Star
Mirage chuckled as he closed the line on Raoul's call that he and Tracks were nearing the orphanage, and went to the door to head outside and wait for them. He stepped out into an ankle-deep pile of snow and carefully moved to a side so that he wouldn't block the doorway for anyone else.
As he waited, he glanced up at the sky. It had since stopped snowing and the clouds had blown over, leaving a clear, star-filled night sky in their wake. Mirage gazed at the stars, and at one in particular that shone brighter than the rest. For a moment, he let himself imagine that it was Cybertron and for a moment it felt as if home wasn't too far off after all – not if he could still see it from where he was.
"Is that your home Miwage?" a small voice asked from near his foot.
The spy looked down in surprise and saw his friend Martha standing in the snow, with only a thin shawl wrapped around her frail little shoulders.
"You shouldn't be out here, Martha," he said. "Its quite chilly and you might catch a cold and get sick."
"It okay. I'm used to it."
Used to the cold or used to getting sick, Mirage wondered, but didn't ask. Instead he bent down and picked her up in his hands, letting her sit on his forearm as he held her against his warm chestplate. She smiled brightly up at him and he found himself smiling back.
"I like to think its my home," he said, looking back up at the star.
"Me too," Martha replied. "That where my mommy and daddy are. They waiting for me, and one day I'm going to see them again."
"And I'm sure they'll be very happy to see you, too."
"Whe'e Miwage's mommy and daddy?"
The Autobot balked at that, not quite sure how to reply. "I… uh… I think they're in the star, too." His optics glazed over with a bit of sadness. "Along with some of my friends." A sigh came out before he could stop it.
Martha looked up at him with a bit of a pout and patted his wrist. "Don't cwy Miwage. It Chwistmas. Time to be happy. Those in star happy, want us to be happy also." She looked back at the star. "They don't mean to go so soon and weave us behind, but they know we catch up one day, and we all be together again. So pwease don't be sad."
"How do you know they're happy where they are Martha?" he couldn't help but ask.
"Star shines bwightwy. When they happy, it vewy bwight, wike tonight."
Mirage smiled at that. "You think so?"
She nodded eagerly. "I know so."
The spy cuddled her to him. "Thank you, Martha."
"For what? Siwwy Autobot, I didn't do an'thing."
"You cheered me up, made me happy."
Martha giggled. "That 'cause I happy."
"I'm glad you are. Now, lets go see if that tree's nearby."
