Jackson hadn't slept well at all that night. He caught a few hours sleep when his mind would rest enough for him to do so. He got up at the crack of dawn along with Paddy, who was working that morning as Rhona had the day off. He left Aaron asleep in bed where he knew he was okay with Clyde jumping into his warm space as soon as he left the bedroom.
"You're not working this morning are you?" Paddy asked the builder as he saw him come down the stairs.
Jackson shook his head. "Not today." Jackson told him. "Couldn't sleep."
"Too much on your mind?" Paddy asked as he rested with his back against one of the kitchen worktops.
"Could say that." Jackson sighed heading towards the kettle to switch it on. "You haven't seen my phone have you?" He asked changing the subject of conversation. He'd spent all night worrying and thinking over the court case and Aaron's state of mind, so he really didn't want to talk about it now. Beside's he'd misplaced his phone the previous evening and as it was his work number as well, he couldn't afford to lose it.
"No, sorry." Paddy answered him. "I'll keep an eye out for it thought."
"Thanks." Jackson yawned finishing making his tea before heading back upstairs.
A coupel of hours later, Aaron woke up due to the loud noises being made around his room. He could feel Clyde resting his head on top of his stomach as he laid on top of the bed next to him, taking up Jackson's usual space. So if he wasn't in bed with him, he must be the one making the racket to wake him up. The older man was rooting through clothes pockets and peering behind cabinets searching for his phone.
"What you doing?" Aaron groaned as he stretched his arms above his head.
"Looking for my phone, have you seen it?" Jackson asked as he began to shake a pair of jeans he'd found slung on the floor and forgotten about.
"Yeah, it's in one of your boots." Aaron answered him casually from the bed, slinging an arm half heartedly towards the direction of the said boot.
Jackson raised a disbelieving eyebrow before crossing the room and picking up one of his discarded boots, without a word. He wasn't going to ask why, or how Aaron even knew where his phone was. "You know we should really tidy up in here." Jackson said as he pulled his phone out of the boot. "It's a matter of time before one of us has an accident."
He was true without what he said. Their bedroom was a mess, more of a mess than usual. Sometimes Hazel or Paddy would pop in and collect a few dirty clothes and whizz round tidy a few things up while they weren't in as if they were never there. But now that Aaron spent most of his time upstairs they hadn't been able to. So it hadn't been left to the younger men to sort their bedroom out themselves. CA weeks worth of clothes for the two of them were scattered across the floor, along with coat hangers and shoes, damp towels were slung over the foot of the bed and Aaron's medication and fresh dressings supplied by the hospital were left on the floor by Aaron's side of the bed for him to easily reach for. So far Aaron had made sure to change his dressing on his leg by himself in the bathroom. He hated the ugly red line that ran down his skin, he was hoping it would eventually fad in time and be nothing but a long gone reminder.
"Sammi text me yesterday." Jackson said as he stared at his phone screen. "She's been called as witness, so has Max."
"Yeah." Aaron said. He should have expected that. After all Sammi had been there at Sophia's party and seen the state he was in when he managed to get away. Max as a witness through him a bit. He hadn't seen him since his birthday at Bar West, so why was he being dragged into it all. He wondered if anybody else had been called.
"Shame Harrison didn't mention it to us yesterday. Would have thought he'd have known." Jackson sighed as he checked all his other texts.
"Yeah, would have thought so. . ." Aaron breathed as the sickening feeling from whenever the court case was mentioned made a return.
"Morning Boys!" Hazel exclaimed as she barged into their room.
"Mum!" Jackson scolded. "What have I told you about barging in like this! Aaron's not even up yet!"
"Ooh, sorry love. Aaron doesn't mind, do ya?" Hazel said before she slapped Jackson across the chest with a few envelopes. "I forgot to give you to these yesterday." Hazel told her son. "Just bills I think."
Jackson took the envelopes from her, put his phone in his back pocket and began to rifle through them.
"Jesus Christ, it's a right mess in here!" Hazel commented as she looked around.
"Jackson's gonna tidy up later." Aaron told her cheekily, knowing that when Jackson mentioned earlier that they needed to tidy up he meant the both of them not just him.
Hazel rolled her eyes. "Later? You cast will be off by the time he gets his backside in gear." She told him as she bent down to collect as much dirty washing as she could carry. "You two should be disgusted with yourselves." She said as she marched out the room, barely seeing over the bundle of clothing she'd collected. "I've got to go give Paddy his post as well."
Both men rolled their eyes at the older woman's ditzy nature.
"I kinda like your mum living here." Aaron teased as Jackson went through the post.
"I bet you do." Jackson laughed before his face suddenly went serious.
"What's wrong?" Aaron asked.
"I've been called as a witness as well." Jackson told him handing him the letter as proof.
Aaron read through the letter carefully. It was there in black and white, Jackson had been called as a witness for both attacks. "You okay with that?" Aaron asked him giving the letter back.
"Yeah, well . . . I suppose." Jackson answered him. It would mean he would have a chance to help Aaron in court.
"Well then, it's alright then." Aaron smiled at him.
"You sure?" Jackson doubted.
"Sure." Aaron assured him. "Now then, I'm starving."
"I'll go make us some breakfast." Jackson said quickly leaving his post on the side.
"No, no." Aaron stopped him. "I will." He told him reaching for his crutches. "Just help me down the stairs will ya."
While Aaron insisted on making them toast and something to drink, Jackson sat at the kitchen table watching him. He was getting more stable on his crutches, as he used one of them to keep him upright while he used his other hand to stir the tea and butter toast. Just as Jackson was then thinking about how well Aaron was doing with coping with his injury, Clyde burst into the room and went straight for Aaron, smelling hot buttered toast.
"Woah!" Aaron called out hoping it would stop the Alsatian. He gripped onto the counter top with both hands, hoping it would keep his balance as Clyde jumped up at his left side. Aaron still wobbled a bit one leg with an 82 pound dog throwing itself at him.
Jackson quickly scraped his chair back and jumped to his feet. "Clyde! Down!" He hissed.
"He's alright." Aaron laughed before Clyde jumped at him again, this time nearly managing to push him over. At his haste to find a better grip to stop himself falling, Aaron knocked the jar of jam onto the floor.
Fuming with the dog, Jackson marched up to him and took him by his collar.
"Hang on! What you doing?" Aaron exclaimed as Jackson started to head to the front door.
"Taking him outside." Jackson told him. "You can't have him jumping up at you like that."
"He's alright." Aaron told him. "Aren't ya Clyde." He said getting a bit of toast he hadn't already buttered and throwing it down to the floor for Clyde to lap up. "It was my fault. I should have given him a bit."
"He's a dog Aaron." Jackson told him. "He shouldn't expect you to feed him toast."
"Again, it's my fault." Aaron told him. "I always sneak him toast if I'm making some."
Jackson rolled his eyes, causing Aaron to laugh who was finding it all so silly.
"He could have pushed you over." Jackson told him seriously.
"And he didn't." Aaron shot back reaching to place the plate full of toast on the table which was just a little too far.
"Careful." Jackson breathed as he caught hold of Aaron around the waist.
"Thanks." Aaron muttered conscious of Jackson's hands still held to his waist.
"No problem." Jackson said quietly, desperately wanting to reach out and kiss him.
The teen was beginning to feel suffocated and uncomfortable. "Toast's getting cold." Aaron said clearing his throat.
Moment ruined. "Can't have that now, can we?" Jackson said letting go of Aaron and stepping back. "I should really clear this up before someone stands in it." Jackson commented as he stepped over the broken glass and sticky red jam.
"I'll do it." Aaron told him.
Jackson laughed, there was no way Aaron would be able to get down to the floor. "You're alright. Eat your toast before it goes cold."
When Aaron had finished eating the toast, without Jam as Jackson cleared up the mess he created, Paddy came through from the surgery. A letter clasped in his hand. What was it with everyone and letters recently, Aaron had thought as the older man looked as though he was choosing his words carefully before opening his mouth.
"Spit it out Patrick." Aaron told him.
"It's . . . well, It's erm. . ." Paddy started a little thrown before Aaron snatched the letter from his hand.
"Should have guessed." Aaron commented as he shoved the letter back in his hand.
"What's this?" Jackson asked, standing up and brushing himself down.
"Patrick here has been called as a witness as well." Aaron smirked.
"I-I-I only found out this morning." Paddy stuttered as he smoothed the letter out.
"You're not the only one." Aaron told him.
"I found out this morning as well." Jackson said. "We're not the only witnesses. Sammi and Max are as well."
"Quite a few then." Paddy commented letting out a shaky breath. He hated speaking in front of people. With the knowledge of one false word that could be used against Aaron, could throw the case to Darrel, he felt under even more pressure.
"You'll be fine Paddy." Aaron told him. "Just try not bumble." He teased not helping matters.
"Don't listen to him Paddy." Jackson said. "You'll be fine, don't worry about it. Just tell the truth and we'll be fine."
"Thank you Jackson." Paddy sighed. "What's happened here?" He asked as he saw the jam on the floor.
"Aaron and Clyde." Jackson said answering all questions.
"Ah, I see." Paddy laughed as Aaron glared at Jackson.
Later that day Adam popped round on his quad bike. Aaron went outside to meet him and excuse for fresh air. A few times Jackson had suggested going to the Woolpack for a pint, but Aaron had declined his suggestion both times. He didn't want to put up with Betty and anyone else who wanted a look, staring at his leg. He couldn't wait till he could get the splint off. At least with a cast, if he stood still nobody could notice until he started to walk. With a huge splint strapped to his leg, it was hard not to take a second look.
"Fancy going into town later?" Adam asked. "My dad doesn't need me at work tomorrow, so I can have a late one."
"Nah, maybe another time mate." Aaron declined.
"You what? You've been stuck in that house for weeks." Adam shot at him. "Would have thought you'd be biting my arm off at the idea."
"Yeah well. . ." Aaron sighed, shifting his weight from his arms onto his good leg.
"I'm not gonna take no as answer." Adam told him. "I get a chance to have a late one and you're coming with me. End of."
"Look, Adam-." Aaron started.
"No, Aaron. Don't argue." Adam chuckled, putting his helmet on. "You're coming end of, we'll get a taxi to town."
Before Aaron could argue further, Adam sped away on his quad bike back towards Butlers Farm.
"Was that Adam?" Jackson asked from the kitchen table as Aaron stepped inside. The older man had taken over the entire kitchen table that afternoon, spreading his work papers everywhere.
"Yeah." Aaron answered. "Apparently we're going into town tonight."
"Are we?" Jackson asked a little confused. He'd been trying to get Aaron to just go to The Woolpack all week. What had brought this on?
"Adam's suggestion- well. . . more of an order." Aaron told him, taking a seat at the table with him.
"What time we going?" Jackson asked, he had a ton of paper work to get through. He always left it till the last minute.
"Waiting for him to text me." Aaron told him.
A/N – thank you for taking your time to read this, review and being so supportive!