Chapter 2: Penny for your Thoughts?

Prime P.O.V

I felt my shoulders slump with weariness as I left Hanger 1. It was well after midnight, and I had just finished a very long and somewhat tedious meeting with General Morshower and Major Lennox. We had discussed tactics to countermand increasing Decepticon incursions, battle readiness of my Autobots and N.E.S.T operatives, as well as a progress report on Orianna and her role as Autobot liaison.

Despite my weariness, I felt a small smile spread across my dermas as my thoughts turned towards the newest addition to my team. Almost automatically, I found myself heading towards a small, secluded beach near the Med Bay that both Orianna and I had taken to visiting on a regular basis.

As I drew nearer, I recalled the first time I had happened upon the beach one evening not long after we had arrived here on Diego Garcia. I had come across Orianna and Ironhide making some sort of peace between each other, something I had been both shocked and impressed by given the animosity towards each other since the moment they met. Orianna and I had also shared a conversation that night after Ironhide departed.

I felt a slight twinge in my spark as I remembered the comment that had caught me off guard and the femme it was in reference to. A femme that had long since left my life but the memory of her haunted me, my spark. /Elita One/. Orianna and I had had a strained relationship for several months following that night. That was mainly due to my own insecurities and inability, or unwillingness, to discuss anything of a personal or private nature.

I snorted derisively as I turned off the road towards the beach. /We Primes, or this one in particular, can be VERY good at bottling up their troubles, fears and frustrations/. My Autobots, my human allies, they need a decisive, strong and capable leader so that is what I give them. However, Orianna had started to break down that barrier I had carefully constructed over the millennia and, over the past year, I found myself confiding in her more and more.

I chuckled as I approached the tree line and pushed my way through the branches. /Orianna had a way of endearing herself to most people she met – including my cantankerous weapon's specialist/. As my scanners and sensors swept the area before me, I couldn't help but feel a wave of disappointment sweep over me when I discovered she was not sitting in her usual spot, where the grass and the sand met. I allowed myself the luxury of sighing out loud when I realised the small human female was not here. /Seems even you are not immune to Orianna's charms!/.

I walked slowly out into the clearing and simply stood for a moment, gazing out over the dark expanse of ocean before me, listening intently to the gentle lapping of the waves as they sank into the shore.

It was peaceful.

I closed my optics and relished the moment. After millions of years fighting a seemingly senseless, bloody war, where nearly every waking moment of an orbital cycle was spent preparing for, engaging in, or recovering from intense battles, this simple action of standing under the stars was a most welcome change of pace. The feel of the cool earth under my pedes and the soft ocean breeze skimming across my armor plating, was soothing and I allowed myself to drift away as I became lost in the moment.

''Penny for your thoughts?'' a familiar voice unexpectedly interrupted my solitude, and I whipped my helm around to locate its owner.

''Orianna?'' I could not keep the surprise and happiness from my tone, and I inwardly cringed. /So much for your Prime like stoicism!/. I immediately adjusted the register of my voice. ''Forgive me, I did not notice your arrival. I had not expected company at this late hour.''

She halted in her tracks momentarily and snorted softly. ''I had noticed you seemed lost in your own thoughts Optimus. Lucky I wasn't a Decepticon or something hey Big Guy?'' Before I could respond to her teasing, she pointed back towards the direction she had materialised from. ''I ahh. I can go if you want to be left alone? You look like you had a big night – and not in a good way!''

I held up a servo towards her, entreating her to stay. ''You are welcome to stay Orianna. Despite appearances, I would appreciate your company.'' She beamed up at me, those captivating brown and gold flecked eyes of hers alight with pleasure as she continued to navigate her way towards me. I smiled down at her. ''It is decidedly more preferable to that of a stealthy Decepticon.''

She laughed and a warmth coursed through me at the sound. ''I would bloody hope so Prime!'' The smile on her face faded somewhat as she neared me and came to stop by my left pede. ''By the way, you didn't answer my question. What's on your mind?''

I blinked my optics and tilted my helm at her, considering her words. ''Nothing in particular Orianna. I was simply enjoying a rare moment of peace when you happened upon me.'' /Which reminded me/. I placed my servos on my hips as I stared down at her. ''Why are you out here at this hour anyway? Shouldn't you be back in your domicile fast asleep?''

Orianna shrugged her shoulders and made to sit on the cool grass, I continued to stare down at her. ''I probably should be, and normally would be, but I just couldn't sleep for some reason. My mind kept racing and I was just laying there, going over stupid things in my mind. Trying to talk some sense to myself about…'' She paused, her voice trailing off as she shrugged her shoulders again. My scanners detected her heartbeat sped up, her blood pressure increased, and her cheeks flushed crimson momentarily as adrenaline was released into her system.

/What caused that reaction?/. I slowly lowered myself towards her, drawing one knee up to lay my servos over. Orianna refrained from looking at me. She seemed embarrassed, an emotion I did not normally associate with her. ''May I ask what issue is on your mind that is preventing you from recharge and causing you such obvious discomfort?'' I shuttered my optics again as she snapped her head towards me, her mouth partially open as if silently screaming. ''Perhaps I can help you solve it?''

Coughing out loud, Orianna shook her head rapidly, a nervous laugh escaping her lips. ''Oh, I wish you could Prime but, ah, no. I don't think so. It's kind of a delicate, personal thing I'm going through right now.''

For some reason I felt my spark sink at her polite rebuff. I wanted to help her. She had helped me so much this past year and I wanted to return the favour for my friend. Whilst I wanted to push the point, I could also sympathise and relate to wishing to keep personal issues a private matter and so I let it drop. ''Very well Orianna. But please remember I am here to help you – with anything.''

Orianna once again dropped her head and closed her eyes for a moment as she bit her bottom lip and slowly nodded her head. ''Thanks Prime. I – I'll keep that in mind.''

Almost in the same spark beat, Orianna's mood changed. Her body seemed to relax, and she placed both her hands behind her and leaned back as she brought her legs out to sprawl before her. ''So! How did your meeting go? Was it exciting?'' She patted the ground beside her indicating I too should sit down.

It never failed to amuse me how Orianna could flip between such strong emotions so quickly. /A puzzle. That's what this human female was proving to be. A delightful puzzle I was enjoying solving. Or at least trying to!/. My laughter rumbled through the still night air as I moved to sit down near her as gracefully as possible. ''It was like most meetings I must attend. Protracted, somewhat tedious, yet important, and far from exciting.''

She laughed in reply and that familiar warmth coursed through me again. I enjoyed her company. ''Can't you just, I don't know,'' she waved her hand about as she searched for the right words, ''send an email instead? Do they always have to be meetings?''

I threw my helm back and laughed out loud as I too placed my servos behind my back and sprawled my long metallic legs out before me, mimicking Orianna's posture. She was looking at me, a strange unreadable expression on her features as her eyes moved from my face and travelled along my frame and back again. /I guess it would be a rather unfamiliar sight for human, or Autobot, to see me so relaxed/. I shook my helm. ''Ah, Orianna. Your sense of humour never fails to amuse me. I shall keep that pearl of wisdom in mind. Though somehow, I doubt General Morshower and the JSC shall take a similar view.''

She made some sort of clucking noise with her tongue. ''It's a shame Prime. It would certainly free your time up for more important and worthwhile activities.''

I raised an optical ridge in her direction. ''Such as Orianna?''

''Well, spending more time with me for one thing!'' she winked up at me and once again I found myself chuckling.

The heaviness that had settled on my shoulders following the meeting seemed to lift and the coldness that seemed to have been wrapped about my spark for millennia began to loosen its hold when in her presence. Not for the first time since Orianna had come into my life, I was grateful for an ally and friend such as her. My optics shone brightly down at her. ''I can't argue with that logic Orianna. Definitely an incentive.''

For a moment neither of us spoke, we just smiled at each other and the comforting presence we found in one another. I sighed out loud as a different kind of peace settled upon me and I closed my optics to savour the moment.