Optimus did return from time to time to visit and check up on everything. At least once a month he would return with the rest of the team and all would report what their side of the space bridge building is progressing. One that day all could rest and take some time off. Optimus took his time off going on outings and trips with his son.
Hot Shot enjoyed the outings and such, but he still wanted to be with his father full time and not just seeing him once a month. At first he thought it was the coolest thing in having the great Optimus Prime as his real father, but the duties of a Prime were too great for even Hot Shot to like. He wanted at least a year to spend with his father, but thanks to the space bridge project that would never happen till it would finish. Hot Shot really had nothing to do but train with his sword skills and wait till the next month rolled in to see his father again.
This wasn't the life Hot Shot wanted when he eventually found his real father. He wanted to be like a little boy again and go to races and rallies with his father like every normal boy with their father. After a couple of months like this Hot Shot began to wonder if he ever had a child would he be the same way Optimus is towards him? Now Hot Shot knew Optimus loved him more than his own life, but Hot Shot did not want to be like Optimus if ever he had a child.
Hot Shot would want to be with his child everyday and watch him grow up into what he would become later on in his life. Sadly to say Hot Shot felt that Optimus missed too much of his life. Even though Optimus tried to fill that gap he could never truly fill it. There are three stages in growing up . . . baby, child, teenager, adult, and elder.
Now Hot Shot knew that no parent really ever saw their child as an elder but Optimus . . . he missed the most memorable most important stage in his life . . . his childhood. Optimus might have been there for his baby years and teenage and his adult years, but he missed the funest stage and the stage most remember . . . their childhood. That was always the best stage of you life your childhood and you felt your best when you were so young an carefree. Hot Shot knew Optimus regretted missing such an important stage of his own son's childhood, but if ever Optimus wanted him to be as close as he was to Geargadget his adopted father then he would have to be there with Hot Shot and spend much more time with him, but being a Prime was never easy and now Hot Shot wondered if, when he was just a toddler and he knew Optimus as his father, if he spent that much time with him.
When Optimus had come back on his monthly check up on the progress of the bridge Hot Shot asked him that and Optimus didn't deny that he should have spent more time with him when he was even just a toddler. Optimus told Hot Shot that there were many things he should have done but didn't. One was spend enough time with him.
"Hot Shot you have to understand how much I wanted to be with you," said Optimus as they sat outside just enjoying the stars go by. "But being a Prime—"
"I know," cut in Hot Shot shaking his head as he had already heard this before. "It's hard to be a Prime speech. Father I have heard this before. All expect so much from you . . . sometimes even when you can't give it."
"Exactly son," said Optimus turning his head to him. "Now I had a war to fight in and so couldn't play father every hour, every second of the day . . . for we . . . had it all planned out you see."
"Who?" asked Hot Shot.
"Me and your mother," sighed Optimus remembering all the plans they made to prepare for Hot Shot to come into the world and be raised up to take Optimus' place some day. "I was going to be the one who went to battle all the time and Elita . . . she was going to be the one to raise you and give you what you needed the most in your life . . . love, but she died and it just . . . ruined everything.
At that they both let out a couple of chuckles at picturing all Optimus said. Optimus then sighed as he gazed at the ground and said-
"It was a perfect plan really . . . the father goes off to work while the mother stays and raises the baby . . . it's a shame it never worked out."
"Yea," sighed Hot Shot after hearing what Optimus wanted to do.
Then after a couple moments of silence Hot Shot turned to his father and asked a simple but sad question-
"May I see my mother's tomb?"
Optimus knew it was alright for Hot Shot to see her and so shook his head saying-
"Sure son."
Optimus took Hot Shot to the resting place of his late departed wife Elita One and there left Hot Shot alone as he gazed at her tomb. Hot Shot gazed a while at the tomb as the sun started to fall in the sky. It was not sunset yet, but it was going to be soon and so if Hot Shot wanted any daylight left to look upon his mother's body then he would have to hurry. Hot Shot read the carvings of the outer tomb as it said-
'In these walls lye Elita One dear beloved wife of Optimus Prime and mother of their son. May she rest forever in eternal peace in the allspark.'
Hot Shot then decided to enter the tomb as he took a deep breath in and marched in the tomb to see the real her. As Hot Shot entered there, one a silver bed was his mother. He smiled at seeing her for even if her color had faded and she had been dead for 20,000 years she still looked ever beautiful to him just like when he first saw her. Hot Shot kneeled before her and just scanned her up and down trying to picture what it would have been like if she would have raised him and he grown up like a normal family with a normal father and mother. He smiled as he imagined what it could have been like with someone just as gentle and loving as she.
Hot Shot just imagined her being the perfect mother to him. He giggled a bit inside at seeing her playing with him as a child doing that whole mother/tickle/'I'm gonna get ya' thing to him and him saying 'stop, stop' and she saying 'you want more baby?' And he would giggle saying 'no, no' but really he enjoyed her playing and tickle him. Hot Shot just imagined her holding him as they waited for Optimus to come walking through the door and then letting him go and run full speed into the strong arms of his beloved father and then smother him in kisses just happy to see him again and gagging as his mother did the same. He could see her comforting him as he went on his first day of school and met new friends and she would welcome them kindly and openly.
A normal family thought Hot Shot . . . why would he ever deserve a thing such as that? Hot Shot then decided to touch him mother's body no matter how cold she had been for the last 20,000 years. He just wanted to know what the touch of his mother felt like and so his hand traveled down and up her arm and he smiled as he felt how smooth, soft, and tender she was . . . she deserved to be a mother . . . she would have been the perfect one he could tell. Hot Shot struggled to keep his smile but as he gazed at her his only saddened as the fact came to life that he'd never truly know his mother.
He wanted to know everything about her but only she could tell him that and the only way she could was if he died or she, somehow, came back to life. Tears began to swell in Hot Shot's optics as he thought of his mother and slowly began to run his finger down the side of her smooth cheek. He looked at her optics and ever they had been without light. He could tell they were once blue and oh how he would have loved to seen them shine down love upon him, but Hot Shot knew his mother loved him . . . she shown it many a time even before she knew she was going to have him.
Hot Shot knew that she wanted Optimus' child more than anything . . . if she didn't clearly Hot Shot would not be there now. Hot Shot smiled as something made Elita One's optics sparkle just a bit. The sun had set and so illuminated the tomb making the silver shine and surround her body with a fair light that made her look like a star herself. She was a star to Hot Shot though . . . she was his star. Always and forever.
Hot Shot then bent down to her face and before he left he kissed her upon the forehead just silently thanking her for giving him life. It was all he could do for no word could explain how much she meant to him otherwise. Hot Shot then left the tomb, but looked one last time at his glowing mother and gave out a small sigh just wishing he could have at least talked to her for five minutes . . . it would have been enough for Hot Shot. And so Hot Shot left.
The months went by and still everything stayed the same. Hot Shot began to get tired of it and so decided to do something, but that something changed his life forever and now he had to tell Optimus. He knew he couldn't wait till the next monthly meeting and so he had to have Optimus came to cybertron a little early and meet with him in private not knowing if Optimus would approve.
"Hot Shot what is it you want to tell me that is so important?" wondered Optimus crossing his arms waiting for his son's response.
Hot Shot had his head bowed trying to find the right words to say to his father without completely alarming him. The words fumbled in Hot Shot mouth and so he decided to tell Optimus the plain truth.
"Father," started Hot Shot looking at him with unsure optics. "I won the speedia 500 race on the speed planet."
Optimus was a little confused by all this racing language and so said-
"Isn't that good son?"
"That race was to determin the next leader father," sighed Hot Shot waiting for Optimus say something, anyhing.
Optimus was caught a bit off guard but knew this was very importrant into why Hot Shot called him to cybertron so soon. Optimus bowed his head a bit and gazed at the ground trying himself to find the right words to say to his son.
"When will you be leaving?" he asked looking back at Hot Shot.
"Just as soon as I have my father's blessing," said Hot Shot.
Optimus gave a small smile seeing that this is what his son really wanted.
"I'll stay if you want me to," said Hot Shot knowing Optimus would probably want him to fulfil his duties and become the next Prime.
"No, no," shook Optimus raising his hand a bit and looking at his son with kind and understanding optics.
/Things are changing/
/It seems strange and/
/I need to figure this out/
He then said nothing for a moment in time as he gazed at his son knowing that all Hot Shot wanted from him was his approval. Optimus then gave a sigh and smiled saying-
"You've always had my blessing Hot Shot."
/You've got your life/
/I got mine/
"Really?" smiled Hot Shot.
/But you're all I cared about/
Optimus shook his head smiling. He didn't really want to lose Hot Shot, but he knew that it was Hot Shot's time to lead and indeed he was a good leader.
/Yesterday we were laughing/
/Today I'm left here asking/
/Where has all the time gone now/
"What happened to you?" asked Optimus seeing Hot Shot was now a grown up and no longer that young roughion he needed to whip into shape. "You were with me one day and then the next . . . you're gone just like the other children."
/I'm left alone somehow/
"I grew up father," said Hot Shot.
/Growing up and getting older/
/I don't want to believe it's over/
Optimus laughed a bit as he said-
"You know . . . I knew this time would come."
/Don't say good-bye/
/'Cause I don't want to hear those words tonight/
/'Cause maybe it's not the end for you and I/
/And although we knew/
/This time would come for me and you/
/Don't say anything tonight/
/If you're gonna say good-bye/
Optimus kept his gaze at the ground as he remembered the very short time he had with Hot Shot and the moment they had together that meant the most to each other.
/Do you remember/
/In december/
/How we swore we'd never change/
"I knew that one day you would just get up and leave and become that man you were growing up to be and I saw everyday of your life but tried to deny he was there," said Optimus reflecting on Hot Shot's life.
/Even though your leaving/
/That our feelings/
"Do you remember how we said we'd always be there for one another Hot Shot?" asked Optimus looking at Hot Shot.
"Sure father," said Hot Shot remembering.
/Would always stay the same/
"Does that still hold for you Hot Shot?" asked Optimus.
"Of course father," said Hot Shot like it was a no brainer.
/I wish we could be laughing/
Optimus then gazed once again at the ground trying not to let his emtions take the best of him when he knew this day would eventually come for him and Hot Shot.
/Instead I'm standing here asking/
/Do we have to end this now/
/Can we make it last somehow/
Optimus looked back at Hot Shot and said-
"I wish you wouldn't go really, but this is what you want and what you deserve . . . I cannot stop this and I won't try."
Optimus sighed as he looked away from Hot Shot a bit and said-
"I guess it's just every parents fear . . . that their sparkling who they loved and cared for all those years of sacrifce for them . . . would just leave them like a quick storm in spring."
They then shared a long silence as each other thought of what to say to the other. They knew what they had to say, but didn't want to just yet.
/We both know what he gotta say, not today/
/'Cause I don't wanna leave this way/
"Father I . . ." started Hot Shot but his words were lost as he saw the emotion in Optimus' optics show and the pain glare that he felt as if he was losing his only child for good. "I'll visit you and everything . . . I'll be representing the speed planet and so I'll come to the monthly meetings."
Optimus didn't know what to say to Hot Shot though.
/Don't say good-bye/
/'Cause I don't want to hear those words tonight/
/And although we knew/
/This time would come for me and you/
/Don't say anything tonight/
/If you're gonna say good-bye/
"Father, we knew this time would come and so why is it so hard to just say good-bye?" asked Hot Shot.
"I don't know," smiled Optimus shaking his head a bit shwoing the watery glare of his optics.
Optimus then looked at Hot Shot and knew this was the hardest thing for him to do . . . to let him go.
/And if it's over/
/It hurts but I'm giving you my word/
/I hope that you're always happy like we were/
/Happy like we were/
Optimus then acted on his emotions and quickly ran up to Hot Shot and embraced him in the tighest warmest hug he ever gave. He never wanted to let his sparkling go, but he was grown now and this is what all parent have to go through with every child of theirs, but sadly . . . Hot Shot was all Optimus had.
/Don't say good-bye/
/'Cause I don't want to hear those words tonight/
/'Cause maybe it's not the end for you and I/
/And although we knew/
/This time would come for me and you/
/Don't say anything tonight/
/If you're gonna say good-bye/
"You have my blessing son," said Optimus as sad, but happy tears streamed down his cheeks. "You've always had my blessing . . . it's just . . . I don't want to say good-bye."
Hot Shot almost burst into tears as well hearing how much his father hated leaving Hot Shot or letting him go. Hot Shot then contained himself and said-
"Me too father . . . me too."
And so they held each other for the longest time their hug being their good-bye for they could not find it in themselves to ever say it. When they let go Optimus took a deep breath in as he saw Hot Shot step away from him. He knew he was going to leave, but didn't want to see it, but he had to . . . it was his sparkling after all. Hot Shot was going to say good-bye, but instead he inclined his head towards his father and prepared to turn and leave, but Optimus let out one last thing saying-
"I love you Hot Shot."
Hot Shot smiled the good-bye smile all parents will eventually have to deal with one day or another. He then inclined his head one last time and returned the reply by saying-
"I love you too father."
And so Hot Shot left Optimus to go fulfil his duty as the leader of velocitron. Optimus stood in that very spot he last saw his son for the longest time just thinking of him. After a while Optimus smiled as the stars shown their silvery forms and said to himself-
"Hot Shot was ready to take lead of the autobots . . . he had always been ready."
Optimus then let go of his breath and turned to leave and return back to his job. His downward mood all could tell it was something about Hot Shot and when he told them what had happened they all said it was natural for a child to leave as soon as they grew up and were ready to lead their own life. Optimus knew that, but to him Hot Shot would always be his little sparkling he used to read story books to and sing lullabys to calm him down and make him go back to sleep after hours of crying and wanting just his father.
Hot Shot's girl: Okay that song could be for a boyfriend/girlfriend too, but I decided to do father/son this time so yea. Hope you guys liked it and yes there will be more chapters so until next time, bye:)