Archive of Our Own

“A flat white please. To take out,” Liam says smiling politely as he pulls his wallet out of his jeans. Lewis nods and picks up one of the paper cups from the counter along with a black Sharpie, scribbles Liam’s name on the side of the cup as he turns away towards the large coffee machine behind him.

“Doctor!” A loud, heavily accented voice says from behind him as the café door obviously shuts closed with a tinkle of the bell. “Just who I was lookin’ for!”

“Ah, Kev!” Liam says with a swallow as he turns around, fixes a bright grin on his face even as his palms begin to sweat. “Sorry, I can’t stay too long, I’m afraid I’m in a bit of a rush.”

“Well it won’t take long will it?” Kev answers with raised eyebrow, his eyes, large and intense like they always are. “Just need to have a chat with you, about what it is you know about me.”

He prods his index finger at Liam’s chest and Liam winces, rubs his hand over the spot when Kev pulls his finger away again.

“Look, I can assure you that whatever I know is strictly doctor-patient confidentiality – ”

“An’ it better stay that way.” Kev interrupts, stepping in closer still, his hands folded behind his back. Liam swallows again and feels himself back up instinctively towards the counter. “‘Cause Robert can’t find out about our little secret, can he?”

Liam shakes his head and his voice croaks. “No, no. Of course not! Like I said, doctor-patient confidentiality.”

“Your flat white is ready,” Lewis’ voice says brightly from over Liam’s shoulder, and Liam smiles falsely at Kev again as he quickly turns around and takes his coffee from Lewis, taps his card on the reader with slightly trembling fingers.

“Thank you,” he says to Lewis, and edges over to the side of the counter, glancing at a serious looking Kev as he goes. “Seriously Kev, must dash, I’ll see you later!”

Kev hums and tilts his head up but doesn’t push, and Liam dashes for the door before Kev can turn around and change his mind.

He ducks his head down and strides quickly down the road towards the surgery, nods his head in greeting at Laurel and Nicola who are heading for the café themselves. He shrugs his arm out and checks at his watch just under the sleeve of his coat, curses under his breath when he sees that he’s running 5 minutes late.

“Dr Cavanagh!” Claudette says sternly as he pushes open the surgery door in a rush, her hands clasped tight in front of her. “You’re late! Practice started 5 minutes ago!”

“Yes, yes, apologies Claudette. I got held up.” Liam nods, elbowing the door behind him as he steps further into the surgery and edges his way towards his room. “But I’m here now.”

“Yes well, your first patient is already inside.” Claudette answers, nodding her head towards Liam’s door. “I tried to ask him to provide a brief description of what the problem is, but he refused to say.”

Liam nods and reaches out for the door handle, juggles his coffee awkwardly as he pushes it open, closes it shut with a sigh. He turns around and fixes on his professional, personable smile. “Sorry I’m late!”

“No problem.” Robert Sugden answers, sat in the chair beside his desk with his arms folded over his waist. “Take your time, I’ve got all day.”

Liam feels his smile waver and he hesitates for a moment, thinks about how Kev more than likely doesn’t know that Robert is here.

“Yes, well, apologies again,” he says and steps past Robert to sit down in his chair, places his still hot coffee down on his coaster. He sighs and leans back in his desk chair, fixes his face to one of professionalism once more. “So, what can I help you with?”

Robert exhales heavily and glances away across the room, runs his fingers nervously through the front of his hair as he wets his lower lip.

“Look I’m just gonna come out and say it. I’m pregnant.”

There’s an armed robbery at a pawn shop in Hotten and Aaron doesn’t have to think twice about who the culprit is.

It’s no wonder that he got nicked the first time, because anyone with half a braincell would know not to bring their ill-gotten gains with them to sit and have a pint in the local pub; but clearly Kev doesn’t have a braincell because there he is sat in the corner, coddling a black duffle bag like it could contain his long-lost child. Aaron shakes his head and drains the last of his own pint, pulls his phone from his pocket and texts Robert to ask him where he is.

“Look, he’s just got out of prison, he wouldn’t do that.” Robert protests when Aaron tells him 15 minutes later in the front room of Vic’s house. Aaron huffs and shakes his head, can’t understand how Robert has gotten so naïve.

“Robert he got done for armed robbery. And then 5 minutes after you dump him and he promises to give ya two grand, someone goes and holds up a pawn shop in Hotten? Use ya head!”

Robert breathes out heavily through his nose and he places his hands on his hips; his t-shirt stretches across his waist and Aaron’s eyes glance down automatically at the small bump that is now visible.

It’s not big at all – and if Aaron didn’t know better he’d just pass it off as just a little extra weight on Robert’s lower belly – but Aaron does know better, and it makes him anxious.

“Look, maybe I should go talk to him,” Robert says with a sigh as he lifts one hand up to rub his fingers against his forehead. Aaron bites his lip, and feels his jaw twitch, his fingers curl into a fist at his side.

“Robert – ”

“Just talkin’ Aaron.” Robert cuts him off, holding up one hand placatingly. “He’s not – he’s not gonna do anythin’.”

Aaron’s jaw clenches and he closes his eyes when Robert steps closer and presses a kiss to his cheek as he leaves, he exhales hard and shakes his head again when the door closes, bitten nails digging into the palms of his hands.

“He doesn’t know I’m here, but he’s got a gun!” Robert shouts, panicked and breathless as he barges into the flat, the door slamming shut behind him. Aaron looks up from the coffee he’s making sharply, and steps around the kitchen island.

“What?”

“Kev! He’s got a gun, and he – he threatened to kill ya, Aaron!” Robert answers, and Aaron can see him shaking visibly as he threads his fingers through his already wrecked hair. Aaron frowns and moves forward, cups his fingers around Robert’s hips – rests the heel of his palm against that small mound just above Robert’s waistband.

“Did he hurt you?” He asks worriedly, scans his eyes rapidly over Robert’s face and torso for any sign of injury, but Robert shakes his head to Aaron’s utter relief.

“No, no. But he’s onto us!” Robert replies, his breathing hard still as he looks at Aaron wide eyed. “And if he finds out for definite about me and you – about, about – ” He cuts himself off, a crack in his voice as his hand drops down to rest over the back of Aaron’s, the tips of his fingers pressing against his own stomach too. “Aaron he’s gonna lose it!”

Aaron’s teeth grit together and he tightens his grip on Robert’s hip. “We need to get rid of him.”

Robert blinks at him for a moment, before his mouth drops open slightly.

“I’m not gonna kill him!” He protests, almost offended. Aaron sighs exasperatedly and rolls his eyes.

“No! No, Robert – ” He sighs again before shaking his head. “He’s just done over a pawn shop. Think about it. All we need to do is find the stash and dob him in.”

“Send him back to prison?” Robert frowns, and Aaron can see a flicker of something that looks a little like fear in his eyes. “He’s dyin’ Aaron, I can’t send him back in there!”

“Yeah and you’re pregnant Robert.” Aaron says bluntly, a small catch in his throat that he tries to swallow back. “You’re pregnant and it’s not Kev’s, and he is definitely gonna know that.”

Robert looks at him, his eyes wide and round and he looks scared, scared in a way that Aaron is still trying to get used to seeing on Robert Sugden’s face.

“You’re – you’re right.” Robert replies quietly, his throat clicking as he swallows audibly. “He has to go. Doesn’t he?”

Aaron nods, runs his thumb back and forth soothingly over Robert’s hipbone.

“God Aaron, you and the baby – ” Robert adds brokenly, and Aaron hushes him, gently tugs him closer until he can press their foreheads together.

“It’s alright, it’s alright,” Aaron says quietly, and he slides his palm around to the small of Robert’s back. Robert ducks his head down into the crook of Aaron’s neck and curls his arm over his shoulder. “We’ll find where he’s hid it and call the police.”

“What if he finds out it’s us?” Robert replies, small and muffled against Aaron’s throat. “Aaron he won’t let that go!”

“Yeah, I’d like to see him try.” Aaron murmurs lowly and holds Robert closer to him, feels his heart beat hard and rapid against his chest.

Aaron raises an eyebrow as he watches Robert try to sneakily dodge his way down the path from the back of Keepers without anyone noticing. He looks ridiculous, a stumble of long limbs and hunched shoulders, and Aaron looks at him with a confused furrow to his brow when Robert throws himself into the passenger seat and shuts the door behind him with a sigh.

“Smooth”, he says, sarcasm tinging his voice as Robert reaches for his seatbelt and awkwardly pulls it down to clip to his right.

“I don’t think anyone saw me.” Robert answers seriously, seemingly oblivious to Aaron’s bemused expression; Aaron snorts, shaking his head.

“Yeah good job really.” Aaron mutters against his fist as he rubs at his mouth.

“What?” Robert asks, half oblivious as he pulls his phone out from his jeans pocket, Aaron clears his throat.

“Yeah so, you got any better idea where he could have hid it?”

Robert sighs, his eyebrows drawn tight as he frowns and scrolls through his phone. “There was this place up Demdyke that I took him to that he liked. Maybe we should start there?”

Aaron hums noncommittally but switches the car ignition on regardless. He makes to put the car into gear when Robert lays his palm on the back of his forearm and squeezes gently.

“I’m sorry, for all of this,” he says, and his eyes look sad and unhappy, and Aaron sighs and leans deeper into his seat. “This mess is all my fault – ”

“Come on.” Aaron cuts him off softly before he can start spiralling, squeezes his own palm on the back of Robert’s hand. “We’re in this together alright? Me, you… and the baby. We’ve got this.”

Robert swallows and nods, lips twitch weakly at the corners.

“Thank you. I dunno what I’d do without you,” he says, and leans in close; Aaron’s lashes flutter closed and their lips brush, soft and warm, before a loud tapping starts on the window and they both jump apart violently – Aaron’s heart pounding in his chest.

Luckily it isn’t Kev peering through the window at Robert’s shoulder, however it unfortunately is his mother, and she twirls her index finger in a slow circle with an unimpressed look on her face.

“Just the one temporary lapse in judgement?” She asks coolly as he presses the button to lower the window down, she looks at him with a pursed mouth and Aaron sighs, sucking his lower lip between his teeth as he pushes open the car door and stalks after her.

“Mum!” He calls, and she shakes her head as she turns back towards him, hands jammed deep in her coat pockets.

“This is ridiculous Aaron, how many times have I caught ya now?!” She asks loudly, and Aaron exhales and shakes his head.

“It’s not like that mum!” He protests, hears Robert’s footsteps quickly step up beside him. Chas raises an eyebrow and shrugs her shoulders.

“Well what is it like then?”

He hesitates, blinks with his lips half parted as he tries to work out how best to explain to his mum that him and Robert have been carrying on behind Robert’s psycho husband’s back for weeks.

Oh, and not only that but Robert’s pregnant, with his baby – surprise!

“We – we got together at my vow renewal.” Robert answers her quietly, and Aaron glances back to look at him, isn’t sure that answer in particular is going to make things sound any better to his mother either. “We’re trying to find a way to sort Kev out.”

Chas scoffs lightly and looks at them both with an unamused smile; Aaron grits his teeth and digs his own hands into his jacket pockets.

“And how, exactly, are you plannin’ to do that? ‘Cause if he catches ya you’re both dead, y’know that?” She scolds, and her tone morphs into one of concern rather than just defeated anger. Aaron exhales through his nose and shakes his head, desperately tries not to think about the fact that it would be the three of them actually.

“I’d like to see him try.” Is what he answers instead, with a bite that has Chas tilting her head to the side and rounding her eyes pointedly as she looks back at him.

“We have a plan,” Robert says, and he sounds surer than Aaron knows he really is. “So we’ll only need to keep things quiet a little while longer.”

“A couple of months is still a long time.” She replies looking between them both; Aaron licks briefly at his dry lower lip and glances at Robert, finds his eyes drifting down to that small bump that he can see beginning to just round out the looser fit of his knitted henley.

They really don’t have a couple of months.

“It’ll be sooner than that,” he says determinedly as he turns back to her, and his mother looks back at him in confusion.

“What do you mean? What’s goin’ on?”

“Y’know that pawn shop robbery the other day?” He answers lowly, and the frown already on Chas’ brow deepens. “It was Kev, so we just need to find where he’s hid the stash and shop him in to the police.”

Chas sighs and looks at them both tiredly. Her lips part as she goes to reply, when a loud, very familiar voice shouts from around the back of the pub, and Aaron turns to look at Robert wide eyed.

“Go, go!” He hisses under his breath and pushes Robert towards the small beer garden to their right. Robert clutches at his sleeve and Aaron curves around his back as they duck down next to the trellising, automatically slides his palm over Robert’s waist to press firmly against the firm mound of his lower belly.

“Alright Chastity,” Kev says as he comes into view, and Aaron tilts his head down over Robert’s shoulder and keeps as still as possible, can hear his heartbeat in his ears as Kev chats away to his mum.

He leaves after a moment, some quick quip about Liam tossed over his shoulder as he bowls his way back out onto Main Street; Aaron feels Robert relax against his chest and he absently strokes his fingertips over the bump as they move to stand again.

“That was too close.” Chas tells him firmly as they edge their way back out again. Aaron glances over his shoulder to check that Kev is definitely gone and jams his fists back into his pockets.

“Which is why we need to get rid.” He answers, sharp, as he turns back to look at her. Chas sighs and her shoulders slump.

“Fine! But you’re not doin’ this without me.”

Aaron rolls his and shakes his head. “Mum – ”

“No! I am not havin’ you two risk messin’ this up and getting’ yourself killed,” she says, no-nonsense, and Aaron looks towards Robert and feels his jaw twitch. “Especially if you’re tryin’ to get him sent back to prison.”

“Sending who to prison?” A voice asks, and Aaron looks over his mother’s shoulder to see Liam stood there with a slight frown on his face. Liam scans his eyes between them all before some kind of understanding lands there. “If this is about Kev, you can’t.”

“Why not?” Aaron retorts, lifting his chin up and staring at his mum’s fiancé with hard eyes. Liam sighs and looks at Chas nervously before turning his gaze back towards him.

“Because you’d be putting me in prison too.”

“You cannot seriously be considering this?” Liam asks in mild disbelief as he looks from Chas at his right, to Aaron and Robert stood on the other side of the room. “It’s utter insanity.”

“It’s the only way to get Kev off our backs.” Aaron answers harshly, gesturing towards Robert over his shoulder with his thumb. Liam shakes his head and looks back at Chas.

“And what happens when he tells the police that I was the getaway driver?”

“There is no way they’ll believe that love.” Chas answers, her hand slightly raised towards him comfortingly; Liam huffs under his breath and looks across the room towards Robert, sees him watching them all with his jaw tight and shoulders slightly hunched.

“Maybe – maybe he’s right, this isn’t gonna work,” Robert says suddenly, taking a step forward and nodding in Liam’s direction. Aaron immediately turns to look at him, and Liam can see the scrunched furrow on his face even from just the sideview.

“I thought we’d been through this!” Aaron answers sharply, and Liam sees the quick drop of his eyes down to Robert’s middle, inhales deep and knowing when he realises that Aaron does indeed know about the pregnancy – that this whole mad hatter scheme they’ve concocted is clearly a way to try and stop Kev from finding out that there is a baby that is quite obviously not his.

He can’t imagine that Chas is aware of that aspect, and he doesn’t even want to think about the reaction his fiancée will have if she finds out he knew about the existence of her grandchild before she did.

“He’s dyin’ already! It’s a couple of months Aaron, only a couple more months!” Robert protests, and Liam chokes on a breath, tries to clear his throat nonchalantly when three pairs of eyes turn to eye him with varying degrees of suspicion.

“Summat wrong love?” Chas asks, taking a step towards him and flickering her gaze all over his face, hates how perceptive she can be sometimes.

“No, nothing at all, just a – a tickle in my throat.”

“You sure about that?” Aaron questions, and he takes a step forward towards him too, an almost menacing look in his eyes that can’t help but remind him of Cain when he’s trying to live up to his reputation of the ‘hard man’.

“Absolutely, there is nothing wrong at all,” he says, forcing a smile as both Chas and Aaron stare him down, mirrored sets of narrowed eyes. Chas folds her arms across her waist and leans harder into the dresser.

“Is this about Kev? Is it about his condition?”

Liam licks anxiously at his lower lip and looks down, avoids the burning gaze of his fiancée. “Look, I’m a doctor, there’s such a thing as doctor-patient confidentiality.”

“Yeah, and there’s also such a thing as knowin’ where your loyalties lie!” Aaron snaps vehemently; Liam looks up at him and thins his mouth, turns to face Chas when she starts to speak.

“Fine, you don’t have to say anythin’,” she says, and holds up a palm towards Aaron when he steps forward as if to protest. “I’ll ask, and you can just… nod if I’m right, okay?”

Liam exhales heavily from his nose but nods reluctantly in response, Chas smiles at him thinly before asking her first question.

“Is this to do with his condition?”

Liam hesitates – what he has done to end up in these situations he truly does not know – before he nods slowly, sees Robert step up close against Aaron’s back, wide eyed.

“Is it gettin’ worse?” He urgently asks and Liam sighs, shaking his head.

“So it’s gettin’ better?” Aaron presses with a scowl, and Liam winces, shrugs his shoulders loosely.

“Love, you’re not makin’ any sense! Can you just tell us what’s goin’ on?!” Chas asks exasperatedly, holding her hands out at her sides; Liam sighs and pushes his fingertips briefly into his temples before nodding to himself in complete resignation – there’s no way he’s getting out of this.

“Kev’s condition – it isn’t terminal,” he says quietly, and watches as Robert’s face pales.

Robert is pacing back and forth across the kitchen, a look of tempered anger on his face as he seemingly unconsciously runs his palm back and forth over his lower belly, like that tiny bump – their tiny bump – is the only thing keeping him grounded and from flying completely off the handle. Aaron sits at the island and watches him with his knuckles pressed against his mouth, allows his foot to bounce up and down on the thin bar across the bottom of his stool.

“He’s lied to me! Lied to me this whole fucking time!” Robert snaps and his breathing is harder than normal, his chest visibly rising and falling; Aaron sees the fingers on his stomach begin to claw in the material of his henley and feels his heart sink.

“Hey, hey. C’mere,” he says and pushes back his stool with a loud scrape, rounds the island and reaches out to tug Robert into his chest. Robert moves into him easily, and clutches at the back of Aaron’s jumper as he buries his nose in the hollow of Aaron’s throat. “You’re alright, you’re alright.”

“It’s not though, is it?” Robert murmurs, and his voice sounds slightly choked to Aaron’s despair. “He’s not gonna just leave, is he? Aaron, our baby – ”

“Nothin’ is gonna happen to our baby, alright?” Aaron cuts him off before he can even verbalise the thought, pulls back a little until he can see Robert’s face, can press his fingertips lightly to the sharp line of his jaw. “We’ll do what you said yeah? We’ll tail him, and when we know where he’s stashed everythin’ we’ll ring the police.”

Robert nods and breathes out slowly, nods his head again as he looks back up into Aaron’s eyes; Aaron smooths his thumb at the corner of his lips.

“If he’s lied about this, about the money,” Robert says quietly, and his eyes look stormy, a little bit lost. “What else d’you think he might’ve lied about?”

Aaron’s jaw clenches and he curls his fingers against the soft hairs at Robert’s nape.

He doesn’t even want to think about it.

Turns out Kev really doesn’t have a braincell, because deciding to hide your stolen goods inside the church of the village vicar who is currently housing your sorry arse, really is a special kind of zero braincell behaviour. Aaron shakes his head and pushes the side of the duffle bag back, slides his phone from his jeans pocket and presses call on the icon beside Robert’s name.

“I’ve found it,” he says lowly, and on the other side he hears Robert let out a sigh of relief.

The relief unfortunately doesn’t last long because it seems just as quickly as the coppers pull Kev in for questioning, he’s back out on Main Street in the same amount of time.

Robert is an anxious wreck when he rounds the corner of the beer garden and takes a seat opposite him. He reaches out automatically to take Aaron’s half-drunk pint from where it’s perched beside him on the wall, and Aaron quickly pulls it back and shakes his head.

“Don’t think you should be drinkin’ that now,” he says quietly and Robert blinks at him for a second before his eyes widen and his shoulders slump.

“Shit.”

Aaron hums and lifts the glass up to take a sip himself, sets it back down on his opposite side with a clink before reaching out and placing his palm on Robert’s thigh.

“I shouldn’t have let things get this far.” Robert mutters with a despondent shake of his head. “It’s all such a mess.”

Aaron sighs and squeezes reassuringly at his thigh. “It’ll be fine.”

“It won’t.” Robert protests, and his eyes look stormy again when they meet Aaron’s own. “I – I just wanna be with you, properly, have the family we’ve always wanted without bein’ worried about what Kev might do.”

Aaron licks briefly at his lower lip and hitches his shoulders in a small shrug. “If we’re careful – ”

“Think it’s a bit late for that now in’t it?” Robert cuts him off with a scoff and a pointed gesture down at his middle; Aaron exhales audibly and sucks his lip between his teeth. “He was goin’ on this mornin’ about buying a house around the village, Aaron he can’t stay here with – ”

“Robert, look at me, look at me,” he says before Robert can truly begin to get himself worked up again, can already see the frequency of his breaths beginning to pick up. He reaches out to cup his palm over Robert’s forearm and stroke his thumb over the exposed skin of his wrist. “I love you, and you love me, and right now that’s the only thing that matters yeah, we can sort the rest.”

Robert shakes his head sadly. “But that still doesn’t change the fact that Kev wants me back, he’s never gonna just let this go – ”

Aaron sighs and leans in, cups his free hand around Robert’s nape and tugs him in to kiss him quiet, catches his lower lip in between his own. Robert makes a soft noise of surprise but kisses him back, slides the tip on his tongue against the seam of Aaron’s lips and Aaron opens his mouth and kisses him slow and deep, a proper snog that sends a fizzle down his spine.

“It’s gonna be okay,” he says gently when they part again, slightly breathless and lips flushed. He thumbs at the thin skin behind Robert’s ear and Robert swallows, shivers a little. “I promise ya.”

Robert bites his lip but nods, and Aaron carefully pulls him back in to press a chaste kiss to his mouth.

Robert is sat on the step scrolling through his phone with his knuckles pressed against his mouth, Aaron sighs and carefully strokes his fingers through the back of his hair as he passes.

“You alright?” He asks and Robert sighs too, looks up at him and lowers his hand to lay over his thigh.

“He’s gone quiet,” he says, and Aaron raises an eyebrow as he reaches the kitchen island and picks up the cafetière, drags a mug closer to him by the handle with one finger.

“Good thing, innit?”

Robert sighs again and pushes himself up to his feet, pads his way over to stand on the opposite side of the island and presses the lock on his phone. “It’s not like him though, d’you think he knows somethin’?”

Aaron shrugs and places the cafetière back down with a quiet thunk.

“So what if he does?” He murmurs, and when he glances up Robert’s eyes are fixed on him like he’s lost the plot; he sighs. “Robert we should just tell him.”

“He’ll lose it Aaron.” Robert replies, and his tone is anxious again, on edge. “And I can’t – I can’t have him hurt ya alright? Not ever but especially not now.”

Aaron breathes out slowly through his nose and looks at him, takes in the purple circles under his eyes and the mess of his hair; he hadn’t slept well, had been tossing and turning all night, and Aaron knows that this stress really isn’t good for him.

Or the baby.

“Robert – ” He exhales, and Robert shakes his head, tightens his fingers around his phone.

“Can we – can we just have half an hour longer of us, just us, please? Before everythin’ goes to fucking shit?” He asks desperately, his eyes almost pleading. Aaron bites at his lower lip and places his mug down gently, rounds the island and fixes a flirtatious quirk to his lips, knows Robert needs this.

“Just half an hour?” He says and he watches as Robert’s face softens, a lopsided smile appearing on his face. He reaches out to run his palm over Robert’s hip and slides it down over his lower back, pinches his peachy arse with his index finger and thumb and watches as Robert rolls his eyes, fond and endeared. He leans up and kisses Robert on his cheek, takes the phone from his hand and drops it onto the counter.

“C’mon.” He murmurs softly and threads their fingers together, tugs Robert up the steps and towards their bedroom door.

Liam stops abruptly in the door to the café and purses his lips when he sees Kev stood talking to Lewis, a duffle bag in one hand and a long, thin black case in the other. Lewis smiles at him sadly and Kev nods, turns towards the door and Liam who is still stood in it, and raises his eyebrows at him in greeting.

“Doctor,” he says, and Liam nods his head, smiles thinly.

“Kev.” He replies, and gestures towards the duffle in his hand. “Going somewhere?”

Kev tilts his head and looks down, taps his thumb on the thin case, and Liam absently wonders about when Kev decided to take up fishing.

“Just think it’s time I accepted I’m not really wanted around here.” He murmurs with a shrug of one shoulder; Liam exhales slowly and buries both hands in his coat pockets.

“I am sorry Kev, I mean it.”

“It’s alright Doc,” Kev says, sniffing and lifting his hand with the case up to rub his nose on his sleeve. He taps the end of the case on Liam’s chest and nods his head. “Thanks for bein’ a mate y’know. And…” He trails off, edges in closer and lowers his voice; Liam ducks his head slightly. “You don’t have to worry about the Five-0 showin’ up about that shoppin’ spree alright, kept your name out of it.”

Liam nods and smiles weakly, hunches his shoulders as Kev edges closer around him. “Thank you Kev, I appreciate that.”

Kev nods and claps him once on the shoulder hard, squeezes his fingers as he moves past.

“See you around Doc,” he says, and Liam watches as he leaves through the café door, the bell over the top tinkling softly behind him.

He sighs then and looks briefly up at the café ceiling as he digs his phone out of his pocket, scrolls through his contacts until he finds Aaron’s name and presses ‘call’.

“Aaron, it’s Liam,” he says quietly when Aaron’s phone rings out to voicemail. “It’s about Kev. I think yours and Robert’s ‘little problem’ has resolved itself.”

Aaron places a final kiss to Robert’s lips and rolls off him and to the side, breathes heavily and stares at the ceiling as he feels Robert move over to cuddle in against him, nuzzle his head into the crook of Aaron’s neck.

“Bit longer than half an hour weren’t it?” Robert murmurs, a soft rumble of a laugh in his chest that makes Aaron smile. He lays his arm across the span of Robert’s shoulders and squeezes the top of his arm, ducks his nose down to bury it in the hair at the crown of his head.

“Never were the best at time keepin’ eh?” He says, and Robert laughs gently, splays his fingers wide on Aaron’s waist.

“Should make the most of it shouldn’t we?” Robert answers softly, and he presses his cheek to the sloping ridge of Aaron’s collarbone. “Won’t have time for sleepin’ in anymore when the baby gets here, will we?”

Aaron hums and glances down the long line of Robert’s body, sees the soft curve of his belly and how it’s pressed against his hip – that’s their baby in there, this mad miracle that’s somehow growing inside of Robert’s body, the son or daughter he thought they’d never get the chance to have together.

It’s insane that they’ve somehow made it back here, after six horrendous years, and he’ll do anything to protect Robert, this baby, and the life they should’ve always had. Absolutely anything.

“Be worth it though,” Aaron says and places a kiss into the soft strands of Robert’s messy hair, breathes him in deep.

They drag themselves back out of bed when Aaron’s phone buzzes on the bedside table for what seems like the fiftieth time, and Aaron thumbs in his pin as he watches Robert get dressed at the end of the bed, admires the ripples of muscle in his arms and shoulders as he tugs the soft blue jumper down over his head. He bites his lip and looks down at his phone, sees that the notification that keeps buzzing is a missed call and voicemail from Liam, and tosses it back down on the bed with a roll of his eyes.

He gets himself dressed quickly, and pulls the handle on the door to step out and into the flat proper – and stops immediately when he looks down into the living room and spots Kev sat there on the sofa, absently stroking his fingers back and forth over a fucking samurai sword.

“Ah, Aaronovski,” Kev says lazily, as he drags his wide eyes over towards where Aaron is still stood on the mezzanine, twirls the sword a little in his fingers. “Heard you’ve been busy.”

Aaron grits his teeth and feels his jaw flex, broadens his shoulders and tilts his chin up slightly; Kev eyes him, continues to stroke his fingers slowly over the sword.

“Aaron, did you wanna – ” Robert’s voice cuts off abruptly and so do his footsteps; Aaron knows he’s at his back but doesn’t dare turn around to look, doesn’t dare take his eyes off of Kev.

“You too Robert. You have a good time?” Kev asks, leaning forward a little as if trying to see Robert better, a twisted smile forms on his mouth and he raises one eyebrow. “Sounded like you did.”

“What are you doin’ here?” Aaron says lowly, almost through his teeth. Kev sighs and stands up, swings the sword by his side before lifting it up to his face and pointing it directly in Aaron’s direction.

“Thought I’d swing by on me way out, give our kid here a scare.” He replies, keeping the tip of the blade aimed at Aaron as he steps slowly towards the end of the sofa. “Didn’t expect to find you here an’ all Robert, but then again maybe I should’ve.”

“You need to get out of my flat now.” Aaron hisses, stepping to his right and blocking Robert’s body off even more, his pulse beginning to pound in his neck at the thought of Kev getting anywhere near Robert with that thing. Kev scoffs and comes closer still, continues to point that sword at Aaron’s chest.

“Don’t think you’re really in the position to tell me what to do right now. Get over there, both of ya,” he says, and flicks the sword in the direction of the other side of the flat, towards the wall and the other end of the sofa. Aaron clenches his teeth and edges himself in front of Robert when he begins to move, do as asked, slowly walk across the room and past Kev to stand just beside the window.

“That the rest of the stash you nicked?” He snarks when he catches sight of the duffle on the sofa, nods towards the bag when Kev looks at him with a tilt of his chin, blade still pointing right at him.

“And what you gonna do if it is? Call the cops?” Kev answers in a childish voice, shakes his head and looks at Aaron down his nose. “Don’t worry, I already know it was you who did it.”

“That was a mistake,” Robert says quickly, and Aaron looks towards him when Kev turns, widens his eyes in a silent plea for him to shut up.

“Yes it was!” Kev shouts in reply, and he swings the sword towards Robert to Aaron’s horror, jabs it in his direction like he’s stabbing his finger for emphasis. “How could you do that to me? After everythin’ we went through inside? Everythin’ I did for you?!”

Robert shakes his head and lowers it slightly. “I’m sorry Kev, I am.”

“Not sorry enough though.” Kev replies, and his attention is fixed solely on Robert now, the sword fully aimed in his direction; Aaron’s pulse begins to race and he flickers his eyes back and forth between them, slowly tries to edge himself closer in front of Robert.

“Y’know I asked you, time and time again and you said I had nothin’ to worry about.” Kev continues, sniffing as his jaw becomes tight. The sword wobbles a little in his grasp, and he darts forward as he shouts. “That you and him was done, and you’ve lied to me this whole time?!”

“Back off!” Aaron snaps and he pushes himself fully in front of Robert, holds one arm out to the side to keep him behind. Kev’s eyes swing to him and pure rage floods his face.

“Y’know I should do you in right now!”

“Kev! Kev, just – just calm down – ” Robert protests, and Aaron reaches back to touch lightly at his hip with his fingers.

“You want me to calm down when you’ve been doin’ him this whole time?!” Kev yells and points the sword directly back at Aaron, stabbing it in his direction; Aaron squares his shoulders and refuses to flinch. “You get out of the nick and crickets! Should’ve known you’d gone runnin’ back to this little runt.”

“You wanna watch your mouth.” Aaron hisses and takes a step forward when Kev does the same, the tip of the blade inching closer to Aaron’s chest. Robert makes a soft noise behind him and Kev opens his mouth to speak again, when the buzzer by the door rings loudly and cuts through the room.

“Who’s that?” Kev barks at him, eyes narrowed and wild. Aaron’s jaw twitches and he shrugs.

“How the fuck am I supposed to know?”

“Aaron!” Robert hisses from behind him, under his breath; Aaron clenches his teeth and doesn’t acknowledge him. Kev looks suspiciously between them before edging his way backwards towards the intercom.

“You stay right there.”

Kev picks up the handset and Aaron takes a deep breath, takes the opportunity to look at Robert from over his shoulder, see’s how his boyfriend’s face is tight with anxiety. He sends him a look, a quick sweep of him with eyes that briefly pauses on his belly, and when he looks back up he sees Robert nod, his jaw tight.

“Aaron, it’s Liam.” A voice – Liam’s voice – says through the intercom, and Aaron rolls his eyes. “I’ve got news, it’s about Kev.”

Aaron stiffens and Kev’s brow furrows, before he mutters something into the intercom and presses the buzzer to let Liam in. He steps back, sword swinging at his side, and puts himself out of direct view as Liam’s footsteps sound on the stairs and the door handle twists.

“Do neither of you answer your phones?” Liam asks as he enters the living room and spots them behind the sofa, Aaron shakes his head and watches as Kev steps out from the corner of his eye, lifting the sword to point in Liam’s direction.

“Alright doctor?” Kev asks lazily, and Liam visibly jumps when he turns and spots Kev, sword in hand.

“Kev!” Liam exclaims, and immediately his hands raise. “Kev. Er, what are you doing here?”

Kev shrugs and swaggers forward, flicking the sword as he encourages Liam to move away from door and closer to them across the room. Liam shuffles back away, his hands still in the air.

“Oh y’know, turns out I had a bit of business left to take care of before I go.” Kev says nonchalantly, and Aaron grits his teeth and sighs, digs his fingernails into the palms of his hands and tries to count back slowly from ten.

“So what, you just gonna keep us here? Big master plan you’ve got innit?” Aaron snarks, after several long minutes of Kev just standing there blocking the exit with the sword in hand and a scowl on his face.

“You need to shut it!” Kev shouts in reply, and Aaron snorts, picks up the duffle bag from behind him and drops it in front of Kev on the sofa.

“Put it away, moron.”

“What did you just call me?!” Kev growls and edges closer, points the sword towards Aaron’s face.

“Kev, Kev!” Robert pleads quietly and he steps forward and to the side to Aaron’s horror, puts himself closer to Kev and away from Aaron, as if he is trying to draw Kev’s attention back towards himself. “I’m sorry, alright? I am.”

Kev turns to look at him and with that the direction of the blade of the sword moves too; Aaron swallows and flexes his fingers nervously, makes to move – but Kev switches the sword back to point at him without taking his eyes off of Robert.

“Why don’t I believe you?” He mutters, staring at Robert with those big, unsettling eyes of his. Robert licks at his bottom lip and ducks his head again slightly, and Aaron hates it, hates how he’s almost cowering.

“I am, I am. Kev you don’t know how hard the last few months have been for me,” Robert says, and he’s still not really looking up, just quick glances as he holds up his hands. “I’ve hated it, lyin’ to ya. But after you had your heart attack – ”

“Oh yeah, give ya a little scare did it? Y’know if you hated it so much why you still doin’ it now?” Kev answers lowly, before shaking his head and stepping in closer to Robert.

“I care about you, I do – ” Robert starts nervously, before Kev cuts him off with a humourless laugh and a shake of his head.

“But not as much as him.” He answers through his teeth, turning his gaze back to Aaron with a nod. He inches closer to him once more, narrows his eyes as he points towards Robert with the tip of the sword. “Y’know has he even told ya what it was like for him inside, how he was tortured until I sorted it?! He probably wouldn’t be here without me and still he comes runnin’ back to you!”

Aaron feels his jaw twitch and he stares at Kev as the man comes closer still, as he leans in and hisses almost under his breath. “I hate you.”

Aaron snorts and shrugs. “Well I ain’t your biggest fan either.”

“It’s not Aaron’s fault.” Robert pipes up desperately, and Aaron’s stomach sinks when Kev turns back to Robert again.

“Y’know we had it good when we was inside, me an’ you,” he says, gesturing between them both as he tilts his head to the side. Robert swallows visibly and ducks his head. “We was good together, we were happy.”

“I’m sorry, Kev – but we’re not in prison anymore.” Robert replies softly with a shake of his head; Kev inhales deeply and his mouth thins, and Aaron shakes his head too and steps deliberately forward.

“I’ve had enough of this.”

“You sit the fuck down now!” Kev shouts at him as he waves the blade back towards Aaron’s chest. Aaron snorts and shrugs his shoulders, pulls a face as Kev glares at him with his nostrils flared.

“Or what? What you gonna do, aye?” Aaron snarks, scanning his eyes over him with distaste. “You come in here wavin’ that thing about like some kinda hardman, but the truth is you’re just a pussy in’t ya?”

“Watch your fuckin’ mouth!” Kev yells, and the blade of the sword shakes in his grasp in anger.

“Or what?” Aaron sneers, pulling his shoulders back as he edges closer into Kev’s space. “Y’know summat, Robert, he doesn’t love ya – he’s scared of ya.” He continues, digging his metaphorical thumb into the bruise that he knows must’ve plagued Kev for years. “But y’know who isn’t scared of ya? Me.”

“Aaron, please – ” Robert begs, and Aaron shakes his head – he’s had enough, had enough of appeasing this headcase and putting their future – their family’s future – on hold.

“No, I’m done. I’m sick of treadin’ on eggshells around this fuckin’ psycho, it’s been goin’ on for weeks and I’m done with it.”

Kev’s teeth are clenched when he growls out a reply. “You’ve ruined my life!”

“Yeah and you’re ruinin’ mine!” Aaron shouts back, holding his arms out at his sides; he sees Robert’s face pale from the corner of his eye and his fingers twitch but ignores him, just needs Kev out of his flat and out of their fucking lives right now. “Robert doesn’t love ya, he doesn’t want ya, so what you need to do is get out of my flat right fucking now! You hear me?”

“Yeah, loud and fuckin’ clear!” Kev hisses, before swinging his arms back, hands wrapped tight around the hilt of the sword.

“No!” Robert yells, and Aaron stumbles when he feels himself shoved bodily to the side and out of the way of the ever approaching blade. He turns around sharply when he steadies himself, and his heart immediately leaps into his mouth when he sees Robert bent at the waist and clutching desperately at his arm, blood staining his hands and the sleeve of his jumper and dripping down onto the floor.

“Robert! Robert!” He shouts, voice cracking as he darts forward and pulls Robert into him, quickly runs his shaking hands over his body, feels sick at the stain of blood that quickly darkens his fingertips.

“I’m alright! I’m alright.” Robert chokes out, and his breathing is panicky and he sounds the furthest thing possible from alright. Aaron scans his wide eyes over him, spots the tear in his jumper sleeve and the deep gash in the flesh of his bicep, the blood seeping out of it – he can’t see anything else, any other mark, and he simultaneously feels utter relief and sheer blind rage, that Kev has stabbed Robert – has hurt him – could’ve easily stabbed him in the chest – the stomach, dear god – and Robert could be bleeding out right now in his arms, that he could be losing both him and their little baby.

“I am gonna kill you for this, y’know that?!” Aaron yells, wants to dart forward and launch himself at him, but he can’t make himself let go of Robert fully.

“Aaron, please just – ” Robert pleads, and Aaron shakes his head, his own chest beginning to heave.

“No, he’s hurt ya, he could’ve hurt – ” He cuts himself off with a swallow and pulls Robert closer into him, looks down at Robert’s tiny belly and splays his palm and fingers wide and protective over the small of his back. He steels his jaw and glares viciously at Kev, notes how pale his face looks. “You’re off your fuckin’ head and I’m gonna wreck ya!”

“Robert – Robert I’m sorry.” Kev answers and Aaron shakes his head, pulls Robert further into his side and away from him.

“Yeah you will be.” He hisses, almost spitting as he stares Kev down. “You will be fuckin’ sorry – ”

“Can we all just calm down for a moment? Please?” Liam interrupts loudly, and Aaron had almost forgotten he was even there. He turns his head sharply towards him and clenches his teeth. “I need to assess the wound.”

He doesn’t want to let Robert go, can’t bear to not have him against him and safe – but Liam is a doctor and Robert needs medical attention, and there’s their baby to think about too. Aaron swallows and glares at Kev over his shoulder as he helps Robert carefully move back around the sofa and down to take a seat; the sleeve of his jumper is now a dark brown and soaked in his blood, and Aaron feels so unbelievably sick at the sight of it, feels sick at the wide eyed, frightened look on Robert’s face.

“It’s deep, not life threatening, but it will need stitches to stop the bleeding and unfortunately I can’t do those here,” Liam says after a moment, from his place beside Robert on the sofa. His brow is furrowed as he carefully reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out what looks like a packet of tissues, he yanks the wad from the thin plastic and straightens them out, lays them over the wound and presses hard with his palm until Robert visibly winces. Aaron inhales deeply and bites his lower lip until he’s sure he’s made himself bleed too.

“Nobody is goin’ anywhere! You hear me?!” Kev shouts loudly, and he looks borderline unhinged when Aaron looks over at him, his blue eyes manic and rounded and the sword tinged with blood – Robert’s blood – raised once again in the air and pointed towards them.

“He needs to go to a hospital!” Aaron hisses venomously, stepping closer to Kev and staring him down; Kev breathes harshly and the sword wobbles. “You say you love him, but now you’ve fuckin’ stabbed him and you’re just gonna let him bleed out?!”

“This is all your fault!” Kev roars, stabbing the blade in the air, and Aaron eyes him with utter contempt and disgust.

“Yeah, ‘cause I’m the one wavin’ around a sword like some fuckin’ headcase?” Aaron growls, and Kev’s nostrils flare again, and he inches closer too.

“Aaron!” Robert’s voice calls out in alarm and Aaron looks towards him instinctively, worriedly scans his eyes over him. “Aaron please don’t! Just leave it!”

He’s hunched in on himself, cheeks pale and eyebrows draw together in a worried frown. He has one forearm across his waist and Aaron can just see that his other hand is tucked underneath and pressed against his lower stomach, and Aaron suddenly has the horrified thought that the hint of a pained wince on Robert’s face might not only be from the wound on his arm.

Liam looks up from where he is still pressing hard on Robert’s bicep – blood almost entirely soaking through the wad of tissues now – and he glances at Aaron briefly, frowns at whatever expression he sees on Aaron’s face, before looking at Robert and running his gaze over him.

“You need to sit down and shut up!” Kev snaps at Aaron, and Aaron twists back around, his blood and pulse already racing in anger and fear. He squares his shoulders and jabs a finger in Kev’s direction.

“You are a fuckin’ psycho, and I am gonna – ”

“This amount of stress is not good for the baby!” Liam says loudly and Aaron immediately halts, turns back around and looks at Liam in sheer disbelief.

“So much for doctor-patient confidentiality aye?” He snaps, and Liam thins his lips, looks from Aaron to Kev behind him, before turning his attention back to Robert.

Robert looks nervous and he stares back at Aaron, swallows anxious and visibly and Aaron will absolutely destroy Kev to protect him and their baby if he has to.

“You’re pregnant?” Kev’s voice asks, and the tone is low – dangerous. “Is it his?”

“Well unless it happened by immaculate conception it ain’t gonna be yours, is it?” Aaron sneers, twisting a little to look back at him, drags his eyes pointedly down below his waist. Kev’s face flushes with rage and he steps forward and swings the sword right back towards Aaron’s face.

“I’m gonna fuckin’ kill you!”

“Aaron! – ” Robert shouts, terrified, as Liam’s voice joins the fray.

“Aaron will you stop making this worse!”

Aaron shakes his head and continues to inch closer.

“No I am gonna kill you!” He answers lowly despite their protests. “He’s pregnant and you’ve hurt him, and I swear to god if anythin’ happens to our baby – ”

Kev levels the sword at him and Aaron inhales deeply, has absolutely had enough.

He reaches out and grabs for the blade with his left hand, stifles a wince at the unfortunately familiar bite of pain as the sharp edge cuts into his palm. Kev’s eyes widen fractionally in surprise, and Aaron takes the opportunity to kick out with his leg and strike Kev in the balls. Kev crumples with a shout and Aaron yanks the sword out of his grasp, flings it behind him into the corner of the room where it hits the wall and drops down to the floor with a clatter. He hisses at the sting of the cut on his palm and shakes his wrist, sees fresh blood drops splatter on the patterned rug.

Kev shouts in a rage and before Aaron can properly turn back again, Kev launches at him and catches him with a fist to the side of his jaw; Aaron rocks on his back foot and immediately lands a punch in angered return to Kev’s cheek, reaches out with his bloodied left hand to curl his fingers in Kev’s jacket and shove him back until he stumbles down to the floor.

“Go! Now!” He shouts over his shoulder at Liam and Robert, and Liam quickly pulls Robert up and around the sofa towards the flat door, even as Robert protests and stares at Aaron in panic. Aaron darts across the room to pick up the sword and breathes hard as he holds the hilt in his hand, stares down at Kev who is on his side and pressing his fingers against the side of his face.

He looks down at the blade, now stained with both Robert’s and his own blood, sees the warped reflection of his own face in the polished metal and bares his teeth. He looks over at Kev and sees the uncertainty in the man’s eyes – like he thinks Aaron might actually kill him, might actually risk the second chance he’s been given to spend the rest of his life with Robert, might risk not being here to see their baby boy or girl grow up.

“You ain’t worth it.” He spits, and with that he tightens his fingers on the sword and stalks straight out of the open door of the flat.

He doesn’t look back.

He sits pressed tight against Robert’s side on the edge of the hospital bed and looks up sharply when the green curtain pulls back and a smiling nurse appears on the other side. He feels Robert jump a little at the noise and he squeezes reassuringly at Robert’s thigh, before running his thumb in a soothing circle and watching Robert’s lashes flutter shut as the tension bleeds from his body once again.

They both need stitches, the nurse tells them, and she moves a small trolley and stool over to sit in front of them both on the bed.

“Do you have any allergies or conditions I should know about?” She asks, as she reaches for a pair of latex gloves. Robert clears his throat and his thigh shifts under Aaron’s palm.

“I’m pregnant,” he says, and Aaron bites his lip nervously, looks down at the lino floor and flexes his still stinging left hand.

They get stitched up – Robert first, because Aaron flat out refused until the nurse had seen to him – and afterwards they end up in a small room the other side of the hospital from A&E, with a bed and a screen, and a speaker just off to Robert’s right that plays the fast, wet thump of their baby’s heartbeat out loud for the first time.

Aaron’s eyes sting and Robert laughs, thickly and choked, and the midwife who had checked Robert over passes them a black and white scan inside a thin cardboard sleeve as Robert pulls the hem of his blood stained jumper back down over middle.

Fourteen weeks. Fourteen. Flashes of a destroyed bedroom in the stifling summer heat, tears and desperate hands and lips, soft clothes and Robert’s ruined hair – the first time, their first time in six horrific years – and they’d made this tiny piece of their future without even trying. A little baby that they had wanted so badly and had failed to conceive for so long, now alive and growing and arriving into their lives much sooner than either of them had even considered possible.

Robert looks at the scan as they walk down the corridor, a hint of a smile on his lips that breaks through the deep, worried frown on his brow and the tiredness around his eyes; Aaron keeps his good palm pressed into his lower back and slowly curls his fingers over and over soothingly in the soft wool of his jumper.

“I’ve text Vic, asked if we can stay at hers,” Aaron says quietly, and Robert nods, swallows and folds the scan back closed so he can slip it into his jeans pocket.

“I don’t think I could stay in the flat tonight.” He answers, and his tone is low, subdued. “He could still be in there couldn’t he? Just hangin’ about.”

Aaron clenches his teeth and slides his palm more firmly around Robert’s waist, pulls them to a stop.

“He’ll have fucked off to the other side of the country if he knows what’s good for him.”

Robert nods and ducks his head, wets his lower lip and turns to face Aaron, reaches out and curls his fingers in the arm of Aaron’s jumper.

“I’m sorry. This is my fault and – ”

“Robert nothin’ about this is your fault, alright?” Aaron answers fiercely, scans his eyes intently over Robert’s face until his boyfriend actually looks up again and hesitantly meets his eyes. “Kev did this, he made a choice to go wavin’ that sword about like a psycho.”

“We could’ve lost the baby, Aaron.” Robert blurts out, and he looks so broken by the thought that Aaron feels his heart sink in his chest. “We could’ve lost our baby and I’d never forgiven myself for that.”

“We didn’t though, aye?” Aaron softly replies, gently pulls Robert in closer until he can rub his side and tentatively hold his waist with his other heavily bandaged palm; Robert clutches tighter to the fabric of Aaron’s jumper. “They’re fine, and you’re okay, and that’s all that matters.”

Robert swallows and nods, and Aaron leans in with a slow sigh and carefully presses a kiss to Robert’s cheek, feels Robert sink into it and slide his fingers up Aaron’s bicep to curl over the ball of his shoulder.

“C’mon, let’s go back to Vic’s and get some sleep,” he says as he pulls back and squeezes a final time at Robert’s waist. “You look shattered.”

Robert huffs and rolls his eyes and something in Aaron settles at the tiniest hint of normalcy creeping back into him, just a flicker breaking through his obvious overwhelming fear and worry.

“Thanks, know how to flatter a bloke don’t ya?”

Aaron pulls a face and reaches out to take his hand as they start to walk down the corridor again towards the exit. “Can’t go biggin’ up your ego too much can I?”

Robert’s lips twitch and Aaron sighs again tiredly, raises his eyebrows in greeting when he spots Liam hovering around by the automatic doors and apparently waiting to give them a lift back to the village.

“I’ve text your mum, told her you’re alright,” he says when they come to a stop in front of him, and Aaron nods and runs his thumb over the back of Robert’s knuckles.

“You ain’t told her about the baby, have ya?” He asks lowly, and Liam shakes his head, his eyes a little wide.

“No, god no!” He sharply answers. “No I’ll happily let you be the one to be the bearer of that good news.”

Aaron hums and raises an eyebrow, takes a step past him to head through the doors with Robert; Liam’s car keys jangle as he walks behind them, and Robert stays pressed closed against his side. They both climb into the back seats of the car, and Aaron kicks the bloodied sword still lying in the footwell under the passenger seat in front of him before Robert can notice that it’s there.

“Right then, back to Emmerdale,” Liam announces, and he sounds just as drained as they are. Aaron licks his dry bottom lip and Liam switches the ignition on, Radio 2 immediately starting up to drown out the silence.

‘They should probably get away for a bit’ Aaron thinks as the streets of Hotten give way again to damp autumn countryside. Robert’s face is solemn and tense in the reflection of the window to his right and Aaron knows he isn’t going to sleep again, that he is going to be tossing and turning and eventually pacing until the sun comes up.

“It’s gonna be okay,” he says though quietly when he sees Robert’s jaw clench, and he leans over and squeezes his thigh, waits until Robert turns his face away from the window and looks back at him. “You’re alright, you’re both safe.”

“So why don’t I feel like it?” Robert asks – not much more than an anxious whisper of breath – and Aaron exhales slow and hard through his nose, his fingertips tightening reflexively on Robert’s thigh, as he sucks his lower lip between his teeth.