By Virtue of my Enemy

This is the prequel to Consequence. This explains in more detail Prowl and Starscream's relationship, and how it started.

This may lead to a series of one shots.

He lay. It was all he could do. His body was damaged beyond repair, and he was simply waiting. Waiting for the well of all sparks to reach for him and draw him into oblivion. The daylight had given way to darkness, and his soul, his very spark murmured so low. He slipped in and out of consciousness, and heard his name. He tried to call out, tried to reach up his hand, but he couldn't move. No Autobot would find him this night; no Autobot would attempt to look ever again. He would added to those who were MIA; Missing in action.

Starscream hovered above the battlefield. "It's a mess." He muttered to his brother.

"Yes brother." Skywarp looked around. "I'm not sure what we'll find, but the scouts say the Autobots have abandoned the field." He turned to his left. "We can attempt to search for survivors now."

Starscream nodded and lowered to the ground stepping into a walk. "This was the worst place to take this battle." He looked around. The battle had started in a large field and the Autobots had fallen back into a junkyard, the bodies were mixed amongst the fallen and damaged human vehicles. "If you see anything let me know."

Starscream turned his helm in the darkness and saw a glint. "What was that?" He turned looking in the direction of the light and shook his head. "Nothing…" he grumbled but as he turned he saw it again in the periphery of his vision. "There-." He pointed.

Skywarp landed and looked "I don't see-oh there it is!" he lowered his head a bit. "Come on."

Starscream lead the way toward the flickering light and found a collapsed two ton pick up truck. "Help me." Starscream reached under the front bumper and his younger brother took the bed and they flipped the car up and over the being below.

"Starscream that's-"

"I know." Starscream knelt down. Prowl wanted to shout, to arm his weapons, but he was utterly useless. His vents hitched and it was the only sign he was still conscious, but the seekers didn't seem to notice.

"Is he alive?" Skywarp knelt to the other side of the Autobot.

"I do not know." Starscream looked at the body. "If you can hear me shutter your remaining optic." The optic had been flickering already; he hadn't moved and wasn't responding. Starscream looked up touching his helm. "Commander Starscream to Nemesis." Prowl couldn't move if he wanted to, there was no escape.

"This is Megatron what is your status?" He sounded impatient.

Starscream leaned back a bit on his knees. "Sir we've discovered the Autobot known as Prowl. He's alive, but barely."

"Bring him back to the nemesis for interrogation."

"If I move him he'll die." Starscream shook his helm. "Bringing him back will not guarantee we collect any information."

"Get any information out of him you can while you are there." Megatron demanded.

Hook stepped forward to Megatron's side in the command center. "Starscream…its hook. What's his read out?"

Starscream was silent only a moment. "Spark resonance of 0.21. He's barely hanging on to life…the pit wants him, that much is obvious."

Megatron looked at Hook impatiently. "Try a Portable Psychic Patch." He stated.

Starscream nodded and reached his hand around the back of the Autobot's helm and a small node in his hand opened. The small cable immerged and plugged into the mech's helm. Nothing. "I'm not able to patch into his systems. He's not got enough power to filter any packets to me."

"I figured as much…" Hook sighed. "You need to raise his Spark resonance above 2.5 for his cortical nodes to initiate. Once that is achieved you will be able to get into his systems without much of an issue, firewalls may be a problem if he has a fully functioning battle computer."

"I want the command codes for the Ark Starscream and I want them now." Megatron broke in.

"Yes sir…Hook do you have any other suggestions?" Skywarp was giving Starscream a headshake, knowing well that this was not going to work.

"His spark cannot facilitate the transfer with its resonance so low. You need to find a power source to bolster his spark."

Starscream sighed. "I am the closest Power source." Starscream said leaving Skywarp out of it. "There's no time to bring something to him." He sighed. "Can I bolster his spark with mine?" He asked.

Hook sighed and shook his helm. "Yes you can theoretically, but there's a 36% chance you will permanently bond to him. That said …if you do…and he dies…we loose you too." Hook said.

"I am willing to take that risk, it's low enough." Megatron said and drew closer to the view screen. "Do it Starscream." He cut the communication. "Get the medical bay ready incase he screws this up too. I want those command codes even if I have to pry them out of Starscream myself."

Hook bowed and turned to make his leave.

Starscream looked up. "Go keep watch."

"But Screamer.."

"I SAID GO KEEP WATCH." He pointed in the opposite direction. "That's an order!"

"Yes…brother…sir." The purple mech stood and turned using his thrusters to jump away.

Looking down at the mech beside him he pulled his hand and portable patch cable free. "I hate this idea you know." He said to the limp form. "Not my idea…" He wrenched the left side of Prowl's torso plate open. "of a first date." He growled and tried to pull the right side free but it wouldn't budge. "You're a disaster. I want those command codes you fool."

Looking down into the chamber he frowned. There was a spark, but it was tiny, and it fluttered and flickered and licked out at the edges of the chamber. "Here we go…." Starscream steeled himself and leaned down over the left side of the Autobot. His own chest popped open smoothly. He reached down awkwardly and pulled the being into a sideways hug and re-established his patch cable on the back of the mech's helm. "Here we go…. initiating bolster…. initiating patch." He muttered leaning down.

Prowl was screaming in his own mind for the seeker to stop, he couldn't do anything about it though. His mind was a wash, and he couldn't tell if he was alive or dead, or just delusional.

Starscream's spark fluttered and bounced forward. Prowl's spark sensing a power source near by forced itself forward and grasped onto the seeker's. "NO!" Starscream tried to pull back but his own spark wouldn't let him move. The body was bolstered and the Data transfer began. Firewalls collapsed as he pulled the information from the body below him. "Oh Primus." Starscream felt the twinge in his legs as his body began to feel overload approaching. "NO!" He gasped and saw into Prowl's mind. "No…..no…." The overload took him and his spark slammed back into his chamber so hard he was forced backwards from the body.

Seeing his brother forced backward Skywarp ran toward where Starscream was. Arming his weapon he came up on the Autobot. "I'll kill you!" He growled to the prone Autobot.

Starscream forced himself up and tackled Skywarp. "NO!" He gasped.

"Scream!" Skywarp rolled under his brother and looked up into his optics. "What …what happened?"

"I bonded to him…if you kill him…"

"I kill you." Skywarp looked aghast. "WHAT THE SLAG MECH?!"

Starscream hit him. "Shut up." Starscream sat back holding his chest looking panicked. "Warp us back to medical."

"But Starscream…."

"I SAID WARP US BACK TO MEDICAL! IF HE DIES SO DO I." Starscream pulled Skywarp to Prowl and grabbed onto the Autobot and his brother.

"Yes sir…initiating Warp…. Hold on."

Hook blinked as his medical bay lit up brightly then dimmed. "HOOK!" Skywarp appeared in his office door. "Scream bonded with it…you have got to…. fix it!"

"What?" Hook stood running to the door seeing Starscream sitting on the ground of the Medical bay holding the Autobot in his arms. "The chances of that are-"

Hook looked at Starscream and shook his helm. "Put him on a berth for Primus' sake." He ordered and turned to get a medical kit.

Starscream nodded and Skywarp came to his side to assist. "Easy." Starscream said to Skywarp. "Don't …don't damage him more."

"You feel it?"

"Yes I feel it." Starscream said through gritted dentals.

Megatron appeared in the medical bay in moments. "Report!"

"Sir Starscream bonded to it." Skywarp said.

"I don't care let it die." Megatron pushed against Starscream. "The command codes!"

Moving quickly to the berth with a medical kit Hook looked up at Megatron. "If he dies so does Prowl. It's a bond my Lord."

Megatron observed Starscream coldly for a moment. "Do what you have to." He said. "Once the prisoner is stable…. I want to see Starscream."

"Yes my Lord." Skywarp answered.

Hook spent the next two days working on the Autobot. Bringing his body back to some semblance of order. Starscream never left the Autobot's side. Hook said he couldn't that the bond was still new, and the fact that one half of the pair was in jeopardy meant he would feel a pull to stay right where he was.

Hook was taking a break as Starscream looked at the White and black bot on the table. "I don't know how we're going to handle this …but we will." He assured the mech.

"Having a Spark to Spark?" His older brother's voice broke Starscream's optics away, and behind him he watched his brother enter the room. "Bonded…that's what Skywarp said, but I didn't think it was true."

Starscream just turned back to Prowl and watched him.

"Look Starscream-"

"I need you to take temporary command of the Armada." Starscream sighed. "I don't trust Skywarp to report in to Megatron. I need time to get my … personal affairs in order."

"Of course." Thundercracker waited behind his brother. Placing a hand on his shoulder. "If you need anything my brother."

"No …thank you Thundercracker." Starscream reached up patting his hand and then lowered his hand back into his lap.

Thundercracker, knowing his brother was compromised, turned to leave. "Thank you Thundercracker."

"You're welcome Starscream."

Prowl's helm moved and he groaned. "Prowl?" Starscream stood leaning down over his back.

"Autobot S.I.C. Prowl 5784 two gamma." He droned in a whisper.

"Stop talking." Starscream rolled his optics and took the mech's hand. Why did this action make Prowl's spark flutter?

Starscream ran a hand over the mech's helm. "Your repairs have been lengthy." He said calmly petting the Autobot's face without realizing it.

"Won't give you information." Prowl rasped softly his voice becoming stronger.

"You already did." Starscream smiled fondly down at the mech. "Nice try."

Prowl blinked. "Am I a prisoner?"

Starscream sighed but nodded. "Yes you are. To me, for the rest of our life." Starscream shook his helm.

"Bonded." Prowl uttered.

"It appears that way." Starscream said and pulled his hand back. He turned away. "Megatron will not kill you as it would kill me." He said calmly. "In that much you are safe."

Prowl lolled his head to the opposite side. "Goody." He said blandly.

Starscream smiled down at him fondly. He moved forward to the Autobot's side and touched his chevron running delicate fingers over the Autobot's chevron.

Prowl closed his optics gently and just enjoyed the act. He might not ever again feel anything like this again so he simply lay there.

"I'll figure something out." Starscream said with a sigh, his fingers still manipulating the chevron slowly. "I cannot be without you… this fragging bond won't let me."

Prowl simply nodded slowly and rolled his helm to the side to try to rest.

Megatron paced in front of the conference room window. "The codes…"

"Most of the files were corrupt." Starscream extended a Datapad. "I have this." He said.

"What are these?" He took the pad rolling his finger through it.

"Those are their patrol schedules and two locations of energon mining operations on Autobot territory." Starscream said. "These are valuable in our attempts to get to the ark."

"Command codes?" He asked. "Where are they!?"

"Those memory engrams were corrupted!" He said desperately. "There was nothing we could do!" He pointed to the door. "My consort barely functions as it is!" He screamed. "What more do you wish me to do!? Spark it up?"

Megatron looked at him with something akin to distain. "It would at least make him useful, rather than being your crutch." And Starscream growled with anger. He didn't like someone talking about Prowl like that, anyone, Megatron included.

Three days passed quickly. "He's completely stable…he can be moved to Starscream's quarters."

"He can be moved to the brig." Megatron said coldly. "He didn't provide any valuable information." That said they had raided the two mines and gathered a lot of Energon.

"Sir please allow me to take him to my quarters, he is still recovering and by proxy so am I." Starscream sighed. "I would not be comfortable with him in the brig. Please he can be remanded to my quarters to prevent him from being around the ship unescorted." He uttered. "If more information comes to light that may be useful I can get it directly to you."

Megatron shook his helm. "You try my patience Starscream…" He paused. "Fine, but the communications console in your quarters will be removed. He is not allowed anywhere on this ship without you or Soundwave." He growled.

"Yes my Lord." Starscream bowed. "I'll have Soundwave remove the console immediately."

"See to it that you do." Megatron turned and left.

"He'll need to remain here a few more cycles." Starscream told hook. "While I prepare my quarters. If that's alright."

"That's fine…He's not going anywhere."

Prowl's helm turned, he was conscious but bolted to the table and he was keeping his side of the bond sealed tightly; as was Starscream honestly. Prowl was afraid of what was going to happen next. "I'll be back."

Prowl nodded to the seeker and somehow he felt truth in the statement. "If he asks for me call me straight away." Starscream ordered.

"Yes commander." Hook nodded. "You have my word."

With that the seeker vanished out the door.

Prowl stepped into the room slowly. Starscream sealed the door and stood behind him. "It's not much." He said softly. "But you are welcome to the berth."

"Where will you power down?" Prowl asked looking down as if he dreaded the answer.

"Out here." He pointed to a large lounger. "In my chair." He uttered and it put some ease into the cruiser.

Turning Prowl caught his reflection in a surface and blinked. "My optics are red."

"Yes …we don't have blue optic crystals to replace those broken optics of yours." Prowl looked down and nodded. "Don't feel that way."

"Stop reading me." Prowl demanded. "My guilt is my own."

"You're the one projecting!" Starscream raised his voice. "Stop feeling sorry for yourself!" Starscream demanded. "You and I share these feelings."

Prowl turned on him growling. "And how should I feel!?" Prowl turned and slowed touching his helm.

Starscream blinked coming to his side as he opened his end of the bond fully. Prowl froze. He blinked and stood stock still as he felt the torrent from the seeker.

Prowl looked up questioningly. "Open for me." Starscream said softly. Prowl turned his helm away. "You cannot return to the Autobots." Starscream shook his helm. "You're my consort now …get use to it."

Prowl shook his helm. "Never."

Starscream reached out touching the cruiser with his hand. "Prowl."

Prowl looked up to face the seeker. "No."

"Yes." Starscream coaxed. "Open up… as much as you do not wish to admit it you know we are STUCK together." Starscream shook his helm. "I like myself to much, and I will ensure your safety. Just open up for me."

Prowl shook his helm. "No you'll only-"

"I already have all your command codes." Starscream came to his front and reached up touching the cruiser's face. "Megatron doesn't need them."

"You are taking a huge risk." Prowl said looking up into the seeker's optics.

"We'll my spark is at risk." The seeker said softly. "I need to have some kind of leverage over Megatron."

"Starscream." Prowl shook his helm.

"You're still recovering. You need to rest." Starscream lowered his hands and pointed to the berth room. "I won't force you... to do anything." He said and turned dropping into his chair. "Enjoy your power down."

Prowl looked at the door and then at the berth room door and nodded moving slowly into the next room. He looked at the berth and shook his helm. "Primus why?" he asked to no one in particular, and the horrible question made Starscream's spark quake.

The seeker leaned down from his seated position. His arms resting on his knees he was looking at the cruiser as he entered the next room. Starscrean sighed as he shared in the cruiser's worry. This was going to be the most difficult time of their lives, if they could find a way to co-exist they might be able to solve their problem.

Starscream was afraid of what it might entail, and he was very concerned that it might not go well for either of them.

To be ...finalized...