Warning ok, 'Hide isn't his usual gruff self in this chapter. If you like him cool as a cucumber then skip this on ok?
This is a tender chapter between Zoe and her guardian so no flames!
But other than that, please enjoy x
Ironhide's POV
Chapter 14 – Day One
Part Two
As Ironhide took the road that edged towards the forest, he checked on his passenger. The afternoon sun was warm on Zoe's skin, bathing it in a golden glow. She was horizontal on his back seats lying on her side, eyes closed and face pressed into the leather. It was clear she was scared, but she was trying desperately to hide it; as if fearing his anger should she show her fear. If Ironhide could have cringed he would have. Zoe, his Zoe, was afraid of him.
He felt her body shift and heard her sniff softly. The seatbelt around her waist squeezed ever so slightly trying to comfort her. Zoe stiffened but acknowledged it with a hesitant stroke down the seat. Her hair fell over her eyes but she didn't move to brush it from her vision, instead allowing it to cover her face. Taking a deep breath, Zoe slowly relaxed and cuddled into her truck, her tense frame was slowly easing into relaxation and her rigid frame was slowly unwinding. It would take him a while to reach a suitable clearing in the forest which was either unknown by humans or as far away from any as possible so Ironhide decided to allow his charge to sleep and work out any unsure emotions in her dreams. Zoe was taking it all quite well considering, so giving a low rumble that vibrated through the teen's body, Ironhide soothed her the best way he knew how.
With a final small shudder she slumped and eyes rolling, Zoe fell into a light doze, unexpected exhaustion catching up on her. Keeping his sensors on her should she wake, Ironhide continued down the road, searching for a convenient location.
Zoe's POV
The sound of tires leaving gravel an hour later woke Zoe from her peaceful slumber. She arched her back in a stretch and sat up, noting how the seatbelt entwined around her body, mirroring her movements.
"Ironhide?" She almost croaked, rubbing sleep from her eyes and peering outside the window. "Where are we?"
"We are heading to a secluded clearing in the forest about four minutes away. What I have to show you must not be witnessed by any other civilians." Ironhide responded simply, turning left again and slowly descending down a slope.
Zoe blinked. Her truck was talking to her. The Topkick had spoken to her. Shaking her head as memory returned, she carefully scrambled into the passenger seat and sat down, one foot tucked under her thigh. She bit her lip and glanced at the dashboard before returning her gaze out the windscreen. The truck didn't even bounce as it rolled over lumps and bumps of the roots they were driving over and Zoe smiled inwardly at the thought of Ironhide making the journey more enjoyable for her.
"We're here."
Sure enough, the Topkick pulled to a stop and Zoe's door popped open. She got out slowly, using the door frame to steady her shaking knees before stepping away from Ironhide and sitting on the grass a few feet away. She didn't recognise the clearing, but that was to be expected; she had never been this far in the forest before. Her gaze was drawn back to the Topkick as it backed up away from her.
"Zoe, I... I need you to promise me you will not 'freak out' as you humans say. I will not harm you in any way; I just need to show you. Will you promise me that?"
Swallowing the growing lump in her throat, Zoe nodded slowly, "I'll try." She promised solemnly, clenching her fists into balls and placing them in her lap.
After a few tense seconds, Ironhide transformed.
The instant the pickup panels parted, Zoe's hands flew to her mouth in shock. The front of the Topkick split apart as if expanded by heat. Each door extended outward along with all the side panels, folding and rearranging themselves in a synchronous order. Very abruptly the whole black vehicle seemed to unfold as a pair of huge arms sprouted from under the door frames, giant metal fingers gripping the grass. A horned metal head protruded out where the engine had been, settling comfortably between the two halves of the hood and grill—shoulders? Then the whole backside and underside of the pickup rolled over and over upon itself until a pair of very broad sturdy legs supported the entire massive frame raising it majestically into the air. At last the shifting form seemed to settle down as the true humanoid form took shape.
The huge robot shifted its feet, making the ground shudder as he faced her. Then her eyes met the robots—cold, blue lights flickering amongst the amalgam of black and silver metal. She gasped and felt her eyes widen. Zoe closed her eyes briefly, rubbed them against her knuckles and stared up at him again.
On weakened legs, Zoe somehow managed to pull herself to her feet and stand straight, her gaze never leaving that of which the truck was returning. After what seemed like hours which was actually a few seconds, Zoe spoke, her voice barely audible.
"Ironhide?"
The great metal robot nodded slowly, as if terrified of scaring her. She broke the eye contact as she cupped her face in her hands. Zoe breathed in so deeply her lungs protested but she ignored it.
Hyperventilating slightly, Zoe was the first to break the silence.
"It was you. That thing in the woods... that was you! You're the thing that saved me..."
It was said as a statement but the edge added dared Ironhide to deny it. Again, Ironhide merely nodded, his cannons whirling and rotating in anticipation.
"But you... Why? Why are you my truck and then," Zoe gestured at the entire towering thing before her, unable to find the right words.
She jumped when she heard him expel air from his vents, imitating her sigh with spooky precision.
"That's a long story kid."
As sunset drew nearer, the forest began to quieten. Birds gradually halted their chirping and settled into nests, waiting the rays of morning sunshine. A small herd of deer cantered along the undergrowth, leaping over fallen logs that were slowly rotting, giving nutrients to the plants and insects located around or inside it.
In the clearing, the sun was soaking everything in sight a musty orange. Pink rays and golden highlights littered the grass and illuminated the humans face, showing the understanding and acceptance in them. Ironhide had spared his charge no details.
He had begun with Cybertron, explaining his home world with as much description as he could muster. He told of the war, Megatron and his Decepticons along with his part in it. How he had killed mercilessly hundreds of the traitors. He spoke of his landing on Earth and his first encounter with an overly curious human youngling. Zoe was even told of the events leading up to Mission City and the battle that had been covered up. Zoe know knew of Sam Witwicky, his relationship with the Autobots and his desire to part from them. The Weapon Specialist confided in his charge his leader's death, how he thought they all should leave Earth for good and the events of Egypt. Then about how he had begun to despise humans for the way they had treated him and his team and how he had been ordered to find a human to protect and serve, one who would never discover his true form. After that, he had gone on to explain Cybertronian anatomy; the energon levels they needed, how he needed to report to Ratchet their medical officer after the battle with Ravage... even about their spark chambers.
Ironhide had rested against a tree a few minutes after he began, his back leant on an old Pine that although had creaked in protest at first it was now bending sufficiently to accommodate the heavy Cybertronian. Zoe had remained upright throughout the talk, never interrupting and seldom asking questions. Her legs ached painfully from standing so long but she didn't notice, her attention caught in her guardians story.
"But I did discover your 'true form'." She said, cocking her head up at Ironhide. "Last night I mean. And that Decepticon cat thing."
The Autobot nodded, "But I had no choice, had I not you would have perished. Optimus would have been angrier about that then he was about me showing you my alt mode."
He replied, his parts giving a small hiss as he relaxed more against the tree.
Ironhide's POV
Although his optics had dimmed, Ironhide could still determine what was going on around him. When Zoe had grown thoughtful after his reply, he had visibly relaxed, somewhat glad to have told his charge everything. His sensors focused on her breathing and then her steps as she attentively made her way towards him.
When she reached his arm, he paused briefly but stretched out a hand and caressed his metal gently. Sitting so that her back could lean against his side should she wish to, Zoe softly touched his fingers, amazement pouring off her in waves. Brightening his optics, he stared down at her and shifted slightly. Startled but determined not to show it, Zoe waited until her guardian stopped moving and continued to trace almost undetectable scars that littered his hand.
Ironhide smiled tilted his head when he saw Zoe spread her fingers against one of his and laugh lightly. He raised his hand and brought it closer to her so that she could observe the difference easier. There was a massive difference between her tiny limb and his colossal hand but Zoe didn't seem to notice.
"The same," She mused, thoughtfully. "But still different."
Ironhide said nothing but continued to watch her. Using his hand a steadier, she stood, turned and rested her head against the side of his chest, pressing her ear to his cool metal. He gazed down at her quizzically but said nothing and although she made no move to, Ironhide knew she wished to get higher up.
Pressing his metal digits to the backs of her knees, her legs buckled and Zoe landed in his hand. Slowly, Ironhide lifted the teen to his chest and waited for her to climb off. After a glance up at him, Zoe clambered off and settled over his spark chamber, knees tucked to her own chest as she gazed at Ironhide.
"I... I wanted to thank you." Zoe began, sincerity echoing in her words like a ghost in a haunted house. "For, you know, saving me from Ravage. It would have died if you hadn't been there and..."
"It is my duty," Ironhide interrupted forcefully, placing his index finger under the teens chin to make her meet his gaze. "How could I have left you in that monsters mercy?"
Zoe rested her hands against his finger and patted them, "You say it's your duty," She replied, her eyes meeting alien optics without flinching. "But you still could have left me. No matter how much duty is placed on your shoulders, it's always down to whether you want to or not. So again, thank you Ironhide, for saving me."
Ironhide said nothing but watched as Zoe turned to face the sunset. After a couple of minutes of comfortable silence, Ironhide watched as his charge's eyes began to slowly droop and her composure relax slowly. Deciding it would be better for her to succumb to a natural asleep rather than an alien induced one, Ironhide cupped a hand behind Zoe, warming sporadically, enticing the teen to lean back and relax. Being as stubborn as he was, it took Zoe a few minutes before the enticement of sleep overcame her pride and lie back, sighing with comfort as she rested against the metal palm. Again, it a while for her eyes to finally close for good but Ironhide didn't care, he had lived over thirteen thousand Earth years and fifteen minutes was not a long time to wait.
When Zoe's slow deep breathing and after a quick scan that determined her state of unconsciousness, Ironhide stood carefully, brought the teen to his chest and transformed back to vehicle mode.
Living pieces of shifting metal cascaded over the teen's head and had she been awake would have abruptly cut off her vision. Zoe was lifted up, buffeted, curled into a tiny ball and pushed this way and that with the same gentleness that marked all the Autobots' interactions with humans- though jostled she was not harmed and remained fast asleep as she was placed with an exceedingly amount of care into his back seats once more.
The seatbelt curled around her waist and clicked into place, protecting her should Ironhide run into any trouble on the road. With a soft yawn, Zoe snuggled into the leather and shifted slightly. The seat beneath her comforted and she remained still, her chest rising and falling with her steady breathing.
Ironhide rolled through the clearing and headed home.