AARON & JACKSON
-1912: The Aftermath-
"Heartbreak"
The next morning Aaron woke up and saw Jackson beside him awake, the sight of his bare chest sent shivers right through him, he wanted him back so much. They exchanged a gentle smile and then Aaron thought he would try so he moved to put his arm around him aswell as kiss him on the cheek but Jackson moved so quickly he nearly fell out of bed.
Tears instantly fill Aaron's eyes. He let out a shaky breath. "I-I know right, I get it I do but how long Jackson? I'm trying" he said as he started to cry. "I love you so much" he said as his body shuddered from the emotions he was feeling. "I-I miss you" he told him unaware that Chas was listening on the other side of the door.
Jackson let out a sob as he simply got out of bed. When Chas heard the movements from within the room she walked away. "I'm sorry" he sobbed out as he picked up his dressing gown; he put it on then picked up Jak and walked downstairs.
Aaron lay back down and cried until he couldn't cry anymore. When he got up he felt sick and he rushed to the bathroom and vomited. A few minutes later he cleaned himself up and looked at himself in the mirror; he was pale and the bags under his eyes looked horrendous. Once he at least felt fresh he grabbed some clothes and got dressed.
Chas frowned as she walked back into the kitchen after listening from the hallway. "He's just been sick, wonder what's wrong with him?"
"Must have been something he's eaten" Jackson replied.
Chas frowned. "Well that's funny because he hasn't eaten a thing in days, what the hell is going on around here?"
Jackson shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno" he told her as the front door opened and shut quickly.
Chas sighed. "And there he goes again, off without a word; I'm really getting sick of this"
"Well, have words with him Chas not me alright?"
"I'm going to get ready for work" she told him and left him too it with Jak in the kitchen.
When she reached her bedroom Adam was just waking up, he smiled at her but he could immediately tell Chas wasn't in the mood.
"Right what the hell going on? I've asked Jackson he's playing dumb but something is and I wanna know what, my son won't speak to anybody and he looks exhausted…and ill Adam! Do you know something? Anything?" she was desperate now, she was worried about them both but more so for Aaron, naturally.
Adam sighed. "L-look you need to ask them"
Chas narrowed her eyes at him. "You do know something"
"It's not my place to say Chas!"
"Fine, I'm getting Hazel around and tonight we're all gunna sit down and talk about this, this isn't good for anybody the atmosphere in this house is unreal and it's not good for baby, this is getting sorted, believe me"
Adam nodded, she had a point.
…
It had been a while but he was walking up to the mine complex once again, they gave him his job back pretty much straight away after Aaron started mentioning compensation for his injuries in the explosion, that quickly shut them up and they accepted him back and told him to go back the next day and there he was, walking up to grab his gear which he quickly changed into then he signed in and headed down. He looked down at the work sheet he was given and he sighed when he saw who he was paired with. "Just had to be didn't it?" he mumbled to himself. He blew out a deep breath, he felt ill, and waves of nausea kept coming and going. When he arrived at his work area Mark turned to see who was there; he pouted, surprised to see Aaron again. He didn't say anything however despite having many questions for him, like why he was back, if he was okay etc. Aaron didn't say anything either they both simply got on with the job.
Jackson had taken Jak to work with him again and he was sat in his chair on the floor by his dad's desk. Jackson kept glancing down at him smiling and picking up his rattle that he kept throwing at his legs, it made him laugh and Jak was finding it funny also. Dave knocked on the office door a while later and Jackson called him in.
"What's up?" Jackson asked.
"Erm…" Dave frowned. "Listen boss…Is this really the right place for a baby?"
Jackson scowled, he had no right. "That's none of your business"
"Fair enough but what if you're called away? A meeting? None of us out there in the office can look after him, he shouldn't be here boss"
"Excuse me?" Jackson yelled which caused Jak to start crying, Jackson looked at him for a second but he was too angry and returned his focus to Dave. "I think I'll be the judge of that, he is my son and I'll decide where I bring him, not you, and last time I checked, I pay your wages so if I were you I'd get the hell out of my office right now!"
Dave shook his head as he stepped out of the office to go back to work leaving Jackson to deal with Jak.
Back in the mine Aaron had only been working half an hour and he had to stop, he felt nauseous and took deep breaths and had to reach out and hold onto the side of the tunnel. Mark saw him look as if he was about to fall so he put his hand out to steady him but Aaron pulled away as he scowled at him. "You don't talk to me but you think you can touch me?" he spat nastily.
Mark sighed. "Just looked like you were gunna fall back there, that's all" he told him and seconds later a loud bang from in the mine caused Aaron to jump out of his skin. Mark frowned at seeing that. "Are you alright? You don't look so good"
"Just shut up and get on with whatever you're doing and I'll do what I'm doing. I came back here so I could get paid, not to talk to you"
"I-I don't get you, we left it on an alright note, what's with the nasty attitude towards me?" Mark asked quickly in frustration.
"Because I can" Aaron shrugged with a frown and stepped forward and carried on with his work.
…
Several hours later the long day ended and Aaron returned home dirty and sweaty from his shift. He heard chatter in the living room as he shut the front door. He walked to the living room and took one step into the room and everyone looked at him. Jackson however quickly turned away and shook his head, not happy one bit that he'd hidden the fact he'd went back to the mine.
"Oh you have to be kidding me!" Adam exclaimed and rubbed his forehead but Aaron simply shrugged. "What's it to you? Does it affect you Adam? No it doesn't so just shut it eh?"
"Now that's enough Aaron, get in here now and sit down!" Hazel raised her voice, unhappy with the whole situation.
"Please?" Chas added when she realised he wasn't moving. "We're all just worried about you love"
"You don't need to be I can look after myself" he told them all.
"Obviously!" Jackson yelled. "You look ill!"
Aaron glared at him. "Shut up, now!"
"Right! I've had it!" Chas raised her voice and got to her feet and grabbed Aaron by the arm and pulled him further into the room "Sit down now!"
Aaron sighed and walked over to sit down passing Jackson on the way, as he did he spoke to him. "I'm fine, not that you care either way" he told him bitterly.
Completely out of character and shocking everyone Jackson jumped up from the sofa to go at Aaron. "What did you just say?" he asked angrily through gritted teeth. Chas and Hazel are stunned by the turn of events but Adam jumped up ready.
Aaron scoffed. "What? You gunna hit me Jackson? WELL COME ON THEN!" he screamed.
"Don't push me!" Jackson warned him and stupidly that's what Aaron did, he flung his arms outward and pushed Jackson back but he regained his balance and both of them went for each other.
"ENOUGH!" Adam screamed as he rushed in between them but as he did Aaron grabbed him by the neck leaving struggling for air, then his fist was raised ready and a nasty evil expression washed over Aaron's face.
Hazel glared at Jackson; neither parent knew what to do. "Jackson do something!" she told him.
"Aaron!" Chas screamed. "Get off him now!"
"Or what?" Aaron bit back nastily.
Hazel shook her head as she stormed over. "I'll tell you what sunshine!" she told him as she grabbed him and pulled him off Adam with strength she never knew she had and then whacked the palm of her hand onto his face, he deserved the biggest slap going and he got it. "SIT DOWN" Hazel told him as he rubbed his stinging cheek while staring at her with tears in her eyes.
…
Five minutes later everyone was sat in silence, except Aaron and Jackson who were crying quietly. Aaron was sat on the floor resting against the sofa with his legs up and his head hiding in his arms. Chas walked back into the room and handed Adam a drink of water. "You alright?"
Adam nodded with a smile as he took the glass from her. "Yeah, thanks"
Chas cupped his cheek in her hand and leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. Hazel was sat watching Aaron and Jackson carefully. "Without killing each other, I want to know what's going on and trust me neither of you is leaving this room until we find out" she told them and when Aaron's sobs increased she realised he was no good at the minute so she moved her attention fully to Jackson but he just shook his head.
"Fine" she began as she sat back in the chair. "We'll sit here as long as it takes"
A few minutes later Adam sighed. "Jackson, come on mate you've got to tell them"
Jackson's sobbing increased at Adam's words and he shook his head again "No" he cried out as he put his head in his hands, he couldn't deal with telling people, dealing with the embarrassment and seeing them change their opinion of him, he just couldn't face it.
Aaron let out a loud sob and got to his feet and quickly moving to rush out. Chas softened instantly toward her son, he seemed heartbroken in those seconds when he stood up, and she reached out and tried to stop him. Aaron moved out of her way. "Will you just leave me mum?" he asked as he sobbed then he walked into the kitchen. Chas sighed and let him go then sat back down beside Adam when Hazel spoke again.
"Jackson? Tell us what? Whatever it is, it's ok"
"But it's not though! Y-you won't understand, it'll never be okay mum"
In those seconds Hazel started to cry "But I'm your mum Jackson, I will understand, you're my boy, I've always been there Jackson and Chas and Adam are family you can tell us anything"
Tears ran down both Adam and Chas' face as they listened and watched. Chas smiled. "Of course you can" she told him trying to be supportive. In the kitchen Aaron was leaning up against the bench listening. Jackson took some deep breaths and attempted to calm himself down, when he had done so enough to speak, he did. He looked his mum in the eye; he felt the tears again already. "I was raped by a man" he told them all and broke down once again and hid his face in his face in his hands, rocking back and forth slightly.
Chas' eyes widened in horror and Adam simply looked down into his lap. Hazel's hand covered her mouth. "Oh my" she said and at the same time, Aaron rushed back into the living room after hearing him tell them all. As he rushed to Jackson he apologised repeatedly. "Please" Aaron begged as he cried. "Please let me hug you"
Jackson shook his head. "Do you still not get it? I can't Aaron" he explained with a shrug. "I can't"
Aaron's cries increased and he simply turned away. Hazel got to her feet and walked over as she wiped the tears from her face and as she sat next to him she took her son in her arms.
Chas got up to comfort Aaron, she now realised and understood why he was behaving the way he was, well half of it. "Why? Why will he let Hazel?" was all Aaron asked as his breathing hitched as his emotions got the better of him.
Chas held him tightly. "Because that's a different kind of love Aaron…it will be alright"
Aaron shook his head "No it won't"
"I'm so scared mum" Jackson told her. "What if he comes back?" he sobbed.
"He won't darling, he won't hurt you again, I won't let anything happen to you" she reassured him lovingly.
In Chas' arms still Aaron sighed and shook his head once again, an urge to tell Jackson he won't be coming back was strong, he desperately wanted to tell him it was because he had shot him, killed him, he was gone…completely gone.
TBC…
