A/N: Greetings Dear Reader, this is just something the plot bunnies would not lend me any respite from. A few quick notes, this takes place pre-DotM, so yup, that means beloved Ironhide is here! Also, like always, we choose to have Annabelle's age not strictly follow cannon. That is why we have made her slightly younger than what she probably should be according to cannon. Also, this piece does involve our OC Elena; please see our profile for additional information on her.

Now...on with the plot!

~~~Epsilon Pax & BumBee

Disclaimer: Hasbro owns all rights to Transformers and all characters contained within. HOWEVER, our OC Elena is our property (you can't have her Hasbro!)

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"Hiya, Unka Epps! Guess what, guess what, guess what!"

Surprised to be accosted by such a bright and girlish voice so very early in the morning, Epps still managed a responding smile as Annabelle bounded over to him. The moment he climbed the platform's last step, he scooped her up in his arms and balanced her on his hip, noticing as he did so, the odd accessories she was wearing.

"Heya, Jelly-Bean, what's this?" He asked plucking at the plastic red cape that she wore over her favorite pink tutu and matching teddy-bear sweater. Lennox's five-year-old daughter stretched her arms out wide in excitement.

"Its my 100th day cape! Imma super student!"

Epps chuckled as he moved to join Lennox, who perched on a wayward desk, looking for all-the-world as though he was hiding behind a file rather than actually reading it.

"A super student, cool." Epps tweaked Annabelle's nose playfully, although before he could venture another question, Annabelle's ever-enthusiastic attention was caught when another of her honorary uncles joined them on the tall platform that dominated the wide bay.

"Unka Stuart! Unka Stuart!" She kicked in a clear signal to be put down. Of course, as soon as Epps complied, she scampered over to the Corporal and repeated her previous tirade for him to, "Guess what, guess what, guess whhhhaaaaatttt!"

Allowing himself another chuckle at her antics, Epps shifted towards his longtime friend, pitching his voice so only Lennox could hear him, "I didn't know Annabelle was going to visit base this weekend…how come you didn't tell any of us? Whenever she's planning on coming you usually can't stop squawking about it for weeks before her plane even leaves the 'States."

Lennox managed a tight smile, "Just kinda worked out this weekend I guess."

Epps hooked his thumbs on his belt and fixed his friend with a hard stare, "C'mon man what's up?"

"Nothing. Things just worked out."

"Uh-huh. Just worked out?"

"Yeah. Remember the conference Elena had to go state side for?"

"Of course, she got back at an un-gawdly hour last night."

"Yeah, well, her conference just happened to be a few hours from home, and Annabelle wanted to visit…" Lennox shrugged again, "…Sarah couldn't get time off work, and Elena didn't mind bringing Annabelle back with her…so, yeah, it just worked out." Lennox tilted his head to regard Epps, "I'm surprised she didn't say anything to you."

Unconcerned Epps slouched against the desk, copying Lennox's comfortable stance, "I'm not. I was asleep when she got back. Literally, she got home, crawled into bed and dared me to try and stop her. I'll call her in a bit."

"No you won't. If you wake her up without a chance to have her coffee, she'll send Ironhide after you."

A shrill yelp of excitement from Annabelle caught both soldier's attention, and the sight of Stuart twirling Annabelle like a ballerina incited smiles from all of them.

" Belle, aren't you tired from your trip here?" Stuart entreated her.

Annabelle merely giggled, "Nope! Not tired! Imma super stuuuuddeent! Imma 100 days smart!"

"She means that this week she had her 100th day of school," Lennox explained.

"Oh, hence the cape right?" Epps asked.

"Yeah, I guess she wanted to wear it and show everyone here."

"Cute, man."

Lennox shifted restlessly, "Yeah, that's what I'm counting on…"

That made Epps stand a little straighter, "What do you mean?"

"Well, Annabelle has a great way of being a good distraction for us, you know the unit, the guys… and the bots….and well, the 'bots just got back from that diplomatic mission Mearing kept pestering them about..."

"Not good?"

"Way not good."

Epps paused to watch as Annabelle brandished a yarn necklace strung with Fruit Loops and proceeded to have Stuart help her re-count all 100 pieces of cereal, clearly another relic from her 100th day of school festivities. "But, it was just Big Man and Ironhide that went, right? Wasn't it supposed to be one of those by the books meet and greets, the standard inter-species cooperation promotion thing? No way Big Man messes that up. "

"Agreed, Optimus is as diplomatic as they come, but think about it for a moment...Ironhide went too." Lennox curled the file in his hands, rolling and unrolling it in restless and nervous motions.

To the other's surprise, Epps gave him a wicked grin in answer, "What? 'Hide go and blow somethan up he wasn't supposed to?"

Lennox's responding, "No" was careful and thoughtful.

"Okay, so….?"

"Epps, if it was only supposed to be a formality where the Autobots just met up with a few world leaders to reaffirm that they're peaceful aliens with no intentions of taking over the planet, then why did Mearing insist that Optimus take Ironhide, of all bots, with him?"

Epps shrugged, "I assumed because Optimus might be a potential target? Maybe Mearing didn't want to take the chance that someone would try to attack Optimus?" When Lennox just looked at him blankly, Epps held up his hands in surrender, "Hey now, I know Big Man can handle anything just fine on his own, but its Mearing…she's got her own kinda logic."

Lennox pointed the crumpled file folder at Epps, "My point exactly. When she first pitched this idea to us, I was suspicious that she had her own agenda."

"What, like a secret mission she wanted the 'bots to handle?"

"No…" Distracted now, Lennox's gaze traveled across the hanger, toward where the growl of an approaching engine ricocheted off of the wide metal walls of the structure, announcing the arrival of—

"Paw-Paw Bot!" Annabelle cheered, scampering as close to the railing as she could. Resting her dainty chin on the top rail, she watched with a beaming smile as Optimus transformed and moved to stand properly before the platform.

"Guess what, guess what, guess what, Paw-Paw Bot!" Annabelle balanced on a lower rail, in an effort to lean toward Optimus to ensure his attention, "Can I tell you something! Can I tell you something!"

But much to her—and Lennox's—chagrin, Optimus merely flickered his optics in her exuberant direction only briefly, his expression unreadable behind his battle mask, "Hello, Little One." He greeted her not unkindly, "Perhaps later…now is not the time." His usual velveteen voice was clipped, almost terse, and at the sound Lennox's heart sank into his boots. As selfish as it was, he had been hoping that somehow, by bringing Annabelle to base, it would have helped to lighten the Prime's mood, since having Annabelle around seemed to always cheer up…well, everyone on base.

"But…but…Otmus…"Annabelle's bottom lip quivered dangerously. She didn't understand, didn't like this lack of interest from him. Her Paw-Paw Bot always had time for her, always.

"Later, my Little One." He gently asserted.

Something was wrong, and she didn't like it. Not one bit. "Are you mad, Otmus?" her normally sweet and happy voice was dulled with worry, "Are you mad at me, Otmus?"

There was a hiss of air as Optimus exvented in an Autobot sigh and Lennox tensed at the noise, knowing such was a sound that Optimus only indulged in when he was well and truly, frustrated. Yet, when he addressed Annabelle again, his voice was steady, calm and as gentle as ever, "Of course not, my Little One. There are, however, matters I must attend to first. Perhaps later we may speak again."

Annabelle brightened again, at the prospect of 'later', and practically bounced out of her tennis shoes, "You pway with me later? Then I can tell you about how Imma super student!"

"Of course, my Little One."

Annabelle clapped her hands in excitement, "Otay! Later, Paw-Paw Bot!" Blowing him a kiss, she promptly turned and rounded on Stuart, latching onto his hand, "Can we go find BumBee? Unka Epps, Dad and Paw-Paw Bot have to talk serious."

Receiving a nod of encouragement from Lennox, Stuart picked Annabelle up and descended the platform's stairs carefully, "Mmmkay, kiddo, lets go see what Bumblebee and the other 'bots are up to…your Uncle 'Hide is back, too."

"Meebee, we make things go boom with Unka 'Hide!" Annabelle's voice drifted slowly off as Stuart carried her away, presumably to the Autobot's adjacent hanger.

"Lieutenant Colonel." Optimus' rich, rolling timber wrested Lennox's attention from where it followed his daughter. A sinking feeling settled in his stomach as he turned to face Optimus, reluctantly moving closer to the great titan who stood before him, a living mountain of power and metal. Rather than demand answers, Optimus merely waited, blinking his optics slowly, with a soft click.

Still wringing the now all but useless file in his hands, Lennox regarded the Prime, mouth dry, "How was your flight back? I know, um, for you guys those jets can be a bit cramped…"

There was another soft click as Optimus blinked again.

Lennox didn't dare try to overcome the weight of Optimus' gaze, he knew a losing battle when he saw one and no one, no one won a staring contest with Optimus Prime, "Look…believe me when I say that I honestly didn't think Mearing was intending to place that diplomat under arrest on behalf of the U.N., I thought it was just another, promotional—"

"I cannot believe that. "

Now it was Lennox and Epps' turn to stare, "What?"

"Lieutenant Colonel, you have not been honest with me."

"Optimus, I honestly didn't know that was Mearing intention."

The Prime narrowed his gaze, "That is not correct. Before we departed, you make it clear to me that you had reservations regarding this mission. Yet, you refused to clarify what your concerns were."

Helplessly, Lennox searched for an answer, "I…I just didn't have any proof, Mearing never stated why she wanted you to visit that diplomat…how could I—"

"—Because you failed to be completely honest, you have cost the Autobots much in the way of public regard. You have allowed Mearing to damage how your world, your people view us. You allowed Mearing to use the Autobots as little more than brute enforcers for your country's political agenda."

With a heavy heart, Lennox shouldered the blame, "Optimus…I'm truly sorry…I—"

"Lieutenant Colonel—"

"—aw c'mon Big Man, quit pulling rank on Lennox!" Epps could no longer stay silent, "Look, he made a mistake, we all do sometimes. But it's not like you to bully anyone, let alone any of us, about it. C'mon, we're family, we trust each other, there isn't a damn reason for you to act like he's a stranger."

"Let me make myself clear. Your world is changing now that humanity knows of our existence. I cannot allow for my Autobots to be viewed by your planet as mere tools to bully other nations. Yes, fate granted us to land in your nation and your country was generous enough to offer us all that it has. However, be that as it may, you do not have the right to use us as weapons to defend your country and yours alone. And that is what you have allowed to happen." Carefully, Optimus shifted forward, for the first time retracting the panels that concealed his expression, "Epps, you are right, we are supposed to trust one another. You are among the few humans I feel as though we, Autobots can trust completely. However, when matters such as these arise, when we conceal things from one another…that trust is broken. As Leader of the Autobots, because of this incident, I am forced to reconsider our alliance and what would be best for your species and for mine."

"Don't tell me just because of what happened, of what Mearing did, that you're considering leaving." Frustration now rose within Lennox and clenching his hands he rested them on the railing, "C'mon Optimus, look I'm sorry and next time Mearing gets it in her head to send you somewhere, I'll tell her to shove it. But you can't tell me you'd leave."

"I will be honest with you both. If leaving proves to be the best option for both of our species then that is what we will do. I am concerned about conflicting opinions humanity has regarding the Autobots, and I fear that one day, and one day soon, they might act on such opinions in a violent manner."

Lennox scrubbed his face with his hands, the sinking feeling in his stomach growing into a gnawing worry, " Optimus I can't believe you're reacting like this…what happened on your trip couldn't have been as bad as you think…"

"Lennox…it was such a lack of communication and misinterpretation that plunged Cybertron into the Great War. I will not allow that to happen to your world, and I cannot allow our presence to bring such destruction and damage to humanity." Optimus turned to leave, pausing before he did so, "And Lennox…do not think the reason for your daughter's sudden appearance on base escaped my notice."

"She just wanted to see you, that's all." Epps sought to defend his friend again, "She missed you 'bots."

In answer, Optimus gave Lennox one long, last considering glare, one that Lennox couldn't manage to meet.

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A/N: Hope this has peaked your interest dear reader; the next chapter will follow shortly. Please R & R! It would make us ever so happy!