Lost & Found

10: Loved

Chapter 10: Loved
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The four-year-old craned her head at the large being towering over her. "A drive?"

"Yes, a drive if that is alright with you."

"Where are we going?" She questioned, tucking her hands behind her.

"We will not go far from base. I simply wish to talk to you in a more isolated area."

"Like an adventure!" She chirped happily.

"Er...um, sure," Optimus replied, unsure about her childlike imagination. "You may think of it that way. Come."

Taking a step back, he transformed into his red and blue Peterbilt and rolled in front of her, opening his door invitingly.

"Wow." She took a few seconds to gawk at the large truck before she scrambled over to his driver's side and began to hoist herself into his cab.

Seeing that she was having trouble, Optimus lowered himself to the ground and allowed her to grip his seatbelt to haul herself up the steps.

Once she was safely inside, Optimus shut the door and started toward the entrance of the base.

"Um," Liza let out an uneasy noise when he buckled her in.

"Do not worry, youngling. This human feature is to ensure your safety, I will not cause you any harm."

"O-Okay." She answered softly and immediately stopped picking at the restraint.

The ride was quiet for the first few minutes until Optimus broke the silence. "Liza. May I ask you something?"

"Mhmm." She replied, turning towards the radio.

"I do not mean to be rude and intrude but I'm curious about your life back on your home planet."

Her gaze dropped to her lap as she began fiddling with the loose strings of her pants.

"If you feel uncomfortable in doing so you do not have to tell me, young one."

"N-No...it's okay.."Liza reassured him before falling into a long silence.

The mech was patient as he continued down the road, his attention set on the fidgety movements in his cab. After a few minutes, she finally gained the courage to answer though she refused to raise her head when she did so.

"I-It was just me and my sister. My parents weren't very nice to us growing up. They would hit us every day and they hardly gave us any food."

Optimus could easily tell this by how bony the child appeared. During Ratchet's inspection in the Med-Bay, he could see her rib cage poking through her skin.

"T-Then t-they...they..." He noticed water began to drip from her face. "They...hurt her really bad and..."

The guilt began to weigh in on Optimus. Perhaps asking a toddler to describe her previous life was not the best of ideas. Especially one who was still suffering the loss of a loved one.

"Liza, it was not my intention to bring up harsh memories. Please forgive me. My deepest apologies for the loss of your sister."

She did not answer him. She just raised her hands towards her face to cover her sobs and wipe her tears.

Optimus said nothing and gently squeezed her small body with the seatbelt as a comforting gesture. He allowed her to cry, ignoring the tiny droplets that fell on his seat and floor, and waited until she was reduced to soft hiccups before speaking. "Liza, would you like a new family?"