Remember, this story is centered around Optimus. So there are no sparklings in this chapter but there will be in the next. Now, what you've all been dying for.

"That didn't happen in any of the simulations," Skyfire commented, completely baffled as to why Optimus' CPU went offline.

"This isn't a simulation you aft!" Elita snapped, kicking Skyfire in aft back of his leg since she couldn't reach his aft without some effort.

"Elita, let them do their job," Magnus suggested, restraining the femme.

Big mistake!

Elita twisted around, grabbing his arm, maneuvered into position, and flipped him over. Magnus crashed hard, suddenly finding himself on the floor staring up at the ceiling!

'Oh that was embarrassing!' he thought to himself, grateful the twins weren't in the room to witness that. Laying there he realized he should never restrain Elita and consider himself luck his interface appliance was still attached!

"Was there a power surge during the download?" Ratchet quickly asked, monitoring all Optimus other systems. They all appeared fine…for now. But the CPU wasn't even humming, not a flicker of energy.

"It wasn't a power surge," Wheeljack said looking at the data streaming on Skyfire's monitor. "But there was some kind of feedback from Optimus' CPU towards the end of the download."

"Frag it!" Ratchet snapped. If Optimus' CPU was down much longer… "I need answers! I don't want to remove his helm armor unless I have too."

"Readings indicated the download was successful," Jack responded, understanding the urgency of the situation. "I think we might have downloaded his memories too fast. His CPU couldn't handle the input at that rate."

"Maybe we should do the download slower next time," Skyfire suggested.

"NEXT TIME!" Elita roared. She was ready to rip the scientist apart! This was her sparkmate they were talking about, not some scientific experiment!

"Hang on!" Ratchet said, grabbing Elita's arm before her fist connect with Skyfire. "My sensors are picking up faint energy fluctuations from his CPU."

Ratchet leaned closer and removed part of Optimus audio receptor cover. To get a better reading of what was going on in there he inserted a medical probe into the small port behind the audio receptor port.

"It's rebooting," the CMO said with a sigh. "Give him a few minutes then we'll try to wake him."

"So he's going to be ok?" Elita asked, all fury gone, tears of relief held at bay in her optics as she took hold of Optimus' hand.

"Everything indicates he should function as a normal mature Optimus," Ratchet answered. "We'll no for certain once he regains consciousness."

"When will that be?" Magnus asked, back on his feet but keeping his distance from Elita. He was as worried for Optimus too; this was his best friend after all.

A soft, deep moan sounded from Optimus quieting them all.

Everyone gathered on one side of the bed and waited, watching, and hoping he was back to being their Prime. Their leader and friend didn't move.

"Optimus?" Elita called, he hand still holding his. She could sense his confusion as he lay there. Perhaps her voice could help him.

Optic covers fluttered open to reveal dimly lit optics beneath, then immediately snapped shut. The lights above hurt Optimus' optics making his already pounding head hurt even more. His spark rate increased as he didn't understand what was going on.

He could hear voices talking to him but they sound so disorientated he couldn't make out what they were saying. Squinting to take a look, he hoped that maybe seeing them might help. But then his tank lurched, he turned away from whomever they were and ejected the contents of his tank all over the floor.

Optimus instinctively reached through his bond to the other he felt reaching to him, comforting him within. He was desperate for her, hoping perhaps that she could take the pain away and make him feel better.

He whimpered softly.

"Is he ok?" she asked, caressing Optimus' back as he lay curled up on his side. "He's reacting like…a sparkling."

"He still needs a few minutes," Ratchet answered, the probe giving him updated information every astrosecond. "His CPU isn't firing on all pistons yet."

"He's in pain, can you give him something?" she asked.

Ratchet nodded and immediately injected a mild pain inhibitor through the probe. It seemed enough for Optimus' form relaxed. A moment later the big mech sat up and stared at all them, confusion in his optics.

"You all there yet?" Magnus asked, smiling.

Optimus shook his head. Not in response to Magnus question but to the onslaught of memories that raced through his CPU. So many images, emotions, memories flashed by. All in a jumbled mess that he couldn't make heads or tails of.

Were they his memories? They felt like his. But some of them just didn't seem real.

Ratchet reached up and removed the probe then replaced the cover over his audio receptor. Readings indicated things were settling down in there.

"Do you know your name?" the CMO asked.

"Optimus," he answered somewhat bashfully, not like how they were all staring at him.

His hand shot up to his throat. Was that his voice? It sounded…different! Or was that how his voice was supposed to sound?

"You're Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots," Elita smiled up at him. "You had…an accident in Wheeljack's lab…"

"Wheeljack?" he asked, his optics locking on the white mech how raised his hand.

"Sorry about that Optimus," he said. "I didn't mean for that to happen. We're just glad to have you back to yourself again."

"The lab?" Optimus said, looking around, not recognizing the room.

"Yes, Wheeljack's lab. Do you remember the accident?" Magnus asked, getting a little anxious. When was Optimus going to come to his senses? Was he ever going to?

"Uh…there was…a bright light?" Optimus replied, looking hopefully at them. "Wrong answer?"

Obvious Optimus still wasn't himself. He wasn't acting like a sparkling but Ratchet couldn't help but be reminded of Optimus when he was a youngling with the way he was sitting and looking around. So, the CMO decided to give Optimus' CPU some help and smacked him on the back of his head.

"OW! What the frag did you do that for?" Optimus whined, rubbing his head.

"That sounds more like, Optimus now," the CMO grinned smugly only to have Elita slap if off. "OW!"

"Elita, try to be calm," Magnus suggested. "We're all just relieved Optimus is…"

He paused watching as Optimus looked around the room and fidgeted around on the bed. "…functioning."

"Am I in trouble?" Optimus asked.

They all stared at him. His optics were not that of a strong leader but of someone innocent and unknowing. Elita slowly turned towards Wheeljack and Skyfire, glaring.

"His memories are in there, Elita!" Skyfire yelped, jumping back out of her reach. Wheeljack wisely followed. "It might just take some time for his CPU to put them in order."

"WHAT?!"

The two mechs bolted for the door!

"GET BACK HERE YOU FRAGGERS!" she yelled chasing after them.

"Wow…she's scary," Optimus commented, after the red femme left.

"You have no idea," Magnus mumbled.

"Come on, Optimus, let's go to the Med Bay so I can check out what's going on in that head of yours," Ratchet sighed, grabbing the mech's hand and pulling him off the bed.

"Do I have to? I feel fine," he replied, standing still. "My head hurts…a little. But I'm fine. I swear."

"Unfortunately, you still need to go to the Med Bay. Magnus, give me hand with him."

Optimus laughed, pointing at the blue and white mech, "That's not Magnus. The Magnus I know is shorter than me."

"I grew up, Optimus. Or should I call you Orion."

"Dion?" Optimus questioned, giving the big mech the once over.

Ratchet threw Magnus a confused look.

"Nicknames we had for each other when we were up to no good," Magnus quickly explained.

"You grew up! No way!" Optimus gasped, mouth wide opened. "Slag, that sucks!"

Magnus chuckled, shaking his head.

"How old are you, Optimus?" Ratchet asked on a whim.

"Thirteen."

Ratchet buried his face in one hand, groaning. This was going to be a long evening.

"Do you remember, Ratchet?" Magnus asked as they started walking.

"Yup. Ratchet the Hatchet," Optimus snickered. "That's what Hide calls the old rust bucket."

WHACK!

"OW! Now what did I do?" Optimus yelped.

"I'm the old rust bucket!" Ratchet snarled.

"Oops, sorry…my bad. I didn't know you were Ratchet."

"Let's just go," Ratchet sighed wearily.

They walked in silence for a short while. Magnus kept glancing back watching Optimus walking behind them. The mech looked curiously at everything like it was all new to him.

"You're much shorter than I remember," Optimus suddenly commented looking at Ratchet.

"Well, you grew up too, Optimus," Magnus smiled.

"What? When?" he asked worriedly, looking down at himself.

"Let's just get you to the Med Bay," Magnus insisted, grabbing Optimus' arm.

Optimus reluctantly went, concerned. He grew up and he couldn't remember. Then that CPU of his was hit with an idea. He was always a quick thinker.

"So…if I'm fully mature…that means. Magnus, are there femmes on the base? I mean other than the scary one."

"Oh no! I'll not have you going around humping every femme we have," Ratchet snarled, grabbing Optimus' other arm and dragging him along.

"What's humping? I just want to interface with one. I've never done it before. Hide always said there was a first time for everything and that when I was mature enough he'd help fix me up with a nice pretty femme."

"Lucky for us, Hide isn't himself so he can't help you!"

"Besides…I'm not sure how to put this Optimus," Magnus started. "But you grew up, fell in love and are now bonded to a femme. So she'd be the only one you'd be allowed to interface with. If you want to keep your interface appliance that is."

"Oh really," he smirked, raising an optic ridge. "And just who might this lucky femme be?"

"Elita, the scary femme," Ratchet snickered.

Optimus swallowed hard. Well, there went that idea!

Hello! Who is that?!

Optimus came to a sudden stopped and looked in the room full of mechs and...oh wow, another femme!

"Optimus!Optimus!You'reback!Lookeveryone,it'sOptimus!He'sback!"

"This can't be good," Ratchet mumbled. He was hoping they'd be able to sneak by the recreation room on route to the Med Bay.

"Hang on, everyone!" Magnus shouted over the excitement as Blurr, Bee, and the twins all rushed up to Optimus. Magnus was with Ratchet, they needed to get Optimus to the Med Bay. "He's…not quite himself yet. We need to get him to the Med Bay."

"But I feel fine," Optimus harrumphed crossing his arms across his chest.

"Helooksfinetome.Whatdoyouthing,Bumblebee?"

"Whoa, slow down dude. I can't understand a word your saying," Optimus retorted.

"What?Ialwaystalklikethis!You'veneverhadaproblembefore,Optimus!"

"Who is this guy?" Optimus asked Magnus. "He's over working my processor."

"That's Blurr, this is Bumblebee, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe…over there is Prowl and Chromia. The sparklings are Jazz and Ironhide. And the big guy is Grimlock."

"So, what's wrong? He doesn't remember us?" Bumblebee asked.

"Kind of," Magnus replied reluctantly. He didn't think it was a good idea to tell everyone their leader's CPU was a scrambled mess.

Sunny and Sides glanced at each other…and grinned. Oh, they could have so much fun with Optimus if he didn't remember who they were! It was bold. They were probably going to get into deep slag, spend a few days in the brig. But an opportunity like this didn't come along every millennium and was not to be wasted.

"Well, we're the fun bots," Sunny smiled, wrapping his arms around Sides and Bumblebee. "You want a good time, come see us."

"Cool!" Optimus grinned. "I'm always looking to have fun!"

"Or not!" Ratchet snarled, pulling Optimus away. "Med Bay now, youngling!"

"Oh, blow it out your tail pipe, you relic!" Optimus countered.

Sunny, Sides, and Bee all choked back a laugh. The med bot was fuming! And Ratchet…well, he didn't know who to smack. But he knew all of them were going to have very uncomfortable maintenance check ups during their next visit to the med bay.

"Wait! Optimus no remember, me…Grimlock?" the big bot asked, coming over and standing in front of Optimus.

"Uh…no…I don't. Sorry," Optimus replied, shrugging his shoulders, glancing at Magnus for help.

"Optimus still isn't feeling well," Magnus said to Grimlock.

"Oh…I know!" Grimlock suddenly said excitedly and then transformed.

The big Dinobot roared right in Opimtus' face, making the red and blue mech's optics widen as far as they could go.

Everyone waited anxiously for Optimus' reaction. Only, the reaction they got was one they weren't expecting. Not the one they ever dreamed their strong, brave leader would ever be doing.

"I'll go get him," Magnus sighed as Optimus' screams of terror reverberated off the walls from the hallway he ran down.

Up next: Optimus meets the sparklings, apologizes to Grimlock, and the twins take advantage of their incapacitated leader.