A/N: The Autobots are not happy lol here goes:

In the chaos that the base was in looking for one boy that was wild with grief and emotional pain, Connors found someone who had spied the boy running through the camp in the direction of the empty part of the backside of the base. There were no more people there because half the base had been emptied out to give the massive mechs room to move. But without people on the back side of the base it might just be the place Sam would find a place to slip away from them.

Out of breath and sweating profusely Connors ran on towards Optimus Prime, the first Autobot he saw. It was probably a good thing it had been their leader. The others were very distraught trying to find Sam but very distracted. When Connors ran up to Prime waving his arms he immediately picked him up. "He's…He's…" he tried to talk through is lack of breath.

"Breath Connors…" Optimus said in a calm tone as if there was no rush. It was enough to make the man pause to catch his breath. Inside Prime wanted to shake the information out of the poor human but these types of urges he had mastered long before he became Autobot leader. His ability to exude fake tranquility kept his Autobot troops from feeling the pressure and let them feel more in control in dangerous situations. But Prime felt it in every inch of his metal body. Connors could finally talk.

"He's headed back toward the empty part of the base," Optimus looked around at the other Autobots rummaging through the base knowing that Sam was hiding from them now running away blindly. He looked at Connors and made a split second decision that he thought would be the best for everyone. With the others distracted he spoke in a low tone to Connors, "Listen, I feel that if the other bonded trio attempt to approach Sam it might put the boy in overload. He'll most likely melt down or try to run again. He responds to me in a much different way than the others. It's time to end this. Do not inform the others where Sam has gone or that I have gone after him." Connors bless the man nodded in complete trusting acquiescence of his plan and saluted him. He understood and ran off as if still looking. Optimus nodded with one thought 'Good man'.

Sam in the back lots of the deserted part of the base he slipped through the whole in the fence and began to scramble up the embankment. He was lost now, in his mind and his his emotions. He had closed off the out let to the others as well as his ability to receive any comfort from the others. It was like cutting pieces of your soul out with a rusted dull knife just to spite your dieing body. Everything hurt inside him. It didn't matter if he went back now. They would all hate him now. He couldn't face them every again he knew. They were probably all better off without him any how he assumed. Since he had met them he had killed one of there kind, a brother of Optimus no less, doomed their race to extinction because he destroyed the Allspark, then had been bonded to the others only to pollute the gift the Allspark had given him with his guilt ridden painful thoughts that hurt the others. There was no reason to go back now. Maybe he could go somewhere far away and pretend that aliens, hot girls, and the Witwickys didn't exist. There must be somewhere in this world a man with a broken soul can find a new life at least to live until…until what? He'd live forever or he didn't know any more now since he had shunned the others he was bonded too. Not that he didn't love them more than his own life now, he had just been in so much pain that he couldn't stand to feel them in pain for him on top if what was already inside him. He knew it was only their love for him they felt as they did but overload was something happening a lot with the bond and since he had been slipping farther and farther into a pit of morbid darkness the last few days it had been just too much.

SO now he scrambled up the sloping hill as rocks and sand slipped from under his feet. He tired to cling to the ridges in the compacted dirt and placed his feet on some of the larger rocks he climbed over. But as he moved upwards the slope steepened slightly and the rocks and sand forced him onto his knees as he was sliding in the dirt up the hill slowly. The clumps of dirt and sharp stones beneath his unweathered hands bit into his soft palms. But he didn't seem to notice. He was numbing to the pain inside and out. His muscles were tiring as he began to reach the last 20 feet of his trek. His jeans were shredding where his knees met the rough hillside. The grating dirt was being driven into his flesh by sheer force while trying to keep himself in an upward motion. There was nothing to return to so his only option was to keep going. He pulled himself up another 5 feet and finally found a ledge to rest on. It was thin where he was standing but widened as he moved around the side of the hill. It seemed to move up the hill in a zigzag pattern until it reached a cave about 50 yards away. Sam looked up at the cave for a moment he figured it was a good a place as any to rest….

Randall watched him scramble up the hill clumsily. The man shook his head. The boy was a real wreck alright and he knew it. The kids movements were shaky and frantic at best. His motor skills were suffering under his desperation to flee. He watched him make slow progress up the hill falling constantly quite hard a few times slipping in the dirt and rocks. As he slid down a particularly steep slick part of the hill only 15 feet up Randall chuckled to himself knowing that as he caught himself on a jutting put pointed rock there would be blood left there. He had many wonderful activities planned for his boy. He would keep him as his own like he had NBE 1 he needed this boy now for the rest of his life. He would need the closest thing to the cube upon its destruction and he had a sick fantasy that by keeping Sam near him that he could regain the power through the boy that he had when he had the cube. If he couldn't regain the power of life giving energy through the boy then at least he would have Sam. The destroyer of his very soul but in a way he would have his cube back, he would have power over the boy.

So he watched on as he made slow but steady if not painful progress up the hill. His ascent was at a diagonal angle up the sloping hill and he began to move toward a small ledge just about 15 feet from the top. The sun was over the hill in the early afternoon on the hot day and he had to move a hand in front of his eyes to follow his movements. Running a hand through is short brown hair he fixed his dark brown eyes on the boy again. The warm day was finally slowing the boy down. His body would not allow him to continue fighting the hill to much longer. And as the boy's feet found the ledge, Randall was awash with perverse joy. He watched the boy eye the cave invitingly. This was too perfect. He was headed toward his new room with out having to be dragged up the hill over his shoulder. Randall let out a soft sigh of contentment. Sam's hand ran along the edge of the rocky wall as he limped along the narrow but traversable path. Randall ran his hand along small Yosemite Hammer that hung at his side. The small rock climbing hammer's head was covered on the blunt end with a rubber stopper that was thick and gave the appearance of a mallet. However the other end had been sharpened painstakingly by hand, honed to a sharp point that pointed toward the back of his body so hit wouldn't catch him as he climbed the hill after Sam. He started up after the boy making short work of the hill in his military issue boots and camouflage pants and shirt. He would have cursed himself for leaving his hat behind in his bunk had he had a mind too however he was too focused on the boys movements to think about anything else even the heat. He was so close to his boy, to his new life giving attainable goal. He would soon be at the ledge Sam tripped along now absently.

Meanwhile Optimus had managed to look like he was looking through the base as he moved discreetly toward their half of the base. Connors looked up a few minutes later to see if Optimus Prime has put his plan into action and realized the mech had disappeared. Now how a 50 or so foot robot disappears all the sudden he will never know. But the leader was gone and his absence hadn't been noticed yet. There wasn't much more of the base the other Autobots could search and Connors knew that once they had exhausted their search of the base they would look to their leader for permission to continue the search off grounds. But he hoped by then Prime would have the boy.

Optimus had moved slowly toward a few of the bigger buildings probably the base's main head quarters for the humans and the mess hall and transformed and rolled toward the back end of the base. HE had made quick progress toward the back but by the time he had gotten there both Sam and the man following him were out of sight toward the back side of the hill. Optimus made short work of the fence between him and the road next to the military compound and ran through it without a second thought and took the road toward the east that wrapped around the hill then moved to the top. It took him the long way around but he thought that he might be able to spot Sam on the side of the hill if he had come this way. IT made the most sense since there was no where else to go and there had been a small hole in the fence a boy could fit through. Turning on his scanners as he rounded the top half of the hill he found the heat signature of a person about Sam's height and build as well as being able to pick up the signature of the Allspark's bond frequencies in his scan, it was definitely Sam. However once he rounded the corner he picked up another heat signature that looked like a human only much taller than Sam. The Autobot didn't know what to make of this since he seemed to just be following Sam at a reasonable distance. Optimus Prime finally drove up the crest of the hill that over looked the winding path that Sam was on and Optimus watch began to transform into his bipedal form. He kept his scanners on the boy as he did this as well as the unknown human. But as he neared the cave at the end of the path the person following Sam began to close the distance at a surprising pace.

Once he was in his root mode Optimus turned to look to see what was going on and saw the man reaching for an object at his waist. Slowly he pulled free a small thing that took the shape of a hammer in the glare of the sun. Optimus saw that he was bearing down on Sam's slow moving form and did the only thing he thought would carry far enough to jolt Sam into the world of the living. He blared his truck horn as loudly as he could as he jumped down on to the narrow path. It barely held his massive weight as he landed on the rocks under his feet. He kept blaring the horn as he rand toward the two. Sam surprised and frightened by the sudden loud sound he turned just in time to see a man running toward him with something in the air. Instincts took over as he ducked at the last minute but lost his footing and fell hard down on the ground. The fear that gripped his whole being pushed aside all his other thought processes and feelings. The link to the others opened like a flood gate as all three received the blow that he took as he fell to the ground. Over the hill two yells and a scream could be heard. Sam looked toward the base then back at the on coming threat. Optimus's horn became a loud call for him. Optimus had come for him… It was a startling discovery as the man that wielded the weapon spun around and gained his footing. He looked up at Sam and then over his shoulder at the incoming transformer.

"You stupid little boy…you stole everything from me!!! My cube my NBE and now since I can't have them and I can't have you NO ONE WILL!!!" Sam was at a loss. The man was crazy. But Sam's body was battered and bruised and tired from his flight from the base and he wanted to run and get away and go to find his hurting bonded friends and get to Optimus and get out of here but his body didn't seem to want to obey him any more as he rotated the blunt end of the rock climbing hammer to the back and brought the sharp tip over his head as he looked at Sam.

Optimus saw that he was not going to be able to get there in time. And at the same time it seemed Sam was unable to move. Optimus's spark clenched. The boy was like a Son to him after only a short time. He was so brave and so full of life he just needed to get through the battle shock and he would be fine. There was so much to look forward to now with more transformers coming and with a new home and with a new Allspark and with a new pod! It wouldn't be the same if they had to continue this progression with out the boy that made it all possible. The damn humans were so fragile! The Autobot leaders resolve hardened as he reached behind his back to pull out his long range energy plasma cannon. And on the plus side, Prime thought, that damn human is fragile too…

Randall stood over Sam poised to strike they all knew that the blow from the weapon would kill him if not on contact then soon after. Sam was only able to send feelings of love and some remorse at not being able to get to see and make up with his pod again. A sound like thunder was coming from the base as 4 mechs were running toward the hill. Randall position was sideways to Optimus and the Autobot could see his downswing toward Sam silhouetted against the sun. Sam's eyes caught Prime's Optics at the last minute and suddenly there was a loud burst of energy that moved at light speed in Sam's direction. The sound was deafening and he could feel the force of it move inches over his body and then hit the hill side 10 feet behind him sending dirt and rocks flying everywhere. The red and blue semi finally reached the supine boy on the ground and threw himself over him as the rocks blasted out of the crater came raining down over them.

The air was thick with dust as the rest of the Autobots reached the bottom of the hill and ate up the ground between them and the dust cloud as they ran toward where the sensed Sam. They were all calling Sam's and Optimus's name loudly as they came up the hill toward the ledge. A minute or two after the blast all the Autobots, Connors and Mikaela were all trying to see through the dirt. Once the dust had settled Prime picked his head up shook some of the dirt off his back as well as the small rocks. The others ran toward him. Optimus Prime stood his full height with his hands cupped together against his spark casing. They all looked at him expectantly.

"Prime were you shooting at the boy????" Ironhide asked bewildered. Optimus gave him an impatient and incredulous look.

"Ironhide if you ever insinuate I'd harm pod again I'll throw you in the brig myself!" Ironhide shut his vocal processor. He knew his leader was just blowing off steam and neither would mention it later both transgressions between the two already forgiven. "A human was following Sam and intended him harm. I was unable to get to him in time to save him so I eliminated the threat." There were volumes spoken in the sentence. He had killed a human…. They were all silent for a moment. They thought that their leader was regretting his decision but he was far from it. He held his hands closed around the precious being in his hands. The Autobot let out a long sigh. "I would do it again to protect what we have left. He is one of us as much as any of you are. Mikaela, Lennoxs, the Witwickys, and Connors are all pod. We will not let harm come to them irregardless of the threat." They all nodded they knew this was like an order and that with this he had elevated a select few humans to Autobot status and thus they were under his protection. Prime finally opened his hand and in them was a small battered bloody exhausted curled up form of Sam. Everyone let out a breath of relief. Bumblebee, Jazz and Mikaela in Jazz's hand stepped forward to see him. He laid there crying and none of them dared to take him from Prime's hand. The Autobot leader lifted his cupped hands up toward his face.

"Sam…" he said in his deep voice full of emotion and comfort. "Sam look at me." Sam looked much more child than man right now afraid and not wanting to be hurt any more. Sam pushed himself up into a sitting position but didn't look up at Optimus. Somehow with his large fingers he managed to get part of his finger under his small chin and lift it up to make him look at him. There was nothing admonishing or angry in his optics just concern. Sam's eyes tear continually. Prime's thumb managed to wipe a tear off his cheek very delicately. Sam just leaned into his finger. "Sam I'm sorry you felt you had to run from everything that has fallen on your small shoulders these last weeks. But no matter what we are your pod you mustn't run any more the world has become much more complicated for such a sparkling than it should have been. But we will give you a safe place to grow into it I promise." And that was enough for Sam. To know he was safe and they were there to share the burden and that they understood how a teen came to save the world and now he was dealing with the after effects of his adventures. He felt the love, comfort, compassion, and waves of relief from his bonded friends. He looked at Prime.

"OK" was all he said. But he looked like he had finally found the answers he had been searching for. And the Autobot leader let his finger rub his back slightly as he sat there soaking in his connection with the others. He opened his eyes again to look at the Autobot that was as much of a father as his own now. "Can we go home?" He asked. Prime smiled at him.

"Sam, I thought you'd never ask." Sam then turned around to face the three faces of those who were sharing his every feeling. He reached for his bonds and they received him with out a word. Mikaela tackled him and smothered him with hugs and kisses getting very dirty in the process but not caring. IT was as if they had all been given a new lease on life and were put back together again after being shattered by tragity. But now there were no signs of the recent trauma to the quartet of bonded beings. They all began laughing and what seemed an inside joke and they all touched and hugged and held Sam on the way back to the base. IT was quite a reunion.

Once back at the base they all began to work harder on their preparations for the incoming squad of 4 new Autobots. Jazz was excited to see his old friends again and Ironhide was beginning to feel the anticipation of seeing someone he had not seen in forever it seemed. Ratchet however was dreading the incoming Autobots. So many repairs…and explosions…his work would never end now. As if taking care of the accident prone human wasn't bad enough. Ratchet really deep down though wanted to see all of them even if he did grumble good naturedly about them.

The quartet was confined themselves to their quarters for the next 24 hours after Sam had been patched up and stitched in several paces by ratchet. A good sedative and pain meds orally from Ratchet and he was ready for a long nap and by then so were the rest of them. All were beginning the feel the effects of Sam's healing as their systems were being drained slightly. They all retired to their room but found themselves with the two transformers nearly wrapped around each other with the children intertwined on top of Bumblebee's chest plates with Jazz's hand covering them like a comforting blanket. And so they all settled into a deep recharge of healing both physical and emotional. There were no dreams that night but the warmth that came from the three wrapped Sam into a cocoon of healing comfort. The 4 slept on.