Author's note: This story follows the fanfic timeline beginning in "Family Ties", created by Phantom, a fellow tf fanfic writer. Her fanfics can be found here My thanks to her for the initial stamp of approval and allowing me the use of her character, Andromeda.  Nova is my character.

This story is rated 'R' for language and certain conversation. You have been warned!

Onto the story!

* * * *

Chapter 5

Nova could hear voices as she began to come to. Her optics were hit by bright lights, and her whole body felt ...weird.

"She's coming to!"

"Thank Primus!"

Nova groaned. What was going on...everything seemed so fuzzy...

"Nova?"

She recognized her name, and the voice...but the name of the person...

She tried to look around, but was admonished for doing so. "Wha..."

"Shh. You're ok." the same voice whispered.

"Blazer?"

"No, it's Rodimus Prime."

Nova said nothing. Everything was so jumbled.

"You're okay now. First Aid did a great job fixing you up."

Nova turned her head ever so slightly to her left and saw Rodimus sitting next to her bed. Her memories became a little more untangled. "Rodimus...I saw you...you, you were there with Blazer..."

Rodimus puzzled expression confused her. "I don't understand Nova."

"At the place where I came to..."

"Huh? I haven't been anywhere in the last two *days* except here."

"You were *there*!" Nova said insistently, starting to get a little hysterical. "And you said I couldn't stay...and Blazer was holding me and...and..."

"Ok, ok, sshhh! I believe you, I was there!" Rodimus held up his hands. "You do NOT want First Aid coming in here, he's in a right state as it is."

Nova couldn't stop the tears that began to leak from her optics. "I'm so sorry, Rodimus. But everything's going to be alright now, I promise..."

"Shh. Just get some rest for right now."

"Don't leave me."

"I won't. Not until you go back to sleep."

"Don't leave me..." Slowly her optics drifted offline again. Rodimus breathed a sigh of relief. What was all that nonsense talk she was babbling? She hadn't gone anywhere and neither had he, for that matter, together! He brushed it off as a dream she'd had while she was unconcious. He made sure she was comfortable one last time before standing up to get some exercise. He walked away from Nova's bed, signalling to First Aid he'd be back later. He wandered around Iacon aimlessly. He didn't have anything to do, since he was still not the Autobot co-leader. He passed several Autobots in the halls, a few of whom were female, who nodded to him courteously, and Rodimus returned the greeting. He sauntered along, until he found himself in front of Optimus Prime's door. Risking death, he pushed the door chime, and Optimus answered with "Enter."
Rodimus entered all right, but not in his usual mood of smug/mischievious/playful or all three. Today he looked and felt about as old as Prime. Prime looked up from his desk and said, "Welcome to the club."

Rodimus practically fell down in a chair, he felt so weary after the last three days. "No thanks. I rescind my membership." He sighed and leaned forward, putting his head in his hands. "Do you know how close we came to losing her?"

"According to First Aid," Optimus held up the data pad, "he and Ratchet had to re-start her fuel pump three different times. She's either been blessed by Primus himself or just incredibly lucky."

Rodimus sighed. "Don't remind me. Half of me was hoping she would die, so she could be at peace, the other half was screaming at her to live, so she could start a new life."

Optimus nodded. "I felt your indecisiviness. I've had that same pain as well, and most times it has not worked out in favor of life. So what now?"

"I don't know. I don't even know why you're asking me."

"Because you're my second-in-command."

Rodimus looked up in surprise. "But..."

"And my son."

Rodimus smiled. "We've used enough precious resources on her, trying to save her. I think when she's well enough she can pay us back by going back to work."

Optimus grinned behind his mask. "So it shall be. Now, what of your report on this whole incident?"

Rodimus took a datapad out of subspace, and tossed it to him. "Here."

"Rodimus' little black book?"

"Oops, wrong one." Rodimus frantically began looking for the other one he had.

"Hmm, interesting..." Optimus began scrolling through it. "Oh I remember *her*, you took her to Earth and it was pouring rain..."

"GIMME!" Rodimus snatched the data pad away from Optimus and handed him another. "This one."

Optimus' glint in his optics gave his expression away behind the mask away before turning to the report. He carefully looked it over, picking at Rodimus for his sloppy handwriting ("I was half-asleep when I wrote it!"), and his inattentiveness to details ("We ALL know what colors Arcee and Springer are!").

Done reading, Optimus shut the datapad, and asked, "So what is the current status with you and certain other Autobots?"

Rodimus leaned back in his chair. "I'm back on good terms with Arcee, and Springer is acting like nothing ever happened. Of course they both apologized for their behavior, and I forgave. Magnus -" Rodimus stopped. This was probably more painful for him now than to have his friends' disbelieve him. Ultra Magnus, when Rodimus first became leader of the Autobots, had been his second-in-command. To have Magnus not even acknowledge he existed now hurt him beyond words.

Optimus leaned his over his desk. "I understand. One day he may too."

"What I don't get is his entire attitude. From day ONE he was all over me, even on the stuff I was clearly joking about, like when I going around the new troops and torturing them, Springer at least laughed at it afterwards - well up until the part where I scared Nova back to Tronus. It's like Mags had a banana shoved up his -"

"That's quite enough, thank you." Optimus was grim. "Magnus is actually coming in for a meeting in about -" he checked his chronometer "10 cycles. He wants to push charges that you were in direct violation of his orders and that you pushed Nova right into slicing her wrists."

"You can't be serious!" Rodimus jumped up. This was beyond insane, Magnus making these allegations!

"I'm quite serious." Optimus replied. "Want to know what he wants done with you?"

"I can take a wild guess. Drummed right out the army, then have my head mounted on his wall."

"Partly right. He's not getting your head."

"Optimus, First Aid and I didn't do anything to push Nova this far! She found out she's dying and asked, no BEGGED, First Aid to kill her right then and there!"

Optimus shrugged. "Magnus seems to think he has a solid case against you. I believe *you*, of course. Nova's very unstable right now, with all she's gone through."

Rodimus couldn't believe his old friend, and former second was actually doing this to him.

"You do know what Magnus did before the Cybertronian Wars, right?" Optimus asked.

"No, what?"

"He was a lawyer."

"I'm dead." Rodimus moaned and let his head fall on the edge of the desk.

"Don't worry, Rod. There's no way he can win this case. He has no evidence against you."

"Unless Nova decides to testify."

"I doubt she will."

"How do you know?" Rodimus looked up.

"Call it a feeling from within." Optimus winked. "She's got a better head on her shoulders than anyone thinks she does. You'll be fine."

"Let's just hope you're right."

* * * *

Nova woke up again later that night. Rodimus was by her side again, just as he said he would be. He'd falled asleep sitting next to her bed. She smiled softly. She'd caused him so many problems - she swore she'd make it up to him. Her arms hurt like almighty hell, but she managed to reach over and touch his closest hand. He didn't wake up, but her touch made him smile.

"Thank you, Rodimus." She whispered.

* * * *

Rodimus awoke. He'd had a nightmare, but it had ended suddenly when a sense of calm, a warm light, washed over him and he found the nightmare receding. He felt an unusual weight on his arm and looked down. Nova's hand was clasped in his own. He smiled and tried to put her hand back on the bed, but even though she was sound asleep, she clutched his hand, not willing to let go.

Rodimus sighed. He couldn't get away from her, could he? "You are such a pain..." Rodimus was wasting his breath. "What am I going to do with you?" Instinctively, he reached toward her and lightly ran a finger down her cheek. Nova sighed, a content smile crossing her features.

Rodimus realized that if things hadn't gone the way they had, Nova would have gotten her wish. Springer and Arcee, although loyal to Ultra Magnus, who really *did* have more pull right then, took Rodimus's words to heart. He'd been their only leader at one time, and they been friends long before they'd transferred to Earth during Autobot City's construction. Despite everything that he recently gotten himself into, they'd believed him, believed he was actually right. They'd found him desperately trying to fix Nova, to at least stop the bleeding. Springer landed, saying he could Nova back to First Aid the fastest. Rodimus didn't argue, just grabbed her and boarded the green helicopter.

"Rodimus?"

Rodimus looked up. Arcee stood at the foot of the bed, clutching her hands to her chest. She noticed Rodimus holding Nova's hand, but didn't say anything of it.

"Hey, 'Cee."

"How is she?"

Rodimus looked down at the sleeping femme, holding her hand a little tighter without even realizing it. "Alive, thanks to you and Springer."

Arcee looked away in guilt. "We didn't do anything important. I would never have forgiven myself if I'd let another femme die because I was following orders."

"You should have listened to Ultra Magnus. All the same, I'm glad you didn't."

Arcee looked up. "Don't thank me, please."

They both looked at Nova for a time in silence. Finally, Arcee turned to him. "She's one very lucky femme."

Rodimus looked at Arcee again.

"To have a leader like you."

Rodimus sighed. "I don't feel like much of a leader."

"You saved her life. I'd called that very leader-like."

Rodimus sighed. "I did what any Autobot would have done."

"Um, were you actually listening to what I said just now?"

Rodimus was silent. "I guess. But..."

"But nothing. I sense something more than simply compassion for her coming from you, Rodimus Prime."

Rodimus's fuel pump slammed into his chest.

Seeing Rodimus's stricken face, Arcee decided to drop the subject. "I, um, I heard what's going on, and if it means anything, I think Magnus is off his rocker."

"It does Arcee, having one more person on my side means one more person believes me."

"Make it two. Springer does as well."

Rodimus gave her a weary smile. "Thank you, both."

"Go recharge, Rod. She's not going anywhere. You'll need all your strength to go up against a looney City Commander."

"I guess. I can't believe Magnus is doing this. He's in a meeting with Prime right now. Prime said he's gonna try to talk him out of this whole court-martial business, but..."

"When Magnus's mind is made up, it's made up." Arcee finished. "I'm really sorry about all this. I think my going overboard as well as something to do with it."

"But at least you're back to your normal self. Magnus is acting like I'm at fault for all of Nova's problems. I wish he'd get a clue."

Arcee nodded. "Maybe Prime'll straighten him out today." Her comm link activated just then and a text message scrolled onto the little screen. "Slag it. Optimus now wants me in his office. I hope he's done with Magnus. Even *I'm* afraid of him now."

"Good luck." Rodimus said as she left.

* * * *

"Take it easy!"

"I *am* taking it easy!"

"Well, take it easier!"

"Rodimus!" Nova snapped and she landed on her feet from the bed to the floor. "I do not need to be coddled! I can walk out of the Infirmary by myself."

"Yeesh, with that kind of an attitude -"

"Finish that sentence and you won't live for five more minutes."

"Oh, big words coming from such a little -"

"Rodimus!" This time the admonishment came from First Aid.

"Alright! Geez. I can't poke fun at one of my privates."

"I'm not even going to acknowledge that you said that." First Aid and Nova said together.

"Why?" Rodimus re-thought that. "Oops."

Nova and First Aid laughed. After 3 weeks of being stuck in the Infirmary, (flat on her back, with people leaning over her all the time, Rodimus quipped, which had earned him a small smack on the thigh from Nova while she was still recuperating) Nova's arms and her entire mood had improved. First Aid didn't have any medical reason for her change in attitude, but he was very glad it was there. After a brief talk with her, he'd realized that she wasn't in any danger of attempting suicide again - just the opposite. Every spare minute he had, Rodimus would come visit her in the Infirmary, and Nova would hang on to his every word, even if it was the minutes of a meeting, or something totally uninteresting. She couldn't *wait* to get back to work. She'd liked Metroplex, from what she'd seen, and she liked Earth. She didn't seem to have any interest in promotions, what she was assigned was perfectly alright with her. Rodimus was also very glad in Nova's attitude and he suspected it had something to do with the dream she'd had.

One day, when there was a lull in their conversation, she told him about her dream, from everything she recalled of it. Rodimus's eyes had gone wide when she mentioned she "met" Blazer again, and even wider when she'd said the second robot looked just liked Rodimus.

'It couldn't be.' Rodimus thought silently. She couldn't have POSSIBLY been in the Matrix and then thrown out by Primus.' He kept these thoughts to himself however, not wishing to douse Nova's enthusiasm. He relayed the story to Optimus later that day, who nearly fell out of his chair when the story was finished. "No way." Optimus could only respond. "No WAY Primus would have pulled that cruel a trick on her."

"Prime, I have no reason to doubt her. I seriously doubt she made ANY of that up, especially since she came out of her unconcious state BABBLING half the story to me!"

Optimus shook his head. "Primus works in mysterious ways."

The week after Nova's discharge from the Infirmary, the battle for Rodimus's position and reputation, or the War of the Autobots, as it was dubbed by the citizens of Metroplex and Cybertron, came to a full crest. Magnus pushed harder and harder for a trial, and Optimus, weary of Magnus's daily battles with him over Rodimus' insubordination, agreed. Rodimus knew Optimus really didn't have much of choice, he only hoped this was going to be FAIR.

"Well, there he goes again." A femme murmured as she stood in front of a plate glass window, watching a shuttle leave Metroplex. She was standing with a bunch of friends, both male and female. Nova happened to be walking past to drop off some purchase orders to the accounting department for some supplies when she heard the femme's comment.

"Yeah, he's been going back and forth to Cybertron all week. Ultra Magnus must be hell-bent to get Rodimus into the brig."

Nova stopped dead in her tracks when she heard Rodimus' name. What was going on with Magnus and Rodimus? Why was Rodimus in trouble?

"Personally I think he didn't do anything wrong. So he likes to have a little fun, big deal. He can be serious when he wants to. Look at what he did for that femme later on. You can call it insubordination, but he saved her from death."

They were talking about *her*, Nova thought with a sudden panic. What had happened? What had Roddy done to get in to trouble over *her*? So worried was she that she re-traced her steps back to her office, forgetting about the purchase orders. She dumped them on her desk, and turned her attention to her console.

"Computer, call up recent files about Rodimus Prime, and recent insubordination, authorization code number one-four-three-seven-six."

"Confirmed." the computer said in it's flat monotone. "Found 16 files. 14 accessible."

"Bring up first four, please."

What Nova read over the next few hours were files upon files of Magnus's charges against Rodimus for his inexcusable behavior to the new members (apparently his original punishment just wasn't enough justice for Magnus!), his failure to retrieve a dying femme from her planet, and failure to notice the early warning signs of a suicide attempt.

The last charge angered her the most. She *hadn't* shown any warning signs because she hadn't known she was dying, the fool! Why had not even Rodimus told her this was going on? She was centrally important to this whole trial. His whole fate rested in her hands! She couldn't be angry at Rodimus though. He'd probably been trying to protect her so that she wouldn't be under constant scrutiny by the rumor mills, the press, and her co-workers.

She made a fist and closed her optics. It was time to pay back Rodimus for saving her life!

* * * *

With a little "persuasion" using the capabilities of a stun gun on the mech on duty in shuttlebay, Nova got the clearance she needed to use a space cruiser, a small lightweight ship with limited technology, to get to Cybertron. She'd written down where the trial was being held, and she set her course. She didn't have much time to lose as the day's proceedings would end within several mega-cycles. "At least Optimus put a limit to how much Magnus can rant every day." she said to herself with a grin.

She wasn't sure how she was going to tell Ultra Magnus to shove himself and all his accusations, but she wasn't going to do any less than that. Rodimus deserved her support now, and she wasn't going to back down at another chance to stand up to an Autobot superior. If she was doing it with all good intentions, then they could throw her out of the army and she wouldn't even blink.

She landed near the building where the case was proceeding, striding down the street with a look of determination on her face. The guards at the front doors received the same treatment she gave the mech back on Metroplex and dropped like stones. They'd be alright, Rodimus however...

She raced inside, carefully searching the large, mainly unoccupied rooms. By the time she reached the end of the big hall, she was beginning to wonder if Optimus Prime had let them out early today, or there was a recess. Just then she heard Ultra Magnus boom from the room across the hall, "So you admit you directly disobeyed an order I gave out?"

Scant seconds after Ultra Magnus asked the question, the doors of the trial room burst open hitting the back walls with a ear-splitting BANG! Everyone in the court room turned around to see Nova standing there in the middle of the doorway, arms crossed over her chest, looking mighty pissed.

"It's time you and I had a talk," Nova pointed to Ultra Magnus, "Father."

<-- Chapter 4 || Chapter 6 -->