Staring out the window became a popular pass time for Spectre as she sat in the annoying and awkward silence while Optimus kept driving down the highway. He had put on country music to ease the awkwardness; so far it wasn't working.

It had been a while since she saw crops of gold now crops of green as they transitioned from borderline Iowa and Wisconsin. The sky was grey and it came with on and off drizzling into unknown states she and her family never ventured to. Sure she did move constantly when she was a toddler but since her dad had an important role as leader of the Navy Seals, they were moved to a more permanent location while her dad went to Florida for duty. She winced a bit that her last conversation with her father was an argument about upholding the family honor.

A brochure was slapped in front of her at the dinner table. Spectre glared at the cover, showing a young man dressed in a Navy uniform, saluting the photographer. On the front in bold letters it read: Navy Pride. Join the U.S. Army today.

"It is time to become the woman you were destined to become." Her father spoke his voice kind and rumbling. The TV was on in the background with a recap of the previous attack on Chicago. Robots, 'No! Autobots and Decepticons!' were fighting on screen, the Decepticons chasing the military around the skyscrapers as the military performed the Flying Squirrel for infiltration. She didn't want to become the humans who lived in fear of the people who saved her civilization and despise the others who dared to inflict human casualty.

Mr. Velde, glanced at the TV with a huff and hoped her daughter could be the one who would be remembered for finding the Cybertronians who dared step on this Earth to kill. He could put in a kind word and have her own squad! IT would work out. He frowned when Spectre pushed the brochure away, picking at her cold mashed potato's.

"Darling, you don't know what the military might do for you."

"Dad I'm not joining."

"Really?"

"Yes really!" Spectre growled, popping in some meatloaf. The cold texture made her shiver uncomfortably.

"Well I am your father and for the sake of your future, I am going to enlist you as soon as you turn eighteen." Slamming down her fork and pushing her chair over she grabbed the brochure and pointed it accusingly at her father.

"MY future? More like your future! Ever since I was a kid, you wanted me to think about being in the army! When I say I'm not joining I mean it!"

He was losing his patience. Standing up too, he yelled, "It's for the good of your family to serve!"

"No it's for the good of your damn ego!" A slap later and Spectre was stunned. Her father never hit her. Not once. Sure she got punched and kicked by bullies at school, never from her dad. That hurt. The stinging sensation on her cheek was proof that her dad wasn't going to back down easily. If it was going to be like that, then so be it! Taking the brochure, she ripped the damn thing into itty bitty pieces, throwing them into her father's food. Mr. Velde's face was a bright red and he bellowed through the house, nearly turning the table in fury, "You're grounded now go to your room!"

"Fine." Spectre said eerily calm, walking away from her father, not even glancing back at him. She didn't even know if she could call him father after what he had tried to do. Mr. Velde seemed more of an approproiate title than "dad."

When she reached her room, she slammed the door, and hurriedly grabbed a makeshift backpack filled with some clothes and items. She rushed over to the far wall and opened the window to where it led to the roof. Swinging one leg out, she temporarily straddled the window sill, sending a text to her uncle about a new pick up location.

Originally Spectre was going to be picked up tomorrow at their house but since the argument with her dad, she didn't want to stay in a house that didn't understand her. A "cling" noise signaled the new text and she sighed with relief. The best thing about her uncle was that he understood her. That was great now to go to her new "home" for the time being.

Quietly she closed the window to her room and crept along the shingles, keeping an eye out for her brother. He always tripped her up when trying to escape the house and was deemed "Daddy's Little Scout." She snorted at that nickname. It was hers orignally.

"Looks like some things change." Spectre muttered bitterly, brushing her black and blue hair from her eyes. She got to the edge where there was a three foot gap between the house and the garage roof. It wasn't difficult for her. Backing up a bit, Spectre got up against the grey siding of the house and dashed off the roof, landing safely on top of the garage.

One careful look around proved nobody truly noticed her escape. There was a mini door she installed for herself as she opened it and whipped out her flashlight, pointing it to the nearest beam. Shimmying down onto the beam, she whirled it around before dropping into the soft gravel. It smelled nice, brought her back to her naive childhood. Shaking the distraction away, she whirled her flashlight around until it landed on her black go-cart. She did have a driver's license and could take her parent's vehicles, Spectre knew she wasn't coming back for a while and a go-cart was easier to conceal.

Reaching into her bag, Spectre grabbed her keys and opened the garage door, knowing the mechanical whirrs were going to reveal her plan of escape. Throwing on a helmet so no insects got glued to her head, Spectre jumped in the seat and threw the keys into the ignition, and the engine blared with life. No time to be wasted, Spectre slammed on the gas and drove out of the garage just as Mr. Velde tried to close the garage and yelled at her, his voice lost to the revving engine.

With a smile Spectre did a couple doughnuts before whooping and screaming with joy as Mr. Velde chased after her. She didn't care, this thing could out run him and his Ford pick up any day thanks to her mechanic-of-friends. With a souped up motor, she peeled out of the gravel driveway and soon onto the narrow roads, heading towards a spot no one would ever suspect her to be at.

"Spectre?" She looked over to the radio, and "Hm'nd?" at it.

"Is something wrong? You seem as though you were reflecting about something."

Opening her mouth to tell him it was nothing, she closed it and sunk into the leather seats. It seemed to be made for her petite body, contouring to all the gaps of her body, making her feel safe. Looking at her feet, Spectre asked softly, "Did you ever have people try to force your future and make you who you are today, Optimus?"

It only took him a moment to remember and replied without missing a beat.

"Yes I did." He didn't want to press her on the subject but it seemed like she really needed to talk. He lowered the volume on the stereo and pulled off to the side of the road, putting on his hazard lights. To normal civilians it would seem like nothing really. Optimus's voice rumbled around Spectre.

"If you want to talk about it, tell me now. I don't like to see my friends in distress; if you don't than it isn't my choice."

"I figured." Deciding to get the guilt off her chest, she explained, "A few days ago, my dad wanted me to join the military saying it was for my future. I knew it was to uphold a family tradition. I didn't want to be in the military and I told him I wasn't going to join; one thing led to another and he slapped me across the face," The Prime tensed at the slapped part. Why deny their child happiness and slap them for resisting their wishes? He listened on as Spectre finished, "I ran away from home. I took my trusty go-cart and met my uncle at a location we both knew before driving to Iowa. And that's when all my life kind of went sideways."

"I apologize for bringing you into this conflict. It wasn't my intention-" Spectre cut him at that moment, holding up her hand.

"Dude it's okay. I'd rather help you than become my dad's fantasy." She leaned over and turned off the hazard lights before stretching a bit. That's when police lights of red and blue were seen in the rearview mirror.

"Crap!"

"What's wrong?"

"I'm probably going to get arrested."

"For?"

"Not having a semi-license! I only have a license for a car, not for you!"

"Calm down!" Optimus snapped, before shaking Spectre out of his seat and watching her move over to the passenger seat. She didn't look pleased at the new seat arrangement. Nervously peeking out of the semi, she watched a highway patrol officer get out of his car and when she looked back she gasped. Sitting in the driver's seat was a man in his late thirties, dark brown hair, blazing blue eyes, and he was all muscle. Not too muscly but enough to be attractive. He was wearing a red button up and blue jeans. He flashed a smile before putting a finger to his lips.

"Sir, license and registration please."

"Sure thing officer." came the rumbling voice of baritone. One thought crossed the teenagers mind: THAT WAS OPTIMUS! She was speechless and Optimus gently motioned her to grab the paper work. After getting her numbed hands to work, she grabbed the paper work from inside the glove compartment and shakily handed it over to the Prime. With a flourish, the now humanized Prime, handed over the registration to the waiting cop.

The cop sternly groused out, "Sir, your license."

"My apologies." From his back pocket he fished out a replica driver's license with his mugshot under an alias. It was nice and calm as the police officer looked it over before handing everything back to him.

"Sorry, it looked suspicious that a truck with no cargo stopped off to the side of the road."

"Again my apologies," Optimus waved Spectre to come over to him and she popped her head out of the window, hiding her injury from the officer. She waved and innocently almost like honey sounding automatically beamed, "Hi." The officer waved back and Optimus explained, "my niece was diagnosed with cancer a couple days ago in the hospital. She lives in Florida and since someone stole her wallet containing plane tickets, I'm driving her home."

The cop frowned and took off his hat in respect. Spectre flashed a smile and pointed to herself.

"I'm not scared! I'm going to kick cancer's ass!" Optimus turned and snapped, "Language!" She fake wilted and waved to the cop.

"I'll be fine."

"Well you're a brave soul!" With a satisfied smile, Spectre walked back over to the passenger seat and plopped down, seeing lightning flash through the air. Turning to Optimus, the cop put on his hat he replied, "Be glad you have a daughter like that. I would give anything to have a child like her. Anyways have a good day and be careful! There's a tornado warning for this county. I recommend you get to safety."

"Thanks for the warning officer." Optimus waved to him as he pretended to turn the keys in the ignition and started "driving." He got off the shoulder of the road and continued driving, scanning for potential areas that have since been abandoned and he can let his legs stretch. That one comment did leave him kind of uneasy. Turning to Spectre, he asked, "What did he mean I was lucky to have you as a daughter?"

She shrugged, answering to her best ability.

"Well based on that comment, he must be divorced and some divorced couples move to far ends of the country or sometimes next door. He must've gone through one and lost his children in a custody battle. I don't really know since the guy is somebody we just met. I'm basing this off what I heard him tell you." Trying to adjust to the seat, she spied something black from her peripheral vision. Turning to her right, she jumped. Noticing her movements, Optimus turned and saw a funnel about to touch down on the earth. He scanned for areas to hide and he was coming to a bridge.

The tornado sirens blared through the country side signaling a nearby town. Normally Optimus would try to beat the tornado; Spectre too would try but not with a serious wound and a degrading health. Seeing a bridge up ahead, he gunned it, thanking Primus there was no one else on the road. He slowed and parked under the bridge, driving onto the shoulder in case an idiot tried to beat them to the nearest town or if anyone needed refuge in their car. Spectre was calming herself down, trying not to panic over something that seemed miniscule to the Cybertronian leader.

The holoform sighed.

"This is a delay I wasn't expecting."

"Sorry about that."

"No need to apologize." He turned and noted Spectre looked quite pale. The Prime calmly muttered, "Go get some rest, I'll alert you when we are stopping or there's any signs of danger."

"Okay Optimus. Goodnight,hope you get some rest too. You'll probably need it more than I do." Spectre got up from the chair and clambered into the cabin, laying herself carefully in the bed before dozing off into a dream. Optimus shut off his systems and liked the feeling of a warm companion being with him for the first time in a while.

Hi guys! This is rare even for me to update so quickly! I was thinking about drawing Spectre and holoform Optimus talking to each other. I'm not the best at art but I'll give it a shot or I will let you guys draw it and in turn I'll write a fic for you. Leaving it up to debate. See ya guys later!