The next morning came early for everyone. Optimus had put an alarm on so that everyone would be up and ready to build. The alarm came at around six thirty and the Autobots all groaned but got up. They waited for the humans to emerge from their makeshift tent but when no one seemed to be coming out the tent was ripped from the ground and the humans were exposed to the cool morning air. Sam suffered most for he had only worn his boxers to bed where as Alana had chosen her warmest PJ's.
Ironhide leaned down and picked up Alana while Sam was picked up by Bumblebee. The humans were then gently poked awake. Alana frowned as she stared into the optics of Ironhide.
"Good morning Alana" Ironhide was trying to sound cheerful but like Alana he had not gotten enough rest.
"Sleepy" Alana said. She was trying to lie back down in his hand but he would not let her.
"Go get changed Alana, we have a busy day today" Ironhide set her down on the ground and Ratchet handed her some clean clothes. Alana took the clothes and trudged off into the forest. She was grumbling and groaning but she did as Ironhide had asked her. When she came back the Autobots were already starting with the building. They were lifting up heavy beams and placing them in the ground.
Ratchet stopped his building for a moment and pointed to a small rock that had some food on it. "Eat your breakfast Alana" he told her. Alana upon seeing food gave him a big smile and rushed towards it. once done eating her fill she walked on over to Optimus and saluted him like she had seen Ironhide and Ratchet do.
Optimus laughed and knelt down "Alana, I have a job for you" he told her.
"Ok!" Alana waited for him to relay what she was supposed to do.
"See that area on the inside of those metal beams over there" optimus pointed to the spot where the main part of the base was. Fireflight had outlined it with the metal beams.
"Yup I see it" Alana nodded.
"Well I need you to help Sam clear that area" Optimus told her. "Put the big rocks on the outside of the metal beams and try and get most of the grass out of there" he told her.
"Ok!" Alana gave him another salute and rushed off to start her job. Optimus watched after her for a moment and then once seeing she knew what to do he continued with his own.
Sam was already hauling some big rocks away when Alana came over and began to help him. She picked up a big on and waddled it over to the small pile that Sam was creating. She threw the rock onto the pile and so continued the process of clearing the area. Occasionally the humans would come across a rock that they could not pick up and Fireflight would lift the rock and toss it away. It took a few hours for the humans to declare the part they were working on rock free so they then began to tear the grass from the ground. They had little buckets and were filling them.
This took another few good hours but Alana and Sam kept at it. Soon Alana and Sam were covered in dirt and sweat but they were done. Optimus went over and congratulated them. He picked them up and dropped them off in a different part of the base and told them to do the same thing. Sam groaned but Alana smiled and once more saluted them.
The part of the base that the humans had cleared was then given to Fireflight he stamped the area level with his feet and with some cement that Ratchet had left for a for a bit to get, he began to mix and then poured so that the Autobots had a floor. Once the floor was done, the Autobots were able to build around it while the cement settled.
The humans were able to complete three parts of the base that the Autobots considered most important. Cement was poured and walls were put up. And by the end of the day a base looked as if it was starting to form. Sam and Alana were quite proud of themselves, they had done quite a bit of work and were pleased. Unfortunately there was no stream near them so they had no way of washing off the dirt and grime of the days work.
Sam flopped down on his sleeping bag sending up a cloud of dust. Alana did much the same thing. And within moments the two humans were asleep. Fireflight happened to be walking past them when he heard a soft snoring. On normal circumstances he would have woken Sam up to ask him what noise he was making but then he knew about the lack of stamina most humans had, he had been amazed the humans had made it through the whole day. So he stopped by them and with gentle fingers he began to cover them up with a blanket. Once he had covered up the two humans with a warm blanket he quietly stepped away.
The other Autobots were also pleased with the amount of work they had gotten done, they figured if they put in the same effort for the next two days they would have a complete base. They then would have a fourth day to finish it and create sensors and other such defensive things. Then all that was left to do was wait for the Decepticon attack.
The next morning the Autobots woke up the humans and they continued their work. They repeated what they were supposed to do for two more days until the Autobots finally deemed they had a respectable base.
Alana and Sam were in a desperate need for a shower by they end of three days. Alana's hair had gone a shade darker because of the dirt. Not to mention the smell. The Autobots were also in a great need for a clean up. So it was decided that the humans would borrow the showers at the pool in town to clean up while the Autobots would go through a car was. Fireflight was promised a clean down form Sam and Alana, seeing that he could not go through a car wash.
And so everyone was once again clean, along with Fireflight, the humans had a grand time washing him down. Alana was able to sit for the first time in a plane and she felt quite pleased with herself.
Then came time to furnish the Autobot base, Alana was given her own room right in-between Ratchet's med lab and Ironhide's room. Right across from her room was the lounge. Alana's room had been furnished with just the bare essentials for the moment. She had a bed covered with her Buzz Lightyear sheets. She had a bathroom and a desk, her LEGO was put in a small corner in the room. Alana was quite pleased with room it was bigger than the last and she couldn't wait to have a battle in this room.
Sam's room had and attachment to Bumblebee's and he also had the bare essentials.
Ratchet was putting his tools away in the med lab when Alana came in, he gave her a small glance but then went back to work. Alana walked on over to his foot and stopped, she looked up at Ratchet and held up her hands, silently asking to be picked up. Ratchet gave off a sound which sounded much like a human sigh, he complied and picked up Alana. She giggled and he smiled. Ratchet put the small girl on his shoulder and continued on with his task.
Alana then cleared her throat, Ratchet paused in his work and smiled. "Is there something you want to ask me?" he said.
"Yes" Alana said "am I going to school" Alana asked.
"Yes you are" Ratchet let off a laugh when he heard Alana groan. "Its not so bad Alana" he said
"Yes it is!" Alana pouted.
"Ah come on, you'll be starting grade one soon, it'll be fun" Ratchet promised her.
"I suppose" Alana sighed. Ratchet took her off his shoulder and set her on the counter top.
He kneeled down so that he was eye level with her "do you wanna take a little trip into town?" he asked.
"Where are we going?" Alana asked.
"Oh I don't know, maybe stopping to look at your school, signing you up and maybe on the way back if I find an ice-cream shop…" Ratchet smiled as Alana's eyes went big at the word ice-cream.
"Ok!" she nodded her head enthusiastically, she then jumped onto the outstretched hand Ratchet offered and they began to walk out. Just exiting the Med lab Ironhide walked into view and gave them a smile.
"Where are you guys going?" he asked.
"Ice-cream!" Alana shouted and Ratchet shrugged.
"We were also going to go and sign her up at her school" Ratchet said.
"Can I come?" Ironhide asked. Ratchet shrugged and Alana nodded.
"You can get ice-cream too!" she said. The three then began to walk out.
"Ratchet to Optimus" Ratchet was going to notify Optimus where they were going.
"Optimus here" Optimus' calm voice came through the com link.
"Ironhide and I are going to take Alana to look at her new school and sign her up. So we will be gone for a while" Ratchet said.
"Wait for me." Optimus said "I want to see her school too"
Ratchet paused and laughed "We will be waiting outside."
Optimus was rushing to get outside when suddenly Bumblebee and Sam walked in front of him.
He stopped just in time and was about to move around the two when Bumblebee asked "where are you going sir?"
Optimus stopped and turned to look at Bumblebee "I'm going with Ratchet and Ironhide to show Alana her new school."
"Oh can we come to sir!" Sam asked. Bumblebee nodded, he also wanted to see where Alana was going to school.
Optimus smiled "Sure" the three then walked out the meet the others who were waiting outside.
Ratchet looked at the group surrounding him and sniggered "well Alana, it seems everyone wants to see where you are going to school"
Alana looked up at Ratchet with big eyes "Is that bad?" she asked.
"No Alana, Its good" Optimus had heard her question and walked up so that he was standing next to Ratchet. Alana tilted her head and looked up at him. "It means that everyone here cares about you" Optimus told her.
"Ohhh" Alana said not really understanding it all, but Optimus gave her a straight answer and she wasn't going to question him.
"Well I wanna see her school so lets get going" Ironhide said. Everyone agreed and so the all transformed and sped off towards Alana's school.
Alana's school was a newer looking school, it was fairly large and held pre-school up to grade six. Its entrance was a large arch with great big wooden doors. The Autobots, parked in its small parking lot and activated their holoforms. Alana got out and Ratchet walked on over to her and she grabbed his hand.
"Its big" she whispered to him nervously.
Ratchet knelt down in front of Alana and gave her a smile "Hey Alana come on! I'm always going to be there to protect you, and I wont let anything hurt you I promise." He told her.
Ironhide took Alana's other hand and gave it a squeeze "you can count on us Alana" he told her.
Optimus also came up and put a hand on her head and ruffled her hair "we will always be there"
"Because that's what friends do" Sam said, he gave her a smile.
"Your one of us Alana, don't ever doubt that" Bumblebee told her.
Alana nodded "Ok" she said. the Autobots smiled and while holding Ironhide and Ratchet's hand she began to walk in.
It was just the beginning of summer so there were a few receptionists and teachers but no students. The Autobots and two humans walked into the main office and when the receptionist saw the amount of men in her office she gave off a big smile, they were very handsome men.
"Hello what can I do for you?" she asked them giving them a big smile.
Optimus stepped forward taking on his usual role as leader "Hello, we would like to add another student to your grade one class for next year."
"Really? Where's the kid" the receptionist looked among the mass of men and found a small little girl with big eyes staring at her. "Whose the father?" she asked.
Ironhide didn't hesitate "I am" he stepped forward letting go of Alana's hand.
"Well I'm gonna need you to fill out these forms" she handed him a few forms "and then she'll be ready to join us next year"
Ironhide took the forms and smiled "thank you" he said.
"No problem" she receptionist smiled at him.
Ironhide held up the forms "We'll be back soon" he told her. She nodded and the whole group filed out of the office and went outside. There they found a picnic table and sat at it. Alana sat on Optimus' lap and everyone leaned in close to here all of the things that Ironhide had to fill out.
"Student name" Ironhide read out loud. Then he searched for a pen, when it was found out no one had a writing utensil Bumblebee had to race inside and grab one. Once they did have a pen was then the first question of many answered. Ironhide wrote down Alana's name and looked at the next question "Date of birth" he looked up at the others for help.
The Autobots had never really celebrated Alana;s birthday, she had never been to a birthday party and the Autobots didn't know when she was born.
"How about the day we got her" Sam said. "That could be her date of birth.
Alana tilted her head backwards so that she was looking at Optimus' chin "What is birth?" she asked.
Optimus frowned "It's when a certain human celebrates the day he or she was brought into this earth"
"Oh" Alana said. "When is my birth?" she asked.
Ironhide thought for a moment looking back through his memory banks "April 22nd that'll be your birthday." He said.
"Ok" Alana shrugged, she didn't really understand the significance of a birthday so it didn't really matter to her whether she had one or not.
"Next one" Ironhide said "Fathers name" he looked up, "do I use my own name or a fake one?" he asked.
"Use a fake one" Ratchet advised "We should all have fake identities made" he added.
"What should my name be?" Ironhide asked.
Alana put up her hand and Ironhide looked at her bemused "Yes Alana?"
"You told Mrs. Winkel your name was Rick" she told him.
"Oh yeah" Ironhide thought for a moment "That'll work" he shrugged and wrote down his name.
"Mother's name" Ironhide read, he looked up once more for help.
"Mother?" Alana asked looking up at Optimus once more.
Optimus looked over to Ratchet for help and he too looked as if he was having difficulties coming up with an answer to that one. "Alana," Ratchet said her name to get her attention. "You know when we were talking about families?"
"Oh! They have last names just like us!" she nodded
"Yes, well in the family group there is a mother, she is a female human who takes care of the rest of the family" Ratchet said.
"But we don't have a mother… are we still a family?" Alana asked.
"Let me continue" Ratchet said and Alana remained silent. "But in some occasions the families have lost there mother or father but they can still be a family" Ratchet said.
"I don't understand" Alana said.
"Familes are held together by love and not who is in the family group, because all of us love you and you love all of us that holds us together as a family" Ratchet said.
Alana looked as if she understood "so even though we don't have a mother we are still a family…" she looked up at Ratchet to see if what she said was correct.
Ratchet nodded and smiled "Exactly." He told her
"Ohhh ok" Alana nodded once more pleased with her ability to understand family matters.
"But we need to put down a name" Ironhide said.
"Ah great" Ratchet muttered "another name"
"How about Helen?" Bumblebee asked, his eyes were closed and the others knew he was doing an internet search.
"Meh" Ironhide said "whatever" he wrote down Bumblebee's suggestion.
"Address… uh" Ironhide stared at the piece of paper for quite a while "do we even have an address?"
Everyone stayed quiet for a moment, they weren't sure, "I suppose we can make up a mailing address and pick up all our mail from there" Bumblebee said. Sam nodded in agreement with him.
"That might work" Optimus also agreed.
"What address though?" Ratchet asked.
The Autobots all closed their eyes for a moment and Alana waited patiently for them to finish their internet search.
"Ah I got one!" Optimus said after a moment, his eyes opened and he relayed the address over to Ironhide who write it down.
And so went on the questions until they finally had the entire thing finished. Ironhide looked quite pleased with their ability to forge things. They walked back into the building and handed the papers over to the receptionist she gave them a look over and smiled towards Alana.
"Welcome aboard hon'" she gave Alana a wink and Alana gave her a small smile. She turned back to Ironhide and nodded "Your all set" she put the papers into a folder and placed it on her desk.
"Thank you" Ironhide smiled he then turned to Alana and the rest of the group. "I suppose we did promise to take Alana for ice-cream" he said.
"Ice-cream!" Alana cheered. She gave him a big smile and then ran for the door. The Autobots followed after her. She ran over to Bumblebee and pulled on the back door.
"Alana!" Ironhide called "Why not ride with me?"
"Bumblebee drives faster" Alana told him getting into the back seat. Sam smiled and gave Ironhide a small wave.
"See ya!" he called.
Bumblebee's holoform disappeared and his engine started. He revved his engine and then flew out of the parking lot.
Ironhide watched Bumblebee drive away and he muttered "Damn speedster." His holoform also disappeared as did the other Autobot's. Soon the mass of cars was gone form the school and headed towards the nearest ice-cream shop.
Once there Optimus had to restrain Alana by lifting her up and carrying her into the store where he did not let go of her until they were seated with their ice-creams. They ate happily, the Autobots enjoyed human food just as much as humans did themselves. Alana was done her ice-cream in record time and watched with envy as Optimus still had some left. Optimus sighed and allowed her a bite of his ice-cream which she gladly took with a small thank you.
Once done their ice-creams the Autobots and humans headed back to the base where Fireflight was ripping out his tenth tree trying to figure out hw they worked. He had not noticed their lack of presence and had not noticed their arrival. Sam gave him a bit of a kick which he did not notice either.
Alana headed on into the base where she knew her LEGO was waiting. She wanted to have a giant war with her sets. The rest of the Autobots took the rest of the day to set up the TV and other such entertainment devices.
Finally their base was starting to feel like a home.