June pointed to the screen below her, she and Ratchet were teaching each other the different medical procedures needed for tending to either Autobots or humans. After the recent events regarding Raph, both felt the compelling need to learn about the other.

Optimus smiled slightly at the two, they had been going on for hours, it warmed his spark to see Ratchet voluntarily engaging with the humans. He turned back to the screen before him, scanning the immediate area for any energon, their levels were starting to once again hit a low. He frowned as the screen reported nothing, he wouldn't show his concern, no need for the others to be stressed out, they were all stressed out enough.

The base was suddenly alive with the echoes of the children's voices,

"Ugh I hate Monday!"

Miko slammed Bulkheads door shut as she climbed out,

"Whoa easy!"

Bulkhead quipped, as the door slam echoed through the base.

"You ok Miko?"

Miko didn't respond she just sulked up the stairs and turned on the TV, both Jack and Raf staying behind, they leaned on the stairs bottom railings.

"She got in trouble at school today, though that shouldn't be a surprise."

Bulkhead looked to his young partner, Miko had a look of totally disgust all over her face. One Bulkhead had seen before when he told her she couldn't come with him on missions with him.

"What happened?"

Jack sighed as he responded,

"We had a report to write last week, a science report on photosynthesis, well the teacher gave us two weeks to write it. Miko never wrote it. So now she has to write not only the report on photosynthesis but on the history and life of Isaac Newton."

Bulkhead nodded, he had no idea what or who an Isaac Newton was.

"Who's Isaac Newton?"

BumbleBee chirped, Raph smiled,

"The guy who discovered the laws of motion and gravity, really smart guy."

Arcee crossed her arms,

"Doesn't sound too hard. Gravity is gravity."

Jack chuckled,

"Except when you have to write a 12-page paper on it, front and back of the paper too."

Optimus was listening to the whole ordeal, he tilted his head to look at Miko, the young teen had her feet propped up, slumped down on the sofa. She look miserable. Ratchet and June had also over heard the whole thing, June sat next to Miko.

"You know Miko if you want to do something with your life you need to get good grades. Good grades will get you into secondary school, like a college or tech school."

June twisted her face frustrated with no response from Miko,

"What is it that you want to be when you grow up?"

Miko shrugged,

"Don't know, never really thought about it."

June looked over the railing motioning with her eyes for Jack and Raph to come up. Both boys sighed heavily as they walked up the stairs to assist with Miko.

"Raph what are your plans?"

Raph adjusted his glasses,

"Government, plan on getting into the governments computer security sector, you know keeping foreign nations from stealing data and such."

June nodded,

"Very well thought out, and Jack?"

Jack crossed his arms,

"Honestly mom, been thinking about the military for a few years, then coming out and going to be a doctor or something, either way if I do the military first, they will pay for my schooling."

June smiled,

"See Jack and Raph both have some sort of an idea of what they want out of life, surely you must too?"

Miko stood up abruptly,

"What if I don't want anything out of life, what if I just want to be a…a…a"

she looked quickly around the room,

"Video gamer for the rest of my life!"

She ran down the stairs making a beeline for the back of the silo. June threw up her hands,

"You see Jack this is why I thank God he gave me a boy; girls are so much harder to deal with."

Arcee crossed her arms,

"Hey."

She quipped. Optimus eyed the teen as she frantically ran for the back,

"Ill go talk to her."

Bulkhead lumbered after her,

"Miko, we are just trying to help."

He called after her. Ratchet rolled his eyes,

"Are all human girls of that age group like that?"

June chuckled,

"Teen girls tend to be more…emotional then anything."

Ratchet shook his head and huffed.

…..

Bulkhead leaned down,

"Miko."

He spoke gently, Miko had her face buried into her lap,

"Go away Bulk, I just need some time alone.

" Bulkhead went to protest but felt a hand land on his shoulder, looking behind him, he saw SilverStorm,

"Let me"

She mouthed. Bulkhead stepped aside. SilverStorm placed a hand gently around the crying girl.

"You know Miko when I was in school back on Cybertron I was a bit like you."

Miko looked up wiping the tears off her face,

"Really how?"

SilverStorm smiled,

"Oh, I never did my homework, arrived late to class, skipped class, you know stuff like that you see Optimus or as he was known back then Orion was a lot like Jack, studious and concentrated. He always got good grades; might even say he was a bit of a teachers pet."

Miko giggled,

"Optimus a teacher's pet? Never would have guessed."

SilverStorm noticed the tension beginning to release in Miko's shoulders,

"One time we had been given this assignment, history assignment."

Miko made a gross face,

"I hate history."

SilverStorm laughed,

"So, did I, I remember I had to write a 4-page document on the thirteen original primes and what they did for Cybertron. Well me in all my wisdom found it a better use of my time to go off with my friend, well sneak off with my friends to this planet call Velocitron, the speed planet. No speed limits, no rules just race."

Miko's eyes lit up,

"I would love that planet."

Bulkhead smirked as he sat next to them,

"Well? Did Optimus find out?"

SilverStorm looked over at him,

"Of course, he did, I made him swear to not tell anyone. Well when homework day came, I had nothing to hand in so."

She paused with a smiled,

"I had to sort datapad after datapad of data, they were full of history and can you guess where?"

Miko twisted her face,

"Mmm, Iacon?"

SilverStorm nodded,

"Right in the center location of all the information on Cybertron. Optimus had just started working there, that's where I met Alpha Trion. After my punishment was over, he offered me a job and well Ratchet told you the rest."

Miko looked down at her feet,

"So I guess what you are trying to tell me is that mistakes can't be taken back but hard work to fix them can lead to something greater?"

SilverStorm rose to a standing position,

"You are a smart one Miko, you will do something great one day."

SilverStorm made her way back to the main room, Optimus was leaning up against the wall,

"You did not mention how our parents reacted to your…trip."

He spoke with a smirk plastered on his face. SilverStorm playfully pushed him, nearly knocking him off balance,

"No need to release that information."

She rubbed behind her,

"It still stings when I tell that story."

She murmured to herself.

…

Miko bounced up the stairs to the school, walking into her classroom a little earlier than normal,

"Mr. Kitcher?"

Mr. Kitcher turned to see her,

"Well Ms. Nakidi, not accustom to seeing you early."

Miko sighed,

"I wanted to apologies for not writing my assignment when I was supposed to, and I promise I will do my best on these papers."

Mr. Kitcher looked shocked,

"Well thank you Miko, I would certainly appreciate that."

Miko took her seat, pulling out her notepad and pencil, sighing she began to write,

"gonna be a long day."

She murmured.

…

After school the three made their way outside to wait for their rides,

"So Miko, Mr. Kitcher seemed oddly happy with you today?"

Miko smiled,

"Wrote 3 of my 12 pages before class even started."

Jack looked shocked,

"Wow whatever Stormy said to you must have worked."

Miko shrugged,

"She said she was a lot like me and look at her now."

Jack leaned against the railing as his phone rang,

"Hello? Oh ok…. yeah no problem…I'm sure they won't mind…Mom you know I can take care of…yes mom…love you too…bye."

Jack hung up the phone,

"Seems the hospital sent my mom out for training this morning and its getting extended for another day, she's in Las Vegas and won't be back till late tomorrow night."

Raph nodded,

"You gonna stay with the bots?"

Jack shrugged,

"My mom doesn't want me home alone, since the incidents with MECH she's all freaked out about me being by myself."

Jack patted his pockets,

"Oh, scrap I must have left my wallet in my locker, if Arcee comes tell her I'll be right out."

Jack ran back into the school building, opening his locker he looked around, panic started to rise.

"Oh, nowhere is it!"

"Looking for this?"

a familiar voice sounded behind him. Jack slowly turned to see Vince and his lackies, Vince held up his wallet, Jack slammed his locker shut.

"Give it back Vince."

Vince laughed,

"You know your lock code was so easy to open, you should really think about getting it changed."

Jack snarled,

"Vince, Give. It. Back."

He spoke slowly. Vince laughed again,

"I don't think so, you see before you came along, I had it good with Sierra, no competition. Now here you are trying to steal her from me."

Jack smirked,

"If she was really yours Vince, I wouldn't be able to steal her."

Vince threw the wallet at Jack catching him off guard as two of his three lackies grabbed his arms holding him in place, Vince walked up to him punching his hand,

"Looks like you need a lesson in respect."

Jacks heart raced as the first blow hit him knocking the wind out of him. Choking Jack didn't have time to brace for the second and third punches. Vince laughed as him and his buddies pounded on Jack, Jack yelped as a crack rang out. Vince didn't stop, he kept going until Jack couldn't barely breathe. Nodding to his lackies they dropped their hold on him, Jack fell to the floor panting as blood dripped from his head and mouth. Vince stepped over him, kicking him in the side as he went.

"Maybe that will teach you!"

Jack could barely breathe, his side stung like someone had shoved a knife in him. His head pounded, and his vision was blurry. He tried to stand up but fell back to the ground. He managed to crawl his way to men's room, pulling himself painfully up on the sink he gently washed his face, a few cuts marked his head and his eye had already swollen shut. His side burned where the crack had come from and if he had to guess it was broken. Jack wrapped his hand around his waist,

"I'll be fine."

He whispered to himself,

"Can't worry mom, she needs this training."

He slowly pushed himself to a full stand,

"The Autobots can't see me like this."

Jack slowly walked back to his locker, grabbing a pair of darkened sunglasses out and placing them over his eyes. He moaned with each stride pain shot through him, his stomach ached from all the blows it took. He peered outside the door spotting Arcee waiting for him. He breathed as deeply as the pain would allow,

"He...Hello Arcee."

He slowly climbed on the bike, quickly placing the helmet on his head. Arcee noticed his voice seemed off,

"You ok Jack?"

Jack nodded,

"Just had a run in with Vince no big deal."

Arcee revved her engine as the two headed for the back alley where a ground bridge was waiting.

…

Once they were inside the base Jack slowly climbed off Arcee leaving his helmet on he climbed the stairs, he knew it was too obvious but wanted to prolong the questioning about his face as long as possible. Each step shook his body making the pain more intense. Jack finally reached the top, breathing in, he felt his temperature rising as he began to sweat. Optimus was the second to Arcee to notice Jacks odd behavior,

"Jackson are you well?"

Jack froze,

"I'm fine Optimus why?"

Optimus cocked his head as Bulkhead pointed out the obvious,

"You still have your helmet on."

Jack bit his already injured lip as he took off the helmet, the room gasped.

"Jack what happened!"

Miko blurted out. Jack painfully shook his head,

"It's nothing, just a little scrap with Vince I'm fine really."

Raph pointed,

"If you are fine why are you wearing sunglasses under your helmet?"

Jack slowly removed his sunglasses, Arcee leaned in.

"Vince did this?"

Jack nodded,

"It was a misunderstanding nothing more besides I'm fine."

Ratchet moved in closer, unaware of the other injuries Jack had sustained he used his finger to gently tilt Jack head toward him.

"You took a pretty nasty beating, you sure you are ok? Injuries to the head can be…"

Jack pushed his finger away,

"I'm fine."

Ratchet kept his eye on him as if studying him, Jack felt uneasy.

"Something wrong Ratchet?"

Ratchet narrowed his eyes,

"What aren't you telling me?"

Jack acted startled,

"What do you mean."

Ratchet sighed, quickly lifting a scanner before Jack could protest.

"Your core temperature is higher then what an average human is supposed to be."

Optimus made his way to stand behind Ratchet,

"Jackson, are you certain you are alright?"

Jack felt bad for lying to the Prime, but they had more pressing concerns then his physical state,

"Really I'm fine, he just knocked the wind out of me."

Ratchet remained unconvinced and just huffed and walked away.

Optimus felt something was still off about Jack, he seemed to be favoring his body, not moving much and though he tried to cover it Optimus caught him wincing with every moment. SilverStorms voice startled him,

"Jack seems off."

Optimus nodded,

"I was thinking the same."

SilverStorm looked over at Jack,

"Could just be the ordeal, I mean his face looks like it's pretty painful."

Optimus turned to her,

"You have caught him wincing as well."

SilverStorm nodded. The two continued their chat as the others went about their business. Ratchet looking up every so often whispering about how stubborn the humans where. Jack felt his head starting to swim, he felt sick to his stomach as the pain began to intensify. He stood up slowly, planning on going to the restroom. He made it a few steps before the room started to spin. Jack fell to the floor placing his hand down in front of him,

"Ouch."

He whispered. Ratchet had already rushed to his aid,

"Jack!" Jack looked up,

"Ratchet…" his eyes were blinking slowly as he whispered before falling to the floor passing out cold.

Ratchet gasped,

"Optimus!"

Optimus quickly came over, Jack laid on the floor blood dripping from his mouth. Ratchet gently lifted the young teen,

"Call June.

" He hollered quickly transforming into an ambulance and speeding out of the base.

…..

Ratchet approached the hospital sirens blaring, not sure how he would explain how the ambulance was driving itself. Ratchet pulled into the ER entrance as June came running out much to his relief,

"Quickly!"

June hollered orders to the medial staff as they transported Jack inside. Junes face showed with fear but with duty as well. Ratchet switched off his siren taking his place alongside other ambulances waiting for news.

…..

Back at the base everyone was still trying to come to terms with what just happened, Optimus laid a hand on Arcee's shoulder,

"You should go, we will contact you if you are needed."

Arcee quickly transformed speeding out of the base. SilverStorm and Bumblebee were helping the children clean up the blood stains. Miko and Raph both shook a little,

"What happened to him?"

Optimus wished he knew,

"I do not know."

…..

Arcee arrived at the hospital spotting Ratchet amongst the emergency vehicles.

"ratchet"

she commed, Ratchets form moved slightly,

"Arcee, I am glad you are here."

Arcee sighed,

"Anything?"

Ratchet would have shaken his head,

"No, they rushed Jack inside and I have heard nothing, June was here."

Arcee sounded confused,

"She was supposed to be in Las Vegas, Jack said she had training there."

Ratchet huffed,

"Well in any case I'm just glad she was here."

A few more hours passed as the tension grew, Arcee groaned,

"I can't just wait here."

June suddenly appeared from the hospital, her normally neatly place hair was in a mess, blood splattered her uniform. She motioned for Arcee to join her and Ratchet,

"Jack is stable for the moment, whoever did this to him really hurt him. A few broken ribs, some of which slightly penetrated his lung. His stomach and internal muscle have been bruised as well."

June placed her face in her hands, sobbing,

"They said he was lucky; it could have killed him."

June wrapped her arms around her waist in a protective manner,

"Who did this to him?"

she sobbed, Arcee sighed

"Vince, a bully at the school."

Junes face fell further,

"I know of him; Jack has mentioned him before."

Ratchet moved forward slightly, his bumper nudged Junes leg,

"You need rest June, go home. I will remain here."

June shook her head,

"No, I can't leave my son. But thank you."

June patted the Ambulances hood as she walked wearily back inside.

….

Ratchet convinced Arcee to head back to the base while he remained at the hospital, Arcee informed everyone of Jacks condition. No one slept well that night worrying about Jack. Ratchet was dozing in and out and a shadow appeared above him, landing next to him and transforming into a Suburban.

"I couldn't sleep, figured I would join you here."

SilverStorm parked herself across from Ratchet, Ratchet shook himself awake,

"June comes out periodically, so far no change,"

just as he spoke June came out.

"Jacks vitals are finally going up; he's going to be ok. He's got some recovery ahead of him, but he will be ok."

Junes eyes spilled over with tears of joy.

…

A few weeks later June helped Jack climb the stairs, gently helping him ease into the couch,

"There we go."

Jack smiled as the team surrounded him concerned for his wellbeing. Jack waved his hand,

"Guys, I know I said it before, but I am fine, with you all staring at me it makes me feel like I am going to exploded or something."

No one budge as Jack rolled his eyes and turned on the TV, Vince and his lackies had been caught on camera and were sentenced to community service. Jack winced slightly; he was sure another beating was headed his way. After a while the troops dispersed allowing Jack to finally relax. Optimus however remained close by; a thing Jack was comforted by. Something about having the big rig near made him feel safe. Slowly sleep over took him as his head dropped, he could relax in the safety of knowing his family always had is back.

June smiled as Jack drifted off to sleep,

"It's a good thing my training was cut short and we made it back."

She smiled sadly, Optimus nodded,

"indeed, though I am puzzled as to why Jackson would hide such an injury."

June looked to make sure Jack was asleep,

"He didn't want to burden you."

Optimus looked startled,

"I'm sorry?"

June sighed,

"he told me that he didn't want to add more stress onto you guys, he felt that you all had enough stress to deal with."

Optimus smiled,

"When it comes to our human friends their wellness and safety take priority over anything else."

June nodded gently rubbing Jacks head,

"That's what I told him."

Optimus smiled down at the sleeping boy, he reminded Optimus so much of himself before the war. Ratchet tapped June on the shoulder,

"I have something to show you."

June and Ratchet went back to conversing over medical things while Optimus returned back to his quarters, SilverStorm was resting from her patrol that morning. He smiled as he watched her shoulder move up and down as she slept. He laid back, thankful that all of his family was safe and sound.