Optimus stood still, staring. Jasmine sat up slowly, letting Jade down gently before standing, a grin on her face. The expression he held made her think of something from years ago . . . but something she would always find amusing.

Jasmine: "Honey . . . ! I'm ho-ome!"

She shot towards him in a sprint, covering the short distance in an instance, her arms wrapping around his neck and her feet leaving the ground.

His reaction was instantaneous, holding her close against him, refusing to let go as he spun her in a few small circles. Once he came to a stop, her feet met the ground again, but neither one loosened their grip. Not until Blaze spoke did they even open their eyes.

Blaze: "Hell-o-o? Are we chopped liver or what?"

He said it with obvious humor, merely seeking the attention of his parents and the affection they gave each other. Jasmine looked over and down at him from where her head rested against Optimus' collarbone.

She kissed the underside of her husband's jaw lightly before rushing to her son, picking him up in her arms.

Jasmine: "If you're chopped liver, you're the most ADORABLE chopped liver I've ever seen you little troublemaker!"

Optimus smiled warmly, his spark swollen with affection as Blaze laughed the way children do before aging to an adolescent in a matter of seconds. Jasmine's arms dipped, but continued to hold her son steady for a few more moments before setting him down.

Optimus turned his attention to his daughter, walking over to her. The girl was smiling slightly, but lacked the joy her brother felt at the moment. She didn't know why, she just . . . didn't have that happiness inside her.

The large mech sat down next to his daughter carefully, smiling.

Optimus: "Jade?"

She looked at him slowly.

Jade: "Yeah, Dad?"

His smile only grew at the use of the title he held. The one he'd feared he'd lost. He kissed her forehead gently, pulling her into his lap.

Optimus: "I love you, Sweetspark."

She nodded lightly, allowing herself to unlock the doors she hadn't realized were locked to begin with. A broad smile crossed her face, relaxing into her father's form, her body slowly aging to that of an adolescent like her brother, who was now back on the ground.

Or . . . not.

Somewhere in those few instances, her mother and her brother were now climbing in the willow trees, in some odd version of tag.

She shook her head lightly, groaning. It was easy to see where her brother got most of his traits.

Optimus followed her line of sight to the laughter from above them.

Optimus: "Maiden! Blaze! Be careful up there!"

The auburn-haired woman just laughed at him, taking a moment of pause.

Jasmine: "Chill out, worry-wart! I know what we're doing!"

Optimus smiled again. Same old Maiden . . .

Blaze tapped his mother on the back before darting away up the tree, stumbling slightly on the branches.

Blaze: "Yeah, chill out, old-timer!"

Jasmine immediately shot after her son, catching him in seconds, bracing herself against a branch with her back to it, feet firmly locked on one parallel, holding Blaze against her, his back to her chest, still grinning.

Jasmine: "Don't disrespect your father, young man!"

He laughed, struggling against her hold to no avail.

Blaze: "You do!"

Jasmine: "That's different. I keep him entertained and not so stuffy. Now say you're sorry."

She was holding back laughter, delighted at having such . . . okay, not normal, but fun time with her family. Blaze kept laughing.

Blaze: "Or what?"

Jasmine grinned, sticking a finger in her mouth to wet it.

Jasmine: "Say you're sorry or else."

Jade was watching the back-and-forth in the tree and couldn't help but snicker under her breath. Optimus glanced down at her with a broad smile.

Blaze screamed, half laughing in the process.

Blaze: "Never!"

Jasmine's smile grew, pressing her finger near his ear.

Jasmine: "Is that so?"

He screamed, laughing again.

Blaze: "Okay, okay! I'm sorry, Father, it'll never happen again!"

Optimus laughed lightly, squeezing Jade tighter against him.

Optimus: "Apology accepted, Blaze. Though I think your mother is the one to be worried about when it comes to a grudge."

Jasmine laughed, releasing Blaze and climbing down out of the tree with him carefully until they were at a safe enough distance to jump to the ground. They soon joined the other pair, sitting down on each side, smiling.

Jasmine quickly gave in to her desires and closed her eyes, resting her head on Optimus' shoulder, taking in the swell in her chest. She had her little family. Her babies, her husband . . .

Yet when she opened her eyes again, everything was gone. She was back in her room. In her house. Alone.

Why was that fact always so significant lately? She was used to waking up alone . . . it should be normal. It should be okay. It should be expected.

Yet when she looked around, she wanted something. She didn't even know what.

She got off the bed quietly, heading over to the dresser, picking up those small pieces of jewelry delicately. The ruby earrings, jade necklace, engagement ring and the emerald bracelet.

And of course the charm bracelet. It glinted around her wrist still. She felt . . . okay, wearing the charm bracelet. The others just made her feel alone and forgotten.

She took the bracelet off slowly, examining it in the early morning light. She tried to envision . . . something with it. Surely it held some significance, right? It held some sort of message, or feeling or . . . what, exactly?

But as she stared, still, all she saw was bright blue . . . and electricity . . . and . . . "JB I wanna give you something. Since I'll be leaving like really early tomorrow . . . Here. To keep me close." "Em, are you sure? I mean, it was one thing to leave a single bead, but this?" "I'm positive, JB. Mom gave it to me because she loved me so much, and now, the cycle continues."

She blinked, shaking the voices away. What on Earth? She slipped the bracelet back on, trying to ignore the voices. The conversation. One that felt eerily familiar, even if it hadn't been her voice talking to "Em", whoever that was . . .

It made her feel a little less alone. For whatever reason, she felt like "Em" was looking for her, even when the man who'd given her the ring hadn't . . .

But maybe, just maybe, her old fiance was suffering from amnesia, too? Maybe he didn't remember either . . .

But Em . . . she remembered, right? 

She shook her head again. It was a fairytale. Her mind was just making things up to cope with the stress. And she had a long day of work ahead of her.