Right to left

Ratchet, Bulkhead, Optimus Prime, Arcee, Bumblebee

Layla is a character of my own making.

"Optimus! Megatron has found us!" shouted Ratchet

"Autobots abandon the base" "Protect the children"

Ratchet opened the groundbridge, Jack and Arcee abandoned the base then Raphael and Bee left and finally Miko and Bulkhead. Optimus ordered Ratchet to abandon the base, now all that was left was Optimus and Layla.

"You must leave Layla" Said Optimus opening a groundbridge for the girl.

"No we have to leave, I'm not leaving you behind Prime"

Layla walked down the tunnel to the groundbridge, just as the base was hit with a missile from Megatron's ship. Seconds before the groundbridge portal closed Layla and Optimus were thrown through. The portal closed and Optimus and Layla were lying in the middle of a forest unconscious. 

'Layla Morgan' said a voice

'Hello? Is anyone there?' asked Layla into the void

'You have proven yourself a friend of us Autobots' 'We are the Prime Lords'

Four very tall Cybertronians came into view.

'Optimus told me of the Prime Lords'

'Optimus Prime is the last of us, but soon there will be another' said The Leader of the Lords, Tyron

'Another Prime?'

'Yes and that Prime shall be you Layla Morgan'

'Me? But I'm human, how can a human be a Prime?'

'We have bestowed a gift upon you, a gift no Human has ever received before and never will again'

'A gift? I don't understand'

'You will, when you are in dire need, the gift will protect you. Now go Megatron must be stopped'

Layla woke up in a clearing in the woods with a giant mass beside her.

"Optimus?" Layla got up and stumbled over to Optimus wo was still out cold. "OPTIMUS?!"

Layla kneeled in front of Optimus's face, Layla put her hand on his cheek. "Optimus wake up, please"

Layla jumped at a wolf howl a few miles away. They were in the open, Optimus needed to wake up otherwise Layla wouldn't survive the night. Then Layla had and idea, she knew what the others didn't, That an Autobot could be forced into vehicle mode even when unconscious, a secret Optimus had shared with her.

Layla forced Optimus into his Vehicle mode and got in, now protected from any outside threat.

'Hello is there anyone out there?'  said a voice from inside Optimus

"What the?...The radio!" "Hello? Who is this?"

No response 

"Hello I heard you, do you need help?"

Still no response 

Layla was not going to be a sitting duck so she turned on the engine and drove to the road which she could hear a few meters to her left. Driving an unconscious Autobot was a little weird for her but she had to do what she had to, to survive. Driving was a little rough considering she didn't know how to drive the style of truck that was Optimus' vehicle form but she quickly got the hang of it.

A few hours of driving along this road she entered a small town. She stopped at a small 24/7 store and purchased a road map and some bottles of water.

"Excuse me?" Layla asked the cashier

"What?" asked The cashier rather spaced out.

"Can you tell me the name of this town please?"

"Green Hills, Colorado"

"Thank you"

Layla stopped at the local Dinner and had a good meal. Once she finished she opened her map and plotted a course back to Jackson, Nevada. Her route was set and her coffee to go was in her hand, Layla got back into Optimus and drove off.

As Layla was driving she was swerving like she wasn't in control and the Radio sounded wrong. Layla had a feeling that Optimus was starting to wake up so she pulled over on a dirt road, away from view of the road and got out.

"Optimus? Are you awake?"

There was no response from him.

"Optimus please if you can hear me at all, show me"

Nothing, so Layla sighed and got back into Optimus and returned to the road and stayed her course determined to reach the others she had the radio on the Autobot frequency at all times.

"Are there any Autobots out there?" asked Layla for what felt like the hundredth time.

'Layla?' asked a voice that sounded like Ratchet

"Ratchet is that you?"

'Yes are you alright?'

"We're fine, what about the others?"

'You're the only one I've heard from, wait what did you mean we?, who is with you?'

"Optimus but he's unconscious, has been since we bridged away, I've been trying to wake him but nothing is working"

'Oh my, where are you?'

"We just left Colorado heading back to Nevada, where are you?"

'I am currently making my way through California also heading back to Nevada. Listen Layla, You have to continue to try to wake Optimus and if worst comes to worst physical pain is a good way to wake a bot'

"You want me to hurt Optimus?"

'As a last option and only if needed, yes'

The radio went silent "Ratchet?...Ratchet?!" "Damm"

Layla was lonely, whenever Optimus and Layla drove together they would always talk about just about anything from Layla's school work to Cybertron but now she was driving in silence which she hated. 

As they were driving Layla's worst fear was realised a Decepticon was tailing them. Layla was well and truly screwed. 

Layla drove off the main road and onto a side road and got out of Optimus and hid.

"Well well well if it isn't Optimus Prime" said Knockout

"Face me Prime!"

Optimus didn't move and Layla was still hiding but weirdly she started to glow and seconds later Layla was an Autobot.

"What the..? The Prime Lords gift" realised Layla. They had given her the ability to become a bot and now she had to use her new found form to protect Optimus from Knockout.

"Hello Knockout" said Layla who came out of her hiding place "I suggest you leave before you get hurt or heaven forbid your paint gets scratched" said Layla as she changed her metal hands into swords.

"You wouldn't dare, who are you?"

"They call me Ember Prime" said Layla using the name the Prime Lords had bestowed upon her.

"Another Prime, Impossible. Megatron will hear of this"

"No he won't" Layla pierced Knockouts spark chamber with her sword "I'm sorry, Its not personal" Layla watched as the light in Knockouts eyes went out and he became one with the all spark.

Layla became human again and got back into Optimus and drove off leaving Knockout's body in the forest.

'Layla?'

"Optimus? Your awake! are you alright?" asked Layla who had been driving for some time.

'I am well, are you?'

"I'm fine we are currently in Utah heading home"

'Have you encountered any problems?' asked Optimus

"None except exhaustion" Lied Layla. She had been driving for almost seven hours.

'You should rest I will take over'

 "Are you sure you just woke up?"

'I am'

"Okay, by the way I heard from Ratchet he's heading back to Jackson too"

'Thank you Layla'

Layla climbed into the back seat and fell asleep quite easily. 

Hours later Layla woke up and saw the familiar town of Jackson, Nevada.

"Did you drive all night?" asked Layla climbing into the passenger seat and opened one of her water bottles.

'I did, we arrived in Nevada two hours ago'

"Did you hear from the others?" asked Layla still worried for the other bots and her friends.

'I did They are all well'

1 HOUR LATER

"OPTIMUS!" said Ratchet

"Nice to see you too Ratchet" said Layla sarcastically as she exited Optimus. "Hey guys" 

'Attention Autobots send out the one called Ember Prime' said Megatron

"Ember Prime? I have never heard of such an Autobot" said Optimus who was now in his bot form.

Layla snuck away, changed into her bot form and went outside to meet Megatron.

"You asked for me Megatron, what do you want?"

"You killed Knockout and you will pay"

"Well knockout was a jerk on that we can agree"

"Attack!"

Decepticons started walking towards Ember but the Autobots arrived just as Ember was kicking the cons buts.

"A little help would be appreciated Optimus!" said Ember while shooting her blasters at the cons.

When the fight was over and Megatron retreated Ember was surrounded by the bots.

"Problem?"

"Who are you?" asked Optimus

"I am Ember Prime"

"I am Optimus Prime and you are welcome here, but how can you be a Prime?"

"Tyron made me one a few days ago"

"The Prime Lord?"

"Yes I had a vison when the we were thrown through the bridge"

"I'm confused" beeped Bee

Layla changed back to her human form.

"Layla?!" Said Jack and Raph in unison

"Hey guys...Optimus I lied when you asked me if I had encountered any problems"

"What happened?"

"I...I...I killed Knockout"

"You protected me and for that I will always be grateful"

"Welcome to the species kid" said Bulkhead

"Ha ha thanks Bulk but I still have a lot to learn"

Layla was no longer human, now she was only part human. She spent most of her time as a bot somehow feeling more comfortable, like she was always meant to be an Autobot. And now she finally belonged somewhere, now she had a family who understood her, well half of her.

1585 words :)