A/N: Slash. Strong Language. Alternative version of The Revenge Episode "Intuition" Aiden is Nolan's CFO and only knows Emily through Nolan.
One of his greatest fears was the uncertainty, the curiosity. Not knowing. Guessing was driving him crazy. Takeda could only teach him so much. Patience and politeness were dragging him under. Aiden would dream about Colleen being tortured , hearing her screams in the dark and being unable to reach her. At least he had work to occupy him during the day. Work and fun-time boss Nolan Ross. On a good day Nolan pushed Aidan's worries to the back of his mind. On a bad day, Nolan paused them every time he smiled. Like any celebrity with cash up to their eyeballs Aiden had heard rumours about Nolan's preferences but didn't want to keep his hopes up.
He felt his main competition was the mysterious Emily. Emily Thorne was a girl that would walk into the office and all eyes would be on her. Especially Nolan's. Her eyes were warm and friendly, but there was a guard up around her like a steel mesh that only Nolan could break though. Aiden told himself that as a CFO, he had nothing to worry about. He figured Nolan would always put multi-millions pound businesses before pleasure. He was getting reports from chief accountants when he got a call that changed Nolan's life for the worse.
He knocked on Nolan's office door and came in with a file. "Umm...Mr Ross are you busy?" Aiden asked. "Aiden you don't have to call me Mr Ross, the Auditors aren't here...are they?" Nolan asked peeking through the office window. "No. Sir, no auditors. Sir Miller's lock up storage unit called. They're planning to take ownership of your father things unless you claim them" Aiden said. "Storage unit?" Nolan asked. "Another Mid Life Crisis?" Nolan asked. "I'll call him and get it sorted" Nolan said turning back to his laptop. "Mr Ross you can't" Aiden said. "Aiden are you trying to freak me out?" Nolan asked. "Mr Ross I'll give you the forms...I'm sorry, but...your father's deceased" Aiden told him putting the papers down on the desk and leaving swiftly.
Although he wanted to see a more sensitive side of his boss, he couldn't see the tears in his boss's eyes, it just wasn't proper. Aiden did a late shift at night and saw Nolan go out for coffee. With his office left open, Aiden wanted to see what Nolan was planning to do. Mr Ross hadn't been out since Aiden gave him the news. Aiden stepped over the papers to take a look at Nolan's laptop. It had a picture of who he assumed was Nolan's father in an article. He looked down to see the Miller's storage unit key. Aiden couldn't let Nolan have any regrets. He grabbed the key and decided to take a well earned break.
When Nolan got back with a hot coffee he found a thick book with a black leather cover on his desk. "What the?..." Nolan said to himself. "I know this may have been presumptuous of me, but I went to your father's storage unit" Aiden told him. "All your memories can't go to waste" Aiden said. "They're not going to waste because they're inside my head" Nolan said sitting down and looking at the book. It had his name scrawled on a piece of paper that was stuck to the book. Nolan slid his hand over the book and opened it. Aiden turned away to leave him alone, but Nolan had to share this, with someone... or in this case anyone.
"Aiden...it's okay, you can stay...take a seat" Nolan said. Aidan sat down and Nolan showed him the "Nolan scrap-book" his Dad had collected over the years. His Dad had kept photos of everything. Nolan's bookworm phase, the Star Wars phase that he never grew out of. Nolan showed Aiden pictures of when Nolan was a dark haired skinny teenager with few friends and huge ambitions. Aiden turned over the pages of the Nolan scrapbook to see Nolan's Dad had collected Nolan's magazine covers for "Impressario" and "Newsmaker" magazine. "I don't want to intrude into your personal life or tell you what to do" Aiden said. "But Mr Ross, I'd be happy to take you to Miller's storage room" Aiden offered.
"It's not gonna be a picnic. I mean I've done stuff in storage rooms, but stuff never this depressing" Nolan said. "Come on Sir, I'll drive you" Aiden said as Nolan closed the Scrap-book gently and took it with him. Aiden put on the radio as they drove in the car, he was trying to act normal. Mr Ross could monitoring his every move, his every reaction to any music that came on. Aiden nodded his head to a party track. They pulled up to the storage unit and Nolan had to brace himself before getting out of the car.
Aiden went to Nolan's side of the car and gently opened the door. "Ready Sir?" He asked. "No, but needs must" Nolan said getting out of the car. Aiden passed Nolan the keys. Nolan opened it and turned the lights on. Most of his Dad's belongings were covered in dust and mould. If he'd known about this earlier he would have stored most of this at his place. It was easy for Nolan to blame his family, or old friends that could have found him, but he couldn't help blaming himself the most. "You shouldn't blame yourself Sir" Aiden said almost reading his mind.
"I Can't help it" Nolan said looking around at his old papers that his Dad had kept. Nolan started putting what he wanted to keep in piles and Aiden emptied out things he didn't want and used the spare boxes to put Nolan's kept treasures in. Aiden picked up a stapled booklet and read a little. "Competitive Tetris, very original Sir" Aiden said. "I made a petition to make it a demonstration sport at the '92 Olympics. We lost" Nolan said dumping the last of his keepsakes into boxes. He stacked one box top of the other until he was able to lean on it. "I can organise my company from anywhere in the world. I set my own schedule and I couldn't even be there for him when he died" Nolan said.
"Sir you didn't know. Stop torturing yourself" Aiden said. "With all due respect. You know the truth about your father. How proud he was of you. He's not missing" Aiden said gritting his teeth. "Someone's missing in your life?" Nolan asked. "What am I thinking? Aiden you don't have to answer that" Nolan said. "It's my Sister Sir" Aiden replied. "I can't give too much away, but I'm sorting it" Aiden said. Nolan moved away from the box stack as Aiden carried the top box to the car. Aiden did the same with most of the boxes and Nolan put the last box in the boot of the car.
"You're lucky Sir" Aiden said. You have closure in here" Aiden tenderly touched Nolan's chest with his finger tips. Nolan put his hand around Aiden's wrist and Aiden tried to pull away. "Sir this isn't a good idea. You're my employer and...you're vulnerable. I just would like to be at your service...professionally" Aiden told Nolan. Nolan nodded. "Noble speech Aiden" Nolan said, leaning over and kissing him on the cheek. Aiden was flattered, but he didn't know what to say, or how he was going to look Nolan in the eye ever again.
"Sir would you prefer I take you back to the office?" Aidan asked.
"Aid, if this was an ordinary day yeah, but since this day of death is ending, I'm taking you out. Anywhere you want to go" Nolan announced.
"Sir you don't have to do that" Aiden said starting the engine.
"Aiden, view this as a request from your employer. You're going to have a meal with your boss. We're going to a restaurant of your choice and you're gonna like it" Nolan said. "That's an order"
"You have my hands tied Sir" Aiden said. "How can I refuse?"