I DO NOT OWN EMMERDALE OR IT 'S CHARACTERS...THEY BELONG TO ITV1
AUTHORS NOTE: Thanks for all the reviews...3 chapters in 3 days, it's like old times!...
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CHRISTMAS EVE 2012
In the backroom of the Woolpack, Chas could hear the loud chorus of 'Slade' blare out.
She picked up the large glass of red wine and placed it up to her lips...and knocked it back, she just needed a little bit of time to herself.
Hows Aaron...Hows Aaron...Hows Aaron...Hows Aaron...
That was what she had got for the last 3 weeks...1 week in a coma...2 weeks out of the coma.
She did have it all planned...a nice family gathering for christmas dinner in the bar...well it was a no no now...she just couldn't be bothered with Christmas...not with Aaron lying in hospital like a...
She took in a deep breath...and downed some more of the red wine.
Just as she was going to pour her self another, the door knocked and Charity came through, "Hi...Moira said you were out here in the back...arn't you gonna be joining in with the..."
Chas looked up to her with a glare from the sofa, " ...with the fun...was that what you were going to say, was it..."
Charity bit her lip, she realised she had put her foot in it Charity style...speak first think after.
"no...erm...well..." she quickly sat beside her, trying her best to redeem herself, "look THAT LOT will be okay out there...lets just you and me have a drink and a chat here, shall we...", she got up and grabbed herself a glass from the counter, then poured them both full glasses, " bet you need a good drink down yah,don't yah..." she told.
Chas sighed and leaned back, pulling her hair out her face, " I REALLY could do with some time on me own..."
Charity was pointing her finger, "no you don't, not after what you've been through these last few weeks...so...ermm...have you seen him today...Aaron"
Chas nodded, " yep..."
"and..." asked Charity, trailing off waiting for Chas to finish.
Chas leaned forward and picked up her glass, " just the same...he just lies there...like a baby...doesn't speak...spoon feeding him Baby food...can YOU believe that! I don't think I ever did that last time round, when he were small..."
Charity looked to the carpet, " I'a...I would have gone meself but..."
Chas waved her hand at her, " ohhh don't worry, you've got Debbie and Sarah on your plate at the moment...No...I'm just gonna have to 'man up' and deal with it...HEAD on"
"what about Jackson...he been anywhere near..."
Chas blew out a laugh of contempt," ARE you trying to be funny...HE hasn't been anywhere near him since the day he came too...and HE never even saw him then!"
Charity stood up, " look do you want Cain to have a word with him...HE really needs reminding where his priorties lie"
Chas shook her head, " DON'T bother...I can do this on my own if I have to...", she then stood up, realising something...
"what is it..."
"I...I need to get to the church, don't I" told Chas grabbing her coat, Charity pulled a face, "CHURCH! what the hell for!"
"For midnight mass...to...to pray for Aaron..."
Charity thought that Chas has lost her mind completely now, "but...So when did YOU become all religous!"
Chas was at the doorway, " I'll try anything...to get Aaron well again...WHAT harm can it do..."
Charity raised her eyebrowes, " well Evil Edna is in the bar...she told me earlier she were praying for Aaron...suppose you can be doing that together a..."
Chas looked at her, then was off out the door, Charity just sat back down...and finished off the bottle of wine.
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At Club 21, Jackson was dancing like mad to the music...he could lose himself in it...and he liked that feeling...that and swigging from his 10th bottle of beer.
Joe watched him from the sidelines, where he stood with his new husband Rob, "do you think it was WISE of him to come out tonight..." queried Rob.
Joe shrugged, " I couldn't stop him, he said he didn't want another evening indoors 'going mad'..."
Rob observed Jackson for a few minutes, then turned to Joe, " HAS he even visited Aaron yet..."
Joe shook his head, as he necked down some of his beer, " Nope...I've even said I'd go with him for support...HE says why bother...he won't know him anyway..."
Rob raised his eyebrowes in concern, " Is it REALLY THAT BAD...he can't remember owt at all!"
"Pretty much...of what he's told me anyroad...and THAT'S mainly when he's drunk as a lord...and that's everynight...says it 'helps him to forget'"
Rob was shaking his head in disgust...he glanced at the ring on his own finger, "Blimey! I hope if I had an accident like that...YOU wouldn't abandon me..."
Joe gazed into his eyes, and their lips met quickly, then Joe looked toward Jackson on the dance floor, " course I wouldn't! And believe it all not, NOR as he...", he nodded his head in Jackson's direction, somebody was having a laugh and had wrapped tinsel around him, "HE'S acting like a right tosser at the moment...I know that...but I KNOW JACKSON, he'd die for Aaron...he's just got himself into abit of mess over it all...he doesn't want to see Aaron...because seeing him will make it all too real...he's in denile over it...and until he sorts his head out, he's gonna be NO USE to Aaron ayway..."
"THAT'S no excuse! HE married him...the ring on his finger says HE HAS to be of use, or what's the flaming point of it all!" exclaimed Rob, he wasn't liking this at all.
Joe was torn...Jackson was his best mate...COURSE he was always going to be on his side...even though it was SO DAMNED hard to be at the minute, because Rob was right on all accounts.
Joe looked at his watch, it was past 12 midnight now, he and Rob had a long trip up to Scotland Christmas morning to see Rob's folks, so it was time to get home...and seeing the state Jackson was in...he thought it best to get him home too.
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Rob waited in the car, as Joe helped Jackson into his flat.
Once the light was snapped on, Joe gasped at the empty beer cans that lay littered about the lounge, " bloody hell Jackson!" he hissed.
Jackson staggered over to the fridge, he was hot and sweaty from all the dancing and alcohol, " have a drink wit me Joe..." he slurred.
Joe nodded as he attempted to clear away some rubbish from the nearby sofa, " NO thanks Jacko I've had MORE than my share tonight...AND you have too, believe me..."
Jackson ignored him by opening a can anyway.
Joe looked up to him, " so...you said about having christmas with Jack tomorrow at Sarah's...promise me you're MAKE the effort and tidy yourself up...FOR your son if for nobody else, yeah.."
Jackson nodded and collapsed to the cleared Sofa space.
Joe thumbed toward the door, " look, Rob's waiting...promise me Jackson...promise you're be okay tomorrow.."
Jackson glared up at him, " I SAID *hic* I WOULD, didn't I..." he slurred.
Joe half smiled and kissed his forehead, " merry Christmas Jackson..."
It sounded SO pathetic...Jackson was SO NOT going to have a merry Christmas...but what else could you say.
As he left, Jackson looked up to the mantel...even though two beer bottles obscured some of it, he still could make out Aaron's face on the photo...his eyes welled up...
Christmas WITHOUT Aaron...
He sobbed into the cushion...and hoping as always he will end up asleep there...
Because he hadn't slept in the bed since that night.
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CHRISTMAS DAY 2012
Christmas morning at Wishing well cottage.
The snow had fallen heavy over night, and Lisa was out shovelling it away from the doorstep.
Zak rubbed his hands, mug of tea in his hand, " Com' inside woman...you're catch yah death!"
Lisa turned to her husband and sighed, " I'm just trying to keep busy Zac...Belle was asking all sorts of questions this morning, she wants to go and visit our Aaron"
Zak sucked his cheeks in, and rubbed his beard, " not a good idea that love...maybe in a few weeks..."
"who was on the phone just now...I've got the turkey on, but I don't know whos coming now...IT all being last minute like..."
"It were our Chas...she and Cain are going up to the hospital...they're be back soon, all we can do is make good of a bad situation, that's all love..."
Lisa nodded...that's ALL they could do...
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At the hospital, Chas entered the ward room, and stepped over toward Aaron, " hello love...you awake are yah..."
Cain had stopped in the doorway...and watched as Chas was pulling over two chairs to Aaron's bedside.
She turned around," Well come then Cain, talk to Aaron..."
Cain looked uncomfortable, he came forward digging his hands deep into his jacket pockets, Aaron didn't look like Aaron...he was someone else lying there...a resembalence of him, but not him.
"alright mate..." he managed to muster through a put on smile.
Aaron looked up at him, but there was no acknowledgement at all...Chas laughed it off, " see he still ignore's yah!"
"No change there then..." said Cain, not really knowing what else to say...WHAT could you say...when there's no response.
Cain moved to the door, Chas sat down and frowned at him, " NOW where are you off to!"
"i'm gonna get us a coffee, arn't I"
Chas shook her head at him, and watched him glance briefly at Aaron, and slide off.
Chas turned back to her son, " I don't know love, THE MEN IN YOUR LIFE...WHY are they all so flaming gutless..."
Aaron looked at her...as the nurse came through, " Hiya...they're been bringing in his dinner in abit...would you like to feed him again..."
Chas was shaking her head, " errrm...yees love...why not..."
Aaron was looking at her, the nurse smiled as she checked the chart, " HE seems to know your voice already love..."
Chas looked up, and turned to Aaron...he was looking at her...even though there was no signs of recognition...but it made her smile...at least he was responding to her...
...his Mum...
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Jackson stood on the doorstep as Sheila opened the door, " YOU can take your boots off here...I won't be having slush being walked through the house"
Jackson shook his head, and after handing her the big bag of goodies to her, he removed his snow covered boots.
Jack was then standing there in front of him, "Daddy!...I don't like nana Sheila she keeps making me where slippers!"
Jackson came inside the porch, and closed the front door, " I know son, SHE can grate on yah mate..."
Sarah was then in the hallway, " here...give us your coat..."
Jackson removed his fleese and handed it over to Sarah...she backed away, "BLIMEY JACKSON! how many have you had!"
The alcohol fumes were from the night before.
"AND you look rough...are you coming down with something" asked Sarah ushering him into the lounge.
"just a bit of a thick head, THAT's ALL" he put across firmly...as to say 'i don't want you going on at me about it'
"well just stay clear of Mum..." she then bit her lip, " anyway, we're just wait for Craig and Mum will serve up the starters...get a beer from Mike...it's his FIRST Christmas with us, so be nice..."
Jackson shook his head at her, and grabbed up the big bag of goodies, " Jack...come and get your prezzies..."
The first one he pulled out had been wrapped by Aaron.
After handing it over to his excited son, he stood up and bolted out the room, leaving Jack standing there with the present in his grasp.
Jackson was gasping in the porch...Sarah was at his side, " HEY! you can't keep doing that...what's wrong..."
Jackson turned, his eyes were watery, " It's from Aaron...alot of them are from Aaron...HE SHOULD BE HERE!" he hissed angrily, " BUT he's not...and it's ALL my fault.."
Sarah slammed the porch door too, and shook her Ex's shoulders, " LISTEN! you are gonna have to get a grip...Jack will pick up that something is wrong!...have you thought about JUST telling him...he HAS to know Jackson"
"HOW can I tell him...HOW can he ever understand...because he wouldn't would he...he'll upset himself"
Sarah shook her head at him in disbelief, " great...meaning no doubt he'll be asking where his Uncle Aaron is during the Christmas meal...well, according to MY watch you've got about 20 minutes to come up with your latest excuse..."
And then Sarah left him alone in the porch, he intook a few deep breaths, then went back in himself, to help Jack open up his remaining presents...
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Cain glanced up to Aaron, and then up to the wall clock, " looks like we better be get going...Lisa will be putting the turkey on the table, you know what she's like sis..."
Chas was feeding her son the slime from the pot, she put the spoon to Aaron's lips and he took another mouthful, " oh shut it will you Cain...all you've done is sit there and stare!...why can't you just try and make some kind of conversation with him"
Cain blew out a laugh, " Aaron and conversations never WENT anyway! So no change there is there...face it Chas if he was lying there with a full set of marbles, WE wouldn't be having a conversation.." he told.
Chas just glared at him, and faced her son, " Only one more mouthful, and it's all gone love..." she glanced at the pot, " Turkey dinner...could do with a pot of this meself!" she jested with a smile.
Aaron didn't react...Cain stood and pushed his chair to one side, " I think he looks knackered...or IS knackered...come on lets get going..."
Chas stroked Aaron's forehead, the bandage was still around his head, so she was as gentle as she could be, " I'll come back and see you later...i'll bring you in your prezzie babe...because I bet you're thinking I've forgotten yah..." she could feel herself getting choked up...and that's when she knew it was time to leave him.
Cain watched as she kissed Aaron's forehead, " I'll bring Paddy in later, he's been wanting to come in again...and he's got something for yah..."
She kissed him again, and tore herself away.
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In the corridor Cain lead the way towards the exit, " YOU shouldn't have to do all this on your own, HE should be here doing his bit!"
Chas bit her tongue, "I don't want HIM anywhere near him...I'll be breaking his legs otherwise..."
"That pratt of a man made a committment to him...IT'S HIS responsibilty NOT yours...EVEN I know that..." told Cain.
Chas lead the way out into the snow covered carpark, she was sobbing through her words, "no Cain...IT IS my responsibility...and as his Mum...I'M NOT going to fail him again, do you hear me...if anything good that CAN come of all this...this is MY second chance, and I'M not blowing it for NO one!"
AUTHORS NOTE:
I'M GLAD I'VE REASURED A FEW! AARON'S RECOVERY IS LONG AND HARD, AND THE REASON FOR FEATURING CHRISTMAS IN THIS, WILL SHOW AS A COMPARISM TO THE NEXT CHRISTMAS CHAPTER WAY DOWN THE LINE...
PLEASE REVIEW...THE MORE REVIEWS THE QUICKER I'LL UPDATE!