Breakeven

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

A/N - Are you getting bored of this story? Want me to end it? Let me know! I don't want to bore you!


It was three months since Victoria had offered to have a baby for them. In the first few weeks nothing happened. They were all getting used to the idea, then after a few visits to the Doctor thinks started to progress. It was done through 'Artificial Insemination' and neither of them wanted to know which one of them had been successful in getting her pregnant. They asked that they didn't get told which of their sperm had been "successful" and Victoria didn't want to know either. She didn't want to know something they didn't because sooner or later she would end up telling them.

Providing the 'specimen' for the Doctor had been the hardest part. For Aaron anyway but luckily for them they Doctor said they could take it home and that they didn't have to do it in some clinic. That was easier. It was easier because that way…they could help each other. They did and a few days after having been asked for the 'specimen' the Doctor had it back.

It didn't happen the first time they tried and for that Aaron was annoyed because they were having to pay for it and it was costing £600 each time. It didn't happen the second either and Aaron was becoming annoyed. He had other things he could spend that money on. Third time was the charm though and it was successful. That had been just over a month ago, which meant that Victoria was almost five weeks gone.

Both men were looking forward to it. They were scared, extremely but they were excited too. Some people in the village when they found out reacted negatively but after a few choice words from Victoria and a few threats from Aaron people moved on.

Jackson had left the house at half seven that morning, he left Aaron asleep in bed when he returned at four thirty the house was in silence.

"Victoria? Aaron?" he calls out but there's nothing as his reply. He heads through to the kitchen and out into the back "Ryan" he calls out spotting him by a car. Ryan looks around "Seen Aaron?"

Ryan scoffs and says "I wish" he nods at Chuck who's laying just inside the garage doors "Victoria told me I was watching him and that Aaron wasn't making it to work today"

Jackson's pulled a face that was the first he had heard. He had sent Aaron a couple of texts throughout the day that had gone unanswered and he's just assumed Aaron was busy.

Back inside the house Jackson listened for any sort of movement but he couldn't hear any, after a few minutes he made his way to their bedroom. He didn't know what to expect but Aaron still laying in bed wasn't what he expected. The bedroom blinds were still closed and the curtains were still pulled. Kicking off his boots Jackson made his way to the bed and sat by Aaron's hip.

"Aaron" he says running his hand over his shaven head. It takes a few minutes but Aaron eyes open, slowly. He squints in the darkness as his eyes try to adjust "hey" he smiles sleepily and Jackson cocks an eyebrow at him "been in bed since I left this morning?"

"What time is it?" Aaron mumbles as he gets himself more comfortable "after half four" Jackson tells him as he rests his head against Aaron's forehead, he feels a little warm "what's wrong?" he asks

"Got the flu" he mumbles as he sticks his head into the pillow "didn't feel like getting up and going to work"

"Not going to be able to do that when we have a kid, you know"

Aaron opens his eyes and focuses on Jackson "Yeah" he agrees "but we don't for a few more months so I can do what I want until then" he tells him with a small smile and Jackson rolls his eyes.

"Why didn't you call me?" he queries running his finger down the side of Aaron's face. Aaron pulls a face and says "why would I call you?"

"Cause your sick" he says as if Aaron had just asked the stupidest question ever "I would have looked after you"

Aaron tuts and says "Hardly. It's one of the two days you go to work. Wasn't going to pull you away from that cause I have a cold"

"Thought you said it was the flu?"

"Flu, cold, same thing really"

Jackson rolls his eyes. Aaron is barely ever ill but when he is, he milks it. He just stays in bed until he feels better. Not that Jackson minds because usually he stays with him.

"Are you hungry?" Jackson asks but Aaron doesn't answer him. His eyes are once again closed and he's trying to fall back to sleep "have you had anything to eat?" Jackson asks again, this time in a more demanding tone

Aaron sighs and without opening his eyes he says "No. I'm not hungry"

"I'll get you something to eat" Jackson stands up

"Jackson!" Aaron exclaims forcing his eyes open and sitting up a little "I said NO!"

Jackson ignores him but as he walks out of the room he says "I said yes"

Aaron falls back down onto the bed with a thumb. He loved him, really he did but sometimes he was the most annoying person Aaron had ever laid eyes on.

Twenty minutes later Aaron had just managed to fall back asleep when Jackson came in the room calling "wake up sleeping beauty"

Aaron groaned and rolled over, facing away from him. It didn't work and it didn't stop him because a couple of seconds later Aaron felt the head being snatched away from him as Jackson whipped the duvet from the bed and off of him.

"Jackson!" he exclaims trying to catch it but Jackson was quicker than him. "Get up" Jackson demands but Aaron shakes his head and says "push off" he lays back down on his stomach, determined he wasn't going anywhere.

"If you don't get up I'll just stand here and nag until you do"

Aaron scoffs "like that makes a change. I'll do what I usually do. I'll ignore you"

Jackson scoffs "You'll try but you can never ignore me for too long. Get up"


Aaron debates ignoring him but then his stomach rumbles for what has to be the 100th time that day. He was hungry but couldn't he have just brought whatever he had cooked up to the bedroom?

"Bring it up here" he tells him but Jackson is adamant that Aaron is moving from that bed "Get out the bed Aaron"

"Fine!" he says and pulls himself up. Jackson can't help but grin as he follows Aaron out of the bedroom "don't know what you're grinning at. I hate you"

"Sure you do" Jackson replies with a roll of his eyes "you'd get out of bed for a lot of people you hate wouldn't"

Aaron wants to say 'yeah, to deck them' but he doesn't, instead he just grunts.

Twenty minutes later and Aaron has finished eating Jackson's food "don't you feel better?" Jackson asks sarcastically

"Maybe" he tells him "But I'm still going back to bed" he says with a thin smile while dumping his empty dishes in the sink "and before you start moaning I'll wash them myself in the morning"

Jackson dumps his dishes in the sink also and says "I'm not about to moan, shut up"

Aaron smirks "You shut up"

The gap between them is closing, Jackson's getting closer to him but before he can reach out, before he can touch him Aaron is turning and running up the stairs.

After a few seconds confusion Jackson is following him upstairs. Aaron was in the bathroom, emptying the contents of his stomach. Jackson joined him in the bathroom, his hand on the small of his back "You alright?" he asks after he has stopped being sick. Aaron nods but doesn't move away from the bowl, not yet anyway. Jackson grabs the glass by the sink and fills it with water "drink this" he tells him "slowly"

Aaron takes the glass and does as he's told "Hope it wasn't my cooking" Jackson says, trying to lighten the mood. Aaron lets out a small laugh "You would have killed me before now" he says. He manages to set the glass on the floor before throwing up once more. Jackson is still there, beside him, a slightly worried look on his face. He runs a face cloth under the cold tab and hands it to Aaron "done yet?"

Aaron takes the face cloth and wipes his face "you hate people being sick. What you doing here?"

Jackson rolls his eyes because he had answered this question the countless times he had witnessed Aaron being sick "People Aaron. Not you" he answers him with the same answer he always gives.

"Suppose you better get used to it" Aaron says, sitting against the wall by the toilet, looking up at Jackson who is crouched down in front of him "babies are sick a lot, I think"

Jackson smiles at that and leans forward, brushing his lips over Aaron's forehead "I'll cope" he tells him "done being sick?"

Aaron nods "Think so"

"Come on then" Jackson says as he grabs his arm and helps him stand "let's get you back to bed"

"Didn't think you'd let me go back to bed"

"You're sick" Jackson says simply "been trying to tell you that" Aaron replies, nudging his shoulder, it was a poor effort because he was weak from being ill.

When they get into the bedroom Aaron makes straight for the bed and lies down. Jackson changes out of work clothing into something a little more clean.

"You're on my side of the bed" Jackson tells him. Aaron opens one eye and stares at him "So?"

"So" Jackson says lifting the remote and switching the TV on "I'm staying up here with you" he pushes Aaron over a little as he lays on the bed, resting his back against the headboard.

Aaron's hand falls over his waist as he says "Don't have to stay with me, go out. I'll be alright" he says this but he pulls himself closer to Jackson's body as he talks. One of Jackson's hands goes onto Aaron's head. Running his fingers through the short hairs there, a comforting gesture for both of them men.

"I'm good right here" Jackson assures him, pressing a kiss to the top of his head and watching the end of the news.

At some point Jackson must have fallen asleep also because when Victoria comes home, it's strange to find the house so quiet at half past eight at night when both of their cars were parked outside.

"Hey boy!" she says clapping Chuck as she walks in "Where are they, huh?"

She leaves Chuck sitting on the sofa in the living room after having switched the lights on and the TV then climbs the stairs. When she pushes open their room door, after knocking and receiving no reply, she pushes it open cautiously because she doesn't want an eyeful, they could be getting up to anything in their bedroom.

What she sees though makes her smile. There both on the bed. Aaron is under the duvet and Jackson is on top of it. They're both asleep. Aaron with his arm around Jackson's waist and Jackson's head is resting on top of Aaron's.

It's times like these. The times that no one else gets to see that Victoria knows she's doing the right thing. She's having a baby for the right people and they will be amazing. If they loved the baby half as much as they loved each other. It was a very lucky baby.


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