Me: I really don't need to explain why I was gone, right? Right. Okay, lets get going!

The Little Orphan That Could

Chapte twenty five: Reunited and it feels so good

"So this frozen sustenance is what you wanted so badly?" Mirage whispered, watching as she slipped a spoonful of the vanilla ice cream covered in M&M's in her mouth. She nodded, giving a half smile.

"Yo! Ash! Is that really you?"

The two looked up, and Ashley smiled at the sight of Nick. "Nick why did you just run in here like that?" The voice came from behind him, and Ashley realized a blonde girl standing behind him.

"I saw Ashley's car outside, and I wanted to see if it was her." Nick explained to her, then looked back over at Ashley. "Yo Ash, is it true you've really been in the hospital?" She nodded, and the questioning look she gave him told him she was wondering how he knew. "This really tall guy came in and said you got in an accident and you'd be out of school for awhile. I just happened to catch the conversation."

"Really tall guy?" she asked.

"Yeah. He had these blue eyes and short black hair, Beige complexion, and this like deep voice that reminded me of like my father or something." he said, and immediately Ashley realized he meant Optimus. So the big guy himself came down to her school to alert them. He so deserved a hug. "I overheard him saying something like you're a soldier in training."

Ashley lifted her left arm to reveal how it was bandaged from her shoulder to her elbow. "I've got the battle scars to prove it." she responded with a smirk.

"Wow you literally are the coolest girl I have ever met!" he said with a laugh, but then the girl behind him cleared her throat. "Oh alright. I'll see you at school Ash!" he said, smiling towards Mirage and then walking out with the girl. After watching them leave, Ashley gave a heavy sigh and ran her right hand through her hair.

"Is something wrong?" Mirage asked.

"No Uh.." She paused, looking up at him. "Hey, what's your sudden interest in me? I thought you hated the idea of being the guardian to a human."

"Yes, that is true. But...it seems the human I was assigned...wasn't so bad." he muttered. "Let us go to base."

It took them all of thirty minutes to get back to base, and as soon as they entered a loud crash was heard. They ran to the source, seeing Sideswipe on the ground, rubbing his helm while Ironhide held a cannon in his face. "Why are you so worked up? It's not like I'm going to hurt her!" Sideswipe groaned.

"You are a slagging prankster straight from the pit! How can I trust you to handle something as delicate as a mere human's heart!" Ironhide yelled, shoving the cannon farther in his face.

Without thinking, she ran over and climbed on Sideswipes chest, holding her arms out. Her green eyes narrowed to a glare and focused on Ironhide. The canon did not disappear. "I know you see me big guy!" she shouted. The canon came to a slow whirl but did not stop. "Look, I know you're probably not used to having a sparkling or whatever, but here's you first lesson. You gotta let me grow up the way I choose." Ironhide slowly let down the cannon, looking down at the girl with wide optics. "And right now I'm choosing to grow up with Sides as a part of my life."

"But-"

"No buts big guy!" She interrupted, then smirked. "Besides, if he does anything out of line you know I can kick his metal butt to Cybertron and back." She gave the black mech above her a wink. "After all, you did train me."

He smirked, giving a low chuckle. "Fine, but do not think I won't have my optics on you two."

"As any good father would." she responded. He gave her a nod, shot Sideswipe a glare, and walked out. Ashley let out a heavy sigh, slumping down to lay against Sideswipe's chest plate. "I have one messed up family..." she muttered, a smile on her lips. She felt the pulsing sensation of Sideswipe's spark. He gently ran one of his giant fingers down her back, so she tilted her head to look over at him.

"You just stepped in front of an angry Ironhide with a cannon. Not even Mudflap and Skids are stupid enough to do that." he whispered.

"Yeah, but they don't have my skills." she responded, lips curving into a smirk.

"How are your injuries?" he asked.

She grew wide eyed, then sat up. "Fine, why do you ask?"

"Because you're leaking..."

"Sides I'm not crying."

"No Uh-" He paused, his optics dimming for a few seconds, something she came to know as searching the Internet. "You're bleeding..."

"Huh?" She looked down at her bandaged arm to see that a patch of crimson had appeared. "Uh oh...I must have pulled out a few stitches trying to climb on to you."

"I'll take you to Ratchet." He said, placing her in his hand and standing up. He swiftly maneuvered his way through the halls to the medic bay. "Hey Ha-Ratchet! Ashley's bleeding." he announced, holding the girl out as if he had just caught a butterfly and was showing it off. Ratchet looked down at the girl, who held out her arm, and sighed. He ushered Sideswipe to put her on the table and he did as instructed.

"Really. All you were supposed to do was get ice cream. What did you do?" the medic said, his Holoform appearing by the girl, and shaking his head.

She gave a shrug. "I climbed Sideswipe and practically saved his life."

Ratchet obviously seemed confused, but shook his head again. "Never mind. I do not need a more thorough explanation. I just need to fix your arm." he whispered, slowly unwrapping her arm. Ashley chose not to look over at it. She hated the way stitches looked, so ones that came undone were most likely worse. She felt him cleaning off the access blood and then there was a pinch. "Just something to numb your arm." he explained, tossing the needle he just used in the trash. He let her sit there for awhile until the neutralizer kicked in. Once it did, he began stitching her back up while Sideswipe covered his eyes. "You're done..."

She slowly got off the table, and Sideswipe's Holoform swooped her up in a hug, being careful of her arm. Ratchet cleared his throat and Sideswipe groaned. "I'm pretty sure Ironhide does not wish to see you two 'bonding' and neither do I. Especially not in my medic bay. Please escort yourselves out and you-" He paused, pushing up his glasses and focusing on Ashley. "Get some rest. Please." She nodded, and Sideswipe carried her out of the room.

When he approached her room, he made sure there were no trifling bots in the hall before he entered. He gently set her down on the bed, and brushed the hair from her face. "Do you know how messed up I was, watching you sleep for a month and not knowing if you'd ever wake up?" he whispered.

"You watched me! Creep!" she said. He smirked, moving closer to her, but she pushed him away. "No way lover boy, I know that look in your eyes."

"I haven't kissed you in so long! I hadn't even kissed you before you were kidnapped! I was a reck!" he begged. She was pretending to think it over, fiddling with the end of his shirt. He smirked, taking her hand. "Oh do you want my shirt off, Ash?" Before she could respond, he peeled off the shirt and Ashley was left speechless.

She knew he was muscular. It was obvious by his arms. But this...this was too much. His abs were literally perfect. There was not one imperfection on his smooth skin. She hadn't even realized she was starring until Sideswipe had climbed into bed with her. "What do you think you're doing?" she muttered, trying to conceal her blush.

"For once, just shut up." he whispered, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. To be so close to him, to be engulfed in his warmth when he was shirtless, it was just so much, and it was so hard to resist him. "Just shut up and let me hold you." He gazed into her emerald eyes, a smile on his lips. His ran up and down her back slowly, giving her goosebumps. In the face of super hot guys, Ashley was a mess.

"Sides..." she whimpered, her hands placed on his warm chest.

"The way you say my name drives me crazy..." he whispered huskily. She had never heard him say anything like that, and it made her blush terribly. "You are the only femme that has ever had this much effect on me." He placed a kiss against her forehead, then her nose, and then her cheek.

"What's gotten into you?" she whispered.

"You have." he responded.

Me: Wooo is it getting hot in here or what?

Ashley: -hits me with frying pan- shutup, idiot.

Me: owwww….that's no way to treat your god…

Ashley: god? O.o

Me: -laughs evilly- YES! MUAHAHAHA! I AM KIRA!

Ashley: -.-

((If you know what that's ACTUALLY from, leave it in a comment and I'll design a minor character for you in 'The Birds and the Bees'. ))