2 Days Later:

Beta-04 had made a full recovery, and had gone back to her usual, insanely rigorous training routine. Nebula on the other hand . . . well, it hadn't gone unnoticed by her sire and Beta-04 and Smokescreen that the Prime's daughter had gotten . . . sluggish? If that was a good term.

Optimus had tried to speak with Nebula about it--since their relationship had gotten a bit better--but Nebula brushed it off as nothing. Even Beta-04 managed to pull Ratchet off to the side and ask about Nebula's lethargic behavior. But Ratchet was very iffy about the details, only because he had to hold strong to the client confidentiality.

And Beta-04 respected that.

As of this moment, Beta-04 was training, going through her swift, powerful motions. She literally dared across the cold, metal floor of the base. Beta-04 tilted her shoulders to the floor, her leg extending out in a perfect high kick, usually aimed toward the aggressors head. But Beta-04 was so tall she usually used this combative to counter Decepticons dive-bombing from above.

Beta-04 was in the middle of a series of katas used to take an enemy down and break their arms when she heard soft footfalls. Beta-04 stopped and turned to the entrance to the space, seeing Nebula standing there, awkwardly. She shuffled her feet and rubbed. her arm, not meeting the tall femme's gaze.

Beta-04 could see the exhaustion in her frame. It deeply concerned Beta-04, to say the least but Beta-04 decided to put on a less worried face,

"Hey, kiddo. How are you doing?" she asked softly.

Nebula shrugged, averting her gaze, "I'm ok." She shuffled her feet, "But, I wanted to thank you." she says softly.

Beta-04 went stiff. and turned to the younger femme, "Thank me?" she cocked her head to the side, "Why in the name of Onyx Prime would you wanna thank me?"

"For saving my life, and. . . helping establish some form of a relationship with my sire." she murmured.

"Oh." Beta said, before she let out a chuckle, "Please. Don't thank me, kiddo." she walked up to her and put her servo on her slender shoulder, "Prove me right."

Nebula straightened her posture and have a slight nod, before she spoke again, "Can I . . . spar with you?" she asked softly.

Beta-04 nodded, "Sure." she backed up and assumed a fighting stance, her long legs locked up as she held up her fists.

Nebula charged her, and jumped up, coming down with an axe kick right to the head. Beta-04 side-stepped, letting Nebula hit the floor, before she hit her with a crushing side kick to the rib-cadge.

The kick was like a wrecking ball, Nebula cried out as she was sent slamming into the wall across the room. Beta lowered her leg and arched a brow as Nebula stood up, growled and charged her again, the two exchanged blows, and combatives, but Beta-04 noticed that Nebula was slowing down.

"Are you alright?" Beta-04 asked, as she continued to dodge each and every strike Nebula threw at her.

Nebula panted and huffed, feeling her spark pound in her audios as her vision began to blur and double, "I'm . . . fine . . ." she panted, "Just tired."

Beta-04 stopped, "Look, don't lie. You're not fine."

Nebula was about to argue back, when the door slid open and Optimus walked in, "I heard a commotion." he said simply, "Is everything alright?" he asked.

Nebula gave a small smile, "I-I'm fine . . ." she trailed off as her vision spun.

Optimus went stiff as Nebula stumbled and began to keel over, "Nebula?!"

Beta was there to catch Nebula in an instant. She held the smaller femme in her arms with the greatest of care as she fell limp. Optimus ran over and slid to his knees, he cupped Nebula's face,

"Nebula? Nebula!" he tapped her cheek in an effort to stir her, but all he got was a faint groan.

Beta-04 held her scarred-up servo over her chest and murmured something in ancient Cybertronian, "Somethings wrong with her spark." she said.

"How do you know this?" Optimus asked, his helm snapped up to her.

"CyberNinja's have the ability to sense darkness in the body." Beta-04 said softly, as she cradled Nebula's trembling form in her arms, speaking in an ancient tongue. Nebula's chest panel slid back, revealing her spark.

Optimus peered inside, not seeing Nebula's spark since her berth, before he gasped in shock. Beta-04's form went stiff and cold at the sight: Nebula's spark was broken clean in two, held together with six thin strands of energy.

Beta-04 sighed shakily, "Oh, no . . ." she murmured, "Her spark . . . it's . . ." she trailed off as Optimus gently took Nebula from the tall CyberNinja.

Beta-04 sat back, and watched as Optimus took his daughter in his arms, and cradled her gently, "Oh, my sweet Princess . . ." he leaned down and kissed her forehead gently, "This is all my fault."

Beta-04 spoke, trying to be the voice of reason, "Blame and complain and moan later, she needs Ratchet." she said.

Optimus nodded and picked Nebula up who gave a faint groan. Once he got Nebula to Ratchet, he began to stabilize her. Beta-04 shot a nervous glance to the entrance to the base, fearing that if Smokescreen were to return, he'd panic.

And that's the last thing that they needed right now, Optimus was close enough to panicking as it is. Beta-04 looked over, seeing the Prime pace back and forth, visibly nervous.

Ratchet finally approached them and spoke, his voice low, as Bee and Bulkhead and Arcee gathered around. Beta-04 stood in the background and listened patiently, her gaze unmoving behind her mask.

Optimus approached Ratchet, "Is she . . . alright?"

"For now." Ratchet says.

"How did she get like this?" Arcee finally asked, her voice unsure. She was worried that it may not have been her place.

"Arcee," Beta-04 said softly, "it's best if you and the others back off. This is not a conversation for your ears."

Arcee flinched but nodded, she motioned for the other two to follow and they vanished down the hall. Beta-04 turned to pursue them, but a rumbling base voice made her freeze.

"No, Beta-04. I wish you to stay." he said softly.

Beta-04 glanced over her shoulder, "This is not a conversation for a monster like me to hear." she says softly.

"Beta-04, please."

With a deep sigh, she turned and walked over to Optimus and stood several feet beside him as Ratchet spoke,

"When you sent Nebula away," Ratchet began, "You inadvertently put strain on the creation bond you shared.

Optimus' posture went stiff, as Ratchet contintued, "But, since she entered the Nebula of Nightmares, and her carrier . . . perished . . . the creation bond is broken. I am sorry."

Optimus blinked several times, before he brushed past Ratchet and walked swiftly over to Nebula, who lay on the berth--chest panel open--unconscious but stable. The mighty Prime knelt by her and held her hand, leaning over her and pressing gentle kisses to her forehead.

Beta-04 watched with lidded optics, the father leaning over his daughter, murmuring apologies and sweet nothings. Ratchet came up beside Beta-04 and the femme spoke,

"The bond can be restored, right?" she asked softly.

"With time, yes." Ratchet replied, "But . . .in order for Nebula to have a fully restored spark, she needs . . .the bond with both parents. Sire and Carrier." he looked to Beta-04.

Beta-04 sighed and shook her helm, "I say, start with the sire first. . ." she moved past Ratchet and came up to Optimus' side and knelt beside him.

Optimus glanced at her, before looking to Nebula and closing his optics. Beta-04 could feel the pain wafting off of him, she put a servo on his arm,

"It's gonna be ok. She's tough. With your help, she'll pull through." she said softly.

Optimus reached up and gripped her servo, "It is my fault she is like this . . . I will do whatever I can to make her my little girl again."

"I know you will."