After Optimus left chapter 4

(Sideways' pov)

After having told stories tonight, everyone settled down to either sleep or recharge. I was in vehicle mode in Cade's barn and recharging myself when Peaches, who was sleeping on the back seat in her human form, woke up screaming.

"Love, what's wrong?" I asked.

She stopped screaming and simply replied. "I dreamed about Ratchet's death." Peaches began sobbing.

I turned on my holoform and wrapped its' arms around her. "He wouldn't want you to act like this."

"I know but still, Knockout's the only Cybertronian medic left on Earth; what's going to happen if he doesn't teach someone else before someone or something takes him offline?" She panicked.

"We'll have to have him meet with Cade then since Cade has expressed an interest in becoming a medic for us since he knows quite a bit about machinery." I suggested.

"Maybe." Peaches pulled the sheet she had been using back over her and laid down on the seat again.

I turned my holoform off. "Think you can go back into recharge now?" I asked.

"I think so." My mate felt much better knowing that I was there. I felt the same way. Hoepfully, tomorrow would be a good day.

(Cade's POV, 3rd person)

Cade had never thought he would meet an Autobot who could turn into a human. He admitted though that it was a better way of blending in than just turning into a vehicle. It also helped that Peaches could eat human food though as she was this morning for breakfast. Her kids were also eating it, Crystal and Silver Dollar also in their human forms and doing so, and they all seemed to enjoy it. Tessa had cooked breakfast herself just as she had done for many years once she was considered to be old enough to use the stove at the age of 13.

"Tessa, you make great food." Aaron declared.

"Thanks." Tessa smiled at him. "I've had a lot of practice."

Her father finished his own food and once everyone else was done eating, Tessa began washing dishes while everyone else who was inside went outside with the Cybertronians who were already out there.

When they got outside, Sideways was talking to Bumblebee in Cybertornian. Drift was off meditating somewhere and Hound and Crosshairs were shooting at giant targets that Cade had helped them build. Tyler, Aaron, Abby, Crystal, and Silver Dollar began playing with Tessa, who volunteered to watch them despite Tyler's complaints that he was going to be 13 soon and didn't need to be watched.

Peaches transformed into robot mode then sighed and looked at Cade. "Is Tessa that difficult?" she asked.

"Sometimes." He admitted. "I'm still confused about how the whole Pretender thing works."

"Well, it is a very long technical explanation so if you have the patience to hear it, I'll tell you." She said, giving the human man a smile.

"I can listen to the whole thing." he assured her.

Peaches began the long explanation and Cade listened closely. When she was done, she asked "Does that make any sense?"

"Sort of." he answered. "I take it that's the reason why KSI never found you?"

"Yes that and I marketed my book as fiction; only those who are close to the president and all the humans who worked for NEST when it was around knew the truth." The peach colored femme explained. "Sideways and I took our kids out of public school as well since we knew that if they got into a fight at school regarding anything about the Autobots, there would probably be worse punishment than a trip to the principal's office, especially if one of those agents had detected Sideways' or Knockout's signal."

"Who's Knockout?" Cade was confused.

"He's a vain medic who happens to be my family's personal physician as of right now. He changed sides only because he knew there was no point in being a Decepticon without a leader like Megatron." Peaches answered. "I don't know that he'd want to teach you anymore about Cybertronian anatomy but he's the only one who can do it if you want to learn."

"How vain is he?" The human man was wary of Knockout despite never having met him.

"To the point where he hates when someone touches his paint. There's rumors that he was a Casanova at some point before the Autobot-Decepticon war but I have never asked him if any of them are true. Either way, he knows that he can only touch me when doing medical procedures, otherwise Sideways would get pissed off at him."

Cade wasn't sure what to say in response to this. Still, if Knockout had good skills, he would probably be a good teacher. In fact, the human man was sure that the Autobots would make sure that Knockout taught him well. He then finally found his voice again, opting to change the subject. "You are very lucky Peaches."

"You're right; I am but I'm also hardworking. Can you imagine juggling different lesson plans for a seventh grader, a fifth grader, a kindergartner, and 2 Cybertornian sparklings?" She asked.

He shook his head no.

"It's hard being a teacher and a parent but I try to make it fun for them. They don't have to start their next round of lessons until September since that's when the textbooks and workbooks are going to be sent to me." Peaches explained.

Before Cade could ask anymore, he heard Tessa call for help in dealing with Abby and Crystal, who were fighting over a soccer ball. Peaches immediately got up and talked to them saying "If you can't play nicely and share the ball, we have to put it away."

"Nooo!" Abby shouted.

"Are you going to share?" Peaches asked.

"Yes." they replied.

"I hope so." their mother said to them.

The kids started playing nicely again and Peaches came back over. "Sorry about that."

"It's all right; Tessa was just like that whenever her cousins would come and visit. Sometimes I wish I could go back to those days." Cade replied, feeling nostalgic. "Believe me Peach, it's hard to see your kid grow up."

"I know; it's only going to be 6 more years until Tyler is an adult." she replied. "I adopted him after I adopted Aaron but it feels like they've been around longer."

It was about another half an hour of the two talking about family and the hardships of dealing with kids when Sideways finally decided to take Peaches away for some private time before lunch. Cade let them go; they were adults and could handle it well. Tessa wouldn't be 18 until the next Tuesday that was coming up.

His thoughts were interrupted by Silver Dollar asking "Mr. Yeager, can you show us some of the stuff you're working on?"

"Pretty please?" Crystal added.

Cade smiled. "Come on; I'll show you. Just don't touch anything."

All 5 of Peaches' and Sideways' kids were led to the barn by Cade and Tessa, who began explaining some of the projects they were working on. In the back of his mind though, Cade was worried that things were going a little too well during Peaches' visit and had the feeling that something awful was about to happen again...