As winter tightened its grip on the ranch, the evenings began to close in. Optimus spent longer outside chopping wood into symmetrical logs for firewood.
One afternoon, when the wind was rattling through the house and the snow was piling up against the front windows, Cordelia heard the steady thwack, thwack of Optimus' sword. She was bundled up on the couch, wrapped in the thick red Afghan that was usually draped over the back of the brown leather couch.
Her feet were bundled into thick, grey boot slippers, which did a perfect job of keeping out the sting of the cold on her feet. Nestled in between her small hands was a mug of steaming tea.
Optimus was the best tea maker she had ever come across, and she'd never had a bad cup of tea from him. She smiled to herself as she recalled his failure to understand the 'point' of tea, as he'd put it.
"Why do you like tea so much?" he'd asked as he handed her a cup of the offending liquid. "What I mean is – who on Earth" – here he raised a metallic brow in a small smile – "saw a Camellia Sinensis plant and thought, 'ooh, I'll blend this into some triethanolamine'?"
Cordelia laughed and accepted the mug, taking a small sip. She set it down on the worktop and turned her gaze on Optimus. "I don't know why I like it so much, maybe it's because I'm British, but it's so good! And you make it so that it tastes just so…so perfect!" She laughed and tucked a few strands of auburn hair behind her ear. She swung lightly on the stool of the breakfast bar, enjoying the feeling of swaying to and fro.
"So, the addition of sucrose and lactose makes the tasting experience a more pleasurable one?"
"Mmhmm. But not everyone likes it with milk and sugar. Some people like it with just milk, some people like it with just sugar, and others like it just black."
"Ahh. I had not taken into consideration the many different ways that an individual can enjoy a cup of trieth…tea." He scrunched his facial plating up as he said the last word. He looked as if uttering the word was going to get him struck by lightening.
Cordelia bit back a laugh. "What's with the face?" He smoothed his features into a wry smile.
"I am Optimus Prime, it feels…unnatural to use shortened language terminology."
"Are you serious?! Look around Optimus, it's just you and me." She slipped off the barstool and framed his face between her hands. "I don't care what 'terminology' you use. Here it's just you and me. You don't have to worry about being a Prime, or how you present yourself to your Autobots. I just want you to be you."
His optics misted over, not quite spilling the liquid behind his metallic lids. He wrapped his long arms around her waist and lifted her onto the kitchen counter, bringing their faces level.
"In that case, anytime you would like a cup of tea…I will always be happy to put the kettle on for you." He winked with a soft clicking sound.
"Aww, you are such a dork!" She laughed and leaned her forehead against his, enjoying the quiet of the moment.
…Thwack. THWACK. Cordelia was brought back to the present by the dull thud of Optimus' sword. She felt rather than heard the last blow. It vibrated through her chest, sending mini waves of motion to her ribs and sternum.
She made her way from the living room into the kitchen. The back door was closed, but through the glass window, she could see Optimus busily stacking the logs he had chopped into a neat pile. The mechanisms in his back tightened and then loosened as he bent and straightened. She slipped her feet into the snow boots that sat by the doormat and pulled her woollen cardigan tighter about her shoulders.
She stepped over the threshold, shutting the door quietly behind her. Optimus turned to face her, leaning the sword on the back wall of the house. She eyed the pommel of the sword speculatively, but Optimus was already two steps ahead of her.
"Ah-ah. Not while you're pregnant. The risk of injury to both you and the baby is too great."
She raised a brow. "Not even one go?" Optimus rolled his optics in mock indignation and stepped behind her.
"Very well. On one condition, I will aid you." She nodded in agreement and playfully stuck her tongue out at him.
He stepped behind her, his feet crushing the powdery snow that had not yet been trodden in. He reached around her for the sword, which was almost as tall as she was. The tip of the handle came up to her chest. Optimus' other arm whispered around her waist and gently grasped her right hand in his. He guided it to the base of the pommel and slowly closed her fingers around its thick bottom. "Try lifting it."
She did as he said and gasped when she felt the weight of it. It was a solid, leaden weight that she found she couldn't shift even one centimetre. Optimus guided her other hand to sit near the top of the pommel and then helped her to lift it. "Plant your feet firmly on the ground. A stable base is one of the most important factors in efficient swordsmanship." His baritone voice was silky as he rumbled into her ear, causing the fine hairs on the back of her neck to rise.
She made sure that both feet were planted firmly on the ground, swaying a little to test her balance. "Okay, I'm ready for the next bit."
"Okay, now we are going to 'jab' our enemy. Now, fighting with a sword is a skill that must be honed over many millennia, erh, years. One cannot just jab or stab at their opponent. In all likelihood, the sword will over-balance you."
He moved her hands with his own, bringing the sword upwards in a curving motion. "We create the necessary momentum…" he pulled the weapon backwards, the pair of them moving as one "…and now, we thrust forward with every ounce of strength that we possess."
He gently manipulated her arms forward whilst his own arms supported the weight of the sword.
Then he thrusted the sword forward.
She watched as the winter sunlight danced up and down the blade, highlighting the Cybertronian glyphs that ran the length of it. She let go of the pommel as Optimus placed it back up to lean against the wall of the house.
She wrapped her cardigan more securely around her shoulders, hunching them up against the cold. "What do those glyphs mean?"
Optimus opened the back door and stepped away, inviting Cordelia through first. He turned and grabbed the pile of freshly chopped firewood and deposited it into the woodpile in the kitchen. He shut the door with a light nudge of his foot.
"Those glyphs are the foundation for our motto as the Autobots. 'Freedom is the right of all sentient beings.' The particulars ones on that sword say, 'Noble are those who fight for freedom. Free are those who fight for the vulnerable. Weak are those who oppose us.'" Optimus seemed to inwardly sigh.
"What is it?"
He smiled sadly at her before he answered.
"That sword and those words…they originally belonged to Sentinel Prime. He bequeathed the sword to me many eons ago, after I became a Prime. I saw fit to shorten the phrase and…add my own take on it, as the humans say." His shoulders sagged downwards.
"I still, even now, regret extinguishing his Spark. He was the mech who raised me Lia…the mech who made me who I am! He, who taught me the difference between right and wrong, who gave me my own moral compass! How could his have gotten so skewed? How did he become so lost?!" His intakes whined audibly as the vents on the back of his head cycled in more air.
Cordelia offered him her hands and he clung to them, adrift in the sea of his own emotions.
"There were seven Primes, created by Primus himself. I am descended from that dynasty…and what do I have to show for it? A dead world, a dying race and a world I am struggling to protect!" He let go of her hands and covered his optics. "I am weak, and I no longer have what it takes to be a Prime."
Cordelia pulled a chair over and stepped up onto it so that she was just a head taller than Optimus. "Yes, you do. You are worthy of being a Prime and so much more." She slipped her arms around the metal collar that adorned his neck and shoulders. "And do you know what else? I believe in you, Optimus Prime."
His optics grew misty at her words. She watched as many different emotions flickered across the cerulean orbs, before settling on incredulity. She studied his face carefully, watching the subtle movements of the lenses that made up his optics. They took on a haunted expression, troubled by something that was from his distant past.
"Talk to me big guy. Don't hold it in." She gently squeezed his hand as she spoke and his long fingers slowly curled around hers, seeking comfort.
"Many millennia ago…long before I became a Prime, I was the leader of Cybertron's Science Division. It was dedicated to the study and protection of the AllSpark. We worked tirelessly to try and understand where it had come from, who had created it and what its true purpose was. We harnessed its power and entered a Golden Age of prosperity."
Cordelia watched as his optics glazed over, lost in the memories of the story he was telling.
"For the first time in history, the Castes lived in peace and harmony, the equality that we had each fought for, for so long, was finally in our society. We thrived. We developed new technology, we communicated with other neighbouring planets and everybody prospered. It truly was the Golden Age." His shoulders sagged as he recalled the happier times of Cybertron.
"Sentinel Prime was my mentor…my guide…my confidante. He taught me everything that I know. And I was the one to extinguish his Spark. That sword…that sword is all I have left of him."
A mechanical whine escaped involuntarily from his vocoder as his audial covers began to rotate furiously. His silver hands searched for Cordelia's and she gave them to him without question, watching as his silvery thumbs stroked circles into the backs of her hands.
One hand moved upwards to cup the small bump at her abdomen. His hand still covered the entire bump and he smiled sadly, raising his optics to meet her green eyes.
"I am sorry little one. Here I am lamenting about my past when I should be aiding you and looking forward to the arrival of this little one." He patted her bump gently before moving his hands underneath her arms and lifting her off the chair. He opened his arms and she fell into them, resting her head on his chest. She could hear the faint thrum of his Spark, humming contentedly inside its casing. His hydraulics hissed softly as he moved to gently rest his chin on the top of her head.
Cordelia pulled away first, looking up into his blue optics.
"Don't you ever be sorry for talking about your past. If you find it helpful and cathartic, then you talk about it all you want. Optimus, I will always listen to you, night or day."
He smiled again and this time it reached his mouth. "Thank you, Lia. That means more than I know how to say."
They spent the rest of the day huddled on the couch together under the thick Afghan that Optimus had given Cordelia a few Christmases ago.
.o
The weather only turned colder and harsher as November progressed. Cordelia woke one morning to Optimus gently shaking her awake.
"Lia, I need you to come down to the front door. A misfortune has befallen your vehicle and I am afraid that I am to blame."
"Wh-what?" Cordelia sat up groggily in bed, rubbing the sleep from her half-closed eyes. She felt a faint puff of air as Optimus' robotic holoform dissipated. She hurried out of bed and stuffed her feet into her thick boot like slippers and threw on her fluffy dressing gown as she made her way slowly down the stairs. She didn't even know what time it was!
She caught sight of her reflection in the hallway mirror and had to laugh at herself. Her auburn hair was sticking up in all directions, making her look as if she had just been electrocuted. Her freckled cheeks were red from being woken up so abruptly.
She let herself out through the front door and was greeted by a forest of long legs and a cacophony of noises. Optimus stood nearest her, smiling down at her in one of his signature small smiles. Hound stood next to him, his cigar hanging down from his mouth plates as he had a huge grin plastered over his visage. Bumblebee stood a little ways off to her right-hand side, his door wings shaking with excitement as he applauded her. Drift and Crosshairs stood close to each other, both smiling down at her. In the middle of the circle of towering Autobots stood a brand new, shiny blue Ford Ranger truck.
Cordelia's mouth dropped open. The truck had a big red bow right around its middle. She pulled her dressing gown tighter around herself to keep out the sting of the cold air, but it did nothing to quell the tears that were quickly forming in her green eyes.
Optimus took a step forward into a kneeling motion, holding his index finger out to her. On the very tip of it, she could see a small black box. She took it from his proffered finger and opened it. A set of keys fell into her outstretched palm. She looked up at Optimus, his face swimming slightly due to the tears that she was determined to not let fall.
"Optimus…I…I don't know what to say." He said nothing but turned his hand over so that it was laying palm up. She stepped on and was brought to eye level.
"You don't need to say anything little one, just allow me to say this: happy birthday!" He leaned down and nuzzled her gently with his nose, causing a few strands of her red hair to stand up on end.
Now that she was more awake and had a little more brain power to digest Optimus' words, she gasped. Today was the sixteenth of November, her birthday! She laughed and buried her head in her hands.
"Oh wow, I can't believe I forgot my own birthday." She exclaimed, bringing her gaze up to meet Optimus'. "Thank you." She said simply, leaning into his fingers.
"You are more than welcome little one," he said, his deep baritone reverberating in her chest. She turned in his palm so that she was facing the other Autobots. They all clapped again, filling the air with the sound of metallic pings.
Cordelia felt the blood rushing to her cheeks in response to the attention from all the Autobots. They were an impressive sight, all of them dwarfing the ranch house easily, glistening brightly in the winter sunlight.
"Happy birthday titch," said Hound, taking the external part of his helm off momentarily and tipping it to her as if it was a hat.
"Yeah, happy birthday Red, enjoy it or whatever it is that you 'umans do." His thick Cockney accent made him drop the 'h'. Drift nodded in agreement and didn't say anything, but sunk into a deep bow, inclining his head towards Cordelia.
Bumblebee walked towards Optimus and reached up, clutching something tiny between a finger and thumb.
"Here, just a little present for your birthday. It's nothing much, but I saw it and thought you'd like it."
Cordelia reached up and took a ring from Bumblebee's grasp. It was delicate and silver with a beautiful round bumblebee in its centre. She felt a wide smile slide onto her face.
She showed him the ring, which she had placed onto her right index finger. "It's beautiful Bee, thank you so much, I love it." His optic ridges tilted up as his mouth plates moved into his slightly stilted smile. He reached up and ruffled her hair with the tip of one finger.
"I'll leave you both to enjoy your day." He stepped back and stood straight and tall, his arms at his sides. His smile remained on his face when he addressed Optimus. "With your permission sir, I shall take my leave."
Optimus inclined his head to Bumblebee. "Of course, Bumblebee. As you were." Bumblebee's posture relaxed and he rubbed one hand across the back of his helm before transforming and zooming off, sending up a flurry of snow.
Optimus chuckled quietly and closed his fingers gently around Cordelia, reaching up to place her on the balcony that was attached to the master bedroom.
"I have run you a bubble bath, it's ready and waiting for you."
"Oh my gosh, that sounds heavenly. Thank you."
"You take as long as you need, little one. Once you're ready, come down and we'll head out for the day." He reached up and gently ran the tip of his index finger down her face.
"Okay big guy, I'll see you in a bit." He smiled warmly at her and transformed, backing himself into the barn that would shelter him from the harsh Montana winter.
Cordelia shut the double French doors behind her and laid her dressing gown on the bed before making her way through to the bathroom.
The smell of lavender and jasmine hit her as she walked through the door, along with a subtle scent of vanilla, which seemed to be coming from a huge candle that had been placed on one corner of the bathtub.
Cordelia took off her clothes and stepped down into the water. It was hot and heavily scented, and totally heavenly. Since she was shorter than the total length of the bath, she could get away with lying totally outstretched in its depths. She shimmied down until the only part of her body that was out of the water was her head.
She lay back and let her body be moved by the light motion of the water, enjoying the feeling of the soft bubbles over her alabaster skin. She let the water block out the sounds around her and soon she was aware of nothing but the gentle movement of the bath water.
She was pulled from her reverie by a sudden jerking movement from her abdomen. Smiling, she sat up slightly and placed both hands over the small bump, thinking back to the scan she had had the previous week, courtesy of Hound.
.o
"So kiddo, your baby is cookin' nicely. He or she is about the size of an avocado now. Now that you're at sixteen weeks and in your second trimester, you'll probably feel increased movement from the foetus." Hound straightened to his full height as Cordelia straightened her jumper.
They were inside the barn that Optimus usually took shelter in. Outside the weather was snowy but calm. In November, the temperature in West Yellowstone rarely rose above 2 degrees Celsius. Cordelia wore a thick, oversized grey cable-knit jumper paired with thermal black leggings. Over her leggings she wore grey legwarmers and a pair of brown winter boots. Her expanding waistline meant that leggings were playing an increasing role in her wardrobe.
Burying her face into the thick folds of her jumper, Cordelia looked up at Hound. "Hound, how much do you know about pregnancy?" At his raised brow, she back-pedalled a little and rephrased her question. "What I mean is, have you learned any more about pregnancy since you discovered mine?"
He laughed and tucked his cigar into a little subspace on the side of his helm. "Sure titch, I was just teasin' ya. But yeah, I have researched and I'm confident I know pretty much all there is to know about human gestation. For example, did you know that your baby's circulatory system is now functional and the heart pumps an average of twenty-five quarts a day. It can also hear your voice and they'll experience a growth spurt in the second trimester."
"Woah, you really have learned everything there is to know."
"To be fair, Ratchet compiled a lot of data and knowledge about it before he…y'know." Cordelia nodded sadly and patted his foot sympathetically.
"He was one hell of a bot. I miss him." Hound leaned down and ruffled her hair whilst somehow imitating a perfect sigh.
"You and me both kiddo. You and me both."
.o
Another flurry of energetic kicks pulled Cordelia from her daydream. She smiled wryly to herself and splayed her fingers over her bump.
"You sure are full of beans today." She said quietly, watching with fascination as the skin over her bump moved and rose up with the movements of her baby.
She thought about the odd sensations of popping and fluttering, her green eyes greedily tracking the movement of her avocado sized baby. She reached up and applied a little pressure in the space where the baby had last kicked. She was surprised to feel how rock hard the muscles of her abdomen had become. To her amazement, she felt a stronger kick in response to the pressure she applied. She tried again, but this time there was no kick.
She smiled to herself. "You tired yourself out now huh?" She stroked the bump affectionately before pulling the plug and getting out of the bathtub.
She wrapped the towelling dressing gown around herself and made her way through to the bedroom, opening the oak wardrobe.
She decided on a brown knitted jumper, coupled with dark blue skinny maternity jeans and knee-high boots. She was grateful for the jeans' elasticated waistline. It allowed her to sit down without making her feel like she was about to be cut in half.
Once she was dressed, she made her way over to the dressing table and applied a little make up. She kept it simple, dabbing on some brown eyeshadow and a few coats of mascara. Since being pregnant, her hair had become thicker and glossier than it had ever been before. She squirted a little mousse into her palm, rubbing her hands together before working it through her hair from top to bottom. Her hair was now halfway down her back, falling in soft auburn waves that were not quite curly, but not straight either.
The pregnancy had also added a bit of colour to her usually alabaster complexion, so she didn't really need to apply any blusher.
Satisfied with her appearance, she pulled on her heavy winter boots and made her way down the stairs. Optimus was sat in his favourite armchair, his well-thumbed copy of 'Eragon' clasped between his silver hands.
Upon seeing her enter the living room, he stood, a warm smile on his face.
"You look simply radiant, Lia. Did you enjoy your bath?"
"Yes, thank you. That was the best way to relax after waking up. I feel so much more refreshed now. And someone else decided to treat me to a gymnastics show." She said, subconsciously placing one hand over the small mound that was her abdomen.
Optimus chuckled and opened the front door. "Shall we?" He stood back to allow her to exit the house first and then locked the door behind him. The red and blue Western Star truck was parked right in front of the house, glinting brightly in the sunlight.
Optimus walked over to the passenger's side and graciously opened the door for Cordelia, lifting her in easily with one arm. She settled herself in the comfortable seat that moulded itself perfectly to the contours of her changing body.
A delicious warmth began to spread underneath her legs and back, and she snuggled down into it, keen to keep as warm as she could in the -3°C temperature. Optimus deactivated his holoform and reactivated it so that he was seated comfortably in the driver's seat.
Cordelia raised an incredulous brow. "You're gonna drive the human way?"
Optimus side-eyed her as he eased the truck into gear. "Indeed little one, I am going to drive the 'human' way." She watched as his boot like feet manipulated the pedals, finding the biting point perfectly.
The truck moved forward smoothly, never deviating from the course that Optimus set it on.
"Where are we going?" She asked, scrutinising his face for any clues.
Optimus tapped his nose playfully. "That is for me to know and for you to find out. We're only driving part of the way though. We'll walk the rest."
Cordelia didn't answer but merely nodded and set her gaze to look out of the window. The mountains that surrounded their ranch were all snow-capped with a few breaks of green pine forest. The morning mist was just beginning to rise, giving the whole environment a slightly eery feeling.
Optimus hummed quietly to himself as he drove along, both hands resting easily on the steering wheel as he navigated the narrow single-track roads.
A few weeks before he'd arranged for snow chains to be put on his vehicular mode, allowing him more purchase in the harsh driving conditions that came with living in West Yellowstone in wintertime.
Another ten minutes or so went by as they sat in a companionable silence, each happy to just enjoy the other's company.
Optimus brought the truck to a halt, turning to look at Cordelia. "Got any ideas yet?" He asked with a grin.
She gave him an answering smile. "We're not going to the lake by any chance, are we?"
"I thought you'd like to go there; it's a beautiful place and I know you love it there. I'm going to transform now."
Cordelia undid her seatbelt and slid out of the truck, taking a step back as various truck pieces moved and shifted until they formed a thirty-two-foot-tall robot.
Cordelia craned her neck so that she could see Optimus' face as he tilted his head downward to look at her. He knelt in one fluid motion, causing a small snowbank to dislodge and shower Cordelia in cold clumps.
"Pardon me, I'm sorry little one," he said apologetically as he used one finger to gently dislodge the worst of the snow from her. When he'd removed all of the snow, he offered her his open palm. "Do you need a lift, milady?"
She snorted with laughter and clambered onto his proffered palm, assuming her usual position of leaning back against his fingers with one arm hooked around his thumb.
There was the usual vestibular sensation that one feels when they first ascend in an elevator as Optimus rose to his full height.
The new perspective that Cordelia had when at Optimus' level never failed to take her breath away. She could see over the tops of all the trees and could even see cliff faces in the near distance. Somehow the mountains didn't seem so enclosing from this point of view.
She swayed to and fro a little with the smooth motion of Optimus' walk. He trod carefully, mindful to avoid exposed roots and animal dens. Once he had inadvertently trod on, and subsequently squashed Director Charlotte Mearing's Ferrari.
One handy trick that Optimus had was being able to send heat to any part of his body. Cordelia was particularly grateful for this as Optimus carried her through the dense forest. The warm metal beneath her helped to keep out the harsh sting of the winter air.
"Lia?" Optimus' voice came out a little higher than usual, causing Cordelia to look up at him in surprise.
"Mmhmm?"
"May I ask you a question?"
"You just did," she said, her tone teasing. "But you can ask me another if you want to."
The hand that Optimus was holding her in jostled slightly as he chuckled at her light-hearted response. "Do you find me…physically intimidating?"
Cordelia pulled off the woollen scarf that was covering her mouth and chin, looking up at him in confusion. His enormous face was tilted down to look at her, his optics looking nervous, waiting for her answer.
She pulled herself into a kneeling position on his wide palm. "What do you mean, 'physically intimidating'? Op, I'm not gonna lie; that's a really random question."
His audial covers rotated this way and that as a myriad of different expressions crossed his face. "Well…I mean, are you intimidated by my size? The fact that I am…significantly larger than yourself…do you mind me holding you, picking you up et cetera…" his voice trailed off and she knew that if he was physically capable of doing so, he would be biting his lip.
"No, and I promise I say that with a million percent honesty. I mean, in the beginning it took a bit to get used to you. It's not every day that someone meets a giant robot…but no, I was never intimidated by you. It was more getting used to being physically aware of you. But I knew somehow instinctively that I could trust you as soon as I saw you, I mean, you wouldn't have saved me otherwise, would you? You could have just let me fall…"
There was a loud whir as Optimus took in a large volume of air through the vents on the back of his head – his version of a gasp. "As for you picking me up and holding me…" she patted his hand affectionately and planted a small kiss on the tip of his thumb. "I love it. It makes me feel safe. Plus, who else gets a view like this when they're travelling with their bestest ever friend?!"
"Oh Lia, what did I ever do to deserve you?" He said quietly, looking down at her with an expression of pure adoration on his silver and blue face.
With Optimus' long stride, they made it to the lake in record time. He knelt and placed his hand down on the ground, allowing Cordelia to step off onto the powdery snow. The snowfall was deep, easily coming up to Cordelia's shins. She was grateful for her insulated snow boots, safe in the knowledge that her feet would be toasty warm for the whole time that she was outside.
Optimus straightened to his full height, surveying something out in the distance.
Whilst his attention was momentarily diverted, Cordelia took advantage of the moment to take him in.
She had to crane her neck to see all of him, and when his face was not turned down to look at her, she could just see the underside of his chin. His legs were like pillars next to her, the joints and hydraulics within them hissing as if in protest to the bitter cold.
Grinning, she bent down, which was not as easy as it had been a few weeks ago. It felt as if she was trying to bend down whilst a bowling ball was attached to her abdomen. She had to put one hand down into the cold snow to counteract the effect of her new top-heaviness.
She spread her arms wide and gathered as much snow as she could into her small hands. Risking a quick glance up at Optimus, she was pleased to see he had not yet turned his gaze back to her.
Scrunching the snow into a ball and packing it tight, Cordelia raised her arm in preparation for what she hoped would be an effective throw. The snowball sailed through the air and hit Optimus straight in his left knee.
Cordelia couldn't help it, she burst out laughing at the look of shock and surprise on Optimus' face.
"Oh," he rumbled ominously; "so that's how you're going to play it, is it?" He knelt and cupped a small (for him) handful of snow and dropped it lightly on Cordelia's head. She gasped as it trickled down the back of her neck.
A hysterical and mismatched snowball fight ensued, Cordelia lobbing as many snowballs as she could at Optimus' legs whilst Optimus gently flicked snow at her as she ran between his feet.
After twenty minutes of rambunctious snow fighting, Cordelia collapsed in a heap. The baby inside her kicked hard, as if she was annoyed at having her quiet world rocked so energetically.
Optimus folded himself into a truck and materialised his holoform, flopping down beside her in the snow.
"That. Was. Awesome." Cordelia said breathlessly, turning her face to look at Optimus. He was wearing a broad grin, his azure optics tilted upwards.
"Well milady, you put up a fair fight. I concede defeat." He got up and held his hand out to her. She took it and he hoisted her effortlessly to her feet. "Would you like something to drink?" She followed him as he walked over to the truck and produced a large green drinking flask.
He deftly unscrewed the lid and poured the steaming liquid into it and then handed it to Cordelia.
The warmth through the plastic cup was delicious to her cold hands, which felt like they were about to fall off. "You really do think of everything, don't you?" She said, taking a long sip of the delicious hot chocolate.
"As if I would bring you outdoors in minus temperatures without having a hot drink to hand." He rolled his optics in mock indignation and moved to lean against the front tyre of the truck, folding his arms.
Cordelia snorted hot chocolate down herself in laughter. He looked so normal, yet so out of place at the same time, a robotic entity amongst all the majesty of nature. It was surreal, and she found her chest swelling with pride at the mere sight of him.
.o
When the sun began its descent, Optimus deactivated his holoform and transformed to his robotic mode, once again offering Cordelia his open palm.
Cordelia found herself dozing off on the short walk back to the ranch house, soothed by the sooth motion of Optimus' walk and the warm surface of his metallic skin beneath her small body.
She woke to a light jolt as Optimus laid his hand on the porch and very gently tipped her onto her feet on the ground. He rose, transformed back into the Western Star and materialised his holoform beside her.
"Hungry?"
She nodded and was treated to a delicious meal of chicken and mushroom risotto with birthday cake for dessert. It was delicious and after the dishes had been washed and put away, Optimus pulled Cordelia to sit with him on the plush leather couch.
"Now, it is time for your final gift." He reached behind him and produced a small, rectangular parcel that was done up in simple, royal blue wrapping paper. He slipped it onto Cordelia's lap.
She reached for the label that had been tied to it delicately with red ribbon. It read;
To my dearest Cordelia,
With love on your birthday, now and always,
Optimus
She slipped her finger under a gap in the blue paper and deftly tore it open. She pulled out a small book, reading the title. You are Amazing, Remember That: Inspirational Journal with Quotes on Every other Page.
She opened it to the first page, eager to read what was written on it.
Challenges are what makes life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful. – Joshua J. Marine
"Oh Optimus, I don't know what to say – thank you so, so much. This has been one of the best birthdays that I've ever had." She threw her arms around Optimus' neck and clung to him like a koala bear, planting a small kiss on his cheek.
He pulled back and smiled warmly at her. "Anything for you little one, now and always."
.o
The rest of November passed quickly, and before Cordelia knew it, December was upon them.
By the middle of December, the local town was strewn with Christmas lights and trees. Due to the fact that Optimus and Cordelia had missed their first Christmas on the ranch due to the war, they had not yet acquired their Christmas tree.
On one particularly cold day in the middle of December, Optimus expressed a wish to go to town and get a Christmas tree.
"Should we go? I don't quite understand the human tradition of erecting a Picea tree within the domicile, but I quite like it."
Cordelia finished her tea and put the empty mug in the sink. "Sure, big guy, let me just go to the toilet and then we'll go."
In the last fortnight, Cordelia's bump had expanded even more. She'd had a short bout of morning sickness, but it hadn't been as severe as the hyperemesis gravidarum that she had experienced in the first trimester of her pregnancy.
She went to the toilet and then wrapped herself in her thick winter jacket, zipping it right up to her chin.
Optimus graciously helped her into his cab and then deactivated his holoform before materialising it in the driver's seat, this time in his human guise.
He eased the truck into gear and pulled easily out of the horseshoe shaped driveway, humming tunelessly to himself as the world on either side of them rolled by.
It was about a twenty-five-minute drive into town and the time allowed Cordelia's mind to wonder.
She thought back to the Christmases of her youth, when she'd write letter after letter to Father Christmas, begging him for a new home and for her mother, wherever she was, to come back and take her away from her father.
They'd never even had so much as a scrap of tinsel in the flat at Christmas time. Cordelia considered it a good Christmas if her father just fell asleep drunk on the couch without attempting to force himself on her.
She'd been content to sit quietly in her room, making up endless scenarios of happy families sat at a hearty table, a steaming turkey taking pride of place in the centre. She imagined games of charades in the lounge after lunch, everybody's bellies bursting from over-indulgence in the Christmas Dinner.
She turned her gaze to Optimus, who had chosen a bizarre outfit of a light up Christmas reindeer jumper that sang 'We wish you a Merry Christmas' when you pinched its nose, a pair of cargo trousers and finished the look off with a well-worn black leather jacket.
He tapped idly on the steering wheel as he waited for a red light to change to green. The town had gone all out on the Christmas decorations. Angels and reindeers were strewn from all the lampposts, connected with multicoloured lights that swayed in the slight wind.
Businesses had erected Christmas trees in their display windows, and the local toy shop had put an extravagant train set in the window, set in a snowy scene. Cordelia watched as the steam locomotive zoomed itself around and around, a little plume of steam following it.
Optimus pulled into a conveniently sized parking space and turned the engine off. As Cordelia moved to unfasten her seatbelt, she felt a sudden flurry of activity behind her naval. It took her by surprise, the little flicking sensation that felt like a flurry of bubbles popping and moving behind her skin. She grabbed Optimus' hand.
"The baby! She's kicking again." She watched as Optimus' slightly wrinkled face melted into a huge smile. His whole hand still covered her bump, even though it had expanded considerably in the last couple of weeks. He ran his thumb back and forth over it affectionately, leaning down to speak directly to it.
"Well, you certainly like to make yourself known, don't you young lady?" A strong flicking motion answered him, almost defiantly.
Cordelia laughed and cradled his hand in her own, using both as he still dwarfed her even in his human holoform. "Optimus, it's just come to me!"
He lifted his head to gaze inquisitorially at her, his blue eyes twinkling like his optics did. "Oh? What has just come to you?"
"What we can call her! Well, not her actual name but kind of like a nickname! I don't want to just keep calling her the 'baby', she's a living thing inside of me and I want her to have a name, even if it is just a nickname for the time being. So, because of the flicking motion that she gives me when she kicks, how about…Flick?"
He scrunched his face up in evident dislike. "Pardon me for saying so Lia, but her existence is so much more than a mere flick…it is", he brought his hands together as if cupping an invisible ball. "She is like…a supernova. She has exploded into your life in a burst of colour and beauty; momentarily eclipsing everything else." He rested one hand over her naval affectionately. "She is infinite, and deserves a name befitting her. My apologies little one, it is just, a name is an important part of any person's life. It must be chosen wisely."
She smiled and rested her hand over his, marvelling at how real his human skin felt.
"Optimus, you don't need to apologise, you are just as important in this baby's life as anyone, you—" she sat up suddenly, the sudden movement dislodging Optimus' hand.
Worry found its way onto his face, his forehead wrinkling in obvious concern. "Lia? What is it? What is the matter?"
She looked down at the small but growing bump and caressed it gently with a small hand. "Optimus, I think you've just found her name."
"Oh?" His eyebrows raised inquisitively, his blue eyes questioning her with their intense gaze.
"Nova. Her name will be Nova. It's perfect."
.o
They ended up picking up a seven-and-a-half-foot tall classic Christmas tree from a local Christmas tree farm run by a kindly old couple who insisted on having them both indoors for hot chocolate whilst their grandson prepared the tree for the journey back to the ranch.
Optimus politely refused his, but Cordelia gratefully accepted a mug of the steaming liquid, complete with marshmallows and cream. She stirred it all together, so it made a fluffy, mushy mix in her mug and drank it in record time.
As the hot liquid travelled down into her stomach, she felt a sudden squirming sensation in her abdomen. Smiling silently to herself, she looked out of the window to see the old couple's grandson making his way back up the garden path, his shoulders hunched against the winter cold.
He let himself in through the back door, kicking the excess snow from his boots.
"That's the tree all rigged up for you Mr Prime, do you want a hand to carry it to your car?"
"That won't be necessary but thank you for the offer." Optimus said as he handed over a handful of bills to the teenager.
Cordelia rose and shrugged on her jacket. "Thank you so much for the hot chocolate!" she called over her shoulder as Optimus held the door open for her.
Once they were outside, Optimus bent low and picked up the enormous tree as easily as if it weighed no more than a bag full of groceries. He positioned it so that it was laying over his right shoulder, leaving his left arm (and arm of choice) free.
"Jeez Optimus, do you want a hand with that?"
"No, it hardly weighs anything. I've lifted heavier scraplets." He winked and his blue eyes caught the sunlight exactly the same way his optics did when he was in his robot mode.
He secured the tree to the back of his cab using the red and blue chains that hung from it.
The drive back to the ranch was full of cheesy Christmas songs, which they both sung as loudly as they could.
.o
The days melted together and soon it was Christmas Day and it was the best that Cordelia had ever had.
All the Autobots crammed their holoforms into the ranch house's living room and patiently watched as Cordelia tried to teach them the basic principles of charades and Christmas crackers.
Bumblebee was easily the best at charades and Crosshairs snarled in temper every time he failed to guess whatever Bumblebee was miming.
Leo arrived around midday for Optimus' legendary Christmas dinner and by early evening, he and Cordelia were about ready to burst out of their trousers.
"At this rate I think I'll need to borrow a pair of your maternity jeans Lia." Leo said, patting his swollen belly. He settled back in the armchair by the fire, nursing a glass of red wine, twisting it to and fro by the stem of the glass.
Cordelia had her own drink of lemon flavoured San Pellegrino. She felt that if she consumed any more food or drink, she truly would explode.
At nightfall, the Autobots excused themselves to go on patrol, leaving Optimus, Leo and Cordelia alone in the suddenly larger living room.
Wordlessly, Optimus approached Cordelia and scooped her easily up into his armoured arms. She rested her head against his chest, feeling the warm thrum of his Spark against her cheek.
He kept her cradled in one arm whilst he deftly pulled back the bedcovers with the other. He placed her into bed, which was deliciously comfortable and welcome after the long day of socialising.
The last thing she was aware of were his lip plates clicking on her cheek in his version of a kiss and his rumbling baritone voice wishing her goodnight.