Like I said before, this is purely for fun and amusement. Please, enjoy.

a/n: italics in parenthesis are noises or sound effects from a sparkling

Back in Wheeljack's Lab

"Frag, Jack this thing is heavy!"

"Sorry, Sir," he grunted as they labored to set the device down in the center of the lab. "Here is good."

"Thank Primus," Optimus gasped standing up. He carefully gazed upon the alien device that had strained his servos lifting it. "What is it anyway?"

"I have no idea," he answered flipping a few switches on it. "We found it back on Luna Vega in the Gamma quadrant around the time we got your message to come to Earth."

"Ah, maybe you shouldn't be turning it on if you don't know what it does."

"I did this last time and nothing happened. Besides, I need it on so I can perform a systems' diagnostic. Else I'll never learn what it does."

"Very well, I'll leave you to it," Optimus smiled.

Optimus didn't think twice when he walked in front of the alien device. In hindsight, Wheeljack was wishing he waited until Optimus was at least out of the lab before activating the thing.

The beam of light immobilized Optimus and even took him offline. Wheeljack was frantic trying to power down the machine. Only it was building up. To what Wheeljack didn't know. He thought of destroying but didn't know what that would do to Optimus.

Then suddenly there was a blinding flash of light completely surrounded Optimus. Wheeljack had to cover his optics it was so bright. And then like that…the light was gone. The machine fritzed out. And Optimus…was gone.

Wheeljack's spark froze.

"Holy Frag! What have I done?" he wept, falling to his knees. "Primus, help me I killed Optimus."

(hiccup)

The sound startled Wheeljack.

(hiccup)

"Optimus!" he called, wiping his tears.

A soft thud sounded. It was near the front of the device where Optimus had been standing. Slowly moving forward on his hands and knees, a glimmer of hope began to rise up in his spark.

"Please, I'll do anything you want Primus, just make him be ok," he prayed as he poked his head around the corner.

(beep!)

"Ahh!"

(giggles)

Wheeljack's optic covers opened and closed rapidly. His processor rebelled, was even threatening to overheat, against what he was seeing.

He just couldn't believe it! His face was mere inches from…

"Optimus?"

The sparkling's big blue optics locked on his, warbling and twittering happy as could be. Tiny hands latched onto Wheeljack's face. With a grunt the sparkling pulled itself up onto its feet. Only its little legs wobbled unable to hold its own weight and it fell onto its little aft.

"Oops!"

A short nervous laugh escaped Wheeljack at the sparklings exclamation. He wasn't sure if he should be terrified or relieved! But sparkling sitting there had to be Optimus. It was the only logical explanation. Not to mention it looked exactly like Optimus, only smaller. Much smaller! It had a blue helm with antennas, red arms and chest, silver face, thighs, and hands, and from the knees down to the tips of his feet was mostly blue.

"Would you be able to communicate with me to let me know you're really Optimus?"

The sparkling rolled onto its back giggling hysterically and grabbing at its little feet.

"I didn't think so," he sighed then his features relaxed. "You know, you're actually kind of cute."

(giggles)

"Wheeljack, this is Elita. Can you let me in?"

The femme commander's voice resonated from the intercom nearly sending Wheeljack into stasis lock!

"Oh slag!" he yelped snatching up Optimus and climbed to his feet. "I can't let her see you like this! She'll dismantle me for sure!"

Wheeljack frantically scanned his lab for a place to hide Optimus.

"Jack! If Optimus is in there tell him to stop being a fraggin coward and open the door!"

"Just a moment!" he shouted, yanking one of his storage bin from a shelf.

Its contents were dumped on his table as his spark was racing. Primus, he was terrified. Elita was one tough femme you didn't want to piss off! And she was going to be super fraggin pissed off when she finds out her sparkmate, her bonded, the mech she's loves more than anything in the universe is…a sparkling!

"Here you go," he whispered gently setting Optimus in the bin.

Optimus beeped softly. He was afraid. He didn't like it in here.

"It will only be for a few astroseconds…I hope."

Sorrowful big blue optics stared up at the engineer. He didn't have the spark to do this. But if Elita dismantled him there'd be no one to fix Optimus!

"I'll leave the lid open a crack to give you some light. But please don't move and be quiet."

As promised the lid was placed on leaving a small crack for light to come in. One big terrified mech sprinted across his lab and opened the door. One terrified little mech stared at the small opening. Optimus didn't like the darkness.

"Where is the fragger?" Elita growled storming in. "Prowl said he was here."

"Who?" Wheeljack asked nervously.

Elita shot him a menacing glare. She didn't have time for wisecracks!

"Oh, you mean Optimus. He is here. I mean he was. He left a short time ago."

The femme gave him the once over very slowly then started looking around the lab. She was trying to see if Optimus was hiding anywhere. She was determined to find him. She'd yell at him again for evading her but then she'd apologize to him.

Wheeljack's intakes seized up as she stopped right next to the storage bin. He never prayed so hard in his life!

'Please don't look in the bin! Please don't' look in the bin!' his inner self kept repeating.

He should have been praying for Optimus to be still. The little mech wanted out. He reached up for the light.

"Did he say where he was going?" she asked, sifting through the strewn parts on the table.

"No, I don't believe so."

Elita turned around just as tiny fingers poked through the opening. Wheeljack nearly had a spark attack! That was too close!

"You don't believe so?"

"I mean, no," he replied, trying to be as casual as possible as he came over, gently pushed the fingers back inside and closed the lid. "I don't know. He didn't say."

The femme's optics darkened. Elita knew he was hiding something. All the mechs on the base were loyal to Optimus and would protect him. Even from her.

A sudden thud from the bin grabbed her attention. Her mission to find Optimus placed temporarily on hold as her curiosity got hold of her.

"What's in there?"

"Oh…nothing," he smiled nervously.

There was another thud followed by what sounded like a grunt. Optimus strained to push the lid off.

"Just an experiment gone wrong!" he quickly added, slamming his hand on the lid but not too hard. The movement inside stopped. "You know, Optimus did say you were mad at him and that he had to avoid you until you cooled down."

Elita's features softened.

"I was actually coming to apologize to him. If you see him will you tell him I'm looking for him?"

"Of course," he smiled, putting his arm around her shoulders and gently leading her towards the door. "He usually pops around to see what I'm up to. I'll give him the message."

"Thank you. I'd appreciate that. Perhaps he went for a drive."

"Perhaps."

"Oh, you're experiment might break loose," she grinned before finally heading out the door.

The voices sounded far away. Optimus pushed against the side opening that would open up if the top didn't. It moved! He tried again.

Wheeljack's optics about popped our of their port sockets when he saw the storage bin rocking back and forth. He quickly shut and locked the door and raced over. The bin flopped over on its side and the lid fell off spilling out one sparkling Optimus Prime. Thankfully Wheeljack's reflexes were quick enough that he caught the sparkling before he hit the floor.

"Primus that was too close," he gasped, setting Optimus on the table. "I was nearly scrapped metal!"

Optimus scowled at him and gave him a short beep. He didn't like being in that thing. It was so dark!

"I know. I'm very sorry. But I can't let anyone see you like this. I have to…"

A string of excited beeps and warbles sound from Optimus, his anger forgot in an instance when his optics spotted an array of fascinating objects that look like they'd be fun to play with. Wow! What are those?

"No, I'm sorry, you can't play with that," he said, taking the voltage reader away.

Undeterred, Optimus reached for the next item. This time he wasn't going to allow his prize to be taken from him so easily.

"No! Not that either!" he exclaimed trying to take it from the sparkling.

(growl)

"Are you…growling at me?!" he questioned laughing.

(GROWL)

Wheeljack smiled at the determined look on Optimus face and was a bit surprised at how strong he was. It is just a wrench.

"Well, its not going to hurt you I suppose."

A squeal of delight emanated from the happy sparkling. He beeped and warbled at his prize as he turned it over in his small hands. Then he giggled and started banging it on the table. Hehe. It was fun!

"As much as I'd love to sit here and watch you play, we need to get you back to your old self. But first, I need Ratchet down here to check you out just to make sure you're ok. Then I have to figure out how this contraption works so I can change you back!"

(beep?)

"Thank you, Optimus," he chuckled when the sparkling handing him the wrench. "It might come in handy." Wheeljack sighed. "No sense putting off the inevitable. Ratchet, come in."

Nothing on his comlink. That was odd. Ratchet always responded quickly.

"Ratchet, this is Wheeljack. Respond please."

Still nothing.

"Prowl, this is Wheeljack. Where's Ratchet? He's not responding to my hails?"

"His communicator's down. Seems him and Ironhide had a disagreement about what time Ironhide's maintenance check up was. Magnus had to break them up and pin Ironhide down so Ratchet could do his job. Everything ok? Are you injured again? Please tell me you didn't blow your lab up again."

No, everything wasn't ok. Their aft ripping mech wrecking leader, Optimus Prime was downsized. Significantly downsized…into a cute, cuddling, sparkling!

Optimus smiled up at me. Primus he was too cute.

"I can come and assist you if you're injured."

"I'm fine, Prowl. The lab is in one piece. And I'll head to the med bay on my own. Wheeljack out."

Optimus giggled and grinned wide as Wheeljack tickled him under his chin.

"You sure are cute. A shame I can't show you to anyone. I'll only be gone a few minutes. I promise."

long sorrowful whistle

"It's ok. Here, play with these…they're safe enough. I think. And stay put. I'll be right back."

Optimus watched the big white mech leave. The door shut and he was alone.

(beep!)

The mech didn't comeback. Determined not to be alone Optimus crawled to the edge of the table and peered down. It was far. He wasn't afraid of heights so it was easy to dangle off and drop to the floor below.

"Oops," he huffed falling onto his aft.

It didn't hurt. He was tough. But he couldn't walk yet so he crawled as fast as he could to the door. With a grunt and strain he pushed as hard as he could against it.

Nothing happened.

Optimus tried again.

Still nothing happened.

Defeated he sat on his aft and started to cry. He didn't like being alone in a big room with all these big things in it.