Not Only A Prime

1

(POV Optimus Prime)

I just stood there at the screen, my optics tired and strained. Only one thought has been running through my helm, how can I raise this sparkling? I don't know how to tell Ratchet that I'm carrying but I guess that he'll find out soon enough.

I want the little one, but I can't help but feel that this world would be just a bad place to raise a sparkling. I feel shameful knowing that I'm going to be bringing a sparkling into this world. Aside from that, how would Ratchet react? I contemplated all the possible outcomes and the outcomes don't make me feel any better.

Light steps came from the edge of the room, I typed at the computer, pretending to be busy. "Optimus?" The fembot's voice was quiet.  "What are you doing up? It's not even 2 in the morning." Her steps turned to rolls, coming up just behind me. My breath hitched for a moment, I could see her concern in my peripheral. "Optimus?" She rolled closer, I continued to type, attempting to continue the ruse.

"Orion." I allowed myself to stop, feeling the fembots servo land on my arm. Turning my helm, I could see her purple optics shine. "Nightblade, I could ask you the same." My response quiet, her optics narrowed. "I was in recharge, but you haven't been for the last four solar cycles." Her voice laced with anxiety, "Are okay? You can tell me anything, you know."

I want to tell her, I thought, but what will she think? I sighed and turned to her, her optics dimmed with the lower light. "Can you keep a secret?" She nodded her helm, leaning closer. "I believe myself to be carrying." She leaned back to where she was before, a small smile rested on her faceplate. "One sec." She whispered, rolling quietly towards the medical bay, the feeling of betrayal came through my veins.

But she came back alone with only an Energon cube that glowed a different color than usual, a dark maganta. "Have this, and get some recharge. I won't allow you to be stressed like this." I wearily took the cube from her servo. "What's in it?" I whispered. "It just has some more minerals than usual and some pain medicine." I took a sip, repulsed by the taste. "It is medicine. The faster you drink it, the faster you don't have to deal with it. Sorry." I did what I was asked, drinking the foul substance.

"Have you told Ratchet?" I choked on the substance and attempted to reclaim my composure, her optics stared at me. "I'll take that as a no, huh?" I finished the rest of the cube, only to nod at her question. "Are you gonna tell?" I placed down the empty cube next to the keyboard, sighing at her. She nodded, holding out her servo for the empty cube. "Alright. At least get some recharge." She took the cube and rolled into the medical bay and back out towards her quarters. I should do the same, I thought.

I crossed to the other side of the room, my peds beginning to feel truly heavy. Going down the hallway, I pushed my door open to my quarters and walked heavily. Landing on the berth I felt the coolness beneath my back struts. I need to tell Ratchet, my sparkmate, I can't hide this from him.

***

(POV 3rd)

The whole base was quiet, none of the mecha were awake. It may was only 5 in the morning but most mecha were asleep, except for Ratchet. He was there thinking and fixing little tools and little machines worn with use.

His hands firm with the welder as he soldered the device together to it's original being. It's spherical shape had been changed back to a sphere with a rectangular handle. Not being too specific, but this little device has been crushed and destroyed so many times; it surprised Ratchet that he managed to finish it in one piece.

It was an Energon mapper: it was used to find the coordinates of Energon in it's more pure forms. Since for a time, they all have had to go with less and less, making everyone on edge.

Energon, basically being the foodstuffs for Cybertronians and fuel source for their weapons, would make anyone afraid that the next day they would be nothing more than scrap. Fragged they are without it. But if Megatron knew of the device he would try and use it himself, even though he has the Nemesis, which already has a device similar to it. But knowing Megatron, he's unpredictable, that's what makes him all the more dangerous to the Autobots, even if they won the war.

Sooner in the morning, the rest of the mecha ventured from their recharge rooms. Ratchet, being up most of the night, knew if he wanted any recharge, he would have to make it quick.

He placed down his tools and walked out, Bulkhead and Bumblebee were chattering amongst themselves along with Arcee and Nightblade, but no Optimus. He walked with heavy steps down the hall, passing 5 doors to finally reach his and Optimus' room. When they bonded, they thought it would be better if they shared a room and such. Quietly, he pushed the door open, knowing that Optimus was still in recharge he slipped in beside him quietly.

Optimus shifted to meet medics optics, they were dimmed and tired but a small smile was on his faceplate.

"Good morning." His voice quiet, leaning closer to the medic and placing a light kiss on his lips. Ratchet couldn't hold back a smile, a tired one but a happy one. Optimus slowly rose from the berth, enough to sit up, rubbing his optics and faceplate. "Orion?" Looking back at the medic, taking an arm around the medic's waist, he held both together like glue.

Both were tired, Optimus didn't want to admit it but he was terribly out of it, along with Ratchet. But Ratchet never wanted to admit anything, hardhelmed mech if there ever was one.  Their sparks batted in sync, lulling them both in a state of recharge.

***

Ratchet woke up alone, not the usual when he was recharging with Optimus. Both mechs usually got up at the same time, today he assumed was different. Shifting his weight, he slid off the berth with a clank as his pedes reached the floor. Pushing the door open, he realized that something was up on base, usually the base was loud, it was quiet. All too quiet considering how Smokescreen and Bulkhead can be.

Taking calm steps out he understood why immediately, he looked on in horror as his leader and sparkmate was sitting on the floor with a bucket in his servos, filled with Energon that was a foul color. Brown, never ever a good color for Energon, going in or out.

Ratchet raced over to where his mate was, concern shown through his optics. "What happened?" He turned to face everyone, "Get out, everyone, out." Bulkhead and Arcee froze, Bumblebee and Smokescreen walked back to their quarters. Nightblade swished the two frozen mecha out of the base's main area, both reluctant to leave their leader. "That means you too, Night." Ratchet called across the room while he stood close to his mate, she nodded and made sure that everyone stayed out of the main part of base. Everyone was out, Ratchet looked down at his mate who still held the bucket with the bad Energon. "What did you have last night?" He asked while beginning to scan his mate, seeing no internal problems. Optimus sighed while readjusting himself on the hard floor, "I had Energon with some pain stabilizers in it and extra minerals." He whispered, making Ratchet worry for his lover and mate. He knew Prime sometimes had terrible dream cycles which caused him physical pain because he thrashed about in the night, but Ratchet still didn't know that his lover has been awake for four solar cycles. "Why did you have the minerals put in, Orion?" His voice grew softer, Prime went silent, more so than usual. Ratchet turned and knelt down in front of the mech, looking deeply into the once blight blue optics. Optimus knew that he had to answer, Ratchet didn't like silence when he asked a question. "Is that why Night came into the medical bay yesterday?" Embarrassment filled Optimus' Energon filled veins rolled through him, having another flash of purging in front of his mate into the bucket.

Ratchet was taken aback by the large mech's body's response, making his feel rather terrible for his mate. Not only for the fact that he could feel how Optimus felt over the bond but because he didn't feel it earlier in the morning. He walked briskly over to where the Energon dispenser was and grabbed a cube for his mate, leaving anything extra out of the said cube. Being back beside his mate, he held a servo on his leader and lover's back while having the other give the cube. The large mech taking the cube shakily from the medic, slowly taking sips. "Sorry Orion," He cooed, holding his lover close, feeling his shaky frame. Holding the cube close to his chassis, "Ratchet," His voice cracked. "I believe I'm carrying."