A small, yellow, remote-controlled toy car was quickly making its way around the Autobot base. Rafael steered the toy towards Bumblebee, who beeped in enjoyment as the car circled his legs before driving away.

Jack and Arcee both watched as Rafael tried to do tricks with the toy, and they broke into applause when Rafael finally succeeded after trying for almost a half an hour. The scene even caught the attention of Miko, who had given up on studying for her Geography test and instead cheered as the toy sped up a ramp made out of books and did a flip in the air. Bulkhead leaned against the wall next to his charge, lifting Miko up and placing her on his shoulder so she had a better view.

The children were usually home at that time of night, but Miko and Rafael told their parents that they were going to sleep over at Jack's house, with June staying at home as their cover if their parents called.

After completing the trick again, Rafael made the car do a figure eight before accidentally crashing it into Optimus' leg. Optimus paused his conversation with Ratchet and Agent Fowler to look down and see what had bumped into him. After he recognized the object he lifted his leg and let the toy go on its way.

Ratchet crossed his arms as the car noisily drove off, preferring silence over the sound of people screaming. The kids started cheering again, much to the annoyance of Ratchet, who was desperately trying to convince himself not to throw someone through the GroundBridge. He was already in a bad mood, with Fowler yelling at Optimus about how much collateral damage the Decepticons caused in their last battle.

Optimus was controlling his emotions much better that Ratchet was. The Autobot leader listened intently as Fowler scolded the team before the Agent grew tired of yelling and left, but not before giving a stern reminder that the Government was not going to be happy with them, or with him for that matter.

As soon as Fowler left the building, Ratchet started voicing his displeasure. "Optimus, why didn't you defend yourself? It was a Vehicon that crashed into the building, not you."

"I am aware of that, Ratchet," Optimus replied, putting a reassuring hand on the medic's shoulder. "But Agent Fowler is right. We'll have to strengthen our efforts to keep the amount of collateral damage at a minimum."

Ratchet mumbled something under his breath before nodding. He turned around to face the computer monitors in the base and pressed a few spots on the screens.

After a moment, an alarm started blaring throughout the building, gaining the attention of everyone, human or Autobot. Ratchet frantically tried to shut down the alarm. After the base was quiet again, Ratchet poked at the screen a few times before raising an optic ridge. "An Autobot distress signal?"

"Is it Wheeljack?" Bulkhead asked, swiftly placing Miko on the ground and taking a step forward in concern. None of the Autobots had heard from the former wrecker in a few weeks. Bulkhead knew that his old partner could handle himself, but if Wheeljack had been captured by the Decepticons once, there was a chance it could happen again.

"Can't tell, the sender masked their identity," Ratchet answered, pressing the monitor once more. After a few seconds, he looked towards Optimus and nodded.

"This is Autobot Outpost Omega One. We have received your distress signal, do you require assistance?" Optimus said, trying to contact the owner of the signal. After a few seconds without a reply, he tried again. "Your signal has been received, do you copy?"

Still nothing.

Optimus immediately went into action. "Ratchet, open the GroundBridge."

Ratchet stared at the Autobot leader, incredulous. "Optimus, you do know that this is most likely a Decepticon trap?"

"It's a chance we'll have to take, old friend," Optimus replied, turning to face the rest of the group. "Autobots, roll out!"

Bulkhead transformed the fastest, revving his engiens and hoping that Wheeljack was alright. Miko let out a cheer, telling her friend to beat any Decepticons that might be there. Bumblebee quickly beeped something to Rafael, who smiled and waved goodbye as his guardian transformed as well. Arcee looked over to Jack, nodding farewell before transforming.

Ratchet watched the rest of his team as they prepared to leave. A bad feeling in his spark told him that he would need to get the med bay ready as soon as possible. Ratchet shook his head before pulling a lever. The GroundBridge lit up the room, reflecting green light off of the Autobots armor. Optimus transformed last, though he was the first to start driving. The Autobots went into the GroundBridge, disappearing in a flash of light.

The other end of the GroundBridge opened up in the middle of one of the rare forests of Nevada. It took a few seconds for the Autobots to exit the GroundBridge, and when they did, it was shut down. The Cybertronians readied their weapons for a possible Decepticon ambush while still looking for an injured Autobot.

"Stay close, everyone. If there is an ailing Autobot, it is more than likely the Decepticons are around as well." Optimus ordered, using the light of his gun to search through the darkness. His comrades nodded, going separate ways, but still close enough that they could clearly see each other.

Bulkhead looked around rapidly. He tried to see if Wheeljack was around. Bulkhead knew that Wheeljack could hold his own against a large number of Decepticons, but Bulkhead could only think about the fact that his friend had been defeated before. Bulkhead tried to walk as slowly as possible even though he was in a hurry, because he knew that if he walked too fast, his loud footsteps would alert any enemies nearby of his presence.

Bumblebee was more laid back, but he had his guns ready. He seemed eager to help the possibly injured Autobot and stop any Decepticons that tried to hurt them. Bumblebee wasn't too happy to be in a forest, since he didn't have a lot of room to drive if it was required. He continued on anyway, understanding that the situation was not about him.

Optimus moved forward with caution. His audio receptors were focused on everything around him and his fellow Autobots, listening for any sign of danger. He scanned the area thoroughly, searching for the Autobot who sent a signal in distress. There was no visible trail of Energon, but Optimus knew that he had to keep looking.

Arcee squinted into the night, prepared to fire if necessary. Every time she heard a noise she would quickly turn around to where she heard it, just in case it was a trap. She kept an optic on the rest of the Autobots, making sure that they weren't about to be attacked from behind. If they were going to help someone in danger, they were going to be in danger, too.

Arcee heard a branch snap from behind her. She spun around to see what had made the sound, and after a second, she concluded that an animal had scampered off. She was about to continue on her way when she saw two purple optics peer at her from behind the trees. Arcee's optics widened in shock before she glared and charged her weapons.

"Airachnid!" Arcee growled before firing at the former Decepticon. Airachnid dodged each of the shots with ease, taking full advantage of the fact that Arcee could only see the light of her optics. Airachnid hissed and spat acid towards Arcee, who ducked in time for the acid to start melting a nearby tree.

The sound of shots being fired alerted the other Autobots of an enemy nearby. They all turned around and readied their weapons as they tried to figure out who their opponent was. Arcee fired again and again until she landed a shot on one of Airachnid's legs. Airachnid hissed before turning around to flee. Arcee continued firing for a moment before running after the spider-legged femme.

"Arcee, wait!" Optimus called, but he was too late. Arcee heard her leader yell for her, but she was prepared to go against direct orders to get revenge on any Cybertronian that killed one of her friends.

Arcee chased Airachnid through the forest, shooting whenever she thought she had a clear shot. She was unsure if any of her attacks hit, but she wasn't going to waste time by pausing and checking. Arcee darted past any tree that got in her way until she realized that she had absolutely no idea where she was anymore.

Arcee slowed down to a stop, optics glancing around frantically in an attempt to find the former Decepticon. She held her gun up and had it charged to fire, but when she couldn't see Airachnid anymore she sighed angrily and put her weapon away. She put a hand on her head, frustrated with herself for letting Airachnid get away again.

Webs flew out of nowhere and before Arcee had time to react they pinned her against a tree. Arcee gasped in shock. She struggled against the webs, even though she knew it was no use. She tried to transform, but the webs kept her stuck in her bipedal mode. Airachnid crept out of the shadows, chuckling darkly in amusement. "Don't even try it, Arcee. I've learned from our past encounters that I would have to take extra measures to make sure you stay down for a long time."

Arcee glared at the former Decepticon, ceasing her attempt to escape. She knew that Airachnid just put on more layers of webbing than before to ensure that she wouldn't be able to get out on her own. If a few layers were removed, Arcee was sure she would have a chance at breaking free.

Airachnid stepped forward, her multiple legs keeping her off of the ground, though she was still optic level with her prey. Airachnid lifted a few of her claws into the air, a dangerous smirk on her face. She planned on having a lot of fun.

Airachnid slid a claw along the side of Arcee's face, taking pleasure in the obvious discomfort the Autobot was feeling. Arcee glared daggers at the former Decepticon, trying to shift farther away from her.

The spider-legged femme pressed down on the webbing, making sure it was secure. She didn't want her prey to escape before she was finished with her. Arcee said nothing, deciding not to give Airachnid the satisfaction of seeing her fear.

Airachnid slowly raised a claw into the air, pointing directly at Arcee's chest. Arcee stared at it for a moment, optics widening considerably. The two Cybertronians stayed silent for a while before Airachnid's claw rushed forward and Arcee closed her optics tightly to brace herself for the inevitable.

Arcee had always assumed that her last thoughts would be of her fallen partners. She spent a lot of her time thinking about them, so she had believed that she would die thinking about them, too. Arcee was surprised when she closed her optics and saw the friends she had fought side by side with for the past few years. She saw four Autobots, and three human kids.

Arcee realized that it had been too long for Airachnid to stall her attack. Arcee knew that Airachnid may have been waiting for her to open her optics and watch as the former Decepticon ripped her apart, piece by piece. Even with that in mind, Arcee took a chance to peek at her captor before the former Decepticon finished her off.

She was gone. Arcee looked around, trying to find a trace of Airachnid, but there was no sign of her. The webs and Energon spattered all over the ground were the only evidence that she was there in the first place. Arcee couldn't tell if Airachnid had fled, or if she was toying with her prey by pretending to disappear.

Someone was coming. Arcee could hear heavy footsteps, but they were still to far away for Arcee to make an identification. It was unlikely that Airachnid was making that loud of a noise, but Arcee knew that she couldn't underestimate the spider-legged femme. Arcee struggled to free herself again when she heard the steps become louder as someone approached her.

After a few seconds, two blue optics were visible in the darkness. They glanced around before locking onto Arcee's position. A familiar figure stepped out of the shadows, his gun ceasing its glow in surprise. "Arcee, are you alright?"

Arcee let out a relieved sigh and she visibly relaxed against the webs that held her hostage. Optimus walked towards her, his stoic expression betrayed by the clear look of concern in his optics. His guns switched into his hands as he reached out to try to pry the webbing off of his fellow Autobot.

"Arcee," Optimus said, speaking softer than usual. Arcee deflated slightly, recognizing the tone her leader was using. "It is not wise to run off on your own. Airachnid-"

"Killed Tailgate," Arcee growled, glaring at the ground. If the webs weren't holding her back, Arcee might have tried to go after Airachnid again. Arcee's voice lowered gravely. "She'll pay for what she did."

Optimus paused for a moment, then shook his head. His optics dimmed slightly, showing a mixture of understanding and sympathy. "What happened to Tailgate was unfortunate, but you cannot go after someone's spark with corrupt intent. Do you understand?"

Arcee scoffed, tightly clanching her fists. "You weren't there. You didn't see what she did to him."

"I did not," Optimus responded, ripping off the first layer of the webs. "But, if you are willing to discuss the event, I am willing to listen."

Arcee slowly shook her head. "No."

Optimus blinked at the curt response. "May I inquire as to why?"

"I can't," Arcee replied, optics downcast. "Not with you."

Optimus stopped momentarily. He gave an almost unnoticeable nod before continuing to try and free his comrade, ending the conversation there.

Arcee mentally hit herself in the helm for saying something like that. She hadn't meant to say it in that way. She just didn't want to burden Optimus with her problems, no matter how strongly the Autobot leader wanted to help. Arcee knew that Optimus was under enough stress.

It was obvious. Optimus seemed uncharacteristically angry ever since the incident with Rafael and the Dark Energon. Optimus occasionally roared furiously before charging into battle, not even giving the Decepticons a chance to flee. Arcee couldn't tell if she liked the fact that they seemed to be closer to winning the war, or if she was upset that the Autobot she was fighting beside seemed to be changing into someone he was never meant to be.

Arcee didn't know what it was like to be a Prime, to have the weight of everyone relying on her tug at her spark. If a Prime made one wrong move, there would be no hope for the Autobots. Countless lives could be lost. Optimus had not made such a mistake, though Arcee knew that if she said that aloud, he would probably disagree. He would most likely recall the loss of Cybertron to be his fault, even when the evacuation of the planet saved so many lives.

Arcee looked back up at Optimus, who was still carefully attempting to remove another layer of webbing. Arcee sighed. "Optimus, I..."

Arcee spoke quietly, though she still caught her leader's attention. The two Cybertronians locked optics. Arcee noted that Optimus' held no sign of disappointment, though they still shined with an ever present sadness. The purple optics behind him glowed with malice and vicious intent.

It took a moment for Arcee to register that multiple claws were slowly reaching out of the tree branches above her. Optimus didn't seem to notice. Arcee froze in alarm before she reacted. "Look out!"

Airachnid hissed and swiftly pinned Optimus to the ground. Normally, he could have blocked the attack and sent Airachnid running, but he had been caught completely off guard.

Before Optimus could make a move, Airachnid strapped his arms and legs down with webs. Content that the Autobot leader was subdued, Airachnid looked over to Arcee, who was shocked at the event. The corners of Airachnid's mouth twitched upward in an execrable smile.

The spider-legged femme traced a claw along Optimus' frame, watching him tense up and shift away. Airachnid prolonged the action before pressing down and scratching the surface of his body. She produced a few more claws to join in, cutting into the metal. Airachnid continued terrorizing the Autobot before she pierced one of the major Energon lines in his arm, listening to Optimus let out a pain-filled groan. Airachnid did the same action to Optimus' legs and other arm as Arcee's jaw dropped in horror.

Airachnid lifted another claw and it slowly reached toward Optimus' head. Optimus raised his mask in an effort to protect his face, receiving an amused chuckle from Airachnid. "Oh, there's no need for such defensive actions."

Without warning, Airachnid reached down and tore the mask off of the Autobot's face. The former Decepticon held the mask and looked over it with mild interest before tossing it behind her, the piece of metal landing a few inches in front of Arcee. Arcee stared at the object with wide optics before looking back at Airachnid. Arcee would have glared if she wasn't so focused on her injured leader.

Since her prey's head was left defenseless, Airachnid used a claw to scrape downwards across Optimus' right optic. Optimus had closed his optics before Airachnid could do any permanent damage to them, but he could feel the claw scratch until it was close to the bottom of his face. After the offending appendage was removed, Optimus turned his head to the side, though the movement was unusually slow. He could tell that he had lost a large amount of Energon.

Arcee stared at the scene in front of her. She tried to call out to Bulkhead or Bumblebee, but her voice wouldn't cooperate. Arcee watched as Airachnid's claws reached towards Optimus with such grace that in any other circumstance she may have looked like she was dancing.

Airachnid moved closer to Optimus, using a claw to prod at his neck. Once she found a particularly weak area, she stabbed it and spread the wound open. Energon started leaking from the incision, though Airachnid brushed it away. Airachnid hissed again before lunging forward and bitting her prey's neck, injecting acid and poison directly into Optimus' systems.

Arcee gasped, watching as Optimus slowly fell limp against the ground, optics flickering. Airachnid let out a menacing chuckle, sliding a claw around the corner of her mouth to wipe away some poison. A sadistic smirk quickly formed on her face. "I told you that I would have to take extra measures."

That was enough for Arcee. With a roar of rage, Arcee used her blades to slash free from the webs. Arcee was furious with herself for being too shocked to realize that Optimus had removed just enough webbing for her to escape. Arcee lunged forward, punching Airachnid in the face.

Airachnid stumbled backwards, her legs almost giving out on her. She slid a claw around the corner of her mouth again, wiping away the Energon that was leaking from it. Airachnid glared at Arcee, before running forward and trying to stab her. Arcee was too fast for her, though. The Autobot dodged the attack before slicing off one of Airachnid's claws. Airachnid hissed in protest, clutching the wounded limb in her arms.

Airachnid was about to attack Arcee again, but decided against it. Instead, Airachnid formed more acid in her mouth, spitting it onto Optimus' chest. The action made Arcee freeze, though she was more alarmed by the fact that Optimus didn't seem to react.

"So long, Arcee," Airachnid chuckled before transforming into a helicopter and flying off. Arcee shot at her a couple times before her optics widened in shock and she ran over to her fallen leader.

Arcee knelt down, not caring that she was laying in spilt Energon, and tried to remove the acid that was burning into Optimus' chassis. She picked up the remaining acid in her hands and threw it away, ignoring the pain she felt from doing so. Arcee quickly moved over and ripped off the webbing binding her leader to the ground. She couldn't tell if he was breathing.

"Optimus?" Arcee whispered, placing a hand on the Autobot's shoulder. After she didn't receive a response, she tried to find light in Optimus' optics, only to realize that they were closed. Distressed, Arcee gently shook Optimus' arm, trying to rouse him. "Optimus, hang in there!"

Still nothing. Arcee slowly shook her head, fearing the worst. She tried to find a sign that her leader was still alive, but she was too nervous to make sense of what was in front of her.

Arcee looked around her and called out into to forest. "Bulkhead! Bumblebee!"

It took almost a minute for them to get there, but when they did they were overwhelmed by what they saw. It took another yell from Arcee to return them to reality. Bulkhead quickly started an uplink. "Ratchet, we need a GroundBridge now!"

A few seconds later, the GroundBridge opened up in front of them. Bulkhead and Bumblebee carefully lifted Optimus up and carried him through the GroundBridge. Arcee glanced at the Energon she was covered in, anger boiling up inside of her, before she followed the others into the GroundBridge.

Ratchet was there with the med bay ready for the injured Autobot who sent the distress signal, but his optics widened in alarm when he saw the state Optimus was in. The children who were watching television to pass the time quickly shut it off and ran over. Ratchet made room for Bulkhead and Bumblebee to place their leader onto the berth.

Ratchet swiftly moved over to the med bay to get the necessary tools. He set up the monitors above the berth to display Optimus' vitals before he started trying to patch up his main Energon lines. "I need help over here!"

Bumblebee was by Ratchet's side in an instant, handing Ratchet the tools he required when they were needed. Ratchet managed to seal the veins in Optimus' right arm, immediately moving on to his right leg. Bulkhead and Arcee watched in anticipation, hoping that Optimus would be alright.

"Bulkhead, put pressure on his arm!" Ratchet ordered, pointing to Optimus' left. Bulkhead obeyed, trying his best to stop the Energon from leaking. Ratchet wielded the line in Optimus' leg shut and dashed to his other side, attempting to mend his leader's other leg.

Bumblebee beeped in alarm, gesturing to the monitors. Optimus' vitals were fading fast. Ratchet quickened his pace. Arcee stayed back, unsure of what she should do.

After stopping most of Optimus' wounds from leaking, Ratchet grabbed a needle and punctured a vein in his own arm. He used it to take Energon from himself and injected it into his leader. During the transfer, Ratchet felt the needle get considerably lighter. Confused, he pulled out the tool to look over it before he gasped in alarm.

Something was disintegrating the needle. It continued eating away at the tool as it slowly disappeared, leaving only half of the needle functional. Ratchet stared at it in shock before putting the needle down and getting another one. He assumed that it would get destroyed as well, but Optimus needed Energon, and a few broken tools were worth the Autobot leader's survival.

It took almost ten minutes, but Optimus was finally stabilized. Everyone was visibly relieved, even though the Autobot was still unconscious. Ratchet watched over Optimus' vitals, just in case he began to flatline.

"He should recover, but it may take a while." Ratchet said, adjusting the settings on the screen. Taking advantage of the fact that everything had calmed down, Ratchet turned to the rest of the Autobots. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure," Bulkhead admitted, watching as Bumblebee walked over to the concerned children in an effort to show that everything was alright. "Arcee started shooting at someone, then she ran away."

Not in the mood to be accused of anything, Arcee defended herself. "The distress call was a trap set by Airachnid."

That got everyone's attention. Seeing as she had already started, Arcee chose to finish her explanation.

"I followed her, but she trapped me. When Optimus found me, I assumed Airachnid had fled," Arcee continued, glaring at seemingly nothing. "She came back and trapped him. Airachnid attacked and injected poison into Optimus' wounds-"

"She did what?" Ratchet interrupted, turning around and running a scanner over Optimus' chest. The medic looked over the results, his tone dangerously low. "The poison has been expelled from his systems, but not before it caused severe internal damage."

Bumblebee beeped something, looking questioningly at Arcee. Bulkhead nodded and stood straighter. "That's right. Arcee, didn't Optimus tell you to wait for us?"

"I couldn't let Airachnid get away," Arcee crossed her arms, ignoring Ratchet, who gawked in disbelief. "Not again."

"You..." Ratchet began, but he had to start again. He clearly didn't know how to respond. "Arcee, you put everyone in danger by running off on your own! What happened between you and Airachnid isn't worth risking any more lives!"

"You weren't there," Arcee growled, clenching her fists. "You didn't see what she did to Tailgate-"

"That doesn't matter!" Ratchet yelled, pointing to Optimus' still frame. "Do you even realize how close he is to requiring life support!?"

Arcee was going to try and defend herself before the medic's words sunk in. She looked down as she felt the weight of everything that had happened press down on her spark. She opened her mouth to speak before closing it, glancing past Ratchet and staring at her injured leader.

Optimus had indents and gashes all over his body. There were multiple lacerations on his internals, and his glass windows had been almost completely shattered. Some of his wounds were still bleeding. The only sign that he was still alive was the barely noticeable rise and fall of his chest.

Bulkhead and Bumblebee stood farther away with the children. Miko and Jack were trying to comfort Rafael, who looked extremely uncomfortable with all of the fighting going on around him. Bumblebee's doors lowered more every time Optimus' state was brought up. Bulkhead noticed the negativity around him, and tried to lighten the mood. "Hey, kids, let's go play a game in the other room."

Jack looked up at Bulkhead, nodding and leading the other kids away from the med bay. Bumblebee walked along behind them, glancing back once at his leader sadly before leaving.

Ratchet looked like he wanted to say more, but the only thing he managed to do was let out an exasperated breath. He rested an arm against a nearby wall, rubbing a hand over his face. Arcee stood there silently, thinking over everything she had ever done.

Arcee tried to find a fault in her reasoning. Airachnid killed her partner. Airachnid almost killed her leader. Arcee's desire for revenge was overwhelming her.

A loud series of buzzes sounded from somewhere in the room, forcing Arcee from her thoughts. Both Ratchet and Arcee tensed up and looked over to Optimus before they saw the noise was coming from the elevator. The doors opened and Fowler swiftly walked in, an irritated expression on his face.

"Prime, Decepticons have been..." Fowler reported, glancing around the room to try and locate the Autobot leader. He turned around in a circle after making it to the other side of the walkway without spotting him. After a second, Fowler looked down, his eyes widening when he saw Optimus almost lifeless on the berth. "What in the world..."

Ratchet took a step forward. "Do you need something?"

"...Right," Fowler swallowed, fiddling with his tie. He couldn't pry his eyes away from the injured Autobot. He tried to seem formal, but he lost his intimidating composure and instead sounded a little unsure. "Decepticons have been spotted drilling a large hole through the Grand Canyon."

Ratchet nodded, calling Bulkhead and Bumblebee over through an uplink. He watched as Fowler shifted his footing, slightly uncomfortable.

"You have to hurry," Fowler said to both Arcee and Ratchet. "The Feds managed to close off the area for now, but someone is probably going to try to get a look at the Canyon anyway."

Bulkhead and Bumblebee entered the room after a few minutes, since Miko tried to convince Bulkhead not to go because she didn't want him to get hurt as well. Arcee, Bulkhead and Bumblebee transformed into their vehicle modes and stopped in front of the GroundBridge. Ratchet put a hand on the controls and paused to look over his fellow Autobots before activating the GroundBridge.

Bumblebee, Bulkhead and Arcee all drove forward, mentally preparing themselves for what they might find.

The GroundBridge opened up at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, spitting out the Autobots as they readied their weapons for battle. Arcee walked in the front, optics angrily studying everything around her. Bulkhead and Bumblebee watched Arcee carefully, trying to make sure she wouldn't run off again.

Bumblebee quietly chirped something to Bulkhead, who nodded. The former wrecker kept his voice low as he spoke. "Arcee... If this Decepticon is Airachnid..."

Arcee stiffened slightly before quickening her pace. Bulkhead looked over to Bumblebee, who shrugged before they went after her. The team spent a few more minutes walking when Arcee held up a hand.

Rocks flew from around the corner, along with the sound of drilling. The Autobot trio stepped carefully forward, peeking around to see where the debris was coming from.

Numerous Vehicons were trying to break down the side of the Canyon. One of them was driving a drill into the rocks, successfully tearing into it. Knock Out and Dreadwing stood farther back, scanning the area for any Autobot interference. Megatron himself watched over his troops as well, apparently barking orders.

After making sure no one was looking in their general direction, Arcee motioned for Bulkhead and Bumblebee to follow her as she ran along the sidelines and they hid behind a discarded boulder. They would wait every few moments to check if they were seen before slowly making their way closer to where the Decepticon leader stood. Dreadwing and Knock Out were not doing a good job of keeping watch, as they kept getting distracted by Megatron's yelling.

Arcee was about to move to another position when Bumblebee yanked her backwards, pointing towards the Vehicons who had stopped drilling. One of the Vehicons stepped towards the Decepticon leader, bowing in respect before speaking. "Lord Megatron, the relic has been uncovered."

Megatron gave a raspy laugh before he strode into the large hole the drill had made. The Vehicons parted to give their leader room to see the artifact for himself. Megatron walked up to the object, brushing off some dust and dirt that rested on top of it. Compared to a Cybertronian, the object was small. The relic was spherical, and it shined brightly, even though there was not a lot of sunlight to reflect off of it. Megatron picked up the object and it started buzzing with power.

Bulkhead leaned closer to Arcee, dropping his voice into a whisper. "Do you know what that is?"

Bumblebee beeped his reply, shrugging. Arcee shook her head before replying. "No. And apparently, neither does Megatron."

The Decepticon leader had returned to his original position. The Autobots assumed he was asking the other Decepticons about the relic, as they also answered negatively. Knock Out commented on the object with a hand on his hip, receiving a hard glare from Megatron that instantly silenced him.

Arcee was trying so hard to hear what the Decepticons were saying that she accidentally pushed against the boulder hard enough for some rubble to fall off of it. She cursed under her breath and immediately tensed up, as Dreadwing seemed to notice the movement. Dreadwing said something to Megatron, not taking his optics off of the rock. Megatron turned around as well. The Decepticon leader studied the boulder for a moment before charging the cannon on his arm and firing.

The Autobots barely dodged the attack, getting hit by shards of the rock that flew by them. The rest of the Vehicons stopped what they were doing and started firing as well. Arcee swiftly took out two of the drones, jumping over one and making it shoot another before punching it in the head. She was defeating the Decepticons one by one, using her pent up anger as energy.

Knock Out brought out his Energon prod, twirling it in his hands before charging at Bulkhead. Bulkhead kept having to try and dodge, unable to land a hit. Bulkhead feigned an attack to Knock Out's head and then punched the prod out of his hands. Knock Out stumbled backwards, dazed. When he cleared his helm, Knock Out looked up to see Bulkhead charging at him. He didn't have time to move before Bulkhead smacked him and tossed him onto a rock.

Megatron rolled his optics at the pathetic loss, though he paused when he heard the relic buzzing louder. He observed as the object started shaking in his hand.

Bumblebee beeped in surprise as he ducked under Dreadwing's sword. Bumblebee shot at Dreadwing over and over, but the Decepticon kept deflecting the blasts with his sword. Bumblebee backed away from Dreadwing every time he shot, but it was futile. Dreadwing knocked the Autobot scout onto the ground, placing a foot on his chest when he tried to get up. Dreadwing waited for a few seconds before holding his sword above his head. "This is for my brother."

Dreadwing was about to strike when he was tackled from behind by Arcee. She managed to land a few punches before Dreadwing began using his sword as a shield again. Arcee suddenly stepped to the side, allowing Bumblebee to continue the fight.

Arcee jumped over a group of Vehicons, landing in front of Megatron. She readied her blades, getting into a fighting stance. Megatron merely smirked, waiting to her to make the first move. Arcee angrily ran forward, trying and failing to land a hit on the Decepticon leader. Megatron grabbed Arcee by the throat and lifted her into the air before tossing her aside.

Megatron raised an optic ridge as the relic began screeching. He turned the object over as it gained a faint red hue.

Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Arcee stood close together, surrounded by Decepticons. Everyone paused what they were doing when they got distracted by the loud noises resonating from the artifact. Megatron growled, realizing what the object actually was, before he smiled and chucked it at the group of Autobots.

Both Autobots and Decepticons alike watched the relic roll towards them, frozen in place as they waited to see what it would do. The object stopped, blinking red and buzzing at an even tempo.

Arcee stared at the item before her optics widened and she tried to push her friends out of harms way. "It's a bomb!"

Sure enough, the relic exploded. Rocks and flames flew in every direction. The Autobots managed to get behind a boulder in time, only getting singed. The Vehicons weren't so lucky.

The dust took a few moments to settle, and when it did, Megatron saw the destruction the weapon had caused. The rest of the Vehicons were either critically injured, or permanently offline, while Knock Out had been temporarily knocked out by the blast. Dreadwing groaned and slowly pushed himself up, blinking before trying to see if any of the Autobots were caught in the blast.

Arcee had her arms up over her head. After a minute of silence, she removed them and glanced around to locate her comrades. To her relief, they seemed relatively unharmed, though Bumblebee looked like he was in shock. Megatron stepped closer to the Autobots, Dreadwing helping Knock Out to his feet before walking behind their leader.

Knock Out shook his helm before frantically checking himself over. He grumbled in disdain when he saw that his paint was scratched and covered in dirt. Dreadwing glanced at Megatron, raising and optic ridge. "A trap?"

"A trick," Megatron replied. "There was never a relic here to begin with."

"You mean I got my paint defiled for nothing?" Knock Out complained, though he was promptly ignored. Multiple Vehicons surrounded the Autobots, guns charged.

Arcee knew that they wouldn't be able to escape unscathed. They were almost backed against the wall. Arcee stared furiously at Megatron, who slowly approached her.

"Where is your leader, Autobots?" Megatron looked around with a smirk before laughing. "Is he yet again laying stricken with Cybonic Plague?"

Arcee growled furiously. She was about to lunge at the Decepticon when Bulkhead called out to her. "Arcee, it's too dangerous!"

Bulkhead didn't wait for Arcee to respond. He started an uplink with Ratchet, telling him that they needed a GroundBridge.

Ratchet didn't reply, but a few seconds later, a GroundBridge appeared behind the Autobots. When it didn't look like Arcee was going anywhere, Bumblebee reached over and grabbed her arm, leading her away from the Decepticon leader. Bulkhead motioned for them to hurry. "Arcee, we can't win this one! Let's go!"

Arcee glared daggers at Megatron before complying and running though the GroundBridge with the others.

When Arcee stepped inside of the base, the first thing she noticed was that Ratchet was hooking wires onto Optimus' chest. Arcee heard Bulkhead gasp and Bumblebee buzz in alarm behind her, but she ignored them and instead hurried next to Ratchet.

Ratchet looked down at Arcee, sadly. He hadn't looked that upset since the event with the Cybonic Plague.

"He flatlined." Ratchet spoke, his voice softer than usual. "I had no choice but to put him on life support."

Everyone was shocked into silence. The only thing that could be heard was the sound of the wires attached to Optimus' frame, breathing for him.

"But..." Bulkhead whispered, slumping against a wall. "... He was getting better..."

Rage boiled inside of him. Bulkhead reached down and clenched the closest tool he could grab. He prepared to smash it before Ratchet stepped in.

"Bulkhead, stop," Ratchet said, keeping his voice steady so he wouldn't yell. "I need that to try and repair Optimus' internals. Don't break it."

Bulkhead froze. He squeezed the tool once more before gently placing it down. He reluctantly shoved himself off of the wall and trudged away to find Miko. Bumblebee's doors drooped. He beeped quietly to Optimus before following Bulkhead out of the room. He knew that Rafael could cheer him up.

Ratchet watched the Autobots leave, noticing multiple scratches on their frames. Ratchet sat down on an empty berth, crossing his arms. He felt helpless. He knew that he couldn't fix his leader's internal wounds. Ratchet hoped that Optimus had the strength to pull through on his own.

Arcee glanced at the ground, feeling unworthy of even being in the same room as her leader. Optimus' state was worse than ever. The color of his paint seemed slightly grey, but that may have been Arcee's optics playing tricks on her.

Arcee looked at the monitors, viewing Optimus' vitals with guilt. The monitor was barely registering Optimus' spark.

Arcee continued watching his vitals for a few minutes before averting her optics. She looked over at Ratchet, who was still seated on the berth. He was leaning against the wall, optics closed. Being so stressed had left him exhausted. Arcee walked over to the medic, placing a gentle hand on his arm to rouse him. "Ratchet, you've done all you could. Go recharge."

Ratchet glanced over at Optimus, opening his mouth to object. Arcee spoke first.

"I'll watch over him." Arcee reassured with the tiniest hint of a smile, though it disappeared as quickly as it formed. Ratchet stayed still before grumbling and reluctantly complying, exiting the room to get some rest. He knew he wouldn't be able to do anything right when he was tired.

Arcee stood in the middle of the room, trying to sort her thoughts. She looked over to Optimus, forming a way to say what she knew she needed to say.

"Optimus?" Arcee asked softly, willing her leader to wake up. She knew that she wasn't going to get a response, so she continued. "I know that you probably can't hear me, but I just have to tell you that we need you."

Arcee paused again, glancing at Optimus' vitals, which seemed to have decreased since the last time she looked at them.

"We failed our last mission," Arcee reported, taking a seat on the nearby berth and resting her head in her hands. "It was my fault. I let my anger get the best of me. We lost another battle because of my actions."

She stopped again. Unwilling to stay still, Arcee stood up and paced for a minute before pausing in front of Optimus. He looked worse than ever, almost on the brink of offlining for good. Arcee looked over her ailing leader, shaking her head.

"Without you, we're not going to win this war. We can't stand to lose another Autobot..." Arcee spoke, her voice dropping into a whisper. "... I can't stand to lose another friend."

Arcee sat down on the empty berth and closed her optics as she tried to figure out what she needed to do.

He felt nothing.

He couldn't even tell if he was on the ground. If there was a lack of Energon flowing through his veins, there would have at least been a numbing sensation, but there wasn't. It was the most peace he had felt in a long time.

He suddenly felt uncomfortable. It was barely noticeable at first, but the discomfort was quickly working its way throughout his entire frame. He could hear the slow beeps of a spark monitor, though they sounded far away.

The uncomfortable feeling slowly began turning into pain. The pain traveled through his being, ever so slightly rousing his systems. He couldn't tell if he had the strength to online his optics. The pain intensified. Optimus felt like he was burning on the inside, but he was to exhausted to do anything about it.

Arcee never meant for her friends to get hurt.

She was willing to sacrifice her life for them, but she felt like whenever she went outside, they were sacrificing their lives for her.

Even though it didn't seem like it, Arcee knew that revenge would never bring Tailgate back. She just couldn't let go of the past. Every time she saw Airachnid's face, Arcee remembered Tailgate offlining right in front of her. She saw the entire event whenever she closed her optics. It was destroying her on the inside.

Arcee's optics snapped open. She stared at Optimus, wondering if she heard what she thought she heard. After a few seconds, Optimus let out a barely audible groan. Arcee was at his side in an instant, watching him in anticipation.

Optimus' optics flickered once, then slowly opened. He blinked to try and clear his blurry vision. He tilted his head, looking to the side. He spoke slowly, his voice extremely weak. "... Arcee...?"

Arcee sighed in pure relief, a concerned smile on her face. "Optimus..."

Optimus tried to sit up, but pain wracked his frame and he laid back down with another groan. Arcee placed a comforting hand on his arm. Optimus waited until his breathing slowed before he spoke again. "... Airachnid...?"

"She got away," Arcee replied, clenching her fists. "I won't let her live next time."

"... No," Optimus' optics glowed sadly, flickering again. Arcee watched her leader, wondering if he was only half conscious.

"Optimus, look at what she did to you," Arcee gestured to the cables keeping him alive. "She put you on life support!"

"... Not... for me..." Optimus explained, taking a few more breaths before continuing. "... Not for... revenge..."

Arcee studied Optimus face, trying to make sense of what he was saying. He didn't want Arcee to kill for him. He didn't want Arcee to kill for anyone. Arcee blinked, processing what was going through her head, and what her leader kept telling her.

"...If Airachnid must be... destroyed..." Optimus insisted, blinking as another shock went through him. "... It should be... to prevent her... from..."

"To prevent her from hurting anyone else..." Arcee finished, looking down before nodding in understanding.

For a moment, the only sound in the room was Optimus' breathing. Arcee embraced that silence with open arms, using it to help her think. Her mind kept drifting to the conversation she had in the forest. Arcee lowered her voice.

"... I'm ready to talk now," She said. At Optimus' questioning expression, she continued. "... About Tailgate. I'm not sure you'll want to listen after what happened to you, but..."

Optimus regarded her carefully before he gave one of his rare smiles. "... I will... always... listen..."

Arcee was about to say something else when she saw Optimus tense up, his optics shut tightly. "Are you in pain?"

She waited for Optimus relax against the berth so he could answer, but when he did relax, he looked too worn out to speak.

Arcee stood up and walked over to Ratchet's tools, looking for something. After locating a long cord attached to one of the monitors, she turned back around. "Do you want me to induce stasis?"

Optimus slowly shook his head. Arcee nodded, returning to her position beside her leader.

They did not speak. Every time Optimus was struck with pain, Arcee put a hand on his in comfort. The cycle continued until Optimus finally dropped into recharge.

Ratchet returned a few hours later, and he looked happier than he had in a while when he heard that Optimus had woken up. He scanned his leader once again, reporting with a relieved smile on his face that Optimus should make a full recovery.

The days went by quickly after that. No Decepticon activity had been reported. Rafael taught Bumblebee how to use a remote control car. Bulkhead repaired all of Ratchet's tools that he had broken. Jack helped Miko pass her test. Optimus was finally well enough to stand on his own.

Arcee recalled the conversation she and Optimus had in the forest. She hadn't yet apologized for what she said, but she was finally prepared to do it.

"What happened to Tailgate was unfortunate, but you cannot go after someone's spark with corrupt intent. Do you understand?"

Arcee finally understood.