Even if he only admitted it to himself, Leo was grateful for this turn of events. It gave him something else to think about besides his own inadequacy. But he was also a bit unsettled over what he had seen. Something about those bots seemed different to him. He wasn't so sure that they were just ordinary Con reinforcements that seemed to be the general consent. He really didn't know much about those crazy things to be honest, but he had fought them enough to understand that if you took out the light in their chest, their spark, then they shouldn't get up again. But these did. And that had him worried. It only seemed like they grew still once they had literally been blasted to smithereens.

Seemed like more than his children were outgrowing him. Even the enemies were. Would there be a place left for him in this rapidly changing world? He leaned back into his seat, his eyes staring unseen out the tinted window as Dennis followed Hide and Jazz who led them on.

He didn't pay attention to the landscape that passed them as the drive grew longer. His thoughts were only on what had happened tonight and what could he do to to prepare them for something he didn't even understand.

They drove on and by now most of the others had fallen asleep except Amy who was now driving and Leo who was still looking out the window. It took him awhile to notice that someone wasn't resting peacefully though, and only because Caitlin shook him gently. "What's up?" He asked her as he looked into her tired, worried eyes.

"It's Mikey...he's having a bad dream and I can't wake him."

Leo looked over at his little brother, and sure enough he was tossing and thrashing on the bench he slept on. He got up and moved closer to the restless turtle. "Mikey?" Leo called out to him softly as he shook him.

"I tried that Leo..." Caitlin was very worried now.

Leo narrowed his eyes and shook him harder "Mikey!"

Destruction. Agony. Death.

Those fleeting images hit Leo hard as he tried to wake his brother again. Hard enough to cause a sharp pain in his head as he collapsed to the floor with a pain filled hiss, his hands flying to his head.

He comes. Prepare yourself.

Mikey shot up from the bench, his eyes wide and a choked off scream trying to force it way out of a throat that wouldn't work. Even as the pain faded from Leo he could feel Mikey trembling as he forced himself to breathe with short, heavy pants.

"L-L-leo?..." Mikey stuttered out as he looked around. "C-cait?...

Leo ignored his own discomfort and looked his brother over. The normally cheerful turtle was scared, very scared. Mikey even stared at his own shaking hands in disbelief. "You alright Mikey?"

"I-I d-don't know, I...guess..." He didn't look like it though. "It was...just a dream... A bad dream."

Leo's eyes narrowed. If it was a dream then why did he see and feel the images when he touched his brother? And why couldn't Vicky see what he had dreamed that night? The one person who should be able to see it...and she saw nothing. And he saw what Mikey had dreamt even though he never had any kind of mental connection with his little brother.

Something was beginning to brew in Leo, concern and suspicion being the foremost thoughts. But still, it wasn't worth worrying Mikey right now over it. So far it had only been the two of them, maybe it was just a coincidence. Another coincidence after a day full of them. Leo found that theory hard to believe but couldn't explain it any other way. "It's over now buddy. Try to get some rest."

Leo knew from the haunted look in those eyes that it would be easier said than done for him, just as it had been for Leo. He did settle back down on the bench though and Caitlin covered the still trembling turtle back up with the blanket that had fallen off of him. Leo wandered back to his spot, his mind now far away from what he was thinking a few moments ago. What in the hell was happening?

.

.

"Turn on the radio."

"You turn on the radio."

"I'm no touching his radio..."

"What makes you think I want to touch it?"

I opened my weary eyes and glared at the twins as they tried to get each other to turn on the radio. "Why don't you just ask him?"

"Hide can you turn on the radio?" Came in stereo.

I just rolled my eyes. "I should have rode with Leo." I mumbled as the black bot complied and the sounds of music filled the cab. At least it was something I could tolerate listening too.

"Oh!" Lavi grinned. "I love this song!" And she began to sing along with it.

Ok...it was something I could tolerate listening to.

Ty started to drum the back of my seat with his fingers. "Hide...how much farther?"

Was that bastard laughing at me? sounded like he was by the amusement in his voice. "Not much."

I just grunted and leaned my head in my hand, since my son was still drumming my seat. Apparently they had slept enough on this trip and were wide awake now...and antsy. It was past time to get them out of here before they drove me nuts. I didn't have their youthful recuperation and was still a bit tired.

The sun was well up by now as I looked out the window, with my seat still shaking, and we were already a couple of states from New York. The morning sun glinted off of Jazz's silver frame as he led us on at a steady speed. It was just those two and the bus for right now, with the other's following sometime behind us since they had to deal with the rest of those bots that had fallen. Took them a bit to sniff them all out apparently but they had managed to find them all and take them out. Now all of us were making our way to the current base.

After about another two hours or so, and the beginnings of a headache, three snaps a Ty to quit banging my seat and countless Lavi singalongs...Jazz finally turned off of the road we had been following. Hide followed him along the forested are we found ourselves in this time.

"You guys got tired of the desert bases?"

"Not really. We still have them, but this one serves our purpose better at the moment."

"Would that be because it was closer to a group of nutty turtles and family?"

"Maybe..."

The forest opened up to a large field, that had an almost just as large base plopped in the middle of it. It wasn't quite as big as the desert bases I had seen, but it came a close second. Seems like we already had a waiting committee as we pulled up.

Will and Epps were there, older now but still there, as was Sally to my delight and Tony. And a few mechanical faces were spotted too. I grinned widely as Hide pulled to a stop and the doors opened. "Ratchet!"

"Well look who's back." He huffed. "The wandering demolition derby..."

"I thought that was you guys?"

"We haven't managed to blow up half a mountain since you left... That is purely your domain."

"Donnie's actually to be precises."

He finally let his gruff exterior drop with a smile as he knelt down. "Good to see you again Vicky." His blue eyes wandered to the twins who came out a bit slower and widened a bit. "Seems like the little ones aren't so little anymore..."

"Still get into trouble though." I told him.

"Well," Ratchet told the stunned twins "don't just stand there like some fraggin pair of idiots gaping at me like that. Come here and say hello!"

"Only if you don't pull out a wrench." Ty told him. "I remember you were fond of wrenches."

Hide cracked up at that as he went bot. "Youngling has a good memory."

By now the van had pulled up and Ari had come out, her eyes wide as she looked around. "It's more than I remember..."

"That's because you were barely walking the last time we saw them." Mikey grinned at her as he walked up. "I hope you stocked up on your pizza! Cuz I plan on putting a dent in the supply."

Ratchet glared at him. "I plan to put a dent in your head if you don't behave. I remember you very well. Those pranks between you and the terror twins were about to drive my processors to short out."

Will grinned at Mikey as he came closer. "Got plenty of it stocked up bud. Just because we knew you were coming." He brought a hand out to shake Mikey's, who ignored it and gave him a big bearhug instead. Will winced a little. "Ribs. Still need those..."

"Turn him loose Mikey." Leo said gently as he walked up. "I'd be a shame if he gets his ribs broke within five minutes of us getting here. The injuries usually come later."

Mikey laughed as he put Will down, then moved on to Epps. Will ruefully rubbed his side as he and Tony walked up, this time getting a normal handshake from Leo. "Good to see you again Leo." Tony smiled with a slap on the shell along with the handshake.

"Likewise." The smile on Leo's face was genuine for the medic. The first one of these troops who put aside his fear of the unknown to help Mikey in that battlefield. Leo would always hold him dear just for that act, which cascaded into something bigger. With all of the humans there fully accepting them, just because they did something good. Those few weeks the guys, and the children, could walk openly for the first time among humans, and they weren't shunned or feared. That was something that really hasn't happened since.

Even as I thought about that, I noticed troops gathering. They were staying well back, no doubt under orders to do so until things could be explained and settle down, and once again Leo grew a bit nervous as he took in the new faces he saw there. He knew none of them, but the bots hadn't even tried to hide our arrival.

Will caught that look. "Nothing has changed Leo. They may have not met you personally, but each one of them know what you and your brothers did. Most of them have been chomping at the bit to finally meet you. You still have the right to walk openly here."

Leo just nodded as he looked over them. "They all look so young..."

Epps snorted. "Tell me about it...I feel like a damn kindergarten teacher... And this isn't helping." He ruefully added as he caught sight of the now grown, and fully armed, children. "Seems like we ain't the only ones who got some new recruits."

"Explains the bigger vehicle." Sally smiled, passing hugs around. "I love that mask color." She told Ari. "Pink is my favorite."

"Mine too!" The blonde turtle grinned.

"Hey hey hey!" A new voice boomed. "Look who finally showed up!" The red bot that came walking over also wore a welcoming grin on his face.

"Blaster!" The children all hooped as they ran towards him. Even Ari seemed to remember him, which is surprising considering how young she was the last time we were here.

The one that came up behind him had my full attention though. He was still easily the tallest and most intimidating one here, but the face that looked down at us was warm, and welcoming. Red and blue still dominated his color scheme and I was pretty sure he was still rolling around as a semi. This was Optimus Prime after all...anything else wouldn't seem right.