Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers

"What on Cybertron are you doing down here?" Optimus asked Megatron.

The warlord stared at him, "I could ask you the same question. You forget this was once my home."

Optimus nodded, recalling that Megatron had once been a gladiator here, "Apologies for disturbing you; Ratchet and I were merely searching for an...artifact." He was uncertain how to act around the bot he had been fighting for most of his cycle.

"The medic is here?" Megatron said sharply.

"Right here, Megatron," Ratchet popped up next to Optimus, glaring fiercely at the warlord. "I found the container," he said, dumping it in Optimus' servos. "I suppose we should be getting back," he said, eyeing Megatron deliberately. "My daughter is waiting"

"Your daughter?" Megatron said furiously. "She was mine before you even knew she existed!"

"And who's doing was that?" Ratchet yelled. "You stole her from me, from Crossblade!"

"Oh, please. Are you still rattling on about that?" Megatron smirked. "She offlined eons ago, get over it already."

"You slagging afthole!" Ratchet pointed an angry digit at his chassis, "You were never her father, and you never will be!"

"I raised her from a sparkling!" Megatron roared. "You've only known her for mere months!"

"You may have done so, but who is she with now?" Ratchet sneered. "She has left you."

"Only because I told her to," Megatron looked livid. "The Decepticons are no more and there was nowhere for her to go except for with her sparkmate. She may be with you now, but I can certainly remember when she discovered I was back online and came running right back to the Decepticons!"

"Enough!" Optimus yelled, shoving them apart, "Before one of you tears the other to pieces." They both glared at him angrily and he sighed, "Megatron, Starscream has taken control of the Decepticons."

"Of course he has, he's Starscream."

"And you are not going to do anything about it?" Optimus said incredulously. "You will just sit here and rot your entire cycle?"

"Primus, are you trying convince him to become the Decepticon leader again?" Ratchet said. "We can handle Starscream, Prime, but not him."

Megatron glared at Optimus with the same venom in his optics that had always been there, but the intensity was lessened, as if the warlord was tired. "Leave. Now," he said coldly. He turned and walked further into the cavern until they couldn't see even his silhouette in the gloomy darkness.

"Gladly," Ratchet huffed. He marched out of the Pits to Ultra Magnus' ship, muttering angrily the entire time, with Optimus trailing behind him.

The medic was so indignant he almost didn't notice the Prime collapse on the ground behind him. Luckily, the clang of metal alerted him.

"Optimus!" Ratchet cried as his best friend spasmed uncontrollably. He was powerless to do anything until the ordeal was over, and Optimus lay on the ground, gasping for air.

"Are you alright?" Ratchet helped him up worriedly.

"I am...fine," the Prime wheezed.

"It seems to be getting worse," Ratchet said, performing a medical scan. "It was longer that time. I'm going to have to work fast on that Allspark container when we get back."

"Do not strain yourself, my friend," Optimus patted his shoulder as they boarded the ship. "I will be alright..."

"It was probably that imbecile Megatron, getting you riled up," Ratchet growled, getting the ship into orbit.

Optimus raised an optic ridge, "Me all riled up? You nearly took his helm off."

"I could kill that stupid fragger," Ratchet's servos tightened on the steering wheel. "He makes my energon boil."

"I am not as angry with him as I thought I would be," Optimus pondered, and when Ratchet shot him a glare he hastily explained. "I mean, I do despise him for all that he has done to us, but now I feel more...pity."

"Pity?" Ratchet echoed. "Why?"

"He is all alone, Ratchet," Optimus sighed. "He has no friends, and no one cares what happens to him. Without his position as leader of the Decepticons, he is nothing. He will probably spend the remainder of his cycle in that dark hole, just remembering his glory days. It is a terrible fate, but one he has made for himself."

Ratchet was silent for a moment and then said gruffly, "Well...I still think he's a dumb fragger"

Optimus smiled, "You are not one to change your opinion, old friend."

"Who you calling old?" Ratchet grinned.

Magnia and Bumblebee were resting comfortably after their "activities"; her helm was resting on his chassis and his arms were wrapped around her.

"It seems we finally caught a break," Magnia grinned, trailing circles on his chassis.

Bee sighed happily, "You...have got to be...the sexiest...femme...I've ever...met." He traced her lip components with one digit, "And...loveliest...too"

Magnia hummed contentedly, "Bee?"

"...Hmm?"

"I...love you."

His optics widened, "You...do?" She nodded and he looked so happy she almost laughed.

"...Mags?" he said worriedly. "You know...how I...feel about you...don't be mad...I just-"

"You just what?" she looked so dejected that he immediately cradled her faceplates in his servos.

"I want...to be able...to tell you...in my...own voice," his baby blue optics pleaded with her. "You know...I do...but it...wouldn't be...special in...someone else's...voice."

"I suppose not," Magnia's wings flattened unhappily against her back.

"Makes you...feel better...I have...never cared...about a femme...as much as...I care...about you," he nuzzled her neck.

"I guess we could wait a little while," the corners of her mouth lifted a little, and he hugged her.

"Thanks...Mags."

There was a knock at the door and Prowl called, "Open up you two!"

"Dammit," Magnia cursed and she and Bee hurriedly slipped on a few loose armor plates before answering the door.

"What, Prowl?" Magnia asked and Bee smirked.

"We didn't...do anything."

"Really?" Prowl raised an optic ridge. "Because you're wearing Magnia's chassis plate."

Magnia chuckled as Bee glanced down at his chassis, where there were two unfamiliar lumps in the armor.

"Why is it...always me...that gets...fragged...when we...do this?" he grumbled and then said to Prowl "...Hang on" and slammed the door in the tactician bot's faceplates. The two quickly switched armor and reopened the door.

"Sneaking around behind my back," Prowl shook his helm. "Optimus is going to hear about this."

Magnia said slyly, "And you don't think he won't ask what you were doing instead of keeping an optic on us?"

Prowl coughed "What? I wasn't doing anything."

"That's not what I would say," Jazz appeared, grinning. "Maybe not doin' something, but definitely doin' someone."

"Hey, whose side are you on, saboteur boy?" Prowl growled.

Jazz laughed, "Whatsa matter Prowler? Ya wouldn't be ashamed of me, would ya?"

"No, Jazz, I just-" Prowl sputtered, his faceplates blushing a bright blue. The normally calm tactician bot was so flustered. "You know what, I'm out," he tossed his servos in the air and walked away. Magnia and Bee giggled and shut the door, and Jazz followed Prowl.

"Sorry Prowler, I didn't mean to get ya all riled up like that," Jazz apologized. "Puttin' ya on the spot like that an' such."

"Jazz, you must know I am not ashamed of you, or of us," Prowl sighed. "It's just I don't want-"

"Prime to know?" Jazz grinned. "I know. Ya look up to him a lot. It honestly don' matta to me, Prowler, if anybot knows or doesn't. Ain't none of their business."

"It really doesn't bother you?" Prowl smiled.

Jazz shrugged, "Nah, I'm just awesome like that."

Prowl grinned and then frowned as a comm interrupted the nice moment, :Yes?:

:Prowl, it's Optimus,: the Prime commed. :We have returned: