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“Where are you going?” Ben asked still holding onto Callum’s gift.
He didn’t want Callum to leave.
“Dunno yet.” Callum turned to face Ben.
”Head to the station. Follow my feet, be spontaneous for once.”
Ben could see the exhaustion in Callum. He could see that the man he loved and cared so much about was hurt. Ben did that.
Ben looked down at Callum’s gift bag and started playing with the ribbon not wanting to meet Callum’s gaze.
“Should I bother coming back?” Ben lifted his head and looked at Callum.
Say it. Just say you don’t want him to leave. He’ll stay if you do.
Ben was about to speak but his phone rang.
Phil.
Ben now had a choice answer his dads call and let Callum go or tell Callum the truth and try and get the man that meant everything to him back.
Whatever choice Ben made there would be consequences.
“Ben? Should I bother coming back?” Callum repeated his voice still carrying that softness.
The softness that Ben either woke up to or fell asleep too.
That was his Callum’s voice.
”Don’t go. Please.” Ben whispered. “Stay Callum. I need you.”
”You broke up with me! Or have you forgotten that!”
”I had to! To protect you and keep you safe! To not look at the disappointment on your face when you knew the truth. If I broke up with you it would hurt less instead of you breaking up with me.
”Why would I do that?”
Tell him Ben! The voice screamed over and over.
”Not here. Can we go somewhere? Away from here please Callum just you and me?” Ben looked at Callum who looked confused.
”Then if you still wanna go I won’t stop you.”
”Ok. Where do you wanna go?”
”Away from here I don’t want anyone to hear me.”
”Ok. Brize Norton? No one will interrupt us?”
“Don’t they know about what I done? They’ll skin me alive.”
”They will you’re right. They can’t wait to get their hands on you for what you did to me for breaking my heart after they trusted you, but they won’t do anything infront of me. They know if they do then I’ll walk and none of the lads want that.”
”Ok.”
Ben and Callum slowly walked to Brize Norton silence the whole way there.
Luckily for Ben all the men that knew Callum weren’t there.
They walked into an office and Callum shut the door behind them locking it.
“Drink?” Callum asked going over to the fridge taking a beer can out.
”Yeah please. Thanks.”
Callum gave Ben his drink before sitting down on the sofa Ben sat on the chair.
”Did you mean it?”
”Mean what?”
”That I could tell you anything and it wouldn’t matter? That you wouldn’t leave? You’d be there for me?”
”Obviously I meant it. I’m a solider. I’ve seen some things. Ben you could tell me you killed someone and is still wouldn’t matter to me.” Callum joked fear rising in him when Ben went quiet.
”Ben? No please tell me you ain’t? I thought you changed?”
”I ain’t yet.”
”What do you mean you ain’t yet? Ben talk to me. You’re scaring me.”
”I can’t you’re gonna hate me.”
”For gods sake Ben! I won’t hate you! I just want to help you! Can’t you see how much i love you?!” Callum shouted stopping when Ben flinched.
Lowering his voice Callum went and stood next to chair.
”Who is it?”
”Sharon’s baby isn’t dads.” Ben whispered.
”What do you mean it ain’t your dads?”
”She’s been having an affair or something I don’t know but dad knows the baby isn’t his.”
”Hang on. You really didn’t hurt Jack did you? Your dad did?”
”Yeah. He thought it was Jack that was the dad and I tried to stop him. He would have burnt Jack alive if I didn’t. After I took the lighter he held a gun to Jack. Jack kept repeating himself over and over again. Dad didn’t listen though. Dad had managed to calm down and I let Jack go. The blood on my shirt was from Jack.”
”There’s something else isn’t there? I know you.”
“When dad found out she was lying to him he said that he was gonna kill whoever was the father then kill Sharon and I had to help him. You don’t understand Callum. I didn’t want to. I wanted to tell him that I changed but it was only me and him that knew and for the first time in ages he trusted me and I felt like I finally ment something to him.”
”That’s why you broke up with me?” Ben nodded.
”Why didn’t you tell me Ben? If you told me straight away I would have helped you Ben. You wouldn’t have to even be in this position. I know people that could help you.”
”Dad wouldn’t accept that and you know he wouldn’t. He would have wanted proof. I broke up with you because I didn’t want you hurt. I know how much being a copper means to you and I didn’t want you to be disappointed with me when you found out.”
Ben looked at Callum desperate for him to say something.
”You hate me don’t you? You probably already moved on.”
”Of course I don’t hate you stupid. Why would I hate you?”
Callum was now kneeling in front of Ben joining their hands together.
”Ben you told me and I’m still here ain’t I? I wish you had told me then. I don’t ever want you to feel like you can’t tell me anything.”
”I’m so sorry Callum. I’m so sorry. I was weak and an idiot and I lost you.”
”You haven’t lost me. I’m still here and you weren’t weak. You was scared and confused and I know that. I will admit I hate you for breaking my heart like that but now that I know why.”
”Callum I had to protect you from it all, you know that right. Once everyone would find out about Sharon and that there was a dead man then we’d get slated. I didn’t want that for you. People always get hurt because of me.”
”Ben look at me.” Callum gently lifted Ben’s chin up.
”I am a grown man. I have seen worse people than Phil Mitchell. Once everyone knew I would stand by you Ben. Shoulder to shoulder tall and strong. There is no way in hell I would leave you at all. I meant what I said I’m in love with you.”
”How? How can you be in love with me Callum? I’m a waste of space.”
”No you ain’t. I know you’re no angel and neither am I. I’m in love with you Ben. All the good and bad parts of you. You get that yeah?”
”Yeah. I’m in love with you to Callum and I’m really really sorry. I....” Ben was cut off by Callum smashing their lips together pouring everything they had lost into the kiss.
Ben instantly responded. It had only been 4 days but he missed Callum’s lips.
”How about I go and get Lexi and we stay here for a few days? Let everyone else deal with Sharon and your dad. We can forget the past few weeks.”
”Yeah I’d like that. Thank you Callum. I love you.” Ben leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Callum holding on tight he never wanted to lose this beautiful man.
”I love you to Ben. So much. We can sort everything out later but for now it’s me and you.” Callum held Ben in his arms kissing his neck softly.
Ben had been through hell in the past few days but now Callum knew the truth he could make the Mitchell’s pay.
Espically Phil