Chapter 2

I do not own anything from Transformers movies, comics, books, cartoons, etc.

Optimus and Gabby won't be separated much longer.

"Do you mind?" Gabby asked raising an eyebrow as Barricade motioned her to sit down.

Barricade shrugged and said, "Come on, Gabby. You have nothing I haven't seen before, remember?"

Gabby scoffed and said, "I would like to keep some of my dignity."

Barricade shook his head and stood up. "Humans…" he mumbled as he deactivated his holoform.

Gabby quickly got dressed, and yawned. This was an unexpected surprise. She wondered where Barricade had been all this time. Hell, she wondered where Optimus is all this time.

She also wondered how Barricade had found her, she had become pretty good at covering her tracks and leaving no traces of Gabrielle Ryan behind anywhere she went now.

Gabby opened the door to the now darkened parking lot. The couple that owned the place had turned the light off in the office for the night not expecting any more patronage.

She looked to her right, and spotted the updated Mustang. No signs of police insignias this time for him. It was just a plain black Mustang GT.

Gabby lit a cigarette as Barricade appeared to her again, and waived his hand making a disapproving face.

"Since when did you start partaking in that awful human habit?" He asked.

Gabby held the cigarette out and flicked an ash. "Since I have been on the run for nearly two years now. It's a little stressful," she answered.

Barricade shook his dark head. He was still very handsome in the holoform mode, and looked no older or younger. His goatee was still perfectly trimmed. She could see the slight glow of red eyes in the darkness. Despite him being a Decepticon she was kind of glad to see him.

"Are you ready to talk?" He asked his eyes scanning the area to make sure no threats were around.

"As long as you don't drug me again," Gabby answered sarcastically.

Barricade looked at her regretfully, and Gabby felt bad for what she said. She knew the guilt over betraying her haunted him.

Gabby softened a little and said, "I'm sorry, 'Cade…."

He put a hand up and said, "No need. Believe me Gabby, I wish I could take it all back."

She smiled slightly as she put the cigarette out. "I know you do."

"That human couple are suspicious of you with me here," Barricade commented.

"I am not surprised. They were grilling me about a woman being out here on her own….blah, blah,blah….."

"Oh I see," he said still scanning before shutting the door behind them.

Gabby sat on the bed, and waited for Barricade to finish. When he finally did, Gabby found she did not have the words. So, she decided to make Barricade talk first.

"What happened to you?" She asked.

Barricade looked down at his holoform hands sadly. "I have been running as much as you, but the thing is I have been looking for you when I could. You have been doing a good job hiding."

Gabby smiled slightly. "So, how did you finally find me?"

"Well, when I got word that Optimus might be close, I knew there had to be a perimeter to where you were," he answered.

Gabby shook her head and sighed. She didn't want to cry again. "Do you know if Optimus is alive?"

"We're close. I know that, but his signals are weak, and sometimes stop," Barricade said slowly.

Gabby looked down to her lap and shook her head. "You know what's funny?"

"What?"

Gabby smiled though the tears were threatening her again. "I wished you were there that day….."

Barricade took a deep breath in his holoform and said, "I was, but that day Bee, as usual, was chasing me away."

Then Barricade became angry and stood up. "I always told them the humans would turn on them, but they refused to listen."

He turned and pointed at Gabby. "Your mate refused to listen!"

Gabby stood angrily and faced the Decepticon mech face to face. "Optimus did his best to keep the peace unlike your kind!"

Barricade scoffed and shook his head. "He didn't do a very good job. I should have known you would defend him till your last breath."

Gabby nodded furiously. "Did you think I wouldn't? Good God 'Cade he is the father of my child, and I love him!"

"Oh Primus Gabby! When are you going to see that your mate cost many human lives and look what happened? Your species turned against them! I always told them they would, and no one listened! Humans can't be trusted."

Barricade began to pace the room as Gabby stood there angrily with her hands on her hips.

"That species is me too, 'Cade," Gabby pointed out raising an eyebrow. "Besides, where has it ever been his fault? What about your leaders?"

Barricade stopped and looked at her, his eyes glowing red making the room look a little sinister.

"I know, but I always said you were different, and that is why you were able to birth a sparkling," he answered.

Gabby looked down sadly, and Barricade softened a little.

"When was your last signal from her?" He asked softly.

"About three months before we were attacked," she answered her voice catching.

Gabby ran her fingers through her now dark brown hair, and said, "Optimus was trying every night, but nothing came about, but for some reason I still think she is alive out there."

"It's funny because Unicron should have been here by now, and his signals stopped," Barricade said thoughtfully.

Gabby gasped at the mention of Unicron. The memories of Thunderwing's warnings almost made her shake.

"Do you think?" She asked hopeful.

"I think anything is possible with your sparkling, Gabby," Barricade said reassuringly.

Barricade watched as Gabby's emotions played across her face. There was something else she was not telling him.

"Are you going to tell me what exactly happened to you after the attack on the NEST base?" He asked.

"I am not ready to talk about that yet," she answered her voice quivering a little.

He could sense the emotions running through her, but he could not read a human's mind.

She finally looked at him and said, "That is for Optimus and I to discuss."

Barricade sighed, and stood there for a moment wondering what to say next, and decided to change the subject for now. He had a hunch, but would discuss it later. As much as he hated the Autobots he knew they had to work together towards a common goal. He didn't want to tell Gabby that he had found her a while back, and had been protecting her from a distance. Which was more than that weak mech Prime was doing. It continued to anger him that the great Optimus Prime constantly put his human mate in danger.

He hated to admit it, but he still loved her. The only human he would ever give a damn about, and the one whole loved the leader of the Autobots.

"You're almost an honorary Decepticon now," he suddenly said with a smile.

Gabby's eyes widened, then she pursed her lips in confusion.

"Huh?"

Barricade laughed lightly. "I never knew you had it in you to pull off the heist you did. You were always such a good human."

Gabby frowned. "I do what I do to survive right now. It doesn't mean I like it. Besides, it's an exchange for information."

"I think you secretly enjoy it, but don't want to admit it," he said teasing her.

Gabby scoffed, but smiled slightly. "I just want to be a lowly engineer."

"Yeah sure…."

Gabby did smile this time, but her eyes were still sad.

"Did you ever think about it?" Barricade asked seriously. He could see she was getting tired.

"Think about what?"

"Becoming one of us?" He asked with his own holoform eyebrow raised in question.

Gabby thought for a moment, and smiled again. "I have, but we both know that is impossible."

"Nothing is impossible, don't you think?"

Gabby smiled softly again, and thought for a moment. Barricade knew memories were washing over her, and then she suddenly laughed. She had to agree with him there.

"Nothing like crashing into an alien to save another one," she said still laughing.

"You will still pay for that," Barricade said teasing her again.

Gabby rubbed her finger against her lips, and Barricade wanted nothing more than to kiss them, but held back. He secretly hoped now that the Prime's distress signals stopped that he could have her for himself finally.

"I know," she said, as she knew he was kidding with her.

"You get some recharge. I will be outside. Tomorrow we will go find the Prime, and go from there," he said to her as she sat there in thought.

"Have you seen any of the other Autobots? The last I heard from was Bee and that was months ago?" Barricade asked curious.

Gabby's head shot up, but she tried to remain calm her eyes looking distressed. "Some are still prisoners."

"We will need a plan," Barricade suggested knowing Gabby didn't want to go further right now.

She nodded in agreement. "How do I know I can trust you?"

Barricade smirked at her. "You don't, but I am the only thing you have right now. You won't need your weapons to recharge tonight. It looks like you need it."

With that Barricade deactivated his holoform leaving Gabby to gather her thoughts.

She got up and looked outside to the see the dark mustang sitting still in the parking lot….watching and waiting.

She had no idea if she could trust Barricade. She only knew that was indeed the only thing she had right now.

She finished drying her hair, and lay down on the bed. She missed Optimus more than anything besides her daughter. She thought of everything from him to her dad to Orianna.

She had been alone for so long that having Barricade around again was something of great comfort for some reason.

She tried to reason that he was still a Decepticon and could not be trusted, but somehow she knew he would protect her and help her with Optimus.

He had an end goal that he wasn't ready to reveal either, and she began to wonder what that was.

She looked at her gun, and locked it for the night. She knew now that she would not need it.

She turned to her side, and clutched the picture she had of her daughter, and for the first time in months she slept through the night.

….

Optimus POV next chapter.