Bikers, big, tall, old, young, good-looking, scary looking, men and women fill the backyard. Everyone stops their animated conversations to stare at me.

Adonis remains standing next to me. "This is how I know your dad."

One man stands. He's big and looks to be in his fifties with an American flag bandanna wrapped around his head. He rubs his goatee as he motions for a scrumptious hottie to come over and mumbles something to him. The young guy nods and struts all the way to the backdoor of the house then vanishes inside.

Taking a moment to channel my reaction goes right out the door as soon as I open my mouth. "This is freaking awesome."

That's not the reaction Adonis was expecting and I know it because he gives a surprised laugh, which causes the people around us to widen their eyes.

That makes six.

"Six what?" he asks, leaning down to make eye contact.

"Times I've made you laugh. I'm counting because I get the feeling you don't all that much."

He straightens as I scan the still fairly quiet crowd that's whispering here and there. The man in the bandanna strides over to us making everyone move out of his way and I immediately look to his vest and see President. He stops right in front of me, but my attention is taken elsewhere the minute I see her. My sister.

"Amber!" I whisper yell.

Her elbows are resting on her knees as she sits on a table glaring at me. She's wearing a leather jacket with patches all over, similar to the cuts the men wear, and tight ripped jeans along with heavy worn biker boots.

Our looks are so different, with her being significantly prettier than me. It's hard to believe we're even twins. Her hair is wavy and not a spiral curl like mine. Even our eyes are different with hers being a darker deeper blue, while mine is a creamy robin's egg blue. I wear no makeup. She clearly looks like the type of girl you'd watch do a makeup tutorial and it makes you jealous at the end with the masterpiece she's created on her face.

The crazy thing about my twin and I is that we have different birthdays. We were born in different years and different millenniums. Amber was born at 11:57 1999 on New Year's Eve. I was born New Year's Day at 12:07.

Yep.

Amber slowly gets down and walks away. I watch as the screen door squeaks and shuts behind her. My attention turns to the man in front of me who's also starring after her.

"Georgie, Mr. President," I say, sticking my hand out.

His attention turns to me and looks down at my outstretched hand. His big bear one wraps around mine. "Archie. Uncle Archie."

"Oh," I reply with wide eyes. "You're my uncle."

He let's go of my hand. "Not by blood, but yes."

"Cool, I've always wanted an uncle. Do I see burgers because I'm starving?"

"You just had a whole bag of random snacks. How are you still hungry?" Adonis quips.

"I have an endless pit in my stomach that's impossible to fill."

Archie's forehead wrinkles. "We better take this inside."

He stretches his hand out towards the backdoor and I follow. Adonis stays back and walks over to a group of guys around his age and catches a drink one of them throws at him.

"Adonis, get me a burger!" I yell at him.

His baritone laughter follows him out as I follow Archie inside and draw another mental mark.

Seven.

Once inside Amber is sitting on the counter analyzing me thoroughly. The guy from before leans on the counter next to her. He has long dark hair and gorgeous hazel eyes. He's not as big as Adonis but he seems to be around the same age as him. He wears his cut with pride, like he just got it. In fact, it's not as worn as others and the black leather is still shining and stiff. He's typing away on his phone with the quickest fingers I've ever seen.

Once he's done, he shoves his phone in his back pocket. "Hey there, Mini Muffin."

Archie looks around. "Where is he?"

Phone guy shrugs. "The place that cannot be named."

I raise a brow. "So the bathroom."

"Yep," he answers with a charming smile. "Nova."

"Georgie," I reply distractedly because I have a haunting feeling overwhelming me as I take in my surroundings.

Archie disappears into the hallway as I glance around in a numbing shock. It's disturbing really, since I never could grasp what it looked like when I wracked my brain, but I had painted this sight before. During an episode. I had no idea it was of the kitchen in my old home and it had been more of an image straight out of a horror movie.

The kitchen has yellow and white rose wallpaper that's surprisingly still in good condition. In my old painting it was grimy with edges curling up from the paste losing its grip and parts had been torn off. In that still image it looked like it had been ransacked. What I did capture though was that it was without a doubt this small kitchen.

The table is shoved against the wall that's next to the screen door that goes out to the backyard and the cabinets are that orangish oaky color with white linoleum counters. The cabinets are worn but none of them look like it had once been ripped off the walls like my illustration had depicted.

Amber's sitting on the counter by the fridge which is also next to the door that goes out to the garage. I go over to the other side and notice some of the linoleum on the edge is sticking out.

"What are you doing here?" Amber questions nonchalantly.

My finger touches the flap and I pull it out just a tad. In a moment, my mind goes blank. I see nothing, feel nothing, until cold air starts biting away at my skin as if I have hundreds of fire ants biting away at my skin.

Trying to shrug it off I hear the linoleum smack against the counter. "Um," I mutter absently. "I need a place to stay and I want to see you guys."

I turn to see both her and Nova staring at me weirdly. Clearing my throat, I point to Nova's vest. "It's newish. Did you just join or something?"

His brows lift and he glances down at his vest then back at me. "I've been a part of the Salvation since the day I was born, but I'm still going on tours so I don't wear mine that often."

Tours? Military then.

"Okay." I nod. "But why is it shiny and still stiff? You also don't have nearly as many patches."

Amber starts chuckling. "You're right on, sis. Nova here, got his when he joined the military so he's still a newbie when it comes to wearing the cut, but club? No. His dad is Arch."

"Makes sense," I mumble completely distracted as I look around, wondering if I'm imagining this stinging feeling that's making me want to claw away at my skin or if I have an episode coming on.

Needing a distraction from my distraction I turn to Amber. "I'm kind of surprised."

She jumps down and leans next to Nova. "About what?"

"I don't know, I guess, I thought you'd be pretty ticked to see me."

Her stare is mixed with emotions that she tries to hide but ultimately can't. "It's awkward and I don't know how to feel right now. You're different than I remembered or imagined. Not to be rude but it's almost like you're a stranger that just walked into our backyard. I know nothing about you to really lash out or draw to any conclusion."

That was a very mature way of putting it.

"Thanks?" she says almost like a question.

My leg starts becoming restless and I tune in trying to combat whatever storm is brewing inside of me. I put on a bubbly smile. "I always thought that if we did see each other again you'd hate me for taking mom away or something."

Her brows drop and her tiny smile vanishes. "Mom took you. None of it was your and my fault. Wasn't even dad's." She ended the last part in a frustrated whisper.

I cross my arms over my stomach so that my fingers can relieve some of the burning on my skin.

"You alright?" Nova asks.

We're interrupted as a monstrosity of man runs into the kitchen, but this one I know. Dad looks like a mad man stumbling upon the murder of a loved one.

He's older than I remember of course but still ruggedly handsome putting good Ole Chip to shame. Besides his age, he's barely changed, T-shirt, jeans, tattoos all over him and his blonde hair sitting on top of his head that's clearly been pulled here and there like he's stressed out. He's wearing the leather vest like rest and one of his patches says Vice President.

It takes all my self-control not to run to him and cry. It's like all those years alone and wishing mom would hug me, love me, and want me came rushing over me. My heartbeat is in my ears and I take an unsteady breath.

Pointing to him, I say, "VP, that's cool."

He's breathing hard and staring at me with wide shocked eyes that are just like mine. Archie comes behind him. "Told you we weren't pulling your chain. Nova, come on." He turns to my dad. "We'll clean up and head out."

Archie and Nova go to leave and Amber follows them. "Wait, Amber?"

She turns to me with understanding. "You two need privacy."

They're gone and it's just me and dad.

Awkwardness engulfs me and for the first time in a very long time I'm silent. My defenses are up and it's getting hard to breathe as that stinging, itching feeling comes back.

He takes a careful step as if I'm a wild rabbit about to dart. He stretches out his arm and touches mine. Sucking in a long unsteady breath dad looks as if he's on the verge of breaking down. My body is ripped off the floor as he picks me up squeezing me like a bear and I feel the tears prickling in my eyes as I wrap my arms around him. I can't remember the last time mom hugged me, and if I could it wasn't like this; warm, desperate... protective.

"All this time I've been searching for you only for you to... just show up," he says as he puts me back down.

Wait? What?!

The door opens and Adonis strides in with a paper plate in hand. "Your burger with everything on it."

He places it on the table for me and nods at my dad, walking back out before I can say thank you. I shake out of my stupor and sit down taking a bite out of it. "Expound on that please."