As they pulled out of the driveway, Shelby couldn't help but feel upset about leaving Dreadwing. She wished he could come along. But she needs to keep his safety priority number one.

"Where are we heading too?" The baritone voice of Optimus pulls her out of her thoughts.

"We are going to a military surplus store in a few towns over. Unfortunately it will take us about three hours to get there. I just hope we make it back in time." She says looking into her lap.

"Why don't we ground bridge?" He questions.

"I thought about it. But it's in the middle of a town. We would be seen easy." She explains. Optimus doesn't say anything back and the ride becomes silent.

After about 15 minutes of driving, "Optimus come in" Ratchets voice is heard though the radio.

"I'm here, old friend."

"Your being followed." Shelby looks up out of the mirror.

"I don't see anything." She says still looking at the mirror.

"I think it's Dreadwing." Ratchet replys.

"I told him to stay put." She growls. "Pull over, Optimus"

He pulls off to the side of the road. The road is empty for miles. Woods on either side. No houses in sight. Shelby jumps angerly out of the truck. Optimus stays in his alt mode. Shelby can hear the sound of Dreadwing's alt. She stands in the middle of the road looking at the sky. He can be heard but not seen...yet.

Dreadwing spots them stopped from a distance.. He wonders if something was wrong. He lowers himself in the trees. Just enough so he doesn't get caught in them. He can still see them as he flies closer. He is close enough to see Shelby jump out of the truck and walk into the middle of the road. 'What is she doing?' he thinks to himself. He isn't close enough to see her face, but boy did he not want to know. If he could see her, he would be able to see the steam coming out of her ears. Her face contorted in anger. She stays in the middle of the road. As he get closer he realized why she was.

"Frag" Is all he mutters before landing in front of her.

Now he can see her face. Her normal bright blue eyes are now a deep blue. If they could turn colors, it would be a violent fire scorching inside. He winces back after looking at her. Her hands are in fist at her side. Her body seeming to be stiff. He glances down at her gun. Lucky for him, her hands aren't on it, but she is thinking about it. Her lips are pierced together. She wants to scream at him. He is supposed to stay home and stay safe. He shouldn't be using his energy up.

"Dreadwing." Her words pierce though him like knives. "Your supposed to be at home."

He looked down in shame. He made her upset and he doesn't like that feeling. She sees the look on his face. The guilt showing in his red optics. She unclenches her hands and her face softens.

"I don't want you wasting the energy you have left. And you are safer at home." She turns around and pulls something out of her back pocket. It is red and white box with some wording on it. She flips the top of it open and brings it up to her face. She gently uses her teeth to grab one of the nicotine sticks out of the box. She puts the box back in her back pocket and pulls a silver zippo out of her front pocket. She brings it to the end of the cigarette and flicks it until a flame grew. The flame lit the end and she inhales. Dreadwing watches as she takes a few puffs of it before she turns back around.

"I didn't mean for you to get angry," He decides he needs to be the first to speak, "I just wanted you to make it alright and come back safe." He kneels down to her level.

"Do you not trust Optimus? He is with me. I think I'll be safe." She asks taking another drag.

"I don't just yet. We were on opposite sides after all." He needs her to understand him. He wants her to.

"I know. I understand, but you need to conserve your energy. Please head back and wait for me. Do you want me to call you when we get there and when we leave?" She asks him. He gives a small smile and nods. She walks up to him and puts her hand on his cheek.

"Okay I will. Now go home." He nods once again and stands up. He backs up from her and she gives him a wave. He transforms and sores off back to the house.

Shelby finished up her cigarette and flicks it away. Optimus opens the drivers side door back up for her to get in. Once she is in, they begin the rest of their journey.

"Are you alright?" After a few minutes of driving, Optimus speaks up.

"I'm fine, just a little stressed out." She replies while looking out the window.

"I've never seen him care about someone so much besides his twin." He tells her.

"Didn't he care for the Decepticons, or Megatron?" She wonders him, turning and looking at his radio.

"That's I think a different kind of care. He was more loyal than caring. He just did as he was told. That's how Decepticons are supposed to be." She listens to Optimus explain how the Decepticons were treated by Megatron, and how they work. It fascinated her. It made her think of the war she fought in. It was almost the same situation, only we died a whole lot easier and faster.

"It sounds familiar." She says, not realizing she was thinking aloud.

"What sounds familiar?" Optimus questions, not understand what could be familiar.

"I know war, Optimus. I've fought for the good guys. I've killed some of the bad guys. The bad guys killed some of the good guys. It honestly sounds the same exact scenarios, just different species." She explains him, eyes saddening, thinking about her lost comrades.

If Optimus was in his bipedal form, he would be nodding his head at her. He wants to ask her about this war, but she already looks upset about just saying those few words.

"I am sorry you had to deal with the struggles of war." He says instead.

"Its okay, I chose to go fight. I chose to build new equipment. I chose to go overseas. I chose it all. And I'd chose it all again if I could." Optimus understands, she doesn't need to say anything more.

* Time Skip*

The rest of the drive was silent, except for the occasional small talk between the two.

"We are almost there. Take this exit and turn right." She points out to the Prime. He follows her instructions without a word.

"Make sure you stay in your alt. My buddy doesn't know about you." She reminds him.

"Understood."

"See the fenced in yard coming up?" She asks.

"Yes"

"Pull in there."

He pulls up to the gate. Shelby has him roll down the window and she presses a button on the small intercom system.

"ID" says a male voice through the system.

"Shelby Bishop."

It makes Optimus pause for a moment. He's heard that last name before, but at the moment he can't put his digit on it.

"Bishop! Finally, I didn't think you were going to show up" the voice becomes excited and the gates opened up.

"Alright Optimus, let go in." She whispers to him.

He rolls forward in the yard. Pulling up near some loading docks and a man walks out of one of the supply doors. Shelby hops out of the truck and walks slowly up to the man. Before she gets a word out, he embraces her. The embrace was strong and he held on long.

"Haven't seen you in while. I was surprised to get your call." He expresses to her.

"Yeah it's been awhile, Fisher." The broke their embrace.

"Come on I got your generator back here." He beams putting his arm around her and walking her to the other side of the lot.

The generator is at least a foot taller than the 5'2" woman standing in front of it. Shelby walks around it, checking to make sure it is all in one piece. Asking questions to make sure she could run it safely. She never had to use one before. Just knew friends, such as Fisher, who ran them.

"Do you really need to check everything? Do you really think I would give you faulty equipment?" Fisher conveys.

"I know I know. You've always been spot on with everything. But you know how I am." She claims.

"I thought I did. But we've barely talked since..." He can't finish the sentence. He fears he said something wrong already. Shelby's face has fallen.

"I'm sorry." He says.

"Don't. I'm doing better now. Things are starting to look up for me." She explains, forcing a smile.

"That's really good to hear." Fisher moves closer to her. Putting his hand on her shoulder. She looks up at him and he smiles down to her.

"You know I'm always here for ya. We all are." He states.

"We?" She asks.

"Seriously? The platoon. We still get together. We have been hoping you would show up. We all miss you." He expresses.

"Well tell them all I say hi." She says quietly.

"Alright lets get this thing loaded up." She smacks the generator and walks towards Optimus's trailer.

"I'll get the lift then." He rubs the back of his head and walks over the a yellow forklift.

He hopped in and started it up. Shelby had the trailer open and ready for Fisher to put the generator inside. He carefully lifted the box off the ground. He brought it over slow and carefully. Dropping it would cause millions worth of damage. He aligns up with the trailer and slowly slides it in. Shelby jumps in behind it, after he pulls away. She doesn't want it to go all the way to the back off the trailer, so she chains it up where it is. She test the tightness and climbs back out. She closes up the doors and locks it up.

"Thanks, Fisher. I owe you one." She turns to him.

"Yeah you do. You better show up to the next meet up." He points his finger at her, like she was a child that ate the last cookie.

"I'll think about it." She smiles and starts to walk back up to the cab.

"What's it for anyway?" He yells to her before.

The driver side door to the semi was open and she stood about to get in. She looks back at him, "If I told you, I'd have to kill you." She gives him a smirk, so he knows she's not serious but she's serious about not telling him. The door slams shut behind her and they drive off. Optimus waits tell he is out of the yard to talks.

"You wouldn't really kill him if he found out." He cautiously asks.

"Its a joke between us. I would never kill him." She chuckled.

"I'm sorry for eavesdropping, but I have to ask... What happened that you don't talk to your friends anymore?" Shelby knew he was going to ask.

"Its a long story. One I'm not about to talk about." She swears looking down at her hands.

That silenced the Prime. The ride continued in silence.