When I woke up, I didn't bother changing or eating, I just went outside. It was there that I found Bumblebee waiting for me, watching the ground. At least, he was until I came outside. Then he looked up.

"Astraea, I'm sorry... I shouldn't have yelled at you like that..." Bee murmurs. I smile softly before flying up to his face.

"It's okay, Bee. You're just trying to keep me safe, but I can protect myself..."

Bee sighs. "I know... but... if anything ever happened to you, I don't know how I would explain to Optimus when he appears next." I smile softly.

"I know... I'll try to stay out of trouble, but if there is any reason for me to help, I will help, whether you like it or not."

Bee smiles. "Alright." He was going to say more, but Fix-it called for him. "I'll see you later, Astraea."

"See ya, Bee", I say with a smile. Then I went back inside where I found my swords on the table. I frown, not remembering taking them off. I shrug and strap them back on, before pressing the face of my watch to make them disappear. I chuckle softly.

"Raf, no matter how many times you explain to me how you did it, I will never understand..."

Suddenly, my phone rang. I answer it without looking at the caller ID. "Hello?"

"Hello, Astraea Lynn Thompson", a somewhat familiar female voice sounds. I blink.

"Hi... Who is this?" I ask. Laughter comes from the female.

"Oh, you don't remember me? Your good old friend, Ebony?" I freeze at the name, my mind going back to MECH. After several moments of silence, Ebony laughs.

"Oh, so you do remember me."

"How did you get out?" I whisper, distinctly remembering Fowler and my uncle putting her in jail.

"Oh trust me... my soldiers are very adept at getting me out of places I don't belong."

"What do you want with me, Ebony?" I growl. Ebony laughs.

"I don't want anything to do with you, deary. I want you. Just you. Because you are my experiment, nothing else!"

"I am nothing of yours, Ebony", I say darkly, though fear was building up inside.

"That is a lie, and you know it. Now... you can either turn yourself over to me... or... I have a very excited Decepticon who wants to have another talk with you..."

"Decepticon?" I let out a scared breath. "Which one?"

"He calls himself Starscream" Ebony says slyly. A shiver went down my spine at the image of a skinny, silver, heeled Decepticon. 

"Tell him he's fragged if he thinks I'm going to talk to him ever again", I growl. Ebony laughs.

"Oh, believe me... he's not", she says. With that, I hang up, and stumble outside, my head spinning as I try to figure out why MECH and Starscream have teamed up...  The world starts spinning as I try to figure out what's going on, and I shake my head, trying to reduce the spinning. Unfortunately, it only gets worse. Black spots fill my vision as I fall to the ground, almost losing consciousness. Before I go fully unconscious, a worried voice pierces my ears.

"Astraea!!"

Astraea... Astraea...  Astraea!

A bright white light surrounds me, and a familiar, comforting voice fills the air.

"Hello, dear child", the voice says.

"Hello, Primus", I murmur, confusion filling my body as to why I am here.

"You are confused as to why I brought you here, are you not?"

I blink before nodding. "Why did you bring me here again?"

"To warn you of the upcoming dangers and of the choice you have to make", Primus says.

Furrowing my eyebrows in confusion, I speak. "What do you mean?"

"You have to protect your friends, my children, at the cost of something you love", Primus murmurs. I frown.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask. There was no answer for a moment.

"You will know soon enough", Primus murmurs. I frown before noticing the bright white light was starting to fade. Soon enough, I was shooting back up in my own bed at the scrapyard. I stand up and find my swords on the table again. I strap them on, before pressing the face of my watch to make them disappear. I walk outside to see all of the Autobots standing around, worry all over their faces. Denny was the first one to notice me.

"Astraea!" he yells as he envelops me in a hug. I blink before hugging him back.

"Astraea, are you okay?" Bumblebee asks. I nod.

"Yeah. Why?"

"You passed out... Russell was the first one to find you", Denny answers. I blink, before recalling the past events, from Ebony calling me, to what Primus told me. I take a step back, before sitting down on the ground, my head in my hands. I start muttering to myself as I think about what was going to happen next. Bee was the one to pull me out of my thoughts.

"Astraea? What happened?" he asks gently. I look straight up at him, and with worried tears in my eyes, I spoke.

"Ebony escaped." Bee's eyes widen. "And she wants me."