallen out already have ya? Poor kid looked sick when you were unconscious"

"He's gone home to sleep if you must know" Aaron ground out reluctantly. It was reluctant because it was early evening, almost seven and he still hadn't heard from Jackson and he knew from knowing him as well as he did that he wasn't still asleep. He just wasn't coming to the hospital.

Cain had left not long after that, having to get back to the village. Aaron was glad, he wanted some peace and quiet. Forty five minutes later he was disturbed by the sound of the door opening, hopeful, he opened his eyes, hoping to see Jackson only to be disappointed by Adam.

"Oh, happy to see you too" Adam retorts sarcastically, making himself at home on the bed. Managing a faint smile Aaron says "Sorry, was expecting someone else"

"Who?" Adam asks which causes Aaron to give him a look "Who do you think?" he snaps, he was becoming irritable. He was missing Jackson, why had he sent him home the night before?

"I thought he wasn't leaving the hospital until you did?"

"Yeah but..." Aaron trails off, frowning and feeling sorry for himself "but what?" Adam presses

"But he looked tired, so I told him to go home. Now he just hasn't come back"

Adam frowned. It didn't sound like Jackson. Not after how worried he had been about the mechanic "Tried calling him?"

Aaron scoffs

"Playing hard to get eh?" Adam smirks and Aaron scowls "I'm in hospital, he knows where I am"

Xxx

Tuesday morning and Jackson was in his room, on his bed. He was hiding. From his Mum, from Adam from everyone who would ask why he wasn't at the hospital. He wasn't sure why he wasn't, he just...couldn't get there. When he had woken up on Monday morning he had realised that maybe Aaron had been trying to get rid of him the night before. Maybe he didn't want him to hang around as much as he had. Maybe Aaron didn't want him, not after what he made him do. Jackson was still blaming himself for Aaron trying what he tried.

Not bothering to knock Hazel comes barging into his room "Oh good, you're up" she says "let's go"

"Go where?" he asks from his spot on the bed, not bothering to move

"Hospital. Your rested now. I'm sure your dying to get back there"

"I'm not going"

Hazel stopped in her tracks. Turning to face him "Your not going?"

"That's what I said"

"Why not?"

"He probably doesn't want me there"

"Did he say that?"

"Kind of"

"Kind of?" Hazel asks, stepping closer to the bed and glaring at her son. She had a feeling he was hiding but from what she wasn't sure.

"Well, he told me to come home and get some sleep. He knew I wanted to be there"

"Right" Hazel nods "So...he couldn't have just wanted you to get some sleep could he? Oh no, he wanted rid of you"

"Close the door on your way out" Jackson says, rolling over onto his side, facing away from her "You're going to that hospital"

Jackson didn't answer her and to her his silence spoke volumes. It wasn't like her son to hide from something. It was Aaron that ran away from things. Not Jackson and he especially didn't run away from Aaron

"I thought you and him were going to...you know"

"You thought wrong then, didn't you?" Jackson barks out. In truth he had thought that too but now, now he wasn't so sure that would be what Aaron wanted or what Aaron should want. He wasn't good for the mechanic. After all, if he was he wouldn't have made him try to kill himself, he wouldn't have made him watch as he was all over some other guy. Then a thought struck him, could he watch Aaron with some other guy? He'd have to. If that's what Aaron wanted, if that made Aaron happy then he'd watch it, of course he would.

"What's happened? What did he say when he woke up?"

"Nothing"

"So what's the problem?"

Sitting up, Jackson swung his legs around so he was sitting on the edge of the bed "Mum, just cause we're both gay doesn't mean we have to see each other" he tells her, a small smile on his face.

"You're going to the hospital" she tells him and he knows that he's going because she's not going to let him back out of it, at all.

Xxx

By midday Jackson found himself being dropped off outside the hospital by his Mother "I don't have to walk to you his room door do i?" she wonders "you will get there yourself without backing out of it, right?"

"See you later Mum" he says getting out of the car and slamming the door closed behind him. He loved her and he wouldn't change her for the world, not really but sometimes he wishes she would just shut up and keep out of his business, especially when it concerned Aaron.

He walked tentatively towards Aaron hotel room. He was nervous, his palms were sweating and his stomach was churning. He had no idea why, after all, it was only Aaron.

Pushing open the door he found the younger man sitting up in bed, watching tv. His gaze flicking towards the door as he opened it. Jackson saw his eyes widen when he spotted him, was it a good or bad surprise Jackson found himself wondering.

"Forget where I was yesterday or something?" the mechanic snaps, not bothering with "hello" or "hi" he was too pissed off about the fact Jackson didn't come see him yesterday.

Jackson frowned; he hadn't expected Aaron to ask that. He assumed he would be happy to be rid of him "Didn't want to be in the way"

"Why would you be in the way?" Aaron barks "In the way of what?"

Ignoring Aaron's questions he walks further into the room, dropping down onto one of the two chairs by the bed "You're feeling better I see"

"Much. Now answer the question"

"Oh Aaron" Jackson groans, hiding his face into the bed sheet, not willing to look at him just yet. He had been hoping Aaron wouldn't ask him about his absence the day before because part of him hoped he had been right and it was what Aaron had wanted. Clearly not though by the way Aaron was glaring at him and demanding an answer.

"I just...I didn't think you'd want me around plus, I knew everyone would be coming to see, you'd have been awkward if I was sat right there beside you"

"What are you on about now?"

"They all know your gay Aaron, they would have been looking at you and me like we were...well...you know and you wouldn't have taken that very well. I know you"

"They're going to do it anyway, right?" Aaron says and Jackson pulls a face. Surprised by the comments, was Aaron saying what he thinks he's saying?

Noticing Jackson's shocked reaction Aaron quickly tries to cover up is slip. He had just assumed that they would get back together. He wanted Jackson, Jackson wanted him and Jackson's only condition was that he came out. He was out now, so they would be together, right? Then, their conversation from Friday, part of the reason he was currently sat in a hospital bed filtered into his mind, replaying over and over. Maybe Jackson wouldn't want him now, not after that.

"Not that I'm saying we'll be...you know"

"Right" Jackson answers with nod, he was now more confused than ever. Did Aaron want him? He couldn't possibly see how the mechanic could want to be with someone who hurt him that bad it drove him to try and kill himself. Why would he want to be with him after that? After he had rejected him like that? He knew he wouldn't reject him again, Jackson is well aware of just how deeply he cares for the mechanic but Aaron didn't know this.

The silence was deafening, for the both of them. Both of them wanting to ask where they were, what was going to happen to them, their relationship when Aaron got out but both too scared to go there.

"When do you get out of here then?" Jackson asks, breaking the silence.

"Tomorrow" Aaron answers quickly, efficiently. He's too preoccupied with the thought that Jackson just wants to be his mate. He doesn't just want to be Jackson's mate, he hasn't wanted that for a long, long time.

"Do you want me?" Aaron asks, his blue eyes staring intensely at Jackson, waiting on an answer, demanding an answer.

"You what?" Jackson asks, knowing full well what the question meant, he received a look from Aaron "Aaron...it's complicated"

"What's complicated? I want you, you want me? Why can't we...pick up where we left off?"

"Cause we left off four years ago"

Aaron shrugs, unable to see a problem

"And you've just come out, you sure you want to jump into a readymade relationship? Don't you want to play the field? See what's out there?"

"You mean, date other guys?" Aaron asks, blanching openly at the suggestion.

Despite every fibre of his body screaming "NO" Jackson replies "Yeah, why not? Be good for you"

"Right" Aaron nods "I guess so"

Xxx

A week later and Aaron was out of hospital and slowly getting back to himself. He had even started back at work on Monday, it was now Wednesday, a whole week since being released from hospital. He and Jackson were going nowhere fast and he had no idea how to fix that. He wanted him, he didn't want someone else, really he didn't but Adam had insisted that they go to bar west, find him someone to take his mind off of things. It was the last thing he wanted but still, he found himself sitting in the Woolpack waiting on the farmer so they could head into town.

"Ready for our big night out then?" Jackson asks, sneaking up on the mechanic from the back. "You're not coming" Aaron says, his eyes going wide just at the thought of it. He couldn't pick up any other guy, not that he was planning to but with Jackson there, the guy he wanted, he couldn't flirt or give any other guy his attention when Jackson was there.

"Didn't Adam tell you?"

"What do you think?" he retorts in an unusually high pitched tone of voice

Jackson frowns "want me to stay here then?"

Aaron tilts his head to the side, thinking it through for a few seconds. No, he didn't want to. He wanted to spend time with him seen as how he had barely seen him since he got out of hospital but then there was the fact that if they went out, together, Jackson could end up copping off and he really didn't want to watch that. He was torn.

"Yeah, come" he says, his heart winning out in the end "It should be good"

Adam arrived ten minutes later and the three of them set off into town, towards Bar West. Wednesday night meant the place was busy but not in your face busy, which Aaron was happy about. "I'll get us drinks" Adam says, disappearing from their chosen table

"You alright?" Jackson asks

"Me?" Aaron says "Yeah fine" his eyes are scanning the room, taking it in "first time I've been here since I've been out" he says, more to himself than Jackson.

"Jackson!" the hear someone call out, pulling the older man from him. Aaron frowns as he turns around looking at the guy calling out to Jackson "excuse me" Jackson says slipping away from the table and all Aaron can do is frown and watch.

An hour and five or six drinks later Aaron is playing pool with some guy that had asked. He hadn't wanted to; the guy didn't look like his type. Not that he had a type but with Jackson being pulled away by people he knew every so often he found he needed a distraction. It seemed like when Jackson had come home from Uni, he had spent a great deal of time in this place, therefore making some friends. Aaron didn't like the way these friends were pawing at him, at Jackson. He wanted to break their hands off but he didn't. He tried to focus on what's his name and play pool. He was doing...OK.

"Can I ask you something?" Adam asks, breaking the silence as he and Jackson sat in silence at the table. Jackson was too busy watching Aaron and his friend play pool

"Mmm" was Jackson reply to that question and Adam couldn't help but roll his eyes "Why are the two of you pretending you don't want to be with each other?"

Turning, shocked by the question Jackson's mouth drops open and for a few minutes no words come out "Uh...I...he..." he stutters and Adam's eyebrows raise, waiting "go on" he pushes

"I don't know" he finally settles on "anyway" he says "Wouldn't it be weird for you? You're two best mates, suddenly seeing each other? All over each other?"

Adam shrugs "My two best mates are gay, why can't they be gay together?" he asks with a smirk "the two of you a clearly miserable whilst trying to act as if you don't want each other"

Jackson shrugs. This was his doing. He had suggested that Aaron try playing the field. Now though, he wished he hadn't because he wanted the mechanic, watching some other guy flirt with him was torture.

"I'm going to go" Adam grabs his jacket and slips of the bar stool "Not going to cramp your style. See you tomorrow? By then I'm pretty sure you and him will be happier" he smirks which earns him a playful slap on the shoulder from Jackson.

Watching Adam walk out of the bar Jackson smiled to himself. Adam was right, they were miserable without each other. Standing from the table he headed for Aaron, without breaking his stride he stepped in between Aaron and the guy whose name he didn't know and didn't want to know.

"Jackson...what?" Aaron's question was cut off by Jackson. He kissed him, his hand sneaking behind his head, pulling him in, kissing him deeply. Aaron was stunned for a few seconds, standing like a statue before he finally gave himself to Jackson, his hands slipping around Jackson's waist. Kissing him deeply in return.

Pulling apart, both breathless Jackson manages to say "my place?" Aaron could only nod enthusiastically in return. Turning, to walk away from the table Jackson held onto Aaron's hand. Smiling sympathetically at the guy he had been playing pool with he said "Sorry" as he walked past him but Aaron wasn't sorry at all. He had everything he wanted, he was about to get everything he wanted. What was there to be sorry about? Nothing.

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