Rian: And a new chapter. Woot! and twenty reviews! So happy~ -tears up- And as for the poll, here's the standing!

Optimus: Five

Ironhide: Two

Ratchet: Seven

Arcee: Three

Sideswipe/Sunstreaker: two

...And the winner is Ratchet! Congrats Ratchet ;p

Inky: I'm surprised she actually kept count ^_^" Anyway, enjoy!

When Jack awoke, he was surprised to find the base mostly empty, bar a few soldiers and bots. That was odd. The place was normally buzzing with chatter and the clattering of giant footsteps.

He sighed. Maybe they were out on recon or something. But without telling him? He didn't even see Sam anywhere.

He shook his head. No, there was no need to worry. He turned, deciding to explore while he waited. There was no one around to tell him which way was which, or to show him around. He was eager for them to come back. It was startling boring without the sound of giant footsteps, clanging metal and chatter.

With a shrug, he picked a hall and was off.

"Th' base should be up ahead." Said Ironhide, folding his hands to signal the Autobots and NEST.

"Prepare to move in." Said Optimus quietly, readying his weapon.

Autobot and human alike nodded.

"Optimus, no one appears to be here." Said Ratchet. He decided to go anyways, even if it was against orders. If someone got hurt they wouldn't have anyone to repair them and more lives might be lost if he was absence.

"We shall see." The Prime replied quietly, optics narrowed as he looked about.

He saw a human soldier enter a secluded and well hidden building. Optimus watched carefully to see how the NEST soldiers could sneak in. A guard came around the building, looking alert as he walked a routine rout, ever alert for signs of attack. He gestured for the soldiers to move in, a lone man going in covertly. The soldier managed to get behind the guard, knocking him out with the butt of his gun. The man slumped forward, bleeding at the head and limp.

They entered the building swiftly, and was a small fight ensued in which only a few of NEST were injured. After disabling the M.E.C.H soldiers, the garage around back was opened, allowing the bots in. They ripped the hanger doors off their hinges, forcing their way into the cramped building.

It seemed most of the operation had already been moved elsewhere. They must have known the Autobots were coming. Only a few remnants remained along with decoy guards.

"Damn it!" Epps hissed angrily. They'd gotten away! No wonder the security wasn't tight. There was no one there.

Ironhide and Ratchet went, starting to look over the computers while the others searched the room, looking through scraps of data left behind in the hast transfer. Much of it was corrupted beyond repair.

"Search thoroughly and find anything of value. Report to me if you do."

"Yes sir." They replied, Ratchet and Ironhide going over to the computer and looking over the files. A moment later, Ratchet looked up, brows creased as he spoke to Optimus..

"Optimus. There are audio logs on here."

"Play them."

Ratchet nodded, turning to the console.

"Log 21. Three weeks since Silas got us to start interrogating the kid, Jack Darby. I swear, this kids pain tolerance is unbelievable." It continued on to say more, the watchers become appalled. "He only screams under the most intense torture and has yet to beg for mercy of any kind. I have never seen anything like it. It's rather boring when he refuses to plead or even scream."

There was a sigh and shifting before the man continued.

"We're getting ready to implant the cybernetics. He has a synchro rate of 96, it's unbelievable." He seemed excited at this, a cheery tone in the voice. "Silas will be pleased when he is informed of the synchro rate. Our other experiments have all failed. If this one succeeds perhaps I will even gain Silas favor."

The log ended.

"Are there more?" Optimus asked, looking to Ratchet.

"Yes."

"Show them."

The medic grimaced, doing as told. What they say made many veterans sick to their stomachs, fuel tanks in the Autobots was some vomiting on the human side before Ratchet turned it off and finally stepped back. He looked better for wear than the others, his nature as a medic kicking in.

"The rest are gone."

"Is there anyway for you to retrieve them or trace the source?"

"None."

Optimus sighed. So much for stopping them. This mission was an utter failure. Sideswipe needed to learn more covert methods of detainment. No doubt one of the other M.E.C.H soldiers saw him capturing that lone human. Prime was drawn from his thoughts and everyone jumped when Sams phone rang. He answered it.

"Hey jack."

A moment of silence.

"What do you mean you're lost in the base?!"

Jack huffed as he was scolded at softly by Ratchet on how dangerous it was to explore alone. "I was just looking around! Sheesh, I'm not two!" The medic huffed, forcing Jack to lie down despite his desire to stand. Jack crossed his arms, a tick in his head.

"Jack, you could have waited!" Ratchet exclaimed, tired from the day and not in the mood to argue. Jack sighed.

"Look, I'm sorry, alright?"

"I know." Ratchet said, sighing. "I just worry for you."

"I'm sixteen, I can handle myself!"

"We know that." Ratchet said quietly, not quite assured. Jack was too important to allow harm, much like Sam. Ratchet couldn't imagine something else happening to the poor teen. He didn't want to either.

"So you shouldn't worry so much!"

"It's a medics nature to worry."

Jack frowned. He got lost, not hurt. Ratchet was treating him like a little kid! "You just want a reason to keep me in the medbay." He accused dramatically, pointing a finger at him. Ratchet grinned and chuckled, giving Jack an epiphany.

"Perhaps."

"Ah ha! I knew it!"

"Yes yes...Now go back to the medbay and rest." He chided lightly. Jack huffed, but did as told and walked off to his official hangout in the medbay. Once he was sure Jack was out of earshot, Ratchet turned to Optimus, face turning grim. Optimus had a similar expression. "Should we continue our search for this M.E.C.H.?"

"Yes. We owe it to Jack, and we should know more about them."

"Of course. I won't stop searching until we've brought an end to them." Ratchet vowed, tightfisted and firm in his decision.

"Oh?"

"I do not want any more to happen to him. He's gone through enough." Optimus nodded gravely.

"I agree, old friend. I agree."

Ratchets optics hardened at the thought of Jacks past, but shook the thoughts from his mind as he turned to the injured. "Alright, those who are damaged, come here and I will repair you."

Everyone was hesitant to approach him upon seeing the unadulterated anger on Ratchets face and the ever unwavering wrench.

Jack sighed, kicking his legs about. "I'm booorreedd..." He groaned, flopping back as he watched Ratchet patch up flesh wounds.

"Good. That means you can help me." Ratchet replied, placing down a small roll of gauze in front of Jack. Jack grumbled as he sat up, scratching his bed hair as he turned to the medic.

"What do you need me to do?"

"Patch up some minor wounds after disinfecting them and place the gauze firmly over the cuts." He answered without looking his way, using an arc welder to meld an Autobots wound. Jack nodded, already setting himself to work on a nearby soldier who looked wary at having a little kid fixing up his injuries.

"Got it." Jack set to work quickly, wrapping up wounds expertly. No one had anything to worry about.

"You catch on quicker than Sam." He praised, chuckling.

"My mom's a nurse." Jack replied, expression becoming sad at the thought of his mother. Ratchet persisted nonetheless, shooting questions at the teen. Finally there was a human competent enough to take orders and follow through. Medicine wise anyway. Jack was still young, even by the human standards.

"Was she? She must have passed her talent down to you."

Jack shrugged. "She showed me stuff, just in case. She always worries." He said, a touch of pain in his voice. It was quickly washed away as Jack cleared his throat. He couldn't break down now. Not after everything he had been through.

"Ah. She must have been a good nurse then."

"The best." Jack said confidently, smiling bright and true. His smile was infectious, as Ratchet smiled in return.

"Of that, I have no doubt."

A silence then fell, but it was a comfortable one. One where no words were needed. The two were soon finished with fixing up soldiers, human and bot alike. Ratchet thought Jack did a good job The teen, now fully spent on energy, flopped down and promptly fell asleep. Ratchet laughed, picking the teen up and placing him onto a human sized bed where he was then covered up as Jack snuggled into the pillow. The medic, ensuring the human would not fall out of the bed anytime soon, left to the main hanger.

"That squirt actually knows his stuff." Said one soldier, who's arm had been placed in a cast by Jack.

"No kidding." Another replied. "But I could've done without him yelling at me about running into fire."

"You sure he ain't a humanized Ratchet? They sure act alike..."

"No way. Jack's got a sense of humor." The other smirked, laughing.

"True. Ratchet has a stick up his-"

The humans scattered as a wrench was chucked at them. Ratchet smirked as the humans fled, give him a wide berth. Optimus looked up at the commotion, a slight smile on his features as he saw it was just Ratchet, as usual.

"How is Jack?"

"He's out cold on a bed." Ratchet informed, pointing back to the medbay.

"Hopefully he will recover some lost sleep then."

"Indeed. He hasn't had much in the past few nights."

Both sighed.

"Any discoveries on Jacks cybernetics?"

"None. But he spoke of his mother. He's opening up to us more, slowly but surely." Ratchet said, smiling. Optimus seemed pleased at the revelation.

"That is reassuring. I was afraid he would close himself off." Ratchet nodded in agreement.

"As was I." Ratchet paused, then, "So...anything on M.E.C.H?" He asked. Optimus shook his head, confirming his suspicions. They were a clever group of humans at the least. Had he not seen the abandoned base for himself he would not have believed that they moved so quickly.

"Not yet. They covered their tracks well."

"I can understand tha- Will you two stop it?!" He yelled, attention redirected to the twins.

"What? We aren't doing anything!"

"You think I don't see those water buckets?! Last time you dumped them all over the human soldiers!" They inched away slowly, hands behind their backs with false innocence on their faces before running off laughing, avoiding a furious Ratchet chasing after them.

~Later, Dreamsequence~

Jack's whole body was aching with pain. It wouldn't stop! The soldiers and medics and scientists wouldn't stop! His lips bled as he bit down to keep himself from screaming, but some slipped through as the scientist continued to prod and slice him open. He wanted to plead, to beg for them to stop. But he couldn't. No, he had to be strong!

"Is it ready?" He heard one say, unable to see through the bright flash of light.

"Yes sir."

"Then insert it." Came a familiar cold and calloused voice. Then came the most excruciating pain Jack ever felt.

He screamed.

~Dream end~

Jack shot straight up in his bed in a cold sweat, panting, eyes wide and pupils narrowed. Just a dream, he thought with an exhale of air he didn't realize he was holding in. Thank God. Or Primus. Whoever was out there watching over their miserable existence. He honestly felt like they were amused at watching their fates play out sometimes.

"Jack? Ya alright?" The teen looked over to see Ironhide, who was fixing some dented armor. He had looked over at the sudden, staggered yell.

"Uh...yeah...yeah I'm fine. Just a bad dream.."

"Ya sure? Should I get Ratchet or somethin'?"

"N-no! No, I'm fine." Jack reassured quickly. Last thing he needed was Ratchet hovering over him.

"Alright." Ironhide shrugged, focusing again on repairing his armor. Jack took a shaky breath, trying to calm his shivering frame. Ironhide frowned, not liking how worked up the little human was. "Hey relax." Ironhide said, patting him on the back. "No one's gonna shoot ya."

The pat, gentle for a bot, still made the air leave Jack for a moment, making the teen cough and bend uncomfortably.

"Y-yeah, I know."

"What're dreams anyway?" He asked curiously, loosing some focus on his cannon as he looked over. Jack blinked in surprise. Did he really not know?

"Uh...well...they're images your mind makes, and you see them when you sleep."

"Why do they happen? The closest thing we have to tha' is when memories are replayed in recharge."

Jack shrugged.

"It's sorta like that, I guess."

"Oh. Humans are strange."

"Thanks a lot." Jack snorted.

"Not jus' you. Humans in general. Strange creatures." The black mech explained, indifferent.

"Well so are Cybertronians."

"Hn." Was all Ironhide said.

"And hey, what happened to Mr. 'You are nothing but a liability'? I thought you didn't like me." Ironhide snorted, a dry laugh rumbling in his chest. "What?" He asked, not liking that Ironhide was laughing at him.

"That was when I was in a bad mood."

Jack raised a brow. "And this is a good mood?" The teen asked incredulously.

"Yep."

"That's scary."

Ironhide chuckled, Jack laying back down in his bed and watching the mech for a few more moments. With a huff, Jack turned, curling on his side and closing his eyes. Soon, he drifted off, this time without nightmares.

~Next day~

"C'mon Ratchet, I wanna go out! I've been cooped up here forever!" The medic groaned. He just wasn't going to quit, was he? He was so tempted to squirt sedatives into the restless teens face, just to give himself a moments peace.

"You've asked me four times now. The answer is still no."

"C'mon! Please?"

"No."

"Pleeaaassee?"

"No." He replied bluntly. Jack huffed, beginning to sulk, grumbling about mean medics and twisting a few wires. Ratchet sighed in resignation.

"Where is it you want to go?"

"Anywhere that isn't here."

"Then perhaps you could stay the night with either Will or Sam?" Jack laughed.

"I meant anywhere but the medbay, and I'd rather not intrude on anyone."

"I'm sure they wouldn't mind. They do like you after all. It is and I quote 'Anywhere that isn't here.'" He grinned, using Jacks own words against him. Jack shrugged.

"Still."

"You wanted to go out." Ratchet said, smirking as he motioned with a hand. "Now of with you! Go find Sam." Jack huffed, sticking his tongue out childishly before leaving the medbay. Hopefully he wouldn't get lost this time. Ratchet was hanging over him enough as it is and getting lost on a straight line wouldn't earn him any favors.

Sam and Jack joked as bee drove them towards Sam's house. "Thanks again for letting me stay at your house. I was going crazy in base." He said gratefully, flashing a grin over to Sam.

"No problem. Ratchet would drive anyone to insanity." Jack laughed, nodding in agreement. It was true enough.

"Don't let him hear you say that."

"Yeah, or I'd have to face his wrench of doom." Jack laughed again, ducking his head.

"No kidding. So you're sure your mom and dad won't mind?"

"I'm sure but I have to warn that they're kinda...weird." He warned in his most serious voice. Jack didn't take him seriously though, to his misfortune.

"What parent isn't?" Jack joked.

Sam shrugged. "I guess." He said. At least Jack couldn't say he didn't warn him. 'Bee pulled into the garage, doors popping open. He transformed once in it's confines, watching his human and Jack. He waved at them as they exited the garage.

"Nice place."

Sam nodded, shrugged, and smiled as they walked the path through the back yard. "Well it's home." He said, hands in his pockets, strolling along.

"Bigger than any house I've been in. And the yard lost more well kept than I've ever seen."

"Yeah, dads picky about that. It's his pride and joy." Sam said, smirking slightly.

"Oh. Uptight parents?" Jack asked, looking at the nip and tuck grass and carefully placed lawn ornaments.

"More like a garden loving dad and overprotective mom."

"Oh." Sam led the way into his house through the back door through a thankfully repaired lawn and house. Mom had been ready to beat the crap out of Bumblebee with her bat when he blew out the side of the house. Thankfully his dad had been more initiate on the matter.

"Mom! Dad! I'm home!"

"Shut the door son, you're letting out all the AC!" Came his fathers voice.

Jack laughed and shut the door himself. Sam sighed dramatically. "Yeah dad...I'll be in my room!" He called back, trying to rush to the stairs.

"Hold on, who's he?" A man asked, head poking around the corner to look at Jack, holding a glass of wine and had a pink tiny to his cheeks.

"Just my friend. He's staying here tonight."

"Alright. No staying up all night." He hiccuped, nodding.

"Oh Sam, whose your little friend?" Said his mother, Judy, holding a little chihuahua in her arms. Sam sighed. They couldn't just let him go peacefully.

"His names Jack." He explained, hoping to be let go now. 'Please,', he begged silently, 'before they embarrass me'.

"Nice to meet you." Jack smiled. The woman blinked, then squealed, going over and hugging a confused and embarrassed Jack. "Uh...?" Was Jacks intelligent response, silently asking for Sam to help him.

"Mom...mom, he can't breathe if you squeeze him like that."

"Oh but he's so adorable! You've made a new friend!" She laughed, hugging him tighter, Jack choking and grasping for air.

"I won't if he dies of suffocation!"

"Sorry sweetie." She laughed, letting a blue faced Jack go. The raven teen stumbled slightly, but regained his balance and breath. His neck had a crick.

"We'll-we'll just be upstairs, okay Ma?"

"Alright! Have fun!"

"Hurry up before she gets any crazy ideas." Sam whispered, racing upstairs. Jack quickly followed into the safety of the others room, of which Sam quickly locked despite his fathers rule of no locked doors in the house. He turned his head to look at Sam. They stared at each other in silence for a few minutes, neither saying anything to the other.

"Your moms crazy." Jack murmured, leaning against the shut door. Sam hung his head, embarrassed.

"Yes. Yes she is."

"Does she treat all your guest like that?"

"Uh, not always." Sam replied, grinning sheepishly.

"Why me..." Jack muttered, pitying himself and trying to fix his poor neck.

Sam laughed.