Paige slumped against the railing, her eyes red from crying.

Jack pulled her close and she rested her head on his shoulder. Miko rubbed her back and Raf lightly squeezed her hand in comfort. Paige smiled a little.

"Optimus, you're not going to believe this. I've just pinpointed the location of the Decepticon warship," Ratchet announced.

"How did you penetrate their cloaking technology?" Optimus asked as he and Arcee walked forward.

"I didn't. I was experimenting with frequency wavelengths when I stumbled upon it. Even still, the ship must be experiencing some kind of electromagnetic breach," Ratchet shrugged.

"With Megatron deceased and the element of surprise," Arcee began with the smirk as she punched her fist into her open hand.

"We could cause some serious damage," Bulkhead finished happily.

"Also on the same frequency, an Autobot emergency beacon," Ratchet piped in.

"The Decepticons can wait. There may be Autobots in distress. Ratchet, bring your medical kit," Optimus instructed.

◊◊◊◊

The ground bridge transported Optimus and Ratchet to the center of a desert in the middle of the night and inside a sandstorm. The ship buried in the sand.

"A crash landing. Buried here for centuries." Optimus observed.

When they arrived at the ship, Ratchet cut open an opening to the ship. Optimus kicked the opening down and the two walked inside. Ratchet then activated his flashlight.

"If they traveled in stasis mode, there may be survivors." Ratchet informed.

The ship suddenly moved causing the two Autobots to lose their balance. After they regained their balance, they continued their search of the ship. Optimus used his strength to open a rusted door, but when their optics land on what they saw inside, their optics were wide in horror. Dead bodies of troops were lying everywhere. Their bodies had rust building on them while there were pools of a discolored purple-like energon.

"Optimus! These Autobots didn't perish in the crash. They're displaying the effects of a virus." Ratchet informed when he scanned one of the bodies.

"This is a plague ship," Optimus observed. He was about to step forward, but Ratchet stopped him.k

"Don't touch anything! The virus could still be active!" Ratchet warned.

The ship shook once again and the two bots stumbled back against the wall. Optimus pointed his flashlight upward to see an Autobot dangling above him from wires. Something made the body to slide down slightly and with it drops the infected energon fall onto Optimus' face. He grunted as he tried to swipe it away, but the energon drop was deep within his systems.

"No!" Ratchet said.

◊◊◊◊

"Cybonic Plague." Ratchet announced after he finished scanning. "It's only contagious if contact is made with the infected energon."

"What was a plague doing on an Autobot spaceship?" Miko asked.

"Its passengers were infected. The virus wiped out millions on Cybertron during the Great War." Primrose explained.

"Cybonic plague was engineered in the Decepticon biological warfare program, supervised by Megatron," Ratchet added.

"You have a cure, don't you?" Raf asked.

"No...cure." Optimus rasped. "Optimus, please save your strength," Paige said, placing her hand on his digit.

"Would Megatron create a disease without having a cure? I mean, what if he caught it by accident?" Jack asked.

"It's not like we can ask Megatron, Jack. He's pushing up lugnuts." Bulkhead said.

"But we may be able to access the Autobot database." Ratchet suggested. "For the moment, we still have a fix on their warship's location."

"Bee, Prim, come with," Arcee instructed.

"Arcee, quickly." Ratchet warned.

◊◊◊◊

Arcee, Primrose and Bumblebee came out of the portal, weapons at the ready.

"Let's start with the lab," Arcee suggested.

When they arrived at the lab, they hid as the doors to the lab opened and Knockout walked out. He briefly stopped for a moment when he senses an unnerving presence nearby but just shrugged it off and continued on to his destination in mind. The three Autobots quickly entered the lab before the doors closed once the coast was clear. Primrose and Bumblebee kept an optic out in case somebody walks in or something interesting popped up, while Arcee walked to the computer.

"I'm in the network," Arcee announced through her commlink.

◊◊◊◊

"Ratchet," Optimus called to him. "were you..."

"Infected? No." Ratchet replied. The Prime let out a raspy sigh of relief.

"If it's here, I don't see it." Arcee contacted.

"Are you certain, Arcee?" Ratchet demanded.

"I've searched every file. Nothing!" she reported.

"Well, search again! Clearly, you missed something!" Ratchet retorted.

Bumblebee peaked through a window of a door and saw something which caught his attention. "Arcee," he called.

"I've scanned the entire database!" Arcee retorted back in anger. "Did you use a redundant quantum algorithm?" Ratchet suggested.

"Don't tell me how to research! You think you're the only one who cares about Optimus?!" Arcee hissed.

"Arcee, you need to see this," Primrose spoke before anyone else could.

"What is it?!" She growled as she walked over to Bee.

"What is it? What's going on?" Ratchet asked impatiently.

After Arcee stopped in front of the window, the door opens and her optics widened in shock. Before the three, Megatron laid on the medberth, hooked up to life support.

"It's Megatron," Primrose said, "he's... alive."

"What!?" Jack exclaimed. "That's not possible," Ratchet nearly growled.

"Well, I'm staring right at him. Good news is: Megatron isn't exactly staring back." Arcee explained and equipped her blaster as she, Primrose and Bee approached the lifeless body.

"Megatron..." Optimus gasped.

"He's critical. Hooked up to life support. Time to finish this once and for all." Arcee said as she charges up her blaster.

"Wait, don't!" Ratchet yelled. "One good reason - fast," Arcee said.

"Megatron maybe Optimus' only hope for survival," the medic said.

"What are you talking about?" Both Primrose and Arcee asked in unison.

"Does he display brainwave activity?" Ratchet asked.

"Spiking hard. His sick mind is still at work." Arcee answered bitterly.

"Perfect! If a cure exist, Megatron may be the only one who knows it. You must enter his brain and find it."

"Enter Megatron's brain? Ratchet, are you out of your fragging mind?" Arcee demanded.

"The Decepticon laboratory should contain all the equipment you need for a cortical psychic patch."

"No way." Arcee denied. "Have you even performed the procedure?"

"No. But I have thoroughly studied the theoretical literature - invented by Decepticons, outlawed by Autobots."

"Whoa. Can't we just haul Megatron through the Ground bridge to buy us some time?" Arcee proposed.

"Time is one thing that Optimus does not have! One of you must try this! I will NOT allow Optimus to pass knowing that Megatron will outlive him!" Ratchet said sternly.

"Ratchet, I would lay down my life for Optimus - Anytime, anywhere - but a mind/body split..." Arcee trailed off.

"I'll do it." Primrose volunteered. "You will?" Arcee said.

"Are you sure, Prim?" Paige asked worriedly.

"Prim's the best scout there is," WhiteRain reassured. Paige bit her lip as she felt uncertain. Going into a Decepticon's mind was one thing, but this wasn't just a Decepticon. This was Megatron, of all mechs.

And Paige clenched her fists tightly to try and brace herself as she leaned against Optimus' side.

◊◊◊◊

"Why has the electromagnetic shielding not been repaired?" Starscream demanded impatiently.

"We are working as fast as we can, Commander-" the Vehicon engineer was interrupted when he was smacked across the face by clawed fingers.

"We are leaking a trail!" Starscream hissed. "All the Autobots need to do to pinpoint our position is to access the correct frequency wavelength! Accelerate your efforts!" he ordered.

"Yes, Commander Starscream." The Vehicons left as Knockout walked into the room.
"Doctor in the house." he announced.

"Ah, Knockout. How is the patient doing today?" Starscream asked. "Same old," Knockout shrugged.

"An inglorious fate that he should remain in this vegetative state," Starscream huffed dramatically.

"On the contrary, Megatron's body may be scrap metal, but his mind is still percolating," Knockout said.

"Keep that to yourself. That blasted Soundwave sees and hears everything," Starscream huffed, "and no doubt will he tell Ember." "The eyes and ears of the Decepticons," Knockout commented.

"Well, as long as their master remains in limbo so does their cause. The Decepticons deserve a strong, alert leader," Starscream said. "One who would require a loyal second-in-command," Knockout said with a slight smirk.

The Vosinian Seeker chuckled. "A candidate would have to earn that post by making a strong case to said eyes and ears."

"A case for showing mercy, Commander Starscream?" Knockout smirked.

"You scratch my back, I scratch yours."

◊◊◊◊

Arcee walked over behind Megatron and hooked up the first end of the patch then walked over to their hiding place and looked at Primrose who gave her a thumbs up.

"Ratchet, we're ready," Arcee announced.

"Initiate cortical psychic patch." Ratchet instructed.

Arcee hooked up the other end of the patch to Primrose's helm. Her optics widened as she entered Megatron's mind. She observed her servos to make sure everything was going right. Then she scanned her surroundings and found she was in enemy territory. So she began her search to look for the cure.

◊◊◊◊

"Communications downlink activated," Ratchet announced. "This will allow us to see and hear everything Primrose does while within Megatron's subconscious mind," he explained.

"Whoa. Where's that?" Jack asked. "It's Kaon," Primrose said, "the Decepticon capital back on Cybertron."

"Ratchet, Optimus' vitals," Nightwalker said. "I know," Ratchet murmured, "quickly, Primrose. I know you're in unknown territory but you must figure out what information might be filled in Megatron's mind."

Primrose hurried up to the top of the stairs and she widened her optics at the sight before her. Optimus Prime stood a few feet away, looking completely healthy.

Without hesitation, she ran over to the Prime but Ratchet stopped her. "Primrose, that is not Optimus," he said, "yet it is only a figment of Megatron's mind, it cannot see or hear you."

Primrose jumped when there was an all too familiar laugh and she looked up to see Megatron standing on top of a cliff.

"Optimus," he said, "your Autobot armies are defeated. Bow before your new master."

"Never Megatron," Optimus said as he turned to the Decepticon, unsheathing his blade, "one shall stand, one shall fall."

"So be it," Megatron said darkly before he jumped down from the ledge, unsheathing his blade and charging at Optimus who ran at his enemy.

When the two were close enough, Megatron swung his blade at Optimus who disintegrated into blue dust. Primrose widened her optics.

◊◊◊◊

"That never happened," Firestorm said, startled. "It's not a memory," Ratchet said, "we're seeing as how Megatron created it... in his darkest dreams."

Prowl and Jazz look at each other.

◊◊◊◊

Primrose jumped back when the rock she was hiding behind transformed into Optimus.

"Megatron," the Prime said, "your treachery ends here." He unsheathed his blade again.

Megatron sheathed his blade before he aimed his blaster at the Prime and fired. Primrose jumped out to try and take the shot only for it to fly past her and into Optimus.

She looked at the blue dust, her optic ridges furrowed. "Ah, the little Prime," Megatron said, making Primrose look up at him, "the punishment for entering my domain is YOUR DESTRUCTION!"

He raised his blade. Primrose instinctively covered her helm with her arms and Megatron brought his blade down... only for it to phase through the Prime.

Primrose looked at her servos then at Megatron in confusion, "huh?" "How can this be?!" The gladiator angrily snapped before he swiped at Primrose again and again.

◊◊◊◊

"Megatron can't touch Prim?" Raf and Paige asked, relieved. "Because she's not a figment of Megatron's mind, Primrose is immune to his physical attacks," Ratchet explained.

Nightwalker and WhiteRain sighed in relief. Bulkhead rubbed WhiteRain's back.

◊◊◊◊

"You're not wearing phase displacement armor," Megatron said as he circled around Primrose, the latter's optics following him, "your eyes track my movement so you're not a hologram. And I do not believe in spirits. So tell me, child, what are you?"

"Megatron," Optimus spoke up and the two turned to see not only the other Prime but Bulkhead and Bumblebee.

◊◊◊◊

"Uh-oh. Special guest stars," Miko commented. "This is not good," Ratchet said, his optics widening slightly.

◊◊◊◊

Primrose glanced at Megatron before she hesitantly stepped away from the Gladiator and went over to the three.

She looked at Bumblebee, "this is... weird." Megatron let out an enraged yell before he fired at the three Autobots, all shots missing Primrose and hitting the Autobots instead and they disintegrated into blue dust.

Primrose looked at him in fear. "You are real. They were not!" Megatron snapped before he chuckled darkly, "a Cortical Psychic Patch. How unexpected."

◊◊◊◊

"That doesn't sound good," Nightwalker said cautiously, furrowing his optic ridges.

"We've stirred Megatron from his oblivion. He's becoming self-aware," Ratchet said.

◊◊◊◊

"If this is my subconscious," Megatron then turned to Primrose, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING INSIDE MY HEAD?!"

◊◊◊◊

Arcee and Bumblebee still hid in the same spot with Primrose offline. "C'mon Prim. What are you doing in there?" Arcee asked worriedly.

The doors opened and Bumblebee looked to see Echo, Soundwave, Starscream and Knockout walking into the medlab.

"Knockout, if you would be so kind as to provide your expert medical opinion to Soundwave for the historical record," Starscream requested with a sneer.

"Simply put, unaided, Megatron could remain in this deathless slumber forever," Knockout said.

"Oh, how our master wouldn't want to be seen this way. To stand idly by while he is being held captive by his own body is not just," Starscream sighed dramatically.

Echo narrowed her optics as her gaze darkened even more. Soundwave stepped forward and pointed to something on the vitals screen. Knockout saw where his digit was pointing and knew what the orange, red and green waves were.

"Brainwave activity," Knockout said, "not evidence of consciousness. But merely of an endless dream from which Megatron may never wake."

"And what," Echo growled, "are you suggesting?"

"We must face reality," Starscream nearly hissed, "Megatron is lost to us." "Ember would beg to differ," Echo snarled.

"The only option would be to show him mercy," Knockout said quickly, earning a sharp glare from the other.

"A simple throw of the switch," Starscream said, ignoring Echo.

"Quick. Painless. Compassionate," Knockout added.

"Ratchet, are you hearing this?" Arcee whispered into the commlink.

◊◊◊◊

"If Megatron perishes, Primrose's mind will be separated from her body... forever," Ratchet said gravely.

"We lose Primrose and Optimus!?" Jack gasped.

◊◊◊◊

"The only way you could have entered my mind was via cortical psychic patch!" Megatron said, getting into Primrose's face, "but the question remains: what happened to me?"

Primrose stared at him before her optics glinted. The memory of the space bridge explosion flashed through Megatron's mind.

"The space bridge explosion," Megatron said, "and yet if... if you're in my head, I am not one with the Allspark." He turned to Primrose, "so tell me, child. Do I still function?"

Primrose flinched slightly as she tried to think. "Primrose, we are out of time," Ratchet said through the commlink.

Primrose looked at Megatron, "right now, you're on life support. But that doesn't matter at the moment. Someone's been infected by Cybonic Plague."

"Cybonic Plague?" Megatron repeated, "someone like myself is... is unwell?"

Primrose gave a hesitant nod. Megatron narrowed his optics slightly before he realized who it was. "Optimus," he said before he started to laugh, "such irony!"

"I don't see how that amuses you," Primrose almost growled.

"After ages of endless battle, the mighty Optimus Prime – my former brother – is felled by a simple virus from the distant past!" Megatron cackled, "And what makes you think I would save the life of my oldest enemy- even if it is my own brother?"

"Megatron, your treachery ends-" Optimus was cut off by Megatron shooting him. Primrose frowned, "if you help me, you'll get what you want most."

"Oh? And just what is it that I want most, child?" Megatron asked, placing his servos on his chest.

"To slay your own enemy by your own hand," Primrose said firmly, her gaze darkening.

Megatron chuckled, "did you not see? I do slay Optimus by my own hand. At will! Whenever I desire!" "If you let the virus destroy the real Optimus, you'll never get the chance to do it yourself in the real world!" Primrose snapped back.

"Smart," Jack said. "Twisted," Miko commented.

◊◊◊◊

"Soundwave, do I take your silence to mean you concur with Knock Out's medical expertise?" Starscream asked Soundwave as he reached for one of the lines, "Speak now or forever hold your peace."

"Not with my best friend in there!" Bumblebee said firmly as he aimed his blasters at Starscream.

"Going," Starscream said, "going." Soundwave pointed at something at the back of the slab.

It was a black cord with purple lights running through it towards a hiding place. It was the cortical psychic patch that hooked up Megatron and Primrose.

Humming, Starscream began to follow the cord. Arcee and Bumblebee began to freak out as trouble came closer.

"Scrap!" Arcee silently cursed.

◊◊◊◊

"After our deep history together," Megatron said, "to not watch the spark ebb from Optimus' optics with my very own-" Megatron started to say.

"To you, it'd be too good of an opportunity to miss," Primrose said bitterly, "you'd be a fool not to."

"Well played, Little Prime," Megatron said before he opened his servo and a bright blue box with pink outlines appeared in his palm. "The chemical formula for the cure you seek. Not that I'd expect you to know to read it."

Primrose smiled as she reached for the box. Finally, she had what she came for. Now, she could go home and not spend another moment in Megatron's mind. However, just as she could touch it, Megatron closed his servo and made it disappear. The action itself startled her.

"Wh-what the-?!" She exclaimed. "Not yet," Megatron said.

"What now?" Primrose asked nervously. "And how am I to accomplish terminating Optimus as you propose while I'm trapped here in the perpetual daydream? Once you release me from this prison and consider a proposition I give you afterwards, you will have the cure," Megatron promised, "You must guarantee my recovery. Or Optimus fades to gunmetal grey...the real Optimus!"

"I won't let that happen," Primrose said sternly, clenching her fists tightly.

◊◊◊◊

"Arcee! We have the formula! Disconnect Primrose now!" Ratchet said.

"Don't have to tell me twice," Arcee remarked as she removed the patch from her helm, "Come on, Prim. Time to come home!"

◊◊◊◊

The reality that Megatron had created began to crumble around the two of them. "You were watching! You tricked me!" Megatron roared.

Primrose smirked and she gave a small salute as she disappeared through the portal.

"No! Take me with you! TAKE ME!" Megatron pleaded.

◊◊◊◊

Primrose's optics turned on and she jolted as she looked at Bee and Arcee.

"What in-?!" Starscream yelled. A ground bridge opened.

"Let's go, guys!" Primrose exclaimed as she and Bee hurried into the ground bridge.

"Intruders!" Starscream said. "Allow me!" Arcee smirked before she fired a single shot at the cable on Megatron's chestplates and she jumped into the ground bridge.

It was the inevitable outcome," Starscream sighed, only to receive a glare from Echo, "Of course, it would be wrong to allow Megatron to perish at an Autobot's hand. Knockout." Knockout simply shrugged and hooked up the life support cable to Megatron's chestplates.

"What happened!?" Comet exclaimed as he hurried into the ground bridge.

"Autobots," Knockout sighed as Starscream walked out of the medlab. Comet's optics turned blood red and he stormed out of the medlab.

He sped up his gait before he grabbed Starscream by the back of his neck cables and slammed him into the wall on his front, the latter yelling in surprise and pain.

"HOW IN THE PITS OF KAON DID YOU MANAGE TO LET AUTOBOTS INTO THE MEDBAY!?" Comet roared angrily.

"That is what I would like to know," Ember spoke up as she walked up to them, "Starscream, I suggest you fix whatever mess you made. And do it... quickly."

Comet glowered at Starscream, "if my leader dies because of this, you are NEXT!" With that, he stomped away.

Ember watched him before she followed him. It didn't take her long to see him sitting next to Megatron's berthroom door, hugging his knees to his chestplates.

Ember sat down beside him. "Starscream will face his punishment in due time, I can assure you," she said.

"I want Megatron to be alive," Comet said bitterly, trying to hide his tears. Ember gently rubbed his helm, "I know, little bird."

◊◊◊◊

Ratchet helped Optimus out of the decontamination chamber. "That's it, steady, steady," Ratchet said gently. The two looked up to see the others clapping and cheering.

"Please," Optimus said with a soft smile, "save the hero's welcome for my physician. And my scout."

Primrose smiled and she gave a sheepish smile as everyone else turned and applauded her. "It was nothing really," she chuckled, "I'm just glad my best friend is okay."

She froze for a moment as her optics turned red.

"I'm out," an all too familiar voice said within her mind as Megatron appeared in her mind, "or shall I say... in?"