DISCLAIMER: I do not own Emmerdale or it's characters, they belong to ITV
CHAPTER 22
Tom and Matt and pulled their Jackets on to leave, Aaron stood at the doorway arms folded as Tom smiled toward him, "cheers for the beers Aaron...and cheers for this...", he playfully slapped Matt's backside lightly, Aaron sighed, " yeah well...see yeah...", Matt turned to Jackson, "well Jacko always a pleasure...we should do this again...", Jackson gave him a knowingly gaze as he shook his hand, "NOT anytime soon I hope...", Matt shrugged and Aaron closed the door on him, Jackson threw his hands in the air, " ARRRRGH...thank christ for THAT...that must of been the longest CRAPPIEST evening I've HAD to endure for...forever...", Aaron began to clean up the empty beer bottles, " sorry...you were real tired, AND I dumped THEM pair on yah...", Jackson began to help out and pulled him a smile, "Listening to Tom is like HAVING YAH TEETH PULLED OUT...sorry...I know he's yah mate...and as for Matt...the LITTLE said about that pratt the better...", Aaron sat on the armchair, "yeah but even so...you could have just flipped and chucked them out..."
Jackson chucked some half consumed beer into the sink, and chucked the empties into a box for glass recycling, "I nearly DID...but...Tom's yah mate...and as YOU'VE said...it could be one of the last times you see him so...I tolarated him...", Aaron smirked at him, " YOU ARE SO GOOD...can you imagine ME tolarating your mates...", Jackson laughed out loud, "YEAH...usually it was a case of storming out of Bar West in a strop...", Aaron came over to him, "I'm sorry about Matt too...I know you can't stick him...nor can I now...I hope Tom sees the light...", Jackson raised his eyebrowes, "that the blokes AFTER you...NOT your problem...anyway just DO me a favour hey,if they call again...switch your phone to voicemail...", Aaron headed to the stairs, "yeah but even so...s'pose it won't be our problem when we leave with Jack..."
"No...we're have OUR own problems to worry about,,,COME ON...lets get to bed...", Aaron was tired too and the first thing he was gonna do...was change THEM sheets...he frowned to think what Matt might of done in them...
At hospital in Leeds, Sarah sat beside Jack's bed...the little lad looked SO small in that bed...the oxygen mask was upon his nose and mouth, helping him to breath, Sarah gently stroked the lads arm, she had sobbed for a while...but now she sat in silence...praying for him to wake up...she looked at her watch...then to the nurse who went to check on Jack's condition...she stood up and headed out into the corridor to see Jeff returning from the vending machine with a bar of chocholate, "Jeff DID you phone Jackson...", Jeff nodded at her, "yeah I left a message...he's not get back to me yet...", Sarah was apalled, " WHERE is he...bet he's at some damned nightclub...", she turned and pulled out her own mobile from her handbag, "I tell you what...I'll LEAVE him a message he'll never forget..." she cried in spite, Jeff bit his lip...he just KNEW the shit was gonna hit the fan...
Aaron had quickly changed the bedsheets, Jackson stood in the doorway and pulled him a frown, "what a time to go change the bedding..." he cried, Aaron shrugged, "wouldn't YOU when you've had Matt in it...", Jackson was open mouthed at first, " say again...", Aaron stuffed the bedding in the washing basket, " Matt were IN our bed...I kicked him out...", Jackson shook his head in disbelief, "IN OUR BED!...WHAT A FREAK... HE needs telling Aaron...I'VE done it...TWICE...but he won't get the picture will he...", Aaron smirked at him, "it winds him up...knowing HE can't break us...anyway...he won't be our problem for much longer...when we go...", Jackson sighed at him, "true...BUT he's NEVER to come in our house again Aaron..."
Then Jackson's mobile sung to life...he pulled it out of his pocket and placed it to his ear, "Sarah...NO my phone's NEVER OFF, I can't afford to miss the business..."
Aaron looked up as he tried to stuff the duvet into the new cover...he was getting annoyed with it...but Jackson's face distracted him, "I...I'll be right there..." he told, his expression was very serious, after ending the call Jackson was in a panic, " Jackson...jackson what is it mate..." asked Aaron dropping the duvet into a heap on the floor, Jackson sat on the bed trying to gather his breath, "There's been a fire...at Sarah's...Jack's...Jack's hurt..." he replied quietly, trying to fathom out the call himself, he then sprang to his feet, " I'VE GOT TO GET TO LEEDS AARON!", Aaron knew both of them had too much ale, he quickly pulled his own mobile out, " I'll call Paddy...he'll give us a lift...what happened...is Jack alright...how bad is it...", but before Jackson could start to answer the first question, Aaron was already talking to Paddy, "Pads...it's me mate..look I know it's sorta late...but...CAN you drive me and Jackson to Leeds...yeah I DID SAY Leeds...to the hospital...Jack's be rushed in mate, and we've kinda HAD a few..."
Jackson had been too calm in the car...he just stared out the window...Aaron tried to answer Paddy's questions about what had happened...all he knew was...was what Jackson had told him...there had been a fire, and Jack had been rushed into hospital...they didn't know whether the little lad had been hurt, burned or what...Sarah had been crying on the phone...Paddy pulled up out side St. James' A&E, after what had seemed a journey that had taken forever, Jackson was flying out the car, no sooner than the car had stopped, Aaron turned to Paddy, " thanks for this Pads...I'll give yah a call when I know what's going down...", Paddy smiled at him, "look, just go and look after Jackson...and give me a call, do you want me to tell Hazel...", Aaron had forgotten about her and felt bad, "would you...tell her WE will let her know soon as we know WHAT'S happening...and not to come here...Jackson doesn't need her fussing over him", Paddy nodded and then drove off, leaving Aaron to hurry in through the sliding doors...
Jackson stood in the corridor outside Jack's room, Sarah saw him through the window, and instantly left her son's bedside and lept out into the corridor, " Jackson!...what's kept you...DIDN'T you get Jeff's message...", Jackson pulled his eyebrowes together, " AS I'VE SAID TO YAH...I never GOT a message...", Sarah shook her head...surely Jeff would have called him...wouldn't he...Jeff was then at their side, "Jackson..." he acknowledged awkwardly, Jackson glared at him, then pushed his way into Jack's room, the machines around the room alarmed him alittle...but Sarah came forward, clasping his arm, " It's okay...the doctors said the machines are here if HE needs them...", Jackson shook his head, as he focused his gaze on his son's hand...it was bandaged...he approached it and stroked the boys arm, "look at his little hand..." he sobbed, Sarah was at his side, " the Consultant guy said the burns are NOT thick...only surface...superthingy..." she told, she stroked Jackson;s arm as he sobbed...his gazed fixed on his son...the oxygen mask...the bandages...the blackened face...
"they said...it's his lungs...they don't know the extent of the damage...he breathed in a lot of smoke...", Sarah said trying to relay to Jackson what Dr Edwards had told her, Jackson's face was screwn up in emotion..."H..How...", Sarah bit her lip, " we DON'T know...there will be an investigation at the house...", Jackson moved toward his son's head and stroked his sooty curls, "THEY haven't even cleaned him up properly..." he told...Sarah tried to smile at him, "WE can do that WHEN he wakes..." Jackson only nodded his head, "MY poor little man..."
Aaron watched Jackson through the window sadly...Jeff was with him...well...sitting in the chair behind him, "So...what have THEY said...the doctor's I mean..." Aaron asked, Jeff shrugged, "nowt much...just that he's breathing on his own accord...that's a good thing...",Aaron pulled a face and turned, "WHAT'S good about all this...Little Jack's in there in a RIGHT mess...", Jeff stood up, he didn't like Aaron's accusing tone, " WHAT are YOU trying to say..."
Aaron folded his arms, " Jack...if he'd been STILL WITH US...he'd been safe...", Jeff glared at him shaking his head, " oh really...would have STOPPED him playing with matches them...", this through Aaron, "What..."
"I caught him...Jack...playing with matches last week...NOW this...can't be a coinsidence...can it...NOT that I'm blaming Jack...", Aaron leaned toward him, " WELL IT SOUNDS LIKE IT TO ME...well we're SEE about that when he wakes up won't we...", Jeff nodded and sat back down, Jeff was a RIGHT arsehole...he turned back to face Jackson...feeling a little bit jealous that Sarah was pulling him into a hug...THAT WAS HIS JOB...but in the circumstances...
Sarah held the back of Jackson's head as he laid his head on her shoulder, "he's GONNA be fine...HE IS...he's strong...JUST LIKE YOU..." soothed Sarah, Jackson nodded his head and pulled away from her, "yeah..." he wiped his eyes with his sleeve, " yeah he's a fighter MY little man...", he went back and caressed Jack's forehead and arm, Sarah smiled watching him closely, "I wish Jeff was like you...", Jackson pulled a sad smile, " you have a point...HIM being gay there would be an improvement in his attitude..."
Sarah shook her head, " I'm being serious...just lately...ohhhh...I don't know WHAT to think...", Jackson turned and placed his hand on her shoulder, "Let's just get HIM through this first...YOURS and JEFF'S problems are the least of mine...DO yah get me...", Sarah nodded, "yeah...yeah yah right..."
Aaron could see Jackson was coming out into the corridor, " Jackson how..." he began, Jackson smiled, " he's a fighter Aaron...YOU know that...", he then faced Jeff, "ARE you ALWAYS THIS useless...YAH wife needs yah in there...", Jeff stood up, " I know...I'm there for BOTH of them...",
Jackson shook his head at him,pulling a frown " NO...you are THERE for HER...I'M there for HIM...he's MY son..." he then headed back inside the room...Aaron gave Jeff the usual dirty look and headed off after his partner...
Jeff was worried...
...it was only a matter of time Jack would wake...and then...
...the truth would come out...
TBC...ALL REVIEWS WELCOME AS ALWAYS...whether you like it, hate it or think it's just a joke...or just personally attack me (maybe I can end this story by Aaron being picked up by a UFO, sorry, I'm in a bad place tonight)