TFP Faded... (Chapter: IX: Fallen...)

I'm scrapped. I'm scrapped. I'm scrapped! I'm scrapped! I'm so SCRAPPED! Lauren stared for a moment, set on those red optics staring back at her.
"I was surprised when you survived the drop from my war ship... I was impressed when you eluded Airachnid, now I must say again that you are unique indeed. I never realized Starscream had a soft spot for humans either," started Megatron.
Lauren shuddered, "He doesn't. Believe me-he really doesn't. Besides, don't you have greater concerns?"
"Like you?" he asked in return.
Lauren gulped, "What about me?"
"I have a little job for you," he grinned, "Soundwave, if you'd please."
Soundwave stepped out from behind Megatron, and launched Laserbeak.
Lauren gasped, and jumped back into the dense trees, but as she made it further, Megatron had began knocking down forest itself! She didn't know where she was, or where to go, but she was in big trouble. Lauren couldn't outrun Laserbeak, but upon seeing a cluster of warehouses, she could probably hide from it. Too late, Lauren shouted, as she had escaped the trees, and Laserbeak tripped her by the right ankle, and lifted her up. She grabbed the electronic pistols, and started firing... oddly enough-it worked... Laserbeak went down-rather easily, actually. When Lauren hit the ground, she hurriedly scooted away. Soundwave! Why of all cons Soundwave?! He was the only con she was actually terrified of... maybe Megatron knew that.
Lauren ran towards the warehouse, she was looking back at Soundwave appeared out of the tree, when she ran straight into someone.
"Whoa, are you alright? What are you running from?" he asked, "You..." The private gaped at Soundwave, "Uh..."
"Look, pal! You need to run! RUN!"
He was in a trance.
"Sorry about this but--" Lauren slapped his cheek, "Wake up!"
He shook his head, "That-is-a..."
"Run!" Lauren screamed, shoving him out of the way, narrowly avoiding both of them being stomped by Soundwave.
"GO-get out of here!" Lauren ran into the linked warehouses. It was strange that there were no other people... and rather inconvenient for Lauren. It seemed that luck was never-NEVER on her side... that was beginning to make her very angry.
Soundwave opened the warehouse doors, and entered.
But she didn't have time to be angry... she had to hide-well, this game would end with far more serious consequences if she was caught. Lauren looked around for anything she could use-ANYTHING, but the most useful thing she could find was acidic waste, some grenades, and various other items that had been shorted out by the EMP. Lauren heard a subtle *click*click*click*click*click* metallic sound. Soundwave's tentacles entering the warehouse. Lauren silently slipped behind a group of crates,  "Don't make... a sound..." she uttered to herself.
Lauren trembled, her blood ran cold, and it was all she could do not to cry. Megatron said he has a job for me! What's that supposed to mean?! Should I just-give up? No! Not when I'm so close to getting back to Optimus! Don't give up hope... She then stood, and pulled one of the barrels of acid off the shelf, and rolled it out into the open. She did this several times, in several different locations, before silently placing a grenade close to each. This would require careful execution. So when she was ready-Lauren whistled. The metal clicking stopped, then sounded like it changed course. Lauren waited to see the tentacle appear in front of her, but as the sound came to a stop, she couldn't see it, "Where is--" Lauren's heart stopped, and she slowly turned around, before screaming, as it impacted her front, and threw her. She landed on her back, but still had a firm grip on the grenade she'd been holding on to-despite the fact that Soundwave had obviously outsmarted her, she could still blow part of him up. Lauren pulled out the pin, tossed the grenade, and ran. As the entire joint went up in an inferno, Lauren shouted, thrown outward by the force, and she tumbled. Her pants, and hoodie were singed, with the exception of a few burns, she was fine, and she wasn't waiting to see what would have become of Soundwave, if it actually did any damage at all.
Before too long, Lauren had made it into a different forest area... and hopefully, she wouldn't run into anymore cons.

Optimus came to a slow stop, and waited until the men had piled off, before he asked, "Is that all you require?" He transformed.
Sergeant Rodson nodded, "Even with our tech fried, we can fix out boys up here. Thank you Optimus Prime. I'll tell my superiors that you have my support when it comes up.
A woman ran out, "Another one?!"
Rodson turned to her, "Ma'am?"
"One of those things just ripped apart one of our wings! We nearly didn't get the patients out!" she shouted, "It was chasing something into the woods!"
Optimus froze, "Are you saying another one of my kind was chasing someone-like a small girl?"
She nodded, "Like Tom and Jerry!"
No... decepticons are here?! How did they know where to--?"Lauren-... I'm sorry." He transformed, "Which way did they go?"

Lauren knew the base was far behind her... she'd been walking for what felt like forever, but it was still night, she'd been holding her right shoulder, which had been burned pretty bad, actually. She wandered up to the mouth of a large cave, and removed her back pack, before sitting on a small rock to catch her breath. So much was uncertain... did Optimus escape? Was Rachet okay? Would Megatron send someone after Starscream? How was her family doing? She tried to shake most of it off, but it kept coming back to her. She was so tired, she wanted to sleep, really-she did. Sweet sleep free of nightmares; did such a thing even exist? Lauren took off her hoodie, and shoved it in the pack, before checking the scroll in her pocket. When she pulled it out, she slowly pulled up the image of her family, Lauren stared at the portait she had uploaded, but instead of comforting her, the image merely made her begin to cry.
I want mom... I want them all back. But in truth, she wouldn't trade the chance to protect them for all the tea in china... or all the gold in spain. She loved them enough to leave them. But it was only then that Lauren was beginning to realize how much it had begun to grain on her mind... "I p-romise.. with all my heart; I'll never let you guys down... I'll always be there for you, even if it's from far away." That's when she chose to chance it, she needed to hear her voice... Lauren shuddered, opening up the communications, selected the parameters, and dialed her mother's house phone... the tone rang... and rang, until a groggy voice responded.
"Hello?" Melissa asked.
"Mom," Lauren wiped away the tears, "Hey."
"Lauren?" Melissa gasped, sounding more awake.
"Momma," Lauren cried, "Mom, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry, mom!"
"What? What is it, sweetie?"
"I'm-so--sorry I called you so late!"
"Oh baby, timing is the least of my worries with you," she said, "Are you okay? Are you safe?"
Lauren sniffled, "No... I'm resting... Megatron was chasing me."
"Megatron?!"
"Don't freak out, I lost him... besides... I blew up Soundwave. Just listen to me-there's something--I had to tell you something," she shuddered.
"Yes?"
"I-I-... I p-promise.. with all my heart; I'll never let you guys down... I'll always be there for you, even if it's from far away." Lauren shuddered, "Everything I'm fighting for, everything I believe in is with my family," Lauren sobbed.
"I know..."
Lauren meant her entire family, more than just her brother and sisters and mom... Autobots were her family too. "I love you, mom."
"I love you too, Lauren." Melissa then asked, "Lauren, record this if you can, will you?"
Lauren paused, then did as she said, "Okay..."
"Lauren,
Come stop your crying
It will be all right
Just take my hand
Hold it tight

I will protect you
from all around you
I will be here
Don't you cry

For one so small,
you seem so strong
My arms will hold you,
keep you safe and warm
This bond between us
can't be broken
I will be here
Don't you cry

'Cause you'll be in my heart
Yes, you'll be in my heart
From this day on
Now and forever more
You'll be in my heart
No matter what they say
You'll be here
in my heart always
Always
-even from far away," Melissa promised, "And I will always be in yours, you know that, don't you?"
Lauren tried to smile, sniffling, "Yeah... I gotta go."
Melissa paused, "I love you."
"B-bye momma," Lauren closed the scroll, and put it back in her pocket, trying to make herself smile... even if she could fake a smile-it would make things just a little better... I'm so... tired. Lauren then attempted to close her eyes. It was no use-all she saw was war, war and fear. As she was considering this more and more... that was when they made eye contact. At first Lauren didn't believe it, she gazed at him, "Op-timus?"
Across the clearing, Lauren saw Optimus emerge from the trees, and he smiled too.
Lauren's eyes filled with tears of joy.
They stared at one another, like familiar strangers. Lauren's nightmare was finally over... finally. She stood, and took a couple of steps forward. It wasn't until his smile grew even bigger, that she was certain it was no hallucination.
Optimus rarely smiled as he was smiling at that moment, but when he did-it was something else indeed, calm and warm, loving and sincere.
In the back of her mind, she felt as though she had forgotten something, but it no longer mattered, Optimus was there now. She started running, excitement growing, "Optimus!" She called, waving, "Optimus, we're back again!" They say that the moment you blink, everything can just... disappear. Lauren had never honestly realized how heavy that truth was. She made the mistake of blinking, and Optimus's smile had vanished, replace with a sudden, uncanny horror, she'd only remembered it once before, and he shouted.
"Lauren! DUCK!" Optimus shouted. His spark raced, horrified, "Duck now!" No-no-NO! Not now! He couldn't move fast enough, he was going to lose her!
She hadn't understood what he was saying... but she would soon, as a powerful gust of wind tossed her forward, making her tumble, and land on her back, with a shout. She was stunned for a moment, and there staring at the sky, she saw it happen all so fast! Lauren screamed, bringing her hands up to cover her eyes, as Megatron landed with enough force to knock her breath out of her.
He grinned devilishly at her for a moment, "Why hello there!" Megatron took her into his left hand, and lifted her up, standing straight, before looking to Optimus, who had stopped, "Did you lose something, Optimus?"
Optimus glared, stepping forward.
"Ah-ah-ah," chuckled Megatron. He lifted his left had towards Optimus, where Lauren had just recovered her breath, only for Megatron to begin squeezing her life out. Lauren felt a rib or two crack, and screamed, "STOP IT!"
Optimus stepped back, "Megatron, don't... please."
Megatron stopped, "Very well, then you will not follow me." Megatron backed into the cave, "I doubt you would want to be responsible for the consequences."
Optimus stared helplessly at Lauren, "I will find you, Lauren! I promise, I will save you!"
"Don't count on it," Megatron muttered, raising his cannon to the roof of the cave. He fired several times, causing the mouth to cave in.
Lauren cried, reaching out to him, "OPTIMUS!" She screamed for him, "Op-TIMUS!" And the cave became pitch black, save for Megatron's red eyes glaring at her.
Lauren trembled in his grasp, unable to close her eyes.
"Scared?" he asked, before chuckling, "You should be."