About an hour later, Ratchet walks into the sick bay to find them in the same position, except that Mary-Anne is sleeping in Bee's backseat. "Bumblebee?"

The scout buzzes quietly, telling the medic not to wake the sleeping child. Ratchet sighs, "How old is she?"

Bee buzzes again. "Ten years old? She's just a sparkling!"

He is promptly shushed. "What was she doing alone at a park? Her parents must be worried sick." He adds in a quieter voice.

The scout buzzes a negative. "What do you mean, you doubt it?" Bee buzzes sadly. "That's her story to tell? What in the galaxies does that mean?"

Optimus comes to the door of the sick bay. "Ratchet, is everything alright in here?" He spots Bee sitting in vehicular mode, and notices the frail child lying in his backseat. "Is she okay?"

Ratchet nods. "Bumblebee says she is just sleeping. Optimus… it may be unwise to bring this child to a human hospital right away. While our friend here has been vague, I get the idea that this human child has been greatly hurt by her own kind."

"Is that so, Bumblebee?" Optimus turns to the scout, who buzzes an almost silent affirmative. "We will let her stay if she wants to. Agent Flynn would be willing to help with that."

When Mary-Anne wakes up, she is still lying down in Bee's backseat. "How long have I been out?"

Ratchet glances down when Bee responds. "Is she awake, Bumblebee? It's about time."

He mutters, "It's been almost three hours."

The girl climbs slowly out of the car. She's still in pain, but her ribs and legs are healing well. "Thanks, Bumblebee."

He transforms into robot mode and buzzes. "Well I wouldn't say that! You stayed in vehicle mode for a little over four hours!"

Ratchet rolls his optics. "That is more than he normally ever stays in one mode."

Mary-Anne flinches just visibly. "Hello again, Ratchet." She attempts a smile as she turns toward him.

Optimus comes to the door. Ratchet glances at him. "Oh good. I was just coming to tell you she was awake."

The Prime nods and looks at Mary-Anne. Bumblebee scoops her gently into his hand, and lifts her up so she's closer to eye level with him. "What is your name, child?" While Optimus' voice is gentle and kind, it fills the girl with panic and rage.

She manages to hide it well, though. She's never been too expressive, and since being placed in foster care, she's learned to hide her feeling even better. "You must be Optimus Prime." She says with only a tiny quiver in her voice as she says the name, "It's an honour to meet you, sir."

"And it is an honour for us to welcome you into our base. It is not often Bumblebee makes a friend so quickly." Optimus watches her curiously. "Ratchet said that your blinding was not caused by the accident."

She sighs, "I… My fifth foster parents blinded me yesterday afternoon… Somehow they used a poison that got past my defenses."

Ratchet turns around from the computer, "Why would they do a thing like that?"

"Because the human race is filled with evil people who all they want to do is hurt for their own amusement." The girl's face flickers with a hint of anger. "I've been hurt by every single person that was supposed to love and take care of me."

Bumblebee tightens the hand that isn't holding Mary-Anne into a fist, but "says" nothing. The other Autobots notice this, and they guess that the scout knows more than they do about the child's past.

Optimus says, "I didn't get your name."

"Oh. Yeah. I'm Mary-Anne Parson." She chuckles a little, and traces a pattern on Bee's hand.

"Well, Mary-Anne Parson, if you don't want to go back to the other humans right away, we are willing to accept you as a guest for the time being." As the Prime says this, Ratchet sighs. "Even Ratchet, though he may try and convince you otherwise."

Bee chuckles, and adds something to the statement. Mary-Anne giggles suddenly. "Really? It was his idea?"

Ratchet sighs, "Actually, Bumblebee asked if he could keep you."

The girl rolls her eyes and leans back, so her back is lying against Bee's thumb. "I believe a little bit of both, actually. I… I might like to stay here… Wouldn't it bother you guys to have a weak human around?"

Ratchet opens his mouth to answer, but Bee stops him. Optimus lifts a hand for silence. "Before you agree to staying, you should meet the others."

"There is only five of you here, right?" Mary-Anne glances around at Bee nervously. He nods. "Okay. Where are they?"

Optimus turns around and heads out into the main area of the base. "This way."

Switchblade looks up from her latest art project when they come in, and pulls a tarp down over it. She stands up to greet Optimus.

Clutch pokes his head out of the training arena, and steps into the main area to stand beside Switchblade.

Mary-Anne listens to the footsteps, and memorizes them for later. Optimus nods at the two 'bots. "Switchblade, Clutch, I would like you to welcome our possibly long term guest, Mary-Anne Parson."

As Mary-Anne greets them, little does she know that these two Autobots will become one of her most painful memories. "Hello…" She smiles and waves in their general direction.

Switchblade winces at her cloudy eyes, and smiles a little. "Hey."

Clutch rolls his optics. Humans are too puny for him to deal with. "Hey."

Optimus narrows his optics at Clutch, and the 'bot flinches slightly. Bumblebee buzzes at them, introducing Mary-Anne to Switchblade and Clutch. They all exchange nice to meet you's and other formalities, then fall back into silence.

Ratchet crosses his arms, and turns around to go back into the sick bay. Optimus stops him. "Not so fast, old friend. We need to have a meeting."

Mary-Anne blinks, and her grip tightens ever so slightly on Bee's hand. He glances down at her, and buzzes to Ratchet. The medic nods, "I think Bumblebee is right, Optimus. Our visitor probably needs a short rest before we have a meeting to decide her and our, future."

The girl relaxes just visibly, and Bee smiles. Ratchet noticed the fear that had sprung up in her eyes, although she had hidden it well. He waits until Bee has let her down onto the sick bay bed, and they have left the room. "Bumblebee, is that girl afraid of us?"

Bee looks away. Optimus narrows his eyes at him. "Bumblebee, answer Ratchet."

He buzzes an affirmative in defeat. Switchblade rolls her eyes, "We're giant robots, and she just met us. I would be scared too."

Ratchet thinks for a moment, "But she knew about us before. She knew our names, and our positions and histories."

"How? We've been in hiding for years." Clutch turns to Optimus. "Unless Agent Flynn has been leaking information."

The medic shakes his head, "No. She openly admitted that she hacked into secret files to find out about us. She might have been researching because she saw us at some time and was frightened."

Bee flinches at just how close Ratchet got to the truth, but says nothing. If you asked him, it's Mary-Anne's story to tell.

Optimus thinks for a moment, watching the scout concernedly. "Bumblebee, if she told you something we need to know, you have to tell us."

Shaking his head, Bee buzzes sadly. Switchblade looks at him, "Optimus? May I suggest a course of action?"

The leader of the Autobots turns to stare at her for a couple seconds before answering. "You may." Switchblade very rarely talks to him, and even more rare when she has not been asked a question.

She continues nervously, "What if we let Bumblebee keep his promise not to tell Mary-Anne's secrets for now, and when she's feeling better, you can ask her the questions."

The other Autobots all stare at her. Bee buzzes an agreement. Ratchet nods reluctantly. Clutch rolls his optics. Optimus smiles slightly. "You're right. I wouldn't want Bumblebee to lose the trust that our young visitor has in him."

Bee buzzes gratefully, and when Optimus isn't looking, gives Switchblade a fist bump. She grins and winks at him.

Transformers Prime does not belong to me.

Taygetans do.

:)