Answerthecall: Thanks for the review. I'm glad you enjoyed the last few chapters.

Dani's interacting with the soldiers in this chapter and helps them out. She's overcoming her fear of socialization. Good thing, too.

Here's some more along with some character rants! They won't leave me alone!

Character Rants:

"It's about time!" Barricade

"What?" Noella

"You finally remembered me in the last chapter. You did good!"

"Thanks."

Chapter Twelve

Regular POV

Walking from the Witwicky's apartment, Dani looked at the convoy of military trucks passing through. She watched a bunch of soldiers unloading from a truck. Dani saw them unloading huge crates and walked over to watch them. She tried to stay out of their way. "Can I help?" One of the soldiers looked at her and said, "You want to help?"

"Yeah."

"Okay! I don't see why you can't!"

"Really?"

"Yes really." the soldier said. "Steve! Come here a minute!"

Dani waited patiently and grabbed a small day case. "You see all those cases over there?" Steve asked, pointing to a bunch of carrying bags and cases.

"Yes."

"Take these day cases over there."

"Okay." Dani took the day case and ran toward the carrying bags and cases.

"Wow! If only we had that kind of energy ourselves."

Dani jogged back to the towering bunch of day cases. She picked up several of them in her hands and walked to the carrying cases. Taking the one she had put on the pile, she created a new pile. By the time she had finished, she felt happy and tired. "That's a lot of day cases." She said to the soldier.

"We're just bringing these from the other base."

"Oh! Cool! Hey! Any of my furniture in these trucks?"

"Yes."

"Great! Which one?"

"Gonna take a long time to unload all these trucks."

"Oh! So what'd I unload today?"

"Bathroom accessories."

"Oh! That's why they're light?"

"Yes."

"What's in those big bags?"

"Clothes from all the soldiers that were stationed at the other base."

"I bet some are mine!"

"Yes."

"So who's going to sort through all of them?"

"We are. Don't you worry about your stuff. We'll deliver it later."

Dani's POV

"Hmm." I said mischievously thinking of doing something.

"I know that tone. What are you planning, Dani?"

I looked around to make sure that there were no Autobots driving near. If I did, they would've stopped me from plotting something. "Nothing." I answered.

"You sounded like you were planning something."

"I am." I said.

"I hope it doesn't involve running away."

"No and face Optimus' wrath? No thanks." I said. "I'm going to explore."

I walked away from the soldiers and set out to wandering around the City. I heard the crunch of gravel behind me. I craned my neck to see who was behind me. Turning, I saw Optimus. "Oh Slag!" I muttered under my breath.

"Where are you heading, Youngling?" Optimus' voice asked.

"Nowhere. Just, um, taking a walk."

"Taking a walk? You would not be sneaking or looking for a way out?"

"Mai? Looking for a way to get out of the City?" I asked. "Ha! No. I just wanted to explore and walk."

"Exploring leads to trouble." Optimus reminded me.

"Right! I'll just take my 'leave' and go back to my bedroom. Maybe I can talk to Pierce." I said, walking by Optimus.

Optimus turned around and followed me to Sunstreaker's apartment. I kept looking at him while he followed me. I began to get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I hadn't done anything wrong, had I? I went through the human sized door to Sunstreaker's apartment. "Dad? I'm home." I said out of habit when he was home. "Oh that's right."

"Dani?" I heard Sunstreaker's voice. "Where have you been all day?"

"Out." I said. "Why?"

"Sideswipe said you never returned and I had to tell Optimus to help me look for you."

I stood there for a moment trying to think of what I was doing all day and then I frowned. I remembered I was supposed to tell them where I was going before I went anywhere. I licked my lips before looking up into icy blue optics. I shivered from an unknown cold chill that swept through me. "Um," I started to say. "I'm sorry. I forgot." I flushed red with embarrassment. "Why is it so hard for me to remember that? I'm not dull headed or stupid!" I thought to myself. I sighed.

"Well. I guess I can let this slide for once. But next time, tell me or Sideswipe where you're going so we don't have to search all over the place for you." Sunstreaker said, thoughtfully.

"Okay. Is Pierce awake?" I asked.

"Destroyer and Overseer picked him up awhile ago."

"Well, I guess I'll go see him." I turned to walk away, but a stern voice interrupted me.

"Hold up!" Sunstreaker ordered.

I turned around and looked at him. "Yes?"

"Where are you heading?"

"To see Pierce."

"No!" Sunstreaker said sharply.

"What? Why?"

"Pierce needs his rest."

"But I'm his friend."

"I know this."

"I've been socializing with people today! Isn't that a good thing?"

"Yes. But you forgot to come back to the apartment and let us know where you were going."

"I'm sorry." I said. "It's just I never had friends and didn't know I had to let you know."

"You are to stay here for the rest-"

"Can I at least go take a walk and-"

"I said no!"

"Just to the dining hall?"

"Don't even make me repeat my-"

"Not even to get a candy bar?" I asked, knowing I was going to get on his nerves. I could tell, but I wasn't just doing this on purpose. I was hungry.

"Absolutely not!"

"Then what's here to eat?"

Sunstreaker's holo-form appeared and took me by the arm. He led me to the kitchen and said, "Wash your hands."

I walked over to the sink and washed my hands. "Good enough?" I asked, taking the sprayer and splashing his holo-form.

"Dani!" He said, turning to me with a serious look on his face. His face looked like he was about to scold me. I aimed the sprayer and sprayed him with a gush of warm water.

"Heh!" I laughed.

"That's not funny!" His holoform left and I stopped spraying empty air.

"Yes it is!" I called. "Hehehe!"

I turned off the faucet and sneaked out of the kitchen. I didn't find Sunstreaker anywhere and headed outside. I still didn't see him and then I felt a gush of cool water right on my back and all over my body. Turning, I saw Alt-Form Sunstreaker standing there with a hose.

"Now that's funny!" Sunstreaker mused.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes."

I ran to the side of the apartment and found another hose. I turned it on full blast and then clenched it together to stop the flow of water. Then I sneaked out from the side of the apartment. I saw Sunstreaker. I jumped out and let the flow of water out, hitting not just one Mech. But two. "Ha!" I exclaimed and then faltered. I had hit Optimus and Ironhide instead of Sunstreaker. "Oh sh-ag!"

Both of them turned around and I asked, "Sorry?"

"Give me that hose!" Ironhide said to Sunstreaker.

I spun around and ran away, clutching the hose as I ran, even though I was creating puddles. Water rained onto me and I turned around, spraying Ironhide with my hose. "HA!" I exclaimed. "Take that!" Water sprayed all over me from all different sides. "No fair!" I said, running away and abandoning my hose to get away from all the water sprays. I heard laughter from behind me. "You intend to spray me, I'll spray you." Sunstreaker said, laughing.

Meanwhile, I hid behind the apartment, drying off. I shivered and went back into the apartment, my wet footsteps leading all the way into my room. I changed clothes and went around barefoot for a while.

An hour later

I watched some TV on a human sized couch. Apparently, the men had moved some furniture for me to sit around instead of staying in my room. I passed the time by watching TV and thought about my Mom and Dad. I flipped the TV off and went in search of Sunstreaker. I found him sitting in his office, typing a report. I hadn't talked to him since the water fight which happened an hour ago. "Sunstreaker?" I asked.

"I'm a bit busy, Dani. Can this wait?"

I looked at him with a hurt expression. He didn't look at me. "I guess so." I said, turning to leave. I looked back at Sunstreaker and left the office without a second thought. I walked to my room and looked for something to take my mind off my parents. I finally decided to go talk to Barricade. I went to the door before saying, "Be back later. I'm going to Barricade's apartment." Then I left the apartment.

I walked to Barricade's apartment in my socks. I walked up to Barricade's apartment and knocked on the door. "Hello?" I asked.

The door opened and Barricade's holo-form stood there. "Dani?"

"Can I, um, come in, please?" I asked timidly.

"Of course you can!" Barricade looked at my feet. "Where are your feet coverings?"

"At the apartment."

"You came in flimsy coverings?"

"Yes."

"Why are you not wearing your other feet coverings?"

"Got them wet." I said. Barricade let me into the apartment, eyeing me suspiciously.

I walked into the apartment with a hurt expression, but when I tried to hide it, Barricade was no fool.

"Dani?" Barricade asked. "Do you need to talk about something bothering you?"

"Yes." I said. Barricade picked me up gently. I looked into his red eyes.

"What about?"

"My parents."

"You want to talk about them, don't you?"

"Yes. I tried to tell Sunstreaker, but he was busy."

"I'm sorry about everything that happened to your parents. If you must know, I tried to warn Bumblebee. He wouldn't tell you because didn't like me."

"He said he was their guardian."

"Yes. He was."

"Why didn't he believe you?"

"Because of my faction, Dani." Barricade said. "My Esteemed Leader wanted them out of the way to get to you, Dani. To Megatron, you are the most important person to both of our races. You possess something. Something he wants other than the artifacts."

"Is it something in me?"

"Yes."

I mentally slapped myself. "Duh! Me! He wants me because I absorbed an artifact!"

"Yes." Barricade nodded. "That's right. You absorbed an artifact that has the ability to heal Cybertronians and your race."

I sat down and looked at him. "What's this artifact? Optimus and Ratchet didn't tell me."

"That's because it's called the giver of life." Overseer said, walking into the living room.

-0-

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