Disclaimer – I don't own Emmerdale or any of its characters
A/N 1 – Set the morning after Aaron and Roberts's argument over Robert wanting Aaron to take Gordon's money.
"I see you're back running?" Chas said as she watched Aaron come through to the kitchen. It was a statement rather than a question as her concern over her son's mental state increased. He had been understandably emotional the day before and his history for dealing with stress worried her.
"I'm fine Mum, stop worrying. I couldn't sleep so I thought it would help me clear my head" Aaron replied as he grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. As he started to move towards the door to head upstairs, Chas called after him.
"Robert left in a hurry last night. He looked upset when he passed me." She watched as he froze in the doorway and turned to face her.
"Since when did you start caring about Robert? " Aaron asked her, shaking his head in confusion while daring her to deny it wasn't true.
"You know I am not his biggest fan, but I want you to be happy and I can see he does genuinely care for you. I just don't want you to do something, make a decision now, when, and I don't mean to upset you, Aaron love, but your head isn't in a good place at the moment." Chas implored her son, moving forward to put her hands on his arms as she watched his eyes well up.
As Chas moved forward, Aaron put his hands in his pockets and stepped back away from her.
"Aaron, please talk to me. You can't bottle this up; it's not good for you. Please Aaron; I need to know you are ok." Chas watched as Aaron started to shake his head and a tear rolled down his cheek.
"I keep making the same mistakes. Why do I keep doing that?" Aaron asked as he moved to lean back against the wall as if he was so drained that he couldn't hold himself a moment longer.
"What happened last night with Robert? Did you have a row? You never know, if you tell me, I might just be able to help." Chas asked, moving a little closer to Aaron but not to close that might cause him to shut down. One thing the last couple of years had taught her was that Aaron could not be rushed.
"I bottled it yesterday when I went to see Gordon; I couldn't say what I wanted to him so instead I said it to Robert and took it out on him. I told him that he was trying to control me and that I wanted him out of my house and out of my life. Why do I keep doing this? I keep hurting the people around me; I take it out on them instead of Gordon. It was the same as that night I hit Sandra, I hit her when the person I really wanted to hit was Gordon. Robert has done so much for me and I know he is trying so hard to change but I am going to be the one that messes this up. Gordon is dead and he is still messing with my head, I thought it would be better when the trial was over but it's not and I think I might have pushed Robert away for good. " Aaron startled when Roberts voice came from behind him.
"Don't think you are going to get away from me that easy Aaron, I know you too well. You try to push people away when you need them the most but you need to realise Aaron, I am going nowhere."
Before he could say anything further, Aaron pushed away from the wall and moved swiftly across the short distance to Robert who immediately hugged him as Chas left them alone, closing the door behind her.