Breakeven

Disclaimer - Emmerdale & its characters do not belong to me, they belong to ITV

It was Saturday and Jackson had been gone just a day. It was strange, sleeping in their bed without him. Aaron found that he didn't want to do it all that often. It was cold, obviously Jackson had more body heat then he knew because be clearly kept the bed warm.

Aaron wasn't working, the garage was closed because they had nothing on and he wasn't opening it on the off chance that someone would stumble in. Oh no, he was going to relax, he just wished Jackson was around to relax with. It was a very rare weekend where they had no work on and he could close up shop for the weekend. Trust it to happen when Jackson wasn't around.

It's just after midday and Aaron hears someone banging on the front door. He opens it to find Tina and Maddie on the other side

"Tina?" Aaron say as she pushes her way inside "Hey!" she smiles but she looks anxious "Jackson in?"

Aaron shakes his head "He went to Ibiza!"

"Crap!" she exclaims "that's why I can't get hold of any of them"

Aaron looks at Maddie, she's almost asleep on Tina's shoulder "what's wrong?"

"My Mum's being taken into hospital I need to go and I needed someone to watch Maddie but apparently they're all away having fun in Ibiza"

"Oh" Aaron says but he has a sinking feeling in his stomach "could you…?" Tina suggests and Aaron quickly shakes his head

"Oh no Tina. I'm crap with kids. I'll kill her or something"

Tina rolls her eyes "Don't be such a drama queen. You'll handle it. She loves you just for a day? I'll pick her up tomorrow?"

Aaron groans. He couldn't really say no, could he? Tina looked like she was about to cry, he didn't want that and if Jackson found out he turned her down he'd never hear the end of it "You'll pick her up tomorrow?"

Tina nods

"You promise?"

Again Tina nods

"Alright" Aaron agrees, against his better judgement. There goes his weekend of getting plastered.

"Thank you!" she exclaims throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him into an awkward hug.

Tina explains to Maddie that's she's going to be staying with Aaron for the night as he Nanny is in hospital and her Mummy has to make sure she's ok. Maddie is alright with the arrangement. She looks up and Aaron and smiles but asks her Mum "Where's Jackson?"

"Jackson is on holiday baby, will you be good for Aaron?"

Maddie nods

"And do everything he asks or tells you to do?"

Again Maddie nods.

"Good girl" Tina kisses her on the head then lifts her into her arms "thank you Aaron"

"It's alright" Aaron assures her as she passes Maddie to him.

Aaron stands at the door and watches as Tina gets back in her car. She's left him a bag with Maddie's clothes and some toys. Aaron looks at the little girl "what am I meant to do with you?" he asks her and she just grins at him, with big brown eyes and Aaron can't help but smile.

He lets out a sigh and shifts her onto his other hip "are you hungry?" he asks and she nods her head "Let's go get some food then, huh?" he suggests.

Aaron heads to the Woolpack. He's not in the mood for cooking. He'll let Marlon do that for him and hopefully he can find someone to entertain Maddie for him. Debbie, Bell or someone else for example.

Walking into the pub the first person he comes across is his Mother. She immediately notices the little girl in his arms "something to tell me?" she asks with a smirk.

Aaron scowls at her "She's Jackson's mates kid" he explains and Chas nods "why do you have her then?"

"Cause she needed someone to watch her and Jackson is away to Ibiza"

Chas bursts out laughing and Aaron's eyes widen "what's so funny?" he asks genuinely interested

"You. With a kid"

"Thanks" Aaron rolls his eyes and steps away from her, she's still laughing and he grunts while looking at Maddie "I'm not that bad am i?"

Maddie looks at him, slightly confused then shakes her head "didn't think so" Aaron says with a smile while setting her down on a seat.

He leaves Maddie sitting at the table while he goes to the bar. He grabs a menu and scans it as he waits on Diane pouring him a pint. He can have one pint while he's watching her, right? It's not like one pint is going to get him so drunk that he won't be able to look after her. He's not that stupid.

After an hour Aaron has finished his meal but Maddie is still eating. Aaron is finding it hard to believe that anyone is that slow at eating. Even a four year old little girl.

"AARON!" he hears his name being yelled. He also knows who is doing the yelling. It's Adam.

He turns around as Maddie looks up to "Wondered where you were buddy!" Adam says slapping him on the shoulder. Adam's eyes land on Maddie and his eyebrows rise "Who's this?"

Aaron looks at Maddie then back at Aaron "This is Maddie" Aaron tells him "I'm watching her for the night"

"Ha!" Adam laughs "are you serious?" he adds at the look on Aaron's face.

Aaron nods "Who…Why does everyone find this so funny?"

Adam sits into the empty seat between Aaron and Maddie "because man, it's…it's you"

Aaron gives him a look, a look which asks "what does that mean"

"You're not exactly kid friendly are you? Jackson we'd understand, but you? Come on!"

Aaron laughs and shakes his head. Why do so many people assume that he would be so bad with kids? Ok, granted he thought the same thing but no one had any faith in him it seemed. No one believed he could look after a child. Well he'd show them. Tina obviously trusted him. Tina trusted him because of Jackson, he knew that but he wasn't about to let her down.

Aaron was in the pub with Maddie for a few more hours. That was because Rhona came in with her friend who had a little girl about Maddie's age and they were playing together. Aaron couldn't drag her away when after that she would only have to put up with him and he would have to put up with her. At least this way she would get tired out by playing with the other girl and sleep all night. Aaron liked that plan.

As promised, on Sunday morning Tina came to pick up her daughter at eleven thirty. Aaron couldn't quite believe that he was sad to see her go. After getting home from the Woolpack at 5 on Saturday night, he had spent the night in with her. Watching kids DVDs that just happened to be in the bag that Tina had left. Aaron found that he really enjoyed kids DVDs and that he really enjoyed…well, kids. Maddie was cute and quite funny. She had him laughing almost as much as Jackson did. He was enjoying the time he spent with her. Once again, she fell asleep on his chest. Only this time he had fallen asleep also and he had been woken up by Victoria who had just gotten back from down at one in the morning. She'd given him a funny look but he'd ignored her and carried Maddie to bed.

It was now 11:30 Victoria hadn't dragged herself from bed yet and Maddie was leaving. He didn't want her to leave but he wasn't about to tell anyone that. He didn't even want to admit it to himself.

"Has she behaved?" Tina asks as she whisks her little girl up into her arms and hugs "yeah" Aaron answers "she's been great"

"Thank you Aaron" she says with an affectionate smile and pulls him into a hug "thank you so much" Aaron isn't sure what to do; he just stands there until she pulls away.

"Is your Mum alright?" he asks, trying to change the subject.

Tina nods "She's good" she tells him "She got out, so I'm staying at hers till she's better" Aaron nods "I better go"

"Yeah" Aaron says as he watches them walk to the car "See you later"

"Bye Aaron!" Maddie says with a toothy grin as she waves frantically. Aaron laughs and waves back "Bye"

With Maddie gone Aaron decides it's time to start his weekend off the way he had planned before she turned up. He had another day before Jackson came home and he wanted to get drunk and hang out with his friends.

He pulls Victoria out of bed, makes her breakfast then tells her that her, him, Adam, Ryan and whoever else he can find are going out for a day and night on the town. Victoria was more than pleased with this.

It was really early in the morning well Aaron arrived home. In fact it was just after six which is why. He missed the fact that his bed wasn't empty when he fell into it, fully clothed. Jackson's flight was in the early hours of Monday morning. He had gotten home, to an empty house at just after five in the morning and dropped into bed. He wasn't bothered about the fact Aaron wasn't home, he'd come home when he was good and ready.

It was only when he felt the weight of Aaron's body falling on him that he knew he was home. He woke up, rolled him off his body and onto his side of the bed and pulled his boots and jeans off of him before sliding back in beside him and falling asleep.

A/N - LIKE IT? LOVE IT? HATE IT? LET ME KNOW!