My spring break is almost over! NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
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  Ratchet's optics widened as the bots walked in, Bulkhead was helping an injured Optimus to the med bay and Bumblebee was struggling to carry An unconscious Solar.

"What. Happened."

Arcee walked over to him, "Megatron negotiated with Optimus that it they got the escape pod he could see solar again. We all agreed to it and it turned out the pod was empty. But Megatron had done something to Solar and made him stab Optimus."

Ratchet nodded and hurried to the med bay, "bring Solar too, I want to see what I can find."

Bumblebee nodded and followed. Arcee did the same, "the thing on his neck, it wasn't there before. They must have put it on him while he was there..."

Ratchet nodded and activated a blow torch. "I'll take it off after I stabilize Optimus"

Time skip, brought to you by

Solar yawned and sat up. He was...in the autobot base?

Solar shook his helm, he was moving around too much, it was hard to keep track. "How?..."

"Oh, your awake!" Solar turned to the voice. It was Ratchet, go figure. "Well, I removed that collar from around your neck."

Solar lifted his servo to feel, it was gone. His optics widened when a memory hit him. "Is Optimus okay?"

Ratchet turned back to the computer, "it will take some time, but he will make a full recovery. For now he's restricted to berth rest."

Solar sighed in relief, "good." He looked around the room. "Where is he?"

"In his room, recharging, hopefully." Ratchet muttered the last part.

Solar nodded before shifting into a more comfortable position.

"You should go see him." Ratchet said.

"What?"

"I said, you should go see him. He's tried to come out here several times to check on you."

Solar swallowed thickly, "um, I...I think I'll stay out here for now...."

Ratchet raised an optic ridge, "why?"

Solar ducked his helm, "uhh, bigger area?"

"Fine, but you do need to talk to him sometime."

Solar looked up, "sure..."

"Did they do anything to you?"

"No" solar said hastily, "nothing they haven't done before."

Time skip, brought to you by Wheeljack's grenades

Solar hadn't left the main room yet, and it had been a few days. He would just sit quietly, watching the kids play games, or Ratchet yelling at people. It was concerning to say the least, and it needed to stop, now.

"Solar!"

"Yah, Ratchet?"

"Take this energon to Optimus, please."

Solar tensed, "w-why can't someone else do it?"

"Because, Bumblebee, Arcee, and Bulkhead are doing other things I told them to do and the children can't."

Solar huffed

"Why are you avoiding him?"

Solar's helm snapped up, "wha? I-i'm not! I just....don't want to....see him right now."

Ratchet raised an optic ridge, "I'm fairly certain that's called avoiding him."

"Ya know what? Fine. Just....whatever, I'll do it. Happy?"

Ratchet set two cubes down and went back to the computer, "exuberant."

Solar stood up and grabbed the cubes, "since when does he need two?"

"Since I said so"

Solar rolled his optics, "fine." He walked into the halls.

Time skip, brought to you by knockout showing Starscream horror movies

Optimus looked up from his data pad when there was a knock at the door. "Come in"

The door opened and Solar walked in with two cubes of energon.

Optimus frowned, Solar definitely looked better but he still looked extremely spent. The youngling walked over and set the cubes on a bot sized table next to him, "Ratchet told me to bring you some energon."

"Thank you, Solar. Are you alright? You seem...tired"

Solar looked at the floor, "i'm fine"

Optimus watched him in concern, "very well, could you hand me that data pad next to you please?"

Solar spared a glance at the object in question, "sure" he grabbed it and handed it to Optimus, "I should probably be going now..."

Optimus grabbed his arm, "do you have a few minutes to talk?"

Solar looked at the servo gripping his arm, "I really should be...." He looked at Optimus, big mistake. "....Yah, sure.."

He climbed up onto the berth and sat down next to Optimus, "So....what do you want to talk about?"

"What's wrong?"

Solar tensed, "what do you mean?"

"Ratchet told me you haven't even left the main room, not to recharge, or to get energon. And this is the first time I've seen you. What's going on?"

"I....I just......"

"you can tell me, Solar."

Solar sighed shakily, "I know, I know. It's just.....I'm sorry"

Optimus frowned in confusion, "for what? You didn't do anything. Megatron was controlling you, and..."

"Not about that, well, I am sorry about that, but that's not what I'm talking about."

"Then what are you talking about?"

"About yelling at you, saying I hate you, I don't hate you. Not even close! I just....you were right. I wasn't acting like an autobot, I'm still not. I want to, I really do. But it's just so different and...strange.

I'm running away from my problems instead of facing them, I'm blowing up at people, and making huge mistakes. I want to be an autobot, I just....don't know how."

Optimus looked at him sadly, "Solar, I... I was completely wrong. I know you didn't mean it when you said that. And everyone makes mistakes. I'm so sorry that you felt that way."

"But I'm not acting how I should!"

"Then what should an autobot be?"

"Well, I guess that they should be kind, loyal, wise, brave and, well, powerful I suppose...."

"Solar, yes, an autobot should be kind and loyal, but wisdom is something gained through experience. Bravery is simply facing your fears. And power isn't something you just have, you must work towards it. If you set all those as what an autobot should be, you'll be overwhelmed by it all. What made you think you had to be all that?"

"Well, you're all that..."

"No, I'm not, Solar. Was I kind when I said that you weren't acting like an autobot?"

Solar frowned and looked down, "well, n-no. But you were talking in the heat of the moment. It was just a mistake."

"Exactly, a very bad mistake that I regret making. And if I can make mistakes then why can't you?"

"Because....Because I've made to many."

"I had no idea there was a limit"

Solar remained silent.

Optimus sighed and pulled Solar into a side hug, "I've made a lot of mistakes in my life. For example, letting you pick out the colors for your fist paint job, I swear I had no idea you would choose orange, green, and pink. You seemed to like those colors at the time. We didn't have enough credits to repaint you for another two whole orbital cycles. Elita nearly had my helm."

Solar giggled slightly and relaxed into the embrace Making Optimus smile and continue.

"Another one of my not so brilliant moments was when I forgot about something Elita had planed and agreed to go do something with my friends. I thought that I would not survive her wrath. She is frightening when upset."

Solar smiled, "how much so?"

"Can put Megatron to shame amount."

"That bad?"

"Worse" Optimus reached for the cubes, "when did you last have any energon?"

Solar ducked his helm, "Wednesday morning" he murmured.

Optimus frowned, "it's Friday"

"I know"

"Well then, I'm glad Ratchet sent two," he handed one to Solar, "here"

Solar grabbed it carefully and held it in his lap for a minute, just staring at it. "Could...could you tell me more?"

Optimus smiled gently, "only if you have your energon while I do."

Solar smiled, "deal"

"Well, where do I start? I suppose another bad idea on my part was to get you a toy turbo fox, you..."

"A turbo Fox?"

Optimus nodded, "yes, you loved it, anywhere you went you would have it with you. You named it Miles. I think I might still have it somewhere."

Solar snorted.

"Now it wasn't so much the getting it for you that was the problem, but the trying to get it away from you...."

Time skip, brought to you by Miles, the toy turbo Fox

"And what made it worse is that it had to be washed." Optimus finished the story.

Solar stared at him with wide optics, "I really acted like that?"

Optimus chuckled, "all the time, but you were a joy to have around, our lives were never dull."

"I bet!"

"Optimus!" Ratchet's voice sounded across the com link. "I'm picking up some cybertronion signals from around the crash site."

"Is it of decepticon origin?"

"No"

"I'm on my way" Optimus stood and helped Solar down. They walked through the halls and into the main room.

"Ratchet, please get a ground bridge opened. Arcee, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead are with me, keep your weapons charged."

Solar walked over to a side of the room and leaned against a wall.

Optimus turned to him, "Solar, why don't you come along, we could use the extra servo."

Solar looked at him with a shocked expression, "r-really?"

"Well, do yo you want to?"

Solar smiled brightly and rushed over, "yah, I do. Thanks"

"Of course, just, try not to get hurt."

Solar grinned, "deal"

~end~

Aaaannnd that's one more chapter finished!