"I think I've died and gone to Heaven…"

Night had fallen in a remote mountainous area. The glittering stars flickered in their valiant attempt to outshine the brilliant glow of the full moon. Together they cast a soft light down upon a mysterious fissure in the ground. It was virtually invisible, concealed by the dense forest of surrounding trees. If anyone had been fortunate enough to discover the jagged crack in the earth, were they to peer down into its depths they would find it had already been discovered.

"It's beautiful, isn't it? Small wonder we were ever able to find this place…"

Jack nodded in hushed agreement as he continued to help Arcee quietly investigate the underground grotto. Above ground it appeared to be nothing more than a modest opening in the earth, but just below the surface lay hidden an enormous cave. The Sparkmates realized it had been excavated by the Decepticons long ago in their manic search for Energon deposits.

Tiny fragments of Energon still embedded in the cavern walls twinkled like tiny stars and created a tranquil, almost ethereal radiance. A large natural hot spring bubbled up from the center of the cavern, filling the cool night air with a hazy cloud of steam. Somewhere below the shimmering waters an eerie glow shone, the refracted light illuminating the entire grotto.

Arcee finally relaxed slightly and retracted her blasters before sitting down at the water's edge. She cautiously remained in her larger default body, at least for the time being.

"Doesn't look like anyone has been here for years, Jack…I think it's a safe bet that we're alone."

Jack shivered in spite of himself, thankful that Arcee had persuaded him to purchase the heavy leather coat months ago. He hadn't expected the weather to get so blasted cold.

"What do you think is causing the water to glow, Arcee?"

She answered, "There's probably an underground Energon deposit that the Decepticons missed somehow."

Jack crouched and skimmed his fingers along the water's surface.

"Can't believe how warm the water is...it's like a sauna in here." Jack looked up at Arcee and asked, "Do you think it'd be safe if I took a little swim?"

She said. "Normally Energon is dangerous to humans, but I wouldn't worry about it, Jack. Since the power of the Matrix transformed your body, I'm pretty sure you should be more than safe."

Jack grinned excitedly, "Awesome."

He quickly began to strip but suddenly paused. He glanced back at Arcee and caught her gazing intently at his body with obvious appreciation and more than a little longing. He chuckled and winked before he finished undressing. Without another word he plunged into the waters.

He splashed his head out of the pool and laughed happily, "Man, this is great! Never had my own hot tub before…"

Arcee smiled, "You're going to be freezing when you come out of there…"

Jack chuckled, "Who says I'm ever leaving?"

Arcee sat silently as Jack swam a couple of laps. He paused and whipped his hair back, huffing with exasperation. He complained, "I'm not used to my hair being this long. What is it now, almost shoulder length…?"

Soothingly Arcee responded, "Jack, I'm telling you it looks really good. I promise, baby."

He chuckled, "Okay, okay…I'll leave it alone." He muttered, "I'm starting to wonder if you have a 'thing' for guys with long hair." Arcee heard him and hmphed with embarrassment, confirming Jack's theory.

Jack teased, "Scrap, you must really love Finn the Human from 'Adventure Time…'"

Ignoring the death-glare from Arcee, Jack sighed, "I hope that Finn and Flame Princess get back together someday…"

Arcee rolled her shining eyes and shook her head, "Again with the fragging cartoons…"

He looked pointedly at his beloved Sparkmate and continued, "Laugh if you want, but I always thought those two were kind of similar to us…you know, as a couple. We were born worlds apart but in spite of all our differences we still managed to fall in love. Not only that, but like them it wasn't easy for us whenever we tried to…interact."

Arcee sputtered, "J-Jack!"

He smiled broadly, "At least in the beginning. We got a lot better."

As Jack reclined in the waters, Arcee softly murmured to herself, "...and here I always thought we were more like Brad and Jenny Wakeman from 'My Life as a Teenage Robot…'"

"WHAT…?!"

Not quite sure he had heard correctly, Jack suddenly reared up and stared incredulously at Arcee. She smiled innocently back at him and casually asked, "…hmm?" He stood motionless for another moment before finally shrugging and laying back into the intoxicating warmth of the waters.

Jack floated in the center of the glowing pool as Arcee sat by the water's edge and closely watched him with adoring eyes. A cool breeze circulated through the open grotto as Arcee silently contemplated recent events.

Looking back she remembered the day when Jack had emerged from the diner in the middle of nowhere. She knew something significant had happened but she never would have suspected he had encountered his long-lost father. After he shared everything with her, he then shyly apologized for his behavior and promised he would spend the rest of their lives showing her precisely how much he loved and needed her. She responded that she was just thankful that he was okay and that they had made it through the storm together. Jack in turn had tirelessly spent the entire weekend proving to Arcee he was a man of his word.

Arcee shuddered with delight at the memories.

Ever since that fateful day, Jack had been himself again. More than that, he was completely at peace…more so than she had ever known him to be. His erratic moodiness had all but disappeared. The uncomfortable tension between them was gone, as if it had never existed. Jack smiled freely and often now, and the joy that Arcee felt sang through her spark.

Jack suddenly groaned in pleasure from the soothing sensation of the warm waters surrounding him. Arcee chuckled bemusedly and asked, "I'm starting to feel like a third wheel, here. Should I give you and the hot spring some privacy, Jack…?"

He smiled as he opened his luminous eyes and gazed at his beloved Sparkmate. Jack murmured, "I wish you could join me in here, Arcee. It's too bad that water and electricity don't mix, y'know?"

A strange look appeared on Arcee's face and she suddenly stood, abruptly walking away from Jack.

Jack mentally kicked himself, worrying that he had inadvertently hurt her feelings. He opened his mouth to apologize when Arcee suddenly turned on her heel and ran at full speed towards him. Jack flinched, waiting for the inevitable impact.

Arcee leapt high into the air and for just an instant her lithe form was perfectly silhouetted against the full moon visible through the opening in the cavern's ceiling. Time seemed to stop and Jack's mouth grew dry at the sight. He was certain that he had never seen a more beautiful eclipse in his life.

In the blink of an eye Arcee transformed into her smaller techno-organic body and knifed into the water with barely a ripple.

Moments passed. When the waters had completely stilled and she still hadn't emerged, Jack began to worry. He looked around frantically but saw nothing. Finally his frayed nerves snapped and he cried, "ARCEE?!"

Without warning Arcee broke the calm surface of the waters, creating a brief but spectacular geyser. Jack sputtered and coughed as he tried to clear his vision. The waters were still churning violently when his sight finally returned.

Arcee smirked knowingly as she floated mere inches away from Jack. She wrapped her strong arms around him and pulled him towards her, pressing her body close against his. Huskily she said, "Who says I can't enjoy this with you, Jack? Remember, this new body of mine is perfectly seamless…nothing gets inside unless I want it to."

Jack blushed furiously at Arcee's words and stammered, "You…you're not wearing a swimsuit…"

Arcee grinned, "Neither are you."

The already heated waters quickly grew even hotter when suddenly a familiar buzz interrupted.

Arcee snarled as she activated her com-link, "I swear, one of these millennia I'm going to kill him."

Jack nodded, "It's like he's got this sixth sense and knows when we're just about to-"

"FRAG IT ALL, BULKHEAD! I NEEDED THAT!"

Arcee sighed as she reluctantly emerged from the pool, "And hello to you too, Ratchet."

"WHAT? Oh…sorry, Arcee. My apologies, I'm having a…bulky problem on this end."

She chuckled, "I can tell. Please say hello to everyone."

Ratchet gruffly answered, "If I must. Anyway, it's time for your weekly Energon shipment."

"I figured as much. Ready when you are, Ratchet."

Jack quickly finished toweling himself dry and put his clothes back on. Nearby the space-bridge briefly flared into existence and the small container of Energon flasks appeared.

"Still don't have a clue why you're requesting these shipments in such tiny portions…"

Jack tried not to laugh out loud as Arcee smirked and answered, "Just watching my figure, Ratchet. You know how it is."

Ratchet sputtered, "I most certainly do NOT! What do you think I am, one of those skinny models on 'The Bold and the Beautiful?!'"

Jack couldn't contain himself and loud, boisterous laughter suddenly burst forth.

"Arcee, please inform Jack that if he breathes a word of this to ANYONE…"

Jack wiped his eyes and said, "My lips are sealed, Ratchet."

In the background Bulkhead snorted uproariously, "Not mine! I don't even HAVE lips!"

Ratchet replied, "Maybe not, but just remember I can always delete your memory files if I have to."

"Uhh…sorry, Ratchet."

"That's what I thought. Anyway…have you had any problems lately, Arcee?"

"Everything's purring like a kitten."

"Glad to hear it, whatever it is you said. At least you finally listened to my advice and are taking better care of yourself."

Arcee rolled her eyes and answered sarcastically, "It's all thanks to you, Ratchet. Whatever would we do without you…?"

Silence was Arcee's only answer.

Her eyes narrowed, "Ratchet…? Are you there?"

Arcee began to wonder if her com-link had malfunctioned when she finally heard Ratchet murmur, "THAT'S strange…"

"What is it, Ratchet?"

"I'm…I'm not sure. It appears the scanner is malfunctioning…"

"Why do you say that?"

"I don't understand why I've never noticed this before. The scanner is showing Jack's distinctively human bioelectric life-sign, but for some reason it's giving a very unusual reading…almost as if it were a - a - "

"Spit it out, Ratchet!"

"…a Cybertronian spark signature!"

Arcee's eyes widened and she nervously stammered, "R-really? Scrap, Ratchet…th-that is one major malfunction…"

Ratchet ignored the comment and continued, "Not only that, but YOUR spark signature seems to be emitting an echo reading!"

"Sorry, a what…?"

"…an echo reading of your spark, Arcee. A double spark signature! It's…it's almost as if you have TWO sparks!"

Jack and Arcee suddenly stared at one another in shocked, wide-eyed realization. Their mouths dropped.

Oblivious, Ratchet continued to grouse, "Well, that settles it! This piece of scrap is BROKEN! Blast this antiquated Earth technology, it's always giving me nothing but problems! Oh, what I wouldn't GIVE for a decent Cybertronian scanning apparatus…!"

Barely audible, Arcee whispered, "Ratchet…? We - uhm - we'll get back to you."

"What? Ah, of course. You want to be alone. Have a good night, you two."

"Th-thanks, Ratchet."

"Oh, and Arcee…? Try not to get yourselves into any trouble!"