Chapter 24 Question of Trust

Pierce apologizes to Dani and develop a friendship. After meeting Pierce, Dani's taken for a pop quiz by Optimus. Dani panics and frets over the quiz.

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Optimus took me into Pierce's room. Optimus set me next to his bedside. I saw dried tear stains and my heart throbbed with his pain. "Pierce?" I asked nervously. "Hi?"

Pierce turned to me with pain filled eyes. "Dani?" He croaked and looked at the big Mech and 'Con. He struggled to sit up and we kind of waited for a moment.

"Let's wait outside." Optimus said, getting it. "They want to be alone."

They left.

I sat down next to his bed.

"Dani. How are you?"

"I'm fine. So, how are you?"

"I'm hurt." He said, looking at me. "I hurt all over my body."

"Do you want me to call them back in here?"

"No. They'd just send that walking, talking wrench-throwing medic in here."

"Walking, talking wrench-throwing medic?"

"Yeah, um Ratchet."

"Ratchet throws wrenches at people?"

"No. Why do you ask? Hasn't he ever done that?"

"No."

Pierce sat up and I noticed how difficult it was. "Um, what happened to your back, Pierce?"

"I'll get to that later." He said. "Look. I did some pretty mean things to you and I did...called you names...and I wanted to say that I'm sorry. I...uh...didn't mean to hurt you...and I didn't...really mean what I had said. It's just...I had...times that were horrible with my step-parents-"

"Wait! You had step-parents?"

"You didn't know?"

"No. What'd they do to you?" I asked.

"They hurt me." He said. "I'd get so angry with them and I didn't know who to trust...I didn't have anyone there to protect me...but you. You had loving parents! You had everything."

"Pierce." I said. "Listen to me! Both of my parents are dead. They died protecting me...and I didn't have everything. My Mom was in locations all across the world, digging up artifacts. Dad was away most of the time and came back late at night."

The both of us were silent and I continued, "I didn't know who to trust either! We're both even now. We have trust issues and it took Optimus and his team to drill lessons into my thick headed skull. It took several different members of his team to drill lessons on trust and lessons on what happens if I run away? Optimus has spent a load of time and efforts to keep me safe and what do I do, Pierce? I ran away! I ran away because I was afraid. I kept having someone 'calling' me to come home. I didn't know why! But I was being urged to leave! All I believed was my Mom was still alive out there in that world! I believed that there was no way my Dad could've died. He got me up the other day for school!" I burst out in tears from all of my frustrations. "It's not easy waking up every morning to not seeing your Dad or Mom."

"I know. My Mom and first stepfather died in a horrible car accident. I was left with in the custody of my mother's husband. My Mom left him because he was an alcoholic and he got custody of me. I couldn't do anything right! If I made an F on something, he'd call me stupid and dumb. If I made a C or D, he'd have a fit. He told me that I'm not good enough for making A's because I was stupid."

"Pierce. You're not stupid."

"I know. I studied hard and when I had my first A, I felt like I had accomplished something good. I didn't want to show my step-parents my report cards, but they had to sign them."

"I didn't make A's either." I told him. "I made B's and C's. You had it worse than me. But what really got me, Pierce was my own embarrassment because I always believed that I would get better grades the next time the report cards come along. It was always the same. I was C average. I didn't pass anything and I always felt like the teachers were pushing me away, never setting me in the center of the classroom. Always to the side, like out of sight, out of mind. It's like they didn't want to 'deal' with a student who couldn't pull up their grades no matter the kind of struggle I endured."

"I didn't know you had so much trouble with your lessons."

"I struggled from Preschool to now." I said, rubbing my eyes. "It's just because I'm unable to keep focused on that subject. My mind drifts away from me and it's harder for me to realize what I had missed."

"I guess we're on the same page."

"I guess so." I said meekly. "But you know what! We can become friends."

"Friends?" He asked. "After all I had put you through, you forgive me?"

"Yes. So, do you want to become friends?"

"Sure. Why not?"

"When you get to feeling better, you want to pull a prank?" Pierce asked.

"What kind? Oh! As long as it's not painting Sunstreaker's paint, red."

"Sunstreaker?"

"Oh my gosh! I'm sorry. Sunstreaker's my guardian in place of Optimus. He's very mean and someone painted him red while he was in sleep mode. When I woke up to go to breakfast, I screamed because I thought he was someone else. I told him he looked different and he thought I did it. You see, these Mech's sleep on giant beds and he thought I painted him. I didn't. He went around the base as 'Redstreaker'. Oh if you see him, he'll still be colored red."

"Who pranked him?"

"Well, there's two twins who are doing that all the time. They're called Skids and Mudflap. Whatever you do, don't go near them. They fight all the time and the only one who sets them right is Ironhide. He's the walking, talking cannon-toting Mech."

"What about, um, Barricade?"

I said, "He's a Decepticon."

"What the ones with the blue eyes?"

"They're the Autobots. They're supposed to be friendly. Um, Optimus can be pretty mad if you don't do what they say! Oh! I should tell you that he does have a loud-mouth."

"What do you mean? Did he yell at you?"

I nodded. "Oh yeah! He yelled at me when I ran away. He got so mad at me when I told him that I didn't know if he meant it! He got so mad at me that I was shaken so bad. I didn't realize how mad he could get. Tread carefully around the others, too. I've noticed that they're harsher than usual."

"But why?"

I looked at the door. "They lost members of their team."

"Oh!" He said nodding. "Dani. I must really rest. I'm getting tired. Thank you for coming by. Do you think you can come tomorrow?"

"I don't know. It depends on how Redstreaker reacts to our friendship and allows me the time to come visit. Thanks for having me, though."

"No problem. See you."

"See you later," I said, standing up. I went toward the bathroom and washed my cheeks. I called for Optimus to come in and he did. "Um, what happens now?" I asked.

"One last lesson from me." Optimus said, leaving Barricade's apartment.

"Oh?"

"Yes." Optimus said, walking toward a huge apartment that looked like his.

"Is this yours?"

"Yes." He walked into the apartment and sat down a huge desk. He set me on the desk and said, "Recite to me what you have learned about lessons on trust."

I froze. "Is this a test?"

"Yes. I administer this test and then you're free to go for the rest of the day. Recite to me the lessons on trust."

Suddenly, I felt cold and I felt didn't do the assignment. I didn't seek out anyone and my face fell. I was suddenly feeling despair and turned around, away from the Autobot's Leader's face. My body stiffened and then turned around to face the Leader's face. I looked ready to sob. "I can't!" I finally said. "I can't get it out!" I said, in desperation. I hugged myself.

::Ironhide. I need your help.:: Optimus sent out.

::On my way.::

"Can't get it out!" I kept muttering.

"Can't get what out?" Optimus asked gently. It had been the first time he had heard the desperation and her vitals rising. She had 'test' anxiety. "Relax. The sooner you relax, you can remember everything. If you aren't relaxed, you won't remember."

The door slid open to his apartment and Ironhide stood there. He walked casually into the room, looking down at the frantic human in front of him.

Ironhide bent down and said, "Danielle. Calm yourself."

I jumped and squeaked, "I know it's in there! I listened! I know I did! I didn't tune out! I asked questions!"

"Danielle Evans! If you do not calm yourself, I will have Ratchet come in here to sedate you. Relax." Optimus ordered.

I looked at him and took deep calming breaths. "There. That wasn't so bad." Ironhide said gently. "Optimus. Dani hasn't really learned all the lessons on trust. I gave her homework to learn how to approach others if she has some problems. I want her to engage with others socially, but that's going to take some time."

"All right. What have you learned so far, Dani?" Optimus said, drawing some air into his vents and blowing it out.

Dani looked at him and said, "Ironhide's taught-" My mind suddenly grew blank and so did my stare. "I know this!" I said.

"Ironhide?"

"I gave you some pointers on trust, Dani. What were they?"

"You told me about the support and leadership of a country." I said, remembering the lesson. "You said that the country cannot live without it's government."
"And?" Ironhide prompted.

"It's very much like a child." I said, looking up at Optimus.

"Go on." Optimus prompted. "You're doing fine."

"A child can't survive with their parents because they prov-ide their support and love to their child." I struggled a bit. "If a child becomes separated from their support and love, they...um..." I struggled more as my mind flooded with thoughts and then reasoning was gone.

"Without their support and love, what happens to the child?"

Dani looked behind her and then turned to look around at Optimus. "They become poor or left by themselves."

"This is where Prowl came in. What did he teach you?"

"When left by themselves, they're out on the streets because-" I stopped again. "They ran away from home because they're not getting the support and love they need. Without that, there's no balance."

"That's right." Optimus said. "True or False. When there's no balance, there's no support structure in the environment."

"What?" I asked, not at all understanding. "True? False? I don't know."

"All right. When there's no balance, there's no support structure in the environment."

I looked at Ironhide for help this time. I didn't understand and I was frustrated even more. "False? Maybe?"

"I don't think she understands, Optimus."

"What happens when there's a balanced structure in the house hold?"

"There's love."

"That's right."

"What happens when there's an unbalanced structure in the house hold?"

"There's no love and guidance."

"That's right. Kids that have no guidance fall through the cracks."

"Like Pierce." I blurted out.

"Pierce was saved by Barricade. Do you realize why we had this lesson to begin with? Do you now know why Prowl took you out?"

"I thought he did that to scare me."

"He did. He wanted you to see there's a difference between you being kicked out of your house or being left on the streets. Or worse, in a foster home. Pierce had an unbalanced home which made him pick on you. This is the main reason why we needed to teach you lessons on trust. We needed to make sure you understood that we are trying our hardest to provide a balanced home with us."

It suddenly dawned on me that the Autobots, though harsh at times, were trying to make a point about my home life. They didn't want me sad, lonely, or afraid to come to them. They wanted me to come to them for love and support. They wanted me to stay with them because they were learning how to trust me themselves. They were learning about my weaknesses and to sort out the weaknesses, I'd have to work through them.

I looked at Optimus in a new light and realized how mistaken I was. I understood his anger! I understood why he was protective of me! Now I even understood why he was mean! It was all because I had so many lessons to learn from them as they did with me.

"One more question before I turn you to Ironhide."

"Okay?" I asked.

"Who else do you trust?"

I blinked and looked at him. "You." I said. "I trust you."

He smiled. "Good. You passed your pop quiz and stay out of trouble, Dani."

"Okay." I said. "See you."

"See you later, Dani."

Ironhide picked me up and left the apartment. He looked at me and said, "You did real good, Dani. I'm glad you finally learned how to trust Optimus."

I smiled and said, "Thank you for teaching me."

"Now, how many Mechs do you trust?"

"You, Ratchet, Optimus, Barricade, Prowl, and me."

"Yourself?" Ironhide asked.

"Yes. Shouldn't you trust yourself, too?"

Looks like this story just ended. Please R and R.