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

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SORRY ABOUT THE DELAY...REAL LIFE HAS NOT LEFT ME MUCH TIME TO SIT AT A KEYBOARD. FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE WHO MIGHT'VE FORGOTTEN WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THIS. JACKSON AND HAZEL HAVE BUGGERED OFF, AARON HAS MOVED ON WITH ED. NOT FAT UGLY RUGBY PLAYER ED OFF THE TV, BUT ANOTHER ED HE MET IN MANCHESTER.

AARON HAD SINCE BEEN OFFERED A NEW JOB IN BRISTOL AND HAD TOLD ED AND CHAS WHAT HE'S DECIDED.

STU IS STILL IN HOSPITAL AFTER NATHAN THREW HIM OFF THE BELCONY. NATHAN HAS FAILED TO SILENCE HIM SO HE IS NOW AT THE AIRPORT WAITING TO ESCAPE HIS DREARY LIFE...

MID-DECEMBER

(CHAPTER 29/30)

xx

In the departures lounge, Nathan came out of the Duty Free. Enough browsing. He justed to sit the rest of the time out.

He found a vacant seat and sat down as a flight was called in the back ground.

Within an hour, he would be on that plane to Milan...and leaving all this crap behind...forever...

He smiled as he sat back into the seat. What a nice dose of sunshine would do for him...such a tonic...why had he been surrounded by such deadbeats? He was BETTER than that. Maybe after a little time in Italy, he'd find himself a nice relaxing life with a few more intelligent people to talk too. What he'd give for an intelligent conversation.

Danny? What a mess he was. He never knew what he wanted all the time, and when he did he fucked it all up. And he looked shit in drag! Thinking his Danielle looked better than his Natalie, who was he trying to convince?

Miles? Huh! He said he'd found a new guy in that bar man at Bar West. That wouldn't last knowing Miles' track record with blokes. His relationships all ended up with him crying on somebodys shoulder with all the pathetic boohoos...well, not his this time, thank god.

Stu? Poor old Stu. In hospital feeling sorry for himself. Nobody wants him. And who gives a toss, he certainly didn't, and he relished in the fact that obviously Jackson didn't either...he wouldn't of run out on him otherwise.

He smiled, feeling a tad triamphant in fact.

Suddenly, to his complete surprise, his flight was called. Hmmm early! Luck was sure on his side. He stood up and made his way towards the gate.

XX

The Police had paid a visit to Nathan's flat and found there was no answer. Nathan had gone away. Of course it took sometime for Stu's mother to get through to the operator what she was on about, and then she had been asked all those stupid questions about how did you come across all this new information.

But Stu's mothers' testitomy wasn't enough for them. The police had to see Stu himself at the hospital.

Stu was quite upset. And it took a good deal of time to try and calm him down, and when he had, he had to go ALL THROUGH IT AGAIN AND AGAIN! He was just living through it time and time again and all his mother could do was hold his hand as he sobbed his way through the story.

By this time Nathan's flight was well and truely in the air. He sat back having a drink or two in the plane, while Stu was shaking like a daft person having to recount again and again what Nate had done to him.

"I wanted him to leave me alone. Leave us alone, me and Jackson, my ex-boyfriend. Nathan's Jackson's ex...it's all so confusing..."

"So you and Nathan were together and Nathan got the arse over you seeing Jackson so he threw you off the belcony..." was one version the police detective mistakedly took down and another was...

"So you and Nathan were together and then he started seeing Jackson and you found out; you two have a massive fight and you ended up falling OFF the belcony..."

The police favoured that version.

Maybe because it was easier for them to deal with. Stu got tired and the nurse told them that he needed rest. Stu's mother was eager for the coppers to get after Nathan.

"So are you gonna arrest him? He can't be getting away with nearly killing...", she was everso choked up at the thought of her son being treated like that.

The Detective Sargeant turned to her and simply said, "We have had word from the station, it appears that Mr Taylor is not at home at the moment...but all attempts are being made to contact him"

XXX

That evening Aaron and Ed were in Hotten. At Bar West. Aaron was moving to Bristol and Ed had said to him that although he couldn't promise so, that he'd try to get a transfer down there to be close to him.

Aaron was happy. It was definately Happy Aaron. Ed liked Happy Aaron...it seemed everybody liked Happy Aaron.

At the bar Ed got them in another round. Aaron was feeling better now. His mother had stressed him out over his intention to leave the village. But going out and having some fun but that behind him.

Chas could go and fret on her own and think that; for once; Aaron needed to make his own decisions.

Aaron sat in a booth, but it wasn't long before Danny sat and joined him, "Have you heard! Stu's out of his coma and everything...it's a pity that Jackson's such a waste of space abandoning him like that"

Aaron eyeballed him, " He NEVER abandoned him...he just had to see it like it was...it was never going anywhere...their relationship"

Danny glared at him, " Hey! Stu's MY mate not yours...I think I know more about THEIR relationship then you do"

"Jackson's MY mate. And he loves Stu...not in the way Stu wants him to, I give you that...but he loves him and he didn't make his decision to leave lightly, I can tell you"

Danny sucked the straw of his southern comfort, " he still left him...in a coma...poor lads probably wondering what the hells he's done"

If it wasn't due to the fact that Aaron felt happy, he would've decked Danny one and told him to do one, but decking him would be like decking a girl with him being all camp and that...

He shook his head, "listen mate...I got a text from Jackson earlier asking me if I had heard owt, so don't tell me that he doesn't care..."

Ed was there with the drinks. Danny looked up and gave Ed the once over, "Ohhh, this your new man is it?

Aaron nodded.

"He's quite a catch...", he stood up and went to leave, but turned on his heel as Mariah Carey's 'all I want for christmas' started to play, "...for one who's into total sluts"

Ed watched him go and sat down handing Aaron his pint, "What was that all about?", he asked nodding towards Danny, who was now dancing with all his mates.

Aaron swallowed down and then stared into Ed's eyes, "It's me...he's talking about me mate...you see...well...I've been around the block abit"

Ed raised his eyebrowes, "have yah?"

"Yeah...well, I thought I was having fun...but...well...folk see it differently, don't they?"

Ed looked into his beer.

"You've gone off me now", Aaron stated, " I knew you would"

Ed shook his head and looked at him, "not at all...do you know how many times I...well...it was never anything heavy...just you know, wanking and that...but the times I used to tell my wife I'm working late and then head off to the nearest toilet or cruising ground to 'see' other blokes...I just ' watched' alot of the time...maybe that makes me abit of a slut?"

Their hands grasped and they sat back listening to the music, "Maybe Bristol will be a fresh start for both of us then...", Aaron reasoned.

XXX