Jackson leant against his van outside his latest building job a few miles from Emmerdale. He hadn't been able to get much work done all morning. His mind had been else where and not on the job in hand. He couldn't stop fretting about the young mechanic that he couldn't help but feel for. He'd texted Aaron earlier on that morning, letting him know that he was thinking of him while he attended court. He wasn't sure if Aaron had seen it or not, he hadn't received a text in reply, but then he didn't expect one. They hadn't parted on good terms last time. Even though they were angry with each other, it still didn't mean he didn't care. He cared an awful lot! That's why for the past few hours while being at work he'd been debating whether or not to drive into Hotton and wait for Aaron outside the court rooms. Being a witness he wasn't allowed to step foot in the court room until he was summoned. So he could wait for him outside, it wasn't as if he would be sitting in the public gallery. He didn't want Aaron to think that he didn't care. The teen would be too wound up and troubled as it was without feeling abandoned by him to add to the mix.

"Fuck it." Jackson mumbled under his breath, having debated about it enough. He ripped open the door to his Van and clambered inside. He'd deal with explaining to his employee why he had ditched work half way through the day another time. Surely they would understand when he explained, if not he'd have to talk them round.

"You alright love?" Chas asked when Aaron eventually surfaced from the toilets.

Aaron nodded his head.

"Sure? You look a bit pale kid?" Chas questioned cocking one eyebrow as Aaron walked past her to sit down.

"Yes, I'm fine." Aaron sighed, taking a seat next to Cain.

"You heard him." Cain confirmed before clearing his throat.

Chas just rolled her eyes and continued pacing back and forth.

"Never realised . . ." Chas sighed as she came to a realisation. "Where's Jackson?"

Aaron shrugged his shoulders.

"I thought you'd spoken to him." Chas pushed. "Paddy said-."

"I did."

"And? Why isn't he here?" Chas questioned.

Aaron gritted his jaw together. He didn't want to get into a discussion with his mother about his and Jackson's complicated relationship. He didn't even know what was going on at the moment between them. Let alone explain it all to his mother who was firing twenty questions his way.

"Because was had an argument." Aaron growled.

"What about now?" Chas groaned, completely unaware that her son did not want to speak about it.

"Does it matter." Aaron gritted.

"Yes, I want to know. Maybe I can help." Chas suggested.

"You can't."

"I could. You won't know until you tell me."

Aaron shot her a glare.

"Oh, come on Aaron. I want you to be happy."

Again, Aaron continued to glare at her.

"Fine." Chas huffed. "I'll ask him myself." She added when she caught sight of Jackson amongst the few people that were milling around in the corridor.

"No you won't!" Aaron snapped. He didn't want her to sorting his problems out. He could do that himself.

"Are you sure? It won't be that difficult for me." Chas continued, aware that Aaron had yet to spot him.

"Yes!" Aaron shot at her quickly.

"That's a shame." Chas huffed again with a smirk on her face as Jackson neared.

"Alright twinkle-toes?" Cain greeted when Jackson approached.

Aaron's head snapped up at the typical greeting directed to Jackson by Cain, surprised to find the builder there.

"Alright." Jackson answered a little unsure of the response he would receive from Aaron.

"What're you doing here?" Aaron shot at him. Jackson was right to be a little unsure.

"I thought you might need-." Jackson started before Aaron snapped at him.

"I don't need anything!" Aaron shouted at him, drawing a few people's attention there way.

"Aaron. . ." Chas warned. She didn't want her son ruining his relationship with Aaron, especially today of all days.

"What?" Aaron snapped at her. He was confused.

"Aaron." Jackson tried again. "I'm sorry. Let's just put what happened in the past few weeks behind us, okay, and focus on today."

For a short while Aaron just stared back at Jackson as the older man held his breath. He didn't want this anymore. He wanted Aaron and he sure as hell knew that Aaron wanted him. But the younger man was too stubborn to admit that.

"Fine." Aaron mumbled just loud enough for people to strain to hear.

For a while an awkward silence drifted between them all, unsure what to say next. Jackson was the first to break it.

"What's happened so far?" He asked them.

Aaron, typically, shrugged his shoulders.

"Not much. There was a hold up earlier." Chas told him. "Harrison's only told Aaron's side to the Judge."

"What was the hold up about?" Jackson questioned.

"Not sure. I think they said something about missing paperwork or something. . . ." Chas vaguely answered.

"That doesn't sound good." Jackson muttered.

"Anyway, you shouldn't even be here!" Chas swiped at him.

"Technically I'm not in court. . ." Jackson corrected.

Chas rolled her eyes. "Just make sure you don't get into trouble for being here." Chas scolded before leaving it at that. "Come on Cain, let's go get a coffee while we wait for them in there to get themselves sorted."

When both, Cain and Chas, had rounded the corner, Jackson took the vacant seat beside the younger man. He looked terrible, but then should he really be surprised. Who would look their best standing in Aaron's shoes right now? No one would. The teen was pale and dark shadows lurked beneath his eyes. His forehead was pulled together, a constant worried/anxious expression.

"Did you get much sleep last night?" Jackson asked, knowing that Aaron had had sleeping problems a few months back because of Darrel.

"A little." Aaron said. He wasn't lying. He'd gotten a few hours sleep here and there.

"Good." Jackson nodded. "I never stopped thinking about you, you know that don't you?"

Aaron nodded his head.

"I don't want you to ever think that I don't care for you." Jackson explained to him. "The other day, when we argued, I didn't mean for us to. I was just . . . I was looking out for you. You've got to understand that."

Aaron nodded his head again as he stared across the corridor to the wall in front.

"So how are you?" Jackson asked. He wasn't just being polite. He really wanted to know how Aaron was coping with it all. He'd left him, put them on a break, when Aaron needed him the most and he felt bad about that, always would. He wanted to know how Aaron was, how he felt about it all, how it was affecting him.

"Okay, I suppose." Aaron answered. He was never going to be the one to talk.

"Suppose?" Jackson pushed.

Aaron shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah."

". . . so you're okay?" Jackson questioned. "With it all, what's happening?"

"Yeah." Aaron answered.

Jackson knew Aaron. He knew that nobody would be okay with going into court and facing their attacker. "You sure about that?" Jackson pushed once more. "Because I know for a fact that anybody would be less then okay walking into court and relieving their worst nightmare a dozen times whilst their attacker stood in the very same room."

Aaron glared at Jackson. He'd tried not to think of it in that way. "I thought you were supposed to be making me feel better?"

Jackson shrugged. "Sorry." He wasn't. He needed to get Aaron to open up to him more. A bottled up Aaron, was never a good Aaron. He remained silent as he stared back at Aaron, waiting for him to honestly answer his question.

"What do you want me to say?" Aaron cracked after a while.

"Just let me know what you're thinking." Jackson sighed. That's all he wanted. "I take it Darrel was in there." Jackson pushed.

"Yeah."

"You saw him then?" Jackson asked.

Aaron nodded his head. "Yeah, he was on the other side of the court room."

"And. . ."

"And what?" Aaron shot at him. What did Jackson honestly want him to say?

Jackson let out an exasperated sigh. "You are impossible." It was like getting blood out of a stone.

Aaron, honestly didn't have a clue what Jackson wanted him to say. He was never going to be one to start running on about how he felt, ever.

A/N – Sorry that I haven't update in a while guys. My muse has just vanished and it's been very hard to cling on to it recently I've been too tired to do anything let alone create an update. But I have been thinking of what to do next in this fanfic and such like. I would just like to thank the anonymous review I received a think yesterday or the day before. I loved reading what you thought. I'm overjoyed to hear that you think I'm keeping to the characters true portrayal. You did not in anyway come across rude or demanding a love to hear where you think this fanfic could go or should go. So no, not all offended in anyway, I love to know what you think, same goes to all my other reviews. I hope you all enjoyed this little update, it's not much but it's all I could muster tonight.