I have had quite a few changes of heart with this chapter… meaning I that I have revised, and erased, it several times. I just couldn't seem to get it right. Here is the product of those actions. It took some mind racking and brainstorming for it to come along the way I wanted it. Curse writers block.

Anyway, here is chapter seven, hope you guys like.

~.~

Celestia sat in the rec room by herself. She had helped fix Sideswipe and then avoided every bot on the base for two days. Emma had been her constant companion, but at this moment her human charge was listening to the security lecture that Red Alert insisted she had to sit through. So Celestia was in the rec room refueling and trying to sort through the emotions that wouldn't stop attacking her. She was, for the first time in over half her life, feeling everything that the program had blocked. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't realize when another bot sat beside her. It wasn't until another energon cube was pushed in front of her that she looked up and met her sparkmate's optics.

"You need to get more than just the bare minimum right now Celestia." Sideswipe stated, tilting his head to the side.

"No, I'm fine."

His optics hardened and the red twin crossed his arms over his chest plate. "You need to quit avoiding me."

Celestia looked at the tabletop, really not wanting to have this conversation.

"Look, you weren't the one that caused me injury… not physical injury anyway. The thing that's getting to me is the fact that you won't talk to me about it. I can feel your pain through our bond, or did you forget that we had one?"

"No, Sideswipe, I could never forget our bond… I just don't know what the frag I'm feeling at the moment. I don't know what each emotion is… I just know that they are emotions I've pushed away for so long I don't even know how to express them." She bit back her sorrow.

"Celestia… you could ask for help." Sideswipe muttered to her. "All you have to do is reach out and someone will help you. I'll help you."

Celestia continued to stare at the tabletop. But she reached through the bond she shared with the red twin and called for help. The moment his spark energy touched hers she found herself grounded, the emotions became less potent, and she could think clearly.

She realized that she needed him far more than she had thought.

"Sideswipe…"

"Come on, Firestarter can help with your emotion control too." He said as he stood, then offered her a hand. "And then you need to introduce us to your human charge… Red should be done it two more hours."

Celestia stared at his hand for a few seconds, and then took it and let the red warrior lead her out of the rec room and to the shooting range.

"Hey Firestarter, Sunstreaker… look who I just found and brought to see you!" Sideswipe called as he stepped into the room.

Four targets exploded and Celestia flinched. It wasn't just Firestarter and Sunstreaker, Jazz and Optimus were in the room as well.

This was going to be interesting.

Four sets of optics locked on to the young prime, well three sets of optics and one visor, and their weapons were immediately subspaced.

"Celestia…" Optimus stated as he stepped forward.

"I can explain…" But her sentence fell away unfinished when the Autobot CO pulled her into a hug.

"You don't have to explain anything… I'm just glad you're home safe."

Celestia shuttered her optics in an attempt to hide her relief.

"Mom says hi…" She muttered once Optimus had let her go. "She's the one that separated Darksong and I… She wanted to let you know that she misses you and Firestarter."

Optimus stared at his daughter, caught somewhere between sorrow and joy.

"And you look like mom, Firestarter. The older you get, the more you look like mom… She's proud of you 'starter."

Firestarter's optics shone with unshed tears.

"She says that I look like you dad… but I'm not sure how." Celestia smiled softly.

"You… you talked to Elita?" Optimus whispered.

"Primus sent her to separate me and Darksong… She wasn't allowed to do much more than that." The younger prime looked at the ground. "She also wanted me to tell Bumblebee something."

"I'm listening."

Celestia spun towards the door, where Bumblebee stood with Emma on his shoulder.

"Red Alert let her go early."

"Yeah… the poor guy didn't realize that I would actually pay attention and ask questions." Emma grinned. "Now, as you were saying."

Celestia smiled then, a true happy smile. "She says that she's happy you have become part of our family."

Bumblebee was frozen in place, a look of disbelief on his faceplates.

"You are a part of our family, Bee." Firestarter stated with a smile. "Whether you like it or not."

"You guys really mean that… don't you?" Bumblebee whispered.

"If there is one thing that we mean, it is that you are our little brother." Celestia grinned.

"You are my son; just because you are not my son by birth does not change that." Optimus stated seriously. "I must need to vocalize it more. You have been a part of this family since you started calling these two your sisters."
Bumblebee looked overjoyed.

"You have a family, see?" Emma stated from his shoulder. "I told you that didn't I?"

"Yes… you did."

Celestia smirked; Emma seemed to have that effect on everybody.

"And you just needed to ask for help." Emma shot at Celestia. "I did tell you that as well… when we were almost to the base."

Celestia just nodded, smirk changing into a smile.

"Now, what is this room?" Emma asked.

"The shooting range." Jazz stated.

"Oh cool! Can I watch you guys shoot!"

A round of glances went through the Cybertronians.

"Let's make it a contest, the bot that impresses Emma the most gets to show her around the base." Jazz stated.

"Deal." The others, except Optimus (who left saying that he needed to do some paperwork), agreed and the contest began.

"I'll go first." Celestia stated, then subspaced her gun. "Put the course on my normal difficulty."

Jazz grinned. "That means far more difficult than most normal 'bots have the course set."

Emma raised an eyebrow and gave Jazz a questioning look.

"She's the head of her own special/black ops team, and she is the Prime for 'bee's generation." Jazz stated as he changed the settings. "There's only one 'bot that has ever out shot her, and that would be Bumblebee."

Emma glanced at the small black and yellow bot, he was watching as Celestia prepped her gun.

"So… he beat Celestia at a shooting contest?"

"Yep, and she had to do his chores for a month after it was done." Firestarter laughed. "The look on her face was hilarious when it happened."

"I've never seen them go against each other since." Sideswipe agreed.

"I think 'bee might go last." Sunstreaker stated, looking over at the younger bot. "He always does."

"Is the course ready yet?" Celestia asked.

"Course: Set. Simulation: beginning."

The computerized voice answered Celestia's question and she immediately started shooting. Within seconds she hadn't missed a single target, and then she launched herself into the sky. Apparently there were more targets on the floor, she didn't miss one and the simulation was over in seconds.

"48 bulls eyes out of 50." Jazz stated. "Good job Celestia."

The prime nodded and took over the controls for Jazz.

None of the other 'bots came anywhere close to Celestia's score, so when it was Bumblebee's turn every other 'bot in the room gave him interested glances.

"Celestia…"

"Yes 'bee?"

"Make the course two times harder than yours."

Every optic was set on the young 'bot.

"Are you…"

"Just do it… I can handle it big sister."

Celestia studied him, and then—with a nod—changed the settings.

Every optic was on the field as the simulation started. It was over in seconds, and Celestia sat in the control chair, completely dumbfounded.

"50 out of 50 bulls eyes… Congratulations Bumblebee, you win." She stated, her processor running through several ideas.

"Ready to see the base Emma?" The young bot asked with a smile.

"… Yeah… Sure." The human muttered, her usually jade green eyes were now emerald and wide with surprise and respect.

Bumblebee placed her on his shoulder and walked out of the door happily telling her all about the base.

"Celestia… what are you thinking?"

Celestia didn't even jump when Sideswipe's hand fell on her shoulder.

"I'm thinking that it's time for me to choose my officers."

Everything went silent, and then the others nodded, and let her leave the room to go over her possibilities.

~.~

AN: For all the time she has been a Prime, I haven't let her choose her officers… what kind of author am I? Don't worry, she's not going to take her division of Autobots and make them separate. She's just doing what most leaders are supposed to do. Which is choosing those who will help her lead and keep her grounded, the list of officers will be a surprise… I don't know if you guys will like it or not.

Review please!

Till all are one,

~Chistarpax