Three Years Later…

The bell rang as school came to end that day for Azura. She only had a short time until she would graduate from high school now, and she was rather happy that she only had a few months left. However, she did not know what she was going to do once school ended. It has been much longer than a few months for Azura to think about whether or not she wanted to return to Optimus and the autobots. She did not really plan to be away this long, but Azura just eventually felt numb and completely ignored any of her feelings regarding the autobots. Even when Fowler and Cliff would try to encourage her when they visited her. Eventually, they stopped trying.

Azura had also been growing a closer friendship with Jack. He has been the friend she has needed all these years, and they slowly became best friends. It was nice he could come over to her unit to hang out now she was no longer in the base, and they would often spend time doing homework together or playing video games. When Jack ended up getting a job at KO Burger at fourteen, they did not do as much together. But that made Azura want to get a job too, but she did not. Mostly out of fear of things changing and she would feel like she would let an employer down if something were to happen and make her leave.

Her own friendship with Cliffjumper has been strained. The bot stopped coming once a month after six months, and only started coming every two or three months. Azura was extremely thrilled about spending time with him each time, but she also wished he could stay for much longer. It seemed that coming once a month did create suspicion that Cliff did not expect to get. But also, things have started to change. The bots started finding more energon deposits and were running into vehicons from time to time. That did not mean things would get too bad, too quickly, but things were getting a bit more tense from what Azura was understanding.

Though Cliff would fill her in on everything. It seemed that Optimus was still looking after her fish, even after all this time, he has managed to keep them alive. However, she was surprised that Cliff told her that he overheard Optimus speaking to the fish. It seemed Optimus used feeding the fish as a way to speak what was on his mind to something that couldn't respond or understand him. It must make him feel better.

She did know one thing. Optimus still missed her terribly, and he loved her. He kept that Cybertronian crystal this entire time, and Azura did feel quite bad that she left the way she did. But she felt like she had been cornered with no choice, and now she's had a lot of time. But as her own feelings have been numbed about all of this, she has not contemplated on returning to the base for years. Thankfully, no one was forcing her to return.

Azura made her way to her locker, humming as she listened to the song on her Ipod with the earbuds in her ears. She was feeling rather happy this afternoon. She was thinking of going to KO Burger after Jack's shift to see if he wanted to catch a movie with her that night. She had checked what was on, and she thought he would like to go with her to have a break from all the homework and such.

She closed the door of her locker and turned to leave, only to roll her eyes when she saw Vince approaching her. He still annoyed her, and he stopped being a bully to her, but began harassing her about going out on dates. "Hey, beautiful. Would you like to take a ride in my new car?"

Azura gave him a disgusted expression. "That custom firebird you have is far from my style, Vince. And how many more times do I have to tell you to leave me alone?" She walked by him and he turned to follow her. "Please, stop following me!"

"I do like the girls who play hard to get. I know Agent Fowler almost gave me a beating the other day, but he does not scare me." It was true that Vince had irritated Agent Fowler when the man picked Azura up from school the week before, and the man was so close to giving Vince a black eye, but he held back for obvious reasons. "I think he will like me if I am given a chance."

"And your cocky attitude is not attractive at all," Azura bit back as she continued to walk. "I hope you can do me a favor and leave me alone. I am busy for the rest of the afternoon."

"Somehow, that loser Darby is your friend…" She tensed immediately as he said the boy's name. "He's probably ran off to that stupid KO Burger he works at. Their burgers are great, but the service is terrible!" He placed a hand on Azura's shoulder. "You really can…"

Smack!

Vince stumbled back in shock as Azura had turned around and backhanded him in the cheek. "Stop harassing! Now go and cry to your little friends now." She huffed and turned away to keep walking. "You really are a waste of my time!"

The boy was left stunned and Azura was relieved he stopped following her as she left the building. She glanced at the bike rack and saw that Jack had indeed left. He was very responsible for his age. He told her a bit more about what happened between his mother and father, and Azura was very sorry for her. Jack did ask her about her birthparents, but she would always avoid the subject all the together until Jack realized it was a very sensitive topic for her to talk about.

Azura hummed to herself as she made her through the streets to get back to her unit. She had to stop by the grocery store on her way home anyway. As she walked through the streets, she did not really take notice of a dark purple car driving by her and she kept her earbuds in her ears as she hummed along to the song on the Ipod. She made her way to the grocery store to get what she needed, which was some vegetables and mince for a dish she wanted to make on the weekend.

After she arrived at the store and bought what she needed, she made her way back outside with a gentle hum as she was still listening to music. She noticed the purple car sitting in the lot and thought she had seen it before. She had not realized it was the same car as earlier, but she just shrugged and kept walking, deciding maybe it was not something to be worried about as she could simply being seeing another car with the same color.

She made her way back to the unit and walked inside to put the groceries away and do a bit of homework to pass the time. She didn't have too many hours to wait until Jack got off work, but she still needed the time to waste before heading to KO Burger. She only got distracted for a brief moment when she heard the rumble of an engine in the driveway and simply shrugged it off as one of the neighbour's cars.

It wasn't until she had thirty minutes until it was six-thirty and she decided to head to the fast-food place. She made sure her hair was nice before she walked to the front door and stepped outside, freezing only when she saw the exact same purple car she had seen twice before. And this time, Azura took a moment before realizing this was probably a decepticon. There was nothing friendly looking about it.

However, she did not know what to do. If the decepticons knew she was here, she could put the other people who live in the unit block in danger. She did not want to do that. She stood there contemplating when the door opened suddenly and a tentacle launched out, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her into the car. She shrieked and tried to struggle, but her arms were pinned to the side and the seatbelt held her tightly against the passenger seat. Tears quickly fill her eyes as fear filled her core.

"Commander Starscream, I have apprehended the sparkling you and Soundwave have been searching for," The con spoke as it opened the com link and drove away from the unit. "I spotted her walking away from the human school while my associate and I look for Arcee in this town." Azura widened her eyes in surprise that Arcee was around, and wished she was there right now to help her. "Shall I return with her right away?"

"Optimus's sparkling?" Came Starscream's surprised voice. "Are you certain it is her? Does she have golden hair, deep blue eyes and a Cybertronian crystal around her neck?"

"Her hair is the only hair that looks like real gold, Commander Starscream," The vehicon responded affirmatively. "There are no other humans on this planet with natural hair like that. And this is the only one to react to my presence by recognizing I am a decepticon."

"Hmm…if she is Optimus's daughter…" Azura did not like what she was hearing and she did not know how she was going to get out of this. "And Arcee is around in that little town, maybe we can use this to our advantage. Use this little sparkling to make Arcee follow our command." Azura let out a light whimper and sniffled, trying not to cry out too loud. "Aw, it seems the little one is stressed and needs comfort. No need to worry yourself, youngling. I assure you that you will be treated well with us, so as you listen and obey everything that we tell you to do." Azura knew that she had no choice in the matter, but she hoped Arcee could help her if the con finds her. "You will return to the ship before the day's end should you do not locate Arcee. I'll make sure we have appropriate accommodations for the youngling."

"Understood."

Azura did not say anything, as she knew that there was nothing to say. She was trapped and she wished she could find a way to alert the autobots. She continued to cry quietly as the vehicon met up with the second vehicon so they could patrol the town together. She looked at the other vehicon, wondering how the day was going to end. She was hoping there would be some kind of fight, one where she would be able to escape from the decepticons again. She did not dare to think on the alternative outcome.

After ten minutes, the vehicons pull off to a gas station and sit there. She did not know what they intended to do, but they seemed to be waiting and monitoring all the vehicles that drive by them. She did not recognize any of the cars, but she knew it did not matter. She watched while she sniffled softly before widening her eyes when she spotting a familiar, purple motorcycle rolling by. It appeared this bike had a rider on it, but Azura knew who it was. Arcee.

Azura wished to hang out of the window and scream for her help, but she hoped that Arcee might be able to see her with her sideview mirrors. But it was hard to know given how tinted the windows really were. The vehicons drive out of the gas station and followed Arcee down the road. She knew that Arcee might likely notice them, but she did not know what Arcee would plan to do. Especially since they were in the public eye.

She glanced to her left as she spotted KO Burger and sighed sadly, wishing she could have gone to the cinema with Jack instead being in the predicament she was in. She glanced at Arcee when the bot turned into the parking lot of the fast-food joint and Azura was surprised the vehicons just drove by. She was sure they knew where she was, they simply did not want to look suspicious for the time being…even though that could change at any moment.

And she was right. The two cons drive around the block to get into position to go after Arcee. Azura thought about what she could do. She had been practicing her abilities over the last three years, despite having absolutely no contact with Primus. And she had gotten good at it. But she was in a panic. She found she could never use the abilities in a panic, because her mind was not concentrating on her abilities. As much as she wanted to try and use them, she would likely cause more damage than freeing herself from the decepticons.

When the two vehicons drove back around, Azura widened her eyes when she saw Jack had finished work. And he was looking over Arcee's vehicle mode, and it seemed he was intrigued by the design and likely dreaming of owning a bike like that someday. However, he had decided to sit on the bike and Azura hoped he would get up, especially since the vehicons were slowly approaching the parking lot.

However, he got distracted by two of the girls from his class. One of them was named Sierra, and it looked like she and her friend were mocking Jack over something. Azura knew that the girl likely wouldn't know who Jack is by name, only by face. Unfortunately, that is the case with most of the kids in Jack's grade. Though he and Azura had made friends with a younger boy, Rafael, who joined the high school that year. He was also picked on for being nerdy, but Azura found him smart, and he was very sweet, and she liked having another friend.

Though none of that mattered right now. Azura just wanted to scream for Jack to run, but it was too late as the vehicons turn on their high beams and caught Jack and the girls by surprise. The vehicons rev their engines and speed forward, making Azura tense and hold her breath as she stared in fear. The two girls were smart enough to run to the side, while Jack seemed frozen. Only until Arcee suddenly turned on her back wheel and sped towards the vehicons while Jack hung on as the bike wheelies between the two purple cars.

Azura watched them and whined a little. "Jack…"

The vehicons turn to follow Arcee, speeding through the street to make sure they were on her tail. Azura did not know what the vehicons would do if the police would follow them, but that did not matter for the time being. Azura was more worried about what would happen to Jack than anything else right now. The vehicons were able to get closer and closer, and she really did not want to watch what would happen.

The vehicons manage to get on either side of Arcee and attempt to slam into Arcee, but she braked harshly, causing the two vehicons to hit each other. Azura was a little thankful she was extremely secured as she felt herself shift violently in the seat and she watched as Arcee sped away and made a right turn. She hoped at the autobot had a plan to get Jack away, because he definitely stumbled into all of this by accident.

"Commander Starscream…" Azura jumped when the vehicon made contact with Starscream again. "Target sighed, accompanied by a human youth. One the sparkling seems to know by name."

"Somehow I am not surprised. Destroy them both, but be sure to use the sparkling as leverage to gain control! And I don't care what you do, as long as you terminate another autobot's spark." Another? Azura widened her eyes, wondering what he meant by that. "Do not return to me without good news."

The cons follow Arcee and spot her turning into an alleyway. That seemed like a good idea to try and get Jack to run away, and Azura hoped that he would take the opportunity. The cons turn into the alleyway, and Azura saw Jack fleeing from Arcee. She guessed the bot might have said something to him to make him flee, and that would be a good thing. However, she was in the vehicon in front of the other one, and she did not know if they would really go after Jack.

And the vehicon she was sitting inside did. Azura gasped as she saw Jack running as fast as he could from the car. "Please stop! He doesn't know about Cybertron, or who I am. You don't need to go after him!"

"Starsream's orders," The con replied simply, tightening the grip around the girl's body and making her grimace from discomfort. "He knows you, and that is all we need to know."

Azura let out some more tears as she was feeling responsible for what was happening right now for Jack. She never meant for this. She hoped that he would not perish because of her. She let out a shriek of surprise when the motorbike's tyres screech over the top of the vehicon and she watched as Arcee had Jack get back onto the bike, making Azura feel relieved that Arcee was not going to let Jack suffer because of this.

But it was certainly far from over. Arcee sped away from the alleyway and drove towards the highway. At least they wouldn't be in town. But Azura watched as guns rise from the sides of the hoods of the vehicons and they began to fire at Arcee. She could not help but close her eyes, not wanting to watch any of this go down. She would hate to see one of those blasts hit either Jack and Arcee as seeing either of them perish in front of her would be traumatizing.

Azura was also wondering who has died. Starscream mentioned that they could terminate another autobot, that implied that one of the autobots were gone. It was not Optimus, or Starscream would have said that. That left Ratchet, Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Cliff, and Azura did not know who she would even assume is gone. She suspected Ratchet was not since he was older and spent most of his time at the base, narrowing it down to the last three bots. She did not look forward to knowing who had died.

She opened her eyes when she heard a familiar camaro engine while seeing they were over a large freeway. She turned her head and saw Bumblebee. She smiled before shrieking as Bee slammed into the side of the vehicon, causing the two vehicons to lose control slightly and turn while skidding along the ground. Bee had turned around, but he reversed and turned back around to follow Arcee. Azura was very relieved and she could not help but smile, feeling a sense of hope growing now that both bots were here.

The vehicons were able to stablize themselves and speed after Bumblebee and Arcee. Azura did not know what she could do to alert Bee that she was there. She knew that they had not seen her in three years, but she hoped they would recognize her. Especially since Azura hasn't really changed much, she has grown a bit, but not a lot. She was in fact shorter than Jack. The only thing that was different was the length of her hair as it was much longer now.

Bee managed to block the vehicons as they attempt to overtake him, but as there was two vehicons, one managed to overtake Bee. She was not in that vehicon as he slammed Bee into the railing by the road, and watched in horror as Bee turned and skidded along the ground. She stared at Bee as the vehicons continue to follow Arcee as she turned onto a stretch of road that had been blocked off to traffic and a bridge that went over a storm drain.

At this point though, Arcee managed to get a bit of distance between herself and the vehicons, so the vehicons would need some catching up to do. But Arcee was running out of road to speed along anyway, as ahead of her was the blockade on the road. Azura did see Arcee make a right and launch herself over the barrier, and she hoped that Jack was able to hang on because that did not look very fun at all. Azura glanced over her shoulder, hoping to see Bumblebee behind them, though she couldn't really see out the back of the vehicon due to the tinting.

She yelped as the car jolts a little as the vehicons drive through the bannisters on the side of the road and dropped onto the grass, driving to the top of the hill and looking down to see Arcee in the storm drain. Azura gasped as she saw, not only Jack, but Raf as well. He must have been here playing with one of his remote-control cars, and he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Azura let out a soft sob as the vehicons speed down the hill, wishing for this to be over.

The vehicons launch from the ledge and one of them transformed into its full form, while the one Azura was secure within remained in its vehicle mode. They land and they face Arcee. The bot transformed while the two boys run away to get away from being in the middle of the fight. "This ends here cons!" Arcee declared and prepared to fight.

"I would not do that if I were you…" The vehicon said as the other finally transformed. "We wouldn't want a certain sparkling to perish because of your actions." Arcee widened her optics in surprise as she saw Azura within the grip of the other decepticon. Her cheeks were stained with tears and she was struggling in his hand, looking at Arcee with pleading eyes for help. "One wrong move, and she will never see the light of day again."

"Azura!" Both vehicons glance towards Jack and Raf as they had shouted in shock at the same time.

Azura looked at them as she trembled in the vehicon's hand. "Hi, guys…um…you should run…because…" She turned her head when she saw movement at the corner of her eye and shrieked as Arcee had used the moment of distraction to run towards the vehicon and launched at kick at his abdomen.

The vehicon's grip loosen enough for Azura to fall. She screamed in terror as she saw the cement below her, and Arcee tried grabbing the girl. However, as her fingertips touch Azura's sides, the other vehicon punched Arcee away, though the force sent Azura flying and hitting the ground hard. She shrieked in pain as she skids along the ground, ripping her shorts and shirt, scraping her back, elbows and knees as she rolled to try and stop herself. She grimaced as she felt the stings of the fresh wounds and looked up as Arcee knee kicks one of the vehicons.

"Azura!" She looked up with a start and saw Jack run over to her to help her to her feet. "Are you okay?"

"I…I think so…" Azura winced as she put weight on her feet, feeling pain in her back and hips, guessing the impact on the ground was harder than she thought. "Ow…that really hurt…" She shrieked and covered her head as Arcee slammed a vehicon into the side of the drain and Azura ran back from the fight with Jack and Raf. "One of those things followed me home."

"They did?! Why would they do that?" Jack questioned in confusion as he looked back at Arcee in shock. "Are they talking cars that turn into robots, or the other way around?"

Azura was almost amused by those questions, but she didn't know how to answer them. "I don't know why they followed me…I guess…I was somehow important…"

"And that other bot recognized you," Jack interrupts without looking at her. "Maybe you should tell me once this is over."

Azura did not know what to say to that, but she kept her mouth shut. She watched Arcee throw kicks and punches at one of the decepticons, and she had a very deep glare on her face. "This is for Cliff!" She shouts angrily with each punch, and it was that moment that made Azura realize who had perished. Cliffjumper had been terminated. "And this is for taking Azura!"

Fresh tears fill Azura's eyes as she listened and she let out a sniffle as she wanted to just curl up and cry. The vehicon seemed unphased by Arcee's punches, and the bot was forced to backflip away as the cons began to fire at her. She managed to avoid most of them, but she was hit in the chassis and Arcee lands hard, skidding along the ground as she was knocked out briefly. Azura stared in shock and glanced up when she heard the rev of a camaro engine.

She smiled as she saw Bumblebee leaping from the bridge and transformed, landing on top of one of the vehicons and punching the other's face. That was a moment of relief for Azura and she was happy to see Bumblebee. She glanced at Arcee as the bot nursed her forehead and stood up, a little dazed from the impact. Arcee turned her head to look at Azura, seemingly in disbelief that Azura was here and she had found her finally.

Azura got distracted when she heard a crunch and looked at Bee to see he had stepped on Raf's car. Bumblebee turned his head to look at Raf. "Oh, I am terribly sorry." His optics glanced at Azura and widened his optics.

"No problem," Raf responded to the bot with a smile. Azura looked at him in surprise that he could understand the bot. "Really…"

There was a blast from the vehicons, hitting Bee's chassis and sent him flying and landing on his chassis. Bee tried to stand up, only to be stepped on by one of the vehicons and he managed to push the vehicon off and roll over, only to look down the barrel of one of the blasters of the vehicons. Azura closed her eyes, not wanting to see what was about to happen.

But it seemed Raf had a moment of courage. "Leave him alone!" She opened her eyes, looking at the boy in surprise as the vehicons and Bee looked at the boy in shock, while the vehicons also point their blasters at them. Raf tensed when he realized what he had done. "Please."

Jack kneels down with a frown. "Bad call." The vehicons glance at each other and one of them walked towards them. "Come on, let's go!" Jack grabbed Azura by the wrist and made her run with them. Raf ran in front of them towards one of the drainage pipes. "Come on, come on!"

As they got closer to the pipe, Azura let out a shriek as the vehicon grabbed her by the legs and yanked her from Jack's grasp. He stopped and stumbled slightly, looking up in shock, only to turn and run again as the vehicon tried to grab him as well. Raf had already jumped into the drainage pipe at this time and Jack jumped in just as the vehicon tried to reach for him. Azura was held upside down and she was trying to get free from the vehicon's grasp.

"Oh, no you don't!" She turned her head to see Bee running at the vehicon and threw his fist, hitting the side of its face and pulling him away, though that made the vehicon's grip loosen and threw Azura unintentionally to the ground. She lands on her rear this time, making her yelp in pain and looked at Bumblebee. "Sorry…" He leaned down and peered into the drain. "Don't you, you both are safe now."

Azura sat there as she leaned against the cement wall as she watched and listened. "Thank you." Came the small response from Rafael.

"You're welcome, now you both get out of here," Bumblebee responded and stood up, looking over at Azura as she looked at him fearfully. "Find somewhere to hide, Azura…" He ducked as a fist was thrown at him and he punched the vehicon away. "Decepticon scum!"

Azura thought about following Jack into the drain, but as she tried to stand, she felt pain shooting up her legs and back, making her worry something was broken. She could only crawl into the corner by the drainage pipe and huddle into the corner, watching as the bots and cons fight it out between each other, leaving her to cry quietly and hope that it would end very soon. Especially as Bee seemed to be struggling a little fighting the two on his own.

The fight felt like it lasted forever to Azura, but it went on for another five minutes until Bee was knocked down and Arcee helped him back up, both prepared to fight the two vehicons. It wasn't until they heard the engine of an all-terrain truck approaching with him honking his horn and transforming, preparing to fight the two cons with the bots. Azura smiled as she saw Bulkhead head, happy to see him alive and well.

He punched his fists together as he glared at the two vehicons. "Who's ready to rumble?!"

The vehicons did not respond, they stared for a moment before transforming and speeding away. They seemingly forgot about Azura, but she preferred it that way. She sat there trembling and whimpering, looking over at the bots as Arcee and Bee groan. "What took you?" Arcee demanded with a frown.

Bulkhead shrugged. "Traffic."

Bumblebee ignored them and ran over to Azura with worried optics. "Azura…" The girl looked up at him with her bottom lip trembling. He leaned down, looking at her with worry as he saw the injuries. Arcee and Bulkhead run over, with Bulk being shocked to see her again. "Don't worry, Ratchet will look after you."

Azura nodded and tried to stand, but she couldn't. She looked at Arcee when she felt the femme's hands pick her up carefully as she noticed the immediate pain and struggle. "I cannot believe we've found you…" The girl began to sob louder and Arcee hugged her against her shoulder. "And I am sorry you overheard what I said." She sighed deeply and opened the com link. "Ratchet, we require a ground bridge. We had another con issue…and both you and Optimus are not going to believe what we found."

Arcee rubbed Azura's back, knowing she would need time to calm down. She and the other two bots turn when the bridge opened behind them and they walk towards it. Arcee was just happy that they found Azura. She had doubts that the girl ever left Jasper, and suspected Cliff and Fowler had known her location all this time, but they never once revealed that piece of information. Right now, it was good to have Optimus's sparkling with them.

And as they walk through the vortex, Optimus's optics widen in shock and disbelief when he saw his daughter in Arcee's arms. "Azura?" The girl turned her head and looked at Optimus. "You…you're alive!" His tone was filled with relief and Azura turned slightly, holding her arms towards Optimus, wanting him to hold her. The commander was quick to oblige and took the girl carefully in his hands. He already noticed her injuries, but he hugged her against his shoulder as she sobbed into the metal. "This is a Primus miracle…" He kissed her head gently. "I am so relieved you're home, Azura. And I hope you will never run away again."