Chanyeol closed the door behind him. Exo and the girls looked at him eagerly as he tried to contain his emotions but once he looked at Jongin he broke down crying. Jongin didn’t even wait for Chanyeol explanation before he burst into the room. Aileen had not put her shirt back on and was shocked to see her brother face to face. Jongin gulped as he stared at his sister’s bruises.

Flashes of him being kicked in the stomach and punched came rushing back to him as he slowly touched Aileen. Tears stained his already wet face.

“It’s my entire fault,” he whispered

“What?”

“It was Hayden. He was my attacker last year,” Aileen’s eyebrows went up

“What?”

“I should have said something but I was afraid you wouldn’t have believed me and he threaten me more times than I care to say…”

Aileen hugged Jongin as they cried together. Exo and the girls were looking in on the siblings holding each other.

“Jongin this is not your fault. The fault is mine. I didn’t want to admit that Hayden was changing. I believed his lies and I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Yesterday when I went to his house I was trying to confront him about the fight but he got mad and beat me up…” Jongin cried harder

“He’s never going to land a hand on you again,” said Kris as he looked at the boys

“NO. Leave him alone. Let the police handle him,”

“I don’t know if I can keep that promise. He abused the both of you. I will not stand by and let him hurt my family,” yelled Chanyeol

“If you go after him then you are no better than him. Chanyeol for me…” Aileen begged

“I am doing this for you,” he gently grabbed her face and kissed her lips passionately, “I love you. You know that right?”

“Yea,” she looked deeply in his eyes once she knew she couldn’t do anything to change his mind

The boys were about to leave.

“Come on Jongin,” said Chanyeol

“No,” Aileen stopped her brother but he just smiled at her

“It’s going to be fine Noona,” he looked at Chloe and Natalie, “Take care of her,”

“Don’t worry,”

When they left the nurses office the school was in frenzy mode. By now everyone knew what happened to Aileen Banks and majority of the student body wasn’t happy about it. Some student saw Exo walking down the hall and they cheered them on.

The police were called and Hayden was arrested so Chanyeol couldn’t confront him. Charges were pressed against him but he got out on bail. No one was happy about that but there was going to be a trial so they could breathe a sigh of relief.

That night Aileen’s parents were down at the station trying to piece together some things and with Jongin confessing to Hayden being his attacker last year and with one of Hayden’s friends who was willing to testify against him, they all had a long night ahead of them.

As for Aileen she stayed at home with Chanyeol as her caregiver and bodyguard.

They were lying in the bed together thinking about had happened in the last 24 hours.

“I never thought I would be an abuse victim. It doesn’t seem real,” she wrapped his arms around her

“But now you’re going to be ok and that’s saying something,” he kissed her forehead

“I feel so stupid and so sorry I slapped you,” she looked at him

“Stop apologizing. You’re just…”

They heard a loud noise downstairs. They both rose from the bed staring at each other.

“I’ll go, you…”

“No I’m going with you,” he didn’t argue with her as they slowly walked down the stairs. Facing the stairs one could look into the kitchen and if you went down the hall, the family room was there. Chanyeol went into the kitchen but saw no one. Aileen walked to the family room and saw no one. But then her eye caught blood on the carpet with smashed glass spread everywhere.

“Chanyeol…” she gasped as she saw Hayden punch her in the jaw while pointing a gun at her

“Aileen!”

Chanyeol rushed to her side as Hayden pointed the gun at him but Chanyeol was able to knock it out of his hands as he tackled him to the ground. The gun fell out of his hand and landed near Aileen.

“You bastard!” Chanyeol was showing Hayden no mercy as he repeatedly punched him in the face

Hayden was blocking some of his punches as he gave him one good blow to his side. Chanyeol toppled over as Hayden grabbed his neck and squeeze. Aileen rushed to his side as he threw her own punches at Hayden but Hayden was out for blood and Chanyeol was losing consciousness.

“Hayden let go. You’re killing him. Stop,”

Hayden was going to finish the job when he grabbed Aileen’s mother’s granite slate off the table. Aileen had to think fast. She saw the gun. She raised it and shot Hayden. Hayden’s eyes widen as blood spilled from his chest. He slowly turned around to look at a distraught Aileen dropping the gun on the carpet. His eyes rolled in the back of his head as he fell to the ground.

Aileen killed Hayden. She was shaking and crying. Chanyeol was coughing as he got himself together only to find Hayden dead on the family room floor and a disheveled Aileen shaking in the corner. He crawled to her.

“Babe are you ok?”

“Is he dead?”

“Yea,”

She broke down crying. She hated that it had to come to this. She once loved that boy but when all these events happened there was no stopping time. She felt bad for his family, friends, people who admired him.

“It’s ok,” he hugged her

“Are you ok? You’re neck,”

“It was worth it,” he smiled as he touched her bruised face

“We have to call the police,”

Just then Aileen’s family came home to find the horrific scene. Jongin saw his sister and friend broken and bruised on the floor. He ran to her but tripped over something warm; Hayden’s dead body. He gasped as he scrambled from him.

“Omg,”

“He was going to kill me but Chanyeol saved me. Then he was going to kill Chanyeol and I couldn’t let that happen. I picked up the gun…” Aileen’s view went dark

7 years later

Life would never be the same for Aileen. She had many years of therapy. She had to get her life back. The nightmares never seemed to fully go away. Sometimes she would hear screaming but see no one. Other times she would see Hayden but it always turned out not to be him. And why would it be? He was dead. She killed him. The outcome of that night was justified. She didn't go to jail because it was self defense even though his family tried very hard to state otherwise. Those few years after were very hard but she had him to help her. She had him to stand by her side. She had him to love her. She was grateful because she loved him too. She didn't know what she would do without her best friend and now husband, Chanyeol Park.

Aileen was running around her apartment getting her material ready for the conference. She was one of the speakers for the End Violence against Women Conference. This conference was very important to her because she lived it. Even though Hayden abused Aileen for a short time it left a deep scar on her and her younger brother. Hayden abused him too.

DING DONG

“Kai always on time,” she let him in

“Shouldn’t you be resting?”

“What, I’m going to be late,”

“I’m sure they can give you some slack. You are 6 months pregnant and I don’t think your husband would want you passing out. Where is he anyways?”

“He had to work late. Being a private investigator is not easy. But I’m glad you’re coming with me,” she smiled at Jongin

“It’s important to the both of us. Are you ready?”

“Yes I am,”