This time when Optimus woke, he came out of it slowly. The memory had made him feel weak, and his neck cables were aching as if they had been hit mere moments ago. He sat up slowly and rubbed the back of his helm, slowly going down to where he felt he had been struck. His optics slowly opened, adjusting quickly to the dim light. Ratchet was once again at his monitor, his back to the Prime. He hadn't seemed to notice that his leader was awake now. Optimus looked at his friend sadly, his optics downcast on the wound on Ratchet's side. He couldn't remember how he had obtained it, which bothered him. Had it been Megatron, or some other Decepticon.

"Ratchet," he said quietly, causing the said mech to jump harshly, turning sharply as if ready to attack.

The medic relaxed when he saw Optimus weakly sitting up on the berth. "Oh, Optimus," he sighed. "Don't do that."

The Prime looked at him sadly, something Ratchet was not quite used to seeing. He had been closest to Optimus, so he was often able to tell how the Prime was really feeling when he seemed to be calm. Still, seeing that expression on his friend's faceplate made him uncomfortable. He just wanted Optimus to be himself, but deep inside he knew that that could probably never happen again.

"I am sorry, old friend," Optimus said gently. His optics turned even more upset as they rested upon Ratchet's dead eye. The scar painfully reminded him of his dream and what Megatron had done to his comrades and closest friend.

"What? What is it?" Ratchet asked uncomfortably, noticing his stare.

The Prime shook his helm slightly, glancing away. "I dreamt another memory, Ratchet," he told him. He looked back up to the medic with pain in his optics. "I remember Bulkhead, and Wheeljack and Smokescreen..."

The old doctor sighed and looked down at his pedes. "Yes, that was a troubling time for all of us."

"Your optic.." Optimus whimpered, surprising the medic once again. "And... we were captured.."

"Is that as far as your memory goes?" Ratchet asked, switching into doctor mode and bringing a light to Optimus' optics. The sad Prime let him without any protest as he nodded solemnly.

"It is not as if... I don't know the fate of the others," he said with a shudder. "It is as though... my visual memory is slowly coming back.. I do not remember specific details until I see them again in my dreams.." He shuddered again as Ratchet finished his examination.

"You were hurt very badly, Optimus. I mean very badly," the doctor said, swallowing. "It was a miracle I was able to save you at all.."

"Which cost you your own health," Optimus said with realization. 

Ratchet looked away. "At the time, I was injured, yes." His mangled servo reached for his permanently injured side. "But your life was more important, Optimus."

Optimus sighed in defeat, knowing there was no point in arguing about it. He still felt terrible; his friend was so hurt, and he could do nothing about it, even though it was partially his fault. He glanced back up at his friend and placed on servo on Ratchet's shoulder plate.

"Thank you, old friend," he said gratefully, in a quiet, gentle voice.

Ratchet looked back at him, giving him a pained, forced smile. It hurt Optimus' spark to see it, but he returned it with one of his own, hopefully not as forced. Ratchet coughed slightly, making Optimus' faceplate twist with concern, but Ratchet waved his servo dismissively.

"I'm fine," he told the Prime. "Nothing I can't handle. I want to see how you're healing; could you stand for me?"

Optimus nodded, though still a bit worried, and slowly raised himself up his full height. His legs didn't feel as shaky anymore, and his pedes weren't in any kind of pain. The only thing he really felt was a slight squeeze in his chest chassis, but it quickly subsided. He moved his joints a bit, testing his ability. Nothing pained him especially, only the occasional tweak as he pulled a little farther than his chassis was comfortable with. He smiled slightly, pleased. Ratchet nodded, obviously satisfied as well.

"It seems your systems are nearly healed," he diagnosed. "Just a bit longer, Optimus, and then you should be fully functional." He breathed a sigh of relief.

Optimus was honestly surprised that he wasn't going to have any kind of bodily setback, but was grateful that his strength was returning. He looked over to where he had previously seen the Energon stored, and frowned slightly when he saw that their reserves were nearly gone. He turned back to Ratchet, who sighed again.

"I.. had to refuel," he stated quietly. "I was low."

Optimus nodded, remembering grimly what had happened the night before. "We should try to obtain more Energon soon, old friend."

The medic nodded and pointed to the dimly-lit screen with one digit. "I was already working on that," he said seriously. "I found a nearly abandoned mine. Vehicons only patrol there for a certain few hours. I have been keeping an optic on this one for a while now." He winced at his own unintended pun.

Optimus Prime nodded. "Do we have a means of getting there?" he asked nervously, unsure of how well missions would go without a Groundbridge.

Ratchet smirked, one step ahead of him. "No need to worry, Optimus. I managed to steal some of the Decepticon's, specifically Soundwave's, Groundbridge technology." He went over to the console and pulled something out from behind a port. "This remote allows me to open a Groundbridge wherever I please. Quite useful after I lost the last one." He flipped it in the air and caught again. "And the Decepticons have no idea that it is currently in my possession."

Optimus smiled, happy to see some of his friend's former self. "That will do well, Ratchet," he said, earning another smirk from the old medic.

"Are you sure you want to tag along, Optimus?" Ratchet asked tentatively, giving him a side glance. "While there is a high chance that there won't be any danger, I don't want you to get injured again.."

Prime shook his helm. "I am not allowing you to go on this mission alone," he stated firmly. "Now that I have recovered, I might as well be of some use."

Ratchet sighed, shaking his own helm, but he the corners of his mouth were turned up slightly. Optimus felt good about that; he was actually smiling this time.

"Alright," Ratchet mused. "But before we leave, I want to test something. Take out your blades."

Giving Ratchet a weird look, the Prime did as he was told. When the medic nodded, he felt even more confused.

"Now try your blasters," Ratchet instructed.

Optimus nodded, unsure why this was important. He turned his swords back into his normal servos, before willing them to turn into blasters. His optics widened when nothing happened. He strained harder, but no matter how much he tried, his blasters would not appear. He reeled back as he realized that something felt... empty. Like he was missing something.

Ratchet groaned at brought a servo to his faceplate, pinching the bridge of an imaginary nose. "As I assumed, it seems that the Decepticons have removed your blasters."

Optimus stared at his friend in horror, his servos shaking. He nearly groaned as he realized that he was now limited to close range combat, a definite drawback, since the Decepticons no doubt had all of their weapons handy.

Ratchet saw Optimus' terror and held up his mangled. "It's not like I can do much with this, either," he growled. "I can barely turn it into a blade." He then pointed to the wound on his side. "And that's just that hand. My T-Cog was damaged when I was hurt, so now I can only form my welder and blades. My alt mode is entirely out of the question." He shook his helm with a frustrated sigh.

Optimus realized that the old medic was trying to make him feel better, and while it did ease his own pain a little, he now felt even more sorry for Ratchet. He was permanently scarred, and paying the price for it, he had been alone and caring for a patient for over a year, and had lost access to his wheels. He could not help but feel that his friend probably felt near useless and blamed himself for so much loss.

He put a consoling servo on Ratchet's shoulder plate. "Thank you, old friend. And I'm sorry."

Ratchet raised an optic ridge, a bit confused, but decided not to push it. Instead he waved Optimus' servo away, turning his back to him and returning to his monitor. He typed away at something and then held up the remote.

"At least you're not fully unarmed," he assured, pressing a button. A swirling mass of green, neon blue, yellow, and violet appeared behind him, creating a slight draft in the air. "Now, are we going or not?"

Optimus smiled to himself at his old friend's gruffness and nodded, walking towards the Groundbridge. Ratchet followed behind him, and they were swallowed up into the color before it disappeared.

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I actually am in a big writing mood today. Two chapters in one day! (From two separate books, but still.) This chapter was actually fun to write, even if it is boring to read. Gearing up for the big stuff soon, so don't worry. 

I have noticed that this book has significantly fewer reads then my other two stories: Return and Guardians (please check them out!). I hope it's not because it is boring. When the idea came to me, it actually seemed pretty interesting. I feel like it is because it looks at an almost entirely new angle. So, I hope it's not because it is boring. Maybe it's because the info on it looks rather bleak... I was in a hurry and didn't do very good on it... I should probably fix that..

Oh, well, for those of you who have continued to read this, thank you so much!

*waves*