The Surprise

Rumble and I walk together toward the comm room. We stopped along the way to grab Frenzy. As we all walk along each twin grabs one of my hands. I squeeze each hand in turn, surprised by the sudden show of affection from Frenzy. Rumble doesn't seem to mind his brother holding my hand, but I still give Rumble's hand an extra squeeze to show him that it is he who has my heart.

I see Thundercracker walking ahead of us. On his right shoulder I can see Shyla sitting. In his right hand I can see a baby carrier. Kya is in it cooing happily. Thundercracker coos back at her in Seeker language.

We catch up to them at the door to the comm room. Thundercracker kneals down and Shyla climbs off his shoulder. He hands her the baby carrier. She smiles as Rumble and I coo at the baby. "When are you two going to have one of your own?" she asks.

Rumble and I look at each other. We really do want a baby. I often wonder what our baby would look like. A mix of us both, of course, but in what way? In the case of baby Kya, she has nut brown skin and silky black curls like her mother, and blue eyes the same shade as her father's plating. She is the perfect match of both of her parents. Would our baby be like us both or look more like one of us than the other?

The five of us walk through the door to the comm room. Megatron is already sitting on his throne. It seems everyone is already there. Starscream waves us over to sit by him and Alexis. I smile when he takes Kya out of her carrier. "Come to Uncle Starcream sweet thing".

Megatron clears his throat and all attention turns to him. "Thank you all for coming. I will make this short. Rumble, Starcream, and Thundercracker I assume all of you have spoken to your mates about joining us permanently?"

The three mechs nod silently while Shyla, Alexis, and I look at each other. We didn't know that all three of us were going to be asked to move in on the same day. "And what did your mates say?"; Megatron's voice cuts into my thoughts.

"Daisy said yes"; Rumble says as he squeezes my hand. Thundercracker confirms that Shyla will also be moving in, although she has technically lived here since she was only a couple of months pregnant with Kya. I see Starcream and Alexis both nod at Megatron confirming that Alexis will also be making her home at Decepticon HQ.

"Excellent" Megatron says. "The Constructicons will be making the proper adjustments to your quarters. They will be helped by the Autobots Hoist and Braun, who should arrive shortly. Optimus and Ratchet are also coming. I believe Ratchet will be giving Kya a baby well check?"; he looks questioningly at Shyla. She nods.

Ratchet has proven to be both an excellent OB and pediatrician. He delivered Kya, performing a C-section when Shyla's labor hit 24 hours and she spiked a fever of 105. I remember how scared Thundercracker was, but Starscream and Skywarp rallied around him, supporting their trine mate.

It seems hardly any time passes before Hoist and Braun arrive. Ratchet is with them, and Optimus Prime. Blaster has also tagged along. The Constructicons arrive soon after.

I climb into Rumble's lap so that I am stradling him. I kiss him and then whisper into his ear; "Comm Soundwave. I bet he will want to see Blaster".

He nods and seconds later his creator appears. I smile as Blaster and Soundwave high five and then hug. Being dual sparks they had been friends before the war, and even during the war it was Blaster who Soundwave called when the Decepticons had an outbreak of Cosmic Rust.

As the Constructicons sit down with Hoist and Braun to look over plans for the expansion, Soundwave and Blaster start Deejaying. I watch Alexis and Shyla get up and start to dance. Soon Frenzy, Thundercracker, and Starcream join them.

I look over to see Skywarp sitting alone. Giving Rumble a quick kiss, I go over and sit down by Skywarp. He smiles at me, but there is no feeling behind it. I put my hand in his and give it a squeeze. "You're thinking about Arcee, aren't you?"; I ask him.

It's not really a question. Up until a few months ago Arcee was Skywarp's mate, another relationship brought together by the treaty. All was going well-until Arcee miscarried a sparklet. In her grief she said hurtful things to Skywarp. In her rage she abandoned all of us. The last we heard she had returned to Cybertron.

I climb into Skywarp's hand so we can see each other face to face. I hug one of his fingers, then climb up on his shoulder so I can whisper into his audials; "It will get better."

He smiles sadly and sets me back down on the floor. I walk back over to Rumble, suddenly feeling like I haven't slept in days. Skywarp's sadness is weighing on me. It adds to the stress and anxiety that is already weighing on me. My work as an activist has been very upsetting lately, so much so that my "day job" as a preschool teacher seems like a vacation.

I climb into Rumble's lap, laying my head on his shoulder. I close my eyes. I feel dizzy and strange. I moan into Rumble's neck as I feel a wave of nausea. The room spins. I hear him say my name. Suddenly, everything goes black.