Chapter 3

After the whole ordeal with those creepy-ass Decepticons, Optimus decided he needed to get us back to base as quickly as possible and I couldn't have agreed more. So, he activated his holoform and began driving.

He informed me more about his men and what had transpired since they had crashed here five years ago. The members of his team he had lost and the ones they had gained, only to lose them later.

The tale of Cybertron and everything that had transpired which lead to the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons. How Cybertron had been destroyed and they had spent millennia looking for the cube that gave and took life called the Allspark

"Wait. All that time spent cooped up in a spaceship, weren't you ever bored?" I asked at one point.

Optimus chuckled and answered that yes, there were times. He asked why I wanted to know.

I blushed, wondering exactly what one would do in all that time and that I would go absolutely fucking insane.

This time, Optimus had fully laughed and reminded me then it was a good thing I would never have to go through that

"I bloody fucking hope not. Though if I do ever get stuck on a spaceship, it has to be with people I like"

"Oh?"

"Yep and anyone I hate, I would want to kill…you'd be welcome though."

The holoform just shook his head, a large smile lighting up his face.

The semi was then filled with a comfortable silence. Although it was apparent I could get along with Optimus, it would take some getting use to. Sighing, I rested my head on the window. It was still a lot to take in, that we weren't alone in the universe…and then I had the strangest thought

"You didn't happen to see a little blue box flying through space did you?"

The confused look he shot me answered the question

"Didn't think so, just checking."

The rest of the ride was ridden in silence as I felt myself drifting off.

When I opened my eyes, the vehicle had stopped moving and I realized we were in some kind of underground…well, it was a cave. Frowning, I opened the door peering out and gasped at what I saw. It wasn't just some underground cave, it was a base; there were military and army men and women, air force men and women, and even members of government seemed to pass through this huge main room and disappeared. I jumped when a large black Autobot entered into the room and headed straight toward us

"Optimus, we caught news of Megatron and Starscream in the area. Shall we take care of them?" the bot asked.

Optimus opened his door and climbed down from his side of the cab and I could hear him walking around his vehicle mode to my side. He soon appeared, helping to ease me out of the cab with my bag, wincing as I did so

"Lean on me, lean on me. Put all your weight on me. Good girl."

Once he had me safely on the ground, his holoform disappeared and the sound of gears and metal grinding sounded as I turned and watched as he transformed back into his…what he called bipedal form

"No, it's too late. They already attacked but I managed to hold them off as best I could. Unfortunately, another human got caught in the crossfire."

It was then the black Autobot glanced down realizing I was here before looking back at his leader

"Ironhide, this is Rosemarie Fuentes but you may call her Rose. Rose, this is Ironhide, my weapons specialist" Optimus introduced us.

Lowering himself so he was face to face, he studied me for a moment before standing and nodding

"A word?" he nodded in the direction of the corridor.

Glancing up, I noticed a frustrated look cross Optimus' metal facial features for a few seconds before he followed his weapons' specialist and friend out of the room.

I just stood there awkwardly

"Sure, just leave me here feeling awkward. Not fucking weirded out at all."

Apparently the Autobot leader must have heard for he glanced back and shot me an apologetic look

"I'm sorry" he mouthed and they disappeared.

I huffed a sigh and then was about to take a step when I saw a young couple walking toward me

"Hi, I'm Sam Witwicky and this is my friend Mikaela Banes. Welcome to the base and sorry you got caught up in this" the young man introduced himself and the young woman beside him

"Rosemarie Fuentes but you can just call me Rose" I returned.

Okay this wasn't so bad, I suppose. At least there were humans around my age give or take a couple of years who are also caught up in this war. Sam offered to show me around and although I was a little reluctant, what other choice did I have?

I would be living here now.

I think.

As I began to limp after them, Mikaela glanced back and gasped

"Sam, she's limping. She must be hurt" she informed him.

Sam turned back and they came over to me

"Guys, I'm fine, really."

Despite that, they walked slower keeping beside me in case I needed one of them.

They showed me around the huge base; the command centre, the Autobots living area and where they recharged, the mess hall, the training ground and then the human side of the base; the living room with simple basic furniture containing two sofas, a couch, a coffee table, several armchairs and a television, the games room which had every game known to man or something like that, the kitchen and the humans sleeping area.

A few hours and several stops later, we wound up back in the main entrance where we found Optimus talking to a tall lime colored robot. They glanced over when we walked in

"Sorry Optimus, Sam and I took her for a tour of the place."

He smiled as he walked over with the other robot and he crouched down

"Rose, this is Ratchet, our Chief Medical Officer. He would like to do a health check just to make sure you are alright" Optimus introduced us

"Optimus told me about your ankle, why don't I take a look at that for you" Ratchet suggested holding out his hand.

I hesitated, still not sure whether to trust him or not but if he was a doctor and knew about human anatomy to be a doctor to us as well then he can't be that bad.

Glancing over at Optimus, I saw him give a slight nod of his head as if telling me that it would be alright and that Ratchet wouldn't hurt me.

Slowly, I nodded and stepped forward carefully with a limp onto his hand and he stood up

"Whoa" I cried grabbing onto his thumb and using it as safety.

Ratchet chuckled

"Don't worry, you're in good hands."

We walked away back into the base in silence; well save for the loud steps Ratchet made since he was a robot. I was curious now about Ratchet

"So, Ratchet, how much do you know about human anatomy?" I asked him

"Enough. But I have treated Sam and Mikaela before" he replied

"Well… good."

Glad to know he would know what he was doing

"So, Optimus told me you were a runaway?"

Of course he did. Obviously he was concerned and was trying to look out for my best interests or something like that. Well, I suppose I did have to tell Ratchet how I rolled my ankle but it didn't mean I had to tell him everything about me. I mean, geez, we aren't about to open up to each other and become girlfriends and whatnot

"Yeah I'm a runaway" I replied

"We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. But may I ask what you did to your ankle?"

"You may. I rolled it jumping out my window from the second storey of the house I had been living in."

We arrived outside a set of doors and they whooshed open, allowing us entrance. Looking around, I noticed how everything in here was giant sized; the medical bed, the desk, the chair, the computer and other stuff. I assumed this was all fitted for the Autobots

"Wow, I feel like a midget Alice in Wonderland."

Ratchet laughed as he walked over and set me down on the medical bed before he gave a frown

"Who is Alice and what is Wonderland?"

I shook my head

"Nevermind. It's just, everything in here is suited to you guys"

"Don't worry, I have some human sized medical equipment in here somewhere."

As he looked around, I realized for a doctor, Ratchet was alright.

Far as I knew anyway.

My thoughts drifted for a moment, thinking about my old life before my parents died. That was the life I once again longed for, a stable family with loving parents. They were the best parents who loved me and doted on me. They taught me well and nurtured me, always encouraging my innate curiosity but knew that I was a cautious person as well.

Sure they did fight, but they always made up.

Always.

And then it all got ripped away when that stupid drunk driver ran the red light and crashed into them.

I wish it had been me that died and not them, they didn't deserve to have their lives cut short.

Something wet landed on my face and I snapped out of my thoughts, reaching up to wipe it off when I realized it was a tear.

I was crying

"Goddammit" I cursed wiping my eyes clean

"Rose?"

Turning my head, I noticed a man standing near me and scooted back in surprise

"Holy mother of fucking hell. Who are you?"

The man gave me a frown; he was dressed in black slacks, a lime colored shirt, black shoes and a lab coat with a stethoscope around his neck. His hair was brown though slightly graying and he appeared to be in his late thirties.

Wait a minute…

Lime colored shirt and a stethoscope

"Ratchet?"

He gave a smile and I swore

"This is my holoform. I'm sorry; I didn't mean to startle you. I should have perhaps told you. See we-'

I interrupted him

"Ratch, I know. I've already seen Optimus'."

He nodded his head but didn't come any closer and it was then I realized he was waiting for my permission to come over and attend to me.

I scooted back in his direction and waved him over.

He came closer to me and then I realized he was dragging two human sized chairs. When he stopped, he let the chairs go and came to help me up and onto one of them while he sat down on the other one in front of me.

Reaching down, he gently grabbed my leg and placed it in his lap. He then proceeded to take my shoe off. Once my foot was bare, I winced.

It was swollen up like a pregnant woman's belly.

Okay, it wasn't that huge but it was pretty swollen

"Alright, now Rose I am going to move it around very gently to see how bad and what grade it is okay?"

Biting my lip, I nodded my head.

Ever so gently, he moved my ankle as best he could turning it inwards

"Ow" I cried

"I'm sorry."

He turned it to out as gently as he could

"Ow."

Up and down

"Ow, Ratchet that hurts."

I hadn't actually realized how bad my ankle actually was

"Hmm, it seems to be you have a Grade 1 sprain"

"In English, doc"

"It's not as bad as I thought it was. The way to treat this is what you humans call RICE"

"How will food make me better?"

Ratchet shook his head

"No, it means: rest, ice, compression and elevation."

Oh, if you take the first letters of each of those words…what do you know, it does spell Rice.

Lol

"So doc, explain it to me"

"You're going to be rest this ankle, stay off your feet. Next, I'll give you an icepack to help the swelling go down. The compression is where I wrap it up for you in a bandage and finally, elevation. Keeping the leg elevated will help the process and hopefully you'll be able to walk soon"

"Wait, am I restricted to bed rest?"

"I will allow you to move about but carefully. If you are going to be in the living room to watch the television or anything, make sure you have your icepack and a pillow with you to elevate it. I want you resting for about a week and then I'll check it again."

Aw man.

This sucks.

A knock sounded on the doors and Ratchet frowned, gently setting my foot down on the ground, he vanished and I saw his other form get up and walk to answer the door.

I could hear hushed voices but they sounded alarmed. I waited patiently before Ratchet reappeared with Optimus behind him

"Guys, what's going on?"

Optimus sighed

"We are in danger" he replied

"Meaning?"

"They found us. The Decepticons have found our base."

TBC