CHAPTER 41

I DO NOT OWN EMMERDALE OR IT'S CHARACTERS, THEY ALL BELONG TO ITV1

A/N:THANKS for all your kind reviews...yet ANOTHER 'nice' chapter...I AM SPOILING YOU!...there is some SLIGHT drama here...but I'm afraid there is BIGGER drama to follow...I think Faggy must read my mind! lol xx

Later on that afternoon, Aaron laid on his stomach, the hot sun on his back...Jack was making a sand castle nearby...his dad was helping him...he then came over to him, "look...I've been thinking...I suppose we can afford ONE night off from the camper van...", Aaron looked up, "oh..." he began to smile, as he realised WHAT Jackson was saying, " even if we get one room in a local B&B, the little man can have the bed...and we can make do with the floor...AND there will be alot of space between US and the little guy...if we're quiet..." he trailed off with a wink, Aaron smiled, " can't wait..." he said.

Jackson snapped up the sun cream, "want me to do yah back...", Aaron nodded and Jackson rubbed the lotion into Aaron's hot skin...Jackson was grinning like a loon in those shades of his...

"I'm going IN for a dip!", told Jackson finishing up...Aaron nodded his head...his eyes closed...he then snapped them open...WHERE had he heard those words before...HE sat up and trained his focus to the sea...there was NO sign of Jackson...and also...the woman they had encountered earlier was screaming and pointing OUT to sea...

Aaron bolted up and ran towards the waters edge, the woman was screaming...Aaron's heart was pounding...but suddenly noticed Jack was now standing beside him...as well as a amassing group suddenly pointing and shouting OUT to sea...Aaron squinted hard...the sun hurt his eyes, but he could see Jackson swimming back with someone in his grasp...the woman was now shouting at her husband, something about NOT keeping an eye on him.

Aaron turned to little Jack, " STAY here!" he ordered, then ran into the sea...to meet Jackson...poor Jackson was ragged...he gasped for breath as he virtually threw the young lad toward him, Aaron snatched hold of the boy...and pulled him towards his Mum and dad on the beach...the man grabbed the lad off Aaron quickly, Aaron then turned and saw Jackson struggling to get to his feet, " JACKSON!", he gathered his arms around his partners body and pulled him on to the sand...and away from the water.

Jackson was gasping for breath as he blurted out, " the...the...the...current...had to...fight it..." his eyes were all WIDE with concern, " THE...LAD!, Aaron calmed him down, "HE'S fine Jackson...just don't talk yeah...please...take some deep breathes" a young blonde woman came to them, " does he need help...do yah want me to call anyone..."

Aaron was about to say yes, but Jackson laid his hand on his arm, " I'm...fine...I just...need to gather me breath that's all...", he then sat up and put his head between his knees, Jackson was bare apart from his swimming shorts, and he was shaking...Jack was watching them...he could see his dad was sitting down...he slowly approached him feeling scared...Aaron was placing a towel around Jackson trying to dry him off, Jack was at Jackson's feet now, his father looked, " hey...IT'S ok little man...daddy's okay...just worn out...", Jack then gave him a hug...Aaron smiled...he sensed this was slowing Jackson's rapid heart beat.

As Jack was comforting to Jackson, Aaron stood and looked in the opposite direction...he sighted the lad Jackson had rescued from the water...he was with his parents...the man turned and glared at him...THAT WAS IT...Aaron saw red...and stormed over to them ,"OI YOU...A THANKS WOULDN'T GO AMISS!", the man backed away, " hey...I don't want any AGGRO...", Aaron clenched his fists, " AGGRO!...I'll give you AGGRO...", the woman suddenly jumped in between them, " STOP IT...", Aaron backed off at the sight of the young lad in his mothers grasp, the woman smiled at him, " look...THANK YOU...your...your friend saved my son...", she glared at her husband, " NO thanks to YOU, buying him that lilo!"

Aaron placed his hands on his hips, " look love...it's HIM over there you should be thanking..." he pointed to Jackson, the woman glanced at her husband, " MAYBE you should do it...", Aaron shook his head in disgust, " I tell you what...FORGET IT...all I can say to yah is...POOR little mite...", he then stormed off back to Jackson.

Jackson looked up to Aaron, " I HOPE you are not stirring up trouble over there...", Aaron plonked himself next to him on the sand, " THEY are just not wort..." Aaron bit his lip...Jackson looked dead tired, " they told me to THANK you...that's all..." he lied.

Jackson knew Aaron was lying...but he looked at him and smiled, " cheers Aaron...NOW...shall we go find that B&B please...I need a lie down..."

They booked into a local B&B and once shown to their room, Jackson flopped onto the bed, "OH THANK GOD!" he sighed out loud, Aaron looked down at him, " you LOOK knackered mate...", Jackson rolled over and smiled, " I AM..."

Aaron started to rub Jackson's arm, " PLEASE...TELL ME YAH...if you decide to do that again..."

"Do WHAT" asked Jackson raising his eyebrowes, Aaron rolled his eyes at him," PLAYING the HERO what else...I..."

Jackson put on a playful edge to his tone, " was yah worried about me was YAH!", Aaron nodded, " well...not really...I KNOW you're a great swimmer...anyway Jack were worried...", Jackson placed his hand on Aaron's, " I KNOW you were worried Aaron...thanks for that...i'll tell yah next time i promise yah...if I have time mind, GOT to act quick in those matters...", Jackson then rolled onto his back, " right...LEAVE me in peace...I wanna grab a knap...RECHARGE me old Battries..." he rolled his head looking up at Aaron, "why don't you go take Jack out to the arcades...", Aaron didn't like the sound of that, "NAH...we're stay wit yah...no fun without yah", Jackson sighed at him, " I'M okay...just winded...just need alittle rest...GO take Jack out OR he will play up all afternoon...AS I said he before, take him to the arcades...HE likes those 2p machines..."but as Aaron stood up, he added, " JUST don't let him go banging on them...HE set the alarms off last time!", Aaron smirked at Jack, and turned, " oh come on then little mate...let's let yah old man sleep...WE can have fun with out him!" as they crossed to the door Jackson pulled a face, "OI...", Aaron turned, "what..."

"JUST DON'T have TOO much fun with out me yeah..."

At the arcades, Aaron handed the small bucket of 2p's to Jack, " GO on then...see if yah can make yah dad a fortune...", Jack snatched the bucket, and instantly started to look for a machine where the 2p's were heavy to drop, he already had a big fluffy duck in his grasp that Aaron had won for him on a move and grab machine outside.

Aaron straightened his cap, and folded his arms watching him for a while...he then dug out the handful of pound coins from his pocket and headed over to the fruit machines.

Aaron was getting SO into a machine...AND on a winning streak...he lost track of time...he sighed as his winning streak was coming to an end, he dug DEEP into his pocket...but there was no more coins to be found.

He seemed to remember Jack..."shit!" he cursed and quickly headed to the 2p machines, on sighting the machine Jack was last at, he saw that SOME other lad was playing on it...Aaron's heart was in his mouth., " JACK!" he called...he hurried round to the other side of the arcade, not bothered now about shoving passed folk...ALL he could think of was finding little Jack...he then saw the little cap on the floor next to the exit...he snatched it up and his blue eyes darted up and down the arcade around him, "JACK!" he called out...he heard a child laughing and bolted around the corner to see a group of other kids, " hey...have you see a little lad about...so high with curly hair...", the kids nodded they never...Aaron was getting frantic now...JACKSON WAS GONNA KILL HIM!...he...for the umpteenth time... hurried around the arcade again...his blues flashing in all direction's for any sighting of Jack...Aaron was beginning to sweat...he pulled off his cap, and rubbed his hand over his shaven head, he did this when he was getting stressed.

Suddenly he could hear the alarms going...he smiled and hurried over towards the source of the alarm, Jackson had said before...Jack had set the alarm off last time, by banging onto the machine to get the money...

Aaron's face fell, when he realised it was some OTHER kid being told off by one of the arcades attendants, Aaron stared at the small cap in his hand...then looked up to that lad...he was clutching a fluffy duck...AND wasn't that Jack's bucket...on autopilot Aaron hared up to the boy...he looked about 7 or 8...older than Jack, " HEY!...where DID you get that from!", the lad gave Aaron attitude, " FINDERS...KEEPERS...", the attendant turned to Aaron, "Is this kid owt to do with you..can you TELL him NOT to attack the machines!",Aaron glared at the man, "HE'S got NOWT to do with me mate..." he turned to the lad, and snatched back the duck, " WELL i'm taking it BACK...NOW HOW did yah get it!", the lad sighed, " some little kid...he lost all his money so I gave him some for the duck...", Aaron's hard raced, "WHERE...where was this...", the lad shrugged, " outside mister...CAN I HAVE ME DUCK back now...", Aaron glared at him, and shook his head. " nah...IT wasn't HIS to give away...NOW DO ONE!", Aaron then bolted to the exit...JACKSON WAS GOING TO FLIPOUT AT THIS...he was begining to panic again...until he looked across the road.

Little Jack was standing watching the trams on the prominade, HOW did he get across the busy road...Aaron hated to think...Aaron raced over, dodging the traffic and snatched Jack, "HEY!...YOU DON'T GO WANDERING OFF...DO YAH HEAR ME!" cried Aaron full of anger...it made Jack cower abit...Aaron instantly knelt down and hugged him, " I'm sorry little mate...BUT YAH GAVE ME A SCARE...", he looked into Jack's eyes, " you NEVER wander off without telling ME or yah dad...do yah hear me", Jack nodded, " I'm sorry uncle Aaron...but I wanted to see the trams..and buses", Aaron put his little cap back onto the lads head...and handed him the fluffy duck, " I gottyah toy back...you mustn't go given other kids yah stuff mate..."

Jack nodded, " I didn't...the big boy took it from me...he said I was a retard..." he thought for a moment and looked up, "uncle Aaron, what's a retard...", Aaron shook his head at that, "HE'S THE retard believe me...Come on...lets get back yeah..."

Aaron had texted ahead, as they walked up the prominade towards the side street where the B&B was located, Jackson was standing there waiting with his shades on, " SOOO.." he slapped his hands together..." did you TWOS have fun without mah", Jack ran to him holding up his fluffy duck, "Uncle Aaron won me a duck!", Jackson took the toy staring at it, then looked up at Aaron with a grin, " BET YOU wanted this really!", Aaron pulled him a face, " AS IF i'll be seen out with THAT thing!" he then watched as Jackson handed it back to his son, "so...I suppose THIS means yah feeling better" told Aaron, Jackson nodded, " I feel GOOD as new...INFACT I were just lying in that B&B...and were thinking a KFC would go down a treat!", Jack was jumping up and down, "KFC, KFC!" he chanted, Aaron licked his lips...there was no need to bother asking him...Aaron LOVED his food...with Jackson giving his son a piggy back...the three of them heading off up the street, to find the nearest KFC...

xx

TBC...

PLEASE review...THEY ARE ALL WELCOME! whether you hate it or like it... xx