~Protect~
I stared at the horizon,
the desert air cooler than it is during the day,
as the sun started to sink behind the Nevada landscaping.
I glanced down at Jack,
just to smile as I watch him sleep with his head against my thigh.
I ran a finger down his back,
soon getting lost in both good and bad memories of my two past partners.
Tailgate and I when we first met.
Teases and jokes that were exchanged.
Laughter at a small get together with all the Autobots.
The start of the war.
The torture inflected on me by Airchnid.
The horror of watching her, helpless, as she killed Tailgate.
Cliffjumper and Bumblebee rescuing me.
The heavy numbness in my spark,
with Tailgate's murder always replaying in front of me when I close my optics.
The pain started to slowly go away,
but was still there I knew,
as the gang tried to comfort me.
Especially Cliffjumper.
When Optimus paired me and him up,
I was terrified.
I didn't want to lose someone else.
I didn't want to replace the place Tailgate has in my spark.
Cliffjumper somehow knew my fears,
despite my blank facial plate.
He told me that he didn't want to replace Tailgate.
He just wanted to protect me from losing myself.
Soon,
before I knew it,
Cliffjumper had a place as large as Tailgate had in my life.
When we got transported to Earth and met Fowler,
I hoped to- no prayed to- Primus that I wouldn't lose him to this new world.
My prayer wasn't heard.
I lost him.
On that cliff grave we made with only his right horn,
I swore to myself that no matter what I'll never have another partner.
And when I did see him again in that Decepticon energon mine,
it was just his body I saw.
It wasn't Cliffjumper inside.
It was something.
There was no trace of Cliff in those crazed purple eyes.
When I met Jack,
I just saw him as a human.
Nothing special at first glance.
But as each moment I spent with him came and went,
he somehow wormed his way into my spark.
I finally realized how much he meant to me
on the night that I saw Arachnid.
He isn't some human kid that I'm protecting.
He is my partner.
I was brought out of my thoughts
when I felt Jack stir.
I looked down and stopped moving my finger,
waiting to see what he will do.
He snuggled closer and muttered,
"Arcee…"
I smiled softly and whispered back.
"I'm here, Jack."
I looked up towards the now dark sky that is only lit by millions of stars.
A single star flew across the sky,
and I made a wish towards the two bots that are somewhere out there in the sky.
Tailgate and Cliffjumper,
please watch over me as I protect Jack.
Because, as humans say, third time's the charm