Her Dying Voice (a Transformers Fanfiction) !!SLOW UPDATES!!

Chapter 11: Guilt is a Slippery Slope

They'd been driving for hours and Melody was about to burst. Time meant boredom, boredom meant thoughts, thoughts meant things she didn't want to think about were going to creep in and there'd be nothing she could do about it.

She sighed and tossed her beanie onto the seat beside her, running a hand through her hair. She started tapping on the leather, the mindless, idle sound slowly turning rhythmic, on time with the tune in her head.

"Well, now, take down your fishin' pole... and meet me at The Fishin' Hole..." She paused, her eyes widening a little. The seats were vibrating. The- The seats were VIBRATING! She looked around the cabin; it was everywhere! It was like she was sitting in the belly of a giant cat!

She giggled a little, causing the essential purring to stop. "Wait, wait-" She tried to hide her smile. "Don't stop, Optimus.."

"...it's embarrassing."

She blinked and laughed, hugging her sides. The cabin warmed with her laughter. "Nonono, Optimus, don't- don't be embarrassed, please."

Her smile fell a little with his silence. "Optimus...?" She tilted her head. "What's wrong?"

"...It's nothing, Melody," he said simply. "I'd rather not talk about it." Something was wrong.  He thought to himself analytically. It had to be. He was so jumpy and on edge and...impulsive? He hadn't been like this since-

Gasp! "Optimus, look, the sunset!"

Across the desert, the sky was painted with purple and red and orange as a sliver of the sun could be seen setting on the horizon.

Melody beamed. "Prettyyy.."

Optimus hummed. "We should stop for the night."

He pulled off to a nearby ridge, far enough from the highway, where he and the rest of the Autobots finally transformed to stretch their legs.

As Ratchet stood up, he grunted and stretched. "Ugh, human roads are so...long."

Jazz snorted. "They ain't that long, old man."

The medic rolled his eyes. "For the last time, I'm not old." He flicked off a branch wedged in his shoulder blade. "Just more experienced. Don't be bitter if that means I'm better than you."

Jazz blinked. "Wha- no, it doesn't!"

"Really? And who was it our leader trusted to protect the Ark while he went to see the guardians?"

"That's because he sent me out to find energon and you know it," he glared.

Ratchet looked directly at him. "You sure about that?"

Jazz growled. "That's it!!" The small silver bot punched Ratchet, causing a brawl.

Melody sat perched on Optimus' leg, who was resting on a boulder. She flinched, shuffling more towards Optimus as the two clambered across the ground. Ironhide sat on the ground beside them.

"....Is this normal?" she asked quietly.

Optimus sighed, letting her climb into his palm. "After a long day,"

"Unfortunately so," Ironhide finished. He watched them before grunting as he stood up. "Well, I better break it up before they tear each other apart."

Melody watched as the weapons specialist picked the two up and smashed them together before tossing them in opposite directions. She stifled a giggle at their childish complaining.

"I....apologize. As noble warriors as they are, they've been through much. Morale, and patience, are low..."

Melody shook her head. "I can't fault them.. Sam and I get the same way. As often as we fight though, we're always there for each other." She paused, her expression falling. "Or rather...he's there for me." She curled up a bit in the large bots palm.

Optimus watched her for a moment. The way the slight breeze pulled at her wispy bangs, and her eyes flickered with emotions. He thought he could see a thousand sparks in those eyes. If he looked hard enough, he could see shooting stars and comets.

Gentle as he could, he curled his thumb to brush her cheek. "We should sleep... We've a long day tomorrow."

She looked at him and nodded. "Yeah...you're right."

One by one, the autobots went into their vehicle modes and slipped into recharge. By the time the moon was hung high in the sky, the crickets were chirping and the lights were out.

Melody wished she could be sleeping as peacefully as everyone else. Instead she was curled in a ball, trying not to cry as her mind raced with a million angry thoughts at a hundred miles a minute.

After what felt like hours, when she was certain everyone was fully asleep, she slipped out of the alien truck. She hugged her sides as she walked to the edge of the ridge where they parked, a good distance from the others. Melody stared at the moon ahead as she thought about everything that had happened in just the last three days. All she and her brother wanted to do was buy their first car and it turned out to be a robot.

Her bangs fell as she looked down. I wonder if a fall from this height would be enough to kill me, she thought in a deadpan tone.

Her thoughts raced as she stared at the distant ground below before- "Melody."

She yelped as something hooked onto her hoodie, dragging her away from the edge. "Optimus! W-what are you doing?!"

"I could ask you the same question," the autobot responded with a subtle sternness in his voice.

She growled under her breath, pushing his hand away from her hoodie with a quiet grunt. "It doesn't matter, I'm fine."

"I didn't ask if you were fine."

"Just go away, Optimus, I wanna be alone," she stamped her foot, turning away from him.

There was a mechanical huff behind her. "With how close you're standing to the edge, I don't think that would be wise."

Melody tensed, hugging her arms. "Optimus-"

"It won't fix anything."

Her eyes widened and she looked at him. His eyes were narrowed as his expression matched the firm, morose tone in his voice. His demeanor bore a sense of familiarity, as if he knew exactly what she'd been thinking...

ALRIGHTYYY uh- writers block has been kicking me in the rear so- bear with me everybody-