When All Lights Go Out II (TFP)

Chapter 23

Optimus's optics quiver as he stared at his daughter. The immense relief he was feeling that she was alive was overwhelming. He held his hands out as Ratchet walked over with the sparkling and gently passed her to him. Optimus's optics never left Azura as she continued to wail and as soon as she was cradled in his hands, Optimus brought her close to his shoulders, kissing her forehead gently. Ratchet smiled and moved away to begin cleaning and tending to Optimus's open abdomen and chassis.

Optimus couldn't believe she was in his arms again. And Azura was now large enough that he needed two hands to hold her to cradle her properly. He did not mind at all. Her wails soften now that she knew she was close with her carrier, but he could tell she was hungry. She had to wait until his system had rebuilt its energon reserves, but that should not take too long. Especially now that his body no longer had a sparkling within him.

"Azura..."

"Daddy, what happened? Was I asleep before?" Optimus smiled at his daughter as she asked questions. "I was dreaming. I was flying over a forest, and it was beautiful. Then I woke up suddenly with Ratchet looking at me."

Optimus kissed her forehead gently. "It would seem that you were in a very deep dream."

"Ah...okay...my stomach still hurts..."

Optimus knew that Azura was still feeling pain and weakness, even if she didn't realize that her spark had stopped pulsing before. He would rather she didn't realize it as to not frighten her. He glanced down as he felt Ratchet gently removing the amniotic lines from his body and cleaning the fluid from the gestational chamber. He knew he needed some medical attention as well.

"Ratchet has to clean up my body. It's a bit messy from birthing you."

"Oh." Azura stretched her limbs a little and nuzzled against Optimus's cheek. "And I'm hungry."

"I am sorry, but I am not producing low-grade energon yet. Mostly due to the low energon in my own system. I hope you can be patient, my little sparkling." Azura giggled as she listened to him and he kissed her forehead gently. "I'll feed you soon enough. Besides, if you are that desperate, I am sure Ratchet can feed you."

Azura shook her head. "No, I just want you to feed me. I just...I am glad we aren't held by Mech...I am glad you escaped. But...I fell into a dream when there was another blast..."

"Do not worry about that now, Azura. You are safe now. You are a little weak, but it is okay." Azura was glad, and she wanted to speak, but knew her vocal processors needed time before she could. So communication through the bond was all she could do right now. "If you want, Megatron is here. We kept our word to allow him to watch your birth."

Azura widened her optics and immediately began to look around until Optimus shifted her gently in his hands so she could see Megatron. Her optics lock onto Megatron as soon as she saw him and she whimpered softly. "He is here...can he hold me? Is it okay? Do you think he will stop the war?"

"He can hold you, but I can't answer if he will stop this war." Optimus looked at Megatron who had stepped back to give space. "Megatron, you can hold Azura." Megatron widened his optics as he saw Azura holding her arms toward him. "She wants you to."

Megatron was very shocked that Azura wanted him to hold her, but he smiled and walked over to the side of the berth. Azura whimpered as she held her hands towards him and Optimus gently moved her to him. Megatron was hesitant at first, but he gently reached out and wrapped his hands around the sparkling carefully as he lifted her from Optimus's hands and brought her closer to him. Azura smiled at him and Megatron hugged the sparkling carefully against his shoulder, feeling her nuzzle against him.