DISCLAIMER: I do not own Emmerdale or it's characters, they belong to ITV
CHAPTER 27
A/N: Thank you for ALL the reviews...as always your reviews mean so much to me...
Aaron watched Hazel disappear into the ladies before, he then jumped forward and had Jeff up against the wall, " I KNOW!" he barked at him coldly...Jeff stared into Aaron's blue eyes, "know what...", Aaron had his elbow up against Jeff's neck, " DON'T ACT LIKE YOU DON'T KNOW...YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT...YOU...STANDING THERE TELLING US IT'S ALL GONNA BE ALRIGHT...", Jeff protested, "GET OFF ME...YOU KNOW NOWT ABOUT MY LIFE...", Aaron continued to stare at him icily, "I KNOW ALL ABOUT JACK'S LIFE...HOW IT IS FOR HIM...I WAS SUSPICIOUS AT FIRST...BUT HEARING YOU...YOU THREATENING HIM...DO YOU KNOW WHAT JACKSON'S GONNA DO TO YOU...",
"DO WHAT..." asked Jackson...he was standing there watching them from the doorway, Aaron turned to his partner, " I think Jeff's got a confession for yah...", Jackson waved his arm, "Oh I know...Sarah's told me...how you have been taking out all your stress on MY SON..." he said coldly...Aaron nodded at him, then faced Jeff...he was still in in the vice like grip against the wall, " AND the rest...did she tell you about HIM threatening Jack...him being mean to him...scaring him...BECAUSE I'VE SEEN IT FIRST HAND...PRACTICALLY BLAMING HIM FOR THE FIRE..."
Jackson came forward...trying to take in what Aaron was saying to him, " you WHAT...HE threatened MY son...", Aaron nodded at him, glancing to and fro from Jackson to Jeff, "Yeah that's right...HE didn't KNOW i was there...I forgot ME wallet when I went to get yah Mum a coffee...I could hear Jeff in there, so I snuck in...AND I HEARD HIM...I HEARD HIM TELLING HIM TO KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT...AND THAT YOU WERE ANGRY WITH HIM..." , Jackson saw red and shoved Aaron out the way...and with an almight smack...Jackson's fist had made contact with Jeff's jaw...and he went skidding across the floor...as Jeff clutched his jaw he was about to pick himself up...but Jackson jumped on him, and grabbed hold of his collar ready to puch him again, Aaron who couldn't help but smirk, suddenly caught sight of two nurse's come into view and pointing at the display, before angry Jackson could strike another blow, Aaron quickly came forward and grabbed hold of his partners arm, "Jackson!...STOP...or they're get you thrown out mate...", Jackson rose to his feet, and pointed his finger at Jeff, who was still cowering on the floor rubbing his bruising jaw, " you...STAY AWAY FROM ME SON..." Aaron gave Jeff a glare himself, as he pulled Jackson away toward Jack's room.
When they were out of sight, Jeff picked himself up and brushed himself down with his hands, Hazel then came out the ladies and approached him, "why are you just standing there like a prize lemon for...Jack's going to be alright...he wants his family around him...", Jeff was about to protest, but Hazel pulled him up the corridor, " COME ON...Jack's alright...we ALL should be celebrating...not fighting with eachother..." she told.
In jack's room Dr. Edwards was finishing off listening to the lads chest, " right...you've been a good lad all through your scan...I'll see if nurse Hudson can dig you out a lollipop or something for being SO good...", Jack looked up at her, as Sarah pulled back down his tee shirt, " Can I have TWO lollipops...", Sarah shook her head, " JACK..." she looked up to the doctor, " I'm sorry...he's not usually THIS cheeky...", Dr Edwards waved her hand, " not at all...he's a lovely little boy...credit to you...", Sarah smiled, " It's NOT just me...his dad plays a big part to..." Jackson then entered the room with Aaron, the Doctor smiled, " right...I'll leave you to it..." as she went Jackson came to the bedside, " WHAT'S she been saying..." asked Jackson, alittle on the curt side, Sarah watched as Jack started to read his comic, " Dr Edwards said that they are keeping him in for a few more days...but he should be able to go home at the weekend..." her smile faded as she added, " ...GOD knows where that is..."
Jackson looked up at her, " Jack can come home with ME..." he announced coldly, Aaron could sense that he was still VERY wound up...but on turning toward the door...things were set to get much worse, as Hazel and Jeff came in, " SO come on...whens the party get started..." Hazel beamed, Aaron's gaze flew towards Jackson who was already squaring up to Jeff, "I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY...ARE YAH DEAF OR WHAT..." Jackson yelled, Sarah quickly came forward, "hey...you two...NOT in here in front of Jack...take it outside if you've still got issues with eachother...", Jackson faced her, " ISSUES...there's MORE to it than that sweatheart..." he turned back tp Jeff, "ARE YOU gonna tell her...OR...should I...", Hazel pulled a puzzled frown, " what's going on...Jackson" she asked, Jackson glared at Jeff, " WHAT'S GOING ON...YOU WANNA KNOW DO YAH...okay...", Jeff moved to the door, " look...just forget it...", as he did so, Sarah seemed to notice the bruising start to come up on her husband's jaw, " WHAT'S happened to you...have you been in a fight...JEFF", Jeff nodded toward Jackson, "ASK HIM..." he then bolted out the room, Aaron was about to follow, but Jackson stopped him, " LEAVE HIM...",Sarah was getting confused...she had gathered that Jeff and Jackson had clearly had words...and MORE by the bruise on Jeff's cheek, " look...WILL somebody just TELL ME what's going on here...WE ALL SHOULD BE HAPPY...Jack's gonna be okay, but now this...I'm confused...", Hazel was very much in agreement of her, and rolled her eyes sensing trouble brewing, " Join the club love..." she mused...looking directly at Jackson and Aaron.
Jackson rubbed his beard, then grabbed Sarah and forced her out into the corridor, Sarah protested at him, " JACKSON...what are you doing..." she cried, Jackson had gripped her arm quite tightly, Jackson pulled his eyebrowes together at her, " YOU want to know WHAT all that was about do yah...how about YOUR husband threatening MY SON...telling him to keep his mouth shut...TELLING HIM I WAS ANGRY AT HIM...want me to go on...", Sarah lowered her gaze to the floor, " I'm sorry...I didn't know he would sink that low...", Jackson shook his head in disbelief at her, " HOW did you ever get involved with a prize DIV like him...and just THINK...I NEARLY SIGNED ME SON OVER TO HIM!" he yelled, throwing his hands up into the air...
Sarah looked up to Jackson, he stood there with his back to her, hands on his head, " Jackson, I'm sorry...I'M SO SORRY...I know I shouldn't make excuses for him...", Jackson swung around waving a hand at her, "BUT YOU WILL...HE'S yah husband...you are bound to...but what I want to know is..." he approached her...taking her hands into his, and looked deep into her eyes, "PLEASE tell me HE never did this at home...HE raised his voice, you told me that...and fair enough...HE was stressed...Jack can be a bugger a times...but answer me this..." he paused, trying to catch his breath, " did he...has he...hit him...hurt him...", Sarah had been dreading this...deep down she KNEW one day it would ALL come out, " Please TELL ME he never...he just shouted at him...didn't he...", Jackson had a pleading in his tone, like he wanted NOT to believe his son had been hurt in anyway...Jackson continued, " NOT YOU...you wouldn't condone such behaviour...NOT the Sarah I KNOW...and used to love...because I did you know...I DID LOVE YOU...even though I couldn't...", Sarah's eye's welled up...she SO wanted to keep her gaze to the floor...but Jackson let go of her hands and with one of them, he lifted her chin...her face told him everything...Jackson shook his head in sheer disbelief at her...and ran off up the corridor...
Hazel smiled to herself as she watched Aaron read Jack's comic to him...it was so sweet, Aaron was putting ON VOICES to the characters...and Jack squealed in such delight...Aaron was so good to him...it WAS hard to believe the young lad had found it difficult to except Jackson had a son at first...it was amazing what a year of bonding had done to them...she then turned her head as Sarah came into the room, " BLIMEY...what's up with you" she gasped...Sarah had clearly been crying and went to Jack's bedside, Aaron looked up to her, "What's going on...WHERE'S Jackson...",Sarah shook her head, " GO FIND HIM...he needs you" she said quietly...trying to put on a smile...
Jackson sat in the warm sunshine...the bench he sat on was near the A&E entrance, he couldn't get the thought out of his mind...the thought of Jeff threatening his son...his LITTLE BOY...he rubbed his eye...he was feeling choked now...and it got worse when he saw Aaron come out the sliding doors and scanned the area...on sighting Jackson...he approached, Jackson looked away and swiped his eyes, Aaron then plonked his bum down next to to him, and slapped a hand on his partners thigh, "hey...what's going on...FOR A MINUTE THERE...I thought you had gone after Jeff...", Jackson was still looking the other way, " I STILL MIGHT..." he said coldly, he sniffed, and Aaron could tell he was upset, " Jackson...look...I know what Jeff has done is bad but...", Jackson snapped his head round, " BAD...YOU DON'T KNOW THE HALF OF IT...WHAT MY BOY'S BEEN THROUGH...I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HE'S BEEN THROUGH...BUT WHAT I DO KNOW MY LITTLE MAN HAS BEEN TREATED BADLY BY THAT CREEP...", Aaron swallowed hard...it upset him to see Jackson so upset, " what do you mean..." he remembered that Jackson and Sarah had had words, " What's going on...JACKSON",Jackson began to sob, " I'M HIS DAD AARON...I'M HIS DAD...AND I SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE TO PROTECT HIM..." Aaron pulled him into a hug, " Hey...YOU weren't to know what was...happening...", Jackson shook his head, as he faced him...his features screwed up in emotion, "but SHE did...and she NEVER said a word...oh Aaron...I feel SUCH A FAILURE...HOW AM I GONNA MAKE IT ALL RIGHT FOR HIM...
...HOW WILL JACK EVER FORGIVE ME FOR LEAVING HIM WITH THAT MAN..."
and Jackson sobbed into Aaron's arms...Aaron cried to...he couldn't help it...it hurt him seeing Jackson SO UPSET...
...but the BIG question now was...
WHERE DO THEY ALL GO FROM HERE...
TBC...ALL REVIEWS WELCOME AS ALWAYS...