Destinies (Transformers Prime)

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The bots continued to fight Knockout until he finally left. They found it odd when he just ran off, but it wasn't that strange. The team looked at Optimus and froze in horror. The Prime glanced at them as he held the lifeless Jack in his servos. They just stared at their leader unsure what to say. Arcee slowly walked over and gave her leader a look of betrayal.

"You... why?" She asked trying to find the right words. He didn't respond as his optics filled with rage and pain. He let her take the human in her arms and felt emptiness settle in his spark.

"Optimus!" Ratchet cried over the com and they heard shooting in the background. "Laserbeak got into the base when you left!" He shouted and grunted.

"Ratchet send a bridge!" The Prime shouted through his agony. The medic typed quickly and opened a portal for them. Optimus looked at Arcee and Bulkhead for a moment.

"Stay safe until we get rid of the con." He said seriously. They just nodded and Arcee looked at the teen. He was gone again.

The Autobot leader ran into base and looked around frantically. He saw the con and started shooting at it. Laserbeak dodged with ease and flew in a crazy pattern. It seemed to be mocking them as it flew around and shot at them. Optimus took aim as the con flew towards him. He narrowed his optics and primed his cannons. It flew straight into him as he fired and his shot miss fired. He grunted as he stumbled back and Bumblebee tackled the metal bird. The leader rubbed his helm and looked around to make sure everyone was alright. He froze when he scanned the human area.

Scorch marks covered the small space and his spark fell. He stood and slowly walked over. Each step heavier than the last as guilt and pain filled him. He stared at the space and saw the two dead children. He shook his helm slowly as he realized he murdered them. He just stared blankly and carefully picked up Raf

His venting quickened as the small boys blood stained his servos. He picked up Miko and stared at the two in horror. He couldn't help it and started to silently cry. He was no better than Megatron himself. He was possibly worse than the warlord. He gained the humans trust only to murder them. He yelled angrily as tears fell down his faceplate.

What had he done?

~

Optimus sat up and cried out in agony as tears fell down his faceplate. Ratchet quickly walked over and gripped his shoulder plates.

"It was just a nightmare!" He said quickly and the Prime looked around as he vented heavily. He was in the medical area on a berth. Thankfully it was still late and no one else was awake. He hung his helm as he slowly calmed and looked at his servos. They shook as he expected to see blood on them.

"Optimus... that's the fourth nightmare in one night... you'll never recharge at this rate." The medic said sadly. His friend looked at him with confusion. The fourth? He didn't remember the other two.

"R... Ratchet old friend... I... I don't know what's real... am I awake now?" He asked as he looked at him. His systems were slowly shutting down in protest for being up and running.

"I... I don't know if I can answer that... I could say it is and you probably won't believe me." He said seriously. The Prime nodded slowly and shakily got up.

"Where are you going?" Ratchet asked and set a servo on his shoulder plate again.

"For a drive... I need to think..." he rasped as he slowly walked to the entrance.

"Optimus you need to rest. You aren't fully charged and I don't want to come looking for you." He snapped. The Autobot leader stumbled a little and leaned against the wall. Ratchet walked over and stared at him.

"Are the dreams that bad, that you refuse to recharge?" He asked gently. The Prime looked at him then stared at his servos once again. They weren't stained with blood, or were they? His mind went to the nightmare he just had, where he was holding the children in his servos. After he killed them.

"Yes..." he admitted and the medic nodded slowly as he carefully led him back to the berth.

"Then let me help you... let me put you in a dreamless recharge until your systems are properly functioning again." he muttered.

Optimus hesitated and resisted to go any further at first, before he gave in and sat down as instructed. Ratchet did a few things before injecting some energon into the exhausted Prime. The Autobot leader laid down and soon slipped into recharge for the fifth time that night.

"Sleep well old friend..." He whispered quietly then went to the computer. His optics narrowed as he thought about everything that happened to the members on the team. This was all Megatrons fault.

If he hadn't started the war, he wouldn't have found and abused the use of the relics. The medic went to his berth room, where he hid the relic. He took it back to the main area and hooked it up to the computer. Maybe he could find a way to destroy the accursed thing, and save the others from anymore pain. He narrowed his optics as he quickly got to work.

He was still working on it in the morning as the others slowly woke up. Optimus walked over as the team went on patrol before school was over for the kids.

"How was your recharge?" Ratchet asked as he typed and studied the relic. Determined to find a way to destroy the device.

"Peaceful... thank you old friend." He said as a ghost of a smile played on his lip plates. "Have you found anything?" he asked in turn.

"Nothing yet." He admitted and sighed forcefully before typing again. "Optimus... what if this thing can't be destroyed?" he asked as he stopped his work. The Prime didn't respond as he stared at the relic. The thought had crossed his mind, but he refused to accept it.

"I will find a way to dispose of it then. We cannot allow the Decepticons to gain possession of this uncontrollable relic." He said seriously and watched it glow a little. At times they felt the relic was actually alive.

As the afternoon stretched on the team gathered as the kids did homework. Or pretended to. Optimus spoke with the team as they discussed their next move against the Decepticons. Ratchet stopped working for a moment and glared at the relic before he went to do something else. The device sat there for a moment then started to glow. The bots looked at it and their optics widened in surprise.

"Get out of range!" Optimus boomed and the team grabbed the kids before running down the hallway to safety. The medic ran to the computer to try and shut it off. He typed frantically as it glowed brighter and whirled. The Prime stopped at the doorway and looked at his friend.

"I won't let you hurt anyone else." The doctor seethed angrily through gritted teeth as he started to unplug it. "No more!" He shouted in anger and glanced at his friend. He didn't want him to suffer anymore.

"Ratchet! Move away-!" There was a blinding flash and the Autobot leader shielded his optics as he stepped back. After a moment the light disappeared and he looked around as he blinked a couple times. The medic was gone.

"No...Ratchet..." He rasped as he stared at the now empty space.