That night Robert stayed the over again, Aaron had another nightmare about his dad, causing him to kick and scream. And just like the night before Robert held Aaron's shoulders and shook him until he woke up. Chas and Charity ran in to see what the matter was. Aaron woke up sweating, Robert was holding him, and Chas and Charity were stood in the doorway. Chas asked if he was okay, Aaron said that it was just a dream and the two women walked back to their rooms.
"How bad was it?" asked Robert, with a look of concern in his eyes.
"Bad" Aaron answered, still sweating and breathing hard.
"Was it worse than last night's?"
Aaron gulped "no, but it was still bad. It was like a carry on from the nightmare I had last night, it was the last time he…"
Robert stroked his boyfriend's hair to show he already knew what Aaron was trying say
"I don't know how but. You were there."
Robert looked confused "what was I doing?"
"You stopped him, and then you brought me back home to the village."
"How did I stop him?"
"You pulled him off of me, grabbed him by the neck, held him up against the wall and then you punched him in the gut."
Robert smiled "I told you that I would always protect you Aaron, and I intend on keeping that promise, no matter what"
The two men talked for a while and then they both laid back down on the bed to go back to sleep. Just like the night before Robert pulled Aaron towards him pressing Aaron's back to his chest. After a while Aaron fell asleep, but Robert stayed awake for a long time just watching Aaron, observing his sleeping boyfriend, preparing himself, if he needed to wake Aaron up from any nightmares, but after two long hours of staring at Aaron, Robert could no longer keep his eyes open, his heavy eye lids dropped and he fell asleep.
The next day Robert was relieved to see Aaron still asleep in his arms. Robert could not tare his eyes away from his boyfriend. Suddenly Aaron's eyes slowly opened; Robert smiled at his beautiful boyfriend.
"Morning babe" Robert kissed Aaron on the forehead
"Hhmm, morning Gorgeous" Aaron smiled at Robert.
For a few minutes Aaron and Robert talked as they laid in bed. "I should really get dressed, I have a meeting later today" said Robert as he played with the small dark hairs on Aarons chest.
"I wish you didn't have to, that suit looks just fine hung up on that wardrobe door." Aaron looked up at Robert with begging puppy dog eyes.
Robert laughed "oh how I wish I could"
Robert got out of bed, walked over to the wardrobe, picked up the suit and he got dressed. Aaron watched him get dressed, "you look great in that suit but… I still think that it would look better on the floor or thrown over that chair" Aaron chuckled.
Robert smiled and shook his head "behave Aaron, but it is tempting. Love ya Sexy grease monkey."
After both Aaron and Robert were dressed they walked down the stairs and into the front room. "Hello boys." Chas said in a cheerful voice.
"Hi mum" said Aaron when he and Robert sat at the table to eat.
"Hi ya Chas" said Robert as he slurped at his coffee.
"Has he managed to drag you out of bed Robert?"
"More like I managed to drag him out of bed" Robert chuckled when he started to eat his toast.
"Right, I better go and open up the bar, so no one's complaining of bad service at 10am".
"What. Aahh, I got to get to York" Robert stood up and kissed Aaron on the head, "I'll see you later Sexy grease monkey". He hurried towards the door.
"See ya Gorgeous" Aaron smiled.
"See ya Chas."
Chas waved at Robert as he walked out of the door. "I'm surprised he could pry himself away from you."
"Who can blame him, I'm irresistible" Aaron smiled "right I better get to the scrap yard. See ya mum"
At 6:45pm that night, Robert was driving home,
RING, RING!
Aaron picked up the phone.
"Hey Sexy grease monkey"
"Hi Gorgeous"
"I got the deal" said Robert he was happy to hear Aaron's voice because he had missed him during the whole boring meeting.
"That's great, Rob" said Aaron
"Thanks babe. How does pizza and a movie sound?"
Aaron replied "sounds good, Horror or action movie?"
"Horror. So you can protect me from the scary monster. Again" Robert laughed
"Fine by me"
"Oh, and I have something to tell you"
"Ok, see ya in a bit then"
"See ya babe". Robert hung up the phone; he picked up the movie Saw from the video shop and resumed his journey home to the village to be with Aaron. When he arrived at the village Robert pulled up on the drive around the back of the Woolpack; he then got out of his car and started to walk towards the back door. Suddenly three large men walked out from behind some bushes.
"Oi." Shouted the ringleader. Robert turned around as the three men approached him.
"Are you Robert Sugden?"
"What's it to you?" Robert noticed that the two taller men walked around and stood behind him, whilst the shorter but more muscular man stood in front of him.
"Someone told us that you were causing him trouble, that you had brainwashed his son."
"I'm guessing that Gordon Livesy has sent you. I have not brainwashed anyone, you go and tell that scum bag to stay away from my boyfriend. If he knows what good for him" Robert knew that Gordon felt threatened by him, though he also knew that he would stand no chance against these guys.
"Oh really" the man walked closer to Robert "as a matter of fact Mr Livesy has asked us to give you a message"
Before he could say anything the two men behind Robert grabbed his arms and held him in place as the shorter man punched Robert in the gut, over and over again. Robert did his best to fight back but… his attacker punched him in the face, splitting his lip, and then he punched Robert the face again giving him a black eye. Robert kicked at his attackers' legs but he had no energy in him to scream for help.
Just then Aaron arrived home, he was texting Robert as he got out of his car, then he put his phone in his pocket and looked up to see three large men beating up Robert.
"Robert!" Aaron ran full speed towards his boyfriend and his Attackers.
"Shit, come on!" the men let go of Robert and they ran away from the scene. Roberts's knees buckled and he fell, but just before he hit the ground Aaron skidded on the pavement and caught him.
"Oh Rob, what have they done to you" Aarons eyes were welling up with tears at the sight of his Robert all battered and bruised.
Robert moaned in agony and looked up at Aaron through half closed eyes "ah" Robert said in pain from being beat up "I'm okay Aaron don't worry about me." The rage was building up inside Aaron causing his blood to boil. Robert had kept his promise to protect him, and now it was time that he honored his promise to protect Robert.
"Mum, Cain, Adam, Vic!" Aaron shouted at the top of his lungs. Everyone in the Woolpack heard Aarons screams, Chas, Victoria, Adam and Cain came running outside worried that Gordon had turned up.
"Aaron what is it?" Chas asked when she through the door.
Everyone looked down to see Aaron cradling Robert in his arms.
"Aaron! What have you done to him?" Victoria shouted at Aaron thinking that he had attacked her brother.
"It wasn't Aaron. Ah." Robert moaned in pain.
"Mum, Vic, take him inside, I'll be back in thirty minutes"
Chas and Victoria bent down and helped Robert up. Aaron jumped up and sprinted after the three men. "Aaron where are you going?" Chas Shouted.
Aaron shouted back to his mum as he ran down the road "To catch whoever did this!" Cain and Adam quickly realised what had happened and what was about to happen, so they ran after Aaron to help him.
Robert didn't want his boyfriend to get hurt so he yelled after him, "Aaron, don't!"