So, as you might have guessed from the long gap in between chapters, I struggled with parts of this one. But it is longer than I usually write, so I hope that makes up for the delay! I'd love to hear what you think, and thanks for reading.

Rosie was quiet until her bowl of chips was nearly empty. She looked at Robert, her head tilted to one side. "Are you my dad?" she asked quietly.

Robert looked at Aaron who said nothing at all, but he could see the surprise in Aaron's eyes. "Where would you get that idea from?" Robert asked after a few moments shocked silence.

"I heard mum on the phone," she said easily. "And you look after me all the time, when mums busy."

"Well, would that be okay with you?" Robert said slowly.

"I guess so," she said. "I've never had a dad before." The easy way she took it in her stride and didn't question it made Robert think that she was too young to really understand the concept of fatherhood yet. Good. That meant that years down the line, she wouldn't remember that he hadn't been around.

It'd been a mostly awkward and silent short journey back to the flat. Aaron felt uncomfortable and Robert had no idea what to say. Rosie sat on the sofa, watching the TV and Aaron nodded to the bedroom where they could have a conversation in private.

"Stop giving me the silent treatment," Robert said before Aaron could get a word in.

"I don't know what to say," he said.

"Literally anything," Robert said.

Aaron shook his head. "So how long can we keep this up?" he asked. "We've no idea how long she's staying here."

"What was I supposed to do?" Robert asked. "Say no, actually I don't want to spend time with her?"

"In case you've forgotten, we live in a one bedroom flat," Aaron said. "Where's she going to sleep?"

"Hey, calm down," Robert said, feeling unnerved by Aaron's pacing. He usually did it when he was stressed or angry. Or upset. "It's just temporary." Aaron hadn't stopped pacing and Robert put his hands on his shoulders to stop him. Aaron glared at him for a moment, but stayed silent.

"I don't know if I can handle this," he admitted.

"Well, relationships aren't always easy," Robert said.

"Don't patronise me."

"I know this wasn't exactly planned," Robert said. "I didn't plan it either."

Aaron sighed. "No, I know. I just…"

"She'll sleep on the sofa. It's just for a few days."

"Okay," Aaron said, breathing heavily. "Fine." Robert kissed him very briefly.

"Stop panicking," Robert said. "We've been through much worse than one five year old girl."

"I know," he said, agreeing with Robert. They had been through worse.

It took a couple of days, but they settled into a routine, even if Aaron was privately uneasy about it. For two days it had been fine, because a majority of Rosie's day was taken up by school. And even Aaron had to admit that Rosie was an easy going child, taking to the change of her carer so easily, especially when her mother called every afternoon. But when Saturday came around, they had so much time with the five year old to fill, that Aaron couldn't fathom what they were going to do. They'd barely had breakfast when Robert's phone rang. From his side of the conversation, Aaron couldn't even guess who was on the phone. When Robert hung up the phone he already looked apologetic. "What?" Aaron asked.

"I have to go," he said. "That was Chrissie."

"So?" Aaron asked pointedly. He didn't enjoy talking about Robert's ex wife under any circumstances.

"She's asked me to come up, talk about the business."

"Well…" Aaron looked at Rosie pointedly.

"I won't be long," he said.

It dawned on Aaron what he was suggesting. "You're… you're leaving me with her?!"

"Oh, you'll be fine," Robert said. "I'll be half an hour. Forty five minutes tops."

"I… don't babysit."

"I'm not a baby," Rosie interjected. They ignored her for the time being.

"Just keep her company and make sure she doesn't electrocute herself or anything."

"Robert…"

"Don't worry. I trust you." This was accompanied by that little smirk that made Aaron's heart skip a beat. He couldn't find anything to say before the front door closed behind him.

"Where's dad gone?" Rosie asked.

"He's got a meeting," Aaron said. "He'll be back soon." He hoped that was true.

"Thank you for coming," Chrissie said. "I have a meeting with the Constables but I can't go, my dad's in hospital… he's had a heart attack, and I have to be there." Robert said nothing. "I can't cancel, it's a very lucrative customer and I can't have them cancelling the contract. Can you… handle the meeting?" Robert scoffed. "You're good with clients, you know the business, you're the only one here who can do this."

Robert sighed. "I'm waiting for how any of this concerns me."

"You owe me," Chrissie said, her eyes flashing dangerously. "For months you were carrying on with a man behind my back. You were even late to our wedding because you couldn't leave him."

"I'm curious, would you be this bothered if I'd been having an affair with a woman?" Robert asked, a slight smile on his face. "Little homophobia maybe?"

"You really think I'd be in a better mood right now had you been screwing a woman?"

"Maybe not," he conceded.

"Come on, Robert," she said. "Please do me this favour. You owe me this."

He sighed heavily. "Fine," he said, holding out his hand for the relevant file. Chrissie handed it over and, with reluctance, a copy of the keys to the estate.

"Thank you," she said. Robert sat down in the office and once he was alone, he called Aaron.

"Hi, you nearly back?" Aaron said.

"Change of plan," Robert said. "I need to… cover an important meeting at Home Farm. Chrissie can't do it and she must be desperate or she'd never have asked me."

"Well… how long're you going to be?" Aaron said.

"I might… be all day," Robert said reluctantly.

"Oh, come on," Aaron said. "You can't do this to me."

"You'll be fine, Rosie will be fine," Robert soothed.

"I'm not…" Aaron sighed heavily. "Are you…?"

Robert somehow knew what he wanted to say. Aaron was worried about Chrissie and him being in the same house. "What, don't trust me?" Robert said, his tone light, but the underlying question still there and serious.

There was a pause, just a beat too long. "I do trust you," he said. "Just panicking about keeping Rosie occupied all day."

"How much trouble do you think she could get into?"

"She's your daughter, Robert," Aaron said. "I dread to think." Robert laughed lightly.

"I'll see you later," he said. "I promise not to be too late."

"Okay," Aaron said. "Bye." He put the phone down and looked at Rosie.

"Was that dad?"

"Yeah," Aaron said. "He might be all day, something's come up."

"What kind of something?" Rosie asked.

"Why don't I stick a film on," Aaron suggested. That'd take up an hour and a half, and by then he might actually have a plan about how to occupy her for the rest of the day.

Robert came home later than he'd planned. The clients had been very happy and reluctant to leave until Chrissie had returned. God knows where she'd been all day, but Robert didn't care. Stifling a yawn, he unlocked the door and froze at the sight that confronted him. Aaron was stretched out on the sofa, asleep, his mouth slightly open as he breathed easily. Lying next to him was the small figure of Rosie, also asleep, nestling into Aaron's chest, her blonde hair a tangled mess. One of Aaron's arms was wrapped around her gently, presumably so she wouldn't fall off of the sofa. It was such a happy comforting sight that it warmed his heart. Moving as quietly as he could, Robert took his phone out of his pocket and took a picture. He wanted to remember this. Knowing his life, it'd all go wrong soon enough.

After standing, watching them for almost a full minute with contentment, he decided to move. He gently lifted Aaron's arm off of his daughter, murmuring "Aaron?"

"Mm?"

"Wake up, I need you to move." He blinked awake, seeing Rosie next to him and Robert looking at him. Carefully, he got up, trying not to disturb Rosie. He kissed Robert hello, still more than half asleep before going into the bedroom.

"Dad?"

"Time for bed sleepyhead," Robert said.

"Today was fun," she said simply, not fully awake as Robert covered her with the duvet. "I like Aaron."

"Oh really?" Robert asked, smiling at her. "You can tell me all about it tomorrow." She closed her eyes and was asleep in seconds. Robert kept watch to make sure, then went to find Aaron, who was collapsed on the bed, still fully dressed, and seeming to have slipped into sleep again. Robert couldn't resist kissing him awake.

"Hi," he said between soft kisses.

"Hi," Robert replied, sliding a hand between Aaron's legs which made him groan with want.

"Are you… sure she's asleep?" Aaron asked, eyes opening for the first time since he'd got home.

"Yes," Robert said. "I want you." Aaron smiled, shifting as Robert pulled his shirt from him, stroking his chest as he kissed him deeply. Aaron closed his eyes, thoroughly enjoying Robert's touch and lips on his skin. Then he suddenly stopped.

"What?" Aaron asked. Robert had stopped and was looking at the top of Aaron's arm, where there was a wound which was angry and red.

"Are you hurting yourself again?" he asked quietly.

"No," he said, seeing the cut near his shoulder. "No, of course I'm not."

"But…"

"I caught it on some scrap metal yesterday," he said. Robert still looked doubtful, so he put his hand to his face. "Look at me," he said, waiting until Robert did. "Trust me, okay. I'm not lying to you. And I'm not doing it again."

"Okay," he said, nodding at him and believing him. "If you… I need you to tell me, if it happens again.

"I will." Robert kissed the hollow of Aaron's throat gently, making the other man shiver.

"Get undressed," Aaron said, almost a demand. Robert smiled and did exactly what he asked.