Through Ash and Dust (ROTB)

Chapter 8

She was now back into the same warehouse that she had met Optimus and the other autobots, sitting on a large box with her right foot raised on another box. It was still aching terribly as she sat waiting for Optimus and the other autobots to return. And she was nervous. Saphira did not know what the autobots would do. Mirage himself seemed genuinely concerned about her at this time, which Saphira was grateful for. But he was pacing in front of her with a concerned expression. He seemed to be just as worried as she was. Saphira did not really know how she was going to explain what happened to Optimus. She doubted he would actually understand, but she was not sure. These were intelligent beings, she did not know where they came from, but they were intelligent. And they knew English, so...he might understand, but he also may not care.

Mirage sighed as he kept pacing back and forth in front of Saphira. He stopped as he placed his hand on his hip, frowning as he glanced around as they wait for the others to get back. "They are honestly so damn so!" He groaned as he rolled his head back, looking up at the ceiling with a frown before he turned to Saphira. "I don't want you to be feeling too much suspense...but...it isn't my fault."

"I know..." Saphira shivered as she was still cold from the drenched dress she had on, and the warehouse itself was cool. She hoped they would not be there for too long. "I...I r-r-really need to go to the hospital if Optimus allows it, Mirage." The autobot softened his expression as he nodded in agreement. "I-I know he is only w-w-worried about m-me spilling about your existence...I get that...I-I r-r-really do. But...no one is going to believe me."

"And I am afraid you will find it hard to convince Optimus of that fact, Saphira. Even I did. But I do not know what Optimus will do. Though I can reassure you of one fact..." He raised his index finger to show he meant it. Though Saphira was not sure if it will be true. "Optimus is not the type to kill for the sake of it. That is not his style at all. He does kill when he needs to."

Saphira swallowed nervously as she did not feel better from those words. "Um...but...h-he c-could still kill me...couldn't he?" Mirage was unconvinced that Saphira would be killed, but she was clearly worried about that anyway. "I...I...th-that is what I am w-w-worried about, Mirage...plus...I-I s-s-still a-a-am scared of you."

"Of me?! Well...well..." He rolled his optics with a scoff, pacing in front of Saphira again before he stopped and faced her with his hands on his hips. "That hurts, Saphira. I am the least scariest guy around here. Honestly, I would have thought because you trusted me enough to help you of that alley, you would not be scared of me." She shrugged and just looked away from him. "Ah well...I guess I kind of get it though. I am big, and I can crush you if I ever wanted to...so that's what makes me scary, I guess."

Saphira smiled a little at his response before she just looked down, shivering and feeling her teeth chatter from the cold. "I...I am sure I will get over the fear...but...I-I c-c-can't say when...b-b-because I-I d-d-don't know..." She sniffled a little as she knew she was pretty much trapped. "But...I-I a-a-am g-g-glad you w-w-want to...t-t-try and be a f-f-friend...but...I-I a-a-am not sure still..."

Mirage stepped closer to her and dropped down to one knee, reaching out and taking Saphira's hand gently with his fingers. "It will be okay, Saphira. While I may not fully know what the big man intends to do, I do know for a fact that you are stuck with us. Most likely, Optimus will want someone watching you all the time. And since I have been doing that, I'll be the one to do that...mostly because I doubt that your apartment manager would be too pleased to see a big old truck part in the garage...though I don't think he'd fit..."

Saphira believed that, but she still worried about what more the autobots would do to her. Mirage was definitely the nicest, but she did not knw much about Arcee or Bumblebee, so she really did not know if they were nice or not. Until she knew them some more, she would find out. But as for Optimus, he has so far seemed very brash and disgusted by her presence. She didn't know if there was a personal dislike for humans and if there was a good reason, but she really could not tell.