Finally back to Wheeljack to see how he's recovered. Sorry, it's a necessary chapter for the story. Optimus does make an appearance; he and Elita drop by and visit. But this is mainly all Wheeljack as he works hard to make things right. Don't worry, there will be more sparkling Optimus to come in the next chapter.

Wheeljack's Lab

"Why do I always find myself in these situations?" Wheeljack asked himself as he poured over the diagnostic data for the first time.

Ever since he could remember some project or invention he was working on blew up in his face figuratively and literally. He quit counting long ago the number of Med Bay visits. He was just thankful when he regained consciousness or that he didn't blow anything vital off that couldn't be reattached.

Only ever since he became Optimus' top engineer Prime has been a victim of a number of Wheeljack's inventions. Probably because Optimus was curious about many of Wheeljack's inventions, having faith that one of them might help their cause in the fight against the Decepticons. A few have. Most were total failures. And still, Optimus was always there to support his engineer and friend.

"Jack! I told you to stay in the Med Bay until morning!" Ratchet barked the astrosecond he walked through the door.

"I couldn't stay! I have to figure out how to fix Optimus."

Ratchet sighed, rubbing his forehead. He reminded himself to take it easy on Wheeljack. The poor mech means well. He just always seems to have the worst of luck at times.

"How long have you been up?"

"Only a couple of hours. I finished the diagnostic. It will take me a couple of hours to analyze the data."

"Very well. I'll stop by later this afternoon to check on you."

"Ratchet, how's Optimus?"

"A perfectly healthy and happy sparkling," Ratchet smiled. "Everyone's enjoying having a sparkling on the base. And Elita has decided to put Optimus out of his misery. Once we get Optimus back she's gonna tell him she wants a sparkling. So stop beating yourself up. Something good has come from this accident."

Wheeljack smiled, feeling a bit relieved to hear everything is well. It's probably the first time ever one of his accidents had a positive result.

"Drink some energon," Ratchet ordered as he headed for the door. "I don't want to come back and find you passed out on your work table."

Energon was a good idea. Jack was feeling a bit low on energy. Thankfully he had a small supply in his lab for those occasions he'd work days at a time. So he didn't have to make the trek to the recreation room.

With a cup of energon he engrossed himself with the data with his usual curiosity and enthusiasm. There was also a sense of urgency while at the same time he had to be meticulous and not miss anything. This wasn't just any mech he had to fix, it was Optimus Prime!

And like on many occasions, Wheeljack's processor was so involved with what he was doing he never heard the door buzzer. Nor did he hear his lab door open. He didn't even notice the heavy footfalls as Ultra Magnus walked across the lab.

"How's everything going?" the City Commander, peering over the inventor's shoulder at the computer monitor of data.

"AHH!!" Wheeljack screamed, his spark raced.

"Sorry, Jack. I didn't mean to startle you," Magnus chuckled, patting the mech on the back.

"Frag it to pit, Magnus! You nearly gave me a spark attack!"

"Sorry," Magnus repeated. "I just came to see how you were coming along with analyzing the data. I spoke to Ratchet a short time ago."

Jack did a quick check of his internal chronometer. About three hours had passed since Ratchet left. Primus, it felt longer with all the data he had to sort out.

"Basically, I've been able to ascertain that the devise is some concocted version for a fountain of youth," Jack explained.

"Really? Can this process be reversed?"

"The machine only has one function. But I have a few theories on reversing the process. It's just going to take me some time to test them."

"In other words, get the frag out and leave you to it," Magnus smiled.

"Well, I'd never put it like that."

"No worries, Jack," Magnus laughed. "I've got rounds to do. Let me or Prowl know the moment you have something. We're in charge until baby boss bot is returned to normal."

"Baby boss bot?"

"That's what Sunny calls Optimus. That reminds me. Have you seen the twins?"

"No," Wheeljack answered honestly.

"Thanks, I'll have Bumblebee look for them. He always knows what trouble they're getting themselves into."

Wheeljack chuckled to himself as Magnus left. He neglected to tell Magnus the twins had passed by his lab earlier in the morning just before Ratchet turned up. The young mechs were laughing their fool heads off as they headed off to go racing. It wasn't the first time they'd done that. And no matter how many times they've gotten in trouble for it, it won't be the last.

"Wheeljack, is it ok if we come in?" a voice sounded a few astroseconds after Magnus left.

"Elita, of course," he smiled, getting up from his desk to greet her and Optimus. "Hi Optimus, remember me."

Optimus giggled excitedly reaching for the white mech.

"I guess he does," Elita laughed, gladly handing Optimus over to Wheeljack. "Becareful, he just had a short nap so he might be full of it. I guess Jazz wore him out a bit with all the playing they did. I'd walked in to find Optimus passed out on the floor on top of the toys he'd been playing with."

"I remember those days," he said, setting Optimus on the work table. The first thing the little mech did was grab the wrench and started banging it. "They'd play for hours. Pass out on the spot. Wake up, eat then play for hours again. Recharge all night then start the entire routine all over again the next day."

Seeing Optimus on the table banging the wrench suddenly reminded Elita of what happened yesterday morning.

"Primus, Jack!" she chided, gently slapping him. "You put Optimus in a storage bin to hide him from me!"

"I panicked! I was terrified of what you and everyone else would do once it was out that I turned Optimus into a sparkling."

Elita sighed, "I'm sorry for getting so mad at you. I overreacted…badly. My only excuse is that I love him too much."

"No harm done," he smiled. "Dents can be repaired much easier than matters of the spark. I'm just glad Optimus wasn't damaged."

"Come on, Optimus," she said, picking him up. "Time to go so Jack can get back to work."

"Bye Optimus," Jack waved.

"Can you say bye to Jack?" she asked.

Optimus looked at Lita then to the white mech. Then back to Lita.

"It's ok Elita. He doesn't have to say anything to me."

"I should thank you though. Because of this situation, my optics have really been opened. I'm looking forward to having a sparkling with Optimus now."

"Well, I'm glad I could help. I just wish it'd been a different way."

"Whatever, stop kicking yourself in the aft. If you're up for a break later, Optimus will be in the recreation room just before evening for play time with everyone. You're more than welcome to join us."

"I'd like that. Thank you. See you later, Optimus."

"Bye Jack!" he smiled back, waving his little hand.

"Oh, you're such a good little mech," Elita cooed, nuzzling her nose against the side of Optimus head.

Optimus returned the jester rubbing his nose against hers as they walked out the door, making Wheeljack smile. Optimus was right, she was a wonderful mother.

The sound of a laughing sparkling faded quickly after the door shut. Silence filled the lab again and Wheeljack didn't hesitate to get back to work. He worked long and hard, forgetting about the time. He never made it the recreation room, never noticed that Ratchet came by to check on him. He didn't even hear Prowl and Magnus shouting and chasing after the twins in the hallway outside his lab door!

He was focused, spending hours programming the computer, running simulations, getting fail results. Then he'd repeat the process with a new program but get the same results. Over and over. Fail. Fail. Fail!

"Frag!" he growled when the computer beeped at him signally another failed simulation.

"Maybe you should recharge," Prowl's voice sounded from the doorway.

"I know," Wheeljack groaned, rubbing his tired optics.

"It's past midnight. Get some rest my friend. The answers will eventually come to you."

"Yeah…" he yawned. "Recharge sounds like a good idea right now."

"Is this the device?" Prowl asked moving towards the machine in the middle of the room.

It didn't look like much to Prowl. But then again, he wasn't an engineer. He was a soldier. If it wasn't a weapon it didn't interest him much.

"Unfortunately," Jack sighed, getting to his feet.

The tire engineer dragged himself over to his lab table where he climbed up and got comfortable.

"It's on," Prowl mentioned, reaching for the green button that was flashing.

"No, it's not. That light's a standby button. If you push it, it activates the device."

"Oh," Prowl said, quickly pulling his hand back.

He had no desire to be a sparkling. Although Jazz would probably fritz from being overjoyed if he got to take care of a sparkling Prowl for a while!

"Jack, come on, I'll take you to your quarters so you can get a proper recharge."

"I'm fine," he yawned, taking his optics offline. "I've recharged lots of times on my lab table. Besides, I frequently wake in the middle of the night with ideas in my processor. If I wake tonight, it might be the one to fix Optimus and I'd rather be in my lab."

"Very well. See you in the morning, Jack."

"Night."

Prowl dimmed the lights to a soft glow just before leaving the lab. In the past, when there were younglings on the base Prowl used to make sure that all lab doors were securely locked. He hasn't had to do that in a long time and didn't see the need to.

Of course, if he had locked the door, Ironhide wouldn't have been able to just march right into Wheeljack's lab a few minutes after Prowl left. It was the first chance all day Ironhide had to come down to the lab.

Chromia had been relentless in making her case about wanting a sparkling. The more time Optimus was as a sparkling the worse she was getting. Ironhide wanted it to end and end now!

He had enough of sparklings with the three he helped raise. It was true how everyone on the base helped to raise them. However, when it came to evening and recharge time Ironhide always ended up with one of them or two of them. Bee was the most rambunctious; it took forever to get him into recharge. Sunny and Sides were inseparable and cried until they fell into recharge.

"Frag it, Jack! Of all the times not to pull an all nighter!" he grumbled as he stood beside the lab table where Wheeljack was in deep recharge.

Defeated and knowing he was going to have to deal with Chromia on his case again tomorrow, Ironhide turned to leave. But in the dim lighting a small green flashing light caught his attention.

He walked over towards it.

His instinct was to reach and turn it off. Only this was Wheeljack's lab. Pushing buttons wasn't always a good thing. Bad things tend to happen. On the other hand, Wheeljack had a tendency to fall into recharge leaving some piece of equipment on. And again, bad things tend to happen.

Ironhide's hand hovered near the green flashing button as he debated. To push or not to push.

And during an indecisive moment…Ironhide pushed the button.