Authors Notes: huge thanks to everyone who reviewed! I loved reading/replying to every single one of them! Next chapter should be out by Friday – I've already written it out with this as one huge chapter, but it was way too long. Hence two chapters.

Also, happy belated Thanksgiving ^^ something the Autobots will not be celebrating.

Note: This chapter isn't as funny as the last few chapters, simply because I'm trying to make this as in character as possible. (Tracks screaming up a wall didn't make the cut ^^) but it will get funnier after this. Please bear with me.

This chapter makes a reference to an upcoming-- but not related-- fic I'm planning. I'll leave it to you to figure out.

Disclaimer: because I do not own them, I am allowed to torture them.

"No way. I'm not doing it."

Optimus Prime sighed as he looked into the optics of his communications officer. Wheeljack and Ironhide also looked on at the discussion, as if amused at the surrounding circumstances.

He tried reason. Blaster was reasonable, right?

"The Decepticons might know how to take care of a cassette carrier, but we don't. I don't." he paused for emphasis. "You do."

Blaster's mouthpiece twisted into a very un-Blaster like grimace.

"He's my mortal enemy Prime."

"As I understand it, he's also your brother."

Blaster's form stiffened as Wheeljack and Ironhide heard and processed this new information. Optimus wasn't sure if this had been the best time to tell him, but Wheeljack and Ironhide weren't the most gossip-ridden mechs. They could (probably) keep a secret.

"Then you don't understand a thing."

Optimus raised an optic-ridge as he noticed three dark forms approaching from the ocean side. Ironhide muttered something under his breath. Blaster looked pissed. Wheeljack just looked excited as a sparkling celebrating his Creation Day.

Well, as excited as you could look, considering you had a face-mask on. But his ear-like appendages were flickering rapidly, which Optimus took to mean happiness.

Extreme happiness.

Megaton, Reflector, and Hook appeared, looking as uptight as Prime's soldiers did. The landed quietly, as if they looked a bit too embarrassed to engage in the usual banter.

Without waiting for opening remarks, Megatron opened his arms, and Wheeljack looked like he was about to go into overdrive.

A perfect replica of Soundwave (minus the face-mask) stared at them. Even Optimus could barely stand the shock of seeing one of the most powerful Decepticons looking so…innocent, even if he had seen him earlier that week.

Both parties were silent for a human moment. Neither knew where to start. Soundwave looked from Megatron to Optimus then glanced at Wheeljack for a second. Optimus supposed, despite Soundwave's telepathy, he had no idea who they were, and what was going on.

After the second round of looking at either Optimus or Megatron, Soundwave perked up and looked to Prime's right.

Directly at Blaster. Blaster met his counterpart's questioning visor. Optimus glanced at Megatron, who looked as confused as Soundwave, and maybe even more so.

Sound wave scrambled out of Megatron's arms, and gun-former looked relieved. Reflector and Hook watched on with equally relieved expressions. Optimus took it to mean Soundwave wasn't exactly the easiest sparkling to care for…

The sparkling walked up to Blaster slowly, as if he could hear everything Blaster had ever said to him, recently or otherwise.

And he probably could. This thought got Optimus a glance from the silent sparkling. Soundwave stopped a few feet away from Blaster, as if he sensed that's how close Blaster could have him.

Blaster stared at Soundwave. Soundwave stared back.

Amazingly, it was Soundwave who broke the awkward silence.

"Brother?"

Blaster nodded and picked the sparkling up. Soundwave rested in his arms, looking oddly ill at ease.

Optimus watched them warily.

"He's not going to hurt me," Soundwave said. Megatron caught his optics and gave a discreet nod.

"If that's it…" the Decepticon leader said neutrally. "We'll be going."

"I'm coming back," said Soundwave, looking at Megatron. The overlord raised an optic-ridge. "Sometime."

Hook snorted and Soundwave stiffened as he looked at Wheeljack. The Autobot scientist looked surprised, dampening his happy mood.

"What?" He asked innocently. Hook snorted again.

Optimus and Megatron exchanged a few quick words, arranging the time and place of their next meeting to return Soundwave back to the Decepticons.

Sound wave watched the whole thing from Blaster's arms. The red cassette carrier was thinking awkward thoughts.

Optimus gave Megatron a halfhearted farewell, and the Decepticons escort went their way.

Wheeljack wasted no time. He walked up to Soundwave and Blaster, but Optimus put a hand on Wheeljack's shoulder. "We'll do this later, but we need to get back to base."

Wheeljack nodded in halfhearted acknowledgement, wanting very much to examine the sparkling in Blaster's arms.

Well, it could wait. Soundwave wasn't going anywhere.

*

Bumblebee rubbed the dent in his helm. On the way from patrol, he had had the misfortune to walk into Skywarp.

Skywarp had unceremoniously shoved him into the rock wall, bashing in one of his horns and giving him a nice dent in the helm. Then he had left, for no reason at all. After all, who understood Decepticons?

Bumblebee spied a smaller bot sitting on another berth. His optics might be malfunctioning, but it seriously looked like…

The bot turned. "Your optics are fine," he said as an answer. He jumped off the berth and walked out.

Ratchet came in then, completely ignoring the bot. instead, he turned to Bumblebee.

"Any problems? Optics okay?"

Bumblebee stared. "Optics are a little out. I'm seeing things."