Prepare yourself people... someones liable to despise me for this chapter but it's all part of the plan.

Ch. 23

One month later at the Autobot base:

Jack was standing beside Optimus as they scanned for energon deposits throughout the world. Jack let his mind wander to his life as of late. He was in a relationship with Arcee and was a member of the Autobots; aside from the frequent number of Decepticon incursions, life was good. Optimus suddenly heard a beep go off; signaling that someone was trying to contact them.

Optimus hit a series of buttons before the grim face of Agent Fowler appeared. "Agent Fowler, how can we be of assistance?" The normally boisterous Agent looked at the Prime before speaking up. "I need to speak to Jack; there's been… an incident." With that, Jack looked up with worried eyes as he walked up to the monitor and looked at the Agent.

"What is it Agent Fowler; you sound like you just buried a member of your' family." The agent looked at Jack with disheartened eyes before he spoke up. "I'm gonna be straight forward with you Jack because I don't like reading those damn letters. Sergeant Major Michael Grymm was declared KIA yesterday."

Jack suddenly felt his spark grow cold as he looked down and placed his hands on the console in front of him. 'Primus… please say this isn't happening…' Agent Fowler continued with a soft voice. "He was leading his platoon on a rescue mission in Quatar; they were infiltrating a town overrun by Al-Qaida and got surrounded. We had to send in the 4th Battalion to clear the town and recover their remains."

Jack felt as though he had been stabbed through his spark chamber; Michael had been the closest thing to a brother that Jack had. Optimus placed a hand on Jack's shoulder before Fowler spoke up. "We'll be giving them a proper burial tomorrow; we've got clearance for the Autobots to be there if you want to attend."

Jack closed his eyes before slowly nodding at the Agent as Optimus spoke up. "If you will send us the coordinates, we will travel there tomorrow." With that, Fowler sent the coordinates before saying his farewells. Jack moved to the elevator and went to the top of the base, leaving Optimus in the command center as he called the team together.

"What's going on Optimus; you look troubled." Ratchet spoke up with a hint of worry in his voice as the team looked at their leader. "You all remember Sergeant Major Michael Grymm, the Marine that was with us in the town after Jack's abduction." The team began to nod as they all remembered how he and Jack had met up a few times after their first meeting with Jack as an Autobot.

"As of yesterday, he was reported to have been killed in action… we will be attending his platoons burial ceremony tomorrow." With that, each member of the team felt a sense of sadness come over them, for the lost soldiers as well as for Jack. Arcee walked to the training room and began target practice as she realized that this news had undoubtedly hit Jack harder than the rest of the team. 'Jack, don't you do anything stupid…'

The day after; at the burial ceremony:

Jack watched as the ceremony progressed, a Marine Corps band played Amazing Grace on the bagpipes as well as instruments from other music families. Each member of the platoon had a customary American flag draped over their casket as they were carried by fellow Marines. Jack suddenly saw the final casket being carried out to the front of the group of caskets.

'Mike…' Jack saw that there were members of each military branch carrying Michael's casket, each one being from his family: his father from the Air Force; his uncle from the Navy; one of his cousins from the Army; his grandfather who was a retired Major from the Marine Corps; two cousins from the Air National Guard, another from the Army National Guard, and another from the Coast Guard.

Jack watched as the casket was marched slowly to the front of the platoon. As the casket was set down, Jack came to attention as Fowler gave a short speech about Michael. "I didn't know Michael as well as I wish I could've known him; he was a Marine and I was Army Rangers. But I will say this: from the times I did work with him; from the times we sat down and talked, he was always optimistic and in a good mood. He never shirked a responsibility and served everyone around him before he ever thought about doing something for himself. He led these men through good times and bad and lifted them up no matter what the situation was; he loved his country with a pride I've seen in only a handful of other men and women. I can't say much more than that, because you can't describe the dedication he and his men had in words. And I know that he's looking down on us all right now. And so I'd like to say thank you Michael and the fighting men who marched with you into that final firefight; thank you for all you did for each of us; thank you for the sacrifice you made and the selflessness you showed in life."

Jack felt energon tears going down his face as Fowler turned to the group of Caskets and saluted them. Throughout the ceremony, the rest of the Autobots watched in respectful silence. They suddenly watched as the humans present began to stand from their seats and salute their fallen comrades.

Optimus looked on at the spectacle with solitude and respect; he then saw Jack walk forward slightly before, he too, raised his hand to his brow and saluted the fallen soldiers. The team watched as, slowly, the salutes began to slowly lower until they were all standing and listening to the drone of the singing bagpipes.

The crowd present began to disperse as the caskets were carried away to be buried. The team saw Jack standing motionless until his own salute dropped and more energon tears fell down his face. The team couldn't take it anymore as the emotions hit them. Bulkhead consoled Miko as she had tears of her own coming down as Wheeljack placed a hand on Bulkheads' shoulder; Bumblebee had a hand on Rafael's shoulder as the boy looked down in sadness.

Optimus and Ratchet could do nothing but look on in respectful silence. Arcee was frozen in place as she watched the state Jack was in; she walked forward slowly and when she reached Jack she could only take his hand in hers and comfort him as best she could. "Jack, whatever it takes; however long it takes, I'll be right beside you for anything you need."

With those words, the Autobots began to leave the base, each driving silently as they made their way home. It was Jack who had the most on his mind as he drove ahead of the group to the base. 'Mike….. Primus I still can't wrap my head around all this.' As Jack drove ahead, Arcee drove behind as she worried for her lover. "Primus, please… help him get through this."

Scrap... I feel like an A-hole after this chapter. I killed off Jack's best friend... BUT FEAR NOT! This is not the last we will see of that Marine.