(Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers; just Anwen and Liam, and any other OC's I've added into the story)
(Authors Note: Hello dearest readers, writers, and TF fans of every shape, size, color, faction, and color! I'm so happy to be adding yet another chapter to this story, and I'm so, so glad you're all enjoying it thus far. I hope to add more content soon, but I'd really like to focus some of my time on my other stories as I haven't updated them at all during the last month, due to the fact that I was assisting my sister and brother-in-law with caring for their baby and helping them pack for their upcoming move (which will happen any day now). Regardless, I hope you all enjoy this latest chapter :) Until next time, stay safe, stay warm, stay sane, and stay awesome!)
"English/French"
'Mental thoughts'
"Flashbacks"
'Sarcasm' (or emphasis)
{Cybertronian}
::Sparkbonds::
:Speaker talk:
::Comm. Link::
*:Phone calls:*
Chapter 35
The flight to New York was long and tiresome, but when it finally ended, everyone on board merrily went about their separate ways for the upcoming holiday. Of course, Anwen, Liam and the twins still had quite a drive ahead of them. At least eleven hours, if not longer due to weather changes and conditions.
As promised, Anwen contacted Ratchet and Moonracer to notify them of their safe landing before taking a moment to stretch her legs in preparation for the long drive. Of course, she started shivering as soon as she stepped off the plane, but that was mostly due to the fact that she wasn't wearing a coat, nor did she have the proper footwear on yet.
:You should change your attire before we leave,: Sunstreaker's voice sounded from his alt form before his trunk popped open, revealing her duffle bag and backpack. :Your brother will be riding with Sideswipe for the first couple of hours and then he'll accompany me after the next rest stop.:
"Vraiment (Really)? You'll be okay with having him ride with you?"
:I'll manage. Besides, it's not fair to keep you from Sideswipe for too long...as much as I enjoy having you all to myself,: he added with an obvious smirk in his tone, which caused her to blush.
"Je vous aime, Sunstreaker (I love you, _)."
:And I love you, Anwen.: There was a soft purr that emitted from his engine as she tenderly caressed his hood. :Now, before you freeze, will you please put on some warmer gear? Your current attire is lacking in protection from the elements.:
"Bien, bien (Alright, alright), I'll change," she lightly giggled as she stepped over to his trunk and unzipped her duffle bag, revealing her winter gear. Upon opening her bag, the first thing she did was adorn her waterproof ski jacket/snow coat. Afterwards, she removed her converse shoes and exchanged them for her Ice Maiden mid-calf snow boots before finally slipping on a pair of gloves. "There, all set. This will do for the time being, but I'll be sure to fully change my clothes when we stop at a proper rest area."
:That's fine. I just don't want you to get chilled.:
"Understandable," she stated as she zipped up her duffle and closed his trunk before opening his passenger door and slipping into the front seat. A smile lined her freckled face as she felt the seatbelt slide across her figure and secure her into place before a familiar holoform manifested in the driver's seat. "You know, I don't think I'll ever get tired of seeing you do that...Of course, I can say the same thing about a lot of things when it comes to you and Sideswipe."
He emitted a chuckle and softly caressed her face, "I'm glad you find us so fascinating."
"Bien sur tu es fascinant (Well of course you're fascinating). In fact, I'd say both you and Sideswipe are quite amazing and very sexy."
"Oh? Care to elaborate for me?"
At the look he was giving her, Anwen felt herself becoming aroused and she knew he could sense it; however, she knew now was neither the time, nor the place for such things. They still had a long journey ahead of them and they promised to wait until after her birthday to partake in such intimate activities. With a sigh, she reluctantly suppressed the urge to straddle him: "If I answered that question now, we'd likely end up spending the night on this tarmac. Besides, I'd rather continue this conversation at a later time when the three of us are alone."
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind."
XXXXX
-Two Hours Later-
Snow continued to fall from the sky in gentle streams while the traffic lessened more and more as the miles stretched onward. Leaning back into the warm leather seat, a small sigh emitted from the young ginger as she gazed out onto the snowy landscape with a glassy look in her golden amber eyes.
"You okay there, sparklight?" Sunstreaker lightly touched her knee while she rubbed the tears away and regained her composure.
"Oui...I'm fine. I'm just happy to finally be returning to my native homeland after so many years of absence. In truth, I'm a bit nervous and excited at the same time. I wonder how much has changed since I've last been back.."
:Beaucoup (A lot).: Liam's voice chimed in through the Comm.
"Quoi (What)?! When was the last time you've been back home?" She was slightly hurt that he kept this newfound information from her, but then again, she also kept some details of her past from him, so she had no reason to complain at the moment. Of course, both Sunstreaker and Sideswipe could sense her feelings over the matter, but they opted to listen for the time being as this conversation was between Anwen and her brother.
Upon hearing the pain in his sister's voice, Liam emitted a sigh before answering, :2006. It was shortly after you started your Junior year of college. I had about two weeks left on my shore leave, and I thought I'd stop by and check in on Jean Basil and his wife Annette. You remember them?:
"Oui, they lived across the street from us and you were best friends with their boys', Jamie and Oliver. I remember they wanted to take us in after Maman and Papa died, but because they weren't blood relatives, they had no legal guardianship over us."
:Correct. Anyways, I had reached out to them a few months prior, and thought I'd pay them a visit, seeing as how they were the closest thing we had to relatives when we were growing up. While there, I learned that they were planning to move to La Sarre to be closer to their grandchildren, so they helped me move our parents' possessions into a climate controlled storage unit.:
"Attendre (Wait), they had our parents' possessions? I thought everything was sold at the estate sale."
:Most of it was, but not everything. Our parents' left us with more than just a monetary inheritance; however, we couldn't take much with us when we were sent to live with Ms. Claudia. After the accident, Mr. and Mrs. Basil had opted to hold onto our parents' belongings until either of us came to collect them. Apparently, they turned their guest room into a makeshift storage room.:
*sigh* "I'm glad you reached out to them...Although, now I wish I would have done the same; however, I may not be where I am now if I had...so perhaps it's for the best."
:Maybe. Regardless, I'm looking forward to returning to our homeland and celebrating your birthday in style.:
"What do you mean by that," she curiously asked while Sunstreaker gently caressed her thigh, to which Liam asked:
:Did your petits amis (boyfriends) not tell you?:
"Dis moi quoi (Tell me what)?"
:We're staying at the Chateau Murdock Gite et Esthétique 1950,: Sideswipe's voice chimed in through the speakers, to which Anwen's eyes widened almost comically.
"Chateau Murdock? The Chateau Murdock?! Oh mon Dieu (_ my God), I've always wanted to stay there ever since I was a petite fille (little girl). How did you even manage to score a room?! That place is very popular around this time of year."
:Oh, that was all Sunny's doing. He was able to book the Suite des Artistes, which can comfortably accommodate four people. In this way, Liam would have his own space throughout the duration of our stay.:
She glanced beside her to see Sunstreaker's holoform wearing a handsome smirk across his face. "...I don't even know what to say…"
"Your expression says it all, sparklight," he winked, to which she reached over and hugged him as best as she could:
"Merci, merci, merci!" Anwen peppered his cheek with kisses before facing the speaker once more, "And merci to you too, Sideswipe. I'll be sure to properly thank you once Liam and I switch places."
:Hmm, I'll be looking forward to it, mon chéri (my dear).:
:Hey now, save that mushy stuff for when I'm not present,: Liam added with an obvious (mock) frown in his tone. :You two may be courting my petite soeur (little sister), but as her big brother I don't want to hear about what goes on when I'm not around. Besides, this isn't exactly the kind of conversation I should be listening to.:
"No, it's not," Sunstreaker bluntly added. "But we'll spare your audio receptors of such talk for the time being."
:Merci beaucoup (Thank you very much).:
XXXXX
Throughout the nearly twelve hour trip, the Bleu siblings switched places with one another as a means for both Sunstreaker and Sideswipe to spend time with their intended mate and to formally bond with their future brother-in-law. At the moment, Anwen was now riding with her patineur d'argent (silver skater) as they came upon the city of Jonquière, to which she softly started to tremble.
"You okay, sweetspark?"
She glanced over at the handsome holoform and nodded, "Oui, I'm fine. I'm just excited and a bit nervous at being back here after so many years of absence."
"Well, you know that Sunny and I are here for you no matter what. If you feel overwhelmed during any of our activities, we'll gladly take you on a scenic drive or we'll just stay at the Chateau and relax for a bit."
"Merci. But I think I'll be okay...Although, I may need all of your support when we visit Maman and Papa at the cemetery."
:We'll be right beside you, sparklight,: Sunstreaker's voice chimed in through the speakers, which was then followed by her brother's:
:If you'd like, we can stop by after we get settled in at the Chateau.:
"...I'd like that. Merci, Liam."
:Bien sûr (Of course.:
XXXXX
Upon arriving at the Chateau Murdock Gite et Esthétique 1950, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe donned their covers after Anwen and Liam grabbed their luggage out of their trunks. Afterwards, the four of them checked in and sought out their suite. Of course, as soon as they entered the lavish/homey domain, all four of them felt a wave of exhaustion hit them like a sack of bricks.
The jet lag from their long journey had finally caught up with them.
Both Liam and Anwen nearly fell asleep while removing their snow boots, but thankfully, they managed to set their winter gear aside before selecting their appointed rooms and collapsing in the beds (immediately falling asleep the moment their heads touched the pillows). As for Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, they opted to dismiss their holoforms for the time being, seeing as how they had kept them activated throughout the majority of their roadtrip. While they didn't necessarily like the idea of having to recharge while in their alternate forms, they weren't exactly new to the process either. It just wasn't very comfortable. However, they weren't about to drive off to an isolated grove and transform.
No. They refused to abandon Anwen, even if it was for a short while. Being so far from Diego Garcia and in unfamiliar territory, they weren't about to take any chances with her or Liam's safety; especially since the Decepticons were still lurking about. Who knows when and where they might strike?
Mentally shaking their helms of that unnerving thought, both twins powered down for the time being, but kept their senses on high alert for any suspicious activity.
XXXXX
-1300-
With a tired yawn, Anwen sat up in the bed and stretched before swinging her legs over the edge and standing up, to which she approached her duffle bag, unzipped it, pulled out her toiletry bag and stepped into the bathroom to freshen up. Stripping out of her clothes and tossing them onto the floor, she then turned on the water in the tub and waited for it to get warm before stepping into the shower with her travel caddy in hand. Yes, the Chateau provided an array of toiletries, but Anwen preferred to use her own products as her skin was rather sensitive to certain soaps, cosmetics, and detergents.
For her, it was better to stay on the safe side rather than risk an allergic reaction that would leave her itchy and covered in red blotches. Nope. She refused to spend her birthday week looking like she rolled in a field of poison ivy.
With a sigh, she casually set to work lathering up her curly tresses and washing/scrubbing her body in an attempt to freshen up after her long trip. 'At least I waxed last week so I don't have to shave my lady bits,' she mentally noted as she temporarily turned the water off and applied shave gel to her legs and arms before taking a razor to them. If there was one thing Anwen was always on top of, it was her personal appearance and hygiene. She never cared for her own body hair and made a habit of removing it whenever possible. Her motto was: If it makes me scoff, shave it off.
Of course, she had no qualms about other people's preferences when it came to body hair, but for herself, she liked the silky/satin feeling of her skin when she was all clean and shaven. It made her feel beautiful and sexy all over. That, and she loved the way her clothes and sheets felt against her skin afterwards.
With a sigh, Anwen turned the water back on and rinsed out her hair and body, to which she then squeezed most of the excess moisture from her crimson locks before stepping out of the shower and wrapping herself up in a large, fluffy towel.
*knock, knock* "Lottie, vous avez terminé votre douche? J'ai besoin d'utiliser les installations (_, are you finished with your shower? I need to use the facilities)."
"Oui, donne-moi juste une minute (Yes, just give me a minute)." Not wanting to hog the bathroom any longer than she had been, Anwen opted to finish combing and styling her hair after he was finished. With that, she opened the door and stepped out wearing the towel around her torso. "Before you ask: yes, I forgot to bring a change of clothes into the bathroom with me before I showered."
"I can see that," he smirked. "Regardless, merci for finishing up because I gotta piss."
At that, she scoffed and playfully shoved him while he laughed and entered the bathroom, to which she then headed over to her designated room and found a familiar pair of holoforms waiting for her:
"Well hello there, sweetspark. Did you have a nice wash," Sideswipe asked with a wink.
She smiled and gave him a nod, "I did; however, Liam needed to use the restroom, which means I may have to finish getting ready in here."
"How fortunate for us," Sunstreaker replied with a shameless smirk, which prompted her to playfully roll her eyes in response.
"Oui, oui, you just want an excuse to see me naked."
"Of course. But know that whether you're clothed or not doesn't change our opinions of you, nor does it alter our feelings. We love you for who you are, and that's a fact."
At his response, Anwen couldn't help but blush. She was about to speak when the distinct sound of the toilet flushing caught her attention, causing her cheeks to turn a shade darker as Liam stepped out seconds later to see his little sister still wearing her bath towel while the twins casually sat on the edge of the bed. "Uhh, am I interrupting something?"
"Not necessarily," Sideswipe answered truthfully. "Sunny and I just phased in here a few seconds before Ani walked in."
"Est-ce vrai (Is that so)," he questioned with a raised brow before glancing back at his sister.
"Oui," she sheepishly nodded. "Allez-vous me faire la leçon de modestie (Are you going to lecture me on modesty)?"
With an amused chuckle, he shook his head, "No. But I think you should finish getting dressed in the bathroom now that I've vacated the facility. We'll head out to the cemetery in fifteen minutes, okay?"
"Bien (Alright)." With that, she grabbed a change of clothes from her duffle bag and slipped back into the restroom to dress for the day (or what was left of it) while he remained with Sunstreaker and Sideswipe.
XXXXX
-Ten Minutes Later-
Stepping out of the bathroom wearing a pair of black leggings, a long-sleeve blue thermal, and a pair of thick winter socks, Anwen sauntered over to the room where the trio of men/mechs were casually sitting and waiting for her.
"Bonjour, Lottie; êtes-vous sur le point de partir (_; are you about ready to head out)?"
She nodded as she grabbed her snow boots and sat down on the edge of the bed to put them on, "Oui, donnez-moi juste une minute pour décorer mes vêtements d'hiver (Yes, just give me a minute to adorn my winter gear)."
"While you do that, Sides and I will head outside and remove our covers while we heat up our interiors," Suntreaker added while he and his brother adjusted their holoforms to where they now had winter coats and boots on as opposed to just their casual attire.
*sigh* "I wish I could just summon clothes out of thin air," she quipped as she finished lacing up her boots. "Imagine how easy it'd be for me to dress or undress if I had that kind of power."
"Okay, that's enough," Liam interjected as he grabbed her coat and handed it to her while the twins exited the suite with amused grins lining their faces.
XXXXX
Sitting in Sunstreaker's alt form, Anwen felt her legs starting to tremble as the cemetery gates came into view. While she wanted to visit her parents' grave site, she felt an array of emotions swirl through her mind, which left her feeling sick. As she blankly stared out the tinted window, she suddenly felt a warm hand rest upon her shoulder as Sunstreaker gave her a loving squeeze.
"I'm here for you, sparklight. Sideswipe and I will be right by your side the whole visit."
*sniff* "...Merci…," she reached over and hugged him as best as she could in this current position while tears began to roll down her freckled cheeks.
"Of course." Not really needing his 'hands' to drive, Sunstreaker hugged her back and planted a soft kiss upon her hair while he followed his brother and Liam along the cemetery lane until they finally stopped at the designated location.
With a warble of her lower lip, Anwen adorned her hood and a pair of insulated gloves before unbuckling herself and stepping out of his alt form while his holoform did the same. The pair then approached Liam and Sideswipe, to which the Major glanced down at his little sister with a knowing expression lining his face:
"...Allez, Lottie (Come on, _)...ils nous attendent (they're waiting for us)."
A nod was her response before she took a hold of his (good) hand and walked alongside him through the deep snow, while Sunstreaker and Sideswipe followed behind at a respectful pace until they came upon a large maple tree. From there, they walked another thirty paces North until they finally stopped in front of a partially buried granite headstone, to which Anwen immediately began to dig away at the snow while Liam and the twins assisted. Minutes later, the stone was completely revealed to the group and the writing upon it was legible. It read:
Dans la mémoire d'amour
Arthur C. Bleu_Evelyne "Evee" R. Bleu
Apr. 21, 1959 - Dec. 03, 1997_Jan. 12, 1960 - Dec. 03, 1997
Upon seeing their parents' grave, both Bleu siblings shared a hug and quietly sat before the cold granite while Sunstreaker and Sideswipe took a knee beside them as a way of offering their support.