"Optimus, please. I can't keep doing this." For the first time in a week, I've finally gotten the Prime alone. He stops just before the entrance to the hall to the berthrooms. His back is to me, but I can hear his spark beat slightly spike. Not even the voices in my processor can keep me from getting this silent treatment to end. Ever since we learned about my spark belonging to Jaz and my processor belonging to something called a 'predacon', Optimus has been keeping his distance from me. It almost seems like he's avoiding me. Even Sideswipe has noticed while we've been recovering.

Heck, even Wheeljack has seen it too!

The Prime barely shifts, but I can tell he's about to try and dismiss this. I move to the edge of the platform I'm on, holding the railing in my hands. "Optimus, please. Stop avoiding me. I can't control what happened, and I can't take any more of this silent treatment!" He turns just a bit at that, enough for me to see the side of his helm. He's not normally one to act like this, but Jazz was his second in command. 

And a close friend.

He finally turns to face me completely. His optics look me over carefully, but I can see the regret in them. My eyes threaten to spill over, but I hold the floodgates back. If I start crying, I won't be able to control it. My grip tightens, the bars creaking beneath my hands. 

"It's not my fault that the spark I hold used to belong to Jazz, but you keep alienating me as if it were. I know it hurts, but Optimus," a single tear breaks through, causing the stream to start gushing.

"You're not the only one hurting right now."

My words hit home as Optimus' optics widen. He quickly moves closer, lowering himself to be eye to optic with me. His faceplates stop hiding his emotions for once. 

"Rachel, I deeply apologize for my actions. I did not mean to cause you harm." He pauses, and I can tell he's searching for the right words. I shake my head, trying to keep the tears from continuing but having no luck.

"Optimus, I just want things back to the way they were." He locks his gaze on my own. Nothing in said verbally, but the soft look in his optics speaks volumes. As a leader, he's supposed to be the one who keeps his cool, and stays calm under distress. This news must have been something that even he couldn't keep a straight face with. To remain under control, he had to process this information alone.

And I understand that.

I just wish he was done processing by now. 

Optimus finally nods, standing straight and offering a servo. I carefully climb on and he lifts me to his shoulder. He starts to move the moment I'm settled. Optimus presses a button next to a massive door, and it opens to reveal a cybertronian-sized elevator. He steps in then presses the button that points up, and I feel relief settling in. Just like at the old base, Optimus and I enjoyed going to the highest point to get away from everything and everyone.

For some reason, I always felt at home in the sky.

It doesn't take long for the lift to make it. When the door opens, I take a deep breath. Despite this part of Nevada being almost nothing but desert, the air this high up is still cool to the touch. It's refreshing too, especially after being under house arrest since rescuing Sideswipe and Ironhide.

Or, since they rescued Wheeljack and myself, that is.

Optimus moves towards one edge of the mountain. He carefully lowers himself, his legs dangling over the edge. I stay propped on his shoulder, nearly mimicking how he's sitting. I take a deep breath, feeling even the two occupying my mind sigh in relief. My gaze sweeps over the desert field around us. Up here, there's no one around, nothing that can touch us right now. The sky is so clear, and the sunset is a burning fire on the horizon.

Even Optimus lets out a long sigh.

I finally turn my gaze to his helm, surprised to find him looking at me. His optics are watching me carefully, kindness in this gaze and remorse. He opens his mouth, but I lift a hand to stop him. 

"Optimus, I know you didn't mean to hurt me. It's hard to process what you learned without breaking down, and as a leader, you can't do that in front of everyone."

His optics widen, and I continue before he can speak again.

"But no one is here now, we are alone. Please, talk to me."

If he had a brow to furrow, I'm sure it would be right now. He looks away for a moment, then lifts his servo to where I am. Confusion is on my face, but he gestures with his helm to his servo, and I comply. Slowly, I creep down and grab one of his digits to steady myself. Crossing my legs, I sit down as he lowers his servo a bit, but keeps me up enough to look him straight in the face. I can tell he is searching for the right words. 

"Rachel, I never meant to hurt you. Truthfully, I didn't know how to handle the information. I found Jazz after," He pauses, his gaze distant as he recalls the horrible moment his second in command was ripped in half by Megatron during the battle of Mission City. My hand moves to my gut as the memory plays in my head, most likely from Jazz recalling it as well. 

"My anger was never toward you, but toward myself. I should have checked his body for tampering, but it was never something I thought would happen. Even now, it is hard to understand why humans would want to remove pieces of a cybertronian spark." 

My hand rises to my chest this time. Of course I knew the spark I hold isn't the entire thing, there's no way it would fit, but now I understand why Optimus had been acting the way he did. They most likely didn't take the whole spark and instead left Jazz butchered and half of what he was. My stomach turns at the thought.

"I don't understand either, and I don't understand why I was the one chosen for this." Optimus finally meets my gaze. For the first time in a long time I get one of those rare, small smiles. 

"I do not know why either, but I am glad you are here with us, Rachel. I hope you can forgive me."

I return the smile and nod my head slowly. "Of course, Optimus. I can't stay upset at you forever. I just wanted to understand you, that's all." He moves his servo back to his shoulder, and I return to the spot I was in before. We both stare out at the land around us again. The sun is only a sliver on the horizon now, and I can see a blue bike peeling into view on the road below. Almost no one ever travels this far out, so it's safe, but I also know that bike. It jumps the curb and goes off road, driving straight towards the mountain we are sitting on.

"Guess that's our cue, huh?" I look over and see Optimus nod. He stands and begins walking toward the elevator again. It doesn't take long for us to be back in the main hangar. Arcee is standing by the computers with Wheeljack, who is frantically typing while she talks.

"I know what I heard, Wheeljack. Someone is in a state near us and in trouble."

"Then why am I not picking up the signal?"

I can see Raf's spikey hair over the monitor before his voice pipes in. "I'm going to mess with our wavelengths and see if maybe they are using another frequency that might not reach this far. If Arcee heard it while in town, maybe I can bounce it off a tower there and get it to reach here?" The last part sounds more like a question. Optimus move closer and offers his servo to me again. I am quick to jump on this time as he lowers me to the platforms where Raf is.

Wheeljack gives me a sidelong look with that smug smirk of his. I return it with a glare, but a smile is on my face. He gives me a small nod, then returns to his work.

"Raf, have you tried simple radio channels? I know the local station for Jasper, it might be hiding in the music." The boy looks over to me, his eyes widening. 

"Of course! What's the number?"

"It's an AM station, KGST, 1600."

Raf's fingers fly over the keyboard as he inputs different codes, searching for the right frequency in the hopes that whatever Arcee heard can broadcast this far.

"Any- bots! Ple- resp- ver! Ratchet and Smoke- questing eva- edical!"

My spark skips a beat as it leaps. I can't hide my excitement, almost bouncing up and down.

"That's Ratchet! He's got Smokescreen! They're alive!"

I can hear canons transforming behind me, but I slap myself down in a chair near Raf and start trying to pinpoint the signal. Ratchet is piggybacking off old AM channels, but he's also using an old Autobot frequency. The extra precaution is necessary, but hard to track.

"I've got him narrowed down to the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. You'll need to get there first before I can pinpoint him." I finally say after Raf helps me pull up a map. I turn around to see Optimus, Wheeljack and Arcee all ready to go. 

"Let Bumblebee and the others know and get them back to base as soon as possible." Optimus locks his optics on me, his face shield sliding into place. I give him a nod. My fingers fly over the keyboard. The groundbridge roars to life as I hit enter. 

"Autobots! Roll out!"

Optimus transforms first and drives straight into the portal with no hesitation. Arcee is right behind him, popping a wheelie. Wheeljack skids out last, and I close the bridge. 

"Raf, can you-"

"Already sent! Ironhide and Sideswipe are on the way back. Bumblebee needs a bridge."

Turning to the boy, I give him a smile and swiftly input Bee's coordinates. The bridge comes alive again just as a silver car and black pick up drift into view from the entrance. Bumblebee comes peeling in as well, transforming just as I close the portal again. The other two switch to mech form before moving closer as well. I'm already by the railing, quickly filling them in.

"Optimus expects a firefight, so be ready."

Ironhide already has his blasters out and ready. "I'm always ready to kick 'Con aft." With a shake of my head, I return to the computers, monitoring everyone's life signs and signals. So far, they haven't gotten close enough to earn a ping on Ratchet's signal. My eyes never leave the screen, worried I might miss something if I even turn to look at Raf. The light is starting to strain my eyes-

"Optimus! You've got incoming!"

Raf's words pull me from my screen and to his. Sure enough, four red dots are closing in on their position. They are moving fast, probably flying.  I quickly pipe in over the coms. "They seem to be airborne! Find cover in the trees if you can!"

"Understood. Have you located Ratchet and Smokescreen?"

"Not yet. We will let you know when-"

My computer dings, and I snap back to it. 

"Five miles north of your position! I've got them both!" Joy is filling me right now as both Ratchet and Smokescreen's faces appear on my computer. Life signs show steady sparks, but Smokescreen's is slow. He was barely recovered from his arrival when everything fell, but Ratchet was pretty banged up as well. It's a miracle they even made it that far inland. I'd place money on Ratchet having hauled Smokescreen until the rookie could find an alt mode, then they both booked it as far as they could.

A radio wave appears above Ratchet's head on my screen, and I quickly access it. 

"Ratchet! Ratchet, can you hear me?"

"Rachel! Thank Primus you're alive. I thought-"

"No time for that now. Optimus, Arcee, and Wheeljack are five miles south of you, but Deceptions are nearing your position as well. What's your status?"

"Not good. Smokescreen is losing energon and fast. Transforming into an alt form caused one of his lines that wasn't fully healed yet to snap. I've got him stable for now, but we won't last in a fire fight."

Fear grips my chest.

"Can you find cover? Hide yourselves?"

"Negative. We are already as hidden as possible."

Panic starts to take over, but Ironhide's rough voice shakes me from my stupor.

"Send us in, Rache! We'll cover them."

My fingers are moving before I can reply, and the bridge spirals to life once again. 

"Those 'Cons are moving in fast! You need to go now!" Raf says, nearly knocking his chair over as he stands. I turn and watch Ironhide run head-first into the portal, Bumblebee and Sideswipe not far behind. The portal closes, and both Raf and I wait in silence.

Primus, let them be okay.