These Paths We Tread (Autobot x OC)

LI. Shake It Out

(***There is a two month time skip****)

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And I’ve been a fool and I’ve been blind

I can never leave the past behind

I can see no way, I can see no way

I’m always dragging that horse around…

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“Miss me?” Will Lennox’s voice purred over the phone, and Sarah Lennox giggled as she leaned against the kitchen counter, Annabelle held comfortably on her hip and arm. Their little girl, now almost three years old, was more than able to get around on her own, but she still loved for her mother to hold her like she was still a baby. The blonde-haired woman didn’t mind at all, and couldn’t wait to see how her husband fared when he was finally able to come back home for a break.

“Only every day,” she purred back. “I’m glad you finally found some time to call home. I’ve been worried with all the news about the Autobots going around.”

“Ah. I see you saw the broadcast. I’m just glad I wasn’t the one who had to make the statement or be there when Optimus showed himself. Granted, it was funny to see all their expressions.”

“It wasn’t so different from when I saw Ironhide for the first time. How do you think the public will handle it?”

He sighed, “To be honest? I’m kind of worried. Me and the other guys have fought with them and know what’s what, but citizens? They’re not going to get it like we do.”

“I expect we’ll hear protests soon enough. Hopefully Prime and the General can keep things going smoothly,” Sarah added, glancing up at the small TV in their kitchen, which was replaying the press conference from just a few days ago.

There was no hiding the fact that the Cybertronian existed when the Decepticons had made a world-wide broadcast, effectively showing they were very much so real and among humanity. Furthermore, there had been leaks from the Jordanian and Egyptian bases, and nothing NEST did could keep even the least skeptical of citizens from thinking it was just a hoax. The solution? The President and General Morshower decided it was time to tell the truth. The “aliens” were real, as was their battle, and the Autobots were on humanity’s side to fight the “bad guys”. Optimus himself had appeared for the conference and transformed for everyone to see. There were many shocked faces, to say the least, and a flood of questions followed.

That was only a few days ago, and now every blog imaginable had word of the Autobots, every possible question that could be thought of, and of course, the beginning of protests. Had the aliens brought their battle here on purpose? If it the war was over, why hadn’t they left? Would they be using up Earth’s resources? How would they affect humanity? Were they dangerous? Were there more hiding all around the world? Was it possible that so-and-so’s vehicle was an alien?

“Me, too… At least we finally have the President on our side. Galloway’s been out of our hair—on ‘sick leave’, as Morshower put it—so that’s help a lot. That Smokescreen guy is helping, too, but, to be honest... things aren’t going as smoothly as we liked.”

“Is it all the press?” she frowned, and her husband told her kinda.

“There's some internal problems, too. We have some soldiers acting up and getting onto some of the Autobots. It doesn’t help the Autobots they’re ragging on are doing the same thing back. What’s worse is that they’re the new guys—the Seekers. They’re not exactly Prime’s, so he’s having trouble keeping them from flying off, and it’s all just a big load of crap going on.”