Transformers Prime: Stay Tuned

Chapter Four: Crashing Down

 Megatron's signal did not appear again, and the fear of him died out. Those anxious by his closeness calmed over time, and soon the guards stationed outside the city seemed unnecessary. Ratchet never brought up his worries about the warlord after the walk in the hallway with Optimus, and Optimus wondered if he was still unsettled.

Arcee had pulled him aside and asked him a question that he had hoped to avoid: "What if Megatron wants to join us?"

He didn't know. Personally, he was an advocate for change. He believed that everyone could change for the better, and had been proven right with all the former Decepticons joining them in rebuilding the city. But did Megatron deserve the same opportunity they were given? Could he be forgiven?

At the time, Optimus brushed it off. "Megatron has no intention of living alongside us." He had told her.

Hoping to forget about the thought, Optimus busied himself with his work without the distraction of Megatron.

Working wasn't fun on Ratchet's days off. Optimus missed joining him for energon during breaks, bantering when they passed each other in the hall, bouncing ideas off of one another when discussing reports. He had grown so used to having Ratchet around, that when he wasn't, everything lost his interest.

Today was one of those days. Ratchet was at home, most likely relaxing and swiping through a datapad, and Optimus was working.

The second apartment building was doing wonderfully. He was participating in some of the heavy lifting with Kickback and Ultra Magnus, taking orders from Bulkhead. Never in his life did he think that the wrecker would be exercising authority over him, and he found that he was honored to work with the new, responsible mech Bulkhead had become. It was hard work. His back and shoulders ached, but it felt good to be doing this rather than writing reports. During his break, he sat down with Knock Out and Bumblebee. It was nice to spend time with them, outside of the war, just for the sake of being friends.

He had made friends for the first time in a millenia. They were no longer his soldiers, they were his friends. The thought was delightful.

The day wound up being his most exhausting one in weeks. His frame wasn't built for construction, and he wasn't as fit as he used to be, now that all he did was write reports and cuddle with Ratchet. When it finally came to an end, he was eager to return home.

He was dropping reports off on the Nemesis, prepared to leave for his unit, when Kickback burst through the door, breathing hard.

"There's been an accident."

Optimus' expression hardened, and he followed Kickback at a run through the corridors of the ship and through a groundbridge.

The sight made his spark clench.

The second apartment, halfway built, had collapsed, and was hardly more than a pile of rubble and debris. Mechs and femmes were waving through a thick cloud of dust, calling to one another, pushing rocks around. There were frantic cries and pleas for help.

"Bulkhead!" Optimus shouted for the wrecker, weaving through everybody to get to him. "What happened? Is anyone hurt?"

Bulkhead looked ready to blow a fuse. "I have no fragging idea," he waved his servos around. "I'm not sure yet, we're checking who exactly was supposed to be here and who is present now."

While that information was being found, Optimus called for Knock Out and began helping carry the wounded to safety. He sent Kickback and a few others to start digging for any salvageable resources. When the wrecker approached him again holding a datapad, Optimus tried to take the bad news in stride. Arcee and four mechs weren't anywhere to be found.