Post Traumatic

(Mike's POV)

The next day after I had confessed my love publicly for Kelsey in front of everyone at Disneyland, it wasn't long before the phone calls and text messages and millions of comments on social media had come flying in. "How long has this been going on? Who is she? Is she the reason you and Anna split up? Isn't it true she was dating Chester?" it was never ending and most of all tiresome. Having to explain things over and over again to people who clearly didn't deserve an explanation was the most tiring thing about the whole ordeal. It was noon and already I had been getting swamped since I woke up at 7. I wasn't exactly sure who had posted it first, but it didn't take long for multiple media sources to get a hold of the photos and write their own piece of opinion on it. One news source even went so far into lying and spreading a rumor that had claimed that Kelsey was pregnant with Chester's secret love child and that Talinda was OK with the whole thing, letting her move in with her into the house and everything. I was only hoping that Kelsey hadn't gotten a chance to read any of it, but that was almost impossible to prevent. She worked at a bookstore for god's sake. But despite all that, today was going to be different then the rest.

I was going to meet up with Brad and the others in about an hour today to show them the songs that I had been working on over this past month and ultimately release one track off of my EP that I had decided to name 'Post Traumatic'. The song was called "A Place To Start", it basically summed up exactly how I was feeling towards everything at that moment. With Chester, with his death, with my friends, family, relationship, with the future of my career and with Linkin Park. I was terrified to death of showing anyone honestly, but I knew it just had be done whether they liked it or not. Kelsey had given me her full support as did Talinda, so I knew I couldn't let them down anymore than I probably already had. "Michael Shinoda!!!!!!" I suddenly hear someone scream loudly across the hall of my small apartment which makes me practically sprint out to see who it was. It was Kelsey, with her hand clenched into a tight fist and tears running down her face. I immediately went to her side and tried to calm her down, but it was useless, she was obviously very pissed off. "What's the matter? Why are you so upset?" She then proceeds to shove her phone into my face, the words lighting up across the screen "I told you this wasn't over." Anna. I recognized that number from a million miles away. I sigh deeply, putting a hand to my forehead before instructing her to sit down beside me for a minute to think about the next thing we could do about it.

Per the restraining order, none of us were to have any contact with each other and that meant through any means whether it be social media, physical contact, or even by phone and text messages. So why would she want to go against everything that she had insisted being in place just to taunt us? "I'm really sorry Kels. I have no fucking idea how she could have even gotten your number or anything. And I'm also assuming it's safe to say that you've read the millions of different news articles about us too?" She shakes her head before wiping at her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket. I wrap my arms around her protectively and pull her close to me. "I don't see why everyone has to make such a big fucking deal about everything. So what if we're dating? It doesn't make any difference, I still won't love anyone like I love you. I could care less what people are saying about us, but this is exactly what I was worried about when I had kissed you in front of thousands of people yesterday. I wanted to protect you from this as best as I could and I've clearly already failed miserably." She looks up at me for a minute before pressing a gentle kiss to my lips. "I don't care either, but it just pisses me off that people have to be such fucking pieces of shit and try to ruin others lives with their lies. I love you though, I do. I'm not going to give you up for anything."

I lean down and kiss the top of her head this time while we stay snuggled close together on the small couch. "I have some news to tell you too, besides all of this." She gives me a questioning look but still smiles. "What could that possibly be?" I show her my phone, it was a post I had put in Instagram that stated I would be releasing a single to the world in a matter of hours and having a meeting with the rest of the guys in Linkin Park to discuss it. "Oh my God, babe! I'm so happy for you! Congratulations!" She hugs onto me as tight as she could, squealing excitedly. I hug her back just as much. "Thank you babe, it really means the world to me that I have you with me. And you know, you're the only reason why I'm doing this in the first place. Well, and because of him too. I need the world to know that I still have feelings, that I still am so deeply upset by it. But it's mostly my escape, my way to cope and deal with it. I'm ready, I'm ready to record the full album and get this ball rolling. I'm ready to not be scared and face the day, all because I have you with me."

To put it as innocently as I can, there was a moment between Kelsey and I as we sat there just enjoying each other's company that can't even possibly be described besides what love really is supposed to be between two people. We had sex, right there on the couch for a good couple of hours. It had been so long since I had any sort of physical contact like that let alone having it with someone who I genuinely loved and cared for that I was surprised I made it as long as I did. But it didn't matter about how long or anything like that, what mattered was that I shared my deepest inner feelings and secrets with her and she did the same for me. We became one person within each other and it was the most intense and one of the most pleasurable experiences you can ever have with someone. I ended up crying partly through out it as I stared at her beautiful body intertwined with mine and she did nothing but comfort me and assure me that everything was going to be alright. We kissed, we laughed, we cried, we experienced a climax at the same time. It was roughly about two in the afternoon when we had finished up with everything and Brad had been calling me nonstop for the last hour. "You should really call him back, he's probably worried to death about you."

I do as she tells me and sure enough Brad is indeed ready to send in a search party and call 911 if I hadn't of responded. "I'm sorry dude, I just got really caught up in some stuff. Are you guys ready though? I'll head over right now." He tells me that plans had changed seeing that I didn't answer and that him, Joe, Dave, and Rob had already been on there way over to my place. I shift my gaze quickly over to Kelsey before trying to signal that the guys were almost here. She immediately gets the hint and begins helping me clean up the mess that had ensued over the last hour or so. "Alright well no worries dude, I'm here." Without another word I hang up abruptly before joining in with her and helping tidy up the living area. I spray a good amount of air freshener on practically everything before the door bell suddenly rings, signaling that the guys were in fact here already. The look on Kelsey's face is priceless, because once the guys see her, it's as good as anyone's bet that they weren't going to automatically assume that I was busy with her, hence why I didn't answer right away. "Don't worry, it's going to be fine, I'm sure they won't say anything embarrassing to you."

She gives me a swift punch to the gut which makes me hunch over in slight pain before I'm able to hobble over to answer the door. Sure enough, there's Rob, Brad, Joe, and Dave standing there with smirks on their faces as Rob steps in first, instantly spotting Kelsey standing off in the far corner of the kitchen. "OH! So THAT'S why you weren't picking up! Kelsey's here, guys!!" Rob announces with an ever growing cheesy smile as everyone then makes their way inside. I shoot her a sympathetic smile before mouthing "I'm Sorry." only to earn a middle finger in the process. "So what's the deal with all the material? Are you sure you're ready to get started on that path yet?" Joe asks once we're all situated in the middle of the living room. I'm a cross between nervous and excited, like if I smile any wider, I was going to puke. "Yeah, I'm actually really ready to do this. That's why I want you guys here, I want you to give me your honest opinions. I want you to get a chance to listen to it before the rest of the world does. Give me everything that you've got hiding in there."

So as the hours pass on by, many laughs, hugs, tears, and smiles were shared all around the entire room. Everyone was super supportive of me releasing the songs and they all equally agreed that A Place To Start and Over Again were the songs that the world was waiting for. That they would bring a great amount of closure to people who genuinely still needed it to help cope with the tragedy that still haunted them, just like we did. "Chester would be proud man, he would be so proud of you for continuing on like this. You have all of our support now, so do it. Post it, Mike. We're all here for you." And with that, I do as they tell me to and upload the finished version of 'A Place To Start'. It's almost instantaneous that the comments and reviews start pouring in by the thousands, with people agreeing that they can very much relate to it and that they can tell that I'm clearly still hurting and trying to deal with the death of my best friend. I don't remember much after I broke down and cried and sobbed uncontrollably, but I do remember that in the midst of it all, we all group hugged together and of course included Kelsey. "Thank you, for saving him. If it wasn't for you coming back to us, I'm almost positive that we would have lost two members. We love you so damn much, Kelsey. Thank you for keeping our guy on the ground, we need him wit us."