Transformers Short Story

Cody's Proposal

Rose sat stiffly in her chair, even after years of switching between her human and Autobot form she was still not used to the transition. Her two bodyguards, Predacons: Blackswitch and Nightspot were watching intently close by. They'd formed a particular pact with each other over the two years they'd been assigned to her: to dedicate their lives to the new Prima, and hadn't let her out of their sight since being assigned by the council. Nightspot shifted so that his back struts leaned against the base building, providing relief from his peds. Rose blinked at the sound of shifting metal and called, over her shoulder, "You can sit down, you know. It'll just be me and my brother, Cody." Nightspot grunted before leaning away from the wall, "I'm fine. Your concern isn't needed." Rose threw him a stern look, "I'm more of a danger to myself than anyone else in here. Besides....if you've got joint pain you need to get it taken care of." Blackswitch chuckled, "He's just sore from running around with you yesterday...Not that we mind of course!" Rose sent him an amused smile, "You both don't have to follow me everywhere I go. For example...I'm meeting my brother so, Nightspot, you can take your sorry aft to Ratchet and get patched up before I do it myself." Nightspot's olfactory sensor twitched and he grumbled under his breath for a few seconds before nodding to them both and trudging off toward the medical bay. Blackswitch watched him leave before turning his attention to Rose, "May I transform into my holo-form? I haven't used it much since we've been working out of Cybertron...I'd like to give it a spin as you say." Rose nodded and turned back to watch the clock on the wall. Ratchet was supposed to remotely open the ground bridge once Cody texted him and so far no green swirling tunnel had appeared. She sighed and leaned back in her chair, looking around the bass to amuse her while she waited. The old military base hadn't changed much, even after Cybertron was reborn and she'd left to gain Primehood. The only tell of time passing was the mounting wall of passed soldiers' portraits sitting just above the main base door. She was the last of the original team still working with the military and their Cybertornian counterparts. Although still all alive, they had aged a large amount and had swiftly moved on after their well-earned retirement. Annabell, Lennox's daughter, had almost completed college with her major degree in biomechanics and minor in communications and visited as often as she could. Epps had married his high school sweetheart and they had a son, Thomas, who was working under the new head of N.E.S.T operatives, fresh out of school. Even Mitsy had moved on to teach combat medicine in the main city upstate. The rest of her soldiers had moved far across the states and even into foreign countries to reap the awards of retirement in various ways. Rose had changed too. She'd been knighted Primahood and been given her Autobot form and name: Golden Prima. She'd been sparkbonded (on Cybertron) and married (on earth) in front of her friends and family to her sparkmate of 20 years, Drift. Although their work often kept them apart they always found ways to be together. Bumblebee's team had to be reinstated back on Cybertron, Rose's doing, as the head of Decepticon relations and overall Protection Corps. Additionally, Rose had appointed several council members from various backgrounds to fill in as her advisors when needed. Her council consisted of the Lead (Ret.) Optimus Prime (lead advisory and political input/human relations), Predacon Predaking (responsible for Predacon territories), Seeker Sideview (management of overall flight and docking imports), Wrecker Jolthide (overseeing military services and appointment), Wrecker Commander Ultra Magnus (commander of the wreckers with involvement in primary training and screenings), Leader Swerve of Velocitron (trades between Cybertron and Velocitron), Court Medical Officer Ratchet (Head of medical departments and staffing), Wrecker Wheeljack (engineering departments with emphasis on craft studies), and Professor Snowwindge (head of Iacon records and teaching management). Ironhide had contributed his weapon expertise to Bumblebee and his protection services, while Acree become a teacher at Professor Snowwidge's Academy, Newsparks, to instruct new students on human studies. Hound, Crosshairs, and Drift (including his mini-cons) had joined Ultra Magnus's wrecker detachment and had been sent across the globe to act as liaisons to this specific branch of protective services. Closer to home, the Rescue Bots had celebrated their 40-year anniversary of the Rescue Bots Academy's first ever-opening, ironically the same rescue-bots-in training back then were now teaching cadets of their own under the advisement of the original team.  Heatwave remained over the school as the head "principal" while Blades, Chase, and Boulder worked with Rescue bots in different countries, including back on Cybertron. Kade had finally gotten married to Hayley and everyone was expecting them to announce their first kid anytime now. Dani and Taylor had reconnected and were currently dating after years apart, although flying is still at the top of both their minds. Graham (now Docter after completing his Ph.D. in biomechanics) and his fiance, Amy, had moved to the mainland around 6 years ago to work together. Dad or Charlie had retired a while back and continues to enjoy his fishing trips in between Saturday family dinners and crazy days on Griffin Rock. Cody was all grown-up now and although Rose had kept in touch, more often than the rest of her human family, she was pleasantly surprised when he texted her to meet up at the base a couple of nights ago. Rose was startled out of her thoughts by the sound and appearance of the swirling, green, ground bridge. Blackswitch's holo-form stirred from resting on top of his vehicle form and he peered wearily at the green tunnel. After a couple of seconds, a form walked through and shook himself to warn off the dizzying feeling of the ground bridge. Rose stood to greet him with an adoring smile. Cody had grown to be almost taller than her, with the same build and look as Charlie when he was younger. Cody had become the head of Griffin Rock's recuse department and had constructed a team, Cybertornian and human, of his own to help him with the island's crazy mishaps. Cody greeted her with equal enthusiasm and pulled her into a hug when she walked within reach. She returned his hug with a quick squeeze of her own before pulling herself out of his embrace to look him over. He was wearing a police uniform and looked physically worn, though it didn't show through the gleam in his eyes and his easy-going smile. Rose pursed her lips, "You trying to look like Dad or something? You've even got the matching mustache." Cody flushed, "No, just how it decided to grow." Rose snickered and beckoned him over to the table, "Sure Codes." Cody pulled at the collar of his uniform and stated drily, "I didn't text you for a meet and greet just so you could talk about my mustache." Rose nodded and waved the topic away, "Of course. I'm listening what's up Cody? Is Griffin Rock giving you trouble?" Cody pulled her chair out for her before sitting down on his own across the table, "No, nothing like that...well, wow I'm a lot more nervous than I thought I'd be..." Rose raised an eyebrow at him, "Just spit it out." Cody sighed and then straightened and said bluntly, "I'm getting married...I'm getting married in 2 months." Rose's eyes blew wide and she stared at Cody, speechless. Cody shifted under her intense stare before averting his eyes to wave shyly at Blackswitch, who was watching in barely concealed interest. He returned the gesture before shifting so his holo-form was pressed against his vehicle mode again, "Married....as in the act of combining two humans together in a tied relationship...like Sparkmates?" Rose stirred and said quietly, still staring at Cody in disbelief, "Not as detailed as Sparkmates but very similar. Marriage is the closest thing humans have to Sparkbonding with a Sparkmate." Blackswitch mulled over the added information before politely staying quiet in favor of seeing Rose's reaction to her brother's statement. Rose shook her head and suddenly smiled, "Congratulations Cody! I can't believe it! I still remember when you were tiny...who are you engaged to? Do I know them? Does Dad know?" Cody seemed to deflate in relief at her positive reaction and deflected, "She. I'm getting married to...to Frankie. And no, no one besides you and Doc Greene knows." Rose's smile slowly turned into a smirk of triumph, "Kade owes me 20 bucks. I called it! Have you guys been dating for long?" Cody shrugged sheepishly, "6 years. We didn't tell anyone but I think everyone suspected." Rose shook her head again, "I can't believe it, you're getting married! And in 2 months! You still haven't told anyone?" She sent him a confused look, "They're coming to the wedding right? Or are you two eloping?" Cody shook his head with a laugh, "No, no we're having a wedding but I just wanted to wait to surprise everyone and...we'll you've been like a mother to me...so I wanted to tell you first, personally." Rose smiled softly at him, "Thank you for telling me, Cody. I'm so proud of you for taking this step with Frankie, you'll be good for each other." Cody got a dreamy look at the mention of his soon-to-be wife, "Yeah...yeah she's wonderful and brilliantly smart every day. But...I didn't just come here to tell you about the wedding...I also came to invite you...and ask if you'll walk me to the alter with Dad...and dance with me during the parent's dance." Rose blinked, "Of course, I will! What an honor Cody!" Cody ducked his head at her exclamation, "Good, I'm glad you said yes...I really didn't want Dani stepping over my toes." Rose laughed, "No, neither would I!" 

Bonus end:

Rose smiled to herself as she made her way back toward the medical bay to see if Nightspot was out of Ratchet's hold. Blackswitch kept a careful distance between her and the surrounding area, his optics trained on all doors. Ratchet's medical doors slid open at the request of her now Cybertronian form and she rested her relic hammer up against the door before entering, Blackswitch following close behind. Rose grimaced as Ratchet's yelling sounded from one of the cubicles inside his medical bay, "Would you sit still?... Do you want me to strain your back struts!? Stop squirming before I have Optimus perform the procedure." Optimus' voice washed over her auditory apparatus, "I assure you...I have minimal medical experience so I advise against disobeying Ratchet." A shift of metal and Rose's auditory system picked up on Nightspot's relief as Ratchet fixed whatever was bothering him. Rose rounded the corner and stood at the door of the cubicle. She knocked after a moment and stated humorously, "Feel better Spot?" Nightspot glared at her from the medical berth, "He did a full evaluation before telling me what I already knew...my fragging peds were bothering me." Rose smirked before pointing out, "At least they're fixed." Ratchet interrupted with a stern look in her direction, "Stop overworking them so much and you might not have had to listen to him complain." Blackswitch clacked his denta in irritation, "Why does everyone seem to think working for Rose is such a helm-ache? It's an honor." Nightspot grunted in agreement, "Nothing better than traveling the world with her." Rose sent Ratchet a satisfied look before relenting, "They'll be on mandatory leave in the next 2 months." Nightspot glared at Blackswitch, "What's going on? Did you bother her for a break?" Blackswitch scoffed, offended, "I don't bother Rose. And no, her sparkbrother is getting married." Rose nodded in Blackswitch's direction when Ratchet added, "Graham and Amy? Good for them, you'll be attending the wedding?" Rose smiled mischievously, "Not Graham...Cody." Ratchet puzzled over her statement for a second before sending her an alarmed look, "Cody? He's barely an adult by earth standards, hardly a blip in our world." Rose snickered, "I think you forgot. Cody's 26 now." Ratchet reset his optics with a sigh, "Organics age too quickly." Rose mused thoughtfully, disguising her sadness, "I'm aware." Optimus hummed and seemingly less surprised than his mate, "I had my suspicions he was seeing a human femme." Rose nodded, "Guess who." Ratchet glanced at Optimus, who answered for them, "Francine Greene." Rose smirked, "Kade owes me 20. I called it."