CHAPTER SIX

Confused Feelings Over A Human-Being

***

Meg: Vote, otherwise I won't be able to keep writing!

Bumblebee: Vote for me!

Starscream: No, vote for me you pathetic…I mean, you tiny humans…

Emma: Vote for both of them, just to shut them up!

Bumblebee & Starscream: ;O.O

Meg: That shut them up.

***

I fell asleep somewhere over Mandurah. I couldn't help it, really. I was tired. And this ride was a lot more comfy than my last ride (for starters, I wasn't tied up), so before I knew it I was asleep and, for once, my sleep was uninterrupted by nightmares.

*

Starscream's P.O.V:

I knew straight away when Emma had fallen asleep. Her breathing became deeper, and she curled up with that orange cat of hers, which also fell asleep. I could tell that her injuries were hurting her, and I was glad that I was able to fly to way I did.

I couldn't believe what I was doing.

I couldn't believe that she had come with me so willingly but, then again, that was the weird power of spark partners at work. I had never experienced it for myself, but I was experiencing it now.

At least I knew what it meant.

But…did I really want this?

Yes, I wanted the power of the All-Spark that resided in Emma's human body. I knew that, soon, we would grow closer, and then…

My spark began to pound as I thought about what we would do. What it would take for the ultimate power to be mine. What would happen after the power was mine. I could picture her, sleeping so soundly there, trusting me completely to take her to where she needed to go.

She was either very confident, or just plain foolish.

It wouldn't take much to overpower her, and I knew that there was hardly any human population between the two cities.

It would be easier to just stop here, and get what I wanted from her. She'd thank me for it, eventually.

I kept on flying.

*

Zikya's P.O.V:

I woke up on January 8th, thinking about what a rough night we'd had to endure last night. The army had come, and managed to cover up the story, although how they did that, I didn't know. Ratchet had managed to fix everyone – I wouldn't have been here if Wheeljack hadn't been okay – and we were all safe.

But Emma…she hadn't said a word since Bumblebee had saved her from Starscream. She hadn't so much as gasped when Ratchet had stitched her up, and she hadn't looked at anyone since.

Sighing, I opened my eyes, and sat up, mindful of my sore wrist. I looked over at Emma's bed.

It was empty.

I blinked, and then got out of bed, glancing around. There was no sign of Leveret either, and…the black jeans and black turtleneck jumper that had been hanging on the end of her bed were gone too.

"Did she leave the house early?" I wondered, as I swiftly dressed in my favourite blue jeans and yellow t-shirt. "But…Ratchet told her not to move around too much…" I went to the window and looked out.

Bianca was there in the driveway, and I called down to her: "Have you seen Emma!?"

"No," Bianca replied, and then she appeared to be listening intently. Then she called: "Zikya, get down here quickly, we have to go looking for her!"

I leapt out the window, onto the roof of the porch, and then jumped gracefully to the ground, which I hit running.

Where was Emma? Where had she gone?

*

Bumblebee's P.O.V:

I had driven around the entire city eight times, and there was no sign of Emma. I got back to the base, hoping that someone else had found her.

Emma wasn't there, but the army was. I transformed and heard Optimus say: "The Decepticons must have taken her," His voice was upset – a mixture between anger, fear, sadness and something else.

"If they have, then they may have taken her out of the city," An army personal said.

Ratchet looked more worried then I had ever seen him before. His optics were dancing with concern. "She was injured in the fight against Lugnut last night, and she was run-down with fatigue as well – we need to find out where she is."

I began wishing then that I'd put a tracking device in the chip I'd given her. I just hoped that she would read it…

I gasped, and my head snapped up so fast that everyone turned to look at me.

"Bumblebee?" Optimus looked at me intently. "What is it?"

"Last night…" I said, trying to piece together my jumbled-up thoughts. "When Starscream attacked just after Lugnut…he was talking to Em about something…and then Em shut herself away and wouldn't talk to or look at anyone…"

"Oh no…" Bianca moaned. She had already figured it out.

"What if Starscream told her that she has the All-Spark core within her?" I asked.

"And knowing Em, he'd react badly, thinking that we all lied to her…" Bianca put her head in her hands.

"Which we did." Spoke up Zikya.

"Do you think she's gone off with Starscream?" Wheeljack was leaning against the wall, and he was addressing me mostly.

I clenched my hands, which had begun shaking. "That slagging Decepticon…I've seen the way he looks at her…" My spark seemed to go cold as I thought this through. "If he even thinks about…" I couldn't finish. But, I didn't need to.

Everyone – even the humans – had already figured out what I had been about to say, and they all traded looks of horror.

Except for Optimus, who said in a commanding voice: "Autobots, transform and roll out! Search for Emma in and beyond the city, and look for any clues as to whom she might be with!" And, I heard him mutter: "Dear Primus, let her be alright…"

*

I woke up, and looked around me. "Huh?"

"So, you're finally awake?" That was Starscream's voice, and didn't seem as cold as it had been before.

I nodded. "Uh-huh…where are we?"

"About five miles outside of Albany…we should be there before it gets dark…"

"Can I ask you something?" I said suddenly.

"What?"

"That day…" I was referring back to the day there had been an air-raid warning. "Was that you that attacked the school, and confronted Bianca about the All-Spark?"

Starscream was silent for a moment, as we flew silently across the skies. Then, he didn't really answer my question. Instead, he asked one of his own. "Do you remember seeing me and Lugnut outside of what you humans call a petrol station?"

I nodded again.

"Did you…feel anything, when you saw me?" He asked, somewhat hesitantly.

It was my turn to be silent. I had felt something – not fear, but something…else…

At last, I nodded. "Yes…but it's a feeling I've felt with someone else, too…" No matter what, I still cared about Bee. Despite the fact that he, along with everyone else, had lied to me.

I felt a change in Starscream then and, when he spoke again, his voice was harsh. "Who is it?" He demanded to know.

I paused. Why should Starscream care whom I felt what feelings around? Why should it matter to him?

One thing I was certain of – if I told him the truth, then Bee would be dead faster then you can say everybodylovesbacon.

I sighed deeply, so deeply in fact, that Starscream's anger immediately changed to concern. "What is it?" He asked me.

"We're almost there…and you can't go waltzing in to town like this – people will think they're under attack…"

"They are under attack." Starscream reminded me, but I felt him change altitude suddenly, heading towards the ground.

I smiled, and scratched Leveret behind his long ears. Mission-change-the-subject accomplished.

Starscream landed.

"Get out." He told me, and I did so, hopping out on to the side of the road, with Leveret in my arms. I limped a few steps away, and looked out in wonder at the beautiful town of Albany.

It was a seaside town, with beautiful old buildings, sloping hills and a bay I knew was called Princess Harbour. The air was cold but wonderful, and I shivered happily as I put Leveret down on the ground. He meowed, and sniffed at a weird-looking plant on the side of the road.

When I'd turned around again, Starscream's holoform was looking back at me.

He was the same young man I had seen outside of the servos, and once again my heart gave a strange jolt. He had longish black hair that was tied up in a ponytail, and his glowing jewel red eyes were so different from Bee's summer day aqua ones. He was muscled, although not nearly as much as Ironhide, and was wearing a black t-shirt, black jeans and sneakers.

I happened to glance down at his right hand, and…

"Hey!" I exclaimed. "My class ring!" He was wearing the class ring I had lost when my house was destroyed!

Starscream just looked at me. "Do you want it back?"

"No," I shook me head. "It suits you better…" I took a step forward, and nearly fell over. "Damn slagging injuries…when I get my hands on that bloody Lugnut…" I was surprised to suddenly find myself on Starscream's back, being carried piggy-back-style down the road as Leveret trotted after us. "Hey!" I exclaimed, about five seconds too late. "I can walk, you know!"

"Oh," Starscream glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. "Would you rather, then?"

"No," I mumbled. "Ratchet told me to not do much walking…" And I tightened my grip around Starscream's neck. "Damn you, Lugnut…" I muttered.

Starscream just laughed.