Chapter 12

Abuse and Forgiveness

Maria sat in complete shock as she heard Optimus's story. She could not believe what she was hearing. How could Megatron do such a horrible thing. And poor Optimus. How he must have suffered?

After he had finished, Maria was starting to tear up once again, not just in sadness, but feeling ashamed of all the things she had said to Optimus Prime.

Seeing this, Prime reached over and patted her back plate, trying his best to comfort her.

"I'm so sorry that happened to you." Maria sobbed.

"It is alright, little one. It was my fault not telling about this in the first place." Optimus cooed softly.

"I just had no idea how much you went through. Having a family taken away, and I only made it worse."

Optimus raised both optic ridges. "No, don't say that. You did not make anything worse for me. You are not the cause for me to grieve over the loss of my family, in fact...you might say ever since you came, I remembered the good things that happened with Aquarius and I."

Maria raised her head, her optics still streaming with tears but was starting to calm down. "I do?"

Prime nodded, and placed his hand onto one of Maria's pony tail like appendages, caressing it. "Let us cheek your cheek, I believe my story may have healed it partially." Optimus said and Maria lifted the cloth off of her cheek, the bruise now gone. Happy with the injury gone Optimus continued.

"Well, now that I have revealed myself, it is time for you to reveal yourself." He said while moving closer to her.

"Wat do you mean?" Maria asked.

"Do you remember what you shouted to me, when you stormed out of the command center? You said that I was worse then your father,"

Maria stood still for a while, then her head shot up in surprise... She had been caught.

"Your father never gave you up, did he?" Optimus leaned in. Maria nodded her head.

Optimus turned her around gently to face him and placed both hands on her shoulder plates.

"Maria, I need you to tell me the truth. About who your father really was. Do not be afraid to tell me, because I will listen and I will help you along the way."

"Okay. I'll tell you." Maria sighed.

"I was born to an weapons specialist named Jack Hammer, and a librarian named Elita 1, but I never told you what really happened between them."

Maria cleared her throat and began.

"My parents never married because they loved each other. Their marriage was arranged because of hard times, while the war was still going on back on Cybertron. Even though they had to marry because of their families traditions, they had nothing in common, and that would lead to several problems during the next stellar cycles.

"My father, Jack Hammer, had a horrible temper. He was almost always angry everyday in his life. I suppose it ran only his side of the family, but I wasn't sure. One thing was for sure; my mother never liked it when he was displeased with everything.

"In fact, when I had just turned 3 vorns old, my mother decided to divorce from Jack Hammer, but during the process, she lost the right to keep me, hence why I remained under his so called "Care".

"During those 6 stellar cycles of my life, my father cruelly mistreated me. In several ways I can hardly even say. I will try to tell them to you though."

She took in a deep breath and resumed.

"One of the ways he would punish me would be beating me. That was his most used method in getting me to listen to him. Either by his hand, or pipe, wrench, even a hammer he would beat me so much, that I was afraid to even make him cross.

"Another method he used was by throwing scrap metal at me. He didn't even care if it was sharp or not, he would just throw it at me, even if I didn't do anything wrong.

"He would also put me inside of the cellar that was under our house, and leave me in their with the door locked. I would often be left there in the dark all by myself.

"But the worst thing he did to me was call me names, even bad names that I can;t even say. Such names as 'Glitch, Rod-Sucker, Error-Head, Worthless pile of Scrap, Fragger, and Bionic-Brat.' "

Optimus could hardly belive what was coming out of Maria's mouth. All those names...Those pit forsaken names Jack Hammer would call his daughter. It disgusted him. What kind of Autobot would ever beat an innocent child, it was inconceivable.

"I wasn't just afraid of him, I hated him. I hardly even believed he was my father, because I would never do any of those things to anyone. I even told myself that I would run away no matter what, but somehow he heard me say it under my breath. He dragged me into the kitchen and he grabbed a pipe and began hitting my side with it as he yelled "If you even dare try to leave this house, I'll pound you into scrap, you Glitch. Do you hear me?".

"I was sent to the cellar with a sore side after that. But that still didn't stop me from trying to escape from that house of horrors. 7 times I tried, and all of them failed, with painful consequences. But I remember one day that I would never forget. A day where my father gone to far.

"One day, I noticed my father sleeping heavily after a night of drinking at the nearby bar, and I decided to make my move. I sneaked my way out of our house, and I started off on my journey to freedom, freedom from that monster of a father.

"After I had gone only a few miles, I spotted a park and playground. I had seen them all the time but I was forbidden to enter them by none other than by my Dad. Had I kept on walking, I would have avoided the horror that would come, but I was more interested in that tiny place of play.

"I entered the play ground and went straight to one of those things that had seats hanging from strong wires, and I started to swing. I had never felt such freedom before. It felt wonderful. The other Autobots that occupied the park were a little puzzled at my somewhat unexpected experience, just stood and watched me as I swayed to and fro, not having the care in the world. The reason was because I was a bit dirty and was a little to old to be playing in a sparkling enviroment. All of that blinded my senses, for what happened next was unforgettable, a memory that refuses to leave my processor even to this day.

"I was in mid-swing when a hard hand grabbed the cuff of my neck plate and threw me off the swing. I looked up and there stood the hulking, menacing figure of my father, and he was fuming with anger.

"He growled at me saying that I was going to pay for leaving him, and he called me a Rod-Sucker. That's when I felt the ultimate pain, pain I would never recover from, both from my body and spark.

"As the Female Autobots and their children watched in horror, my father started to kick at me violently, punch at my sides, pick me up and throw me to the ground several times. Even from this torture, I could hear cries for help, but despite the cries, my Father paid no attention and continued his assault.

"The attack was only a couple of nano clicks, but to me it seemed forever, and for a moment I thought I was going to die. That was when two male Autobots came out of nowhere, and pulled me free from the assault, but that did not stop one final move my father did. He made a fist and punched me in the face plate, saying that I would never be a real Autobot because I was weak too fight back, even against him."

Optimus couldn't utter a sentence fragment, for what he heard from Maria's tragic past was nothing but mortifying and horrible.

"After the incident I was sent to Nebulana Orphanage for Femmes. That's all I have to say. "

Maria then sighed sadly with a small energon tear leaking from one optic. She then looked up at Prime and sighed again. "Every night I always seem to remember those awful, painful moments between me and my father. I try my best to forget them, but they keep coming back. Why did he have to be that way to me? Why...why?" She began to cry quietly again.

"I don't know why your father did those things to you..." Optimus cooed, as he sat her on his lap and stroked her cheek plate. "...But I can assure you this. Nothing like that will ever happen to you ever again. What he brought upon you was unacceptable."

Optimus then brought his face closer to hers, his optics looking tenderly into hers. "I am glad that you told me all of this, because now I know that I should never punish you physically, even though I wouldn't dream of doing so. I promise you that I will never slap you again. Yet, I also want to tell that if something is troubling you, talk to any of us. We will help you out, no matter what. And, starting tomorrow me and my team will do our best to make your life better, to put the past behind you and love every moment that begins now. "

Maria's couldn't help but stay silent as she listened to the warm gentle voice that came from Optimus. Optimus was going to help her? She could almost hardly believe him, but by the way he spoked he ad to be telling the truth.

"Do you really mean it?" She asked sheepishly.

"Of course I do. I really mean it. Right at the bottom of my spark." Prime chuckled as he rubbed his forehead against her, making her smile, which was just what he wanted.

Maria moved away a bit, but not in fear though. She held out her hand to him and said. "Would it be okay with you, if we started over?"

"That would be just fine." Optimus answered, extending his hand to hers, and they both shook hands.

"My name is Maria. It is a pleasure to meet you." Maria introduced.

As their hands parted Optimus introduced himself.

"Hello, Maria. My name Opti..."

All of a sudden Prime found himself being pushed down on the berth, and Maria was on top of him, giving him the biggest hug she could give. Optimus was surprised by this, but only shook his head and wrapped his arms around her, returning the embrace.

For a while nothing happened. The mech and young femme did nothing else but hold each other for what seemed like an eternity. But within that eternity, there was something that they both never felt before...Love. Love for each other. They were now starting to care for each other. It was at that moment that would change their lives forever.

The silence of their bonding was soon broken by Optimus' quiet, warm chuckles as he lifted himself and Maria up and out of the berth. Optimus had Maria pinned gently to his chest as he looked at her and smiled.

"Thank you."

"For what?" Maria asked.

"For forgiving me." He answered as he pulled her up to his face.

"Well, since we have put both of our pasts behind us, starting tomorrow, I, will be planning some things that you and I will be doing. Things that I think you might find fun, and enriching." Optimus smiled in his optics, as he put her down.

"What sort of things." Maria asked.

Prime only laughed as he patted her head.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you. Lets just say it is going to be a surprise."

Maria only snickered and grabbed hold of the hand that patted her and playfully tugged it.

"Pleeeeaaase? If you tell me I'll still act surprised. Please?"

"You are such a rascal. No wonder why everybody likes you." Optimus laughed as he knelt down on one knee and brought the giggling youngling to his chest, pinning her there, and gave her a gentle noogie, briefly pinching her pony tail appendages, causing Maria to laugh.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha, Stop it, I wont ask you again. Just please stop it." Maria laughed while pleading.

"I'm not so certain if I believe you." Optimus laughed as he sat himself on the floor, with the youngliing still in his grasp, trying her hardest to escape from the noogie attack. He could hardly believe what he was doing at that moment. He was playing with a youngling. He had never played with any younglings before, only when he was a youngling himself, but this was now the starting point in strengthening his and Maria's relationship. And he was determined to change her life, to forget the past and enjoying the present, and dream about the future.

All of a sudden, Maria squirmed so hard, she freed herself and leapt on top of Optimus, playfully grabbing his ear fins.

This soon erupted into a playful wrestling match of sorts, mainly seeing who would be on top of who.

After a short while, the match ended with Maria on Prime's chest laughing hard, while Optimus laughed with her. Soon the younglings giggles turned into a exhausted yawn. Optimus looked at her and saw the femme struggling to keep her optics online.

"Getting tired?" He said softly.

"No, I just have something in my optics, that's all." Maria tried to deny, but was already slipping away into stasis and yawned again.

Prime only chuckled quietly as he rose up from the floor, picked her up and gently lay the sleepy child on the berth.

Before he left to plan the day ahead, Optimus leaned down and kissed Maria's forehead and whispered.

"Sweet dreams, little one."

After hearing his footsteps leave the room, and the door creaking closed, Maria smiled, closed her optics, and for the first time in forever... her nightmares were gone, and happy dreams replaced them.

(Now we all know what really happened to Maria. I based her off of me because I also suffer from Autism and Asperger Syndrome, but I have never been through child abuse. Child abuse is an awful thing and it makes me so angry that people would ever do horrible things to children. But with that aside, we can now focus on what Optimus has in store for the young femme. Find out what happens in the next chapter.)