*I don't own Transformers or anything affiliated with Transformers. I only own my original characters and plots. All rights go to Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg.*

Another week has passed by yet nothing has changed for me. Everything was still the same regarding my feelings. I still had yet to talk as well. Ratchet has hypothesized selective mutism, but I thought that was pushing it a bit. Selective mutism was normally categorized as an anxiety disorder, so that was not it at all. I really just didn't want to talk to anyone and I honestly didn't think I could talk to anyone. It was almost as if I were trapped inside my own mind with no way out; I could speak inside my mind, but I could not speak outside of it.

Everyone was very worried about me, including my parents and Nathan, but I didn't know why. I mean, I was productive when I needed to be. I just didn't speak and I kind of looked like a walking corpse. I had yet to eat as well, so my skin was growing paler than it should be and I was losing just a little bit of weight. If I were fully human I probably would have been admitted into a hospital because of not eating for two weeks, but I had my Cybertronian side to thank for not letting that happen. Plus, I've been drinking water like I was supposed to do. I was certainly weaker than before and I might not have been as healthy as I should be, but I was healthy enough.

I still had yet to go to school too, and I was happy that my parents weren't forcing me to go. I didn't want to sit in a nasty building full of annoyingly loud human beings for eight excruciating hours. I'd much rather be at home in the comfort of my own room either sleeping or watching reruns of old television shows on my flat screen.

For the first time in two weeks, though, I was not in my room. Currently I was sitting in my grandpa's office at the military base here in Washington D.C. My dad came in my room this morning to say goodbye to me before he took off for work, but I stopped him from leaving. He was very confused at first, but I wrote him a little note telling him that I wanted to come with him. I thought it would be a good way for me to possibly "perk up", but I've been here all day and my mood still had yet to change from depressed to less depressed. I thought that being around the Autobots would make me feel better, so here I was. I was so wrong about it though. If anything the only thing I could think about while I was here was everything did when I came here with Ethan. I already missed training with him even though I absolutely hated training; I was going to miss sneaking in to the important and sometimes classified military meetings between the Autobots and Mearing, and I was definitely going to miss coming here and pulling pranks on the Autobots even though it was just one time.

I just wish that all of this would go away. I honestly didn't know how much more pain I could take. Never in my life have I ever had to deal with losing someone so close to me and I hoped that I would never have to do it again, at least not so soon. If I was acting like this because of my best friend's death, then I didn't want to know exactly how I would act if I ever lost my mom or my dad. I was actually scared to find out just how that would be for me. The thought of it just made me want to throw up.

With a sigh I threw the magazine to the floor. I have been in this office all day long after I realized that nothing was going to help brighten my mood. I could have asked my dad to take me home, but I didn't want to bother him while he was working. I just couldn't stand being in here any longer. It wasn't fun and there was really nothing in here for me to do except watch TV and stare out the window. It was a nice view and everything, but it was just so boring.

I got up and hurried over to the office door. It took me about two minutes to get down to the Autobot hangar. The area was bustling with workers and Autobots alike. I began looking for my father's holoform among the many humans walking around, but I didn't see him. Instead I saw his Cybertronian form standing at the very end of the room speaking with Optimus. I had no clue why they were in their true forms with all of these humans around, but I didn't care enough to actually question it.

After pushing my way through several workers I finally made it over to my dad and Optimus. It's been a few weeks since I've seen my dad in his true form and even longer since I've seen Optimus in his, so I was just a bit surprised by their incredible height, but only a bit.

My dad noticed me almost immediately and kneeled down to my level. He still towered over me by a few feet, but I didn't mind it much.

"I was just about to come speak to you," he told me.

I curiously tilted my head to the side.

"I have to work a few hours overtime. Do you mind staying here for a couple more hours?"

I shook my head.

"If you get tired you're more than welcome to find a housing room, okay?" he said.

I nodded in understanding. I probably wasn't going to go to sleep any time soon. If anything I was in the mood for a long, much needed walk. It might have been pretty dark outside, but I didn't care. I'd be okay and I highly doubted the security would allow just anyone onto the property.

"I'll see you in a few hours, Kay."

I gave him the smallest of smiles and held my arms out to him. The thoughts from earlier were slowly slipping back into my mind, and although he was in his true form I didn't care. I needed a hug from this brute of an Autobot and I needed it now.

He held his hand out to me and I attacked his thumb. I wrapped my arms around it as tight as I possibly could and I could feel as his four remaining fingers found their way around my back as carefully as possible.

"I love you, Kaelyn," he said to me.

I pulled away from him and looked up. For the first time in a few weeks I actually smiled and my dad's optics brightened just at the sight of it.

I stepped back and gave his hand a nice pat before walking away.

I walked towards the hangar exit and walked out of it. My dad didn't know I was leaving the base and he probably wouldn't be too happy about it if he did, so I hoped none of the security guards informed him about this.

The air outside was warm and rather comforting to me. I soon made my way past the security guards and down the dark road. This was doing a rather good job at calming me down, and I didn't even think I could be calmed down. If Nate were here this would be so much better, but he was at home with my mom and his mom. My mom has been very upset lately--mostly because of me--so she's had Natalie around to keep her company while dad was at work and while Nate was at school, and while I was in my room moping around about Ethan. I was kind of beginning to feel bad about it though. My mom was now almost four months pregnant, so emotions and stress were taking a greater toll on her than they were before. I wanted nothing more than for her to be happy again and I knew that she couldn't be because she was worried about me, but she didn't need to be. I'd be okay eventually, but for now I just needed a little bit of time to get through all of this. That was all.

I wasn't sure how long I had been walking, and I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't even have a clue where I was. All I knew was that it was dark and it was only getting darker the further I walked. The only thing around me was an old bar and a weird abandoned gas station. Never in my seventeen years of life have I seen this part of Washington D.C. and I was almost positive there was a reason for it. I was creeped out just being here and I was also maybe a little frightened. This did not have anything remotely good written on it.

As quickly as I could I hurried back the way I came. It wasn't but a few seconds later that I felt as if I were being followed. A quick glance behind me confirmed that I was in fact being followed. Had I been paying attention I probably could have made out a face, but I was too frightened to even think about it. All I knew was that it was a fairly large man and I was too weak for a confrontation.

"Daddy! Daddy!" I exclaimed through the mental link. Almost immediately there was a click and my father's loud voice sounded inside my head.

"Kay? What's wrong?"

"There's someone following me and I'm scared," I told him. I glanced back to see the figure still coming for me. He was only getting closer to me.

"What? Kay, where are you?" he asked me. He sounded worried.

"I don't know. I went for a walk and now I don't know where I am. Please help me," I told him. Even in my head I sounded scared.

He grunted. "Okay, hold on. I'll lock in to your coordinates and I will be there soon. Hang on, Kay."

That was the last thing he said before disconnecting. My fear heightened and I was just about to turn into an alley when my name was called. I turned around quickly at the familiarity of the voice. The figure was running towards me, and thanks to a dim street light I could make out who it was. It was Trent and he was drunk. I knew that by the smell and by the almost empty bottle of beer in his hand. It's been weeks since I've last seen him and I would be kind of happy about seeing him if it weren't for the stories I've been told and the bad vibe radiating off of him.

I took a step back and he smirked at me.

"Why s-so nervous?" he slurred as he took a step closer to me.

I didn't answer him. I just took a deep breath and took another step backwards. For some odd reason he seemed to like this.

"Speechless, huh?" he chuckled.

I shook my head and took a step back. Unfortunately, I backed into a brick wall giving Trent the opportunity to move closer to me.

"I-I have been-n waiting for this opportunity for so long, Kaelyn. It was s-so hard to find one because your angry f-father and my brat of a son have yet to leave your side," he laughed.

I gave him a questioning look.

"Oh! You don't know!" he exclaimed as he took a final swig of his beer. He laughed before smashing it against the wall. The bottom of the bottle shattered, but the top was still in tact. What scared me was the fact that he had created a makeshift shank.

"Your little father ruined my life, you know? He took my family away from me, Kaelyn," he grumbled.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. It was barely audible considering I haven't used my voice in at least two weeks, but he managed to hear it.

He laughed loudly. "You're sorry? As if I care."

He took another step closer to me and had I been able to move away from him I would have. He was pressing himself against me and I did not like it at all. He reeked of alcohol and it was not only just beer. Somehow I knew that even if he wasn't as drunk as he was he probably still would be doing this.

"God, you're beautiful," he whispered. He brought a hand up to my cheek and began caressing it. I stiffened almost immediately.

"Please get away from me," I whispered back. There were now hot tears streaming down my face. I was scared. Normally I would have been able to at least attempt to fight him off, but I couldn't find the energy to.

"I will once I get rid of you," he said.

"What?" I squeaked.

He chuckled. "You see...your dad took my son away from me, so I'm going to take his daughter away from him."

He had an evil smirk on his face. At least now I knew how my mom felt seventeen years ago.

"Please don't do this to me," I pleaded with him. I attempted to push him away but he grabbed me by the neck and slammed me back against the wall. I winced in pain. You'd think he'd be a lot less stronger when he was drunk, but he was actually stronger.

"But I have to. It's only fair," he said to me before raising the broken bottle.

My eyes widened in fear and I took a deep breath before yelling as loudly as I could.

"Daddy!"

"Your daddy's not going to save you, sweetheart."

By now I was full on sobbing. Trent raised his hand to finish what he started, but before he could he was yanked away. I jumped in response, but once I saw my dad's holoform I calmed down a little bit. The tears didn't stop though. Trent attempted to stab my dad with his little shank, but my dad was too quick for him. He grabbed the bottle out of his hand and threw it to the ground. The next thing I knew Trent was lying unconscious on the ground. I gasped and looked back up at my dad. Without another though I ran to him and wrapped my arms around him. He sighed in relief and hugged me tightly.

"Thank you, daddy," I cried into his shirt.

He seemed to relax just at the sound of my voice. I didn't even think it was possible for him to hug me harder, but he did.

"Anytime, Kay."