This chapter deals with just Optimus waking up and what he remembers. It's humorous and good for a laugh. I decided to give an entire chapter to Optimus and the sparklings. So that will be the next chapter. Just bear with me, it might take some time to post because of RL issues.
Much to Elita's disappointment, Prowl was rather efficient in getting Bumblebee and the twins into the brig before she arrived back on the base with Ratchet, Magnus and Optimus. Perhaps later she'd deal with the three young mechs.
For now she was needed at Optimus side in the Med Bay. If he came back part way, perhaps he'd soon regain all his memories. At least that's what she was hoping for. She missed him and was still desperate to apologize to him.
As if feeling her desperation, Optimus groaned, reaching for his head with one hand, bringing Ratchet, Prowl and Magnus over.
"Optimus?" she called, wrapping her fingers around his.
He returned the gesture, his optic covers opening at the same time.
"Ow, my fragging processor," he muttered. "This feels worse than a hangover."
"Considering what you went through, I'm not surprise," Ratchet smiled down, injecting a pain reliever into Optimus neck.
"Thanks, Ratchet," the big mech sighed, his optics focusing more on Elita. His spark fluttered with worry. "Why are you crying?"
"I'm so glad to have you back," she said, quickly wiping her tears away.
"Back? Where did I go?" he asked, confused.
"Optimus, what's the last thing you remember?" Ratchet asked.
"Elita and I had an argument. I recharged in Wheeljack's lab and in the morning helped him move some fragging heavy piece of equipment. After that…it's kind of fuzzy. I remember seeing Grimlock…there was high grade…lots of sand. And…and then I felt Elita and woke up."
"Well, as your second in command I feel it is my duty to inform you that you are one the most bratty sparklings I've ever seen," Prowl smiled.
"I agree," Magnus said, his arms folded across his chest. "You puked, lubricated, and were very noisy. I never new one little sparkling could wreak that much havoc!"
"But you sure were adorable," Elita grinned warmly, caressing his forehead.
Optimus narrowed his optics, staring at each of them in turn. Where they being serious? Or were they joking?
Prowl to be in on a joke was impossible. The mech couldn't tell a joke, nor did he try. Nor did he get jokes until after Jazz explained them to him. He had gotten better about them. But still, Prowl would not joke about something like this.
Magnus and Ratchet on the other hand could pull off a joke like this. Ratchet would never hesitate to get back at Optimus. Only Ironhide was usually right there with him and the weapon specialist was nowhere to be seen. Magnus was always pulling jokes on Optimus as they grew up but he stopped when Optimus became Prime.
Then there was Elita. The femme loved pulling pranks on Optimus and did them when he least expected it. On the other hand, she didn't shed tears unless something happened to him. And whatever happened, something about Elita had changed…for the better. He could feel it.
"So, tell me what happened," he ordered as he sat up, his hand not letting go of Elita's.
"Apparently, it all started when Wheeljack activated the device you helped him move," Prowl started. "It turned you into a sparkling. And for some reason, Jack thought it was a good idea to leave you alone when he went to look for Ratchet. Whereupon, Jazz found you and assumed you were…well he assumed you and Elita finally had a sparkling."
"Yeah, after Jazz and Bumblebee brought you into the recreation room, and you lubricated on me," Magnus said, glaring making Optimus shift uneasily on his aft. "Then I made the mistake, leaving you alone with Bumblebee. The twins showed up and all hell broke loose. You'd have to watch the video recordings of that one to believe it."
"I'm not sure I want to," Optimus admitted, still trying to get over the fact that everyone saw him as a sparkling. How much of his leadership was going to suffer from this?!
"You really love your high grade," Ratchet chuckled. "Ironhide and I used to have to chase you down when you were a youngling when you got hold of the stuff. But to watch that video and see you as a sparkling determined to keep it…it was hilarious."
"Anyway, it was after that when we found out the sparkling was actually you," Prowl added.
"And who had the task of telling Elita?" Optimus asked, amused by all of what they were saying. And just a little bit embarrassed. His reputation as a mech wrecker has definitely taken a blow.
"Wheeljack actually had enough courage to apologize for turning you into a sparkling," Elita said sadly. "Then I over reacted and nearly destroyed half the base."
"After the dust settled, and all the injuries were repaired, Wheeljack went to work on trying to find a way to fix you," Ratchet continued. "While recharging on his lab table, Ironhide managed to turn himself into a sparkling."
"What?" Optimus laughed in disbelief.
"The two of you got a long well even though Hide did bite one of your antennas," Elita smiled.
"Why does that not surprise me?" Optimus chuckled.
"Yeah, we thought it'd be a good idea to let Bumblebee and the twins sparkling sit the two of you…as payback," Magnus chuckled.
"Primus! You didn't!"
"Yup, we did," Ratchet added. "It wasn't as disastrous as we thought it might be. Bumblebee dropped you and Ironhide got stepped on. But that was the worst of it. It's funny, Hide really took to Sunny and vice versa."
"Now that doesn't surprise me," Optimus smiled thoughtfully. "I'm looking forward to reading everyone's reports on this incident."
"But it gets better," Magnus smirked.
"Better than Ironhide and me as sparklings?"
"Oh yeah, Jazz got turned into a sparkling too," Prowl smiled, looking rather proud too. "The three of you had lots of fun together. Regular mini mech wreckers when you were together."
"With Grimlock," Optimus commented after recalling a specific memory of the big bot roaring in his face. "He's here, isn't he? I remember seeing him?"
"Yes," Magnus frowned. "He's here. He's a favorite playmate. Who'd have guessed the big guy was good with sparklings."
"What happened?" Optimus asked, immediately sensing something was wrong.
"The other dinobots…they didn't make it," Prowl answered. "Skyfire said he found Grimlock alone trying to fix them."
"He's very upset about it," Magnus said. "But he refuses to talk about it."
"He'll talk to me," Optimus replied, getting to his feet. "What about Ironhide and Jazz? I assume Skyfire and Wheeljack figured a way to bring me back. But something happened for me to lose my memories. Are Hide and Jazz ok?"
"They're still sparklings," Ratchet answered. "We thought it best to hold off after you…weren't all their in the CPU. Besides, Chromia is reluctant because she wants a sparkling and Hide doesn't."
Optimus' optics slightly widened. That didn't sound like the Ironhide he knew.
"I'll have a talk with him about that," Prime said. "First things first, I need to deal with Grimlock and see these sparklings for myself. Prowl, do Skyfire and Wheeljack have any idea how to correct what happened so what happened to me doesn't happen to the others?"
"They're still looking over the data but I'll get an assessment from them," the black and white mech responded and then left.
"Prowl is also reluctant," Ratchet spoke softly after the second in command left. "I think he wants a sparkling too."
Optimus nodded his head.
"Hopefully things will settle down once Hide and Jazz are back…and once Optimus and I have our own sparkling."
Optimus shot a surprised look at Elita. Pure elation was felt through their spark bond. She really wanted to have his sparkling!
"Sorry…about before," she whispered, as he pulled her close.
"Don't be," he murmured, pressing his forehead against hers. "It doesn't matter anymore."
"Funny how it took you being a sparkling to open my optics."
"I remember…feeling the love you had for me. I always suspected you'd be an excellent mother. And I was right."
"I'm looking forward to…," she managed to say before his lips covered hers in a deep, passionate kiss, his happiness melting into her own.
"Fraggin younglings have no modesty anymore these days," Ratchet grumbled.
"It's just a kiss, Ratchet," Magnus said. "Not like they're going to drop and start fragging each other on the spot. Optimus and Elita would never do that…in public anyway."
"You aft heads sure know how to ruin a happy moment!" Optimus scowled turning to face them, holding Elita close. "My bonded has admitted she wants to have my sparkling! How else am I supposed to react? And I never frag my femme."
Elita giggled softly, leaning into her mate's strong form, his arm wrapped around her holding her close. Primus, it felt so good to be in his arms again and to feel his commanding presence was comforting.
"I like you better as a sparkling," Ratchet snorted, making them all laugh.
"Ok, enough embarrassing me for now. I have a base to get back to order. As I recall, everyone had been having too much fun with sparklings."
"Good, maybe my med bay will be peaceful again," Ratchet said, pushing them towards the door. "Now, if you don't mind. I'd like to start enjoying it."
The trio of friends left the med bay before Ratchet started throwing wrenches. Each of them have had the heavy tool flung their way more than once during their lifetime and know to avoid it whenever possible.
"So…Optimus, how much do you remember?" Magnus slowly asked as they headed down the hall.
Optimus paused with a devilish smirk on his face. One Magnus hadn't seen in a long time.
"Don't worry my friend," Optimus started. "We call it even. I don't owe you a thing for lubricating and puking on you. And I won't speak a word about…" Optimus leaned closer and whispered. "…the washroom in your quarters."
Magnus swallowed hard, freezing in his tracks. Optimus laughed heartily. Elita nudged him for a reason through their spark link but he said he couldn't tell her. Not now anyway.
"Now, my first order is for you to release Bumblebee and the twins from the brig. Elita, stay away from them. They're good mechs and mean well. Prowl did order me to have fun. I sought them out. And in fact, the high grade seemed to loosen things up in my processor, help me get my memories back."
"Let's just not tell that to Sunny," she insisted.
"Agreed," he laughed. "Go on Magnus. Let them out. But make sure they do keep away from Elita for a while. I don't want any accidents."
"You're no fun sometimes," she said, narrowing her optics at him, giving him a playful push.
"Yes, Sir," the City Commander saluted and then marched off.
"You know, Elita, Magnus is going to make a good father some day. Even if he doesn't want to admit it. So, where are Ironhide and Jazz?"
"In the recreation room with Chromia and Grimlock."
"This I gotta see," he smiled.
Up next Optimus and the sparklings.