(Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers; just Anwen and any other OC's I've added throughout the story thus far.)

(Authors Note: Hello dear readers/fellow fangirls(and fanboys)/gamers and writers! I am so, so, so glad to be posting yet another chapter in this story! I'm sorry if I've been a little behind in doing so, but I promise that it wasn't intentional. I've actually been editing some of the chapters here and there, but don't worry, it's only minor adjustments. I haven't gone and completely re-written anything or removed any content, so there's no need to panic. Also, I've been trying to give my other stories some attention and have been working on future content for them as well as working on some stories that I haven't even uploaded to the website yet; so that's pretty exciting. Anyways, I hope you all are enjoying the story so far because I absolutely love writing it. Thank you so much for taking the time to read it and thank you for the inspiring comments. I love reading them and I draw inspiration from them because you guys are what makes this story possible. Sure, I write and edit the story, but you guys give me that extra push to keep moving forward. If you didn't, I wouldn't be so inclined to post as often as I do. So thank you all for the good vibes and continued support. Until next time, my amazing and wonderful viewers, stay safe and stay awesome!)

"English/French/Spanish"

'Mental thoughts'

"Flashbacks" (and sometimes sarcasm)

{Cybertronian}

::Sparkbonds::

:Speaker talk:

::Comm. Link::

*:Phone calls:*

Chapter 13

-0720-

Once finished with her breakfast, Anwen dropped off her tray and rolled into the bathroom to finish getting ready for work. Taking her toiletry/cosmetic bag out of her backpack, she set to work brushing her teeth. There was no way that she was going to start her shift without taking care of her pearly whites first. She always took care of herself when it came to her appearance and hygiene because it gave her a sense of pride. That, and impressions mattered in the workplace and in the general public. The last thing she wanted was for people to think she was lazy or unhygienic.

Absolutely not!

Once her teeth were free of food particles and her breath was minty fresh, she worked her hair into an elegant half up/half down style before adorning her pearl earrings and dabbing a few drops of rose oil behind her ears. With a smile, Anwen then applied some cherry red lipstick and gave herself a final look in the mirror before determining that she was ready for the day. In truth, she just wanted to move on from her earlier interaction with Marcus and focus on the day's tasks. She mentally prayed that he'd leave her alone, but she knew the likelihood of that happening was slim to none.

With a sigh, she placed her toiletry/cosmetic bag back inside her backpack and stepped out of the bathroom before exiting the chow hall and rolling over towards the main hangar. While skating, Anwen was more cautious of her speed because she wasn't wearing her helmet. Sure, she was always careful, but she often had a tendency to take extra caution when she wasn't wearing the proper headgear.

After arriving at the structure, she headed over towards the office where upon entering, she was waved over by Maggie, who was standing outside the break room with a cup of coffee in her hands. "G'day, Anwen. My goodness, you look lovely this morning. What's the occasion?"

She shrugged, "Sans raison (No reason); I just felt like dressing up."

"In lace and pearls," The Aussie woman raised a brow and gave her a knowing smile as she took a sip of her coffee.

Anwen felt her cheeks heat up as she suspected Maggie somehow knew how she felt about the twins. Removing her sunglasses, she emitted a sigh, "...Okay, you got me...There's a reason…"

"I knew it," she smirked. "So, who's the lucky guy?"

"...Well...it's actually two guys…"

"Go ooOoonnn," she prodded as her eyes lit up with newfound interest. Of course, she already knew it was the twins because of the conversation she had with Sideswipe the other day, but she still wanted to hear her confession.

Glancing back at the entrance, Anwen asked, "Can we continue this conversation in my cubicle? I'm worried someone's going to walk through the door and hear our discussion."

"Sure thing," she followed the young redhead over to her cubicle and kept an eye out for other coworkers who would be coming in soon to start the workday.

With a sigh, Anwen set her bag aside and sat in her chair before quietly stating, "It's the twins."

"I suspected as much," she knowingly stated as she sipped her coffee. "SoOoo, do they know you like them?"

She shook her head, "No...At least I don't think so. I mean, they know I like them but they don't know that I like, like them. You know what I mean?"

"I do," she curtly nodded.

Flustered, Anwen gently rubbed her temples, "Oh, Maggie, I'm so confused. I honestly can't explain it, but whenever I think about them or whenever I'm around them, my pulse quickens, my legs shake, and my insides feel all fluttery. And when I'm away from them, I feel empty...like there's a void in my heart. I know that must sound utterly ridiculous…"

"No, it's not ridiculous," the Aussie stated and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Lots of people experience this sort of thing when they find the one person, or in your case: persons', who makes them feel whole. Some people might interpret it as a schoolyard crush, but I can tell that this is nothing of the sort. This is real love and not just some cliche Hallmark movie bullshit."

At that, Anwen sat quietly in her chair as she thought about what she just heard. 'Real love?!' At the realization, she suddenly felt tears sting her eyes for she had never experienced anything like this before. There was love for her brother and love for her friends, but a romantic kind of love for another being (let alone two beings)?! That was completely new to her. Growing up, she never had a boyfriend or a real crush before; nor did she really have an interest in such things because she was primarily focused on her educational future. Sure, she had at least a dozen crushes on various TV, movie, book and video game characters, but those weren't real: those were just her being a nerdy fangirl.

This? This was something entirely new and different. She still couldn't quite explain it though. All she knew was that Sunstreaker and Sideswipe made her happier than anyone ever has, despite only knowing them for a short while. When she was with them, she felt a sense of joy and warmth she never knew before. It was a pleasant and welcomed feeling.

Anwen was suddenly pulled from her thoughts when she heard Maggie ask, "Hey, are you okay?"

"Hmm? Oh, oui, I'm fine. I was just thinking about what you said. I still don't entirely know what to make of it because it doesn't seem practical to have such deep feelings for the twins when I haven't known them for that long."

"Then take some time to get to know them better," she suggested with a kind smile. "I'm not saying you should pour your heart out and rush into things. You're your own woman, Anwen. And when you're ready, you can tell them how you feel. Like I said, you should take some time to get to know them better; but don't be afraid to let your guard down a little," she winked, making her playfully roll her eyes.

"Merci, Maggie."

"Anytime." The two of them shared a hug before the sound of chatter caught their attention. Noticing some of their fellow coworkers entering the vicinity, Maggie headed off to her own cubicle while Anwen fired up her computer.

XXXXX

The morning dragged on rather uneventfully but it was a welcomed blessing for the young ginger. After the incident at breakfast, Marcus hadn't made any further comments to her or pestered her about finishing one of his projects for him so he could catch up on other work. For once, he was actually quiet.

'Finally,' she told herself. As selfish as it was, Anwen wished he was always like this; but in the back of her mind she knew better. He'd leave her alone for another day or two and then he'd be right back to his annoying, old self. With a sigh, she returned to focusing her attention on her work. Glancing down at her watch, she realized that she only had five minutes left before she could clock out for lunch. 'Oh good. I should be finished with this last program by then.' It was nice knowing that practically all of her important/mandatory work was nearly finished for the day and all she had left to do was answer some non-priority emails.

Oh the joys of pre-planning and prioritizing one's assignments was so fulfilling to her. She absolutely loved being on top of her workload rather than having it overwhelm her. Even in school, Anwen always planned ahead and prioritized her homework and studies first before her hobbies and social gatherings with her friends. In doing so, she never had to ask for extra time to finish her assignments or worry about not studying enough for exams. Sure, some of her classmates often called her a nerd or the teacher's pet, but she didn't care: her hard work and good grades paid off in the long run. If they hadn't, she wouldn't be here working for N.E.S.T. at such a young age. That feat alone was enough to make her smile.

With a final click of her mouse, Anwen completed the last program as soon as the clock turned 1200. Logging out of her computer, she then removed her shoes and donned her rollerblades and shades before rolling out of the office. After exiting the hangar, she leisurely made her way over to the chow hall for lunch and upon entering the structure and grabbing a tray, she was waved over by Mama Rosita:

"Azul, mi querida niña (_,my dear girl), are you alright? I heard what happened earlier between you and that estúpido (asshole)," she stated while dishing her up some tamales, rice and beans.

Anwen curtly nodded and gave her a reassuring smile, "Oui, I'm fine. Ever since this morning he's left me alone, but I'm sure he'll find a way to pester me again some other time."

"Cariño (Sweetie), you shouldn't have to put up with such mierda (bullshit)."

"I know," she agreed with a sigh. "I filed a complaint about an hour after I clocked in, but I don't see how that'll change anything."

"Well, if it doesn't, you need to go to HR," she handed her the plate, to which Anwen graciously accepted with a slight bow of her head.

"Honestly, I thought I'd just ask Ironhide to step on him."

"Oh Dios (_goodness), that would be quite a sight." The two of them shared a laugh before saying their temporary farewells, to which Anwen grabbed some silverware and a glass of cranberry juice before heading into the dining area to eat.

XXXXX

-1300-

With his patrol over for the day, Sunstreaker headed over to the Med Bay with Sideswipe in hopes that Ratchet would have answers to their questions pertaining to their developing bond with Anwen. Upon entering the medical facility, they spotted the Autobot CMO taking inventory of his current supplies.

"Good afternoon, Ratchet," Sideswipe greeted with a smirk.

Glancing up from his data pad, he emitted a groan, "Oh Primus, what did you two do now?"

"Nothing! We're innocent this time. We actually came here to ask for your advice."

"Oh really?" He raised an optic ridge at them, to which Sunstreaker replied:

"It's spark related. Sideswipe and I had questions pertaining to our developing sparkbond with Anwen."

"I see. So what would you like to know?"

"Well, Sunny and I are at a loss on how we should approach her with all this information. I mean, it's a pretty big deal and we don't want to scare her away. For all we know, she might not be ready for a serious relationship, let alone a life-long commitment. But we're worried that if we wait too long, she'll find another suitor to sweep her off her feet."

At that, Ratchet set his data pad aside, "Humans are a rather complex species when it comes to relationships. There are some who rush into them and others who take their time. The best advice I can give you both is to take things as they come. Get to know her a little better but don't press her too hard. And don't be afraid to open yourselves up to her."

"Easier said than done," Sunstreaker replied as he crossed his arms over his chassis.

"I never said it would be easy," he stated with a serious expression lining his faceplates. "It'll take patience and trust on both ends, but if you're ever in doubt, listen to your sparks. Now, that's all the advice I can offer for the time being, but feel free to come back if you have any other questions or concerns."

"Thanks Doc, we'll be sure to do just that," Sideswipe replied as he and his twin turned to leave.

"Oh, by the way, I almost forgot something," he suddenly pulled out a wrench from his subspace and threw it at the silver twin, precisely hitting him with a satisfying *CLANG* "That's for your latest prank!"

"OW! Come on Ratchet, can't you take a joke? I thought you'd get a laugh out of it. It certainly made me smile," Sideswipe grinned even though he was sore from being hit with a Cybertronian-sized wrench.

"Just get outta my Med Bay," he growled and pointed to the door with another wrench in his servo.

Upon exiting, Sunstreaker asked, "What in the fragging Pit did you do to him this time?"

"Nothing harmful," he smirked. "I just placed 'For Rectal Use Only' stickers on all of his tools and equipment."

Okay, he had to admit that was pretty funny. Sure, he usually hated how immature Sideswipe could be, but there were times Sunstreaker actually found some humor in his brother's practical jokes...Not often, but sometimes.

XXXXX

-1500-

Upon clocking out for the day, Anwen donned her blades and shades, grabbed her gear and rolled out of the office. As she turned down the hallway and entered the hangar, she spotted a familiar pair of Lamborghini's parked along the wall which brought a smile to her freckled face. "Bonjour, gentlemechs," she cheerfully stated as she approached.

:Good afternoon, Ani. Did you miss us?:

Her cheeks turned a cute shade of pink in response to his question, "Bien sûr (Of course). I've grown accustomed to both of your presence lately, so it's only natural for me to miss you when you're away."

:As strange and hypocritical as it is for me to say, I feel the same way about you as well.:

"Now that is hypocritical of you, Sunstreaker," she lightly teased.

Even though he was in his alt form, he was internally smiling at her remark. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted when his twin spoke up:

:So, Ani, would you like us to escort you home? Or did you want to stop by the pool?:

"Well, I do need to stop by and pick up my swimsuit and towel...if that's alright?"

:Sure thing. By the way, if you'd like we could all take a swim together this weekend. Assuming Sunny here will actually activate his holoform for once.:

Sunstreaker sent an irritated wave of emotion through their bond while Anwen shook her head, "We don't need to swim if he doesn't want to."

At that, the golden lambo vented a sigh before answering, :If it'll get you to stop pestering me about it, Sideswipe, I will join you both on a swim.:

"Vraiment (Really)?!" Anwen's amber eyes lit up in newfound excitement, which both twins thought was absolutely adorable.

At her enthusiasm, Sunstreaker emitted a soft (almost non-audible) chuckle, :Are you always so fascinated by such simple things?:

"Only when they're as monumental as seeing you use your holoform."

He mentally rolled his optics before opening his passenger door for her to enter, :Come on then, I'll drive you to the fitness center so you can pick up your things.:

She graciously accepted his offer and slid into his front seat while he closed the door and buckled her in. Upon turning her head to glance out his driver's side window, Anwen was suddenly met with a surprising sight: Sunstreaker had activated his holoform and was now staring at her with an amused look on his face as she emitted a startled "AHH!" before realizing it was him. "Putain de merde, Sunstreaker, tu m'as surpris (Holy fuck, Sunstreaker, you startled me)!"

At that, he actually chuckled, "That wasn't my intention; but I will admit that your reaction was humorous." He then fired up his engine and rolled out of the hangar with Sideswipe following behind him.

'Holy shit, he actually laughed!' Anwen sat in amazement at that before taking a moment to examine his holoform: he appeared to be the same height and build like his brother was, but due to the fact that he was sitting down made it a tad difficult to judge. His skin was fair and lightly tanned while his face was also a humanoid replica of his actual features (minus the helm fins of course). His hair was short and well-kept, but unlike his twin, Sunstreaker had blonde hair as opposed to dark brown. His eyes were also the same Cybertronian blue and were currently staring at her, which caused Anwen's cheeks to turn a lovely shade of crimson.

"I take it that you approve of this form," he asked with an air of mirth in his tone.

"...O-Oui, but I will always prefer your actual form."

"Now that I can agree with you on," the corner of his lip curved up into a slight smirk, making Anwen's heart rate quicken in its pace.

'Holy fuck, he's so hot!' Biting her lower lip, she shyly asked, "Can I touch your holoform? Please? I want to make sure this isn't a fabrication of my imagination."

He rolled his eyes but kept up that handsome smirk of his while slowly driving across the tarmac, "Go ahead."

Hesitantly, she reached out her hand and gently touched his forearm, noting how soft and warm it was, "Wow...it feels just like human skin."

At that, he frowned, "Don't remind me."

"Pardon (Sorry)," she sincerely apologized before touching his hair.

Admittedly, Sunstreaker was enjoying this form of contact from the small, speckled femme. He suddenly felt his spark quicken its pace as her finger lightly brushed against his ear. Of course he figured that she was unaware of Cybertronian hot spots and opted to ignore the pleasurable feeling. As he drove, he suddenly noticed her outfit and admired how elegant she looked, "...Your ensemble is very nice today."

With a smile, Anwen smoothed the lace of her dress over her knees, "Merci, Sunstreaker. I will admit that your outfit is quite handsome as well." His attire consisted of black denim jeans, a gold polo shirt and a gold pair of Dr. Martens boots.

*sigh* "I may despise using my holoform but that doesn't mean I should make it look terrible. Seeing as how it's a reflection and extension of myself, I need to look the part...no matter how uncomfortable it makes me feel."

"Well, I'm sorry for your discomfort, but I am glad that you decided to show me your holoform. I was told by Sideswipe how much you hate it, so I understand this is a rare and great honor for me."

"That it is," he agreed while focusing on the road ahead.

"If it makes you feel any better, you look very handsome." Feeling his gaze upon her, Anwen stared at the scenery through the windshield before adding, "Of course, whatever form you take doesn't change that fact."

"Are you trying to flatter me," he asked with a faint smirk. Of course he knew she was being sincere because he couldn't detect any form of deceit in her tone or body language. In truth, he just liked seeing her blush.

She glanced over at him and crossed her arms over her chest, "And what good would that do?"

"I don't know; you tell me."

Sensing that he was just trying to tease her, Anwen felt her cheeks heat up as she was sure they resembled strawberries at this point.

"That's beautiful."

"Qu'est-ce que (What is)," she asked out of curiosity, to which he reached over and gently tapped the side of her cheek with his index finger:

"Your coloring."

At his touch, Anwen's pulse increased while her nerves became all jumbled up and her stomach felt like a swarm of butterflies were fluttering around inside her...or maybe those were moths. Either way, it was exciting and a bit nerve-wracking at the same time. "...Umm, well...m-merci."