Hahaha, I bet everyone believed I'd forgotten about this little story? No, not forgotten, though I do apologize for the ridiculously long wait. As you have probably discovered, my other muses have completely taken over my writing time. That, and this one is rather difficult to write, simply because the tone and the style is so different than my typical writing.

So, guess what? This chapter is blend between the way I have written the earlier portions of First Arrival and my more usual style. I tried, I really tried to make it the same but… The first portions of this story were written before I even knew FanFic existed so I had absolutely no influencse save for my own imagining, the movie's novel and the movie itself. I knew nothing of the characters or Cybertronian society other than what the movie showed… meaning nothing! As I have learned more, my understanding is better and, fortunately or unfortunately, that bleeds over into my writing. I just cannot write as if I were still ignorant of, say Bumblebee's status as the youngest Autobot… Heck, I didn't even know what a vorn or joor or a decavorn were. Nor did I know that that 'spark in my chest' that Optimus referred to in the movie was called, well… a spark.

That said, I hope you will enjoy this latest installment and rest in the knowledge that, even if it takes a long time, the next one will follow at some point.

My thanks to everyone who has faithfully stuck with this story, I sincerely hope it does not disappoint.

Optimus made his way through the city, cringing as his pede-falls damaged the surprisingly fragile surface of the human roadways. Bearing that in mind, he was careful not to accidently brush buildings, horrified at the potential harm that could cause.

Silently he berated himself. He should have transformed with the rest of his mechs, then he could have traversed this alien landscape with more ease while causing less damage to the local infrastructure.

That was his answer, he had to get away from human population. Downloaded maps of the area showed a more industrial zone, with few humans populating it. The area also had a large bridge that might provide cover from the rotary aircraft that was having no trouble following him.

Determinably, Optimus headed for the nearest overpass that he calculated would serve his purposes. He sent a communications ping to the four other Autobots giving them the coordinates so that they could rendezvous there.

Belatedly, Optimus realized that if the bridge was tall enough to allow him to stand under it in mech form, it was also tall enough to allow the helicopter to pass under it as well. He silently bemoaned the fact he was not used to dealing with such tiny creatures and quickly set a part of his processors onto the problem.

In his hand, Sam and Mikaela looked frightened, but neither seemed inclined to risk jumping from this height. It indicated they were not suicidal and were able to judge the dangers of such things. That was a good sign.

Making another decision, Optimus held his hand up to grant them easy access to his shoulder plating. Taking the hint, they crawled onto the heavy armor pieces as Optimus now used his freed hand to lever himself up into the steel and concrete undergirding of the bridge. Bracing his hands and his feet against the alien construction, Optimus trusted his initial scans of the pursuing aircraft were accurate and that they would have no ability to detect him if he was above its flight path. He only hoped the native metal that surrounded him would hide him from whatever, doubtlessly primitive, sensors they had.

Unfortunately, he had also made yet another miscalculation in regards to humans: their ability to hold securely to slippery metal surfaces against the pull of gravity.

His borderline panicked "Hold on…" could do nothing against the inevitable.

… … …

Bumblebee gunned his engines hard as he saw Mikaela dangle from Sam's grip, her lightweight body unable to combat the downdraft created by the helicopter's rotating blades. But even a base-model salvage drone could calculate that he would not make it in time.

Disdaining the need to maintain his disguise, Bumblebee cut in his own propulsion system.

Then he saw both humans fall. He pushed himself even faster. Optimus attempted to extend his lower leg, for them to grasp, but human flesh was ill-equipped to take advantage of the attempt and they continued falling.

Bumblebee transformed at the last possible second, his thick chassis armor striking sparks off the pavement, but he caught both humans before they could hit the ground. His momentum carried them just over a hundred meters before they stopped and Bumblebee's systems did an automatic check that revealed no structural or internal damage.

With extreme care, Bumblebee set the two humans on the ground, supporting each with a gentle metal digit until their own legs could support them.

Sam gazed up at him, looking dazed. "You… you saved us." Sam's eyes traveled over Bumblebee's body, where the high-speed impact had scraped and dented non critical epidermal surfaces. Already his regenerative systems were starting to repair the damage, but Sam could not know that.

His eyes widened. "Oh no, Bumblebee, are you okay?"

Bumblebee nodded, pleased that Sam cared. Then he heard the throbbing sound of approaching helicopters… several of them. He started scanning the area. He found all three of them quickly. They were close enough for the humans on board to have already seen him in his primary form, so transforming back into his guise was out of the question. He straightened, placing himself between the approaching aircraft and his two teenage human friends. Could he call them friends? He hoped so.

/Bumblebee, even for Sam's sake, we must not harm the humans./ Optimus warned him as he dropped into a fighting stance.

But Bumblebee knew that and had no intention of harming any of them, only of shielding Sam and Mikaela until the others could arrive and talk sense into these humans.

One of the helicopters fired some kind of projectile. Bumblebee moved to block it and it was not until it separated into several pieces to wrap around his wrist that he realized he had miscalculated.

They did not want Sam and Mikaela. They wanted him.

The helicopter continued to fly by. It would have been next to nothing for Bumblebee to hold fast, but doing so would pull the craft from the sky and he counted six humans on each helicopter. So he allowed the human's to jerk him around. Beneath him, Sam was yelling as loud as he could, "No, no, no. Stop, you can't do that. No!"

Another grapple grabbed Bumblebee's other wrist and yanked, again he allowed it to go unchallenged. He managed to keep one leg under him and to stay semi upright, without felling either craft.

Bumblebee looked down at Sam and could clearly read the horror there. Where once that look had been directed at Bumblebee, now it was on his behalf. Even as other humans came and forced him to the ground as well, Sam's eyes remained focused on Bumblebee.

"Bumblebee!" He yelled.

Bumblebee wanted to explain why he was allowing this to happen, why he could not protect Sam from them, but he could not. He wandered if the boy could understand the larger issues, the larger principles at stake.

Another grapple caught the leg that was supporting Bumblebee and he was yanked down to the ground with a loud metallic crash.

He was not truly damaged, little a human could do to him could truly hurt him. But nor could he free himself without harming them. He would wait. As an Autobot, he knew about time. He could out wait these fleshlings. His real enemies were elsewhere.

/Bumblebee, there is no way we can rescue you without harming the humans./ Optimus' transmission was filled with regret.

/I know./ Bumblebee acknowledged somberly. Optimus would blame himself, he always did when one of his soldiers fell in battle. Bumblebee did not want that. /There is nothing you could have done, sir. I understand./

Chances were, if Megatron was the only other robotic life-form they had encountered, the human leaders might consider all of them to be an equal threat.

It was a realization he shared with Optimus and the others, just before shutting down his transmission frequencies. Clearly the humans had ways of tracking their movements. He did not want to take the chance they could detect their transmissions and so find his friends.

He looked back at Sam, willing him to understand.

"Look, he's not fighting back." Sam cried out when his eyes met Bumblebee's optics.

With that exclamation, Bumblebee felt relieved, though still guilty for not being able to protect his charge. But at least Sam not only understood, he was trying to make the others understand as well. He just did not know if the boy would be able to do so.

Then Bumblebee became aware of a strange creeping cold sensation on his armor and focused his attention back on the humans around him. They were firing some sort of cold substance at him. Quick chemical analysis indicated it was liquid nitrogen. As it seeped through his outer plating, his internal lubricants began to become more viscous and the servos in his various joints began to grow sluggish. He could move, but it was labored and slow.

"No! Stop! You can't do this!" Sam's frantic yell snapped Bumblebee's attention back to him. He had somehow escaped his captors and was running toward Bumblebee.

Bumblebee tried to warn the youth off, but it came out in a garbled mess that sounded to human ears like a moan. It only made Sam work harder. So Bumblebee watched helplessly as the young human who had backed down from a somewhat larger fellow adolescent tackled a fully-grown and armed adult.

Caught off guard by the assault, the agent sprawled forward. Sam grabbed his strange weapon and aimed it at him.

Bumblebee tried to warn him, but Sam was then tackled by five other agents. The youth had no hope of warding them off and was apprehended once again.

"I want him frozen and ready for transport, pronto."

Bumblebee heard the now infamous Agent Simmons yell at the other humans, still wearing his undershirt and colorful boxers, though his weapon's holsters had also been donned. As he stepped closer to Bumblebee he lowered his voice. "Who's pissing on who now, big guy?"

Bumblebee did not reply, he could not, regardless.

He could feel that crawling cold seep deeper into his circuitry and he realized – to his horror – that he was truly immobilized now. Motor commands could no longer reach appropriate relays let alone his servos. For the first time since Megatron had penned him against the ground so many vorns ago, Bumblebee found himself truly helpless. It was terrifying

And he knew this time help was not coming.

His systems sent out an automated distress call once that realization reached his primary cognitive matrix, despite his desire to protect the others.

As the cold crept deeper, Bumblebee did the only thing he could think of. He dove into stasis, shutting out the outside world into a comfortable blackness.

… … …

Optimus jerked when Bumblebee's distress signal abruptly cut off. Was he gone then? Had the humans managed to extinguish his spark, as unlikely as that seemed?

Optimus scanned the scene below him and heaved air through his vents. Bumblebee was not dead, merely in stasis.

"Optimus…" Jazz dropped down to where Optimus still hung from the bridge overhang. "We have ta do somethin'."

Optimus looked down, not answering immediately, and saw something he did not expect. The glasses must have fallen out of Sam's pocket when he fell. Cautiously, he started to let himself down.

He did not like what he had to say, but that did not change the facts. "There is no way to rescue Bumblebee without harming the humans."

It was the same thing he had told Bumblebee. That did not make it an easier burden to bear.

"But, it's not right…"

"Let them leave." Optimus dropped to the ground and then bent down and retrieved the glasses, delicate wire frame gripped with infinite gentleness between his fingers. Bumblebee's sacrifice would only prove useful if they found the AllSpark because of it.

But Optimus had also seen something else in the smaller Autobot during his struggle with the humans. Bumblebee had risked himself for Sam and Mikaela. It had been clear that thoughts of the AllSpark had not been forefront in his reasoning algorithms at the time.

While it was Autobot nature to defend and protect those weaker than themselves, it was foolish to think organics would understand or appreciate such sacrifice. At least that usually was the case.

Bumblebee's last transmission before the distress call had been insightful beyond the younger Autobot's few millennia. Perhaps he was right. Perhaps a way could be found to work with these humans.

Sam's actions had bespoken of bravery in its own right. His attack on the agent firing at Bumblebee had been akin to, say, Bumblebee taking on Megatron alone. Brave but foolish, in that there was no chance of victory. But also an act of desperation without thought of himself – a selflessness that, as impotent as the action had ended up being, actually inspired Optimus.

It did indicate that at least some humans and Autobots might be able to coexist well. There were many, many humans on this planet, and the simple statistical implications were that a significant number of them would not be able to deal with either himself or the other Autobots on an intelligent basis. It was still possible however - as proven by the boy - but his logic algorithms did not like to depend on possibilities when he planned for the future.

And Optimus doubted any of his kind could confront any of the senior human authorities in an effort to break that mistrust without ending up like Bumblebee… or ending up with significant human blood on their hands. Neither of which was a viable option.

No, a human would have to bridge that gap in interspecies relations.

And right now, Samuel Witwicky was the only one who was in a position to do so.

Optimus only wondered if the young human would be given the chance, assuming he was even of a mind to do so in the first place. Given his physical attempt to help Bumblebee, he appeared to be. But organics tended to be fickle creatures at best. He could not plan on such support, could not proceed on the assumption he could depend on any human assistance.

The above deliberation took only the span of several seconds. Optimus looked up at where his friends were waiting for him to make a decision. None were happy with letting Bumblebee be taken, but for the moment at least, they were willing to continue following him.

"This location is not safe, they might return." Optimus stated. "We must find a more secluded location to decide our next move." No one objected. "Lets go."

… … …

It was an uneasy silence that claimed the team of Autobots as they headed out of the city and into more sparsely populated regions of the continent. Each mech kept their thoughts to themselves, though there was no doubt they primarily revolved around Bumblebee. Jazz's coolents continued to boil, knowing that he had allowed the younger mech to come to harm and had to resist the urge to let Optimus know, in no uncertain terms, exactly what he felt about it. Ironhide likewise let his processors stew over the irritation that, in not being willing to harm some arrogant and useless organics, the Prime had let the little scout be taken. Ratchet, on the other hand was doing his best to fight off a stab of uncharacteristic despair at knowing the real likelihood that one of the last younglings to be born before the AllSpark had been ejected was now lost to them.

Optimus, for his part, briefly allowed his processors to alternate between anger at the situation, irritation with himself for letting it get to that point and a solid dose of severe self-reproach.

As he had had to do with unfortunate frequency since the war had started, Optimus sought to find peace with himself so that he could focus on the situation and on making the next decision. As always, he managed to do so by promising himself that he would, as soon as it was safe, deal with his own pain and anger. Until then, he was still Prime and he had a duty.

And now, unfortunately, that duty extended beyond just that he owed to his own Autobots, but the innocent organics he had unintentionally involved in a conflict that was not theirs.

In this situation, with Bumblebee rendered off-line and possibly even extinguished at the humans' hands it would be easy to just allow his mechs to forget the standards they had sworn to uphold. But he also knew, that if that were to happen, then once the initial grief and shock wore off, even Ironhide would never forgive himself if they did not seek to safeguard the humans. It would be even worse if they were the direct cause that humans were harmed.

Thus, Optimus knew that it was his responsibility to remind his Autobots what they stood for, the principles they all held at spark. That task would play as important a role at their next stop as deciding what their next course of action would be.

At least he had the glasses Bumblebee had risked his spark to find. It was precious little, but in the end, it might have been a sacrifice that made it possible to return life to Cybertron.

The location the four Autobots eventually found themselves at, while probably a human habitation was currently unoccupied by the dominant species of the planet. It was a relatively large but aesthetically pleasing building made of natural materials that blended well into the local landscape.

All four Autobots transformed and moved to put sufficient space between them to be able to effectively guard their position should their presence draw unwanted Decepticon attention.

Slowly, Optimus lifted the glasses once again, carefully scanning the tiny, delicate object. It was almost impossible to believe that such a tiny and innocuous thing could possibly be of such significance to a race like their own.

"Please let this work." He begged softly as he looked up to see that his motions had attracted attention.

Jazz looked down from where he was standing on the roof of the building, next to one of the domes making up the structure's top line. "Fire it up, Optimus."

Optimus cast the saboteur a quick glance, hearing the well-controlled bite of lingering annoyance. But he did not call his Third in Command on it.

Instead, Optimus focused his optics back on the object held between his fingers and then reconfigured them for holographic output and projected the beams of light through the almost miniscule lenses of the primitive ocular device.

"The code… the code on these glasses indicates that the AllSpark is two hundred and thirty miles from here." He quickly compared the coordinates to a superimposed map of the location. "The distance should be easy and quickly traversed using our Earthen Alternate-modes."

Optimus released a resigned vent, snapping off both projections. "We should be able to find it without attracting any additional human attention."

Ratchet looked at where the map had been projected, one hand clenching. "I sense the Decepticons are getting ready to mobilize. Activity on their frequencies have picked up, though I have not been able to crack the codes they are currently using."

Ironhide growled lowly, though he nodded, not really surprised. "They must know it is here as well."

"What about Bumblebee?" Jazz demanded, turning away from where he had traced the fingers of one hand gently along the curves of a dark brown dome, to turn a fierce gaze back onto his Prime. "We can't just leave 'im to die! Or become some human experiment!"

Optimus heard the clear desperation and the beginning hints of hatred in Jazz's voice and it was for that reason, more than anything that his words came out strong and harsh. "He'll die in vain if we don't accomplish our mission! We all left many friends behind to search for the AllSpark. We all knew it would be dangerous and that not all of us would see its completion. We must not allow ourselves to forget that."

He let his voice soften, seeing his point had been made. "Bumblebee also sacrificed himself for the human boy and his female companion, even more so than for the AllSpark. He would want us to do the same, should our war follow us here. He have a duty to protect human lives if necessary and we will. We must not allow our war to claim yet another innocent world, even if it means we loose some of our own. Bumblebee is a brave soldier, this is what he would want."

"Why are we fighting to save the humans?" Ironhide demanded hotly, his armor flared in challenge. "They are a primitive and violent race."

It was true. Compared to Cybertronian culture, humanity had only existed for the blink of an optic shutter, barely a footnote in the grand sweep of time. They were primitive, human technology was such a far cry from their own as to be laughable. And, they had clearly proven they were violent. But…

"Were we so different?" Optimus asked, realizing what it was that made his mechs dislike the humans. They were far to similar to their own species, especially in all the negative aspects – to Decepticons in particular. Of course their long-standing hatred of the Decepticons would bleed over to an alien species that bore such a striking similarity. They had to be reminded that these tiny little organics were not Decepticons, even if some acted like it, no more than all Cybertronians were Decepticons.

He focused on all three of the Autobots standing with him. "They are a young species. They have much to learn." Unsaid was the fact they, as Autobots, could either accept the mantel of responsibility to teach them and help them grow out their immaturity or punish them for not knowing better. Something Optimus would not do.

"But I have seen goodness in them." Optimus reminded them, replaying a holographic display of Sam's desperate attempt to free Bumblebee, the risk the young human took in attacking his own kind to try and help an alien whom he had no reason to trust. "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings."

Around the group, armor that had been flared settled back against frames as each Autobot allowed their Prime's words to remind them of who they were. They were Autobots and as such they had sworn to protect life, and to protect the freedoms all sentient creatures had a right to. It was who they were and they would be damned if they allowed eons of war to make them forget that.

"The only way we can spare this planet is to end the war." Ratchet said quietly. "You know that. Even if we take possession of the AllSpark, if we cannot defeat Megatron, he will punish Earth simply because he can and he lost his prize here."

Optimus nodded solemnly. No one spoke for a long moment, realizing that their CMO spoke the truth and that if they were serious about protecting the humans, it would be a commitment that would last far longer than the simple re-acquisition of the AllSpark. It could take vorns and, perhaps, yet more sacrifices.

After a long, contemplative silence, Optimus spoke again. "We all know there is only one way to end this war. We must destroy the AllSpark."

Their reactions were swift, and far from positive.

After the initial bevy of protests were countered and the truth of his assertion was grudgingly accepted, another tense silence fell. Defending the humans from the Decepticons was one thing, willingly destroying the future of their own world for them? That was, as the human saying went, a difficult pill to swallow.

But neither could they deny the truth. The last few decavorns of the conflict on Cybertron had been fought for control of the AllSpark. Megatron to corrupt it and use it for his own twisted agenda and the Autobots to shield and protect, not just its existence, but its integrity.

"The AllSpark is the embodiment of life." Optimus said into the uneasy silence. "And yet in our war to dominate it, how many worlds have been left in ruin? How many billions of lives cut off? How many more will follow if it is not ended, here? No, the very essence of what the AllSpark is continues to be sullied so long as we kill because of it. Even if the Cube survives, so long as we allow war to rage and consume, not just our own planet, but countless others we are a dying race. Perhaps we can end that now. Just as sending it off Cybertron was the only way to save the planet from complete destruction, destroying the Cube might very well be the only way to prevent our own extinction."

"How?" Jazz piped up, hands on his hips. "It ain't like anyone's done somthin' like that before."

"If fall else fails." Optimus told them, "I will unite the cube with my spark."

"That is suicide!" Ratchet clenched his fist in demonstration of his opposition to that idea. "The cube is raw power. It could destroy you both." Unspoken was a pleading, demanding question: Then where would we be?

Optimus had no answer for that. He looked at Ratchet, with determined optics. "A necessary sacrifice, to bring peace to this planet."

They had all heard that tone in their leader's voice before and knew there would be no arguing with him. Optimus turned his gaze the direction he knew the AllSpark lay, his optics dilating to focus as far into the distance as they could. "We cannot let the humans pay for our mistakes."

In truth, it was fitting. At least in Optimus' mind. As Prime, he had no right to continue his existence if the AllSpark were destroyed. If it came to it, he would make the same sacrifice himself that he was forcing on his people, his entire planet, to make. The humans had a saying; that a captain should go down with his ship. No less so a Prime should go down with his world's hope. One way or another, Optimus knew the probabilities were he would not leave this planet on this side of the Matrix.

He focused back on his most loyal Autobots. "It was an honor serving with you all."

If it was a battle the Decepticons wanted, it was a battle they would get. Earth was not alone in this contest; the four of them would stand together.

"Autobots; Roll out."

"We rollin'" Jazz's standard quip when hearing that order was not said with the typical jauntiness it usually was. All of them knew that if their Prime were to see his own death on this little organic world, they would inevitably do likewise because they would not leave him.

Nevertheless, none of them hesitated.

Hey, on the bright side, in recompense for the long wait, this chapter is *almost* twice as long as most of the previous ones. :D

As always, I hope you have enjoyed this enough to leave a review. Even if you didn't I still want to hear from you.