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I watched as Optimus - very awkwardly, might I add - interacted with Rosalyn. Emilia joined their little get-to-know-each-other group after a couple minutes. I could still see the bit of wariness in her eyes at the sight of the Holoform; it made me feel a little uncomfortable, the way Emilia didn't trust him immediately, but she had every reason to feel the way she did.

"How are you and Optimus?"

I jumped. Abby stood beside me, giving a little smirk. I didn't see Alec or Athena, so I only assumed she put them down for a nap.

"We're working it out," I said simply. I saw Abby roll her eyes. "Don't make it into a big deal. We'll be fine."

"I'm not making it into a big deal." Abby put her hands on her hips. "I just worry for you."

"You don't have to worry for me," I muttered.

"It may have been a few years since I found out, but you're still my big sister." Abby's green eyes glittered. "I'll always worry about you."

"That's nice, Abby," I said. "But I never had a blastiological sibling before. I knew they were out there, but I never met them."

She shrugged. "My mom and stepdad had a few kids together not too long after they got married. I have three bothers and a little sister."

"I only had Sam." Abby looked at me. "My foster brother."

"You still had a sibling," Abby reasoned.

"He wasn't blood-related," I said sadly. "After I was taken from Turan and Antonia, I hoped I might find some of their other kids in foster care. I didn't. I felt alone."

Abby didn't say anything, we just looked back at Optimus and the others. From the way they seemed to seem a little more at ease with each other, except Emilia, who was still a bit edgy, I would say things were turning out for the better.

Mya POV

Mya's heart was practically pounding out of her chest. Ironhide had figured out a way over the border...and it was in the strangest way possible.

O.O.O.O

After finally figuring out a solution for crossing the border, Mya and Ironhide both agreed on one solution. They'd attempt to just ram their way through the border patrol and Cemetery Wind agents. Ironhide agreed to Mya's "no-killing-humans" rule with a mutter under his breath and a rattle of frustration in his Spark.

At this point of his stay on earth, running from humans and hoping they wouldn't find him, he didn't care one bit if a few humans died at his hand. They more than likely slaughtered some of his friends like they were vermin.

So, as Ironhide prepared himself, and Mya prayed to any powerful entity above, he sped toward the border.

O.O.O.O

In the simplest of terms, Ironhide did run over a few of the patrols and some agents. Never in the young femme's life had she been so scared. Even when she served in the military, she was never as scared as she was with Ironhide. He had no hesitation, he didn't hold back. Every word he spoke, every action he took, was to the point and done without the slightest bit of regret.

There was some shooting, which was to be expected. Mya kept telling herself she would have to get used to it. She was a former soldier. She had been around shooting. But what she experienced wasn't just humans fighting humans, it was humans fighting aliens. She had a feeling they knew she was in there, but wouldn't stop just for her.

"That was crazy," she gasped, "what you did back there."

"It got us over, didn't it?" His time held an edge of sarcasm, which caused the woman to scowl.

"You're insane," she muttered.

He only grunted in response.

Desirée POV

"He seems really nice," Rosalyn said. She glanced at Optimus, who spending time with Saoirse and Eden. Rosalyn's kids were intrigued by the Holoform, trying to get his attention, to be acknowledged. It only made me wonder how long it had been since those three had a male in their lives.

"He is," I said quietly.

Rosalyn smiled when she saw how Optimus interacted with her kids. They truly enjoyed his presence.

"You know," I said, "I was thinking, if the kids and I, and everyone else, are going to stay here, we might as well have a job or something."

Rosalyn thought it over, her eyes twinkling. "I have a friend who runs a market," she said. "He's a very trustworthy man."

"What's his name?"

"His name is Alexandre, but everyone calls him Al."

I hummed in response.

"His father was good friends with Emilia and I's father," she explained, "helping us financially when we needed it."

"That's nice," I murmured.

"I'll put in a good word for you," she smiled. "Al would love some help! He's getting older and needs as much help as he can get."

"Thank you, Rosalyn."

"You did really good today," I said to Optimus. We were outside. Optimus said he had to dismiss the Holoform, he was getting exhausted.

"They seem like trustworthy humans," Optimus rumbled. "The woman, Rosalyn...her Sparklings are amusing."

"They're still little, remember that." I gave Optimus a slightly stern face.

He nodded with a chuckle. Giving me a goodnight kiss, his lips lingering for a moment afterward, he walked off, giving the illusion that he had somewhere else to be. I knew that Rosalyn or Emilia would be watching Optimus, probably Emilia. They wanted to make sure he didn't come back to attack us, from what I was guessing.

Rosalyn seemed to trust Optimus wholeheartedly. She said he was kind, a gentleman. I knew she wasn't romantically interested in him, as far as I could tell, and she was just being nice to him.

Maybe she's grateful her kids have a "guy figure" in their lives, I thought. Shrugging, I went back inside.