Authors note: the story idea came to me when I was driving home from a friends house this afternoon. I think this would be a fun story to write about. I'm pretty decent at writing really dark stuff. I hope I get some feedback and enjoy :)

Plot: The Eckhert's have a third sibling, Chloe. Not only did the brothers have to take care of each other... now their younger sister. You have so much more to lose when family is involved.

Chapter One

A fist wrapped on the oak door repeatedly. The sound echoed throughout the room mixing in with the soft music flowing through the stereo system. This only caused the knocking to increase until the small figure sleepily uncovered their head from under the peach comforter. Squinting tiredly, she gazed around the room trying to process what was going on.

"Chloe, you awake?"

Sighing at the sound of her father's voice, she let her face fall back into the pillow, "Yes."

"I'm assuming that was a yes," he called.

"Mhmm," was her muffled response.

"Come unlock your door so I know you're up."

Pouting, she slipped off the bed remorsefully. When her feet touched the floor it caused Goosebumps to start all over her body. She tip toed to the door and unlocked the hatch. Opening it slowly she stared up at her father who was grinning down at her.

"Morning sweetheart," leaning forward he kissed her temple affectionately.

She stretched her arms over her head, "Morning."

"There's eggs and toast on the table. Come join your brothers and me for breakfast."

"Brothers?" she frowned confusedly.

"Yep," he winked at her knowing that the excitement would soon reach her face. And it did. The once sleepy teenager burst out into a pearly smile as she realized he truly did mean brothers. Jed had left for the marines quite a long time ago and she hadn't heard from him in a while. The thought of him being physically close enough to look at brought the young girl happiness.

She squealed, "He's in the kitchen?"

"Eating a plate of freshly cooked breakfast, which is getting cold since it took you so long to get out of bed…"

With that, Chloe skipped past her father and stomped down the stairs in a frenzy. She darted around the house until she reached the entryway for the kitchen. Stopping in the doorway her eyes danced around the figure that was hunched over shoving eggs down his throat. Matt first met her gaze and fought the urge to roll his light green eyes at the complete euphoria on his younger siblings face.

"Jed!" her voice came out higher than normal. The older male snapped his head in her direction. A firm grin spread across his lips and he pushed out of his seat carefully. His eyes grazed over the girl apprehensively. There was no way that the petite female before him was his baby sister.

"Chloe," he exhaled deeply. "You're all grown up."

She jumped at him and tied her arms around his waist lovingly, "I've missed you so much."

"Me too…"

"What took you so long to come back?" she bit down on her lip hard after she asked the question. Tucking her head into his chest she attempted to hide the tears that built in her eyes.

"I was stationed in Iraq," Jed explained sympathetically. He could hear her voice wavier when she asked the question. At least she seemed genuinely happy that he was back; unlike Matt who only glanced at him long enough to let the rage fix on his face.

"Well, I'm just glad you're home," looking up at him she gave him a small smile.

They were interrupted by their father walking into the room. He fixed his eyes on Chloe sternly, "Hurry up and eat your breakfast."

"Yeah, yeah," she waived him off. Releasing Jed, she plopped down in the seat beside Matt where a plate was made for her.

Matt's chair scraped against the floor as he stood up to place his plate in the sink. He shuffled out of the kitchen and upstairs without a sound. Chloe just rolled her eyes knowing that the eighteen-year-old was throwing one of his hissy fits.

"How's school?" Jed questioned curiously as he returned to his meal.

She swallowed before answering, "Eh. It's okay."

"What year are you now?"

"She's a sophomore," Tom answered for her. "She might be graduating early too."

Jed raised his brows at Chloe signaling for her to explain this. She sighed, "Well, I'm trying to get into this nursing program. I've already started taking some of the perquisite courses at the local college."

"Really?" he sounded impressed.

"Yes. If I manage to pass all of them I'll probably graduate at the end of my junior year or after the first semester of my senior year."

"She will pass," boasted her father. "This one got the brains."

"Everyone else got the brawn," she turned her nose upwards. "Someone had to get mom's genes. I guess I was the only one."

"Hey," Tom chuckled at her insult.

"Whatever you say Coal."

"Oh not this again," she huffed.

Jed smiled.

"Matt has a game tonight," said Tom, interrupting the memories that began to flood through Chloe's brain at the nickname Jed had given her so long ago.

"What time?" Jed finished his plate and leant back in his seat. He crossed his arms over his chest as his aquatic eyes carefully took in his youngest sibling and father.

"Around seven."

"I'll be there," he promised.
"You get to see Mattie get all hot-headed," Chloe snorted at the thought of Matt playing football. He always got too into the game. He took everything so seriously all the time.

"Chloe," Tom warned her as he sipped on his coffee.

"What?" she shrugged. "He gets all bitchy. He never listens to his coach. I'm surprised that he still has a spot on the team with his attitude."

"It's because he's good," Tom confirmed.

"It doesn't matter how good you are if you can't work as a team," she stood from the table. Copying Matt's motions she dropped her plate into the sink. Smiling at the two older men, she skipped out of the room and back up the stairs to get ready for school.

Jed went to the fridge and grabbed a beer, "Smart kid."

"Got that from your mother," Tom had a ghostly smile on his lips.

Overlooking the comment, Jed thought about a few years ago when Chloe's head had hardly made it past his hip. Now even if she still wasn't that tall she had a more womanly figure. He was shocked to even notice that she had breasts, which disturbed him somewhat. Everything about her seemed completely foreign to him.

"Mattie, I'm not joking. Hurry up."

"Seriously Chloe, it's not my fault you took so long to wake up."

"I need to do my makeup and I have to wash my face before I do it! It'll only take a second."

Matt laughed, "A second? You have the longest morning ritual of all the females I've ever met in my entire life."

"I doubt that."

"You have to wash your face, brush your teeth, comb your hair, have your morning pee, gargle your freaking Listerine for like five minutes and then I swear you just sit and here doing who knows what for another twenty," he let the white foam wash off the end of his razor. Carefully, he brought it back to his cheek and let it slide down his olive skin.

"I don't do anything that's useless for twenty minutes. You're exaggerating," she started to twist the door handle obnoxiously in an attempt to irritate him further. "But now that you mention it I really have to pee."

"Go in Dad's bathroom then."

"He doesn't have any of my stuff."

"Then you can wait."

"What are you doing anyway?"

He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, "Shaving my face. I'll be five more minutes. I will take longer if you don't leave me alone."

"Fine," turning on her heel she walked back to her room. Normally she liked to do all her cleansing rituals before getting dressed, she always managed to get toothpaste on her shirt, but she decided she might as well. Sliding on a pair of tight dark blue jeans, a plain mossy scoop neck tee, black hoodie, and her black moccasins she called herself dressed. By the time she finished Matt was exiting the bathroom. Sticking her tongue out at the stocky male she pranced around him and slammed the door hard.

"Brat," Matt muttered as he pounded into his bedroom to finish getting ready. Today was not his day. First, he woke up to discover Jed was home. He still resented the fact that he left them alone when their mother passed away. Although, he had to admit he was somewhat glad that he finally decided to face them. Then Chloe is acting like Jed had not abandoned them for the Marines, but then she has to annoy him too. Not to mention the stress he could already feel building up for the game tonight.

"What's all the noise?"

Matt saw his father standing in the doorway.

"Chloe."

Tom sighed, "Someone is going to break that damn door."

"It's that one in there," he grinned. "She stays slamming the door."

"I've noticed," Tom shook his head. "You catching a ride today? Or do you need one?"

"Thanks Dad, but showing up in the squad car was only cool until the third grade," he jabbed. "Danny is picking me up."

"What about Chloe?"

Matt nodded, "She's coming with us."

"Good."

"Are you going to the game?"

Tom nodded firmly, "Wouldn't miss it."

Matt smiled appreciatively. His dad, no matter how busy he was being a Police Sergeant, always found time for his games.

"Is Chloe going?"

"Who knows what that girls doing? She's always doing something."

"Yeah, I hardly see her anymore," Tom grumbled.

Beep. Beep.

"Chloe," Matt shouted. He pulled down the blinds of his bedroom to see Danny sitting in his car. "Hurry up! Danny's here."

"I'm already done," she stepped into the bedroom with a proud grin on her mouth. "Twenty minutes my butt."

"Whatever."

"You two have a good day at school," Tom said with a slight grin.

"Bye Daddy," Chloe stood on her toes and Tom bent down so she could kiss his cheek. Then Matt and her bounded down the stairs. There Jed waiting by the door. She wrapped her arms around his torso like before and squeezed him. He returned the gesture before she took off out of the house without a glance back at her childhood home.