Here's chapter 4. I'll start to focus more on Tracks next chapter, promise.
Crying. It was crying again. This was the fifth night in a row that sparkling woke her up crying. Acidrain growled. How long was this going to last? There was movement next to her, onlining her optics, Acidrain turned to see Wirecross getting up.
"Go back to sleep. I'll take care of him." Cross whispered before leaving the room. Acidrain listened to Cross' whistle as she entered the next room and the sparkling's happy trills. As the little on continued to chirp, she had to assume Cross had picked him up and was cradling him to her as she quietly hummed.
Turning onto her side, Acidrain closed her optics and to try to get a couple hours of more recharge. She had a presentation at work tomorrow. Besides, Cross didn't need her. In the morning she'd wake up and find Cross recharging on the couch with that brat snuggled against her. Primus, when had their lives gotten so messed up?
Cross woke the next morning on the couch. She did that often now. She knew Acidrain was having a hard time at work and hated to be disturbed during recharge. It wasn't ideal, but Tracks tended to beep in his sleep and she knew it would only keep Rainy awake.
Glancing down, she smiled as she felt Tracks move as close as he could against her. She heard noises coming from the kitchen. Acidrain was getting ready to go to work. She should get up. Sitting up, Cross began to stretch. She would need to put Tracks back in his crib if she was going to be awake.
"Rainy?" she called. The green femme appeared at the doorway.
"Do you need anything today?" the acidic seeker asked.
Shaking her head no, Wirecross stood leaving Tracks curled on the couch. She went to her mate. "Have a good day." Cross said her voice hopeful as she brought her hand to rest on Acidrain's cheek.
Acidrain's optics dimmed at the touch as she leaned into it. "I will." She mumbled and headed out the door. A frown marred the red femme's features. She remembered when Acidrain used to smile and kiss her palm before saying 'Love you' as she left for work. But now she was pushing. It would take time for them to fix their relationship. Today was an improvement, a small step in the right direction. All she needed to do was be patient.
As soon as the door closed, Tracks began to click quietly. Cross looked over to couch to see her son lying on his stomach, searching the room for her. A small croon drew his attention. His gaze flew to her. With an ecstatic warble, Tracks tried to reach for his mother.
Smiling, Cross scooped him up and cradled him. "It's just you and me today, Tracks." She sang to the now very happy sparkling. Her smile grew as the joyous feelings the sparkling was experiencing spilled out into the bond. "How about a bath and then we'll go see Uncle Skywarp since it's his day off?"
She decided to take Tracks' shrill whistle as a yes.
Skywarp was having a good day. He was at home, had his Sparky, and was now playing with Tracks. Now all he needed was TC to hurry his aft home and everything would be perfect.
Clicking, he tossed Tracks into the air. Skywarp laughed as the sparkling screamed in delight. Catching him, Skywarp brought Tracks to his face. "Wanna do that again?" Skywarp asked, chuckling at the excited warble that answered him. With a grin, he tossed Tracks up again and laughed at the sparkling's giggles.
Glancing over, he could see Cross smiling at Tracks' enjoyment. Skywarp could swear she was glowing. It always made him happy to see Wirecross smiling.
~You're projecting again~
~Hey, TC. Having fun?~
~Pit no. Have you tried being a guard? Scratch that, you wouldn't be able to sit still that long~
~Hey! That's not nice~
~Never said I was. What's got you in such a good mood?~
~Sparky and Tracks stopped by to visit~
~How is she?~ Thundercracker asked, concern from his side of the bond.
~She's happy now, but that's probably 'cause Tracks is having the time of his life right now with dear Uncle Skywarp~
Skywarp could feel Thundercracker rolling his optics. ~Want me to take a half day?~
~I asked you to do that last cycle~
~I know~ Thundercracker replied, entirely too smug. ~But this is our Sparky and I haven't got a chance to hold the little one yet~
~Alright. Just hurry your aft home~
"Skywarp?" A voice called.
Skywarp was brought out of his bond and looked towards to Cross. "Sorry" he replied. "I was talking to TC."
"I thought so." Cross returned with a small smile. "Tracks is getting fussy 'cause the game stopped. When's Thundercracker coming home?"
"In a few minutes," Skywarp replied, continuing his game with the sparkling. "He decided to take a half day when he heard there was company."
"He just wants to get out of work." Cross chuckled.
"Duh. So that means you get to spend the rest of the day with us."
Cross just shook her head and giggled at her mentor's nonsense.
A joor later, three adult seekers were enjoying lunch as an adorable sparkling took his afternoon nap. Wirecross was sitting in between the two elder seekers. The blue on her left and the black on her left.
"How was work?" Cross asked turning to Thundercracker.
The blue mech shrugged. "Same old, same old." He finished his cube and set it down on the table before him. "How have you been, youngling?"
"I'm not a youngling anymore." Cross said, embarrassed by the endearment.
"You're my youngling." Thundercracker replied. Skywarp chuckled as Cross' wings gave an embarrassed twitch.
The chuckling seeker wrapped his arm around the flustered femme. "It's alright, sweetspark." Skywarp reassured. "TC is just checking in on ya. He worries you know."
Cross looked down at her half finished cube. "It's been fine." She murmured. "Stormchaser calls every night and Acidrain is starting to talk again." A small smile came to her face as she said the next sentence. "And Tracks has been good. He wakes up in the night and starts to fuss, but there hasn't been in any real problems with him since I was under fueled."
"He's fussing at night?" Thundercracker asked.
Cross nodded her head. "I think its cause he's in his crib by himself. I can feel him through our bond and wakes up calling me."
"How long does it take to settle him down?" Skywarp questioned.
"Not long." Cross answered. "I usually just watch the viewer till he falls into recharge then crash on the couch."
This comment caught Thundercracker's attention. "Why are you recharging on the couch?"
"I don't want to bother Rainy." Cross said her voice quiet.
"Hey! Look at that moron doing flips outside the window!" Skywarp cried, hoping to steer the conversation to more pleasant terrain. Wirecross was unhappy enough with her relationship with her fellow femme, without TC questioning her about it. His plan worked as the two other seekers turned their heads to see some foolish flier actually doing flips.
The rest of the time the three seekers discussed work, and other trivial things while playing with Tracks.
When it was late, Cross bid the older seekers goodnight and left with Tracks. As she flew away the bonded pair watched her, worry etched on their faces.
"TC?"
"Yeah Warp?"
"I'm worried."
"I know. So am I."
It was late when Wirecross returned home. She hadn't meant to spend the entire day with Thundercracker and Skywarp, but it was nice to spend the whole day with them like when she was young. Tracks was quite taken with them and enjoyed their company as well. The little sparkling had received so much attention and play time he fell into recharge as she flew home.
It had felt wonderful to be in air again. She hadn't flown since she came home from the hospital. Tracks seemed to like it too. Maybe she'd make it a habit to fly with him. Cross opened the door to the apartment and was surprised to find the lights and viewer on. Sitting on the couch was the green form of her lover.
Said femme looked over the back of the couch to look at the entering femme and sparkling. A frown marred her features.
Cross could practically taste the hostility coming from Acidrain. She quickly moved to the nursery and placed Tracks in his crib. If things were going to get nasty with her and Rainy, she didn't want her sparkling to be around it. Coming back to the main room, Cross made her way to the couch. Sitting, she carefully watched her mate to gauge her mood. She tried the bond for any clues, but nothing was forthcoming.
"You're home early." Cross said, hoping that would break the ice.
"I have a few days off." Acidrain replied optics intent on the viewer. "Supposedly it's one of the perks of my promotion."
"You got promoted! That's wonderful, Rainy!" Cross gushed, sharing her feelings of pride with her mate. Acidrain worked so hard. It was good to hear she was moving up in her company. Besides, a promotion meant better pay and fewer hours.
Acidrain hummed in agreement. She had come home to tell Wirecross the news and found she was gone. She was trying to tell herself that there wasn't anything to worry about. Cross wouldn't cheat on her, not again. But if she cheated on her once, it wouldn't be difficult for her to do it again. No. Cross wasn't doing anything wrong. She'd probably gone out with the little one for some fresh air, that's all. But what if she didn't?
The two seeker femmes sat in silence as the buzz of the viewer filled the room. Acidrain clutched at the arm of the sofa as she continued her inner battle. She shouldn't ask, she shouldn't, but she refused to be played a fool again. "Where were you?" she blurted.
The world went still. The two femmes stared at each other. Acidrain watched as something dark passed through Cross' optics.
Cross felt her insides go cold as she looked into the bright optics of Acidrain. Acidrain probably wasn't aware of it, but at this moment she was sending her emotions through the bond. The paranoia, the mistrust, the repressed anger. It was all there, thick and pungent.
"I was visiting Skywarp and Thundercracker." Cross answered slowly. A pause. "Were you worried?"
"No." Acidrain lied. "You were out longer than usual."
"That's never bothered you before."
"What do you want me to say?" Acidrain snapped. Her wings held stiff in her irritation.
"Why don't you just come out and say it?" Cross countered, her voice rising in volume. "You don't trust me."
"Why would I trust you?" the green femme yelled back. "You've already cheated on me once! Why wouldn't you do it again?"
"Because it was a mistake!"
The argument ensued. Both femmes shouting, throwing barbs to wound each other. Cross didn't know what she was saying. Everything was a blur, she wasn't aware of the words she was spewing. All she knew was that she was saying anything to hurt Acidrain. The storm was full of anger and resentment. Meant to cause harm and painful to those that were trapped in it.
"Your caretakers are nothing but useless pieces of junk!"
"They're not! You're just mad that I'd rather be there with them than here with you!"
"Yeah? Well if you can't stand me so much, why do you come back?"
"Because you're my trine-mate." Cross cried. "I bonded my spark to you, Rainy, you."
A snort. "Didn't stop you from sharing it with some low-class grounder." Acidrain hissed.
"What do you want me to say? I'm sorry? Would that make you feel better?"
"Sorry doesn't fix it! Not when that little bastard is here!"
An icy rage filled Wirecross. That was her son. "Don't you dare talk about him like that." She growled her voice soft and low.
"I'll talk about that abomination any way I want! He's nothing but a repulsive, little…
SMACK!
The storm cleared. Cross' optics widened in horror when she realized what she'd done. She had slapped Acidrain. They had argued before, but they'd never gotten physical. What has she done? It was at that moment that Wirecross realized that Tracks was crying. Guilt coursed through Cross when she realized that her feelings during the fight were so intense they pooled into the bond she shared with Tracks. Now the poor thing was frightened and was wailing for comfort from the negative feelings in his spark.
Acidrain was frozen. Her optics were wide with shock as she turned her head to look at Cross. Wirecross…hit her. She actually hit her. Acidrain could hear the sparkling wailing in the background. No, she couldn't, wouldn't do this. Not for Stormchaser, not for anybody. She could read the guilt written on Wirecross' face. She loved her, but she'd already had her spark broken once and now another line had been crossed. No, no more.
"Get out."
Stormchaser groaned as his console beeped. With a moan he stumbled to it. The small apartment he stayed in while in Iacon was a dump and nothing like the one he shared with his mates back in Vos, but it was cheap and it would do until he finished his internship with Wheeljack. He turned on the screen was surprised to see Wirecross.
"Cross?" he mumbled as he shook off the last vestiges of recharge.
"Oh, Storm, uh, were you recharging?" the red and gold femme asked. Even from across the screen she radiated nervousness.
"Yeah, I had a long day, but I can talk."
"It's not that important, I'll just call back in the morning after you've recharged."
Stormchaser couldn't help chuckling when he heard Thundercracker's voice saying 'No, now.'
"What's wrong, love?" He asked, concern filled him when Cross' wings drooped.
She wouldn't look at him. "Please, Cross, what's wrong? I can't help if you don't talk to me." He pressed.
"Rainy and I had a fight."
"About what?"
A shrug. "Her, me, trust." A pause. "Tracks."
He tensed. Primus, he should have listened to the little voice in his head that told him to stay home. He should have, he should have. "What happened?" Stormchaser asked.
Wirecross' optics dimmed and Stormchaser could swear he saw the tears she was trying to hold back. "I…I slapped her. She was saying things about Tracks and I snapped."
He took a deep breath. "What happened next?"
"Rainy threw me out. Tracks and I are staying with Skywarp and Thundercracker."
"Alright, just stay there love. I'm on my way." With that Stormchaser shut off his console and headed to the door. It would be a long flight home.
Cross sat staring at the blank screen. How did things get so bad?
"Sparky."
She turned to see Thundercracker behind her. "Where's Tracks?"
"Skywarp is putting him down. Are you all right?"
"Yeah I'm fine." Cross answered. "Stormchaser says he's coming and then…" she trailed off as the dam broke and tears began to run river down her cheeks.
"Oh, youngling, come here." Thundercracker rumbled as he pulled the seeker femme to him. "It's alright. I'm here."
"What's going to happen now?"
The blue mech hummed reassuringly. "We'll wait for Stormchaser to come and you and Tracks will stay with Warp and me for as long as you need to."
Wirecross nodded. Tracks was safe and Stormchaser was coming. She'd work it out tomorrow. Right now she just wanted to cling to Thundercracker and cry the night away.
And that was chapter 4.
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