This is a Transformers Prime story about the start of Little Vector life, Arcee and Jack's son, Brightshine's little brother.

New Addition

Part one

The night air was gloomy and filled with static. Brightshine could feel her insides buzzing. She peered out the window at the dark clouds and intermittent sparks of lightening. She hugged her yellow bumblebee plush tight to her chest.

"I hope Mommy's okay out there." She said to herself.

The sound of sliding doors caught her attention and Jack walked in his dark hair standing on end. "Hey, what are you doing up? You should be deep into recharge young lady."

Jack smiled at the small gray bot near him. He saw through the window lightening flash again and bright shine jumped a little. The young bot climbed down and cuddled into her father's waiting arms. "Why does it feel so strange Daddy. My insides feel all wiggly."

Jack tucked his robe around himself before sitting with her on the bed by the window.

"It's the lightening. Sometimes a lightening storm can make the ions in the air shift, causing all kinds of strange stuff to happen. Even those made of metal can feel it."

The young girl smiled at her father as she ran her hands through his messy hair. You too Daddy." she giggled.

Jack nuzzled his nose against her cheek as they both laughed. "Me too."

Jack settled his daughter into her bed. "Get some rest. Mommy will be home soon."

"Can you stay with me Daddy? Until Mommy comes home."

Jack was about to object but he couldn't resist his daughters beautiful eyes. "Sure sweetheart. Until she gets home."

Jack made a bed for himself and lay there with his hands behind his head. He thought about the night before, and how he didn't want Arcee to leave in the middle of such a storm.

The ion storm had been reeking havoc on many of the equipment at the base and causing all kinds of annoying physical disturbances for the bots. Sudden sparks that reminded him of people got hiccups except the sparks usually toasted something. Sudden bouts of magnetism, yeah seeing Smokescreen and Bee get stuck together for an hour wasn't all that funny. The pressure in the air wasn't fun either. Every felt like they had a constant headache. Rachet was havent a hard time keeping all the computer readings straight.

Thank goodness the storm had let up now, but gang was low on energon and Arcee had offered to go. But with the storm, and those beasts out there, he couldn't let her go. But of course there wasn't any real way he could stop her. His beautiful yet stubborn wife. And he loved her all the more for it.

Jack glanced over at his daughter who had fallen into power down mode fairly quickly. He knew she felt better when he was around when Arcee was out on a mission. This he knew as he reached over and touched her sweet face, then got up to stare out the window.

"I hope you're on you're way back. Be safe out there."

Safe was where she should have been. Arcee ducked as a boulder came flying past her head. She flipped her laser blasters and shot back a few rounds to avoids getting socked again. She heard the noise and she knew it wasn't too far.

"Scrap. I thought we destroyed all these things already." She ran to a large rockside pressing her back to the rock she stayed still and listened. The storm winds blew about her, and she could feel tiny sparks within her systems. "As if this storm isn't bad enough, I had to run into this thing."

Over the howling of the wind, and the intermittent sparks from her systems, she could heard the beasts footsteps near by, the low rumble in the beasts throat. Arcee leaned over slightly to see where exactly was the beast but suddenly she realized it was gone. She jumped out from behind where she had been hiding, she hated hiding. But the beast was gone indeed.

"Where did it go? Something that big has to leave tracks." The true soldier she was have stayed and fought the creature but truth was she was low on energy and the ion storm was messing with her systems, making tracking not that easy.

She hated the fact she had to leave a cash of energon to escape this creature. But she planned on going back for it. The team needed it. Maybe she should asked one of the others to come with her. But she had all but argued with Jack, and figured she'd use the mission as an excuse to have some time to herself.

"In the middle of a storm. Maybe this wasn't such good idea."

Brightshine and Jack flashed through her mind. Her family was there waiting for her. She had to get back in one piece. Or Jack would never forgive her.

Just then her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of commotion near by. A few yards off. Not too far were a system of caves. She saw two of the large dragon like creatures fighting each other. Their claws out swiping at one another, tales lashing out, the roars echoed in the air. Not the place anybody should have been.

Then she noticed two things. One a cash of energon and two, a red and silver bot trying to avoid being stepped on. She tried to use her scanner but it was malfunctioning due to the storm. She had to rely on plain eyesight to figure out who was it out there in danger of being stepped on. She took in air, though it wasn't necessary, then made her way into the open and jutted from boulder to tree to tree. She stood there watching the fight and it hit her like lightening. That flashy finish, those yellow rims, the black tires- that bot out there was Knockout.

"What in the All Spark is he doing out here. The last time I heard he went a wall." She leaned closer to the tree and watched. She smiled to herself a moment. She remembered all the times they met in battle. "That jerk deserves to get to get stepped on." She spotted the energon. "How can I get to it without being a victim myself."

She thought about the team, and her family. Optimus was counting on her, and Jack and Brightshine needed her. She checked her blasters. They seemed to be intact for now. Her systems seemed to be calmer now. Less sparks. The storm must be letting up.

She had been out here for nearly two days already. She had to get back as soon as possible. The team need the energon. It was a big risk, but to help the team, it was worth it. She jumped out and ran towards the two fighting dragons. Blasters firing, her legs moving swiftly.

"Over here you giant bug eaters!" She shoot off a couple of rounds and the larger of the two dragons turned his head and spotted her.

KnockOut was huddled with his arms covering his head when he heard the voice. It couldn't be. He had to be hearing things. He looked up and saw the Autobot Arcee running in, blasters firing.

"Oh Great. As if these dragons weren't bad enough." The smaller dragon stayed by KnockOut while the other went for Arcee. "Smart beasts. No wonder Megatron couldn't control them." KnockOut mumbled to himself. The beast ran towards Arcee, tale lashing wildly its roar echoing in her audio receptors. KnockOut stood up and backed his way against a rock watching. "She always was a fighter that one."

As KnockOut watched he saw everything go from bad to worse. He watched as the dragon attacked the female autobus, the roaring of the beast and the howling of the storm combining into one thunderous echoing sound.

KnockOut almost felt bad, almost. Just then he realized as he wasn't safe either. The other dragon stood over him, large teeth gleaming in the moonlight. KnockOut wished his energy reserves hadn't been depleted. He whisked out his lightening staff, but the beast snatched it away, as Knockout watched his precious lightening staff get snapped in two, each piece falling to either side of the large beast.

"And I really liked that thing."

Suddenly the beast moved to the energon and started crunching on it. "Oh great, there goes my shopping trip."

Arcee was knocked to the ground she used the side of her blaster to fend off the beast. She saw through the corner of her optic the other dragon and how it crunched on the dwindling pile of energon. "No!" She rolled out of the way as a giant clawed foot came down on her. "Don't let it get the energon!" She shouted at Knockout.

Knockout knew he had to save some of the energon. At least for himself.

Arcee got to her feet and ran for the caves. Suddenly a large claw wrapped itself around her. What did this thing want with her. She saw Knockout trying to grab some energon blocks but having trouble escaping the smaller beast.

"If you want to get out of this in one piece, help me."

Knockout waved at her with a nervous smile. "It wants you not me." He glanced at the other beast.

"Oh really. Who do you think it will go after next when it's done with me. Get me out of this and you might survive to fight another day."

Knockout breathed out. A strange the bots did. "Fine. My paint jobs scratched already." He used his last bit of reserves and let loose a barrage of blasts at the creature. It dropped Arcee and she landed with a thud on the ground. She could feel herself drained. She just avoided a giant foot, feeling like this is Jack and the others must have felt like the first few days with the Autobots. She took off in Knockouts direction.

Soon they stood there eye to eye. "If it weren't for these dragons, I would have beaten you senseless."

Knockout scoffed at her. "Same here."

They both jumped as avoided the beasts tale. Just then a boulder came tumbling down the cave side and hit one of the beasts. But in the confusion, Arcee was hit by the beasts giant tale. Knockout just avoided a foot. "Wonderful. As if my paint job wasn't scratched enough." Complaining at the sight of his rear fender and the gash of scratched paint and discoloration. He felt his systems reserves lowering even further.

"Now know how Starscream must have felt like when he was out on his own." He dusted himself off and saw the beast ran off. It's rival was crushed under the boulder and he saw Arcee under it's exposed tale. The red Doctor blinked. "Well, it's the survival of the fittest dearie." He was about to turn and go when he saw her movie and heard her making noise. "She's alive?"

Knockout see she was leaking energon and her systems sparked. He came closer, a little unsteady himself. He knew he was out here looking for energon, and she must have been as well. He knew their battle had not been with each other but against a common enemy. The dragon creatures. He could just leave her there, but he thought about the first time he saved a life. The innocent spark no one wanted, and it felt wonderful. If she had battled him, her defeat would be necessary. But there battle was not with each other. Something made him pull her out and he looked at her, her optics closed, he could the soft humming of her inner workings as they still functioned.

"Scrap, why am I doing this." He tossed her over his shoulder and ran for the caves as the storm started to rage again. Even his systems starting sparking.

He made his way into the dark cave and front lights providing just enough visual. He dropped her on the ground and stared outside. The storm continued with no end in sight it seemed. He had no equipment on him. No real weapons or medical supplies.

He figured being out here was better then being enslaved by Megatron. But now was starting to think he made a mistake trying to strike out on his own. For one thing his paint definitely saw its better days. But he couldn't take the craziness anymore. Even with all the work he had done for Megatron, the leader of the Decepticons still insulted him.

"Too bad I had to leave the kid there." He said aloud. "He's too young anyway. This storm would have fried his systems in a spark beat."

"Kid?"

Knockout turned to see Arcee barely being able to sit up against the cave wall. She felt every part of her body hurt. And humans thought being made of metal was better.

"So you survived. Well, at least that means I don't have to waste time burying you."

She ignored him and looked out the storm. "Why?"

Knockout looked at her. "Why what?"

"Why did you save me?" She shifted her weight and supported herself better against the cave wall. She was still leaking energon. "You could have ran off to sit by Megatron's feet."

Knockout clenched his teeth leaned close to her. "I don't sit by anyone's feet." He nearly growled at her. Then he turned from her again. "As you said, helping would be the way for us both to survive. Megatron's goals do not suit me anymore."

Arcee shout her eyes a moment as a sharp hit her. "What are you talking about? You mean you left Megatron?"

"I'd call it, striking out on my own. But it's not as glorious as it first seemed. But at I'm not at the mercy of his insane rants."

"And these dragons are any better." Arcee added.

Knockout glanced back at her. "We all knew taking the dragons on our side wasn't a good idea. They're wild, unpredictable. But Megatron put his trust in Shockwave, mighty scientist of Cybertron. One of the few who stayed on Cybertron after it supposedly went dark."

"You mean there were still people on Cybertron when we left?"

"The war took it's toll on the planet to be sure. But there were still some areas with working bases and even laboratories. There were even rumors of a unit of female autobots that still lived there. Though, it's just rumor. The planet was really for the worst. I doubt anyone still survives there. That's why everyone, Autobot or Decepticon took to space."

Arcee felt very heavy hearted. It would have wonderful to know if there were more her kind still alive out there. Then she thought about the team, and her family. She had to get back to them. She shifted trying to see if her communicator still functioned. There was nothing but static. A sharp pain hit and she fell over. Knockout turned and saw her.

He knew he should do something. "You're still leaking energon. At this rate you'll die within hours."

"Don't touch me. I'll die knowing I did what was right." She closed her eyes and lay there. "Besides, why would you help me?"

Knockout was relieved she was ok for now. Just resting herself. He sat down by her after a while and scuffed. "You did save me. As a doctor I should do something to repay you. As you said, live to fight another day."

Arcee could not help but smile at that. They sat there quiet for a while.

Knockout thought about when he first came to work for Megatron. He was a trained medical officer but he at times thought of himself as the mad doctor. Perhaps it was because he took liberties to try experiments when he could, what would work and what didn't. He he knew all his classic medical training but often told self as he once told his good friend Breakdown he was better at breaking them then fixing them. It more often then not Knockout the do what you can when you can kid of doctor. But in recent years he found himself feeling a need for something. But what, he wasn't sure. He loved a street race, and keeping himself well detailed. But he felt something in him wasn't the same as it was before. And it started when he saved that innocent spark.

Yes, Airacnid's child whose father didn't want anyone to know was Megatron. The evil spider was too devilish to care for anything as perfect, as a knew spark. But in war, a child would sure die. That is, unless Knockout had not saved it.

"Hey." Knockout was brought out of his memories by her voice. "You mentioned a kid before. What kid?"

"I don't need to tell you." He scuffed.

"Hey. If I'm gonna die, at least humor me with a story." She said.

He looked at her. "Remember when Airacnid use to work with Megatron."

Arcee clenched her fist at the spiders name. "She was sparked by him."

Arcee opened her eyes and looked at him. "You're lying."

"Why would I? Being the evil witch she is of course, just before she left us, she asked me to destroy the child. But I couldn't. I secretly extracted it from her and cared for it, but being out of her body it grew weak and would have perished. I used the DNA of the fallen Hard-Shell to revive the child. The spark grew strong and survived. Then Megatron this whole thing with the beasts started. I argued with Megatron and took off. I know if I returned my life is shout. I only wish I had taken the boy with me. But seemed adept to his new role as assistant medical officer."

Arcee tried to sit up again. She was shocked at his story, though she wasn't sure it was the truth. "So you're saying Megatron has a child he doesn't even know about?"

"Technically the child, is more Hard-Shell then the other two. But I must say he's nothing like the insecticons or his evil mother."

Arcee stared at Knockout a moment. "You care about the boy don't you."

"Of course. Megatron's lust for power blinds him to the simple fact that our race will be gone in a matter of years if a new generation of cybertronian doesn't come about. I had to get out of there."

"Well, at you're not completely heartless." She doubled over as another pain hit her.

"Aren't your team mates coming for you or something."

"My communicator is busted. The storm."

"Ratchet, there has to be a way of reaching her. What if something happened to her?"

Jack bar raided the doctor with questions on the whereabouts of his beloved as Brightshine stood behind him holding his shirt.

"Mommy's coming home right?"

Ratchet looked down at the tiny grey bot, his spark aching. "We'll find your mother little one, I promise."

Suddenly Arcee was hit with another pain and the energon that leaked from her body increased. She closed her eyes and Knockout realized she passed out from the exhaustion and weakness. He checked her and realized she wasn't going to last much longer. He could just leave to die, but if her team came to find her, they would blame him. And what was worse Megatron, or a team of Autobots intent on kicking his tin hide.

He shook her. But she didn't respond. She was fading fast. He racked his brain. There had to be a way to save her, at least stabilize her until they found her. He may have been an out fast, but he still valued his life. He was intent on getting back to Hard-Wire some day. The lightening from the storm flashed and her nervously tried to think.

Then it hit him. There was one way to stabilize someone who dieing of energon depletion. When equipment was around, no medical tools at hand, there was one old practice that saved many bots. But he couldn't. Could he. As a doctor he knew it was true. But would it be right.

"Of course. If she is to survive, I have to. He leaned close her seeing the pain on her unconscious face. The tips of his fingers lightly brushed her face. He wouldn't lie, she did have lovely features. He knew she fading quickly.

Reached for her chest plating and stopped a moment. "I do this only to save your life. And in turn, it will save mine." He opened her chest plating and the inner platting to reveal her spark chamber. It glew brightly but flickered. He gave a deep sigh then opened his own chest platting revealing his own stronger spark. He had not been injured and his spark beat strong and healthy. Leaned closer and felt the two sparks fuse together. The light shined in his eyes as the storm raged outside. It felt strange and weird but somehow warm and comforting. He feel her spark beating stronger and he knew she would survive. He fell back, feeling slightly drained as his chest plating closed. Hers closed as well and he could see a brightness come to her face again.

Knockout rubbed his head moment feeling a bit foggy. "I don't think I'll do that again anytime soon." He stared at her and couldn't understand why he was glad she would survive. Maybe because it meant Optimus and his team wouldn't beat him senseless. Yeah that it.

He stared at her and saw her twitch. She was starting to regain consciousness. Stood up and saw the storm was letting up. His systems were working better. There were no signs of the beasts anywhere for miles.

Arcee opened her optics as she heard a crackling sound.

-Arcee! This is Ratchet, can you heard me. Where is your position?- Arcee put a hand to her head and sat up. She looked around barely remembering her conversation with Knockout. She moved her hand and it touched a small cube of energon.

"He must have rescued it from the dragons." She stood up a bit unsteady. "I'm here Ratchet. A bit beaten up by the storm, but in one piece." She realized because the storm let up, her systems were working well again.

-Mommy, we were so worried about you.-

Arcee smiled. "I'm on my way sweetheart."

As Arcee waited for the ground bridge, she wondered where Knockout ran off to. She wondered if it would have possible to convince him to join the good side. She looked at the small cube of energon in hand hand. Not much, but energon give a body a start jump start. She ate the cube and stared out at the sky.

"Why did he save me?"

Suddenly she saw a ground bridge open up near her location and Jack came running through. She smiled when she saw him. So small but so strong and filled with hope.

She came to her knees and hugged him. He wrapped his arms tightly around her. She could feel him shaking. "I was so worried." He looked at her then leaned in and kissed her. She had to admit, she missed his kisses. He smiled at her. Let's get you home. Brightshine's gonna be stuck to you for a while you know that right."

Arcee laughed a little. "I hope so." They walked through the ground bridge together.

Just before the bridge closed, from rock side a few meters away, Knockout stood watching. He stood up, shook his head then made his way down the cliff side.

To be continued…