Friday came quicker than they thought it would, then Aaron had liked. Jackson had found it difficult to wake the teen in the morning. It seemed Aaron was adamant not to wake up or cooperate with the older man if it meant he had to go to the solicitors that morning. It was like dealing with s stubborn child. Jackson bet Debbie didn't have such trouble with her Sarah in the mornings.
"Come on Aaron, wake up!" Jackson said giving Aaron another shove. "We're going to be late."
"Ge'off." Aaron groaned, blinding slinging an arm out towards Jackson to stop him.
"It's quarter to eight Aaron." Jackson told him, dodging the teens arm.
"So?"
"Get up!" Jackson ordered hitting him with a pillow this time. "If you don't' get up before I come back I'll get Chas over here . . ." Jackson threatened as he hopped off the bed towards the door, already dressed and ready to go.
He could feel Aaron boring holes into the back of his skull as he disappeared downstairs, with his famous glare.
Jackson had achieved the reaction he'd been hoping for with his threat of bringing in the dark head woman as reinforcements. A plastic bottle of milk hooked on one finger, as he balance bowls of cereal and spoons in his hands, he entered their bedroom to find Aaron tugging on a t-dhirt.
"You wore that last yesterday, didn't you?" Jackson commented as handed Aaron a bowl of cereal and climbed on the bed next to him.
"Yeah." Aaron answered taking the bottle of milk from Jackson to pour over his cereal.
The older man reaised his eyebrows. "Put a clean shirt on." He told him. "Please." He added when Aaron rolled his eyes.
"Fine." Aaron huffed, putting his cereal down to tug his shirt back off and toss it to the floor. "What?" Aaron snapped when he caught Jackson staring at him while he ate his cereal.
Jackson looked his half dressed boyfriend up and down. "Nothing." He shrugged. "Can't I admire my hot boyfriend." He sighed as he took in Aaron's flat stomach and toned arms.
Aaron ducked his head and busied himself with shovelling cereal into his mouth as he tried to hide his pink cheeks from Jackson, causing the older man's heart to swell at the cuteness of his boyfriend.
With a few minutes to spare, the two of them arrived at the solicitor's office and were shown to seats in the reception to wait for Aaron's solicitor become free. The whole two minutes they spent waiting seemed like forever to Aaron, who had taken up jiggling his left leg up and down as he bit nervously on his nails. Jackson knew it was down to nerves so he didn't go to tell the younger man to quite fidgeting, he was glad he'd made sure he came with him. Aaron's stomach dropped when the solicitor walked into the reception, dressed a crisp suit and tie.
"Good morning, I'm Harrison Morgan." The solicitor introduced himself to them when he approached holding out a hand to each of them to shake. "But please call me Harrison. My fathers known as Mr. Morgan around here." He chuckled.
Aaron nodded his head in response as Jackson shook the older man's hand before shaking hands with him as well.
"Right, Mr Livesy, Mr Walsh, would you like to follow me through to my office and we can get things started." He said happily, gesturing towards the corridor which lead to his office.
Once in side, Harrison took a seat behind his large desk and signalled for Jackson and Aaron to do the same, taking the black leather seats stationed in front. He made space on his desk, by shuffling a few pages around before resting his elbows on the desk and looking towards the two men.
"Now then, first things first you understand the whole process of what will be asked of you during the court process?" Harrison asked directing it towards Aaron.
Aaron nodded his head. "Just say what happened right?" He answered casually.
Harrison shook his head. "'Fraid not, they'll question you and the defence will be sure to rip you apart if you let them." Harrison said getting to the chase. "You'll have to prepare yourself for what's in store for you. There's only so much I can do, but I hope to give you a slight inkling of what you've let yourself in for."
"Hang on minute, don't get scaring him." Jackson said as Aaron scowled at him.
Harrison smiled at Jackson. "That's not my intention. But I want Aaron prepared for court, it's no walk in the park." He told him. "I hope you can understand." Aaron understood alright, he was just worrying if he could handle it.
Jackson didn't seen anymore, he settled back in his seat for Harrison to continue.
"Now, let's have a look here. . ." He muttered as he placed a few papers in front of him. He hadn't a chance to look through the case properly with all his other work he had with more resent clients. "Warned for vandalising aged fourteen . . .Caution for in possession of drugs when fifteen. . . Community service sentence for ABH at eighteen. . ." Harrison said aloud as he read through the case notes.
"Will they affect his case?" Jackson asked.
"I can't see how, but no doubt the defence will cook something up. Not to worry though, I'll make sure we're prepared for what's thrown at us." Harrison answered as he continued to read. "Okay, so Darrel Kendal attacked you on three previous occasions. One time breaching his bail conditions. . . ."
Both Jackson and Aaron set in silence for a while as they watched Harrison read through the entire notes. Sometimes the solicitor would read out aloud some parts to show how much he understood, commenting on some things and answering questions aimed his way, all from Jackson. It was like Aaron had left his voice at the door; as he listened to Harrison re-tell each account. The older man even explained to them about the other man who had been attacked by the very same Darrel Kendal.
". . . That's it for today I'm afraid." Harrison said putting the notes back into a brown folder. "But if you arrange a next appointment with the receptionist on your way, we can go through step by step of what will happen in court and then after that I'll try and prepare you." Harrison told them.
"Thank you Harrison." Jackson said, standing up and shaking his hand once more.
Aaron followed suit and shook his hand as well. "Yeah, thanks." He croaked before he cleared his throat. His voice strained from the lack of use during the whole two hour session.
"Nice meeting you Aaron, Jackson. Take care of yourselves." Harrison smiled warmly at them, meaning every word. He'd dealt with similar cases in his twenty years of working in solicitor's office.
Outside in reception Jackson was left to arrange the next appointment, as Aaron insisted that he get in the car to save time as Jackson needed to work that afternoon. He just hoped that Aaron was okay with everything, Harrison really hadn't beat around the bush how he worded things and the younger man had kept silent throughout, only nodding his head when they asked if he understood what was being said. Next appointment booked for the following Monday, Jackson climbed into the car where Aaron sat listening to the radio and playing on a game on his phone.
"Aaron, you alright?" Jackson asked as he clipped his seatbelt in.
"Yeah, sound." Aaron said smiling back at Jackson quickly before he went back to his game.
Jackson watched him for a few seconds, as he quickly killed whatever he was supposed to on his game before he started the engine and began to pull out the parking space. If Aaron said he was okay, he couldn't argue with that. Like usual, though, he knew better than to believe. He just hoped he could hold it together for the court case; Harrison had painted such a vivid picture of it all. It was frightening for him and he wasn't the one taking the stand to give evidence.
When they arrived home, Aaron went straight into the living room and laid on the sofa with Clyde, while Jackson busied himself in the kitchen making them some lunch before he had to shoot off to work. He wished he could stay at home with Aaron that afternoon, he needed him. But he only needed to work for a few hours before he could be with him. Just as he was putting Cheese into Aaron's sandwiches Paddy walked through to the kitchen.
"Alright Paddy." Jackson greeted over his shoulder.
"Alright Jackson, how'd things go?" Paddy asked quietly so Aaron couldn't hear over the noise of the TV.
"Okay. Haven't you asked Aaron?" Jackson questioned as he reached for some plates.
"Yeah I did. Got a grunt from him and that was it." Paddy chuckled. "Went that well did it?"
"I don't think he wants to talk about it." Jackson told the vet. "Let's just put it this way, Aaron's got a lot ahead of him still, Harrison didn't paint a nice picture for him."
"Did he not?" Paddy sighed.
"No. He was honest with us, which is good." Jackson admitted. "Just wish Aaron's strong enough."
"He is." Paddy assured him. "This is Aaron. He's most probably stronger than all of us. He's been through a lot."
"That's what I'm scared of Paddy." Jackson sighed before he went through to the lounge with their lunch.
With the solicitors meeting still fresh in their minds Jackson couldn't stop fretting about the younger man all the time he was at work. He was desperate to get home as soon as he could, to check on Aaron. Even though he wouldn't admit it, keeping to his stubborn streak, Aaron wasn't alright. He was far from it and Jackson was certain he was right more and more through out the evening as he watched Aaron. He didn't talk much, he kept putting on appearance's whenever somebody looked his way, forcing a small smile when Hazel cracked a joke or when Paddy chuckled over something on TV. He could tell all Aaron wanted to do was go upstairs and be alone, but he knew if he done that it would signal to every body else that something was up and he was doing a damn good job of covering it up from Paddy and Hazel. Jackson however was on his case.
"Talk to me Aaron." Jackson said as soon as they were alone upstairs. ". . . I want to know what's going on in that head of yours."
Jackson thought Aaron was pretending to ignore him as he got himself ready for bed and slid under the covers. What felt like a long while pass between them, Aaron answered him. "Is it too late for me to back out now?" Aaron said quietly trying to smirk.
Jackson's heart ached. If it were possible, Jackson would never allow Aaron to go to court and face Darrel once more. But it wasn't down to him and that pained him to know. "Oh Aaron. . ." Jackson breathed walking across the room and taking Aaron in his arms as he sat on the edge of the bed. "If it were down to me, none of this would be happening." Jackson promised. "None of it!"
Aaron laughed bitterly, as he rested his head on Jackson's shoulder. "So I take it that I have to then."
"I'm sorry Aaron." Jackson whispered to him with all his heart.
His effort of holding back the tears failed for Aaron as he still struggled to fight them back. "Don't be. It's not your fault." Aaron told him. "You weren't the one who led him on."
Did he just hear that? What? Jacksons mind was reeling from what he'd just heard the teen say. Surely he didn't believe that did he? "What?" Jackson asked, pulling away to read the younger man's face. They'd been through all this; none of it was by no means, Aaron's fault. "Aaron, you don't believe that do you?"
Aaron shrugged his shoulders. "We're both tired. Let's just sleep, yeah."
"Aaron. . ." Jackson pushed, as the teen laid down.
"Jackson." Aaron answered. "Hurry up and get in bed, I'm really tired."
That was it. Just when he thought he'd gotten Aaron to open up towards him, he'd closed down as quick as that. He was impossible! The conversation they'd just had, had done nothing to settle Jackson's worries, if anything they'd kicked them up a notch as he laid next to Aaron. The teen had drifted off quite easily to sleep as far as Jackson was aware, leaving him to lie next to him and worry for him as he stared up at the ceiling. It was like they were back to square one, one step forward, two steps back.
A/N – I know I keep saying it but I really do mean it, I appreciate every single review I get. They encourage me to continue with writing this fanfic. Thank you for those who read this as well! Anyway, hey ho. Hope you enjoying this as much as I'm writing it. I joined the forum on Digital spy – to those who also have an account on there- I doubt if I'll actually use it, that's another story. I'm looking forward to watching what's going to play out on our screens in the next few weeks, nail biting stuff. Anyway, I' must shush now.