Mikaela had come home late on Friday night, and Saturday we all kept each other close. The kids weren't happy unless they were at least in the same room as Mikaela, and 'Trice was downright clingy. It was still early autumn, so we went up to the roof for some sunshine. Mikaela hung out in the sunroom for the most part, breathing in the smell of growing things, while Hound's and Trailbreakers' holoforms managed to coax the kids away to kick a soccer ball around for a while.

By Sunday, the kids were getting stir crazy, but Mikaela still was worn out. They eventually consented to going to the park with Hound and 'Breaker. Mikaela and I again went to the roof, but she just wanted to sit in the sun and be held.

Monday came too soon. There was a committee hearing in the morning that I really needed to attend, so I kissed Mikaela goodbye while she was still asleep and promised myself I'd be home before lunch. But for either politics or Mikaela, I needed my wits about me. And that meant I needed an energy boost. As we pulled out of the parking garage, I said, "I need some caffeine, 'Bee."

"Coffee's coming up!"

Thankfully the line was short at my favorite coffee shop. I would be in and out in less than ten minutes. Maybe less than five. In a numb haze, I placed my order and then stepped aside to wait.

My heart suddenly leaped to my throat and I mentally reached for weapons I'd never carried. Then the bond quieted, and my hands started shaking. Battle protocols. I'd felt this before and knew what it was. Optimus was fighting for his life.

Leaving my latte behind, I ran outside, sprinting across the parking lot to 'Bee. He popped his door open for me, and his tires peeled out as he took off.

"What – "

"Diego Garcia is under attack."

"How bad?" I asked.

"Arcee's in hiding with Beatus – they just made it to Wheeljack's lab. The observation lounge is the best bunker on base. Primus, I should be there with them! I've always had her back!"

"What's happening, Bee?" I demanded, as much to distract him as to save my own sanity. "Optimus is too far away for me to see it over the bond right now. Give me the bigger picture."

"Right. Chromia's in the bunker with Arcee; Ironhide is standing guard outside. He's not firing his cannons – he doesn't want to draw attention to his position."

Ironhide was sitting out a firefight. Somehow that freaked me out even more.

"BINDS is squawking like crazy – it's detected close to thirty Decepticons who made it past our defense satellites. It's dark, which makes things a little harder, especially for the humans. The 'Cons aren't really engaging, though. They're harassing NEST, providing… ah slag."

"What?"

"There's about a dozen Seekers providing cover fire – the rest are raiding the waters around the island. They're taking the shipping containers we stored there."

"The solar harvester parts?"

"Yep. Optimus just hitched into his Blackbird armor. Sideswipe's already in the air with his jetpack, and he's taken out one Seeker and one transport Decepticon carrying a shipping container. Optimus is going to back him up."

I gripped my armrest, noticing in the back of my mind that Bumblebee and I were wandering some suburban side-road. That let the rest of my brain kick in, and 'Bee's concern for Arcee made me think of Mikaela and the kids. "We have to get home."

"Not safe," 'Bee curtly answered. "They've already evacuated the Tower. RaFly's got Mikaela, and Hound and Trailbreaker already are on the move with the kids, claiming they're on a donut run. Bluestreak is backing them up, and Tracks has Annabelle. Evac is on his way to provide air support for me, and Mirage has Leo. If we gather, we're a bigger target."

That satisfied the husband and father in me enough that I could think about my brother again. The feelings were fainter, but his fury burned too brightly for even battle protocols to hide it. "What about Optimus?"

"He's airborne and doing some wicked damage. He's going head-to-head against a full trine. Sideswipe's been shot down, but Sunstreaker is still firing from the ground, so his twin can't be in too bad of shape."

I felt the sudden ache near my shoulder blade as Bumblebee swore. "Optimus took a bad hit," he said. "He's grounded now, too. The humans are finally showing up, though. They're lighting up the Seekers. Shot down another mech carrying a shipping container, but the Seekers snatched it up. Left the wounded behind, but they're taking the container. They're in full retreat, looks like."

I grunted as the battle protocols dropped and a wave of Optimus' pain hit me. Bumblebee was too lost in his waking bond-vision to notice.

"Prowl's not taking any chances, though. He's…the cold-sparked Pit-spawn of the Unmaker is reassigning Ironhide to protect Optimus."

"He doesn't know about Beatus," I reminded 'Bee.

"He knows about Arcee being permanently reduced to one component," he growled in answer.

"And he probably thinks she can still take care of herself. Which she can, especially when she's hidden away in a bunker with Chromia standing guard."

"You're right," he grumbled. "It's just so frustrating!"

I reached out to Optimus, worried about just how bad his injury was. Reassurance washed back, followed by a wordless apology and a throttling of the bond. My shoulder stopped aching, and I reached for my cell phone. /You okay?/ I texted.

/I've won battles while suffering worse damage,/ he said, which wasn't exactly comforting but it fit his mood.

/We'll talk tonight?/ I asked.

/JCS permitting./

I sighed, knowing we both needed to be in Prime mode now. The Decepticons had rotten timing. Mikaela and the kids were struggling as it was.

Speaking of… "Is it safe for me to text Mikaela?" I asked 'Bee. Texts sent over Autobot comms were one thing; human cellular networks were very much another.

"Not yet. There are still two Seekers who made it beneath the BINDS satellites who are unaccounted for."

A sudden suspicion hit me. "They knew. Somehow, they knew about the solar harvester parts."

Bumblebee's frustration over the bond told me he agreed. "I think you're right. They didn't touch anything actually on the island – it was like a smash and grab in a jewelry store. This was a raid specifically for those parts. Why didn't they stay to fight when we were outnumbered? Even with the humans' help, we were pretty outgunned there. Pit, Optimus went down and Ironhide never even showed up, and the 'Cons still retreated. Prowl's gonna blow a gasket trying to analyze this one."

"That's not Megatron's style."

"It's not," 'Bee agreed, "but if he's focused on something other than wiping us out with brute military force, it might be Shockwave's."

"Slag."

"Prowl just gave the all-clear. Both the Seekers were shot down and have been apprehended. Go ahead and…"

My cell phone started chiming with text messages from Mikeala, both the kids, Annabelle, al-Sharif and Leo. Most of them were along the lines of "What is going on?"

"Can you spread the word to the team?" I asked 'Bee. "We'll stick with the emergency evacuation plan and rendezvous at that base in Delaware. Tell the kids we're going to stay at a hotel there, okay?"

"Will do."

To Mikaela, I sent, /Looks like all the action was at the island. Are you feeling okay?/

/RaFly kept me safe. We're good./

But that didn't answer my question. She wanted to be strong, and I guess I could understand why. /We're going to need to stay in VIP quarters or, more likely, at a hotel. Al-Sharif is my next person to call, and I'll probably get stuck with official Prime business for the rest of the day. How are our supplies for an overnighter?/

/Everything we need is already in RaFly's "trunk" and has been ever since we updated the clothing sizes six months ago. Even swimsuits for the kids to go to the hotel pool are in there, if that's where we end up. We got this. Just stay safe – Bumblebee too!/

That woman was amazing – right down to maintaining bug-out bags in RaFly's subspace. After that solar flare when she was pregnant with Daemon, she was never letting us get caught by surprise again. /Will do!/

Aloud, I said to 'Bee, "Mikaela says I'm not allowed to die, and neither are you."

"Well slag, I guess I'll have to scratch that from our to-do list," he sarcastically answered. "And al-Sharif is spamming me. Could you please call him?"

Nodding, I made the call.

…

The rest of the day was spent in basically an ongoing military panic attack.

The hearing on Capitol Hill I'd been trying to attend didn't happen. When word spread that the U.S. military had suffered a major attack on a joint operating base, the entire government went into lockdown. Even all these years later, everyone's minds went to Soccent, to the sinking of the Roosevelt, and to the other attacks by The Fallen.

While Ratchet performed surgery on the downed Seekers, trying to get them repaired enough to talk, I was patched into a meeting with Will Lennox, Optimus, Prowl, and the JCS, where we frantically searched for answers that nobody had yet.

This was a successful and targeted strike; was it just the first foray, a test of our defenses? Was another attack coming? What lapses in security allowed this? What would it take to get our defenses back up? How was the Decepticons intel about the solar harvester parts gathered? What were they likely to do with the parts?

And then there were the long-term questions we Autobots needed to discuss among ourselves: How far did this set us back in terms of building another solar harvester? How could we prevent another potential attack? Was it time to declare independence for the Kiribati island we had purchased? Was it time to begin building our colony there so we didn't put human militaries at further risk?

The uncertainties were maddening.

It was after 22:00 hours before 'Bee and I finally pulled up to the hotel that Mikaela and the kids had checked into. I recognized Mirage, Tracks, Bluestreak, RaFly, Hound and Trailbreaker all parked on the ground level, but they were spread out. My brain was mush, but a numb sort of curiosity stirred in my mind.

"It's a defensive formation," 'Bee explained. "It looks like the Decepticons have retreated, but we're not taking any chances."

"Ah."

Mikaela had reserved a two-room suite for us, and RaFly's holoform Rebecca Segretti opened the door before we could knock. Mikaela was in the little living room with Wheelie, Annabelle, and Leo.

Leo jumped to his feet, practically twanging with nervous energy. "Dude, what's the news?"

"Nothing you don't already know," I wearily said. "The Decepticons threw enough mechs at BINDS to overwhelm the cannons. They broke through, took everything we'd stockpiled for the Solar Harvester Project over the last decade, and took off." Glancing at Cam Romero, I said, "It was like a smash-and-grab at a jewelry store."

"They wouldn't have wasted mechs that way," Rebecca said. "It'll be sparkless drones, but still. Same effect."

"But where would they get that many drones?" Cam asked. "That's the big question."

Ignoring them both, I asked, "Where are the kids?"

Mikaela nodded toward the door between our rooms. "Asleep. I promised them you'd come say good-night."

Kicking off my shoes and setting aside my suit coat and tie, I padded to their room and pulled the door shut behind me, closing out the others' soft conversation.

I stood still, letting my eyes adjust to the dark, and I smiled to hear soothing, classical music coming from Beatrice's cell phone. She had a hard time falling asleep sometimes – her vivid imagination tended to run away with her – and so 'Bee had compiled this playlist for her. It was particularly comforting tonight.

I didn't blame 'Bee for being more focused on Arcee and Beatus during the raid – they were both precious. But even more precious to me were these two littles of mine. I could see their dark hair against the white pillowcases now, and I crossed the room to Daemon's side.

Today might have been the tipping point, the setback that pushed building the solar harvester out of my lifetime and into his. With the loss of a full decade's worth of production, I might not live to see that day. He didn't know it yet, probably wouldn't for at least another five years, but today very well could be the day Daemon became the Prime who would help Optimus recharge the Matrix. I had failed both him and my brothers.

I leaned over and kissed his brow, knowing he'd never let me get away with that if he were awake. It was such a heavy responsibility to place on him, and my heart ached a little at the thought.

Behind me, 'Trice mumbled, "Yes, Besty," and grinning, I turned to kiss her goodnight, too. She always lightened my heart.

When I kissed her curls, though, she shifted and patted my cheek. "It's okay, Daddy. Besty says we're all going to be okay."

"She does, huh?" I whispered.

"Yep. Our new friends will keep us safe."

"New friends?"

But her only answer was a soft snore. Giving her one last kiss on the cheerk, I went back to join the others.

...

That night in my dreams, the entire clan was waiting on the aircraft carrier for me. Arcee was on her knees, trying to comfort Beatus. I could feel them all like a wall of worry, and for once, I fit right in.

"But how do you know?" Beatus was demanding. "All the parts were a secret, too, but…"

"We guarded your secret better than that," 'Bee said. "There isn't a single email or text or transmission that acknowledges your existence. Not even a piece of paper. The only ones who know are the mechs who were there, plus Ratchet. I don't think even Mirage knows."

"But Annabelle does," Beautus whined, his fear starting to bubble over into panic.

"What?" I demanded.

"We told her the summer after her injury," Arcee softly explained. "With all she sacrificed for us, she deserved to know."

"But what if she told someone?" Beatus said. "What if…"

Ironhide scooped Beatus up in his arms and pressed his helm to the mechling's – kin to kin. "You're more precious than you know, little one, even to Annabelle. That's how I know she didn't let anything slip. If the Decepticons knew about you, they would also understand how important and cherished you are, and they would not have retreated last night. Megatron would have torn the base apart – or obliterated it – when they had the upper hand like that. The fact that Diego Garcia isn't a smoldering heap of ash means your secret's still safe."

I was about to scold Ironhide for saying something so not age-appropriate, but I felt how his words actually did reassure Beatus, and I shut my mouth. 'Hide put Beatus back on his feet, and I felt the fleeting smirk the warrior sent my way.

Focusing on my littlest brother, I said, "I'll talk to Annabelle for you, Beatus, if it'll make you feel better. I'll make sure she hasn't told anyone."

He nodded, his gratitude curling its way into my spark, and he gave Ironhide a tentative little smile.

"Ironhide is correct," Optimus added for good measure. "The Decepticons would have stopped at nothing if they knew, but remember this: your clan stands with you, Beatus. We would stop at nothing to protect you, even if the cost was our own sparks."

The mechling's worry flashed across our bonds – fear for us – but a flood of Optimus' own confidence and determination quenched it.

I stood a little straighter as his feelings washed over me, and I could see and sense how the sheer intensity of his will impacted the others. Their own amity and protectiveness amplified that wave of courage across our web of bonds, and I was swept away as my feelings mingled with the others' and rippled back to me. I'd felt the brunt of Optimus' emotions before, but this was even more moving. I might be a mere fleshling, but I felt ready to give battle to Megatron – and I suddenly, fiercely remembered that I'd already killed him once.

"You are safe, Beatus," Optimus declared, and every spark in our clan echoed and added their own strength to his resolve. "You are safe. Be at peace."

And with that word "peace," the floodgates really opened. We were in tune, in sync, seven living sparks burning in unity. The emotional anchor for that unity was Optimus, and that defining, deep peace of his swelled to saturate the bond. For the first time, I understood what it really meant to be Prime-bound.

Deeper, stronger, broader than even death, that peace became all of us for a sliver of a second. It gave me a hint, an inkling, of the eternal well it was drawn from and it was...transcendent. Brighter and hotter than the sun, and then it was gone, a kind of cool serenity taking its place. A calm and unbreakable resolve settled over us in its wake.

For a long time, none of us felt anything but that otherworldly peace and resolve.

"Thank you, Optimus," Arcee eventually murmured.

He nodded, and Arcee knelt next to Beatus again. "I have to return to the med bay, sparkling mine. We need the intel from those injured Seekers. Are you staying here…"

"Staying," he said, without even a shadow of his earlier worry.

Her affection and approval tinted the bond, and she rose to her feet again. After bowing slightly to Optimus, she gave 'Bee a wistful smile. "Until all are one." And then she was gone.

Ironhide and Chromia were the next to leave with murmured thanks, and then Beatus looked up at Optimus. "Will you teach me how to do that?"

"You will learn, I have no doubt," he said.

Bumblebee had been stunned speechless this whole time, and Optimus turned his attention to my best friend, resting a reassuring hand on 'Bee's shoulder.

'Bee looked up at him. "That seemed like…"

Optimus said, "It was."

'Bee rested his hand on Optimus' arm. "Wow."

Optimus chuckled at that, and it was like some kind of spell was broken. Turning to Beatus, 'Bee said, "Come on, kiddo, your brothers have work to do. We'll check in on them in a little bit. But there's a memory from Simfur I want to show you, back before the War."

Beatus brightened at that and held up his arms for 'Bee to snatch him up, and then they were gone, too.

"What was that all about?" I asked.

"He was a Temple guardian," Optimus reminded me, though he was pretty awestruck, too. "One cannot handle the avatar of Primus on a regular basis and not learn to sense certain things."

I nudged him over the bond. "In English?"

He finally focused on me. "The Matrix affirmed my words. The All Spark has not done that since being reformatted into its current form. The Cube occasionally affirmed an oath, most often when sacred vows were made. Bumblebee had felt a similar experience when he took the oath of a Temple guardian."

I thought about that, trying to remember Optimus' exact wording. "You didn't swear any oaths."

"I did not."

He was lost in thought, brooding over the words still, and I nudged him again over the bond.

He lifted his gaze to mine. "I offered Beatus peace. Perhaps the affirmation was that Cybertron would see the establishment of peace in his lifetime."

That was a hopeful thought, but his spark wasn't in it. "You don't believe that."

A bit reluctantly, he said, "I also promised him safety, even at the cost of my own life and the rest of the clan if necessary."

"Oh."

He shook his head, a hint of dismay darkening the bond. "All but Bumblebee were previously bound to me and so to the first Dynasty of the Primes. Perhaps we will need to yield and make way for the second Dynasty to establish peace."

I remembered again that brief burst of...of something brilliant and calm and good. The idea that our fates could be sealed by something like that just didn't make any sense. "You think every 'bot in the clan except Bumblebee and Beatus are going to get wiped out? You think that is what the avatar of Primus just set in stone?"

"Without the parameters of an oath...I am uncertain, Sam."

"Well slag."

I felt his "Indeed" even if he didn't say it. Instead, he said, "Courage and sacrifice."

"No sacrifice, no victory," I agreed. The marks of a Prime. The second Dynasty of the Primes could very well include my own kids as well as Beatus. If the only chance for their survival was our deaths...it wasn't something I wanted to contemplate, but I couldn't think of a better reason to make that kind of sacrifice. But frag Primus to the Pit and back if this was just his way of clearing the chess board!

Optimus' concern coalesced into something more definite. "I am uneasy that you are in a civilian hotel and not in a protected position on a military base."

I sighed. "We just uprooted the kids and Mikaela, and she's still recovering physically from the miscarriage. Hiding in a bunker didn't make any sense, not when the 'cons didn't even glance our way and there's no Autobot-level weaponry here. Besides, your Autobots aren't taking any chances. They've got the whole place covered."

"I am concerned nonetheless, especially now. Be careful, Sam."

I extended my hand, and he caught my arm in a warrior's grip. "You too," I said. "Watch your back, brother."