A few days later Robert went to the scrapyard to collect the monthly report; he walked into the trailer and saw Aaron sat at his desk looking very pale "Are you ok Aaron? You look like death" said Robert.

"I'm fine. I didn't get much sleep last night, that's all" said Aaron

Robert noticed that Aaron had been crying and that he was holding his wrist "Has something happened?"

Aaron quickly whipped away the tears "I had a nightmare, I have been having them a lot lately"

"How long for? What were they about?" Robert was concerned about Aaron

Aaron shook his head "It's not important"

"Right, err is the report ready?" Robert noticed that Aaron was acting strange but he did not want to make Aaron feel uncomfortable.

Aaron looked to his left, picked up the report and handed it to Robert "here it is"

"Thanks. Oh, I meant to ask you something" said Robert as he sat in the chair that was beside the door.

"Fine, what did you want to ask me?" Said Aaron

"Why were you so nervous when you saw your dad? And what was that note all about? Robert asked

Aaron's grasp on his wrist tightened "He's bad news. Stay away from him; I don't want you to get hurt." Aaron winced in pain when he squeezed his arm.

"What do you mean he's bad news?" Robert saw that Aaron was in pain and that made him worry about Aaron "And how would I get hurt?"

Aaron stood up and he walked towards the door "Forget it, I have to go".

Suddenly Aaron's knees buckled and he fell, Robert sprang from his seat and he caught Aaron just before he hit the floor "Aaron!"

Aarons breathing had decreased and his eyes were closed. "Oh my God Aaron, what's happened?" something caught Robert's eye and he rolled up Aaron's sleeve "Oh no. Aaron what have you done to yourself" Robert realised that he needed to get Aaron to the hospital so he scooped him up and carried him out of the trailer to his car.

"Don't worry Aaron, you're going to be ok" Robert said as he sat Aaron in the passenger side of his car, he placed his hand on Aaron's forehead to check if the young man had a temperature "Jesus Aaron, your burning up" he wrestled Aaron's coat off of him and then Robert threw it into the backseat, he then buckled Aarons seatbelt. Once Aaron was buckled in Robert shut the car door and he ran around to the driver's side, got in and sped off driving to the nearest hospital, Robert Quickly put his seatbelt on as he drove out of the scrapyard.

"Robert." Aaron whispered

"It's ok Aaron. You're going to be ok, just stay with me" Robert said with a hurried voice

"I'm not ok Rob, he did this to me" Aaron was drifting in and out of consciousness

"Who?" Robert asked

Aaron looked over at Robert "My dad, he hurt me"

"How did Gordon hurt you?" Robert said as he looked at Aaron and then back at the road.

"He…" Aaron could barely keep his eyes open as he spoke.

"What? What did your dad do to you?" Robert was turning his head to Aaron and back to the road as he drove "no Aaron stay awake. Babe, stay with me, Aaron keep your eyes open" Robert knew that he and Aaron weren't together but he felt like he had to call Aaron babe.

"I was a kid when he…" Aaron moaned in pain.

"When he what? Babe what did he do?" said Robert

"Robert, he…" Aaron blackout before he could finish his sentence.

Robert looked at Aaron "Aaron. Aaron open your eyes, Aaron you have to stay with me, babe. Aaron!" Robert shouted.

Robert continued to drive to the hospital; he looked to his side to see if Aaron was ok. Robert placed his fingers on Aaron's neck to feel for a pulse. "Oh thank God." Robert had found a pulse "Aaron you have to fight, we are almost at the hospital. Don't give in, your family needs you, I need you". Once they had reached the hospital Robert drove up to the main entrance, parked the car, he got out of the driver's side, ran around the car, opened the passenger side door, unbuckled the seatbelt and he scooped Aaron up and he ran inside the hospital carrying Aaron in his arms "I need some help!" Robert cried as he ran into the hospital.

A Nurse approached him "What's happened?"

Robert sat Aaron down in one of the chairs so he could catch his breath "He just collapsed; he has a cut on his left arm. I think it's infected"

"What's his name?" the nurse asked Robert

"Aaron. Aaron Livesy, Is he going to be okay?" Robert was panicking, he had no control over the situation and Aaron was trying to tell him something.

"By the looks of that cut I would say that there is a high risk that Aaron has septicemia" the nurse looked up at Robert "I am going to go and get a doctor; you need to sign him in so we have his details" The nurse hurried away to find a doctor that could treat Aaron.

Robert sat down beside Aaron. "Robert? Aaron whispered

Robert turned his head and looked at Aaron "Hey, Aaron I'm going to call your mum"

"No, please don't" Aaron grabbed Roberts arm.

"Aaron she has to know about this, she's your mum. Are you cutting again?" Robert looked at Aaron

Yeah, I am. But please don't tell her, because she will just tell Gordon" Aaron was breathing hard, taking in large amounts of oxygen because he was finding it hard to breathe

"Aaron, why are you so worried that your dad will find out about you?" Robert asked

"I told you, he's a bad man. Don't believe a word he says" Aaron said

"Okay ok, but I am staying here with you. Aaron, you are everything to me, I can't live without you. I love you" said Robert.

Aaron looked up at Robert "I love you too Robert. Promise me something"

"Anything" whispered Robert

"Promise me that you will keep him away from me. He did something really bad to me when I was a kid" Aaron winced at the pain coming from the cut on his wrist.

"What did your dad do to ya?" Robert grabbed Aaron's hand, to show that he cared about him.

Before Aaron could answer the nurse and a doctor walked over with a wheelchair "Right then, Love, can you put him in this chair?" the nurse looked at Robert.

"Yeah, come on." Robert picked Aaron up and helped him into the wheel chair. And then the Aaron was taken to a hospital room to be treated and Robert followed. For about 45 minutes Robert was sat in the waiting room, thinking about Aaron and he questioned what Aaron had said to him.

"Excuse me; are you here for Aaron Livesy?" Asked a nurse

Robert looked up at the nurse "Yeah. Is he ok?" the concern for Aaron was exposed in Robert's voice.

"Aaron is seriously ill from the wound on his arm. He has Septicemia but we think that we can treat it with Antibiotics"

"Can I go and see him?" Robert Pleaded

"Are you a friend or a family member?" asked the nurse

"I'm his boyfriend. Please I have to know that he is ok." Robert begged

"Alright, you can go and see him, but try not to stress him out, it is critical that he remains calm. Aaron is currently unconscious and he may be asleep for a while but he will be ok." The nurse gave Robert a reassuring smile

"Thank you, what do I say to him when he wakes up?" Robert's nerves had calmed but he still felt an enormous sense of worry and concern for Aaron.

The nurse showed Robert to the hospital room where Aaron was being treated "just explain to him where he is and what happened when you drove him here" the nurse opened the door and Robert walked in. Robert walked over to where Aaron was asleep, he pulled up a chair to the hospital bed, he sat down and he held Aaron's hand. "What are you so terrified of?" Robert knew that Aaron could not answer but he could not help but question why Aaron had cut himself again. Robert sat beside Aaron's hospital bed for three long hours until the young man opened his eyes.

"Robert?" Aaron asked in a sleepy voice.

"Hey sleepy head" Robert smiled "How are you feeling?" a tear rolled down Roberts face.

"I feel better, where are we?" Aaron sat up and looked at Robert

"You're in hospital, I haven't told anyone because you told me not to" said Robert

"Good, no one can find out" Aaron noticed that Robert's eyes were red and that tears were rolling down his face "Rob, why are you crying?" Aaron cared about Robert though he did not understand why Robert was so upset.

"I thought that I'd lost you." Robert whipped away his tears "I can't live without you Aaron. I love you"

"I don't deserve your love, everyone's lives' would be better if I was dead" Aaron started to cry.

"Don't say that" Robert whipped away Aarons tears "You're the most beautiful person that I have ever met and if anything bad were to happen to you. It would break me"

"I'm sorry Robert" Aaron continued to shed tears.

"What are you sorry for?" asked Robert

"Something really bad has already happened to me" Aaron gulped.

"What? When?" Robert stroked Aaron's hair.

"W-When I was a kid my dad did something really bad to me" Aaron looked up at the celling.

"What did he do?" Robert sat bolt upright.

"It doesn't matter now" Aaron covered his eyes with his hand.

"Aaron, something is clearly eating away at you. Babe please tell me, I can't watch you suffer" Robert's concern for Aaron was increasing by the second. "Well whatever it is you clearly need to talk about it."

Aaron quickly turned to face Robert "Robert. Talking about it won't make it go away." Aaron started to cry harder "Gordon raped me" the tears streamed down Aarons face.

Robert was shocked, but he believed Aaron "Christ" Robert could tell that Aaron was telling the truth; Robert kissed Aaron hand and stroked his check to calm him down. After Aaron's crying had died down, Robert asked him when it happened. And then Aaron told Robert everything. Robert stayed at the hospital all night with Aaron. However Robert could not sleep, all through the night he watched over Aaron. At 4am Aaron woke up sweating "Robert!"

Robert grabbed Aaron's hand "Sshhh, it was just a nightmare"

"He did it again" Aaron was crying

Robert stood up, leant over the bed and hugged Aaron "He will have to go through me to get to you. I will protect you" Robert held Aaron in an embrace to comfort the terrified young man.

"Robert, I'm scared to close my eyes." Aaron sobbed into Robert's chest

"Alright, move over then. I will lie with you for the rest of the night" Robert released Aaron from his embrace.

Aaron moved over to the other side of the bed and Robert laid down on the bed with his arm around Aaron, holding Aaron against his body. At 9am Robert woke up still holding Aaron, Little did he know that Diane was at the same hospital for her treatment and she had asked the nurse at the reception if Aaron was there. The nurse told Diane that Aaron was in the hospital being treated for Septicemia and Diane called Gordon and told him that Aaron was at the hospital. Gordon told Chas and she told Paddy and Adam where Aaron was. About ten minutes later Chas, Paddy, Adam and Gordon arrived at the hospital, they met Diane at the reception and they enquired about Aaron and what he was being treated for.

Robert got out of the bed and walked over to the table to pour Aaron a cup of water, "Here drink this" Robert handed the cup to Aaron and the young man drank the water "How did you sleep?" asked Robert

"I slept ok, when you were with me. Thanks for staying with me" Aaron looked at Robert

"Well at least I'm useful for one thing" Robert smirked

"Well you're a good boyfriend, so that makes two things" Aaron smiled at Robert and Robert smiled back. Aaron and Robert were not aware of the fact that Chas, Paddy, Adam, Diane and Gordon were about to run through the door of the room that they were in.

The door swung open and Chas ran in followed by, Diane, Paddy, Adam and Gordon "Aaron! Sweet heart, what happened?" asked Chas when she saw her son.

Aaron looked at Chas "Mum. What are you doing here?"

"Diane said that you were in hospital." Chas ran over to Aaron and kissed him on the head, and then she saw Robert "what are you doing here?" Chas demanded

"I brought him in, he collapsed at the scrapyard. I have been here all night" said Robert

"Mate what happened to you?" asked Adam

"He has blood poisoning" Robert looked at Adam

"Aaron why have you got blood poisoning?" asked Paddy

"I'll explain later" Aaron said when he looked at Paddy

"Son, are you ok?" asked Gordon as he walked out from behind the door. Aaron and Robert both looked at Gordon; a grin of pure evil was plastered on Gordon's face.

Robert saw the look of terror on Aaron's face and that angered him, How dare Gordon come anywhere near Aaron. Robert ran towards Gordon, his blood was boiling and he was determined to protect Aaron from anything, he punched Gordon in the face and then Robert pinned Gordon up against the wall using his arm to stop Gordon from escaping "You little piece off shit, you're going to pay for what you've done"

Robert! What are you doing?" asked Diane

"Get off of him!" Chas shouted

"What are you doing?" Asked a panicking Gordon

"Is that what he asked you all thoughs years ago, ay Gordon" Robert looked deep into Gordon's eyes searching for answer.

"Who?" Gordon asked.

"Is that what your eight year old son asked you when you attacked him, that night in his room" Robert was not asking he already knew the answer.

"Robert, what are you talking about pet?" asked Diane

"I know what you did?" Robert snarled at Gordon.

"Aaron what is he talking about?" Chas asked Aaron. Aaron started to cry, but he did not answer Chas, he just watched on as Robert protected him.

"I have no idea what you are talking about. Now let go of me before I do something to you that I'll regret" Gordon demanded.

"Oh, and what you going to do. Are you going to hurt me" Robert tightened his grip on the collar of Gordon's shirt "like how you hurt my boyfriend" Robert raised his voice.

"You're off your head" Gordon raised his voice in an attempt to intimidate Robert

Robert could not hold back any longer, he punched Gordon in the gut "You pervert" Robert shouted in Gordon's face.

The room went silent, everyone was staring in disbelief at Robert and then at Aaron. "What did he say" said Paddy.

"This pervert, hurt Aaron when he was a child" Robert turned his head to face everyone "That's why Aaron hurts himself, that's why he cut himself on the wrist and on the chest". Robert turned and looked at Aaron "Aaron. I'm sorry babe, but they need to know".

"Aaron, is it true?" Chas asked.

Aaron nodded, tears welling up in his eyes "yeah, it's true. My dad abused me when I was a kid". Aaron turned his head and looked at Chas "mum I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" Aaron began to cry, he felt responsible for what had happened.

Chas leant over the bed and hugged Aaron "its ok son, you have nothing to be sorry for" Chas held her son and rocked him back and forwards as he cried.

"Aaron, mate I am so sorry" Adam was furious with Gordon "You son of a bitch, I'm going to kill you" Adam walked towards Gordon.

"It's all lies, I couldn't do that to anyone let alone one of my own" Gordon tried to act innocent, but Robert could see straight through his lies.

"Shut it you. How dare you put a hand on my Aaron." Robert death starred Gordon.

Gordon looked over Robert's shoulder at Aaron "Aaron, tell the truth.".

"Shut your mouth before I smack it" Robert demanded.

"You have put him up to this; you have put words in his mouth" Gordon denied.

"You know, Gordon, for the past year Chas, Paddy and Cain have tried to keep me away from Aaron. It's true that I have been a right ass to him in the past. But I would never lay a hand on Aaron, I will never hit him, I will never cause him pain. I love Aaron and I will protect him until the day I die" Gordon looked over Robert's shoulder at Aaron, the young man was crying in the arms of his mother but Aaron could not take his eyes off of Robert "Aaron I am so sorry for everything, I love you so much" Robert felt so guilty for all he had done but he was determined to make it up to Aaron.

"Robert, I forgive you. I love you too" Aaron could no longer hold anything against Robert, he was madly in love with him and he did not want to hide it anymore.

Gordon rolled his eyes "Oh please, you're not good enough for my son; he's twisted in the head. He needs his dad to help him" Gordon knew that he had no power over his son. Gordon was desperate to regain control back over Aaron.

"He has a father, Paddy and he will help him. You don't deserve to have Aaron as a son," Robert was doing what he did best; he was being stubborn to hell with the consequences'. "You are a sick pervert, who abused his son. Your are pathetic excuses of a father and you are a bully. You're nothing Gordon." Robert was bullying Gordon into retreating. And it was working.

"Robert," said Aaron.

"Yes, baby?" Robert looked over his shoulder.

"Can you get Gordon out of here please?" asked Aaron "And can someone tell Cain?".

"With pleasure, Adam can you help me throw out this monster? Paddy, can you call Cain and tell him what this piece of shit has done to Aaron?" Robert was calling the shots now and he would never let Gordon anywhere near Aaron again.

"You got it mate" Adam walked over to where Robert was holding Gordon.

Somehow Gordon managed to break free from Robert and he punched Aaron's boyfriend square in the mouth, splitting Robert's lip. Before Gordon could throw another punch Robert grabbed the man's arm and held it behind his back, "ah, get your hands off me" Gordon was powerless against Robert.

"You're lucky that you punched me and not Cain, otherwise you would be in a lot of pain or even dead" Robert twisted Gordon's arm behind his back, preventing him from fighting back. "Paddy, can you get the door? It's time to put out the trash." Robert and Adam walked out of the room and out of the front entrance of the hospital and they threw Gordon to the ground outside of the hospital.

"Robert, you're wasting your time on my son He is messed up, once he is done with you he will throw you to the side" Gordon stood up.

"Now see here Gordon, I don't waste time. I love Aaron and I would go to hell and back to protect him. You have just made a very bad mistake" Robert clenched his fist.

"Oh, and what was that?" Gordon mocked Robert.

"You have made an enemy of me" Robert spat at Gordon's feet and then he and Adam walked back into the hospital to see Aaron. Leaving Gordon considerably shaken outside of the hospital. When Robert and Adam walked into the room where Aaron was Robert was pressing his cut lip with his hand to stop the bleeding.

"Robert. Are you ok?" Aaron asked when he saw Robert.

"Yeah, don't worry about me, babe. I have had worse." Robert sheepishly smiled at Aaron.

"Come here, let me see" Aaron guested for Robert to show him the cut on his lip. Robert walked over to Aaron and showed him the cut that he had sustained on his lip. Aaron raised his hand and touched the cut on Robert's lips with his fingertips.

"Ouch" Robert whimpered in from the sharp pain from the cut on his lip.

"Sorry, did that hurt?" Aaron was concerned that he had uunintentionallyhurt Robert.

"Na, it's nothing. Don't worry about it". Robert smiled at Aaron

"Oh, Robert, what would I do without you" Aaron sighed

"Your life might be a lot easier" Robert laughed

"That's true", said Aaron

"Aaron, can you tell us what happened" Paddy asked.

Just at that moment, Cain walked in "What's going on here then". Cain walked over to the hospital bed. "And Why was Gordon moping around outside with a black eye"

"I gave him that" Robert looked up at Cain

"He really must have pissed you off if you gave him a black eye then" Cain joked

"You have no idea how much I wanted to kill Gordon just now" Robert looked at Aaron

"What you on about?" Cain was confused by what Robert had just said.

"Do you want me to tell him?" Robert asked Aaron.

"Yeah, I can't" Aaron nodded, the tears were still streaming down his face

"Tell me what?" Cain asked when leant against the wall.

"Gordon abused Aaron as a kid" Robert said as a tear rolled down his cheek

"What?" Cain was astonished by what he had just heard.

It took Aaron a few minutes to explain in detail everything he had gone through; Robert held Aaron's hand as he told Chas, Cain, Paddy, Adam and Diane what had happened when he was a child. After Aaron had told everyone Chas, Paddy and Cain were crying.

"That's why you were always angry with everyone" Cain wiped away his tears and then he walked over to Aaron "Aaron, I am so sorry".

"What are you sorry for?" Aaron asked

"I didn't see that something was wrong. Why didn't you tell any of us? We would have helped." Cain felt powerless and he had no idea of how to handle the situation.

"I felt dirty and ashamed. I didn't know how to tell anyone" Aaron was crying.

Robert stroked Aaron's cheek "Babe listen to me" Aaron turned and looked at Robert "You have nothing to be ashamed of, I still see you as the same strong, kind and stubborn man I know you are, and nothing will ever change that" Robert kissed Aaron's hand.

"I'm never going to be able to get rid of you am I" Aaron smiled

"Never, you're stuck with me now" Robert smiled and kissed Aaron on the forehead "I'm never leaving you again"

Chas crossed her arms and smirked "Oh really, and do I have any say in that?" Chas knew that she would have no say in Aaron's love life but deep down she believed that Robert was being sincere.

"Nope. Plus old Sugden here, needs someone to look after him" Aaron laughed and pointed at Robert.

"Hey I'm not that old. But it's true that I need someone to keep me on the straight and narrow, though I do know that Mr here is uncontrollable." Robert chuckled.

"You got that right, and don't you forget it." Aaron laughed.