AARON & JACKSON

-1912: The Aftermath-

"Into The Light"

Suddenly somewhere out of nowhere the sun rise began and in no time cast light over the compound. Jackson frowned. "It's been too long…" he said sadly.

"Are you giving up?" Adam asked him quickly.

"N-No but its morning Adam he's been in there since yesterday afternoon"

"Aaron's a fighter Jackson; you know that just as well as I do"

Jackson nodded in silence.

"Listen, they haven't stopped searching, they're clearing a lot of debris from the shaft, and they will find him"

"You know the guy I told you about?"

"Yeah"

"They work together, h-he's probably with him right now and that's killing me Adam, he's there for him and I can't be"

"That's not your fault" Adam told him bluntly, while he understood all the possible thoughts running through Jackson's mind there was no time for any of that.

"Still…he's probably brain washing him" he chuckled at the stupidity of that comment and dropped his head in his hands. "He wants Aaron I know he does, he seems pushy…"

Adam placed his arm around him and pulled him close. "Aaron's not stupid"

"No, you're right he's not but if he has any feelings for him he'll know he'll just be hiding them"

"But what will you do if he wants you?"

Jackson shrugged. "Either way we need to talk, if he wants me we have to get back to normal, I'm hoping this surprise I've been sorting out actually sorts him out"

"What surprise?" Adam frowned in confusion.

"His mum Adam, she's on her way here or will be in a day or so"

"Oh" Adam's eyes widened. "He's missing her a lot"

Jackson nodded. "I wrote her a letter, bought a ticket and put some money in it for her, sent it express, cost loads but I don't care I just want to see Aaron happy you know, I miss his smile I don't expect a reply she hopefully will just get on the ship"

"She'll come" Adam told him with a smile.

"I really hope so"

…

Aaron's eyes opened slowly, and he didn't need his eyes to adjust to tell him he was still stuck. He sighed quietly and was suddenly aware of Mark sat beside him. He felt guilty for being quite nasty to him. "You okay?" Aaron asked quietly.

"You're awake" Mark smiled. "I'm okay, breathings difficult though"

Aaron nodded, he knew how that felt.

"I-I heard some footsteps a little while ago, moving around, shouting…didn't seem far away, I shouted back, they heard"

"They did? Y-You've been awake all night?"

Mark nodded. "Yeah, I told you not to fall asleep but you couldn't help it…I've been keeping an eye on you"

"Oh…thanks" the back and forth game of nice then pushy confused him so much. Aaron liked him when he was nice.

"You're welcome and they did hear me yeah, said it might be a while before they get to us, I told them your legs were trapped, t-that seems to be an issue"

"Why?"

"Oh they just have to be more careful when they reach us that's all, and when they do it'll be slow so that the pressure isn't removed in one go, if that happens too quick you could go into shock"

"Ah, one last hurdle then" he chuckled.

"Aaron it's not funny" Mark's tone was gravely serious.

"I didn't say it was" Aaron told him quietly as he sat up. He turned and looked at Mark who was only inches away. "I'm sorry for trying to get free, I was just going mad"

"It's alright"

"No it's not I could have killed us If I carried on"

"But you stopped, that's the main thing" he told him as he looked over at the debris trapping his legs then looked back at him but stopped when something caught his eye. He frowned. "W-why didn't you tell me you were bleeding? I didn't notice that"

"What? Bleeding?"

"Yeah, your side…"

"Forget it I'm still here aren't I?"

"No Aaron I won't forget it, it looks serious" Mark said as he moved his hand and pulled up his top to have a look. Aaron's eyes slowly followed him and when his hand touched his skin he hissed in pain, the area around the wound was sensitive. "M-must have caught me when it all fell, I didn't know until you just mentioned it"

Mark looked up at him and saw the pain in his eyes. "God Aaron…I-I wish I could do something"

Aaron shook his head while staring into his eyes. "But you can't"

Mark's eyes searched Aaron's and he made the slow move, his head moving closer to Aaron's.

Aaron's breath caught in his throat. "Don't do this, not now…" he whispered. Jackson was the only man he shared moments like that with.

"I- I can't help it Aaron…"

"Mark we can't do th-" he was stopped when Mark's lips kissed his own, a sensation that was amazing but different to him and Jackson, this wasn't right but yet it was. Aaron pulled back but the damage had been done, that kiss certainly could have been avoided, it wasn't and Aaron knew the answer to why it wasn't; his feelings, he did want Mark but he wanted Jackson also. But he knew he couldn't have both, he bit his lower lip and looked down, away from Mark.

"It's okay…" Mark told him softly.

"No it's not, you're messing me around, getting in my head" Aaron told him quietly.

"Yeah alright…I…" Mark sighed. "I admit I've been pushy, manipulative with stuff I've said but god Aaron…I want you so much"

Aaron shook his head in the silence then spoke seconds later. "You can't have me"

"Jackson" he said with a sigh.

Aaron snapped and glared at him. "Yes Jackson! Of course Jackson, and you know it!"

"Tell me something Aaron; you do like the attention I've given you though don't you? You enjoy the thrill of what you're doing, and you're well aware of what you're doing aren't you?"

Aaron looked up at him "I-" he stopped short and sighed. "I do know what I'm doing, and my feelings for you are definitely there but I know it's all wrong and when we get out of this, nothing will happen with us at all, I'm telling you Mark, it's not happening"

Mark didn't have a sarcastic remark or a smirk but he knew that they would get together after this incident, it was bound to happen and he would wait. Aaron was simply convincing himself otherwise.

….

From the sounds on the other side of the debris barrier between their chamber and the rest of the world it seemed like it was happening - a rescue! Aaron was apprehensive though, and simply laid waiting with baited breath.

"Listen, alright if you black out I'll make sure Jackson is told you're out"

Aaron nodded. "Cheers"

As the firemen worked on the other side, smaller pieces of debris fell around them, clinking as they hit the ground. Aaron watched and swore he could see light and debris moving on their end now from the actions on the other side. He took a deep breath and a few seconds later a hole appeared and a light shone through. "We're almost through lads just hang in there a few more minutes…"

"Yeah" Aaron replied nervously. "And hope it doesn't come crashing in eh?"

"Oh it won't son, not on my shift" The man's tone of voice was a caring one, he obviously needed it for the field of work he was in and Aaron guessed he was an older fireman, possibly a father, a grandfather, just the thought of that gave him comfort, Aaron smiled as he lay staring up at the ceiling. "Good to know" his voice cracked as he began to cry silently, the tears ran down the sides of his face. However comforted by the arrival of help he was scared to death.

"Alright mate…we're going to go for this, once this is clear I need you to move as fast as you can, we'll take care of the lad here"

Mark nodded. "Y-Yeah alright"

Seconds later the debris began to fall and the rest of the mine shaft up ahead was in view, Mark stood up and moved quickly, waiting in safety for Aaron. Two firemen crossed over the remaining debris and quickly picked up and threw away pieces of the debris from his legs. Both men winced and looked at each other, there was blood and plenty of it.

"I feel sick" Aaron grimaced.

"It's the release of the pressure, there's a bit of trauma to your legs mate but you're going to be fine alright…we're almost there…"

Aaron nodded and waited.

The two men lifted and removed the support beam and lowered it carefully but that action certainly caused a reaction, further back into the chamber the ceiling began to fail and debris started to fall. "Grab him and pull!" the older man shouted who Aaron was talking too minutes ago.

The two rescuers grabbed Aaron hard and pulled him out from under the few remaining chunks of debris.

Aaron felt drowsy and he was propped up in between the two men. He couldn't feel his legs; it was like he was floating. "I-I don't feel so…" his words trailed off as his head dropped and he blacked out.

"Get him out of here now!"

Aaron was lifted into one of their arms and he simply ran taking him out into the open air.

Once Aaron and Mark were seen emerging an eruption of cheers filled the area, they were the last to be saved, and yes while two workers were killed it was saddening but three out of the five were alive.

Jackson looked up and instantly got to his feet and sprinted over then through the gathering crowd around the ambulance that was waiting, Mark was standing in view of Jackson but he wasn't necessarily looking all he could think about was Aaron.

TBC…