AARON & JACKSON

-1912-

"Hurt Lovers"

Jackson floated in the water in front of Aaron who was lying facing him on the large chunk of debris. Jackson's eyes were opening and closing, he was feeling weak – he knew now how Aaron had felt earlier when they'd reunited in the water. He let out a deep breath and opened his eyes slowly and focussed on his boyfriend. A small smile spread across his lips; somehow the sight of him warmed him and the numbness he felt vanished – if only; it was only his imagination, but the sight of Aaron Livesy still gave him butterflies, he always would. "It's getting quiet" Jackson stuttered then began to cough.

Aaron nodded and for the first time noticed the ice on Jackson's hair, eyebrows and along his beard, he knew he was probably suffering the ice the same. "Jackson, please get on here" his tone was desperate and frightened.

Jackson breathed in deeply as his body continuously shuddered, he shook his head. "Y-Y-you have to be safe Aaron"

Aaron pulled himself toward Jackson a little more and rested his forehead against Jackson's. "Listen, I appreciate the selfless act I do but when it comes down to me being without you I don't even want to imagine my life so please I' am begging you Jackson, get your arse on this chunk of wood now or I'm getting back in the water"

Jackson pulled back and looked him in the eyes, his forehead wrinkled as he frowned defining the ice layer on his skin in the process. "You wouldn't"

"It's your choice" Aaron told him and clenched his jaw; he was ready to carry out his threat. "We've come too far to lose each other already, four days Jackson, four days…" he sighed. "Why just four days when we can…" his voice cracked at the emotion as the lump in his throat could be felt. "…W-When we can have the rest of our lives?" he cried.

Jackson began to cry too. "I'm scared Aaron…I-I had to try and save you, I love you so, so much"

Aaron wiped his tears away and nodded. "I love you too Jackson" he told him then he sat up precariously on his knees causing the debris to wobble slightly then he moved his hand to let go of Jackson's but it wouldn't. "Fair enough" he muttered. "Jackson, I'm going to pull, you have to help yourself too"

Jackson really had no idea what was going on he was so confused and so weak but he nodded anyway then immediately felt a pull on his body. Aaron moved back along the debris so Jackson's body could get onto it. With his free hand Jackson placed it on the debris and pushed himself along then found himself flat on his face, his legs however still in the water.

Aaron nodded; it was all good so far. He breathed heavily and then held onto Jackson's wrist and attempted to pull his hand off Jackson's, it was a struggle but seconds later both hands were realised from the ice seal; which freed Aaron to moved carefully around Jackson and pull his legs out of the water. Then out of sheer exhaustion he lay on his back beside Jackson, his eyes closing slowly then reopening again. "There…" he panted his chest rose up and down quickly. "Y-You'll be okay…I promise"

"I'm so cold" Jackson shakily replied.

Aaron turned to look at Jackson. "I'll get us out of this Jackson, trust me"

"I trust you" he told him with a nod then propped himself up onto his elbows and looked around, all he could see were the other passengers in the darkness. He could see a light in the distance, he sighed if it was a lifeboat coming back it was too far away. He lay down again on his back and looked at Jackson who seemed to be coming around a bit more, Aaron smiled at him then Jackson shuffled closer and placed his arm over him and they both silently looked up at the bright filled night sky. "I can't believe what's happened" Aaron spoke but his voice was rapidly becoming raspy from the cold and it was a strain.

"Me either"

"Why? How?" Aaron asked with a frown.

"We know why but we won't know the details until there's an investigation, you shouldn't be worrying about this right now Aaron"

Aaron nodded and closed his eyes as Jackson leaned up over him, he frowned in concern. "How's your head?" he asked softly as he looked over the deep gash above his eye.

Aaron opened his eyes and smirked. "That's the least of my worries Jackson" he replied as he reached upward and cupped his boyfriend's cheek.

"Well it's really a worry for me right now" Jackson sat up as carefully as he could. "Can you move?"

Aaron nodded and lifted himself up by his arms but they gave way, his entire body was becoming tensed. "Woah, it's alright babe…" Jackson said as he assisted him and pulled Aaron into him. Aaron's back was resting against Jackson's chest with Jackson's arms tightly around him and he lowered his head so it was cupped in the crook of Aaron's neck and the worsened situation quickly dawned on him once more as Aaron deteriorated again, a mix of the freezing temperature and the bang to the head, he was scared. He inhaled and Aaron's smell filled his senses, it brought tears of happiness but mostly in that moment tears of sadness.

"Jackson" Aaron began weakly as his body shuddered. "I-I'm glad we've had this last bit of time"

Jackson bit his lip and closed his eyes. "This isn't the las-"

"Shh…"he told him then began to cough and Jackson rubbed his chest to try and soothe him. "L-Let me get this out…"

Jackson nodded. "Okay"

"You are perfect, you really are" Aaron began again and turned his head upward to look into Jackson's teary eyes. "From the moment I saw you I knew…obviously I didn't know about you but for me, I just knew…and I' am so happy you came along that night and talked to me" Aaron said then smiled weakly. "Because everything changed, I did and that's down to you…b-before I was on Titanic I wasn't a nice person" Aaron swallowed hard and winced at the strain from it. "And never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd meet someone as special as you. I love you Jackson and if this is the last moments then I want you to know that, I want you to know how grateful I' am to you for everything" Aaron's smile grew. "For looking back at me when we first saw each other…f-for making love to me in my cabin and being so thoughtful and gentle, you are a beautiful person and don't ever let anyone tell you any different…you'll always have these memories"

"A-A-" Jackson was inconsolable from Aaron's words, his breathing hitched as he sobbed. "Aaron, you're not going to die"

"But I don't feel so good Jackson"

"I know babe, I know…me either but we've got to fight" granted Jackson didn't have any head trauma but he needed to find a way for Aaron to at least try.

"I can't" he told him with a sigh. "I've got no energy" his eyes closed. "I-I just want to go home"

"By tomorrow afternoon we'll have our own place" Jackson smiled down at him as his tears still fell and Aaron opened his eyes again and smiled widely.

"I'd like that"

"Me too" Jackson replied with a nod. "We could get a dog"

Aaron chuckled. "I had a dog once"

"Yeah?" Jackson beamed happily; keeping him talking was what he needed to do.

Aaron smiled. "Yeah, a German shepherd, I called him Clyde" he told him as he remembered. "Had him for a good few years but he died…"

"Oh I'm sorry Aaron…I-I…"

"It's alright, we had that animal, human bond…it was the best thing ever until lately…I was devastated"

"I bet…my mum never let us have any pets…" Jackson scoffed. "Too much to consider apparently, might have messed up the pristine house, she never once considered I'd help with it, nah she just said it wasn't a good idea…I was proper excited as well, but you don't always get what you want and well it is my mother after all" Jackson explained with a smirk.

"Yeah, your mother might have been nice toward me when she got in that lifeboat but I'm sorry she's still a bitch"

Both boys then fell into a fit of laughter, the only sound around them and it faded seconds later. Aaron let out a deep breath. "Me and Adam had a good laugh…I might not have had the courage to face up to my feelings towards you without him, he was a one off and the only mate I've ever had"

Jackson nodded as he looked at Aaron thoughtfully. "Mmm…well I owe him everything, one day I'll shake his hand"

Aaron shook his head sadly.

"Aaron he might be okay"

"We don't know that"

"He could have found a boat or something…and if he has they're going to the same place we are and anyway he needs to be alive cause he's going to be your best man"

Aaron scrunched his face. "What?" he asked breathlessly and not from the cold but from the impact of Jackson's words.

"I-I know it sounds-"

"We-We can't Jackson"

"No I know that but you know, me and you…could be our secret, could declare it between ourselves and there you go" Jackson grinned happily.

"A-Are you asking me to-?"

Jackson cut him off as he nodded intently. "Yes Aaron I'm asking you, will you be my husband?"

Aaron's eyes lit up and he lifted himself up as best he could and kissed Jackson passionately on the lips. "In my head I already was" he whispered.

Jackson nodded as their foreheads rested against one another's. Moments later both of them separated quickly and looked around they'd heard something. Jackson rested on his knees and looked around and saw a light in the distance. "A-Aaron, there's a boat!" Jackson said in upmost relief as he began to wave his arms. "There's a boat!" When no reply came Jackson turned and Aaron was lying with his eyes closed. Jackson panicked and turned to face the far off boat. "Help us! Help us!" he screamed.

…..

Help Us! Jackson shot up into a sitting position in the chair, he rubbed his eyes quickly and felt the material of a blanket fall down off his shoulders; he looked around the room and his exhausted eyes caught sight of Aaron asleep in a hospital bed, and the portholes lining the walls reminded him of where they were, the RMS Carpathia. After Jackson had screamed desperately for help, the officer and seamen on the lifeboat had heard his call and several minutes later arrived at their position and Jackson helped them get his unconscious Aaron into the boat and wrapped up warm with blankets, there were another four survivors in the boat.

"I-Is there anymore?" Jackson asked shakily as a blanket was wrapped around him. The officer shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid not sir"

Jackson sighed and lowered his head. Six out of well over a thousand people; He just wanted to cry, cry for Aaron, himself and all of those people but one thing was certain his feelings were certainly shared by the people in the boat with them.

Jackson stood up slowly from the chair; his entire body was stiff and aching. He reached the bed and placed a hand on the safety bar and another on Aaron's cheek, his face had almost regained its colour but a shade of paleness remained. Jackson frowned as he began to remember the encounter with the nurse after Aaron had being seen too. "We're warming him up and we've sealed the cut on his head, without the blood it doesn't look too bad" she smiled and Jackson nodded. "I-Is he family?"

Jackson had nodded and smiled. "Yeah"

"Ahh I thought so, brothers are you?" she had asked as she busied herself as she checked over Aaron.

That question absolutely stumped Jackson…yes family in the sense of the question he'd asked Aaron hours earlier….he had forgot, forgot for a second that he was back in that world. He exhaled and nodded, although annoyed he knew it wasn't the nurse's fault. "Erm, yeah…brothers" he replied with a smile.

"Brother's?" Jackson snorted as he came out of his thoughts and watched over his boyfriend. "Seriously? Well it's best they think that way I suppose…" he told him as he reached for Aaron's hand and held it. "I told you you'd be fine, so now you can wake up and kiss me…you've been asleep long enough"

"Says you…you can snore for England mate" Aaron replied groggily, keeping his eyes closed on purpose to surprise him, then he opened his eyes to see the happiness on his boyfriends face and then his tears. Aaron nodded in sympathy. "I know, I know" he soothed him as he held out his arms for Jackson to take.

Jackson sobbed in Aaron's arms.

"I won't scare you like that again"

"It's alright, you didn't do it on purpose" Jackson told him and Aaron shook his head as Jackson let go of Aaron and pulled himself up. "I love you Aaron"

Aaron smiled and went to reply when there was a knock on the door and the nurse entered. "I'm sorry to disturb you but you have a visitor…and they were very surprised to hear of your survival" she informed them with a smile.

Aaron frowned, as did Jackson. Who is it? They both thought. "Can't get rid of us that easily" Aaron said with a smirk. "Show the mystery visitor in then"

The nurse nodded. "Of course, we'll be arriving in New York in a few hours, once we get there you will be transferred to a hospital so they can check you over more thoroughly and unfortunately statements will need to be taken"

Aaron sighed and nodded, as did Jackson the prospect of reliving their nightmare wasn't something they wished to do.

The nurse nodded and left the room. "You may enter" they both heard her say and they waited, intrigued…

TBC….