– AARON & JACKSON –

– BORN AGAIN–

"Easing Back Into It"

This fanfic follows on the next morning after The Final Goodbye

Characters belong to ITV

...

Paddy walked down the village, and cocked his eyebrow as he saw Jackson tidying up his van; he curled his lips curious as he approached. "Good Morning"

Jackson turned slightly. "Is it?" he asked.

"Depends on how you look at it...so...work then?" he asked.

Jackson nodded. "Yeah gotta keep going I suppose, just thought I'd tidy all this junk a bit before I head off"

Paddy nodded. "So...last night..."

Jackson stopped and looked at Paddy. "He's gone"

"Oh?"

Jackson cleared his throat, nodding. "Y-Yeah he had too...it was a moment between me and him that I don't wanna share if that's alright"

"Oh, of course not sorry mate"

"Nah" he smiled slightly. "Don't be" he took a breath and his eyes narrowed as he thought. "Listen my mum and Chas think it was the alcohol and I'm just going to say that it was...just our secret?" he asked, hopeful that Paddy would agree.

Paddy smiled. "Our secret mate, I've gotta go see Cain about my car so I'll leave you too it" he began to head off but he stopped after a few metres. "Oh and Jackson..."

Jackson walked past the open van door and looked at Paddy a few metres away.

"It can only get better, just keep going" he told him supportively.

Jackson nodded and smiled slightly, he just wish he felt the same. The previous night he got his wish; to say goodbye and the words Aaron had spoken to him had been listened too. Now it was up to Jackson to start living again and he was making the first step by going to work. He closed the van doors and walked around the driver's side and got in, moments later he left the village.

...

Late into the afternoon Jackson pulled up outside the house, got out the van and ran into the house and took a quick shower before heading out again. Once he was ready he left the house and unlocked the van and reached in and pulled out a wrapped gift and the biggest bouquet of colourful and varied flowers he could have bought, he took a deep breath and headed up to the pub.

The pub was quiet when he walked in just a few regulars who turned to look at him. Chas looked up from the till and stared at him with a pout. "What do you want?" she asked harshly with her hands on her hips.

Jackson stepped up to the bar. "Can we talk please?"

"As long as I don't have to hear anything remotely similar to last night" she sighed. "In the back"

Jackson let out a small smile and walked round the bar and into the living room. He closed the door behind him and now stood nervously. He walked to her and held out the bouquet. "These are for you...to apologise"

Chas took it and admired the flowers and their mixed smell.

"I-I doubt anything I'll say will make you forget about last night but I just want you to know that I' am sorry and..." he swallowed hard. "I-I think it was the drinking and I didn't mean to upset you the way I did, the slap was well deserved"

"Jackson I..." she began with a sigh but Jackson cut her off.

"No please, I have something else for you"

Chas nodded and laid the bouquet down on the table and sat down on the sofa. She motioned her head for him to join her and he did. He held the wrapped gift in both hands and his eyes filled with tears. "I' am sorry Chas" he nodded as he handed her the gift.

Chas nodded with a smile, she could see he genuinely meant it if it brought him to tears. She looked down at the wrapped gift and began to open it, she immediately began to see that it was a picture frame and the more she pulled the wrapping off she saw the picture of her and Aaron, their arms around each other with smiles on their faces the day of his and Jackson's wedding.

Chas caught her breath and placed her hand on the locket around her neck and it brought her to tears. "This is beautiful thank you"

Jackson nodded. He felt bad for keeping the truth from her and instead blaming it on his drinking habits. He couldn't bring it up again and upset her more. "He's always around...and I'm not talking in the way of last night I just mean generally that he always is and will be"

Chas looked at him with tears in her eyes, she nodded. "I know" she smiled. "I shouldn't have hit you"

"It knocked some sense into me...well other things did too but you had every right"

"I never ever want to have to do that again"

Jackson smiled. "And I won't make you"

"Good, you're forgiven" she smiled.

Jackson smiled and nodded.

"You can drink pints though surely?" she smirked.

"Oh yeah just not touching the heavy stuff" he chuckled.

"Good, come on then" she stood up and placed the photo down on the dining table and walked back through to the bar with him.

...

Jackson left the pub after finishing his pint and headed home, he walked passed Debbie's when Cain opened the front door and shouted for him. He stopped and walked up to him.

"How you doing? Saw you went to work today, good man"

Jackson nodded. "Yeah just half a day by the time I got sorted but easing myself back into it you know"

Cain nodded.

"Listen Cain...I'm sorry for yesterday I was off with you"

Cain shook his head. "Don't worry about it mate if you need me though I'm not far considering you live just there" he smirked.

Jackson chuckled and stepped away. "Yeah...I'll see you around mate"

When Jackson walked into Dale head his mum was sitting on the sofa, obviously had been waiting for him. "I'm gunna have to sort this spare key business out aren't I?"

Hazel smirked. "I'm sorry love I shouldn't really but I just worry that's all, I won't from now on"

Jackson nodded and sat beside her. "I've been doing my rounds on the Jackson Livesy apology tour" he chuckled. "So I'm sorry for the way I've been lately"

Hazel nodded. "It's alright love"

"No mum-"

"Yes it is Jackson, but you have to let me in when you're struggling"

Jackson turned to her and gave her a tight hug. "It's just hard that's all"

Hazel nodded and placed her hand on his cheek. "I know but you'll get through it and no one is expecting you to forget about him because you won't, none of us will"

Jackson smiled and nodded. "I know"

"Right well, I just wanted to make sure you were okay, I'm glad you went to work, didn't see the van when I was out and about"

Jackson just smirked. "See you later mum"

Hazel nodded and left him to it.

When she left Jackson emptied his pockets, crumpled receipts, loose change and a few bank notes aswell as his wallet, he threw the wallet onto the sofa beside him and he sighed and rested his head back. This was the way it would be now, silence, him and an empty house. It saddened him. He reached for the remote and put the TV on and rested his feet on the coffee table, it made him smirk when he remembered Aaron telling him off for doing it.

In the corner of his eye he saw a few cards had fallen out of his wallet when he'd thrown it to his side, he turned and picked them up and began to put them all back. One card that he came too however caused him to blush, Matt Griffin Jackson thought as he pouted. He nodded, he was very, very easy on the eye, tanned, slight stubble, his built torso and arms immediately told Jackson he worked out and the tattoos he had on his arms aswell had caught his attention. He twiddled the card in his fingers for several minutes as he contemplated texting him.

...

Several miles away Matt walked out of work with his work mates and walked across the car park when his phone beeped. He pulled it out and saw an unknown number then he read it. Hi, it's Jackson from bar west the other night, was just wondering if you wanna meet again? Or not just whatever you want, speak soon hopefully :)

Matt grinned from ear to ear as he looked down at the message; his mate Sam whacked him on the shoulder. "Oh yeah, what's that grin for eh?"

Matt pushed him back. "Get out of it you!" he laughed and unlocked his car.

"See you tomorrow mate oh and don't remember we've got those drills first thing"

Matt was almost in the car and he cocked his eyebrow. "Like I could forget!" he called back to him and then shut the car door and looked at the text again to reply.

Hey mate, yeah course I do, bar west tonight? 8? X Matt smiled and pressed send.

...

Jackson smiled when he read the reply, he nodded and curled his lips, he looked forward to it and all he had to do now was to see what happened and remember everything Aaron told him.

TBC...