Sam's condition remained stable so far on the way home

Sam's condition remained stable so far on the way home. He had fallen asleep shortly into the drive home. He was resting comfortably with controlled doses of pain killers and other medications helping his systems recover from his ordeal. The other bonded being close helped also. His vitals seemed low but steady as they were when he wasn't in physical contact with the others. Lizzy who was monitoring Sam looked up through the narrow opening that separated the front seats from the back portion. "Ratchet, his vitals are steady but low is that cause for concern?" she asked making sure. The Autobot hadn't said anything but she was thorough.

"It is normal when not in physical proximity to the other three bonded," he answered as he concentrated on maneuvering along the road.

"He is linked to others right?" she asked trying to figure out the specifics. Ratchet suppressed a sigh and Connors seemed to anticipate his weariness of an explanation.

"Let me chief. I can tell her." Ratchet didn't need to answer. He'd worked so closely with Connors now for over a month that he seemed to read his moods. He launched in to a detailed explanation of the bond and the Allspark and how they all work. At the end she just nodded as if it were to be expected. "You're not surprised?"

"Not really I used to be Sector Seven remember?" she asked. He nodded and they fell into a companionable silence.

As they approached the landing site where they were waiting for their leader after they had transformed in their protoforms, Optimus Prime was talking to Lennox about the task at hand. Lennox had been on the phone since they left the battle site trying to restrict access to the area to military personnel only and to round up all the wounded and dead from the battleground.

This was done quickly and the civilian medical and law enforcement personnel had been debriefed and told that this was now a military matter and they were relieved of duty. His company back at the base was busy at the time perusing the internet for pictures, blogs, or accounts of what had happened in flagstaff or up in northern California days before. It was a full time job just trying to keep the transformers a secret.

"Are you having success with your efforts to keep our existence concealed?" Prime asked him as he hung up.

"Yes there is just so much information out there and so many webpage's that are cropping up that we are trying to pull them as fast as we can. They pop up faster than we can wipe them out," he said slightly exasperated. "I wish people would just leave well enough alone!"

"Your people are curious and driven to seek knowledge. It seems with the recent events that your species is just doing what it naturally does." Will looked at the steering wheel for a moment and rolled his eyes.

"Whether or not that's in our blood it's causing us a problem, Big Guy." Optimus thought on this a moment before responding.

"Would it help to have Wheeljack begin helping you with your pursuits?" he asked. Suddenly Lennox looked slightly relieved and Optimus felt his hands loosen on the steering wheel slightly. He smiled to himself.

"Yea, actually that's a great idea. But can you really afford to have him helping us and not manning his post in your base?" Prime smiled again to himself. He liked these humans he called pod. They seemed to be a selfless breed when you chose the right ones.

"We have four more that just landed we are about to their position as we speak." Lennox smacked his head.

"That's right in all the excitement I'd forgotten!" he told Prime.

"Why do you batter yourself when your cerebral processor slips a memory sequence? It's highly illogical to do so you might loose more." William looked at the steering wheel again in the most fascinating. Most humans seemed to do this when they were talking to them in their vehicle modes like that was a substitute for their faces.

"Why do I…." he trailed off trying to find a suitable translation from computerese to English. "OH! Why do I hit myself? I dunno it's just something humans do I suppose. It's a gesture to signify how silly it was to forget such an important thing. It doesn't do any real damage though. It's just a pat not like we really hurt ourselves." The Autobot leader was quiet for a moment processing the information.

"To signify your processor malfunctioned? I found that when humans think that electronics are not operating in their expected parameters they strike them repeatedly." William Lennox burst out laughing. This was not the expected reaction to his question.

"Yeah Big Guy, like that. It's like when our computers or TV's don't work right and we smack um," he replied laughing. Optimus would have shaken his head had he been in root mode. But he just stowed the information for later to go over when there wasn't so much going on. There was so much to being human that seemed illogical, but on the bright side it kept the transformers on their toes and it they were a refreshing species.

"We're nearing the landing site Prime," the announcement came over the speakers in Optimus' cab.

"Affirmative Ratchet. You will accompany us I don't want any more surprised today. We can get the new arrivals alt forms and then get back to base," he said allowed so Will could here.

"Copy that Optimus Sam's stable and so are the other two," Ratchet informed him. "Ratchet out." That was the end of the transmission from the CMO.

"I'm glad Sam's ok. Who are our new arrivals Big Guy?" Optimus Prime was quiet for a moment. It felt like the transformer shed some of the heaviness suddenly thinking about the new subject.

"My sparkmate has come." He told him this and fell silent again.

"Wow Optimus I didn't know you were married!" Will exclaimed. "That's great! I can't wait to meet her!"

"It's been a long time since I've seen her. She and her team were have been in deep space a long time," he said softly almost reverently. Wow the woman that had captured the heart of the leader of the Autobots must be one pit of a femme. Suddenly two large forms came into view with several smaller forms behind them. Bluestreak and Prowl were discernable against the sky line. It was late evening now after their battle and trip home. The sun was setting behind the two transformers.

Optimus Prime rumbled off the road and onto the dirt. They were a several hundred yards away. The large tractor trailer sped up a bit. He could hear the occupants in the back getting jumbled a bit but there was no complaining. They knew what was happening and they weren't going to let a peep out no matter how rough the ride got. Jazz held on to Mikaela tightly and Chromia laid atop Ironhide as he held to her. The ride didn't get to bad as they sped down the gravel.

There was suddenly a quick sliding stop that ended with William leaping from the open door the last ten feet right into Bluestreak's hand. Optimus was already transforming. His parts folded, contorted moving and rearranging as he hopped up from vehicle mode to his bipedal form directly in front of Elita One.

She jumped up into his barely transformed arms and held onto his thick neck with both of her thin fragile protoform limbs. She looked so small compared to him without any armor on. But he wrapped his arm around her and put his hand behind her head holding her close but carefully as though she might break. "It's been SOO long Elita…" he whispered in her audio receptors. It was the first time she'd heard his voice outside long distance messaging in at least an eon. She held to him tightly and thanked Primus to be touching her sparkmate again.

"Optimus I'm so glad your safe and in one piece. I'm sorry we lost the Allspark though…" Prime just smiled. She pulled back with a questioning look.

"Not lost just different now. The Allspark lives in two humans and Bumblebee and Jazz. They are bound to each other. He turned to find Bumblebee standing in his bipedal form finally walking up. He looked pretty worse for wear. Elita was finally let down by Optimus and she walked over to Bumblebee and hugged him. He hugged her back but his heart wasn't in it. She was about to ask him Prime's headshake was enough to stop her. Prime finally turned to the others who had come with his sparkmate.

"Firestar, welcome to earth!" She hopped up and gave him a quick hug with a smile.

"It's great to be back Optimus its great to hear your voice again. Inferno told me he'd be comin in soon too!" he let her down gently and smiled.

"That's great to hear Firestar," he looked behind her to the others. "Brawn! How are you! Its great to have you back." Brawn shook Prime's hand.

"Eh it's only been an eon or two Prime not to long I'd say!" He paused a minute. "But its sure good to see you ya old pile" he said not finishing the statement out of respect but that was how he always would larger than his size and had the mouth and muscle to back it up. His favorite pastime had been wrestling with Ironhide and Optimus before the war. The Autobot leader looked behind to the left to find trailblazer.

"Hiya Prime! It's great to lay optics on you again!" Trailblazer said clasping Optimus Prime's hand enthusiastically. Prime shook his just as eagerly.

"It's good to see you to Trailblazer. You all made it safe. That's great news," he trailed off as he looked back at Elita One again smiling softly as she ran back to him and jumped back up into his arms after she had finished saying her hellos. He held her and swung her around like they were a young couple on a Sunday picnic. Everyone took a second to look at the happy couple and smile and even laugh a little with them. He pulled her close and she spoke quietly to him.

"Don't ever be gone that long again."

"Never," he swore to her and on the Allspark and even on the Matrix, in his spark. He put her down again and returned to where the others were talking. Bumblebee was unusually quiet and looked as if he was shifting back and fourth on his feet uncomfortably. He didn't want to say anything to cut short Prime's greeting so he stayed silent. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe as well as Chromia has stormed the group with hugs and warm welcomes. IT was great to have so much pod around again. Chromia even brought Miles into the crowd on her shoulder to show them all how she and he were the new protectors of the Allspark.

Miles seemed to be healing quickly and was regaining much of his strength and energy back. He was up to the smiles and pats and shaking of hands. They all congratulated them on their high honor and looked around for Ironhide and Jazz as they knew they had been with the company and gradually after several minutes they discovered Ratchet hadn't transformed.

"Optimus where are the others?" Elita asked leaning into his side her head only came up to his waist. "Is Ratchet ok?" He messaged her suddenly.

I am well Elita I have precious cargo that is not however. Our sparklings are hurt and need medical attention. Ironhide and Jazz were injured in the fight for Sam.

Oh Primius! What is it that keeps us here than we need to return to base quickly! She messaged back.

Optimus caught the concerned look on her face. "Lets see to your alt modes so we can get our injured back to the base Autobots. They've been patient enough." They all looked at the large trailer and Ratchet waiting patiently and nodded. "The road is a half mile east of here I will transform and take the injured with us as will Ratchet. You can all walk." He gave Elita a caress over her head and walked back to his trailer and transformed and hooked up to it.

There was a jolt inside the trailer that alerted the mechs and human inside they were on the move again. There was no pressing medical issues of present so to be safe the stayed together and went to the highway.

After they reached the road they watched for something suitable to drive by to scan. The first to drive by was a 2001 Toyota Tacoma truck with a camping shell that was compatible with Trailblazer. He scanned and turned into his new black truck alt mode. Next a small 2008 Porsche 911 Targa 4 flew by. IT was pink sleep and fast and just perfect for Elita's frame. A 2003 Land Rover passed by and Brawn found it suitable for his purposes and scanned and transformed to test out his new vehicle mode. He liked the little SUV.

Firestar saw several cars go by but none fit her small frame. She was slightly smaller than Elita. A few minutes passed and a funny little car drove by on the highway that she thought would be ok. She mulled over the scan of the 2006 red mini cooper and decided it beat being a motor cycle. She drove around a bit and liked it alright. Finally having their alt modes sorted out the all drove the final few yards back onto the road and rolled into the base after sunset.

Ratchet was anxious to get all the injured in and cared for. With Primes, Prowls and Bumblebee's help he got everyone into the med bay in one piece. With everyone finally home he was able to set to his healing work.