Okay, I combined the flashback and the little girl's backstory in this chapter. It just seemed better on the same page.

Neon: You made a good point. Kudos for making an educated guess.

To all my other reviewers, thank you so much for reviewing. I'm glad you all like it.

I only own Rachel, Molly, Kaylee, and Officer Gilder in this story. The codes in the text messages are also made up.

Chapter 4: Her Hidden Secrets

Rachel came downstairs quickly after sending out her text message. "Jack!" she cried out. He looked up when she called his name.

"What is it?" he asked, noting that she sounded alert and a little scared.

"Get Mom and tell Arcee to take you to base. Now."

Seeing that she was dead serious, Jack didn't argue as he did so and Rachel raced out to Ultra Magnus. "We need to get to base. Now," she said to him and he sensed the urgency she was emitting. Both Autobots quickly drove to base, alerting Optimus on the way, who told them the others were there and awaiting their arrival. They didn't have to wait long.

Rachel jumped out of Magnus' cab out of breath as she waited for both her guardian and Arcee to transform. She took a deep breath to calm down.

"Okay," she said. "I know I've been secretive lately. But I had to be, to protect someone. My friend and I had arranged to bring that someone here to Jasper, Nevada, once I had everything ready. Unfortunately, we've been found out and my partner is coming earlier than expected with that someone."

"Who?" asked Jack, now curious.

Rachel sighed. "Jack, you asked me why I stopped writing a year ago," she said. "There's something you all need to know. I ask that you all listen to me before you judge. Because talking about this…," she paused and swallowed. "It's not easy."

Everyone nodded and Rachel began.

Flashback:

Rachel had just arrived at the college and was excited, but nervous too. She wanted to fit in, but felt so out of place. She got to her assigned room and was surprised to find two other girls in there already. The older girl looked up.

"Hi!" she said. "You must be Rachel."

"Yes, I am," Rachel said. "And you?"

"I'm Kaylee," she said. "I'm your dorm mate."

She then turned to the other girl, who was just an infant. "This is my daughter, Molly," she said. "She's only three months old."

Rachel was awestruck at the little one whose brown eyes looked up at her curiously. Having always liked kids, her heart immediately found a soft spot for the little girl.

"She's absolutely adorable," she praised Kaylee, who smiled.

"Thank you," she said.

As Rachel set up her stuff, she and Kaylee began telling each other about their lives and Kaylee had told her that she had done something she wasn't proud of, but she didn't regret her daughter. Rachel smiled understandingly and praised Kaylee for continuing school and offered to watch over Molly in-between classes as they noted their classes were at different hours when they compared schedules. Kaylee was thrilled because she had a hard time finding someone to look after her little girl when she went to class.

Before they knew it, two years had passed and little Molly was now two years old, sitting with her mother as Rachel accepted her degree she had worked on. When Rachel rejoined them later, she accepted a hug from both Kaylee and Molly.

"You did it, Aunty," said Molly, her little voice cheerful, making the two adults smile.

It hadn't been too long after Rachel had arrived that she and Kaylee had decided to become sisters and so that made Rachel Molly's aunt. "Come on," said Rachel. "Let's go celebrate."

After grabbing some burgers, they were sitting down eating when a handsome young man came toward them, looking at Rachel. She was surprised to find it was one of the football players, David.

"Oh, hi," she said to him, blushing a little.

"Hi," he said, smiling. "Want to go out sometime?"

Happy, Rachel had accepted and David hadn't minded if Kaylee and Molly had tagged along occasionally, but Rachel should have noticed something off about David. But she hadn't.

Two more years had passed as Rachel wrote letters to home about her accomplishments and about her boyfriend. She was now in the middle of writing one when her cellphone rang. It was Kaylee's number. Wondering why Kaylee would call her when she was in class, she answered it.

"Hello?" she said.

"Aunty?"

Hearing her niece's fearful voice, she was instantly alert. "Molly, what's wrong, honey?" she asked.

"It's Mommy. David came and gave her something and she's not getting up!"

Hearing her niece start to cry, Rachel jumped from her seat. "Molly, where are you now?" she asked.

"The park," the little girl sobbed.

There was only one park near the college and Rachel grabbed her jacket and ran out the door. "Molly, sweetie, keep the phone on. Aunty's on her way," she said as she raced down the hallways, adrenaline giving her the speed she needed. She found Molly beside her mother's prone body in the park.

"Kaylee!" she cried out, looking at her sister, who opened her eyes to see Rachel looking down at her with worry and concern. "What happened?"

"David," Kaylee said, pointing to a water bottle that had fizzing water in it. A quick analysis told Rachel it was some sort of drug.

"Kaylee, is that…?"

"Yes," she said. "It's what I'm allergic to."

Rachel was stunned. "But why? Why would David do that?"

"He's Molly's father."

Rachel froze. "Oh, Kaylee," she said, her voice saddened.

"Rachel, please," said Kaylee, before coughing for a moment. "Take care of Molly. Please."

Knowing Kaylee wasn't going to make it, Rachel held her sister's hand and tears flowed from her eyes. "I'll do the best I can," she promised. "I promise, I'll take care of her."

Kaylee smiled before closing her eyes and she let out her final breath in a sigh. Rachel cried as she slowly let Kaylee's hand go and she pulled Molly into a hug.

"Aunty, why won't Mommy wake up?" Molly asked.

Rachel took a deep breath. "Mommy's an angel now, Molly," she said. "She can't come back."

Molly cried as she clung to her aunt, who also cried. Calling the police, they stood back and waited patiently. A sergeant named Officer Gilder came up to them and Rachel gave her statement. When she was finished, the officer leaned in so that only she could hear him.

"We'll lock David away, but is there someplace you can take Molly?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I have one year of school left," she said. "He'll look for us at the college."

That was when Officer Gilder offered them to come stay with him and his family. Rachel could finish school and be safe. Thankful to him, she accepted.

Over the year that passed, Rachel became very solemn and her cheerful self was replaced with a very serious demeanor as she finished school and took care of Molly, also helping out the kind sergeant and his family. Rachel couldn't thank them enough for their generosity.

Finally, Rachel was ready to go home to Jasper, Nevada. She had made purchases to send home for Molly's new room and other things. She now spoke with Officer Gilder.

"You've done so much for my niece and I," she said. "I have to get things set up at home once I get there, but my mom and brother will hit the roof if I bring home a kid unexpectedly."

He nodded. "We'll watch over her until you are ready to have her come home," he promised.

Rachel was relieved. "Thank you," she said. "We need some codes that only we can decipher."

He agreed and they came up with their system of codes. "Okay," he said. "Do you think three weeks will be sufficient time?"

"It should be," she said. "But if something goes wrong, please let me know and bring Molly to the address I gave you."

"Will do," he said. "Good luck, Rachel."

"You too, Sergeant," she said.

That afternoon, after telling Molly to be good and that she would see her soon, she got on the bus and went home.

Rachel took another deep breath. "That is why I was setting up that room beside mine," she said. "It's for Molly, because she's coming to live with us. I have received two texts from Officer Gilder. The first was that everything was ready and we were to meet in three weeks for Molly to come home. But, David has escaped and found out where Molly is."

Her phone beeped and she picked it up to find another message. "Excuse me," she said and answered it.

Creep captured. Safe code 15. Be there in three.

Nodding, Rachel pocketed her phone. "That was from Officer Gilder. His team has David in custody and he and Molly will be here in a few hours," she said. She then sighed. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you this before. Some things still needed to be worked on."

The Autobots and her family nodded and Jack looked up at her. "Guess that means I'm an uncle, huh?" he said.

Rachel nodded and June sighed lightly. "Well, I always did want grandchildren," she said.

"Sorry, Mom," said Rachel.

"It's okay, honey," she said to her.

Rachel then turned to Arcee and Ultra Magnus. "I know this is a surprise, but can I count on you two, along with the other bots, to protect Molly as you protect us?" she asked, glancing at the others.

Each bot nodded and Ultra Magnus stepped forward. "As I am your guardian, Rachel, I swear to also protect your niece as well," he said.

"Thank you, Magnus," she said.

Everyone left to get ready for the new family member's arrival.

A new family member is coming! How will they all do with a five year old little girl? Find out in the next chapters! Please review!

GoldGuardian2418