Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Transformers the movie. Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy and Transformers belongs to Hasbro while the movie belongs to Michael Bay.

A/N: Again, sorry for the wait. Work, school, final, winter break with no internet access kept me from being able to update... plus the fact that my laptop is having a major UTI .

Why Must Everything Suck?

“You want me to what...?”

The meeting had ended about ten minutes ago. Xander had taken Willow back to campus while Giles, Anya and Buffy had all went to the hospital. Dawn had said she would catch up later. Now, the robots were all conversing in their own language which sounded pretty bizarre to her. Sam and Mikaela sat quietly off to the side, occasionally glancing in their direction. Dawn had dragged her off to a very, very secluded spot to explain her reasoning. She still could not believe what was being asked of her.

Dawn leaned back against the tree, arms crossed, eyes like steel. “I want you to get rid of whatever the Hell is connecting me to him. It's nothing but trouble and I have enough crap to deal with. I don't need some jerk robot's secondhand drama tossed into my head.”

Tara sighed and paced, trying to figure out how to handle this. “Dawn... I don't know if this is such a good idea. I don't know if I'm even strong enough to do that. I... I can probably do a spell to see what's connecting you and maybe I might be able to block your emotions from him and vice versa but I don't know if I can get rid of it. I don't even know what 'it' is.”

While Tara spoke the teenager's breathing was becoming erratic with anger. When she was done Dawn turned to look at her. “You have no idea what it's like... Having drama in your head that isn't even yours... Feeling how mad and upset he is with you when you had perfect reasoning for doing what you did... And then there's this irritating reaching out, it's always there, in the back of my head.” She sighed and looked up at the sky. “At first, it was pretty cool but then he has to go and be a big jerk after one of the crappiest nights of my life.”

Tara stood next to her next to her and put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. “Dawn...” she started but the girl had already pushed from the tree and started to pace. Apparently the venting was not over yet.

“And, you'd think that with all the crap I did for him, the lying, the lying and... oh yeah, the lying, that he'd be able to let it go. Oh, but no! He has to get all high and mighty like Buffy and after all of the friggin' lying I did for his stupid metal butt...” She stopped and angrily shook her head, glaring at some unseen point on the ceiling. “Lying about where I was, lying about being gay, lying about Mom's tumor and-”

“Wait, what?!”

Dawn stopped and met Tara's shocked gaze; the color instantly drained from her face. “Oh crap...”

Standing up, Tara moved towards Dawn who backed up a bit. “What do you mean you lied about your mom's tumor?”

Losing all of her previous fire, the young girl wrung her fingers together and shifted on her feet. “When... Mom passed out that night... it was the same night I had first met the rest of the Autobots...” She looked down at the ground, unable to meet Tara's gaze. “Me and Mikaela got her outside and Mikaela had Ratchet scan her... he knew what was wrong with her in, like, ten seconds and told me. I knew what was wrong with her way before the doctors did... and I didn't tell you guys because I didn't want to out them.”

Hazel eyes widened in shock and disbelief as Tara took this in. “You knew?”

Nodding guiltily, Dawn looked up at her, tears filling her eyes. “I'm sorry... I just... I...” Her bottom lip trembled and she tried to wipe away the evidence of her guilt.

Tara pulled the girl into her arms and stroked her hair. “Oh... Dawnie...”

“I'm sorry!” Dawn sobbed into her shoulder. “I just... It's weird! I mean, I haven't known them long but they're like the best friends I ever had. They actually listen to me, they make me feel important and they don't treat me like a stupid kid... I couldn't rat them out... I didn't know what would happen if Buffy found out about them so...” She lifted her head and looked at the young witch miserably. “How mad are you?”

The older girl sighed and hugged her. “Well... its not like you could've said 'My giant robot friend x-rayed my mom's head' so I get why you didn't say anything. And this was before Buffy was attacked by... Barricade so I understand the logic of keeping it a secret. But... yeah, I am a little mad but I won't get on your case about it... it's not like I haven't done things too...” At Dawn's confused look, Tara cleared her throat. “Things that... I'm not comfortable talking about... and its not because you're young... not even Willow knows and... I'd really appreciate it if you didn't say anything to Will about this... and I won't say anything to Buffy about... what you've told me.”

Nodding, Dawn pulled away and wiped away the last bit of her tears. “Thanks...”

"Dawn?"

Both girls looked up to see Sam standing there. "Yeah?" She asked, trying to make it look like she was fine.

"Hey, you okay?" Sam asked concerned and she nodded.

"Yeah, just a little overwhelmed and stuff... I'm cool now." She sighed and straightened herself out. "What's up?"

"Optimus wants to talk to you."

Dawn's stomach dropped to her thighs. Well, she was fine up until now.

S.S.S.

“How you holdin' up, Giles?”

StartLed out of his slight daze, the Watcher turned to Buffy who was in the passenger seat. “Oh... well, um... I'm holding up well enough... though being introduced to thirty foot tall alien robots rattled me a bit...” He sighed and made a turn. “I can't believe Dawn new about them for a week and did not say anything...”

The Scooby and Autobot meeting had ended a few minutes ago and now everyone was heading where they needed to be. Xander had taken Willow back to campus as she had a study group to lead. Tara had stayed behind with Dawn and the others surprisingly and Giles was currently driving Buffy to the hospital to check on her mom and then they were heading back to the Magic Box.

“I don't know why you're all so surprised.” Anya said from the back seat. “You really think with the way everyone lies and lies that the child is going to be any better?”

Buffy turned to look at her. “What's that supposed to mean?”

Undaunted Anya continued. “Well, come on. You lying to your mother about being the Slayer and then to everyone else about Angel? Willow about Tara? Xander about Cordelia before he cheated on her with Willow? You people all lie the mold spreads and you think that the kid, who grew up around all this, is going to be a little fountain of truth?” She scoffed and nestled into the cushions. “Someone's been slapped with the delusional stick...”

“Anya...” Giles said warningly, not wanting to upset Buffy.

“Wait, so you're saying that this is our fault?!” Buffy demanded the ex-demon.

“Well...” she paused to think then nodded. “Mm-hmm, kinda.”

They pulled in front of the hospital and Buffy exited the car, fuming mad. Giles and Anya exited more slowly, the Watcher stopping to give Anya an annoyed look which didn't phase the girl at all.

“What?” She shook her head and sighed. I bet Dawn's friends are giving her this much crap...

S.S.S.S

“Dawn, may I speak with you a moment?”

At the prickly edge in Optimus's voice, Dawn slowly made her way over to him, much like a puppy who knew it was about to be whipped. She knew this was coming, ever since he asked her why she didn't report her attack to the cops last night.

Sitting on a rock, she swallowed the lump in her throat and raised her eyes to him. His arms were crossed and he was gazing down at her with that same look her mother got when she did something she had no business doing.

“Optimus, I-”

“Dawn,” he interrupted, “While I understand why you chose not to tell us about the... oddities that you encounter, you still should have informed us.”

Her nose began to prickle. Don't cry. Don't cry. “I know...”

“Since this planet is now our new home we must know of all of its possible dangers, especially if we are to protect you and our other human allies.”

Why was it when Buffy and Ironhide gave her this speech she wanted nothing more than to make with the slapping but when Optimus said she wanted to beg for forgiveness?

Probably because he makes a point and using the 'disapprove-y voice instead of making with the angry yelling... Disapprove-y is always way worse.

And with it being way worse, the tears Dawn fought hard to keep at bay slowly slid down her cheeks. “I'm sorry...”

“Hey, Optimus...” Sam moved over to them. “Don't be too mad at her... She did tell us... kind of.” He looked back to Bumblebee who nodded.

“It was after what happened with her mom.” Mikaela put in. “She told us about demons, and vamps... and something about hyena people...”

At that the bots all turned to Dawn with confused looks and she shrugged. “I was ten or eleven when that happened... all I know was Xander got possessed my some weird hyena thing and he turned into a huge jerk and then he and his pack ate a live pig... It was a thing.”

Sam, Mikaela and the bots all boggled at her while Tara gave a light nod. “Oh yeah, Willow told me about that...”

“Oh, I have to sit...” Mikaela muttered, flopping onto a patch of grass.

“Uh... yeah,” Sam scratched the back of his head, tucking that bit of info away. “That's creepy...” He then turned to Optimus. “But she did tell us, and not too many people believe in that kind of thing so she was probably scared we'd think she was a whack job or something.”

“And she told me she knew two witches...” Mikaela said and then turned to Ironhide. “You were there.”

The black bot grudgingly nodded. “Yes, she mentioned it and we both said we didn't buy into that kind of insanity.”

At that, Tara bit back a snicker. Bet he bought into it now.

“And it's not like she knew about the Decepticons that were here...” Mikaela put in. Dawn had been through enough, she didn't need more angry bots fuming down her back.

Optimus considered this then turned to the blonde female who stood farther apart from the rest of them. “Tara, you knew of the Decepticons, correct?”

She jerked and turned to him, having that deep voice address her made the witch jump a bit.“Huh... oh... well, I... Buffy told us about it but we d-didn't believe her at first.”

“She also said that he was aiding a... demon?”

Before Tara could speak, Sam nodded. “Yeah, I saw it.” He shivered at the memory. “She was... she was a hot mess! Her face was reddish brown, spikes on the cheekbones, a piranha mouth and her eyes were like rattlesnake eyes... she even had a forked tongue.”

Tara's brow furrowed in thought. “I've never heard of that kind of demon... Maybe Anya knows about it... or, maybe Spike...”

Again Sam perked up. “Spike was talking to her like he knew her. He said her name was Cheryl or... something.”

“Spike?” Ratchet inquired. “The reanimated human corpse?”

“The one that almost bit you and you spazzed like a sparkling.” Ironhide smirked and Ratchet growled.

“Shove it up your exhaust port, slagger.”

“Anyway...” Sam said, clearly not liking being interrupted, “yeah, he definitely knew her. The were insulting each other, then she asked how was someone named 'Dru' and then he charged and they tried to kill each other. Then Frenzy attacked me and that's all I heard...”

“Why would a demon want to help out Decepticons?” Mikaela wondered.

“For their own reasons.” Dawn put in. “Demons have a hundred reasons for everything and ninety-nine of those reasons are totally for something bad.” She turned to Optimus. “And it had Barricade attack Buffy... I'm going to guess that she knew that she couldn't take her on so she recruited something way stronger to take her out...”

Optimus considered this. “We will need more information on this creature. I believe our best option would be to talk to Spike.” His gaze went back to Dawn. “Are you certain he cannot harm humans?” he asked and she nodded.

“Oh yeah. He's got a chip in his head that gives him huge headaches whenever he attacks a living thing.”

“He tried to attack me and he seemed fine.” Ratchet pointed out.

“The government designed the chip and you know they suck.” Was all Dawn had to offer as an explanation.

No one really argued with that.

“He lives in the cemetery, right?” Ratchet asked.

“Yeah, but he's not going to come out now. It's still the afternoon.” Dawn informed him. “You'll have to wait till sunset.”

“Do they really sleep during the day and don't wake up until dusk?” Mikaela asked and Dawn shook her head.

“No, they can wake up. And really don't want to deal with a cranky Spike.”

“But you said he can't hurt humans.” Sam said.

“Yeah, but he can be really crabby.”

S.S.S.S

“So, you don't remember how Glory got into the room?”

Joyce shook her head and her daughter sighed, reaching out to stroke her hair. “I'm sorry I didn't get there in time...”

“It's fine, I was saved, remember?” Speaking of which... “So... Dawn knew about this for a week and didn't tell any of us?”

“Pretty much.”

Joyce sighed and leaned back against the pillows. The moment Buffy came to the hospital, she demanded that her daughter explain everything that had happened with that giant yellow thing that saved her and apparently knew her youngest. Buffy had tried to keep it from her but one adversary the Slayer could not stand against was the Angry Mother and she reluctantly told her what was probably a watered down version of what was really going on. It seemed that Dawn was a much better liar than she originally gave her credit for.

“And where is she now?” She asked Buffy.

“Uh... with Tara.” She said with a bright Botox smile that Joyce didn't buy for a minute.

“She's with them, isn't she?”

The Slayer nodded, finding whatever was on the tiled floor really interesting. Joyce sighed. “Get her here. I need to have a talk with her.”

S.S.S

Sweet Dreams are made of this

Who had a mind to disagree...

Tara quickly retrieved the phone and flipped it open. “Hello?... Oh, hey Buffy... No, I'm still with Dawn...” Her eyes widened. “Oh... okay, I'll tell her. Okay, bye.” Tara hung up the phone and turned to Dawn. “That was Buffy. She's at the hospital now. Your mom really wants to talk to you.”

Just when Dawn though her stomach couldn't think any further, it dropped all the way to her ankles.

S.S.S

“So, you're mother wishes to speak with Dawn...? Are you sure that's wise given her condition?”

Buffy sighed and leaned against the wall, staring up at the ceiling. The two were now in the waiting room while Anya chatted with Joyce, probably about her rabbit phobia or her general impression of the aliens that they met. “I don't know... I tried to change her mind but she's so stubborn...”

“Must be hereditary...” Giles said with a slight smile which Buffy returned before turning serious.

“I just keep thinking about what they said... That Dawn is linked to one of them... Do you think it has anything to do with...?” She trailed off.

Sighing, Giles removed his glasses. “I'm, uh, not sure. I hardly find it a coincidence that the two of them meet right on the same day you encounter Glory and then find out the truth about Dawn.” He replaced the glasses. “In any case, I think its best if we find out the whole nature of this connection... She picks up his emotions and vice versa. Funny, I didn't even know robots could have emotions...”

“Yeah, that is weird...” Buffy mused then sighed. “Do you think I should've told them? About Dawn?”

Giles thought for a moment then shook his head. “Honestly, I think you did the right thing. While they may be on our side, we know nothing of them or what they would do if they knew the truth about her... Which we barely know ourselves as it seems...”

Buffy opened her mouth to reply but stopped when the elevator doors opened and Dawn stepped out, followed by Tara, Sam and Mikaela. Her sister met her eyes for a moment but immediately turned away from her, going straight ahead to her mother's room while the others hung back.

She sighed and stood by her mother's door apprehensively. This was not going to go over well.

S.s.s.S

“And the yellow and red one, Ratchet, and I had a discussion on the horrors of gynecology. It was nice talking to someone who didn't tell me hush at every given moment. I hope I see more of him.” Anya smiled while Joyce scratched her head.

“That's... nice, Anya. So, they seemed nice?” Joyce asked, wanting to know all she could about the metal giants that hung around her daughter. Talking with Anya had cooled her down a little.

“Oh yes, well, the black one was a little grumpy but not evil and-oh!” She stopped when the door opened. “Hi Dawn.” And being the smart ex-demon she was, she knew this was her exit cue. “Um, I'm going to... not be here...” and she hurriedly left the room, shutting the door behind her.

Joyce stared hard at Dawn, displeasure on every inch of her face. “Sit down.”

Dawn sat.

“First of all, young lady, how could you keep such a thing from us? Alien life forms?”

Dawn fought to think of a reason. “Government secret. You're the one who told me to obey the law.” It seemed she had gotten enough of people berating her. Once she'd reached her limit, that was when the attitude started to flow. With Optimus, she knew why she was guilty, he had done nothing but help her and he made valid points, plus he didn't come at her like a freight train from Hell like everyone else was doing, her mother included.

Joyce's brows nearly hit her hairline at the edge in Dawn's voice. “Watch your tone, Dawn. Now, you're going to tell me everything and you're going to tell me right now.”

s,s,s,

“So... How do you think it's going?”

Mikaela sat with Sam in the waiting room, waiting on whatever news Dawn came out with on how her mother reacted. At her question, Sam gave a humorless snort.

“Somehow I don't think she's going to be as understanding as mine were.” Mikaela gave a light nod of agreement.

Tension was thick between the two of them, Sam's anger at her flew around the room like locusts while her guilt made it hard to breathe. Unable to take the silence, Mikaela shifted in her seat.

“Sam...”

“Not now.” His voice stung like a whip.

Not a girl to take orders from anyone, Mikaela grabbed his hand and yanked him down the hall to a secluded area so she could talk with him.

“Sam, look, I'm sorry. You're mad that I went to hang out with Dawn when everyone and everything went to Hell on her?”

Shaking his head, he let out a humorless laugh. “I'm not mad that you hung out with her. I get that and I get why she left. I get why you left... what I don't get is why you couldn't let me know. I could've went out there too.”

Ebony brows shot up and she squared her shoulders. “Oh, are you sure you wouldn't have sent her into an abandoned house with your Buffy worship? That's what ran her to the garage in the first place. God, the girl had to hold herself back from yanking her sister's hair out and then you go asking her question after question about her like she's friggin' Britney Spears and Dawn's a backup singer.”

Shocked, Sam's brown eyes widened and he made a disbelieving noise. “Is that it? You were jealous of Buffy?” Now he let out a humorless laugh. “So, because you're insecure and jealous, you leave your boyfriend all alone after he nearly got eaten alive?” He shook his head. “Wow.”

Blue eyes widening in acute guilt, Mikaela lost all of her earlier fire. “Sam...” She put a hand on his shoulder. “Sam, I'm sorry... I didn't...”

“No,” Sam shook her shoulder off. “No, you didn't.” Then he turned and left, leaving Mikaela standing alone in the hallway, tears welling in her eyes.

s.s.s.

"So you snuck out at night? Twice at that, went to a place where they serve alcohol and-"

"Oh God, Mom. Buffy went to the Bronze all the time and they check IDs there. No drinking from the minor. And besides, alcohol is for straight losers." Dawn couldn't believe her Mom was on her case like this.

"I don't know if I want you hanging around them." Joyce said suddenly.

It was like someone punched her in the gut with an iron fist.

"What?!"

"Keep it down..."

"Mom, that's so unfair! Why? What'd they do besides save you from being pavement pancake? Nothing. They're the good guys. They help people."

"I know they help people and I'm grateful to that yellow and black one for saving me and beating up the one that threatened Buffy and tried to hurt her, but..." She sighed and spoke gently but firm. "Dawn, they're in the middle of some galactic war and I don't want you involved in that."

Tears of complete frustration and anguish spilling from her eyes, Dawn squared her shoulder and stared her mother in the eye, something she never once did before when she fought with her. "I'm one of their human contacts. They need me. They lost their home and they need friends. Would have me shun a foreign exchange student at school?" Her voice rose and wobbled with each word.

"This is not the same, Dawn, and you know it." Joyce said adamantly. "Now, I've already made this mistake with Buffy when she was your age and-"

That was the straw that broke the camal's back. "Why does my life have to suck just because Buffy's a freak!?"

Outside, Buffy jerked and her eyes widened, hurt by her sister's harsh words. Sam had just come around the corner and heard what she said. "Ouch... That was harsh."

Buffy said nothing, only walked away to go find solitude.

Inside, Joyce glared at her youngest child in outrage. "Don't you talk about your sister that way. She didn't ask for what's happening to her."

"And I asked to have my life policed just because of what she is? God, you make out like she's so wonderful while I'm just some little moron. Just because she's all special and whatever I gotta live like a leper?"

"My oldest is already in constant danger, I don't want that to happen to you too." Joyce took a deep breath. "Now, I know this is hurts but I'm your mother and I know what's best for you. You will not be seeing them. Is that clear?"

Tears streaming now, Dawn dashed out of the room, not saying anything. She pushed past Sam and bypassed Tara who was coming from the cafeteria. She thought she saw Mikaela crying but wasn't too sure. She did however see Buffy leaning against the wall in the hallway. Stopping, she finally spoke to her sister for the first time since last night.

"You ruin everything!"

And she continued on her angry tirade out of the hospital, leaving her sister standing there in shock. However, Buffy was quick to recover and she went after her, grabbing her by the arm. "Me? This is your fault. You should've been more honest with-"

"You're the last one to give me the honesty lecture." Dawn hissed, eyes blazing. "And I finally have something in my life that was awesome, that didn't suck and then you get involve and behold! What happens? Enter suckage."

Buffy was not going to stand here and take this from her. "Dawn, she would've forbade you from hanging out with them even if I wasn't involved."

"Yeah, because she doesn't want me to end up like you. She doesn't want my life to be all weird like yours. So, even if you're not directly involved you still make my life suck." She sighed and shook her head. "I can't have cool friends, I can't hang out, I can't do this and I can't do that all because Mom's all overprotective-y and I'm sick of it. I'm sick of paying for what you are."

Buffy took a deep breath to calm herself. "Dawn, I can't help what I am." Just like you can't help what you are... you just don't know and you can't know.

"I know you can't help it..." Dawn seemed a little calmer now, no empty and that somehow was worse than her angry tirades. "You can't help it... and everyone else has to suffer because of it. I finally had people who listened to me... Who cared about what I had to say and didn't treat me like a nuisance... I can't even have that... I can't even have my own friends."

When Dawn turned and left this time, Buffy did not stop her. She stood there for a moment with a heavy heart before heading back to her mother's room.

s.s.s.

Tara had stood on the sidelines, listening to the entire fight between the two. When it was over she debated on which sister to go to and finally settled on Dawn. It seemed like Buffy needed some time with her thoughts.

She found Dawn outside, walking away from the hospital. A soft breeze rustled her hair and her pace was sluggish, like she had the weight of the world attached to each ankle. Jogging slightly, she caught up with her after a while. "Hey..." She said gently, putting her arm around her shoulder. "Maybe... maybe she'll come around. She's just really shaken up right now. Give her some time to sort everything out..."

Dawn said nothing, only stared at the ground blankly as she moved. It seemed like forever until she finally spoke. "Why does this keep happening? Why can't we just... be happy?"

Tara sighed. "I don't know, sweetie."

"Buffy has Riley, you have Willow, Xander has Anya... even Spike has a ho he can bang. Why can't I just have friends...?"

Tara fought to think of a comforting word but was cut off by a blaring radio. Rolling Stones if she wasn't mistaken.

Hey, hey, baby, honey what's wrong with you?

Both girls looked up to see Bumblebee pulling up next to them. At the sight of him Dawn broke into tears. "Bee..."

The Camaro's door popped open and she slid in. Tara just sat down on a nearby bench, deciding to leave the two alone.

Inside, the dam inside Dawn broke. "Mom said I can't see you anymore... She says its too dangerous... And not just you, but all of you. Maybe even Sam and Mikaela too..." She sighed and wiped at her eyes, feeling more hopeless than ever. "She's grateful to you for saving her but doesn't want me mixed up in the whole Decepticon thing..."

Bumblebee's spark twitched at the thought of not being able tosee Dawn again. In the course of a week he had grown quite fond of the girl. But, he could also see her mother's reasoning and understand it as well. With Decepticons lurking around, he did not want to see her hurt.

"Dawn..." He spoke carefully, his voice still giving him trouble. "I don't want to see you hurt... and there's a high chance of that with Decepticons lurking around..."

"There's a chance of me being hurt everyday just living here!" Dawn practically shrieked. "But does Mom want to see that?! No! She moved us out to the Hellmouth where I can get killed just walking outside for the mail. Not all demons come out at night but does she keep me from going to school? No. She's so hopped up on not having me be like Buffy that she doesn't get that she's ruining my life! I can't even have friends!"

Cycling a sad sigh, Bumblebee continued. "Dawn... for what its worth, I'll miss you like crazy."

The girl sniffled and rested her head on the dashboard, her tears leaking onto his interior. Her breath came out in one melancholy sigh. "Me too, Bee..."

On the bench, Tara watched the scene with sad eyes. Why couldn't that poor girl just catch a break? Now she had to lose the best friends she ever had? Well, most of them at least. She was connected to one of them... even though they were currently fighting.

Tara turned, glancing at the Topkick who was parked a few spaces from Bumblebee. Considering he thought Dawn was a nuisence, she couldn't help but wonder how he would feel about this.

S.S.S

"Mom... Do you think that was the best choice?"

Joyce stared at Buffy in shock. Since when did Buffy stand up for Dawn? "Buffy, I don't want her around some space war or whatever is going on here."

Buffy sighed and leaned back against the wall. As much as she hated to admit it, Dawn was right. And what Willow said last night was right as well. Dawn deserved to have actual friends... and friends who could look out after her just as well, if not better which she admitted grudgingly to herself, than she could. Every now and then she asked herself why she was doing this. With the way Dawn was acting she certainly had no reason to. Only Dawn's hopeless, empty tear-streaked face came to mind and she turned back to her mom.

"Look, I'm not condoning her behavior or anything but... seriously, do you think forbidding a teenager to do something is going to stop her? She wants to meet up with them, she'll find a way. And... I think it would be good for them to be around. I've met them, you've met them. They're really nice, Mom. And Bumblebee is adorable. He saved you. Ratchet's... a little Anya-ish but we can work with that. And the leader guy's really nice as well. The other one... I don't really know about him but he seemed-"

Buffy was cut off by the phone in Joyce's room. Joyce held up one hand to silence her daughter then picked up the phone with the other. "Hello?"

"Joyce Summers. This is Ironhide."