I only own Marianne


Decorating

Wednesday, 12-1, 7:45 AM

I sit up on my berth and look over at Carrier and Sire's door. I spent most of yesterday coloring in my datapad coloring book, since Ratchet wouldn't let me do anything else. I slide off my berth and pad barefooted in my Strawberry Shortcake nightgown over to their door before knocking. "Mommy?"

The door opens, and Carrier steps in. She and Sire spent an hour in the upstairs medbay with Ratchet yesterday, while Bumbee sat with me. Ever since then, they've both been sadder than usual, and they give me upset looks when they think I don't notice. I think he told them I might not survive this last earth-year before I turn six. She shifts down to holoform and crouches to me. "How are you feeling, Baby?"

"Bettew. Wanna go ge's twee!"

"All right. Give me a minute, and we'll get you dressed."

"Otay."

Carrier ducks back into their room in her normal form and talks to Sire for a minute before coming back. "All right. Your Sire says we're going to Montana, so we have to get you dressed really warm, okay?" I nod, and she returns to holoform before pulling out my clothes. Once I pull on clean underwear, she helps me into several layers of clothes: lavender long johns and socks, a light pink Strawberry Shortcake shirt and orange leggings with orange socks, and finally, an orange fleece pullover and dark pink jeans with thermal socks, a dark pink fleece vest, my orange hiking boots and dark pink knit hat and gloves. She slips a compass on a string over my head, clips an orange pacifier to my collar and buckles a pink fanny pack with my inhaler, some chapstick, and a water bottle around my waist. Before anything else, she hands me a purple pill and a red vitamin. I stick them into my mouth and chew them up one at a time. "Ratchet said we need to take you to see an optometrist before we get the tree."

"Mommy…"

"You failed an eye exam, Sweetspark. You need—"

"Den I wanna has Watch owder gwasses! He 'no' wha' I needs! I no needs see eyes doctow!" I shout with my binky in my mouth. "I wanna ge' twee now!" I stomp my foot. Ratchet spent half an hour in the downstairs medical bay, testing my pretender form's eyes for vision problems and finding the required prescription to make me able to see clearly again, before he took Sire and Carrier into the upstairs medical bay—mainly for life-or-death emergencies and breaking bad news rather than minor injuries or illness.

Carrier sighs before pulling out her dark pink human cell phone and calling Agent Fowler.

"Fowler."

"Rick sent you Mari's optical prescription, right?"

"Yes…"

"Pick out something that's not too flashy at the optical shop in the mall. They'll have them done in a few minutes." She sighs. "The woman running "Sewing by Jessica" needs to sign a confidentiality form. CodeP."

"Yes, Ma'am. I'll meet you at the house in an hour."

"I'll see you then. Thank you."

"Buh-bye."

Carrier sighs. "We'll have to go the the fake house for about an hour, Sweetspark, then we'll get the tree. Okay?" I nod, a frown plastered on my face. She crouches in front of me in her holoform. "Sweetspark…think you could eat something for me while we're waiting there?"

"I twy…"

She hugs me. "That's all I ask." She stands and returns to her normal form before stepping over to their door. "Orion?" She pauses. "Mari and I need to meet Agent Fowler at the fake house. Make sure Bee's ready to leave when we get back. Mari's really anxious about getting the tree."


Elita One's POV

I sigh heavily as I pull up to the fake house and park in the driveway. "All right, Sweetspark. We're home." I climb out and slide the seat forward before undoing the restraints so I can take her out of her booster. It's got full car seat restraints, which we have to use because of her low weight. Even though her redesigned pretender form was made to mimic the human body, but it hasn't really mimicked the growth restrictions of malnutrition very well. She's the right height for a healthy child, but everything else…

I scoop my bundled daughter up and carry her inside as quickly as I can. She's recovering from a stomach bug—I can't let her purge because she's too hot.

I set her in her booster at the table before turning to the stove. "What do you want to eat, Sweetspark? It has to be something gentle on your tummy, so…"

"Oa'meal? Wif st'awberry, an…" She pauses. I have to force myself to hold back tears. She actually wants to eat! "I has waffle too?"

"Of course, Sweetspark!" I start pulling out what I'll need to cook her food, all the while glancing out the corner of my eye at her. Once the water's on, and I have the waffle iron warming up, I step over to take her hat and gloves so she can eat, then turn back to the stove.


Ratchet leads Orion and I into the upstairs medical bay, his expression hard. He motions us to sit on one of the emergency medical berths before sitting on the other. "I sincerely hoped this wouldn't become necessary…" He sighs heavily. "Mari's severely malnourished. Between energon shortage after energon shortage, the number of times we've had to ration in the last year, Mari's inability to stomach most human food because of her heightened sensory network, and our severe lack of minerals for her energon…" He trails off, and I can tell he's barely holding himself together long enough to be professional. "She's fading. If we can't find a stable supply of energon before long, she won't make it to her sixth vorn…"

I give him a desperate look. "What about my energon? Can't you reactivate my Carrier programs?"

"Unless we find an energon deposit within the month, we'll only be straining another bot's systems beyond what they can safely take, Elita."

"I have Carrier programing as well."

"Optimus…" He shakes his head. "Parental desperation is a comforting sign with creators in your position, but trust me, it will only create more problems unless we find a large deposit before Megatron does."

"I am well aware, Ratchet." He sighs. "But there has to be something we can do for her."

"If I had any more ideas, we wouldn't be having this conversation. She's weak, she's sick all the time, her immunity is far too low for my liking, and she failed her eye exam today. I'm already taking her shopping in two days to try and find her something among humankind that won't make her purge. There's not much else we can do now. It's all in her hands." Ratchet sighs heavily. "If we find a deposit before the end of the year, we'll try sparkling energon. It's a lot better for her than low grade is, especially in her weakened condition."


I sigh and dish up the oatmeal before putting the strawberries I'd already diced into it and stirring. Once that's finished, I put a quarter of the waffle on the plate and cut it up. Once it's cut, I put some strawberry syrup on top—it's the only flavor she really likes—and carry the two dishes to the table. While she eats—slowly—I finish the last of the waffle off, wash the dishes I'd used to cook, and move to the door to watch for Agent Fowler.

The man pulls up a few minutes later and I let him in before leading him to Mari. "Sweetspark…"

Agent Fowler pulls out a light pink case, and opens it to reveal a kids' pair of glasses—clear in front, with pink and purple earpieces and hearts on the hinges. He steps over and slips them on her face before checking to make sure they fit her well, then steps back. "Well, that's about all we need to do here."

"Thank you, Agent Fowler."

"It's really no problem, Ma'am. I-I hope she starts feeling better soon."

"We all do…"


Normal POV

"We go get twee now?"

"As soon as we get home and get your sire and brother."

"Yay!" I run out to her vehicle mode and climb in.

I run over to Sire and grin as Carrier runs up behind me with my hat and gloves. She pulls the hat on before helping me into my gloves. "Daddy, Daddy! It's time'a ge' twee!"

"I know." He holds up a hand. His holoform is wearing a red polo and jeans with a blue and white puffy jacket. "Hold up, Sweetspark."

I pout. "Why I gotta wait now?"

"Because I have to get my trailer hooked up first. Bumblebee, watch your sister."

I look up to Bumbee. His holoform is wearing a yellow, black, and white striped shirt and dark blue jeans with a black and yellow hoodie and yellow coat vest. On his feet are black tennis shoes with yellow laces. "Hi, Bumbee. Wanna go ge' twee."

"I know, Little Sister." He crouches in front of me. "But we have to wait for Sire. He's not quite ready yet."


We pull up to a large, empty forest. Sire climbs out in holoform before helping everyone out, twirling me before setting me down. We head off to choose our large, main room tree.

When we finally find it, Sire cuts it down before carrying the taller-than-him tree to the truck. Once he gets it put away in the trailer, he calls back for a bridge.


Once we're home, Carrier helps me out of my now-wet clothes and into a light blue long sleeved dress with silver snowflakes at the hem and a silver waistband with a bow, blue and silver snowflake print tights, and silver Mary Jane shoes, while Sire goes out after a stand for the Christmas tree.

We head out to the main room to join the bots not on patrol. Miko jumps up from her spot on the couch. "Are we ready to do this thing or what?"

"We're just waiting on Orion."

Jack sighs and leans on the railing. "How's Mari feeling?"

"I's 'kay, Jacksie." While I'm happy I don't have to worry about pretending to be okay anymore, I hate that they know.

"That's good, Sweetspark." He turns to face Carrier. "Guess it's time we get to work, then?" He sighs heavily. "Mom's still at work, but the rest of us can help…"

"Does June even know…about Mari's condition?"

Jack rubs the back of his neck as he glances at Miko and Raf. "She knows Mari's been sick, and she knows about the energon shortage, but I don't think she knows how bad Mari's gotten…" He lets out a shakey sigh. "That this could be her last Christmas…"

I look down. I don't want them worrying about me. "Where's Aidie? An' Spot? An' Streets?"

"They're on their way, Sweetspark." She crouches to me. "Ready to get started?"

I nod, my new glasses sliding down my nose. I push them up again with a huff before grinning up at her. "Yep!"


Carrier pulls out the bags from day before yesterday and starts pulling out decorations. She smiles as she pulls out the wreaths. "These need to be hung on your doors as soon as possible." Carrier pulls out the blue one first. "Arcee…" The green ones… "This ornament one is for your door, Bulkhead…and this one's for above the ground bridge, if you would, Hot Spot…"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"This one's yours, Bee." He takes it and starts back to hang it up, prompting Arcee and Bulkhead to follow. "This one's for your room, Streetwise." She turns to Ratchet. "This one's for you, and we've got an extra if you want one in the medical bay downstairs."

"This is fine, Elita."

Carrier sighs and hands First Aid a red ornament wreath. "Could you put this on mine and Optimus' door, please?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Hot Spot, we'll need Defensor's help with the ceiling lights, once Aid returns."

He nods. "Protectobots, form Defensor!"

I squeal and clap as the massive bot takes shape in front of me. "'Fensor! 'Fensor!" I jump at his feet. "Uppy, up!"

"Mariposa…" Carrier sighs and gives the titan an apologetic look.

"She's fine, Elita." The massive hands pick me up and set me on one massive shoulder, then reach over for the icicle lights. After Carrier gets them ready, he strings them across hooks they must have put up yesterday, while I was resting.

While they're putting up the icicle lights, Carrier starts unpacking the Nativity scene with Jack and Miko, and Raf starts coiling the lighted evergreen garland around the railings on the platforms.

Defensor shifts down to his component parts, and takes the rainbow lights before heading back for the game room and kitchen. Carrier hands Miko the stocking I'd chosen, and she runs over and hangs it by the elevator. "That way, Santa can get to it!"

Carrier gives Miko a confused look. "Who's Santa?"

"He's this fat guy that brings presents to good children on Christmas Eve."

Carrier raises an eyebrow ridge, causing Jack to sigh. "Miko, take Mari back to her room for a minute."

"Jack, I knows the story alweadys."

Miko gives me a surprised look. "And you still believe?"

"Uh-huh!" I giggle. "I always have! Even when I looky likes you!"

Jack shrugs. "Okay then…" He sighs. "I don't know exactly where it started, but "Santa" is actually the Mom and Dad. Again, I don't know the whole story, but it's a tradition to leave out milk and cookies for him, and some parents leave treats for the reindeer as well. The parent, of course, to keep the child's belief, eats the cookies, drinks the milk, and leaves presents from "him" under the tree for their children."

"And this doesn't scare the children?"

"Some of them are scared to take pictures with the people who play him in the mall, or even sit on his lap and tell him what they want for Christmas because he's a stranger, but the idea of him doesn't scare the kids, no."

"I likes Santa, Mommy!" I start skipping around the main room, singing as loud as I can while still doing my best.

Here comes Santa Claus,
Here comes Santa Claus,
Right down Santa Claus lane
Vixen, Blitzen, all his reindeer
Pulling on the reins
Bells are ringing, children singing
All is merry and bright
Hang your stockings and say a prayer
'Cause Santa Claus comes tonight


Third POV

Optimus transforms and steps over to where the humans are talking with his bondmate with a chuckle over their skipping, singing daughter. "Looks like someone's having a good day."

Elita nods. "I managed to get her to eat something this morning—and it's stayed down thank the All Spark—and she's been helping decorate."

"Did Agent Fowler get her glasses?"

Elita nods. "And she's doing well with them so far." She sighs heavily and looks up to her bonded sadly. "What if…" She leans into him. "What if she doesn't make it, Orion? What if we lose her?"

"We will make it through this, Sweetspark. We cannot give up just yet—not while she still has such life in her."

Elita sighs. "I know… She's just…so tiny, Orion… She barely weighs enough to be out of a human's car seat, and she's still barely eating enough to keep a sparrow alive."

"Mommy!"

"You are being summoned, Ariel."

"Mommy! Sing with me!"

Elita laughs softly. "So it seems."


Optimus' POV

I watch my bond-mate and our tiny daughter dance around the room for a moment before turning to get the tree set up. While the children and Elita are singing something cheerful—something about a living snowman—I've got a more solemn song playing privately over my comm.

It's the news that no one hopes for
Every parent's greatest fear
Finding out the child you love so much
Might not make it through the year
Now the thought of spending Christmas
Without him just feels wrong
They've been praying for a miracle
Now they're praying he can just hold on

As the prime, I have no choice but to hold it together in the worst of times. I have to be a rock for my people to turn to. Now I am the one in a crisis—I personally need someone to turn to, and I find I cannot bear to burden my team with the weight I carry. My daughter—a dynasty prime in her own right—is dying from malnutrition. We have money to buy her food—that is not the issue. She is unable to stomach most human food after almost a vorn without it, and we have very little energon, and no minerals to speak of for her energon. Even with Ratchet doing his best, we could lose her within the next four earth months.

They said he wouldn't make it
Looks like he got to see it after all…

One last Christmas, one last time
One last season when all the world is right
One more telling of the story
One more verse of silent night
They gave everything so he could have
One last Christmas
One last Christmas…

Their song has changed, and they have stopped dancing around the room, leaving Mariposa standing in the center of the room, singing alone, while the humans rush around, spreading signs of their holiday around our temporary home.

I'll be home for Christmas
You can count on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents under the tree
Christmas eve will find me
Where the love-light gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams

I—embarrassingly—jump as Elita settles beside where I am knelt, attempting to get the tree into the stand. "Are you okay?" I sigh heavily. "Orion, it's not wrong to let someone in."

"I will be fine, Ariel. I…" I sigh heavily, trying to keep the emotion out of my tone. "I don't want to watch her die…"

"I don't want to either." She sighs. "But we'll find a deposit soon. We just have to keep hope."

"We have no other choice." I sigh and stand before nodding. "Mariposa."


Normal POV

I look up to Sire with a smile as he continues. "It is time to decorate the tree."

I squeal and run over to him to watch as he strings the lights and garland around the tree, then turns to the rest of us. Miko's got the tubs of ornaments opened up, so I run over and pull a large pink bulb out before running over to hang it as high as I can reach, prompting the other bots to start grabbing the pink, purple, teal, and blue ornaments and putting them on the tree. "Come on, Mommy! Help us!"

Carrier nods, but walks over to the bags still waiting in the middle of the room. "I got some special ornaments for the team while the two of you were picking Mari's tree."

"Oh!" Miko smiles. "Cool!"

Carrier pulls out a purple and lime green guitar first. "Miko, this one's yours…Jack…" She pulls out a cowboy boot and hands it to him, before handing him a nursing ornament. "And this one's your mother's, but you can hang it since she's not here. Raf…" She holds out a detailed laptop ornament.

"Thanks, Elita!" The preteen takes it excitedly and hooks it on one of the lowest branches.

She pulls out an ornament that looks exactly like Arcee's vehicle mode. "Arcee."

She takes the ornament and studies it. "How did you manage to find these… It's almost an exact match…" She turns and hangs it on the tree right at her eye level.

Carrier shrugs. "Bulkhead." She hands him an exact replica of his vehicle mode in ornament form, which quickly finds its way to the branch closest to Miko's guitar." "Bee."

She hands him his Camaro ornament. "Thanks, Carrier!" He hangs it beside Raf's, then turns to place said boy on his shoulder with a tub of purple ornaments so they can get to work.

"Ratchet." The medic turns from the computer, and an ambulance ornament changes hands before the medic crosses the room to join us. "Mari."

I turn and take two ornaments from Carrier—my "Princess Marianne" baby ornament, and a pink sparkly star ornament—before turning to Ratchet. "Uppy, Ratch, uppy!"

The medic shrugs before setting me on his shoulder, giving me a slight smile before turning to place his ornament on the tree. Once his is in place, he cups a hand under me, and holds me out so I can put my ornaments on as well.

"Orion." She hands Sire a semi-truck ornament and a red Autobot ornament, then takes her own Mustang ornament before turning together to hang them on the tree.

By now, most of the new ornaments are somewhere on the giant tree. Sire hands Agent Fowler's USAF ornament to Jack, who hangs it in the front of the tree for the ex-ranger. Carrier hands me a dark pink ice skate ornament, a white butterfly bulb, and a silver tiara ornament before lifting me so I can put them on the higher branches.

Arcee walks over with the boxes of candy canes, and uses her finger to gently pop the plastic wrapper before handing a box each to the three humans at our feet—blueberry for Jack, chocolate mint for Miko, and peppermint for Raf. She hands me the cherry, and Bumbee gets the raspberry.

While we hang the candy canes on the tree, Carrier lays out a giant blue tree skirt with a large silver snowflake under the tree, and Sire pulls out the box with the angel and starts unpacking it gently before kneeling to me. "Robot form, Sweetspark." I shift, and he hands me the angel before lifting me to the top of the tree. She's white and silver, with blonde hair and glowing blue wings. She's…beautiful…

I stick her on the tippy top of the tree with only a little help from Sire, then smile up at him as he sets me down. "Now…" Sire glances from me to Carrier and the humans. "Miko, would you mind helping Mari and Elita decorate her room?"

"Of course not!"


Once we're in my room, Carrier calls Defensor to hang the lights around my room, and the butterfly icicles in my doorways, then smiles as the titan shrinks back to his component parts, and all but one—Hot Spot—leaves to their other duties, while the blue fire truck remains to help, both he and Carrier in holoform.

I help Miko put the tree together, then step back and wait for Hot Spot to make it look like a real tree. Once it's shaped, Miko strings the garland—dark pink, white with snowflakes, and silver beads—around the tree. While I step over with my new Alvin and the Chipmunks ornaments, hanging them as close to the middle as I can, Miko starts wrapping the pink "evergreen" garland, already pre-lit with white lights, around the white railings closest to my elevated playspace. While Carrier and Hot Spot start with silver and teal bulbs respectively, I hang my first Christmas ornament for in here, then move on to a star shaped ornament with an ice skate, a heart-shaped ballet ornament, and a cheerleader ornament.

While Carrier kneels to put my pink and white snowflake tree skirt under the tree, and Miko starts putting my Frozen® train track together for around the tree, Hot Spot lifts me up so I can put my pink and gold angel on the tree. Once that's done, I start hanging my strawberry and raspberry candy canes on the tree. Carrier hangs my pink ornament wreath inside my room, and my aqua "evergreen" wreath outside, while Hot Spot leaves for a few minutes, with Miko on his heels. She never follows the rescue team, so this is something to think about.

Miko's the first one back, carrying a bag from the mall toy store. Inside the bag is a white box with red, green, and blue ribbon. "Open it. It's an early Christmas present."

I lift off the lid to reveal a Christmas version of the boy chipmunk stuffies I have. "Chickmunk stuffies!" I hug them, hug Miko, then go back to put them on my bed.

Hot Spot steps back in then, with the wooden Advent calendar Carrier and Sire bought two days ago. "I had to go down and pick this up from Ratchet." He sets it on my desk, beside my personal, pink desktop computer. I'd never had one before I got to Earth.

"Now, you need a nap, Sweetspark."

"NOOOO nap!"

Carrier sighs and crouches to me. "If you don't get your nap, we'll have to cancel your pageant picture appointment this afternoon."

"NOOOOOOOOO!"

Hot Spot sighs softly and lays a hand on Carrier's shoulder before moving into her spot in front of me. "How would you like to come spend a couple hours in our berth room with us?"

"Are you sure, Hot Spot?"

He smiles. "We're off for the afternoon, and we don't mind having her stay with us."

"Can I, Mommy?"

Carrier shrugs. "Why not." She turns to Hot Spot. "But you're coming with us when we go to get her pictures done. The appointment's at five, so I need you to have her back by four at the latest so I can get her ready and pick up the glitz dress she's using for photos."


Hot Spot carries me into their berth room in my bot form, with my blankie for some reason, and sets me on First Aid's lap. Blades steps over with a book. "Is you guys gonna makey me go nap?"

Blades shakes his head, and Hot Spot shrugs. "If you fall asleep, you fall asleep."

Aid sighs. "We just don't want you to make yourself sick again, so we're going to do a few calm activities."

"You know, instead of the usual games we play together."

"Oh…" I look up to Aid. "I colors, dough?"

He nods, and Groove runs out, quickly returning with my coloring data pad and the pack of styluses. She sets them on the berth before settling beside us.

Hot Spot climbs completely on the berth and pulls everyone into a surprised cuddle pile with me still on top with my blankie. I cuddle down into the pile and listen as Aid reads one of my Cybertronian princess stories, his soft voice like a lullaby, pulling me slowly toward sleep.