"What in Primus' name-" Ratchet exclaimed as Bulkhead and Smokescreen returned with their fellow bots in dire condition. Smokescreen laid Arcee on the berth. Ratchet rushed to her side. 

           "Her spark's been tampered with," he announced furiously. "I'll have to stabilize her." He glanced up. "Bumblebee-" his eyes fell on the lifeless bot. He looked down before rushing to help Arcee. Bulkhead lay Bumblebee on another berth.  

           "Safe journey, my friend," he said sadly. 

~~~

           "This doesn't make any sense," Ratchet professed. He had stabilized Arcee's spark and had allowed himself to observe Bumblebee. Arcee's optics fluttered open. 

           "MECH!" she cried, thrashing. Ratchet rushed to calm her, while Bulkhead moved to block Bumblebee from her view. 

           "Arcee, calm down. You are safe," Ratchet assured her. "You need to stay still. I have yet to properly close you up." She calmed down, taking deep breaths. "You said MECH? Did they do this to you?" She nodded, holding a servo to her helm. 

           "Bee and I were ambushed by Decepticons as soon as we exited the groundbridge. We were separated and all of a sudden, all of the Decepticons were gone and I was electrocuted by MECH. They tied me down and that's all I remember. 

           "This still doesn't explain-"

           "Where's Bumblebee?" Arcee interrupted. "He made it out okay, right?" Ratchet sighed. He motioned for Bulkhead to step aside. He reluctantly did so, and Arcee gasped. 

           "No!" she cried. "How did this happen?" 

           "I'm still trying to piece that together myself," Ratchet admitted. "Bumblebee's spark is missing, but his damage doesn't exactly seem MECH's style."

           "Meaning?" Optimus clarified. It was the first time he had spoken since the autobots had returned. 

           "Well, Arcee was opened up surgically, much like Breakdown, and corresponding with the damage done to Bumblebee when his T-cog was removed. Straight lines, accuracy, one removed part, no further damage. However, the only internal damage done was the severing of her spark from the rest of her body, which seems odd. Why severe the spark and then just leave it? What does MECH have to gain from that? In addition, Bumblebee's spark is missing, but his damage is not surgical, like Arcee's. It's rough and primitive. Almost as if a bot had reached in and just ripped it out, but that doesn't make sense for MECH, and why would anyone else need Bumblebee's spark?" He sighed. "I'm afraid none of it makes much sense, is all. Why don't I close up Arcee?" 

           Ratchet grabbed his tools to carry out the procedure. He was about to perform the task, when he noticed something rather odd. There was something off about Arcee's spark. It was different. It didn't fit exactly like it should in her chest cavity, something he wondered he hadn't seen earlier while he was stabilizing it. Realization donned on him, and he gasped, his spark breaking. 

           "What is it, Ratchet?" Optimus asked, rushing to his friend's side, fearful Arcee was taking a turn for the worse. Arcee was similarly concerned. 

           "By the allspark," he exclaimed, still processing what he had discovered. It was all too much to handle. 

           "Is something wrong?" Arcee asked. "Other than my best friend having joined the Allspark," she added bitterly in her head. She was going to rip every MECH agent apart for killing Bumblebee. 

           "This isn't Arcee's spark," he said, using the berth to support himself. He felt sick. "I understand now."

           "Mind enlightening us?" Smokescreen asked carefully, attempting to avoid coming off as insensitive. Ratchet seemed shaken. 

           "MECH took Arcee," Ratchet said. "That much we know. Bumblebee called for a groundbridge and moments later Bulkhead and Smokescreen arrived, leaving no time for MECH to have already hurt Bumblebee to this extent and have taken off, far enough along that Smokescreen and Bulkhead would not have found them when they checked the perimeter."

           "So who killed Bumblebee?" Arcee demanded impatiently. Her sparkrate spiked. Ratchet closed her up silently before continuing. 

           "Bumblebee must have found Arcee after MECH had taken her spark." 

           "But I have my spark," Arcee protested. 

           "It's not yours!" Ratchet repeated, frustrated. He took a deep breath. "Bumblebee must have arrived, finding Arcee without her spark. That must have been when he called us. Then, he ripped out his own spark and placed it Arcee, hoping to save her life." The base fell quiet. Smokescreen thanked Primus that the kids were at home. All this was almost too much for him to handle. He couldn't imagine how they were going to react when they heard. 

           "So I have his spark," Arcee said quietly. Ratchet only nodded. Suddenly, his optics widened. He rushed to his screens and began working furiously. 

           "What is it, Ratchet?" Bulkhead asked. Ratchet muttered something under his breath as he continued to work. 

           "I don't want to get anyone's hopes up," he said. "But I may have a way to bring back Bumblebee."

           "Let's hear it!" Smokescreen exclaimed. Ratchet sighed. 

           "I can't guarantee it, but this new relic we just obtained, it has incredible healing properties when properly refined. If we had a living spark, we could possibly bring back Bumblebee."

           "Where are we going to find a living spark?" Bulkhead wondered hopelessly. "Bee wouldn't want anyone to give up their life for him."

           "Bee can deal!" Arcee said. "Give him his spark back!" she demanded. 

           "Arcee, that will solve nothing," Optimus chastised. "You know Bee would be just as devastated to live without you as you are without him. He proved that today." Arcee looked down. 

           "Actually," Ratchet said now that everyone was done interrupting him. "That part is the easy part."

           "How?" Smokescreen asked incredulously. 

           "Arcee's spark is no use to MECH dead, and I hate to admit it but they are not stupid. They must have it on some sort of... life support, as the humans call it. All we need is to retrieve it, and then we can give it to Bumblebee. The refined substance may be enough to bring Bee back if we can retrieve that spark."

           "What are we waiting for?" Arcee cried, swinging her legs over the berth. She cried out in pain, and Smokescreen rushed to her, forcing her back on the berth. 

           "Easy," he cautioned. "You aren't going anywhere for a while."

           "Besides," Bulkhead added. "We still need to track down MECH." Arcee groaned. 

           "Power down," Optimus advised. "Your recovery will be quicker if you get your rest."