"Little Flower—A Transformers Prime Fan Fiction"
Summary: Lily meets the Autobots
~~This chapter is rated T for sensitive material.~~
TFP © Hasbro
Lily © Me
~Chapter Two: The Gentle Giants~
The members of Team Prime waited anxiously for their leader to return to their base hidden in the desert. They had been given orders to fall back and return to base, saying he'd meet them there when he could, but that was over an hour ago now. What was keeping him?
"He is obviously still functioning," Ratchet said as he stared at Optimus's signal on their monitor. "His signal is still active, but why has he not yet returned?" Ratchet was the medic on Team Prime; he remained at the base to manage the ground bridge controls and keep an eye out for any Decepticon activity while the others are out. But he occasionally joined in on the action—however, most of the "joining in" is mainly assisting a wounded Autobot if he or she was injured in battle. He and Optimus go way back; they were close old friends, having known each other for a very long while during their time on Cybertron. He'd be devastated if his leader was hurt, even needlessly put the blame upon himself. If the situation were to ever occur, he'd work his pistons off to get his chief back on his feet.
"Perhaps he got caught in another fight with the Decepticons," bleeped a yellow muscle car Autobot, Bumblebee, as he took a step towards the medic. Bumblebee was the scout of Team Prime, but he was easily one of the smartest, quick-thinking, skilled warriors aboard. He may be among the smallest of the Autobots, but no one ever judges him by his size. Bee's voice box was severely damaged during the Great War—by Megatron. Now, he doesn't speak words, only silly sounds, but his teammates seem to understand him enough. The scout was also deeply concerned for the life of his leader. Optimus is like a surrogate father to him. If anything were to happen, he'd be right there to help.
"Not likely," Ratchet replied, keeping his optics on the monitor. "If any more Decepticons are becoming involved, we would know. But for the moment, Optimus's signal is the only one popped up."
"Maybe the government called him into questioning about the fight," the large, dirty green Autobot, Bulkhead, theorized. Bulk was well known for his body size and capability of mass destruction. He may not be the best when it comes to stealth, but the big lug is useful when any damage is needed done. Wrecking things was his specialty, since he came from an old team back on Cybertron during the Great War called the Wreckers, but resigned from that position to join Team Prime when the chance came. Though he's his own weapon of mass destruction, he does have a softer side, such as commenting on how beautiful the night was—despite the battle that had taken place only an hour ago.
Ratchet sighed and turned to the big lug. "That is one possibility that I fear of being true," he said quietly. "After all, you all fought so close to the homes of the neighborhood. But from what I can tell, only two humans spotted you..." He trailed off, closing his optics and shaking his head.
"But now there is only one," Bulkhead said sadly, remembering when he saw the human male's body. The three mechs hung their heads in silence until a message came through.
"Ratchet," said a voice over the comm. link.
"Optimus?!" the medic exclaimed; at the mentioning of their leader's name, Bulkhead and Bumblebee raced to Ratchet's side to listen. "It's about time we've heard from you. What have you been doing?"
"I am fine, but could you speak a little quieter, please?" Optimus asked in a soft voice. "Agent Fowler and I shall explain what we can. We are entering the base now."
"We can hear you approaching, boss," said Bulkhead, and the three mechs looked to the tunnel that led out of the missile silo. The sound of an engine revving became louder and louder, and faint headlights lit up the tunnel. Soon, a large red and blue big rig turned the loose curve and entered the base, pulling to a slow stop.
Ratchet, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee went to him. "Now, care to say what took you?" asked Ratchet. Then, the driver door swung open, and the Autobots gasped. "Agent Fowler..."
Agent William Fowler stepped out of Optimus, quietly closing the door while glaring at the three of them. "Will you keep it down?!" he hissed as softly as he could while trying to sound angry. "You'll wake her up!"
"Her?" repeated Ratchet.
Agent Fowler stomped to the passenger door, slowly opened it and reached his arms inside. When he pulled them back out and stepped down, the three Autobots surrounding them gasped. "It is her..." Bulkhead said quietly.
Cradled in Fowler's arms, wrapped in a blanket, was a tiny child, who appeared to be asleep. She was decorated in scratches and bruises, the ends of her clothes were tattered and burnt, blackened with ash, her hair was filthy, and her skin was very pale, stained with dark red blood. Her hands were in small fists and were brought up to her mouth, and her knees were slightly bent and rested against the agent's chest. She laid in Fowler's arms, curling limply, making no movements whatsoever.
Bulkhead knelt down slowly to get a closer look at the child. "I never saw her run outside...but I heard her scream." Bee bleeped sadly in agreement, hanging his head. "Poor girl...no home and no parents now..." Bulkhead said pitifully as his eyes followed the cuts along the tiny girl's body. "We all know how having no home...but no one to take care of her..."
"Where did you find her, sir?" asked Bumblebee.
Before Optimus could speak, Agent Fowler stepped forward. "In shock and unconscious on the other side of the road near McElroy's body," he said in a disgusted tone. "Poor thing was so shaken up, I thought her skin would fall off! I suppose you know this girl's life is over, with no home and no parental figure to look after her, because you imprudent piles of scrap can't even handle a simple mission, which might I point out, involved a casualty." The dark-skinned man glared up at Optimus as he mentioned the loss of a human life.
The Autobot leader sadly frowned and looked elsewhere, not wanting to meet the angry eyes of their human liaison. He already knew of his mistake in allowing even a single human casualty—a vow he had made with the human government when they first arrived to Earth. But there was something he knew the humans didn't, but he promised to keep it to himself until the appointed time.
His optics locked onto the slumbering girl; he remembered the look of countless emotions on her face as she looked to her mutilated father's body, her audio receptor-piercing scream. He remembered the moment of rage he felt when he realized he had failed his mission to protect both of their lives. He was angry with himself, but he knew better to keep his emotions in check. He pitied the child greatly and blamed himself for her suffering. However, he had an idea to make it right.
Bumblebee hummed sadly s he got onto his hands and knees to have a closer look at the girl. He wanted to gently touch her, but Fowler roughly pushed his finger away. His optics saddened and he looked up to his leader. "What will we do with her, Optimus?"
Prime glanced at the child and declared firmly, yet gently, "She will remain here and recuperate until we can find a suitable human home for her." While Bumblebee and Bulkhead quietly celebrated, Fowler's angry mug scrunched even more.
"Absolutely-!" He stopped himself when he felt the girl shift in his arms, and waited for her to settle down before he continued, in a soft, infuriated voice. "Absolutely not! Because of you rust buckets, she's lost everything now! She needs human protection, Prime!"
Optimus bent down onto one knee and leaned close to Agent Fowler. "I understand your intentions, Agent Fowler," he said calmly, "but with all due respect, if the Decepticons are targeting her, she will be much safer under our watch compared to another human. I know her father has done well in protecting her these past few years—with and without our assistance—but, seeing this as our fault, we should take the responsibility in looking after the girl." He then held a hand out in front of Agent Fowler, awaiting him to make a move.
Fowler scrunched his nose at Optimus then looked to the girl he carried. He was irritated at the fact that Optimus was right. Slowly and carefully, he laid the tiny child into the palm of Optimus's hand, tucked the blanket around her a little more, then stormed off to the elevator.
Optimus slowly got to his feet in an attempt to not awaken the child; he heated up his hand so she wouldn't be cold from the metal plates of his palm, and cradled the fragile thing. After Agent Fowler left, Ratchet approached him. "Optimus...do you really believe that allowing this girl to roam around our base is such a good idea?"
"How do you mean, Ratchet?" Optimus asked.
"I mean, if the girl is seen with us out in the open, won't it also draw attention to ourselves?"
Optimus narrowed his optics a little. "You are not saying I should put this child back where she was found, are you, Ratchet?"
"No, no, of course not! It's just...I happen to agree with gent Fowler."
Bulk and Bee looked to him in shock. "You're actually listening to that jerk?!" Bulkhead exclaimed quiet enough not to disturb the sleeping child.
"Now, that isn't what I am saying, Bulkhead," Ratchet glared.
"Then what are you saying?" said Bumblebee.
"What I mean is," Ratchet elucidated, "won't the child be in as much danger here as anywhere? She is so small. If she gets underfoot..."
"I understand your concern, Ratchet," Optimus said as he slowly advanced towards his old friend, "but with the Decepticons after her, she would be in grave danger if she leaves our headquarters. And since she is so valuable, we must take good care of her, and ensure her safety in here, and out there. Is that understood?"
Ratchet sighed. "Yes, sir."
Bumblebee stood on the tip of his feet to get a look at the girl asleep in Optimus's hands. He couldn't help but bleep a giggle and lightly stroked the child's head with the tip of his finger. "Bumblebee," said Optimus, "let her rest. She has been through a great deal of trauma and needs rest." Bee whirred understandingly, gently patting the tiny human and backed away. "I believe it is about time we all get some rest. A lot has happened tonight." The Autobots nodded and departed to their respective private quarters.
"Optimus," said Bulkhead as the Autobot leader turned to leave, "what will happen when she wakes up?"
Prime gazed down at the girl in his hands. "We will worry about that when she does awaken, Bulkhead," he said softly. "Now, get some rest." Bulkhead nodded and entered his quarters.
Once the base was silent, Optimus dimmed the lights and headed for his own quarters. As he entered and stared at his berth, he realized the child he carried had no place to sleep; at least, she wouldn't if he slept in the berth. After a quick moment of thinking it over, he slowly placed the girl onto his berth, cocooned her in the blanket, then laid on the floor beside his berth, slowly falling into recharge.
Lily awoke feeling the worst headache of her life. Her stomach churned and everything felt as though it were moving. She questioned if she was still in the truck with the strange man at the wheel, but she realized she was laying on something hard, stiff and cold. The metal was icy to the touch, and shivers crawled up her back. She tried sitting, but with low energy she fell back onto the table. Her arms felt heavy, but she lifted them the best she could.
She noticed her cuts were cleaned and bandaged, as well as her legs. Propping herself on her elbow, she saw that she was clean, no longer covered in ash, dirt and...blood...Lily didn't even want to think about what happened the night before.
Slowly raising her head, she began to look around, observing her surroundings. She remembered the strange man telling her she was being taken somewhere safe, but where exactly did he take her? She saw that she was in a large, empty chamber, aside from the metal slab she laid upon. Her ears picked up the sound of a computer running—as well as voices. Slowly and carefully, she got to her knees, trembling as she made her way off the metal bed and reached the floor, nearly landing flat on her bottom from the impact.
Struggling to her feet and adjusting the blanket she had wrapped around her body, she made her way out of the chamber and into a hall, using the wall for support. She headed towards the voices, which were deep and booming-like. Keeping close to the wall, she peered into the room and instantly froze. There, before her, were the large, robotic beings she had seen last night. She noticed the two whom she saw while at the park; the orange and white one was new, and she recognized the largest one right away.
But still, the memories came. Coming in flashes, she saw the fight right before her eyes; the explosions, the earth shaking, flashes of red and blue, and a vast puddle of red coating the street...Lily grabbed her head and whimpered. Why would the strange man bring her to the robots that were involved with her papa's murder?
"Hey, she's awake," said a voice, and Lily looked up to see the large, green robot pointing at her. She gasped as he eyes widened; quickly turning on her heels she took off back down the hall and hid in the room she woke up in, pressing herself against the wall.
She heard footsteps approach the door and a shadow loomed over her. Tremblingly looking up, she locked eyes with the yellow robot. It made bleeping noises as it peered back into the hall; once it was distracted, Lily ran between its legs and ran as fast as she could. It made a grab for her, but she managed to run out of its reach.
"No, come back!" the green bot shouted as they took off after her. "We won't harm you!"
Lily kept running, not knowing nor caring where she was going. She was surprised to know that her legs were able to let her run this much after the damage they took. Turning the corner, she crouched down and hugged herself, panting heavily and shakily. She jumped at the sound of steady, booming footsteps coming closer and closer. She wanted to cry, but no tears would come. Soon, another shadow hung over her; looking up, she saw the largest of the robots. Whimpering, she quickly got to her feet and took off again, entering a room—or in her case, a dead end. Before she could run back, the large robots had entered the room. She cowered against the wall, hiding her face in the blanket.
The robots circled around her but gave her some space so she would be comfortable. The largest of the robots approached slowly and knelt down, a sot expression on its silver face. "Hello, little one," it said with a deep, yet soft masculine voice. "My name is Optimus Prime. You need not fear us. We will not harm you."
Lily slowly lifted her head from behind the blanket and stared into the giant robot named Optimus Prime's bright blue eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but the second she did, a taste of bile arose in her throat and she instantly closed it, putting a hand over her mouth. A few seconds later she removed her hand and violently retched, her stomach contents splattering all over the floor. She heard one of the robots grimace and groan. When she finished, she coughed and spat any remaining bile taste in her mouth to the floor. She blushed madly; these machines had just seen her vomit within 30 seconds of their meeting. Full of shame and embarrassment, she hung her head and cried.
While Bulkhead and Bumblebee glared at Ratchet, Optimus leaned back a little to give Lily some space. "It is alright, little one," he said gently. "We understand you have endured much this past day, but you do not have to be afraid of us." Lily sniffled and wiped her eyes with the blanket, then began to crawl towards Optimus, sitting beside his hand. The Prime was surprised when Lily suddenly began nuzzling his finger, but he couldn't help but smile a little.
She then looked up, meeting eye to optic with him, and asked in a very hoarse voice, "...W-What...are y-you...?"
"We are autonomous robotic organisms from the planet Cybertron," Optimus Prime explained, "but you may call us 'Autobots' for short."
Lily's red eyes widened a little. "So...y-you are all...aliens...? Like E.T.?"
"Whomever this E.T. is, yes. We are aliens to you humans." Optimus then gestured to the large green bot. "This is Bulkhead," he said, and the named Autobot gave a nod of its helm to Lily and smiled. Optimus then motioned to the yellow, small Autobot. "This is our scout, Bumblebee." Lily giggled at the funny beeping noises it made as it waved to her and she waved back. The Prime pointed to the last Autobot. "And this is our medic, Ratchet." Ratchet bore no expression on his face as he merely nodded his helm to her.
Lily then turned her body fully towards Optimus and tapped on his hand. He turned it palm-facing-up so she could climb into it, and he slowly rose it up close to his eye level. She took a deep breath, staring into his gleaming, blue optics, and asked nervously, "What...w-were those things...y-you were fighting? Last n-night?" She felt tears beginning to swell up in her eyes, and she hoped none of the Autobots would notice them.
Optimus wore a serious expression as he elaborated, "They go by the name Decepticons."
Damn 'Cons are at it again...Lily heard her father's voice cry, making her slightly gasp.
"They also came from our home planet Cybertron. We have been at war with them for eons to come. Megatron is their tyrant. You have already met him." Lily remembered seeing the red-eyed, spiky metallic being outside of the guest room window and shivered. "His intentions are to conquer your planet, and claim it as his own, since our world is uninhabitable. But we Autobots have vowed not to let your planet share the same fate as ours."
"What happened?" Lily asked.
She could see the sadness hidden in his optics as he said, "It was lost in the war. The only ones who survived were those who fled, or sought to take refuge amongst the stars. Ratchet, Bulkhead, Bumblebee and I discovered this planet and came here to defend it from the Decepticons. However, we were unaware that Megatron and some of his forces had already arrived via space bridge technology. While our numbers dwindled, the ranks of Decepticons dramatically increased, and they've taken the ability to transform into your world's aircraft, while we Autobots have taken shape of your vehicles on the ground. We continuously await any other Autobots still out there to come and join us in winning this war..."
Optimus trailed off as he noticed the tears streaming down Lily's face and splattered onto his hand. "What is the matter, little one?" he asked sympathetically.
Lily quietly sniffled as she wiped her eyes. "...My papa...he was...he was killed by one of those...Decepticons...wasn't he...?" Optimus slowly nodded. He then began to feel the tiny girl he cradled tremble in his palm. "Then so was my mama..." Lily added through a sob. She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. "Mama...Papa...both gone...because of them...I-I never forgot the day she died...I watched it happen...S-Suffered nightmares since...A-And now, Papa...r-right leg g-gone...h-hole in his chest...H-He tried to protect me...but now, he's...!" Lily couldn't handle any more of it and sobbed loudly, gripping the sides of her head, as her tears dripped off of her chin and the tip of her nose.
The Autobots wished they could do something to help, but all they could do was watch the poor girl cry. Optimus sadly sighed to himself then gently stroked Lily's back with the tip of his finger in hopes of calming her down. "There, there," he spoke softly. "I know it hurts you, but you need not grieve, child. Although your parents are no longer with you physically, they are with you in your mind and heart, so long as you remember them. I am certain they would not want to see their little daughter suffer this way. They would want you to be happy, and to move on. I am sure it pains them dearly to see you in such agony."
Lily slowly lifted her head and looked up into the Autobot leader's kind optics. She sniffled heavily and wiped her eyes and nose on her arm. She quivered a smile, crawled to one of Optimus's giant fingers, and wrapped her tiny arms around it as much as she could, trying to hug him.
Optimus smiled faintly. "It is good that you are willing to trust us, little one," he said.
Lily then pulled away and turned to him, slightly frowning. "I never said that," she pointed out. The other Autobots looked at her with a confused expression on their face plates. "You guys did some serious damage last night, too. How do I know you're not just as dangerous as those other robots?"
"Because we're the good guys," said Bulkhead. Lily seemed unconvinced.
"Young one," Optimus began, "I do admit, we can be just as destructive as the Decepticons, but only if we choose to. While their purpose is to conquer your world, ours is to protect it, and keep the human race safe. And I promise, we shall keep you safe as well."
The smile returned to Lily's face and she resumed cuddling Optimus's finger. "Okay, good enough for me."
The Prime faintly smiled once more. "Now, young one," he said after a moment, "now that you know of our names, might we know of yours?"
"I'm Lily...Lily McElroy."
"Well, miss Lily McElroy, for the time being, you shall remain here under our watch."
Lily blinked. "Here? Forever? But, what about school?"
"In order to maintain your safety, you must stay here in the silo," Optimus stated. "And you need not worry about being absent at school, Lily. Agent Fowler is taking care of that."
Lily scrunched up her nose. "Who?" Suddenly alarm began blaring and green lights flashed. Lily exclaimed and covered her ears. "What's that?!"
"Proximity sensor," said Bulkhead. "Someone's coming this way."
Lily gasped and looked up to Optimus with fear in her wet, green eyes. "Are we under attack?!" she cried.
"No, Lily. Everything is fine," Optimus assured.
"It's Agent Fowler," Ratchet grumbled. "No surprise there. I almost expected him to drop by sometime today." Before he could say anymore, the elevator door swung open, and Agent Fowler entered the base with a quickened pace.
He glared at each of the Autobots, but then his expression softened when his eyes fell onto Lily. "How you doing, kid?" he asked her.
Lily blinked at him for a moment; his voice sounded so familiar. Then it hit her. He was the strange man in the front seat of the truck. "I-I'm doing okay..." she said shyly.
"You seem to be doing well," Agent Fowler nodded, then his expression hardened up again as he looked to the Autobots, "especially after all of the ruckus these four caused." He then noticed Lily's cheeks flushing as she lowered her gaze.
Optimus noticed this as well. "Agent Fowler, I am certain miss Lily would prefer if we did not discuss last night's incident in front of her," he said softly, and Lily slowly nodded in agreement. Fowler kept a hard glare on the Prime, but he heeded his words.
"What am I going to do about school?" Lily peeped after a while.
Fowler managed a smile and looked in her direction. "You don't need to worry about it. As far as your teachers are concerned, you've been transferred to a school out of the state. And I assume it's best that they continue to believe that."
"What about my home?"
"It's been completely abolished," Fowler said bluntly, then he realized what he said when he saw the look of shock on the little girl's face, and he regretted speaking before thinking.
"T-There's...nothing...left?" Lily swallowed hard and looked like she was going to burst into tears as she began to whimper.
Both Fowler and Optimus wore a look of panic and concern, then the Agent spoke quickly. "B-But we managed to scavenge some items from the wreckage before the structure was torn down." He then reached behind him and revealed something from underneath his coat.
Lily gasped and extended her arms, her hands reaching and grabbing for what Fowler held. "Teddy!" she exclaimed frantically. Optimus brought his hand closer to Agent Fowler, and he handed the darkened bear to Lily; she took it and held it close, snuggling and cuddling it.
Agent Fowler smiled, secretly sighing of relief, knowing he wouldn't have to deal with a crying spell. "The rest of the items are in that box," he said, pointing to a corner, "for you to look through."
"Thank you, Agent Fowler. I am sure this will bring miss Lily great comfort," Optimus said, but Fowler merely rolled his eyes and focused his attention elsewhere.
A sudden, groaning noise was heard, earning everyone's attention. They all traced the sound back to little Lily, who blushed and hung her head a little. When the groaning came again, she whimpered and hugged herself tightly. "I'm sorry! You didn't need to hear that!"
"What was that?" asked Bulkhead.
"My tummy. I-I'm hungry..." Lily said sheepishly, embarrassed at the fact her stomach growled loud enough for everyone to hear. "B-But you don't need to waste your time getting me food! You've done enough just by letting me stay here."
Optimus smiled kindly at her. "It is no trouble at all, miss Lily," he said. "If it is food you need, we will do all we can to find you some. You've endured enough. You shouldn't go hungry." Lily smiled back at him.
"And just how do you intend to find her food, Prime?" asked Agent Fowler. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. "I don't know how you purchase your refueling sources on your planet, but on Earth, we humans use a little thing called cash to get the food we need. We don't just waltz into a store, take what we please, and then leave." He took out a few bills and handed them to Lily. "Here, kid. Based on the sound of your gut, you'll need this much to buy food."
Lily reached out and took the money into her hands. Her eyes widened when she saw the amount. "Fifty whole bucks?! That's more than I get in my allowance!"
Agent Fowler chuckled, then he headed for the elevator, glaring at the other Autobots. "You better take care of her," he growled and stepped into the elevator, then the door closed.
Lily watched him go, then she looked up to Optimus Prime. "He doesn't like you, does he?"
"If he does, he sure has a funny way of showing it," Bulkhead grumbled.
Lily giggled, then her stomach groaned again, making her blush madly. Optimus looked over to his Autobots. "Bumblebee," he said, "take Lily into Jasper and help find her some food. She will need to replenish her strength. And be on your guard."
"Yes, sir!" Bumblebee whirred and he transformed into his vehicle mode. Lily's eyes widened at the transformation and her jaw dropped. Optimus lowered his hand to the floor and watched her run over to the yellow muscle car. She hopped in, buckled her seatbelt, and then Bumblebee drove through the tunnel leading outside, and they headed for downtown Jasper.
Optimus, Bulkhead, and Ratchet watched the two of them go. Ratchet then took a step forward once more. "Optimus, are you still certain the child is safe here with us? Wouldn't she be more protected under Fowler's watch?"
Optimus sighed, having thought this had been settled, and turned towards his old friend. "Lily will be well protected under our watch, Ratchet. She will be much safer here than under anyone else's protection." Optimus then lowered his gaze and slightly frowned, remembering something he was told the previous night.
Lily swung her legs happily while she and Bumblebee sat together on the cliff edge as she sunk her teeth and took a humungous bite out of a juicy cheeseburger. Her lap was also cluttered with chocolate candy bar wrappers and bubble-gum suckers. "Mmm! Papa never let me eat one of these!"
"What are those things called again?" Bumblebee asked, pointing to the thing Lily held in her ketchup-stained hands.
"They're called cheeseburgers," Lily explained as she took another bite and wiped her mouth. "They have patties with cheese, lettuce, pickles, onions, and buns! But I don't like the yucky tomatoes and onions, and the pickles are too sour, so I just eat the lettuce. Papa always said I have to eat my greens if I want to be a big girl..." Lily trailed off and she sat her cheeseburger down. Then she looked out at the canyon below her and gazed at the mountains. "Papa and I would come here every Saturday to watch the sun set behind the mountains..." Lily hung her head, staring at her sock feet. "I wonder if...before he died...Papa regretted not taking me yesterday..."
Bumblebee became afraid that she would start crying. So he got onto his hands and knees, crouched down to her, and gave off high-pitched trills. "Don't be sad, please? Be happy!" he bleeped, smiling through his optics. Then he laid on his back and began to paw at the sky, making purring noises.
Lily giggled and pointed. "You're a kitty!" Bumblebee wasn't sure on what a 'kitty' was, but as long it was making Lily happy and keeping her mind off of her late papa, he was good with it. He then rolled onto his stomach and made funny noises through his voice box just to make Lily laugh more.
Then, Bumblebee's comm. link activated. "Bumblebee," cried Ratchet's voice, "We need you back at base! Our scanners have picked up another Energon spike and we need all hands on deck. Are there any humans near your location?"
Bumblebee scanned the area around him and replied, "Besides Lily, no humans are nearby, Ratchet."
"Very well. I am opening a ground bridge at your coordinates."
Not long after, a massive, shrilling, swirling vortex of green and white light appeared before them. Lily gasped and hid behind Bumblebee's leg. "What is that thing?!" she cried.
"It's called a ground bridge," Bumblebee bleeped. "It is able to transport us to anywhere on this planet from our base."
"It sounds like it's going to eat me!" Lily exclaimed over the sound of the portal.
Bee trilled laughter and looked down to her, smiling through his optics, assuring her things will be okay. Lily swallowed hard and picked up her burger, then she asked Bumblebee to carry her. He sat his hand palm-up and allowed Lily to crawl into his hand. He waited for her to be comfortable, and then he slowly headed through the ground bridge. One moment, they were in the desert; the next, they were back at Autobot headquarters.
Lily moaned as she shuddered, feeling her inside vibrating. "Don't worry. The ground bridge has that effect on everybody," Bumblebee chirped. "The effects wear off after a few moments. You'll be okay." Then he looked to Ratchet. "What's the news, Ratchet?"
Ratchet turned from the monitor towards the scout. "We've picked up a massive Energon source beneath the ice in the Arctic," he explained. "Unfortunately, so has Megatron and the Decepticons. We need to get there before they do." Bee nodded and sat Lily down on the floor.
"The Arctic?!" the tiny girl exclaimed and twirled on her toes. "Ooh, I've always wanted to go there! I hear it's real pretty this time of year!"
The Autobots all exchanged glances before looking down to her. Optimus approached her and knelt down. "Lily, for your safety, you will remain here with Ratchet," he told her. Lily stopped twirling and she whined. "With you being a primary target of the Decepticons, if they discover your presence, your life could be in jeopardy. And, you are not properly dressed for the Arctic weather." Lily looked at her tattered clothes and pouted.
"I can't just hang around here all day!" she fussed.
"Don't worry, kid," said Bulkhead. "You've got Ratchet here to keep you company." Ratchet rolled his optics and grumbled to himself.
Lily sighed sadly and stared at her feet. She knew that the Prime was right and was only concerned for her well being, but she didn't like being cooped up all the time. Ratchet then punched in the coordinates of the Energon's location in the Arctic and activated the ground bridge, and the Autobots gathered together, ready to race through it. "Oh, Mr. Optimus!" she cried and ran to his feet. He looked down to her with questioning in his deep, bright blue optics. "...B-Be careful," she said shyly while she twiddled with her fingers.
His eyes softened, and a faint smile appeared on his face plate as he gave his helm a nod to her; then his expression became serious once again as his battle mask slid over his face. "Autobots," he announced, "roll out!" Then they charged through the ground bridge, Optimus leading the way, and once they went through, the portal shut, and the base was filled with silence.
It was an awkward silence; a bit too awkward for both the small 7-year-old and the Autobot medic to handle. While Ratchet tried to focus on his main task of searching for any Decepticon energy signatures, he tried to ignore the sound of approaching, skipping tiny feet traveling up the flight of stairs, and tried to block out the presence of the tiny human, who lingered by the rail. However, from time to time, his optics would shift from the screen over to Lily, then back to the monitor, and then back to Lily, up until the uneasiness was unbearable. "What are you doing?" he asked her.
"I am watching you, watch the computer screen," Lily told him, beaming an innocent smile.
"Well, you're too close for comfort," Ratchet said, ushering her back with his hand, being gentle enough so he didn't accidentally knock her over. "Why don't you just...go do what little girls do somewhere else? Like, over there?" He pointed to the furthest corner of their base. "Way over there?" Then he resumed watching the monitor.
Lily's smile fell and her heart sunk like an anchor as sadness filled her eyes. Her feelings were hurt. "You don't like me, do you?" she said with a sniffle.
Ratchet did his best to hide the hurt he felt at the child's words and exhaled deeply, hanging his head and closing his optics. "It's not that I dislike you," he elucidated. "I just need to focus on this. It's my job to keep an eye out for any Decepticon activity, to provide coordinates for Optimus, and to assist when one of our teammates is wounded. I may have solitude here, but that doesn't mean I am free to do what I wish. Just like Optimus and the others have their hands full on the battlefield, I have mine full here." Lily's expression didn't change one bit. Ratchet sighed and hung his helm, then he lifted it again as an idea came to him. He looked to the little girl and asked, "How about a tour of the base?"
He then led Lily around their base, showing her their weapons vault (not letting her in, of course), his laboratory where he had to tell her numerous times to not touch, their storage unit for their supply of Energon, and a hall of labeled chambers. "What's in that one?" Lily asked as she pointed to a chamber, sealed shut with a very large rusted padlock, labeled with the number 84.
"Chamber 84? Classified," Ratchet said simply and rather quickly. "Top secret. Nothing you need to know." Lily sighed and stared at the floor. Ratchet inhaled and held his breath as he closed his eyes. There is no pleasing this girl, he thought to himself, then he looked down to her again. "Okay, tour's over...Want to go to the park?" Lily lifted her gaze and smiled.
So did Ratchet.
Optimus and his Autobots continued their trek towards the location of the frozen Energon with Bumblebee and Bulkhead beside him, armed and ready for any Decepticon ambush. Prime held a scanner, courtesy of Ratchet, out in front of him, pointing it in every direction to scan the presence of Energon nearby. Wherever the beeping intensified, the Autobots followed Optimus in that direction.
Suddenly, the beeping on the scanner sped up, up until the point it was one long tone and a large red glowing dot lit up the screen. Optimus looked down to his feet and saw a faint glow of blue beneath the ice. He then put the scanner away and looked to Bulkhead, giving his helm a nod.
"On it," Bulkhead replied and transformed his hands into wrecking balls. Then he approached the spot and began searching for the weakest point in the ice. When he found it, he raised his fists high in the air, then brought it down powerfully multiple times, denting and cracking the ice.
Meanwhile, Optimus stood on guard and searched around him, gazing at the cliffs of ice that surrounded them. "Is something the matter, sir?" asked Bumblebee. "Do you see something?"
"No," Optimus replied, "but what troubles me is the fact that the Decepticons have not attacked yet." Bumblebee nodded and whirred in agreement. "I have a feeling they are close by...but why do they not strike? Is it their intention to allow us to break the ice so they won't have to and then attack?"
"You are far more clever than I had anticipated, Prime."
Just then, Bulkhead lunged forward violently and let out a loud cry as something struck him from behind. He landed a few meters away on his front with a section of his back singed and smoking; he had been shot from behind. Optimus and Bumblebee immediately ran to him and helped him to his feet, then transformed their servos into their blasters and aimed them as they faced the red-optic, jagged-toothed Cybertronian; the leader of the Decepticons and their cause; the arch-nemesis of Optimus and the Autobots; and the most major threat to Earth and its inhabitants.
Megatron.
The silence was once again awkward during the drive to the park. Lily sat in the front passenger seat, playing with her seat belt strap, swinging her legs while her eyes stared at her feet. Before they left, Lily looked through the box Agent Fowler brought over and found a change of clothes; she now wore a light green shirt, a pink skirt, grey leggings and brown boots. Her pajamas were left back at the base.
She occasionally eyed the self-moving steering wheel, her eyes following its steering pattern; Ratchet had explained that they had the freedom to not use holograms in order to fool the humans into thinking they were regular Earth vehicles by having tinted windows, so no one could see inside and realize there was no driver at the wheel. But, he had added with a light laugh, he knew it wasn't enough to fool the Decepticons, since they were already aware of their disguises. And their Autobot insignia imprinted on the outside of their armor plating made it obvious as well.
Lily grew bored of the silence after a short while and sat up straight in her seat. "Hey. Mr. Ratchet?" she said.
"What is it?" Ratchet replied.
"What was Cybertron like? Before the war?"
Ratchet sighed to himself; of all topics this girl wanted to discuss, she had to choose the one that was rather difficult for any Autobot to talk about. As much as it hurt to speak of the past, he didn't want to Lily's feelings a second time. "Well," he began after a moment, "it was a peaceful planet. There were no Autobots nor Decepticons, only simple, autonomous robotic organisms, no affiliations. While there were quite a few conflicts in the world, there were never any wars. We could live in harmony amongst one another. It was Cybertron's great Golden Age. I had known Optimus back then...but he wasn't Optimus then, neither was he a Prime. He was once a clerk who worked at the Iacon Hall of Records, named Orion Pax. Megatron was there as well, however he had been known as Megatronus, a fierce Gladiator who titled himself after one of the original Thirteen Primes. While he vowed to help stop the growing conflicts among Cybertronians, he had other intentions. Little did anyone know that Megatronus had an unquenchable thirst for power. When he approached the High Council and explained his proposition, practically demanding to become the next Prime, someone else luckily was granted such a privilege instead."
"Orion," Lily said softly.
"Indeed," Ratchet sighed and continued. "And, of course, Megatronus was very angry with this arrangement, and he tore all ties with the young clerk and with the High Council...Funny. Those two were good friends before the war."
Lily's green eyes widened. "Optimus and Megatron were best buddies?!"
"Not exactly. More like mentors, but their friendship did grow to an extent—and then everything changed. Enraged, Megatronus shortened his name to Megatron, and he unleashed his army known as Decepticons across the face of Cybertron. Thus began the Great War. Many lives were lost...Many good friends...loved ones...Only the strong and the lucky survived, along with those who fled and took refuge, just as Optimus put it earlier. However, we've discovered that Megatron and his forces had landed on an organic planet millions of light-years away, filled with inhabitants of all species, plenty of resources. They loved your planet and have stayed since they arrived. So has our team."
"But, I don't get it," Lily said with a frown and a crinkle of her nose. "What makes Earth so special to the Decepticons?"
"Like I said," Ratchet went on, "your planet is rich with resources—among them our main fuel, our life blood—Energon. During the war, supplies of Energon were scattered across the universe, and some landed here on Earth. You humans have no idea; beneath your soil lies what Megatron wants most, because the more Energon they have, the more firepower they possess. And with more firepower, he will conquer over everything and the war will end...However...that is not the only purpose the Decepticons are here..."
Lily blinked. "What do you mean?" she asked, but she never received a reply. She sighed and stared at the floor boards for a moment, then she perked up and asked Ratchet, "Did he lose someone?"
"Beg pardon?" he said.
"Did he lose someone during the war?"
"Megatron?"
"No. Optimus."
Ratchet quieted down, seeming hesitant to answer. "It is not my place to explain Optimus's past on Cybertron during the Great War. I am sure he wouldn't be pleased...Optimus himself doesn't like to discuss it."
"So he did lose someone," Lily lightly gasped. "Who?"
"Did you not hear me? It is not my place to say, and you've no right to know. If you're so curious, ask him when he returns. Although I highly doubt he'll give you an answer."
Lily slumped in her seat and saddened, but not for herself. "Wow...it must've been someone he was really close to..."
The Autobots blasted their weapons at the Decepticons while the enemy charged forward. While Bumblebee and the wounded Bulkhead guarded the Energon while they fought a dozen 'Cons back to back, Megatron obviously targeted and engaged Optimus Prime.
"I really must thank you for this, Optimus Prime," the tyrant sneered. "You have just done all of the hard labor for us. Now all we have to do is destroy you, and take the Energon for ourselves."
"I will not let you escape with even a shard of it, Megatron," Optimus said through his battle mask; his blaster then swapped for a blade with a heated tip and he swung. Megatron drew out his own and their weapons clashed, sparks flying around from where the metals collided and clanged. The two titans skidded around on the ice while they sparred, getting in each other's faces then backing off a little before striking again.
"Oh," Megatron said as he and Optimus locked blades once more, "by the way...how is the little organic doing?" He sneered with a chuckle as he noticed Optimus's optics widen a little. "Yes, I know she is currently under your care, wherever your base of operations may be. Oh, I must admit, it was a joy seeing the look of sheer horror on her sorry, little face when I blasted her remaining parent when he wasn't looking. Oh, I will never forget it; neither will she, and neither will you. While the parent's blood is on my hands, it is also on yours, because you failed to keep them safe."
Optimus narrowed his optics and revved his engines; with an angry grunt he forced Megatron off of him, and charged once more towards him, holding his blade high in the air.
Lily stood at the park entrance and held her breath. She saw all the young children playing on the equipment and with their parents, laughing and screaming. She looked at the mothers and fathers pushing their sons and daughters on the swing set, teetering and tottering on the see-saw, making castles in the sand pit, hanging from the bars on the jungle gym, waiting for their children at the bottom of the slides. She clenched her fists and exhaled, then she sank her feet into the sand as she entered, hugging herself.
She noticed a vacant bench and her optics widened. She remembered from last Saturday; she suddenly saw her papa sitting there, reading the newspaper, flipping through the pages. This bench was the one her papa sat in that day. Lily quietly whimpered and went to approach the bench her father sat in, but then stopped in her tracks as some older boys ran over to it, sat down and hung out. She gasped a little and brought her hands to her chest as she backed up; tears suddenly brimmed her eyes and she turned on her heels then took off, not looking where she was going.
Then something rammed into the side of her head as she ran by the swings, knocking her off her feet and onto the sand, yelping as she landed flat on her back and then rolled onto her side, gripping her head. She winced and shivered as her head pounded and throbbed in pain, barely able to open her eyes; then came the sound of sand shuffling and running feet.
"Oh, my gosh! Are you okay?! I'm so sorry!" said a voice over her as someone helped her sit up. Lily widened her eyes; she recognized that voice and looked up. Her predictions were true; it was her. The girl she punched in the face. And apparently she recognized Lily, too. "It's you..." the girl gasped. She blinked a couple times then asked Lily, "Are you okay? Does your head hurt? Let me see if it's bleeding." She then started checking Lily's head. "I'm sorry I hit you with my heel. I didn't see you running."
Lily hung her head. "Why?" she mumbled softly.
"Huh?" said the girl.
Lily raised her head to her, revealing teary eyes. "Why are you being so nice to me? I...I hurt you..."
The girl nodded and rubbed at the healed cut on her lip. "I know you did," she said, "and it wasn't very nice. But I can't hold a grudge forever, you know?" Lily's eyes widened a little and she sniffled as tears began to stream down her cheeks. "Come on, let's go find your mommy and daddy. Where are they?"
Lily then remembered and envisioned where her mama and papa were: dead on the street soaked in their own blood, nothing but cold, lifeless bodies, rotting corpses. She cringed a little then wiped her eyes as she turned her head away. "My mama and papa are both dead," she said bluntly with a shaken voice.
The girl put her hands over her mouth and gasped. "Oh, I'm sorry!" she said.
Lily stood up. "Don't be. It wasn't your fault."
"I-I know, but...It must be hard to lose both parents...Aren't you lonely? Who's taking care of you now?" the girl asked.
Lily's lip quivered as she swallowed. "I'm fine...It...doesn't hurt as much anymore...And I'm not lonely...I've got these...friends, who're looking after me." After a long moment, Lily turned her head to the girl and smiled. "Thanks for your help," she said, and then she walked away, heading out of the park.
"Wait!" the girl cried, but Lily had already taken off and went out of sight.
Lily ran to the parking lot and saw an ambulance parked by a thick clump of trees; she opened the front passenger door and shut it quickly.
"Ow," said Ratchet. "Easy on the slamming. So far, no signs of any Decepticons in the area. I guess that is a good..." He trailed off when he heard Lily's sniffling. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Lily mumbled as she buckled her seat belt and Ratchet started himself up. "Where are we going now?"
"Back to base," Ratchet said as he backed out of the parking lot and headed for the road. "Got a call from Optimus that he needed a bridge. Bulkhead has been injured." Lily gasped. "I told him it would be a little while because you and I had gone out."
"I-Is Bulkhead going to be okay?" Lily asked.
"I'll find out when I see how critical his injuries are." Ratchet headed down the road into the desert towards their secret base. Once they were safely inside, Lily hopped out and Ratchet transformed into his robot mode, racing for the ground bridge controls. Flipping the switch, he powered it up, and a few moments later Optimus helped Bulkhead into the base, while Bumblebee entered carrying gigantic, blue crystals. "Quickly, Optimus, bring him here," Ratchet said, gesturing to the medical bay. "Bumblebee, put the Energon in my lab for now."
Lily ran to Optimus's feet as he laid Bulkhead on his front. "What happened?!" she asked worriedly.
"An ambush," Optimus said as he positioned Bulkhead to where he'd be comfortable. "Bulkhead was shot from behind. They waited for us to uncover the Energon, and then the Decepticons struck. The quantities Bumblebee carried in were as much we could gather."
"Because the Decepticons took the rest?"
"No," Optimus shook his head. "Because the rest was destroyed during the battle."
Bulkhead winced as Ratchet began his examination. "He is burned in a few places, and it has gone pretty deep. It must have been a close-range blast."
Bumblebee slumped forward, buzzing and whining sadly. "Ohh, it's my fault Bulkhead is hurt! I should have been guarding him while he unearthed the Energon!"
Bulkhead weakly chuckled as he lifted his head. "It's not your fault, Bee," he said. "Don't put the blame on yourself, kid. It was an accede—OW!" Bulkhead jumped and yelled in pain. "Primus, what are you doing to me, Ratchet?!"
"I am trying to see exactly how deep the damage is before I patch you up," the physician said, "and it would go by a whole lot smoother if you'd keep still!"
"Well, if you'd quit pulling!"
"Oh, quit whining like a sparkling!"
While the two bickered, Lily sighed and wandered off a little, then perked up when she glanced down the hall and saw the chamber with the rusted padlock. She ran to Optimus's feet again and tapped on them to get his attention, and he bent down to her height. "What's in there?" she innocently asked as she pointed to Chamber 84.
She noticed Optimus's expression hardening as he looked to where she pointed. Although his face expressed no emotion, Lily could sense something underneath. Then he focused his optics back on her and said, "Secrecy. It is never to be opened without my command." Then he got to his feet and straightened up.
Lily couldn't help but giggle. "Ooh, is it something dangerous?" Optimus's expression remained stiff as he walked away, but Lily followed. "Is there a bomb in there? Ooh, what if it's a giant missile? Or could it be a wild beast? Or maybe a Decepticon prisoner? But he'd be dead if it were locked up for a long time. Ooh! What if there was a dead body in there?"
"Lily, please," Optimus said, his voice slightly echoing, and looked down to her, frowning. The girl instantly stopped in her tracks as her eyes widened at him, frightened by his sudden raise of voice. Bumblebee, Ratchet and Bulkhead stared at them for a moment with nearly the same look as Lily. Optimus sighed and turned away, heading off once more.
"Sorry..."
He stopped at the sound of the very tiny voice. Turning his head, he saw Lily sitting on her knees with her head hanging down as she tugged at the ends of her skirt, quietly sniffling. Optimus's expression then softened as he exhaled softly. He approached her slowly and knelt down to her, laying his hand on the floor. Lily sniffed and climbed into his hand, sitting on his palm, as he slowly brought his hand up.
"I apologize, little one," he spoke gently, cradling her in his hands. "I never meant to raise my voice at you or make you upset."
Lily sniffled. "Sorry for pestering you, Mr. Optimus," she said with a cute whimper.
Optimus pressed his lips together and briefly closed his eyes, feeling his cheek plates flush a little chest as the tiny girl's eyes twinkle at him. He took a deep breath and used a finger to stroke her back. "You are forgiven," he said.
Lily grinned with a giggle and crawled to his thumb, wrapping her arms around and hugging it the best she could, nuzzling. He felt a very faint smile appear on his face at the tiny child's embrace, and his spark fluttered in his chest.
Optimus Prime and Ratchet were the only ones up late that night. They stood in the hall near the main hangar while everyone else had gone to their quarters to recharge, and Lily slept on the couch. Ratchet easily saw the faint look of distraught on his leader's face. "Something troubling you, Optimus?" he asked.
Optimus sighed and lowered his gaze. "It's...It's what Alpha Trion told me when he appeared to me the previous night," he said, speaking softly so he didn't stir Lily awake.
"Did he speak of the prophecy again?" Ratchet asked. Optimus gave his helm a nod and he scoffed. "Well, I still believe it's nothing but nonsense. This prophecy has long been foretold, ever since your were young. Why would it suddenly act now?" He then noticed the hidden sadness in Optimus's optics and quickly added, "Oh, but I mean no offense! I am sure it would be wonderful...but...do you honestly believe that—?"
"AAAAAAAAAUGH! NOOOOOOOOO!"
Both mechs jumped at the sound of a shrill and realized it's coming from the main hangar. Rushing in, they saw Lily sitting up on the couch, pale as a ghost, grabbing her head and trembling violently. They became worried and went to the rail, slowly approaching so they didn't frighten her any more than she already was. "Lily...are you alright?" Optimus asked, but heard no reply from the girl, only shuddered whimpers.
"What is the matter with her?" Ratchet said.
"She must have awoken from what the humans call a nightmare," Prime replied, not really knowing what to do. "Lily..." He carefully rubbed a finger up and down her back, and the child reacted with a shudder. He called her name again softly, and she began to breathe audibly. After a moment, she shakily lifted her gaze up to him. "Are you alright?" he asked again with concern in his voice.
Lily swallowed hard and briefly nodded. "Y-Yeah..." she croaked. "I...I'm okay..."
Optimus and Ratchet could both clearly see she wasn't alright. Prime looked to his old friend and asked him to open the ground bridge to a tranquil place. Optimus then turned to Lily and held out his hand. "Come with me," he said. Lily seemed hesitant, but she got to her feet and wrapped a blanket over her shoulders. Optimus held her with both of his hands and slowly stepped through the ground bridge.
In a blinding flash of light, Lily realized they had gone from the Autobot base in the mountain to a rocky cliff edge at the edge of a forest. The smell of water and sweet pine filled her nose as she looked around her, seeing the rest of the forest at the bottom of the cliff. The sky was a navy blue dotted with white twinkling stars. She felt a little fuzzy from the trip, and they were very, very high.
Optimus cautiously approached the cliff edge and sat himself down, letting his legs dangle over the edge; then he lowered his hand to the ground, allowing Lily to slide off. She placed herself beside his leg, hugging her knees and covering herself with the blanket. The two stared out in silence at the wide forest under the clear sky, until Lily looked up at him and asked, "Why are we here?"
Optimus's deep-blue optics shone through the night as he glanced down at her. "I thought you would like to talk about it, and that a little peace and quiet would help calm you down."
"Talk about what?" Lily asked, pretending not to know what he was talking about.
"Your nightmare."
Lily seemed to pale and she stared at her feet. "I don't want to talk about it," she said.
"I am sure it would help make you feel better if you did," Optimus told her. "It isn't healthy to conceal negative emotions." Lily kept her head hung low and wrapped her arms around her knees a little tighter. Optimus seemed reluctant to mention it, but he had a suspicion. "Would it have anything to do with your father?" He noticed instantly she flinched and dug the tips of her fingers into her arms. Optimus sighed. "I see. What happened?"
Lily had a tight knot in her throat. "I...It was about...t-that night..." Optimus nodded, having a feeling she would dream such a thing, and waited for her to continue. "And then it was Mama...W-When she died...It's always the same...we're running down a street...it's very dark...someone is shooting at us...Mama hid me, a-and then ran out into the street again...I-I tried screaming, but...I couldn't work my voice...Then, a jet turned into a robot and it grabbed her...I-It asked where 'she' was...I guess he was talking about me...But Mama didn't say anything...a-a-and then, it...t-then it...!" She stopped to control her breath and wipe her eyes with her knuckles. "I-I've had it, e-ever since that night happened...E-Every night, I'm afraid to go to sleep...And now...a-after seeing what happened to Papa...I-I don't think I'll sleep again."
"Because you do not wish to be haunted by both of their deaths in your dreams," Optimus said.
Lily nodded and cringed as more tears flowed. She felt embarrassed about being this way in front of her giant friend, but it hurt too much to hold back. She choked on a sob and hugged herself tightly, almost strangling herself. "It isn't fair!" she wailed. "Why did this have to happen to them?! Why is this happening to me?! What did they do to deserve to die like that?! It isn't fair! I...I want my mama and papa!" After a long, deep breath, she let out a pained wail and hid her face from Optimus Prime. She knew it wasn't best to grieve like Optimus had told her, but her heart cramped too much to contain it any longer.
Optimus pitifully watched the girl cry her heart out, listening to her sobs and hiccups, easily picking up the sounds of her anguish. He sadly frowned and lowered his gaze to the dirt as a slight cramp entered his spark. He allowed Lily to cry a moment more in peace until he carefully scooped her up into his hands and held her close to his chest. Lily was reluctant for a bit, but then she clung to his armor with her tiny, trembling hands, sobbing loudly. Optimus gently stroked her back with his finger. "There, there, child," he spoke softly. "It is alright. I know this heavy pain and loneliness is shadowing over you, and you long for someone to be right by your side, to help guide you through it, but no one comes, because they do not truly understand. But know this, Lily: no matter what may happen, someone is always there, willing to help you, if you are willing to allow them."
Lily sniffled and softly sobbed with hiccups as she wiped her eyes, snuggling the gentle giant's chest. She heard Optimus take a deep breath and exhale slowly as he continued, "I am sure your family loved you very much...Up until the very last breath of life they took. I am certain they loved you with all of their hearts...More than you could ever realize..."
Lily blinked; did she just hear a shudder in his voice? She looked up and noticed he had turned his head away. Something glittered on his face, and it seemed to slowly make its way down; and while she clung to him, she felt a slight rattle quake from within him. She couldn't help but quiver a faint smile as she wiped her tears away and kissed his armor. She questioned to herself what had made him feel this way, and it made her feel bad to see him like this. Then she had an idea.
While he stared off, Optimus suddenly felt something climb up his chest and looked to see Lily making her way towards him. "Lily, what are you doing?" he asked her.
"You'll see," the tiny girl grunted as she struggled to pull herself up.
"Please, Lily, be careful. I do not want you hurting yourself."
"I'll be okay." After a while, she managed to reach his neck and used pieces of his armor to reach the top of his head; meanwhile Optimus froze to ensure Lily's safety, but he kept wondering what she had in mind. Then, he suddenly saw her hanging in front of his face, her hair and arms dangling down while her feet gripped the crest of his helm. A little surprised, he blinked and looked at her funny, making her giggle and beam a smile. "You look funny from this view," she said. While he was concerned for her well being, he couldn't help but chuckle a little at the girl's playful spirit.
Then, her feet loosened and slipped, and she let out a yelp as she began to fall. Luckily, Optimus's hand was still below her, and he raised it up to catch her. She warily laughed as she propped herself up on her shoulders. "I meant to that," she said.
Optimus wore a sliver of a smile and then noticed the girl beginning to yawn. "We should return to base," he suggested. "You need rest, little one." He immediately saw the fear in her eyes and added, "But I assure you, if you ever need someone, we will be there for you." He felt pleased to see her calm down, and then he activated his comm. link, requesting a ground bridge. Within a moment, a bridge appeared right in front of them.
"Oh, and Mr. Optimus?" Lily yawned as she laid in the Prime's hand, slowly succumbing to the need for sleep, "I promise not to tell."
The Autobot leader glanced down at her, raising an optic ridge. "Tell what?"
Lily only smiled and curled up into his hand, closing her eyes, and he grinned at her while she slept soundly in his palm. Then he stepped through the portal as it closed, leaving the forest night calm and peaceful.
here's chapter 2! ^^ What do you think of the changes in this chapter? Please be sure to read and review! Many thanks! ~~