Saphira took another bite of her burrito as Bumblebee drove through the city back to the wharf to gather and talk with Optimus. Saphira did not know if she should be worried about the rule changes, as she simply assumed they will be tightened. She knew that Optimus didn't like having her round, considering he literally came out and called her a liability. But Saphira could not be mad about that. She couldn't agree more that she was indeed a liability. She has been her whole life, and that isn't going to change now.

Saphira looked out the window as she soon spotted Arcee following them, and she smiled a little, but she didn't make much of a ruckus about it. She didn't need to make a big deal whenever she saw one of the autobots. That would feel a little awkward if she did. She finished off her burrito and grabbed her water bottle to drink from to wash the burrito down. It did feel good to eat something. She might try for some more later, but it was unlikely.

As they got closer to the wharf, Mirage met up with them and he drove behind Arcee. Saphira smiled as she happy they were going there together. She did not know if Optimus would be the last to appear in the line. But as they got closer and turned into the wharf, it became clear that would not be the case. Saphira guessed he was coming from a different direction, so that would make sense. And he could also be making sure that Transit was not following them.

Once they enter the warehouse, Bumblebee let Saphira step out and she stretched her arms as she let out a little yawn. She looked around and walked over to a box to sit on while Arcee, Bumblebee and Mirage transform while they wait for their leader. It still felt a little awkward having their large optics looking at her, Saphira never made any kind of effort to complain about it. She swung her legs casually as she sat on the box and looked at the autobots.

"I wonder what kind of stupid rules the big man will come up with now," Mirage complained grumpily as he began to pace. "I bet he wants us to put a leash on the girl, so she can't go anywhere without us. I mean, we kind of do that with the tracker."

"Don't be ridiculous, Mirage!" Arcee snapped at the bot, folding her arms as she frowned at him. "You know as well as I that Optimus will try to make sure that Saphira is protected from Transit. He might not think highly of humans, but he can't exactly allow her to be harmed under our watch. It would not be right."

Bumblebee nodded in agreement. "We must protect her from danger, or we will be guilty."

Mirage rolled his optics as he was aware of that. "As far as I was concerned, we were already doing just that. It was bound to happen, let me say. Transit would have eventually seen Saphira with us, and it wouldn't matter what we had done. We are out among the humans, regardless of disguising ourselves as the vehicles they drive."

"That is true, we were protecting her." Arcee looked at Saphira and saw that the girl was half listening to the conversation. She didn't seem bothered by this. "But now Transit could try to get her in his clutches. And there could be a time where we are not watching her properly, and he could use that as his advantage. He could use his holoform if he can't use his full form."

Mirage paused on his pacing as he pondered on what Arcee had said. "Hmm…I guess you are right about that…" He shrugged and continued to pace. "But, honestly, Arcee…don't you think that Optimus is a little too uptight about all this? Saphira has not shown one single sign that she is not trustworthy, and Optimus still…"

"Stop it, Mirage!" Arcee interrupts the young bot in irritation. "It is true Saphira is proving to be trustworthy, but Optimus does not want us to end up in the same situation as Bumblebee. Surely you understand that." The bot nodded and rolled his optics as he kept pacing. "Look, you need to stop questioning Optimus's orders, Mirage. He's trying to protect all of us. Do you understand?"

"Yes, yes, I do!" Mirage groaned loudly and turned to face Saphira. "But I hope you understand my frustration. I feel sorry for you." Saphira frowned a him as she listened to him. "And the fact that Optimus went and called you a liability as you were listening is just…"

"Oh, come on, Mirage, stop trying to act like you're trying to talk for me." Saphira frowned at him as he looked at her in surprise. "You really need to relax. Look, Optimus might be harsh, but I fully understand why. I mean, look at me, Mirage!" Saphira held her arms out as she gestured to herself. "I was attacked a few weeks, and my ribs still hurt. My ankle isn't fully healed, even though I can walk on it. Humans…I have to say it, but my kind are rather cruel. If the government found out about you…I am not sure what they would do, but it would not be good."

Mirage softened his expression and stepped closer to her, crouching down to give her a sympathetic expression. "Saphira, I do understand. Seeing the cruelty of humans first hand with you, has allowed me to see humans in a different way."

"And you should understand why Optimus is so intent on protecting you. He seems to be stern, sure, but he clearly cares about you. You lost your home, Mirage. It is just, Arcee, Bumblebee and Optimus, just four of you…" Saphira held up four fingers as she spoke to him. She did not hear the sound of a freightliner approaching as she spoke to Mirage. "If you think that Optimus is being evil or something in regards to me, you have a loose screw, Mirage. He's just protective. And I full stand by that he should be."

Mirage nodded as he listened to her. "But…Saphira…he's treating you as though you are capable of hurting us."

"He has every right to. I don't see anything wrong with that. You're acting like he's psychotic." She shook her head as she did not understand it. "But he's not. I don't know what it is like to lose a world, but I do know what it is like to have nothing. At least you have each other." She felt tears fill her eyes as she thought about it. "I mean…from birth…I was not wanted. My parents could have done the right thing by having me adopted…but for some reason, they made it their mission to make my life suffer at their hands, and make it clear they never loved or wanted me…"

"Woah, woah, I thought we made a deal, Saphira," Mirage interrupts the girl gently, making her narrow her eyes at him. "Until you learn more about us, you weren't going to tell us more about yourself. I think we should stick to it."

Saphira shook her head. "I honestly don't care, Mirage." He widened his optics slightly with his smile fading. "Mirage…you guys are the only ones in my life that I know who…well…you've treated me better than other people. Nicholas helped me…but I won't see him again. Now that I have justice, I…I am not happy, Mirage. I have not been happy for a long time…" Mirage's expression softened further as he listened to her. "I don't know what it is like to have a family…to feel loved….my parents made it very clear that I was not important. And when I turned fifteen, suddenly that changed. They began to treat me like their own daughter. I thought it was strange, but I lapped it up." She sniffled as she thought back to the past. "I should have known they were planning something. On the eve of my sixteenth birthday, I overheard my parents talking about how much they would get paid for me."

"Wait, paid for you?" Arcee frowned in confusion. "But you're a human. You can't be sold…can you?"

"Trafficking is a very serious and tragic thing, Arcee. My parents were willing to sell me into slavery…though I probably would have died in the first year…" Saphira shuddered at the very thought of that. "Once I knew their true intent. I packed one bag with just some clothes, money I managed to keep hidden, important documents and a bit of food…and I left before they woke up."

Mirage pondered on it for a moment, processing it carefully. He was feeling angry for Azura at the moment, as hearing that was disgusting to him. "And then you met Arthur."

She nodded. "Yeah…I took a bus to Brooklyn here…at least that way I wouldn't be in the same neighbourhood as my parents. I didn't meet Arthur until the second week after my birthday. He found me as I had just found some money, and was going to buy some bread and cheese to eat. Arthur didn't have to ask my age…he asked if I wanted help."

"I guess you must have hesitated because of what happened with your parents," Arcee commented, and she nodded. "I guess that's understandable…he must have said a few things to convince you."

"A little. He brought me to his apartment at the time. He let me shower, eat and he bought me new clothes. After that, he asked me about my past…and I told him everything. He was tempted to go to the police, but I wanted and still want nothing to do with my parents…so he helped me change me name, and told me about his company." Saphira smiled a little as Arthur had been good to her back then. "I was still apprehensive. But he helped me by giving me a job. He helped to get a social security number, open a bank account and he put a rental under his for a couple years. I had to pay it, but…when he offered me a job at his company…I was over the moon. I thought someone finally decided to give me something good, and give me a good life. And they did…for a short time."

Mirage hummed as he processed that and frowned. "Hmm…and then something happens that was not your fault, and he somehow believes that person over you, and fires you over it." She nodded, as that was pretty much it. "Wow…Arthur's a jerk. I hate to say it, but he is a jerk."

"And because of that, I don't think I can trust another human ever again. That is why I understand Optimus's position. I have been through that pain." She saw he was understanding, but he likely still felt bad for what Optimus was saying to her. "As far as I am concerned, I am a liability. It is not new to me, Mirage. And so…if Optimus needs to tighten the rules so you don't have a guilty conscious of me being killed by Transit, I will comply."

Mirage did not really know what to say. He felt Saphira was just going along because she did not feel as though she was worth anything. But Mirage knew she was worth so much more than she was giving herself credit for. "But I don't see you as a liability, Saphira. I see you as a friend…" She grimaced immediately and about was about to respond, but he interrupted her. "No, no, let me finish, Saphira. I have not seen a shred of hatred from you. I don't see any kind of sign that you will turn on us. And when I first saw you when you made that purchase for a new car, I could see the light in your eyes at the time. You were on your way onto something good. I feel awful that I might have played a part in all of this, and you don't deserve it." She looked away from the bot as she knew he was right. "And maybe this would have happened without our presence, but you now have us to fall back on." She rolled her eyes as she disagreed. "You've been hurt, I know. So have we. So I sympathize, and I want to be your friend. I know you keep trying to push away because of fear, but…" Mirage paused as he realized that Optimus had been standing there and listening. "Oh…how long have you been standing there for."

Saphira looked up in surprise and saw Optimus standing by them. She had not noticed him at all, and she did not know if he had heard everything she had just said. She placed her hand on her arm, rubbing nervously. She did not know what he was thinking. His expression was calm, and there was no indication of whether he felt any kind of sympathy. But Saphira was not expecting him to. He just happened to surprise them that he had been there.

Optimus intakes heavily and looked at Saphira, noticing her grabbing some strands of hair nervously. He looked at Mirage and he could see the bot was worried. "You do not need to worry, Mirage. I heard enough." He looked to Saphira briefly before he looked back at the others. "Now that Transit likely knows of the human's existence with us, we must take extra precautions. Allowing her change bots within the alleys will still be necessary, even if it is a nuisance at times."

"What about when she needs to use the bathroom, or if she wants to buy something to eat?" Mirage asked bluntly, folding his arms as he stared at Optimus with a frown. "She doesn't exactly control needing to use the bathroom, Optimus."

"That might be true, and we will need to allow her to use the bathroom when required. However, I do believe that we must find restrooms closer to the road. Gas stations do provide that, as do some public bathrooms. Though the ones she's needed to use to bathe…" Saphira looked up at Optimus. "Instead of just one of us keeping an eye, we all will need to keep a perimeter around her."

Mirage nodded as he listened to him. "Alright, alright…that's not so bad. But why do you only call her human? You never call her by her name. It's…at least she gives you the respect of calling you by name. Personally, I don't even know why she respects you, because if I were in her shoes…"

"Mirage…" Saphira began softly as she noticed Optimus tensing, not liking the disrespect from Mirage. "You don't need to be advocating for me. If Optimus wants to call me human, it is fine. If he does choose to call me by my name, that is his choice." She jumped as Optimus glanced at her. "My name isn't important."

Mirage stared at her in surprise, but he decided to not make a comment. He just scoffed and rolled his optics in irritation and folded his arms. He couldn't believe Saphira was even okay with it. But given how emotionally and mentally broken she was right now, he could see that as being the reason why she was accepting of this treatment. It was true, Optimus was not necessarily cruel, but he also didn't treat her with full respect yet either.

Optimus hummed softly before he continued. "I also will say that Saphira can only get out of the vehicle when she needs the bathroom or need to buy something new. We won't stop to just let her get out and walk whenever she feels like it. Not while we are now certain that Transit is aware of her presence." She wasn't too happy by that, but she decided to ignore it. "As buses do not seem to come to this wharf, nor is it as busy as many other places, if Saphira wants to get out and walk, we can bring her here. This will become our pseudo based."

"Sounds reasonable to me," Saphira commented with a shrug. She looked up at Optimus kindly. "I am…sorry…" His optics twitch slightly as she had surprised him with the apology. "I guess…I should have noticed the bus and waited…"

"I do not think that is something to apologize for." He crouched down in front of the crate, looking at her as she looked away from him. "And I did hear your story, human." She grimaced a little and she shrugged. "I suppose I might have been too harsh. You clearly have already experienced loss and pain from the moment you were born. I must admit…I expected you to be ignorant." She was a little surprised, but she made no reaction to him. "I see now that you understand us a lot more than I have given you credit for. Maybe it is a hidden gift you have in the power of observing others. And I think that should make you proud."

"Maye…"

Optimus softened his expression as he pondered on some more things to say. "Although…I do believe you should learn the gravity of why you are in danger. And some of the story as to why we are at war." She frowned before she looked up at Optimus in surprise. "And perhaps…a little more about what we are." Mirage and Bumblebee glance at each other in surprise as they had not expected Optimus to be open to allowing Saphira to know more about them. "We are autonomous robotic organisms. Autobot is short for that."

"Uhhh…you…you're serious?" Saphira asked slowly in surprise. "You are okay with telling me?" Optimus nodded. "Uh…okay…" She seemed not sure how to handle that. "Well…I am surprised…don't feel pressured to tell me everything…I feel like I would be a greater liability…or…" She glanced towards the open door towards the river. "H-How about…uh…if you don't want all this extra responsibility…"

Optimus raised his hand gently to gesture for her to stop talking, and she did. "I know this might come as a shock…Mirage and Arcee are right in the fact you have proven to be trustworthy. You write down thoughts into that book you keep within my cab…" She widened her eyes in surprise. "I see what you write…"

"You do?" Saphira was very surprised, and he nodded. "Oh…I wasn't sure if you could even read English…but…diaries are meant to be private, Optimus…are you telling me you can see what I am writing, even when I am laying on the chair?" He nodded again and she felt a little upset, as that felt like a violation to her. "Okay…you know my deepest, darkest thoughts…in a way…"

"Unfortunately, yes. I did not wish to say it." Mirage looked horrified that Optimus knew what Saphira had written in her diary. He had no words. "But I will not repeat what you have written." She believed that he would not, but she still felt uncomfortable. "That is another reason why I believe you are trustworthy." Saphira guessed because she's never mentioned much about the autobots being alien in nature in her diary, that was the reason he trusted her. "That is why now, I do believe it is time you know more."

Saphira nodded slowly as she thought about it. "Okay…"

Optimus could see she was uncomfortable with what he knows with her content in the diary, but he would not tell the others what he knows. "I might as well start at the beginning, many, many centuries ago." She gazed at Optimus as she listened to him. "Our world was peaceful…and just. There was no such thing as decepticons back then. It was only Cybertronians. For our planet is called Cybertron." She was intrigued, even though she still felt weird about all of this. "But evil has its way of digging claws into things that are good. And unfortunately, Megatron, one whom I have considered as a brother, eventually lost his way and started the great war, and the decepticons. He had managed to gather a following before his fall, and the battle raged on for many centuries."

"And we all remember how that went down…" Arcee sighed with a shake of her head. "Though, Bumblebee and Mirage were a little bit too young at the time, I think…" Mirage rolled his optics in amusement, though Saphira could believe that with how he acted. "It certainly will forever be a stain in all of our memories."

Optimus nodded in agreement. "Despite our past…Megatron is not the same as he once was. He is brutal and merciless when it comes to his plans and fights. He taught the decepticons to never show mercy to any of us. They did not just kill us, but they also experimented using autobots without mercy. I have lost so many in this fight…and Megatron…it pains my spark knowing he and I were close." He looked at Saphira as he saw she was listening intently. "And that is why we will protect you. I don't want human blood to be spilled because of us. Transit will not hesitate to kill you. He will most likely torture you slowly. That is what they often enjoy doing."

"Ooh, yeah, they certainly do. I could easily count the many autobots that the decepticons have tortured slowly. But…" Mirage grimaced for a moment and shook his head. "They do it the worst when they know that autobot is close to Optimus. While you and Optimus don't really have a friendship, Transit knows that you are aware of our existence. He does not need to know or care about how long you have known about us, he just knows that you are aware of our existence. And he believes he can make us hurt by torturing you."

"He would hurt us," Bumblebee commented through the radio with sad eyes. "I do not want to see her thrown into the deep end because of us."

"I appreciate that you guys are trying to keep an eye out for me," Saphira said in a soft, nervous voice as she spoke to them. She glanced at each autobot as tears fall from her eyes, which seemed to surprise them. "And…I understand a bit more now on how dangerous the decepticons are. I…I guess I wasn't taking Transit seriously before. But now I will." She looked at Optimus for a moment and looked away. "I do apologize for being so…laxed about it. Especially when I offered to help find him…that would make things as bad for me."

"I do not think that apology is necessary either, human. I do appreciate it, regardless. However…" He tilts his head slightly and she turned her head away from him. "I want you to understand that you are my responsibility. Mirage may have brought you in, and he is responsible for that. But…as his leader, you are under my protection and responsibility." She understood that fully. "As such, the rules that I have altered should be easy to follow. We have yet to find another location where we can freely transform and talk this way. Until then, this is what we have."

"I know." She didn't expect too much more from them. She looked at Bumblebee for a moment and looked at Optimus. "I might spend the rest of the afternoon with you, Optimus." He seemed surprised that she wanted to go with him, and Bee started playing The Lion Sleeps Tonight again, making the other autobots confused. "Bumblebee, we can go and watch the Lion King some other time."

"The Lion King?" Optimus looked at Bumblebee curiously, startling the young bot who was surprised she mentioned it. "What is that? Is that some kind of human movie?"

Bumblebee nodded. "The show begins tonight at eight o'clock."

Optimus frowned a little as he did not think it was a good idea. But the drive-in theatres did provide cover in the sense there were a lot of humans around, and Transit was unlikely to pass by it. "Hmm…if it is something you wish to see, human, I will allow it. But I think tonight is a bad night for it." He backed away from Saphira a little before he transformed and opened the door for her. "Come. We must head off."

Saphira slid off the crate and walked over to the truck. "Hey…" She looked up at Mirage when the bot spoke to her gently. "Just so you know, you didn't have to tell us about your past. But I am terribly sorry about what happened to you." She shrugged and kicked a random rock on the ground. "It seems like you are a magnet for bad people. But at least you got us." She walked towards Optimus without saying a word. "I hope you can find it in your heart to trust us, Saphira. I trust you."

She shivered a little as she hated hearing the word trust. And the fact Mirage told her that he trusted him made her stomach twist. It felt wrong to her. She did not believe that he should even trust her. But she could not control his thoughts, and if he felt he could trust her, that was on him. But Saphira really didn't have trust in herself either. Which has made it extremely difficult for her to even trust anyone. She climbed into the cab and immediately crawled into the backseat. She could not help but pick up her diary, look at the cover and put it away.

Optimus closed the door and drove out of the warehouse. The other autobots transform to follow him. He could see that Saphira was bothered by the fact he knows the contents of her diary. "I hope you are not too uncomfortable, human. I meant not intrusion while you have written your thoughts down into that book. I understand it was meant to be something only you know. But I will not breath a word to any of the other autobots of what you have written."

Saphira shrugged and she moved to lay down on, gathering the blankets to pull over her body. "Well…I was not expecting it…but I guess…it kind of makes sense. I just was not expecting you to read English." She sighed deeply and let a few tears fall. "And…I will make sure to follow your tightened rules, Optimus. I don't want to be a huge burden…but you kind of confirmed I am."

Optimus let out a soft hum in response to her words. "I do not believe that I do. I suppose maybe I had something that might have come across that way, but I did not say that." She covered her head with her blanket, and Optimus realized she was crying. "Listen, human, I understand that you are hurting. You are hurting a lot. I now see so much more about you that I had not seen before. I understand your distrust for humans because of it." She tightened the blanket around her head in an attempt to not hear him, but it was not working. "And you must realize this one thing, I told you more about Cybertron and our war with the decepticons not just because you are trustworthy, but there might be a small amount of trust for you. Just a small amount."

Ugh…not you too, Optimus…

As Saphira had not responded to him, Optimus decided it was best to leave her alone. She was still crying, and she ended up falling asleep again. Now that he knew a lot more about her past, and how she was treated by her parents, Optimus did feel bad about how he has acted towards her. She has no trust in anyone, or even herself, from his observation. Saphira was a walking wound at the moment, and Optimus knew that while he would protect her from Transit, he wouldn't exactly be interested in trying to help her emotionally like Mirage and Bumblebee seemed interested in doing. And yet, with what he has read from the diary as she has written each entry, there were other thoughts he was well aware of. Because of that, Optimus seemed to be invested in what her thoughts are. Only because she happened to write the entries down while she stays within his cab.