NOTORIOUS // TFP Arcee X Reader

Time flies when your life is going downhill

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
2ND POV
1 1 / 1 8 / 1 9
/ / /
"Love is so powerful that it can enter through a closed door and steal all of the contents of a precious heart within a moment."
- Debasish Mridha
/ / /

   Family. You'd never really had one before. That was the reason you'd joined gangs; you'd been looking for a place to belong. You'd gotten into crime because that's where you're "family" had gone. Just like that family, you'd gone to prison.

   Now, you had a daughter. A bright and beautiful daughter. Now, you had a partner, one that truly loved you, even if she hadn't said so out loud yet. A bright daughter, a fiersome lover, and a team of bots to serve as an extended family.

   Following the start of your more intimate relationship with Arcee, a whole bunch of things came up at once. Bulkhead got stuck on the Nemesis, during which he crashed the Nemesis, while the rest of the team took down Airachnid. Arcee had run after her alone (and into a cave filled with Insecticon pods, no less) much to the chagrin of you and Optimus Prime. She managed to trap the Decepticon femme in a stasis pod and end with minimal damage.

   "Please," you begged her, grasping her shoulders, "never do that again."

   Arcee huffed and crossed her arms, glaring lightly over at the pod. There was some regret in her face as she saw the infinite concern in your optics.

   "Not without me, anyways," you added with a grin, attempting to lighten the mood. She sighed and finally smiled. You gave her a short and swift kiss on the cheek, and then hugged her.

   "I promise," the two-wheeler answered. She gave you a hug back.

   Next, the Nemesis gained sentience. All of Team Prime--including you, not Ratchet--was frozen in a strange sort of stasis. The humans snuck onto the Nemesis to download the Iacon database, and did so while flushing the Dark Energon from the ship that caused it to be sentient in the first place. Aami pleaded to join in, but was shot down immediately, both because she's ten and she's no longer human. She spent much of her time sitting at the unmoving pedes of you and Arcee, and talking about everthing that came to mind.

   Ratchet couldn't help but smile. It was like that time Raf stayed late to talk to Bumblebee, despite the fact that the mech was in stasis. Fortunately in this case, neither you or your lover were posessed by Megatron.

   When the lot of you came online again, you gave your two favorite femmes a kiss. The moment wasn't savored long, as you now had to track down the coordinates from the database. You got to go as support for Bulkhead, while Arcee went with Bumblebee, as well as Jack and Miko. Aami joined Rafael as tech support.

   Before you Arcee left, as she was dismissed before you, you wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. You dipped her low, giving a teasing, passionate kiss, before setting her upright.

   "Good luck, babe!" You said with a wink and some finger guns. You then walked away to kiss your daughter goodbye (and give her a hearty tickling too), while the others watched in shock. She bristled, embarrassed, before transforming. Jack made sure to tease her about it.
  
   Bulkhead got hurt. You weren't able to do much about it. Your wings got damage, amd both of you were exposed to Tox-En for far too long. You both ended up on berth rest, but Bulkhead needed more than that. Aami was scared for both your sake, and upset that she couldn't cuddle up beside you because of the lingering Tox-En.

   When Arcee returned, she did her best to console you. It wasn't your fault Bulkhead got hurt. No, it wasn't, but you couldn't help but feel like you could've done something.

   Wheeljack certainly seemed to think so when you met him. He barged in and demanded to know why you didn't prevent any of this. Aami and Arcee argued right back, defending your honor.

   Bulkhead woke up, don't worry. He was fine, but had a hard time walking and couldn't go on missions. Miko was determined to stop that. Luckily, a newbie crash landed on Earth and joined up. His name was Smokescreen, and he missed most of the war due to being in stasis.

   Arcee didn't like him very much.

   "He's so childish!" She complained, pacing back and forth in your now shared room.

   "He's the youngest bot 'ere that's not an actual child. He's inexperienced, but eager ta learn. If we keep him on the right track, he'll be fine," you argued. Amusement was in your tone and your irises.

   Your lover groaned. "He's reckless and dismissive. It won't be easy." She plopped down beside you and firefly leaned her helm on your shoulder. Your wings fluttered.

   "Nothin' ever is. Also, you're helpin' me raise a child! You're pretty much gettin' extra practice!"

   Arcee rolled her optics at that one.

   You and Aami seemed to be the only ones who had any hope for the poor newbie.  Bulkhead felt he was being replaced, and acted brash and jealous. You did your best to keep Arcee from being too harsh.

   Smokescreen was a little wary of you after you mentioned your past criminal career. Despite such, the two of you grew a friendly bond. He and Aami bonded quite a bit, becoming like an older brother in college to her.

   Fast forward, some odd months.

   Optimus got a magic sword. You took Arcee out on some dates (finally!). The Omega Keys were discovered, and a race to get them all began. Megatron ended up with them all.

   You went to Cybertron.

   The human children got kidnapped.

   Cybertron stayed dead.

   The Decepticons found the Autobot base.

   You all had to split up and evacuate.

   They had even blown up your old ship to make sure you couldn't run back to it.

   "Come on, Aams, we gotta go," you urged your sparkling as Ratchet powered up the ground bridge. Your wings were as low as they could go.

   "Mom, what's going on? I'm scared!" The little femme fearfully clutched her datapad to her chassis. She ran over to your side. You took her small servo and squeezed it reassuringly.

   "Y/N, wait!" Arcee came up to you, with Jack trailing behind. "Let us come with you!"

   "I wouldn't suggest that, Arcee," Ratchet objected. "Four is too many."

   "Ratchet is right," you said sadly, taking Arcee's cheek, "Jets are a bit fast for motorcycles, no offense. We'll see each other again, I promise! But, I gotta go right now, I gotta protect Aami."

   "But-"

   "But nothin'. Protect Jack, darlin'. I wish I could make this g--this 'see you later' longer, but we'll all be under rubble then."

   Arcee clutched her fists. She knew you were right. She didn't want to lose you too. The two of you kissed sweetly, longingly. You broke away too quickly for your liking.

   You retook Aami's servo and tugged her towards the ground bridge. You walked through without looking back.

   Aami looked back with tears in her bright blue optics. Arcee couldn't meet her gaze. Neither could Ratchet. When she met Optimus', all she saw was sadness and regret. She looked back to you.

  " . . . Cenn?"