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1: TV silence [Denial]
The first thing Chase noticed when it was just him and Heatwave was that the TV is so, so quiet.
Not all the time, though. Not all the time.
Cody would invite Frankie over to watch the news, solely to poke fun at the reporter. Chase would turn on the TV for his favorite detective shows.
During commercial breaks, he found himself unconsciously checking the nature documentary channel or the newest episode of Cupcake Wars. He even stumbled upon a romantic comedy, just in time, as Heatwave just so happened to enter the firehouse.
The firebot wordlessly settled on the couch beside him, his optics lighting up with interest. The policebot gently, silently placed the remote control on his rather empty side of the couch.
The air was filled with a comfortable silence, yet it was mixed with a heaviness that dragged Chase’s optics to the other sad, empty half of the couch. No, the half full side of the couch.
The policebot caught Heatwave staring at that same, empty space multiple times as well, his mind evidently not focused on the romantic comedy.
Once, the two caught each other’s gaze, wistfulness meeting solemnness.
Afterwards, Chase left the TV on, more for background noise than anything, for the silence painfully reminded him of the family that wasn’t here, at least right now. Eventually, right?
Right?
2: A lonely bookshelf [Anger].
The more Chase began to miss his family that was shattered all around the world, the more small details he noticed. He couldn’t help it, it was instinct more than anything. Instinct that he began to despise.
For instance, why was his bookshelf—full of various volumes and editions of police codes and various detective story series—surrounded on either side by barren bookshelves?
On the left bookshelf. There should have been nature encyclopedias. Nature pun books. Art guidebooks. Roman mythology books. Engineering books. Math books. Physics books. Ecology books. Birdwatching books.
But it was empty.
On the right bookshelf. There should have been picture books of fairytales. Motivational books. Norse mythology books. Graphic novels of superheroes, with all the volumes and issues of each series. Flight rules and regulations books, also with the many volumes and editions. Medical books with even more various volumes and editions. Chemistry books. Biology books. Scrapbooks made with love.
But it was empty.
Why did it matter, anyways?
Was Chase more bothered about how the emptiness reflected the same emptiness in his spark?
Or did it bother him how it was a reminder of what he had lost?
He clenched and unclenched his servos as he stared at the bookshelves. He was tempted to get rid of the two bookshelves altogether—
Chase paused, blinking slowly.
No. He would keep the bookshelves. Why did he even think about that? His family would come back.
Right?
Right.
3: The ghost of homework time [Bargaining].
Reorganizing. That was the way to cope. Lists, that would help, too.
Chase referred to his list of the books that are—were, in some cases—in the bookshelves. Bookshelf.
He could organize his books by authors instead of publication date. Though, books of the same series would be placed next to each other, despite being published years apart.
Chase went to gather his book list, remembering painfully that it was left on the sole desk in the firehouse: in front of the left bookshelf, which was in front of Chase.
He gently, oh so gently, removed the list, which caused a flurry of dust to rise, then expand, and finally fly in the air. It was slightly bothersome, so he placed the list in his chassis while he began to clean the desk. It was a favor he’d done many times for engineer and bulldozer bot, so they could list mathematical equations in comfort.
Chase realized his mistake as soon as he finished cleaning.
The desk, sparkly clean and brand new, would keep collecting dust. And he didn’t have it in his spark to continue cleaning, for it was a reminder of the more time that passed it spent unused.
4: Racing blues [Depression].
Did Heatwave catch onto Chase’s more bluer side?
His spark began to hurt when he heard the background TV noise, so he shut it off. The unused desk was unnaturally shiny, due to his cleaning frenzy two days ago. His now dwindled list reminded him of the books that used to be—why did he have to write all three bookshelves’ contents?
Now Chase was standing on the starting line of the firehouse’s outdoor track.
On his left was Heatwave, whose smile didn’t reach his optics.
On his right was Blurr, who was speed trapped in a Cybertronian, itching to start.
And then there was Salvage, who was promising an impatient Blurr that he was almost finished with his current project that Salvage was tinkering with in his servos. Seconds passed, and the small sphere was placed on Kade’s side, to the confusion of the firefighter, if his raised unibrow meant anything.
Each Cybertronian transformed into their vehicle mode. A police car’s sirens were tested, a way to let go of some overwhelming feelings in an acceptable way.
A fire truck adjusted a ladder, feigning nonchalance.
A race car’s engine revved impatiently.
A recycling truck hummed to life.
Once Kade declared the race to have started, Blurr became a flash as Heatwave sped after him.
Chase had no intention of winning, merely appreciating the outdoor air as he cruised at a leisurely pace. He checked his review mirrors, his optics faltering for a second.
Salvage, his vehicle mode built more for storage than speed, was trailing behind. But he repeated the same phrase over and over again: I think I can, I think I can.
Chase slowed down more noticeably, the same phrase a certain helicopter bot repeated whenever he flew up in the air.
The same phrase that a certain bulldozer-triceratops dinobot repeated during a race of the prehistorics.
Oh, Chase couldn’t do this. Not now.
He was tire to tire with Salvage. Chase softly explained that he would return back to the firehouse. Salvage acknowledged, saying he would win for Chase.
Chase merely honked his horn once, softly, as an answer. For his voice would betray him if he answered back.
5: With great power comes great responsibility [Acceptance (Yes, this is heavily referencing the theme song)].
It was oddly poetic, how a routine patrol of four Rescue Bots, thought lost to time, merely in stasis, woke in the rather strangest of places. How Earth became their home, but first their mission from Optimus Prime himself.
How the four slowly learned from the humans to better serve and protect, even earning their respect. How one family became their allies, until the two families became a larger, stronger family.
How they went from robots in disguise to rolling to the rescue for humans in need, becoming heroes, indeed.
How much the youngest of the Burns’, Cody, never gave up on them. Listened to them. Became the glue holding the two families together.
The Rescue Bots and the Burns family went through a lot, but at least they were able to lean on each other.
Until recently.
Wasn’t it wonderful, how his family was able to stretch themselves around the world, providing protection to those who could not protect themselves? Sure, there were new dangers faced every day. But they still had each other. They were able to still speak to each other, see each other, even if it was through a screen most of the time—ironic, as they all had always used screens to communicate with each other. It was just less comforting to be speaking to your family who felt like they were miles away, and were actual miles away.
They all made time for biweekly virtual meetings, talking about their adventures. It was more convenient for them all, less traveling expenses, less worry about abandoning their new…homes wasn’t the word. Perhaps location was the word Chase wanted to use.
Chase wondered why they didn’t do these meetings sooner. But, he realized, perhaps his family also didn’t want to accept the fact that they were scattered around the world, for the meetings both brought comfort yet made reality painstakingly obvious.
Yet, they were always together. No matter the distance.
+1: Reuniting [A secret 6th thing: Family].
The ground bridge, which Chase assumed would be unused for eons, lit up in all its turquoise glory.
Chase stared, the emotions he kept from surfacing breaking through.
Heatwave stared, disbelieving.
Blurr stared, shaking in anticipation.
Salvage stared, humming contently.
Chief Burns stared, by Chase’s side, releasing a soft gasp.
Kade stared, by Heatwave’s side, unmoving, not daring to believe.
Cody stared, between his dad and his older brother, tears threatening to escape his eyes.
Frankie stared, at her best friend's side, a hand settled comfortingly on Cody’s shoulder.
Out stepped a confident helicopter bot—a human pilot seated on his shoulder—with an elegant spy car bot strutting in, as well as a ship vessel bot, with a Cybertronian dog right behind his heels.
Out stepped the soft hearted, gentle giant bulldozer bot, exchanging mathematical equations with a human engineer who was adjusting his glasses.
Out stepped Optimus Prime himself, along with his scout, Bumblebee.
The scout’s optics met the helicopter bot’s optics. A beep, a whirl, a chirp all escaped the scout as he ran forwards.
The helicopter bot’s confidence snapped into childish glee as he first placed the pilot onto the spy car bot’s shoulder, then ran forwards to meet the scout halfway.
The two embraced, melting into each other.
Dani was placed down on the ground, where she glanced at Graham. The two nodded once, gravitating towards the other, then ran forwards.
Father, youngest brother, eldest brother, a close friend part of the family, surrounded the only daughter and the middle brother. Tears flowed, jokes traded, comforting words whispered.
Boulder’s optics shifted from Heatwave to Chase, to Blades and Bee.
Chase stumbled forwards, gained his balance, then ran forwards, Heatwave by his side.
They both crashed into Boulder, who managed not to fall, not even stumble as he released a soft laugh, hugging the two close.
A third joined the hug, Blades announcing his presence with a shriek as he practically leaped into the hug. Boulder gave a hearty laugh, managing to prevent the four from toppling over.
Blades glanced at Quickshadow and Hightide, with Servo nestled on his shoulder, telling the two to join the hug, or else he would make them rewatch every single episode of every season of Cupcake Wars.
Heatwave glanced at Salvage and Blurr, merely telling them to get their afts over here.
Five Cybertronians joined the Rescue Bots in the hug, all of them fitting perfectly together.
Nobody knew of this face to face meeting, assuming they were meeting only Optimus face to face.
A wonderful surprise orchestrated by Optimus himself, with the help of his scout.
Humans and Cybertronians separated from their hugs, a familiar, soft silence blanketing the room. Until the silence was crafted to be opened at the perfect spot.
“It feels wonderful to be whole again.” Chase said softly, not caring that his voice was shaking with emotion. He had to say the words, to allow his spark to speak. All that mattered was that he was reunited with his family.