Hi again! Thank you all for your patience, you'll probably be pleased to know I just spent my holiday on the south east of Ireland in the worst torrential rain conditions I've ever experienced only a week after Ireland experienced possibly its first heatwave in about 27 years. PLUS I had to study. Holiday? I think not.

Anyway back to the important stuff, seeing as the past couple of chapters were a bit gloomy I'm going to bring some lightness back into the story, with the help of a guest star in this chapter a few of you might just remember. I feel we need a bit of happiness this week especially with the first anniversary in Emmerdale of… well you know. Just as a brief mention also you lot have no idea how tempted I was in the previous chapter to put Goodbye my lover as the song, just to pull your leg :) But I just didn't have the heart.

Finally, thank you all once again for your kind reviews you have no idea how much I appreciate them, I feel guilty that I haven't gotten round to thanking you all individually for them, as much as I want to, but I will eventually when I get the time.

Song belongs to Christina Perri

Chapter 12

. I have died everyday waiting for you,

Darling don't be afraid, I have loved you

For a thousand years

I love you for a thousand more,

All along I believed I would find you

Time has brought your heart to me

I have loved you for a thousand years,

I'll love you for a thousand more….

"Does Declan know daddy can't work because he's poorly?" Kalum asked as Aaron poured some shampoo into his hands. It was Kalums bathtime, one of his favourite parts of the day. He loved messing around in the warm water with the frothy suds and with his toy boat and dinosaurs, which he turned into sea monsters that attacked the boat at various times, amusing Aaron no end with his added sound effects.

"Yes Kay, Declan knows daddy's not well." Aaron assured him as he started gently rubbing the shampoo into his sons damp sandy head, taking care to steer clear of his now healing cut "Do you want to help me out here mate?"

Kalum nodded enthusiastically and with his small hands helped Aaron massage the sweet smelling stuff into his hair. Aaron felt Kalum enjoyed helping him, it made him feel more independent and grown up. He also let him help with rinsing the suds out of his hair afterwards, though not before being highly entertained by the five year old using the shampoo in his hair to spike and shape it into a variety of styles, laughing as he did so.

"All gone?" Kalum asked as the last of the suds were washed out of his hair. Aaron pretended to closely observe the now darkened wet head of the five year old and frowned dramatically. "No, I think you missed a bit Kalum."

"Where?" Kalum asked anxiously.

Grinning Aaron dipped a hand into the still sudsy water and with a now foamy hand he gently daubed a bit of the froth on Kalums nose. "Here." He daubed more on the now smiling boys forehead "Here." Then on his chin "And here..."

"Stop, dad!" Kalum giggled, rubbing his face with his wet arm only to leave more suds on his face causing them both to burst out laughing again.

After Aaron had dried Kalum and put him into his pyjamas he read him a story and Kalum wasn't long shutting his eyelids, losing himself to his world of dreams.

Aaron wished he could do that just as easily. It had been two days since Jackson woke up and the damn hospital still wouldn't allow him to be discharged, just due to "regulations." In Aarons view, just another way of sponging money off the disadvantaged.

While sleep came more easily to him now he knew his partner was going to be alright, he still didn't sleep as well as he should out of pure damn loneliness and longing for the feel and warmth of his husbands skin. He found it helped a bit these past two nights wearing the t-shirt Jackson sometimes wore to bed. It fitted Aaron well as they were of very similar build. He loved inhaling his smell off it; he now found his husbands scent comforting in contrast to the unbearable pain it had caused him just a week ago. Now with the help of that combined with Aaron wrapping his arm tightly around Jays pillow he was able to sort of half convince his mind that he was holding Jackson in their bed and everything was back to normal.

He smiled as he remembered his last time holding Jackson, just after Jay had woken up after his long state of unconsciousness. Aaron could barely keep his joy from spilling over as he lay with his partner just softly talking for hours, Aaron uncharacteristically doing most of it as Jay was still weak and adjusting to speaking full sentences again, arm wound around him protectively, giving him small soft kisses at times just to even convince himself that he wasn't imagining it.

Hazel burst in suddenly at about half eight, out of breath. She hadn't heard the news of Jacksons awakening; after waiting countless hellish hours at an airport trying desperately to get a ticket home and then a five hour plane trip and one hour bus trip from the airport to the hospital she wasn't about to be stopped by a nurse nagging her about visiting hours. Her jaw dropped as she saw her son and son in laws faces beam at her, like they hadn't a single worry in the world. After finally being assured and reassured about a hundred times that Jackson was fine she went on to anxiously ask a hundred more about Kalum.

At this Aaron remembered Kalum was at Chas' and although he was loathe to leave the love of his life so soon he knew it was nearly Kalums bedtime and their son would start getting worried. By the look on the face of the ward nurse he could see that he and Hazel were pushing their luck as it was anyway.

He almost skipped out of the hospital and Kalum got a welcomed surprise to see his grandmother back from her holiday so early, though Aaron was touched to see Chas' obvious look of disappointment as Kalum had to go home. During that day she had bonded well with the small cheeky lad, he was shy but very pleasant once the ice was broken. By the end of the day she decided she wouldn't have minded in due time if the child wanted to call her Nana as well, though she knew better than to push her luck at this early stage of her and Aarons rebuilt relationship.

Kalum had posed the same question to Aaron these past few days "Whens daddy coming home?" "Whens daddy coming home?" "Whens daddy coming home?" Aaron could only constantly reply "Soon." It had been easier to say it with certainty since Jay woke up but like Kalum he was impatient to get a definite answer.

He was taking Kalum up to see him tomorrow; Jay had encouraged the idea just that morning as he was missing his son something serious and the report that he had asthma just made Jay more eager than ever to hold him in his arms again. The thought that he could've lost his son due to a condition so minor shook him. Kalum wasn't told yet that he was going to visit his daddy, Aaron deliberately was leaving it until morning as he knew the child wouldn't be able to sleep with the excitement if he told him sooner.

xoxo

The next morning couldn't come quick enough for Aaron. He was determined that they get to the hospital early before Jackson had any other visitors, as he wanted it to be just the three of them for a while. Kalum was nervous as they entered the hospital, still unaware that they were here to see Jay, terrified he was here for another one of those horrible injections. Aaron hadn't bothered taking Kalums chair, he was happy enough just to carry the small light boy through the hospital which turned out to be a good choice as Kalum clung like a limpet to him, brown eyes scanning the long white corridors madly for nurses with needles.

As they reached Jays door Aaron noticed a group of young doctors gathered beside the door having a discussion. They must be only trainees, as the youngest one didn't look any older than 16 or 17. As Aaron opened the door the youngest trainee stopped chatting and turned to look at Aaron with a broad smile. He had jet black hair and a pleasant face, his scrubs looking slightly baggy on him. A bit unnerved by the boys strange friendly smile Aaron offered him a civil nod and proceeded onwards.

The boy left his mind completely as he entered the room. Kalum still was gazing over his shoulder at the people wearing the strange green clothes and hadn't noticed where they were.

"Hey Kay, heres some one whos been dying to see you." Aaron smiled. Kalum whipped his blond head around half fearfully expecting to see a nurse armed with a syringe. But no sooner had that happened that his face burst into a big smile.

"DADDY!" he shouted excitedly.

"Hey my little hero." Jackson grinned holding his arms out to take Kalum, which his son was more than happy to oblige to. Jay wrapped his arms tightly round the happy five year old and lay a kiss on his head. "I've missed you so much." He mumbled into the blond hair. Aaron just stood by and smiled at the two of them.

Jackson looked up and held an arm out. Aaron approached and leant down for a kiss. "How you feeling today baby?" "A hell of a lot better now I've seen you two." Jackson replied cheerfully. "Dad tells me you were a very brave boy Kay, that you helped the police out and everything." Kalum smiled bashfully before replying eagerly "Jenny says I might have a cut thingy like you have daddy." He proudly pointed up to his stitched cut on his forehead. Jackson grinned "Very cool, son. But whos Jenny?"

"My nurse."

"Ooh, you haven't got yourself a girlfriend while I've been in here have you?" Jackson teased "EWW daddy no!" Both men laughed at the adorable disgusted face their son pulled.

Time flew after that, all three of them just sitting on Jays bed talking away happily. Kalum let his daddy know that he had to take an "amilalor" three times a day for his bad chest and looked confused as his fathers chuckled at his mispronunciation. He asked again, this time to Jay personally, "When you coming home?"

At this Aaron and Jackson shared a knowing glance. Both had asked themselves that same damn question a million times since Jays return to the world of consciousness and it infuriated them that they couldn't get answers. "In a little while buddy, in a little while."

Aaron didn't want to leave them even for a minute but nature was calling him. He left the room reluctantly to use the bog as Kalum began questioning Jay about the white thing encasing his right leg. As he was on his way back he literally bumped into the young dark haired doctor. "Sorry!"

"No trouble at all sir." The young man smiled brightly. There was something about his smile that made Aaron feel uneasy, like the kid knew him or something. Shaking it off he proceeded on his way.

"Hows Jackson today, if you don't mind me asking?"

Aaron turned around quickly in surprise. The question was asked so casually it was as if the bloke was on intimate terms with both of them. Aaron had never heard a fully trained doctor refer to someone on a first name basis let alone a trainee.

Noting his look of surprise the young doctor continued "Forgive me sir, he told me long ago that I could call him Jackson." Aaron frowned, wondering if the kid had a bit of a screw loose. He didn't recognise him from anywhere, and he was sure Jay would've told him if he'd met someone he knew in here.

The young mans grin widened "I don't expect you to remember me at this stage sir." He stuck out his hand to shake Aarons

"My names Jonathan Mills, Mr Walsh, we once met in Milan."

And in that moment a memory of a dark haired scrawny ten year old boy shyly requesting information off Jackson about his scars struck Aaron like a bolt of lightning.

xoxo

Aaron couldn't believe how small a world this was as he started chatting amiably with the boy they'd met on holiday in Italy 7 years ago. Jonathan was only just gone seventeen but as he was very bright in school he was pushed up a couple of years, now spending a few weeks in this hospital on work experience as part of his course. He had been present when Jay was x rayed, and upon seeing the face and the scars he had recognised him and had been praying he would be alright, which touched Aaron. Since the recovery he'd been looking forward to chatting to both of them before they left.

Aaron was pleased that life had turned out so well for the boy; although he didn't know it himself he had been a blessing in disguise to the two men, as he'd finally made Jackson accept his scars that had caused him trouble since his stunt on the train tracks.

He spoke about Jackson, he spoke about their new son Kalum, he even was straight with Jonathan about Jays most recent accident. Jonathan took it all in, shaking his head with disgust as he heard what that prat at Aarons workplace had done.

"Is Jackson alright today?"

"Yeah, at this stage he's just dying to go home!"

Jonathan looked thoughtful for a minute. "Sorry Aaron, I have to run. Talk to you later!"

Later came sooner than planned, as Aaron barely had time to tell Jay of the young man he'd encountered when Jonathan came into the ward.

While Jay looked confused Aaron grinned "That didn't take long!"

"What can I say, I'm a fast worker. How've you been Jackson?"

"Err.. fine." Jackson mumbled, surprised as Aaron had been that he knew him by Christian name.

"You don't recognise him either, do you?" Aaron chuckled. Jackson frowned and shook his head. Kalum watched on curiously.

"Last time you saw me it was on a beach in Italy with me thinking you were a soldier." Jonathan laughed as realisation dawned on Jay and his face burst into a smile.

After chatting with each other for a few minutes as he and Aaron had done before, Jonathan cleared his throat "Well anyway, heres the most important bit." He bent down so he was face to face with Kalum, who shied away slightly by burying half his face in Jacksons chest. "Now listen little mate, you have to tell your daddy to get up off his lazy backside, because he's going home!"

Kalum burst into a large smile while Jackson and Aaron looked shocked.

"How..?"

"The young nurse in charge of checking people in and out has a thing for me, God love her. But I just told her there and now that I'd love to take her to the pictures only I'm not able because some grumpy codger in ward 34 isn't cooperating and wants to leave and needs my care." Jonathan grinned broadly with a twinkle in his eye. "So, because I am just so irresistible, guess which grumpy codgers getting evicted this evening?"

Aaron and Jay could only look on in shock at the young man who'd done so much for them already.

"It pays to have friends in high places." Jonathan winked before turning to leave.

"Jonathan… thank you, so much." Aaron stuttered.

"Yeah mate thanks, you're a pure diamond!"

"No probs, no if you'll excuse me.." Jonathan paused to grin cheekily back at overjoyed men before leaving "I have a date to prepare for."

xoxo

"Daaaaaaad! Daaaadddy!"

Aarons sleepy head rose from where it had been lying comfortably in the crook of Jays neck and looked at the clock; 2 in the morning. He slowly unwound his arm from around Jays waist and sat up "I'll go." He mumbled sleepily.

"Well I doubt I'd be able to." Jay answered, nodding towards his plastered leg, getting a smile from his partner, who had been enjoying his first proper nights sleep in his own bed since the accident curled up with his husband. Not that he minded being woken up, if Kay needed him sleep could wait.

Jay was surprised as Aaron returned carrying a distressed looking Kalum in his arms, the brown eyes now red rimmed and the small face tear streaked "Look sweetheart I told you daddys alright, didn't I?" Upon seeing Jay Kalum stuck his arms out immediately to be taken. Aaron carefully handed him to Jay, reminding Kalum to be careful of his leg.

"Hey baby boy, what are the tears for?" Jackson asked gently as he took an upset Kalum into his arms for a cuddle. Kalum just sniffed and clung to Jackson like his life depended on it. "Its alright sweetheart, its ok, I'm here." Jay soothed. "Bad dream, yeah?" Kalum nodded against his chest. Aaron was stroking Kays hair, worried. His son had dreamed that Jackson was gone, that he was never coming home,

"Like mummy." Had been exactly what Kay had said.

Kalum dried his eyes, yawned and lay against Jays chest, shutting his raw red eyes. Jay lay back with Kalum lying in a similar position to how Aaron had been lying, halfway across Jacksons chest with head rested on his shoulder. He looked over questioningly at his partner. Aaron, who could think of worse ways to wake up than with the two most important men in his life beside him, moved himself behind Kalum with his left arm stretched out across his sleeping son, breathing in the sweet smell of the sandy hair.

Jackson intertwined the fingers of his right hand with Aarons left so that they were linked cross Kalum. As Aaron shut his eyes contentedly, he knew there was nowhere else in the whole world he'd rather be.

TBC

So Jacksons home again! Yay! Some of you might remember Jonathan from my other story, scars and all. Grown up well, hasn't he? Well that's all for this chapter, thank you for reading!

PS to cheer yourself up during this sad week at emmerdale, please look up Hitlers reaction to Jacksons assisted suicide on Youtube. Never laughed as much in a long time :) And I DON'T like twilight, I just like the song. :)