Chapter 13
New Beginnings
Red Alert was busy with reading over the papers that showed the result of damage that Side Swipe had received earlier when the doors slid open, and Optimus walked in.
Red Alert placed the papers down onto the table in the far corner of the room next the an x-ray machine, and came over to the commander.
"Forgive me for interrupting anything." Optimus apologized.
"Oh, no. You did not interrupt anything, Prime." Red Alert said, lifting up a hand in defence. "In fact, I was about to call you through the com link but then you arrived."
"What is it?" Prime asked.
Red Alert went back to the table and picked up the papers he had earlier and looked through the x-rays and data. "I have been overlooking Sideswipe's injury, and it turns out that it can be fixed up in no time. So there is no need to worry about losing him any longer." Red Alert smiled. This brought some relief to Optimus, but he still had something he needed to discuss over with the CMO. "
Well, now that Sideswipe is in the clear, there are some thing I wish to converse with you." Optimus began. "I talked to Maria, after our argument, and I managed to find out about her behavior over the past few days. The reason for her outburst was because she is suffering from an emotion defect. She is having trouble with controlling her emotions. But that isn't all. She told me the real story about her family."
"But she did already, since she first arrived." Red Alert interrupted.
Optimus sighed and went on. "She lied about her father. Jack Hammer did not give her up for her own good. He was abusive and violent. He would often beat her, his very own child, in ways I can't even describe. She has become traumatized from this abuse, and all because I slapped her I made her afraid of me. I felt so guilty in bringing back those horrible memories. But there is no need to worry. We have forgiven each other, and I want to give something to her in return.
"I suppose you had to tell her about your memories as well?" Red Alert smirked, making Prime look at him in surprise.
"How did you know?"
Laughing, Red Alert answered. "Jetfire told me."
Sighing in embarrassment and chuckling, Optimus shook his head. "Why did I even make him my second in command?" he chuckled.
"Ohh... I don't know? Maybe for good looks, skill in battle, or better yet... knowing how to make you feel better." Jetfire spoke out of nowhere. Apparently he had heard the conversation and decided to drop in uninvited. "So, I take that everything went well between you and Maria?" Jetfire asked rhetorically.
"Yes." Optimus nodded.
"Well, what is this plan of yours?" Jetfire inquired, leaning himself against the wall.
"My plan is to give Maria a real childhood. Something that she will always treasure, and put her past behind her. As of now, we are going to be her family."
"Family?" The two mechs said in unison.
"Don't get me wrong, Prime, but what are trying to say exactly?" Jetfire was puzzled.
"Chuckling, Optimus exclaimed. "What I mean is, is that we are going to be an adopted family to her."
Red Alert was stunned by this. Being a family to an orphan who had a troubled past? How can they be a family to Maria, while retrieving mini-cons and keeping one step ahead of the Decepticons at the same time?
Jetfire on the other hand thought it was a perfect idea. "I suppose that makes me an 'uncle', and Red Alert the 'grandpa'?" He joked.
"This is no laughing matter." Red Alert frowned. "As much as we want Maria to be happy, how are we suppose to keep an optic out for any Decepticon activity?"
"I agree with you. But I belive we can multi task." Optimus interrupted. "I will see to it."
"I'm not so sure about this..." Red Alert pondered, while scratching his head in thought. Even though he was a bit uncertain about the idea, he realized that Optimus was right. Maybe this would work out for both the youngling and his leader; they never had the chance to experiance the true meaning of family, and now was the chance for both of them. But then, the Decepticons would be a constant threat, so there would be times when the team would have to go and fight, but then one or two of them could stay at the base and watch over the child, so as to not have any casualties since earlier on. "... but I am in." Red Alert smiled.
"Sign me up." Jetfire declared.
Optimus Prime was relieved to see that they had agreed to his plan. Immediately, he had Red Alert inform the rest of the Autobots of what he had planed. He had Jetfire inform the mini-cons that they were free from detention, as well as sending Laserbeak to their human companions that they were no longer banned from the base. Optimus believed that the human children could help him with some doing earthly customs, such as holidays, and even birthdays. As he sent Jetfire and Red Alert to do these, he went towards the command center, and began researching on something very special; something very special for Maria.
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The next morning, Maria awoken from a peaceful, nightmare free stasis, and stretched the muscle cables in her back and neck plate. Turning her head to wake up Hot Shot, she did a double take. Hot Shot wasn't there. Where was he? As far as the youngling knew, if he were to wake up earlier than her he would wake her... but he didn't. Did he forget?
She was a bit annoyed at first and decided to go look for him and see why he didn't wake her.
As she exited his quarters, she headed straight to the rec room, and to her surprise no one was there.
"That's strange." She thought.
Another thing that she took to consideration was the fact that it was quiet. Too quiet. The only thing she heard was her own breathing. "Maybe he is in another room." She thought and continued her search.
The doors to the med bay opened and Maria stepped in to find Red Alert going through some paper work by a computer. Hearing the younglings footsteps coming rom behind, Red Alert turned and smiled.
"Good morning, Maria. I was just about to get you." He said as he placed to paper work back on a table.
"What is it, Red Alert?" Maria asked. Her mission in looking for Hot Shot was brushed away, and was replaced by Red Alert taking over to what looked like an energon dispenser...only it looked different. Instead of being silver in color, in was white, and inside was energon. What was strange about this was that the energon bubbled furiously, but not too much.
Redt Alert picked up a cup and went over the sink-like nozzle and poured in the warm liquid. He then turned and gave it to Maria. "Drink up."
"Why? This isn't like the energon I have in the rec room." Maria said, looking unknowingly at the liquid.
"I'll tell as soon as you drink up. After that I have to bring you to the control room. Everyone is waiting for us to be there."
"Everyone? Is that why she couldn't find the Autobots? Why were they in the control room? Did this have to do with her?
Well, in order to find out she had to refuel. Taking a small sip of the energon, she blinked in surprise. It tasted sweet. Very sweet. The taste seemed to tickle her taste receptors in her glossa.
"Good, isn't it." Red Alert chuckled as he watched Maria literally hork down the drink.
"That was delicious." Maria smiled. "What did you put in this?"
Red Alert only laughed as he took her hand in his and led her out of the med bay. "I told you I will let you know after this meeting." Red Alert smiled.
"Meeting?" Maria asked.
"You'll see."
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As the doors to the control room slid open, the Autobots that occupied the inside of the room turned to see the CMO and the youngling enter. Hot Shot, being the first break the silence, smiled and snickered. "We were wonderin' when you slow pokes would show up." Red Alert only shook his head at the remark, but Maria's attention was soon fixated at the figure of Sideswipe. He was no longer in the med bay, but was now here with a some sort of cast on his stabilizing servo.
She immediately went straight to him and hugged him, being careful not to hurt his wound, and started apologizing for her foolishness. "Hey, don't worry, big sis. I'll make it." He reassured her.
"I swear I will never doing anything like that ever again. I don't want anything bad to happen to you." Maria whimpered.
"He will be fine, young one." Spoke the voice of the Autobot commander as he came to Maria.
"Optimus." She exclaimed, but not in a spooked way, but she was concerned about why all of the mechs were gathered here.
As soon as he knelt down to the youngling he began the explanation. "Do you remember our little conversation last night?"
Maria nodded.
"Well, I have told my men about the truth of your past, as well as the plans we will have in store for you in due course."
But before Optimus continued, Maria stopped him. "You told them? Why did you? I thought this was just between us." Maria interrupted.
Optimus only chuckled softly and continued. "Now, Maria, if things are going to change around the base, every one here has to know about what we conversed last night."
"Yeah, how come you never told us about who your father was, and what he did you?" Hot Shot asked. Maria shuffled her pads, nervously. They were right. Why hadn't she told the truth? Half of them were older than her, and might have understood what she went through. So why didn't she?
"I guess I was afraid that none of you would believe me." she answered.
Scavenger shook his head. "What makes you think we wouldn't believe you?"
Maria shrugged her shoulders in embarrassment before she went on. "Well, you all looked serious when I first met you, and assumed that you wouldn't belive a youngling such as myself."
Jetfire couldn't help but let out a stifled laugh. "The only younglings we don't believe most of the time are those two." He pointed to Hot Shot and Sideswipe, to which they both retaliate by saying "Hey!", in unison.
"You listen to either of us sometimes, you know" Hot Shot retaliated.
"Hey, I was only kidding." Jetfire waved his hands in defense. After everyone's laughter died down to quiet chuckles, Jetfire resumed. "Anyway, what we are trying to say is, if there is something bothering you, anything at all... tell us. It doesn't matter that you are a youngling, we will believe you. Okay?"
Maria was so moved by the kind words that she couldn't even think about thinking the whole thing over. "Okay, I promise to tell you if anything is wrong." Maria extended her hand to Jetfire and he extended his and both shook on the promise.
"That's odd." Hoist interrupted, scratching the back of his head in confusion. "Didn't you use to be uneasy at times like this, Maria?"
"Hey, you're right. Why am I not angry, or shaking anymore?" Maria asked him.
"That I can answer." Red Alert explained. "You remember that new energon formula I had you take, before we came here?"
"Yes."
"Well, you see, I happened to have some ingredients for a formula that helps with maintaining calm behavior for bots who have disabilities with controlling their emotions," Red Alert then patted Maria's head and continued. "Which means you can now think about what you're going to say and how you and others will react."
"Wow. That's neat."
"I'm glad to see that you are agreeable to everything that is happening now. " Optimus' voice announced as he straightened himself back up and gazed down at the femme in an almost loving way that surprised Maria. "With all of that out of the way, I will now make an offer for you that I think you can't resist."he told her.
"An offer?" she asked.
"In order to make your new life more pleasent, than the one you have horribly had to go through, I have decided to make my team, mini-cons, and humans,...your new family. Are you willing to accept this?"
A sudden chill began to run up he neck cables of the youngling. Family? Did he really say "Family"? This had to be the best moment ever, but could not find the right words to express her joy, and for a while stayed silent. For a few seconds nothing happened until Maria stuttered, still overcome by sheer joy. "A...a...a...a... A...Family?"
"Optimus nodded. " A family."
"Just think about it, kiddo. You can have me as an uncle." Hoist smiled.
Turning around to face Hoist, Maria slowly started to grin. "I guess that would, and maybe Jetfire and Scavenger and Red Alert can be the other uncles. Blurr and can be my cousin, and Hot Shot and Sideswipe can be my brothers.."
"We already are." Hot Shot chuckled.
"And Optimus can...can...ca..."
Seeing her optics begining to shed tiny, happy tears, Optimus once more knelt down to her, took both her hands into his gentle, silver ones and cooed. "Maria, I know you never had a true father that gave the true love a father can give..." he used a thumb digit to wipe away a tear from her optic and continued. "... But I would be honored to give it to you, and be your surrogate father."
A great, big smile began to spread across the fumbling's face plate, her tears now gone.
"I would love that, very much...Dad." Maria sighed as she threw her arms around Primes neck plating, making the red mech lift her, and himself up, and stood for a second in a loving, warm hug. "Then it is settled," Optimus chuckled, as he looked over his surrogate daughter. "Welcome to the family."
(Hooray! Maria now has a family of her own. More chapters are to come soon. Sparkling Lover out)