My Own Robots 1000
Author's note: Okay, so I'm obsessed with centering fics around young characters, and obviously, Transformers was no exception. So without further ado, onto the fic
Michael Samuel Witwicky was a normal six-year old in many ways. He lived in a nice, but modest house with his parents. It was currently the summer before he attended kindergarten so while his parents were at work, Michael went to daycare. This was about as normal as his life got.
"Michael?" The daycare instructor pressed the button on the intercom that led to the daycare office. "You're leaving, Sweetie."
Michael nodded and picked up his little Robots 1000 backpack. Robots 1000 was the latest TV show and kid craze. He skipped out the doors where a yellow camaro was parked out front. The door opened for him and he climbed in, putting on his seatbelt obediently.
"How was school?" A female voice spoke over the radio. Michael, of course, knew the speaker wasn't really female.
"We went on a field trip today," The little boy replied. "We went to the museum." He dug around in his backpack and pulled out what remained of his PB & J. "Is Daddy home yet?"
"Yessir," A southern John Wayne replied. The car drove back home and Michael stepped out, still eating his sandwich. At the same time, Mikaela had walked out of the house and patted the car hood. "Thanks, Bee. I got way too busy at the shop." She knelt down and Michael kissed his mother (and namesake), getting some peanut butter on her lips. "Guess what? Daddy's home," she told him.
Sam Witwicky, the boy who had strived to be normal, was now a young man, who was anything but normal. He now worked for NEST, though more of a planner than a doer. He walked outside too, and Michael raced towards him. Sam picked him up and took a bite of his sandwich before kissing him. "Were you good while I was away?"
"Yes!" Michael laughed.
"Bee?" Sam turned to the car.
"Outstanding, he was just outstanding!" A voice followed by applause replied from the empty car.
It was amazing to the autobot, and anybody really, how much Michael looked like his parents. He was deeply tanned like his mother, and also had her black hair and blue eyes, but he had his father's face, all except for a few mixed features like his nose and ears. All in all, he was a beautiful child, and would definitely grow up to be a handsome man.
Bumblebee loved Michael. Of course, all of the autobots did, but Bumblebee loved him like he loved Sam. An indescribable yearning to protect and keep safe. Even Sam, who was now nearing twenty-eight, was precious in the autobot's eyes. This was his family, and nothing made him happier than being around them, and being part of them.
---
"Hey, Bee." Mikaela went into the garage that night, which was a little roomy for a garage, but ultimately served as the autobot's living quarters. She went over to the washer and dryer and proceeded to do laundry. "Thanks again for picking Mikey up today."
"My pleasure, madame," another random voice replied. To his joy, Michael stepped inside the building and walked over to the large robot. "Look, Bee. I drew Neonglow on my artwork folder. He's my favorite Robo from Robots 1000."
Even autobots had to fight the urge to roll their eyes sometimes. Bumblebee, like Sam and Mikaela, and Ironhide…and Ratchet…and Optimus…heard far too much about the TV show. It was funny, in a way. Here the boy practically had a slew of real robot protectors, and he obsessed over pretend ones. He gave a thumbs up to the picture and Michael grinned. Just like Sam. It warmed Bee's heart to see it. Mikaela smiled too, picking up the basket of warm socks and underwear and suggested, "Why don't you go upstairs and get ready for bed, Son?"
"Aw, but Mommy," Michael pouted. "I'm not even tired, and I want to stay out here with Bee…" he stuck out his bottom lip, trying to look pitiful. "Please?"
"Fifteen more minutes," his mother rolled her eyes, still smiling. "But if you whine anymore after that, I'm calling Optimus." She was kidding, of course, but Michael didn't know any better. Optimus was a good friend, and a great protector, but even a child could see he meant business when he meant it. He could only imagine the autobot leader pointing his long finger up the stairs. "Bed, young man."
Michael sat in the yellow autobot's hand, showing off his artwork littered with gold star stickers and happy faces, and then went on to talk about the latest episode of Robots 1000. Bumblebee listened and nodded politely, trying to seem interested. He mentally got online and researched the TV show quickly. He then projected a hologram of the episode and Michael grinned, pointing to the image with one hand and slapping Bumblebee with the other. "There's Neonglow! Isn't he cool?"
"Mike-Mike." Sam opened the garage door. "Nine-thirty. Bedtime, Buddy."
Bumblebee turned the projection off and Michael groaned. He tried to argue, but a the same time, rubbed his eyes sleepily. Sam laughed a little. "Give Bee a kiss and let's go."
"G'night, Bee." Michael yawned and was brought up by the autobot's hand to his face. The little boy kissed him and then the alien robot set him down on the ground, giving him a little nudge forward. Sam rubbed his back and smiled at Bumblebee. "Goodnight, Bee."
---
The autobot hanger, which was normally a place where Optimus and the others resided when they were not busy protecting the world, had become a familiar place to Michael. It had always been. Even when he was just a few days old, Sam and Mikaela had brought him there, beaming proudly. Over time, Michael just visited, even without his parents.
"Nah, man!" Mudflap scoffed as he and his twin brother watched a projected episode of Robots 1000. "Twilightmoon is a gay-ass robot!"
Ratchet cleared his throat loudly from across the room. He did not approve of such language spoken around Michael.
"Sorry," the other autobot replied automatically (an automatic reflex by now). "Still, Skids. You're gonna tell me he's your favorite?"
"He's better than that pussy, Metalcomet-"
Ratchet glared at them and they quickly shut up. Michael walked over to the medical officer and climbed up the ladder that led to his work station. He was currently working on something, but the child's presence never seemed to bother him. "Is Daddy at work today?" he asked.
"Yes," Ratchet replied. "I know it seems too early for you. I know he just got back, but your father is an important man to your planet."
"Is he with Optimus?" Michael asked, leaning his upper body against the large station.
"Yes," Ratchet replied. "And Bumblebee."
Michael only continued to stare at him, and when he finally looked away, Ratchet couldn't help but sense something was wrong. He had never been too good with emotional disagreements, especially in young beings-that was more of an Optimus or Bumblebee thing. Luckily, Arcee rolled in, and greeted in her motherly tone, "Hello, Michael."
"Hi." Michael turned around and smiled, waving a few of his fingers. He climbed down and joined Arcee and the twins.
It was nearing dark when Mikaela arrived at the base, accompanied by a soldier. Her eyes were tear-stained and swollen. Michael raced over to her, throwing his arms around her. "Mommy!" She stroked some of his hair and kissed the top of his head. The autobots were silent.
"Where's Daddy?" Michael asked, removing himself from his mother's waist. "Is he still with Optimus and Bee? Are they still working?"
"Yes, baby." Mikaela tried to keep her voice cheery. "It's been a long day." She knelt down to be eye-level with him. "You know what? I'm going to have one of the twins take you home, okay? I'll be right there, but I have to talk to Ratchet first, okay?"
"I wanna go home with you…"Michael pouted, holding onto one of her hands with both of his. "I haven't seen you all day…"
"Okay," his mother agreed. "But I still need to talk to Ratchet for a little while. Could you and the twins go for a little ride? I'll have them take you to McDonalds. How does a hamburger sound?" She turned to the twins. "Is that okay?"
"Sure, I could go for a Mc-hot and spicy," Mudflap said. "And a cold Dr. Pepper, and some fries."
"Shut up! You don't eat human food, you stupid bucket," Skids retorted. "Besides, I think our Mc-hot and spicy is right here." He grinned at Mikaela. "Her milkshakes bring all the boys to the yard."
"Take the boy!" Arcee scolded. "He's hungry!"
They left and Ratchet looked down at the young woman. "Something is wrong," he said. Mikaela nodded and wiped away tears that had begun to flow. "Megatron's returned to Earth. He took Sam." She began to cry harder. "He got an emergency call this morning…"
"Yes," Ratchet nodded. "Optimus spoke of some decepticon activity, or what was rumored to be the work of the decepticons. He has sent me no transmissions in the past several hours." He pondered this. "Where is Optimus?"
"With Lennox and some other military personnel," Mikaela replied. "He told me to come tell Michael, but I can't." She covered her mouth and shook her head. "I'm so scared."
Ratchet lowered himself and said, "We've always expected Megatron to return." He scratched a non-exsistant chin. "But I have to wonder what he would want with Sam."
"Sam is a very important human being." They both turned to see Optimus enter the hanger, followed by Sideswipe, Bumblebee, and Ironhide. "He has defeated both Megatron and the fallen, and is the only known human to withstand energon flowing through his veins."
"Wait." Mikaela looked up at him. " 'Energon'? Sam has energon in his body?"
"Ever since he made contact with the allspark," Ratchet nodded. "We were afraid his body would not be able to take it, but several hours after the Mission City battle, his vital signs remained the same. His heart rate did not change, nor did his brainwaves."
"So what would the decepticons want with him?" The young man's wife asked, her brows furrowed. " His energon?" She turned to Optimus Prime. "Did they say?"
"Ironhide and myself had temporarily lost track Bumblebee and Sam," Sideswipe explained. "Optimus was busy fending off several at once, and we eventually got caught up in the fight."
"I tried to stop him," a random voice came from Bee. "I told him, 'Don't do it, man!' but-" it switched to a young woman's voice. "He left with them."
"He went willingly?" Mikaela looked horrified. "The decepticons have my husband and he didn't even put up a fight?!"
"Who has Daddy?" Michael stood behind all of them, a happy meal bag in one hand, Skids' hand in the other. He let go of the autobot and dropped his bag. "Where is Daddy?"
"Oh, Baby-" Mikaela hugged him. "Michael…" she proceeded to weep again. Michael began to cry too, and he looked up at the solemn-faced autobots. "Where's my Daddy?"
"The decepticon have taken him prisoner," Optimus told him, kneeling down and holding out his hand. "Come here, Michael."
Still crying, Michael climbed into the large hand and Optimus held him close to his spark chamber. He said, "I have known your father for twelve years now, Michael. He has been through worse danger than this."
"So you think he's okay?" The little boy sniffled, staring up into the piercing blue orbs.
"If something terrible were to happen to him," the autobot leader replied. "Bumblebee or I would sense it." He set Michael down and looked to Mikaela. "You should take him home. Both of you need rest."
Mikaela looked like she might argue, but she only nodded. She hugged Michael, who was still crying and said, "Hey, you know what? I believe them. I think Daddy's going to be just fine."
"Where will he sleep?" Michael whimpered. It was an irrational question, but he was only six, after all.
"I don't know, sweetie." Mikaela stroked some of his hair. "But me and you-" she picked him up. "We're going to camp out in the garage with Bumblebee tonight. How does that sound?" Michael glanced at Bumblebee and nodded, wiping at his eyes again. "Can Optimus come too?" Another illogical question.
"We won't all fit," Mikaela smiled. "Plus he has lots of work to do to help get Daddy back." She looked up at Optimus. "I'll be back first thing in the morning. If you get any news tonight, don't hesitate to give it to me, alright?"
"Of course,"Optimus nodded, understanding.
Mikaela picked up Michael's happy meal. "Let's get you home, and fed-" she used the hem of her shirt to wipe his face. "And we'll have a sleepover with Bee…" She kissed him. "Go tell Optimus bye and let's get home."
The autobot leader lifted Michael up again and the little boy kissed his faceplate. "Thank you," he sniffled.
---
Mikaela knew the garage would be hot and stuffy-at least for her and Michael, but she also knew her son would prefer it that way. She blew up an air mattress between the autobot's outstretched legs, and covered it with sheets and a comforter. Michael nibbled at his hamburger while she did this, and Bumblebee looked between them. The little boy eventually fell asleep, and Mikaela sat beside his sleeping form, stroking his cheek. She wiped at her eyes and laughed a little. "I'm so scared, Bee." She bit her bottom lip. "I don't think I've ever been so scared."
" 'I'll be your crying shoulder'," played from the autobot in reply. MIkaela smiled. "Thank you."
To Be Continued…
Author's note: I am not good at writing anything about the autobots' normal lives. Please forgive me if it seems unrealistic or cheesy.