~~~

    Jade sighed, watching the sun come up through an opened Gate in the UP. She could see their mother’s bedroom, and she was scurrying around the space, passing in front of the windows every so often. Blaze was at her back, facing the opposite way, another Gate to the UP open, providing him a perfect view of their father’s bedroom, in the large condo at the top of a skyscraper in town. He was still fast asleep.

Jade: “Dad’s a fool, Blaze. He never gave Mom a time frame to actually be at the cafe. And now she’s rushing around at sunrise and he’s . . .”

    She glanced over her shoulder and past Blaze to the inactive bedroom of their father.

Jade: “Sleeping . . .”

    She mumbled, shaking her head in disapproval. She loved both her parents but didn’t approve of his carelessness today. Blaze shrugged, keeping his eyes forward.

Blaze: “His alarm clock failed.”

    He told her simply, keeping an eye on their father’s figure, the pair like sentinels.

Jade: “Well maybe he should’ve set another one!”

    She snapped, gripping her knees. She was trying to focus on her mother, who’d now vanished, probably into the bathroom. Blaze frowned, turning to her, placing a hand on her shoulder carefully.

Blaze: “Jade . . . ?”

Jade: “SHUT UP!”

    She pulled away from him, trying to get a grip on herself again. She was the daughter of a Prime. She would not behave this way. She was better than this. She took a shuddering breath, closing her eyes tightly.

    Blaze frowned, watching her. He brushed a few hairs behind her ear, and she didn’t fight it. She didn’t move, other than to lower her head. Her lips wavered, a few tears streaking down to her nose, falling into the black. She sobbed quietly, hating herself for not being stronger. Years of practice had taught her how to block her emotions from her twin. Otherwise he would’ve known long ago why she was upset this morning.

    He edged closer to sit next to her, draping an arm around her carefully. He kissed her temple. Moments like these were when the traits of his creator came through. When he aged beyond his years and he became very considerate. Like both his parents, really . . . At least, in stressed situations . . .

Blaze: “It’s okay, Jade . . . It’s okay . . . What’s wrong . . . ?”

    She sobbed heavily, pulling her knees up to her chest, hair falling back over her face.

Jade: “H-He . . . He found a-another . . . l-little girl . . . to love . . . H-He called her Princess and e-everything! He doesn’t n-need me anym-more, Blaze!”

    Her brother sighed, pulling her tight as her body shook, their adolescent forms prominant at the moment. He didn’t know what to do other than tell her the truth and hold her. He was her brother. And while they could manipulate the Plane to the best of their ability, they were no experts.

Blaze: “He doesn’t need you . . . He never did, Jade . . . He just wanted you . . . He wanted both of us . . . A little girl isn’t going to change that . . . He’ll always love you  . . . You’re his daughter . . . You’re not going to be replaced . . .”

    She just sobbed harder, trembling against him. Afraid her father, their father, really would replace her like an old pair of socks. Blaze vented lightly, not sure what he could do anymore. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes and focusing as much as he could.

Blaze: “Just hold on, Jade . . . Just hold on . . .”

    He whispered to  her, and she hardly listened. She was too wrapped up in her own fears, grieved by something that hadn’t even happened. He broke through. Blaze opened his eyes and smiled. It had worked.

???: “How’s my young Prince . . . and Princess . . . ?”

    She choked on a sob, finally looking up, unable to stop the tears at this point. She even felt sick after being so unrestrained for so long.

Jade: “D-D-Da- . . .”

    She wasn’t sure if she should run to him or from, and so she stayed still, watching him. Watching to see what he would do.

    Orion promptly swept his daughter into his arms, pressing her head gently to his shoulder, rubbing her back gently once she’d relented.

Orion: “There, there, Princess . . . You’ll always be my little girl . . . Don’t ever worry about that . . .”

    He kissed into her hair lightly, pressing her close to his body. After a moment, she wrapped her arms around him tightly, sobbing into his shoulder.

Jade: “I- I thought you . . . I thought you’d found someone better! I th-thought . . . I wasn’t a-any good anymore . . .”

Orion: “Sweetspark . . .”

    He held her tighter, nuzzling her close. Blaze smiled even more. It wasn’t often that Jade broke down . . . It was the first time she’d completely broken down like that over their parents . . . She’d shown frustration, sorrow and everything in between before, but this . . . This was extreme . . . And he couldn’t just let it tear her apart . . .

    As long as their father was asleep, he was more easily accessible . . .

Orion: “I love you so much, Jade . . . Don’t ever forget that, Princess . . . You’re my little girl . . . Okay . . . ?”

    She nodded quickly against him, and a soft smile spread across his lips.

Orion: “Good . . . I love you . . . I’ll do my best to see you more often . . . Okay . . . ?”

Jade: “It’s not enough!”

    She blurted, immediately recoiling at the sound of her own voice, burying her face back into his shoulder. A few more tears stained his shirt. Orion frowned at her reaction.

Orion: “I’m sorry, Princess . . . I don’t know what else I can do . . .”

    She nodded again, squeezing him close.

Jade: “I-I’m sorry . . . I just miss you so much! I had to go for o-over th-thirteen fragging years alone here with Blaze! I just want my mom and dad and I won’t get to spend any real time with you guys unless you die and I don’t want you to die but I want to be with you more! I just want my family!”

    He sighed, rocking her gently in his arms, rubbing her back again.

Orion: “I’m sorry, Jade . . . I’m so sorry . . . I know it’s hard . . . And it’s definitely not fair . . .”

Jade: “A-And yo-you didn’t even want me! You wanted Blaze!”

    He paused, sighing deeper, pulling his daughter seemingly impossibly close.

Orion: “Yes, Jade. When I found out your mother, your carrier, was with spark, I wanted a little mech. That is what Cybertronians default to. And I thought of all the times I could spend with a little mech, teaching him, not having to be delicate with him-.”

Jade: “Mom’s tough! You wouldn’t have to pamper me!”

    He smiled, kissing her temple through her mess of hair, rocking her again slowly.

Orion: “I know, Princess . . . I know . . . I wasn’t thinking of that at the time . . . And when I found out I had both a little mech and femme . . . Well it was too late . . . But I would have given anything, absolutely ANYTHING to hold both of you in my arms . . .”

Jade: “B-But you di-did . . . Didn’t you . . . ?”

    She looked at him with wide eyes, still completely vulnerable to her father. He nodded to her slowly.

Orion: “I did . . . Just barely . . .”

~~~

    His spark mate lay in bed next to him, curled up into a tight little ball. They’d lost their sparklings just an hour ago. Just an hour ago, his wife had attempted suicide in a flurry of devastation and a broken will. The large mech stood, opening the door and calling down the hall for the medic. If anything went wrong with her, he’d know through the bond. He’d be able to prevent tragedy for a second time . . .

    But this had to happen . . . He had to see them . . . The medic vanished down the hall and the Prime went back into their room, sitting on the berth next to her.

Optimus: “Come on, SweetSpark . . .”

    He helped her from her huddled position to sit up next to him. Her optics stayed closed, head bowed, the grief around her thick, though invisible. Ratchet came in a moment later, dropping the box, and walking back out, staying a good distance from their room. Available if called, but not intruding on their privacy.

    Optimus sighed, kissing her cheek before reaching down with careful servos, sliding the two tiny, mechanical bodies out, holding them as gently as he could.

Optimus: “Hello, little ones . . .”

    He spoke, and JewelBlade flinched, turning her helm away, optics wrenched shut. She didn’t want to see them. She didn’t want to feel that pain again.

Optimus: “I’m your father . . . And I love you so vey much . . .”

    A sob escaped JewelBlade, but she still couldn’t bring herself to look over at them. She couldn’t stand that pain . . .

Optimus: “Maiden . . .”

    He looked at her sadly, a few streaks of fluid on his faceplate. His spark mate couldn’t take it anymore. Having them so close but not . . . Holding them in her arms protectively like she would’ve been doing in just a short matter of months . . .

Maiden: “I-I want my babies . . . Optimus . . . Please . . .”

    He nodded, and complied as he handed the tiny forms over, and she took them into her arms, not needing to use nearly as much caution as the Prime. She held them protectively close to her bosom, sobbing.

Maiden: “I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry I couldn’t keep you! I’m sorry my body wasn’t up to par . . . I. Am so. So. Sorry. Jade . . . Blaze . . .”

    She looked them over with watering optics, wishing they weren’t so still. Wishing this day wasn’t today. But instead a couple months into the future, with both of them lively and happy, or even crying, anything was better than the silence their tiny bodies gave her. They’d just barely developed their sexes when the carrying period had failed.

Maiden: “I’m sorry, Baby . . .”

    She looked at the tiny form just barely distinguishable as a femme.

Maiden: “It is so hard to be a femme in an existence where the defaults are mechs and femmes are so, so special . . .”

    She looked at the young mech in her left arm.

Maiden: “Don’t you EVER stop looking after her . . . Because apparently we cannot . . . I love you . . . Both of you . . . So much . . . Don’t forget that . . . Don’t ever forget . . . Please . . .”

    She choked on another sob, shaking her head as the tears fell onto their lifeless forms. It was so hard to say goodbye. For a second time now. She didn’t want to. But she didn’t exactly have a choice.

~~~

    Orion sighed as the images faded back into the darkness, the Gate in the UP having opened to show the memory to his children.

Orion: “We got to hold you . . . But it will never compare to the real thing. I love you, Princess . . .”

    He glanced down at the oddly silent Blaze.

Orion: “I love you, too, my Prince . . . I will do my best for both of you . . . Just call if you need me . . .”

    He kissed her cheek before setting her down. Her tears were still falling, but they were much slower now. She was calming again.

Jade: “I . . .”

    She paused, biting her lip. It made Orion think of her mother. His head tilted, but before he could ask, she rushed him, wrapping her arms tightly around his torso, under his shoulders.

Jade: “I love you, Daddy!”

    Orion closed his eyes, smiling, holding her close.

Orion: “I love you, too, Princess.”

    Blaze smiled, standing, wrapping his arms loosely around his father and twin. Orion’s smile only grew, even if a tear or two slipped down his face.

Orion: “I love you, too, Prince. I’ll see you again when I can.”

    The pair nodded against him slowly, and he was pulled away from them, by his back-up alarm clock.