Update: Didn't know the chapter was all weird in its format which prevented some from reading until a reader let me know about it. It has been fixed and can be read now.

Enjoy!

The past few days had gone on slowly for Terra. She was making a slow yet steady recovery and learning how to properly use her new hands. Most of her time was spent at the Autobot base learning all there was to know about the Autobots while her nights were spent staying over at the Darby household under the watchful eye of Arcee. Things were tense whenever she was around the female Autobot, but they were slowly warming up to each other. Terra decided not to bring up Starscream around her just yet.

Terra was practicing picking up a variety of different items inside the Autobot base when Fowler and Optimus approached her. She looked over at them and gave them a warm smile.

"It appears that you are making good progress with your recovery, Terra. How are the new hands?" Optimus asked.

"I'm really getting the hang of it, Optimus. I can pick up small things without crushing them now," Terra chimed while grabbing a nearby soda can. The first time she tried to pick up a can ended up with her squeezing too hard and spraying soda all over a laughing Miko and some unknown equipment that Ratchet apparently needed. She had apologized, but the doctor was still annoyed and made her clean it up.

"That is wonderful. With those new hands, you could protect yourself if the time came for it," Optimus replied while looking over at Fowler and giving him a nod. Fowler was holding some files that looked important.

"What do you have there?" Terra asked, eyeing the files curiously.

"We found you a decent place to stay until we're sure Megatron isn't after you anymore. It's in Jackson, Wyoming. It's a mountainous little town and I found an abandoned mountain house for you," Fowler said while handing Terra the files. Terra looked through them, her smile growing when she saw the cute little cabin by a beautiful river. There were also pictures of the mountains surrounding it. It wasn't a beach, but this would do perfectly.

"It's amazing. How soon can I go there?" Terra asked, eager to go to her new temporary home.

"Things are still being prepared at the moment, so I'd give it a few days," Fowler said.

Terra sighed happily as she imagined staying at such a wonderful place. She was going to get lots of fresh air, plenty of opportunities to explore, and whenever Starscream came along, they could explore together and spend some much-needed time together talking about what to do next.

She reached into her pocket and felt the tracking device. It was quiet over the past few days. Hopefully it would come to life once she was in her new home…

Starscream had lost count of the solar cycles since Terra had escaped. He had been flying all over on his fake mission to find those little brats. The tracker was activated, but she was nowhere to be found. She was with the Autobots. He was sure of it. They were keeping her well hidden in their unknown base, but when they decided to release her, he would know the moment she was out.

He was growing restless and so was Megatron whenever he returned empty-handed. Those kids had homes to return to, but he wasn't sure which homes to investigate whenever he felt like flying over that little town. It was clear that they stayed with the Autobots most of the time. At some point, just snatching a random person would cross his mind, but he was sure Megatron would be furious about that.

He was flying along a mountain range when he felt the signal. He immediately flew down to the ground and transformed, landing on his feet as he immediately checked the signal again.

"Where are you, Terra?" He murmured as he tried to pinpoint her exact location. It took him a few moments before he discovered where she was. She was a few states away. Perfect.

"There you are, my little friend. I'll be there soon," he said with a soft chuckle before transforming and taking off into the night sky. He felt a wave of excitement well up within him as he thought of seeing his friend again.

The cabin was perfect when Terra first laid eyes on it. Optimus had driven her through what was called a ground-bridge which immediately brought them to her destination. Terra took in the scenery around her when she stepped out of Optimus.

The cabin was located at the base of Grand Teton. Terra looked up at the mountains towering over her and then at the beautiful shimmering lake in the distance. She was going to have a wonderful time exploring and hiking here. She could see a herd of elk in the distance. They had looked over at Optimus when he transformed and they quickly hurried off.

"God, it's beautiful, Optimus," Terra said, turning to the Autobot leader with a beaming smile.

"I'm glad you enjoy it, Terra. It should keep you well hidden and there's plenty of places to hide if the Decepticons were to find you," Optimus replied, looking up at the mountain before him. He then opened a panel in his chest and pulled out a key and what looked like some kind of remote that resemble the one Starscream gave her. Terra wanted to ask about what to do if Starscream were to come along, but she was sure he would tell her to avoid him. She decided not to bring him up.

"Here's a key to the house and here's an emergency device. If the Decepticons come, press the button and we will be here to assist you. I will have someone come by once a week to check on your well-being," Optimus explained as he handed her the two items. Terra couldn't help but notice how much he sounded like a worried dad when he talked to her.

"Thank you so much for your help. I really appreciate everything you and the others have done for me," Terra chimed. Optimus smiled at that as he stood to his full height and looked to the setting sun. Terra looked to the sunset and admired its beauty.

"Stay safe, Terra. In time, Megatron will lose interest in pursuing you and you will be able to return to your home and family," Optimus said before a ground bridge appeared before them.

"God, I hope so. I hope this war of yours comes to an end soon," Terra replied, watching as Optimus approached the bridge.

"I hope so as well," Optimus said as he went into the ground bridge. Terra watched him go until the bridge disappeared completely.

With a sigh, Terra went to the front door of her cabin and inserted the key into the lock. She turned and it opened with ease. The inside of the cabin was like any other cabin, but Terra didn't mind. She always loved camping and loved staying in cabins during her many years of summer camp. She had the entire place all to herself.

Terra went to the kitchen and saw that it was already stocked with food. Perfect. She decided to check out the bedroom and as she ascended the stairs, she felt something vibrate inside her pocket. Her heart skipped a beat when she reached in and felt the tracking device Starscream had given her. She pulled it out and smiled when she saw that the light had turned on.

"He's coming," she chimed as she made her way to her room was nice, but what caught her attention was the giant screen door that led out to a balcony. Terra immediately opened the door and looked out at the scenery and then at the night sky full of stars.

"I'll be waiting for you, Starscream," she whispered, never taking her eyes off of the night sky. How soon would he be coming? Minutes? Hours? Days? Hopefully he'd come in a few hours. Terra looked back at her bedroom and noticed a rocking chair by her bed. She went over to it and dragged it over to the balcony. She also grabbed the blanket from the bed and wrapped it around her shoulders since it was starting to get chilly.

"Might as well get comfortable," she said while sitting down. She let out a tired sky as she observed the night sky for her friend. Nothing so far, but she was sure he would be flying down soon.

A yawn escaped her lips and Terra realized just how tired she was. No, she wanted to stay up to greet her friend. She wouldn't fall asleep and miss out on seeing him flying toward her. She pulled the blanket tighter around her body when a breeze chilled her. She was determined, but so damn tired.

She tried to find certain star formations to pass the time. It didn't take long to find them and she was soon back at square one. Did the cybertronians have their own star formations up there? They must be a sight to behold. She would have to ask Starscream about that sometime soon.

She yawned once more and shook her head. Not yet. She couldn't sleep now. It was getting harder and harder to resist as she looked up at the stars above. The twinkling of the lights put her at ease and soon she was drifting away to dream-land.

It had felt like forever since he had set out to find Terra, but Starscream was getting closer by the minute. He took in the rugged scenery before him and couldn't help but chuckle to himself. This was the perfect place for a human to hide in case there was some kind of battle. Plenty of trees to hide within and the mountains were vast. Plenty of hiding places for a human. If he didn't have the tracking device, finding Terra would be difficult.

"Where are you, my friend?" He asked to himself while looking up the coordinates once more. Just a few more miles. He could walk, but that would be a waste of time.

He finally found the exact location and went in that direction. He could already see the small house at the base of the mountain. He stopped flying and transformed when he was within proper walking distance.

Was she awake? It was pitch black in the house, but the tracker was still going off. He got closer to the house and immediately saw her sitting on the upper level balcony. She had been waiting for him.

"Such a sweet eager little thing," he crowed as he sauntered over to the house. Terra was fast asleep under a cocoon of a blanket. He could hear the tracker beeping non stop within. The moment he got close, it stopped. Terra groaned in her sleep, shifting and pulling the blanket tighter around her shoulders. She was an absolutely adorable sight to behold. That dull pain in his spark started again, making him frown momentarily. He shook away the odd feeling and smirked as he got down to Terra's level.

"Oh Terra~," he purred softly. He wanted to reach out and pull the blanket away, but didn't want to startle her. Terra smiled in her sleep upon hearing his voice.

"Wake up, my tired little friend," he whispered. He noticed the chair she was sitting in and saw that it could be rocked back and forth. He reached forward and gently rocked it with a single digit. She looked so peaceful in her sleep. He was glad that he had saved her from what Megatron had planned to do.

A moment had passed before Terra groaned again and slowly opened her eyes. She looked up at the sky in confusion before she immediately noticed him standing before her.

"Did you sleep well, Terra? Starscream asked, chuckling softly at her bleary-eyed expression that immediately turned into that adorable crooked smile of hers.

"You're finally here!" Terra chimed as she stood up, dropping the blanket. Starscream immediately noticed her robotic hands as she reached out to hug his hand. They couldn't be saved. The poor thing must have been in so much pain before they were replaced. Starscream brushed away the thought as he carefully wrapped his fingers around her and gave her a gentle squeeze.

"I've been flying for days searching for you, Terra. The Autobots kept you well hidden until now," he said, pulling his hand away.

"Yeah, they did. Their base prevents anyone from tracking their location," Terra replied, gazing up at him sweetly. Her gaze went to the stars above and her smile began to disappear. She looked worried about something.

"Does...Does Megatron know I'm gone?" She asked, holding herself as a gust of wind blew past her.

"He does, but don't you worry about him, Terra. He'll forget you ever existed in no time," Starscream replied, offering his hand to her by resting it on the balcony. He certainly wasn't going to tell her about that other girl right now. He didn't want to scare her or make her angry and lose her trust in the process.

"Megatron doesn't seem like the type to forget about someone who stole and ruined some energon. How do you know he'll forget about me?" Terra asked as she clambered onto his hand and sat down.

"I'll think of something. His main goal is Optimus Prime so I'll try to redirect him back to his old nemesis," he replied as he raised her to eye level. Terra nodded while listening to him.

"You should destroy the machine Megatron made. It sounds dreadful and no human should get to experience it," Terra said, resting her head against one of his fingers. Primus, she was so soft!

"Perhaps I shall. And what excuse should I make up when Megatron asks me what happened? He doesn't listen all too well when he's mad," he said. Terra was silent for a moment before she yawned tireldy. Starscream felt that dull ache in his spark chamber again. She was so fragile and so...he couldn't think of the proper word. He would have easily crushed her if he didn't know her before. Any human would have been crushed in his claws, but here he was; holding one and letting her get comfortable sitting in his palm. Such an action in the past would have disgusted him, but he didn't mind it now.

"Mmm, put the blame on whoever was responsible for making it," Terra murmured. Starscream's smile grew at that. He could easily blame Knockout if anything were to happen to those machines.

"That's an excellent plan, Terra," he said while sitting down next to the cabin. He slowly lowered Terra to the ground and let her sit by his side. Terra stretched her arms, yawning again and looking up at the stars.

"I told the Autobots about how you helped me escape," she said after a few moments of silence. Starscream whipped his head around upon hearing those news. Scrap! What were they going to think of him now?

"You did? And what did they have to say about that?" He asked.

"Well, everyone finds it hard to believe except for Optimus. I've been told lots of awful things about you and I understand if they find it hard to believe that you bothered helping me," Terra said. That was bound to happen. How much did they tell her? She was still excited to see him, so they probably didn't tell her a lot about the things he had done in the past.

"Even though they told me about the bad things you had done, I...I still think you're great for saving my life," Terra added, her cheeks starting to turn red as she looked down at the ground in embarrassment. That ache within his spark chamber started up again. What even was this feeling? He wasn't sure how to respond to such a sweet statement.

"I...uh...I think you're great too...for a human," he said, cursing silently to himself at that. Normally, his ego would get the better of him upon hearing similar phrases and he'd ask for more praise.

Terra giggled softly at that and rested her head against his head. The poor thing looked so exhausted.

"You should get some rest, Terra. You look like you're gonna pass out at any moment," he said while reaching up to the balcony and grabbing the blanket for her.

"No, I wanna stay up and talk with you," Terra replied, pouting up at him. Starscream smirked as he gently picked her up and wrapped her up in the blanket. Terra didn't object. She just grinned like an idiot as he placed her by his side.

"I'm fairly certain you humans become quite cranky when you're tired. I don't want to see that side of you just yet," Starscream said. Terra wriggled around in her blanket to look up at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. She looked very much like an adorable grub.

"That's true. Maybe you'll see that side someday if you're not careful," Terra chimed while turning her eyes up to the stars. She seemed to be searching for something up there.

"Is...Is Cybertron visible from here?" She asked. Starscream looked up to the stars. He saw many planets up there, but Cybertron was often difficult to find. It took him a few minutes until he finally spotted it.

"It's right up there, Terra. It's difficult to find most nights since it has a dull glow," he said while pointing it out for her. It could faintly be seen not too far away from the earth's moon. Terra looked in his direction and her expression turned to pure wonder.

"I bet it was beautiful before its downfall. I'm sorry you and every other cybertronian lost their home. Hopefully you can find a new one," Terra murmured. It was absolutely beautiful before. He would have to show her images of it if he ever got the time. Someday, Cybertron would be restored and he would be able to go back.

Terra had grown quiet after a few minutes of stargazing. Starscream was just telling her about the stars that were beyond Cybertron when he looked down and saw that she was now fast asleep.

"Sleep well. I'll come back for you soon, my little friend," he whispered, reaching forward to stroke her soft cheek with a single claw. Terra smiled in her sleep at the action. Starscream then picked her up and stood to his full height before the balcony that led to her bedroom. He opened the door and carefully placed her on the ground since he couldn't exactly reach the bed.

He paused to take in the sight of her sleeping and let out a tired sigh. He wasn't going to let Megatron harm her ever again. He would gladly kill Megatron and anyone else if it meant ensuring her safety and when that happened, he would be the rightful leader of the Decepticons and maybe even Earth with her by his side. It would be glorious, but for now he just wanted to make sure she was safe while she was here.

He reluctantly turned his back on the cabin and walked off to find a clear space to transform and fly away.

"No one is going to hurt you anymore, my friend," he murmured before flying away. He really hoped he was right about that. He couldn't bear seeing her in pain again...

"I'll come back for you soon, my little friend," Starscream's voice whispered in her ear. Terra groaned in her sleep and forced her eyes open. The morning light nearly blinded her as she forced herself awake. She had been lying on the bedroom floor to her surprise.

She immediately remembered that Starscream visited her last night and immediately crawled out of her blanket cocoon. She then went to the balcony to look for him. He wasn't there to her dismay. She wanted to stay up with him, but once he had wrapped her up in her blanket and made her comfortable, it was game over. There was still so much she wanted to talk to him about, but she would get her chance again soon.

"He probably has other business to attend to. Him being gone too long would be suspicious," she whispered to herself with a sigh. She noticed the rising sun and took a moment to take in the beautiful sight of it coming over the mountains in the distance. She would see him again. She was sure of it.

Her stomach began to growl and she decided to go downstairs to figure out what she was going to have for breakfast. She had a long day of exploring to do. She paused to look back at the balcony and hoped for her friend's speedy return.

"See you soon," she said.