(A/N: This is a one-shot, and will not be continued unless someone wants me too. There's a waiting list for some of my stories, so I apologize. Check out my poll! Transformers and it's characters go to their rightful owners. Megawave is my own, and may not be used without my permission!)

Soundwave stood just within the doorway of his home. They had taken her... torn her from the arms of her carrier.

Soundwave slowly entered the destroyed and ransacked room, past the broken-in door as he slowly made his way to the fragile body of a gray femme.

Staring down at the body, Soundwave couldn't pick up a heat signal with his HUD, confirming what he had feared. The femme was dead, and had been for a while now.

Soundwave knelt down beside his mate, Steelclaw, pulling her broken form into his arms.

"Steelclaw." He whispered, stroking the relaxed faceplate of the femme he had loved, staring down at the optics that had been white in life.

Cradling the femme's body to his chassis, Soundwave felt dry sobs wrack his toughened body. Why? He questioned inwardly. She was all he had ever had. The tall mech's mind raced with his emotions. He had lost everything, been sold into slavery, and yet, Steelclaw had found him.

Steelclaw had ignored his coldness, his silence, and loved him. Loved him regardless of the demons he harbored. Regardless of his social stand in life. She had been his gift. A gift from Primus.

Steelclaw had loved Soundwave before he had become the second-greatest gladiator. And he suspected that it was because of her he had made it so far in the ranks.

Thinking back over the eons that had passed since they first met, Soundwave remembered their secret wedding, witnessed only by Megatronous, and his happiness... then his excitement when Steelclaw had announced that she was going to have a sparkling.

Soundwave's heart lurched again when he thought of his daughter. She was only an eon old, but showed great determination and resilience.

A sad smile touched the scarred face concealed beneath the visor as the mech thought of the dark blue, silver accented sparkling as she crawled as fast as she could around the room.

Pedesteps interrupted Soundwave's thoughts and he stiffened until his HUD recognized them as those belonging to Megatronous.

Turning his helm, Soundwave stared at the large, gray gladiator behind him. Megatronous was standing in the doorway, one hand upon the frame, staring around at the wreckage with his blue optics.

Soundwave watched the others' faceplate harden in anger before it turned to him. "So they really did it." He spoke in an anger-hardened voice.

Soundwave inclined his helm slightly. "I don't know why. They told me not to kill Dunestep because they were betting on him... I did as they ordered."

Megatronous shook his head. "The upper caste is cruel, and most likely didn't want you to defeat Dunestep. They were most likely hoping that, by not being able to cause fatal wounds, you wouldn't be able to take him down." The larger bot shook his head, anger flashing in his blue optics. "We have to report this..."

Soundwave looked at him hopelessly. "I am a slave. There will be no justice." He responded.

Megatronous looked at him, sadness on his faceplate in the truth that the tall, thin mech had spoken. "Maybe it's time we changed that." He responded softly.

Turning to look up at the bigger gladiator, Soundwave tilted his head. "How? No one would listen. We're slaves, Megatronous." he looked down at Steelclaw. "And she was foolish enough to love one."

Soundwave felt the other Cybertronian scanning the room and immediately knew what he was looking for. "Megawave's gone." He said, tone sharp with bitterness.

Megatronous turned and stared at him. "They took her?" He demanded.

Soundwave turned his visored face away, tears filling his optics. "Yes."

Megatronous' blue optics flashed red for a moment. "Soundwave. We mustn't tolerate this. We must make a stand."

Turning on his companion, Soundwave faced him. "A stand? What is that going to do, Megatronous?" He demanded.

"Soundwave." The larger mech came to stand before him. "You make a stand every day in the arena."

"That's because I had a reason!" Soundwave shouted, the large gray mech grabbing his shoulders and forcing him to turn and look up at him again. "And do you not have one now? To avenge your mate and sparkling?"

Soundwave looked away from his companion, turning his back as he thought over this.

"Soundwave." Megatronous spoke, tone gentler. "There's still a chance that Megawave's still alive. We must look for her."

Turning back around, Soundwave straightened to his full height and looked at the champion. "If you will lead me, I will follow you." He responded.

Megatronous nodded once. "We will need help. I will get in touch with Orion Pax. He can help us get in to see the council."

Soundwave's lip lifted in a sneer, unseen by his leader. "I don't trust Orion." He responded.

"Orion has a good spark. He will help us when he hears what happened here." Megatronous responded.

"I want this building left untouched." Soundwave said suddenly, lifting the broken form of his mate into his arms. "This will be her tomb."

Megatronous nodded once. "I will contact Orion." He said, leaving.

(A/N: Well? Good? Bad? Do you want me to continue it? PLEASE REVIEW!)