Chapter 2 Self-Defense

"You know I love you, right?" Starscream asked nervously, sensing his mate's negative reaction.

Megatron nodded, his throat too tight to allow words to pass. He wasn't going to tell him that he was leaving, was he? Was he unable to stand the poor conditions that they were living in? He was planning on getting better property, he truly was. He'd even go that moment to over-run the city with his soldiers if that was what Starscream wanted.

"I didn't want to tell you this earlier, because I was afraid that you'd do something...drastic." Starscream added, shifting slightly.

Megatron bit his lip in fear. What was he talking about? He didn't want him to leave! Why would he? Had carrying Oblivion turned him against him somehow? Reverted Starscream to the bitter Seeker he was before they had become bondmates?

"I was young. Remember that." Starscream added.

Now he was confused; what was he talking about? Megatron reached out over the bond. 'What? Frag it Starscream, please tell me already!'

"Remember how you got all jealous over the seekers?" He asked, blinking his ruby optics.

Megatron's spark clenched painfully. 'Yes.'

"You had a reason to be." He sighed. "We were all bonded together at one point."

Megatron's spark clenched bitterly. 'I see.' He replied, trying to keep the sadness out of his "voice".

"It was a long time ago. I thought that you hated me back then. Please understand." He whimpered pleadingly, nuzzling his face into Megatron's shoulder.

Megatron closed his optics and nodded painfully. 'Starscream,' he murmured as he reached up and stroked his mate's face. 'Frag it! I thought you didn't love me anymore!' He snapped as he cuffed his mate alongside his head. 'Frag! Why didn't you tell me that to begin with!' He asked as a tear leaked down his face as a way for his spark to release its pain and relief.

"But I told you I loved you before I said anything." He stated, rubbing his head slightly where Megatron had hit him.

Megatron closed his optics. 'I know...but...how was I suppose to know that wasn't some kind of way to break up?' He asked as his shoulders shook from silent tears.

"I would never." He cooed. "I made a vow to you when I had your sparklings." He added as he rubbed his mate's arm.

Megatron nodded his head slowly. 'I'm sorry.' He murmured as he rubbed his mate's head. 'I panicked.'

"It's fine." He replied.

He looked up at his mate and smiled before he pulled his mate down onto the recharge bed. He pulled Starscream close to his chest and kissed him, careful not to crush the two sparklings as they slept against his chest, cooing gently as they dreamt of whatever it was that sparklings dreamt of. Starscream reached down and stroked both of their helms, smiling as Emberstar turned her face into his palm and nuzzled into it.

"How soon can we move?" He asked, scratching Emberstar behind her audio and making her purr softly in her sleep.

Megatron frowned. "Hopefully within the week." He replied. "Those so called "soldiers" can't tell their gun from their grenade. It's a real mess."

"The Autobots or our grunts?" Starscream asked jokingly.

Megatron sighed sadly. "Unfortunately, our grunts." He replied.

"Then it will almost be an even match." He chuckled.

Megatron chuckled. "Perhaps too even." He replied. "Even the Seeker units are pathetic! They can't do a barrel roll without crashing into one another!"

"Remember when my trine was formed?" Starscream chuckled. "We were perfect from the start." He stated proudly.

Megatron shook his head. "No...Skywarp couldn't fly straight to save his life. I think you shot him in the aft enough times to get across the point that he needs to pay attention." He chuckled.

"He could never concentrate." He admitted.

Megatron grinned. "That must have complicated the bonding." He joked as he kissed his mate's helm.

"They were annoying, so I cut out of the bond." He chuckled as he nuzzled Megatron's neck.

Megatron chuckled before he nuzzled his face into his mate's shoulder. "Go to sleep." He murmured softly. "The sooner you fall asleep, the better the chances of us getting out of this dump."

"Goodnight." He cooed, shutting down his optics and resting his head on Megatron's shoulder.

Megatron smiled. "Goodnight Starscream." He replied as he powered down his own optics. He placed his arm protectively around Starscream's waist, smiling as he felt a tiny set of hands wrap around it and snuggle closer. Another moment passed before he finally slipped into recharge.

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Starscream awoke to find that Emberstar was curled into a little ball on his chest. He slapped Megatron's arm to get his attention, and to wake him. There were not many times that Emberstar did something as innocently cute as this and he didn't want his mate to miss out on it. Megatron grunted as he woke up, his optics powering up one at a time. He caught sight of Emberstar and smiled softly.

'Where's a camera when you need it?' He asked gently as he stroked the sparkling's helm, earning a sleepy chirp of contentment. Starscream saved the image to his memory drive, ready to show it to her when she got older and rebellious. Megatron frowned as he noticed that a certain grey sparkling was missing. 'Where's Oblivion?'

'I don't know.' He yawned. 'I just woke up.'

'How can you not know? She fell asleep against your chest!' Megatron replied in a panic; what if he had rolled over on her during his recharge cycle?

Starscream sent a wave of worry over their bond; if she was missing, that wasn't a good sign. Megatron began to panic before he felt something move on the side of his head near the rim of his helmet. 'What the?'

'I think we found her, Bucket-Head.' Starscream chuckled as he pointed.

'Who are you calling "Bucket-head"?' Megatron demanded as he reached up slowly and touched whatever was on the side of his head. A soft chirp met his audio receptors and he grinned as he recognized it. A second later, Oblivion slid down his face to rest on his chest near his chin before yawning, snuggling closer as her optics flashed palely.

'You.' He cooed in reply.

'Very funny, femme-bot.' Megatron replied as he stroked Oblivion's head as she recharged against his throat.

He stuck his glossa out at him, pouting slightly. Megatron chuckled as he tilted his head slightly to kiss his mate. Oblivion chirped softly again before her hand touched his arm. He looked down and smiled as he watched his daughter slowly wake up, blinking her optic shutters in the cutest manner he had ever seen. Starscream smiled at him, and sent Megatron a wave of gratitude, stroking the sparkling that was against his chest lovingly.

Megatron smiled softly at his mate. 'Why are you thanking me?' He asked as Oblivion chirped and took his finger in her tiny hands, turning it over as she examined it.

'You gave me a second chance.' He replied. 'And two beautiful sparklings.'

Megatron chuckled softly. 'The sparklings wouldn't have come into being if it wasn't for you too.' He replied. He leant in and kissed his mate again. 'But, you're welcome anyways.'

'Thank you.' Starscream purred.

"Daddy." Oblivion murmured. "I'm hungry."

Megatron chuckled softly as he stroked Oblivion's head. "Can you wait until your sister gets up?" He asked. Oblivion nodded in reply, yawning slightly.

"Do we have any food left?" Starscream asked with a frown. He certainly didn't remember seeing any cubes when he had checked the day before.

Megatron frowned. "I'm sure we have something." He replied as he stood up and head headed for the broken door to the storage unit. "We can't be out yet."

Several floors below them, Bumblebee was smiling down at Yellowjacket as he lay curled under Blitzwing's wing. 'Cute little guy when he's not causing mayhem.' He commented as Blitzwing touched the yellow and black sparkling's helm gently.

"He gets de cute from joo." Blitzwing said with a smile.

Bumblebee grinned as he reached over and stroked Yellowjacket's wings, causing them to twitch in his sleep. "Yah, and his mischievous side comes from you." He replied as their sparkling's premature shoulder cannons whirled softly.

"Jah, he does." He stated flatly.

Bumblebee looked up at his mate. 'Something wrong big guy?' He asked, tilting his head to the side.

He hoped that Blitzwing wouldn't let his Hothead face take over. He had enough bruises and dents from that personality taking over when Blitzwing lost his control. He could handle him, but Yellowjacket would last a minute if Blitzwing really lost it; he was barely a fraction of the larger Decepticon's size and couldn't hold his own for even a moment. He loved Blitzwing without a shadow of a doubt, but his unruly alternate personality was difficult to keep in line.

"I'm fine. I just vant to get out of zis slaggy neighborhood." He sighed.

Bumblebee nodded. "Yah, I know what you mean." He agreed. He frowned. "Doesn't Megatron have some...." 'Squadron heading for a small city nearby? He asked, quickly switching to speaking through their bond, just in case someone was listening in on them.

"Probably." He replied, turning over to face his mate, moving Yellowjacket slightly to be protected against his body.

Bumblebee's frown deepened. "Aren't...you would be going with him?" He asked, his spark tightening in his chest slightly at the thought of his mate being in a battle far away from him.

"I don't think so." He said. "He didn't assign me in zeir."

Bumblebee let out a sigh of relief. "Thank Primus." He murmured as he nuzzled his head into his mate's chest.

"Besides, I vouldn't leave joo alone." He cooed.

Bumblebee smiled. "Thanks Blitz." He murmured as he hugged his mate. "I'm glad I became a Decepticon." He added as he looked up at his mate. "If I hadn't...I wouldn't have you or Yellowjacket."

"Speaking of vich, do joo miss your old friends?" He asked, stroking Bumblebee's horned helm gently.

Bumblebee shrugged. "Sometimes." He replied before he sighed sadly. "But Bulkhead...no...he wanted to kill Yellowjacket during his development. We...Autobots are supposed to cherish life, no matter how it was developed." He shook his head as tears sprang to them. He pulled Bumblebee closer to him, hushing him gently. Bumblebee buried his face in Blitzwing's chest as he tried to still his tears. "Frag it!" He hissed angrily. "You'd think I could control this by now!" He muttered angrily as he tried to wipe the tears away.

"I could say ve same zing!" The schizophrenic Decepticon cackled as his face switched over to Random.

Yellowjacket moaned as he struck his leg out and kicked Blitzwing's side. "I trying to recharge!" He complained. Blitzwing patted his sparkling's head before Yellowjacket groaned. "Why you and mommy have to talk so loud?" He demanded as he brightened one red optic and glared weakly at Blitzwing.

"Sorry." Blitzwing sighed as he switched back to Icy.

"Wake up dead." Yellowjacket muttered before he curled up against Blitzwing's body and drifted back into recharge.

'Mouthy little thing.' Bumblebee chuckled.

"He gets if from joo." He chuckled softly as he gave his mate a smile.

Bumblebee gave Blitzwing a playful shove. "Watch it." He chuckled. Blitzwing cackled again as his face changed to Random and he ran a servo over one of Bumblebee's horns. Bumblebee's body shuddered. 'BLITZWING! There is a sparkling present!' He hissed over their bond as he bit back a happy moan.

Blitzwing gave him a sad look and switched back to his calm persona. "Sorry." He said, his mouth set in its usual expressionless state.

Bumblebee smiled. "It's ok Blitz. I know those personalities of yours are hard to control." He replied as he reached up and kissed him.

He ran his index finger across a dent in Bumblebee's armor. "It's not OK." He replied as his mouth became even thinner.

Bee pulled back. "Why not?" He asked softly. "You can't change what you are." He replied as he touched Blitzwing's hand. "I can live with a few dents."

"Joo shouldn't have to live like zat." He said softly, looking away. "I should learn to control myself."

Bumblebee smiled. "Blitz, you DO have control." He murmured as he reached up and ran his hand along his mate's face. "It just slips once in a while depending on your mood."

"It shouldn't slip!" He growled as he clenched his fists.

Bumblebee smiled. "Blitz, you can't keep your emotions in check all the time. It's practically impossible." He murmured. "I can live with it. That's who you are, that's why I love you; you aren't like everyone else."

"Thank you." He cooed. "But I still think that you'd be better off vit someone a little less...... spontaneous." He stated.

Bumblebee narrowed his optics. "Don't you EVER say that." He stated coldly. He hugged Blitzwing's body close to him. "I don't want anyone else. No one else could ever make me feel the way you do."

"In pain?" He asked coldly.

Bumblebee glared at him. "Blitz." He scolded. "Stop being so negative." He shook his finger at him. "I can take a few dents. Besides, they make me look tough." He added with a grin. "And, you've never hurt Yellowjacket, so it's not that bad." He rested his helm on Bumblebee's and sighed; how did he end up with Bumblebee? He certainly didn't deserve something as beautiful and understanding. Bumblebee smiled softly as he nuzzled his face into Blitzwing's neck. "Blitz, it's ok." He murmured. "We're Decepticons, we can take a little rough n' tumble."

"But how long until my anger is exerted upon our sparkling?" He asked, his voice broken at the very thought of harming his precious Yellowjacket and this time the other two personalities agreed.

Bumblebee closed his optics. "Blitz, you said so yourself; Decepticon NEVER harm sparklings, ever." He murmured. "And besides, Jacket only ever gets me angry, he behaves for you." He chuckled. "He likes to see me angry; I think he feels better knowing that he can learn his limits with me before he moves into the army."

"I don't vant to risk it." He chuckled.

Bumblebee laughed softly. "Blitz, you have more control than you think. You'd catch yourself before he even laid a finger on Jacket." He replied as he stroked Blitzwing's helm.

"I hope so." He cooed.

"You will." He replied. "I have faith in you."

"And I zank joo for zat." Blitzwing purred.

'You never have to.' Bumblebee thought to himself. He purred in return and rubbed his helm against Blitzwing's. Blitzwing hugged him, rocking his smaller mate back and forth.

Yellowjacket stared up at him parents and smiled. He had been watching them for a long time and he knew that his father was prone to sudden violent mood swings; he had seen him turn on his "mother" a few times in the past. Bumblebee had been caught off guard, but didn't fight back. He learnt later that Bumblebee hadn't only to allow Blitzwing time to regain control of himself. He noted the dents along his chest plate and a large one on his leg; Blitzwing hadn't meant to hurt him, it was just hard to control all of himself. He grinned to himself; he could understand that. He didn't have changing faces, but he did have a crazy personality, and sometimes, it was hard to pass up something that would be hilarious.

"Should we stay up, or go back to sleep?" Blitzwing asked, his crazy persona taking the lead.

Bumblebee went to answer when Yellowjacket grabbed onto Blitzwing's neck. "Hungry!" He chirped.

"That answers that question."

"Do ve even have anyzing left?" He asked; their minimal supply vanished quickly with three hungry fuel-tanks.

Bumblebee shrugged. "I really don't know."

Yellowjacket tapped his father's face. "I'm hungry Daddy." He chirped.

"I know." He cooed.

"Blitzwing." Megatron's voice sounded over the com-link. "I'm sorry...I will be needing you in overtaking the city."

Bumblebee looked up at Blitzwing. 'No.'

Back in Megatron's room, Starscream put a servo on Megatron's arm. Megatron placed his servo overtop of Starscream's and smiled sadly. 'It's now or never. I'm sorry.'

Oblivion blinked up at him. "You're leaving?" She asked around a sniffle.

Megatron reached down and gently stroked her helm. "Only for a little while." He looked up at Starscream. "If we're lucky, the city will fall before the day is out." Starscream barred his fangs. Megatron looked up at Starscream. 'I'm sorry.' He sighed as he straightened up. He touched his own helm. "Blitzwing? I'll meet you outside the building. Tell Bumblebee and Yellowjacket that we should be back before they know it." He stated. He sighed as he looked back at his mate. 'I'm so sorry.'

Starscream stood up, ready to follow Megatron out the door. "Starscream?" Megatron asked softly.

"I'm coming too. It isn't a battle without me." Starscream announced, grinning cruelly.

Megatron frowned. "What about the sparklings? Shockwave won't be able to look after them; he's coming with me." He stated.

"You mean you're leaving me here!?" Starscream growled.

Megatron's face fell. "I hate doing it, but someone responsible needs to look after those left behind." He replied. He took Starscream's face in his hands. "I hate leaving you, but...." He shook his head, at a loss of what to say before he pulled Starscream into a deep, passionate kiss.

'Just hurry back.' Starscream hissed.

Megatron pulled away. 'I will.' He promised.

Oblivion chirped sadly as he walked out of the room. "He'll come back...right?" She asked as she looked up at Starscream.

"I hope so." He sighed. "All remaining Decepticons, please report to my quarters immediately." Starscream ordered over his comm. link.

Bumblebee quickly scooped Yellowjacket up and walked out of his room and up towards Starscream's. Last he checked Starscream was still carrying. 'Must have protoformed it last night.' He mused to himself before he knocked on the door. Starscream opened the door. Skywarp was already inside sitting on the bed.

Oblivion chirped softly as she touched Skywarp's leg. "Hi." She chirped.

Bumblebee blinked at Oblivion before he grinned. "Welcome back kiddo."

Oblivion giggled. "Hi Bee!"

"Well, since we've been left behind," He said with an irritated after-tone. "I was thinking we could use this time to talk with each other."

Bumblebee nodded. "I could understand you and I, but Skywarp?" He asked as he gave the black Seeker a look. "Why would Megatron leave him behind?" Oblivion chirped up at Skywarp, waving her hands up at him, trying to get him to pick her up.

"I'm carrying." He stated, lifting the small sparkling off the ground.

Bumblebee's optics widened momentarily. "Really?" He asked. "Well, congratulations!" Oblivion chirped in agreement as she snuggled against Skywarp. Skywarp smiled proudly. Bumblebee grinned. "So...how far along are you?" He asked as Yellowjacket chirped curiously up at Oblivion.

"A few hours." He explained.

Bumblebee's optics widened. "Whoa...fairly new. Kills my next question...Jacket stop squirming." He scolded as the little yellow and black sparkling tried wiggling out of his arms.

"Pretty!" Yellowjacket squealed as he looked at Oblivion.

"I'm guessing that's supposed to be a compliment." Oblivion muttered

Starscream chuckled. Then it hit him. 'MEGATRON!' He cried over the bond.

'Starscream? What's wrong?' Megatron asked.

'You cannot go through with this! You'd be killing millions of innocent 'bots! You'd be doing the same thing they did to the citadel.' Starscream explained quickly.

Megatron didn't answer for a long time. 'I...I didn't think about that.' He murmured. 'We'll try to keep as many alive as we can. Maybe...we can convince them to join us...or at least turn a blind optic to our presence.'

'Good idea.' He breathed.

Megatron chuckled softly. 'I'll give the new order. You look after the Decepticons left with you my little Star.' He replied softly.

'Already done.' He cooed.

'We'll be back soon.' Megatron murmured before he blocked the bond.

Oblivion wrinkled her nose. "Why is he STARING at me?" She demanded.

"I think he likes you." Starscream mocked.

Yellowjacket giggled. Oblivion groaned. "Stop staring." She snapped as she glared at him. "It's rude." Starscream laughed. 'It's not funny!' Oblivion moaned before she glared at Yellowjacket. She stuck her glossa out at him before she crossed her arms and huffed.

"Well, does anyone have something about themselves that they'd like to share?" Starscream asked.

Oblivion looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?" She asked.

"Well, like, for example; I'm hand-painted." He boasted, puffing out his chest.

Oblivion giggled. "I'm too smart for my own good." She stated.

"We all knew that." Skywarp chuckled.

Oblivion shrugged. "At least it was something." She replied. "Haven't heard you say anything." She blinked several times. "Wait...did that sound rude?"

"Yeah, so?" He asked. "We're Decepticons; we're expected to be barbaric."

Oblivion gave him an annoyed look. "I'm a sparkling. I'm not supposed to know what "mean" or "rude" is. I'm supposed to be innocent."

"Not when you're a Decepticon." Skywarp sighed.

"Sparkling." Oblivion stated slowly. "Not mean. Baby. Newborn...everything that should define "innocent"." She added.

"Is no one going to share anything?" Starscream growled. He was a bit on-edge from not being fed and the birth of his daughter had drained him even more.

Bumblebee shrugged. "I don't think there's anything to share." He replied as Yellowjacket made it quite clear that he wanted down. He even went as low as biting Bumblebee. "Ouch!" Bumblebee yelped as he accidentally dropped Yellowjacket, not that it fazed the sparkling. "You little brat! Wait until Blitzwing hears about this. Frag, it's bleeding." He grumbled as he stuck his bleeding finger in his mouth, glaring after Yellowjacket as he raced over to Skywarp's leg and started cheeping at Oblivion.

Starscream eyed the still-warm energon and his optics glazed over and brightened. Frag, he was so hungry, he'd even stoop as low as to feed off another Cybertronian's life-force if it meant that he would get to eat. He mentally slapped himself as soon as the thought registered in his mind. He sat straighter in his chair, shoving the cannibalistic instinct down into the pit of his fuel-lines, hoping that it would never resurface.

Bumblebee sighed. "Little brat." He growled as Yellowjacket started chirping at Oblivion in an attempt to get her attention.

"Get lost!" Oblivion whined, suddenly unnerved at the yellow and black sparkling's obsession. 'You ok...mom?' She asked Starscream as she glanced at him.

"Fine." He chuckled, stroking the small recharging sparkling on his lap.

Oblivion glared at Yellowjacket as his chirping increased. "Why won't Emberstar wake up?" She asked as Bumblebee walked over and picked Yellowjacket back up, scolding him for biting him.

"She's probably worn herself out." Starscream chuckled, trying to mask his hunger that he was sure that Oblivion could sense.

A crash sounded from the bottom floor causing them all to look up. "Back already?" Skywarp asked a bit confused.

Oblivion frowned. "Why would they crash?" She asked. "Daddy isn't that clumsy...even when he's cratered."

"She's right; no Decepticon would break down that door. We all have a key." He stated, standing up, cradling Ember in his arms.

Yellowjacket chirped fearfully. "Not Daddy?" He asked quietly as he clung to Bumblebee.

"You don't think...Autobots?" Oblivion asked.

Starscream nodded. "Bumblebee, take the sparklings and hide in the closet in my quarters, don't make a sound." He ordered gravely.

Bumblebee nodded as he picked Emberstar up and placed Yellowjacket on the ground. "I'm not big enough to carry both of you, sorry." Bumblebee murmured. "And she's recharging." Yellowjacket nodded as Oblivion landed beside him. She grabbed his hand and dragged him behind her to said closet.

"In. Quick." She hissed. Bumblebee didn't need to be told twice; he knew that he wasn't big enough to pose a problem to the Autobots.

Starscream and Skywarp stood wing-to-wing, completely still, staring at the door, null-ray-cannons at the ready. Foot-steps could be heard coming up the stairs and they tensed, ready to defend the sparklings. Oblivion hugged Yellowjacket tightly, the yellow and black sparkling copying her. Bumblebee cradled Emberstar protectively to his chest. There was no way he was going to let the sparklings get hurt.

A large red mech walked through the door, followed by a much smaller mech, with flame decals on his chest. They glared at them, eyeing them as they pulled their guns out into the open. Skywarp quickly warped over to the door behind the younger Autobot and locked it. Bumblebee crouched down slowly beside the other sparklings, stroking Yellowjacket's head as he listened carefully to what was happening outside their hide-away.

The Autobot with the flame decals had Skywarp pinned against the door in seconds, surprising the black and purple Seeker and causing his spark to flare in panic. "G'job, Hot Rod." The older mech stated, walking closer to Starscream.

"Thank you sir." The small mech, obviously named Hot Rod replied, cuffing Skywarp's servos behind his back.

"I'm praud'a ya, boy!" Ironhide began, strutting even closer to the Air-Commander. "Ya ne'er ev'n SEEN a D-Con b'fore, and y'all ready cuffed yerself a Seeker! And trust you, me, boy, Seekers'r hard ta catch." He guffawed.

Bumblebee felt his intakes freeze. 'Ironhide.' He thought in terror. He wasn't aware that his fear was being felt by the two sparklings.

"Too bad 'ol Megsy ain't here ta save ya, Starscream." He chuckled. Starscream lunged forward, only to be struck and tossed aside. "S'all ya got?" Ironhide laughed, walking closer to the downed Seeker.

Starscream tried to stand up, but was kicked hard in the cockpit, sending him flying back into the wall. He slid down the wall; he was cornered. 'FRAG!' Starscream thought. His energy levels were too low to power his cannons, leaving him open to any form of attack. He looked up blankly at the approaching Autobot.

Skywarp was on his knees, the young mech holding him by his cuffs. The younger mech was snickering as he watched the red Seeker get beaten up. Oblivion could feel Starscream's pain slightly and was fighting against a whimper. 'DADDY!' She screamed, reaching out to Megatron's now elusive spark, only to meet nothing. 'Daddy?' She squeaked in fear, unaware that Megatron had blocked his spark to allow him to focus.

Starscream was kicked, slapped, and punched repeatedly. And the colorful names that Ironhide was calling him didn't exactly help his depleting energy-levels.
Ironhide knelt down in front of the broken Seeker. "I wanna see for mah self what Megatron's so proud 'bout." He stated, reaching for Starscream's cockpit. "I bet you're nothing but a glitch. That's what they all say. They say ya went with almost ev'ry bot' on Cybertron." He looked Starscream dead in the optics and smirked. "Why don't ya let me see fer mahself, how good ya are?" He said, opening Starscream's cockpit with a cruel growl.

Starscream slashed the red Autobot's throat open, insulted and violated by his obvious misunderstanding of Decepticon hierarchy; you never touch the mate of any high ranking officer without getting either the officer or the mate retaliating. He watched as the Autobot began to choke on his own energon, stepping back in shock as his hand flew to his throat in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

'Momma!' Oblivion screamed. She wanted to burst out of the closet and run to Starscream's aid. But she knew that she wouldn't help anything; she was only a sparkling and didn't come up much higher than Starscream's knee. What was she going to do? Gnaw the Autobot's ankle off?

Starscream looked at the choking Autobot; he wasn't going to need that energon now, anyway. Starscream crawled over to Ironhide and softly turned the Autobot's head to the side and brought his head close to the Autobot's throat. He buried his face into the wound and began feeding off the still living Autobot. Ironhide shut his optics; the fragging thing was drinking his energon! Starscream took a gasp of air before continuing, feeling the warm energon flow down his throat and into his fuel tank. Skywarp smirked up at the mortified young Autobot.

"Starscream sure is something, ain't he?" The dark seeker chuckled.

Oblivion let out a weak chirp without realizing it. She was so hungry and her energy levels were low because she hadn't eaten yet. She would love to have some energon now, and she wasn't too worried about where it came from as long as it was warm and nourishing.

Hot Rod threw up onto the already, filthy floor, unable to stomach the sight of Starscream feeding. Skywarp took this as his chance, and shattered his cuffs. Bumblebee, Yellowjacket, and Oblivion wrinkled their noses as the scent of warm energon reached them, closely followed by unprocessed energon as someone threw up.

"What happening?" Yellowjacket whispered, snuggling closer to Bumblebee's leg.

"I don't know." Oblivion murmured.

Skywarp pinned the Autobot against the floor. "You guys can come out now!" Skywarp announced.

Oblivion was the first out the door, wanting to see what had happened to Starscream. She came to a screeching halt as she stared at Starscream and the dying Autobot that he currently had his face buried in. Energon was sliding down his face and the Autobot's chest and a loud sucking noise reached her, closely followed by a deep inhale of breath as Starscream pulled back, licking his lips and closing his optics as if he was savoring the taste. She felt her tank churn and before she could catch herself, she had thrown up whatever energon had been in her tank all over the floor.

Starscream lifted his head up. "We do what we can to survive, sweetie." He cooed, stroking Ironhide's helm. She shook her head and backed away, tears streaming down her face, and more energon threatening to leave her energy deprived body. She covered her mouth as it started crawling up her throat and burn. "Daddy takes too long, so I took matters into my own servos." He stated as he held his hand out to his sparkling. "Come here, Oblivion." He purred. "Breakfast is served."

Author's note: And that's that. Starscream is going cannibal on us! And he's trying to convert Oblivion too. That little scene was Shadowbreaker777's idea, inspired by the movies Gingersnap and I like it. Starscream is a vampire amongst the living…and Oblivion is going to be sick.