on september 28th, 2017, nikki shot and killed the father of her two children, chris grover. >> reached kneed him and it fell. >> reporter: after surviving years of documented abuse, both physical and sexual, sentenced to 19 years to life in prison, she was recently released early on appeal. >> she has been home for three weeks today. i think we're all still like settling in, but also just kind of looking around amazed. like i can't believe real. >> reporter: nikki's rock through it all, her sister, michelle horton, a single mom herself, who immediately took in nikki's two kids, ben and fay, then just 4 and 2. how is everyone adjusting? it's not always happily ever after. it's rough the reentry. >> i'm getting my sister back. for her, it's like she is traveling to a different planet, and she is relearning life on the outside. >> reporter: the sisters' fight for nikki's freedom becoming a flash point how domestic violence violence is treated in the criminal justice system. >> for five endless years, nikki has been taken from her two young children. >> juju: what kind of price did the kid