Very late Father's day story!
Very fluffy between Optimus and my OC!

I own nothing but Tai!

Onward!

xxxx

I'm gonna watch you shine...

xxxx

It was nearing that time of year again. The day where being a Dad was celebrated around the nation. Barbeques, ball games, and other fun activities. In three weeks, it would be Father's Day.

'Hmmm...what to get the old man?' Sam Witwicky mumbled, scratching his head. He and Tai, who had turned on her holographic skin to cover her robotic parts, were in a local Target store, looking at all the various cards.

Sam was shocked to see Tai in such a good mood. Normally, she would've been incredibly depressed and upset about today. But seeing as how she now has a Dad to celebrate this day with, she seemed happy.

'This one's pretty funny!' Tai piped up, drinking a blue slurpee as she picked one up and held it out to him.

Sam swiped it from her hand and read it over. He laughed after he was done, reaching down to pick up a envelope. 'This will work, thanks Tai!'

'You're welcome!' She grinned, checking out the gigantic cards they sold on a separate shelf. 'Hey, should I get my Dad one?'

'I don't see why not.' Sam said, looking them over with her. 'I'd recommend getting a big one.'

'Well, I was planning on it!' Tai laughed, picking one up and holding it open like a newspaper. 'Nah! Not witty enough!' She picked up another one with a poem that was about three pages. 'Oh god no, this is like homework...too many words...'

Sam shook his head. 'Okay, well, while you do that..I'm gonna go find a gift...and he was very specific when he said..'No freakin' Ties this year, boy!'

'He does have quite a large collection.' Tai said thoughtfully. 'I seriously doubt I could find a tie that big for mine...' She giggled at the visual of her Dad wearing a gigantic tie to one of the many government meetings. Optimus Prime with a tie...wow...

Sam laughed as he walked away. 'Sometimes I wonder what goes on in your processor..' He muttered, making his way to the yard work section.

Truth be told, Tai had no idea what to get her Dad. She remembered when she was a little kid, she made her human Dad numerous amounts of stuff; Ashtrays, little vases, and drew numerous amounts of pictures of them and Blurr.

But what to get for a Dad who happens to be a giant alien robot?

She jumped slightly when she felt her comlink go off. Looking around, she pressed a button behind her holographic ear, which was thankfully hidden by her hair.

'Hello...Tatyana Witwicky's comlink, if this is Wheeljack calling for me to get more crash test dummies for him to test explosions on, then I will hang up right now..'

'Although you gotta admit, the one flying and hitting your Dad in the face was priceless.' The voice of Arcee cackled on the other line.

'Oh, hey Arcee!' Tai laughed. 'What's going on?'

'Oh nothing, just calling to see what my favorite little Techno-Organic is up too.' The femme giggled. 'Ow, Sparrow, sweetie...that's attached!' The sound of Sparrow giggling made Tai's spark/heart flutter. 'Sure, laugh at my pain, little devil youngling...anywho, what'cha up too?'

'Oh, just shopping for Dad...it's Father's Day...so...'

'Father's day?' Arcee asked in confusion. 'What's that?'

Tai thought hard. How could she explain it? 'Hmm...Well, it's a day where people celebrate having a Dad...they usually get him a gift, like a card or something...'

'Ohh I get it now!' Arcee exclaimed happily. Tai couldn't help but grin. Arcee was pretty much her femme best friend, besides Mikeala and Fantasy, she could always talk to her about anything. Moonracer was too spacey, and Chromia...well...yeah...

'Soo...you gettin' anything for Optimus?' She asked slyly.

'Well, I'm looking at cards...it's kind of hard shopping for him when even the biggest card will look like a gift tag in his hand...' Tai sighed, imagining if she was an anime character, a big puff of white air would fly out of her mouth.

'Oh I bet he'd love it, he'd most likely put it on his desk...he's got tons of drawings from Sparrow all over his walls!'

'Oh yeah, my little manga artist..' Tai sighed proudly. 'She's amazing at it!'

'Hmm...maybe since your Dad likes art...maybe you can get him a painting or something.' Arcee suggested.

'All the painting's here are Marilyn Monroe or Audrey Hepburn or random shapes of various things...if I wanna get him a painting, I'd rather get him something that means alot to him...' She thought for a second. 'Oh my god! A idea just hit me!'

'What? What?' Arcee asked impatiently.

'I'll tell you when I get home...Tai, outskie...' Tai switched off her comlink then went off in search of her cousin.

xxx

After following Sam and Bee home, saying goodbye, and swiping a Dr. Pepper from the fridge, she headed home to the Autobot base just outside of Tranquility. Thank god they had so many around the nation.

'So, what were you guys doing?' Barricade's gruff voice asked through the radio.

'Father's Day shopping.' Tai said, taking a long sip of her soda, being careful not to drip any.

'Oh...' Barricade had heard of that holiday. He couldn't help but feel rather happy for his charge, who finally had a Dad to celebrate it with. Tai leaned back in the seat, really thinking about her gift idea.

'Hey 'Cade...' She asked a few seconds later. 'Is there any way any of the bots have a picture or something of my Mom?'

'Your mother?' He asked. 'You mean Elita-1?'

'Well, yeah...' She shrugged. 'I need a picture of her for my gift to my Dad...'

'Hmm...I think one of the Femme's might have one...might want to ask them..'

Tai sighed. She had a feeling which femme most likely had a picture. Hopefully, this femme wouldn't threaten her with dismemberment again.

xxx

Knock
Knock
Knock

'Chromia.'

Knock.
Knock.
Knock.

'Chromia.'

Knock.
Knock.
Knock.

'Chromia.'

The tall door opened, revealing the aggravated femme. 'What, pest? What, pest? What, pest?'

'I need a favor! It's crucially important!' Tai exclaimed.

'Coming from you, I seriously doubt it...' Chromia was about to wheel away and slam the door in the techorganic's face.

'Wait! It's about my Mom!' She exclaimed. The blue femme stopped in her tracks and turned to her. 'Elita?' Chromia asked, wheeling closer.

'Yeah, I need a picture or a holographic image or something!' Tai exclaimed hurriedly.

'For what?' The motorcycle asked, now curious instead of annoyed.

'I'm making my Dad a gift and I need a picture of Mom for it...' Tai took a deep breath as she saw the blue femme's optics soften slightly.

'Hmm...ya know...I think I have one somewhere...' She wheeled over to a large storage unit and dug through the drawer until she found a datapad.

'Here...this one was taken before she had...' She paused for a second. 'You.' She said dejectedly. Tai took the large tablet in her hands and pressed the screen. A picture then popped up revealing a bright pink femme with a kind look on her faceplates.

Tai's eye and optic widened. This was the first time she ever saw what her Cybertronian mother looked like. Sure, her Dad told her but it didn't really help her get a clear image. She really was beautiful. Her frame was slender, her face was beautiful, and she was smiling happily. Her optics were a bright ice blue...much like hers...and her cranium unit sported two slender horn like things.

'Wow...she's amazing...' Tai gasped out, touching the picture with her small robotic fingers.

'She really was..' Chromia sighed sadly. 'You couldn't find a nicer femme..it was known she was crazy about two things...your father...and you...' Chromia kneeled down in front of Tai. 'When she found out she was having a sparkling...it was the happiest orn of her life...'

Tai smiled. 'Wow...you're being nice to me...'

Chromia shrugged. 'Hey, what can I say...you've finally grown from me...or on me...or whatever it is you humans say.'

'Thanks, Chrome..' Tai smiled and hugged the femme's wheel tightly. That startled the blue motorcycle. She's never been hugged by a human before...well, by a part human before...it felt kind of...sort of...nice. Reaching down with a servo, Chromia patted Tai on her back carefully.

'You're welcome...' She said softly, straightening up a few moments later. 'Tai-dye...'

Tai smiled.

xxx

(Three weeks later.)

'Happy Father's day!' Sam exclaimed to his Dad, handing him a box and an envelope.

'Whoa, thanks kiddo!' Ron Witwicky smiled as he opened the box. He gave his son an amused glare when he saw the tie rack.

'It's not a tie!' Sam laughed, sitting down next to his old man. 'Tai picked out the card.'

Ron opened the envelope and chuckled at the picture on the card. It was a picture of Darth Vader, sitting at a kitchen table with a coffee mug that said, 'World's greatest Dad.'

And on the inside said, 'Even Vader needs a holiday.'

'Oh yeah, that is so your cousin.' Ron laughed. 'Why thank you, Son.' He then frowned. 'How's she doing today, by the way?'

'She's actually pretty happy today.' Sam told his Dad, picking up a picture of him and Tai with their Dad's when they were five. That picture was taken on Father's day as well. Man, it felt like it was just yesterday. His mom managed to get her in a cute little blue dress for that day, and of course, she got it covered in

'Does Optimus even know what Father's Day is?' Ron asked in curiosity.

'No, but I'm sure he'll figure it out.' Sam was wondering what on earth Tai got Optimus for today.

He couldn't wait to see it.

xxx

Tai finished wrapping her gift, feeling very proud of it. It took her three weeks of six hour drawing sessions to get it done. But she was happy with how it turned out

'I really hope he likes this...' She said to Sparrow, who was drawing yet another manga comic strip. Sparrow looked up and squeaked happily. 'Grampops...' She giggled, pointing to the large gift.

'That's right...it's for Gramps!' Tai giggled. 'Okay, how to move it?'

She settled on Annabelle's wagon that she let Sparrow borrow.

'Okay, here we go..' Tai then started carefully pulling the wagon down the long hallway.

'What'cha got there, babe?' Jazz, who was heading to their quarters to get Sparrow, asked.

'Oh hey baby, just a gift for my Dad.' She grunted as she continued to pull it down the hallway. Jazz quirked his head. 'You need any help?'

She stopped, suddenly feeling very stupid. 'Umm..ya know, yeah!' Jazz chuckled, before picking up the wrapped gift easily.

'What is it?' He asked curiously.

'Something pretty amazing!' Tai sighed happily, stooping down to pick up Sparrow, who was carrying her stuffed Pikachu. 'I really hope he'll like it.'

'I'm sure he will!' Jazz leant down. 'Wanna tell me what it is?'

'You'll just have to see.' Tai kissed Jazz on his metal lips quickly, scurrying towards the door to the Recreational room. She peeked inside, looking around for her Dad. There he was, sitting at the large table, going over various Data pads with a slumbering Psyche at his feet.

She felt her spark beat even faster in her chest. She couldn't believe how nervous she was. This was her Dad...the one mech, besides Jazz and Barricade, that she could talk too. But this was weird for her...she's never given him such an emotional gift. Taking a deep breath, she placed Sparrow next to Jazz and walked into the room. Jazz watched as his mate walked over to her Dad when he felt Sparrow grab his ankle.

'What's up, sweets?' He asked, kneeling down next to his daughter. She held up a colorful drawing and handed it to him happily. He looked it over and felt his own spark flutter. It was a drawing of him and her, singing what appeared to be a Pokemon song. It was pretty amazing that anime couldn't even make him look...well, adorable.

'For you, Daddy!' She cooed happily, her big green optics incredibly bright. 'Happy Daddy's day!' The little white and gray femme giggled when Jazz scooped her up and planted a noisy kiss on her small cheek.

'This is the greatest present I ever gotten!' He laughed, hugging his little daughter to him. This was so going on his and Tai's wall. If he could find room...

Tai slowly approached her Dad, and when she did, she poked him in the ankle. He started and looked won, smiling when he saw who it was.

'Hey Dad!' Tai greeted with a wave, her spark beating faster. Oh the anticipation was killer!

'Hello sweetheart.' He greeted in his usual kind tone.

'Umm...listen, I have something for you...I've worked very hard on it and I really hope you like it...wow, I am nervous...'

Optimus tilted his head in confusion. 'What's the matter?' He lowered his hand for her to climb onto and brought her up to his desk.

'I made you something, it's over there!' She pointed to the large wrapped gift by the door. Jazz and Sparrow had scampered away, which caused her to have a sweat drop moment. Optimus's optic ridges rose as he got up. Picking up the large gift, he stood up and brought it back to his desk.

'What is this?' He asked, surprised.

'Well Dad, you have to open it!' Tai was now excited. But her leg was twitching, which meant she was still incredibly nervous.

With careful fingers, he carefully unwrapped the colorful wrapping paper and revealed what was in it. His spark gave a painful jerk. It was a painting of the one femme who meant more to him than anything else in the universe.

'Oh sweetheart, this is...' He felt himself get choked up slightly but he held it in. 'This is wonderful...'

'Happy Father's day, Dad..' She said, feeling tears form in her optic and her eye, and then they fell down her face and onto her jeans. The happiness was replaced with sadness when she thought of her mom and how they never met. She tried to keep her small sobs quiet but it wasn't working. Optimus glanced over at his daughter, his spark broke at the sight of her crying.

Walking over, he gently scooped her up in his large hand and brought her up to his face.

'It's okay, my little one.' He said softly, holding her to his face. 'Let it all out...'

'I never got to meet her!' She sobbed out. 'Why does it hurt so much?'

'Shhh..I know...' He said in a soothing tone. 'It still hurts me too..'

He held her up in front of his face, and gently wiped the tears from under eyes. 'But you should know, she would've loved you very much...just like I do...'

Tai smiled through her tears, wiping them away with her fingerless gloves. 'I love you too, Dad...' She closed her eye and her optic as she leaned against his face.

This turned out to be the best Father's day for both of them.

Because they had each other.

xxx

This is way, way late because I wanted it to be posted!

This is for my own Dad, who is my best friend! Love ya, Dad!

Review!