Optimus P.O.V

As I stood on a large grassy hill overlooking Sam's hometown, I cast my optics to the sky now turning varying shades of reds, oranges and yellows as the sun set on this world. My processor sifted through my many thoughts of the past cycle, or day, as the humans would refer to it.

The species of this planet, the humans, had proven themselves to be worthy allies in my team's time of need. Courage, honour and self-sacrifice, all qualities I look for in those I surround myself with, had been demonstrated ably by those humans that stood with us against Megatron and his followers.

I shuttered my optics in thought and glanced towards where Sam and Mikaela were sitting with Bumblebee. Even, and perhaps most especially, the younger humans, had shown great bravery under fire and duress /much like the young mech, Bumblebee/. While they indeed have much to learn and are, in many ways a primitive race, there is a goodness and potential in them that I cannot ignore. Like us, there is more to them than meets the eye.

At this thought I turned my head to look at Orianna Connors as she sat on the hood of her green vehicle ''Relda'' I believe she called it? She seemed content to be near everyone but on her own. She seemed to be casting her gaze towards the skies as well.

Like Sam, Mikaela, Epps and Lennox and the many others who fought with us earlier, she too possessed courage, honour, bravery and self-sacrifice. However, I could not escape the feeling in my circuits and my spark that she was different to the others. As I thought back to my few interactions with her; from our meeting in the alleyway, to the moment she defied my orders under the bridge and after my fight with Megatron, there was something about her that stood out.

My processor played back the incident under the bridge when Mikaela fell. While I cannot be certain, I have a feeling that Orianna played a major role in saving their lives, that she possessed some ''ability,'' not usually found amongst her kind.

I continued to gaze at her as she gazed at the stars. I could tell from this distance through my sensors that she was at peace, calm but also an air of uncertainty and a sadness shadowed her. I tilted my helm as I took in the puzzle that was Orianna Connors.

Then, without warning, she turned and stared at me, as though she had senses of her own that alerted her to my ''visual prying.'' She did not seem angry that I had somehow interrupted her silent reverie, rather the opposite. She smiled and waved at me, a human gesture of acknowledgment and greeting. Taken aback by her sudden openness, I simply once again inclined my helm in her direction to let her know I saw her and acknowledged her in return. Orianna paused for a moment as though thinking something through, what it was I could not be sure, and then she simply turned her gaze back towards the darkening sky as the stars came out to shine. /Something different indeed/.

I cast my gaze skyward one more time, reflecting on the message I had previously sent to my brothers and sisters taking refuge in the stars. We would remain on this planet, waiting for their arrival and watching over the humans in secret.

Taking one last look at my team and our new human allies, I turned to walk off down the hill to where Lennox and Epps were currently making their way with intel on what was to become our new home here on Earth – a Military airbase located in the Indian Ocean, Diego Garcia. Although it was not Cybertron, and my spark clenched at the grief of losing my home world, it felt good to once again have a ''home,'' a place to feel connected to and with. Afterall, it is the connections in life that we have and make that anchor us to ourselves and our purpose.

Orianna

/Beautiful/ I thought to myself as I took in the incredible hues of the evening sky. My stars were slowly revealing themselves as darkness raced to claim the land once again. A gentle breeze tugged at my long hair and brought cool relief from the exertions of the past 24 hours. Thankfully I had been reunited with my beloved green Land Rover Discovery ''Relda'' and I now sat on her hood, pondering the events of the past 24 hours.

After doing what could be done in Mission City, we had headed back towards Sam's home for some much-needed R &R, and for Sam, for some much-needed reassurance for his parents that he was alive and well. While Ron and Judy, Sam's parents, had been shocked, awed and proud of their son's involvement with alien Robots, they seemed to take it in their stride. As long as their boy was ok and the Government would cover any ''financial losses due to robot renovations'', Ron and Judy were ok with the new arrangements of having a transforming Camaro living in the garage.

I was introduced to Sam's parents as a friend who had helped save his life during the Mission City event. Ron and Judy welcomed me enthusiastically after that – no questions asked, /Just the way I like it/. After some showers, clean change of clothes (given I was living out of my car I had a portable wardrobe), and some food (God – when had I last eaten?), we bid our farewells and headed out to meet Lennox and Epps outside of town for info on where the Autobots would be calling ''home.''

A small smile spread across my face as I reflected on what had taken place. Never in my life had I thought I would have been involved in such crazy events, and this was coming from a woman who had lived with psychokinesis for most of her life! In a matter of hours my life had taken a dramatic turn and set me on a new course – though at times it had been terrifying, it had never been dull and I had felt a realness, a purpose and a connection to others I had not felt in such a long time /If at all/.

While I have been on my own before and am more than capable of looking after myself, after the past 24 hours I have come to realise I don't want to be on my own – I need to feel connected. /Don't we all?/. Sam, Mikaela, Epps, Lennox, Optimus and the others, whether they liked it or not, they were now my family, my people.

A cold shiver passed over me and a dark shadow flittered over my heart. /But do they see you that way – would they want you around? No one else seems to/. Before I could follow that self-loathing train of thought I felt something else chase away the darkness and self-doubt. A feeling. Warmth, kindness – curiosity? I felt as though I was being watched but not in a bad way.

I turned my head towards where Optimus stood, like a large metallic sentinel, watching me. He was regarding me with a thoughtful and curious expression, well what I assumed to be anyway as their faces don't allow expression as well as our human faces do. I couldn't be sure what he was thinking but I smiled and waved to him to let him know I saw him and that I was ok.

He seemed taken aback by my sudden gesture, as if he did not suspect I would notice him. He once again simply inclined that noble head of his and acknowledged my presence and gesture. /I want to go to him. Talk to him/. For a moment I fought the urge to get up and approach the Prime – to say what? What would or could an insignificant human such as me have to say to such a powerful being as Optimus Prime that would capture his attention? No. Best to stay put and converse with my stars. So, I did just that.

Shortly after my decision to avoid the Prime, I heard his heavy footfalls as he walked off down the hill. There had been talk earlier of Epps and Lennox meeting us out here to inform Prime of where he and his team would be stationed for the foreseeable future. /Perhaps that is where has gone?/.

As I gazed at my beautiful stars shining brightly above, I silently prayed that wherever they were going, I would be welcome to join them. Afterall, home is where the heart is, and my heart belonged to the Autobots.