I was woken up by loud crying resonating through my ship. As I made to get up and investigate, I was held back by an arm around my waist. A very large arm, around my Prime form's torso, while the Sun Saber was no on my backstrut. Peeking over my shoulder, I saw a sleeping Optimus. Confused I began to look for my sword when I saw a band of metal around my wrist of the same color and markings, as well as the markings from my talisman that made up my double edged sword. The crying grew louder making me snap back to my objective. Gently removing Optimus' arm, I stood up and noticed some plating with my colors was on the floor. A bright blush covered my entire face as my frame began to heat up. A draft of air made certain parts of my frame cold, so I scooped up the plating and put it back where it belonged. I peeked at Optimus and saw he was missing his codpiece.

"Fuck." I hissed with a groan as I left the room and began the walk of shame back to my quarters next door.

"Avalon." Ratchet's voice made me freeze in my place. There was that crying again.

"Morning Ratchet." I put on a fake smile and turned to face the medic.

"Armor scratched, walking on the tips of your peds back to your rooms. I don't want to know." the medic sighed. "Arreis has been crying for over an hour and I can't get her to be quiet while I work."

"I'll take her." I took the screaming sparkling and held her close. She soon quieted down and a relieved vent escaped the medic. "Go do whatever it is you were doing."

"Thank you." Ratchet nodded. I looked at Arreis who had big bright optics regarding me in curiosity.

"I know something that will cheer you up." I cooed at her, walking past my quarters and to a section of the ship I never let anyone go in. "Now, how about a song?"

Arreis babbled and flailed her arms around.

As I was about to start singing, a clang came from the main area of the ship and shouts.

"What is it now?" I groaned. Arreis giggled and I gave her a small smile while leaving my sanctuary and following the sounds of arguing.

"What were you thinking soldier?" Ultra Magnus growled, looking down at Wheeljack with a glare.

"I was thinking, Bulk would catch that lob." the finned wrecker replied. I leaned against the wall with Arreis watching curiously.

"Allow me to make myself clear. As Optimus Primes second in command, I have no intention of tolerating Wrecker behavior." the mech shouted. Arreis began to fuss, but I quieted her down before walking between the two mechs.

"Ladies, you're both beautiful, Arcee is the drop dead gorgeous one, and I'm the sexiest of all. But need I remind you that I am the Second in Command?" I glared more at Ultra Magnus than Wheeljack. "Jackie was just trying to have some fun."

"You are on maternal leave." Ultra Magnus said.

"Like Hell I am." I spat. "Just because I am taking most of the responsibility for Arreis' care, does not mean I am staying at base like a den mother."

"Ava has a point." Wheeljack smirked. With my free arm, I smacked the back of the shorter mech's helm.

"Ma'am, I will not condone a caregiver to leave their ward behind to go fight." Ultra Magnus glared right into my optics. "Anyone who takes the responsibility of raising a sparkling is forbidden to fight."

"Is that so?" I snarled handing Arreis to Arcee. "Let me show you what a MOTHER can do when pissed."

"Ohh, bitch fight." Sideswipe snickered.

"This is gonna be good." Sunstreaker replied.

"Should we be worried? Especially since Optimus isn't here to hold Dawn back?" Jack asked.

"Ultra Magnus, tell me. Optimus has agreed to reclaim his role as father. Does he have to stay behind at base to care for Arreis?" I circled the Commander.

"No. He is our leader." came the response. "Until the sparkling is old enough, you have to watch over it."

Ultra Magnus calling Arreis and it sent me over the edge.

"Did you just call her, it?" I clenched my servo into a fist and my visor retracted as my white optics flashed.

"Arcee, take Arreis out of the room. Bumblebee, the kids as well." Ratchet ordered.

"I..." Ultra Magnus couldn't find his words.

"No one calls a baby an it!" I growled, almost like a feral cat. "Especially my baby."

"The sparkling is not yours!" Ultra Magnus snapped.

"I'm the stepmother!" I screamed. "Elita-One was murdered in cold energon, by Starscream. I'm the one who stepped up to be the mother figure. I'm the one who Optimus chose to help raise her!"

"You took the sparkling from him." Ultra Magnus shouted.

"A minor misconception. We worked out the details last night." I spat.

"Avalon." Came Wheeljack and Bulkhead's warning tones.

"Stay out of this." I ordered.

"Do not speak to them that way." Ultra Magnus backhanded me.

Silence.

"He's in for it now!" Sideswipe cackled.

"Did you just hit a Prime?" I lightly touched the dented metal. "You hit a Prime!"

"Ratchet, should I go wake Prime?" Ironhide asked.

"It's too late for that." The medic sighed. "Besides, he investigating Decepticon activity."

"Fire with fire!" I reeled back and punched Ultra Magnus square in the jaw. "No one hits me."

I spat a little energon that had ended up in my mouth from the slap onto the floor.

"Remember your place, Captain." I spun on my heel and met up with Arcee who looked at me worried.

"Optimus isn't going to be happy." she said handing me a babbling Arreis.

"Ha! Ultra Magnus got downgraded to Captain!" Sideswipe chortled while Sunstreaker just laughed.

"Enough." Ironhide hit the two over the head.

     I headed back towards the berth rooms and saw that Optimus was gone. He must have gone out on a mission when I was in the Cage room. Sighing heavily, I went to my room and placed Arreis on the berth while I looked in the huge mirror. Sure enough, my armor was scratched in places, especially at my hips and inner thighs. So, I finally lost it in this form? Wouldn't Pops and Ironass be please. Note the sarcasm. Looking to the side, I saw the repaint stall in my washroom. Giving Arreis a glance, I saw she was sleeping, so I stepped into the repaint stall and chose a white with heavy metallic flake for my base color, and kept with the heavy metallic flake gold for my secondary color. Instead of flames, this time I went with gentle swirls and edging. A soft ding came from the clear coat sprayer when it had finished protecting the paint. Once I was completely dry, I left the stall and inspected my armor. No more scratches. Just the dent on my faceplate. Now I know how Optimus felt yesterday.

"Hey, Avalon." A knock on my door caught my attention.

"Yes, Bulkhead?" I picked up Arreis and opened the door.

"You might want to come back to the main room." he began to walk off. I closed my door and followed.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Optimus found something." the green mech replied.

"A fossil?" I paused in the doorway when I saw the beastly metal skull.

"Predacon remains." Optimus replied. His optics narrowed in on the dent. A strange poking feeling came from my spark. I 'poked' back and Optimus shuddered?

"I know a little about Palentology, but my majors are in Geology, Archeology and Anthropology. But this is something, entirely out of this world. Pun intended." I moved Arreis to one arm and picked up the skull. I scanned the skull and looked at the layers of stone. "Strange, these remains date back to the early Mesozoic Era, late Triassic Period."

"Woah. How can you tell?" Miko asked.

"Optimus, take Arreis." I handed the sleeping femmling to him and held the skull in both servos. I pointed to one layer of stone and showed it to the kids. "This dark layer here is coal. Thanks to the quick calculations of my processor, I was able to do a guestimate on the radiometric dating of the coal. I could have maybe carbon dated it, but what's the fun in that?"

"Avalon's knowledge of Earth's Geological history may prove useful." Ratchet hummed.

"But I'm going to have to download Paleontological information for this to be easier. The age of the remains was just a rough estimate." I placed the skull down and moved to one of the computers. "Give me a few hours, and I'll be a Paleontologist."

"Autobots, we are going to become Beast Hunters." Optimus declared. I glanced over my shoulder at the rest of the team.

"Predacons went extinct on Cybertron. What are they doing here?" Smokescreen asked. Ratchet moved to a free computer and inserted a chip of sorts.

"From our historical texts." Ratchet replied.

"Woah." I looked at the images.

"But those look like metal versions of creature from Greek Mythology and Medieval literature." Jack said.

"Not Dinosaurs." Raf added. Grimlock chuffed.

"Well, there has to be an explanation." I turned back to my computer and removed a cable before attaching it to the back of my head.

"It would stand to reason that Predacons did in fact walk upon this earth in ancient times." Optimus turned to the children. "As they seem to be the basis for much of human kind's folklore. Illustrating once again that the pasts of Earth and Cybertron are inexplicably linked."

      As I pressed the download button on the computer, my body became rigid and my optics became unseeing as all the information slowly trickled into my processor. For hours I stood there until the download finished. Just in time too, because Agent Fowler entered my ship talking about more Decepticon sightings. Arreis began to fuss and I took her from Optimus after removing the cable and taking a bottle of sparkling energon from Ratchet. As the femmling nursed, I listened to Fowler. Optimus had the wreckers team up, and placed me in charge. Wheeljack and Bulkhead cheered while Ultra Magnus glared at me. While I settled Arreis in a homemade crib, I overheard Ultra Magnus ask Optimus about kilts.

"A kilt is a knee-length non-bifurcated skirt-type garment, with pleats at the back, originating in the traditional dress of Gaelic men and boys in the Scottish Highlands." I recited inspecting the Sun Saber after finding out how to equip it from the talisman.

"Avalon, I believe it best if you wielded the Forge instead of the Sun Saber." Optimus gestured to the relic.

"I won't need it. But if you wish for me to carry it, I will." I felt Ultra Magnus watching me with discontent as I picked up the hammer and placed it on my back. A warm feeling came from my spark and I placed a light kiss on Optimus' cheek. "See ya later."

"Be careful." Optimus nodded as the three mechs and I walked through the groundbridge.