Now, I hope you understand why I changed the title of the story to My Beautiful Rising Star. The prologue was from Optimus' POV. The same will be of each of the interludes as it is his Kaceystar we're reading about. Each interlude will show a passage of time as the story progresses. I'm not saying how many there are, writers prerogative.

So here it is. Please enjoy as Optimus sums up the past two and a half years quickly.

a/n: I had most of this chapter written for a while which is why it got posted so quickly.

Interlude I

During those first couple of months together as a family I really fragged up. I had learned the hard way that it wasn't easy being Prime, being a bonded sparkmate, and being a father. I couldn't properly handle being all three at once. I nearly lost my little Kacey because of it.

I have vowed to myself that my children will never doubt my love for them and that I will always make time for them every day. I have also made the same vow towards my beloved Elita. How could I not, I love her so much for the beautiful children she has given me.

With her help, that of our children, and of my friends over the past two and a half years, I've managed to successfully pull off being the Autobot leader, a devoted bonded sparkmate, and a very happy and proud father. This resulted in our family being closer than ever. Perhaps, more importantly, my little Kacey blossomed before my optics over the course of the two and a half years.

The love she had for me only deepened as did my love for her. Elita was right; Kacey and I did have a special bond. She was my first born, created on the special day Elita and I bonded our sparks for the first time. There is no prouder feeling like it in the universe than when I learned I had become a father because of her.

But I'm being selfish here. Kacey's love for me didn't just grow stronger. The loving bond between mother and daughter also flourished over the past two and a half years. So did the affectionate love that Kacey had for her sister and brothers.

Primus yes, brothers!

My second son was a least a planned little sparkling. Elita and I had been discussing the issue for several months. Our main reason for wanting another sparkling was because of how much we loved Kacey and how much we both were still trying to make up for being lousy parents to her.

Once Kacey had returned to us and we properly introduced her to Orion and Ariel the little twins didn't cry as often as they had during their first days. In fact, they rarely cried at all. Elita and I realized that their little sparks sensed the turmoil in Kacey's spark, in my spark, and in their mother's spark. We made a mistake by not having Kacey reach out to the twins before they were born.

Not so with my youngest little mech.

I'll never forget the excitement on my Kacey's face when she felt his very first pulse after his tiny spark formed. I think she spent every morning with Elita and I in our bed just to be near her baby brother during Elita's pregnancy. Of course, the twins were in the bed with us most of the time too as Kacey didn't want them to feel left out.

Although, I have to admit the twins actually preferred to sleep in their own room more than Kacey did hers. It's funny how life works out that way. We had extended our quarters so that Kacey could have her own room and got the bigger bed so all the children could recharge with Elita and me if they wanted to. And only Kacey really took advantage of being free to join Elita and me.

Regardless, Elita and I enjoyed the bigger bed for…other reasons.

Anyway, Elita and I had even decided to allow Kacey to come up with a name for the little mech. She took the task very seriously, researched all kinds of names. She told me the name had to be perfect for her little brother. She also discovered the meaning of the twins' names too during her research.

On Earth Ariel is an Archangel known as the Angel of Healing. Not sure if she'll live up to her name or not. I can already imagine Ratchet trying to pair her off with Galen as Ironhide is still trying to pair Kacey off with Nitro. Regardless, my Ariel is an angel in my optics with her mother's beauty. Apparently, on Earth Orion is the name of a might hunter and one of the many constellations in the sky. Kacey even pointed the constellation out to Elita and I one evening.

It was in the stars that Kacey came up with the name for the tiny spark Elita carried. Kacey said that from the moment she felt his tiny spark pulsing she knew he had a strong, mighty spark. Thus, she had to give him a name to match it.

Leo.

Apparently it is a very masculine name associated with pride, fun-loving, noble, affectionate, loyal, powerful…the list goes on and on from what Kacey told us. It didn't matter; Elita and I adored the name.

We even made sure Kacey was there the day our little Leo was born. Like I said before, Elita and I were still making things up to Kacey. I insisted she be allowed to place her baby brother's spark within his spark chamber, with Ratchet closely supervising of course.

I'll never forget that day as I watched the awe and wonder on Kacey's face as Leo's protoform came to life before her optics. She didn't come to tears like Elita and I did. She had been prepared for the moment, had been anxiously looking forward to it. Only her arms did tremble nervously when we allowed her to hold him when he was only a few minutes old.

Leo didn't cry or anything but just stared at her with bright blue optics. And of course, Kacey was right. Leo had a mighty little spark that was already full of so much love for his big sister. Oh, the twins adored her as she spent much of her free time playing with them. But it was Leo who loved her most. Not a day went by when I couldn't feel the love between them.

Once mobile Leo followed Kacey everywhere he could. We had a hard time keeping track of him; Elita or I couldn't turn our back on the little mech for an astrosecond because he'd go off in search of Kacey. Nearly every day a fellow Autobot came to me or Elita with a rambunctious Leo, beeping and squawking in protest until he was placed in our arms.

Then one day Kacey came running into the command center with Leo in her arms. She was so excited and talking too fast for me to understand. Once she calmed down I understood why. Leo even demonstrated for us as he had said his first intelligible word, her name. Shortly after that came the Earth terms Kacey had been teaching him and the twins, momma and dada.

I must admit I liked it when she called me dad. It seemed more personable. Although I had no idea she was talking to me the first time she used it until she shouted out 'Yo! Pops! I'm talking here!' and kicked my foot.

Kacey has become quite knowledgeable in many of Earth's languages and cultures. There were some days I had no idea what she was talking about. She smiled then explained it to me in our language so I'd understand.

It seems all the younglings knew more Earth terminology, and unfortunately Earth slang, than the matures did and seemed to be talking their own language when together. Apparently, Kacey had been educating the younglings by having a movie night in the younglings' quarters once a week. She swore to me that she didn't show R rated movies as Leo was always there watching too.

However, I did find Kacey and a few of the older younglings in my office one afternoon when I came back from a mission early. They were watching some action film with that colorful language Kacey liked to use. I wasn't mad at them and actually watched it with them just to see why they loved watching these films.

I was surprised that Rox was even there too. To this day, I still don't know how Kacey managed to resolve things with Rox. But from that day on, I noticed how all the younglings seemed to have formed ranks with Kacey being the leader. They kind of traveled in a pack whenever they were up to no good as my officers would see them running and laughing through the halls, with Kacey leading the way of course.

At least they didn't get into anything they weren't supposed to. I don't think any of them are ever going to drink high grade as they all get this sick look on their faceplates if you mention the alcoholic beverage to them.

Over all it's been a wonderful two and a half years. We only had one family…crisis I guess is what you'd call it. It involved our youngest sparkling Leo.

When he turned one year old Elita and I took him to the Med Bay for his regular maintenance check-up. Ratchet discovered that Leo's growth rate was abnormally slow. After some tests, he calculated that my little mech's head would just reach the top of my knee joint when he reached his full height.

Elita and I were distressed about the news. All three of our other sparklings were projected to be as tall as Elita. We began worrying about how we were going to help little Leo adjust to being so small in our world.

But it was Kacey who made us see the light.

It's not the size of the mech in the fight but the size of the fight in the mech that makes him who he is.

I had forgotten Sentinel Prime's words from so long ago. It didn't surprise me in the least that Kacey would speak something so poetic. Her knowledge of our peoples' history was astonishing to me at times. But what Kacey said was true for Leo was a spirited mech just like his big sister. Even Elita often commented how Leo reminded her of Kacey at that age. I too noticed he never hesitated to speak his processor.

"Dada! Go Kacey! Now!"

I looked down to see Leo tugging and pulling on my foot. His tiny hands lost their grip and he tumbled and rolled backwards a couple of times. I refrained from reacting just to see what he'd do as Elita warned me what Kacey used to do if she was interfered with.

A long string of frustrated bleeps and clicks sounded from him as he climbed onto his feet. He marched back over to me and started pulling on my foot again.

"Dada! Go now!" he demanded, his blue optics blazing with determination.

"Very well," I smiled affectionately down at him and was rewarded with his love in my spark.

I bent down and scooped him up into my arms, tickling his belly. He giggled wildly in the process. Nothing in the universe sounded better than hearing my sparklings giggling. It brought such joy to my spark to know they were happy, to know that we loved each other that deeply.

There were times when we'd be in the same room and it was hard to differentiate the joy from one another. We were a family, together we were whole, and together we were stronger.

As I carried my over excited, wiggling about Leo in my arms I had no idea that the strong bond and enduring love of my family was going to be significant in saving the life of one of us.

Up next, we start with Kacey at thirteen orns, a little taller, perhaps a little wiser, but still the same curious femme we've come to adore.