So I suppose that this is it! This is the last actual chapter that I'll post to this story! First, the thank you's.
Ford B, Elita One, Psychic-Ghost, Jazzy Kat, NoaWhan, Ramen Noodels, the-human-error, Fk306animelover, HotShot14, Red Wasabi, yutakayumi, and Fennecfox03.
Thank you to all of those who have ever once reviewed, or reviewed with every chapter to my story. Every review that I've ever received has been just that much more little bit of inspiration to continuing on. If I have missed a name, my absolute apologies.
Don't forget! I'm gonna post a bit of a preview for Project Seven: Soul Reconnaissance. Most likely on Monday, but if not, not too long after. So even as I mark this story as "Complete", I'm going to make one last post.
As I've promised, the last chapter to Project Seven.
A Wish from the Grave
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It wasn't the same feeling as before. It seemed like just a few moments ago she felt like she was floating on a cloud. Now her whole body was racked with soreness, and pain. She couldn't feel the connection to her right arm, so she figured that it had been taken off for some sort of emergency. Her left arm felt sore, as if she had been lifting weights for days straight. And her legs felt the worst of all, hardly having any power at all to move them... Wait... She wasn't supposed to feel pain in her metal legs...
Cat's eyes opened slowly. She could barely make anything out for a moment, before her left eye suddenly focused as quick as someone had flipped a light switch. Her right eye still buried in haze, focused slowly, having to bat them a few times to get a clear image. She looked around, and realized that she was in a soft bed, with warm sheets. Her right arm was, indeed, missing. Her left arm, however, looked as though someone had placed an IV drip in it. She looked to her left wrist and saw that there was a restraint holding it to the bed railing. Cat's eyes went wide as her mind went back to being in the hospital ward at the Hoover Dam, where she had grown up. She gave the restraint an experimental tug, but she realized that she was nowhere near full strength. She felt like she had the strength of a newborn kitten at best. Then she realized something.
-My.. legs...- she thought as she looked down to the sheets, covering the pained limbs.
She couldn't pull the sheets up because of the restraint on her left wrist, so she reached down with her fingers and began pulling at the sheets, reeling them up until she stopped in absolute shock. The bottom of the sheets had come up just enough to reveal... five pink toes... She almost couldn't move for a moment before she reeled up the sheets even more, revealing two, thin, human legs. She gave them a test twitch, but that was all that she could do. She knew that they were real, because the pain that she was feeling from them was more real than she thought it would be, but she didn't care. She had human legs... Human features.. She then noticed that she had restraints on both ankles.
Cat was about to question as to why she was being restrained, when a voice interrupted her thoughts.
"You're awake!" A woman doctor entered the room and grabbed the chart which was sitting in a special bin by the inside of the door.
The doctor was a woman who looked to be in her early thirties, blonde hair, which was pulled back into a tight bun at the back of her head, and dark blue eyes which looked more cheerful than Cat could currently stomach. Her bright smile and cheerful voice brought no confidence to Cat as to what the woman's intentions were, which made the young girl glare at the woman.
The doctor sat at the edge of the bed, her bright smile turned into a raised eyebrow expression, "Is there something wrong?"
No answer.
"Are you hurting anywhere? You're on some pretty strong painkillers now, but they're going to wear off pretty soon," she scribbled on the clipboard.
No answer.
The doctor looked up with another raised eyebrow expression, "Do you have a sore throat? Loss of voice? What's the matter? I can't read minds you know. If something hurts you need to tell me."
Cat's glaring eyes darted from the doctor down to the restraints on her wrist, then back up to the doctor's face.
The doctor noticed the motioning. She looked to the restraints, and then sighed as she looked back to Cat's face.
"Yes, I know. I'm sorry, but we were told to take extra precautions to ensure that you stay put. They even sent guards to stand watch around this floor and your room!" she pointed outside the door, pointing out the two men in suits standing guard.
"I really am sorry about that. But you have to understand, it's not every day that we get a young lady in here with the strange type of qualities as you have," she got up and went to the side of Cat's bed, taking a small pen light out of the pocket of her lab coat and shined it carefully in and out of Cat's left eye specifically.
"Can you see out of this eye?" she asked. Cat looked at the woman with a questioning expression. This made the doctor giggle a little.
"You're looking at me as though to ask if I've lost my mind, but I can imagine that with a yellow eye like that, you've probably had questions asked about it before, haven't you?" the doctor put the pen light back into her pocket.
Cat's eyes went very wide, in a shocked expression. First new legs, now a new eye?!
The doctor suddenly looked confused, "What's wrong? Are you feeling pain anywhere?"
Cat actually shook her head on this question, and tugged at her wrist restraint.
"Whoa! Take it easy! Those things will rub you raw if you work at it enough," the doctor warned.
Cat realized that no matter how strong she was, at the moment she was in a weakened state, and she wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon. The doctor sighed and started to scribble back down on her clipboard.
"I'm Doctor Thacker, by the way. If you need anything, just press that call button on that control near your hand there," she said as she looked up to the girl while placing her pen into her front pocket, "It's not very often that we have someone here that the federal government is looking for. Though they wouldn't tell us what it is that they want with you..." she gave Cat an expectant look.
"...And I suppose you won't tell me either. I understand, it's really none of my business. Your health is the only stake in this that I have for now," Doctor Thacker walked over to the door and placed the chart back into the plastic bin. She looked back at the girl once more and said, "If you need anything... Or if you need to talk... I'll be here."
And she promptly left. Cat had been staring the woman down with a hard glare as she exited. Her glare lifted as she realized something. Normally she would have a hatred of human doctors because she had always been poked and prodded as a child, but this was different. Her hatred was as it was because she noted that the woman was human, specifically. She noted that in her memories, she questioned as to why she put up with being around these humans. It was almost as if she were channeling the feelings of-
"Of course!" Cat said aloud, her eyes widened. She didn't even pay attention to one of the guards looking in at her for a few seconds to make sure that she was all right.
-I remember now! This was all of Five's doing! That transmutation circle that she changed... That's the reason why I'm here...- Cat thought as she laid her head back onto the slightly propped up headrest.
She looked over to the windows and noticed all of the colors of the sunset. For some reason, this calmed the young fighter. Her eyes suddenly felt heavy, and the quiet in her room and on the floor that she was on, she drifted off to sleep.
"Cat?" a familiar voice brought the girl out of her calming sleep.
Cat's eyes batted open slowly and immediately noticed that the sun had set completely outside, and it was pitch black out.
"Cat?" Another voice asked, making the girl turn her head and see Sam and Mikaela standing to the left side of her bed, looking down at her with worried looks. There were also two people there that Cat didn't recognize, an older couple.
"Cat? Is it really you?" Mikaela asked in an unsure tone.
-Why wouldn't it be me?- Cat thought for a second as her mind went back to the reason why she may have looked different to her friends.
A smile crossed the fighter's face as she looked up with shimmering eyes at Sam and Mikaela, "Yeah... It's me guys... It's really me..." her voice was raspy and frog-like.
The two teens smiled as Mikaela reached down and did her best to hug Cat, "We thought... We thought you were dead!" she stood back up, giving a slight frown.
"I had to... do some... things before... I could... come back..." Cat smiled.
"So this is the young woman who saved our son on more than one occasion," the older man hugged an arm around the woman standing next to him, who was on the verge of tears.
"It seems we owe you a lot... Thank you," the man smiled.
Cat looked to Sam and Mikaela, confused.
"Cat, this is my mom and dad. They're the only ones besides me, Mikaela and the government who know about you... Well us and the Autobots," Sam chuckled.
Cat looked back to Sam's parents who regarded her with warm smiles and nods. Her own facial expressions relaxed into another smile.
"What happened to you Cat?" Mikaela asked.
Cat's face twisted into a contemplative expression as she thought about where to start explaining everything that's happened to her up till now. She was about to start on a story when she heard footsteps walk into the room. The four visitors turned to reveal another familiar face.
"I'm sorry to intrude. But I needed to see for myself, if the rumors were true," Secretary Keller stepped forward, "Do any of you mind if I have a word with this young lady?"
"Uh..." Sam looked to Cat who nodded slightly with a serious look on her face, "S-sure... Come on guys, we'll go find those soda machines."
The four left the room and Keller brought a chair over to Cat's bedside and gave her a smile as he sat down.
"Well... It's good to see that you're still with us," he tried to start the conversation.
"How long have... I been here?" Cat's raspy voice strained to get out.
"According to our investigation team, you were brought here late last night after having been found in an alley next to the building where we found your's and the other's blood on the rooftop. It was very strange. We didn't find you there the first several thousand times that we looked, but we found you there three days after the events of the battle. Do you remember what happened to you?" Keller asked.
Cat looked down at her new legs, which rested comfortably under the warm bed sheets. She wondered for a moment if Sam or Mikaela had noticed those yet and she smirked.
"Yes and no... I remember some parts of... what happened during... the battle... But as to how I ended up... where I did... Nothing comes to mind..." her throat was becoming more and more sore with every word, so she knew that she must have been screaming for a while.
"And how about the reason why your looks have changed? Do you remember how that transpired?" he asked, curious.
"Yeah... I know why that is..." Cat began to explain.
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Flashback
"At least this way... There will be nothing... left of us... to pick up after..." she looked into the eyes of Five with tears stinging her own and continued, "I can't heal us Five... And neither can you now... you're too weak and you're dying... just the same as me..."
Five's eyes widened and she made to try and shake her head, but could only manage a slight twitch in her neck. Her harsh breathing in her chest increased as she reached to put a hand on Cat's cheek. Cat closed her eyes, warm tears falling from her eyes onto Five's soft hand. Before Cat had realized it, Five had taken her hand back and brought her other one up as well, slightly clapping them together, then dropping them to the ground. Cat's own eyes went wide in surprise as she saw the transmutation circle that she had made begin to change forms and twist into a different shape. When the blue light that had formed from Five's change had gone away, Cat looked at the circle and looked at Five with a questioning face.
"But... That would never work... You know that it... can't work!" Cat tried to make sense of what Five was doing.
She looked over the paint circle that had changed and had immediately recognized it as a fusion spell. Five was going to attempt to fuse the two together, healing both of them in the process.
End Flashback
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"A fusion spell? Is that even possible?!" Keller was astounded.
Cat smirked, "Well I'm here... aren't I?"
"Truly this is all so very amazing!" he said happily.
"Five wanted to heal us... so that we would... become one... So that we could... be even more... powerful... But she died first..." Cat said regretfully.
Keller looked to the girl and saw the pain of loss in her face, "I'm sorry for you... I understand that she was as close to family as you had..."
Cat suddenly looked up to Keller, an angry look on her face, "So I assume that... You want me back to... that facility... More testing... right?!" her raspy voice grew louder in anger.
"Absolutely not! I didn't lie when I promised you citizenship then, and I'm going to keep to my promise! As well as the fact that I've spoken to the president about your situation and we've agreed to something," he smiled brightly.
Cat gave the secretary a questioning look.
"Because you are who you are, you've never been given a chance at starting a life for yourself. So the federal government is going to be providing you with a stipend every month, for the rest of your life. It'll be enough to get you on the right track to having a normal life, and perhaps a little extra fun money to go along with it," he smirked.
"Uh... How much exactly are... we talking about?" Cat asked, curious.
Keller laughed, "Well, we'll talk exact amounts another time. For now, I'd like you to think of a name."
"A name?" Cat asked.
"Yes. A first, middle, and last name for an official birth certificate that we'll be needing to fill out to certify you as an American citizen. I know that this is a bit sudden, so I'll give you a few days to-"
"I know exactly what I want to be named..." Cat interrupted.
"But... Don't you think that it would be best to give it some thought?" Keller asked.
"Ever since the battle at Mission City, I knew exactly what I wanted to be called... That is if I were to survive like I had," Cat replied flatly.
Keller looked around for a moment as if he were wondering what the girl could possibly be thinking of, then he looked back to her and said, "Yeah, okay. We'll get all of those details hammered out later."
Standing up and scooting the chair back a few feet, Keller looked to the girl, "We'll keep in contact. For now you just get some rest."
Just before the secretary got to the door, he snapped his fingers and turned back around, "Oh and, there's one more thing I need to discuss with you. I've spoken to Doctor Thacker, and she's sure that another day in here and you'll be ready to be moved to a rehabilitation clinic. We'll be moving you to a government rehabilitation facility tomorrow afternoon."
Cat's eyes widened, "Forget it! I won't allow myself... to live at another government... laboratory!"
"Well the hospital is releasing you tomorrow, "Keller sighed, "Where do you suppose that you should stay after that?"
"She can stay with us!" Sam's mom walked in suddenly, Cat and Secretary Keller looking to her startled.
"I uh... I wasn't listening to your conversation, I just happened to hear that last part..." she shrugged.
"She'll be needing to stay in a facility where she can be properly monitored, " Doctor Thacker walked in, also "not" listening, "So someone will have to watch her to help her progress."
"Wait a second!" Cat's strained voice interrupted, the three in the room looking to her.
"Why do I, all of a sudden, need to... be watched all the time?!... I can take care of... myself!" Cat insisted.
"You need rehabilitation to re-train your weakened legs to walk. Not to mention you need to bulk up on proper nourishment. That requires the proper medical assisting," Doctor Thacker replied.
"Well, we've got plenty of space, "Sam's mom started, "And you could send someone out every day for her rehab! Not to mention I'm used to keeping the fridge stocked because I have a teenage son living at home!"
"I don't know... It could work," Doctor Thacker thought aloud.
"Please... She saved my son's life... It's the least my husband and I could do for her," she pleaded.
"I suppose we could work something out. Good. Everything's settled. I'll be in contact with you in a few days to get all of the information that we talked about earlier. I'll talk to you then," Secretary Keller walked out of the room and informed the guards in charge of watching over Cat of what the moving plans will consist of.
"Since that's all settled, there's one last thing that I need from you," Doctor Thacker smiled.
Cat raised an eyebrow, "What's that?"
"Right now I need you to go to sleep! It's way past visiting hours, and I'll be signing for your release early tomorrow morning, so I need you to be well rested," the doctor crossed her arms.
"I guess I should be going then," Sam's mom started for the door.
"Wait!" Doctor Thacker followed her out, "I'm going to need your contact information so I can get in touch with you about a few different things."
Doctor Thacker had turned off the overhead lights in Cat's room, only the small lightly lit bulb above her bed, and the light off of the monitors were left to light up the room. Cat sleepily put her head back on the pillow, grumbling about the restraints left on her. It was getting quiet until she was startled into sitting up, eyes wide by sudden yelling.
"YES!" Sam and Mikaela had probably woke half the floor with their screeching.
Cat managed to catch her breath after the sudden startle, the heart monitor next to her bed going crazy. She laid back against the bed once more as she realized, "They must have gotten the good news," she smirked before feeling sleep take over her just a few minutes later.
Sam and Mikaela walked out to the parking lot, where the awaiting five Autobots were staying silent in their alt modes.
"So?! Was it her?! Was it Cat?!" Bumblebee asked with great anticipation.
The teens both smiled and Sam replied, "Yeah, Bee. It's really her."
Mikaela then looked to Sam with less of a smile and said, "Well I mean... She looks different... But it really seemed like it was her."
"Looks different? How so?" Ratchet asked.
"She has one of Five's yellow eyes... And she has human legs, according to the doctor anyway... But... I don't understand why she has one of Five's eyes..." Mikaela responded.
"Well, we didn't have enough time to talk to her, before the Secretary of Defense got here. We'll talk to her tomorrow, though," Sam smirked, "She's coming home with us! She'll be staying at my parents' house until further notice!"
"I'm glad to hear that. We can monitor her specially from there, easier than we can here," The medic sounded pleased.
"Yeah, but there's one thing that I don't think she'll be all that interested in..." Mikaela sighed.
"What's that?" Optimus asked.
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"FORGET IT!" Cat shook her head.
Earlier that morning, Cat had been released by Doctor Thacker, and was transported to Sam's house safely by none other than the Autobot medic, with his perfect ambulance disguise for cover. She was now sitting up in the guest bed at the Witwicky residence, arguing, of course.
"Come on Cat, it's only for a little while! Look, as soon as you can walk without our help, you can use the crutches. But you heard Ratchet, your legs only have the strength of a newborn infant, at best. If you try walking on them right now, you won't be getting very far," Mikaela reasoned.
"No walker! No way! I can do this on my own!" Cat refused.
"It's too early to try it yet! Just give yourself a couple of days with this, please?" Sam pleaded.
"Just you watch! I can do this on my own!" Cat flung the sheets from over her legs and as quickly as she could in her weakened state, flung her legs over the edge of the bed.
Sam and Mikaela made to grab Cat, in order to help her up like they were told to do by the physicians, but Cat stopped them.
"No..." she said flatly.
Touching her new feet to the floor, Cat stopped in the middle of what she was doing and took notice at how cold the floor was on her fresh skin. She tried to remember a time when she was younger that she had these feelings, but it was just too long ago. Her first real memory was from after her first surgery. She wiggled her toes for a second longer before her mind snapped back to attention. She had more pressing matters at the moment.
Holding onto the bed with her left hand, Cat gently shoved forward, putting her weight onto her legs as she stood up. For only a split second did she feel like shouting "I told you so!" before her new knees buckled. She would have hit the ground if it weren't for Sam and Mikaela being nearby to catch her.
"Now will you use the walker?" The exasperated Sam asked.
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It had been two weeks since Cat's arrival to the Witwicky residence. And even though it had taken some serious persuasion, the two teens, as well as the Autobots had managed to talk Cat into first trying to walk with the walker, and she had once daily visits from a physical therapist. And now she was strong enough to walk with the aid of crutches for short periods of time.
Now, according to Ratchet, Cat's legs were no ordinary human legs. Her bone structure actually consisted of the same Titanium that Five's body consisted of; as well as most of her ribs, her left arm, her hips, her spinal chord, as well as her cranium. The rest of her body was her old, ordinary human bone structures. The reason that her body was weakened so much was because her muscles were still reacting and forming to her newer body.
The only new part of her body that was functioning one hundred percent was her left eye. She could see in the dark, which made it perfect for her to walk around on her own without being bothered by the nanny patrol which consisted of Sam, Mikaela and the Autobots. And each day she realized that she could pick up bio-signals, and heat signatures with this eye as well. That came in handy when she would get up to test her limits out and someone would be coming from afar. It gave her fair warning to sit or lay back down before she was caught, anyway.
What puzzled the Autobots the most was her unwillingness in explaining what had happened to her at Mission City. Cat remained quiet on the issue, because for the most part, she was still sorting out which memories were hers, and which memories were Fives. Fusing with someone else's body had it's drawbacks you know.
Cat was watching the sunset on the back porch alone. Sitting in a lounge chair, with her crutches lying on the ground next to her, she was content to just listen to the quiet of the city. She had managed to talk Sam, Mikaela and Bumblebee into taking a break from looking after her, and going to see a movie, as well as grabbing something to eat. Cat sighed to herself and closed her eyes. The warmth of the last rays of sun upon her skin made her muscles relax. Sleep was calling to her tired body. However before she drifted off, the sounds of a familiar Autobot leader transforming in the alley behind the house was made known to her.
Optimus walked over to Cat and carefully sat down on the grass next to the porch, knowing how Sam's father felt about there being marks in the grass.
"Hello, Optimus. What can I do for you today?" Cat asked.
"Good evening Catherine. Ratchet needed to finish his recharge, so he sent me to check in on you. How are you feeling today?" the Autobot leader asked.
Cat sighed, "I'm still alive, old man. You guys don't need to make sure of that every other hour of the day, you know."
Optimus rumbled with a slight amount of laughter, "I know that it's you, when you speak to me, Catherine, and not Five. I know because you've called me that once before."
Cat looked strangely up to Optimus and asked, "Why would you think that I was Five?"
Optimus looked down to Cat and replied, "You won't tell us why it is that you have Five's features.. I've wondered, at times, if you were truly yourself, or if Five was playing some sort of trick on us, wanting us to only believe that it was you. But I was sure it was you just now."
Cat gave a scowling look to Optimus, "You mean it took you two weeks to figure out that I was telling you the truth?!"
Optimus looked down to Cat, "Better safe than sorry, as you humans say."
Cat closed her eyes, and put her left arm, as well as her newly made right arm out of the strong Titanium that the government had made for her, behind her head as she scoffed. There was a moment of brief silence before Cat cracked open her eyes.
"Optimus?" she asked quietly.
"Yes, Catherine?"
"I think it's time that I needed to tell you what happened... That day in Mission City... I told part of it to Secretary Keller, but I didn't say all of it..." Cat started.
Optimus didn't say a word, fearing that saying something one way or another would scare Cat out of telling him. And he, as well as the others, desperately wished to know the secret.
"I made the transmutation circle to destroy us both... Me and Five... We were both dying, and it was a way for there not to have anything left over for anyone to have to pick up. But Five changed it at the last minute. She changed it into a fusion spell. She planned on joining our bodies and souls together to form an even more valuable fighter, which would heal her wounds, as well as stop the little problem that was killing me. By joining her blood and my blood together, we would have lived to fight even harder than we had before... But it wasn't meant to be... She died before either of us could activate the transmutation circle... I don't remember how it was that I gained the power that I did... But I managed to summon up the strength to activate it myself... The last thing I remember was seeing my life flash before my eyes... Next thing I knew... I was in the other realm... With Five... Standing before the door that all Alchemists pass through to the next life. I was standing before the door of judgment, ready to accept my fate."
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-Flashback-
"There's something that you need to know Seven..." Five's hand never left Cat's shoulder.
"What is it Five? You can tell me," Cat wanted to ease the troubled look on Five's face.
"You are not meant to die yet. The fusion spell that I cast was too late to save me, but when you activated it, your body fused with mine, of course. The body that formed in that fusion is able to support one of our souls, and the creatures from beyond that door took that body for completion... When you stand in front of that door, sister... You will not be judged and carried to the next life. Your soul will bind with that body, and you will carry on in the realm of the living. It is your fate to live now," Five explained.
"But... I can't go back without you! Wait a second! You could take that body just as easily as I could! Why don't you go back to the land of the living?" Cat asked.
"If I go back now... I may only use the gift that awaits me for personal gain... Going back for me now, would be to condemn me to the pain of anger... I would very most likely harm innocents of that world. Being here now, means that I could never understand the same love and devotion of the human race that you have... It is your fate that you serve the humans, and even those Autobots with your life. Just as they have hoped to serve you, you must live for them. It is not time for you to die, little sis... Your friends are waiting for you to return now anyway," Five replied.
"But what about you?" Cat asked.
Five looked up to her little sister's face, meeting it with a bright smile.
"I will go on to the next life... But first, you need to step in front of those doors, and accept your fate..."
"Can't we... Can't we still fuse together? Both minds together?" Cat asked, she already knew the answer.
Five reached out and touched a hand to Cat's face, wiping away the tears from her face.
"I died before the circle activated little sister. It would be impossible for us to coexist in that body. Your soul is the rightful owner of that body... Now go..." Five turned Cat around to face the doors and shoved her into the judgment zone.
Cat quickly stood up from where she had landed and looked back to Five, "No! Five! I can't go back without you!"
Before anything more could be said, the doors opened just a crack, making Cat turn back towards them.
"Huh?! What's happening?!" Cat watched as several hundred pairs of eyes looked down upon her.
Soon enough, Cat saw the outlined image of another body within the darkness of the other side of the door. There was a blinding light as she felt hands grab her from the back of her neck, down her arms and legs, and to her ankles. The hands rendered her helpless as they pulled her in. The light subsided and Cat saw herself floating nose to nose in front of her new body. She suddenly felt the urge to reach out to the body and take hold of it, so that's what she did. The light overpowered her once again, and she blacked out.
"Stay alive... Cat..." Five's sad voice faded.
-End Flashback-
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"So, in essence, you are both Five and yourself?" Optimus asked.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that..." Cat smiled just a little.
"But what exactly happened when you fused your body with Five's? How did that golden spectrum heal everything in it's path?" Optimus wondered aloud.
"I suppose that when we fused, our Alchemy powers also energized. So any human in the path was healed by Five's abilities, and it combined with the efforts of my mechanical Alchemy skills, which helped put back together anything that was mechanical... But I still don't know exactly how our power reached that kind of power... I have a feeling that I don't completely remember everything yet. Which is why I didn't want to mention any of this, even after I had already told Keller. I realized that my memory isn't completely mine alone, but I have a lot of Five's memories as well, and I needed time to sort everything out... I apologize if I made you guys think that I was anyone other than who I really am," Cat sighed.
"Cat!" Sam's mom's voice yelled from the inside of the house.
"Hmm?" Cat looked behind her to see that there was a government agent in a suit in the living room, as well as Sam and Mikaela had returned from their date.
"I'll uh... I'll be right back," Cat reached down and grabbed her crutches, using them to pull herself up from the chair. She hobbled back into the house, and met with the others in the living room.
"Cat, this is a man from the federal government. He says he has some important documents to give, only to you," Sam's mom tried to play the part of humble hostess, but she seemed rather bothered by this man's presence.
"These documents were given to me straight from the president himself. They were meant for me to give straight to you, and no one else," the man handed Cat a manila envelope.
"My job has been completed. Have a nice day to you all, "The man said as he walked out of the house.
"Well wasn't he just pleasant?" Mikaela asked sarcastically.
"Well, what is it Cat?" Sam asked, his father joining them as the girl opened the envelope, pulling out several sheets of paper, as well as a laminate sheet.
The top sheet was a letter straight from the president's office, as Cat read it aloud a few sentences.
"You are hereby certified as a citizen of the United States of America. Please keep all of this information safe and confidential to yourself and those most trusted by you..." Cat pulled the laminate sheet out from underneath the top sheet and smiled when she read it over silently to herself.
"What is it?" Mikaela asked.
Cat handed the laminated sheet to the girl, still smiling. Mikaela read it aloud.
"Birth Certificate? This certifies the birth of... of..." Mikaela looked up to Cat with an astounded look.
"Go on. Say it. You better learn it now, because that's my legal name from here on forward," Cat smirked.
Mikaela went back to reading it, "This certifies the birth of "Catherine Lillian Andrews" on January first, nineteen eighty-seven... You were born on New Years?!" Mikaela's smile grew more and more as she read the lines in front of her.
Cat's face went into a contemplative look, "Was I? It's the first I knew about it. I was always told how old I was. I wasn't ever told what day I was born on. That may very well be it, then." she smiled.
"Well you're just full of surprises aren't you?" Sam's dad laughed.
There were familiar rumbles in the backyard, indicating that the other Autobots had arrived. Cat knew that Optimus had probably intercommed the information that she had given him to the others, or perhaps Bumblebee had alerted them that there was a familiar black SUV out in front of the house, four agents inside.
Cat, Sam and Mikaela walked out back to see that all five Autobots were standing before them. They looked down to the children.
"What did they want from you today?" Ironhide asked in an annoyed tone. He, as well as the other Autobots were grateful that the government had allowed them to stay, but they did not like them coming by the house to bother the Witwicky's every other day.
"Just to give me some information that I'd need to start a new life," Cat smirked.
"Catherine, something bothers me about what Five has done for you," Optimus spoke suddenly.
"What's that?" Cat asked.
"I would have thought that Five wanted to come back here to take over the planet. Why didn't she take that opportunity?" the Autobot leader asked, Sam and Mikaela looked confused to the question, but of course Optimus had filled the other Autobots in on their conversation.
"She wasn't herself here on Earth anymore... Her soul was torn into a monster of sorts. Her revenge poured hatred into it. When she had finally died and went to the other realm, she realized her true nature. And that nature turned into a wish... That wish was for me to survive, and to carry on as the person she could only have hoped to be. She wanted me to live, and help this world as best I could..." Cat looked to the sunset, the colors of orange, red, and yellow swirled in the sky.
"It was her wish... A wish from the grave..."
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I dreamed I was missing
you were so scared
but no one would listen
cause no one else cared
after my dreaming
I woke with this fear
what am I leaving
when I'm done here
so if you're asking me I want you to know
when my time comes
forget the wrong that I've done
help me leave behind some
reasons to be missed
don't resent me
when you're feeling empty
keep me in your memories
Leave out all the rest, Leave out all the rest
Don't be afraid
I've taken my beating
I've shared what I made
I'm strong on the surface
not all the way through
I've never been perfect
but neither have you
so if you're asking me I want you to know
When my time comes
forget the wrong that I've done
help me leave behind some
reasons to be missed
don't resent me
when you're feeling empty
keep me in your memories
leave out all the rest
leave out all the rest
Forgetting, all the hurt inside you've learned to hide so well
pretending, someone else can come and save me from myself
I can't be who you are
I can't be who you are
"Leave out All the Rest" Linkin Park