CHAPTER 25

Nobody wasted any time hanging around the Predacon base. Megatron was likely to come after them when he recovered so the group headed back to their own base, knowing the Predacon wouldn't be able to get them there. Yume was relieved. She'd spent so much time worrying that she would never make it back alive that she couldn't wait to get there. On the way back nobody said anything to each other. It was a silent convoy and Yume had felt a little nervous about it. She wondered if she had done something wrong. She didn't ask, though. She was too afraid that if she did, someone would yell at her.

What if it's not me? What if it's just how they are? What if they leave all battles this way? Totally silent. I don't know. It didn't really sound logical though. That can't be it. Could it be something else? she glanced at Dinobot. Something in his expression troubled her. Maybe it's him.

A short time later the group made it back to the Axalon without any interference from Megatron or the other Predacons. That was a blessing in itself and the Maximals were grateful. Yume was the most relieved. She wanted nothing more than to get inside that base where nobody could harm her and just sit there for awhile. She'd been through so much the last few days that all she wanted to do was lie down and sleep for a few weeks.

Once everyone was inside the base Yume slumped into one of the chairs and sighed. Before she could get too comfortable Optimus said to her. "Could you please leave the room for a moment?"

She looked up at him. "Why?" she asked.

"I need to speak with Dinobot and Rattrap, in private," he replied. He looked at the other Maximals. "That goes for the rest of you."

Yume saw the looks on the others faces. They seemed to understand what was going on. They quickly departed, except Cheetor. He waited until the girl got up then escorted her out of the room. She glanced over her shoulder at Dinobot. His face held an unreadable expression. What's going on?

She looked at Cheetor. Maybe he could tell her. "Why did Optimus want to talk alone with Dinobot and Rattrap?" she asked him. "Are they in trouble?"

He looked over his shoulder then down at her before answering. "Sorta," he replied.

She cocked her head. "Sorta?" she asked. "How sorta?"

"Well they kinda went to the Predacon base without telling anyone and..." Cheetor's voice trailed off.

She didn't know what to say. The question she'd been planning on asking died on her lips. It made no sense to her. She would never understand anything. "So I guess saving me got them in trouble, huh," she said.

"It's not like that," he corrected her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "It's not because they went to save you, it's because they did it the wrong way."

"What is the wrong way to save someone?" she asked.

"I don't know."

"So this is my fault?"

"No," he told her right away. "It's not your fault. You couldn't help Megatron capturing you."

"But if it wasn't for me Dinobot wouldn't be in trouble right now," she protested.

He got down on one knee and looked her in the eye. "You can't blame yourself for the descition he made," the young mech told her. "Dinobot doesn't always follow orders exactly. He's always been that way."

True as that might have been it didn't make her didn't feel any better. "I still feel responsible," she said, looking away. "I mean; this never would have happened if I hadn't of come here."

"Well you are here," Cheetor told her. "By accident or not. We don't know how much longer you'll be staying but that's not important right now. The important thing is to not let incidents like this one get to you. You can't keep blaming yourself for everything, especially when you're not to blame."

She nodded. He was right. She couldn't let things get to her anymore. It wouldn't do anyone any good. "Okay," she said. "You're right."

He smiled and she couldn't help smiling back.

"Want to listen in?" he asked.

Yume had been itching to do so. She nodded. "Okay."

"I don't even want to know what you were thinking.." Optimus stopped, thought a moment, then said. "Strike that. I do want to know what you were thinking." He faced Rattrap and Dinobot and folded his arms, frowning severely. "What were you thinking?"

"I am not to blame for this," Dinobot told him. He looked down at Rattrap. "The vermin suggested it."

Rattrap glared at him. "Thanks a lot, buddy!" he snapped.

"But you went along with it," Primal pointed out, cutting in before they started arguing. "And even if he didn't you would have anyway. Right?"

Dinobot wasn't going to lie. He nodded in confirmation. 'That is correct," he said. "I would have gone. But not until I figured out a plan."

Optimus shook his head. "You should have waited," he told them both. "I would have figured out a way to rescue her."

Dinobot felt he had to speak his mind about that. Usually he would have held his peace but he felt he had to say something for once. "If I had waited for you it would have been too late," he told Optimus. He pointed a finger at him. "I know you come up with plans that work but this one time it would not have. I know that for a fact. Megatron was not going to let the girl live no matter what you did. He knows how your mind works, Optimus. He would have known what you were planning."

Optimus frowned at him. "What are you saying?" he demanded. "That your idea was for the best?" he pointed a finger in the raptor's face. "Your plan almost got her killed as well."

"I am aware of that."

"Then next time don't do anything stupid," Optimus told him. "I know you feel as if some things I tell you to do go against your honor but sometimes I have very good reasons."

Dinobot looked away. "I know," he said in a quiet voice. "But I could not obey. Not this time."

Optimus gave him a curious look. "Why not?" he asked.

Because she is more important to me than you'll ever know...

His question was met with silence. "Okay, don't tell me," he said. "But not telling won't help you in any way."

Rattrap felt sorry for Dinobot. He stepped forward and got between the raptor and the leader. "Don't be too hard on him, Boss Monkey," he said. "He was just doing what he thought was right."

Optimus stared at Rattrap, surprised that the smaller robot was standing up for Dinobot. Usually he'd do the opposite. "That may be true, Rattrap," he said. "But the both of you shouldn't have left without telling anyone. What would you have done if the plan hadn't of worked?"

Neither could give an answer.

"You see?" Optimus said. "You didn't think about the consiquenses."

Both looked away.

"I," Dinobot began. "I am sorry."

Optimus just shook his head. "I want the both of you to go to your quarters," he said. "You're dismissed."

The two left together. As they walked down the hall to their rooms Dinobot looked at Rattrap and said a little grudgingly. 'Thank you."

Rattrap shrugged it off. "Don't mention it, Lizard-lips," he said. "I only said it to save my own butt."

Dinobot snorted and looked away. "I should have figured that."

When they were gone Cheetor and Yume stepped out of their hiding place. The human girl stared at the empty hall then looked up at Cheetor. "Did Optimus just ground them?" she asked.

Cheetor thought that was funny and started laughing. "Sure sounded like that, didn't it?" he asked. Then he stopped laughing as he looked at her in confusion. "What's ground?"

"It's when you get punished for doing something bad," she replied. "Being grounded means you get something taken away from you or you're not allowed to hang out with your friends." she looked down the hall again. "In this case they've been grounded to their rooms."

"Oh..." Cheetor said, nodding. "I get it now."

Yume didn't think he did.

A short silence stretched before them.

"Uh," she said, slowly inching away from him. "Mind if I go put my pack in my room now?"

He did not. He offered to go with her but she brushed his offer off, saying she wanted to be alone for a moment. He said he understood and they went their separate ways. Yume walked in the direction of the room she'd shared with Airazor for a little while then stopped. She turned her head to make sure Cheetor wasn't following her. When she was satisfied that he wasn't she changed dirtection and headed in the direction of Dinobot's quarters.

She needed to ask him something. But before she even reached the door, Optimus voice spoke over the loud speakers. "Yume, could you please return to the control room?"

What does he want? She wasn't happy at the delay but she decided to see what he wanted. She retraced her steps.

When she re-entered the control room she found Optimus and Rhinox looking at something that was laying on the oval table in the center room. When she stepped closer she saw it was the cube that had brought her into their dimension in the first place. She stopped and stared at it a moment.

The two Maximals must have heard her come in because they looked up. Upon seeing her, Optimus spoke. "Yume, I'm glad you came right away," he said. He gestured to the cube. "Rhinox has something to tell you."

The girl looked at the brown and green Maximal and nodded.

He explained, gesturing to the cube. "I am happy to inform you that the cube has become fully recharged," he said. "It is ready to send you home any time you want."

Good news. Or was it?

"Oh," she said, walking over to it. She reached out and picked up the cube, turning it over in her hands. She felt energy pulsating through the object. My way home,she thought. I can return home with this now. She looked up at the Maximals. They were waiting for her to say something. She opened her mouth but no words came out. What could she say? Anything she said might be a lie and they'd probably be able to tell if it was.

She set the cube back down onto the table. "I'm glad," she finally said in a small voice. "I thought I'd never be able to get home. I... thank you." she looked back down at the cube, feeling sick at her own words. She felt she was lying to them. She didn't know why she felt that way. She should be happy that she could go home now. She should be happy that she'd finally be able to escape Megatron's wrath and the disapproving looks and words of Dinobot.

Dinobot.

Just the thought of him made her stomach tighten up. She'd never be able to see him again. She didn't know why that thought made her feel so horrible. She was scared of him and he hated her but... they were friends and he didn't feel that way so much anymore. How would he feel if I left?

She felt a hand on hers and looked up. Optimus was looking at her curiously. "You don't have to leave now, if you don't want to," he began.

"You're right," she agreed, dropping her gaze once more. "I would never leave without saying good bye."

"That's-"
But she was no longer listening. She pulled her hand out from under his and turned away from the table, retreating back down the hall and out of sight. She didn't know if her voice would be able to stay even, she had to get away before it broke.

The two watched her go then Rhinox voiced what Optimus was thinking. "She doesn't want to go," he said.

Yume was headed back to Dinobot's room. She wanted to talk to him before she made any kind of descition. The thought of leaving gave her mixed feelings but she felt that the Maximals wanted her to leave. She couldn't blame them. She was nothing but a burden to them. They'd be better off without her being such a problem.

She stopped in front of Dinobot's door. She stared at the drab gray door for a moment then reached out and pressed the button that opened it. The door swung open and she looked inside. Dinobot was sitting on the chair in front of his computer not really doing anything. When he heard his door open he looked up.

His eyes met Yume's. He could tell right away that she was upset about something but he didn't move. He only asked. "What? What do you want?"

She stepped into his room, uninvited and walked over to the computer desk. "I can go home now," she said when she was facing him.

The news brought no reaction from his part and, even though she had never expect it to, it still hurt a little. She plowed forward whether he listened or not. "The thing that brought me here can send me back," she explained. "I can leave anytime I want."

"Then why have you not?" he asked directly.

She looked away, playing with her hair. "I wanted to say good bye..." she said not meeting his eyes.

"Good byes only make leaving harder," he told her.

She could tell by the tone in his voice that he didn't want to talk about it. Didn't want to talk to her. She couldn't blame him. If she left he'd be lifted from his duty of protecting her. He wouldn't have her as a burden anymore. He would be free again.

"What should I do?" she asked.

He looked at her a little impatiently. "You should go home," he told her. "You do not belong here. It is best if you return to your rightful time and place."

But what is my rightful time and place? She did not voice this question to Dinobot. He would not give her the answer she needed or wanted. "You want me to return home don't you?" she asked.

He looked away from her. His answer was completely honest. "Yes I do," he told her. "I would be happy if you returned home. It is not safe for someone like you to be here. You cannot defend yourself and rely on others for protection. You are useless and we cannot always come to your rescue when you run into trouble." he looked back at her, his red optics holding no emotion at all and his voice a cold monotone. "You being here causes more harm than good, especially for me. I want you to leave and never come back."

The words sunk in and they hurt. The hurt more than she thought they would. She did not know why they hurt her so much. She should be relieved at his words but she wasn't. "Youdo hate me don't you?" she asked, her voice holding an accusing note no matter how hard she tried to make it not. "You always have, ever since you met me."

A stab. The expression on his face became cold and he ground his teeth, showing off his fangs. She took a step back, knowing she'd gone too far. Dinobot did not strike her or attempt to instead his voice lowered and his optics grew cold. "Get out of my room," he ordered her, pointing to the door. "Just get out and do not come back."

She stepped back and then turned away, rushing out of the room and not looking back. He's right, she thought, holding in tears she refused to spill. I should just go home. I won't say good bye. I'll just leave.

Dinobot watched her go. He sighed and shook his head, looking away from her retreaing figure.

"That was a little harsh, don't you think?" a voice asked.

He looked up, half expecting to see Rattrap standing there. His mind formed a come back for any ill timed words the rat might say. But to his surprise it wasn't Rattrap, it was Airazor. She was standing in the doorway her hands at her sides and just looking at him. He looked away from her, not liking the look in her eyes.

"It is none of your business," he told her.

"I believe it is," she corrected. "Yume is my friend and I don't want her hurt." she stepped into the room and stayed there until he looked at her again. "You helped her make up her mind," she said. "She'll leave now, but you hurt her."

"It's for the best," he told the falcon. "She does not belong here and sometimes the truth hurts."

She nodded. "Yes, sometimes the truth can hurt," she conceded. Her next words hit him like darts. "You don't want her to go."

He glared at her. "What makes you think that?"

"I can tell," she told him. She walked over to him and leaned forward him, her face stopping inches from his own. "You want her to leave because you don't want to see her get hurt," she said. "You care about her more than you'll admit." he looked away and she cocked her head. "I'm right aren't I?" he still refused to answer. She went on whether he was listening or not. "She's grown on you just as much as she's grown on the rest of us."

He would not admit it. She never thought he would. She shook her head and moved away from him. "You don't have to tell me," she said. "You never tell me anything but now you can't tell her either." she turned to go but looked back long enough to say. "You could have stopped her."

He looked away and she left disappointed. He wasn't going to admit anything. That was just the way he was, but what she didn't know and he refused to admit it to himself was that every word she said was exactly right.

I do care about her. I care enough to just let her leave. let her go back to the place where the only hurts she'll ever feel are mental.

The thought was supposed to be a comforting one but it didn't help him feel any better. Not at all.

A/N

I updated weee! This fic is almost over. I think I got one or two chapters to go. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll try to make the next update quicker. Until then... Sayonara!