A/N

Thanks to MrReviewerGuy, who was my first reviewer for almost all the chapters! I was so happy. Here's chapter 6…happy moments lie ahead!

Bonded

Chapter 6: Reunited

Niki was curled on the floor of the cage. She was scared and yet felt safe. She kept the words of Perceptor in her head as long as she could. It made her feel so much better. Her smile was fainted but she held onto to it the best she could. Thundercracker had left early, leaving no one watching her. She wasn't going to escape with the weird glow on the bars.

The door swished open but did not close. Niki sat up and looked at the door. Two familiar faces peeked in. they smiled at seeing her. Her smile was cheerful and hopeful. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe slipped in quietly, looking around hastily. Eventually they made it to the cage.

+*+*+*+

"Oh, Ceptor!"

Perceptor groaned, sitting up. He had a splitting headache. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe stood in the door with huge smiled on their faces. Perceptor sighed, hoping it was only his imagination that the two seemed on to something they weren't supposed to. Perceptor looked over at the slumbering mechs to one side.

"We've got a surprise!" the red twin proclaimed, stepping in with the yellow.

"What is it, Sides?" groaned Perceptor, resting his head on a hand.

Sideswipe stuck out his hand. Perceptor looked at it, curious. Sunstreaker groaned, pulling Perceptor's hand out from under his head. Perceptor nearly collapsed onto the table. Sideswipe placed something light in his hand. The twins glanced at each other. They quickly rushed off.

"Huh?" Perceptor whispered.

He opened his cupped hands. Niki lay, sleeping soundly. Perceptor's startled face from the twins turned into instant happiness at the sight of his friend. He didn't question how, why or when the twins did it but they did. The napping child mumbled, tucking in her legs and shaking her head. At a moment she looked scared, shaking and mumbling, and then she was still and smiling. She mumbled once more then went back into undisturbed slumber.

"How'd…?" stuttered a newly awaken Ironhide.

"The twins somehow…" Perceptor smiled.

"The twins went to the Con base and brought her back? Wow!" chuckled Wheeljack.

"They'll be punished later for going against Optimus's orders," Ironhide hissed.

"No…" Perceptor whispered. "Why should they be punished if they got her back?"

"Broken rules, Percy, broken rules," Ironhide hummed, marching off with the others behind him.

Perceptor looked back down at Niki. She was still smiling. He knew the smile. It's the kind that she had when she would come into his office. The kind of smile she'd have when she was with him. The confident smile when she'd play with him or prank another. Safety was written in her smile. She curled a little tighter.

Perceptor frowned. He remembered what Optimus had said about the Guardian Rule. Perceptor watched her sleep a moment longer before marching to his office. He was supposed to protect her from harm. He already failed at that. He had noticed her scraps and cuts. The blood around the cuts was stained into her clothes.

He entered his office, setting Niki down on the desk. She mumbled once more before becoming silent again. Perceptor sighed, collapsing into his seat. He sighed. To protect her, he needed to be there always or as much as he could with her strict parents. He jumped, suddenly worrying about the child's parents. She'd been missing for almost two days. They would be beyond angry. He began worrying even harder at the thought of…he gulped. What if she couldn't come back?

A/N

How Sunny and Sides did it I'm not sure and I wrote this! Lol! I'm silly.