There were fragments of Aaron’s memory that fitted together in chaotic ways—pieces of his childhood that both slotted together, and didn’t. He recalled an afternoon during his childhood spent with his father, Oli, fearful of a receptionist who’d smiled at him with shark’s teeth and looked at him with evil intent. The fear bled into another scene where his fathers held each other tightly in the same lobby, like they were thankful that they’d survived long enough to be reunited, while the shark-toothed receptionist watched. It was easier to believe that those disturbing images were bad dreams blended seamlessly into his reality, but now Aaron couldn’t be so sure.

He’d been no more than five years old then—too young to understand what was going on, and too frightened to ask for clarification.

But there’d been other hints. Other indications that something wasn’t right.

They’d blended so seamlessly into his life that his mind brushed them off as unimportant.

Every day like clockwork, in the morning, in the afternoon, and at night before bed, an alarm would sound on his father’s phone. Aaron had never seen the pills while his father was in the house, but whenever they traveled, even if it was only out to the store for errands, they made their appearance.

The alarm went off. The pills were swallowed. Nothing more was said.

It had never been a big deal. The pills were a part of who his father was, just like the color of his hair, or his eyes, or the fact that whenever he made fried eggs, he always gave his yolks to Aaron and Caleb.

To find out that such a forgettable part of his father’s life had been secretly so serious unnerved him.

He’d never thought to ask.

Outside the kitchen window, cardinals sang. The sun was on its way up, waking the world to another day. Aaron adjusted the way he held Gage’s hand, then dared to look at his parents. The conversation had come to its natural conclusion, and apart from small details that would be shared in private, there was nothing more to say. Aaron was exhausted, but wired from fear.

His son was sick. What he’d believed would be something easily treatable once its root cause had been determined turned out to be much more severe.

There was nothing Aaron could do.

Nothing.

All he could do was trust that other people—outsiders—could make his boy better. It was an achingly hopeless position to be in. He’d only just learned he was a father, but in that moment of absolute fear, he knew what it meant to love like a parent loved.

An alarm. A pill. The yolk of a fried egg in exchange for a gap-toothed smile.

Aaron understood.

If, to keep Bo safe and healthy, he had to hear that same alarm multiple times a day for the rest of his life, he would do it. No matter the medical expenses, no matter the detriment to his career, and no matter the tolls it took on his mental and emotional health, he would see his son get well.

And he would be there for Gage, too.

“A lot’s been said tonight,” Aaron said after a long pause. “I know that there are still topics that need to be addressed and conversations that need to happen, but I’d like to ask if we can come back to it later. Gage and I haven’t slept yet tonight, and we have a long day ahead of us while we get in touch with Dad’s pulmonologist. A nap would do us both good.”

“You need to remember to call in to work,” Oli prompted. No matter how old Aaron got, his dad would always be his dad. “Make sure you do it before you nap, okay?”

“I will,” Aaron promised.

“What insurance plans were offered to you during the recruitment process?” Marshall asked. The gears turned behind his eyes. “How’s your coverage? Synecta offered excellent insurance to all employees while it was mine, and I imagine that if they courted you, they sweetened the deal as best they could to get you to sign on.”

Aaron nodded. “My insurance is excellent.”

“Then you’re going to want to sign Bo’s birth certificate and have him added to your insurance plan as a dependent. If they require paternity tests for proof, you’ll want to get on that sooner rather than later.”

“Right.” Another thing to add to the list. Aaron stowed it away in his memory. “I will.”

“If it’s necessary, I’ll talk to Samantha about the situation,” Marshall continued. “Perhaps it’s best that I touch base, anyway. It’s been a while. The last time I called was after I heard Alex got engaged. It looks like we’ve got a lot to catch up on.”

Of that, Aaron had no doubt. Life had changed while he was in Munich, and the Aurora he’d come back to wasn’t the same one he’d left. His father wasn’t the only one who had catching up to do.

Before Aaron could say goodnight to those gathered in the kitchen and lead Gage away, Gage’s father, Cedric, stepped forward. His silence had worried Aaron, but the look on his face now—worried and heartbroken—told a different story. Cedric hadn’t broken down like Gabriel had, but he was affected by the news of his son’s struggles just as deeply.

“I just…” Cedric struggled for words. “I wish you would have told us, Gage. I wish you hadn’t felt the need to do this all on your own. Your dad and I are here for you. We’re always here for you, no matter what, and I know your brother would have wanted to be there for you, too. I don’t understand why you would actively avoid our help. If you’d told us, we could have worked something out with Aaron so he could continue his education. You could have come home.”

“I was scared.” Gage’s voice was small and guilty. It woke the part of Aaron that wanted to protect and defend. “I’m sorry.”

“Why?” Cedric asked again. His voice was softer this time, begging an explanation. “What could we have done better?”

Gage shook his head quickly, a pained expression on his face, like there were feelings he wanted to get out, but didn’t know how to put into words. When he did speak, the same struggle translated in his voice. “It wasn’t anything you did. It was never anything to do with you. I just…”

Aaron squeezed his hand in support. No matter the mistakes they made or how difficult life became, he would be there. Their lives were different now—parenthood a responsibility that neither of them had been anticipating—but their love remained the same. The sparks Aaron had felt their first summer together were present now, tickling their way up his wrist from where Gage’s palm touched his. Time would mature that feeling, and their relationship to each other as lovers and as parents would season it, but it would never go away.

Of all the things Aaron believed to be true, he held that notion closest to his heart.

“Have you ever loved someone so much that you would do anything for them?” Gage pushed onward after a drawn-out silence, sighing as he spoke, like the words he’d chosen weren’t good enough. “Have you ever been so crazy for someone that logic doesn’t seem so logical anymore? That no matter what they do, or the obstacles that separate you, or how much it hurts, you’ll be loyal to them?”

The color drained from Cedric’s face, and his eyes widened slightly. It was as though Gage had touched upon something profound, but what it was, Aaron couldn’t hope to understand.

“Yes,” Cedric said after a long, thoughtful pause. His voice bore traces of injury long ago healed, cautious of itself, like it was afraid to be hurt again. “I understand.”

Gage let go of Aaron’s hand. He shot him a sympathetic look, then crossed the floor to approach his father. Cedric, his lips still weighed down with worry, opened his arms, and Gage tucked himself against his chest.

“I’m sorry,” Gage whispered. Aaron barely heard what he’d said. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, and I didn’t mean to hurt Dad, either. Is he going to be okay?”

“In time, he’ll be fine,” Cedric promised. There was an unspoken story in his words—a history Aaron couldn’t begin to imagine—and when Cedric turned his gaze from his son to Aaron, Aaron felt its force in full. Cedric held Gage to his chest loosely, but his eyes pinned Aaron in place. Aaron didn’t try to escape them. “Even though the news has come as a shock, both Gabriel and I are glad that it’s you who’s won Gage’s heart so fully, Aaron. There are other, far less kind individuals who would have taken a love like that and twisted it into something cruel and ugly. I know that’s not the case with you. I know that you’ll honor my boy.”

“Always,” Aaron promised. The raw tones of Cedric’s voice rattled him, but he still replied from the depths of his heart. “I promise.”

Love wasn’t easy. Its nuances were difficult to navigate, and it was easy to get pulled into its currents and drowned in its riptides. The pursuit of it drove couples apart and changed lives for good. The young, easy love he’d shared with Gage had grown complex from time and circumstance, but Aaron wasn’t discouraged. Tonight, the final obstacles had been overcome. Truth had come to light. There was nothing left to hide, and no more misunderstandings threatening to tear them apart.

They could, and would, move forward.

Soon enough, Gage separated from his father, and with a few tender words, they said their goodnights. Discomfort remained, but Aaron hadn’t expected that it would disappear completely. Trust would be earned back with time—until then, he would stand by Gage as they repaired their relationships with their families.

When the last of the goodnights were said, and Gage had checked on Gabriel, Aaron guided him from the kitchen and brought Gage up the stairs to his bedroom door.

Tomorrow would be for Bo, but the rest of the night was theirs. Whatever that meant for Gage, Aaron would provide, no matter how exhausted he was. What he’d internalized before held true—love wasn’t easy, but it was worth it.

So incredibly worth it.

Sleepless nights and heartache be damned.