I don't own Tranformers, only my OC

Chapter 4

"That all you got?" Dino taunted.

"Just. Give me. A second." I breathed. He was right there. I could catch him. One more step. That was all I needed. Then I could punch him. Or something. Maybe I'd just fall on him. Yeah, that sounded like a good idea right now. I'd fall on him.

"Well good." He smirked. "Ratchet wanted me to give you a work out."

I let out a cry and collapsed.

I hated spies!

"I have to admit," Dino squatted down in front of me, "I didn't think you could run that hard for so long. I am impressed."

"Screw you," was all I could get out.

He chuckled. "Maybe next time you will consider your adversary before leaping into conflict. An agent of my caliber is capable of high speed and long distance chases humans simply are not designed for."

Now he tells me.

"Come," he offered a hand, "the dirt is not the best place to regain one's composure, lest one wishes an ambulance to be called for."

A rescue from Ratchet sounded delightful right about now. I relented thought and placed as much weight as I could upon Dino's shoulder. It was my pathetic attempt at revenge. At least he had the sympathy to direct us towards the nearest park bench. I half expected him to walk to the other end of The Mall.

This guy made me feel completely out of shape.

"How's your hand?" Dino asked when my breathing finally steadied.

Sore, like everything else. I had been so close to catching him at one point. All I had needed was an inch, at most, and I would have grabbed his collar. But no, he diverted his course so suddenly I wound up tripping over my own feet. I had left a portion of my hand behind as a token of animosity.

"Let's see." Dino tried to take my wrist.

As if. I pulled away. He could go find someone else to abuse. He'd done quite enough to me already.

"Would you rather I disrupt a meeting to contact Ratchet about a trivial injury?"

Was he really trying to blackmail me now? "Why are you such a jerk? What have I ever done to you?"

His stupid little grin only annoyed me further. "Perhaps Sunstreaker is right. You wouldn't be as likeable if you weren't so naive."

"Is that why you're being a deceptive douche?"

"In a war like ours, naivete spells certain death. Now, if you please," he waved his fingers.

I hated him. I really did.

Dino examined my hand closely, prying pebbles and sweeping dirt from the wound where he saw fit. "I can see why Ratchet is concerned with your public appearance," he said after some time. "Your fluids are… interesting."

Understatement, I muttered within my head. My blood was lavender. It couldn't have been any stranger unless it was green.

"Do you have something to wrap this in?"

"No," I answered.

That seemed to puzzle him. "Were you never told to travel with medical supplies?"

"If I packed everything Ratchet suggested I'd need a backpack the size of Ironhide's flatbed."

"Point taken," his eyes glimmered, "but if you wish to keep your body's enigmatic status silent, you should consider carrying at least a few bandages."

"Well I hadn't exactly anticipated an Autobot turning Decepticon on me this morning," I retorted.

"As cliché as it sounds, expect the unexpected."

I rolled my eyes. "Glad to know there is at least one Autobot I can't trust."

He rubbed a particularly tender spot clean. "As an espionage agent it is my duty to infiltrate and deceive. Whether you wish to accept my methods of education are up to you, but I suggest you keep an open mind. The Decepticons can be very cunning and their spies especially ruthless. If you are incapable of handling some such as myself, how do you intend to survive one who wishes to kill you?"

"Same way I always have," I answered, "run."

"May your feet always find solid ground," his tone was kind but there was a sense of warning lingering beneath the surface.

It wasn't like I enjoyed running for my life. It was the only option I had. If Dino thought I would mouth off to a Decepticon and then chase them around like I had him, he had a poor sense of judgment. I wasn't a solider. I had no desire to confront the Decepticons. I just wanted to be with Ironhide.

Was that too much to ask for?

I shoved my hands into my jacket pocket.

"You'll only soil your clothing that way," he pointed out.

"It can be washed." And if the blood didn't come out, well, every other person on the planet would think it was dye. It wasn't like I didn't already own several pairs of tarnished clothing. I was an engineering student. Messes happened, especially in my mentorship.

"Alright," Dino said with mild exasperation, hinting to that vain side I'd been warned about. "How about going someplace warm than, so you don't catch cold.

"Now you are concerned about my wellbeing?" I asked. "After you pissed me off, made me run a marathon and cut my hand open?"

"You ran yourself. No one forced you."

"What did you think I would do?"

He shrugged. "Discovering your reaction was part of the exercise. I can't teach a student I don't understand."

"Excuse me?"

"Hands on learning," he explained. "It is the most effective way of teaching a Cybertronian. I assume humans are much the same."

"There's a difference between hands on and harassment, Dino."

"You've made the decision to keep your nose where it doesn't belong. Expect there to be consequences."

"From them," I gestured outward. "You're supposed to be an ally. Why am I being forced to suffer you?"

"As a friend, it is my job to ensure the people I care about don't get killed."

"I don't think Ironhide would approve of you hurting me to help him."

"I wasn't talking about Ironhide."

This guy made no sense.

"I chose to skip a critical meeting so I could use the time to better acquaint myself with you. Of all the humans in my life, you are the most elusive. Every other Autobot knows you, can tell stories about you. I only know what I've been told and I am certain you know even less about me. The key difference between our shared knowledge, however, is my understanding of our war. I realize you have been around the Autobots for several years, but somehow you have retained a certain innocence that makes you vulnerable.

"You look at our war with hope, like there is some way we can end it in a storybook fashion. We look at the war as a means of survival. Our home is gone and even if, by some miracle, it finds a way to recover in our absence, it won't happen in our lifetime. All we have is each other and our codes of honor. We fight because we have to and we cling our friendships because there is nothing else for us to cling to. I may not know you well enough to justify the term 'friend', but you are the lover of a close friend. That is reason enough for me to protect you and the only way I know how to accomplish that, from anywhere in the world, is to teach you how to protect yourself. How to control yourself.

"War is bitter and hateful and unfair and until you learn that, truly learn it, Melry, I cannot teach you anything. It doesn't matter how well you can wield a gun or how fast you can run. If you do not understand our war, our enemy, you will become yet another victim and leave those around you to suffer."

My fists clenched and sent tears to my eyes for all the wrong reasons.

"Don't anger your wound. If you need something to punch, I am right here. I won't move this time, but at least let me take you somewhere warm afterwards."

"I'd break my hand," I muttered.

"What?"

"I said I'd break my hand if I punched you."

He stared for a moment before letting out a laugh. "You're probably right, but that does bring up a curious point - what were you planning on doing when you caught me?"

"I don't know," I admitted. "I was winging it."

"Stubborn and passionate," he echoed his earlier words.

I huffed. It was extraordinarily difficult to be angry with him now… or, rather, it was easy to be angry, but it made me feel stupid. "Your teaching method suck." It was a vain attempt to make myself feel better. I'd never met such a complicated individual before. There was still a part of me that wanted to disregard his words. "In all seriousness Dino, is what you just said the truth or are you playing with me, again."

He leaded on his knees and gave me an inquisitive look.

"Don't give me that. You've been playing with me all day. I want to know the truth."

"If you have already made up your mind on the matter than there is nothing I can say that will change that."

"Dino," I snapped. "I am not playing games. If you are honestly trying to teach me something there has to be a point when you stop and speak clearly. You are not going to be able to teach me anything if I ignore your existence. So I ask you again, are you toying with me right now?"

"I stopped the moment you fell on the ground."

I tried to gauge whether that was a lie or not. His features remained unchanged and he only offered a shrug when I said nothing of his statement. Where did the play end and the observation begin? I didn't know. "I believe you."

"Good." He climbed to his feet. "Now will you allow yourself be taken someplace warm?"

"No" I said, knowing full well where this was going. "I am not getting in your alt mode. I said I believed you, not that I forgave you."

He frowned.

"I'd rather go to a museum."

A sense of surprise overcame him.

"We are surrounded by them." I motioned the buildings around us.

"It's not that," he admitted gently. "I do not think I'll be able to accompany you."

While that sounded immensely pleasant, I knew otherwise. I only hoped a bit of kindness would end the foul play he had initiated. "Just follow me, I can get you in."

"How exactly?" he asked, keeping in step.

"You'll see." I pulled on my fingerless gloves. "How do you feel about the Air and Space museum?"

"I can't fly and I've traveled through space," Dino said with ease. "I do not think that museum can inform me of much."

"I don't know," I said. "Do you know anything about human space shuttles?"

"No."

"What about Earth's solar system?"

"Nothing in detail."

"Have you ever seen a biplane?"

"Not in person."

"Then I think you'll like the museum."

He bowed his head and smiled in defeat.

"See, I'm not a total idiot."

"I never said you were," his responded quickly.

Security was exactly what I expected it to be. I still had to bite my tongue to contain my laughter, however, when Dino stared up at the metal detectors. I made sure to linger just long enough for him to turn his expectant eyes my way.

"Good morning," I greeted the guard. He forced a smile and replied much the same. "It's his first time here," I half whispered.

The guard clearly didn't care and motioned for us to step through the detectors.

"I actually have this." I pulled a badge from my pocket and showed it to him.

He looked at the object, then me and then back to the pass. "Please step this way Ms. Lennox." We were led around the detectors. "Enjoy."

"Thank you," I smiled and pocketed my wonderful survival item. Dino gave me an odd look. "What?"

"Am I going to be the one who's toyed with now?"

I shrugged. A little bit of revenge would be nice.

"I'll admit I deserve it but do tell, please."

I grabbed his arm and led him away. "Only because you said please, but you're going to have to wait a minute. I need water."

Dino used my time at the fountain to stare up at the assortment of planes and space orbiters hanging from the ceiling. I think I ended up drinking enough water to fill a swimming pool. My stomach sloshed awkwardly when I finally grabbed Dino's attention again.

"Director Mearing gave me the badge after an incident in Italy. I'd set off a metal detector in an embassy and because I can't exactly tell people about my uniquely pacemaker they wanted to search me in a manner that was insulting."

Given his expression, Dino understood.

"I put up a fuss and was arrested. Mearing gave me the badge shortly after I was released to prevent it from ever happening again. Of course, it also came with a number of threats if I didn't use it with discretion."

"How kind of the Director," Dino said sarcastically.

"Well, you know Mearing. Besides, she did have a point. The badge is intended for high ranking officials. It allows the holder to bypass security checkpoints. She wouldn't be thrilled knowing I used it to get into a museum, but it's a public space. It's the restricted ones she's concerned about."

"Another words the director did something right for a change," Dino noted with no small amount of surprise.

"Shocking, isn't it?"

We began our tour of the museum on the aviation wing. I had expected the trip to be awkward because of Dino's personality, but the special agent turned out to be quite the entertainer, even if he hadn't intended to be.

Our antiquated aviation technology baffled the poor Autobot. He repeatedly remarked on how unfit the crafts of World War I had been for dog fights. Even those dating after the war were subject his commentary. He also found great amusement in the lighter-than-air concepts where dirigibles were made into extravagant battle cruisers. They looked marvelous and were fun to read about, but there was one very distinct flaw in their design – they would never be able to fly. Ever. A balloon simply could not hold up a battle cruiser.

"Whimsical creatures aren't you," Dino remarked when we left the exhibit some time later.

"Some of the greatest creations began as a dream," I pointed out.

His face softened and he nodded.

"Several months ago when I brought Optimus here, he mentioned you guys once had museums that made this one look infantile. Did you ever have the opportunity to see them?"

He shook his head. "They were gone by the time I came around."

Shouldn't be surprised, I thought. It was a shame that countless generations were missing out on their own history because the Decepticons had gone mad.

"I'd imagine we once had objects like these in our museums," he said of NASA's equipment.

We went down into one the rockets and though he cloaked it well, I think Dino was uncomfortable in the confined space. He had never struck me as the claustrophobic type but he had spent a great deal of time traveling through space. I couldn't imagine being stuck in a place like this for more than a short period.

"Are all your ships like the Xanthium?" I asked when we exited. The Wrecker's ship was quite massive, even on their scale.

"More or less. If you got any smaller you'd be an easy target for a Decepticon battlecruiser."

Ammunition was definitely not a problem for that vessel.

"One of the greatest battleships we ever owned was taken down near the end of the war on our world," Dino said quietly. "It was called the Ark. We were certain it would allow us to take back our home. Instead its demise cost us even more of our footing."

This was the first time I'd ever heard about it. "What happened?"

"The Decepticons found out about the ship and laid siege to the docks as it prepared to launch. There were too many of them and though we fought valiantly, and lost many, we could not hold them off. The Ark was struck just outside of orbit." He shook his head in memory. "All they needed was another second, a single moment, and the war might have never consumed our world. Millions of people would have been saved. We lost so many of our greatest heroes that day and one of our finest leaders and scientists, all because of a single tactical error."

"I'm sorry," I murmured.

"We all are."

I peered over the balcony, unsure of what else to say. The museum was so empty. It was almost eerie. There had to be something I could do to ease his mind.

"Do you want to see a movie?"

I hadn't realized his fists had clenched until I saw them relax. "Your better judgment led me here. I'll let you decide."

That wasn't much of an answer. There did appear to be a film on the moon though. Maybe Dino would like that. He seemed more interested in astronomy than aviation anyway. At the very lease it would spare us walking through the moon exhibit.

I could do with less walking. And fewer emotional roller coasters.

I think Dino could too.