Geez, this took waaay too long to finish...

Between having to put one of our dogs to sleep, an on-going grading strike at my school, and now a pandemic, it just has NOT been a great past three months...

Part Two: And You're Still Far from Sight

Complete darkness. Then a baby cry.

Hot Rod lowered his hands to see Elita laying on a med-berth tended to by Alpha Trion as her teammates excitedly passed the baby around among themselves. But then Elita and the rest of the team snuck up to a launch pad with what Rod assumed was a space bridge.

The youngest Prime started to feel anxious, knowing he was not going like whatever he'd hear/witness next. "What is..." he started softly.

"Elita desperately wanted to keep you, especially after she couldn't get ahold of Optimus through their bond. But with Energon low for everybody..."

Prima's narration trailed off as, under cover of darkness, Elita - very, very reluctantly - handed the baby Hot Rod to (to Rodimus's surprise) to a - very slightly - younger Kup and a battle-ready Windblade. The two boarded the ship and managed to turn everything on when Shockwave's sentry drones began to fire on them; both groups managed to escape but not before Elita witnessed the ship disappear into the bridge before blaster fire destroyed it. It took both Chromia and Firestar to pull their agonized leader away...

Inside the ship, the occupants were jostled by the shock wave that brushed by - and that caused Windblade to lose her grip on Hot Rod, leading him to (excitedly, by his high-pitched squeals) roll around on the floor...and to his first viable memory.

"Eventually Optimus and Elita found one another again and Elita was able to tell him about your existence." Vector continued as the couple excitedly talked about the very young Hot Rod before they looked...down?

"However, they decided not to tell you."

The revelation of hearing that might've broken Rodimus had another, even stronger sensation sent him 'falling'. When he managed to upright himself again he wished he hadn't - as the scene before him was Optimus's battle with Megatron, the one where-

"No..." he muttered as he saw...himself, about to attempt to prevent Megatron from shooting Optimus! Finding new strength and forgetting he wasn't there, Rod hurried forward to stop himself, stop Megatron or something before all the scenery save Optimus became gray and blurry. The youngest now ex-Prime stopped, glancing around before he heard Optimus's voice.

What should I do?!

"Optimus-?"

If I shoot I could hit Hot Rod...What if Megatron throws him to me as soon as I fire!? What if Megatron shoots him?! If he'd, if our sparking, got ki-

He didn't finish the thought - it didn't matter anyway 'cause Megatron shot Optimus, threw Hot Rod aside and continued to fire. The next scene, to Rod's growing agony, was Optimus on his deathbed afterward. The scene went nearly all blurry again as Rod felt ill. Optimus started talking...

Hot Rod....my baby Hot Rod.

Hot Rod let out a small gasp and shakily made his way over. Optimus then giggled, which really surprised him.

Your Carrier was right, you are quite handsome! I see so much of her in you...

"P-please, I'm nowhere CLOSE to being like either of you..." Hot Rod muttered as he reached Optimus's side.

Remember when we first met? I felt...something about you...After I found your Carrier, the love of my life, she told me about you. I-I was a Creator, I couldn't believe it! I had to force myself not to sweep you up in a hug every time I saw you..Could never tell you...

"But, why?!" Rod could tell he was starting to get more emotional, especially since Prime was removing the Matrix.

Decepticons would...use...You deserve a free life...

"Stop-"

Away...From our shadows...

"Please stop-!" he begged, tears falling now.

Love you...Hot Rod gasped as he faced his predecessor. It's always been you...I - WE'VE - always loved you...all...has be...fo...you...

Optimus's optics went dull, his vitals flat-lined. "N-no, no, no...!" Hot Rod cried as he 'fell' through the floor, the place dissolving unnoticed around him.

"Prima, Vector!" he cried out. "Why did you show me this...?! My parents, my parents..."

Your parents have always been watching you.

"Wha-? Who's there?" Rod looked around but saw no one until-

"And they're proud of who you are," a goldish and white bot appeared beside him. "Hot Rod, AKA Rodimus Prime."

"They never wanted me to be Prime..."

"Most don't. That's why some cracked under the burden. Your Sire was one of the few who managed to keep his head...even when he knew you were to be the next bearer." The bot smiled. "Parents - good parents - protect their children for as long as they can until the day they grow up...and yours has been a fascinating journey. Now we've come to its end."

Silence. "I, um...who are you?" To Rod's surprise, the bot laughed.

"Really? You don't remember? I am Rung," The bot's frame started growing and changing into a more human-like form. "I am Serial Number 000000001," NOW his grew to a huge size and was now a bluish light emanating from a gray orb (1).

"I am the Lord of the Light Gods, I am the Core, Cybertron itself! I am your life-giver...Primus." P-Primus himself?!

Hot Rod looked around as if the answer was elsewhere and saw more forms become visible. Some were taller, much taller than him, but he soon recognized them from holodisks he'd read.

"I realize you are unacquainted with most of your fellow Primes," Primus said, fading into his 'Rung' form. "But one of them has waited long enough."

A footfall. Hot Rod went stiff, dimly aware that his name had been said. By, by...He turned around slowly.

Optimus stood across the way, optics wide and looking at Rod like he was the only one there. And as Hot Rod tried to orient himself he noticed Optimus wasn't alone: beside him stood the mostly purple-clad Alpha Trion. And next to Trion, equally agape, was Elita-One.

Hot Rod moved his mouth but his processor couldn't catch up. Because Optimus ran pell-mell over and tackled him to the ground in a hug. Every time he'd try to move he'd get pushed back by now both emotional creators.

"You're here! You're REALLY here!" Optimus looked at Rod, optics awash. "I am...*sniff* glad you're here."

Nuzzling Rod's cheek, Elita sniffed. "I can finally hold you the way I've wanted..."

After some minutes, the two let go of Hot Rod enough for him to be able to sit up; his emotions were threatening to burst. "You were...both dead..." He glanced toward Optimus. "My fa-" A finger on his lips silenced him.

"That was my doing, Hot Rod. I - Megatron might've killed you," Optimus leaned in closer. "And I'd never forgive myself if that happened. You're not simply another Autobot or that fabled Autobot I mentioned. You never HAVE been -" Every function in Hot Rod ceased as Optimus Prime - his Sire! - grabbed his shoulders and kissed him on the forehead in the deeply parental way the former Prime secretly always dreamed of.

"You're our sparkling."

Finally, Rod's dam burst. He wrapped his servos around Optimus (before stretching one out for Elita) and wept loudly, not giving a fig that he was grown, a Prime, or that there were others (including their god!) around.

"Bwah...waa, aha..." Hot Rod's breath stalled.

"W-wow!" Eli- Carrier, happy-cried. "The humans would say you have a pair of lungs on you!"

Leaning against Sire, Hot Rod suddenly felt like he couldn't keep his optics online.

Yes. You have more than earned your rest. Primus spoke telepathically.

But, what about Arcee? Springer and -?

Your conjunx and your friends will be waiting for you. Now rest, my young Prime. Your dreams have come true...

They've always...BEEN true...I just had...trouble...believing...

(The servo Elita is holding suddenly grows heavy. With Hot Rod in his arms, Optimus stands up and the couple worriedly ask about what happened.)

(Primus tells them to simply look at their sparkling's face. The two turn their helms down toward him...)

(...and find a smile on their sleeping baby's face.)

WAAAAAAAH! Wasn't that sweet, Hot Rod now sleeping peacefully in the arms of his parents? :'D

1) All three forms are 'disguises' Primus has had throughout the Transformers continuities:

Rung = The psychaitrist from the 2005 IDW series (also where the serial number is from)

'Human form' = Shown in the U.K. Marvel Comics issue #150, "The Legacy of Unicron!"

Huge Orb = As seen in the game War for Cybertron. Primus also uses this form in my other story, Primus, meet Primus (big thanks to the Transformers Wiki!).

In case no one remembers it, the title of this fanfic and its chapters come from a song sung in Mister Rogers' Neighborhood 1984 opera episode entitled 'A Grandad for Daniel'.

Also, a side story called How I Met Your Sire/Carrier, featuring the scenes Hot Rod views will be shown in full detail in the coming weeks!

Thank you for indulging my whims! :D Stay safe, stay healthy, and staaaaay tuned...