Optimus never really recovered from his fight with Ravage. Will is away from the house for this.
Sarah Lennox sat at the kitchen table, her laptop glowing faintly in the dim light of the evening. She had been lost in the quiet solace of research, chasing threads of history that tied together the ancient myths of alien machines with modern science. It was a hobby—a pursuit that kept her mind sharp while Will was off visiting his brother, leaving her home alone with no one for company except for Optimus, who was still convalescing in the aftermath of his fight with a Decepticon several weeks prior.
The knock at the door startled her. Three sharp raps, followed by an insistent pounding.
Her stomach sank. She wasn't expecting anyone.
Cautiously, Sarah rose, smoothing her hands down her jeans before stepping to the door. Peeking through the peephole, she saw two men in dark suits, their expressions cold and professional. A black SUV idled at the curb, its tinted windows concealing whoever else might be waiting inside.
"Mrs. Lennox," one of the men said when she cracked the door open. He flashed a badge—CIA. "We'd like to ask you a few questions."
Her mouth went dry. "About what?"
"Your recent academic work. Specifically, your... unorthodox theories regarding extraterrestrial mechanical lifeforms. May we come in?"
Her heart thudded painfully. The papers she had published had been intentionally vague—enough to pique interest without outright stating what she knew. She'd never imagined they'd draw this kind of attention.
"I don't think—"
The other man pushed the door open a little further, his tone hardening. "We can make this informal, or we can make it official. Your choice."
Sarah's spine stiffened. Fear crawled up her throat, but she forced herself to appear calm. "Fine. Come in."
She led them to the living room, her mind racing. Where was Will? What would he say if he knew about this?
The questions came fast and sharp, their tones growing more accusatory with every word. How did she know what she knew? What were her sources? Did she have contact with the Autobots?
Her heart pounded harder. She gave them half-truths, but they weren't satisfied.
One of them leaned forward, his voice low and threatening. "You're lying. If you think this isn't serious, let me assure you—"
The house shook.
Not a tremor. Not thunder. A deliberate, earth-shaking impact.
Sarah's breath caught as she turned toward the window. She saw him before the agents did, his massive silhouette backlit by the faint glow of the streetlights. He moved with deliberate purpose, every step sending a tremor through the ground.
Optimus Prime.
Sarah knew him all too well. But the figure that emerged from the shadows wasn't the somber, gentle leader she knew. This Optimus radiated fury, his optics blazing with an intensity that made her heart race.
The CIA agents froze. "What the hell—"
Optimus didn't wait for them to finish. His voice cut through the room like a blade, deeper and more commanding than Sarah had ever heard it.
"How dare you."
The agents recoiled, instinctively stepping back as Optimus bent low, his massive frame filling the room with a suffocating presence.
"You come into her home," he rumbled, his tone lethal. "You threaten her—an innocent, under the pretense of protecting your nation. And for what? Because she sought the truth?"
"Mr. Prime," one of the agents stammered, holding up his hands as if to placate the furious Autobot. "We didn't—"
"Enough." The single word silenced them both.
Optimus's optics narrowed, the blue glow searing into them. "I have tolerated your kind's mistrust. Your fear. Your cowardice. But I will not stand by while you intimidate those I hold dear."
Sarah's breath caught. She had never seen Optimus like this. There was no doubt in her mind that this was a side of him he rarely showed—a side born of eons of war and the burden of leadership. Here was the fierce general that had once commanded legions. The unstoppable killing force that had slaughtered gods. This was the Prime of legends and the hero of her husband's war stories.
But she also knew the truth: his strength was a mask. She could see the faint tremble in his frame, hear the rasp in his voice that hadn't been there before. His spark was failing, and this display of power was costing him dearly.
The agents, however, were too frightened to notice.
"This is your only warning," Optimus growled, rising to his full height. "Leave. Now."
The agents didn't need to be told twice. They scrambled for the door, their composure shattered. The SUV peeled out of the driveway moments later, leaving only silence in its wake.
For a moment, Sarah didn't move. Her heart was still racing, her mind struggling to process what had just happened.
"Optimus..." she finally whispered, stepping closer.
The Autobot leader lowered himself onto one knee, his massive frame trembling slightly as he leaned against the house for support. His optics dimmed as he looked down at her, the fury fading into something softer—something broken.
"I am sorry, Sarah," he said quietly. "I... I did not mean to frighten you."
"You didn't," she said quickly, placing a hand on the edge of his armor. "But... you shouldn't have pushed yourself like that. You're not..." Her voice trailed off, the words too painful to say aloud.
"I am what I must be," he said, his voice filled with quiet resignation.
Her eyes burned. "You can't protect everyone, Optimus."
As he rose to lumber away, his gaze met hers, heavy with the weight of a million battles fought and lives lost. "Perhaps not. But I will always protect you."
When it came to her family, she knew he would remain unyielding, right up to the bitter end...
I have a couple more with Sarah. And yes, I think Bumblebee should show up eventually here.