AN: I don't own Transformers nor Halo.

Good news, the hurricane didn't get me!

As you can all guess though, I was absent due to this Storm. However, I'm back and I'm ready to write some more. I hope you all aren't annoyed with me too much for being gone so long but I didn't have much choice in the matter, unfortunately.

Despite this, I am getting super excited because after this chapter we will finally begin on the events of Revenge of The Fallen. I hope those of you who consistently read my story have enjoyed it so far and I would like to apologize for any typos or mistakes in my story. This is my first attempt at writing a story for FanFicition and this is a learning process for me.

While I was away though I received a review telling me that in Halo, 343 Guilty Spark had stated that the minimum level of Forerunner armor required to face the flood was twelve with the Forerunner armor scale stated to potentially be as high as eighteen or further. I know this and have already stated this though the Halo universe doesn't delve too much into this topic (at least from what I've seen and read), hence as to why I decided to cap Tempest's armor out at twelve because it is the highest confirmed to my knowledge.

Also, it's been awhile since I played the older Halo's and due to my Xbox's disk drive crapping out, I can't go back to play the older Halo games to refresh my memory of anything until I get my new Xbox this weekend.

As you all know, These "..." sections indicate a time skip or POV change. In this case, it's a time skip.

Storm walked slowly across NEST, taking note of the soldiers whom were seemingly more active and talkative than usual. Judging by their body language, there seemed to be a copius amount of tension and excitement that the humans shared in common.

She turned away in her persistent gaze as she crossed her arms over her chest. She did not want to scare the humans with her staring and suspicion as to what currently had the base so lively.

As she rounded a corner and walked into a hangar, Storm spotted Lennox. He was just the person she was hoping to see as she had questions about the new-found energy that filled the base. She approached the distracted male, sitting down onto the edge of the table he was currently leaned over that was littered with a myriad of items as she took notice of the duffle bag before him, said bag almost full. He held a blank stare on his face that was directed towards the bag, indicating to her that despite her obvious presence, he had somehow failed to notice her.

She began kicking her legs back and forth lazily off the edge of the table, speaking up to the visibly distracted male. "Hey, Lennox. What's going on?"

Lennox sucked in a sharp breath, obviously startled by the sudden sound of Storm speaking. He turned to face her, hand held over his heart in shock. "Jesus, Stormy! You have got to stop sneaking up on me like that!"

Storm chuckled to herself due to the NEST Major's reaction. "Sorry, Lennox. I don't intend to scare you, it just kind of happens like that. By the way, what's up with everyone on base? You all seem anxious."

Lennox sighed with the same anxiousness that currently permeated NEST, turning back towards his bag that he was now hapazardly stuffing more items into as he answered Storm's question. "It's a floating holiday. Most of the soldiers on base are using it to go home and see their families for the first time in two years."

Storm rolled her eyes to the NEST Major jokingly. "You humans and your strange idioms. I don't think I'll ever get used to them."

Lennox barked out a quick laugh at Storm due to her comments. "I don't blame you. We do have some strange sayings."

Storm hummed in response to what Lennox had said, watching as the man continued to force items into his travel bag with a new realization. "What about you? Are you going home to see your family, Will?"

Lennox paused in his actions, staring down at the table and bag before him as a fond smile placed itself on his face which Storm did not miss. "Yeah. I am. I'm going home to see my wife and my daughter for the third time since her birth."

Storm mimicked Lennox's smile, feeling a pang of jealousy course through her. She envied him in this moment. "I'm happy for you, Will. I bet you can't wait to go home and see them."

Lennox didn't miss the change of inflection in Storm's voice despite her attempts to hide it behind a smile. It made him feel guilty. He had spoken of his family so happily, failing to remember that Storm could not share in this happiness. She had no family to return to, none that was not Exuberant Witness or Sam and his family. And Sam was unfortunately too busy packing for college for Storm to visit him now.

No matter how much the Forerunner tried to hide it, Lennox could see the sadness etched into her features. It made him wish he could do something for Storm to save her from staying back at NEST alone.

Lennox visibly perked up at this thought. A happy smile formed on the NEST Major's face, one that was directed at Storm as he spoke up to her with a question. "Would you like to come with me, Stormy? My wife is very accomodating and I already know that my daughter would absolutely love you because of your long hair."

Storm was surprised by Lennox's offer. With her newly made agreement with the human leader's it would be plausible for her to leave, though she was slightly concerned with the idea. "I would love to go but...I'd be lying if I said I wasn't the slightest bit un-sure. It'll be kind of awkward being the only alien in the group."

Lennox spoke up to Storm, attempting to reassure her in her worries. "You won't be the only alien in the group, though. I'm bringing Ironhide with me and if you wanted to I'm sure you could convince Optimus to go if it'd make you feel better. Lord only knows that boss-bot could use some serious rest and relaxation away from Galloway and his never-ending crap."

Storm belted out in laughter, responding to Lennox with amusement once she had stopped. "Yeah, I know you're right about that. I think that man has been getting on everyone's nerves over the past few days."

Lennox laughed before agreeing with Storm. She proceeded to stand up from the corner of table she was seated on, laying an armored hand on the NEST Major's right shoulder as she spoke. "Thank you for your offer, Lennox. It really means a lot to me that you invited me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go threaten Optimus with bodily harm if he doesn't comply with coming along."

After saying this, Storm removed her hand from Lennox's shoulder, turning around and walking off towards the exit of the hangar. She had almost made it towards the entrance when she heard Lennox yell out to her. "Our plane leaves in less than an hour! Make sure you're out at the landing strip by then!"

Storm threw a hand back over her shoulder in a wave of acknowledgement as she rounded the corner of the hangar quickly to go find Optimus. She activated the gravitational manipulator of her suit, using it to in the effort to make finding the Autobot leader faster, stopping once she found him. Much to her surprise, he was standing outside of the Autobot training hangar with Jazz.

Storm thought to herself in that moment of how perfect it was that Optimus' second-in-command was already here so that she could try and convince the short mech to give the Autobot leader some time off by taking over in his stead for a day.

She floated over to the pair, immediately catching the optic of Optimus as a smile plastered itself on her un-masked face. "Hey guys. Sorry to interrupt, but I have a quick question for Jazz."

Jazz turned his attention away from his leader, the metal plating of his mouth forming a smile that was aimed towards Storm. "What's up, little lady?"

Storm's grin grew wider upon hearing the Autobot saboteur's response. "I was hoping you would do me a favor, actually. I was wondering if you wouldn't take over for Optimus today as Lennox has just invited Optimus and I to visit his family home."

Optimus began to hold up his hands, attempting to turn Storm down in his offer before Jazz cut him off. He wouldn't allow his leader to say no to this offer. "Sure, little lady. The Prime could use a break anyways. It's been two Earth years. He could use a day off."

Optimus' expression changed to a disgruntled one causing Storm to sigh. "Oh, come on, Optimus. Jazz is right, you know. It's been two years. Why can't you just give yourself the rest we know you so desperately need?"

Optimus expelled air through his vents heavily, crossing his arms over his chest as he answered her. "My people need me, Tempest."

Storm rolled her eyes, scoffing in response to the Autobot leader. "My people need me too, Optimus. But I know that The Warden is more than capable to lead in my place. Do you not trust Jazz to do the same?"

Jazz snickered to himself upon hearing what Storm had said, knowing that she had caught the Autobot leader given his silence. She had the Prime wrapped around her armored fingers.

Optimus knew well that Jazz could lead in his place. He wouldn't have brought the scenario of him accompanying Storm off base to Director Galloway if he hadn't thought so.

The Autobot leader was simply procrastinating and Storm knew this. She floated up to Optimus, laying an armored hand gently on his cheek plating as she spoke to him. "Trust me, Prime. You need this and I want you to go with me."

Optimus stared into Storm's two-toned eyes, his spark lurching in his chest due to what she said. It was enough to convince the Autobot leader. "Alright. I will go with you, Tempest."

He didn't miss how Storm's eyes lit up, a large grin plastered on her face as he turned to speak to Jazz. "I trust in your ability to lead the Autobots in my place, Jazz."

The Autobot saboteur said nothing in response, only nodding to his leader in affirmation before Storm wrapped the Autobot leader's much larger face in a tight embrace, speaking up to him with a joking inflection. "Awesome! Now I don't have to knock you out and drag you onto the plane with me!"

Optimus chuckled at the woman's comment as Jazz belted out in laughter, the Autobot saboteur soon speaking up to Storm with another question. "Why would you do something like that?"

Storm pulled back from her embrace of the Prime, her armored hands never leaving Optimus' facial plating as she narrowed her eyes to the silver mech, a joking yet deadly expression on her face. "Because I told Lennox that if Optimus didn't agree to come along then I would threaten him with bodily harm...I planned to make good on my promise."

Jazz shook his head in disbelief. "You're too much, little lady."

Storm barked out a laugh, patting Optimus on his cheek plating whilst responding to Jazz's comments. "I know. Only the strongest can tolerate me."

After Storm saying this, Jazz waved off the woman and his leader, ordering for them to relax in their absence from NEST with his authority as second-in-command given to him by Optimus.

As he walked away, the Autobot saboteur assured his leader that the Autobots would be in good hands, Optimus knowing whole-heartedly that they would be.

The Autobot leader held out his large hand palm up for Storm to climb on and she did, landing flat-footed on it's metal surface. She looked up to Optimus, speaking up to him with a question. "So, you ready to get this show on the road? Lennox said our plane would be departing in less than an hour and I've been standing here forever trying to convice you to go with me."

Optimus smiled, nodding to Storm in affirmation. "Yes, Tempest."

A mischievous smirk plastered itself on Storm's face before she turned her head, pointing in the direction she had came from as she yelled. "Go, my valiant metal steed! Mush! Mush!"

Optimus scanned the area she had pointed to, taking note that there were no humans in his path before he did as the female had jokingly ordered. The Autobot leader set off towards the direction Storm had pointed with a fast pace earning him the excited laughter of the female which warmed his spark.

The pair made it across base with quickly due to Optimus' long strides, stopping near Lennox where he was standing beside a prepped military plane with a group of soldiers and Ironhide in his alt-mode.

Storm leaned over the edge of Optimus' palm, cupping her armored hands around both sides of her mouth before yelling down to the NEST Major. "Hey, Lennox! Look who I found!"

Lennox chuckled as Optimus kneeled down before him, answering Storm with amusement. "So, how much of a fight did he put up?"

Storm jokingly rolled her eyes, smiling down at Lennox as she responded to him. "Enough of one. It wasn't very effective though, obviously. A little pleading from me and Jazz not taking "no" for an answer was enough to break him."

Lennox snorted, directing his amusement towards Optimus. "There's no arguing with women, man. Alien or not."

Storm jokingly began mocking Lennox, only stopping once she realized she hadn't informed The Warden that she would be leaving. She willed forward her protective mask, contacting the Promethean titan via her Ancilla whilst hoping he wouldn't be too upset with her for her short notice departure. It would seem that he wasn't, jokingly telling her that he would "keep the humans in check" while she was away; causing her to snort with amusement from behind her mask. The Warden was ever the jokester, a side of him he only showed to Storm.

Storm reluctantly cut her conversation with The Warden short once Optimus spoke up to her, telling her that he was going to place her on the ground so that he could transform down to his alt-mode. She let him, stepping down from his palm before walking over to Lennox.

Ironhide and Optimus boarded the military transport first, the humans and Storm following soon after them. Storm looked around her, followimg the humans actions. She strapped herself in to one of the vacant seats within the plane via it's harness just as she had seen those around her do.

She watched as the metallic door-ramp via which she had entered began to raise, eventually shutting on her and everyone else. She braced herself as the plane proceeded to take off.

This was going to be a long few hours.

...

Storm was layed on top of Optimus' hood, her hands behind her head with one armored leg propped up on his hood, the other leg hanging down listlessly from his alt-mode as she kicked it back and forth slowly.

She let out a heavy sigh which indicated her bordem before she sat up, her armored elbows propping her up as she looked over to Lennox. "Are we there yet, Lennox? I'm beyond bored."

Lennox chuckled lightly. "You've asked me that about fifty times now, Stormy. No, we're not there yet."

Storm grpunted out in annoyance as she returned to her former laying position atop Optimus' hood. "This sucks. I've been sitting here so long my armored ass is beginning to go numb."

Lennox belted out in laughter, a few soldiers Storm was on good terms with joining in with the NEST Major before he responded to the woman's comments. "Well, you could have always teleported us to our destination, Storm. It would have saved us all time and you from your ass hurting."

Storm sighed heavily. "It doesn't work like that, Lennox. My slip-space abilities only work when it's somewhere I have the coordinates for or somewhere I've already been and the coordinates have been logged into my Ancilla's database."

Storm paused in her explanation, pointing an armored index finger towards the the metal interior above them before continuing. "Also, the only way for me to teleport everyone at one time would be to grab onto the plane and drag it through with me. Due to the significant mass of the plane, however, it wouldn't survive on the way through. Larger objects, unless made of strong material such as Forerunner or Cybertronian metal will collapse in on themselves. Not only that, but a slip-space portal is a vacuum void of oxygen. So if the plane being crushed didn't kill you, suffocation surely would."

Lennox was at a loss for words, visibly in shock. He floundered for several moments, his mouth opening and closing multiple times before responding to Storm's explanation. "I-uh...wow. That's brutal."

Storm chuckled at Lennox, eyes closed in a relaxed state as she responded to him. "I know. It's meant only for Forerunner travel as only our metal can withstand the crushing pressure."

Lennox shrugged his shoulders, scratching at his head with his index finger absent-mindedly. "Well, I guess I need to cross that off my bucket list then."

Storm barked out a laugh due to what Lennox had said, her laughter short-lived once she felt the plane around her begin to shake. She jolted up from her spot, looking around the entirety of the military transport interior with caution; stopping once her eyes landed on Lennox. "What's going on, Lennox?"

Lennox's face was filled with confusion due to Storm being on edge, raising an eyebrow to her as he looked at her. "Uh...we're landing. Have you never been on a plane before, Stormy?"

Storm scoffed, gesturing around her with her armored hands. "Of course not. Why would I need to ride in one of these metal death traps when I can essentially fly? I'm only doing it right now because I don't have much of a choice in the matter."

Lennox shrugged his shoulders to Storm before proceeding to cross his arms over his chest. Both she and Optimus' tendencies were beginning to wear off on him. "You have a point. Not much reasoning behind it. It'd just be a waste of money."

Storm leapt down from the hood of Optimus' alt-mode before walking over to Lennox. She phased away her personal armor, adopting her human appearence in succession with this.

The plane came to a slow and eventual stop on an unknown military base, the door of the military transport opening and the entirety of those within it filing out onto the tarmac in an orderly fashion. Once all of the smaller being's had exited, Optimus and Ironhide followed suit, coming to a stop just behind Lennox and Storm.

The Autobot leader opened his passenger side door for Storm and she happily ran over, practically diving into the cab of his truck before yelling out to Lennox with the same happiness she physically exuded in this moment. "Hurry up, Lennox! I'm starving!"

Optimus laughed internally as he shut the passenger door behind Storm. She watched as Lennox climbed into Ironhide's drive seat, the NEST Major laughing as he climbed in.

She leaned back against the comfortable interior of Optimus' alt-mode, groaning out in satisfaction as she did so. His leather seating was a blessing for Storm's aching back and sore backside from the hours long plane ride.

Storm heard a crackling static emerge from beside her and she lazily turned her head to meet the sound. Optimus had activated his holoform and he was looking at her with visible concern. "Are you alright, Tempest?"

Storm had no idea why the Autobot leader was asking her such a question. She was more than fine. "Uh...yeah? Why do you ask?"

Optimus began to follow out after Lennox and Ironhide, responding to Storm as he did so. "You sounded distressed. In pain."

Storm belted out in laughter. The Autobot leader had clearly mistaken her groan of satisfaction for one of pain. "No, Optimus. Quiet the opposite, actually. Your seats are very comfortable and it soothed my aching back. That's why I made that noise."

Optimus felt relieved hearing Storm say this. He turned his holoform's gaze ahead of him towards the human-made road, attempting to blend in as the driver of his alt-mode as he responded to Storm. "My apologies, Tempest."

Storm scoffed, reaching over to Optimus and jokingly slapping him on his right bicep. "Quit apologizing, Prime. You have no reason to."

Optimus laughed at the Forerunner female before she leaned back over into her side of his cab, pressing herself into his leather seating once more as she yawned. The long plane ride had succesfully tired Storm out and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.

It was silent in Optimus' cab for an extended period of time before he heard and felt Storm sliding to the right in her seat, her sleeping form now leaned against the the inside of his passenger side door.

Optimus could feel her warm breath's against his window everytime she exhaled. It was an odd sensation for him to be able to feel with both his holoform and his alt-mode, slightly distracting even. However, he let Storm sleep un-disturbed, knowing that she needed the rest with how much she had been pushing herself back at NEST.

He continued on in silence, even as he drove down the winding dirt road to Lennox's residence. He slowed to a park in the NEST Major's yard, shutting off his engine before slowly leaning over to wake Storm. He placed a hand on her seemingly bare arm, remarking to himself silently over how advanced Storm's combat skin truly was. It felt as if he was truly touching her skin, soft and warm like he had anticipated.

He traced gentle circles on Storm's arm with his hand so as to not startle her awake, speaking to the fast asleep female in hushed tones. "Tempest? We have arrived at the Lennox residence."

His actions slowly woke Storm. She straightened her posture from her former slumped position, glancing around lazily to survey her surroundings. Lennox's property was large, open fields surrounding his home in a full three-hundred and sixty degrees.

Storm turned to look at Optimus, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she yawned before speaking up to Optimus with a question moments later. "How long have I been asleep?"

Optimus smiled, answering Storm's question truthfully. "Approximately thirty-five Earth minutes."

Storm nodded to the Autobot leader in understanding as she yawned once again, turning her gaze towards Optimus' windshield. She smiled to herself softly at the sight before her. Lennox was embracing who she presumed to be his wife tightly, a large smile on both of their faces.

Once the pair were finished in their embrace, Lennox turned around, gesturing over to Optimus' alt-mode with his hand in a motion for them to exit. Storm did so nervously, climbing out of Optimus' cab before wrestling with the heavy passenger door. She managed to close it behind her though with much struggle causing Lennox to laugh lowly.

Storm walked over to Lennox with Optimus in tow, his wife holding out her hand to Storm as she spoke to her with a polite inflection. "Hello. It's nice to meet you."

Storm nervously took the woman's hand, accepting her gesture of greeting as she stuttered out a response to her. "Uh...hello. It's nice to make your aquaintance as well. I've heard a lot about you from Lennox over the past few hours."

Lennox laughed. He had never before seen Storm nervous in such fashion before. "Don't mind her, Sarah. She's just a little nervous."

Storm didn't deny what Lennox had said, her face flushing slightly. She looked to the ground, hoping to avoid anyone seeing her now red face.

Sarah laughed at this, attempting to assure Storm sweetly. "You don't have to be nervous. Any friend of Will's is a friend of mine. Now, I'm sure you're all hungry from the long trip here. Dinner should be ready very soon and there's more than enough for everyone."

As if on cue, Storm's stomach grumbled loudly due to the mention of food. This made Storm's face flush worse, earning her laughs from everyone including Optimus; causing Sarah to speak up. "I'll take that as a yes, you are hungry. Please, do come inside."

Storm and Optimus walked into the home per Sarah's invitation and permission as Lennox disappeared into the back of the home where Storm could hear the faint sound of an infant crying. She smiled to herself upon softly seeing this as Sarah led her and the Autobot leader over to the kitchen.

Storm sat down at the dining table as did Optimus, the Autobot leader sitting down at her right. She briefly glanced back towards the front door, wondering why Ironhide hadn't joined them.

She proceeded to turn her gaze to her left once she heard a wooden chair being pulled out, finding that it was Lennox. She took immediate notice of the human child within his arms, her eyes lighting up with curiousity.

Lennox must have seen this. He looked over at Storm, a smirk on his face as he spoke to her. "She's cute, isn't she?"

Storm didn't take her eyes off of the small child as she responded to Lennox's question. "Yes. She is. This is the first time I have ever been so close to a human child this young."

Storm spoke those words before she could stop them, realizing the blunder she had just made. Her eyes widened as both she and Lennox looked over to Sarah to see if she'd heard what Storm had said and thankfully, it appeared she hadn't. The woman was standing over her stove seemingly un-phased, finishing in preparing the food she had started on earlier that day in anticipation of their arrival.

Lennox chuckled as Storm breathed out a sigh of relief, smiling over at Storm as he spoke up with another question for her. "Would you like to hold her?"

Storm's eyes widened in panic upon hearing Lennox's words and she responded to him lowly. "I-uh...I-I don't know. I've never held a human child before."

Lennox laughed at the alien woman over her naivety as he stood up, walking over to her with his daughter in his arms. "Here. I'll show you."

Storm began to panic further, attempting to convince Lennox otherwise of doing this though he wouldn't take no for an answer. He trusted Storm, knowing that she would not harm his child.

He gently pushed his daughter into her arms, explaining to her how to hold his child properly as he did so. "Now, all you need to do is put your hands under her arms for support. Just watch out, though. She might pull your hair or anything else she can get ahold of for that matter."

Storm hesitantly did as she was told by Lennox the best that she could, afraid of holding the small child whom was wiggling anxiously within her grasp. She was afraid she might harm the fragile human on accident.

She supported the child's weight, genuinely surprised that the being was doing most of the work for her, holding itself up in her lap with it's legs. Lennox's daughter began making high-pitched noises at Storm whilst grabbing at her hair, causing the Forerunner to smile down at the human child sweetly.

The NEST Major and Optimus watched the alien female with fondness as her earlier anxiety and fear calmed, Storm proceeding to play with the child gently. It made Optimus fill with warmth seeing her play with the human sparkling. Had life not been so cruel to her, he was sure the Forerunner would have made an excellent example of a femme creator given the chance.

Storm continued to play with Lennox's child until a plate of food was placed before her by Sarah. Lennox took Annabelle back from Storm in response, allowing her arms to be free so that she could eat her much desired food.

Storm dove into her plate as Sarah offered a plate to Optimus, the Autobot leader politely declining due to his holoform's inability to consume the substance though he thanked her regardless.

As Storm wen't to take her second bite of food, Ironhide walked into the home with his holoform. He was muscular, a scar over one eye with his black hair cut short; a pair of army pants covering his lower half and a black, sleeveless top covering his upper half.

The fork was almost to her mouth when she stopped, mumbling to herself lowly in disappointment. "What the hell? His holoform isn't a walking ass with legs..."

She thought what she'd said would go un-heard due to it's low tone, but it hadn't. Lennox had heard her. He began to choke on his food as Sarah sat down beside him, patting her husband on the back repetitively as she asked him if he was alright, only turning to her own plate of food once Lennox had recovered.

Everything was silent from then as the group ate. That was until Sarah spoke up with a question that was aimed towards Storm. "So, do you work in the same area as Will at NEST?"

Storm nodded to Sarah in affirmation, answering her in-between bites. "Yeah...You could say that."

Storm's response seemed satisfactory enough for Sarah, the woman returning to eating her food as she diverted her questions towards her husband for the rest of their meal.

Once everyone was finished, Sarah took everyone's dishes to the sink before taking Annabelle from her husbands arms.

Lennox wiped his face with a napkin, placing it on the table as he stood and gestured for Storm to follow him upstairs, stating that he was going to show her to the guest room of their home. She glanced out of one of the many windows of their home, now understanding why. It was quickly getting dark, the sun already setting.

She followed after the NEST Major and Optimus dismissed his holoform in a flurry of crackling blue particles. He transformed up to his bi-pedal form just outside as Lennox escorted Storm to her room.

The NEST Major opened the door to a room and Storm entered. The room was spacious and inviting, the walls painted a pale yellow and the sheets of her temporary bed stark white, reminding her much of her bed back at NEST. She thanked Lennox before he could leave, the man shutting the door to her appointed quarters upon his exit.

She walked over to one of the three windows of her room, opening one in order to let in the fresh, crisp air from outside, catching sight of Optimus whom was watching the sunset not too far away. He looked beautiful in this moment, the vibrant shades of orange, pink, and red reflecting off his metal body.

The Autobot leader must have sensed Storm's gaze, turning to face her direction. He proceeded to walk the short distance over to Storm, kneeling down before Lennox's home so that his face was only inches away from Storm and where she had moved to sit in the open window, her back placed against it's frame with one of her legs hanging lazily out of the window as she spoke to him. "It's beautiful out here, isn't it?"

Optimus agreed with Storm. It was indeed a most beautiful sight, one that was made even more beautiful and meaningful to him with Storm present.

Storm suddenly began to climb out of the window, snapping Optimus from his thoughts. She scaled Lennox's home with ease to lay on the roof so that Optimus wouldn't have to strain his body kneeling before her window. She placed her hands behind her head as a pillow, staring off into the horizon with a now standing Optimus in silence.

That was until she heard an all to familiar sound which she recognized.

Storm sat up quickly from her laying position, yelling out loudly with excitement to no one in particular. "Oh my God! Lennox has cows?!"

Optimus was amused by Storm's sudden outburst, chuckling to himself as he turned to look at her. "Is that important?"

Storm rubbed at the back of her neck in embarrasment. "Uh...not really. I just really like them. I've always admired Earth and it's vastly differing local fauna as well as humans and their ability to tame it."

Optimus smiled fondly at Storm. She was easily amused and never failed to try and find the good in something or someone. He admired this about her.

She apologized to Optimus for her strange outburst as she happily watched the animals graze in their field from afar, not noticing that he was staring at her. He couldn't take his eyes off of Storm in this moment, the vibrant colors of the sky reflecting in her eyes.

The Autobot leader decided in that moment that after they had seen Sam off to college and when the time was right, he was going to tell Storm of his spark calling out to her.

He only hoped that the Forerunner female whom he had become so fond of would return his sentiment.

Ah, finally. I got this chapter done.

Much later than I wanted to, though.

I had hoped to have this chapter done earlier but I've been taking care of a little six week old puppy my sister found yesterday in a pretty bad predicament so he's been taking up a lot of my time.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and as always, thank you for reading.