Disclaimer: Sorry, I don't own Hasbro or Tonka, but the plot line and a few others are mine. I don't know where Karategal got the time conversions, but that's my reference for any Cybertronian times if you want to know.

Summary: The Autobots desperately need a vacation

"talk" =radio

::Talk:: = processor warnings, in single autobot's head, also a bonded couples' talk

::talk:: = inner comm link

"Talk"= normal

"talk" =thoughts

"talk" =lyrics

Elita-2: Thank you!

R117: Thank you! And no I panic like that all the time, it's healthy for you!

j: Thank you!

annependragon: Thank you! Well he's usually white...

Chapter Eighteen

I Swear That I'll

xxx February 22nd, 2012

Mearing had gone into a long, two hour tangent about how Optimus didn't know about the other Autobots, how the liason program was behind schedule, how the government was ranting about not knowing anything, how Chicago was still a mess, how Optimus let those teenagers go with them last night, how they'd made a mess of that unowned and empty field, how they'd endangered civilians...etc.

Optimus had a processor ache within the first five minutes.

Lennox and Epps were just as miserable, leaning on Prime's knees when the mech crouched to hide his discomfort of sore plating. Lennox had glanced up at his soft hiss, but trusted Optimus when he'd shaken his head slightly.

"Dir-"

"Don't even think about it..."

Epps sighed as she started off an a long string of complaints about insubordination. Mearing was quite on a roll today.

Optimus sighed heavily, hydraulics groaning at the strain of being in such a position.

"Director Mearing!"

The woman shut up as Optimus made sure Lennox and Epps had stepped forward before he stiffly forced himself to his feet enough to change position to be half kneeling to the woman.

"Yes, I understand your concerns as well as your nation's government's, but I can assure you I had no knowledge of these 'bots present in this galaxy let alone on this planet. As for the liason program..."

"It's almost take care of."

Kate strode up to stand in between Lennox and Mearing, Greg a step behind her.

"Excuse me?"

"I mean there's only a few Bots without a chosen liason, and those are the females who arrived last night and haven't received the opportunity to meet any humans. If you'd like, I'll compile a list of each pair and hand it to you in a couple hours."

Mearing was sputtering mad at the girl's interruption and quick take over of the conversation, but she settled enough to just glare, "You do that, you have three hours to hand it to me personally or I'll charge every last one of you minors with interfering with government agents."

Kate nodded politely, maintaining her composure until Mearing was back inside the farm house, then she emitted a snort that was very unladylike.

"What went up her ass?"

Greg groaned slightly before lightly punching her arm, "You better have a list already done sis."

Kate only smirked.

xxx

First Aid had finished with everyone except Chromia, and was in the process of replacing a few lengths of wire when Optimus came in and lowered the four humans to an empty berth.

"Hey First Aid, you mind still helping out Max down at Mercy Medical?"

"No...hey now what did you do Kate?"

The girl rocked on her heels, "Why do you always say I did something?"

"Because you usually have..."

"Oh."

Optimus chuckled, nodding to Magnus as he ducked into the medbay and headed over to the squalling sparkling, the only ones in the med bay were the seekerlet trine, all the others had been divvied up through out the others to watch and care for.

"Okay...so that's Max and Aid...'Ceptor and Misty...Firestar and Maria...Dino and Carlos...Magnus and Gregory-"

"What?"

Kate rolled her eyes, "Oh come on you two! It's not like you don't get along!"

Magnus shrugged, ignoring Prime's sniggering before looking to Greg who only nodded, "Sure."

"Yes! Now...Sam already offered Kyle to help with Bumblebee's press image...Wheeljack and Stephanie are under Ratchet, Mikael's, and Sarah's supervision, God I hope that works out...and now...Hey Chromia!"

"Yes?"

"Think Ironhide would mind working double with Connor? The gun slinger you met last night who rode back with Magnus?"

The femme smirked, "Yeah, that trigger-happy mech will get along just fine with that kid."

Kate smiled, "Now that just leaves Optimus Prime."

Prime didn't say anything, his processor going elsewhere as it brought up memories of Kate's actions, she truly was a strong character...

Greg's cell phone rang, and he stepped away from his sister to answer it, First Aid was returning his tools to their places while Chromia was getting to know Epps and Lennox.

"Katherine?"

"Yes Optimus Prime?"

Prim narrowed his optics slightly in teasing, "Fine, Kate..."

"Yeah Big Guy?"

"Would you care to be my liason?"

Kate smiled, "I would be honored."

Greg snapped at the conversation on the phone, before his voice lowered, only the Autobot's audio sensors heard him mention his older brother.

"Kate, Gregory has not shared with me why your brother Alexander was placed into prison, but I do understand if you do not wish to share the information." Magnus asked quietly.

She sighed but nodded, "He...went a bit crazy...and was basically dragged from the house by three cops after beating Greg to a pulp when Greg kept him from getting at me, Alex thought it was my fault our mom died..."

Magus moved to kneel in front of the girl, putting his optics level with her eyes, "Yet you are afraid of him, even when you know this is not true..."

She nodded a little, "I'm afraid of what he would do if he ever got out...part of his sentence was afterwards if he behaved to get out, to see me and Greg if he wasn't deployed overseas."

Greg clicked his phone shut with an angry sigh, tucking it in his pocket before heading to his sister.

"Kate?"

"Yeah?"

"Alex is out."

...

Magnus had only seen Optimus truly get angry once, and that was in the middle of the battle when Megatron's attacks and insults finally cracked Prime's steady persona.

Kate was no different, she was a bit more open with her emotions, but she just didn't get mad...

Until Greg's words hit home.

Kate's outright wail hit octaves the bots didn't know she was capable of, it even stirred Ratchet from his sedative stupor and he came in stumbling to see if she was alright.

Greg let her fight, just gripped her upper arms to keep her from running, Kate satisfied her need to do something by hitting her brother's chest repeatedly. Her knees buckled as she sobbed, letting Greg hold her tight as the wails died down to a tolerable level.

"S-stupid-stupid-stupid...I never should have believed he'd never come back!"

"Sshh..."

Kate shook violently,shivering in the cool med bay. She didn't see Optimus transform and his holoform join them on the medical berth, not until Greg let her go and the warm holoform guided Kate down to the peterbilt.

:I'll take her for a drive, make sure that list gets to Mearing.:

Magnus nodded as Optimus drove off, the peterbilt disappearing up the ramp.

xxx

Optimus drove in silence for nearly an hour, Kate was lying across the bench seat, tears still trailing down her cheeks.

"Katherine?"

She hummed slightly.

"No matter what happens, when you see your brother, it doesn't change who you are."

She didn't answer.

"I swear that I'll protect you...no matter what..."

Kate forced a smile, sighing as the leather seat heated up with the cab's own heaters, she nuzzled into them further, enjoying the warmth.

She twitched slightly, "Happy Birthday to me, I'm seventeen and my older brother is out of prison..."

Optimus didn't have an answer to that.

Next up: Megatron

Wonder why I'm updating so fast? No school for me today! Hurray for snow!