Chapter 134 - Archives

(MPOV)

My Optimus was feeling tired, not low on energon, just tired, saddened. Drained.

Homesick.

I'd thought about that for a long time, but finally we had several hours free now...

"Optimus," I murmured gently, winding my arms around his waist from behind.

"Kae?" he rumbled softly.

"Come with me," I murmured with a smile, lightly pulling him backwards.

He began resonating a tiny amount of amusement at that. Mostly because I was actually capable of pulling him backwards. He turned and lightly caught my hand, letting me draw him to the entrance bay.

"Come on," I smiled, transforming and waiting for him.

He transformed and followed me.

::. Where are we going?.:: he sent curiously.

::. It's a surprise.::

A few minutes.

::. Are we there yet?.::

I began laughing, picking up my speed somewhat.

::. Come on brat.:: I smiled.

::. Your brother is a brat.:: Optimus rumbled with a snort.

::. And so are you.:: I shot back at him with a grin ::. we're here, park here.::

Optimus obediently parked and looked around.

::. We are downtown.:: he rumbled curiously.

"Uh huh, online your holoform," I grinned, winking mine into his passenger's seat.

Optimus obeyed and looked at me curiously.

"Now come on," I laughed, scrambling my holoform from his cab and waiting for him on the sidewalk. "You aren't allowed to look, either."

I caught hold of his hands as he looked at me irritably.

"Where are you taking me?" he rumbled.

"It's a surprise, humour me," I grinned, lightly tugging on his holoform's hands.

He released a sigh and closed his eyes, letting me lead him down the sidewalk.

Several people looked at me rather oddly at that. Especially since I was leading him right into the library of congress.

"Step," I grinned.

"Step?"

"Stairs, love," I laughed. Optimus sighed and let me pull him up the stairs. I pulled him to the desk. "Stay," I commanded with a grin. He crossed his arms irritably, eyes still closed.

I beckoned to the curious librarian.

"Can I take him in? I'll pay you gladly, but I want to surprise him," I whispered.

The lady looked at me like I was insane but nodded, following, just to see.

I pulled my Optimus into the centre of the library, surrounding him with hundreds of years of learning. He was smiling somewhat, already feeling the hushed, reverent atmosphere around him.

"Where are we?" he murmured softly.

"Open your eyes," I told him with a smile.

He looked around, and the most peaceful, happy expression crossed his face.

"Welcome to our archives, my beloved Optimus," I smiled, reaching up to kiss his jaw.

"You guys are auto-bots," the librarian whispered. I nodded as my Optimus looked around at the thousands of books with reverence.

"You brought me to the archives, oh my Kae," he whispered, reaching out and pulling me into a crushing hug. "My Kae you know me so well."

I smiled and kissed his jaw again.

"Go, look around, I'll take care of the admissions and whatnot," I smiled at him.

His face lit up, and he slowly paced toward the corridors.

"Is he alright?" the librarian asked me worriedly.

"He's just fine," I smiled at her. "He's been quite down lately, I brought him here to cheer him up a bit."

"To the library?" the woman asked with a small snort. I laughed softly.

"His first job was as a librarian, or rather, he was an archivist, it was his job to travel around, learning everything he could to add it to the archives. History and learning was his first love."

"And so you brought him to our library," the woman smiled.

"Shall we take care of the registrations and whatnot?" I asked with a smile.

"Will he be wanting a library card?" the woman asked earnestly, leading me back to the desk.

"Absolutely," I smiled, reaching for a pen.

We began the paperwork, quietly chatting.

Almost as soon as we were finished, a baby started crying.

The mother was desperately trying to get her newborn to quiet, apologizing profusely. I turned and smiled as my Optimus was there the next moment.

"I am so sorry sir," the woman stated, she looked so upset.

"May I be of assistance?" Optimus rumbled earnestly, the woman stared at him, nodding in shock as Optimus lifted the infant up, I smiled at my bot as he cradled the tiny child with infinite care.

The second he started crooning, singing a soft, Cybertronian lullaby the child hushed, listening wide eyed and astonished to my beloved's voice as he rocked.

In minutes the child was asleep, sucking his thumb.

The humans in the room were grinning, the mother looking intensely grateful.

"He loves kids?" the librarian asked in shock. "The auto-bot loves kids?"

"Auto-bot? He's one of the Auto-bots?" another demanded.

In the hush of the library, that shocked exclamation resounded through the entire area. Stunned eyes turned to Optimus, still cradling the infant and humming softly.

"You're one of the Auto-bots?" an older gentleman demanded softly.

Optimus nodded.

"Then what the hell do you care about children?"

"The care of the young ones falls to all of us," Optimus rumbled quietly in a confused tone. "Does it not on this planet as well?"

"You lot have children?" another demanded.

"We all begin as sparkings," Optimus shrugged, carefully, he never once jostled the baby. "Just as unformed and dependant upon the care of our elders as your own children." he smiled as the infant shifted slightly in his sleep, cuddling against Optimus a bit more.

"How the hell does that work?" the older gentleman asked intently, sitting down and looking at Optimus interestedly. "And what's your name anyway, lad?"

"My name is Optimus Prime," Optimus rumbled with a smile. "We came online in the hatcheries, the sanctuaries where the sparks of our children were housed in our spark-chambers..."

I couldn't help but smile as any number of professor appearing people gathered around my Optimus, bringing chairs and settling down for a good yarn.

And until he woke, needing to be fed, Optimus held and rocked that tiny child.

If ever there was an action to lend credence to his story, that was it.

I sat and listened to him speaking, answering questions the learned public was evidently hungering for. They sat for hours, talking, debating. Finally Lennox called me over the Primary.

::. Kae, where the hell have you two disappeared to?.:: he demanded worriedly.

::. We're at the library.:: I replied calmly.

::. Well check your book out and get back here!.:: Lennox commanded worriedly ::. We need you guys here now!.::

I sighed and told him we were on our way. I rose and gently touched my Optimus' shoulder.

"The politics call again, unfortunately," I sighed softly.

Optimus groaned.

"I know," I murmured consolingly, rubbing his shoulder.

"Problem?" the older gentleman asked curiously.

"Yet another politician who has come to the opinion that I am a mindless killing machine before we were even introduced," Optimus sighed. "And yet another period of time that I must endure him shouting at me, informing me that I am a danger to society and for the safety of the universe I should be offlined here and now."

Optimus sagged, and I wound my arms around him.

"Well bucko, you'd better get to rememberin' that it don't matter what people say about you, you gotta remember who you are." the gentleman stated firmly. He dug out a card. "You keep havin' troubles with him you give me a call."

Optimus took the card and looked at it in surprise. I felt my eyes widen.

"Doctor William MacKin, Professor of Political Sciences," he read aloud softly.

"Former Professor," the man shrugged. "the card is a bit outdated. But if you lot need a hand, or another brain behind you, you've convinced me."

I watched the man with raised eyebrows.

"Of?" I prompted him calmly.

"You lot ain't the enemy," the man stated sternly. He nodded toward the mother walking out the doors with her child in a carrier. "If a man can live by the philosophy that children are under the care of all? I'm on your side."

"I'll second that," another man stated calmly, the men whom had stayed, asked the most intelligent questions all dug out cards, handing them over.

I looked at the names and felt my eyes widening in shock.

Doctors, professors, some of the most intelligent humans in this city.

"With that, I do believe that you've formed yourself something of a human brain-trust," William MacKin stated, shrugging and looking around at the nodding professors.

"Thank you, all of you," Optimus rumbled softly, holding the cards in a delicate grip.

William nodded, lightly flipped his hat onto his head and wandered out. In a few moments we were alone.

Optimus looked up at me with a smile.

"Thank you," he rumbled softly.

"What on earth for?" I laughed softly, linking my arm into his as we walked out again.

"For introducing me." he rumbled calmly.

"How so?" I asked with a laugh. "I just brought you to the library, everything else was mere serendipity."

Optimus looked down at me in shock.

"You mean..." he rumbled, wide eyed.

"That you're capable of making friends on your own?" I laughed. "You don't need me for that, you just have to let the people see the bot that I fell in love with. I have a present for you," I added with a grin.

"What?" Optimus laughed. I caught his hand and lightly slapped his library card into his holoform's palm.

"What does it do?" he asked curiously.

"That, is the card that says that you can go into the library and read any of the books available to the public. If you finish those and want to read the ones not normally available to the public you're going to have to ask the president." I smiled at him.

Optimus beamed down at me, he wound an arm around me and kissed my temple.

"I love you too," he rumbled in my ear.

"Good," I smiled.

(JoPOV)

Jolt sat, rather bored actually, he wanted to get out of here and cuddle with his Lena.

Director Stilson was yelling again, he was actually rather curious that the man's vocal processors hadn't begun giving off static.

Fascinating. He looked at Lena, she looked rather desperate, sitting beside her friend. Jennifer was biting her lip, her legs crossed. Her stomach had begun swelling somewhat, Jolt had been rather apprehensive about that until Ratchet explained that the femme was growing a new life.

All of the bots were rather excited about that. Ratchet was ecstatic, especially since Jennifer had given him the permission to scan her daily. Will was looking at her worriedly, too, everybody knew that the new life growing beneath her heart exerted a great deal of pressure on her systems.

She needed to relieve the pressure in her systems regularly.

It was an imperative.

Except she had not been allowed to leave for the past five hours. The poor creature.

Jolt was tempted to just go over and pick her up before Prime began in on his retort to the Director. Prime would forgive him that, he was certain of it.

"Your answer?" the Director demanded.

"Is still no," Optimus rumbled sternly. "You may go."

"I what!?" Stilson shrieked.

"I know you do not have an internal chronometer as I do, so I shall inform you that you have been yelling for five hours." Optimus rumbled mildly. "As such, you may take your leave, allow your vocal processors to heal and we shall continue this tomorrow. Good day, Director Stilson."

The Director stared at him in shock.

"That's probably a good idea," Will murmured to him.

Infuriated, the Director stomped his way from the communications room.

Optimus shook his head irritably and immediately stepped closer to the catwalks, extending his hands carefully to Jennifer.

"My legs are longer than yours," he rumbled gently.

"Oh thank god," Jennifer exploded, immediately scrambling into his hands.

The poor femme looked close to tears.

"I apologize that you have had to wait for so long," Optimus rumbled, immediately turning and striding toward the exit.

"You coming back?" Will called out.

"Probably," Optimus nodded, not turning around.

Communications sat in silence as the doors closed behind him.

"You know," Will stated casually, leaning against the catwalks. "If he keeps doing stuff like that the lot of us might actually get attached to him."

Jolt turned to look at the human incredulously, he'd thought they were already a tightly knit unit.

Until Lena started laughing.

Ah, a joke. Jolt grinned as the communications room laughed.

(IPOV)

Ironhide flumped down into his place in the central and smiled as Chromia immediately leaned against his legs.

"So, the third huh?" Prowl asked her cheerfully.

"Yes, third, of thousands," Chromia stated airily.

Prowl made to add something, but Lennox chose that moment to wander in.

Nice timing.

He'd known that Chrome had been the one. But he'd waited.

Because he knew that she'd need that comeback, someday. And he knew she would have found it. He'd been impressed, actually, she'd flown through her conquests, it'd made him wonder if she knew that she was the one for him.

But he'd waited.

But then... then he'd been called away.

And for all he knew. He'd lost her.

But she was here, leaning against his legs.

"Mm, nothing wrong with that," Prowl nodded sagely.

Oh scrap. Here it comes.

"Shame, really," Prowl mused, of course it would be Prowl, the only thing Ironhide knew to get that logician and enforcer to grin? The chance to razz him back. The enforcer had a bizarre taste in revenge for the number of times Ironhide and Jazz had gone out of their way to make him glitch.

"What is?" Will asked curiously. Oh great, the straight-man.

Here it comes.

Kae walked in and glanced around, taking her place in the central and smiling at them. Thank. Primus.

"What's this now?" she asked cheerfully.

Scrap.

"I'm just wondering why the two of them took so long. Or did nobody tell you that you were all he talked about from the moment you left his quarters?" Prowl stated mildly, looking at Chromia. "Shame about all that lost time, really."

Ironhide had no idea what to say about that. Except Chromia started crawling up his body. Backwards.

How the scrap that exquisite femme did that was beyond him. Because somehow every time she did she'd brush against every single sensitive spot she could reach.

Which was most of them.

Ironhide stayed stock still as his Chromia wound herself around him.

"Precisely why we're making up for lost time," Chromia murmured in a sultry tone. To him. Ironhide grinned as Prowl snorted, conceding the game.

Ironhide couldn't help but reach up and delicately stroke her. She didn't stop him.

Hmm.

He was going to use that.

Ironhide shifted slightly, the minimal things that caused Chromia to practically lock onto his frame. She did. Idly, his hand slid to cover her, as though hugging her gently. Holding her.

Perfectly acceptable, she was his spark's guardian.

Ironhide lightly slid a cable to caress her chamber.

Optimus walked in and settled down, a good number of bots following him.

Mikaela courteously ignored him. Prowl was smirking.

"Hmn?" Kae stated cheerfully, looking at him.

"And you," Prowl grinned at her. "Where the scrap have you been hiding?"

"Oh, planet earth, here and there," Mikaela shrugged. "waiting for him to show up, and he did." she smiled, sliding to press against Optimus' side.

Optimus was beaming down at his Kae, he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her lip plates.

Adorable.

He'd say it aloud, but he had Chromia cuddled against him.

"Now then, reports?" Optimus rumbled, smiling around at the unit.

"Are pretty much the same as last time," Sideswipe grumbled. "Nothing happening, not a Primus damned thing."

Optimus nodded to him sympathetically. Point to him.

"Well, carry on," he rumbled quietly. "I will try to find you some time for target practice?"

Sideswipe grinned. Another point to Prime.

"Mm, which reminds me, Barry wants a meet," Mikaela murmured, looking at her mate.

"For?" Optimus prompted her gently.

"He wants to know if anybody wants to check out Nevada," she smiled.

"It would be a shame to pass up that road-trip," Bumblebee stated musingly.

"Terrible shame," Sideswipe agreed.

"Horrible shame," Sunstreaker added, the way twins did.

"Does he have a time frame?" Optimus chuckled.

Mikaela smirked.

"He's wondering if Bumblebee could kindly pick him up in a half hour."

In moments, two predators and a scout were vibrating in their seats. Optimus was looking at them in amusement.

"No faster than you can process your scans," Optimus rumbled in amusement.

"Make it an order!" Bumblebee chirped gleefully. "Do it! =Do-it-do-it-do-it! You-know-you-wanna-do-it!="

Ironhide snorted back a laugh at that, Bee was annoying, sometimes, particularly before his vocal processors had been damaged. But he'd give the little bot this: He was damned good when it came to nudging the Prime into easing off the pressure inherent to the voice of command.

Will was staring back and forth at them.

Optimus was snorting back his laughter for all he was worth.

"Bumblebee, you, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker and... anyone else?" he asked curiously, dropping the voice of command and looking around.

"Skids, Mudflap, you're with me," Ratchet immediately stated.

"Aw yeah," Mudflap grinned.

"Yes sir!" Skids added cheerfully.

"Home patrol!" Prowl called out.

"Communications!" Jolt grinned.

"On call," Ironhide rumbled.

"Training," Arcee stated patiently.

"Inventing!" Wheeljack called out cheerfully.

"Recharge?" Mirage asked hopefully.

Optimus nodded.

"Auto-bots, roll out," he commanded with a broad grin, looking at the three.

Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, and Bumblebee all whooped and trotted out, down the corridor the sounds of them transforming and burning rubber had Ironhide grinning.

"Now then, if you could kindly unhand Chromia so that she is capable of functioning enough to state whether you are in your berth or on training duty," Optimus rumbled in amusement.

"Berth. Now." Chromia stated flatly.

"Can't argue with that order," Optimus rumbled innocently.

"Oh really?" Mikaela asked innocently.

"Really," Optimus rumbled with a nod.

"Berth. Now." Mikaela stated flatly, barely touching the voice of command, more like a tease for another Prime.

Optimus smirked, stood and threw Kae over his shoulder.

"I shall return shortly, Major," Optimus rumbled with that same smirk.

"Not that shortly," Mikaela stated quietly. "So when are we taking you on second honeymoon Will?" she added cheerfully, still dangling from Optimus' shoulder.

The Major lost his battle against howling with laughter, even as Optimus carried her out of the central.

"Hint hint?" Chromia asked sweetly.

Ironhide stood up and followed them.

Who was he to defy his femme's order?