Hello, here with another update again! (On time too, whoo!)

Khalthar: Lol yes! I just imagined Optimus as a gigantic teddy bear now. That would be epic.

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adelphe24: It sure has...and her questions will be answered pretty soon. Thanks so much for reading, I appreciate it!

KayleeChiara: Thank you for reading! And yes, I know and I'm sorry if you got attached, but you're right. It wouldn't be much of a progression story if Noah was still around. That is certainly an interesting idea...haha, I would've never thought of that before. Thank you again, and I'm glad you are enjoying reading her story. I do hope I don't disappoint!

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Chapter 13:

A Sojourn to the Lennox's

I watched the world fly past in a swift blur through the window of the long, winding road we were traveling on. We had landed back in the states sometime around dusk, it had taken us a full day to arrive back, and the sky was painted with swirls of pinks, yellows, and violet as the sun sunk deeper and deeper into the sky, nearly disappearing over the mountainous terrain. We were, after all, in Pennsylvania.

I couldn't help the small excitement that sparked inside me at the thought of being back in the states again. Although I eventually had gotten used to the large base, and I befriended some of the members and the Autobots, I still couldn't help but feel isolated. And even though my home state wasn't Pennsylvania, I was just happy to be on US soil again.

We had been dropped off at another military base in Fort Loudon, bidding Sam, Mikaela, and Bumblebee our last goodbyes, before all of my things were loaded into the Autobot leader himself. I was a bit surprised by the arrangement, and a little wary. Even though I have been on the base for a few months, and have gotten used to the Autobots (mostly), I still haven't really got to know their leader. I would see him from time to time, standing proudly at his enormous height, lecturing everyone on his wisdom, but I hadn't been around him long enough to feel completely comfortable in his presence. It didn't quite help that his alt mode was an enormous red and blue Semi Peterbilt, but Will had eventually coaxed me into the passenger's seat.

The vehicle he chose was fitting for him though, the inside was massive, and much more spacious than I thought it would be. I had strapped myself in and tried not to think too hard about the fact that I was in another sentient being. Or that it was the first time I had ever been inside a Cybertronian.

But the drive to Will's home was four hours away, and although I wasn't completely relaxed, I had forced myself to ease my tense muscles. Will had been the one "driving", while I sat in the passenger's seat, watching as the sun slipped between two steep mountains, and the stars began to glow.

"You good, Noe?" Will asked, speaking up for the first time since we left the post.

I glanced over at Will. He was definitely more at ease than I was; his body relaxed into the soft cushions of the seat, one hand resting languidly on the steering wheel, even though the steering wheel had been turning on its own. He had been fiddling with the radio station again, and turned the music from a slow ballad to a more upbeat tune.

I smiled at his toothy grin. It was nice seeing this side of Will for once; eased back without the constant stress of running a top secret military base. No meetings, no missions, no nothing. I guess this was his moment of peace too.

"I'm good." I answered, watching him tap his fingers to the rhythm of the song against the steering wheel. I wondered if Optimus could feel it.

"You sure?" He sounded unconvinced, "You're not nervous or anything, are you?"

I bit my lip, "Well, maybe a little bit."

Will shook his head, grinning, "You have nothing to worry about. Sarah will love you, I promise."

The small smile that split my lips was unexpected. Will's happiness was contagious, "I hope so."

I looked back at the window; the skies were black now. The moon was a full one, and it casted an almost eerie shadow over everything it's light touched. An odd shiver ran down my spine at the thought, and I twitched when a loud, crackling noise suddenly emitted itself from the dashboard. Will and I both stared down as the radio song was drowned out by a deep, baritone voice.

"Miss Noelle," Optimus rumbled, speaking up for the first time as well, "There is a blanket located under the back of the passenger's seat if you are feeling cold."

I blinked, once the sheer shock of his enthralling voice washed away and I processed his words. I gave a short chuckle, shaking my head, "No, that's okay."

"Would you like me to turn on the heat?"

"I'm fine." I said, reassuring the both of them really.

"Very well. If you do change your mind," He rumbled, "The offer still stands."

It took me a moment to fight the grin again, "Thank you, Optimus."

It took another hour before the large hills smoothened down to long meadows, and large wooden houses began to appear. They were very far apart from each other, and I began to wonder if Will grew up on a farm.

Optimus took a long, right turn, heading off of the road and onto a dirt path. We could feel the uneven path as the pebbles crunched under the tires, and slightly shook the cab. We had bumped up and down the dirt path until the sight of a large, wooden, white-painted house with large windows and a wrap around porch came into view. All around the house was grassy land, and even though it was dark, I could tell it was spacious. There was another wooden building, east of the house, which seemed to be some type of barn, but I didn't focus too much on it. Instead I looked at the glowing lantern, that was hung on the threshold of the door as Optimus pulled up to a stop at the front of prairie home.

"Well, what do you think?" Will asked, his brown eyes glancing up at his home, and I could tell he was relieved to be here again.

"It's amazing." I said with a smile, noticing one of the curtains being yanked apart in the bottom windows from the corner of my eye. Will opened the door, hopping out, just as the front door flung open, and out came a woman in a white robe, running eagerly towards him.

That must be Sarah.

She threw her arms around him, embracing him and pulling him into a passionate kiss, which will had responded to greatly. I looked away, feeling my cheeks heat up, and when looked back again when Will had picked her up, spinning her in the air in loose circles, before placing her back on the ground and embracing her again.

Definitely Sarah.

"Miss Noelle." Optimus' voice crackled over the dashboard again. My head darted towards the dashboard, but I turned around again when the door to my side suddenly swung open. Realizing that he was assisting me, and I gave a soft 'thank you', before carefully climbing out of the cab. I had took two steps down, before jumping the rest of the distance, and wiped my jeans when a cloud of dust came up from the path.

I turned to smile at the couple. Sarah was gushing about something excitedly to her husband, and Will had been nodding his head the whole time, his forehead pressed against hers softly. When Optimus door had swung shut, she looked up, and her eyes widened before a kind, smile soften her features. She let go of her husband to walk over to me.

"And you must be Noelle," She said kindly, with that warm smile that Will shared. I had found myself immediately liking Sarah. Her voice was nice and soft, open and inviting.

I nodded with a soft smile.

"Oh! You're such a pretty girl," She gushed immediately going to touch my hair, but Will had stopped her with a little groan.

"Don't scare the kid, Sarah." He joked lightly, walking up to us, and wrapping an arm around his wife's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, where are my manners? My name is Sarah Lennox. I've heard so much about you." She said, smiling down at me. Sarah Lennox was very pretty. With her strawberry blonde hair in gentle waves falling a little past her shoulders, blue eyes, petite lips, and high cheekbones. She wasn't much taller than I was, but I had a feeling that she certainly wasn't afraid to order anyone around just because of her height.

"I heard a lot about you too." I replied.

"Really?" She asked, raising an inquisitive eyebrow at her husband.

I chuckled softly, "Oh yes, Will loves to talk about you and your daughter."

She looked slightly embarrassed, "Does he? Oh honey, I'm so sorry. He tends to run his mouth all day long if someone doesn't say anything."

"No, no, it's fine. I liked hearing his stories." I said with amusement, seeing the prideful look that filled Will's eyes.

"Where is Annabelle?" He asked Sarah.

"She's sleeping upstairs in her room." She answered.

"I'm gonna go see her." He said, slipping away from his wife to jog up the steps towards the open door.

"Don't wake her up." Was all Sarah said, before she smiled and walked over to Optimus, "Let me help you with your things."

I had tried to tell her that it wasn't necessary, but she simply wouldn't take no for an answer. Instead, she had gave the red and blue Semi an affectionate pat on the hood as she hauled her own self up through the driver's side, and retrieved the two suitcases that I had taken with me. It took me by surprise, and I watched in astonishment as she managed to gracefully climb down from the enormous rig while holding some not-very-light luggage. Even though she insisted, I had to take at least one of the suitcases in. I would've felt too bad if I didn't, it was a privilege that she was kind enough to allow me to stay here during the holidays, I felt I had to do something to try and atone for it.

"Thanks for bringing him up here," Sarah said, and it took me a moment to realize she was talking to Optimus, "Could you tell Ironhide we said hello? Annabelle misses him very much."

"Will do." Optimus' voice floated from the open window, before the lights had flashed as the engine started up again. By this time, we have moved from the roundabout driveway, to the large steps of the porch.

"He's not staying?" I wondered.

"Oh, he'll be back. He's just going to do a quick patrol around the area to make sure you weren't followed. Safety precautions and all." Sarah answered, and I nodded, following her through the wide door and into the warm, living room.

The smell of vanilla was the first thing that hit me, and I closed my eyes, breathing in the delightful scent again. For a moment, just a small second, I was reminded of my own home. I was reminded of how warm and cozy it was, snuggling up next to the fireplace with a novel in my hands and a blanket draped over my waist. I imagined the enticing smells of my mother's cooking wafting from the kitchen, and the happy laugh of my father as he'd come and kiss her on the cheek.

And then, my eyes opened, and I was hit hard with the reality. My heart sunk in my chest, and I swallowed down the whimper that wanted to come from inside me. There was no use thinking about it anymore, all I could do was acknowledge and move on.

Even if it hurt like hell to do so.

I glanced around, taking in the sights of the cozy, large home. The living room was on the right side, with three couches, all positioned around a were pictures of the family hung all over the walls, and I turned my attention to the kitchen, which was on the other side, right beside the staircase. I couldn't see much from the angle I was standing at, but I could tell that the kitchen was quite large, with a large dining table stretching out from it. The alluring scent wafted through the kitchen again, and I found my mouth watering for the taste.

"I was baking cookies while I waited for you two," Sarah said, as if she were reading my mind, "You can go grab one if you'd like. They're on the counter."

I nodded, feeling a little hesitant, before I stepped into the kitchen. I heard the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs, and from the sound of the voice, I could tell it was Will. My eyes glanced around the bright kitchen quickly, and smiled when I found the large, silver platter of cookies.

"Just like my mother made them." I found myself muttering, as I took one, before heading back into the foyer. Sarah and Will had been talking about something, but their conversation was forgotten as I entered.

"Here sweetie, let me show you up to your room." She said, "I hope you don't mind, but yours is next to our daughter. She's usually quiet at night, but sometimes she can get loud." She said as she rolled one of my suitcases up the stairs.

"I don't mind." I replied, taking the other one and following her.

Sarah had opened the door to a room, right next to a pink door which had 'Annabelle' engraved on it in fancy scroll, and we both stepped inside. There was the audible sounds of soft clicks as Sarah struggled to turn on the lamp, before light flooded the room.

I gazed at my new surroundings. It was a simple room really, definitely decorated for a girl. With the soft pink carpet, and wide, canopy bed. There was a white desk, with a large mirror with those lightbulbs you'd find at a theatre decorating around the edges. And a bookshelf by the bed, filled to the brim with books.

I smiled, "It's very pretty."

Sarah let out a relieved sigh, "I'm glad you liked it, I was hoping you wouldn't think it was too girly or anything. This used to be Will's sister's room, and I didn't have much time to re-decorate and all before I found out you were coming."

I laughed softly, "It's okay, I like it."

Sarah nodded, "Well, I won't keep you for long. You've had a long flight, so you're probably tired. There's clothes in that closet over there," She pointed to a shut door near the vanity, "You're around her size so I'm sure they'll fit, if not, we can always go shopping tomorrow."

I nodded, "Thank you Mrs. Lennox, I really appreciate everything you have done for me." And I meant it.

Sarah saw the sincerity in my voice, and she smiled softly, nodding her head, "You're welcome, Sweetheart. But you don't have to call me Mrs. Lennox, just call me Sarah."

I nodded again.

She smiled even more, "Alright, I'll let you get settled. See you in the morning; I'm making pancakes." She had walked back over to the door, closing it halfway, before she spoke over her shoulder, "Goodnight Noelle!"

"Goodnight."

I had awoken the next day, groggily blinking the sleep out of my eyes before sitting up. I was slightly put off by the white linen surrounding me, and my hands clenched the edges of the soft sheets, before the memory caught up to me.

I was with the Lennox's.

This was his sister's room.

Letting out a sigh of relief, I unclenched my hands from the sheets, and climbed up out of the bed. The room seemed even more wondrous now that light was shining through the windows, and seemed to make even the particles in its light glimmer. I walked over to the window, looking over the beautiful lands as the sun rose over the horizon. I also noticed the familiar flamed Semi was parked at the edge of the roundabout, just right beside the mailbox.

I yawned, rolling my shoulders, before catching on to the smell of bacon, and something sweet. In response, my stomach grumbled lightly and I opened the door, sticking my head out before walking down the steps and greeted by more luscious scents. It must be nice to wake up to the smells of cooking every morning.

Sarah was at the stove, frying bacon in a pan, and Will was sitting at the dining table, right next to a little girl who was tucked in a high chair. Once Will saw me, he smiled, waving me into the kitchen and to the seat beside him. I nodded, and took the seat next to him, scooting closer to the table.

"Oh! Goodmorning Noelle," Sarah said, setting the bacon on the stove again, "I'm just finishing up breakfast. There's pancakes on the table. Make sure Will doesn't eat them all."

"Mornin' Noe." He mumbled through a mouthful of pancakes.

I grinned at him, before looking back at the giddy little girl in the high-chair. She definitely looked like Sarah. With her matching strawberry curls and wide blue eyes. She looked to be around two or three years old, but I wasn't quite sure.

Will gave his daughter a kiss on the cheek as he introduced us, "Noelle, I'd like you to meet my pride and joy."

I couldn't help the smile on her face. She was just too adorable, so sweet and full of life. Her sky-blue eyes turned to me, and a heartwarming smile graced her lips, as one of her chubby hands reached out, as if she was trying to touch me. But when she realized she was still stuck in a high chair, and she frowned down, before shouting;

"Up!"

"Not now Anna, she's eating." Sarah said, bringing another plate of sizzling bacon to the table.

"Up!" Annabelle shouted again, she started to shake in her high chair.

"Up?" I questioned.

"She wants you to hold her," Will explained, "She's starting to pick up on words, but her vocabulary is still limited."

"Oh," I suddenly felt sheepish as Annabelle kept shaking herself in the highchair.

Sarah tried to console her, but the little girl would not take no for an answer. Finally Sarah gave a sigh, and glanced at me, "Do you mind holding her Noelle?"

"A-Are you sure?" I stuttered. I haven't held a small child in who know's how long.

Sarah nodded, "She won't bite, she just wants to know you."

"Okay…"

Will let her out of the high chair, and Annabelle's eyes brightened with joy. Joy that almost made my heart ache. She was so innocent and pure, I almost felt like touching her would somehow transfer all the damage and horror I've been through onto her. For a moment, I was too afraid to hold her, but then she was in my arms, and all the fears melted away. She was warm and soft, as she squirmed in my lap for a moment, before becoming comfortable, and taking a piece of bacon off of the plate in the center, eating in her chubby hands.

My heart felt like it had leapt into my throat, and the fondness that surged inside me was overwhelming, especially when she turned her head to face me, and murmured a soft;

"Hi."

My smile widened, "Hi, Annabelle."

"Wha's your name?" One of her hands reached up to touch my cheek softly.

"Noelle." I found myself nearly whispering, but I knew she heard me because she smiled.

"My name Annabelle." She smiled, before turning back around to grab another piece of bacon.

"She's so beautiful," I said, looking up at the secret smiles on her parent's faces. "How old is she?"

"She's two now." Will answered, before stuffing his face again with another pancake.

"Looks like she's taken a liking to you, Noelle." Sarah added, twirling her cup of coffee as she smiled at us.

"Yeah," Annabelle cheered, nodding her head against my stomach, "I like her, mommy!"

My grip around her tightened ever-so slightly, shifting her a little to make sure that she was settled on my legs safely, "I like you, too."

I had spent the rest of the morning, and afternoon helping around the house with Sarah, and played with Annabelle a little more. It was fun, and definitely a like-able change of pace from the normal day I'd have at the base. It wasn't around noon that Annabelle had to be put down for her nap, and I had given Will and Sarah some alone time, as I ventured outwards to the yard, and the large red barn house east from the house.

It was colder now, since I was in the US, and I felt myself shiver even though I was wearing a jacket. I had passed the barn, and walked through the fields, where the grass had reached my knees, and tickled my ankles. Even though I was happy here, I couldn't deny the thoughts of my old life that had spiraled back inside my mind. Everything about Will's home reminded me of my family, and the ache in my chest that had been buried for a few months came back to me again, like a wound reopening.

I kept hearing my mother's warm voice, my father's deep laugh, my brother's caring smiles and I had to swallow back the whimpers again. This was Noah's favorite time of year, and I was about to have it without him. Without any of them.

How could I?

How could I walk another step without them? The feelings I had been trying hard to keep bottled up inside me and I was grateful that I wasn't around the Lennox's. I didn't want them to see me like this, I didn't want them to see me as the hurt, broken girl I really was. Besides, this was Will's time to be with his family again. He deserved it, and he didn't need any distractions.

I startled at the sounds of thunder, rumbling lowly and shaking me to my core. My eyes widened, and my head snapped up to the sky. How could it be possible? There wasn't a cloud in sight, the sky was clear, and the sun was out, even though it was cold outside.

Then, there was the soft patter of rain, and I looked down at the palm of my shaky hand. My hand wasn't wet, I couldn't feel any raindrops. I couldn't feel anything, but I could hear it all the same. It was deafening in my ears, the rain and the thunder, and I didn't know why.

I felt myself drop to my knees, a cry escaping my lips. I could hear the screams...they were my screams. The same screams I screamed when I was taken from my home, that dark, gloomy day. The day I tried so hard to forget, but knew it would haunt me forever.

A whimper escaped me again as the thunder rolled, and I felt the misery and panic swirl in my stomach, rising in my chest. All I could hear where their screams.

"No," I murmured softly, feeling a tear slip past my eyes. I was stronger than this, wasn't I? I was just getting better. I couldn't lapse now...not when things were going okay again. I can fight it, right?

The screams were agonizing.

"No," I said again, much more stronger as another tear slipped past my cheeks, "Stop!"

I could control this…right? "No!"

I was practically wailing now, shaking my head while desperately trying to get the screams out of my head. I couldn't take it anymore. "No, stop!"

"Noelle!"

I froze, my mind blanking at the sound of my name being called. The screams...they became silent, and the thunder had muted. Relief sunk through my body as my stiffened muscles relaxed, and a tear of alleviation slipped past my cheeks. My heart pounded a littler harder in my chest, because I knew that voice.

It was familiar.

I cracked both eyes opened, and looked up at the familiar figure in front of me. Then, my body stiffened in shock all over again. And my eyes widened at the sight of those azure eyes.

"O-Octavian?"

He didn't say a word, but instead, wrapped his arms around me, carefully lifting me up off the ground, and my head swarmed with nausea for a moment, before I blinked and my vision settled again on the tall, man who was carrying me through the meadows.

"Octavian," I tried again, my voice still hoarse from crying.

"It is okay Noelle," His voice rumbled so smoothly, I almost wanted to believe him, "You will be alright."

"Octavian." My voice was firm now, and it made him stop in his tracks. He looked down at me slowly, and I could sense the nervous tension setting in his jaw. His usually guarded gaze was filled with untold apprehension as his eyes met mine.

"What are you doing here?"

Well, I did tell you it was going to be longer. I am actually excited, because I've been waiting a while for it to finally happen. He's gonna reveal his true self to Noe (Well, at this point he doesn't have much of a choice lol). I know you guys have been waiting for this moment as well. I really enjoyed writing this chapter, thank you so very much for reading! And please review your thoughts because I am always happy to read them!

-SeaKissed140.