Disclaimer: I thought it over, and in the end, I arrived with one more chapter to wrap things up. I couldn't think of what to do for two of them. It sort of falls the same way the second chapter did too, with a time skip over the unimportant stuff. Even with that, I feel like this was a good way to end the story. Sort of leaves some things open-ended, unfortunately, but, oh well.

At the same time, given that it took a long time to get the last chapter up, I figured posting this final chapter sooner helped even things out. Plus, I managed to finish this far faster than I'd thought. It felt weird to wait a few more weeks.

d8rkforcen1ght7: This story meant this one, as in the one right now. I don't have a sequel in mind. Seeing how much trouble I had to finish this one, plus it took over a year to get through 12 chapters, I don't plan to continue.

I don't own Transformers.

"Speaking"

Thinking

The warmth of the Nevada sun was pleasant, occasionally giving a brief pause of cool with a passing cloud. Compared to before, when we raced through the desert and fought out in the city, it was a relief. Something that, at least in my head, helped ease the tension of what transpired almost a week ago.

A week. It had been a week since I awoke in the air base, since I sewn together a mishmash of what happened to have landed me in the alternate Earth. Even with the past few days, after I more-or-less broke down between Sam and Mikaela, I still couldn't determine which was the right answer. If I was in a coma and everything was an extremely realistic dream, or I was in a coma and somehow my body and mind was split. Honestly, I... probably would never get that answer.

Speaking of the two humans, they had gone back to Tranquility, with Bee arriving not far behind them. Once Optimus had debriefed him on what should happen if an alert of Decepticon activity came up, he drove himself back to the Witwicky household. From there, I wasn't sure of what happened. If Sam informed Judy and Ron of the truth, behind their abduction and his car, and... well, I doubted he informed them of my status. At least, the part about the coma. If he wanted to try and say I wasn't from this Earth, he could, but what are the chances they'd believe that one?

The government was still trying to find a good base for the other Cybertronians, which meant our current location was where we would stay for the meantime. Jazz had been fully mended by that point, and Optimus had been busy with speaking to what officials knew of their existence. Voice only, for those who had not met him in person. They wanted it to be as secretive as possible. Ironhide and Lennox had formed some strange friendship, possibly due to the captain's rather reckless stunt in taking down Brawl. Just as Bee had become Sam's guardian, Hide seemed set on following him back to his home, back to his wife and new daughter. Leave he may, but Lennox and Epps still wanted to work with the Autobots. I wouldn't mind that either, come to think of it.

I knew engines, and I knew machines. Maybe it was also due to my bold and very stupid attack against Megatron and my friendship with the Bots, but Lennox had spoken up to have me go through training, and join whatever crew was formed once things were set in stone. A team of Bots and humans, hunting down the Cons that had gone into hiding. Dangerous, of course, but nothing too horrible.

But back to the... questionable truth of my case... "Jazz, I would very much appreciate it if you didn't loom over me." The silver Bot smirked down at me, leaning against the side of the building. A collection of jeeps and trucks were parked outside, making a nice private place to rest and be alone with my thoughts. Alone, until the first lieutenant managed to find my hiding spot. "Don't you have an appointment with the Hatchet?"

Jazz chuckled at the nickname I graced the medical officer. "Just a quick scan. Not gettin' torn apart today. What 'bout you?"

I ran my fingers through my hair, tugging at the small knots. "I don't know. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it." Trying, and failing. The truth about their existence, to say the truth, might not ever come out. All they knew, from that one moment of saying Prime's old name, was that I knew of them. How, it didn't matter. If they wanted to know, and it got the point I had to say how, then I would. But now, now I had to figure out this problem. "Suppose I am in a coma. That's pretty sound right now. What then? From what I heard, my body appears to be stable, but all of my brain activity is here." And whatever sort of body this is.

"Do you think it's still all in your head?" I heard the worry in his voice. He might be a good liar, and I believed he had been in cases where he had to hide classified information, but I knew he was concerned. Troubled that I possibly thought he was nothing but my imagination.

"... no, I don't think so. Comas don't make you feel pain, and you saw how my face looked when Starscream decided to fire." My face was... somewhat healed. A deep scar ran over the side of my forehead, jumping to the side right above my eyebrow before ending just before my ear. As for the ear itself, it had a rather ugly stitched line on the outer part. Throughout the entire mess, a portion of the appendage had been split apart, but because of Lennox's quick bandaging, I had never even noticed.

When I first saw myself in the mirror, I... I recognized myself, but at the same time, I-I didn't. Sam, Mikaela, everyone saw me when I had stepped out of that room. They saw my scars, but never said anything. All they saw at that moment, was that I was alive; alive and not six feet under. Given that I was out for two days, who could blame them? I was alive and in one piece. Scarred, and confused, but alive. "Wish I could say the same as the other me," I sighed. "Either I somehow 'wake up', or..."

"Or you pass on." Yep. That. "You want my opinion?" Shuffling around on the truck's bed, sitting on a spare tire resting inside, I nodded. There were few people who's opinion I would take, and Jazz was one of the higher ones on that list. No offence to Bee, but as much as I enjoyed hanging around him, it was difficult to carry a conversation for long periods. Perhaps it was easier for the others, because he still could use a com-link. "I think you're just gonna have to let it play out. Ya can't really do anything right now."

"Carry on, then, huh?" He's right. It was all I could do, to let things go as they were now. "Speaking honestly here, Jazz, I don't know if it's a good idea for me to... to wake up, to begin with. If I am divided between realities, imagine the shock and adjustment I'd have to go through. I don't know how long I had been in that state." Whatever caused me to be sent there, randomly appearing on Sam's lawn, could have had some delay factor. For all I know, it could have been a few hours in the other world, or it could have been weeks. I had no idea. "I could remain here, try and live as much of a normal life as I can. I can still try to-to figure out what happened to me. At the same time, should I return there, I might have to push myself through rehab. Who knows what damage was done to my body."

"Lot of thinkin' to do," he added, crossing his arms over his chest. "On another note, what 'bout your guardian?"

Bot say what now? "M-mine?" Why did I need a Bot to watch over me? Wasn't living there with the four of them enough?

"Didn't think you'd be able to run around without supervision, right?" Yeah, they did say that. I needed someone to hang close if I left the base. Before, I just figured it meant Sam or one of the soldiers. I never really gave much thought to an Autobot. "What do you think?"

"I, uh..." is he being serious? A guardian. An alien guardian. I-so anything normal was long gone, ever since I realized who Sam was. This was just icing on the ever-growing cake. Soon, we'd be able to host a wedding for a party of several hundred people. Still, between the remaining group, it really does make sense. Outside of Bee and Hide, there were only three other people who could've filled that role. Ratchet hadn't appeared to fully come around to the idea of humans yet, though I think given time, that would change. Optimus was busy figuring out the future of his team, which left Jazz. The only other person besides Bee who I actively spoke to.

"Y'know, Bee also wanted to do the job, but that's sort of hard given the location." Uncrossing his arms, he circled around the vehicle and knelt down in front of me. He was still taller than my perch, but the effort was still appreciative. "What do you say?"

I say this is going to be a very interesting friendship, that's what. "... ah, what the heck. Could be fun." I held out a hand, and with a quirked brow, Jazz carefully grabbed it with the tips of his fingers. He could crush my hand if he wanted to. Shaking, with more effort on my end, I let go and hopped off my perch. Feet hitting the pavement, I smiled up at him. "As long as you can keep up with me."

"Pretty sure that's suppose to be the other way 'round, short stuff." He stood up, and looked back towards the bay door. Following his line of sight, the rest of the group exited out into the open, heading over in our direction once they spotted us. I never could get used to that, seeing them. It was always a form of awe. Of wonder, watching the intricate pieces of metal shift and change to allow movement; how their faces portrayed emotion.

Jazz collapsed into vehicle mode next to me, and once the trio got closer, I could hear the same odd language that I had heard the Cons speak, albeit briefly. Grinding noises, and at the same time, something else. Something that I wasn't quite sure a human could mimic with their vocal cords. Once they were close enough, they dropped, parts hurrying to resemble their alternate forms. No speaking to Jazz or I, but perhaps they already had spoke to him before he went in search for me. They were speaking in Cybertronian, so of course they didn't plan to speak to me.

Turning away from them and reaching for the door handle, I paused, fingertips scarcely touching the silver. Looking over at the others-the Topkick, the Hummer, and the Peterbilt-I threw a quick glance at Jazz before abandoning the driver's door and running over to the giant of a vehicle. He didn't speak, nor did I hear Jazz question my last-ditch action. Once I reached his side, the Prime's door swung open, and I clambered up and into the cabin. The door closed behind me, and with a loud blast of a horn, we pulled out and off towards the exit of the base.

Thanks, Prime. Taking the belt, I buckled myself in and snuggled into the seat. It was warm, and the interior was the same clean and brand new state as Bee's. At the center of the steering wall, same as the scout, was the Autobot insignia. Though, unlike his, this one was outlined in red, matching the semi's color scheme. A soldier waved us through, and I watched the radio dials off to the side before settling on a station playing classic rock. Whether he enjoyed the music, or he was trying to improve the drive, I didn't mind. It was a nice background noise.

But besides the music, the ride was quiet, and I was thankful for that. I didn't exactly feel like having an active conversation. Sort of why I chose to sit with someone else. Sorry, Jazz. All I did was watch the scenery fly past, watching what few cars were on the road pass our strange convoy. Slowly, my head slid against the glass, and I felt the adjustment of the air conditioner turn in my direction. Hmm? "Is something wrong, Blake?"

"No, everything's fine, Optimus. I just have a lot on my mind, that's all." Stuff that I'd rather not unload on my new guardian. He fell quiet, and I frowned at my response. Could I have phrased that better? "Sorry, it's..."

"You are having trouble coming to terms." I nodded, not moving my head to face the dashboard. I had to assume that was where his face was. He was able to see me, and that was the only place where it made sense. Just like Bee. "Do you wish to talk about it?"

"... I do, but... give me time to work up the courage. I don't think I can handle it yet." I needed-what, several weeks, maybe even more before I could give the full story. The story that involved them existing as a franchise in my Earth, and not as intergalactic refugees. For now, I had to handle the awkwardness I left behind from the brief hint. And whatever idea Hide has going on. He still held some mixed feelings towards me. At least in the case of Ratchet, I was more of a mystery, one that he wanted to try and figure out. A medical query. There were a lot of scans done after that initial talk, and there would probably be more down the road. "Is that okay with you?"

He didn't answer right away, the only sound being the rumble of the Peterbilt's engine. Rolling off of the main road after the silent ride, and entering Tranquility's town limits, he at last spoke. "Whenever you are ready to talk, do not hesitate to seek me out."

"Heh..." he had been through horrible things. All of them had. They were in a war that no doubt waged on longer than any of us had been alive. Was it possible he had seen this before? Some Cybertronian who got swept up in the fray, got separated from their family? Someone they rescued from interrogation? The Prime must have seen behavior such as mine before, because while he appeared to dislike giving me distance, he knew what to say. "Thank you, Optimus. I'll keep that in mind."

The streets were familiar, as were the houses and businesses I saw when I first awoke in the neighborhood. Turning along the ever-growing dusty roads, we led the way out towards a path that brought an immediate smile to my face. So that's where we're going. Shocker. The cliff was secluded, a perfect place for them to meet up with Sam and the others. If they wanted to transform, to stretch their legs, no one would find them. "There they are," I said, more to myself than to him. Pulling to a stop, I hopped out of the massive cab and jogged over to them. Bee was parked under the shade of the tree, while Sam and Mikaela leaned against his hood. "You two look good."

They did, and, they were holding hands. "Yeah, well, wish I could say the same about my head." He let go of Mikaela. "Mom wasn't... pleased, with what happened."

"She found out about Bee, or she found out about how you threw yourself off of a building?" Sam dipped his head, a slight red in his face, and Mikaela struggled to hide back a laugh. Well, which one is it?

"It-both. N-not the building part, but the bit in Mission City." He sighed, reaching up to run his fingers through his hair. They definitely fared far better in the battle than I had. Due to wearing short sleeved shirts, I could easily see the scars and bruises decorating their arms. Mikaela herself had multiple cuts around her hands, possibly from when she broke into the vehicle. Mindful as she was, she still managed to get scratched. Sam's hands, on the other hand, were just like mine. Despite the energy the Allspark threw at us, we hadn't suffered any burns. Doesn't mean we didn't feel it though. There were others; faint scars around their faces from the explosion, same as me. However, those would fade over time. "She's going to want to meet the others."

A squealing radio followed his words, and we looked down at Bee. I rose a brow at the lyrics, and the choice of the baseball song of all things to communicate with us. That either means he's agreeing with us, or...?

"She went after Bee with a bat?" I asked, voicing the second idea. Did I have that right?

"Surprised you figured that out," Sam remarked. "It was a slow and... difficult process."

"There was a lot of screaming," Mikaela added. "His dad and mine took it a lot easier." She smiled to herself, amused at that memory. Her dad probably did get a kick out of it, hearing how she fought alongside aliens that turned into cars. As for Ron, I already had a feeling he would take it easier than Judy.

The familiar sound of a transformation halted our discussion, and we turned to see Optimus standing to his full height. Huh. Watching him wander off to the side, I turned my attention back to the two. "Still plan to try and meet up?" The air base was temporary. For all I know, I could end up across the country. Heck, maybe even a different continent. Right now, I wanted to see them as often as I could.

"Bee passed by a diner around the halfway point from there to Tranquility. We could try that." Ah, classic diner food. I'd be up for eggs and bacon any day.

"Sounds great. We can work on a time and date later. I'd like to drop by the house too, if that's fine with you. Whatever stuff I still have in that room should probably come with me." The clicks of doors unlocking, and the Camaro's doors swung open. Not saying goodbye, but instead offering a friendly smile, the two dipped back inside. They're cute. Sam was still a mess, but the incident seemed to give some more confidence. The same strength I observed back in the stairwell was still there, although, not as strong. Mikaela seemed a lot happier too, and compared to when I saw her with the guy at the party, it seemed genuine. And... now they're kissing. Couldn't they have waited until I moved?

As for what remained in my room, it didn't hurt to hold onto the clothes the family leant me until I could get my own. And that... outline of what happened next, still resting in that desk. A lifeline now. It was already not the best chart of events, and with how horrible my memory of the franchise was now-even worse when it came to the movies themselves, I needed to know those details off by heart.

Leaning against the tree, and trying to blank the romance happening off to the side, I looked up at Optimus, tuning in to his transmission. "-and fate has yielded its reward: a new world to call home. We live among its people now, hiding in plain sight, but watching over them in secret, waiting, protecting."

A soft beep, almost like a whine, came to my right, and I left my post to return to Jazz. Poor Bee, I smiled, shaking my head in a mute laugh. The door opened, and I slid inside, the window rolling down so I could continue to listen. "I have witnessed their capacity for courage. And though we are worlds apart. Like us, there's more to them... than meets the eye." From the window on the passenger's side, I could see Mikaela and Sam had paused in their make out session from their own seats inside the yellow and black striped Camaro, hearing that same phrase the teen had used on her so long ago. And you thought it was cheesy. Dork. "I am Optimus Prime. And I send this message to any surviving Autobots taking refuge among the stars. We are here. We... are waiting."

We are... waiting, huh? I looked up to the sky, past the windshield and out over the cliff we all stood on. Guess that settles it. No matter how long it took, I would find out what happened to me. Even if I... passed away, I needed to know. I needed my closure.

I'll find it. I rested a hand on the dashboard, giving a quick glance at the Autobot crest, the shining silver lighting up under the Nevada sun. I'm certain of it.

Perhaps somewhere down the road, I might write a sequel for this. But for now, I'll be letting this rest. Mostly since I have no idea where to go next, and I need to wait for ideas and motivation to come back before I can tackle it.

Thank you for reading!

Angel