Miko took deep breaths, she had been in the bathroom for almost an hour now. Her poor heart had steadied, her hands were no longer shaking. Miko stood, she nodded to herself. Wobblin over to the grey, cold, metal sink, she leaned over it as she ran the tap. The lukewarm water soon turned cold. She took a handful and threw it over her face. She shuddered and let out a sigh. She dried with the paper towels and walked outside.

Optimus sat there and waited, he had his eyes closed like he was meditating. He opened one eye and smiled down at her.

"Feeling better?" He asked. Miko stopped walking for a moment. She nodded as she stood beside him.

"A lot, actually."

A nod, "Want to talk about it?" He patted the ground beside him. She sat down, he sighed.

"I… I'm sorry for what I did to Jack. It's just… He said you being hurt," She stuttered over her next few words, "I-I, I… I caused you being h-hurt was my… My fault." Her tears started to well up again, Optimus tutted as his digit reached down and rubbed her back. She took deep breaths and calmed herself. Nodding as he talked.

"Miko, you caused nothing. If anything, you helped save me. Yes, Knockout did hurt me, but Megatron would have killed me. You distracted him. What you did today was brave and noble." He assured her, she smiled as she looked up at him.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Well! What can I say!? That's what a S class Wrecker like me does!" She placed a hand on her chest. Optimus chuckled as he nodded. He tilted his head as he stood.

"I am quite proud of you today Miko, keep it up." He smiled, "Do not what Fowler says."

"I'll try, but it's hard… " She explained. Optimus nodded as he thought to himself.

"How is school?" He wanted to take her mind off the events of the day. She perked up as she considered the question.

"School is school! Ya know? Got a math tests, and grammar classes in English." She whined. A soft chuckle came from the Prime.

"I understand those lessons can be tedious, but they are for the best. Getting an education is important for a young person, such as yourself." He gestured with his finger, shaking it as he remembered his own classes of his youth. Miko laughed.

"Yeah! When I'm going to be a rock star, maths will be sooo useful." She mocked. Optimus cocked his head to the side.

"How will you be able to figure out how many seats you'll sell out if you can't count?" He hummed. Miko paused at the question, she stopped walking as she looked at Optimus. Grinning wide at the comment.

"I dunno! I'll be too busy jamming out in front of thousands of people!" She laughed.

"I look forward to seeing it, I hope I'll get a reserved seat." He placed a hand on his chest. Miko laughed at the thought.

"Nah! We'll stick two flamethrowers in those massive exhaust pipes on ya and you can join us!" He smiled as he bowed to look down at her. She smiled as he nodded, raising up again. "Thank you Miko, I look forward to it."

Miko went quiet for a moment as she looked up at Optimus.

"Optimus? Ya know how I lost my phone?" She asked, Optimus nodded. He spoke before her, "You believe Megatron found it?" He knelt down beside her. Miko took a deep breath.

"More like… When we left he had it in his hand." Her hands were shaking like crazy as she waited for Optimus to respond. Optimus straightened up a little and nodded.

"That isn't your fault Miko, I'll have Fowler look into it. He can probably help you buy a new one." Optimus patted her head, it was gentle and well done. Miko smiled and nodded.

"Thanks, needed to get that off my chest." Optimus nodded. He stood.

"You're welcome, I hope to see you in the morning." Miko smiled as they stood where the hallways parted, she watched as he walked back down to the hall, probably towards his bedroom. Miko nodded to herself, she felt better at least. Much better when she thought about it, hey, Optimus thought she could do it! He thought she could make it to be a real rockstar! Miko bounced along back to the main room. She paused as she heard the others talk in hushed whispers. She paused as she pressed her back against the wall and listened.

"She's still in the bathroom?" Arcee asked with her arms crossed, the other two humans had left. Ratchet shrugged.

"Optimus hasn't come back, so I'd assume," There was a pause as he looked up, "I'm surprised she was allowed to stay here after she punched Jack." He glanced over at the wrecker, who just grunted as he was thinking to himself.

"I'm surprised I didn't throw her." Arcee admitted, she clenched and unclenched her fists. Miko felt fear as she listened.

"Arcee! Miko can… Be a bit of trouble, sure… But she's still an Autobot!" Bulkhead stood up a little, Arcee turned as Ratchet spoke.

"A bit!? Even Rafael has pulled his weight more than her! How much trouble has she caused at the base!?" Ratchet ranted, he did not give the wrecker time to answer.

"So much! She has broken so many of my devices! She has sneaked into multiple high risk missions, let us not forget the most recent that started all of this!" Bulkhead frowned and looked at Arcee for help, she shrugged.

"Miko's recklessness did lose us that energon." Arcee reasoned. Bulkhead went silent, but he nodded.

At this point Miko was watching as she listened. She choked on her own want to cry, fighting back.

"Miko at this point, causes more damage then the 'Cons." Arcee leaned back, rolling her eyes. Ratchet laughed.

"At this point, she might as well be Megatron. Scrap, she basically is." Ratchet reflected on his memories of the young Gladiator. The way he dragged Orion into unnecessarily dangerous situations for the fun of it… Like Miko and Jack. He did admit, Orion learnt from it. It was still utterly dangerous and could have killed them both. The Autobots went silent as they reflected on this comment from Ratchet.

Arcee crossed her arms as she cocked her head to the side, Bulkhead had gone silent as he looked down at his peds. None argued, not even the wrecker.

A sob broke the silence and their heads all snapped around. Miko wiped her face as she stood in the hall.

"Ratchet… Can I have a Groundbridge home?" She asked between sniffles. Arcee's arms dropped to her side as she tried to find words. Bulkhead stood up straighter, he turned fully to her.

"Mi-Miko! Hey! Er, how about I drive you?" As soon as he blubbered it out, she snapped back.

"No!- I… No, I don't want you… To drive me. I just want to go home, alone." She walked to the swirling light as it burst to life. Bulkhead couldn't find words as the guilt filled his mind. He should have defended her… Even if she hadn't been there to listen.

"After all, why would you want to drive Buckethead home?" She muttered, leaving. Bulkhead looked at the other two, Ratchet just grumbled to himself as the Groundbridge closed.

Arcee glanced over her shoulder, Miko's stuff laid there untouched. Quick ped steps filled the room as Bumblebee ran in, buzzing away.

"Okay! Ready for the horror…. Mo… Vie?" He looked around for Miko, he gave a confused look at the other's. Arcee and Bulkhead looked at each other, a silent argument about who would have to break the news to the scout. Bulkhead nodded to himself and he began to talk.

Miko cried as she walked, she was about two hundred feet from the back garden of her home. Megatron… She was Megatron… Buckethead… The one they all wanted to kill, the one the Autobots wanted hung, drawn and quartered. She felt sick, she felt so very sick. Miko stopped walking as she reached the small cliff that looked over her house. The kitchen light was on, so the host parents were awake… Miko took steps back, she didn't want to face them. To explain why she came back from the sleepover early and at the dead of night.

Miko sat on the ground. She stared at the warm kitchen light. When was the last time she had been in the kitchen to spend time with them? When she first came over she supposed. It reminded her of when she would stay up late and listen to her grandparents tell stories of their youth.

She missed her Grandparents, her Grandmother wasn't well when she left… She hadn't heard from them since she left, she promised she'd see her again… Miko let out a heavy sigh, her hands were shaking.

Her violent response may add to what they decided to do about her losing her information to Megatron. Miko shot up as she realized they could send her back to Japan, what would her parents say? They'd never let her go anyway alone anymore. Miko held her hand on her mouth, her anxiety made her feel like she could get sick.

It was all her fault… It was her fault! She could put everyone in danger if the 'Cons used her phone as a tracking device! Then Optimus got tortured by Knockout as she and Megatron played cat and mouse… Then she just had to punch Jack!

A thought occurred to her as she looked at the house, what the Autobots had said. Was Miko good at anything? She looked up.

She didn't contribute anything to the Autobots, they clearly said that… If anything they got hurt because of her. She wasn't doing well in school, she knew she needed to be some kind of academic to get into art college. No one seemed to like her music, scrap! They actively tried to prevent her from playing sometimes!

She had even been stupid enough to let Megatron get her phone.

Miko was unaware her mind had put her in a vicious circle of thoughts of self hatred. She gripped her arm as she stared at the soft glow of the kitchen. Soon it was turned off and everything was black and she was alone. Miko's tears stung her face, a feeling of utter defeat filled her. She looked down to the cliff. Truth be told… This would be the first time. Her mind flashed back to the school roof. Miko stood as she untied her laces. Last time she had failed the piano competition, her parents were so disappointed… They had started to fight with each other…

She laid the two shoes down beside her. Everything Miko ever wanted was her life to be more than competing with others, trying to be the best, she wanted it to be more than test scores and exam results… She realized that was never going to happen. Not unless she did it. Not unless she took her life into her own hands.

Not until she took her life into her own hands, and take her life away.

Miko turned her back to the cliff, her mind felt blank and clear. She fell backwards with her arms spread. The roar of wind filled her ears, the coldness of the wind stung her bare skin.

Miko then screamed, a regret rushed to her mind. No! No! She wanted to live! No! Miko's arms were no longer still as she tried to fly somehow. Her body curled and twisted in a natural instinct to survive. She cried out as her body hit the metal ground. It stung as she laid there, she gasped as she stared down at the grey. Her side and arms hurt and stung. She knelt there, taking slow and deep breaths… Grey hands? Bulkhead… Great… How was she going to explain this? She looked up, her eyes widened as she followed the digits. The clawed, long, sharp digits. Not Bulkhead, not even Autobot… She spun around and stared up into the red eyes. The red eyes with white circles for pupils.

Miko swallowed as she sat in Megatron's palm, her little cliff side did not even come up to his chest. He glanced at her shoes and tutted, he lifted her up. His eyes level with her now.

"Miko..? Now what would the wrecker pet be doing here?" He used his other hand's digit to run it down her side and back. Looking for cuts or broken bones. Once he found none he nodded.

"Can I trust you not to try to jump again?" He titled his head as she slid slowly back beside her shoes. Miko took a deep breath as she watched the Warlord, he crossed his arms behind his back.

"Why- How..? I… When..? Where did… You?" She struggled for words, the warlord cocked his head as he chuckled. Shaking his head, he lifted his head and it lazily fell to the other side.

"I had Soundwave busy at work looking through the little communication device of yours… Finding addresses and contact details was very easy…" Megatron glanced back at the home, "Even if we had to deal with that obnoxious background and neon colours." He hummed, he looked back at her. A look of terror had crossed her face.

"That being said… None of those contacts seemed useful, I'd dare say, they are not even useful for you."

Miko swallowed as she looked behind him at the house. He turned to, moving to stand beside her where the cliff dipped in.

"They've locked the doors, they also do after ten, even if I'm home or not. It's their version of curfew." She admitted, Megatron glanced at his clock. 11:32, he frowned as he looked back down at her.

"So you cannot enter your own home… I assume there's a reason you have not one to the Autobots or your human friends?" He quirked an eyebrow, Miko swallowed. She curled her legs in and she hugged her knees.

"I… I just left… Some stuff was said… I… I punched Jack in the nose…" She mumbled, Megatron slowly nodded. He titled his head, he was even surprised the Autobots had not come to kill him yet. He supposed that was an indicator for the mess Miko just left. Miko watched in surprise as Megatron knelt so they were more level with each other. She moved closer to him, he watched her and did not move.

"They actually, er… They compared me to… You." She gestured. Megatron sat up a little straighter, his reputation with the Autobots was not unknown to him. He had read the death threats and the fowl messages about how they wanted him to die. They had been sent to him…

"I was getting tired of hearing Ratchet shout at Bulkhead anyway." She lied, he snorted as he looked at her. He watched the still town, in the distance street lights illuminated the small town. Miko watched his chest plate shift outwards. Lower down then the others, he took out the small, pink phone. She uncurled her legs as he placed it down beside her. She snatched it and was quick to look through it. All her games were still there, all her apps. She frowned as she looked through contacts, they were all intact. The numbers were all the same, bar one. A new number that had no number attached to it. She looked at Megatron who hummed.

"I did say that I would take care of you." He chuckled. Miko pressed the call button, holding it up to her ear, it was soon answered.

"Ah, did not realize you'd be so eager." Megatron's voice echoed from the speaker. She hung up. Dread filled her stomach. Great… Megatron now had her number, and she had his. She slid it into her pocket as he continued.

"And seeing the incident I just prevented that, your Autobots cause, you'll be needing my contact." He admitted, his claw scratched his chin as he turned to her, his back to Jasper he blocked out all the light from the town.

"Now, do tell… Why is such a promising young warrior about to waste themself dying on some dusty cliff side." He inquired. Miko swallowed as she rubbed her arm, anxiety filling her mind and head. His red eyes burnt down onto her and forced the words from her mouth.

"I've had enough, my entire life I've spent it doing what others have planned out… I just want to do something of my own choice." She looked back at the cliff edge, "Seems I can't even do that, cause someone is here to stop me." She spat out the end of the sentence. Megatron snorted, his claw extended and he tapped her on the top of her head.

"Is following the Autobots onto their little missions not enough?" She frowned as she shook her head, trying to fix her hair. Megatron chortled as he listened.

"I follow because I want to help, but I can't hack like Raf… Or have connections like Fowler. So, I go out to join the fight." She explained. Megatron nodded as he adjusted his stance to lean down even more. Miko continued to ramble.

"But they always say I get in the way and stuff, they say I want to be like Jack," She added with spite, he frowned.

"That is… The older one?" He guessed, Miko nodded and he snorted, "I dare not wish that upon anyone. That Jack boy is one of the most uninteresting flesh bags we have ever researched.." Megatron muttered. Miko perked up and shuffled forward a little.

"Whatcha mean by that?" She said in a quiet tone, as if someone was listening in. Megatron cocked his head back.

"Now, I'd hate to be a gossip," He hummed as he watched her. Miko stood now, a frown covering her face as she debated arguing with him, "But your friend Jack has nothing to track really, clean sheets and a very tidy usage of your world's social networks." He added. Miko snorted as she thought about it.

"Yeah, that's Jack. He is kinda boring." She admitted, Megatron chuckled. Miko paused, huh. She left a little better, she sat on the edge, legs dangling.

"... I have an idea…" It had come suddenly, Megatron perked up as she gestured with her phone, "You do me a favor, I'll owe ya. You have my number, I have yours. So I could repay you easily." She explained. Megatron nodded as he folded his arms behind his back.

He seemed to debate it in his head, and finally he spoke.

"What is it that you want then?" He looked down at her with his head cocked back to address her. Miko smiled as she took a deep breath.

"Can you take me to Rikugien Gardens, it's in Japan… Tokyo!" She added as she clutched to the end of her shirt. Megatron paused as he considered the request. He looked back at the cliff and finally he nodded.

"Fine, I shall fly you there myself. The Autobots may get suspicious, I do not doubt they may be tracking me already." He held out his hand. Miko now willingly stepped onto the palm. The Autobots only travelled or used the Groundbridge necessary. So she could never use it to go visiting or sight seeing, a massive bummer. But hey! At Least Megs would take her, she giggled at that nickname, Megs.

The massive Mech transformed. Miko cried out as she found herself sitting in a smooth, almost soft metallic shell. The purple roof above her glowed as a holographic screen activated. She could see the outside world, Miko looked around in amazement. There were no seats, no nothing. Just wires and mesh.

The roar of the engines burst from behind her as they shot off, Miko fell back. Laughing with adrenaline as they soared through the Nevada clouds into the sky.

The semi truck had it's acceleration pedal pushed against the floor. He had been scolding the others, they hadn't noticed the Decepticon symbol appear near Miko's home. Only when he had sent the others away did he see it, now he, alone, was bursting at great speeds through the rocks and dust. He dared not to mention it to the poor wrecker, Bulkhead was under enough stress and upset. He lifted into the sky as he reached the peak of a hill, there he saw them. The giant mech was standing over the cliff, his hand resting on the cliff beside Miko, they were exchanging words. Optimus felt his wheels painfully as they burnt. He'd need to get replacements once he was done, but his priority now was Miko, getting her to safety… Showing her they did care about her. The words of the other's rang in his ears, he needed to fix it. Miko was not any less than the other two! That was a ridiculous thought. Miko may not give any advantage like Rafael does, but she was one of the greatest moral boosts he had ever seen. Megatron's hand flipped over and Miko stepped on it. Optimus tried to cry out, but his throat was dry and he choked on his words. Megatron transformed, Optimus transformed. He scrambled to his knees and soon onto his feet, the roar of the engines filled his head and drowned out his cry as they shot off.

He fell onto his knees, staring as they disappeared into the sky. Miko… No…

His fists curled tightly as they shook. He pounded them into the ground, spider web like cracks now marking the ground. He cried out as rage and regret filled him… He should have been better, it was his own fault.

Perhaps he had shown favoritism, he had promised Rafael snow from the arctic… Praised Jack on several occasions. What had he ever given Miko? Even when she photographed the Greek mural, did they say thanks? As he recalled, she didn't even get a thanks. Just mutters and then they got to work… Optimus looked up as he knelt there, he didn't want to move. He couldn't bear to tell the others. How was he supposed to tell them that… Miko had gone… Somewhere… Willingly with the enemy, because of how they treated her.

For now, he had to make sure of one thing.

The Decepticon's could not gain the human factor.