A/N: Not exactly a fixit fic but still an attempt to try and explain why Optimus behaved like he did. Set of drabbles and ficlets that somehow wrote themselves when I wasn't paying attention. I wanted to leave that idea alone but white_aster on DW kinda dared me to write it. Thanks. Not betaed.
Day after day the weight in his chest became heavier. He had ignore it in days that was stained with blood and Energon, days when they salvaged what was left of Chicago to make it habitable again.
This time no one said no to Wreckers being outside the base, every pair of hands counted especially if it were large pair of hands. Decepticons scattered; With no Megatron, Starscream or Soundwave alive they got into hiding, but not before Prime sent all his Autobots to hunt them down. He wasn't taking any chances. He had trusted and his trust has been broken in worst way possible. The Matrix in his chest pulsed painfully, his spark throbbing in desire to get his revenge.
Humans were divided on those who accepted the Robots and those that still considered them a threat, mothers screaming at the mechs for killing their children and husbands. Many of those who survived suffered psychological damage, many didn't Survive.
Somewhere in between there was him, the leader of those who remained; Painfully few they were to stay on Earth forever and Protect them till the Rust would eat them up to the last hinge.
Rust...
Cosmic Rust
Ironhide...
He felt an agonising scream rising in his chest and he chocked on it falling down to his knees, Matrix burned with white-hot pain in his chest. His own spark crying in loss.
Ironhide...
He clutched at his chest and then almost tore the chest-plates apart as they were opening.. too slowly... Too small... Deeper...
He need Matrix now, needed it to save him...
He saw the rusting body in front of him calling for him, clutching at his chest...
Optimus slammed the Matrix into the guttering spark and cried out as the jolt of electricity shot through his body... making him spasm and drop into the ground with a heavy clang.
Clang that too him was dull and muffled.
Ironhide...
With Head on the ground he saw green pedes before everything turned into blackness of medical stasis.
Ratchet watched Optimus, the battle for Chicago, Ironhide's death, Sentinel's betrayal... It changed him.
He now watched his leader start his optics on medical berth, the blue light dull and grayish as Optimus looked at him.
"Where is Ironhide?" Optimus asked, his left hand going to his chest and pressing to it.
Ratchet fell his spark call to Optimus in comfort.
"Where all of our fallen are."
The pained sob from Optimus hurt him... their company so high tuned to each other.
"Take me there."
They were still there, their fallen comrades standing on the altar - charred or crystal clear, covered in rust or verdigis...
The spark casings of the mechs that no longer were with him, an empty shells which Will had once described as apple cores. In some twisted way they were. Metallic cores of equally metallic beings, the centers of their souls... and who they were. The sources of their life.
As long as the Sparks were alive, as long the mech was alive.
They kept the casings, believing... hoping that they kept the mechs along with their remains.
Optimus stepped to the altar and bared his own spark, he reached and touched the one in the front, rusted...
"Ironhide" He spoke and then withdrew his Matrix, the artifact shining in his hand, brighter than Optimus' spark. "There is nothing we can do."
Bumblebee watched as the Prime shifted his body into full battle mode and with almighty roar charged Sideswipe.
"YOU WILL NOT BRING HIM HERE!" The Prime bellowed, humans scattering around from under his pedes.
Sideswipe threw the large spark casing to Mirage and charged back at Prime, blade at the ready.
"He deserves oblivion" Prime cried out and took aim at the Spark casing that Mirage now held.
Sideswipe slid and with one well aimed stroke to Optimus elbow, breaking his lock on his target.
Optimus snarled in anger and charged back at Sideswipe.
"Prime, calm down!" Ratchet cried out ushering humans from the range of what was starting to be inside fight.
"He is a traitor and a killer." Prime cried out, Sideswipe backing under assault of Optimus' blows.
"He is your brother" Ratchet yelled trying to catch Optimus before he hurt Sideswipe.
Something was seriously wrong.
"He is not, and I will destroy those that will ever repeat that blasphemy. I have no brother, nor mentor." Optimus shoved Ratchet aside, the green mechs toppling to the ground and shifting into his alt-mode. Before his tires hit the ground he put his engine in high gear and rammed into Optimus legs, tripping him to the pavement with a loud Crash.
"Hold him."
Two words were enough for Sideswipe and Mirage to get into gear and bodily pin Optimus to the ground, the mech trashing in their hold, blue optics flickering.
"Sorry Prime but I relieve you of duty, as is my Medical right. I will administer the sedative and YOU. ARE. GROUNDED"
Ratchet let his interface cable de-spool and jabbed it into Optimus' nearest port.
"Calm the frag down, Optimus!" He said with his voice a bit less angry and more frightened.
"You will not tell me what I should do medic. GAH!" Optimus snarled and growled before finally going limp.
"He needed more than I thought!" Ratchet sighed in what sounded like exasperation and shock. "Get him back to medical, tie him to the berth and make sure those knots are secure or I'll be picking up your remains from allover the base."
The red and silver mechs looked at him. "What about the Megatron?" Ratchet looked at the empty casing, casing he knew so well from times it was the core of Lord Protector.
"Leave him at the altar just..." He glanced at Prime "On the side of others."
"You destroyed Cybertron!" Accusing finger pointed towards Bumblebee.
The yellow bot chirped sadly and lowered his battle mask in embarrassment.
"Optimus..." Ratchet stepped forward to Optimus who glared at his scout with such poison in his optics it made the medic shiver. "You have ordered to destroy the pillar yourself, don't go blaming others for your own decisions!"
"He destroyed the pillar." At Optimus repeated words, Ratchet stepped between the Prime and Bumblebee.
"You want to blame someone, fine; Blame me. I shot it. Primus forbid you to throw accusations at Bee, he was doing his best."
Prime huffed and turned his head away putting a mock struggle against the cuffs on his ankles and one hand... the other hand stroking his chest absentmindedly.
"You know I will not forget what you did to me?" Optimus asked in silent, threatening whisper.
"I know". Ratchet seethed trying to keep calm. "It's for your slagging good."