Chapter 4
Jazz didn't kill me later. Oh, I know he would've loved to. He would've, but he didn't get the chance. Optimus came back a few minutes after the sparklings went over to Jazz, and he didn't dare do anything to me with the older Autobot around.
I spent most of the day upstairs in my room, sitting on my bed, hugging my knees, trying to make sense of the jumble of thoughts in my head.
That was where Ironhide found me the next morning.
"Optimus wanted me to give this to you." he said as I shut the door behind him.
He was holding out a pair of sheaths. He pulled the sword out of one and handed it to me. It felt right in my hand.
"Yeah, that works." Ironhide was saying. "Optimus' dad was a blacksmith, so he's good with swords."
"Thanks." I said gratefully as he handed the sheaths to me. I sat down on the bed and put the sword back in the sheath.
Ironhide hesitated.
"Optimus is worried about you." he told me, sitting down on the bed next to me. "I mean, he's never actually said so, and he's way too proud to actually admit something like that, but it's obvious."
"Why would he be worried about me?"
"Well, you haven't come out of your room since yesterday morning. The sparklings were worrying it was something they'd done to drive you up here."
"Don't worry about it Ironhide. I just haven't been able to recharge much recently. I'm tired, that's all."
Ironhide looked at me.
"Well Optimus clearly thinks you're acting strange." He shrugged. "I don't know. He knows you better than the rest of us do."
I smiled a tired smile.
"Or maybe he just thinks he does."
Ironhide smiled.
"Well, I'd better be off."
I waited until he'd reached the door.
"Hey, Ironhide?" he turned. "Tell Optimus that if he wants to talk to me, he can just come and do it himself rather than hiding behind messengers."
"While I don't deny that Optimus did send me to check on you," Ironhide grinned, "I'll just take this opportunity to say: If I disappear rather suddenly tomorrow, without a trace. Optimus did it and it's your fault."
I laughed.
"Don't worry about that. I'd stop him if he tried."
A couple of minutes after Ironhide left I finally decided to go downstairs and let the other Autobots know that no, I hadn't died.
I think Jazz was disappointed.
He certainly looked disappointed.
Optimus just looked glum, but he cheered up a little when I came in. Maybe it was just for my sake, but either way…
I sat down next to him as Jazz left, and he pulled me into his arms.
"Are you okay?" he asked me. The room was empty except for the two of us.
"Yeah." I replied. "Just tired."
My teacher held me tightly against his chest, stroking my hair gently, his chin resting on the top of my head. I just lay there, my eyes blurred from lack of recharge.
Finally I fell asleep.
When I woke up, Optimus was gone. I was lying down where the two of us had been sitting. Roxy was standing over me, sniffing at my face like a dog, which was probably what had woken me up in the first place.
"What do you want Roxy?" I asked grouchily, sitting up.
Okay, maybe I shouldn't have been mad at her, but I really hate it when people wake me up like that.
"Optimus said he wants to see you when you wake up." The scout replied, going over to taunt Ironhide. Which was a bad idea since Ironhide had the sparklings.
I left.
Optimus was waiting for me a little way into the caves.
"Are you all right?" I asked him as I approached.
He nodded and hugged me tightly, smiling.
"Don't worry." He said reassuringly, "Nothing's wrong. I just wanted to see you."
"Why?" I asked him curiously.
"Well, you've been acting strange recently, and….I'm worried about you." he admitted.
I held him a little tighter. It was nice to know that he cared about me enough that he was worried about me.
Optimus sighed and pulled away from me.
"There's something I need to tell you." he said, sitting down and pulling me down next to him.
"What is it?" I asked, slightly worried. I didn't even resist as he made me sit down next to him.
"Clara, if I tell you this….do you promise not to repeat it to anybody else, unless I ask you to?"
I tilted my head.
"I promise."