Here we are. The ending.
This isn't exactly how I envisioned this moment happening - though in all honestly I'm not complaining, we've been here since what? 2014? - but I can't imagine anything better than this. It's a little surreal, concluding Mira's journey in Age of Extinction. I never in my wildest dreams imagined this story taking off like it did.
I guess I have you to thank for this journey, readers. You made Mira's story possible. Over the years so many of you have been loyal when I wasn't, and for that, you have my endearing and everlasting thanks. Without all of your support, reviews, and PMs, I don't think I could've brought myself to finish this...in the way I finished it, anyway.
I want to give glory to the King of Kings, my Savior Jesus, for my writing ability. Without Him, I wouldn't be writing at all.
Hopefully ya'll are interested enough in Mira's legacy that you stick around for the SEQUEL, which is The Last Knight. After weeks of planning and tossing around a loose outline, I know the route I'm going. I think ya'll will love it. It probably won't get nearly the reviews this did, but I don't really care. I'm thrilled about the direction I'm taking her and Prime, and the universe - it's quite different but there are SO MANY THINGS I wanna play with. I even have the outline for a story after The Last Knight, but one step at a time.
Again, endless thanks for sticking through this with me. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. I'd love to read your parting remarks, so please do drop a review and leave a comment behind. They are such, such blessings and really have contributed to my growth. You all, as always, are awesome. Fanfiction would not be the same without each and every one of you.
Without further adieu, here we are. Maybe I'll post an epilogue. What do you think? *hint hint*
Until all are one, my friends. xoxoxo
In Peace,
M.R.
A sharp pain ricocheted down her arm and through her spine, finally spurring a form of hazy consciousness into Mira's brain. She woke with a flinch, the darkness of her unconscious state slowly ebbing away as dim light filtered through her stinging eyes. She offered a light groan, arching her back against the soft material beneath her, the warmth and weight of blankets almost pulling her back into the sweet, comforting arms of sleeping bliss. However, it was laughter beyond the silent walls of her confines that triggered her thinking matter, stirring her further from her haze.
She sat up in bed, pain rattling down her frame. It consumed every inch of her musculature, ringing deep within her bones, stinging her skin in a hot veil that made her hiss and recoil. Lifting a hand to the throbbing in her shoulder, her fingertips brushed against the warm gauze, and one glance at her shoulder told her that she'd been perfectly bandaged, her shoulder tightly in held in place so it wouldn't move. Briefly she wondered when she'd been so cleanly bandaged, and she ran her palm over the workmanship, realizing that not only was it medical-grade, but it was professional.
Mira recalled the event that had produced the need to be so securely bandaged, a sour taste rising up the back of her throat. She swallowed it, and rubbed her jaw, as if it would scrub the memory from where it was seared into the gray matter of her brain. Lockdown's eyes skipped through her head, and she closed her own, trying to will away the image of him literally taking a bite out of her flesh. Her stomach churned, and she pressed a hand to her abdomen, steeling her jaw.
More laughter whisked away the memory, causing her to glance at the window, which was across the room - her room. Instantly, Mira recognized the space as her bedroom back in Texas, complete with every picture of William and Merrick; as undisturbed as she'd left it before everything had transpired. Relief flooded her veins as if they'd been laced with warmth, and she relaxed, reaching for the edge of her bed's comforter. Throwing it off, she was half expecting cool air to rush her skin, but was surprised when she found herself in yoga pants and socks, though her top half was bare, presumably given her injury.
She went to exit her bed but slowed her movements significantly when tight agony raced down her spine, causing her face to wrinkle in discomfort. Her head swam only slightly when her feet made contact with the wooden floor of her room, a chill spiking up her toes. Wiggling them as if to rush blood throughout her lower extremities, she gripped the bedframe and edged her way to the dresser in search of a shirt, her frame stiff in recovery. The pain was mildly pleasant, like one would expect after a harsh workout, though she could've lived without the throbbing in her arm and fingers.
Pulling out a faded off-the-shoulder tshirt, she managed to lift her arms into it, wincing the entire way. Flexing her fingers, she worked her hair out of the sidebraid it had been tied into and managed her locks into a clip. Not able to muster the strength to chance a look at herself in the on-suite bathroom mirror, she looked to the window again when she heard muffled voices below. Edging towards the door, she moved down the hallway towards the stairs, the house darkened in peace.
Carefully she managed down the staircase, gripping the railing with white-knuckles in an attempt to steady herself. A dull ache had set behind her left ear, her wrist almost burning with settled heat from the implant on her arm. Neither were as concerning as the voices outside the walls of her home, which she didn't fully recognize or understand. Opening her mouth to call for her son, wondering where the child had run off to during her sleep, she hissed when pain rang through the wall of her throat, reminding her of the trauma to the area of her frame.
Putting a hand to it, she gently grabbed the doorknob and twisted it, pulling open the door carefully. A waft of hot, humid air rushed over her, veiling her with a heaviness she didn't understand. That, coupled with painful sunlight twisted her face into a startled wrinkle, and she stepped back, raising her uninjured arm to block the light currently battling her eyes. Releasing a low groan, she blinked away the pain to her retinas and slowly moved out of the doorframe, onto the familiar front porch of her southern home.
Lowering her hand as she stepped onto the porch, she registered the familiar yard and the barn in the distance, as well as the garage. However, it was hard to ignore the array of vehicles parked any which way across her property, sitting stationary about the place as if they'd been parked in a drunken haze the night before. The Camaro was parked up on the edging of her flower garden, the Bugati almost kissing the propane tank as it was wedged alongside the emerald Corvette, currently hugging the rose bushes. The military transport, and the silver Stingray were parked alongside the garage, while the gleaming Western Star semi truck had stationed itself protectively in front of the house, in the circle drive. Parked in front was a pickup truck, a Rolls Royce across the way.
Moving to the support pillar of the porch, Mira gently leaned against it, supporting her weight on her good shoulder as she wrapped her arms carefully around her middle. Her stomach settled within her, and her heart murmured softly against her ribs, a contented heat rustling over her skin pleasantly. Seeing all the Autobots - her Autobots - at her property, again, brought a small smile to her face. How Will would've loved this, she found herself smiling fully now, having the crew back together again. The family. Her eyes drifted to the grass, where the six-year-old son of her womb was currently rolling, face turned towards the sky and smile bright with life as thick arms grabbed for him, securing him in a huge, familiar hug.
The holoforms mingled around the yard casually, Bumblebee and Drift both engaged in a full bought of play with Merrick in the grass, Nerf guns and other toys scattered about the grass, forgotten in the day's events. Hound and Crosshairs were engaged in conversation with Sideswipe and Elena, who was seated in a lawn chair with a glass balanced on her knee, her bronzed skin fully exposed in a sundress as she stared up at the holoforms, smiling brightly at their talk. Bryce shared words with Joshua Joyce and Cade Yeager, Tessa sitting up on the propane tank with her legs crossed in denim jeans and a bandanna top, her face hidden beneath a ballcap and sunglasses. Joshua extended something to Bryce, flicking it against his chest almost dismissively, as if her brother had no choice other than to accept the token.
Mira scanned the yard for one familiar face, but didn't see it. Confused, her gaze landed back to the Western Star, which didn't seem to register her presence. However, when her gaze lingered, her heart practically bolted into her throat when the familiar holoform circled around the front of the truck, eyes cast to her in an observant, albeit surprised, expression. Moving to the stairs with a gracefully superior aura, Mira offered a sheepish smile to the Autobot Commander, pushing gently off the pillar of the porch.
"You're awake," the holoform said softly, stopping a stair below her to stare up into her face. "I was just coming to check in on you." Optimus offered her a gentle smile, the holoforms featured looking drawn with exhaustion, but more rested than she ever remembered seeing him. His glowing eyes were a stark reminder of his true form, but stirred comforting heat at the base of her spine as she lifted her unharmed shoulder, twisting her lips teasingly as she wrinkled her nose.
"Thought I'd spent enough time in bed," she lied. As if I could ever get enough sleep in this lifetime. "How long have I been asleep?"
He smiled at her, flashing two fingers. "Two days," he resonated deeply, curling the two digits to emphasize the claim. "Elena has been monitoring your progress. Stasis is the best thing for you." His eyes flashed to her shoulder, where a scarlet blotch had started to show through the gauze. He looked back to hold her gaze, his eyes scanning softly over her face. "You look much more rested, Mira."
She nodded, reaching up to flick the end of one of her curls, which hung limply from the clip behind her head. "I feel like I've been hit by a truck," she stretched her fingers out before her, a small yawn ebbing out of her frame, a deep exhale following. "Though I feel better." She looked back to the group of holoforms and friends, intermingling. "Everyone planning to stay?"
Optimus lifted a shoulder. "I assume not," he stepped up level with her, his frame suddenly dwarfing hers as he gestured to the door. "Cade and Tessa are already relocating into a new residence, due to Joshua's interference with their living conditions. Bryce and Elena have both stayed, but I suspect Elena will be returning to her country, once you are fully on the mend." Putting a hand on her good shoulder, he guided her back to the door. "Come back inside. I want to speak to you alone."
She paused, looking past Prime's frame to spot Merrick in the grass. Pulling up to a stop, she shook her head. "I want to see Merrick first," she said softly, putting a hand on the holoform's strong arm. Giving him a soft smile, she stepped past him back to the stairs. "How has he been?" She questioned, Optimus turning to follow her. Brushing up beside him, Mira laced her arm through his, Prime moving down the stairs with all the ease in the world about him.
He lifted a pleased shoulder. "The child is...changed," he surmised. "He was quite worried about you before we left Bogota, though Drift has been watching over him dutifully. Merrick has been right at your side, seeing to your care alongside the rest of us." He chuckled lightly, his hand moving to cover her own reassuringly. "For a young sparkling, he has handled this well. I was expecting him to be traumatized, though Elena believes he is processing everything soundly." He hesitated a moment before adding, "Something in him has shifted, Mira. I can see it."
Mira bit the inside of her cheek. Merrick was exactly like Will, rolling with every punch life had given him. She remembered his first broken bone, which he'd gotten when he was two years old. Running at speed into a doorframe had cracked his collarbone clear in two, which had required setting and being braced for six weeks, thanks to Ratchet's kind hand and care all those years ago. Merrick hadn't even flinched, and had continued in his day-to-day doings as a toddler, hardly phased by the inhibitions of the brace.
While she expected some levels of trauma to raise from the entire ordeal of the Autobots and Lockdown, Mira was grateful her son had seemed to transition gracefully, and with little difficulty. Though, she was hardly surprised, God knew I'd need a son as a solid as a rock, she almost laughed at the thought otherwise, leave it to Will to produce another generation of fighters. He'd need to be strong, considering the long road ahead. Considering Prime's words, she looked back to her child, who was pushing himself up from the grass, brushing his hair from his forehead with a grin on his face.
His eyes raised to find her, and for a moment his small gaze flickered over her form, as if he could hardly believe she was actually there. A smile split his face and his eyes lightened, before the boy bolted for her, grass-stained jeans and all. He released the model truck he'd been holding, the toy hitting the dirt and bouncing away from his feet as he tore across the lawn, pumping his arms as he rushed her. Mira felt her shoulders release tension, removing her arm from around Prime's to step out and meet her child. Tears began to pull at her eyes, the familiar light having returned to his eyes.
She hadn't seen the youthful twinkle of his eyes since Will had died. Oh Jesus, thank you...she offered him a smile, ignoring every other observer turn to witness the moment. Mira didn't care - she released a relieved sob, ignoring the pain the action caused across her bruised throat.
Rushing her, Merrick was across the yard in mere seconds. "Mom!" his small cry was laced with laughter as he opened his arms fully, flinging himself against her lower half to squeeze her legs tightly. Burying his face into her stomach, Mira wrapped her arms around him, pressing the child into her as she let her head fall back to stare into the sky, tears freely falling down her face. A thousand emotions skipped through her, how could I have ever thought leaving him was the right thing? What kind of mother am I? The thought of a failure aboard Lockdown's ship, of her never returning and leaving Merrick orphaned, rose a ringing breath of fear across her chest.
Mira moved to sink to her knees in the grass, wrapping her arms securely around the boy. She could feel his heartbeat against her breastbone, every one of his quick breaths reminding her that not only was Merrick alive, but he was well. She was alive, here with him, and things were set right - the victory was theirs. Once again, she'd returned home to everyone she loved, just as she had always prayed all those years ago during her days with NEST. Pinching her eyes shut, she tried not to flinch when her son wrapped his arms around her neck, his elbow resting on her wounded shoulder sharply. Ignoring the pulse of pain, she turned her head to kiss the soft spot behind her child's ear, his childish scent fresh against her nose.
"I'm here," she said quietly against his ears, raising her eyes to consider the group beyond them. "I'm sorry. I love you so much." She pulled him back and took his face in her hands, unable to ignore the light behind her son's gaze. He was smiling, his face sunkissed with a tint of red across his cheeks. He looked like the Merrick she remembered - the son she missed. "You're okay?" Mira hadn't meant the question to be so worried, but she couldn't stop the trembling fret from skipping through her tone.
He nodded quickly. "Yeah, I'm okay," he looked to the semi parked behind them. "Everyone's here, Momma. Like you always wanted." His eyes darted quickly to the figure beyond her shoulder. "We're back together again. A family. Uncle Bryce, Aunt Laney..." He listed off the Autobots as well, ticking off fingers, then lifted his gaze from his hands to wrinkle his nose at her. "Do you think Grandma and Grandpa would come live with us too?"
Mira stifled a laugh, biting her lower lip. She nodded, closing her eyes as she pulled him in for another hug. "We'll be sure to ask them," she rocked him back and forth in her arms, rubbing her hand down his back. "I was worried about you, little man. Daddy would be proud of you for being so brave and strong." She chuckled, kissing his temple as he pulled back, his gaze filtering behind her again.
He gripped her shirt in his hands, Merrick's expression folding into a sad one. "Did you know Uncle Optimus has to go away?" His tone was suddenly very quiet, Mira's brow dropping into a confused wrinkle as she considered her son's downcast gaze. He moved his fingers over the logo of her faded shirt, his countenance suddenly the exact opposite of the mirthful youth she'd just witnessed.
"What do you mean 'go away'?" She asked him softly, resting her forehead against his to brush their noses together. "Optimus will stay here, with you and me -"
He shook his head, inhaling a quick breath. "No, he said he has to go away again," Merrick leaned back, his eyes lifting to hers as he wrapped his arms back around her neck. "He wants us to be safe. If he stays here those mean bots will come back." The light in his eyes flickered, and immediately, Mira witnessed the boy's eyes begin to well with fresh tears. "I want him to stay, Momma. Please make him stay." He buried his face into her neck, his cool tears dripping onto her skin as he sniffled, clinging to her with desperate strength.
She didn't understand, though her arms slowly wrapped around the boy to give him a reassuring hug. Optimus leaving? That can't be right. He just came back into my life, the thought sent a terrible heaviness into her thinking matter, her brow dotted with a confused knot between her brows. She could feel her heart kick into a nervous, uneven rate against the bones of her chest, her stomach twisting into a hot knot that almost seemed to kiss her spine painfully. Her fingers began to tingle uneasily as she held her boy tightly, before she lifted her gaze to Drift, motioning with a hand for him to approach.
The holoform jogged over smoothly, dropping to his knees. "Young one," he said softly, putting a hand on Merrick's shoulder. "We must let your mother rest now. She will come to see you once more, in just a while." Merrick's arms stiffened around her, as if he were to defy. Her tight squeeze, and soft kiss of reassurance broke through his concern, him releasing her to take a step back into Drift's arms, the boy's back colliding softly with his chest.
Merrick ran his wrist beneath his nose, sniffling loudly before her. "You're going back to sleep?" He asked her softly, looking down to his small cowboy boots, grinding the toe in the dirt sheepishly. "Uncle Bryce and Aunt Elena are going to make spaghetti. Joshua is going to stay for supper." His voice was quiet as he looked back up to her, his eyes scanning her face. "You want me to save you some?"
She gave him a small smile, then reached up to tweak her finger against his nose lightly. "Absolutely. You save some for me and I'll eat when I wake up again." Rocking forward, she pressed a kiss to his cheek and ruffled his hair beneath her hand. "Play nice. Maybe you can show Bumblebee your tree fort out by the peach tree." She wrinkled her nose as if it were a secret. "But make sure no one else knows," she winked at him. "It's our secret base, remember."
His face broke into an absolute grin. "Yeah!" he said brightly, then took off beyond Drift's reach, calling for Bumblebee to follow him. The gravity of the boy's concern lifted immediately, Drift putting a hand to Mira's elbow to help her stand fully. Giving her a brief flick of his gaze, he stepped away and nodded to her, retreating back to the group of holoforms, watching carefully as Merrick pulled Bumblebee's holoform around the house, his childish tone loud beneath the afternoon sky. Soon they disappeared, presumably up into the tree.
Mira approached the group of remaining Autobots and friends. An almost ill quiet fell amidst the group, them all registering her with glances that she recognized. Offering them a small smile, she reached up to rest a hand on her good shoulder, the other wrapping around her middle securely. Releasing a slow breath, she looked to Bryce, who moved to wrap his arm around her shoulders in a side-hug. Hugging him in return, she rested a head against her brother's shoulder, her eyes falling to each individual holoform, and person.
Easing out a slow breath, she couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her lips. "I am so relieved all of you made it home safe, and sound," she looked up to Bryce and patted his thick pectoral lovingly. "And thank you, all, for fighting for this family. I know it was not easy, despite everything. Your faith in me - my people - and your hope for who we can be won this day, by the grace of God." Releasing Bryce, she put both hands to her lips and gently blew the entire group a kiss. "Thank you. Thank you. Will always said the most important thing about a mission was coming home, and we did that. We came home. And, as always, what is mine belongs to you." Her breath was shaking as she willed back tears again, her throat beginning to burn as she swallowed an uneasy breath. "I will fight until my last breath to keep this family safe, I give you my word, as not only your friend, your family, your soldier, but also as this - a Countess."
Lifting her implanted wrist, her eyes followed it. "For as long as you allow my the privilege of living among you, I will stand by you. All I have is yours. Until Cybertron calls the Autobots home." Putting a hand across her chest to rest a fist against her heart, she nodded to them again. "Until all are one."
"Until all are one!" They echoed, their voices collectively startling the air to submission. Mira didn't expect for Crosshairs' holoform to find her, wrapping her in a strong, warm embrace that captured her breath. She eased against him, his hand softly rubbing against her back as he squeezed her reassuringly, resting his head against her unharmed shoulder.
"Glad you're alive, Princess," he teased her lightly, his chuckle tickling her ear. "Good on ya for pulling through." A strong clap to her shoulder made her snort, Mira jarring forward as he stepped back. The others all nodded to her, Bumblebee managing to stumble back into the group with Merrick on his back. Saluting her in recognition that he'd approved her statement, Mira nodded to him and dipped her head, her eyes finding Joshua Joyce.
He approached, extending a hand to her. "Well, Miss Lennox," he chuckled, his eye skipping over her frame. Dressed impeccably in Armani, his cologne was almost overwhelming as he offered her a wry, small grin. "It appears you were right. About everything." Slipping his hands into his pockets, he rolled back on his heels. "But I assume you're already quite familiar with the 'I told you so' argument."
Mira flattened her lips into a tight smile, shrugging her unharmed shoulder dismissively. "Yes, but not so much that I don't recognize an apology when it presents itself." She nodded to him, biting the inside of her cheek. "You may have caused a war, Joshua, but you're the better for it. I look forward to seeing the direction KSI takes with this new...you." She gestured to his form. "I am sorry it had to come to this."
"And I as well." He stuck his tongue into the pocket of his cheek and clicked his tongue, then reached up to work himself out of his jacket. Tucking it over his arm, he turned on his heel and spotted Bumblebee, pointing to the child still hanging from his back. "Now you promised me a look at this top-secret tree fort, young man, and I expect a full VIP tour. I am, after all, one of the most important men on this continent." Turning back to Mira, he dipped his head to her, moving to take Merrick's hand as the boy slipped off the holoform's back. Together, her son and the conglomerate disappeared around the back of his house.
She caught movement from the corner of her eye, spotting Cade and Tessa make their way behind the alternation modes of the Autobots, in the direction of the rusting pickup truck. Cade watched her as they walked, and upon her catching his gaze, cast his eyes down to the earth as he tugged a silent Tessa along. A wrinkle concerned her brow, Mira moving carefully across the lawn to intercept their attempted getaway, her pulse quickening with adrenaline. Where does he think he's going? She bit the inside of her cheek, he just doesn't get to kiss me and call it quits without so much as a by-your-leave, 'Thanks for everything!' She frowned, putting a sharp hand against the pickup's hood as she swung around it.
The driver's window was down and Mira rested her hand against it, effectively blocking Cade's escape. He visibly sighed, rolling his eyes as he came to a stop. Yeager was about to whirl around on his booted heel when Mira reached for his harm, pulling him to a stop. He threw off her hand with a jerk of his arm, her recoiling in surprise as her mouth parted slackjaw, her gaze furrowing as she considered him. Something twisted sharply in her stomach, her heart almost chilled at his cold demeanor. He reached up and pulled the brim of his ballcap farther across his eyes, shadowing his gaze from her. He was mad, and she didn't understand why.
"Whoa, Cade," She insisted, her tone quiet though far more biting than she would've preferred. "Where are you going? You have to stay for dinner," She threw her hand into the air.
He shook his head. "Mira, no -" his tone was sharp, almost dismissive of her as he moved to pop the latch on the pickup. "It's best if we don't." Instantly, Mira could sense his departing tone, the so long she'd experienced often, after watching men and women leave the operation of the Autobots after witnesses the death and destruction the job ushered. A spike drove into her chest, almost threatening to split the bone of her sternum.
She laughed lightly at him, shaking her head. "What do you mean? Cade, you don't just get to leave. Not after this. It isn't how it works." She gestured around them, indicating the vehicles scattered about her property. "Whether you like it or not, you're a part of this big, unconventional, mildly dysfunctional family of ours." She offered him a small smile. "Besides, I think we need to talk..." she reached to put a hand on his shoulder, but he swiftly snatched her wrist, releasing her sharply.
Her eyes widened at him in surprise, Mira backpedaling against the gravel beneath her. He released a sharp sigh, rubbing the back of his neck as if he regretted the action immediately. Cade's eye flickered to the implant along her left eye, Mira's gaze falling away immediately upon recognition of his gaze. Heat blossoming across her face, she steeled her jaw against the hurt rising to swell her chest. Oh my god, she swallowed the breathiness in the back of her mouth, the cavern almost entirely sapped of moisture. I understand, now. He doesn't want...doesn't want this...she reached up to brush her fingertips against the implant, her mind wandering. Gaze flickering back to Prime, she released a slow breath as she found him still watching, considering her deeply, affection more than evident given the proximity between them.
Cade's heaved sigh drew her back. "No, Mira, I'm..." he looked way, cocked a hip, and crossed his arms before her, considering his boots as the man weighed his words. Looking back up to her, he reached for the sunglasses hanging from the collar of his shirt and slipped them on, his gaze suddenly deflected behind the mirror aviators. The corner of his mouth pinched into a twist, and he reached up on toes to pop the door's lock through the open window, it releasing with a click. "I'm sorry. I just...I just don't think there's anything to talk about." He bit the corner of his bottom lip. "I just...things aren't the same since Bogota."
Mira could sense something was off. Her mind skipped to Optimus, her gaze falling to the Western Star which almost seemed to gleam beneath the Texas sunlight, despite the array of twisted metal, dents, scrapes and gouges marring its frame. Her breath suddenly thickened in the back of her throat and warmth returned to her blood, thinking about their time on Lockdown's vessel - thinking about the way he'd looked at her. Suddenly she felt small, standing before Cade, their shared kisses playing through her mind. Her lips suddenly were buzzing thinking about it, though she couldn't have kept her gaze from finding Prime's holoform, who regarded her carefully from the porch, leaning against the supporting pillar with ankles crossed and arms folded in front of him.
She started when Cade moved forward and took her shoulders in his hands, holding her with a tight ferocity that stiffened her spine. She parted her mouth to speak, but nothing but sputtering nonsense escaped her lips. "Cade, I - what are you...?" When Yeager took her face in his hands, she clamped her jaw closed, her tongue suddenly far large to manage intelligible words.
He gave her a light smile. "You don't have to understand," he shook his head. "But you will." Pinning her eyes with a sharp stare, his brow lifted. "I care about you, and your family, Mira. And I'll never be too far away, if you need me. You'll see me again." He moved to press a soft kiss to her forehead, releasing her face from his hands softly as he took a step back. "I'll see you soon, Countess." He addressed her with a pleasant half smile, his gaze flickering over her carefully with a reverent tenderness she admired.
Popping the latch on the truck's door, Cade climbed in beside his daughter, started the vehicle with a throaty roar. Mira stepped out of the pickup's way, back into the grass, and nodded to Cade as he waved lightly to her, Tessa offering a thin smile and small wave to her as they tore out of the driveway, the truck moving out of view of the house. Mira's gaze only fell away once she spotted the two hit the passing road, their trail of dust catching away into the breeze of late afternoon. She felt her stomach fall to her feet, and lowered her gaze to her socked feet, which were now covered in dust from the gravel of the driveway.
She wasn't sure what had happened, but Mira was fairly sure that Cade had just cut the strings to whatever potential relationship may have existed between them. Guess that goes to show you something, Mira Lennox, she bit the corner of her bottom lip, a curious disenchantment falling over the thinking matter of her brain. Relationships that start under the duress of battle don't always have a fairytale ending, despite your track record...she let her head fall back, lifting her hands to rush fingers through her clipped-back curls.
Letting the sun find her face, she was far too disenchanted with the moment to feel anything but a base reaction of confusion. Exhaustion ebbed back within reach of her conscious energy, and Mira could feel her strength reaching for it. Releasing a strong sigh, she righted her head and closed her eyes, taking in the silence of the darkness for a moment.
Wrapping her arms around her middle, she flinched only slightly when she felt a strong hand brush against her elbow from behind. One look at the appendage told her it belonged to Prime's holoform, who had come up behind her silently, in a stealth that belied his mass. Mira's gaze followed up his rippling arms, the holoform's face baring a stony seriousness that sent a bolt of chilling fear down her spinal column. Something sour mingled in her blood, his eyes sweeping over her in a considerate way as he stepped into her frame, her chest softly colliding with his back.
"Mira," he addressed her softly, the thrum of his spark pleasant against her back. It almost seemed to consume her. "Please. Come and talk with me, inside." She nodded, turning away from facing the driveway to walk past him, towards the porch steps. Taking them slowly, her gaze drifted back to the group, which had resumed platonic conversation despite her abrupt retreat to speak to Cade.
Optimus stepped through the door, Mira slipping by him carefully to move into the darkened home. Her eyes skipped about the foyer, remembering the first time she and Will had entered the property after its construction. Then it had felt so surreal, as it did now, standing in the darkened space with Optimus' holoform. The air was cool and light, thanks to the AC, and Mira hadn't realized she'd been sweating until she reached up to press her hand against her forehead, beads of perspiration evident on her skin. Closing her eyes, she took in a solid breath of the weightless air, thankful the humidity was at least quelled within the borders of her home.
The back of the holoform's hand brushed against her knuckles, triggering her attention. Her eyes floated open and she found him moving to the stairs, gesturing with his other hand up the stairs. "Let us tend to that shoulder, and then we can discuss what I have to tell you." His vague statements, coupled with the niggling concern of Merrick's earlier statement, sent a veil of fear down her body, uneasy goosebumps prickling across the full expanse of her frame as she considered him with a carefully inspecting look.
Nodding slowly, she capitulated to his plea, and stepped up behind him. "Alright," she dusted her hand against his, before turning it to offer it to him, openly. "Though I suspect I won't like what you're going to tell me." Turning over her arm to stare down at the Shield's implant, which had done nothing but ring through her blood since awakening, she bit the inside of her cheek. "This is painful," her voice was suddenly small.
He nodded, and took her hand strongly, wrapping hers within the full grip of his larger one. "I can imagine it is," pressing a fist to his chest he looked down to consider the action, Mira's gaze following his. "The Matrix has been burning since our departure from Lockdown's ship. If the Shield's presence is anything like how this feels, then I am sorry." He guided her to the top of the stairs, releasing her hand to move down the hall towards the master bedroom.
She shook her head. "Don't be sorry," she said after him, Prime disappearing through the door. He managed the lights effortlessly as she moved to follow him into the on-suite, where he already had the lights dimmed. She pulled to a stop when she saw the state of the room, making a mental note to chastise Elena for her blatant disregard for the formerly-kept space. It looked as if they'd used the room for combat triage, the floor littered with bandage remains, packaging, soiled clothing, and the contents of Elena's medical kit. Her brow rose as she considered Prime, who was measuring gauze deliberately.
"Did you all manage to treat the entire Cybertronian armada in here or what?" While teasing, her tone was quiet, pain intensifying behind her ear. Reaching her fingertips up to brush the expanded implant, she withdrew them to find a light smear of blood staining her skin. Turning from the mess, she reached around Optimus for a square piece of gauze, tucking it behind her ear to rest against the wounds. She could feel the tight stitches, which were almost hot to the touch. "Looks like hell came through here with machete and med kit."
Optimus offered her a light smile and soft chuckle. "Elena claims it comes from all her years in emergency medicine," he lifted a dismissive shoulder. "Do not worry, Mira. Things will be set right again." Turning to face her, he leaned against the counter, the full measure of the gauze he'd been retrieving at hand. He lifted a brow to her, his eyes lidded in what she knew would be a jest. "And in our defense, you were unconscious. It is no easy task tending to a wounded soldier that cannot be roused from her comatose state." He was all teasing, the light rumble of a chuckle in his chest evidence of it.
Mira had to bit her lower lip, dropping a gaze to her feet. Wiggling her toes within her socks, she chortled lightly under her breath. "Nice recovery," she ribbed him, nodding to the gauze in his hand. "Aren't you going to send Elena up here? She'll be done by the time Bryce starts dinner." Quickly hauling herself up onto the bathroom counter, she crossed her ankles and adjusted the clip at the back of her head. When he made no motion to move, she raised a brow. "Hm?"
The holoform was silent for a long while, his gaze swiftly dropping to consider the equipment in his possession. After a low sigh, Mira watched the form's shoulders pull back with a stiff tension that clenched her heart. Her own back stiffened into a straight rod, her spine almost buzzing at attention. Optimus seemed to be weighing his words, as if he wasn't certain how to proceed. Then, lifting his hand baring the gauze, his gaze moved back up to her, a light grin pulling at the corner of his lips.
Taking the fabric of her t-shirt at hand, he pulled at her shoulder. "Remove this, and we'll begin." His tone was entirely too serious as Mira felt an absolute chill race across her skeleton, as if her bones had suddenly frozen in place beneath her skin. Color must've rose to her face because Prime's expression softened into that of a purely enchanted, almost delighted smile, his glowing eyes almost seeming to lighten as heat fell across her cheeks. Mouth suddenly far dryer than she had anticipated, she looked to the fabric adoring her frame, taking the hem within her hands.
While she wasn't entirely opposed to the initial idea of disrobing before her superior officer, she had to admit - it wasn't conventional. "Um...well." She coughed out a breath, straightening her posture to pull her gaze back to his, sharing his look of mild surprise as she slapped her hands to her thighs. Swallowing a thick breath, she eased out a chuckle and reached up to check the gauze behind her ear. "This is certainly not how I imagined this moment going."
His eyes were dancing. "And how was that?"
"I imagined you were going to explain what Merrick meant by saying you're leaving; not admitting your vested interest in seeing half of my naked and exposed frame." Offering him a wry smile, she finished, "Not that I'm not flattered or anything."
The deadpan was blunt, serious, and to the point - as was the telling rise of her brow over her eye. Mira folded her arms in front of her chest, her chest mildly rising in a superior show of victory. Prime's face folded from the smirk he'd offered her before, his eyes seeming to dim as he weighed the full weight of her words in his mind. She pinned him with a strong consideration, her pulse quickening within her blood. Heart hammering behind her ribs, she attempted to will the color from her cheeks, but only found it darkening as heat skipped about her bones, radiating from the implant.
He released a slow sigh, moving to stand from the counter. "Alright," he conceded, moving in front of her. "I suppose keeping it from you only poses more harm than good." Nodding to her, he gestured to the gauze again. "But I will be tending to that wound; Elena has informed me of the process. Now, Mira - please. The covering." He pulled at the hem of her shirt again. "I will be respectful."
Her breath caught in the back of her throat before she nodded, her fingers moving beneath the hem of the tshirt. In a sharp inhale she lifted it away, the cool air conditioned atmosphere stinging her warm frame. Releasing a shaking exhale, she felt a shiver race across her frame, stiffening her into compliance. Lifting an arm to cover her exposed frame, her eyes carefully lifted to the holoform, who was already moving to release the knotted end of the wrapped gauze. His fingertips worked gently, though with care, his gaze unwavering from the blossom of red staining the bandage.
She cleared her throat when the tight hold of the gauze released, pain rippling through the stitched injury for a moment as her skin retracted. Pulling a tight face, her jaw stiffened as she clenched her jaw, her hand moving to grip the counter's edge with white-knuckled ferocity. Optimus removed the wrap, letting it fall to the floor as his rough knuckles dusted against her flesh, sending a shiver of appreciative surprise down her spine. Something in the depth of her stomach churned, and for a moment she felt her heart expand against her ribs.
Prime checked the stiches, and once clearing them, started to dress the wound again. Her mind began to spin, thinking of all the times her injured form had experienced the watchful care of Autobot triage. Her mind skipped to the first time Will had bandaged her body - the first time she'd allowed him to. It hadn't been very long into their relationship, but he'd been so insistent, something that Prime's own tone mirrored finely. Will hadn't taken no for an answer, and had stitched her shoulder perfectly. She hadn't been able to look him in the eye for weeks, embarrassed that he'd seen her body exposed in a sports bra.
However, no sense of shame drifted over the back of mind as Optimus worked on her shoulder. It was almost...comfortable. She hissed when his knuckled brushed over the tenderized stitching. "So," she managed to bite out between clenching the back of her jaw, "you think you're leaving. Again." She lifted her eyes to his face, dropping her hand from in front of her chest. She gripped the counter even harder as he tightened the bandage, forcing the wound closed once more, despite the stitching. "I don't recall giving you permission to leave my side, Commander." Her tone may have been light, but the implication was perfectly clear.
Immediately, the smile on his face lifted his gaze to her and he chuckled. "Your lack of subtly never ceases to amuse me, Mira," he shook his head softly. "But as I told Merrick, I fear I have no choice in the matter. My presence here endangers not only the Autobots and our Earth allies, but it endangers the Shield and the Matrix collectively." He dropped a hand to take hers within his grip, lifting the implant between them. "The creators are willing to destroy a world to find me, Mira. I cannot let Earth fall to another war at my hand." He dropped his gaze down to her implant. "As much as my spark longs to stay, it is better than I leave and face my Creators, face to face. Otherwise peace will not last."
Her brow dropped into a furrow, the rapid movement of her eyes scanning the holoform's face. "And then what? Face whoever the 'Creators' are alone?" She raised a hand and stressed the word with air quotes. "You know something, Prime? You don't have to do everything yourself. The safety of this family is a joint effort, not something you carry alone." Putting a hand to his cheek, she drew his gaze back to hers. "None of us want you to leave. We can fight whatever threat finds us, together. Like we always have." For a long moment she held his gaze, before her tone dropped to an almost ill silence. "Look what happened when we split up the last time."
Gently the holoform's hand lifted to wrap around her wrist, which was still raised as she held his cheek in her palm. The soft skip of his fingertips across her skin sent bolts of lightning through her nerves, rattling her spine to the point where she feared it would fall out of her frame. Swallowing a shaking breath of unease, Mira wasn't entirely sure what to feel as he stared at her. She hadn't felt so seen since Will's death. It mildly frightened her, uncertain as to what it exactly meant. If Optimus loved her, had she been living in a place of ignorance all these years? Or had he kept that from her?
"If anything were to happen to you..." he was hardly breathing the words they were so soft. Prime lifted hand to withdraw the clip from her hair, her brunette locks falling down her exposed back in a tickling wave that sent texture across her skin. "...Mira. Understand this, please. I can live with losing my world. My bots. I could even lose myself and survive, by the help of the Matrix." His hand slipped into her hair, his other releasing the gauze to rest his palm against her shoulder blade, his touch ghosting with intimacy. "But losing you....I would rather forfeit my spark than live without you on Earth." Optimus dropped his gaze, looking to the implant on her wrist. Lifting it, he pressed a soft kiss to her palm, his mouth moving tenderly against the flesh of her hand.
Optimus was almost trembling. She'd never seen Optimus falter in any moment of weakness, but this...this was entirely new.
Her breath hitched, mouth draining of any kind of moisture. Mira felt her brain almost deflate beneath the weight of his admission, the air stirring with heat between them that made her thoughts almost hazy with uncertainty. All at once, a flaming heat bolted up into her chest, rattling the organ of her heart against her ribs in a rhythm consistent with what she could only assume was arrhythmia. While she wanted to cry, Mira couldn't motivate the strength to manifest tears, every ounce of her energy channeled into just process his words.
How could you keep this from me? Her mind was circling with the thought, over and over, in a spin that almost left her trembling. How long? How long has he felt this and kept it to himself? Lowering her head to consider the implant, she ran her tongue over her bottom lips, closed her eyes, and released a shaking breath. "I...I don't want you to go," she said softly, her words more than uneasy. "Stay here, Optimus. Fight for me here." She pressed her hand against her chest, curling her fingers against the thick muscle of his frame. "You belong here, and no creator can say otherwise. My Creator is the only one that matters."
He said nothing, for a long moment. The silence between them was almost blinding, Mira unmoving from her consideration of her hand against his chest. She could feel his spark moving within the holoform, the pulse of Energon through his frame almost surreal. For a moment she could've sworn she saw a dusting of blue appear across his face as he stared at her hand, lifting his own to cover hers. He didn't look, and the determination in the holoform's set jaw told Mira that not only had her argument failed to sway his decision, but he'd already made up his own mind.
Her gut twisted thinking about losing him to yet a fight she didn't understand. Tears were beginning to burn.
"I'm sorry," he breathing, lifting her hand to press his lips against her knuckles. "I will give anything to keep you safe. I swore an oath to William, and now I swear an oath to you - your world will know peace. You will know peace. I desire nothing for you but the life you deserve, which is far beyond a war that is not yours." Sharply his head snapped up, his gaze piercing hers with an intensity that almost darkened his features. "While you will always be the Countess of Iacon, know something, Mira - you will always be my Countess."
She choked back a breathy exhale, lifting a hand to cover her mouth. I can't believe this is happening...how...? "Optimus, please," she shook her head. "Please don't - don't tell me this and then leave..." he lifted a hand to her face, his palm softly cradling the fullness of her cheek as his other held her implanted arm with a tight possession that almost startled her. Burning tears clouded her eyes, and she gritted her teeth, her throat trembling in pain as she stifled a sharp sob. Setting her jaw, she pinched her eyes closed, trying to will away the urge to grieve. Again.
Desperation rang through her like a siren, chilling her blood within an inch of coherence. It was slowly slipping out of her control, her ability to feel. It was the same feeling she had when she'd found Will's body, lifeless in his own blood by the hand of Cemetery Wind. It had almost ripped her in half, the pain. And now, that same numb, quaking feeling plagued her deep within her core, tearing at her ability to remain sentient.
She couldn't lose another lover. Couldn't lose him.
What was she going to feel in a week from now, when he was gone? Fear crept into the center of her thinking space, reminding her of what had happened with Will. She'd been undone for weeks, left alone as her family took Merrick to watch after him as she buried the only man she'd ever loved - a part of her. And now, faced with a new plane of unknowns - implants, Cybertronian heritage, the aftermath of the government, and now Optimus, how would she handle anything if he just...left? She could feel the crushing weight, already clawing at her soul like a demon, burdening her with a dark cloak of uncertainty. And love...from a being so different than herself, but so much the same? They'd always been two souls rotating around the same star, the same promise; two halves of the same whole.
Though, she knew Optimus. He wouldn't leave unless it was necessary. Don't tell me you love me, Optimus...don't tell me you love me and then leave me. I can't lose anyone else, she closed her eyes, pressing into his touch. "...don't leave me, Prime. Please." Eyes flying open wildly, she searched for the fullness of his gaze, for his very spark as she held tightly to his wrist. "I need you to stay." Her tone was distant, though her gaze would've drawn the very sun to the Earth.
He held her eyes, his own softening gently as he weighed her words. "Remember, Mira," his tone was a breath above a whisper, its low baritone ripping through her like hot steel. "You will always have a piece of me with you. I am here," he lifted Slowly, he pressed a hand against her breastbone, her chest exploding with familiar heat that sent a bolt of electricity shooting through her bones. She hitched a breath as he lifted her hand, his thumb brushing over the implant. "And I am here." He covered it his hand, pressing another kiss to her knuckles. "We love deeply, my kind. Remember - remember. My spark, and my love, is here with you. And it will be, for now, as it always has, and until the end of days." The finality of his tone was almost bitingly gritty, searing into the back of her skull.
Mira couldn't have withheld the abrupt sob that slipped from her constraint if she'd tried any harder. The vocalization stung her swollen and bruised throat, but she didn't care. Breaking from his hold, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around the holoform's neck, drawing him into her with every ounce of strength her battered frame could offer. The movement of her torn shoulder bit terribly, a searing pain eking down her spine, but she didn't care. Closing her eyes, she rested her head against his, the pulse of his spark beating solidly against her breastbone. Strong arms wrapped around her in a way they hadn't before, intimately, and held her close against the plane of his perfect form.
A pulse of buzzing heat short from her wrist and she hissed, drawing her hand from around the holoforms neck to study the implant. It was almost singing, as if it took great pride in the Prime's declaration. The sensation sent a light spasm through her musculature, her hand cramping as her fingers curled. Gripping her wrist, Mira released a low hiss, tears dropping down her cheeks as she tried to will the pain from the moment. It only ebbed, slightly, when Optimus grabbed the implant and drew it to where his sparkchamber would've resided, had he been in his true Cybertronian form.
Pressing it against his chest, he brushed aside a curl from her face. "Mira, I love you," he said calmly. "It is by the will of the Matrix that I was meant to. I have for so many years," her gaze filtered up to him, staring through stained eyelashes awash with tears. Blinking away the watery haze, he stared at her so lovingly, a look of relief flooding his features. "My only hope, Countess, is that someday, you love me as fully as my spark does yours."
She nodded, glancing away. "Optimus, I -" what she would've said didn't matter, because he moved in swiftly, with almost effortless ease, and kissed her, his lips dusting the corner of her mouth tenderly. He sought approval, though she could feel him on the edge of restraint, as if he would snap. Without hesitation, she kissed him back, a pulse of heat rushing through her so severely that it left her breathless. Inhaling, she applied forward motion with her jaw, deepening their union just enough to make her skin come alive with flushed, overwhelming chills.
Her returned sentiment did it. Releasing a soft moan of approval, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her forward into him, her chest falling against his perfectly, as if every plane of his holoform had been cut and molded for her frame. Mira, for a moment, was stunned that Optimus even understood the concept of human kissing, but then it clicked into her head - the internet. She blessed the online web for being so limitless as he crushed his mouth over hers, seeking approval, almost hungry. His hands roamed down her back, as if memorizing every detail of her frame, her skin buzzing as his touch left lingering electricity sinking into her bones.
She curled her toes, pulling him forward as she leaned back against the wall, her bare shoulders pressed back fully against the full mirror hanging on the wall. She squeaked as the cool surface bit against her skin, but she didn't separate from Prime. The front of his thighs pressed against the counter as he held her tightly, drawing her back from her retreat, attempting to create possessive motion that almost made her head swim.
Returning with favor, Mira could almost taste the pent up affection, the years of desperate longing he'd felt as his fingers found her released hair, intermingling with her locks in a way that dizzied her senses. She ran the tip of her tongue across the holoform's front teeth, invoking a primal hiss from him that almost crushed her resolve. His mouth tasted divine, and her senses were full as she identified a lingering tinge of diesel, steel, and something bitter against his skin. Her head was spinning, her senses flying beyond reach as he held her, his arm tightening around her shoulders to pull her chest flush against his, again.
Will hadn't even kissed her this soundly. She could've reached out and touched Cybertron, it was so resounding throughout her body.
Heat crept over her frame, spreading warmth to her cheeks. Every ounce of pain disappeared as he moved against her, pressing deeper, searching for any give. Prime pulled at her lower lip, which produced a squeak of approval from her chest, a buzzing tingle racing down her spine to set into her feet. She curled her toes against the counter, her arm coming to lace around his neck, the other moving to run her fingers through his thick locks of hair. Mildly confused that this was actually Prime's holoform, she for a moment envisioned the Western Star beneath them parked in the front lawn, a smile pulling her lips from his to produce a slight giggle.
Briefly she had the thought that she could be kissed like this until the end of her days, and never be so fulfilled. Her core was rattling with electric heat.
Her eyes flickered up to find his, Prime staring at her with a satisfied, lidded look of approval. "Well, now you certainly can't leave," the words fell between them, almost inaudible as she tried to collect her rapid breathing by swallowing harshly. "But something tells me you're going to anyway," her conclusion was quiet, almost breathless.
Offering her a thin smile, he nodded slowly. "If it means stopping my creators from punishing your world, I must." It was a case-closed argument, she knew. Optimus had made up his mind, and in the true form of the Autobot Commander, he would not be easily swayed. He smiled, however, tracing is fingertip down her exposed spinal ridge. "I will come back to you, Countess. There will be much to do in the aftermath of this fight," his eyes drifted down to their chests, which hadn't parted from one another. "And there will be much to discuss, in light of all that's...transpired."
She looked away, nodding slowly. "I know," her tone drifted as she glanced to the door, the holoform's arm still around her. Looking back to him, she offered him a concerned, almost pleading, look. Beneath their feet, she could hear everyone filter into the house, preparing to make dinner. Merrick's mirthful laughter rang up through the floorboards, almost brightly. She listened, then looked back to Optimus with a sympathetic wrinkle of her nose. "When will you leave?"
He dropped his gaze, sighing deeply. "The sooner, the better." Optimus reached for her hand, taking it in his.
"And where will you go?" He folded their joined hands to his chest, and she nodded in understanding as his eyes lowered to them. "I should've known," she chuckled, nodding. "The Matrix." Pressing her hand against his chest again, she studied how perfectly it fit between the holoform's pectorals, the thrum of his spark delightful beneath the holoform's flesh. She curled her fingers against his skin, then looked back up to his face. "I'm selfish, aren't I? Wanting you to stay?"
He chuckled, his lips twisting into a grin. "No more than I." He brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, leaning forward to brush his mouth against the cartilage. "The others already know. I explained yesterday, but I wanted to tell you myself." Pulling back from her ear, Prime pressed his forehead against hers, the tip of his nose brushing against hers. "I am sorry to leave you with this. But...after everything with Cade, I -" Mira didn't recall ever hearing Optimus stutter, though the hue of blue that dashed across the holoform's skin made her chest warm with appreciation.
He was as uncertain as she was. Everything about this is uncharted...she wasn't alone in being beyond her depth.
She shook her head. "No," she whispered, her voice small. "Don't apologize for anything. You followed your spark, and it brought you to me, from the beginning. And that is something I will carry." Slipping off the counter, she took her feet before him, and wrapped her arms around his middle, resting her head against his chest. Hugging him tightly, she rose up on her toes to take in every inch of the holoform. "Your spark, and the Matrix, will bring you back to me. My hope lies there." Her lips brushed against the holoform's ear, comforting heat dripping down her spine.
He rested his chin at the top of her head, hugging her tightly again. "And my hope lies with you, and the promise of our future." He lowered a kiss into her hair, and pulled her even tighter against him, Mira latching her arms around his middle as she breathed in the familiar scent of his holoform frame. Searing it into her mind, her thumb ran over the implant on her wrist, Prime releasing a light rumble from his chest. "As hard as it will be, I should take my leave of you, Mira. The longer I stay, the greater the risk becomes."
She nodded against his chest, but didn't let go of the holoform. Tears began to pull at her eyes, yet again. Curse my emotional instability. "I understand." Giving a light kiss to the center of his chest, taking in the familiar thrum of his spark, she released him and stepped back, turning on her heel sharply to make for the door. Pulling her robe from the hook behind it, she slipped it over her exposed frame, holding it closed as Prime killed the lights to the on-suite, following her to the exit of her master room.
They quietly made their way downstairs, Optimus lingering by the door. He nodded to her and she looked down with a solemn nod of her own, the holoform pulsing brightly a few times before it dissipated from view in a glittering array of blue diamonds. Even from within the confines of her home she heard the Western Star begin its transformation, the true Optimus taking form right outside her front door. Swallowing a thick breath, she scratched at the top of her head, her other hand lifting to brush her fingertips against her lips, which hadn't stopped buzzing pleasurably since parting with Optimus.
Her legs were weak and unsteady as she entered the kitchen, finding Merrick seated on the counter beside the stove, a handful of pasta noodles tightly in his grasp. Bryce was chopping fresh tomatoes, Elena dutifully watching over the boiling pot of water as Joshua was seated at the counter on a barstool, going over information on a tablet. The Autobot holoforms sat across the room, on her sofa, flipping through television channels. Mira leaned against the wall, crossing her arms in front of her as she took in the scene, her eyes brimming with fresh tears again. Pain erupted in her temple, reminding her of her need for rest, though she pushed it aside as she cleared her throat, which was raw and burning as she formed words.
"Optimus is leaving," she called, her tone less than stalwart. "We need to see him off."
Instantly, the room was void of sound, almost as if death had fallen over the space. Elena and Bryce both turned to look at her, Merrick still staring at the pasta in his hand. In the living area, Bumblebee was already standing, nodding his understanding. Gesturing to Mira, he pointed towards her, and she got his meaning - with a light salute, his holoform began to ebb away, Crosshairs following suit. Drift vanished shortly after, and beyond the house, Mira could faintly hear the sounds of the bots moving about her property. Hound was the only one who lingered, his massive holoform approaching her, his expression understanding as he stared down into her face. Mira attempted to look away, tears falling down her face. Reaching up to swipe at them, Hound produced a groaning sigh, as if it were painful
He dipped his finger beneath her chin, tipping it up. "Don't think I've ever heard of a Countess cryin' over a bot before," he teased her lightly, Mira looked up to the massive holoform. "It'll be alright, Princess. He always comes back." Removing his hand from her chin, he playfully raised a fist, his knuckles lightly dusting the area in a mocking punch. "Buck up there, Commander. That pretty smile of yours needs a comeback, lest the stars fall outta the sky or somethin'."
She snorted, rolled her eyes, and shooed him down the hallway. "Shut up and get outside!" she chuckled, her tone mumbling as she watched his laughing holoform begin to dissipate. Turning her attention back to the kitchen, she found Joshua and Bryce moving past her, Elena stopping before her, Merrick on her hip. Her friend tipped her head to the side and brushed one of Mira's curls over her shoulder, her look compassionate and sorrowful.
Merrick squirmed out of Elena's grasp, moving to his mother side quickly. Taking her hand, he pulled her down the hallway, following after Elena's form. "Where is Optimus going, Momma?" He asked inquisitively, his voice bouncing off the foyer walls as Mira moved to open the door. "He'll be back soon, right?" The boy slipped on his shoes, Mira handing him his sweatshirt from the hook by the door.
She gave him a soft, unknowing smile. "He's going to try to come back as fast as he can," she wrinkled her nose dismissively, kneeling to work the sweater over her son's head. "Let's not discuss it right now. Just be sure to give him a big hug and tell him to come home, alright?" Taking his hand, she stood, and moved out onto the porch, Merrick nodding behind her as he shuffled to a stop at her side.
All the Autobots were gathered around their leader, Optimus exchanging quiet words with them, gesturing in his superior way. He turned to consider the human presence on the porch, coming to stand before them as the Autobots moved forward, considering their human allies. They said nothing, the atmosphere thick with departing emotion, which sent a rock into Mira's gut as her eyes fell over them all, each member of her Autobot baring the same unknowing, uncertain feeling across the features. Again, their leader was leaving them, in a foreign and hostile world, without guidance.
Moving to the top step of the porch, Merrick looked up at Prime, head cocked to the side. "When are you going to come home, Uncle Optimus?" he called up, his face twisting into curious confusion. "Who's going to help Mom with all her robot upgrades? Or make sure all the bad people don't hurt us again?" While the question was genuine and lighthearted, the look on Prime's facial plating said everything Mira had feared for the Prime - he didn't know, and didn't have an adequate answer.
He took a knee before the porch, his glowing optics finding the child fully. "You have many questions, Merrick - all of them I do not have certain answers to." His optics lifted to Mira, a small smile pulling at the corner of the Autobot leader's mouth. "But know this as fact, young one. My trust in your mother's abilities is stronger than the light of the stars. She, and all my Autobots, will protect you and your home from harm." Extending a massive finger to the child, Merrick reached out to press his hand against Prime's digit. "Help your mother, Merrick. Watch out for her until I return."
He nodded firmly. "Yessir." Mira's bottom lip rolled inward, her son's accent practically making her burst with pride and embarrassment. Merrick suddenly spun on his heel and frowned at her, "How am I supposed to give him a hug? He's big!" The resounding chuckles from not only the bots, but the other humans present made Mira's face flush with color, until she shook her head and moved to take a knee beside him, offering him a quick wink. Glancing at Optimus, she offered him an apologetic smile, shaking her head.
"Don't worry about it," she whispered into his ear, sending him off to Bryce with a quick swat to his small bottom. Slowly rising to stand before Prime's still considering form, she put her hand over the tip of his finger, gesturing for him to lower it. "I will watch over our family, Optimus. I will give my life to protect the legacy of not only us, but of what we hope to be in the coming days." Looking over to the Autoboots, she nodded to them. "As long as they will allow me the honor."
The massive figure before her nodded. "I will return to you," he said quietly, optics flicking over her lovingly. "I give you my word and honor, as an Autobot."
"I believe you," she nodded firmly in confirmation. "Just be quick."
Standing to his full height, Mira watched him turn to consider the Autobots, then his other human allies. "Defend this family," he gestured to them all with a strong wave of his hand. "Defend them well. For within them resides not only the future of Earth, but our future. The hope of Cybertron resides with you, among you, for such a time as this." Pinning her with a serious gaze, he lowered his gaze reverently, then turned on his heel to retreat from the home.
Mira watched as his thrusters engaged, Prime glancing over his shoulder. "Look to the stars, Autobots," He glanced up, considering the spread of fading light overhead. "Think of one of them as my soul. Take courage, I will return." Mira couldn't have stopped the tears falling from her eyes if she tried, her heart practically leaping out of her chest for him. She felt the implant almost trembling with strength, embedded against her flesh as it was.
"Until all are one," he called behind him. "Until all are one!" was the resounding return that launched him into the air.
Come back to me, Optimus Prime, Mira watched his form shrink against the expanse of sky. Until all are one.
the first of the BLOODLINES series
"And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14
