(This chapter shall be told from Optimus Prime's point of view. Warning, mentions of character death.)

Chapter 11

Aquarius, and Tragedy

Back when I was a youngling, about as old as you were, I lived at the Prime Mansion. The building itself was massive. It had been apart of my family's heritage for several generations. The size of the structure was to incorporate the Prime's many offices, guest rooms, and an indoor crystal garden.

While life in the mansion was fine, I usually spent time out with my mother, and we would visit the poorer parts of Cybertron, mainly giving energon and other things they may need.

One day on one of our trips to the lower streets of Cybertron, I was busy helping bringing in some supplies for a local shelter for the homeless, when I saw another family unit bringing in some supplies as well. One of them was about my age, but this one looked different.

She was slender, bright blue armor, and two fin-like protrusions along her audio receptors, looking almost like mer-bots my mother used tell me stories about. But the most striking feature about her was when she turned around to face me, and there, glowing like falling stars, were two shiny, beautiful golden optics.

I was so distracted by her optics that I almost forgot about her, until she spoke.

"Excuse me, are you alright?"

"Huh...Oh!. I'm sorry. Well, I...uhh... that stuff your carrying looks pretty heavy. Do you want some... help?"

"Of course. You can grab those pipes from the box I'm carrying. Those things are heavy for me."

I grabbed the pipes and escorted her to the building when I asked her name.

"Aquarius. My names is Aquarius. What is yours?"

"Optimus."

"Optimus, huh? Never heard a name like that before. Sounds unique."

That hit me. All at once my cheek plates started to flush. She giggled at my blushing face, but not in a mean way.

"Heh-heh. I didn't know my name was unique. Yours is too you know."

"Thanks."

And from that first encounter, it started a wonderful friendship I will always remember. We both shared the idea of peace, unity between other worlds for the common good, and adventure beyond our home forever traveling through space and cosmos.

Many stellar cycles passed and our friendship was often in secret, because my father was very specific on who should my companions and who shouldn't. Even though I went against my father's wishes, I still loved him just the same. My mother however, was happy with whoever I hung around with.

I soon as I became a Prime after my father went offline, I proposed to Aquarius to be my bondmate. She was still poor, and the proposal was enough to make her erupt in tears. She would no longer suffer from hunger and cold. And the most wonderful part of all, I would be at her side, as she would be at my side.

The wedding was a glorious affair. The Temple of Primus was decorated with gold and silver idols, silk banners, diamond ornaments, and all the music was provided by the finest musician of Cybertron. When the wedding commenced, I stood with complete awe as Aquarius came down the aisle, wearing a lovely dress, and a beautiful wedding tiara with rubies and pearls. The audience was filled with Autobot generals, solider's, and even my future men, Jetfire, Scavenger, and Red Alert. Even some of Aquarius' family members joined in the audience.

As we listened to the elderly priest give out his speech to Primus to give us blessing, all I could do was stare lovingly into my bride's optics, glowing like two glorious suns.

"Do you, Aquarius, take Optimus Prime to be lawfully wedded husband, and be there for him in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?" The priest asked Aquarius.

"I will."

"And do you, Optimus Prime, take Aquarius to be lawfully wedded wife, and be there for her in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I will."

The priest then raised both of his arms and announced.

"Then by the power invested in me, and in the power of Primus, lord of peace and eternity, I herby pronounce you husband and wife."

At that moment, everyone cheered, sounds of laughter, screams of joy filled the temple, as my new wife locked our lips together, and I kissed. A kiss that united us in an eternal bond that could never be broken. It truly was a dream come true for us both.

Several stellar cycles had passed and everything was going fairly well for me and Aquarius, until one day I got the biggest surprise of my life. It was while I was assisting in one of Energon Mines when Jetfire com linked me and told me that Aquarius had to have quick transport to Kaon medical building, complaining about painful strains around her mid-section.

I was quick to respond. I had one of the officers of the mines assume my position as I sped to the hospital, anxious to know my bondmates condition. When I reached it I immediately went into the waiting room, and as soon as i did one of the nurses recognized me as one of the patients bondmates, and led me to one of the examination rooms.

When I got inside, Aquarius was contentidly sitting down on the medical table with a huge smile on her face plate, and to her right was the medical officer, Ratchet. He told me that Aquarius' pains in her mid-setions were caused by a developing protoform...A sparkling. Apparently Aquarius was waiting to tell me as a surprise, but did not get the chance to tell me do to the severe pain. He told me that she was not due to giving birth, but will in a few months. As soon as he finished I came over to Aquarius and gently hugged her tight, being careful not to harm my developing child.

During the next few months we have prepared a special nursery for our child, as well as choosing its name, and what types of parents we should be. But most of the days, we spent our time out in the crystal garden, lying down on the grounds smooth surface, doing nothing but talk to each other. I even talked to the sparkling, while it was still inside my wife. How I enjoyed placing the palm of my hand against her mid-section, feeling the movement of my child. It made me feel so wonderful to know that soon the sparkling would come out, and I would gaze upon the face of my offspring.

Now, one day one of the servants of the mansion came to my office, and informed that that the Autobot Council needed to see me as soon as possible. I knew that it would another of those meetings that included security checks around most of the energon mines, and assembling new recruits.

I was a bit apprehensive about going to another meeting, but Aquarius insisted that I should go. After all it was my job as a Prime.

I would regret that decision.

After only a couple of hours of the meeting, I received an emergency call from Jetfire. I can still hear the panic in his voice.

"Commander! It's the Prime Mansion. It's been destroyed. We can't find any survivors, and a couple of Decepticons are still at the site. We need you here right now!"

I was quick to respond.

I made to my home in a matter of astro seconds. As I transformed, my optics met the sight of the only home my ancestors had originated for many stellar cycles, burning to the ground. My thoughts of my home were nothing compared to the horror I met as I came closer. I wasn't on the side were my men were located. Instead I was behind the burning structure... right in the enemy line.

"Optimus!"

What I saw, being held by two strong Decepticons was my wife. And standing right beside her was my arch enemy...Megatron, and he was grinning, a distinct grin I would never forget.

"Well, welll. I was beginning to wonder when you would come, Prime." Megatron smirked.

"Let her go, Megatron." I screamed, but I was quickly detained by two other Decepticons.

As they held me down, I watched as that devil of a cybertronian paced around me and my wife.

"Ever since this war began, I have been more than ambitious at finding a weak spot among your people, Optimus. Yet how I was so foolish to realize that you, of all Autobots, would have the most common weakness of all."

He then came over to Aquarius, his clawed handing reaching for something in his storage compartment.

It was then I saw that faint glimmer of a dagger, and it was raised up, and it aimed for Aquarius' throat.

"The weakness of loosing someone most beloved, and...precious."

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH...UHHHHH...OHHHHHH!"

I was paralyzed by the sight, the image of my wife being stabbed multiple times by Megatron would forever be engraved in my processor. I cried, screamed, and begged for him to stop. But it was already over. The light from Aquarious's optics faded away...She was gone.

That's when Megatron did the most pit forsaken act I would never forget.

He took the dagger, and began to slice her mid-section open...reached inside...and pulled out my sparkling...lifeless.

"Behold, Decepticons. The heir to the Prime legacy. The most powerful Autobot in the galaxy." He cackled, and the rest of those monsters joined him in cruel laughter.

Just then, to my horror, Megatron slammed the tiny body to the ground, and stomped down on its head, crushing it.

That did.

I could not take it any longer.

WIth a cry of anger and anguish, I freed myself for my captors, and lunged straight for Megatron. Savage blow were dealt to him in a matter of nano clicks, and I was not going to let him go. He was going to pay for what he did.

I don't know what happened, but Megatron somehow managed to free himself and struck me with one of his clawed digits, leaving a permanent scar.

As soon as he got to his feet, he ordered a retreat, and soon all the Decepticons were gone in a flash of terror. I stood alone breathing heavily. I could hear the distant calls from Jetfire and Red Alert, but I failed to turn to them, because after the pure rage that I had spent on nearly killing my enemy...I fainted from exhaustion.

The next morning I found myself in a hospital, with Jetfire and Red Alert by my side. The told the tragic news about how the Decepticons managed to find out information about my wife and our expecting child, and had made an ambush upon my home, killing all who lived there.

They also told me that the bodies of Aquarius and the sparkling were recovered and were ready to be buried at my request. I managed to stagger to my feet and entered the room where my family lay, offline. My dear Aquarius was almost torn to shreds, her mid-section torn open, her mouth opened in a silent scream. And my sparkling, not even ready to enter the world, his face terribly distorted by Megatrons foot.

I shed sparkbroken tears as I gazed upon them. From that day, I vowed to myself, that I would never endanger the lives of those I cared for, if they would have to suffer the same fate as my family.

That was why I kept myself away from you. So that I would not becoming to attached to you, and letting my own careless actions bring you to a horrifying end.

(Very sad chapter, I know, but the next one will be all about Maria's past. Warning the next chapter will be rated T due to mentions of abuse.)