Ashley woke up late with the sun coming through the window. Her hand automatically slipped through her side under the duvet and felt the empty space and her eyes shot opened immediately.

Her eyes searched for Taehyung around a bit only to realize that he is gone and it's late. Disappointment and sadness engulfed her as she let out a sigh.

"Mssing me already?"

Taehyung's whisper came right behind her ear.

She turned around to see a beaming Taehyung smiling down at her.

"I thought..."

"That I left you?" Taehyung chuckled, "I am not just gonna leave you like that just after..."

"I love you," Ashley interrupted him with a smile.

"God, you are so beautiful!" Taehyung leaned in and kissed the tip of her nose.

"Anyway..." Taehyung handed her a mug, "One black with one sugar for the lady."

"Thank you," Ashley took the coffee from his hand.

"Is it good?" Taehyung was eagerly looking at her sipping from the fuming mug, "Yoongi hyung told me how to make it."

"Mhmm," Ashley hummed in appreciation. "It's perfect. Where's yours?"

"I don't like coffee you know," Taehyung scrunched his nose.

"I can make some tea. How much sugar you'll have?" Ashley proceeded to get up.

" I can have my sweet in other way," Taehyung smiled mischievously.

"Is there anything in the fridge? I don't remember," Ashley tried to remember. She put the mug on the nightstand and proceeded to get up from the bed.

But she was yanked back down again and Taehyung claimed her lips for a passionate kiss and smiled against her lips, "That's why love, I don't like coffee, I expected sweet but it turned it into bitter."

Ashley punched his chest, "Kim Taehyung! You better stop flirting with me!"

"Why? I am comfortable with that!"
Taehyung slipped beside her and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Don't you have works to do?"

"I have. But I can manage a little time."Taehyung shrugged with a smirk, "and for your information, if you want me to go back in time, I am gonna be needing my shirt back,"
His eyes were traveling along the shirt Ashley slipped in.

Ashley buried her red face under a pillow. Taehyung pulled her closer and showered small kisses on the top of her head and long tresses.

"And..."

Taehyung was interrupted by the ringing of a phone on the nightstand. Ashley grabbed the phone and peeked onto it and a sudden frown appeared on her face.

"What?" Taehyung asked concerned.

"Give me a minute," Ashley freed herself from Taehyung's embrace and received the call.

Taehyung got worried through the bits and pieces of the conversation of Ashley over the call. He pulled her closer after she had hung up the call.

He kissed the crease formed between her eyebrows slowly, "What is it?"

"Ummm... it's nothing. Nothing you should be concerned about."

"If it's concerning you, it's not nothing . What is it? "

"Tae..."

"We promised, Ash. No more secrets."

Ashley sighed and closed her eyes.
When she opened her eyes again, there were so many emotions in her eyes.
"It's... it's my prosecutor, I mean the prosecutor handled my case back then."

"What did he say?"

" Jimmy appealed for a parole."

"He can't do that! Can he?" Taehyung sat straight.

"He can do that and he did," Ashley was pale at this point.

"Hey, hey, look at me," Taehyung touched her face gently.

Ashley looked at his eyes. Her eyes were tearing up. Tons of emotions were playing on them. Anger, regret, sorrows... and which alarmed him, Fear.

"Appealing doesn't mean approving!" Taehyung tried to console her.

"The prosecutor said, he was at his best behavior there, followed every federal rule, remained respectful and his psychiatric evaluation is also positive. They are considering granting him parole."

"What should we do now??" Taehyung was thinking.

"I," Ashley said shortly..."It's my fight, Tae. I won't drag you within."

"Too late. I am already in it. Your fight is mine," Taehyung gently caressed her jawline.

"I'll have to put a disagreement suit through my lawyer. A counter appeal."

"I'll go with you."

"No, Tae. I got this," Ashley stopped him, and seeing disagreement in his eyes she added, "these are legal works Tae. You can't do much about these. We'll let the lawyers do their works. Don't get involved in this mess. If it gets flashed, it will ruin your career. Please, trust me on this. I got this. "

"Ok," sighed Taehyung, "but please tell me what are you thinking throughout the process."

"Promise," Ashley tried to smile a little.

"What you have to do?"

"I'll file a lawsuit against the appeal. The lawyers will do the rest. I may have to attend a trial or two if it goes to court. I may not be able to return soon, please bear on that. And today, I'll have to go... " Ashley suddenly stopped as fear again flashed in her eyes.

"Where?"

"The prosecutor wants me to pay a visit to Jimmy. They want to know how he reacts seeing me, and it can be a determinant of granting his appeal."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Taehyung caressed Ashley's face.

"No. But I have to. For Neil," Ashley looked at his eyes, "I can't let his murderer roam freely just because I  don't want to face him."

"I will go with you, at least today."

Ashley tried to protest again but Taehyung's firm words stopped her,
"No words, Ash. I am going."

"You have to go back," Ashley murmured.

"Told you, I can manage some time," Taehyung snuggled close to Ashley.
"Ash?"

"Yeah?"

"It's gonna be ok. You'll be fine."

Taehyung held Ashley's hand tightly in his. She was trembling a bit. They both were sitting in front of the glass partition, waiting for the prison guards to bring out the inmate.

"Ash?" Taehyung was looking at her.

"Yeah?" Ashley didn't look back.

"I know you are not ok. We can still go back if you don't want this."

"I got this, Tae," Ashley's voice sounded determined but her face was pale, her hands were trembling.

"Are you afraid?"

" No Tae," Ashley scoffed. " I am angry."

"It's ok, we will make it through this," Taehyung leaned in and kissed her head.

The door opposite them opened with a loud bang.

He was in his orange jumpsuit. A lean, sharp face with midnight eyes. He was tall, and a strong man of his age.
Taehyung felt his fist clenched against his knees. His jaw hurt from trying not to curse.

Jimmy sat opposite to the glass partition and looked at her,
"We met again, Pip."

"Don't call me that," Ashley started with a calm voice.

"I used to call you that since the beginning."

"We used to be best friends so far I  recall," Ashley's voice was now surprising Taehyung.

He thought Ashley couldn't put up with it. But surprisingly she was calm. Not just calm, composed, and confident.

"How are you, Pip ?" He said in a light voice.

"Better than you I guess," Ashley smiled.

"Look, I am sorry for what I have done," Jimmy's voice was laced with regret. "I was in a very dark place. I couldn't..."

"Really? That's your excuse?" Ashley scoffed.

"I couldn't sleep all these years, Pip. I've done a terrible thing and it's killing me every single day. I am living in my own hell," His voice was heavy, "Forgive me please, let me out of this hell."

"Which one? Yours or this prison?" Ashley's voice was dry.

Jimmy's eyes pierced Ashley's.
But she didn't look away, her gaze was intense, piercing.

"Let me out of my guilt. I can't take this anymore, Ash. Forgive me."

"You are a good actor, Jimmy. I give you that." Ashley smiled a little. "Let's say, I forgive you. Then what happens? Will you stay here?"

"I don't want parole if you don't forgive me," his voice was soft, "I can stay here if you forgive me. I just want forgiveness."

"You can't deceive me, Jimmy. I know you too well," Ashley smiled, "and in case you didn't notice, I am not the girl I used to be anymore. Don't try to approach me with your same old tactics. Up the game. Let's play."

"Pip..."

"You are not getting out of here," Ashley's voice was cold as ice this time, "I am going to do whatever it takes to stop that. What do you think buddy? Want a challenge?"

"I am a changed man, Pip. I was so naive, so reckless. But I learned."

"Learnt what? How to hide behind a mask?" Ashley smirked, "your filthy self is as naked as your face to me Jimmy. You are not changed, You are just a coward who is afraid of a girl like me that you need a disguise to hide your pathetic self."

Taehyung was looking at Ashley with surprise, where was this brave, confident woman a few hours ago? What triggered her this fierce side?

Jimmy leaned in a little closer to the glass, his eyes darkening a bit, "I know you don't trust me after what I  have done. But I am a changed man, pip. Give me a chance."

"People don't change, Jimmy. They evolve, To better or to worse."

"Give me a chance to prove it to you. I'll be the person you can be proud of."

"You don't consider what you have done a crime, do you? I'll be proud of you? After all of these?" Ashley's voice was laced with surprise.

"Pip..."

"I said, don't call me that you bastard!" Ashley hissed as her nails dug into Taehyung's grip under the table.

" What should I call you then? Doll?" Jimmy's voice was low, eyes darkened in a strange shadow.

Taehyung felt Ashley stiffen right there.
He slowly caressed her hand gently trying to convey the message that he was here, right beside her.

"Bet you loved hearing that name," Jimmy smirked, "Glad you didn't forget that. Boy! I should be proud of myself. The great-great Ashley Charlotte Ruth remembered me, unlike the other time when she ran for a stupid guy ignoring me!"

"Look where it brought us, Jimmy. With what you did," Ashley was again calm. "Look what you made me."

"I made you mine," Jimmy thumped his palm against the glass but Ashley didn't flinch."I made you beg for his life. I made you kneel in front of me and beg mercy, I made you utter only my name, mine!" Jimmy was growling this time.

"Look at me Jimmy," Ashley smiled.
"Look where I stand now. I have come to the place everyone dreams of. I have everything anyone could ever ask for. I found love. And where are you? Rotting in hell, crying to sleep, and begging for MY mercy to get you out of here. I have evolved to be better, what have you evolved into?"

"Love? I killed him, forgot that already?" Jimmy grunted, "you begged me to spare him, remember?"

Ashley looked at Taehyung. Taehyung smiled assuringly and looked at him,
"I am glad I l came here today to see the human trash you are."

"Oh really? She chose you now? " Jimmy scoffed.

"She didn't choose you that's for sure," Taehyung shrugged a little.

Jimmy laughed. "You sure she didn't? I bet the name on her skin will say otherwise."

Ashley tightly grabbed the fist formed in Taehyung's hand under the desk before it hit the glass in front of him.
Jimmy was watching amusingly as Taehyung tried to remain calm.

"Oh, I bet she didn't let you see that or bet she didn't let you touch her like that, did she?" He grinned, "she shouldn't though. It was the sign of me making love to her. You know bro, it's our thing."

"She sure did let me see what kind of monster you were. But unlike you, she knows what a loving touch means."

"Really? You've made love to her? I wonder which one she prefers!" Jimmy's voice was now mocking him.

Taehyung felt his head was gonna explode anytime with the urge to kill that beast again and again but stopped as soon as he looked at Ashley.
Her face was pale with glassy eyes and clenched jaws as she was listening to two of the men fighting over her most vulnerable self in front of her.

Taehyung immediately pulled her into his arms and kissed her head affectionately.
"I am sorry, I am so sorry," He whispered against her hair. He wiped the single tear that escaped her eye gently and looked back to Jimmy.

"You can't provoke me. So don't try. You are not gonna get out of here," Taehyung was so calm at this point that he was surprised himself.

"You know what, man? You are not her first. I killed her so-called "love" before you. Doesn't it make you wanna cry that you are not her first?" he was provoking him.

"No. I am glad," Taehyung looked at Ashley's eyes before staring back at Jimmy, "I am glad that she chose me even when I am no match for that gem of men. I am grateful that she took my hand even though I don't deserve her. And I am grateful to that man who made her realize what love is in the first place," Taehyung smiled, " I am not him, man. And I am not you. But I am that man whom she chose to love and I am not gonna let you walk over her again for the fact. Wanna try?"

"Watch me. I am gonna destroy everything," Jimmy leaned in towards Ashley, "I'll destroy you."

"I am a phoenix, Jimmy. I'll rise again from ashes no matter how many times you burn me down. Someone said that I am a warrior," She smiled a little to Taehyung. "Gotta live up to that name! I dare you to try and burn me down. You have the courage, don't you?"

Jimmy just stared at her.

"I have to promise you one thing though," Ashley smiled again, "I promise you, you are not gonna be out of here. I'll make it your reality. Don't cry when you realize that you are stuck in this hellhole for good."
Ashley stood up and went out confidently.

"I'll destroy you," His fist banged against the glass, Jimmy's voice was frantic, " just wait until I get out of here. I'll find you."

" Pray that you never get out of here," Taehyung's voice was sharp and cold, " If you do, you don't need to find me. I'll find you first."

Taehyung got up from the seat,
"Probably you don't know, but I am not someone you can lay your hands on that easily. "

Jimmy just stared at the sudden cold demeanor which made this man boldly intimidating in a split second.

"Just pray that you never get to see me again," Taehyung smirked and set to the door, "you'll regret it."

Jimmy just stared at the door until the guard pulled him into the room and when he noticed that the tiny red light beeping on the video recording camera above the door, he knew he messed up for good.