So, basically, I saw How To Train Your Dragon 2 and ended up being inspire to write a Rescue Bots fic... Go figure.

Heatwave had been in the ship all night. When there had been an emergency at the park early that morning he commed Chase and asked him to handle the situation. It was the only time he had spoken to anyone living at the station. And it had been one short sentence to the police bot alone.

Kade hadn't been happy about that.

Now it was almost noon and none of the bots or humans had heard a peep from the fire truck.

Blades readily voiced his concern, but refused to enter the ship for fear of Heatwave being in a bad mood.

Graham asked if there was anything they could do to coerce the Rescue Bot leader into coming out of his hiding place.

Boulder seemed to think that unwise and considered leaving Heatwave alone to be the safer option.

Kade ranted in an unnecessarily loud voice about how irresponsible and pathetic Heatwave was being for locking himself away just to get some time off while the rest of them worked themselves to the ground.

Dani jabbed him with her elbow for that one.

"Something's wrong. Heatwave wouldn't just abandon the team for no reason," Cody said worriedly.

"Maybe he's sick and doesn't want to get the other bots infected," Dani offered.

Graham scratched the back of his head. "Do Autobots even get sick?"

"Sometimes," Boulder answered. "But I doubt that's what's wrong. He would have at least told me if he required medical attention. He likes to be at the top of his game, you know."

Chief Charlie Burns leaned against the wall, stroking his mustache in thought.

Heatwave was passionate and dedicated in everything he did. He wouldn't lock himself away without good reason.

Charlie noticed Chase standing off by himself. He was the only one who had had any contact with the fire truck and he seemed content to keep out of the conversation. Perhaps too content.

"Chase."

All discussion and arguing ceased as the team, human and Autobot, turned to face the chief and his partner.

Chase shuttered his optics a few times, looked at the chief slowly. "Yes, sir?" he answered in a quiet voice.

Charlie's brow creased with concern. "Are you okay?"

Chase snapped to attention, pulling himself from whatever gloomy thoughts had distracted him from the real world. "Affirmative. I was merely contemplating the events—or lack thereof—of the night." His optics darted to the passage leading to their rescue ship. "There was certainly an unnerving absence," he said quietly.

Charlie frowned. "You were the last one to speak with Heatwave. Did he say anything that would be cause for concern?"

Chase stared blankly at his human partner, glanced up at his fellow Autobots. "With all do respect, sir, I would prefer not to make assumptions or jump to conclusions without first gaining an understanding of the facts at hand."

"That's exactly what we're trying to do!" Kade yelled angrily.

Chase regarded him briefly. "I do have my theories," he stated plainly. To the chief: "Should we not be departing for patrol?" And with that he turned and left the room.

"Okay," Dani said after a moment's silence. "That was weird."

The Chief's frown deepened. "He is right, though. We all have our jobs to do. With or without Heatwave." He began to walk away, following after his partner.

Dani, Graham, Boulder and Blades looked at each other sadly before making their way to their posts, ready to move out.

Kade stomped over to a couch they had brought down a few weeks ago and plopped to his seat, glaring at nothing in particular and mumbling under his breath. Cody sat beside him, watching the secret entrance to the Autobot rescue ship anxiously.

Heatwave sighed heavily. It was getting late in the afternoon and he still hadn't left his seat in front of the monitor.

None of the other Bots had dared to enter the ship, but Chase had tried his comm. once, "just to see if it was still operational." Heatwave had dismissed him coldly and returned to his tormented thoughts. He knew he needed to get back out there, be the leader they expected him to be, but he couldn't pull himself out of his misery.

The monitor flickered and beeped with an incoming call. Heatwave looked up to see the screen fill with the worried face of a blue femme he had known by reputation alone until last night.

"You haven't left yet." It wasn't a question.

Heatwave sighed again. "How can I?" he answered quietly.

The femme frowned. "They have to know, Heatwave."

The fire truck clenched his fists, angrily growling at the situation. "It's not fair!" he shouted, jumping to his pedes. "After all the hurt and devastation our race was forced to suffer through: losing our home to the desecration of war, scattering across the universe in a desperate attempt to survive, being hunted down like vermin and slaughtered when we committed no crimes!

"After all the scrap we've been through we ended up on some insignificant island on a random ball of dirt hanging in space and for once—just once—I was starting to forget, Arcee. I was starting to forget that there was a war. I was starting to forget that not so long ago I was pulling dismembered, Autobot husks out of Decepticon laboratories. I was starting to forget that I was forced to watch my best friend get cut to pieces in some sick, Con interrogation ritual. I was finally starting to feel normal again. And now this? It's not fair!"

"They need you, Heatwave," Arcee said gently. "You're their leader-"

"And what about my leader?" Heatwave shouted as he spun around and punched a huge dent into the metal wall.

Arcee didn't speak. There were no words she could say. She just watched as he held his fist against the wall, as his shoulders dropped, as he let his helm fall against the wall, as his frame began to tremble from the overwhelming grief. She felt his pain in her spark. They all did.

"What about Cody?" he whispered.

Arcee blinked. "Heatwave," she started, voice small and heavy with sorrow. "The kids… They knew it was coming. They had some time to prepare."

Heatwave turned to look at her.

She offered him a weak smile. "Cybertron can survive a few more days without you."

A pause.

"Thanks."

"Yeah."

The transmission ended.

Blades paced back and forth anxiously. He had heard Heatwave shouting, though he couldn't quite tell what he was saying, then he heard the unmistakable sound of metal slapping metal and he could clearly picture his friend being angry enough to punch a hole through the wall.

"Has he not come out yet?" Chase asked, entering the hangar.

"No. And he's been doing a lot of yelling."

Chase approached the entrance, hesitated. "I certainly wouldn't want to infringe upon his privacy, but my unease over Heatwave's absence has steadily increased to the point of legitimate concern."

"So does that mean you're going in?" Blades asked, inching his way closer to the police bot.

"It… is a possibility."

They both took a few steps back.

Suddenly the bookcase hiding the ship's entrance slid to the side, revealing a rather tired looking Heatwave.

"Ah, Heatwave," Chase said coolly. "We were just coming to check on you."

The fire truck looked around the room and sighed. "Where's Boulder?"

"Out on patrol with Graham," came Cody's voice as he stepped out of the elevator.

Heatwave forced a small smile. "Hey, Cody, you think you could get the team together for me? There's something I need to tell everyone."

"Um, sure, Heatwave," Cody said as he turned and headed for the control room.

Heatwave watched him leave, lost in thought once more. Something tapped his shoulder. He turned to the orange and white mech behind him, noticing his extremely worried expression, and forced another smile.

"Is everything okay?" the copter bot asked in a small voice.

Chase, too, couldn't help the look of concern that had planted itself on his faceplate.

Heatwave frowned. "Well…" He really wanted to wait and tell the entire story at one time. "I saw Bee for a few klicks. He got his voice back." A little good news never hurt anyone, right? "Got promoted to warrior status, too."

That distracted Blades. He grinned and giggled in elation.

Chase, however, would not be so easily sidetracked. "I fail to see how that is any reason for bereavement. I assume you will fully explain both your absence and your state of obvious turmoil once the entire team has assembled. Though, I must admit, I do dread the news you have to share."

"It's about time you showed up!"

Kade's angry voice filled the room, making Heatwave wince. He wasn't in the mood to deal with his short-tempered partner's unnecessary, verbal attacks.

"Do you have any idea how worried we've been?"

That was unexpected. Heatwave tilted his helm slightly, confusion evident on his face.

"You were in there all night and almost all day and you wouldn't let anybody in! What if something had happened?" Kade was fuming. "What could possibly make you, of all people, lock yourself away like some hormonal teenage girl?"

The rest of the Burns family—and Boulder—had gathered around, eyeing the red mech cautiously.

"I, uh…" Heatwave looked over the fleshy faces he had come to know and cherish and felt a pang in his spark.

He hated having to do this. He could feel the anger bubbling up within him. Maybe he could use it to deliver the news without crumbling himself.

"I was contacted by Arcee last night." To the Burns: "She was working with Optimus." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "Have we told you about the Decepticons?"

"Chase has informed us of your war," Charlie answered.

"I thought it wise for them to understand the dangers, should any Decepticons ever find their way to Griffin Rock," the police bot clarified.

Heatwave nodded. "Megatron, the leader of the Decepticons, was… Well, he gave up."

"The war is over?" Blades shouted happily.

"Yeah. I guess."

"So why are you still so sad?" Cody asked. A look of horror crossed his face. "Do you have to leave?"

Heatwave frowned. "Cody, I-"

And then the chaos erupted. The humans began shouting question after question, voicing their concerns and letting the Bots know just how against the idea of losing them they were.

"What? You can't?"

"You're ditching us? Just like that?"

"Blades, why haven't you mentioned this?"

"Calm down, everyone. Let Heatwave explain."

"Who's going to take me on camping trip?"

"Will we at least be able to visit?"

"I can't believe you wouldn't talk to us about this first!"

And then there were Blades and Boulder. They joined the commotions with shouts of joy followed by attempts to answer the Burns' questions while bombarding Heatwave with their own.

"Guys… I… Listen… It's just…" Heatwave was having a hard time getting a word in anywhere. A new sense of hopelessness washed over him as he was overwhelmed with the angry, hurt, joyful, and confused questions and statements.

He looked to Chase, who still watched him expectantly, and held his gaze. The rest of the team wouldn't give him a chance to say what he needed to say, so he would just have to tell the only bot who was still willing to listen.

He stood tall, gathering all his strength. "Optimus is dead."

Chase's optics widened in horror. "Wh-what?"

The rest of the team froze in shock.

"He… The planet couldn't sustain life. He absorbed the Allspark into the Matrix. He became one with it…" Heatwave's voice shrank into something small and utterly pathetic. "He sacrificed himself so that the Well could thrive again… He's gone."

Silence.

"But…" Chase whispered. "Optimus?"

Heatwave felt like he had been pounded into the ground by the sheer sound of sorrow in his friend's voice. He wondered how Optimus would handle all of this.

"Our planet is alive," he said, finally. "Optimus made sure of that. The rebuilding has begun and a call has gone out to refugees across the galaxies that it's finally safe to come home." He looked to the humans. "I hope you can understand. Our planet needs us just like your planet needs you. We have a duty to our kind."

Kade glared at the fire bot. "Your planet might need you, Heatwave, but so do I." He turned and stormed for the elevator.

Heatwave watched in shock as the doors slid shut, hiding his partner from his view. He felt a hand touch his pede, turned his attention to the blonde headed boy looking up at him.

"Heatwave?"

The mech stooped down and lifted the boy in his servo, holding him at optic level. "Cody. It's our home." He could feel his spark shatter as tears began to roll down the child's cheeks.

Cody wrapped his arms around Heatwave's thumb and cried.

"It's not fair," he heard Dani say. "You guys are a part of our family and now…"

Blades nudged her with his servo. He was clearly torn between the joy of returning to his home world and the pain of leaving his human partner. "It's okay, Dani," he said quietly. "Once things have calmed down, we'll come visit."

"It's like losing mom again," she whispered. Dani burst into tears and fled from the room.

Blades followed her.

Graham looked from Boulder to his dad and back. "You'll figure out a way for us to video conference, right, big guy?"

Boulder smiled sadly at his friend. "Of course, Graham. Someone has to help you with your homework, after all. We don't want your brain turning to mash from the strain."

"That's 'mush,' Boulder," Graham corrected with a small laugh. "Maybe some day I can visit Cybertron."

Boulder beamed at him. "I'd like that."

Charlie smiled at his son and then walked over to Chase. "Hey, partner."

Chase did not look at him. "Sir." A pause. "Shall we go on patrol?" His voice wavered slightly.

Charlie patted his leg. "I think that's a great idea."

Chase looked at him then. "Forgive me, sir. I realize that was completely tactless, given the blow that was just dealt us, but I-"

"I'll miss you too, Chase."

The police bot froze, nodded, and transformed. "Thank you, sir."

Kade sat on a rock by the river, throwing whatever he could get his hands on into the water and watching the current carry it away. He slapped the rock angrily and mumbled to himself.

"Stupid bots. Stupid war. Stupid Megawhozit."

"That's Megatron," came the tired reply behind him.

Kade grabbed another handful of pebbles and twigs and chunked them into the river. He listened as the bot stepped closer to him and sat down.

A small shadow crossed over Kade's face, followed by the splash of a small log hitting the water a second later.

"What are you doing here?" the red head mumbled after a few minutes of silence.

Heatwave tossed another log into the river and watched it float away. "Ever wonder what happens to them once you can't see them anymore?"

Kade huffed. "No."

"I mean, do they just keep going until they reach the ocean? Do they wash up on shore somewhere along the way? Do they all go their separate ways or do they eventually end up in a Beaver's dam?"

"Is this supposed to be some kind of metaphor? Because I'm totally lost."

Heatwave chuckled.

"You didn't answer my question. What are you doing here?"

"You're my idiot partner. I just wanted to make sure you didn't decide to go and do something stupid."

Kade picked up a few pebbles and flicked them at the fire bot.

"Watch it."

It was Kade's turn to laugh.

They sat and listened to the water flowing over the rocks and the birds singing in the trees as the sky turned from blue to orange to pink to grey and the first stars began to make their presence known in the waning hours of daylight. It was peaceful to say the least. And something the Autobot knew he would miss.

"I'm sorry about Optimus," Kade said, breaking the silence.

"Me too."

"I wasn't lying. Earlier. When I left."

Heatwave smiled. "Yeah, I guess I've gotten pretty attached to you too. Getting yelled at, insulted, treated like a machine, third wheeling your dates."

"At least your life on Griffin Rock hasn't been dull," he cut in with a smirk.

"You're like rust in my undercarriage, Kade."

"Gee, that's so kind of you to say, jerk."

Heatwave slapped the water with an open servo, splashing the freezing liquid al over the red head.

"Hey!" Kade fell backwards from the surprise.

Heatwave laughed. Hard. "You should have seen your face!"

Kade tried to glare at the fire bot, but couldn't help the amusement that bubbled up at the sight of the giant mech doubled over in laughter.

They remained in their fit of hysteria for several minutes.

Eventually they did fall back into a pleasant silence, just enjoying the company while watching the stars pop up all over the sky.

A breeze rustled the tops of the trees.

Yeah. Heatwave would definitely miss this place. But more than the island…

"I'll miss you, Kade."

The human looked up at him with sad eyes. "Back at you, buddy."

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