I'm so sorry, everyone. I've been so busy with everything in my life. School and work really takes a lot of time. But I never plan to stop writing this story. Whenever I have some spare time I write as much as I can. So I'm giving you Part 1 of the episode Sick Mind. I had to think up some ideas that would be different from the show. I hope you like it. Any mistakes you see is because of me typing so fast to get this done.

Chapter 25: Sick Mind, Part One

It has been a boring day for Sam. A long, quiet and boring day for him. Arcee, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead had all went out to pick up Jack, Miko, and Raf. He would've joined with them, but as soon as he spotted Ratchet all alone in his workplace, he decided to spend some quality time with his favorite old and grumpy 'Bot.

As he had made his way to him, Ratchet had aimed his cannon at Sam, without even removing his optic from his work. Sam pouted and crossed his arms. He knows what that means. It means he doesn't have time to be bothered by him. Though, he could've just said it instead having to point his gun at his face. But he wasn't worried. He knows Ratchet would never harm him like that. He loves too much to even hurt him.

Ratchet withdrew his gun, and left the room without saying a word to Sam, too engrossed with his work to even make eye contact.

"Some fun you are." Sam grumbled, loud enough for Ratchet to hear. Ratchet mumbled incoherent words and gave a tiny wave.

Sam watched Ratchet disappear around the corner, and sighed, feeling so lonely at the base, with no one to talk to or hang out. Well, there is Optimus, but he doesn't wants to bother him. And Optimus isn't the kind of Autobot who likes to hang out and be social.

With no one to talk to, he walked up to the monitors and decided to just mess around with it.

All of this event transpired just two minutes ago, and already Sam is trying to stay awake. His face resting at the palm of his hand, and drool began to form in his mouth. Drowsiness beats him, and his head slipped off from his head and his face landed on the keyboard with a loud bang. But the impact was not hard enough for him to wake up from the pain of his face hitting the keyboard. But the alarm sure did.

Sam's head shot up, looking around in a daze and wiping the drool off his mouth. He started pressing random buttons out of fear that he might've messed some things up and Ratchet barging in yelling at him. When he looked up to see the problem he caused to the computers, he found something surprising. Without taking his eyes off it, he searches blindly for the button to contact Ratchet and Optimus on his discovery. He made contact with them, and urges them to come to the control center.

Ratchet and Optimus entered the room, with Ratchet looking annoyed, as always.

"What is it this time?" Ratchet asked with his annoyed look.

"You are not going to believe what I just found. They've just announced the new Dead Island game. I so need to go to GameStop now and pre-order it."

"That's it?! That's why you called us for?! Just for one of your silly video games?!"

"It's not silly, Ratchet. And no, that's is not why I've called you for."

"Then what have you called us for?" Optimus spoke in a cool and patient manner.

Sam smiled proudly. "This." With a press of the keyboard, a map of the world is shown on the screen. But that's not all it shown. It also showed the location of the Decepticon ship just on the other side of the world. Ratchet and Optimus were surprised by this discovery.

"How on Earth were you able to pinpoint the location of the Decepticon warship?!" Ratchet asked, his optics glued to the map, memorizing the coordinates, in case if it disappears.

"Huh?" Sam looked confused and looked at the monitor to see what he meant. True to what Ratchet said, he did found the location of their warship. "Well, what do you know. I did found their location. How lucky."

"Even still, their ship must be experiencing some kind of electromagnetic breach."

"And with Megatron dead and the element of surprise, we could deal some serious damage." Sam grinned, feeling excitement rushing through his body. But then he remembered the real reason why he called them. "Actually, that's not the real reason why I called you guys. It's because of this." With another press on the keyboard, another ship appeared, miles away from the Decepticon ship. "I've detected an Autobot Emergency Beacon."

"The Decepticons can wait. There may be Autobots in distress."

"Or a trap." Sam added.

"It could be, but we can't take that chance. We have to get there before the Decepticons pick up their frequency and launch an assault."

Sam hummed in agreement. But he couldn't shake this uneasy feeling he's getting. Like, something bad is going to happen if they go there by themselves, without any backup. With Arcee, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead out, it's just the two of them and him.

Sam smiled as he came up with an idea. "How about I come with you guys? This is a perfect chance to improve my medic skills."

"Forget about it, Sam. You're not going." Ratchet replied sternly.

"What?! But why?"

"Well, it's like you said. It could be a Decepticon trap."

"And it's like what Optimus said, we can't take that chance. So by according to Optimus, I can go." Sam smiled triumphantly.

Ratchet began growling in annoyance, and then turn his attention to Optimus. "Optimus, tell the boy that he can't come with us!"

"Optimus, please let me go with you guys. You need me. What if there are a lot of Autobots badly injured and Ratchet can't get to them because he's already treating one patient?"

Optimus agreed with Sam. They'll be letting Autobots die from their injuries if they don't get any treatment right away. Who knows how many Autobots are in the ship. "I'm with Sam on this one. It's better to have two medic than one."

Sam cheered happily. "Thanks, big guy. I'm going to get my tools. Be right back." Sam dashed towards his room to gather his own medical training kit.

As soon as Sam left, Ratchet glared at Optimus. "Optimus Prime, are you out of your processors!? We can't let Sam go on this mission! We really don't know if it's a trap!"

"I understand the danger, Ratchet, but this could probably a perfect opportunity for

Sam to brush up on his skills as a medic."

Ratchet continues glaring at him and crosses his arm. "You can't say 'no' to the boy, can't you?" He asked, knowingly.

"No." Optimus outright admitted.

Ratchet's right optic twitched a bit. "What if Sam wants to jump off a cliff, are you going to say no to him?"

"We'll open a GroundBridge before he hits the ground."

Another twitch on Ratchet's right optic. What if he wants to jump into a volcano?"

"GroundBridge."

"A tank fill with dozen Great Whites? I'm sure you know what they are. Sam made us watch all those shark movies. Disgusting creatures." Ratchet shuddered with disgust.

"GroundBridge."

"Seriously, Optimus!? Is GroundBridge the solution to all?" He asked with irritation.

"Yes, Ratchet. GroundBridging him is the safest way for Sam to stay from harm's way. If this mission turns out to be a trap, then we can just simply bridge him to a safe location. Sending him back to base is a risky move. The Decepticons might take that opportunity to infiltrate the base, and know of our location."

"I guess you do have a point there. Sam's safety is our top priority. We made an unbreakable vow to Miss. Witwicky that we'd protect her son. It's the least we can do for her." Ratchet closed his optics for a bit, giving his respects.

They don't even know how it happened, but Sam became the most important human in the universe. No matter what, they would drop everything for Sam, even sacrifice their own spark for him. It was proven this during Sam's capture.

"But what if Sam decides to join the Decepticons? I don't think you can GroundBridge that." Ratchet said right out of the blue.

"Ratchet, I will not have that kind of talk, at all!" Optimus suddenly snapped at Ratchet, which slightly frighten the medic by the outburst. Optimus realized what he did and regain his composure. "I apologize for my outburst."

"No need, Optimus. I should be the one to apologize. I took it too far."

Optimus didn't say anything after that. His thought went to what Ratchet said. He thought of a scenario where Sam decided to join the Decepticon. It made his spark ache with pain, almost as if someone dug their hand deep into his chest and starting twisting his spark chamber. He will not allow it. He will fight for Sam till his last beating spark. Even if it means having to fight him in the progress. He needs to have Sam close to him, his spark needs Sam. That is why he assign himself to be Sam's guardian, whenever Bee is taking care of Miles and Rafael.

"You know, you need to learn how to say no to the boy." Ratchet spoke after a long silence, adding a slight humor in it. Hopefully, this will get his mind out of what happened a moment ago.

"I quite agree, Ratchet, but Sam is my chosen one. And by our culture, the dominant cannot say no to their mate, or they will suffer their wrath."

"Optimus, you haven't even interfaced him. And there is no way I will let that happen. Sam will remain pure and unbroken. I will make sure of that." Ratchet declared with such determination.

"Ratchet, you have no right to say whom I may or may not interface. I chose Sam and I will make him my mate."

"Optimus, there is no way you can interface him. Both of you are from a different species."

"That won't stop me. I will find a way for us to be together."

Ratchet stared at Optimus. He could tell just how serious Optimus is in getting together with Sam. He wonders how did Optimus fell in love with Sam. Back on Cybertron, he was never interested with anyone and showed no sign of pheromone level rising. Even when Elita One was being flirtatious towards Optimus, Ratchet detected nothing coming from Optimus, besides Optimus feeling slightly disgusted by her action.

But why Sam? Why choose a human instead of his own race? It's not like he's against it, he's just curious. But that doesn't mean he can't forbid Optimus from defiling Sam's pure spark.

"I'm back." Sam shouted happily, which snapped Ratchet out of his thoughts.

"Alright. We've wasted enough time as it is. Sam, you'll be staying close to Optimus, since it's his fault you're coming with us."

Sam said nothing as he went up to Optimus' hand, so that he can take a seat on Optimus' shoulder. The three entered to the GroundBridge and arrived somewhere in the desert. They never really bothered trying to look for it as it was sticking out like a sore thumb. A centuries-old crashed Autobot ship just out in the open. Sam wonders just how long the ship was here and why it wasn't spotted by humans.

The three ventured inside, taking cautious steps inside the unstable ship.

"If they traveled in stasis mode, there may be survivors."

The ship shook a bit, causing everyone to lose their balance for a bit. With his quick reflex, Optimus shielded Sam with his hand so that he won't fall from his shoulder. When the shaking stopped, they continued forward until they reached to a door.

"I need to put you down so I can open this door." Optimus told Sam.

"You got it, big guy." Sam jumped on the hand and then the ground once the hand was lowered.

"You better stay close to us, Sam." Ratchet ordered.

Sam nodded as he stepped back while the two go on ahead. He watched in awe as Optimus forced opened the door with his big strong arms. Once the door is fully opened, the three entered the room, hoping to find survivors, only to find them already dead. Their bodies already rusted and disintegrated.

The horrible stench of rusted metal and the sight of many dead Autobots made Sam let out a gagging sound, but not loud enough for the two to hear. Sam decided to check around the area to see if there are at least one survivor that survived the crash. So far he found nothing. But then he noticed something different about the Energon puddle. It doesn't show its usual blue color. It almost looks like it has been contaminated. He leaned down to get a closer look at it.

Ratchet started scanning one of the dead bodies to find out on how they died. The results he got brought fear in his spark. "Optimus. These Autobots didn't perish in the crash. They're displaying the effects of a virus."

"This is a pleauge ship." Optimus made one step forward, but was stopped by Ratchet.

"Don't touch anything! The virus could still be active."

Optimus nodded, taking few steps away from the bodies. He then remembered they brought Sam along with them, and it seems Ratchet remembered as well.

"Sam, where are you?" Ratchet called out, slightly panicking and hoping Sam wasn't foolish as to touch anything without their supervision.

"I'm right here! I'm looking at this weird Energon thing!" Sam shouted back.

Optimus and Ratchet gasped in horror when they saw Sam crouching down near an Energon puddle, his hand inches away from it. Both Ratchet and Optimus yelled, Ratchet being slightly louder. Their yell made Sam stand up straight in surprise.

"Samuel, get away from that puddle, right now!"

Sam knew something was wrong. Ratchet never acted like this before, unless there's someone in trouble, or if he's in danger. It has got to be the Energon that is making Ratchet so worked up. Sam started to run towards them, already feeling scared of what might happen if he stayed in one spot for a long time. He doesn't know why the two yelled, but it must be something very serious for them to scream so loud.

The ship began to shift again so suddenly, making everyone to lose their balance and tumble to the wall. Sam didn't made it in time to reach to Optimus and fell on his face, groaning in pain. When the shaking stopped, the two 'Bots stood up, being careful with their movements in case the ship starts to move again. Sam, on the other hand, decides to roll on his back to nurse his aching nose.

He used his whole hand to hold his nose to stop from aching, covering his sights from what's above him. When he removed his hand when he heard something above him, it was too late for him to move out of the way as he saw a dangling dead body above him and felt two wet drops landed in his eyes. Sam let out a yell, grabbing the two 'Bots' attention.

"My eyes! Something just landed in my eyes!" Sam yelled as he got up and started walking aimlessly and rubbing his eyes furiously.

Optimus and Ratchet moved their flashlight above the ceiling where Sam was, and their optics widen in horror seeing the dead body right above the place where Sam was laying down just moments ago, dripping infected Energon. They felt their sparks beating at a rapid pace, fear running through their whole body as they felt their nightmares coming a reality: Losing Sam a second time. And this time, it'll stays permanent.

"SAM!"

Bumblebee screeched into a halt, tire marks being left on the road. He just felt something cut through his spark and crushed it. He had to transform out of his vehicle form and knelt down to his knees, clutching his broken spark, optics closed tightly from the excruciating pain. Images of Sam flashes before his optics, each one filled with happy memories of him and Sam, only them. But the images stopped on that one tragic day when he lost Sam to the AllSpark. That day which haunts Bumblebee and serves him as a reminder of his failure as a guardian and a brother.

It must be a sign. His spark is telling him to go back to his Sam and that he's in grave danger. Bumblebee didn't gave a second thought to his instinct and transformed back to his vehicle mode and faced in the direction of the base.

"Bumblebee, what's going on with you?" Arcee asked, seeing Bumblebee react in a strange way as soon as she heard tires screeching from behind her.

'Sam's in danger.'

"What?" Arcee's voice became threatening. If Bumblebee is just joking, she does not finds it funny.

'I don't know, Arcee, but I felt as if Sam is in grave danger. I need to go back to base to make sure I'm not just being paranoid.'

"Well, you are, Bumblebee. Sam's safe in the base with Ratchet and Optimus. There's no way he's in danger. So stop it right now and let's go pick up Raf before we head back to base."

"I'm sorry, Arcee, but I'm going to follow my spark on this. Please pick up Raf for me.' Without waiting for her responds, he put the petal to the metal and drove as fast he can, ignoring any speed limit along the way.

Arcee sighed irritably and faced Bulkhead. "Can you go pick up Raf? I need to check up on Bee."

"Of course, Arcee."

"Thanks. Hang on, Jack." She caused a sudden movement, which made Jack let out a surprised yelp and gripped on the handles tightly for dear life.

"What's going on?! What happened to Sam?!" Jack yelled through the loud noise.

"I don't know, Jack, but Bumblebee says that Sam's in danger!"

"But didn't you said Sam's safe in the base."

"He is. But Bumblebee says otherwise. Let's just hope he's wrong." She let Bumblebee's words sink in to her spark and drove real fast to catch up with Bee. She prays to Primus that Sam would be alright when they arrive. But something tells her that she is just raising up false hope and in denial.

I will try to continue writing the second part later this week, I hope. It would mean so much for me if you all leave a review.