Where The Heart Is.

Chapter One

Those pale green eyes held his gaze, stubborn and unwavering.

He could see now what Juliette meant when she spoke about how difficult it was to look at eyes of such a startling pale shade and think of anything else but those eyes. Years of being cold and unfaltering couldn't save him as he tried and failed to hold the three-year-old's gaze. He shook his head, being the first to break eye contact, but fought to keep the smirk off his face.

Those small arms folded, the quivering little pout, the mess of brown hair caressing his face, dipping over the hard stare from those green eyes.

It was all too much.

He glanced at his wife, who was determined to focus on the novel in her hands, laughing quietly to herself on the park bench. Not that anything was amusing in the book she was reading. He would know, he'd recommended it to her.

Traitor.

She wasn't going to intervene and save him. Not this time.

He glanced back at the little boy and couldn't help himself.

He smiled.

Where Juliette was his strength, Alexander was his weakness.

And he would give them everything. Anything.

He would gladly burn the world for them.

But...

"Sweetheart," He began, "It's a public park..."

"No sharing," His son answered firmly.

Aaron sucked his lips in, taking a deep breath.

"Alex, if you're going to pout every time you don't get your way, we aren't going to get anything done, I'm afraid. And sharing is good. It's a lovely thing to play with other children," He paused, brushing a lock of hair off Alexander's eyes.

"You do know I love you, don't you?" He told the little boy.

Words of kindness, of love, of acceptance. He took every opportunity to shower them on the boy, even if he wasn't at the age to completely understand.

Understand how heavy those words of affirmation were from a soul that had grown up with none from his own father.

The three-year-old couldn't care less.

"Daddy. Buy."

He pointed at the bright red slide that sat in the middle of the park. Squeals of laughter as children ran up the steps and glided down the wavy little bump.

Aaron swallowed.

Somewhere along the line, Alexander had learnt that his father would move heaven and earth for him. Despite Juliette's many, many warnings that he was spoiling their son, Aaron didn't think he was spoiling Alexander. He felt that he was giving his son a better life, a comfortable life. A life where Alex didn't wait for Christmas morning for his presents, a life where Alex didn't have to look longingly at a toy in a store, a life where Alex didn't have to feel the sting of not getting ice cream because it was too close to dinner.

And now Alex thought his father would buy him the entire park just because he wanted it.

And Aaron had to fight the urge to do so.

He had promised Juliette he wouldn't give in to Alex's every whim.

He forced himself to look at the mass of tiny bodies and hands playing on the slide and further down by the swings, squealing with joy; and remind himself that they were children too.

"Alex, sweetheart, we can't do that."

Alex sulked. "Daddy doesn't love Alex."

"Of course I love you! You know I do! I tell you all the time. But we can't buy the park, Alex. Other children need to play too."