I've skipped ahead a little with this chapter. It is set two weeks after Chapter 21. - Aaron is out of hospital and this chapter is all from his POV.
Warning: Very sensitive content.
Chapter 22
The Woolpack - Aaron's POV
I'll never, ever forget it. That day I lay in that hospital bed, Cain coming in to see me, tears evident in his eyes. I knew right there something was wrong, that something really bad happened. Worse than what happened to me. The man I looked up to and idolised was in tears in front of me. I hadn't really known Cain all that long, about two years, but I knew not to mess with him. I knew he was hardcore, he never let anyone get in his way to stop him getting what he wanted. He'd never cried, even people who knew him all his life said he never cried. He sat down on the edge of my bed, rested his hand on my shoulder and made me promise to be strong. I still remember every single detail of that conversation, every little emotion, my heartbreaking sobs when the news was broken.
That night Ed burned down the garage, and he told me Jackson was inside, I thought he was bluffing. He'd already taken Adam away from me, I never thought he would do the same to Jackson. Cain told me all about how when the fire officers and forensic inspectors were investigating the fire, they'd found the burnt out shell of a car. It was ordered to go straight to the scrap heap. But then an eagle-eyed officer realised something wasn't quite right. The charred remains of fabric were sticking out of the boot of the car. Cain told them previously that when the car came in for repairs, he'd inspected the car thoroughly and there was nothing out of the ordinary in there. They'd battled to pop the boot open, and that's when they saw it. Saw him. What was left of my best friend, my soul mate, my reason for living was lying in the boot of that car. He'd been literally burnt alive.
I can't help but imagine what must have gone through his mind. The pain that he'd felt, the fight he put up to get out of that car. When he realised it was useless and he had to give up and just wait for it to happen. Did he cry? Did he shout for me?
I wish I'd never gone to Bar West that night. I'd have never met Ed, Adam would be alive too and everything would be how it should be. I may never have made it up with Jackson if it wasn't for what Ed did to me, but he would have been alive. Yet again he got involved with me and look what's happened. After everything we'd been through to try to make it right.
The police confirmed that Ed was dead too. They said his clothes had petrol fumes on them and there was enough evidence to prove that he had started that fire. I'll always be thankful to Cameron, for killing him, but it's not enough. My life now is as good as over, Mum bless her, she's trying her best, I know that, but that's not enough. Hers and Cain's love is not enough to keep me going. Not when I only want it from one person. I'll never get anyone as good as Jackson again. I never WILL want anyone else.
I'm standing in my bedroom at the Woolpack, looking at myself in the mirror. Looking at that scar running across my throat. It's still as angry-looking as it was when I left the hospital. Doctors have told me It'll never heal, It'll never go away. It'll fade slightly in time, they said, but it'll still be very stark against the pale white skin on my neck. Who's going to love this eh? I know one person who would.
I know what I need to do. I quickly scribble a note for my mum, Telling her I'm safe, not to come looking for me and that I'll always love her. I thank her for everything, but tell her It's not enough. I can't cope being here anymore and I have to go. I glance at the calendar as I walk past, the massive red circle on the date catches my eye. 6th October 2010. I remember now. Why I circled it. I was planning on taking Jackson out, a meal and everything and somehow, summoning up the courage to ask him to marry me. I take one final look at my room and head down the stairs, noticing Diane's car keys on the side table in the hall. She'll never forgive me for this but it's something I have to do. If I don't do it now, I'll never get the courage to be able to do it again.
I sneak out of the house and to the car, Jimmy King sees me and shouts something at me as I jump into Diane's car and speed off. I know where I'm going..I think. I've passed it a few times when I've gone on call-outs for Cain.
As I near my destination I speed up, I keep it going, faster and faster and deliberately swerve. I feel the pain as the car rolls, I feel the glass stabbing into me as the windscreen shatters. The car smashed through the metal barriers and landed on its side. I'm glad I'm still conscious. I want to feel every bit of this. I want to feel the pain Jackson did when he burnt alive in that garage. A low rumbling gains volume as it gets closer and closer to me and I look up, staring out of the hole smashed through the driver's window. As I await the pain and that familiar blackness, one thing runs through my mind. It'll always be Aaron & Jackson. Forever.
TBC