"We do not create our destiny; we participate in its unfolding. Synchronicity works as a catalyst toward the working out of that destiny."
― David Richo, The Power of Coincidence: How Life Shows Us What We Need to Know
March 3rd, 1993
Driving. That was all he had done since he had made planet fall. He didn't know what to do. He had gotten separated from the rest of his team. He didn't even know if they were alive.
Light. The sky filled up with it. Red-orange. The sky appeared to be on fire. And the fire was, moving? He stared at it. A small ball of fire flew overhead landing not far away with an echoing 'CRASH'. He didn't move. He couldn't. He knew he should just keep driving, but his spark told him to go to it. To see the cause of the flying fireball. It made no sense, but for once, he felt it was the right thing to do.
It lay in pieces. Fire in the trees and on the ground. Scattered like the fragments of the metal object that lay at the center of the chaos. He got closer, scanning the structure. Humans. Four of them. All dead. He pulled back. Turning to leave. His scanners flared with life as one if the bodies moved. It was the smallest of the four. It was not far from the main wreckage. He scanned the area again. Just to make sure that he was not malfunctioning. No. The human was alive. But in grave trouble. There was about to be an explosion.
Gunning his engine he tore off toward the body. Transforming and tentatively wrapping a servo over the small, fragile body, before folding back in around her. He had to make it far away from the fire. Not long after the structure exploded. Metal shrapnel went everywhere. Including into his armor. He grunted in discomfort. Breaking, he activated his holoform, thanking Hound for the upgrade before he left. He open his passenger door and gently pulled out the broken form from within.
He gently set the human down. It was a femme and a youngling. He cursed. She was injured. Her lifeblood was all over his seat and holoform. She needed help. Primus must have heard him for sirens blared in the distance. If they could get here soon, then the youngling could be saved. He was never one for prying to Primus, he never believed in the myths, but after seeing far to many dead younglings, he sent one up anyway.
The sirens were close now. He could see the lights through the optics of his holoform. The form huddled in his arms moved. Whimpering, caught his attention and made him rub a servo over the femme's cheek. She seemed to melt into him. Her hand was lightly gripping the fabric of his pants. He Looked at her. Saddened at how weak her grip was. How could this happen? He wracked his processor trying to find the answer when the lights got brighter. Had there been another explosion? No. The humans had finally made it.
Silently he thanked Primus and gently picked up the increasingly fragile bundle in his arms. Was this how a creator felt when their little one was injured? He didn't want to think about the worst possible scenario, but being a tactician had him trained in doing so. His steps were hurried and his grip was solid, but gentle. He startled the humans. Seemingly coming out of thin air. His voice was strained and his words concise. He almost refused to let her go, but logic had found it's way back to him. They could help her in ways he could not.
They asked questions. Who was he, where was he from, how did he find her, such simple questions really. He gave them answers that would be accepted without hesitation or suspicion. They were not ready as a race to know of the existence of being from other worlds. So he made things up. Slowly creating false documents that he would place into the right computer systems. They needed to believe him. He did not want them to follow him.
The femme was taken away. To get better treatment he had been told. He was given the name of the hospital she had been taken to. Hospitals were like medbays. He did not like medbays, thus he did not like hospitals, but she would get better there. He shook his head. How had the femme wiggle her way into his spark when he only met her? She had not even opened her optics. Had not seen his alt form or his holoform. He could leave without her so much as knowing he existed, so why in the slagging pit did the pictures of her broken form keep plaguing his mind? Yes he had seen so much death. Yes he had held many younglings that would never get the chance at life. Was it because she could have that chance? Was that what drew him to her? He didn't know. But he was certain that once she was out of harms way, he would leave. He would not put her into harms way. Not when he had just gotten her out of it.
March 4th, 1993
He had cleaned the femme's lifeblood from his interior before dropping his holoform. The blood lay on the grass not far from him. The elements would make it disappear soon enough.
It had been several days since he had let the humans taker to their hospital. He was uncertain as to why he felt dread rolling up into it's large parking lot. The building was large. Far larger then he was anticipating. He parked and proceed to let his holoform get out of the drivers seat.
The interior was white. Other colors mixed in here and there, but the scheme was primarily white. Far to much like a medbay for his liking. The front desk was small and the human femme that greeted him was far to cheery for a place like this. He had explained his situation and the femme was all to happy to direct him to the room he was looking for.
He had taken the elevator up to the fifth floor. After a few turns he made it to the youngling wing. Shouts and excitement met him. It appeared that the humans had lot one of the younglings. How that was possible he did not know. He proceeded to room 567. The commotion only seemed to get worse the closer he got. A passing femme was able to tell him that the 'child' missing was the same one he had come to check on. Saying a low curse he scanned the wing. The femme was still in her room. Interesting. He slowly made his way through the startled humans.
The room was just as white as the rest of the hospital, with the exception of odd paintings on the wall. A sad attempt at brightening up the rather small room. He walked up to the closet and opened the door. At first nothing looked out of place, but further scrutiny show a couple of sheets and pillows that are not where they should be. Gently, he pulled them up. The young femme looked up at him terrified.
"I am not going to harm you." His voice seemed to far away as he looked at the frightened youngling. The femme tried to push further into the back of the closet only to let out a cry of pain. Reacting on instinct rather then thought, he pulled the femme from her sitting position onto his lap. She was leaking lifeblood again. Slag. He rubbed a servo over her cheek, just as he had when he found her. It had worked then, so it should work now. She clung to him. Crying. He could feel the tears going soaking his holoform's front. He placed a hand on her head. He was not good with younglings. Bluestreak was the exception, but he was still very hesitant around them. He whispered to her. What, he didn't remember but they calmed her. Another femme walked into the room. Gasping in shock. The youngling in his arms clung to him tighter. Her promised not to let them harm her. She relaxed slightly. He picked the femme up. She was shaking. Placing her on the berth in the room, he sat down next to her.
He had come to see that she was fine. From what he could tell she was not fine. Not in the slightest. His logic center began showing different possibilities as to why the femme was distressed. His frown became even more evident with each scenario. He would not let another youngling get hurt. Not when he had the ability to make it better. It was logical. It was simple.
March 19th, 1997
Two weeks. Two long weeks and he had learned much about humans. They can be very protective about their young. They worried over everything when they got injured. False smiles and promises that could not and would not be kept were given to the 'children', as the humans called them, to ease their pain.
He also had learned that the femme had become attached to him. The 'nurses', humans that worked to aid the humans that act like Cybertronian medics, said that she wouldn't even look at them but that she would brighten up and smile at him. He also had learned the how fragile the inhabitants of this planet truly were. The little femme that was currently coloring a picture. The small smile on her face was so different then the face that she wore when she asked 'who am I?'. those words echoed in his processor every day since she had spoken them. Two weeks had passed. She was not happy with not having a name. Not knowing who she was, but she seemed to do better when he was near. It was odd. Younglings never took to him. Bluestreak did because he was one of the last of their city. So few had survived. So it was only logical that Bluestreak would attach himself to him. But this femme was from a different planet. A different race, yet she was at ease with him present.
Shouting. He looked towards the door. Who was shouting? Didn't they know that she didn't like yelling? Felling a small body curl up in his lap, he looked down. There she was. Bandages poked up from underneath the thin outfit they had put her in. They went down her to her lower back. The only physical injury from the crash. She was considered a miracle child, for surviving it.
"Ma'am, please. She wont recognize you. Barging in there will only upset her." The human male was having a hard tome keeping his patience. His voice was strained.
"She is my niece! I don't care what you say. I am going to see her and get her out of this sorry excuse for a hospital!" A rather large human femme, with far more colors on her face then he had thought possible, barged into the room. She began cooing and say odd things to the youngling in his lap before she even realized he was there.
"Who the bloody hell are you?" I refused to speak as her dark optics tried to stare though him. He had faced far more deceptions then he care to admit. They were far worse then this human could ever hope to be.
"He is the reason you niece isn't dead, ma'am." Ah, the human who tried to keep her out was still there.
"Did he now? And would I be correct in assuming that you want something in return for doing that?" Her voice was accusing. Her tone unneeded.
"No. I merely wished to help her." he spoke evenly. An arm wrapping around the shaking child.
"Then you can help her again by letting her come home with me." She appeared to be quite pleased with herself. She started shouting orders at the doctor. Who, under punishment of having the hospital sued, ran off to comply with them.
She turned her attention back to the youngling. "Don't worry sweet heart. You'll be home soon." The child bit back a small sob. This human clearly scared her. He was about to say something when the femme pulled the child from him. Holding her carefully and brushing back some of her hair. "It will be alright. You'll soon be back at my house. Then everything can return to normal. You'll like it there. I promise, Alyson." Alyson. The youngling's designation. This femme had known it. Maybe she would be better off with someone that knew her.
June 27th, 1993
No one had told him where that woman had taken the femme. He had tried to take it as a sign to let her go. But the last image he had of her was of the young femme shaking in the arms of someone that was supposed to bring comfort. The image popped up in his processor at every possible moment. He had hoped that accepting a job for a local police firm would ease the strain of not knowing if she was truly alright. It hadn't. He knew it wasn't logical to worry about her this much. She was safe. She was with family. But his spark wouldn't let him be.
He had spent many nights looking for her. Scanning the internet with what meager information he had to find her. His penitence had been thinning. He had to see her. He didn't understand why. He just did. His searching had proved fruitful. Hence why he was speeding, within the legal limits of course, towards the address he had found for her.
The time could not fly by faster. The driveway to the house was long. Though each second made it feel longer. The house came into view and he nearly stalled. It was large. Much larger then any human actually needed. He pulled up close to the house. He had his holoform activated. He stared into the passenger seat. A small white, stuffed rabbit sat slouched on his seat. A blue bow tied around it's neck. A gift for her. He, after all had little need for human currency. He gently picked it up. The fur was soft. When the eyes caught the light they melted from chocolate to honey. The mouth was small, appearing as if it knew a secret that no one did. He had been told it was perfect for a young girl. So he had gotten it. He had gotten Bluestreak things to. Jazz had insisted that it was only right since the youngling had attached himself to him.
The door seemed so far away. So far and so large. He knew he was taller, but something felt off to him. Like something bad was about to happen. He raised a hand and knocked. The sound of shattering glass was his only response. Fear crept into him. He nearly busted the door open in his hast to get inside. His fear and anger rising as he stared ahead of him. The young femme was lying unconscious on the floor. Blood stained her light blond hair. A gash ran most of the length of her forearm. He lifeblood surged out of it. Dark red against the even darker wood of the floor. Her face was turned towards him. A rather large bruise on her upwards cheek. The human that had taken her from him stood hunched over her. A large jagged piece of glass in her hand. A tuft of fabric, from the youngling's dress, could be seen wrapped around the top of the shard, protecting the woman's hand from damage.
He had no idea what happened next. His mind went blank he knew that. His next coherent thought was of a paramedic pulling him from where he was applying pressure to her arm. He was saying words he couldn't understand. Had he called them? He didn't know, but they were taking her away from him.
He remembered enough to follow them. Sirens blaring alongside the ambulance's. He had to be there. He would not let her die.
The stuffed rabbit was fortunately not stained red with the youngling's lifeblood. It was still the same frost white. The eyes seemed dark. The smile sinister. Like it felt the same way as him. He didn't even know what had happened to the woman, but he would make sure that she would never come near the youngling again. He had let the femme be taken from him once. It would not happen again.
November 7th, 1995
"I have to ask once more before I can agree to anything. Are you sure that you wish to go through with this adoption?"
Did he need to think about it? No. He had already made up his processor. "Yes, I do." He could see the youngling, Alyson, smile into her rabbit. The one he had gotten for her two years prior.
"Will you watch over the child? Protector her and love her as if she were your own?"
"Of course." The human male adjusted his black robe, before looking over to Alyson.
"Child, are you alright with this man becoming your legal guardian?" She smiled up at him shaking her head yes. Her blue optics sparkled with joy. Her hair bounced with the movement of her head.
"Then I guess I have no choice then." The human male, Judge Michelson if the name in front of him was correct, smiled again, raising the gavel. "With the power of the law, I grant custody of Alyson Marie Kingston to Mr. Peter Andrews." He hit the gavel against his stand. A custom the humans had in finalizing things in a court room.
A squeal and the soft thumping of feet had him turning towards Alyson. She jumped into his arms. Her small hands reaching behind his head to return the hug. Her rabbit dangling down his back. "Now you really are my Daddy!" She smiled at him. Daddy. What the humans called their sires. He smiled at the thought. Despite raising Bluestreak, he had never been called Creator or Caretaker. But this little human was more then happy to accept him as her Creator. He actually liked the sound of it. If any of the Autobots were able to see him now they would think he lost his mind. This small child had somehow forced him to follow a new form of logic. One that he had not put much stock in. One in which emotions had a greater part.
The two of them exited the courtroom. Alyson safely tucked into his arms. There was no way that he was going to let her go. She seemed just as happy to snuggle up against him, smiling into his neck.
"So I guess everythin' went well?" He turned to face the speaker. A small smile dancing on his lips.
"Yes. The recommendations that you put in for me helped. She is now officially mine." The smile on the other's face grew.
"Good. You're a bloody good officer. If that doesn't account for somethin' then I'm not sure what would of qualified you. Besides all anyone has to do is look at how much lil' Alice here has taken to you and they would just have to let you keep her."
"Chief, you aren't bothering the happy couple are you?" Alice giggled. The newest man just ruffled the femme's hair causing her to giggle more. "Are you planning on legally changing her name?"
"Of course." Alice shook her head. She liked the idea. So he was going to go through with it. "I already have the forms filled out. I just needed to wait for the adoption to go through."
Laughter and mutterings of 'overachiever' had and four of them making an odd scene inside of the courthouse. The chief ushered the other three outside. A chorus of 'congratulations' and whistles greeted the quartet. The entire precinct was sanding on the courthouse steps showing him their support. They had taken to Alice near instantly. As she did them. He put her down and she ran over to some of them as they picked her up and welcomed her into the precinct family.
"She's going to be a handful with a spirit like hers." The chief was an older man. His graying hair and knowing gaze showed his years of knowledge and wisdom. He greatly reminded him of Optimus Prime. "If you ever need any help, my wife and I raised three girls."
"Thank you. She has been through much. Losing her parents, her memory, and being betrayed by the last of her kin. But still she shows a smile and a wild spirit. I have no doubt that life will be entertaining and not in the least bit dull." Th chief's smile only confirmed his words.
"Daddy!" The other officers 'awed' and smirked. Their reactions and support caused his mind to flash an old memory. A happier time. In the early stages of the war. When everyone had been in high spirits. "Daddy! Guess what! They said they had cake! And ice cream! It's at the precinct though, but it's chocolate cake!" She rambled on clutching the rabbit to her chest as she listed off everything that the other officers had said or done. Their really wasn't any secrets with an 8 year old. His smile almost faltered. He would have to tell her. She had the right to know about him. He wouldn't, couldn't keep that from her. After the 'party' he would tell her. He had already gotten all of her things. A strangely small amount for a young child. He would take her to live at the apartment he had started to rent. He had needed an address, a residency to be able to adopt her. The apartment was not a permanent solution. He did plan on buying a small house. One where she could run around a back yard and play games outside. He would have moved her into her parents house, but he could not bring himself to. It would make it seem like he was trying to get to her money. It had been a shock to find out that the femme was actually very rich by human standards. She was also to take control of her family's business when she turned 18. Ten years and she would lead a company. He would have to make sure she was ready.
"Right Daddy!" He nodded and gave her a small kiss on the forehead.
"Right." He didn't even know what she had said. TO lost in thought, but the smile he received made up for it.
"Okay you two love birds, lets head back to the precinct before the cake suddenly disappears." One day he would get back at him, but for now, Alyson's laughter was more then enough to keep him from doing so.
Okay guys, I hope you liked this incredibly long chapter/prologue thing. This plot bunny ish a few years old no, bit insists on biting me. Hard. Sorry for the choppy format, but I needed to get a good bit of important info to you guys in a short amount of time. It will help for the chapters to come. If I get 5 reviews I will continue. If I don't I will abandon this fic. (no, i'l just wait until I get 5 reviews xp) Also, for the record, I DON'T OWN TRANSFORMERS! At all. Nope. Not me. T^T (les tears)