TFP Faded... (Chapter: X: Bad Calls...)

"Lauren!" Optimus called, pointlessly, as he began shoving rocks away. It was unlike him to be so... scared-and unable to shield his emotions. He was afraid for Lauren... Megatron had a plan, and he didn't know what it was, but Lauren would play a part in it. Even when Airachnid had taken her, something had told Optimus that Lauren would be fine, and she had been, thanks in part to Starscream. The girl always seemed so brave, despite her self-doubt... she ran off the beliefs that others held in her. She was exceptionally unique. What must have scared Optimus so much-was how scared she looked... The sight of her screaming for him, tears running down her cheeks, dripping off her chin, dark circles around her eyes, pale skin, utter exhaustion... it was all burned into his optics. Then again it could be the uncertainty... Megatron went to quite a bit of trouble to obtain Lauren, in Megatron's mind-Optimus's human. Did he know about her mind? Did he know about Unicron within her? What was Megatron scheming?!
The autobot leader was forced to stop... he felt his own exhaustion set in. Megatron had shot the cave-in deep... Megatron wanted no followers. Optimus sighed, "I'm sorry, Lauren." In the corner of his optics, he saw Lauren's bag. She knelt down, and picked it up. Inside he found Lauren's short-sleeve hoodie, along with the pistols Rachet had made... he then shuddered, and began making his way out of the forest, and to the rendezvous point with Rachet.

Lauren had been hanging on the edge of unconsciousness. It was difficult to breathe with Megatron holding her so tight, but after all of her escapes it was no wonder; he would not let her escape again. She knew he had cracked more than one of her ribs,  but at least none of them had seemed to have punctured a lung. Lauren tried to motivate herself enough to get her bearing, but it was so dark, and she couldn't figure out how much time had passed. Before she could finish the thought of getting her head on straight, she lost the battle for consciousness.

It had been a couple of hours, and the sun was finally rising when Optimus rolled into the driveway, and followed a path that led to a closed hanger. He wasn't sure if he was at the correct location, until a man stepped out, and gasped.
"Uhm... Optimus Prime?" he asked, eying the truck.
"I am... you know of me?" Optimus asked.
The man, Felix sighed, "Yes, I'm Prissy's grandad. Starscream, Rachet, it's Optimus!"
There was a clamor.
"Hey, watch it!"
"Can it, Starscream!" Rachet shoved the doors away. "By the Allspark, she did it! Well done, Lauren! It is good to see you intact, Optimus!"
Optimus was in pain on the inside... they hadn't realized that she wasn't there... he transformed, holding her backpack in the palm of his left hand.
Rachet chuckled, "Is she hiding? Come now, Lauren, this is no time for games-... Optimus? What is it?"
The Prime stared at the backpack, then looked at Rachet, "She-... Lauren... Rachet, he-was there... he took her."
Rachet then froze, realizing, "No... what happened? How did he know to be there?!
"Wait, you mean Megatron just snatched Firefly-just like that?" asked Starscream, "Does he know?"
Optimus looked at Starscream, "Lauren told you?"
Starscream nodded, "She said she trusted me enough to tell me."
"I do not believe Megatron knows about her... memories."
"Hey!" shouted Felix, "Who has my Prissy, what does he want with her, what are the three of you talking about, and why didn't you stop him?!"
"Megatron, lord of the decepticon took Lauren, his intentions are unclear... and we were referring to Lauren's possession of my memories," began Optimus, "And--I was not aware she was in danger... instead of going to find her, I was helping soldiers on the base..."
Felix took a shuddering breath, "Well... I know Prissy would have backed you on that choice."
Optimus knelt down, "Felix, correct? I have to ask-have you ever seen Lauren terrified?"
Felix blinked, then answered quietly, "Once... but that was when she was just a girl, and she thought her mother might die. Prissy never really had much to be afraid of, but it sounds like that has changed."
Optimus stood back up, "Rachet, we need the other Autobots here, we need to link up."
"They are on their way," Rachet nodded.
"Felix, I promise you, we will find Lauren, and rescue her."
"I'll hold you to that, Prime," Felix replied.
"Optimus Prime."
Optimus then turned to Starscream.
"I-I realize this is the worst of times to mention this, but-I do not know where to go," Starscream admitted.
"Lauren initially invited you to come with us," Rachet commented, crossing his arms.
Starscream chuckled, "Yes, but I doubt she was taking my... questionable history with the other Autobots into consideration."
"No-she was." Rachet then muttered, "Lauren just intended to talk anyone who had a problem with it, out of their problem with it. She has a way with words, as you have seen."
Starscream nodded, "Well..."
"You saved my granddaughter twice from what I heard," Felix said, "You could hide here, for a little while at least."
Starscream eyed him, "I accept."
Optimus suddenly felt rather... strange.
"Optimus-are you--?" Rachet began.
When Optimus collapsed.

Lauren had her arms wrapped around her legs, eyes clenched shut, and face covered, as she continued to curse herself... a fitting punishment for being such and idiot.
Optimus, seeing her, and realizing their connection was still alive, spoke, "Can you hear me?"
The human girl looked up at him, looking minorly annoyed and angry, with tears of frustration rolling down her cheeks, "Of course I can!"
He blinked, "Where are--?"
"I don't know, Optimus! I really don't! It was dark, then I fainted and-and-AGH!" She slammed her head into her knees.
"Lauren..." he lowered himself to one knee, "I will find you."
"I-I know, Optimus..." She stood up, and looked at him, "I'm just so mad! I should have been more careful... but on a positive note-Megatron hasn't given any indication that he knows about me having your memories."
"That is good, but what makes you think that?" he asked.
Lauren crossed her arms, "Because Megatron's pride wouldn't have allowed him to be silent about it. He would have said something to me by now."
Optimus thought a moment, her conclusion was accurate, "I concur."
"Did you find Rachet and Starscream?" Lauren asked.
"Yes, Starscream has chosen to remain in hiding at your grandfather's residents, and Rachet and I will be picked up by the Jackhammer soon, and leave the country."
Lauren stopped... her human side felt abandoned... she'd had absolutely no idea where Optimus was, but she went on a search for him anyway. Then her Autobot heart stepped up, and told her that Optimus had more responsibilities than she had... ... the needs of the many outwiegh the needs of the one... Lauren quoted Spock in her mind. "I understand... do me a favor, Optimus... don't tell my mom, if she finds out-it might scare her pretty bad. I don't want that for her."
"I will honor your wish, but I will not stop your grandfather from doing so."
Lauren breathed, "Speaking of outside our mind, how did you get here?"
Optimus paused, "A valid question-one that deserves and accurate answer... but I do not have it. I was simply speaking to Rachet-then I felt strange, and opened my eyes to this."
Lauren took in a sharp breath, "Do you think every time either of us--"

Lauren opened her eyes again. She was still in Megatron's hand, and they were still in the cave, but now Megatron stood ing a vast chamber, where there were tiny glints of luminescent, blue light... like tiny, M&M sized slivers of energon... what was this place?

"Optimus Prime!"
He opened his eyes... Rachet stood over him, along with Arcee.
"What happened?" Arcee asked.
"He just-collapsed," muttered Rachet.
Arcee growled, turning, "Did you do something?!"
"No!" shouted Starscream back, "I'm not interested in harming Autobots... not anymore."
"Sure."
"Ogh... it was-not Starscream," muttered Optimus, "I fear the link that Lauren and I share has grown beyond... control." He sat up, shaking his head.
"What do you mean? What link?" asked Arcee.
"Through the matrix, and the matrix shard itself, Lauren and I are... connected-or rather our unconscious is... when either of us is incapacitated the other is taken into unconsciousness with them."
"Speaking of Lauren, where'd she go?" asked Arcee, looking.
Rachet and Otpimus sighed.
Bitter truth bit at Optimus again, "Megatron kidnapped her. We need to leave."
"Did Starscream--?"
"Starscream had nothing to do with it, Arcee." Rachet sighed, "He actually saved Lauren's life and saved my spark."
Arcee sighed, "I don't like it..."
"Niether do I, but Lauren trusts him," Rachet said, standing up, and helping Optimus to his boots.
Optimus looked to the Jackhammer, "Autobots, it's time to leave..."
As they proceeded  as he ordered, Optimus turned to Starscream, "I know we have not always seen optics-to-optics, Starscream... but I thank you for what you've done."
Starscream shrugged, "Just find Firefly, Prime." He then disappeared into the hanger again.
Lauren was correct... Starscream is still himself, but he can still change.
The kids, Fowler, and June greeted him on the Jackhammer.
"Optimus, you're alright!" jumped Miko.
"We were so worried!"
And Jack asked, "Did we lose someone?"
"That's right, I never had the chance to thank her," chuckled June, "Where is Lauren?"
The ship grew quite, as it rose from the ground.
Optimus walked towards the cockpit, and heard Rachet answer them.
"Megatron captured Lauren while she was-trying to rescue Optimus."
June gasped, "Megatron?"
"I'm afraid so..." whispered Rachet.
Optimus answered a hail on his com line.
"Hey!"
"I-uh... hello, Ryler."
"That's all you got after you guys just left Sonya and I behind?! Ugh-just let me talk to Lauren."
Optimus rubbed his optics, "She is... unavailable."
"Just tell her it's Ryler, Optimus."
"I'm afraid that is not possible, Ryler... she is not present," explained Optimus.
Ryler growled, "Then how can I get in contact with her?"
The Prime stepped into a storage room, and sighed. Optimus had to tell him... the boy needed to know, "Ryler, were I human-I would tell you that now is simply the time to pray... because Lauren has been taken-by Megatron."
The line fell dead silent for a moment, "What?"
"We will find her, Ryler," Optimus assured.
"Why the he heck did she have to set him free?! Why did he want her? Where are they? Why DID Y'ALL LEAVE ME BEHIND?!"
Optimus took only  a moment to formulate his answers, "Lauren set him free because it was what I would have done, we still do not know Megatron's intent, nor location... and we didn't have the chance to rescue the two of you when we were making our... escape. I am so sorry, Ryler." He clenched his fists.
"The government has my fam under house arrest, I managed to grab one of their phones, and they're probably chasing this phone call, so I'll go, but so help me-tell Lauren if she dies I'm gonna kill her!"
Optimus paused after Ryler had hung up, he closed his Optics, "I'm sorry, Lauren."
He could see her telling him to not be sorry, and that they'd get out of this one...
Rachet stepped in, "Well-your human double can be quite convincing, don't you agree?" Rachet asked.
Optimus's mind was in other places, and he had to ask, "Rachet...Lauren has-changed... or rather she continues to change. These occurrences are having a blatant affect on her-and I found out something horrible about her when-I mean the first time we were in our combined minds."
"What? Is Unicron spreading faster?" asked Rachet.
"That could be contributing, but this stems from her own inability to... respect herself." Optimus looked at Rachet, injured, "She-hates herself Rachet... her hate was-killing her, beating her... it was-awful to witness. I don't... really know what to do."
"Of course you do, Optimus... just be there for her," Rachet said, "Primus knows she's going to need you. But-she is very strong-willed, and a bit stubborn, Optimus. At least she has that, and you."
"Rachet, I need to know what sort of damage... mentally, physically-anything-what is going to happen to her in the future?" Optimus asked.
Rachet looked away, "I can't-really say. Unicron will undoubtedly be... ravaging her mind, but I can't estimate precisely what is going to happen without far more detailed scans of her mind and body."
"That will required... considerable resources," whispered Optimus, "I'll do whatever it takes." The Prime paused, the looked towards the floor outside the storage room, and sighed, seeing shadow, "It is unlike you to eaves drop, Raphael."
Raph stepped out, and walked towards them both, "You-said that Unicron is inside of Lauren? What do you mean?"
Optimus and Rachet looked at one another. Optimus nodded, and Rachet closed the door, before turning the light on.
Optimus knelt to one knee, "Raphael, what you hear does not leave this room. No one but Lauren's mother, Rachet, and myself are aware of this, not even Lauren realizes what dark plagues her," he began, "And you must not tell her... but-when my memories went into her, so did Unicron, only a fragment, but that fragment has since grown."
Raph blinked, "But-she seems so..."
"Human," Optimus finished, "Because she is... but you too now have to carry the burden of knowing what Lauren has inside of her."
"Burden?" asked Raph.
"Lauren is unique, you realize this?" Optimus asked.
Raph nodded, rubbing the back of his neck, "Yeah."
Optimus tried to think of what to say, "Changes she will be going through... it would be easier to simply believe that it is simply human nature, and some of it may be... but the fact remains that until Unicron is expelled, if he can be. We will all have to look after her, and beware of her every action."
Raphael looked down, "What else can I do?"
"Be there for her, as I will be, and Rachet will too," Optimus said.
Raph nodded, "You can count on me, Optimus... but I have to ask-if Unicron is inside her... what happens if she touches dark energon?"
Optimus paused, then looked to Rachet. Neither of them had taken that into consideration.

"It's a dead end." Lauren glared up at Megatron, she was still exhausted, but knowing Optimus was safe gave her enough peace to maintain a semi-clear head, "What is so important that you had to have me, huh?"
"Oh, this is anything but a dead-end, little-human," Megatron replied.
Lauren then notices an alter at the center of the circular, dome structure, and there was some sort of device on it. Megatron picked it up, and observed it for a moment... it looked like a part of a Dark Shield, something used to protect Cybertron from the star's larger solar flares. Apparently Megatron had noticed her gaze of recognition, "Do you know what this is?"
Lauren swallowed hard, before shaking her head, "No, but I'm assuming you're going to use it for your next little scheme."
Megatron chuckled, "Ah, but you do not know what that may be, nor why I chose you to fulfill this next task."
"I just assumed I scrapped your reputation-leader of the decepticons, caught by human, then rescued by a little human child? And a friend of the autbots, no less," Lauren taunted.
Megatron laughed, "You are failing to anger me, girl... but yes, you succeeded in infultrating a government facility more than once now... you will do it again-to retrieve the last piece of my... puzzle."
Lauren maintained herself, and replied, "And if I refuse-what you just kill me?"
Megatron laughed condescendingly, "You seem to confuse me with Starscream! Nothing so simple-minded, I assure you!"
"Then what?" Lauren demmanded, slamming her fist onto his hand.
Megatron brought her closer, smiling still, "If you do not do as I command, each of your family members will die, that boy and girl you were previously with will die as well."
Lauren froze, feeling like cold water had just been dumped on her, "N-NO! You leave them out of this! They have nothing to do with the Autobots and this war!"
"Oh, but they do; the moment you joined Optimus, the very moment you became his pet-you involved them. When they die, the blood will be on your hands," explained Megatron.
Lauren gaped, fear overwhelming her.
"My troops are already in place, think your response through very carefully."

Raph continued typing on his laptop, and looking over the scans that Rachet had last taken of Lauren, and it was serious, "Rachet, what happens it Unicron takes over? I mean takes over Lauren."
"Something horrid, that is all I know for now," whispered Rachet.
Arcee walked in, "Rachet, I'm worried about Optimus... he seems so... I don't know."
Rachet sighed, "I know, Lauren has become like-another part of him, I believe. He's afraid for her."
"Last time he was like this was when Megatron hurt Raph," she growled.
Raph looked over, "Lauren will be fine, right, Rachet?"
Rachet turned back to the screens, "I'm afraid the situation is a bit more dangerous this time... all things considered." The medic looked at Raphael,  "When you were injured, there was nothing Optimus could have done to stop it. He wasn't there. He knew that, but with Lauren-he could have save her, or so he believes. And that is bothering him."
In the cockpit, Optimus sat in the side seat, and thought deeply about Lauren...
"Plummet is one crazy human, y'know?" Wheeljack asked.
"Plummet?" asked Optimus.
Wheeljack chuckled, "Yep, I mean your friend. We kind of met after Megatron tossed her off the Nemesis. She was plummeting to her death, and I save her, so I call her Plummet. She makes for a very interesting human without that shard."
Optimus nodded, "I remember how she had been when we met, and how she was when I gave her the shard."
"By the way... I think she dropped this," Wheeljack had something tiny on his index finger, and held it towards Optimus.
"Lauren's headband... she had lost it." Optimus retrieved her back pack, and slipped it in, "I only wish I knew where she... where she is."
"I'm getting a hail from a human line..."
Optimus looked at it, then answered, tapping into the communications, "Hello?"
"Autobots?"
The voice was male, but it did not sound like Ryler, so he asked in turn, "Ryler?"
"No," muttered the voice in anger, "This is Christopher Courage... and you must be Optimus Prime. So then you better tell me-what happened to my little sister?"