A Good Run For Your Money

by Acidgreenflames

*Sequel* While struggling with confusing and conflicting feelings, Starscream and his trine struggle to fit in amongst the Autobot crew; mean while Sunstreaker's hurtful words have chased his twin's new found friend away and he is sent to bring her home. What should be an easy mission will reveal a deadly threat to the Autobots and all their allies. *AU*

10. The Long Road Home

Important Information

"Blah" Speaking

::Blah:: comm. link

'Blah' bonded speech

'Blah' thinking

Astrosecond- 2.5 earth Seconds

Klik- 150 earth seconds/ 2.5 earth Minutes

Orn- 150 earth minutes/ 2.5 earth Hours

Joor- 60 earth hours/2.5 earth Days

Metacycle- 17.5 earth days/2.5 earth Weeks

Vorn- 10 earth weeks/2.5 earth months

Stellercycle-30 earth months/2.5 years

Breem-slang for a moment/minute.

Night Cycle: star down to star up

Day Cycle: Star up to star down

Authors Note: Well this is finally it. The last chapter. It's been a long haul to get here, and with my promotion I'm hoping to have more time to write then I did before J That means that the third instalment will be started very soon. There is a little one shot that I've completed between this story and the next one.

Thank you to Darkness_Rising for doing the beta work on this chapter, and thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed and encouraged up to this point. It means a lot to me and without your support, I don't know if I would have been able to finish this story.

Disclaimer: I own only my OC's, nothing else.

()()()

Floating in a haze of dull pain and dizziness Sunstreaker fought his way back to consciousness, but it was hard, so very difficult when he was laying in the comfortable nothingness of being numb. He bubbled slowly into consciousness for brief moments only to fade back under into the inky blackness with brief glimpses of what was happening around him.

In a foggy haze, like he was drunk, he heard Danny talking softly to him, her small hands on his cheeks as she encouraged him to hang on, to wake up. He heard her small voice promising to keep him safe and that she was going to help him.

How, Sunstreaker didn't know. He didn't know how she could possible help him never mind keep him safe, however she had not abandoned him. Danny had stayed by his side and not left him alone to suffer whatever fate would throw at him and a small curl of some kind of gratefulness unfurled in his spark as he faded back into the comfort of unconsciousness.

He woke again briefly to a burning pain in his side and groaning, Sunstreaker tried to swat at whatever was hurting him, too weak to even make his arm work properly. His movements were sluggish and disoriented, his optics dim and flickering in pain.

"S-stahp." His words slurred, his disoriented movement landing his arm around Danny's slim form.

She looked up at him, a mask carefully pulled over her face as it tipped back up, grief and regret filling her features. "Easy Sunny, I know it hurts but I need to stop the bleeding."

"Bleeding?" he questioned; it was getting harder and harder to think.

"Yeah, Sunstreaker you're pretty hurt. I need to plug these holes and I know it hurts but I need to close lines, but it's only until we get home, then I'll take you to Ratchet."

"Ratch?" His vision was becoming hazy again, swimming as he tried to focus on the human at his side.

"Sunstreaker, stay with me buddy, I'll get us home. You've just got to hang-"

Her words were lost as his vision blacked out and his frame succumbed to his damage once more.

Cold washed over Sunstreaker as he pulled himself from the comforting dark of near stasis lock; if he did fall into that trap he wouldn't wake without assistance and being lost out here, the chances of getting help were slim to none.

With a soft groan Sunstreaker forced his optic to boot up, a long string of errors flooding his HUD. Shivering, the Autobot brushed them aside as his one optic attempted to flicker on, sparking through the cracks. The functioning one lit up dimly, pale blue with energon loss and pain.

He coughed, energon splattering across the pavement as he forced himself up, leaning onto an elbow. Pain spread through his whole frame, every node on fire and exhaustion threatened to drag him back into darkness.

Glancing around he found himself alone and Sunstreaker's spark tightened in panic. He opened his mouth, spitting static, groaning and feeling sick as he fought to call out. It took a moment and several deep swallows to clear his vents, feeling panicked when he tasted energon on the back of his glossa, but eventually Sunstreaker managed to call out for the human. "D-Danny?"

It was croaky and weak, and he was suddenly so very alone.

"Danny?" he rasped.

He was alone again, damaged and alone and no one was coming for him. No one even knew he was here and he was going to be found then torn apart by those humans.

Sunstreaker pressed against the bond with Sideswipe, afraid and desperate. He needed his twin right then but emptiness met him. He whimpered a little, pressing harder into the bond, praying to Primus that Sideswipe would feel his need for him and would drop the block and take him back into his spark.

But there was nothing.

A rare moment of grief overwhelmed the gold twin and he allowed himself to sink back to the floor, his nose pressed against the hard pavement he lay on. "Fraggit!" he hissed.

He felt sick and suddenly very stupid for believing that anyone, especially a human, would stick around to help him, especially when even his twin had blocked him out an forgotten him. Danny was likely long gone, leaving him here to die in the desert.

Emotion swelled and his spark writhed as he gasped in panic, suddenly hyperventilating. He had been left behind and was going to die alone in the desert!

"Sunstreaker?" Her voice was small and worried but it drew his damaged face up. Danny was pale but her eyes dark and full of determination. "Are you okay?"

Danny closed the door behind her and Sunstreaker was so shocked to see her still here that he found nothing fitting to say, and he merely blinked at her in surprise.

Her head shook, that damn pony tail swinging behind her as she stalked towards him. "I've tried to call Callie but her cell went to voice mail. I've called Epps, same thing. I've tried Lennox, nothing. I called the damn base," her hands fell on his side where the worst of his damage was, examining, her voice edging towards panic. "And they hung up on me! I even called Homeland Security and they don't believe me."

Panicked dark eyes lifted to Sunstreaker's pale blue optics. "No one is fucking picking up and we're on our own!"

"You d-didn't leave me here." His vocaliser spat static but he managed to string together the words.

Her small face scrunched in confusion, her head tilting. "Well, yeah. Why would I leave you?"

"Everyone leaves me behind." He rasped, his arms beginning to shake with the effort of keeping his face off the floor.

Danny's face fell, her head dropping, shadows covering her face. There was a long pause before she spoke again. "Sideswipe hasn't left you behind."

"Chose you." He rasped out. Primus, he felt so sick, so weak. He wanted to recharge again but he wanted Sideswipe to be curled behind him, holding him, he refused however, to show that particular moment of weakness.

"Friendship isn't about choosing one over another Sunstreaker. Swipe, you and I can be friends. You don't have to feel left out." Danny muttered, eyes back on the wide wound in his side. "Sideswipe didn't choose me, he just made a friend."

"Don't have very many friends." Sunstreaker muttered after a moment as he fought off another wave of nausea and sickness. "Everyone says I'm abrasive."

Danny paused, risking a glance up and catching the look of hurt. It caused her own guilt to wash over her; they had not been kind to each other.

"Don't even know why I'm telling you all this. Fragging glitched." He muttered, trying to find a comfortable position to lay in, but unable to he kept himself propped up on one elbow.

Danny's hands were pressed flat against his armour. "I wouldn't call you abrasive." She told him in earnest. "A little sensitive maybe." She flashed him a soft grin. "A little on the angrier side of things, but you're also protective, loyal and proud. And if they are too blind to see that, well…" she paused, her hands coming off his plating to wave around her. "Screw them! You've got me and Sideswipe anyways."

With a nod of finality the little human went back to planning how to get them home, her hands soft on his plating once again, her face screwed up in concentration.

Sunstreaker huffed a small laugh, shot pain following through his frame and allowed himself to sink back to the floor. "Tired." He muttered, optic flickering as he refused to admit how it made him feel when she implied he was a friend.

Nodding, Danny heaved a sigh. "I know you are buddy. Just need to hang on a little longer though. I'm going to find a way to get us home."

Sunstreaker sighed, optic flickering on and off. He knew there was only one way they were getting home at this point, only one way they were going to survive this. One of them needed to get back to the Ark. "Just go." He muttered.

Danny looked up confused, her head tilting. "What?"

"Leave me. If you start walking now you can be at base by tomorrow night."

Danny gave him a shocked, blank stare. "What?"

He growled, feeling so tired. "Walk home Danny. Take care of Swipe for me."

Shock faded into anger. "If I leave you'll have no one to watch your back. You'll be alone and those scientists will find you and tear you apart!" Her voice edged into panic. "And if they don't Shockwave will!"

"All the more reason for you to get going. No use both of us being caught again, I can take whatever they throw at me. Just get to Prime and tell him that," he swallowed, still tasting energon. "That Shockwave is here and about the scientists. They need to know."

"Sunstreaker."

"I can survive the dissection. Just get to Prime and come back for me." He muttered weakly.

Danny stared up at him, stunned. "Yeah, okay. Or we could not abandon each other."

"We will both be caught then."

"Remind me to add self-sacrificing to your list!" Danny spat. Her head shook no. "You're hurt, if they rip you apart now, Sunstreaker, you might not make it and I've lost too many friends to leave you behind."

Danny paused, looking over his damaged frame before she began nodding. "And I know how I'm going to get us home." She said with an air of determination.

A wave of sickness washed over him again and Sunstreaker's gold plating began to tremble under Danny's hand. "What are you going to do?" he spat, managing to drudge up sarcasm. "Carry me home?"

Danny smirked up at him as she moved to the office of the garage. "Actually, that's exactly what I am going to do."

Sunstreaker managed to stay conscious as he watched Danny with a fair amount of amusement, despite feeling sick and hurt. Danny moved as quickly as she could after making another call to a 'friend who owes her'.

On some level Sunstreaker was concerned about that, knowing what kind of people Danny usually called 'friends'.

Danny moved with an air of efficiently, something that surprised him from the human, as she dragged a tarp she had found from the garage to cover his pedes which stuck out of the small garage and when she finished, Danny tucked her satchel under his chest, asking him to keep it safe before quickly moving to turn down the lights of the garage.

A single light remained lit, the one to the entrance; a small pool of bright light in the darkness. The light kept Sunstreaker's pedes in the shadows but the spotlight is where Danny chose to stand.

Over his shoulder Sunstreaker could see her standing very still, leather jacket on, muscular arms crossed over her chest as she waited.

"Hey Sunstreaker?" she called back to him.

"What?" his voice was raspy and barely carried.

"If this doesn't go well can you drudge up enough energy to scare some humans off?" she didn't sound nervous, just merely asking a question.

"Are we expecting problems?" Came his demanding question, his helm still spinning a little with nausea.

There was a long pause as Danny thought it over. "No. But…you know. Just in case. It's been that sort of night."

"What sort of night is that?" Sunstreaker coughed a laugh.

"The kind of night where we don't get a break."

Sunstreaker laughed again, the laugh sending a painful shudder down his frame, caused him to cough, blood energon spattering across the pavement.

Danny shifted nervously, glancing behind her with concern on her face.

"I'm fine." He rasped. "I'm fine."

Lights suddenly appeared down the road, one set to a low laying car the other looked higher, from a truck.

"So, do you have the energy to do it?"

"Honestly?"

"Honestly." She confirmed.

"No." he told her simply, the truth bothering him that he was so helpless, so vulnerable.

Her head bobbed in a small nod as the two vehicles began to slow down. "Alright, sit tight."

Sunstreaker barked a bitter laugh. "What else am I going to do?"

He saw her glance over her shoulder again, throwing him a small smirk. "Still awfully good at bitching."

Snorting, Sunstreaker forced his frame to still as much as he could whilst he continue to watch her. "Well, someone's got to."

He could only imagine the snarky remark that was begging to slip from Danny's lips but she fell silent and still as the two vehicles pulled into the work site, coming to the garage, the bright, harsh lights blinding Danny and Sunstreaker.

The drivers did it on purpose, intimidation, Sunstreaker knew.

Danny didn't flinch, didn't even lift her hand to shield her eyes just stood stock still as the lights turned off. Her own version of intimidation.

Tension built as two men jumped from the vehicles, one a small unassuming car, the other a large flatbed truck. As they did Sunstreaker fought with himself to hold himself still whilst being ready to fight in case he had to, despite being so injured. He would defend himself, and Danny, if necessary; yet he doubted he would be able to gather the energy to do so; so he had to trust in Danny this time.

Two humans, both males, were shadows in the darkness as they approached. The man who jumped from the truck so much larger than his companion.

Danny's head tilted and she beamed a grin at the approaching men. "Vinneee!" she elongated the sound of his name in the familiarity of old friends.

Vinny stepped into the pool of light with Danny, looking slightly unhappy. Four heads taller than the woman he had to bend his head down to look at her, his dark lips twitched into a grin. He was large and muscular, his t-shirt showing the rippling muscles in his arms, his smooth skin the colour of dark coffee. "Danny." He intoned gently, his grin turning into a wide smile.

A smaller, younger man stepped into the light and he beamed down at Danny. He looked to be so much younger than she yet still towered over her. He looked very similar to Vinny and Sunstreaker guessed they must be brothers.

"Danny!" the younger one chirped happily, wrapping his thick arms around her slim body and squeezing her tight in a hug.

Laughing, Danny wrapped her own arms around him. "Oh mah gawd! Johnny! You've grown up so much!"

Johnny let her go, his large hands falling to his side, the excited smile still so very bright. "So, umm Danny." He sounded very, very young. "How's Liz?"

Danny cracked a smile but before any response could be given Vinny cut him off. "What do you want Danny?"

Dark brown eyes lifted to Vinny's, her smile turning to a smirk. "Liz is good Johnny. Send her an e-mail." She never took her eyes from Vinny's face. "She will be glad to hear from you."

If at all possible Johnny's grin grew wider.

"I need to borrow your truck Vin. I'll bring it right back tomorrow morning."

The small smirk fell from Vinny's face, a firm, annoyed line cutting across his face. "No. You know what Danny? Not just no, it's going to be hell no."

"Vinny." Danny started, her tone a little pleading.

"Danny! Word is Dennis has been tracking you and has been threatening all your allies and friends who might help you." Rage was barley contained in the large man's dark eyes. "I have a baby now Danny and that bastard threatened me."

Danny's own eyes flashed with her own rage. "He threatened you!"

The large man nodded slowly, never once taking his eyes from her small form.

Danny licked her teeth, eyes flicking up and left as she thought. "Dennis is dead now."

Dark brows drew together. "You're sure?"

"Watched him die myself." She said, a forced airiness. "So, your truck. I need it and you owe me."

Vinny frowned at her, his head shaking no. "Forget it. I've gone straight Danny, I'm not risking my new life."

Danny's head tilted a little higher. "It's not illegal. I need a favor and I will have it returned in the morning."

"Danny…. "

"I kept you out of jail." Danny interjected quickly. "Remember that time when we did that job on Freemont? And the fucking car broke down. Remember how the cops moved in on us quickly?"

Vinny made an angry noise in the back of his throat but he let Danny continue.

"Remember when we split up to get away and how they targeted you?" Vinny looked uncomfortable, he shifted a little.

"I remember Danny."

"Remember how I broke those car windows to set off all those car alarms? Drawing their attention away from you so I could take the heat."

Vinny licked his teeth. "I remember. And I know I owe you a favor, but not at the cost of dragging me back into your world. My family is too important."

"It's not my world any more Vinny. I just need to borrow your truck, that's all. No dragging you back in."

"I know you're are back in. Callie may not be but everyone has heard about you running all over Vegas, with a cop of some kind."

"Cop?"

Sunstreaker could hear the confusion in her voice.

"Some kind of undercover type. Drives a yellow Lambo. Everyone's talking about how you're going down."

Danny stared up at him blankly before she burst out laughing, unable to help herself.

Vinny, however, was not so impressed. "It's not funny Danny. Between Dennis and the cop I'm surprised you're not dead or in jail!"

Danny was still laughing, much to Vinny's annoyance.

"Danny." There was a calm sort of warning to his tone that was still ignored as she giggled.

"He's not a cop."

"Then what is he?"

Danny managed to calm herself but she still smirked up at the two men. "That's a complicated question."

Danny glanced over her shoulder, looking into the gloom for Sunstreaker's dim glow of his optic.

Her head twisted back to Vinny.

"Vin I need to borrow your truck."

Vinny opened his mouth again but Danny quickly cut him off. "I trust you." She managed to blurt out.

Vinny heaved a sigh, casting his younger brother a side long glance. "I trust you too Danny but like I said, I have a family now. I will not endanger them. Not for you."

Danny stared up at him for a moment before shaking her head. "No, Vin. I mean I trust you with this." She paused, glancing back at Sunstreaker again. "There are people out there trying to hurt me, but not because I've been jacking cars. I won't let them hurt you or your family and so long as you don't breathe a word of this to anyone, no one will know you helped me."

"That is not comforting."

"It's not supposed to be but it is the truth." Danny sighed before she called out. "Sunstreaker. Come here a second."

Sunstreaker froze, his frame going still at Danny's request.

Vinny's eyes narrowed on her with suspicion. "Thought you're here alone." He all but accused.

Danny shrugged, still looking into the gloom of the garage. "Sunstreaker, if you want to go home get your ass out here."

His working blue optic flickered in annoyance and he fought with himself to stay on line. He managed to rev his engine into a weak snarl, his way of telling Danny and fuck you too.

Danny snorted, getting the message as Vinny and Jonny both took a step back, Vinny shoving his younger brother behind him a little.

Nothing happened and the crickets resumed their chirping.

Rolling her eyes Danny huffed in annoyance. "Please, Sunstreaker, need some help here."

Laying on the floor of the garage Sunstreaker heaved a sigh. "Thought you had this all handled?" he spat weakly at her, static spitting.

Vinny took another step back even before Sunstreaker began to move and Danny flashed a smirk over her shoulder. "Don't be so tense, he's on our side."

Sunstreaker forced himself to his hands and knees, moving slowly he backed his way out of the garage. He paused a moment, his optic off -lining as vertigo hit him and he fought to not purge.

"You okay?" Came Danny's hesitant tone.

"Fine." He ground out between clenched denta as his head spun, refusing to admit his weakness.

Standing, finding the strength to push himself to his full height, he slowly turned as the two new humans gasped and backed away. He took a few slow steps towards the small group, his leg coming into the pool of light, his upper body still shrouded in shadows; his single optics bright in the darkness.

The two humans tipped their heads up, horror and fear spreading across their faces.

"Oh shit." Vinny muttered only loud enough to barely be heard.

"It's okay!" Danny said quickly, her hands up. "He's okay, he's on our side."

"He!" Vinny shouted at her, and suddenly Sunstreaker's strength gave out on him.

His knees hit the sand and he caught himself with his broken hand to stop himself from face planting into the ground. Coughing brought more energon to his lips, spattering into the sand he tried so desperately not collapse into it.

"Sunstreaker!" Danny nearly whined, her small hands falling to the armour of his arm. "Are you alright?"

His body dry heaved, and he held back the need to purge the little energon he still had in his tanks. "Fine." He croaked, ignoring the acidic burn in the back of his intake.

Danny made a weak noise in the back of her throat, prompting Sunstreaker to peel his optic open, the light a pale blue in his distress. He offered her a weak smirk, trying to comfort her. "I'm fine." He said again.

An uncertain look meet his weak smirk that turned into a grimace.

"Danny?" Came Vinny's weak voice. "What the fuck man? Is that a robot?"

Fingers curled a little tighter into the seams of Sunstreaker's armour, almost protectively. "Alien actually."

Dark eyes blinked up at Sunstreaker, Vinny recovering so much quicker than his younger brother.

"And he's hurt Vin. We were caught by these scientists and they tried to perform a vivisection. We got away and were attacked by another alien." Danny heaved a huffed sigh, feeling so very small and helpless. "I need to get him back to base so that his medic can help him."

"Oh my fuck." Was all Jonny could get out, his mouth hanging open in utter shock at the sight of Sunstreaker's damaged form.

Vinny suddenly found some bravado. "So tell me Sunstreaker, has Danny been a pain in your ass?"

Danny's face fell as her eyes narrowed into an unamused glare. "Oh haha." She dead panned.

"Since day one." Sunstreaker managed to croak out, tasting the blood energon on the back of his glossa.

Vinny barked an amused laugh at Sunstreaker's words and the flat look Danny gave them. "You and me both buddy. You and me both."

"Vinny, please, we need your help, I can't carry him home on my own." Heaving a sigh Vinny looked like he was teetering between caving and walking away; on wanting to help and minding his own business. "I'll pay you two G's to borrow your truck for the night. It will cover any calls you might get and if anyone looks into it, it will look like I paid for the use of the truck." Danny added.

Sunstreaker felt a weak flair of surprise at that, knowing that Danny had done all she had for her cousin to buy the horses back.

Vinny sighed and licked his teeth. "Danny I don't care about the money, I just can't have any of this shit at my front door."

"And you won't. I'm just renting the truck. Hell, you can claim it stolen and I'll have a police officer return it."

Giving her an unbelieving look Vinny crossed his arms. "And you have access to that?"

"How are you both okay with this?" Jonny asked, still stunned as he stared at Sunstreaker.

"Jonny, he's an alien, we've seen way weirder shit than an alien." Vinny said evenly, not breaking stride as he eyed Sunstreaker's damage. "Do you have access to a cop Danny?"

"I do." She responded, sounding confident. "The people who are helping us have connections and they can help you."

He slowly blinked at her. "So aliens have the cops in their back pocket?"

Danny grinned. "No worse than when we paid them off."

"Seriously, how are you two so chill with this?"

"Jonny." Danny snapped, sounding exasperated. "Did you really think we were alone in the universe? Don't be silly. Now pull your head out of your ass and get with the program." Her eyes turned back to Vinny. "So, the truck?"

"Where are you from?" Dark eyes still wide, Jonny started to find his tongue.

"Cybertron." Sunstreaker ground out, still fighting the vertigo. "Guys," the two other humans looked up at him, both wearing concerned looks. "I'm not going to be up much longer. If you are going to help us, just fracking do it."

Vinny and Danny shared a look, Danny's head tilting to the side in question.

"What's Cybertron like?" Johnny asked, the shock fading to awe.

"Dead." Sunstreaker ground out, his head starting to spin, feeling very sick.

Jonny's face fell, his head tipping down. "Oh." He said quietly.

Vinny's shoulders lowered with a sigh. "Isn't Cybertron like a Black Eyed Peas thing?"

Danny snorted, shifting her weight back onto her heels as she crossed her arms. "See, I said the same thing."

Nodding, Vinny huffed a small laugh. "Aright. Have your cop friend bring her back in a few days. We'll report the truck stolen in the morning. So nothing can be brought back to us."

Danny grinned. "Thanks Vinny."

His dark eyes glanced up to Sunstreaker before drifting back to Danny. "I'm not doing it for you. Your friend needs help, so this makes us even."

Danny grinned as she reached out to shake his hand. "Very even Vinny, thanks."

Taking Danny's much smaller hand Vinny shook it before looking up at Sunstreaker. "Come on Sunstreaker, let's get you on the truck and home."

Panting, Sunstreaker nodded his thanks before pushing to his feet once more, swaying a little before he caught himself. The humans braced themselves to run should he fall, not wanting to be crushed.

His movements were slow, the humans giving him a healthy amount of room should he fall whilst limping to the flatbed truck before he collapsed onto it. Giving an exhausted sigh Sunstreaker knew he would soon be home.

Sunstreaker's optics flickered weakly online, immediately snapping offline as bright, blinding light caused a stabbing pain, like needles into his optics.

He didn't remember passing out on the flatbed, his large frame going limp as Danny, Vinny and Johnny strapped him to the flat surface. Nor did he remember moving down the highway at speeds not safe for a truck of its size and shape as Danny red lined the engine to get him home.

Suddenly he could hear her, Danny yelling aggressively at someone, using foul language and name calling to get her own way. Damaged vents flicked opened to take a gasping inhale of warm desert air, his optic slowly flickering back online to see who Danny was yelling at.

They had bound him tightly to the truck to ensure he didn't fall off and had he not been so hurt he could have snapped those metal bonds, but he was still able to lift his head enough to just see the tips of the Ark's engines.

He smiled softly at the sight before he allowed himself to sink back to the metal he lay on; he was home.

Sunstreaker heared Danny's voice grow louder, becoming more aggressive as her anger grew. Her words more foul, insults more creative as she demanded to see the Prime and Captain Lennox. She demanded Ratchet as she clearly had an injured Autobot here, and the guard had better open the fucking gate.

Sunstreaker heard the radio from the guard house eventually crackle to life before the gate to the base finally begin to move as it opened, Danny spitting one last vile insult at the poor abused guard before she put the truck into gear.

The nauseous feeling came back as the truck began to move, Sunstreaker's frame swaying with it, lurching over every bump, making his helm spin and world tilt.

Then just as quickly the motions stopped and Danny was out of the truck, undoing the binds that held him in place, first unlocking them all then climbing up to the flatbed with him to drag them off his frame. Sunstreaker didn't care as the heavy metal bands were dragged over his frame, gouging the dull yellow paint further; he was already so damaged and beaten, what were a few more scratches?

A hiss indicated the Ark doors opening, the sounds of running meeting his audials as Danny yelled for Sideswipe.

Suddenly his twin was with him, his cobalt optics wide with panic and fear, hands shaking as one fell over the wound in Sunstreaker's side, the other cupping his cheek, thumb brushing under his damaged optic.

"Sunny." He whispered softly, as he gazed at his twin, frame shaking.

"Swipe." Sunstreaker managed to croak, energon catching at the corners of his mouth.

The blocks were finally dropped and Sunstreaker sighed with content as his twin's spark filled his once more. Relaxing into Sideswipe's hold and finally able to feel him, Sunstreaker allowed himself to slip back into the darkness, knowing he was safe and back home.

Danny had brought him home.

Guilt was not something Danny was accustomed to feeling; and she had done many things in her life that should have left her stewing in that particular feeling.

Before Callie wanted to go straight they had lied, cheated and stolen. Paid off police officers and taken bribes themselves, and destroyed anything that stood in their way. They had come out of many scrapes on top and not only had they merely survived living in a literal dog-eat-dog world, they had thrived.

Living day by day had been the norm for them with no thoughts to the future; after all, when one could be caught up in a gun fight at any given moment in a kill or be killed situation, one simply didn't think about tomorrow.

Danny was not a good person, that much she knew, and she knew that she should feel far guiltier about the things she had done in the past than she truly did. Danny had ruined peoples lives before now, even ending some and it had been done in the name of protection, to keep herself and her family safe.

Normal people, she had always assumed, would feel guilty about such things but Danny could never drudge up such feelings for anyone beyond her sisters and cousins and had always believed that she was just not normal; that there must be something wrong with her, something damaged.

Yet she felt guilty for all she had done to Sunstreaker. Danny felt bad for lighting him on fire and shooting him in the face, and felt even worse for making him feel as though he didn't belong.

Sighing, Danny allowed her shoulders to sink a little lower as she watched the golden warrior still in stasis lock from the damage inflicted by Shockwave. Sunstreaker's frame had been repaired and Ratchet had assured her that all he needed was some time to rest.

The spark monitor bleeped softly in the background as Danny took time, in the peace and quiet she finally had, to reflect on events of the last three weeks. The answers to her current guilt were right there for all to see, when somewhere between Sunstreaker saving her from Dennis and fighting with Shockwave, Danny had genuinely began to like Autobot.

The words the Danny had fed Sunstreaker about wanting to be his friend surprised her then and they still surprised her now as she watched over his rest, like a small, yippy dog guarding their injured master.

Heaving another sigh Danny leaned back into her chair, pressing the heels of her hands into her eyes.

"He will wake up." Prowl said softly from the other side of the med berth, icy blue optics flickering across the data pad he read.

Danny huffed and slouched lower into her chair. "I know." She muttered, sounding very much like a spoilt child, she just wished it would happen sooner because she felt that she needed to apologise again, to really make things right between them, and between Sunstreaker and Sideswipe.

"Then why are you stressing so?" came Prowl's soft voice again.

Brown eyes flickered up, grateful for Prowl's presence. Danny had not left Sunstreaker's side since she had been allowed back into the med bay, and always accompanied by either Sideswipe, Prowl or Jazz.

Whereas Sideswipe always had a nervous, worried energy about him, and Jazz had looked at her almost accusingly, Prowl had always been calm. Not one to judge.

That was not to say that he hadn't given Danny a dressing down for her stupid behaviour because he had, and his words still stung, but Prowl had said his piece and gotten over it and now it was time to move forward and help Sunstreaker in any way they could.

Danny didn't doubt, however, that if Sunstreaker told Prowl to get rid of her, Prowl would pitch her from the medbay before she could even launch a proper protest.

"Just wish he would wake up already." She pouted. "I've got things to say to him and it's been like five days."

Prowl nodded, not once looking up from his data pad.

Five days ago Danny had told Prime and Lennox about the scientists and Shockwave. Five days ago Callie had blackened Danny's eye for being so stupid before pulling her into a bear hug and demanding she not do something so dumb again.

Danny had not mentioned the fire nor the shotgun wound.

Four days ago Lennox had led a team to dismantle Dr. Hemmen's laboratory, only to find an empty husk of a shell, the building abandoned and everything cleared out; including the bodies that Danny and Sunstreaker had left in their bid for freedom.

Danny hadn't been able to stop the shaking of her hands when Lennox told her they didn't find anything, leaving the Autobots with another threat to concern themselves over.

Three days ago, after Danny had been released from the humans medical ward and the doctors assured her she wasn't going to collapse, Callie had shown her the horses, making Danny's entire mission a moot point since Thundercracker had done what she could not, and brought the horses back.

Three days ago was also when Sargent Epps and Prowl returned Vinny's flatbed truck to him, along with the two thousand dollars Danny had offered him to borrow the truck.

Vinny had merely nodded his thanks as he took the money before telling Epps to tell Danny that Dennis survived Sunstreaker's attack and that a group of workers had found him alive, rescuing him from the garbage can Sunstreaker had thrown at him. Vinny also told suggested that Danny never return to Vegas, alien robots or not, because she wouldn't be so lucky a second time; that Dennis was gunning for her and was willing to pay a pretty penny to whomever brought him her head.

Callie had gone paper white with panic and fear, demanding they move back home to Canada and as far from Dennis as physically possible. It had taken Danny and Thundercracker to calm her down and even then she had spent the rest of the day perching on the seeker's shoulder, despite his promises to keep her safe.

It had also been three days ago that Danny had become a permanent fixture in Ratchet's medbay while she waited for Sunstreaker to wake up.

Two days ago Mearing called a meeting to discuss their girl's future on the NEST base, and in two day's time Danny and her family would have to plead their case to stay on the Ark to Colonel Sharp and Defence Secretary Keller. If the two men decided that they were not worth the resources, as Mearing seemed to think they were not, they would all be removed from the Ark and NEST property.

Mearing didn't seem to understand or care that if Callie left then so did Thundercracker and his trine, and to lose the seekers would be detrimental to everything Optimus was trying to do, everything he was working towards.

Yesterday Ratchet had told them all that Sunstreaker's frame was completely repaired and at this point he was just gathering energy to function again, and that he could wake up at any moment, so Danny waited, roiling in the unaccustomed feeling of guilt as she waited for Sunstreaker to wake up.

Danny waited for Sunstreaker, but also with and for Sideswipe, like any good friend would, the friend she was determined to be.

The friend she should have been.

The door to the med bay opened and Danny stiffened, a scowl instantly on her face in a defensive maneuver. Cliffjumper had been skulking around, often following Sideswipe as the crimson twin came to visit Sunstreaker.

Danny could never be sure but she often thought she heard a snide remark or two from the minibot, and she was waiting for just the right moment to put the ruby mech in his place.

When Optimus Prime walked in, his large frame taking up the entire door way, Danny found herself relaxing back into her chair. If there was anything she could say about the Prime, it was that he was fair.

"Danny." The Prime intoned softly, nodding to the small human who slouched in her chair, her face caught in a cross between a scowl and a pout.

"Optimus." Danny nodded back, brown eyes flicking back to Sunstreaker's prone frame.

"It's time Danny. Mearing, Defence Secretary Keller and Colonel Sharp are waiting for you." The Prime said gently, offering her his hand to step on to from her perch on Ratchet's table. "Callie is already there as well."

Heaving a sigh and giving a dirty look at nothing in particular, Danny nodded and pulled herself up and out of the chair. Pausing before she stepped onto the Prime's hand her brown eyes glanced pleadingly to Prowl. "If he wakes up while I'm gone, can you let him know I'll be right back?"

The data pad set down gently, icy blue optics bore into the little human before he slowly nodded after finding no malice in her eyes. "I will inform him of your status."

Flashing the Autobot second in command a small grin Danny thanked him and stepped onto Optimus' hand.

Going back to his data pad Prowl called out, "Good luck Danny." Blue optics catching the small smile turn into a large toothy grin.

"Don't worry," she called to him as Optimus left with her. "I'll be back!"

The doors slipped shut behind Optimus back, his hand cupped in front of him as he carried Danny. "I…am coming back, right? I mean, this is your ship."

Deep blue optics tipped down. "My ship on American soil." Optimus frowned behind his mask at her own frown. "But I certainly hope there is no issue of your staying."

Giving another sad sigh Danny dropped to sit cross legged in his hand. "I hope you're right." Brown eyes watched the medbay doors until they were out of sight. "I really hope you're right."

Alone with Sunstreaker, Prowl's helm shook with a sigh as he focused on his data pad while the only sound filling the medbay was the gentle beeping from the scanners monitoring Sunstreaker's vitals, ensuring that his spark remained strong; and for five days Sunstreaker's spark has not once flickered.

Yet, as much as Prowl hated to admit it, Danny was right. It was taking Sunstreaker a very long time to wake up and Prowl too was beginning to worry.

Prowl's icy optics glanced up at the golden warrior before flicking back to his data pad with a disgruntled sigh.

There were not many times when Sunstreaker worried Prowl quite this much, and whenever the Autobot second in command saw one of the twins like this it reminded him of that time, long ago, when they had been young and frightened and they looked to Prowl to keep them safe after the horrors they had faced in the rings.

There was a soft noise in the medbay which Prowl didn't make, a small sigh and a pained moan, followed by a small burst of static and a broken word. "-owl?"

Prowl's optics snapped to Sunstreaker's face to find the golden mech staring up at him, blue optics washed out from his exhaustion but awake nonetheless.

Relief washed over the Second in Command at seeing Sunstreaker awake and he offered the golden mech a small smile. Right now they were not Autobots, nor were they commander and subordinate, they were carer and youngling and in that moment all Prowl saw, even if it was so very briefly, was a young scared face staring up at him.

Clicking off his data pad and setting it aside, Prowl gave Sunstreaker his undivided attention, pulling his seat closer to the med berth before a black hand stretched out to take the limp, dull one laying against the berth.

"Sunny, how are you feeling? Are you in any pain?"

Blue optics flickered and Sunstreaker offered a small, weak smile. "I feel like I was stepped on by Menasor."

Prowl sighed softly in relief. "I imagine you do. According to Danny you went toe to toe with Shockwave and a handful of drones." The small smile fell from Prowl's face. "You two are very lucky to be alive, you both could have been killed."

Sunstreaker gave another weak smile. "But we didn't." The smile fell, Sunstreaker not having the energy to keep it in place.

Prowl huffed, leaning over to suddenly place a kiss to the dull black helm. "I am glad you are alive and home."

Sunstreaker's face softened a little. Even after millennias he wasn't used to Prowl caring and acting as a care taker. "Thanks Prowl." He muttered softly before blue optics flicked around the med bay, seeking.

"Sideswipe was beginning to wear himself out with panic. I put him back on duty to ensure he maintained a sliver of normality. He has been here every night with you." There was a very deliberate pause as both relief and disappointment warred on Sunstreaker's face. He had never had any friends to ensure he actually woke up besides Sideswipe and Prowl and the second in command suspected he was hoping Danny would be different.

"Danny has been here day and night, refusing to leave until you woke up as well."

Sunstreaker's face brightened for a moment before he hid it. "Did she at least sass Ratchet?"

Prowl gave the frontliner an amused look, squeezing his hand. "Yes she did, but Ratchet also has Callie to counteract said sass and balance returned to the med bay."

Sunstreaker snorted, optics dimming a little with his exhaustion.

"She has been quite worried about your wellbeing." Blue optics flickered to Sunstreaker's tired face, gauging.

Sunstreaker looked away before glancing back up to Prowl. "She…has?" The hope in his tone hurt Prowl's spark.

"She has." Prowl confirmed, voice soft.

"Where's the little glitch gone? In trouble no doubt."

Prowl's optics flickered. "She and Callie are in a meeting with other humans to figure out if they need to be removed from the base or not."

Sunstreaker's optics brightened in a panic at the thought, nearly back to their royal blue hue. "They're going to kick her out?"

"Mearing wants to." He watched the upset flash over Sunstreaker's face. "But I believe that Sharp and Keller would like to keep them around. Callie ensures the Seekers loyalty and they can't possibly be that stupid to lose them."

Sunstreaker's face darkened with a snort. "They're human, of course they're that stupid!" he spat. "And Callie is not the only one with value. Danny outran me for almost three weeks!"

Surprised filtered through Prowl and he raised a brow at the frontliner.

Sunstreaker suddenly looked embarrassed, looking down, causing a small smile to flicker on the Praxian's mouth.

"If anything they are resourceful, I doubt they will be leaving us any time soon."

"Even if Mearing wants them gone?"

Sunstreaker, Prowl realized, was worried about a friend and not a rival, and that if anything else warmed Prowl's spark. The frontliner had such few of them. "I will ensure she does not leave."

That was a promise Prowl intended to keep when he saw the brightening at Sunstreaker's face.

Sitting quietly before two men and one woman, Callie McCormick was a wall of ice on the outside, her dark blue eyes hard and guarded while her arms were crossed in front of her like a shield. At her back Thundercracker stood like an honor guard, thick arms crossed, crimson optics narrowed in anger and distain for such a meeting.

Yet even with a seeker at her back Callie's stomach churned with fear. Dennis was still out there, still alive and wanting her. Yes, he would use Danny to get to her, and would have had Sunstreaker not intervened, but it was she who dated him. It had been her that he obsessed over.

Thundercracker guarding her back or not, Callie was terrified of Dennis. He had tried so desperately to find them in those early days, and it was not just out of some need to kill Danny for killing his brother, but because it drove Dennis insane to think Callie was still out there, and she could be stepping out with another man.

He was creepy and obsessive, and the few times Callie had tried to end things before Dennis had actually tried to kill her, he had stalked her, guilt tripped her into coming back to him; things she had never told Danny until after they went on the run. If her cousin had known then Danny would have killed him in cold blood. In truth, Callie was afraid of Dennis in a way she was not afraid of most people.

He made her skin crawl and filled her panic and fear. When Epps had returned home with his warning Callie spent the night with Thundercracker, sobbing into his warm blue armour, terrified of what could be and what almost happened.

The seeker hadn't mocked her the following day but stayed near in case she needed some time to cope; that in itself something Callie was not used to. Having a friend, a protector like that, and if these three people thought she was going to give that friendship, that protection up, they had another thing coming.

The door behind them opened with a soft swish but Callie didn't flinch in her wall of ice, determined to stare down each and every one of the people before them.

Optimus Prime bent down to allow Danny to carefully jump down from his hand, quietly taking her seat next to Callie, her own brown eyes just as hard and dark, and full of fire that could only be equaled to Callie's ice. Blue eyes never took her eyes from Mearing's, even as Optimus stood and stepped back next to Thundercracker.

The Prime quietly observed the party of three before Callie and Danny. This may be his ship but the human supervisors had called this meeting, and he would allow them to play it out, to an extent, but he would not allow the humans to leave, not at the risk that the seekers would follow.

Keller sat a little straighter, clearing his throat to draw attention to himself and away from the stare down that seemed to be taking place between Mearing the other two women.

"Thank you for coming ladies. I know the last few days have been trying for everyone but before we begin is there anything either of you would like to say?"

Callie's mouth opened when Danny shot to her feet, hands coming to tent on the table they sat at, the stitches in her arm much more visible as she stood. "I do your…honor."

Callie's head whipped around, anger in her voice as she hissed "Sit down!" But she was ignored as Keller laughed.

"I'm not a judge Danny, you don not have to call me honor. You can, however, call me Defence Secretary."

Nodding, burgundy hair bobbing behind her in a ponytail, Danny gave a little shrug. "Force of habit." She admitted before launching into the speech she had been practising in her head for the past two days. "Don't punish my family for my mistakes." Callie's eyes bulged and her lips pursed in annoyance as Danny continued.

"It is not Callie's fault that I left and she shouldn't be here to share in my punishment. It was my choice to go and they had no prior knowledge to my leaving. I take full responsibility for my actions."

Behind them Thundercracker and Optimus shared a look before focusing back in on what the humans were discussing.

"What are you doing?" Callie hissed quietly to her cousin.

"Making sure you and the others have some place to sleep tonight that isn't the side of the road." Danny hissed back.

"You do realize that we are spending far too much on you and your little family, and getting nothing in return!" Mearing snapped, drawing both of their attention.

"The antibiotics and pain medication that Danny requires cost money. The cover up when Danny instigated Sunstreaker into transforming in public, cost money. The food you eat, the gas you use, the stitches in your arm! All of that costs the American government money. A government to which you do not belong to as you are both Canadian! Here illegally I might add!"

Blue met brown before twin glares were turned back to glare at Mearning's red face.

"All of this is true Mearing." Keller cut in before she could continue. His words thought out and slow. "However, there is an opportunity here that I think would be foolish to squander."

Confused looks from all three women blinked at the Secretary of Defence.

"What opportunity would that be?" Mearing asked slowly from between gritted teeth.

Colonel Sharp spoke up then. "Sunstreaker, one of the Autobots most fearsome front liners was avoided, fought against and out maneuvered for almost fourteen days. Also, when they both were taken captive by that...that terrorist group, it was Danny's ingenuity which got them out, and, she did not freeze when Sunstreaker faced Shockwave, helping to save his life."

"Danny here, is also not the only one with an impressive set of skills." Keller added when the Colonel finished, nodding to Callie. "According to what few records we could gather, Callie and Mia both could have accomplished the same thing in much different ways. According to the Las Vegas police they have a report of a girl matching Mia's description who flirted her way into several different high end dealerships and managed to steal several keys from dealers. Not once was she suspected or caught doing such things In addition to that, Aleyah would have been Olympic material in sharp shooting had her father not become sick, and Liz…" Keller sighed, his hand waving helplessly around. "Liz has been doing things to our systems that Glen says just shouldn't be possible for a civilian. Which means she must be an accomplished hacker."

They were met with cold stares from both Callie and Danny, neither raising to the bait of bragging about their past. That was how you got caught.

"With all due respect." Mearing said slowly, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "I don't see the point of bringing any of that up."

"The point, Mearing," Colonel Sharp said firmly, "Is that they have potential."

"Potential for what!"

"Urban warfare." He said simply, his gaze steady.

Those three little words shattered the illusion of ice as both Danny and Callie's jaws dropped, even ruby and ocean blue optics flared a little in surprise at his words.

"What?" Mearing hissed.

"Whether we like it or not, the Decepticons are attacking urban setting more and more and put simply, we are unprepared to deal with a large strike against a city." Colonel Sharp said firmly, gesturing to Callie and Danny. "But they know how to think, how to act in a city setting. Where to move and how to move without being spotted for what you are, and if we need to move in quickly and quietly we need people who can do that."

"People like them?" Mearing asked, still in a haze of shock.

Colonel Sharp nodded, gesturing to a man at their backs, dressed all in black, who then walked smoothly to both women and laid two folders out before them.

"Those are contracts ladies." Colonel Sharp explained as both Danny and Callie, in a state of shock, opened the folders to read what was enclosed. "A three year contract to be N.E.S.T operatives, for the both of you, as well as Mia, Liz and Aleyah. Unlike other armies we are an international task force and your citizenships will not get you removed from the country, you would also get to remain here on the Ark with the Autobots and other N.E.S.T soldiers to live and train. You will not have to leave Thundercracker." He added, giving Callie a pointed look.

"Nor the twins." He added, casting that same look to Danny.

There was a moment of pause from Danny, brown eyes still on the paper before she piped up. "I stole more in two weeks than what you want to pay me yearly for being a Non-biological Extraterrestrial Species Treaty operative."

"Danny!" Callie hissed, giving her a hard kick under the table.

Colonel Sharp merely held his hand up, a pleasant smile on his face. "It's aright Callie, Danny is right, it is much less than what you are accustomed to, however," he added with a smirk. "I have three advantages over stealing cars."

He ticked up a finger with every item. "One. Robot aliens which turn into vehicles."

Behind them Optimus and Thundercracker rose their brows but said nothing as both humans nodded in agreement. "That's actually a really good point." Danny agreed.

"Two. There is a very large fence and a hell of a lot of fire power now between you and Dennis Soomac, who, to our knowledge is willing to pay a handsome fee to see you both dead."

Danny's lips pursed and she nodded whilst Callie sighed bitterly. "Oh trust me, he doesn't want me dead that quick." Her words earning a snarl from Thundercracker.

"Three. Lucy will get to attend school with Annabelle, one of the best private schools on the coast."

Danny nodded, brown eyes falling back to the contract. "Those are actually really good points."

"So we would train here? With N.E.S.T soldiers and live among the Autobots?" Callie asked softly.

"That is correct." Colonel Sharp nodded. "You would also run in missions, perform base duties and have down time just like everyone else. You would accompany and support the Autobots into battle as well."

Both Danny and Callie glanced at each other before looking back to the papers. "There are worse ways to die." She shrugged, signing the contract, Callie following suit after a moment.

Both men smiled, pleased that both agreed. "We are going to be offering your sisters the same contract later this afternoon, although Liz's duties will be performed behind a computer rather than in the field." Keller informed them.

"Good." Both said at once as they handed the folders back to the waiting soldier.

"One last thing." Colonel Sharp said, voice firm. "Danny, although your last stunt was performed whilst you were still a citizen your actions are not acceptable of a N.E.S.T soldier."

Danny nodded. "It won't happen again."

"See that it does not. However, you will be grounded to base for the next eight weeks, not allowed to leave even in your down time. Is that understood?" Colonel Sharp said firmly.

Danny nodded, a small smirk on her mouth. "Yes sir, it is." Then she muttered to Callie. "I haven't been grounded since I was a kid."

"You're lucky that's all you're getting." Callie muttered back.

"All right you two. You have twenty four hours to get yourselves in order then you report to Sergeant Robert Epps on the tarmac for training at 0800."

Taking their dismissal, both nodded and stood, Danny pausing for a moment. "Uhh thank you, sir, for not kicking us out, and for the opportunity to not be a waste of resources." Brown eyes blazing at Mearing briefly before turning back to Sharp. "Am I supposed to salute you?"

Sharp nodded. "Usually."

Straightening, Danny gave a small salute before turning and quickly leaving the room, followed by Callie. Both worried that they would come to their senses and change their minds, Optimus and Thundercracker following.

When the door closed behind them Mearing turned and hissed "You did that on purpose! They are not needed here, why are you endangering our lives? There's?"

Colonel Sharp's eyes darkened. "Because they are not a waste of resources. Mark my words Mearing, keeping them around will prove to be useful."

The woman huffed an angry sigh before pushing herself to her feet and storming from the room.

"Besides." Keller muttered to Sharp. "If they had left then so would have the seekers. We would be foolish to lose that kind of fire power."

Next to him Sharp nodded.

Once outside Danny sighed in the utmost relief. "Well, not the worse job interview I've had. Not the best but not the worse."

Callie gave her cousin the flattest look she could, head shaking slowly in her irritation. "You are so lucky." She dead panned, blue eyes narrowed in what could only be pure irritation.

Casting her cousin a smirk Danny shrugged as she began to walk backwards, a slow trek back to the med bay. "Maybe." She sing-songed. "But I got us jobs out of the whole thing."

If anything that only irritated Callie further. "Rewarding poor behaviour, that's just awesome!"

From above the two Thundercracker rolled his optics, vents puffing air in a sigh.

"Hey," Danny, still in a singing tone, countered. "My poor behaviour let us know about those creeps who want to turn the Cybertronians into a fucked up game of operation, and put us in the know about Shockwave."

Callie's blue eyes narrowed at the smug look on her cousin's face. Hands were planted onto her hips and Thundercracker braced for the stinging words that were sure to come.

"Your stupidity landed Sunstreaker in the med bay!"

Danny paused in her backing up, her face falling a little before she quickly hid the guilt. "You suck man." She spat at her cousin before she spun on the balls of her feet and marched away.

"Where are you going?" Callie called after her, surprised her cousin had given up the fight so easily.

"To make sure Sunstreaker hasn't woken up without me!" she called back without looking over her shoulder.

Callie snorted, head shaking as her cousin disappeared around the corner, determined to get back to her post.

Optimus' head tilted as a comm from Ratchet came through, an unseen smile flicking over the Autobot commander's mouth. "It seems Danny missed her opportunity to be there when Sunstreaker wakes."

He glanced down to the small human still standing between him and Thundercracker. "But I am glad Sunstreaker has finally awoken."

Callie snorted and a victorious look flickered over his face. "Serves her right!" When both Thundercracker and the Prime gave her a questioning look the blonde continued. "She'll have to really make it up to him now. It'll be good for the pair of them to actually become friends."

"You think they can?" Thundercracker questioned, not sure if either Sunstreaker or Danny could get past their mutual dislike for each other.

"Well," Callie shrugged. "There are just some things that you go through with someone that you can't help but be friends when all is said and done. And nearly being killed a hand full of times is definitely one of those times. Those two will be just fine."

It was Optimus' turn to tilt his head in question. "Then why be so hard on Danny?"

"Because she's a stubborn asshole. She needs to be drop kicked into the right direction rather than a gentle leading, and being mean to Sunstreaker is a drop kick worthy offence."

At Callie's smirking face neither the Autobot nor the Decepticon had anything to say to that.

Walking through the med bay doors Danny found herself freeze, the smirk that had been glued there since her return, the mask to her guilt, finally fell at the sight before her.

Sideswipe was sitting next to his twin, a smile plastered over his face as he clung to Sunstreaker's hand.

The still battered looking frontliner was sitting up but leaning against the wall at his back, optics still very dim with exhaustion. Prowl was on his other side, still sitting in a chair but he had pulled it much closer, the black and white mech's hand resting on Sunstreaker's thigh.

Tears gathered in her brown eyes and Danny felt the hitch in her chest. Sunstreaker had finally woken up and she hadn't been here to be with him.

Dull blue optics flickered to her and a tired, weak smile turned into a smirk. "Was wondering where you had gone to, glitch. Was getting worried I would have to go hunt you down again."

Danny swallowed hard, the smirk crawling back onto her face as she forced the guilt and worry down. "Well," she managed "when you're pulling a Sleeping Beauty it makes it hard to watch over you all the time. Especially when you decide to sleep for ever."

There was no bite to her words but a playfulness that had not been there before. A gentleness that before the lab and Shockwave, had never been associated between Danny and Sunstreaker.

Sideswipe snorted but was ignored as Danny started across the medbay, nearly trotting but trying not to run to her friends.

Reaching the base of the med berth Sideswipe leaned down, allowing her to climb onto his hand so that he could lift her to the golden warrior. Once on the med berth Danny paused only to pull her shoes off, tossing them over her shoulder and to the floor before she moved to climb up onto Sunstreaker's thigh.

Climbing up his stomach and chest unaided and unhampered, and just as Callie had not so long ago, Danny wrapped her small arms around his neck as much as she could, giving Sunstreaker the smallest hug he had ever had.

Sunstreaker froze, not entirely sure what to do now, panicked blue optics shifting to his twin for help. Sideswipe beamed at his twin and pressed into the twin bond, causing Sunstreaker to sag with relief at feeling his bonded.

'It's okay bro, she was just worried about you. Terrified you weren't going to wake up.'

'What…what is she doing? What do I do?'

The beaming look fell from Sideswipe's face as he realised the impact of his twin's words; Sunstreaker couldn't understand that Danny was trying to hug him out of relief, was happy that he was alive because no one else besides himself, Prowl and Jazz and ever really cared if Sunstreaker woke up.

He had no friends to hug him when he needed it, to keep a vigil when he was out. No one who would go out of their way to kill and protect him beyond his small family, and the thought that someone else out there might confused him.

'She's hugging you Sunstreaker, or at least tying to. She's just not as big as us to do it properly.'

'Why is she hugging me? What do I do now?'

'She's hugging you because she was worried, and is happy you're okay. Like it or not you're her friend now Sunny.' He paused before asking. 'Do you like what she's doing?'

Panicked blue optics softened a little, glancing to Prowl and back again. 'Yes.' He whispered even over the twin bond, as though caring for someone else was something bad.

Sideswipe's helm shook and he gently took Sunstreaker's arm and very gently wrapped it around Sunstreaker's chest, covering Danny. Sideswipe smiled softly at his twin as Sunstreaker froze, and braced for rejection.

"I'm so glad you're okay." Danny whispered, pressing the side of her face into his chest plate.

Sunstreaker relaxed and smirked at Sideswipe's beaming face. 'You look like an idiot.'

'And you look happy.' Sideswipe countered.

At that Sunstreaker smiled, helm dipping so that the bottom of his chin brushed Danny's head. "I'm glad you're alright to. Thanks for getting me home."

Danny snorted into his armour. "I told you I would." Her voice muffled. "Besides, what are friends for?"

And for the first time in as long as he could remember, Sunstreaker felt lighter in his spark and maybe just a little hopeful.

Sideswipe felt the change in his twin and couldn't stop grinning like a fool. Too bad for Sunstreaker, smiling was contagious and he ended up grinning back just as brightly for the first time in a long time.

The steady beeping was the only sound inside the med bay and for the hundredth time Sunstreaker rolled over, restless as he tried to settle. Ratchet had ordered Danny and Sideswipe out near nightfall, demanding that Sunstreaker spend the night resting before he was released in the morning.

No one had been happy about the arrangement, especially Sunstreaker. Having spent so much time resting and recharging whilst recovering the frontliner found it hard to recharge, nearly impossible with how restless he was feeling, and he was craving contact with his twin, needing him so very badly. Sunstreaker needed to feel Sideswipe's warm plating against his own, a frame so similar to his own pressing tightly into his, banding around him.

Huffing an annoyed sigh Sunstreaker rolled over again, the cold space were Sideswipe's warm frame should have been, mocking him, reminding him just how alone he was and how long he had gone without contact with his twin.

He tried to reach across the bond and could once again feel that Sideswipe was alive but nothing else. It had been carefully narrowed again so that Sunstreaker couldn't read his twin's emotions. Sunstreaker knew that Sideswipe was not in recharge, recharge felt different to this, so once again Sunstreaker had been deliberately shut out of their bond but this time he was at a loss as to why.

He had brought their little human glitch back in one piece, helped uncover a dangerous threat that had been stalking Sideswipe and had found out that Shockwave was alive and well on Earth.

Of course, now Danny knew his and Sideswipe's sordid little secret, about how they had been whored out to the highest bidder and used as breeding fodder, and that Shockwave had used them in the worse ways possible.

Maybe that was why Sideswipe had shut him out. Danny knew now what they really were and maybe Sideswipe was angry that he let the cat out of the bag, as it were. Or maybe he was working through the night terrors himself and he didn't want to drag Sunstreaker down that rabbit hole with him.

Heaving another deep sigh Sunstreaker rolled over and tried to settle, wondering if he should contact Ratchet for something to help him recharge. He was working himself up when he was supposed to be resting. He just couldn't get rid of the nagging feeling that he had to have done something to upset Sideswipe again in order to get himself blocked from their bond again. But what? What could he have possibly said or done that would warrant him being exiled again?

The hiss of the medbay doors opening caused Sunstreaker to tense, his whole frame going ram rod stiff, battle protocols snapping to life as he waited to be attacked. The air around him seemed to still in anticipation of battle and blue optics fell off-line to imitate recharge.

If Cliffjumper thought he was going to start something tonight, he had another thing coming…

"Sunny?" Sideswipe's hoarse voice whispered into the darkness from his back, Sunstreaker wincing at how loud it was in the silence of the room.

"Sunny, you awake?"

Blue optics popped back online, the dark blue light illuminating the slope of his nose and high cheek struts.

"What?" he mocked whispered back, wincing internally at the harshness of his own voice.

There was a pregnant pause before Sunstreaker heard his twin's shuffling movement slowly coming to his berth followed by a gentle touch to his lower back plates.

"Are you alright?" He whispered, Sideswipe sounding confused by his twin's anger.

"Fine." Sunstreaker muttered, still refusing to look at his twin, refusing to turn over. Still not understanding why he had been blocked out again, and now having Sideswipe so near it only hurt all the more.

The gentle touch to his back disappeared but Sunstreaker's conflicted disappointment was short lived as Sideswipe slipped onto the med berth with him, squeezing his way onto the narrow slab of metal, pressing into Sunstreaker's back. One arm wriggled its way under Sunstreaker's waist, the other draped around his chest and Sideswipe pressed his nose into the back of Sunstreaker's neck.

Sweet blessed relief filled Sunstreaker as Sideswipe snuggled in close, taking a deep breath of Sunstreaker's scent and opened the bond back up between them.

'What's wrong?' Sideswipe asked as he pressed a kiss to his twin's shoulder, followed by a light, playful bite. 'You weren't this tense before.' There was a pause over their bond and behind him Sideswipe's head cocked. 'Nightmares?'

The draw of Sideswipe's spark was too great to keep Sunstreaker from allowing his side of the bond to crumble completely, and he willingly allowed himself to be drawn to his twin's spark. 'No.' he muttered, almost ashamed to admit it out loud. 'Not that.'

Sideswipe sighed, his gentle kissing working its way across the top edge of the back of Sunstreaker's shoulder, his face pressing into the crook of Sunstreaker's neck. Sunstreaker shivered, his hips jumping back to press tightly into his twins. 'Then what? Is it Danny? She's cool, I think she's proven that much since she left with you. I don't think she'll tell…'

Sunstreaker huffed again and despite having his twin pressed into him, the gold frontliner couldn't get over the fact that he had been blocked from the bond again.

'Not that.' He muttered as he fought hard to not feel so foolish. He knew he was being ridiculous and unfair. Sideswipe must have had good reason to block him out, yet despite all that Sunstreaker couldn't let it go; things like this would chew him up inside until he was a broiling mess of broken emotions that couldn't be sorted until Sideswipe dragged his aft to the training rings and beat it out of him.

'Then what?' There was another pause and Sideswipe shifted, heaving himself up so that he leaned over Sunstreaker's frame, and the golden warrior felt like a coward when he powered down his optics. 'Sunny….what's wrong? I can't help if you don't tell me.'

Sideswipe's free hand suddenly found his twins audio fin, moving gently over the edge, soothing Sunstreaker's spark, just as he had done when they were young. Drawing Sunstreaker back out to him before the hurt could fester properly and turn into a full blown fight.

'You blocked me out again.' Sunstreaker muttered, trying to hide his face in the pad of the berth, trying not to sound as needy as he felt. But he had been so long without his twin, spent so many days isolated from Sideswipe and locked out of their bond the he was feeling raw and vulnerable; the first things that would often set off his rage, and that would then lead to a fight and brig time.

Over him Sideswipe froze, blue optics dimmed in thought. 'Oh Sunny!I'm sorry' I didn't mean to.' Reassurance and love suddenly filled the bond and Sideswipe was pulling Sunstreaker over to lay flat on his back.

Moving over his twin's hips Sideswipe stretched out over the golden frame, arms twining his arms under his helm.

Black hands fell to Sideswipe's hips, and his lower lip caught between his denta, but Sunstreaker didn't online his optics. He found he couldn't look at Sideswipe, despite the love pouring from his side of the bond.

'Didn't want to get your hopes up.' Sideswipe explained gently as he kissed the miserable look away, suddenly feeling guilty that he had caused such misery in his spark mate. There was a shy response from Sunstreaker as feather light kisses were returned. 'I wasn't sure that I could get back into the medbay without being caught by Hatchet, that's all.'

"I'm sorry Sunny." Sideswipe whispered against soft lips. "Please look at me."

Sunstreaker felt his spark spin tighter in his chest, his tanks knotting and his grip tightened on Sideswipe's hips. "Swipe…" his voice wavered, and Sunstreaker couldn't understand why he was feeling like this.

"Sunny."

Sideswipe's voice was so soft, so full of love.

Dark blue optics flickered online, the light illuminating the slope of his nose again, Sideswipe's loving face filling his vision.

LoveyouLoveyouLoveyou boomed through the bond like drums in the background and it helped Sunstreaker relax under Sideswipe's warm frame.

"I'm sorry I was a jerk." The gold twin muttered, optics averting under the love of his twin.

"I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have pushed you away." Sideswipe admitted. "Should have told you what I was up to."

Sunstreaker shrugged, griping his twin tighter. 'Doesn't matter.' He whispered over their bond, Sideswipe still able to feel the sadness and the I'm sorry that hummed quietly in the back of the bond. 'Just…missed you.' He finally admitted.

Sideswipe's face softened over him and he tsk'ed softly. "I missed you too Sunny." Sideswipe whispered as a playful look flickered over his face. "And I know how to make it up to you."

Sunstreaker hummed as Sideswipe readjusted again, coming up onto all fours, a knee sliding up between black thighs, the crimson twin leaning down to softly kiss soft lips.

Missed you….Love you echoed between them, and neither were sure who felt it or thought it first before it became a soft mantra between them.

Sideswipe's lips never left Sunstreaker's, the moment impossibly gentle with only the teasing of glossa from either of them as Sideswipe's hand slid softly down Sunstreaker's side, fingers lingering on the spot where Shockwave had ripped a hole into his side.

Sideswipe gasped, cobalt optics flashing as a sudden panic gripped him and their kiss broke. "I could've lost you." He whispered as the realization crashed down on him. "I almost lost you and I never would have known until it was too late and I would have let you die alone."

Sunstreaker shook his helm, feeling Sideswipe's panic and pushing his love back. "You didn't though. I'm still right here." Then he pressed his mouth back to his twins, his kiss a little more desperate. The gold twin broke it for only a moment, lips brushing at Sideswipe's. "Spark. Need your spark."

Sideswipe was never able to deny his spark mate on a good day never mind when Sunstreaker was so desperate, so needy.

Crimson chests plates unlocked, sliding open to reveal Sideswipe's silver and black spark flickering brightly, tendrils of energy pressing against the protective glass, desperate to make contact with its other half.

Sunstreaker quickly followed suit, his chest plates catching in their hurry to open, his own silver and black spark, identical to Sideswipe's in every way, reaching up. The glass coverings over both of their sparks fell away even quicker, the crystal barely clicking into its housing before they pressed their chests together.

Sparks reached out, tendrils reaching and twinning, pressing into each other, both gasping as the first burn sent a bolt of pleasure through their frames as their sparks merged into each other; two becoming one once again.

Memories and feelings, both old and new, were passed between them before it was impossible to tell where one emotion ended and another began. Images of nights just like this one, with one twin hurt and damaged and the other providing comfort and support, passed between them and lust curled low in their bellies as they acted as one.

Sunstreaker's valve cover slipped open without needing much prompting, his valve slick with his need, lubricant already coating his rippling opening. Both twins shivered as the cool air kissed the hot opening, both feeling the sensation. Need you whispered from Sunstreaker before it too was lost to the spark bond, becoming part of both of them.

Sideswipe released his spike, delicate plating springing forward, tall and rigid with his growing arousal. A bead of pre-transfluid already emerging from the slit, the black and red spike became trapped between their writhing frames.

Again they both shuddered at the friction on Sideswipe's spike, the heat between their frames. With their sparks still tangled tightly Sideswipe's mouth found Sunstreaker's and he shifted their frames, wrapping Sunstreaker's legs around his waist.

It was not often that Sunstreaker allowed anyone, even Sideswipe, access to his valve; too many dark memories to allow it to happen too often. Yet, even as deep in the merge as the twins were, the enormity of this moment was not lost on Sideswipe.

Beautiful was whispered over the bond, accepted and reverberated back to Sideswipe as the crimson mech's thick spike slid home.

Sunstreaker gasped, optics flashing brightly as he pressed his chest into Sideswipe's, hips bucking up to meet his twin's. The crimson mech buried his face into Sunstreaker's throat, his spark mate's pleasure bursting hot and hard through the bond, feeding into Sideswipe's pleasure.

"Fraaaaag!" they both hissed as the pleasure instantly banded around their bellies. Their frames heated quickly and Sideswipe began to thrust, his movement slow and lazy, setting himself a little deeper each time he thrust forward.

Hot pleasure burned through the twins, their sparks twinned as tight as they possibly could, each of Sideswipe's even, gentle thrusts eliciting pleasure. Sunstreaker cried out with every deep thrust, being filled again and again by Sideswipe.

It had been so long, too long apart, too long separated from the bond. Too long not feeling each other.

Neither could say who tipped over the edge first but overload suddenly overwhelmed them, their sparks going supernova, spinning wild and hot between their chests. Sideswipe sunk deeply into his spark mate's valve as they both succumbed, transfluid filling the tight space between them.

Wordless shouts of pleasure echoed through the med bay, disappearing until the only noises heard were their fans whirling and quiet panting as they came down from their high, along with a more erratic beeb from the machines monitoring Sunstreaker's frame.

Sparks sank back into their spark chambers with a soft sigh and the twins fell limp, still clinging to each other desperately, not ready to let each other go.

"I love you. Missed you." Sunstreaker panted. "Sorry."

Sideswipe's helm shook, his voice just as shaky as his mouth found Sunstreaker's in another kiss. "No sorry. Love you."

At long last Sunstreaker felt the tension around his spark ease and he finally let go of the anger which had hung around him since the humans had landed on their base.

He had his twin back and that was all that mattered.

Sunstreaker stuck close to Sideswipe's back as they made their way to the mess hall. It was a large room constructed so that both humans and cybertronians could eat together, something Optimus had insisted on to help create more bonds with the natives of Earth.

Sunstreaker hated it, the extra bodies just created an atmosphere louder and more congested than usual, the Cybertronians constantly having to ensure they didn't crush any stray humans that may wander too close to large pedes. But Sunstreaker dutifully followed his twin into the loud room, bracing himself for the snide comments to come.

Tracks passed him first, a smirk plastered on his face as he eyed Sunstreaker down. Heat crawled up Sunstreaker's cheeks and his tanks knotted in anxiety, a growl escaping his throat as he passed Tracks. The smirk only grew, Tracks knowing he had gotten his point across with a simple look. You suck Sunstreaker.

Cobalt optics dipped down to stare at the floor and Sunstreaker moved a little closer to Sideswipe, fists balling. The first mech that said anything and he was going to make them feel like he was feeling right now, and if he ended up in the brig for it, so be it.

Sideswipe's side of the bond pressed into his and love again filled his senses. Face still angry, Sunstreaker sent a wave of gratefulness and love back to his twin. 'Thank you.' He whispered over the bond.

Sideswipe flashed him a smile before he took a seat at a table next to Skywarp. Sunstreaker paused, an old uneasiness filling his chest as he looked at Thundercracker watching him wearily from across his mate, Danny, Callie and Mia sitting in the centre of their table at their own tiny table.

Sideswipe gave his twin another smile, a little more nervous than the last one. 'Sunny?'

'Sure it's safe? Them?"'

Thundercracker seemed to sense Sunstreaker's unease, his own blue frame tensing, likely thinking the gold mech was about to launch into an attack.

'Yes.'

It was Sideswipe's assurance which helped Sunstreaker force himself to relax and take a seat next to his twin, accepting the energon that was passed down from Skywarp. Sunstreaker tried not to hesitate before he took a sip, but old habits and all.

Tension was rising between Sunstreaker and the seekers, the Autobot not having had enough time around them to truly become relaxed with them.

"So, Ratchet let you out, huh?" And just like that, the tension broke a little, and Sunstreaker looked down at Danny who had paused from her scrambled eggs to talk to him, caring enough to talk to him.

"It appears so." Sunstreaker shrugged, almost smiling. "He'll be sending you the bill for my paint job however."

The others began to relax as well when Danny laughed.

"Well you'll have to get in line Sunstreaker." Callie smirked at her cousin. "Epps is first in line, since she owes him a new bike."

Danny shrugged, digging back into her eggs. "Well, since I don't have to get the horses back I can use that money to get a new bike." She managed between bites. "Whole thing is a moot point now anyhow, thanks to Thundercracker."

"Well, perhaps if you were a better thief and got back here sooner you could have helped us."

Laughter erupted from their table and Danny choked. "I'll have you know I am a very good thief."

Thundercracker gave her an amused look, crimson optics sparkling in a playfulness Sunstreaker hadn't seen from a Decepticon before. He found himself relaxing a little more, not feeling threatened and actually feeling included by others besides Sideswipe.

"Primus!" a small, sneering voice destroying any happy feelings that may have been developing, the playfulness falling from Thundercracker's face. "I shouldn't be surprised the traitors, the loser and the psychopath are all getting along."

Sunstreaker's look turned dark as he turned to glower at Cliffjumper and the small red mech's smirk grew.

"What's a'matter cray-cray? Don't like the truth? Primus you're pathetic, couldn't even catch a human."

Sunstreaker's knuckles creaked with how tightly he squeezed his hands closed and behind him he heard the squeaking of chairs, the seekers and Sideswipe readying to grab him should he lunge for the minibot.

"For fuck's sake Cliffjumper, do you do anything else other than spout useless bullshit with your trap?" Sunstreaker's head whipped around so fast to face Danny, he heard his cervical struts crack. Blue and red optics were wide as they stared at the little human woman who smirked up at the gobsmacked look on Cliffjumper's face.

"Well, I bet you have another use for it but that would involve you shutting up." She mock sighed before using her hand and tongue to make a crude gesture that Sunstreaker recognised as a blow job. "I mean, you are at the right height for it on real mechs."

Next to her Mia choked, trying not to laugh, and Callie jumped in. "I dunno Danny. With how little he is I don't know if he could actually satisfy anyone. And it's not like his hands would be much use either."

Rage filled Cliffjumper's face and angry blue optics turned to Sunstreaker. "What's wrong Sunny! Need a little human to fight your battles? Are you that much of a loser?"

The rage returned and Sunstreaker's optics flared in distress.

"What's wrong Cliffy can't take a little human all on your own? Gotta turn it around on someone else? Are you really that pathetic?"

Irritation filled the minibot's face, his armour puffing in aggression.

"You wouldn't be thinking of hurting a human now, would you Cliffjumper?" Thundercracker's cold words snapped the minibots optics up to him. "Because that would be very un- Autobot of you."

Cliffjumper's irritation formed into rage. "What would you know about being an Autobot, Con? You may have the others fooled but I know your kind. Blood thirsty and destroyed our planet! The others may trust you but I don't, and when you try to kill us I'll be ready for you." He sneered, armour puffed up and annoyed, optics dark with rage and hate.

Thundercracker looked unamused and unthreatened. "The only fool here Cliffjumper, is you."

Cliffjumper snarled, his hand reaching for subspace and Sunstreaker tensed, ready to grab the minibot should he pull a blaster on the seeker.

"Cliffjumper!" Prowl's angry voice echoed over the noise of the mess hall and everyone froze as their Second in Command marched over to them, wings angled high and angry, despite his cool face. "What is going on here?" He demanded.

It was Callie who answered first. "Nothing Prowl." She said airily, a bright smile quickly hiding her own rage at Cliffjumper. "Cliffjumper was just leaving."

All eyes and optics turned to the minibot who relaxed a little and huffed. Glare still narrowed on them he managed to dampen his sneer. "Yeah, sure. Whatever."

Prowl watched Cliffjumper spin away with one last sneer at the twins and the seekers before slinking away from the group, rejoining Bumblebee and his little human friend Sam.

Prowl glanced at the group of seekers, twins and humans once more before he returned to his own table to finish his energon.

Once Prowl was out of ear shot Skywarp snorted into his energon. "Cliffjumper is a little shit."

Danny nodded. "We should weld his mouth shut."

"I don't think there's enough steel in all of the United States and Canada to fill that gapping maw." Sideswipe sneered in turn. "But enough is enough. I've had enough of him trying to start fights with us. It's time to get him back."

Skywarp's frown turned into a smirk. "What do you have in mind?"

A pair of mischievous looks came over their faces as they began to discuss the best tactics to get back at the minibot.

For a moment Sunstreaker sat almost shocked at what just happened, glancing to Danny and Callie then up to Thundercracker.

"Thank you." He muttered to them, and meant it, because besides Sideswipe no one ever stood up for him, not ever. It was a foreign concept to have someone else care enough to stand with him, and have the altercation end with him not going to the brig.

Thundercracker nodded to him, a small smile on his lips. "You are welcome." He nodded.

Danny nodded too, quickly finishing what was left of her meal. "Any…time." She managed between bites.

"So, what happened to you two? You don't seem to be trying to kill each other anymore." Skywarp observed with a smile, crimson optics flashing between them.

Sunstreaker shrugged and Danny smirked. "You know, there are just some things you go through that when all is said and done, you just can't help but be friends."

A smile fluttered briefly over Sunstreaker's mouth before sliding back into neutral. "Something like that." He agreed.

Amusement filled the bond and before Sunstreaker could ask Sideswipe commented "You know, it's still so weird to be having Decepticons here, having energon with us."

Thundercracker's mouth flicked into a smile. "Strange new world we live in."

"Do you think others will come?" Mia asked looking up at the Cybertronians.

The Autobots glanced at the two Decepticons who in turn shared a look. "There are many Cons who are unsatisfied with Megatron and the war, many who look for a way out but are afraid to leave. Or can't." Thundercracker said slowly.

"Can't?" Sunstreaker asked.

Thundercracker nodded. "The Combaticons, for example."

The twins snorted and a small smile flickered over the blue seeker's mouth. "It is true. They hate Megatron, and he hates them in equal measure. He keeps them for Bruticus and they are forced to stay because of the loyalty program. They have no choice and they suffer for it."

The humans and the twins fell silent in shock.

Sideswipe's optics dimmed. "So they are slaves then?"

Thundercracker nodded, looking at his energon. "They are. But would they join Starscream?" the seeker shrugged. "Hard to say." He admitted. "But we shouldn't dwell on that quite yet. We may get lucky and they may join us, others may as well, but right now we have monitor duty Sunstreaker."

The gold mech nodded as he finished his energon. He moved to stand, the humans being lifted down to the floor by Sideswipe, heading to their first day of training.

The gold mech turned to head to the monitor room when Danny's voice called out to him. "Bye Sunstreaker!" He turned to see her waving at him, smiling up at him, and that shocked him. "See you after duty!"

He nodded and gave her a small wave before she turned and joined her sister and cousin. Thundercracker caught up to him, walking next to him, again something Sunstreaker was not used to but could get used to.

"A strange new world indeed Sunstreaker." Thundercracker commented with a grin and Sunstreaker couldn't help but grin back and agree.

"It is Thundercracker. It really is."

End.