Things like this were expected and prepared for when there was war, but no matter how hard anybody braced themselves, they could never take the full hit and walk away uninjured. They try to mourn and move on, but this kind of injury isn't a scratch. You mourn and you mourn and they're still not there. Everyone else mourns along with you, and you know they feel it too.

He's not coming home.

In the end they decided Arcee would tell her. She knew hurt, she knew pain, she knew what it was like to lose someone. She was prepared to help Miko through this.

He's not coming home.

She wasn't prepared, not like she thought. Miko had skipped the disbelief and skipped straight to "Who did he lose to?"

"He didn't lose to anybody. The Decepticons pulled a dirty trick and trapped him. Bulk would've won in a fair fight."

She thought that was what Miko needed to hear, but that made her all the more angry. She stormed into the base and disappeared for the night.

He's not coming home.

Jack said she wasn't at school the next day. Fine, they thought, she needs time to heal. She's going through something major. When she's ready, we'll help her.

He's not coming home.

Rafael told Ratchet that she had asked about where the Nemesis was. He told her honestly, nobody knew the exact coordinates, only a vague region.

He's not coming home.

Bumblebee ran into the main room. The Apex Armor is missing! Everyone turned to look at him. The Apex Armor? But all the bots were here. Did someone break in?

Ratchet spoke up. "Rafael, did you activate the Groundbridge? The log shows a recent transport that I did not authorize."

It clicked for everyone at once.

"He's not coming home!"

Another Vehicon thrown to the side, a dent pounded into a wall. She didn't look at faces, she didn't care for names. Kill them, she thought, don't make it fair. Do the same for them that they did for him.

He's not coming home.

She heard the Groundbridge open, and she fled. Wreckers don't call for backup, they call for cleanup. Let them see the mess I made.

She ran blindly through the ship, any Decepticon unlucky enough to be in her way was crushed.

He's not coming home.

The bridge, finally, and there they were. Dreadwing, Knock Out, Soundwave, Megatron. She went for the closest first. Dreadwing. Punch, punch, dodge, catch his bomb, crush it in her fist, punch.

He landed a lucky hit, throwing her off balance.

He's not coming home.

Soundwave pinned the Apex Armor against the wall. Miko couldn't tell what was happening at this point. Blind punches with armored fists became blind punches with normal, squishy fists as she fell from the dismantled armor and landed on the ground. Sobs racked her body as she bloodied her knuckles punching Soundwave's ped.

He's not coming home.

The sound of gunfire filled the ship as the Autobots stormed the bridge.

Then the Warlord spoke, and the room fell silent.

"She is a troublesome little human, isn't she?"

He's not coming home.

The sound of a fusion cannon powering up.

He's not coming home.

"Megatron, do not harm her!"

He's not coming home.

Miko slowly stood and glared straight up at the Warlord.

He's not coming home.

The room broke into a frenzy of sound, movement, gunfire. Miko ignored it.

He's not coming home.

The fusion cannon fired.

"Hold on, Bulkhead, I'm coming home."