"Thea. C'mon bumble bee you gotta get up." I groaned and rolled away from the devil who dared to interrupt my precious sleep. It had been 6 days since I came into the hospital and other than a headache most of the time I was doing great. Physically anyway. Mentally I knew it would be a much longer and more painful recovery.

"Hey you get to come home today." Hayden hummed pushing my hair out of my face. I didn't bother to open my eyes but instead reached my arms towards him silently asking to be picked up. Hayden chucked but complied. "You're lucky your so cute." He said pressing a kiss to my temple. "It certainly helps." I mumbled into his shoulder making my brother laugh.

"Dad and Alex are wait in the lobby and the others are waiting in the car so we can go get breakfast." I perked up at the mention of breakfast. Living off of hospital food and jello had gotten old by day 4 so the idea of real food made my stomach growl. "Can we go to IHOP?" I asked still half asleep. "I'm sure we can make that happen." Hayden answered walking out of the room.

"There's my pretty girl." Dad smiled when he met up with me and Hayden in the lobby. I reached over to him and he gladly took me into his arms. "You tired baby?" I nodded against his shoulder. "Being me is tiring." Dad sighed and held me tighter. "I know sweet girl. I know." In the 6 days I had been here Dad had only left my side twice. Once to go home and take a shower and another time to go talk to the police. He didn't tell me what was happening but honestly I'm not sure I want to know.

If I never have to see or hear about Clark or Greg again I'll be happy. "The Princess has requested pancakes." Hayden to Dad and Alex who both nodded. "Sick of the hospital food bubs?" Alex teased. "Very." My family laughed and Dad carried me outside to the car. "Hey the girl of the hour has joined us." Grey said turning to me as I took my seat beside Beau. "I assume you're happy to be out of the hospital?" Beau said slinging an arm around my shoulders.

"I think I would have died of jello poisoning if I had to eat any more of it." I sighed dramatically falling back in my seat. "Oh the horror of eating sugary food." Drew exclaimed putting a hand to his forehead in a sarcastic manner. "Can we go get food now!" Grey complained tapping Dad on the shoulder impatiently. "Alright alright I'm going." Dad said starting the car. "Jeez you'd think you were the 10 year old." He grumbled. "He may be." Drew chuckled punching Greys arm playfully earning a scowl in return.

"Alright kids stop fighting so we can go eat." Alex reprimanded stopping the fight we all saw coming. "What're you gonna get Thee?" Hayden asked from the seat in front of me. "Umm pancakes I guess." I really hadn't thought about it but if you go to IHOP than I suppose you had to get pancakes. That what Beau has told me anyway. "Great choice young Padawan." I scrunched my eyebrows. "What's a Padawan?" Hayden and Grey both looked at me like I suddenly sprouted another arm. "Okay we gotta watch Star Wars as soon as we get home." Grey announced.

"Star Wars? What is that?" The first thing that came to mind was two little yellow stars fighting each other with base ball bats. Why base ball bats? I have no idea. "Something incredibly dorky that for your sake I hope they don't force you to watch." Alex said with an eye roll. "Dorky!?" Hayden exclaimed incredulously. "Star Wars is a cinematic masterpiece and I will not have you sit here and disrespect it." I giggled at how passionate my brother seemed about some movie I've never heard of.

"This is not funny bumble bee." Hayden playfully glared at me which only increased my laughter. They argued about Star Battle or whatever it was called until we reached the holy grail of pancakes. IHOP. Soon enough we were crammed into a booth ordering pancakes. I was squished between Dad and Hayden but I didn't mind. It was actually nice to be close to my family in a physical sense.

I kind of thought I would be more clingy and nervous after all that happened but more than anything I think I proved to myself that maybe I can handle the scarier parts of the world. And I now know I have 6 people behind me willing to risk life and limb to make sure I'm okay. Being cared for in a nice feeling. Being apart of a family is a nice feeling. I truly believe that I am the luckiest girl to be welcome into such a loving group of people.

A few months ago I was a different girl. I was scared. I was alone. I was broken. Now I have gone through pain but found my strength. I have become more than my broken pieces. I have become a daughter, a sister, a friend. I have memories that will last longer than any hurt I'll ever feel. I've been loved for the first time. I've laughed for the first time. And I may have gotten some scars while getting to where I am but I wouldn't change anything in my life.

My battle scars make me who I am.