As the coffee was brewing, the doorbell rang.

"Goddamnit!"

Outside, Carly jumped. She looked back to her car. This was a horrible idea. She should have just went to the funeral tomorrow, hung around in back, signed the memorial book, and then quietly duck out and catch her plane back to Cambridge. But it was too late, Sparkplug opened the door and looked at her.

Carly froze. She hadn't seen Sparkplug since her and Spike broke up. She imagined what Spike told Sparkplug about her. And now, the person who dumped his son was standing in front of her. She felt the anger of his outburst inside after she rang the doorbell.

Carly stammered.

"William, Sparkplug - I am so sorry - I'll leave, but I just want…"

But before she should say anything, she was practically enveloped by Sparkplug as he hugged her. Sparkplug held her for a few seconds, and sobbed silently. Carly was so taken aback, she didn't return the hug for a few seconds, but then she hugged him back tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Sparkplug."

Sparkplug pulled away and wiped his eyes.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"No, don't…I'm sorry! I should have called!"

Sparkplug smiled sadly and looked inside. He couldn't bring himself to ask her to come in. Maybe she was here to pay her respects. or drop something off.

Carly looked in and stepped inside, much to Sparkplug's relief.

"I was just making some coffee if you'd like."

Carly looked over her shoulder, taking in the place and the memories.

"Huh? Oh yeah, that'd be great. Thanks."

Carly looked on as Sparkplug made his way into the kitchen. Despite her wanting to break up with Spike, she had always liked Sparkplug. While her father and mother were each committed to one-upping one another in the career department, Sparkplug represented the typical father she had heard about from her friends, and from TV and movies. It was him who taught her how to maintain her car. It was he who fixed her sink in her first apartment when her landlord went MIA. And in the end, it was he that likely delayed her decision to break up with his son, knowing that she would be forever losing him as a potential father-in-law.

Sparkplug came back with two coffee cups and sat down.

"Carly, I can't imagine what you paid to get out here, but thank you."

Carly shook her head.

"Don't even think about it. It's nothing. I had to come."

Sparkplug began talking just to fill the space between them with something. The visitation would be tonight from 5 to 7. Funeral tomorrow. A lunch after. Then - he had no idea. Carly listened and nodded. She couldn't think of a delicate way to ask, but she had to know.

"You don't have to answer, but I hadn't heard on the news. They said he … it was a during an ambush. How.."

"The Decepticons surprised the Autobots. Everything came up so fast. And Spike…"

Sparkplug shook his head and let out a weak, nervous laugh.

"Spike went for his car. Because you know how much that car meant to him. And Ravage bit his leg."

"His leg?"

Sparkplug wiped each of his eyes with his finger and then rested his hand on the table.

"The doctor. He said the bite was on his calf. It should have been just a nasty leg injury, but the force…it tore his femoral artery."

Sparkplug closed his eyes.

"Ravage took him away for a few minutes I guess. And while doing that, he must have knocked him out, because the doctor said he also suffered a concussion. The good news, I guess is that he must have blacked out. The Autobots got him back fairly quickly, but between the time that Ravage had him, and how far a hospital was. It just wasn't enough time."

Sparkplug's voice broke.

"He was knocked out, so I keep telling myself I hope he didn't realize what was happening, that he just blacked out quickly and that was it."

Carly couldn't look at Sparkplug. The question she had, at least right now, was so petty to her. But likely after tomorrow, she would never see him again. If she didn't find out now, she would never know. And it would constantly be in the back of her mind.

"Sparkplug…I have to know - and please give me the honest answer - I can take it." She steeled herself.

"Did he hate me - after what I did?"

For the first time since he heard the news of his son's death, Sparkplug gave a genuine smile. He offered his hand on the table. Carly quickly squeezed it.

"I'll say this - yes, he was upset. But Carly, you gotta realize, you're a hard person to get over. He had every intention of traveling to wherever you were after he graduated to ask your hand in marriage."

Carly flinched. They were still in college. She had heard him mention marriage sometimes, but just in casual, hypothetical conversations. She had been the only person he ever dated. Was he genuinely that serious about marriage?

"But as his dad, I can tell you - he would have eventually moved on, and he would have understood where you were coming from. It may have taken a year or even a couple, but he would have."

Sparkplug smiled sadly.

"In fact, just last week, I was thinking of you two. Like, 20 years from now. I pictured both of you bumping into each other at some airport. You'd both be waiting for your planes, and you'd both go for a beer. You'd talk about your kids. He'd talk about his kids. And he'd secretly tell you about how sometimes, his wife would drive him nuts, and you'd talk about how your husband does the same thing. Maybe you'd say something like your husband couldn't change the headlight in his car to save his life!"

Carly laughed, harder than she expected.

"And you both would say you were still happy with the paths you both chose. And you two could talk about that sort of stuff because you two were finally able to go from where you were to now being friends."

Carly couldn't look at Sparkplug again.

"I would have liked that."

Sparkplug rested his meaty, rough forearms on the table. It had already sunk in for him that he had begun to refer to his son in the past tense. He sniffed.

"Chip…he's flying out for the funeral. He should get in early enough to make the visitation tonight."

Sparkplug gave a cautious look at Carly. He already gave a strict rule for tomorrow: no sightseers. Only family and friends of Spike's. He knew Spike would have wanted Bumblebee there, but right now, it was just too much for him. And he knew the sight of a Transformer would turn the story that would play on the news into something related to the Autobots. He couldn't take that. So he relayed to Optimus Prime: no Autobots are to be in attendance.

The only problem was Spike. He hadn't heard of any new friendships at Portland State University. In fact, months ago, he began hinting of even dropping out of the university to work for Blackrock full-time. Spike was getting more and more excited about hearing from Blackrock, the big boss himself about how his company was experiencing a shortfall of people like Spike and Sparkplug - experienced mechanics, good with their hands, and strong work ethic. When Spike saw how much money he would make in his first year at Blackrock Construction as opposed to life as a reporter or an English teacher, he thought there was a typo.

To compound this, few of the people in the journalism school had similar backgrounds. Most were either the sons and daughters of people fully entrenched in the field of academia, or were professionals. Every time he heard the line "I'm not going to be working as a mechanic or a waiter," Spike flinched internally. His father's occupation was a cautionary punchline to many of his classmates.

The final piece of his isolation was the Autobots, of course. Sparkplug gently prodded his son to try to stay more engaged with the goings on in high school. But he also knew this was next to impossible for his son. He and Spike were the closest people in contact with another alien species. A species that shared almost the same emotions as they did. Spike could communicate with them easier than he did with most humans, save Carly and Chip. How could he possibly pursue a "normal" life?

All of this led to tomorrow. Sparkplug's brother and his wife would be there. Sparkplug's parents would be there. His boss on the oil rig on that fateful summer day in 1984 would be there. Even Blackrock called him and said he would try to be there, but couldn't offer any guarantees - just that he'd try. There should just be enough capable men there to serve as pallbearers. But in terms of Spike, he hoped at least one friend he met at Portland State would be there in addition to Chip. And most importantly, he hoped Carly would be there.

"Carly, I even hate to ask. You've already flown out here. I don't know if you have to be back, but if it's money, I can pay for another fare, but could you please…I know you were no longer together, but tomorrow, could you…"

Carly nodded emphatically.

"I planned on being there tomorrow. I don't fly out until Friday."

Sparkplug closed his eyes in relief and leaned back. He briefly looked at the kitchen table where he and Carly were sitting and thought of the times where he, his wife Susan, and Spike would eat breakfast. He looked back at Carly and tried to smile.

"So…I hear you have a big decision coming up. You got a few job big-time job offers out there, but you also want to get your doctorate?"

Carly rubbed her thumb and wiped a tear from her eye.

"Oh…yeah, but now, I didn't even know. I don't even see how that even matters now. That's the last thing I think you'd want to hea-"

Sparkplug shook his head and interrupted.

"Please, Carly. I want to know."

Sparkplug smiled. It wasn't what he felt like doing, but for her sake, he wanted to put up as good of a front as he could.

"Whatever you do, I know you'll do the right thing. You always do."

Carly and Sparkplug talked for a few more minutes. The more she talked with him, the less she felt like she could see Spike's room. It was too painful. Carly finished her coffee and brought it to the kitchen sink. Fishing out her key, she said "I've got some things I want to take care of here. But I'll see you tonight."

Sparkplug gave an understanding nod and walked her to the door. He looked at Carly. He didn't know if he would have time to talk to her tomorrow, or even tonight, but right now, he couldn't think of anything to say other than "thank you" again.

Carly nodded and walked to her rental car. She said she had things she needed to do, but in reality, there was nothing to do here but wait until tonight and tomorrow. Most likely, Carly thought this was the last time she would ever step foot in the Witwicky household.