The soft, golden light in the studio flickered like a slow heartbeat. The world around them was beautiful—perfect, even—but there was something wrong about it, something that none of them could place. The sense of familiarity was undeniable, but it was accompanied by an undercurrent of confusion, as though they were trying to piece together a puzzle with missing pieces.
Liam stood by the control panel, staring at the red blinking light, his hand hovering over it. The urge to press the button—play—was strong, like a magnetic pull that he couldn't explain. But before he could make a decision, a sound, barely above a whisper, broke through the silence.
"Liam?"
He froze. His breath caught in his throat. It was faint, but it was enough to make his heart skip a beat.
The others turned to him, eyes wide.
"Did anyone else hear that?" Liam's voice was shaky.
Zayn squinted, looking at the equipment. "What did it say?"
Liam's hand clenched into a fist, and he took a hesitant step forward. "It was... it was a voice. A woman's voice."
"Who was it?" Louis asked, stepping closer.
Liam closed his eyes for a second, as though trying to reach into the fog of his mind. "I don't know... but I think I know her."
"Liam... please..." The voice came again, clear this time, and full of longing. "You have to remember me."
Liam's chest tightened. "It's her. It's... it's Roxy," he whispered.
The others exchanged confused glances.
"Who's Roxy?" Zayn asked.
Liam blinked, his mind scrambling. He couldn't grasp the full image of her—just a few fragments. A face that flickered in and out of focus. Her laugh. Her touch. The feeling of warmth and security whenever she was near. But the details... they were hazy, like something he had long forgotten.
"She's... my girlfriend," Liam murmured, but even saying the words felt strange. As if they were part of someone else's life. "She's from the real world."
The room fell silent. None of them knew how to respond.
Zayn ran a hand through his hair, looking bewildered. "Wait, so... she's someone important? Someone you care about?"
Liam nodded, his voice thick with emotion. "Yes. She's important. She's the one who... who..." He trailed off, the words stuck in his throat. "I can't remember everything clearly. But I know she's real. She's the one who pulled me back."
"Pulled you back from what?" Harry asked, stepping closer to him.
Before Liam could answer, the voice returned, more urgently this time. "Liam, please, you have to come back. You don't belong there. You don't belong in this world."
The words hit him like a wave crashing against the shore. He staggered back, holding his head in his hands as if trying to steady himself. The flood of emotions was overwhelming—confusion, fear, guilt. How long had he been here? Why couldn't he remember everything?
"What the hell is going on?" Louis said, his voice tight with frustration. "Who is that? Why are we hearing her? And why can't we remember anything?"
"I... I don't know," Liam admitted, his voice cracking. "I think I know her, but I'm not sure. My memories are all over the place."
Zayn stepped forward, his brow furrowing in thought. "She said something about you needing to come back. Maybe... maybe that's why we're stuck here. We're not supposed to be in this world."
A long silence fell over the room.
Zayn's voice was softer now, almost hesitant. "I... I think I remember something too."
The others looked at him, and he went on. "I remember a girl. Jenny. She's... she's pregnant. I—I can't believe I forgot. She's my girlfriend. From back home."
Harry's eyes widened. "Pregnant? But... how long has it been since we were... you know, ourselves?"
Zayn's face paled. "I don't know. I can't keep track of time here. But I know that she's waiting for me. And I'm... I'm supposed to be with her."
Liam clenched his fists, frustration bubbling up inside him. "None of this feels real! None of it! I can't remember who I am. I can't remember anything clearly except... except her. Roxy. And I don't even know if she's real anymore!"
Louis shook his head, a frown pulling at his lips. "Wait. You're telling me we're supposed to be more than what we are here? That... that we're some kind of... band, or something?"
"We were more than just normal people," Harry added, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know what it is, but it feels like there was something big. Something important."
"We were... One Direction," Liam said, the words slipping out before he even realized it. "That's who we were."
The room seemed to freeze at the name. It hung in the air like a forgotten song, a melody that had once filled their lives.
"I remember," Niall said quietly. "I remember being on stage... the lights, the music, the fans. I remember it. But I don't know how it all fits together."
"We were One Direction," Zayn repeated, his voice quieter now, almost reverent. "We were a band. But how did we get here?"
Liam looked around at the others, the weight of their fragmented memories heavy in the room. "I don't know. But Roxy's right. We don't belong here. We have to get back. We have to find a way home."
"You're waking up. That's good. But time is running out. You have to remember more, or you'll be lost forever."
Roxy's voice was back, stronger now. But it still wasn't enough. She wasn't here. She couldn't reach them fully. Not yet.
"I remember being with her," Liam said, his voice trembling. "But that's all I have. I have to remember more. I have to get back to her."
Zayn turned to him, his eyes filled with determination. "We all have to get back. Jenny needs me."
Louis nodded. "Let's figure out how."
The room grew colder as a soft, steady hum filled the air. And then, before any of them could react, a door appeared in the wall. Not the same door they had seen before, but one that seemed to shimmer with potential—like it was waiting for them.
Liam stepped toward it, a deep sense of urgency rising within him. "This is it. This is the way."
They gathered together in front of the door, each of them still holding onto fragments of their memories, pieces of their real selves that hadn't been erased by this strange world. Their connection was there, even if the full picture wasn't clear yet.
"We can do this," Liam said. "Together."
Zayn stepped forward. "I'm ready."
Niall nodded, his hand on the door. "Let's go home."
They all looked at each other one last time before they stepped forward, the door opening just wide enough for them to pass through.
And as they walked through the threshold, they left the perfect world behind, uncertain of what would await them on the other side—only knowing they had to find their way back.