My deepest apologies for this taking so much longer than it should have, I humbly hope that it was worth the wait.

Transformers Prime

Into the Spider's Web

Chapter 6

Epilogue- A family together

"By the all spark, what's going on?!" Ratchet gasped as the Autobots returned to base, or more specifically when his optics landed on a wounded Arcee aiding the even more battered Clone-Abomination.

"There is no time Ratchet." Optimus spoke up first, "we have wounded and they need medical attention."

Ratchet looked at the deep carving into Optimus' chest and gaped in horror.

"Not I Ratchet, I am fine … please tend to, our guest." Optimus continued, pausing only a fraction to ponder how to describe the Clone.

Ratchet looked from Optimus to the clone then back to Optimus, "You surely can't be serious?" he gawked, "this is absurd, why is it even here?"

"Believe me Ratchet, it isn't our first choice." Arcee grumbled. The Clone turned to look at her to which Arcee turned her face away.

The Clone turned her optics towards Jack, seeking comfort.

"Hey it's okay, we'll get everything sorted out." He said in a reassuring tone.

The Clone didn't reply other than a small tiny whimper and simply nodded.

"Jack!" June Darby cried as she rushed to her son and wrapped her arms around him tightly.

"ARGH Mom, gently please." He yelped in pain. "I've had a rough day."

"Oh my goodness Jack!" Jude cried, as tears began to run down her cheeks. "I was so scared I'd lost you this time."

Jack wrapped his arms around his mother, and spoke gently to try and calm her. "I didn't doubt you guys would get me back."

"I did." June whispered.

Bumblebee held onto Rafael cupping the young boy to his chest while moaning with relief and joy.

"Don't worry Bee, I'm okay they didn't hurt me, I'm just tired is all." Rafael calmed the large yellow robot.

"What matters is that Jack and Rafael are safe and sound and back among us." Optimus said reassuringly.

"He still need medical attention Optimus." June argued, "I don't believe MECH would heal his injuries, not without a price."

"A fair point Nurse Darby," Optimus admitted before turning his attention to Smokescreen. "Please escort Rafael, Jack and Nurse Darby to the nearest human hospital."

The clone shifted in Arcee's grasp and tried to reach for Jack, "No! NO LEAVE!"

"Hey!" Arcee roared and readjusted her grip. "STOP IT!"

Jack turned and looked as the Clone struggled, "Hey, hey it's okay, I got to make sure I'm okay, I won't be gone long, I promise."

"Daddy." The Clone whimpered.

"Daddy?!" June asked in shock and confusion.

"I don't understand it either but I'm not in the mood to argue." Jack replied quietly, before exhaling, he was mentally and physically exhausted after the whole ordeal.

"Come on guys, let's get out of here, quicker we're gone quicker you guys can get looked at." Smokescreen spoke up before shifting into his vehicular form.

"I'll be back as quick as I can." Jack said as he looked up to Arcee.

"Just make sure you're okay, promise?" she gave him a gentle, caring smile.

"Promise." Jack turned and entered Smokescreen, along with June and Rafael, moments later the car was speeding out of the base and towards the Jasper area.

"Daddy." The clone whimpered.

Arcee rolled her optics, "Come on, let's get you looked at, before I change my mind."

Arcee moved the Clone to the medical berth and laid it down. Wheeljack and Bumblebee were high on alert ready to leap into action, in case the clone tried anything.

"Ratchet?" Optimus spoke up and glanced to his old friend, who seemed to begrudge analysing the abomination.

"Alright fine!" Ratchet exhaled with frustration and retrieved his medical scanner and ran it along the clone's body.

"Don't move." Arcee ordered and glared at the creature.

Ratchet finished his scan and began looking through the readings, he remained quiet as he took in the information he saw.

"From what I've found the …" he paused trying to identify it. "our guest is fine on most accounts, its body is mismatched and its t-cog is functional but not adapted to its body, or perhaps that may be the other way around," He paused to ponder that thought a moment longer, "regardless, its weakened but stable, and due to its technorganic state, it should recover from its injuries in a short period of time." He concluded.

"What of her mind Ratchet?" Optimus asked.

"My equipment can't scan that Optimus, whatever is going on inside its head can only be fixed with time, if at all." Ratchet replied.

Optimus nodded then focussed his attention on Arcee, "Until Jack returns Arcee I believe it would be wise to keep the clone here, when he's back we shall discuss what needs to be done."

"I say we scrap the twisted thing." Wheeljack growled.

"We cannot simply destroy it because of its origins Wheeljack, to do so would be to turn our back on the Autobot ways." Optimus replied then looked back to Arcee, "As I said, we shall wait until Jack return, then discuss."

Arcee thought it over for a moment in silence, looking at no one and nothing, then she turned her attention to the clone whom looked at her with fright, knowing its impending termination could very well be soon. Optimus and Jack had both shared their thoughts on the creature's existence. Maybe they were right. But she couldn't agree, every time she looked at it, its face; her own face melded together with Airachnid's, it was disgusting, she and her nemesis fused together in one life form, a sick twisted joke created from the bowels of the pit sent to mock her. She couldn't care for it, couldn't grow attached to it. But then, how did Jack?

"We'll wait until Jack and Raf get back." Arcee concluded.

"Until then our guestwill be under careful watch." Optimus declared as he waved his hand in the clone's direction.

Jack was gone for two weeks. June had reported back several hours after their departure that he had suffered broken ribs, and still has terrible burns down his torso, thankfully whatever MECH had done to him, had in fact healed him, though not fully, deeper scans and X-Rays revealed nothing hidden inside him; no locator beacon, no poisonous insects or bombs or … truly June had feared the worst, all he needed was some rest.

During that time Optimus had requested the rogue Decepticon; Dynobot and the ancient wrecker; Slug, to stay until matters dealing with the clone had been sorted, both accepted somewhat begrudgingly and stayed, keeping an eye on the clone, which had been allowed to walk about the base as long as it was escorted.

For the clone itself, each day seemed to bring more clarity to its unstable mind, as if a thick fog was dimming as time passed. As she slept she had dreams, or perhaps flashbacks would've been a better term for them. She saw images of Cybertron, she saw her own hands torturing Autobots both young and old … then she saw Tailgate. She killed him. But it was then she became confused, she now knew it was Airachnid that killed him … but right there she saw him die by her blade.

'Who am I? What am I?' she began to wonder, becoming self-conscious of herself and her own existence. Surely father would know, but father wasn't well, at least that was what her mother Arcee said. Speaking of her mother, the blue femme had been less than co-operative towards her, there was no warmth in her gaze, no care in her words, not like father, but why? What had she done. She realised fighting her and taking father from her may have soured her mood, just a little bit.

She'd tried apologising, pleading with her mother, telling her she had been confused, scared, she knew what was right now.

"You have no idea do you?" Arcee had growled in return. "You haven't got a clue, what you are do you?"

"You're daughter." The clone had replied.

Arcee just grimaced and walked away in disgust, leaving the Clone spark-broken and confused. What was it she didn't understand, was there something from before? Had her memories been fractured? Perhaps she had done something earlier in her life that had angered her mother, or perhaps father and while he had forgiven her, she had not.

'So confused.' She thought to herself before turning to look at her current escort, the yellow and black one, Bumblebee. "Why mama hate me?" she asked.

Bumblebee tilted his head pondering how to answer that question then looked away. The young scout then replied through a series of beeps.

The clone had at first had a hard time understanding the yellow one, his strange form of communication sounding foreign to her, but with time as her mind somewhat cleared it seemed so did her hearing. "It's a complicated matter." The yellow one had said. How was it complicated? What had she done?

She exhaled slowly and miserably. Perhaps whatever had happened would only heal with time. She hoped so, she really wanted to see daddy again, daddy would protect her, love her and make everything good again.

For everyone else, it was a time for rest, the Decepticons had been quiet, as had MECH, yet still there was tension in the air, and everyone knew the tension was due to their guest. Optimus Prime felt he needed to speak to Arcee about the clone, to try and alleviate some of the tension that was festering in the base, but had already promised to wait for Jack's return. Optimus sat down upon his berth and contemplated his next move, perhaps talking to the right person was what he needed to do, and besides he too was concerned for their health and wellbeing.

He activated his internal communication systems and connected via satellite to a cell phone, he heard the ringing tone as the call was being connected and waited. Moments later the call connected and he heard the user speak.

"Hello?" Jack asked upon answering the call. Optimus could hear the drowsy tone in his voice, and knew that despite the early hour, the young man's drowsiness was likely because of humanity's healing concoctions.

"Hello Jack." Optimus replied softly, hoping the others wouldn't hear him and his voice volume wouldn't be too much for the young teen.

"O-Optimus?" the boy sounded surprised, "I uh-is everything okay?" he asked.

"I called to ask you the very same question my friend, how are you?" Optimus asked, he could hear something rustling around on the other side of the call, presumably Jack moving into a more comfortable position.

"I'm alright, the doctors have got me on some strong pain meds," the young man groaned in pain as he repositioned himself, "Agent Fowler is keeping an eye on me and my condition, also gave the hospital a cover story for my injuries. Right now though, I'm mending but it still hurts from time to time, and the medication really messes with my head."

Optimus nodded silently as he listened to Jack, "I'm pleased to hear you are healing my friend, you've been through much lately." He said softly, in an almost comforting tone.

"How are you and the others, Arcee and … the uh," Jack went silent for a moment, Optimus took the pause to reply.

"We are alright Jack, events have been quiet and with Slug, Dynobot and Wheeljack staying for the time being we are not short on soldiers if something happens, as for Arcee and the clone however," the old Autobot exhaled slowly before continuing, "the atmosphere is tense, Arcee is angry that the clone is here and the clone itself is confused, and I have sworn not to intervene until you are well rested and have returned."

Jack sighed through the line, exasperated and tired, "I'm sorry for all this Optimus,"

"It is not your fault Jack, if all turns well, you will have saved a life." Optimus replied.

"I know, but this isn't something you need right now, if things needed to be talked about I need to get over there."

"Jack I appreciate your urgency I implore you not to return until you are further healed. This is a matter that can wait," Optimus replied quickly, worried over the boy's condition and what traveling to the base may do or undo to his wounds, "however I do wish to speak with you on the matter."

"If you're sure, what do you want to talk about?" the young man asked.

"What is your view of the clone?" Optimus asked, he himself had his own thoughts but wished to know Jack's.

Jack groaned audibly through the phone, then there was silence. Optimus waited patiently knowing his question had depth to it, and Jack likely hadn't thought about nor wanted to think about for moment.

"She tried to kill Arcee and the rest of you guys and she kidnapped me. I was scared, terrified of her, I hated her. Then what happened at the MECH base." Jack spoke softly as he recollected what had happened those weeks ago, "I've been thinking about it more, about her more. I sometimes wonder if there were any hints to its need or affection or … whatever, towards me that I'd missed earlier, maybe she was trying to protect me or, maybe she was originally trying to kill me I don't know, I end up second guessing myself over my own memory."

"It was a harrowing experience Jack and you acted in survival instincts, sometimes there is not enough time to fully process what is happening." Optimus said comforting the boy, he knew from his own experience what the boy was going through, from centuries and millennia of war he himself had acted first upon trained instinct before his mind fully processed what had happened.

"It was, but still afterwards, I always think about how the clone, how she looked at me, when Arcee and I were making our escape, she looked so miserable, defeated, she needed me, she saw me as her father …" Jack's voice once again faded as he went deep into thought. "… I don't know what to think Optimus, on the one hand, she's part Airachnid; a psychopath on the other she's part Arcee, a hero … but altogether, by herself, she's just a kid, a scared and confused kid who doesn't know anything about herself."

Optimus was silent as he too contemplated the predicament. "I know it may be much to ask in your condition Jack, but I would be grateful if you would think on the matter some more."

"Will do Optimus, I think I need to for my own sake as well as everyone else's." Jack said in a thoughtful yet distressed tone.

"I understand Jack, thank you for speaking with me, I hope your recovery is swift." Optimus concluded getting a tired "goodbye" from Jack before Optimus cancelled the connection.

Their talk had been enlightening and helpful, Optimus closed his optics as he prepared what his actions would be when Jack finally returned.

Days passed by, Jack still had not returned, and today was Arcee's day to watch the clone; Optimus' orders. Arcee didn't like it but she couldn't disobey a direct order from Optimus, so here she sat in a deeper section of the base with the clone sat near her, facing away from her as she'd told it too, she didn't want to look at it, or for it to look at her.

The clone herself had held her tongue for so long, obeying mother's orders to not speak, but she needed to know why mother hated her so, maybe if she knew she'd be able to fix things, show that she was a good girl, that she could be her mother's daughter again. She gathered up her courage and looked timidly over her shoulder.

"M-mother."

"I said no talking." Arcee barked back.

The clone whimpered for a moment, turning her gaze away before trying once more.

"Mother."

"What did I just say?!" Arcee glared at the clone.

"Why do you hate me, mother?" the clone asked timidly.

Arcee scoffed disdainfully, "I told you not to call me mother, and you should know why, it's painfully obvious."

She didn't understand, why did mother hate her? How was it obvious, was she overlooking something?

"Tell me." The clone pleaded.

"I said be quiet." Arcee growled.

"TELL ME!" The clone shouted desperately.

"HOW COULD YOU NOT KNOW!" Arcee roared, her temper getting the better of her. "Have you not seen yourself! LOOK IN A FRAGGING MIRROR! You're a MONSTER! You're not MY child you're not JACK'S child, or even Airachnid's child. YOU'RE A FREAK! A sick, twisted abomination! You're nothing more than a fragged up CLONE!"

The clone recoiled with every word Arcee spat, then her optics wide in horror as the thoughts whirled around in her mind.

"A c-clone?" she whimpered.

"Look." Arcee spat as her left arm blade unsheathed and extended, she turned the flat surface of the blade towards the clone, the polished reflective surface showing the clone it's own face for the first time ever.

It gasped in horror, shock and bewilderment, and leaned closer to get a better look, a slow trembling hand ran over her own facial features tracing each line, each contorted piece of metallic alloy.

"No." the clone gasped. Her mind became flooded with visions, she fighting a female Decepticon, she trying to clone herself, Airachnid was there … an explosion, then life. She wasn't trying to clone herself, she saw through her eyes … Airachnid standing there near a protoform, and with her own eyes she saw Arcee lying on the ground … they weren't her eyes, weren't her memories she realised, they were Arcee's and Airachnid's … she was a clone. An abomination of them both.

"Yes! Take a good long look. You're me and my oldest enemy put together in one sick, twisted form." Arcee growled with disgust. "Now do you see, why I hate you?"

"No," the clone whimpered as she pulled away. "No, no, no … NO!" The clone howled before getting standing up and running down the hallway.

Arcee glared at the retreating clone, she should go after it, but she wasn't in the mood, didn't want to be anywhere near it. She sat there stewing in her own hatred and rage.

"What is all the noise?" Ratchet groaned from his terminal.

"Not sure doc." Smokescreen replied as he looked back towards the long hallway, "Seemed to come from deeper in the base."

The main room was a lull in activity, Optimus was out scouting the area, or simply going for a drive to clear his mind, Bumblebee was playing video games with his young friend, almost brother; Rafael, and the ancient wrecker "Slug" was sat down beside Wheeljack and Bulkhead, while the latter was jamming out with his human Miko.

"This is what they call music?" the ancient one growled.

"I kinda like it." Wheeljack smirked.

"You would." Slug grimaced before turning his optics towards the rogue Decepticon Dynobot who seemed to be reading Earth literature from a hand held terminal, namely a long offlined human named Shakespeare.

"… "cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once"…" Dynobot quoted as he read through Shakespeare's 'Julius Caesar'.

There came a sound from the hallway, of metal pounding against concrete, someone was running towards their direction.

"Now what?" Ratchet raised a metallic brow, just as the clone entered the main room sans Arcee.

The clone stopped dead in it's tracks and looked around the room staring at them, immediately Slug and Dynobot rose to attention, prepared in case the clone attacked.

"You knew … you all knew." The clone whimpered miserably, she had been the only one who hadn't known, hadn't realised, she was just a disgusting clone, with no friends, no family, no home, no mother and no father. She choked back a sob and covered her leaking optics with one hand.

"Where is Arcee?" Ratchet asked cautiously, "what have you done?" he said a little too forceful.

The clone looked up to Ratchet with an angered glare, these people didn't love her, didn't care, she thought they might, but they didn't, no one did, all they saw when they looked at her was a freak, a monster, a disgusting clone and now all this disgusting clone wanted, was to be left alone. She wanted to leave.

She howled out in rage and charged towards Ratchet, all hell broke loose, Dynobot fired his optic beams as the other Autobots moved in to intercept the psychotic monster.

The clone ducked and dodged out of the way, even as Smokescreen charged towards her she nimbly leapt over him and landed on Ratchet knocking the medic to the floor, she knelt and aimed her blaster at the back of his head.

"STOP!" she yelled, and the room froze, that gave her time to think, she pulled Ratchet to his feet slowly, clambering up his back as he stood much taller than her and pressed the barrel of her blaster to his head.

"You won't get away with what you've done." Ratchet warned heatedly not caring as the barrel was pressed harder against his head.

"Leave …" she growled and used one of her spider legs to point at the ground bridge.

"Not likely." Ratchet shot back.

"I want to leave!" the Clone howled and pressed the barrel harder against the side of his head.

"Just do what she wants Ratchet, we can get her later." Bulkhead spoke up, growling the last few words hatefully.

"No way Bulk, I say we scrap her now!" Miko yelled out and glared at the clone.

"I agree with the fleshling." Slug growled.

"No, as much as we should we can risk the doc." Wheeljack announced as he sheathed his swords.

"Alright." Ratchet exhaled with defeat.

"Don't turn around." The clone warned forcing Ratchet to back up slowly and carefully to his terminal.

"Where to?" he asked, and looked over his shoulder at the ground bridge terminal.

"Anywhere, far away." She replied, a smear of sadness filtering into her tone.

Ratchet picked one place, the clone recognised it immediately, the North Pole.

"NOT THERE!" she roared, "Too cold."

Ratchet's ploy hadn't worked, he thought he could've out smarted her, pity. He changed the location to elsewhere less life threatening.

"That will do, turn it on and back up." She ordered.

Ratchet did as he was told the ground bridge portal whirled to life and the medic started backing up towards it slowly.

"Nice and slow, no sudden movements." She hissed.

Suddenly Arcee charged into the room and saw what was going on.

"What the frag!?" she exclaimed before her optics settled on Ratchet, whom was being used as a shield by the clone. "I knew we shouldn't have trusted you!" she growled.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" the clone cried loudly causing the medic she was gripping onto to wince at the loud volume.

A familiar sound came from the entrance of the base, the deep rumbling of a powerful engine, Optimus Prime was returning. The clone grimaced, she was wasting time … she leapt from Ratchet's back causing the medic to stumble forward and dashed into the swirling green portal, she spun around and fired a single shot from her blaster at the cables connecting the terminal to the portal itself.

The shot hit severing the power, the portal machine began to flux just as the clone made it through before shutting down.

Ratchet turned in horror as the portal dissipated then dashed to his terminal.

"I can't energise the ground bridge, she's severed all connections!" he called out with frustration, then began typing at the console. "She made it through, she was able to get to the other side before the portal collapsed."

"Shame." Arcee grimaced, just as Optimus rolled into the room. The driver and passenger doors swung open as Jack and June Darby exited from Optimus' vehicle form, the former however taking a little while longer with the need of the walking stick to aid in his mobility.

"Jack!" Arcee exclaimed happily and moved closer to him, taking note of his form, tired, bags under his eyes and the walking stick to keep him steady. "Oh scrap Jack, how're you feeling?"

"I'm fine Arcee, better than I have been at least." He gave her a gentle yet tired smile.

Optimus transformed into his bipedal form and looked at the damaged cable, then slowly scanned the room, taking note of everyone's body language, and the lack of a certain someone.

"I heard shouting as we approached, and I notice the damaged cable, what has happened?" Optimus asked in a calm, commanding voice.

At once everyone started to explain what had happened with Optimus having trouble hearing anyone had to say.

"Alright, stop!" he said with elevated volume, everyone quietened down, he looked at everyone once more, "alright one at a time, Ratchet." He said and looked towards the old medic.

"Most of us were in here, I was working, Smokescreen and I heard yelling from deeper in the base, not too long later our guest came running in, Arcee was nowhere to be seen, I thought the worst, then it attacked, used me as a shield and forced me to open the ground bridge to allow it to escape." Ratchet explained, "Before it got through it damaged the cable to the ground bridge, we won't be able to follow until I repair it."

Optimus said nothing and turned his attention to Arcee.

Arcee knew what Optimus was asking even without him opening his mouth, his stern-curious gaze told her everything.

"I was angry," she began and shook her head, "I hated having that thing here, what it is, what it meant to me, what it had done to Jack! I … I lost my cool, scrap I don't think I ever had any cool with it around me. It kept calling me mother, wouldn't stop asking why I hated it so I lashed out, I told it what it was, how it made me feel, and showed it what it really looked like." Arcee clenched her fists tightly and closed her optics.

"Oh Arcee." Jack spoke softly.

Arcee flinched at the tone in his voice, he probably would have never said it straight, but he was disappointed with her, to be honest, saying it out loud, she felt disappointed with herself.

"I am sorry Arcee." Optimus spoke up at last, earning her gaze, "I had hoped your opinion and feelings towards the clone may have calmed if you had contact with her. I didn't see how much the clone's presence made you suffer and for that I apologise."

"So what do we do now?" Smokescreen asked.

"We cannot leave the clone to roam free by itself, especially not in the mental state it is in." Optimus replied, it was never a good idea to leave a child to fester in misery, the clone needed some positive support, most likely from the one it trusted most; Jack

"Yeah, it could start attacking people." Smokescreen replied, reading Optimus' meaning all wrong.

"We need to bring her back here." Jack spoke up.

"Why would we want to do that?!" Ratchet scoffed.

"She's not had much of a life Ratchet, and everything she thought shew knew has been thrown in the blender, she's just realised she doesn't have a life before this whole thing began. She's like a little kid, she's lost she's alone and confused, we need to calm her down and bring her back." Jack responded.

"Is that how you feel about it Jack, after all it did to you, to us?" Arcee asked heatedly.

"Yes," he responded and stared her in the eye, "I know I'm right, she was given life in the worst of ways Arcee and now she doesn't know what to do, what to think or even feel. She needs us, she's a part of us, you and me, in a way she was right, we are mom and dad."

'Oh great, I'm a grandmother.' June thought as the scene before her went on, she noticed Arcee and Jack staring at one another, neither of the budging, neither blinking, this was their first actual fight as a couple and it as other a child, sort of.

Arcee was the first to look away, "Alright … you win Jack." She exhaled and looked back to him, "who said you had to be the logical one in this relationship?" She asked in saddened yet joking manner.

Jack gave Arcee a gentle loving smile. "Someone needs to keep to be, and you're the badass warrior so," he shrugged his words comforting to her spark.

"Then it is settled, Ratchet please try and fix the ground bridge, then we shall try and bring the clone back here." Optimus stated calmly.

Ratchet grumbled incoherently to himself with indignation before getting to work.

"How do we get it back here?" Bulkhead asked.

"I'll have to go, I may be the only one she trusts." Jack spoke up.

"Indeed," Optimus confirmed, "perhaps the clone will still see Jack as her father, if that is the case, she may be calmer in his presence."

"I'm sorry Jack." Arcee said as she turned her gaze towards her lover.

"It's okay Arcee we'll fix this, I know we will." He replied.

Team Prime went about their business, simply waiting for Ratchet to finish his task, Bumblebee and Rafael helped him with what they could, mostly passing him tools or helping to align the small wires.

Miko sat by Jack on the couch, checking him over and ensuring he was alright.

"How you feeling Jack-o-boy?" she asked with a saddened smile.

"I'll be back to normal in no time." Jack responded turning his tired gaze to Miko and smiling at her.

Miko smiled briefly then looked away, staring at the TV.

"I'm really sorry Jack." Miko whispered.

Jack chuckled, "I know Miko, you've told me hundreds of times before, and I told you, it's okay, I'm alright, Raf is alright, we're fine … more or less."

"Still, I'm sorry." Miko replied with some embarrassment.

"And still, I forgive you."

A little over two hours passed by. Ratchet stood up from the once damaged cables now jury rigged back together.

"That will work, when we are less pressed for time, I'll be making a more professional repair but, as I said it'll work."

He typed into his console searching around the area the ground bridge had been opened to and searched for any energon readings, he found one, their identification never remained constant flashing between Arcee and Airachnid spastically.

"I've got it's location." Ratchet announced.

"So, what's the plan?" Wheeljack asked.

"Arcee and Jack will go to the clone's location, Jack will speak to her first, try and calm her down," Optimus spoke up then looked down to Jack who nodded his head in agreement, "then Arcee." He looked to the only female of the group and said no more. Arcee nodded, knowing what needed to be done, she wasn't keen, but it had to be done.

Not moments later the portal to the ground bridge once more burst to life.

"You should emerge not too far from it's location, but make sure you're careful, understood? Just head in a northern direction" Ratchet informed them receiving affirmative nods in return.

"Good luck you two." Optimus wished them as Jack and Arcee moved through the portal.

The couple emerged on a grassy wet hillside in the middle of the night, the stars above them twinkled brightly and beautifully. Jack looked around curious as to their positon.

"Where are we?" he wondered aloud.

"I know where we are." Arcee said softly as a small smile graced her lips. "This is where we had our first sexual encounter, you remember? In that barn."

Jack blushed in remembrance, the British countryside they'd come to so long ago, he was so embarrassed by what he'd said, by how he'd felt, he inhaled sharply and exhaled slowly, it had been before Arcee's technorganic transformation, when she was still a normal Cybertronian, well normal by their standards, she had watched him masturbate and then she herself had begun to jerk him off. "I remember now."

"It seems so long ago now." Arcee said thoughtfully.

"You're right." He agreed.

The pair stood there in silence, reminiscing on the past, so much had happened since then, good and bad. Though for their relationship, mainly good.

"We need to find the clone." Arcee spoke up after a minute of silence.

"You're right. Ratchet said to head north." Jack replied as Arcee turned north and walked onwards.

The pair continued northwards, and in a short amount of time they could already hear the clone, it was wailing, crying in despair and misery, a child with a broken heart. Jack's own heart clenched, it reminded him so much of when his own father left, he remembered crying for days just like that.

"I'll go talk to her." Jack said softly while forcing his own pain filled tears back and carefully made his way towards the crying clone.

The clone was sat upon the wet grass, knees pushed up to her chest and her arms hugging her legs, she cried loudly and miserably unleashing the entirety of her misery out as loud as her voice box would allow. It was a wonder no one came to check out what the sound was.

"Hello?" Jack called out questioningly, wondering if the crying clone would hear him over the sound of her own sorrows.

The clone spun around and gasped before leaping to her feet, "No! No leave me alone!" the clone cried out and stared to back away from Jack.

The young boy raised his arm in a submissive way, "Hey, hey it's okay, it's okay, I just want to talk okay? That's all I want." He spoke in a slow calming tone. "Is that okay?" he asked.

The clone didn't take her optics off him, Jack took her inaction as confirmation.

"I know how you feel," he began sadly, "like your world had just been ripped apart, like everything you knew was all for nothing. I felt like that when my dad left me and my mom."

"Daddy … gone." She whimpered, she didn't have a daddy anymore, she thought Jack was daddy, but she was wrong, no one loved her.

"Yeah, I felt awful, maybe not as bad as you're feeling now, but … it hurt, it hurt so much." He exhaled slowly, looking at the grass beneath his feet for a moment before looking back to the clone, she still hadn't moved, so she was still willing to listen. "I remember being so angry, angry at everything I just wanted to lash out, I wanted to be left alone because … my world had been ruined."

He paused for a moment, letting the clone think about his words.

"That's how you felt wasn't it? You felt angry, miserable, you still feel miserable, like the world hates you, like everyone hates you." He asked.

"They do hate me." She whimpered before falling to her knees which sunk into the ground, "I am nothing, no one … a monster, a clone, no one cares for me."

"I care, because you and I are so alike." Jack spoke softly to the clone.

"Why? Not my father. No family. No one cares."

"I care, you saved me, you never intended to hurt me, did you? It was MECH and Airachnid, they hurt me, but you never did." The clone hissed at their names. "Yeah, I don't like them either. They're evil, just like the Decepticons, so you see? You and I have some things in common."

The clone nodded quietly.

"Okay, so will you come back with me?" he asked.

"No!" The clone yelped, "No, no, no, can't, bad … I've done bad. I did a bad, bad thing!" the clone curled up again, pulling her knees up to her chest and hugged her legs.

"No, it's okay, me and Optimus explained to them, you were scared, angry, just come home, and say you're sorry to Ratchet and everything will be fine, I promise." The young man promised.

"I can't … Arcee." She whimpered, "She hates me, I'm a freak."

"I know she said those things, but she and Airachnid well … you know." Jack frowned, yet understood the clone's reluctance.

"I'm part Airachnid, they'll all hate me, Arcee hates me." The clone whimpered, "You hate me."

"I don't," Jack stepped forward carefully, "I don't hate you and they won't either, if there are problems we can work them out. You don't have to be alone."

The clone turned her gaze away from Jack and closed her optics.

"Why?" she asked quietly, "Why are you being nice to me?" she asked. "Why daddy?" the clone paused and grimaced, "no, not daddy, not my daddy." She muttered miserably.

"That's what we dad's do, take care of our kids." He said with a calming smile.

The clone looked at him with confusion, "Not my father, I know now, I'm a clone."

"Well actually in a really weird way, you kinda are." He began, the clone raised a brow, her confused look intensifying, "a child is made from parts of their parents, and I know you have some of me inside you, you have some of my memories, about my father, and you're already a part of Arcee, so in a way you are our child." That also meant he had a child with Airachnid but he didn't want to think about that.

The clone whimpered, but rolled the thought around in her head; daddy was daddy in a way, Arcee was mama, but Airachnid could have been mama too …. NO! Airachnid was not mama she was not kind or loving or … but then neither was Arcee, but daddy was kind and loving and daddy loved Arcee.

"Arcee?" she asked timidly.

"Arcee won't change overnight, but give her time, sometimes all things need is time." His tone was regretful, his expression showed as much, the clone could tell and heaved a sigh.

"You will, look after me, daddy?" she asked.

"I'll do the best I can, I promise." He offered then reached his hand out, "Now why don't we go home?"

The clone weighed her options and nodded slowly. "Okay … alright father, let's go home." A smile spread across her lips. Movement behind Jack caught her attention as Arcee stepped into the clone's field of view, the clone backed off, afraid.

"She won't hurt you, I promise." Jack said as he glanced over his shoulder. "Won't you Arcee?"

Arcee looked from the clone to Jack then back to the clone and nodded slowly, "I … I promise."

"You yelled at me." The clone whimpered timidly.

"And I'm sorry," Arcee began to explain, she was hard with apologies, "I've never been good with my temper," she chuckled ever so briefly and looked the clone in the optics, "you probably get that from me."

"I am part Airachnid." The clone reminded.

"No one's perfect." Arcee countered.

"Daddy's perfect." The clone muttered and looked to Jack caringly.

"Yeah he is." Arcee said affectionately as she looked down at her human lover.

Jack himself blushed at the attention he was getting.

"It's time to go home now, Arana." Jack spoke up, the clone and Arcee looked at him curiously. "Your name, if you like it, Arana."

"Arana, I do like it," She smiled before rubbing her optics, "home time. I'm tired." Arana muttered.

"Yeah, me too." Jack commented.

Arcee held out her hand for Arana whom grabbed it and stood carefully, with her other hand Arcee picked up Jack.

"Ratchet, we need a ground bridge, we're coming home, all three of us." Arcee said into her communication systems.

"Bridging you back now." Ratchet spoke up.

"Well done, both of you." They heard Optimus say.

Before the three the green swirling vortex opened, their portal to home. The last few weeks had been insane, and their newest arrival was unlike anything anyone had anticipated. But here she was; Arana the clone, Arana Darby. Daughter to Jackson Darby and Arcee.

The Cybertronian women moved into the portal, with the man they both cared for nestled between them, they were a strange family, and they had much to over come, but upon walking through that portal Jack and Arcee knew, their lives had just entered a new chapter; parenthood.

The end

Jason's notes

I'd like to take this moment to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

I would also like to apologise for my lack of updating this year, it's been tough for me, my inspiration had all but flown out the window, but I promise myself I would finish this story.

The tales of Arcee, Jack and team Prime are NOT at an end there is still so much more to tell, sadly it may take longer than I had originally thought, but again thank you all for sticking by me. I love you all, and once again Merry Christmas.