My Little Boy

Story Twelve

Ave Maria

I've been alone when I'm surrounded by friends
How could the silence be so loud?
But I still go home, knowing that I've got you
There's only us when the lights go down…

- Ave Maria - Beyonce Knowles

The universe was vast and large. There were so many horrors and wonders, and there was still much more to discover. Looking at how big the world was did make one feel tiny, despite how tall Thrash In felt being around humans.

She did have human friends in her vast family, such as Grace and everyone else. They had human allies, but the Neo Luddites were indifferent that Cybertronians were on Earth, and they wanted them off immediately.

The terrorist threats made Thrash In's insides churn in disgust and tried to get through the verbal barbs. At night, it was hard to ignore the harsh words. They played back in her mind over and over again.

Though, there was one place where she did feel safe. She had her wonderful father, the comfort of her friends, the secret place she always went to gaze at Earth's sunset…

She also felt safe in Cliff's arms.

In the vast sea of fear and hate, he was the one who undid all of the emptiness that knotted inside of her. In a hopeless place, he was the one that kept her going. When she was with him… everything was normal.

Together, the Neo Luddites couldn't touch them. They had their own little world to hide into, a sanctuary where they can rest and rise stronger than yesterday. In such a dire world, they had each other, a place where they found peace.

When everyone thought they understood her, when they honestly never did, Cliff was the only one who stayed at the end of the day. Through the pain, he saw through it all… and the hole in her spark was no longer hollow. With him, she knew for certain, she wasn't going to walk on the path Airachnid walked.

For so long, she focused on the emptiness that her mother left while she was growing up. All along, she had what she needed and it was right in front of her. With Cliff, she felt safe.

She may not have her mother's approval… but she did have Cliffjumper.