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

A/N - Number 29! Almost finished I am!


"Behave yourselves"

He couldn't help but roll his eyes at that. It was Jackson looking pointedly between him and his Dad before he followed the Doctor with Hazel. He thought he was funny well, he didn't think he was funny and he'd much rather be anywhere than sat in a waiting room with Jerry Walsh. The guy hated him and if he was honest there wasn't any love lost there. He didn't like him either, he'd told him to stay away from Jackson at the hospital and then he had found out about how he had hit Jackson when he found out about him being gay. No, he really didn't like Jerry Walsh but he put up with him, for Jackson's sake which is what he was sure the older man did with him.

Five minutes after Jackson had gone through the doors and he was bored. He was bored and slightly anxious. He wanted to go with him and if Jerry hadn't have been there he would have followed Hazel and Jackson into the Doctors room but with Jerry there he couldn't because it would only cause an argument. An argument he knows Jackson wouldn't want. He wasn't about to upset his boyfriend, not for Jerry anyway.

"Will you sit down" Jerry barked at him. Stopping what he was doing he glared at the older man. Who the hell was he to tell him what to do? Instead he ignored him and carried on his pacing. He wanted to stop but now he had a point to prove and that point was that he wasn't about to do what Jerry Walsh wanted him to do. Five more minutes and he was bored of pacing so he sat down directly opposite the older man and stared at him. He could tell Jerry was uncomfortable with the way he was staring at him because every now and then he would shift around in the chair or pick up a magazine before quickly putting it back down. It made him feel good to know he wound the older man up. It also pleased him to know that no matter how much he did wind him up he wouldn't call him on it, for Jackson. He found himself hoping he would though, every now and then because he was sure that if it came down to a choice, if Jackson had to choose between him or his Father that he would be his choice. Not that he wanted to make his boyfriend choose; he just wanted Jerry to know that if it ever came down to it, Jackson would choose him.

Xxx

He wasn't happy. In fact that would probably be an understatement, he was pissed off. Pissed off about the fact that he was currently sitting in a hospital waiting room with his son's boyfriend whom he couldn't stand and that was mostly because he didn't trust him. Just by looking at him he could tell he wasn't good enough for his son, nothing about him was good enough not to mention the countless times in the short space of time since Jackson's accident that they had split up. No, he did not like Aaron Livesy one little bit but he knew that there was nothing he could do because if he were to air his concerns Jackson wouldn't listen and he'd more than likely be told to go and never come back. He didn't want that. He had already spent way too much time apart from his son, all because he couldn't accept his sexuality and it he was honest with himself he still couldn't. He still wasn't ok with the idea of two men in a relationship but he loved his son, he'd almost lost his son. He could work on getting used to it.

"Will you sit down" he had to say it because Aaron's pacing was getting on his nerves and when the younger man stopped he was surprised, was he about to do it? No, he just wanted to glare at him before continuing his pacing. The kid was an idiot, it was that simple. What had Jackson ever seen in him? It's only five more minutes though before he bores even himself and has to sit down although, he chooses to sit directly opposite and stare at me. I'm sure he does it just to wind me up, to get me to start an argument with him. Sometimes I wonder if he's trying to prove a point to me, something along the lines of 'Jackson would pick me over you' I know that. I'm not a stupid man, I know that after everything I did to him there is no way on earth that Jackson would choose me over him and I'm just hoping to avoid the day when that choice has to be made.

"I'm not going to hurt him you know" his voice penetrates my voice and I look up to see him staring at me still "You what?"

Xxx

"I'm not going to hurt him you know" I don't know where the words come from but they tumble from my lips before I've even had a chance to think them through. I don't have to explain myself to this guy. What happens between me and Jackson is none of his business but still... I feel like I have to tell him I'm not going to hurt him.

"You what?" I hear him ask and take that as my cue to speak once more "I know you don't trust me and that you don't want me with Jackson"

"Do you blame me?" I can't blame him, not really. He's worried and I get that but he doesn't have to be. I would die for Jackson and I'd kill anyone who tried to hurt him, I just would. "I don't blame you" I tell him "but you don't have to worry. I'm not going anyway. This is it"

He rolls his eyes and I fight the urge to throw some sarcastic comment at him about how I wouldn't abandon him like him because I love him but I don't. I'm trying to be mature and have an adult conversation with a homophobic pig and I don't see it ending too well but at least I'm trying.

"You've left him about three times already"

I resent that. I haven't left him. Jackson pushed me away and the first time I was a scared kid, scared of the severity of Jackson's injuries and the second time Jackson was pushing me away when all I wanted was him.

"Twice actually" I find myself saying "and he dumped me"

"He dumped you before you could dump him"

I roll my eyes because if that's really what he thinks then why does he think I'm still around "I love him" I watch him roll his eyes and I bite my tongue but I can't stop the words that come spilling out of my mouth "but of course... two guys couldn't possibly love each other... Right?"

He glares at me. I've got him, I know I've got him but he denies it anyway "That's not it. You just don't strike me as the type to stay around with his injuries"

"And yet I'm still here"

"For now"

"For good" I said and he scoffs. I really want to punch him, it would make me feel better but it would probably cause me and Jackson to argue. He's not worth it so instead I take deep, measured breaths and try to calm myself down.

"You'll walk... Cause you can still do that and just be told that if you hurt him. I'll hurt you" he doesn't scare me. Not one little bit and I feel the need to tell him "You don't scare me, so quit trying. I'm not your son and I've not just come out. I'll stand up to you, for him and for myself if I have to because I'm not about to let you hurt him"

I'm fully aware that this is the longest we have ever spoken to each other and it probably will be the first and only time we share such a long conversation but I'm trying to get my point across. My point is that I'm not going anywhere, I love his son and that if he ever thinks of hurting him I will stop him. Even if that means getting Cain in for back up because there's nothing I wouldn't do for Jackson.

"You'll walk before I do" I point out "back to your cosy little wife and your new kid. Jackson doesn't need you and that's what kills you. What kills you is that fact you know you screwed up when he came out and you missed so much. You'll never get that time back, you hate that" he glares at me and I can't help but smirk.

He opens his mouth to reply but before he can the door of the waiting room is pushed open and in walks Hazel followed by Jackson. They both stop and look between the two of us though Jackson is the first one to speak "Everything alright?" I grin at him. I always grin at him, he just has a knack of making me that happy. I don't know what it is about him but my stomach does a little flip every time I see him.

"You were ages" I ignore his question and get to my feet, closing the distance between us and stooping down in front of him, using the arms of the wheelchair to hold myself up. He squints at me, clearly wondering what I'm doing but before he can ask I kiss him. Ok, so I kiss him mostly to piss Jerry off but it's also because I want to. I love kissing him; I'd kiss him all day if I could. Hazel clears her throat and I pull back and smirk at him, he smiles at me and gives me a look. He knows why I kissed him "ready to go?" Jerry is already on his feet and putting his jacket on "Yeah, let's go" he walks past them and out into the corridor.

"What did you say to him?" Hazel asks me as we walk to the front entrance. Jackson has caught up with his Dad "Nothing" I tell her but I laugh and she knows me better than that but she doesn't push the issue.

Xxx

Back in the village and Hazel and Jerry make for the kitchen to make tea or coffee which leaves me and Jackson in the living room. "What happened in that waiting room?" he's looking at me with that look and I have to tell him.

"I told him I loved you" he smiles and I can't help but smile back "and that I'm not going anywhere. Not that I had to but... I was bored"

He smiles at me again, getting it. Getting why I told him, he knows me better than anyone ever has or ever will. God, it's quite pathetic how much I love him and how the hell I didn't notice before I did. I'll always regret that.

Hazel and Jerry walk back into the room and it turns out Jerry is carrying my coffee. He hands it to me and I share a smile with Jackson as Hazel and Jerry drop into the seats opposite and the four of them discuss, for the first time, what happened at the hospital.

Xxx

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