A/N: Hello, Bonjour, Hola, and Hello again! Guess who's back? Enjoy. I'll be editing old chapters soon and adding new ones.
"What should we do today?" I sat on Sideswipe's shoulder as he and Sunstreaker walked to the rec room. It was the second day since I woke up, already I was back to feeling like normal. But my twins were beyond paranoid about me being out of their sight. Thanks to Optimus, the two of them had the next few days off. I felt the slight rumble as Sideswipe hummed while he thought.
"Don't fry your processer Sides." Sideswipe rolled his optics and Sunstreaker snickered at my comment.
"We could go racing again." Sunstreaker suggested. I perked up at the idea. It felt like it had been forever since we had gone racing. I started bouncing enthusiastically. It would be like before the accident.
"Hell yeah!" We headed for the race track
When we got to the track, it was mostly empty. There were a few bots on the track doing a couple of laps, and some humans were watching, but there were not very many. I was giggling with excitement. For the twins, and me, this was our special thing. We loved the thrill of speed, and we were all competitive. Before I had died, this was what we did before they would go on missions and after they got back or when one of us needed cheering up.
One of the bots on the track must have spotted us because they slowed down and met us on the way down. I recognized the red Mazda as Cliffjumper. I smiled and waved. The mech returned the gestures before greeting us.
"Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, greetings. And hello little femme. I'm happy to see you up and well." I rubbed the back of my head sheepishly. Everyone knew what had happened by now.
"I take it you guys are going to hit the track then?" Cliffjumper asked, even though he knew the answer already. I decided to answer anyway.
"You know it!" Cliffjumper looked thoughtful for a moment before a gleam came into his own optic. I saw the challenge there and I began to grin.
"How about we make a race?" I shivered in excitement.
Word about the race had spread throughout the base like wildfire, causing a ton of 'Bots and humans to show up. It was a beautiful day and everyone had been working hard recently. It was the perfect opportunity to let loose a little.
Soldiers crowded around the area outside the track with a few of the 'Bots in holoform. Some of them were making bets about the races between the 'Bot's on the track while others lounged around eating food from a grill someone had managed to find or just relaxing.
On the track Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Cliffjumper and Jolt were racing around the track along with Bumblebee, who had managed to show up with his charge.
Sam himself sat with Katrin on a grassy patch out of the way of the others. The two were talking about random subjects that people their age talked about; music, school and people. Not too far from them, Leo stood arguing with his own, unofficial, guardians, Mudflap and Skidds. Even Barricade was out watching everything with his guard, Prowl.
Katrin watched her boys with a smile. They were enjoying themselves and relaxing for once. Everyone was enjoying themselves actually. For now everything looked peaceful and relaxed. It did not look like an intergalactic war was going on, no one was dying or hurt, and there were no Decepticons blowing things up. It made the young woman wonder what was going to happen next.
Before her thoughts turned too dark, Katrin pushed them away. Right now everything was alright. There was no sense in worrying the twins when they were in a good mood. The redhead stood up and turned to Sam.
"You know how to play poker?"
Sunstreaker and Sideswipe wandered off the track, having finished racing for the time being. They could feel Katrin concentrating on something and were curious to see what their femme was up to. They found her at a table with a few others playing a card game. Soldiers crowded around watching the game. The twins activated their holoforms to get a closer look.
Sunny and Sides stood behind Katrin, peering over her shoulders. At the table sat Epps, Sam, Jazz in his holoform, and a few other soldiers.
"What are you doing Kat?" Sideswipe asked. The girl placed down a card, her lips in a tight line as she thought.
"Tryin' ta not lose." With her focus on the game, her old speech pattern slipped through. Moments later she scowled and put down the rest of her cards.
"I'm out." She stood and left her spot, allowing another soldier to take her place. The redhead grabbed Sunny and Sides by the arm and walked out of the crowd.
Still arm in arm, the group of three wandered the base with no particular destination. The sun was beginning to set, casting a glow over everything as they walked. Katrin hummed in contentment as she squeezed the arms of her boys, causing them to look down at her with smiles. For the moment there were no Decepticons, no NEST, Katrin was alive, and the boys were not robotic aliens. They were just there.
A light breeze brush past them, mussing Kathrin's hair, and the twins turned to her as she paused to fix it. For a moment it felt like their breath was caught in their throat. Neither could look away from the girl in front of them, and the redhead, fixing her hair, failed to notice.
In the dying light, Katrin's normally bright red hair turned to a fiery shade as hints of gold's and orange's appeared in the various red. The wind blowing caused the locks to dance like fire skipped about. Giving up, Katrin paused and looked at the boys. Her eyes were bright, the traces of despair that normally haunted her eyes, were gone for the moment. All that was visible was peace and joy.
Katrin grinned up at them. Their eyes reflected their happiness and contentment back at her. The sun lit them up with a golden outline as she was suddenly engulfed in their hug. She closed her eyes and leaned into them, feeling something else through the bond. Katrin bathed in the feeling.
Soon. She promised herself. Soon she would tell them.
Just out of hearing distance, Barricade stood watching the scene in silence. He did not look away when another bot joined him.
"Sometimes we forget how young they are." Optimus commented softly. Barricade flicked his optics to the Autobot leader, saying nothing in reply.
"But when it's like this, it is far too easy to remember their youth and what they have lost." The Autobot leader continued solemnly. The two mechs watched in a comfortable silence as the three continued their walk. Just before they turned a corner, Barricade spoke up.
"They have been fighting the same battles most of their lives. They didn't have the chance to be young." The police mech turned and walked away as the three disappeared, leaving Optimus to stand alone, gazing at the setting sun. If only the good times could last.