WARNING: a very short chapter. For Pricee's eye. So if don't like, don't read!


Chapter eight

Ratchet spent the whole night working on the disaster that the Decepticons had taken over Optimus Prime's frame. The tired doctor put down the last tool around 7am. The surgery went well and the damage on the protoform had been repaired . Regarding the armor, it would take a few days to fix.

The grumpy white and red sat down, exhausted, on a big cube next to the berth where Optimus lay. He had reduced the stasis but he had not woke him up, it was not time, not yet.

He ran a hand over his eyes and then looked at his internal chronometer. Soon the team would return. He could not hold back a big yawn. He watched the vital signs of his friend, trying to keep himself awake. Feeling the automatic recharge was taking over, the doctor decided it was best to keep the upright position. He stood up and walked over to his leader and friend. A slight smile touched his lips. He put gently one of his hands on Optimus's helm and gave him a caress, as he did when the big red and blue mech was still a sparkling.

"Do you want to be alone you two?" a female voice with a hint of humor broke the moment "How is he?" she then asked seriously.

"He is stable now!" the doctor didn't hold back another yawn as he looked around in search of Bumblebee and Bulkhead.

"The others will come later with the kids! Go to rest, Ratchet. I'll stay with him" said Arcee.

The doctor seemed to hesitate, but then nodded "Okay! But I want to be informed of every little variation!" concluded as he walked to his room.

Arcee merely nodded and smiles. Then she took the cube on which was sitting just seconds earlier Ratchet and put it next to the berth. She rested her small hand on Optimus' bigger one.

She was struck by the fact that it was very cold. She remembered that day in the Arctic and smiled. On that occasion, despite the freezing temperatures, her leader's hand had seemed so warm. Now it was just a piece of cold metal.

"I'm so sorry ..." she whispered before taking Optimus' hand with both her and bring it to her lips. Then she took it to the chest, right above her spark.

While clutching to herself, she felt something warm and wet fall down the cheeks. She was experimenting with a strange feeling, a kind of discomfort in the spark. Arcee would never admit it, but in those hours when Prime was a prisoner of the Decepticons, she had experienced a feeling worse than she had felt when Tailgate wad kipnadded.

She wasn't just worried, she felt bewildered, puzzled and terrified. She was devastated. She cared for Optimus, a lot, and she knew it. But at that moment, she was wondering if it was something more. Perhaps it was not the right time. Or maybe yes ...

She had never seen the Prime's protoform. That privilege was granted only to his doctor or to his chosen mate. Optimus' chest rose and fell regularly and gave off a warm glow blue. The femme couldn't take her optics form it: his spark.

At that moment the big mech made a small movement with his helm and Arcee jumped up and stood next to him.

The gray of his optics gave way to blue's Arcee loved so much. Prime must have been confused because he didn't seem to immediately recognize his SIC.

"A-Arcee ..." then Optimus could barely whisper.

The Autobot femme hadn't stopped crying, but her tears of sorrow were replaced by tears of joy.

"Yes, yes Optimus. You're home!" without thinking, she brought her face close to that of her leader. And, almost without realizing it, delicately she kissed him, first on the forehead and then on the lips.

When Arcee was conscious of what she had just done, she took immediately distanced himself from the red and blue mech.

She couldn't believe she had just kissed him. What would he think about her? This gesture dictated by instinct would have undermined their relationship? Would he have lost the respect and trust towards his SIC?

The femme was so concerned about this situation, and so taken by the sense of guilt and embarrassment that she didn't notice that Optimus was back in stasis at the moment. It took her a few seconds to recover.

"Ratchet wake up!"

Arcee was surprised to see come running a worried Ratchet 10 seconds after the call.

"What has happened? Is he fine?" he asked Arcee , grabbing her arms and shaking her.

The femme, annoyed, broke free from the doctor's strong grip "He opened his optics, only for a moment. But he recognized me".

"Good, good!" said the red and white mech while he consulted the records of the monitor "Parameters are stable at this point ... except where there has been a spike in the beating of his spark" he paused, still looking at the screen. Then he turned to the femme "Are you sure nothing else happened?" again asked the doctor.

Arcee nodded vigorously. But maybe that kiss ...


For a moment, Optimus was able to open his optics. He wasn't sure what he had before his eyes, but he recognized the face of the femme in the midst of a million. Many times his dreams were populated by that face. He then struggles to understand if this time she was a dream or if she was real.

He tried to make an effort to speak, but he issued only a faint whisper. Then his single auditory receptor was struck by the sweet sound of her voice. Then he felt a slight pressure on his forehead before and on his lips then. Was Arcee kissing him? No, it could not be real. It should be a dream.

He was still aboard the Nemesis, he was still a prisoner of his mortal enemies. He was convinced that it had to be a dream. Or maybe that was the Well dell'AllSpark and all his sufferings were then terminated. Primus had heard his prayer. Then a sense of guilt and regret enveloped him. He thought of his friends, his family. But he was now powerless. He was so weak that he could no longer keep the optics open.

It was a fleeting thought that passed for a single moment through his tired processors. Then the darkness enveloped him once again.


I know it's very short but, trust me, I've no time... too busy!