Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers

Hasbro owns Transformers

I have no damn clue why this...monster of a chapter took so damn long to rewrite but holy hell….here we are. *Passes out*


Chapter Seven Ashes


The rumble of Sunstreaker's engine lulled her into a deeper thought induced state. She watched as cars passed and went by faster than she would have liked, but she could admit, Sunstreaker kept strict and steady control on his speed and motions. He drove smoothly. At times she forgot he was driving.

She forgot he was the vehicle.

It was silent between them both. His holoform wasn't in the drivers seat. She had found herself staring at the empty space deciding whether this unsettled her or not. She hadn't decided as of yet. And anyway, it was hard to talk without the fake human by her side. Talking to just the vehicle would seem...odd. On top of that, she didn't want to move or shift as if to break whatever abnormal silence truce they held between each other would shatter.

Felicity continued to mull over his story, the loss of his twin, his violent nature from being a front line soldier, truma... Never would she had guessed he would have such a heavy past. She thought back to when he had begged for his twin during the withdrawl. It was something that still bothered her. Never had she witnessed someone in so much pain. It still made her uneasy.

And that nick name. Sunny. Her thoughts and mouth betrayed her. The nick name came out of her mouth a little too bravely. She flinched upon her voice cracking. "I mean...I'm sorry."

"Don't call me that." He warned her halfheartedly. He seemed to not have the strength to snap at her.

"Sorry." She looked back up at the carbon fiber dashboard. She swallowed. Bravely she pushed on. "Did-did he used to call you that or-?"

"Yes."

She bowed her head at the quick response and licked her chapped lips. Maybe that's all the conversation she would attempt at the moment. She was tired and sore and she could only guess he was too. She couldn't wait to get home and take a shower and sleep in her bed. She had wished that he had the same luxury. He deserved it.

Another rumbled was heard but she paid no mind to it as of yet. She opened her mouth but closed it, deciding again speaking again. Another rev and Felicity spared a glace at the rear view mirror. She narrowed her eyes at the white vehicle and looked away. It was nothing.

It was another hot rod trying to outdo Sunstreaker. The vehicle revved again. Violently. Sunstreaker suddenly shifted gears jerked into another lane. Felicity gripped the seat and yelled out.

"Primus damn it…" A dangerous growl of his engine and voice.

"Sunstreaker?" Felicity said. "What the hell?" She flipped her astray hair over and looked in the rear view mirror again and widened her eyes. The vehicle stayed on them. Her stomach dropped and a hard lump formed in her throat. A heavy feeling came over her.

"Listen. I'm taking you back to your apartment. I don't want you to come out until I call you, got it?"

"Is that...It that what I think it is?" She said looking over her seat and into the rear window.

"Decepticon scout. I picked him up on the way in but never got the chance to say hello." He shifted another lane and went off an exit ramp. His tires squealed as they turned onto the main road. He shifted gears again and straighten himself out starting to drive and weave through traffic.

If he was but one Decepticon he so called "picked up" how many more were there? Was it just him? Ten? Hundred? Her heart raced. "Oh my God." She closed her eyes as they almost sideswiped a minivan. Sunstreaker missed another compact car by a hair. She knew he knew what he was doing. Thousands years of driving should have been enough assurance but she still groaned. "I swear if you-."

The seat belt quickly snapped over her and she gasped as it slammed her into the seat. "Quiet, or I swear to Primus I will toss you at him." His voice was tight and stern.

She immediately ducked down as the white, now recognizable, Audi behind them straightening out from the exit ramp and chased after them. Unlike Sunstreaker, he caused vehicles to swerve out of the way and crash into one another. She turned around and realized she was breathing heavily. Panic came over her. She clutched her hands tightly onto the seat.

"Felicity, get your claws out of my seat!"

"Sorry!" She immediately clasped her hands together and closed her eyes. When she opened them again a growl of the white Decepticon came from next to her, engine howling and all. She screamed out and leaned away from the window.

"Sunny!"

The steering wheel turned sharply. Before she could register it, Sunstreaker veered sharply onto an ally road. Her heart sank realizing they were still being followed.

"Alright, we'll be there in a few minutes. I will draw him away while you get to safety." It was an order.

"What about you?" She said leaning forward and placing her hands out on the dash in panic. She knew he could handle himself very well, yet she held that same worry within her. She never would have thought she would be hunted down by a killer robot. That stuff was only in movies yet here she was.

Sunstreaker held her back with the seat belt again. This time he was more gentle. It felt just as assuring as his words. "Don't worry about me. Get to safety." He said again.

Felicity nodded but then cringed as he sharply turned off the alleyway and onto another road. Car horns blared yet no one was hit. The Decepticon however was not a cautious. A few pedestrians had to jump out of the way of the prowling vehicle. Felicity looked away in time to not see a few not move in time.

Another turn, another alley way and then another. Sunstreaker's engine continued to growl and downshift as he changed speeds drastically. The steering wheel and paddles continued to move. The brake and gas peddles shifted up and down in a steady duet with the sounds of the engine.

Felicity bravely stole a glance behind her and the rear view. She held the door handle tightly. They lost him. The grip lessened only by so much. She had a feeling it wouldn't be for long. "How-how do you think he found us?" She swallowed, her voice out of breath. He didn't slow.

"Us? He wants me. How often do you think Autobots travel alone? He thinks I'm an easy target." His voice was still tight as he turned and merged with traffic easily.

Felicity kept quiet, continuously looking at the rear view mirrors and out windows. Each road they went down was a sharp turn here and blazing tires the next. Smoke poured from his tires squealing against the asphalt. Only when he stopped suddenly did she take notice of where they were. Her apartment complex.

"Get out. Run. Hide."


Felicity nodded, and turned when the door hissed open. The woman wasted no time. She jumped out of the passenger seat and hurriedly ran toward the front entrance. She was stupid to freeze upon that all too familiar sound of the engine growling in front of them. Felicity gasped turning to see the white Audi speed towards them.

She backed away more when Sunstreaker's engine roared before transforming harshly. His peds stomped the ground like an angry bull as he stood his full height. He turned towards her. "Run!" He bellowed swiping his hand in a harsh 'go away' gesture.

Felicity did as she was told, the command vibrating the air around her. The ground rumbled as the Decepticon transformed and charged into Sunstreaker. She quickly turned away covering her head as the ground shook from the two titans falling to the ground.

She stole a brave look at the starting fight. With fear she shook her head seeing Sunstreaker kick the white mech off of him, roll onto all fours, and then his feet. With a snarl he forced his arms to his sides.

It was then that the sound of metal on metal made her jump. A startled sound left her as his blades were snapped out of their holdings. Her eyes remained on the impossibly sharp edges that caressed the late morning sunlight. Time was slow as her eyes traveled the alien glyphs along the inner blade. A shaky exhale. They were sinister upon the mech's wrist as he circled the Decepticon beckoning for him to get up.

She was witnessing the other side of Sunstreaker. Not her mentor. Not John nor human. But a war hardened front line mech that had seen too much and done so much more. And she wasn't sure if she wanted to witness such a side. He was a snarling dog barking as its prey while on the chain.

Felicity watched frozen in place, as the Decepticon got up onto his feet slowly. He started to mock him in harsh clicks, warbles and tones. Sunstreaker replied back snapping his helm along with the clicks as if he was possessed. Their language. It was so...violent. Just like he was.

This wasn't her mentor. The one who guided her gently with such delicate hands and movements. His gentle voice and fluid motions. So handsome and beautiful.

This was something else. Just as beautiful and dangerous. The motions made sense now. He did. These graceful motions of a killer and artist perfected into one.


"Hmm, I knew it would be a long while before I found you."

Sunstreaker circled him. "I think it's a charm others can not resist." He spat.

The Decepticon stood onto its scrawny legs. Sunstreaker observed. He was a mere scout. Oddly sharpened and armored. No name or rank but a lap dog of the Decepticon cause. He was no trouble. Sunstreaker watched as he too placed his arms out to his sides and revealed two long thin blades.

The Decepticon smiled. It wasn't friendly. "I am a wielder of the blade as well. I knew it would be entertaining to spar with an infamous Autobot like you."

"I'm flattered." He charged at him, blades poised and ready

He easily slid out of the way, his scrawny and lithe form dodging the blade. Sunstreaker remained focused stepping forward with each swing of his blade. What was once focused determination grew into frustration as the white mech kept dodging and blocking his attacks. A smooth laugh was heard from him. "You're a bore with those are you? No, you have to move with the blade."

"You talk too much." Sunstreaker spun around him bringing his blade down. But all that he struck was the howling and hissing of air and the contact of the solid road. He looked up and charged at the smiling mech.

It was then one of Sunstreaker's blades connected with a thin blade. The white mech hummed deeply, admiring the shivering contact as sparks flew from one anothers strengths.

The Decepticon glanced to Sunstreaker. Within his optic held a deadly glint he had never seen. The Decepticon as wise to break away. Sunstreaker spun, but just in time to block another blow. He grunted forcing the shivering weapon away and down into the ground.

Before he could recover, the twin lifted his knee and slammed it into the mech's chest. Another grunt as he conjured up strength to kick him in the side, sending him down and slide along the street.

Sunstreaker wiped his nose casually as he walked down the road. Each step more determined and purposeful than the next.


Felicity followed after them. Her breathing was hard and loud. Sunstreaker's command screamed in her mind as she became closer but she ignored it. She was stupid to ignore him, but...but she couldn't just leave him behind. Again she told herself she was stupid, naive, and stupid all over again. She had to know he would be okay. He said so but her mind told her otherwise. He had thousands of years of experience. Yeah. That seemed to be the excuse for everything it seemed. Curse her human curiosity and empathy, it was her worst enemy.

She listened as the Decepticon and Sunstreaker continued to speak in their odd language. It was hypnotic and strange. Each, what she could only guess, word was disoriented, angry, and so very alien. She froze crouching as the ground shook again. She ducked her head and held it. When the ground stopped shaking she looked up and then down the street seeing the mech recovering from a blow that caused him some disorientation.

She gasped slowly as Sunstreaker walked towards him. Felicity slowly moved alongside him, eyes glued between seeing where she was going and how he walked with the purposeful grace he also held with his holoform.

The woman crouched down behind a short brick wall and froze as she watched him approah the final steps towards the downed mech. He lay in the upturned asphalt and earth. He seemed surprised by the blow but nonetheless recovered slowly.

Sunstreaker was standing above him now. A blade was brought to his neck. Gently and with strict control of the power behind his hand he lifted his helm to the side. She watched as the white mech kept his red optics on him, obeying the blade's will of its holder.

The air was tense as they continued to stare down one another. Optics were locked and held with a grip as steady as each others blades. Sunstreaker's clawed fingers rolled before returning to the controlled fist they were held in.

The air snapped.

In the blink of an eye the Decepticon swiped the blade away from his neck and spun onto his hands swinging his legs under Sunstreaker feet. Sunstreaker fell hard and tried to recover.

The Decepticon was too fast. A ped was slammed on his forearm and a blade into the other. Felicity froze as the dull thud made her flinch. It took a long moment to realize what had happened.

When she did she had to clasp a hand over her mouth to prevent a hysterical strangled yell from escaping. Felicity watched helplessly as the Decepticon brought around his long thin blade and placed it under his chin just like Sunstreaker had. Her breath was fast and hard now. Her nose flared, her eyes continued to look at the Decepticon and her mentor.

Sunstreaker struggled to pull away from the blade but with each movement the plating and muscle relays in his arm were torn and cut apart. With a hiss he looked back up to the white mech and froze as the blade Seductively traced a vital energon line.

Felicity struggled to remain where she was.


"Tides can turn so easily can they Autobot?" He purred.

Sunstreaker remained focused on his opponent. He liked to play with him. This wasn't an ordinary Decepticon soldier. His fighting was too neat. As if he were performing. There was something familiar about it.

Before his thoughts could deepen a thin blade burned against his neck. He grimaced away from it. He continued to stare down the mech, mind beginning to race to get out of his pin. He wanted, no he needed to end this fight quickly. If not, he knew there would be bigger consequences than those that happened thus far.

All around him, humans yelled out in fear and scrambled away. Traffic froze and cars were abandoned. The humans couldn't be harmed even if they were a race he did not agree with or care for. They were innocent. And innocence was to always be protected.

He clenched his hands into fists, struggling against the blade lodged in his forearm. He had to test the hold against him. It was strong and sturdy.

"Now, now, don't be too eager to get back up. I like you in this position. Yes, I do."

Sunstreaker ignored the mechs smug tone and pulled away from the blade, he growled, fists clenching tighter, and blade glimmering in the light. Upon moving his helm away from the blade that caressed his neck, his optics caught sight of a lone human sitting still among the chaos around them. Felicity was cowering behind a brick wall. Her fear filled eyes met his optics. He shook his helm so slightly. He told her to go away! He ordered her to get to safety! Stupid human!

Before he could focus on the Decepticon again, he realized he traced his line of sight and found the human. "Oh," he hummed. "What do we have here? A human too curious for its own good?"

Sunstreaker didn't bite his glossa. The panic shot into him too fast for him to stamp down. He cared for her too much. "Leave her out of this!" He barked.

The white mech paused in shock. He looked back down at him leaning on the blade lodged in his plating. The shock was replaced with glee. "Oh... so you know it? A pet? How nice. I wonder what sounds it will make when I get a hold of it. You do know how delicate flesh creatures are."

The Decepticon curled his lip as he slammed the other blade in his shoulder joint causing metal to crack and bend inward. It dung into the ground easily pinning him where he was. Sunstreaker bit back a growl of pain and offlined his optics. He wouldn't give the Decepticon the pleasure he wanted. Fire bloomed across his neural net.

He onlined his optics when the pressure from his ped was lifted. Instead of relief, realization set in. He was going after Felicity.

"No! No! Get away from her!" He snarled, rabid like a mad dog on a chain. Cybertronian laced his words. He bared his denta gripping the deeply lodged blade with shaking hands. He gave up, loosening his hold, allowing himself a long exhale from his vents. He heard her scream and rare panic went through him. "Felicity!" He wanted to turn his helm and see her but the blade pinned him down. "Run!" He yelled.

Again he gripped the blade and attempted to pull it free. The blade dug into his fingers, fire biting into metal. He growled.

"Sunny!"

Her voice begging his name, ignited a reaction deep within his spark. He yelled out as the blade was yanked free. He sat up ripping the other blade form his forearm, the pain through his neural net never set in. Sunstreaker gritted his denta, spinning on his hands and feet into a ready to run position. He charged forward towards the Decepticon chasing after the human. His human.

Sunstreaker continued, frame moving with the grace he was known for. A blaster was brought from subspace. His aim was not the best, too skilled with the blade. Ranged weapons were not of importance to him. With a dull whine it charged. Only when necessary did he use them. Sunstreaker fired multiple rounds, all of them striking the mech until it caused him to buckle and crash to the ground. The subspaced weapon was traded for blades that were at the ready.

Before the Decepticon could regain his senses he was rushed by the golden mech. Below Sunstreaker could hear Felicity yell out in fear. With agility the Decepticon forced the energy into a flip sending Sunstreaker over his head. The Autobot converted the force to his advantage and landed on all fours.

In return, the Decepticon had his thin blaster from his subspace and aimed at the Autobot. With a smirk the gun was spitting hot plasma. Sunstreaker bolted avoiding the projectiles. Instead of hitting his mark the plasma struck nearby buildings with loud explosions.

There were screams from all around but one in particular froze his spark in fear. He spun and zeroed in on his charge. A plasma round sent brick hurtling into the air above her.

Sunstreaker forgot about the Decpeticon and his fight. He ran towards her, blades sheathing into their holdings. He ran though he doubt he would make. It wouldn't stop him. From behind he could hear the whine of the Decepticon's blaster charging. He was a fool to drop his fight. But...Felicity was more important. This human he had allowed to crawl into his life.

The report sounded. He dove for her. She screamed. Hot searing pain burned in his side. He yelled out, momentary static filling his vision as he scooped Felicity into his hands and against his chest. He hit the ground hard, the brick and debris from the building falling onto him.

When all was still and silent did he move. Electricity buzzed from his side, energon dripped onto the pavement.

Below Felicity whined with fear and shook violently. She was fine. She was safe. He moved, debris falling off his back and to his sides. A hot breath from his mouth.

He heard the Decepticon laugh. He was approaching slowly, pride giving way to that confident stride he held. Sunstreaker unraveled his hands and revealed a shaken up Felicity. He grimaced. "Why didn't you run? Why didn't you do as I told?!" He didn't realize his heated words were causing her to shake more. He sat up fully, remaining debris rolling and clacking off of his frame.

She was panicking. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" She chanted out erratically. He regretted his words. He was only scared…

The realization made him freeze. Fear was an odd emotion he rarely showed or felt. Not since Sideswipe.

"For a pet you show quite a lot of loyalty to it. For all the trouble it causes, I think it should be a burden relieved of don't you think?" The white Decepticon purred. His voice made him jump. The moment was gone, he gritted his denta.

Sunstreaker began to go onto all fours. His voice gave out as he growled, trying to ignore the burning in his side. "I need you to run. Now." His hand rested on the ground allowing the shaken human to step off.

"I can't leave you!" Her eyes shifted to the wound in his side. Her hands shook, as if they wanted to reach out towards it.

"Primus damnit, Felicity, Run!" He bellowed causing her to jump and become scared all over again. He didn't wish to cause her fear. He just wanted her to be safe. "Please." He begged. Upon his plea did she nod and move into action finally. He watched her for a moment as he stood and flicked each wrist revealing the two long silver blades. He turned away from her and stood tall. He was tired and weakened from the fire across his neural net. He stepped forward on a shaky ped. It was hard to seem strong at the moment. His mind was elsewhere.

"I am confused. Are we swordsmen or soldiers? Blaster to blade, and blades to blasters, it's all too confusing. Why don't we settle on a fine sword match, hmn?" He said approaching the unsteady Autobot.

Sunstreaker tried to calm the swaying in his helm. He shook his helm and growled. "You need to shut up." He mumbled, rushing him.

And just as before, as Sunstreaker slashed, hacked, and swung his blade the white Decepticon would simply slide and bend out of the way. He was slippery and it made the him more and more impatient. White tinted his blue optics as he pushed himself harder. He blocked his neural net, dampening the nodes to become numb.

It was a performance to this mech. To whom he didn't care. Perhaps to himself.

"Give up?" The Decepticon laughed. "Because I mush finish this quickly. I've had fun Sunstreaker of Kaon."

Sunstreaker growled upon the name. He yelled out in anger, vision becoming white. The Decepticon slipped up. A doge that was left open to parry. Instead of forcing his blade down the next round, he swung his leg around and kicked the Decepticon in the midsection sending him sliding across the asphalt once again. Using the spin as momentum, he forced his arm in a downward arch and detached the blade. Air was sliced with a deadly whistle and ended with a sharp metal on metal thud. Sunstreaker slowly stood and held his frame in a tense posture. The weapon met its mark in the mechs chest sending a burst of blue energon and light out from his chest.

The air was suddenly quiet and Sunstreaker heaved a few good vents before approaching the stumbling mech. As he came closer he was falling to his knees. Sunstreaker caught him with his good arm and brought him close to his face. "If you found me you sure as frag know where the other Autobots are. Where are the other Autobots?"

The white mech smiled and barked out a bloody laugh. Energon dribbling down from the corner of his mouth as he spoke. "I myself am lost Autobot. Finding you was but an order I had to fulfill. If I knew, why would I tell you?"

Sunstreaker forced his chest into the hilt of his blade, causing it to press out of his back. He barked out a painful cry, energon splattering on his face. Sunstreaker enjoyed the sound all to well. "Tell. Me." He hissed through his denta, face unchanged.

The white Decepticon smiled and Sunstreaker made it disappear by jamming the blade further again. The light from his spark was fading. They both knew it and the Decepticon shrugged his one shoulder, so casually. "This is not the end Autobot. Other's are on this planet. What they did to your half spark will be done unto you. Do not think you can hide or rely on the others for help and definitely not your human pet."

Sunstreaker felt the Decepticon becoming limp and growled. "Decepticon slag! Tell me where they are!"

"You do not realize? You are one of us...Not Decepticon nor Autobot..." A laugh that formed into a sigh left his lips.

The white mech's optics flickered offlined, slowly fading to black as he sank to his knees. He was now offline with that permanent smug look on his face. Sunstreaker jerked the blade from his carcass and harshly tossed the body away.

He was seething. Beyond anger. He attached the blade onto his wrist and watched the energon flow down it's edge towards the ground where it slowly puddled.

His words confused and angered him. The whereabouts of his brethren still lost. He was not one of them. Whoever they were he would never be them.

He was he...and no longer him.

A roar of frustration left him."Primus damn it!" He forced the blade downward into the same wound and yelled out a long suffering cry. It broke way to static and into a pitiful sound. He sagged his shoulder and fell to his knees, his limp arm dragging on the ground as his other clutched his blade in a morbid one armed hug. From behind, his acute hearing picked up Felicity approaching carefully.

He thought he told her to run away...

"He was the only hope that could've gotten me to the others...My only lead." His voice shook.

He never turned to face her. Slowly she continued to approach him. She stood next to him. From his wound, energon dripped into a steadying growing puddle.

She hugged herself and looked up, finally brave enough to speak. "You're hurt…"

Her tiny voiced made him pause. Sunstreaker ticked his helm towards her direction and looked down out of the corner of his optic. He saw her expression turn into concern as he willed his frame to relax. His shoulder sagged once again. His plating that was puffed out in aggravation slowly came back into place. Fogged air that was created from hot vents continued to steadily be pumped out.

He fully turned to her. He hated the gasp that left her. He quickly looked away. His optics...

They wouldn't change for a while. Sunstreaker felt disgusting. A monster...

Energon dripped from his forearm. The plating on his side was black, twisted, and melted no longer the yellow he so proudly presented. Felicity flinched as it sparked.

"...It's fine. It'll heal on it own." His voice was harsh but he was trying to be gentler. She nodded her head. Bravely he looked back to her again and she didn't flinch.

She walked forward and hesitantly brought a hand to his thigh. He felt her steady herself. He didn't dare to move.


"Sunstreaker…" She started, her voice was small and pathetic as she looked at the dead Decepticon. She shivered. The mech she was touching now, caused this destruction. Killed a being so effortlessly without a second thought. Her stomach felt tight. "I don't want to be here anymore..."

She didn't look up to see him open his mouth to respond. It was cut off by the growing roaring sirens that rang in the distance.

"Sunstreaker…!" She warned but he was already transforming. She backed away with a gasp and stared at the vehicle that now laid dormant.

What was the plan now? Was it to run and hide? Was she to run to her home and hide like he had originally warned?

Her home.

Realization struck her. She spun around, her hands splayed out of her sides to catch her delicate balance. Her eyes widened and her heart sank. A strangled gasp was left in her throat. Before her, the crackling of fire licked at the apartment complex and bared the innards that she had called home for a few years now. Only then did the damaged and carnage caused by the alien robots was realized and set in.

It looked as if a wild storm had ripped through upturned earth, buildings and road. Her home...It was completely destroyed on the one whole side.

"No…" She took a step forward but anymore motion was held back.

Before she could run to the building in a flurry of worry and fear, an officer caught her by her arm and pulled her away, claiming to get her to safety. Despite her pleas and worried glances at her apartment she was brought away from the scene. She didn't put up much of a fight. She was exhausted.

Persons alike rushed this way and that to secure a perimeter around the building and scene of destruction. Felicity was brought to a group of bystanders and was placed in an ambulance. She numbly complied ignoring the other frantic humans.

By then, the woman lost track of time. Was it one or two hours before all the fires were put out? She didn't know. Unblinking and statue stiff she continued to remain where she was. A few more people accompanied her. They were better off than her. She had seen it all. They had only seen bits and pieces. Their home didn't get blasted away.

Witnesses were pulled aside by curious men in black suits. One had pulled her aside as her minor injuries were tended to. Many unnecessary tests were done on her. The man in black didn't think otherwise. Her temperature was taken and a breathalyzer test was given.

Felicity was good at lying or he wasn't so good at his job. She lied, never seeing the other killer robot. Others had. But she would do everything she could to keep Sunstreaker hidden...despite if...he was the reason why her home was gone.

No...she couldn't; think that way. He was only trying to protect her. The Decepticon was the true evil one. Not him. She fixed the bandage on her arm.

Felicity finally looked up when the steady pulse of a truck backing up a flatbed got her attention. She watched as pulleys and chains pulled away the wreckage of the Decepticon body on the said flatbed. It was covered with a heavy black tarp and brought away with a rumble of a diesel engine. The only glimpse she could catch from the back of the ambulance was a skull insignia on one of the truck's doors.

She had kept Sunstreaker in the side of her vision. He played dead good. He was but a sports car that got damaged in the wreckage of the killer robots. "A shame," one person whispered. It was, but deep down Felicity wanted to see his holoform. He wanted him to be by her side. Even if those white emotionless optics replaced brilliant blues.

She wrapped the rough blanket around her tighter and bowed her head. At that moment she felt too heavy, broken, limp. Lifeless. She closed her eyes. He laid dormant for the whole two hours. No holoform. Nothing. It hurt.


From afar Sunstreaker observed as the humans ran this way and that to retrieve their own and collect the ones affected by what the Decepticon...no they had done. Among the chaos he had glanced at Felicity every so often to make sure she was taken care of.

"You are one of us..."

The anger from those lingering smug words still stung him. The anger from Felicity misunderstanding his harsh commands for anger instead of fear burned. The anger of not protecting her home was worse.

Her only home.

Like an icy cooling way had the anger finally washed away leaving his mind exhausted and seeing clearer. He looked around once more and his spark ached. The devastation from just one fight set in.

He now fully focused his attention on Felicity sitting in the ambulance. Her blood pressure was being checked but she paid no mind. Instead her eyes were staring at the ground. As if feeling his stare she looked up slowly towards him.

Her face. Her expression. Her eyes held that of sadness, defeat, and worry. Her golden skin was pale and her medium length hair was dirty and frizzy. Her clothes were covered in dirt and ash from the dimming fire nearby.

Somewhere dried blood streaked across her pants.

And just as slowly she looked away blinking what were tears from her eyes and up to her apartment complex. This was her only home. A place where she felt safe. Her haven.

Sunstreaker's spark felt suffocated against the casing. This was just as bad as the bond withdrawals. He was so damned selfish. He should have done something to prevent this.

He gave a reluctant glance to the building now. Her apartment was on the west side affected most by the Plasma fired the Decepticon rattle doff to smite him. Plasma still glowed in the outer brick wall as firefight belted water onto it.

What he would do to have changed the outcome of their fight. What he would do to not be here. If he had not been here Felicity would still have a home.

He wanted to be back with his Autobot comrades. He wished he had never met Felicity. He wished he didn't cause...this. He wished everything to be undone.


Sunstreaker watched as the woman in front of him walked into her apartment. Each step was heavy and reluctant. He held his arm stiffly to his side as he stood in the hall glancing around at the destruction. His eyes set on her once again as she frantically looked around.

Everything was a color of black or charcoal gray. The furniture was torn and tattered burnt at the edges and soaked in murky water. Wooden chairs and tables that were against the walls for decoration were burnt and charred. The kitchen was beyond repair. The counter and appliances were but ashes and destroyed. He dared a look into her bedroom. That was where the worst of the damage was.

Her bed was dust along with all her dressers and knick knack on them. His eyebrows were creased in a grimace as he watched her helplessly look around her home. A shaky hand touched the door that hung on a hinge. It moaned once and fell onto the creaking floorboards. She stepped back startled by the loud noise among the silent destruction.

She turned out of her bedroom making a point to not look at him. Shame boiled within him. She made her way towards, what was once, the kitchen but paused when she heard crackling under her feet. She gasped startled again. She looked down, gingerly bent, and picked up the cracked and slightly burned photo that was frame by delicate metal trimmings.

As she stood tall once again, the trimmings fell off and delicately fell to the ground. She placed a hand on her mouth and then shook her head. He watched as the expression suddenly changed from grief to full panic. She placed the photo down quickly and ran off into the canvas room. Sunstreaker only spared a glace at the photograph before he ran after her.

There, he found Felicity gripping her hands against her chest. She looked around, grief and devastation wrinkling her face into something so painful. Sunstreaker dared to glance around also. Only then did the last lingering anger from the battle dissolved away. Only then did his expression turn from grief to shame. All around, her canvases were turned to dust. The once bright room was destroyed, leaving wallpaper curled and burnt. The once tan wooden floor was now covered in murky dampness and ash and water.

All her life's work. All of it was gone and destroyed. The dresser holding her paints and pallets were melted and deformed. Next to it was the pedestal holding her work that she would submit into the college of her dreams. Where she would become an artist and get money to finally support her and her parents. That was now all but burned and charred at the corners. She stumbled forward hand reaching out to shakily touch it. Her strangled exhales flaked the burned tips of the paper. Sunstreaker watched as they floated to the ground.

"You...you asked what I enjoyed the most…what I felt that day." She said her voice cracking and giving out. "It was the best feeling I ever had in...in so long..."

The mech glanced at the canvas again. Fearfully he walked forward. In the center of the painting were the two people sitting at a table at the café that she promised. Only now did he painfully realize the people looked so familiar.

She bowed her head, quickly bringing her hands to her face. He heard her take a sharp inhale through her fingers. He was quick to catch her as she fell to her knees in grief.

Without hesitation, he wrapped his one good arm around her, brought her close to his body, and cradled the back of her head. Gently, he pressed her against his chest. He held on tightly as she released a long cry of pained grief. "I am so sorry Felicity." Sunstreaker murmured into her hair.

How stupid did he sound? Words would not fix what had been done. How pathetic. Again the guilt from before only reminded him of his selfishness. He was the cause of this. He could have prevented this. He could have taken his destruction away from her, her home. He shouldn't have told her to run away. He should have ran away. He closed his eyes tightly, gritting his teeth. If he had never met her, her life's work wouldn't have been turn to dust. A stupid pathetic sorry didn't do his sins justice.

She gripped his shirt and shoulder tightly, allowing her sobs shake her whole body. Just like she did with him, he held her tightly. He allowed her to grieve freely.

"I'm sorry…" He gritted out again. He was angry at himself. He didn't want this pain to come onto her. He didn't want any of this. Why did it have to be this way? Why was his life filled with disaster? He would never place his fate upon anyone else.

He heard Felicity try and say his name but he shook his head against her own, brushing his chin against her dirty and matted hair. For once the thought of her human grime didn't cross his mind. He himself could push aside that stupid pride. She wailed a single word.

Sunstreaker gritted his teeth as he felt his spark writhe at the sound of her devastated and pained voice. Her home, her memories, her life was now all but turned ashes.

Why, indeed.


There wasn't much to salvage besides a few photos and clothes that were protected in her closet. Sunstreaker watched and remained by her side as she weakly gathered the remains of her home and life into a garbage bag. She was so withered, so broken.

They were there for an hour scavenging anything else. Felicity shook her head. "I'm done. We're done. Let's go." She quickly lifted the garbage bag and hurriedly walked out of the apartment. Sunstreaker was left behind glancing at her for a long while before back at the doorway. He shifted his grip on his broken arm and turned to walk away.

A sudden slap was heard from behind him. On instinct the mech spun around tense and alert. He realized there was nothing there but floating pages in the air. From one of the book shelves a pad of some sort fell to the ground. It was already soaking the water up from the ground. He released his arm and hurriedly went onto one knee and picked it up. His limp hand brushed along the ground as he delicately wiped the water off of the thick paper. With delicate motions he gathered the loose pages and placed them on his knee.

The holoform flipped through the all familiar pages and stopped at a sketch of Felicity sitting across from him that day at the café. Some sort of relief came over him seeing the sketches were not only in perfect condition but the fire only licked at the edges of the pages.

Steadily, as if the sketch book was made of glass, he placed the loose pages inside and closed it, not daring to press harder on the damp pages.

He stood and walked out of the apartment not bearing another moment there as well. All was not lost. It still didn't make him feel any better.