AN- OH PRIMUS! I am sooooooooo sorry about how long the wait for this was! I can only apologise forever! Anyway I hope you like what i was able to get out. The rest should be along SOOONNN! And i mean that... I'm just way to tired to finish now or i would.

I'd like to thank StephanieZorander for making me feel guilty enough to write this! Thanks Steph! :)

PLZ REVIEW! 3

Chapter 14 Part 1

We switched to riding in Bee when we stopped at a gas station for snacks. Bee floored it all the way to New York. I'm fairly sure many laws were broken on that road trip. But no one really cared one way or the other. We just wanted to get there. Sam had stayed peculiarly silent throughout most of the trip. I finally decided to ask him why.

"Hey, Sam, what crawled up your tailpipe and died?" Bee chuckled at my phrasing, but otherwise I got no answer.

"Hello, Earth to Sam."

"Huh, what?" his less than intelligent answer proved my point. I rolled my eyes at him before continuing.

"What's with you? You haven't said a word since we set off."

He stared at me a minute before responding, "Simmons and I didn't get on too well last time. What if he doesn't want to help us? I mean, what are we gonna do about it? You suck at standing up to men after the incident NO ONE ever wants to mention anymore and Mikaela was with me last time." He sounded agitated and confused. I really couldn't blame him. He was right about me. Galloway incident aside, I've been horrible around strange men since my father. I stared out the window for a while after he said that. I didn't know how to respond.

"Sam, I know I've been less than stellar with men, but when the situation provides I won't buckle down. You know how much I've got to lose with this. If it doesn't work, you know the first mech they'll go after is Optimus. I can't lose him. I will do whatever it takes. I hope you believe me." I tried to smile, but the atmosphere had become so dark it was hard.

He gave me a look of pity. I turned back towards the window stiffly. I didn't want his pity; I wanted him to trust my judgment. I knew how much if a rick this was for everyone, especially myself. I was willing to go through with it. Everyone suddenly jumped when a loud beep sound within the confines of Bee's interior. The three of us looked back and forth between each other, trying to determine the source of the sound.

"It's my com link. Prime's trying to contact us again." Bee's voice sounded through the radio.

"What do you mean again?" I asked astounded. Why wouldn't Bee respond if Optimus had tried several times?

"Well, I didn't think that it would be best if you talked then." His explanation made sense.

"Let him through this time." I braced myself for whatever Prime was about to dish out.

-Annalina… What were you thinking?- He sounded like he was really trying not to yell at me for being so stupid.

"I'm sorry, Optimus. I had to do this. If I'd have told you, would you have let me go at all?"

-That is not the question here. - Which translated means hell no. –What is at question is your safety. I trust Bumblebee and the other two, but I…- He stopped short. Then the communication simply cut off. We all exchanged looks before my cell phone went off. The song "I would die for you" by Prince blaring from its small speakers. I answered it already knowing who was calling.

"You changed your ringtone." I was definitely more statement than question.

"Yes, I thought this was appropriate. But I'd like to continue where I left off." Optimus voice was rough, like he was hiding something.

"I think you should continue as well."

"I can't risk your safety. I had thought I had made that clear enough to you when I asked you to remain at base. I… need you, Anna."

"Optimus, please, listen to yourself. I'm just human. You don't need me; in fact it's the other way around. I'm doing this to make sure you stay in one piece." I paused as tears threatened to fall from my eyes. "I should be dead long before you. That's how it should be, and I intend to make sure nothing changes that." I tried to sound as determined as I felt.

"Annalina, I can't let you do this. Whatever info you have just…"

"No Optimus, I'm going to do this no matter what you say. It's my right to protect the one I love above all else. You should know that better than anyone. If you don't like it then tough, nothing is going to change my mind."

I heard him let out a sigh of defeat, "If you feel so strongly about it then I truly have no choice in the matter. I can, however, help make sure nothing harms you. I will be waiting for you after you talk with Simmons."

"I'll look forward to seeing you again, Optimus. I do love you."

"I know you do. I love you too, Anna. I just wish you wouldn't risk yourself for me." With that he hung up. The tears had just started trickling down my face. I looked at the others surrounding me.

"Everything okay?" Mikaela questioned. I simply nodded, not trusting my voice any more than I trusted my heart at that point. We continued for the rest of the journey in silence. Our little convoy arrived at Simmons' deli three hours later.

Bee and the twins parked on the curb beside the small shop. I followed Sam as the three of us got out of Bee. I took in everything about the place. It wasn't much I could tell. What really caught my attention was the orange and magenta Altezza I saw parked almost directly in front of the doors. It seemed like the wrong kind of car to be around the area. I wondered who it belonged to. My trio walked toward the shabby door of the establishment. The interior was not much better than the exterior. People were crammed in the small space tryign to get whatever they came for. I turned in a half circle but then stopped short. There standing in front of the right hand counter was Kristy and Drifter!

"Uncle Seymour! Why is it a no?" She whined.

"Kristy, Drifter?" I walked up to them cautiously. Drifter was the first to hear me approach.

"Hello, Anna! What the fuck are you doing here?" She seemed happy to see me. My eyes widened a fraction. She had been more diplomatic last time I saw her. God, she and Kristy were more alike than I thought.

"We're looking for Simmons, actually. I think he knows something that could help me out a lot. What are you two doing here?"

That was when Kristy decided to join the conversation. "Howdy Anna! Ugh, my uncle Seymour is such a jerk sometimes." She had her pouty face on.

"Wait a minute. Simmons is your UNCLE!" My eyes were like dinner plates at that point. Just then, the man of the hour decided to make his appearance. He was yelling to one of his employees, but stopped when he was Sam and Kristy and I.

"Oh shit. What does the alien boy want now, hmm?"

"We need your help, please?" I tried to look him in the eye, but I could quite do it. Being around strange men was still a bit tricky for me.

"Why should I? Odds are you're going to want to look at my extensive alien records…. That you didn't know I even had until now. Follow me." He let out a huge sigh at the end. Kristy and I high fived. Apparently that was what she had been trying to get him to let her see. The five of us climbed down to his secret cellar. The room was filled floor to ceiling with papers and files of various types. Simmons went and stood in front of a seemingly unstable pile of folders.

"So, girlie, what is it you want?"

"We need info on them from ancient times. Something they left behind, clues. Somewhere in Egypt." I tried to explain what we needed the best I could. It was a bit vague but he seemed to get the point. While he started to dig through files, Kristy and Drifter turned to me.

"So you know other Autobots?" Kristy started of directly.

"Yes I do. How do you know about them?"

"I am cybertronian, a former Decepticon." Drifter supplied the answer. I suppose I should have realized something was up. Before we continue questioning each other further, Simmons slapped a folder down on the table.

"This what you looking for? Archeologists have found markings like these all over the planet. Just so happens that some have been found on the pyramids in Egypt." He showed us various pictures of what Drifter confirmed to be cybertronian. Now the question was, how do we get there?

"I knew of a fellow former Decepticon, Jetfire, who was sent here long ago." Drifter supplied. "Perhaps if we could find him, he could space bridge us to where ever the frag it is we are supposed to go?"

"Sounds good to me. But where are we going to find an ancient con?" It seemed like an impossible task ahead of us.

Simmons made things just that much easier on us, "There were reported readings of an Energon signal at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington. Maybe that could be your mech?" I couldn't hurt to check it out. We carefully climbed back up the ladder and walked out of his business, waving goodbye as we did so. There parked in front of Bee was Optimus, just as he had said.

"I'm going to ride with Prime. We'll follow you, Drifter." They all nodded and Drifter's holo vanished. I walked slowly up to Optimus' door. It opened for me as soon as I got close enough. My foot slipped as I tried to climb in, but his holo quickly flashed and grabbed my wrist, pulling me in.

"Are you okay?" I nodded at him, still refusing to meet his eyes. "Good." His arms tightened around me. I knew he was worried.

"Optimus," I tried but he just silenced me. We were driving behind Drifter and Bee. The twins brought up the rear of our convoy. I laughed when I thought about that, which confused Optimus.

"What's so funny?"

"We got a little convoy." He continued to look confused until he looked up the song. The song Convoy then started playing from the speakers. He winked at me as he smiled. It felt good to just be a bit happy considering the situation we were in. The two of would have to face it eventually. His arms changed position but stayed firmly wrapped around me. Optimus lifted me up so he could place me on is lap facing him. His electric blue eyes glowed just like his optics. I don't think I've ever seen his eyes or optics betray as much emotion as they were now, though. They were a swirling mess of sadness, worry, happiness, love, and so many more. It made me just a bit ashamed that I was putting him through this. I didn't want him to be hurt, that's all. But it seemed to me that while I was busy protecting him from Decepticons, I was hurting him myself.

"I'm sorry, Optimus." I hugged his holoform close. There wasn't much more either of us could say. We stayed like that the entire trip to the museum. It was hard for me to pull away when we arrived. Eventually I did and went to meet up with the others, Prime's holo following close behind. After introductions, we set about forming a plan to get to Jetfire, who we confirmed it to be after a little background search. We decided to just sneak in after closing. Seemed easier than trying to find a way to stay in while they closed.

Half an hour later and we were ready to head in. The lights were off but there were enough windows that we had light to see by. Using some device she swiped from her uncle, Kristy picked out Jetfire quickly. I pulled out the shard I had kept in my pocket and held it towards him. It snapped on to him and made a strange buzzing noise as it began processing new Energon. Soon enough the huge mech transformed and walked toward the huge hangar doors, rambling about himself in the process. He shouldered the heavy doors open and stormed out of the hangar. Outside to greet him were Optimus, Bumblebee, Skidz, Mudflap, and Drifter already transformed. Optimus stepped in front of the old mech, halting his forward progress.

"Greetings Jetfire, I am Optimus Prime. We are here to ask your assistance in a dangerous matter." Jetfire halted once Prime said his name.

"A prime, a living Prime! Well, Primus must smile down on us this day. Ha-ha!" We all stared at him. None of us knew what he was talking about. "You must be looking for the Matrix of leadership, no? I was my mission from the fallen to find it once, but then I became an Autobot. So much negativity, who wants to live a life filled with hate? Now there was a phrase to find it. What was it? Oh I remember, when dawn alights the daggers tip, three kings will reveal the doorway. But first we better get you all to the right spot." No one was prepared for the bright light that consumed us or the falling sensation as we landed in an Egyptian desert.