Rod of Fire Chapter 11(Rosa and Rod return to Iacon. Acceptance?)

Arcee is still standing guard at 3B when she sees Rodimus walk down the hall with Kup. He did not come from the quarters she has been guarding all night. She scowls up at him. He just cocks an eyebrow at her in his classic What? and keeps his conversation with Kup moving. Silently, Arcee falls in line behind them. She would really like to snap those bright little spoiler tips off his back and stab him in that cute little smirk of his with them.

Instead, the group comes to the med-bay. Wheeljack has the door locked. Rodimus keys in his code and the doors part. Casey is at Rosa's head helping Wheeljack fit her for a new helmet. Arcee steps between Rodimus and Rosa.

"So princess, got your tiara knocked off?" Arcee says it with just a ting of amusement to feel her out.

Rosa knows it, "Yeah, well, I figured the queen should have a bigger crown." Everyone freezes. The silence is deafening. Rosa tries again, "I'm kidding."

Kup is the only one to retort, and with that, his serious Security Officer tone: "Not funny."

Rosa can't move because her head is in a vice, and her arms bound down. Rodimus at this point decides to keep his face stoic and laces his hands behind his back. Rosa tries again, "Look, some one had to break the tension."

Rodimus raises one hand, "Casey, come." Casey starts to follows him out of the room. Arcee stands guard at Rosa's feet. Even pulls her weapon. Rodimus doesn't even face Arcee. "Put it in check, Arcee." He doesn't move until he hears Arcee reholsters her weapon. Then he moves out the door with Kup bringing up the rear.

Rodimus leads the way to the next room where they can see Rosa but can't be heard. Rodimus decides it would be best if he didn't watch Wheeljack and his assistant work on Rosa. He knew his eyes would continue to fall back to the secret only he knows she carries. Leaning back against the counter against the window, he crosses his arms over his chest. Somewhere between relaxed but still in command. Sideswipe rolls in a moment later and glances at what is going on in the next room. He can't help but put a protective arm Casey's shoulder. Rodimus nods to Kup, who seals the door.

"Alright, you three all know who Rosie is to me. I'm sure Arcee knows as well. She's no dummy."

Casey asks, "Why is it a secret?"

Rodimus nods towards Kup who answers, "Casey, you've worked detail before, correct?" She nods. "Then you know how hard it is to protect them. In Rosa's case, she has a double burden. Her father. And now her mate. Remember, we are a dieing race. There are very, very few who can carry the Matrix. You don't know how long Ultra Magnus awaited the new Prime."

Rodimus nods and smirks. "Anybody else want the job?"

Sideswipe nods towards Rosa in the next room, "What about her? Does she want it?" Then he faces his commander again, "What did you find out last night?"

Rodimus looks them straight in the face, "I don't know. It's got to be the worst thing I ever felt. When I had fleeting thought of her being dead, it felt better than this. Last night was only one night and the sedative did it's job."

Sideswipe has to ask, "She didn't try anything?"

"No. And I was awake all night." He doesn't move. They can all tell this isn't the end of the briefing.

Casey senses it first, "Oh Rodimus… nooooo."

Rodimus turns to Casey. "There are several reasons I called you in, Casey. One is because of your dealings with Shockwave. Second is the human factor."

Casey absolutely knows it now. "That's not the reason why, Rodimus." Rodimus very slowly shakes his head. "You knew the whole time," she pushes him.

He shakes his head again, "No, I didn't. I hoped. But last night it was confirmed."

Kup and Sideswipe are confused, "What are you talking about?"

Rodimus turns to Kup, "Life." Sideswipe turns to the window. "Don't stare, Sideswipe. She doesn't know."

"What? How can she not know?" Casey is shocked as she steps forward.

Rodimus can see they are all staring through the window. This time he turns and looks. "Hologram." He turns away from the window. They stare even closer at Rosa.

Kup asks, "What are you all talking about?"

Rodimus snaps his fingers and they all focus back on him. "Listen very carefully. Only the four of us will know. I should tell Wheeljack, too. But you have got to promise me not to let anyone know. Especially not Rosa. Not until we get her sorted out, mentally. I can't have her fleeing with my sparkling."

Kup gasps, "Whaaaaat?"

Rodimus stands directly in front of Kup and almost whispers to him, "That's what we were doing, before we parted." He steps back and begins to pace. "That's why she didn't go on the last mission. I agreed."

Casey asks again, "Rosa doesn't know?"

Rodimus keeps his back to them, "She cried in my arms last night about loosing the child. She doesn't know the child survived. Being blinded, she didn't see that it takes both of our hands to reveal the child. The child has empathic abilities right now with me. The child is concealing its self from it's mother until she is well."

Casey comes to Rodimus and puts a hand on his arm, "I'm so sorry, Rodimus. I didn't know it was possible…."

He smiles down at her and puts a hand on hers, "I didn't either."

Kup asks, "How? Life? Offspring?" His mind is running overtime right now. Rodimus turns to his poor confused friend, "Look, much later we will have a some spiked Energon over a meteor shower and I'll explain. But right now, we have to figure out how to keep this secret. We have to figure out how to sort out if she is a trap or the real thing. I'll be the first to admit this time, I'm too close to know. And, I can't deal with Arcee's mistrust. So I'm asking for you three to keep me in check. Got it?" They all silently nod. "Good. Now our first order of business, Casey, I want your to be by Wheeljack's side and assist him with the repairs. You know detail duty. Protect the child. You know the warning signs of Shockwave. Keep me apprised. Kup, help me get my quarters secured in Iacon."

Sideswipe steps forward, "Do you think it wise to take her back home?"

Rodimus smiles, "I need to keep up appearances that we have accepted her back. Both on the true side and on the deception side." Then he reaches a hand out to Sideswipe for support, "I must keep the child as close to me as possible."

Kup just nods, "Anything you need, I'll be there."

Casey smiles again, "Have you thought of a name?"

Rodimus swallows hard, "I had stopped. It made me depressed."

She gives his arm a squeeze, "Well, you better start that list again." Rodimus accepts her hope and gives her an encouraging smile.

He turns towards the door, "Alright, we have work to do. I hear there is a new breed of Insecticons tearing their way through the Vita Sector. I must prepare a plan. You all have work to do. Go." He releases the door and they all break away.

Casey and Wheeljack enter the med-bay. Rodimus silently motions to Wheeljack. Casey comes to Rosa's hands, "Well, now, let's see about your manicure."

"Don't touch me!" Rosa barks. They all turn to her.

Casey tries again, "Rosie, it's Casey. Let me get those flames polished up."

Rosa remains silent. Arcee's eyes go wide. She looks between Rodimus and Rosa. He rolls his own eyes and shows her his engraved rose. Arcee frowns. It has been confirmed. She stride right up to him angry, "Not a Prime-al thing to do."

He leans in and tells her, "Oh yes it is." Arcee doesn't understand. Rodimus reminds Arcee by pointing at Rosa, "Otherwise she wouldn't exist."

Arcee is furious. "Loyalties can break sparks!" She whispers with mistrust and storms out. He sighs heavily at her trying to protect his spark and Optimus' name.

Rodimus leads Wheeljack out of the room and takes him next door. "I'm not going to go into all the details. But Rosa is carrying my sparkling. If you have any questions, ask Casey. But here is the key thing, Rosa doesn't know it. And you can't let her know. So keep the child safe but don't say anything to anyone. You can speak to Casey or me about it, but no one else. Got it?" Then with force he tells him, "You absolutely can not let Arcee get wind of this."

Wheeljack is completely shocked, "Are you serious? A mother who doesn't know she is carrying and a sire who says don't tell her. You are going to give me a headache, Prime!"

Somehow Rodimus has found his sense of humor, "Then I've done my job." He turns to leave.

"I'm about to prescribe a sedative for myself!" Wheeljack holds his head.

0~~~0

~~ Rodimus must go to deal with the Insecticons. He knows he is leaving Rosa in good hands with Sideswipe and Casey. But he can't help but touch the belly once more. Rosa's optics have been restored. She thinks his touch is in loss. She strokes his brow, "I'm sorry, Rod. I couldn't -"

He quickly presses his lips to hers to silence her. Then he smiles, "Rosie, I am not mad at you. I am not angry. I know you loved our child as much as me."

"But it was our only chance." Tears come to her.

"Rosie, don't fret yourself. Aren't you the one always talking of miracles? Don't fret, my love. A blessing will come to us again sometime. Now rest. I will meet you in Iacon." He kisses her once more warmly. He can feel the flutter against the palm of his hand and smiles broadly. With two strides, he is at the door way and shakes his hand to an Ion cannon, "Let's go Kup."

Casey is beside Rosa holding her hand. It's the first time in weeks that Rosa and Rodimus have been parted. Rosa turns away into both Casey and Sideswipe. They hold her close. But even more, Sideswipe and Casey are holding each other. They carry a heavy weight right now along with their own memories. They hear the shuttle leaving.

Casey asks, "Rosa, are you alright?"

Rosa tells her, "Please just tell me that this is real. I can handle this pain if it is real. Is he really going back to his duty?"

"Yes, Rosa. He is really going off to fight for others."

"This is what I really needed."

Casey and Sideswipe step back and look at her curiously. Rosa smiles, "All this repair, the time alone with Rod, the friendliness from you all. That just couldn't be real. It had to be the carrot to make me believe all was hunky-dory. It had to be another mind game of Soundwave's. But to watch him actually leave, that seems very real. It hurts like hell, but it seems very real. This is what I am used to." Casey pulls her close. Sideswipe understands perfectly. The times he watched Casey in battle. She could handle her own, but it was the reality of their world.

Rosa pulls back, "I really need some fudge."

Sideswipe perks up, "Now you are speaking my language! Lets hit the kitchen." He leads them back to the human section of the jungle base.

0~~~~0

~~~Rosa, Casey and Sideswipe come through the space bridge, back on Iacon. Rosa sighs heavily. "Home."

Casey asks her carefully, "Earth is not home?"

Rosa smiles, "Earth was my human life. It is my past. Iacon is my future." Still a little wary of her motives, Rosa can feel everyone watching her apprehensively. They wonder when she is going to snap. By now, every one knows she is part of Rodimus' life. But they don't know how to treat her.

Rosa is nervous. She turns to Casey, "Why does everyone treat me like a bomb that is on a count down?"

Casey tries carefully. "Cyclonous blasted our communications with recordings of you bellowing to take over the Matrix and the Decepticons. They know you have potential to do it. There is a lot of fear towards you. They worry that you will stab Rodimus in the back… or worse, in the spark."

Rosa is morning, "So they all feel the way Arcee does?"

Casey smiles and tenderly touches her arm, "Not all."

Rosa stops in the middle of the hallway. The others pass her. They look at her and then quickly advert their gazes. Rosa lowers her head. Then, slinks off down the hall adverting her eyes from everyone else towards the chapel. Rosa comes to the alter and kneels. Casey doesn't say anything, but lowers her own head and prays.

0~~~~0

~~ Rodimus is gone for a week dealing with the Insecticons. When the shuttle returns, he is anxious to find Rosa. He has a broad smile as he searches. First he checks the basketball court. No one there. Then his quarters. Nope. Then the commissary. Not there either. He does his own dash around the perimeter to see if she is on guard duty. No one has seen her. In fact, no one has seen her for a whole week.

He tries the personal com that was repaired. She doesn't respond. Finally he contacts Sideswipe a little anxious, "Where is Rosie?"

Sideswipe quietly answers, "The chapel."

Rodimus slowly walks to the chapel. He know it is a place most reverent to her. It is where she finds her peace and center here in Iacon. When he comes to the closed doors, Casey is standing guard.

Casey puts a tender hand on his shoulder, "She has been fasting-prayer the whole time you were gone. She knows no one trusts her. I think she hoped she would be safe from ridicule and judgment here." He nods. "I have let no one disturb her. The priest said from past conversations with her, she had gone into a meditative state like this after Sherm… for months. I think her metabolism is fine."

Rod takes a deep breath, "Well, I'm back. Maybe she will eat with me."

"I hope so." Casey steps back, leaving protection detail to him.

Rod quietly opens the door. He steps softly up the aisle and kneels beside Rosa. Ever so lightly, he lays a hand on hers. "I'm home."

"Is it really you? Or is this another game of Shockwave's?"

"How can I prove it to you?"

"Tell me about our peace mission to the Tri-moon of Rathbone?"

He shakes his head, "I've never heard of Rathbone. And I don't remember any peace mission to any Tri-mooned base."

She lets out a huge sigh. She turns to him and wraps her arms around his waist, laying her head on his shoulder. "Will anyone ever trust me again?"

"Ask Casey."

"She said she survived because of Sideswipe and Manta."

"Then survive for me and our future."

"Okay."

They don't move. Peace and tranquility comes over them like a wave of hope. The priest comes over to both of them. He places a hand on each of their foreheads and prayerfully asks for healing. Even Rod prays to Rosa's God for this.

Finally they are ready to head back. Rod stands. Then takes Rosa's hand to help her stand. She creaks a bit, having been in the kneeling position for a whole week.

Rod stands back and puts a hand over his mouth, to stifle his gasp. Rosa asks, "What is it, Rod?"

He puts his hands on her very extended belly. It's even larger now than it was a few weeks ago. Rosa looks down, she is very shocked. "Rod… what…?" Rod drops to one knee and presses his forehead to the bulge. He can feel the child. Rosa lays a hand on his head. Rosa's voice wavers, "Rod if you don't talk to me, I am going to freak out."

Rodimus doesn't move his head but whispers to her, "Our child is safe, Rosa. Our child is healthy. And so are you. You did well in protecting our little one."

"What…? What do you mean? You knew?" Rosa staggers back to look at her huge belly. Ever so tenderly, amazed at the sight she cups and surrounds the bulge. Rod does the same. As soon as his hands join hers, the orange and white swirls begin to warm. Rosa takes a slow deep breath. She can feel the child's love. Rod smiles at her joy. Rosa smiles, "What is going on?"

He smiles and once again touches his head to the child, "Rosa we have an incredible child. She has empathic abilities. She has the ability to hologram and invisibility."

Rosa gasps, "And fire. Warmth. She is a healer."

Rod nods, "Yes." He caresses the child and then presses his lips to the child, "Hello Fire Lilly."

They hear a sniff and look over to the priest. He waves off an apology for intruding on this quiet family moment, while wiping his own tears of joy. Rod and Rosa laugh lightly. Rod comes to his feet and steps back. As he does so the child conceals herself, again. Rosa touches her, but she doesn't show up. And then Arcee burst through the chapel doors. Rod nods towards Rosa, "Now you know why."

Rosa is confused, "But why me?"

Arcee is gasping, "Sir, is everything alright? We weren't sure…"

Rod smiles, "Everything is fine, Arcee. Rosa was just returning from her prayer vigil. Would you like to join us for a game of basket ball?"

Arcee can't help but smirk, "I don't think she will get many people on her team."

Rod nods toward Rosa, in answer to her earlier question. Now Rosa knows why the child was hiding. Fire Lilly was waiting for her mother to be able to handle the news. Rosa turns to Arcee, "Fine then. Let me see if I can take them all on by myself."

Casey and Sideswipe lean on the door frame, "You won't be alone, Rosa. We will help."

Arcee looks to Rodimus, "And you sir?"

"I think I should sit this one out. I will watch. I think Rosa can stand on her own."

With that he leads the way out of the chapel. The priest, sets his jacket aside, "Hey Rosa, got room for a human on your team?"

Rosa smirks, "You know I could use all the help I can get."

"I'm a little out of shape, but I'll give them a run for their money."

Rosa laughs and the group heads for the basketball court.

Arcee enjoys the fact that Rosa looses again. But she didn't loose by that much. In fact, she found she had a lot of support. It was just the boost in moral they whole base needed. That night, Rosa presented chocolate fudge brownies to everyone. Some were confused. But to Sideswipe and Arcee she said, "To a new tradition, based on an old." They all tipped their hands to her in respect for the dead and blessing for the future.

))))))))))))))))))))))

I flipped between child and sparkling for a reason. Both Rod and Rosa are quiet familiar with the human terms as well as Cybertronian. Not much more, but hang on… you're gonna hate me. My boys do.