AARON & JACKSON

-1912: The Aftermath-

"Day One"

Aaron quickly and desperately tried his best to keep up with Jackson as he stormed ahead in a major huff. Aaron found it hilarious, despite not knowing what he'd said out in the row boat on the lake. Aaron chuckled as he still tried to keep up. "I know I should know this babe but, are you mad at me?" Jackson didn't utter a word "Jackson!" Aaron called after him with a sigh. "Ahh come on this isn't funny, my legs hurting now"

Normally Jackson would have stopped out of concern, and yes he was concerned for him upon hearing that but he was too pissed off and he could have just been saying it. He ignored him and carried on.

"What did I say? Is it what I think it is? Or is it something else that you haven't told me about? Or is it something you just think I did?" Aaron asked quickly and Jackson turned to face him, a thunderous look cast over to Aaron.

Aaron swallowed hard and stopped smirking. "No I did something, it was a bad thing a bad, bad thing and I'm sorry" he apologised but began to laugh. "Ahh come on Jackson!" he yelled and seconds later he finally caught up to him, grabbing his arm to stop him. Jackson stood stone faced.

"Come on you've got to talk to me...or are you gunna wait till we're inside..." Jackson averted his eyes from Aaron; his silence gave him his answer. "Yep you are aren't ya?"

Jackson turned quickly and continued on his way. Aaron started to chuckle, he found it quite hilarious.

Once inside the cabin Jackson went mad and almost slammed the door in Aaron's face. Aaron frowned and tutted as he stopped the door and walked in after him.

"Yes a bad thing Aaron, you know you said it!" Jackson told him angrily with an edge of frustration.

"I didn't mean it, whatever I said"

"Yes you did, you mean everything you say" Jackson spoke sharply with a deep frown on his face.

Aaron rolled his eyes. "Well sometimes I mean nothing when I say something"

Jackson removed his jacket and flung it onto the sofa. "Something is never nothing, it's always something"

Aaron frowned and let out a heavy sigh. "Well most of what I say is nothing it's just something to say"

"No, Aaron! You say it's just something to say in order to get away with saying something, but you know you're saying something every time you say it" Jackson's rampage continued and he stormed around the living room and kitchen of their cabin tidying away things that were left lying around.

Aaron shook his head, he was confused now. "Say what? What did I say?"

Jackson stopped what he was doing and faced him. His arms flung around angrily as he began. "We were on the row boat, you caught a fish, you lost your grip, you fell back and lost us our oars, then said one or both of us is gunna die from water, and you laughed!" he raged as if he was completely mental "Well I am sorry!" he shouted. "But considering our history I didn't find that very amusing! Oh and thanks for the splash by the way when you decided to jump in for the oars!"

Aaron stood with his hands on his hips and he shrugged, smirking still, but the penny had dropped. "Ah well I'm sorry but I do find it amusing, come on you should be happy I'm making light of it"

Jackson scowled at Aaron and shook his head. "Not really"

"Oh come on Jackson surely you'd take that any day over what I've been like the last several months"

"Don't even bring that into it Aaron!"

"God you're such a drama queen Jackson!"

Jackson began to walk off, his speed increasing and as he slammed the door joining the small hallway he yelled back "And you're such an insensitive prick!"

Aaron growled in frustration and stormed through the same way Jackson had gone and walked into the bathroom and slammed the door. Aaron sat on the toilet seat. "Well that was different" he mumbled to himself. "Okay maybe it was a bit too-" he stopped and sighed then got to his feet and opened the bathroom door at the same time Jackson was coming out of the bedroom. Aaron smiled a little at Jackson when their eyes locked. "Are we done?"

Jackson instantly walked up to him and pushed him up against the wall and kissed him passionately, it was deep and sensual. Seconds later Jackson began kissing his neck.

"I'm sorry…" Aaron moaned. "I was insensitive I-...it won't happen again"

"No...No" Jackson breathed heavily as he spoke in between kissed. "I overreacted I'm sorry babe"

Seconds later Aaron groaned as Jackson increased pressure from his crotch onto Aarons. In that moment Aaron pushed Jackson back into the bedroom.

…

Several hours later Jackson woke to find Aaron wasn't beside him, he frowned and got out of bed and simply followed the smell of bacon back to the kitchen. "Mmm" he mumbled when he stopped in his tracks at Aaron cooking naked. "Naked chef eh? God that's such a turn on!" he told him as wrapped his arms around him from behind.

"Well I thought why not, it's just us" Aaron said with a smile. "And you obviously had the same idea when you woke up because I can feel how happy you are to see me"

"I'm always happy to see you" Jackson replied in between planting kisses on his neck.

"Just thought I could make something for us, we kinda worked up an appetite earlier…again…and I'm not complaining…"

Jackson grinned. "Good, me either and yeah I'm starving…" he frowned and looked for a clock but he couldn't see one and he'd left his watch on the bedside table. "What time is it babe?"

"Erm, about half seven I think, we were at it for a while then we were asleep for a few hours" Aaron told him as he saw to the bacon. "Perfect way to spend the afternoon if you ask me"

"Certainly is" Jackson said with a smile. "So, I was thinking we could go for a walk by the lake tonight"

"In the dark?" Aaron asked bluntly.

"Yeah why not? Could be kinda hot if you're thinking what I'm thinking"

Aaron chuckled. "I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about Jackson…" he teased. "I mean sex outside at night, no one around, the excitement of it…no of course not; I wouldn't want to do that at all"

Jackson grinned, seeing through his pretend response. "It might not though, it might just end up being a nice romantic walk with the man I love…that would just be as amazing"

Aaron smiled and leaned back against Jackson, letting out a content sigh, as he relaxed into him. "We'll eat these and then we'll put some clothes on and go"

"You can keep them off I really don't mind" Jackson chuckled.

"Yeah, like that's gunna happen" Aaron said as he laughed and slapped him on the top of his leg. He then stood properly and deciding the bacon was ready he took them from the pan and put them into the buns that were cut waiting on the plates.

…

The sky was filled with stars and the full moon shone bright in the sky, Aaron and Jackson held hands as they walked along the edge of the lake, a light breeze brushed gently across their faces but it was not too cold, it was quite refreshing actually, just what the boys needed after an afternoon indoors. "I still can't believe you couldn't reel that fish in this morning, how hilarious that was you falling back into the boat"

Aaron smirked. "It must have been massive, I'm strong" he nodded, convincing himself of that fact.

"But the fish was stronger yeah?" Jackson sarcastically asked with a nod

"Of course" Aaron played along. "And about this morning I'm sorry for what I said"

"We've already sorted that"

Aaron nodded. "I know but I wanted to apologise again"

Jackson smiled. "Well you're forgiven"

Aaron smiled also and a content silence fell around them until he spoke again a few minutes later. "Did you ever think you'd be a dad? Even knowing you were gay but hiding it? Did you ever imagine there'd be a possibility it could have happened?"

Jackson pouted as he thought about it. "I never wanted to be because I knew what I was inside, I didn't choose to be gay but that comes with no children, I wasn't bothered so I never really thought about it…Sam started bringing the subject up I sidestepped the issue for a long time, and then Titanic came along and I met you, I ignored it completely but told her bluntly I didn't want kids…I'd fell head over heels in love with you by that point already so nothing else mattered"

Aaron smiled as he listened to his words.

"So, no I never thought I'd be a dad, nor there be a possibility of it but obviously now I have Jak so we weren't as careful as I thought we were" he said with a sigh.

"But now you have him?"

"It changes everything Aaron…w-when I held him for that first time something just changed inside me, like a paternal instinct just switched on inside, I loved him immediately, because he's mine" he sighed and shrugged. "It's weird how things play out isn't it?"

Aaron nodded silently as he reflected on what Jackson had said. "Yeah" he mumbled. "I-I'm not sure if it's a paternal instinct for me but there is a bond between me and Jak, I can feel it and its getting stronger, I know I'm not blood family to him and if I'm honest I still see him as just yours, that might never change I'm not sure"

"That's understandable" Jackson said with a nod.

"But I will protect him with my life if I have too, I'll look after him and I'll help him whenever he needs it"

Those words from Aaron brought tears to Jackson's eyes, he wiped them away quickly Wow he thought to himself. "You're amazing" Jackson told him with a smile.

Aaron turned to face Jackson as they walked. "And I'd protect you with my life too, I mean it"

"I know, so would I" Jackson replied.

Aaron smiled and leaned closer as they walked and kissed him on the cheek. "He looks so much like you"

Jackson chuckled. "Yeah, he does, doesn't he? I bet you were a cute baby with that little frown going on"

Aaron pulled a shocked expression. "I'm not always frowning you know!"

"You frown at everything!" Jackson argued as he laughed.

"Hmm, yeah alright…I suppose"

Jackson laughed louder. "See! I can see it even in this light!"

Aaron smirked and tried to stop his frown. "You're mean"

"And you love it!"

Silence passed easily between them as they carried on walking. Jackson cocked his head to his side, he'd been wondering. "How many men have you been with?"

Aaron frowned he wasn't expecting that. "Erm…two…you and Mark" he replied before swallowing hard.

Jackson then stopped and placed his hands on Aaron's shoulders. "Right, don't kick off babe cause I'm not mad anymore but…but why?"

Aaron frowned. "That's like asking me why does Monday come before Tuesday" he shrugged. "I don't know"

Jackson nodded and looked out at the lake briefly before looking back at him. "You must know…in fact I think you do you're just scared of telling me…please I want to know why"

Aaron sighed and looked down at the ground. "I just hated our-my life as it was then, I hated it, I felt like you didn't want me, I wanted someone who gave me the attention that I needed, I-I did it to get away from you" he said quietly as he still stared down at the ground as he gave his reason.

"Right" Jackson said with a nod. "Okay…I-I…"

"No wait, Jackson" Aaron cut him off in a panic. "You…you have to know I don't feel like that anymore, you're the one that I want alright, I mean it, y-you just asked and you wanted an answer…I'm not going to lie now after everything"

Jackson smiled. "I was only going to say that I hope you don't feel the need to get away from me again"

Aaron's heart settled back in its rightful place in his chest upon hearing those words, a relief washed over him and he shook his head. "It won't I promise you" he said as a small smile crept on his lips.

"Good" Jackson smiled and kissed him softly but then Aaron pulled away quickly. Jackson frowned. "What's wrong?"

"I heard something"

"It's probably an animal" Jackson chuckled. "Relax"

Aaron stared into the trees, a hard frown on his face as he tried to see if anyone was there, it was too dark it was pointless; he sighed and tried to relax. "Sorry" he apologised.

"No need to apologise, why don't we head back? I'll drop you off at the cabin then I'll head along to the log station to get some for the fire"

"Erm alone?"

"Yeah why not?"

"Because its pitch black that's why"

"I'll take a lamp"

"Oh I dunno babe, it can just wait till morning, I don't like the idea of you out there alone"

"Come with me then"

"I just jumped at the slightest noise, I'm no good to you out there" Aaron laughed.

"Alright, well it'll only take ten minutes and I'll be alright"

Aaron nodded and smiled and they both headed back. Once they were back at the cabin, Jackson told him he'd be ten minutes at the most and Aaron told him to be careful, his little fright from the noise in the woods still unsettled him. They parted ways and Aaron locked the door of the cabin and started getting ready for a nice evening in, as he undressed he took his necklace off and took the ring off from it and happily and with pride placed it on his finger, it was better there.

He smiled down at it as he sat on the bed but he was startled by a knock on the door. He jumped to his feet and pulled on a t-shirt quickly. "What you knocking for ya numpty, you've got a key!" he mumbled to himself. He unlocked the door and his eyes widened and he jumped back in shock. "Oh my god!"

Adam stood grinning at him. "L-listen before you start I know this holiday was just for you and Jackson and I'll go back tomorrow but I-I had to see ya mate…tell you something though, finding this in the pitch black is hard"

Aaron stared at him, completely stunned, he couldn't move. Adam chuckled and walked in and grabbed him in a hug. "Missed ya mate!"

"Uh, yeah…you too…" he pulled away and closed the door and walked through into the lounge. "I don't know what the hell just happened" he shook his head.

Meanwhile in the woods Jackson was nearly at the log station when he heard footsteps behind him. He smirked. "I told you to stay in the cabin"

Immediately the lamp he was carrying was swiped out of his hand and thrown to the ground causing it to smash and Jackson was pushed up against a tree by a masked man, he gasped in shock, completely paralysed as the man fiddled with his pants. Jackson's eyes widened in horror, "No!" he yelled out as he tried to push away the man but he was too strong, he was pinned down by him. What he endured in the following minutes was the worst experience of his entire life…

…

"So it was you I must have heard then"

"How come?"

"Oh me and Jackson were walking along the lake, heard rustling in the trees"

"Oh right, I didn't know I was anywhere near water, concentrating too much on where I was going" he chuckled.

"So" Aaron grinned as he handed Adam a drink. "Your better? Like properly then?"

"Like properly yes" he laughed. "It was horrible though mate"

"You don't have to talk about it mate, it's alright" Aaron told him after he saw the discomfort show when he spoke of it being horrible.

Adam nodded. "So what's been going on with you?"

Aaron frowned. "Don't ask that, cause I know full well my mums briefed you already"

"Uh yeah, alright then" he then slapped him on the arm hard. "That's for being an idiot with Mark - again"

"Okay" Aaron nodded. "I deserved that"

"Damn right you did what the hell were you playing at"

"Needed an escape"

"Alright, we'll talk about it properly tomorrow but first where's Jackson? I never saw Jak properly before I left, didn't want to get too close but I held him this morning, he's gotten so big" he said with a smile.

Aaron matched his smile. "Was he ok?"

"Oh yeah, fine…Chas and Hazel are fine too"

"Good, Jackson's not here, he went out to get some wood for the fire, speaking of…he's been longer than ten minutes"

Adam frowned. "How longs he been gone?"

"Nearly half an hour" concern filled Aaron's tone as he walked away to get his shoes. "Gunna go out and have a look"

"Alright, I'll come with ya, but let me down this pint first eh? I haven't had a drink in god knows how long"

….

Jackson sat up against the tree sobbing; he shuffled to pull his pants back up. His entire body was shaking as tears ran down his face and he could feel blood running down the side of his face, something he'd got when he tried to fight back, his head was rammed into the tree. It hurt aswell as everywhere else. He sobbed as he buttoned up his pants. All of a sudden he heard footsteps getting louder and he panicked and put his hands over his head. "No, no don't!" he screamed.

Aaron stopped and looked on his horror and then looked at Adam whose expression matched. Aaron then ran to him. "Jackson, Jackson babe it's me" he told him as he fell to his knees by his side.

"No, no! Go away!" Jackson yelled.

Aaron grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. "It's me babe, Aaron…it's Aaron…y-you're safe now…I'm here" he frowned, what the hell had happened, answers however would have to wait, his main concern at that moment was getting Jackson back inside.

Jackson lifted his head up and through his teary eyes he stared at Aaron, he calmed down a little when he realised it was him.

"Come on, we'll get you back" Aaron smiled nervously, but inside he was scared to death. "Give me a hand mate"

Adam nodded and jumped into action and helped Jackson along, back to the cabin.

TBC…