A/N: A shorter update this time. This story is getting longer and longer despite already having an ending written. Thank you for encouraging reviews. There are about two chapters left and possibly some extras. Also I am aware that this needs beta. When I get one I'll repost. Once again thanks to ultharkitty and femme4jack.


Optimus was alone. Painfully alone. No one came to visit anymore. No one came to ask for anything. How could they? How dare they assume he had hurt Sam on purpose?

But he had hurt him. The Matrix jumped in his hand when the boy touched it. He could feel the quick snap of discharge that rolled over it when it zapped Sam.

Sam was alive. Concussed and with few broken bones, but nothing too severe, nothing life threatening.

They kept Sam away. It hurt, but despite it Prime felt lighter than he had in a long time. The talk... changed something.

In the lonely time he had to himself he inspected the Matrix countless times wondering what had happened and why.

He would have asked Ratchet, but the medic, his friend, was avoiding any talk with with him. Again, it hurt.

Every time it happened the rage would rise in him, blinding, burning, making him struggle and fight the bonds to show them all...

With time the lightness from his talk with Sam evaporated.

Days of quiet despair creeping upon him. Memory purges thrown images at him. Sentinel rising his sword, Megatron's chopped head with the axe buried inside, splitting it in half. Ironhide's rusted shell coming to him, Jazz's two halves blaming him for failure, Sam's tiny organic body, crushed and dead.

Through the nightmares Optimus howled and screamed, thrashing on his berth, unable to escape them, unable to close his processor for the horrors.

He was falling apart and no one seemed to be able to help. No one wanted to help.

He was alone.


Bumblebee was woken by an urgent ping from Ratchet and a sound of far away explosion. He booted up fight systems at the ready, guns humming. Only it wasn't war anymore he reminded himself... what was happening then?

He sped to the med-bay and froze mid-stride when he heard a howl of rage and then sound of something or someone crashing into the ground.

"Fucking Prime." He heard Sideswipe curse and then sounds of fight followed.

He approached the open door hearing Ratchet's yells, sounds of metal meeting metal, shots and cries of rage.

The picture he saw made him regret the moment he was drawn to Prime's personal cohort.

Optimus, arm torn at the elbow, legs damaged at ankles, was fighting Sideswipe and Mirage with ruthlessnes and brutality of a Decepticon. The other two tried his best not to hurt him, avoiding Prime's blows and marking their own. Ratchet shouted orders at the mechs, but between the clang of steel they didn't heard him.

Bee approached, not knowing what to do. Then the blue-white optics of his Prime locked on him and Optimus charged.

At Bee.

Screaming bloody murder, the Autobot unsubspaced his sword and pushed the yellow scout to the ground. With lightening fast reflexes Bee drawn his gun and blocked the blow, the sword burying into the gun.

This couldn't be happening. Bee chirped, afraid like never before. Not Prime, not Optimus.

"Stop!" He managed through broken vocalizer with his own voice...

Others seemed to freeze in place not expecting that turn of events at all.

"Frag!" Ratchet swore "I shouldn't have been calling you... PRIME FOR PIT'S SAKE! Target him, you two. If he moves shot." Ratchet threw the order, his voice breaking."

Prime paused, his optics glowing with rage, energy and pure, unadulterated hate, vents cycling air furiously, damaged circuitry sparking.

"I BEG you Optimus, snap out of it." Bee couldn't remember the last time Ratchet sounded that desperate. "We have guns aimed at your spark. Please don't make us kill you."

Bee stared into white optics and saw no recognition in them. "Pleaseeee..." He tried again, vocalizer shorting at the last syllable with the whine.

Optimus blinked, optics resetting into normal blue and then widening with realization and terror.

"No..." He gasped in shock.

With a flurry of movement Ratchet was beside them jamming medical cable into Optimus port.

"Forgive me, Bee." Optimus whispered and promptly collapsed to the ground. Ratchet immediately starting to patch him up.

"Is he going to be okay?" Bee used his radio to ask.

"Never in my life I've seen something like this, Bee." Ratchet responded. And cut the blade just beside it's mount at Optimus' wrist.

With help of Sideswipe and Mirage he put Optimus on the berth. "Never in my lifeI have been more afraid that there is nothing I can do." Ratchet engaged the Magna-bonds over Prime's limbs. Much stronger than previous ones.

This admission, Bee realized, must have cost Ratchet more than he would ever admit it to anyone.

"As soon as I'm done with him, I'll take a look at your gun arm. I'm afraid, you'll have to wait to have your gun replaced." Ratchet mumbled from where he was welding something on Prime.

The only thing Bee could offer was a friendly hand on Ratchet's shoulder which the medic seemed to accept greatfully.