They cuddled on the sofa for a few minutes before Robert stood up and walked into the kitchen to make dinner. Aaron stood up and walked into the kitchen and he stood in the doorway. He smiled as he watched Robert cook.
"Do you want me to help?" Aaron asked.
Robert turned around and smiled at Aaron "No, I got this".
"You sure? I don't mind helping you" Aaron said in a soft voice.
Robert walked over to his husband and wrapped his arms around Aaron's waist "I do love you. D'you know that?"
Aaron smiled and put his arms around Robert's neck "I know. I love you too".
"There's some cans of beer in the fridge. Why don't you get us a can" Robert smirked.
"Typical Robert Sugden, won't let me help him cook but wants me to get him a beer" Aaron shook his head.
"Why's that typical of me?" Robert asked.
"Because you never let anyone help you out" Aaron answered.
"That's true, but you always want to help though don't ya?" Robert smiled as he and Aaron slowly swayed from side to side.
"I can't help it. I always want to help the people I care about" Aaron smiled.
"It's one of the things I love about you" Robert leaned in and kissed Aaron.
When the lips parted Aaron sniffed the air and looked over Robert's shoulder "Are you sure that you don't need help with the dinner?"
"I'm sure. I've got everything under control" Robert said with a smug smile.
"Well... obviously not because I can smell something burning" Aaron lifted one arm away from Robert and pointed at the stove.
Robert looked over his shoulder and saw the small cloud of smoke "Aahh!" He quickly let go of his husband and ran over to the stove "Holy flipping shit" Robert quickly turned the hob off.
"Are you still convinced that you've got everything under control?" Aaron smirked as he came to stand next to Robert.
"It's not bad, just a little crispy" Robert went to lift off the lid of the sauce pan but he burnt his hand "OW!"
"You idiot" Aaron grabbed Robert's wrist and walked him over to the sink.
"I can look after myself Aaron. I don't need my husband to look after me 24/7" Robert huffed.
"That's what I said when you surprised me with that engagement party. But you and I both know that we need each other. So shut up and let me sort this burn out" Aaron said as he held Robert's hand under the cold water coming out of the tap.
"You're a very stubborn grease monkey, aren't ya?" Robert smirked.
"It's in my nature" Aaron smiled.
"Another reason why I love you" Robert smiled fondly at his husband.
"Because I'm a grease monkey?" Aaron scoffed.
"Because you're my stubborn grease monkey" Robert whispered.
Aaron looked at his husband and smiled.
Robert leaned in and kissed his husband, they both agreed that the chilli con carne was beyond saving. So they agreed on going to the Woolpack for their dinner. They walked out of their house and Aaron locked the door behind them. Aaron and Robert walked into the pub and Aaron went up to the bar to order their meals and drinks.
"Hiya love, what can I get you?" Chas asked.
"Two pints and two bowls of chilli, please mum" Aaron smiled.
"Why does he look so miserable?" Chas nodded at Robert.
"He accidently burned the dinner and his hand in the process" Aaron answered.
"Poor Robert. You can have your meals and your drinks on the house" Chas smiled.
"You don't have to do that, mum" Aaron said as he looked over his shoulder to see if Robert was alright.
"I'm your mother and he's my son-in-law, it's not a problem" Chas stubbornly as she poured Aaron and Robert's drinks.
"Thanks mum" Aaron smiled as he picked up the drinks and carried them over to the where Robert was patiently waiting. "How's my handsome soldier?" Aaron smirked as he put Robert's drink in front of him.
"Haha very funny" Robert said as he starred at his drink.
"Cheer up, we're getting our food and drinks for free" Aaron nudged Robert's shoulder.
"Did your mum notice that I was suckling?" Robert smirked as he looked at his husband.
"Yeah, don't have a go at her though. It took long enough to convince her that you're one of the good guys" Aaron smiled before he sipped his drink.
After 45 minutes Chas came over with Aaron and Robert's meals, she then sat down with them to talk.
"And what are you doing sat over there?" Charity asked.
"Spending some time with Robron" Chas answered.
"I can't believe that shipping name has stuck" Aaron chuckled.
"I think that it has a ring to it" Robert smiled.
"So do I really. I've gotten used after Vic and Liv saying it every time we've been in the same room" Aaron smiled.
They ate their food and talked to Chas for a few hours before they walked back to their house. They walked into their home arm in arm and they went upstairs to get ready for bed. Aaron and Robert got into their bed and spooned together.
"I love you my stubborn grease monkey. Good night" Robert kissed Aaron's shoulder and closed his eyes.
"I love you too, Rob. Good night" Aaron smiled and he closed his eyes.
They had been asleep for only a few hours when the door opened slightly and a dark shadow stepped into the room. The shadow pulled something out of his jacket and walked over to the bed carefully so as not to wake the sleeping men he used hand cuffs to hold Aaron and Robert's wrists to the bed head. Aaron slowly opened his eyes and looked over to his husband's side of the bed. His blood ran cold as he sees a shadow starring down at his husband. Aaron noticed that in the shadow's hand there was something sharp and pointed which closely resembled a knife.
"NO! ROBERT!" Aaron screamed.
Robert opened his eyes but it's too late. "What the hell are you doing here?" Robert ordered.
The shadow plunged the knife into Robert's chest, right where his heart is. Aaron cried out and thrashed around, as the shadow repeatedly plunged the knife into Robert over and over again.
"Stop! Leave him alone!" Aaron shouted.
"Aaron! Aaron!" Robert cried out in pain.
"Stop it! Please leave him alone" Aaron begged.
Robert looked to his side and smiled softly at his husband "I love you Aaron" his eyes turned dull and his body went still.
"Rob? Robert wake up. Baby please" Aaron sobbed "Robert wake up!"
The shadow stopped stabbing Robert, he slowly walked around the bed and stopped next to Aaron's side of the double bed.
Aaron cringed in fear as his eyes adjusted to the shadow "G-Gordon?"
Gordon smirks as his son stammers out his name "You've been a naughty boy, haven't you son?" Gordon raised his knife in the air and brought it down to meet Aaron's chest.
"NOOO!" Aaron sat up in his bed panting for breath. He quickly examined his chest for any stab wounds but he could not find one scratch. In a panic he looked over at his husband, he saw that Robert sleeping peacefully beside him. He hesitated but reached over and started to shake Robert "Rob? Rob wake up" he cried.
Robert woke up and he looked at Aaron "What is it babe?" he sat up when he heard that Aaron was crying.
"He killed you, he was stabbing you" Aaron sobbed.
Robert pulled his husband into an embrace "Who, baby? Who was stabbing me?" he asked.
"Gordon" Aaron sobbed into Robert's chest.
Robert stroked his husband's hair "He's not gonna hurt me or you. He's dead and we're both safe now" he cooed and then he kissed Aaron's head twice.
"I'm scared of loosing you. Please don't leave Robert" Aaron cried as he clung onto Robert.
"I'm not going anywhere. Nothing's gonna take me away from you" Robert reassured.
"I'm sorry for waking you up, I just needed to know that you're alright" Aaron said as his crying slowly stopped.
"It's alright, I don't mind it if you need to wake me up because you've had a nightmare. I know that they are very bad sometimes, I understand that they scare you. You don't have to apologise because I already know that you need me to hold you when you wake up from a bad dream" Robert comforted as he stroked his husband's hair.
"Thank you for understanding. Thank you for looking after me" Aaron said into Robert's chest.
"It's my job. We look after each other, you cry I cry, you smile I smile, you laugh I laugh. And that's how it's gonna stay, forever and ever" Robert smiled.
Aaron pulled back from his hug with his husband and he looked up at the older man "You said that on our wedding" Aaron smiled at the thought of his and Robert's wedding day.
Robert brushed away Aaron's tears with his thumb "And I stand by that promise to this day" Robert kissed his husband's forehead. He then looked over at the alarm clock on the bedside table "It's 3 O'clock, so what do you want to do? Do you want to try and go back to sleep or do you want me to put a scary movie on so that I end up practically pissing myself because I'm scared?" he asked.
"Can you please just hold me for a bit so that I can try and get to sleep?" Aaron asked.
"Alright" Robert smiled kindly at Aaron. They both laid back down and Robert gently pulled Aaron close, he wrapped both of his arms around his husband and kissed the top of his head. Robert realised that Aaron was tense and that he was shaking in his arms "Hey, hey it's alright baby. Sshh it's okay. No one's gonna hurt me or you, Gordon is gone and he's never gonna hurt you again. I won't let anybody touch you. You're safe here with me" Robert cooed as he stroked Aaron's hair; knowing that it would soothe him.
Aaron relaxed a little and he snuggled into Robert "That feels nice".
Robert smiled "I know that stroking your hair like this always helps you to relax. I can feel it when you're stressed or when you're tense" Robert explained as he continued to stroke his husband's hair.
"You know me so well" Aaron smiled.
"You got that right. Me and you know each other more than we know our selves sometimes" Robert kissed the top of his husband's head.
They both fell asleep but after two hours Robert woke up when he felt Aaron kicking him. "Babe, why are you kicking me?" he opened his eyes and looked at his husband.
"No, don't" Aaron whimpered in his sleep.
Robert sighed when he realised that Aaron was having another nightmare "It's alright Aaron. Just calm down" he said in a soft voice.
"Let him go, or else!" Aaron said in a menacing voice.
"It's okay Aaron. No one's going to hurt you" Robert tried to calm his husband.
"Leave him alone! Shoot me instead" Aaron sobbed.
Robert sat up when he remembered that Aaron said to Gordon when his husband had found him "Aaron wake up".
"Noo!" Aaron shouted in his sleep. He then started to violently shake as he cried.
Robert grabbed hold of his husband's wrists and he sat on Aaron to hold him down "Aaron wake up!" he yelled but Aaron did not wake up nor did he stop shaking.
"Nooo! Robert!" Aaron screamed as he slept.
"I'm here babe. Just please wake up" Robert started to cry when he could not wake up his husband "Babe you need to wake up!"
After what felt like forever Aaron stopped shaking but he did not wake up. Robert had started to shake his husband's limp body to wake him but it would not work. Aaron did not move or show any signs of life.
"Aaron? Aaron!" Robert sobbed as he shook his husband. "Aaron wake up! Baby? Please wake up. Baby please" Robert sobbed.
Suddenly Aaron's eyes flung open and he sat up. He was breathing heavily and his heart was beating very fast. He looked up at his husband and saw the tears streaming down Robert's face "Rob? What just happened to me?" he asked.
Robert wrapped his arms around his husband and he cried as he frantically kissed Aaron's head "I thought that I'd lost you. I tried to wake you but you wouldn't wake up" Robert sobbed.
"What do you mean I wouldn't wake up?" Aaron asked.
"You were having a nightmare, I tried to wake you up but you just kept screaming and then you started to shake. You wouldn't stop, I had to sit on you to hold you down and to stop you from hurting yourself. You really scared me, baby" Robert cried as he clung onto Aaron.
"I'm sorry. I don't remember any of that. I just remember waking up from the nightmare that I had about Gordon coming in here, and then you holding me and stroking my hair to calm me down." Aaron began to cry because he had no idea what had just happened to him.
Robert let go of Aaron and he saw that he was crying "Oh baby, please don't cry".
"I'm sorry, I can't help it. I don't understand what just happened to me" Aaron wiped away his tears with the back of his hand.
"You don't need to apologise. It'll be okay, you just scared me for a bit. That's all" Robert cradled Aaron's face in his hands. He then looked over at the alarm clock and saw that it was 6:55am "It's nearly 7 o'clock , so you want to go back to sleep for a bit or...?"
"No! Please don't make me" Aaron pleaded.
Robert's heart melted at Aaron's desperate words. His husband's terrified voice reminded him of that of a scared child "Aaww baby. Come'ere" Robert pulled his husband into a hug and held him tight "I'm never gonna make you do anything. You have nothing to be scared of" Robert comforted as he held back his own tears.
They held each other for a few minutes, as Robert cooed loving words to Aaron as he stroked his hair and rocked him from side to side. They then got up and both men got dressed before they walked downstairs. Robert made Aaron something to eat and they watched TV for a while, Aaron was lying down on the sofa and he was resting his head on Robert's lap.
Robert was gently stroking Aaron's hair, and he felt him relax after a few minutes. He looked down at his husband and saw that he was asleep. He slowly listed up Aaron's head and he stood up. He then put a pillow under Aaron's head and he put a blanket over his husband. He then felt his phone buzzing in his pocket; he had put it on silent so that it would not wake Aaron up.
He sighed when he saw who was calling him "What do you want Chrissie?" Robert asked.
"I just wanted to invite you to Home farm for a drink. And to talk about our little misunderstanding with Aaron and I" Chrissie answered.
"If I do. Will you leave Aaron alone?" Robert looked around the door and into the kitchen. He saw Aaron asleep on the sofa. "I'm not going to sleep with you Christie." He grabbed his keys.
"Oh please, I have realised that you are sticking with Aaron so there is no need for that tone" Chrissie scoffed.
"Alright. I'll meet you there" he said before he hung up the call. He walked over to the door but then he heard a quiet voice.
"Robert?" Aaron asked as he woke up.
Robert turned around and he saw that his husband was awake. He smiled softly as he walked over to the sofa and looked down at his husband "Hey sleepy head. Did you have a nightmare?"
"No, I just woke up normally. Where are you going?" Aaron asked as he rubbed his eyes.
"Vic called me. She said that it was urgent" Robert answered.
"How long will you be gone?" Aaron asked.
Robert stroked Aaron's hair "Not long, I'll be back before you know it. Why don't you go back to sleep ay? You didn't sleep last night".
"Okay. Don't be long, I don't like to be on my own for very long. It just scares me after everything that's happened" Aaron confessed in an innocent voice.
"Alright. I'll be back soon" Robert kissed Aaron "I love you" he said as he stroked his husband's hair.
"I love you too" Aaron smiled and Robert kissed him again.
Robert then walked out of the front door and locked it behind him so that Aaron was not disturbed. Aaron lied down, he closed his eyes and fell asleep...
Robert met Chrissie at the stables by home Farm. "What do you want?" Robert asked.
"Relax Robert, I'm not going to pounce. I just have to tell you something" Chrissie held her hands up in a mock surrender.
"I'm not leaving Aaron" Robert said firmly.
"I gathered that, so I thought that we should make peace. I won't cause Aaron anymore harm" Chrissie faked a smile.
"You better keep to your word" Robert placed his hands on his hips as he tried to figure out if Chrissie was being sincerer.
"Oh I intend to. There's something that I wanted to give to Aaron. It's in the barn" Chrissie nodded.
They walked over to the barn and Robert walked in "So what am I looking at?"
"My revenge" Chrissie said as she slammed the door shut and locked it.
Robert ran over to the door and started to bang on it "Chrissie! Chrissie let me out!" Robert demanded.
"Why should I? I think that I'll do the same to your husband" Chrissie scoffed.
Robert ran to the small window and looked through it "If you hurt him. So help me, I'll get you arrested for it!" he shouted.
"Oh don't worry Robert. I'm not going to hurt Aaron" Chrissie lift up a can of petrol "I'm going hurt you" she said as she started to throw the liquid onto the barn.
"We've been here before, Chrissie. You and I both know that's water and not petrol" Robert said confidently.
Chrissie poured some of the liquid onto the ground and lit a match. She threw the match onto the puddle and it caught fire. "If I can't have you, nobody can" Chrissie grinned.
Now Robert was scared, he had lied to Aaron about where he was so he feared that he would never see his Aaron again.
Meanwhile, back at his home Aaron woke up but then somebody placed a hand over his mouth. He started to panic when he thought that his attacks had returned to finish the job.
"Don't scream" Lachlan said as he lifted his hand away from Aaron's mouth. "She's lost it"
"Who's lost it? What are you doing in my house?" Aaron asked."I climbed in through a window upstairs"
"You better leave before I call the police" Aaron threatened.
"My mum's gonna kill Robert" Lachlan admitted.
Aaron sat bolt upright "What?"
"He's at Home Farm now, she's gonna kill him" Lachlan explained.
"Robert's at Victoria's" Aaron argued.
"Call him if you don't believe me!" Lachlan snapped.
Aaron quickly dialled the number and held the phone to his ear
"Aaron!" Said a panicked voice over the phone.
"Rob, where are you? Lachlan's just told me that you're at home Farm" Aaron explained.
"He's telling the truth. I only came here to protect you" Robert admitted.
"Tell me what going on!" Aaron started to panic.
"Chrissie's going to kill me" Robert started to cry.
"I'm on my way just hang on" Aaron sprang to his feet and grabbed his car keys before running out of the door with Lachlan.
"Aaron I..." Robert's phone battery died.
"Robert? Robert!" Aaron jumped into his car and so did Lachlan. They sped off down the road to Home farm.
However back at the barn Robert was throwing himself at the door, he was hoping that it would breakdown. The fire had spread and the barn that Robert was trapped in was now up in flames. Robert was holding his hand over his mouth so that he did not breath in the smoke that was flooding the barn. He was crying as he desperately tried to get out of the barn that would soon be engulfed in flames.
After only a ten minutes Aaron pulled up on the driveways of Home farm, both himself and Lachlan jumped out of the car and Lachlan ran to the door. Aaron saw the cloud of thick black smoke, he sprinted over to the barn and he gasped when he saw that it was on fire.
"What are you doing here?" Chrissie demanded.
"Your son told me that you were going to kill my husband! Where is he!" Aaron demanded as he stormed over to Chrissie.
Robert was coughing because of the smoke when he heard Aaron's voice "Aaron? Aaron!" He screamed.
Aaron heard Robert screaming and he turned around to look at the barn "Robert!" He looked at the window and he saw his Robert.
"Aaron!" Robert screamed.
Aaron ran over to the window and grabbed Robert's hand "Robert!"
"Aaron" he sobbed as he tightened his grip on his husband's hand.
"It's alright. I'm going to get you out! Aaron looked around for and entrance when he saw the door. He ran over to the door and started to pull and kick it.
"Aaron help me!" Robert sobbed.
Aaron could hear his husband coughing because of the smoke "I'm coming! Just hang on babe!" Aaron yelled.
"I love you!" Robert coughed.
"Robert don't. I'm going to get you out!" Aaron ran back over to the window and grabbed Robert's hand.
Without warning a piece of wood that was swamped in flame fell onto Aaron's arm.
"AAAHHH!" Aaron screamed as the flames burnt his arm. He let go of Robert's hand and he cried as he clutched his wrist.
"Aaron? Oh my god!" Robert realised that Aaron might have been seriously hurt.
"Ah! Shit" Aaron took a few pained breathes before he ran back to the door and started to kick it again.
"Aaron are you okay?" Robert coughed.
"Don't worry about me. Just hold on Robert. I'm gonna get you out!" Aaron shouted to Robert.
"Aaron... I... I love" Robert started but then he went silent.
"I've called the fire-fighters!" Lachlan ran over and stood next to his mother.
"Why would you do that Lucky? I have finally got my revenge" Chrissie argued.
Lachlan ran over to the window and looked in. He saw Robert lying face down on the floor and he was showing no signs of life "He unconscious!" Lachlan shouted over to Aaron.
Aaron kicked the door a few more times before he made a hole big enough to get through. "Robert!" He ran in and picked up Robert. "It's okay, I've got you" He then pushed Robert through of the hole in the door and climbed out himself. The fire-fighters had just arrived as Aaron pulled Robert away from the burning barn. "Robert?" Aaron placed a hand on his husband's neck to check if he had a pulse. "No no no, Robert wake up!" Aaron lifted up Robert by his jacket and held him up as he shook him "Robert please wake up. Rob?" When Robert didn't respond Aaron started to cry and laid him down on the ground. "No, please no! Robert wake up" Aaron lowered his head and cried into his husband's chest "Robert... wake up. Please wake up! Babe please. Robert" Aaron sobbed "Come back Robert, come back. I love you. I love you more than anything. Please come back to me. Robert!"
"Aaron?" Came a cough.
Aaron quickly looked up and saw that Robert was looking at him "Robert?"
"Hiya beautiful" Robert gave a sheepish smile.
Aaron slapped Robert before he pulled him into an embrace "Don't ever lie to me again!" He sobbed.
Robert hugged Aaron "I'm sorry".
Aaron and Robert both cried as they held each other. "Don't ever scare me like that again!" Aaron sobbed and hit Robert's back a few times.
"I won't. I promise" Robert cried.
"I love you so much" Aaron pulled back from his embrace with Robert. He cradled his face with his hands and kissed Robert on the lips.
"I love you too baby" Robert said as he kissed Aaron back before they hugged each other again.
"Please don't ever scare me like that again. I couldn't bear it if I'd lost you" Aaron wept.
"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have lied to you. I only wanted to protect you, that's why I came here" Robert cried on Aaron's shoulder.
Aaron pulled back from Robert and kissed him "Thank you, but don't lie to me again. Let me protect you sometimes" he whispered into the kiss.
"I won't, I promise. Please don't be mad at me" Robert begged.
Aaron pulled back and he looked at Robert. He wiped away his husband's tears with his thumb whilst he kept his burnt wrist held against his chest. "I'm not mad at you, I'm just happy that you're okay".
Robert remembered that Aaron had been hurt "How badly were you burned?" Robert looked down at Aaron's wrist.
Aaron turned his wrist and showed Robert his bloody arm "It's not bad".
Robert gently grasped hold of Aaron's wrist to get a better look at it "Ouch, this looks painful".
"Ahh!" Aaron hissed in pain.
"We need to get you to a hospital" Robert winced at his husband's wound.
"I'll be alright" Aaron winced.
Robert let go of Aaron's wrist and he took his jacket and his shirt off "You're badly hurt, babe. Your arm needs medical attention, otherwise it'll get infected" Robert wrapped his shirt around Aaron's bloody and burnt wrist.
"I'll be fine" Aaron said quietly.
Robert looked up at his husband "You just saved me from a fire so let me help you. Please Aaron".
Aaron nodded and Robert called the ambulance. Robert then looked up and saw that Chrissie was stood behind Aaron, she looked furious as she held a gun in her hands.
"Nooo!" Robert sprang forward and pulled his husband close in a feeble attempt to protect him.
Aaron looked up at Chrissie and saw the gun that she was pointing at them "Put the gun down Chrissie" he said calmly as he clung onto Robert.
"You took my happiness away from me. You stole my husband from me!" Chrissie snarled.
"Put the gun down Chrissie. You don't have to hurt us" Robert said calmly as he slowly lifted one arm so that he could grab the gun.
"No! I want to do this! I want you both DEAD!" Chrissie shouted. She cocked the gun and pointed it at the couple.
Aaron and Robert both closed their eyes tight as they held onto each other.
"Good bye Aaron and Robert" Chrissie grinned...
To be continued...