Disclaimer : I don't own it.

Note: This is just a brief note to the reviewers. I've had two people tell me so far that this story is like Twilight right now, with the angsty stuff.

I do realize this story is angsty right now, and while I do agree it's taking a while to lighten up and Bella's feeling pretty sorry for herself, considering the nature of the issue, it wouldn't feel right to give her one chapter where she's all "Everyone hates me! I suck!" and then have things return to normal the next chapter. So it does take while.

But more importantly, you guys chose the, well...perfect time to mention it because the next chapter or two, things should lighten up fairly considerably.


(A Week Later, Normal POV)

Optimus vented softly as he gazed at the formal human paperwork before him. Optics narrowed and he could have growled, if he hadn't learned a surprising amount of patience by now. When will the humans learn we are better with mechanical items? A computerized datapad or data packet would have been much more efficient.

He formed his holographic form, and began looking them over, scowling when he recognized custody papers for Isabella Cameron. Part of him felt insulted for her. She wasn't a sparkling, or a youngling. Despite her young age, by comparison to their own millenia of existence, there was no denying she was an adult. She wasn't a piece of property, either.

However, the President of the United States had finally seen things their way. While Bella was still on highly restricted access, and to be watched at all times, she was no longer being seen as a main threat. Perhaps it was his seeing that she wasn't exactly gloating. Or maybe it was the fact one of their own had been returned with her, and both had been damaged. As long as he filled out the papers, he was taking...custody over her.

Like a parent, of sorts.

Anything she did, he would be responsible for. If she left the island, as long as she didn't personally cause any damage, there wouldn't be any issues. However, he knew that wasn't the case. If there was any damage, whether related to her or not, the human government would immediately press the issue of her being a threat, trying to take her once more.

He quickly filled out and signed the papers, before his processor turned to another direction all together.

She feels like a prisoner here. The idea hurt his spark more than he cared to admit. He'd come to see the bots as an extended family, and he knew they all felt the same way about each other. She was new to their ways, but a few of the bots had already adapted to her presence, like him, but there were still others who were not comfortable around her.

Ironhide...

Optimus vented. She wants to leave. I know that much. If I don't allow her, I am entirely too certain she will sneak off on her own. If I allow her, at least I will know where she is, will I not?The idea of her leaving didn't sit well with him at all, but he couldn't find reason not to keep her there. If he tried, it would cause more issues. They already had bots stepping up surveillance of Tranquility...

And I still need to have a word with Ironhide.Glancing down at a datapad, he narrowed his optics. About his behaviour towards her. She is clearly suffering, and he must see this. Shaking his head, he vented and stood, holographic form disappearing. The papers will be here when I return.He turned and nearly stalked away from them, leaving his quarters, and looking for Ironhide.


(?)

'Man this is boring! Why'd we come here, again?'

'That human saying, 'strength in numbers'. Starscream's gonna be looking for us, and if he finds us, we'll be better prepared with four against, uh...however many he sends after us. Besides, he's one of us. He'd do the same for us.'

There was a snort. 'Unless his original creator is a Starscream supporter, which means his own programming would make hima Starscream supporter.'

'No, he is not. He follows orders well, but trust me, I've hung around him long enough to know he's nota Starscream supporter. Besides, I never said you two slaggers had to come with me.'

'Awww, but we wouldn't miss this for the world!'

It must have been odd for a police cruiser to growl, because people walking by it paused and moved away, startled. One woman grabbed her curious child, oblivious to the equally as curious optics watching them, guiding it away.

"Vicious, blood thirsty dogs!" She hissed darkly. "A threat to everyone!"

You have no idea, femme. Barricade smirked, his holographic lips twitching up as well. Then he spotted a familiar form, and the smirk all but melted off his face. He felt himself turn cold with loathing and near blinding rage, tinged with a hint of respect. That's him. He accomplished what most humans could never comprehend. Very...resourceful, for a human.

The man was clearly in his late forties, to mid-fifties, over halfway through his life in human eyes. He had darker skin, thought Barricade didn't care enough to google what race he might be, and had short dark hair slicked back, with equally as dark eyes. The man glanced around himself almost suspiciously, completely bypassing Barricade, before he stepped out of the butcher shop. He wore an impeccable suit, and brushed it off. Then, he froze and cringed.

"Reggie! You forgot your underwear!"

People stopped and stared, and he slowly turned around, his face turning a rather unhealthy shade of white. An elderly, heavy set woman rushed out of the shop with a small bag, and his face flushed to an almost alarming shade of red.

"I tell you, you'd forget your head, if it wasn't attached!" She handed him the bundle. Then she looked around. "I thought you were going to do the laundry. Don't tell me you forgot the rest of the stuff!" Shaking her head, she sighed, either not aware or just ignoring the laughter and snickers around them. "You're a damn lucky boy mommy dearest already washed most of it for you, or you'd be going to work in your jammies."

Barricade could only stare, amused. Over their internal links, Dead End sounded like he was about to offline himself, choking on his laughter, and even Blackout was snorting almost painfully.

"Ma!" Simmons' hand lashed out and he grabbed the bag, ducking his head a little with a horrified look. "Ya don't need to yell! I got it, thanks.!" He hissed, trying to brush off the laughters around them. "And the rest of it's in the car."

"Yeah, well, it better be. I do enough around the house." Simmons slapped a hand over his face and groaned. "And don't you give me that attitude, mister! I'm gonna go get ready to go home now. You finish your laundry and head back, ya hear?" She patted his cheek, before turning and marching back into the shop.

"God, kill me now."

'That can be arranged, fleshbag.' Dead End grumbled quietly. 'Is this douche really the one behind Megatron and Bumblebee getting caught and tortured? He doesn't even have the wit to take care of his pathetically weak cloth armor!'

'That is what I heard, and what the femme's memory banks confirmed, yes.' Barricade snorted dryly. 'I will remain here until it is dark and all witnesses have gone off to their little recharge berths. Blackout, follow 'Reggie' from the sky, and keep an eye on him. There's something I don't like about him.'

'Besides the fact you don't like anything organic?'

Barricade smirked, his holographic eyes flashing red. 'Yes, besides that. When the time is right, I will demolish this pathetic little store of theirs and take back what's mine.'

'No hurting the fleshbags though, right?'

The reminder of Bella's words made Barricade's smirk falter. Blackout didn't know about that, but if they really were going neutrals, they couldn't afford to make enemies of the Autobots. 'Exactly. Now go. Leave me to my retrieval task.'

Without another word, Dead End pulled off the curb to pull surveillance around the area, and Blackout's energy signature left the immediate scanning area, undoubtedly following after Simmons. Barricade's optics landed on the shop, and he began multiple plans to retrieve Frenzy's head with as little damage and unwanted attention as possible.

After all, if the human government, and subsequently the Autobots, were made aware of their location, so would the Decepticons.


(Bella's POV)

A week. I'd spent seven freakin' days more or less in hiding. Ever since the Ratchet incident, most of the bots now regarded me with amusement. I didn't know if my embarrassing naivety was better or worse, then having them hating me. Either way, a few bots and most of the humans still didn't trust me, so I hid in my room. The stares and glares were bad enough, but the raucous comments and amused little 'sparkling-in-a-femme's-body' comments made it all ten times worse.

I didn't answer it for Mikeala or Maggie, or even the rare occasion Sarah came by. I was just too mortified and annoyed. I didn't answer it for Rika, but she just let herself in anyways, like it was no big deal. I didn't even answer it for Ratchet, who seemed to take a page from Rika's book and just let himself in.

"You need to drink your energon." He held the cup out to me. How many times did this make?

"What, is this like a daily thing?" I frowned, seriously hoping it wasn't. I took the cup, and stared down at the odd liquid inside, contemplating the 'plan' I'd been working on for some time now. It was more or less a rough escape plan, but if I needed daily energon, why waste my time? "How can you even make energon, anyways?"

"It is not easy." Ratchet stood across from my berth, venting deeply. "First, we require a substantial load of irradiated crystals, of a specific makeup. Then, they must have had millenia to soak in the radiation your sun filters down. On top of that, we would need a large amount of them, just to make a small amount of concentrated energon, after refining. Your sun doesn't give the required amount of gamma and beta rays within one Earth century."

I looked at him blankly, trying to wrap my mind around everything he'd just said. However, advanced processor or not, I was still drawing a blank.

He seemed to notice that, too, because he abruptly went quiet and blinked, shaking his head. "It is...a long, complicated process. We were able to find a decent amount of crystals on your Moon, and refined enough energon to bring with us. There is none on Earth, however." His optics went distant. "We will have to make another trip up for the refinery machinery. Perhaps after Soundwave has been dealt with, while the bots are in space..."

"You can battle in space?" I sipped the energon, the liquid both sweet and oddly spicy.

"We arean incredibly advanced race." He shot me a dry look. "And we do not require breathing, so yes. We can. As for your earlier question about daily energon, you only require it now to fill your tanks to an acceptable level. Your system has been low, and though it has not affected your performance, you require steady feedings to build your system back up. This should be the last one-"

I could have cried, the relief was so strong.

"And then you will only require monthly feedings. I could have fed you the full amount at once, but energon in it's refined state can be considered... I believe a human term would be 'alcoholic'. To drink that much would have you overcharged-" I nodded in understanding then, causing him to pause in confusion.

"More or less the Cybertronian version of drunk off my arse, right?" I sipped on it some more. Something about energon made it the type of drink you sipped, not chugged.

He nodded after a second, his lip plates twitching. "I believe Sunstreaker has been asking after your well being."

"Pfft!" I snorted and rolled my optics, a rather odd feeling if I do say so myself, and shook my head, draining the rest of the energon and handing him the cup back. The energon immediately created a warm rush through my system. So much for not chugging. "As if he really cared." I'd seen him once, and he acted like nothing had happened. He glared at me, not as openly hostile as he had before, and walked right past without a word.

"If he did not care, I do believe he would not have asked." Ratchet was frowning.

"He's been forced to be my guardian. Of course he needs to pretend he cares."

"Have you not heard?"

I tilted my head at him, feeling that familiar tension filling my body.

"Optimus gave Sunstreaker the chance to do as he likes, offering to take you on as his own charge, but Sunstreaker refused. He insisted on taking care of you."

Had I heard that? You'd think it'd be something I couldn't, or wouldn't for that matter, forget.

"Not to mention, Sideswipe has been asking after you, as well."

Sideswipe.. He regained consciousness two days after I made Ratchet pass out with my mentioning carrying Sunstreaker's sparkling. Apparently the thought of a mini-Streaker was too much for him, and despite my own embarrassment, I couldn't help but snicker at the idea. Point is, he and Sideswipe, as far as I'd heard, had been inseparable since their reuniting, and often spent days alone in a private hangar doing...

Well, doing God-knows-what, really.

Hah, Transformers fangirls would probably have had a field day with imagining what those two were doing behind closed doors!

"I have an Autobot-sized door." I shrugged, staring at the floor.

"I do not believe Sunstreaker feels comfortable, coming to look for you. He mentioned saying something that upset you greatly." There was a snort. "I never would have pegged Sunstreaker as the 'awkward' type, but considering it's relating to a femme, I can believe it."

"He's a player." I met Ratchet's optics briefly. "He can have any femme-"

"And yet, youare the only femme here, at the moment. The only Cybertronian femme, that is."

"The Arcee triplets should be arriving anytime." I shrugged a little, letting my eyes fall back to the floor.

There was a small hum, and the cup was accepted from me. "Optimus wishes to speak with you. Should I send him in?"

I blinked, and my face scrunched up. "I'm not the principal, you don't have to ask." I gave him another look, before shaking my head. I suddenly imagined a pretty sheepish looking Optimus being led into the room, staring at the floor and dragging his toe plating across it quietly, and shook my head again, trying to dislodge the image.

I don't know which one's worse. Scolded Prime, or thong-Prime.Immediately, my mind flashed to Optimus doing the catwalk, or pulling a Peter Griffon daisy dukes phase, and I could have cried. Thong-Prime. Most definitely, thong-Prime.

Ratchet looked at me oddly a moment, before nodding, and his optics went distant. When he snapped back to the present, I'd already raised an eyebrow and he mimicked the look. "Prime will be here momentarily. I suggest you rest for the time being."

"Aww, gee, and here I was hoping to blow the base sky high." I snarked sarcastically, before rolling my eyes. "With everyone actually expecting that, leaving my room's more or less out of the question." I just didn't want to face the glares and whispers. "Don't worry, I'm perfectly happy to grow roots here." For now.

When Ratchet actually checked my feet with worry, muttering about how Cybertronians shouldn't be growing roots at all, I couldn't help the amused groan as I informed him it was yet another human saying. He left my room with mutters and a shake of his head, only to be replaced by Optimus, who looked remarkably serious.

"Well, don't you look...grim?"

He raised an optic ridge. "The nature of my news is no laughing matter."

It never is. I nodded silently, waiting. He stalked forward, and it took everything I had to ignore the rampant image of a black leather thong over his groin plating. Oh Primus! Damn those old hens! I wonder how he'd react to me darting past him and planting my forehead in the wall behind him? He'd probably call Ratchet back in to check on my sanity.

"So I have spoken to the President. He is not happy with what you know, and the concerns around your unusual release from Decepticon capture. Ratchet has informed me the cables in your wrist have not healed enough for a data transfer." I don't think he missed how I rubbed at the area, at the reminder. "But I have given your earlier request some thought..." He trailed off at whatever my expression held, and that optic ridge seemed to hike even higher. "You do remember which request I am speaking of."

"I've made countless requests, some seriously, and some in jest." Hey! That rhymed! I let my eyes fall shut. "I can think of any number of quests you could be talking about."

"I am speaking of your request to return to your former place of residence." My eyes snapped open at this, to see he was frowning. "I must be honest, I am not pleased with this decision. I do not think it wise. You are more vulnerable out there, and I am certain Starscream will be after you with more vengeance than ever."

I snorted, causing him to pause. "Stars-creamed-himself-" Optimus' optics went dim, before he frowned and tilted his head in confusion. "-wouldn't know what to do with a femme if she bit him in the aft." Rolling my optics, I sighed. "I know I'm not safe there, but I'd feel a hell of a lot freer."

"I...understand and respect that, which is why, to help prove you are not a prisoner, you have been given permission to leave the island and return to your 'apartment'. However, this comes with the stipulation that you report to the base at least once a day, to make sure we are aware of your health and status. And you are not to leave the city."

"But I can go home?" It bothered me, that it bothered him, that I didn't see the base as 'home', but more than anything, I wanted to sleep in my bed. I wanted to cook, for the sheer thrill of cooking. I wanted to sit and watch TV, and watch my movies, which were still in existence. Not the Transformers movies. The others from my former fandoms. I wanted to ride the bus... My eyes narrowed then. "Are you gonna become a bus again?"

He blinked, but then smirked ever so slightly. "Will I have to?"

"Only if you wanna hear more old ladies going on about you in a thong." I muttered, blushing when he tilted his head curiously. Never mind! Oh Primus, never mind! I thought about it a moment, before shrugging. "It's up to you."

"Shall I send Sunstreaker with you?"

"No!" I think my immediate answer startled us both, and I ducked my head. I remember the harsh words and angry glowers. I didn't really want to deal with those, just now. "Um, he...he needs time to fix his twin-bond with Sideswipe. Besides, I think he's had enough of the troublesome femme. I'll..." The idea of not having him around filled me with an odd longing I just didn't want to admit. At the same time, however, I worried that if I said 'Yes', it'd undo any progress I still had with that bot.

Though, all things considered, we might well be back at square one, and even have gone back ten steps from that point.

"I would feel more comfortable if you had a guardian. I will speak to my troops and see who will volunteer." I looked up at him, and saw the look in his eyes. I wasn't getting away without a guardian. That much I knew.

"Alright. As long as they volunteer, and it's not Ironhide. If he points those blasted, no pun intended, cannons at me one more time, I swear to Primus I'm gonna fill every chamber in those things with silly string." I felt my eyes narrow as Prime raised an optic ridge. "And I am not joking or making idle threats."

He nodded, the smirk back on his face. "I understand as much. I have spoken to him on your behalf, and he promises me he will not arm himself at your presence again, unless you are actually pointing a blaster at a fellow bot with the clear intent to follow through."

"Pfft! He'd shoot me and say 'I thought she had a blaster!', or 'Oops, my finger slipped...', and we both know it."

Now, as Optimus' smirk faded, his optics narrowed dangerously and flashed. "There are very few femmes left, at present. We regard any femme with great honor. Ironhide would do well not to blast one without just cause." There was a low growl in his voice. "Regardless of how some bots may act around you, Isabella-" I would have corrected him, but something in his tone and look stopped me cold. "We would not actually harm you. You will see this, once I am able to connect to your memory banks and confirm your story for myself."

I could only nod. I'd seen Optimus pissed before. I'd seen him stern, but to actually have him change from the calmer, gentler bot to this sterner, colder bot actually frightened me. He almost reminded me of a kinder, saner Megatron on a good day. I'm not sure if it was my words that did it, or not, and I could only shrink back at the feeling of him towering over me, that hit me.

As if that was the key, his optics suddenly widened, and he stepped back, seeming to deflate. "I... I apologize." He lowered his head, a look of blatant shame coming over his features. "I did not mean to frighten you."

"What the bloody hell was that about?" I was embarrassed to admit that I squeaked the question, rather than demanding it.

"It is a...long, painful story."

I took a page out of Will's book then, tilting my head as I straightened, slowly. "Wanna... Um, do you...want to talk about it?"

He looked at me a long moment. "What do you know of a femme commander by the designation of 'Elita-one'?"

And thatopened up a whole new can of worms. I could only stare at him a very long moment, before sighing. That was the question, wasn't it? More or less everything I knew was here say, but with some bots, it was more here say than anything else, and she was one of them. I'd have to watch what I said, around Prime.

This wasn't just any bot we'd be discussing.

This was his mate.

There was no doubt in my mind.


Written : Sept 8, 2010

Hope you like it.

R+R Please

Thank you

Tenshi