Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“But mom,” Annabelle says. “I’m not a little kid anymore.”

“Honey, it’s been a tradition,” Sarah Lennox says. “Your father asks for the first day of school off just to drop you off at school.”

“I can drive my own car,” Annabelle says. “Is dad going to drive to my college every year to drop me off at my first class?”

"I bet Ironhide will,” Sarah says. “I think your father has him hooked around your finger.”

“So is my baby Belle ready to go to her first day of high school as a Junior?” William Lennox asks as he walks down the stairs.

“Yep,” Annabelle smiles and follows her dad out of the house. Ironhide flashes his headlights and opens the doors for the Lennox’s.

“I remember my first orn at the academy,” Ironhide says. “So many bots all packed in the stadium. Good times.”

“Did your parents ever take you to school?” Will asks.

“Nah, they had busy jobs at the docks,” Ironhide says. “Worked there too until I saved enough credits to apply to the Academy. Only one in my family to go. While Prime was studying social interactions, I was studying how to integrate systems in Cybertronian frames. I was one of the lead mech’s in designing the integrated weapons array. That was until a con stole the plans. I was promoted to weapons specialist.”

“Oh, look we’re at my school,” Annabelle says and kisses her dad on the cheek before jumping out of Ironhide’s cab.

“Belle, Ironhide will be here to pick you up after school,” Will says and Annabelle closes Ironhide’s door. “My baby Belle’s growing up so fast.”

“Are you crying, Will?” Ironhide asks as Annabelle disappears through the doors of the school.

“Soon she’ll be off to college,” Will says trying to put Ironhide’s gear shift in reverse.

“Do I need to drive?”

“Then she’ll be moving away.”

“Then she’ll be married and have little baby Belle’s running around and you’ll be an old man trying to catch up to the sparklings.”

“What do you mean little baby Belle’s?” Will says and glares at the dashboard. “She’s not getting married until she’s my age and then she’s not having kids until your age.”

“I will tell her descendants where they miraculously came from.”

Chapter Text

Annabelle walks into the school building. She clutches the strap of her backpack, schedule and locker combination in hand. She reaches her locker and stuffs her backpack into the cramped metal compartment. She heads for her first class: Engineering. What a way to start off the day. There was nothing better than building an engine first thing in the morning.

Annabelle takes her seat by the teacher’s desk. She watches the teacher sort out paper in piles. The short, stout, crazy haired man makes her smile, this would be what she would picture Wheeljack like, if he was a human. The bell rings and the students scramble to their seats as class begins.

"Now class, I don’t know if you are familiar with engineering but you should forget everything you know. What I am about to teach you will blow your minds. Some will think this is easy, others will be left in the dust. I am Jack Boomer and I will teach you the ups and downs, the twists and turns, the loud and silent, the fun and hard of engineering. There will be tests, there will be complaining and there will be explosions.”

Exactly like Wheeljack as a human.

Mr. Boomer passes around the packet he was sorting through before class. Annabelle catches her breath when Mr. Boomer hands her a packet.

“I expect you to excel at this,” Mr. Boomer says, loud enough for only Annabelle to hear. Annabelle nods and rubs her arms when the teacher goes back to his desk.

How strange, the hair on her arms rose like it does when she was around the bots. They couldn’t become human, could they? Of course they could project a three dimensional image of a human to drive. Those were ghosts, anything could pass through them. Even her dad’s people dubbed the holograms Ghosts. This man had to be human, maybe not having breakfast this morning wasn’t such a good idea.

Chapter Text

Annabelle walks into the cafeteria, takes an empty tray and selects her food. She swipes her student ID and starts to walk. She looks around and finds all of the tables filled. She spots one of her friends and walks to the booth. There is a seat open at the table. She starts to sit down but one of the girls busts out laughing.

“You, sit here?” the girl, Maliayah says. “I don’t think so. You can go sit with the geeks.”

“But Liz and I are friends,” Annabelle says.

“Liz, who is that? Elizabeth, here, has been our friend since our trip to the ski lodge last Christmas.”

“Liz?” Annabelle looks at the auburn haired girl.

“Sorry Annabelle, this table is for the cool and popular,” Elizabeth says.

“Oh,” Annabelle says and takes a seat at a recently opened table.

“Hi, can I . . . uh . . . sit with you?” a blond haired boy asks, clutching his tray like it’s a shield.

“Sure, I don’t mind,” Annabelle says.

“I’m Davin by the way,” the boy says. “I think we have the same Engineering class. I only took the class for the possible scholarship.”

“Scholarship?”

“Yeah, I was talking with Mr. Boomer about it after class today,” Davin says. “We get a partner for the final project and enter it in the world competition. It’s twenty thousand for each first place. I only need to find a partner. I’m not really good at math or science. I’m more of a puzzle guy.”

“Do you want to be my partner?”

“Really! Are you serious? Thank you so much. I could really use the scholarship. My foster parents already put their son through college. My real parents can’t afford it.”

“We could get the scholarship,” Annabelle smiles. “I have no doubt about it. Engineering is a hobby of mine.”

“There’s my two brightest students,” Mr. Boomer smiles and sits at the table with his tray of food. “So, why are the aspiring Hank McCoy and Tony Stark sitting alone?”

“You read comics too?” Davin says. “What haven’t you done?”

“Well, I haven’t gotten arrested,” Mr. Boomer smiles.

“He’s been everywhere! I mean I couldn’t imagine when you had time for all that. Are you sure you’re not a vampire?”

“I’m not a vampire,” Mr. Boomer laughs. “Though I think I might of met Dracula at some point in time.”

“You must be an alien then,” Davin says.

“Must be,” Mr. Boomer smiles and Annabelle feels something ghost over her arm. Something warm and happy.

“An alien who lives for eternity,” Davin says. “Do you think aliens could be real?”

“I believe anything could be real,” Mr. Boomer says. “You just have to believe. Well, Davin, Annabelle, it was nice meeting you out of the class room and all.”

“I think he’s my favorite teacher,” Davin says. “Did I mention he just came here. He said the school had to go chase him down just to come here. This is so much better than being home schooled on my foster families farm. We don’t even have a TV. You’d think with a farm you’d have to have a lot of money.”

“We don’t have that much money either,” Annabelle says.

“You live on a farm.”

“It’s a small one compared to our neighbors but big enough that we can’t see them very well. That could be the trees on the edges though.”

Chapter Text

Annabelle opens her locker after the final bell rings. Homework on the first day. Calculus, History and Engineering.

“Hey, Annabelle,” Davin says. “So I was wondering if some time we could be study buddies.”

“Not today but sure,” Annabelle smiles. “How about next week? We could work ahead in Engineering since we have the packet. We could even ask for extra projects.”

“I don’t know about extra projects but . . . if you think it would help.”

“You know, you remind me of one of my other friends,” Annabelle says.

“Then he must be awesome!” Davin says and waves good-bye as he walks to the parked buses. Annabelle smiles as she puts her Calculus book in her backpack. She heaves the ten pound backpack on her shoulder and closes her locker. She walks out of the school and toward the black truck.

“How was your first day?” Ironhide rumbles, careful to keep his voice down so others can’t hear him.

“You know, meet the teachers, catch up with old friends,” Annabelle says and throws her backpack in the bed of the truck.

“What do you have in there? Bricks?”

“Homework,” Annabelle says.

“That bag is near the limit you should carry,” Ironhide says. “Is it normal for human children to carry such a bag?”

“It makes it easier to carry your books.”

“Why not have all the information on a light weight data-pad?”

“The school can’t afford it,” Annabelle says and fastens her seat belt. The hologram brightens and Ironhide starts to drive out of the school parking lot.

“You seem quiet,” Ironhide says.

“Just thinking,” Annabelle looks out the tinted window. She looks around; this wasn’t the way to her house. “Where are we going?”

“Will wanted you to meet some people,” Ironhide says. “We’ve been keeping them a secret. Optimus didn’t want your government to react badly. Once we knew it was safe we allowed the other personnel see them.”

“Who are they?”

“You will see,” Ironhide says and pulls up to the gate. Annabelle stifles a laughs at the ditch along the gate on both sides.

“Why do you have a moat around the base?”

“The twins kept racing in the desert and took out the fence every week,” Ironhide says. “We decided to show them how well the Hatchet liked repairing them when they fall into the ditch.”

“Did they learn?”

“Sunstreaker and Sideswipe did,” Ironhide says. “Mudflap and Skids are still learning. Painfully.”

Ironhide pulls up to one of the hangers. A large painted sign above the door reads: Rec Room.

“They should be in there,” Ironhide says. Annabelle nods and grabs her backpack out of the truck’s bed. She leaves it inside the hanger by the door. She looks around to see the Autobots standing and talking, most of them she recognizes from her last visit to the base. Ratchet leans against the wall talking to Jolt and Wheeljack. Bumblebee laughs with a few new bots.

“Hey look Annabelle’s here,” Jazz says, all Autobots turn to look at her.

“Uh . . . hi,” Annabelle smiles and waves.

“Now that all of us are gathered here, we can begin,” Optimus Prime says as he steps into the hanger with Ironhide by his side. Ironhide kneels and offers his servo to Annabelle, he carriers her over to the table with the other humans. “Our closest friends among the humans, while I regret keeping this information from you so long, I am pleased to introduce you to a group of younglings. These younglings are not like Bluestreak, Bumblebee, or Mudflap and Skids. These younglings were created on Earth and their creators couldn’t be more pleased. Their creators have volunteered to introduce their creations. Prowl, Jazz you may start.”

Jazz jumps in front of the table, pulling Prowl along with him.

“Me an’ Prowler are proud ta introduce ya to our little bitlets, Gliss and Koda,” Jazz says motioning to the silver and black femme and the white and black mech. “Our little twins, these are humans.”

“Hello, Gliss says and nods toward the humans, doorwings held high in mirror to her sire.

“Hiya,” Koda smiles and steps up to the table, his silver visor glows brightly.

“Koda you can inspect them later,” Prowl says and motions for him to rejoin Gliss.

“Mirage, Hound,” Optimus Prime says. The previously red mech, now blue and white steps up with a grass green mech.

“Phase and Terra,” Mirage says, the younglings step up and wave at the group.

“Phase is a year older than Terra,” Hound says. Phase, the midnight blue and black mech nods while his sister, the forest green and sky blue femme, smiles.

“Ironhide, Chromia,” Optimus Prime smiles as the black mech joins the blue femme by the table.

“Named after this lovely femme standing beside me, Mia would ya step up,” Ironhide says. A light blue femme with black accents along her arms, legs and collar steps up. Her gaze drops from her brief glance at the humans.

“Hi,” Mia says and looks toward the other younglings.

“Ratchet, Wheeljack,” Optimus Prime smiles.

“Here’s our little mechling,” Wheeljack smiles with his servos on the green and red mech’s shoulders. “Seismic, he’s got Ratch’s aim, so better watch out.”

“Hopefully he doesn’t inherit Wheeljack’s affinity to blow things up,” Ratchet says with his arms crossed.

“Bumblebee would you mind introducing your creation?” Optimus Prime asks. Sam Witwicky’s head snaps up from playing with the little bundle in his arms. Carly quietly laughs at his expression.

“Uh . . . sure, Bumblebee says, looking around the hanger. He spots his mate at the door, red optics glowing. “Her name is Sierra. Her Carrier wants to remain anonymous for now.”

The black, yellow and pearl femme waves, doorwings flutter happily on her back.

“And finally, Elita and I would like to introduce our twins, Orion and Ariel,” Optimus Prime says, the red and blue mech, a complete opposite mirror of the Prime steps up. Where the Prime’s red is, Orion’s is blue and where the Prime’s blue is Orion’s red.

“Hello,” Orion says. A pink and red femme with blue accents along her frame steps up beside Elita One.

“Hi,” Ariel says.

“How long have they been around?” one of the soldiers asks.

“According to human time, five years,” Optimus Prime says. “Six month was the carrying period. The following year, they received their upgrades from their basic protoform. That stage is called the sparkling stage. Two years following that, they received another set of upgrades for their preparations of youngling hood. This past year they received their final upgrade as you see here. In five vorns, four hundred and fifteen years, they will receive their adult upgrades.”

Annabelle glances at the door; the black and white mech turns and walks out without anyone else knowing. Ironhide offers her a servo and she jumps on the black servo.

“Would you like to start on your homework?” Ironhide asks.

“Yeah, I better,” Annabelle says and Ironhide kneels down to pick up her backpack. He walks out of the hanger to find Annabelle a quiet place to work.

“Ironhide,” a deep, rough voice says. Ironhide turns and Annabelle sees the black and white mech, red optics brighten as the mech sees her. “I didn’t know you had someone with you.”

“Barricade, this is Annabelle, Annabelle, this is Barricade, an ex con,” Ironhide says.

“Uh . . . hi,” Annabelle timidly waves.

“Yeah, Ironhide, I need an escort,” Barricade says.

“What are you going to do?” Ironhide asks.

“Just a drive,” Barricade says.

“I’ll comm. someone to meet you at the gate,” Ironhide says and turns to walk away.

“If you need a quiet place, Prowl’s office is free,” Barricade says. “Jazz locked it so Prowl wouldn’t be able to work. Here is the code.”

Barricade hands Ironhide the data-pad with a long digit code. Annabelle watches as Barricade walks toward the gate.

“How do you trust him?” Annabelle asks. “I thought he tried to kill Sam.”

“He's Prowl’s twin brother,” Ironhide says. “They were close before the war. We don’t trust him but Prowl and Bumblebee both clear him. Even Jazz cleared him after the interrogation.”

“Prowl won’t mind if I use his office?” Annabelle asks.

“Nah, he won’t mind.” Ironhide says.

Chapter Text

Annabelle sets her Calculus and Engineering homework aside. One more assignment left, history. She glances up as the door opens. Doorwings shoot up in a high “v”, the black and white Autobot looks at her.

“You’re Prowl right?” Annabelle asks.

“That is correct,” the mech says, “and you are Annabelle Lennox.”

“Ironhide said you wouldn’t mind me using your office,” Annabelle says and starts to put away her homework.

“It is fine,” Prowl says and walks to his desk. “I, myself, have come to finish working on reports. I conclude Ironhide broke Jazz’s code on my door?”

“Barricade gave him a data-pad,” Annabelle says.

“I see,” Prowl sits behind his desk.

Prowl glances at Annabelle, Annabelle lies on the desk, pencil in hand and head on the book. Prowl smiles and comms. Ironhide to come pick her up.

Chapter Text

Annabelle walks into her first class. At the desk she sat at yesterday, Davin sits across from her spot.

“Hey Annabelle,” Davin smiles. “So when do you want to get together for study buddies? I can’t do anything on Monday thru Thursday afternoon. I have to help on the farm.”

“Weekends are fine with me,” Annabelle says. “I just hang out with some friends but they’ll understand.”

“Why don’t they sit with you at lunch?”

“They don’t go to school here,” Annabelle says. “They live on the other side of the state.”

“I don’t want to make your friends mad,” Davin says.

“They’ll understand, they sometimes work with my dad. That’s how I met them.”

“Good morning class,” Mr. Boomer smiles. “Who is ready for some experimenting? Okay, I need two helpers. Any volunteers?”

Annabelle raises her hand, Davin raises his hand.

“Annabelle and Davin, come on up here,” Mr. Boomer says. “Today, we are creating a smaller version of a wind turbine. Set in front of you, on your tables, are parts that you will need today. Instead of wind, we will use the fan to test them.”

Annabelle watches the others mill around the tables in the cafeteria. Davin works on his math homework while he eats his lunch.

“You’re good with math, right?” Davin asks.

“I guess so,” Annabelle says. “What do you need help with?”

“This problem, I know the answer but I have to show the work. I don’t know how to do that.”

“How did you find the answer?”

“I don’t know, I saw it like a puzzle, not a math problem,” Davin says.

“Still sitting alone?” Mr. Boomer says. “What would you guys say about helping me plan a field trip for the class?”

“Where to?” Davin asks forgetting all about his math homework at the mention of a field trip.

“I was thinking the military base stationed on the border of the state, we would be staying there for a week learning about how engineers work in the military. They have approved of us coming and we just need to pick which week we go. They have allowed us a week in two weeks or the week before finals. Which would you two prefer?”

“In two weeks,” Davin says.

“I agree with Davin, I would be studying the week before finals,” Annabelle says.

“In two weeks it is then,” Mr. Boomer says.

“What military base are you talking about?” Annabelle asks.

“Fort Rose,” Mr. Boomer says.

“Oh,” Annabelle says, that was the Autobot’s base. Did Mr. Boomer know about them? If he did, did he think they were just robots. “Why pick there? Aren’t there closer ones?”

“There is, but they have some technology that would help the class figure out what to do for their final project.”

Chapter Text

Annabelle walks to her locker after lunch. Elizabeth stands in front of it with her arms crossed.

“Hey Liz,” Annabelle unlocks her locker. “Have you seen Davin?”

“No,” Elizabeth says. “Maliayah has an offer for you to join the group, if you’re interested.”

“Really?” Annabelle glances at Elizabeth.

“Run back to your mommy, Davin!” Maliayah shouts. Annabelle turns to see Davin holding his books, papers stick out oddly. Davin passes by Annabelle sniffling.

“Are you alright?” Annabelle asks following Davin to his locker. Davin tries holding his books and unlocking his locker. “Let me help.”

“’M fine,” Davin sniffles, Annabelle takes his books out of his hands. “I said I’m fine!”

“Davin,” Annabelle says, brow creasing in worry. “I’m your friend, let me help.”

“I don’t need your help.”

“Well, I’m helping anyway,” Anabelle smiles and holds out her arms full of books for Davin to put in his locker.

“Thanks,” Davin smiles a little and starts to put books in his locker. “Are you still interested in being study buddies?”

“Yeah,” Annabelle hands Davin the last book. “I have to go to my dad’s workplace over the weekend. I can ask him if you can come.”

“I don’t want to be a bother,” Davin frowns and looks at Annabelle.

“It’s just for security reasons,” Annabelle smiles as Davin closes his locker. “They just want to make sure you’re not smuggling drugs, mass producing guns or plotting to kill the world, are you?”

“No,” Davin laughs. “I’m not.”

“Then you’ll be cleared,” Annabelle says.

“Where does your dad work?”

“A military base,”Annabelle says.

“Is it far?”

“Don’t worry, you can ask your foster parents if you can stay the weekend. My dad will make sure we have a ride.”

“I hope they allow me to,” Davin says.

Annabelle throws her backpack in the pick-up truck’s bed and climbs in the truck.

“This, Davin Gollihane, you asked me to clear for the upcoming weekend checks out,” Ironhide says.

“Did you know my engineering teacher set up a field trip to the base,” Annabelle says.

“Yes,” Ironhide says. “Mr. Boomer is an old time friend of the Autobots.”

“So Mr. Boomer isn’t an Autobot?” Annabelle slouches in the seat.

“Who did you think he was?”

“Wheeljack.”

“And your school is still standing,” Ironhide laughs and starts to pull out of the parking spot.

“Oh, wait, I forgot my history book,” Annabelle says and jumps out of the truck.

Chapter Text

Annabelle stands by Davin’s locker at the end of the school day. It was only a half day, the school was holding a research study about student grades and the amount of school hours. Davin walks up to his locker.

“They said yes, as long as I call them every day,” Davin says.

“Sweet,” Annabelle says. “Our ride’s parked outside.”

“Let me get my books,” Davin says and stuffs his books in his backpack. “I’m ready.”

Annabelle leads Davin out of the school to the parking lot. Davin looks around, eager to get a glance of a military vehicle.

“Here we are,” Annabelle points to the blue and white car. A man in a military uniform leans against the driver side.

“A Ferrari!” Davin runs to the Ferrari. He looks with pure awe at the car.

“Are you going to get in or not?” the man asks.

“Oh, yes!” Davin says and opens the door.

“You can sit up in front,” the man says. Davin gasps and jumps in the front seat. Annabelle climbs in the back from the driver’s side. “How fast does this go?”

“Top speed is two hundred miles per hour,” the man says. “By the way, I am officer Reynard Haunt.”

“I’m Davin,” Davin smiles.

“What do you two say about turning a seven hour trip into a one hour trip?”

“Yes!” Davin shouts. Officer Haunt pulls out of the school parking lot. The moment he hits the US Highway he gains speed.

“We’re taking the scenic route,” Officer Haunt says, calmly and expertly navigating the twists and turns of the road through the country side. Davin watches as the trees fly by. He gasps as they fly over a river and turn sharply on the turn after the bridge.

“Hope you two have your seat belts on,” Officer Haunt turns the wheel and they enter a straight away. The small town flies by and the car slows to make a hard left turn.

“This is better than a roller coaster,” Davin says and looks out his window. The blue water of the river shimmers in the sun as if it’s dancing along with them. They enter a valley with large tree covered hills surrounding them. A couple of more blind curves and they cross the river again and speed by an airport. Davin looks out of the driver side window, houses blur together into one long house as they build speed down the straight road.

A large, mostly ninety degree curve comes up, Davin glances at the officer. The officer smirks and brakes, gunning the gas around the curve. Davin screams as the sign tells him there is a one hundred eighty degree turn up ahead.

“Slow down!” Davin pushes his hands against the dash. “Slow down! Slow down!”

Officer Haunt laughs and miraculously takes the curve at seventy five miles an hour. An “s” curve sign flies by, another ninety degree turn comes fast after the curve.

“You’re crazy,” Davin says holding on for dear life as he sways in his seat. A large hill comes into view as they pop around the turn. In a second they’re in a dark tunnel. The sound of the tires against the road hums all around them.

The sunlight surrounds them when they emerge. The engine of the Ferrari roars as the needle of the speedometer rises toward the red.

The Welcome to Oregon sign flies by, they enter a town and exit it in the same second. The road spans out in front of them, plains of trees appear on both sides. Davin looks out the window; time seems to stand still as they pass by. Another airport whizzes by as does the next town. They enter a city and Davin screams as Officer Haunt weaves through traffic. They enter the interstate at the end of the city.

They speed along the river and Davin watches the cars on the highway across the river stand still. A left turn and they pass over the road.

A few more turns and they enter another plain of trees and fields. They pass by another city and leave it behind in a matter of seconds.

A minute passes and they reenter California, they enter a desert, hilly area. On the drivers’ side, a mountain appears and Davin stares at it, jaw dropped and eyes wide.

After a series of twists and turns and a couple of towns, Officer Haunt slows and turns on a road that says it is a dead end.

Davin watches as the Ferrari slows more and a large gate appears on the road before them. The wooden sign says Fort Rose.

“This is where we’re going for our field trip,” Davin says. Officer Haunt stops the Ferrari at the gate and blue washes over the car. “What was that?”

“Security,” Officer Haunt says.

“Why is there a moat in front of the gate?” Davin asks.

“You may pass, Mirage,” the gates open and Officer Haunt drives through.

“Who’s Mirage?” Davin asks as they slowly drive the long road to the hangers. Annabelle looks at Officer Haunt.

“My codename,” Officer Haunt glances in the rearview mirror at Annabelle. “Officer Garen Salma will show you around.”

“I’ll show you where you’ll be staying first so you can drop your backpacks off,” Officer Salma smiles and leads the two to the group of houses. Annabelle takes her key out and goes over to her house, the house her mom and she stays in when visiting her dad. “Here’s your key.”

“This place is huge!” Davin says after the tour and as they walk into the mess hall. “What do you do on your off time?”

“There’s a game room in the hanger over,” Officer Salma says. “I can show you it tomorrow.”