Second chapter, inspired by tonights Emmerdale. Hope you enjoy, and let me know what you think! :)

Aaron walked down the street, some half formed plan of meeting Robert somewhere. He hadn't really thought it through, when he almost walked straight past him in the street.

"Where're you off to?" Aaron asked.

"Going to have a drink," Robert said easily. "Or I was."

Aaron had a suspicion that he was only going over to the pub to see him, but he didn't want to voice it in case he was very wrong. Maybe the darkness made it easier, maybe he just didn't want to think about it too much. Aaron kissed him. It was only quick before Robert backed off.

"Back for more?" he asked, that little smirk on his face.

"Maybe," Aaron said. "I shouldn't have run off this morning. I was…" he never finished the sentence. Robert kissed him deeply. When they broke apart, Aaron was smiling. Robert hadn't seen a smile from him in quite some time.

"Yours?" Aaron asked impatiently. He wanted Robert and he wanted him now.

"Perfect," Robert said, smiling at him.

Robert hadn't slept well. In the morning he voiced what he'd been thinking. "This was a bad idea."

"What?" Aaron said. He was still half asleep and his brain wasn't yet comprehending words. When it did, he asked, "What was a bad idea?"

"Us. Last night." That did wake Aaron up.

"Why?" he asked, staring at Robert.

"Because… of everything that's going on."

It took Aaron about five seconds for the penny to drop. "Oh. You mean… right. You don't want me because of what my father did to me." Aaron felt used and stupid as he quickly got up, throwing his clothes back on. How could he have been so stupid? To assume that nothing would change between them after the last few months.

"It's not that," Robert said, watching as Aaron looked to be making a swift exit. "I always want you." He grabbed Aaron's arm, making him stop and look at him. "Trust me, that is not the problem."

"Then what is?" Aaron asked, believing him for the moment.

"I think… with everything you've got going on right now, maybe us starting again isn't such a good idea."

"So you're making the decision for me?" Aaron asked.

"You're… vulnerable right now."

Aaron scoffed at that. "So, what? You think I'm with you as some defence mechanism?" he asked in disbelief. "That's…" he shook his head, words failing him. When Robert didn't speak, and the silence became too much, Aaron continued. "What… he did to me… it was as true last night as it was the first time we slept together. The only difference is that now… you know."

"I don't want it to change things between us," Robert said, honestly.

"You're telling me it does, though," he said. "Aren't you?"

"I don't know," Robert replied, honestly.

"I have to go." Aaron didn't want to hear any more. Who'd have thought last night could be so good and this morning make him feel so rotten? He left the house, going back to the pub. He'd barely closed the door behind him when he heard his mothers voice.

"You were out all night." He went through to the kitchen, seeing Chas with a cup of tea on the table.

"Yes," he said shortly.

"Should I just assume you were with Robert, or ask where you've been?"

"Don't start."

"I'm not upset," Chas said. "Just tell me why. Please try and explain it to me." The only reason Aaron sat down was because Chas seemed calm. He wasn't in the mood for a fight. He wasn't exactly in the mood for pouring his heart out either, but it seemed like the better of the two options right now.

"Explain what?"

"Why him? And why now?"

"I don't know why him," Aaron said. "I love him. And he's really been there for me lately. But even without that, I know exactly why now. Because he doesn't make me feel like I'm broken. Everyone is staring at me, thinking of what… he did to me. It makes me remember… things I've tried so hard to forget. Robert doesn't make me feel like that. Now I'm going to have a shower and go to work."

"Fine," Chas said. "Aaron?"

"Yeah?"

"I just want you to be careful."

"Yeah," he agreed. Chas sighed and looked down at her now cold mug of tea. She needed to have a conversation with Robert.

Outside of the pub, Chas was waiting for Robert. Aaron had already gone to the scrap yard so she felt fairly safe that they could have a conversation without being interrupted.

"You called?" Robert asked, his feet crunching on the gravel.

"Yes, I did," Chas said.

"Well?" Robert asked, hands in his pockets waiting for Chas to say anything.

"I would ask you to stay away from Aaron, but I can't see that happening."

"He can make his own decisions."

"He's damaged and scared," Chas said.

"No, he's not," Robert said. "You need to stop thinking about him like that. It's not fair to him."

"You're taking advantage of him," she said.

"No. I'm not. I'm just treating him like he's normal. Or trying to." Robert shrugged. "Anything else?"

Chas took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Don't you dare hurt him again. He's been through enough."

"I know," Robert said. "Trust me, I know."