Con in the hen house

Ellen was at school currently outside for Gym. She was part of a small group of friends, some more talkative than the other and some more playful than the other one. As average a group of friends she had (most anyway) , one thing that stood out for her personally was that most of the time they seemed to be looking after her and sometimes they got a little frustrated with her for it, for example they had to push her to engage in what they were doing or the other kids were doing. Not that she didn't want to its just that she felt better doing things in a smaller group rather than the whole class.

But they each had their flaws the rest of the group would pick up on, Jessica Wares (Jess) was loud and playful but forced everyone to listen to the music she was listening to or would stop the conversation so to listen to her and what she had to say, she had a tendency to play her music to her ear when she was clearly part of the conversation, if it doesn't grab her attention she doesn't bother to pay attention.

Emily Skinner (Em) although many saw her as a solemn faced girl, realistically it was just a resting face, despite what they thought she took interest in anything, which is she seemed to wait for someone to get something wrong and she would force her way in to correct them. She was a good listener but very blunt and even critical, one of Ellen's closer friends ironically, but she was never critical to Ellen because she quoted to another, "She has a dumb puppy got told off face...she might cry."

Bel Young (Blaze)

A calm girl, very talkative and likeable amongst the class (Is what she thinks) for one notable trait; having a strange obsession with the look of flames hence her nickname, apparently setting alight to a very small patch of grass can be the same as royalty in pre-school in her head. Well since her antic was at school its hard for her parents to shake social services off now.

Suzi Linn

That one girl who tries to make everything said or done into a pun and make herself the centre of attention through laughs, however it's only made her the ridicule for looking like an idiot instead of class clown, but she meant no harm and generally got along with people mainly because she wants to be noticed with her living in such a busy household.

Pauline Jackson (Peach)

The 'Bossy' one, most of the time she can convince the others to do what she wants to do, but can fail sometimes as they can all turn on her when they've already made up their minds, notorious for tantrums and can turn mean spirited.

Calvin Reed

Loves to make rumours for the mere fact that he runs out of things to talk about, these rumours include back talking, making up lies about his own life, causing fights and split ups. Mostly ridiculed by groups of boys.

So Ellen sat on the floor with the rest of her class waiting to be up next and she dreaded it.

Next to her, the final member of her group of friends Skyla or Sky Lynchfield as she preferred. She was the nicest, or that is the most patient with Ellen, maybe because she was the oldest of four siblings and they were always loud and destroying everything and Ellen was just a nice change of...well not really having an opinion or speaking that loudly. "Maybe I can pretend I'm sick? Or start crying? That usually works." Ellen muttered pulling grass out the ground at the same pace as her heart beat.

"Teachers like 50, she probably seen that before." Sky said.

"I hate Gym, I like playing games, but I don't really know this one, Optimus said we could both try to learn it…sometime." She frowned intently. "But I don't like them playing." She said pointing to a specific group of girls and boys. "Every time it's my turn they shout and yell, then I miss and they yell harder of how much I suck."

"My Dad says it's because they suck, or…something." Sky said.

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know, he was talking funny anyway Mom said cos' he was drinking liquid courage."

"W-What's liquid courage?"

She placed a finger on her chin. "Mm I don't know, Daddies a cop man, maybe it's what they give them."

With the whooping and cheering in the back Ellen lost track of turns as suddenly all she could was her name. "Ellen-Melon! Get your big head up there!" was the most prominent thing she could hear out of all of it despite there being louder things yelled.

Per usual Ellen stood up looking back and forth at the girl who called her, she slightly frowned but she couldn't push herself to say anything, "Miss! Brookes calling Ellen names again!" Sky called.

"Did not! She's lying!" Brooke called back.

"Did too smelly butt-hole!"

"Mouths as big as your name Sky!"

"Alllright!" the teacher called clapping her hands. "Enough with the name calling, Brooke swap places with Ashe so I can watch you, you've already caused five disruptions in the past hour. And Skyla move away from Ellen you two have been whispering amongst yourself the whole time."

"That's not fair!" the both protested.

"Do it, now."

With her friend away from her, her sense of security was down, "Ellen, games still going you're up." the Teacher said.

She merely nodded moving to her place. "Gotta hit this." She thought as the pitcher threw she closed her eyes whilst swinging…she sighed in relief at least that was her turn over with. Thing is she felt it hit against her bat pretty well actually, however she wasn't exactly sure what she had to do next. She opened her eyes and her focus turned on Brooke whose hands covered her forehead for some reason but her confusion was answered with a screaming wail that pierced around the area.

"Ahhh! She's killed me!" she wailed.

The teacher moved past carefully as she held her arms, "Take your hands away Brooke let's have a look." What she was able to see was red patch on her forehead with bruising showing immediately. "You're not dying Brooke, but let's get you to the nurse in case of concussion."

"What's that? Is it cancer or something?!"

"No." she calmly replied helping her up lightly as she urged her to walk. "Follow everyone, games off. Ellen, Sky, Jerry gather the equipment please."

Ellen just stared at Brooke as she looked around for something to pick up. Sky had a massive grin on her face but she covered her mouth. "Wow…" she awed. "Maybe she'll leave school forever now." Ellen started to panic. "What's wrong? Are you having bad breathing again?"

"I-I-I'm okay, I c-can handle this." She said performing her usual techniques. "B-Brooke is going to-to hurt me."

"No she won't."

"Yeah-huh she's like a hundred feet tall." She said.

"I hear she wears odour eaters." Jerry interrupted wiping his nose.

"What's that?" Ellen asked.

"Padded stuff in your shoes for stinky people." Sky said taking a hold of Ellen's hand and started pulling her along to match her walking. "Maybe Brooke will get a scar." She said.

"I don't think bruises do that." Ellen noted.

Sky then pulled a face, "Oh, Um, you know you weren't supposed to hit the ball that time." She said grinning. Ellen's head dropped to the typical notion. "B-But if you were supposed to hit it, you could've easily taken second base if Brooke's fat face weren't in the way."

"You think so? T-Thanks Sky."

Brooke wasn't sent home, some wondered why but she had said that they just couldn't reach home, so for the remainder of the school day she stayed close to the teacher at her desk and was to stay sitting and keep a cold pack on her head. Typically Ellen was in her line of sight with daggered eyes the entire time, she couldn't concentrate and it made her scribble little pictures of gravestones with her name on it. She was distracted from that however when Art and crafts was the final lesson of the day. Making clay figurines.

Finally as the bell rang as much as Sky and her friends were friends with each other and all, they all had their own way of thinking and that was get out of class as fast as you could to get to their parents. Ellen usually waited until the door was clear enough for one person to get through without fear of being squeezed to death.

So walking down the hallway, she held the clay figurine of a dog she had made and with most things she couldn't wait to show someone, anyone on base. But of course she always made these things for Optimus, sometimes Bumblebee.

"You did that on purpose."

Ellen flinched she wished not to hear Brooke's voice again especially with her being alone now, she first pretended she didn't hear her as she continued to walk on a little faster as she saw the door. Then she felt something hit her head as she dropped her creation, she gasped picking it up brushing it and touching it all over but thankfully didn't break. Then she rubbed the slight sting on the back of her neck.

"Stop ignoring me!"

Ellen frowned as she bit her lip and spun around with a face of fury, "You almost broke it!" she cried. Brooke looked briefly uncomfortable by her cry but then stormed up to her and even though she was taller than Ellen by only half an inch she still felt intimidating. "You…You almost…broke it." She replied meekly.

Brooke stared the object down as Ellen held it protectively. "Its dumb looking, why are you keeping it?"

"Its...Its for my...my, Dad."

She shifted her head from side to side in a boasting manner, "You don't have a Dad." she said.

"Yes I do!" she barked forcing her face to be inches away from Brooke's.

Brooked only pushed her forehead against hers, "No you don't, you don't even have a Mom, you hit that ball on purpose."

"No I didn't." she argued.

Brooke then produced her finger and pressed it on her forehead poking it hard, "Just because I called you Melon, not my fault you have a fathead." She poked her again.

"St-Stop it, that hurts." She said.

"Why should I?"

"B-Because I'll…I mean, Um…"

"What?"

"At least..."

Brooke then petted her head as Ellen jerked her head back. "You won't do anything, you won't even tell on anyone."

"At least someone picks me up after school, you don't have anyone." Ellen hissed.

Brooked grit her teeth then shoved her making her hit the wall. "Bye Melon!" she then quick paced to the exit.

She slid herself down the wall putting herself in a sitting position as she held her dog close to her. "S-Stupid Brooke." She expressed fearfully. Her teacher was seen exiting the room as she looked down the hallway.

Giving a questionable look, "Ellen? Is everything okay?" Ellen looked blankly at her letting her mouth open and close deciding whether to say anything at all. "Did something happen?"

She sharply stood up, "No!" she snapped quickly pacing out of the door herself. Looking around quickly she was relieved when Bumblebee turned up on time remembering his driver this time too. "Drive Bee!"

"What's wrong?!" he cried surprised at her overzealous entrance.

"Just go!"

"What's going on?" Bee asked after getting enough road behind him.

"Teacher was asking me questions."

"That's it?! I left marks on the floor and black smoke. Remember not drawing attention to ourselves? Primus don't yell like that."

"I wasn't yelling. And it was important."

"Well what was she asking? I-It wasn't about the lack of driver was it?"

"No, that was the sub."

"Was it, where you live?"

"No."

"Optimus?"

"No."

"Me?"

"No!"

"Why not? …I-I mean what then?"

"If I was okay."

"…I…I don't even know what to say to that. Optimus has trouble understanding knock-knock jokes, Ironhide can't TAKE a joke and you freak out when someone asks of your well-being. Do, you know the difference between hello and goodbye?"

"I know how to talk."

"Well, I'm out of ideas, what was wrong with her asking?"

"Doesn't matter."

"Then why did you tell me?"

"Look what I made." She then said.

"Don't change the subject…what is that? It's got four legs so, what is it a half melted reptilian?"

"Does that mean dog?" she said glaring at the dashboard.

"Uh, SURE, sure it, it's a dog." He looked her over, "Hey, have you been crying?"

"No!" she barked.

"Alright, alright, but come on we're friends right?"

"Yeah…"

"And if you ever were, to cry, you can tell me why, I mean I don't talk for long because it starts to hurt so, it makes me a better listener." He said fake laughing to how morbid that sounded.

"O-Okay."

"So-oo is everything alright?"

"Yes."

"…You never tell me anything."

Ellen walked across base with Bee as she placed her hand on her back it felt slightly sore, what was she leaning on that whole time? "Ellen."

"Huh?"

"I said hello." Optimus said, she didn't realise she was already in the hangar.

"Oh, hello. Lookit." she said lifting her clay model up.

Bumblebee leaned into him and whispered. "It's a DOG."

"…Of course it is." He calmly said as Bee narrowed his optics.

"No you didn't." he said noting the confused glance he gave him.

"What's going on?" Ellen asked pointing to the hangar in the distance seeing the large gathering of humans, with Ironhide and Bulkhead.

He looked to the hangar intensely before wavering it off. "Only discussions. Do you have an assignments?"

"Only to write about what we do every day." She shrugged.

"You can get that finished now, then you will have more time to indulge in other activities." He said.

She fidgeted, "I don't want to." She protested.

"Why is that?"

"Because I don't want to!" she barked stomping off down the hallway.

"Uh-oh." Bee said.

"A sudden paroxysm of frustration. Or perhaps something is bothering her, either way, it would be best to leave her be."

"Aren't we and the others going on patrol? She doesn't like you leaving without saying bye."

"It may worsen her mood, perhaps even say something she may regret later on." He said.

"If you're sure."

He looked at him lightly, "Well, what I say is merely experimental, trial and error Bumblebee." He turned to the hallway, "Did she seem troubled?"

"A little defensive, and I think she was crying…I think."

"Then I will talk to her when we return."

"When you told her discussions were going on, that was a little strange."

"Why?"

"You usually say it as it is."

"I think expressing that Thrust is currently incarcerated on base for interrogation would be too much for her to handle."

"I can name a few other things you could've went easy on too. But speaking of Thrust, shouldn't we have, you know, make sure he didn't have a chance to hurt anyone else?"

"General Morshower wishes we gather Intel first, which I agree to a certain extent. I am not sure I agree with the location, as securely intact he may be."

"When do we get Intel from him? I still feel eerie with the way he talks gibberish and just sits there laughing."

"Tonight is what I would hope for, however Director Galloway has made it clear that he will have a personal inspection of Thrust before anything else." He said walking out as Bumblebee followed. "Let us be swift in patrol."

"Sure."

Ellen lay under her covers holding her stuffed Simba, "It was scary Simba, but I don't know why, it hurt being pushed up against that wall." She looked at her hands. "I'm shaking. Brookes just a beast-thing, w-with her, giant man hands."

She stared at the sheets, "I shoulda' told her that Optimus would step on her." The lifeless toy just stared silently, "I-I know it's not nice, but I bet it would be funny." She then lay down, "And my heads not a melon, Ratchet said it's called a skull." And after a few moments of daydreaming she fell asleep.

Meanwhile in the room Thrust was he was securely, tied down limb by limb as he started talking gibberish as Bumblebee had said, "Yell at me, always yelling, Mech born with Femme vocals…I didn't run. Huh…huh-huh. I had that Star, Whatwentwrongwhatwentwrong? I don't…I was in there I…I-I had it, then that, old walking reanimated-…I'll…I'll cut him…huh-huh…but…butbutbut, I, turned, I was going to turn I would've seen him…" she lowered his head, "That…what's it called, female, girl? She stopped me, and caught me off guard…was she laughing? Its funny isn't it? I scar-eeed yo-uuuu." He sung. "Don't…don't laugh at me, I'm not useless, my threats are real."

"I hate it when we get a creepy one." A soldier expressed with his group of five.

"Keeps you awake at least, only three hours left hold out a little more."

"I'm a show attraction!" Thrust then cried.

"Jesus-titty-Christ! He scared the shit out of me."

"You see? On your toes."

"I'm so, secure…so safe…" Thrust sung.

Ellen woke up abruptly as she rubbed her eyes, "Optimus I couldn't catch the pony he had a car." She slurred looking up at Optimus empty berth, "Maybe I didn't sleep long, he's not back yet." She said hopping out of bed. She looked at her book, "Maybe I should write something." She looked to the door. "First. Food." She stood in the hallway and saw Will at a computer desk he had a choice of fifteen after all.

"You're up." He said.

Ellen frowned. "I guess."

This was always the greeting from her to him, she wondered why she had such an attitude towards her, well he knew but he didn't want to bring it up. "Just me and you this evening kiddo."

"Really?" she questioned. "Not even Ratchet."

"You'd prefer Ratchet? Can't say that my feelings aren't hurt. I'm only here for a couple hours, to finish up, and go home, The Groundbridge is a life saver."

"Mm."

"You want me to get you anything? Have you eaten since you got back?" She shook her head. "Good, because and now I know this is frowned upon, but do you like takeout?"

"I love takeout, its sweet tasting." She said. "Why are we whispering?"

"Because this isn't allowed."

"Ohhh, but, you'll get in trouble not me, right?"

"Huh, didn't peg you for being a sly sneaky backstabber, shows what I get for being nice, I even used the Groundbridge." He said taking out these boxes from behind his monitor.

Ellen looked upon the familiar packaging, grabbed it like she had been starved for a month and shoved her hand in it and shovelled it in her mouth. "Holy-moly, I don't care if Bumblebee says it's not real. Screw you veg-tables!"

"...you scratched me." Will muttered, then rustled through his pockets. "Oh, and here's some dessert for ya." He tossed her a bag of chocolate of generic origins, she stared at what she was given than at him with marvel in her eyes and soya sauce round her mouth, like she had received a treasure of the highest value.

But then her face relaxed as she put her food on his desk alongside her treat and sighed heavily, "I'm mad at you Will, but at least you're kinda cool."

Will put his box down, "You're mad at me?" he said but amused at how serious she had turned.

Ellen wiped her mouth, "Um, no."

"It's okay, I'm not angry. Just tell me why, maybe I can fix it? N-No not fix it I mean- Urgh Christ I'm terrible at this. I mean to say maybe there is a way I can…" he sighed. "Not, exist, at all." He sighed with his chin in his hand, he knew why she was mad at him, but really, what could he do? He had other priorities outside of base, his own family to worry for. Maybe Mark can tell him, but he acted superior towards him, maybe his was playing around or what but he never that much patience for jokers.

"…do you have a girlfriend?" Ellen then asked.

"Yes, well she's my wife."

"You have a kid don't you?"

"A daughter, Annabelle."

"Okay." She said.

"Is that it?"

"I don't want to talk anymore." She said. Will noticed her different change of tone on different words as well as a flicker of her eyebrows, keywords such as kid and Annabelle.

"…Alright, no more talking, hey how does a bath sound?"

"Um…Moo?"

"Ha, funny. Don't follow into a career with that stand up, especially if your relying on government funds your going to need to save all the money you can before you turn 18."

"What's funny?" she stated flatly.

Will pulled a face. "Never mind…how about some TV followed by a story after?"

She smiled, "That sounds good. But then, you'll be gone."

"Someone will always be around to be sure you're okay, on a ratio most the boys here I trust completely, don't be shy to ask if you need help. Besides when I leave the others should return soon after."

"I wanna go to bed."

He stood up offering his hand as he walked her to the bathroom, "What pyjamas do you want? Spiderman or…what Spiderman?"

"Yeah." Is what she replied with.

Back with Thrust, "Hello, little man." He mumbled to the soldier who stood guard while the others were in the protected station above. "No hello back? I'm attempting contact, a glorious form of life stands before you and no greeting? No awe? No…worship?"

Bob stood still, stoned faced as he was, but very nervous on the inside. "Are you, devoted? Yes? Loyal soldier who thinks to himself, I can change the world? But you know, those type of people, are always the first to die, the dreamers, then the shakers." He said eerily looking at the group of soldiers. "You're dead now you know. Did you know that?"

His eyes moved slightly.

Then the door opened as someone stepped in, the was empty of many objects so his shiny, black shoes ringed through. "Director Galloway? We had no mention of your coming, but you are restricted in this area until-"

"Actually…I am now." He said showing him the papers briefly in his face. "I'm to make sure our prisoner is safety fastened, and ready for interrogation, I decided to come early. Now leave."

"Leave? We can't do that, Major Lennox-"

"Is not here."

"His order still stands." Bob implored.

"I don't care, either leave now or I deem you all going AWOL, or maybe BCD? Your choice, go ahead point a gun at me bring me in for breaking authority, but remember its my word against all of yours, and believe me my word is always law."

They stood thinking, passing off glares, mutters and profanity, then they left without notion. Thrust looked him over, "Why do you wear glass?"

"I'm not here to discuss pleasantries." He looked over his shoulder, "I wish to strike a deal."

"Ooh, deal. But what would I want from you?"

"Your freedom." Thrust dropped his grin. "That changed your tone didn't it?"

"Why? Why betray your kind?"

"Not my kind, your kind, the other factor. They are too comfortable here, ever since they gifted us with that I will admit astounding technology, the others have fallen limply and welcoming to our alien tenants, easily trusting when given something they can lord over the other nations with, and they will…they only care for the benefits, not what I do, security! Our, security."

Thrust tilted his head, "Ha-ha, you're crazy." He noted lightly. "The point is, they're not seeing the proposed goal is that it? They need reminding? What is it you specifically want me to do?"

"Cause a little destruction?" he said. "Something that I can use against the Autobots, which deems them unnecessary and useless."

"How do you know I won't simply fly off, and maybe kill you in the process?"

"If you fly away, then you have escaped, even that, I can use. As for brutally murdering me, I'd simply be slacking your binds but giving me enough time to leave base."

"And that's it? Cause destruction? What if I felt like killing your own?"

He thought, "…Then it would bring a more compelling case, this is after all for…as many have said before, the greater good?"

"Hm, go on then loosen the bonds that is if you know how, these aren't made from average metal or whatever it is you use, tin? Plastic? Mud?"

"You think I'm using my hands? Idiot, we have a set of commands on the control panel."

Thrust merely sneered as Galloway did indeed loosen the bonds, then made his way swiftly down the stairs, but swift put on a false whine, "Oh-noo, this-will-take-me-forever-to-" *creaaak snap!*"

Galloway froze as Thrust pointed his blaster at him, "So much for that idea!"

Will sat on the bedside as he lent his chin on his hand lazily flipping through the pages, "So then, the cat found his cat Mom, they did, cat things and went home to their, cat house."

Ellen looked at him unimpressed, "What are cat things?"

"You know, playing with ball of yawn, licking their hindquarters, hacking up hairballs, bringing home 'gifts' that kind of thing."

"Optimus tells it better, he says that 'the mo-mo-rul of the story is that happiness can come from the sim-sim-p-pli-city of everyday o-oc-occur-"

"Occurrences."

"That one."

"Well according to you Optimus can do no wrong."

She thought, "He talks funny, and he can't make a sandwich like you…I don't even think he can make a sandwich, but you let me have take-out." She smiled.

He closed the book tossing it back in its library, "I think that's everything now, time to head on home." He said. "You think you can sleep?"

"U-huh." She said snuggling down. Will dimmed the lights.

"Bye Will." She said looking at the ceiling.

"Night, I'll see you tomorrow sometime I'm sure."

It was about a couple of hours after Will had left, and Ellen had woke up, she wasn't startled but she was a light sleeper and could awake easily to the most hushed of sounds, staring at the ceiling with a frowned expression she tried to get back to sleep and tried not to look to the left, or the right…or under her bed. If she thought too much into it her head made her believe a lot of scary things lurked in the darkness, the room was so big that without that tiny bit of light she wouldn't be able to see her hand in front of her face.

Something was odd too she heard, birds? Maybe seagulls, they made that squawking sound like seagulls. But they never really got seagulls. "Maybe their fighting, there really loud." She whispered she reached for her draw besides her grabbing a long torch splashed with stickers pointing it at Optimus' berth, it was empty…still.

"He's not back." she looked at the digital clock, it read 20:30pm. "Um, I'm not sure if it's been a long time." She said going into her draw again and taking out a plastic figurine, "Come on Picard you can scare off the monsters with your grumpy face." She walked towards the door. "Optimus should be back soon, r-right?" Stepping out into the hallway, the whole hangars lights were off, even the motion sensors didn't detect her. "It's scary out here. Looks l-like that really old zombie movie…"

She stood very still, she didn't want to go back in her room. But she didn't want to walk anymore, she tightened her eyes and tried to think of other things. "I-I'll go to the kitchen, the cold box has a light." She said running quickly, bashing into the wall several times before getting herself to the refrigerator and opening it, "Cold, but bright." She then heard voices, not birds this time or what she thought to be birds, but definitely the sound of people.

It wasn't abnormal she would always hear the soldiers yelling at each other or laughing. But they were louder, staring at the door as the sound continued she let out a gasp when she heard artillery fire. "Their…Th-Their not s'pose to be doing that at night." Then the sound was cut off, even the sounds of people was ceased.

She continued to stare at the door, Then, a loud stepping sound was heard, she was used to a certain rhythmic stepping pattern each of the bots had, "B-Bumble-Bumblebee?" she meekly called. She didn't want to go out there.

"Where are you?" she then heard Bumblebee call. "Where are you?" he repeated.

Her eyes glistened with a hopeful smile she opened the door as she ran down the hallway. "Bumblebee." She called but no-one was there for her to greet, but she looked at the hangar door, it looked like someone pried it open with their robotic hands, she backed away but gasped when looking to the side, seeing someone, a large figure stand at the computer and his silhouette looking stalking, and it stared at her, knowing she was coming, but she was convinced it was a friendly face but the image itself was haunting, he was hunched over, with hovered hands and long stringy legs. "H-Hello?"

The figure stood still as Ellen tilted her head confused, but decided to walk toward the figure.

A little closer, keeping her torch to the floor to see where she stepped, something was off though she thought and felt like it was one of the bots but taller, slender…and she had noticed his fingers were, clawed. Her mouth opened as she panted and said, still hoping that it was indeed Bumblebee but from a different perspective, "B-Bumble-bee? S-Stop teasing me!"

The form took a step forward, she felt it tremor through her toes, and a grim chortle escaped. "B-Bee?" she said.

As he spoke, a single word that blew her hope out of the water.

"No…"

Ellen's eyes and brows shook hesitantly, as she pointed her torch upward, she was greeted with a eerily friendly grin, and she felt…terror. However she knew this Con, but this wasn't like the mines, this Con seemed like a completely different person now, a monster. She felt a shudder in her throat, she wanted to scream but it came up as a dying squeak and cry.

She couldn't move, she just stared with tears escaping her. Thrust knelt, lowering a clawed finger towards her he lay it on her cheek then hovered it above her head and then lay it on her other cheek, she squeaked to the cold metal against her. He was going to hurt her, he was going to kill her, she didn't know when, but he did toy with the idea.

Finally he put his finger back on the other side of her face, and slowly with the tip of his finger ever so gently ran it down, but even so it bared a cut, a cut that begun to bleed a thin layer of blood matching the size of the cut. Ellen shut her eyes and started to whimper, "Red." He said nodding as it fell from her face, "Drip…drip, I didn't have time to see it come from the others they just went…poof and then the wind carried them off." He stood up stepping over her and looking around, "Where is the old one? And my, Energon Star?" he said quietly then spun around. "Where!?"

Ellen shook, and let herself crouch down putting her head on top her knees and her hands on her head. Thrust chuckled to himself. "Yes, that's right, take me seriously." he added.

He then went down the hallway checking each room, with the sound of scraping metal along the way, crashing and throwing Ellen stayed in her position even that's when she looked briefly at the hangar door, she could run…she could run and just keep running, she had her chance too. But she didn't, she could run! Is what her mind kept telling her.

Then something came to her, what Brooke said, that she wouldn't tell, and now she couldn't run…she couldn't do anything. That's right, why didn't she? Everyone did something, but not her, she was just kind of, there. Why would anyone want her? Everything was so confusing and these thoughts in her head seemed to pass fast only that in reality they had passed by slowly as Thrust now clutched the Energon Star and knelt low enough for her to see her reflection in his crimson coloured optics.

"Optimus…h-help me…" her eyes met with daggered claws. "H-Help…D-Dad…"

"Do I frighten you now?" he asked with a small smile looking at a limb, "Maybe I'll take your arm." then his face fell, his face turned concerned as he looked at his chest and stood up, he dropped his item and started pawing at the sudden hole in his chest, "What…look what, you did." He said turning around as the confidence faded from him and turned to fear. "I don't…I don't want to, die." He fell to the ground as Ellen looked up shaking, to Optimus.

He looked her other sympathetically, poor shaken, little human faced with the fear of her life yet again.

She looked at him like a granted mercy, as her breathing was wheezy, but she forced her mouth to open, as it chattered as though cold, "D-D…Daddy."

Optimus stepped over the stiff form, scooping her up as he cupped her close, she clung to him tightly, as he did his best to comfort her, but looked on sternly to what lay behind him.

"How did he escape?" Ironhide hissed.

"Ironhide, Ratchet." Optimus started sternly. "Investigate, scan the area vigorously. Bulkhead, check the perimeter, Bumblebee, contact Major Lennox…And Mark Bayard."

"D-Dad, he was hurting me." Ellen whispered softly.

Optimus cringed shutting his optics, "He will never do so again. I am so sorry." He held her and thought of what could have occurred if they had not returned in time, but then started to summarise how this could have happened. Thrust could not have been able to get from his bonds, they had disabled his abilities. He had to have been freed…he didn't want to conclude what he thought but, he concurred that not every human had the same objective for the protection of their planet, instead there was deceit and corruption seeping in.

The problems that led Cybertron into war had followed him here, how could he keep her safe, when even the people around her were potential threats to her life. He would have to evaluate the safety on base, he would have to make himself be less in the field and perhaps more on base? Her shaken body expressed enough, this could discourage her to act as she would. Perhaps fear the outside world.

"Stay close to me." He said. He would have to enforce more rules, more safety measures, their quarters would need to be reinforced as a shelter. But was he reacting rashly? Was this merely fear speaking? No, for her safety's sake when no one could provide that of course not.

Next morning Ellen stayed with Optimus on his berth as she woke leaning against his forearm that formed around her like a fence, "Hello." He said.

"Hi, Optimus." She said lightly.

"How do feel today?"

"Not good." she said her body twitching to the voices outside the room. "W-What was that?"

"Engineers."

She stared at the ceiling, "Yesterday, was it, okay I called you Dad?"

"Is that what is troubling you?"

"I just wanted to say it." She said.

"It is not confusing?" he said confirming.

She shook her head, "I'm going to be with a long time, I don't want to call you Optimus all the time, because you're more, I-I think that what I mean…I want to feel, Um…Like a…"

"A sense of security?"

"A family…"

"…I see."

"I think we are…yes, are you sure it's okay?"

"Of course, I have not discouraged it, we have had this discussion before."

"Yeah, but just in case." She smiled.

"As long as it is not a malicious title, refer to me as anything."

She shrunk a little into herself, "You mean like what I want to call that weirdo Con?"

"…Do you want to talk about it?"

"A little later okay? I still have killer bot in my eyeballs." She jested.

"You seem to find humour in this?"

"It…kind of feels right, makes me, feel better." She argued.

"Ah yes, I have come across something to explain that in my research."

"What, happened to…did he, die?"

He looked at the wall, "Yes."

"I-I thought they couldn't find us."

"No, we took him as a prisoner of War, in short we captured him and we had him securely imprisoned in the hangar need the shore line."

"W-Why?"

"To gather Intel; information." It was, in his opinion a long shot, however it could have gone two ways seeing how Thrust was cowardly, but arrogant in that he would call their bluff on interrogation techniques. Torture however was not an option.

"You couldn't ask him when you met him?"

He shook his head, "It is more difficult in these circumstances, sometimes reason is ignored, sometimes because they are blinded by their own ambitions, sometimes fear, or loyalty and sometimes it is unclear what their motives are."

She played with her fingers, "Like when you don't tell someone something because you might get hurt?"

He tilted his head, "You understand one perspective, my guess is that you have experienced this?"

She shook her head wildly, "N-No, just a-a friend has."

"I see." He said.

She bit her nails, "I was scared, he scratched me." She put a hand on her cheek to feel a patch of cotton wool and Band-Aids. "Oh." She said disheartened.

Optimus looked down, he wanted to apologise, again? If he did would she sense his concern? Would she start losing faith in him? "Are you okay Dad?" she then asked.

He smiled at her, "Yes. I am fine." He merely said. "You do not need to attend school tomorrow if you do not wish it."

She then thought back to Brooke and frowned determined to herself, "I think I can handle it."

"If you're sure. Then I hope you do not mind that I will take you?"

"You will?" she glowed. "Put you have to do patrol, and-and look for Energon and beat up Cons and…stuff."

Before even this occurrence, he felt worry out on the field when she was out of sight, left to strangers, on the same team but were still strangers, and now for some reason human sabotages were now among them. Why? Until all evidence is revealed, the purpose of the team was to protect their world from Decepticons. What could be gained. "I will be here, unless I am needed."

Ellen thought, "Maybe, I can stay home tomorrow?"

Ironhide and Ratchet stood outside as Ratchet held his head against the side of the door, "Will you stop snooping? I need to report our findings." Ironhide said.

Ratchet drooped his head, "You hear that?"

"Yes I heard, what of it?"

"What of it? The whole world could burst into flames but those two will happily play games on the moon I suppose." He said.

Ironhide shoved him to one side to get to the door, "Now you're just acting like a petty young'un, at first I sympathised with you with certain points you brought up but now, Optimus has been with us nearly all the time the only time he left us was to either confer with Will or Recharge. But you don't shake a head at that but only as soon as he gives her the slightest glance you lose your head. You need to let this bitterness go, there's no purpose for it, doesn't mean you have to build all up either."

"Fine, fine. I didn't need to bring it up." He looked around. "It's just, being on base for most of the time you, do tend to run out of subjects to talk about so you just find yourself complaining about anything."

Ironhide laughed and patted him on the shoulder, "You need to get out more with us, now move Optimus would want to hear this." He pressed a button to notify himself.

"Enter." Optimus called.

"Prime…" he glanced at Ellen, "Maybe you should step out and hear this."

Optimus looked down as Ellen clung to his arm, "I will be right outside." She nodded without much resistance to his surprise, "Oh? That is I mean…" he patted her head, "How audacious of you." He said lightly.

Ellen waved, "Hi Ironhide." She sung.

"Hello there you little mite." He said exiting the room.

"What did you find?"

"There was no metal expansion, struggle, force, nothing that could lead to this either being Thrust himself or a cause of the environment." Ratchet said.

"In other words, he was let out." Ironhide followed.

"By whom?"

The two of them looked at each other, "There were, barely any remains but the humans said they would perform some tests to confirm identity, however they were able to identify the soldiers by head count and schedule watch. It still remains if they were involved or not but we may have stronger evidence with the identity of the remaining human."

Optimus shook his head, "How tragic that this has occurred, claiming the lives of those humans whether they were innocent or not, and you can confirm this was a humans."

"Yes." Ratchet said turning his head to the side, "Can you imagine what further damage Thrust could have done if you hadn't terminated him? I should have paralysed him permanently, seeing how they wanted him destroyed after interrogation anyway."

"If anything, this was a close call, too close I think we need to enforce training." Ironhide said.

"Expand your reasoning Ironhide." Optimus said.

"I mean, specifically she may need training, weapon training."

"She?" Optimus' optics flared slightly, "Suggestion denied Ironhide."

"You think this will be the one and only time she'll on her own? No matter what precautions are in place, we can't always be there."

"Ironhide she is six, she cannot grasp the meaning of holding a deadly weapon that is capable of taking a live."

"I'd also like to add that, how would a weapon help her anyway if we made one for her it would take years and using human weaponry is as useful as an Energon cube with holes in it." Ratchet added.

"Simple Ratchet, she could shoot their optics out, giving her time to flee, it is a technique we are currently testing."

"Simple? Her aim would have to be impeccably accurate, and aren't most of the soldiers here veteran? I hear they are having difficulty with that so called 'technique'."

"Look, it's something I can teach her, like I have with thousands and thousands of others for many cycles now."

"But as Optimus has pointed out, she is six, she can't even spell her name the right way round." He said getting an odd stare, "which is something I haven't seen, just word of mouth as the humans say."

"It wouldn't be straight to target practice, it would start with the guidelines, education."

"I know you only hold good intentions old friend, but I am afraid I must decline, I am attempting to create a suitable environment for her, it's a simple necessity that many wish for their own on this planet." Optimus said.

"Optimus, you're in the illusion of control again." Ironhide pleaded.

Ratchet rolled his optics, "Yes, illusion, I'd say perspective myself but I'm curious Ironhide what would lesson one be?"

"This discussion is over." Optimus merely said. "Even In the years to pass, we will not have it again I have made my decision."

"I won't. No point to either you seem very strong on it." Ironhide said. "But, she'll make her own choices, what if she came to me?"

"I will face it if and when the time comes." He swiftly said. "Now, if there is no further information, will you excuse me?" He said turning as they both nodded.

"Your skills in debate are to be admired." Ratchet said to Ironhide.

"Shut that trap of yours, give me at least a moment of silence." He thought. "Remember during the War that something similar to this occurred? It was when we were on equal strength with the Decepticons, plenty of Energon, weapons and fortitude. When Bumblebee could act as he could despite the environment?"

"A more irritating youth then she is seeing how he had learned more words, quite the chatterbox. That is before…you know to what I refer." Ratchet recalled.

"Did he seem, uneasy?"

"He would be."

"I mean, as a mind-set. I think the squirts going to be seeing more of him then she thought possible."

"I too dread that his confidence in leaving her in the protection of this base has, shaken. No use with ifs or what's, we just carry on as we usually do."

Eventually when Ellen would return to school she would hand in her weekly diary homework, with her teachers grimacing on what occurred that day, a tall metal stick figure that looked like a demon from her perspective and Ellen's encoded writing translating to "Today I nearly died...and had takeout!" would be inside.

A/N Thought I'd give a brief description of some of Ellen's friends, their minor characters but just in case their in the scene you'll get a basic idea who they are and how their like, that is if you remember me typing that bit down XD

When you give your soldiers generic names, your going to have a bad time :P

For those who do read this, I'm thinking of adding a new Autobot every year or so not real life year anyway :P but of course I'll be adding Jazz first, but is there any specific Bot I could add?

Next chapter I'm going...Um cutesy? Well Ellen is having her first slumber party and of course Optimus has huge doubts of her going. So yeah dropping the tension a few bars down :P

please R + R