A/N: Yay, an update! After this one, I'll only have, like, eighteen drabbles on my list, so guuuuuuys, help me out again, okay? Thanks! You are all the best. Also, this is the last installment of the Heartache and Hope miniseries. R&R. Enjoy!

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Whole

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Optimus watched from the hanger as Joshua's car drove smoothly down the driveway. He had been coming here a lot lately, and he knew why. That did not mean that he had to like it. Yes, he had brought this pain, this soul searing suffering upon himself by refusing his bond with Cade, but that did not matter once his optics picked up Joshua's car. It was becoming all too familiar around the farm and he did not like it. Despite the fact that Joshua had rebuilt Cade's home and had given him and his family enough money that they would not have to worry about financial troubles anymore, he had still been the cause of many Autobots' deaths and had nearly caused humans to become extinct. There were other reasons as well, but they did not matter to Optimus now.

What did matter was that he was here and he was here for Cade. That was something Optimus did not like. Before, Joshua would come around perhaps once a month at best; he often liked to pick Cade's brain for ideas – which he, of course, gave Cade credit for. However, in the recent months since Optimus and Cade had last actually spoken, which had been more of a fight, he had started frequenting the farm more and more.

Optimus did not like it.

He knew why Joshua was always coming around; it was quite obvious. Even Tessa saw it. Joshua desired Cade. Thankfully – and Optimus felt slightly ashamed for feeling this way since it did deprive Cade of what Optimus had been so adamant about giving him – Cade had seemed oblivious to Joshua's desires and intentions. Up until a month ago, that is.

Cade, Optimus knew, was not stupid. He was quite intelligent, especially since he had received no formal education after high school. Yet he could build robots and inventions that were unique to his mind and his mind alone. Had not he, after all, picked up on Optimus' feelings for him? Needless to say, Joshua's intentions had become all too clear with Cade. For how long he had known, Optimus did not know; Cade no longer spoke with him often. However, Cade had not indicated if he felt the same way until now.

From the hanger, Optimus saw Cade step out onto the porch where Joshua was standing, wearing a suit as usual. Cade looked quite handsome, wearing a nice, dark button shirt and jeans; some things would never change. Joshua it seemed did not mind Cade's attire, although Optimus did believe his eyes had been running over Cade's form too many times for it to be civil and decent.

If he was a human, his blood would be boiling. Optimus had been picking up their words from the porch, but he was now tuning them out. Were he human, his heart would be broken. He knew what would happen from the moment Joshua had turned onto the dirt road that lead to the farm, yet Optimus had denied it. The proof, however, was right in front of him now and he could no longer turn a blind eye.

Joshua and Cade were going on a date.

Optimus could feel his spark beginning to shatter. A pain greater than any he had felt began to spread throughout his entire being. He knew he had no right to feel this way; it had been his own doing, after all. How could Optimus have expected Cade to remain single for the remainder of his days? Such a request would be unfair and Optimus would never ask that of him anyway. But seeing them together…even the mere thought of Cade with another… He did not like it at all.

Cade was his spark mate; his and none other's. Their relationship may not be physical and there would be little they would be able to do with one another, but Optimus would not rather lose Cade to another. He was far too important to Optimus. And when it came down to it, Optimus just could not ignore his own feelings any longer.

Regardless of if Cade was human and he was not, Optimus loved him. No other could make his spark light up so brightly as Cade. Even though Cade would die eventually, would it not be better to spend the years he did have with him together, as one, than separate and miserable? Whatever doubts he may have about them, Optimus was willing to face them with Cade. Things would be difficult and unconventional – there was no precedent for such a relationship – but between that and losing Cade, Optimus would rather take the long road than the short cut.

With his mind made up, Optimus started towards Joshua's car and knelt down beside it. His bright blue optics focused entirely on Joshua and he was thankful that neither of them had gotten in the car. Cade was gazing at him with wide eyes; how long had it been since Optimus had approached him, unafraid of starting another argument and sure of himself? Joshua, who had never ceased his fear of Optimus it appeared, seemed ready to get in his car and bolt. However, Optimus slamming his fist down on the dirt road right behind his car, stopped him.

"Joshua Joyce, you will cease courting my spark mate here and now," Optimus told him, narrowing his blue optics at Joshua. "If you do not, I will not be responsible for whatever may occur."

"I…I…I… Yeah, w-well…I…am….totally okay with that," Joshua stammered, paling and quivering. He looked at Cade. "Sorry, but…you're…uh, robot is…."

"A pain in the ass? Yeah, you got that right," Cade said, glaring up at Optimus. Joshua quickly got in his car and left as soon as Optimus lifted his fist.

"What the hell was up with that?!" Cade yelled up at him. "You get jealous and think you can just push people around?"

"I…am sorry, Cade, but you are my spark mate…" Optimus said, feeling kind of lost. He had expected Cade to be upset, but not this angry. He seemed…furious.

"Yeah, and you don't want anything to do with me, remember? And that was your decision, not mine," Cade seethed.

"I realize that ,Cade Yeager. You must believe me, I do. However, I…could not stand to lose you," Optimus confessed. He stood up and gazed down at his human.

"So, what do you want me to do, Optimus? Because I'm at a total loss here," Cade nearly shouted, looking confused and hurt and just...heartbroken. And Optimus had done that to him. How dishonorable. How shameful. He knew that he did not deserve a future with Cade after what he had put him through, yet he was going to ask it of him regardless. In doing so, he hoped, perhaps he can repair the damage he had caused and make up for his behavior.

"I wish for you to...give this...us...a chance. Be willing to see what may develope from it as I am," Optimus said, kneeling down and staring into Cade's eyes.

"Why should I?" Cade asked him, looking and sounding more hurt than suspicious.

"Because deep down in your soul, you know that there is no other for you out there. I know this because that is how I feel about you: no matter what I may have said or what my intentions were, there is no one for me but you, Cade Yeager," Optimus told him.

Cade ran a hand through his hair and looked around, his eyes darting in many directions. His expression shifted quite a few times before he finally turned to Optimus and spoke.

"You're a freakin' idiot, you know that?" he asked.

"I do indeed," Optimus replied.

"Good, because you are. And don't think that this means I've forgiven you yet," Cade warned him, but Optimus could see it in his eyes that he already had. He knew, though, that the damage he had caused would not heal instantaneously, but he would do his best to ensure that it would heal eventually.

"I understand, Cade. I will do my best to redem myself," Optimus said as he stood up.

"Well...now that my...date's been cancelled, what now?" Cade asked and Optimus saw him grin ever so slightly when the Autobot leader's mouth turned down into a frown.

"Perhaps we should catch up on what we have missed out on while we were...on unsavory terms," Optimus suggested. Cade gave him a small smile; not his usual one, but it would suffice for now.

"I suppose we haven't really talked for a while, huh?"

"It has, indeed, been quite some time," Optimus agreed as they headed over to the barn.

"Yeah," Cade said. He ducked his head and added, "I've missed you somethin' awful."

Optimus paused his steps. Cade stopped and turned to look up at him, his eyes wide and open, revealing to Optimus all that he felt inside of him. Kneeling down, Optimus gently put one large finger underneath Cade's chin and gave him a tender smile, hoping to reassure him.

"I have missed you as well, Cade," Optimus said. "I will not allow anything to come between us again. I give you my word."

Cade swallowed and nodded. Optimus released his chin and, together, they walked into the barn.

From the field on the other side of the house, Tessa and Bumblebee watched as Optimus and Cade entered the barn. Once the doors were closed, Tessa looked up at the giant, yellow robot.

"You were right, Bee. Getting Joshua involved totally got Optimus going," Tessa said.

"You damn right I'm right. I never lie," Bumblebee replied in his usual broken radio voice.

"It'll be nice to have them both back to normal again," Tessa said softly as she began walking, trailing the red wagon behind her.

"What's normal, anyway?" Bumblebee asked. And Tessa could only laugh slightly at his question, not answring, knowing it was rhetorical.

Hopefully now, though, both Optimus and her dad would return to their usual selves again. It sucked big time seeing them both so sad and depressed. Now, it would be over and they would have each other, as much as they could anyway. Now, their family, as odd and strange as it was, would be whole once more.