As time passed, Chas' mental health continued to deteriorate no matter what Aaron tried to do to help her around the house, the pub or even just by trying to be supportive. Nothing was working and it was also taking a toll on him.

Aaron tossed and turned in the night as old foes prodded at his mind. Cold and clammy hands took a hold of him and dragged him into a nightmare he could not escape. The hands became claws and claws, knives. It became hard to breathe and Aaron began to panic. Still... he did not wake up.

Gordon pinned him down whilst others kicked him and violated him. The poor man could do nothing to retaliate and to make things worse when he called out for help he found Robert just watching as he begged for his attackers to stop. But as soon as he looked at his boyfriend he found that Robert was being held back as a man repeatedly beat him and cut into his skin with a pocket knife. Aaron cried since he was unsure of what to do.

"Robert, please help me!" Aaron sobbed.

Robert looked at Aaron and he cried "I'm sorry".

Aaron woke up crying and screaming in terror, he did not realise it at first but Robert was cradling him in his protective warm arms. Aaron continued to scream and he cried as Robert rocked him back and forth.

"No! Noooo!" Aaron screamed.

Robert stroked Aaron's hair "Sssshhh it's okay, Baby. You're safe now, It's safe here. I've got you and I promise that I'm gonna keep you safe" he cooed.

Aaron stopped thrashing around when he heard Robert's voice. He realised that he was being cradled in the older man's arms. He looked up and he frantically checked Robert for injuries "You're alright? You're not hurt?"

Robert looked at Aaron "It was just a nightmare. You're safe and I would never let anyone hurt you".

Aaron sat up and he wrapped his arms around Robert's neck, he hugged his boyfriend and he cried as Robert shushed him and rubbed his back "He's never gonna leave me alone".

Robert wrapped his arms around Aaron "He'll start to fade away one day. He can't get to you anymore and he can't hurt you. I won't let anyone hurt you again".

"I'm so sorry" Aaron cried.

Robert placed his hand on the back of Aaron's head and he stroked his hair "You have nothing to be sorry for, it's alright now because I've got you and I'll never let you go".

Aaron had just started to relax when he heard a horrible scream, he there himself out of bed and he sprinted out of the room with Robert following closely behind him. They ran into the bathroom and they saw the broken mirror, as well as the shards of glass on the floor. They then saw that Chas was huddled up in the corner and sobbing her heart out.

"Mum?" Aaron asked as he slowly approached Chas, crouching down next to her and pulling her into a warm hug.

However, Chas started to thrash around and scream at the top of her lungs as Robert and Diane watched in utter horror. She soon began to scratch and dig her nails into Aaron's arms as he tried to calm her down, he soon realised that he had to let her go and he did just that but she spun around and punched him in the face.

"Aaron!" Robert gasped.

Aaron stumbled backwards and put his hands under his nose for a few seconds before he looked at Chas, she did not move. His mother just stared at him before turning and walking out of the room very quickly.

"Babe?" Robert asked as he walked over and held some tissue under Aaron's nose as it bled "Are you okay?"

"Not really" Aaron answered solemnly.

Robert sighed before he pulled his boyfriend into an embrace, neither of them said anything after that. They just held onto each other whilst Aaron's mind raced and his heart broke even more for his mum. Everything was falling apart and he was grasping at strings which kept slipping through his fingers like soap.

Neither Aaron nor Robert went back to bed that night, they both walked downstairs to watch tv. However, they could not help but remain tense as they listened out for any issues or screaming throughout the night. It was already 4:45 am so there was not much point in them going back to sleep, because they both knew that Aaron would not be able to fall asleep during the rest of the night. Aaron had insisted that Robert should try and get some sleep but the blond man just declined by saying that he was not very tired or that he did not want Aaron to be on his own with his anxieties and sadness.

At 7:10 am, everyone began to filter in from upstairs, walking around and bundling into the kitchen to make their breakfast. Liv and Noah were bickering over somethinf0g ridiculous and Chas seemed to have perked up a bit more whilst she was talking to Charity. Robert went about making himself and his boyfriend breakfast. The rest of the day was relatively uneventful, until 11 pm.

Time skip,

Aaron was in the pub and he had just closed up when he felt gently loving arms wrap around his waist. He smiled when he felt soft lips on his neck "Hi, Robert".

"Hi, Aaron. I didn't want you to be lonely out here" Robert said as he kissed Aaron's neck.

"I've just closed up" Aaron stated.

Robert smoothed one hand up Aaron's chest "We've got the whole place to our selves, no one around to yell at us. Complete and utter privacy".

Aaron smirked and he held onto Robert's hands "What's going on in that head of yours?"

Robert lightly sucked on the skin on Aaron's neck "You know the answer to that question".

Aaron let his head fall back and he moaned when Robert lightly bit his neck.

Robert smirked at the reaction that he had from Aaron, he started to kiss Aaron's neck and he sucked at his skin.

"Are all of the doors locked?" Aaron asked.

"Yeah. Every door is locked and..." Robert answered before he slowly pulled Aaron's hoodie off of the younger man's shoulders. "We're..." he kissed Aaron's shoulder "On..." he then gripped Aaron's shirt "Our..." he kissed Aaron's neck and the younger man moaned "Own" he then lightly bit his boyfriend's neck.

Aaron moaned and his breath caught in his throat "Robert".

"You like this? You like me kissing you and caressing you?" Robert asked but he already knew the answer.

Aaron nodded "Uh-huh".

Robert moved his hands and he gripped Aaron's hips. He then pressed himself against his boyfriend, Aaron gasped and he groaned with want. Robert smirked and he kissed Aaron's shoulder "You're turning me on even more".

"I need you. I want you" Aaron turned around and he wrapped his arms around Robert's neck.

Robert held onto Aaron's hips and he pulled his boyfriend close, so that his body was pressed against the younger man's "I feel the same way" he smirked before he leaned in to kiss Aaron. He picked Aaron up and he sat his boyfriend on the bar, he pinned Aaron's thighs on his hips and they continued to kiss.

Thankfully everyone was asleep.