One week later…

Fall break.

Carly had met Michael's family over Labor Day. But this was their first "trip" together. It took some convincing, especially to book a plane trip to the opposite coast of the United States in the middle of a school year. It took even more convincing given her reasoning. Yes, she was returning to Portland because she loved the city, but also to add a final bit of closure with Spike.

Yes, she attended his funeral. But even with a small number of family members, Chip, and a few reporters and photographers who were ordered to wait outside, it still felt like a zoo. There wasn't any time where she felt she could say goodbye to him alone. She could have waited for everyone else to clear out, but even then, she didn't know what to say. Now, after a few months, she finally knew what to say. And with a few cassettes in her bookbag, she knew exactly what she was going to do.

Carly left Michael downtown, and drove her rental car to the cemetery. She brought her bookbag, and walked past the plots, reading a hastily-scribbled note detailing Spike's plot location. She saw the dirt, still clearly distinguishing his resting spot from the others around him after five months. But now, the dirt had gone from a noticeable hump to a flat rectangle. She saw the yellowed photo that Sparkplug laid, and a few flowers that had long since wilted.

She stood above Spike's plot, and put her hands behind her back. She then knelt down and pulled out two tapes from her bookbag. One was a mixtape that Spike made for her. Another was one she had made just before she left for this trip. She set them aside his stone marker and rested her hand over the name 'Spike.'

"Thought you'd like some tunes."

Spike's mixtape was the last thing of his in Carly's apartment with the exception of one thing. On an unusually chilly September morning, Carly was fishing through her wardrobe, and came across Spike's Oregon Ducks sweatshirt. Its sudden appearance caused a new wave of emotions to hit Carly. After classes, when she returned to her apartment, she put on the sweatshirt and sat on the couch. It felt like him. She remembered he hastily stowed it in her closet as he had to change into a dress shirt, which was of course wrinkled because he carried it in his workout bag. It still even smelled like him, given he didn't bother to put it in the laundry. When Michael came by, he joked that she bought a sweatshirt two sizes too big.

Carly blinked, briefly displaced from that memory. She stood up and looked around. While she meant to pay him a visit, especially now since the chaotic pace that usually accompanies a sudden death has now turned to a barely-registered hum. She looked down at the marker for a few moments and smiled.

"I'm still keeping your sweatshirt though. I'm hoping you won't mind."

Carly looked around for a few moments, wondering if this would be the last time she'd visit Spike. She took out her camera and took a shot of the gravesite and got back into her car. She silently drove back into the city and parked next to an ATM and got some cash for later.

Carly thought about getting back into the car, but Michael was only a few blocks away. The weather was nice enough that she decided to walk. Looking around, she thought this would likely never be out here again. At least until when she completed her PhD, and was given a job out here. But would she even take a job offer in this city? She kept walking to the next block.

Carly blinked and stopped. Three cars in front of her - she saw the unmistakable markings of Spike's black Civic. She froze. It was his. The vanity plate, the Autobot sticker. She slowly moved toward the car, making sure no one was in it. Was Sparkplug in the area? No. He told her he had sold the car.

No one was inside. She looked around. No one was walking down either side of the street. She peered in. It had to be someone's else. Spike was meticulous about keeping the inside of his car clean, but it still had the occasional Kurt Vonnegut book or Pearl Jam tape. But now, it was pristine.

Carly looked around. She was already late to meet Michael. She quickly pulled out a small notebook from her bookbag. She was afraid someone would see her, but she had to say something, so she leaned over and rested her arms on the roof of the Honda. She gave a knowing smile and says in barely a whisper as she was writing -

"Heyah, I visited your resting place today,"

She gulped and gave a sad smile as she continued to write.

"I thought you'd be sick of all the flowers and stuff, so I thought I'd give you something you could actually 'use' - I think you'll like PJ Harvey. I put her and a few other ones I hope you'll like."

She looked up, making sure she wasn't seen. Still no one was around.

"I know you and I talked about this a few times, especially with what the Autobots believe. I still don't know if this is 'it' - or if we move on to other planes of existence after this life here ends."

Carly paused, feeling her words grow heavier.

"But…I now think I believe that in some way, we all keep those who have died alive somehow in our memories. And I promise you, for as long as I'm alive, I will remember you - for as long as I live."

She finished writing the note, and lifted the windshield wiper blade and place the note on the windshield. She gave a knowing smile and rested wiper blade over the note, leaving it in perfect view of Spike's optics.

Spike scanned the note's contents.

Dear Honda Civic Owner:

Congratulations on this purchase. I can assure you, this car was very well taken care of. You see, the owner was a mechanic, and a great one at that.

Given you don't know me, I know this is going to be presumptuous, but I ask that you take care of this car. For the car you are riding in belonged to someone truly special. That is all. Happy travels.

Spike looked on, scanning the note's contents again. He gasped, and the froze.

Carly was already almost four cars away at the stoplight when she turned. Did Spike's car just make a noise? She peered past the cars to look at the Honda.

Spike was in disbelief. Had Carly came back to see him? The letter! Her words! They may never be together again, but she still thought of him. She didn't hate him. He wanted to disregard the protocols and activate his transforming mechanism and run to her, and tell her how much that small gesture meant.

"Carly!"

Spike's optics looked at the man at the stoplight calling out to her. The man waved at Carly.

Carly gave a 'just a second' wave, and gave a last look at the Honda. He could have sworn his optics and her eyes connected. She gave a final smile to the car, and turned around and walked toward Michael. She nodded.

"Sorry, sorry, I'm late, I got sidetracked…"

Michael smiled and put his arm around Carly and the two continued to walk toward the oyster bar they were planning on meeting 15 minutes ago.

"It's okay, I was just wondering where you were. Did you visit his grave?"

Spike's intensified his audio receptors, but the conversation was fading. He saw Carly gesture behind her shoulder as the two kept walking.

"Yeah, actually, you won't believe this - I JUST saw his car!"

Michael looked and let out a short laugh.

"No way!" He looked at Carly.

"Are you okay?"

Carly nodded, as they continued to walk.

"Yeah. Thanks for waiting. I left a note for the new owner - "

Spike couldn't hear any of the conversation. He waited until Carly and her new boyfriend disappeared. At this point, he didn't want to do anything but get back to The Ark.