My back connected roughly with the cloudy substance below with a muffled thud. I recognized the pain, but my sensors were suddenly overloaded with a different sensation.

I groaned as the body before me pressed into my much smaller frame, pinning me below him. His lipplates were curved up in a smile, his optics dark as they roamed over me, taking in my every form. His servos trailed over the curves, digits tracing the crevices between my armour, lightly brushing against the metals of my protoform.

"Carabelle," his baritone rumbled, sending direct pleasures through my system.

"My Optimus," I breathed, smiling up at him. His smile, if possible, brightened before he leaned down, pressing feather-light kisses around my neck struts, my frame heating up as he did. "What are you-" my own voice cut me off as Optimus trailed his digits across my chestplates, over the position of my spark.

"I've never been able to fully show you what all we can do in this form," he mumbled lowly, bringing his face to hover over mine. My optics closed on their own accord as he dipped the tips of his digits just past my protective armor. "Would you like to learn?"

That sounded extremely promising.

"Optimus," I moaned again.

He smirked, diving down to catch my lip plates in a kiss.

+$+%(#(

"You should be proud, Optimus," I smiled up at him, my helm tucked tucked tightly underneath his chin. "Bumblebee is proving time and time again that he is worthy of leadership,"

"I am aware," he rumbled, his chest plates vibrating as he spoke. "I have been watching, as I promised,"

I smiled, leaning into him more. We stayed that way, cuddled against each other and watching the clouds move throughout the vastness of space.

I twisted my helm to look up at my bot, taking him in as he watched. "Optimus?.." I hesitantly asked, suddenly afraid once his optics met mine.

"Yes, Cara?" He rumbled, leaning down to press a single kiss against my forehelm.

I looked down, away from his optics. "Do… Do you think…"

"Cara," he rumbled, grabbing my chin and tilting it up. "Cara, what is troubling you?"

I vented a sigh, leaning into his touch. "Do you think, I have stolen the title of Prime?.."

I looked away from his optics, afraid of what his reaction would be. Sure, I was, essentially given the title from him. Because of him, however, … it didn't mean I was worthy of it.

But Optimus chuckled.

I onlined my optics, looking up at him with a raised optic ridge.

"Carabelle," he rumbled, moving his servo to cup my cheek instead. "Oh, my Cara. The title of a Prime is not so easily given."

I thought over that for a moment, before turning my attention back to him. "What do you mean?"

"Being a Prime is not something you can get from me. The title is bestowed upon those who are worthy to hold it. You would not be Ancora Prime if Primus did not deem you fit to be one,"

A weight was lifted from my chest, but a whole new one bestowed upon my shoulders. "So.. I am a Prime? It is my duty, to stand against the greatest threat presented to Cybertron?"

"Not to her alone," he rumbled, sensing my doubt. "You were brought back to earth with a team."

"That's Bumblebee's team," I protested.

"Bumblebee is a great leader," he rumbled. "You do not have to be the leader, just a leader,"

I vented a sigh again, thinking back to the team. "I just hope I can be half the Prime you are,"

He chuckled, pulling my helm snug against his chest. I burrowed in, allowing him to cradle me against his frame, the safest place I could be. "You already are, my spark," he rumbled. I was so content, I could remain in the position forever.

Until we were interrupted.

"Primes," Micronus called, floating up. We both rose to our pedes, Optimus keeping a firm arm around me. "There has been a problem," he paused, looking to me. "On earth,"

I looked at Optimus frantically. He grabbed my servo, leading myself - with Micronus following closely behind. I watched as the clouds folded away, revealing a slight drop in the sky. Below, I could see Bumblebee and his team. Bee was trapped in some kind of mold, shaking violently and thrashing uselessly, mumbling about something.

I quirked an optic ridge at my bot.

"This is how I watch your team," he eased me, gently tucking me closer to him.

"What's happening to them?" I whispered, observing similar situations from the other members of the team.

"It must be a nightmare," he rumbled. "They need help." Optimus and I shared a look, before he moved towards Micronus. "Send me," he almost begged. "I am ready,"

"You are not, Optimus," Micronus rumbled, my spark weighing down as I realized what he met. "You still have much training to do before you can be released."

"What more is there to learn, Micronus?" He argued. "I have done everything-"

I shoved the twisting pain in my spark down, turning towards my bot. "Optimus," I eased, laying a gentle servo on his hand. "It is alright,"

He twisted around, gathering me in his arms. "I don't want to lose you again," he begged, tugging me tight in his arms.

My spark pulsed in his embrace, it breaking all over again. "Complete his training," I almost begged him. "Complete, then return to me. I know you will,"

Optimus' voice broke, his chest heaving as he clutched me tighter to him. My spark ached, but I knew what I must do. Bee and his team were in trouble, I must help. As much as it killed me, I had to.

"I will return for you," he rumbled in my audios, finally releasing his hold and allowing me to pull away.

"I'll hold you to that," I cupped his cheek, smiling at him. We stayed that way as lights surrounded me, growing brighter and brighter until I had to offline my optics. The world suddenly seemed to disappear, my frame drifting through the vast unknown. Until my pedes met solid ground.

I opened my optics once more, finding myself standing in the dark. Before me was a cave, and a young boy standing before It.

"Okay. everybody," he said, shining a flashlight towards the cave. "Its Russell to the rescue. All by myself,"

I smiled, walking towards Him. "Think again, kid," I grinned, moving forwards.

He froze, before quickly turning to face me. "Cara!" he cheered, smiling brightly, running towards me the next second. I knelt down to his level as he grabbed a hold of my leg, breathing a sigh of relief. "You're okay!"

"Of course I am," I laughed, wrapping a gentle servo around him, responding to my hug.

"What happened? Where'd you go? Bee thought you were dead!"

I laughed. "Later," I said, standing back up to my full height. "I understand we have a decepticon problem,"

He nodded, moving back towards the cave. "Yeah. It's a bat thing,"

"Let's go," I cheered, allowing him to walk in front of me.

I switched on my headlights, illuminating the dark caverns of the cave. Russell was calling for his dad, myself scanning the faint frequencies, searching for anything autobot.

The kid suddenly stopped, staring at the wall.

"What is it?" I asked, following his gaze.

He backed away quickly, tripping on a rock and falling on his ass. I would've laughed, if it wasn't for the pure terror I saw in his eyes as he hit the ground, scuffling towards me. I scanned the surrounding area, only finding the readings of a rodent scurrying away.

"It's alright," I eased, offering him a servo. He raised an eyebrow at me, which I laughed off. "My Optimus used to do this for me everywhere we went together. It saves so much time,"

He hesitantly climbed onto my outstretched servo, clutching to my digits tightly. I brought him to my shoulder, which he scrambled onto quickly. I made sure he was stabilized, secured by my pistons, before I moved my servo away and started walking again.

"Cool," he muttered under his breath, myself refusing to hide the smile I had plastered onto my faceplates. "Cara wait!" he stopped me after a few minutes, pointing to something low on the ground. I crouched by it, allowing Russell to climb off my shoulder plates. There was a D painted in a circle, glowing a neon green plastered onto the rock. "Dad," he breathed, looking back up at me.

I scanned the frequencies once again, gaining nothing but static. However, my audio receptors picked up on something very, very fine.

"Optimus… no!"

"Bee!" I cheered quietly, moving in the direction of the sound. I began listening to the silent hum of sparks, sensing fear and despaeration.

"OPTIMUS!"

Soft hands were grabbing at me, a force around my waist and across my chest holding me firm. There was a voice, a mans voice, but it wasnt deep enough. It wasn't the voice I was looking for; it wasn't -

"Carabelle!"

There it was.

"Optimus!" I sighed in relief, my eyes finally focusing a bit.

"Cara, I'm right here," the baritone mumbled. The force on my waist and chest softened a bit, but it wasn't anyless of a hug. "Cara I'm right here sweetspark."

"Cara," a new voice said. It belonged to whomever hands were on me. "Cara, its Jack," I turned my eyes to his, they were focusing just a bit more. "Are you alright?"

"Yes…" I confirmed, focusing on his eyes. "Just…. A bad dream…"

"Do…. You want to talk about it?..."

"Not with you…"

Jack nodded, turning to look at the radio. "Does this happen a lot?"

"It isn't the first time she's woke panicking and screaming for me."

"Whenever she does, ask her to talk about it. The dream will feel less real if she's talked about it."

Optimus was silent. I looked out his windshield seeing that we were back in the base. I didn't remember returning, I only remembered when my stomach attacked itself and the kids and bots freaking out about it.

"Food?"

"Its right here," Jack held up a bag from Burger Bot, which I reached for immediately, the smell reminding me of just how hungry I was.

"Thank you," I scarfed down a burger as Jack retreated through Optimus' door. "Thank you," I told Optimus.

"You're welcome."

I crouched behind a rock, observing the scene. The bots and Denny were trapped in some kind of concrete-based mold. The bots seemed to be sleeping, and from the looks of it rather unpleasantly. Bee was the one I had heard from, and I could only imagine what he was dreaming.

Russell made to move for his dad, but I quickly stopped him. The swooshing of wings sounded, a new threat flying in and landing in front of Strongarm. I tried to condense myself, leaning away from the threat enough to see, but not be seen.

Bee would be proud.

"Why are you doing this to us?" Denny demanded of the con, as he started doing something with Strongarm's energon.

"I realize it's an inconvenience," he said in a low tone, sneering at the human. "But one does what one must to collect the energon one needs to survive,"

"I don't have any energon!" Denny protested. "I'm a human!"

The con ceased activity with the cadet, turning his full attention to the human. My protective circuitry spiked, but I pushed it down. Learn now, act second.

"Well, that's unfortunate," the con vented a sigh, before turning his attention back to the cadet.

Denny groaned in frustration, turning away from him. Towards us.

He met eye contact with me, and I gave him a simple nod. Russell chose that moment to run from me and dive behind a rock closer to his father.

"There's a rescue party already searching for us," Denny announced threateningly.

"I sincerely doubt that," he chided, stepping in front of the human and towering over him. "Although, if company is coming, I had better prepare," and with that, the little shit was flying away, down a different cavern and disappearing altogether.

Russell moved forward, feeling around the mass trapping his dad.

"I can't believe you found us!" Denny cheered, looking up at me as I eased my way out of the rocks. "Cara! You're okay!" he chuckled as I shoved a few rocks in Russell's direction, the boy gathering what I wanted him to do. "You guys are ama-"

"Later," Russell cut him off. "Let's get you all out of here first," He started digging the tip of the rock carefully through the cast, which started melting away at it's administrations.

The con suddenly let out an audio-splitting shriek. My circuits buzzed, my optics blurring.

"Cara!" Russell called down to me. "Offline your receptors! That's how he trapped the bot's to begin with!"

I gladly did as the kid said, rejoicing at the silence that greeted me. I transformed my servo in a my Optimus' blade, carefully cutting the cast away from Bumblebee. With my new deafness, my other senses heightened, my processors scanning the area automatically every couple seconds.

I quickly picked up the returning energon signal. Denny was still trapped in the cast. I gave a quick warning, before I myself ducked behind Bee's towering form, concealing myself.

I onlined my audio's, listening for the con's arrival. I looked down, expecting the humans, at least Russell, to be underneath me.

They weren't.

"What's this?" the con sneered. I straightened, trying my best to hide behind Bee's much smaller frame. "This tiny creature is your rescue party?"

"Hundred's of saves and never been caught!" Russell cheered. Next I knew, he was zooming by, the con hot on his tail.

Denny appeared in my vision next, chopping at the casting holding Grimlock. I moved around, searching for the boy. Bee groaned beside me, his frame shaking the cast. "Where… what's going on?" he froze.

I rolled my optics, choosing that moment to pass him. I heard him call for me, but that I ignored. I tackled the con, sending him flying away from Russell. He tumbled away from me, myself quickly rising to my feet. I moved to attack him again, but froze when he started laughing.

"So, you're the rescue party?" he sneered, his smile only widening when I didn't move. "The false Prime? Ha! This'll be easier than I thought!"

My audios whined in protest, my frame falling. I could feel my body falling into a forced recharge, but I fought the protocols. I needed to stay awake! My audios quickly returned to me, myself finally being able to comprehend what's going on around me, though I was unable to move, or see it.

"Hey, Shrieky!" I heard Bee call. "Why are you messing around with the locals when I have all the energon you could ever want?"

So that's what this con was after… our energon.

There was a pressure released from around me, my vision and hearing returning to me full force. I stretched my limbs, onlining my optics to see the green dinobot grinning at me.

"Thanks, Grim," I smiled at him. He helped me to my pedes, where the others were standing behind Bee.

"Come on, bat bot!" he was cheering, waving his decepticon hunter threateningly in the con's direction. "No more surprise attacks. Just you and me. Face to fang,"

The con just chuckled.

"Bots!" Russell cried below, myself halting my command. "Turn off your audio receptors!"

We quickly obeyed, the silence welcoming as the con slouched before us, his attack apparently unsuccessful. I patted Grimlock's shoulder plate, himself pulling away and pounding towards the con, tackling him to the ground and holding him there.

"A most productive evening," Fixit cheered, the lot of us watching as the con was frozen in place in one of the stasis pods.

"You were right," Denny cheered, laying a gentle hand on the kid's shoulder. "You don't get scared."

"Are you kidding?" he countered. "I was terrified! If Cara hadn't showed up, I'm not sure I would've made it!"

"Of course you would've, kid," I eased, kneeling down to his level. "There's more to you than meets the eye,"

"We all have fears," Bee eased. "And we can all help each other face them," Bee smiled.

Grimlock approached him, smiling. "Maybe you have fears, but I-"

He suddenly cut off, myself distracted by the single kitten approaching the massive green bot. Ballsy.

I chuckled as the mech ran off, the bots and humans dispersing for the night. Bee offered me a servo, helping me to my pedes.

"Where'd you go?" he asked, wrapping me in a spark-crushing hug.

"I'm not sure Bee…" I trailed off, looking up. "But I saw Optimus,"

He resynced his processors. "Optimus? Is he alright? Does he need help!?"

I laughed. "No. But he will be returning. And, hopefully, soon." Bee sagged a little, and I quickly laughed, returning his hug. "You thought I'd leave you too, little brother? You've got another thing coming to ya,"

He chuckled, turning to look across the scrapyard with me.