You should never be alone!

Chapter 11

A/N: Big thank you to my reviewers, hope everyone is enjoying this. Please R&R.

It was late morning when the two had awoken from their slumber. The bed they slept on soft and comfortable that it was trying to hypnotise them to staying longer. It was Bella that woke up first; her sleeping eyes adjusting to the light of the sun that shone into their room. She didn't try to move as her body was pressed up against Smokescreens holoform. Her head resting on his left arm that stretched out while his right was draped over her waist in a protective gesture even though they were sleeping he still kept her close and secure by him. The red head looked up into his sleeping face and couldn't help but smile. He was so at piece and didn't have the weight of the war on his shoulders as he often did being a soldier for the autobots; instead he was quite content with lying there with her in his arms. She snuggled in closer to him her head nuzzling into his neck as she pressed her head against his chest and listened to the soft pulsing of his spark that echoed in the holoform. It soothed her as she took in a deep breath and exhaled gently.

It was then that she felt him stir and his eyes slowly opened and fell on to her face. He immediately blushed and smirked at her. "Morning sleepy head" she kept her voice low and soft.

"I haven't recharged that good in millennia" he pushed his lips against her forehead and tightened his grip around her waist loving the feeling of her pushed up against him. Lifting her hand up she traced her fingers along his chest to which he shivered and leaned into her soft touch more. They stayed like that for a good long while, not wanting to move from the tight embrace though the as time moved on Smokescreen knew his duties and they couldn't be ignored forever. As they both sat up they noticed that there clothes had been tossed and discarded all over the hotel room to which they couldn't help but glance at each other and giggle. Bella took the sheet from the bed and wrapped it around her as she rummaged around and found her clothing and moved quickly to the cover of the bathroom quickly wash and dress herself.

Smokescreen was alright considering it was his holoform; with a quick fizzle the discarded clothes on the floor dissolved away and new ones appeared on his human form. He moved out to the balcony leaning on the railing as he waited for the red head to immerge. The rookie couldn't deny that he was happy but he would be happier if the war was over and he could be with Bella all he wanted instead of going out on missions. He remembered Bella saying that she wished she could travel; visit the many places she wanted on Earth but couldn't because of her disorder. He had seen part of it and from what he heard it broke his spark that she couldn't do what she wished. The fact that her condition was holding her back and her parents were treating her a little differently for it made him all the more want him to be there for her no matter what.

He was so consumed in his thoughts that he didn't hear Isabella come out from the bathroom, she scanned the room and saw him leaning on the railing on the balcony and worried that something was wrong. She carefully walked up to him placing her hand on his shoulder. His tense shoulders relaxed at her touch and he immediately turned his body to face her. Smoothly snaking his arms around her waist and pulling her towards him as he gently placed his lips upon hers and she returned the gesture. Moaning in pleasure as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into her. As they kissed his tongue stroked along her bottom lips teasingly. They broke the kiss; Bella taking in a breath grinning at him happily at his loving actions it was then that she connected their lips again and she teased him but that was where the teasing ended when their tongues slid along each other. Bella's hand fiddled with his hair, brushing her fingers through the strands. "We should go" he broke off again taking her hand in his and stroking his thumb over the top of her hand as he led her out of the room and down to the reception where he handed the keys to the room over.

"Do the others know about us?" Bella couldn't help but ask as they moved to Smokescreen's alt mode and his passenger door automatically opened for her.

"Of course not. Why would they?" Smokescreen helped her in and closed the door before going over to the driver's side and climbing in himself making it look less suspicious as he reversed out and drove away heading straight for Jasper.

"Maybe because this is important. At the very least Optimus should know"

Smokescreen pondered over her words. She was right Optimus did have the right to know he was the rookie's leader and should be made aware of anything that could compromise one of his soldiers. "What if he thinks that I will become emotionally compromised and discharges me as your guardian?"

Bella let out a sigh. Smokescreen was bound to worry over this. "He'll understand and even if he does there is nothing that can keep us apart" she cupped his cheek with her hand as his alt mode drove itself, rubbing her thumb down the ridge of his nose.

Smokescreen couldn't believe how calm she made him with just a small gesture and a few simple words. His spark pulsed out to her hearing that she would love him no matter what. His speed increased at this, dust kicking up from his tires as he drove. They locked gazes and if it wasn't for the fact that they were probably needed by the autobots they would have taken each other then and there all over again. "The decepticons were hunting us while they were at darkmount, I've been thinking that I need to change my alt form just so that they don't recognise me too easily"

"You mean I lose my Indy 500. It suits you too much for you to change Smoke" thinking about it he had to agree. It did suit him and he liked being a race car. It was the right form not just for speed but for agility as well. He then thought about his comrades or one in particular and got inspired.

Speeding up still Smokescreen dismissed the holoform and made sure the seatbelt to tight around Isabella as he focussed on what he wanted to do. The sound of machinery powering up filled Bella's ears as a yellow light seemed to consume Smokescreen as he drove which made her nervous. The rookie didn't react to it so she didn't worry too much and trusted that he was doing something. The hug of the belt around her giving some comfort as he kept her well protected all the time. The young woman had to squint her eyes to look out as the light moved all over the vehicle and grew lighter until is dissipated after it had run over Smokescreen. Looking out the windscreen to the bonnet of Smokescreen's alt she could see what had happened. He remained as an Indy 500 but his colours had changed completely. He no longer had white as his primary colour instead he was a deep ocean blue with thick yellow stripes running through the middle and as she looked out the back she could see the stripes running off. Her eyes then darted to the door mirror where she saw that his doors where no longer checkered white, red and blue but where mostly yellow with 7s written on them instead of 38s. It was then that his holoform reappeared in the driver's seat.

Her emerald eyes looked stunned as she saw his smirk and noticed that his hair had changed along with his alt colours. His short hair that ran down to the middle of his ears was now a deeper blond colour and his small red highlights had been replaced with a dark blue that matched his alternative form. "What do you think?" he asked teasingly already knowing the answer himself though he didn't expect her reply to be as physical not that he was complaining as Bella grabbed on to his light blue shirt with the autobot insignia and pulled on it. His body falling forward until his lips crashed into hers and she made sure he knew what she thought as she plunged her tongue into his mouth and hugged him tight as he ran his hands up the sides of her body.

For the rest of their journey the two couldn't keep their hands off one another which did slightly distract Smokescreen from driving a couple of times as they slowly drifted into the wrong lane but it was quickly corrected without anyone noticing. Bella hadn't even noticed that they had driven right through Jasper, Nevada and where no one there way to the army base that they had suited out one of the hangars for the autobots to use as a new base. As they arrived Bella sat back in her chair as the guards allowed them access and Smokescreen burned rubbed after the gates were opened and he sped through. Smoke rising up from the friction of the sudden speed boost. He drifted about as he drove through the open hanger doors to the base and spun around, hitting the brakes he came to a stop just before where Miko was stood and behind her were Bulkhead and Arcee.

"You're awesome Smoke" Bella laughed from the exciting experience.

"Smokescreen" Arcee could tell that it was him and the rookie was a little disappointed that he was recognised so easily but these were his teammates. The holoform dissolved and the passenger door opened allowing Bella to step out. Once she was out Smokescreen transformed allowing Bella to gawk at his new look in his alt form. He looked so hot.

"What gave me away?" Arcee gave him the 'really' look "come on; robots in disguise right"

Bella laughed at him "You may want to work on your driving then" she gave him a playful look. Before anything more could be said Miko ran into the red head, arms wrapping around her middle in a tight hug. "Careful of the arm Miko" she warned about her broken arm in the cast.

"I'm so happy you're okay. You tried to save us" Miko backed away a little to allow the woman to breathe "Thanks"

"Anytime Miko"

"Actually please don't do it again" Smokescreen rubbed the back of his helm making his concerns known "you really scared me Bells. Thought I was going to lose you" the red head blushed.

Though the conversation was cut short when a new bot walked up to the rookie that Bella didn't recognise he resembled Optimus but was bluer. "Where have you been soldier?"

He seemed quite formal and up tight but Bella wasn't one to judge just by first impressions "Attending to my guardian duties and scanning new war paint; thought I'd be proactive to follow Optimus's lead and Bumblebee's" he gestured to the scout as he placed an empty energon cube down and beeped his reply.

"Now you can look your best while staking those empty cubes" both looked to the mess of empty energon cubes by the wall and Smokescreen's face instantly fell.

"Yes sir" he moved away to follow orders "I was nearly a Prime but somehow I'm still a rookie" his voice was low so no one else could hear or not that he was aware who could hear him.

Ratchet immediately stopped his work on some tools that he would need in the future as his audio receptors picked up on some of Smokescreens words "What was that about a Prime?"

Smokescreen's optics widened as he tried to hide what he really said "erm time. Time to stop acting like a rookie"

Bella felt bad for the blue mech. She had heard him and was pleasantly surprised. She had missed out on quite a bit from being injured and it seemed that the new officer was a bit hard on him. "Who's the new guy" she gestured to Ultra Magnus as Arcee moved to speak to Ratchet and Bulkhead gave her a reply.

"That's Ultra Magnus, Optimus's second in command. Even trained under Optimus he's…" They each spared a glance to the commanding officer "strict about the protocols of war. Very by the book" Bella made a mental note to herself after hearing this to make sure to show him respect so long as to not get on his bad side though glancing at Miko she highly doubted that the teen would act in such way and Ultra Magnus didn't seem to mind her; that she saw of yet.

Moving up the metal stair case she saw Jack and Raf by the side. Raf at a small collection of computers doing what he did best. She cleared her throat to get their attention and as they span their heads to see her she could see the joy they displayed in the faces at seeing her. "Isabella!" they both shouted out in unison and moved over to her giving her hugs but being careful having seen her protected arm. "It's good to see you" the two smiled at her. "Thanks for what you did"

"No problem, though it appears that my efforts were or nothing" Jack placed his hand on her shoulder for comfort.

Nothing more could be said as Raf's computer lit up and began to beep. He immediately responded typing away as a location came up on one of the screen showing a map of the world. The point highlighted before a ground bridge opened up behind the computers and Optimus walked through with something held in his servos. Isabella could now see what Smokescreen meant what he said that Optimus was alright but bigger and better than before. His body had changed and he was now bulkier, stronger looking. As he walked through his optics set on where she stood. "It is good to see you Isabella"

"It's good to see you Optimus"

He nodded to her before moving over to a metal table and placing the object down.

"Optimus did you find energon?" Ratchet sounded a little desperate for liquid that they all needed to stay alive.

"No but I did uncover this" everyone in the room moved to see what Optimus had retrieved and brought back to the base. It was big and old though the human didn't really see what it was so waiting to the bots to speak. "It cannot be" Ratchet moved forward to get a closer look.

"Be what?" Jack was just as interested as the other teens and the woman.

Optimus stared down at his find as they had now uncovered what the decepticons were now doing "The ancient remains of a predacon"

Ratchet scanned it into the autobot database to be sure but was still surprised that it was as they thought "Though it remains unclear as to why such a skull would be found on your planet its presence reveals all too much about the predacon which Megatron recently sent in pursuit of us" The teens moved forward to get a closer look at the fossil as ratchet moved around them.

"You mean that dragon bot we put on ice?" Miko was trying to follow along. Bella was getting shivers as she moved away from it not liking its presence. Smokescreen saw this and held out his servo for her that she didn't hesitate to climb on to as he lifted her to his shoulder plates and the red head made herself comfortable sat on his shoulder where she knew she was safe.

"Except the predacons have been extinct since…well" the medic was struggling to find the words so Smokescreen helped him out.

"Since before most life began on Cybertron" Smokescreen crossed his arms over his chest as they discussed the matter.

Thinking Bella could see similarities forming here "So they're like our dinosaurs" the rookie nodded to her.

"Which means for you guys; running into one would be like us meeting a T-rex"

It seemed that cybertron and Earth were more connected that previously thought. "So then what were dinobots?" Miko was curious

"Totally different" well that cleared that up as Bulkhead replied.

Ratchet then thought aloud as he was working out what their enemies were now doing "With Megatrons seeming new interest in the excavation of prehistoric skeletons and a certain scientists back amongst the decepticon ranks…"

Optimus then finished off where Ratchet was then going to go "It would stand to reason that Shockwave cloned the beast from one such find"

"And now Megatron is now looking to try and clone another" Ultra Magnus seemed a little annoyed by the appearance of a predacon bone.

Wheeljack then joined the conversation with the army of predacon idea "What makes you think that bucket head would stop at just one"

"We could have beast wars on our hands" that didn't sound too good. Not if they struggled to defeat the last predacon.

"And if Shockwave only requires a single strand of CNA from which to clone a beast"

Optimus stepped forward now "He already possess what he needs to engender this one. Autobots we must become beast hunters"

Bella then felt a little scared. If they were like Earth's dinosaurs then there was a real problem. She feared more Smokescreen knowing that he would have to go out there and fight them though she was yet to see one properly but she could already imagine there strength. An army of predacons would be hard to stop.

"One thing still doesn't follow; predacons went extinct on Cybertron so what would their bones be doing here"

They all remained silent then. The medic moving over to the main computer and typing in to access any data that they may have old images appeared showing mythological creatures from human history that the humans recognised immediately. "From our historical texts"

"But that means our historical and mythological knowledge was based on predacons and not real organic creatures" Bella spoke up showing that both history from Cybertron and Earth matched.

"It would stand to reason that predacons did indeed walk amoung this Earth in ancient times as they seem to be the basis for much of human kinds folk lore. Illustrating once again that the pasts of Earth and Cybertron are inextricably linked" That was when the atmosphere went eerie. Nothing more needed to be said as they could do nothing until they detected more decpeticon activity in excavating more predacon bones. It was then that the sun began to set and Optimus ordered everyone to remain alert in case the decepticons were detected. Smokescreen walked outside of the hangar as he watched the sunset with Bella sat comfortably on his shoulder. She leaned on his helm and could feel the heat from his body.

Though it was a beautiful moment with just the two of them watching the sun go down the red head couldn't help but feel worried or concerned and Smokescreen easily picked up on this. "What's wrong?"

She didn't know if she should say anything at first but then thought about getting it out as it may calm her nerves a bit more. Worst case scenario she would have a panic attack because she bottled up her feelings. "Promise me you'll be careful" he looked to her questioningly that she had to giggle about as he looked funny "These predacons; they're not decepticons. If they really are the source of our historical knowledge then they're big and dangerous and maybe difficult for you to handle"

Smokescreen's faceplates changed, he smiled at her concern. Lifting his servo up her gently wrapped his digits around her and lifted her off his shoulder so that she was securely held optic level with him. He felt her firm grasp on his digits as she stroked one of her hands along his plating. "You don't have to worry Bells, we're not going to let Megatron clone an army. But I promise to be careful besides I'm a rookie I know when to run in or think my way out" he hit his other servo of his chest in pride making her laugh.

"Sounds more like Prime to me" that caught him of guard, she had heard him "Optimus asked you to take his place when he was dying? A big step that you obviously didn't agree with"

He nodded his head in confirmation "it's a big responsibility one that I wasn't ready for; I'm too inexperienced. The fact that I went back for Optimus after securing you and ignoring protocol is evidence of that. Besides I think for all of us there's only one Prime" the two looked back into the hangar where Optimus stood and spoke with his second in command.

"But Optimus was inexperienced once and the only way you learn is by trying even if you do make mistakes. You learn from them and move on; become a better you" Bella reached out and brushed her hands along the autobot insignia on Smokescreens chest plates as she spoke. "So maybe now is a good time to tell Optimus" she could see that the rookie was about to argue against the idea but she spoke before he could "Become a better you Smokescreen or do you want to treated like a rookie for the rest of your life. Optimus saw the potential in you when he was going to pass the Prime status to you; now prove him right"

Sighing Smokescreen agreed nodding and moving into the hanger again. He gently placed Bella down one the catwalk before moving away. "You'll always be my rookie" she whispered to him which made him stop and give her a playful glance before proceeding to his leader. He stopped beside Optimus and waiting for him to finish his conversation with Ultra Magnus.

When they had both sets of optics were on him though Smokescreen preferred if it were just Optimus that he told "Optimus could I speak to you in private"

"Of course" Optimus looked to his second in command giving him a nod before leading Smokescreen out of the hangar where they could talk just between the two other them without any disturbance. Bella watched them leave giving Smokescreen a thumbs up before she turned to see the three teens staring at her from where they sat on the sofa. It seemed as though Smokescreen was going to tell his leader about their relationship that she was going to have to tell the teens otherwise she feared she'd never hear the end of their pestering.