Later on that night Jackson returned from the garage with Aaron's pain killers, as well having dropped by at Chas to inform her of her son's latest injury. It had taken him a while to explain and to calm her down afterwards, convincing her that Aaron was in safe hands under his watchful eyes. It explained why he didn't return until a couple of hours later after leaving Smithy Cottage. When he'd gotten back Aaron seemed to be in even more pain then when he left, having gone longer then he needed to , to take any medication.
"Where is he?" Jackson asked he walked into the living room from the outside to find just Hazel and Paddy sitting watching T.V.
"Upstairs." Hazel answered him.
Jackson raised his eyebrows. "How did he get up there?" Jackson questioned, assuming Paddy helped Aaron get up the twenty eight steps.
"You don't want to know!" Hazel exclaimed rolling her eyes, remembering the little argument involved.
Jackson shrugged his shoulders and carried on through to see Aaron and give him what he was sent after. As he went into the kitchen he saw Aaron's crutches balanced on the side of the table. "Mum?" Jackson called back. "How exactly did Aaron get upstairs? His crutches are down here?" He asked popping his head back round the living room door.
This time it was Paddy who answered him. "He shuffled up on his bum." Paddy laughed.
Never in million years would Jackson imagine Aaron shuffling up the stairs on his bum. "Really?"
"Really!" Hazel sighed.
He picked Aaron's crutches up on his way upstairs and found Aaron lying on the bed when he had gotten up their. He was lying on his back, unable to get into any other position, watching the small flat screen TV in the corner.
"Got them." Jackson said, making Aaron jump as he chucked the paper bag full of boxes and pills at him.
"Thanks." Aaron said, making no effort to move the pills from where they had landed on his stomach.
"You alright?" Jackson asked, placing the metal crutches on the floor by the bed and climbing on top as well.
"Yeah, fine." Aaron murmured before returning his gaze back to the TV.
Jackson propped himself on one elbow so he could look at Aaron properly. "You sure?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Aaron snapped. "Just hurts a bit."
"Most probably knocked it about a bit shuffling up them stairs." Jackson laughed as he climbed back off the bed. "I'll get you some water so you can take some of those." Jackson told him before he left the room.
The next morning it seemed Aaron was in no better mood. He wanted to grab a shower before he got dressed and went downstairs but Jackson had told him that he wasn't allowed to even get a shower.
"Why not?" Aaron snapped as he perched on the edge of the bed while Jackson pulled on a clean t-shirt.
"Because if you get that wet, they won't be happy." Jackson explained.
"And?" Aaron shot back. "I'm getting a different one later this morning."
"I know, but still. . ." Jackson reasoned. "Just don't, be on the safe side."
Aaron let out a huff as Jackson buckled his belt, kissed Aaron on the forehead and disappeared downstairs while Aaron got dressed.
Aaron desperately wanted a shower. He planned on getting one when he got back from work yesterday but that hadn't happened. If he didn't get one today it would be two days without one and he was beginning to feel rather disgusting. Did it really matter if he were to get his cast wet? He could stick that leg out of the shower, couldn't he? Besides if it did so happen to get wet he'd be getting a knew one in a few hours, so no harm done really.
He reached over and grabbed a towel from the end of the bed, slinging it over his shoulders as he picked up his crutches and began to head towards the bathroom. Once in side, he made sure locked the door behind him and started the shower. He hoped Paddy had the radio on like usual this morning, that way the usual radio station Paddy had blaring out downstairs to sing along to would drown out the sound of the shower running, going unnoticed by Jackson.
He thought he just about had everything covered. His idea of having his injured leg out of the shower worked, balancing on his good leg taking all his weight as he tried to wash himself. His leg was beginning to grow very tired, he'd only been in the shower for not even ten minutes when it was beginning to grow unbearable. His good leg began to shake as he was determined to finish his shower properly. He could last another five minutes couldn't he?
"Aaron!" Jackson called out on the landing outside the bathroom door. "Aaron!" He sounded angry.
"What?" Aaron snapped through clenched teeth as he reached for the shampoo.
"What the hell did I tell you?" Jackson scolded from outside the bathroom.
Aaron rolled his eyes as he squeezed a little shampoo on the palm of his hands and began to rub it into his closely shaven hair while he reached back to the shelf to place whoever's shampoo he had just used back. He could feel his good leg threatening to give way at any moment. All he needed to do was rinse out the shampoo and he could get out. Just a little bit longer.
"If you get that cast wet and do more damage, so you help Aar-!" Jackson started lecture.
He could see it happening before it even did. It was as if it was all happening very slowly, he could see it all clearly. He reached just a little too far, putting more strain on his already threatening leg. Before he knew it he was on the floor, merely missing landing on his injured leg but catching it on something on his way down all the same. He tried not to yell out in pain. He clenched his mouth shut and squeezed his eyes shut as he placed his hands on the very top of his injured leg where the cast stopped, pressing down hard. He hoped it would block out some of the pain.
"Aaron!" Jackson shouted through the door, panicked after hearing the commotion inside.
Taking a deep breath to steady his breathing and heart beat Aaron answered him calmly. "I'm fine Jackson!"
"Please tell me you didn't fall over?" Jackson called through the wood.
"I didn't fall over." Aaron lied hissing out in pain as he tried to move. He needed to turn the shower off but the effort needed was too much. His cast was beginning to get damp. Jackson was going to kill him now. Why couldn't he ever listen to him?
"Are you lying to me Aaron?"
"No!" Aaron snapped grabbing a towel from the side of the bath to pull around himself.
"Let me in Aaron." Jackson ordered starting to grow worried.
"I'm fine! Just leave me alone Jackson. Can't I even grab a shower now without getting pestered!" Aaron snapped at him. He didn't need this. He didn't' need Jackson knowing he was right and lecturing him about it all. What he needed right now was to get up off the floor! But his leg was in so much pain he didn't even think that was possible. He decided he would stay were he was for now, until the pain subsided a little, and then he would get up. He just hoped his cast would dry off a little before he got out. That's if he ever got out. He hated himself right now. He looked like a right prat lying on the bathroom floor with nothing but a towel hastily wrapped around his waist to cover himself up and bloody great white cast over the whole of his right leg.
"Be like that then!" Jackson yelled back before he heard him stomping back down the stairs.
Aaron ran his hands ups his face and down the top of his head. He was such an idiot sometimes!
Half an hour later and Aaron was still in the bathroom. The pain had subsided a little a bit by now, not much but a little. He would just have to pop a couple of extra pills to help when he made it back into the bedroom. He was currently trying to get back up again. He'd gotten himself into a sitting position and shuffled himself along so his back was to the side of the bath. He was going to have too use his arms on the side of the bath behind him to pull himself up to sit on the edge of it and take it from their. It took him a couple of tries but he got there, taking a breather as he sat on the edge of the bath.
"Aaron!" He heard called through the door again, it was Paddy this time. "You alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine Pads." Aaron breathed.
"You sure?" Paddy questioned.
Aaron leaned over towards the door, unlocked it and swung it open to reveal an anxious looking Paddy. "See look!" Aaron said gesturing to himself, still with only just a towel round his waist. "I'm fine."
Paddy made a misbelieving sound in his mouth before making a move to go back downstairs.
"Paddy!" Aaron called for him.
"Yes?"
"You couldn't pass me my Crutches could you, I'm knackered." Aaron admitted as he nodded his head towards the items discarded on the other side of the room.
"Sure."
Once inside his room with the door closed, Aaron let out a breath he hadn't been aware he had been holding in. He felt physically sick with the amount of pain radiating up his leg, mixed with the worry that if he had done any more damage to his already injured leg what Jackson would do/say when he found out. The first thing he did was reach for the pain killers on the side of his bed, swallowing them dry before pulling on a pair of clean bowers, faffing around with his cast in the way.
"Do you need a hand?" Jackson asked quietly as he walked into the room.
Aaron looked up from trying to tug his trackies on over his cast. "Nah, I'm alright thanks."
"You sure?" Jackson asked innocently, he knew Aaron would never be able to get his trackies over the cast, they wouldn't fit no matter how hard he tried.
"Why does everyone keep asking me that!" Aaron snapped instantly angry.
"Asking you what?" Jackson questioned puzzled by what he may of said to tick Aaron off this time.
"If I'm 'sure'! I think I know if I am or not!" Aaron growled.
"Just looking out for you that's all." Jackson told him as he hunted around in the drawers for a pair of his lose fitting sweatpants.
"Well I don't need you to! I can look out for myself!" Aaron shot back with a snarl.
"Suit yourself." Jackson said tossing the navy Hollister sweatpants at Aaron's lap before he headed to the door. "They'll fit over your cast."
Aaron stared down at the item of clothing Jackson had just given him. Again, why did he have to be such an idiot? He was only helping him and he'd practically torn his head off.
A/N – Wooo! Another update! Two updates in two days, I'm on a roll but for how long for I do not know. So enjoy it while I am! Again suggestions, views and reviews are all appreciated. Thanks PIP and shawnyalo your views on the fanfic are always appreciated to me, they help me so much. Thank you again!