DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN EMMERDALE OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS. THEY ARE THE PROPERTY OF ITV.

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MID-OCTOBER

BAR WEST. HOTTEN

"Well come on...come and give your old Mum a dance, why don't you!"

Hazel stood and was holding her hand out to Jackson. The builder was already regretting taking his mother out for a nightout on the town. She had been complaining so much about being stuck in night after night, Jackson suggested he take her to the club.

Stu laughed from where he sat opposite them in the booth, "Oh go on Jackson, give your Mum a dance!" he teased.

Jackson laughed and and as he was pulled onto the dance floor by his mother he shot a glance back at him, "You are so gonna pay for this"

"I sure you can think of a way!" Stu said, batting his eyelashes. As he watched the pair dance, Danny and Miles came to sit with him.

"Alright Stu? You and him still seeing eachother?" asked Miles. Stu turned and grabbed his drink, "It's not serious, it's just a bit of fun"

"At Nathan's expense", quibbed Danny.

Stu narrowed his eyes at him, Danny it seemed didn't approve, " Nathan doesn't have to find out about it does he?"

"Unless someone tells him" told Miles raising his eyebrowes.

"Or...he's sees for himself..." Danny finished.

Stu frowned and was about to ask what the hell he meant by that, when he stared across the bustle of the dance floor and saw Nathan standing up at the bar. It looked like that he had only just arrived.

"I thought HE was staying in...he told me earlier that he wanted an early night" cried Stu. He was worried if Nathan had been here longer than it looked, and what he had seen or had been told.

Danny leaned back in the booth, putting a foot onto the opposite seat, "He's been taking his meds and that...he says he feels really good"

Nathan was then coming over, an orange juice in his grasp, "Hi guys...I bet you lot didn't think I would be making a shock appearance tonight..."

Stu swallowed, "No...this is a surprize..."

Nate perched his bum down on a low stool and smiled at him, "well...I DO like to keep folk on their toes, don't I..."

XXX

LOVEMOON NIGHTCLUB. HOTTEN

"So do YOU want another drink or what?"

Aaron was laughing his head off at some goofy joke Adam was rattling on about. Amy looked at Victoria and rolled her eyes. Amy's new boyfriend Reece was coming back from the bogs.

"What'a you lot laughing at?" he asked, pushing a hand through his floppy hair.

Adam handed him a pint, "we just got a round in"

Aaron laughed, "yeah, and you just missed the most crappiest joke in the world!"

The farm boy glared at him, "Ohhh come on! It weren't THAT bad, and anyways it were YOU who told it me the other day"

Aaron was looking like he was trying to get out of that, "errrrrr it wasn't me mate...I don't DO crappy, me!"

Victoria turned, "You don't DO jokes at all...you have to have a sense of humour for that", Aaron just smarmed at her. Reece had his arm around Amy but Aaron could see his eyes were on him again.

He could SO have him...

A big dance tune came on.

Amy pulled Reece onto the dance floor, " I love this!"

And they were off. Adam sipped his pint and looked at Aaron, "That Reece fella seems alright kinda lad"

Aaron decided not to comment.

XXX

Hazel was trying her best. She promised Jackson she would, if she clapped eyes on him, and here he was...as clear as day sitting opposite her in the booth.

Nathan tilted his head, "So Haze...hows the dieting? Jackson mentioned a couple of days ago that you were on a new fad diet"

Hazel smiled through gritted teeth, "Yeah...it's going alright if you must go"

Nathan gave her the once over, "well...it's not working...I think you might be, ahem...bigger"

Hazel was about to have a go when Jackson leaned forward and clapped his hand together, "RIIIGGHHT...another round is it?"

Nathan nodded, "cheers...another orange juice would be great"

Hazel nodded at her glass, "just a coke for me, love"

"is that a diet coke...?" asked Jackson with a cheeky grin, Hazel could've smacked him one because Nathan was having a right old snigger at her expense.

His and Jackson made eye contact and smiled.

Stu noticed too and felt a prang of jealousy, which was stupid because he and the builder were ony having a bit of fun.

Jackson went off to get the drinks in. Hazel looked at Nathan, who still had the smarmy smile. She felt like being cheeky herself. She put on one of her smiles and turned to Stu, "so love...Jackson tells me you are doing a course up at the college"

Stu laughed, "Oh it's nothing to write home about...it's something to better myself"

Nathan frowned and looked at him, "Why would Jackson know about that...?"

Stu in took a breath, "just...well...I don't know...maybe he was here when I said about it...", he was pretty much tongue tied.

Nathan glared at him. Hazel knocked back the rest of her coke and smiled to herself.

Stu got up, "Just going to the powder room"

Hazel nodded and watched him go, she turned to face Nathan, "He's a really nice boy, isn't he? Very polite"

Nathan scowled at her, "Camp as christmas"

Hazel sucked in her cheeks, "ohhhhhh, touched a nerve have I?"

Jackson was back with the tray of drinks, "here we go...one beer for me...one DIET coke for Mum, an orange juice for Nate and a southern comfort and lemonade for Stu..." he looked about him, "...where IS Stu?"

Nathan widened his eyes at him, "does it matter? Why do you care"

Jackson licked his lips and sat down, "I'm just asking, I don't"

Hazel picked up her drink and sat back, she loved a little drama to brighten up her dull evenings...and there wasn't anything more interesting than her son's wacky love life...

XXX

Amy was abit tipsy. She kept on making for Reeces cock but he moved away telling her not to be such a slut.

The night was getting on and Adam was telling Victoria that they needed to make a move and drink up, because they were getting up early.

Aaron turned from the bar as Adam tapped him on the shoulder, "Hey mate...me and Vic are making a move, mate"

Aaron gave him a quick hug and kiss on the cheek, "thanks for coming out...lets not leave it so long next time"

Victoria laughed clutching her handbag, "it's been well good! We all should hit that gay place next time"

Aaron nodded, but was non-commited about it. Amy was slumped in a seat nearby. Reece left her there and came to Aaron's side.

"So Aaron, I thought THEY wouldn't leave, I thought we could pick up where we left off the other night..."

Aaron screwed his face up at him and nodded his head toward Amy, "What about HER!"

Reece was really giving him the come on eyes, "We can just threw her into cab home and then WE can go to mine..."

Aaron rubbed his cheek and smiled at him, "alright...you call HER a cab and then you can meet ME around the corner..."

"Nice one"

XXX

"he's watching us..." breathed Stu, as he and Jackson had a sneaky snog in the toilets. Jackson pulled away and stroked the lads hair, "He doesn't know anything...mums just winding him up, and besides that could go in our favour"

Stu was lost in Jackson's eyes. He was drowning in them. And their lips met again as Jackson pushed Stu up against the tiled wall.

Pulling away again, Stu nodded to the door, "I best go...call me tomorrow"

Jackson quickly kissed him on the lips and Stu was out the door. Jackson waited a few minutes, then followed.

Jackson came back to the booth and looked about as he finished off his pint, "Stu gone has he?", he tried to sound casual about it.

Nathan shook his head, "as you didn't know" he muttered unaudible, then more louder; "Yeah, said something about him getting up early"

Hazel blew out a sigh, "Well, my little darling, I think I'm ready for my bed...", Nathan reached for his phone, "Me too...I best call a cab"

Jackson waved his hand at him, and shook his head "You don't have to do that...you can share ours"

Hazel stood up and grabbed her coat and handbag, "Awwww, how very cozie" she said a little too on the sarcastic side.

Jackson rolled his eyes and let Nathan go ahead of him. The nurse did look much better. He was glad, at last things looked like they were on the up with him.

Outside at the taxi rank, Hazel went to use the cab office toilet. Jackson stood there with his arms folded. Nathan looked at him and cocked his head, "So...Stu's doing well at college then? He said that he's told you about it..."

Jackson was lost for words, "errrrrrrr...yeah I've given him a lift a couple of times"

"Did you..."

Jackson swallowed, "Yeah...didn't he say?", he grinned at Nathan to make lite the situ. Nathan nodded, "No...he didn't say..."

Hazel was then back, "Gawd blimey them toilets need a good old scrub...cab all booked is it..?"

Jackson took his eyes off Nathan and nodded at his Mum, "yeah...they said it'll be here in 5"

Nathan didn't take his eyes off Jackson. Something was going on. And he was determined to get to the bottom of it...

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