(Four Years Later...)

The roar of a well played guitar rocked all throughout the room, filling the air with sweet music of hard drum beats and a steady base, all combined into one beautiful tone. The room itself was dark with lights on a small stage, and many people came up to the stage to see two girls, and two boys.

Then, there in the spot light stepped out a tall, thin, young woman with scene black hair that fell to her shoulders, thick eyeliner, and ruby red lips with a lip ring to the right. She wore a black and white striped scoop neck shirt with a black vest, and a black jeweled necklace, many black bracelets, and tall black leather heeled boots with ripped blue skinny jeans. Grace breathed in deeply as she grasped the microphone in front of her, clearing her throat as the song began.

Daniel whacked the drums in harmony to match Vince's base, and Vince played to the beautifully played candy-apple red guitar that Amber carried. Amber had long scene blonde hair with a red ribbon bow, a black strapless shirt with a white scarf, red bracelets, ripped white skinny jeans, and black high top converses. Her lips were red as well, with smoky white eye shadow and a silver chain necklace. Her skin was pale and her hair fell past her chest as a golden blonde shade.

"Hold onto me love,
You know I cant stay long.
All I want to say was, "I love you and I'm not afraid"
Can you hear me?
Can you feel me in your arms?"

Grace sang perfectly, making the crowd go silent in awe. They gazed at her as her face showed passion, making her voice that much more amazing. Her voice was strong, yet gentle like an angel's as the words flowed along with the music in perfect harmony.

"Holding my last breath,
Safe inside myself.
Are all my thoughts of you?
Sweet raptured light,
It ends here tonight.

I'll miss the winter,
A world of fragile things.
Look for me in the white forest
Hiding in a hollow tree."
"And you'll find me." Amber sang quietly as an echo, and Grace breathed in.

"I know you hear me.
I can taste it in your tears.
Holding my last breath.
Safe inside myself,
Are all my thoughts of you?
Sweet raptured light,
It ends here tonight.

Closing your eyes to disappear,
You pray your dreams will leave you here;
But still you wake and know the truth,
No one is there...

Say goodnight,
Don't be afraid,
Calling me, Calling me as you fade to black.

(Say goodnight) Holding my last breath,
(Don't be afraid) Safe inside myself
(Calling me, calling me) Are all my thoughts of you?
Sweet raptured life, it ends here tonight.

"Holding my last breath.
Safe inside myself,
Are all my thoughts of you?
Sweet raptured light,
It ends here tonight."

Amber sang after her, finishing off the song as they slowly let the music fade out. The crowd cheered and clapped as they finished their last song of the night, and Grace turned to Amber with a tired, breathless smile.

"Thank you, you've been a wonderful audience, have a good night." Grace said breathlessly into the microphone. Amber just laughed and clapped too. Daniel threw his drum sticks up in the air, then caught them and twirled them with his fingers before getting up to stretch. Amber took off the guitar strap and set it down and skipped off stage with Grace and Vince, hearing the crowd continue to cheer.

Amber and the band didn't make up their songs and instead decided to sing karaoke, only they took it to the next level. The crowd favorite was Evanescence, seeing is how Grace sounded just like her in all ways. Amber was taught to sing by Grace, making them become closer friends. Amber was now 19, and tonight was her four year disappearance from home when she was 15, and she intended on keeping that a record. Her home was with Grace who offered to let her be her room mate like Carlos, Daniel, Macy and Vince.

Her boss, Joe, who was also the leader of the gang she was now apart of called the Allies, allowed her to join after hearing her runaway story. Amber was a bit scared of him, but she was more frightened of her father. Her job was to perform with Grace and the others, earning money to support their gang, and it was a profitable performance too. The only downside was their rival gang, the Montys. She thought the gang names were stupid, but a serious rivalry stood between the two, causing drive-bys and dreadful murders.

The Allies were formed when the Montys came and tore up neighborhoods, sold drugs, robbed stores, and set fire to homes. Amber found the Allies more favorable and more persuasive than the rebels of the town, and took pride in her role to protect her part of town, making her practice harder everyday with her guitar and voice to make more money.

She stepped down the stairs tiredly, feeling her fingers throb and sweat drip down her cheek. Daniel and Vince were more sweaty, and looked like they had just got out for the shower. Vince pulled back his thick, dark brown hair, sighing as Daniel handed him a bottle of water. Vince wore a white T-shirt with plain baggy blue jeans, and Daniel wore a black T-shirt with white skinny jeans and low top black converses with a chain. Daniel breathed in grabbed a towel, wiping the sweat off his forehead. Grace sat down in a chair and sucked down two bottles of water in less than a minute before coughing. Amber sat down next to her, sucking on her fingers that were painted black.

"You okay?" Amber breathed.

Grace coughed again and nodded. "I'm fine, just went longer on the notes this time." she said with a horse voice. Grace always had a horse voice after a show, and Amber knew that it was painful after she got done singing, and Grace's smoking habits didn't help her heal any faster.

"Yo, we're going out to eat or what? I'm starved." Daniel suggested, taking off his soaked shirt to reveal a muscular chest and large arms, typical body of a drummer.

Grace coughed again. "Nah, I'm not hungry."

"Grace, you haven't eaten in what, two days? You need to eat something." Vince scowled and stepped over to her, picking up her wrist like a toy. She was very thin do to a serious medical condition called Anorexia. She would go days without eating, getting to the point where Vince and Carlos had to shove food down her throat. That one incident made Grace think twice about their threats, but she only ate when they forced her to. Amber was always worried about her collapsing on stage, and tried to tell her that she was thin enough, but Grace was the hard-headed type, always looking in the mirror.

"Look at this grace, this is just skin and bone. You will eat tonight, or else." he warned, but Grace just rolled her gray eyes.

"Come on, just eat, its not so bad." Amber begged with a small smile, and Grace sighed.

"Fine fine, just get me another bottle of water."

Vince sighed too and nodded. "Good, you stubborn thing." he joked and Daniel swung a light gray jacket over his shoulder, walking over to the back door.

"Come on guys, I'm ready to go and I'm not waiting up for you."

Amber and Grace got up and picked up their jackets from a few hooks on the wall, slipping them on before following Daniel out the door.

Vince caught up to the three and tossed a water bottle to Grace, who shoved it in her jacket before pulling out a cigarette and red lighter. Amber rolled her blue eyes and fanned away the smoke when Grace lit up the cigarette.

"Ugh, those cancer sticks are going to kill you." Amber groaned with a light cough. Grace inhaled the cigarette deeply, holding in her breath before letting out the smoke through her mouth and nose with a smile.

"No," she breathed. "they help me concentrate. Makes my throat feel better too."

"Yo, that's just nasty." Vince coughed at the smoke as the four walked down a narrow ally way before making their way onto a sidewalk. The only light came from the street lamps and small lights from distant shops and restaurants. Amber coughed and fanned away the smoke again, walking in front of Grace.

"Yeah, its gross, do you ever plan on quitting?" she asked, but Grace just sucked on it again, blowing a ring of smoke and flicked the cigarette.

"Nope, not a chance." Grace snapped with a chuckle, making Daniel turn around and clap his hands.

"Grace, can you spare a cigarette, I forgot my pack at home?" he asked, and Grace pulled out another one before handing it to him.

"Thank ya much, little sexy thing." Daniel winked playfully.

"No problem ya handsome hunk." Grace laughed, and Amber just rolled her eyes when she heard Daniel light up his cigarette. She looked off down the street do to habit, seeing is how there was always a chance of a Monty stalking them. She pulled her blonde hair out of her eyes to see a shadowy figure of a car tread slowly behind them. That same shadow that she saw every night she was out. She learned not to let it bother her, knowing that all it did was follow her for the past four years. She continued to stare at it, elbowing Vince in the arm.

"Hey, check it." she whispered, making the others look back.

"Aw, look, its your creepy crush." Vince teased, but Grace lifted her thin brow.

"And its closer than usual. I swear, if that guy don't keep his distance, I'll shoot him." Grace shook her head, but Daniel just laughed.

"If there's gonna be any shooting, it'll be in self defense, otherwise Joe will shoot you."

"Yeah yeah, just ignore it and it'll go away." Vince assured as he pushed Amber to walk faster, and the others seemed to crowd around her as if to protect her. They always did this when they were on the streets, although it made Amber feel like a child, she was content with their protective instinct over her.

Perhaps it was the fact that she had a rough childhood? Or maybe it was because she was the youngest of the group, she preferred to not know to keep things as they always had been.

Grace watched Daniel and Vince cram a cheeseburger into their mouths like it had been weeks with no food, making her wince in disgust. Amber watched too, only she had a smile as she picked the pickles off her own burger before taking a small bite. Grace growled as the two boys scarfed down their food and sucked down their drinks.

"Ugh, how can you boys eat meat? Especially like dogs?" Grace asked, poking her salad with her fork. The diner was bright and nearly empty with one or two waitresses in pink dresses cleaning off the tables and collecting tips of the day. Bright yellow walls and black tile with ferns placed in the corners made the place look fancy with a long counter for a bar in the back, lit by low hanging lamps. Amber always did enjoy coming here and had tried everything on the menu, but she always got her usual; a cheeseburger with only ketchup, mustard, and no pickles. She always had to pick off the pickles though.

"Daniel scoffed as he wiped his mouth with napkin, leaning back in the booth.

"How could you eat those poor plants?" he laughed. "How do you think they feel when you chew on their delicate leaves?"

Grace growled and set her fork down, crossing her arms over her small chest. "Its different because animals are slaughtered, we were made to eat vegetables." she argued.

"Well you shouldn't worry about that because you don't eat at all." Vince mumbled, and Grace grasped her fork before eating a few bites.

"Bastards…" she grumbled quietly, making Amber laugh when she took another bite of her burger. She glanced out the window, and she nearly jumped when she saw a group of teenaged boys making their way to the restaurant, all dressed in dark hoods and baggy jeans. Daniel and Vince quickly looked over when the door opened, making the bell ring above the opening. Five boys came stalking in, scoping out the place when they saw the four at their booth. One of the boys elbowed another, and the group of five approached the group of Allies. Amber wanted to disappear as she turned away, sinking in her seat. Grace paid no attention to them as she took another bite of her salad like a prep. Vince and Daniel however, didn't look away when the tallest of the group stepped up at their table, and they could see their black shirts and the chains on their jeans.

Montys…

Daniel took a fry and stuffed it in his mouth before looking up the boys, who smirked when they crossed their arms over their chests.

"So, what brings you pricks here at this hour?" Daniel sighed.

"Watch your mouth, this is our turf." the boy in front snapped, taking off his hood to reveal a tanned face with brown eyes, a lip ring, and a scar over his eye that ran down his cheek. His hair was curly and black, greased back into different waves.

"Well hello there, handsome." Vince laughed, making Grace giggle.

"The name is Zeke, get it right or I'll mess you up." Zeke threatened as he pulled up his shirt to reveal a handle of a gun. Amber gasped when she saw the gun, and scooted off in the corner of the booth. One of the other boys reached over and grabbed a fry from Daniel's plate, stuffing it in his mouth with a sly grin. Daniel just chuckled and got up from his seat, making the boys back up. Daniel was much taller than them, and obviously had bigger muscles. One of the waitresses went behind the table and picked up the phone, but she saw Vince stare at her before shaking his head "no", like they had it under control. The waitress nodded and set the phone down, fearing that if she did call the cops, one of the Montys would shoot her.

"Look, we don't want any trouble, and I don't feel like kicking your asses tonight." Daniel smiled and crossed his arms, and Vince stood up too. He was a few inches shorter than Daniel, but still taller than the Montys.

"And guess what, this isn't your turf, this is Ally turf." Vince added, making Zeke look at his boys. They all pulled up their shirts to show off the handles of their guns and switch blades. Daniel and Vince kept their poker faces when Grace stood up.

"Well guess what, you four got trouble, we own this restaurant now and you either get out or you'll be leaving in body bags."

"We ain't going down without a fight." Daniel hissed, pulling out his own army knife that was about five inches long. Grace pulled out her own knife from her bra, and Amber stood up too, pulling a knife from her shoe. The Montys just laughed.

"Guns against knifes, this'll be fun." Zeke laughed as he pulled out his gun, aiming it at Daniel.

Then, as the rivals leaned in for a fight, the door opened and made the bell ring. The boys looked over to see a tall, muscular cop in dark blue step in the restaurant. He had bright hazel eyes that reflected Hellfire and rage, pale skin and his black hair was cut short and spiked up. His arms were huge and his heavy boots thumped against the floor. He stood about seven feet tall with three or four guns on his belt. He was utterly handsome with a golden police badge on his chest with a bizarre sign in the middle. He crossed his arms when he saw the boys step back in awe, never seeing such a threatening man in their lives. Daniel and Vince quickly put their knifes back in their pockets, and the Montys slipped their guns back. A long silence stood when the waitresses stared at the tall man.

"Officer, what seems to be the prob-" Zeke began nervously.

"Shut up." snapped the officer with a deep, low voice that echoed in the restaurant. The Montys jumped back at his tone, and Grace slipped her knife back in her bra. Amber gasped when the cop stared at her for a moment before turning his attention back to the Montys.

"You five better get out of here before things get messy." he threatened, narrowing his eyes hatefully. The boys exchanged looks at each other in confusion, scratching their heads.

Amber gulped as she sat back in her seat slowly, wanting to hide from the cop.

"Wait, do cops say that?" one boy asked, and the cop pulled out a massive gun, cocking it very loudly.

"Get out!" he shouted, and the group of rebels dashed for the door without hesitation, emptying out the restaurant in less than a second. Daniel and Vince cleared their throats when the room became quiet again, and the cop stared at the four. He put his gun back in his belt roughly when Daniel came up to him, holding out his hand. He took a moment to speak up in awe, looking up at the man that stood taller than him.

"Thanks man, you saved our asses there." he thanked, but the cop looked at him with disgust before shrugging away. He opened the door and left before glancing at Amber one more time. Daniel looked at the three with a confused expression.

"Damn, what's his problem?"

Vince shrugged. "Hey, lets just be thankful he chased them off."

"Yeah, I cant believe we were going to fight them with knives, I told you we should've brought our guns." Grace laughed as she saw Amber with a horrified expression with her nails digging into the seat. "I mean, look at this, Amber doesn't know how to fight with a knife, she would've been the first to get whacked."

"Look, lets just go home and forget this ever happened." Vince pulled out his wallet and put a twenty on the table for the food. Daniel pulled out his wallet and put another twenty on the table as a tip, grinning at the waitress who was also horrified.

"Don't worry little babe, we gotcha covered." he winked and the waitress smiled. She knew them well and cleaned off the bar table when the four began to leave.

"Come on, Macy and Carlos are at home alone, don't want them to get caught in the middle of robbery or somthing." Grace laughed, and Daniel held Amber's hand as she skook and trembled.

"Chill, Amber, its fine." he assured, and Vince patted her back.

"Yeah, we'll take care of ya." he added, but Amber was still panicking. Her little heart was racing and her breath was quick and deep. She was close to death tonight, and something about that cop didn't seem right to her. It was like she had met him before. He scared her, and she didn't know what to make of this situation. She grasped Daniel's hand tighter and leaned on his arm tiredly, wanting to go to sleep, and hoped that the night would pass faster.

A/N- I do not own "My Last Breath" by Evanecence, the song is purly used as karaoki for the story and belongs to it's respected owners. Transformers belongs to Hasbro, and Daniel and Carlos do too as well. I used their characters because the less OCs, the better.