Disclaimer: I do not own Tansformers

Chapter 7-Let Love In

The white mech sat on the roof of the training barracks, watching Cybertron go by in its whirlwind of activity. Jazz knew to find him here, Cybertron was all his charge ever talked about.

"Hey Jazz?" The white mech turned curious yellow optics to the mech behind him. Thin blue lines ran through the mechs body like wires, covering every inch of him in curling, twisting patterns. "Why am I so different from them?" He asked.

Jazz sighed, and sat down next to the white mech. "Every bot is different, Angel. Just like no two stars are alike."

Angel squinted one yellow optic, and looked up at the sky. "They all look the same to me."

Jazz chuckled. "Trust me, they're different." He patted Angel's back.

Angel looked back at the streets far below them, and leaned his arms on his knees. "I wish I could go down there, maybe talk to one of them."

Jazz sighed deeper this time, and frowned slightly. "Y'know I can't let you do that, kid."

Angel stood up, a white shadow against the dark sky. "I still wish I could." He said, his yellow optics locked on the city below. "They must have such interesting lives. He looked at Jazz. "Don't you think?"

Jazz looked up to see Angel smiling at him, and smiled back. "Yeah."

The blue lines on Angel's body seemed to glow as Angel's smile grew.

Jazz looked back out at the city, deep in thought. He knew the council planned to "re-educate" Angel today. The white mech had started to ask too many questions about outside life. He concentrated less on his training, and more on the city. He spent more time on the roof of the training building then in the VR room where he was supposed to be.

Angel deserved better than a warriors life; bred for battle, forced into it since he was a fledgling. Jazz was part of the Elite Guard, but at least he had chosen to be there. He hated the council for their insistence to create the perfect soldier. No one had seen Decepticons since the Great War. There was no need for Angel to exist in the life that had been thrust upon him. Angel deserved better.

"I'll go there someday, and be apart of them." Angel said.

Jazz stood up, and turned Angel away from the view of the city. "No you won't, kid." It was a horrible thing to say, but it was true; the council would never allow Angel to leave his life as a warrior; It wasn't fair to either of them.

Angel pulled away from Jazz, frowning slightly. "You don't think I can do it?" He asked, backing away.

"You haven't finished you training, Angel." Jazz tried to laugh it off, but he couldn't. He knew if anyone could do anything, it was Angel; hands down. "Come away from the ledge, we gotta get back in before Sentinel finds you're gone."

Angel stared longingly out to the city. His optics lingered on the lights, the sounds, the activity then he looked back at Jazz, took a step, and slid off of the roof.

"Angel!" Jazz made to grab Angel's outstretched hand, but there was no need.

Angel flipped so his hands braced on the ledge, his feet hit the side of the building. His body moved in an arch as his feet came back up, and landed expertly on the roof again.

Angel stood up straight then peered over the edge. "Maybe I should have let myself fall." He muttered.

The door from the stairwell opened, but Sentinel didn't bother stepping out onto the roof. "Angel!" he barked. "You're not supposed to be up here! Get back to the VR room on the double!" he snapped, pointing down the stairs.

Angel sighed. "Yes, Sentinel Prime." He walked toward the blue mech dejectedly. "Bye, Jazz," He called over his shoulder. "Thanks for listening."

Later, Jazz stood at Angel's door, banging his fist on it until the door opened, and the white mech stared lazily at him.

"Jazz?" Angel peered through the dim light of the hallway lamps, his yellow eyes glowing brighter than ever. "What time is it?"

"Did you mean what you said today?" Jazz asked. "About being part of them?"

Angel tilted his head. "Hmm." He folded his arms, and looked thoughtfully down at the floor. "I'm not sure I know what you mean." He tapped his chin, and looked at Jazz.

"Today, on the roof. Remember?" Jazz asked, feeling panic overcome him.

Angel shook his head. "Sorry, Jazz, I don't recall being on the roof today." He shrugged. "Can I go back to recharging now?" He stretched his arms up over his head. "I feel like I've been moving carbon blocks all day." He said, rubbing one arm.

Jazz nodded slowly. "Y-yeah." He gave a half-hearted salute. "As you were, soldier."

Angel returned the salute then the door closed.

Jazz backed slowly against the wall across from Angel's quarters. It had happened; they had "re-educated" Angel. The Angel Jazz had talked to earlier that day was gone, completely erased by electromagnetic energy. Angel only knew Jazz's face because that was part of the re-education. Identify the superior officers, and basic functionality. There was no personality, no longing for outside life, no standing on the roof praying for something better. All they had to do was press a button, and Angel was exactly what they wanted him to be. A weapon; An obedient machine to do battle for them.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Siren walked down the hall, thinking about the past week, and everything that had happened. Bumblebee's memories had all but returned, but he still struggled to understand what it all meant. She paused at the door to a room Optimus said she could use as her quarters, and leaned her head against the door.

Bulkhead happened across the femme leaning against the door, and assumed she was upset over what he had said to Bumblebee, but knew it was just his own guilt making him believe Siren had been there when she wasn't. The bulky Autobot walked up to Siren, and tapped her shoulder.

"HAAH!" Siren jumped, and pressed her back to the door. "I didn't do it, I was here the whole-" She paused, and looked at Bulkhead cautiously.

"-time." Her yellow optics blinked, as did Bulkhead's.

"Do what?" Bulkhead looked around.

"Nothing." Siren straightened herself out, and tried to look calm. "Do you need something, or can I go in my room now?"

"Oh, yeah, well," Bulkhead twiddled his hands. "I was just," He stammered. "Um..."

Siren patted his arm, her hand looking like a fledgling's compared to his. "Your name is Bulkhead, isn't it?" She smiled, tilting her head to look at him.

Bulkhead nodded.

"Bumblebee talks about you, says you're his best friend." Siren smiled. "He must be really lucky to have a friend like you." She turned, and walked into her room then, knowing that was exactly what the large green mech needed to hear.

Bulkhead stared at the door, nothing else coming to mind to say, except, "Thanks." He smiled, turned then walked down the hall with no particular destination in mind.

Siren leaned her back against the inside of the door, listening to the heavy footsteps, and humming as they both descended down the hall. As soon as the sounds had dissipated, Siren slid down to the floor, and wrapped her arms around her knees. She leaned her head down against her arms, and sighed. She felt so lost on this planet. She had found Bumblebee, but Siren felt responsible for his inner turmoil. The yellow mech had locked himself in his room, and wouldn't come out, or talk to anyone.

Everyone had noticed the change in Bumblebee, and Siren had noticed the stares they all gave her when the yellow mech was in the same room. It was the stare telling her they blamed her; she could feel it. Jazz was the only bot who talked to her anymore. Prowl had started to teach Siren about his cyber ninja training, but he didn't do that anymore, saying he had work to get done. Ratchet still welcomed the femme, and Bulkhead had just tried to talk to her, so maybe it wasn't a total loss. There was still Optimus, though, and Siren couldn't shake the feeling she knew him from somewhere.

A knock softly echoed around the room, and Siren stood up. She pressed her audio receptor to the door, and squinted as she tried to hear the bot on the other side of the door.

There was grumbling, and the sound of a foot tapping.

Ratchet, most likely.

"Come on, kid, open the door!" The gruff voice barked. "I know yer in there, I need to talk to ya!"

Definitely Ratchet. Siren sighed, and pushed a button to open the door. The door slid back, and she gave a little wave.

"Hi." Siren said then turned and walked into the room. "Come in."

"Hey." Ratchet walked into the room, rubbing his neck. "I'm not here to pick at ya, but Optimus thinks it would be best if you and Jazz left Detroit." He grumbled.

Siren chuckled. "Wow, you just said it." She shook her head. "I thought we would talk our way around this for a megacycle at least." She turned, arms folded. "I'm not leaving Bumblebee."

Ratchet sighed. "I can't control you, but I can suggest you do as your told-for once."

Out in the hallway, a yellow eavesdropper heard Ratchet talk about Siren and Jazz leaving. Half of him agreed, but the other half almost died thinking about Siren leaving.

"Maybe you're right." Siren said, her voice faltering. "If I left, maybe he could get back to what he has to do; protecting humans and all. It's not like this human city needs another giant robot wrecking their homes."

Bumblebee gasped. He walked into the room, staring incredulously at the black femme. "So that's it? You came all this way, and you're going to leave me again?

Siren looked at Bumblebee, not sure what to say.

Bumblebee frowned, trying to hide his sadness. "So which is it? Are you leaving, or are you gonna stay?"

Siren looked at Ratchet, afraid of consequences she wasn't sure existed anymore.

"This is what I was gonna talk to ya about, so you two can just work it out on your own." Ratchet turned, and walked out of the room.

Siren frowned, confused. "He left us?" Her arms hung at he sides. "They never leave me alone with you." She looked around suddenly. "Where's Jazz?" She squinted one optic suspiciously.

"Not here." Bumblebee approached Siren, and took her hands. "It's just us. I'm not sure I understand what that means, but I know it's never happened before."

Siren threw her arms around Bumblebee.

Bumblebee started, his arms open for a moment then he wrapped them around Siren, and smiled.

Siren had only ever had Bumblebee to rely on in the academy. Jazz was her bodyguard, and Elite Guard cyber ninja, always in the shadows, but Bumblebee was there in the light. He had given her something to look forward to every day, something to believe in. He had been her teacher and her pupil, her companion, and slowly had become that part of herself she had always longed for; the part that was free.

Now he stood before her just as she remembered him, and yet different. She had thrown caution to the wind, and followed her spark, and it had all worked out in the end. Bumblebee was safe, his memories had all but returned, and now they were here on this planet far away from the council, and consequence. She was finally free of the life that had held her for so long, now the only one holding her was Bumblebee.

Siren looked up atthe yellow mech, and smiled. It was all she could do to keep herself from leaking. "I'll stay."

-x-x-x-x-

"Having trouble recharging, Jazz?" Ratchet asked as the white mech dozed for the 5th time in as many minutes.

"Y-yeah," Jazz stood up. "Had another dream about Angel."

Ratchet squinted one optic quizzically. "Another? Does this happen often?"

Jazz turned. "Yeah, why?"

Ratchet sighed, silence filling the room for a moment or two. "I'm letting you know now I had nothing to do with him. It was only after the council's frequent re-education of the kid that I decided to get involved with Siren in hopes that maybe I could settle most of that down.

Jazz nodded. "I appreciate that, doc, but it don't change anything."

"You're right," Ratchet frowned. "It doesn't change anything. All you can do now is make sure those two kids are happy now because all of us who know better can see the storm coming."

Jazz walked toward the door. "Just let 'em be, and don't tell them anything." He said, exiting the infirmary.

Ratchet turned, and looked at his console screen. It was the reason he spent so much time in here, sending false signals and electromagnetic pulses through teletraan-1 in an attempt to divert them, but it looked like they would be here soon. The signal was unmistakable.

Autobots were coming, and Ratchet suspected they weren't coming for a picnic.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

So how are you liking it so far?

Sorry it takes me so long to update, I've been really sick lately, and i get headaches if I look at a computer screen for too long with congestion. Plus, I've been working alot on my AMVs.

thanks for stickin' with me!

And sorry if nothing makes sense, I promise it'll all pull together soon! .