Cade

What? She held up the little glowing piece of metal. I stepped closer to her. She wouldn't look at me.

"Lea," she dropped it against her chest, "let me finish Cade. There's one more thing I haven't told you about me. I'm not who you think I am."

She glanced up at me. She was nervous. She took a deep breath.

"My name isn't Lea, Cade." What?

She smiled sadly, "I appeared during the war in Chicago five years ago. I helped the Autobots during the war. I'm not even human, Cade."

She pulled her hair out. Her blue eyes turned green. Her short blonde hair grew longer and turned red. Her ears grew pointed. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. She bit her lip.

"What are you, Lea?" She smiled.

"I'm an elf. In this world I'm considered fictional. Yet here I am. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Cade. I couldn't tell you what I was. I am as much of an enemy of the state as Optimus is. Except they wouldn't kill me. They would experiment on me, Cade. I live a long time and I am still a very young elf, but in human years I am very old." I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

The woman I had let into my home wasn't human. I saw the changes, but I couldn't believe that I had an elf in front of me. She looked nervous.

"Is Lea even your real name?" She smiled again.

"Actually it comes directly from my name. My full first name is Aleatha. So I shortened my name and went to Lea." I looked down at her.

"Why is? Why did you come to me and not someone else?" She looked down at the ground.

"I knew I could trust you. I knew that day I saw you that you were different from other humans. I was so thankful when you let me live here. I knew I had to repay you so I did. Cade, I came to you because in a world where I have no one, I found someone I could trust. I wanted to tell you what I was, but had I done that you and Tess would've been in danger." She looked back up at me.

"So why now? Why didn't you warn me what the truck was? I've put my whole family in danger!" Her arms wrapped around herself.

Her hair had fallen in front of her face. Her red hair disappeared. She shook her head.

"I'm so sorry, Cade. After I was separated from Optimus I was all alone. I just had to run and hide. Even more than the Autobots do. I'm sorry Cade. I knew who the truck was, but I knew he was badly injured and you're the only one I would trust to fix him. The moment you found out what he was you didn't turn him in. Even if that was because you wanted to tear him apart for parts. Now I have to ask something of you Cade. Please, please help me fix him. I have no one else who will help me. So please Cade help me save him." She was looking down at the ground.

She started to tremble.

"Dad," I looked up to find Tess.

"Dude we should hurry and call it in. We'll get twenty-five thousand dollars." I looked down at Lea.

I saw her fists clenched. She was shaking. I looked at Lucas. Did he not learn his lesson? I turned back to Lea. I placed my hand on her head. She looked up at me. Hope. Her now blue eyes held hope in them. She had done so much for us. She helped us keep the house. She helped raise Tess. Even went as far as opening a college fund for her. She bit her lip. I looked at Lucas and Tessa. I wouldn't betray her trust.

"No. We will not turn it in. I'm going to see how it works. If nothing comes of it then I'll call the number." Tess scoffed.

She walked away towards the house,"Lucas, go to the shop and wait for us. Lea and I will be there shortly."

He walked away and I turned back to Lea. She was still looking up at me. She had become a good friend, and I wasn't about to lose that friendship by sacrificing someone she loved.

"I'll help fix him, I promise." She jumped up and hugged me.

"Thank you, Cade. Thank you." I felt the tears on my shoulder.

I returned the hug. I felt warmth against my chest. I pulled away and looked down. The piece of the spark was glowing. Lea smiled.

"Why is it glowing?" She looked up at me.

"I think it's because I'm so close to him. I don't know though. We got separated before he could really explain further how it worked. I've been searching for him ever since we got separated. It didn't really light up, but it was like a guide. Looking back on how we met I know something led me here. What I don't know, but I believe it was this little piece of him," she smiled up at me, "let's get to work."