There they all are, sitting in the Woolpack just after they closed. The Sugden's all gathered at one of the tables.
"I have had enough of this fighting! Andrew just got home, Robert." Diane says.
"Yeah well he should have just stayed away." Robert says refusing to look at anyone.
"Yeah, maybe you are right. Maybe I should have stayed away." Andy says.
"Don't be foolish! I don't understand why you are being like this Robert. You wanted him back just as bad as I did." Diane says.
"Yeah, that's because you wanted him back. I would do anything to make you happy." Robert says.
"Robert, what's really going on with you? You've been distant and moody and spend all your time with Aaron or Liv or by yourself." Vic says worriedly. She goes to grab his hand; he pulls it away almost immediately.
"You wouldn't understand. And you wouldn't believe me. So what's the point?"
"The point is we are your family and you are supposed to tell us anything!" Diane shouts.
"Does this have anything to do with the letter you wrote me?" Andy asks.
"What?" Robert asks shocked.
"Aaron gave it to me. Said he was supposed to get rid of it but he couldn't. I don't understand why do you blame me for everything?" Andy asks. Robert sighs knowing now there is no getting around this conversation. It isn't like he blames Aaron; it's hard enough as it is dealing with his own abuse but to add on to that Robert's own abuse, he didn't blame him for giving Andy the letter.
"You don't understand what it was like. Being alone in that house with him. I was actually excited to have a brother, I thought, he'd protect me! But instead you became his son and I just became his punching bag." Robert blurts out. Andy looks at Robert in disbelief. Robert just scoffs looking at him. "Yeah I thought you wouldn't believe it. Didn't you notice how eager he was to get you both out of the house? Telling you to go to summer camp while I was there, all alone, every single day with him." Robert shouts standing up. "You want to see the scars?" He strips his shirt off, scars on his shoulder blades, down his chest and abdomen. He starts to knock over the stools at the bar.
"Robert! Robert, stop! ROBERT!" Vic shouts standing up going over to her brother hugging him tightly. "I believe you." Vic says Robert breaks down in tears. Andy stands up going over to his brother.
"Robert, why didn't you tell us?" Andy asks.
"I…I mean I kind of blocked it out. But after…after Gordon's trial I just kept thinking that I never got the chance to see my Dad go down for what he did to me." Robert says. "I told Aaron what happened. He's the only one that knows."
"What did he do to you?" Vic asks as she maneuvers herself to look at Robert's back which is also riddled with scars.
"It's more of what he didn't do." Robert says, "He did everything, beat me, belted me, burned me, cut me, drowned me, sodomized me, gave me enemas."
"That's torture. He fucking tortured you." Andy says gripping onto the bar trying his best not to lose his temper. "I don't understand why you didn't tell us?"
"I told you, I blocked it out but well with what happened during the car crash. Being underwater brought back memories and I just couldn't keep them buried anymore. Everything fucking triggers me now. A lighter flicking, glasses clinking together, doors slamming."
"We could have helped you, Robert. If you would have just told us." Victoria says.
"Yeah well he said he'd do it to you if I told anyone." Robert says.
"You have other scars?" Andy asks.
"I have them all over, Andy. He got smart and figured out that the scars had to be where nobody would get suspicious." Robert says. Andy knocks over a bottle of bourbon, sending Robert into a flashback.
'No, Dad, please don't. I'll be good; I'll be good I promise.' Young Robert said pleading with his father. Jack just shakes his head smashing the empty bottle of bourbon. He grabs a piece of glass from it, holding it to Robert's neck; he can feel the boy shake in fear. 'You've been a real pain the past few nights. You've really made it hard for us to sleep or let alone get some time alone!' Jack shouted lifting up Robert's shirt. 'You deserve this. Why couldn't you just be a good lad? Stop being such a cry baby.' Jack cut Robert in the stomach, not to deep but deep enough to leave a scar. Robert cries out in pain, Jack covered Robert's mouth with his hand. He grabs a towel putting it in Robert's mouth, 'Bite on this and take your punishment like a man.' Jack said as he continues to cut into Robert until he had had enough. Robert sinked to the ground, Jack chuckled leaving the room to dispose of the evidence. As soon as Jack left, Robert gets up going over to the sink, throwing up.
"Robert, oh, god, I'll get a towel." Diane says running into the back room. Victoria is holding Robert who is still shirtless, in fetal position, moaning holding his stomach.
"Robert, it's okay. You're safe now. He isn't here, he can't hurt you." Victoria says. Andy isn't sure of what to do or how to help his brother.
"It hurt. It hurt so much. I can still feel the pain." Robert says.
"I know. I know it hurt but it's healed now, you are fine and we are going to keep you safe and get you the help you need." Andy says. Aaron comes down the stairs seeing Robert on the floor, vomit pooling on the ground.
"What happened?" Aaron asks going straight over to his fiancé.
"Flashback, I think." Andy says. "Why didn't you tell us, Aaron?"
"Because he told me not to. I told him to do the exact same thing when I told him about my abuse. I wasn't going to betray his trust especially since he was finally able to tell me." Aaron says putting his hand through Robert's hair this seems to calm the older man. "I saw the scars, but I never asked about them because I knew if I did he would just shoot me down and push me away. I had to wait for him to tell me, until he was ready to tell me." Diane finally came back with towels, a wet one and a dry one.
"Let's get you cleaned up, eh?" Diane says. Aaron and Andy help Robert stand up. He sways still a bit out of it. "Easy there. You alright? You need a drink of water?"
"Water would be nice." Robert says. Aaron puts the wet wash cloth on Robert's forehead, then wiping his mouth. "I don't really know what happened, I just heard the bottle break and there I was, back in that house, up against the wall of the kitchen." Robert says.
"Yeah you staggered back, you kept mumbling telling him to stop, that it hurt. Then you just collapsed and you threw up." Victoria says. "Scared the shit out of us."
"I didn't scream did I? I didn't wake you, Aaron, did I?" Robert asks worriedly.
"No, I was already up. I knew you were down here talking and I just wanted to make sure everything was alright before I went to bed." Aaron says rubbing the back of Robert's neck.
"Was it the bottle smashing that caused it?" Andy asks.
"Yeah." Robert says.
"Well what happened, during your flashback I mean?" Andy asks.
"He cut me with a glass from a bottle. Four times." Robert says. Diane moans handing Robert the water bottle.
"You poor thing. Well I think we should all be off to bed, at least until tomorrow." Diane says. Robert nods, Aaron helps him up. Victoria lays a soft kiss on Robert's forehead.
"I love you." Victoria says. Andy smiles hugging Robert softly.
"I'm here for you, if you need me; I'm always here, brother. I love you so much. I know I'm not usually the type to say it but I haven't seen you in three months and after something like this it needs to be said." Andy says. Robert smiles hugging Andy back.
"I love you guys too. And Diane, don't blame yourself. Please?" Robert says looking at his step mother.
"Oh, alright, when you look at me like that, how can I argue with you?" Diane says pinching his cheeks. Aaron smiles as Robert rest up against him obviously exhausted. "Get him up to bed will you?"
"You got it." Aaron says leaving the three by themselves to process what exactly Robert had just told them.
I say this is slightly AU because Robert does not have scars on his body in the actual show and his father is not as horrible and despicable but I really felt like Robert was holding something back when talking to Aaron in the woods and decided to turn it into a story. Hope you enjoyed if you did feel free to leave review and follow and the like.