Brotherhood

Chapter 1 The Prime

A/N: memories are in italics.

Vorn=83 years Breem=8.3 Minutes Click=Minute Nanoclick=second Orbital Cycle=one month

Disclaimer: Transformers and Lyrics do not belong to me.

"No one could ever know me, no one could ever see me
Since you're the only one who knows what it's like to be me
Someone to face the day with, make it through all the rest with
Someone I'll always laugh with
Even at my worst, I'm best with you, yeah

It's like you're always stuck in second gear
When it hasn't been your day, your week
Your month, or even your year I'll be there for you
(When the rain starts to pour)
I'll be there for you
(Like I've been there before)
I'll be there for you
('Cause you're there for me too)" "I'll be There for You"- Rembrandts

It had been an extremely long day and Optimus Prime was exhausted both mentally and physically. The Decepticons were relentless in the attacks today no more hit and retreat. Fortunately all that came out of it was a few minor wounds, but the worst of them coming to him. His right arm would be sore a while. He was on duty watching for any more activity while the others recharged. The humans left long ago. It was quiet now and with the pain gone he allowed his thoughts to wander.

He thought of Elita, his bond mate, whom he missed so much. He thought about the first time he saw her vorns before the war began. "…and then that was when I blasted him right in the shoulder. You should have seen his optics. Brother? Cybertron to Orion. Is anyone home?"

His brother was saying something but Orion quit listening. He had been more interested in the data pad in his hand until someone caught Orion's optic and he was further distracted. Not that it was hard to do. Megatronus was always talking about his skill in the arena and how he was going to use it to make everything fair one day Orion didn't like politics. He didn't like injustice but he was just one mech. He'd let the bigger wiser mechs handle that. He was young and a beautiful femme just noticed him.

"I hear you Megatronus. You are amazing. More so than I'll ever be at fighting that is for sure. If physical strength was all a leader needed you would be Prime in a spark beat, however, It is silly to think that fighting is the only way to get a better cybertron. A good leader values all life and isn't just out to take it. He will see that every cybertronian has value and can contribute something great given the chance. He can't choose his cohort, and shouldn't be limited by their status. You could…" He looked up to see where Megatronus was looking at as he quit paying attention to Orion. That was when he noticed her noticing him.

"Hi, Orion, right? My designation is Elita" she said as she sat down.

"Yes" he confirmed. "May I help you? Can I get you a drink or an oil cake, Elita?"

"I'll have an oil cake and some energon" she said but you don't have to buy it for me. I have my own credits you know." She told him with a smile. "You're the one I often see around the archives, correct? I've been at the docks but I am going to start on over there soon. I was hoping to know some people before I started."

"Well it is mostly me lately. This is my brother, Megatronus, he is there some but he is most often fighting. He is the reigning gladiator champion, so quiet down time is rare for him. Hey Megatronus…" Orion looked up to see his optics glow with a jealousy, and a hint of anger as he left.

"Well I guess we will be getting to know each other really well. I am looking forward to it, Orion. I like your ideas. Do you think we will ever see that? Do you really think change is possible?"

"Anything is possible. I doubt it will come about in our life time. I don't know of anyone who is strong charismatic and has a pure enough spark to initiate the change, at least no one who the counsel would recognize as such. My brother is the closest that I could think of but sometimes he can be a bit selfish. I am afraid power might go to his processor. I'd help him if I thought it would do any good."

"I see that in you, Orion. Give yourself some credit. I would get behind you and any way I could." She smiled sweetly at him. "if it meant fighting."

"It won't. But thank you. I'll be looking for you in the next cycles." He slid credits on the table for her refreshments and watched her leave.

That was a good day and it seemed like only nanoclicks ago. Then the war started.

"Elita, sweet spark, you must get off world as quickly as you can. Take Chromia and Moon Racer with you. The decepticons won't take prisoners, especially you. Megatron will kill you personally to get to me. He is a coward."

"He won't! Optimus, I want to join the cause Please…Prime"

"No, Elita, Please take the shuttle now. I will be in touch. Keep the Autobot frequencies open as well as mine. I love you. We will be together again. I promise. I can't bear the thought of you hurt."

He and a small group of autobots left as she and her sisters took off in another direction. He saw and heard explosions. He couldn't make out anything, not even debris. He called but heard only static. He prayed to Primus they made it and only had damaged radios but he feared the worst.. "He won't" she had said. He could have done any number of things. Did she know something he didn't? His spark still ached.

He hoped she survived and got off world and when the war was finally over they would reunite. Other bots were coming in regularly and like he told her anything is possible. He cycled his vents and rubbed his arm absently.

He thought of his brother, Megatron. He was of course the reason for all this pain and death. Megatron's pride and jealousy made his spark cold. Optimus knew full well that Megatron fully intended to kill him but still held on to hope that he would see the truth and turn back. Optimus would welcome him back. He was beginning to see that like, Ratchet and the others said, it wasn't going to happen and he would have to do whatever was necessary to end the war, and ending the war meant killing his own brother. It was set in his C.N.A. Optimus should have recognized it as sparklings but at the time there was so much 'hero worship' of his older brother he didn't think Megatronus had the ability to do wrong. Little did he realize he indeed had the perfect namesake. He would throw anyone to the sharkticons even then. He looked back now and could only shake his helm.

"Sire! That is so unfair. Orion gets to go off world with you. He never gets called out for missing his required assignments. Spoiled little mech has always been your favorite. You and carrier's perfect sparkling" Megatronus screamed with his optics glowing an odd shade of yellow orange.

"Megatronus! No bot ever said anything about fair. You have what you have and you deal with it. You worry about yourself and not your brother. I have to watch him more closely and also I expect you do be the example. Your carrier I and do correct him when he needs it. You are the eldest and supposedly the most responsible mech. Act like it! I am starting to question it. He is not making this trip, neither one of you are. See to your brother and carrier while I am away. You know I care about you too quit being ungrateful."

He turned his face hard and holding back sobs almost ran over Orion who was sitting on the floor looking up at him arms raised innocently oblivious to what just took place.

"Megsy"

"What? How many times do I have to keep telling you, don't ever call me that!"

Orion looked down disappointment showing on his faceplates.

"I am sorry, Orion. It isn't really your fault our creators are so unfair. How can they not like that expression. You are so very manipulative. You have a way with words too, little brother. What do you want?" He looked away and whispered "You always get what you want anyway."

"I want to fly. Take me up Megs…Megatronus. Please?!

He hesitated. "You know the creators hate when I do that, right? If we get in trouble one of us will be able to manipulate our way out of it I am sure. Let's go for it!"

They had been in flight for about a breem when their carrier returned and spotted them.

"Megatronus, Orion! Come down now. What in the name of Primus do you think you are doing? What if you lost control, Megatronus, you could be damaged and Orion permanently offlined. I won't hear any excuses from either of you. Unacceptable" She walked off and whispered, "My mechs are going to be the death of me."

"I am sorry Megsy. Thanks for not throwing blame on me."

"Orion, it wouldn't have done any good. Sometimes you have to know when to quit." He laughed. "It was still your idea. I could have…nevermind don't call me that! Just…Go away"

He saw signs now and didn't even want to imagine what Megatron could have been thinking at that point. Sibling rivalry at its worst.

He thought about Cliff Jumper, Jazz, and all the others who died under his command. Sure, he told himself, they knew what they were signing up for and they were devoted to His cause, no that didn't sound right, the Autobot cause, no that didn't quite work either. Freedom, that was the cause they were fighting for. It was freedom for their home and for themselves and now unfortunately for a completely different species and a completely different home. Yeah they fought and they knew what they were getting in to when they enlisted. It didn't change anything. Cliff Jumper and all the others, Cliff came to mind because he was the most recent, had died under his command. He was responsible for life and death decisions at the spur of a moment and they were responsible to obey.

At the beginning of the war he made a decisive effort to personally meet with every bot that enlisted in the cause. He wanted to see their face and put the name to it. They were all risking their life for something, he, they believed in. As time went on and the war went beyond Cybertron meeting each one of them became impossible

"Good afternoon, sir, my designation is Cliff Jumper. I am honored to serve you and the Autobots. I look forward to kicking some 'con tailpipe"

"Glad to have you. But you are young. Please understand that war is no game, it is not pretty or romantic. It is grief, pain, and…"

"it is for freedom and for Cybertron". He cut in "I understand and I am willing to fight. Die if it comes to that but I plan on keeping myself alive, sir."

"That is the goal young soldier."

"I will do whatever I am asked, regardless, into the center of Dark Mount, whateveer."

"Come with me soldier" a large blue general told him. He radioed Optimus. "I don't think this one will ever shut up. He will blow his cover if he is ever undercover, sir."

"Acknowledged"

He became a valuable asset to Prime and even more so on Earth. When he went offline he struggled with it because of the numbers and the effect his death had on the rest of the small team.

It wasn't something he took lightly. He had to be strong. Everyone else was leaning on him and everything would crash under him if he showed doubt. He heard something behind him and he turned, clearly startled.

"Ratchet, what are you doing? It is still early. You don't have to take over yet. I still have a few hours."

"I have recharged all I am going to tonight apparently. I decided to come see how you were doing." He noticed Optimus was favoring his arm still. "You always attempt to cover yourself with that arm and it is starting to concern me, however it is a good thing you did this time or the damage would have been much worse"

He flexed it a bit. "I am fine now Ratchet, thanks." He said quietly and turned back to continue watch.

Ratchet didn't move. "Optimus, your arm is repaired and should even feel better but you are far from fine. Something is bothering you this morning."

"hummph' he chuckled. Optimus had been friends with Ratchet as long as he could remember and he never could figure out just how Ratchet was able to be so perceptive, to the point of coming out of recharge when something wasn't right with his patients, or friends, he thought. Ratchet was the only mech with the ball bearings to get in his leaders face and speak his mind. He was also the only mech that Prime would allow to do that. This might be one of those times if he weren't careful and he knew it. That was the last thing he wanted. Anyway, after all these vorns, Ratchet earned that right.

"I am tired old friend. This has dragged on so long. Megatron…"

"…Won't ever change and you know it. That's what this is. Am I right? You keep hoping that you won't have to… it won't come to…"

"…me killing my brother." He finally spoke it out loud. "You're right Ratchet. I hate the thought of it. But I am not blind to reality either. However, despite all this I am not sure I will be the one to do it. I am not sure that my spark will…" Optimus looked at the floor. "I am not sure I can old friend. Megatron must be stopped. He cannot take another life, and I am afraid that will only come about through his termination. I know in my spark it won't be at my hands." He looked at Ratchet who was staring at him with chevron raised. "I won't order anyone else to though. If it is him or one of the others, I…I'll do it in a spark beat.

"Optimus, if you need anything..."

"I know. I'll come see you, and yes I understand you mean with my sanity too. Understood."

Their EM fields brushed slightly as Ratchet left him for the remainder of watch He wasn't going to push it any further. He knew Prime well enough that he would do what was necessary. He also knew the spark wrenching pain it caused him. That was one of the reasons they were so close. They both understood the burden of making life and death decisions for others at a moment's notice, and the crushing burden when it was the life of someone you loved.

A/N: It is strange sometimes how a story goes in a completely different direction that I initially planned. This was supposed to be a look at Optimus and Ratchet's friendship in Prime verse. It came about after a discussion with TheInkEngraver about tight friendships (bromances) in the transformers franchise. It turned into something very different. BTW: Breakdown/Knockout is the best followed by G1 Ratchet/Wheeljack, but TFP Ratchet/Optimus is great too. It is mainly Prime verse but with G1 elements. Not sure I did Cliff justice.

This was going to be a one shot but I think I may make it a two-shot. 2nd chapter being Ratchet's take.