Moving on chapter 10
The very next day, everyone who was at the base was in a good mood. Today was Crystal's birthday and in 11 days, Peaches, Sideways and their 3 children would be moving into a place of their own. Peaches would still work for NEST of course and would get a certain amount of money each month to provide for the needs of Abby and Aaron.
The Pretender wasn't thinking about the move though; she was now giving Crystal the toy she had gotten her which was a stuffed animal of Minnie Mouse.
"Thank you Mommy!" Crystal cuddled the stuffed toy as she said this.
"You're welcome sweetie." Peaches replied smiling.
"Hey Peach, Optimus wants us." Sideways came up to his sparkmate as he said this. "He wants to give Crystal a blessing."
"I'd be honored to have him do so." She replied, calling for Crystal to follow her. Abby and Aaron followed her as did Sideways into the main room where several 'bots and humans were gathered around, as well as Barricade, who had been released from the brig temporarily.
"Peaches and Sideways come forward with Crystal." The Autobot leader told them.
The 2 sparkmates did so. Optimus then took Crystal into his hands and held her. He then began making a speech, which caused Peaches to smile.
"Everyone who is part of the next generation is important no matter what. Peaches and Sideways, you know this all very well." Optimus Prime smiled as he said this. "I was honored to have been one of the first to hold your sparkling and am honored to do so again on this the anniversary of her creation. As she has been here nearly a year, I ask both of you: will you promise to continue meeting her needs but not to spoil her, to teach her right from wrong, to show her that freedom is everybody's right and more importantly continue treating her and her siblings equally?"
"We promise to do what you have asked." Both the ex-Decepticon and the Pretender answered.
Optimus began saying a prayer to Primus as his chest opened and the Matrix of Leadership briefly shown a light on Crystal who said "Pretty!"
"Primus, please continue to bless my soldier and adopted daughter Peaches and her family and continue to help them through both the good and the bad. I also ask that Crystal may have a long and healthy life and that she will always know what choice to make no matter the situation." The Autobot leader was saying. His chest closed, the Matrix no longer shining light on the sparkling. The small orange and blue femme then said "Shoulders Prime please?"
Peaches knew very well what that meant; Crystal wanted a ride on her leader's shoulders, which he hadn't given her for a long time. Optimus knew this as well and lifted the small femme up and placed her there. He then said "Let us all continue to celebrate this joyful occasion."
Everybody cheered and the party finally started. Of course, Abby wanted to be picked up too and said "Up Uncle Oreo!"
Barricade sighed. He then picked up the small human girl in one hand and sat down on the Cybertronian sized sofa with her. He was trying not to think about the semi-awkward and yet at the same time relief that he had experienced yesterday when Peaches had forgiven him. What drove her to do that?
Abby then grabbed a finger of the now ex-Decepticon interrogation officer and said "Love you 'Cade!"
The girl had unknowingly answered his question; Peaches had once mentioned to him and Sideways that her parents had been what humans called "Christians" and believed in a variation of treating one's enemies kindly: "loving your neighbor as yourself". It wasn't the same as the more common romantic love she had with her sparkmate or the love they both had for the younglings in their care but it was thought to still be important. The Autobot Pretender herself had never actually been baptized and had been told by her adoptive human father that she could choose for herself whether she wanted to believe in the God that a lot of humans believed in or not. She had chosen not to but how she had been acting yesterday still had some religious influence from what had been taught to her in her life as one of those flesh creatures.
"Daddy!" Abby shouted as Sideways walked over to where they were.
"Hello there little one." Sideways took her from his former teammate and then sat down next to him.
"I hate to admit this but she is the cutest thing I've ever seen for a flesh creature." Barricade said.
"Yes she is and she seems to be okay with her sister having a birthday today instead of her." the blue colored mech replied.
"Next year!" the human toddler said.
"That's right; your birthday comes again next year." Sideways smiled, glad to have at least one day when everyone of his friends and family were happy.
Meanwhile, Optimus had sat down in another chair and had moved Crystal into his arms. She beeped happily and snuggled against his chest. She had already had energon cake and a small bit of oil to drink. The Autobot leader then looked down to see Aaron slowly approaching him.
"Hello Aaron, did you need something?" he asked.
The human boy answered "I just want to know how did Peaches decide to be an Autobot?"
Optimus Prime smiled as he began thinking of that. "I would rather not tell that story without your adoptive mother's approval."
"Go ahead Optimus; he can hear it." Peaches replied as she walked over to the sofa and sat next to Sideways.
Optimus lifted the 6 year old human boy with his right hand without getting up or dropping Crystal and as soon as the latter was comfortable, began relating the day that the Pretender had made the decision to fight for the side of good and what had happened afterwards.
(2 years before)
Peaches had made her decision the night before. Still, it was hard to believe she had done so. Now her adoptive human parents had said goodbye and left Diego Garcia via plane hours ago and she was sitting on the beach, in her human form as that was what she was used to being in. She looked up towards the stars, wondering what direction Cybertron would be in. "What would it have been like if I was actually raised there?" the Pretender asked.
"Don't mourn the past Peaches; you can only change the future." someone said.
When she turned around, Peaches saw Optimus Prime. "I know Optimus." she replied, watching him walk over to her. "Still, I feel so out of place since I'm not like the rest of the Autobots here."
The Autobot leader lifted the Pretender with one hand and then sat down on the sand. He then put her close to his spark, as she seemed to be a little bit cold although the weather outside was just fine. "You do not need to feel like that little one; having the ability to turn into a native of this world and having been raised differently than the rest of us will be an advantage someday."
"Yeah; I can get on Galloway's level literally and try to keep myself from physically slapping his face when he insults us." Peaches joked, trying not to laugh.
Optimus Prime laughed as well despite everything. He then told her "Peaches, I believe you have made the right decision in joining us but if you change yoru mind later on, I will allow you to do so. Remember this though; the choices you make today shape your world tomorrow."
The Pretender yawned then said "I've got a lot to learn don't I?"
"Indeed you do but all of the lessons that you must remember will come to you when the time is right." Optimus said...
(End flashback)
That had proven true of course; Peaches had learned a lot over the past 2 years and was now trying to keep a positive attitude despite everything. Of course he had thought the day would never come when she would express her readiness to live away from the base with her family and have Sideways assist her with whatever she needed. He was very lucky to have someone like her around just as Elita was fortunate to have him. Optimus smiled and looked down at Crystal, who had fallen into recharge. Aaron had also fallen asleep. He took them back to their parents' quarters and laid them down gently.
"You know Optimus, it's hard to believe that so much has changed since I came here. At first I was scared but now I know that there are some things that will never change." Peaches said as she walked in with Abby, who was also asleep and had cake all over her face. The Pretender wiped her off with a washcloth and laid her down.
Optimus Pirme did not know what to say but he did give Peaches a hug and sent the love that only a father figure could give over their bond. Things were going a little too well though...
The next night was the dinner at the White House; Abby and Crystal had been very well behaved during the dinner until getting fidgety; that was when one of the President's aides came in and decided to take them and their new older brother outside for a while. Peaches didn't mind this; she knew that they would love the idea of playing on the playset that had been set up outside for the 2 youngest members of the First Family.
A scream was heard; Peaches immediately ran out, Sideways' and Optimus' holoforms as well as Sam and Carly not too far behind her. They would be surprised at what or rather who they would find on the White House lawn near the 2 human kids and the one sparkling.
Author's note; Short on purpose because I didn't want to put all of what I wanted to type here in this chapter.