This Transformers Prime fan fiction takes place a few years in the future. Jack works and goes to school while still helping out the team and being a devoted mate and father. Hope you Enjoy it.

A Father's Nightmare

As the orange light of the Nevada sunset washed over the parking garage of a three floor building, Jack hoisted his duffel bag over his shoulder as he glanced at the time on his cell phone. 5:00 pm exactly. He was looking forward to getting back to base and trying to get a few hours of sleep before starting his two evening classes at the University.

"Good thing I wrote that report for Fowler during my break this afternoon or that would have cut into my sleep." As he got in his car, an old model he bought just to have transportation back and forth when Arcee wasn't available; he thought of his true love Arcee and how even at times like this, end of the day, tired as anything; he missed her and loved her so much.

At 5:20 pm, Jack pulled into the Autobot base. As he opened the driver side door, Jack was greeted by a bit of a commotion. The twenty-two year squinted a moment as he saw a large ball of steal go whizzing by. Then he ducked as Smokescreen came clambering after it.

"Oh, sorry dude, Bee and I were just having a bit of fun. We'll take it into the wreck area."

Jack shrugged his shoulders a moment then saw Miko on the couch in the living room area. He surprised to see her.

"Aren't you supposed to be in school-in Japan?" He smiled at her with his arms crossed.

"Oh hey Jack. Didn't like the school my parents picked out for me. So I transferred to a University here in the US. With the ground bridge and all, I can come and visit anytime."

Jack shook his head, but was glad she was there.

Just then Jack heard a commotion above his head and suddenly a small grey bot with a pink arrow on her head came crashing down, into Jacks surprised arms.

The little bot gave him a huge smile and a tight hug. "Hi Daddy, you're home."

Jack braced himself with her weight but was glad to see the little girl in his arms. "Brightshine? Sweetheart, what were you doing up there?"

"I was exploring the upper catwalk when I saw you." She hugged him again. "I miss you when you're away Daddy."

Jack set the young bot down on her feet. "I miss you too sweetheart. Where's mommy?"

Smokescreen walked into the room again. "Optimus, Arcee and Bulkhead went out to survey the area where our new base will be built. Because it sure is crowded around here." Smokescreen waved a hand.

Jack looked at Smokescreen a moment. "Who was left in charge of Brightshine?"

Smokescreen glanced at the small bot rubbing the back of his head a moment. "Um, I was. Sorry, the little bot is fast. I thought she was playing in her room."

"Ok. Well I have to get some sleep before my classes." He took Brightshine's hand. "Come on Sweetheart, you should power down for a little while too."

"But I'm not tired." The small grey bot complained.

"Yes you are."

Jack set Brightshine in her bed then gave her the favorite Bumblebee doll before the little girl shut her neon sea foam green eyes and powered down. Jack smiled seeing his little girl so peaceful as she rested. He both wondered and dreaded the thought of his little girl a teenage bot, full of strength and stubbornness.

He shook his head. His little girl was a sweet kid, a miraculous sweet child. He couldn't imagine her causing a problem for him and Arcee.

He was so tired he barely took off his sneakers before falling on the bed that set for him. He quickly drifted into sleep.

The Nevada night sky was beautiful as millions of stars tinkled above two metal beings sitting on the grass together. One a large insecticon beetle and the other tall slender female grey bot with a pink arrow on her head.

The young cybertronian female sighed as she set her hand on the insecticons chest plating.

"The sky is so lovely isn't it. I'm glad you were able to get away from your duties tonight. Even for a little while."

The larger male set his clawed hand over her shoulder. "For a moment earlier I thought I would not be able to. But I managed to give the Doctor the slip. Why I said I would be his new assistant, I'll never know."

The girl smiled. "I think it's great he let's you work with him. Considering he didn't think very highly of your father."

The male shut his eyes a moment with the mention of his fore-bearer. "Hard-shell was a good soldier. Unfortunately, I came out nothing like him. Perhaps that's why the hive disowned me."

The male looked at the female beside him. "At least I have you." He ran a single claw along her cheek. "The most beautiful Autobot I've ever seen." Brightshine smiled at that. "Even if your father is a human."

Brightshine sat up and stared at him. "Hey."

The young male insecticon put up his clawed hands in defense. "I was kidding."

Brightshine lowered her eyebrows at him but gave a smile. "You'd better be."

The young male put a claw to her cheek again. "But seriously. What if your Mother and Father find out about us. It won't be a picnic that's for sure."

Brightshine put a hand to the side of his face staring into his red visor. "I know, but I'm ready for anything, because I love you."

The two stared at one another the stars above them shining.

Back at the base, Arcee and Jack paced back and forth. It was three in the morning and Brightshine had not reported in. Her training sessions skipped and her duties around the base left undone.

Jack continued to worry. "Where could she be? What if something happened to her?"

Arcee saw him and knelt and set a metal hand to his cheek. "I'm sure she's fine. She's probably caught in traffic or something."

"Traffic?" jack repeated. "She can transform into an aerial vehicle." Jack stared out the window again. "I heard her talking about that young insecticon the Decepticons added into their ranks a few years back, I bet she's with him."

"Jack that's ridiculous. She knows better than that. After all the scrap that the insecticons put us through, she wouldn't dare-"

Before Arcee could finish, Brightshine came walking down the hall. The girl yawned before seeing her mother and father standing there. She saw the looks on their faces and surmised they were not very happy.

"Hey guys. Sorry I'm late. Traffic and all that." She walked towards her power unit. "I'm beat, I'll see you in the morning."

Jack gritted his teeth. He went to walk after her but Arcee set a hand on his shoulder. "Let me."

"Brightshine."

At the sound of her name, the grey bot glanced over her shoulder. "We'll talk tomorrow Mom, I'm beat."

"We'll talk now." Arcee set a hand on her hip as the younger female saw her. Brightshine stood there staring at the mother, the blue female autobus not very happy with her.

"Just tell me why. After everything this team has been, this family, your family; why him, why a Decepticon, an insecticon no less." Arcee looked at her.

Brightshine put her hands up. "Why do you keep judging him? He is a good person."

"He's a Decepticon and an insecticon on top of that!" Arcee looked back at Jack who stood behind her his arms crossed.

"Daddy, he's not the evil demon you make him out to be. He's kind and intelligent. He's different from the others. He admitted that. And he knows the difference between us, but he loves me. And I love him."

"It doesn't matter. The Decepticons are our enemies and we can't let you be with him." Arcee stood straight.

"That's all you think about? How they are the enemy. The decepticons are going through a transition right now. Who is to say they are our enemies." The younger female said trying to reason with them.

Arcee crossed her arms. If she had been human, she would have had a headache by now.

"Look at Soundwave. He was a great help to us a year ago. Even he knows the war is coming to an end. Megatron can't last much longer. His mind will surely break."

"Brightshine though most of the Decepticons have left Megatron's ranks, and the insecticon hive have dispersed themselves, there are still dangerous elements out there for us and you. Starscream in still MIA and no one knows if or when he'll pop up. And when he does, what side will he be on." Arcee told her daughter, hoping she was getting through.

"It doesn't matter." Jack started suddenly. "Non of that matters. The fact is as miraculous as your creation was, you are in fact my daughter and to go against my wishes is show of complete disrespect towards your father. Is that what really want to do?" Jack stared at her. Arcee was a bit surprised he would put the 'father' card on her, but something inside her beamed.

Brightshine, who of course stood larger than her human father, stared at him, a bit sad and unsure what to say. The fact was she loved her father very much and never really saw herself as being different from him until she became a teen. Even then, her father meant everything to her. She was stuck on him like glue. She couldn't imagine her life without him in it.

Tiredness hitting her, she fell to her knees, now eye level with her father. Jack put a hand to her pink side fin of her face then stepped closer to her. He ran the back of his hand over her helmet and down the side of her face his fingers resting by her small chin. He stared into her electric sea-foam green eyes. He knew by all technicalities she was made of metal and bolts, circuitry and wires, but her spark, her living essence was real, alive, and the spark that beat in her chest was not only hers but his as well. Though he was made of flesh and bone, he was by a miracle a part of her creation. This girl in front of him was in fact his daughter, a precious gift given to him by the woman he loved. He couldn't imagine his life without her.

He stroked her cheek gently. "Brightshine, you are a miracle for your mother and me. But more than that-I love you more you can ever imagine. And to think thing of life without is too much to bare. I can not live without you."

Arcee was going say something, but decided to let Jack have his time.

The teenaged bot could feel something in her chest ache. Brightshine stared at her father, on the brink of tears, somehow she was able to shed them. She leaned close and lay her head on his shoulder. She could feel his warmth on her. She never once saw her father as being a strange little human, or used her size against him when she got older. She was always her father, the one she loved and respected. She pulled back and looked at him.

"You mean the world to me Daddy. I love you so much." She suddenly stood up and took a step back. "But Hard-Wire is different, like me. He and I are meant for one another. So if being with him means being away from my family" Arcee jumped towards her daughter as a ground bridge not of Ratchets making opened up, and at the far end stood Hard-Wire. "Then I guess I have to say goodbye."

Arcee jumped after her daughter, but the portal closed to fast. Arcee fell to her knees, her and Jack crying out for their beloved daughter.

"Nooooo, Brightshine please come back!" Jack tossed back and forth.

"Jack?"

Jack heard his name and opened his eyes to see his Arcee kneeling over the bed staring at him. He sat up quickly then jumped up out of the bed. "Arcee? Where's Brightshine?!"

"Jack, calm down." Arcee put a hand to his cheek. "I just checked on her. She's still in power down mode." She gave her love a sympathetic look. "You were having a nightmare."

Arcee settled herself on the floor beside him as he sat back down. "A horrible nightmare." He told her.

Jack got up and went into his daughter's room where he found her still sleeping. He touched her sweet small face leaned forward and kissed her head. Arcee watched him. "She IS a miracle, I know that." He said as Arcee stood beside him looking at their daughter. "One I cannot imagine my life without." He said putting a hand on the little girls head.

Arcee was worried for her love. She knelt beside him, and put her arms around his shoulders nuzzling her face beside his. "That dream really rattled you. Want to talk about it?"

Jack caressed her cheek then turned and kissed her. "No. For now I am happy to know the ones I love, my family are safe."

As they stood, touching their heads together, their daughter beside them, Jack now filled with a sense of peace he had needed for a long while. A sense of peace he wished all beings in the universe could have.

The End

Sorry if it seems like a sappy tear jerker but I like sappy tear jerker stories. They're easier to write in a shorter period than action stories.