A Grieving Heart
This story has been prompted by an anon and their request was The bomb blast left everyone in Hollyoaks village devastated, including Jason as he mourns for Doug. When he offers to clear away the deli, it all becomes too much for him, but will anyone be there to help comfort him?
The bomb blast of the council flats had been devastating for everyone in Hollyoaks village. Three beloved villagers had died and countless were injured, meaning those that weren't directly affected had still been burnt.
Jason still remembered watching it on the news with the rest of the family as they crowded around the crappy hotel tv, gasping in horror as he heard Doug's name on the list of the deceased, barely able to comprehend that he would never see his friendly boss once more.
Even though he had seen the damage of the council flats via the news, had seen the American man's face brought up along with Ash Kane and Leanne Holiday, the harsh fact that Doug was really gone only hit Jason later that week when the family made their way back up to the village and he found himself at the deli entrance, not surprised in the slightest that it was shut, and had been since the explosion.
"Can't believe he's gone can ya?" Ste asked as he made his way from the Price Slice to the young lad stood in front of him, staring blankly into the deli like that would bring back Doug.
"What's, uh what's happening with the deli now?" Jason asked after almost a minute of silence, finding it easier to focus on that then his lost friend. He and Doug hadn't been overly close or anything, but the older man had been kind to him, had actively seeked him out when Jason had quit after the drugs debacle and had often left him in charge of things, placing a lot more trust in him that a lot of other people had done.
"Sell it probably," Ste shrugged, and although his tone was hard, it didn't take a lot of effort on Jason's part to see how upset he really was about the whole thing. "I mean I know I was back with him and I'd kind of started working there again, but this place was always more his dream than mine. And well, I don't think I can go back there, not properly.
"I have to clear his stuff away soon though, his ma wants some bits and it's better to get it all over with I guess, but cleaning my flat, his and the deli is hard enough, there's no way I'd be able to be there day in, day out."
Ste quietened then, flushing lightly as he realised just how much he was over sharing with the student by his side, though Jason was already deep in thought. He wanted, no he needed to say goodbye to Doug and although there was the funeral, Jason needed something a little more private.
There was no where he could go to make his farewells, no where that held any memories for him, but if Ste really didn't want to clear away the deli, then maybe he could help out the father of two and help himself out a little too.
"I can clean here if you want," Jason offered, tone cautious as he tried to make sure he wasn't stepping on any toes. "I mean, I understand if you want to do it, but I'd like the chance to say good bye and well... Left my coat there last week and I kinda need it back." Ste chuckled lightly at Jason's comment.
"Yeah that'd be good, really helpful actually. Uh my Da- Danny dropped off a load of boxes so everything should be there and you don't have to worry about the food, I think that's already been sorted. Just urm, just go through the main things, put his in one box, then you can do mine and I'll pick it up later and you can do whatever with yours and the other's stuff."
The instructions were perfectly clear but Jason could tell just how much it was getting to Ste, he was stumbling over his words more and more and his voice had cracked brokenly everytime he mentioned Doug, nevermind how direct it was.
"When do you want me starting?"
"Whenever," Ste shrugged, placing his set of deli keys in Jason's hand and moving to walk away. "But Doug's mum's coming down tomorrow afternoon and she'll probably want his stuff."
Jason nodded to himself as Ste left, running up the village stairs where the former student's flat was, before he turned to face the deli door, steeling himself as he unlocked it and pushed it open, the emptiness unsettling. He had never seen the building like this before, normally it was light, with a cheesy song rattling through the foundations as Doug sang along under his breath, getting ready for another day of work, a smile on his face for everyone that passed through the door.
But now it was empty, it had lost it's life just like its owner and with every step he took, Jason couldn't help but cringe, feeling like he was intruding on something he shouldn't be. But there was no-one now, he was the only one left, the one to clean up the mess and try to make the whole killing of the business that much easier.
Taking a deep breath, Jason lifted up the counter top and walked to the till, just as he had done for every shift previous, though this time there was no greeting or joke directed his way. There was just nothing. The food was being dealt with and there was little point messing around with the kitchen equipment, no doubt that would be sold in bulk at a later point.
That only left Jason to deal with people's belongings and whilst it was probably the smallest of tasks, it would no doubt be the most draining having to go through Doug's things, having to decide what was worth keeping for his grieving mother and what should be chucked.
Just seeing the newly deceased man's blue apron almost set Jason off, knowing it would never be worn again and he wondered if he was out of his depth clearing away the whole deli, though he knew that Ste would have an even harder time coping. In that moment Jason knew that he had ultimately done the right thing, no matter how hard it was going to be.
That mantra was almost impossible to keep up when Jason entered the little side room where uniforms and the such were kept. Because it wasn't just a place to get changed and keep your stuff during a shift, but where everyone found themselves at the end of a busy day, all laughing and joking around, planning what their evenings would consist of.
It held a lot of happy memories for Jason and the fact that no more would be created was almost heart breaking, in fact it took all his restraint to bite back his tears, something which disappeared when he came face to face with all the photos that lined the walls. They were all different and had been taken at various points but each showed the same thing, the staff of Carter and Hay all having a great time as they worked.
Some were just of Doug and Ste in the deli's first day, then a few of the other staff, himself, Sasha and Miles all grinning down the camera like absolute goons, everyone enjoying the rare free moment they had to themselves.
At that point Jason couldn't hold back his tears, and was practically choking back the sobs as he unhooked the photos from their spots on the wall, placing them all in one of the many boxes that littered the main floor of the deli, though he kept a group photo for himself and put another picture of Doug, covered head to toe in flour in the box for his mother, hoping that she would appreciate seeing her son in happier times, when he had no idea of what his grisly fate would be.
Steadying himself once more, and hoping that he would soon calm down, Jason went back to the side room, monotonously sorting through everything that was down there, the task made ten times harder by his vision being completely clouded by tears.
What made him stop dead though, was when he spotted the large scrap book that Doug had had. The older man loved the damn thing and it was full of his plans for the deli. New recipes. A new design plan. Events that they could cater for. It was all there in startling detail, showing just how much hope for the future he'd had and how abrupt his death had been.
Before he knew it, Jason found himself back in the main area of the deli, leaning against the counter and sobbing brokenly as he reached the final page that Doug had written in, though it wasn't even halfway through the book, symbolising just how much he'd had left to live for and how unfair it was that he was the one to be taken, when there were so many more people deserving of that fate.
Jason vaguely heard the bell ringing signalling the arrival of someone, though he was crying too hard to pay proper attention, too focused on the loss of a friend, someone he thought had years left. He only truly registered the arrival of the newcomer when he felt a pair of arms wrap round his body, his twin's shushing breaking through his walls.
"Shhh J," Robbie comforted, eyes widening as he realised just how cut up Jason was about Doug. He knew his brother had been upset about his boss's death, had seen the way he'd had paled after hearing the news and remembered all too well the way Jason had locked himself away in the crappy bathroom toilets, ignoring all efforts from the family to open the door and talk to them.
Apart from that though, he hadn't said anything else on the matter, and Robbie had thought that Jason was coping, the sight as he had walked past the deli showed him this couldn't be further from the truth and he'dd raced into the building to help his twin in whatever way he could.
"It's not fair, why him?" Jason sobbed brokenly, curling into his twin and seeking the comfort that was being readily offered. Robbie didn't respond, he couldn't, he didn't feel like he had the right.
Ever since meeting Doug he had been more than vile to the man, taunting him for his sexuality and vandalising the deli whenever he could, but he knew that Jason had genuinely liked Doug and had regarded him as a friend, despite the older man just being his boss.
And Robbie knew he had to swallow down his guilt and focus on what he could do to make Jason feel better, because this wasn't about him, but his twin.
"It ain't fair Jase, but nothing about that explosion was," he sighed, hating how helpless he was, but even when he was solely focusing on it, Robbie had no idea on what to say to make his brother feel better.
Though it was probably because there was nothing he could say. "And it hurts I know it does, but you can't focus on this mate, Doug wouldn't want that for you. He were a good man and I know for a fact he would want you to move on and continue living life, still mourn him, that's healthy, but don't let it consume you. You got to make him proud don't you?"
Jason nodded, composing himself and wiping away the tears that were streaked down his face. "You must think I'm dead sad," he said finally with a watery smile, leaning back on the counter and taking a shaky breath.
"Course I don't, don't be soft J, Doug was your friend, you're allowed to be upset about him dying, you don't think I'm not after Callum was stabbed by that psycho bitch." Jason said nothing for a moment, though he shot Robbie an apologetic look for not even considering the grief his own twin was going through, though he looked away when Robbie arched an eyebrow, practically promising to hit him if Jason voiced his thoughts.
"I should finish clearing this all up," Jason said instead, standing up and moving to the back room once more. "Well you're not doing it on your own, not in the state you're in," Robbie said resolutely, moving with Jason into the back room, hoping that with him looking out for him, his twin would be okay and wouldn't let his grief consume him once again.
"You're going to be okay you know that?"
"I know, after all I have you at least," Jason replied, his voice soft and the slight flush that coloured his cheeks indicating how embarrassed he was to be saying that, but he knew it needed to be said.
"And I ain't going any where okay," Robbie replied, entering the small side room with his twin, determined to keep an eye out and make sure he was going to be okay.
Next Story – No-one can say that Joe, Freddie and Ziggy Roscoe aren't protective over Robbie and Jason, but maybe there's a reason for this? Just what happened when theirDad left them - Lawyerly Brunette
Upcoming Prompts
109 - After finding out Fraser's true identity, Sandy gets back with Dodger. - uiop5
110 - Sandy is forced to make the impossible decision of choosing between two of her sons - autumn berry
111 - Sandy and Jack enter relationship after Jack and Frankie part ways, but just how do their son's react? - lawyerly brunette
112 – When her children get into relationships with people she doesn't approve of, Sandy isn't scared to voice her disapproval. When Jason enters a relationship with someone who has already hurt one of her son's, she's not pleased, though it gets too much for the young couple and they leave the country, will Sandy ever get her son back? - Cburns1995
113 – Jason and Robbie's dad is determined to be part of his son's lives, but just how far will he go? - lydia (Jason becoming a teenage Dad has already been prompted and that will be chapter 64, your name has been included on that, so it's a joint prompted chapter. I don't watch Home and Away (is that where the Braxton's are from?), and I don't have any intention to either, so I'll be unable to write this prompt up as I'll have no clue who half the characters are.
Also, there is already another Jason in Spelbound chapter coming up, and I think by doing yet another one, it's just going to become incredibly repetitive to write and read, so I'll be unable to do that either. Sorry, I hope you understand!)
115 - Ziggy desperately attempts to break a series of Guinness world records, will he succeed? - guest
116 – Joe manages to escape after being shot by Grace on Freddie's wedding day. He finds Sandy, but just how much will he tell her about Fraser and Freddie's dodgy dealings?- coffeehouse
117 – After both the twin's go on a massive downward spiral, Sandy finds herself disowning the pair, hoping it'll help them put their lives back on track, but with Fraser involved that's never going to happen. Especially after one of his customers think that the two are hookers, and well, Fraser's always been up for making some fast cash – Guest (Weirdly enough, I've had an idea very similar to that in the past and so am more than prepared to write it up. Though due to the nature of the story and because I can just tell this is going to be the length of a novel, I may publish this separately from the oneshots)
118 - Ruby knees/kicks Ziggy in the crotch for "cheating" but when he goes to get checked over he later fears the damage may be permanent and he could be infertile. Anon
119 - 'Freddie doesn't know how it happened,but for once in his life he woke up and his first thought wasn't Lindsey. It was Sinead' - DBS2000
120 – Knwoing that her husband's brother is in love with her, is difficult enough for Lindsey, but then she finds out Robbie knows too. Will the troublemaker say anything and ruin her relationships with the whole family, or can she convince him to stay quiet? - Guest