Showman

Chapter 9: The Greatest Show is No More

Blurr stirred awake when he heard shouting, they were coming from below where he and Drift rested.

That evening had been hard. Now to be awoke by the sounds of a fight was something he didn't need. Though, maybe a good brawl would release his tension.

He opened an eye and shifted from under his twin. He sighed and looked to see Drift not refusing to move "Come on, lets go see what's going on" he muttered only to feel his twins grip tighten to his open vest.

Drift shook his head, "No, you're warm" He pouted, the events of only a few hours ago still fresh, unlike Blurr he hadn't been able to fall asleep. Drift had done nothing but regret walking away from Soundwave. Why didn't he just open up and be honest. Well, he had. But he couldn't let himself be happy. No. He couldn't force Soundwave to be unhappy once he realized his mistake.

"That's not fair" Blurr sighed looking at his twin. "Not for them and not for me" he said trying to move only to let out a soft yip as his twin pushed his knee into his tail, preventing him from doing anything other then sit there.

"Get out!" Breakdowns voice rang clear around the hall, his powerful body standing in front of Knockout. His fist clenched tightly at his side. He had had enough of these idiots.

Once more they had come back, hitting on Knockout only to insult him in the same breath. Breakdown had had it. His anger was at it's peak. It was bad enough that he was having little sleep with his mate being sick at odd hours. Least of all that the sounds of an infant whimpering every few hours to eat. He was tired, and four years of dealing with the same morons had put him into a defensive anger that wasn't going to go away this time.

"No you lot get out of town! I am done playing nice!" an familiar voice filled Blurr's ears. It was the same man who had left Knockout beaten only a year before, and if he was right it was the same man who started the fight four years ago.

He knew right away that if it was that exact man that Breakdown wasn't going to back down. A pinch of fear fill his heart, Breakdown was going to kill that man. "Drift up! This sounds bad!" he said in almost a panic.

"Even more reason to stay here" Drift said pushing his twin into the balcony and sitting on his legs, hugging him close. He couldn't stop shaking. He couldn't stop his thoughts from going to Soundwave and hoping he wasn't still around.

"Drift!" Blurr growled softly. He could feel his twin shake. But this wasn't the time. "You're acting like a child" he hissed.

"How have you been playing nice when it's us who have been playing for you!" Prowl said tiredly. Ears pulled back and tail fluffed as he joined Breakdown. His son had just fallen asleep only moments before these men showed up, he had almost no sleep the last six months since his sons birth and that night was the worst of them all. Techno was getting sick and needed his sleep. He was only happy that Breakdown's bellow hadn't woken him.

"Playing for us? No! All you freaks only play for Megatron! You have never done anything we asked or told you!" The man nearly yelled.

As his voice echoed there was a soft cry that resounded around them. The sound made Prowl's ear twitch and he let out a low hiss dangerously. "Keep it quiet" his hand flexed, claws glinting in the soft lantern light.

"Is that a threat. FREAK!" the man yelled.

Before Prowl could react Breakdown punched the man in the nose sending him flying.

Knockout ran to get Jazz as a brawl ensued among the gang of intruders and the circus crew.

Jazz looked up at Knockout hoping for an answer but the Fox did nothing but help him gather up Techno and they both moved toward the back doors away from the fight. There was no telling what was going to happen.

It didn't take long for the fight to escalate beyond reason.

One man was thrown across the room, and rather then getting up to rejoin the fight he looked around and smirked. He lifted a lantern next to where he had landed and broke it against the wall, the fire grabbed onto one of the pictures that hung from the stairs leading to the rafters. The burned quickly, and the man ran, pushing past Knockout and Jazz. The two looked over to see the fire, their hearts sunk.

Knockout grabbed onto Jazz and looked at him "Run! Get out! I'll warn the others!" he said, his feet taking him as fast as they could to the middle of the hall, grabbing onto Breakdown and forcing him to see the fire, his breath caught in his chest unable to speak.

Breakdown grabbed onto his mate, lifting him easily up and ran out the front with everyone else.

Thundercracker and Skywarp remained only long enough to save the animals, getting them all out safely as well. None the wiser to the twins in the rafters, trapped by the flames that started on the stairs that led them to safety.

The fire quickly spread.

It was then that Drift realized he made a mistake keeping him and Blurr on the rafters. They were high up, and the fire hit them first. He was so stupid.

But there was no way to know that the fight would escalate to this point.

Blurr ran after Drift but stilled, feeling something give. Without much thought he shoved Drift, hard, "RUN!" he shouted as the stairs collapsed in front of him, even if he were to jump from here he'd break a leg if he was lucky.

"Blurr!" Drift sobbed looking up at his brother, "Just jump! I'll catch you!" Drift called out, holding out his hand.

"Go Drift! Get out!" Blurr growled. "There isn't time!" he said, climbing back up a few steps as they too collapsed, the burning wood landing on the ground below with a snap.

Drift felt his eyes burn with tears as he ran out. He was such a coward. He didn't know what to do. His sprint didn't stop until he ran head long at Soundwave, having found him instantly once he was free of the smoke billowing from the building.

"Drift!" Soundwave said reaching out and catching Drift as he fell to his knees. "Drift?" he questioned as the half-breed grabbed onto him.

The sound of the fire before them drowned out the sounds of the thin males sobs of despair.

"Wait, where's Blurr?" Hot Shot asked as he went up to the duo, having just gone around doing a head count. All ware there, but where was Blurr? There was no way the wolf hadn't gotten out. Right? His heart twisted with worry and fear, and the silent sobs of the white haired half-breed wasn't reassuring.

Drift could only shake his head, more tears falling down his cheeks. He only looked up when he heard the sounds of the sirens of the fire trucks, followed shortly by his fathers shouting voice.

Starscream pushed forward looking hectically at the crowd "Drift!" he smile fell to fear seeing his son crying "Wait. No. Where's Blurr?!" he said in a panic.

Hot Shot looked from Drift then to Starscream, hands pushing into his chest, fear over taking him. "No" he said softly, his own tears falling at this point.

Soundwave clenched his jaw, his mind was made up. He quickly handed Drift to his mother, "Hold tight" he said simply to Starscream. Soundwave stripped himself of his royal blue coat, putting it around Drift before running into the burning building.

"SOUNDWAVE!" Drift shouted trying to run after him, but was stopped by his mothers' arms.

Starscream held tight to his eldest feeling his own tears now falling faster then he could stop them.

There was no stopping it, the building was done for. But no one cared at that point. That wasn't what everyone was worried about.

But there was a pause of hope, tears filled all eyes, all waited with their breath held having watched Soundwave run into the engulfed building to find the blue wolf.

A loud crack filled the night air, all eyes looked up as the top of the building crumpled, falling right down the middle with a loud hope shattering sound.

"NO!" Drift clawed as his mother trying to get free. "NO!" he repeated again and again, his whole body shook with pain. There was no way he had just lost his twin, and no god was cruel enough to have killed the one he loved. Not before he could say it aloud.

End Chapter 9: The Greatest Show is No More

Up Next: Chapter 10: A New Start