A/N enter Wheeljack. Ellen and Optimus have a rather dark conversation during a drive. (slight live action movie reference)

plus some minor fluff :3

Con job

It had been about 3 weeks since that cheerful time in the arctic, i don't think we've ever mentioned it since, but i was definitely feeling better and to make up for those weeks of doing nothing i was in the training room, basically a huge gym in comparison to humans. Yeah i train, Dad started teaching me how to defend myself at the age of 12 not against decepticons mind you, put just in case i needed to against the not so friendly people of my race. It was nothing too extreme to start with in fact it wasn't his idea he was pretty strong against the idea of me fighting at all but a certain bot convinced him that i needed to know how to defend myself against hostile humans...well that's part of what he said i cut out the swearing and the aggressive tone but that was basically what he said, so as i got older the more intense the training got, now, well needless to say i haven't met a human who can best me yet, well i don't think i can stand a chance against a guy with skills like a ninja but in general.

but it wasn't just against humans, i was also taught escape routes and i had done survival exercises, typically if i were to be stuck in the same area as a con, and believe it or not they were fun, mainly because Dad was the con and i would always lose anyway.

Well despite how much fun it was it has gotten me out of a few situations...even if i was the one to get myself into them in the first place.

So after my two hour workout i took a shower, got changed and headed for the main room as usual for another day of, i don't know video games and general laziness? As i went in i saw Miko, Jack and Raf saying something about a new Autobot? "Did i miss something?" i asked them.

"Yeah a new Autobot is coming here!" Miko explained.

"Really? W-Who is he?" i said, i am generally wary when it comes to new Autobots mainly because first impressions can be either really tense or really awkward, but there is an occasion it goes off without a hitch.

"Er...Wheeljack?" Raf said hoping he was right with the name.

"Apparently he's good friends with Bulkhead, they were both part of some team called...the wreckers?" jack said.

Ah right, the name of the team alone is recognizable, "When's he coming?" i asked.

"Tomorrow! This is gonna be awesome!" Miko exclaimed. "There's so much time to kill before he gets here." She then thought. "Hey! You guys wanna come to a monster truck rally with us?" she then asked us.

"Uh, Miko i think we'll have to give that a miss." Bulkhead then said.

"What? Why?" Miko demanded.

"Well with Wheeljack coming and everything my mind will be too occupied." Bulkhead said.

"But Bulkhead that's just one thing." I said.

"Exactly!" Bulkhead said laughing.

We all laughed too except Miko who had clenched fists on her hips. "We can always go another time." Bulkhead told Miko sounding a little less confident then before. Miko just sighed loudly before throwing her arms up in defeat.

"Hey Miko, we can still go." I then said.

"Ugh." She moaned all that excitement had been replaced with disappointment and a change of heart.

"Come on." i said holding her arm she lazily walked to my bike with me, while resting her head on my shoulder. "i take it you guys aren't coming?" i then said to Jack and Raf.

"Nah I'm more of a speed kind of guy." Jack said resting his hands behind his head putting up his feet.

"Ditto." Raf said as he was playing a racing game.

"Okay but you're missing out." I then turned to Miko who was still unmotivated." Maybe i could convince one of the drivers to give us a spin." I added.

she groaned and looked like she was high on pain killers, "Suddenly destruction isn't looking all that great." she said.

The next day we all eagerly awaited for Wheeljacks arrival, we were all on the couch. Miko had a big grin on her face and i hope it's because of last night too as well as the arrival of Wheeljack. With my honeyed words i managed to get us in to look like we were part of the show. It was the classic jump over a load of cars and reach the other side thing and it was awesome. but i think I'll stick to a more quieter vehicle for entertainment, but with that being said i did love the thrill of it, the roaring of engines, the loud cheers, the risk of whip lash!...well maybe not that last bit but it was an adrenaline rush something i hadn't experienced in a while, well for the reasons of fun anyway.

About twenty minutes later Wheeljack was near landing and we'd all gathered around the screen.

"Do you think he's here to visit?" Raf asked.

"Maybe he'll stay" miko said then thought for a moment. "Hmm, have to find his own human though." She finished.

"This place is gonna be a full house." I thought,

Then Ratchet readied up the groundbridge. "Groundbridge cycling up." He announced then sparks starting flying then Ratchet hit it, which seems to solve everything. "Blasted scraplets! Equipment hasn't been the same since the infestation."

"So Wheeljack's going to land half way around the world and then you'll bridge him here?" Jack then asked Dad.

"We cant risk revealing the location of our base just in case the Decepticons are tracking Wheeljack's ship" Dad replied as we all notice Miko run off towards Bulkhead who was pacing around.

"Dude, I've never seen you so stoked!" Miko said excitably

"Oh, you're gonna love Wheeljack, we were like brothers. And tonight we are gonna party!" Bulkhead cheered.

"S-weet!" miko said in response.

I then leaned up against the railing as i thought about the new arrival, then that alarm went off which i swear is going to make me deaf the time i reach 30.

"Bogies closing fast on Wheeljack's position" Arcee said yeah because that alarm means something good.

"Con scum!" Bulkhead yelled. "Open the bridge Ratchet! We're missing all the action!"

"I'll prepare sick bay" Ratchet said.

"Who for the cons?" Bulkhead laughed "This is Wheeljack we're talking about" then Bulkhead followed by Arcee and Bumblebee ran through the groundbridge.

"Of course." i said to Jack, "its Wheeljack." i added.

"Well if Bulkhead says he's capable then he must be i guess." he replied.

"Yeah, but if he says there like brothers and they were both on the same team, is base going to be able to withstand the both of them?" i said.

"Well its managed to hold Miko." Jack jested.

"Hey!" Miko exclaimed putting herself between the two of us nearly knocking me over the railing.

as i hanged onto the railing pulling myself up i blew a few strands of hair out of my face, "we're all going to die." i said casually

It was a few minutes before the others came back and they had returned with another Autobot. He was mostly white but with bits of red and green thrown in there. Overall a pretty cool looking bot.

"Jackie come here; meet my other best buddy, Miko!" Bulkhead said proudly. "She can wreak with the best of us!"

"Hiya!" Miko said with a quick wave.

"You keeping Bulkhead here out of trouble?" He asked.

"I try, but trouble finds us anyway" Miko replied.

"And by that she means herself." I added from where i was standing.

"We're gonna get along just fine" Wheeljack said.

Then Dad made himself noticed by walking up to Wheeljack. Wheeljack then turned around.

"Optimus Prime, it's a privilege" Wheeljack said.

"Likewise solider, what have you to report from your long journey?" Dad asked.

"Been bouncing from rock to rock, searching for sign of friend or foe. Now, I find both." Wheeljack replied.

"We are few, but strong. We have suffered losses but we have grown. And we would relish welcoming a new member into our fold." Dad added.

"I would be honored" Wheeljack said.

"Then let's get this party started!" Bulkhead then declared whacking Wheeljack on the back making him jolt forward then he turned around and they both chest bumped each other.

"Oh joy." Ratchet Said sarcastically.

As Bulkhead declared this Dad was making his way towards the entrance, i quickly ran up to him before he transformed. "Where are you going?" i asked.

"For a drive." He replied.

"You're not gonna stay for the party?" i then asked.

"i will take this time to gather my thoughts, quiet moments are rarely given here as you should know." He then said.

"Can i, maybe, join you?" i asked shyly.

"Of course." He said and without so much as a warning he transformed i looked over his vehicular mode as i then jumped in the driver's seat and asked the same question i ask every time.

"Can i drive?"

"Every time you ask that question the response will be the same and that response is no." He simply said.

"I'm perfectly capable of driving." I argued. "a-a Motorcycle..." i coughed under my hand.

"And i do not doubt your ability its just..." he cut himself off.

"Yessss?" i said.

"I...do not like the idea of you...controlling me." He said and did i hear a slight sound of nervousness?

He started to drive towards the entrance on that note. "Don't i do that already" i said with a swift laugh.

We exited the base and it was very dark all i could see was Dad's headlights on the road.

"So, what you thinking now. " i asked through the silence.

"What Starscream will plan next it is always what i think about." he answered.

"Is that all you think about?" I questioned.

"There are other things as well. "He simply said.

"Can i ask you a personal question?" i asked.

"You know you can ask me anything." He said.

"I've asked this question before but you've never given me a straight answer mostly because something always happens. But I'm curious, what were you like before the war?" i then asked.

"Hmm, before the war i would have still been a young cybertronian and as such i was still learning and i was very naive...maybe because of this i wasn't able to figure out Megatrons true ambition." He said.

"I can't really picture you being naive." i said bizarrely.

i heard him make a light chuckle, "i was not sparked with wisdom, i had to learn through experience like so many others, and i did learn under Alpha Trion." he continued.

"as you've mentioned before, I'm still trying to picture a younger you." i said scratching my head.

"i had learned much about our history, it gave me my own perspective on what our society was like during my time, and looking at it again, i saw things that i had not seen before." he said.

"You mean like what people don't want to see?" i said.

"Yes..." he then stopped as he slightly swerved, i tensed up slightly as he straightened himself out.

"uh...what was that about?" i said.

"Small mammal." he confirmed.

i instantly stuck my head out the window, "you didn't crush him did you?!" i exclaimed.

"No, but he himself has now gained some wisdom of his own." he said lightly.

"Getting back to topic how did you meet Alpha Trion? you also worked under him right? but as what? and you said you a name before Optimus, what was that?" i said.

"Why so anxious?" he said.

"Because you rarely mention your past and i want to know it." i said.

"Another time perhaps." he said.

"Was there really that much difference from who you are now then you were then?" i said.

"Yes but that's not all that changed and i did not notice the change until i met you." He said.

"What do you mean now?" i said wearily.

"As the war progressed so did the loss and my spark had hardened, though i still kept to my beliefs...But then even more years had passed and...I was getting desperate, to try to end the war, i had become very brutal when terminating Decepticons as you may recall." He spoke solemnly.

"Yes." I said gravely.

"It was the look you gave me, as i...terminated that decepticon, you knew it by look alone and i knew it myself despite my attempts at reassuring you it was not out of selflessness but out of bitterness, every Decepticon i have slain by my hands has always been tragic it is not a victory." He continued.

"But you only destroy them if all other methods had been exhausted." I said.

"Exactly however on some occasions i did not even try anymore." He said. "I was no better than Megatron."

"That was then and this is now you've found your path again and you've found new hope in this world." I said reassuringly.

"Indeed i have. In you, in our other human friends and my Autobots." He said hopefully.

After that...depressing discussion i decided to lighten the atmosphere.

"You're still pretty serious mind you; you ruin all my best jokes in front of the others." I said.

"Just showing the side that needs to be shown. Besides i show my tender side to you do i not?" he said slightly teasing.

"Yeah and i bet they wouldn't see you the same way if i told them a few stories."I said slyly.

"Your stories do not threaten me." He said proudly.

"Three words. April, fool's, day." I said darkly.

Dad was silent.

"Yeah, that's right." I said triumphantly.

There was silence again.

"You know, all i know about how you use to be was that you were young and naive but you learned stuff. You dodged the question again!" i said.

"I have strayed far enough, it would be best to return back to base." He then stated before turning around.

"You're so full of excuses!" i yelled.

"I have a few stories of my own about you that i will gladly share with Jack, Miko and Raphael." He said slyly back.

"Hey! heres an interesting fact did you know Locutus is Latin for spoken..." i started laughing nervously, "a-and your name is Latin too, b-but i was hoping it would mean 'talks like a river'..." then stared blankly out the window as there was that dangerous silence again.

"Do human children usually run around unclothed?" he asked as a serious question but i know what he was doing.

"Shut up! it was the sugar damn you! the sugar!" i yelled till my throat was soar.

When we got back to base, a lot had happened it seems as Miko explained the whole scenario in less then 2 minutes! i-i didn't even step out of the cab to breathe before i instantly felt dizzy.

i held a hand to my forehead, "H-Hold on, let me try and comprehend this okay, So the Wheeljack that came in before wasn't the real Wheeljack and the one who is here now, is?"

"Yeah and they both had a death match brawl!" Miko exclaimed.

I stood there staring blankly i was so confused but i just wanted to sleep. "I'm gonna go to bed." I bluntly said. She would probably go into much more detail in the morning. But before i made my way to my room dad stepped me to one side.

"I enjoyed our conversation." He said generally smiling.

"Me too, seems to me you've been keeping that particular demon to yourself for years." I said raising an eyebrow.

"Perhaps i was afraid you would see me in a different light." He said sadly.

"To be honest I'm a little relieved." I said sighing.

Dad cocked his head to one side "i...do not understand." He said confused.

"I mean, just to know that one point in your life you actually snapped. No wait ... let me explain, when i was growing up you were always so ... awesome. You never lost your cool, you always knew what to do and you're inspirational to many. I thought to myself that I'd never be able to reach that level of awesome, i can only be myself. But i still want a little bit of your awesomeness to rub off onto me. But then you told me how you went through a mental breakdown at least i know that even you have struggles with yourself."

"Mental breakdown?" Dad said with a raised eyebrow.

"You know what i mean." I said with a grin.

"Did you think i was always the peak of perfection as you have stated?" Dad said teasingly.

"Who said anything about being perfect?" i said giving him a hard glare.

He laughed. "I did raise you, do you not think a little bit of myself would have been passed down on to you?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "despite knowing how to monologue i got nothing." i jested.

"You do not know yourself very well do you?" he slipped a chuckle again then crouched down to me. "Well let me say it as this, that i wish you were not influenced by me because then you would be in much less dangerous situations."

"It's mostly because I'm either worried about someone's safety or it feels like the right thing to do, because that's what you've taught me, right, wrong, responsibility, consequences of actions you know all that droll stuff." I argued.

"Droll? perhaps i have missed out being respectful." he said shaking his head lightly.

i motioned him to lean in closer i then gave him a light hug as i instantly spun around and ran for my room. Didn't want him to think i cared about him or something. But i did get the fuzzies inside. "despite what he's taught me theirs still parts of my own influence in me that sometimes contributes to the situations I'm in heh." i said under my breath.

"Then Bulkhead grabbed the wannabe Wheeljack and went whoooo! Then he threw him through the groundbridge, now that's how you take out the trash Boo-yeah!" Miko said excitably.

Remember when i said Miko would explain every detail in the morning? i didn't literally want it to happen! i was there for an hour and a half but i didn't want to sound rude so i sat patiently and listened. I hadn't even got changed out of my pyjamas. "Guess i missed out huh?" i said.

"Oh yeah. You missed the party! No worries we'll rein-act it all." Miko said as she went to plug her guitar in. "hey where are my dancers?" she called to Jack and Raf.

"Miko it's not even the afternoon yet" Jack said stretching. Miko ignored him by playing her guitar. There was no way to reason with her so Jack started dancing anyway, along with Raf and Bumblebee joined in too.

"What's with the generic dancing?" i said laughing.

"Come on Ellen you probably know some moves." Jack said hinting at me.

"I do the odd break dance now and then but do you know this one?" i said then i proceeded to Moonwalk with the music.

"Whoa. Smooth. Mind teaching me that little trick?" Jack said.

"Sure start with your right heel up..." as i showed Jack some moves i heard the conversation that was going on moments away.

"Now that your part of team Prime, we need to pick out a vehicle mode for you, i have some ideas." Bulkhead said.

"Er about that Bulk." Wheeljack started i then stopped at the tone in his voice. "Now that my ships repaired, I'm itching...to know what else i can find out there." He finished.

Then we all ran up to him. "Wait. You're leaving. Why?" Miko questioned. Wheeljack looked at her regrettably.

"Well." Bulkhead started. "Because some bots never change." He then laughed.

"Wheeljack." Dad then came into the conversation. "Know that you always have a haven here."

Wheeljack nodded to him. "Jackie never stays, but he always comes back." Bulkhead said whacking Wheeljack on the back. The two of them then bumped fists.

"Can you feel the bromance tonight?" I said.

We all agreed to see Wheeljack off, even though i was still in my pyjamas! As the groundbridge closed behind, now came the departing. "There's room for two Bulk. Even with a backside like yours." Wheeljack jested. With this idea in his head, Miko became disheartened.

"Huh! It sounds like fun Jackie, but my ties are here now, with them, with her." Bulkhead then said. Miko then instantly perked up, i have to say they do compliment each other, then again i generally think we're a disease to them we manage to get under there metal exterior even if there was a bot who completely hated the human race, they totally fall for us kids.

Wheeljack nodded as he understands, and then turned to miko. "If anything happens to my favorite wrecker, I'm coming after you." Wheeljack jokingly threatened.

"I'll take good care of him." Miko said pulling out her cell phone. "Now. Say cheese!" she said as she took a snapshot of them both.

"Now make like a tree, and get outta here." i said thumbing behind me.

Jack sighed. "Couldn't help yourself could ya."

"It's like a condition." I argued.

"Oh really? What's it called?" he answered back.

"Quotetrects?" i said thinking on the spot. Jack shook his head.

Wheeljack then boarded his ship, him and Bulkhead locked onto each other for one last time. Then as we watched the doors close he took off obviously eager to see what else he can discover out there. I cupped my hands over my eyes to watch him go out of sight. "Now. Can i please get some cloths on! I hate getting sand in-between my toes!" i moaned.

A/N Next up convoy ;)