The following month flew by. Cheshire continued her therapy and was finally making some good progress. She had actually talked, more so written, about what actually happened to her. Her therapist had gotten her to open up about it with a concept that Chess had never really heard of but it definitely helped her feel more comfortable. Her therapist asked her to write it on a whiteboard. She had wheeled in a full sized whiteboard for Chess's session and asked that Chess wrote down everything she remembered. After everything was written and the therapist read it, she told Chess to take the eraser and erase the board. When Chess was done the therapist asked her to look at the board and pointed out how she could still see the imprint of the writing on the board. The therapist told her that it was similar to how it would be in Chess's life. Over time Chess would be able to erase the majority of the story from the view of her life but that there would be a lasting impression even after some time had passed. She then asked Chess to use some cleaner and a rag and wipe it down really quickly. She said that the smudges that were left were representative of how Chess's life would be after some more time had passed, the event wouldn't be as readily notable on her life but some traces of the trauma would still be left behind. The therapist then fully cleaned the board and told Chess that eventually she'd be able to have a clean slate. The therapist told her that while she would probably remember this for the rest of her life that it would slowly stop affecting her life.

Chess had never heard of anything like that but it was the most comforting thing to come out of her therapy sessions. She was also told that Changkyun being as big of a supporter as he had been would help to progress her recovery even more. The therapist had even been impressed with how quickly Chess had resumed any form of intimate touching, like the cuddling in the hospital. It wasn't something that was unheard of but it was major progress considering that she didn't even like people to tap her to get her attention. It was a long road ahead of her but she was making it a swift journey.

'How was your session today?' Ezra asked in their notebook as he walked Chess to the elevator.

'It was good. Apparently I'm making a lot of progress. My hearing keeps coming in and out but she said that'd be normal for a while.' Chess answered when they were in the elevator. Ezra nodded and gave her a quick side hug.

The two made their way out of the building and to the company. Chess was eager to meet up with the boys since the girls were all away doing their own personal promotions. She had been spending every moment she could with the boys and especially Changkyun since the weren't too busy outside of recording their new album. Changkyun had actually been working really hard but he made sure to make time for Chess. He even let her in on his process for writing his lyrics, though he wouldn't let her in on the recording. He said he had one song that was a surprise for her so she'd have to wait a few more weeks for it to be finished.

Chess made her way to the boys's studio to meet them and as luck would have it her hearing decided to come back in for a second letting her know that they hadn't finished yet. The music that flowed through the door that she heard was brief but it had been beautiful. She wished, not for the first time, that her hearing would hurry up and just come back. She missed music more than anything else in the world. Almost as much as she had missed Changkyun when she was kidnapped.

Chess had spent many of her nights lying awake with earphones in just hoping for her ears to work. They rarely did but somehow the sensation of the sound waves was comforting. At least if she couldn't hear it she could feel it and that was something worth the lost sleep. It was hard to believe that what had once saved her life was now something she couldn't experience and had been replaced. 

Chess jumped when she felt someone tap her shoulder. She had been so lost in thought that she hadn't even noticed the boys come out of the studio. She smiled at the guys who all smiled back before Changkyun wrapped an arm around her shoulders and started leading her out to the van to go home. The others followed behind making jokes that Chess couldn't hear and that Changkyun ignored. The guys liked to call them the Deaf Couple, it was a bit of an inside joke and even Chess found it funny. She even made fun of the fact that Changkyun tended to ignore anything they said when he was with her.

'How was your session?' Changkyun texted her. They had given up on pen and paper a while before hand since they talked too much for their own good.

'Ezra already asked me that dork.' Chess replied and rolled her eyes.

'So I have to ask him for updates now?!' Changkyun asked with a playful look of shock on his face.

'Tell your boyfriend to answer the leader. He's more deaf than you right now.' Hyungwon's text interrupted their conversation and Chess laughed. She looked back and saw that Hyungwon was chuckling but rolled his eyes to show his exasperation.

'Answer Shownu Pabo-ya. We can talk about this later.' Chess texted Changkyun. He immediately turned and responded to whatever Shownu wanted to know.

'Apparently I'm going to stay over with you tonight.' Changkyun filled Chess in.

'You know that you should probably ask before you just assume that you can.' Chess side eyed her presumptuous boyfriend before he looked at her in shock.

'I thought you liked spending time with me!' Changkyun asked with a hurt face.

'I do but you should still ask and not assume that you're always invited to spend the night. What if I wanted to spend some time by myself?' Chess asked in return.

'Well even if you did you know that you're not supposed to be alone like that.' Changkyun said defiantly.

'Ezra is always right next door if I need him.' Chess replied with a smug smirk.

'Ezra's going to Gwangju to meet Young Ji's parents. He's going to be gone for a couple of days remember? One of our manager's is supposed to step in for him but he's not going to be able to be there until like 3 am. So I'm going to stay the night with you. Shownu was asking if I wanted to or if he needed to so I could get some sleep.' Changkyun gave his own side eyed glare this time and Chess blushed a bit as she nodded. She had completely forgotten about that.

Ezra and Young Ji had actually started dating not that long after Chess got out of the hospital. The two seemed like they were a great match so Chess was really happy for them though their height difference still made her chuckle. He looked like a giant next to her. Apparently Young Ji's parents were looking forward to meeting him, she had told Chess about how she had sent them pictures of them together and that her dad liked that she had a strong man to take care of her. It did nothing but make Chess even happier to know that.

The group made their way out of the company and the van took them to drop Chess and Changkyun at her dorm. When they arrived the boys waved their goodbyes and the couple went up to the dorm. As much as time as the two of them spent together it had rarely been alone like this. Chess couldn't help but be a little excited about that. The last few times that they had been together there had always been someone looking in on them and it made her feel a bit like an animal in the zoo rather than a normal person. It was nice to finally be alone.

'Want to watch a movie?' Changkyun messaged as they got into the dorm.

'I'll go pick one you order the food.' Chess made her way into her room and changed really quick into a pair of comfy shorts and the sweatshirt that Changkyun had given her so long ago. She dug through her movies and found something that sounded interesting and went out to set it up in the living room.

'I got us bibimbap. I ordered extra pickled radish for you too. What are we watching?' Changkyun messaged as he went into her room to grab some of the comfy clothes that he had left with her for occasions like this.

'Live action Cinderella and then How To Train Your Dragon.' Chess replied quickly before going to get blankets and pillows for her movie nest.

'Nice shirt. Where'd you get it?' Changkyun asked when she got back.

'My boyfriend gave it to me before we actually started dating.' Chess said with a laugh.

'Sounds like a great guy with awesome fashion sense.' Changkyun replied sitting next to her in the nest.

'Nah he's a pabo with questionable taste.' Chess laughed.

“Yah!” Changkyun said aloud before grabbing her and pulling her over to where she was almost laying in his lap. The two laughed and had a bit of a tickle fight until the food arrived and Changkyun got up to go get it.

'Okay let's start this ridiculousness that you call a movie night.' Changkyun said when he had finally settled back into the nest with their food.

'Yah! You picked the movies last time and I sat through all your action movies without complaint! You have to deal with my cutesy movies now!' Chess said with a stern look at her boyfriend.

'Fine! I won't complain but start the movie our food is getting cold.' Changkyun rolled his eyes.

The couple fell asleep in the living room after the movies. They were cuddled up in the nest and that's where the manager had found them. He came in at seven to let Changkyun know that he needed to get ready for his schedule and to give Chess a letter. The couple had begrudgingly said their goodbyes for the day and began to get ready for it.

Chess stared at the envelope that the manager had given her and she was honestly worried. It was from the North Carolina Superior Court. She knew that it had to do with Hamilton and she wasn't sure that she wanted to know exactly what. She knew that he had been sent back to North Carolina and that he had been held without bond while awaiting trial. She didn't know what they wanted with her though. She had given a statement to the Wake County Sheriffs and to the Seoul Police as well so they had sworn affidavits to use in court. With a final deep breath she opened the envelope though.

It was a summons. 

She was needed to testify. Apparently the affidavits weren't enough. They needed her to be present for the trial that was set to start in a month. Reading this she had to force herself to control her breathing. She hadn't been expecting to have to actually go to the trial. She had wanted to avoid ever having to see Hamilton ever again but now she was going to have to sit in a courtroom and describe what she went through and everything that happened while he stared at her.

Cheshire was not fully prepared to deal with the trial but she didn't have a choice now. She had to make sure that bastard got locked up for a long time.

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A/N See I told you I hadn't abandoned this! I got some inspiration due to the rainy day we just had where I live. I always seem to write better in this weather so it was nice ^_^ I'll try to have this wrapped up with a nice bow soon and I mean SOON. This has been in the works for so long now and it's so weird to know that it's ending but I'm honestly just proud of myself that I've managed to actually get this far on something. I've never finished a story in my life so this is definitely progress. As Always Thank You for Reading! Kamsamnida!