Transformers the bonds of family chapter 4

(Optimus Prime's personal log)

When Lauren noticed I was following her, she immediately apologized for having tried to wander away from her siblings and the rest of us.

"It is all right Lauren." I said smiling. "If you wanted a tour of the ship, you should have asked first though."

She looked away; apparently, that was not why she had wanted to be alone. "That's not it but I don't want to talk about what it really is Optimus. I don't trust you enough to do that yet and you'd think that I would since you saved Kayla's and Brandon's lives."

I did not press on, even though it was tempting. Kyle soon called Lauren to come back and eat the meal the human children had brought with them. I retreated to my quarters to be alone, letting my teammates get to know the young ones we had befriended a bit better.

This did not quite work out; 15 Earth minutes later, I heard the door open. I looked down and saw Kayla.

"Oh, I didn't know this was your room!" she said, backing away.

"Kayla, come here." I told her gently.

She did so, walking slowly towards where I was sitting on my chair. When she was closer to me, she stopped walking and I offered her my hand to climb into. Kayla climbed onto it, at first getting frightened when I lifted her up but was reassured that I would not drop her. I sat her down on my lap and asked the human girl "What were you doing wandering around alone?"

"I was looking for you and I didn't realize that you were in here until a few moments ago; I didn't want you to be all alone with no one talking to you and getting to know you better." Kayla replied, trying not to be shy.

I smiled at her and replied "It is all right little one. I am merely concerned for your safety"

"I know." Kayla said. She sighed sadly.

"What's the matter?" I asked.

"Optimus, I wish my parents were here to meet you." She replied, starting to tear up. The human girl began explaining about her parents' deaths. "They were hiking and camping by themselves for their wedding anniversary and it was the day after that particular date. A gunman started shooting but it wasn't as random as it appeared; he had tried to get someone else but missed and hit my dad, then he shot my mom point blank when she stood in front of a little boy to protect him. Said gunman also shot 3 other people; only 2 of them survived and the little boy was one of the survivors. My dad crawled over to my mom and he held her hand when they were dying. A witness reported him saying 'Honey, we're in God's hands now. He'll take care of us and he'll take care of the kids for us' just before they both began praying and asking that the one who shot them be forgiven, and then they breathed their last."

Needless to say I was shocked and saddened by the story but hugged Kayla. "You do not have to finish telling it." I told her

"I still should though. It was Lauren who got the phone call telling us what had happened; she and Terry were the ones who identified our parents, the rest of us did not want to see them like that." Kayla continued through tears. "Said gunman was caught and the trial is next year; Lauren doesn't want to go but she feels that we should and thinks it will give us closure but nothing really can."

"Indeed that is very true and I know this all too well." I replied. I moved Kayla closer to my spark and where the Matrix of Leadership is stored in my chest. I did not and still do not understand completely why but the Matrix seemed to briefly engulf the human girl I was holding in a blue light and gave her a peaceful feeling and reassuring her that she was not alone with what she and her siblings were dealing with.

For the next few minutes, I was silent and simply being there. Kayla looked up at me, and began smiling again. "Thanks Optimus for letting me talk to you and making me feel comfortable with doing so." She said.

"You are very welcome my friend." I told her.

We went back to the main room and talked with the other humans and Autobots about random things, unaware of what would happen the next day…

(POV switch, Emerald)

When I took the children home, Optimus had been in contact with some human authorities, including the mayor of Lanceville, the county sheriff, the state governor, and the U.S. President explaining about what had gone on the day before and it seemed as though they were actually listening. Kayla commented on this as I drove away from the ship with her and her siblings. "How can Optimus be like that? Whenever he talks to you, it's like he's looking into your soul and knows when you don't feel that great. When he speaks, it's like everything stops to listen to him."

"He's learned many things overtime and has the wisdom of past Autobot leaders stored in the Matrix of Leadership." I explained.

"Was he born like that or was he just randomly chosen to be the leader?" Kyle asked.

"He was in fact chosen to lead us when the previous leader went offline." I told him. "Optimus isn't perfect though; even the greatest person that ever lived has personal flaws."

The rest of the night was uneventful but made me very suspicious. My suspicions were proved correct the next day; Lauren had gone from school to her workplace, a store called "Target". Jazz was going to pick her up as I was in much needed recharge after staying awake nearly 2 Earth nights. The other children had been picked up from school by Ironhide and Bumblebee when the news came in: Lauren had been kidnapped by a certain Decepticon interrogation officer Barricade. I shuddered at the idea and began to feel guilty. "Why couldn't I have been able to be alert enough to stay in the parking lot and wait for her?" I asked when my sparkmate was having his injuries from the fight treated by Ratchet.

"Emerald, we can not change what has already happened but that does not mean that I do not have a plan to rescue Lauren." Optimus Prime assured me. "Now if only I could be sure that it would work…"

Author's note: Sorry this is short; I plan to have the next chapter be from Lauren's POV regarding her kidnapping whenver I get to it.