Chapter Text
"Roller!" Optimus' deep voice boomed down the hall over the blaring of the sirens as he ran towards his and Elita's habsuite.
The Decepticon attack had come out of nowhere. How they'd managed to prepare an attack so deep in Autobot territory without the Autobots ever finding out Optimus didn't know and at the moment he couldn't bring himself to focus on it. He'd figure it out later, for now he needed to get to his sparkling. He'd already ordered an evacuation but Roller was too young and too small to evacuate on his own. He was an innocent who knew nothing of the war he'd been born into. The war his very creators stood at the center of.
Optimus didn't bother with the scan to open the door, it was too slow. Instead his fingers dug into the seams and he forced it open.
The soft sound of panicked beeps and sobs was all Optimus could hear the moment his audials picked them up. Roller was in a corner, attempting to hide under his small blanket. But he stuck out like a sore thumb with his little light illuminating with each cry. Optimus practically flung himself towards his child.
Upon sensing his carrier Roller quickly looked up. Chirps spilled from his intake as he instinctively grabbed towards the Prime, big heavy tears spilling from his bright optics.
"Care! Care!" The gray bot squeaked between cries.
"Shh... It's okay Roller. Carrier's here." Optimus whispered softly as he scooped up the tiny bot. He held his sparkling close as he opened his chest plate, the light from the matrix reflecting off of Roller's silver frame. He gently placed the tiny bot inside. He let his engine rumble as he closed his chest once more. He hoped being so close to his creator's spark and the very matrix from Primus would be enough to soothe the terrified child.
He held one hand over his chest, an attempt to shield Roller from looking out the glass, as he began to move quickly. He needed to make it to the agreed rendezvous point and that wasn't exactly easy with a base now swarming with Decepticon forces.
Normally he'd just fight his way through and give the cons a run around until he could get them off his trail but he couldn't do that now. He would not put another's life at risk, especially not his bitlet. No, he needed to make it out quietly. Luckily years of sneaking into the archives came in handy, even if his bigger frame made it much harder.
The Prime was careful. He'd made sure to check his surroundings, to use tunnels and passages not kept up to date on their maps. He was almost out. Optimus almost had himself and his little spark to safety.
That's when he heard a cannon fire and was just barely able to dodge to the side in time.
He turned to stare at the attacker. He didn’t want to fight, not with Roller in his chest but he was ready to protect his sparkling.