"What is your problem, Aaron?" Spencer hissed once Jack was safely out of earshot in the garden with Clooney, as Derek and Dave chatted conversationally by the hydrangeas. "Is this because Jack called Derek 'dad'?"
"He is not his father!" Aaron bit back. "He's his step father."
"And what, so Jack has to refer to him as 'step dad'?" Spencer asked incredulously. "He is his dad. Jack loves him, Derek loves Jack. Derek has tried so hard not to step on your toes, even though he wants to express himself like a father. He doesn't, because of you. You know what happened the first time Jack called him 'dad'?" Spencer asked, crossing his arms over his chest as Aaron squared his shoulders, staring at him intently.
"What?" Aaron asked shortly, because he knew Spencer wouldn't continue until his question was acknowledged.
"It made his day, and he looked guilty about it. Because he doesn't want to replace you, Aaron, he's terrified of doing that. He lost his father when he was ten, and the replacement he had was not a good one. He's not trying to usurp you. He's not trying to take Jack from you."
"Well he stole you from me, didn't he?" Aaron scoffed. Reid's mouth fell open in surprise, and he slowly put his features back into a less exaggerated expression of his surprise.
"I am not a possession to be stolen. We got a divorce because we didn't love each other like we once did, Aaron, and our relationship was starting to impact our child. Derek was no part of it."
"So you're saying you falling in love with him had nothing to do with wanting a divorce?"
"No," Spencer waved a hand dismissively while the other pinched at the bridge of his nose with the feeling on an ongoing migraine. "Me being in love with Derek was in place our whole marriage."
Aaron actually flinched.
"What? You were in love with him, and you married me?" Aaron's anger was non-violent but intimidating, but Spencer stood his ground, sighing when he realised the explanation he'd now have to give.
"I loved you. I wanted to be with you."
"You loved him!" Aaron shouted. A brief glance through the window showed the sound had been contained.
"I was in love with you both, technically. Derek was struggling with his bisexuality. I wanted to be with you. I wanted to be happy."
"Because you couldn't have him."
"You were not a second choice, Aaron." Reid said, doubting it was a sentiment that would be believed.
"But if he'd have told you how he felt when we were still going strong, what would you have done? Would you have stayed? Or did you love him more, want to be with him more?"
"I don't know, Aaron. That didn't happen. It's impossible to say." Spencer said.
"So what we had-"
"Was wonderful." He interrupted. "I don't regret you, being with you, the time we had. I don't regret Jack or our four years together. Things don't always last. What we had was important."
"What we had was a fucking joke!" he threw his hands up dismissively. "I gave you everything, and you were in love with someone else! You settled because you thought you couldn't be with him!"
"That isn't true, Aaron-"
His hand held up was and always had been a symbol that he was done with the conversation. Spencer wanted to shout at him that it wasn't over just because Aaron said it was like he had so many times when they fought at the end of their relationship, but he didn't.
He watched from the window as his ex-husband strode into the garden and ignored Derek in favour of kneeling to hug his son. Briefly Spencer wondered if he'd try to take him back as a gut reaction to his anger, but it was now his fortnight with Spencer and Derek, and Aaron wouldn't use his son as a pawn in an argument, however desperate he got. Instead he said his goodbyes and left with Dave, who offered an amicable goodbye while Aaron had only stony silence to give.
Derek came in with Jack who went to the fridge for a juice box, and the man gave his husband a significant look. Spencer simply shook his head as a sign he didn't need to discuss it at that moment as he pressed his fingertips to the pressure around the top of his eye socket.