Prologue

Lily wasn't exactly sure what she was supposed to feel. Wasn't she supposed to be crying? People usually cried at these sort of things. But...Lily wasn't. She was just sitting there, staring ahead blankly, while family members, one by one, went up to say their farewells to her parents. They gave eulogies, sent their apologies and sympathies to Lily, but all she did was stare.

Lily Witwicky was only sixteen when she found out her parents died in a car accident. She had been spending the day with her friends at the mall, so when she received a tearful call from her Aunt Judy saying her parents were in the hospital, Lily had been shocked.

Her father, Francis, her Uncle Ron's younger brother, had died instantly in the crash. Lily's mother, Rosalia, had survived but had been seriously injured. Rosalia had remained in a coma for six months before the plugs had been pulled. Lily cried then. She cried when she found out her father had died instantly. But, for some reason, she just couldn't find the tears for the funeral.

It had been decided that Francis and Rosalia Witwicky would have their funerals on the same day. Every family member and friend joined for the event.

Lily had been bombarded with people saying the same thing to her the entire time.

I'm so sorry for your loss.

They're in a better place now.

They wouldn't want to see you so upset.

This must be so hard on you. I'm so, so sorry.

They were taken too soon.

Your parents were wonderful people.

I'll always be here if you need anything.

Lily nodded, thanked them, and made sure to be as respectable as she could be. Ron and Judy hadn't left Lily's side since the funeral started. Sam, Ron's and Judy's only son, comforted Lily the best he could. The two cousins hardly ever saw each other growing up, and when they did, their relationship had always been a little awkward. But Sam was willing to put aside whatever awkwardness came with their relationship and be there for Lily if she needed it.

That was what family did.

-0-0-0-0-

By the time the funeral had come to an end, and all the family members had left, Lily followed her Aunt, Uncle, and cousin to their car. Francis had made it very clear that, if in some way, there was some kind of situation that left Lily all by herself before she could live on her own, she would live with Ron and his family.

Lily had her arms crossed over her chest, unconsciously tugging at the top of the black dress she was wearing.

Her auburn hair—which looked a little more red than auburn—had been pinned back into a somewhat messy bun. Her light gray eyes were cast downward, looking at the cracked areas of the parking lot.

She didn't want to be at the cemetery anymore.

Lily didn't want to be anywhere anymore.

She wanted to be at home, with her parents, where everything felt normal.

"Lily? Sweetheart?" Judy said quietly. Looking up, Lily saw how her Aunt's eyes were misty and how her face was not only saddened by the whole event, but by how her niece was acting.

"I'm fine," Lily murmured, looking down again.

"Did you need to get anything from your house?" Judy asked, trying to keep her voice gentle.

Lily had started living with Ron, Judy, and Sam only a couple days after the accident. Since her father was already gone and her mother was in a coma, Lily didn't really have anywhere to go. She had mentioned living with some friends, but Ron and Judy wouldn't allow it. So, reluctantly, Lily gathered enough clothes to last a couple months and moved in with them.

She nodded.

-0-0-0-0-

Once they reached Lily's old home, it felt like a weight had been dropped on her shoulders. Flowers decorated the front porch. Candles had been placed around the flowers. Pictures of Francis and Rosalia were angled around the flowers and candles.

The only people who hadn't been able to make it to the funeral were Rosalia's parents, Lily's grandparents. Rosalia had moved to America from Mexico when she was young, eventually meeting Francis Witwicky and everything that happened afterward was history. Rosalia's parents didn't have the money—or the energy—to travel all the way to America for their daughter's funeral, but they sent presents and letters to Lily anyway.

"Do you need any help, Lily?" Sam asked before she got out.

She silently shook her head.

Being careful not to step on the flowers, candles, or pictures, Lily unlocked the front door and stepped in. The house was quiet, that was the first thing she noticed. The next thing she noticed was how big it felt without her parents.

She wouldn't be able to hear her father's loud laughter fill up the house; she wouldn't hear her mother singing old songs her parents used to sing to her; she wouldn't be able to smell her mother cooking traditional Mexican dishes or her father cooking something on the grill.

The house was empty.

Quickly making her way upstairs to her room, Lily opened her bedroom door and felt the weight in her feel even heavier. It hadn't changed much. It was still decorated with all the things Lily loved—pictures of her and her friends, drawings, posters, a few clothes scattered on the floor.

The quicker you can get this over with, the quicker you can leave, she thought solemnly.

So, Lily Witwicky tried gathering as many clothes and personal belongings as she could before leaving.

If she was going to be living with Ron and his family, she'd have to make the best of it.

(A/N):

Hey, guys! Let me now what you think of this first chapter. If you've got any ideas on how I could improve this chapter, or if you've got ideas on future updates, leave a review and let me know.

Nothing in the Transformers franchise belongs to me. All I own are my characters and the coffee I drink.

Don't hesitate to tell me any possible ideas you could have for this story!

Many blessings,

Indigo Callahan