Author's Note:
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Trigger Warnings: implied/referenced homophobia, mention of the death of a parent
Disclaimer: I am from the UK, so I do spell certain things the 'British' way. =)
As always, if you enjoyed this, please leave a comment! Happy reading! ^_^
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Three years.
Three years to the day. The passage of time had not made the emotional or metaphorical scars any easier for Elena to bear. It was like the first time when she saw the back of a large man, a man, who with his easy-going and confident swagger, could have been her father.
For every time she inhaled the smell of freshly brewed coffee or the smell of a freshly printed New York Times.
Every time a cab zipped past her in the busy metropolis.
Time, she decided, did not heal all wounds. In fact, it did not heal wounds period.
It seemed to Elena that pain and time worked in seamless symbiosis, creating a sick plethora of healing, heartache, regret and a whole other load of complicated emotions that she knew she wasn't in the slightest bit ready to attempt to unravel or understand.
Her mother had become increasingly distant since the death of her father, not even phoning Elena to congratulate her on the recognition of her discovery in Peru. Ever since Elena had bolstered the courage to tell her parents the painful truth that she had been hiding for so many years, Elena's mother had made her disapproval of Elena's orientation clear without ever needing to utter a single word.
Benjamin Wallace's reaction however, had been one of an entirely different calibre.
He had unfolded himself from his favourite armchair, discarding his crossword puzzle in the Times without a second thought.
Elena remembered watching with anxious trepidation, her breath bated as she watched her father uncurl himself to his full 6'3" height. She remembered how the cold, uneasy trepidation had fallen away as he opened his arms to her, his ochre-brown eyes softening as he drank in her appearance, as if he was a blind man seeing her for the first time.
She remembered the feel of her hand in his, the way he had reached out to bridge the gap between them, encompassing her hand in his bigger one, wrapping her in the safety and security of his unconditional and eternal love.
"Baby girl, I just want you to be happy. That is all I have ever wanted for you. There is nothing you could do that would make me not love you. You are my single greatest accomplishment in this life, and I am honoured to call myself your father."
Elena closed her eyes against the memory, inhaling it greedily, immersing herself in every sensory aspect of it.
The feeling of her father's strong arms at her back.
The coffee scent that seemed to cling to his very skin.
The overwhelming sense of safety and love that permeated everything that he touched.
The feeling of her father's strong arms at her back.
Elena shook her head, attempting to dislodge the memories and push them back to somewhere that would be significantly less painful. She did not need to be dealing with errant thoughts and emotions when she had plenty of menial things to keep her occupied for the time being.
She placed her hands on her hips and observed the space before her.
The abandoned warehouse-turned-Autobot-base hadn't changed much in the three and a half months since she had Noah had met the Autobots.
In the back-left corner of the expansive open space was a crude 'R&R' station. Elena smiled to herself when she remembered asking Mirage what 'R&R' stood for. The incredulous look he had given her would have been offensive if he wasn't so damned endearing with it at the same time.
"What do you think it stands for, Chica? 'Rest and repairs'!" He'd said it as if it was the most obvious thing in the entire universe.
The berth that had been assembled by Arcee and Optimus was an impressive size. It was thirty feet in length and a good fifteen feet from the ground. A little big for the other Autobots, but necessary if Optimus was ever knocked out of commission.
Elena's thoughts turned to the task at hand as the image of the Autobot leader came across her mind's eye.
She knew she had about an hour before he got back from his patrol.
An hour was all she needed.
Over the past few days, Noah had helped her to bring all the necessary equipment to the abandoned warehouse, storing it under a discreet pile of black tarpaulin and strategically placed spare parts.
The largest piece of equipment that she needed had been placed on the overhead catwalk for her by a helpful Bumblebee only the day before.
"'Talk to me…oh, what's going on?'" Elena had laughed as Marvin Gaye's What's Going On sounded from Bumblebee's speakers.
"A surprise Bee! You'll be able to see it once Optimus has."
The friendly yellow Autobot scout had helped her to secure and mount the equipment to the catwalk platform, chirping curiously and playing various sound bites through his radio throughout the duration of the installation process.
Elena took her backpack off and retrieved the film reel within it. She affixed it carefully to the projector, making sure that the machine was calibrated properly and making sure that the angle would line up correctly with the screen.
Once she was satisfied with the set-up of the film projector, she replaced the cover and made her way over to the ladder that would grant her access to the catwalk platform.
She left her backpack on the floor and made sure to grip the ladder firmly with both hands before placing one of her Doc Marten clad feet on the lowermost rung.
Elena had never been the biggest fan of heights, and her recent experience with giant extra-terrestrial robots had not exactly warmed her to the concept.
Pushing the annoying thoughts to the back of her mind, she determinedly ascended the ladder, laughing at herself in a dark corner of her mind. She had survived a battle for her planet's survival and yet she was scared of climbing a ladder that was roughly twelve feet high?
Pathetic.
It did not feel so pathetic however, when she heard a low groaning sound, a sound like the creak of fatigued metal giving way under her weight.
She scrambled quickly up the rest of the ladder and tucked her legs over the edge of the catwalk platform just as the offending object clattered to the ground with an earth-resounding crash. The noise was temporarily deafening and for a split second, she was back on the bridge in Peru, listening to the deafening clash of metal against metal as titan fought titan.
"Elena, shut it down!" Optimus Prime's command as he charged to jump the gap between the key console and the bridge.
She remembered how his heavy footfalls had reverberated in her chest, making her very ribs feel like they were vibrating.
She sighed, leaning over the edge of the catwalk to see if the ladder situation was at all salvageable.
It was not.
The ladder had fallen completely flat onto the concrete floor below and there was no way on earth that she could reach it without actually leaving the catwalk platform itself, which in turn defeated the object of her needing the ladder in the first place.
She shrugged to herself and made her way over to the mounts holding the projector screen in place. She undid one side first and then the other, untwisting the mounts that were secured like screw nails. The projector screen unravelled with a satisfying sound, not dissimilar to the sound a boat's sail made when it was released.
She was pleased with the overall size of the screen. It covered a good part of the catwalk railing that it was suspended from, and its generously large size ensured that it would be seen by large and small individuals alike. All in all, she was satisfied with the set-up of the space that was available to her. There weren't many options available in the abandoned warehouse, but she felt that she had utilised the space available to her to the best of her ability.
All she had to do now was wait for Optimus to get back from his patrol.
She sat down on the edge of the catwalk, allowing her legs to dangle over the side while she wrapped her arms around the lowermost railing.
The corrugated iron floor of the catwalk still retained some of the day's heat, a heat that she felt on the backs of her thighs as she lowered herself to the floor. The weather lady that very morning on WABC-TV had declared the late heatwave an 'Indian' summer.
Before she had left her apartment that morning, Elena had elected for a plain white camisole paired with a battered, pinafore-style faded blue denim romper suit. Her father had bought it for her four birthdays ago and it was nearing the end of its public life. Sooner rather than later it would be no good except when she cleaned her apartment, but the thought of parting with it made her heart accelerated to a panicked and frantic rhythm.
A strategically tied bandana adorned her head, keeping her natural curls close to her scalp in an attempt to combat the year's late, oppressive heat.
The temperature had hovered around the low eighties and, a fact not helped by the minimal amount of rainfall that New York City had had so far for the month of September.
Elena swung her legs slowly to and fro, her dark brown eyes tracking the movement of her Doc Marten boots. Doc Marten boots that were scuffed, paint-damaged and at least eight years old.
A nostalgic smile kissed her lips as a sudden memory played in the forefront of her mind, like her own personal picture show.
"Elena, when are you gonna polish those god-damned boots?! I ain't havin' nobody thinkin' your father and I raised you in some poorhouse girl!"
Her mother's shrill insistence that everything had to look and be perfect all the time.
"Easy Gloria! The girl ain't gonna lose out on anything in life if she's got some scuffed boots!"
The gentle cadence of her father's calm and deep voice.
Equally as powerful, she remembered her mother's disappointment and anger when she learnt of her daughter's chosen career path. She had been most horrified at the fact that her daughter was not aspiring to become the devoted and loving wife of a high-flying, Manhattan based defence attorney.
Elena pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind, not wanting to deal with them right at that particular moment. She was prone to ruminating and then spiralling into a deep, introspective pit of her own making. It was seldom a happy place to be, and she already devoted enough of her mental energy spending time there.
Energy that she was determined on claiming back for herself.
Elena was pulled from her self-imposed reverie by the low growl of a Freightliner's engine.
She lifted her head in time just to see Optimus roll to a complete stop, his airbrakes hissing lightly with the motion. She watched with ill-disguised awe and amazement as the vehicle parts shifted and reconfigured themselves until they had arranged into the body of the Autobot leader.
He ducked as he came in through the large doorway, his heavy footfalls reverberating in Elena's chest. His blue optics widened when he saw her, clearly not expecting anybody to be at the warehouse when he returned from his patrol.
In her hurry to stand, she smashed her head against the top bar of the railing on the catwalk. Pain shot through her cranium and into her forehead, making her see stars for a few seconds.
She heard, rather than saw Optimus hurrying towards her, his blue lower legs filling the majority of her field of vision. Hydraulics hissed as he raised a hesitant servo.
"Elena! Are you alright? Are you at all injured?" His deep baritone was laced with concern.
"Argh god-dammit!" she muttered, more to herself than to him. She lifted her eyes to meet his earnest blue gaze. Hilariously, he was slightly bending his knees so as to bring himself more to her level. It was kind of endearing to see the massive, twenty-foot tall Autobot leader trying to get to her perspective.
"Elena, are you injured?" his tone was a little more pressing this time, his optics worriedly fixed on her.
"No, just my pride." She groaned, rubbing a tentative hand over the top of her head.
Ouch.
There was definitely going to be a lump there in the morning.
Optimus straightened, visibly satisfied with her answer.
"Why did you do that? If you are going to strike things with your head, would it not be pertinent to don protective headwear first? It is my understanding that human bones, and therefore human craniums are very fragile."
"I didn't do it on purpose!" she uttered, a little defensively.
He held both hands up defensively. "Duly noted. I will not make such an assumption again." He eyed her thoughtfully before speaking again. "You are stressed. Your cortisol levels are currently elevated to eighteen micrograms per decilitre; a significant amount higher than the average of ten micrograms per decilitre for your species."
Elena worked hard to smooth her face into some semblance of what she hoped was a polite smile. "Did you just scan me?"
A brisk nod was her answer.
She sighed. "Optimus, we've spoken about this before. You can't just go around scanning people. It's personal information."
The Autobot leader remained undeterred. "I see no adverse consequences if the information revealed to me in my scan helps me to alleviate some pain, physical or otherwise."
That stopped her in her tracks. She stared blankly at him for a few seconds. His face was an inscrutable mask of polite interest, his 'brows' sitting in two perfectly neutral lines above his cerulean optics.
In the end, she opted for a diversion tactic.
"What do you think of the set-up?" she asked, nodding towards the screen.
Optimus took the bait, casting his gaze downwards.
His 'eyebrows' (could she even call them that?) rose and disappeared slightly behind his helm as he examined the screen. He reached out a gentle hand and poked it lightly with one finger, seemingly surprised by how easily it gave way underneath his touch.
"What is it?" he rumbled, lifting his optics back up so that they rested on Elena once more.
Elena took a deep breath.
"I thought that you and I could have a movie night, if you want? I know Arcee and Wheeljack are busy in South America with Primal looking on how to harvest that raw energon and Mirage and Bumblebee are holed up outside Noah's apartment. They are having a gaming tournament on Kris' Sega Drive."
Optimus did not speak for a moment, seemingly struck speechless.
"You wish to…have a movie night with me?" he spoke quietly, his voice almost vulnerable.
Elena laughed. "You don't have to sound so scared! I just thought it might be nice for you to have some downtime. Don't think about work for a while. Lose yourself in a world of make-believe, even if it's just for one hour."
Optimus smiled gently at her. Even though it was only small, it transformed his entire face. The metallic mosaic that made up his facial plating shifted and allowed her a glimpse of someone who had not yet been touched by the horrific burdens and responsibilities that came with trying to co-ordinate a war from an alien planet.
"You should do that more often." She watched in amusement as his eyebrows shot upwards into his helm again.
"I am afraid I am not following your meaning, Elena. What should I do more often?"
"Smile! You have a nice smile." Once again it appeared that she had rendered the Autobot leader totally and utterly speechless.
This time, it was he who opted for the diversion tactic.
"Why are you on the catwalk? You will need to set up the movie, I am not familiar with how to operate human technology, and I fear my hands are too large to work such technology without causing irreparable damage."
Elena smiled warmly at him. "I can help you with that last part, but you might need to help me get down from here. The ladder fell as I was climbing up it."
His optics widened in alarm. "Were you injured?" His voice resumed the earlier tones of his concern.
"Nah. I got up here in time. I've just been stuck up here for the last hour or so. No big deal."
"It is a 'big deal' Elena. You could have been harmed. Where is this ladder now?"
He followed her point to where the ladder had fallen earlier.
Walking over, he bent from the waist and picked the ladder up easily in both of his large hands, turning it over and examining it. Blue rays of light shot out from his optics as he continued his thorough inspection.
"What are you doing?" Elena asked, making her way over to the edge of the platform where the ladder had previously been mounted.
"Determining where the structural weakness is." Optimus replied, focusing on the top of the ladder. He gave it a light tap with the index and middle fingers of his left hand. A deafening clang resounded throughout the room, made all the more impressive by the warehouse's acoustics. The ladder had broken clean in half, one piece clasped in Optimus' right hand and the other laying in a cloud of dust on the concrete floor.
"Hmm. This is not salvageable." He retrieved the other piece from the floor and walked over to the wide doors of the warehouse, the ones he had entered through earlier and easily lobbed the pieces of the ladder outside as if they weighed nothing at all.
He made his way back over to Elena then, the fingers of his left hand gently uncurling as he held it out in front of her.
"May I?" He offered her another gentle smile, his optics softening by a tiny degree.
Elena hesitated. It wasn't that she didn't trust him, but he was so huge.
Humming The Sign under her breath, Elena walked towards Optimus' outstretched hand. She watched in awe as his fingers gently wrapped themselves easily around her midsection, lifting her with alarming ease.
Involuntarily, her knees came up and she grabbed onto Optimus' thumb so tightly she felt like her knuckles might tear through her skin. She scrunched her eyes tightly shut as the sensation of leaving her stomach behind on the catwalk overtook her senses.
A low chuckle rumbled somewhere from above her. "Easy Elena. I've got you. I promise I won't drop you." Optimus' voice was a gentle, sonorous baritone that curled around her, caressing her senses like the forgotten embrace of a dear friend.
She didn't respond but kept her koala-like grip tight on Optimus' thumb, not trusting her reaction if she opened her eyes and saw how high she was suspended in midair.
Another amused chuckle echoed deep in her chest. "Elena, you can put your feet down. You will find solid ground."
Cautiously, Elena lowered one leg, toeing the open air with her Doc Marten boot. She was surprised to find the ground a lot sooner than she had anticipated. Not quite trusting that, she very slowly creaked one eye open and saw that Optimus was right. She looked up at him sheepishly and almost burst out laughing at the position he was in.
He was crouched right down, almost on his haunches. His right hand was splayed palm-down on the concrete floor, a counter-balance for his immense weight. The fingers of his left hand were still wrapped firmly but gently around her middle, patiently waiting for her to regain a steady, vertical base before he withdrew.
She placed both feet firmly on the ground, simultaneously loosening her grip on Optimus' thumb before letting go of it completely. She offered him a sheepish smile, her fingers interlocking themselves together in her embarrassment. "Thanks Optimus, 'preciate it."
He inclined his helm graciously at her, pulling his hand back and resting it atop one of his bent knees. "You are most welcome. I am pleased to have been of assistance. I will see about getting that ladder replaced as soon as possible."
He remained in the crouched position, his optics carefully trained on Elena. "And in answer to your earlier query…I would be honoured to join you for a…movie night. May I ask what move we are going to be watching?"
Elena grinned up at him, all her earlier trepidation forgotten. "Well, it's technically a new one. It isn't out on VHS yet, but I don't think there's a drive-in theatre in the city that would accommodate your vehicle mode. So Noah got a copy of the movie from his friend Reek."
Optimus raised an incredulous brow. "Is this the gentleman who pirates cable television?"
Elena stared at him dumbfounded. "How on earth do you know that?!"
Optimus had the grace to offer her a wry smile. "Mirage is not the best at keeping certain information confidential. However, in the grand scheme of things…I do not think a pirated movie is going to turn you into a hardened criminal Elena." He winked playfully at her before drawing his index finger across his lip plates in a 'zipping' motion.
Elena was momentarily lost for words.
Since their return from South America and near death, Optimus' stoic and stern demeanour had softened a lot. He was more talkative and seemed to take genuine interest and enjoyment from interacting with both Noah and Elena.
He would inquire after Kris' health from Noah, asking if his little brother had had any bad flare ups recently or if at long last, he had managed to defeat the Bowser level on his 'handheld video game device.'
He would spend long hours talking with Elena about her work and where her interest in ancient artifacts had started. He had been one of the first to warmly congratulate her on the recognition of her discovery in Peru and her initiative in decoding the code to the panel that would have allowed them to deactivate the Transwarp key.
She decided she liked this friendly, slightly goofy side of Optimus Prime.
She shook her head, realising a few seconds had passed and Optimus was still patiently waiting for an answer.
"It's a film called The Lion King. It is a kid's film, but it has one of my dad's favourite actors in it. He's doing one of the voices. I know my dad would have wanted to see it."
Optimus' optics softened at the mention of her father.
"Then I would be honoured to watch The Lion King with you Elena."
"Awesome! Take a seat then, it'll take be two seconds to get the projector running."
His joints creaked and his hydraulics hissed as he rose to his full height, casting a long shadow over Elena. He moved to sit against the wall directly opposite the screen, in the same position he had assumed when he had been a passenger in Stratosphere's alt-mode; one leg stretched out in front of him with the other brought up to his chest, one arm resting easily on top of his bent knee.
She hurried over to the projector, double checking that everything was calibrated correctly and in the correct place before she set it to run. Satisfied that everything was as it should be, she started the film reel and half-ran to where Optimus was sitting.
It suddenly dawned on her that he was sitting on the floor.
"Aww man!" She exclaimed, feeling foolish at the fact that she had overlooked such a massive detail.
Optimus' hydraulics hissed slightly as he turned his head to gaze down at her. "What it is the matter?"
"You're sitting on the floor! I should've thought of something for you to sit on."
He surprised her by uttering a barking laugh. "Worry not Elena. Any flat surface is more than suitable for me to recline on. I do not require comfort in the same way that you humans do." He eyed the surrounding area, looking first to his left and then his right. "However, where are you going to sit?"
Elena laughed at her own forgetfulness. "It's okay Optimus. I don't mind sitting on the floor. It's no biggie."
Both of their attention was momentarily commandeered by the screen turning black as the film projector rolled.
"If you would not be averse to it, would you like to sit on my shoulder? It would be marginally more comfortable than the floor and I will be able to keep you warm. The temperature drops quite quickly once the evening closes in."
Elena surprised herself when she agreed to his proposition with no hesitation at all.
His large hand descended towards her once more, fingers open and waiting for her to bridge the gap between them.
She stepped forward into his grasp and was lifted gently and tenderly to his massive right shoulder. His hand hovered behind her until she had lowered herself into a seated position, her legs dangling over the edge of his chest.
"Umm, thank you Optimus. Is this okay?" She gestured to her legs, trying hard not to swing them to and fro as was her habit.
He nodded the affirmative, his expression unreadable.
"Cool." She settled back, leaning against the corrugated metal wall of the warehouse. A sudden thought made her jerk upright again. "Wait a minute, you're not ticklish or anything, are you?"
Optimus chuckled lightly. "No Elena, I am not ticklish. Assume whatever posture in which you are comfortable."
Satisfied, Elena assumed her earlier position, bringing one leg up to almost mirror Optimus.
A comfortable silence fell between them as the opening notes of a dramatic voice sounded over the speakers Noah had hardwired into the warehouse within days of their return from Peru.
Elena watched, enraptured as beautiful scenes of the African plains rolled across the screen. She was spell-bound by the colours and the emotion that the accompanying music stirred within her, piquing a curiosity for what was yet to come.
She sneaked a sideways glance at Optimus, whose optics where trained on the screen. He seemed to be as every part drawn in by the movie as she was.
She felt the fine, baby-like hairs on the back of her neck rise along with the reflexive goosebumps across her arms and legs when she heard the deep, resonant tones of James Earl Jones' voice coming from the character Mufasa.
She noticed, with interest, Optimus' visible bristling when the main antagonist, Scar, was introduced into the cast. He ground his lip plates subtly together, tightening the fingers of his left hand into a clenched fist at the same time.
She watched, her throat thick with emotion as Mufasa gently reprimanded Simba after his reckless actions in the Elephant Graveyard, her eyes filming up with nostalgic tears as she watched them play rough and tumble.
She could not however, stop the sharp intake of breath as she watched Scar cruelly throw Mufasa to his death, her own expression mirroring the one of hurt and horror on little Simba's face.
Tears fell freely and silently down her face, painting the pain and loss that had ached for so long to be released from her broken heart. She worked hard to control her breathing, not wanting Optimus to see the vulnerability that was plastered across her face.
Optimus, ever tactful, shifted his helm slightly so that it was inclined towards her. She leaned gratefully against it, silently accepting the comfort and support that he so freely offered.
She did not stop weeping for the rest of the movie but did find it within herself to laugh when Timon and Pumba attempted to distract the villainous hyenas with their 'drag in hula' skit. Fresh tears assaulted her eyes as she watched Simba ascend Pride Rock for the first time since his acceptance of his role as king.
She let herself feel the gentle flutter of her own heartbeat when Simba and Nala proudly introduced their newborn cub to the other residents of the plain, the circle of life completing once more.
As the credits rolled across the black backdrop of the screen, Optimus turned fully to regard her. His round optics were kind and gentle, appraising her with an unspoken sense of concern.
"Are you alright Elena?"
That one simple question seemed to unlock the floodgates within her.
Her tears fell without pause now, creating a constant stream of moving liquid down her face. Optimus' large visage went watery in her vision, obscured as it was by the relentless tears falling from her eyes.
With a gentleness that belied his enormous size, Optimus gently wrapped his fingers around Elena's mid-section once more and lifted her, carefully setting her down on his right forearm. He kept the arm she was on tucked close to his chest and leaned down closer to her, keeping his left hand cupped securely around her back.
Without even really thinking about what she was doing, Elena raised her arms and wrapped them as much as she could around the Autobot leader's neck. She felt him stiffen lightly in surprise before relaxing and leaning down into her embrace.
She felt his hand tighten slightly around her back and shoulders, his metallic thumb brushing against her arm in a comforting gesture. She buried her face into the space between his neck and chin, aching to feel the close affection of a parent.
An embrace that she had not felt for three years.
Elena felt the smooth rocking sensation as Optimus gently moved first forwards and then backwards. His thumb continued stroking her arm gently while his arms held her together as she fell apart.
"Shh. It's okay Elena. You can let go. I've got you." His gentle, affectionate cadence was all that she needed to be pushed off the edge and into emotional free-fall.
Her sobs came slowly at first, creeping up upon her as the incoming tide creeps up on the beach. They exited out of her slowly and quietly, a slow bleed of pain that she had denied herself from feeling since her father's death three years previously.
Then something inside her kicked up a gear.
Anger and resentment.
Anger that her mother would not accept her for who she was.
Resentment for the fact that her mother had driven her first love away without remorse.
Anger that her father would never get to see her achievements.
The ever reaching, devastating power of the sadness that seeped from every pore in her body at the realisation that she would never again see her father, hear his voice or smell the coffee-stained newspapers in his cab.
She cried like a wounded animal, the intensity of her pain drawing cruel lacerations up one side of her heart and down the other. Her breaths came in short, sharp cries, like she had just taken part in a triathlon.
She screamed out, rageful cries of someone who had taken all the pain they could bear.
In a moment of pure vulnerability, the sound of Elena's pain ripped up through her throat. Her pain was echoed in her screams, reverberating with a fierce and desperate longing. With each cry, her sobs became a little less intense as she came down from her abrupt adrenaline rush. Each shaky exhalation was a cathartic purge of the sorrow and grief that had haunted her for years.
Hydraulics hissed as Optimus gently withdrew from their embrace, looking at Elena with a profound sense of sadness present in his astute optics.
"Elena, are you alright?" He repeated his earlier question, holding her in the intensity of his soul-reaching gaze.
She lowered her eyes from his, dropping her chin to her chest as a sudden feeling of overwhelming mortification creeped up her neck and into her face.
Servos whirred as a gentle finger was placed under her chin, lifting her face to meet his optics once more.
"Elena?"
"I am…okay. I'm really sorry about that Optimus. I shouldn't have allowed that to happen." She wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, all too aware of their red and swollen appearance.
"Do not ever be sorry for your feelings Elena." Optimus said, brushing a last few stray tears from her face with his thumb. "I am profoundly sorry for your loss, and though I never had the pleasure of meeting your father, I believe he would be immeasurably proud of the woman that you are today."
Elena regarded him with a raised brow.
"I say this because although I have only known you for a short amount of time, you have always conducted yourself with honour and dignity. Even when my own behaviour was…less than courteous to you and your kind.
"You had no reason to help us, yet you did, asking nothing in return. In short, we could not have found the Transwarp key without your assistance. And I wish to say, 'thank you.' Your valiant effort for my kind and I, as well as our planet, means more to me than I can articulate. I am in your debt Elena."
Elena, who had never been comfortable with receiving praise, squirmed awkwardly in Optimus' grasp.
"Noah did most of the hard work. He took on Scourge and those weird spider-bot things. He came to get the key for you from the museum. I just stowed away really."
Optimus gave her a knowing look. "Who worked out that the other half of the key was in Peru? Who worked out the access code to the panel on the bridge? Who," he spoke more softly, his sonorous voice barely above a whisper, "who opposed vehemently to the destruction of the remaining half of the key once it was located?"
Elena felt her blood run cold in her veins. "You…you knew about that?" Her own voice was barely audible to her ears.
Optimus surprised her by uttering a low chuckle. "We Autobots possess extremely sensitive hearing Elena. I do not blame Noah for his original intentions. However, your…passionate opposition of destroying the remaining half of the key resounded deeply with me. I could not understand why a mere human" he offered her an apologetic wink, "would want to help our kind. I am beyond grateful that you did however."
Elena half-smiled, refastening her bandana where it had become a little loose. "We ain't all bad y'know. Sure, there are some evil bastards out there, more than there should be, but there are good ones too. You just have to find 'em."
Optimus hummed thoughtfully, seeming to agree with her.
"Like Charlie. Bee told me about her, when he first landed on Earth?"
Optimus nodded. "Indeed. He speaks most highly of her. I know he misses her terribly."
"You know, my dad always used to say, 'if you keep your eyes and your ears open, life will show you everything you need to know.'"
"A wise and accurate sentiment. Your father sounded like a very wise and intelligent man." Optimus mused, bathing Elena in a pool of gentle blue light from his optics.
"He was, he really was." Elena's voice carried a sad tone of nostalgia, one that was tinged with the happiness of memories passed but burdened with the weight of absent love.
Optimus seemed to hesitate before he spoke again. "On my world, we believe that the ones who have passed on are in the AllSpark, reunited with our fallen brethren and wise mentors from the Golden Age. In this, we are safe in the knowledge that we are never truly alone.
"What I am trying to say Elena, is this; you are your father's daughter. Part of him, if you will excuse my borrowing of the sentiment from the movie we have just watched, lives on in you. You are his legacy; you are his hope. Remember that, and you cannot go far wrong. Remember who you are, and I know his memory and spirit will walk proudly in step beside you."
Elena hugged Optimus again, feeling the soft vibrations of his systems against her soft skin.
"Thank you, Optimus. Till all are one, right?" She asked, holding out a closed fist to him.
A gentle, warm smile transformed his face as he raised his massive left fist to lightly touch against hers.
"Indeed Elena. Till all are one."