(AN: If I've used this pic before, sorry. I'm running out of ones to put up there cus Wattpad is being stupid and ever since the new upgrade I've had a hard time putting pics I want up there.)

I watched from over at Raf's bedside as Ratchet and the other Autobots pulled in a weak Optimus Prime through the GroundBridge, my chest tight as I saw the state he was in. His gears were grinding loudly and I could see several places where he had been slashed, stabbed, or punched. Bulkhead ran in quickly, the portal closing behind him in a split second. Raf squeezed my hand and I looked down at him in what I hoped was assurance. When Ratchet had learned something about the area Optimus was fighting in, he had been quick to set me over by the younger boy to go and tend to his leader.

Optimus, despite his injuries, turned to us and gave us a hint of a smile. I returned it and I'm sure Raf did, too, but Nurse Darby looked upset and unamused. She took a step in front of us, her gaze hard on the Prime.

"They're lucky to be alive," she said bitterly. Optimus' faceplate fell, and he glanced away.

I gave Raf's hand another squeeze before shooting him an apologetic look and letting go. I ran over to where Ratchet was finishing tending to the Autobot leader and tapped his pede, eager to get back up. The medic looked down at me, sighed, and bent over with his servo extended. I climbed on and was soon up in my normal place, grinning my cares away. My body honestly didn't hurt much now, and it felt good to move around.

"He'll be okay, right?" I asked in his audio receptor quietly, talking about Optimus.

Ratchet sighed again. "He'll live."

Jack and Miko began walking down the stairs. "So Megatron found more of the Dark stuff?" the first asked.

"A whole volcano full," Arcee growled.

"The question is how? Bulkhead added, rolling his shoulder pads.

"No," Ratchet argued, moving in frustration as he spoke. "The question is what. As in what in the world is the blood of Unicron doing here, on earth."

The blood of Unicron? I thought confusedly.

"The Cons killed a unicorn?" Miko asked in disbelief, expressing her own confusion, and earning stares from everyone in the room, including myself, though for a different reason than the Autobots. "White horse with a horn on its head? Prances around all sparkly?" she tried to explain.

"Unicron," my guardian corrected, resisting the urge to roll his optics. "An ancient evil, whose fossilized blood comprises the matter we call Dark Energon." 

I shuddered, remembering how much pain I had felt because of that stuff. Now I was beginning to understand why it was so harmful to the Autobots. Ratchet had told me the story of Primus and Unicron a while ago, and knew what how awful the creature had been. 

"No, Nurse Darby, Unicron is very real," Ratchet told the nurse as I got lost in thought. "..Was. That is.. while I do believe he once existed I just don't subscribe to the theory that his primordial life force is the substance that.. harmed Raf and Taylor," he finished with a tone of gentleness and regret.

I saw his optics flicker over to me again and smiled to assure him I was fine, reaching out again and gently brushing his faceplate. My previous act of 'thankfulness' flashed into my head, and I felt my face turn a little red against my will. He looked away, also a bit embarrassed.

"I've heard enough," Nurse Darby said angrily. "Jack, please, help me get Raf into the car." She pulled up the rail of the medical bed and began to move him. I felt my heart sink a little.

Bumblebee whirred something in confusion while Jack tried to reason with his mother. She looked back at her son angrily, still wheeling Raf away.

"Raf and Taylor need to be examined by real doctors," she snapped and I felt Ratchet deflate in shame. "And Raf's family needs to know what happened. His real family."

While Jack argued with her and Optimus tried to reason with her, I glanced back over to Ratchet, who was hanging his helm with self blame in his optics. My eyebrows furrowed worriedly, and I leaned on his helm. "What happened wasn't your fault. You are a real doctor, and you saved me, and Raf. Any other human doctor wouldn't have known how," I assured him. He looked up at me and gave me a half smile, only semi convinced.

"You're coming with me, all four of you," I heard Nurse Darby instruct firmly. "And they will not be coming back."

I felt my heart in my throat as Optimus agreed solemnly, still hunched over in pain. Miko ran up to his pede, looking up at him with frustration. "That's it?!" she shouted. "After all we've been through together, see ya?" She waved her hands. "What about our freedom to choose?"

Nurse Darby continued to argue with the girl while Raf slowly got in the car. I could see the tears in his eyes and could feel my own rising in mine. Ratchet sighed and lifted his hand to pick me up, and I realized he was going to let her take me. I inched away from his digits for the first time in a while, and he blinked at me in confusion.

"You're not my mother," Miko said dryly.

"Miko.."

"Neither are you!" she shouted at her guardian.

"Well I am yours," Nurse Darby said, looking over to her son. "Let's go, Jack."

I held my breath as I listened for Jack's reply. Eventually, he looked up to his mother with determination. "I'm staying. I'm sorry." He looked away.

Nurse Darby looked at him in shock, before turning furiously over to Ratchet. She glared at the doctor long and hard before her eyes moved over to me, still sitting next to his shoulder pad.

"You are coming with me," she seethed. "You've nearly died more than all three of the other children combined. You will never see these Autbots again." She glared hardly at my guardian before jabbing her finger at the floor. "Get down. NOW."

I blinked at her, surprised at her tone, before I felt something bubble and explode in my chest. My own expression turned hard, glaring at the woman below me. Still glaring, I turned my body and hugged Ratchet's shoulder pad. 

"No," I hissed, earning myself a surprised look from everyone, but I didn't care. "You're not my mother either. And just because she's dead doesn't mean you can become mine!" My chest felt tight and my head thick, while my lips curled in a snarl. "I'm staying, too."

The nurse reeled back, before narrowing her eyes. "I'm doing this for your own good," she said bitterly.

"I don't care!" I argued, still hugging my guardian. I hardly realized I was shouting, I just wanted her to stop. To admit she was wrong. To leave me alone. "What do you know? Ratchet saved my life, and I know no other doctors or nurses would have been able to help me!"

Nurse Darby cringed taking a step back. "Taylor.."

"NO!" I continued, feeling tears rise again, but it wasn't out of sadness this time. "Ratchet has saved me every time, and I need him! He's helped me more than any of you, and I'm not leaving him, no matter what you say!" I dropped my tone to a low growl. "So drop it."

The air in the room suddenly went extremely tense, and I could feel all eyes on me, both shocked and frightened. I was honestly surprised with myself, surprised with this new emotion that I soon recognized as anger and pure fury. I had never snapped at anyone like that, not that I remembered. I calmed down a little, bringing a hand to my mouth and shaking, though I was still staring at Nurse Darby, not backing down.

She blinked a few times, still in shock, before sighing and turning sharply, slamming Raf's door shut and getting in the car. Without another word, she drove away. A mere moment later, Agent Fowler appeared on the monitor screen and began speaking bitterly with Optimus. 

Ratchet's helm turned to me, his optics still a little widened in surprise. "Are you alright?"

I nodded, taking a few deep breaths and closing my eyes. "Yeah, I just need to calm down a little. That was new to me, too." I took one more deep breath and opened my eyes, shooting him another smile. "But I meant all that I said. I'm staying with you."

He blinked, his derma parting slightly, before he shook his helm with a small grin. "Just don't do that again. It's very strange to see you that way."

I giggled slightly as he walked over to the monitor. "You've got a deal. I'm really going to regret that later. Yelling at her, I mean."

He cocked an optic ridge. "You're assuming that she will return?"

I pointed to where Bumblebee was staring out the exit. "He's sure to follow soon enough. Don't worry, I know they'll be back soon, safe and sound."

He snorted. "Don't make a promise you can't keep."

I closed my eyes and leaned my head on his helm. "I'm not."

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Well, don't ever make Taylor angry. She will send you to the pits of Kaon. XD

So, you guys probably all know where I am going now...

BYE!

*waves*