Title: Captured
Fandom: Transformers G1
Author: FuziPenguin
Pairing/Characters: Sideswipe
Rating: PG
Word Count: 696
Summary: a Went Too Far interlude. Sideswipe's POV from early in his capture - defining fear.
Warnings: Brief mentions of torture, violence.
Disclaimer: This is a piece of fiction. No harm was intended in the creation of this work. All rights belong to the original creators.

Lots of mechs think that Sideswipe and Sunstreaker are fearless. That they have to be to eagerly charge into each and every skirmish, weapons drawn and grins on their faceplates.

And in regards to battle, those mechs would be right. They don't feel fear for themselves – what's the point? They know who they are, they know what they are, and where they are in the Autobot army. They serve a purpose, but their deaths are not going to cripple the Autobots.

They don't feel fear for each other either, which confuses many a mech. How could they not fear for their very own spark twin? Again – what's the point? They're skilled and capable. They know what they are doing, how to do it, and they know their limits, even if some would say they didn't.

(Outside of battle, on the medbay floor, however, there is fear. Overwhelming, spark-crippling fear for one another. But very few are witness to that, and those that do keep it to themselves.)

They don't feel fear for their comrades. They could; they've thought about it on occasion. They like the mechs they fight alongside and live alongside. But if they feared for their colleagues and friends in battle, they couldn't properly fight for them, protect them. And while very few are as good at what they do as Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, most of the mechs in the Autobot army are competent enough by this point to take care of themselves. And those that are not as capable aren't exposed to the dangers of battle.

Which is why, right now, Sideswipe is utterly terrified.

He knows Ratchet has been captured once or twice before, knows about the standing 'Capture Only' bounty on the CMO's head. It makes sense. Ratchet's skills as a medic are well known as well as his penchant for treating mechs regardless of their insignia. It would be a win-win for the Decepticons to capture Ratchet – they would get good medical care for the brief time that they had him and the Autobots would trade near anything for his return.

It's one of the main reasons that Ratchet rarely ever steps onto the battlefield if Prowl can help it. Ratchet's skills are too valuable to be lost for any amount of time, and the price paid to return him would be so high that great care is taken to keep him protected.

Ratchet is also part of the command faction. He knows things. Things that a simple grunt like Sideswipe wouldn't know. Things that Ratchet wouldn't ever willingly give up to the Decepticons, but the bounty is 'Capture Only', not 'Do not Torture'.

So when Ratchet is captured with him, Sideswipe begins to feel the first niggling of worry in his spark. Not for himself, oh no; he's been through this more times than he can count. Sideswipe's worried for Ratchet. He's worried about the ways they can hurt Ratchet, about the ways they can hurt Sideswipe. Because there's something between the three of them: between Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, and Ratchet. Some nebulous thing that none of them can name or describe, but something strong enough that Ratchet might blurt out something he shouldn't if Sideswipe were hurt badly enough in front of him.

But Ratchet knows every inch of his frame, every in and out of his systems; Sideswipe trusts the medic to recognize a stall tactic versus true distress. So Sideswipe does his best to irritate and annoy their capturers, to swing their focus towards him. Sideswipe doubts the Decepticons will be satisfied with him for long, but he hopes it gives them time for Optimus and Prowl to contact Megatron and begin trade arrangements.

The worry insidiously slides into anxiety when they poke and prod at him for several minutes and then shove him behind some energy bars. When they turn their attention on Ratchet, it's like a herd of Earth wolves circling their intended prey. Megatron is the worst: optics burning and lipplates curved in a gentle smile. It sends chills down Sideswipe's backstruts. And when the first punch lands with nary a question about Autobot tactics or provisions, Sideswipe remembers what true fear feels like.