"I will never see a single human harmed!"
That had been the promise Optimus Prime had made when he'd arrived on earth. No human would ever have so much as a single scratch or bruise because of the Cybertronians civil war. So when he saw Rafael, motionless in Bumblebee's arms, the Autobots caught the first sign of emotion from their leader in decades.
His eyes wide in shock, Optimus silently begged Bumblebee for an explanation. It was Megatron who answered.
"It seems I swatted a Bee, and squashed a bug!" The Decepticon warlord said.
Bumblebee went mad with rage, beeping a mixture of Cybertronian and Earth cuss words that Optimus half wished he'd never taught him at Megatron. Arcee and Bulkhead forced Bumblebee to lower his raised weapons.
Optimus turned back to his arch rival who merely grinned as if to say "What next Optimus?"
The Autobot leader was torn. He wanted desperately to tear Megatron's throat out. Make him pay for what he'd done but he knew that was unbecoming of a Prime. He had to keep his emotions in check, even as they raged through him, making the energon in his veins pump faster and his eyesight sharper. The humans had a term to describe what was happening to him right then. They called it an adrenaline rush for the chemical involved.
"Ratchet, bridge us back now!" He ordered frantically.
"We must have an Autobot down." The medic sighed as he followed Optimus' orders.
Behind him, Optimus could hear the groundbridge portal opening. Arcee and Bumblebee went through.
:Are you coming Optimus?: the two wheeler asked.
:No, return to base.: Optimus replied.
Optimus looked at Bulkhead, silently ordering him to return to base as well but the Wrecker refused to leave his commander on his own. Letting it slide, Optimus allowed him to stay.
As they climbed aboard the warship as it took off, Optimus allowed himself a few spare moments. He could tell Rafael was badly injured, having taken a direct hit from Megatron's cannon. There was no telling what the internal damage was. Coolant flooded the edges of his optics and he allowed a few drops to fall. Tears, the humans called them.
He'd promised, he'd promised his team and the governments that he'd never allow a single human to be harmed under his watch. That promise was meaningless now. He'd allowed Bumblebee to go off on his own which made him an easy target for Megatron. It was his foolishness that resulted in the injuring of not just a human boy, but a good friend.
The Prime bowed his helm. No matter what Ratchet or the others might say, it was his fault. He'd broken his promise. He'd failed.
He'd failed...