Moving on chapter 4
The next morning, Peaches was less angry but still occasionally glaring at humans who were making insults towards the Autobots.
"Peaches, you come over here. Elita and I wish to talk to you." Optimus said.
The orange and red femme sighed and transformed into her human mode. She walked over to her leader and stated "Optimus, I'm sorry-I just can't control myself after all that's happened…"
"It's not about that." Elita One explained. "It is about the hatchlings; Optimus and Ratchet are going to transport them back to base and they need you and Sideways to come along."
"Why is that?" Peaches wondered.
"We explained to several humans why you wanted to adopt Aaron; it turns out that he wishes to be part of your family too and you and Sideways will have to attend a meeting to decide whether that is possible." Optimus answered.
"It's going to be harder to convince them than when Sideways and I adopted Abby." The Pretender stated. "I'm willing to take him in if no one else will; I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't. I just have to make sure all of my things are together and prepare my family for the 13 hour drive back to D.C. that will possibly last longer because we all know how bad traffic can get in that area."
Optimus and Elita laughed at the last sentence and then the former said "Let us know when you are ready and do not worry about last night; Ratchet has already forgiven you."
It was a surprise to Peaches but she told Optimus that he could rely on her; she then went to vent before packing Abby's and Crystal's things. She looked towards the bridge where the last battle had taken place, remembering how Sideways had been tied up there and what she had heard when she had been freeing him during the final battle between Optimus Prime and Sentinel Prime…
(Flashback)
The chains were heavy but that was not going to stop her from getting him out of there. Peach had managed to untie one of the chains and was slowly unwinding them from around Sideways. Even so, she couldn't help but occasionally scoop up a NEST soldier and put them in a safe location. She saw Optimus and Sentinel battling and heard what they were saying.
"I bring you Cybertron our home and still you chose humanity!" Sentinel stated.
"You were the one who taught me that freedom was everyone's right!" Optimus Prime replied, in a tone that Peach was sure came from the sense of burning justice.
"I will re-trigger that pillar!"
"Then you'll have to go through me!"
Peaches pulled out the one chain she had managed to untangle from the group of them that surrounded her sparkmate, worried about her leader and everyone else. She had just gotten a comlink message stating that Wheeljack was no more and knowing that she could not deal with Optimus dying permanently, she began praying to Primus to help him out.
"Kick his butt!" Sideways shouted loudly to Optimus as his sparkmate continued untying him and watching the fight at the same time, and surprisingly doing a very good job multitasking.
"One of these days, I've got to get you to stop watching those Spy Kids movies." The femme muttered to herself, untying the rest of the chains.
It was just after Sentinel had been executed that Peaches had finished untying the ex-Decepticon and had hugged him, knowing that he and her kids would be safe…
(End flashback)
Peaches took out a data-pad and started scribbling a poem. She wasn't sure what the other reasons were that Optimus had for choosing Earth over Cybertron but wanted to get hers out. Sure, Sentinel wouldn't hear it but the Pretender thought that this was the best way to get her feelings out.
She then shouted "Did you hear that Sentinel? I am following my dream of taking kids out of bad situations and nothing is going to stop me! I will never forgive you as you already know but why Ironhide? Why not me? I'd give anything to have him and Wheeljack here…I miss the big cannons, their explosions, the jokes I made about them that didn't offend them-you can never understand! I'll never understand you either you jerk but I'm fine with that!" Peaches paused. "Even though I am yelling at a dead mech and shouldn't be."
Sideways had already packed Abby's and Crystal's things and was walking up to the Pretender, carrying the two kids. "I think you're going to need a lot therapy." He stated.
"I know that damn it!" Peaches screamed. She then calmed down. "Sorry about that love. I shouldn't be yelling in front of the girls."
"It's not that; Optimus knows you're trying to push us away and you need to stop. It's making everything worse." He explained.
"I can handle this myself!" the orange and red femme argued.
She then swore she heard someone say Listen to him Peaches. He's right.
It had sounded very much like Ironhide but Peaches knew that wasn't possible. She just followed her family back to the parking garage to check for anything they forgot to pack.
Soon the small family was prepared for the journey; Abby and Crystal were both in the back seat, the latter in her human form and also in a car seat like her older sister was and Peaches sitting in human form in the passenger's seat of her sparkmate's vehicle mode. She soon fell asleep, not really thinking about much except getting to D.C.
(Optimus Prime's POV 1st person log entry)
Never have I seen one of my teammates as upset as Peaches was today. I can only hope that she gets past the current stage of grief that she is at. Aaron, the boy she and Sideways wish to adopt, has been riding in my vehicle mode's front cab. He is excited despite everything and his having attended his own mother's funeral last night.
Now though, he and Abby are making a "pit stop" as the humans say and Sideways, Ratchet and I have parked at a rest area to allow them to go inside with Peaches and relieve themselves. The 30 hatchlings are still safe in my trailer, thank Primus, and still alive.
There have been many bad attitudes from humans and a few Autobots over these last few days. To think that Aaron has such a positive attitude is amazing and inspiring. It reminds me of a story that Peaches had once shown me on a website for the local ABC station near D.C. about a boy who had been battling brain cancer and still kept a positive attitude even though he knew he only had months to live.
I only wish that Peaches will be able to move on very soon; it is not a surprise that she has blocked her end of our bond and wasn't thinking about her family yesterday. I can not force her to change that but I can be there if she does decide to.
Aaron is now back and asking me "What if the worst happens and I don't get to stay with them?" He is worried about not getting adopted Peaches and Sideways due to how strange the other humans would think it would be if he was.
I answer him "Stay positive and keep your spirit high."
It is all that we can do as we continue our journey back to D.C….
(Peaches POV, 3rd person)
When she got back into Sideways (and it was weird to say that), Peaches looked towards the backseat; Aaron had decided to ride between his soon to be sisters after telling Optimus that he wanted to do that. The Pretender smiled despite the situation; she knew this boy needed her more than she needed to hold a grudge against those who had wronged her teammates. She still wasn't ready to forgive though; that would probably take weeks or months at the most, possibly longer.
The Pretender settled down into recharge, unaware of what her next dream would consist of but at least glad that she wouldn't have to hear Sideways complain about traffic jams if they got stuck in one...
Author's note: Yeah, this is short because I got lazy. Sorry about that.