Chapter 2: Nightmares and plans

With his huge metallic fingers and his enormous speed he catches me within a few seconds. I should have known that running away wouldn't work this time. Now he lifts me up catching my body between two of his fingers until I am right in front of his ugly huge metallic face. "Why, hello there little fleshling. Haley Witwicky, isn't it?"

I try to kick at him but my legs are dangling in the air useless. If I could hit him it wouldn't help me anyways. At most I'd break my foot (or my whole leg probably). "Well, well, well this is such a favorable coincidence that just the two of us meet, don't you think? And you have the temper of your mother as it seems" I now spit at him and it meets one of his red optics.

"You disgusting insect! What are you thinking? No one can help you anymore and the more you anger me, the more I'll torture you. And then your parents, your little friend Bumblebee and then one after the other until I finally reach Prime!" I try to get lose from his grip but there is no chance for me, his fingers are way too strong and even if I could free myself I'd probably bang on the earth. I'm going to die somehow or other. Now is the only thing to stay calm and not to betray the others of fear – never give any information even in the worst circumstances! "I'm not afraid of you!" I hiss at him.

His laugh makes my ears hurt but I don't back off or show him my true feelings. Instead, I keep my eyes down on the ground and suddenly I see someone coming near. It is no other decepticon. It is no autobot either. It is Jermaine, that slaggin idiot from the party. He runs right towards Megatrons giant feet and I hope Megs will stamp on him. But he doesn't and then, Jermaine begins to talk with a voice that creeps me out. "Lord Megatron I now got the information of where the autobots base is. We can attack soon!" I stare down at him disbelieving and he stares back up, grinning widely at me.

"Why hello bitch. You should have danced with me by time, but now it's too late." I spit down and miss him slightly. "What a bad temper. But you can spit as much as you want you will die sooner or later anyways!" I shout back: "Oh really? You won't survive that war neither, you're only human as I am and Megatron here couldn't care less about you, arse-licker!" Jermaine then starts to laugh and as he laughs, he suddenly grows very fast until he is as huge as the decepticon who is holding me. Megatron snarls at me. "My son a human being? Stupid girl, Jermaine is my sparkling. You should've noticed that earlier. Now it's too late for you and since we know where your pod is hiding, we don't have any need for you anymore. Dinner, Jermaine!" And then monstrous Jermaine is opening his mouth and Megatron throws me into his son's abyss from where I won't be able to return ever again.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I yell and sit up fitfully, my eyes are opening and I stare in the darkness without seeing anything around. Eventually I meet a pair of blue optics looking down on me and I reach my hands out, shivering heavily in fear and confusion. As he picks me up and holds me against his warm humming metallic body I recognize him. And as he begins to talk to me I can confirm my guess. "Are you okay? I just heard your screaming and now you're shaking…"

I curl up into a ball inside of his smooth metallic servos. "Do you want to talk about it? Are you in pain?" He now seems quite helpless and I can't help but smile a little. "It's n-nothing. I just had some stupid nightmare." I tell him and try to stop my teeth from chattering. I feel that he is moving and then sitting down anywhere.

"Nightmare. A nightmare is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong negative emotional response from the mind, typically fear or horror, but also –". I laugh a little, cutting him off. "Bee, I know what a nightmare is. I just had one and before that one I surely had thousands." He chuckles a little with me then interposes: "That sounds not very pleasant indeed. What can I do to help you?" I let out a heavy sigh. "Nothing really I guess. Just be there. That's all you can do." He is quite for a moment.

"Are you feeling better?" I think about it, a little lost, he then adds: "I mean did Ratchet's medicine do its job? Are you still feeling the urge of emptying your tanks… um stomach?" Then I get it. "Oh right. That's what you mean. I think I'm done throwing up so you don't need to fear for your servos. And yes, I am feeling better, thanks." "Anytime" he answers, sounding very seriously about it. I yawn. This makes me remember my childhood times and then I get an idea.

"Bee?" "Yes?" "Do you remember when I was younger and we used to play you were my swing?" He laughs again quietly. "Oh yes I do remember that. You were always asking for me swinging you higher and Mikaela and Sam were very worried about that." I snuggle into his servo as much as I can and yawn again. "Can we repeat this some day? Or just hang out? Or wait… I am too heavy for swinging now, right?" "Haley, if you were too heavy for me I couldn't carry you now all that time without even barely noticing it, could I?" "I guess that means no, I'm not too heavy for you." "You're guessing right. And we can repeat this if you want, I could ask Optimus to get some free time so I can…", he searches a moment for the words, "hang out with you. Was I correct with saying this?"

I grin into the darkness. "It was brilliant. Bee?" "Yes?" "You could also only say something like "Mh?" when I begin a question with your name… um anyways… can I sleep here tonight please?" I feel that he is chuckling slightly again, then he answers: "You are almost asleep and I would have let you stay in my servo somehow or other." Now I am the one laughing, then I yawn once more. "Thanks. Goodnight Bumblebee. My precious autobot." I smile in the darkness, but this time the words mean no teasing. "Goodnight Haley. My precious human girl." With these last words, I fall asleep again, this time drifting into a more peaceful sleep.

The Next morning comes way too early and I wake up by being moved from Bees servos into my own bed. I open my eyes and stare at him sleepy while he lies me down and tucks me in which he does so gently though he has such huge fingers. He looks down at me, smiling slightly. "We have our special training this morning and I did not want to take you with me. It would have been too loud for you to sleep on." I only nod, snuggling deeper in my pillow and closing my eyes again. Before he leaves, he adds: "Oh Haley. I've already talked to your parents while bringing you here and they said that you don't have to go to school today considering the incident from yesterday. It's up to you."

I nod again and yawn. He leaves quietly and I decide for once that I am not in the mood to go to school. After all I could meet that stupid Jermaine and for THAT I am surely not in the mood. I fall asleep again until some strange noise by my head wakes me up finally. Dozily I sit up and then almost fall out of my bad. "JEEZ! WHEELIE!" I scream and cradle backwards. The little autobot just sits there, face to face with me on my bed and now I am feeling as if just having experienced a heart-attack.

He looks at me excusatory. "I shall wake you up and tell you that you can either sleep on or come and get some breakfast." he tells me and I sigh. "Well, you did your job. I'm gonna go get some breakfast now." He raises a tiny metallic finger and adds: "OR you could sleep on." I snort on that and answer: "Since you almost scared me to death I prefer getting up now, thanks." He doesn't know what to reply and I leave him there confused while getting dressed in the bathroom.

When I am ready I call him to get out of my room and as he rolls out he is dressed in one of my bras. "Wheelie! What did I tell you about NOT digging through my stuff? Besides, it doesn't suit you!" I take my bra back and throw it on my bed then close the door very carefully behind me. Wheelie makes a pouty face… as much as metal can look pouty. "But this was nice. It was warm!" I laugh at his comment, saying nothing back. He now seems really offended but I ignore him. As I walk through the whole long hangar I notice that no one else of the autobots is here, except for Wheelie. They all must be training outside. Good thing that this huge building is close to soundproof! Otherwise I impossibly could have slept that long. Wheelie rolls next to me. "So what are you up to? Getting yourself some energon?" I ask him friendly.

He barely gives me a glare then keeps staring forwards again. I giggle. "Yah, that won't help you getting my clothes!" He looks up to me. "I am not getting myself energon I am just joining your walk. Because I am kind… compared to some other people around here." I stop and kneel down next to him, patting his head. "Yah, you're such a kind little stalker. Good boy!" By now he is really mad and rolls away without any more words to me. I grin and go on until I finally meet my parents. "Morning Haley. Feeling better now?" my dad asks and gives me a half stern, half worried look. I nod and complain: "Dad can't you leave me alone by now? It wasn't my fault. You heard me this night, this stupid boy was getting me drunk!" He sighs and his stern look disappears.

"I know. And I know you wouldn't have drunken it when noticing its secret ingredient." "Thank you!" I give back. My mother gets me a plate and some toast. We have our breakfast silently and I wonder what they are up to. Probably it's gonna be some bad news. Otherwise they are not that quiet in the mornings. I feel myself getting more nervous with every minute and then finally I burst out: "What is it? Did I do anything else that was wrong?"

They look at each other my mother aggrieved, my father certain. "Well… after you had to make this cruel experience we decided to not let you out anymore for the next two weeks. It's for your own good." I glance at him unbelievingly. "You can't be serious. Dad!" I look to my mother. "Mom, are you serious? This was only ONE stupid coincident and I learned from it. You can't keep me locked inside this base!" She looks back regretful. "Well, yes we can honey. Like we said it's for your own good!"

I glare at them. "How is that supposed to be my fucking own good?" "Haley!" my dad says warningly but I cut him off, yelling: "I am your daughter and not your property. I need some free space! You two were fighting the decepticons and grandma and grandpa did nothing to hide you anywhere! Besides Megatron is dead, isn't he? So why all the fuss?" My mom starts shouting now, too, glancing at me with tears in her eyes: "My parents didn't care a shit what I was doing. And Sam's did but Sam was chosen to help. We love you Haley and we just want to protect you! Even if Megatron is dead, there are plenty other decepticons out there that might plan their revenge…"

Now my voice echoes through the hangar, sounding about two octaves higher: "There is no slagging war outside! You just can't lock me in here! I won't stay here!" My dad stands up abruptly, his face turning red caused by anger. "Haley Witwicky. You WILL stay here because WE, your parents, tell you to. And you WON'T leave this hangar ever again if you don't behave now! Go to your room and stay there!" I give him an icy glare. "You are such a hypocrite!" Without waiting for an answer I leave the room running as fast as I can because I feel tears streaming down my face and I don't want them to see me cry. I slam my door as hard as I can and then crawl under the covers, crying for some time.

That's when I begin to work out a plan in my head. This night the twins will have the duty to mount guard. And I remember some hole in the fence that is not in their view at that time. So… if I make my way out of here without them noticing me, I will probably also make it to that hole. I hope the others will be in a deep resting mode tonight. After all this could work! I wipe my face and get a book, beginning to read with an evil grin. About two hours later I hear that the autobots arrive at the hangar again. Sometime later a knock on my door let me look up from my book. "Mom and Dad go away. I don't wanna talk to you ever again!"

"It's Bumblebee. Can you please come out?" I sigh. "Why? I am not gonna talk to them anymore!" Silence for a moment then he says: "I am alone. Now come out please." I open the door and come out then let him pick me up. "Did they send you?" I ask him giving him a stern look. "No. They just told me you three had a little fight. May I ask why you're mad at them?" I sit down and look at him defiantly. "They just told me that I am not allowed to leave this hangar for two weeks just because of that stupid Jermaine idiot. They said something about the dangers and blah blah blah." He is quiet for a moment, looking as if he's trying to find the right words. "Your parents have seen so much suffering that it is just logical that they want to protect you. They don't do this because they want to anger you. But we all once nearly lost Sam and I think both of them, your mother and father don't need any more experiences of that kind ever again. No one of us needs such experiences. It is just logical how they react."

I look at him disappointed. "But all of my friends are not having such strict parents. And it's not as they didn't suffer pain at all. I mean, look at Annabelle. She is Will's daughter, isn't she? And Will as a major of the US Army sure has seen suffering and dying, too. A lot more than Dad and Mom!" Bumblebee thinks a moment about that. "Annabelle is older than you…" he says hesitantly. "Jeez, yes she is. Full three years. Well no, wait. She is only two and a half years older than me. And this makes you so much more safe? Really?" I ask with sarcasm.

"Listen. They are your parents. Plus, you three are part of our pod. We want to keep our pod safe. You can't change the fact that you'll have to stay in here for some days. Just take it as it comes." I laugh bitterly at these words. "No one imprisons you!" I give back and he smiles a little sad smile. "Well that might be because I am not as fragile as you humans are." I shrug. "Anyway. You can tell them I calmed down and now are sitting in the rec room watching some TV. But I did not forgive them!" He nods and lets me down again. In the rec room there are Ironhide and the twins. Ironhide seems awfully annoyed as Mudflap and Skids are testing some new pranks on him (when they are bored they search the web for some human pranks.

Unfortunately they seem to be bored very often and when they find some new prank they need their guinea pig…). "I told you to leave me alone! You two are supposed to be dignified autobots but behaving like little sparklings. Now get out with your stupid water ballons or I'm gonna tear you apart!" "Come on Hide. It's just fun!" Skids laughs as the two of them pass me by leaving the room. I can Mudflap hear whispering "Cry baby!" and then they are around the next corner. Ironhide still grumbles about them when I tap on his foot. He looks down and notices me. "Could you please get me on the couch Hide?" I ask him trying not to laugh at him being all wet. "Sure." He bends down and gets me up on the couch then is about to leave the room as well. "Ironhide?" I stop him.

"What is it?" he asks back. "Do you know why Will and Sarah aren't that over-protective over Annabelle as mom and dad are about me?" He chuckles slightly and shakes his head. "I guess that's just people-oriented. Sarah and Will are worried about Annabelle as well as Sam and Mikaela are about you but compared to your parents it was always only Will who was fighting with us against the slaggin' decepticons and not Sarah while your parents were both in the wars. Plus, your parents were quite young when you were born, weren't they?" I shrug. "Well, that's not my fault." He gives me a warmly, kinda cheeky smile, then leaves the room mumbling something about getting dry again.

Actually he leaves a giant puddle on the floor and I am glad that I am up here on the couch. After watching TV for a couple of hours I am so bored that I decide to sneak around and see who is where and what they're doing. The floor is completely empty as well as the rec room now. Ratchet is probably working in the med station but in case he tries to make me swallow some disgusting medicine again I'd rather not go there. That means that the others must be outside or in the computer room. And since I don't have a clue how those highly advanced cybertronian machines are working I will stay out of there too. So I make my way back to my room.

"WHEELIE!" I yell as I catch him digging through my stuff again. He falls out of my drawer, this time with one of my socks on his head. I grab him and throw him out of my room. "Little perverted dimwit! Next time I'll tell Optimus!" I call after him then slam my door. I look through the small window. It's already beginning to dawn. Only a few hours more to stay awake. I must not fall asleep!, I tell myself, sitting on my bed with my back against the wall. I grab my cellphone and dial Lucy's number.

"Hello?" she answers and I whisper very quietly so that no one will be able to hear me. "Luce! It's Haley. Can I borrow your bike for the next days? Me and my parents are doing a bicycle tour but I have no bike at all." She seems confused. "Of course you can. When are you starting your tour?" I reflect that very quickly. "Um at the moment I am sick and not able to come to school. We will start the tour this weekend. But my mom would come and get the bike this night if that's okay. I'll tell her where your garage key is so no one of you must stay up until she comes. Is that okay? "Sure!" she replies, wondering even more. "Thanks! You'll get it back next Monday promised!" I hear her laugh. "Since I got my car there is no more need of that bike. Keep it as long as you want. See ya next Monday and get well soon!" "Thanks!" I whisper back and then hang in with a confident grin.

When I leave the base at about midnight I surely can make it to Lucy's home in about half an hour. She is the one who's living the closest to me and that's why I asked her. Then I get ready for my trip. I get all my school stuff out of my backpack and hide it under my bed. I grab some fresh clothes, sunglasses and a thin jacket and plug it in. Then I change myself from my light jeans and the green T-shirt into black jeans and my black Hoodie. Finally I grab some of my saved pocket money and plug it in the backpack, too. Now I'll wait. I hear how someone's coming nearer and as fast and quiet as I can I drag myself under the blanket pulling it right under my chin and hiding my clothes and backpack. My mom opens the door letting out a sigh as she sees me there "sleeping"

She comes in and kisses me on the forehead then leaves the room again closing the door behind her. My heart seems to explode in my chest and I try to breathe calmly and slowly until I'm, well calm again. Time passes by and I hear how some more footsteps, heavier ones and human ones, are passing by my room but my door keeps being closed by now. Eventually it is quiet. I check on my phone. It says half past eleven pm. I decide to wait a little more. After another hour and fighting my heavy eyelids I get up, plug my hair into the black hood, get my backpack and turn my phone off. Just in case they'll try to locate me by that.

Then, by holding my breath, I open the door. Nothing happens. Everyone seems to be in a deep sleep or rather in a resting mode. I sneak out and make my way quietly to the place where the twins will sit. As I arrive there I experience a happy surprise: Both of them are mechanically snoring, heads on each other's shoulder. I am so lucky, I think quietly as I tip toe past them to the hole in the fence. It is quite small but I make my way out without ripping my clothes anywhere. I am already inwardly cheering as a cold mechanical voice makes me freeze. "And where do you think are you going little one?"

I close my eyes oppressing the need to scream out my frustration. I turn around and meet Optimus' optics. "Um… I am sleepwalking?" It's a weak try but - well it is worth it so don't judge me! Of course he can't be fooled by that and picks me up. "No, I don't think you are. What are you thinking Haley?" I sigh disappointed and say nothing more while he walks back. The time he is going inside and setting me down I look up and ask hesitantly: "Did you tell my parents?" He is silent for a moment, glancing back at me. I can't read any feelings from his faceplate and wait for his answer. "I wanted. But I realize that you will be in a lot of trouble if I do. So I won't."

I nod and stare down at the floor, not daring to smile. Optimus bends down and raises my chin with one of his giant fingers to make me look into his optics again. "But you need to swear to me that you won't try to run away again. Remember we are your pod, we can and will keep you safe. We might not be attacked by the enemy by now but the time will come as the decepticons try to defeat us once again. And if this time comes it will be nice to know that there is no one to worry about. Agreed?" I nod once more and he finally smiles down at me and stands up. "Well then sleep very well Haley. I must now check on the twins – I mean someone could try to sneak out, or worse, in when they are sleeping instead of doing their duty!"

He chuckles a bit and I smile back, then he leaves the floor and I head back into my room. Well at least I know by now what I mean to them – even to Optimus Prime! I throw my backpack under my bed and let me fall in without changing in my pyjamas. I fall asleep instantly and don't even hear Optimus ranting with the twins anymore.