all that matters

by Domenic

AU. Knock Out does not question Breakdown's return.

Title: all that matters

Summary: AU. Knock Out does not question Breakdown's return.

A/N: For ladyofdragons-this was the first thing to come to mind when that meme showed up on your tumblr.

Crossposted from my fannishcodex tumblr.

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Transformers Prime.

At first, Knock Out did not question finding a very disoriented Breakdown on the smoking and ash-blackened ground in some forest. He just took him straight to the infirmary.

"KO..."

"Hush for now, you're fine, I'll have you all fixed up soon..."

To his continued numb shock and relief, Knock Out still found only minimal damage to his partner. But he was apprehensive. There was no way in the Pit he had avoided Soundwave's surveillance, particularly since Knock Out had made no moves to do such a thing, he just rushed Breakdown immediately to the Nemesis. Soundwave would report to Lord Megatron, and Megatron would want to interview Breakdown as soon as possible and probably be wary as was his responsibility, but...well...

"KO, where's the doc?"

"Know another doc besides me, huh?" Knock Out said in a voice that teased too much, the glee spilling out, but he had to talk to Breakdown-really talk to him, before Megatron interogated him.

"Doc Widmore," his partner continued. "Thought Starscream told you about the experiment going on today-?" Breakdown ruefully shook his head as Knock Out stilled, a chill running down his vertebrae. "That turned into a disaster-"

"'Experiment,' 'Widmore-?'" Knock Out examined Breakdown more closely, checking again for any injury. "Did MECH-?"

"Nah, the 'Bots crashed the test site, Scream called for backup and I picked up first-"

Breakdown shook his head. "Have you seen Widmore, KO? And Starscream?"

Knock Out blinked slowly at his partner. "What is the last thing you remember?"

Breakdown frowned, then repeated slowly, "Widmore. Starscream."

Knock Out repeated just as slowly. "I'm sorry Break, but I've never met a Widmore. And Starscream has been MIA for months now, you should know that."

Breakdown's optic widened, and Knock Out laid a calming claw on the hand that shifted into a hammer, a nervous tic. "Now please tell me the last thing you remember," the medic repeated, voice lower.

"I-what's the last thing you remember?" Breakdown asked, dazed.

Knock Out's optics grew cold and flat at the thought. I believed you dead. You left me. I failed you.

"The relevant thing I remember about you-and it is about you, right now the only important thing is you-going on a mission with Dreadwing to eliminate Airachnid after her failed attempt to incite mutiny on the Nemesis."

Knock Out considered examining Breakdown more deeply for physical mental trauma, particularly to the memory core, as his partner looked at him as if Knock Out had spoken an entirely alien language.

"I-the P-what?"

The medic took a breath, trying to be calm and not start panicking as much as his partner was reasonably starting to. He needed to be calm for Breakdown. "What part of my recent statement surprises you?"

"Everything! It-okay, Dreadwing's not on Earth. He's serving on Shockwave's team right now. And Airachnid can be domineering-"

Knock Out tried not to wince at that, remembering Breakdown calling her that before. Remembered teasing Breakdown about his little infatuation with the huntress, it had been fun getting a rise out of his partner; by Primus had he been regretting that lately...

"-but she wouldn't lead a fraggin' mutiny! You should know that," Breakdown finished firmly, and Knock Out worried how deep the delusion was. The medic tried to stay away from probing too deeply where exactly he had found his partner. It was just a delusion, yes...

"Okay, that wasn't all of it."

Breakdown snorted. "There's more?"

"Yes." Knock Out's eyes and voice flattened again, and he saw his partner move slightly, looking concerned, and something twinged painfully in the medic's chassis.

"KO, what-?"

"Let me finish, please." Knock Out took a breath, then said, "Part of why I don't believe your story-"

"It's not a story-!"

"And believe you're currently deluded is because I remember being informed that you and Airachnid had fought and you...didn't win. She escaped. And you...I was told you were terminated."

Breakdown's mouth had dropped slightly as he looked down at Knock Out.

The medic twitched, then waved an airy hand, slapping on an expression of unconcern that he knew was not up to muster, would not fool his partner. "But clearly you survived, and so far you're coming up relatively clean, but it seems your memory core is having problems, but we'll-"

"KO-" Breakdown cut him off, laying both hands on the medic's shoulders, none of them in hammer mode anymore. Knock Out finally snapped-he rushed Breakdown, held him tight. Slowly Breakdown returned the embrace.

Then his partner gently pushed Knock Out away, hands holding his arms.

"Okay, my turn now."

"Right, right-your side of the story. You were talking about Withmore-?"

"Widmore-"

"Widmore and Starscream...?"

"Yeah..." Breakdown mumbled, suddenly looking very hesitant. And he did hesitate, minutes of silence passing while Knock Out looked up at his partner with an eager, expectant look. Knock Out was just eager for all of Breakdown right now, his voice. The larger Con could quite honestly insult his finish at length and Knock Out would still wear that same eager smile and just listen to him.

But still Breakdown said nothing and looked as if he wanted to sink into the floor and vanish, and Knock Out didn't want that at all. "C'mon big guy, you were going on and on before-"

"I...Widmore is human. We work with humans. Do you...work with humans?"

Knock Out shrugged, trying to shove back the voice that reminded him that Breakdown should know this-but like his partner had said just now, so should Knock Out. "No, Megatron thinks it pointless. I don't think he's ever really considered it..."

"Okay...okay, look. We work with some humans. Y'know, like their different governments around the planet. Widmore's ah, he's one of the scientists with the U.S. government. Anyway, one of Widmore's projects was an...inter-an interdimensional gateway." It seemed to cost Breakdown a lot to force the words out. He watched Knock Out warily. "Like, not just spacebridging to other planets, but to whole other universes...parallel universes." Breakdown finally spat it out, then twitched, shooting the medic a very worried look. Knock Out just stared at him, the smile becoming stiff on his face, disbelief settling in his chassis. "Starscream was interested 'cause, y'know, he's into that stuff, and he said stuff like that was one of the things Jetfire had worked on before the war...anyway, Widmore and Scream were working together on the gate, they were ready to test, the Bots attacked-and, well, Scream had called for back-up, and I answered, making it to the lab. Fought with Bulk for a bit, couldn't find Widmore, worried he'd been stepped on...and then there was an explosion. And then you found me..."

Breakdown trailed off, a horrible silence pressing down upon the two in the infirmary.

"...Are you honestly suggesting that you're from an alternate dimension?"

"...It's the only thing that makes sense."

"To you. Me, I still think you're delusional-"

"Knock Out, you said so yourself, you found me in the forest, kinda...randomly...okay, look, how long I have been...gone?"

"Three weeks and ten days," was Knock Out's automatic answer, and immediately he wished he could take the words back and give a much more approximate answer.

"Okay, that long...I'm gone that long, and then I just show up in the forest? Not looking I came out of a fight with Airachnid-"

Knock Out opened his mouth, but Breakdown continued.

"-I didn't, you said yourself, it didn't look like I took on a lot of damage."

"I was only told of your...absence. The circumstances around it were very dubious, I only had Dreadwing's eyewitness account-not even eyewitness, he just heard you scream, and then he couldn't find you, and your spark signal wasn't showing up, but there really are many different reasons why it wouldn't show up other than-"

"But showing up randomly in the forest after all that time is still way too dubious!"

"So it's more likely that you're from an alternate reality!"

"From what I know, yeah!"

"Break-"

Knock Out stopped as Breakdown startled, staring at a distinct point behind him.

Dread filling his chassis, Knock Out turned around, and found what he was expecting: Soundwave standing there, quiet. Recording.

"...How long were you there?"

'"...It's the only thing that makes sense."'

Knock Out threw up his hands. "Not you too!" He snarled at Soundwave, stabbing a clawtip at him. "There's no way-"

Soundwave played another recording:

'"-so you've finally returned, my dear Starscream."'

'"...Um, I was gone for a matter of hours-longer, granted, but I thought you received my comm about-"'

The brutal snap of metal on metal, Starscream's strained snarl and the impact of a body hitting the floor.

'"What did I tell you about taking me for a fool?"'

The sound of mech fluid being spat out. "What the frag was that for?" The sounds of standing up, and confusion and anger and hurt. "You...you-" The sounds of a growing realization, growing shock and horror. "-why are your eyes violet...?"'

Knock Out grabbed Breakdown's arm tight, but still he bolted from the med berth. "Wait. Don't rush into anything."

"Master-is your Megatron infected again-or-"

"A...relapse, you can say." Knock Out shook his head, and said more firmly, "This Megatron is in charge and with many loyal Troopers at his command. And Dreadwing." Knock Out decided not to mention the Insecticons. Did Breakd...did the other Breakdown's Nemesis have the Insecticons too?

"And Skyquake..." Breakdown growled, and Knock Out blinked at him.

"He's not here."

His partner...the other version of his partner grunted. "Guess he's off in space with Shockwave instead?"

"...Dead, actually. I take it yours isn't?"

Breakdown resumed pulling forward, harder. Knock Out pulled back.

Soundwave flicked out a tentacle, and Knock Out immediately sidestepped in front of Breakdown-the Other Breakdown-

But Soundwave's tentacle just connected to a panel, activating a screen that had a live feed of the ship's bridge. And Megatron holding Starscream-the Other Starscream by the throat.

Knock Out caught Soundwave's imperceptible nod, and began, "Lord Megatron-"

"Put him down!" Breakdown snarled at the screen, and immediately Megatron whipped around from his end of the screen.

Starscream blinked, scratches all over his face. "Breakdown?..."

Knock Out was divided between pushing the Other Breakdown back and facing his Lord on the screen. "Sir, if I can explain-"

And Soundwave started up his recording.

But Megatron cut them both off, glancing at the Other Starscream in his grasp. "So, your Breakdown, I take it?..."

That Starscream snarled, optics narrowed, "I told you..."

Knock Out glanced at Breakdown, glaring at the screen, and suddenly the medic felt his returning energy leave again just as quickly, seeming like more of him was taken away again.

Maybe this Breakdown would be stranded. Maybe it would take a while to get him...home, to his correct dimension. Knock Out would probably at least get a chance to say farewell this time.

As Megatron escorted the other Starscream to the infirmary, Knock Out avoided his partner's concerned eye. No, not his partner. Not really. His Breakdown was dead. Not coming back.

There would be no miraculous return.

###

(Somewhere planet-side, MECH tests Silas' reactions in the new familiar mechanical body.)

A/N: Hope I kinda played with expectations by bringing in my ideas of Mirrorverse instead of Silas!Breakdown. And then allude to Silas!Breakdown at the very end. This is kinda in continuity with my other Mirrorverse!TFP fic "and the glass zone shatters" and "it's science", and kinda not-sorta of like an AU of an AU.