Last chapter was rough on Allie and I am sorry but she's a leader that is having to learn how to deal with stepping down and it is not easy sometimes. I hope that no one was mad with how I wrote Magnus and Comm's situation but they are not the easiest characters to write. I am really starting to get into writing this story so it may not end anytime soon.

Please take a moment to leave a review because I read them and sometimes they even give me ideas. Enjoy!

It had been a week since the little dinner party fiasco and Allie had not talked to anyone about what had happened. Of course many figured out since Ultra Magnus and Comm were bonded but even Comm hadn't come in to work since the party and everyone was beginning to wonder what had happened. Shalon seemed to hover around Allie to make sure she was okay and Aura was staying close as well.

Allie was heading to the infirmary because it was time for her monthly checkup. Doc had pinged her from her office and so she had excused herself with Megatron and just left. She wasn't looking forward to this checkup and wanted to get it over quickly but because of the training schedule and everything that the femmes did Doc insisted on monthly checkups so that she could check their systems and make sure that they were not overdoing it.

"Morning Doc." Allie said as she headed to the empty medical berth that Doc pointed at.

"Morning Allie. Ratchet is doing the exam since I have an emergency on the training floor. Sorry about that. I'll see you later." Doc hurried out the door with her medical bag and Allie leaned back on the berth to wait for Ratchet to finish his repost and come out of the office that he and Doc now shared. Hook had left with Magnus to become the CMO on Moon base 5 and though it was quiet it did seem odd that some of the mechs were splitting up and taking other posts.

"Sorry about that, Allie. How are you today?" Ratchet talked as he walked quickly from the office as he became all professional. "Anything you might need to tell me?"

"Not that I can think of." She said as she waited for him to start the scan. He didn't disappoint her as he started scanning her systems and checking her reflexes. "Doc wants you to spend a little time in your sarcophagus today so that it will clear any blemishes on your skin as well as regenerate your systems."

"I'll try to get down in the temple." Allie responded automatically. The scanner ran up and down and Allie ignored it. She was used to hearing the humming but then suddenly it changed and she glanced at Ratchet as he ran it back over her. It made the same sound again.

"That's interesting." Ratchet commented. He pulled out the monitor and switched to a different scanner as he turned the screen on. He ran the scanner over her and as Ratchet brought it closer to her spark it beep again.

"Allie I am going to run a diagnostic on your spark. I don't think it is anything to worry about but since you are bonded to Optimus I can never be too careful. Don't worry though; I am sure it is nothing terrible."

Allie waited as he ran the diagnostic.

"Ratchet, am I too controlling?" She asked suddenly.

"No, I don't think so, why do you ask?"

"Optimus and I had a disagreement last week and I gave in." Allie sighed. "I always give in to keep peace and now I feel like I was betrayed. I don't know what to do."

"Allie, I am not a counselor. I am a medic. Optimus is a Prime and it can be difficult for him. He has to make decisions that can be painful and demanding. Allie you need to talk to him and confide in him. He will listen."

"He used information that was personal for me, for my femmes against one of them and his excuse was to stop her from being stubborn. She is so angry with me and now I can't even be there for her."

"This has to do with Comm and Magnus doesn't it?" Ratchet asked.

"Yes." Allie replied. Ratchet stopped the scan and looked at her.

"I have to agree with Optimus. The bond took and Hook says they are doing fine."

"But he forced her into the bond! How can that be fine?" Allie cried.

"Sometimes we can't always see what Primus has in store for us, Allie. You are in transition as well because you are having to adjust to having Optimus and Megatron here." Ratchet told her. "Now, do you want to know what I have found?"

"Is it good?"

"Depends."

"You are about a week along."

"As in…"

"Carrying. I know that is what you and Optimus have been wanting." Ratchet told her gently. "Do you want me to comm Optimus?"

"No, I'll tell him when I see him later." She said. She was carrying! What she always wanted and now she couldn't even be excited for her and Optimus.

"Allie, don't let an argument get you down. You need to talk to him. You are in the early stages of carrying and depression can cause you to lose the sparkling. You need to be surrounded by friends and family that will support you." Ratchet told her. "I am going to increase your nutrients and make sure that you are drinking plenty of energon so that you do become lethargic too early in your carrying."

"Yes Ratchet." She said obediently because her mind was elsewhere. She would have to tell Optimus and they hadn't been intimate since last week. It was her fault since she was still upset over Comm but she couldn't help how she felt.

"Intimacy will be important for the sparkling because it will strengthen the energy of the spark as well as familiarize it with its sire." Ratchet said. "I'm saying this because I know that you and Optimus have had a rough week." He looked uncomfortable and Allie reached out and placed her hand over his. H smiled his gruff smile and Allie smiled back.

"I'll talk and make up with Optimus, I promise." She said quietly. They looked up as they heard the door open and there stood her mate.

"Megatron said that your meeting with him was interrupted by Doc. Is everything okay?" He asked concerned for his mate. He hadn't been receiving much from her because she had closed her part of the bond from him but he had figured she needed her privacy until she could come to terms with their disagreement and decided to talk. He had been waiting to apologize but he wanted to make sure that she would be ready to listen.

"I'm fine. It is my monthly checkup." She replied. "I do need to talk to you."

"I'll give you a minute." Ratchet said and stood up to walk to his office.

Optimus walked over to her and took Ratchet's seat.

"What is it Allie?" He said softly. They had kept their speech overly polite since the night of the dinner and Optimus hoped that this would be her thawing towards him.

"Ratchet says that I am carrying." She said looking up at him. His face broke out into a smile and he leaned over to kiss her on the head.

"That's wonderful Allie. How far along are you?" He asked delighted.

"A week." She whispered. Optimus looked at her as his joy dimmed a bit. It would have to come from that night but no matter, a sparkling was a blessing from Primus and he would not let it dim their joy. Optimus shifted where he sat on the berth with her.

"This is wonderful Allie and we will celebrate tonight when we get home." He tipped her head to him and kissed her on her lips as she gasped and his glossa slipped in to twine with hers. He was her mate and not be denied.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Sara, Ratchet discussed having me be an alternate for the infirmary. How would you feel about that?" Knockout asked.

"I would be fine with it. Why do you ask? I will support whatever choice you make." Saraphina said.

"I just wanted to make sure you would be okay with it." He replied as he kissed her on her head. He pulled her closer and moved to kiss her lips and she smiled against him. He could get her so hot so quickly and it took her breath away just thinking about what he could do to her.

"I'm fine with it." She said against his mouth and he pulled her in for a deeper kiss as Sara turned to straddle him. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he stood up and carried her to the berth room to gently lay her down on the berth.

"You do realize that we are going to have to go back to work sometime." She said breathlessly. She laughed as he swatted at her aft and pulled his helm to her mouth.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Star, we need to get going. Ironhide doesn't like having to wait." Bumblebee said as he hurried through their house. Allie had set them up in a little two bedroom house near Starscream and Kiki so that they could have some time away from all the crowded quarters. They were supposed to meet Hide and Mia for dinner in the city and then to go see a concert at the park but Stargazer was holding them up.

"Star, come on!" He called again down the hall. She jogged out of the room and ran out to the living room.

"Okay, okay I'm coming. Let's go!" She said as she grabbed her bag and they locked up as they went to the transport.

"I've already talked to Ironhide and they are almost at the restaurant." Bumblebee told her as he swung the transport out of the drive way. It had just started the afternoon rain and as they drove by they saw Starscream and Kiki outside playing in the rain. Stargazer laughed as did Bumblebee and they waved to the other couple as they drove by.

"They are so cute together." Stargazer said laughing.

"Yeah, who would have thought that Starscream of all mechs could be cute?" Bumblebee exclaimed. They turned onto the highway from the little subdivision they lived in and headed into the city. It took them about twenty minutes since the roads were wet but they made it without being too late. Bumblebee escorted Stargazer from the transport as a valet parked it.

"This place is pretty swanky." Bumblebee commented. "Not at all like what I would picture for Ironhide."

"Maybe it was Mia's idea to come here." Stargazer said. "She loves a good meal and it is one of the few restaurants that cater to Cybertronians. It also had a little dance club."

"I thought we were going to the theater?" Bumblebee said.

"I know but we could come another time for dancing." Stargazer stated. They walked in to see Ironhide, Mia, Barricade, Chelsea, and Soundwave, and Cassie seated already.

"Sorry we were late. Star didn't get in until her patrol." Bumblebee said as he held the chair out for his mate. "I hope that you didn't have to wait too long."

"No, we just arrived ourselves." Soundwave said as he held Cassie's hand to his mask as if in a kiss.

"Good, Bee rushed me but still it is hard to get ready when you just walk in from patrol." Stargazer said breathlessly. It felt as if she had been running since she had walked in the door. Bumblebee took the seat next to her and sat down as the waiter brought glasses of water for them.

"What's good here?" Bumblebee asked.

"They serve both mid and high grade energon and it is very refined." Chelsea said as she sipped hers small high grade very carefully. She didn't want to get over energized with her carrying their son and Barricade was keeping a watchful eye as well. "They also have the nicest energon teas and cakes as well as a selection of pastries."

"Well I think I will stick to mid-grade." Stargazer said. "I am not in the mood for Bee to have to carry me back to the transport."

"Well I like the tea and cakes. That's why I suggested coming here. Hide just along for the ride. This really isn't his sort of thing." Mia said.

"Well I will have the same. I think that it will be much better than the one I made. Right honey?" Cassie asked her mate.

"The one you made wasn't bad. It was pretty good. The cassettes liked it but then they would love anything you make them." Soundwave told the group and everyone laughed.

"They must be enjoying peace then." Ironhide said. He leaned over and kissed Mia on the cheek.

"They are and I am glad to be taking some of their weapons off of them. It is time for them to start acting their age." Soundwave stated.

"Yes, the twins just love playing with the sparklings and Ravage is quite fond of Isis. I think she is going to turn out to be another feline like him. It will be good for him to have a mate." Cassie said.

"Well if Blaster ever arrives then Isis may have several to choose from. I hear that Steeljaw is quite the four legged mech." Bumblebee said.

"I would rather keep my cassettes in the family for now." Cassie said protectively and Soundwave smirked behind his mask. He was proud of his mate and how she protected their family.

"Cassie it will be a while. She was just born and only two months old. We are not arranging bonds and I don't think that this Prime that we have is going to allow such an archaic practice like it used to be on Cybertron." Stargazer said.

"Yeah Cassie, besides Allie would probably intervene…"

"I don't know Mia. Have you noticed how subdued she has been this week. It is like something happened between her and Prime." Stargazer interrupted.

"I know. She has been quiet." Mia added. "Chelsea do you know anything?"

"No, but I did get a distinctive feeling that she hasn't been happy and I think it is over Comm and Magnus." Chelsea replied.

"Yeah, that was quite something. He came out and Comm was sitting on his shoulder as if she had always been there." Ironhide said.

"It was strange. He packed her up and took her with him saying that they had worked things out and were bonded." Barricade added.

"But did you see Allie expression over it all? I thought she was going to burst in tears or kill someone. It was creepy. I haven't seen her like that since that femme came and tried to usurp her command!" Mia stated and the other femmes groaned.

"You would have to bring up an old image that everyone wants to forget about." Cassie grouched. She had hated that time because the femme had also killed two of her human friends before Allie could get rid of her.

"Well back to the main subject, had Allie talked at all?" Stargazer asked.

"No, she is being very introverted about whatever is bothering her." Chelsea said. "She had closed the bond between me a couple of times when I have tried to help her so I backed off."

"Well she will work it out eventually besides, you have to know that it is hard for her to give up her position to Lord Megatron when she has held it for so long." Chelsea stated as their teas and cakes arrived.

"She not giving up her entire position just cutting back to allow Lord Megatron full reign." Stargazer said.

"Yes, but still it is giving up something." Cassie said. "You know that got to be hard on her. She is having to trust another person to protect us."

"She will be fine. She has Prime and he will care for her." Bumblebee told them.

"I agree with Bee. Prime will take care of her and give her something else to work towards." Ironhide added.

"Well let's eat. I am starved after patrol today." Stargazer stated to everyone at the table.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Allie was brushing out her hair before going to berth while Optimus was at his desk finishing the reports that he hadn't finished at the office. He hadn't touched her in a week but she knew that tonight he would and she was nervous after their disagreement. Her hands shook as she thought about her checkup today with Ratchet. She was carrying and now she was one of the femmes that would be seen as special and cared for. A few weeks ago she couldn't wait to know that she would be expecting and now she couldn't shake the feeling that this might not be the best time. Was her upset with Optimus clouding her judgment because now all she could think about was that she was losing her freedom by being bonded to him.

Optimus walked in and Allie kept brushing her hair as she watched him go to their berth and sit down.

"Allie it's time for recharge." He told her watching her as she finished with her hair. She was wearing a white satin gown that had been given to her by Chelsea a long time ago that slenderized her body even as it went to the floor. She stood up and slowly walked to her mate. As she came and stood in front he reached out and pulled her closer.

"Allie, I know that you are not happy with me and I do apologize for not telling you my decision but we are bonded and you are my mate so you have to understand that I need you to support me." He gently said.

"You violated my trust in you. How can I know that you won't do it again to me?" She said.

"I can't make that promise Allie. I have to do what is best for our race." Optimus pulled her down on his lap as she threaded his hands through her hair. "I have left you alone since our disagreement but tonight we will interface." He pulled her over his legs and laid her down and Allie let him.

"Let me love you Allie." He said as he leaned over her and kissed her on her lips. He pulled her leg up against his as he laid himself along her length. Allie pulled at his arms as she reached for his chest to caress the seams and then dipped them into his circuits as he moaned from her contact.

"Never again will I let you go for a week." He said as she reached up and licked his windshield and felt him shudder. Optimus reached down and pulled her legs up as he settled in between them. He dipped his helm down and Allie went up in flames.