Anonymous (Bayverse)

Chapter 1

A/N: A quick 'Thank you' note to MidnightRosePax and TheFangirlSituation for helping me finally develop Zoe's character. You guys rock! :)

Definetly check out their stories whenever possible!

Enjoy!

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Zoe woke with a jolt. Sweat dripped down her face and her body was uncomfortably warm.

She threw off her blankets in a rush. Zoe swung her legs over onto the floor and relaxed, feeling the coolness of the wood underneath her feet. She rubbed her eyes tiredly then she glanced at her digital clock on her bedside.

6:48 am.

Zoe resisted a whine. To a normal person in the ordinary world, this time woud have affected their day. For example, school or work. Considering Zoes age, she should be in school. But she was trapped in this cabin, shielded away from the outside world so she had different worries. A normal person would be fearful about the lack of sleep.

Zoe wasn't.

She was fearful of sleep.

Zoe was scared of the demons she must face alone and forever. She had no comfort after a nightmare. No parent to wipe her tears. No parent to curl next to.

Her shoulders slumped and she turned her attention to her door which was closed. Perhaps a walk around the house would ease her mind and send her back into a sleep? A bit of hot chocolate could maybe even make the sleep more peaceful than the last?

Zoe stood weakly and headed to her door, her feet dragging. The bare feet made tiny squeaking noises as she glided from her bed to the entrance to the hallway. The darkness made her struggle for a moment to find the doorknob before she opened the door. The breeze of the hallway blew onto her face and slackened her previous tenseness. She took a breath before stepping out of her dark room. The light from the fire alarm and the bathroom light illuminated the hallway.

Zoe frowned at the reminder. Her mother used to turn off the light when she kept it on to let her room have a night light. She would wake and find the light off but her mother wasn't here. No one was, except her. She was alone. Was this light going to remind her forever? Was she ever going to get over it?

Zoe shuddered, not wanting to think about that tonight.

Zoe tucked a piece of tangled hair behind her ear and went down the stairs, turning away from the bathrooms light.

...

The slap across the scouts face sent an enjoyable laughter through the silver mech.

Barricade slowly lifted his faceplate, his optics narrowed but he spoke none. Starscreams smirk died as he raised his claw and poked him in the neck cable. Barricade remained still as Starscream was debating whether or not to kill him. Finally, he removed his claw.

"I don't want to hear you or your," Starscreams optics drifted to Frenzy by the black mechs side."...little pets false nickname about me again. Do I make myself clear?" Starscream rumbled. Barricade released a heavy vent but nodded.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I heard any confirmation." Starscream reached forward and grabbed his throat in his servo. "I said, do I make myself clear?" He snarled, his patience running paper thin. Barricade smirked slightly as he loved to aggravate the Seeker, because deep down inside that twisted spark of Starscreams, he needed Barricade.