Optimus had spoken of Megatron's betrayal before -- more than once, even -- but mostly it was just that...feelings had never seemed to enter the equation most of the time. But Arcee knows, even in the midst of all her doubt, that the fact that Optimus had chosen to share with her what he intended to do about Unicron, that he'd chosen her to lead in his stead...she knows that's significant. That it means something about the bond between her and Optimus, even if they never put it into words. And it makes her feel responsible too, somehow, for the bot he's reverted to without the Matrix -- for his protection.

"I wouldn't force you to take the Matrix, if that's what you're thinking." Arcee's voice is soft, but the words are hard, set with determination. "If you really never wanted to become Optimus Prime again -- if you wanted to stay Orion Pax -- I wouldn't make you. And I wouldn't let anyone else make you, either. I don't think that's what he'd have wanted."