Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who or Transformers.

Here's something I wrote a couple of years ago but got stuck on, so I've only just managed to finish it. It's canon to pretty much nothing, as I picked my favourite elements of Transformers history and mashed them all together. Anyone interested in my version of events can PM me. Enjoy!

"Hey! Hello? Excuse me? Big Guy? Hey!"

Orion (no, Optimus; my name is Optimus) looked down at the strange little organic creature standing beside where he sat on the cliff edge, watching as it waved its arms and shouted up at him. Venting air, the large mech turned away from the view he had been contemplating and knelt down to speak to the noisy little thing.

"Yes? Can I help you?" Optimus said, lowering his head until it was level with the creature. It was unlike any organic he'd seen before; it was bipedal with four limbs, covered from the neck down with some sort of brown, flexible material that wrapped around its limbs, and there was a thick layer of fur on top of its head.

"Yes please! Would you mind telling me where I am? And when, which is just as important" the creature replied. The questions it asked were rather strange, but Optimus was always glad to help.

"This is the Katini district, the outermost part of Iacon. It is the third cycle since the start of the tenth vorn of the fourth Golden Age of Cybertron."

" Cybertron? Brilliant! I've always loved the myths and legends behind its creation; everyone loves a good versus evil story. Supposedly the body of the god Primus, although there's a rock core which could prove otherwise... I'm rambling, aren't I?" it looked up at the giant robot, which was looking at him, head tilted to one side in confusion. "Thank you..."

"Or...Optimus" the mech replied, catching himself at the last astro-second.

"Optimus" the creature repeated. "I'm the Doctor." Optimus just inclined his head in reply. The Doctor seemed to dislike silence, as he kept on talking. "I was actually heading to the planet Panthalassa for centennial global boat race, but the TARDIS had other ideas. Anyway, I'd better be going or I'll miss the start. Pleasure meeting you," the Doctor started to walk away.

Optimus straightened up and turned briefly to see him heading towards a strange blue box, before sitting on the cliff-edge and returning to his contemplation of the city: his city now. He vented air again and shuttered his optics, rubbing the engraved glyphs on the side of his helm.

"Optimus, are you ok?" the giant mech flinched in surprise as the voice sounded at his elbow. He had to pause for an astro-second, suppressing the unfamiliar, automatic battle protocols, before replying.

"I am fine, thank you Doctor."

"Really? 'Cause you don't look it" the Doctor said, resting a hand on Optimus's leg armour. "Talking to someone helps a lot, you know."

"I thought you had a race to get to?" Optimus asked, his teasing tone slightly strained. It was so tempting, the idea of telling someone all his problems. No, I'm a Prime now, I can't look weak and emotional.

"Well... that was a teeny, white lie. She's a time machine," the Doctor said, waving in the direction of the TARDIS. "So I've got all the time in the world."

"Well, if you insist" Optimus replied wearily, offering a hand for the Doctor to climb into. The Timelord clambered up, leaning back against the curled digits. "It's been a very eventful few joors."

"Go on" the Doctor said eagerly. And so Optimus did.

He told the Doctor about how he was found as a sparkling, alone in an alley in the Docks and had been raised by a pair of Dock-workers as Orion Pax. How he had also become a Dock-worker and met his spark-mate Ariel. That the energon warehouse he was working in was raided by a gang of mechs, and how he had tried to defend the warehouse and his spark-mate with only pieces of scrap metal but he and Ariel had been left for dead. Alpha Trion, a Council member, had, under the guidance of the late Sentinel Prime's Matrix of Leadership, visited the Docks and witnessed the attack and Orion's defence. Then Alpha Trion had totally rebuilt Orion to be a warrior, and the Matrix of Leadership had accepted him and named him Optimus Prime. How Optimus was now the leader of the entire planet, along with Lord High Protector Megatron, who he had discovered was his spark-brother.

"Now everyone is looking to me to lead them, to deal with the threat of these rogue mechs, to make the right decisions." Optimus vented air in frustration, scraping his free hand over his face. "How can I do that when I'm not even sure who I am anymore; my processor says I'm Optimus Prime, but my spark says I'm Orion Pax. I don't know what to do," he finished quietly. Optimus stared hopefully down at the Timelord sat in his hand. The Doctor was silent for a short while, a thoughtful look on his face, before he met Optimus's optics.

"I know what it's like, having the weight of a world on your shoulders. It's kind of my job you could say, travelling around saving people, planets, universes," the Doctor said wryly. "It's not easy, no matter how many times it happens, but all you have to do is to do what you think it right with the information you have, and both accept and be prepared to deal with the consequences of your actions. Maybe sometimes you'll get it wrong, but you'd be surprised how many times you'll get it right." The Doctor smiled up at the mech looming over him. "And there's no need to worry about whether you are Orion or Optimus, they are one and the same; just, as Optimus you have been gifted the knowledge and abilities needed to become the leader Orion was born to be! Did you not act as a protector and leader when your warehouse was attacked and Ariel was threatened? Would the Matrix have chosen you if you were not worthy?"

Optimus looked down at the Doctor, his expression a mixture of surprise, confusion and thoughtfulness. "Thank you Doctor, I must think on what you've said." He lowered his hand, allowing the Doctor to step off.

"You're welcome," he replied. "And Optimus? Take heart, despite the trials you have yet to come, your name will be known throughout the universe and long after you are gone as one of the greatest leaders of them all!" And with that he disappeared inside the blue box, which quickly vanished itself. Optimus stared in amazement, before venting air and turning back to the view, his spark shining brighter than it had in a long time.

Please R &R.