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It was 3:07 in the morning, Aaron had woken himself up after thrashing and crying out, trapped inside a nightmare. The nightmares were now a frequent occurrence, after digging up the memories he had suppressed for years, they seemed to come back and haunt him every night.
It was more bearable with Robert beside him, having the warmth of his body wrapped around him, holding him while he wept, soothing him as he retold the vivid images that had plagued his subconsciousness.
But tonight Robert was not there to comfort him, for the first night since the trial he was not laying next to him, nor was he simply down the road in his small bedroom at Vics. He was miles away on some business venture that Aaron didn't really take much notice of, all he knew was that he wasn't by his side, and that's what Aaron wished for more than ever.
Now sitting on the edge of his bed, Aaron ran his hands over his face, cursing under his breath as he tried to regain the control the dream had taken away from him. Since when had he been so dependent on Robert. There was no one there to dry his tears when he was a kid, and he managed to get by, so why was it so different now as a twenty-something year old bloke. Aaron asked himself this, with just one word coming to his mind: love.
For the first time, he had let someone in, let someone comfort him in the darkest of nights, and yeah, he thought, for the first time it was nice to let someone in.
After trying in vain to suppress the tears running down his cheeks, Aaron gave in and grabbed his phone, knowing the voice of the person he loved was the only thing that could help him now. Part of him felt guilty for ringing at this ridiculous time at night - or was it morning, Aaron didn't even know anymore, yet he remembered the words Robert had made him promise before he left for Newcastle - "Call me if you need me okay, no matter what time it is yeah? I'm only a call away" and he knew Robert wouldn't mind.
It was 3:07 in the morning, Robert was woken up by the repetitive shrill of what he thought was his alarm clock. He groaned, and picked up his phone ready to hit the snooze button. Only there was no alarm, instead, squinting at the screen due to the harsh brightness of the screen, he could make out Aaron's name. Instantly he accepted the call, and sat up straight, all tiredness he previously felt had dissipated in an instant. Robert knew it must be something important if Aaron was ringing him in the middle of the night.
"Aaron?!" He almost shouted down the phone, worry evident in his voice. "Aaron, what's happened, please talk to me" he pushed when there was no reply, already contemplating making the two hour journey back to Yorkshire as his mind races with possibilities of what could be wrong.
"The..the dream, he was back" Aaron spoke after a moment, tears running down his face and a shakiness in his voice, the sound of which broke Roberts heart. Knowing he couldn't be there in person to comfort him made everything so much worse, he ached to be next to him, holding him.
"Aaron.. I don't know what to do. Do you want me to come back? Just tell me Aaron, what can I do to help"
There was silence for a while before Rob heard a whispered plea, "please...please just keep talking", so quiet he almost missed it.
And so he talked, and talked, about anything and everything, from the rude waiter in the restaurant, to the programme he had been watching on the television. It was all trivial, nothing of any importance, just words to fill the quietness, just words to take Aaron's mind away from the terror he was feeling, an attempt to distract him from the nights events.
Slowly, but surely, Robert heard Aaron's breathing calming down. Other than the odd shaky breath, there was silence coming through the receiver. But still, Robert continued speaking, in a gentle tone, reserved only for Aaron, on the nights when the memories we too strong and prominent.
"I'm not going anywhere" he whispered when he was sure Aaron had calmed down and was on the cusp of sleep, "I love you".
And that is how hey both awoke the next morning, clutching to their phones as if it were a lifeline, the phone call still going, as neither had the will to hang up. Aaron smiled to himself, there was a sense of happiness as he realised, behind Roberts promises, there was sincerity and truth.
Yes, Aaron thought, this is love.