Hi again! I hope to bring you weekly updates soon–this summer I should have more time to write, which means more opportunities to upload! I have so many exciting plans for this story, you have no idea!

Also, a big thank you to my amazing reviewers: MadnessJones, jgoss, Autobot-Bre-Lightblast, Mywinx14, The Silvernote, Guest, and RewindandDomey4ever. I love your feedback, and every time I see someone left a review it brightens my day!

I hope you enjoy the longest chapter in my story thus far. You all deserve it!

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Chapter 9: Alive

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The explosion rocked our house, a deep rumbling causing me to sway on my feet. I clutched the couch for support, the rest of my family doing the same to any nearby object.

After a few moments, the rumbling stopped, and I looked up. Mom's face was completely white, Aidan's hazel eyes widened with horror.

"What was that?" He asked, and I sprung up, making my way towards the window. I peered outside, heart tumbling to the pits of my stomach as a house in the distance was engulfed in smoke, flames illuminating the outside.

I felt a rough hand squeeze my shoulder, and my father pulled me away from the window. "Get in the basement," he ordered.

"What?" I pulled from his grip, swiveling my body to look at him. "Dad, we have to leave. Something is going on."

"We are not leaving," he said, grabbing my arm to guide me to the doors of the basement. My mother was talking on the phone, muttering quick, panicked phrases to the person on the other end.

I dug my heels into the hardwood floors, nudging my dad. "There's a house on fire down the street, Dad! Who says it's not going to happen to our–"

My comment was cut off but the booming echo of another explosion, this time closer. I heard a distant scream, and multiple engines roared in the stillness of the morning.

"Listen to your father," Mom hurried to me, handing me my backpack for school. She grabbed cans from the kitchen shelves, shoving them into my brother's hands. She continued to the fridge, grabbing water bottles and offering them to me.

"Mom, what are you doing?" Aidan asked the question I was afraid to bring up.

"We need to get supplies in case we do have to leave," she said, handing Aidan his backpack as well.

My father turned me to face him, and I almost jumped at the sight of a pistol in his hand. "Take this," he said, gently grabbing my hand and placing the weapon into my palm. "The safety is on. We've been to shooting ranges in the past, you know how to fire it, right?"

I hesitantly nodded, sending a fearful look to my brother, whose eyes reflected the same amount of terror I felt in my mind.

"Braelyn," my mother's voice drifted from the hallway, and I made my way to where she was standing. Aidan and Dad hurried behind me, almost tripping as an explosion rattled my home once more.

Mom opened a door, pointing to the darkness within. "You and your brother need to go in the basement, alright? Your father and I need to get a few more things, but we want you two to be safe."

"Why can't you come with us?" Aidan's voice trembled. I had never seen him so vulnerable before, and my stomach twisted.

"It'll only take a few minutes. We'll be there soon." Mom pulled Aidan towards her, kissing him on the forehead. Dad brought me into his arms, kissing my cheek gently, and I saw tears pooling in the corner of his eyes.

"Dad?" I asked quietly, just so the two of us could hear it. He shook his head, pushing me towards the stairs.

"We love you both, more than anything. I promise, we'll be with you soon. It's going to be okay."

As I was forced into the darkness, I opened my mouth to say something, although I couldn't get anything out. The door shut, encasing us in silent darkness, and I felt Aidan reach for my hand.

"Come on," he said, guiding us down the stairs. We made our way towards a small window near the ceiling, crouching in a corner. I hadn't realized my body was trembling until I sat down, leaning against the cold stone wall.

"It's the Decepticons, right?" I asked, and Aidan turned his head to look at me. I met his eyes, and my answer was immediately confirmed.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure," he replied, squeezing my hand.

We remained in the darkness for what seemed like forever, the soft glow from the window providing the only light. More explosions seemed to come from everywhere, all at once, the destruction going on outside making me jump to a stand.

"Come on. We need to get the hell out of here," I said, pulling myself to look out the window. My grip almost slipped as I saw the glow of flames reflecting off the trees, the once sunny day now clouded over with thick, black smoke. I gripped the edge of the frame, sliding the glass over as the scent of burning wood and oil drifted into my nose.

"What about Mom and Dad?" Aidan said, coming to my side as I went over to a nearby couch. I grabbed the sides of it, and with my brother's aid, pushed it under the window.

"They said not to worry about them. I don't know what they're doing," I stood on the couch, sliding the small window open, "but we can get them once we get out."

Aidan nodded, positioning himself beside me. "You first," he gestured to the window, and I wasted no time as I pushed my backpack through first, sliding my body between the frame. I wriggled, finally pulling myself out the window, and onto thick, lush grass.

Aidan did the same as well, and I grabbed his hand, helping him out of the small space. His legs had just made it through before it felt as if my ear drums burst, an explosion sending debris flying from my house.

"No!" I screamed, grabbing Aidan's arm as I pushed myself up, dodging pieces of the debris. A high-pitched squealing noise took over my hearing, and I collapsed, catching my body before it slammed into the ground. Flames immediately began to grow within the depths of our house, and I choked back a sob.

"Mom! Dad!" Aidan slipped away from me, stumbling onto our back porch, now littered with charred pieces of wood paneling and furniture.

I choked back a sob as my eyes fell onto what looked like human flesh, fighting the urge to empty my stomach's contents as I hurried onto the porch. The flames roared louder, the intense heat making my vision blurred as I reached for Aidan's arm.

"We have to go!" I shouted, and my brother turned to look at me. Devastation consumed his eyes, tears trailing down his face. He gave a small nod, and allowed me to drag him off of the porch. We sprinted towards the tree line, and I halted, looking back at our neighborhood. My eye caught a large form rising behind the rubble of a house in the distance, it's burning, red eyes visible. They appeared to shift towards where we stood and I gasped, pushing Aidan ahead of me into the forest.

It was the beginning of the end.

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Sideswipe stepped back, and I righted myself, my lip curling in disgust as I spat once again, "You are a monster!"

"Braelyn, I–" Sideswipe attempted to speak, but I cut him off.

"No. Please. Get–get away from me." My eyes flickered to the ground, and I leaned to pick up my gun, fixing it back into the holster on my belt. Sideswipe's holoform vanished in a flurry of sparks, and I could've sworn a deep red mixed into the usual blue.

The Corvette rumbled to life, and I took a few steps back as Sideswipe transformed. He opened his mouth to speak but I shook my head, grabbing the strap of my backpack.

"Sideswipe, I...I trusted you. I thought that maybe, maybe you weren't like the Decepticons, someone I could rely on. And after this," I motioned to the woman's destroyed body, smoke still trailing off of her burned flesh, "you are no different from the ones who killed my mom and dad."

Sideswipe's frame froze, his optics dimming into a shade of deep navy, darker than I had ever seen them. His mouth opened slightly, but before he could form any words, I continued speaking.

"This past week, you've helped protect me. And I'm truly grateful for that. But...you killed people, humans like me. And if you dare to follow me, Sideswipe..." I sighed. "Just don't. Please."

My head felt foggy as I turned around, tears slipping onto my cheeks.

"Braelyn!" Sideswipe shouted, his voice echoing.

"Goodbye," I whispered, keeping my head down as I sped forward.

"Please," Sideswipe begged. The ground trembled under my feet as I felt him moving towards me. I shook my head, brushing stray strands of my hair aside as they clung to my tear-stained face. "You'll die," his voice rasped.

I paused, shifting my body so I could see him. The pain on his silver face squeezed my heart, and I sucked in a breathe, my chest heaving as I held back a sob. "I'm already as good as dead," I choked out. Before I could let him say another word, I took off at a sprint, clutching the straps of my backpack as if they were my tether to the ground.

I was a broken jigsaw puzzle. And the world around me was the missing piece.

I was never going to get it back.

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I pulled my legs close to my chest, my arms wrapping around my thighs as I leaned against the base of a tree.

Two nights. I lasted two nights without him. I was okay.

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I reached over to grab my bag, and fumbled around until my hands felt the rough texture of a can. I pulled it out, frowning as I pulled the bag closer, a sudden realization dawning on me that this was one of the last cans.

My forehead fell against my knee, and I took a deep breath.

"You're okay," I whispered, a poor attempt to calm myself as I grit my teeth, biting back a scream.

If I was going to have a continuous back-and-forth battle between finding small amounts of food, eating them, and shortly after having to find more, I was done. What was the point?

I grabbed the can opener, opened the can, and stared at the contents inside. Soggy peas hiding beneath a clouded liquid stared right back at me, and I fought back the urge to hurdle them into a nearby tree.

As I scooped a spoonful of flavorless peas into my mouth, my mind wandered to Sideswipe. Had he started looking for his brother? Had he forgotten about me? Would he try to find someone else to save?

Stop it, I told myself, shaking my head. He doesn't matter anymore.

What mattered was that I got more food.

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I took a small sip of water as I sat on the curb of a neighborhood. Most of the houses surrounding me were just remnants of what used to be the homes of families before the Decepticons reduced any living spaces to rubble.

Clouds darkened the sky, although bits of sun peeked through every now and then.

A door opened, then shut. I whipped my head towards the source of the sound, my eyes falling on a young girl skipping down a path from one of the only remaining houses intact. I froze, wondering if she saw me before heading outside.

She was no older than four or five, bright-red curls bouncing as she made her way towards a swing hanging off of a tree. I shifted to see her better, but she paused, my small amount of movement catching her attention.

Her eyes met mine, and I offered a smile, hoping it didn't look fake or suspicious. Her eyebrows raised as she stared at me, then quickly glanced back at the house she came out of. As she turned to look at me again, a lopsided grin spread across her face, and she moved to cross the street.

"Hello!" She squeaked, stepping onto the concrete as she made her way towards me. I didn't want to move, afraid anything unexpected would startle her. Was she alone? Where were her parents?

She slowed down as she neared me, eyeing the gun at my belt. I lifted my hands, showing I meant no harm.

"Who are you?" She asked, her words rushed and spoken with caution.

"My name is Braelyn," I said gently. "I...I was just stopping here for a break. I'm not from around here."

"You're alive?"

"Uh, well, yes, I'm very alive. I promise I'm real." I stuck my hand out for her to touch.

She looked at me, her dark brown eyes scanning my hand before she reached out.

"Kenzie!" A voice cut through the air, and I grew stiff as a boy a few years younger than me rushed out of the same house. He held a baseball bat in his hands, and I stood up, backing away quickly before he could assume I was going to hurt the little girl.

Kenzie turned to watch as he quickly came to her side, pulling her small body towards him. "Are you hurt?"

She shook her head, her curls falling across her shoulders as she shifted her arm to point at me. "She's not mean."

"We don't know that," the boy muttered softly, although I heard it. He lifted his head to look at me, and I bit my lip. "Why are you here?" His eyes fell onto the gun at my hip. "Hand that over. Now."

I unclipped the holster from my waist, not giving a second thought as I passed it to his waiting arm. "I was just stopping for a small break. I've been traveling for a few days. I'm running out of food, so I figured I could check in any house I stumble across."

His eyes narrowed, and he glanced at Kenzie before letting out a breath. "We haven't seen any people in a long time," he ran a hand through the girl's hair, his own more of a brown color, although they both shared the same set of light freckles. "I think my sister got too excited before thinking of telling me that she saw you."

I nodded, keeping quiet as I shifted my weight. "I understand–well, on the people part, anyways."

"Our parents were at work the day it happened," the boy said, and he shook his head, bringing Kenzie closer to him.

"I barely escaped my house before the Decepticons destroyed it. My parents were inside." He met my eyes, and a sort of understanding reflected back at me.

"It all happened so quickly," he mused, eyeing the ground.

"Have you seen any? The Decepticons, I mean," I muttered.

"Even though it's been a few months, no, we haven't. Have you?"

"I've seen two, one–" I paused, wondering if I should tell them about Sideswipe saving my life from the Decepticon that found me. "It didn't see me, luckily. I was in a house."

"Was it scary?" Kenzie asked, stepping away from her brother's grip.

"I was terrified," I replied, giving her a small smile. "I was happy it didn't find me. If so, it probably would've...really hurt me." I turned to look at the boy.

"I haven't asked," he said, taking his eyes off of Kenzie to look at me, "what's your name?"

"Oh, that's right. I'm Braelyn," I answered, extending an arm.

He set down the baseball bat, extending his arm to meet mine. "Jack," he said, his grip firm as we shook hands.

Kenzie tugged on Jack's shirt, and he crouched, allowing her to lean into him. She cupped her hand as she whispered something into his ear. Jack nodded, standing up.

"Kenzie wanted to know if you could come inside. You said you needed food, didn't you?"

"I am running out of it, but if it burdens you, I can keep searching," I offered.

"No. There's no need." He took a step in the direction of the house, motioning for me to follow him. "My mom, having lived in North Carolina the majority of her life, had her fair share of tornado warnings. So, she always kept an unnecessarily large supply of food in the basement, which has come in handy since, well, you know–all of this happened."

"Thank you," I said, taking a moment to look at the two people I just found. People that didn't want to kill me.

We reached the front steps, and Jack opened the door to lead me inside. Kenzie bounded into the house, disappearing down a hallway. A small boy appeared from another one, stepping cautiously into the foyer.

"Jack? Who is–"

"Oh! This little bugger," Jack leaned down to scoop up the small boy, "Is Travis. Travis, say hello to Braelyn."

Travis stuck out a toddler hand, flapping it in a waving motion. I held back a laugh, returning his wave.

"Is it just the three of you?" I asked, scanning any adjacent rooms for other people.

"Yeah," Jack replied, setting Travis onto the ground. He ran down the hallway Kenzie went down, and Jack set off after him. "It's about time for lunch. Do you have any requests?"

"Um, whatever you have I'll eat," I said. "I'm not that picky."

We made our way into the kitchen, Kenzie and Travis playing with some toy trucks on the hardwood floors. Jack guided me to a table, and I sat down, watching as he pulled a few cans from a cabinet.

"Jack?" Kenzie's voice drifted from the floor, and I leaned in my chair to catch a glimpse of her. "Can I have an orange?"

An orange?

"You...you have oranges?" I gaped, and Jack stopped opening one of the cans to look at me.

"We have all kinds of fruit and veggies," he answered, handing three oranges to Kenzie from a basket I hadn't seen on the counter. "My mom loved to garden, so we have a lot of fresh food in the summer."

Kenzie handed me an orange, and I failed to notice the tears slipping onto my cheeks before she observed, "You're crying."

I sniffed, quickly wiping at my face. "I haven't had fresh food in a long time." I looked to Jack, whose face turned from concern to joy. "Thank you."

He nodded, continuing to prepare lunch. I ate the orange in less than a few minutes, liquid from the fruit dribbling past my lips onto my chin, my taste buds savoring in the intense but sweet flavor.

"Alright, lunch time," Jack called, moving four plates from the counter and onto the table, as well as glasses of water. He helped Travis into a high chair at the head of the table, and Kenzie slipped into the seat next to me as Jack sat across. He handed me a napkin, before settling into his chair.

Kenzie and Travis waited patiently, and I glanced at Jack, nervous to touch my food.

"We like to pray before we eat," Jack said. "You know–hope is what keeps us going."

I nodded, leaning back as we brought our hands together.

"God, we thank you for the abundance of food on our plates each and every day. We also thank you for our safety, and–"

Kenzie cut him off, "and for bringing Braelyn to us. Without Mommy and Daddy, we have been alone. But now," she looked up to me, revealing missing teeth in her loving grin, "I have a new friend!"

Jack chuckled, shaking his head. "Amen."

The three grabbed their lettuce wraps, biting into them. My smile warmed at the fresh lettuce, the avocado and tomatoes inside.

It felt like I was home again.

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"Ha! I win!" Kenzie shrieked, setting her board game piece onto the table.

Travis lay asleep on the couch behind Jack as the older boy crossed his arms, shaking his head. "You cheated."

"Nuh-uh," Kenzie hopped off her chair. "I won. Fair and square."

Jack stood up, gently lifting Travis off the couch and into his arms. "It's time for bed."

The lamplight flickered, creating harsh shadows on Kenzie's face as she pouted. "But…"

"No buts," I said, offering her a smile. "If it makes it better, I'm going to bed too. It's getting pretty late"

Her eyes widened and she grinned, making her way to where Jack stood by the entrance to the living room.

"I'll be back soon," Jack murmured, disappearing into the hallway, led by a triumphant Kenzie.

Minutes later, footsteps creaked against the floorboards as Jack entered the room. "So. We have a guest room, if you want to stay upstairs, or you can sleep on a couch–"

"I can't stay," I blurted, looking away.

"What? You're leaving–now?"

"No. I'll stay for tonight. But..." I trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"Are you sure?" Jack's voice had quieted, and he remained where he had stopped at the doorway.

"I told you about my brother–Aidan. He...he could still be out there. I won't stop searching for him until I find him," I shook my head. "I'm so sorry. You've done a lot for me today, and…"

"It's okay. You don't have to apologize," Jack pulled a few blankets out of a bin and walked over to where I sat on a couch. He handed them to me, forcing a smile onto his face.

"How do I repay you?"

He froze. "You don't need to–"

"I do."

"Seeing Kenzie as happy as she was today was all I needed. She'll be upset you're leaving so soon, but she'll understand." He sat across from me on a couch parallel from the one I was on.

"I need to be honest with you, Jack. There's more to my story than just wandering for a few months."

Jack lifted his eyebrows, but said nothing. A silent question, to know the truth about me.

I launched into the first day I met Sideswipe, how he rescued me from a Decepticon. Saving me once again from two lunatics in a house, driving me all over the state in search for my brother. I left out our time at the lake, mentioning how we had followed a car into a town. How he killed the three people, and I left him.

Jack gaped at me, and I sucked in a deep breath of air.

"You really met an Autobot?"

I nodded, hugging my arms close to my torso as I lifted my feet onto the couch. "Yeah. He...he was a lot different than I imagined. But after he killed those people, it reminded me of how my parents died, and I remembered how deadly his species could be."

"Are you sure he wasn't just protecting you?"

My eyes drifted to the floor. "He was protecting me, but I could have talked to those people. Asked them if they had seen my brother. They...they didn't hurt me, they just felt threatened by Sideswipe. Anyone would be."

Jack slowly nodded, scratching at his neck before meeting my eyes. "I guess it's my turn to be honest. I don't know what I'm going to do when the food runs out–when winter comes, and the plants in the garden die."

"Are there stores nearby?"

"A few, yes. A couple miles from here. But I can't bring Kenzie and Travis with me. It's too dangerous. And I can't leave them alone, because only God knows what'll happen if I'm not watching after them."

"I'm sure if you tell Kenzie to not leave the house, and to keep hidden in the basement when you're gone, they'll be fine."

Jack shrugged, but nodded at my suggestion. "I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it." He glanced at the entryway to the living room, bringing himself to a stand. "Well, have a nice night, Braelyn. I'll see you in the morning."

I remained quiet as he left the room, my eyes falling onto the small lamp perched in the center of a nearby table. I threw the blankets around me legs, settling into the corner of the couch.

I wondered how I had gone from wandering the streets to inside a nice house with a boy taking care of his younger siblings–only to have to leave the next day. My heart squeezed at the thought of leaving them alone, with no way of protecting themselves if someone or a Decepticon were to find them.

They'll be okay, I reminded myself. Jack had a large amount of food, enough to at least make it to next spring. Hopefully by then I could find Aidan and bring him back here, where we could try to make a living for ourselves, five kids without parents.

Exhaustion began to creep through my bones, and I hugged my knees to my chest, burrowing deeper under the blanket.

I needed rest. Who knew what obstacles the next day would bring?

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Wow. A lot of emotions for this chapter. At least this chappie doesn't end as terribly as the last one did...right?

My big question for you is: How would you handle the situation if you were in Braelyn's shoes? Would you stay with Jack and his siblings, or leave them behind to continue searching for your brother (who, may or may not already be dead)? I want to hear your guys' thoughts!

– SapphireSpark