Yesterday, the biggest thing on my mind had been whether Luke would forget his keys again. Now, we were standing in front of alien robots, being assigned guardians. The shift was so abrupt, so surreal, that I felt like the ground beneath us had given way and left us suspended, waiting to see where we would land. 

There were eight of them—Jazz with his charm and smooth talks, Bumblebee with his youthfulness and kind optics, Ironhide with his tough exterior but undying loyalty, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe who are double the trouble, Ratchet the hard headed medic, Wheeljack the inventor, and Optimus Prime the one and only.

Each of them were massive, their presence impossible to ignore. Their coloured metal frames reflect the base lighting, making them look even more unnatural, and yet, there was something deliberate in how they stood. They were waiting, watching, and assessing. 

We had been given the basics with further details — the war, the enemy, the reason they were here. It was too much to take in, too big to fully wrap my head around. But one thing was clear: whatever had happened to them before this moment had taken things from them. Had caused pain I would never fully understand. The loss and end of their rave. And now they roam Earth, with one mission: protect humanity from the same fate.

Now, they had been assigned to us.

Luke’s name was called first for a Guardian. 

“Given Luke lives at a different residency, his guadrians will be Sunstreaker and Sideswipe.” 

I barely registered the words at first, too lost in my own thoughts on how our world had ruptured. But when I heard Luke’s low excited whistle, I blinked back to the moment, watching as he grinned up at the two towering gold and silver bots. 

“Nice.” Luke said in approval.

The two brothers looked at each other before stepping forward with identical grins. Kinda creepy.

“Aye! What’s up, human?” they said in perfect sync, clearly playing up the twin factor when they noticed my face of exasperation.

Their tone was too casual, too eager, like they had been waiting for this moment, and suddenly, I had a terrible feeling about it.  

I barely had to glance at Mum to know she was tense. She was seated, hands resting lightly on the arms of her wheelchair, her expression unreadable. But I knew better. Luke needed someone responsible, someone who could keep him in check. Instead, he had two goofballs.

I leaned in, my voice low to try and be discrete.  Which is hard in a room full of robots that have good hearing. “I don’t think this is a good idea.” 

Luke barely spared me a glance, his grin still firmly in place, but he did respond with clenched teeth. “Relax, Cat. I got the cool ones.” 

“That’s exactly what I’m worried about,” I muttered, crossing my arms. “You don’t need the cool ones. You need—” I hesitated, unsure how to say it without sounding like Mum or exposing too much of our history to everyone so soon.

He rolled his eyes. “Oh, what? Do you think I should have gotten someone strict? Maybe him?” He nodded towards Ironhide, who raised an optic ridge in amusement. “Looks like he’d beat me up for not going to school on time.” 

“That...wouldn’t be the worst thing given your history of late attendance,” I shot back, still keeping my voice low. 

Luke snorted, bickering back just as fast. “And who would you have picked?” 

I glanced at the others, my brain still scrambling to make sense of any of this while trying to win my debate. “Maybe… Ratchet?” I guessed. He looked competent. Someone who might actually rein Luke in instead of egging him on. 

Luke made a face. “Nah. Looks like he’d make me eat my vegetables.” 

I sighed, glancing at Mum, making sure she wasn’t listening. “You don’t have…” I hesitated again, then forced the words out. “Dad isn't reliable. And I don’t think Mum can handle you getting into more trouble. The twins might be fun, but they don’t look responsible.” 

Luke scoffed, but his shoulders tensed slightly from the truth of my words. “I don’t need some replacement father, Cat. I’ll be fine.” 

That stung.

Luke lived with Dad. That had been his choice, made in some naïve hope that by being there, by staying in his space, Dad would *see* him. That they would have the connection he always wanted. 

I had stopped believing in that years ago. I had stopped waiting for Dad to change and stopped expecting anything more than the bare minimum. But Luke was still young. Still convinced that if he tried just hard enough, he could have that relationship he wanted. 

It was why he never complained when Dad forgot things. Why he never said anything when plans were changed or when promises were broken. Or if dad suddenly found a new girlfriend every two months. He just kept trying, kept waiting. 

And now, instead of someone who might offer him guidance, he had two Autobots who looked like they would encourage every reckless thought he ever had. 

I clenched my jaw. I didn’t want to continue this in front of everyone, opting to drop the topic. “Just…” I dropped my voice further, barely above a whisper. “Just be careful, okay?” 

Luke sighed like I was the one being dramatic. “I’ll be fine, Cat.” 

I wasn’t convinced. 

Mum was watching us. I could feel it. She didn’t say anything, didn’t interrupt, but her gaze flickered between us, sharp and assessing. She worried about Luke. She worried about me too. Even from her chair, she was still a force, still our protector in ways Dad never will be. And yet, I could see it—the helplessness she tried so hard to hide. The knowledge that, no matter how much she wanted to, she couldn’t be the one to keep Luke in check. 

She was trusting the Autobots to do that now. 

William Lennox moved toward her, crouching slightly so his voice wouldn’t carry. “They’ll look after him,” he murmured in her ear. “They’re a handful, yeah, but they know when to be serious, and they are reliable. I promise.” 

Mum exhaled slowly, her fingers loosening from the armrests of her chair. She didn’t answer right away, her gaze still locked on Luke, but then she gave the smallest of nods. 

Then, the next announcement came. 

“And... I shall be Kathy’s and Cathrine Patail’s guardian.” 

I felt the words settle into my bones like a weight. 

I turned to look at him— Optimus Prime. 

He was different from the others. Not just in size but in the way he carried himself. He wasn’t just another soldier. He was the one in charge. And yet, he was meant to be *our* guardian? 

Mum accepted it without hesitation, her nod firm, as if this was the most natural thing in the world.  If anything, she appeared more relieved than before.

Meanwhile, I was still gaping like a fish out of water. Thinking we would've gotten Wheeljack.

I huffed, dragging a hand down my face. This was not happening. 

“Wait,” I said suddenly. “Luke, how are you supposed to bring two cars home with Dad there? You don't even have a license!” 

Luke scratched the back of his neck. “Uh…” He thought for a second. “I could say they’re my friends’ cars?” 

I stared. “That wouldn’t—” 

“No need to stress, man!” a voice cut in. 

I turned, my breath catching as two humans stepped out from Sunstreaker and Sideswipe’s alt-modes. Or at least they looked human. 

“Holo-forms,” one of them said, grinning. 

Luke’s eyes widened. “Oh, that’s sick.” 

I was still trying to catch up. “Wait, what?” 

Optimus nodded toward them. “Ratchet developed holo-forms to assist with blending into human society.” 

Luke chuckled. “Guess that solves that problem.” He rolled his shoulders, then shrugged. “Not like Dad would notice anyway.” 

The words were too casual. Too empty. 

I felt Mum’s gaze sharpen. I knew she wouldn’t say anything, not now, but later… later, she would. 

And suddenly, the excitement of the Autobots. Everything felt too quiet now. Too still, like the world itself was waiting to see what we would do next. 

Optimus was the first to break the silence. "It is time to head home.” 

His voice was steady, certain, a quiet command that left no room for argument. 

Luke exhaled sharply through his nose and rolled his shoulders like he was shaking off invisible weight. He turned to Sideswipe’s holoform, the grinning, blonde-haired version of the Autobot standing beside the sleek silver car. The image flickered faintly in the dim light, but it was convincing enough to pass for humans. 

Luke smirked, the same cocky, unbothered expression he always wore when he wanted people to believe he was fine. “Guess I’m with you guys,” he said, jerking his chin toward Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. 

But I saw it. 

For just a second, his bravado cracked. 

His grip tightened at his sides, his jaw clenching as his eyes flickered toward Mum, then to me. He wasn’t just leaving with a pair of reckless Autobots. He was leaving behind us after everything that happened in the last 24 hours.

This wasn’t like when he stayed at Dad’s. This wasn’t some weekend visit at mums. Everything had shifted. Everything had changed. 

And for a moment, just one fleeting vulnerable moment... I saw him afraid. 

Mum has seen it too. Her hands twitched on the armrests of her wheelchair, like she wanted to reach for him but knew she shouldn't. Luke always got defensive with showing vulnerability.

Then, just as quickly as it had come, the look was gone. Luke shook himself off, rolling his neck like he was resetting something inside himself. “Well, this’ll be interesting,” he said, his voice light, forced. “See you guys soon, yeah?” 

Mum gave him a small nod, her eyes lingering on him a second longer than necessary. “Stay safe, Luke. I love you.” 

I crossed my arms, watching him carefully. “Don’t let them get you arrested loser.” 

Luke smirked, stepping toward the car. “No promises dumbass.” 

He hesitated just before sliding into the passenger seat, his hand resting on the door for half a second longer than normal. "Love you too mum."

Then, without another word, he got in, and the door shut behind him. 

Sideswipe’s headlights flickered to life, and just like that, he was gone, disappearing into the night with Sunstreaker close behind. 

I didn’t move. Neither did Mum. 

For the first time in a long time, I wasn’t sure what to do. 

William Lennox stepped forward, breaking me out of my thoughts. Without a word, he crouched slightly beside Mum’s wheelchair, his movements practised, efficient. He didn’t ask if she needed help—he knew she did, but he didn’t make a big deal out of it. I saw Mum exhale slowly, the stiffness in her shoulders easing just a little at the quiet show of respect. 

Lennox adjusted the footplates, locking the chair in place as he braced himself. “Alright, Kathy. Ready?” 

Mum nodded. “Go for it.” 

With steady hands, Lennox lifted her, keeping his movements smooth and controlled as he helped her into Optimus’s cab. The weight of her dependence on others had never sat well with her, but she accepted it here, letting him assist without protest. 

As soon as she was settled, Lennox made sure her chair was secured in the truck’s storage before stepping back. He nodded toward me, waiting. I swallowed and climbed in after her, feeling the cool leather seat beneath me as I shifted into place. 

I exhaled, my thoughts still spinning, but something else pulled at my focus. 

A stare. 

I felt it before I turned my head. 

Ironhide. 

He stood a little off to the side, his massive frame still unreadable. His optics weren’t just watching — they were studying. There was something knowing in the way he regarded me, something weighing, measuring. He knew. 

He believed there was something more to Optimus choosing to be our guardian. 

I swallowed but didn't break the stare. I had no idea why Optimus had made this choice, why he had singled us out, but Ironhide clearly had thoughts about it. 

After a moment, the old Autobot gave a slight nod, almost to himself, then turned away, stepping back toward the others.

Optimus’s voice filled the cab. “We will arrive three hours and thirty-seven minutes. I suggest you rest, as your mother has.” 

I glanced at Mum. Her hands were still, but I could tell she wasn’t ready to sleep yet. She was listening with her eyes closed.

I hesitated before speaking, my voice quiet. “Are you actually going to be around?” 

Optimus didn’t answer right away. Then, finally... "I do not abandon my responsibilities.” 

I swallowed, staring out the window. 

Dad had. 

I sighed, closing my eyes. “Alright, Prime.” 

There was a pause. “Do not use my title. You may call me Optimus.” 

I hesitated, then muttered, “Then call me Cat instead of Cathrine.” 

He made a thoughtful sound. “Cat. A feline designation… peculiar. Yet, if you wish it, I shall call you as such.” 

I huffed out a tired laugh. “Don’t overthink it, Optimus.” 

Mum exhaled softly. I wasn’t sure if it was relief or something else. I closed my eyes, trying to chase sleep.