A/N: Hello everyone, here we are for the bridge fic!

Let's get this out of the way first. I will be for the time being quietly ignoring certain parts of Predacons Rising to fit the title better. As such, while the bulk of the story is Jack's, keep in mind that the Cybertron scenes are important for the sequel, which I have as the working title either being 'Go Get What You Want' or 'Come As You Are.'


Chapter 1

It had been two days since the Autobots (minus Ratchet) had gone back to Cybertron. Jack hadn't reflected much on it, since he embarrassingly spent the better part of those two days sleeping and regaining his energy.

He would rouse from his- and he'd get flustered every time he said it- naps whenever his mother, Raf or Miko would drop in. His mother and Raf would say hello to Ratchet before talking to Jack, though when Miko stopped by it was always questioning Jack about his alt-mode and what kind of weapons he had. Jack played along for the most part, if only because he understood that on some level Miko was having a hard time accepting that Bulkhead was gone and using Jack as some sort of replacement.

Though he drew the line at letting her ride around on his back. It hadn't come up yet, but Jack knew Miko and it would, and he was sooo not letting her do that. Plus there always the fact Jack didn't know if he had any weapons-he certainly didn't get the fire breath 'cause that would have come in handy a few dozen times.

For the current moment, Miko was actually the last thing on his mind, as Jack eyed the jar he'd gotten from Knock Out warily. Accepting it still made him uneasy. "And…you're sure it's stabilized? No more anger issues?"

"None that you wouldn't already have." Ratchet retorted.

Jack snorted. "Then it's going to be really hard to tell if it works." Though honestly, that actually did scare him. That, and what exactly does having 'stabilized' Predacon genes entail? Filled with trepidation, Jack knew there was only one way to be sure in the end. "But I suppose it's time to stop stalling."

"While this will help you, I would be concerned for your mental state if you weren't uneasy about this." Ratchet said dryly.

Jack snorted, but didn't reply as the medic poured the contents into a syringe. He stilled though when the needle point was aimed for the energon vein in his neck. "And you're sure it has to be there? Can't we just crack open a plate on my arm or something?"

"As I have very little knowledge of Predacon anatomy, it wouldn't bode well if this went somewhere it wasn't supposed too." Ratchet explained. "And since this line intersects with every part of you, it will spread the stabilized Synth-En quicker-well, it should anyway."

Jack's optics widened. Oh great. He gritted his denta, but nodded sharply and clenched his fists tightly. His shoulders tensed as the pinprick of something sharp pierced his vein; so much like when the shock chip was implanted-but he wasn't there anymore. This wasn't the Nemesis, and Ratchet wasn't Shockwave.

It kept him from lashing out, but Jack still felt incredibly uncomfortable as something oozed into him, sliding through his energon line and he could feel it beginning to migrate to every part of him. Jack began to relax slowly as he tentatively opened his optics and glanced at Ratchet, who had stepped back. It wasn't exactly an unexpected precaution-who knew what was going to happen and Jack shuddered just thinking about the raging mess he'd been right after his transformation.

"So…am I any different?" Jack questioned. "'Cause aside from getting an energy boost I-" he stopped abruptly, his optics going wide.

Ratchet frowned. "Jack?"

"Get back!" Jack snapped, his voice rough and he clutched his head. "Get baaaacck!" he howled and in his rush to move, he fell onto his aft, shaking the building. That didn't stop Jack from scrambling back, pedes kicking at the ground and curled into the corner, claws digging into the wall and hunched in on himself.

"Jack, what happened? I can't help you if you won't tell me what's wrong." The medic said.

Jack only shook, his head pounding. "Can't-explain." He grounded out. "Everything-burns." He shook as he realized that this was familiar. "Happened-during-transformation." He wheezed and rested his head against the wall, spark constricting in his chest as every fiber of him felt like it was on fire. Sweet unconsciousness wouldn't come though, he was more durable now, and damn it if in that moment he wished he wasn't just so he could escape the pain.

Footsteps running through the halls rang painfully loud with Jack's sensitive hearing amplified by the pain, and he covered his audios instinctively. He knew it wouldn't work, but right now logic could take a back seat to getting through this without losing control of himself.

"What's wrong with him?" June's voice was worried and demanding.

"Don't get any closer." Ratchet said sharply. "He was very clear about that." His tone then softened. "I injected him with the stabilized Synth-En. He said it felt like his transformation; it must mean that his body is going through more changes to being a complete Predacon."

"And…what will those be?" June asked quietly, but Jack heard no reply from the medic. He could smell more people in the room, their earthy, human scent washing over the smell of metal and energon. Several distinct scents along with his mother's permeated through the room and Jack really wished that his friends weren't seeing him like this. Though I suppose it's a miracle, Jack thought wryly, wincing as the fire still burned within, that Miko isn't making a scene.

While Jack didn't know how long he'd been curled up or how much time had passed, just that when the haze of pain and torment began to fade away, he was relieved beyond all comprehension. No wonder I woke up so pissed the first time. Jack grimaced as he gritted his denta, feeling something poking on his lip. Fangs, how come I didn't notice them befo-oh.

Jack vented deeply. Still, he was a giant wolf, so fangs should have been a given. He already had the claws and tail. His joints and cables ached as he unfurled from himself, claws covered in concrete and two deep chunks of the wall had been carved out. Whoops.

He glanced over his shoulder slowly, self-consciously noting all the faces gazing up at him. Some of the human personnel looked wary, his mother and Raf looked concerned, while others seemed just as amazed as Miko's gaze mirrored that particular expression.

"Whoa! You look even better than before!" she shouted.

Jack winced and glared at her. "Not so loud, my non-existent ears are still ringing."

His words snapped Ratchet out of whatever daze he'd been in, and the medic's expression was all-business. "Jack, how do you feel?"

"Aching." Jack said bluntly. "Though I think…it's because I haven't moved." He paused as it slowly dawned on him that aside from his mother, Raf and Miko, none of these humans knew he was Jack. And with apprehension gripping him, Jack realized that now they did. Great, just great-maybe if I bang my head against the wall this will make me wake up. Dark thoughts aside, Jack forced himself to say words he wished could be postponed. Still, better to get it over with than have the personnel freaking out by some misunderstanding.

"Call Fowler," Jack said hoarsely, "and tell him it's time to set up a meeting with the higher ups. I have some explaining to do."

"Fine, but it won't be now." Ratchet replied. Jack scowled at him, but it was half-hearted as he was too tired to be mad. The medic looked down at the assembled humans. "I believe it's time for you all to leave. Jack needs his rest."

Much of the personnel left without a word, but others lingered to cast questioning looks over at Jack. Miko complained loudly as June herded her out, while Raf waved and said "Hope you feel better." Jack managed a small wave back, and replied "I hope so too." His mother only sent him a loving smile that made Jack's chest lighten as he smiled back at her.

When everyone was gone, and the room fell silent just like the first night, Jack vented again before looking down at himself. What he saw made him blink. Claws were still sharp, his protoform was still pale-but like some kind of film there was a faint blueness to his servos. "Whoa." He found the same not-quite-blue-paleness extending to the exposed parts of his torso and legs.

His armour colors had changed too. While before his plating was only black and silver, now his forearms, shoulders and shins had lightened from black to a deep purple, and his chest, shoulders, thighs and knees were dark blue. Offsetting this were yellow bio lights in the crevices of his shoulders, elbows and ankles. Jack peered over his shoulder, and saw his tail was the same not-quite-blue as his protoform.

Jack was surprised to see it had changed colors, as he was still trying to wrap his mind around not only having a tail, but about the…other things. Perhaps in time he could fully accept the whole 'I can get pregnant' thing, but as long as he never had to use them he could for now safely put those thoughts to the back of his mind for later. Having spent his whole as a male it was an understandable shock to try and process.

It still didn't stop him from glancing down at his stomach though. Jack grimaced as he could see the faint white scaring that stood out from where Shockwave had cut him open. If I do ever go back to Cybertron, bastard's gonna get it-for everything.

"I look…different." Jack muttered.

"They're still blue." The words were so sudden that Jack stiffened and looked at Ratchet, who now looked just as surprised he'd said it, but he narrowed his optics and continued, "Perhaps it was a basic necessity of your last-minute transformation, or the instability of the Synth-En being untreated so long, but you're optics have remained blue."

Jack blinked and put a servo on his cheek, just under his right optic. He felt his mouth quirk up. "I am stubborn, and I'd hate to give these up," he replied, and grinned teasingly at the medic, "since my eyes have always been one of my best features, so thanks for noticing."

Ratchet turned away dismissively. "It's merely strange that they would be blue, nothing more."

Jack chuckled, but wincing from the ache in his throat was so worth it. Still, his brief light mood faded away as he remembered soon he'd have to recount what happened to him. Being completely honest would get everything out there, but it would let everyone know just how screwed up this was.

Especially about why; that was going to be the hardest part. This happened to him…because Knock Out had a crush on him.

Jack glared at the floor. Now he was starting to regret not at least slapping Knock Out for his selfishness.