Chapter 2

Optimus sat in his cab in holoform listening to Gabby make her new video for their child. The battle that raged within his processors over this child, and what would become of both mother and child was killing him inside.

He wanted to be joyous over this, he really did, but seeing what was happening to his mate was too much. Ratchet had made no bones about what the sparkling was doing to her as well.

"Optimus," Ratchet said one day when they were alone; "I fear for Gabby's life. The baby is growing faster than her body can handle. She is young and strong, but the baby is depleting her energy faster than a normal human female can handle. She cannot replenish fast enough."

After they had found out Gabby was pregnant. Optimus made sure that she was protected from any humans who may have wanted to experiment on her and/or the baby. He knew the human's need for dissecting things, and he would not allow it. She never did go back to her old job, and they had gotten a house just off the NEST base so they could have their privacy on all of this.

Director Mearing had kept her pregnancy highly classified. In other words, only NEST officials knew about it, and her family. There were still other Galloways out there who would do anything to get rid of the Autobots on Earth, and now with a human being pregnant with one of them it would make it worse.

Gabby refused to stop working as well. Ratchet now had her do all his paperwork, which Gabby took as an insult at first, but Optimus was able to convince her this was for her and the child's health. Stubborn femme.

At first, Ratchet had tried to talk to them both about giving up the sparkling, because of the reprucussions. Not just from Gabby's health, but human reaction. Gabby was against it from the start. Optimus was at first, but now seeing Gabby in this state he started to wonder about his decision. He knew he was being selfish. Gabby was human, she would age, and not be around forever, but the thought of losing her was just…

Optimus rubbed his holoform goatee absently. He had almost lost her once, and now instead of danger from an enemy the danger was coming from inside her body.

They still did not know what happened, and how they were able to produce this sparkling. Ratchet had run a series of tests, and still could not figure it out. Hide had commented it was by the grace and blessing of Primus. Optimus did not know, all he knew was he was going to be a father to a half-human, half-autonomous robot sparkling.

"I don't care what happens. All I know is that this is our child, and I will bring it into this world."

Gabby's words echoed in his head. His emotions were on overdrive in his processors. He might lose the love of his life to something that was produced out of their love for each other. It was a curse, but at the same time it was a blessing. He often wondered what he did to Primus to deserve this fate.

He also prayed to Primus to keep Gabby alive and safe. He prayed to keep his child safe. He was hoping for a better outcome over what science had to say.

Gabby would have her nights where she slept like death, but then there were nights the sparkling would keep her up the whole night. Optimus did the best he could for her. She would try to smile through the whole thing, and be strong, but he knew better. She was suffering, and she was risking her life for their child. He only wished he could be so selfless.

He could only pray to Primus that the Decepticons never found out about this child. It would start another interplanetary war. They would not hesitate to kill his sparkling, and Gabby. Especially, if the sparkling is born a Prime like he is sensing. This is a time when he wished he could seek advice from one of his elders.

He was not afraid of being a father, he was proud and ready to bring another life into this world. He was worried about what this would do to his mate. The fact that he may lose her. Besides, what would happen if he was lost in the process? What would happen to his sparkling and his mate?

There has been no word of Unicron and any other Decepticons. He knew Barricade was out there somewhere. He would hope Barricade would do the right thing, and warn them ahead of time, but he was very unpredictable. The least the Decepticon could do was make contact with Gabby if the need came to that. Optimus knew of Barricade's feelings for Gabby. He was not completely out that day Barricade confessed to her. Though Gabby never mentioned it out loud. Optimus suspected that Barricade watched from a distance.

Gabby was finished with her latest video. Optimus was glad she decided to that. If Primus forbid anything happened, his child would know it's wonderful mother one way or another.

What really had them all scratching their heads was the fact that the sparkling was turning more human than autonomous organism. However, they were not sure of it's powers or how much the spark would impact it's growth.

Optimus was so lost in his thoughts, that he hadn't noticed until now that Gabby had stepped outside and was eyeing him in confusion.

Optimus sighed in his holoform. Her abdomen was now protruding, yet the rest of her looked so weak. She was still able to do a lot of things right now, but her strength was sapped after a few hours. It had started off with just a few minutes, and as the sparkling grew it would get worse.

Optimus came out of the cab still in holoform. He was always aware of his surroundings and any danger that might lurk around the planet that they now called home.

He took his mate into an embrace. She willingly went into it. He heard her sigh a little.

He smiled down at her and said, "How were you today?"

He had been out patrolling most of the day, so he had not seen Gabby since this morning.

She smiled back at him and said, "Today was a good day. I got a lot done, and then Hide broke off his cannon again."

Optimus chuckled. Ironhide could not accept he wasn't quite as tough as he used to be.

"You did nothing physical correct?" He asked suspiciously.

Gabby smiled again. "No, silly. Except the part where his cannon shattered and I had to run to get out of the way of the flying pieces."

Optimus sighed loudly. He would have to talk to Hide about that, and to watch his temper around Gabby in her condition.

Gabby raised an eyebrow at her mate. "I am not a delicate little flower….."

Optimus reached down and touched her belly, and she put her hand on top of his. "Perhaps, but she is."

Gabby smiled again. "She is well protected."

Yes, that was right. The sparkling was a female. Optimus did not care, he just wanted both mother and sparkling to be healthy.

He remembered Gabby telling her mother. Optimus wanted to roll his optics when he thought of that insufferable woman sometimes. Now, he understood when Lennox would talk about his in-laws. June was insisting she put Martha in the name.

"I loved grandma, but I am not naming my kid Martha!" Gabby would say to her over and over again.

Optimus took Lennox's advice. Just stay out of it.

Humans

Optimus still did not feel good enough for Gabby to go off on her own, and since Ironhide and Jazz back, they would usually escort her around if Optimus was not available, though he tried to be at all times. Bee would stay with her, but preferred to spend his time with Sam and Carly in Los Angeles now that things were quiet now.

Suddenly, Gabby started gagging. The sparkling was moving around, and it made her sick. The reason was it was using her energy, and this was her reaction.

Optimus knew not to panic. He immediately picked her up bridal style. She did not protest, and he took her into the house, and into the bathroom. He gently put her down in the bathroom, and she bent down over the toilet. He gently pulled her hair back, and waited for her to finish.

In a normal and perfect human pregnancy this would not be happening, but this was not a normal pregnancy.

Gabby finished. Her face was red, and her eyes watery. She sat down on the floor and moaned a little. Optimu s reached for a hand towl and wet it with water handing it to her. She gratefully took it, and wiped her face.

She was always embarrassed when this happened and would apologize to him over and over again.

"Gabrielle," he said softly as she put her face in the towel.

"This is what you get when you're with a human," Gabby said sarcastically.

She was not used to ever being this sick in her life, even after she was shot, and Optimus knew it secretly angered her.

He flushed the toilet and sat down beside her. She leaned into him, obviously exhausted now.

"Hey," he said making her look at him. She grimaced a little but held his gaze. "There is nothing that you could do that would ever make me love you less. I know what the Decepticons have planted into human heads, and I do not like it."

She leaned into him again, and sighed. "I know. I am just feeling sorry for myself," she scoffed a little. "I love you, Optimus."

"I love you, Gabrielle."

Gabby insisted on going into the living area herself. Optimus retrieved her some water so she could rinse her mouth out. He could see the glowing orbs through her belly, another reason why they needed their privacy desperately. He could tell the sparkling was growing again. Which worried him. Again.

He had also been learning to cook human food, so she could save her strength. He found he had a talent for it, though he secretly admitted that human food disgusted him.

Since it was fall he had made her a soup. She gratefully took it on the sofa and asked for another. They had found when the sparkling's eyes were glowing it would make Gabby hungrier than normal.

Then she was full and he sat down next to her on the sofa, and would wait for her to fall asleep. Which would be quick. Optimus would now recharge early in the morning after Gabby would wake and get ready for the day. He would finish at base usually, and take patrol in the afternoon. They had fallen into a nice routine, which surprised him, and he found he loved the peace and normalcy.

He just wished his mate was not so sick, but there was absolutley no chance she would give up this child. He prayed to Primus for her and his child's health.

Optimus had Gabby in bed, when he sensed it. Energon reading.

He immediately left the house and transformed. He then spotted him. Barricade had been in the area.

Speak of the Decepticon.

What did he want? Optimus opted not to go after him, but commlinked Ironhide to patrol around here the rest of the night.

. To answer some questions.

Yes, this will be an adventure again. I need to change that on FanFic. More characters are coming into the picture in the next few chapters. This was just a catch up on some history of Gabby's pregnancy from Optimus's POV. Barricade will play a big role in this story.