This is based off "Family Potrait" by Pink.

It's set in Transformers G1, pre-war, but my AU. Oh and the two younglings in this fic are equivalent to the age of twelve year olds.

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers, it belongs to Hasbro. Nor do I own the song, it belongs to Pink.

...

Family Potrait

...

It was late at night, when the two younglings heard it.

Starscream on-lined his small ruby optics. He recognized the noise as an energon cube shattering, for he had heard plenty of times before. The little seeker got out of his small berth, and went to the other sparkling sleeping in the berth next to his.

He poked his brother Soundwave awake. The two little mechs got out of their berths, and followed it down to the living room.

Hunched over, resting his face in his hands, was their mother, Megatron, who was crying while covering his face plates.

The first thing Star and Soundwave wanted to do was go and comfort their Mother, ask what was wrong. That is, until they saw their father, Optimus, pacing the floor in front of his bond-mate. They must have had another fight. They seemed to have a lot of them lately.

"Mama please stop crying,

I can't stand the sound.

Your pain is painful and it's tearing us down."

The two younglings spotted the broken energon cube on the floor at their mother's feet. They could almost feel the emotional turmoil rippling through the air and into them from their mother.

"I hear glasses breaking,

as I sit up in my bed."

The two mechling's stared.

Optimus looked at them, his blue optics flashing.

"Do you see what you've done this time? You woke the children up," he hissed, venomously.

Megatron snapped his helm up and saw his children. The he turned and glared at his bond-mate.

"My fault? I didn't throw that energon cube, you stupid fragger!" he growled.

Starscream and Soundwave slowly entered, before Soundwave went to their father, and took his large blue hand in his smaller ones. Starscream watched, wings trembling, as his parents glared daggers at each other.

"He didn't mean it Papa..." Soundwave said softly.

"I wouldn't count on that..." Megatron snapped, "Besides, your slagging father just wasted out last cube of aged high-grade..."

"I told dad you didn't mean those nasty things you said...

You fight about money..."

Optimus growled, "Don't swear in front of the children."

"Too late for that, you numb nodes," Megatron stood up, red optics narrowed, "As if you're one to talk. How many times have I heard you swear up a storm because something wasn't going your way?"

"'Bout me and my brother..."

Starscream shook. This was the third time today he's seen his parents arguing. They've been doing it so much lately, that sometimes he was afraid to come home after school. When he and his brother did, they immediately zoomed to their rooms. Their only shelter from their parents cruel words to each other.

"And this I come home to,

this is my shelter...

It ain't easy growing up in World War Three,"

In fact, they argued so much, that they'd forget to say things like "I love you", and they wouldn't tuck them in and kiss them good night anymore. And sometimes they argued so badly that when one of the children steps in, they sometimes get yelled at, and sometimes they forgot to apologize.

"Never knowing what love could be,

but I see, I don't want love to destroy me, like it has done my family."

Starscream had never felt so much fear before for his and Soundwave's safety. Why were their parents like this? His Father usually started the fights, always about something, but the kids didn't know what.

Sometimes, they felt like it was their fault...that they were the cause of their parents suffering and pain...But maybe they could do better...?

"Can we work it out?

Can we be a family?

I promise I'll do better...

Mommy, I'll do anything..."

Starscream sniffled, and whimpered, rubbing at his optics. His mother noticed. He immediately, for the first time in a while, showed concern.

"Sweetspark..." he said softly, reaching out for him, "Don't cry in front of me...please..."

"Can we work it out?

Can we be a family?

I promise I'll do better..."

Optimus pulled his hand out of Soundwave's hand.

"That's it...I just...I can't take this..." he turned and stomped away. Megatron looked a this sons, before he stood up and followed.

"Optimus, wait..." he started.

The two younglings looked at each other in worry. Then they heard their mother talking.

He was crying, "No...No, please...Optimus I'm sorry...please..."

Their father came in, carrying data-pads, and energon cubes, as he walked over to the door, and set them down next to it. Their mother followed suit.

"Daddy please don't leave..."

"Optimus, please...I'll do better...Don't..." Megatron yelped when Optimus glared at him.

Optimus yelled, "Leave? You are begging me not to leave? I'm sorry Megatorn, but I just...I can't live like this..."

"Prime...don't leave me alone...please..." Megatron whispered.

The children looked at each other in horror.

Their...their father was leaving?

"Daddy!" Starscream cried out, "No!"

"STAY OUT OF THIS STARSCREAM!" Optimus shoved his son back, "I need to get out of this place, before I go insane!" he slammed the door open, "Primus..."

Soundwave shook, as he watched, with tears brimming at the edge of his optics.

"Daddy please stop yelling,

I can't stand the sound...

Make Mama stop crying,

Cause I need you around..."

Starscream was caught by his mother, who placed him behind him.

Then he said, tears streaming down his silver, pale cheeks, "Optimus...please...I love you...don't leave me..."

"Mama, she loves you...

No matter what she says is true,

I know that she hurt you,

but remember I love you too!"

"Daddy, don't go..." Starscream whimpered.

Soundwave sniffled, and looked at his Papa, with pleading optics, begging him to stay, as he stood their behind his mother. Optimus just stared at them.

It reminded him of the look his father gave him a few days ago, when the two little ones couldn't stand being in the house any longer, and ran away for a long time. Optimus had been very ticked off, but relieved to see his little ones safe again.

"I ran away today,

Ran from the noise, Ran away!

Don't want to go back to that place, but don't got no choice, no way!

It ain't easy growing up in world war three

Never knowing what love could be.

But I'll see,

I don't want love to destroy me like it had done my family!"

Optimus turned around fully and stared for a moment at the three mechs that were his family. His two sons and his bond-mate.

Then he shook his helm.

"Goodbye."

The moment the door slammed shut, there was a silence. Starscream and Soundwave stared after their father, their optics wide in shock. Their mother was shaking, and they looked up and saw tears beginning to slide down his cheeks. He took in a deep shaky breath, before throwing back his helm and then wailed in an unspoken anguish, collapsing to his knees.

"Can we work it out? Can we be a family?

I promise I'll be better...

Mommy, I'll do anything...

Can we work it out? Can we be a family?

I promise I'll be better...

Daddy please don't leave..."

Starscream stood there, shaking gently beside his weeping mother. His lower lip trembled, as he stared after his missing father.

Then he joined his mama, hugging him close. Soundwave shook gently, before he looked over at the small table.

On it, was a small picture. It was of their mother and father together, holding the children when they were newborns. Everyone was smiling, full of love and trust for each other.

"In our family potrait,

We look pretty happy...

Let's play pretend and act like it comes naturally..."

Soundwave stared at the picture, still trembling and feeling like his throat was constricting. Their Daddy had left. He had left them here alone, just them, without him. So much sadness.

He's seen this happen to his friends at school. When their father's left, their mothers would start looking for a new father for them, sometimes getting new siblings in the process. And then they'd come up with arrangements to see their fathers at certain times of the year.

He didn't want that. He didn't want a new Daddy, or another sibling. He wanted he Daddy...his Daddy...

"I don't wann have to split the holidays

I don't want two addresses,

I don't want a stepbrother anyways,

and I don't want my Mom to change her last name!"

His mother and brother's cries filled his audios, as he went to the picture and picked it up in his small servos. He sniffled, before looking at it.

What...had happened to his family? Why did daddy leave? Was it something he and his brother did? Were they bad sparklings?

"In out family portrait,

We look pretty happy, we look pretty normal,

Let's go back to that..."

The thought repeated over and over in his head. Why couldn't they go back to those times?

His Father was gone. He wanted him back, wanted him to turn around and come home, and then hug him and Starscream and tell them he was sorry and that everything was okay, then kiss Mama, and tell them all that he loved them.

He wanted daddy back...

"Daddy, don't leave

Daddy don't leave

Daddy don't leave

Turn around please..."

And for the years to come, he would always remember the night his father had left them all alone...so alone...

"I remember the night you left,

You took my shining star..."

He silently prayed that his father wouldn't actually leave them, that he was coming back. Nothing happened...

"Mom, will be nicer

I'll be so much better,

I sell my brother...

I won't spill the milk at dinner..."

Starscream whimpered, and then looked past his mother's arms, and out the door, into the night. He shook gently.

Their father was gone. He had actually left them.

And yet, despite this, he still loved him and wanted him, so much right now. He and Soundwave were his sparklings, his babies.

His everything...right?

"I'll be so much better,

I'll do everything right...

I'll be your little mech forever...

I'll go to sleep at night..."

"Daddy..." he whimpered.

Megatron held his son closer, sniffling, and shaking, as he held him.

Soundwave picked up the picture, and stared at it, his servos shaking. Then, he let out a wail and threw it to the ground, with a crash.

Shattered...just like his family truly was...just likt his Mama and his brother...

Just like his small, beating, young spark, as it slowly became cold with anger...

...

So...what you think?

Review please.