Arcee remembers when she and Cliffjumper first arrived on Earth and what happened when Cliffjumper didn't listen to her.
Arcee stood by the door, watching her adopted human child sleep, remembering the day she and Cliffjumper found them.
The two had just arrived on Earth via the space bridge when they heard crying. Cliffjumper went to investigate no matter how much Arcee told him it was a bad idea.
"Uh, Arcee?" Cliffjumper asks as he stares at a child.
Arcee couldn't believe Cliffjumper had already revealed himself to an Earthling.
"This is why I told you not to investigate," she scolds.
"We need to help them," Cliffjumper insists, "what's wrong little human? Why are you alone?"
"Mommy and daddy are dead," the child sobs, "I don't know how to get home."
:: You don't think the accident just happened?:: Cliffjumper asks, so the child can't hear them.
Cliffjumper searched around the area as Arcee tries to get more information about the child.
"My name is (Y/N), and I am six years old," the child explains to Arcee before Cliffjumper contacts her, regretting he is telling her he found a car that crashed into the guardrail and the two humans inside are dead. While they don't know what (Y/N)'s parents look like, Arcee and Cliffjumper believe they found the young child's parents.
"Come on, kid, we will take you somewhere safe," Cliffjumper explains and transforms. This scares (Y/N).
"Nice going, Cliffjumper!" Arcee scolds before explaining to (Y/N) who they are and where they're going. The young child shyly sits on the passenger side of Cliffjumper's alt mode before watching Arcee transform into a motorcycle.
Once at the base, (Y/N) became frightened seeing four more giant robots. The two tell Optimus they already explained who they are to (Y/N) and about their parents getting into an accident. Optimus has Ratchet take the child to his medbay to ensure they are ok. While the child is not around, Arcee tells Optimus they found the parents dead. Optimus immediately contacts Fowler to deal with the accident scene and get the right people to find other family members to take (Y/N).
"I was able to arrange for Arcee and Cliffjumper to take care of the kid until other family is found," Fowler explains.
As the months go by with no word on other family looking for (Y/N), Arcee and Cliffjumper look into adopting (Y/N). Fowler questions the idea of Autobots adopting a child but does his best to make it happen. He's been visiting the base more often and watches how well Arcee and Cliffjumper take care of (Y/N). Even the other Autobots and the kids help take care of the child.
Eight months without their parents has been rough for (Y/N), but they have gotten used to their new family, but even at sic-years-old, they knew this was only temporary until their birthday.
Arcee and Cliffjumper hand (Y/N) the paper, though they can't read yet.
"What's this?" (He/She) asks.
"We have adopted you," Arcee explains, "that means we're your new parents."
The three hug as the child cries. Every Autobot cries knowing they now have a young child to take care of for years, even if Arcee and Cliffjumper are (his/her) legal guardians. Even Ratchet cries but claims he has dirt in his optics, and the young child laughs at this claim.
This happy memory turns into remembering the day Arcee had to tell her child that daddy is gone. Six months after (his/ her) birthday. Arcee dreaded watching her child cry and go through a phase of becoming terrified of letting Arcee out of (his/ her) sight. The past year hasn't been easy, even with the other Autobots' support. Even at eight and a half years old, Arcee knows her child still feels the pain from a broken heart. Between their birth parents being dead, watching them die, and now their adoptive dad is gone. Arcee worries there will be days that (Y/N) will be afraid to be apart from Arcee. June tries to lighten her worries by telling her by the time (Y/N) is twelve or thirteen, (he/she) won't want to spend as much time with her, but also doesn't like the reason (Y/N) has periods of becoming clingy.
"I wish you could watch (Y/N) grow up like we planned, Cliffjumper," Arcee sighs, "maybe you are from the Well of AllSparks."