He watched the little hands touching his, pulling them up, showing the painful memories like road maps, and he swallowed slowly. "They got places, Wren," Aiden whispered. "Places where they want you to do bad things. I was so scared, man, I thought they took you to one too." He stroked his free hand over Wren's cheek, his chin.
He loved the boy, had since the first time Wren had come to him. The depression like a devastating tidal wave through the room, through his heart, and he had been wishing for more pills, more whiskey when Wren had made him smile. Something stupid and thoughtless and innocent and it had completely won over his heart.
"You were always the best at hide and seek," Aiden smiled faintly. "Good boy."