A/N: For those wondering, yes, this does take place in the same universe as "What Training Can't Teach You". So humans and Autobots live side-by-side. But you DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE READ THE ORIGINAL TO UNDERSTAND THIS ONE. :) Similar themes, but it's a totally new story. The only thing you absolutely NEED to know is that, this is a world where the events of "TRANSFORMERS: PRIME" never happened. Humans and Autobots co-exist, like I said, rather than the Autobots being a secret. That's really all you have to know, everything else is explained within the story itself.

Pairings: The most there will be are mentions of PAST OptimusxElita.

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers, Transformers: Prime or any recognizable characters. But all of my OCs belong to me.

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CHAPTER 1
Lonely Boy

The Jasper County Children's Home was, to say the least, in desperate need of repair. The paint on the walls were chipping off, it smelled like about twenty different things, none of them pleasant, and the floorboards creaked, and every so often gave in. It was not a wonder that most people in town felt about as much about the orphanage as the kids inside of it did. For most of them, it was prison, four walls, a few windows, and food. But some had no choice but to call it home at the age they were at.

Riley Simmons was one of those kids, in fact, he was the oldest in the home. At nearly sixteen years old, "home" was such a foreign concept, especially when he'd gone into the system at the age of one. He had an Uncle, but the man had been in and out of rehab, and his infrequent visits were mostly filled with empty promises of one day being a family. That didn't change the fact that Riley was free for adoption, with no legal rights given to anyone, and yet, still stuck in the dump that was the bain of his existence.

His blue eyes squinted as the sunlight poured into the window that morning. With a groan, he pulled the blankets over his head for a moment, even though he knew the tug of the home's owner was coming. "Riley, it's time to get up." He grunted quietly "Come on, it may be worth it today." He heard her suggest.

"You've been saying that for fifteen years." Riley muttered, giving in and getting to his feet "If I have to sit through another "parents day", I swear..." The elderly woman frowned, her eyes crossing a bit "I'll just... Go get dressed." He muttered.

"Good idea." She replied bluntly.

Parents Day was the one day of the month where potential parents came to the children's home. It was a big day when you were younger, when you were still cute, that is. But by the time you got to be fifteen going on sixteen, it was just another day where you likely got ignored. Stretching a bit, he straightened the spikes in his brown hair as he headed down the stairs slowly. He didn't bother to dress up "nicely" like the other kids in the house, he simply dressed in a pair of jeans and t-shirt.

It wasn't going to make a difference anyway. He always, with one or two exceptions, spent that time out on the basketball court, away from the "action". Why go in and kid himself, after all? He was going to be an orphan for life, that was what happened when you got to be his age, you weren't good for anything anymore, except maybe work, and heaven forbid you were adopted for that. He sighed a bit, tilting his head towards the outside of the home, more specifically, at the red and blue truck outside it.

Optimus Prime's presence, was the oddest sight around the home that Riley had ever seen. The mech was of course, the benefactor of the children's home, for reasons unknown, but as far as he knew he had never visited before. Though if he remembered correctly, the mech, who had lived in DC for several years, had recently moved to Jasper, so he supposed it may become a more common sight. "The home is in desperate need of repair." Riley heard an oddly baritone voice speak as he reached down to grab the basketball near the corner "And adoption numbers have dropped severely for those over the age of ten." He noted.

"It's very hard to adopt them out. And the funds are still too small for repairs." A man, Mr. Gellar, who helped run the house spoke up "We're trying our best to solve both problems. But, I'm not sure we'll ever solve the adoption problem." Riley had to roll his eyes at the man's words "Most of the older children have some extreme issues. And the one who doesn't isn't very..." Riley turned his head, crossing his eyes "Adoptable." He finished.

Riley wanted to punch the man in the jaw, but at the same time, knew that would get him nowhere. Of course he wasn't adoptable, because he was not the chipper, upbeat orphan everyone was looking for. How could someone be when they'd spent their entire childhood in a hellhole like the one they were in right now? It was impossible. "Oh, Riley, there you are." Riley turned his head to Gellar slowly "They're looking for you in the main room." He noted.

"I know, I'm not going." Riley shrugged his shoulders "Like you said, I'm "unadoptable." Gellar's face went a bright shade of pink at that "I'll be outside practicing, we have a big game on Thursday that I need to be warmed up for." He shrugged his shoulders a bit "Cover for me, will you?" He asked.

Gellar sighed as Riley jogged out to the basketball court behind the children's home. Optimus however, who stood behind him in his holoform, frowned a little bit. Not only was it clear that the boy had heard their conversation, but it was also clear that they had hurt him by saying such a thing. "So he's the unadoptable one?" He questioned, Gellar turned, and nodded his head "What makes him unadoptable?" He questioned.

"Kid has a history, he's a really good kid, but it's mostly his Uncle's fault." Gellar shook his head a little bit "Man's a drunk, shows up once or twice a month, clean, mostly. Been trying for custody since he came to us." He took a deep breath "He hasn't had anyone to count on since he was a year old. So I think he's a bit bitter." He explained "Good basketball player though." He added.

"He said he plays." Optimus noted.

"Yeah, varsity team at his high school." Optimus turned to the man in surprise "Yeah, I know, he's been here a long time." He added "Would you care for me to show you anything else while we're here?" He questioned.

Optimus turned his head towards the outside, and shook his head. "No, I think I can manage the rest of my inspection alone, thank you Mr. Gellar." The man nodded heading off to return to the main room.

He was silent for a moment before he exited towards the back himself, out of curiosity. The back of the home was obviously quiet that morning, as most were inside the home. But the small court was occupied by Riley alone, the boy seemed driven, concentrated, his skills sharp, and his moves fluid. To say he was impressed would have been the best way to describe it. "You play?" Riley turned to Optimus slowly, having noticed his presence "Or did you come out here for something else?" He questioned.

"Inspecting the exterior." Optimus replied, Riley shrugged his shoulders "As for your sport, I have played it a few times. My son, Jason, played it as well."

"You have kids?" Riley questioned.

Optimus nodded his head, thinking of Jason and Sophie. They'd both long since moved out of the house and thinking of them could be hard. He missed them, there was no doubt about such a fact. "Mmm, two of them, yes." Optimus nodded slowly "I actually adopted both of them when they were in infancy." Riley nodded his head slowly "So tell me, why aren't you in there with the-" He began.

"No one's going to chose a kid almost two years from his eighteenth birthday and freedom." Riley shrugged his shoulders a bit "The last time I heard about a kid around my age getting adopted was when I was five. And that Kyle Rickers kid got adopted by an Autobot." He shrugged his shoulders a bit "I guess you already knew about that though. After all you are..." He looked at him calmly "You are Optimus Prime, right?" He questioned.

"The one and only." Optimus nodded "And I did know that boy. He's the son of a good friend of mine." Riley nodded, smiling a bit "But I would agree that he did get lucky. It's both an unfortunate and fortunate truth." Riley just smirked at that "But I wouldn't be too worried, you're skilled at that, you're very likely to..." He began.

"Get a good scholarship to college?" Riley shrugged "Yeah, that's the plan. Only way I'll have a future, right?"

That time it was Optimus's turn to frown, but it wasn't in frustration, moreso in pity. Whereas Riley may have, to the untrained mech, looked like any other bitter orphan, he knew it was more than that. Riley was little more than a lonely boy angered by the loss of a childhood he was sure he'd never have a chance of having. "Well I should go before Mrs. Morton gets pissed at me." Riley noted, he caught the ball one last time "It was really nice to meet you, Mr. Prime." He added.

"The pleasure was all mine, Riley." Optimus nodded in response.

As he watched the boy walk back towards the home, he was silent. For a moment, his mind thought of his words, and of the state of mind he was in. It wasn't unusual, he had thought often of taking another human in after Jason and Sophie had grown up. With a silent stride, he headed back inside, perhaps he was insane knowing what he did about his past now, but something drew him to the boy, something strange.

All he could hope was that he knew what he was doing.