It was dark and the only light was a faint blue light that came from some place unseen. It was like space almost. It was warm in this dream. This dream was like none of his other dreams.

Hot Shot had not had this dream before. This was a new dream, but yet it was like a memory of some sort. He felt like he was laying on his side. He tried to speak, but only a child's cries came out of his mouth. he then heard the opening of a door and then he was being raised off the ground into someone's arms.

He felt large arms wrap around his body and then his body was pressed against a large cgest. It was all strange to Hot Shot. He felt like a baby . . . was he a baby in his dream? Was this a memory?

He head was pressed up against a chin and throat. Then the large person that held him began to hum some sort of lullaby. The melody was amiliar to him. Somehow he knew this. Perhaps it was a memory.

This had then calmed down his crying. Even if he tried to speak he couldn't.

"There you are my son," said the one who held him.

The voice was familiar, but Hot Shot couldn't quite remember where he heard it from. Was this his father?

Then he felt the hands move him away from his chest and then he looked into his optics. They were golden and kind. He had seen these golden optics before, but where? Hot Shot tried to speak but all he got out were a baby's squeaks.

He soon grew tired of not being able to talk. he couldn't see the transformer's face for it was dark and the only thing that was seen was his golden optics, but somehow Hot Shot he was smiling at him with a warm smile. Then all of the sudden he shattered into a million pieces. Hot Shot then fell to the ground, but now he was older like his age now.

He then looked and saw Optimus standing there just starring at him.

"Optimus?" said Hot Shot taking a step forward to his commander.

Optimus just looked at him and said-

"At least you're safe."

Then he shut down his optics and he too shattered into a million pieces.

"Optimus!" cried Hot Shot.

he then awoke to his dark room.

Was that dream a memory, but why was optimus there? thought Hot Shot.

That day everything went like a normal day. Hot Shot didn't bother to tell his dream to anyone, least of all Optimus. Who would know what it meant anyways? That day Optimus sat down in a large chair and watched the monitors alone.

He then shut down his optics and let his memories run through his head.

REWIND

PLAY

"Do you take Elita One to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and told hold, for better for worse, till death do you part?" asked the priest.

Optimus looked at his lovely bride and smiled as she smiled at him.

"I do."

"And do you Elita One take Optimus Prime to be your lawful wedded husband to have and to hols, for better for worse, till death do you part?"

"I do," she smiled, her blue optics shining in the light of the sun.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride," smiled the priest.

With that they held each other close and kissed each other sealing the marriage.

STOP

FASTFORWARD

PLAY

"No! I will crush you with my bare hands!" shouted Megatron as he tackled Optimus.

STOP

REWIND

PLAY

Elita rubbed her, now, large belly as their child began to grow within her ans show.

"Elita it's only been four months and look how big you've gotten," said Optimus.

"I know," smiled Elita still rubbing her belly as if it was the child itself.

"So what to you want Elita?" aked Optimus coming behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. "A boy or a girl?"

"It doesn't matter," smiled Elita. "I just wasnt him or her to be healthy."

"So do i Elita," smiled Optimus as he kissed her on the cheeck. "So do I."

Elita then sat in a white rocking chair and began to rock a little, rubbing her belly. She smiled with a motherly smile and then began to sing a lullaby-

"Hush now baby don't you cry.

Rest your wings my butterfly.

Peace will come to you in time,

And I will sing this lullaby."

Optimus then cut her off by saying-

"Elita you don't know if it's a girl. Why do you call it your butterfly?"

"Hey, boys can be called butterflies!" she said. "He's butterfly."

"Whatever," sighed Optimus letting her sing.

She let her smile vanish and she gazed into spcae as she sang the last verses of the lalluby.

"Know though I must leave my child.

That I would stay here by your side.

And if you wake before I'm gone.

Remember this sweet lullaby."

She then looked down in sadness and began to cry. Optimus knew something was wrong when she first began to sing those last lines.

"Elita what's wrong?" he asked coming to her and embracing her.

"I want so bad to be a mother," she cried her tears falling upon him.

"You will Elita, you will," said Optimus holding her close.

He was worried about his wife. Someone must have said something to her, but who?

STOP

FLASHBACK

Elita waled around the stores where all the femes bought things for their babies. She was glad ro now be free to walk around these stores. Even though she was older than the others it didn't stop her from trying to feel like a soon-to-be-mother. After she had looked at the cradles she decided to walk back home, she could use the fresh air.

It was quite a walk, but she felt safe with a plasma on her hip. As she walked she saw someone and griped her belly and her gun. When it was clear she saw it was a femme and she saw who it was.

"Silentscream? what are you doing here?!" she said her optics narrowing. "This is far off from the decepticon area."

She was a black jet with scarlet trimmings. She was also expecting her first, but hers would come before Elita's for she was already ten months along when Elita was only four.

"I just felt like walking around no?" she smiled looking at Elita.

They both glared at each other. Both were capable of fighting each other no matter their condition. Bother were the leaders' wives.

"So," Silentscream started. "Has he hurt you yet?"

"Who, Optimus?" he would never! . . ." but Silentscream cut her off.

"No, the baby!"

"What are you talking about?" asked Elita getting a little uneasy.

"Mine likes to stab me what about yours?" Silentscream smiled with an evil grin.

"It kicks, but that's it. Why are you? . . ."

Silentscream then placed a hand on Elita One's belly and she then looked at her with a straight face and said-

"Your child shall kill you . . . and my child shall kill himself, as a matter of fact . . . so will your child."

Elita was horrified by this. She knew Silentscream could somehow tell the future, but she didn't want to believe her.

"NO!" gasped Elita. "You liar!"

"They shall be born on the same day, yes your child will be born early," Silentscream smiled with an evil grin.

"NO!" cried Elita fearing for her child. "You witch, get away!!"
Then Silentscream flinched as if someone stuck her but then she looked at Elita with orange optics. Clenching her teeth in pain she began-

"He stabs me again."

She then let the pain on her face vanish as she then grinned like a witch and said-

"But you know I sometimes . . . stab back!"

She then took a thin child and stabbed at her child.

"Stop, you'll kill it!" Elita cried taking the dagger away from the crazy witch.

Silentscream then began to laugh. laugh so cold that it sent chills down her spine. Elita then turned and ran back to her home. She didn't was to believe her . . . she couldn't believe her.

END FLASHBACK

FASTFORWARD

PLAY

"What is it my son?" asked Optimus after soming in his son's room eight times already to see what he wanted.

"I not sleep," said the young child.

"Why?" asked Optimus kneeling down beside his son's bed. "Is it because of the dark, him, are you afraid of the dark?"

The little yellow transformer shook his head quickly and then gave the cutest smile to his father then asked-

"Will you sing lullaby?"

Optimus smiled under his faceplate and sighed. After all those trips to his room all he wanted was to be sing to sleep. Well it made sense. When Elita was pregnant with him he was a very active baby.

The doctor gave her medicine to calm him down so he wouldn't make Elita so sick, but it didn't work so well for him, but Elita was smart, she knew exactly waht to do. She would place her hand on her belly and shut off her optics and then she would sing a lullaby she made up. Surprisingly it worked and their son would always settle down. Even though Optimus couldn't sing as good as Elita his voice was the only voice to calm his wild son down.

"Alright," he sighed as he slid over to his son's side and sat on the bed.

His son then, quickly, hopped into his father's lap almost making him jump. Optimus then smiled as he saw his son wrap himself in his arms. Optimus then held his son close and then began to sing the lullaby-

"Hush now baby don't you cry.

Rest your wings my butterfly . . ."

Optimus dwelt on this memory as he scanned through his mind. At seeing this memory he smiled. He didn't want to wake from him memories, but he knew he had to.

STOP

He awoke to the sound of a loud BAM!! He looked and saw the the monitors that shone space were alit with a strange green light.

"What in the name of Primus?! . . ." he whispered.

Then he figured it out. It was the decepticons! Optimus then left and told everyone else about this matter. When day came the green glow was still there.

This had the kids worried that the decepticons would try to blow up earth, for they had just blown up a comet and now set their sights to earth. They were right though, the deceptcions were planning to destroy their home planet. So they came and told the autobots what they thought and appeared the autobots thought the same thing.

"What are we going to do?!" said Sideswipe beginning to panic.

"There has to be a way you guys," said Hoist.

"It's all his fault!" shouted Hot Shot.

Then as they all looked at him Hot Shot turned to everyone and shouted-

"Starscream is the one who gave the decepticons the most powerful weapons in the universe! . . . and do you know why? . . . because Optimus let him join us. You just had to let him join us didn't you?!!"

/Hush now baby don't you cry/

/Rest your wings my butterfly/

Optimus hated seeing Hot Shot like this. he just didn't understand why he did what he did. His own son hated his very command. Optimus said nothing though.

/Peace will come to you in time/

Optimus then turned and left the room.

/And I will sing this lullaby/

"Optimus?" said Hot Shot trying to go after him.

"That is enough Hot SHot!" said Scavenger blocking him.

Scavenger did not like Hot Shot's actions. He knew he had a hot temper, but Hot Shot could be stupid at times. Hot Shot just let out all his anger then and there. He didn't care if everyone saw him for when he grew angry he didn't care about many things . . . not even the feelings of others.

Optimus stood in the portal room and there he thought of amny things. He then took out the matrix and held it before his optics just gazing at it. He then began to think of so many things.

Was it the right thing to do to let the child of my sworn enemy join us? He thought. My own son is against me now. Is he right and was I wrong? I tried to change Starscream, but there is just too much of his father in him.

Why am I always so careing? There have been so many things that, if I could, I would redo. one thing is raising Hot Shot better, it seems I never do right by him.

Jetfire then came in and Optimus placed the matrix back insdie his chest.

"What is it Jetfire?" asked Optimus.

"The decepticons are preparing to shoot, what do we do?" he asked.

Then all of the sudden the door opened and there stood everyone. All waited for Optimus' answer.

"So what are you going to do about it . . ." said Hot Shot.

He then glanced over at an angry Red Alert who had the 'control your temper' look. he then finished-

"Optimus . . . sir?"

"Don't worry I have a plan," said Optimus turning to everyone. "And Hot Shot . . ."

"Yea?" said Hot Shot looking at him his anger vanishing.

"Letting Starscream join was not a complete failure. I hope that you may see that someday."

Then Optimus and jetfire turned to teleport out, but Hot Shot wanted to go with them.

"Hey, you're forgeting about me," he said running after them. "I want to come too. You can't leave me!"

Optimus wished Hot Shot wouldn't do what he did. He was so stubburn.

"No, no Hot Shot," said Jetfire. "You can't fly and you can't link up with anyone who can fly."

"I'm still goin'," said Hot Shot not giving up.

"Hot Shot," started Optimus before he turned to him.

Optimus knew what he had to do. So he turned to his son with the matrix in hand.

"Hot Shot I want you to hold onto this for me," he said.

"What's that?" gasped Hot Shot gazing at the odd device in Optimus' hands.

Jetfire was about to blurt out the 'you don't know what the matrix is?!' line but Optimus raised his hand and stopped him.

"It has been passed down from Prime to Prime, leader to leader ever since Primus appointed to first Prime. I want you to hold onto to it till I return."

Hot Shot knew how much this meant to Optimus, but he knew he shouldn't hold it for him . . . he wasn't worthy muchless a Prime or leader.

"I-I can't," he said as he turned around.

"It's your choice Hot Shot," Optimus said putting the matrix back into his chest. "You know I'd never force you do do anything."

He then looked at Scavenger for a moment and then turned to jetfire and said-

"Let's go Jetfire. Transform!"

"You go it sir. Transform!"

/Know though I must leave my child/

/That I would stay here by your side/

/And if you wake before I'm gone/

/Remember this sweet lullaby/

They left and as Hot Shot turned he wondered if he should have taken the matrix. Optimus and Jetfire tried as hard as they could to stop the decepticons from blasting earth, but they were just too strong. Jetfire was pinned down and Optimus was being blasted by Megatron. optimus then fell and Megatron came and puched his face to earth so that he may witness its destruction.

/And oh, through darkness don't you ever stop believing/

/With love alone, with love you'll find your way/

/My love/

"Watch now as all you love is destroyed!" laughed Megatron forcing Optimus to watch.

NO! Thought Optimus as he gazed at the beautiful blue planet. The humans . . . they depend on me. My men . . . My son!

He then cried out-

"I WON'T LET YOU DO THIS!!!"

He then used all his strength and put it into the matrix to boost the power. He then knocked Megatron away and came before the hydra cannon and held out his arms. He tried to focus all his energy on the matrix for he knew it was the only way anyone could survive. The cannon then shot out its blast and sent Optimus crashing to earth.

"Come on," whispered Hot Shot.

He knew there was no way anyone could survive this, but deep down inside his spark he knew that, with the matrix, anything was possible. Optimus then pushed the blast back and at the decepticon ship, destroying the cannon. Then there was a bright blast of light and then there was silence. Then all that was seen was a white Prime.

Everyone was speechless. They then knew that they were safe and rejoiced.

"He did it!" exclaimed the kids.

The autobots all let out their breath that they held hin for so long, but Hot Shot knew something wasn't right. Then something happened that no one thought possible . . . Optimus then shattered into a million pieces. All the rejoicing stopped at they saw their commander desolve into nothing but space dust.

"NO! . . . OPTIMUS!!" cried Hot Shot running in front of the screen.

/The world has turned the day to dark/

It was just like his nightmare.

/I leave this night with heavy heart/

Did Hot Shot somehow peer into the future? No, he can't be gone . . . could he? No one believed their eyes. Optimus had been leader for a long time, how could he be gone?

"NO!" cried Jetfire as he flew over to where Optimus was, but he wasn't there.

Even the decepticons couldn't believe he was gone. Starscream had a hard time with this though and Megatron was angered cause he wasn't the one who killed him.

"Let's go back to cybertron," said Megatron going back inside his ship.

The decepticons left and the autobots to mourn the loss of their leader.

"No! He can't be gone . . . could he?" asked Sideswipe tearing up.

Scavenger knew Optimus would do something like this. He always put others before him. Scavneger then looked at Hot Shot who had tears streaming down his cheecks. He was all alone in this world now . . . how was he going to take it if Scavenger told him?

It would be better to wait, thought Scavenger seeing Hot Shot this way.

Hot Shot tried to keep his tears in but they came like natural streams of water. He tried to hide his face, but all saw him.

/When I return to dry your eyes/

"Optimus," he gaged, his throat tightening. "He . . . was all . . . I had left."

He then turned and ran away from everyone else.

Poor kid, thought Scavenger. He's been through so much.

Jetfire never found Optimus. The only thing that was left was his matrix. Sparkplug, Optimus' minicon, held onto it for him, but ever he missed him.

"We'll never forget you sir," said Jetfire his optics swelling up with tears. "NEVER!!!!"

/I will sing this lullaby/

/Yes I will sing this lullaby/