5.) Optimus/Sam/memory

Summary: Optimus visits an ancient abandoned human graveyard.

Amazing, really, how such a little organic could have such a very large impact on a race whose individuals were older than his entire species.

A/N: This thing just did not want to be written. I've been picking at this thing for ages now and just decided to hell with it, I'm posting it before it drives me mad. Please, enjoy.

1 Decilivorn10,000 Cybertron years (83,333 Earth years) not mine, from the Transformers Fanon Glossary.

xXx

Optimus kneeled in front of the crumbling grave markers, tenderly running a finger over the faded writing. The derelict cemetery long forgotten by the species who built it, having all moved on to the stars millennia ago. Shame really, this area had once been an impressive monument, grand marble buildings and granite spires rising to the sky that nature is now reclaiming ever so leisurely.

Humans had such exceedingly short life spans compared to them, Optimus contemplated morosely; in a way, it really wasn't fair to either species. For the Autobots, the life of a human was over in the blink of an optic, burning as fierce and brightly as a flare, and just as short. As for the humans, they spent not only their own lives embroiled in an ancient war that wasn't their own, but also many generations often followed after their ancestors. Willingly giving up all they had for beings so very different from themselves.

The first headstone and the largest, held only two names; Judy and Ron Witwicky, Beloved Wife and Husband, Mother and Father. The writing had diminished over the decavorns, nearly illegible. Yet he would always remember the words carved into every stone. Next to them was Mikeala's and her family's markers, (Mother, Wife; Father, Husband) and next to them, their three children. After them was generations' worth of names related to the Banes. All gathered here were names that he had known from a lifetime ago: Lennox, Epps, Lancaster, Madsen, Whitman, and many others that had become a part of their strange unit.

One, however, stood by itself behind Ron's and Judy's, entangled in thorny vines and chocked in weeds, as if it were trying to hide from the world. Perhaps because it was the reason the Witwickys didn't have additional tombstones with descendants related to them on it, as the others did. It was the oldest of them all as well; the grave dug long before any of their extended family left this world.

Samuel James Witwicky, Beloved Son, Brilliant Friend, Our Knight in Shining Armour; We'll Miss You.

Amazing, really, how such a little organic could have such a very large impact on a race whose individuals were older than his entire species.

His processor raced back to all the instances where events could have gone differently for this little planet. If he had set the All Spark on a set course instead of letting if wander freely, or even if he hadn't launched it at all. Sending more mechs on the first scouting mission could have altered the final events greatly, even bringing a larger team with him when they first landed. Then everything leading to the destruction of the All Spark, and the death of his brother. Even their own world that had suffered so much, to the point that it was nothing more than a dead husk floating in space. The only artifact that could have rejuvenated it destroyed. But then, it was somehow remade.

Miraculously life was slowly being restored to Cybertron, their great planet once more returning to its former glory. It would be long in coming before their world was back to the way it once was, and even then, it would still be vastly different from before. With the help of a being that would ensure a war like the last would never be possible again.

Then there was the young human who had done so much for the mechs landing on Earth. Barely a youngling, even by his own species standards, and yet he had sacrificed so much for them. And in the end, he had paid the ultimate price to help protect them; freely giving up his life so they could live. It was ironic really, for a species who the Decepticons thought of as nothing more than resources and for many Autobots, unfortunately, to think of as pets, to be the ones responsible for his race's continued survival.

Soft laughter came from behind. "Come, Optimus, you have been here much too long, the rest are starting to become concerned. If you stay much longer, you will come to be as planted as these monolithic trees and ruins here."

The tall 'Bot glanced back and watched as a bipedal form gracefully made its way towards him. Metallic copper lines shimmered in the moonlight, swirling over the figures body in the shape of archaic runes. Electric white eyes filled with ancient intelligence peered at him knowingly.

Tilting his head to the side, the blue and red Autobot replied quietly. "I apologize for making them fret, but I do not apologize for my part in the fate of this world. Or yours, Numinous."

"It is not your fault, Optimus Prime. No one could have known the All Spark would land on this planet, let alone the actions of an alien species and the result they had on the war." The taller 'Bot wrapped a slender arm around Prime's shoulder and drew him close to his chassis in a comforting gesture, settling them between the many markers. "Besides, the sacrifices were worth it. Once more, it is a common occurrence to see sparklings running under pede. Hope has been restored to us and Cybertron is on its way to being a living and thriving planet once more. Add on the unbelievable event where we found a hidden colony full of stasis locked Creators and Mentors."

Optimus chuckled lightly, leaning against the warm form of Numinous, something vastly different from merely a decilivorn ago, where the young All Spark would have been seeking comfort from him. "True, the sight of sparklings is a sorely missed one. And finding the 'Bots that raised myself and the others is something I thought would never happen. By the way, how is Ratchet taking to having his Mentor here?"

White optics rolled heavenwards in exaggerated exasperation. "Oh, at first he was running around nervous as a sparkling meeting Ironhide for the first time. Then the Twins got slagged to the Pit and back playing Jet Judo and Eclipse proceeded to show them exactly where Ratchet learned his wonderful bedside manner. Not to mention he even managed to peg Jazz with a wrench. So you have two welder harpies to deal with now." Numinous pulled Optimus against his chest as the other groaned in dismay.

The moment dragged out in comfortable companionship, the only sounds were of chirping crickets and wind rustling through dry vegetation, before the air slowly regained its somber mood once more. Tentatively tracing his fingers over gleaming runes before lacing their fingers together, his CPU simply wouldn't quit running in circles, relentlessly going over all the what-ifs and could-have-beens. Optimus sighed sadly blue optics shuttering penitently. "And while you may have forgiven me, the hardest part is for me to forgive myself. And that is something no one can do for me. Not even you, Sam."

Numinous nodded solemnly, tempted to say 'that's a name I haven't heard in a long time' just to break the dark mood. But he didn't, instead, "That is something we all have to go through at some point. And while I can't do it for you, I can help you through it. All of us can, together."