Transformers Prime: The Hybrid Theory

by xXBlack'BladeXx

A long time ago when Primus fused with Cybertron's core, he gave the Thirteen the ability to create a new race of warriors that would protect all that was good in the universe: the Hybrid. But then the Hybrid fell from grace, and were cast out from Cybertron. Now there is only one hope for the Hybrid race. One hope for the universe. She is the Fuser, and this is her story...

37. Returning Hope

FINAL CHAPTER, GUYS! And I made it a long one. I have to confess, the fusing ceremony here at the beginning is not great. I didn't have very much of an idea for it, so I don't think it turned out as great as it probably could have. That's my bad. I tried to make the rest of it as perfect as I could get it though, especially the Hunter and Optimus fluff. And as a head's up, Starscream comes back in this chapter, is seriously creepy, and things get kind of intense. It was both really weird and extremely entertaining to write that part. And BTW, the song that he sings (yes, I make him sing—thank God we don't actually have to hear him) is 'Hellfire' from The Hunchback of Notre Dame rewritten to fit this book. I couldn't resist it. I love the song and it really puts into perspective exactly what Starscream feels for Hunter. Oh, and because I've had some questions about it from people. NO, IN THE LAST CHAPTER HUNTER DID NOT DIE. She was in a coma. I made a solemn vow when starting this thing that Hunter would only lose one life in this story. THIS story. I make no guarantees for the sequels. :D

Anyway.

OptimusPrimegirl213—I'm glad you enjoyed this and thank you for the support. Unfortunately, as I've stated already, this is the last chapter to his story. But I promise that there will be sequels.

AllSpark Princess—I was sooooo happy to kill of Bombardier, I can't even tell you! The question is however, is he truly gone for good? O.O And yes, there will be sequels.

SunnySides—The fluff always gets me too!

Alice Gone Madd—I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE I WANT IT TO END EITHER. DDDDDDDDD'X And thanks for helping me with Starscream's song.

LtSprinkles—I love the fluff too. That's why I write it. It's my favorite part. X3

romancebookworm—I'm so glad you enjoyed this, but I don't know whether to cheer or apologize for making you cry. XDD

Gabby M—You're right. That last chapter wasn't the end. This is the last chapter. Hopefully it answers some of your questions. As for Fowler being extra 'foul' he won't be as bad after this story. As for Hunter and Optimus' relationship and where it takes them, I guess we'll all just have to wait and see. :) I'm glad you enjoyed it and I do plan on continuing.

All that said, let's finish this!

I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.

---

Mark Isham; Hope Will Return

35

Ω Returning Hope Ω

Two weeks later;

" I still don't understand why I have to wear a dress," Hunter huffed in annoyance from behind the changing screen.

Sitting on a couch in the dressing room, waiting for her to come out, Optimus chuckled at his spark daughter. " It's only for a little while, Hunter," he reassured her, " and then you can take it off and forget about it."

" Still, I hate dresses," the fifteen-year-old Hybrid growled, back. " At least it's blue." Despite her adamant nature towards the distaste for the dress, Optimus could feel through their spark-link that secretly a small part of her really loved it. She'd never admit it though, being the stubborn tomboy she was.

Chuckling once again, Optimus shook his head.

" All right," Hunter sighed. " I think I'm in full costume now—I'm comin' out."

Pulling himself up straight, the Prime sat in waiting for his spark-daughter to finally reveal herself. It was a good thing that he didn't need to breathe, because when she finally came out from behind the screen, his breath was stolen away.

Hunter was utterly magnificent. She stood in before him in a beautiful dress that was made of silky material and was midnight blue, nicely complimenting her skin tone and bringing out her eyes. It was sleeveless, the straps and back gauzy and matching her skin tone. In fact if it hadn't have been for the blue and white jewels bedazzling them, one would have sworn the dress was strapless as well. The bodice was almost heart-shaped, and fit her upper torso perfectly. The skirt consisted of two layers; the underskirt made of solid blue material that fit closer to her body and the over-skirt made of gossamer material of the same color that almost seemed to float whenever she walked. Around Hunter's waist was a golden metal belt which went very well with the color of the dress. At her feet were golden, lace up, Greek-style sandals. She wore no jewelry except for her necklace with the Hybrid medallion and and the golden metal cuffs at her wrists. Her waist-long, silky, fiery red hair was done up in a simple braid. Shining brightly against her deep red locks was a golden chain circlet, adorned with the superimposed Omega symbols from the Hybrid insignia. For once she wore make-up. In all honesty, the cosmetics truly helped to accentuate her beauty, but in reality she never really needed it, being the natural beauty that she was.

For the longest time, Optimus stood there in complete silence, admiring her magnificence as any proud father would. And she was magnificent. In his eyes she was the most stunning and precious thing in the universe. And he was blessed with the gift of being her father, spark, biological, or otherwise. A lump suddenly formed in his throat and tears bit at his eyes. This was his little girl. " You look beautiful," he whispered with a warm smile and slightly cracking voice.

His spark-daughter, who had kept her eyes on the floor, not looked up and met his gaze. A slight blush started to color her cheeks. " Really?" she asked.

" Mm-hm," Optimus hummed. He stood and walked towards her. Putting his hands on her shoulders he held her at arms length and continued to look her over. After a minute or two he wrapped his arms around her hugged her to him, nuzzling into her soft hair, taking in her distinct scent as he did. He kissed the crown of her head. " Like a princess."

Hunter hugged him back cuddled into his warm embrace, smiling into his broad chest. She really did feel like a princess. And not just because of the dress either. She felt like a princess because she had a home and people who loved and cared about her, and she had a prince charming who especially loved and cared about her. Except her prince charming just so happened to be her dad. 'Dad', even though she thought of Optimus that way, called him that inside her head and spark, she still had yet to call him it aloud. She wanted to say it, wanted to let him hear it and know that that was how she viewed him... but she just didn't feel ready for it yet. She was still a little bit scared yet, though she knew she had no reason to be. Optimus would never leave her in a million years for anything no matter the reason. He was there to stay forever whether she wanted him to or not. So far the fifteen-year-old had yet to discover any reason as to why she wouldn't want him to be there forever. Forever with his unending love and devotion. Forever with his hugs and his kisses. Forever with his doting gazes and fatherly ways. Forever with him on her side, backing her up, always being in her corner. It all sounded pretty great to Hunter. She planted a peck of a kiss on his chin and snuggled closer to him, purring happily.

Optimus chuckled at her sparkling-like behavior. " My shooting star," he softly purred.

As always whenever he called her that, a warm sensation started in Hunter's spark and reached out through her body, warming her to the very tips of her hair. She loved that nickname. The girl suddenly laughed and squirmed to get away as her spark-father tickled her ribs. " Optimus!"

Grinning, Optimus stopped tickling and simply pulled her close again. " I love you, Hunter," he crooned gently, gazing down at her in the most loving way possible.

" I know," Hunter replied, looking up at him with a cheeky grin.

The holoform just chuckled and shook his head at her.

Suddenly the door to the room opened, causing both of them to turn and look towards it to see Greasy. The small Hybrid was standing there in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest and ratty cowboy boot tapping against the floor in impatience. " Well, come on, come on," he roused, coming into the room, waving his arms in a motion that clearly said "let's move". " Let's get a move on now. You two can have father-daughter bonding time later. We're ready for you now and you're five minutes late as it is."

Spark-father and daughter exchanged a glance, Hunter rolling her sapphire blues in annoyance. Pulling away from the Prime's arms, Hunter approached her Hybrid mentor and perched her fists on her hips. " Chill, Grease-stain," she sighed. " Maybe we wouldn't be so late if I didn't have to wear this get up." She motioned to the dress.

" Don't go blamin' the garments," Greasy reprimanded. With a critical eye he began to look the dress over, straightening and fluffing the skirt where it needed it. He even reached up and polished the large gold buckle on the belt as well as her bracelets.

Hunter looked with wide eyes over her shoulder at her spark-father. " He's gone nuts!" she mouthed, making the Optimus chuckle. She turned back to Greasy, who was still straightening her "costume" out. " Uh, Greasy," she spoke, " what exactly is the point of all of this? I mean, I get that my merging sparks with Primus is a big deal, but why do I have to look like I'm going to prom for it?"

" Because it's respectable," Greasy answered, not looking up. " Because this will be the first time the rest of the Hybrid community really sees you and it's always best to make a good first impression." With that he looked up at her and patted her arm. " Think of it as a coronation."

Hunter blinked at him. " If you're subtly telling me that I'm a princess as well as the Fuser, I might seriously have to smack you," she threatened.

Greasy laughed at that. " Don't worry," he assured her, with another pat to the arm. " That's one thing you don't have to worry about."

" Good."

" However, King Stormcharger and Queen Starlight will be out there with their daughter, Princess Andromeda."

" There's actually a royal Hybrid family?"

" Does that surprise you?"

" Probably shouldn't but it does."

" Well, there is, and just like England's royal family, their position is more a ceremonial one than an active one. Once we begin your training and lessons you'll learn everything there is to know about your heritage, don't worry."

" But... I-I thought I got pulled out of school," Hunter stuttered, looking over at Optimus. Upon her awakening from her coma, the fifteen-year-old had been told that, because she had missed so many days and because it would be better for everyone's safety including her own, that she'd been pulled out of the last few weeks of school. She wouldn't be attending school next year either.

Optimus opened his mouth to speak, but Greasy cut in before he could say anything.

" You were pulled out of high school, yes," the old man agreed with a nod. " In that realm, you really have nothing left to learn. However, in terms of who and what you are, you have everything to learn. Therefore, come next fall, you will be attending some classes with other adolescent Hybrids."

" Hybrid school?" Hunter questioned, her face twisting in distaste at the very thought of it. She never had liked school, just aspects of it.

" You could call it that, yes," Greasy said, taking joy in her disgust. Suddenly the little man became all serious-business again and waved his hands at her. " Now off with ya!" he shooed her. " You need to be in place ten minutes ago!"

Rolling her eyes, Hunter headed towards the exit. " Okay, okay, I'm going, I'm going." She released a heavy sigh. " Geez."

Both Optimus and Greasy watched as the girl disappeared out the door. They could hear her griping all the way down the hall. With a chuckle, Greasy turned to the smiling holoform. " You sure you're ready to take on that responsibility, son?" he questioned with a smirk.

Not even looking at him, Optimus simply nodded. " I wouldn't trade her for the world, Greasy," he declared, love for the femmling clearly evident in his voice. That said he walked to the door and exited the room as well.

---

" This really is like a coronation," Hunter whispered to herself. She was alone, standing at the doorway of a small and stuffy room. Across the round opening of the room was a curtain, the thick material cutting her off from the outside world and hiding her from the eyes of the crowd. From the sound coming through the curtain, it sounded like said crowd was immense. The girl mumbled in Latin and Cybertronian. Why exactly did they have to make this a public spectacle? She wasn't a rock star or anything, so what was with making this event an alien-ized Woodstock?

" … THE FUSER!"

The sudden announcement of her title and the thundering roar a applause brought Hunter out of her wondering and snapped her into attention. She just barely had enough to pull herself up a poised stance before the curtain was pulled back, sunlight flooding into the room and blinding her. The teen suppressed the urge to hold her hands up to shield her eyes, but couldn't help the squint. When she'd finally become adjusted to the light, the fifteen-year-old looked out and her eyes widened, her jaw dropping only slightly. She'd never dreamed there were so many Hybrids! There was an entire sea of them out there, some in their Cybertronian forms, but most in their human ones. As soon as she'd taken in the crowd, Hunter got the idea that she was supposed to start walking and stepped out onto the red carpet (wow, clichéd much?). She began striding along as gracefully as she could, drawing herself up to full height. As she walked along the elevated, catwalk-like platform—admittedly feeling a bit like a fashion model because of it—her eyes continued to scan the crowd, searching. Where were he? It didn't take long before her sapphire blue eyes lit on her spark-father. He was sitting up in the very front row in his holoform along with the rest of Team Prime and Greasy. The kids, Lennoxes, Epps, and even Agent Fowler were there as well, all to see her big moment. The girl smiled.

" Huntress James?"

A sudden voice startled her and she made an imperceptible jump before turning to look up again and see who it was that spoke. At the foot of the stage that rose up before her, tall man stood. He was slim, yet muscular, and he looked proud. His clothes looked like designers clothes and just the way he carried himself gave off a very regal air. Hunter had never met him and had only heard his name for the first time moments before, but she immediately deduced that this was the man to whom the title belonged. The teen continued to walk forward until she was no more than an arm's-length away before him and then performed a perfect curtsy. It should have been perfect—Greasy had made her practice it for an hour every day for the past two weeks leading up to the ceremony. " King Stormcharger," she greeted him. She drew herself up to all six all of her six feet and two inches (plus another inch thanks to her shoes) and looked him squarely in the eye with a pleasant smile. " It is an honor to meet you."

" Not as much of an honor as it is to meet you," the king replied with a friendly smile of his own. " We've all be waiting for your arrival for some time."

" Well, I've arrived," Hunter replied cheekily. That comment earned her a chuckle from the king, laughter from the crowd, and a groan and face-palm from Greasy sitting only a few feet away. She smirked.

An old woman—she almost looked older than Greasy—appeared at the front of the stage above Stormcharger. In her old gnarled hands she held the 'sleeping' flame-saber which Hunter had surrendered to their care while she prepared for the ceremony. " Huntress James," she addressed the fifteen-year-old in a quavering, cracking voice, " are you ready to give your vow?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Hunter nodded. " I am," she replied confidentially and firmly. She was ready for this.

A hint of a smile graced the old Hybrid woman's lips. " Come to me, please," she said, though it was more of an order than a request.

Hunter nodded and took the hand that King Stormcharger offered her. They both walked up the steps together, Hunter lifting the hem of her skirt ever so slightly so that she wouldn't trip over it. Dresses were such a hassle! When they'd reached the stage top, the teenager released the man's hand and advanced towards the old woman, turning so that her left side was facing the audience and so that she was facing the old woman. She gazed down into the old but sparkling eyes.

The old Hybrid held the golden hilt out in her hands. " Place your hand upon the hilt," she said.

Hunter did so.

" Huntress Starstreaker James, are you the Fuser?"

" I am."

" You acknowledge this fact and all the comes with it."

" I do."

" What is your vow?"

" To always fight for good and to protect the innocent and weak. To rid Cybertron of the darkness that now consumes it and restore it. To to restore the severed bonds between the Purebreds and the Hyrbids. To keep evil at bay in the universe, so long as I shall live. Upon my honor and in the name of Primus, I swear these things."

" Then allow Primus to become one with your spark, as he once became, and will again become, one with the spark of Cybertron." With that said the old woman returned the flame-saber to Hunter and backed away slowly. " Go to him," she said, pointing towards her left.

Hunter turned and looked upwards at a large, tall case of stairs that led up to a temple—the Temple of Primus. Flame-saber held tightly in her grasp, the teen took a deep breath, released it, and began to mount the steps. A few moments later she was at the top, standing before the entrance of the temple, which was sealed shut. Only she would be able to open it. Hunter raised her flame-saber so that it was parallel to her body, then she spun it this way and that in a graceful dance-like way until she finally stopped with it held horizontally to herself. " In the name of Primus," she said, gazing at the door through the blue flames of the sword, " open this door."

For a moment nothing happened. And then the doors groaned and shook before finally opening up to reveal a black chasm leading to the inside of the temple.

Flame-saber still in hand, Hunter proceeded on inside, using the sword like a torch to light her way. Not that she needed light. The moment she stepped within the structure there was a sudden flash that nearly blinded her. The teen shielded her eyes. A second or two later, the redhead squinted out from the shelter of her arm to see... something floating in mid-air in front of her.

The something looked like a big mass of... cosmic energy, and it glowed bluish-white in color, swathing the surroundings in an understated blue light. Though the mass had no real shape, if you looked closely enough, you could almost see the outline of a mech within it.

Hunter's eye widened and she let her arm fall back to her side as she stood there, unmoving, staring in amazement. " Primus?" she gasped after a minute, voice hardly above a whisper.

" It is I," a deep voice came from within the light. The voice was so thunderous and strong that it reached inside of the girl and rattled her very bones, yet at the same time it was soft and gentle enough to be easy on the ears.

Hunter put her sword away and all but dropped to her knees on the stone floor, bowing before the light. She was so shocked she could hardly and this was the only thing she could think of doing.

" Rise, child," Primus replied gently. " Rise and step into my light."

Getting back up on her feet, Hunter slowly proceeded to cross the floor, stopping just at the edge of the glowing mass, cautiously eying it. After everything she had gone through she couldn't help but be a bit wary. And besides, what would happen once she stepped inside?

" Step into my light," Primus repeated.

Taking a deep breath and releasing it, the fifteen-year-old slowly reached a hand out and pushed it through into the cosmic energy. When nothing bad happened, she put the other hand through, and then her whole body slowly followed. Inside the mass of energy things were certainly different they they were on the outside. For one thing, it was much bigger and spacious. For another, it didn't even feel like she was in the temple anymore. She was in space! Or felt like it anyway. All around her were stars, galaxies, constellations, supernovas, and more. At her feet was a narrow, winding pathway of light and up ahead at the end of it was a giant, cosmic version of her, hands cupped around what looked to be a ghostly mech suit. That had to be Primus.

" Come towards me, Huntress," Primus' voice echoed around her.

Almost in a trance, Hunter began to stride along the path, wide, awestruck eyes ever on her destination. Without hesitation she entered. Almost immediately there was terrible, excruciating pain, but it was only a second before the agony was replaced with the most exhilarating sensation of power. The Hybrid could literally feel every single molecule of cosmic and universal power surging into and through her body. It was more exciting and terrifying than even the feeling of energon-bending.

" We are united," Primus voice rang in her head.

---

At the bottom of the steps that led up to the temple the audience waited with bated breath. It was so silent a you could hear a pin drop. The tension was so thick it could be cut with a knife. Of course no one was as tense as Optimus who was practically standing up on his feet in the very front row, craning his neck up to see the temple, absently wringing his hands. What was going on?

For another long moment there was nothing but silence. And then suddenly there was a rumble and the whole area seemed to shake before all became dead quiet again. A muted murmur went through the crowd. That was when the explosion happened, the temple bursting and shattering into nothing but rubble, and in it's place was a swirling pillar of dazzling blue fire.

At the top of the pillar was Hunter, long red hair no free-blowing, arms outstretched as she controlled the fire, eyes and the amulet on her necklace glowing bluish-white in color. Around her was the phantom silhouette of a mech, posed in much the same way Hunter was with it's arms stretched out. Hunter suddenly looked down upon the crowd, the phantom's head moving with hers. " We are one," she thundered. There was another distinct voice mingled with hers, one that was more male, deeper, more powerful. No one could mistake it: the very voice of Primus himself. The Fuser had truly arrived. The Flame of Hope and been ignited.

---

Several Months Later—The Nemesis:

Starscream stood out on the top deck of the Nemesis, gazing up at the night sky, his processor wandering. Well, not really wandering per say. It was pretty much trained on only one thing, and that thing was a certain young Hybrid femmling. He just couldn't get her out of his helm. Her beauty, her fierceness, her power; everything about her was just so incredible remarkable and glorious and he was... The Seeker didn't really know what he was. He didn't truly understand what he felt for her. He wasn't sure if this could be classified as love or not, not that he exactly knew what love felt like either. All he knew is that he was obsessed with her. He had to have her. One way or another she would be his and only his, and nobody else, not even that son of a glitch Prime, would be able to steal her away from him. Once he got his claws on her, he would never ever let her go.

The more Starscream thought about her and how he would come to possess her, the more he could practically feel her in his arms, her body pressed against his, spark beating with his. He could almost swear he felt her lips and hot vents on his neck. He could feel her shudder with pleasure pain as he dug his claws into her mesh and raked them down her frame. Oh, wait... that was him, doing said action to his own forearm. Ignoring the energon that was oozing out from a particularly deep gouge, Starscream held his helm and whimpered. What in the name of Primus was happening to him? He'd never felt like this before about anyone, so why now? Why her? Before he could stop himself, the self-appointed Decepticon Lord opened his mouth and began to sing.

" Creator of all sparks,

You know I am a mighty mech.

Of my power, I am justly proud.

Creator of all sparks,

You know I'm so much better than…

The common, stupid, imbecilic crowd.

Then tell me, Creator, what I'm feeling in my spark,

Why her smoldering optics scorch my soul!

I feel her!

I see her!

The sun caught in her flaming hair...

Is blazing in me out of all control!

" Like fire!

Hellfire!

This fire in my frame.

This burning…

Desire…

Is bringing me to shame.

" It's not my fault!

I'm not to blame.

It is the Hybrid girl,

The witch who set this flame!

It's not my fault!

In Primus' plan…

He made her beauty over-powering and grand!

" Protect me, Creator!

Don't let this siren cast her spell!

Don't let her fire sear my mesh and bone!

Destroy the chosen one,

And let her taste the fires of Hell!

Or else let her be mine and mine alone."

" Lord Starscream," a sudden voice interrupted him.

Starscream shut up, faceplates flushing a dark red almost immediately. He'd be caught. Trying to maintain his composure, the mech folded his hands behind his back and looked back up at the sky. " Yes, what is it?" he asked, not looking around and trying to sound bored, though he didn't quite pulled it off.

" It is the Fuser, my Lord," the Vehicon stated.

Starscream quickly perked up, though he still didn't turn to face the mech. " What about her?" he inquired.

" Well, we've been trying to locate her, as you requested," the 'Con explained. " And, well, we haven't been able to find it?"

" That's what you came up here to talk to me about?" Starscream snarled, fury building up in his chest. " To tell me that you can't find the Fuser?"

" Well, yes and no."

" Meaning?"

" We weren't able to locate the femmling... but we have locked onto the coordinates of Optimus Prime. And, seeing as how close both he and the Hybrid youngling are..."

" When one is around the other isn't far behind," Starscream finished for him. Still facing away from the mech, the Seeker held his hand out towards him. " The coordinates," he ordered, " give them to me."

The Vehicon immediately handed them over.

Starscream snatched them up and held them possessively close, scanning them over and over and over again. A sneer curled his lipplates. Yes. Yes it was all starting to fall into place now. Hunter James would be his and nobody could stop it. " Leave me," he commanded.

The mech bowed and turned away, leaving his Lord to himself.

Starscream waited until he could no longer here the Vehicon's footsteps before he started to laugh maniacally. He couldn't stop himself from twirling around and doing a joyous jig. " I love it when a plan comes together!" he exclaimed, throwing the data pad containing the coordinates away. It was all going his way!

" Hellfire!

Dark fire!

Now, Huntress, it's your turn...

Choose me or your pyre.

Be mine or you will burn!

Primus have mercy on her...

Primus have mercy on me...

But she will be mine or…

She…

Will…

BURN!"

Starscream leaped off the deck of the Nemesis and free-fell before transforming in mid-air and booming off

---

" All right, we rollin'!" Epps exclaimed, holding up the video camera. He zoomed in on the two 'ladies of the hour': Annabelle and Hunter. " And here we have the two lovely birthday girls," the man narrated as he video-taped, " about ready to enjoy a scrumptious birthday supper here at the local steakhouse."

Hunter looked into the camera, cocking an eyebrow. " Did you seriously just say 'scrumptious'?"

" I believe I did."

" Who even says that anymore?"

" I do."

" And that explains why you still don't have a girlfriend."

" She's got ya there, Epps," Will replied with a chuckle, leaning into the frame.

" Oh, yeah?" Epps challenged. " Well I got news for you, man. You..."

Sarah suddenly appeared in the camera shot, an unimpressed look etched across her face.

For a moment Epps was completely silent, knowing that even if he said the slightest thing wrong, it would be the end of him. " You married the most beautiful, kindest, and most intelligent woman in the world!" he said after a moment.

Sarah smirked and nodded, satisfied. " Mm-hmm, that's what I thought." She turned to look down at the two birthday girls and put her hands on their shoulders. " Now, you girls wait right here. I need to go get the cake out of the car so that they'll be ready for later." She kissed her daughter head and exited the frame.

" So, Annabelle," Epps addressed the little blond girl, centering her in the camera frame, " tell us. What's it like to be the big seven?"

" It feels totally awesome!" the child bellowed, pumping her little fists in the air, causing everyone else at the table to laugh.

" So now that we got one birthday girl's opinion," Epps panned over to Hunter, " let's go get the perspective of a teenager." He zoomed in extra close on Hunter's face. " So, what about you, Hunt?" he asked, zooming out a little bit so that he could actually take in her whole face rather than just her nose. " What's it like to be the big 1-6 now, huh?"

The redhead smirked. " Honestly," she responded, " the big "1-6" doesn't feel much different than the big "1-5"."

" What about getting your driver's license?" Jack asked from his spot beside Epps. " Not excited about that?"

Hunter's smirk only grew. " Who uses driver's licenses anymore?" she snickered.

" Oh, yeah, sure that's easy to say when you're actually a truck," Will chuckled, reaching over Annabelle to ruffle the teen's hair.

" Hey! Hands off the hair!" Hunter yelped, smacking his hand away and beginning to pat and comb her hair back into place.

The entire table, Annabelle included, all gasped sharply.

" Hunter touchy about her hair?" Raf asked in disbelief.

" Stop the presses!" Miko shouted, standing up and throwing her arms out into a 'stop' pose, drawing a lot of questioning and weird glances to be sent in their direction. " Red's more of a girl than she lets on."

Hunter rolled her sapphire blue eyes in annoyance, still fiddling with her hair. " It's not like that," she muttered. " It took Sarah forever to get this braid just right and I'd rather not have her have a conniption if it gets screwed up." She finished straightening her hair and turn to Will, wagging her finger at him. " So, no touchy." Her ears slightly perked as her Hybrid hearing picked up a quiet whirring sound. The teen turned to see the camera still trained on her. She groaned. " Epps, do you seriously have to record all this?"

" Of course," Epps replied, sounding like he could hardly believe she'd ask such a question. " Hunter, this is your sweet sixteen! The sweet sixteen is the biggest birthday of any teenager. Unless you're a girl with Latino heritage. Then it's your quinceañera."

The girl rolled her eyes and quipped, " Yeah, well, so far it's not a sweet sixteen since you've been recording every second of the day."

" Oh, it's not that bad."

" Oh, not that bad, huh? This morning you came into my room and woke me up with the camera. "Not that bad", uh-huh."

" Oh, you like it and you know it."

" No, I don't."

" I like it!" Annabelle chirped.

" Atta girl!" Epps cheered the seven-year-old. He looked at Hunter and pointed to the little girl. " See, she knows about playing the crowd."

Hunter snorted. " Yeah, well, I'll "play the crowd" when the team gets here. 'Til then, put the camera away."

" All right, fine," the man finally conceded, shutting off the camera and setting it off to the side.

" Thank you," Hunter declared with a small smile, leaning back in her chair and watching as Sarah came back into the restaurant carrying a cake box. She couldn't believe it. Today was August first, her sixteenth birthday, and a few weeks from now it would be the one year anniversary of her membership with Team Prime. The one year anniversary of she and Optimus coming into each others lives. One year. She'd really been here in Jasper for one whole year. It didn't feel like it. It seemed like only yesterday she was sitting on the desert floor, staring up at Optimus in amazement as he towered over her. So much had happened in a year. Not only had she met the kids and the Autobots she'd also faced down a team of bounty hunters, discovered that she was Hybrid, been killed and reawakened to discover that she was the Fuser, saved her friends from Decepticon clutches only to be pulled back into the fire by the person who had hunted and killed her, beat his games, battled him, vanquished him, accepted her destiny, and merged sparks with Primus. So many things had changed in a year. She had changed. Mentally, physically, emotionally, she was not the same girl she had been when she'd first arrived in Jasper. She was stronger, braver, smarter (though Ratchet insisted that that had yet to be proven), and ultimately happier. And why wouldn't she be? This place had everything she'd ever looked for in her life: family, friends, love... a father. Yes, things had certainly changed for the better.

The girl was brought out of her thoughts as she sensed his presence. Eyes darting back over to the door her spark was lifted even higher than it already was as she saw the holoforms of Team Prime making their way inside. Grinning from ear to ear, the sixteen-year-old, stood and started heading in that direction. Optimus was the last one through the door and no sooner had he entered than the Hybrid broke straight from a collected walk into a dead sprint. " Optimus!" she almost squealed.

The Prime just had time to turn and meet her before he was tackled, Hunter jumping up and wrapping her arms around his neck. " Oof!" Optimus didn't complain though. Why would he? This was his spark-daughter and he would never grow tired of her love or her hugs. Pulling her off of himself, the holoform hoisted her up into the air and spun her, both of them grinning and laughing happily, before he pulled her back in for a deep, warm embrace. " Happy birthday, my shooting star," he murmured in her ear.

Hunter nuzzled into his neck, wrapping her arms around him as he held her up off the floor against his chest. " It definitely is now," she replied. They'd been apart much of the day, Hunter out with the Lennoxes and Epps partaking in other birthday activities with Annabelle and Optimus dealing with the government and Decepticons. Except for a brief phone call that morning, this was the only contact they'd had with each other all day.

" Aww, look at the father-daughter love," a voice suddenly broke into their moment.

Both girl and mech looked to see Epps standing there, video camera once again out and centered on them.

Hunter snarled and pointed rigidly at the camera. " Epps, I swear, you don't put that camera away, I'm gonna take it and shove it where the sun don't shine."

" Hunter..." Optimus cautioned her.

" No can do, red," Epps said with a shake of his head. " You said I could video-tape when the 'Bots got here. Well, they're here. So I can video-tape. Ha, ha!" With that the man left them and went back across the room to the large table where everyone else was seated.

Hunter and Optimus watched after him. The girl growled and muttered under her breath, " Slag it. I did tell him that."

Optimus chuckled and kissed her temple. After a moment he set her back down and held her at arms length, looking her over. She was a bit more dressed up tonight than she usually was, with a new pair of jeans, western boots and belt, a dark purple draped vest top, and a blue leather jacket over the top. Her hair was styled up into a waterfall braid with loose ringlets at the bottom. She even wore the slightest touch of make up. The Prime silently wondered how long it had taken Sarah to wrestle Hunter into submission in order to accomplish that titanic feat. He smiled lovingly, brushing a lock of fiery hair behind her ear. " So, how was your day, sweet-spark?" he questioned.

Hunter smiled and shrugged, absently leaning into his touch. " Fine. We went to an amusement park."

" That sounds like fun."

" It was. Epps, Will, and I all went on this roller coaster together. I don't think they enjoyed it as much as I did, though."

" What makes you say that?"

" Well, they had nachos and a few hotdogs before we went on it..."

" Stop right there," Optimus interrupted, holding a hand up. He knew exactly what the rest of that story would entail and he had no desire to hear it.

Hunter smirked evilly and kept going. " And they ended ralphing all over everything."

" I said no more."

" And there were little semi-digested bits of chips and hot dog flying everywhere."

" I said enough!" In order to keep her from going on, the Autobot commander attacked the girl and began to tickle her. " When I say "enough" I mean enough!"

" Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha! Okay! Okay! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Ah-ha!" The girl's squealing and laughter intensified as she was suddenly lifted up off the floor and pinned against her spark-father's broad holoform chest. She squirmed and fought, trying to get away from his evil, tickling fingers. " No! No put me down! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Let me go! Optimus, let me go! Ahh!" She was suddenly dropped and landed on her butt on the floor. Hunter looked up at her guardian, who was simply standing there, hands on his hips, looking down at her with a smirk, an evil gleam in his eyes. She snarled. " Jerk."

Optimus only laughed before helping her up.

Once she was standing again, Hunter brushed herself off and then lightly punched him in the shoulder, still snarling, though a smirk was clearly working it's way through. The sound of the steakhouse door opening again caused the girl to look around the large man to see who it was. Her face darkened. " What's Fowler doing here?" she whispered harshly, turning back to her spark-father.

The holoform, glanced over his shoulder at the government agent, then looked back at his daughter, an understanding but firm look in his electro-blue eyes. He put his hands on her shoulders. " Hunter, listen to me," he said softly, bending down to her eye level. " I know that you and Fowler have never gotten along, and I know that you don't exactly harbor... even neutral feelings for him..."

" Whatever gave you that impression?"

" … but, believe it or not, he's here to make amends, sweet-spark."

Hunter snorted. " What makes him so sure that I want to?" she snipped.

" I was under the impression that you did not hold grudges," Optimus stated, cocking an eyebrow.

" Yeah, well, there are always exceptions."

Her spark-father sighed and rolled his eyes. Despite how unconditionally he loved her, his daughter could still be quite an aggravating challenge. " Humor me," he murmured.

Hunter's face only twisted into an uglier snarl and she looked away. Suddenly a warm, leathery hand cupped her cheek and brought her head back around to face Optimus. She met his eyes. As always, the sixteen-year-old felt like he was looking straight into her spark.

" Hunter," the Prime said softly, " please? For me."

For a long moment, Hunter continued to look deep in those soothing electro-blue eyes that she know so well. She knew what Optimus was getting at. Having Fowler come to the base was stressful enough in itself, but adding that fact along with the fact that Optimus was constantly on his guard and ready to spring to her defense at any moment whenever she and Fowler argued just made the stress even worse. That was something the Prime did not need at all. If Hunter couldn't call a truce with Fowler for herself, maybe she could for her spark-father. Closing her eyes, the redhead sighed heavily. " All right," she finally caved. She met the holoform's eyes again. " For you. Not him."

Optimus smiled slightly, nodding. " That's my girl," he silently praised her, kissing her forehead. Then he pulled himself up to his impressive full height and walked away, heading towards the large table where everyone else as already seated. " Be nice," he reminded her, giving a fatherly pat to the seat of her jeans as he walked by.

" Mm-hmm," Hunter replied, eyes locked on Fowler who was standing in the doorway, waiting, arms folded and resting on that pudgy gut of his. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath and letting it go, the girl approached the government agent. " Keep it civil," she thought. " Keep it civil. Keep it civil. Keep it civil." The phrase was a personal mantra at the moment. She stopped in front of the man, her own arms folded across her chest. " Fowler," she greeted him with a nod.

" James," he greeted back in much the same manner. " Happy birthday."

" Thanks."

" No need to invite me. I'm not planning on stayin' long—I got a meeting to get to."

" Because I was totally gonna invite you to come celebrate my birthday with me," was what Hunter really wanted to snap, but she held her tongue. That would not be a good way to start off with making amends. " All right," she settled for. " What's on your mind then?"

The agent then looked very uncomfortable, shifting his weight from foot to foot, pulling at his collar and tie. " Listen, Hunter," he said, clearing his throat, " it's no secret that we aren't exactly..." he trialed off, looking for the right word.

" 'Buddy-buddy'?" Hunter suggested, hands moving to perch on her hips.

" All right," Fowler conceded with a nod. " I've said a lot of stuff about you and called you things that I shouldn't have."

" I've done the same with you," Hunter confessed.

" And I'm not gonna lie to you, here, a lot of them I meant. Some of them were uncalled for, but most of them I sincerely meant."

" Same here."

" But that doesn't make it right."

" No. No, it doesn't."

" It's clear at this point that we'll never be friends."

" Obviously."

" Probably not even friendly acquaintances."

" Probably not."

" But... that doesn't mean that we can't be allies."

Hunter considered this new information for a minute. " I'm listening," she encouraged him after a moment, nodding.

" You're a member of the Autobots, a powerful and important member, and that could always come in handy when certain situations arise." Fowler could barely believe what he was saying. Dang it hurt!

" I guess the same could be said for you," Hunter acknowledged, thinking of all the times Fowler had bailed Team Prime out of trouble with the government. It was just as hard for her to admit this as it was for Fowler.

" One way or another, we are always gonna be a part of each others lives, and there's nothing we can do otherwise to change it."

" Agreed."

" So, since that's the case, can we find it in ourselves to... put our differences off to the side and call a truce?"

Once again, Hunter was silent as she thought the proposition over. " I think so," she replied after a moment. " I think we'll have to anyway, if we're ever to get anything done together."

" That's my line of thinking too," the man nodded. " So... deal?" He held his hand out.

A slight smile pulled up a corner of Hunter's lip and she took Fowler's hand, shaking it. " Deal."

" I promise to try and stop calling you a 'criminal'."

" And I promise to stop calling you 'Foul-mood Fowler'."

Fowler hesitated for a moment, staring blankly at her, replaying all their past encounters over in his head. " You've never called me that."

" Not out loud, no." A smirk creased the girl's lips.

The man let loose a smirk of his own. " Oh, I see," replied. " Well all right then." He turned away and began to exit the restaurant. " See ya around, brat."

Hunter crossed her arms over her chest and chuckled dangerously. " Later, pudge." She watched as Fowler exited the steakhouse and as another invited guest slipped in. The redhead smiled. " Hey, Greasy," she said, kneeling down to hug the little, old Hybrid.

Chuckling, Greasy hugged her tightly and patted her back. " Happy Birthday, Hunter," he told her, pulling back and holding her at arm's-length. He looked her over and shook his head. " My how you've grown in a year."

" Greasy, you see me practically every day," Hunter pointed out, rolling her eyes.

" I know," the old man responded with a nod. " Still, you've changed so much from when you first came here, and even from when we first met. Well, when you first met me. I've been keepin' an eye on you my entire life."

" Stalker," Hunter couldn't help but snicker.

Greasy lightly smacked her jaw. " Don't get pert," he scolded, though it was clear to see that he too was laughing. He loved this girl—she was like a granddaughter to him. As he continued to look her over, the old Hybrid couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. " You've turned into quite the fine young woman," he crooned softly, lightly rubbing her cheekbone with a thumb. " Your parents would be proud."

A lump suddenly formed in Hunter's throat and tears pricked at her eyes. She rapidly blinked to try and get rid of them. " Thanks, Greasy," she whispered.

The man just smiled and patted her shoulder. Then he became all gruff and rough again and pushed past her. " Well, now, I didn't come here to dish out compliments, I came because I was invited for supper and supper I shall have! What'da we got?"

Hunter watched after the little Hybrid, smiling and shaking her head at him. That was Greasy all right, soft and warm one moment and then gruff and grouchy the next. Sighing, the sixteen-year-old got back up on her feet and followed after him. This was going to be a great birthday.

---

" All right," Sarah Lennox announced as everybody dishes were cleared away some time later, " now that's supper's over, it's time for dessert."

" CAAAAAAKE!" Annabelle shrieked, causing everyone to laugh.

Sarah reached down to pick the cake pan up, too the lid off it, had Will light the candles with his lighter, and stood. She brought it and set it down in front of the two birthday girls.

The marble cake was half-frosted with chocolate frosting and half-plain (the top part being frosted [Hunter didn't really like frosting]). Vertically down the sides in purple frosting it read 'Happy birthday' and on the frosted half was printed 'Annabelle' in pink frosting, and on the bottom in blue was 'Hunter'. On Annabelle's half of the cake there were seven candles. On Hunter's half there were just the two big number candles to create the sixteen.

As soon as the cake was in place, everyone started to sing. " Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Hunter and Annabelle. Happy birthday to you!" They all applauded when they cheered.

" All right girls," Sarah laughed, leaning against the backs of their chairs, one hand on each, " make a wish and blow out the candles."

Annabelle squeezed her eyes tightly shut and stuck her tongue out of her mouth, thinking hard about what she wanted to wish for.

Hunter on the other hand didn't have to think hard. In fact she didn't even have to make a wish. Her last wish, the one she had made on the shooting star all that time ago, had already come true. Looking up at Optimus who sat beside her and meeting his loving gaze, the sixteen-year-old knew that there was nothing else she had left to wish for. " I already have mine," she whispered softly so that only Optimus could hear.

The Prime smiled at her, knowing what she meant. The wish he'd made that night had come true as well. He stroked her cheek with the back of his forefinger.

" Ooh!" Annabelle finally exclaimed, baby-blue eyes snapping wide open. " I got it!"

" Hunter?" Sarah asked.

Turning back to the cake, Hunter simply nodded. Even though she didn't need the wish, she could help Annabelle make hers. " Ready, 'Belle?" she questioned the child, smiling at her. When she received an enthusiastic nod for an answer, the teen giggled and said, " All right. We'll blow 'em out together. On the count of three. One. Two. Three." Both she and the seven-year-old puckered up and blew. Thanks to Hunter and her super-breath, the candles all went out almost instantly and at the same time.

Everyone cheered again.

" So, what'd you girls wish for?" Arcee asked from across the table where she sat between Jack and 'Bee.

" I wished for a puppy!" Annabelle chirruped, throwing the whole 'don't-tell-anybody-your-wish-or-it-won't-come-true' rule.

Everybody chuckled. She was so cute!

" How 'bout you, red?" Bulkhead questioned.

Hunter smiled and turned back to Optimus. " I didn't need one," she answered, leaning against his side and nuzzling into his chest. The flannel shirt he wore was soft against her face. She ignored the 'aww's from everyone and simply snuggled closer to her spark-father as he wrapped an arm around her pulled her to his side.

Optimus chuckled as he heard and felt her purring. Their spark-link was so full of love and devotion at the moment that he thought his chest would burst with it. The Autobot was all but completely addicted to that feeling anymore. He just couldn't get enough of it.

Hunter was still reveling in his loving warmth when she was suddenly jerked out of her seat and away from Optimus without warning. " Whoa!" She looked to see it was Miko who had a hold of her arm.

" Come on, girl!" the pink and black-hair Japanese girl whooped, dragging her along. " Before you can have any cake, we're hittin' the dance floor! Wahoo-ow!"

" I call dibs on picking the first song!" Raf shouted, he too jumping up and running after them.

" No me!" Jack said.

" Nuh-uh! My idea, my pick!" Miko objected.

Hunter could only laugh at her crazy friends.

For about twenty minutes Hunter, Jack, Miko, Raf, and even little Annabelle danced to the electronic jukebox. They danced to everything from metal to country, from party songs to ballads. Then they braked for caked. After a few moments to digest, they went right back to the dance floor, this time dragging their 'Bots with them. Arcee, being Arcee, didn't really get into it, and more stood off to the side and watched, but Bulkhead did, and Bumblebee, of course, certainly did, him and Raf almost looking like a mirror image of each other as they did the same moves at the same time.

Hunter hadn't really bothered to try and bring Optimus out on the dance floor. Oh, she knew he could dance—they'd danced together whenever they were alone. But it was a known rule that Primes didn't party... at least not with their team watching. She didn't mind. It was great to just have him there anyway—she loved to be around him. It was around the time that she and Miko were doing the dance routine for Little Mix's 'Salute' than the redhead finally decided that she was going to do it. She'd been wondering whether or not she should all day and now she'd finally decided on it. So when the next song came around, Hunter quietly slipped away from the dance floor, went up to Sarah and Will and whispered to them what she was going to do, and slipped out of the restaurant to the pick-up to get her guitar before coming back in. She went back to her seat and flipped the chair around, setting her guitar case on that as she opened it and brought the acoustic out, slipping it on over her shoulders.

Optimus watched her carefully. " What are you doing, Hunter?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow.

Adjusting the guitar and tuning it, Hunter just grinned cheekily at him. " You'll see," she assured him. Then she turned and walked away, heading up to the front bar where she pulled out a stool and turned to face the crowd. Catching Jack's eye, she motioned for him to stop the music. Once he'd done that, she took all the steakhouse goers back into her gaze. " Your attention, please!" she called. " Everybody! Your attention please!" Soon enough, everyone in the restaurant was looking at her, so she smiled in a friendly way and waved. " Hi," she said. " I'm Hunter James—I'm the foster daughter of Will and Sarah Lennox, and, um, I guess I should tell you all, in case you haven't picked it up already, today is my sixteenth birthday. She received a chorus of 'happy birthday's after that. " Thank you," she replied with a smile, " but, that's not why I'm up here tonight." She cleared her throat. " You see. I've been here for about a year, and in that time, I've met and befriended a lot of people, one person in particular." She glanced over and caught her spark-father's eye, smiling fondly. " He's a very special and important part of my life and... I wouldn't be standing before you today... if it wasn't for him." Still holding the Prime's gaze, a single tear rolled down the sixteen-year-old's cheek. " I want to thank him for that." Hunter wiped the tear away, cleared her throat again, and turned back to the other people. " I've, um... I've been working on a song all summer that is dedicated to him, and I'd like to sing it for, well, all of you, I guess," she looked back at Optimus, " but mostly for him."

Optimus couldn't help the mile wide smile that claimed his face. His spark was so full of pride that he was almost afraid his chest would implode on him. This was indeed a very special moment because, even though Hunter wasn't actually very shy when it came to her musical ability, for her to just get up in front of strangers who were mostly adults and perform a song (her own song) with just her guitar and/or voice and nothing more was still quite a bit out of her comfort zone. He even had trouble sometimes getting her to do it just for him. And to have her doing just that task here in front of all of these people with a song dedicated to him, it made him the proudest mech in the universe.

" Here it goes," Hunter said, moving to sit on the bar stool and getting her instrument into position. " This one's for you, big guy—'Save Me'." She tuned the strings a bit more, tested the sound, cleared her throat, and then she began to play and sing.

[A/N Okay, here's the thing. For those of you who don't know, the song 'Save Me' is not, in fact one that I wrote for this. It is actually a real song, written and sung by the incredibly amazing, talented, and gorgeous Daisy Mallory. You guys really all should check it out, because it's awesome! So no, I didn't write it to give it to Hunter to use as her own original song, I just had to change some of the lyrics to fit a father-daughter relationship rather than a romantic one. But Daisy Mallory is Hunter, as in I envision her as Hunter. So, in a way, since Daisy wrote it, so did Hunter. XD Either way you look at it, enjoy and check out the song!}

" Ain't far from the interstate.

Get off at exit 28 and drive until you reach the gravel road.

Take a left on a Willow Creek,

Start lookin' for the oak with the rope swing.

From there it ain't much farther than a stone's throw.

" I'll be sittin' right there on the front steps…

With my beat-up old six-string, and a cotton dress…

Singin'…

Save me!

'Cuz I don't wanna hurt anymore.

I've been waiting…

For my knight in shining armor on a big white horse…

Or just a blue-eyed trucker with a heart of gold…

To come and save me.

" Old t-shirt and a pair of jeans,

A voice that's deeper than the sea-

I've played it in my head a thousand times.

I look up at the moving clouds, thinkin',

"I bet any minute now, he'll come ridin' up that long and lonely drive."

" And I'll be sittin' right there on the front steps…

With my beat-up old six-string, and a cotton dress…

Singin'…

Save me!

'Cuz I don't wanna hurt anymore.

I've been waiting…

For my knight in shining armor on a big white horse…

Or just a blue-eyed trucker with a heart of gold…

To come and save me.

I've been waiting…

For my knight in shining armor on a big white horse…

Or just a blue-eyed trucker with a heart of gold…

To come and save me.

Mmm, save me…

" Ain't far from the interstate.

Get off at exit 28 and drive until you reach the gravel road…."

As Hunter ended a roar of applause went up from her audience, some people (mostly her friends) whistling and calling for an encore. Everyone was giving her a standing ovation. But, as nice as all that was, the one person the young Hybrid at her sapphire blue eyes on was the person the song had been meant for.

Optimus was the only one not standing, or clapping, or cheering. He was just sitting there, staring at her, a gentle smile curling his lips, sending a proud and adoring sensation radiating through their bond at full force. After a long moment the holoform slowly stood and made his way towards her.

As he came closer, Hunter could see tears in his eyes plus a few—very few—trickling down his cheeks. That in turn caused tears to well up in her own eyes and start cascading down her face. " Optimus?" she choked out once he was standing over her, looking down into her eyes.

Her spark-father said nothing, simply continued to gaze deep into his eyes, a few more tears falling down his face. Finally he reached up and cupped her face in quivering hands. Rubbing her cheekbones with the calloused pads of his thumb, he shook his head as he gazed at her. " You are the most beautiful, most precious, most amazing miracle that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing."

Hunter gave off a watery laugh, sniffling and wiping her nose.

" I am truly blessed to be your spark-father," the Autobot continued, " and I have no idea what I did to be blessed with you, but thank Primus for whatever it was. I love you so much, my shooting star." With that said, Optimus pulled her into the deepest, warmest, most affectionate embrace he'd ever given her.

His spark-daughter held him tightly, burying her face into his chest, not caring if her make up got screwed up or not. " I'm so glad you saved me," she whispered, voice quivering.

" I am too," Optimus whispered back, holding her even more tightly. " Thank you, Hunter."

---

" That was a lovely song, Huntress," Greasy said as they walked down the sidewalk to the end of the block about an hour later.

" Thank you," Hunter replied with a slightly blush.

" It would seem as though your spark-father enjoyed it most of all."

Hunter could only smile.

" So, have you..."

" Told him 'I love you' yet?" Hunter finished for him, knowing the exact question because he always asked her. " I wish I could say 'yes', but I'd be lying if I did."

" Why haven't you?"

" I dunno, it's just... every time I try to psych myself up for doing it I chicken out. I want to more than anything, believe me, and I know Optimus would like for me to say it too, but... there's just a part of me that still trying to face that fear. I'm just not ready yet."

" Well, one day you will be."

" I hope you're right, Greasy," the young Hybrid sighed heavily.

" Of course I am," the old, short Hybrid replied. " I'm always right."

Hunter chuckled and rolled her eyes. Yup, Greasy to a fault.

They reached the end of the block, bade each other final good-byes, and, after double-checking to make sure that there was nobody around or watching, Greasy teleported away, leaving Hunter all alone in the night.

Hooking her hands in her pockets, Hunter turned around and headed back towards the steakhouse, humming her song as she went along, a light smile on her face, fantasizing about the first time she would ever tell her spark-father that she loved him. She was half-way down the block when the voice stopped her.

" Hello, my dear Huntress."

The redhead immediately froze mid-stride, lifting her head up. She knew that voice, and she'd hoped to never hear it right here in the middle of Jasper, Nevada. Whipping around, Hunter was met with the sight of his holoform. She'd never seen him in holoform form before, but the voice didn't lie, and neither did those red eyes that gleamed out through the dark. " Starscream," she snarled, fists already curled into fists and tightening so that her knuckles cracked. " What are you doing here?"

The Decepticon pushed off the wall of the building he was leaning against and stepped out of the shadow of the alley. " Why, I've come to wish you a happy sparking-day," he replied, genuinely smiling at her.

" That's "birthday" here on Earth, 'Screamy," Hunter snapped, not caring if he was smiling or not. She hated this guy. " And why on earth would you care if today is my birthday or not? What is it to you?"

" More than you probably realize," the man replied, still coming closer.

" Why?" Hunter took a step back, instinctively getting into a ready position. If Starscream wanted to fight, she would be ready, and she'd make him wish he'd never come to Jasper.

At that, Starscream stopped mid-stride and just stared at her in disbelief. " You mean, you really don't see it?" he questioned.

" See what?" the girl asked cautiously.

" What is between us."

Hunter could've sworn she felt the sirloin steak in her stomach wriggle, flop over, and prepare to make a reappearance. " What was between them"? The sixteen-year-old hoped to Primus that that didn't mean what she thought it did. " What are you talkin' about?" she demanded.

" The connection we have," Starscream answered.

" The only connection between us is gonna be my fist to your face if you don't bug off right now."

A look of hurt shadowed Starscream upon hearing that comment. " Hunter," he said, sounding as hurt as he looked, " how can you say something like that? To me of all people?"

" Why wouldn't I say it to you of all people, Mr. Hires-a-bounty-hunter-to-bump-me-off?"

" Because... we're spark-mates, my love."

For five whole minutes, Hunter stood there, frozen in shock, staring at the Seeker as though he were crazy, which he really was. When she finally came out of it she burst out laughing. She laughed so hard she actually started crying. In fact she all but fell to the ground and started rolling around. " Ha, ha, ha! A-are you-you seri-hee-hee-ious!" she guffawed, trying to dry her eyes. " Wha-what in the name of Primus would ever possess you to think that-ha-ha-ha!" After a moment or two, she finally regained her composer, though she was still lightly giggling. " Starscream, I hate to tell you this—well actually I don't, because I don't like you—you're insane! I'm an Autobot. You're a Decepticon. By definition, we're sworn enemies. And besides that, like I've said already, I hate you!"

" Love can often be mistaken for hate," Starscream pointed out.

Hunter perched her fists on her hips and gave in an incredulous look. " Uh, not in this case," she assured him

" Oh, no?"

" Not a chance, buddy!"

" So you don't believe me then that you are in love with me as I am in love with you?"

" What was your first clue?" With a snort, Hunter turned and started to walk away, but her arm was caught in a crushing grip and she was spun around. " Let go of... mmph!" She was cut off as Starscream slammed his lips into hers with such force that it actually somewhat hurt her. For a moment the teenager could think of or do nothing besides stand there rigidly in a horrified daze, eyes the size of dinner plates. It took the sensation of Starscream's teeth nibbling at her bottom lip and his tongue searching for entrance into her mouth to snap her back into coherence. Anger burning away the shock, the redhead squeezed her eyes shut and raised her knee up, kneeing him as hard as she could in the crotch.

Starscream broke the kiss and grabbed at his... jewels, crying out in pain.

Hunter slammed her hands hard against his holoform chest, propelling him back into the brick wall of a building. " GET OFF ME!" she screeched. " How dare you?! Primus, Starscream, you are such a pervert!" The girl reached up to wipe off her lips and spat. " Great! Now I gotta boil my lips!"

Starscream simply sat there on the ground where he'd fallen after hitting the wall, staring up at the sixteen-year-old. This wasn't anything like he'd imagined it to be.

Hunter was still staggering about and spitting when the door to the steakhouse suddenly opened and Optimus stepped out. He looked down the street in her direction. " Hunter?" he called, worry in his voice and concern on his face. He came in her direction.

Spotting him, Hunter ran straight for his open arms, longing for his protection. It was true that she didn't really need it, but she still wanted it all the same. " Optimus!" she cried, throwing her arms around him. She buried her face in his chest, not wanting to see Starscream any longer.

Optimus constricted his arms tightly around her quivering form and held her close. Even though she wasn't crying he could tell she was in great distress. " Hunter, what happened?" he crooned, gently combing his fingers through her silky hair.

" Ask him!" Hunter growled, pointing back towards Starscream, though she didn't pull her face out of his chest.

Optimus looked towards the figure who was still sitting there on the sidewalk. For a minute he didn't recognize him, but then after a closer look he knew exactly who it was. " Starscream," he snarled, shifting slightly so that he was more between his spark-daughter and the Seeker's holoform. " What are you doing here?"

" Funny," Starscream grunted, getting back up on his feet. " Your Hybrid said the same thing."

" Did she also say that you are not welcome here?" Optimus growled, holding Hunter more tightly.

" Not in so many words," the 'Con muttered, rubbing at his private area.

Optimus couldn't help but smirk at that, knowing what Hunter must have done. A small feeling of pride welled up in his spark and it must have transmitted through the bond as well because he received a pleased feeling from Hunter's end. The little giggle of hers confirmed his assumption. The Prime's smirk quickly faded away and he snarled once again, brows furrowing. " Then I would leave if I were you," he suggested, " before something else worse happens to you." His voice was dark. Inside his head, the Autobot was thinking up all the ways he could torture Starscream for what he had done to Hunter. He didn't know exactly what had happened, but whatever it was it had shaken his little girl up and that was more than enough to set him off.

Starscream stared at the Prime in disbelief before turning his gaze back on the redheaded Hybrid held safely in the holoform's arms. " Hunter," he said slowly, voice low, " are you actually going to stand by and let Prime threaten me like that? Me? Your spark-mate?!"

Hunter flinched closer to her spark-father at the Seeker's use of the word 'spark-mate'. Why couldn't he see what she was trying so fervently to tell him? Was he seriously just that blind?! Or was he just deaf and dumb? Either way, the sixteen-year-old wanted him away from here and away from her. " We are not spark-mates, Starscream," she replied, voice ringing loud and clear and even, even though she still refused to look his way. " I don't know how or why you think that. I don't know what made you to think that, but you need to let it go right now, because it's a lie, Starscream. A bold-faced lie."

" But, Hunter, my love..."

" Don't call me that!" Hunter roared, this time turning to look at the 'Con even though she didn't released her hold on Optimus. " I'm not your "love", Starscream! I'm wasn't, I'm not, and I never will be. Get it through your head—I hate you. You hired a bounty hunter to kill me, and he did. You kidnapped my friends and threatened their lives. And then you let that same bounty hunter take everyone and love captive, threaten to kill them, and then try to kill me again. You're evil, Starscream. Just like Bombardier was. Even worse. You're conniving and backstabbing. You're a weasel, Starscream. Scum. And I want nothing to do with you."

Starscream just stared in shock.

" So, do like Optimus says, and get out," Hunter snarled, glaring at her stalker.

For a long time, the self-appointed Decepticon Lord continued to stand there in a dazed silence. Then his face twisted into a terrible scowl. A growl rumbled deep in his chest as he stabbed a rigid holoform finger at her. " You little, arrogant glitch," he rasped. " You think you're better than me, don't you? You think you're too good for me, huh?! Well, you're not! I am the Decepticon Lord, ruler of all, emperor of destruction! I have power, a title! And what do you have? Nothing! Because you're an orphan—a pathetic, worthless waste of space. You are not worth the air your accursed human form ventilates! You should be honored that someone of my stature even considers to think of you fondly!"

Still held in Optimus arms, Hunter stood resolute, staring the 'Con down. She let Starscream's words go in one ear and out the other, just like she had learned to do so long ago. His words were harsh and cruel and cold, but she felt nothing except pleasure that she had ticked the mech off that much for him to start hurling epithets at her. Starscream truly was pathetic.

" You glitch! You think you're so much different now from what you were before you came to know the Autobots? Well, you're not! You're the same worthless waif that no one cares for. That no one loves! Street rat! Vermin! Maggot!" He pointed at Optimus. " You think that Prime truly loves you?! He's an illusion! Just like the rest of your life here! They don't love you! He doesn't love you! None of this is real! Before you know it, you'll go right back to where you came from and you'll become nothing more than a lost memory to the inhabitants here! You'll lose everything! And then you'll wish that you had taken my love—the one thing that is true in your life! But you'll be doomed, Huntress. Doomed! Doomed to live out the rest of your days in lonely and loveless despa—aaahhh!" Starscream was suddenly punched square in the face and sent flying backwards before hitting the sidewalk. Tears welling up in his blood red holoform eyes, the mech grabbed at his nose. His nose! The blasted Prime had broken his holoform's nose!

Optimus stood there on the sidewalk, towering over him, an ominous darkness or rage shadowing his face. He looked more formidable then than he ever had. " You pathetic waste of Cybertronian mesh," he rumbled in a deathly calm voice.

Behind her spark-father Hunter stared in awe. She'd seen him angry many times before, but it was nothing compared to this. Scrap was about to hit the fan.

Holding his nose, Starscream stared up at the fuming Prime in horror. This was not good.

" How dare you?!" Optimus suddenly roared, his deep, bellowing voice shaking the windows of the buildings and cars about them. " How dare you speak to my daughter in such a way?! My daughter!" His hands, which were already clenched into rock hard fists, tightened. " The humans have a saying, Starscream," he stated, his voice deadly calm once again, " 'never get between a mother bear and her cubs'. Well, let me inform you right now, Starscream, that a mother bear's fury is nothing compared to that of a Prime's—a father Prime's. And, unfortunately for you, you have just evoked it."

It was at that moment that Hunter realized they weren't entirely alone. Her gaze drifted up to the street light at the end of the block to see some kids from her former high school standing there, watching on in awe. Likely they had just come from the movie theater around the block and were on their way home. They were too far away to what Optimus hadn't yelled, but they were still staring intently at what was going on. With that information, the girl darted forward. Getting in between her spark-father and stalker, she placed her hands on the prior's broad chest. " Optimus, no, don't," she said, calmly.

Optimus gaze shifted from Starscream to his spark-daughter's face and changed from murderous to confused in an instant. " Hunter?" he questioned.

" Not here," she clarified with a shake of her head. " Not now—even though I seriously wish you could," she added the last part to herself. She glanced over her shoulder at the kids at the end of the block. " Too many witnesses."

The Prime followed her gaze, stared at the teenagers for a moment, then looked back at her. He saw fear in her eyes. Fear for him. Fear that if he carried out what he planned to do he would get into trouble. Fear that he could be taken away if that happened. Taken away from her. Despite how he wished to make Starscream pay for what he had said and done to her, Optimus decided that it would be in her best interests to stop. He could always deal with Starscream another when and where he couldn't be arrested by the humans and tried for murder... despite how well-deserved it was. It was the only time in his life where the Autobot commander truly thought of outright killing someone. Sighing heavily, the holoform nodded. " All right," he murmured, smiling softly.

A look of sheer relief came over the sixteen-year-old and the sensation flooded their spark-bond. " Oh, thank you," she breathed, embracing him once again. She snuggled closer as he did the same to her. Crisis averted.

Still holding his nose, Starscream pushed himself back up on his feet, eyes locked onto the embracing father-daughter duo that stood before him. He still feared Prime, but the rage boiled back up in his spark. That glitch! She'd saved his life (even though he knew it was probably for reasons other than him) and she still picked the blasted Autobot over him?! How infuriating! It didn't matter though. If not tonight or tomorrow then another day. He would make her see that they belonged together and that she loved him, and then she would be his. They would rule this universe together! Before he could stop himself, the Seeker was singing again, despite the fact of having a broken holoform nose.

" Hellfire!

Dark fire!

Now, Huntress, it's your turn...

Choose me or your pyre.

Be mine or you will burn!

Primus have mercy on you...

Primus have mercy on me...

But you will be mine or…

You…

Will…

BURN!"

With that, the holoform disappeared.

Hunter and Optimus stared at the spot where it had once been standing, and then a sonic boom drew their attention skyward. High up above in the night sky, illuminated by the full moon, was a fighter jet. Before long it was out of sight.

" Stalkerscream," Hunter murmured under her breath. Her cheek was suddenly cupped in a leathery warm hand and her head brought back around to face Optimus.

The Prime gazed into her eyes intently. " Are you all right, sweet-spark?" he inquired, obviously concerned.

Hunter nodded. " Yeah. I'm okay. I mean, I'm gonna have one more thing to haunt my nightmares now, but I'm fine."

That dangerous gleam glinted in the holoform's eyes again. " What did he do?" the Autobot commanded.

" Kissed me," Hunter answered, voice hardly above a whisper. Her face flushed bright red in utter embarrassment and humiliation. He'd kissed her. Starscream had kissed her! Just the very thought of it made her feel like she wanted to puke all over again.

Optimus nodded. The bruising on her lips was clear evidence of her claim. However, much to his relief, they were quickly beginning to fade away with her healing factor. The Prime gently stroked her cheek. Even with Starscream long gone now, his spark-daughter was still quivering from the encounter. Likely it had reminded her of the last time a male had tried to take advantage of her. Putting both arms around her again, Optimus pulled her closer, rocking her back and forth. " Shh," he soothed, reaching out through their link with as much comfort as he could. " Shh, it's all right now. I have you."

Knotting his flannel shirt in her fists, Hunter buried her face in Optimus chest again. " He just came out of nowhere," she whispered, voice quivering slightly. " And the worse part is that he wasn't actually intending to harm me yet, so my "spider-sense" didn't go off. I was so scared, big guy." She snuggled closer, taking in deep inhales of his familiar and reassuring scent.

" I know, my shooting star," Optimus sympathized. " I know. But it's all over now, he's gone."

" For now," Hunter replied. " But you heard what he said, Optimus. This isn't the last we're gonna hear from Starscream. He still wants me."

" He can try all he wants," the Prime replied, " he will never lay a hand on you again. Not if I have anything to say about it." Silence seeped in for a moment to let the promise sink in before Optimus kissed her head and raised her face to his once again. He smiled lovingly. " Come now. Let us join the others again, hmm?" Arm around her shoulders, the Autobot commander and Hybrid youngling began to make their way back to the steakhouse. He held out the hand that he had used to punch Starscream and examined it.

Noticing, Hunter looked up at him with a questioning expression. " Big guy? What's wrong?"

" Nothing."

" Well, then, what is it?"

" Nothing, it is just..." a smirk pulled at a corner of the Prime's lips, "... that felt damn good."

Giggling, Hunter cuddled into the warmth of her spark-father's side. She was totally and completely safe with Optimus around, and that was the rock hard truth. He would never let any harm come to her while he was there. She could always count on him. Still, as they went back into the restaurant to join the others, a sliver of doubt worked it's way back into her heart. The teen couldn't help but replay what Starscream had said within in her head. " He's an illusion! Just like the rest of your life here! None of this is real!"

---

" Ya hands are cold too," Hunter said along with the movie snickering.

Optimus chuckled a rolled his eyes at her. " If I had known that you were going to quote the entire movie," he teased, " I never would have agreed to watch it."

The duo was on the couch in the living room of the Lennox's house, Hunter in her pajamas and snuggled up in a throw blanket, half lying on her spark-father's holoform's lower chest as he reclined back, her stuffed wolf Blue held tight in her arms. It had been several hours since the birthday bash had ended and everyone had headed back to their respected homes. Though all the Lennoxes were already in bed and bad been ready to be there since they'd arrived at the ranch, Hunter had insisted that she wasn't tired and had all but begged Optimus to stay and watch movies with her. Something had told the Prime that there was something more to her request than simply the fact that she wasn't tired (and even that was a lie, because she had indeed looked very tired), but he hadn't said anything. He always found it easier to let Hunter open up to him when she was ready. Prying only seemed to "clam her up"—as the humans say—even more.

Hunter shifted positions so that she could look up at him. " Hey!" she scolded, slapping his chest. " Be nice. All Dogs Go to Heaven is my favorite movie. So don't diss it. Ya jerk!" She gave him one more playful slap before rolling back over into that warm comfy position she'd been in before.

Optimus chuckled again and reached out to stroke her arm and side. " Hunter," he voiced after a moment, " my I ask why this is your favorite movie?"

At that the sixteen-year-old became quiet, thinking over the answer. Why was All Dogs Go to Heaven her favorite movie? Even though he was a self-centered, money-grubbing cur throughout most of the movie, Charlie Barkin was one of her favorite movie characters. And Itchy was cute. The music was good and the action was exciting, even if it was an old cartoon. And she loved how, in the end, Charlie overcame all of his faults and saved Anne-Marie like the hero he was, even if it did make her want to cry. She also liked the part where Charlie came back to say good-bye to Anne-Marie in her new home. That's when it hit Hunter. The reason she loved this movie so much was because it was her life. She was Anne-Marie, wishing for love, family, a home. Heck, even the death-defying action was a part of her life—even more so than the movie! Slightly smiling, the Hybrid finally answered, " It reminds me of my life." She rolled back over to look up at her guardian again. " And it gave me hope when I was a little kid. I figured that if Anne-Marie could find a home and people who love her, then maybe I could too." Her smile turned impish. " Of course, I also hoped to talk to animals and live with a German Shepherd dog like she does too, but you'll have to do." She giggled as Optimus playfully glared at her.

" Oh really?" Optimus replied, still giving her 'the look'.

" Hey, you asked," she reminded him.

Optimus couldn't help the smile that sneaked onto his face. " You are correct," he conceded with a sigh. " I did." He chuckled as Hunter cuddled closer, nuzzling into his chest, and watched as she yawned. He stroked her head. It was clear to see that she was fighting the hold of sleep, though he didn't understand why. Maybe she just needed a nudge in that direction. Eyes shifting up to the clock on the wall, the Prime saw it was almost two in the morning. They both should have been in stasis hours ago. He looked back down at the girl and smiled gently. " You seem weary, my shooting star," he noted softly. " Perhaps it is time for someone to "hit the hay" as the humans say."

At the mention of sleep, Hunter, who was almost half-asleep already, snapped wide awake, looking almost anxious. " Nope!" she chirped. " I'm good." She rolled back over and went back to watching the movie.

Even with her back turned to him, Optimus could still tell that she was struggling to stay awake, but simply refused to give in. Besides that, there was something very heavy weighing on her spark. But why? Even though he knew it was probably best to let it go until she was ready to tell him, the Prime couldn't wait any longer. Something was bothering his little girl. Something bad. Something that needed to be dealt with now before it got out of hand. Picking up the remote, the Autobot commander stopped the movie. Complete silence ensued.

Hunter froze. She knew what was coming. She could always tell.

" Hunter," Optimus finally crooned, " please look at me."

The girl rolled over, trying to act like nothing was wrong by putting on a smile. " What's up, big guy?" she asked.

Optimus reached out and cupped her cheek, stroking her cheekbone with the pad of his thumb. He gently traced over the pale scar running across her left eye, smiling as she instinctively leaned into his touch ever-so-slightly. But that didn't distract him from his worry. " Sweet-spark, what's wrong?" he questioned, gazing into her eyes with as much tenderness and understanding as he could summon.

Hunter smiled reassuringly, even though it looked completely fake. " Nothing," she fibbed. Reaching over him towards the remote, she tried to grab it. " Come on, turn the movie back on."

Optimus picked the remote up and moved it out of her reach, giving her a hard look. " I will," he assured her firmly, " when you tell what is bothering you."

Hunter met his eyes with a look that was annoyed, but also a bit desperate. " Nothing is bothering me, big guy," she lied again. Why did he have to pry like this? Why couldn't he just let it go? How did he even know something was bothering... oh yeah, that's right—they shared a spark-link. Even though it had almost been a year since they'd been a part of each others lives the teenager still forgot the spark-link sometimes. Stupid spark-link...

" Yes, there is," Optimus insisted, his voice steadfast but gentle.

" No, there's not."

" Yes, there is. I know because I can feel it. Now, Hunter, you know that I would not say anything if I felt that you could handle it on your own, but you have a habit of letting things like these take over to the point that they become very difficult to stop."

Hunter muttered under her breath in Latin. What her spark-father had said was true and it just wasn't fair. Why did he have to be so right all the time? The redhead became quiet and simply laid there, listening to the spark-beat-like purr of his holoform, eyes averted from his down to Blue.

Optimus brushed a strand of hair back behind her ear. " Sweet-spark, please tell me," he nearly pleaded. " Maybe I can help."

For a long time there was silence as Hunter thought this over. Then she finally looked back up and met her spark-father's eyes. " Optimus..." she said meekly, "... can we go for a drive?"

---

Optimus split his attention between driving and watching his sixteen-year-old passenger as they drove down the road. For once Hunter was not securely buckled in and the Prime had not taken the time to fix that. As of right now he was more concerned for her emotional safety rather than physical safety.

Slouched in the passenger seat of her spark-father's vehicular mode, bare feet propped up on the dashboard and staring out at the starry sky as the fresh air whipped in through the open window, Hunter was silent. Absently she played with the Hybrid medallion at her neck. The comfortable darkness of sleep fought to pull her under, but she fought back harder. She couldn't fall asleep. She wouldn't. She didn't want to risk it.

Silence continued to ensue the pair as they drove on through the early morning hours. Then Optimus pulled off the main highway onto a familiar dirt road. A few minute later, they were pulling up near Oasis Lake. " We are here," the mech announced the obvious.

Hunter just nodded.

For several moments there was even more quiet. And then Optimus finally spoke again. " Hunter, please, what's wrong?"

The girl said nothing, only sat up, opened the door and slipped outside, her feet sinking into the soft, red beach sand. Closing the door, she walked several yards away, arms wrapped around herself, before stopping. Standing there, looking out onto the water, listening to the soft lapping of the waves, Hunter began to feel her mind drifting back. Back to her life at the orphanage.

---

Six Years Ago;

The little girl looked up into the friendly faces of the couple that stood before her—the couple that were now her new mom and dad. She was shy and unsure about them. Then the woman knelt down to her eye level and gave her the nicest, warmest smile and any adult had ever given her. What's more, she held up a stuffed cat. It was black and white and tan and had a pretty pink bow tied around it's neck, and it looked very soft and snuggly.

" I heard that you like kitties," the woman told the child, " and I thought you might like a new friend where we're going."

The little girl couldn't help but smile at the woman and take the kitty, hugging it close. It was obvious that she loved it. " Thank you, she said politely and sincerely."

The woman smiled even more brightly. " You're very welcome, sweetheart," she replied. Then she stood and moved back as her husband opened the back, driver's-side door to their SUV.

The little girl hopped in, the door closing gently behind her.

The couple smiled at each other, kissed and turned up towards the big, ivy covered building and waved.

The cluster of children and one of their caretakers that were there all waved back. However, while their caretaker smiled, the children couldn't bring themselves to do it. They all watched and waved on as the couple got into the vehicle and drove off, taking their new daughter to her new home.

The little girl in the back of the SUV looked out the window and waved good-bye to her friends, a small, sad smile creasing her lips.

" All right, children," the caretaker said, taking the group of kids into her vision, " lets go back inside. Dinner's almost ready."

Obediently the kids all turned and began to head back inside with their caretakers. All except one.

She was older than them all, about ten years, with long fiery red hair that was pulled into a pony-tail and was dressed in a pair of simple capris and a blue, long-sleeved t-shirt. Her deep sapphire blue eyes stared after the SUV as it drove out past the orphanage gates and disappeared into the distance, a lost and despairing look held within them. A few tears trickled down her cheeks. Her lips parted as she inhaled and exhaled a heavy, shaking sigh. How she longed to be in that little girl's shoes, adopted and going to a home with a loving family, where she wouldn't have to worry about being abandoned for forgotten ever again. Where there would never be any doubt that she was loved and wanted. She just prayed that, for that little girl's sake, that that was exactly what was happening—that she wasn't just being whisked off with the false hope of love only to be brought back a few months later with a broken heart and a broken promise. Like she had just recently been.

Noticing that not all of her children were accounted for, the caretaker turned around to see the girl still standing there at the end of the sidewalk, looking off into the distance. She sighed heavily, her heart going out to the child. Wrapping her shawl more tightly around her to ward off the bite of the autumn breeze, she came back to the girl and put an arm around her shoulders. She tried to smile reassuringly. " Don't worry, Hunter," she said. " One day, you'll find a home too."

Not looking at the woman, Hunter sniffled and wiped her nose on the sleeve of her shirt. An angry shadow came over her face. " Yeah," she replied. " A nursing home." Shoving away from the caretaker, the girl wrapped her arms around herself and stormed into the orphanage.

---

Present Day;

" Hunter?" Optimus voice jarred the girl out of her reminiscing.

" It's Starscream," she finally answered, clearing her throat.

" Starscream?"

Hunter nodded, looking down at her bare toes as she squidged them in the sand.

" Sweet-spark, I know how you feel about him at the moment," Optimus soothed, rolling forward on his tires a bit (he still hadn't transformed yet), " but I can assure you that you have no reason to fear. I promise you that he will never lay a hand on you again."

" It's not that," Hunter replied, shaking her head. " I mean, yeah, 'Scream shook me up pretty bad with what he did, but I'm not really scared of him and that's not what's bothering me."

" Then what is it?"

" It's... it's something he said."

The Prime was silent for a moment, thinking back to everything that Starscream had said. " Hunter, I wouldn't listen to much of what Starscream said," he declared after a minute. " He is what you would call a "big-talker". Everything he said was out of anger and was wrong. You shouldn't let it offend you."

" It didn't offend me," his spark-daughter assured him. " I tuned out basically everything Starscream said, and besides, I've been yelled at way worse than that. It wasn't that he hurt me, big guy, it's that he got me thinking."

" How?"

" What he said about you being an illusion. About how all of this," she held her arms off to the sides, as if to take in the whole world, " is an illusion. He said my life isn't real and..." she turned around to face her spark-father's alternate mode, tears shining in her eyes, "... and what if he's right?" she finished at a whisper.

Optimus was quiet for a long time. " I'm not quite sure I understand," he admitted.

Hunter sighed. " It's... it's like..." she dropped off, not quite sure how to explain what she meant. " Well... do you remember what I've told you about my life, Optimus? Like, everything about being raised in an orphanage and moving around from foster home to foster home, never being stable, never feeling like I belonged anywhere, never feeling loved or wanted?"

" Yes," Optimus replied sadly. He hated to think of his precious little Hunter in that position, and it was nearly impossible for him to imagine anyone not loving her when he loved her with his entire being. She was just so beautiful and amazing! How could anyone not love her? Worse, how could anyone lie to and hurt her by promising love to her and then ripping it away? How could anyone toy with her like that?

" Well, here in Jasper, I don't feel any of that." Hunter smiled from ear to ear. " Here in Jasper, I know that I'm loved. I feel like I belong here. This place makes me feel like... I'm finally home." Her smile suddenly faded away and she looked fearful again. " And that's what scares me. All of that, feeling loved, feeling like I belong here, feeling like this is home... it seems all too perfect. And in my experience, when anything feels like that... it almost always gets torn away from me."

Optimus' spark broke. He understood why she would be so fearful and knew she had good reason to feel that way. And that's why he hated it. To hear her talk like that, it made him realize just how broken and hurt she really was. Hunter was still a scared little girl inside, being masked by a confident and strong appearance. Though it was true that Hunter had changed for the better in many ways, there were some parts of her old self that refused to let go so easily. " Hunter," he soothed, voice purring warmly, " I know that you are frightened, and, with your past experience, you have every right to be. But, sweet-spark, you have to know that I will never leave you. I will never "pull the rug"—as the humans say—out from under you and abandon you as others have. I love you, Hunter. You're my daughter—biological or not, it doesn't matter—and I will never, ever leave you. And no one else will either."

Hunter slightly smiled again. " I know you won't," she answered, voice quivering. " I believe you. I have no doubts that you'll never do anything that anyone else in the past has done to me. But you see, Optimus, that's not what I mean. I'm not scared you'll take me back to the orphanage... I'm scared that you're not real." The tears started flowing freely now. " I'm scared that none of this is real. I'm terrified to think that, if I close my eyes, I'll wake up back in my room at the orphanage, and all of this will have been nothing more than an amazing, incredible dream. An illusion." Unable to stand anymore, the redhead sank down to sit in the sand, pulling her knees up to her chest and hugging them. She gazed at the red and blue semi sitting before her. " You're perfect, Optimus," she choked out. " My dream come true. I just found you and... I don't wanna lose you. I don't think I can go through another heartbreak again. I know I can't." That said, the Hybrid youngling buried her face in her knees and quietly cried.

Once again silence fell between the two.

Optimus sat there, Hunter's words haunting him. So that's what all of this had been about. Poor Hunter! Just exactly how cruel had her life been to make her think something like this? Curse Starscream for ever even bringing it up! Next time they met up, the Prime really would kill the Seeker and then bring him back to life and kill him again. Sitting there, spark broken in two by Hunter's words and tears, the mech tried to think of some way—any way—to comfort his spark-daughter. He had to somehow make her realize that none of this was going to be wiped away—that none of this was a dream. That this was all real. That both he and his love for her were real. And that's when it came to him. Switching on his holoform so that it appeared in the front seat, Optimus reached over, opened his glove box, grabbed a small black box, and pulled it out. He opened it, took something out of it, and stuffed both it and the box in his jacket pocket. Then Prime opened the door, and his holoform stepped outside. He hoisted himself up onto the hood of his vehicular form. Looking down at the weeping girl in the sand, he smiled sympathetically and gently called, " Hunter."

The girl raised her head, her bloodshot, puffy, tired eyes finding his as she wiped off her tear-stained cheeks. " Optimus?" she responded meekly.

The tone of her voice almost broke his spark again. Holding out his big, strong arms to her, Optimus purred, " Come here, my shooting star."

For a minute Hunter simply stared at him. And then she was on her feet, making her way towards him, eyes locked on him and only him as tears continued to stream down her cheeks. Clambering up onto his hood, she crawled across and took shelter in his open and waiting arms. The most loving and sincere of warmth enveloped her as she snuggled into his body, burying her face in his chest. She breathed in her spark-father's scent. " Please don't let me go," she silently thought. " Don't ever let me wake up. If this is a dream, I never ever want to wake up for as long as I live."

Optimus was quiet as he simply held her and rocked her for several moments, letting her know that he was there and that it was all right. Then he began to speak. " Hunter," he murmured, " I want you to tell me something." He pulled her away and held her by the shoulders, looking deep into her eyes. " Do I look like a figment of dream? Answer me honestly."

Hunter was quiet, looking him over, wondering why he was asking this. " No," she finally answered, wiping her eyes.

" Do I smell like a dream?"

Still wondering what all this was about, Hunter quickly answered, " No."

" And what about this?" Optimus wrapped his arms around her again and pulled her close, settling her in his lap, pulling her head to rest against the center of his chest, right over where his spark would be. " Does that sound like a dream?"

Hunter snuggled close, resting her head where he'd put it. Closing her eyes, she listened intently. " No," she answered after a moment looking up at him.

The Prime smiled gently. " Because I am not a dream," he stated softly. He held her head in his hands, wiping away the tears as they fell down her cheeks. " I am not a dream. I never have been and I never will be. I am very much real. Everything you have here—your friends, your security—it is all real. And it is not going anywhere." He leaned forward and pressed his forehead to hers, nuzzling her gently in that fatherly way on he knew how. " I am not going anywhere."

Hunter sniffled and smiled.

" And to prove it," Optimus continued on, pulling away a bit and reaching into the pocket of his jacket, " I have something for you." He met his spark-daughter's eyes, giving her a somewhat sheepish look. " I meant to give this to you at the party," he confessed, " but with everything going on, I guess you could say that it slipped my processor. Perhaps that was a fortunate occurrence, for I believe that you are in greater need of it now than you were then." Out of his pocket he pulled a black box and then handed it to her. " Happy birthday, my shooting star."

Wiping her eyes, Hunter stared down at the box in her hands. " Wha-what is it?" she asked, looking up at the holoform and sniffling.

Optimus only chuckled and smiled. " Open it and you'll see," he urged.

Looking back down at the box, Hunter slowly did just that. Inside the box was a necklace: a wolf's head silhouette charm on a silver chain. The girl grinned and let out a watery laugh. " Optimus..." she sniffled, " it's beautiful." Carefully, almost as if she was afraid that she'd break it, the Hybrid took the necklace out of the box and held it up, examining carefully. " Thank you so much, big guy," she said, her grin widening into a near grimace.

" You like it then?" he questioned.

" I love it," she assured him. Then she gave him a quizzical look. " But... how does this prove that you're not going anywhere, if you don't mind me asking?"

The Prime chuckled. " It proves it by one simple fact. What you hold in your possession right now is only half of the necklace."

Hunter cocked an eyebrow, looked the necklace over again, and then looked back up at her guardian, looking just as confused. " Well, where's the rest of it then?"

Smiling even more broadly, Optimus reached back into his pocked and pulled something else out. There in his hand was a necklace almost exactly identical to the one she wore. The only difference was that the chain was thicker than the one on her necklace. " With me," the Autobot commander answered. He held out a hand. " Give me your necklace." When she'd handed it over, Optimus put the two halves side by side, one wolf head facing one way and the other facing the opposite way.

" They make a heart," Hunter murmured.

Optimus nodded and smiled at her. " Hunter, whether you realize it or not, you are a part of me," he told her softly. " I have stated it once and I will state it again, I love you, my shooting star. I love you with all my spark and I always will." Setting down his half of the necklace, the Prime picked up Hunter's half, undid the clasp and proceeded to place it around her neck. " Hunter I give this necklace to you, not just as a birthday present, but as a symbol of my love for and promise to you." Fixing the necklace in place, the Prime pulled his hands away and smiled at his spark-daughter.

For a moment Hunter examined the new piece of jewelry, carefully tracing her fingertip over the outline of the wolf as it rested against the flat f her chest, just above her Hybrid medallion. Then she looked up at him. " What promise?" she inquired.

" The promise that I will always be there for you, not matter the situation," Optimus responded. " The promise that I will always find you, no matter how far or how long I have to look or what I have to go through in order to get there." He put his hands on her shoulders and looked even deeper into her sapphire blues. " The promise that I will always love you and never ever leave you. In Primus' name I swear all of these things to you, my shooting star."

Hunter swallowed hard to try and get rid of the lump in her throat as new tears—tears not of fear or pain but joy—blurred her vision. " You do?" she quivered.

" I do," Optimus assured her with a nod. " With every part of my being I do."

" No matter what?"

" No matter what?"

" Even if I embarrass or disappoint you?"

Optimus chuckled lightly. " Even then," he promised. Then he grinned and tapped her on the nose. " Though, as of now, I find it hard to believe that you would ever do anything to embarrass or disappoint me."

At that Hunter snorted and smirked deviously. " Oh, I'm sure to embarrass and disappoint eventually," she declared, patting his shoulder. " Don't you worry about that."

Optimus laughed and rolled his electro-blue holoform eyes. " Well, thank you for the warning," he teased.

Hunter gave him a cheeky grin. " Just want you to be prepared," she teased back.

Her spark-father nodded. " Yes, it is always nice to be prepared," a agreed a dangerous gleam coming to his eyes, " because if you're not prepared things like this can happen!" In the blink of an eye he had Hunter pinned in his lap and was tickling her.

Shrieking, the sixteen-year-old shoved away from him and fell right off the side of the hood of her spark-father's alt. mode. Then she was up on her feet and darting away.

His holoform jumping down to the beach as well, the Prime chased after her, laughing maniacally as he held his arms and hands out in a "tickle-monster pose". " Ha, ha, ha!" he chortled. " Come here, you! Rraahh!" He lunged but tackled only sand as his spark-daughter leaped out of the way.

Squealing happily and glancing over her shoulder, Hunter sprinted across the beach, the sand flying out from under her bare feet. Unfortunately she wasn't looking where she was going and tripped over a piece of driftwood. With a yelp, the redhead went sprawling forward in the sand.

Seeing this, Optimus wasted no time in taking advantage of her proneness. Hardly giving her enough time to spit and snort the sand out of her mouth and nose he was on top of her, pinning her down and digging his fingers into her ribs and armpits. " Mwah-ha-ha-ha-ha! I have you now!" he cheered triumphantly.

Hunter didn't reply. She couldn't. She was too busy screaming with laughter as she squirmed and wriggled and fought to try and get away, but, despite her valiant efforts, she couldn't. She was trapped. " No!" she screamed. " Optimus!" Once again the young girl tried to push away and escape, managing to roll onto her side. Big mistake. Now her mid-section—the single most ticklish part of her body—was now exposed, and Optimus quickly took up that advantage.

Laughing even more evilly, the Prime flipped the Hybrid completely onto her back and moved his hands to previously stated unprotected ticklish spot. " I've got you now!" he bellowed.

" Ah-ha! No! Ahh!" Hunter's laughter screamed out tenfold as her spark-father dug and wiggled his dangerous fingers around her belly. She tried to roll into a protective ball, but nothing worked. All she could do was lay there in the sand, laughing, helpless, and hopelessly trapped as he inflicted the dreaded tickle-torture upon her. " Enough!" she finally gasped. " Please! I ca-can't... take... any-m-more! Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

But Optimus wasn't quite finished with her yet. Before Hunter had anytime to react or realize what he was doing he'd plunged his face into her bare middle, blowing a series of raspberries across her tummy, his holoform mustache helping to tickle her more.

Hunter screamed, tears streaming down her face. " NOOO!"

Blowing one more raspberry, the Prime finally stopped, deciding that she had been tickled thoroughly. With a chuckle, he pulled the giggling teenager into his lap and cradled her against him. He rocked her. " All right," he purred, rubbing her back. " Shh, calm down now. Hush."

" You are so mean!" Hunter giggled, wiping her eyes. " Why do you always have to tickle me like that?"

" Because you are so much fun to tickle," her guardian answered. He raised a hand, crooking it and wiggling his fingers as if to tickle her some more.

" No!" Hunter shrieked, curling up into a ball and shrinking away from his menacing fingers closer to his chest.

Optimus smiled and chuckled lovingly. " Don't worry," he assured her, patting her knees. " I believe I have filled your "tickle quota" for the night."

" Ya think?" his daughter snipped playfully, glaring up at him.

He replied only with a kiss to her forehead.

The sixteen-year-old's eyes drifted closed and she snuggled closer to the Autobot's chest, purring happily as he continued to stroke her back. She sighed in contentment. As always the most perfect spot in the world was right here in her spark-father's sheltering and loving arms, his spark-beat humming it's soothing tune in her ears. Hunter could almost fall asleep to it right there. That's when the music reached her ears and she jolted up right, looking towards Optimus' alternate mode, the source of the music. Almost immediately she recognized the song: 'I'm Already There' by Lonstar. It was one of her favorites. " Oh I love this song," she sighed with a grin.

" I know," Optimus replied. " That's why I picked it just for this occasion."

Hunter looked back at him with a questioning look. " What occasion?"

Simply smiling, the Prime scooted out from under her and stood, looking back down at her with a fond gaze. He held a hand out. " May I have this dance?" he asked.

And that's when Hunter understood. His birthday gift to her didn't just stop at the necklace, he was going to give her something else that she'd always wanted but only ever dreamed of: a father-daughter dance. Smiling back up at him just as lovingly, the teenager silently reached up and took his hand, letting him help her to her feet. The moment she was standing, Optimus had her swept up into a dance, his arm around her waist holding her close. Hunter could only look up into his eyes, smiling so that her cheeks began to hurt, but even then she continued to smile. How could she not? She was dancing with her father, being held close by him and surrounded by his absolute, unconditional love. There was no place else on earth that was as perfect. A tear escaped down her cheek. She went to wipe it away, but the Prime was already doing it for her. Looking up, the Hybrid could see a few tears shining in his eyes as well and she grinned, unable to keep herself from moving her arms from their formal position to where they were wrapped around his neck. She nuzzled into his chest.

Putting both arms around her, Optimus pulled her even closer (if that was possible) and rested his chin atop her head. A single tear rolled down his cheek before he could stop it and fell onto Hunter's fiery red locks. He kissed it away. He just couldn't believe it. She was finally completely here in his arms. His daughter—all of her—was finally right here, safe and sound in his arms, loving him as completely as he loved her. The Prime wouldn't lie, there had been a few times he wasn't sure she'd be able to completely reciprocate his love at all. But here she was with no reserves on her emotions. Finally. Suddenly Optimus felt Hunter's feet on top of his and he laughed. He hadn't been expecting that.

And something else that he hadn't been expecting either was soon to follow.

Standing atop her father's feet, embracing him, snuggling against him, Hunter felt a sensation that she hadn't ever experienced before. Total and complete peace. Not just with herself, but with the world, with her surroundings, and with the man holding her. She no longer feared for the future, because right there and then she knew that she was never going to be alone again. Optimus had made his promise to her, and he always kept his promises. The love that she felt for this mech was so great that the young girl realized that she could keep it to herself no longer. She had to share it. So without further ado, she softly murmured it. " I love you, Daddy."

Optimus' spark skipped a beat and more tears pricked at his eyes. Finally. After all this time, through all these trials, she'd finally admitted it. And even though he'd already known it, it was what he was wanting to hear more than anything else in the world. Now, finally. Finally. He squeezed his eyes shut to stop the tears and nuzzled into her hair. " I love you too, my shooting star."

Finally they were a family.

High up above them in the early morning sky, two shooting stars soared. One was large and almost red in coloring, while the other that followed only a little ways behind it was smaller and almost blue. Two wishes had come true. And from those two wishes, hope was finally returning.

---

And that's the end guys. Hybrid is officially over. Sappy and sweet, with Optimus and Hunter finally a family. I can't say I'm crying as I end this, but I am definitely a bit sad, but still excited because now I can plan sequels! And boy, I've got some ideas for sequels! :) For those of you who are wondering, Hunter's flashback was inspired by that of Emma Swan's in the season finale of season three of Once Upon a Time. And I have officially decided upon two things writing the last part with Optimus and Hunter: Starscream is a huge jackaft (duh!) and Hunter thinks waaaay too much. XDDD Thank you all for taking this journey with me and I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Now that this is over, I do intend upon going back and re-editing because I've found A LOT of errors looking back at chapters. How could you guys read this with all those typos? You must be extremely patient! Anyway, thank you all again and you are all so wonderful and amazing. God bless you all.

Until the next adventure.

xXBlack'BladeXx a.k.a. Chuck, signing off. :)