Hologram

Off to the road

I helped Optimus stand.
"How is the wound going ?" I asked as we walked to the bed.
"Better" he cut short.
He wasn't telling me everything, but my instinct told me that wouldn't tell me further.
"I am going to start packing. You rest" I said giving him a look. He nodded and I dashed away.
I grabbed an old backpack and stuffed it with all the food I found out of the fridge, then grabbed another bag and stuffed it with clothes and care products. I could guess I would stay away for quite some time.
I dove in the closet, ignoring the destroyed door and started digging into a box of clothes.
I grinned as I found my brother's T-shirt. I had taken it from his wardrobe before flying to the States and never gave it back. I surely could fit in three times, so I guessed it could be ok for Optimus since his T-shirt was all stained with energon.
I went back to my room and I found him staring at the ceiling with a blank look on his face.
"Ehm..." I didn't exactly know how to grab his attention without sounding rude.
"Yes ?" He answered snapping from his thoughts.
"I thought you would like to change your shirt since it's all stained with energon...though this is the only change I have, I hope it fits..." I said esitantly.
"I would appreciate it, thank you" he slowly got up from the bed and I handed him the blue band T-shirt.
"...do you want...me to help you...? You know...with the wound..." I almost whispered. Optimus shock his head gently, but smiled lightly, letting me know he appreciated my concern.
I nodded and quickly got out of the room, headed to the garage, ready to load my pick up.
I hummed some random song while tossing the bags in the back of the pick up truck, covered with a blue plastic sheet.
Cursing I tried to reach the sleeping bags up to one of the shelves. Damn that Steve who yanked them up there when he helped me with my moving ! Steve was a man working for the moving company I hired to get my stuff here and he had placed a few things for me.
I really didn't want to ask Optimus since he was hurt, but when I turned to go get a chair I slammed into his chest.
"Here" he put the sleeping bags in my arms with a faint smile.
"Thanks. Sorry to bother you, but I'm too short to reach it. There is that grey plastic bag on that same shelf" I said, Optimus poited the plastic bag and I nodded, then he handed it over to me.
"It's a tent, just in case" I explained, noticing a hint of curiosity in his eyes. He jolted, maybe he didn't expect me to read his expression this easily.
I chuckled lightly and started humming again.
An hour later I was riding down the road.
I had yanked the two men out of my house before they could wake up and had sped away.
I took the highway as Optimus instructed me. We were headed to a regrouping location and we would establish oursleves there, in order to wait for the other Autobots to reach the coordinates.
I drove in silence, fearing to start a conversation. Optimus's presence made me feel a little uneasy at first.
"How is space ?" I asked completely out of curiosity, finally gaining the courage to speak.
"It is beautiful, but very lonely. Silence is all you can hear, and sometimes it is very peaceful" he answered me, I could see a faint light in his dark eyes.
"I would like to see it. I have never been somewhere so silent" I smiled lightly at the thought.
Silence fell again and my mind started to fill with thoughts.
I hummed my favourite song with low tone, not really wanting to annoy Optimus.
But against my predictions, he started humming along with me. I smiled brightly, happily surprised.

"Oh hell no ! Traffic !" I snapped as I saw lines of cars in front of us.
I have been driving for almost seven hours.
We only stopped to eat.
I discovered that Optimus was half organic so he could get human food too, but could also take enregon as he did in his robot form.
Now he had fallen asleep, his head tilted to one side.
He looked really peaceful and relaxed, on the other hand, during the day was always with his guard half up, ready for everything to happen.
I rubbed my eyes as I was starting to feel tired. I thought if I wouldn't want to have an accident I would have had to stop for the night.
The trafic lasted a good hour and when it started to loosen up I headed to the nearest motel I could find.
I stopped in front of a light green building. A pink neon light flickered on the insigna, looking a bit freaky. As the engine died down, I esitantly touched Optimus's shoulder and he snapped awake, almost scaring me.
"I'm sorry" I said looking at him "I stopped here for the night...I wasn't feeling to drive anymore..."
"It's okay. You do not have to worry since you were the one driving it was your choice to stop or not" he gripped my shoulder gently, then exited the pick up.
I folloewed him and locked the car.
At the reception there was an old woman.
The room had walls covered with flowery wallpaper and some old armchairs layed in the corners.
The woman had grey hair, pinned into a tidy bun, her face was full of folds and her black little eyes were covered by an old fashion pair of shocking pink glasses. She was wearing a green dress.
She looked pretty creepy and sent me a chill down my spine as soon as she opened her mouth.
"So, what do these brother and little sister want ?" She asked with raspy voice.
She thought I was still a kid ! And that Optimus was my bigger brother ! Okay he is way taller than me, but did I look like a kid ? I was 21 !
I heard Optimus chuckle lightly, probably noticing my annoyed expression.
"We would like to stay for the night" he said calmly.
"Perfect, your room is the 117, on this floor" the woman said handing him the keys.
As soon as I could I stomped away, half annoyed half creeped.
Optimus paced behind me with a faint smile on his lips.
"That wasn't funny !" I snapped when I heard him giggle.
"Yes it was" he retorted.
The room had two single beds and there was the same wallpaper that was in the hall. Two armchairs were in the corners and a pinkish wardrobe was on the other side of the room. There was a window with light green courtains and from time to time the old yellowish light flickered.
"Creepy..." I muttered as I reached for my pj in the clothes bag.
I rushed into the bathroom and changed my clothes, then came back into the room.
Optimus was lying on his bed, still awake.
Something hit the window and I jumped as I repressed a scream. I felt chills all over my body. Then I realized it was only a random stick from some tree. I sighed and hopped on the matress under the puzzled look of Optimus.
He tilted his head to one side to look at me.
"Does this place scare you ?" He asked with his deep voice.
"No..." I answered "That woman thought I was a kid !" I changed subject slightly, hoping he wouldn't notice.
"You are way shorter than me and she probably hadn't the right pair of glasses judging by how she squeezed her eyes" Optimus chuckled lightly, his voice had a strange power on me. It was so calming and my tension went away as the tiredness from the day heavied on my shoulders.
I fell asleep listening to him talk. I don't remember about what.

I shot my eyes open. There was a guy in front of me, his hands covered in energon.
He was the guy with the dagger that attacked Optimus.
His red eyes shone in the dark. I could feel his breath on my face, as he was so close.
I tried to get away but my body was frozen in fear. He gripped my neck and I started to struggle, in order to yank out of his hands.
But it was useless.
I screamed terrified, not again ! Not again !
I didn't want to die.
I cried for help as my breath slipped away along with the man tightening his grip.
Everything became black.
"Chiara wake up ! Wake up ! It is a nightmare !" I heard someone calling me and tried to reach whoever was extending my arms.
I grabbed a hand and held it tight crying out for help.
My eyes shot open. Someone stood by my side, looking at me with worry.
Those royal blue eyes...Optimus !
My blanket was on the floor and I layed on my right side.
I let go a shaky sigh as I still held for dear life onto Optimus's hand.
"Everything is allright" he said calmly "you had a nightmare" he gently gripped my little hands in his large ones.
"I...thought I was going...to die..." I whispered shaking.
"Did you dream about the assassin ?" Optimus asked quietly.
I nodded as I sat up forcing tears back. I didn't want to cry in front of him a second time.
He sat by me and pulled me into a conforting hug.
I had my head on his chest and I could hear his spark beat strongly and steady.
The beat somehow had done a spell on me as I relaxed, feeling safe between his arms.
He had this strange power on me.
Around him I felt uneasy yes, but safe, protected, conforted.
I fell asleep again, while gripping his T-shirt and buring my head in his chest.

I jolted awake, remembering where I fell asleep.
I flushered red and my heart started racing like it was running for dear life.
I looked around and I saw the road.
Optimus was driving, his face expressionless.
We were on the highway and the sun shone brightly above our heads. Guess it was noon or so.
"Good morning" Optimus turned briefly to face me, before getting his eyes back on the road.
"Good morning to you too" I answered rubbing my eyes "what's the time ?" I asked then.
"It is half past noon" he simply said.
"Man I overslept !" I rubbed my face with a hand.
"I guess it was because of the nightmare. You were pretty shocked" Optimus said.
"Yeah...did I talk while sleeping ?" I almost whispered.
"You were tossing around and crying for help. You almost hit me when I tried to approach" he said.
"Sorry about that..." I muttered, as a small guilty smile crept on my lips.
"Anyway, have you ever dreamed strange things ?" I tried to relieve the tension that had been created.
"Yes, I remember one night I dreamed about puddings and the morning after Ratchet told me he heard me muttering things about chocholate and ice cream" Optimus chuckled and smiled slightly "what about you ?"
"You see, when I was a kid, I was terrified by volcanos. One evening I saw an eruption on the flash new and I went to bed half scared. I used to have a very fervid immagination at that time, so my mind thought it would have been nice turning a scary thing into a stupid thing. That night I dreamed of a volcano in my village, which in place of the lava, it leaked pizzas" I chuckled as I told that old story.
"I would like to have that volcano" Optimus laughed lightly, smiling.
I thought his smile was pretty, I wanted to see it more.