A/N: This idea has been in my head driving me crazy and just begging to be written. So here it is! Read, review and enjoy! Constructive criticism is welcome. It takes place seven years after Revenge of the Fallen.

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers.

The roar of the engine was the only sound present in the hot Texan desert. The Ford 2010 F-150 XL it belonged to sped down the old dirt road, leaving behind a trail of dust. The truck turned off the main road, heading down a maze of sandy paths before pulling into the driveway of a long-abandoned, broken-down farm.

A woman in her mid-twenties stepped out of the dark blue vehicle, her long, dark brown hair pulled up loosely in a bun, exposing her neck to the harsh sun. Her eyes scanned the property from behind sunglasses.

A half-demolished house sat in the center of the property; the second story had collapsed into the first and the only thing that still stood was the porch. To the left of the house was a wooden barn that was surprisingly still intact. The paint had long ago faded and the structure was slowly giving into the elements. Around the barn was what used to be a fence; some of the pickets still stood, while others had fallen down and rotted. She frowned when she could not spot her contact.

"They're late again," she groaned, "How hard is it for those idiots to be on time for once in their stupid lives!"

She shut the truck door and walked over to the porch of the crumpled house, cautiously putting one foot down, testing the strength of the structure. When it did not collapse under her weight she sat down.

It was the same every stinkin' year. She would arrive on time at the rendezvous, the deserted farm, and wait in the horrendous heat for her shipment to arrive. Of course they could have just dropped it off somewhere in the desert but no, her husband insisted on her being there when it arrived so his friends could check up on her at her house. She didn't want them knowing where she lived. The minute they found out she was living in a mobile home, making a measly $350 a month and barely being able to make ends meet they would drag her back to the base and force her to live in that house again. That would not do, so after much arguing she had got them to agree to a neutral location a few miles outside El Paso Texas.

Why was it everyone wanted to take care of her? All she needed from them was one thing; it wasn't their money, or their compassion or even their friendship. All she needed was the Energon. Yet her husband insisted on sending her part of his paycheck from the government, with that money she could easily be living in a mansion and not have to worry about her financial issues at all.

That's not what she wanted though, her other issues made her forget about the accident and she would do anything to keep that memory off her mind.

The sound of vehicles approaching interrupted her thoughts and she looked up just in time to see a yellow Hummer H2 rescue vehicle and a blue Peterbilt 379 Truck with red flames come to a halt in the driveway.

She stood and walked over to the very late Autobots arms crossing over her chest, "What are you two doing here?"

Optimus's door opened and his hologram stepped out, "We are delivering the Energon."

"They send the Commander of the Autobots and his Chief Medical Officer to do that?" She narrowed her eyes at his hologram, which suspiciously looked like her husband. "Looking like Sam isn't going to make me want to come back Prime, " she hissed.

The hologram flickered and its appearance changed to that of a man in his late thirties, "I told Sam that myself. Did you know he's been promoted to Captain?"

She shook her head.

"Yes, Colonel Lennox is very proud. We all are." His blue eyes looked at her, "Sooner or later you will have to come home, Mikaela Witwicky. You can't run away forever."

Mikaela didn't notice Ratchet's hologram as he began to scan her, "I'm not running away Optimus Prime! Do you really think I want to live in the center of a war? Its calm and normal in Texas, the Decepticons don't know I'm here; they don't attack everyday like they did back in California. They've been becoming more active ever since the destruction of Diego Garcia. Here I'm safe."

"You would be safer with us." Optimus replied.

She laughed, "Emily was definitely safe with you useless Autobots." The sarcasm in her voice was apparent.

It was then that the brunette noticed Ratchet, "You can stop your scanning now. I'm perfectly healthy."

The grey haired hologram gave her a skeptical look, "Let me be the judge of that 'Kaela. My sources indicate that you have not been visiting a doctor."

She sighed, "Ratch I can take care of myself, besides I'm technically a doctor."

"You're a human Autobot medic my youngling," he responded, "I did not teach you anything about human health."

"My youngling"… His words echoed in her head. Mikaela bit her lip and looked down, why did Prime have to bring Ratchet? A part of her new that he'd been hurt when she left, no, ran away. After her father died she had grown close to the CMO, Sam had been busy with college and she'd had no one to go to, besides Wheelie but he wasn't the comforting type. The Medic had taken her in under his wing and taught her everything he knew, heck he was like a father to her now.

She felt a hand lightly squeeze her shoulder, "Please come back with us, youngling," Ratchet asked quietly, "We're all worried about you."

Mikaela pulled away and gazed at the holograms with cold eyes, "Load up the Energon, all this talk is going to make me late for work."

Ratchet opened his mouth to say something, but a look from Optimus silenced him. The two walked around to Optimus's trailer and began loading the Energon cubes into the back of the F-150.

By the time they were done, Mikaela had retreated into her truck guilt eating away at her heart; she jumped when Ratchet knocked on the window.

"One year's supply of Energon, as usual," he said once the window had been rolled down, "and tell Wheelie if he wants high-grade, he can come down to California and get it. I am not going to help him get wasted."

"Will do Ratch," she replied. He turned to leave but she reached through the window and grabbed his arm. The hologram hummed faintly at the contact, "Will you, um, tell Sam I said congratulations on being promoted and that I wish him the best."

"Of course my youngling." He paused, looking hesitantly at her, as if unsure if he should continue. Finally he spoke, "Mikaela, please come back home with us. You don't have to stay at the villa you can stay in the med room," He smiled, "just like old times."

"You know I can't, Emily-" Mikaela let go of Ratchet and gripped the steering wheel. She couldn't deal with this right now. "I'm late for work. I have to go."

She turned the ignition and the truck came to life and without even saying goodbye she sped off. Unconsciously, Mikaela glanced at the reflection in the rear view mirror. The hurt face of Ratchet's hologram starred back at her. She fought the urge to turn around and run into his arms, releasing all the bottled up emotions. To curl up in his cab as he drove her home to Sam, lulling her to sleep with the hum of his engines, whispering to her that everything would be ok. That Emily was in a better place and that Ironhide has killed the slagger that had- No! She wouldn't think about the accident.

Mikaela turned the radio on and upped the volume, letting the music drown out her thoughts. So focused on not thinking about the past and the Autobots, Mikaela didn't notices the pair of red optics watching her.

A/N: I have no idea if their holograms can actually touch stuff but when I think of holograms made by technically advanced aliens it makes sense that their technology would allow any hologram seem extremely realistic. I hope you enjoyed chaper one! :3