–AARON LIVESY–

– BEHIND CLOSED DOORS –

"I Need To Know"

The door to Smithy opened and a miserable Chas and Paddy were met by the giggles and banter of Aaron and Jackson, which was a surprise but it didn't lift their moods. Both boys stopped when they saw them. "What's with all the doom and gloom thought that was my speciality?" Aaron asked with a smirk.

Chas cleared her throat. "This letter, it's for you"

Aaron looked down at the table and reached out for the letter.

"It's from the prison love, so we think it's from your dad"

Aaron frowned as he looked at his mum. "Alright" he said slowly as he began to rip open the envelope, he pulled out the folded piece of paper and unravelled it. Jackson stepped up close behind Aaron and placed his arm around him.

"Well?" Paddy asked.

Aaron nodded. "Uh yeah, he wants to see me"

"I knew it I just knew it!" Chas raised her voice in disbelief as Aaron fell silent and Jackson placed a kiss on his head. "Who the hell does he think he is? After everything he's been through"

"I'm going" Aaron stated loudly over the noise of his mum, now sending her into silence.

Jackson frowned. "Aaron?"

"I have to"

"Why would you want to see that low life?" Chas raged. "After everything he did to you, put you through?"

Aaron pouted and shrugged his shoulders. "Closure. I want to be able to stop waking up in the middle of the night from nightmares and I don't think that'll stop if I don't go"

"This is ridiculous"

"Mum, I know you're worried but I'm going, I've got too" he folded the paper again and placed it down and walked to the stairs.

Chas scowled at Jackson and approached him. "Nice to see your back together and all that but you could have been a little more helpful!"

"Hey, if Aaron wants to do this I'm not going to stand in his way, he has his own mind; he has to make his own choices"

"He'll walk out from that prison and he'll have taken a step back I'm telling you. I thought you cared about him"

Jackson frowned. "That's a bit rich coming from someone who just started being a mother to him in the last year" he bit his lip, regretting his words instantly then his face tingled from a hard slap she gave him.

"That's enough" Paddy stood up. "Both of you made mistakes by not being there for him, the important thing is you're both here now. But Chas I think Jackson's right, we have to let him do this. Go and check on him Jackson"

Jackson nodded and left the room.

Chas sat at the table and put her head in her hands. "I can't lose him Paddy not again, I can't let him be hurt by that monster, he can't get sucked in by him" she sighed, clearly distraught by the turn of events.

"Hey" Paddy soothed as he sat beside her and put his arm around her. "Gordon can't harm him from in there and Aaron's grown stronger Chas he won't be sucked in by anything he says to him, in fact I'd love to be there to watch Aaron because I think he'll give as good as he gets, we have to support him Chas and if that means putting out feelings aside then that's what we have to do, Aaron's not stupid, he'll be careful, like I said – he's much stronger than any of us think, probably stronger than even he realises"

Chas nodded. "I know, I know just with everything lately though, I don't want Gordon making this worse, Aaron doesn't need it"

"If that happens, he has us and Jackson and they looked happy when they came in, they're good together, young yeah but that really doesn't matter, Jackson's got his head screwed on and he can be a good influence on him"

"Whatever happens we're not out of the woods yet"

"Jackson knows that, but I'll have a word, explain his behaviour lately that he can still be very much" Paddy stopped trying to think of a word, he sighed. "...Aaron" he smiled.

"I'm sure he knows already" Chas replied.

"Well then he's a brave kid" Paddy grinned and kissed her. "Everything will be alright"

"I hope so"

"I know so"

Chas nodded as she reached for his hand and squeezed.

/

Jackson stopped outside Aaron's bedroom door and knocked which came unanswered so he slowly opened the door and peered in to find Aaron's attention diverted to something else, he was in a world of his own. Jackson walked in and closed the door behind him and walked up to the bed and as he stood in front of Aaron he saw the focus of Aaron's attention – a photograph of himself and Kyle.

Jackson looked on sympathetically as he lowered himself down onto the bed next to Aaron and he put his arm around him instantly. He only had an idea of what Aaron had went through, and what he still was, helping him was hard, being there for him without being too pushy was hard, he was mindful of Aaron's frame of mind, that's all he could be aware of as he placed his arm around him and pulled him into him, he rubbed his arm gently, he knew the impact Kyle had on Aaron's life and on Aaron as a person, Jackson had only met him briefly and he was a nice kid, good looking, polite and had the whole world at his feet, he was missed, more so by Aaron.

Aaron finally looked at Jackson with his eyes filled with tears. "I need to see him, I need to know why he took him away from me, I need to know why he did what he did"

Jackson nodded. "I know you do but have you not considered that he'll just repeat what he's told you already"

Aaron shrugged and looked back down at the picture and ran his thumb over the image of Kyle's face. He let out a deep breath. "I dunno, I just need to let my dad go, I can't move on Jackson I need to see him it's not just about me wanting to know" he bit his lip as he contemplated his words "He needs to know how I feel, what damage he's done and I won't go easy either..."

"I wouldn't expect anything different from you" Jackson told him softly with a smirk and he leaned in closer and kissed his forehead softly and he remained there.

Aaron could feel Jackson's warm breath against his skin, it felt amazing, and shivers ran down his spine.

"I'm here for you Aaron, so if you're going to do this you have my full support, and your mum she's just worried you know?" Jackson asked as he pulled back and looked at his beautiful blue eyes once again.

Aaron nodded. "Yeah I know" he chuckled. "Sometimes I forget all this hasn't just affected me"

"I know what you're saying but you were the one it happened too"

Aaron smiled slightly. "I should at least tell her I understand her concerns"

Jackson grinned. "Yeah, it'll be nice to do that"

/

After explaining once again to his mum that he was going and why and telling her he understood her concerns, which still didn't really help it ended in her shouting as he and Jackson left the house demanding Aaron come back they both stood outside the prison. Aaron looked up at the building and then the doors. He turned back to Jackson and smiled. "Thankyou"

"What for?" Jackson asked with a smile.

"For coming with me"

"I would have even if you told me not too"

Aaron smirked and stepped up to him quickly and kissed him on the lips passionately which left Jackson wanting more, but it would wait. Jackson licked his lips. "Do you want me to come in with you?"

Aaron shook his head. "No"

"I understand, you got the visiting order?"

"Yep" he smiled and started to turn away. "I'll see you soon then"

As Aaron was at the doors Jackson called to him and he turned to face his boyfriend. "You can do this" Jackson told him. Aaron nodded as he pulled open the doors and walked inside.

Jackson stood alone now; all he could do was wait. Aaron could leave at any time so he didn't see any point in wandering to find a cafe or anything; he wanted to be there for him for when he did return.

TBC...