Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers
Ratchet, with much protesting from Optimus, had forbidden anyone to enter the Medbay until the next morning, or until someone came out. He had posted Prowl and Smokescreen outside the doors, lest anyone's curiosity get the better of them.
"Ratchet, you have to let me in there," Optimus said for what Ratchet thought must have been the millionth time in the last five hours. "What if Bumblebee offlines? And the last thing I said to him was that he was off the team? I'll never forgive myself."
"Optimus, trust me, I know how you feel, but-"
"How could you possibly know how I feel, Ratchet?" Optimus burst out.
"Because my daughter is in there too, Prime!" Ratchet snapped. "And the last thing I said to her was to encourage her to bond with someone she barely knows. If Bumblebee offlines, so does she!"
Ratchet slid down the wall and buried his faceplates in his servos.
"We can't go back in there, Optimus; they deserve some privacy and Primus knows we don't want to see that. We will have to wait until tomorrow, where we will either find two bots peacefully recharging…" he exhaled, "or two corpses."
"Primus help us," Optimus sat dejectedly next to Ratchet.
"I'm still mad at you…" Ratchet mumbled, shifting away from him.
Optimus sighed, "You have every right to be. I have been an afthole this whole time; I've been so worried about Bumblebee, and now….. there is nothing I can do anymore. It is out of my servos."
His body lurched suddenly and he began spasming uncontrollably.
"Optimus!" Ratchet cried, going into full medic mode, but the Prime waved him off when he got himself under control.
"I'm...fine."
"You most certainly are not," Ratchet frowned, performing a quick scan. "You had some sort of spark attack, but I don't know what could have caused it unless…." Ratchet eyed him, "Optimus, where is the Allspark?"
Optimus appeared flustered, "What are you talking about?"
"When you tricked Unicron into opening the empty Allspark container….where did you put the Allspark?"
"I might have, ah…." Optimus said weakly, "combined it with the Matrix."
"You what?!" the medic shouted so loudly that half of the Autobots nearby turned and looked at him. "Sorry," he said sheepishly. Once everyone had turned back to their duties, he whispered furiously to Optimus, "You what?!"
"I am sorry, Ratchet," Optimus sighed. "I could not allow Unicron to have the Allspark, or there would be no new life on Cybertron."
"You idiot!" Ratchet said exasperatedly. "And what about you? Are you-one with the Allspark?"
Optimus nodded, "The Matrix is not meant to contain the Allspark; It is trying to get to the Well. At some point I must return it there and-"
"And you will offline," Ratchet's shoulders slumped. "There must be something we can do, something I can do…."
"Stop," Optimus interrupted him. "Please do not start this Ratchet. There is nothing you can do, and if you try to do anything, it will only make you feel guilty when I offline."
"So I just sit back and watch my best friend offline?!" Ratchet said furiously. "I won't, and you know it. Too many bots have offlined already Optimus; I'm not letting you go too!" He sighed, "I will find a way, if it kills me."
"Stubborn medic," Optimus grumbled.
"Foolish Prime," Ratchet shot back and Optimus grinned.
"We should go check on Smokescreen and Prowl," Optimus sighed. "Primus knows why you decided to put those two on guard duty together."
"Everyone else was busy," Ratchet grumbled as they headed toward the Medbay.
Prowl and Smokescreen had stood in awkward silence for the first five hours. Neither particularly liked the other, so they had silently resolved to just ignore each other and guard the door. That is, until Smokescreen spoke up.
"So, Prowl."
Prowl arched an optic ridge, "What?"
"I hear you have a boyfriend," Smokescreen grinned. "Didn't know you rolled that way."
"What?" Prowl sputtered. "That's ridiculous, I don't-"
"Really?" Smokescreen chuckled at his discomfort. "Because I heard you and Jazz were getting a little physical."
"You're mistaken," Prowl flushed.
Smokescreen nodded, "I thought I must have misheard; I couldn't picture you with someone like Jazz."
"Yes, well," Prowl nodded his helm relieved and then frowned. "What do you mean, someone like Jazz?"
Smokescreen shrugged, "He always seems a little off to me, ya know? Like not right in the processor." He tapped his helm for emphasis.
"What are you saying?" Prowl said dangerously.
"I dunno," Smokescreen shrugged. "I've just never liked bots who act like retards."
"Okay, that's it!" Prowl growled.
CLANG! SMASH!
Optimus and Ratchet, who were nearing the Medbay, heard the noise. They hurriedly rounded the corner to find Prowl with his arms folded, glaring at Smokescreen who was on the floor, groaning and clutching his helm.
The two older bots gaped at Prowl, who was normally so calm and level-headed.
"Prowl what in Pit…." Ratchet trailed off.
"It appears Smokescreen has been incapacitated," Prowl said coldly. "Perhaps next time you could put me on guard duty with someone who isn't a complete idiot?"
"Oh, you mean like Jazz?" Smokescreen rubbed his helm and grinned up at the tactician bot wickedly.
"Shove it up your tailpipe, you overgrown scraplet!" Prowl snarled and booted him in the side before storming off angrily.
"What in Pit did you say to him?" Ratchet asked Smokescreen.
"Nothing," Smokescreen chuckled, getting to his peds. "I was just messing with him."
Optimus opened his mouth to chastise Smokescreen, but stopped when he saw the Medbay door begin to slide open.
Optimus and Ratchet held their breaths until Bumblebee and Magnia emerged, holding servos.
"Bumblebee!" Optimus cried, sweeping the yellow bot into a hug. "You are alive! Thank Primus."
Ratchet almost went to hug Magnia, but he hesitated and she smiled at him. "I thought hugs were your specialty?" she teased.
He grinned and hugged her tightly, "I'm so glad you're alright." He glanced at Bumblebee over Magnia's shoulder, "So you two are bonded?"
She smiled a little, "Yeah, we um-yeah."
Ratchet sighed, "I wish I could have known you when you were a sparkling. Then maybe it wouldn't be irrational for me to wish you weren't so grown up."
"Aw, Dad," Magnia squeezed him tighter. She released him and he turned to Bumblebee.
"You better not hurt her or I'll have your helm," Ratchet sighed.
"You know….I won't," Bee grinned.
"I know."
Optimus frowned as he received a comm and his optics widened, "Starscream is advancing on our base."
"Starscream?" Ratchet rubbed his helm, feeling a processor-ache coming on. "I thought Megatron disbanded the Decepticons?"
"He did," Optimus sighed. "But Starscream is a power hungry fanatic, and Megatron leaving gave him the perfect opportunity to seize control of the Decepticons. I should have seen this coming."
He then commed everyone on the base, :Autobots, prepare to defend the base.:
The Autobots rushed to the exits and formed a protective line in front of the base as the Decepticons approached.
Starscream sneered as he drew closer, "Well if it isn't Magnia, the traitorous glitch."
Bumblebee glared angrily at him as Magnia said furiously, "You had no right to reorganize the Decepticons; Megatron ordered them disbanded!"
"Oh did he?" Starscream grinned. "My bad."
Magnia glared at him and he laughed, "You don't get it, do you? I am prepared to do what Megatron was too weak to do. I will destroy the Autobots and end Optimus Prime once and for all!"
"Decepticons, charge!" he yelled and the Decepticons poured forward.
The Autobots and Magnia braced themselves and engaged the onslaught of Decepticons as they rushed forth.
Optimus, while battling a group of Vehicons, caught sight of Magnia and Bumblebee across the battlefield.
They fight so well together, he thought in awe, watching how they seemed to move as one, knowing exactly what the other's actions would be before it even occurred. Bumblebee ducked a Decepticon blade, cupped his servos, and flung Magnia into the air when she leapt into his servos. She smashed down on a Vehicon, crushing him with her weight, and then flung him at another Vehicon behind Bumblebee, who had ducked before she had even thrown.
Optimus punched a Decepticon in the faceplates, still watching Magnia and Bumblebee out of the corner of his optic. He knew they were stronger together because of their bond, but they were also weaker too; if one of them became injured, the other would fall as well.
He shook his helm and refocused himself on dismantling Decepticons. While he was occupied, Starscream got a clear shot from across the battlefield and pointed his cannons at the back of the Prime's helm.