Me: Guess who's back…back again ^_^
Ironhide: WELL ITS ABOUT FRAGGING TIME YOU SLAGGING GLITCH!
Me: X_X I'm pretty sure that was well deserved but nonetheless here we go…
Ironhide: NO! just get to the story and get this over with.
Me: Okay okay thankfully you're the only one who's still harassing me.
Ironhide: wouldn't have to if you did your job
Me: Oh that's very nice of you… -_-
Ironhide: I agree, but it won't be much nicer if you keep dragging this conversation along.
Me: *gulp* OkGuys!YouKnowTheDealWarningsAreForSuggestivenessAndLanguagePleaseDon'tForgetToLeaveAREviewToLetMeKnowWhatYouThinkI'llSeeYouAllAfterTheStoryIfISurvive.
(Lilly's POV)
Brick buildings, the smell of text books and weed in the air, and the constant scuffle of feet hitting the ground…ah, college. I slowly rolled forward trying my best not to hit the students walking down the street like they owned the pavement.
"Come on!" Mikaela beeped my horn, but it didn't do much good.
"I swear to God!" She cursed falling back into the seat.
"Let me find a place to park and you go find Sam, we're not gonna get anywhere with this," she bit her lip before nodding.
"Sounds good," she tried to crawl over towards the passenger side door.
"What are you doing?"
"It'll be weird seeing someone walk out the driver's seat and the car drive away," she opened the door and stepped out.
"Makes sense, oh and take mister toy truck with you,"
"I ain't no toy, ya hot pink lunch box!" I felt the metal box moving in my trunk as he thrashed back and forth. I popped the trunk and Mikaela reached in
"Ok easy there tiger," taking the metal box and I slammed my trunk shut.
"Call me when you find Sam," I said and continued the stop and go movement forward, thankful for the heavily tinted windows. I saw Mikaela as she walked away towards some brick buildings until she disappeared amongst the crowd of students walking by. In the distance a bell rang through the campus and steadily the students dispersed, giving me just enough room to move forward a bit faster. Trying to find a decent parking spot near Sam's dorm felt impossible with the amount of cars in the lot, but I kept driving, watching people walk back and forth from their cars.
Wonder what it would be like to go to college…
I saw some poor kid with a stack of papers in his hand rushing across the quad. A group of girls stood together, all dressed very similar to one another with some Greek lettering on at least one form of their clothing, and a kid with dreadlocks smoking something as he walked across campus.
"Damn check out this beauty!" some guy said he stepped right in the middle of the road.
"Wonder who's back there?" he mused looking at the windshield. His skintight yellow and black t-shirt accentuating his muscular build. His hand brushed my hood making me cringe, I revved my engine and rolled forward a bit to get him out of the way.
"Oh feisty, I like it," he said, stirring my anger along further, I honked my horn.
"Come on honey let the window roll down, let me look at you," his eyebrow raising from behind his aviators. I jerked forward again and he stepped back this time.
"Hey watch it!" He shouted. I jerked forward again
"Quit it bitch!" I cracked open my driver side window and used my driver side speaker to warp the sound
"Who you calling a bitch?" the words coming out in an extremely masculine tone. The dude's face just dropped, he brought his hands up in surrender and stepped aside.
"Sorry man," he whimpered.
"That's what I thought!" and I rolled forward, trying to suppress my laughter, the stop and go traffic had lightened up a bit but I was still moving slow trying to maneuver through the campus. I saw the students laying out on the green, book laid out on the grass. I saw some people having a jam session on the stone steps of a building their heads rocking back and forth to the beat. It made me happy to see them but, it wasn't something I desired for myself.
Everyone I guess makes plans in high school, after you graduate you either get a job or go to college, then decide which one to go to, and what you want to major in and the process going on and on from there. I had those plans, even before all this started, I wanted to graduate and go to an art school, and paint till my arms fell off. But now…I'm not sure I need those things anymore. I hope I don't stay with an unfinished high school education, but I don't see a need to get it just yet. With all that's happened between me and the girls, as well as the Autobots. It's safe to say I'm right where I need to be. This world of college kids, term papers and all around normalness, it's not a world that I think I lost out on…more of something I traded in, giving away all the plans I had made to join the Autobots and fight for a good cause. I'm making a difference in the world by sticking with my closest friends, I've opened myself to new people I'm starting to see as family. And to top it all off, I'm seeing where things go with someone I really care about.
Yeah…I wouldn't trade that for anything
The sudden shatter of glass turned my attention into the far side of campus seeing shards of a window fall and the box, holding our alien hostage, falling to the ground. The faint echo of screams rang through the campus. I tried to back out but I had other cars behind me and not enough room to turn, I was stuck.
"Crap!" my phone connection buzzed.
"Mikaela?"
"Lilly! We've got an alien bitch on our ass!"
"Where are you?"
"Library,"
"Hide there! I'm coming," at the sight of an opening I sped through the maze of cars going back and forth trying to avoid the pedestrians coming in front of me until I got out onto the main road along the campus.
"Lilly to Bumblebee,"
"Bee here,"
"Sam and Mikaela are being attacked! I can't get to them," I swerved in and out of the lanes trying to get to the Library as fast as I could.
"Me and Optimus are on our way, hold tight Honey bee," and the comm went dead. Coming up towards the library there was a huge explosion, people panicked and came running towards the road attempting to escape, I heard faint shouts through the crowd of a bomb, before getting myself trapped into the panicking mob I backed out and sped towards a maintenance entrance, catching a glimpse of Mikaela and Sam running across campus to a parking lot.
Oh thank God their ok
I sped forward trying to get to them.
"Bumblebee to Lilly,"
"Lilly here,"
"We're in pursuit, Optimus and I have a lock on the energon signals near you,"
There was a loud crash and I saw through the buildings, a car that had crashed into a lamppost reverse and drag the remains of a robot from the hood, I caught a glimpse of Mikaela's jean jacket from the driver's side window before it drove off out of my sight.
"They just nailed that Decepticon!"
"Which one?"
"Which? There's more of them?"
"We've got two more signals getting closer towards them,"
"I've lost visual Bee,"
I drifted out onto the main road, avoiding the traffic coming towards me, my eyes locked on the small car speeding ahead of me. But in the distance flying over towards them was a helicopter coming in way too close and extremely fast, the sun glinting off the tattoos along it's sides.
"Bee! I've got an airborne Decepticon gunning right for them!" he flew till he was right over them and some cable fell onto the car, the end of it piercing through the roof and lifted them off the road.
"It has Sam and Mikaela!" I swerved into an alley underneath their flight path heading towards the river, the helicopter flying towards some buildings on the other side no way I could get to them in time.
"Bee I've got a visual, they're going across the river,"
"We're in pursuit, hold tight honey bee," the comm went silent and I continued weaving between cars to get to them, I nearly screamed when I saw the helicopter drop the car into a building.
Damn it! Where are they?
I could see the building clearly as I got closer but the city streets were too slow and crowded to move through fast enough.
"Optimus to Lillian,"
"Lilly here,"
"We are approaching the building, keep visual on Grindor, the helicopter,"
"Yes sir,"
The helicopter was hovering in circles near the building, getting closer towards it I found the area abandoned.
Finally!
I gained speed coming down an alley way and as I transformed I launched myself up towards the brick wall of another building and grabbing the edge of the rooftop. With the added momentum I pulled myself up on to the roof, my cannon drawn and aimed for the helicopter as I fired and hit it's tail making the Decepticon spin out of control and into the river. Before I could congratulate myself, I heard cannon fire coming from the nearby building and I jumped over towards it and through the roof, falling in just as Optimus was flipping over the floor firing into the opening bellow, Megatron jumped out towards me, I backed against the wall, seeing this sickening grin on his face. The icy terror filling my bones with utter horror at the sight of him.
"Come here femme!" I made a grab for me and I ducked from his grasp and shoved against his midsection. Optimus firing a shot that hit him on the chest sending him flying out of the window.
"Nice shot," I muttered.
"Lillian, help Bumblebee guard the humans," he jumped out of the broken window and I saw Mikaela running towards the opposite end of the building another guy trailing behind her.
"Mikaela!" she stopped and turned towards me, the other guy running straight out the gaping hole on the wall.
"Lilly!" I jumped over towards them and transformed, throwing open my driver's side door, she immediately jumped in and gripped my steering wheel close to her chest, tears were coming down her face and her breathing was rapid. I moved the seat closer in an awkward kind of hug.
"Thank God you're safe," I whispered, her head nodded against the steering wheel and I rolled out of the building coming nearly bumper to bumper with a yellow Camaro.
"Bee!"
"How's it hanging?"
"Do you have Sam?"
"Nah that's the boss's job – I got the sidekick"
"Who you calling a sidekick?" someone shouted from the inside of his car.
"Optimus – where is he?"
"Chasin' cars down the highway, speeding down the track,"
"We've got to go help him! Megatron can't escape," I reversed and swerved out onto the road again, Bee following close behind me.
"Ironhide to Lilly,"
"Here,"
"We're in pursuit of Decepticon energon signatures near you, do you have Sam?"
"No, Optimus does, he's pursuing Megatron, I don't have a visual on the other Decepticons,"
"Slaggit! Getting to Optimus is priority one, we've got the other Decepticon signals following Megatron, he'll soon be outnumbered,"
"Understood,"
"Mikaela be ready to grab that guy,"
"What?!"
"Lilly to Bee, pass me the dude!" I said, opening my passenger side door, he sped up beside me his driver side door opening and the seat ejecting him from the car into mine, both of our doors slamming shut.
"Go help, Optimus I'll keep them safe,"
"Sure thing Princess,"
"Bee,"
"Yeah,"
"Be careful…please,"
"You got it honey bee," he moved on ahead speeding and swerving between lanes and cars, I felt my whole body tense.
"Let's get you guys safe," I said through the radio.
"What the HELL WAS THAT FOR?" the guy said, his head moving back and forth in panic.
"Great…a new guy," I muttered.
"I'm gonna need some answers right–" I jerked his seat forward making his face collide with the dash.
"You're gonna have to wait a bit buddy we've got bigger things to deal with," I said through the radio, moving the seat back and strapping him to it tightly making him grunt in discomfort.
"So sit tight, and keep a sock in it,"
(Optimus's POV)
Sam nervously moved back and forth in his seat, frantically looking through the grove of trees we lost Megatron in.
"I don't see him Optimus, we've got to get out of here, we gotta wait for Bee and the others," he rambled.
"We cannot allow Megatron to escape, he will stop at nothing to get to you Sam, we must end him while he is in our sights,"
"We can't even see through these trees!" he cried.
Just as he moved I saw a glint of metal flash in my rear view mirror, before I could react, Megatron burst through the tree line and shot towards me. I transformed launching Sam into my digits as we rolled along the ground. Megatron transformed and threw himself onto me, I managed to safely release Sam before he pulled me up and over his body sending me into a group of trees, my back struts taking the impact as the wood splintered leaving gashes on the more sensitive cables and sending a searing pain running through me. I saw the boy running for his life looking back and forth frantically.
"Hide Sam!" I cried. Taking hold of Megatron's chassis, and throwing him over me. I found my peds and managed to strike him on the face, distracting him enough to let me step away, but he recovered quickly launching himself towards my midsection and making us both collide into the ground dirt flying up and getting into my optics. Megatron pushed me away, my helm colliding with a fallen log as I attempted to regain my stance, taking the fallen log in my grasp, as Megatron attacked.
"Weak!" he cried, I swung the tree against his back struts, it splintered with a satisfying crack forcing him to the ground.
"Puny!" he made a jab to my faceplates but I deflected and struck his opened back. He grunted in pain before quickly turning and swinging for my helm I ducked and struck him bellow his chin plating. The only reason I wasn't collapsing in pain was from the sheer adrenaline coursing through my tubing.
"Waste of metal," I growled as my digits made contact with his facial plating sending him to the ground leaving me with enough time to release my energon swords, his neck cables were exposed to me and I sliced towards them but a turn of his helm hindered my blade from striking the deadly blow. My frustration was steadily growing, I bent towards him making the joint plating in my arm colliding bellow his chin sending him falling back, I turned and grabbed his other arm and jerked it forward as I turned my chassis.
"Junkyard crap!" I yelled, the momentum pulling him with me as I let him fall to the ground a bit further in front of me.
"Decepticons!" he cried regaining his stance, in the distance my adios picked up the sound of a helicopter, and out of the corner of my optic I saw Grindor transform and land behind me, further away the sound of cannon fire drew my attention as Starscream came down firing towards Sam. Crashing into trees and ripping them to gain better access on his target.
"Come here boy," he snarled.
But my focus on the other Decepticon gave Megatron an opening, he managed to grab hold of me and toss me away from him, as he joined his Decepticon comrades in tailing Sam. I regained my pedding, and ran after them rising up on an elevated hill before throwing myself towards Megatron, taking him to the ground leaving just enough time for Sam to escape his grasp. He rose from the dirt attempting to make an escape, I kicked his joint and he fell to his knee plating. The familiar hum of jet engines came to my adios and as I turned I saw Starscream flying towards Sam, digits opened to strike. I took his wingtip in my grasp and pulled him back his peds coming up from under him, I punched and struck his facial plating making him fall back, I wrapped my arm around his neck holding him closer to my chassis, frantically he started shooting into the air. Megatron attempted to strike from my side, but he only met the firm end of my ped sending him back to the dirt. Turing my torso I swung Starscream around and with the momentum I built up I threw his body away from me but not before giving him a kick to his facial plates sending him into another grove of trees. Through the dust and debris, I saw Sam hiding beneath a log, still safe thank Primus.
"There is another source of energon in this planet!" Megatron growled. Moving towards me, I held my sword towards him as we stood there staring one another down. The endless fight of brother against brother beginning again. He moved towards me and in my attempt to strike his face left my side open, and Starscream took the shot. My balance was off and Megatron struck taking hold of my shoulder plating and tossing me right over his head into the trees once more. The pain in my chassis starting to take it's toll as I attempted to get up and strike, his ped hit my facial plating knocking my protective guard clean off.
The ringing in my helm disoriented me and it wasn't until I fell to the ground again that my spark began to whirr frantically. I shook my helm and tried to get up again. I was met with cannon fire aimed to my chassis, I threw back my torso to dodge the rounds but Megatron struck again sending me to the dirt. Able to find my pedding, I turned to face him, but the barrel of his cannon was on me and he fired before I could react. I flew back crashing into the dirt heavily, the taste of energon on my glossa as I spit it out. Pain seared through me and made every move ache, the throbbing in my helm was worse and I could barely make out the trees in front of me. Where Megatron had fired left my armor damaged and had exposed the opening to my spark. I felt fear setting within my processor, as I looked around frantically for Sam.
"Is the future of our race not worth a single human life?" Megatron growled, the hum of his cannon followed the beat of his ped steps as he came towards me.
"Get up!" Sam cried, I saw the poor boy hiding beneath an uprooted log. Despite the ache through my chassis and the ringing in my audios, I rose up and drew forth my energon swords.
"You'll never stop at one!" I turned to face Megatron, just clopping the barrel of his cannon.
"I'll take you all on!" I cried allowing anger to fuel my movements.
Starscream lunged at me but I pushed him back turning to dodge Grindor. Duking beneath the blades of his propellers before slicing off his arm, the still moving appendage flying out of control towards Megatron making him jerk back to avoid it. Starscream lunged towards Sam but I cut his attack short with a swipe form my blade nearly meeting his neck cables. Grindor attempted to strike my flank but I flipped over Starscream using the Decepticon's cannons against his comrade.
I faced Megatron, determination burned through my energon tubing as I pierced his ped joint and yanking it upwards ripping out the junction entirely. I made a strike for his open midsection the blade of my sword hitting the armor of his abdominal plating he turned to face me but was met with the cold end of my fist, energon flying from his mouth as he flew back. Starscream launched himself off the hillside swinging his fist towards me, I grasped hold of his arm and ripped it clean out of his socket the Decepticon letting out a piercing cry as I struck him with the severed limb. Grindor was coming back and after hitting Starscream aside, I released my energon hooks and jabbed one into his optic. Using the leverage to pull myself onto the Decepticon before striking the other onto his chin plating and pulling his facial plates apart. Jumping off I hooked onto part of his back struts and yanked him down, his body falling into the dirt with a satisfying thud.
"Piece of tin," I muttered. I looked about the clearing Starscream had withered into the woods unable to fly away. And Megatron was nowhere in sight, with a sigh I moved forward.
"Sam? Where are you?" I cried, the rush of adrenaline began to subside and the ache of my chassis doubling tenfold as I searched for the human boy.
The light of the sun glinted off of something giving off a flash of red and blue in the distance, I tuned to focus on it and my world seemed to stop. My breathing slowed as my optics attempted to focus on the distance. Familiar, gentle optics now filled with fear looked back into my own. That face almost as if it weren't really there, it's features coming in so clearly and my lip plates tingled at the memory of how those lips felt against my own…how it felt when I held her close. But how could she be here?
I stepped forward my vision blurring in and out my helm throbbing at the slight movement as I attempted to get closer to her. I still was not entirely sure she was standing there before me. I took in the view of her face so filled with sorrow and pure blue optics now muddled with despair and just barley I could make out the streams of energon running down her cheek plating.
"Alexandra?" I breathed, my spark ached to be close to her to feel her in my embrace and against me once more, to ease her troubled mind and assure her that everything would be fine. I never wanted to see here like this, so torn with sorrow she didn't look like herself, the femme I've come to care for so deeply that she found a place within my spark. She never deserved to live this life that she was so savagely thrown into. Yet she managed to take it with stride, despite all that she had revoked to live this way.
Alexandra, my spark's truest desire, I would not disregard you any longer.
I let my processor become so occupied with all she was to me and it was grave mistake. I felt cold claws of metal gripping my shoulder and slowly the searing pain of what only could be a blade piercing my spark, I saw the jagged edge rise up from out of my chest. I looked up at where Alexandra had appeared…only she was gone.
"No!" I cried, never had I felt a pain so severe and intense in all my years of war, but as I felt my optics shutter and the throbbing of my helm increase. Nothing but fear and uncertainty settled within my processor my vision blurred the trees in the distance fading in and out of focus. Megatron brought me up and I felt the cold press of his cannon barrel against my back struts.
"You're so weak!" he hissed, the heat of his fusion cannon against my back filled my chassis with a painfully burning fire as it blew apart before my optics. He wretched his blade out of me, and my peds met the ground, I felt disconnected from my chassis, as I stared at the ground, the pain and despair paralyzed me as I let myself fall, my optics shuttered, my breath slowed. I caught site of the clouded sky above me, white and blue filling my optics. I looked around and saw Sam still hiding in fear, and I lay there powerless to protect him, his face was the embodiment of petrifying fear, but his eyes reminded me of another…his sister…Alex. Visions of her came in and out of focus, and the sound of her voice whispered in my audios
"I need you to promise me something…Promise me you'll keep my brother safe," hearing her voice nearly made me forget of my pain, images of her kept my spark from snuffing out entirely but I was losing my battle to remain awake. It was harder and harder to stay alert, I wanted to reach for him but I couldn't move.
"Sam…" I breathed. "Run…" darkness surrounded my vision as I saw the boy run.
"Run…" I whispered, before I was consumed by cold cruel darkness…
The growing silence was unsettling. The sound of cannon fire and the screams of my comrades felt as if I was listening to distant echoes within a cave. I saw nothing but never ending blackness, I felt my chassis stiffen as if I was being held down by some unknown force. The pain had started to subside, but then again I couldn't feel…anything really. Fear, confusion, love, despair, hopefulness, it all jumbled together to a point where I didn't know what I was feeling…if I was sensing anything at all.
One thought had permeated the jumble of all that was happening at once…That it was dark…and I was alone…
I don't know if energon tears fell from my optics…but if I were alive…they certainly would be.
(Lilly's POV)
I was shaking, physically trembling, my entire body felt like it would rattle to pieces.
"Optimus…is dead," the minute those words came over the comm link I could feel the sudden drop of heavy hearts. Our friend was dead…just like that, our little family torn apart and heart broken, and each of us are left to pick up the shatter pieces. Bee revved his engine ahead of me taking me out of my trance, Mikaela's grip on my steering wheel tightened, through my review mirror I saw her staring ahead a pained look in her eyes tears still falling and making her mascara run.
"Hey," I whispered through the radio, she sniffed rubbing her hand over the end of her nose.
"Hey," she breathed, her eyes looking into the mirror.
"You okay?" she bit her lip and shuddered, only able to shake her head.
"He's gone," she whispered, her voice braking as she whimpered, and I couldn't help the strain against my heart at her words as I tried to keep myself from breaking down and sobbing.
"We're gonna get through this," I said, tightening the seatbelt around her in my awkward version of a hug, her hand fell on the strap gripping it tightly.
"I hope so,"
"Bee to Lilly,"
I nearly jumped at the ping of the comm before I heard Bee's voice come through. He hadn't said a word to me since we escaped from the forest. I didn't want to press him for information, but Bee was hurt, scratch that he was devastated at what happened, and I could feel it. The Autobots had been together forever, and Optimus was like a father to Bee. As much as this loss may hurt me, I don't think I'll ever get to understand the kind of pain he's going through. Sure I can't see my parents or siblings, but at least I know that they were safe and alive…Bee…he just watched part of his family disappear.
"Lilly here,"
"We're gonna have to camp out in some abandoned buildings up ahead, the twins scouted it out we're clear," I didn't like his tone, unemotional and cold…like a soldier giving orders.
"Got it,"
Bee swerved into the alley and I followed, fenced off and chained was a gate but he drove right on through it, as soon as we were behind the fence, I backed up pushing the swinging gates closed and moved forward through the buildings. The twins were sitting on a brick wall waiting for us, Bee opened his doors and let out Sam…and that other guy.
Leo…I think Mikaela said his name was
He transformed and walked through the buildings, he needed his space, that much I knew.
"So girl, what we gone do?" Skids said, jumping off the wall and walking over to me, my door opened and I let Mikaela out she went after Sam, Leo just hiding against the wall looking between Skids and Mudflap. I transformed my eyes looking towards the alley Bee disappeared into.
"Sit tight for now, until we get word from the others," I sat down crossing my legs and leaning against the wall of a brick building. Keeping an eye on Mikaela and Sam across the way.
"I can't take this shit! I've got to get out of here!" Leo screamed moving back to the entrance, I put my hand in front of him blocking his path, and he jumped back
"As much as you may not like it, you're sticking with us,"
"Like hell I am, I-I'm a hostage, this is kidnapping!" I rolled my eyes
This is the last thing I need right now
"Fine," I said lifting my hands and crossing my arms over my chest.
"If you run into those big mean Decepticons you can handle them by yourself," I said not wanting to deal with more than we needed to. He looked out towards the gate in the distance, before turning around and walking into one of the buildings.
"That's more like it," I grumbled, I looked up to where Bee walked off to, no sign of my yellow Camaro anywhere, the feeling of my heart dropping only dampened my mood.
"Skids, Mudflap, I need you to run a perimeter check, make sure we don't have any civilians nearby,"
"But we just–"
"Now," I insisted, they huffed and transformed, both moved out past the gates, the sound of their engines fading as they went, I stood up looking towards Sam and Mikaela bellow.
"Mickey," she looked up her fear filled face sending a pang of sadness through my heart once again.
"I'm gonna go check on Bee, you guys sit tight," she nodded and I went following after my yellow Camaro. I stepped slowly over what was left of the building structures looking through the alleys and passages to find him, and I did, within the ruins of an apartment complex sat the yellow Autobot, but he did not acknowledge that I was there. His gaze was locked on the ground and his arms were crossed braced on his knees, the flaps of his helmet twitching ever so slightly, but he didn't make a sound, not even the slight chirping he did when filtering through tracks and radio stations, if I hadn't known any better I would have thought he was dozing off…but I knew Bee, and while I've never had a time when he was going through such a loss, his way of coping was the same. He internalized everything, tried to keep up his happy or at least cheerful demeanor no matter the situation that arose. But in trying to keep up that bravado, he neglected allowing his own sorrow to show. The poor thing couldn't help but keep things to himself and it was like pulling teeth to get him to talk about somber topics sometimes…but I refused to let him sit and hold all of this inside…especially now
"Bee?" he slowly looked up and I could see the trails of energon that streamed down his cheeks.
"Hi there good looking," the cheerful lyric unable to match the downtrodden look on his face, treading slowly I moved closer to him, coming to sit beside him.
"Do you want to talk?" he shook his head, his hand coming to whip his face.
"Nah I'm good – I'm fine, I'm fine, I swear – There ain't nothin' ta see here," I placed a hand on his arm squeezing it gently.
"Talk to me babe, I know you're hurting, let me help," he looked at me, his eyes brimming with more tears, and I could feel my own eyes starting to tear up.
"Please, let me help you," I whispered, he shuddered his hand coming over mine and gripping it gently.
"What are we gonna do now?" the child's voice coming through the radio was too much. Without Optimus he was so scared and afraid of the future, Optimus had been the only secure thing that has withstood this war for so long…and with the stab of his enemy he was gone, as his body fell so did the hopes of the Autobots, the war was a constant rhythm of back and forth, pushing and pulling, winning and losing. But Optimus came through with every challenge, he was the beacon of hope that stood for good triumphing over evil…only this time…evil had won. Megatron had been revived, and now we lay scattered and vulnerable on their fragile new home.
"I don't know," I said sobs threatenting to break loose within my throat. I reached over with my other arm hugging him close to me, his own wrapping around me holding tight against his chest, his head dipping into the crook of my neck as I felt his energon tears fall against my neck.
"But we've got each other," I whispered, my own tears falling onto his helm his body shivering as I kissed his head.
"We'll get through this," only this time…I wasn't entirely sure that was true.
(Maggie's POV)
I couldn't get it…how is it that this could happen? What in this cosmic universe tipped the scales so extremely against our favor that it allowed such an evil to reenter our world?
And even worse…
How could it rip us to shreds in the most brutal way…how could we lose Optimus?
Nightblade shifted in my grasp, and I looked down at him, still asleep in peaceful bliss.
"You have no idea how lucky you are little guy…" I whispered, sleepy chirps were my only answer.
"Maggie? I stepped out of the office, Jolt trying to sit up from the medical berth.
"No, no, don't move, I'm not done with my scans," I walked to his berthside.
"Forgive me…I'm not accustomed to frequent 'post injury check-ups' as you call them,"
"Yeah something I worked out with Ratchet,"
"It is obstructing from the objective,"
"You can't complete the objective unless you are in ideal health," I responded, shifting my hold on Nightblade as I checked the readings on my data pad.
"It's redundant," he said gruffly, I looked at him for a moment, his eyes never met mine and the slump of his chassis was all too easy to read. He was unhappy, to say the least, and with the news we have received I didn't blame him.
"Jolt?" his eyes shifted.
"Do you want to talk?"
"What about?" he responded.
"Optimus…" the word making my heart ache.
"I see no point…he's been off-lined," the frankness of his words shocked me a bit, I haven't had much time with Jolt but he certainly was blunt in his conversations. However, this wasn't small talk I was trying at.
"Jolt…I may have a human based processor, but I know all too well it hurts to lose someone, and trying to suppress emotion towards such a thing is only going to make things worse," he didn't move, his eyes trained to the ground.
"I'd rather not discuss Optimus at this time, but thank you for your concern,"
"Well, if you want to talk, I'm here," he nodded, and I walked back into my office. My comm pinged.
"Ratchet to Maggie"
"Maggie here,"
"We're returning to base…" silence followed.
"Ratchet?"
"Megatron escaped," he uttered, the very name making chills run down my spine.
"Is everyone ok?"
"Yes, for the most part, the Twins, Bumblebee and Lillian were separated and are doing as protocol requires,"
"Hiding…cloaking their energon signals so not to be tracked" I thought, the pit of worry in my stomach growing with anxiousness, a shuddering breath escaped my lips as I tried to keep my composure.
"And Op-Optimus is being taken care of," the hitch in his voice gave away how broken he was, even if he was unwilling to admit it himself. Optimus meant so much to all of the Autobots, and it broke my heart just thinking about how much they all must be suffering right now.
"Where is he being taken?"
"Choppers are bringing him back to base…we had to fight with some officials to get it done but, we wouldn't let him go anywhere we weren't,"
"Good…Ratchet are you–"
"How's Jolt doing?" the coldness of his tone disturbed me.
"He's fine,"
"Good,"
"Ratche–"
"Please, Magdalena…" his voice shook over the comm and I withheld my words.
"I'm…not in a state of mind to discuss anything further…" another word and he probably wouldn't have been able to hold that soldier's hardened mask, of all the pain the universe has had thrown at him, he tries to keep a straight face. Only this time the striking blow hit close to home. Of the times Ratchet has talked about Optimus, I remember him saying that Optimus was a mech beyond his years. Despite their age difference, Ratchet looked up to him at times, and at others he'd consider himself to be the Prime's guardian, all that badgering him about sleeping more and not over-working himself was out of love, in his own gruff and grouchy way. Though I know that this affected everyone on a dramatic scale, some more than others, it certainly left a hole in everyone's heart, one that will take more than time to heal.
"I don't mean to be rude but…I just can't right now," I squeezed my eyes shut, I could almost picture his pained expression.
"Ok…" I breathed.
"Thank you,"
"I love you," I whispered there was a slight shudder in his breathing before he spoke.
"I love you to…Ratchet out," and the comm went dead. I slumped in my chair bringing Nightblade closer to me, he snuggled sleepily into my breast plate, and my thoughts began to wander.
Would all the Autobots react like this? Close themselves off when they're hurt, try to keep everything withheld and hidden from sight. If they acted like this with just Optimus' death, what more could they be keeping within themselves? How much more pain are they really in? We've only been with the Autobots for a little more than a few years and there's so much that they still haven't talked about from their millennia on Cybertron, there's still so much of this war that they haven't told us about yet, and while I knew it was for our own safety…it still made me wonder if knew that they were hurting themselves. I tapped my Audio plate.
"Maggie to Epps,"
"Epps here,"
"Hey do we have a military psychologist on base?"
"Yeah three of them actually,"
"Can you send one of them to the medical bay? I have some questions?"
"Ok I'll send over Lt. González,"
"Thank you, Maggie out,"
Things had to change for the Autobots, they were robots and maybe with some background knowledge…I can start helping them out.
(Optimus' POV)
I couldn't feel anything, I had no a connection to my body at all but I could still see the darkness that was around me.
Was I still myself?
I could remember things, flashes of a life that I knew was mine. I know that I am Optimus Prime, but there was nothing physical about me. I had no body that I could see but I was still there, still whole…still me. I looked in every direction for signs of anything other than the obscurity that surrounded me. Then I saw it, in the distance a small pulsating blue light, I wanted to be near it wanted to touch it but I didn't know how to move. After focusing in on it I realized it was coming to me, growing brighter and brighter as it floated towards me. The intensity of it's brilliance grew so strong I had to look away, and then it stopped, I looked around to see stars surrounding me, but these were not stars I recognized from Earth or Cybertron's galaxy. Deep purples, luscious pinks, vibrant blues, and effervescent oranges filling the darkness with beauty. Gone was the blackness I was left alone in, now lay this expansion of beautiful color and light.
What is this?
"Optimus Prime," a deep voice spoke to me I looked about and found the pulsating light once again only now I recognized it as the Allspark.
"Who is there?" the cube grew before me and began to transform, a tall figure started to take shape. Broad shouldered chassis…armor the color of an Autobot's optics…distinct white markings with Cybertronian glyphs etched into them…proudly defined facial plates…and finally came the shutter of bright optics glowing with age and wisdom. He looked down at me with a saddened expression. Raising his servo, I felt myself being lifted to be equal with his own face.
"My son, Optimus Prime," he said. His voice seemed to reverberate within my very self. A voice that cared, a voice that was comforting.
"Yes?"
"Do you know who I am?" he said, I recognized the true power of his voice. I was utterly humbled in his presence, despite all the stories I heard as a young mech, I see now that none compare to the deity that stood before me.
"Primus?" I responded, he smiled before walking through the vastness of the space before him, and I felt myself being moved along with him.
"We have much to discuss my son, you have endured a great deal," he said. I had nearly forgotten what had just occurred, but the memory of Megatron's blade piercing my spark sent an unforgiving pain through me.
"Dwell not on the past Optimus Prime, for what is set in the stone that is time cannot be changed, but your future is yet to be written and is laden with possibilities,"
"What future? My spark has been… extinguished," I said, the words felt heavy as I spoke them, but the truth often was in situations such as this. His kind optics found my own.
"My son," he whispered.
"Your spark is free from your physical self but it can never be extinguished, not entirely at least, it is only your body that wilts away and dies,"
"I do not understand,"
"I know you don't, but you will," he raised his palm and the space before us began to warp and turn until an opening appeared and was filled with light.
"A spark is all of your memories and emotions playing off of one another in and endless cycle," Primus said, the opening began to widen before us more specs of light filtering through.
"Such a progression cannot be broken,"
"A spark has a directive in life to complete," he added. "To share its light with one who is worthy," the light began taking shape.
"And so, you must ask yourself, Optimus Prime" colors came into view and I caught a familiar pattern of red and blue tones.
"Why are you still here?" I had been asking myself the same question several times, and no answer had yet to come to me. Seeing her now made joy and despair reverberate through me. Despite the tears that stained her face and the sadness that dulled the sparkle of her optics, she still managed to set myself alight with happiness. I wanted nothing more than to hold her close and push away all worries from her processor.
"Alexandra," I breathed, I reached for her, but was stopped by some sort of energy. I couldn't touch her and my sparks sank. She sobbed, and I felt that blade pierce through me all over again at the sound of the pain in her voice.
"I will find my way back to you," I breathed, and I noticed the image of her began to fade.
"I promise, I will find you," I breathed before there was no sign of her saddened face and I was looking into the array of stars and colors once more.
"I ask you again Prime," my attention on Primus, seeing a gentle smile upon his face.
"Why are you here?" memories of her smile and her overwhelming sense of kindness flooded my senses, the sound of her laugh, the caress of her touch, and the sense of irresistible joy I felt when in her presence.
"You promised," her voice whispered through my mind.
"My spark," I breathed "It still longs for her," I looked out into the jumble of lights and stars surrounding us. "I still long for her," I turned my gaze to him, my mission embedding itself within my very being.
"How do I return?" his eyes grew brighter with enthusiasm.
"I have much to teach you my son," he stepped forward again his cape moving elegantly amongst the stars as I was moved to follow him.
"When you've understood my words and their meaning you will be returned to your realm," he moved his servo once more and five symbols appeared before us each one silhouetted by five familiar feminine figures.
"These femmes hold a great importance in what is to be the future of Cybertron," he answered.
"And it is here that you shall understand that purpose," the images disappeared, and I was met again with his optic his servo came bellow me encircling me in his grasp.
"Optimus Prime are you ready?" all I could feel was the longing in my spark knowing now that I had a chance at returning to the Autobots, to Earth…to Alex.
"I am," his smile broadened.
"Then let us begin,"
(Meg's POV)
We were heading to the nearest airport to get back to base. After word reached us that Decepticons decided to come out of hiding, we began shielding our signals until we got back to base, with our own scanners on high alert. I still wasn't able to register all that had happened in the few hours that had past. It feels like a blur of time had gone by and I don't know if I was going at hyper speed or if everything was going in slow motion.
What the actual hell was happening?
What in the name of fuck is happening right now?
Is this legit? Like seriously how could anything like this happen? Now out of all the fucking times we've been dealt with some bullshit…how could this shit happen?
...how could we lose Optimus?
I glanced forward to the Semi that lead our way and I couldn't help the uneasy feeling in my gut when I didn't see the flaming red and blue paint job. The trailer it pulled was even worse to look at. Made out of that muted grey armor like material, it looked awkward because it was wider than most trailers and because we knew of it's delicate cargo, it made it all the more seem like a coffin.
"Meg…you're drifting again," Ironhide's voice rumbled beside me.
"Thanks," I responded.
"Try to stay focused," he grumbled. Despite my incessant need to remind him who he was talking to, I knew better than to snap at him…now more than ever. I knew what it means to lose someone close to you…and I don't think I'd wish that feeling on my worst enemy.
The remainder of our trip was made in silence, and it continued through our flight. It would have been a relatively short trip so I didn't see the point in trying to sleep. I wanted anything but quiet though, quiet means nothing is being done, noise means work, noise means action is being taken…noise would have been more comforting.
My comm pinged.
"Yeah?" I said, and a familiar baritone responded.
"You ok?"
"I can ask you the same question,"
"Nah, I asked first,"
"I'm not ok…but you don't need to worry about it,"
"That doesn't help anyone if you think like that,"
"Really Hide, we've got bigger things to deal with,"
"No we have each other, and we have to take care of what we got left,"
"Now let's start again…You ok?"
"No,"
"So talk to me,"
"Never thought you'd be the one for pillowtalk," his deep throated chuckle came through like comforting static.
"Megara, please talk to me, it helps to distract me from…everything,"
"Ok, but I don't think it will help much,"
"Some is better than nothing at this point," silence followed between us, only the hum of engines in the sky broke through it, but it was a comfortable silence. I grew to become comfortable with Ironhide, a feat few can stake claim to, and he has grown comfortable with me. There was more than comfort to our relationship surely, and thankfully I only saw good things onwards from where we stood. But then comes the difficult part, sticking together through thick and thin, and trying to make our way through whatever our seemingly immortal lives throw at us. I think we can do it…I hope we can do it…I know we can do it…together that is.
"I feel like I'm losing a part of me," I said.
"Optimus and I were not necessarily close but…I understood that he'd do everything to win this war and he did everything in his power to keep us safe…that includes my family, my friends…and you," I eyed the tarp covered body that lay a little bit ahead of us, the stillness making me feel uneasy.
"Now…I don't know what to think without that security he gave us,"
"Nothing secure when it comes to war…you learn that now or the hard way," he responded.
"But…what is the resto of this war going to be like without Optimus? Without our fearless leader…"
"If there is one thing that fragging mech drilled into my helm more than anything, is that war is not won by singular heroes…it's won when others, united by a common good, band together to protect what they believe,"
"Sure does sound like something Optimus would say,"
"Longwinded and inspirational?"
"Yup, you nailed it babe," we both laughed, but the jest only lasts so long. The looming silence that filled the plain crept back within us and with all that's occurred in this short time, it was hard to hid the impending doom that hung over us with small instances of smiles and playful banter.
"We'll get through this," Ironhide muttered, his fender bending over to reach mine, and I did the same pressing metal to metal in a small gesture of comfort.
"Yeah…we will," I whispered, praying for the first time in a long time that it was true.
(Alex's POV)
Satellites in movement…
We've lost visual on Decepticon signatures…
We've lost visual on The twins…
Autobots are en-route to base…
Drone imagery confirmed the identity of unknown Decepticon is Megatron…
Negative. NORAD confirmed…
Projectile came from beyond our atmosphere, inbound at thirty-thousand knots…
Unable to establish connection with Autobots Bumblebee and Lilly…
Satellites still have no visual on Decepticon craft…
So many voices…so many sounds…coming at me all at once without stop. It almost made me want to tear my audios out. I stared blankly at the screen, red markings moving about on the map.
"Witwiky, we've got a situation,"
"What?" I respond automatically, my mind still reeling from…everything.
"Something is obstructing satellite feed," the analyst said.
"Citizens of the human hive–" a gravely mechanical voice sounded, the room fell silent and everyone's attention was on the screen. News broadcasts from all corners of the world were all showing the same image of a menacing Cybertronian. Appendages along the sides of his face twitch and moved in rhythm, like the legs of a centipede. But what made my skin crawl was the deep red of his glowing eyes…Decepticon.
"Your leaders have withheld the truth. You are not alone in this universe," Epps broke the silence.
"Can we get a track on where the broadcast is coming from?"
"On it sir,"
"We have lived among you, hidden, but no more," he snarled.
"Do you know which Decepticon this is?" Epps asked, "Cause it sure as hell ain't Megatron," my eyes did not leave the screen.
"No…I don't know,"
"As you've seen we can destroy your cities at will," images flooded the screen of mass destruction that the Decepticons have raged on our world…images we had made sure to keep covert.
"Check our Satellites for any tampering," I ordered.
"Yes ma'am,"
"Unless you turn over this boy," a picture of Sam appeared on screen, I felt what was left of my hope.
"If you resist us, we will destroy the world as you know it," the projection disappeared, and still I couldn't find it in myself to move.
"Do we have any visual on Bee and Lilly?" I asked.
"Negative," the soldier responded.
"What about the Twins?" I squeezed my eyes shut, before letting my head drop. My hand pinching the bridge of my nose in a poor attempt to hide my tears and suppress the head ache I've had since I watch that plane fly away.
"Is there anything being done about the projection?"
"External offices and branches are filtering news stations with new information,"
"Good,"
The frantic taping of keyboards and the hum of computers filled the ambient silence. I kept my eyes on the screen, as reports came in on the "phenomenon that occurred". Steadily videos of different news stations reporting on "terrorist attacks" around the world took over the edges of the screen. Amongst the I heard their screams, their cries, and all I could do was stare.
"What we're hearing from the German government is that the world broadcast was a satellite hacking…"
"The military has just told us they have assumed Condition Delta, which is the highest level we have been at since 9/11…"
"President Obama is being flown to a bunker somewhere in the middle of the United States in the face of the worst simultaneous attacks ever around the globe…"
"Worldwide casualties are in the neighborhood of seven-thousand, but that number could climb. It's still too early to tell. What we need to ask now is, 'Who and why?'"
"Commander Witwicky,"
"Yes,"
"The President has ordered all branches to search for the boy…"
"Has he disclosed the terms as to what they will do once they find him?"
"No ma'am,"
"Who do we contact to get specifics?"
"That's be the resident brown-noser, Galloway," Epps replied. Despite my crumbling soul, I couldn't help but roll my eyes.
"Can we please send Galloway a correspondence regarding the president's orders?"
"Yes ma'am," the solider who responded began typing away furiously at her desk.
"We believe they have information about the attacks. The FBI, CIA and Interpol are all seeking the cooperation of worldwide law enforcement…"
"Keep the comm interface open, report to me when the others arrive,"
"Yes ma'am,"
"Epps?"
"Yeah?"
"Please contact my parents, let them know what's happening, as best as you can," he nodded his head, before reaching out from his place on the catwalk and patting my arm.
"You got it," I turned and began my solemn march back to the barracks.
Everything hurt, I wanted to scream, I wanted to cry, I wanted to hit something, and yet there I was, still did nothing to ease my pain. My mind felt like it was working apart from my body, the processor was fighting to keep emotion and action separated so that neither affected the other…must be a Cybertronian thing.
I entered the hallway, the door hissing behind me as I looked towards the entrance of Optimus' room. I hadn't been paying much attention to my spark these past few hours, not since the news came through and made everything crumble around me, the truth of those words being too painful to let their meaning register.
My hand moved to the key pad and I punched in the code, the doors opened slowly, and I was met with darkness. I stepped in the smell of diesel and metal filled the air…and something else I couldn't quite place. His desk was a scene of organized chaos, data pads stacked together taking over most of the surface, his writing tools strewn about like he had knocked them over. His chair had a thermo blanket draped over it. Probably from all the times he's slept sitting at his desk…all the tireless hours he had put into making sure everything was alright.
"If only someone could have done something for him,"
I hesitated before brushing my hand over the blanket, the soft fabric felt so gentle under my digits. I stepped closer to the chair pulling it back so I could sit on it. My head tipped back and rested against the hard surface, it felt cold and unwelcoming but I couldn't bring myself to get off, my hands gripped the arm rest tightly
He sat here…alive…just hours ago
I didn't know whether to cry or to scream in anger. Either way would have helped, I felt frustrated, I felt confused, and over all…I felt devastated. I didn't think of a world without Optimus. Even after Primus told me what was going to happen, I couldn't bring myself to think of what a world without Optimus was like, never mind what it means to us that Megatron was active again. It was my own selfishness that didn't allow me to prepare for what would happen if Optimus was no longer in the picture. It just didn't seem like a possibility, the power and force he exuded on the battlefield appeared limitless and yet here we are. At the back of my mind I keep remembering what Primus said, what seemed like ages ago.
He will be killed, but he will not die
My only sliver of hope were those few words, even if I didn't know what he meant by them, at least I had some faith there would be a good outcome to all of this. Even still, loosing someone is never easy, if anything it's utterly devastating and confusing. You feel like a part of you had been viciously ripped out, and now you have to figure out where to go from there. Not knowing concrete details on what happens afterwards scares me, for all I know he could be suffering and I'd want nothing more than to save him, but on the other hand…what if he found tranquility? What if he's finally at rest? peacefully drifting through the planes of the universe and him coming back would take all that away and return him to the turmoil of this never ending war. But seeing all this mix of thoughts jumbled in my head I have to ask myself…do I want him back because we need him…or because I need him?
I had pushed whatever thoughts of this whole ordeal to the back of my mind. Am I truly selfish enough to want him back just so that I can see him again? And if so…is that so wrong?
I brought my feet up onto the chair and wrapped my arms around my knees tightly letting my face fall onto them as tears of pain trickled down my face. Yet there was no one there to comfort me, well…not the one I needed to offer me some minute form of solace. I muted my audios for a brief minute so that no radio or comm communications could disturb me.
Curled up so tightly I sat there in agony, my whole body tense with pain. My spark whirred sporadically as I cried, and this pang of sorrow engulfed it, and I felt like it would rip apart everything within me. My lips trembled as I sobbed into the blanket I managed to wrap around myself, I didn't care how long I had been there in that dark and lifeless office. I only wish I had stopped him, taken his place, at least said what I felt before he left me on the tarmac…but no matter what I thought this was no fairy tale, and no magic or wish was going to change anything. Longing for something lost wouldn't reverse time…and no amount of whispered 'I love you's in the dark was going to change anything. But damn, does it hurt like hell to think that way.
Me: Hey I finally did it only took me three months or something like that to get it done but it's here! I really just need to give a formal apology to you guys, because I have received your PM's and Reviews and because I was going through some stuff back at home and moved to Ohio of all places I really just kept putting this off on and on again, and you guys are so fantastic that I know you do not deserve such treatment so for those of you who have been such angles to have waited through my abrupt hiatus to see what happens with the rest of this story I thank you so much for being blessed with the utter virtue of true patience, and to others who had joined on recently welcome to my content (gosh I sound like a YouTuber rn) and I hope with this new chapter you continue to enjoy all I have to offer.
Ironhide: Can you shut your slagging mouth and move along
Me: Patience is something good old hide here clearly lacks but we love him all the same *goes in for a hug*
Ironhide: touch me and I'll make sure this story never gets finished
Me: *retracts into the antisocial hole I came from* ok Anyways thanks you guys for sticking through and I look forward to reading your reviews and please feel free to PM me I promise I will do better about replying and answering questions as best as I can. Untill next time! Au Revoir my lovelies! 3