Emmerdale and it's charactors belong to ITV, not me!
"Do you want something to eat?" Paddy asked Jackson as he got up off the sofa, Jackson who was just staring at the television, not taking any of it in didn't hear Paddy talk.
"Jackson!" said Paddy louder, this time Jackson's head moved towards his father-in-law.
"Yeah!"
"Can I get you anything, I'm going to do some toast."
Jackson shook his head. "No thanks, I couldn't stomach anything at the moment," he said looking back towards the television.
"I'm just as worried as you are but Aaron will be alright, he won't do anything stupid," Paddy said as he walked into the kitchen. Jackson looked at the doorway at which Paddy had just left hoping what he had said was true.
Jackson's phone started to ring.
A&J
"What the hell am I doing?" thought Aaron as he finished off his latest pint. He was sat next to a guy he didn't like or know, and who was obviously trying to chat him up, he turned to look at the guy who seemed to take that as an invitation and he started to lean towards him. Aaron panicked, this guy was actually going to kiss him, Aaron pulled back.
The guy smirked. "Playing hard to get eh?" he tried to pull Aaron towards him.
"Get off, " yelled Aaron pulling his arm away as hard as he could, god he felt sick.
"Come on mate, no need to be shy," the guy said not giving up.
"I ain't shy, I'm m..married," he said slurring his words abit.
Aaron's statement that he was married didn't faze the guy. "So, your not the first married bloke that I've had."
Aaron managed to get away from him and stood up, stumbling abit as he did. "Well you ain't having me," he turned and bumped straight into a startled Carl.
"Aaron," he said surprised looking from Aaron to the guy at the table.
Aaron's stomach was churning, he was starting to feel abit ill so he was grateful to see a familiar face. "This bastard won't take no for an answer," he said to Carl.
Carl looked at the bloke at the table. "Beat it now," he said menacingly," or I'll have to sort you out myself," he stepped forward closing the gap between himself and the smug guy sat at the table. The guy looked abit uncomfortable now, he got up and downed the last of his drink. "He's not that much of a catch," he said as he turned and disappeared into the crowd.
Carl turned to Aaron. "Are you okay?"
"I'm going," said Aaron trying to get past Carl.
Carl put his hand on Aaron's chest. "Why don't you come and sit with me and Nathan," he said pointing over to where they were sitting. "Where's Jackson by the way?"
Tears started to flow at the mention of Jackson's name. "Aaron, what is it?" asked Carl putting his hand on Aaron's arm.
"Jackson doesn't want me anymore," he said choking on the words, he was sobbing now. He looked at Carl's concerned face and then turned and ran.
"AARON," shouted Carl as he watched Aaron run out of Bar West.
"What's wrong?" Nathan asked as he walked upto Carl.
Carl shook his head. "I don't know, Aaron's really upset, he said that Jackson didn't want him anymore."
Nathan laughed. "Not possible," said Nathan, "Jackson loves that kid more than anything," taking his phone out of his pocket.
"Well something's gone off," Carl said in reply.
Nathan put the phone to his ear. "I'm phoning Jackson." Carl nodded.
A&J
"Hello."
"Jackson, it's Nathan."
"Hi Nate, I'm not really up for a chat at the moment," feeling awful for blowing his mate off.
"We've just see Aaron."
Jackson stood up. "You have! Where? Is he alright?"
"Not really mate, Carl said he was in a bit of a state. Where at Bar West, some guy was trying to hit on him but Aaron was having none of it."
Jackson smiled at that, at least Aaron hadn't been tempted after how badly he had treated him. "Is he still there?"
"Sorry mate, he ran out a few minutes ago, he said something weird though."
"What, please Nathan tell me, I'm really worried about him," Jackson said who by now had Paddy stood beside him.
"He said you didn't want him anymore."
Jackson felt his legs go and Paddy had to steady him.
"What's happened Jackson?"
"I said some things to Aaron that I didn't mean, everything just got on top of me with mum and I lashed out. I didn't mean anything I said."
"Well Aaron obviously thinks you did, he ran out of here in a right state. Look we'll keep an eye out for him and if we see him again we'll fetch him home."
"Thanks mate," said Jackson finishing the call.
Paddy looked at him questioningly.
"He's been in Bar West, Nathan and Carl saw him, but he's ran off again."
"How was he?" asked Paddy.
"Not good, oh god what have I done. I know how insecure Aaron can get and I've been a right bastard to him."
"Come on," said Paddy, leading him into the room, "he'll come home when he calms down."
A&J
Aaron looked at the clock on the wall, it was just past three in the morning and he was feeling slightly better. He sat down and sighed. "Do you remember when we first met," he laughed, "the look you gave me, I could tell that you didn't like me and at that time I didn't care. I didn't care what anyone thought of me except Jackson and my dad. A couple of times when I wasn't being exactly nice to Jackson you even told him to leave me…you thought I didn't know that, but Jackson told me. I can't remember when we actually started to care for each other, but I'm so glad we did, my life is so much fuller with you in it," he looked at Hazel lying so peacefully as if she was just asleep, he really wished she was and that he could just shout or knock her and she would wake up.
"I don't know what I've been doing tonight, I've had too much to drink, I know I have and this guy tried it on with me and if a friend hadn't been there I would probably have hit him, and that would make Jackson hate me more than he already does." Thinking of Jackson made him remember what he had said to him earlier. Aaron had turned up at the hospital fifteen minutes earlier, he had been walking the streets of Hotten since running out of Bar West wondering where to go. He really wanted to go home and see Jackson, to have him put his arms around him and tell him that everything was going to be alright, but Jackson didn't want him there. The only other place he could think of to go was to see his mum. The hospital staff weren't going to let him in at first, but Nurse Baker who knew Aaron from when he was hospitalised himself recently took pity on him. She took him to Hazel's room and told him that she was on shift all night and that if he needed anything to come and find her. Aaron had thanked her and since then he had been sat by the side of Hazel's bed holding her hand talking to her.
"I can't believe he said that to me….he said that he didn't need me, but I need him…I don't think I can go on without him. All I wanted to do was be there for him like you asked me to do. Now I'm scared I'm going to lose him. I'm scared I'm going to lose you," he said as he squeezed his mum's hand. "I can't go on without both of you. Please mum come back to us," Aaron laid his head down on the bed and cried. "He says that your not my mum…but you are, you're the only mum I've got," he said letting his tears fall onto the bed covers. With his hand holding his mum's he eventually fell asleep. Some time later Nurse Baker came in and seeing Aaron asleep she picked up a spare blanket and placed it gently over him.
A&J
Paddy and Jackson had slept on and off during the night, both of them not going to bed, they just sat in the living room with the television on hoping that Aaron would turn up. It was now nine o'clock and for the past hour Paddy had been in the surgery doing some paperwork to keep himself busy. Kathy had turned up to do the day's surgery and Pearl was now making drinks in the kitchen, she had tried to talk to Jackson but his mind wasn't in it so she had given up. On her way back through to the surgery she placed a cup of tea on the coffee table in front of Jackson.
Twenty minutes later Paddy came back in to find Jackson sat in the exact same spot with a full mug of cold tea in front of him. The only thing he could think to do was take Jackson to see Hazel. He was really worried himself about Aaron but he knew his son and Aaron would turn up soon, he knew he would, he just had to trust that Aaron was being careful and sensible.
Paddy walked up to Jackson and took hold of his arm. "Come on son, let's go and see your mum."
Jackson looked at him. "What if Aaron comes and we're not in."
Paddy pulled Jackson up from the sofa and started pushing him towards the kitchen. "We'll leave him a note telling him where we are and to ring us. Have you tried him again?"
Jackson nodded as he started up the stairs. "I've been trying him all the time, I've lost count of all the messages I've left him. I'm so scared he's done something stupid and he could be scared and hurt somewhere," he said stopping outside the door of the bedroom that he shared with Aaron.
"Listen Jackson, my boy is sensible and he will not doing anything to put himself in danger, and I also know that he loves you and once you have explained to him about last night he will understand. Now go and get ready." Jackson smiled at Paddy and went into the bedroom hoping that what Paddy had said was true.
A&J
Nurse Baker was going off shift when she bumped into Jackson and Paddy entering the main foyer at the hospital.
"Morning," she said as she stopped before them.
"Morning," said Paddy, "how's Hazel this morning?"
"I checked on her before I left and there's no change," she said, "but she's had a guardian angel with her all night."
Paddy looked puzzled. "What do you mean."
"Aaron."
Jackson who hadn't been taking much notice of the conversation, snapped his had towards Nurse Baker when she said Aaron's name. "What?"
"Aaron turned up in the early hours of this morning, he's been with Hazel all night."
Jackson set off running leaving a relieved Paddy still talking to Nurse Baker.
A&J
Walking into his mum's room, he couldn't describe the relief he felt when he saw Aaron asleep with his head on his mum's bed. He walked slowly towards the man he loved and stood behind him, Aaron's head was facing away from him looking towards his mum, he carefully ran his fingers through Aaron's hair. Aaron stirred slightly and opened his eyes, he was abit confused as to where he was at first, then he remembered. He pushed himself up from the bed and looked at Hazel. "Morning mum," he said rubbing his eyes, he hadn't noticed Jackson yet because he was stood behind him. Aaron stood up slowly and leaned in to kiss Hazel on the cheek. "I have to go," he said.
Jackson spoke then. "Why?"
Aaron spun round and found himself looking at his husband. Jackson smiled at him but Aaron just kicked the chair out of the way and pushed his way past Jackson. Jackson took hold of Aaron's arm. "I'm sorry Aaron," Aaron looked at Jackson, then at the hand on his arm. "Get off me," he said.
Jackson shook his head. "No, and I didn't mean a word that I said last night."
"Then you shouldn't have said it," said Aaron freeing his arm from Jackson's grasp and walked towards the door.
"I know," Jackson said as tears started to flow, "I hate myself for what I said, I never meant to hurt you. It's just everything with mum and then the thing with Jerry it just all got on top of me and I lashed out at the one person I need more than anything in the world. I've been so worried about you, I've been ringing you all night."
Aaron who had stopped as Jackson started to speak now turned round. "I didn't deserve it."
"I know," said Jackson walking up to Aaron, "and I've already apologised to your dad about how I spoke to him," he tentatively took hold of one of Aaron's hands," mum would probably disown me for how I've treated you." Aaron didn't say anything, he just kept looking at the floor. Jackson continued. "I know you love mum and I know how much she loves you and what I said was cruel and I'm never cruel. Please Aaron, forgive me so I can stop hating myself." Aaron slowly looked up and met Jackson's eyes.
"I love you Jackson and I never thought that you would hurt me as much as you did last night."
Jackson slowly pulled Aaron closer to him. "She's your mum too Aaron and I never want you to doubt that ever."
Aaron smiled and let himself fall into Jackson's waiting arms and then they kissed, a deep and loving kiss releasing all the anger and worry that they had felt and that's how Paddy found them when he entered the room. He smiled. "Well it looks like everything is alright" he said. Jackson and Aaron reluctantly stopped kissing and Aaron turned to his dad and hugged him. "I'm sorry for worrying you dad," he said.
"I know you, just don't do that again."
"I won't."
"So," said Paddy, "how's your mum?" he asked as he walked towards the bed.
"The same," said Aaron who felt his hand being taken by Jackson and smiled at him, "I talked to her for a while then I must have fell asleep." They walked to the other side of Hazel's bed together.
"She's going to wake up….isn't she?"
To be continued
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