Author's Note: The title is not misspelled, I mean for it to be that way. I've had this idea for a while, it's kinda depressing. Optimus/Megatron
Disclaimer: I want the right, but try as I might, Hasbro's mean, they gave me a bean. (I'm still trying to figure that out.)
Brothre
Sam noticed that Optimus Prime was sad. Very sad, the boy could see it in the Autobots hurt-filled optics as the giant transformer gazed up into the sky. Somehow Sam also felt that Optimus would not to about it, not with him. The sadness in the mech's optics always made Sam feel guilty, but he could not figure out what he could have done to cause his friend so much pain.
It was vexing, and Sam could only think to confide in his girlfriend Mikaela and his friend/car Bumblebee.
"I noticed too," Mikaela admitted after Sam told them of his troubles, "I don't really know much about Optimus or any of the others. Whatever is causing Optimus to be sad is beyond me."
Both humans looked expectantly at Bumblebee who merely shook his head. "I am sorry I cannot help, you should ask Ironhide." The yellow mech said slowly, his voice capacitator still weak from the damage that after so many eons had finally been repaired by the power of the Allspark.
"But Ironhide is with the Lennox family." Sam said.
"We'll call him." Bumblebee replied, savoring his voice as much as he could. The Autobot medic Ratchet had informed him that it would be a while before his vocals were completely recovered and so the young scout must refrain from overworking them, lest he lose his voice forever.
"Alright then." Sam nodded hopping that the old weapons specialist would provide the answer to Optimus' depression.
()()()
Ironhide came as fast as he could when Bumblebee called for him, telling Will Lennox and his family that it was an emergency. Lennox himself insisted on coming along and soon Ironhide and Will had left the Lennox countryside home and were on their way to Tranquility. Though the drive was long Ironhide was persistent and the pair eventually entered the city limits. The black GMC truck rolled onto the hill where the Autobots would often assemble when they came out of hiding. Now they just had to wait for Bumblebee to bring Sam and Mikaela to meet them.
()()()
Trouble was that Sam was grounded and would have to convince his parents to let him go meet them. Though Ronald and Judy were now well aware of their son's association with the Autobots and of Sam's need to go meet with Ironhide the boy was still grounded.
"Alright," Ron Witwicky finally sighed. "You may go meet with… Iron-skin?" he asked uncertainly.
"Ironhide." Sam corrected.
"Yes, Ironhide, but you can't be out longer than ten o'clock," Ron continued.
Judy finished up for him, "and you also have to clean out the entire garage, sweep the yard and, for God's sake tell your car to stay out of my petunias!"
"Yes Mom I'll tell him." Sam whimpered underneath his mother's almost hostile gaze. Judy Witwicky was a very scary person indeed, to Sam; the woman was scarier even than Megatron had been. Mothers can be like that.
He started out the door to the yard careful to stay on his father's newly build path. Ronald Witwicky may not be nearly as scary as his dear wife, but the man was definitely a force to be reckoned with when it came to his precious lawn. Bumblebee waited outside and Mikaela sat inside on the passenger's side of the yellow Camaro.
Sam smiled, "You can sit in that seat you know," he gestured to the driver's seat.
Mikaela shook her head, "I'm not gonna sit in that seat, he's driving," the young woman said with a hint of a giggle. "And don't try the seatbelt thing again; there are plenty of seatbelts in this car."
Bumblebee let his engine roar, he was laughing at them. Mikaela laughed too, but then her face became serious, "We should go." She said.
Sam nodded and climbed into the driver's side of the car and bumblebee began to back out into the road. "Careful of the fire hydrant!" Judy's voice called from the house.
Bumblebee roared his engine softly in response and drove down the road. If they took the direct route they would reach the lake in a relatively short amount of time, but Bumblebee liked to take detours. The yellow Camaro made to take a turn, but Sam grabbed the wheel, "Bee, we have to get there and back before ten o'clock, I'm grounded remember?"
Bumblebee decided to let the radio talk for him. "Sorry about that man," came a voice from the speakers. Mikaela looked at Sam oddly "You're grounded?"
"Miles' fault, he told me that Mountain Dew and laundry detergent were good for roses."
"And you believed him?"
Sam shook his head. "Of course not, I was trying to prove him wrong."
"On your mother's roses? Sammy I know you're smarter than that."
Sam shrugged and pulled Bumblebee out of yet another wrong turn. Finally they reached the hill where Will Lennox and Ironhide were waiting for them. Sam and Mikaela climbed out of the car and went to greet Lennox as Bumblebee and Ironhide shifted from their vehicle forms to their true forms. "What took you guys so long?" Lennox asked.
"Mister Ladiesman is grounded for putting soda and laundry detergent on his mom's flowers." Mikaela answered before Sam had the chance to explain himself.
Lennox laughed, though he had not yet met Judy Witwicky face to face he had heard plenty of Sam's horror stories to get the message and he too said that Sam was smarter than that.
"Not on weekends apparently." The boy shrugged.
Ironhide and Bumblebee entered the conversation at this point. "What appears to be the problem with Optimus?" Ironhide asked looking intently at Sam.
The boy shrugged his shoulders and sighed, "I don't know, he seems… sad."
The big black mech nodded his head, "yes of course."
Sam continued, "And for some reason I can't help but feel guilty, but I don't wanna talk to him about it, Y'know?"
Ironhide nodded again, "Yes I can understand that."
"Do you know what's wrong with him?" Mikaela asked.
"And why the boy feels so guilty?" Lennox insisted.
"Yes, yes, of course I know!" The old weapons specialist grumbled, "If you would just let me explain."
"Sorry," the three humans piped together. Sam spoke up, "So what is wrong with him?"
Ironhide sighed, "He is in mourning." He said simply.
"For Jazz?" Sam inquired remembering the loss of the Autobot warrior.
"Maybe that too, but I mean Optimus is mourning for Megatron."
"Megatron?" Sam asked, then a memory came back to him, "Oh yeah, they were brothers right?"
Ironhide looked confused. "Brothers? No Optimus and Megatron were not siblings."
Sam gaped, "they weren't? But I remember Optimus said so."
Mikaela looked over at Sam questioningly, "He did? When?"
"It was after I put the Allspark in Megatron's chest; Optimus leaned over him and said 'you left me no choice, brother.'"
Ironhide mused at this for a while before his great blue optics flared with understanding, "Oh yes, now I see! Sam you're not wrong in remembering, you just mistook our word 'brothre' for your 'brother'. They sound alike, but mean something very different."
"Okay." Sam nodded, "and what does 'brothre' mean?"
Ironhide paused for a minute. "It is a highly affectionate term on Cybertron; I think the closest English translation to it would be 'my dear one.'… Yes that's about right."
"Wait." Lennox said, "You're saying that they were… close?"
Ironhide nodded. "They were very close, just short of being bund mates. It was very hard for Optimus to decide to fight against Megatron, probably the hardest decision of his life."
"Oh," Sam said looking down, "so the reason I feel guilty is because I'm the one who killed Megatron?"
"Yes I suppose," Bumblebee spoke up. "But Optimus can't really blame you Sam. As far as you knew, Megatron was a villain; you were just being the hero."
"Save your voice Bumblebee." Ironhide cut in. He turned back the Sam and the others, "Do you understand now?"
The humans nodded and Ironhide smiled lightly, "I think it's time to be heading back Lennox. Bumblebee take the children back home."
The yellow scout nodded, "yes sir," he said transforming into his alt-mode.
Ironhide did the same "See you kids some other time," Lennox waved as Ironhide drove away.
Sam and Mikaela waved good-bye and turned to go, then Sam paused. "Guys I'll be right back," he said walking back towards the hill.
Mikaela followed where Sam was headed and nodded. Further away on a different hillside Optimus Prime stood gazing sadly up at the stars, perhaps even at his home planet, Mikaela thought, though she had no idea how far away Cybertron really was.
Sam continued toward the large Autobot leader until he stood next to the Prime's foot, he looked up at the giant Cybertronian, "Optimus?"
Optimus turned his gaze away from the stars to look at Sam, "What is it Sam?" His optics so heavy with grief and for a moment Sam was too saddened by that stare to speak.
It took a second but Sam finally found his voice. "I'm sorry Optimus." He said.
Optimus cocked his head to the side, "Sorry?"
The boy nodded, "For… taking Megatron away."
Optimus sighed. "It's alright Sam, I lost Megatron eons ago, it wasn't your fault," He turned back to the stars sadly, "You did the right thing, Megatron would have killed you, I didn't realize it before, but if I had been the one to die Megatron would have kept fighting even with the Allspark gone. It was the Allspark and Megatron's own obsession with it that sealed his fate. You are not to blame."
Sam felt like a large weight had been taken off him. "Will you be alright then?" He asked.
Optimus smiled as he turned once again to face his human friend, "I will be in time Sam; all in good time."
End