Out of the Dark → Transformers

*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 North Carolina took a lot longer than it should have, or at least that's what it felt like to me. Maybe it was because I was busy stewing over the fact that I was actually going back home after being gone for almost four months. I honestly didn't know what I should expect upon my return. I absolutely loved the fact that I was going to be able to see my best friends again, and I also liked the fact that I was going to be back in my hometown, but the one thing that I wasn't necessarily looking forward to was going back home. I wasn't looking forward to being back in my childhood home where the final memory I had of it was coming home to find my entire family slaughtered. The only thing I saw in my mind when I thought about that house was the way my mom, sister, brother, and dad looked before I fled. They were images that would forever be implanted into the soft tissues of my brain, images that I wanted nothing more than to be rid of.

Not only was the ride back to North Carolina bringing back unwanted memories, but it was also allowing me to think about what could have been if none of this would have happened. It was almost June, which meant that I would be soon be ending my junior year of high school and starting the summer off in Myrtle Beach with my friends, my family, and their families, just as it was every single year since we started high school. Also, I would be starting open gyms and camps to get ready for my last year of varsity volleyball. I just couldn't believe how much my life has changed in the span of three months--three long, agonizing months might I add.

The only reason I was even remotely able to get through this journey was because of Optimus. Throughout the entire ride, despite the many thoughts I was having about returning home, I was left in a state of immense comfort. Without his comforting aura I probably would have already drowned in my tears back in Virginia, but I had yet to shed a single tear, and that was all because of him. I was now starting to believe that Optimus did what he did on purpose.  I most certainly was not complaining about it though. If being around Optimus meant that I would never experience such an intense amount of pain and suffering ever again, then I never wanted to leave his side.

I've known Optimus for a little under a week, but he's easily the most important part of my life at the moment. Without him I would probably be sitting in some random hotel in a random city running from the cops, or I could possibly even be sitting in a dark alley somewhere just waiting for death to find me. He's done so much to help me, and he's risked so much just to keep me--an irrelevant little human--safe. He's taken care of me and has protected me better than anyone has or ever could--without the exceptions of my family. And yes, I've said it before--and I'll say it a hundred more times if I have to--but Optimus Prime truly is one of a kind. He'd risk his life to help someone in danger, just as he has done with me. And I care about Optimus so much; if anything ever happened to him because of me I would never in my life be able to forgive myself for it. I could never thank him enough for what he's done for me in such a short amount of time, and I could probably never repay him for it either, but I would definitely find a way to try.

"Brenna?" a deep voice sounded, startling me slightly. I turned to look at Optimus's holoform in the driver's seat of his cabin. He had a questioning look on his face, one that led me to believe he had been attempting to get my attention for quite some time now.

"Hm?"

"What's on your mind, young one? You seem to be in deep thought."

I sighed and started playing with my thumbs. "Everything."

"Would you care to share? I'm always going to be here to listen to you," he replied, causing a small smile to creep onto my face.