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

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LATE-NOVEMBER

"I can see why you must like it here, it's pretty. I always think that when I drive here"

Nick said this, as he and Aaron walked across Main Street in Emmerdale to the pub. Aaron pulled a face and stopped.

"Pretty?"

Nick laughed, "That really ISN'T your kind of word , is it?"

Aaron blew out a laugh dismissing the word altogether, "I HATE that word, it makes things sound weak and delicate, and i'll tell you something about this place, some of the characters you get round here are far from it, and that's just the oldies"

Nick laughed as they entered the pub and went to the bar. Diane came forward, "Usual is it pet?"

Aaron nodded, "...and a pint for Nick, inall"

Nick unzipped his leather jacket, "I couldn't live here though..."

Aaron shrugged as he leaned his elbow onto the bar top, "You do get used to it...the madness of it"

"You make it sound like this place is the twilight zone"

Aaron handed Diane a tenner for the drinks, "you wouldn't believe some of the stuff what happens round here...I mean just look at this pub, it's packed full of people"

Nick looked about, "Yeah so...?"

Aaron leaned in to him, "So WHERE do they all live? There's only about 4 houses in this village, and this pub is always packed"

Nick shrugged, "Yeah, but it's a drive through sort a place, int it...you get tourists and that"

"...AND there is Bob's cafe. I don't know how the man survives. He's got about 10 people that work for him and only the regulars eat there...i'm TELLING yah, this place is wierd"

Chas leaned on the bar and was suddenly in between them both, "What's weird?"

"You are" bit back Aaron as he nodded to a table for him and Nick to go sit at.

"So, that's WHY you are not stopping, then?" asked Nick, as he took off his jacket and sat over it on the stool.

"Yeah...I just need to get out before I end up like that old git, Sandy...that's what this place does to yah...you get old, infirm and end up on one of them scooter things..."

They sat and drank their drinks for a minute.

"So...did you go see Jackson?"

Asking this stuck in Nick's throat because he hated the guy, but Aaron didn't, and it was just being polite, besides, the weirdness of this village was rubbing off on him.

Aaron clutched his pint and nodded, "Yeah...yesterday...nothings changed, Stu's still in a coma and he won't leave his side...I think I was getting in the way, because Stu's Mum and Dad were there too, so I said to Jackson i'd meet up with him in a couple of days so he can tell me what happened.."

"Stu got done over or sommit, wasn't it? That's what Mike from the club was telling me when we got back the other day."

"Coppers are all over it..."

Nick perked up, "talking of us getting back. Have you heard from Manchester Ed yet?"

Aaron looked about him, then back at his mate, "Yeah...a couple of texts and that, nowt heavy"

"You should text him back abit more...you seemed really happy in Manchester, it was you who didn't want to come back...where DID you and him disappear to, when we got back to the B&B?"

Aaron smirked at him shyly, "...that would telling"

Nick knocked his drink back, "Look, i'm gonna have to shoot. I told me mother i'd call in on here on the way home...look, do you fancy a night out in the club?"

Aaron screwed his face up, "Nahh...after all them top places in Manchester, Hottens abit of a let down if you must know"

It wasn't just that. In Manchester, he had felt alive again. Not someone who was known to be abit easy, like he was around here.

It was a refreshing change. And he wished he could go back there.

XXX

Later, Aaron took Clyde out for a quick walk over the field. It was dark and the air was full of Snow. But it was just too cold to break out into a storm.

Doglead dangling in his hand, he watched as Clyde ran to and fro. Was Clyde panting abit more than usual? Maybe Paddy should check him over. He pulled out his phone. He had received a text.

Manchester Ed.

Aaron went and sat up onto the field fense and let his feet dangle, then opened up the message.

Hey, Wanna come spend the weekend in Manchester? Xmas lights being switched on by radio one celeb...if don't want to, I could come to you?

What? Ed come here!

There was no way that was going to happen. If Ed came here and they went to Bar West or something, god knows who'd be the first to 'warn' him about his reputation.

That couldn't happen. That would spoil things.

So it was decided. He would go up to Manchester. Ed was NEVER gonna be coming here!

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NEXT TIME, AARON GOES ON HIS TRIP, LEAVING NICK TO DOGSIT CLYDE...IT'S AN OLD DOG!

I might do a chapter of the other story..Hmmmmm.