Never mind that he had already showered once that morning. He needed another shower, at least he felt like he did. Even thought he had made sure not to look at the pictures in court he couldn't help but be reminded once more. The way his mother looked as him, it was as thought she trying to look for any bruises or marks that had yet to fade or disappear. He hated it. He felt ashamed. He half expected to see the ugly purple and yellow bruises marring his skin when he looked down at his body in the shower to wash himself. He didn't but it still didn't stop him from scrubbing extra hard where he knew there had once been a bruise. He spent ages in the shower, only stepping out when he was satisfied that the disgusting marks left by Darrel where no longer there.

As he made his way across the landing back to his bedroom after his shower he could still hear his mother and the others talking downstairs.

". . . Sitting in that court room. . .I felt sick look at those pictures." He could hear Chas tell them all. "How could- how could anyone do that. . . to my Aaron! My boy!"

"Don't get yourself upset." He heard Hazel comfort her as his mother's sobs were heard up the stairs.

"Tomorrow, I hope that creep get's what he deserves!" Chas threatened through her tears.

"He will Chas, Harrison will make sure of that." Paddy assured her. They all hoped that Darrel would be sent to prison for an awful long time. It was the least he deserved.

"I bloody hop so!" Aaron heard his mum swear.

"He will." Jackson promised.

But would he? It seemed too good to be true. After everything that had happened, everything they had been through, Darrel being sentenced to a stretch in prison was too simple. Aaron was finding it hard to believe. However, he did hope that after tomorrow it would all be over with, he would be stupid not to. He could put it in the past and forget about it. He had forgotten the sentencing was happening tomorrow. Tomorrow in court he would be listening to Darrel trying to worm his way out of all of the attacks on him and his other violent attack on the other poor young man who had been unfortunate to meet Darrel too. He wasn't sure if he could stomach Darrel's lies, bear to hear them.

Before he could listen to anymore that was being said downstairs Clyde came running out of his bedroom and jumped up at him. Luckily there was a wall behind him and no Jackson around when he stumbled backwards.

"Easy boy." Aaron whispered was he pushed Clyde back down on all fours with one hand. "Come on then." He said quietly as he headed back into his bedroom to get dressed.

While Aaron got dressed into an old pair of Jackson sweatpants and a blue t-shirt due to the cold October weather, Clyde had jumped on to the bed and made himself comfortable. The Alsatian didn't even budge when Aaron lowered himself onto the bed to swing his right leg into it to lay down to sleep.

"C'mon Clyde budge over." Aaron ordered him softly, giving the mound of fur a little nudge to help.

Aaron's dog reluctantly shifted over a little to allow Aaron to lie down on his side of the bed before he closed his eyes again to sleep. "What would I do without you, eh?" Aaron muttered into Clyde's fur as he ran his hands through his silky coat. "Why can't they be like you? . . . .You don't say anything . . . look at me like they do."

Clyde opened when eye briefly as is he was responding to his owner, agreeing with him.

No sooner did it fee l like he had fallen asleep, tangling his hands in his Alsatians fur, was Aaron waking up the following morning. Clyde was still beside him, his chest and head draped over Aaron's legs and stomach. Looking around it didn't look as though Jackson had joined him in bed the previous night. Where had he slept?

"Clyde!"

His question was answered when he turned towards the doorway where Jackson had been calling the Alsatian from. A cup of tea was in the builder's hand as he walked into the room with just a pair of crystal white boxers on showing off his all year round tanned skin. "Clyde" Jackson repeated again tapping the edge of the bed to signal to the dog that he had to jump down from the bed.

Just as stubborn as his owner, Clyde just glance towards the older man before settling back down again.

"He's not supposed to be lying on your leg like that." Jackson told Aaron as he climbed under the covers, hiding from the morning chill. "He's too heavy."

"He's fine." Aaron told his boyfriend, causing him to roll his eyes. There was no telling him. It was bad enough he had to sleep on the edge of the bed with a huge furry Alsatian in between them. "What?" Aaron sighed when he caught Jackson rolling his eyes. "He is!"

"I didn't say a thing." Jackson protested his innocence. "Though it would have been nice if I could have actually gotten in bed last night." He teased.

"Clyde doesn't take up as much room as you do." Aaron teased back with a smirk.

"Hey! It's not me who has to have the entire bed to themselves!" Jackson protested slapping Aaron playfully on the arm.

"Whatever." Aaron laughed as he went to pull himself up to sit.

Not too pleased about being disturbed from his sleep for another time that morning, Clyde let out a low growl.

"Sorry mate." Aaron apologized, sliding back down the bed to lie down how he had been.

"Look's like somebody doesn't want you to move." Jackson laughed as he watched Aaron be told by a dog.

"I'm not bothered." Aaron sighed truthfully. "

"I'm sure you're not." Jackson told him turning serious. "But you have to get up in a few minutes and get ready to leave for court."

Aaron groaned.

Before Aaron could express his desire not to go Jackson beat him to it. "Sorry but you have to."

Aaron glared back at Jackson before he sat up in one swift movement, giving Clyde no chance to tell him off, although the Alsatian did snap at him.

"Careful." Jackson warned him weary of his boyfriend's dog.

"He doesn't mean it." Aaron said gently grabbing Clyde's mouth to prove that the dog didn't, before he began rubbing circles along Clyde's jaw and then stroke him over the head.

"One of these days. . ." Jackson sighed.

"One of these days what?" Aaron laughed before turning to him. "How come I haven't got one of those?" he accused pointing to Jackson's mug of tea.

"You have." Jackson corrected him.". . . Downstairs in the kettle."

Aaron opened his mouth about to say something before changing his mind and grabbing Jackson's mug instead, spilling a little on his hip before taking a gulp.

"Hey! Careful, look what you've done." Jackson exclaimed as he pinched the material of Aaron's sweatpants at the hip and lifted them off the younger man's skin slightly so they didn't soak through to his cast.

"What?" Aaron laughed innocently as he finished the tea off.

"You could have ruined you're cast. You can't get it wet!" Jackson scolded him.

"It's only a little bit of tea, it won't harm." Aaron shrugged off, swatting Jackson's hands away after he set down the mug on the floor beside the bed.

Jackson shook his head.

A/N – Another update! Thank you so much for all the great feedback and reviews means so much. Hope you're enjoying the fic! In the next update we may hear the verdict of the court case? Will Darrel be found guilty or not guilty? Who knows. . . . .