Chapter 15: Regrouping

The Decepticons were rather easy to slip past after the beating they took from Perceptor and Carly. Returning to the school, they took their time though. Perceptor and kids helped in explaining the experience to Spencer. Surprisingly, Spencer took it rather well. It seemed about real after the encounter with the Decepticons. Finally, Perceptor realized why he came all this way and believed the Decepticons captured them.

"Freddie," Perceptor hummed, stopping.

"Yes, Perceptor?" Freddie answered, stopping with the others behind the Autobot.

"Where did you find me?" Perceptor asked. "I mean, where was I at when you found me and brought me to the apartment?"

"Found you?" Freddie whispered. "Hmmmm."

"What? Don't remember?" snapped Sam.

"Please, Freddie. This is very important!" Perceptor groaned, turning around.

"I think it was around the alley just outside the Bushwell Plaza," Freddie offered.

"Why?" hummed Carly.

"My computer. My laptop," explained Perceptor. "It may be wherever it was I landed when I got in this dimension."

"Right!" nodded Freddie, snapping his fingers. "We need to go check the spot!"

"Please," Sam huffed. "By know, like two or three days after finding him, someone would've found it and stolen it."

"She has a point," Spencer offered.

"I know but still," sighed Perceptor. "I need that laptop or else…else…"

"You're trapped here," Carly finished. "Like this."

"Yes," answered Perceptor.

"Being human that bad?" Sam snapped.

"You don't understand!" Perceptor hissed.

He didn't mean to raise his voice, but it simply came out that way. When he thought about going back to normal, he thought about the other bots that were currently missing a commander, medic and several soldiers. No one really cared if he was missing. No one really cared much for him period.

"Look, I'm sorry," Perceptor whispered. "I keep thinking of the others. My fellow teammates who aren't going through this. They are not only missing soldiers and our medic but are main commander!"

"I guess," Carly whispered. "We never thought about you're other friends."

"We only know the ones that are humanized as well," Freddie offered.

"The sooner we're done with this," Perceptor mumbled. "The sooner things will go back to normal, hopefully."

Perceptor kept walking. The four humans stopped a moment. Carly looked back between each of the others, trying to form reassuring words. She couldn't find anything and neither could they. Silence rested a moment before finally words were spoken.

"Maybe, you should stay at a hotel or something?" Carly offered to Spencer.

"And leave you kids alone! No!" argued Spencer.

"This is our fight, Spencer," Freddie assured.

"We'll take care of this," Sam added.

"But…" Spencer whispered. "You're just kids."

"Yeah, well," Carly smiled, glancing at Perceptor. "We've got some help."

"Out of this world kind of help," Freddie added.

"Nice," groaned Sam, rolling her eyes.

"Hey!" snapped Freddie.

"We'll help these guys find their friends and get out of here," Carly explained. "Then, we'll go home and fix everything up."

"Alright," sighed Spencer. "But you call me every night, understand."

"Sure thing," Carly smiled, hugging Spencer.

Meanwhile, Perceptor was washed over in his own thought. Something needed to be done about the Decepticons as well as this whole experience. Things needed to be fixed and added in order to assure safety for those who accidently treaded on the war ground. Like the kids, Perceptor found himself thinking. He shook his head. He didn't want to put the humans in any more kind of trouble. He pulled them out from the Decepticons which means there is a large chance they will wind up there again if left alone.

"Percy?"

Perceptor spun around at his oh-so-despised nickname. To his surprise it wasn't Ironhide or any other Autobot but in fact Sam, Carly and Freddie. Sam stood out in front, a smile across her face. She'd been the one who called him Percy after hearing it from Ironhide. Perceptor sighed. He hadn't come up with a solution that saved these three yet.

"Where's Spencer?" Perceptor asked.

"He's going to stay at his friend's house," explained Freddie.

"Go with him then!" Perceptor ordered. "You'll be safer there!"

"We're going with you, Percy," hummed Sam.

"Stop calling me that." sighed Perceptor. "Please. You'll be safer the further away from me and the other Autobots."

"You're our friend," explained Carly.

"We're going to see this through until you guys are back to normal," finished Freddie.

"But…kids," Perceptor groaned. "You're safety…"

"That's what you and the others are for, big fella," Sam chuckled, waving the gun Perceptor had given to Spencer.

"Give me that!" howled Perceptor, snatching the weapon.

"We're going to help you!" Carly smirked. "And there's nothing you can say or do to change our minds."

"Carly's right," Freddie nodded. "We're here for you and besides you need me to find the laptop."

"And if Fredrick is going, so are we!" snapped Sam, hands on her hips.

"Fine!" groaned Perceptor. "Fine…please, just be careful."

Perceptor turned around, ready to keep heading toward the school and the others. When he turned, however, he noticed the others came toward them. Bumblebee marched out in front with Prowl trailing, talking nervously, behind him. Ironhide chuckled at Prowl's nervousness as he took long strides behind the two.

"Guys?" Perceptor questioned.

"Bumblebee saw you leave," Prowl explained as the two groups merged.

"Oh did he?" hummed Perceptor, looking over at the small Autobot.

"Yep," nodded Bumblebee.

"Well, I see you've got the humans tailing you again," grumbled Ironhide.

"What? You miss us, you big sissy?" Sam snapped, stepping before him.

"What was that, human?" hissed Ironhide, towering of her. She refused to flinch.

"Sam!" Carly whimpered, calling her friend back. "Play nice!"

"He started it!" countered Sam. "Made it way too easy, too."

"Are they staying with us this time?" Prowl asked.

There was a slight pause. Perceptor wanted to say no, to tell the humans they needed to go somewhere safer than with them. He couldn't find the words though. The kids awaited his response, holding their breath. Finally, Perceptor sighed.

"Afraid so," he whispered.

"Yes!" cheered the humans.

"Well, what now?" asked Ironhide.

"Find the laptop, Perceptor?" asked Bumblebee.

"No, so that's probably the best place to start," nodded Perceptor.

"Don't we need to do iCarly any time soon?" asked Sam to Carly.

"We can wait," Carly answered. "This is too big to miss."