Disclaimers – I do not own the Transformers; I only own Maddy Shingle
Summary – A young human girl is brought to the base because she seems to know too much information about Cybertronians. But the girl seems to be distracted and wanders around the base; Optimus feels the only way to stop that is to keep her with him. This only leads to both being distracted...
Long one-shot
One Way Or Another
Maddy Shingle was so bored. She had lost her job in the pandemic. Maddy had gotten a couple of stimulus checks, but it wasn't enough, and she was losing her apartment too. So, Maddie needed to pack up some of her duffle bags and drive until she could figure things out.
So, that's what she did. She drove all night, stopping to eat and have bathroom breaks. However, the last time that she stopped to eat, she brought her laptop in with her. She was going through sites, and she found a lot of sites gone that she liked.
"What the heck?" Maddy mumbled as she searched all through The Internet.
She was eating a cheeseburger, cheesy fries, and shake when she stumbled upon a site. It looked harmless enough. However, what she didn't realize was the more she kept messing with the site. The more she was getting tracked by an unknown person/persons who had the site. Until she saw some of the classified things on the site and realized it was a military site and not just any military site.
"Hey, wait a sec; these are files for NEST. I just hacked into the computer files for NEST; how the hell is that possible?" Maddy said. "So, they are real because I got sucked into some other world where they exist and my world doesn't anymore," Maddy added, putting a French fry into her mouth.
Silence...
"I need another shake," she mumbled.
Military base...
A soldier walked up to Major Will Lennox with urgent news to report to him as Epps and Graham walked up to their friend as well.
(Lennox, Epps, and Graham)
"What's going on?" Lennox asked the soldier.
"Apparently, someone hacked into the mainline of our computers at NEST, but the special tracking lines that the Autobots placed in them are working. The trace landed us a laptop in use in this general area, so we've just got to get them using security cameras. It was Bossbot that lined it up." Epps said.
"Alright, let's move," Lennox said.
Diner where Maddy was...
Maddy realized that had to be the reason some of the sites were gone, like fanfiction accounts. She glanced around and saw military jeeps pull up, and she sighed. That couldn't be because of her, could it?
"Oh, damn it!" she grumbled as she saw Lennox and Epps.
She had forgotten how fast the Feds had gotten to Glen and Maggie in the first movie. She saw Lennox see she was the only one in the fast-food diner, and he walked up.
"You, young lady, are in deep trouble," Lennox said as he grabbed her while Epps scooped up the laptop.
"I can explain; honestly, I can," she said.
"Whatever," Lennox said as they took her back to base to face Optimus.
At the base...
Maddy was pacing as her palms started to sweat, as fear wrapped around her heart. Oh, how she was nervous now. Maddy rolled her eyes then. She had to explain this right to them but especially to Optimus.
She heard the door open, and in came three men. She wondered who they were until the lead one spoke. She realized he was Optimus Prime, and then the other two had to be Ironhide and Ratchet.
"Why did you hack the NEST files?" Optimus demanded.
"It was not intentional. This whole thing is just a big misunderstanding because... see where I am from, I lost my job and apartment. So, I took a drive to clear my head, and I packed up my duffle bag and put my laptop in. See, I am good with computers, did you know that?" she asked as all three mechs eyed her like she was insane.
"We noticed," Optimus remarked.
Maddy started to talk so fast then. Optimus, Ironhide, and Ratchet sat there trying to make sense of what she was saying.
"Slow down," Ratchet finally said.
"I rattle when I'm nervous; look, I'm not from here; I was obviously brought here for a reason just haven't figured that out yet as to why?" she remarked.
She smiled slightly.
"You know, what I mean?" Maddy asked the three mechs.
"Not in the slightest," Optimus asked, clearly trying to make heads or tails of the situation.
Maddy paced back and forth
"I know there is a good reason as to why I'm here, I mean maybe to save you and your Autobots from Cemetery Wind trying to kill you guys and all," she said as she just kept talking.
She kept talking faster and faster until Ironhide and Ratchet had to leave.
"We'll let you handle this," Ironhide said, getting up.
"Yes, of course," Ratchet as they got up and headed for the other part of the base.
"Slaggers," Optimus mumbled.
"It's okay, you're my hero," she said as he looked at her.
"What?" Optimus asked.
"I said you're my hero," Maddy said as she smiled and glanced at him.
Optimus wasn't sure he knew what to say to her. She was such a confusing femme and talked so fast.
"So, are you single?" she asked as he looked at her like she had two heads.
"Are...you...single...?" she asked more slowly as he sighed.
Silence...
"Are you with anyone?" Maddy asked.
He was quiet then. Optimus frowned; he wasn't with anyone Primes were treated differently.
"No, Primes are supposed to be different; we are not allowed to have..." he started to say.
Maddy went to him; her hand gently stroked his holoform's face. She looked at him and smiled sadly.
"Might help if you talk about it," she said as he nodded, grabbed her hand, and pulled her toward the hanger and his vehicle form while his men watched in awe at his actions. He opened his door for her, and she got in, and he drove to a secluded part of the base.
His vehicle form just parked while his holoform just sat there, and he sighed as he tried to think of the words to start with.
"Take your time," she said.
Optimus nodded as he began his sad tale, one that Maddy found so desperately unhappy. She allowed him to pace himself and tell his story at his speed.
"I...I think it would be easier if I showed you," he said as his holoform showed his memories, and the whole time coolant ran down his face.
What Maddy is seeing...
Ratchet approaches a solemn Optimus Prime, whose optics are dim with a dull blue color instead of a vibrant electric blue.
"Optimus?" Ratchet replies softly.
Optimus sighs.
"I miss her so badly, Ratchet, and yet part of me screams our laws prohibit mixing species; and that it's for the best," Optimus whispers.
"And the other part of you?" Ratchet asked.
"The other part of me cares for her and wishes to be with her," Optimus replied sadly. "Our laws are cruel; I care for her, and she pleases me."
"I'm sorry, my friend." Ratchet said. "Open your chest plate, Optimus." Ratchet stated firmly as Optimus' optics blinked as they misted.
"No." was all Optimus could say.
"Optimus come on, I have to; it's the law." Ratchet replied as Optimus still refused. "Don't make me override your programing," Ratchet warned.
Optimus frowned; he knew Ratchet would do it too. He wasn't allowed to be like other mechs, he was forced to give up everything, and he hated it. Optimus opened his chest plates slowly and hesitantly.
The sounds Optimus made were the most sorrowful, a miserable keening sound like when Sector Seven captured Bumblebee…..but this was worse. Optimus finally collapsed, landing on his knees as his intakes whirled wildly, but the look in his optics scared Ratchet for a second.
"I'm sorry, Optimus, I truly am, but I had to remove the bond you shared with her," Ratchet whispered as Optimus' intakes cycled uncontrollably and violently in his body.
Optimus gradually tried to rise to his foot peds but swiftly fell again. Ratchet went to him, trying to help him, but Optimus shook his head; his spark was in anguish, and he didn't want the CMO to touch him anymore.
"You know the laws Primes can not…." Ratchet started to say until Optimus turned on the CMO.
"NO!" he exclaimed, his voice held pain. "I know the fragging laws! You ripped out my blossoming bond with the human. I have lost everything in this slagging war must I lose my soul as well," Optimus remarked as Ratchet went to help Optimus to his pads.
Optimus pulled away from Ratchet and growled like a feral animal. Ratchet froze, then realizing he had pushed his leader and Prime now to the end of his rope.
"I'm sorry," Ratchet whispered.
"NO, DON'T TOUCH ME!" Optimus yelled.
"Optimus...?" Ratchet started to say.
"You win. I shall never love again; I will be alone until I offline," Optimus replied as he struggled to his pads and walked away.
The once regal stance Optimus held was now gone from the once-proud Prime and leader of the Autobots.
"What have I done?" whispered Ratchet, as he found he couldn't take his optics off his leader and friend.
Optimus Prime had been truly broken.
What Maddy was watching ends...
Maddy put her hand over her mouth. She looked at him, her heart reaching for him as well as her hand. She caressed his face gently.
"Please, don't," he whispered.
"Who made those laws?" she asked.
"The Council of Cybertron," Optimus said.
Silence...
"Are they still alive?" she asked.
Optimus shifted slightly.
"No," he answered.
"Then the Primes hold power, right?" she questioned.
"Yes," was all he said.
She shrugged then.
"Then obliterate those bad laws," Maddy replied as Optimus eyed Maddy heatedly.
She was right.
"You are correct," Optimus stated.
"See," Maddy said as Optimus pulled her to the back where a bed cot was.
She smirked when his aggressive side came out when he pushed her up against the wall.
"Come on, Optimus, show me what you've got," she urged as he growled ferally at her while he bit her neck as she abruptly realized he had her clothes off within seconds.
He felt his interfacing until pinging like crazy.
"Are you sure this is what you want?" Optimus asked.
"I want you not just once, Optimus; I want to be with you forever," she said as his optics glazed over with emotions, she couldn't read.
Optimus Told the others after that, with the Council being dead; he was the one who made the laws. He was abolishing the laws put on a prime, and the first law taken away was the law that Primes couldn't be bonded to someone.
Optimus liked Maddy. He owed her a lot, and he intended to repay her for the rest of her life.
The End