Wow it has been a while since I updated this story.

I'm going to be honest, most of it has to do with lack of motivation. I have a few other stories in the works that I've been focusing on (not for transformers and at this stage not for posting either). I do have a few things written for this story but they're all just ideas mostly and I've written pieces of future chapters but they're not ready to post just yet.

But I was doing some reading and checked in on this story and just felt motivated to finish something up to post so here it is. It's a little shorter than previous chapters but it's been sitting on my computer for months now (it was a little longer and unfinished) so I thought I may as well get it out.

Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this story. When I first started writing it it was mostly just for me (as most of my stories are) so I'm grateful there are other people who find joy in reading this story!

I don't own Transformers all rights go to its creators.

Not Edited.


Lara sat at the dining table with Sarah and her husband processing what they had just been told. When emotions had begun to settle she'd invited everyone inside so they could talk but only Will and Sarah had followed. Even now as they spoke Anna was still running around outside with Max and the two Autobot holoforms (she still hadn't officially been told about that yet) while they were inside being told they were going to be moved to a classified military base for the foreseeable future.

Neither woman was overly shocked by this revelation, though Sarah was a little frustrated since she wasn't sure how her sudden absence from work was going to be taken.

Lara wasn't bothered so long as she could remain with her charges wherever the major was planning on taking them (she'd tried to ask for the location but had been given an apologetic look and had the word classified shoved in her face). The major hadn't asked either of them for their account of what had happened during the attack but did mention they'd all have to go through a debrief when they arrived on the base.

It was obvious Will was antsy; he hadn't outwardly said that they were still in danger but it was certainly applied. Lara obviously knew this but Sarah was a little more put out by the news. They quickly set about packing a bag each with a few essentials, Will wanted them on the road as soon as possible. The only thing that worried Lara slightly was the fact that because they hadn't spoken about the attack, Sarah hadn't gotten a chance to tell Will about her origins. She was unsure how the major was going to react but she was almost positive, with how tightly wound he was at the moment, that it wasn't going to be good.

They both packed quickly, Lara shoving a few clothes and some toiletries into a duffle bag before ducking into the kitchen to grab her phone and some snacks for the drive. She wasn't sure how far they'd be going but it was always better to be safe than sorry, especially with a toddler on board. She also grabbed another bag and put all her dog things in it; with no one to leave her dog with Max was just going to have to come with them.

The adults were all packed and ready to leave within the hour. Ian had reluctantly offered to let Max ride in his tray, seeing as the rest of the car would be occupied by people. Lara agreed easily, putting a dog bed in the tray and attaching a leash to the truck and her dog just in case. He jumped in easily enough and lay down straight away, for his first time in a truck he was being remarkably well behaved and Lara felt a swell of pride for her puppy.

They were on the road soon after, the three women taking up the back whilst the boys sat upfront. Lara had never actually ridden inside any of the bots when she had worked on Cybertron, mainly because they took on the form of Cybertronians themselves whenever they were there so it was never necessary. She wasn't sure how she felt about it now.

On one hand, it was reassuring to know just how well protected you were inside a heavily armoured, sentient being, and how usual stresses of the road were all but null. On the other, he was a sentient being and they were all sitting inside of him while his projection pretended to drive (Lara wasn't sure why they were keeping up appearances when they were aware she'd already been exposed to their kind and it was obvious Sarah already knew. Something to do with all the secrecy maybe? Or were they just trying not to scare her?) Was a little disconcerting.

The radio was playing softly in the background but the car was relatively silent otherwise, Anna having fallen asleep relatively soon after they'd left and the rest of the occupants being lost in thought.

Lara cleared her throat quietly and started asking some of the questions she'd had for a while but had never truly found a time to ask. "So Mr Lennox, I know that you're in the military but what exactly is it that you do?"

She wasn't sure what she was expecting as an answer but found she wasn't all too surprised by the one she received. "I'm afraid that's classified for now. Once we get you to base and get some paperwork filled out I'll be able to answer a few more of your questions."

She nodded in acquiescence before stopping on a particular point, "paperwork?"

The grimace he gave her left little to the imagination. "It's part of the procedure when we have new people entering the base. Most of it is non-disclosure stuff but I apologise in advance for the amount, the suits are very particular about it all."

Lara smirked slightly at the disdainful tone the major adopted when talking about who she assumed were politicians but settled back into her seat quietly. Her curiosity about the new base hadn't exactly been fulfilled though she had her suspicions based on what exactly she was riding in. Still, she recognised that she wasn't going to get any more information and resigned herself to stare out the window at the rapidly passing countryside until they reached their destination.


It was mid-afternoon by the time they reached some air force base in southern Nevada, Lara hadn't bothered to check the name. Based on how secretive Will and his buddies had been they weren't at their final destination just yet. About halfway through the drive, Will had received a phone call from someone who had informed him that Lara's check had come back clean and they'd have all the paperwork ready for her to sign on the plane. She couldn't say she was looking forward to it but at least it would give her something to do on a plane ride of unknown duration.

They passed through at least two checkpoints before driving out onto a tarmac where a huge C-17 was waiting for them. Everyone unloaded out of the truck to stretch their legs and Lara, after getting permission from one of the soldiers, quickly let Max off to run around. She kept a close eye on him to make sure he didn't wander too far while she stuck close to Sarah. Lara could tell this whole situation was incredibly stressful for the mother and couldn't wait for them to reach their destination so they could settle down.

Lara noticed the two cars they had been travelling in begin to move up onto the plane and whistled sharply. Max perked his head up and immediately started bounding back to her location stopping just short of her and plopping his butt down to sit. Lara praised her well-behaved dog, scratching him around his ears as his tongue lolled out of his mouth then started walking towards the area where Will and the others were standing.

She reached them just in time to hear another soldier tell him they were ready to load up and she smiled as they were all ushered through the huge cargo doors onto the plane. The Topkick and the Corvette were already strapped down and ready for transport as the engines roared to life. Once everyone was seated and ready to go, with Max lying down calmly at her feet, the plane started to taxi around the runway, and in no time at all they were in the air.

Lara seated herself across the aircraft from the major and his family, aiming to give them at least a little bit of privacy. For some reason she felt exhausted, the constant hum of the aircraft engines tempting her into dreamland but she wouldn't let herself sleep just yet. Will had mentioned paperwork in the car and she was hoping to get that done before she even thought about trying to rest. Of course just as she had that thought she noticed the man in question stand from his seat, a stack of crisp white paper in his hands, and start towards her.

Her eyes widened slightly at the number of pages he held and she looked up at him trying to see if it was some sort of joke. The expression on his face was a mix between amusement and pity and she realised that this most certainly was not a joke. Perhaps she wouldn't be getting that rest after all.

The stack of pages and a pen was placed in her hands along with a, "if you have any questions, me, Ian, and Scott can all help to answer them," and then she was left on her own.

She fought the urge to scowl at him as he walked away but ultimately sighed and started reading the first of many pages.

Two and a half hours later, Lara finally placed her last signature on the dreaded documents. Her already tired brain felt like soup sloshing endlessly in her head and all she wanted now was to lean back and have a short nap.

The papers hadn't specified anything about what exactly she had to keep a secret, though she had a pretty good idea about what they were hiding. She tiredly trudged her way across the plane to place the now fully signed papers back into Will's capable hands.

"You figure out everything alright?"

She almost snorted at the question, "yes thank you. But I'll be happy if I don't have to look at another piece of paper anytime in the next month."

He just smiled amusedly at her then started flipping through to check that everything was in order.

She wandered back over to her chair and flopped down, eager to finally get some rest but waited until she got the all clear from the Major. A quick thumbs-up had her smiling in relief and she stretched her stiff muscles before settling down for a nap.

She didn't sleep for long, maybe an hour or so, and she attributed her waking to a strange feeling in her chest. She hadn't noticed it at first and was confused at what had woken her but then she felt it, a small flicker of something she couldn't name sitting softly in her chest. The closer the aircraft travelled towards their destination (that of which they still had not been told) the more the feeling grew.

At first, it was gentle, a feather-light caress against the centre of her being that startled her immensely. It was a feeling she was intimately familiar with and was one she had not expected to feel again. As they travelled further the feeling expanded in her chest the whisper increasing gradually until it became strong and unyielding, wrapping itself firmly around her and settling snugly in her chest.

As the sensation grew in its intensity she found it increasingly difficult to focus on her surroundings. The light conversation that drifted around her became muffled and monotone blending in with the constant drone of the plane's engine.

The warm feeling brought forth a strong yearning and Lara found herself suddenly feeling restless as a tugging sensation started up in her gut, impatiently urging her to get to her destination faster. The closer they got to the base the stronger the feeling became and she struggled more and more to separate herself from the sensations and focus on the plane surrounding her.

It got so overwhelming that Lara had to forcibly suppress her power as it began to course its way through her body, drawing it back towards her chest and locking it firmly away to keep the wild and confusing emotions contained.

Lara was anxious. She hadn't felt something that strong since her bonds had been broken and she could honestly say she'd never expected to feel anything like it again. So why on earth was her power reaching so obstinately towards, well she wasn't sure what it was reaching towards.

All she could do was focus on staying calm, it would do her no good to panic and obsess about something she had no control over. There was obviously something at the base that called to her, and she would make sure she found out what it was, but she had to be calm and patient before that could happen.

Max, as if feeling her distress, lifted his big head off the ground and placed it in her lap. Lara smiled and leaned down to place a soft kiss on his head before rubbing soothing circles in between his ears; to relax him or her she wasn't sure.