Laura’s eyes flew open suddenly. *Wait... Wasn’t I dead? Where the hell am I?!* The young woman scanned the room she was in. She lay in a bed that was half the size of the one she’d had, with luscious red covers and a Victorian black and white pattered comforter. The walls were painted dark red, a few indie band posters decorating one of them, another covered by a tall bookstand that was almost completely filled, and another with a big collage of photos. A line of Chinese lanterns and white Christmas lights crossed the ceiling diagonally. When she tried to sit in order to get a better view of the room she was in, a sharp pain in the left side of her head stopped her.

*That’s weird… Wasn’t I stabbed everywhere?*

And, strangely, the only thing throbbing was her head.

“Easy there, tiger. That’s a hard hit you took there, little sis. Scared us shitless.” A young man’s voice told her. Laura turned toward the voice just in time to see a young man entering the room and taking a seat at the foot of her bed. He looked to be around eighteen, with short brown hair, a creamy complexion, and a pair of almond-shaped green-blue eyes that were the first features to stand out on his handsome face. Before Laura could react, the young man shouted over his shoulder, “Dad! *Dad!* Demi’s awake!”

“I’m sorry, who?” Laura asked in a whisper that was unheard as she heard quick, heavy footsteps approaching. Another male, this one clearly older, entered the room and stood directly next to Laura. He was very similar to the younger man, but he had deep blue eyes, crew-cut sandy hair and a tanner skin tone.

“Hey there, baby girl. How are you feeling?” the man asked Laura, softly running a hand through her hair. 

“My head is killing me,” Laura answered honestly, looking at each of the two men in hopes of recognizing them. When it was clear she had no idea, she asked the older man. “I’m sorry, who are you two, exactly?”

“Damn, Dad. She hit her head pretty hard, then,” another male voice said. This one looked almost like the younger one’s twin, but with the exception of his long, sandy hair and the pointier nose; features he shared with the man Laura assumed was his father. He was the tallest of the three, and instead of standing or taking a seat, he knelt between the two men, worried eyes scanning Laura’s face. "Are you okay, D.R.?"

“Demi, don’t you recognize us? It’s me, Michael, your dad.” The man named Michael pointed to the kneeling man, “This is Kaden,” then pointed at the sitting man. “And this is Luke. They’re your older brothers. You’re Demi, the youngest of my kids and my only princess.” Michael looked genuinely concerned. “Demi, honey, do you remember us?”

The look on Michael’s face was heartbreaking. Laura couldn’t bear to hurt the man, especially when they’d been so sweet to her since she’d woken up. Instead of acting defensively, an instinct in Laura told her that everyone present was trustworthy, caring, and terribly worried about her. After a quick moment’s hesitation, Laura made up her mind.
“Yes Daddy, I do remember,” Laura told the man with a sweet smile. She took a moment to look at each of the two younger men. “How could I forget any of you clowns?”

Luke sighed in relief, then gave a chuckle. “See? I *told* you guys she was just messing around.”

“Wonder where she got the jokester quality,” said Kaden, playfully punching Luke’s arm. The brothers stood up and began to mock-box in front of Laura, making her laugh and forget her pain for a few seconds. They were separated by a smiling Michael.

“C’mon guys, let’s let Demi get some more rest,” he told his sons, bending over to kiss Demi’s forehead. “I’ll be downstairs if you need anything, sweetie, okay? Just shout to any of us and we’ll come as soon as we can.”

“Yeah, Demi, just let us know,” repeated Kaden, kissing Demi’s cheek. Luke did the same, adding a little hair ruffle. One by one, the men exited the room, Luke closing the door behind him.

After making sure there was no one close by, Laura slowly stood up from the bed and walked over to the photo collage, searching through many for one that could enlighten her. And there it was: a picture of the three men in order of appearance next to a young girl that looked to be about sixteen, with the same creamy complexion and blue-green eyes she had seen on them. The girl had long, chocolate brown waves that cascaded all the way down to her full bosom, a rocker chick style, and a smile that dimmed even the brightest star. From what Laura could notice, she’d inherited the best of each of her brothers’ features. She was shorter, curvier and fuller than Laura, but breathtakingly beautiful for normal standards.  Afraid to look at the mirror, Laura continued to scan the photos, with a million questions racing in her mind.

What was happening? Who was she? Who were these people that called themselves ‘family’?