A/N: Well, here we are at the end of Kate and Optimus's story. Sadly, I will not be continuing their tale into The Last Knight: I'm leaving them to their happy ending. I hope you've enjoyed this spin on the Transformers series… and I hope their tale has inspired you. Thank you, again, to all readers. Especially to those who have stuck with me throughout the years, as life got busier, and uploads became less frequent. I wish you all the best. Bless you all.
Sincerely,
PassionateWriter07.
Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers, only Kate.
Transmissions are in bold/italic.
Transmissions + speech are in "bold/italic."
Epilogue: All For You
Joshua had been true to his word. He fully funded a new house on the Yaegar land: a three-story ranch with all the modern bells and whistles, and even hired Cade as the tech head of the newly reestablished KSI, with benefits for everyone under the Yaegar roof. "Call it a thank you gift for the error of my ways," Joshua had said before he left. So Kate and the Yaegars had settled in; she with a suite and nursery on the third floor, while the second belonged to Cade and Tessa. They shared the first-floor kitchen, ate in the dining room, and played games in the living room or out on the deck under the twilight sky.
Life was more perfect than Kate could imagine. Cade kept true to his word: sheltering her and the quickly growing baby her womb. Tessa accompanied her to every doctor's appointment she could, even with freshman classes breathing down her neck—her tuition paid for, once again, a grateful Joshua.
Winter came, and so did the baby. Elena—Lena for short—their "shining light" entered the world in a storm of screams and wide-eyed wonder. The first few weeks were comprised of sleepless nights while the little one got used to a world outside the womb. Cade and Kate took feedings and changings in shifts, holding the small treasure as tenderly and as much as they could. She was smarter and more curious than her mother, braver than her father; Lena, their little miracle.
Days turned to months, months to a year, a year to two. Before Kate could blink her eyes, the little squirming bundle had shifted from newborn to infant to toddler. Of course, Ratchet had made sure the child would be entirely human: no weird morphing, no mechanical parts. Just pure, organic. Yet, one thing had escaped him: her eyes. They blazed with an almost unnatural electric blue, striking everyone she met with a sense of awe.
They reminded Kate of her mech, someplace out there in the stars.
"Mama—okay?"
Kate turned from the kitchen window and smiled at the little form covered in mashed potatoes and peas. She laughed. "Lena, how could you get so messy in—" she peered up at the clock, "—less than a minute?"
The toddler shrugged, holding out her arms. "Lucky, I guess!"
The mother shook her head, still amazed at how far her baby had made strides in speaking. Not enough to draw the rank of prodigy but astounding enough that her pediatrician had started declaring the kid highly intelligent. Only two years old and Lena could almost form full sentences.
Kate—back—
"Mama—star!"
Kate had been in the process of rinsing a washcloth so she could wipe the potato from her daughter's face. But that particular plan vanished when she heard Optimus's voice echo through her mind. So long. It's been so long. Tears sprung to her eyes and her fists clenched so strongly around the washcloth that the moisture had practically evaporated. Behind her, Lena was pointing out the kitchen window; before her, a shooting star shimmered across the twilight sky.
In her heart, she already knew Optimus had returned. Still, it leapt as she heard his voice again, clearer, crisper, and oh so close: Kate, my love. I've returned.
She rinsed the washcloth, soaking it in the water before turning to Lena. She spoke, her voice no more than a whisper as she gently cleaned the mess: "Lena, dear. Let's go meet your father."
