Robert woke up with a start, the tossing and turning of his boyfriend Aaron had stirred him from his sleep. He turned on the lamp that was sat on the nightstand and then he quickly turned to sleeping Aaron who was lying in bed beside him. He had never seen Aaron like this before; his boyfriend was kicking at thin air and gripping the pillow.

"Aaron?" said Robert as watched his boyfriend tossing and turning in his sleep. Aaron was clearly having a nightmare, and a bad one by the look of things. Robert raised his voice "Aaron!", but his cries went unheard as Aaron continued to jerk around in bed, kicking and punching at thin air.

Aaron cried out, "No! Please, don't!" the realisation suddenly came to Robert; his precious Aaron was having a nightmare about his abusive father Gordon Livesy. In an instant Robert lept out from under the covers and grabbed his boyfriend's shoulders to hold him down so he could stop Aaron from hurting himself "Aaron. Wake up!" Robert shouted, but Aaron continued to kick and scream.

"No dad. Please get off me! Ow!" Aaron cried. Robert maintained his grip on Aaron's shoulders and began to shake him hoping that it would wake him up, "Aaron Wake up! Oh Baby please wake up!" yelled Robert as he frantically shook Aaron,

"Dad. Please stop. I'll be good. I'll be a good boy" cried Aaron. Robert knew that Aaron was reliving the first time his dad assaulted him, and Robert couldn't stand to see his Aaron so scared and vulnerable. So he made one last ditch effort to wake up the screaming young man "Aaron!" yelled Robert.

Aaron jolted awake. He lept into Robert's arms and began to cry from the fear, The older man scooped Aaron up and rocked him back and forwards to calm his boyfriend. "Robert. Please don't let him get me. Don't let him get me Rob!" Aaron said as he cried into Roberts's bare chest.

Robert stroked Aaron's dark hair and rocked his boyfriend back and forwards, "Sshhh, it's okay babe" he whispered as he cradled the crying Aaron, "Sshhh it's okay, I'm here. It was just a nightmare; He's not going to get you".

Robert held Aaron for what felt like hours, until either one of them spoke. "What happened?" Robert asked as he held the young man in his arms, Aaron spoke through his tears "i-it was the first time all over again", Aarons crying broke Roberts heart causing him to shed tears'.

Robert knew about all the terror that Gordon had inflicted on Aaron as a child, and it broke his heart to see such a strong caring young man cry about such a horrific ordeal that nobody should every have to go through. "H-he wouldn't stop" said Aaron still crying into Robert's chest.

Robert could no longer hold back the tears, no matter how much he tried "I know baby, I know" Robert said as a tear rolled down his face, when he thought about all the torture and misery that Gordon Livesy had put Aaron through all those years.

"I'm so sorry Rob"

Robert looked down at his boyfriend "hey. What are you sorry for?" asked Robert. Aaron shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm sorry for dragging you into this mess".

Robert released Aaron from his embrace but he held Aarons broad shoulders. "Aaron. You have nothing to be sorry for. Look, I'm still here. Aren't i?" Robert gave off a reassuring smile. Aaron sheepishly smiled, in a way Robert just made all the bad things that his father did to him go away, "yeah you are, but I don't want to burden you" said Aaron.

Robert cupped Aaron's chin so he would look into his eyes "Aaron. you listen to me". Aaron looked up into Roberts eyes "you are not a burden to anyone, especially me. You are a strong, kind hearted, beautiful man who I want to be with". Aaron remembered what Robert had said in court.

"You are the strongest person I know, and if I could take away everything that scumbag did to you, I would." Aaron knew that Robert was being sincere.

"I know" said Aaron as he looked into his boyfriends teary eyes. "Why are you crying?" Aaron asked whilst he wiped away the tear that was rolling down Roberts face. "Because" said Robert "I hate seeing you like this. I love you Aaron and I don't want to see you suffer."

"I love you too Rob" Aaron briefly smiled.

"If I had known what he did to you, I would have treated you better" said Robert. Aaron sensed that Robert felt guilty about the time he made fun of his scars and his sexuality.

Aaron smiled "hey. I'm still here. Aren't I". Said Aaron, Robert smiled at his gorgeous boyfriend. The two men fell back onto the bed and they pulled the covers back over. Robert pulled Aaron towards him, so that Aaron's back was against his chest, to provide comfort and a feeling of safety.

"Rob"

"Yes babe?"

"You won't ever leave me, right?" deep down Aaron still feared that Robert did not truly love him.

"I won't ever leave you Aaron, don't worry. I'm here to stay."

"You promise" Aaron trusted Robert but he needed to be sure.

Robert held Aarons hand "I promise."

Aaron smiled; he now had what he always wanted. He had his true love Robert Sugden, and nothing not even evil Gordon Livesy could get in the way of him and Robert.

The next morning Robert woke up facing his boyfriend's side of the bed, but Aaron was not in bed. Robert quickly sat up and looked around the room when he realised that Aaron was not in the room he panicked.

"Aaron?" Robert said in a panic, "No. please no"

The first thought that came to Roberts mind was that Aaron was in the bathroom with his hand in boiling hot water, at the graveyard scraping his knuckles across a dirty headstone, stood at the edge of a quarry or passed out at the scrapyard with no one to help him.

Robert lept out of bed, he threw on his dressing gown. "Aaron!" Robert said as he ran down the stairs and turned the corner to the front room...

"Jeeze Aaron" Robert said when he saw that his boyfriend was sat on the sofa reading a sports magazine.

Aaron looked up at Robert. "What?"

"I was worried; I thought that something had happened". Robert walked around to the front of the sofa and sat beside Aaron.

"Aaww, my boyfriend was worried about me" Aaron chuckled.

"Yeah I was" said Robert, though he was secretly loving the fact that Aaron called him his boyfriend.

"Babe, you gave me a heart attack". Whilst he was sat with Aaron he was carefully looking over his boyfriend's body, checking for any spots of blood. Aaron realised that Robert was looking over his body for cuts. Though he did not mind that Robert worried about him, it brought him comfort that Robert cared so much for his safety.

"Robert don't worry, I have not cut or hurt myself in anyway."

Robert trusted that Aaron was telling the truth, but he still needed to know what Aaron had been doing whilst he slept.

"Good. But what have you been doing? Why didn't you wake me up?" asked Robert

Aaron looked straight into Robert's eyes. "I woke up about thirty minutes ago, you were sleeping and you looked so beautiful. I didn't want to wake you; I have just been reading this since I got down stairs".

Robert peered over "what are you reading?" he asked

Aaron loved to tease Robert, so he pulled the Magazine to his chest.

"Why do you want to know?" Aaron chuckled

Robert knew what Aaron was doing so he decided to humour his boyfriend, knowing that Aaron was happy to see him. Robert made a small jump in the air to pull his legs up onto the sofa so he was kneeling on them.

"Well" said Robert "you are my boyfriend and I want to know what you are reading".

"Just something about a half marathon" Aaron smiled.

"Really" said Robert, as he playfully leaned over his Boyfriend to grab the Magazine.

"Oi" laughed Aaron as he pulled the Magazine away from his boyfriends grasp.

Robert laughed, when he leaned over Aaron and began to tickle him on the chest and under the arms, where he knew he was ticklish.

"HAHAHA. Robert, s-stop." Aaron laughed

Robert smiled when he saw Aaron laugh; he loved to see his Aaron laugh.

"What? Are you ticklish?" Robert laughed

"Yes!" laughed Aaron.

The two men heard the door open, and then Charity walked in.

"Oh. Don't let me stop you" joked Charity

Quickly Robert and Aaron returned to how they were sat. "We were just, uh" Robert said in an awkward voice.

Before either Robert or Aaron could say anything else Charity interrupted them.

"Don't worry Aaron I won't tell your mum"

Aaron rolled his eyes at Charity, and then he looked at Robert and his Boyfriend looked at him and then they both looked back at the woman. Charity laughed as she walked out of the front room towards the bar of the Woolpack.

"Be gentle with him Sugden!" Charity shouted "he's a delicate soul!"

Once she had left the room Aaron looked down at the floor. Robert looked over at Aaron.

"Hey" said Robert "just ignore Charity".

Aaron looked at Robert "she makes me sound like a sissy" Aaron sighed "like I'm a breakable toy or something".

Robert knew that Aaron hated been told that he was weak or that he was vulnerable. It was being called fragile that made Aaron feel different to other people. He was never one to enjoy being the center of attention, even when he told people what Gordon did to him, Aaron still felt awkward when people starred at him.

"If I know anything, you are not a sissy, because you are incredibly brave".

Robert didn't talk too much about how brave his Aaron was, because he knew that it would bring back bad memories of how he lived with the abuse.

"Hhmm" Aaron smiled as he shook his head

"What?" Robert asked

Aaron looked up at Robert and smiled. His blue eyes shone with a look of happiness. This was the look that Robert loved to see on Aaron's face, so he smiled. "I was just thinking how lucky I am to have found you, and that I don't deserve you".

"What are you talking about?" said Robert "I don't deserve you Aaron".

Aaron smiled, leaned back and crossed his arms "True"

"Oi!" Robert smiled and lightly shoved Aaron. The two men laughed. Aarons smile gave Robert joy because had never seen such happiness and contentment on his boyfriends face before. Aaron lay down so that his head was resting on Roberts's knee. Robert stroked Aaron's dark hair as they talked.

"Do you have work today?" Robert asked.

Aaron looked into Roberts eyes when he answered "Nope, I have a day off. What about you?"

Robert smiled at Aaron "nope, I'm all yours"

Aaron smiled. The couple had the whole day to spend with each other. Robert looked at his watch. "Right, what do you want to eat for Breakfast?" Robert asked

"Cereal and a coffee for me thanks Gorgeous" answered Aaron

"Oh god". Smiled Robert

"What?" Aaron asked, he had an idea of what Robert was thinking of.

"You're not going to do that slurping thing with the milk again, are you?" Robert looked down at a smirking Aaron.

"Maybe" Aaron said "I bet i know what you are going to have".

Robert smiled "what?"

Aaron moved his head from side to side, "you're going to have buttered toast, with an Americano".

Robert grinned "you know me so well." The two men laughed as the both stood up and walked over to the kitchen area to prepare their breakfasts'. After they had made their breakfasts' and their drinks Aaron and Robert sat down at the table and engaged in conversations that ranged from what they should do today and how work was going.

Once they had finished their food and drinks Aaron stood up with mugs in one hand. He stacked the bowl and plate, carried them over to the sink, and he began to wash up the dishes. Robert stood up from the table, walked over to the sink and placed both of his hands on Aaron's hips.

"You know what." Said Robert in a cheerful voice.

Aaron turned his head to face Robert and he smiled. "What?"

Robert sniggered "you are a very sexy grease monkey" he kissed Aaron's neck.

Aaron smiled "do you remember the first time you called me that?"

"Yes I do, my Sexy grease monkey" Robert chuckled.

"Looks like I need to think of a nickname for you than Sugden." Aaron laughed and so did Robert.

"I like it when you call me Gorgeous." Said Robert.

"Well there you go then." Said Aaron "love ya Gorgeous".

"I love you too, my Sexy grease monkey".

The two men jumped when they heard the door open and close. Aaron sighed with relief when he heard Victoria's voice, "hey, can one of you have a look at my van again? It won't start". Robert laughed.

Robert turned to face Aaron "Is this how we are going to spend our day off? Fixing my sisters van."

Aaron looked at Robert and smiled, "I guess it is". Said Aaron.

The two men left the house, got into Robert's car and drove up to the scrap yard, they took a look at Victoria's van, and they laughed. Thirty minutes had gone passed before Victoria arrived at the scrap yard to collect the van