A Lovely Anniversary

It has been a long time since we all have been together.

How has everyone been? Are you eating well? Getting enough rest?

Sometimes, we don't see how fast the time goes since we have last seen each other.

Some of you have grown older.

Some of us have changed in one way or another.

Then again, some of you have taken the next step towards your future.

I couldn't be more proud of all of your improvements. Your entering new phases of your life with open arms. Sure you may be afraid, but it only makes you stronger. No doubt doing amazing things whether they be big or small.

You are loved more than you know.

Will succeed in anything you try.

And do not worry if it feels like the world is going to end.

After all, diamonds are made through large amounts of pressure.

So, as you walk down your next path in life, remember this.

Be thankful for the life you have and the freedom that comes with it.

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Penelope looked over her speech with a smile before putting it up into a binder. Had it been that long since she was just a mother and wandering the house with a proud look on her face? How she missed the pitter patter of their little peds. The way every Friday night they would crowd into the living room to watch a movie. How each and every one of them had their own perks.

She walked into the kitchen late in the middle of the night. Sitting at the table, she lit a candle as the winds howled outside. Penny adjusted her robes as she listened to the creaking of the floorboards and shingles. Like clockwork she began to make a small midnight snack that consisted of warm milk and graham crackers. A light chuckle exited her mouth as she munched on the sweet treat. How many nights has she spent with Soundwave and his little buddies doing bills and fixing up appliances?

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"Sweetie, you don't have to stay up with me and do all this. Why not go to bed and help me in the morning?"

Something always broke when you house was full of robotic children. Just this morning Megatron managed to damage the waffle iron in a fit of rage. While he did apologize for smashing it into the wall, it just meant a lot of unhappy campers glaring at him on the way to school. So, despite all the graded work she had to do, Penny woke up in the middle of the night to fix the appliance. One would think all her children would be asleep at this hour, but Soundwave almost always manages to make her heart jump whenever he appeared out of nowhere. At least he had his little friends that he and those others in the robotic club made and operated.

"Hey Granny!" One of them, Frenzy she believed, piped up. "We chose to stay and help you out. We can recharge all day tomorrow, but we all want delicious waffles in the morning!"

"No way do we want to eat pancakes. They suck!" Rumble, his twin, also spoke. "And only Auntie makes that fancy toast the best."

Penny just shook her head as she petted Ravage, who had claimed her lap. Soundwave's little ones insisted upon calling her granny whenever they felt the need to. Not that she minded. She handed Soundwave a wrench as he adjusted the new waffle iron he made out of the parts of the old one. Laserbeak snuggled on her head as he pecked her head to demand pats. The other one, Ratbat, currently was by Soundwave helping him repair the device.

"Then let me make us a midnight snack." Penny placed Ravage on the chair beside her, making him growl. "It will only be a minute, you stubborn cat. Anyone for hot chocolate and graham crackers?"

"That would be...adequate." Soundwave said, screen showing a happy face.

"And make it quick! Put peanut butter on mine!" Ratbat demanded.

All she did was roll her eyes as she began to make a little snack for them all.

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Penny went out into the foyer, lacking backpacks, mud, and other matter of toys. Once the bots left her home, she went around and cleaned to whole house. Certain places, such as the guest room where her children slept, were left untouched in a way that made it seem that they were still there. She took a look at the living room, where the former All-Spark laid on the top shelf for them to not mess with. A smile went on her lips as she recalled the times where her whole family would have fun in this room.

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"Okay, for the next movie, I'm going to recommend a classic!"

Penny, Gal, and Meg all laughed as their mother held up a multitude of movies and promptly plopped them on the table. This startled Predaking, who blew fire directly into the fireplace. Wheeljack laughed at this, getting hit on the helm by Gal. The rest looked at the movie selection with weirded faces.

"Friday the 13th? The Blair Witch Project? Misery?" Bumblebee ran off a couple of titles.

"Nightmare on Elm Street? The Ring? Pan's Labyrinth? " Starscream made a face.

"Is this some sort of documentary?" Shockwave asked, holding up the movie "Alien".

Meg held her giggles as her trio held onto her. "Leave it to mom to bring just horror movies. Are we trying to frighten the children?"

"Let them watch the ones that they can watch. I don't want Wheeljack to be firing shots at the window again. If he does, Magnus can tie him down." Gal said, taking another cookie from the tray.

"We can handle this stuff. After all, if those big kids can watch this, we can too!" Megatron egged on. "Bring it on grandma!"

The older woman merely gave him a smirk. "Okay. Then let's watch something nice and easy." She pulled out a DVD. "The next feature will be The Shinning."

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Tears began to fall as she gazed out at the front lawn and porch. The mud puddles that once used to taint the front had now been covered with flowers and bushes. The sprinklers were on as they were going through a severe drought. Her former babysitter who lived next door was off visiting schools with her folks. She oftentimes wondered if Izzy missed them as much as she did. The kids had grown close with her and she told her that those little bots that lived in her house hand gone silent once the All-Spark vanished. That hurt her the most. She never was the same after that, much less perky and more focused.

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"Izzy, what a pleasant surprise. Are you okay?"

It had been weeks since the bots had left her home and it was already looking empty in her home. A deep heaviness weighed on her heart as she opened the door to see her neighbor. After the fight against Unicron and his minions, Izzy looked as if she lost a part of herself with the faraway look in her eyes and pale face. Her pink hair was not in its usual pigtail style, going down her back in a stringy fashion. Her cute outfits were replaced with sweats and slides with the warm apple scent lingering on her body. Not a single lollipop stick was out her mouth.

"I'm not okay." She wiped her eyes as she sniffled. "Are we just not...going to talk about them?"

There was silence between the two as Penny gave her a surprised look. She gestured for her to come inside before closing the door quickly behind her. Without any warning, the two embraced each other and just cried. Cried for the loss of the kids. Cried for the loss of their innocence. Cried because no matter what happened next is that nothing will ever be the same ever again.

"I miss them too. I know that I didn't birth them, but they were the closest thing I had to a family. They brought my sisters back, my mother, and made so many lives change due to them just being alive. I...just hope wherever they are that they are okay." Penny hugged Izzy tightly as they sat on the ground in the living room. "No matter what happens you always have me next door. Anything, anytime, I will be here for you."

"I'm thinking of moving to finish up school and college in another town." Izzy revealed, shocking Penny as she stared at her. "This place just has too many memories and I would rather start anew and figure things out. I don't want anything else to resurface and cause any other stress."

"Oh...I understand sweetie. Do what you need to do in order to help yourself." Another hug was given, more tender than the last time. "Meg is going to miss you when she comes home."

"She's all the way in Italy now, touring the local bakeries for new desserts to refine and things to drink. I highly doubt she'll ever have time for me again. Thanks for the comfort Ms. Drake, I needed the closure."

Penny opened the door again, allowing Izzy to walk out. She gave her a wave goodbye, smiling gently as she waved back. The coldness of the air that night blew out in puffs as she walked back next door. It would be the last time she saw that girl for a long time.

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Penny laid down in her cozy bed, looking up at the small glowing stars on the ceiling that the kids had placed up there when they slept in her room. The speech she had written left on the nightstand along with a glass of water as she snuggled in deeper into the covers. She had no more tears left to cry for the kids, but her heart still ached for them.

On the pillow beside her was the last picture they all took as a family. Her in the middle, her kids surrounding her body. Meg on the side with her four and Gal on the other with her two. Predaking rested on Regina's head as she hugged her from behind. Izzy had Knockout in her lap as several of her BotBots tugged on her coat. That day was a week after all the craziness had gone down and they had a barbecue to relax. She and her sisters had so many questions regarding Cybertron, the kids, and everything that went down. That night they held sparklers, ate a cake that Meg made, and sat in the yard with some beers. It was the last time they were all together without all the world trying to bring them back down to the ground.

Her hand reached up to the necklace around her neck. A single glowing piece of the relic that had brought her those kids glowed every so often. It reminded her of how she held that power for a brief moment, when she used the gift that Primus granted her. The blue hair, the energy boost, the way she saved her kids. What she would've given to see those kids again...

"I just...need to move on with my life." Penny shook her head as she clenched her hair. "At least for their sakes. What kind of mother would I be if I just wanted to see them one last time? I have this stupid piece of rock and for what? Just for it to glow and nothing else. Gosh..."

She hugged her pillow and closed her eyes tightly. I almost wish I could've gone with them.

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Hello everybody.

It has been so long since you've seen another one of these, huh? A small chapter to kind of show you what happened a little while after the end of the book here. I plan to update the continuation when I can finally get a read on what I want to do with it. There was many stories that were never told as they never fit in the main continuity. I could release them, but maybe some things are left to the drawing board.

Thank you for everyone who has read this story, left a comment, made fan art, and even got inspired to write their own stories. I hope everyone has a great day.