Jonghyun looked between Jinki half sleeping on his shoulder and the woman stepping through the room doors. He flashed a small smile as he softly asked, “Are you, Dr. Ann?”

“Mhmm, we spoke on the phone,” She smiled as her eyes shifted to Jinki, “You said to meet at one right?”

“Yes, sorry,” Jonghyun’s hand was soft as it moved over Jinki’s jaw, voice quiet and somewhat muffled as he spoke against his hair, “Hey, Baby, wake up. The psychiatrist is here.”

Jinki made a little noise of protest, but soon he was lifting his head from Jonghyun’s shoulder and rubbing his eye with his knuckle. When his eyes focused on the woman, he squinted slightly. A soft sigh left his lips as he ran his fingers through his hair, “Oh, right. I forgot that was today.”

“I’m Dr. Emma Ann, I specialize in trauma related disorders. From what I’ve heard from your husband you’ve been through an ordeal. I’d like to help you.” She smiled warmly. She was an elderly dark skinned woman, and by the lines of her face, he could tell she smiled quite a lot. She reminded Jinki of his mother in a way. Her graying hair and loving aura might have something to do with that. “Is your husband going to be joining us in our session?”

Jinki ran his tongue over his lips and was quiet for a long moment before his hand was shaking. His voice was almost a whisper as if he was ashamed of it. “No.. I want to do this alone.”

Jonghyun squeezed his hand, kissed his temple and mumbled, “Trust her and open up. I’m right outside the door when you need me.”

After softly mumbling I love you Jonghyun slipped out of the room and closed the door behind him. He could hear soft murmurs from inside, and while he was curious about everything Jinki went through and how he felt about it, his chest was warm because Jinki was getting the help he needed. Jonghyun took his attention away from the quiet noise and looked around the hospital floor. Most people here were in recovery, and no one was in life-threatening condition. There were a couple nurses at the desks in the middle of the room just to the left of him, and a family was getting off the elevator just past it carrying balloons and soft plushies. They turned left out of the elevator and disappeared around the corner. He was just about to check his phone when he noticed the other elevator doors opening, and stepping out was Detective Minho. Their eyes connected and the man smiled warmly before heading over. He took notice of the closed door with a raised eyebrow, “Is now not a good time to follow up?”

“Ah, with me, yes, but my husband is in treatment at the moment.”” Jonghyun pushed off the ground and brushed off his hands, “Where’s your partner?”

“Waiting downstairs,” When Jonghyun looked confused the man continued, “I told him that if he couldn’t hold his personal views back and be nice I’d do it alone. I’m sorry about his comments.”  

Jonghyun was slightly confused for a moment before it clicked. “Ah, no it’s okay. I’m quite used to it.”

“Still doesn’t make it okay, used to it or not.” Minho’s phone vibrated and he pulled it out with an apologetic smile as he read the text message rolling across the top of his phone. Apparently, it wasn’t important being as the phone was put back into his pocket and he was smiling over at Jonghyun. “The reason I am here though is to inform you personally that we have them in custody. I wanted to ask would it be possible for your husband to come down and identify them.”

“Is that necessary?” Jonghyun’s fingers twitched a little at his sides, “I just, he’s trying to work through being pushed back to where they took him and what they did to him, and I’m scared that seeing them will make it worse.”

“While we can charge all of them with possession of stolen property, and with it being government property, it’s still  going to be difficult to get a change of kidnapping and attempted murder without your husband’s assistance and testimony.” Jonghyun swallowed thickly as the detective explained. “I wouldn’t be asking it if wasn’t necessary to get a proper sentencing.”

“I’ll,” He took a deep breath, “I’ll talk with him. No promises.”

“Thank you.” With a warm smile, he nodded his head toward the door, “I hope the treatment goes well.” Then he was walking back towards the elevator and Jonghyun was left thinking about how he was going to bring this up to Jinki without causing him more pain.

——

When the door opened again Jonghyun rushed up off the ground. Dr. Ann flashed a smile before heading toward the elevators. Curious, he walked in. The sight of Jinki dabbing his eyes with a tissue caused an ache in his chest. He was just about to ask what happened when the man smiled wide at the sight of him and lifted his hand, “C’mere.”

As soon as he was holding his hand he pressed a kiss to Jinki’s knuckles. “How’d it go?”

Jinki sniffled and laughed a little, “She said that while she doesn’t want to diagnose me so soon, that I’m showing signs of Acute stress disorder. I have another session on Thursday.”

“That’s.. That’s good Baby. It’s a starting place,” He wrapped his arm around Jinki’s shoulders and smiled softly when the man leaned against him. He ran his hand through the back of his hair, “When you feel comfortable enough to tell me what happened, I’d like to know.”

After a moment Jinki’s sleepy voice sounded, “I’m not sure when that’ll be Babe.”

“And that’s okay. I’ll wait however long,” A kiss was pressed to his hair, “What comes first is you feeling better.”

“How’s Gwi?” Came Jinki’s next question.

“My mother is bringing her up here so we can all have dinner together,” He explained, “She made you special soup.”

“What makes it special?”

“It’s the vegetable one you like, and the veggies she said are very soft and low on spice to help you keep it down.”

“I’ll have to tell her thank you,” Jinki’s head shifted as he tried to get as comfortable as he could with the little movability he had still. “I miss having chocolate chip pancakes.”

“As soon as you can handle it I’ll make you a dozen.”

Jinki’s eyes were barely open as he played with Jonghyun’s fingers in the space where their thighs touched, “If my calculations are correct they’ll tell me I can leave after my session on Thursday.”

“And why’s that?”

“The stitches on the surface are healed, now we’re just waiting for the ones in the muscles to heal, and I can do that at home as long as I have minimal movement.” He hummed, “I’ll need help moving around, so I don’t pull them too tight trying to move, and I won’t be walking around much, but I’ll be home.”

“It’d be great to have you home again,” He was smiling as he whispered, “Then I can give you a sponge bath and not that old lady.”

Jinki snorted, “I’m pretty sure it’s nothing like it used to be.”

With a noise of displeasure, Jonghyun wiggled gently so he was the one looking up, “Hate to break it to you but I love you for more than the body you had.”

With a hum, Jinki lifted his hands to play with Jonghyun’s hair. “You need this trimmed.”

“Way to change the subject,” Was said with a soft laugh, but then his eyes were fluttering close as Jinki pushed his fingers against his scalp.

“I’m good at it.” As the silence fell between them, guilt bubbled up in Jonghyun. He didn’t want to shatter the soft happiness they were experiencing, or the period of time Jinki was able to relax, but he knew he had to bring up what Minho said now. He knew he couldn’t handle keeping it for any longer.

“Detective Minho came by during your session,” Jinki’s eyes were warm when Jonghyun opened his own and looked up at him, so attentive. “He came to say they got them, Baby.”

He could see the tension leave Jinki’s body, and he hated that he was about to ruin it. Jinki seemed to notice the shift in Jonghyun’s expression and softly asked, “Hey, Jonghyunie… you don’t look happy about it. What’s wrong?”

“They,” His throat felt dry, his words too thick on his tongue, it was like he couldn’t breathe. “They.. they need you to testify.”

Jinki’s skin paled, “What?”

“To get them charged with kidnapping and attempted murder as well as the robbery charges they need you to testify in court.”

“Jonghyun- I,” Jinki’s breathing was quickly elevating, pupils dilating and hands shaking.

“Baby look at me,” Jonghyun’s palms were warm against his cheeks. “Think of our song, breathe in when I sing, and breathe out when you do.”

Jonghyun softly hummed the melody as Jinki’s eyes fluttered closed. His hand was curled around Jonghyun’s wrists, as he tried to follow the words in his head to calm his breathing. “Like that, good Baby. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“I know… I know.”

“I didn’t want to tell you because you were just beginning to get help to get out of your head where he was haunting you and I didn’t want you to testify and take 3 steps back when you hadn’t even taken a full one forward yet toward recovery.” Jonghyun sighed, “I wouldn’t have said anything if I didn’t fully believe it was the better of the two choices. I want him and his people away for life, I want you to feel safe again. I want you to be able to be alone and not think he’s gonna come through those doors to finish the job or take Gwiboon away from you.”

“Just…” Jinki’s eyes were closed long enough for him to take a deep breath, “Can you just hold me and sing for me until your mom and Gwi get here… I..I need to think about it.”

Jonghyun returned to his position where Jinki could lean on his shoulder heavily, arm instead behind his back to curl on his hip, and lips brushing his ear. His voice was soft as he began to sing their song. His heart hurt a little when Jinki whispered his part, but his fingers squeezed a little harder on his hip at the sound. Jinki just held his right hand with both of his tightly.

——–

because Friday afternoon Jinki signed his discharge papers and was carefully helped into a wheelchair. Jonghyun was holding Gwiboon as the nurse pushed Jinki to the waiting car. As they rode down the elevator he was gently jiggling the baby girls leg, causing her to squeal and wiggle. Jonghyun took the keys from the valet and put Gwiboon in her car seat. Jonghyun had been driving Jinki’s car his still had stains from the night he drove Jinki to the hospital. He thanked the nurse for helping them before standing in front of Jinki. The man bent his elbow, and crossed their arms, and slowly pushed off as his feet were planted flat on the ground. They took it slow, little steps toward the car with Jonghyun’s hands tight and sure on his hips. He kissed Jinki’s cheek and handed him the stuffed bear his friends from work brought him a couple days prior. “You feeling okay?”

“I’m fine Babe, thank you.”

Jinki spent most of the ride home staring out the window. Trot was softly playing, mostly to keep Gwiboon content, but also a way to try and make the older man happy. When they got home Gwiboon was taken and put in her bouncy seat. When Jonghyun returned to the car Jinki slipped from the seat slowly and was grateful for how his husband swooped under his arm and took a lot of his weight. “Where do you want to go?”

“Recliner. I want to watch Gwi.”

Jonghyun smiled softly and opened the door so Jinki could take the small step into their home. “Can you stand here while I go get your pillows?”

With a nose scrunch Jinki nodded, “Just be quick,” And he was. Two big pillows that always laid against their headboard were laid along the back of the recliner, and a smaller one for under his knees was placed on the coffee table before he was rushing back to help Jinki to the seat. The man seemed to sink into the plushness with a pleased smile, “Thank you.”

“It’s my pleasure.” Jonghyun kissed his lips softly before going over to lift Gwi from her bouncy chair and place her on the play mat on the floor in front of the tv set. The little girl stared at her toys above her for one moment before rolling onto her tummy and pushing up onto all fours. Her little limbs carried her purposefully toward Jinki in the recliner and he laughed fondly as she tried to reach up to him.

“Oh, Hi Pumpkin.”

“She’s missed you here.”

Jinki’s voice saddened, “I know. I just want to give her her spot back.”

“And you will,” Jonghyun said softly as he scooped her up and lifted her so Jinki could kiss her cheek. “A couple more weeks right and it’s all hers again?”

“2 to 4 weeks.”

“Let’s hope it’s two, for both our sakes.” Jonghyun held her at his hip. “She doesn’t like my tummy as much as yours.”

“I’m softer.”

Jonghyun placed her in the playpen and smiled over at him, “That you are Baby.”