This was just stupid. Idiotic even. Why did she even do this to begin with? Why did she finish it? Who's bright idea was this? Oh, right.

Kristie's right eyebrow twitched as she stared at her finished drawing. Lord knows why she decided to draw Optimus Prime doing the Caramelldansen while wearing a typical anime Japanese school girl uniform. She didn't know whether to be proud of it, laugh at it, or bang her head against the wall. The girl sighed as she shut her sketchbook and shook her head.

'God damn it. What the hell, Kristie?' she scolded herself as Bumblebee, Raf, and Optimus Prime entered the base. She looked over the rail and saw Raf come out of Bumblebee.

"Hi, Raf." Kristie greeted with a small wave. Said boy looked up and waved back with a blush.

"Hi, Kiki." Kristie smiled at him softly before turning to her guardian.

"Hi, Optimus." The Prime turned to face her before letting out a small smile.

"Hello, Kristie. How was your day?" the mech asked.

"Nothing interesting. Just sketching and listening to music." Optimus nodded before going to do something; Kristie wasn't sure what. She turned to Raf who had just joined her on the platform.

"Hey, Raf. Wanna see something I drew today?" Raf smiled shyly.

"Sure." Kristie nodded before taking out her sketchbook and flipping it open to the funny Optimus one. Raf held a hand to mouth as he tried to hold in his laughter.

"Ha! We're did you get that idea?" Raf asked, continuing to hold his laughter. Kristie shrugged.

"I was just that bored." The two children then proceeded to giggle like fools as they kept looking at the drawing.

Arcee and Bulkhead soon came into the base with their respective charges. Miko looked at the two youngest humans of the base before a sly smile was created on her face.

"Hey, Jack. How much you wanna bet Raf and Kiki will get together?" the Japanese girl asked the taller boy.

"Miko, just because they're both hanging out with each other, and they're the same age, doesn't mean they'll date."

"Hm. Oh really? Then how about this: If they do date each other, you gotta ask Sierra out and give me $50." Jack sputtered before holding his ground.

"Oh yeah? Well if they don't by the end of the school year, you have to do whatever Ratchet tells you to do and give me $60." Miko 'hmph'ed before sticking out a hand.

"Deal." The two teens then shook hands, sealing the deal.


"Optimus, I am receiving a signal on a restricted band." Ratchet said. Kristie looked at the monitors from her spot on the Prime's shoulder. She had a feeling she knew when she was in the show. "It appears to be coming from a starship inside this solar system." Typing a few commands, a few glyphs popped up on the monitor. "It's an Autobot identification beacon." the medic said in surprise. Smiling, Kristie knew what was going to happen next.

"So there are other 'bots out there?" Jack asked. Kristie rolled her eyes. Of course there were.

"The masses scattered to the galaxies when Cybertron finally went dark, but, 'cons have been known to bait false beacons." Arcee answered her charge.

"Unknown vessel, this is Autobot Outpost Omega One." Optimus started. "Identify yourself." he demanded. There was some static before a voice became clear through the transmission.

"I've had warmer welcomes from Decepticon combat brigades." Wheeljack answered. Kristie giggled, finding it a funny way to answer someone.

"Wheeljack!?" Bulkhead questioned in excitement. The girl could see his optics becoming brighter at the recognition. "You old 'con crusher! What are you doing all the way out here?"

"Bulkhead? That's you? What's with all the security?" Wheeljack asked.

"The rock we're on is crawling with 'cons. How soon can you get here and even the odds?"

"Sometime tomorrow, if I put metal to the pedal."

Kristie was wiggling in her spot in excitement. "Another 'bot's coming here. How cool is that, dude?" she said to her guardian, before he turned to Bulkhead.

"Wheeljack, I know of him by reputation only. Can you verify his voice print?" Optimus asked.

"He is 1,000% the real deal, Optimus." Bulkhead confirmed with confidence. The Prime turned back to the monitors.

"We will send landing coordinates, Wheeljack. Safe journey."

"See ya soon, buddy. I'll make sure you get a proper welcome." After the transmission ended, Arcee turned to Bulkhead with a small smile on her face.

"So who's the boyfriend?" she asked. Snorting a little, Kristie covered her mouth to prevent her laughter from coming out, but then she thought of slash pairing. Her smile faded. On the outside, she looked neutral, much like her guardian, but on the inside, the girl was freaking out and blushing madly because she just had to think of the wrecker slash pairing.

'Why did I look at such things?' Kristie thought to herself. 'Fucking hell, my mind is gonna keep thinking of that for a while and the images that I can never un-see will come back again.'

"Heh, heh. Me and Jackie go way back. We were part of the same war unit." Bulkhead slammed his fists together. "The Wreckers. Which means the 'cons are gonna wish he never found us." Kristie smiled. She was going to meet one of her favorite 'bots tomorrow. This new life just got more interesting.


"Thanks for the ride, Optimus." Kristie said as she got out of the Prime's cab.

"Kristie." She turned around to face the transformer. "I have noticed that your parents are never home when I drop you off, or ever, for the matter." The girl could have sworn her heart skipped a beat. "Even when I drive by and you are home, no one is there with you." Kristie started to struggle just to stand still. "Kristie, is there anyone watching over you?"

"I-I-I-" She needed to come up with something. Anything! No one could know her secret yet. Not this early.

"My-My parents are always busy with their jobs." she started. "Most of the time they're traveling around the country, so I always have the house to myself." She nearly let out a sigh of relief. It sounded believable and could work with her situation. The last thing she needed was people getting into her personal business.

"...I see." Optimus finally said after a moment of silence. "And you are...fine with this?" Kristie nodded.

"I'm fine with being alone. 'Means I can do what I want." The Prime let out a silent sigh.

"Very well. I shall see you tomorrow." With that, he drove away, allowing Kristie to let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Not wanting this conversation to bother her, the girl went inside her home to take a nice, long, relaxing shower.


Optimus stared out at the landscape before him. He couldn't let the conversation he just had with his charge out of his processor. Kristie was alone in her home. Her parents had put work before family. The Prime found that horrible. He could see that Kristie needed someone with her to keep her happy. A child should never have to face the world alone.

"Is something wrong, Optimus?" Ratchet asked as he came up to join the Prime. Without looking away, Optimus shook his head.

"I just find it hard to believe that Kristie could live in that house on her own."

"What do you mean?" the medic asked.

"I had found out recently that Kristie's parents travel around for their occupations. Though, they leave their daughter behind." Optimus explained. Ratchet's helm snapped up to look at his leader and friend.

"You mean they deliberately leave a youngling alone without the care of a creator!?" he shouted in surprised anger. Optimus placed his large hand on the old-bot's shoulder, effectively calming him down a little.

"I, too, was surprised by this. But we can not let this bother us." He paused a moment. "From the way Kristie told me this, I suspected she was not telling the whole truth. I believe she may be hiding something."

"And what could it possibly be?" Ratchet asked. Optimus shook his head.

"I am not sure, but I am certain it is something she wishes absolutely no one to know."


"I ponder of something great
My lungs will fill and then deflate
They fill with fire
Exhale desire
I know it's dire
My time today"

Kristie sighed as she finished eating her dinner. Alone. That word had popped into her mind more than enough times in her new life.

"I have these thoughts
So often I ought
To replace that slot
With what I once bought
'Cause somebody stole
My car radio
And now I just sit in silence"

Even though it had been a month since she had been here, the girl was not used to the newfound silence in her house. Kristie would often find herself trying to talk or call to her parents even though they aren't there. She would often be playing on her new drumset, blasting music through the whole house, or even leaving the TV on in the background. Though it was quiet, it was deafening.

"Sometimes quiet is violent
I find it hard to hide it
My pride is no longer inside
It's on my sleeve
My skin will scream
Reminding me of
Who I killed inside my dream
I hate this car that I'm driving
There's no hiding for me
I'm forced to deal with what I feel
There is no distraction to mask what is real"

Every time she had a dream, it would be the plane crash. Reliving her and her parent's death before waking up screaming before resulting to crying.

"I could pull the steering wheel"

Kristie wanted her friends and family back. She wanted her old life back. She felt so alone. Even with her new Autobot friends, it didn't feel like a real friendship. None of it felt real. But, yet, it did at the same time.

"I have these thoughts
So often I ought
To replace that slot
With what I once bought
'Cause somebody stole
My car radio
And now I just sit in silence"

Depressed and confused by her thoughts, Kristie roughly changed into her pajamas before slamming her bedroom door and flopping onto her bed, falling into a restless sleep.

Tomorrow was another day.