Titans from Space. (Transformers Prime) (Wattys 2017)

::10::

Winter was silent as they drove towards the base. She didn't know what to think or expect anymore. The young woman fiddled with her fingers and kept silent as the agent spoke to the alien. She didn't know what they were talking about but she felt uneasy. The young woman continued to fiddle with her fingers as she became more nervous. A hand suddenly covered one of hers and she tensed.

"Miss Jenkins... I know the Autobots would never hurt you." McClellan said gently. "They are probably the most kind... beings I've met." He muttered. "Mr Optimus is a gentle and brave soul." He smiled slightly. The Prime was silent and felt a bit awkward with the compliment.

The agent wasn't like Fowler or any of the others they met. He respected the bots and felt they deserved more than what the government gave them.

"Agent McClellan... I..." the Prime trailed off unsure what to say.

"You're welcome Mr Optimus." The man said as he smiled slightly. Winter thought the man was weird for being kind to the robot.

She sighed shakily and stared at her hands then pulled her hand away from his. She hugged herself and stared out the window. They soon got to the base and she hesitantly got out. McClellan jumped out and wandered away to the staircase as Optimus transformed into his biped mode.

Winter screamed in surprise and fell back then glared at him before going to the human area. She glanced at her supposed guardian then glared and sat on the couch. She noticed the kids weren't here and neither were their guardians.

"Hello Mr Ratchet!" McClellan called and smiled brightly. The medic stuttered and looked at the agent. He didn't like being called that but for some reason didn't know how to tell the young man. There were some things the agent did that they were alright with.

"Agent McClellan... please don't..." he trailed off as the man leaned against the railing and watched him work. "Never mind..." he mumbled. The man seemed to be the only one that found interest in the Cybertronians. Everyone else in the agency just found them annoying and accident prone.

"What does this one mean?" McClellan asked as he pointed to a symbol on the computer.

"It doesn't matter what it means." Ratchet muttered. "Nor is it important for you to know." He snapped. McClellan shrugged and didn't seemed fazed by the grumpy bot.

"It's important, Mr Ratchet, if I am to better understand the people I work with." He said seriously. The medic stared at him blankly but didn't say anything.

Winter watched him and frowned deeply as he walked towards the office. After a few minutes she got up and followed then knocked on the door.

"Currently occupied with lunch!" McClellan yelled. She frowned a little more and knocked again then opened the door. The agent looked up at her as he was eating a sandwich.

"I said I was eating." He mumbled between his mouthful of food. She just stared at him then sat in the other chair across from the desk.

"How... how can you stand them?" She asked quietly. He blinked in surprise then set his lunch down. He got up and closed the door then looked at her.

"I'm sorry... what?" He asked as he sat down and cocked his head.

"How can you stand... those aliens? How can you be around them?" She asked as she furrowed her brow and folded her arms. He just stared at her blankly then got up and went to a filing cabinet. He pulled it open and looked through it.

"Mr Optimus is-"

"That's another thing." She cut in and he blinked in surprise then looked at her.

"I'm sorry... what?" He asked as he furrowed his brow.

"Why do you call them 'Mr' or whatever?" She asked as she looked at the wall and leaned against the chair.

"Um... well... I honestly don't know... I suppose I'm just respecting them. Kind of like how some people say 'sir' or 'ma'am." He said and went through some more files.

"I don't see why... they invaded our home." She muttered bitterly.

"Not by choice mind you." He said as he looked at her. "They were forced from their home and came here because-"

"They could have gone somewhere else!" She shouted and stood up quickly. "They didn't have to come here and destroy our planet with a war we aren't even supposed to be in!" She screamed. McClellan stared at her blankly then closed the file drawer.

"Miss Jenkins... I think-"

"Don't." She snapped angrily and glared at him. "I don't want anything to do with these robots." She seethed angrily. He didn't say anything then nodded slowly as he sat down and started typing.

"I'll see if I can... I'll try and..." he wasn't exactly sure what to say. He frowned deeply and looked at her again.

"Why can't you guys just get rid of them? These... these monsters." She said. "Is it too much to ask for the government to blast them somewhere-" McClellan slammed his hands on the desk and stood up.

"Don't you dare say that." He growled and glared at her. She blinked in surprise as she stared at him. He sighed forcefully and sat down again.

"I apologize. I have this argument with the government everyday." He said as he rubbed his face tiredly. She nodded and fell silent then he handed her paperwork to fill out. He spoke to her for a few minutes then got up and walked out of the room.

He stopped suddenly as he stared at Optimus who was watching him. The agent could tell by the pain in his optics that he heard her.

"Don't listen to her Optimus... I'm going to take care of everything." He said and smiled a little.

The agent then asked Bumblebee to drive them back to town when he got back. Winter stayed up late that night as she thought about how she felt. She stared at her hands then hung her head. They scared her so much.

The next day Don came to the house and knocked on the door. He was grinning excitedly as he held a single rose. He wanted to confess his love to Winter and finally move on. Elsie opened the door and narrowed her eyes.

"What do you want?" She growled as she folded her arms.

"Not you." He said as he smiled and walked in. She blinked in surprise as he wandered the house calling for Winter. Though she didn't answer.

"She isn't here Romeo." Elsie scoffed and glared at him.

"What?" He asked and looked at her then around the room. "Where is she?" He said and saw an envelope on the table with his name on it.

"I don't know. She just disappeared." She said and walked out to get some breakfast. Don looked at the envelope then opened it and read the letter.

Dear Don,

I'm sorry to have to leave like this and I hope you can forgive me. I also hope things go well with you and Elsie. Good luck with everything.

Winter

He stared at the short note and read it over a few times. He shook his head then put it in his pocket. He blinked back tears and dropped the rose then hung his head. She was gone. He choked back a sob as he felt his heart break again.

She just left.