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Of course his family were involved with the missing cows. Aaron can't believe it wasn't the first thing he thought of, it's exactly the kind of thing the Dingles would get up to. And, fine, it was more to get one over on Joe than Robert, so Aaron can appreciate that even if he is pissed on Robert's behalf. He's more pissed about it than Robert is, come to think of it, Robert just focusing on not stepping on anybody's toes or hurting any Dingle feelings more than he already has.
It's frustrating to know exactly how the old Robert would have reacted to this situation and have to witness the new Robert - careful, selfless, cautious - deal with it instead. Aaron loves every version of Robert, couldn't love him any less if he tried. He can't help but feel so sad for him sometimes though - he's pretty sure Robert hates the new version of himself, and that he hates that Aaron feels the need to wrap him in cotton wool and hide him away from the world. New Robert spends his days walking on eggshells, around the Dingles, around the Bartons, around Aaron.
He thinks they're making progress though. Robert hasn't mentioned turning himself in again for over a week, and Aaron would love for that to not feel like a win, but it does. He even suggested that they come down to the Woolie for lunch, an offer so unexpected Aaron had simply blinked at him at first before trying not to sound too enthusiastic as he agreed.
So, now, they're in the pub, Aaron nicking some chips off Robert's plate, Robert pretending not to notice, and it's nice and normal. There's a bunch of Dingles here, Belle, Cain, Sam, Mandy, and they're all being civil, Mackenzie and Matty have joined their table, chatting away, and it really couldn't get much better, Aaron thinks.
That's when the two police officers walk in, and pretty much every villager in the place tenses up.
They scan the pub, and, for a moment, Aaron lets himself believe they're here for someone else, anyone else, but then their eyes land on Robert. Robert stiffens completely beside him, his breaths becoming shaky when the two start walking over to them.
"Robert Sugden?" one of them asks, clearly knowing the answer.
"Yeah," Robert says, quietly, looking for all accounts like a man being faced with the gallows.
"PC Bradshaw, this is PC Davies. I believe you're aware of an open case we have, stolen cattle from Emmerdale Farm?" the copper looks uninterested. Robert looks sick. "The landlord there says you're the tenant farmer?"
"I already gave a statement," Robert says, managing to keep his voice level. His white knuckle grip on the edge of Aaron's seat somehow tightens even further.
"Yes, well, the landlord, Mr Tate, he's mentioned a few things that have made the detectives interested in talking to you again. I'm gonna need you to accompany us to the station."
The landlord Mr Tate is going to go flying out of another window if he doesn't stop running his mouth, Aaron seethes, looking on as Robert deflates at the words.
Out of the corner of his eye, Aaron sees Belle twist in her seat. All the Dingles are watching intently, like they're waiting for Robert to drop them in it. The old version of Robert probably would have.
Aaron wishes Robert were more like his old self.
"Okay," Robert says, easing his fingers out of the upholstery by Aaron's leg. He shuffles his seat back, swallows, "I can talk to them."
"Well, no, wait!" Aaron finally finds his voice, putting a hand on Robert's arm and frowning up at the officers. "Why can't they come here? They know where we live."
"Ah, that makes you Mr Dingle, I presume?" Bradshaw says, and his smug, indifferent tone pricks at Aaron's skin.
"They've just asked us to bring Mr Sugden in for questioning," PC Davies speaks up, at least managing to look a little bit more contrite than his colleague. "I'm afraid we don't have any more details."
Robert pats his hand gently, turning his head to him but not making eye contact. "It's okay, Aaron. It's just a few questions." He stands up then, the eyes of the rest of the pub on him. Robert's face is perfectly impassive, blank, like he's not even really there. Aaron's heart feels like it's beating out of his chest, and then nearly stops completely when Bradshaw pulls out a pair of handcuffs.
"No, hang on a minute," he says, shooting to his feet, nearly knocking over Mackenzie's pint in the process, "you said it was just questions, there's no way those are necessary!"
"Mr Dingle," Bradshaw starts, and Aaron is moments way from punching him in the mouth, "as I'm sure you're aware, Mr Sugden has a history of violent crime. As such, it's policy for him to be handcuffed during transport."
"It's for his safety as much as ours," Davies tries to placate him.
Aaron splutters, about to argue that so long as neither of them had assaulted Robert's sister they were in the clear, but Robert just steps forward, wrists out, eyes distant as the cuffs clip into place and the two officers start to lead him out of the pub.
"Robert? Rob? It's gonna be okay, yeah?" Aaron doesn't know who he's trying to convince, "I'm coming, alright, I'll be there, I promise." There's a frantic tone to his voice that he's sure the PCs have picked up on, but he couldn't give a monkey's about them right now, as he follows close behind. "It's just questions, you didn't do anything, you're coming home, I'll bring you home!"
Robert doesn't look at him as he's led to the police car in front of the pub, doesn't seem to be looking at anything actually, just goes where he's told and moves when directed.
Aaron's suddenly 27, watching as the love of his life walks right out of it and into a cell, standing by helplessly as he's driven away, away, away from him.
Aaron doesn't react as his mum puts a hand on his shoulder, standing staring at the squad car as it disappears out of the village. His vision blurs and he quickly rubs at his eyes, he doesn't have time to cry about this, not right now, Robert needs him.
He turns and all but runs back into the pub to grab his jacket, his phone and car keys in the pocket. Matty already has it in hand, holding it and Robert's out to him as he approaches, and Aaron will be grateful for that later, when he has a second to appreciate it.
Cain speaks up as he shrugs the coat over his shoulders, "Where're you going?" and Aaron frowns at him, grabbing Robert's phone which has been left on the table and shoving it into his pocket.
"Where'd'ya think?"
"No, no," Cain says, crossing his arms, Sam nodding beside him, "Sugden's bought us some time, but we need to make sure this doesn't come back on the family."
Aaron blinks at him, confounded, "Family? My family just got hauled out of here in handcuffs!"
Cain ignores him and barrels on, turning to Belle, "Run me through it again, the cover story."
Aaron doesn't know how it happens but he ends up sitting in his own kitchen on Emmerdale Farm, surrounded by Dingles, instead of at the police station with Robert. Every time he tries to leave, he's interrupted or someone brings up a new, tangentially related crisis, and Aaron wants to scream.
Moira arrived at some point and is standing in the corner, watching the proceedings impassively. Aaron wants to scream at her. He was willing to walk back into hell for you, he thinks, as Chas shoots down another of Charity's ideas. And you're just going to let this happen. Then the anger turns inwards. He's also just letting this happen.
Sam starts to moan about the Dingle Farm and the cows they have there, and Aaron can't listen to them anymore.
"Sam, for the love of God, I don't care!" he yells, rising from his seat, and the resounding quiet afterwards is welcome after what must be hours of nonstop chatter. "I don't care. Keep the cows, get rid of the cows, shoot the cows out of a fucking cannon, it doesn't matter! What matters is that I'm here, instead of at the police station where Robert is, probably taking the blame for you lot being incompetent!"
"Aaron."
Aaron whips around at that voice, and feels the fear, white-hot and restricting his heart, finally start to ease as he takes in Robert, real and present and here, standing by the back door. He breathes deeply for the first time since the police had arrived.
"Robert," he says, so relieved he could cry. He steps forward, arms lifting to pull him in, but Robert steps back, keeping his eyes down and shoving his hands in his pockets. Aaron watches as Robert shrinks away from him and thinks he might get sick.
"They didn't have enough to hold me, so, they let me go," Robert says, not lifting his eyes from the floor, tilting his head slightly so the audience of Aaron's family know he's directing this at them. "I didn't tell them anything. They said if they had any more questions, they might… might bring me back in."
"Good lad," Cain says, from his spot where he's made himself comfortable at the head of the table, and Aaron nearly sees red. He forces himself to focus on Robert again.
"I was just gonna head to the station, you could've called, I would've picked you up," he says, muscles straining from holding himself back from gathering Robert into his arms and never letting go.
"I left my phone in the pub," Robert says, still not looking at him, and Aaron suddenly remembers the heavy weight of Robert's phone in his own pocket. "They gave me some cash for the bus. I think… I'm gonna go take a shower."
Aaron watches him as he leaves, heading for the bathroom, still not looking up. Tears brim in his eyes again, and this time he lets them fall.
He turns back to his family, all sitting around quietly, finally silent now that they've seen what it took from Robert to do this for them. Moira's eyes meet his for a moment, then she drops them, looking at the floor. The white-hot feeling appears in his chest again but this time it's not fear. It's rage.
"Get out." It's not a request, or a statement. It's an order.
"Aaron…" Chas starts, her hands wrapped around Robert's favourite mug - she must've gotten up and made herself a cuppa at some point.
"All of you, out!"
"Aaron, we talked about this," Cain says, not making any moves to leave, "you agreed to step for this family-"
"Step up?!" Aaron can feel the rage building in his veins. "Step up? You saw Robert just now. Tell me how that's not stepping up? And how about me stepping up for him, eh? Instead of going to the police station to support the man I love, who willingly stepped into a place that traumatised him today, I let you lot keep me here listening to your blathering on about fucking nothing!"
There's silence from the gathered Dingles, which is a nice change as far as Aaron's concerned.
"Prison nearly broke him, last time. And it completely broke me. You remember that, right?" Aaron tilts his head at Cain, breathing heavily. "I was going to kill you. I nearly did. I wrecked my relationship with every person in this room after Liv died, all because he wasn't here." He gestures in the direction of the bathroom, as the distant sound of the shower running starts up. "That was his fault. He did the crime, he made the decision to leave, and I took it all out on you. If he ends up back there, if I lose him again, because of some harebrained Dingle scheme, if it's your fault? I'll burn this village to the ground, family or no family. That's a promise."
Aaron stands back from the table, watching them all take in what he's said. His mum looks shellshocked, and he can't find it in him to care. It's the truth.
Moira leaves quickly, still refusing to look at him. One by one, the rest of them start to make their way out of the house, Belle and Chas helping Cain stand. Aaron wonders if he should feel worse about basically threatening to kill his sickly uncle. Maybe.
As they're leaving, Cain stops and looks at Aaron. It's a look that might have sent him running ten years ago. Now, it just makes him angrier.
"I thought we agreed the family comes first," Cain says, eying him up.
"We did," Aaron says, standing his ground, "just like you agreed Robert and I are a package deal."
Chas leads Cain out of the room with a long look at him as she goes. He feels a small pang of guilt - she is his mum, after all, but at the end of the day, he's always going to choose Robert. Maybe now she'll finally realise that.
Belle is the last one left in the kitchen, hovering in the doorway. "We'll sort something," she says, steely-eyed and sure. "We'll deal with Joe and we'll keep Robert out of it."
Aaron nods and closes the door behind her, wondering not for the first time if Belle would've been better suited for this 'head of the family' role Cain is so attached to.
He locks the door behind them, somewhat unheard of in Emmerdale, and quickly goes to the bathroom, hesitating outside. He can hear the water running, but there's no other movement. He slowly pushes the door open, slipping inside quietly.
He's gotten better at moving quietly while also making a little bit of sound, knowing now that too much noise makes Robert feels overwhelmed, while total silence sends him into a panic. Aaron's careful to let his hoodie and t-shirt fall heavily to the floor, while cautiously placing his belt down, trying to toe the line.
It doesn't look like it matters though. Robert's standing under the spray unmoving, staring unseeing at the wall.
There's a slight acidic smell to the air as Aaron passes the toilet to step into the shower, and he wonders if Robert vomited when he got up here. He's glad to feel that the water temperature is just warm, so Robert hasn't been scalding himself as he stands entranced.
He blinks a little when Aaron touches him, slowly coming back to the present moment. "Aaron?"
"Yeah, yeah, it's me, you're here, we're at home," Aaron doesn't know if anything he's saying is helpful or what Robert needs to hear, but he has to try.
"I can't go back there," Robert says, slumping into Aaron's arms. "I know, I said I could, I-I'm sorry, I can't, I can't do it, I can't-" Robert's crying now, gasping, wrenching sobs, and Aaron's heart breaks again and again.
"You don't have to, they're going to fix it, you don't have to, I promise," he babbles, holding on tight.
They stay like that, long enough for the water to go cold, before Aaron bundles Robert into their softest towel, and then his comfiest pyjamas, and herds him into bed. It's too early for sleep, but Robert's clearly exhausted and, honestly, so is Aaron, so he closes the blinds and turns off the lights.
There's a text on Aaron's phone as he plugs both of their devices in to charge.
Moira: Tell Robert to take the morning off tomorrow. Matty and I will look after it.
He sends her back a brief "ok" before climbing into the bed, feeling hopeful for a moment that maybe the family have taken him seriously this time.
Robert has calmed a bit, still staring off into the distance, but no longer crying and holding onto Aaron for dear life. They lie there, Robert looking at the ceiling, Aaron tracing every inch of him he can see with watchful eyes, committing and recommitting the features to memory.
Aaron nearly dozes off, when Robert speaks again, voice croaky, "You weren't there."
Aaron's wide awake now.
"I'm so sorry, Robert, I wanted to be, you have to believe me, it just turned into Dingle court, and I didn't realise how much time had passed, and I forgot you didn't have your phone-"
"The Dingles needed you." Robert sounds resigned, like he's just had a theory confirmed and it's a less than favourable outcome.
"You needed me. I should've been there."
"It's okay. They're your family," Robert says, still staring at the ceiling, a rogue tear making its way from his eye over the side of his face, landing on his pillow below his ear. Aaron watches it, a familiar panic starting to claw up his throat.
"You're my family," he says, voice thick, hand landing on Robert's arm, fingers tangling in the fabric of his t-shirt. He's said this before, just a few weeks ago, and Robert had believed him. At least, he'd thought Robert had believed him. "You know?"
Robert works his jaw and swallows, hand coming up to cover Aaron's. "I know," he says, unconvincingly, before turning over on his side. He drags Aaron's arm with him, slotting back against him, letting Aaron wrap around him just like they'd done this morning.
It should be picture perfect, the two of them, together, tangled up in bed. Instead, it's cracked right down the middle.
Robert doesn't believe him.
He hadn't been there. He'd promised to be there.
Aaron doesn't sleep that night, barely moves a muscle, holding onto Robert like he'll disappear in a puff of smoke if he loosens his grip.
Robert has nightmares, the kind Aaron can usually soothe by reassuring him that they're together, that Robert's safe, at home. That Aaron's there.
But he hadn't been there.
Robert doesn't believe him.
Aaron doesn't know how to fix this.