Autobot base, Jack's POV

As Arcee and I pulled into base, I saw everyone crowded around the main monitor.

Getting off of Arcee and removing my helmet, I went up onto the cement deck and stood with Miko and Raf.

"Hey, what's going on?" I asked.

"Docbot found a huge energon vein in an abondoned subway tunnel line." Raf explained as he leaned over the rail slightly, attempting to see better.

"Oh, well, that's great!" I said, smiling at Optimus who had looked up at us. He returned it with a small smile of his own.

"Indeed, we have never had such a low supply of energon." He replied, voice solem.

I was about to say something when again the strange wail began again in my head. I had to get out of the room, fast.

"Yeah, uh, I think I'm gonna walk around base for a bit." I said, quickly excusing myself before heading off down one of the many halls. Once I was out of earshot, I broke into a run. If I could make it to the restroom, I'd be in the clear, since there were no camera's there (as requested by Raf, Miko and myself).

I sighed in relief as I made it, locking myself in one of the stalls and leaning over the toilet just in time to vomit the contents of my stomach.

"Sh-Sh-Shadowdusk?"

"Everything is alright, Moonsoul. Meerly part of the transformation, it is really progressing fast. For the transition to be successful, all human food must be purged from your system."

I was about to reply, but more bile rose up my throat. As I retched, I cursed in my mind every foul word I could think, to which Shadowdusk replied with a sharp pain to the back of the head.

"F-Frag! Shadowd-dusk!" I hissed, rubbing the back of my head.

"Language! Moonsoul, never say such vile things!"

I growled slightly. But then I was silenced as Shadowdusk's power made my throat seize up. I choked slightly before standing and exiting the stall. I went to the sink and washed out my mouth with tap water, attempting to rid my mouth of the vile taste.

I glanced over as the restroom door opened, and Raf peeked in.

"Hey Jack, are you okay?" He asked.

"Uh, yeah! Why?" I replied, earning a shrug from him.

"It's just...you never come to this part of base, so I thought..."

I smiled, touched by his concern. I went and crouched down in front of him as he stepped into the bathroom. I gently placed my hands on his shoulders and offered a comforting smile.

"Raf, relax. Everything's alright, I just thought a little change of scenery would be nice. Don't worry."

Raf smiled hesitantly as I stood up. Dusting myself off, I led him out of the bathroom.

"Why don't we play something?" I offered. He beamed, nodding. He then touched my arm.

"TAG! YOU'RE IT!"

3rd POV

Jack skidded around a corner after a laughing Raf.

"Can't catch me Jack! Haha!"

Jack grinned, shaking his head as Raf went into a seperate room. Jack followed him at a slower pace, finding himself in a huge storage room.

"Aw man, Raf. What happend to playing tag?...Guess we're doing hide an' seek now." The raven haired teen mumbled.

Jack began to search, looking behind every crate and in every nook and crany.

While he did, he let my mind wander, then began humming. It was only when he finished the tune that he realized, in horror, that the tune was actually one of Shadowdusk's lullabies.

Jack stopped and stared, wide eyed at the ground in horror, while Shadowdusk joyfully began to sing the lullaby as well.

'I'm being swallowed by insanity.' Jack thought to himself, paniced.

"You make it sound like such a bad thing, sweet spark. Within insanity, peace can be found." Shadowdusk said, giggling airily.

The raven haired teen gulped, forcing his fear aside.

Now wasn't the time to think about that. Raf was constantly ignored at home, and Jack refused to let him feel ignored with his 'family' at base.

Shaking the thoughts out of his head, Jack heard a faint laugh from the other end of the room. Smiling slyly, he silently crossing the room. Jack pulled himself up onto a large, 'bot sized crate and peeked over the edge.

Raf sat behind the crate, trying to laugh quietly as possible.

"So...what happend to playing tag?"

He jumped and looked up at Jack, who grinned lazily as he raised a brow. Raf then laughed while Jack jumped down and ruffled his hair.

"C'mon Raf. The others are probably wondering what we're up to." The older male said, leading him out the door. As they continued, Raf tried to jump onto Jack's back (utterly failing). The onyx haired teen laughed as Raf pouted, and crouched down to let him clamber up.

"Alright, ready?" Jack asked as he stood straight, Raf clinging to his shoulders. He nodded eagerly, earning a chuckle from the older teen. Making sure the twelve year old had a good grip, Jack ran off down the hall.

One good thing about this change, he was stronger and faster.

When they ran into the main room of the silo, everyone looked up as Raf gave a small shriek of laughter. 'Bee chirped, watching happily as Jack ran around the room with Raf clinging to his back. Bulkhead, Arcee and even Ratchet smiled, chuckling. Optimus even cracked a small smile at the touching sight.

Jack went up onto the deck, spun around a couple more times, then let Raf drop onto the couch.

"What're you guys doing?" Arcee asked as she moved over to the deck. Jack moved to the railing, smiling at his partner.

"We're doing whatever seems fun." Jack replied, vaguely gesturing back at Raf who was chatting with Miko animatedly. "We somehow went from playing tag, to hide and seek, and somehow ended up with him jumping onto my back."

Arcee smiled, shaking her head goodnaturedly.

Jack gave a simple shrug.

"Hey, hey Jack!"

The raven haired male blinked, turning to Miko, who leaned over the back of the couch.

"Whens your birthday?"

"Why?" Jack asked blantly. Miko rolled her eyes.

"Me an' Raf were talkin' about it! His birthday, get this, is on Christmas! Isn't that awesome?"

Jack smiled, nodding.

"What about you, Miko?"

The human femme scowled.

"Eh, Augest 5th." She replied. Jack chuckled.

"So, when is yours Jack?" She repeated her previous question, and the raven male shrugged.

"Next month." He vaguely replied. Miko scoffed.

"Yeah, but what day?"

Jack scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

"October...31st."

This made Miko and Raf straighten to stare at him in awe, even the 'bots (who'd recently learned about Halloween) stared at Jack.

"Wait wait wait. Your birthday's on Halloween? That's totally awesome! You're so lucky!" Miko exclaimed, giving a huff as she crossed her arms, angered by the lack of holiday on her birthday.

Jack chuckled, moving to sit inbetween Raf and Miko.