Brooklyn's POV.

You know that old expression that says something like, "you were dealt a bad hand in life but you have to make the best of it" and you sit there while you get told that by somebody so that you don't feel like utter rubbish, but deep down inside you know that you're pretty much dying? Yah. Well that my friends is about where we pick up in this fine and dandy story.

I sighed and pulled my knees up to my chest so that I wouldn't have to see my therapist's face any longer. Don't get me wrong she's not one of those ass ugly therapists that make you wanna vomit, she's actually decent looking; I just don't wanna see her at the moment. Hell I didn't even wanna see myself! Ever since Amethyst died I haven't been able to look at myself, nor anyone who knew her quite the same way.

Now I'm pretty sure that you're wondering who Amethyst was, well folks she was my best friend ever since I was put into The System back when I was around six years old. We always made sure to be in the same homes and Residentials. But sadly she let the harsh words of her aunt and cousin get the best of her no matter how long I spoke to her.

"Brooklyn. . .?"

I glanced up at Ms. Barbra. She was looking right back at me from over her bifocal glasses, the wrinkles that creased together looked like deep valleys. She said my name again.

"What?" I asked, a slight edge of an attitude coated my voice.

She sighed and closed the notebook that she held in her lap and placed it back on the bookshelf. "Maybe tomorrow you'll be in a better mood, yeah?"

I just shrugged my shoulders and walked out of her office, I could feel her gaze burning in the back of my skull as I walked down the hall to the living room. Finally I heard her door click shut and I turned quickly down my hallway to my room. Thankfully I learned in my last placement how to jam the doors so that they don't lock when we close them.

When I had my door shut I kicked off my shoes and dived underneath the blankets and pulled out the most recent letter from my brother, Jorel. He tried his best to keep up with me moving from one place to another, and I appreciated his efforts. I ran my hand over the sealed envelope and debated if I should open it now or wait until tomorrow for my birthday, seeing as this was the only thing I have received for that special day.

Sighing I slid my fingernail under the sealed part to open it then pulled the card out. I paused to read what he had written on the outside before checking the inside of the card. He had written;

July 10th, 2003
Brooke,

I hope that this reaches you in time, or even at all...the state isn't all that helpful with giving me updated addresses of where you are :(

But anyway I've been good and so is Vanessa. She can't wait to meet you, all she talks about is if you'll like her or not. I told her that as long as she promises to let you help her come up with shirt designs you two will be okay. Though I'm not sure when she's gonna try and launch the clothing line.

The guys wanna meet you as well. Jordon keeps asking for a picture of you, but I don't wanna risk him seeing just how beautiful you are and trying to make you his "Charlie's Angel". Sorry that was a inside joke..I'll explain it later.
Matt's been pretty quiet about you, so has Deuce. I think they at least know that you're off limits to them when you come home. Dylan's kinda acting like Jordon and George is in between; sometimes he'll say something about you like Jordon and other times he doesn't say a word.

But other than that nothing's changed. Mom and dad still don't really talk to me too much. Yeah it hurts from time to time, but it's whatever. I don't care too much anymore.

Me and the guys are really trying to get the band started. I hope that by the time you come home that we'll be signed.

Well I've gotta go for now, but I'll try and call you for your birthday. Maybe the guys will make an appearance too, I don't know yet. But I've gotta go for now. I hope that you have a decent birthday.

Remember I miss and love you more than anything in the world!!!!!!

Love your big brother,

Jorel Decker

A few tears rolled down my face as I re-read his letter.

Wow, his girlfriend wants to meet me and the guys remember me? . . .damn.

The best part about his letter was not only the fact that he remembered my birthday, but that he had also had his girlfriend and his the guys write little messages to me as well. On the inside were a bunch of little doodles and notes from each of them. Of course I read the one from Vanessa first.

Brooklyn!!
I can't wait to meet you for the first time! Jorel talks about you nonstop! I can tell that he truly cares about you and wants us to be friends seeing as you're his baby sister. I hope that you have the best birthday possible!!
Love, Vanessa

I smiled and went on to read the other messages.

Happy Birthday Brooklyn! I hope that you have an awesome birthday and when you come back I'll let you listen to the new shit that I produced for the guys.
-Deuce

Brooke,
It's been years since I last saw you, you used to be that annoying kid that would follow me and Jorel around but now you're 19 and becoming an even bigger pain in my ass ;) I'm just kidding Brooke. But seriously though I can't wait to see how grown up you are. Also I hear that you're a pretty talented artist too. Well happy birthday kid.
- George

Brooke when you get back here I'm taking you to the beach. Ok? Okay.
Love, Dylan.
Ps- HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

Happy Birthday to my favorite little Disaster!! Hope that you have a good day, and don't worry I'll save you from Jordon.
Love, Matty

Happy Birthday mini Jdog!! Ha damn girl you're all grown up now!! Guess George can't call you 'kid' anymore huh? So what you're gonna be 19 now? Oh shit nice!! I just might have to take you out to the clubs with me now ;)
- Sir Charles P Scene

"Fucking dumb ass." I mumbled and folded the card back up. Right as I slid it under my pillow Amber waltzed into my room.

"What'cha got there?" Amber asked and sat down next to me. I rolled my eyes and pushed her off my bed. I swear this girl is more nosy than a southern woman at the beauty parlor drinking sweet tea.

"None of ya damn business now get the fuck out before I drag you out by ya tracks."

Amber stared up at me with a shocked expression. See its not very often that I get mad and threaten people, but when it comes to Jorel's letters I get pretty protective over them.

She stood up from the floor, my eyes never left her retreating figure until she disappeared behind the door. From inside my room I heard her yelling for Ms. Rosie. I sighed and buried myself under my blankets.

This should be fun.

"Whatever you're hiding hand it over now Brooklyn." Ms. Rosie demanded and held her hand out to me. Behind her Amber stood in my doorway with an evil smirk plastered on her face. I stared up at Ms. Rosie with a blank expression and shrugged my shoulders, "I don't know what that nosy bitch is on about but I ain't got shit."

Ms. Rosie sighed and pressed the button by the door, soon the speakers blared the alarm for the code; "222 Code Green, Room 237. 222 Code Green, Room 237."

My room was quickly filled with crisis staff and a few doctors. A few crisis workers, Damon and Harry looked confused as to what the code was for. But as soon as they saw Amber it clicked with them and told Ms. Sarah to take her to the living room. Unlike all of the other workers Damon and Harry understood Amber's little games that she liked to play with me.

"Ms. Rosie let us handle this," Damon said calmly and motioned for her to leave. "You're services are not needed at the moment." At first she was set on staying and finding out what I had, but finally Dr. Pat convinced her to go.

As soon as Ms. Rosie left the remaining Doctors, crisis staff, and psychologists all sang "Happy Birthday" to me, and gave me a brownie with a candle stuck in it. Damon even gave me a new sketchbook and charcoals. Harry gave me a package of pens; heh that's an inside joke between me and him.

"So did your brother send you another letter?" Harry asked pulling up a chair next to me. I nodded my head and let him read it through. A bright smile broke across his and Damon's faces when they finished reading the letter. "This is great news Brooke!" Harry cried and handed it back to me. "This means that you might get to go home to him and his fiancé."

I looked down at my hands and shrugged. Wow, I seem to be doing that a lot today. "I guess so, but what if he means "see you again" like I have my own place and not having to rely on him?"

"Oh nonsense!" Dr. Pat cried and pulled out her tablet. I smiled softly and waited for her to pull up whatever it was that she wanted to show me. "He wants you home, with him." she said and handed me her tablet. They all smiled at me as I looked down at the screen to see an image of my brother on YouTube with five other men. I pressed play and waited for it to finish buffering. Finally the image cleared and soon my brother's voice filled my ears.

Jdog: "Yah no it's great that all the fans are still supporting us the way that they are."

Interviewer: "Definitely worth all the blood, sweat, and tears huh?

Johnny Three Tears: "like Jay said, the fans are great with their support." *pauses to look at Jdog* "especially with all the other stuff."

I paused the video for a moment, Wait what other stuff? Is Jorel's girlfriend pregnant? I shook my head and pressed play again. I saw Jorel give Johnny a sharp glare.

Interviewer: "What other stuff? Stuff like relationship stuff?"

Jdog: *shakes head* "No not stuff like that, stuff with my younger sister. She's gonna be living with me and Vanessa. I'm going to go pick her up in Portland tomorrow."

I shut the tablet off and handed it back to Dr. Pat.

"See sweetie I told you that he wants you home." Dr. Pat smiled at me and gave me a quick hug before leaving to go back to her office.

Harry and Damon stayed with me after everyone had left. They both said that they wanted to make sure that I was okay for the night. I nodded my head and told them that if there were any problems I would have one of the night staff call either of them.

Quickly I pulled out Harry's old iPod and put my headphones in. The first song that came on was MGK and Kid Ink's song Hell and Back. I smiled to myself and softly sang to myself until I fell asleep.

The sun beat down on my face forcing me to wake up much earlier than I usually did. I groaned and pulled on my slippers.

This should be a fun day, I thought sarcastically and made my way down to the day room.

When I made it to the door a few girls from the lock down floor were sitting on the couches watching TV. They all turned their heads to look at me when I walked in.

"Hey." I said quietly. A few of them glared at me while the others just turned back to the TV. My brow furrowed in confusion for a moment as I sat down at one of the dining tables. That was weird.

A couple hours passed before more of the other girls wandered into the room for breakfast.

"Alright ladies line up to get your tray!"
Harry called to us and unlocked the food cart. I smiled at him and slipped him his iPod back when he gave me my tray. He returned my smile and said, "Happy birthday."

"My birthday was yesterday Harry." He shrugged and placed and extra strawberry fruit cup on my tray. "I can tell you happy birthday all I want."

I laughed, "Okay Harry."

Slowly I weaved my way around the tables and scattered chairs as not to trip on anything.

Don't fall, if you fall then that means that you'll look like a fool.

Almost as if on cue a foot stuck out and hooked my left ankle causing me to fall and my tray to fly out of my hands. Both myself and my tray hit the floor with a loud thud.

All around me laughter filled my ears followed by a sharp pain shooting down my neck and spine. I rolled over slightly to see Analeise, a lock down girl, standing over me with a broken chair leg in her hand.

A few people were surrounding us with looks of excitement settled on their faces. Amongst them was Amber who looked smug and totally pleased with herself.

Clearly she had ordered this attack on me. I reached my arm up to block my face before Ana could swing at me again.

I felt the cold hard metal being pounded into my arm over and over again. Finally it came down one last time on my head. The last thing I saw was Harry forcing his way through the girls to pick me up.

When I woke up again my whole body felt as if it was on fire. My back felt the most hot in comparison to my front. Slowly I opened my eyes and say up. As soon as I could see clearly I noticed that I was sitting in the middle of an alley.

How the fuck did I get here? Better yet where the fuck am I?

Carefully I got up from the ground, my head felt heavy like as if it was weighed down by a ten thousand pound weight. I staggered a bit from side to side as I walked towards the street.

Franklyn and Hyland? Why does that sound so familiar?

My body fell against the building. Damn what the hell happened to me? I reached my hand back to rub the kink that was in my neck... What the fuck? There was a warm sticky substance that coated my neck and shirt. When I brought my hand back I saw that it was blood.

"Whatever happened it really fucked me up." I whispered to myself. "Alright it doesn't matter, all that matters... Is finding out where I am."

The sun was high overhead so the time was probably somewhere around noon-ish. People around me stared at me like as if I was some out of this world creature or freak show. I ignored them as best as I could as I walked down the street. The whole time I walked I felt as if I was about to pass out at any given second.

"Just a little further Brooke. Keep... Going." I told myself over and over to try and motivate me to find help.

"Hey, you okay?" Some guy asked me from a corner store. His voice came out sort of nasally. Maybe he has allergies or somethin.

I debated if I should even talk to him, mostly cause I didn't know who he was or even where I was. But then again he was the only person who was kind enough to ask if I was okay or not. "Do you need any help?" He asked me again.

I nodded my head weakly, "Where am I?"

The guy stepped out from the darkened doorway, his face seemed somewhat familiar to me as well. Who is this guy?

"You're in Los Angeles?" He said hesitantly.

"Los Angeles?"

Jorel...

Suddenly I felt beyond nauseous. My body swayed to the side and back the other way before I toppled over to the ground. Before my face could make contact with the ground I felt that guy's arms wrap around me.

"YUMA!! CALL 9-1-1!!"