Running up that hill! (Optimus Prime Fanfic)

Chapter 13

3rd POV

Softspark punched Knockout and he stabbed the prod he had to her neck. She coughed unable to breathe. Knockout got punched away by Optimus. "Autobots, stand your ground. The artifact must not fall into enemy hands!" Optimus ordered. 

Bluestrike then noticed Miko on the ground. He chittered at her confused. Arcee went for the thing when Knockout dived for her. He then went for it. "Come to papa."

Bulkhead butted him. "Run to mommy."

Breakdown punched Bulkhead and grabbed him. "Say Uncle. SAY IT!"

Miko ran for the thing. She then called the base. "Ratchet, come in!"

"Miko? This is the emergency channel. We need to keep it open for the auto-" He then noticed she wasn't in base. "Where are you?" He asked. 

"D'oy! I'm with the thingamabob." Miko snapped. "Thingama. . . The Data Cylinder!" He said. "Yes. Can you bridge it out of here?" She asked. 

"I'll reactivate arrival coordinates." He said. He opened the bridge open 10 feet away. "Dude, can you open it any closer?"

"Supply coordinates."

"Um, 10 yards?"

"Precise coordinates!" Miko then ducked. She then tried to push it. She then ran back and then ran forward and tried to kick it and it didn't work. Suddenly the thing opened and a bright light turned on. Softspark turned and saw Miko. 

"Miko?" Bulk asked. He was shoved down and the laser beam went into his helm. Bulkhead then dropped. 

"Bulk!"

Knockout grabbed the cylinder. "You really took one for the team, Bulkhead -- My team." He said He then ran into the bridge. 

Everyone ran over. "Bulkhead Are you-"

"Fine. It didn't even smart." Bulkhead said. Miko smiled. 

Softspark was laying down asleep in Optimus's room. Bluestrike was watching her sleep. He sighed. Softspark then felt a small movement in her tanks. She then woke up. Bluestrike was asleep. Optimus then walked in. 

"Hey. You okay?" He asked her. "I-I just felt something move inside me!" She said. "What?" Optimus asked. "I felt something move inside me."

"Come on!" He helped her sit up. 

Ratchet scanned her and pulled Optimus aside. "Optimus. . . She's sparked." He told him. He sighed. "Optimus. . ."

"We had an accident. She got drunk on high energon and. . ." Ratchet sighed. "So it's a possibility when I see who's the sire it's gonna be you?" Optimus nodded. 

"This is Bulkhead's neural net as you saw it earlier." Ratchet said to Optimus and Softspark. "This scan was recorded just minutes ago." Ratchet said. The redness started to move around his processor. "The data seems to be actively and aggressively rewriting Bulkhead's neural net. I had hoped he was purging the data, but he seems to be merely transcribing it as it --"

"Consumes his mind." Optimus spoke. "From all indications', By the time Bulkhead completes the formula, his own thoughts, his memories could be wiped clean." Ratchet said. "But if we stop him, goodbye, synthetic energon." Softspark said. 

"You assume we possess a means of stopping him. I don't exactly have instant access to the wisdom of the Ancients." Ratchet snapped at her. 

"I will not allow another one of our own to be sacrificed, no matter the cost." Optimus stated. "If the living data transmitted itself from the Cylinder, perhaps we could somehow coax it back inside." Ratchet said. 

"How are we supposed to get it back from the Decepticons?" Softspark asked. "Megatron will bring it to us." Optimus said. 

Softspark heard the ground bridge open. She followed the two. "Look, You love monster trucks! Remember when we snuck in here after the show last week?" 

Bulkhead continued saying parts of the formula. "Is any of this ringing a bell?" She asked. "Bell curve? No, no, no. That wouldn't factor in." Softspark frowned. "He's weird." 

"How about our Sunday-morning dune bashings, Rocking out to slash money, helping me with my homework?"

"You don't do your homework." Softspark stated. "I know." Miko stated. Bulkhead didn't speak. "Okay, forget the past. We can make new memories."

He didn't speak to her. "Bulkhead, I know somewhere inside, you will always remember me, and I just want you to know I'll never forget you!" Miko rested her head on his ped. "Boo-hoo!"

Softspark turned. "I'm shedding lubricants." 

"Miko, get Bulkhead out of here!" Softspark said. "But you're-"

"NOW!"

Miko grabbed Bulkhead and told him something and they ran for it. Breakdown smirked and he jumped at Softspark and she punched him hard. Knockout turned to her and went to but a tail threw him back. Bluestrike screeched as he flew off. 

Softspark ran after the two. 

Softspark saw Bulkhead transform and he wrote on Knockout's chest. She watched amused. "You painted my Paint Job! PREPARE FOR SURGERY!"

Softspark saw Breakdown punch Bulkhead. "OH, NO YOU DON'T!" She tried to punch Knockout but she slipped and accidentally hit his head. "Ow . . ."

She heard the same sound. 

"Not again!"

"Get down!"

Softspark stared at him. Why did she activate it? "Bulkhead?" He wasn't moving. 

"Dead battery. Megatron will peel our paint for losing that data."

"So we'll just have to peel yours." Bluestrike roared and fired his blasts. 

Softspark was crying on Bulkhead. Optimus and the others got over. Bluestrike whimpered as he got over.