Waking up next to Jimin, Lyla smiles at how much more peaceful he looks right now compared to the night before. She had started to second guess having him revisit such traumatic memories when she realized just how bad they actually were. Had she known the depth of the kinds of things he had to go through at such a young and impressionable age, she probably would have nixed the entire idea, but he truly seemed thankful and relieved to finally get those things out in the open.

By the time they made it back to the house, he was very affectionate with her, although not sexual. Most of the remainder of the evening had consisted of them cuddling, soft kisses, and staring into each other's eyes. He would occasionally say how much he loved her and thanked her more than once for being there for him and loving him through his faults.

It was a strange concept to him that anyone other than the guys could love him for him. He knew he wasn't perfect and too many times he had done some horrible things as a way to keep himself protected. If he was an asshole, maybe, just maybe, he could push people away before he could disappoint them.

But Lyla saw through that tough persona he put on for everyone else. He could clearly remember her telling him back when she first joined them on tour that she thought that there was more to him than he let most people know. The words immediately struck a chord with him, both painful and pleasant. No matter what he had done, no matter the act he was putting on for the world, it was as if she saw him for who he really was.

Just a lost soul needing someone to love him.

Kissing his pouted lips as he continued to sleep, she slips out of the bed. With a blanket wrapped around her shoulders for extra warmth, she makes her way to the guest room where her things were stored and slips into the en-suite bathroom to wash up for the day.

Popping open the shower door, she turns on the water to the perfect temperature and proceeded to undress from Jimin's oversized T-shirt and her panties. Stepping inside, the water runs through her long brunette hair, soaking it entirely as her eyes shut and she sighs out in relief. As happy as she is with her three boyfriends, she has to admit that the weight she helps them carry can sometimes feel like too much and she needs a moment to escape to recharge.

But she'd never let them know that.

Not only does she not want them to clam up and shy away from being honest with her when they've come so far with their healing processes, but she doesn't want them to worry about her. She was fine, she knew she was. She just needed to breathe from time to time and last night was rough.

Letting the heat of the water ease her tense muscles, she feels herself releasing a small stream of tears and her hands trembling. Her strength was crumbling beneath her and she was thankful that she was in the privacy of her bathroom, covered under the shield of water to hide the sadness decorating her cheeks.

Leaning against the corner of the granite tiled wall, she slides down until she's sitting down completely and with her knees bent up to her chest while she allows herself to feel everything in privacy. From Jimin's truth about his childhood and Jungkook's heartbreaking trauma to even the sadness of not having her mother anymore, she physically can feel it all coming to the surface. Taking a deep breath, she lifts her head and stares out of the small window at the fluffy clouds floating by.

She was okay.

She had to be.

There was no other choice.

Finishing her shower, she turns it off and wraps the extremely soft towel around her body. As she wipes away the condensation from the mirror, she nods at the fact her eyes aren't puffy and it doesn't appear as if she had just sobbed for the couple of minutes she allowed herself to. She didn't want them to know.

Brushing her teeth and slipping on a comfortable baby pink pair of sweatpants and a matching cropped sweatshirt, she walks out of her room in search of one of her guys. Hearing random videos playing from a phone, she follows the sound to realize it's Taehyung who's currently awake.

Passing up Jungkook's room, she notices the door is partially open and peeks inside to see him sprawled out across his bed still sleeping peacefully. Tip-toeing inside, she closes his blackout curtain so that the early morning light doesn't disturb him before he's ready to start his day. Stopping by his bed to adjust the blanket over his body, she lightly kisses his forehead and whispers that she loves him prior to leaving his room with a silent close of his door.

Knocking on Taehyung's door across the hall, she waits for him to respond before slowly opening it up. Smiling at him, she shuts his door behind her and walks over to his king-sized bed. The covers drop down as he sits up, revealing his bare chest while he sets his phone down and peels back the cover for her to join him underneath the fabric's warmth.

"You don't have to knock to come into my room, baby. You're always welcome in here," he croons in his deeper-than-usual morning voice.

"I know, but just because we're together doesn't mean you don't deserve privacy," she huffs as she struggles to hoist herself onto the tall mattress.

Chuckling as he assists her up, he nods his head, "I guess I can understand where you're coming from."

She snuggles into his side with his arm coming around to hold her closer, not even caring that her hair was still damp and slightly cold on his skin. She smelled like her usual current scent of brown sugar and vanilla, reminding him of the bakery Aunt Minji used to take him to after school as a kid when she tried to help him avoid going home for as long as possible.

Even though she was his aunt, he knew that Minji looked at him more like the child she was never able to have. An abusive relationship with her ex-husband ruined those chances for her. Nothing infuriated her more than to witness her brother, Taehyung's dad, mistreat him and try to control his life and Tae knew that. If she had it her way, she would have legally adopted him, but since she couldn't find a way to do so, she did everything she could to be his biggest supporter in life. Without her, it's very much a possibility that they wouldn't be the rock sensation they are right now since Aunt Minji was the one who jumped through hoops to get them in touch with the right people in order to secure a record deal.

In essence, if it wasn't for his aunt, it's even possible that he would have never met the woman he loves currently laying in his arms as if he was her safe place.

"What were you watching?" Lyla inquires as she peers up at him, giving him chocolate-like Bambi eyes that made him weak.

"Just some random videos. Some from our fans, some from other accounts I follow," he answers as he picks up his phone to show her.

"No one has found out that you guys have secret accounts that you use to lurk on the internet with?" She smiles.

Grinning down at her, he scoffs, "I'm not lurking. I comment and stuff."

"But they don't know it's you so it's still lurking," she laughs and he folds his lips into his mouth, knowing she won that tiny disagreement.

"Are you ready for the Christmas party at my parent's house tonight?" Opening back up the app he was browsing through, he adjusts his grip so that she can watch with him.

"I think so. I have everything I need and Minji wants to come over to help me get ready," she informs him as she watches his screen. "I'm nervous as hell."

"Thank you for coming with me anyway, though."

He continues to flip through the videos of things that don't interest either one of them until he lands on a fan edit of pictures of him and Lyla with romantic music playing in the background. Even a small paparazzi-taken video where Taehyung lovingly smiles down at her as she waves to the camera plays. He feels Lyla's cheeks raise against his chest as the video ends with a photo of her with stars in her eyes as she looks up at him.

Pressing on the heart to like it and then heading to the comments, he sees how the majority of them are sweet words and well-wishes to their relationship, and they both giggle at a few of them. Typing out a comment of his own under his fake account with a random female cartoon character as his icon and a false username that makes it seem as if he's the opposite gender, he comments about how beautiful Lyla is and how lucky Tae must feel to have her in his life. After posting it, she squeezes around his midsection tightly as if she was thanking him.

The next video, however, was a hate video about her and he immediately screenshotted the username before blocking the account. "I'll block them on our main account later," he scowls as he exits out of the application and opens up his camera instead. "Take some pictures with me?"

Grinning at the fact he's trying to distract her from the internet trolls, she nods as he happily angles the camera. Nuzzling into his chest, he tilts his head to rest it on top of hers. Her eyes close as she smiles her mega-watt smile and he involuntarily smiles as well as his heart seemed to glow. Snapping the photo and with the shutter sound echoing, she opens her eyes again and straightens up so that her face is more level with his. Looking over at her, he steals a kiss and snaps the photo before she had a chance to react.

Chuckling at her happy yet surprised expression in the captured image, he switches it to a video instead. "Come here," he coaches as he glances down to his waist.

Understanding that he wanted her to straddle his lap, she does as he asks and swings her left leg over his hips. His tongue swipes over his bottom lip as he stares at her through the screen while his hand slowly comes around to grip onto her waist. Panning back up to her beautiful face without a trace of makeup and her hair slowly drying into natural waves, she smiles down at him.

"What?" She shyly nibbles on her bottom lip.

"Just admiring you," he hums through a honey-dipped voice as her manicured nails gently scraped against his chest and he moves the phone to capture it on video as goosebumps ripple across his skin. "How do you do this to me?"

"Do what?"

"Make me fall in love all over again," he clarifies as he lifts the camera back up to her face.

Her cheeks pinkened as she stares into his hooded eyes sparkling for her, "The same way you always make me fall in love with you all over again."

Smiling as she lowers herself to press her lips to his, he records the sweet kiss with both of them unable to contain the joy spreading across their faces. Tae tucks some hair behind her ear as he deepens the kiss, eliciting a salcious sound to reverberate from her upon the taste of his tongue.

"Probably best if we shut this off," he whispers as he glances over to press the red button on his screen.

"Mhm," she agrees as she kisses down his neck.

He feels his boxer briefs tighten the more her plump lips caress his skin and when her tongue glides across the sensitive skin underneath his ear, his fingers begin to dig into her side to guide her to rake her warm center across his growing erection. Groaning at the feeling and fluttering his eyes shut at the whimper that she made, he raises his hand to slip underneath her cropped sweatshirt.

Smirking when he realizes she's braless, he cups her perky breast with his thumb circling her nipple making her roll her hips even more, but when she gently bites onto his shoulder, he knows she's beyond the point of a simple makeout session and teasing.

Lifting her head to look at him with pleading eyes, he nods and lifts her shirt over her head, "Okay, baby. I got you."

Flipping them over, her legs remained spread for him as he returns the favor by cherishing the specific spots on her neck that he's memorized over their time together. Her fingernails scrape across his back as she does her best to remain quiet with him making it that much harder for her as he presses his bulge onto her core.

He looks into her eyes with a lustful gaze as his fingers slowly trace her collarbone, between the valley of her breasts, and down the invisible line of her stomach as her breathing quickens while she maintains eye contact with him. Slipping under the waistband of her pants, he caresses her lace-covered mound with his index finger, noticing how wet she already is for him.

Tracing the edge of her panties, his lips part as he pulls them off to the side to slip into her entrance while at the same time her mouth hangs open and her brow knits together. Sliding in his middle finger as well, he curls them inside of her as he slowly pumps into her, not wanting to rush the moment she's gifting him with.

Her whimpers turn into soft moans and he gently shushes her, knowing she wouldn't want to rub their intimate moment in the other two guy's faces, "Be quiet for me this time, baby. Can you do that for me?"

Nodding, she bites down on her lip and closes her eyes. The blissed-out concentration as her expression makes it difficult for him to hold back his own promiscuous noises. Her hips begin to roll in tune with his fingers and when his thumb begins to rub circles over her clit, she slips her fingers into his hair and tugs at it out of reflex.

Kissing her passionately, he speeds up his movements, thrusting his digits and curling them inside of her in a calculated way as he focuses on making her fall apart for him. Noticing her breath hitching and her thighs tightening, he swiftly presses against that rigid bundle of nerves deep within her dripping wet walls as his thumb flicks quickly over her sensitive bud.

He continues to kiss her as her orgasm washes over her, squeezing his fingers rhythmically as he smiles onto her lips while she slowly comes down from her high. Pulling his fingers out of her, he sits up straight as he peers down at her while licking them clean as if it was the sweetest popsicle on a hot summer's day.

Sighing at the sight before her, she pulls down his boxer briefs and grins when she sees how hard he became from making her come. Pushing her back down onto the bed, she covers her mouth to mumble her squeal as he yanks away her sweatpants and panties in one motion, tossing them off of the bed. Flipping her over as if she weighed nothing, he pulls at her hips.

"Ass in the air," he commands just above a sex-laced whisper, "and keep quiet."

Pushing into her, he furrows his brow at her warmth and wetness taking every inch of his love. Her face plants into the mattress as he rolls into her while crossing his hands over her lower back to assist him with his thrusts. Even her barely audible moans and heavy breathing was music to his ears as he went as deep as their bodies would allow.

Leaning over her, he kisses her upper back and moves her hair away from her face so that he can take her earlobe in between his lips with a deep growl at the way her body seems to mold with his perfectly. Looking back at him, she captures his lips for a moment before whispering that she loves him, desperately needing to hear that he loves her, too, and without hesitation, he returns the sentiment accompanied by sweet pecks across her cheek.

Rolling over to his side, she moves with him to keep him buried deep within her as he hikes her leg up and pounds into her, feeling his stomach tightening and his mind fogging with the first signs of release. Pushing back into him, she bites onto his pillow as she reaches her peak just as he spills into her with a stuttering breath as he holds her as close to him as he can.

Quietness settles in the room as they both lay there with his arms wrapped around her as he gently kisses her back and she intertwines her fingers with his.

Beyond her control, she begins to cry as her heart feels heavy once again. She thought she could push away her emotions from earlier and even distract herself with sex, but she quickly realized how useless that all is.

Hearing her sniffle, Tae quickly lifts up to look at her with a worried look on his face which causes her to feel an even deeper gut-sinking feeling. Worrying him or any of them just made matters worse. She could handle this on her own.

"What's wrong?" He inquires as he wipes away her tears.

Shaking her head, she sniffles and looks away from him, "Nothing. I'm fine."

Raising his brows, he directs her attention back to him, "You don't seem fine. Talk to me, please."

Taking a deep stuttering breath, she stares into his wide heartfelt eyes. "I wish I could take all of the pain away from you three. I wish I could make it all better or that there was more I could do," she sniffles and shuts her eyes for a moment as they start to feel hot. "I just want to fix it. And then lately I'm really missing my mom. I told Jungkook already, but the anniversary of her death is on Tuesday and, I don't know, I just feel it all hitting me at once all of the sudden and I don't know why. I'll be okay, though. I know I will be."

"Baby," he softly says as she opens her red-rimmed eyes glossed over with tears, "first of all, I love you so much. You have the biggest heart and such a sweet soul. It's almost unbelievable that someone like you actually exists in this fucked up world. Second of all, it's not your job to fix us. Just being there for us while we work on ourselves is more than we could have ever imagined. But most importantly, if you're sad or missing your mom, baby... please don't feel you have to bottle that up inside. We love you... I love you. Let us be there for you, too."

The tears seem to fall from her face faster than she wanted them to but it was no match for Taehyung diligently wiping them away as if no matter the amount of hurt she had within her, he would be there to pick her back up. Just like she knew the other two would be there for her, too.

After a few minutes of crying and sweet kisses, they both get dressed and decide to emerge from the bedroom in search of food. Promising to make her breakfast this time, they walk down the stairs and into the kitchen where they see Jimin and Jungkook talking.

Looking in their direction as they enter, Jungkook's eyes widen at the sight of Lyla's tear-stained cheeks. "What's wrong?!"

Briskly walking up to her, he cups her face and turns to furrow his brow at Taehyung, assuming that he must have been the one to make his princess cry so early this morning.

"I was just missing my mom and needing to release some things. I'm okay," she smiles up at him, " and Tae didn't do anything wrong."

"You sure? Don't try to lie for him if he made you cry," he lifts a brow.

Giggling, she shakes her head, "I love that you always want to protect me, but no, Tae is innocent."

Scoffing, Jimin swallows the last sip of his morning coffee, "Innocent is quite a stretch."

Taehyung pushes him away as he pulls out the pots he needs to make her the comfort food of french toast that she desired and Jimin laughs as he walks up and kisses Lyla's cheek, "Good morning, angel."

Smiling up at him, she feels her heart thump at how much he seemed to glow this morning; as if he was starting a new life entirely with a little less weight on his shoulders, "Good morning, handsome."

Maybe Tae was right. Maybe her being there was really all she needed to do.

Wrapping Lyla in his arms, JK searches her face when they find a moment together, "You promise me that you're okay now?"

She nods, "I promise."

"Okay," he decides to let it go with a silent promise to himself that he will do better at making sure she was happy. Looking back at Taehyung as he pulls out the bread, eggs, powdered sugar, and syrup, he licks his lips, "So you're making enough for all of us, right?"

Quirking his brow, Tae looks over his shoulder at his bandmate, "I'm not cooking for someone who wanted to beat my ass two minutes ago and for someone who accuses me of not being innocent."

"But you're not innocent," Lyla laughs and Tae turns around feigning shock at her words. "I mean," she gives him a knowing look, referencing their escapades in his room earlier that morning.

Trying to hide his smile, he turns back around and starts to butter the pan, "If our baby girl wants me to make everyone breakfast, then I'll make everyone breakfast."

Chuckling at how quickly both Jimin and Jungkook look at her with hopeful eyes, she looks back to Tae with pure joy in her heart, "Can you please make breakfast for everyone, baby?"

"Sure, my love," he responds without hesitation as he pulls out enough slices of bread for their whole family.