EmeraldMoonGreen, who owns Kristin, asked for this one. Here you go, Amiga! Enjoy!

Transformers belongs to Hasbro. I own nothing!

A True Friend Will Always Tell You The Truth

Kristin smiled as she hung out at the base with Ratchet, reading a book while he did monitor duty. She then glanced at her watch and thought about Soundwave. He hadn't come to visit her since last time and she had asked Bumblebee why. The yellow Autobot told her to be patient with Soundwave, as the 'Con was no doubt making some decisions that were new and he was trying to figure them out, like when he had become a friend to Kristin.

The teenager knew Ratchet would probably blow a fuse if he found out she had had contact with Soundwave, so she decided to keep it her secret. She then saw Bee come in and he gave her a thumbs-up.

"Hey, Ratchet," said Kristin. "Can I go racing with Bee?"

"Racing with Bumblebee?" asked the medic. He would have scowled in disapproval, but he knew Bumblebee would never put Kristin in danger. "Remember to wear a seat belt at all times," he said as he smiled at her.

With a huge grin, Kristin raced to the yellow Autobot, who picked her up and carried her outside before transforming down and letting her get in.

They were soon at the old dirt track and Kristin sighed lightly. "Bee, I keep thinking about Soundwave," she said. "I want to tell Ratchet, but I don't want him to blow a fuse."

"I know, kiddo," he said. "I'm sure it's best that it's kept our secret, but I bet that Soundwave thinks about you too."

"Really?" asked Kristin.

"That's right, because you're his first friend, Kristin," he said. "And having just one friend is a whole of difference over being alone in a crowd."

She agreed and sat back to enjoy the ride, until suddenly, Megatron landed before them. Kristin screamed in fear and Bumblebee pulled to a squealing stop and transformed, keeping Kristin behind him as he backed up a step or two.

"What do you want, Megatron?" he asked.

"Just wanted to warn the girl of her new friend, Soundwave," said the former Decepticon leader.

"What about him?" asked Kristin, staying behind Bee.

"You think he'd want a friendship with you, human?" he asked. "Soundwave doesn't care for humans and would rather be rid of you than call you a friend."

Bumblebee stood up straighter. "That's not true!" he said. "I heard him myself that he wanted to be friends with Kristin."

"How could you have heard him when he never speaks?" said Megatron. "He's been leading you on. He'd never do anything to help humans."

Kristin covered her ears to block out his words. "Stop!" she begged.

"You know it's true," said Megatron. "Accept it. Soundwave will betray you. He always lies."

With that, Megatron flew out of there and Bumblebee turned to find Kristin looking ready to cry. He picked her up and held her in a gentle hug. "Bee? Do you think that what he said is true?" asked Kristin. "Is Soundwave…really a liar?"

Bumblebee didn't know the answer, but he had a bad feeling Megatron had been lying.

Or maybe he had been telling the truth as far as he knew.

That was a thought. Perhaps Soundwave had changed and Megatron didn't know it. The yellow Autobot hoped that was the case as he didn't want to dash Kristin's hopes that Soundwave could be a good friend.

Ratchet to Bumblebee. What happened?

Bumblebee cringed when he heard the medic's sharp tone. We had a run-in with Megatron, he said.

I know, and I see he made Kristin cry, said Ratchet through the comlink. Why?

Bee looked at Kristin. "Kristin, Ratchet knows Megatron visited us," he said. "I don't think we can hide that secret any longer."

Kristin nodded and they bridged back.

When Ratchet heard that Kristin had had contact with Soundwave, he just about hit the roof and didn't even calm down when Bumblebee explained that Soundwave hadn't hurt Kristin at all, but had communicated with her and had been gentle. He had witnessed it. He even showed Ratchet the video he had caught of the teen and the former 'Con playing around.

"His actions show that he has changed," Ratchet had to agree, although he was still upset. "But what if Megatron is telling the truth? He might be, although I'm still upset he made my charge cry."

"I don't think Megatron is telling the truth," said Bumblebee.

"I have to ask Soundwave," said Kristin.

"Oh no, young lady," said Ratchet. "I forbid you from contacting that creep."

"But Ratchet, he's my friend," she protested.

"I can't allow it," he said. "Because I've never known Megatron to lie about his own men."

"But Soundwave isn't a 'Con anymore!" Kristin said, near tears.

"That is uncertain," said the medic. "I'm sorry, Kristin. Understand that I'm deciding what's best for you because you are my charge."

Kristin was upset, but she knew Ratchet was just being protective of her. "I don't believe what Megatron said," she said tearfully. "I'll never believe what he said about Soundwave."

With that, she ran off to her room, still crying and Ratchet followed to try and comfort her. Bumblebee fell into thought and then replayed the conversation they had with Megatron earlier. His optics then widened. Megatron said Soundwave didn't speak, but Bumblebee remembered how Soundwave had altered Kristin's watch to pick up his thoughts and he had clearly heard him speak to Kristin.

Something wasn't right and Soundwave had admitted he had escaped the Shadow Zone not long before he met Kristin. So how would Megatron know if Soundwave was the same or not because he hadn't see him until fairly recently?

Bumblebee decided to contact Soundwave and find out.

Soundwave had been flying around when he suddenly heard a beeping sound and scanned the frequency, finding Bumblebee down below and waving to him. He landed and nodded to the scout.

"How can I help you, Bumblebee?" he asked him.

"Soundwave, would you ever hurt Kristin?"

The former 'Con was taken aback. "What?" he asked. "No, never. I promised her I wouldn't hurt her and I never break a promise. Why?"

Bumblebee told him about what Megatron had said and Soundwave grew furious. "Megatron doesn't know that I've changed, so of course he'd say that," he said. "I wouldn't dream of ever harming Kristin."

Bumblebee nodded. "I had a feeling what Megatron said wasn't true," he said. "Meet Kristin and I at the coordinates I'm giving you now. I'll sneak her out."

"I don't want you or Kristin to get into more trouble," said Soundwave. "Your leader would frown severely upon that."

"I'll take that risk for Kristin," said the yellow Autobot and Soundwave heard the loyalty in his voice and nodded.

"Alright," he agreed and took off. Bumblebee headed back for the base.

Kristin had been in her room the whole time, even when Ratchet had done his best to comfort her. She just wasn't in the mood and so lay on her bed, feeling alone in the quiet. She heard a knock. "Kristin, it's me," said Bumblebee. "Can I come in?"

She sighed. "Come in," she said and saw the yellow scout come in. He leaned down and whispered something to her and she looked up at him. "What?" she asked.

"Trust me, Kristin," he said. "Please?"

She smiled at that. "Okay," she said. "But if Ratchet catches us, we'll get into so much trouble."

"Don't worry," he said. "I asked Smokescreen for some help."

Giggling, Kristin got into the passenger seat after Bumblebee had transformed down and used the Phase Armor to leave the base. It made both him and Kristin able to phase through the walls to get outside undetected.

Kristin couldn't believe it and watched as her friend kicked up dust and raced away into the desert, heading for the coordinates he had given Soundwave earlier. The former 'Con arrived when they did and Kristin jumped out, running up to him and he scooped her up in his hand, embracing her gently.

"Soundwave?" Kristin asked. "Please tell me what Megatron said wasn't true."

"Hush, child," Soundwave said soothingly, gently stroking her head with one finger. "Shh, shh, I'm here."

There was no doubt now in Bumblebee's mind that Megatron had been lying to Kristin to no doubt hurt her as he watched the former 'Con comfort Kristin, rocking her as if she was a small sparkling. He then transmitted the video to Ratchet, who watched in mute amazement.

I had a hunch Megatron was lying about Soundwave, Bumblebee transmitted.

Ratchet nodded. I wouldn't have believed it without seeing this, but you're right, he transmitted back. Will you keep an eye on them, Bee?

No problem, Ratchet.

A laugh drew Bumblebee's attention back to Kristin and Soundwave and he saw the young girl trying to push away the large finger that was tickling her neck, but she was unsuccessful and Soundwave was chuckling in amusement as he made sure she didn't fall out of his hand with all her struggling.

Suddenly, Kristin grabbed one of his tentacles that came up to her and she began tickling it, making Soundwave laugh before another tentacle gently wrapped around her, leaving her unable to protect her neck from his tickle attack, which he continued with renewed fervor, making her squeal with giggles.

"Cootchie, cootchie, coo," Soundwave said teasingly and Bumblebee laughed aloud at the scene, watching as the former 'Con showed mercy on the poor girl and stopped the tickle torture, holding her as she recovered. She then looked up at him.

"Thanks, Soundwave," she said. "I'm sorry I thought you had lied to me."

"Seeing that Megatron was the source of those lies, I don't blame you at all, Kristin," said Soundwave. "But remember, a true friend will always tell you the truth and will never lie because they value the friendship too much to do so."

"Just like you and I do," she said.

"That's right," he said as he gently hugged her again and she hugged him too. Bumblebee stood quietly nearby, unwilling to break the peaceful moment between the two before him.

Ratchet, who had been watching, was also reluctant to break the moment between his charge and Soundwave as he nodded to himself, knowing that Soundwave had just shown he could be a good friend to Kristin.

That was something he approved of greatly.

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GoldGuardian2418