Optimus had frantically carried me to the hospital room in which Ratchet was currently in. My head was throbbing and my blood was all over Optimus' clothing.

"Ratchet!" Optimus called the medic as he entered. Ratchet turned wide eyed to the bloody and bruised body of mine. "Sophia needs medical attention now!" Optimus ordered as he carried me over to the hospital bed. "What happened?!" Ratchet asked confused and concerned as he scanned me with urgency. "Now is not the time for an explanation." Optimus told Ratchet with a stern tone, concern in his blue eyes where clear as he looked down on me.

I tried to ease the situation with a smile, but my blood loss was causing me to go dizzy. "She has lost an abundant amount of blood." Ratchet informed the Autobot leader. "Optimus help me with this." He urged as he quickly gathered bags of blood, interesting shiny and fearful needles into areas of my arm.

I fought against my body's will to lose consciousness which allowed me to feel every needle pierce through my skin. In reaction to the pain, I winced and grunted. Ratchet began to stitch up the gashes on my head as well as wrap the puncture wound in my shoulder. "Easy Sophia. You will be fine." Ratchet tried to reassure me and mostly, reassure Optimus.

"Okay she is stabilized. All she needs to do is rest." Ratchet told Optimus as he regained his breath and settled down. "Now would be a good time for an explanation." Ratchet looked at Optimus hoping that he would provide answers. "I was recharging as it was late, but I had heard a scream which caused an interruption within my recharging session. I activated my holoform and followed the sound of ruckus until I approached the source of it. In one of the hallways, I witnessed a Decepticon Pretender...choking Sophia against the wall. I managed to intervene and kill the Pretender, but seeing Sophia, it was clear that she had severely injured."

Starting to regain my strength from the transfer of blood, I was able to chuckle a little. "Optimus...I almost had him. Megatron is going to get...what's coming...to him." I giggled dizzily.

"Sophia this is far from an amusing situation. They have uncovered the location of our base." Ratchet mentioned throwing his hands up in disbelief. Optimus looked to the ground and my heart dropped. "Optimus, stay with Sophia for the time being. I will go inform Will of the situation." Ratchet ordered Optimus before heading out the room.

Optimus and I stayed back in silence. "I hope that you did not mean what you said." Optimus crossed his arms looking at me. Slowly I turned my head to look at him, "What did I say?" I asked him confused as I forgot what I had said earlier."You mentioned that Megatron is going to get what's coming to him." Optimus quoted me.

"Well do you expect that I'm just going to sit around here doing nothing and allow him to just take me down? I'm sorry Optimus but I am not up for that." I looked at the ceiling as a wave  of hate surged through my soul as I thought about the day Megatron and I will be eye to eye.

"You will not intervene with the Decepticons. That is the team's job. You can only defend yourself and stay away from them. Do you understand me?" Optimus raised his voice a little, anger mixed with worry clear in his face. "So what am I supposed to do Optimus? Stand around and watch everyone get hurt just so you can protect the likes of me?" I questioned him while trying to sit up, ignoring the amount of cables that attached me to a machine.

"Precisely. Megatron cannot be underestimated. He is ruthless and unmerciful. He is desperate to get his hands on you and we must avoid that at all costs." Optimus told me to clarify his point. I just avoided answering and making eye contact with him. Noticing my disappointment and and my unwillingness to argue, Optimus continued, "Sophia, it's for your safety. Their discovery of your body mechanics can possibly lead them to fulfill their plans. I cannot allow that to happen."

"I just...I'm just tired of holding back. Tired of being locked up everywhere I go. Tired of holding back my abilities when I can contribute to the team." I whined to him lowly. Optimus sighed, "I understand your argument, but you must consider the consequences that could result from doing so."

"I guess." I partially agreed. Optimus pulled up a chair to the side of the hospital bed where I laid in defeat from physical and mental attributions. "Now, can you tell me what happened before I arrived in the hallway?" Optimus interrogated me with intent eyes. I nodded and began to explain. "After being stupid and breaking Will's leg, I went to target practice. That's where I was last before I started heading to my apartment. I heard some shuffling in one of the hallways and I saw a NEST employee crouching down and looking at some systems." Taking a deep breath I continued, "I told him that he couldn't be out so late and that I would go ask Will if he really ordered him to do whatever he was doing. Seeing that I was going to tell someone of his whereabouts, he attacked me and told me that Megatron was looking for me."

Optimus' eyes studied me intensely. "Hopefully Ratchet and Will be able to determine whether our location was comprised or not." I nodded in agreement, "I hope so too."

"How are you feeling?" Optimus had asked me. "Better. I think my blood levels should be stabilized by now." Optimus put his hand up signaling me to stop as I tried to sit up. "We will let Ratchet determine your current state." He continued and looked at my shoulder, "He stabbed you..."

"It's okay. It's sore, but tolerable." I shrugged one shoulder to show that I was able to handle the pain. Optimus inspected my injuries with his eyes then stopped at the area of my forearm. I looked down to see a hint of electric blue mixed with the deepened red of my blood. "You're leaking energon." Optimus informed me surprised as he carefully touched my arm to inspect.

"That's what happens when you have energon surging through you. It's kinda weird to see something other than blood come out of a wound you know?" I lightly told Optimus as he looked up at me and smiled. "Well I've never had anything other than energon surge out of a wound, therefore I wouldn't know." He jokingly responded to my comment. I rolled my eyes, "Of course. Why didn't I think of that beforehand."

Optimus only slightly smiled with amusement. Something about his close presence just made me feel...I don't know...different. I couldn't put my finger on what it was, but it's something that I only felt when I was around Optimus. It was a good feeling though. Unlike Optimus, this hospital room just made me hate being awake. Being stuck in one place for several weeks makes you become sick of base, and I intended to change that.

"Hey Optimus." I called to introduce a new subject to the conversation. "Mm?" He simply sounded. "Would it be okay if we went for a drive? Just to escape base for a little. Not too far, just somewhere other than... here." I asked like a little girl, hoping that he would allow it to happen. Awaiting his response, I looked at him biting my lip.

"Very well. As soon as you are released by Ratchet, we will go for a ride." He confirmed with a small smile. "Really?! Thanks Optimus." Feeling giddy inside, I sat up and gave him a quick hug in which he hugged me back with caution, worried that he might hurt me. He chuckled at my smiling face, "Please contain your excitement. I don't want you straining yourself."

I glared at him, "O please stop being such a leader and just let some things slide will yeah?" Optimus slightly shook his head, "I can't allow that to happen."

As I was about to respond, Ratchet came in the room with Will. Unable to continue our conversation, Optimus and I turned, eager to know their findings. "What have you discovered?" Optimus asked the two. Will answered, "The Decepticon was unable to transmit the location of our base."

"How do you know?" I asked Lennox wondering how they can be so certain. "To be able to send the exact coordinates of our base along with its information, the Decepticons have to hack our systems. Our team was sure that they didn't detect anything unusual." Lennox explained to me. "Probably cause I was able to confront the damn thing before he could do anything." I told him, trying to reassure myself. "Precisely." Ratchet agreed.

"Ratchet told me what happened...you okay kid?" Lennox asked me concerned. "Yeah...I'm fine, just a little beaten up, but I feel better." I told him with a smile to show Ratchet  that I was completely fine to leave this damn room.

"Good to hear Blackwood." Lennox smiled back at me. Ratchet walked over to the monitoring system, checking my vitals and statistics. Without saying anything, Ratchet removed the cables and needles that made me one with the machines. "Your blood levels are stabilized, but you must not strain yourself. Nothing tedious...rest is the best option to heal you quicker." Ratchet implored as he stepped away and headed back to stand next to Will.

"So...I can leave now?" I asked with excitement. Ratchet nodded his head with a slight smile at the corner of his mouth. He should smile more...it makes him...more approachable. I looked at Optimus, knowing what we had talked about earlier. He just nodded his head. "Finally! See you guys later! Thanks Ratchet for the help." I had basically squeaked as excitement led me to head towards Optimus alt mode.

His holoform did not follow which led me to guess that it dissipated and his true form was waiting for me. Not even close to Optimus, his engine started and roared throughout base. I headed towers the passenger side and Optimus' door automatically opened. Climbing in, I had a hug smile on my face when Optimus spoke through his speakers, "Shall we go?" He asked. Excited to finally be free of this place I simply answered with an exciting, "YES!"

Optimus began to drive out of base and headed towards who knows where on a highway. "Excited I see?" Optimus amusingly mentioned. "Very...I hate being stuck in the same place. Especially when all you can do is end up in a hospital room." I sarcastically responded looking out at the stars of the sky.

"Hey Optimus, where are we going?" I asked him confused since we didn't really establish where we were going to. "I have a specific place in mind." He answered as the steering wheel lit up. I simply just smirked, "Better be good, Prime." I teased him as I rolled down his window, wanting to feel the cool air on my skin. The sleepless night was endless. I could drive on and on forever without a care in the world. Being with Optimus just made this adventure that much better.

Optimus didn't say much, so I rolled up the window. "Optimus, can we play some music? I haven't listened to a song in who knows how long." I told him. "Do you have any specific requests?" Optimus asked me while I heard the static as he switched through radio stations. I thought for a moment, "Let's just see what's on..."

Searching the world of radio stations, Optimus stopped and the tune of Hall of Fame by the Script was playing, but it was almost the end. I chuckled to myself hearing this song. Optimus' holoform appeared on the driver's seat as an incoming car was passing by him. "What's so amusing?" He asked me confused on why I had laughed. Contemplating I hesitated to answer. "It's just funny to think...that I will never get a chance to work hard for something I love to do..." Shrugging my shoulders I thought of the normalcy my life had before the day my life turned upside down. 

"You can still do what you love...you can play the piano once again." Optimus suggested slowly. My body tensed as I thought of my father siting right next to me guiding through every note of a song. "I don't know...its...different. A human is supposed to aspire, dream, and work hard to achieve. This ability that I have...its a burden." Hanging my head low, wishing that I could be like any other teenager in this world. Sighing Optimus replied, "Sophia, you aren't normal, but think of your ability as a...gift. Not a burden."

"It's kind of hard to think like that when all you do is hurt...and kill." My ability made me ashamed of myself, afraid of myself. "Well..." Optimus continued, "although you may not be able to dream like a normal human. You can dream to control your ability. It's something to work towards."

He made a good point, I guess I need to stop running from my ability and doubting myself. "Yeah I guess..." I acquiesced. "You will improve, I feel it in my spark." Optimus smiled at me, while I began to lightly stroke my fingertips on the seat adjacent to my thigh. The truck trembled beneath me and I looked at Optimus who's smile was gone, looking straight ahead. "What was that?" I asked Optimus confused, but quite already knowing of what that tremble was. I smiled teasingly, "Optimus?"

"I can feel...everything." Optimus answered hesitantly with a straight face that didn't look at me. "So...can you feel this?" Once again I did my previous gesture. Now his holoform got the goosebumps, and then he glared at me playfully. "What? You don't like it?" I asked him as I was touching the leather of my seat. This was too funny. "I never said I didn't, but it is distracting." Optimus admitted as he tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "Okay," I submitted, "I'll stop."

Putting my hands in the air to pretend to surrender, one of my favorite all time songs began to play on the radio...Firebird by Galantis. My face lit up as I heard the first sung words. "Optimus, please turn it up!" I ordered him happily.

We started at the cinema,
T roof dancing, hands in the wind,
Rizlas, rolling up a cigarette
The boys are calling shotgun again

Hot, blooded like a harlequin
Our heroine is trembling,
Shake-shaking like a tambourine,
Crawlers running into our skin

Under the stars I'm awaken to the sound of a firebird
Under the sky, half-naked ooh oh oh oh
Under the stars I'm awaken to the sound of a firebird
Under the sky, half-naked ooh oh oh oh

He chuckled, noticing my excitement as I began to sing along with the artist all out, dancing to the melodious parts of the song.

Song is above.

We were still on the highway, swallowed up by the darkness of the night driving down an empty road. It has been almost an hour, "Optimus, are you kidnapping me?" I asked him in a serious tone pretending to mean it. "No." He simply replied.

"Then where are we going?" I whined impatiently, slouching in my seat. "You'll see. We will be there in approximately 5 minutes." Optimus informed me as he leaned back and drove himself. Does he even need to focus on driving? I mean he is the truck. It must be so complicated to understand a cybertronian. I wonder if they think the same about us humans.

Deep in my thoughts, Optimus exited the highway and began to drive off the road. "Uhh Optimus?" He put his hand to silence my confusion. "Just trust me." He ordered with a soft look on his face that included a hint of a smile. "Okay whatever you say Almighty Prime."

Slowing down his alt mode, he came to a complete spot in the middle of nowhere, where it was almost pitch black. "We are here." Optimus told me as his holoform dispersed and the passenger door automatically opened. This spot was literally in the middle of nowhere. Getting out of Optimus' alt mode, I began to wander around, walked straight ahead. As I did so, I heard the sound of metal transforming itself. Continuing to walk forward, Optimus called, "Sophia!", before wrapping his metal hand around my body and setting me in his other palm. "What the hell was that for?" I asked breathlessly with a hint of irritation. Optimus did not answer, he just simply asked me to take a look for my self as he pointed straight ahead. From this angle, I noticed that we were on close to the edge of a cliff. Scratching my head, I laughed worriedly, "O, didn't see that there."

Optimus then placed me on his shoulder where I was to sit. Shortly after I became accustomed to the metal of his body, Optimus sat down just looking off into the distance. "So what are we doing exactly?" I asked Optimus sitting up straight holding on tightly so I wouldn't fall off. "We are to watch your sunrise. It is quite fascinating." Optimus commented as he leaned back onto his hands.

The sunrise...something my dad and I watched every morning on the roof of the house. We would wake up early just to laugh and talk to start off each day while watching the sunrise. Without any warning or feelings, tears automatically slipped down my cheeks as I leaned against Optimus' head. "Do you like the idea?" Optimus asked me, unaware that I was silently grieving over the times I spent with my father. I couldn't answer since my voice was tight and trapped in my throat.

"Sophia?" Optimus called my name in question. "Are you alright?" He asked me concerned. "Yeah," I said in a scratching and low tone. He lifted his palm to his shoulder, suggesting for me to climb on it. I did so and sat down, looking down at his palm and not to his blue illuminated face in which he closely lifted his palm to. "What is the matter?" He asked me wanting to know what was bothering me. "This just reminds me...of my dad. We used to watch the sunrise every morning together when I was a kid." I admitted almost as a silent croak of voice.

"Would you rather do something else?" Optimus asked me concerned attached to his robotic facial features. "No...it's fine, just nostalgic." I answered him as unemotional as possible in order to relieve his worrying feeling. "You are sure?" Optimus asked again for confirmation. I nodded my head, lightly laughing, "Positive."

Again on Optimus' shoulder I managed to fall asleep for the few hours that we waited for the sun to rise.
----------------------------------------------
"Sophia..." Optimus called my name softly. Groggily, I managed to wake up yawning from the couple hour power nap. "Yea?" I asked unaware. "The sun is beginning to rise." Optimus informed me as I flipped my long hair back and sat up on the plate of his shoulder. In a matter of minutes, the sun peeked over the horizon causing morning light to devour the darkness and paining the sky with the all shades of pinks and yellows. "It's beautiful..." I commented as I watched in awe, just like the little girl I was. "I agree. Earth is very fascinating and almost as beautiful as Cybertron." Optimus added to my comment about the sunrise. "Almost?" I questioned him sarcastically with a smirk. "Almost." Optimus answered with a light tone as I heard his mechanical blinks while he stared out into the sunrise.

Although watching the sunrise brought back reminiscing memories that only made me hate my life, watching it with Optimus was relaxing and enjoyable. I didn't want to go back to base...because I wanted to do something that I've been waiting to do for a long time.

"Are we going back to base after this?" Heart irregularly beating in my chest as I asked. "If you wish, unless you have
something else in mind." Optimus mentioned in a confused manner, trying to see where my intentions were going.

"I do...take me back home."