chapter 1:and so it Begins:

Outside of Jasper, Nevada rode a motorcycle. To the everyday people this motorcycle would appear to be just like any other motorcycle out there, but eyes can be deceiving. The person who rode on this motorcycle added to the everyday image. A boy in his teens, and although you couldn't see his black hair and blue eyes for the helmet, he looked pretty much like the average teen boy, just riding his motorcycle along the lonely rode. Nothing about this picture could be noted as anything out of the ordinary.

The boy, around the 16 years, looked down at the bike and started talking: "Arcee, haven't the decepticons been a bit too quiet lately? I would have figured they would have made another move by now…" Arcee adjusted her side mirrors a little so she could take a look at the boy. He seem to not really look anywhere but to a far beyond out of reach. He had been exceptionally thoughtful recently. "You should be happy that they have been this quiet. Though it is probably the calm before the storm, as you humans say…" The boy let out a small sigh, but continued to look thoughtful. "Jack, is something troubling you? You seem… well worried" Jack shook his head slightly. "It's nothing, Arcee. We better get back to base."

Arcee still kept an eye on Jack. She couldn't help but to think how much he had matured since she met him outside his work. Back then he had really just been the average teen and had thought of Arcee as nothing but a sweet ride, he wished he could've owned. But that quickly changed when the two of them were attacked by decepticons, and Arcee had had no choice but to reveal to him about the world of decepticons, autobots and the war they were battling. Everything just escalated from there, when they had ran into Rafael, the 12 year-old boy with a knack for technology and hacking, and had to have help from Bumblebee, the yellow with black striped Camaro of a scout for the autobots. Miko, around the 15 years, with the black hair with pink stripe and a love for weird and rock music, had later spotted Jack and Arcee talk to each other. Since the three of them have joined, they had been through a lot with the autobots, both good and bad.

Miko had joined partnership with the big green wrecker Bulckhead and together with the occasion drop in of Wheeljack, another wrecker, the three of them were a very rowdy bunch, who loved adventures and been through quite a bit of them. Wheeljack had seen the potential the girl hold, and had made her an honorary member of the wreckers.

Rafael was the only human who understood Bumblebees talking, since his voicebox didn't work. They were both young and played a lot of video games together. Though Bumblebee had always taken his guardian duty serious when in heated situations, the incident where Rafael almost died from dark energon had lefts its mark on the scout. It had also disturbed the autobots medic, Ratchet, more than he would like to admit. Arcee had seen the bot soften up to the children, though he tried to hide it, by stating things he disliked about humans. But Rafael had a huge part in chancing the bot perspective on that manner. Rafael had at several occasions proved his worth by helping fix various things around the base like the computers or the ground bridge, and had hacked their way in to victory against the decepticons at least a dozen of times.

Then there was Jack, which Arcee were the guardian to. Originally he didn't even want to be in the fight, but had changed his mind. He had since then proved himself time and time again that though he may not be an autobot, he certainly had the heart for it. He had blown up Aracnids, Arcees nemesis, spaceship, when he had to face her alone. He had faced her again along with the despicable M.E.C.H. when they had kidnapped his mother, June. Luckely in both cases Arcee had been there to pick up the pieces and help him save the day. He had been face to face with Megatron, and spared his life, in the spirit that Optimus would have done the same. And the recent events were perhaps the most remarkable. He had been to Cybertron with the Key of Vector Sigma, to restore Optimus Primes memories. Yes, Arcee had to admit that the boy was special for a human being, and perhaps instead of just saying he was an autobot material, Arcee had to agree with Ratchet: He was the material of a Prime. Perhaps Optimus also saw this potential, since he had given the Key of Vector Sigma to Jacks care and protection. Even though Optimus was stoic and tried to keep his emotions in check, Arcee had seen him from time to time with his optics staring at Jack, filled with something… pride, compassion perhaps?

"Arcee!" Arcee snapped back to reality and noticed they were nearing the base now. She had no idea how long Jack had tried to get her attention. "Looks like I'm not the only thoughtful around today." Arcee sighed and tried to sound cheerful: "Just thinking about how much we've been through and how far you've come since the time you practically backed out of the wanting to know us. " "You mean how far we've both come, Arcee". True, without Jacks interference Arcee would still try to be distant to the others. She would still let guilt slowly consume her for the loss of her former partners: Tailgate and Cliffjumber. And she would still want to seek revenge, to kill Aracnid and Starscream for killing them. But the boy had helped heal her Spark somewhat. Though it still hurt to think about Tailgate and Cliffjumber, she had the chance of killing Aracnid, but didn't. She was now put away within the base in stasis.

"Arcee, look out!" For the second time Arcee was jolted out of her line of thoughts, but this time there was an urgent and stressed tone in Jacks voice. Arcee managed to wheel off the road, just as blasters hit where she and Jack had been driving. Decepticons! "Arcee, we're too close to base, we cannot afford them knowing the location." "I know!" She growled a little. "Well Jack looks like you got your wish, decepticons are no longer quiet, happy?"

Meanwhile back at the base the alarm went off. Ratchet started checking their computers as Rafael and Bumblebee stopped their game. Bulkhead turned off Miko's music, much to the girl's displease. Optimus walked in. "Ratchet, is it the decepticons?" Ratchet let out a small "Scrap" and looked to Optimus. "They are very close to base! But that is not all. They are chasing Jack and Arcee!" "Ratchet, lock in to the coordinates and open a ground bridge." Ratchet looked wide-eyed at Optimus. "It's too close to base; they might intercept the readings of where the ground bridge originated from. " Optimus looked at the team, that wasn't on patrol and could see their determination in wanting to come to their friends' aid. "Ratchet, it is a risk we must take". Ratchet mumbled and sighed before opening the ground bridge: "I will contact Smokescreen and Wheeljack also". "Very well, old friend. Autobots – roll out!".

Meanwhile with Arcee and Jack: "They are gaining at us!" Arcee checked with her side mirrors. "Scrap! Jack, I'm gonna find a place, where you can hide, then- ". Another blast which hit Arcee and the both tumbled across the ground. Jack could feel a crack in his knee and a sharp pain travelling up through his leg. He clutched his leg just above his knee and looked up to try and see Arcee. She struggled to get up. Jack spotted energon leaking from her left side. Just as they gained eye contact with each other, another blast came towards Arcee. She managed barely to dodge it, and transformed her blasters to shoot back. "Jack, get to cover!" Apparently she hadn't spotted he couldn't use his right leg. Jack spotted some minor rock formation not too far from him, and he started dragging himself towards it. Suddenly Arcee seethed and whispered: "Megatron too?!". Jack ought to have kept dragging, but had to turn around, just as he saw Megtron transform and land in front of Arcee. He looked at Arcee for a brief moment, and then he turned his eyes to Jack and smiled evily. Arcee and Jack couldn't agree more: "Scrap!".

Megatron started walking towards Jack, but Arcee got in between, her blades on her arm out. "I have no time for you, femme. I want the boy!" He shot at Arcee which dodged and tried to hit him. Megatron threw her out of the way. "Jack and I have unfinished business…" Jack tried to drag himself further away, knowing that it was impossible to get away. With Megatron only a couple of Cybertronian feet away, and Arcee struggling to stand, Jack thought it might be the end. Just then behind him, Jack heard and felt the familiar swirling and energy of a ground bridge. Jack turned his head, and saw Optimus and the others come out from it, transforming and standing between him and Megatron. "Megatron, leave the boy alone." "Prime, I was wondering how long it would take you to get here."

Optimus eyed Arcee clutching her left side, as she fought to stand. Behind him Bumblebee gave a few worried chirps and beeps about Jacks leg. "I thought you would come and protect your special fleshling, Prime, and I must say that I am starting to get, why you want to keep him close to you." Optimus frowned a bit, and took a quick glance at Jack who was still clutching his leg, but looked confused up at Optimus then at Megatron. He clenched his teeth while talking, and you could clearly hear the leg was paining him: "I don't know what you are talking about!" Megatron smirked, and Optimus tensed when the Decepticon leader took a step closer. "Megatron, I will not allow you to hurt the human". Arcee had finally managed to move to the others, Bulkhead holding her up while she was pointing her blasters at Megatron.

Jack tried to get up to, hissing as pain surged through his leg, but managed to stand with the help of Bumblebee, who was chirping nervously for Jack. The key of Vector Sigma, that Jack wore around his neck felt warm to the skin, and Jack looked down and saw a small glow through the shirt. Why was it acting up now? Optimus saw the glow too out of the corner of his optics, and he frowned even deeper. Megatron seemed to have expected something like this to happen, because his devious smile just got wider. Jack could almost feel the same warm buzzing experience as when the key of Vector Sigma uploaded back at cybertron. Then Arcee gasped holding her side and looked down. She was starting to heal! It was nothing more of a whisper, but it caught everyone's attention: "Optimus, I.. what is going on?" Megatron started to laugh and Optimus' optics narrowed. "Like I said Prime, hand over the special Fleshling – along with the key of Vector Sigma".

Optimus radioed in for a ground bridge instead: "Ratchet, we need a ground bridge now!". Megatron scowled and attacked Optimus. Arcee helped firing at him asshe was nearly fully healed and Bulkhead followed up. Bumblebee tried as gently as possible to scoop up Jack, though the pained gasp didn't go unnoticed, and as the ground bridge opened Bumblebee started running through it. They heard Megatron screaming something back there, but Bumblebee was far more keen on getting Jack out of there.

Megatron screamed as he saw the boy disappear through the ground bridge: "No! He is Mine!". Optimus hit him in the shoulder with his sword, while Bulkhead and Arcee went through the portal. "I will not allow you to take Jack!" Megatron noticed the undertone of worry and anger the Prime let slip, now that his team wasn't there anymore. "So the boy is special to you. Mark my words Prime, I will soon have that boy in my grasp along with the Key and his powers, and that will be your downfall!". With that Megatron transformed and flew off. Optimus starred after him, before going through the portal too. Powers? Was Jack the one who made the key glow and heal Arcee?