(Half an hour earlier: Autobot base, Nevada)

They had finished hanging the ornaments on the tree, now Bumblebee, Raf, Bulkhead, and Miko were spraying canned snow across the purposely empty round strips along the tree. They couldn't hang lights that big on the tree because it would cost too much to get that many large tree lights.

However, a star was much easier, luckily there were affordable, large tree topper stars. Jack and Arcee left for the town to go get one, or see if they even had any first. Optimus still working on the terminal as he was before, however Ratchet was resting (for once) in his quarters. Grimlock was even training in their new, much larger and more advanced training room. Blackwolf had nothing to do, but he suddenly wondered if he could make something for Arcee, as a gift since "Christmas" was approaching. Primus knows after what he did to her when he was under the virus's control three months ago, he owed her.

But what could he possibly make her?

He thought deeply, trying to find his solution. "A weapon? No, it needs to be special, and how would she really carry it anyway? Clothes are out, any kind of human technology was out. What about Jewelry? No...Wait! JEWELRY! I can make her a piece of jewelry! But where can I find a crystal that size in this little amount of time?! Scrap! I'm never gonna be able to get it done in time, or at all." he laid his helm in his palms, losing hope. He then felt a drop of something wet fall on his helm, he looked up to see there was a small chink in one of the pipes that transfers energon throughout the base, leaking drops of energon.

"Wait a minute!" his mind clicked at seeing the energon. "Of course! There have to be scraps in one of the old mines, YES!" he yelled happily on the inside. He slunk past Optimus who was hard at work doing whatever he does on the terminal whenever he's using it, to the bridge controls, he quickly found the coordinates of one of the old mines and activated it. Finally the groundbridge opened, Optimus didn't look away from the terminal luckily, and the others were busy working on the tree. He quickly set it to deactivate ten seconds after he walked through. He finally dashed through the bridge, not alerting anyone around him.

Except Smokescreen who had been watching him the whole time from behind cover, he saw him run through the vortex and walked over to try and follow through but as soon as he got close, it closed on him. "Scrap, where are you going Blackwolf?" he wondered, opening his holo-map, he saw where his comrade was teleported and decided to go after him, but he'd have to get to him the old fashion way, driving, the groundbridge would alert his presence to Blackwolf.

He quickly transformed into his sports car and zoomed through the tunnel and exited the base at high speeds, the door closing behind him. He then drove off towards the valley his ally was in.

(Outskirts of Nevada)

Blackwolf walked up to the entrance of originally the largest energon mine found in Nevada, the same mine where Cliffjumper was tested on and mutated. He closed his optics, pushing away the fact that his ally died in this mine. He entered the mine, activating his built in headlamp, he also drew one of his swords if it was needed. He proceeded to pull out a small device, it could only be described as an energon detector, he started looking in all directions, trying to get a signal. He turned to his upper right and it started to beep once every five seconds.

He walked closer, and closer, it began beeping one more time than the last five seconds the more he moved. Until he finally reached a wall, a large pile of rubble against it, the detector was beeping like crazy before he deactivated it and put it away. "Please don't be a malfunction in the scanner." he pleaded to himself. He started lifting the huge rocks in the pile, he pushed the smaller rubble away like gravel. He still dug, deeper and deeper, he was getting closer to the ground, losing hope that it was even there.

But just as he was about to give up, he lifted another small boulder and a blue glow emerged from the cracks between the rocks. His optics widened in shock and he began digging through the rocks frantically, until he found it, a shard of energon that survived the blast. He help it in triumph, he could finally make Arcee's gift. He turned tail once he secured it and drove out of the mine, excited to get back and get to work on making his beloved sparkmate's Christmas present.

(Twenty minutes earlier: Halfway to the outskirts of Nevada from Omega Three)

Smokescreen had slowed down, resting his wheels as he drove, but he wasn't stopping until he found out what Blackwolf was up to that he had to do in secret. Little did he notice that far to his right a jet black saburban drove full speed in his direction, he heard the approaching just before it crashed into him, launching him several feet away, he quickly regained himself and looked to see a familiar black saburban moving at deadly speeds towards him.

"BLACKWOLF?!" he yelled in confusion, he transformed, readying his fists, he mentally kicked himself for once not having the phase-shifters. Blackwolf transformed while driving, leaped at him and slammed his fists into Smokescreen's faceplate, sending him on his back, before he even regained himself, he was lifted by his neck off the ground, he grabbed Blackwolf's arm, trying to get him to remove his grip, but to no avail, Blackwolf was too strong for him.

"Blackwolf, GAH! Wh-why are you d-doing this?!" he asked, being choked by his own ally, Blackwolf smirked while holding him, raising his free fist, readying to slam it into the rookie's face. He noticed that his optics were orange too, and he didn't have the golden yellow elite guard accents.

"Lights out!" it responded in a voice, not Blackwolf's voice, but someonelse's voice, he removed his arms and activated his distress signal before Blackwolf's fist collided with his faceplate, it seemed as if everything went dark after that.

(Omega Three, Nevada)

Smokescreen's optics slowly stirred before opening, he felt pain in his helm, he looked to see his surroundings, he was in the med-lab of the base. He sighed with relief that he was alive, he reopened his optics to see all the members of Team Prime surrounding his medical berth. "Good, he's awake, he'll most likely feel pain, so no rushing for answers." He heard Ratchet explain, lightly grinning at the medic's caution.

"I'm fine, just REALLY banged up, what happened?" he asked them, Optimus stood forward, he looked at the rookie in wonder.

"We found you in the middle of the desert, you're lucky you don't have any sand in your gears." he heard the wrecker answer his question. He began to sit up, remembering the attack, and...getting knocked out.

"Who attacked you, Smokescreen?" Bumblebee asked him, he tried to remember, his memory processor still doing somersaults, until he finally remembered.

"Blackwolf…" he looked down, sadness appearing on his face, the crowd gasped except Optimus who's optics only widened.

"This doesn't make any sense...why would he do this, it couldn't be the virus, I gave him a purifying agent, it removed and destroyed the remnants of the virus, for good!" Ratchet exclaimed, trying to put his head around this.

"Wait a minute, Smokescreen, why were you out there anyway?" Bumblebee asked the rookie, he hesitated to tell them about his attempt to spy on Blackwolf and see what he was up to.

"I followed Blackwolf after he left through a groundbridge, he looked as if he didn't want to get noticed, I followed his signal on the map, halfway there, I get slammed off the road by him, but there was something about him that was off, I can't quite remember what though." he explained, still upset that Blackwolf betrayed them.

He slipped off the berth, being cautious about his dazed movements. They all left the med-lab, confused, angry, sad, and worried. They all stood and just waited for the suspect. The minutes seemed like hours before the entrance to the base came alive, opening wide, the sound of a car coming through the tunnel. Blackwolf drove around the corner turn, entering the common area, he came to a stop and began to transform until he formed together.

He was startled when all but Optimus and Ratchet activated their cannons and aimed directly in his direction. "What the frag's going on here?!" he looked flabbergasted, why were they aiming their weapons at him?

"Blackwolf, why did you attack Smokescreen?" Optimus asked him, he looked even more confused at the Prime's question.

"What in Primus's name are you talking about?! I haven't even talked to Smokescreen today!" he answered, looking thoroughly ticked at their accusing question.

"You attacked me in the desert, I was coming to investigate what you were up to, then I get blind-sided by YOU, off the road." Smokescreen explained to the other mech. Blackwolf was now beginning to get tired of them accusing him.

"You're all outta your minds, I didn't even know you were out there Smokescreen!" he spoke in an angry tone. They were now beginning to wonder if he was telling the truth or not.

"Well then what were you doing out there, Blackwolf?" the black and yellow scout asked. Blackwolf didn't answer, he didn't want to reveal what he was going to surprise Arcee with.

"I...I was going to an energon-" the sound of an engine rev inside the tunnel cut his voice, they watched as Arcee entered with Jack upon her back. Jack dismounted her, looking cautious at the crowd's raised blasters. Arcee transformed, gasping at their weapons raised towards Blackwolf.

"What are you idiots' doing?!" she questioned them with anger in her tone, Smokescreen opened his mouth to talk but was cut off when Blackwolf spoke in a loud, angry voice.

"They're blaming me for attacking Smokescreen in the desert! I'm telling you guys that I didn't do it, but one thing's for sure, this is bullscrap!" he gritted his denta and short fangs.

"WHAT?! Are you all outta your minds?! He'd never do such a thing!" she shot them all with a terrifying glare that even slightly intimidated Grimlock.

"Then why he in desert? Smokey left to see what him, Blackwolf up to, halfway there, he get beat up, we find him, and he tells us him, Blackwolf attacked him." the titan challenged him with that question, Blackwolf hesitated, now that Arcee was there, he REALLY didn't want to tell them about his gift he was making for Arcee, and why should he tell them, they were accusing him for a crime he never committed!

"I don't have to explain my private actions to any of you! You're accusing me of hurting one of my family members, what reason would I have to do that?!" he asked them all, hoping that was enough proof to tell them "Frag off!".

"Blackwolf, I am sorry, but unless you can tell us what you were doing out in the desert, we can't decide if you're telling the truth, or if you're lying and you have betrayed us. While I don't wish to do it, we must hold you guilty, you shall be kept in a cell until proven otherwise." Optimus sighed in sadness, not wanting to do this. Arcee was shocked at the Prime's conclusion, she knew Blackwolf was innocent.

Bulkhead and Bumblebee walked towards him cautiously, before they got close he drew his swords out, looking at both of them with anger in his optics. "You're not touching me! This isn't a fair trial!" he exclaimed in a dangerous tone. They both held back, his optics glaring holes through them. He looked closely at Bulkhead who's optics darted to the right and back to him, his optics widened, he turned to see Grimlock had somehow snuck around him, before he could react Grimlock grabbed him, holding him, not letting him break free.

"I am sorry for this Blackwolf..." Optimus looked at the convicted mech, he didn't want to ever have to do this to ANY member of his family, but under these circumstances, he had no choice.

"This isn't right..." Arcee said, feeling tears well up in her optics, she quickly changed and darted out of the base. They all took notice of this, some yelled, some ran to stop her, but she still drove away. She didn't know how, but she was going to prove his innocence, one way or another.