Author's note: Some swearing... A few little bombs brought to you by the letter ''F''... obligatory warning over...

Hope you are all still with me on this... hang in there ;-)

Chapter 150 – You're not Going to like this

Prime P.O.V

/Such a beautiful night/. The stars shone down brightly, and the moonlight bathed everything in a silvery, ethereal glow. As I made my way along the road to our beach, and my Phoenix, I could not help the nagging thought from clawing at my processor. /How long do we have until peace and beauty such as this are shattered, and the world is torn asunder? How many starlit nights do we have left before utter darkness consumes this planet?/.

I shook my helm as I approached the tree line. The foreboding warning the Matrix had sent me after my meeting still echoed in my spark, but I would not let it ruin my time with Phoenix. Now, more than ever, every moment with her was precious.

I stilled in my tracks as I stepped through the tree line. I had been so caught up in my reflections, that I failed to register the other presence sitting beside Phoenix. /Elita?/. Tonight was proving to be the proverbial roller coaster of emotions.

Two sets of optics, one brown and flecked with gold and the other a powder blue, turned to acknowledge me. ''Optimus!'' Phoenix called out enthusiastically from her position. Her face had lit up at my presence and my spark pulsed in its casing at the sight of her. Elita had sent me a small smile though she refrained from any outward displays of familiarity. For a moment I was taken aback by the strange thought that five years ago on this very beach, I watched Phoenix leave me because of the very femme beside her. Now, here they sat. Together.

I stepped forward towards the two most important femmes in my life. ''Phoenix, Elita,'' I nodded my helm to them both and sent them a warm smile. As I approached, they rose gracefully to their pedes and I came to a stop before them both. Though I ached to reach out and hold Phoenix in my arms, I would not do so in front of Elita. Phoenix seemed to understand and support my choice as she remained where she was, though her optics fixed firmly on mine. ''It is lovely to see you both - together.'' And it truly was. They cast each other a quick glance and I tilted my helm slightly. ''I hope I am not interrupting anything important?''

Elita spoke for the first time, shaking her helm quickly. ''No, not at all Prime. Just,'' she paused a moment, ''getting acquainted with each other.''

Phoenix gave a small snort, ''Ah, yeah. That's right. Getting to know each other a little better. You know, swapping stories. That sort of thing.''

I raised an optical ridge at them both and folded my arms across my chest. ''Should I even enquire as to what stories you are swapping or is, as they say, ignorance bliss?''

Elita gave a small laugh and began to walk off, ''Perhaps I should be leaving now.''

I was torn between relief and sadness. ''Please don't leave on my behalf Elita, you are welcome to stay,'' I called out to her retreating form.

''Absolutely Elita. Don't let Prime scare you off,'' Phoenix smiled.

Elita half turned and chuckled softly. ''Oh, I'm not scared of Prime Phoenix.'' A small, sad smile flickered across her face. ''Never have been, never will be. And I thank you for your kind offer but I really must be heading off.'' She fixed me with a stare for a spark beat. ''I have some important work to attend to and I really should get some recharge.''

I nodded. ''I understand. Well, good evening Elita. I wish you a peaceful recharge.''

She nodded at me and then Phoenix and turned to walk off.

''Elita,'' Phoenix called out.

She stopped and turned back around again. ''Yes, Phoenix?''

Phoenix sent her a massive smile, ''It was lovely to spend some time with you and you know, talk. I hope we get the chance to catch up again at some stage.'' She paused a moment, ''If that's alright with you?''

Elita smiled brightly at Phoenix in reply. ''I would like that Phoenix. If time allows for it, I would like that very much. Optimus, Phoenix.'' She gave a quick nod of her helm and once again, turned on her pedes and disappeared through the trees.

I reached out and pulled Phoenix towards me into an embrace, kissing her helm. ''Well, that was a pleasant surprise to see you both here and that was well said Phoenix.''

She smiled against my chest and sighed, ''Well, it's true Optimus. Despite some initial awkwardness, we were able to talk and, well. She really is an amazing femme Prime.'' She turned her beautiful face towards me and smiled. ''I always knew she must have been special to hold your spark, but Elita really is wonderful and I.. I think we could become good friends. You were right.''

I gave a deep chuckle and held her close. ''See. I have my moments - occasionally.'' She narrowed her optics, and I bent down to kiss her cheek quickly to silence any comments. Pulling back, I sighed out loud. ''Well, I am very grateful to see you are both comfortable in each other's presence.'' I gently brushed my digits down her cheek. ''Seeing the two femmes I care about the most getting along means so much to me.''

Phoenix wrapped her arms about my chest tightly, pulling me close and I laid my helm atop hers. For a moment neither of us spoke. We just enjoyed the feeling of holding the one we loved in our arms. I closed my optics and revelled in the sensation her warm body pressed against mine stirred within me. /To think I nearly lost this, lost her!/.

Her voice was small and muffled against my chest when she next spoke. ''You know Optimus, I never thought I would get to see you again.'' She paused a moment. ''Or our beach.'' She raised her helm and looked off towards the moonlit waters. ''You know I missed this beach so much.'' I watched as her dermas twisted into a smirk. ''Almost as much as I missed you!''

''Well,'' I kissed the slight scar from her helm wound very gently. ''I am relieved to hear I won out over a pile of sand Phoenix.'' I sighed in utter contentment as I held the femme I loved with all my spark. ''Though I do know what you mean.'' /Perhaps now is the time to tell her I loved her? It is the perfect place… the perfect time../.

I turned her about in my arms to face me. She smiled up at me and I cupped her face in my servos. ''Phoenix, I..'' A shiver ran down her frame and her optics darted away from mine.

I furrowed my brow. ''Phoenix? Are you okay?''

She sent me a quick smile, ''I am now I have you by my side again,'' and she reached up to kiss my cheek. As she pulled away, I saw it. A question, a thought was lurking behind her optics, one that was gnawing away at her and putting her on edge. I sighed internally in frustration. /Okay, so maybe not the perfect time/.

''Alright. What is it Phoenix? What is it you want to ask me or tell me?'' I released her from my arms and stepped back.

She stared at me for a spark beat, her dermas slightly parted in shock. ''How did you..''

A crooked smile curved the corners of my dermas. ''Phoenix. Despite being absent from your life for five long years, I know you. I know when you have something on your processor, and you are either unsure how to ask or, unsure if you should. Now,'' I folded my arms across my chest. ''Out with it!''

Phoenix shook her helm in amusement and gave a small laugh, the sound sending a wave of warmth and affection washing over me. ''Very well Prime. There are a few things on my processor and something I feel I have to tell you.'' She hesitated. ''Though - I don't really know how.''

Every fibre of my being tensed at her words. My voice dropped to a lower register and I shifted on my pedes to try and dispel the nerves I felt course through me. ''Phoenix, what is it? What is troubling you and what is it you feel you cannot tell me? Please, I need to know.''

She bit her lower derma and began to pace about, her agitation and concern evident. ''Prime, ever since we got back here you have been swamped with meeting after meeting.'' She paused a moment and sent me a small smile, ''While I know following the events of Beijing and KSI there was going to be fallout and you'd have to go into full damage control but… there's more to it. I can't help but feel, that while the immediate danger the Seed presented has passed, something else is troubling you.''

I shuttered my optics. It was my turn to feel caught off guard. ''And what makes you think this Phoenix?''

She shook her helm and gave a low chuckle. ''Do not think you are the only one notices things Prime. I know you too! I know when you are trying to put up a front or hide something.'' She started pacing again. ''Besides, I sense it from Lennox too. Though, just like you, he hasn't mentioned anything to me, I know something is troubling him. Something big.'' She stopped pacing again and turned to face me, folding her arms across her chest. ''I know you are both trying to protect me or think in some small way you are preventing me from worrying, but to be honest, it is having the total opposite effect!''

I stared at her for a moment, reading her face, looking into her optics. I sensed the rising pulse rate of her spark and I could tell she was on edge. /How can I keep what I know hidden from her now?/. ''My Phoenix, I should know better than to keep things from you. But as you pointed out, it was done with the best intentions.''

She snorted and shifted her stance. ''The road to hell Prime….''

I nodded my helm and ex-vented softly. ''Yes, I know Phoenix. Duly noted.'' I paused a moment as I considered my words. ''There is something that is a potential concern, something that is indeed troubling me to be honest with you.'' I took a step towards her and placed my hands on her shoulders. ''But first, I need to know what this thing is you feel you cannot tell me because in all sincerity Phoenix, THAT is what worries me even more!''

Phoenix looked away from my keen gaze for a moment, as if gathering the courage she needed to tell me what troubled her. ''Okay Prime.'' She snapped her helm to me. ''But you've got to promise you won't go totally berserk and flip out on me because at the end of the day I am just talking about it.''

I removed my servos from her shoulders and took a step back, preparing myself. Her words just now were ominous indeed. ''Phoenix, I have learned not to make promises to you I cannot keep. While I shall do my best to hear you out and support you, I cannot promise what you are about to say will not affect me to the point I need to,'' I raised an optic ridge in amusement, ''go berserk and flip out as you so eloquently put it.''

Phoenix closed her optics, ''sighed'' the last vestiges of doubt away and nodded. ''Very well. I guess I'll just say it then.'' She smiled mischievously up at me, ''Besides, I know you won't totally want to kill me because you just got me back and I know you missed me and like having me around.''

I folded my arms across my chest trying to look authoritative. ''My stance on that is beginning to shift as rapidly as the desert sands Phoenix, now out with it!'' /She was right though. I doubt there was anything she could say that would make me truly mad with her/.

''Well, as you know Galvatron tried to convince me to join him and the Decepticons that day I was injured. What I didn't tell you was I kind of insinuated that I might possibly take him up on his offer and – well - I'm thinking I might do it…'' She seemed to physically cringe in anticipation of my reaction.

/EXCEPT THAT!/.

For a moment I simply stood there. I did not move; I did not speak. I simply stood as the implications of her words sunk in. I could feel the wave of white-hot heat rising in me as a fury I had not felt since that day she unleashed her powers as the Phoenix at the firing range, began to consume me. What felt like molten lava flowed through my lines and at the same time an icy wave of fear swept over my frame.

''Optimus?'' Phoenix questioned. Seeing my darkening look she hastily continued in her explanation. ''It's not like I will actually be joining them or anything Prime, it is purely for reconnaissance purposes. Galvatron mentioned a great enemy is coming, one that will make the battle at Beijing look like sparkling's play. He does not know how loyal I am to you and the Autobots and he is that arrogant that he would possibly believe that he managed to convince me – the great and powerful Phoenix – to join his cause. I could find out who this enemy might be and when they might…''

''No,'' it was one word. Spoken very softly, almost unheard.

Phoenix paused in her explanation. ''But Optimus, this is the perfect opportunity to gain the…''

''I SAID NO!'' I bellowed at her. My body was shaking from barely contained rage and fear.

Phoenix lowered her optics for a moment before she placed her servos on her hips and fixed me with a serious stare. ''Optimus, you said you would try to listen and support me…''

My voice was a dangerously low whisper as I fought to contain my emotions. ''Do not use my own words against me. I know what I said Phoenix. But you can not seriously expect me to calmly and rationally react to your suggestion knowing FULL WELL WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST TO… '' I stopped. I felt my chest rise and fall as I struggled to regain control. Phoenix reached out and placed a servo on my arm, seeking to mollify me. I roughly shook her servo off and took a step back from her.

For a moment her dermas parted in shock as she was left standing alone. ''Optimus, please. Don't shut me out. Talk to me.''

I growled at her. ''There is nothing to talk about Phoenix as this is NOT happening! I will not condone you actively putting yourself in such a reckless and dangerous situation. Putting yourself in a position where you will be hurt, where I might lose you - FOR GOOD!'' My voice had cracked slightly as I allowed my greatest fear to bubble to the surface.

''Optimus!'' She took a step towards me and I took a step back, tensing. A part of me felt puerile and cringed at my own reaction but I did not particularly care. Phoenix sighed loudly in frustration. ''Optimus, I understand your fears and your concerns and trust me – I have thought about this long and hard and I truly think it is the best option we have of finding out who…''

''I KNOW WHAT IS COMING!'' I yelled at her, my optics flashed angrily and fearfully at the same time. ''I KNOW WHOM GALVATRON SPEAKS OF!''

Phoenix started at my outburst and my admission. She shuttered her optics as she stared at me for a moment and then narrowed them as she tilted her helm. ''Is this what you are concerned about? Is this what you have been keeping from me?'' Her tone had changed.

I nodded my helm. ''I was unsure about it until tonight. My meeting, in the training room was with Rachet, Hound, Jazz and Elita.''

Phoenix straightened up and folded her arms across her chest, her face hardened. ''Something tells me you weren't discussing how Sunstreaker has adjusted to being here on Earth were you?''

I shook my helm and looked away from her for a moment. ''No, we were not.'' I began pacing agitatedly. ''We were trying to ascertain what or who this new enemy could be especially given the appearance of some – signs – some structures.''

Phoenix's face crinkled in confusion. ''Structures? What structures?''

I activated my holographic projector, and the horns came into view. She flinched and gasped. ''These Phoenix. There are six of them and they have been growing rapidly for a few years now. We were unaware of them until two weeks ago, when we got back here.''

''So, what does this have to do with you knowing who the enemy is? I don't see a name tag on them anywhere Prime!'' Her tone was dripping in sarcasm.

I was still livid at her for her suggestion and her tone just now caused further irritation. ''Do NOT speak to me like that Phoenix. Not at the moment.''

For a moment I thought she might challenge me, and I tensed, preparing for a verbal sparring match. She lowered her optics and spoke softly. ''Sorry Prime. I apologise.'' Her gaze softened. ''Will you please tell me how you know what or who is coming?''

''The Matrix.'' I placed my servo over my spark as I felt it pulse again. ''It is a powerful vessel for many reasons Phoenix. It contains within it the ability to restore life as it holds remnants of Primus's own essence.'' Phoenix made a small sound and nodded. ''It also contains the collective wisdom and memory of all the Prime's who have come before me. It is an ancient source of life and knowledge and, at times, it has spoken to its bearer.'' I removed my servo from above my spark. ''More often than not it is just a feeling, something you sense.'' I hesitated. ''Last night it whispered to me for the first time since I regained possession of it as a rightful Prime. For the first time in millions of years, it issued a warning.''

Phoenix wrapped her arms about her waist. ''Wh… what did it say Optimus?''

''It told me, ''Coming. Beware. Chaos. HE is coming! For us.'' I began to pace again as the same feeling of dread snaked around my spark. ''Phoenix, the horns, the message. I cast my processor back through all the scrolls, the data pads, everything I could recall reading about chaos and horns and a great enemy and only one thing – one being – could possibly fit that description.'' I stopped pacing and fixed my gaze on the dark swirling waters breaking on the reef. I could not look at her. I could not let her see the worry or the fear that ate away at me. ''Despite the fact I have Elita, Rachet, Jazz and Ironhide looking into it, I know Phoenix.''

She took a step closer to me. This time I did not step away.

''But who Prime? Who is it you are referring to?'' She was within arm's reach.

I shut my optics and allowed the cold wave of fear wash over me as I uttered the Chaos Bringer's name. ''Unicron.''

She creased her brow in bewilderment. ''And what is a Unicron Prime? Is he someone like Megatron and Galvatron rolled into one?''

I snorted. ''Oh Phoenix! I wish. Megatron and his reincarnated form Galvatron, are nothing compared to Unicron. Unicron is an ancient being of supreme power. He is known as the Chaos Bringer because he thirsts for destruction and death to all life!''

Phoenix physically flinched at my description. ''Okay. So, how do we take this guy, this thing out?''

I shook my helm. ''Phoenix! This is no ordinary Transformer we are talking about here. Unicron is Primus' brother. While, thankfully, I have not seen his true form, by ancient accounts, he is the size of a small planet!''

''ARE YOU FUCKING WITH ME RIGHT NOW OPTIMUS!? The size of a fucking planet and a deity for good measure!'' Phoenix's face was incredulous as she threw her arms up in dismay, shouting. ''No wonder you've been bloody worried! The Earth – everything – is basically screwed!''

I gave her a small smile. /And this is why I tried to keep it from you/. Though I did not voice my thought out loud.

Phoenix took a calming ''breath''. She raised her right servo to her chin, cradling it as she processed the shocking revelation. After several moments of thought, she fixed me with a serious stare. ''Well Optimus. Perhaps Galvatron is in league with this being in some way? I mean, if he knew about its impending arrival before you did, he must know something you don't.'' I was already shaking my helm furiously, though she ploughed on regardless. ''While I appreciate your concerns, if what you say is true, then I MUST go and join Galvatron and try to discover what he knows…''

I held my servos up in front of me to silence her. ''No Phoenix! I cannot let you go! Not after what happened to Elita,'' I turned away from her. Knowing I was not there for Elita to protect her. Knowing she suffered because of ME – tore at my spark and was a guilt I would forever carry inside me. /If Phoenix thought I would willingly let her go to HIM!/. I felt my shoulders slump with the weight of my grief and my fear. ''I cannot willingly allow you to go to them.'' I spat the words out like the distasteful thoughts they were. ''TO GO TO HIM!'' I closed my optics and clenched my servos by my sides. I ground out my request through gritted denta. ''Please, don't do this Phoenix.''

A light, tentative touch upon my arm at once both filled me with warmth and sent a cold shiver racing through me as Phoenix gently bid me to listen to her. ''If this Unicron really is the enemy you say is coming. If he really seeks the total death and destruction of all life, then if there is even the slightest chance I might learn something by momentarily infiltrating the Decepticon ranks, then more is the reason for me to do it Prime.'' I groaned at the conflict that raged inside of me at her words.

Phoenix raised her servo to my face and brushed her digits gently down my face, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. I reached out and captured them and she smiled softly at me. ''You may not like it Optimus, but I have a feeling a lot of things we do not like and do not want to happen are about to happen, regardless of how we may feel.'' She quirked an optical ridge towards me. ''Besides, if the situation was reversed, I know you would do the same.

My optics squeezed shut as the truth of her words washed over me and into me. /Damn it all to the pit! She was right/. I remained silent for a spark beat as I considered her words. ''I… I need time to think about this Phoenix. Please. At least give me that.''

She flashed her beautiful smile at me and brought my servo to her dermas, kissing it. ''As you wish Prime, but that is something I am afraid we are kind of short on.' 'She reached her arms out towards me, silently seeking permission to be welcomed into my embrace.

I was still angry; I was still fearful. But my love for her, my need for her was stronger. Opening my arms wide, she flew into my embrace and pulled me close. I wrapped my arms about her and held her tightly against me, my own thoughts flooding back to chastise me. /Now more than ever, every moment with her was precious/. The pulse of her spark against mine soothed me. It reassured me that she was alive and well and here – with me. A great darkness may be coming but for now – I had my light. And I would cling to it furiously with every fibre of my being, for as long as it shone.