"CYBERTRONIAN"

"ENGLISH"

A/N: Failed my permit test, but found Human Alliance Roadbuster so it's all good! I decided it was time for progress to start being made with 'Rebirthing' the humans, after all its been ten years.

...

CHAPTER 25

Carter Joshua McHale had been through quite a bit in the last year. Nothing the eight year old would complain about, however. Things with Hound were going well, he'd finally settled into his place on the Autobot base, and life seemed a lot better then it had been before. Yet at the same time, the changes had caused life to become a bit more complicated, to say the least. Growing up on an Autobot Base, raised by a Scout and being taught by a private tutor wasn't even the half of it to say the least. There weren't kids his age on the base, so a lot of his time was spent among the mechs, not that he complained, though it did feel quite awkward at times. He made the most of it though, he wasn't the type to whine or complain, and he never would be that way.

He'd gained a nickname in that time, though he felt it was mostly because of the whole 'AJ' thing. Andrew James Hide was AJ, from what he gathered. A few of the Autobots on-base had started to call him a similar nickname after hearing his middle name, namely 'CJ'. Carter however preferred to be called Carter, much like his Father would call him, or Top Spin would. Of course, he could do without the normal, early morning wake-up calls he got from Hound each morning, weekend or not. Carter groaned at the poking and prodding to his side, and turned around in his bed, Hound of course was the source, standing over him with his arms crossed. "What time is it?" Carter moaned quietly, climbing out of bed.

"Time to get up is what time it is." Hound jested his son lightly with a slight poke to the ribs, causing Carter to hold back laughter "Got your Chromosome samples sent to Ratchet on ARK II last night." Carter's eyes brightened up "He said that it's still going to be a while before anything comes of it. It's still been a failure to duplicate AJ's chromosomes. But yours have been duplicated by Wheeljack here. So hopefully, that's a good sign." Carter nodded.

Project: Rebirth had gotten off the ground in the past year, the cloning process of their chromosomes was as far as they'd come so far. As far as they knew, they were gunning for just one successful artificially grown human. One that Optimus and his Sparkmate, Elita had already requested to be the Adopted Parents of. As far as Wheeljack knew, and he seemed to keep in touch with them on his progress continually, he had to try duplicating it in the same gender first. Ratchet was working on altering to the chromosomes to create the first human female in ten years. As far as Optimus and Elita's child, they were expecting he'd be out of fertility and ready for Optimus and Elita to come via space bridge an pick up by the end of the month.

It was exciting, but also somewhat frightening, knowing that it could go wrong at any time. Yet Optimus had been down three or four times to track his son's progress in the last year. They'd already named him too, they'd named him after they'd found out it was to be a boy. Matthew Bennett Pax, it had been put onto legal documents as soon as three months ago. As it seemed this one would be successful, they had looked for a masculine name that fit 'miracle' for quite some time now. Matthew meant Gift from God, Bennet meant blessed. It was the perfect name for the first human to be recreated.

He had been surprised that Optimus and Elita wanted him, being Optimus didn't want either AJ or himself in danger by taking them in. But he supposed it made sense, as the Prime, leader of the Autobots, got the honor to be the first of the Autobots to raise one of the newly created humans. Carter didn't know why they didn't just make adults, but he'd been told that they would be born in a Cybertronian-like way, they'd grow in cocoons and hatch, like hatchlings. And hatchlings came out when they were newborn age, so the new addition, when he was born would be a newborn. The first child that Optimus and Elita ever would have the pleasure of being raised from birth.

In other words, Matthew may as well have been their child by birth.

"It's exciting, isn't it?" Carter questioned Hound, who cocked an optic ridge "In a few more weeks. AJ and I won't be the only humans left anymore. I mean, we're still the only... Natural ones as you put it. But now there's gonna be a newborn out there too." He added, Hound smiled a bit, he had to admit, he agreed with Carter, the thought that they now knew for sure that they could rebuild the human race from the ground up "What do you think he's going to look like?" He questioned.

"His parents." Carter looked at Hound with surprise, Hound smiled a bit "Before they put the chromosomes into the cocoon, Optimus and Elita's holoforms were each scanned. Ensuring their child will look like them to an extent. This effectively makes him their biological child, as he is not going to be naturally born." Hound mused, he looked upon Carter who looked to be stunned and bewildered by this "You could say that, for every child born and given to an Autobot or Autobot family, each will grow up as their child. So there is no reason to make them think that they aren't. They technically are, it's just that, rather then it being a surprise. The children are chosen by them." He noted.

"Kinda like how you chose me. Except, their kinda in a way their actual kids?" Carter questioned, and tilted his head.

"That and, no child will ever compare to you." Hound told Carter with a smile, using a fingertip to mess up his son's hair "I don't think I could imagine having anyone but you. I got to choose you because I knew you were a sweet human. Others won't get that chance, they're stuck with whomever is hatched from the cocoons. They might look like them, but they won't necessarily act like them." He turned away to let Carter get dressed, then turned back once he heard Carter clear his throat "In other words, I personally am glad I adopted. If only because I got the chance to have an amazing kid like you." He noted as he scooped Carter up.

"Awww Dad." Carter blushed, knowing that Hound meant it, which made him flush a bit "I know you'd rather have a biological kid, you don't have to lie to me." Carter shook his head with a light chuckle, Hound gave him a serious look "You really wouldn't?" Carter tilted his head.

"Carter, I love kids, but I could never handle a newborn. I always planned to adopt, even before I came across you." Hound explained, he set Carter onto his shoulder and exited the room "I wanted a child, around your age in my years. Which is the reason why I signed to adopt you. You were perfect, a good kid, cute, young, but not so young that I had to have panic attacks over the little things." He mused lightly, stroking him with a finger "Someone I could raise and take care of, and give all my love to. All the love I had held in towards kids because I had none of my own." He took a deep breath, his optics twinkling "I would never take back taking you in." He noted.

Carter smiled, he knew that Hound was telling the truth, he could see it in his optics. Carter took a deep breath, and looked at Hound with a smile. It made him feel good to know Hound felt such a way. As he had feared that, with it now possible, he'd want one of the created humans as well. But that fear all disappeared on account of the fact that Hound only wanted him, he wasn't going to replace him with an infant of his biological looks. He wasn't going to be replaced because he was adopted, it was a relief. "I'm glad, I was scared... Kinda that you would want one and you know, that you'd-." Carter didn't want to admit this, and thus stared away before he finished.

"Replace you?" Hound questioned knowingly, Carter nodded slightly, to which Hound's optics saddened "Never Carter, NEVER. I would never replace you, nor could I ever replace the place you have in my spark." He patted his spark chamber for emphasis and looked at his son "I love you more then anything Carter, you will NEVER have to worry about such a thing taking place." He told him quietly.

Carter took a deep breath, feeling happier and more relaxed by this now. He no longer had to fear being replaced, he no longer had to fear even slightly what these new kids would bring. The most he had to worry about, he realized, was that someone on base would take one. Lest he get stuck babysitting or helping to change diapers, feed it. Carter nodded a bit, and smiled, the mech smiled back. It was a silent moment of understanding that did not require words. They both knew that the other wasn't going anywhere, and that's what mattered. "What do ye say, we get you fed, and then I take you down to take a look at the cocoons, hmm? Maybe we can find that certain one." He noted.

"Sounds good to me Dad."

Carter had to admit, he was curious about the whole thing, how the baby would come out, if it would survive the hatching process. He hoped, for the sake of the Human Race, that he would, but at this point, it was a guessing game, needless to say. Though as long as this wasn't another blow up from Wheeljack, if that didn't happen he knew things would go smoothly. At least, he hoped they would.

...

A/N: We'll get to meet the first ARTIFICIALLY born human come next chapter. :P Reviews make my day!