For Everything(on pause)

Chapter Fifteen - Friend or Foe?

My breath caught in my throat and my hands shook. I couldn't speak even if I tried, and I couldn't really run away either. My head felt light and airy and I could tell my legs wouldn't work if I tried to move. There was too much panic floating around my head.

"Cliff talked about you, you know." Arcee said, either not noticing or pretending not to notice the paleness of my skin as I tried to force away the panic that tried to control me. "He liked you a lot. I always wondered what kind of bot you were... and what made you so special to him. I think I get it now. He was your guardian, right?"

Somehow, the mention of Cliff helped to fight off the panic. "N-no... not... not really..." I stammered.

"He... didn't protect you from the cons?"

"Well... he... uh... he-he to-took me... um.. Took me from... from them..."

"Cliff... stole you?"

I nod. Talking was so difficult. "M...more...more like... like rescue...rescued..."

"I see..." She nodded. "So, why did you run the moment you woke up?"

"Habit..." I manage to say without stammering.

"Uh huh. Sure." She narrowed her eyes. "What were you doing on the con ship? Huh?"

"I-I can't... can't really... um... really remember... must...must be from... from the-the blood... bloodloss..."

"How do you know Wheeljack?"

"Stalker."

"Uh-huh... well, why don't you come back to the base? I'm sure Optimus would love to chat with you."

"No!" I shout, staring at her.

"What?" She asks, looking down at me, visibly confused.

"N-no..." I look down. "Don't... don't t-tell... tell Optimus... P-Prime... please..." At this point my hands shook so bad it'd be impossible not to notice. All the panic I had been able tp push away came flooding back into my head until I was trembling. I staggered over to the rocks and let myself fall to my knees. Tears of terror dripped down my face. "Please..." I whisper.

"Are you afraid of us?"

I don't answer. How can I? Panic has wrapped itself around me, binding me to the spot while irrational terror consumes my mind. My fingers dig into the ground as I struggle to breath, the sandy dirt becoming wet where my tears drip.

"We won't tell Optimus..." Arcee says softly. "But... he'll find out eventually..."

I nod. It's all I can do.

"Hey, Wheeljack." Arcee said to her comlink. Breathing became a little bit easier, the terror lessening just a little. "Yeah, come to my location... yes, now... no you can't finish lobbing, I'm not this girl's guardian."

Girl... ha... such a simple term. As if I were just a human. As if I didn't have living metal for an arm. As if one day... I wouldn't be entirely metal... As if I was only... just a girl...

This is all your fault, Megatron... all of it... it's all because of you...