It starts off a little slow. I'm helping Chromia get some ammunition so Hide will give her a sparkling. I love happy endings. Sorry. Plus, it kind of sets up the next chapter. Please enjoy.

Again, thanks for all readers and the reviews!

Chromia glanced up from reading the datapad to see a look of utter boredom on Optimus' faceplates. The sparklings had only been in recharge for fifteen minutes. Yet, from the heavy sighs, the way he kept shifting in his seat, one would have thought it'd been hours.

"How long are they going to recharge for?"

"They'll wake when they're ready be patient."

"I'm thirteen. Patience is not in my vocabulary," he remarked making her laugh.

"I know," she started, struck by a thought. "Your quarters are across the hall. See if anything in there helps with your memories."

"No way! She might come back!"

"Optimus, Elita will be out for hours. And even if she returns she'd have to report any findings to Prowl, which could take hours in itself depending on his mood."

"Well…ok," Optimus frowned as he got to his feet. He paused, glancing down at the two recharging sparklings on a pile of toys. "Do…do Elita and I have any sparklings?"

"No. We've all been too busy with the war against the Decepticons," she answered and noticed the sadness in his face. "But you've both been planning on having one now that things have calmed down."

Optimus looked at her, optic covers blinked slowly once. The sadness from the femme still resonating within his spark.

"No wonder she's so sad," he said and then straightened himself up with a determined looked. "You're right. Maybe something will jar my memories."

"Take your time," she smiled at him as he headed out the door. She'd gone back to reading her datapad. Then after a few astroseconds Optimus appeared back in the doorway, looking a bit helpless. "What is it?"

"Um…I don't know the code to unlock the door," he replied bashfully.

"Not a problem," she smiled. "Prowl, this is Chromia. Can you override Optimus and Elita's door lock please? Optimus wants to look around and see if anything helps get his memories back."

"Ok…it's done."

"It's open now. Prowl overrode the code from the Command Center."

"Thank you."

With that, Optimus returned and indeed the door lock was now green. His finger paused over the button for the longest moment. He wasn't sure what to expect or if he would remember anything. But he wanted to make Elita happy. It wasn't right that she was sad. She was too pretty of a femme to be sad.

He pushed the button and the door retracted then stepped into the room. Unlike last night, he closed the door behind him and moved into the middle of the room. From there, he glanced over everything in the room from the desk to the bed, ceiling to the floor, everything.

Nothing.

That was it! A recharge bed. A desk. A chair. And an almost barren shelving unit and even more bare walls. He moved over to the shelves and picked up what looked like a piece of art and then set it back down. Must be the femme's he mused. He'd never have such trinkets.

Next he reached up, feeling around on top of the shelving unit to see if anything was up there. After an astrosecond of groping he found something metal and pulled it down. Now the restraints were something he'd have. He was Prime right?

Optimus replaced the hand restraints then headed over to the desk and sat down. Only a few datapads were neatly stacked on the desk. The drawers were filled with more datapads.

"Is the only thing I do is work as Prime? Don't I have any fun?" he sighed, leaning back in the chair. His optics spotted something under the recharge bed. "Oh, what's that?"

Kneeling down beside the bed, he looked and saw it was a storage bin. Not a large one but a small one more for personal affects. Debating for an astrosecond, Optimus wondered if it was his or Elita's.

"If it's hers I won't look inside," he commented, pulling the bin out.

In small Cybertronian letters was his name etched above the lock. Optimus smiled, recognizing the bin. It was one Sentinel gave him. He even remembered the code and punched it in. With a small ping, the locks retracted and he removed the lid.

The first thing he noticed were a couple of picture-pads. Activating one he saw pictures of himself with Ironhide, Sentinel, Ratchet, Jazz, and even Prowl, although the mech didn't look to happy about it. Optimus remember it was because Jazz dragged him out of his office for the picture. The next picture was of him and the new youngling on the base, a shy mech, shorter than Optimus. He remembered it clearly. It took him a vorn to get Magnus to come out of his shell.

After viewing all the pictures of his younglinghood, some he remember most he didn't, he grabbed the other picture-pad. His spark fluttered upon seeing the femme's face. It was Elita. He recognized the look in her optics even though her armor was different. And the mech with her must be him. His armor was different too than what he has now.

They both looked happy in each picture. Well, except one. Obviously, he found something rather funny and was laughing. Elita wasn't and was glaring at him.

Optimus' shoulders sagged. Nothing seemed to help him remember. And he wanted to remember, if not for himself, for her…Elita.

This was depressing. He quickly put the pictures away and locked up the bin, replacing it under the bed. Then he headed back to the play room. At least watching the sparklings recharging wasn't as depressing.

"Oh Primus, I'd recognize those exhaust fumes anywhere," he commented, fanning the air. "You must be one brave femme to live with that, Chromia!"

"They're not that bad," she said, getting a bit tired of them commenting on how foul Ironhide's exhaust fumes smelled.

"If you say so. Hide could never out do my belches though," he smiled proudly. "Even when I was a little youngling. We'd have contests."

"You remember a lot about Ironhide, may I ask why?" she asked, genuinely curious, and searching for more ammo in her argument to get Ironhide to give her a sparkling.

"He and Ratchet were my unofficial guardians. Ratchet was a bit strict and was quick to get mad at me every time I got hurt. But Ironhide was fun! He took me off the base, taught me how to hold a weapon properly and even let me fire one. I think that if Sentinel hadn't adopted me, Ironhide would have."

"Oh really."

"Yeah, he was always there, worried, when I was hurt or had a systems upset. Sentinel was too, I love…loved him as if he was my real father. And Ironhide was the best second father or uncle a youngling could ever have. He'd let me get away with anything, within reason, would protect me from Prowl's wrath, and was always there to protect me when Decepticons attacked the base. He…he even knew how to help me with my nightmares when I was really young."

"So in your opinion, would he make a good father?"

"The best!" Optimus grinned.

"Thanks Optimus," she said, pleased with this new ammunition. No way Ironhide could refuse her now!

"Finally! They're waking up!" he said excitedly, getting down on the floor.

Jazz was stretching when a big face suddenly appeared before him. He was startled for a moment but then smiled recognizing who it was. First thing he did was reach for what he could grab on to.

"Ow! Those are sensitive!" Optimus yelled, prying little hands off his antennas.

Chormia covered her mouth to hide a smile. She was definitely going to have to tease Elita about that one. Not to mention, it was funny seeing Optimus this way, crawling on the floor, chasing sparklings around like he's still one himself.

She, like many, has only seen the calm, collected, courageous, and noble Optimus Prime. A true leader. This was a very rare glimpse into seeing what he was like before that. The enthusiasm, the laughter, the pure love for life and having a good time. His reputation as being spawned by Primus as a fully mature mech wrecker has been totally ruined.

"Can you handle them for a couple of minutes? I need to go get them their second breakfast."

"Sure," Optimus smiled, thinking this was the easiest job ever.

The astrosecond the door closed behind her, leaving Optimus alone with two fully charged sparklings, all hell broke loose. Jazz sped over and climbed into a toy bin and started tossing the toys out. Ironhide went over and tried to see how many he could stick in his mouth at one time.

"Hide, they're not food," Optimus chuckled, prying open the black sparkling mouth and pulling the small toys out.

One toy had gone all the way into Ironhide's mouth and Optimus had to stick a finger in a ways to reach the toy. Hide instinctively bit down…hard.

Optimus jerked up right, screaming with the sparkling attached to his finger. Not even thinking he shook his hand to free his finger from the dangling sparkling. The very action of course sent Hide to the floor. The sparkling instantly started crying as loud as he could.

"Oh slag! Don't cry!"

Jazz, not to be out done, started yelling and screaming as loud as he could while banging the toys against the side of the bin he was sitting in.

"Jazz, be quiet please," Optimus begged, reaching for the toys in the silver mech's hands intent on quieting him down so he could focus on Ironhide.

The tiny sparkling reacted fast, scampering out of the bin with a toy in hand and crawled as fast as he could across the room…giggling. Optimus briefly debated about chasing him but opted instead to pick up Ironhide and try to console him first.

"I'm sorry," he cooed, patting Ironhide on the back as he held him close to his chest. "If you hadn't bit me you wouldn't have ended up on the floor." Ironhide started to quiet down, tears still streaming down his faceplates. "Better now?"

Hide abruptly heaved up a fair amount of digested energon all over Optimus' chest armor and then smiled. He was feeling much better now. Optimus shuddered as the warm substance slowly tickled down his chest armor. When he dared to look down he saw the toy was stuck in the thick of the brown spew, not moving. It's tiny face staring up at him as if mocking him.

That was enough to almost make Optimus expel his own tanks. If not that, then the stench was going to if he had to endure it much longer. So, he gingerly walked over, not wanting the revolting spew to move any faster down his frame, and set Hide on the couch.

"Don't move from that spot or else!" Optimus threatened, pointing a stern finger at Hide but making sure it was a good distance from the sparkling's mouth. He turned to see Jazz sitting there with his prize, optic covers blinking innocently up at him. "And you; be quiet!"

With that done, Optimus bolted for the washroom and turned the cleansing reagent on full force. He couldn't wait until Chromia got back. This stinking slag had to come off now!

But of course, the sparklings could not be quiet. Their loud squeals and happy screams echoed into the washroom. Oh well, at least they weren't crying and Optimus could hear them while he showered. The hot spray actually felt good too, making Optimus totally relax for the first time since waking up yesterday.

Peace and serenity never lasted when sparklings were nearby.

Just as he closed his optics covers, a loud crash sounded. At first all he did was listen. Only when he didn't hear anything, not even a beep, did he turn the solvent off. Still, nothing. Worried, he stepped out of the shower, dripping wet, still with some suds on him, and moved quickly to the door, hoping neither of the sparklings were hurt.

"What the frag are you two doing?!" he shouted, seeing Ironhide sitting on the rail of the recharge crib and Jazz trying to stay balanced on top of Ironhide's head.

Optimus' voice made Hide jerk his head which in turn made Jazz lose his balance. This, in turn, made Ironhide lean to one side and lose his balanced seat on the rail, causing both sparklings to fall. Optimus moved as fast as he could to rescue them but failed to notice a once full toy bin, which had fallen making the loud crashing noise, had spilled its contents and were now in his path.

Chromia came back in just as Optimus tripped and fell face first on the ground, literally shaking the room with the force of the impact. The two sparklings hit the floor at the same time as his face. The big red, blue and silver mech groaned grabbing his head. Jazz and Ironhide shook their heads, and then squealed with delight when they saw Optimus before them.

Both Jazz and Hide crawled over, climbed up onto Optimus' back and cheered victoriously.

"You know Optimus, there are easier ways to give them a bath," she commented, shooing the sparklings off so he could get up. They grumbled and blew raspberries at her. Chromia just rolled her optics and ignore the pit spawns for now.

"I was the one showering after Hide bit me and then puked on me," he said, getting to his feet. "Listen, I'm not cut out for sparkling duty! They're a nightmare!"

"No, they just smell fresh energon and took advantage of you," she smiled. "Go finish your shower." Optimus nodded and walked into the washroom, leaving her alone with the sparklings. "You two are so bad. Look at this mess."

Both looked up her, pictures of pure innocence with big smiles and big blue optics.

"But you are cute," she said, bending down and pinching their cheeks making them giggle.

Chromia actually felt a little bad for Optimus. She didn't think Ironhide and Jazz could be that bad in just a few minutes time. So once he was done with his shower she sent him to Prowl. Perhaps Prowl had something more suited for Optimus to do.

"Sorry, Optimus. I'm kind of busy right now. Elita and Blurr think they've found Barricade and I need to focus on assisting them."

Optimus sighed, his shoulders sagged.

Prowl heard and turned from the computer console.

"Optimus, you've never taken time off for yourself. As Prime you didn't have the luxury most other mechs have. So, take advantage of this rare opportunity and go have some fun," he said and then smiled. "That's an order."

Optimus nodded his head and dragged himself out of the command center. He honestly didn't know what he liked to do for fun. He and Magnus used to cause havoc around the base but Magnus was all mature now. He probably didn't have fun anymore either.

"Oh…I know!" Optimus exclaimed to himself and took off running. "They did say to come see them if I wanted a good time!"

Up next: Well, I don't have to tell you. You all know who's involved!