Chapter 2

Earth.

Millions of miles away from Cybertron and yet the same war now attacked this peaceful organic location. And for once, the battle had shifted in the favour of the Decepticons, having destroyed the Autobot base and scattered their weakened forces while also erecting a new Darkmount on the planet, courtesy of the Omega lock.

Even if the Omega lock itself had been lost, the Decepticons still had the upper hand and were revelling in their new victory.

Drone C-1r was at his station, trying to get his head around the new communication's system the fortress had constructed when he stumbled across a strange signal. Checking it three times to ensure it wasn't a glitch, he decided to report it to his commander who then took it to their lord and master.

"Lord Megatron, we are picking up a Decepticon distress signal just outside this planet's range."

"Do we know who it is?"

"Negative my lord, they are not responding to our hails."

Megatron growled for a moment then nodded. "Send Starscream and a patrol to the quadrates. The way our luck is turning, there may be something of use."

"Yes my lord."

The seeker commander wasn't exactly happy with the weak excuse of a mission but he went anyway, free to fly up out into space and as his patrol got closer to the destination, it became clear what they were looking for. Hanging there, in the void of space, was a large cybertronian ship but it was almost unrecognisable as a 'ship', its wings and engine gone, just the half of the blackened tattered hull remained and even that was peppered with holes. Starscream growled as he looked at the ship then hurried over, magnetising to one of the holes and stepping inside.

The ship gave an uneasy creak, ready to fall apart at a moment's notice so he looked quickly around; panels were missing with wires hanging from the roof, rubble floating in the void with just a few sparks lighting the place.

"I don't know what happened but no one could have survived this." He said to his team. "Find the ship's databank and let's get out of here." He gave a shudder, turning to leave. "This place gives me the creeps."

As the seekers spread out to find the databank, Starscream started walking to the doorway.

"Errr…."

Jumping half out of his spark, Starscream backed up, looking for the cause of the sound, checking with the other seekers to see if they too had heard it. From the way they had stopped, it was clear they had.

"Hel…"

"Sir! Over here!" One shouted, further down the ship, turning something over. "We've got a survivor!"

Hurrying to them, Starscream looked down what they had found and his optics widened at the sight. "Well, Megatron will be pleased. Never thought we'd see you again."

The femme barely had the strength to open her optics, lying on her side under the rubble and looking very weak but appearing unhurt pardon some marks down her arm. Kneeling down, Starscream grabbed her arm, looking at the armour and the strange pattern on her metal. "These are…"

"Sc…rap…lets." The femme wheezed with the little strength she could manage. "R…run."

The ship suddenly began moving, whirring as the hidden passengers began to wake up, alerted by the new food. Terrified, Starscream slowly stood up, pulling the femme with him. "We have to get out of here." He whispered, backing up slowly.

The others, each knowing the fear of a scraplet attack began to retrace their steps, heading to abandon the cursed craft only for two of them to walk backwards into each other, metal clashing against metal while each gave a loud scream of fear.

That was all the small round creatures needed as hundreds of them suddenly dropped from the holes in the roof and, after a moment to scan and orientating themselves, their jaws dropped open, revealing buzzed circles of death, jumping into the air to attack the new crew.

Starscream screamed as the hoard flew towards them but the femme's eyes napped open with a hidden power as she lifted up her arm, holding a blade in her hand towards the hoard.

Seconds before they were about to be consumed, the creatures parted around her and Starscream, as if repulsed by a magnet and instead went for the others, digging into them and devouring them alive.

Unable to move, Starscream could only watched as his team was eaten.

"You… can't help them." The femme mumbled, still holding her weapon tight as her helm dropped. "R…run. I… don't have… the strength… to keep them off us both. R…run."

Drowning out the sound of his patrol as they were eaten, the commander ran for one of the many holes in the ship and jumped, carrying the femme with him. "Starscream to Darkmount, requesting immediate emergency bridge!"

As they leapt from the ship, the femme blacked out beside him, falling limp and the buzzing was soon beginning to follow them, the scraplet hoard flying after the escapees when they were suddenly gone, the commander and his passenger falling back into gravity's grip as the bridge opened before them and swallowed them whole.

"CLOSE THE BRIDGE!" Starscream screamed on realising what had happened. "There are scraplets on the other side!"

The bridge was immediately cut off, leaving the scraplets and ship behind and Starscream and the femme lying on the ground of Darkmount with Lord Megatron looking over them both. "Scraplets Starscream?"

The seeker pushed himself up to his feet and nodded. "A whole hoard my lord. Only myself and the femme escaped."

Megatron looked at who had been saved and smiled coldly. "Well, well, this day just keeps getting better."

Locked in stasis on the ground lay the battered silver form of a femme the Decepticons had long considered dead, holding her extraordinary sword tightly, the Decepticon insignia on her chest.

"Welcome home, Fade."

~#~

It wasn't the first time that Wheeljack had found himself under Starscream's torture and questions but like any wrecker, he was holding his own. He wasn't going to tell them anything. He ached from his wounds and lack of energon, his arms aching from the restraints above his head. He'd been left alone for a while so he'd been able to get some rest.

A rest interrupted by the doors opening. He grumbled as his optics opened and he looked towards the door, unable to do anything but give a single cold laugh. "Well, if Starscream thinks this will work, he's another thought coming." Wheeljack stared for a long time then smirked. "I might be a mech but I'm not going to go spilling my guts to some holographic femme. And you certainly picked the wrong one." He frowned at the hologram. "I have a long history with this one."

Walking towards him, the small silver frame kept her dark red optics locked on him, stopping just in front of his restrained form, hand resting on the blade at her side. "Wheeljack."

"Don't even bother Starscream, it won't work."

"Starscream doesn't know I'm here Wheeljack." She sighed, stepping closer to him. "When I saw who was in the prison cells… I had to see you for myself."

Wheeljack kept still, staring at her. "I know it's not really you."

"It is Jackie." She tipped her head to the side and smiled as softly as she could. "You always use to call me 'darling'."

"There is no way Fade would ever let me call her that. She hated it."

Fade lowered her helm and sighed. "You are too stubborn Jackie. How can I prove it? How can prove it really is me?"

"Tell me something only you know!" he hissed venomously. "Tell me why you left me!"

Fade looked up and frowned. "I never left you! I had no choice! When I got back to base, I was sent on a mission out in space. I had no time!"

"You could have tried!" He spat back, frowning on her, lashing out in his restraints. "I waited for you! I always thought I would wait forever but… I waited so long that I couldn't wait any more! I had no idea what happened to you! You could have been dead for all I knew! I waited until Cybertron was dead! Everyone else was gone but I stayed. I was the last to leave, hoping I would find you! But you never came back!" He paused then shook his head. "It broke my spark to wait for you."

Fade lowered her head, her hand slipping off the blade, her whole frame becoming defeated and regretful. "I'm sorry."

"'Sorry' doesn't cut it Fade! I hate you! I hate you for what you did to me!"

"You don't mean that!"

"I! HATE! YOU!" He spat each word with as much hate and anger as he could manage, pulling on centuries of brooding over her. "I never want to see you again!"

"Wheeljack, I can…"

"I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!" he repeated, screaming at the top of his vocaliser.

Fade stepped back at it, looking over her shoulder as two troopers came charging in, weapons at the ready.

"What's going on here?" One asked, confused to see the prisoner and the newly returned femme.

Fade set her features to hide her pain and nodded. "Nothing to concern you. The prisoner is still secure."

"And she was leaving." Wheeljack added with a bite. "I got nothing to say to disgusting cons like you."

The femme froze for a moment before turning and walking away, her hand on the blade at her side. "Very well."

~#~

The battle was raging, the Autobots firing out on the drones and the most of the Decepticons officers in hopes of taking control of the Energon mine. It appeared to be a stalemate; neither was really gaining or losing any ground. Drones fell like flies but the Autobots were trapped in the back.

Up on a ledge, above the battle, the only femme in the con's army just remained knelt behind a large energon crystal, unable to bring herself to enter the fray.

She could feel the want and need to kill but her mind was so twisted and confused that all she could do was hide with her blade in her hands, unable to draw. Even all the way up there, she could hear him, his shouts and taunts. She always love the way he fought, the way he was unpredictable, head strong and used brute strength where she used finesse. He always wanted to talk in a battle while Fade preferred the silence.

She had enough voices in her head without another distracting her.

She peered over the edge, looking at the fight once more but then gasped, jumping to her feet and drawing the Shadow. At the last second she managed to block the two long curved blades from slicing her head in half. "Primus Wheeljack!" She gasped as she pushed him back and jumped away.

Battle mask in place, the mech just glared at her. "I warned you." He flicked the blade, the bright reflection passing over her. "I never wanted to see you again."

For a moment, Fade allowed herself to gloat. "I'm too good to be kept on the ship Wheeljack."

He paused then frowned even further. "I can't believe I ever loved you."

Her optics softened slightly. "But you did love me?"

The mech gave a loud growl, swinging for her, aiming for the kill. Fade jumped and blocked with all her skill, taking Wheeljack on as well as she could but she couldn't bring herself to hurt him. She felt her spark rip when he screamed and clutched his arm when she managed a lucky hit.

The wrecker on the other hand had no such fears. His attacks were for the kill. He wanted this femme dead again. He wanted her body to be as dead as his imagination thought she was. It was better when she was gone. It was better when he didn't feel like this.

He caught a glance at her optics as they came in closer together but the femme soon got out of his grasp. It was just her style; in, kill, out. When she couldn't get them in surprise, she tried out her opponent until they slipped up. And then…

He almost laughed at how well he remembered her fighting patterns. But then again, no one else ever fought like her. She was one of a kind. She was… his match.

The femme twitched her helm to the side and her eyes shifted as the command to retreat came in. With one short daring glance at Wheeljack, she put the blade back at her side and turned, running out of the mine via an emergency vent, Wheeljack still chasing her.

Once up on the surface, the femme leapt up off the ground and folded in on herself until she became a sleek, silver car with a faint blue line down one side. Just as Wheeljack came up to the sunlight, the femme had already vanished in a cloud of dust.

He frowned as he placed his swords away and his mask retracted, his sneer fixed as he ignored the call of Bulkhead before he stormed off on his own to brood.

~#~

"Hey Jackie."

"Go away Bulk."

"Come on Jackie, what's going on?"

"Nothing."

"But…"

Standing up from his spot, the wrecker stared at his best friend with a cold hard look. "Bulkhead, just leave me alone." He huffed and went off to find somewhere else to be alone.

Bulkhead remained still for a moment as he went off before dropping his helm and looking over at the large frame of Optimus. "I'm just worried about him."

"And you have no idea on what is bothering him?" The Prime asked, looking off after Wheeljack.

"No sir. It could be anything really but… I'm worried. I've only ever seen him like this once before."

Looking back at him, the Prime frowned. "And what was the cause before?"

Bulkhead flinched but then looked away. "Nothing sir. I guess we just need to give him some space."

~#~

"Haven't seen you this fired up in a long time."

"Unless you want to be my next target Starscream… shut up."

"Well, it's just strange, that's all."

The femme turned suddenly on the spot before throwing the sword in her hand so it stabbed into the wall just below the seeker's wing, the blade rocking up and down in the spot. The owner glared at him from across the room then strolled over and retrieved her blade, sliding it up under his chin while standing before him. "Leave. Now."

The commander didn't need telling twice and quickly escaped.

Once alone, Fade looked at the sword in her hands before putting it back at her side. Even training wasn't enough to pull her mind away from Wheeljack now. All she wanted was to at least tell him what had really happened and no matter what the cost; she was going to do that.

With force if needed.

~#~

"Wheeljack to the Autobots. Come in. Do you hear me? Come in." Wheeljack frowned to himself as he stumbled through the cold, the snow clinging to his frame and making most of his colours transform into white.

He'd been caught out in the storm for a while now, unable to contact the base to ask for a lift home. He was beginning to leave long tracks in the snow as he battled onwards, arm up to protect his optics. The cold was starting to affect him as he could feel some of the smaller joints icing over, effecting his movements but, as a wrecker, he carried on, heading ever forwards in hopes of getting out of the storm and to call for help.

There was nothing around him, no where he could go to avoid the cold. It was getting too cold for him. For anyone.

His attention shifted suddenly, catching the sight of something moving to the side. He wasn't in a position to fight but from the look of it, neither were they. They fell almost as soon as he turned to face them, hunched over in the snow. The size alone told him that it was a cybertronian femme. "Arcee!" He called, both concerned and grateful.

But as he ran towards her, she looked up and it wasn't the blue and black femme he knew. It was the sliver frame of a Decepticon. Fade's optics flickered a little in the cold, suffering and pleading with him for help.

Wheeljack, a few steps back, frowned and turned his back on her, fully planning on leaving her to the storm yet he hardly got a few steps before he heard her groan and took a breath and closed his optics.

Steadily he turned around and returned to her, kneeling and picked up her arm, draping it over his shoulders. "This doesn't mean I've forgiven you." He mumbled as they stood up. "I just can't let you die out here."

Fade managed a weak smile as she tried to stand alone but the cold was hitting her smaller, lighter frame far harder than Wheeljack's larger frame. After a while, she regained a bit of strength and sighed. "Wheeljack, we shouldn't keep walking around like that." She stated clearly. "We aren't going to be rescued until this storm is over. We need to find somewhere to wait it out."

Half dazed, Wheeljack stopped walking and looked down at her. "Yeah, you're right." He chuckled once, looking around them. "You always were the smart one."

"Compared to you." She laughed as well, also looking for safety.

Wheeljack spotted a gradual sweep in the snow. "There, that should work."

They limped over to the sweep, the wind a little less fierce meaning it was a little warmer but hardly enough to notice. Wheeljack almost dropped Fade to the ground, the snow making it softer but she was still deliberately dumped.

The femme normally would have complained but she was too cold, too stiff to do more than moan.

The bot stood, pressing a finger to his helm. "Wheeljack to Autobot base? Do you read me?"

"It's no good." Fade mumbled as she sat up, brushing off the snow and breaking the ice. "This storm is too thick. No signals are getting in or out. We are stuck here."

"Great. And we have no idea how long this storm is going to last."

"I'm sure… it won't be… too…long." Fade said in slow, uneven breaks, shivering, rubbing her arm while trying to remain upright. "We… just have to wait."

Wheeljack continued to look out at the snow storm before turning and kneeling beside her. "Fade, how long were you out here?"

She shrugged to the ground, trying to control the tremors rocking her system. "I… I don't know. I picked up your signal and came as soon as I could."

His hand touched her shoulder softly. "Why did you do that?"

"It was a distress signal." She confessed. "I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"And ended up in more danger than I was?"

Her shoulders slumped a bit more, in defeat and in cold. "It back fired, yes."

Absentmindedly, Wheeljack began stroking his thumb against her plating, judging her temperature. It was low, too low. She was beginning to shut down, entering shock. With a deep sigh, he sat in the snow and pulled her up into his lap, modelling himself to match her frame, a faint reminiscence of their old time together on Cybertron.

He forced back the nostalgia and kept his hands as loose as he could. "You need to keep warm." He stated as cold as the ice around them. "And I still hate you but… I won't let you freeze."

Fade gave a weak chuckle, curling in towards his warmth. It wasn't much, he was suffering as well but it didn't matter, it was enough for her. She felt warm just being near him, to know, no matter what he said, he still cared for her.

They sat for a while, Fade fighting to hold onto her consciousness as her body slowly began to freeze, Wheeljack holding her close and rubbing his hands over her shoulder, feeling her shiver until it finally slowed to a stop. Opening his optics, he looked down on her. "Fade? Fade?"

She was perfect still, her optics closed and frame relaxed. Quickly he shook her on his lap. "Fade! Wake up!"

She jumped awake suddenly. "I… I was… I was just resting."

"Come on, we need to stay alert." He hummed then looked over at her hip where the long blade was, coated with a soft frost. "Can't Shadow help?"

Fade looked over at the sword at her side and sighed, shifting against them. "Shadow can protect me from many things; poisons, pain and many other things but… not temperature."

He chuckled at her then looked away. "Didn't know that."

The femme smiled. "Don't worry. It's not like I told you much about it." She grunted, shivering suddenly. "I just want to sleep." She slumped in his grip.

"Come on Fade, stay awake."

She groaned softly, trying to keep herself awake. "I… I'm just so cold."

Shivering himself, the Autobot sighed, looking over the storm. "We… need to stay… stay conscious. So… tell you what… just this once… because I need something to think about… I'll… I'll listen to you." His arms pulled her closer to his chest, trying not to get angry. "Tell me why you didn't come back."

For a long time, Fade just shivered in his arms, holding tight to his armour and the faint warmth coming from him. "I didn't leave you."

"I couldn't…"

"Let me explain, please." She looked up, her eyes a lighter red, coated in snow and ice. "Please."

Staring into her eyes, Wheeljack could to nothing but vent and nod, not trusting his voice.

The Decepticon nodded. "When I got back to Kaon, after the last time I saw you, Megatron was waiting for me. He gave me orders to be on an exploration ship, looking for energon out on other planets." She took a sudden deep breath as the wind wrapped across them, noting how the mech pulled her closer to protect her from the worst. When the wind stopped, she sighed. "It was leaving that cycle. I had no time to find you and tell you."

"Why you?"

"Megatron thought I wouldn't be missed, that I could leave and no one would notice."

Wheeljack huffed once. "He was wrong."

"I am sorry Wheeljack." She managed, looking up at him and smiling softly. "It tore my spark in two to leave you."

His optics softened as he looked down on her freezing frame. "Really?"

"I never stopped thinking about you." She confessed, groaning at the cold. "I always hoped… I would meet you again." Her smile fell as her gaze began to flicker out. "And I did. I was so… happy… to… see you."

Wheeljack couldn't hold back the fear that coursed over him as she faded away and soon began shaking her. "Fade! Fade, come on darling! Stay awake! You got to stay awake! Open your optics! Please! Look, I forgive you! Please! Please don't leave me! Please! I… I still love you! I never stopped! PLEASE! Please don't die!"

She didn't move. She was frozen stiff in his arms, her optics closed with a peaceful smile.

The large mech squeezed her, hoping to control his sudden anger. "No. No, I did not get you back to lose you! Come on Fade, I know you, you don't just give up." He pulled her in a little more. "Please babe. I never want to lose you again."

There was a faint 'crack' in the air and for a moment he thought she'd come back but what he saw was a ground bridge, hardly three steps in front of him, the outline of a large wrecker coming towards him.

"Bulk?" He said aloud, still holding the femme tight.

Bulkhead gave a nervous laugh as he came over. "Jackie. Thank Primus you're alright." He held out a small device. "Here, anti-freeze, it'll keep ya going until Ratch can have a look at ya."

Wheeljack took it but instead of using it on himself, he injected it straight into the neck of the creature he was holding. Only just seeing her, Bulkhead blinked, trying to make sense of who he was seeing but then she gave a small moan and Wheeljack laughed with relief, mumbling his thanks before getting carefully to his feet, feeling the ice crack over his frame, limping towards the bridge with the femme still in his arms, whispering to her that it was 'alright'.

Bulkhead took a moment then followed, the bridge closing not far behind him. Everyone hurried over to help, calling out to ask if the white wrecker was alright but they were all pushed aside by the medic. "Wheeljack, I need to get you…"

"See to her first doc." He cut off, placing the femme in his arms on the doctor's table. "She's in a pretty bad state. I'll wait."

With a nod, Ratchet stepped over to the frozen frame, reaching out to check on her but then frowning and leaning away. "She… she's a Decepticon!"

The others all came over to look, seeing the purple crest on her shoulder. Wheeljack frowned at the reaction. "Yeah, she's a con. So what?" He shivered from the cold. "But you better look after her."

Ratchet stepped over to take care of him. "Wheeljack, you're in a bad state."

"I don't care!" He growled, trying to fight the cold in his systems but soon he fell to his knee, Bulkhead hurrying to hold him up but the other shook him off. "Forget me! Look after her!"

"Wheeljack, the longer we wait… the more damage will be done to you."

"Then shut up and fix her!" He growled angrily. "I won't let you treat me until she's stable! So shut the frag up and help her!"

For a long time, everyone just stared, amazed by the determination and anger the bot was holding on to, putting his own health in danger for the enemy.

Sensing Optimus and Magnus were about to order him to stand down, Bulkhead stepped forwards. "Ratch, just do it. Jackie, Ratch will take care of her, come on, let me look over ya."

"No thanks." The anger was still clear as Jackie pulled himself away from his oldest buddy and slumped off to sit near the femme, staring intensely at her as Ratchet worked.

Bulkhead sighed as he felt the presence of another come towards him and turned to see Optimus Prime looking over at the femme. "Bulkhead, can you please explain what just happened?"

Rubbing the back of his helm, Bulk groaned and walked away, getting some distance before explaining. "Her name's Fade but… you probably know her as 'the wielder'."

Ultra Magnus stiffened suddenly, looking back at the femme as she slept. "Her? She's the wielder?"

Arcee shrugged a little. "I don't understand, who's… the 'wielder'?"

"In short, Megatron's top assassin. Even better than Airachnid."

"And Jackie's crush."

Everyone balled at that one. "What!"

Bulkhead nodded, staring at the ground. "Jackie's been chasing her ever since they met. They'd known each other for vorns before I even got wind."

"This was back on Cybertron?" Magnus questioned, still looking at the femme as Ratchet tended to her.

Bulk looked back as well. "Yeah. But she vanished, she went missing just as the energon stopped, before you became our commander, sir but… it's why he's the way he is. It… well… it broke him." He smiled sadly. "I thought he was over her. I guess I was wrong."

Everyone looked over at the pair for a moment before Optimus walked over and stood behind Wheeljack but looked at Ratchet. "How is she?"

"She's in a bad way. Almost all of her body was frozen. And she was running low on energon… not to mention her systems are not the healthiest. Not that I can blame her, having Knockout for a medic."

"Watch your tone Doc." Wheeljack glared.

Jumping, Ratchet held up his hands. "I'm just saying!" He waited until the glare shifted then grumbled and went back to his work.

Optimus looked down on the mech, noting the small shivers that coursed over him. "Wheeljack, would I be correct in assuming you know this femme? Personally?"

"Yeah. Fade and I… we go back."

Looking over her again, Optimus frowned, stepping around Wheeljack to her side, looking down on the weapon, reaching out to it.

"DON'T TOUCH THAT!" Wheeljack yelled, this time with fear, not anger.

Optimus pulled his hand back, optics wide with amazement. "What is wrong?"

The wrecker sighed. "Shadow. Whatever you do, don't touch it. I did once while she was asleep, big mistake."

"Why?" Ratchet questioned, pausing in his work. "What happened?"

"I never knew. All I know is my head never forgave me and Fade practically ripped me to bits when she found out."

"Well, we can't leave her armed."

Wheeljack frowned unhappily but stood, limping over and reaching to Fade's other side, touching a small purple jewel on the side, breaking the thin wire that wrapped around her hips. From that, he lifted it up, dangling the weapon away from his body and placing it safely on the side. "Happy?"

"Wheeljack, we are trying to help her but your attitude isn't helping!"

"When she's awake, I'll calm down."

"Then calm down."

The three turned to the light voice, looking down to see the femme's dark red optics were lit up and smiling softly. Jackie blinked then smiled, hurrying to her side and holding her close to his chest. "Fade."

"Easy big boy." She whispered, weakened. "I still feel like slag."

"Sorry."

Resting for a moment, Fade frowned as she looked up. "Wheeljack, you're still cold."

He smiled, brushing her cheek. "I'll get seen to now. You get some rest, we'll talk later."

Almost as soon as he said it, Fade slipped off again, but of her own will this time. Once she was safe, Jackie nodded to Ratchet. "Alright, deals a deal."

~#~

Blinking, Fade looked up at the door as it opened before a slow smile lit up her face. "Wheeljack."

The mech smiled as he went over to her and sat on the berth with her, leaning towards her. "Hey babe."

"What you doing in here?"

"Came to see you. How you feeling now?"

Looking at her leg, Fade shrugged. "It's still locked up. Your medic said it will take a while before its moveable."

"And until then you get to stay in here?" He purred, his hand running up her wounded leg. "All sweet and waiting for me?"

Quickly the femme grabbed his wrist. "Wheeljack, Bumblebee."

The wrecker quickly looked over his shoulder at the black and yellow mech as he stood there, meant to be guarding the femme but at that moment, he was looking embarrassed at the wall. "Yo, Bee, some privacy?"

Bumblebee looked back at him and frowned. I was told not to let her out of my sight. He bleeped at the pair.

Wheeljack laughed once then shrugged. "Fine." He said, turning back to Fade and grabbing her neck, pulled her forwards for a firm sharp kiss. The femme moaned in protest but as he pressed her down to the bed, her moan changed into a pleased one and her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him in.

Bumblebee wasn't sure what to do with himself, Wheeljack had moved to lie on top of her and from the way the Decepticon's voice broke to say his name, he decided that, orders or not, he wasn't going to stick around to watch what was going to happen and slipped outside.

On the bed, Fade turned her helm to the side to see the door close then nodded. "Wheeljack, he's gone."

"Ahw, and there was me thinking I could go all the way." He mumbled from her neck and sat away, still close but his features were remarkably serious. "How you holding up?"

"I've never been away from Shadow this long before, Wheeljack." She confessed. "I can feel her, calling out for me."

"I know babe." He said softly, rubbing his hand up her bad leg gently. "But there's nothing I can do. I've tried to contact the cons but they won't believe we have you as a prisoner. So either they don't care or they didn't know where you were to begin with."

Fade chuckled a little. "I went off grid a few months ago, not long after my fight with you. Too many questions over that day."

"So they don't know where you are?"

"That and they don't have much use for a femme of my talents here. Too few bots, too well guarded." She laughed a little. "I'm useless to them here so they let me go and do my own thing."

Wheeljack looked a little confused. "So they don't know where you are… and they don't care?"

"Pretty much."

"Then why don't you join the bots?"

The femme groaned and dropped her head back. "How many times do I have to explain this!" she yelled. "I can't be an Autobot because Autobots show mercy! I can't! I physically cannot show mercy! The Shadow won't let me! The only place I can be myself is with the Decepticons."

"But… you can't let a sword rule your life."

Fade covered her dark red optics and sighed. "You just don't get it." She whispered to herself. "Shadow is more than just a sword. She is part of my spark. Has been for a 100 generations."

Wheeljack shrugged. "But… how can it?"

"Transelle."

"Who?"

"My ancestor." Fade explained. "There is a story, passed down from my creator about a femme. He said that millennia ago, Transelle was cursed with dark energon but yet she didn't die because of two… he said goddesses but I don't believe that. Anyway, these… 'beings' saved her and gave her two swords."

"Two?" Wheeljack butted in.

"Yes. Shadow and her twin, Light. The story says that Transelle gave in to darkness and destroyed the Light, cursing her whole line to darkness." Her optics drifted shut. "One day, there will be another. And she will wield the Shadow, as you do now. But without the Light to protect her from it, she will suffer a fate worse than death."

"What is that?"

"It's the curse." Fade explained, sitting up. "It's talking about me."

"How can you be sure?"

The femme gave a smile. "I'm the first wielder of the Shadow in a time of war. The others wielded her as a decoration or as self-defence. I am the first to use her… as a weapon of death, just like Transelle." She looked away. "I'm… I'm the one to suffer a fate worse than death."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"I was going to. When we had bonded."

He gave a short cuff while lifting her up to his lap, holding her close to his chest. "You were going to bond with me?"

"If you want."

Nuzzling into her neck, the wrecker smiled. "More than anything."

Mewling into his, Fade let out a deep sigh, feeling his spark pull towards hers but she held her own back. "Maybe some other time." His spark sank back almost instantly and Fade felt a little guilty so reached up to stroke his back. "I'm an old fashioned femme. If we do it, we do it properly."

"I kinda guessed." He mumbled in return and they fell into a peaceful silence, interrupted only slightly by the door opening and Bumblebee peaking in before closing it again. Neither moved at the interruption, just holding each other close. "So… what's this 'light' your so called 'curse' is talking about?"

"I have no idea." She mumbled sleepily, leaning against him. "The Light is Shadow's twin but the story goes that it was destroyed. It maybe it's… symbolic? I don't know."

Wheeljack kept strangely still, even his hand on her leg stopped in its comforting motion. "What did it look like?" He asked, his voice distant. "The twin."

Shifting to get comfortable, the femme shrugged. "Same as Shadow I was told. Only… lighter. The jewel at the top was blue, not purple."

Wheeljack visibly stiffened. "And… what would happen… if you had the Light?"

That made his femme look up in her confusion. "I guess… it would protect me, save me. Why?"

He didn't reply. Just sitting there, his optics distant and attention far away but then, with a sudden spurt of movement, he pushed the femme off his lap and stood up, pacing uncharacteristically before her, mumbling something she couldn't hear.

The word 'impossible' was said a lot.

Finally he turned to face her with a wide eyed gaze. "I know where it is."

"Where what is?"

"The Light."

The femme paused then shook her head. "Don't mess with me Wheeljack."

"I'm not. I'm serious." He held out a hand as he began to explain. "Long ago, after I left the wreckers, I was roaming around the galaxy when I picked up an energon signal and went to check it out. Ended up on this strange organic planet and I remember, it was weird. I mean, really weird. I remember, when I landed, the people welcomed me as if… they had been expecting me. They even gave me a cube of energon. I mean, they had no use for it. But then I was taken to this large temple and there were images of… two swords and a femme, definitely cybertronian by the look of her but there were also a couple of… beasts. And then this… priest came over and he gave me a sword. He told me to take it with me but not to draw it. That I would know when I need it. I thought it was a load of slag but I took it anyway. You know, to be polite. But now…"

"Now you think that sword was Light?"

"The story's match. It has to be."

Fade didn't look very convinced as she pulled herself to the side. "So… where is it now?"

That made Wheeljack freeze. "Umm… On the Jackhammer."

The con quirked a brow. "The Jackhammer? Your ship? The one that was shot down and lead to your capture? The one that is now in Decepticon control? That Jackhammer?"

"Yeah."

"You never make things easy do you Wheeljack?"

"Nope." He winked at her, stepping over and kissed her brow. "But that's what you love about me."

~#~

Convincing the Autobots was not easy but they eventually decided that there were probably other important items on the Jackhammer that should be recovered. It was a carefully planned mission, the Autobots ready for anything that may be thrown at them.

Wheeljack lead it while Fade remained locked at the base with Ratchet, her loyalty still under investigation. There were a few drone guards around the wreckage which with precision shooting from all of the bots; they were down before any of them could raise the alarm.

"This place has been gutted." Wheeljack moaned as he began looking over his ship. "Aw slag, they even got my high grade stash."

"Stay on task Wheeljack." Arcee asked from his side.

The mech nodded and pointed vaguely to the side. "There is a hidden panel over there. I kept some semantics and info there. They might not have found it. And… the sword…" He walked over to the passenger seat and gave it a swift, strong knock on the side, the panel fallen off to the floor with a thud.

Kneeling, Wheeljack reached down to the base of the hidden compartment and finally got his hand around the concealed blade, pulling it out and looking over it.

It had been so long since he'd seen it, unable to bring himself to throw it away or sell it. It was beautiful, the silver tread wrapped tightly around the sheath and kept in place with a large blue jewelled clip. The hilt at the top had the same shape and glow as its twin. "Hello Light." He whispered to it and for a moment he was sure it felt warmer in his hands.

~#~

Hands cuffed before her, Fade was allowed into the main hanger and looked over the collection of bots before her, her dark red optics shooting from one to another, judging each and every one of them. Even Wheeljack got it but he was used to it.

"You really think that's it?" She said, looking at the sword in his hand. It looked like a toothpick in his hands.

The wrecker smiled. "I'm pretty sure."

"So what do we do now?" Arcee asked, her scepticism clear in both her tone and her body language.

The other femme gave a strange smile. "You won't like it."

"Why?"

"I need to draw it."

Bulkhead laughed once. "As if we are going to give you a weapon."

The Decepticon let her shoulders fall as she turned to look at the largest mech in the room, her eyes darting between his chest and his eyes. "Can I ask you something Optimus Prime?"

"What is it?"

"Have you touched either Shadow or…" She glanced at Wheeljack's hand. "The other one?"

"Due to Wheeljack's instruction, no." He responded simply and dully. "Your weapon has been locked in a secure case where no one can come in contact with it."

She smiled at the white and blue mech. "Good boy. Learning from your mistake." Wheeljack chuckled a little before she turned her helm away. "If I'm correct, the matrix is a link to the All Spark, is it not? Where every departed spark rests?"

"It is."

"And with that, you can sense those who have held a weapon before?"

The big guy blinked. "How do you know that?"

"Don't you dare snigger Wheeljack." Fade warned before the mech behind her could even crack a smile. "But I was brought up as a museum clerk before becoming a Decepticon. I know quite a bit about the past. So am I right?"

"You are."

"Then, if that blade really is the Light, the only other person to use it is my ancestor, Transelle. If you touch the sword, you will know."

Ratchet suddenly stepped forwards. "Optimus, we have to be careful, this may be a trap."

"How?" Both Fade and Wheeljack snapped before looking at each other and smiling.

Wheeljack looked back at the mech first. "Ratch, this has been on my ship for years! How could it be a trap? Fade hasn't even been on the Jackhammer, even back on Cybertron."

"You always said you'd take me for a ride." She mumbled under her breath.

Optimus looked at the sword before holding out his hand. "It worked for the Star Saber." He commented.

Wheeljack placed the blade in his hand and watched as it was almost consumed in his palm but no sooner has his fingers closed around it, than it began to glow a bright, unnatural white light. Optimus' optics glossed over in the same glow and for a moment he just stood there blankly.

~#~

"Hello."

Optimus turned quickly on the spot to face the voice and found himself in the dark void of the Matrix, where he had once spoken to Alpha Trion but this time he was stood facing the pale dark golden outline of a young femme with a curved helm and an ancient cybertronian design. "Who are you?" He asked calmly.

Her golden optics blinked as she smiled. "I am Transelle. There is no need to ask who you are. Optimus, the last Prime." She gave a formal bow before standing up once again. "There is a lot of talk on the other side about you but I never thought I would be called forth to speak to you."

"I am sorry for any distress I caused you. But were you the last wielder of this weapon?" He held out his hand with the sword still in it.

The femme looked sadly at it. "Yes. I was the first and last wielder of the Light. It was a long time ago. It was my own arrogance that caused its destruction. I thought I had the strength to control darkness, that I didn't need it. I spent the rest of my life trying to correct that one mistake." Her eyes lifted to him. "I'm guessing the curse has come true? That someone is controlled by it?"

"Your descendent, yes. My men wish to help her but we have no idea on how."

Transelle sighed in the void. "The physical embodiment of the Light is only part of the solution. You can't remove darkness from a spark, you can't destroy it. Light's power is in controlling darkness but I fear, that over time, the darkness has taken more and more of each spark it passed from. To help her, one of you must give her a reason to fight it." Her hand reached out for the sword. "If she has no reason to live, no reason to fight for goodness and life then she will not be able to draw the sword and the darkness will snuff out the little that she has." Transelle paused, her face falling serious. "She will suffer and die."

Optimus stared at the sword in his hand but when he looked up to ask another question, he was facing Ratchet and the rest of his team.

Fade, towards the back, was smirking. "I guess it worked?"

"Yes." The Prime explained, feeling physically and mentally drained by the experience. He placed the sword on the side and sat down on a container. "It is the real one. And I know what we must do."

"I already know that." Fade sighed. "I have to draw the Light."

"No." The Prime stated firmly. "Not just that. You have to have a reason to fight against the darkness, for light. You need to have a reason to no longer be a servant of the darkness in your spark." His powerful blue optics gazed into her red ones. "You have to want to live this way. Or you will perish."

Wheeljack snapped up at that. "What!? No one said anything about her dying!"

"Transelle herself told me. If there is any doubts in your commitment to the Light, the darkness will take over and kill you."

Fade gave a small huff. "No, it's worse than that Prime. My spark is made up of myself and Shadow. I control her, I control the want to kill and if I were to perish… she would take control." Her eyes turned away. "She would go on a never ending killing spree and I would be unable to stop her."

"Fade, I'm not letting you do this!" Wheeljack snapped, grabbing both her shoulders and drawing her attention to him. "I won't risk losing you again! You don't need that sword."

"I do Wheeljack. I can't go back to the Decepticons now. Not after everything here. But I can't stay here the way I am. I can't stay a prisoner forever and I can't be Autobot with Shadow. I'd end up killing all of you before I knew what happened." She looked at the sword on the side and smiled at it. "Besides, Optimus said I need something to live for." Her optics turned back to his. "I certainly have that. You."

The wrecker was stunned into silence and his hands popped off her shoulders as if repulsed by magnets. Fade took the chance to walk over to the sword and look down on it before holding out her cuffed hands.

Ratchet looked at Optimus who nodded once and the medic removed the cuffs, watching as they fell to the floor and the femme rubbed her wrists while she looked at the bright, shinning silver sword. Shadow was screaming in her mind, telling her to get away from it. Fade pushed her to the side and reached out her hand for the sword, taking hold of the sheath in one hand and the hilt in the other. Carefully she lifted it up and with a sigh, pulled.

Her mind was filled suddenly with images of every spark she had taken, every life she had ended. Each death.

The last moments of each life.

The pain they felt.

The searing agony as she felt her blade take their life over and over.

She was stunned by just how many there were. The darkness of each kill shook her spark, consuming her. It was crushing her, taking over.

The little light she had was dying!

The memories were suddenly of the one mech she had not killed, even when she had the chance so many times. She could have killed him and stayed her blade every time.

She concentrated on those memories, on the good times she had with the Autobot, her enemy and yet her best friend.

She watched how her attention transformed from a comrade to a companion and from that to a forbidden lover. A hidden love.

She remembered their first kiss, the sloppy broken one Wheeljack had forced on her after a fight. She remembered every second and touch the Autobot had ever given her.

The deaths no longer mattered. It was only him.

It was him that she wanted to live for. His optics, his laugh, his touch, his kind words, his spark was the light she had always lived for!

Wheeljack was her Light.

Her eyes snapped open and she staggered backwards, the sword long bright silver sword in one hand and the sheath separated in the other. She panted, trying to cool her body down from the stress before collapsing to one knee, the sword clattering on the ground as she stared at the ground.

Her whole body felt lighter, the burden of the Shadow was gone and a bright, love of life and knowledge flooding her.

"Fade?" A tentative voice asked.

She looked up suddenly and saw the shock in Wheeljack's expression. "Wheeljack?" she managed after a moment. "What… what is it?"

"Your optics." He whispered.

Fade reached up to her face, touching them gently. "What's wrong with them?"

"They… they're blue."

Strengthened suddenly, the femme ran over to a nearby flat polished surface and stared down at herself. Her face was still the same, she still had the dark blue markings under her optics, the same shaped optics but they were bright, electric, blue.

She reached up to her helm and touched them slowly before blinking. "I…."

"You look beautiful babe."

Standing, she looked back at the mech and gave a small happy smile before jumping up, latching on to him, laughing as she did. "Thank you."

Wheeljack held her back and kept her comforted. "I guess it's proof that it worked." He brushed his over her face plating and smiled. "They are beautiful."

"I've never felt like this before. I've never felt so… warm and good and…" She laughed, snuggling into his arms. "It's all thanks to you Wheeljack. Thank you."

"Anything for you babe. Anything."

~#~

Fade kept to her promise of being an 'old fashioned femme' and insisted on a formal bonding ceremony with the other Autobots present as witnesses. Optimus was happy to conduct the ceremony and the group partied well into the night while the two lovers slipped away for their own private party.

The next morning, Fade was given her official Autobot insignia. From that day forth, Fade wielded her blade for good, honesty and life.

She acted for the good. She protected the honest. She lived for life.

The Con's soon regretted ever letting her out of their sights and would tremble as she was seen on the battle field until she suddenly vanished. As grateful as they were, they were also concerned over where she was.

They didn't know that her lack of battle was due to a medical condition. One that would one day be named Wilt.

The End

And that 'The End' is with a ? because who knows, there might be more. Doubt it but there might.

Well, it took a while but I finally! Got around to finishing this story. It's just a little silly I wrote but still, hope you like it.

Also, if anyone would like to, I'm still lacking a summery for this story. I can't think of one.