It was pouring down rain in Jasper Nevada as a small group of people mourned the death of a loving and caring and hard working mother, June Darby. She hadn't lived through her horrifying encounter with the dangerous and deadly Decepticon, Arachnid.
June was helpless against the Con as Jack ran to save her but wasn't able to get to her in time before Arachnid cut the strand of webbing the held June hanging over the ledge, letting her fall to her death. Her screams of terror as she fell still haunted Jack Darby, her one and only son to this painful day as he watched his mothers casket be gently lowered down into the ground.
Tears of pain and great sorrow poured down Jack's face as the ground keepers started shoveling dirt the hole until it was full. They placed June's head stone over the grave which was a huge solid block of polished marble and on top of it was a perfect and life like engraving portrait of her surrounded by memory photos of her and her life.
Jack knew that the Government had paid for everything for his mother to have a proper burial and he was grateful for that.
Across the graveyard all the Autobots stayed in vehicle mode as they attended the funeral as bested they could and be there for Jack for then he needed them. It was now an hour passed the funeral ending and everyone had left but Jack was still standing there in front of his mother's grave, wish for her to come back, for all this to be a nightmare and that he'd wake up from it. But the cold rain and wind was a mockingly reminder that told him that it was real and that his last parent was gone.
Agent Fowler had come to the funeral along with the Autobots and was now walking back to speak with them.
"Prime." He greeted the semi.
"Agent Fowler, how if Jack holding up?" Optimus questioned the Agent.
Fowler shook his head.
"Not good Prime. On top of the his mother passing, the poor Kid is being kicked out of his home since he's not allowed to live on his own yet. The Government is letting him take things he wants to keep and put them in a storage unit that they're going to pay for him but. He's going to be sent to an orphanage to stay til he's eighteen. The Poor Kid's going to have to live there for two painful years until then." Agent Fowler replied, feeling so bad for the kid.
Optimus was confused by this.
"Why is he going to have to stay there, will no one let him live with them?" he questioned.
Agent Fowler looked back up at Optimus with a raised brow.
"You really don't know?" The Agent questioned.
When he didn't get a reply he sighed and looked back towards the grave site where Jacks till stood.
"Kids Jack's age or in their teens don't normally get adopted or taken in by families who want a kid. They're always looking for a much young kid that they can truly raise as their own." Agent Fowler explained.
The 'bots all turned their attention to Jack, startled by the news.
The teen, although feeling the attention hitting him in waves, continued to stare at the tombstone. His raven hair was plastered to his skin and he was soaked, failing to bring an umbrella of his own as the other mourners had, and he had no desire to take shelter within one of the Autobots like Miko and Raf.
Jack slowly sat on his knees, continuing to stare at the grave, dark blue-grey eyes looking almost lost.
He reached out a shaking hand and gently ran his finger tips over the outline of his mother's engraved picture.
"Mom." Jack crocked through his tears.
Jack couldn't hold back his emotions any longer and leaned over and started to scream and cry over his great loss and pain. His screams echoing throughout the cemetery.
The 'bots winced, feeling guilt swarm over them. But Optimus felt as though his own spark was being torn from him.
Soon, Jack's screams faded, and his sobbing stopped, and the teen stared down at his hands, smudged with dirt.
"Wh-why...Why did you have t-to l-l-leave...? Dad left...an-and now y-y-you...? You sh-should n-n-never have been p-pulled into this...Y-you d-d-didn't even know...Mom...Oh g-god, M-m-mom...I'm so s-sorry..."
After hearing those words Optimus felt even more guilty and at fault to June Darby dying. It was because of them, their war that their young friend had lost someone very dear to him.
Jack slowly shook his head, looking back up at the carving of his mothers face.
"But...I...I g-guess I bl-bl-blame myself most of a-all...If I'd been able to g-get to you in time...Mom...I'm j-just...I'm just so sorry..."
That tore it for Optimus who could not sit there any longer and let their friend suffer alone. He onlined his holoform, which static into existents looking like a man in his 40's, with jet black hair and blue eyes. He wore black pants and a white t-shirt with a blue jacket over it.
Making sure he wasn't seen making his human self Optimus walked up to the grave site.
Optimus kneeled down next to the Jack, gently embracing the teen. Jack allowed the Prime to hold him to his chest, hesitantly accepting the comfort he was offered.
"Jack, it wasn't your fault, it will never be your fault. I know it hurts but you most blame yourself." Optimus whispered to the teen as he held him close.
The last wall broke, and Jack turned, one hand fisting in the Prime's shirt, he buried his face and sobbed into the holoform's chest.
Optimus did nothing else but hold and comfort Jack as he cried on him. He reached up and rubbed Jack and held him tighter to his body.
"Let it out Jack, just let it out." Optimus whispered.
From across the cemetery Arcee comlinked Ratchet who surprisingly had come long too to pay his respects along with them.
"Ratchet, is there anything we can do to help?" She questioned.
The old medic thought before he replied.
"What is there we can do. It's our fault Jack is now an orphan."
That hurt Arcee to the core of her spark before she responded.
"But…there must be something. Something we can do to fix the wrong we have done. We can't just turn our back on him and expect him make it through all the pain and sorrow he's feeling."
"Jack, you need to go and dry off, or you will become ill." Optimus murmured softly.
Jack only continued to sob, giving no acknowledgement. The Prime gently moved, one arm going behind the teen's back, the other going under Jack's knee's. He then carefully lifted the raven teen and moved over to his alt mode, setting Jack down in the seat and letting the holoform fade. The peterbilt started up, heaters going on, he turned them onto the teen. Seatbelts gently wrapped around Jack, an equivalent of an embrace.
Agent Fowler climbed into the drivers seat to look like he was driving before Optimus pulled away from the curve with the Autobots following close behind as they drove back to base.
Optimus watched Jack, who remained silent in his seat as he stared out his window and Optimus left him be. His attention was then tuned to Agent Fowler.
"Agent Fowler, would you mind having a word with me once we are back at base?" He questioned.
The Agent nodded.
"Sure Optimus but what about?" He asked.
"I will tell you once we are alone." Optimus replied.
Jack's eyes flickered to the dashboard for a moment, a small, quick spark of curiosity flashing through them before it disappeared.
Soon, soft music played through the peterbilt, and Jack drifted off into a dreamless sleep.
When they arrived at base, Optimus again allowed his holoform to flicker to life. He then reached in, gently lifting Jack and moving to the upper deck, laying the teen on the couch.
He pulled a blanket that was thrown across the back the couch and laid it over Jack to help keep him warm and comfortable. Once he was sure Jack was ok, the holoform vanished and Optimus transformed. He glanced down at Agent Fowler who gave him a nod before they walked off to a private part of the base to talk.
Once reaching a place that he knew would allow them to speak in privacy.
"Well, Prime?"
For once, Fowler's voice held no sarcasm.
Optimus knelt down to Agent Fowlers level and looked him in the eye.
"Agent Fowler, I know this will be a great shock to you and also to your Government but I wish to…adopt Jack." Optimus said, getting right to the point.
Agent Fowler was shocked and his face showed it.
"What, but Optimus how is that going to even be possible, you don't know a thing about takeing care of a kid, much less a human kid." Agent Fowler shouted.
"That there Agent Fowler is where you are wrong. I have raised a youngling back on our home planet before I was made into a Prime. I know very much on how raise the young and know what their needs are." Optimus replied.
"But a human Optimus, that's the problem." The Agent argued.
"I understand your concern, but you and I both know Jack can very much care for himself but right now what he needs most 'is' a family, a father." Optimus argued back.
Fowler hesitated for a moment. His superiors would have a field day over this...
But Optimus was right.
Jack could take care of himself, he was FAR from helpless. But he needed someone, human or otherwise, to be there for him.
Jack was close to the 'bots, already almost part of the Cybertronian family, so it made sense to officially become part of that family.
Agent Fowler sighed, pinching the bridge of the nose before he looked back up at the Prime.
"Alright Optimus you win. I'll call my superiors and see if they too will give the ok. While I'm doing that why don't you go talk to your new…son." Agent Fowler replied as he pulled out his cell phone.
"Thank you Agent Fowler." Optimus replied before he turned to walk back to the rec room where they had left Jack resting.
Jack had awoken, unable to properly sleep. The teen was now looking around, still slightly drossy from sleep.
"Jack."
The raven male jumped slightly, startled by the Prime's voice, but he then looked over and saw Optimus. Jack forced a smile, a painful feat at the moment.
"Optimus...Sorry, I...I didn't mean to doze off like that."
Optimus smiled lightly.
"No, don't apologize, you needed the rest."
Jack smiled and reached up and rubbed his eyes to help get the sleep from them.
"Thanks Optimus, you're always looking out for me." Jack replied.
Optimus smiled back.
"I will always be here for you Jack and that brings up another matter I wish to disguise to you about Jack." Optimus stated.
Jack looked up at Optimus.
"Ok, what is it?" Jack questioned.
Optimus cleared his vents before he continued.
"Jack, you've know my team and I for a very long time and we have start to see you as…a part of our, in other words Family. And we all feel great grief for you tragic loss. We know that it is our fault that your mother died."
"It's not your fault Optimus…" Jack started to say but was silenced by Optimus who held a hand up to him.
"No Jack it is, because of our war, our enemies, you had paid the price and I wish to fix that mistake but offering you a home." Optimus explained.
What...What do you mean?" Jack asked, head tilting as he stared up at Optimus with confusion.
Optimus considered what to say for a moment, it's not every day you have to tell someone you want to adopt them.
"Jack, I know this will be a great shock to you but…I wish adopt you." Optimus answered.
"What?" Jack gasped, his eyes widening.
"I wish to adopt you, to make you my son and to give you a place to call home." Optimus explained.
Jack stared up at Optimus in shock, and for a second, the Prime wondered if Jack would refuse.
But then a wide smile broke across the teen's face, not a fake one, or a half one, but a real, TRUE smile.
"Are you serious? That would be amazing!" Jack scrambled over the back of the couch and ran forward to where Optimus had placed his hand on the rail.
He hugged the large, metal fingers, crying, but this time they were tears of happiness.
He wouldn't be alone, he wouldn't be left behind, he would have a family and a place to still call home.
Optimus smiled down at Jack, very pleased and relieved he had accepted his offer. He reached up with his free hand and placed it over Jack in another form of a hug to the teen before their happy moment was interrupted by Agent Fowler.
"Hope I'm not interrupting anything?" The Agent chuckled.
Optimus chuckled and shock his head.
"No Agent Fowler, you are not." He replied.
The man smirked.
"Good because I think I'm going to make this moment a whole lot better because my superiors gave the ok to the adoption Optimus and they are faxing the adoption papers as we speak." Agent Fowler told the big bot.
Jack looked up at Optimus, smiling brightly. The Prime returned the smile before gently lifting the teen.
Jack continued to cradle one of Optimus' large fingers, his eyes shut as he gave a slight sob of relief and murmured to himself.
"I'm going to be okay...I'm going to be okay..."
"Yes you are going to be ok." Optimus whispered down to him as he walked over to the computer, hearing the printer power up suddenly and start printing something.
Once it was finished Agent Fowler picked it up and read over it before he smiled.
"Well, here it is Optimus, the adoption papers all they need now are yours and Jack's signatures and then the adoption will be legal." Agent Fowler explained.
Optimus nodded as he put jack down and then activated his holoform again. Agent Fowler gave Optimus the papers to read over before he handed him a pen to sign them. Optimus signed in Cybertronian for his signature before he handed the papers to Jack.
"I can't believe this is really happening to me." Jack whispered.
The raven teen took the pen, leaning over the papers. He paused, admiring the Cybertronian runes that Optimus had used as a signature. He then signed his own name in his usual neat writing.
He then straightened and looked at Optimus and Fowler, smiling lightly.
"Everyone's going to flip when they hear about this."
Both man and Holo laughed at this and nodded in agreement before Optimus walked over and pulled Jack into a hug.
"But we will get through it together." Optimus said to reassure his new adoptive son.
Jack smiled up at Optimus before he buried his face into the holoform's shirt cover chest.
"Thanks…Dad." Jack whispered.
A/N: I hope everyone liked this oneshot that Inkcrafter and I had worked up for all of ya'll enjoyment. If you did like it please review and let us know.