Chapter 1
Truck Stop

The first rays of dawn stretched across the horizon, painting the sky in hues of gold and soft pink. In the far distance one could see the changes of the season as trees were no longer a vibrant green, they were more yellow and orange with a few showing a bit of red. Lily stirred, her head lifting from where it had rested against the window. She blinked sleepily, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. The truck's engine had stopped, leaving a serene silence.

Through the window, she saw a parking lot full of tracker trailers and beyond that a building bathed in early morning light. A few semi-trucks sat idling while their drivers stretched or sipping steaming cups of coffee. The faint aroma of fuel and frying bacon wafted through the air. Over to the left at the entrance from the highway stood a large saying 'Becky's Big Stop'.

Lily shifted in her seat, still wrapped in Optimus' jacket. The warmth was comforting, but the realization of where she was—and her lack of memory—returned with a jolt.

"You're awake," Optimus' holoform said gently, appearing beside her with a calm, reassuring expression.

Lily flinched slightly but relaxed when she recognized his face. "Where… where are we?" she asked, her voice hoarse from sleep.

"A truck stop," he replied, gesturing to the modest diner and gas pumps in the distance. "I thought it best to stop for supplies and let you rest a little longer. You seemed… exhausted."

She nodded slowly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Thank you. I guess I needed that."

Optimus's holoform smiled warmly. "You're welcome. Are you feeling any better?"

"A little," she admitted, though the uncertainty in her voice lingered. "I still… I still don't know where I'm supposed to go."

Optimus tilted his head slightly, studying her with a kindness that put her at ease. "One step at a time, Lily. You've been through something difficult, but you're not alone anymore. If you need to talk, I'm here to listen."

She hesitated, her fingers gripping the edges of his jacket. "Orion… why are you doing this? I mean, helping me? You don't even know me."

Optimus's expression softened. "Sometimes, helping someone doesn't require knowing everything about them. It's simply the right thing to do."

Lily looked down, her lips pressing into a thin line. "I guess I'm not used to people like you," she murmured.

He didn't reply immediately, giving her the space she needed. Then he gestured to the diner. "Would you like something to eat? I believe a warm meal might help."

Her stomach growled softly in response, and she gave a small, embarrassed smile. "Yeah… I think I could use that. But how do I pay? I have no money or even ID."

"Take your time," Optimus said, climbing out of the truck before going to the other side to help her out. He then handed her a couple twenty dollar bills. "I'll be right here if you need anything."

As she stepped out into the crisp morning air, Lily glanced back at the massive truck she'd ridden in. There was something about it—about Orion—that still felt... different. Unusual. But she couldn't quite place why. Clasping the money against her chest, she pulled off the jacket and handed it to her. For now, she let herself follow the smell of breakfast into the diner, a small flicker of hope rising with the morning sun.

The bell above the diner door jingled softly as Lily stepped inside. The scent of sizzling bacon, freshly brewed coffee, and warm syrup filled the air, wrapping her in a comforting embrace. The place was small, with a row of red vinyl booths and a long counter lined with chrome stools. A few early-morning patrons sat scattered around, sipping coffee and eating breakfast.

Lily hesitated near the door, feeling self-conscious in her wrinkled clothes. A waitress behind the counter noticed her and gave a welcoming smile.

"Morning, hon. Grab a seat anywhere," she said, her tone warm and motherly.

Lily nodded, choosing a booth near the window where she could still see Optimus parked outside. The sunlight reflected off the windshield, making it almost seem like the truck was watching over her.

A moment later, the waitress appeared with a pot of coffee. "You look like you could use a pick-me-up," she said, pouring a steaming cup without waiting for Lily to answer.

"Thanks," Lily said, wrapping her hands around the warm mug.

"Rough night?" the waitress asked, eyeing her gently.

"Something like that," Lily replied, offering a faint smile but not elaborating.

"Well, the coffee's on the house. Let me know if you want some breakfast. Our pancakes are the best in three counties."

Lily smiled a little more sincerely this time. "That sounds nice. Thank you."

As the waitress walked away, Lily's mind wandered back to Orion. He hadn't followed her inside, but she knew he was still out there. There was something so... steady about him. She couldn't explain it, but his presence felt like a lifeline.

Outside, Optimus no longer using his holoform, rested heavily on his tires. It wasn't often he remained in disguise this long, but at the moment it was vital. Finding her on that deserted highway had been a peculiar stroke of fate, one that did not sit right with him. Humans did not simply appear in the middle of nowhere, unconscious and abandoned, without reason. Yet, there had been no sign of a vehicle, no immediate indication of an accident or struggle. It was as if she had been left there deliberately, discarded like an afterthought. What was even more peculiar was her memory. She had no memory how she got there, nor much else for that matter besides her name.

Since arriving on Earth, he had learned many humans have had suffered from temporary to permanent amnesia. He hoped she had the latter and her memory would return in due time. It still baffled him, though, how fragile the human brain was to cause such an effect. To his species it was a bit harder but still could be done.

And then there was her reaction. Fear had been expected, but something about her demeanor had struck him as… off. She had been wary but not entirely shocked by the situation she had found herself in. And now, as she waited for breakfast to be served, he could see it in the way she carried herself—cautious, scanning the room as if expecting something, or someone, to reappear.

Optimus was no stranger to battle, to strategy, to deception. He had witnessed how war twisted people, how trauma left marks unseen. He had also learned to trust his instincts, and they were telling him now that something about Lily Taylor's presence in his path was not coincidental.

Yet, despite the unanswered questions, he knew one thing for certain—she was in danger. That much, he could feel. And until he understood why, he would not let her out of his sight.

"Optimus Prime calling Ratchet." the Autobot leader suddenly blurted into his comm unit.

"What's up Prime?" the medic announced.

"I want you to search for any missing persons by the name of Lily. I do not know her last name."

"Is she the human found on the side of the road?"

"Affirmative. We are currently at a "Becky's Truck Stop."

There was a moment of silence. "That's way out in Oregon near Route 99."

"Prime what the hell are you doing way out there?!" Ironhide snapped.

"Possible siting of a Decepticon," Optimus huffed. He hated it when Ironhide would get so commanding.

"Anything?"

"Negative."

"I will look into your request. Besides her first name, any other details you can give me?"

"She has shoulder length brown hair and stands 5'4," Optimus relayed. She's dressed in a think jacket with jeans and white top. Prime Out!"

Needing some rest, Optimus decided to power down, putting himself in semi stasis. This way he could keep an eye on Lily at the same time, allowing his CPU to build more power.

The waitress returned with a plate stacked high with golden pancakes, a side of crispy bacon, and a small dish of butter and syrup. "Here you go, sweetie. Eat up."

"Thank you," Lily said again, realizing just how hungry she was.

As she dug into the meal, she noticed Orion was nowhere near the truck. Perhaps he had already ate and waited for her to wake, which made sense and no doubt he was probably checking around his rig. She couldn't help but smile to herself, feeling a strange sense of safety despite everything.

When she'd nearly finished her meal, the waitress returned to refill her coffee. "You passing through, or are you sticking around for a bit?"

"I'm…" Lily paused as she looked to Optimus, which looked as though the weight of the truck was heavier on the wheels than before. "Passing through, I suppose," she admitted. She hesitated, then asked, "By any chance do you know anything about an attack a couple months in Mission City?"

The waitress's expression softened, and she nodded. "I do. That was awful, wasn't it? All those poor people caught in the middle of whatever that was. I've never seen anything like it. Mind you I don't believe what the government says about it being some of toxic spill making everyone think of giant robots."

Lily's grip tightened slightly on the coffee mug. "Do you think anyone's… still recovering from that? Like people who were there?"

"Oh, absolutely," the waitress said. "Trauma like that doesn't just disappear overnight. It will take many probably years, but people are resilient. They find a way to keep going. You just need the right people by your side."

The words struck a chord with Lily. She glanced out the window again, where Optimus sat. She felt a sense of being watched, but didn't feel threatened.

"Yeah," Lily said quietly. "I think you're right."

The waitress patted her hand lightly. "You take care of yourself, hon. You've got a kind face, and the world needs more of that."

Lily nodded, "So how much do I owe you?"

"Just give me a few moments and I'll bring over the bill." The waitress then walked away, allowing Lily to drink her second cup of coffee. She glanced around, watching as the waitress filled another customer's coffee before getting an order from another truck driver. She then took the order to the window before going to the computer to print out her bill. She returned a moment later.

"Will that be debit, credit or cash?"

"Cash," Lily said before glancing at the bill and pulled out the money needed including a tip. As she stood to leave, she glanced at the truck one last time before walking outside.

Sensing her approach, Optimus was quick to pull himself back to full power before activate his holoform once more. "Breakfast was good?" Orion asked, as he stepped out of the truck, his tone light.

She smiled, nodding. "Yes, thank you for letting me get something to eat." She then went to hand him the money.

"No, you keep it," he answered. "Of course. Shall we continue? There's a long road ahead, but I believe it will lead us to answers."

Lily hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. Let's go."

She climbed back into the passenger seat, wanting to enjoy the heat coming from the vents. It was still very cool out since it was early morning. Orion climbed into the driver seat once more and like before made it appear as if he was driving the truck, when in actual reality, it was the truck itself. Truck rumbled to life as the two turned back to the road, which would take them back onto Route 99. The rising sun bathed the highway in golden light, and for the first time in a long while, Lily felt like she wasn't completely alone.

Sorry for the chapter being on the short side. I normally write 4000+ words per chapter except for Prologues and Epilogues. Like in the previous chapter, I've had a lot of AI assistance. This time though, I did add more of my additional thought process. Especially at the truck stop. The name "Becky's Truck Stop" is completely my idea, therefore it's fictional.