The bots continued to work as Ratchet typed on the main computer. The smaller one had been completely destroyed by Optimus. The medic sighed forcefully and gripped the console. He felt awful for getting mad at him. The sparkling had been extremely quiet and he figured it was because he was sad. He wondered if he should check on him.

"Ratchet!" The medic jumped and looked around wildly, before looking at the young boy who had yelled.

"Rafael what's wrong?" He asked as he walked to the human area. The boy grinned happily and pushed his glasses back up.

"I found it. The project you were working on. It wasn't destroyed." He said as he smiled brightly. Ratchet blinked a couple times then his faceplate broke into a smile.

"Ah ha! Rafael you never cease to amaze me." He said as he smiled. He went to the computer and Raf uploaded it. The medic smiled more.

"I can't thank you enough." He said as he read it. He typed a few things and it was completed. He ran off to find Optimus and restore him. Raf smiled as he watched the medic.

"Wow... I've never seen the Doc so happy. It's really weird." Miko said as she watched. The boy looked at her and fixed his glasses.

"Think about it like this. If Jack was changed into something against his will, you would do something about it to change him back, right?" He asked. She nodded and Jack blushed a little.

"I try to put myself in their shoes... or peds. That way I can understand what's going on and I can try to help." He muttered and typed some more. The other two just looked at each other.

A few minutes later Ratchet came back in with a concerned look. The bots stopped and stared at him blankly. The medic scanned the room and saw the bots were still bringing energon back through the portal. He stared at the portal and his optics widened in fear.

"By the AllSpark." He gasped and ran to it.

"Ratchet what's wrong?" Arcee asked as he stopped in front of the portal.

"Optimus is gone." He muttered and looked at them. "It's possible he's... not even in the base." He mumbled. The others dropped what they were doing. Bulkhead and Bumblebee went back through as Ratchet, the kids and Arcee searched the base.

~

The sparkling wandered around the mine aimlessly. He had seen the bots go in and out and stayed hidden behind a rock. Once he thought it was safe he went down a tunnel. He didn't want them to take him back until he fixed things. He got bored and started humming a song Miko taught him. She would occasionally sing random songs to see what she could get stuck in his helm. He quietly started singing.

"Tell everybody I'm on my way.
New friends and new places to see.
With blue skies ahead, yes I'm on my way, and there's no where else that I'd rather be." He sang as he wandered around the tunnels. He wasn't sure where he was going but he knew he had to fix this.

"Tell everybody I'm on my way, and I'm loving every step I take." He smiled as he looked at his peds.

"With the sun beatin' down, yes I'm on my way and I can't keep this smile off my face." He grinned happily as he wandered.

"Cause there's nothing like seein' each other again...." he trailed off and stopped suddenly.

He looked around and furrowed his little optic ridges. He realized he hadn't been paying attention and was now lost. He whimpered quietly and looked around. He knew if he was lost he had to ask for someone to help. But there was no one around the tunnels. He sniffed sadly and kept walking as he sang quietly.  Hoping someone would find him.

He turned the corner and stopped suddenly as he saw two Cybertronians with cannons aimed at him. He looked up at them and blinked a couple times. He wondered if they could help him. He shook a little and whimpered at the cannons. The two lowered them as they watched him.

"Hi." He said quietly. The two vehicons stared at him then looked at each other. They knew this was the Prime by just looking at him. They had heard he was turned into a sparkling, but didn't know it was true.

"I'm Optimus Prime." He said and smiled. "This is Brian." He pulled the wrench off his back and showed them. The two cons stared at him blankly.

"What's your name?" He asked as he hugged his wrench and smiled brightly. They just looked at him in disbelief. This was the mech they feared? It couldn't be.

"I'll call you...." he scrunched up his faceplate as he thought and pointed to the one. "Peter and your friend can be Cullen." He said proudly.

They figured since he was young they could get him to follow without a fight. They looked at each other again and decided to play his little game. The one he called Peter looked back the way they had come. While Cullen looked behind the little Prime.

"Are you lost?" Peter asked and turned his cannon back into a servo. Optimus looked up at him with his big blue optics and nodded slowly as he held the wrench close.

"Perhaps we can help." Cullen said as he turned his cannon back into a servo as well. "We know someone who is looking for you." He muttered.

The sparkling smiled brightly and hugged the wrench tightly. A thought entered his processor telling him not to trust them. He hesitated and looked at them with his big blue optics. He looked back down the tunnel and knew he was lost. He didn't want to be on this mission anymore, and wanted to be with his family. He looked at the cons.

"Will you take me to them?" He asked quietly and they nodded. Peter motioned for him to follow and led the way down the tunnel. Cullen walked behind them and looked around cautiously. The sparkling smiled brightly and hummed quietly for a moment.

"Can I hold your servo?" He asked as he looked at the con in front of him. Peter glanced over his shoulder plate at him.

"No." He muttered and kept walking.

"Oh.... okay." He mumbled clearly disappointed. He wished Bee was there, he always let him hold his servo. He just wanted to feel safe.

After a few minutes he heard drilling and he whimpered quietly at the sound. He held on to the wrench and looked around as they headed to a tall mech. Optimus furrowed his optic ridges and put the wrench on his back again. He recognized the con. Cullen picked up the little Prime and set him on a rock so the warlord could see him better. Optimus narrowed his optics and clenched his servos tightly.
Megatron looked at the little Prime and raised an optic ridge. The sparkling glared at him and activated his mask.

"I am Optimus Prime!" He yelled as he held his servo high in the air. "I will protect this planet from.... your... t... tyr... tyra... from you being a monster!" He shouted and transformed his servos into cannons.

"Do you really think I'm afraid of you?" The con laughed darkly. "You're not even as tall as your pets." He sneered. Optimus glared and fired at him. The con dodged easily and chuckled as he stepped closer.

"Interesting." He muttered and watched him as the sparkling blinked a couple times. "I was informed by Shockwave that you would possibly lose your mind." He sneered and stepped forward.

"Tell me Optimus. What's it like being reduced to a sparkling?" He said as he smiled wickedly and bent down to his level. The sparkling stared at him blankly for a moment then looked at his cannons. He seemed a little lost and deactivate his mask.

"I can tell you have no idea what I'm saying." He sneered and stood up straighter. "Take him to the Nemesis. Shockwave can have a little fun with experimenting on him." He said as he turned to leave.

"Fun..." The sparkling said quietly and smiled brightly. "Tag!" He shouted and shot Megatron with his cannons.

The warlord yelled and stumbled as the shot hit him in the back. He whirled around and glared at him. Optimus squealed happily and jumped down from the rock.

"Get him!" Megatron yelled angrily as the little Prime took off running. The vehicons ran after him and quickly caught up.

"Autobots!" The sparkling shouted as he put his servos in the air. The vehicons stopped suddenly and looked around wildly for the team.

"Tranferm and roll out!" The sparkling yelled as he continued to run. He stumbled a little then turned into a truck and drove around.

The cons started firing at him but he was too small and too fast. He swerved and started going back down the tunnel he came. Megatron growled angrily and followed with the cons.

"Tell everybody I'm on my way
New friends and new places to see!
With blue skies ahead, yes I'm on my way and there's no where else that I'd rather be!" He sang as he drove faster. He paused and thought about the words.

"Except for the base I'd rather be!" He sang and turned a corner.

The cons continued to shoot at him and he could hear Megatron yelling. He whimpered quietly and tried not to cry. The singing helped but it would lead the cons to him. He was getting tired but knew he shouldn't stop.

A blast from Megatron hit the ground just behind him. The sparkling screamed as he flew through the air. He transformed and tried to catch himself. He landed on his chest plate and slid a little ways before stopping.

"Ow." He sniffed sadly and shakily got up to a sitting position. He felt tears fill his optics and he whimpered as he heard them coming.

He shook with fear and stumbled to his peds. He started to run but kept tripping and started to sob silently. He looked behind him as he turned a corner and collided with something hard. He fell back and looked up at the Cybertronian as his optics widened.