Here's the last chapter! Thanks for all the support!

Don't own Transformers!

Chapter 20

A loud explosion rocked the base at Iacon.

Ratchet slammed his head down on his desk. "Those little glitches! I'll kill all three of them!" The medic stood up and stormed out of his office.

Firestarter glanced at his carrier. He was slightly unnerved by that temper, despite the fact that he had lived around Ratchet all his life.

Ratchet started gathering everything he needed to see what happened.

"Why don't you let me go so you can rest?"

Ratchet turned to look at his creation.

It had been nearly an orn since everything had transpired with Ratchet's capture, and the war with the Decepticons was now over. The Autobots had returned to their home planet to rebuild it.

"Firestarter, I am fine. I can handle those three glitches." Ratchet assured him.

Firestarter smiled. "I don't think that there's much you can't handle, but you do need to rest. You don't have much longer."

Ratchet sighed. "Yes, and I believe that I am going to kill your sire."

Ratchet had learned a few breem back that he was carrying once more. He had been ready to kill his bonded as the two had decided not to have anymore creations.

"So?" Firestarter had chosen to go into the medical field like his carrier and was learning to be a medic alongside the Protectobot First Aid.

Ratchet waved him off. "Go on."

Firestarter took the medical kit and left.

Ratchet returned to his office.

Wheeljack and Skyfire ran into the laboratory.

"Jetfire! Jetstorm! Are you all right?" Skyfire felt slightly panicked at the thought of their creations being hurt.

"Huh. I guess it didn't work." Jetstorm came out covered in soot and ash.

"Yeah. Maybe we shouldn't have added so much heat." Jetfire agreed.

Wheeljack laughed. "They sound like me."

"Yes, and they act like you, too." Skyfire sighed.

Skyfire and Wheeljack had had the twins Jetfire and Jetstorm not long after their return to Cybertron. The two had the scientific processors that their creators had, and, unfortunately, they also had Wheeljack's knack for blowing everything they work on up.

Firestarter walked into the room. "All right. What happened?"

"Just a minor accident." Jetfire replied.

"I'll decide what's minor and what's not!" Firestarter snapped.

Wheeljack and Skyfire had learned that it was best to simply allow Firestarter to do what he needed to. He had Ratchet temper as well as Ratchet's bedside manner, although his was nowhere near as bad as Ratchet's were.

"Hey, Prowler!"

Prowl looked up from the datapad he was reading to find Jazz walking into the office with their youngling, Blowtorch, in his arms. "What are you up to?"

"Not much, but someone wanted to see his sire." Jazz answered.

Blowtorch ran up to Prowl.

Prowl reached down and picked him up. "And what have you done today?"

"I played with brother today." Blowtorch answered.

"And how is Bluestreak?" Prowl asked.

Jazz laughed. "He's doing fine, but I do believe he has fallen for someone, although he refuses to say who."

"It was bound to happen." Prowl replied. He shook his head. "As long as it's not Sideways, I'm fine with it."

Sideways was the insane creation of Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. He was just like his creators, which wasn't exactly a good thing.

"I don't think it is, but you never know." Jazz walked over and sat on the edge of Prowl's desk.

Prowl was thankful that Blowtorch was in here at least. It meant that the saboteur wasn't going to be able to seduce him.

Optimus was busy reading over the reports detailing how the rebuilding of Cybertron was going. He was pleased to see that a great amount of progress had been made. It would still take time, but he knew that they would restore Cybertron completely.

The door opened, and the Prime jumped, looking around wildly.

Ironhide looked at the Prime in surprise. "Have you received a death threat or something?"

Optimus sighed, glad to see that it was Ironhide. "Yes. From my bonded."

"He still upset about carrying again?" Ironhide walked over and sat down.

"Not like he used to be. He's settled down some. Though I have no intention of lowering my guard yet." Optimus answered.

"Good to hear. Quickshot's becoming quite the warrior. He's one of the fastest, most agile of the new recruits." Ironhide told him.

Quickshot had taken a liking to the soldier way of life and had joined the army when he had the chance. He had great teachers to help him, too.

"I'm glad to hear that." Optimus replied.

"Still worried?" Ironhide asked.

Optimus sighed. "A little."

Despite having four creations with Ratchet, none of them were to be the next Prime as the Matrix had not reacted to them. It concerned the Autobot leader that there had not been a new Prime born yet.

"Don't worry, Optimus. Primus works things out. He'll work this out as well." Ironhide told him.

"I hope so." Optimus agreed.

Ratchet heard the infirmary doors opened and went out to see Firestarter coming back alone. "So, nothing major this time?"

"No. Just surface damage, which can wait. That and a shower to help them get all of the soot off of their frames." Firestarter answered.

Ratchet shook his helm. "Those two will never learn. Just like their sire."

"So, Wheeljack's always been like that?" Firestarter asked.

"Since I can remember." Ratchet answered. He winced as he felt a particularly harsh movement from the sparkling he was carrying.

"Are you all right?" Firestarter asked.

Ratchet waved him off. "I'm fine. This one just likes putting dents into me." Much like Optimus did, Ratchet mused silently. "Just write up the report and have it on my desk soon."

Firestarter nodded.

Ratchet walked back into his office and sat down. He picked up the cube of energon on his desk and started to drink it. He was looking at his scans and was relieved to find he was carrying only one sparkling. He had carried twins the last two times, and he was certain that he was going to kill Optimus if he had had twins again.

The second time, the two had twins who turned out to be a bit of pranksters, though not as bad as Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. One twin was called Flare Up, and the other was called Speedshot.

Ratchet leaned back and sighed as he shifted uncomfortable. He had trouble being comfortable at all right now. Especially with his back struts.

Optimus walked into his quarters that night and found Ratchet was already in the room, lying on their berth with a datapad in hand. "You're off-duty, and you're still working?"

"No. I'm off-duty, and I'm reading a book." Ratchet replied.

Optimus was glad to hear that the medic wasn't doing work. He walked over and sat down by him on the berth. "I thought you'd be in the infirmary still."

"Firestarter and First Aid kicked me out." Ratchet replied.

Optimus was surprised. "You allowed two trainees to kick you out of your infirmary?" Optimus never thought that the CMO would ever do something like that.

"Well, when your back struts are killing you and you stay tired, it's not hard to let someone convince you to get some rest." Ratchet replied.

"Hmm." Optimus was silent for moment before he reached over and allowed his hand to caress Ratchet's chassis. "So, am I forgiven yet?"

"I suppose so." Ratchet replied. He smirked. "Though I must say that I loved your reaction."

Optimus looked embarrassed at the mention of how he had reacted to the news that his bonded was carrying another sparkling.

Optimus had been doing work, trying to get everything set up to begin the reconstruction of Cybertron when his office door opened. He looked up and found that his bonded was standing in the room. Normally, that wouldn't have bothered him, but when there was a look of anger on the medic's face and that anger was being directed at him, Optimus became rather nervous. "Is something wrong?"

"I should say so. And I'm going to kill you." Ratchet growled.

Optimus stood up, prepared to bolt if need be. "What did I do?" He couldn't remember anything that should have set the medic off.

"Oh, you did plenty. Remember that conversation we had about not having another creation?"

"Yes." Optimus hadn't wanted to do it, knowing that the new Prime hadn't been born yet, but he had relented to Ratchet's wishes.

"Well, it just got broken." Ratchet growled.

Optimus froze , stunned. "You mean you want to have another one?"

"What I mean, Orion, is that I'm carrying now!"

Optimus stood stunned for a few kliks as his processors before his CPU crashed and the Autobot leader went down.

"So I didn't handle the news so well." Optimus muttered.

Ratchet glanced at him with a look of amusement on his face. "I would say so. You didn't react that way when I told you about Speedshot and Flare Up."

"That's because we had been trying for another one then. This one was a complete shock." Optimus replied.

"Hmm. But I suppose I do forgive you. I'm actually looking forward to raising another one." Ratchet answered.

"So am I." Optimus murmured.

"And it's just one this time around." Ratchet added.

Optimus looked at him in surprise. "It is?"

Ratchet nodded. "Confirmed that today, thankfully. I'm not sure that I could have handled another set of twins."

Optimus smiled. "I can understand that. I believe Flare Up and Speedshot are the definition of terrible twins."

"I still think Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were influencing them as they grew up and it just stuck." Ratchet muttered.

Optimus smiled. He, too, wondered that. He wrapped an arm around Ratchet. "In any case, at least this is the last time you'll go through this."

"It had better be." Ratchet told him.

Optimus leaned down and pressed a kiss to Ratchet's helm. "It will be." It had better be, or his circuitry was going to be in danger.

Jazz, Prowl, Ironhide, Wheeljack, and Skyfire were all sitting around enjoying some high grade together.

"So, do you think this one will be the next Prime?" Jazz asked.

"No way to know. It's possible." Wheeljack remarked.

"I wouldn't put up bets on it. I honestly don't think that Ratchet would like it if we bet." Ironhide remarked. He shook his helm. "But the way it looks, we're not getting a new Prime, meaning nothing can happen to Optimus."

"It could be that this one will be the new Prime, Ironhide. We do not know that it will not be." Skyfire reminded them.

"When you look at the fact that they have had four others who were not the next Prime, it leads to doubt that this will be the new Prime." Ironhide stated.

The group sighed in frustration.

"I know it has Optimus concerned that we don't have a new Prime. He worries about what's going to end up happening as a result." Prowl said.

Jazz downed half of his cube. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Not much else that we can do right now."

"Suppose not." Ironhide agreed.

Ratchet had a checkup to get done, which was performed by Perceptor. Since there were no other medics with experience with delivering, Ratchet had asked Perceptor if he would assist. As such, Perceptor had been his primary doctor.

"All seems well, Ratchet. Other than the fact that you can have the sparkling at any time, you are fine as is the sparkling." Perceptor told him.

"Thank you, Perceptor."

"And I understand that this is your infirmary, Ratchet, but I believe that going off duty until after the sparkling is here is in order. You need the rest." Perceptor told him.

"I'm not going to argue the fact considering that you are the one that's going to be in charge of the infirmary." Ratchet replied as he stood up.

"Very well. I can assure that you will find the infirmary as you left it." Perceptor stated.

Ratchet smirked. "I hope I do, Perceptor. I will have no qualms in coming after you if I don't find things in order."

Perceptor laughed. "I have no doubt that you would, Ratchet."

Ratchet then left the infirmary, planning to head back to his quarters.

"FLARE UP! SPEEDSHOT!"

Ratchet sighed as he heard Ironhide's shout. He wondered what the two had done now. He figured he's let Optimus deal with their prankster twins. He needed to get off his pedes for a while.

Optimus glared at Flare Up and Speedshot. "Just what do you two think you were doing?"

"It seemed like a good idea at the time." Speedshot muttered.

Optimus growled. "Speedshot! Tampering with Ironhide's weapons is not a good idea, no matter what time you think about it! It's dangerous, and it could result in someone getting hurt!" Optimus told them.

"Sorry." Flare Up muttered.

Optimus sat back down in his chair. He began to wonder if he needed to kill Sideswipe and Sunstreaker for possibly being why these two were as mischievous as they were. "I'll be talking to Ratchet about what your punishment should be. In the meantime, go to your quarters."

The two slunk out of the office, knowing that whenever their carrier was involved in their punishment, it wasn't going to be light.

Optimus shook his head. They never had this kind of trouble with Quickshot and Firestarter. With those two, the problem was Firestarter's temper, which he obviously got from his carrier, and Quickshot's penchant for wanting to fight.

Optimus glanced at the pile of datapads that he had to read through before day's end, and it made him wish that he could get out of doing the work. He had a feeling that he would be in there well after most other's shifts ended.

Ratchet had known that Optimus was still in his office, most likely with a pile of datapads to go through. He also knew that his bonded had a habit of not bothering to stop reading his reports long enough to get some energon. Ratchet himself was guilty of that, so it wasn't like he could say anything at all.

However, Ratchet took it upon himself to get two cubes of energon and take one to his bonded. The last thing he needed was for Optimus's systems to shut down because he didn't bother to get some energon. He entered the office to find that there was a pile of datapads on the desk with Optimus busy reading one of them.

Optimus was dealing with the datapad, which was a progress report on the buildings in Iacon that were being restored. He hadn't heard his office door opened, so he was a little surprised when he found a cube of energon suddenly thrust into his line of sight. He looked up and found Ratchet standing there with a look that clearly told him to stop and drink it.

Optimus set the datapad aside. "I can take care of myself, you know." He took the offered cube and sipped from it.

"I know you can, but you don't. I figured that as long as Perceptor kicked me out of my infirmary, I might as well make sure you keep your systems healthy."

Optimus looked a bit surprised. "Perceptor kicked you out of the infirmary?"

"Not exactly. He just thinks that I need to take it easy until after the sparkling comes. I'm off-duty until Perceptor says otherwise." Ratchet answered, drinking from his own cube.

Optimus reached out and pulled Ratchet down into his lap. "And how is our little one?"

"He's fine, Optimus. Just doesn't have much room anymore." Ratchet replied, drinking his energon.

"That's good to know." Optimus stated as he continued to drink from his cube.

"Do I want to know what Flare Up and Speedshot did?" Ratchet ventured.

Optimus scowled. "They took a page from Sideswipe and Sunstreaker's book and tampered with Ironhide's weapons."

Ratchet sighed. "No wonder Ironhide was so angry. What did you do to them?"

"Right now, they are in their quarters. I figured we would need to talk about what their punishment should be." Optimus answered.

"I think having them work with Ironhide whenever he is on shift is in order. Perhaps then they will gain a bit of respect for Ironhide." Ratchet told him.

"Hmm. Not a bad idea. Maybe Ironhide will scare the trickery right out of them." Optimus mused.

"I doubt that, but it might make them see that there are just something, and some mechs you don't prank. Ratchet replied.

"I suppose so." Optimus agreed. He finished his cube and set it down on the desk. "What have you been up to today?"

"Resting." Ratchet winced a particularly hard kick hit him. "And getting more dents."

Optimus reached up and ran a hand over Ratchet's chassis. "Well, as close as you are to delivering, it's not surprise."

"Yes. The only problem is that this particular sparkling seems to like to put as many dents into me as you do." Ratchet glared at the Autobot leader.

Optimus grinned unrepentantly. "So what?"

Ratchet sighed. "You are insufferable."

"Perhaps." Optimus leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Ratchet's cheek strut. "But you know I love you."

"I know, Orion, and I love you as well." Ratchet leaned forward and kissed Optimus.

Optimus wrapped an arm around Ratchet's waist as he kissed him back.

Ratchet was the one who ended up breaking the kiss. "You know, I think that you had better get that work done if you plan on coming back to our quarters at all tonight."

Optimus sighed. "I know."

Ratchet then stood back up. He started to head for the door when a blinding pain started in his chassis and then spread throughout his entire body. He cried out in pain.

Optimus jumped up and grabbed a hold of Ratchet before the medic could fall to the ground. He felt Ratchet's full weight leaning against him. "Ratchet, are you-"

"Yes." Ratchet gasped out. He knew that he was in labor.

Optimus merely picked Ratchet up before heading to the infirmary while comming Perceptor and telling him everything. Once the Prime arrived at the infirmary, he found that Perceptor already had things ready.

"Sit him on the berth." Perceptor ordered.

Optimus did as he was told, sitting Ratchet down on the edge of the berth before he moved to the side out of Perceptor's way while he held Ratchet up by his waist.

Perceptor walked over to the medic. "Ratchet, I need you to open your chest plates."

Ratchet did as he was talk even as another powerful wave of pain crashed into him, causing him to grasp Optimus's hand tightly.

"You've already made good progress." Perceptor mused. He commed First Aid and told him to get to the infirmary. He would have asked Firestarter to be there, too, but he figured that seeing his carrier in labor wasn't something that Firestarter really wanted.

First Aid soon arrived and went to assist Perceptor. He had seen one sparkling delivered, so he somewhat knew what to do. But seeing his mentor in labor was a bit shocking.

"Ratchet, I need you to push down for me. It'll help him get out quicker." Perceptor told him.

Ratchet nodded and gripped the edge of the berth with his free hand as he pushed down hard.

Perceptor could see that the sparkling was tearing holes in the blue sac, not large enough for the sparkling to fit through.

Prowl sighed at the mound of datapads he had acquired. Normally, the tactician would have dared anyone to give him this much additional paperwork on top of what he already had to do. He had become less of a workaholic since he and Jazz had started a family. He didn't particularly like not being able to spend time with his bonded and his creations.

However, this was one time that he wasn't going to say anything. He had been commed by Optimus and told that Ratchet was in labor. He had told the Prime that he would handle things for the time being.

Which included the paperwork that had piled up on the Prime's desk.

"Hey, Prowler." Jazz walked into the office and then stopped at the size of the pile. "Who decided to tick you off and give you all that?"

"Prime did, and it wasn't to tick me off, Jazz." Prowl sighed as he set a datapad he had finished on the floor since there was no place on his desk to sit it. "Ratchet went into labor, so I told Prime I would handle everything."

"So, the newest one is on the way." Jazz smiled. "Glad to know that."

Prowl groaned. "Yes, and I will be in here for Primus knows how long trying to get all this done."

"Well, you did say that you told Optimus that you would handle it." Jazz pointed out.

"Yes. I know. Just don't expect me back at our quarters any time soon." Prowl told him.

"Okay. I'll leave you alone then." Jazz knew better than to mess with Prowl when he had so much work to do that you couldn't see the desk. The saboteur simply left the office.

Ratchet had been in labor for a long time. He swore that he had not been in labor this long either time before, and he'd had twins each time!

Optimus kept one arm around Ratchet's waist while he had the other around the medic's shoulders, keeping him up. He could feel through their bond just how much pain Ratchet was in, but he wisely kept silent. Being through this twice before, he knew that saying anything, even words of comfort, would not go over well.

"Ratchet, I need you to push down hard." Perceptor told him.

Ratchet did as he was told, squeezing Optimus's hand tightly in the process.

Perceptor could see the holes in the blue sac getting wider, and he was certain that the sparkling would be here soon. "Ratchet, you're almost there. Give it another hard push."

Ratchet did as he was told, gripping Optimus's hand tightly as he did so.

Optimus winced, but said nothing. He most certainly was not saying anything that would upset Ratchet, not after saying something when he was in labor with Flare Up and Speedshot. His cheek strut had hurt for hours afterwards.

Perceptor could tell that the hole was nearly big enough. He hoped it would be considering Ratchet's temper. He feared asking Ratchet to push again because he could clearly see that the mech was in a great deal of pain.

However, as Perceptor braced himself for Ratchet's reaction, the sparkling was able to put a hole large enough for him to fit through into the sac and was able to make its way out. Perceptor reached out and took the sparkling as it made its way out of the sac.

Ratchet then collapsed against Optimus, exhausted.

Optimus easily held Ratchet up.

Perceptor handed the sparkling over to First Aid to clean up while he tended to Ratchet.

Ratchet was downright exhausted. He was fairly certain that he wouldn't be able to remain up by himself.

Optimus glanced over at their sparkling and noticed that the sparkling was red and yellow. Mostly, he was red with yellow flames.

"He's perfectly healthy." First Aid announced.

Once Perceptor was done with Ratchet and had closed Ratchet's chest plates again, First Aid walked over and handed the sparkling over to Ratchet.

"We'll give you a few moments." Perceptor told them. He then left the infirmary along with First Aid.

"He's certainly beautiful." Optimus murmured.

"Yes. His paint job reminds me of those cars back on Earth. The ones referred to as hot rods." Ratchet remarked.

Optimus mulled over that for a few moments before a smile crossed his lips. "Hot Rod. You know, I think that that is the perfect name for him."

Ratchet was a bit startled by that announcement, but as he thought about it, he realized that Optimus was right. "You're right."

Optimus smiled. He noticed that the sparkling had huddled up against Ratchet as was normal. Most sparking did that when their carrier or their sire held them.

The Prime hadn't noticed that the Matrix of Leadership was reacting strongly. He was far too focused on his new creation to notice something like that.

Perceptor returned a few moments later. "If you wish to return to your quarters, you can. I would simply suggest that Ratchet get some energon soon."

"Thank you, Perceptor." Optimus told him.

Perceptor nodded, glad that he had been able to help the two.

Optimus helped Ratchet up before the two headed for their quarters.

Perceptor smiled after them. He knew that Optimus and Ratchet made excellent creators, and he was certain that this new sparkling would have an excellent life as a result of that.

The night, Optimus stood by the caged berth that Hot Rod was recharging soundly in.

Ratchet was in a sound recharge in their own berth. He was very exhausted and weak from giving birth, so the medic was going to need more recharge than he normally would.

Optimus was glad to leave Ratchet alone so that he could get the recharge that he so desperately needed. The Prime had chosen to walk over and watch his new creation for a few moments. He reached out and allowed a finger to gently stroke over the sparkling's chest.

Hot Rod seemed to snuggle up against the finger.

Optimus smiled at that. He looked forward to raising another one with Ratchet.

It was then that the Prime noticed the reaction from the Matrix of Leadership. He glanced down to his chest plates before he opened them and removed the Matrix. He noticed that the Matrix was glowing as it always did in the presence of Prime. Optimus glanced down before he moved to set the Matrix close to Hot Rod.

The Matrix seemed to glow even brighter at that.

Optimus was stunned for a moment before he felt a sense of relief wash over him. He picked the Matrix back up before replacing it in his chest cavity, closing his chest plates.

It would appear that the next Prime was now among them.

Hot Rod would be the Prime after him. With the reaction from the Matrix, Optimus was certain of that. He was glad to know this. His brethren would have their new leader. He would train Hot Rod to be a Prime as soon as he was old enough.

Optimus reached down and gently picked the sparkling up. "You'll make an excellent Prime, Hot Rod." Optimus murmured.

Hot Rod merely shifted to press closer to Optimus.

"Orion."

Optimus turned to face his obviously groggy bonded. "Go back into recharge, Ratchet."

Ratchet sighed before he focused on Optimus. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing." Optimus answered.

Ratchet knew when Optimus was hiding something, and he most certainly was hiding something. He moved to get up. "Orion-"

Optimus smiled at him. "It's nothing, Ratchet." He glanced back down at Hot Rod. "I just realized that we have our next Prime."

Ratchet looked at him in confusion for a moment before he understood. "So, Hot Rod is the one."

Optimus nodded. "The Matrix reacted. It did when he was born, but I didn't really notice. I did now." He walked over sit down next to Ratchet.

Ratchet nodded. "At least everyone will stop worrying about it now."

"I know." Optimus smiled at Ratchet. "Go back to recharge, Ratchet. You're going to need it."

Ratchet nodded. He knew that he needed it, and he was back in recharge before long.

Optimus glanced down at the recharging Hot Rod in his arms. He was certain that he would make an excellent Prime.

Optimus and Ratchet stood to the side as they watched the festivities go on. Both were rather proud at the moment.

Ratchet leaned back against Optimus. "Well, it looks like everything will be fine."

Optimus wrapped an arm around Ratchet's neck before he pressed a kiss into the back of his neck. "Yes. It will."

It had been several orn since Hot Rod's birth. He had grown up into a fine mech. He had been trained by Optimus to be the new Prime.

Now, Optimus had decided to step down as leader and had passed the Matrix of Leadership on to the new Prime, Hot Rod. He was now known as Rodimus Prime.

With Ultra Magnus, Rodimus's bonded, Optimus knew that their people would be in good hands.

"He is not confident in his ability to lead yet." Ratchet mused.

"No, but neither was I when I first became leader. As I recall, I had no faith in myself whatsoever. I had a certain medic to have that faith for me." Optimus squeezed Ratchet tightly. "And I am most grateful for that. I'm not sure what kind of leader I would have been without you."

Ratchet laughed. "You would have been fine, I'm sure." He glanced over at where Rodimus and Ultra Magnus were. "And I have no doubt that Ultra Magnus will be for Rodimus what I was for you."

"Hmm. I imagine so." Optimus agreed.

"As you once said, Ultra Magnus will be his security net." Ratchet stated.

"Yes. He will. I know I needed mine." Optimus replied.

It wouldn't be an easy road for Rodimus, but his creators had no doubt that he would become a great Prime himself, just as his sire was.

And their faith would prove to be justified.

Since Hot Rod became the Prime after the G1 series, I decided to use him as Optimus's son, making him the next Prime. I'll probably use Hot Rod like that a lot.

Thanks for reading!