Sugar.

"There's sugar on your soul

You're like no one I know

You're the life of another world

You swallow me whole

With just a mumbled hello

And it breaks my heart to love you,

It breaks my heart to love you"– Editors "Sugar".

Warnings: Violence, explicit language, controversial subjects.

Timing: Post season 2 finale, in my very own Beauty of the Beast Prime timeline.

Rating: M (possibly even MA).

Pairings: multiple.

Disclaimer: Transformers Prime © Hasbro. Story's plot and OC's © me. There may be some OC's that aren't mine – they belong to their respective creators.

Far Cry.

"(…) it's a far cry from the world we thought we'd inherit

It's a far cry from the way we thought we'd share it

You can almost feel the current flowing

You can almost see the circuits blowing

One day I feel I'm on top of the world

And the next it's falling in on me

I can get back on

I can get back on

One day I feel I'm ahead of the wheel,

And the next it's rolling over me

I can get back on

I can get back on (…)" Rush "Far Cry"

oOo

February 11th. Nemesis.

Soundwave's head shot up from his hunched position in front of his favourite computer console. He stood stiffly for a moment then calmly saved his work-in-progress and made is way up to the bridge's catwalk where Megatron busied himself with whatever important matter he was attending.

It was only when he gently interrupted the Decepticon Lord anyone noticed that he was on the bridge. Quite a few Vehicons almost got a Spark attack.

"Yes?" Megatron looked at his most trusted soldier with slight wince. He too had forgotten that the silent mech was there. That was the thing with Soundwave – his designation suggested much louder person while in reality you got someone who basically didn't produce any sound waves. And he did that on purpose.

Soundwave displayed picture of Ravage on his visor.

"Of course." Megatron nodded. "Finally."

Soundwave nodded and immediately opened a Groundbridge. The bright light illuminated the normally semi-dark bridge for few moments. Among the colourful whirl of light Ravage looked like small dark speck, his pace was slow and dignified, perhaps predatory or most probably both.

The feline Cybertronian finally jumped gracefully from the 'Bridge and Soundwave closed it. Now, that the additional light was gone, Ravage seemed to be simply a darker shadow creeping on the floor.

"What have you found?" Megatron asked without any ado. He knew Ravage long enough – in fact as long as he knew Soundwave – to know that the 'cat' was more of the 'straight to the point' type of personality, and he not only respected that trait in him, he appreciated it.

"I wasss able to ssstay hidden the whole time." Ravage purred in a low voice. "Unforrrtunaterrrly I wasssn't able to discoverrr the finarlll destination of the load."

"What happened?" Megatron raised one opticbrow. Ravage was as stealthy as they got, he was even stealthier than Soundwave.

"I sssstayed with them the whole way to Ssssan Jossse." Ravage explained. "Therrre they waithed forrr the trrruck to be unlrrroaded. The load wasss then mrroved to an sssship. I managed to fffind ourt that it sssailed to Messico."

"Why didn't you stick to the load?"

"They packed it to diffrrrent trrrrucks, I didn't wrrant rrrisking detection."

"And it took you that long?" Megatron asked in disbelief. "Surely the distance is not that long."

"They took theirrrr sssweeet time in the docsss." Ravage growled in irritation. "They werrrre in no hurry therrrre. And then they werrrre in even less hurrrry to pack the merrrrchandisssse to the otherrr trrrucksss."

"I see." Megatron nodded. That explained a lot. He had to admit that in that regard both human and Cybertronian longshoremen were the same: they were never in any hurry. "Still the observation must be continued."

Soundwave nodded and displayed something on his visor. It looked like some sort of schedule.

"Yes. When the next shipment will be ready." Megatron agreed. "Until then you're free."

"Yessss, Lorrrd Megatrrron." Ravage purred in pleased voice.

"Soundwave, go with him, make sure that Knockout gives him a post mission check and that he gets to refuel in peace." Megatron ordered.

Soundwave nodded once and led Ravage off the bridge.

oOo

Area 51. Special Agent William Fowler's office. March 7th.

Special Agent William Fowler sat behind his desk dying slowly of boredom. It was very slow day. There was no action that he could take part in. No reports to read and not even one to fill. And there was absolutely no progress with MECH.

He'd been in his office the whole day. The usual routine took him perhaps two hours, perhaps a bit less. He had an internet blockade at his computer – just like the rest of A51 – to prevent him from spending his time on some social network trading silly pictures. He understood this policy; he even supported it… well, almost.

On days like this he was this close to call to the Autobots to send him Raf to take that damn block off. Hell! One day he'd probably do just that. But until then he resigned himself to playing with his paper clips.

He already counted them, threw away damages ones and the ones he didn't like. He sorted them based on the size and type and if they were colourful or plain. The colourful were fun, so he hid them with intention to use them only for his own files that would be just for his use. The plain ones were to be used in every other file. And now he was creating a long, paper clip chain made of the plain ones. As dull as it was at the very least it gave him something to do. When he would be finished, he decided a small nap would be in order… and later some lunch… or perhaps lunch first and them a small siesta? He wasn't sure which would be best… probably lunch and then siesta…

His musings were interrupted by his phone. When it rang he almost jumped in his seat but instead of being irritated he was actually happy for something, anything to happen. When the third signal rang he joyfully answered it switching it to the speaker.

"Special Agent William Fowler." He spoke in his most unpleasant tone, just in case it was someone he knew.

"Agent Fowler, as always answering without delay." Megatron's voice mocked from the other side of the line and Fowler chewed on few words of choice he would love to utter.

Of all the people on the entire planet it had to be HIM. "Megatron, what do I owe the horror?" Fowler asked, this time without faking hostility. The Decepticon could've been involved with June Darby and his faction and Autobot could have a cease fire, but that did not make Megatron any less friendly.

"Have you had any progress with your mission?" The Warmonger asked. He didn't have to specify what sort of mission it was. They both knew that it could have been only one mission.

"Nothing changed so far." Fowler answered. Saying that nothing changed sounded much better than 'no progress'.

"As anticipated. What would you say if I told you that my spies managed to outdo yours and actually produced results?" The Decepticon Tyrant sounded pleased and Fowler was ready to bet that he was probably smirking.

"What results?"

"They have uncovered what happens with the insulators produced in Guatemala." Megatron stated.

"I am all ears." Fowler focused on the phone. This was important.

"They are being taken to a dock in San Jose where they are being re-loaded into smaller trucks and shipped by boat to Mexico where they travel to another base, where they are being re-packed to US trucks and cross the border." Megatron explained the process.

"There's just one problem." Fowler deflated upon hearing the Decepticon. "We are intercepting plenty of smuggler's trucks with all sort of illegal stuff and so far we haven't found anything that resembles contraband of ceramic insulators."

"Aaah, but have you searched for legal transports?" Megatron asked in a smooth tone.

Fowler glared at the phone with eyes wide as saucers.

oOo

Autobot Base.

June sat on the couch and observed Optimus talking with Fowler. She came to see Ratchet and was waiting for the Autobot Medic to bring the booklet about Cybertronian childhood diseases that he promised to translate for her. He claimed it to be very helpful and she couldn't disagree especially that it certainly wouldn't hurt to have something like that.

In the meantime she was listening on to the Prime and Fowler talking about what the Decepticons discovered. Not that Megatron would ever miss an opportunity to share that with her and brag a bit about how much superior his intelligence agents are over their Autobot counterparts.

"Thank you, Agent Fowler, Autobots will be ready when the time will arise." The Prime ended the conversation and the connection was terminated.

"Any idea what they're up to? MECH?" June asked feeling sick just thinking about MECH and what they were able to.

Optimus turned and looked at June as if he forgot that she was there.

"I'm afraid I do not." He admitted. "But this time we are expecting their action and we will be well prepared for them should they make any move."

June smiled. It didn't comfort her much though. She knew Optimus Prime and trusted when he claimed that they were prepared to take action, especially now that their number grew since the last time they faced MECH, but she also knew that MECH excelled in surprise. She did experience it personally after all.

"June, are you all right?" Optimus stepped closer. "You don't look well."

June wanted to say that she felt fine, but she didn't. What she felt was strangely soft and light, and then she felt herself slipping into darkness.

"June." Optimus noticed the nurse slipping on the couch as she lost her consciousness. "Rewind, call her doctor." Optimus turned to the console where Rewind was replacing Blaster.

"On it." Rewind immediately dialled up the doctor. "And I'm pinging Ratchet too."

oOo

Later. June's house.

Megatron emerged from the Groundbridge in the middle of her living room with triumphant smirk on his lip plates. The shrinking process didn't diminish the air of might around him so the view was somewhat aweing. He looked around but he didn't saw his inamorata.

"June?" He called with the smirk still plastered to his face. She could have been someplace else and not noticed his arrival.

The door to Jack's room opened and the young man's head popped out. He didn't look too happy. He saw Megatron and walked out.

"Mum's in a hospital." He said walking into the living room. "She fainted again."

Megatron stared at Jack for a moment as his triumphant smirk evaporated while he processed the information and what it could mean.

"Where?" He asked.

"The Area 51 medical centre, but you shouldn't go there, at least not unannounced." Jack crossed his arms.

He grew accustomed to Megatron's presence and he learned to accept the mech and get along with him just for June's sake. But right now he wasn't all that friendly. He realised that Megatron didn't caused his mother's problems, at least that wasn't what he planned to do, still he couldn't help himself but to blame the Decepticon to some degree. After all if it wasn't for Megatron June wouldn't be pregnant right now. And with all that in mind he also realised that the mech was just as lost and confused as him: Warmongering Tyrant or not, the guy was just as helpless as Jack.

"If you want to know more then you should probably contact Ratchet." Jack sighed heavily. This was so frustrating. "He should know what exactly happened. All I know is that they will call me to pick mum when they'll be done with her."

"I see."

Megatron nodded and was about the call for a 'Bridge when Jack spoke again.

"What will happen after you finish the MECH off?" The young man asked. "It would end the reason for the cease fire, what would then happen? What of mum?"

Megatron stared at Jack with grave face plates. He was asking himself the very same questions when he decided to get involved with June. He never found any satisfying answer.

"Even if we will put an end to MECH the cease fire will remain in power. There is still Airachnid to be dealt with and she is just as much threat to everyone as MECH, if not more." He Tyrant finally replied. "As long as she is at large we cannot be sure of our safety, she may return at any time and attack when we won't be expecting. She must be captured by the DJD, taken into custody and brought here for trial before the Conclave, a public one, as the Tyrest Accord and Decepticon Law dictates."

"And if you won't catch her?"

"Then eventually she will come back here to reach you, Arcee, me and June. And everything we hold dear." Megatron deadpanned and called for Groundbridge allowing Jack to digest what he just said.

oOo

Nemesis. Megatron's personal quarters.

Megatron entered his personal quarter on Nemesis and marched straight to his desk where small computer console rested on the desktop. He pushed away his chair and turned the console on. Moments ago he asked Soundwave to contact Autobot Medic and re-direct the call to his quarters. The Communication Officer followed the order immediately and Megatron was confident that Soundwave wouldn't allow anyone to tap on the line and eavesdrop. Except for Soundwave himself that is. Megatron could be angry for that if not for the fact that Soundwave's nosiness saved his hide more times that Megatron was willing to admit. That, and the fact that the Silent Mech was sincerely concerned about what he considered to be Megatron's consort and sparkling; which in turn wasn't surprising for someone who knew Soundwave's own story.

"What is it Megatron?" Ratchet's annoyed voice snapped Megatron from his musings.

"Jack told me that June was unwell. I demand to know what has happened." He said glaring down at the console.

"Normally I would tell you to get lost, but you're the sire." Ratchet growled in annoyance. "As you know the growth pattern of Newspark depends on the frame type it develops into. Length of gestation is roughly the same but every frame has their own development patterns. With humans it is different. Usually human pregnancy lasts for roughly nine months and the growth is steady and even, all humans follow the same growth pattern safe for certain anomalies that usually end badly." Ratchet explained. "Do you follow me so far?"

"Yes." Megatron nodded resting heavily on the desk top.

"Femme or carrier mech's frame has the ability to manage various growth patterns, safe for the most extreme cases when it does need some assistance, but usually there is no such need. Human woman's body cannot manage such varied patterns because it is meant to deal with just one pattern of growth." Ratchet explained.

"What does that mean?"

"Since now the growth of your offspring was slow and steady. In fact slower than human growth. But now it seems to have sped up, it was accumulating the minerals that it is now starting to use to grow."

"Again: what does that mean?" Megatron repeated his question.

"Two things actually. One: it is not the best news for June; she will require a lot of care." Ratchet showed two digits. "And two: we can guess what frame type your Sparkling will have."

"Two things: just how bad it is for June and what care she requires; and what frame type?" Megatron mocked Ratchet 'countdown'.

"It will end with premature labour and June was strained heavily even before, now it means she's to avoid any physical strain beyond taking few steps every now and then. And your Sparkling will most probably inherit your military frame though probably much lighter."

"Thank you Doctor." Megatron ended the connection. He had a lot to think about.

TBC.