232
When Drift came back in, the Holoform studying me closely, I tried for my best smile. My headache had gotten a little worse, which made me very uncomfortable. Drift seemed to have immediately caught on to my discomfort.
"You're in pain, aren't you?" Drift asked, his blue eyes twinkling worriedly.
"It's just a headache." I grimaced slightly, pressing the back of my hand to my forehead. "I'll be OK if I get some water."
Drift's eyes brightened a little, the subtle look of worry on his face increasing.
"I'll get you water," he offered. He walked over and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. Drift tried for a smile, though the way it looked was almost awkward.
Nodding slightly, I gave Drift a murmured thank you before he departed.
I had taken tiny sips of the cool glass of water Drift was kind enough to retrieve for me. It helped ease my headache, just a little. Drift stayed for a little bit, keeping me company. I had slept through the rest of yesterday; the sleep helping me through the majority of my discomfort.
"Are you feeling better?" Drift asked, looking at me with slight concern.
"A little." I took another small sip of my water. "Thanks for the water, Drift. It was nice of you to do that."
"I promised Optimus..." he started.
"I know, I know," I started, giving an airy chuckle. "It means a lot to me that you'd do this. I mean, I'm sure you didn't have to do this."
Drift held a hand up, quieting me. "Optimus asked that I do this," he explained. "He thought I would be suitable to watch over you in his absence."
"You're doing a wonderful job," I complimented. "I owe you a lot for what you're doing. I appreciate everything that you're doing, Drift. Really, I do."
The Holoform nodded without a word.
I couldn't help but look at the Holoform. It startled me on how realistic Ratchet made the Holoforms look - how they could touch and feel and function like actual human beings. It made me wonder what it would have been like if the Autobots were actual people.
But it wasn't only that, in the past day and a half that Drift and I had gotten to know each other, I realized that Drift was more than just the stoic samurai-looking Autobot that I had gotten accustomed to.
In the time Drift and I were getting to know each other, he held a lot of guilt.
O.O.O.O
"Spending centuries as a Decepticon made me realize that nothing in this universe is ever safe." Drift's eyes looked down ashamedly. "Even after I became an Autobot..." He shook his head, his hands clenching. He looked like he was in a battle with himself. "I believe in what the Autobots stand for - protecting the defenseless is something every being should strive to do," he said. "But the violence that goes on between the Autobots and Decepticons has been a war going on for centuries. It's not OK."
I nodded in silent agreement. I hadn't been fighting as long as Optimus and the others had. I wasn't fully aware of how violent the tensions were between the two factions; I only knew what I experienced with them. True, seeing and experiencing it firsthand was horrifying, but having to fight for centuries...it was like a never ending nightmare.
"I will follow Optimus for as long as I can," Drift said solemnly. "He's an honorable warrior, and I trust him completely."
I gave a small smile.
"But, even as an Autobot, we're, in some ways, no better than the Decepticons." Drift's voice was hard, almost emotionless.
My heart dropped.
"You really think that?" I asked softly.
"You've experienced the violence that goes on between the Autobots and Decepticons," Drift said. "Violence upon violence upon violence. It's never ending."
"The Autobots defend the defenseless," I exclaimed. "The Decepticons...they kill for the sake of killing."
Drift nodded. "I know."
"You spent time as a Decepticon but changed your view." I gave him an almost pleading look. "Drift, you're a damn good Autobot. The Autobots and Decepticons are so different, there's no way they're similar."
"You're still young, Desirée," Drift said solemnly. "Experiencing the Decepticons' violence is terrifying, but you haven't fought for them or against them for countless centuries."
"Drift..."
He shook his head. "The lives of the innocent are on my hands. Desirée, you seem to be delusional on your thoughts of the Autobots. Yes, their ideals are very good, admirable even; but the way they'd use violence without a moment's hesitation..." He shook his head.
I sat up a little, trying to hold back a grimace of displeasure.
"I may be a bit delusional, but this is a war, Drift." I placed a comforting hand on the Holoform's forearm. "Violence is unavoidable when there's a war. What else could you guys do?"
O.O.O.O
"Do you know how the others are doing?" I asked.
He shook his head. "I would imagine they would be using the element of surprise against their enemy."
If Galvatron was truly hiding out somewhere in Tennessee, then I prayed that Optimus and the others took him down quickly. Galvatron had caused too much damage the first time we encountered him, and possibly way too many civilian deaths. If he started up trouble, killing innocent human lives for his own sick pleasure, I would be infuriated.
But I shouldn't expect much from the prototype.
Galvatron would always be Megatron; no matter what form he took, no matter what name he was given.
"That's good, I suppose," I murmured. "I just...Abby and the others are probably getting really worried. Now they don't have anyone to help protect them."
"If they're hunting down Galvatron, then they are being protected."
"They're still family, though," I said quietly. "My sister's exposed. Her kids are exposed."
My heart clenched. The thought of Abby and her kids being in potential danger made me feel sick. The thought of any of them being in potential danger made me sick. They didn't have any kind of alien superpower, and the Autobots were gone on their Tennessee mission. Who knew when they'd get back!
"I can assure you that your family will be well protected." Drift looked at me with the utmost confidence. "I promise."
Optimus POV
The Prime felt like his Spark was even heavier than before. He could feel Desirée's emotions...her overwhelmingly powerful emotions. Pity and sympathy and discomfort and fear...all these feelings rattling through her body as she waited for her Sparkmate and friends to return.
Optimus desperately wanted to be there for Desirée, for his Sparklings. He wanted to support his family and be the father and husband they truly needed, but it felt as if he wasn't good enough. Optimus was still being hunted by the Creators. The Seed's location could have been compromised and be in the hands of an evil force.
He knew that, in order to put aside his fears and paranoia, Optimus would have to go back into space to make sure nothing had changed.
No One POV
"This is the place?" Marli looked at the large property with large eyes, hidden behind sunglasses.
Looking over the directions in front of her, Celia confirmed Marli's amazement.
"Well...Desirée sure does have a good set of friends now, doesn't she?" Marli's gaze went to Celia, who was frowning slightly.
They both looked back at the Yeager property in silence, contemplating how to approach them. Neither of them saw the vehicle modes of the other Autobots, and assumed they probably all left the planet. It had been years since they had seen the others, it only seemed logical that they assumed the Autobots were long gone.
"So what now?" Marli asked.
"Now," Celia looked at Marli with a neutral expression, "we see our friend again."
Grimlock POV
The leader of the Dinobots felt something unusual. It was a feeling that made him feel even more defensive. Since his Dinobots were now living on a foreign planet, hiding in the planet's forestry, it was only natural they try and defend themselves somehow, in case of being attacked.
But this...this unusual feeling bubbled through Grimlock's Energon. It was almost similar in nature of when he and the Dinobots first encountered Lockdown.
Only this was intensified.
Grimlock was feeling anger and fear.
Something was coming, something very powerful.
QUICKY A/N:
I HOPE YOU LIKED HAVING GRIMLOCK'S POV IN THE END. ALSO, I HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOY MARLI AND CELIA BEING BACK TOO. I'LL HAVE MORE ELITA STUFF COMING UP.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE LOVELY REVIEW! YOU'RE ALL AMAZING PEOPLE.
STAY SNAPPY.
THANK YOU, ONE AND ALL.
READ, REVIEW, ENJOY!
YOURS TRULY,
~SMITHY