Optimus stared at the lithe scarlet mech with wide cerulean optics, "Knockout? The ex-Decepticon medic?"
Sideswipe just nodded.
The others looked at the two with a confused expression on their faceplates but Optimus looked concerned and surprised.
Sideswipe's faceplates were the picture of relaxed.
"How did Knockout end up Carrying? I thought his Spark-Mate Breakdown was offed by M.E.C.H?" Optimus asked, his surprise clear in his voice.
Sideswipe nodded, "Breakdown was killed but they had a contingency plan just in case some happened. The last thing Breakdown did was entrust Knockout with a piece of his Spark," Everyone gasped softly, entrusting a piece of a Spark to somebot was the epitome of trust, "Knockout knew that the Council would take Breakdown's spark so he hid it in a sub-space compartment near his spark-chamber and waited. The Council lost track of him in Tyger Pax where he was helping out and Knockout was quick to impregnate himself and fled to Altihex were he stayed at the exact same Center that I stumbled into four human months later."
Optimus looked like he wanted to ask a question but Sideswipe answered him, "Knockout delivered two healthy sparklings, a mechling named Breakout and a femmeling named Knockdown."
Optimus looked like he was torn between relieved and confused but he said nothing.
"I remember watching Knockout nurse his sparklings and all I could think was that there was no there was no way that Knockout was an ex-Decepticon; I felt like that Knockout was just created into the wrong faction," Sideswipe gave a gentle laugh and shook his helm, "I've lost count of how many times that I've listened to him singing a lullaby to his sparklings when they were fussy and I would wake up an hour or so later to him rocking their crib with one foot and reading data pads. That bot was a natural parent."
His French Blue optics softened, "I remember holding his servo as he went through ten joors of labour and I remember thinking that if a war-hardened medic could be reduced to tears then how could I even dream of surviving labour?" Sideswipe gave another laugh, "Another thing that I lost count of while I was at the center was the number of times he whacked me in the back of the helm for that. I've also lost count of the times that he rubbed the back of my neck afterwards and I never even bothered to keep track of how many times I cried in his arms. I don't know if all my outbursts were because of my hormones or because I felt like the situation was unfair," He took a shuddering breath and leaned forward, resting his helm back into his servo's, "I never thought that I would be a single parent; I always thought that I would have a spark-mate to help me out. I don't even know if Starburst is still alive but I know that Sabrehorn was imprisoned on a ship. I only know this because his name appeared on the news for attempted artefact destruction or something. Knockout was a big help during the whole fiasco; he wiped my tears, soothed me when my emotions went wild and made sure that I ate. He was just there when I needed it. He was just there."
Slipstream slowly started to rub Sideswipes servo's, "Take your time," He soothed.
Sideswipe took a shuddering breath of air, "I remember helping him with the two when I went into labour. It took us by surprise because I wasn't due for another week but we really didn't have a choice in the matter," He gave a soft, shaky chuckle, " I barely remember any of it but Knockout told me that I went through roughly nineteen joors of labour," Everybot stared at Sideswipe with wide optics, silently marvelling at how strong he must if he went through nineteen joors of labour, "I only remember the very end when Daybreaker came into the world," The smile on his face was bright and loving, "She was the most beautiful femme that I ever met, violet eyes that were a perfect mix of Starbursts and mine and she was the tiniest thing that I ever held. I was in love the second I saw her."
Windblade smiled at the soft smile that graced his faceplates but she had a question, "What happened?"
Sideswipe faceplates became somber, "Knockout and I were going to take our kids and get off Cybertron as quickly as we can. We got jobs on the CERF Calisto, Knockout was a medic and I got a job in security. Self-defense was offered at the Center and I took to it like a turbo-duck to water. I only took a few classes but the teacher was a kind but stern femme named Arcee that wanted to give down on their luck bots a second chance," Optimus jolted when Sideswipe mentioned Arcee but he held his tongue, "We were ready to go when the Council struck," He gave a soft but sarcastic scoff, "I bet they hated losing their best bot. They sent a 'old friend' to bring me back, he came through the window in the nursery and I had just put Knockdown and Breakout in their crib when this happened. I knew that I had to defend them for Knockout. Knockout pointed a gun at the mech but he struck before he could pull the trigger."
Sideswipe started to shiver and Jetstorm was ready to put a stop to this talk but Sideswipe just kept going, French blue optics glazing and looking into the distance, " The fight that ensued knocked me out but the bastard took my daughter from me," Sideswipe attention shifted from the ceiling to his servo's, "I didn't know what to do with myself; I spent days in the med bay staring into space, praying to Primus that I was just dreaming. I got so bad that they had to hook me up to a IV so I could stay alive; I just wanted to join the Allspark and see them again. It was Arcee that turned out to be my saving grace," He gave a soft huff and looked Optimus in the optics, "She tossed my aft out of the bed and dragged me to her house in Kaon. Apparently, her, Bulkhead, and Smokescreen were sharing a place while they got their lives back together; her with the Scout Corps, Bulkhead with the new Wreakers and Smokescreen with the Elite Guard. Arcee whipped my aft into shape when I started to lash out in grief," He smiled softly, "While Arcee became my physical support, Smokescreen became the mech that held me whenever I burst into tears. He was often the one that forced me to eat, tying my aft to the table and force-feeding me if I was in an uncooperative mood. I think I spent a one human year with them when Smokescreen found out that a Microcon named Will-o-Wisp knew where my daughter was. I took off to hunt him down," He gave a sad, thoughtful smile, "I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye to the lot of buggers," A glowing blue coolant tear fell down his faceplates, "I raced to Iacon and spent three weeks hunting the glitch down. I finally found him in front the statutes of the Primes and I chased him around the area. I was forced to do donuts in front of Optimus's statue to prevent the glitch from bolting when Bumblebee and Strongarm arrived and arrested me for vandalism and the rest is history."
Optimus snorted, "Is that why you hid from me the first time you met me?"
"Yep."
Soft chuckles filled the room for a minute. They tapered off when Optimus smiled softly at the bots in this room. He stood and walked over to Sideswipe, frowning when the slender mech flinched but ignoring it in favour of wrapping the mech in a hug.
Sideswipe felt his optics widen, he didn't know what to do in this situation.
Optimus's hugs felt nothing like Starburst's, Knockout's, or Smokescreen's.
Starburst's made Sideswipe feel like he was walking on air and dancing in the clouds, light and loving and full of promises of a better future that Sideswipe still clung to.
Knockout's felt like warm blankets and were loving but in a different way than Starburst; Sideswipe considered Knockout the closest thing to a Carrier and Creator in one sleek maroon package.
Smokescreen's were soft and caring but full of power. It held the promise of finding Daybreaker and stopping the Council once and for all.
Optimus's though… it was full of love, hope, sadness, and gentle power. It was as if the very land had come to life and had wrapped itself around Sideswipe.
"I'm so sorry Sideswipe," Optimus said softly and Sideswipe was shocked to hear sadness and regret in his voice, "This wasn't the Cybertron I died for. I'm so sorry," Sideswipe froze when he felt something cool down his backstrut.
He never thought that he would see this.
Optimus Prime- the greatest and last Prime that Cybertron has ever had- was crying.
He was crying for Sideswipe.
Sideswipe felt his own coolant tears gather in the corners of his optics and he didn't care.
Everybot watched as Sideswipe wrapped his arms around the great Prime and they were surprised and worried to note that both red mechs were crying.
No one had the heart to interrupt.