Davy is worried. Aidan has been home for days, and still hasn't sought him out for the serious talk he requested.  He leaves the shoppe in one of his employee's able hands and heads upstairs to the flat. "Aidan?" he calls out, kicking off his shoes and slipping off his robe. He walks into the kitchen for something to drink.

"In my room, Da." Aidan calls out distractedly as he sets up a new canvas on his easel. "Just workin on something." He pulls the tray of paints to his side and sits down on the stool, tinkering around with his brushes.

Davy walks to your door, taking your words as an invitation in.  He's holding two cans of juice.  "You've still not told me what's wrong?" he says gently, sitting on your bed, offering you one of the drinks.

 Aidan's smile falters slightly at your words. "O-oh. That...I...I keep chickening out, actually." He takes the juice from you slowly and sets it on his tray of paints. "It just never seemed like the right time."

Davy frowns, and his worry increases.  He pats your bed, next to him.  "Since when do we need a 'right time' to talk? You've always been able to talk to me about anything."

 "I know, Da. But...it's usually just you and me here." He shifts uncomfortably on his chair. "It's been so busy."

"Well, its just us now," Davy says softly.  "Are you or Alex in some sort of trouble? You know, I love you no matter what, son."

Aidan looks at you sadly, not really knowing how to approach the whole subject. "No...Alex and I are good. Better than good, really." He looks down at his brushes, fiddling with them nervously.

Davy frowns, unsure whether to push or not.  "I'm glad you two have each other," he says instead.  He reaches over to touch your arm. "I cant' help if I don't know."

 "I...it's really hard to talk about it, Da." He crosses the room slowly, sinking onto his bed. "I love you and I don't want you to hate me or anything."

Davy's brows furrow and his arm snakes about your waist. "I could <i>never</i> hate you, Aidan. Never!" His voice is vehement.

Aidan's arms wrap around you quickly and he buries his face against your shoulder. "Something...something bad happened over Easter hols." He whispers softly. "Really bad."

Both of Davy's arms circle you too, holding you in a tight, protective hug.  "Something bad? To you?" he sounds almost incredulous.  othing dare bad happen to one of his children.

"Umm...yeah." He mumbles almost inaudibly, scooting closer to you. "I just...wanted to forget about it."

Davy holds you tighter. "Merlin, what happened?  I want to...need to..help."

"I...well, I kind of got...hurt. While I was picking up some things at the art store." Aidan looks away again, unable to look you in the eyes.

Davy turns your face back toward him, worry clearly evident on his face. "What happened?" he whispers.

Alex is standing just a few feet from the door, listening to every word, and his eyes clenched closed as you start the admission.

"Well..." Aidan closes his eyes and turns his face downward. "...there was this man. He was just...waiting when I came back out of the shop."

Davy's heart is clenching painfully in his chest and he's dizzy with worry. He doesn't like where this is going. "Aidan, please tell me what happened."

Aidan grimaces as he forces himself to relive each moment all over again. "W-well...he just...in the alley." his voice breaks off slightly before he continues again. "I don't know who it was."

Davy takes a deep shuddering breath. "What happened in the alley?" He hates forcing you to talk about this, your pain obvious, but he has to know what he's dealing with.

Alex can't stand it, the sound of Aidan's voice just ripping thru him - and he comes to stand in the door. Not speaking, just physically there - his eyes worried and expression pained.

"The man...he hurt me in the alley." His eyes fill with tears quickly, his cheeks burning red with the shame. "I...I told him no. I really did!"

Davy's breath audibly catches, and he still can't be sure, but his worst fears are settling like a vice in his chest.  Right now sole concern is comforting you. He strokes your hair, like he did when you were young. "Its not your fault. None of it."

Alex just leans against the door, his eyes flitting from father to son by mostly staying on Aidan. His breath catches too, at the admission, and he fights the urge to break between you and wrap Aidan in his arms.

"I could've fought back harder, I know that." He mumbles against your shoulder. "I could've done more."

Tears are in Davy's eyes. "He...he forced himself on you?" he whipsers, voice ragged. "He...," and he stumbles over the word, "raped you?"

Alex swallows, but doesn't move or say anything. He knows Aidan has to get thru telling you this on his own.

Aidan looks away again, utterly ashamed. "Umm...ya. In the alley."

The tears spill over and Davy begins crying, holding you tightly, hand stroking your hair still. "Not your fault. Great gods, please don't blame yourself." He begins rocking you and inside, he's blaming himself for not protecting you better, and for not even knowing something so wrong had happened to you.  "My precious, son, I'm so sorry," he weeps.

And Alex is crying too, completely silent still and breaking apart at the look in Aidan's eyes as he turns away. <I>wasn't even this bad when he told me..</i> And he balls his hands into fists at his side. Going thru all the old things he's told himself. It was his fault. Aidan was visiting him in London, and he should have been with him.

Aidan rubs the tears out of his eyes quickly. "It's okay. Really." he mutters against your shoulder again.

"No, its bloody not," Davy replies, and its a tone you've rarely heard from him before - hard, determined, angry.  His actions belie the words though has he continues to hold and rock you. "I had no idea. I'm so sorry. You should have told me. How could I blame you? Not your fault." His words tumble out.

Alex breathes "No it's not." And then when Davy talks his eyes snap to the older man. He'd always respected Aidan's father, but that tone promises that something will be done and his eyes harden as he quietly promises the same thing.

Aidan squeezes his father tightly, burrowing up against him. "I...I dodn't mean to hide it from you. It just hurt so bad and I didn't want to let you down."

Davy murmurs a 'fuck' and he tilts your face toward him, looking into your eyes. "You have not let me down. Its impossible. You never could."  He swallows hard. "I just wish I'd been here for you sooner. And been able to punish the bastard sooner."  He holds your head against his chest, almost like you were an infant.  "I love you, Aidan. So much."

Alex feels a fresh wave of tears at his impotence to help and slides down the wall, hugging his knees to his chest - his eyes back on Aidan and worried.

"Love you too, Da." Aidan snuggles into your embrace again, practically crawling onto your lap. "I...I'm sorry."

Tears still stream down Davy's face, and your apology brings a fresh wave of pain. "Please, please don't apologise. Its not your fault," he assures you, and he does in fact pull you into his lap.

Alex shivers, not able to watch anymore, and leans his forehead against his knees.

"It is my fault, though." He whispers very softly. "I didn't tell you or Alex where I was going that day. I just...went."

"And you should be able to just go without worry of attack," Davy sighs, his voice sounding old and sad.  "Never your fault." His mind begins working overtime, thinking what he can do for you <i>now</i>.  He plans to check into counseling, and his thoughts turn murderous at whoever did this. "Aidan, I need you to tell me everything you can about the bastard."  His face is wet from tears, and his fatherly embrace is still there, but the tone is back.

<i>I should have been there. </i> And he knows that if he says it aloud you'll just tell him it isn't his fault, so he stays silent. Then he thinks of something and his voice is hoarse when he says it. "Love... tell him about the robes."

Aidan looks back at Alex imploringly, hoping he'll come up on the bed. "He...he had on black robes...couldn't see his face. Everything was...black."

At Alex's voice, Davy's eyes jerk to him, not even aware of his presence. He can clearly see how much you care, and it only validates his approval of your relationship with his son. When Aidan begins speaking though, his attention is back on his son.  "All in black? Like a..a DE?"

"Black robes, in the middle of Muggle London..."  And as Davy look at him he meets his eyes - his own red but very hard. "That's what I've always thought."

"I don't know who he was." Aidan insists. "I couldn't see his face. Anyway...he's gone. And...I'm not mad at him or anything."

Davy takes a deep, shuddering breath and closes his eyes. He doesn't know what to say to that, but it doesn't surprise him either.  Aidan would probably offer the bastard counseling. Davy looks over at Alex.  "Do you know anything more?" he asks, still rocking Aidan. His expression is clear.  The rapist will pay and he needs any information he can get.

Alex bites his lip, but his own expression matches yours just for a moment, then softens as he looks at Aidan. "No... I never pushed..."

"I don't know anything more." He whimpers. "I didn't see his face. Just black robes and a little skin for about ten seconds." He rests his head on Davy's chest and looks over at Alex miserably.

"Shhh," Davy says soothingly.  "Its okay. Its all going to be okay."  And he means it.  Davy looks between you, wondering if Aidan wouldn't prefer Alex at the moment, but he's not quite willing to let you go just yet. "Shhh," he coos again.

Alex pushes himself to his feel at that look in Aidan's eyes look and goes to sink down onto the bed beside Davy, his own hand going to stroke at Aidan's hair softly too. But he's glad that Davy stays. This is a moment they need...

"Will you both...stay with me for a while?" He asks almost shyly. "Just till...well, for a little bit?" He stumbles across his words wearily.

Davy gasps, surprised at your question. "I'm here for you as long as you need me," he promises. "Right here."  With one hand, he reaches over and claps Alex on the shoulder.  'Thank you,' he mouths.

Alex mumbles "of course I will", though you know he would anyway, and strokes your hair again, leaning to press a kiss to your cheek even though your father is right there, and then leaning back and watching you. His eyes lock with Davy's as Davy whispers to him, but he looks down into his lap sadly, ashamed at not being able to do more.

Aidan smiles for the first time since he started talking. "I love you both...so very much." He snuggles contentedly in Davy's lap and reaches out to take Alex's hand in his own.

Davy can't smile, but his voice is emotional as he echoes the sentiment. "I love you too, Aidan. And I love Alex for being there for you."

Alex twines his fingers with Aidan's and is silent, not smiling, still looking away slightly.

Aidan looks at Alex nervously. "You okay, hun?" He tugs your hand gently, trying to bring you closer.

Davy's gaze falls back on Alex and he grips his shoulder this time. "Its not your fault either," he assures you, trying to look into your eyes.

Alex looks back and forces a small smile. "Yeah, baby." Squeezing his fingers and holding back a new wave of tears at his uselessness. He looks up at Davy, opening his mouth once, then closing it and nodding.

Aidan looks at Alex sadly, his lip quivering slightly as he watches you fighting back all the things that he knows you feel.

"I'm gonna be okay, love...and it's nobody's fault, okay." He tears his gaze from Alex and looks up at his father helplessly.

Davy's heart is hurting for the both of you, and he pulls Alex toward him too. Awkwardly, he embraces you both, starting to rock again gently. "No ones fault and yes, it will be better."

Alex is tense, not used to being rocked like this, and certainly still believing it is - at least in part - his fault. But he doesn't say anything, and lets you rock him - drawing Aidan's hand up to kiss it lightly.

Aidan smiles again, partially at ease when Alex allows his father to embrace him. "Don't know what I'd ever do without either of you."

"You won't have to find out," Davy assures you. Its times like these that he realises you couldn't be more his son if his blood flowed through your veins.  And his plans to tell you about your biological parents are again put off.

Alex agrees silently, but doesn't trust himself to say so and keep his voice steady. He kisses Aidan's hand again and sinks heavier against Davy's side.

Aidan scrambles off Davy's lap and pulls him down onto the bed along with Alex. "Can we snuggle like we did when I was little?" He settles between Davy and Alex happily, content to be an Aidan sandwich again. "Just till I fall asleep?"

Davy simply nods, holding you like he used to. He well remembers you at four, crawling into his bed after a bad dream.

Alex settles behind you, eyes still hurting - and slides a hand to your hip. Not holding you close, as he's letting Davy do that for now.

Aidan pulls Alex forward anyway, desperately needing the contact from both of them. "Love you." He mumbles to both of them and sinks happily against the pillows.