Bumblebee opened up the ground bridge and turned, waiting on the others to come back through, sneaking a glance at Anna. She still hadn't woken up. She hadn't been getting worse either. He turned when he heard Optimus groan. Ratchet and Bulkhead were helping him walk away from the bridge.

Ratchet frowned, "Easy Optimus. From the looks of things you've been exposed to a massive amount of dark energon."

Bumblebee frowned. {The third victim today.}

Optimus frowned as he looked at Rafael and Anna. "No. I am not the only one." Bulkhead helped Optimus sit down before moving out of his way. He looked over to see Rafael smiling at him.

"Hey.."

June frowned up at him. "He's lucky to be alive. They both are."

Jack walked down from the platform with Miko. "Megatron found more of the dark stuff?"

Arcee frowned, "A volcano full."

Bulkhead nodded, "The question is, how?"

Ratchet shook his head. "No. The question is what. As in what in the world is the blood of Unicron doing here, on Earth?"

Miko frowned, "The 'cons killed a unicorn?" She got silence from the 'bots. "White horse with a horn on its head? Prances around all sparkly?"

Ratchet corrected her. "Unicron. An ancient evil whose fossilized blood comprises the matter which we call dark energon. As legend would have it."

June frowned, "So you're saying this Unicron is some kind of boogeyman?"

"Boogeyman?"

Miko chimed in for him. "Make-believe creepy guy who hides in your closet."

"No nurse Darby. Unicron is very real. Was. That is, well. I do believe he once existed I just don't subscribe to the theory that his primordial life force is the substance which.." He paused and looked at the two siblings. "Which harmed Anna and Raf."

June frowned, shaking her head. "I've heard enough." She pulled up the rails on Raf's bed. "Jack, please, help me get Raf and Anna into the car." June wheeled Raf towards her car while Jack grabbed Anna's bed.

Bumblebee stepped in between them, staring down hard at the nurse. {You can't take Anna!}

Jack frowned, "Mom, I thought they were doing better?"

June sighed, "They need examined by real doctors. Their family needs to be notified. Their REAL family."

"Bee..." Everyone paused as they turned to see Anna's eyes opened. Her eyes were locked onto Bumblebee's though. "Don't let.. her.. I want to stay with you..."

Bumblebee kneeled down, keeping one hand between Anna and Nurse Darby. He used his other hand to gently brush her hair away from her face. {Okay. I won't let her take you.}

Rafael turned to Nurse Darby. "Anna says she's not leaving with you. Because the Autobots are our family."

June frowned and looked between the two siblings and the obvious protector. "You two need to be checked out by real doctors. Something else could be wrong."

Anna felt tears flow down her cheeks as the thought of having to leave Bee. What if he died while she was at the hospital. She needed to stay with him. "No!"

June was shocked at her reaction. "W-what."

Bumblebee gently cradled her in his hands, bringing her up to his head and nuzzling her softly to comfort her. {Shh. It's okay. You're not leaving. I got you.}

Jack gently held onto Raf's bed as his mom went to wheel him closer to the car, stopping her. "Mom, Raf's family can't protect them. Not like they can."

Optimus got up, struggling to do so. "June. It deeply grieves me that I have failed. But I will do everything in my power to ensure that no harm comes to our human friends.." He walked closer to her as he spoke, though with a limp. "Or any human ever again."

June looked up at him. "Optimus. They're children. They do not belong in your world. They should be worrying about grades, prom dates, pimples. Not their own survival!"

Anna sat up in Bumblebee's hand and turned to the woman and glared at her. "Stop acting like you know what's best for me or my brother! We chose to stay with our friends knowing of the danger!"

Jack frowned at his mom. "Dark energon is pouring out of the earth, Mom. It doesn't do that! This could be about everyone's survival. Not just ours."

June shook her head. "You're coming with me. All four of you! They will not be coming back!"

Anna glared at her, feeling so angry that it only made her body ache more, her head killing her. "Bee let me down!" She struggled in his grip but Bee only held her tighter.

{You can't do anything in your condition, Anna}

Anna felt her fight leave her, more tears replacing her anger. "You can't just take my brother you horrible woman!"

Optimus shook his head. "Anna.. It's okay. I understand."

Miko glared up at them. "That's it? After all we've been through together? See ya? What about OUR freedom to chose?"

June frowned as she held the door open for Raf who was getting in. "That may fly on their planet but not here on Earth." She helped Raf in before turning to them. "Get in."

Miko glared at her. "No. You just broke Anna's heart and she isn't in the condition to deal with brother-napping!"

June narrowed her eyes. "Miko, I'm serious."

Miko glared at her. "You're not my mother, nor theirs."

Bulkhead frowned, "Miko."

Miko turned back to him, "Neither are you!"

June turned to Jack. "Well I am yours. Let's go, Jack."

Arcee walked up behind Jack, looking down at him. "She is your mom."

Jack shook his head. "I'm staying. I'm sorry."

Anna stared at Raf sitting in her car and felt her tears continue flowing. "Raf.."

Bumblebee turned so she couldn't see him anymore, gently rubbing her back. {Anna. He's going to be okay. He's going to a hospital. You will get him back when you're both healthy.}

June watched them all before turning, getting into her car. Rafael placed his hand on the window, staring up at Anna and Bumblebee sadly.

Optimus sighed sadly. "Ratchet. Activate the ground bridge.."

June shook her head, "No thank you!" She backed up and drove out of the base.

Anna turned her head to look and let out a loud sob when her brother dissapeared from her vision, crying into Bumblebee's chest plating.

"Prime, do you copy?!"

Everyone turned to see Fowler's face on the main screen. Optimus walked closer and vented softly. "I hear you, Agent Fowler."

Anna sniffled and rubbed her eyes as she tried to calm down, her head killing her. She couldn't lose it right now. There was too much going on.

"Been watching the news? Mother Nature's got a twitch in her britches."

Anna and Miko both managed to crack a smile at his words, neither of which going unnoticed by their guardians.

"We know about the volcano."

"And the quakes? Seven major tumblers of the exact same magnitude at the exact same time as a volcanic eruption. All over the globe on different tectonic plates. In theory, unrelated, if they hadn't happened.."

Ratchet chimed in, "At the exact same time."

Miko pointed to the TV they had on the platform where they usually hung out. "Check it out. More good news." She turned up the volume so everyone could here.

Anna gently moved from Bee's hand to his shoulder. She calmed her breathing down and held onto his armor.

"Freak storms unlike any the region has seen. Tsunamis threaten the Canadian Coast while lightning storms pummel the Gobi Desert. Meanwhile, electromagnetic anomalies plague urban power grids. These abnormal global phenomena are leaving most to wonder why now and what next."

Fowler frowned at them. "Don't tell me your 'cons have built a weather machine."

Ratchet shook his head. "One that powerful? Highly unlikely."

Optimus looked back at Fowler. "I do not believe the appearance of dark energon at this point in time to be coincidental."

Bumblebee looked over at Anna. {How are you feeling?}

Ratchet walked over an ran a scan of her. "What are your symptoms?"

Anna rubbed her head gently. "I've had a major headache since I woke up and my chest hurts a little. My whole body kind of aches. But it's not as bad as when I woke up. I think it's starting to wear off."

Ratchet nodded softly. "Alright, let me know if anything changes. And stay off your feet as much as possible. Staying where you are is fine for now as long as you make sure not to fall. Not that Bee would let you." He smiled at the two before going back to his computer.

Anna looked over at Bee and gently hugged his head. "Thank you Bee.."

Bumblebee gently cupped his left hand around her. {I wish I could have done so much more.}

Anna shook her head and gently kissed his cheek. "It's okay.. I just need to be with you."

Bumblebee felt his face plates heat up and nodded softly, dropping his hand.

{X}

"1-100. 2-100.."

June fixed her rear view mirror to get a better look at Raf. "You okay back there, Raf?"

Raf frowned. "I-I saw lightning. I'm counting until the thunder -" The thunder rumbled loudly around them forcing Raf to pause.

June chuckled nervously. "Looks like a storm. My garden will love it."

Raf frowned. "Anna usually tells stories under a blanket during storms."

June frowned and went to comment when a lightning strike almost hit her car, causing her to swerve. She had to keep swerving as more lightning strikes hit the road around her. She swerved too much and the car spun completely around, hitting an electric pole. June sat up quickly, "Raf? Are you okay?"

"Mm-hmm."

They heard the wind whistling loudly causing June to look around. "What's that?" She looked up to see a tornado on the road ahead of them. "No!" She turned the car back on and tried to reverse, the tires squealing. "Come on, come on!" The tornado was bigger and closer, the wind trying to pull the car in now. The car was lifting onto one side already. Just as the car was about to fly into the tornado Bumblebee grabbed the hood of the car, holding it steady.

Bumblebee dug his peeds into the asphalt as he tried to keep a grip on the car. He backed up and reached out, holding onto the electric pole behind him. {Both of you climb into my hand!}

Raf leaned forward so June could hear him. "Bee wants up to climb into his hand!"

Bumblebee saw Raf begin to get out just as he heard the wooden pole begin to creak. It broke so he quickly turned and grabbed onto the car with both hands, digging his peeds into the road harder. Now both the woman and Raf were on the hood of the car. Raf slid down into Bee's arm just as the car ripped away. He still had a grip on the hood and saw the woman climb up, her head peeking up over the top. He vented roughly, glad he was able to save them both. He quickly grabbed them in his hands and transformed, booking it back to the base. Miko had opened the roof access, seeing the tornadoes start to form and yelled at him to go get Raf and June. As soon as he heard those words he handed Anna to Ratchet and sped off to find them.

June looked Raf over before looking at Bee's dashboard. "Thank you."

Bumblebee was annoyed with the woman for taking Raf away in the first place, trying to take Anna away and making her so upset. But she was Jack's mom and was a good person. She was just stressed and was doing what she thought was best. {You're welcome.}

Raf smiled at her. "He said your welcome."

{Anna is worried sick over you. When we get back you should stay with her to help calm her down.}

Raf nodded. "Is she doing okay?"

{She's in some pain but nothing serious. I think she's hiding most of it from me..}

Raf frowned. "She doesn't like to make us worry. Especially after her cancer."

June knew about the cancer. She was one of Anna's nurses during that time. She should have been more sensitive. Anna probably hated her. "I'm sorry for how I acted you two."

{It's okay.. I understand why you acted that way. Though you made Anna cry and you'll have to redeem yourself for that.}

Raf smiled softly. "I forgive you. Bee does too but he wants you to make it up to them for making Anna cry."

June smiled and nodded as they passed into the tunnel leading into the base. "I will."

Bumblebee stopped when they were in the main area, opening his doors. {I made it to them just in time. They're both okay.}

Raf got out and smiled nervously. "Uh.. we're back."

Ratchet smiled down at him. "And we are glad."

Anna sat up from laying down on her gurney. "Raf?"

Raf turned and ran over to her. Jack helped him onto the bed where he hugged his sister. "Anna.. I'm so sorry."

Jack turned and ran to his mother, "Are you alright?"

June nodded. "I will be. Jack.."

"Mom, I..."

June smiled, hugging him. "I know. Me too. But you're grounded till your 30... 25."

The reporter on the TV began talking again. "The world leaders are classifying these bizarre weather patterns as a global emergency."

"Global?"

"and scientists believe the phenomena to be somehow related to the current planetary alignment."

"What have you learned Prime?" Fowler asked as soon as he walked through the door. "and you better not blow smoke up my oven." Fowler turned when he saw June and smiled. "Ah. Ms. Darby. What a nice surprise."

June nodded at him. "Special Agent Fowler."

Ratchet turned to him. "We have learned this. As with the so-called magma from the volcano these earthquakes originated far below the Earth's crust. From the very center of the Earth's core, In fact."

Fowler frowned. "Quakes don't start there.. Do they?"

Ratchet stared at him. "Tiny tremors rising and falling in a consistent pattern, almost like.. " He stared at the readings on his screen for a few seconds before coming to a realization. "By the AllSpark! If I convert these data points to audio files.."

Fowler leaned over the railing. "What? What is it?"

"Well, listen."

They all listened and could hear a spark beat.

Jack frowned. "A Cybertronian heartbeat?"

June turned to the 'bots. "How is that possible? A heart pumps blood. There's nothing inside the earth to pump except -"

Rafael looked up at them from beside Anna, holding her hand tightly. "The blood of Unicron."

Miko frowned from her spot on the back of the couch. "Okay, hold on. You mean something's living down there inside our planet?"

Optimus looked at everyone. "I fear that the Earth's very core is not comprised of magma as your science suggested. But of dark energon."

Ratchet stared at him, "And if we're hearing a spark, then Unicron is the rising darkness that the prophecy foretold."

Anna looked over at Bumblebee who was standing beside her and frowned. Bumblebee gently rubbed her back with his finger, beeping re-assuredly at her.

Fowler motioned to them, "So, how do we stop this thing from rising?"

Optimus answered for him. "That, I am afraid, was not foretold."

June frowned, her arms crossed. "How can something be in our Earth's core and be alive?"

Optimus looked down at the floor as he thought. "Such a thing is not unprecedented. Before the beginning, there was Prime and there was Unicron. One, the incarnation of creation.. the other of destruction. For eons, Primus and Unicron battled.. The balance of power shifting between them more times than could be counted. Only by creating the 13, The original primes who preceded me, was Primus finally able to defeat Unicron and cast him out. Primus became one with the very core of our planet, creating life through the well of AllSparks. Unicron was never to be heard from again. Until now."

"Maybe we can find the hole this uber 'con left when he dug himself all the way down there. Then we can fill it full of explosives."

Optimus turned to him, "Agent Fowler. I do not believe that Earth became Unicron's home but rather that with time and gravitational force, debris collected around the slumbering titan."

Ratchet nodded, now understanding. "Forming your Earth itself."

Arcee looked up at them, "And he's only awakening now due to the magnetic pull created by the planetary alignment."

Jack tilted his head. "Okay, well, what happens how when Unicron wakes up from his billion-year nap?"

Miko leaned forward from her spot, "Yeah does he stretch and kapow! Earth poufs to dust?"

The bots remained silent. Anna looked over at Bumblebee and gently rubbed his hand. Bee turned to her and gently rubbed her back.

June looked up at Optimus. "You don't know, do you?"

Optimus looked at the screen. "My guess is that Unicron has transcended physical form as we know it. Nonetheless, we must find a way to ensure that this force of nature never fully awakens. The fate of your planet depends on it."

{X}

"Ratchet, this epicenter is consistent with the findings of the others. It's terrain is rich in ore."

Fowler looked at the screen from the platform, next to June. "So, what does that tell us?"

Ratchet looked over at him. "It follows that the natural metals in your earth would be extensions of Unicron. His limbs, if you will."

Anna frowned. All the metals they've discovered and melted down were parts of a dead Cybertronian's. body.

June motioned to him. "So, he did have his morning stretch, which is why these quakes happened."

Ratchet turned back to the screen when an alarm beeped at him. "Optimus, I'm detecting a swell in Unicron's spark activity."

"Rest assured, Ratchet. I will proceed with vigilance.

Anna's head throbbed from the loud noises of everyone talking. The alarm from Ratchet's console only made it worse. Anna groaned as she leaned forward, tucking her head between her knees.

Raf watched her and rubbed her back. "Anna? Are you alright?"

Bumblebee turned around to them from beside Ratchet. He walked over and kneeled down. {Anna?}

Anna looked up, tears in her eyes. "It's too loud. My head is killing me."

Ratchet heard her and turned around. "There should be some medical supplies in the back. Maybe there's something back there that can help."

Miko got up and waved as she ran to the back. "I'll look." For once she didn't even yell.

Anna sighed and held her hands over her ears, trying to stay calm.

Bumblebee gently rubbed her back, his spark aching for her. {I'm sorry you still feel ill.}

"It's not your fault, Bee.."

Bumblebee still felt like it was.. It was Megatron's fault but she was under his care.

Miko walked up to them and held out a bag of cotton balls. "You can shove some in your ears and it should help."

Anna smiled at her in thanks, ripping some of the cotton apart and placing it in her ears. She could still hear but it was muffled and her head thanked her. It wasn't throbbing anymore. Anna gave them all a thumbs up. She smiled when everyone looked relieved.