Dear Andrea, the amazing guest who continues to leave "What's going to happen in the next chapter!?" Reviews,

I love you so very much.

And thank you to everyone else who has taken time out of their day to leave a review. Keep it up, I love it!

Love, Lizzzard

I sat, leaning against Bumblebee's frame as we all watched the show from Russell's television set. I had onlined my holoform, collapsing on the ground in front of the couch where the boy and Fixit sat, resting silently as the bots gripped about the movie.

"Okay," Grimlock sighed, again. "I get that they're fast and make lots of noise, but when are they going to transform?"

I brought my holoform's head up, glancing at the motorcycles on the screen through the long locks of black hair. "They're motorcycles, Grim," I groaned, dropping my head back into my arms.

"One mode only," Russell added, turning his attention back to the screen.

"Whoa…. That is tragic,"

"Don't those humans have anything better to do than ride around all day causing trouble?" Strongarm griped.

"They don't play by other people's rules," Sideswipe explained softly, like he understood. "They don't want to be like everyone else,"

"Then why do they all wear the same rackets - packets - jackets!?" Fixit stuttered, and I contemplated how I could trap him into letting me fix it.

Sideswipe vented a sigh, like it was a chore. "They wear the jackets to show they are different, in the same way… .. B-But they're not! Aw, drones like you would never understand anyway," he sighed again, stomping his pedes slightly as he pounded away.

"Russell!" Denny called from the trailer close by. "Time to pack it in,"

I dismissed my holoform, stretching my arms out in front of me. Russell groaned, waving behind him as he walked away. "Goodnight you guys," he called before climbing through the door.

"Why are they smashing their mouths together?" Strongarm suddenly asked.

I flashed my optics to the screen, quickly searching for the frequency to shut it off. "O-kay," I cheered, standing as the others looked at me curiously. "That's enough TV watching for tonight,"

Bee smiled. "Isn't that what you and Optimus-"

"Bumblebee," I snarled lowly. "Bedtime."

He chuckled before turning to his bots, one in particular missing. I moved in the direction of his pounding pede steps, through the back aisle ways of the yard.

I heard Sideswipe grunt in pain, my t cog activating as I moved quietly around a stack of supplies. Sides was pinned on the ground, his attacker holding his blade to his chest plates. I called for the other bots, quickly rushing forward. "Stop!" I cried, Bee onlining his headlights on the darkened attacker.

I almost froze at the sight of the visor - wearing bot in front of me.

"Is it time for my solo?" he cheered, smiling at Bee.

"Jazz!?" my little brother cheered, a smile plastered across his face plates.

"Bee!" my Optimus' second in command cheered, walking towards him, his visor receding. "What're you doing in this dump?"

"Whoa!" Denny cried, covering Russell's ears and glaring at the con. "Watch the language!"

Bee scoffed at the two, myself disengaging my weapons and offering a servo to Sideswipe. "It's a scrapyard, Jazz." he smiled. "The nicest one on this planet!" He moved to Jazz to offer a greeting, but the bot held out his servo.

"Careful," he warned as Sideswipe glared at him. "This one thinks he's dangerous."

Bee chuckled again. "His name's Sideswipe, and he's with me."

"Whatever," Sides growled, turning to walk behind me. "You just. … caught me by surprise," he paused, turning to face the new comer. "What do you call that take down, anyway?"

"Don't know, it just kind of… flows," Jazz cheered, swaying his hips from side to side. I rolled my optics, resting a servo on Side's shoulder plates. "Hey, Bee," he turned again. "Know anything about a prison ship called the Alchemor? The big bots on Cybertron sent me to check out a distress call,"

"Actually," Bee smiled as they walked away. "I know a lot about it," their voices faded slowly, talking about Kaon City. The other three bots hung back by me, watching the two as they left.

"That's Jazz," Sideswipe breathed. "The Jazz."

I rolled my optics, moving forward. "And you're the idiot standing in the way," I laughed, moving past him.

I approached the two chatting in front of the communications hub, leaving the three behind. I had learned a lot about the days before earth from my bond with Optimus, finding truly how much his bots meant to him. Jazz and Ironhide, however, held a close spot in his spark. When Ironhide fell, it only got worse for him.

I vented a sigh, pushing the thought of my Optimus back as Bee turned to me.

"Jazz," he gestured towards me. "Meet Ancora Prime,"

The bot immediately fell to one knee, bowing his helm. I shot daggers at Bumblebee as I reached for him. "Please," I begged softly. "If you work with the council, you should know how much I do not wish to take complete hold of that title,"

He stood completely, pity filled in his optics. "I was there the day you surrendered your command," he sighed. "I, of all people, know the pain you feel,"

I smiled, remembering the day. "I only wanted time to grieve of my Optimus. And now, he speaks of coming back,"

Jazz's optics widened, turning to Bee.

"Yes," my little brother sighed, looking at me as he carefully continued. "He has spoken to me and Cara a few times about it. It isn't always easy on Cara,"

I shook my frame, ignoring the pain at my spark. "So, the Alchemore,..."

It was dawn by the time Bumblebee had finished telling the story to Jazz. Denny and Russell had fallen asleep already, outside, as the insisted on not leaving, listening to Bee's story.

"The council will be pleased to hear that," Jazz smiled. "They weren't too happy when you commandeered that space bridge. Come on, I'll give your team a lift home. You can smooth things over,"

Before I could protest, Strongarm almost vented an aggravated sigh. "With all due respect, sir, we can't leave the decepticons to run roughshod over this planet,"

"She's right," I demanded, walking to stand behind Bee.

"We haven't completed the mission," Bee stated. "And I can't let Optimus down."

"You're going to stay a while though, right?" Sideswipe almost begged. "Maybe you could teach me - us a few of your moves?"

"Love to," Jazz chuckled. "But I really should get back to-"

He was interrupted with the shaking of the earth below out pedes. I quickly pushed Bee behind me, circling to find the intruder tunneling its way through the ground and into our base. I quickly glanced at the humans, who were behind our line, safe for the moment.

"Dad, a sinkhole!" Russell yelled, running towards it. Great.

"We get a lot of them around here, natural occurrence,"

"Not this one," I growled, sheathing my battle mask and transforming my servos into blasters.

"Whoa," Jazz paused, looking at my blasters. "I was for sure the council deemed it illegal to have blaster systems still integrated into your frame,"

"Not for me," I growled, as a con jumped from the hole, transforming and growling at me. Fixit and the humans dived behind the bots legs as I took a position in front of the entire team, themselves arming with their own weapons. I narrowed my optics, catching and holding the intruder's own. He broke first, seeing the stasis pods in a corner and slowly, slowly walking towards them. "Fixit, report!" I called, watching him move.

"It's a decepticon,"

"No shit," I growled, side stepping with the con.

"A petty crook named Ped. He burrows under ground with those claws then -"

"Cara, I got this," Sideswipe cried out, charging past me.

"No, wait!" Bee cried as I tried to grab ahold of the bot's frame as he left.

Sides jumped into the air, not seeing the electrical pulses until they were surrounding him. He let out a cry in pain before falling to the ground, purple shocks pulsing around him. I released shots as the con jumped into the hole he came from. I paused, debating jumping in after him when a hole emerged behind the humans.

"Russell!" Denny cried as Bee reached in after the boy. I quickly grabbed a hold of Bee's servo as he practically jumped in after the boy. I felt a servo lock onto mine as I pulled back, refusing to release Bee's grip. I groaned, pulling back with a final effort, Jazz, holding my servo, doing the same.

The boy emerged from the sinkhole in Bee's hand, the rest of us crashing onto the ground. Russell ran for Denny, the two hugging as Bee and Jazz smiled down at them.

"Just like old times, huh Jazz?" Bee smiled, turning to him.

I shook the strain off my arms, glaring at the young bot.

"It was a distraction!" Strongarm cried, directing our attention to the stasis pods that held out energon storage.

"That's what Ped came for," Fixit growled, analyzing a few of the remaining cubes. "Our energon!"

"He didn't get all of them," Russell suggested.

"It's not like we have an unlimited supply," I growled, picking myself up.

"Grimlock, Denny and Russell," Bee began ordering, reminding me of my place. "Stay here and guard the remaining energon in case that con comes back. "You two, come with me," he gestured to Strongarm and Sideswipe, myself following quietly.

Jazz chuckled. "Aren't you forgetting someone?"

"I do not give my sister orders," Bee growled.

"I was meaning me," Jazz sighed as I jumped in the hole that the con made.

"Well," Bee grumbled, following after me. "I didn't want to just presume."

"Heh. You haven't changed."

We slid down the walls of the tunnels, stopping when we came to a fork in a road. I was in the middle of an eenie meenie mini mo when Fixit commed. "Bumblebee, I'm picking up a faint signal."

"Where?" I cried, activating my blasters.

"Uncertain. Ped must've realized that we were tracking him and he's taking evasive maneuvers."

"We'll have a better chance of finding him if we split up," Bee called, myself nodding in agreement.

"I'll go with Jazz," Sides cheered, running over to join the mech. Bee sighed, looking to me.

I nodded, pushing down one of the tunnels as the others went through the other two. I transformed, my peterbilt revving the engine as I pushed forward, swiftly changing gears.

A massive explosion echoed through the comm, my spark pulsing in fear.

"My robot chassis possesses all of your strength, speed, and firepower," Silas called, metal on metal being heard in the background. "Add my extensive combat training, and MECH has clearly achieved the perfect meld of man and machine."

After a few moments of silence, Optimus let out a groan. "Ohh…"

"But you know the key difference between you and me? … My body can't feel pain!" Another clash of metal, and Optimus let out a loud, pained groan, the sound of his body falling to the ground following.

"Optimus!" I called, worriedly.

"Is that the girl we saw in your company before?" Silas teased. "Maybe, after I've defeated you, I'll pay her a visit. Discover why she's so comfortable around you. … Or, maybe, offer her to Megatron… as a peace offering."

I felt Optimus' pain as I glared at the screen. "N...No!" he hollered, another clash followed by his body falling again. "Don't … touch…"

He fell silent, the comm only transmitting the sound of the wind. "Fowler must have Silas distracted…" Ratchet called.

"Optimus…" I called through the comm. "I'm right here, my love. I'm right here."

"Cara…."

"Yes love," I cheered, his voice was laced in pain. "You're almost done dear. Come back to me, okay? Finish this motherfucker off, and come back to me? We can sleep all you want in your sleeper tonight." I paused, listening as he struggled to his pedes. "Or….not,"

He chuckled as I heard his pistons bring him to his full height. I listened as the sound of metals clashing continued to fill the room, Optimus calling out in rage with each hit.

"No, no, No!"

Silence after the screams of Silas. "Agent Fowler?" Optimus called carefully.

"Better head back to base, Prime. I'll handle Uncle Sam."

"Cara!" Bee cried desperately through my comm.

"Bee?" I broke free from my memory, my internal scanner searching for any sign of the others.

"The tunnel is collapsing!" he cried through. I found his signal, kicking into overdrive as I headed that way. There was a pained groan as crashes echoed not only through my comm, but through the tunnels ahead of me. "Strongarm," he cried out, his voice pained. "Secure the ceiling!"

As my headlights shown in the tunnel, I saw the con advancing on an injured Bumblebee, Strongarm torn between them and the roof of the tunnel that was about to collapse. "I got it, Strongarm!" I cried, moving towards the fallen road. "Get Bee!" I rushed underneath the road, transforming and pushing up, my arms shaking underneath the weight.

"Secure the road, Strongarm!" Bee demanded again, watching as the con advanced on him. "Help Cara. No matter what you get that road back up!" the con blocked him from my view, Strongarm appearing behind me and pushing up. I didn't want to admit it, but it helped a tremendous amount, and now I wasn't fearing being crushed underneath the weight.

But the main thing I wasn't counting on, was the decepticon grabbing Bee in his talons.

"You Autobot's think you're so much better than everyone else, well let me tell you something. There's a new boss bot around here. And no one is ever going to laugh at me again!"

"Leave him alone!" Strongarm yelled at him.

"Listen, decepticon punk," I growled at him dangerously. "I am Ancora Prime, bonded of Optimus Prime. Release him at once or-"

"Or what?" he sneered at me, tightening his hold on Bee. "You can't do anything from up there,"

Bee scrunched his faceplates up in pain, squeezing his optics shut. I groaned, my frame shaking in pure rage as I stood there, pinned where I was. "Strongarm," I muttered behind me. "Comm Jazz and Sideswipe,"

"Already on it," she reported quietly.

I quickly ran battle plans, nixing everyone that passed by. If I left Strongarm to support this wall on her own, it'd crush her and the buildings above would come tumbling in. If Strongarm left, I would either be crushed in the same fate, or I'd watch as both of my teammates were destroyed.

"Optimus…." I whispered, desperately searching for something. "What should I do!?"

I felt pain shoot through my heart, the same that I assumed Optimus felt in his spark - worry. Jack rested a hand on my shoulder, easing me from my worry. A faint banging could be heard not too far away, and JAck directed me to dig in that direction.

I hit something metal, a loud groan heard immediately looked around, myself scampering up.

Bulkhead was standing in the middle of the room, his arms above him - holding the rock ceiling up!

"Jack! Get Miko out of here!" He pleaded. "NOW!" Jack hopped down, reaching out for Miko.

She shook her head, turning to Bulkhead. She reached out to her bot, whose arms were shaking badly, himself letting out a groan of pain, giving a hard heave, hauling the ceiling up even higher. "Run Miko! Go!" he ordered, glancing desperately at whatever we hit. "Go, GO!" He ordered faster.

Jack and Miko rolled onto the control board with me , myself immediately pushing the controls backing us up and out of there. Miko glanced behind us at the green bot we were leaving, a tear streaking down her stained face.

"Arcee will save him, won't she?" she asked us pleadingly, looking at me for help.

"We just have to get out of here before Megatron digs himself free," Jack stated, shooting me a pointed look.

Miko looked at me again, another tear streaking down her face. "Megatron?" she asked in horror. I pushed on, ignoring the pained feeling in my gut as heard Starscream's high pitched voice behind us.

Suddenly, something thumped in front of us. The three of us climbed up, looking at the new interruptance.

Arcee signalled for us to be quiet, sneaking around us. She paced silently to the front of the hole I created, weapon onlining as soon as she looked in. The three of us charged the door, peering in as Starscream turned around slowly. "Don't move, Starscream," she ordered, looking at him dangerously. She looked behind the con. "Hey, Bulk," she smiled softly at him.

"Hey, 'Cee," he grumbled, his arms shaking yet again.

"Raise your hands." she ordered the con, who groaned in defeat raising his hands.

"Me,..." I called out, not as strongly as I had hoped.

The con turned, Bee still clutched in his claws, the sharp talons digging into the sensitive metals. "What was that?" it screeched up at me.

"Me," I demanded again, only louder, more firm. "Do what you want to me, just leave Bumblebee and Strongarm alone! Please!"

The con grinned, tossing Bee to the side. He groaned in pain, twisting around to meet my optics. "No…" he mumbled, trying to push himself up as the con walked in my direction.

"It's alright, Bee," I eased as he stopped in front of me. "I'll be fine. Don't worry about it."

I con reached out a single clawed digit, resting it on my cheek, before applying slight pressure and cutting deeply through the metals, leaving a blue gash. I ignored the pain best I could, staring oh so defiantly into the cons optics. The weight of the ceiling above me lowered again, and I strained to push it back up, my arms numb from the position.

Ped kicked out, connecting with the side of my knee. It buckled, myself quickly putting all of the pressure on my right knee. My left knee screamed in protest, but I ignored it, pushing up on the ceiling yet again. "Do your worst, con," I growled at him.

"I intend too," he seethed, moving forward again.

Just as I was expecting a blow, he was torn away from me.

Looking down, I saw Jazz and Sideswipe circling the con. Bee was in the same spot as before, desperately trying to get the energon to stop leaking from his wounds.

"Are you okay, Cara?" Strongarm asked me.

"Just wonderful," I growled, watching the battle below.

"This is where all the umph I've saved comes in handy," Sideswipe grinned, the two mechs still circling the still con.

"Sideswipe," Jazz warned. "I don't think you should -"

"Don't worry," he cheered. "I'm just going to .. let it flow," he swayed his hips in the same action Jazz did before.

I scoffed, rolling my optics. "Great. Fate of the world lies in the hands of an idiot,"

Ped stood finally, watching the two bots. Jazz suddenly froze, his visor dropping and his shoulder plates transforming. Soundwave's erupted from his shoulder plates, knocking the the con backwards into the rock. The wall crumbled, pieces of it falling towards Sides.

"Sideswipe!" I hollered, Jazz apparently seeing it the same time I did. I watched helplessly as Jazz dived over top the young mech as a larger piece of rock fell on top of them, successfully pinning them.

"I'm getting out of here," Ped exclaimed, transforming and driving quickly out of the tunnel.

"Jazz?" I cried out, searching the rock. Bee was still unhurt, but Strongarm was struggling behind me, weight adding to her half after my knee gave out.

The massive rock moved, Jazz helping Sideswipe to stand. "Thank Primus," Strongarm sighed behind me, and I smiled at them.

Jazz helped me back to base as Strongarm and Sides helped Bee. As soon as I settled down, I scanned Bee's frame, working quickly to seal the leaking energon lines and welding the holes in his armor back shut.

"Well," Jazz cheered positively. "There's still some energon left at the camp. And I have a feeling Ped won't be happy until he has every last cube."

"That's what we were thinking," Bee agreed, wincing as I finished another weld. I rolled my optics at him, ignoring the pain coming from my knee.

"You two okay?"

"Okay as we can be," Bee nodded, looking at me. "Though I think Cara's out for the time being."

"Nonsense," I argued, barely looking up from the energon line. "Just snap it back in place, weld up my face and bam. Done."

Bee rolled his optics, smiling at me. "Still the same Cara,"

"See that big pile of treasure?" Denny asked, pointing behind him. I took a moment to turn, seeing a giant pile of energon cubes. Well fuck. "There's a stasis chamber inside."

"That looks like the entire energon supply," I grumbled, returning to the weld.

"Plus some," Jazz added. "Where'd you find more?" he asked, looking down at the humans.

"Some of them are real, some we rigged up," Russell explained proudly.

"Grade-A con bait," Denny cheered as they all looked at the pile.

I sighed, patting Bee's shoulder. "Alright kid, you're fine," I smiled at him softly.

He stood, testing out his new welds before smiling down at me. "Thank you, Cara,"

"You're most welcome," I smiled up at him, before running a self scan of my knee. I frowned, grabbing it just below my knee and just above, twisting my other leg where the knees would ram.

"Do you need any -" I rammed the two together, quickly biting my cheek to avoid the scream of pain that threatened to escape. "Help?"

I shot Bee an almost amused look, before wiping at the cut on my face. "I'll be fine," I added, looking away, my voice strained with effort. The pain quickly faded, but it would still be sore to walk on. "It's fine,"

Later that night, Russell and Denny perched themselves on a shelf, the other bots and I seated on an old train car, watching the pile curiously.

"Good call on higher ground," Jazz whispered to Bee.

"I want Ped focused on the energon, not us," he responded. The ground started shaking, and Bee smiled. "Looks like he's going for it," Not long after it started, the shaking stopped.

I eyed the ground curiously, before the earth beneath the car collapsed, taking the seven of us down with it. As soon as we hit the ground, I heard Ped's ferocious roar above ground, where Denny and Russell were.

I activated my thrusters, soaring from the rubble and through the hole in the ceiling. When I emerged, Ped quickly turned from his advance on the energon cubes. I blasted towards him, knocking him away from Denny and Russell and onto the ground.

"You again?" he grumbled, picking himself off the ground as I activated my blades. "How's your knee?"

"Just peachy," I grumbled, charging the con. He easily deflected my advances, but his attacks were slow, solely reliant upon the might behind it. I grinned, allowing him a few good shots, but ducking away last minute. I turned to fire and slashi upon him in return, earning a few pained growls from him.

"When I'm through with you, no other decepticon will mess with me!" He cheered, deflecting a blow of mine. "I took out Ancora Prime, no one will doubt my might!"

"Think again," I groaned as he pressed his claws against my blades, shoving me back. It was obvious he was stronger than me, but I wasn't going to allow him to abuse me. I grunted in effort, my already tired arms straining against the new might.

Sideswipe emerged next, shouting a demand at Denny and Russell before kicking Ped away from me. He fell to the side, Sides turning to offer my a servo. "Need a hand?" he asked with a smile as I shook my arms, getting feeling back into them.

"Never better," I smiled, as we charged the con together.

Ped dived into the earth, Sides and I freezing, scanning the ground behind us. We weren't expecting him to emerge from behind us again, which was exactly what he did. I lashed out at the con, only to have him tunnel again, appearing behind Sides.

"So this is how it's going to be?" I groaned, lashing out at him again as he avoided Sideswipe.

Jazz and Bumblebee landed from the crane that Denny and Russell used to get them out, running for us in the next second. Jazz didn't see Ped emerging behind him, myself quickly activating my thrusters. I moved to grab Jazz, but the con locked onto my ankle, pulling myself back down. He shocked the both of us, the electricity overloading my circuits. I stood limp in the con's servos, Jazz the same next to me. I struggled to sync my processors again, hearing Sides and Bee say something.

"Hey, botworm!" Sides called.

"My name is Ped," the con growled, turning to face Sides but not letting go of me. I scanned my systems, finding nothing wrong but. … a fully recharged system. Awesome.

"Guess I got confused," Sides shrugged. "Because you know what a worm is on this planet? It's a slimy little stick that spends its life hiding under ground. Until it's stuck on a hook and used for fish bait, botworm,"

"I said my name is Ped," the con growled, tightening his grip around Jazz and I. I felt the smaller bot squirm next to me, the weight around my waist not entirely pleasant. "And you better get that straight. In a few weeks I'll be running the world."

"For a while, maybe, Botworm. Until you run out of energon. Then you'll be what you've always been to the other decepticons: the lowest of the low! A lousy, stinking scavenger. A bot worm!"

Ped growled angrily, tossing Jazz and I aside as he charged Sides. I latched out for Jazz, activating my thrusters and avoiding the crash to the ground, circling around back to the other two. I quickly scanned Jazz's frame, and finding nothing, moved back to the stasis pod behind the stack of energon. Sides and Ped were both inside, Sides desperately trying to avoid his talons.

"Bee, now!"

"Not with you inside," Bumblebee stated flatly, watching the two.

"Do it!" Sides screamed from inside, shooting a pleading yet demanding look at Bee.

I was struggling with the situation, when Jazz rested a gentle hand on Bee. "Mind if I join him?" he asked with a smile, back flipping into the pod without waiting an answer.

They both quickly overpowered Ped, climbing out of the pod. Bee slammed the door shut, locking the con into stasis.

Jazz and Sideswipe shared a fist bump.

It was again dawn by the time we got around to getting Strongarm and Grimlock back out of the hole. Denny insisted on pulling them out with the magnet, something I was much grateful for because I didn't think my frame could take anymore strained efforts. The cable broke, causing Denny to rush away to get replacement to pull Grimlock out, helpfully telling the dinobot to stay where he was.

"My ship's just a couple of kliks away," Jazz reported as I continued fixing a few things on my leg. "When I get to Cybertron, I'll clean up your mess with the council. Promise,"

"Then you'll come back?" Sideswipe asked, hopeful.

"Wouldn't mind another road trip," he smiled. "I could learn a lot from you."

Sideswipe froze, optics wide. "I think that's my line…" he shook his frame. "Thanks… and stuff,"

"Look, you had it in you from the jump, Sideswipe. You just need to stop caring about what others think of you. That's something he never learned," he gestured back towards Ped, who was sleeping soundly in the stasis pod.

Jazz and Bee shared a handshake and their good byes, myself sending an informal departure, something that apparently freaked Jazz out, before he transformed and drove out of the scrapyard.

"Looks like someone found a role model," Strongarm chided at Sides.

"Helllo," Grim called from below. "Anybody up there? Dinobot in a hole!"

I laughed softly, flipping into the hole and landing next to him. "We haven't forgotten," I smiled, settling back into seat on the ground, fiddling with my wires and exchanging light conversation with the bot as we waited on the human's return.