"We'll have to start resercing you a room before long." The Doctor joked light heartedly as she exmaind Aaron. It was the third time he'd been in hospital in under a year. First his suicide attempt, then the fall down the stairs and now this.
"I swear he's accident prone." Jackson laughed when Aaron didn't say anything. He was one for little words.
He was no longer in any intense pain like he had been on the road. As soon as he had arrived in A&E the medical team had injected him with pain killers to prevent him from screaming out in agony whenever anyone tried to touch or move his leg. Jackson had told him off a few times when a few choice words left the teen's mouth. It hurt the older man to see Aaron in such pain but there was nothing he could do. It seemed whenever they seemed to have turned a corner and made some sort of progress no matter how small, something negative would crop up. Nothing was dull where Aaron was concerned.
"All things considered you've come away quite lightly." The doctor told him. "I'll send you for an x-0ray to make sure there isn't any more damage that I aren't aware of to be extra careful."
"Fantastic." Aaron sighed as he closed his eyes and tilted his head back on the pillow. He couldn't afford to be on crutches with a broken leg. He wouldn't be able to return to work for weeks just when he'd only started back. Cain would go nuts.
"Chin up, like Doctor Patel said, could be a lot worse." Jackson said which earned him a glare from a very unhappy Aaron.
"The car only just clipped me!" Aaron exclaimed a few minutes after the doctor had left.
"Only just? The driver just about managed to slow down enough to not throw you over his car or send you flying through the air." Jackson argued, not believing Aaron's attitude. "You're incredibly lucky you've not just got a broken leg."
"Whatever." Aaron snapped, frustrated.
"While you're getting x-rayed again, I'll just go check on Clyde." Jackson told him. They'd left Clyde in the pick-up truck in the hospital car park. Nina had gotten a taxi, after calling another garage to deal with her car and Jackson and driven the pick up truck to the hospital after the paramedics had gotten Aaron in the ambulance. "I really think you should let me tell Paddy about this."
"I told you before, there's no point worrying him." Aaron reminded him.
Jackson left Aaron with a raised eyebrow. He didn't agree with not telling Paddy, the older man would want to know but it wasn't his place to do so. All he could do was follow through with Aaron's wishes.
They waited another until the results from the x-rays came back and the pain killers Aaron had previously been issued with were now quickly slipping out of his system.
"Mr Livesy I have your results." Doctor Patel announced as she whipped back the cubicle curtain and flung it shut again.
"Oh great." Aaron sarcastically said.
Jackson rolled his eyes. "Anything we don't know about already?"
"Aaron is incredibly lucky; it seems he's just broken his tibia (shin bone)." Doctor Patel explained as she looked at the X-ray results. "I don't think we will need to operate on your leg at the moment, but that means you will have to be extra careful."
"What do you mean at the moment?" Jackson asked picking up on what the doctor had said, while Aaron seemed to not really care what the doctor said. His leg was broken end of.
"Well if he pushes his leg to far too soon he may aggravate the fracture which will then lead to a more serious break." Doctor Patel told him. "For now the fracture can be treated with a simple cast and lots of rest."
"He'll be good at that." Jackson joked.
Doctor Patel smiled. "I'll send a nurse in soon to get you to the plaster room and get you off home, it will be a temporary cast for now until the plastering department opens up in the morning. You'll have to come back then to get fibreglass cast." Doctor Patel told Aaron. "I'll prescribe you some pain killers as well."
"Thank you Doctor Patel." Jackson said when Aaron made no effort to thank the doctor him self.
When he turned to Aaron he could see he had his eyes closed and breathing in through his nose deeply as he tried to block out the pain that was beginning to throb through his lower right leg.
"You alright?" Jackson asked Aaron placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Yep." Aaron said popping the 'p'. "I'm fine."
"ARGH!" Aaron screamed out as the Nurse lifted his leg to get the bandage on it.
"Can't you give him any more pain killers?" Jackson asked the nurse almost desperately seeing his boyfriend in so much pain.
"I'm sorry but those Paracetamol I gave him ten minutes ago is all I can give him." The nurse apologised genuinely. "I'll be as quick and gentle as I can."
"Please." Jackson sighed from his seat next to Aaron on the bed.
Aaron was lying on the bed, eyes squeezed shut, one hand clutching the bed sheets by his side and the older gripping the side of his head as he tried to block out the burning pain that was firing up and down his leg while the Nurse tried to get his leg in a cast. His trackies he had been wearing had been cut by the Paramedics awhile ago to get to his leg, so the nurse needn't worry about him being able to get them on and off. The paramedics had cut the inside of his right leg trouser and then cut them off at the hip, leaving him with just his left trouser and top half of his trackies. He didn't care about that at the moment though.
"Paddy's going to be shocked when you come home tonight with a bloody great cast on your leg." Jackson laughed as the Nurse asked Aaron to roll onto his front carefully so she could plaster the back of his leg.
"Oh don't worry, when you come back tomorrow for your second cast it will be a lot smaller." The nurse assured them. "And lot less heavy."
"Does it weigh a lot then Aaron?" Jackson asked him.
Aaron nodded his head.
Another hour later and Jackson was standing near Aaron, ready to help him out if he got himself into trouble trying to heave himself up into the pick up truck. Jackson had gotten Clyde out of Pick-up truck and he was currently sitting by feet obediently, he didn't want Aaron tripping over him. Like the doctor said Aaron was lucky to get away without surgery.
"Sure you don't need a hand." Jackson asked as Aaron had his back to the Pick-Up trucks cab and pulled himself up onto the passengers seat by his arms. The teen just glared at Jackson. He wasn't incapable. "Fine, whatever!" Jackson sighed holding his hands up. He waited until Aaron managed to swing his legs up into the cab before he pushed the door shut and got Clyde into the back.
"You do realise Paddy's going to have a fit when he sees you hobble through that door with that humongous cast on!" Jackson exclaimed when they pulled up outside Smithy Cottage.
It was gone five and Aaron had already received a few texts from Debbie and Cain, asking where he was. He had one from Paddy telling him Debbie was asking after him and asking him where he was as well. They'd been gone a good six hours.
"Debbie and Cain have been texting me." Aaron told Jackson ignoring his comment. "You couldn't get this back to the garage for me could you? I would but . . ."
Jackson raised an eyebrow. "Course I will you prat." Jackson laughed. "But first lets get you and Clyde inside."
"Nah, I'm alright. You can take this back while I go inside." Aaron protested. "If not Debbie will be round to kill me if she spots the pick up truck still here."
He didn't wait for Jackson to argue with him. He pushed the door open with a little effort as he couldn't quite reach to push it all the way open and reached for his crutches in the back. He was determined to do things himself and accept no help off of anyone. Once out of the truck he balanced himself on one crutch and one leg as he opened the back door of the truck to let Clyde out before shoving it shut and nearly toppling over.
"Careful!" Jackson scolded, ready to unbuckle his seat belt and help Aaron.
Aaron sent him another filthy look before taking his time to walk the short distance to the door. Jackson waited until Aaron managed to walk inside before driving off.
Cain and Debbie were both at the garage when he returned the pick up truck. No sooner had he stepped out of the truck had Cain hastily come off the garage phone and stormed up to him.
"Where the hell is Aaron?" Cain demanded when he didn't see Aaron getting out the pick up truck. ". . . Well?"
"About that . . . It's kind of a long story." Jackson told him casually.
"I don't care how long it is. I want to know what the hell is going on!" Cain almost shouted. "Debbie leaves for five minutes and finds the garage locked up because Aaron's gone on a disappearing act with the truck!"
"No need to get your knickers in a twist." Jackson laughed unaffected by Cain's in-his-face demeanour.
Cain glared holes into his skull. Still waiting to be informed about what was going on.
"Aaron went out on a Call out -and I went with him before you go mad." Jackson started. "We ended up having to take Aaron to hospital after Clyde decided to run out into the middle of the road after a bird or something." He explained.
"What? Aaron's in hospital?" Debbie piped up from inside the garage.
"No- he was." Jackson told her.
"What happened?" Cain ordered to know.
"Got hit by a car."
"Oh god!" Debbie exclaimed hand over her mouth, as she joined them on the forecourt.
"Don't worry, he's just broken his leg, nothing too serious." Jackson assured them seeing the look of horror on Debbie's face.
"Stupid idiot!" Cain yelled. "I've told him before not to go out on call outs!"
"Yeah but you know as well I do Cain, there's no stopping him when his minds made up." Jackson told the older man.
"Yeah dad, he's a bit like you in that respect." Debbie quipped.
Cain rolled his eyes and let out a large breath as he placed his hands on his hips. "And as for that Dog! I've told him not to bring him to work! It's a hazard."
"Again . . . there's no telling him." Jackson sighed.
"When do you think he'll be back at work?" Cain asked as Jackson handed him the keys to the Pick-up Truck.
"Who knows, could be weeks." Jackson told him.
"Stupid prat." Cain muttered under his breath.
"Anyway, best be getting back." Jackson said turning on his heel. "Don't want to find Aaron's tripped over a rug and ended back in hospital again, they're gonna have to fit a revolving door for him!"
Meanwhile back at Smithy, Aaron had just about gotten himself into the lounge when he heard Paddy walking through from the surgery, calling back to Pearl that she could go home early over his shoulder. He nearly bumped into Aaron was standing by the door to the kitchen, unsteadily balancing on his crutches and an incredibly heavy leg.
"Woah!" Paddy giggled before getting shock at the sight of Aaron. "What the Hell happened?" He exclaimed.
Aaron looked a little sheepishly to the floor. "Urm. . . I fell over?" Aaron fibbed.
Paddy raised his eyebrows, not believing the teen. "Really Aaron?" Paddy questioned.
"Can I sit down first Paddy before I tell you? My leg is killing me!" Aaron said.
"Oh god! Sure!" Paddy said, stepping out of the way to make a clear path from the doorway to the sofa for Aaron. He watched as Aaron struggled to free his arms from the crutches and lower himself on to the sofa with his leg in a full cast.
Paddy took a seat opposite Aaron on the coffee table and waited for the younger man to start explaining. He didn't think he could take any more surprises from the teen.
"I got hit by a car." Aaron told him bluntly. There was no point beating round the bush.
Paddy seemed to impersonate a gold fish for a few seconds before actually sounding a word. "What?"
"I got hit by a-."
"Yes! I heard what you said." Paddy quickly interrupted. "How? What? W-when?"
Aaron let out a long sigh and rolled his eyes before beginning to explain exactly what happened.
After he had finished Paddy didn't look too impressed.
"I told you not to take Clyde to work!" Paddy scolded. "Where is he now?" Paddy asked quickly looking around for the Alsatian.
"Yeah, I'm fine Paddy." Aaron said sarcastically. "Thanks for asking."
Paddy gave him a pointed look. "Don't get smart with me!" Paddy told him getting to his feet.
"Clyde's fine!" Aaron called after Paddy as he went through into the kitchen.
"I should hope so!" Paddy shouted back.
At that moment Jackson returned home minus the pick-up truck.
"Everything alright?" Jackson greeted as he ditched his coat on one of the kitchen chairs.
"Fantastic, especially when I tell Chas that Aaron was in hospital again today!" Paddy exclaimed.
"Alright, calm down Paddy." Jackson laughed trying to lighten the mood. He hadn't seen Paddy so worked up before.
"Calm down?" Paddy said nearly teetering on high pitched tones. "Chas's eighteen year old son, who has been left in my care has just been admitted to hospital for a third time this year!" Paddy rushed. "She's not going to be happy when I call her to tell her that her son has been hit by a car breaking his leg! He looks a right state."
"You're not going to call her are you!" Aaron shouted through from the lounge. It was the least he wanted his mother coming round to fuss over him or rant him another lecture.
"I can't not Aaron!" Paddy called back.
"You can!"
"Aaron, leave it. . ." Jackson warned, he wasn't surprised Paddy was agitated by it all. The older man wouldn't be able to take no more. "Why don't I call her for you?" Jackson suggested.
"Nah, you're alright." Paddy declined.
"Sure?"
Paddy nodded his head. "Thanks though."
"Jackson!" Aaron called from the lounge.
"What?" Jackson called back walking through.
"I left the pain killers in the truck." Aaron told him.
"Aaron . . ." Jackson whined.
"Don't worry, I'll get them." Aaron said already trying to get to his feet but failing.
"No! You just stay there for now where I know you won't come to any harm." Jackson ordered him.
Aaron sank back down into the sofa as Jackson went back through into the kitchen where Paddy was no putting the kettle on.
"I might as well pop over and see Chas to let her know what's happened after I've got his medication from the pick-up truck." Jackson informed Paddy. "Save you the bother."
"Thanks." Paddy sighed.
"Don't mention it. Just make sure he doesn't do anything else stupid." Jackson joked as he pulled his coat on again to leave.
"Don't worry. I'll keep a watchful eye on him." Paddy assured him.
A/N – Thank you for all the kind reviews I've received! Don't worry I never abandon a fanfic, I will always pick it back up in the future. There's nothing worse than unfinished fanfic I always think, so I would never do that to you guys. Hope you enjoy this update! Always interested to see what you think and I'm open to any suggestions, I always try to include them in each update If I can! Enjoy!