For a long moment, Mikaela goes as still as Optimus. There is a flicker of worry that she may have pissed him off- but at the words, Mikaela laughs.

She stops and laughs until the tears come again, until they turn to sobs and she curls her legs up in his seat, hugging her knees as she struggles to breathe.

"Wow. J-just wow. And here I th-thought my story was p-pretty shit at the time."

She shakes her head, hair falling everywhere as she presses her face into her knees.

"I never wanted to le-leave, Optimus. I didn't have a choice in the matter."