DISCLAIMER: I do not own Emmerdale or it's characters, they belong to ITV

CHAPTER 24

A/N: Thank you for ALL the reviews...bit tired to "chat" tonight...hope you like...xx

The door to the room came crashing open, as someone with a big bag and an even bigger a smile can marching through...little Jack turned his head on the pillow to see first hand at the big grin, " HELLO MY LITTLE DARLING...dear oh dear YOU have been in the war's...", Hazel came up to the bed and attacked her grandson with a shed load of wet kisses..."Arrrgh NANA...i'm a BIG boy now..."he squealed, Hazel laughed at him and held up the bag, "I've brought in some goodies for you...I got uncle Bob to drive into town to get you some stuff..."

"SWEETIES..." he cried excitedly, Hazel hooked out a childs toothbrush and some clothing, "Soon love...just some stuff you need at the moment hey...", Jack's face fell, but Hazel was then pinching his cheeks and pulled out a bag of jelly tots, " COURSE I'VE GOT YOU SWEETIES, MY LITTLE LEMON...", Jackson then was in the room looking haggard and tired, Hazel turned, " BLIMEY...you look a right wreck...", Jackson frowned at her, " So would you if you had to spend the night on that thing...", he nodded to the plastic chair in the corner, " this little man kept pretending to go to sleep...then...just as I wanted to slip out and see Aaron, he's wide awake making sure I'm not leaving him...", Hazel turned to the little lad, and rubbed his arm, " Awwwwww...bless him...",Jackson peered into the bag, " you CAN'T be given him sweets yet Mum...he needs a scan..." he told, Hazel grabbed the sweets out of Jack's grasp...luckily he had had trouble getting into them, "Sorry darling...bit later a...I promise...", then as she turned to face Jackson, the door opened, and Sarah came into the room.

"oh...Hazel..." she said with a startle, Hazel frowned at her, " Ohhh hello...SO a fire a...", Jackson turned his head, "MUM...don't be starting owt...", Hazel shrugged at him as she stroked Jack's forehead, the little lad tried to reach for his sweets while she wasn't looking, "I'm not...just saying...you know..."

"well don't...not now..." warned Jackson, Sarah half smiled at him and came to Jack's side, "how's he been...WE should have done it in shifts...that couch in the family room wasn't up to much with the back...but compared to THAT chair...", she pointed to it, Jackson shrugged at her, "It's fine..anyways the little man wanted ME sitting with him...", Hazel who was on the opposite side of the bed looked up to Sarah, "So, where's your husband then..."

"He left early to see what's left of the house...NOT much is what I've gather by speaking to me neighbour on phone...BUT...at least we are all alive...", Hazel mused at her, " well...almost..."

Jackson glared at her, "MUM..." he barked with his warning tone, Hazel was on the defensive, "I know keep it buttoned..." she bit her tongue, but changed the subject, " So...where is he..."

"where's who..." asked Jackson, coming to Sarah's side close to Jack, "bright spark of course...AARON...", Jackson raised his eyebrowes, " HE could smell bacon being cooked...he went and followed his nose...AND...he should be bringing ME back breakfast...knowing him he's proberly forgot...and ATE my share too..." he laughed, Hazel licked her lips, " MMMMM what I would do for a bacon sarnie...but...well...not with my medication..."

Aaron in fact HAD eaten both sarnies...he was hungry...and now he was having a quick smoke...that sofa had been hard as rock...he had barely slept, he just hoped that Jack would be okay after the scan, so he and Jackson could maybe get home and get some rest...Aaron chucked his cig butt in the gutter and made his way back into the foyer...he saw the paper shop and smiled...maybe Jack would like a nice comic to read...

Jackson could see Jack was tired...he had managed to get his mum out earlier, Sarah turned at the doorway to him. " I'll leave you alone with him...", Jackson smiled at her...and after she had gone, Jackson stroked his son's forehead, " right little man...you get some shut guy...the doctors are gonna give you a scan this afternoon...so you've got time for a knap..."

"What's a scan daddy..." asked the boy puzzled, "WILL you be there...", Jackson gazed at him lovingly, "COURSE I be there...", Jackson looked toward the door, then turned back to his son, "Jack...I'm gonna ask you something...and YOU MUST tell me the truth...", the little boy looked up to him with his tired brown eyes now bright, " NOW...I won't be angry at you...YOU are NOT in any trouble...you've done nowt wrong...but..." he swallowed, but HE HAD to ask, " Jack...did you play with matches...", Jack screwed his face up, "NOOO..." he whinged, "I didn't play with fire...I'm a good boy", Jackson smiled at him, making sure the boy was reasured, " IT'S okay...I believe you...you ARE a good boy..."he pulled up the sheet and tucked him in, kissing his forehead, " you get some sleep", Jack was then alert, " DADDY...you LEAVE !" he asked...there was a little surprize in his tone, "I won't be long...I PROMISE...now get some shut I..." he then walked out the door...and when he was gone, Jack was wide awake...he didn't want to sleep...he just wanted his daddy to sit with him...make him feel safe...

Jackson met Aaron in the corridor...he pulled the younger lad a smirk, " SOOO...WHERE'S MINE...", Aaron looked up sheepishly at him, " Sorry...I was starving...anyway...you eat to much bacon...", Jackson laughed out loud at the remark, " SAYS you... porky...you're the one looking chubby...", Aaron pulled him a frown, " it's puppy fat...just need the gym that's all", Jackson just looked at him in disbelief, " GYM...YOU...", Aaron then held up the bag he was holding " and there's me buying your son comics in all...I all you can do is insult me..." Aaron said playfully, Jackson put his palm to Aaron's cheek...then lowered it as he saw Jeff approaching them, "look...Jack's having a knap...but if you're quiet...drop his comics in...and sit with him...", Aaron nodded, he turned and glared at Jeff, " will you be alright with that burk...", Jackson folded his arms, " Yeah...just GO sit with Jack yeah..." Aaron nodded and walked off towards the resp unit.

Jackson faced Jeff, " Sooo...what's the damage..." asked Jackson, making it look he was interested, Jeff sighed, " it's all gone...NO HOUSE...everythings been destroyed...", Jackson bit his lip, " do you still THINK it was Jack who started it do yah...", Jeff looked at him, the question had taken him by surprize, " No...No...suppose Aaron had been shooting his mouth off...", Jackson pulled, " say again..."

"Aaron...WE were talking...and I said I caught him playing with matches last week...", told Jeff in a matter-of-fact tone, Jackson shook his head, " and Aaron was apart of this conversation because..."

"because admitted to me that Jack played with his lighter a few times...when Jack was staying with you..." answered Jeff.

Jackson was thrown...Aaron had NEVER said nowt to him about Jack playing with his lighter...Jeff swallowed, "Sarah around", Jackson moved out the way, " she's IN the family room...", Jeff walked off, Jackson wasn't happy...he marched off toward the resp unit.

Aaron, meanwhile, was talking to Jack, " you can't read yah comics now little mate...YOU got to go to sleep...", Jack was in a cheeky mood, " Uncle Aaron...can I have me SWEETS...PLEEEAAASE...", Aaron saw the jelly tots on the side...they were out of Jack's reach, "you're not supposed to...but...I think one wouldn't hurt...", Jackson was then through the door, " WHAT are yah playing at...HE'S MENT TO BE ASLEEP...", he told harshly, Aaron dropped the bag of sweets back on the side...Jack looked disappointed when he then went to his dad, "Jackson...what is it...", Jackson pulled him out into the corridor, " COME OUT HERE..." he shot at him, Aaron was puzzled, he focused his blue eyes into Jackson's brown ones, "what is it...YOU got the arse or something..."

"why didn't yah TELL ME about Jack playing with YAH lighter..." Jackson gritted.

Aaron shook his head, " he hasn't...well...NOT that I know of..."

"SO you never said owt to Jeff about it..." asked Jackson, Aaron shook his head in protest, "NO...Jackson come on...what do you take me for...IF I caught Jack with MY lighter...I would have told yah...",Jackson looked to the floor in shame...how could he even doubt him, "I'm sorry..." he said sadly, "It's just Jeff said..."

"Said what..."

Jackson threw his fingers through his curls, " that's JUST it...he's acting weird...and the WAY Jack's been acting...

...it's about TIME ME and JEFF had a chat..."

TBC...ALL REVIEWS WELCOME AS ALWAYS...