Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers or its characters.

Set post-revenge of the fallen - which is an awesome film!

Authors Note: I have loved this story and was sad to hear Akiko was unable to finish it, with a big thank you to Akiko, I am happy to announce they have allowed me to adopt Matrix of Change. I hope I can do the story proud and add some interesting twists, turns and an ending, this story definitely deserves to be finished.

Hope I can do you guys prouds. Enjoy. Chapter 16 onwards will be my own work, chapters 1-15 are by Akiki Natsuko.

TRTRTR

Sam groaned as he glanced out of his bedroom window and saw Bumblebee in Camaro form parked outside the dorms, along with the twins. He had hoped that'd he'd be able to have at least one weekend of peace to spend with Mikaela - they'd both been so busy during the week with work, college and meetings with nameless officials over the latest Decepticon attack - that they'd no time to spend with one another, except for the odd snatched minute whilst waiting for meetings and at night. Muttering to himself about Autobots and their inability to do anything without consulting him, he closed his books and got to his feet. A quick glance in the mirror showed that his face was still marred with the marks from the battle in Egypt - great, they hadn't even waited for the marks to fade. Sighing he grabbed his hoodie and headed out the door.

"Whats up Bee?" He asked as he reached the Camaro, laying a hand on the sleek yellow bonnet in greeting.

"The chief is waiting," Bumblebee stated through his radio and Sam sighed, of course it was Optimus who wanted to talk to him.

"Okay Bee let's go," Sam said sliding into the Camaro, smiling slightly as his guardian hummed with pleasure. He knew the youngest Autobot was keen to stay close to him at the moment, after his temporary death in Egypt - Major Lennox had told him how the Autobot had reacted when they thought he was dead and he had been shocked. He'd thought their relationship had been on the rails after the death of Optimus, and him leaving Bee behind when he started college.

TR

Optimus was waiting for them at the cemetery, just as he had been the last time he'd appealed to Sam. However, this time Sam knew that he would help - the Primes had said it was his destiny to save Optimus, and he knew that, that fate had not ended just because they'd stopped the Fallen or because he'd brought the Autobot leader back to life.

"Sam," Optimus greeted as said boy climbed out of Bumblebee and gazed up at the towering Robot, the last living Prime.

"Please don't tell me the worlds going to end again," Sam said by way of greeting - he was really desperate for a break from saving the world, he'd quite willingly leave it to NEST to take care of that.

"Not today," amusement tinged the Autobot's voice as he looked down at the human that he considered to be a close friend, and to whom he owed a life debt. "I came to give you a gift."

"A gift huh?" Sam asked sceptically.

"A gift," Optimus paused, his blue optics solemn as he stared down at Sam. "But it comes with a warning - you must only use it if you are in danger and there is no other avenue of escape."

"Why what will it do?"

"I am not permitted to tell you, all I know is that if you use it - it will cost you the life you live now, your family, friends, college and Mikaela," Optimus replied and Sam tensed, it did not sound like a good gift- but he was reluctant to refuse offhand.

"So only to be used in a dire situation?" He asked.

"Yes," Optimus nodded and then leant towards Sam, holding out a giant hand. Curiously Sam moved forwards, frowning as he caught sight of a small piece of metal glinted in the giant palm.

"Isn't that part of..."

"The Matrix of Leadership," Optimus finished for him. "We were able to retrieve parts of it from the ruins of your pyramid, most remnants are stored at the NEST headquarters, but Major Lennox allowed me to take this."

"Did you tell him why?" Sam asked suspiciously, not entirely keen on the idea of getting on the wrong side of the soldier.

"Not exactly, I told him it would be used to protect you. I did not inform the good soldier that I would be giving it to you," if Autobot's could blush, then Sam thought that Optimus would be bright red at that moment. "Besides it I am obeying an older and higher power- the ancient Primes contacted me through the Matrix. It is on their orders that I give it to you."

"The Primes? Why would they want to help me again?" Sam asked, but he no longer hesitated and with a quick glance at Optimus he leant out and picked up the shard - feeling a faint echo of the power that had filled him when the Matrix had been restored to its physical form.

"I do not know. All I know Sam Witwicky is that out fates remain entwined, and therefore I must do what is necessary to keep you safe."

"I have Bumblebee," Sam quick to point out - the camaro had done more than any to keep him safe during the last two 'skirmishes'.

"And he remains your guardian, however, I owe you a debt for your actions in Egypt."

"Not really," Sam said with a shrug as he carefully pocketed the shard of the Matrix. "I played my part, as did the others."

Optimus gazed at the young human and saw the sincerity in his face, and silently he bowed his head in acceptance.

"Thank you Sam," he said.

"You're welcome," Sam said uncertainly, feeling as though there was some deeper undercurrent to their discussion. "Look I really should be getting back, I have college work and stuff to do."

"Yes of course," Optimus nodded. "No doubt I will see you again soon." Okay now Sam was sure now that there was something else going on, but he figured that the Autobot leader would let him know when it was necessary.

"Take care Optimus," Sam said and with a farewell wave he headed back to the patiently waiting Bumblebee, eager to ask his guardian what he thought about the meeting.

"Stay safe Sam."

TR

"Something's going down," Bumblebee's radio sang as they drove back to college, the twins following a short distance away to give the larger bot and his charge some privacy.

"They keeping you in the dark to Bee?"

"Yes, yes, yes," Bee replied and Sam sighed, it made him nervous knowing that the Autobots knew something was going down but weren't letting Bee in on the know - after all it was the yellow bot whom was there to protect him. "Together forever" the Camaro sang to him, seemingly reading his mind. That observation was further supported by the fact that Sam realised with a jolt that they weren't going back to his dorms, but heading for Mikaela's new flat near campus.

"Thanks Bee," he said and the displays flashed in response. Resting a hand on the steering wheel, Sam cautiously dug the shard out of his pocket and gazed at it - his mind flashing back to his desperation when the Matrix had turned to dust, his unshakeable faith that the dust would bring Optimus back and then the pure relief when the Matrix had been given to him and Optimus had come back to them.

"It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday," Bee's radio crackled back to life, startling Sam out of his thoughts and he whispered a thanks to the Camaro - grateful yet again for Bumblebee's unerring gift of saying what he needed to hear. "Love is in the air," the radio changed and Sam looked out the window to see they were pulling up beside Mikaela's bike and he grinned - allowing himself to be just a teenager for a second as he shot out of the car. He fully intended to spend some 'fun' time with his girlfriend, before he told her of the latest development in their crazy alien life.