[Location: Autobot Base]

The following day…

"He was what?" Agent Fowler was shocked as she handed him the folder. He had returned as early as he could the following morning to bring a few crates of the supplies Elita-One had asked for. It took time, and approval from General Brice, but he was able to secure everything she asked for.

The red-haired Cybertronian rolled her eyes at his shock, "You heard me. And I believe that he was only doing it because Silas had ordered him to keep an eye on me. I broke up with him a couple months before because I got tired of being uncomfortable around him, like something wasn't right." And he kept asking for things that weren't offered, she reminded herself.

Miko was digging around in the crates off to their side. "So your ex kidnaps you for the guy he's working for and helps keep you locked up? What a sick-o!"

Elita gave a snort of laughter as the teen hit the nail on the head and turned her attention back to Fowler. "The ones on top are his friends that I saw with him when… well, when I was with him, both on and off base.

Closing the folder up, the Federal Agent smiled at her. "Thank you for your help on this, Elita. I'll get to work on tying them all together pronto!" And with that they watched him depart their base through the elevator.

Well, all accept Miko who was half hanging out of the crate she was currently digging through. "Hey! Lookie here, 'Lita!" she yelled as she pulled out a top of the line laptop, "Looks like you've got the hook up!"

Joining Miko for the moment, she had to admit that she was rather confused. She didn't ask for the laptop, but apparently Agent Fowler thought she needed it like Rafael needed his. And then she thought of something with a smile. "Hey, Miko. Why don't you check it out for me?"

"Really? Cool!" and off went Miko to the couch that was still waiting beside the repair chamber where Bulkhead rested and repaired. This also gave Elita time to go through the stuff by herself.

Optimus was back at his usual station, Ratchet working on the repairs to Elita's larger form, while Arcee and Bumblebee were out driving around with the boys. With a rolling cart's help the humanistic Cybertronian began to trudge the containers to her room, although she had caught Optimus and Ratchet moving the rest of the crates down to the floor level when she walked back through.

Making sure to thank them she got the fourth and final crate into her room and began to dig through it all herself. Agent Fowler managed to get everything she requested, down to the seeds she asked for. Setting everything she needed for her hydroponic garden to the little corner of her room she decided was best for it, Elita began to build the system. It would take time, but the idea of fresh fruits and vegetables was extremely appealing.

During one of her small breaks she went back to digging in the crates, finding a simple coffee pot and a couple large containers of the granulated black gold she use to live off of back in high school and college. Apparently Agent Fowler had his reason to keep the stuff at the base now since he had a fellow coffee drinker to share it with. Digging further into that particular crate she found cans of assorted goodies. Rushing as quickly as her sore legs could carry her, Elita headed back to the kitchen with the coffee pot in one arm and a container of coffee in the other. Hopefully there would be mugs.

She was walking back into the main room, holding her coffee mug with both hands as she savored the smell. The first pot went quickly, and this was the last cup of the second pot. Another search of the crate yielded sugar and powdered creamer. And now she was just going to check on Bulkhead's progress.

Optimus and Ratchet were standing at the repair chamber door with Miko by the couch at their feet as they all were waiting for the door to slide open to the side. A quick glance at her body on Ratchet's table revealed that it was sitting upright and holding the mug she had made earlier, in both of its hands. Giving a shake of her head, she had to smirk. It was either funny or creepy, and she'd rather see the humor side of it all.

By the time she had reached the others, Ratchet was already inside the chamber and helping Bulkhead wake-up. Optimus was standing by in case the Wrecker needed help. When Bulkhead had come to enough to realize where he was, the first person he called for was…

"Miko!" he said with a smile down at his human, the teenager rushing over to hug his foot as she cried, the overwhelming feeling of relief driving her to fresh tears.

"I was so worried, Bulk!" she admitted, letting him pick her up and place her on his shoulder where she proceeded to hug his cheek. "Don't do that again! Ever!"

Bulkhead chuckled a bit, closing his eyes with a smile at the contact. "I can't make that promise, but I will be more careful next time."

"So! Spill! Tell me everything!" she requested excitedly as she sat back on his shoulder. The huge Autobot slowly walked his way out of the repair chamber with his Commander and their medic, using the excuse of sharing his story with Miko to give his 'official' report.

Elita had hopped up onto the medical table next to her larger form, both lifting the mug to their lips at the same time, as she too listened. When Optimus explained to Bulkhead what Ratchet told him, the Wrecker smiled down at Elita, "Thanks for the save, E."

The newest Autobot just waved it off with a smile, "We're a team and we do what we can when we can with what we have. That's what family's for."

That night.

After she managed to get the garden set up and going, Elita-One went to relieve Ratchet of the night monitoring duty since he had done it for two nights in a row. Both of her bodies were still a bit stiff, but completely repaired. And besides, she had the best of both worlds.

Part of her mind was keeping busy with 'practicing' with her larger form, letting it run the controls and readouts, while her smaller form was playing with her new laptop. She was use to multi-tasking, but this was such a better way to do it.

Deciding to check-in on things from her old life, she went to her little town's newspaper website. There were the usual articles about the town events such as parades and the school baked goods sale the teachers did every year. Just for the giggles of it, she checked the obituary section. It was rather odd reading her own obituary, looking at someone else's words as they tried to describe her life. About to close it down, she noticed a link at the bottom of it that made her heart sink into her stomach. Following it she bit her bottom lip as she read over the words.

Taking a deep breath, she closed the laptop lid and walked over to her larger form. The torso section opened up and she leapt into hit, letting her smaller form sync with the larger one. The rest of the night was a blur of her just going through the motions. The Decepticons had been quiet since the mass relic hunts had happened, but one could never guess when Megatron would strike.

It was near dawn the next morning before she had really settled on an idea. Checking the time confirmed that Ratchet would be there in five minutes, she walked over to the ground bridge controls, input the coordinates she wished, and opened it up and drove through.

It was winking shut as the medic made his way into the main room, looking around for his friend. On a corner of the main screen Ratchet saw what looked like one of those, oh what did the kids call it?, a website? A webpage? Slightly annoyed that she had been goofing off while on sensor duty; he scanned it over and froze as his eyes locked onto one particular part.

Rushing over to the ground bridge, he opened it up, transformed himself, and rushed through before it winked shut on him. He came out in a rather quiet field that was dotted with oddly shaped standing stone structures with a few large trees here and there. With a quick check of his sensors to 'feel' if anyone else was around, aside from the two Cybertronians, he transformed and scanned the area with his eyes.

Dawn was just barely creeping over the horizon, giving a gloom to the quiet field. And then he saw her, her larger form in its vehicular mode on the dirt road that ran through the field, and she standing before one of the larger of the odd stones. Not wanting to disturb the silence more than the birds were already doing so, he made his way on foot up the dirt road and carefully stepped over the stones to stand beside her.

Elita heard the ground bridge open up, recognized the sound of the medic's engine and then his footsteps as he made his way closer. She didn't look up from the grave markers until he carefully placed a finger on her shoulder after he knelt down next to her.

She looked up at him, placing her left hand on his digit, since it rested on her right shoulder, and they both focused down at the stone. On one side, it had her father's name, when he was born, when he passed, and kind words about how he was a loving father and husband. The vase that was originally on the stone had been replaced by the urn her old body was in, on it was the information about her. And newly added to the stone was her mother's name, when she was born, when she had passed only a week earlier, and the kind words.

Just as the sun began to finally crest over the horizon, Elita broke the silence first. "She passed in her sleep," and then she looked up at her dear friend, "Thank you."

The medic nodded gently, "That's what family's for."

FIN.

[Author's Note]

I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS PRIME NOR ANY CHARACTER IN THE SHOW.