Optumus' Interests

"Sam, I have come here to ask you some questions." the voice boomed louder than Sam would approve of, "Would you mind moving to a safer location?"

"Sure, I guess I could go for a walk right now. But I better go through the window, my parents would kill me if they caught me sneaking out." Sam said, grabbing a hoodie from the floor and throwing on some jeans. He stepped out of the window and grabbed onto Optimus' shoulder. Sam noticed that Optimus seemed to hesitate before moving away from the window, as if he was having conflicting thoughts on whether to proceed.

"You okay Optimus?" Sam asked after waiting 3 or 4 seconds for the giant robot to move. He always seemed so sure of what he was doing, and the situation confused Sam for a moment, until he heard Optimus' response.

"I'm okay Sam. I'm merely deciding on a location for us to talk." Sam had no reason not to believe the robot, but for some reason he suspected that there was something else going on. Plus, the place they go to is always the same, the overlook, and Optimus did ultimately decide to go there. He took the boy off of his shoulder, placing him on the grass, and transformed into the truck. Sam wasn't exactly sure what would happen next, as he had always ridden in Bumblebee when he would meet with the Autobots. Come to think of it, this was the first time he would go somewhere with an Autobot and not bring Bumblebee.

When the transformation was finished the door to the enormous vehicle sprung open, just like it had with Bumblebee, and Sam hopped inside. Riding in Optimus was a lot different that with Bee, being that he was a lot higher up and it seemed a lot slower.

"Why are we going so slow?" Sam asked when the speedometer stopped rising. "The speed limit on this street is 25 miles per hour." he heard the voice echo around the cabin. That was another difference. Bumblebee would always answer with some clever song, and as much as Sam found it annoying, he missed it. "Yeah but there aren't any other cars around. And theres pretty much an unwritten rule that you go at least 5 miles over the speed limit."

The truck didn't answer, but instead the speed increased to 30 mph. "Whoopee!" Sam thought, "Now we're only going slow." They eventually got to the overlook, and Sam realized he didn't even know why he was going up there. Optimus Prime had kind of stuck around the area since the big battle. Sam guessed it was because he didn't know where else to go. He knew Sam and had no reason to travel elsewhere. But in the next few minutes, Sam figured out the real reason that Optimus had been looming around his neighborhood.

After Sam had vacated the car, and was now sitting next to a giant robot, the conversation began. "How is your relationship with Mikaela going?" the Autobot asked. Sam was about to say it was going fine, kind of a ritual Q and A, when he caught himself, "Umm, we kinda- don't have one anymore." Sam stared at the ground he was sitting on, not angry at the situation, just sad that he couldn't have her too. Optimus had obviously sensed his sadness, because he felt an enormous hand grab him from behind, and place him on his leg.

"Some things cannot work Sam." the robot said after a couple minutes of silence. Sam knew that Optimus was doing his best to comfort him, which must have been hard considering the fact that he came from another planet. "It's not only that, you can't imagine how alone I feel right now." Sam choked the words out, "Mikaela was the only girl I've ever been able to relate with. Not to mention I'll never find a more beautiful girl for the rest of my life." Sam looked up at Optimus who was staring back st him with a serious look on his face. "I know how it feels to be alone, Sam. I also know how it feels to want something you can't possibly have."

Sam had to think for a couple seconds. Maybe Optimus was lonely. From what Sam knew, he barely talked to anyone but him and the other Autobots. OK, so he was probably lonely. But what does that have to do with wanting something he couldn't have? "Wait, you said you knew what it was like wanting something you can't have. What do you want Optimus?" Sam looked up at the robot again, who blinked and looked around. Sam didn't really know why the Autobots blink. Maybe it was just to seem a little more human.

"Sam, the reason I have been staying in your area is because you are the reason I am still alive. I owe you everything. The only thing I want is to see the human who saved my life live his own in happiness. Down in the depths of my spark, I know that you are the only human I will ever care for so dearly." He seemed to be choosing his words carefully, long pauses between sentences. Though Sam was a little lost in what the robot had just said.

"Wait, you said your spark? Bare with me here I don't know everything about you guys." Sam waited for an answer from the gigantic Autobot, who instead leaned back into a laying position and moved Sam up to his chest. They were now eye level.

"A spark is the Cybertronian equivalent to the human heart. It is our life force and gives us what many would call consciousness." His hands were behind his head, in a very human-like posture. "If you'd like I can show you." Sam had just caught on but was lost again. "What do you mean? Like you can take it out?"

Optimus shook his head, another human-like gesture he had picked up, "Not take it out, more like, reveal it. It is actually right below you at the moment." Sam looked down at the huge chest plate he was sitting on, and put his hand flat on the surface. "Right here?" he asked before turning his head up to look at Optimus again.

"Here," Optimus Prime moved Sam further down his torso, "Do not look directly at or touch the spark. Human eyes are sensitive, as well as human skin." And with that, the robot's chest transformed to provide an opening to the spark. Sam was extremely fascinated with the amount of light and raw energy it produced. He move a little closer to it and was surprised when Optimus threw his head back.

"Are you okay Optimus?" Sam asked not quite sure what had just happened. Optimus seemed to snap out of whatever he was in and turned his head back to Sam while closing up his open chest. "My spark is very sensitive Sam." He looked a little embarrassed, "It senses, especially when not covered by metal, when another being is close." Sam still didn't fully understand, but he decided to let it go when he remembered that he needed to be home before his parents woke up.

"I better get back home Optimus." Same said while jumping off the robot, who quickly transformed into a truck. As he was stepping up into the vehicle, he thought he heard an engine rev in the distance. But, dismissed it due to his tiredness, and shut the door behind him. By the time he got home it was about 3:30 AM, and he was asleep minutes after being lifted to his bedroom window, and stumbling over to his bed.