Optimus Prime's unusual Charge

Lessons learned and a stubborn Doctor

After a moment, Miko finally broke the silence. "So, Who's the new friend?"

Prime stopped rubbing his helm and turned his attention to where the teens were sitting. They shrunk into the sofa a bit, because they could see it in his bright blue optics. He was still a bit pissed off, but handled the situation as professionally as his nerves allowed; "That and all other inquiries will be answered later, when she is well and able to hold conversations on her own...However, one inquiry that can be answered immediately is: Why did you disobey Bulkhead when he clearly told you to stay behind at the base...again?" He asked in his serious tone.

"I couldn't have word it better myself; Prime...Sir, if I may?" Bulkhead asked. Prime just nodded and took a moment to sit down and listen.

"Well, what's your excuse this time, young lady?" Bulkhead asked Miko arms crossed, preparing himself for another one of her ridiculous answers.

"Well...when we got here, Jack and Raf told us about the dragon so; I didn't wanna miss out, okay?!" Miko blurted out. "C-mon Bulk, They're pretty cool! Even YOU think they're cool!"

"I'm not taking that back either and you have a real talent for taking cool pictures, but I knew what we were walking into. There were Cons on sight; dangerous ones! We know now otherwise, but we were stepping into and unknown situation back there, and what if she turned out to be a dangerous monster instead, huh?" Bulkhead asked angrily.

"You'll come and save me from it?" Miko answered.

"Miko, I can't be in several places at once! Bee and Arcee know that; Even Ratchet and Optimus know that; there's only one Bulkhead, but THEY can handle themselves out on the battlefield. We have for thousands of years..."Bulkhead fumed. We CAN take that kind of abuse and still get out of there alive; if either of you end up underfoot or scorched by dragon fire...GAME OVER." He trailed off feeling awful for putting that image inside their heads.

Miko turned her back on Bulkhead and slumped deeper in the cushions. Bulkhead felt a pang in his spark chamber. He hated doing this, but somehow, someway he had to get it through to her. It is for her own good.

"...I'm sorry Miko...but I can never forgive myself if anything ever happened to you and I wasn't able to reach you in time to save you. I'm not doing this to be a pain in the butt, but I'm doing this because I care about you very much... I just don't want to lose you." Bulk finished up and tried comforting her by carefully rubbing her back.

The girl was tearing up and by the end couldn't hold it any more. She grabbed hold of Bulkhead's servo in a tight hug and let loose her tears. "Bulkhead, I'm so Sorry" She burried her face in his skin plate and didn't let go.

The Green Mech helped her onto his other servo and held her close for as long as she needed.

Jack and Raf just waited silently for their own guardians to come back from Medbay. Sure enough, not long after; Arcee and Bee walked back in looking much better but exhausted. Raf was the first to hop off his seat and run over to his guardian.

"Bee!" He called happy to see his friend again.

.:"Hey, there Buddy!":. Bee answered him as he knelt down. .:"Glad to see you too, Sorry about not being able to talk much earlier, but you should have seen the kind of shenanigans we had to pull off today.":.

"How's the leg?" the human boy asked, remembering how Bee had a dent in his Ankleguard earlier.

.:"Oh, that little thing? I'm okay, it was just a little dent after all.":. The yellow bot answered. .:"Ratchet's the one who really needed help.":.

"How is our Medic doing, Bumblebee?" Optimus asked.

.:"I'm sorry Prime; I shouldn't have helped him tie her onto the stretcher in his back cabin.":. Bumblebee's face took on a guilty look.