Sore, tired and heavy, those were the three things she felt at this time. Hearing the sound of a heart monitor, she opened her eyes slowly. Above her, were dim lights, or at least, she thought they were dim on a dark ceiling. She stared as her vision was blurry and she had to wait for her eyes to adjust. She glanced around and saw she was in a hospital bed, wrapped in warm blankets. She had an IV attached to her arm and she really felt like she had slept for years. And yet, she was still tired.

Azura's eyes finally adjusted enough to see her surroundings easier and she saw she was in a large room. This was not a hospital room at all. It was a large room with dark walls, multiple consoles connected to the platforms with multiple screens and she also saw several hallways and a large tunnel that seemed to not go anywhere. She also noticed something else. The giant robots. She only saw one though. It was the same orange and white bot she saw briefly before. And he was looking through a microscope at the moment.

However, the increased rate on the heart monitor caught his attention and he looked at her first with worry, before widening his optics when he saw she was awake. "Thank Primus, you have finally awoken." He stepped closer to the platform the gurney was on and Azura became more nervous. "Do not be alarmed, youngling. You are safe, and you are on the road to recovering from the horrific incident that you endured."

Azura realized that these bots had saved her from the other bots. But she did not remember. She remembered the bus crash, being chased by two bots and saved by another bot who had transformed from a dodge, and followed by five more bots coming through some kind of vortex and she had fallen into a river. She did remember saving herself from drowning and crawled out of the water, but nothing else after that.

"You…" She grimaced as trying to talk was a little hard due to her dry mouth and throat, making her voice raspy. "You saved me?" The bot nodded affirmatively. "Why?"

He smiled at her kindly, hearing the fear in her voice. "Because you did not do anything to have the decepticons attack you. My name is Ratchet, it is a pleasure to meet you." She did not react much to the bot as she was still nervous. "You were seen to by human doctors when we brought you back to the base. You have been healing well, though you were unconscious for at least five days." She widened her eyes when told how long she had been asleep for. "I can understand why. At least you have already made tremendous progress in recovery."

Azura did not know what to say for the moment. She was surprised that doctors had helped her. It was than she realized that she was wearing a robe, not her clothes. But she was relieved to see her necklace still around her neck. She worried that it had been taken from her. She didn't want to lose it since it was the only thing her parents had left to her when she was abandoned. She did know though that the crystal might have been the reason why the decepticons, as Ratchet called them, attacked her.

She took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling above her, feeling very uncertain at the moment. "Why did they attack me? I…I should have had nothing of value to them. I am just an orphan girl whose parents did not even want to keep, or even make sure she was found somewhere safe." Azura let a few tears fall and looked at Ratchet. "Do you know the reason?"

The bot's expression softened, and he seemed hesitant to answer at the moment. "For the moment, it would be best if you focus on recovering." She frowned a him as she wanted to know. "I understand you want answers. I do not blame you. But I assure you, you will receive the answers that you seek in due time."

"Why won't you tell me now?" She asked as more tears fall from her eyes as she grew more and more distressed. "I…I don't understand why this has happened to me…I was trying to run away and start a new life for myself." Ratchet intakes heavily as he listened to her. "And this happened! Why? And now I…I am inside some kind of base you reside in…am I like your prisoner or something? Because you and the decepticons look very similar."

"Please, calm down…" The medic raised his hands slightly to gesture for her to calm down. "You have no need to be overworked. And no, you are not a prisoner here." Azura did not believe him as she rolled her eyes at him. "Though perhaps it would be best if you hear that from someone else." She raised an eyebrow and saw Ratchet look away. "I want you to meet Special Agent Fowler." She turned her head and widened her eyes when she saw a man walking over to her with a kind expression. "He is our liaison here on Earth."

Azura took deep breaths as she stared at the man. "It is nice to meet you, Azura…" She raised a surprised eyebrow as the man rolled a chair over to side by the bed. "I do apologize, but I was able to find your name through the documents you had in your bag." She did not know if she should be upset by that, but she said nothing. "I am truly sorry for the drama you have been through in a short time. I will assure you now, you will not be returning to that orphanage. As of this moment, you under military and autobot protection."

"Autobot?"

"That is the name of these guys…" Fowler points at Ratchet and Azura glanced at the bot briefly as she was still frightened about what has happened. "Anyway, I want you to know that you are safe, young lady. The doctors checked you over a little earlier today and they said you are recovering rather quickly, and you will be back on your feet in no time."

Azura was still unsure about this. "But…what happens when I am fully healed? Do I get to continue school? Uh…where will I live and sleep? If I am not going back to the orphanage, I want to be able to work. I was able to sort of get some money by helping people clean their cars and care for their gardens."

"You will remain here with the autobots." She widened her eyes immediately in fear and the man placed a hand on her shoulder. "And you have nothing to fear. They have no intention of harming you." She looked at him with an expression that said she did not believe him. "I have been working with them for a couple years ever since they arrived to Earth…" She almost hitched a breath when he told her they weren't from Earth. "And they have been nothing but good people. They will not harm you."

"So why won't you explain why I was attacked?" Azura demanded as tears fill her eyes again. "If the decepticons attacked me for a reason…stating that they would take me to my real family, whatever the hell that means, and they were going to use me as leverage. I need someone to explain things to me. Please! I don't want to be not told! I am scared!" She let out a sob as she cried softly into her hands. "Why can't this just be a dream?"

The man rubbed her back gently and looked up as the other autobots walk into the room. They had been doing some training when Azura had woke up, and they heard her speaking. Fowler wanted to tell Azura the reason, but he knew it was not his place. Especially after what Optimus had told them about the crystal she had around her neck.

"Hey there, kiddo!" Azura looked up and widened her eyes as she saw Cliffjumper walking closer. "I see you are awake." She stared at him and looked away from him. "I do hope didn't give a bad impression to ya. I wanted to be sure you were safe after Scream had Soundwave roll that bus."

She just shrugged. She turned her head and looked at the very familiar bot she has seen in her dream. He is tall, with a broad chassis and broad shoulders, and he was looking at her with a sad expression. She looked back at Cliffjumper for a moment. "I just want to know why. If I am going to be stuck with you all, please tell me why I was attacked. I feel like I will have a panic attack…"

Fowler looked up at them. "Optimus…it would be best if we do not cause further stress to the girl." She sniffled loudly as she let out another sob. "She's gone through a lot, and she's very young. Plus, with the investigation I made into the orphanage she's from, she's not gone through a good childhood. It would be in her best interest to tell her."

"Very well." Azura looked up at Optimus as she took deep breaths. "My name is Optimus Prime. I deeply apologize for the way in which you have met us, Azura. I promise you that it was not our intent to see you or anyone harmed in that way." She did not react to his words as she waited and listened carefully. "We are autonomous robotic organisms from the planet Cybertron…" That name sounded rather familiar to Azura, and she didn't know why. "We have been residing on this planet for a few years as our planet is uninhabitable due to centuries of civil war."

Azura frowned slightly as she did not really want an explanation about what they were. "Alright…um…that does not explain why the decepticons attacked me. I mean, that was really interesting about where you come from and all…but that is not helping me, Optimus." She groaned as she sat up from more, feeling pain in her back and relaxed against the pillows. She grabbed the necklace and pulled it off. "Was the attack to do with this crystal?"

She held it up as she looked at the autobots. "I am afraid it is part of the reason. That crystal is from Cybertron." She glanced at the crystal with a frown as she wondered how she got it. "You were found with the crystal as a new-born, were you not?" She nodded and looked at him. "That crystal is unlike any other Cybertronian crystal. Normally, those crystals are formed in a special area of Cybertron and are gifted between Cybertronians and their sparklings. However…this one was formed out of an unusual circumstance."

Azura guessed by having it, she became a target. "Okay…but I am just a girl…why wouldn't the decepticons just ask for it? That would have same all of that death and violence…"

"Because it is not as simple as you think, Azura. And it pains me to say it." Optimus looked down for a moment as his expression seemed to fill with guilt and regret for a moment before relaxing to hide it as best as he could. "During the war, the decepticons had developed many weapons that have caused devastations throughout the war. I was hit with one of these weapons during a battle with the decepticons. It caused my entire system to crash and I felt a burn I had never felt before. Especially within my spark and the Matrix of Leadership."

Matrix of Leadership? Why is this familiar to me too?

"Matrix of Leadership?"

Optimus nodded and she flinched when he opened his chassis. There, nestled within him, was the Matrix of Leadership. Azura widened her eyes as she had also seen it in her dreams. A golden orb with blue markings and metal, wing-shaped bars that seemed to hold the Matrix carefully at the center. "It was an experience that almost cost me my own life."

Ratchet nodded as he remembered that time. "Unfortunately, Optimus does not remember everything that happened after he was hit with the weapon. Because his system was in a strange form of overdrive and crash at the same time, he was lucky that he was pulled away, along with others affected by the weapon. What this weapon was meant to do, we are not sure. But the outcome seemed to cause the same thing for some autobots. Creating new, habloid sparks within them in a very weird, peculiar way…and unfortunately, many of these sparks perished and some autobots died from this as well."

"What is a habloid spark?" Azura asked curiously, lowering the necklace onto the blanket and held the crystal in her hand, playing with it in her fingers. "Is it like an offspring or something?"

"So to speak." She nodded slightly as she listened to Ratchet. "Cybertronians have a couple ways to produce sparklings. Direct interfacing is the traditional method of sparklings being created. However, habloid sparks are much rarer, though not uncommon. The sire who creates the new spark within his system has no choice but to pass it to a carrier to ensure the sparkling grows. It is rather energy consuming. However, the habloid spark that was created within Optimus…" He glanced at Optimus as the bot remained quiet while listening to his old friend. "It actually could have survived and grown within Optimus. However, he has no gestational chamber. It was as if the blast somehow delivered sparks into autobots to force them to carry or die. But the Matrix was affected also, and it was discovered the Matrix actually delivered some of its power into the new spark."

She widened her eyes in surprise. "The Matrix is powerful, huh?" She looked up at Optimus and he nodded. "Right…alright…so what happened after?"

"Optimus was pretty much unconscious through the entire thing." Azura looked at the femme when she spoke and listened to her. "Ratchet and I were one the few forced to care for the autobots affected by this blast. And the new spark that was attached directly to both Optimus's spark and the Matrix, it was a dangerous situation."

"The new spark was actually already acting like it was being tortured when I had a closer look. I remember seeing it jerking and trying to find a safe place to grow and develop as a sparkling should." Ratchet paused as he took a deep intake. "I had to remove it. Thankfully, I was able to safely place it inside a gestational pod, and to our surprise, a small Cybertronian crystal fell out as well. We are not sure why it was made, but the Matrix formed it…at least that is what we believe."

She looked at the crystal with a frown, wondering how it even got to her. "If…If this is the same crystal…" She looked at the autobots in confusion. "How d-d-did it end up with me? A naked new-born on the side of a country road left to die."

Optimus tensed his jaw slightly and she saw him clench his fists, but he did not respond, Ratchet did. "After the spark was removed, Optimus's system was no longer affected. When he woke up and saw the new spark, we were originally going to keep the sparkling. After all, there had not been a new spark in a long time and Optimus had recently lost Elita at the time too, so a new spark seemed like something he wanted. But the medical center we had him and the other autobots house was attacked. We managed to get everyone out…but…"

"Realizing that keep the sparklings on Cybertron was unsafe for it, I had to make an extremely hard decision," Optimus said gently as he looked upward slightly as he thought back to that moment. "This spark was barely an hour old in its development, and I did not wish it to remain. Not while there is a war going on. So…we took the sparkling and placed it inside an escape stasis pod. The crystal was placed inside with the sparkling, as it was the only thing that would connect it with us…" Azura tensed a little as she listened, though she said nothing. "We set the pod and the sparkling was placed into a special stasis."

"What kind of stasis?" Azura asked curiously as she grew more nervous.

"The sparkling would be allowed to develop to a certain point before the stasis would begin and stop its development until the pod reached a safe world to complete development." Azura listened to Ratchet as she stared at the crystal thoughtfully. "We sent the sparkling to the stars to save its life. To prevent it from being born into a war, as it was not safe. The pod must have arrived on Earth with the new spark within it."

She did not know how to ask the next question. She did not know if she wanted to know the answer to it. "How long ago did you send this sparkling?" She did not look at them as she hoped the answer they had wouldn't be something she was already thinking.

"About thirty Earth years ago." She felt a sense of relief from that. "However, Cybertron is many light years from Earth, and the pod had been scent away at light speed. We do not know when the pod ended up on this planet." Azura looked at Ratchet as she was still curious about the crystal. "As for you getting the crystal…I think that we can explain."

"So the sparkling must have landed on this world, and maybe gave it to me…" Azura said thoughtfully as she stared at the crystal and held it towards them. "This should not belong to me. It is yours. If the sparkling is around, maybe this crystal can guide you to it."

Optimus smiled gently at the girl and shook his head. "No. It is yours." She frowned in confusion. "You keep it, Azura." She thought that was strange and looked away from them. "Now you know how the crystal was formed and the reason for it, know that the decepticons were aware that a new spark had been formed within me. A reason why they attacked was because Megatron wanted that sparkling."

"Who is Megatron?"

"He is the leader of the decepticons," Fowler responded, and she looked at him. "But now you know the reasoning, the decepticons probably think you are somehow linked to the sparkling itself. Especially as the crystal is the same one that formed from the incident." He stood up and walked around the gurney. "Hmm, now that you know how the crystal came on Earth, are you still feeling distressed at all?"

She shook her head. "Nah, I feel good…but I am really hungry and thirsty. Uh, I suspect the autobots don't eat food, but…" She glanced at them briefly with a slight smile and looked back at Fowler. "Could I have some food? My stomach is growling very loudly."

"I can hear it." Azura turned her head in surprise when she understood one of the bots, even though he did not actually speak, but communicated with some kind of language that sounded like whirs. And she could understand him immediately. "Human stomachs really make a lot of noise when they're hungry."

She stared at the yellow bot in confusion. "I…I can understand you? How?"

He seemed surprised at first. "You can understand me?" He began to jump up and down excitedly as he realized. "Someone else understands me! This is amazing!"

Cliffjumper chuckled softly at the bot. "Don't get so carried away, Bumblebee, you might twist a wire or something." The bot didn't seem to care as he danced around excitedly. He looked at Azura with a smile. "Don't mind the young bot, Azura. He lost his vocal processor during battle, and he's unfortunately left with what he has. But he's still able to communicate rather fine with us. Unfortunately, humans cannot understand him. Until today."

Azura still did not understand and she was staring at Bumblebee curiously before she jumped as Fowler hands her a water bottle. "Here you go." She smiled as she took the bottle to drink from it. "I'll have the doctors come around soon to see if you have the clear to move about. Since you had burns to your legs, you had to have a skin graft." She frowned and lifts the blanket to see her legs were wrapped with a bandages. She knew that her legs were burnt, but she was happy she only needed a skin graft for it. "You might be in a wheelchair for a little while."

"That is okay…as long as I am not stuck in this bed for months," Azura said with a smile. "Still…do you think I can complete school, Fowler? I really don't want to…"

"Well, there is a school here in Jasper…" She widened her eyes in surprise when told where she was. Fowler sighed and looked at Ratchet with a frown. "You didn't tell her she's in Jasper, Nevada?"

"Azura was more concerned about other things than the state she is in, Agent Fowler. I think learning about that afterwards is fine. But don't tell me you are thinking of enrolling the girl into the school there?" The man nodded affirmatively and Ratchet groaned a little. "I am not sure if that is a good idea."

"Why not?" Fowler and Azura asked in unison. He glanced at the girl and continued speaking to the medic. "I think it would not be right to deny Azura education. Besides, I am not sure why you all wanted to care for her in the first place."

"Because the decepticons will be looking for her. While I agree the girl should receive an education, understand we have concerns that the decepticons could do something far worse than what they did with the bus. They could go after the school." Optimus paused for a moment and looked at Azura who seemed to be sad. "However…that likelihood would only happen if the decepticons knew of our base's location."

"Thank you, at least Prime won't stop you from going." Fowler smiled at the girl who seemed relieved. "Though I must say, the story you have told to me, Bulkhead, Bee and Cliff regarding the sparkling you sent out, almost makes it seem like that Azura if the sparkling you sent away. Given she was found with the crystal in the first place."

"I have to admit, the human has a point," Bulkhead said slowly and thoughtfully. "But…that would be strange. Azura is a human, she doesn't look like us at all. So it makes no sense she is the sparkling." Azura nodded in agreement, though something in her gut told her otherwise. She has had dreams of Optimus and the Matrix before she has seen them, and now she feels like all the autobots are familiar to her. Especially Optimus. "The only way that it seems similar is how she was found."

"It might seem that way, Bulkhead, but we might have another theory on that," The femme said in a gentle way. She turned to Ratchet and Optimus with a smile. "I think I will do some research on food and such so we can provide a comfortable place for Azura. After all, she's probably going to have to stay here for a long time."

"I was thinking of doing the same thing, Arcee. Housing a human is not something we have done before." Optimus glanced at Azura who was looking away with a thought filled expression. He looked away from her and smiled at the bots. "There is a room we could turn into Azura's room. I believe it has a bathroom connected to it, so she would benefit having it there. She'll be able to sleep there and study without us bothering her."

"And you are comfortable letting Azura go to school, Optimus?" Ratchet questioned curiously. "You said it yourself, the cons could do something a lot worse than what they did to the bus." The leader nodded affirmatively. "Alright…I guess we will have to figure out who is on drop off duty."

Azura looked over and glanced at Cliffjumper. "Um…" They look at her when she began to speak. "If it is okay…I would like it if Cliffjumper could take me to and from school." The bot smiled when she requested him to do it. "No offence to the rest of you…but I did meet him first, and he's kind of cool."

"Kind of? Oh, you'll see just how cool I am, kiddo." Cliffjumper smiled at her confidently and she smiled at him. "I'll make sure that you get to that school safely each day." He looked at Fowler curiously. "You'll just have to let us know when she's enrolled, and I can start taking her there. Even if she needs to be in a wheelchair."

Fowler smiled as that seemed settled. "I'll organize assisting you with the food side of things as well. Your research will help." He turned to Azura. "And I'll have to go and get you some food. I don't have anything right now. But if you tell me what you would like, I can get it for you."

Azura thought about it for a moment. "Um…I am used to just having porridge, bread and a basic peanut butter sandwich. So…I have not really eaten anything else, aside from the occasional burger or chocolate that I bought with the money I earned."

Fowler was surprised, though remembered the findings he found when investigating the orphanage she came from. "Hmm…well, in that case, I'll make a surprise for you." He turned to the bots with a smile. "Cliff, would you like to head into town with me and I'll pick up something for the girl?"

The bot nodded and walked towards an archway before transforming. "If it means the kid is happy and heals well, I will do it. She's a fighter, and I like that." She smiled as she watched Fowler walk down the stairs to the car and jumped in. "We'll be back in no time, Azura. I hope you won't starve on us."

Azura huffed in amusement. "I am already starving…" She watched Cliff speed away and she wondered if that was the way to leave this place. She looked at Optimus curiously. The weird feeling of him being familiar to her bothered her. She didn't know why. "Can I ask you something?" He nodded and turned to face her. "If you could have, would you have kept the sparkling? If there was no immediate threat, even if the war was still looming, you would have raised it?"

Optimus nodded. "Yes. I would have." He took a deep intake and looked away from her sadly. "It was a hard decision, Azura. I did not wish to make it. But I did not wish for the sparkling to perish. I know the sparkling is alive…and on a world I did not expect to find myself on." He glanced back at her for a moment. "And I did not expect the outcome."

She did not know what he meant by that, but she sipped more water and thought about it. "At least you did it to protect your kid." She looked at the crystal, still wondering how she got it. "I would have given anything to at least know who my parents were…but no. I was left for animals to kill me…"

Optimus turned away from her and walked away into a hallway. Azura watched him curiously, knowing this talk was probably painful. But…she felt the yearn for him to come back. It was strange. She's never had that with anyone before. She could not help but question if she and the sparkling Optimus spoke about had the same story. Her ending up with the crystal seemed to line up with the story. But if that was true, she did not understand. She was left wondering if she was somehow the daughter of Optimus Prime…even though she felt that was impossible. She wasn't even Cybertronian, and she could manipulate elements…she doubted that was something they could do.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard elevator doors open and some doctors walking in. She was happy as that meant that she might be able to get out of the bed. They came over to tell her what they have done to ensure she would recover, including the explanation that she had stitches in her lower back and that she would recover well. They told her she would be able to use the wheelchair they brought with them and they would check on her injuries in the next week to check on their progress. The heart monitor was removed, as was the IV as she no longer needed them. They informed Ratchet that extra care would be needed, and that they would need to ensure that Azura would eat properly so that she would heal as they found her body was low in a lot of nutritional areas, which was not a surprise to her given the diet she had at the orphanage.

Ratchet reassured them they would watch her, and the doctors left the girl with the autobots, and Cliffjumper and Fowler would return thirty minutes later with a hamburger, fries and some fruit for her to eat, which Azura gratefully devoured. She was still unsure about living with the autobots. But it was going to be much better than staying at that orphanage. Especially as the autobots themselves have no harmed her, and she found herself enjoying both Bumblebee's and Cliffjumper's company.