*I don't own Transformers or anything affiliated with Transformers. I only own my original characters and plots. All rights go to Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg.*

The ride back to wherever Sam and them had been hiding out took a little over an hour. All I knew was that it was nearing dark. Mudflap drove for about ten more minutes until coming to a large brick structure. He slowed down as he came to the entrance. After driving through, we rounded the corner and up ahead of us was a large field.

Mudflap stopped before coming to the field. He opened the door for me and I got out before he transformed behind me. In front of me, Mikaela stood by Bumblebee who was sitting in the field beside an old car but there was no sign of Leo or even Sam. She saw me and ran over to me before hugging my neck.

"It's so good to see that you're okay," she exclaimed.

I hugged her back and she lead me over to the old car. The area looked rather comfortable. There was a fire and at least five chairs around it. Mikaela sat down in one of them and I sat down beside her.

"Where's Sam and Leo at?" I asked her.

She sighed but before she could speak, a gate creaked open. I turned my head to see Sam walking slowly through the gates, a look of sadness and fear on his face and it pained me to know the reason why. I stood up with Mikaela as he walked over to us.

He hugged Mikaela tightly and she rubbed his head in a comforting motion. He let go of her and looked at me, a single tear rolling down his face. I frowned and engulfed him in a hug.

"There's nothing we could have done, Sam."

"It's just so good to see you, Lea."

He pulled away and looked at Mikaela and I. "Are you two okay?" he asked us.

I nodded.

"Yeah," Mikaela said.

Sam proceeded on over to stand in front of Bee and I sat back down in my chair to listen to him.

"Bee. If you hate me, I understand."

Bumblebee whirred and looked away, causing me to frown. The sadness in the air made me almost want to cry.

"I messed up. I'm sorry," Sam continued. Seeing my friend so vulnerable pained me.

"Young fella-you are-the person I care about most in my life. If there's anything you need, I won't be far away," Bumblebee's radio sounded.

My heart lurched in my chest. Sam walked over to sit in front of Mikaela. She rubbed his arm comfortingly.

"Me and Azalea; he's dead because of us. He came here to protect us and he's dead," Sam said, a few tears falling down his face.

The tears burned in my eyes but I refused to let them fall. I was just happy that Sam didn't only blame himself for this.

"Some thing you just can't change. His sacrifice for us will not have been in vain, hallelujah!" the radio sounded again.

This time a tear slipped from my eye. Right now I was really wishing I had called Mudflap at a later time to come get me. This was far more depressing than I thought it would be.

"I'm going to make it right. I'm going to turn myself in," Sam said.

I stood up. "Are you crazy? You're not turning yourself in. I didn't come all the way here just for you to give up so easily, Samuel," I chastised him.

Bee stood up as well. "She's right. We've got to stick together," he said as he transformed.

Sam walked over to Bumblebee and Mikaela sat back down in her seat, as did I.

"You're not going to do that," she told him.

He turned around to face the two of us. "Yes I am."

Bee's alt mode lit up and lurched forward.

"Everything we worked for will be wiped out in one day," the radio sounded.

I looked at Bee and Sam. Sam looked back at Bumblebee before turning towards Mudflap and Skids who were standing against the brick wall.

"You two," he said. The bots looked at him. "You know the glyphs? The symbols that have been rattling around in my head?" Sam asked as he gestured to one of the symbols on his arm.

"Oh. No. That's old school. That's Cybertonian," Skids claimed.

I rolled my eyes. "But you're Cybertronians?" He just shrugged at me.

"That's some serious stuff right there," Mudflap retorted.

Sam held his arm out in full view. "They have to mean something. Like a message or like a map to an energon source. Can you read this?" he asked.

Skids shook his head.

"Read? Nah man. We don't really do much reading," Mudflap told him.

I shook my head and Sam sighed. "Well, if you can't read it we have to find somebody who can."

Leo was now walking into the small circle and the twins chuckled.

"Ah, man. Look who came sashayin' back."

"Hair grown like a chia pet. Look at it."

Leo ignored them both and continued walking.

"I may have had a mild panic attack earlier," he started.

"That's cause you a pussy," Mudflap remarked. I shot him a look and he shut up.

"I think I'm allowed that considering what I've been through, but I hear you have a problem and I think I know someone who can help," Leo continued.

Sam scoffed and I stood up to stand beside him. "Who?"

"Robowarrior," Leo answered.

I raised a brow. "Well great. We're screwed."

Leo shot me a strange look. "When did you get here?"

I sat back down in my chair and pulled my feet up. "About ten minutes ago. Where have you been?"

"Somewhere trying to clear my head. But anyways, I suggest we leave first thing in the morning. We don't have far to go, but in case something happens we need to be ready," Leo told us.

I just sat there and stared at the fire. Mikaela sat back down beside me and Sam sat on the other side of her while Leo came to sit on the other side of me. The twins transformed back into their alternate modes and silence surrounded us until Sam broke it.

"So Lea. How did you manage to make your escape?" he asked me.

I grimaced just thinking about it. "Well I had assistance from Mudflap. My dad and Ironhide almost caught me though," I told him.

He laughed. "How so?"

"I was hiding from my dad in a bathroom and when I opened the door to see if he was gone, Ironhide's lesser form was there. Eventually, the two of them began to walk away so I decided to make my escape, but the clerk my dad had been talking to snitched on me and they both chased me for a block until I finally got to Mudflap. They're both going to kill me, but it was worth it," I answered him.

He chuckled. "I'm just glad you're here."

I smiled. "You have no idea how happy I am to be here with all of you."

Mikaela looked at me. "Why didn't you just come with us in the first place?"

"Ironhide snatched me up before I could get into the car with you. He was trying to protect me. He doesn't think that this is my fight but I know that it's just as much mine as it is Sam's, especially after I found out why the Decepticons want me so much; or at least why Starscream wants me so much," I stated.

She sat up in her seat, as did Sam and Leo. I stayed where I was.

"Really? Why?" Sam asked.

"Starscream is quite taken with me, apparently, but his evilness gets in the way of that. He's trying to make me a solution for Cybertron's hatchling survival and I don't know how he manages to carry that out though. I'm human. I'm not fit to be an alien incubator. It would kill me.

"He's also after revenge. I'm important to the Autobots and I'm especially important to Ironhide who is the one Autobot that would stop at nothing to get rid of him and has stopped him from getting to me more than once. He thinks getting to me is the perfect way of getting back at Ironhide for always trying to get rid of him," I explained to them.

Mikaela looked nearly ready to throw up while Sam and Leo just stared at me.

"What do you mean he's taken with you? Like, he likes you or something?" Mikaela asked, a disgusted tone in her voice.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"That's so disgusting," she retorted.

"Would you feel the same way if he were an Autobot?" I asked her with a small smile. Sam shot me a look.

"I don't know. I'd still be pretty grossed out, but Decepticons are sleezy shit heads," Mikaela answered me.

"Well I'm glad to hear you say that," I chuckled. She shook her head.

"Okay. Enough about Decepticons. Leo, where are we supposed to be going tomorrow?" Sam asked.

Leo looked at him. "New York."

Sam had a pleased look on his face. I just sighed. New York, computer nerds, and Decepticons. This should be a particularly interesting trip.

*Please vote and comment. It'd mean so much to me. I wanna know what you guys think.*