Yes this is a new chapter. As I stated before, I did some chapter combining for the sake of this fic getting waaaay to long. Chapters 1 and 2 were combined, and I believe 10 and 11 were as well. Not too sure now. It was a while ago I did it. Either way, yes this ones new, and so were the last...three I think. Enjoy!!

song from 311

Mikaela sat up with a gasp, gripping Optimus' finger. He stared down at her, startled at her tight grip.

"Optimus…" She stared up at him, his blue optics staring into her own, waiting patiently for her. She ran her tongue across her lips. "Someone is hurt. We…we need Ratchet. We need to go help." Optimus frowned.

"Hurt? Who is hurt? We are all here…" He said, glancing around, although he didn't see Arcee and Jazz. "Arcee? Jazz?" He spoke quickly, fearing for Jazz who had so recently been brought back. Mikaela shook her head, and Optimus sighed inwardly with relief.

"Whoever it is, they are not far from here. In the mountains. The signal is garbled, it took me a while to get the coordinates…" She stopped, glancing around. "Didn't anyone else receive it?" Optimus shook his head slowly.

"No, Mikaela. It has been very quiet for some time now." Mikaela swallowed, that didn't really seem like a good sign.

"Optimus, something is wrong. I can feel it. I can sense something." She shook her head, beginning to tremble. "I can feel…feel others." She shivered. "There are Decepticons on the move, Optimus." She looked up at him, her small hands wrapping around his finger. "Please believe me. I…can't explain to you this feeling. We have to go help the harmed one. I think it could make all the difference in the world." Optimus didn't hesitate. He beckoned Ratchet over, explaining in soft tones what Mikaela had said.

"We have to go now, Ratchet. Mikaela has picked up a distress signal." Optimus watched Ratchet's surprised reaction.

"Another autobot?" Ratchet said briskly, covering his initial surprise with his natural business formality. Mikaela shrugged apologetically.

"I really don't know Ratchet. All I can tell you is that I received a very…desperate message. It wasn't even words, Ratchet, it was just snippets of a song. Ratchet, whoever it was…they are begging me to save them. We have to help."

"I don't like this." Ratchet said hesitantly. "I don't like going into the unknown. It could be a trap." Mikaela shook her head.

"I don't think so. Oh, God…" She gave a groan and pressed her hands to her head as the signal pounded into her again, the music reverberating through her skull.

…Somebody save me
Please don't erase me…

"Are you all right?" Ratchet asked urgently as Optimus stared at her in concern. Mikaela shook her head clear, and nodded.

"We need to go. They are dying." Ratchet nodded, stalking briskly for the door. Mikaela paused only momentarily to quickly scrub her face, use the bathroom, and pull on old jeans and a faded oversized, gray sweatshirt. Tossing her old clothes into the trash, she ran after Ratchet and Optimus, who waited by the door. Arcee and Ratchet were walking back, hand in hand and looked at the trio quizzically.

"What's going on?" Arcee questioned, staring at Mikaela. "Good to see you all better." Mikaela gave Arcee a grin, and reached out and patted her foot.

"Thanks, Arcee." She smiled up at her guardian, who reached down and gave her a very awkward but meaningful hug. Mikaela squeezed Arcee's finger with her hand, then turned her attention to Optimus and Ratchet.

"Mikaela's picked up a distress signal. The three of us are going to go check it out." Ratchet said, walking swiftly by Arcee.

"Want me to go?" Arcee asked, glancing down at Mikaela. Mikaela opened her mouth to speak, but Ratchet beat her to it.

"No, thank you Arcee. The fewer of us, the harder it will be to detect us. Something isn't right about this. It could be a trap." Mikaela was shaking her head, which Ratchet chose to ignore.

"Not a trap." Mikaela murmured. She wasn't sure how she knew it, but she did. She just knew.

"I'll go, Optimus." Jazz volunteered, but again, Ratchet shook his head. Mikaela was beginning to get impatient with this, and finally spoke up. They were wasting time.

"The longer we stand here talking, the less time the wounded 'bot has to survive. We must hurry. If they want to come Ratchet, let them." Mikaela said, taking charge. "Optimus, if you can transform please, I will ride with you. Arcee, Jazz, if you two are going, change and let's head out." Mikaela said, turning to stare at Optimus while he gawked at her, slack jawed. Was she…ordering him? Optimus had to admit he actually kind of liked it. Giving her a nod he changed before her eyes, and she climbed in and shut the door. She was ever careful not to slam it; she knew he hated that. Optimus sped off, leaving the others to slap their jaws shut, transform, and follow suit.

Mikaela peeked in the rearview mirror, and was pleased to see the others behind them. Ratchet followed at a safe distance, and she could see Arcee and Jazz side by side, swerving back and forth with one another. Mikaela grinned. They were…playing. It made her smile to see that. Everyone had been through so much. Those two deserved a little bit of happiness, a brief reprieve from all the devastation and destruction that had been going on.

"I'm sorry, Optimus." Mikaela said after they had driven a while in silence. She heard Optimus' engine rumble beneath her in what sounded like laughter. She lifted a brow, and waited for his response.

"For what?" His reply sounded amused, but concerned at the same time. It warmed her to know he was concerned. It made her happy.

"Well...mainly just the one thing…running off and not telling you. I know it made you mad." She said, feeling ashamed of herself. "I just didn't know if it would work, you know? I didn't want to get everyone's hopes up just to dash them. I was hoping you would understand…but I knew you would be awfully angry when I left. I think I'm right on that. You were mad, weren't you?"

"Yes. I was." His reply was simple and honest, but it still hurt.

"I'm sorry." She looked down at her hands, feeling immeasurably guilty.

"But I understand, Mikaela. There is a difference in being mad just to be mad, and being angry because you care and are concerned for someone."

"I'm still sorry."

"Please do not apologize. You are free, Mikaela, and may do what you wish. I would only request, never require that you inform me when you…run off. I would never force you to tell me, but I would appreciate it. I only wish to protect you, Mikaela, not smother you. I do not control you or your actions in any way." Mikaela lifted a brow, then gently ran her hands across the dash. She was tired of feeling scared, uptight, and worried. She smiled to herself, then spoke out loud to Optimus.

"I don't think it would bother me if you…smothered me." She said slyly, trailing her fingers down the side of the door. She felt Optimus shudder underneath her, and she gave a soft laugh.

"You are teasing me." Optimus' voice echoed throughout the cab, and she couldn't help but laugh.

"Only a little." She was smiling, and she leaned her head back against the seat, fingers splayed on the leather seat beneath her, touching, caressing it.

"That is not fair, Mikaela." He said disapprovingly. She was driving him insane, making him literally ache for her.

"Life isn't fair." She shot back, choking back a chuckle. She gave a little gasp as she felt an electric pulse come from under her seat, sending waves through her body, causing her back to arch slightly and a small whimper to escape her lips.

"Very true." Optimus replied innocently.

"Now you are not playing fair, Optimus Prime." Mikaela said, trying to sound serious. In reality, she was still reeling from the…pulse he had given her. She heard him chuckle, then she inhaled deeply as he did it again, this time with more energy. She cried out this time, as opposed to the whimper from before. Optimus was trying not to shake from the intensity.

"H-how are you doing that?" She gasped, gripping the armrest in the middle console.

"It's a secret." He said, doing his best to refrain from stopping and simply merging with her right then and there. It was hard to do. It was taking all the power within him to keep driving. Every ounce of pure pleasure he sent to her ricocheted straight back to him because of the bond. What she felt, he felt, and vice versa. She simply laughed at him, then leaned her head back, trying not to think of everything that happened in the past few hours. She smiled as Optimus' radio clicked on, which faded as she heard the music. She knew he was telling her something with it, and it made her heart twist with pure emotion. It was in no way a bad feeling, but she felt the twist all the same.

Whenever I'm alone with you
You make me feel like I am home again
Whenever I'm alone with you
You make me feel like I am whole again…

"Please know I feel the same as you." She spoke in soft tones to the steering wheel, knowing he could hear her. In response, the chorus swelled, filling up the vehicle.

However far away, I will always love you
However long I stay, I will always love you
Whatever words I say, I will always love you
I will always love you…

"And I will always love you…" She whispered back to him. "I swear it."