A/N: Yeah, new chapter before the start of a busy week...sigh, anyways hope you are enjoying the story so far I know I am! Anyways, lets get this show on the road!

Chapter 25-The Next Steps

Eleanor slowly awoke to the bright morning sun glaring into her eyes, the emerald green white speckled eyes squinted at the sun's harsh rays as she sat up rubbing her tired and slightly sore limbs. She tried to remember how she came to be in Optimus's alt mode, then the memories hit her.

The dream, her breakdown, feeling tired afterwards.

The door opened for her, him being aware that she was awake even in his holoform. She stepped out onto the grass outside the barn to smell something fantastic, she looked to see Optimus walk up to her with a plate of steaming eggs, bacon, hashbrowns and toast.

"I went to the nearest city and brought you breakfast." He smiled.

"Right...you can move through shadows really quick, I guess I'll have to get used to that." He chuckled and handed her the plate, then he jabbed his thumb to the inside.

"Megatron's in there, I think you should go talk to him." She nodded quickly as she scarfed down some of her breakfast and made her way inside.

He was sitting on a hay bale near a half open door with the sunlight hitting him. He was writing in a book she hadn't seen before, she assumed Optimus got it when he got her breakfast.

"Hey." She got his attention, he looked up with a smile.

She sat down next to him and he closed his book before he said.

"How are you doing?" He asked, worry etched into his eyes.

She sighed, "I'll...be fine in time. I mean, it was a lot and it came so hard, I basically relieved it. And...it was very clear and vivid." She shivered at the memory.

He grabbed her hand, "I know, the way you reacted, I felt helpless to ease the pain."

"You just being there is a big help." She reassured him, he smiled back.

"It's good to hear that from you, I will always be here." She was content for once since last night.

Optimus watched the pair from a distance, but his mind was somewhere else. The whispers may have lessened since yesterday but they were still there. They mostly talked nonsense but some of them questioned his loyalty to them, trying to degrade his resolve.

It didn't do anything to him, but it was annoying.

"So, you think I am annoying?" A hiss came from behind him, he knew it was Nemesis.

He looked back to him, "Yes, leave me."

"Tsk, and here I was about to give you directions to the next tool. But no, I guess you want to wander aimlessly, so be it." Nemesis began to disappear but was forced to stop by Optimus grabbing and forcing him away from the door to a more private area.

"Explain, now." The Prime hissed, Nemesis devious smile.

"Knew it, you need me." He sighed, "Anyways, the next tool belongs to your 'Brother'." Optimus optics widened.

"The Evershifting Blade...where is it?!"

"Look to the ever shifting sands, there in the Tomb of the Queen lies the Blade of Ether." And before more could be said, he dissipated.

Optimus thought for a moment, trying to figure out the riddle before heading towards the barn to get insight from his Brother and his Best Friend.

Cascade stood at the bridge of Nemesis, taking in reports from the mines and scouts she had sent out. Sometimes, the logistics really bothered her as she just wanted to wage war, not to dictate the entire operation, but it had to be done.

"Lady Cascade," A voice called her out of her grumbling to look at Soundwave who was using recordings. "May I...speak with you?"

"It's better than this." She gave the datapads to a waiting Vechicon, Steve? She thinks that's what he calls himself, anyway.

She followed him out and down the hall into a private room with a single berth in it.

What followed right after the door closed was Cascade being pushed to the wall by powerful servos as Soundwave whips off his visor proceeding to kiss her passionately.

"Hm, I've missed you my Lady." He growled in her audio, she shivered with delight.

"Soundwave, how long have you been waiting to do...that?" She breathed out.

"Long enough." He growled, she loved this side of her love, his real voice could make any femme swoon and his actually faceplate, it was very handsome with a few scars and his rare colored optics, a shining gold.

"I would agree with you there, so, what's the plan?" He smirked as he pressed her harder against the wall and began to nip at her neck cables while speaking.

"Hm, first we kill Starscream, he always bothered me. Next, we find Megatron and make him suffer as well." He breathed out as she began to nip at him as well. "Then we destroy the Autobots and conquer this world and reclaim Cybertron for us."

"I suppose we should get on that, but first," She growled as she gained enough strength to push him off of her and onto the berth in the room. "We should resolve our...tension from not seeing each other for so long, besides, you know I like being on top."

His optics glazed over with lust replied, "You won't be for long…"

Elita-One was try to focus on finding Optimus, yet heeding no results. It was hard to track someone down that didn't want to be found. She sighed, resigning herself to a break before she went bonkers on the equipment in frustration.

It was then when Agent Fowler arrived shouting, "ELITA!"

She came to see him quickly, "Agent Fowler, what's the-"

He cut her off, "We have a serious problem, I just got a report from our European Allies and it seems Optimus was spotted in Paris, France."

"Wait, that's great news, what's the problem?" She asked, the others were gathering around at Fowler's voice that could command attention.

"Because, he was involved in a high speed pursuit with unknown vehicles through and out the streets of Paris!" Elita's eyes widened.

"You can't be serious!?" He shook his head.

"Unfortunately it is, and we have a direction of where he went." Elita's optics hardened, finally, she had something.

"Where?" She asked, hoping to catch Optimus before he moved again.

She needed answers, no, they all needed answers.