Ruby - Transformers: Age of Extinction fanfic

Horses and Hound

"What do you mean, 'he's gone'?" Ruby screamed, sending birds flapping from the garden trees.

Hound cowered against the west wing of the manor house, crushing rose bushes under his giant feet. Ruby stepped closer to him, one hand on her hip and the other pointing dangerously up at his face.

"You mean to tell me he just took off, into outer space, by himself?"

How could Optimus do this to her? How could he leave her and the other autobots behind?

"Well, he didn't give us any choice," Hound nervously clicked his fingers together, "He ordered us to protect you, Cade and Tessa, and then he took the Seed and shot into the sky! What was I supposed to do? He's in charge, I have to do as he says!"

"You could have followed him! Brought him to his senses! He's out there all alone where no one has his back!"

Hound bowed his head in shame.

Ruby stemmed her anger before it got the better of her, bringing her finger tips to the bridge of her nose. 

The air stirred. It felt cold against the bare patch of scalp where Tom had shaved her hair. It was starting to grow back, abnormally fast of course, but not fast enough. She rubbed at it as she pondered over Optimus' abrupt departure. 

A cold move. An action for the greater good. Lockdown might be only the first enemy to pursue Optimus. By leaving, he thought they'd follow him and Earth would be safe. Stupid.

She took a breath to steady herself;

"What about Galvatron?"

"Off the radar," said Hound, "Drift has been working to pick up a signal."

"Maybe he's goneee," said Bumble Bee, stomping into view.

Ruby shook her head, "I'm not so sure. We don't know what he wants, or rather, what he wants first. Something tells me he is still here."

Ruby turned on her heel and strode away. She knew she shouldn't blame them, or herself, for Optimus' exit of the planet. Maybe she was hurt that he hadn't waited for her to get better, or said good bye, or even left her a message.

She drifted towards the stables. The gardens here were beautiful, bursting with flowers. Petals of blue, pink and yellow brushed against Ruby's skin, filling her nose with their fresh fragrance.

Ruby's strength was fully restored. The bracelet remained a cool circle of metal around her wrist. She felt safe, almost peaceful. The first time in a long time.

But there was such a deep, dark pain within her. 

She probed the thick, ugly scar around her abdomen, then the ropey skin across her shoulder, and lastly, the thin incision across her skull. Though these holes had healed, she still felt the discomfort of one other: the hole in her heart. This one wouldn't heal so quickly, if at all. It was in her very soul, a gap created by loss, one that only grew larger, torn by each friend gone. Would it shrink again, if they came back?

A dappled grey horse stuck his head over his door and whickered at Ruby.

"Hey boy," she said, stroking his long velvet face, "No treats here, I'm afraid."

The horse continued to nuzzle her pockets anyway. Ruby glanced at the beautiful blue sky, thinking how much better it would look if there was a flash of red and blue to signify her friend coming home.

"Hey,"

Ruby hastened to wipe the tears from her eyes before facing Tom, "Hi," she said back.

His eyes glistened blue, bright like the sky, bright like an autobot's, like her own eyes used to be.

"Do you ride?" he asked.

"Yes, do you?"

"Yeah, well, not for a while," he gave a hollow laugh, "But I'm sure it'll come back to me, do you want to go for a ride?"

"Why not?"

They tacked up the horses in silence, not knowing quite what to say to each other. The smell of warm leather and hay comforted Ruby, taking her back to easier days.

Tom looked out of place on his blue roan horse. His clothes, tan trousers and a white shirt, seemed far too expensive to go horse riding in. Ruby was surprised he'd gotten this far without getting dirty. He was tense in the saddle, too. His shoulders almost touched his ears as his horse picked its way across the creek.

"You should relax," Ruby told him, "Your horse feels what your feel. If you're scared, he'll get scared too. And besides, he's probably crossed the river a hundred times. He won't slip."

"Right," said Tom. He took a deep breath and sat back in his saddle.

"Better?"

"Much," said Ruby.

Her horse stopped half way across the creek and pawed the water, splashing Ruby's legs and throwing water right into Tom's face.

She gasped, "Oh!"

He scrunched up his face, water running down his cheeks and dripping off his chin.

Ruby bit down hard on her lip, but it didn't stop her burst of laughter.

"You laugh," said Tom. He reached down and threw water at her.

"Missed me!" she guided her horse out of the water and cantered off up the trail.

He chased her, hooves thudding along the soft earth.

"I like this place," said Ruby, after they'd stopped on the hillside to admire the view of the manor, sprawled below them in the valley, "How long can we stay?"

"As long as you need," said Tom.

Ruby didn't know how long that was. How long until the next threat made its self known?

"Where will you go?" asked Tom.

"Honestly? I have no idea," tears threatened to well up again, "Wherever Bumble Bee goes I guess, he'll be in charge now."

"Will you come back to America?"

"The government still wants me dead, or locked up or dissected or whatever. I'd be a fool to go there,"

Tom squirmed. There was the guilt.

Ruby sighed.

"But I don't know. What about you? I know your phone has been ringing constantly. Is it your dad?"

"Yeah," his face reddened, "KSI is in a state, what with losing all our prototypes. Disaster."

"I'm sure you'll be able to turn things around,"

"Come with me."

Ruby blinked at his abruptness. His face was dead serious.

"I can sort out all your paper work, passport, ID, a new life. You'll be safe with me, I promise."