Disclaimers: Transformers Prime © Hasbro.

Chapter 2 - Remember Me?

"What was that about?" Miko asked as I flicked my eyes open. I was on the ground, and Jack was holding me up.

"I'll explain later." I looked to the red and blue bot. "So, would it be considered possible reality that now that we know about the Decepticons, they know about us?" I asked.

"That is correct."

"Got it. If we spot any strange vehicles, call 911." Jack said, and I couldn't help but think his tone was dismissive. "Can we..go now?" he asked nervously. I sat up, on my feet in a second.

"Are you insane? I am living a dream here in 'Botswana' and I will not allow you or anyone else to shatter it!" Miko said shortly. I nodded my agreement.

"It is best that you four remain under out watch. At least until we can determine our enemy's intentions." the red bot said.

"I think it'd be safer for use to stick with these guys." I called in agreement.

"Traitor.." Jack muttered under his breath, obviously not meant for me to hear. I glowered.

"You don't know betrayal, Jack." I said in a low voice.

"Optimus, with all due respect, the human children are in as much danger here, as anywhere else." the red and white bot said.

"Children? I'm turning seventeenin two months, buster!" I snapped at the bot, putting my hands on my hips.

"They have no protective shell!-"

"I disagree."

"-If they get underfoot they will go..squish." the robot tapped his foot on the ground once for emphasis.

"I resent that." I continued speaking.

"For the time being, Ratchet, we must watch where we step." Optimus said.

Out of nowhere, a big green light started flashing in tandem with an alarm of some sort. I enhanced the range on my audio receptors (that took forever to figure out)and heard a helicopter approaching. Who, and what, was that, I wondered.

"It's a proximity sensor." I answered my brother's question I'd barely heard. "Somebody's landing on the roof."

"It's Agent Fowler.." Ratchet said, not sounding pleased.

"Wait, I thought we were the only humans that know of your existence." Jack said. I scoffed.

"If there's aliens on earth, the Government obviouslyknows, Jacky. I'm just gonna assume he's the human/bot relations liaison, and that we should hide before he gets down here."

"That would be in your best interest." Optimus agreed.

Immediately, Jack, Miko, Raf and I scrambled around the place looking for somewhere suitable to hide from this Agent Fowler. Special Agent Fowler stepped out of the elevator. Did he look happy? No.

"7 wrecks, 34 fender-benders, a 3-hour traffic jam, and a particular note: numerous reports of a speeding motorcycle of unknown make, and a black and yellow custom muscle car. So anything you'd like to get off your tin chest, Prime?" Fowler began listing his complaints. 'Wow. So he's a down-to-business kind of guy. Hmmm…BORING!'I thought.

"We have the situation under control, Agent Fowler," Optimus reassured the agent, though to me he sounded irritated as well.

"They're back, aren't there?" Fowler realized.

"If you're referring to the Decepticons, we have doubts they ever left. Your planet is much too valuable," Optimus answered.

"Then it's time to wake up the Pentagon," Fowler proclaimed.

"Hear me, Agent Fowler. We are the best – possibly, your only – defence against the Decepticon Threat," Optimus retorted.

"Says you," Fowler shot back.

"Hey, fleshy! Did anyone get splattered on that freeway? Team Prime knows when to use force. And how much to use," Bulkhead interrupted as he grabbed one of Ratchet's inventions, ripped it off the console and crushed it, much to Ratchet's dismay.

"BULKHEAD! I NEEDED THAT!" he exclaimed. I choked on laughter, biting my tongue to keep quiet.

"Enough." Optimus ordered before turning his attention to Fowler, "Military involvement will result in catastrophe. Perhaps you can condone widespread human casualties, Agent Fowler. I, however, cannot."

"Then do us both a favour and handle this, Prime. UNDER the radar," Fowler requested before leaving, "Or I will." Then I heard the elevator close behind him, and I stepped out of hiding first.

"Pretty big bearings for a human," Bulkhead remarked.

"Agent Fowler is concerned for his world, Bulkhead. As he should be," Optimus told him. I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, but he doesn't have to be an asswipe to you guys." I commented, going up the stairs beside me so I was closer to their height.

"So what was the big deal over Megatron earlier, kid?" Arcee asked, disregarding my rude comment. I sighed, not wanting to explain it, knowing now that he was their biggest enemy.

"Um, I may, or may not have met him..three years ago.." I said awkwardly, looking to the floor as I shuffled my foot slightly. I didn't want to see their reactions, especially not my brother's.

"What? When?" said brother demanded, tilting my face up to look him in the eye.

"The day before I met you." I said quietly, ashamed of my infatuation with the evil mech. Before anybody could say anything else, there was a beeping noise coming from the screen.

"Blasted Earth tech! Cliffjumper's signal popped back online!" Ratchet announced.

"Who's Cliffjumper?" Miko asked. Her question was ignored.

"That's impossible." I said at the same time Optimus asked, "How is this possible?"

"It isn't. Another bug. The system's shock full of them," Ratchet grumbled.

"If there's any chance Cliff's alive," Arcee trailed off. I could see Arcee cared for this Cliffjumper guy.

"Ratchet, prepare sick bay. We may need it," Optimus remarked. He nodded.

"Hey! What can we do?" Miko asked.

"Remain with Ratchet," was the answer that came from both Optimus.

"Aw…" both Miko and Ratchet moaned in disappointment as some sort of swirly green portal was activated. Now was my chance, I thought, and snuck down the steps.

"Autobots, roll out!" Optimus instructed as they transformed into their vehicle modes and they rolled out into the...thing, and I sprinted out after them, moments before it closed.

The GroundBridge arrived in the Decepticon Energon Mine and coming out of it were Optimus, Arcee, the yellow guy, and Bulkhead. Immediately, they transformed and activated their guns in case they were attacked by Decepticons upon arrival. However, that's not the case. I quickly ducked behind a strange blue rock, so as to not be seen.

"Energon mine," Bulkhead observed.

"Judging by its scale, the Decepticons have been tunnelling here for some time," Optimus replied. They observed the creepy drone dudes from behind a large rock, before they took action.

"Let's find Cliffjumper," Optimus proclaimed as they prepared to fire. Together, they all approached the Decepticon dones. As soon as they did, a fire battle started. One took his drill directly towards them…until it got smashed in by Bulkhead. As they fired shots, they advanced. They were driven by their desperation. They desperation to find Cliffjumper before the Decepticons did something horrible to their comrade. Arcee avoided shots and fired her own back, taking down a few Decepticons with her good old hands and feet in the process.

Basically, the drones never stood a chance against the Autobots.

As the battle dragged on, I snuck along the outside, hiding behind energon crystals as needed, until I came to what seemed to be the main atrium. There was a large warship up top, and it had some sort of elevator extending down to the ground.

I was quite surprised when hundreds of blasters went off at once, all headed to someplace behind me. I noticed that the Autobots were there.

I picked up a radio frequency of some sort, and tapped into it so I could hear as I took cover behind a large rock. I was slowly sneaking back to where we'd come from. There was no telling when they'd call retreat.

"Lord Megatron, intruders have been detected in the mines."

"Optimus?"a familiar voice asked.

"Yes, as well as a peculiar human femme."

Oh shit, I'd been seen.

"Peculiar how?"

"She seems to emit an energon signal similar to your own, my liege, though she takes on human form."

"I see. I need more time to prepare an appropiate reception for my old friend. Ready the ship for departure,"Megatron instructed.

"But the Energon I've mined! The Autobots will seize it!"

"Then blow the mines!"he snapped.

"No!" I accidentally spoke out loud.

"Who is this? Identify yourself!"the annoying unnamed Decepticon ordered. I rolled my eyes.

"Hopefully more important to Megatron than you are." I retorted with a scowl.

"Robin..?" I heard Megatron ask, surprised.

"Ding ding, we have a winner, but it's Katherine now." I said sarcastically. "I waited for you, but I can't believe I fell for you, when I hardly even knew who you really were..." I said, much softer now. Then I cut the connection, and returned to my fight-or-flight mindset, darting towards the smaller portion of the cave. I was back inside.

I continued to sprint past the offlined bodies of the drones, until I reached the place where the bridge thing had opened. Sighing, I pulled out my phone and dialled Jack.

"Kat, where are you? How did you even get through? There's no service."Jack demanded instantly.

"I'll explain when I get back. Can you tell Ratchet to open that swirly bridge thing?" I asked impatiently. "Same place it was opened before." I added. There was a sigh, before the swirling portal opened, and I didn't waste any time going through.

"What were you thinking?" Jack demanded the moment the thing closed. I shrugged.

"I wanted to come along." I said, as though I hadn't done something completely idiotic just now.

"For what reason? Do you not understand that the Decepticons could have easily killed you, had they discovered you?" Ratchet demanded. I stopped for a moment, contemplating my options.

'May as well just get it over with quick. They deserve to know.'I thought. Then I made my decision.

"They wouldn't have killed me. Not while I have this on me." I said, lifting the back of my shirt. Ratchet gasped, just as Optimus commed the base.

"Ratchet! Bridge us back! Use the arrival coordinates now!" he ordered. Ratchet did so without a word, looking furious with me. The bots entered moments after the thing opened, and he shut it the moment they were through, stopping the explosion that was chasing them from entering.

"Cutting it kinda close. How about Cliffjumper?" Ratchet asked, causing the five Autobots who went out to battle to lower their heads sadly.

"What was that explosion? Was there a fight? Can I come with next time?" Miko immediately began asking her friends.

"Look," Arcee growled.

"Hey, hey, Miko. Let's go see what the bots hide in their sock drawers," Jack suggested as he guided Miko away.

"Seriously?" was all Miko said.

"Arcee, what did you see?" Optimus asked. Arcee crossed her arms, suddenly looking very small and..broken.

"Not Cliff. At least, not anymore.." she said quietly. "He was mutated.. Butchered, like something from those 'Con experiments during the war!" Suddenly, Arcee's legs gave out from beneath her.

"'Cee! You okay?" I called.

"I'm fine, just dizzy." she replied.

"Robots who get dizzy..?" I heard Miko whisper.

"Robots with emotions.." Raf continued.

"Robots..who can die.." Jack finished, amazed, and sad. Ratchet scanned Arcee, and found a strange purple substance on her hand. After taking a sample, he ordered her to the decontamination showers.

After Bumblebee scooped Arcee into his arms, Ratchet guided the two of them to the decontamination showers.

"Optimus, I hate to bug. But…no bars," Jack waved his phone in front of Optimus' face to prove his point.

"A security precaution. The silo walls isolate all radio waves," Optimus explained to Jack.

"Well, if I don't call my mum, like NOW, I'm pretty sure the cops will come looking for me and Kat." Jack told Optimus.

"Have you broken the law?" Optimus asked worriedly as he bent down so he was eye-to-eye with the others, while I stayed off to the side, trying to blend in with the drab silo walls. But then, not the easiest thing to do when your skin is whiter than a vampire and your hair is purple.

"Uh, curfew. It's after 10pm," Jack corrected.

"I'd better get home too. Or I'll be grounded for a year," Raf piped in.

"Earth customs. I haven't considered. But the issue of your safety remains. Bulkhead, accompany Miko home."

"AWESOME! MY HOST PARENTS WILL FREAK!" Miko cheered.

"And maintain covert surveillance in vehicle form," Optimus added.

"Curbside duty. Got it," Bulkhead nodded, earning a disappointed whine from Miko.

"Bumblebee, you'll watch over Raf," Optimus then said. "Ratchet?"

"Busy," Ratchet waved him off as Arcee walked out of the showers.

"Arcee, if you feel up to it, you'll accompany Jack and Katherine." Optimus decided.

"Still dizzy," Arcee informed Optimus.

"You're fine, says your physician," Ratchet butted in.

I rolled my eyes, but as Ratchet looked to me with a suspicious gleam in his optics, I knew I was in serious shit now. 'God freakin' help me.'I thought as he called Optimus over.

"Jack, you and Arcee shall depart now. Optimus will transport your sister home. First we need to speak with her." Ratchet said. I watched as my brother reluctantly mounted Arcee, and she drove off. Soon, it was just me, Optimus, and Ratchet. I wasn't sure who I was more scared of.

"Care to explain why you have the insignia of the Decepticons on your back?" Ratchet said sternly. I looked up to him, and control of my mouth broke.

"I-swear-to-god-I'm-not-a-spy! Megatron-gave-me-that-when-I-first-met-him. He-did-it-to-keep-me-safe-from-the-Decepticons-if-I-ever-met-them!" I said quicker than I've ever talked, and I instinctively flinched back when Optimus reached for me. I wasn't able to hold back the smallest of whimpers in my absolute fear.

"Optimus, why would Megatron.." Ratchet trailed off. I felt a gentle touch to the strange mark I'd found on my chest. It was some sort of character in a language, but it wasn't Japanese, or Chinese, or any variation of Asian writing, so at the time I'd deduced that it was from the robot - who I now know as Megatron.

"'Promised Mate'... It would appear Megatron imprinted upon Katherine, to be his future mate."

I blinked, waiting for the punchline. Nothing came, and it appeared that they were waiting for me to say something. I didn't say anything for a long time. Then I came to a decision, putting the memories away in the back of my processor.

"I need to go home." I said, walking down the stairs numbly. I got into Optimus' cab, and then allowed myself to zone out, digging through my memories, comparing the Megatron I'd personally talked to when I was younger, to the one that had been described by the Autobots, and that I'd spoken to over a comm-link to mere minutes earlier.

I didn't come out of my files until Optimus indicated we were at my house. I said a quiet thank-you, before rushing across the path and nimbly jumping into my open window. I flashed Optimus a thumbs-up and he drove away. I sighed in relief when I realized I wasn't caught, and promptly got into my pyjamas and went into recharge.

A/N: So, yeah. I didn't know what to do for this last bit, so it's kind of a crappy ending. REVIEW PLZ!