Disclaimers: I do not own Transformers Hasbro does this is for pure enjoyment.
Summary – A one-shot
A Decepticon spots Optimus along with Sam riding inside of him, when the Con runs Optimus off the road Sam is injured. However, the other Autobots blame Optimus which leads to Optimus blaming himself even more.
The Accident
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Sam paced back and forth Bumblebee was with his parents, and he had to go over Mikaela's/ S, he called Optimus, and the Autobot commander out of the kindness of his spark went to get Sam. Optimus pulled up and opened his passenger side door for Sam, and then closed the door for Sam and then headed for Mikaela's.
"Thanks Optimus," Sam replied.
"It is my pleasure, Samuel." Optimus answered.
Optimus and Sam were heading for Mikaela's when Optimus picked up the energon signature of a Decepticon.
"Slag it all," Optimus growled.
"What's wrong, Optimus?" Sam asked.
"We have a Decepticon tailing us, Samuel." Optimus remarked matter of factly.
"You can handle him, can't you?" Sam asked.
Silence greeted Sam at first.
"I just meant…..." Sam started to say.
"I know what you meant Samuel," Optimus replied sharply.
"Oh great, can we lose him?" Sam finally asked him.
"I shall try, mostly we need to protect the innocents around us." Optimus stated as he started to place the seat belt around Sam's waist but the boy refused it flat out.
"Please no, Optimus I might need to be able to help in a quick moment, alright?" Sam retorted as Prime growled in his engines then.
"Samuel, I wish you would comply with my wishes and buckle up." Optimus insisted.
Silence…
"Samuel!" Optimus finally snapped.
"I said no, I'll be fine for now. You just take care of business and forget about the stupid seat belt, alright?" Samuel snapped at Optimus who fell quiet then.
Optimus growled once more in his engines, he wanted to argue with Sam but it obviously was not helping the situation if he did, and he did need to see what this Decepticon was up to.
"As you wish, Samuel." Optimus remarked.
Optimus had growled once more in his engines, but didn't realize what exactly the Con was plotting on the Autobot's demise along with Sam's or he would have forced Sam to put his seat belt on.
::::::::….. Tell Megatron I'm going to end his troubles I see Optimus Prime in my sights, and I am going to snuff out his spark once in for all….::::::::::::
The Con cackled and took off after Prime and Sam weaving in and out of the regular traffic. Optimus raced away trying to lead the Con away from the other innocent humans driving around on the road.
I must lead the Decepticon away from here, Sam, so, no other civilians are hurt." Optimus replied as he tried to head off the highway.
However, he learned soon enough when the Con slammed into Optimus, and held o and revved his engines again and again. Optimus realized too late what the Con was up too then, as he smashed Optimus over the side of the road.
"Hold on, Samuel!" Optimus shouted as he tried to save Sam from getting killed.
Optimus transformed and started to fight the Con who was foolish enough to confront a massively infuriated Optimus Prime. However, Sam had hit his head on a rather big rock, and was unconscious while Optimus had fought the Con and later killed.
Optimus quickly went over toward Sam, and knelt by him.
"Samuel?" Optimus said as he suddenly growled and sent out a distress signal, but never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined his own men would be cold toward him over this situation without hearing his side of the story first.
Several hours later…...
Optimus was still in pain his wounds from the battle with the Decepticon hadn't been seen by Ratchet, and this troubled him. He had transformed back down into his vehicle form because he didn't hurt as badly in vehicle form.
Ratchet and Ironhide were walking toward the base, when they started to talk. At first, Optimus had planned to transform and ask his medic for help, and for him to see to his injuries until that is when he listened to their conversation about what happened with Samuel.
"I cannot believe he allowed Samuel to be harmed with his recklessness with engaging that Decepticon. This is unforgivable if Prowl were here, I'd say we should have a new leader, I really would because this is not behavior fitting an Autobot leader much less a Prime!" Ratchet remarked.
Ironhide huffed at Ratchet's words.
"Did you treat him?" Ironhide asked.
Ratchet gazed over at Ironhide then.
"No, of course not, slagger can wait for all I care." Ratchet snapped as Optimus watched them go inside the base.
Optimus transformed holding his servo, he frowned as he headed for the beach limping badly from his injuries Ratchet's words remained in his thoughts. His energon stained the sand on the beach, but he didn't seem to notice or care at that moment.
"He wishes to replace me?" Optimus said out loud.
Optimus thought about Ratchet's actions and words, and any time they would be considered betrayal and treason against a Prime. However, he was to blame for Samuel's injuries he did not insist hard enough about the seat belt. He could have transformed with Samuel inside of his hand, there were a few other things he could have done.
He already had blamed himself totally for his actions, but perhaps Ratchet was right maybe he should step down and let Ironhide lead until Prowl was reached.
Yes, he thought, he would step down immediately as Ratchet wanted him to do.
Wheelie and Brains watched from afar not understanding why their leader and Prime looked so sad.
"Wonder what's wrong wit boss bot?" Wheelie asked.
"Dunno, should we go find out?" Brains asked as Wheelie transformed into his little vehicle form, and Brains climbed on as they headed toward Optimus.
Wheelie transformed and he and Brains glanced over at Optimus then.
"What's wrong, Optimus?" Wheelie asked him.
Silence…
"I have learned my men do not wish me to lead, and perhaps they are correct." Optimus stated.
"That ain't true!" Wheelie and Brains exclaimed.
Silence greeted them.
"It is for the best I am stepping down I will give a meeting later regarding my decision." Optimus replied as he glanced down at the two mini bots.
He smiled sadly.
"Thank you for at least caring about me," he replied as he winced from the pain in his leg joints and his servos.
Optimus slowly cast his gaze at the ocean once more, while Wheelie and Brains looked back at the base.
:::… Slaggers, come on we are steppin in for him…...::::::::
Brains nodded, Wheelie transformed and Brains climbed on him as Wheelie drove away while Optimus just sat watching the ocean. However, at the same time Bumblebee had pulled in having Sam in his vehicle form.
Sam got out of Bumblebee, and then Bumblebee transformed then as Wheelie and Brains approached them.
"Where's Optimus?" Sam asked Ratchet as the other Autobots looked shocked Sam was still wanting to even talk to Optimus Prime.
"Samuel, why would you care where he is?" Ratchet questioned as they all waited for his response.
Silence…
"Really? He's my friend and my hero that's why." Sam suddenly replied in an angry tone of voice. "Why would you even ask me that?" Sam demanded.
"He's the reason you got hurt." Ironhide remarked.
"Yeah, he is to blame." Sideswipe answered.
Sam frowned then.
"No, he isn't!" Sam yelled. "I am to blame because I got hurt, he tried multiple times to get me to put my seat belt on and I refused. He even tried to do it himself, and I yelled at him not too mess with that." Sam explained as the Autobots every single one of them felt a bad for misjudging the situation.
Especially Ratchet, he had said some nasty things to the others about Optimus.
"Ya should feel really proud of ya selves, cuz he overheard ya talkin and he's plannin on steppin down from being leader." Wheelie snapped.
Those words hit Ratchet like a blast from a weapon to his spark, his leader and Prime heard his awful hateful words?
"Oh slag," Ratchet and Ironhide went over toward where their leader and Prime was seated on the beach.
Ratchet saw the energon in the sand, and he sighed as they approached Optimus.
"Optimus, can we talk with you?" Ratchet asked.
"Do as you wish," came Optimus' reply.
"We are sorry. I am sorry I did not know the facts I was wrong not to talk with you about this in the first place." Ratchet replied.
"You truly believed I could allow harm to come to Sam on purpose, and then you believe me to be a bad leader?" Optimus asked. "And then, you allowed me to suffer with my injuries on top of that, if I was truly as sparkless as you claim I would invoke the true punishment crimes against a Prime would be and take your spark." Optimus remarked. "But I am not cruel that's what sets me aside from all the other Primes that ever lived." Optimus retorted.
Everyone watched as it was clear Optimus was hurt by this, and everyone truly felt bad including NEST.
"We don't want you stepping down from leadership, Prime, we were wrong and we accept any punishment you deem fit for us." Ratchet replied.
"All of us," Sideswipe said as he and the others walked up.
"I-I will stay leader just please see to these injuries now Ratchet." Optimus finally said as Ratchet nodded as he and Ironhide helped Optimus up.
Friends were back best friends, but with any race or beings with souls' words hurt and are very powerful so it's always important never to tear someone down with words.
They are just as powerful as being physically abused…
Then end