Quick note. When the writing is like this, it normally means Optimus is tracing words on the ground, wall, or on an Autobot. In this chapter there is a flashback written the same way. I think you can tell which is which.

Phantom ran through the halls. She was running as fast as possible. She found a familiar door, and using her powers she entered the giant room invisible. Ratchet was sitting at a counter working on some thing covered in Autobot blood, as Phantom would describe it. She flew up to his work place, and became visible while screaming, "BOO!"

"Ahh!" Ratchet cried as he fell off his stool.

"Are you alright?" Phantom asked leaning over the edge. His optics held a dazed look to them.

"Yeah. I just need to invest in ghost proof walls," Ratchet replied. Phantom laughed as he got back up.

"I don't think that's possible. They would've had it back with the evil men," she joked but immediatly regretted it. Ratchet was looking at her with nearly hurt optics. As soon as the words left her mouth she remember what Optimus' situation was. "It's not your fault Ratchet."

"But it is!" He snapped startling Phantom. "I should've protected him better! He took MY shift that day! 15 years ago!" Energon tears fell from his optics. Phantom was crying as well since she obviously reminded him of something horrible. "I'll tell you what happened..."

15 years ago Ratchet was working on a project in his office just before his guard shift. He looked up to see Optimus walking through the door. "Your shift started ten minutes ago," Optimus told him. Ratchet sighed.

"I was working. I just forgot to watch the time," Ratchet responded.

"I can take your shift if you'd like. I see you're busy," Optimus offered.

"Would you? Thanks Optimus," Ratchet replied. Optimus nodded before walking back outside.

Later that day a comm came in from Optimus. He sounded panicked. The end was cut off. Ratchet jumped up from his seat before running outside. He ran up to Ironhide who looked at him with pain and fear in his optics. "Optimus was taken by a group of humans. I don't know where they took him. They got away just before we got here," Ironhide informed.

"It's all my fault..." Ratchet mumbled. Ironhide placed a servo on Ratchet's shoulder.

"We're going to look Ratchet. We'll look for him."

Phantom looked at him. Ratchet's face plates held streaks of Energon. More Energon covered his servos from what he was working on. "What's that?" Phantom asked pointing to the unfinished work.

"That's what's left of Optimus' vocalizer. You don't know how lost we were with out him. No one could ever replace him. Now, he still can't led since the only way he can talk is by tracing words on our armour," Ratchet moaned. Air caught in his intakes causing him to sound like he hiccuped. Phantom chose then to help Ratchet feel better.

Steel and Infinity sat in front of Optimus and Ironhide. Optimus had his hand over Ironhide's so he could trace the words on his friends servo. "You've had a tough time in life haven't you?" Infinity asked Optimus.

I have. I've learned how to live with it though

"Yep. He said he's learned how to deal with it," Ironhide replied for Optimus. He liked the idea of having Optimus talk through writing the words with his servos.

"Where's the other Autobot we met?" Steel asked.

Ratchet is in Med bay. He is the only either Autobot they met so far that I know of

"Ratch?"

"Yeah, Ratch," Steel replied. Optimus wrote something and Ironhide grinned at him.

"OP says to tell you his full name is Ratchet and until your close to call him Hatchet," Ironhide said. He recieved a smack across the back of his helmet from Optimus. Optimus stood before crouching before the two girls. He traced the words out for them.

Don't listen to Ironhide. He just loves to be hit by his friend Ratchet. Makes the young bots think he's their age. In fact, Ratchet and Ironhide are older than I am, and I'm seen as the oldest.

"Is that true?" Infinity asked. Optimus smiled and nodded. She turned to Ironhide. "So the 'young bots' see Optimus as the oldest?"

"Yep. The yound bots are Bumblebee, Sideswipe, Skids and Mudflap. I think Jolt sees him as an old coot too," Ironhide replied. The two girls giggled from his comment, him not realizing they were laughing at HIM.

"Is Optimus the oldest?" Steel asked nowing full well he wasn't. She just wanted an idea of how old he would be. The girls were 22-25 years old.

"No. He's about 25 or so in human years," Ironhide replied. Suddenly the two turned to stare at Optimus with disbelief in their eyes.

"You're about Tear Drop's age!" Infinity cried out. Optimus glanced at Ironhide. Ironhide opened his mouth plates to speak when a voice holding anger caught their attention.

"She was captured that age. She should be 35, and yet she's trapped at 25. Don't be all happy about it," Flame snapped. She stalked into the room with her eyes narrowed.

"What's wrong Flame?" Steel asked.

"Where is Puppet?" Flame asked ignoring Steel's question.

"I don't know," Infinity replied.

"I swear, when I get my hands on her she'll be done well past burnt toast," Flame threatened. Her hair burst into flames, her eyes went blue, and her clothes changed into the flame top and skirt. Optimus optics lost focus for a second before he shook his head. Ironhide watched Optimus carefully. The four followed as Flame walked off. Flame stopped at Ironhide's shooting range.

Keep your optics on her. I don't want any one hurt

Ironhide nodded. Flame began to fire at any moving target on her lane since she started it. She destroyed every one with a ball of fire. Ironhide was so busy watching Flame that he didn't notice Optimus' optics dimming, and his sudden trouble with balance. A minute or two later, his world went black and Ironhide barely had a chance to rush forward and catch Optimus.

Phantom had calmed Ratchet down while the mech washed the tears away with water. That was when the door was thrown open by Bumblebee, and Ironhide and Sideswipe carrying Optimus entered. Ratchet jumped up and helped them get Optimus onto a berth. 9 of the 10 girls had gathered to watch. Lennox and Epps came as well with Sam and Mikaela. "What happened?" Ratchet asked ignoring how many people were in the room.

"He just collapsed. I almost didn't catch him," Ironhide replied. Ratchet nodded and ran a few scans over Optimus frame.

"Where's Tear Drop?" Ratchet asked. Each person and Autobot looked around. "Sideswipe, can you find her please? Every one else but Phantom and Steel out." Phantom and Steel walked over to Ratchet.

"Why do you need us?" Phantom inquired.

"You for support, and Steel for her skills," Ratchet replied with out looking up. He put a large needle into Optimus' arm and connected the tube to a container of Energon. He picked up a welder and took off the patch on Optimus' neck. He welded some of the metal tubes closed. "I'm going to regret this," Ratchet mumbled. Steel saw what he was doing and helped out. Phantom just stood and watched until Sideswipe opened the door. Sideswipe motioned for Tear to enter the room. Sideswipe nodded to Phantom before closing the door.

"You wanted to see me?" Tear asked catching sight of Optimus on the berth. "What happened?"

"Ironhide said Prime collapsed. I have a feeling this will happen again in the future," Ratchet replied. He said some thing to Steel that Tear didn't catch. She watched though, as Steel remade the patch for Optimus' throat.

"Any idea what caused him to collase?"

"Yes. That's why I wanted to talk to you. You're the leader of your group of girls. I think Flame used her powers, and since Optimus isn't recovered, it made him collapse. If you three can tell the others, I can get back to what I was working on. Phantom, you too," Ratchet said. He reached down and turned the welder off.

When the three girls walked out of the room, Ratchet went back to the counter and started to work on the vocalizer. He sighed. There wasn't enough to give Optimus his voice back completely. It would short out often, probably annoying every one. Static would also make it harder to hear. Ratchet pressed a button on a panel placed beside the berth to allow more Energon to enter Optimus. That would bring Optimus online sooner. Ratchet had fixed the vocalizer as much as possible, and could install what he had. He then gave Optimus a seditive to keep him in recharge. Ratchet finished what he had before installing it into Optimus' throat. What he wouldn't give to have the original to save them all the trouble. Maybe he could fix Bumblebee's while he's at it. He shook the thought out of his head since he would have enough trouble with Optimus. He would need to talk to them both when he was finished.

Flame had taken to pacing. She was walking up and down the length of the room with the others all watching her. She felt so guilty. Puppet was hiding in the corner but Flame ignored her. Her mind was on Optimus only. Robo stepped in front of her. "Flame, I'm sure he'll be okay. Can you please sit down?" She asked. Flame shook her head so Robo joined her in pacing.

"After I find out Optimus is fine, I want to go for a walk in town," Flame stated. Tear nodded knowing this would help calm her sister down. Ratchet appeared a minute later and told them he'd be fine, so Ironhide gave Flame a ride to the town but he was called back to base by Ratchet. Flame was left to enjoy walking alone.