Mechanical love

Chapter sixteen

When the base of Diego Garcia had finally come into view on the horizon, Carol felt more relief than she'd ever experienced in her life.

This was the place that had always been safe; the place where her Autobots and her soldiers could rest their hearts and lick their wounds.

And in some ways...it was where her life had truly begun, because now when she thought of being without N.E.S.T, or any of the Autobots; it damn near broke her heart.

She couldn't imagine her life without them now, and she knew that there would never be any turning back from this war no matter what; not that she ever planned to turn and run.

After the aircraft had landed safely on the runway and the troupe of Alt-formed Autobots pulled off into the main hangar, she gave a contented sigh from the driver's seat of the Peterbilt.

"You're finally home, Optimus." She said happily, patting the steering wheel with a fond affection.

Her jet lag was unreal; after all they'd gone from Diego Garcia, to New Jersey, then to Egypt and finally back to Diego Garcia, all in the span of just a few short days.

It felt like it had been forever, and her body was paying the price.

She lolled her head back against the seat and yawned. Every muscle in her body ached from exhaustion; she'd never been a very good traveler, even as a child her family vacations to California had always taken a massive toll on her body.

Flying always took it out of her; and as Optimus sensed her weariness, the radio cracked to life when they entered the Autobots' hangar.

"Are you alright, Crolina?" he asked her gently, rolling the truck into the hangar and coming to a gentle halt.

She ran her fingers through her tangled mass of hair and piled it high on her scalp; leaning against the headrest to keep it off her neck.

"Never better; I'm just looking forward to going home, having some godforsaken M&Ms, and getting some much-needed sleep."

"Would you like me to drive you home?" he asked her gently.

She gave another yawn and shook her head, knowing he could see her. "You don't have to do that. You need some time to rest too, Chief."

There was a brief pause over the radio before his question changed into a request.

"....May I drive you home?"

A blush crossed her cheeks at the words that came out of the speakers, unable to hide her flattered grin, "Well I guess when you put it like that..." she teased, "...how could I possibly refuse?"

Carolina stopped and thought about something for a minute before continuing though, "But what I'm going to do first, is go and collect my things, so stretch your legs for a little while okay?"

She gently ran a hand over the seat, trailing her fingers softly over the leather; delighting in the opportunity to relax him a little.

She knew the effect that the tiny touches would have had on the Autobot and she was glad that she had a way to comfort him; even if it was only something as small as a gesture.

The engine to the truck cut out and she took this as confirmation to her words and unclipped her seatbelt to climb out of the cabin.

Her hand trailed on the door handle and she stepped down onto the concrete.

"I'll see you in a few minutes." She smiled, patting the door gently before it closed on its own.

As she made her way towards the locker rooms she passed the other Autobots, who were all in their true forms; and she waved at them with a smile that was full of more energy than she'd had in the last few days.