(Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers; just Anwen and my other OC's)
(Authors Note: Hello again my dearest readers, writers, fellow fangirls/fanboys and TF enthusiasts! I am so, so, so glad to be presenting yet another chapter for all of you to enjoy and I am delighted to see that you're still enjoying my previous chapters. Obviously this chapter is going to be a little shorter than the last one, but in no way will be any less heartfelt and entertaining (depending on what your definition of entertainment is). Regardless, I hope you'll find this chapter to your liking. On a side note, if I don't post again soon it's not just because I really need to work on my other stories, but rather cause my sister and her husband are expecting their first child any day now and I'm on pins and needles in anticipation. So if I'm absent from posting, it's because I'm gonna be a Tante (Aunt)! :) I'm thinking of wearing a fancy dress, makeup (with a mask for added safety) and heels to meet the baby because first impressions matter LOL Anyways, feel free to comment on this latest chapter for I adore your positive feedback and draw inspiration from your kind words and good vibes. You guys are amazing and I appreciate your continued support :) Until next time my dearest readers, fellow writers, gamers, fangirls/fanboys and TF enthusiasts, stay safe, stay sane, stay hydrated, and stay awesome!)
"English/French"
'Mental thoughts'
"Flashbacks"
'Sarcasm' (or emphasis)
{Cybertronian}
::Sparkbonds::
:Speaker talk:
::Comm. Link::
*:Phone calls:*
Chapter 24
-0715-
As she slipped into the restroom to brush her teeth and finish getting ready for work, Anwen glanced in the mirror and immediately noticed two new marks along her neck from where Sideswipe had bitten her while in his bipedal form. They were obviously bigger than Sunstreaker's marks and were slightly darker in color due to the slight increase in pressure in which they had been distributed. 'Merde (Fuck), what the Hell am I going to do about these,' she asked herself as she brushed her teeth in silent contemplation. 'I could try to pass my marks off as hives caused by anxiety... No, that won't work… Well, maybe if I just... No, that won't do either...'
Spitting out her toothpaste and rinsing off her toothbrush, Anwen emitted a sigh, 'Looks like I have no choice but to cover them with foundation and draw in my freckles. As much as I want to just leave them as they are, I can't risk anyone seeing them and questioning me about them. I don't want people to think I'm some sort of tart or that I'm being abused. No. No, I certainly don't want that.' Pulling her hair up in a ponytail for the time being, Anwen removed her foundation and brown eyeliner pencil from her cosmetic bag, to which she then began the tedious task of covering up her bite marks and drawing in her freckles. Obviously she wouldn't be able to get the back of her neck, so she figured it would be best to leave her hair down afterwards. That, and she wasn't sure how convincing her cover-up would look considering that the pencil she was using to draw in her freckles was originally meant for her eyes, and its color was slightly darker than the pigments that made up said freckles. But what other choice did she have at the moment?
After nearly ten minutes of tedious application, the young ginger skeptically looked herself over in the mirror, "Well, it's not perfect but it'll have to do. If I just keep my hair down, hopefully no one will notice." With that, she removed her hair tie and fluffed out her curls to give them some more volume. Afterwards, she set to work applying some makeup in order to complete her Halloween themed look. She first primed her lips and followed it with some matte liquid coloring which turned her rosy lips as black as the void. Afterwards, she set to work creating a smokey eye look that greatly enhanced the brightness of her golden amber eyes and gave her a bewitching (almost seductively dangerous) appearance.
Once she deemed herself fabulously fearsome, Anwen packed up her cosmetic/toiletry bag, rolled out of the bathroom and headed out of the chow hall where Sideswipe casually waited.
"I'm sorry that I took so long to get ready."
:Sweetspark, you don't have to apologize.: he opened his passenger door for her to enter, to which she slipped in and gave his stereo a smile:
"I know, but I don't like to keep people waiting."
:Well, it was worth the wait. Your makeup looks beautiful, if not a bit haunting,: there was an obvious smile in his voice which caused her to blush.
"Merci, Sideswipe. I figured I'd dress for the season since Halloween is right around the corner."
:Ah, I see. Another human holiday, I presume,: he asked as he drove her over to the main hangar.
"Oui. It was originally known as All-Hallows Eve, or Samhain, depending on your preference and traditions. There's a long and rather detailed history about the origins of Halloween, but I'd rather not bore you with that lesson at the moment."
:No need; I just looked it up,: he replied with an obvious smile in his voice. :I find it interesting that what was once a pagan holiday has turned into the candy-filled costume party it is now.:
She shrugged, "That's typical for most of Earth's holidays: They start out dark and bloody, or mystical, only to end up as commercialized corporate cash cows. Regardless, I love this time of year because it brings back some of my best memories from when my parents were still alive and my brother was around…"
Seeing the distress on her face, Sideswipe activated his holoform and gently took a hold of her slender hand where he gave it a loving squeeze, "I'm here for you sweetspark. If you need to talk, Sunny and I are always available to listen."
"Merci, Sideswipe."
"Of course."
XXXXX
Upon entering the main hangar, Anwen emerged from Sideswipe's alt form and smiled when he shifted into his bipedal mode. "You know, I don't think I'll ever get tired of seeing you guys transform."
"I'm glad to hear that, because I never get tired of seeing you smile whenever I do," he winked, which brought a delightful blush to her cheeks. The two of them then made their way through the hangar until they reached the office where she worked, to which she gently placed a hand on his knee, "Thanks for escorting me to work, Sideswipe."
"Of course, sweetspark. I'll see you later."
"Same here. Be safe on your patrol."
"I will," he promised, to which he then gave her a charming smile, "Je t'aime (I love you)."
"Je t'aime aussi (I love you too)." *sigh* "J'aimerais pouvoir t'embrasser tout de suite (I wish I could kiss you right now)."
"I know; but don't worry, you'll get your chance later. I will personally see to that," he winked which brought a warm smile to her freckled face.
"And I'll see that you keep that promise. Au fait, pourrais-tu aussi donner mon amour à Sunstreaker (By the way, could you also give my love to _)?"
"Of course."
XXXXX
-1200-
Upon clocking out for lunch, Anwen removed her converse shoes and slipped into her rollerblades before donning her helmet and shades, to which she then headed out of the office with Maggie by her side:
"Soooo, how was your weekend with the twins?" The Aussie woman had a mischievous grin on her face which prompted the young ginger to blush.
"It was wonderful. But I'll tell you more about it when we reach the chow hall."
"Why's that?"
She smirked, "Cause you'll want to sit down to hear what I have to say."
At the look she gave her, Maggie couldn't help but raise a brow, "OooOooh, now I definitely wanna hear what ya have to say."
"Somehow I knew that would be your answer."
As the two women made their way through the hangar, Anwen spotted a familiar golden Lamborghini parked along the far wall, to which she smiled and added an extra sway to her hips as she skated onward. Of course, she didn't miss the sudden *thrum* of his engine as she passed by. This exchange between the two of them brought a delightful shade of crimson to her freckled face as she was sure Maggie saw the whole thing.
"My, my, aren't we the flirtatious type," the Aussie lightly chuckled and playfully poked the redhead beside her as they exited the structure.
She tried to hide her darkened cheeks, but it was no use: they were as red as sun-kissed strawberries on a warm summer day. "Quelle (What)? I couldn't help myself."
"Uh-huh."
XXXXX
"...And after that, we kissed...and the only way I can describe it was 'electric' because there were sparks between us...metaphorically speaking of course. But oh mon Dieu (_ my God), it was so wonderful," Anwen emitted a sigh as the memories swirled through her mind and she casually stared into space. It was clear to the Aussie sitting across from her that she was deeply in love with the two frontliners. This brought a smile to Maggie's face, for she was truly happy for her friend/adopted younger sister.
"I'm so glad the three of you found each other."
"Same here," she agreed with a nod. "As cliche and silly as it may sound, I can no longer envision my life without them in it."
Maggie gently placed her hand atop of Anwen's and lightly shook her head, "It's not silly. That just proves how much of an impact they have on you and how much they mean to you. From what I've gathered, it sounds to me like they're your soulmates."
She nodded and emitted a content sigh, "Oui...they are. I can't explain how or why, but every time I'm near them, I feel a pull...like something inside me is beckoning to be closer to them or to simply be within their presence. And...I think they've been experiencing the same thing. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker told me a little about sparkbonds: Basically, when one of their kind finds their 'chosen one' their sparks instinctively seek them out. They don't really date like humans do, but rather, they court."
"Fascinating...So I imagine things are gonna get serious between the three of you soon, correct?"
At that, Anwen bit her lower lip as she casually picked at her food, "...I-I mean, I want to...you know…but right now we're taking things as they come, which is perfectly fine because I'm not in a rush or anything. But still...I'm kinda nervous when I think about 'that' because I have no prior experience when it comes to romance and intimacy," she took a bite of her enchilada while avoiding eye contact with the Aussie woman for fear of being met with a look of disgust or ridicule. However, Maggie gave her no such looks. Instead, she offered an understanding smile and lightly touched her arm:
"Hey, it's okay to be nervous. Don't get yourself all worked up about it cause it'll just end up wearing you down. When the time comes, you'll know what to do. In the meantime, I'd be happy to give you some pointers."
"Ah bon (Really)?"
"Mhmm. In fact, whenever you're ready for that particular conversation, I'll stop by your unit and give you some advice; however, it'll be up to you whether or not you actually use it when the time comes."
"Merci, Maggie."
"Of course. Now, with that being said, why don't you tell me about how you managed to get Sunstreaker and Sideswipe to cook ratatouille with you. I imagine that was a memorable afternoon."
"En effet c'était (Indeed it was)."
XXXXX
-1320-
As the keys clicked beneath her fingertips, Anwen felt a disturbance in the force as a familiar entity approached and leaned against her cubicle:
"Afternoon Bleu cheese," Marcus Delaine casually stated with an obvious smirk in his tone. "I haven't seen much of you since Maggie and I switched cubicles."
"Oui, et je préfèrerais que ça reste ainsi (Yes, and I'd prefer to keep it that way)," she neutrally replied without taking her eyes off her work. "Now, is there something I can actually help you with, or are you just here to bother me?"
"Me? A bother? Surely you jest, Bleu cheese."
"No," she finished her current program and was about to tell him off when her desk phone rang: 'Thank goodness for the distraction,' she told herself as she picked up the phone and politely answered, "Good afternoon, this is Systems Analyst Anwen Bleu of N.E.S.T. Office 1 speaking; how may I help you?"
*:Good afternoon to you as well, Miss Bleu,:* Prime's baritone voice sounded through the phone, causing her golden amber eyes to widen:
"Ah, Optimus Prime, Sir, what can I do for you?" She momentarily glanced up to see that Marcus had (thankfully) left the vicinity. A small blessing indeed.
*:Actually, I request an audience with you at your earliest convenience. Would you mind stepping into my office for a few minutes?:*
"I'll head over there right away. Thank you, Sir."
*:Of course. I'll see you shortly.:*
With that, Anwen hung up the phone and closed out of her computer for the time being, to which she got up from her swivel chair and poked her head over the cubicle wall, "Hey Maggie, I'm going to step out for a few minutes. Could you take my calls if the phone rings?"
"Sure thing," the Aussie woman replied with a kind smile. "I'll see ya in a few."
"Alrighty. Merci," she then turned on her heel and headed out of the office while trying to ignore the slight pain in her left leg (courtesy of her implants). 'Oh God, I hope I'm not in trouble. Did I do something wrong? Does he know of my relationship with Sunstreaker and Sideswipe? Is he going to give me advice? Is he going to judge me? Am I going to be sent back to the States? No, no, this is Optimus Prime we're talking about here. He's an understanding mech and I have no reason to be worried…,' she mentally told herself. Of course, that didn't stop her from trembling the entire walk to Prime's office.
Upon reaching the human-sized door beside the massive Cybertronian one, she politely (yet somewhat timidly) knocked, to which Prime's voice sounded from the other side: "It's open."
Stepping inside, Anwen immediately noticed the other beings present within the room. Aside from Optimus Prime, Prowl stoically stood nearby with Jazz beside him, while Colonel Lennox greeted her at the door:
"Hey Bleu, glad you could swing by."
"Merci...but...may I ask why I was summoned? Am I in trouble?"
At that, Prime shook his helm and gave the young femme a reassuring look, "Negative, Miss Bleu. I apologize for not assuring you of that fact before ending our prior conversation, but the thought unfortunately slipped my processor at the time."
"It's alright. I only asked because usually when someone gets called into their superiors office, it means they're going to be reprimanded for something."
"While that may be true in some cases, this isn't one of those situations," Prowl assured with a flit of his doorwings and a kind look in his optics.
"Actually, you were called in here because we've recently received information regarding the whereabouts of your brother," Jazz stated in a serious tone, rather than his usual upbeat accent.
At that, her golden amber eyes widened, "Is...Is he alive?" She was afraid of the truth, but she desperately needed to hear it. If nothing else, it would bring her some much needed closure.
"Miss Bleu," Prime's optics landed on her as he spoke, "I'm happy to inform you that your brother, Major Liam Martin Bleu, and his fellow squad members, are still alive and have been successfully recovered."
Upon hearing the good news, Anwen happily began to cry, "Merci...Merci beaucoup."
At that, Lennox approached and hugged the young redhead while a joyful grin lined his face, "I promised you that we'd find him one day."
"...And you did...Merci," she cried into his shoulder before wiping the tears from her eyes (effectively smudging her eye shadow in the process). "Was this the mission Bumblebee, Bluestreak and Mirage were sent on the other day?"
"Yep," Jazz quipped with a smirk and his usual tone. "After we finally managed to track down yer brother an' his comrades, Prime, Prowler an' I sent out a rescue team. Of course, we didn't want ya to know 'bout it in case things took a nasty turn for the worst."
"je comprends (I understand)...Merci," she tearfully smiled up at him.
"Aww, bring it in scraplet," he knelt down and outstretched his arms, to which Anwen slipped out of Lennox's grasp and leapt into the warm, comforting embrace of the Autobot TIC. For his part, Jazz gently stroked her hair and emitted a soft chuckle, "Yer brother is gonna be so glad to see ya."
"Est-il ici (Is he here)?!"
"Sure is, baby girl. He an' the others arrived on base less than an hour ago. Ol' Ratchet is takin' care of them as we speak, but don't worry; Liam's okay. Sure, he's got a few scrapes an' bruises, an' some fractures in his arm an' all, but he'll make a full recovery in no time."
"Je peux aller le voir maintenant ? S'il te plaît (Can I go see him now? Please)?"
At the look she was giving him, Jazz couldn't help but fondly smile, "Oh Primus, can those optics get any bigger?" He then glanced over at Optimus, "What do you think Prime? Prowl? Can she pay Major Bleu a visit?"
"So long as Ratchet approves of the request, then I'll allow it," he replied with a curt nod while the Praxion merely flitted his doorwings in agreement; although, there was a faint smirk lining the SIC's face as he looked upon the saboteur and the small femme.
"But I don't want to wait anymore...I haven't seen or heard from my brother in months."
"Well, it seems that ya won't hav'ta wait," Jazz grinned. "I just messaged the doc bot an' he said it's okay for ya to visit."
With that, Anwen slid out of his grasp and was about to bolt for the door when he gently scooped her back up in his servos. "Whoa there sparklet, there's no need to run. I'll drive ya to the Med Bay."
"Ah bon (Really)?"
"Absolutely," he then stood up (with her still in his servos) and exited the office, to which he transformed and placed her in his passenger seat. :Buckle up baby girl, cause I'ma bout to burn some rubber once we hit that tarmac.:
With a grin lining her face, Anwen buckled her seatbelt and sat back in the seat as he casually rolled down the hallway and through the hangar. However, when his wheels touched asphalt, Jazz took off like a shot which caused the young redhead to shriek in laughter.
Less than a minute later, they reached their destination, to which Anwen thanked Jazz for the lift before entering the medical building. Running down the massive hallway as fast as her implants would allow her, the young ginger sped over to the Med Bay and slipped through the human-sized doors adjacent to the Autobot-sized ones.
Meanwhile, Ratchet was busy popping out a dent in Bumblebee's leg when they noticed the redheaded woman enter the vicinity: "Ah, good afternoon, young one. I see you wasted no time in getting here," he lightly chuckled.
As she was about to reply, her eyes suddenly landed on a male figure casually sitting on one of the human-sized medical berths. His attire consisted of an army green tank, khaki cargo pants and tan combat boots. His left arm was draped in a sling, his jet black hair was shaggy, his skin was tanned and dirty, and a scruffy beard adorned his face; but his eyes were still as bright and green as she remembered. This man, this soldier, was her brother.
With a tired smile, he finally spoke, "Bonjour Lottie."
(Another Authors Note: Yaaaay, we finally learn the whereabouts of her brother! I was so happy to write this chapter for you guys. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did when I wrote it :) Also, I apologize for the suspense, but I thought this was a good spot to end the chapter :) Now, for those of you who may not know, Lottie is a nickname for Charlotte. I haven't mentioned it in previous chapters, but Anwen's middle name is Charlotte, hence the nickname: Lottie. Now, here's a little backstory for all of you: When she was little, Anwen's parents and her brother never called her by her first name (unless she was in trouble, which was rare), but rather, they called her 'Lottie'. Now, her teachers, classmates and friends all knew her as Anwen, but to her family, she was always their little Lottie. After their parents were killed, Liam was the only one who still called her by that name, and to this day, he still addresses her as such. SooOooo, isn't that an adorable tidbit of information? ;) Honestly, I thought it was pretty cute when I envisioned it LOL Anyways, until next time, stay safe, stay sane, stay hydrated, and stay awesome!)