Ironhide was the one to escort them to a quiet, suburban neighborhood that held rather impressive houses, some were small and lovely, but others were grand and stately. But she got a sense that this place was just for the personnel of N.E.S.T. that was allowed to live here, considering how many guns the gate guards had. Probably the most secure Bonny had felt in several years. Constantly looking over her shoulder to make sure she wasn't found out.

But still it got out there, and the government in its infinite knowledge had found her address. But at least they swooped in to collect her. So far she'd been fairly safe. It'd be nice to be able to drop my guard for awhile. Maybe I can finally get a full night's sleep.

When they parked at a smaller home, Bonny peered at it, thoroughly enjoying the way it looked. The roof looked metal, something she'd loved as a child, hearing the ping of rain against the tin, or a thunderous roar in a downpour. The house was made of brick, painted all white, while the windows and door trim were black. To one side there was a small patio built into the house, arches framed it made from the same brick.

The yard was neat and trimmed, exactly the same as all the others. Uniform in every way, but her house seemed.. special. She hurried out of Ironhide, "Thanks for the ride!" Her hands were practically itching to see the inside. "What did you guys do, search my browser history for a dream house?" She laughed, her comment directed at Will.

"Actually, Ratchet was the one to demand this layout for you. Dunno why he was so insistent on it. Maybe he wanted you to feel at home?" He glanced at her, an unreadable expression on his face.

"I can't imagine why he'd do that. He's been pretty cold since he came to fetch us. Like it was too bothersome to be dragged away from his work. Then frustrated about the way Hype and I talk to each other. Oh! Hey, Ironhide! Send Hype here when you see him. He went off somewhere and didn't come back. Must have gotten distracted by something."

She smiled at the GMC, hearing a few low grumbles that sounded like agreement before he rolled off, heading back to the base. "Alright, here are your keys, I'll leave you to explore and rest. We're still looking for your luggage, but we'll get you some clothes, or at least money and a ride to shop. I really wish we could have gotten you here a little safer."

"Don't worry about it. I was only slightly traumatized. I'll be fine, honest." She held her hand out to Will, "Thank you for making today feel normal. Can you give me a few days to just… absorb what's going on? I never really thought I'd make it here."

"Yeah of course. We'll notify you when we find your things, until then I'll see you tomorrow to get you for some shopping. Or I'll bring my wife and you two can shop if that'll make you more comfortable. I'm sure she'd enjoy it."

She blushed, smiling slightly, "It'd be nice to have a friend. Tell her I'd appreciate her joining me." Plus she'd have a guide. She certainly couldn't take Hype with her so accurate GPS wasn't going to happen. There was already tension on base. She knew Sam was going to corner her at some point and drive home what her place was, but she wouldn't take threats lying down.

Will looked excited, maybe his wife had trouble making friends too? Bonny shook her head slightly, a light smile on her face. No, that probably wasn't it. "Have a good night, Bonny."

"You too, Will. I'll see you or your wife tomorrow morning. Just text me whatever time she wants to go." Bonny turned to start putting the key in the door, holding her breath slightly as she walked into the foyer. Will called to her and made her turn around.

"They kind of went all out for you! Can't find too many doctors that can do what you do!" Bonny just grinned and watched him stroll away. He probably lives nearby. That'll be nice. Maybe we can go out and have some fun as a group sometime. Rachael looks like she'd be happy to join too, same with JJ.

Bonny smiled and turned to look at the new home she'd been given. It was decorated simply, probably to allow her to add things of her taste to it easily. But it was lovely. Like something from a magazine or a show home. It almost made her scared to touch anything.

Passing through the foyer she realized just how high the ceilings were. There were even transom windows just above the doors. Just like a real colonial. The woodworking and door knobs looked like reproductions, or at least reproductions of what would have been found in the '20's and '30's. Crystal doorknobs, art deco backplates. The small details were so lovely in her eyes. He'd really taken care with this home.

Home.

Her fingertips tingled in delight, when was the last time she'd felt that? It made her feel so warm inside. They'd tried hard to make her comfortable. Surely against the wishes of upper management. She spent the rest of the evening exploring. The kitchen she found extremely pleasing. Appliances were mostly hidden behind cabinetry. The stove was vintage, obviously recently renovated. Each room she went into was filled with things she loved. The pantry already had food in it.

Her brow creased as she looked at the food. These were all things that she bought regularly. Just how much of her life had Ratchet looked into? Maybe he just went a little overboard, but meant well. But a chill went down her spine regardless. It must be so easy for them to slip through the internet. Like child's play. It bothered her to no end just how helpless they were. From soft, easily shredded flesh, to limited strength. Short lives. Insignificant compared to the gleaming giants.

She exhaled in the bedroom, gazing at the bed longingly. The sun was high in the sky but all she could manage as exhaustion finally caught up to her, settling on her shoulders like an anchor dragging her down, was kicking off her shoes before she crawled under the covers and shut her eyes.

By the time she woke up it was dark again. Bleary eyed she searched for her phone. Dead. "Uggghhh." Wearily she shifted to her elbows, sliding from the bed to shuffle to the nearest light switch. Confused for a moment when she realized the room was wrong. It took her a moment to remember that she was in her new house.

As she woke up more she started looking for a charger, surprised to find a few basic clothes in the drawers. Her lips pursed slightly. He'd snooped even further into her life. It felt creepy, but she was trying to convince herself that he'd just been curious about his new coworker. Partner? More akin to an assistant she ended up assuming. A scoff escaped her lips, but at least they didn't have the acrid scent of smoke lingering on the fabric.

Charger forgotten for the moment she pulled out a t-shirt and a pair of sweats, heading to a linen closet to check for towels. Finding one she padded back to the master bathroom she'd discovered. The bathtub was small, but so was she. That made it perfect to soak in. She closed her eyes, sinking deeper in the water. There was a sense of peace as she sat there, enjoying the silent morning.

But like all good things, her bath came to an end as the water turned cool, and Hype decided she'd had enough alone time, yelling for her to get out from behind the door. Before long she was dressed and dry, back on the hunt for a charger. She found one in a small office, adjacent to her own room. She'd noticed a building in the back yard. Hopefully it's a machine shop. I'd be able to tinker in a place like that.

She moved to the kitchen, plugging her phone up, then set to work making some kind of breakfast. Or dinner. She wasn't entirely sure what time it was. Either way, there was pancake mix, all the ingredients for it, syrup, and butter. Perfect. Humming softly she explored, learning the kitchen as she went. Hot fluffy pancakes were exactly what she needed the day she'd had yesterday.

The clicking of the pilot trying to light the gas stove only lasted for a second, but the flame made a chill creep down her spine.

The orange glow of fire and sparks licking at the sky were still vivid in her mind. How many people had died? How would they cover it up? Say that they were all passengers on the same flight that crashed? That was more than likely the story they'd go with. Her phone pinged twice, causing her to look up, the unknown number announced it was Will, and a second his wife, Sarah. A smile crept across her lips, the image melting as she thought about the community she'd just joined. All of them had this secret to keep. It was thrilling, and a bond that would hold them together.

Maybe… just maybe I'd have a small family. Rebuild something like what I lost. That'd be nice. Her fingers danced across the phone as she tapped out her replies to them, apologizing for the late hour. Having the phone cut back on gave her a chance to look at the time. It was 2am.

Hype got under her feet, she grumbled at him, "Come on, move it, you are not a cat!"

He whined, "But you slept all day and most of the night!"

"And?" Her brows rose, "We had a very long night, and an even longer morning, I think I deserved some kind of rest."

He didn't argue with her over that, but unable to go back to sleep she busied herself for a few hours. She was having a hard time believing this was real, believing that she had entered into a government program that was so secretive that the handful of people who knew had to be segregated from the rest of society for fear that the truth would get out. This felt... incredible. Like a real home compared with her parent's house, that had never been home. The moment her family passed it ceased to be that. It was just a tomb of far away memories.

Reclining in her bed around 6am, sleep washed over her like a thick blanket, like last time, nightmares didn't plague her mind. Not even of the attack.

Bonny waited on the small patio for Ironhide and Sarah to arrive, Hype was given specific instructions to stay in the house and try not to break anything. Her eyes widened as she spotted the blonde, who was very pregnant, "Hello! Are you Bonny?" She called, smiling brightly.

"Y-Yes! Hi!" She hopped up quickly and walked to the truck, her steps brisk and purposeful, her returning smile slightly nervous, "It's nice to meet you." She hauled herself into the massive truck, "Good morning, Ironhide."

"Hurry up, punk. We haven't got all day." He grumbled gruffly. He must not be a morning 'bot.

"Okay, okay, keep your pants on." Bonny huffed right back.

Sarah pursed her lips, shaking her head at him, "You should be nicer to people 'Hide, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar." She giggled. Such a Southern saying.

"She's right you know, but it's okay, you're still less grumpy than Ratchet." That got a chuckle from him as he pulled off.

Sarah turned to her, grinning. "So, what do you think of the house? I helped decorate it." She looked genuinely thrilled.

"I absolutely adore it, and I can hardly wait to add my own touches. Thank you for making me feel at home." But the nagging concern at the back of her mind tugged again. She pushed it away, not wanting to cause waves in the apparently tightly knit community.

"I'm so glad. It's rare for us to bring anyone new in, and it gets lonely not being able to talk to anyone about these things." She nodded, understanding all too well what Sarah spoke of.

"And even if you did trust someone enough to tell them they'd think you were crazy." Voice filled with exasperation she rolled her eyes.

"Exactly!" Sarah paused, "How did you meet your friend?"

Bonny smiled slightly, "He landed in my backyard. Ruined my birdbath, but the moment I saw him I forgot about it. He was hurt and in pain. That was more important than anything else, to keep him alive that is." She rubbed her chin slightly, "It was a really strange night, to say the least."

"I still remember when Ironhide crashed into my neighbor's backyard. It was such a crazy coincidence that Will encountered Decepticons during his tour in the Middle East." She shook her head slightly, "He tried to tell me when he got back, but I didn't believe him at first. I thought maybe he had some PTSD going on."

"It's not an easy pill to swallow, that's for sure. But, they are the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. I don't really care about what dangers I might face. Just getting to meet them and work with them, it's unlike anything I ever imagined." She was grinning to herself, forgetting momentarily that Ironhide was the one driving them. "Anyway, where are we heading to shop?"

"There's a fancy outdoor mall about 40 minutes away from here, that's where we're going. They've got tons of different shops. Decore, furniture, clothes, I'm pretty sure there's a Body and Bath Factory there too. I know you lost pretty much everything during your arrival."

Tiptoeing around the fact that her plane had been destroyed, almost with her in it, just made her flinch slightly, "It was one hell of a welcome from the 'cons I guess." A nervous chuckle escaped her lips, "It was an experience, but if this trip is on the government's dime, let's have some fun."

Sarah laughed, rubbing her belly gently, "I love shopping, even if it's just looking at things. It gives me ideas."

"I'm not usually one to shop around. Mostly it was just function over form, but I was also on a really, really tight budget." She smiled slightly, "It'll be nice to let loose and get nice things for a change."

"I know you already have several degrees, did you get mostly scholarships?" No one had really asked about that before. Bonny hesitated.

"I mean, I had some, I started college courses when I was 16, but I didn't really start until I was a bit older. My parents had some money set aside for college, but they passed away in a car crash - drunk driver - so that saved money got used on their funerals and continuing to pay the mortgage on the house. I worked my ass off to get the rest of the way through school."

Sarah's brows rose, "I'm so sorry! I wouldn't have asked if I knew!"

She waved her hands slightly, "No, no, it's okay, really, too many people apologize the moment they hear it, but it's just a part of the events that shaped me as a person. The drunk driver didn't survive the crash either so there was really no one to blame for it. I made peace with their deaths." Mostly..

Sarah reached over, settling her hand over Bonny's. "You've got a new family now, isn't that right 'hide?"

There was a gruff sound before he spoke through the radio, "Surviving grief and loss makes a being stronger. You should be very proud of yourself." It was said begrudgingly, but it still had her sitting straighter in her seat.

"Thank you. Both of you."

The shopping was blissfully uneventful, but they slightly regretted bringing Ironhide. There wasn't a lot of room in the back of the cab for the baker's dozen bags weighted down with designer brands and shoes and decorations they'd found that suited her style. It had been enjoyable, fun even! She felt like she was just a regular human with a normal friend. They laughed, asking Ironhide to turn on the radio. Some rock station flickered on, the sound of the music trilled through her, vibrating her very bones.

She sang along to every song, loudly, happily, slightly off key. It felt good to let loose, to just relax. There had been too many sleepless nights where all she could manage was to tinker, experimenting with different ways to help Hyperdrive, and Autobots like him. But now, in the quiet of her still unfamiliar home, she suddenly felt very alone.

Her heart thudded oddly as she realized that she'd missed having other humans around her. How many months had it been that it was just her and Hype? Sure he was good company, but it wasn't entirely the same.

Bonny settled on the couch, frowning slightly to herself as she stared at the bags. Lost in thought she was startled when something touched her arm.

"Bon, you alright? You've been sitting here for a long time." Hype tilted his head to the side, still holding onto her sleeve. She opened her mouth and then closed it again, unable to find words to explain what was going on in her head.

"I'm fine. I.." She sighed softly, "It's just a big change, you know?" Gently she scooped him up, cuddling him close. He was always so warm. Like a small heating pad. Her eyelids fluttered closed, "I think maybe I did too much today, too much social interaction at least. I feel completely drained."

"You know that's a symptom of depression." He meant well, Bonny knew that, and maybe he was right. She'd just never had the time, no, she'd never wanted to admit it.

"..I know." Silence hung in the air, she wanted to say something else but the words didn't feel right.

"Maybe you should talk to someone?" Hype suggested.

"And who would I talk to? Who would understand anything that I'd talk about without instantly calling me a schizophrenic that's in the middle of grandiose delusions and hallucinating secret government facilities and giant robots among other things." Her eyes darkened as she looked at him carefully, "I'd have to lie so much, it doesn't even seem like it'd be therapeutic. But… but maybe the team has a psychiatrist? Surely?"

Bonny lifted Hype from her lap and put him on the floor, he huffed, looking up at her with optics that seemed all too knowing, "Don't put off asking, or I'll ask for you. You need to take care of yourself so you can take care of us."

A laugh escaped her lips, just a single short bark, "Okay, okay, thank you mother, I will speak to them after we've finished settling in. I'm going to go toss my new clothes in the wash before I hang them up. You'd really like Sarah, she's absolutely adorable. Will got very lucky."

She could feel his optics on her even as she gathered up her bags. The heavy weight that had settled between her shoulder blades seemed to get even heavier.