Author's Note: I hope I made some people laugh with the first chapter. I know these first couple bits aren't going to be too interesting but believe me, an action scene is on the way. Another piece for my Neko on her 18th birthday.
DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own any of the Transformers, Sam Witwicky, or any minor characters. I own the story.

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Sam finally got hold of Bee the next day after much pleading to listen to him. His guardian explained that he was afraid that because Sam was with Optimus, their friendship would no longer be what it was. It took an hour or so to reassure Bumblebee that despite his relationship with the Autobot leader, he would still be around. The rest of the week in Hawaii was miserably awkward with Ironhide making his discomfort known and Ratchet's curiosity about how robots and humans could possibly do anything together. One of the last nights that they were there, Sam woke up in the middle of the night by what Optimus claimed to be a "heated discussion" between him and his weapon's specialist.

Of course, Sam knew better than that. Ironhide didn't like it and Optimus was defending them. He felt helpless. As much as he loved the autobots in their entirety, they only seemed to be making his relationship more complicated than it needed to be. His heart sank into his stomach at the thought of Optimus taking all of 'Hide's anger for Sam like he was a little kid hiding behind his parent.

The next day, Sam Witwicky packed his bags reluctant to be returning home so soon. It would be back to Princeton in a matter of hours.

"Are you ready to leave?" It was Optimus. He always popped in an out without a sound. Sam didn't jump when he'd come out of nowhere anymore. "Our flight leaves in two hours. Major Lennox is waiting outside with a car for you."

Sam zipped up his bag with some difficulty; he was coming back with more stuff than he'd gone with. "Okay. I don't suppose you're riding with me."

"I can't. The Autobots and I will be at the airport when you get there. Don't worry."

"Everyone?"

"Sideswipe will be in the car with you. Will said he wanted it that way."

Sideswipe would be with him; that made him feel a little better. The Johnny Depp look-alike had changed his persona again, this time to an equally famous (and attractive) celebrity. Sam recalled him mentioning how he'd seen the movie Iron Man and really liked the main character's actor. Ever since then, he had sported a Robert Downey Jr. human form. Although he assumed Downey, Sideswipe was much more cleanly shaven than the actor in his 2008 blockbuster hit. Sam liked his new appearance better; Sideswipe was absolutely in love with it.

"Are you going to be all right?" Optimus asked his voice full of concern. He always sounded worried for Sam's wellbeing, which sometimes got on his nerves.

"Yeah. I'm fine." He lifted his bags and kissed Prime's cheek as he went out the door. Hawaii held a lot of bad memories now; he didn't want to go back to the continental United States but he certainly didn't want to stay.

Will Lennox and his family were sitting inside a deep red Kia Sorento in the parking lot, awaiting Sam patiently. He threw his bags into the trunk and climbed into the backseat, where Sideswipe was sitting on the other side with Lennox's daughter in the middle. His eyes caught a glimpse of neon yellow as Bumblebee led Optimus, Ratchet, Ironhide, and the twins on ahead towards the airport.

"Sam, you got everything?" Sideswipe wore a black tee with jeans and his signature aviators, sporting a much darker tan than when they had arrived. Sam nodded silently.

"So, you ready to leave?" Will asked, his hand tapping gently on the steering wheel. He was such a nice guy to Sam even after everything that had happened. "Hey, no worries, huh? Next vacation we go on will be better, I promise."

"Yeah, let's go." Sam sighed, hoping what Lennox was saying would be true, and rested his head against the window to fall asleep.

The airport process was as painfully long to go home as it was to go out. They had to return the rental car, get their luggage tagged, go through inspection, find the terminal their plane was on, and meet up with the Autobots which was easier said than done. The Transformers had never ridden on a civilian airplane before, and had a problem getting through security checkpoints. Every time one of them went through metal detectors, it would set off an alarm. They couldn't really explain why they went off if, after a thorough inspection of their persons, there was no metal to be found. Lennox spotted them on their way in and waved his military ID to the airport officials, explaining that they were with him. The attendants silenced themselves and went back to searching the next person's belongings.

"Are all airports so unnecessarily thorough on Earth?" Ratchet said quizzically from across the table. They were sitting at a Starbucks sipping coffee since their plane was reported to be about fifteen minutes late.

"At least they are in America. That's what happens after terrorist attacks." Sam said bluntly, slurping a venti Strawberries & Crème smoothie through his straw. He wasn't sure how exactly the autobots were able to drink coffee (or eat for that matter) but if Ratchet was doing it, then it must've been fine. Bumblebee sat next to Sam, tasting the Double Chocolaty Chip drink that he'd ordered for his Camaro to try. Ironhide sat at a table across the café' with Sideswipe and the twins sipping an Espresso, talking so quietly that Sam had a hard time hearing his voice over the intercom announcing arriving and departing flights.

"Terrorist attacks?" Ratchet's eyes went blank for a moment but Sam knew what he was doing. At any moment, the Transformers could check the world wide web for something they wanted to know. He returned with a small gasp for breath, "Oh. I see. 9/11 sounds horrible."

"Eh, I don't know. I was still living on the West Coast then but it used to be all over the news." Sam shrugged it off. Optimus sat down on his other side and hesitated to make any physical gesture towards him. Sam figured he didn't want to embarrass him, although that certainly wasn't it. Prime didn't order any coffee; he claimed he wanted to sleep on the plane.

"Flight 230, bound for New Jersey, has just arrived. Departure in thirty minutes. Passengers, please report to terminal 18 for boarding."

"That's us, you guys. Come with me." Will threw away his coffee cup and grabbed his carry-on bag for his wife. Everyone finished their drinks, got their belongings (with what little they had except for Sam), and followed him through the airport.

Sam hated flying. He hated the feeling of flying. Any moment, he could be shot out of the sky or attacked by some Decepticon disguised as another plane or an F-22 Raptor or a Cybertronian Jet. He hated it. The only thing that calmed him was the fact that he was sitting next to Optimus Prime, who was reading a book despite the turbulence that the plane was experiencing. They had already stopped in California to switch flights (Sam refused to visit his parents in the meantime; they were probably in Japan for all he knew) and was told that they would have to stop at the delta in Atlanta to switch flights again before it would be smooth sailing back to school. At least, that's what Sam hoped for.

"Are you all right?" Optimus closed his book—The Last Olympian. Who knew that Prime would like some story about Greek mythology? Sam shook off the autobot's worries, "I'm good. Just a little airsick."

He leaned his head on Optimus' shoulder, trying to ignore the nauseous feeling he had in his stomach. It felt as if knives were stabbing at his insides but the moment he shut his eyes, he fell asleep.

The flight from Atlanta wasn't as bad. The airport was hell; Sam had never seen such an insanely huge building. He heard Ironhide remark that it wasn't the "Atlanta Delta" for nothing. Thousands of people made their way to flights or lounged in the food court or waited for their baggage at the front. Trams made their way from terminal to terminal, delivering people to their designations. In fact, a couple of times, Sam had even almost gotten lost if it weren't for Bumblebee and Optimus keeping an eye on him.

Sam didn't even get motion sickness on the way from Atlanta; there was no turbulence to upset his stomach. Once or twice, he had asked a stewardess for a Sprite and some pretzels while he gazed out the side window at the land that looks so microscopic below. He had to sit next to Bee that time, since Ratchet and Optimus apparently had "much to discuss" but he didn't mind. Bumblebee enjoyed peering out the window just as much as he did. The Autobots couldn't fly like the Decepticons so Sam thought Bee must've been enthralled at the sight.

Before he knew it, they were going down for landing. His heart was doing back flips in his chest as the plane touched solid ground—no more feeling of being attacked at random.

Finally the captain turned off the seatbelt light, allowing the passengers to get up to get their things and leave. Will looked much more use to military planes than civilian planes as he stood up stiffly, "So, anyone else want to get out of here?"