Author's Note- Hello all. This is the first part of the 'An Accident' series which are a group of fics I've got planned (one-shots and multichaptered) that describe the aftermath of losing the Nemesis between Megatron and Starscream between ROTF and DOTM in various ways and each stands alone.
Eagle is set near the end and directly post DOTM and everyone who died (Spoiler- including Mudflap and Skids who were killed with Ironhide by Sentinel in the Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation- End Spoiler) in the film bar Starscream is dead here.
Warnings- Rated M. Mentioned Major Character Death, mech-preg and birth, hints at rape though not explicit, mentions of the death of a sparkling and Transformer swearing.
Pairings- Past Megatron/Starscream (non-con). Hinted at Thundercracker/Skywarp. Friendship- Starscream/Bumblebee.
Spoilers- All three films- all recognisable lines are taken from there.
Disclaimer- I do not own Transformers.
Terminology- Cara is a hatchling's carrier and is taken from that word. Sire- 'father'.
Unbetaed.
All mistakes are my own.
Hope you all enjoy it.
An Accident One- Eagle
Another contraction hit just as Starscream felt an unexpected and large pulse of fear in his forced bond to Megatron. Laughing, despite his agony, the Seeker's spark chamber door slid open to reveal the new life getting ready to emerge.
Are you frightened dear love? The flier's breaths came in short sharp gasps as his cooling fans howled and he spoke sarcastically through the link to the tyrant, are you... Oh! Are you in pain? He asked in mock concern.
Shut up Starscream! The Warlord hissed back.
The winged mech smiled painfully, reaching out a servo to grasp the frame on the berthside table he yanked it close to himself ready for his hatchling but his servo faltered.
Why should I make my sparkling a grounder when he could fly?
Throwing the little metal shell away from him brutally where it shattered against the wall, Starscream reached deep into his subspace and drew out the Seeker frame he'd made vorns ago for and kept in memory of a sparkling Skywarp and Thundercracker had lost.
Knowing they wouldn't mind him using it, not when it meant his little one would fly, the trine-leader placed it carefully beside himself and leaned back more comfortably against the rough metal beneath him in preparation for the long labour ahead.
Suddenly he felt a bolt of pain from his bonded and his strained giggles echoed down the halls of their Earth base as he felt Megatron's spark begin to stutter, how does it feel Mighty Megatron? To be scared and helpless? I hope you burn in the Pit! The winged mech taunted and crowed as finally the link between them snapped.
As Starscream struggled for air and clutched at the berth he felt sure he was the only mech who had ever lost his bonded mate and felt nothing but absolute relief and elation. There was no pain, suffering or the feeling of slowly dying that others went through, only gleeful happiness and joy at the knowledge that he was free.
These feelings carried him through the seemingly endless cycles of dreadful pain, the trauma of delivering his hatchling alone and the processor-numbing ripping sensation of the tiny spark splitting away from his own and magnetising itself into the frame his cara held waiting for him. Falling back exhausted, the Seeker cradled the little life form into himself as it began to give little sobs and hiccups before falling into a deep recharge to adjust to his new body.
'Mine,' Starscream whispered happily as optic fluid ran in rivers down his faceplates as he wracked his processors for a designation, not ever thinking he was going to need one, and surprisingly it was the name of a bird of Earth origins that arose from his memory banks. After another moment's thought it still seemed fitting so he nodded decisively to himself.
'My little Eagle.'
Walking along the halls having broken down the pitiful wooden door which had kept him prisoner only with the help of a guard these long few meta-cycles, the Seeker searched for the other Decepticons.
He couldn't deny he wished many of them had shared his Lord's fate but he needed to check. Perhaps now Megatron was gone the others would feel less inclined to kill him now he had a sparkling.
Finding none, he began to hail his comrades on their comm frequencies but even Soundwave's produced only static in return.
What the frag's been going on?
Accessing their salvaged computers, Starscream scanned the Earth for Decepticon signatures and his spark seemed to shrink in its chamber as few others appeared bar his own and his hatchling's and, as he watched, five of the mere couple of dozen that remained extinguished.
The Autobots would soon destroy the last vestiges of the army on Earth and those Decepticons that still lived would be too concerned with their own survival to help their despised SIC and a hatchling which would be useless and a burden to them.
Caressing Eagle gently as the tiny flier dozed in his servos against his chassis, Starscream's optics drooped as fatigue and energon depletion started to overwhelm him.
He knew he lacked the energy to keep himself and his newborn alive for long on his own and if there were no other Decepticons left here to help him…
Once more, even knowing it was hopeless, he tried to contact the others he had been stationed with and once more the flier received no answer. Starscream even tried further afield, trying to reach his trinemates and others who should be with them but still there was silence in his helm and only the smallest of links existed in his spark to let him know his wingmates still lived.
They wouldn't get here soon enough; the link's weakness showing that they were a significant distance away.
Heading outside, the winged mech dropped into the red-hot sand and closed his optics to luxuriate in the unforgiving sunlight and the long missed and craved air's caress against his damaged wings.
Again reaching into his subspace, he withdrew a firework. On explosion it would create the Cybertronian glyph for surrender in the air. As they were only small he carried many of them and so he could shoot one off every cycle for many cycles, orns if need be.
Someone was bound to see it and his enemies would soon find out about strange 'alien' images appearing in the sky.
As he prepared and set off the first one, Starscream, second in command of an all but dead army, leaned against the outer wall of the base to wait.
The little one soon woke crying for energon that the Seeker didn't have. Almost sobbing himself, earlier happiness fading in the face of Eagle's distress, the cara drew soothing circles on his hatchling's back and cooed to him comfortingly.
After a cycle had passed, Starscream shot another flare into the air and prayed to Primus that the Autobots brought Ratchet or at least a medic with them.
As he bent to set up his third firework the sound of plane engines reached his audios and he froze, glancing up half in fear for his inevitable impending execution and half in relief that his hatchling would now be safe and protected.
Rising slowly, he watched as Optimus, Ratchet, Bumblebee and several mechs that Starscream couldn't name emerged from the three organic-created metal birds. The Seeker raised one arm to try to show he was harmless, his weapons systems having been disabled over a solar cycle ago, and waited to be addressed, using the other to hold Eagle and to shield the hatchling from attack.
Optimus, his scout and their medic stepped towards him while the others stayed back and trained their weapons on the Decepticon.
Before anyone could speak, Eagle once more started to bawl into his creator's metal and Starscream dipped into a kneel on the floor to try to reassure him, knowing from the way his systems were beginning to shut down that he would not rise again without aid.
On seeing the hatchling the Autobots relaxed slightly in an attempt not to scare the tiny mech.
The flier looked up at them pleadingly, 'don't hurt him.'
'Of course no one's going to hurt him,' Ratchet strode forward and crouched in front of him, putting himself between the winged mech and his fellow Autobots, 'may I scan him Starscream?'
Tentatively, the flier handed Eagle over and watched the CMO as a blue light appeared from him and ran up and down the small Seeker's frame. The hatchling, forgetting his upset, stared up at the yellow mech in fascination, digits reaching up towards Ratchet's faceplates. 'Is he alright? I don't know if I did it right…' Fluid began to well up in Starscream's optics, 'I didn't hurt him d-did I?' The flier's engines rumbled and churned in anxiety bordering on panic, beginning to break down under the strain of not just the previous two orns but the last two solar cycles as well.
'No,' Ratchet reached out to squeeze Starscream's battered shoulder armour, 'he's a little hungry but healthy as far as I can tell.'
'Will you look after him for me?' The flier whispered.
'There is no reason you cannot look after him yourself,' the medic smiled comfortingly; 'we are Autobots Starscream. We don't kill a hatchling's creator.' Placing an already slumbering Eagle back into the Decepticon's arms, Ratchet picked them both up to carry back to their transport.
Starscream had joined Eagle in recharge before the medic's pedes had left the cooling sand.
Bumblebee beeped curiously, gaze locked on to the hatchling's helm just poking out from Starscream's servo as the Seeker rested on the floor of the plane, and tuned out the serious conversation taking place between Ratchet and their Prime through the comm line as all three Autobots sat in their alt forms.
Rolling forward slightly, the scout bleeped a greeting when Starscream's hatchling's deep red optics opened into small slits to stare at him before nuzzling closer to his cara and dropping back into recharge.
Whirring softly, the yellow mech powered down his systems for the rest of the journey home.
He couldn't have had anything to do with it; the CMO seemed to be thinking out loud, he'd have been carrying for the majority of the last solar cycle. The hatchling is only a matter of cycles old, he'll need his creator.
And he'll have him old friend. Hopefully the humans will be understanding… The Prime sighed, this could be difficult.
We'll think of something. Perhaps Starscream would be willing to help us rebuild once he recovers… The CMO's voice trailed off. Who do you think the sire is?
I would think my brother, the red and blue mech stated; he was always possessive of Starscream.
Possessive? I would say abusive if the state of Starscream's frame is any indication; Ratchet looked over at his two new patients in concern.
You don't think… Of course it wouldn't be beneath him to do so… Optimus's engines thrummed in sorrow.
A hatchling can only come from frequent spark-merging which causes a bond if one doesn't already exist. As Starscream isn't portraying any negative effects from a broken bond I would summarise that it was not a consensual one…
And considering Megatron's nature it would be unlikely the hatchling belongs to anyone else. The Prime finished visibly slumping in on himself.
He had always known his older brother had become a monster but he had thought, hoped, that even the tyrant hadn't fallen so far.
There is no way of knowing without asking Starscream himself, Ratchet tried to offer comfort, brushing his side against Optimus's.
The red and blue mech just sighed, engines revving distressfully.
When they reached home, now spark-wrenchingly quiet without Ironhide shooting off his cannons, Que's inventions exploding and the twin's childish antics, Ratchet carried the Seekers to the med-bay to scan them and make up some energon for them.
Afterwards a cycle or so later, the medic left the two to rest but, moments after he slipped out the door, Bumblebee crept in wanting to see the new Cybertronian again. Sitting beside the little cot the CMO had hurriedly set up, the scout watched the tiny mech recharge peacefully now he'd been fed. Reaching out a digit, the yellow mech faltered just above the little one, not wanting to harm him, and readjusted the blanket covering the hatchling instead.
Looking up his engines almost stalled to see Starscream, hooked up to a drip, staring across at him. Beeping apologetically and raising his servos to show he meant no harm, Bumblebee stood to leave.
'Wait,' the flier mumbled, 'you can stay and look at him if you wish.' Even if the scout was an Autobot it was nice to have company.
Megatron didn't count and nor did Soundwave. Sadistic slaggers using his ability to carry against him, telling him it was his only purpose, the only thing he had any worth for.
Produce an heir for their dear leader then willingly kneel to be formally executed for treason.
Never mind the countless battles he'd fought in, his status as a warrior, his orns in the science academy and his millions of other experiences, that was what would give his existence meaning.
Hatred didn't even begin to cover what he felt towards any of them, any anger Starscream held towards his enemies paled in comparison to it.
However nothing showed on his faceplates as the youngest mech in Prime's squad returned to his seat, just a sparkling himself really.
For a while they sat in silence with only small sounds from the slumbering hatchling disturbing the stillness.
It was a shock to Starscream when he opened his optics having apparently drifted off into recharge in the unfamiliar warmth and comfort of the med-bay berth to look up and see fluid dripping slowly down the younger mech's faceplates, shining blue orbs awash with grief and devastation.
For reasons unknown to him but what he thought later might have been an extension of his carrying protocols, he sat up mindful of the drip attached to his arm, and opened his arms to the scout.
Bumblebee practically dove forward and clutched at the Seeker, seeking comfort he didn't dare from the others when they hurt so deeply themselves. With Jazz gone, the yellow mech had inherited the saboteur's role of keeping everyone's morale up, of always being happy and bubbly no matter how dark things got. He knew Starscream didn't know or care about any of that and that the mech, even though he was a Decepticon, probably wouldn't hurt him as he desired his hatchling protected.
As he sniffled into the winged mech's chassis, the yellow mech played sound bites of his lost friends.
Class dismissed.
You feelin' lucky, punk?
Undercover, y'all! You gotta blend in with your surroundings; you gotta be part of the landscape...
Scared? Scared of your ugly face!
I'm ugly? Well, we're twins, you stupid genius!
Go whine to your boyfriend!
This gun is the perfect invention, Ironhide!
We're all a bunch of good chaps!
A few more played of each of the four voices before Bumblebee finally fell quiet and simply cried against Starscream's chassis.
So strange, Starscream thought as he held Bumblebee and sought his own comfort, that he is spark-broken over what I assume is the loss of his comrades and I rejoice in the termination of mine. Is that what it is then? The difference between Autobot and Decepticon. One mourns death and the other revels in it?
Maybe…
No matter really. He and this scout would live on. Eagle was safe. Nothing else mattered.
Starscream had his hatchling to help him through and the Seeker supposed he could take the scout under his metaphorical wing as well. After so long of being constantly reminded he was loathed it would be pleasant to have someone beside him, supporting him through the hurt he would never admit was there deep in his spark.
With time they'd… not get over the trauma they'd each gone through, but they would learn to live with it all. Starscream's hatred and suppressed pain and Bumblebee's grief and despair would fade to more manageable levels and they would go on, scarred and damaged but alive.
And, in the end, wasn't that all they could hope for when they had fought for so long in such a terrible all-consuming war?
Even when others fell to the wayside and had to be left behind, as long as you lived on they would be remembered and so, in a sense, they were never lost at all.
As Starscream whispered words to portray his musings in Bumblebee's audio in a comforting manner, or as comforting as he could manage, the scout listened to the scratchy voice and gradually cried himself out. Eventually, while standing up and leaning on the flier, his optics shuttered and his systems shut down.
The Seeker stood and picked the scout up, lowering the smaller mech into his berth and going over to sit in the chair Bumblebee had vacated.
A little while later, Eagle woke up crying for Energon and his cara scooped him up. As he fed from the bottle, the little Seeker's optics lowered to slits in contentment with Starscream watching over him. When he was finished he looked up into Starscream's optics and yawned, smiling lazily at his creator as he was lowered back into his cot and tucked in.
Starscream, though his optics swirled in a confusing distant manner that Eagle didn't understand, smiled back.
Thanks for reading and please review.