Thanks for the reviews!

"Did she just-?" Sideswipe began.

"I-I think so," Ratchet managed to stutter, getting to his feet.

"S-Sideswipe," came Demonator's voice again. Both Sideswipe and the medic dashed to her side, bending down to her level. Ratchet placed a hand on her shoulder and she looked over at him. "R-R-Ratch'."

"If you can understand what I'm saying to you, nod your head now," Ratchet demanded. Slowly, she did as told and Ratchet slapped a hand to his chest, sighing with relief. "Primus, I was right. She can understand us."

"So it is a physical disability, then?" Sideswipe asked, confused. "I mean.. clearly she's mentally stable, right?"

Ratchet nodded, "Yes, but.. I'm still not sure. The fact that she can understand us might be temporary. For example, one minute she could understand us, and the next, she could.. have the attention span of a goldfish, if you will."

"So..." Sideswipe began, "It can still be mental?"

"Exactly," Ratchet nodded. "Though I hope that's not the case."

"This sucks," Sideswipe growled. "I feel like I'm going to wake up any minute now and this is all going to be just some bad dream, you know?"

"I wish it was," Ratchet agreed. "but she needs us now. More than she ever has. It's our job to make sure we get her as close to normal again as possible."

Sideswipe nodded and together, the two watched Demonator carefully for the next few minutes before Ratchet got back to work and Sideswipe sat next to the femme, keeping her company.

A few more days had come and gone and still, Demonator's symptoms remained. Ratchet constructed his own medications to try and give her, but nothing seemed to work. In fact, it seemed to make it worse.

"Ratchet!" Sideswipe yelled out in fear.

Ratchet rushed to his side, helping to hold Demonator in place so she didn't knock anything over or hurt herself by mistake. "Just hold her still, but do so gently."

"This is the eighth time today," Sideswipe confirmed.

"I know," Ratchet sighed just as Demonator's body stopped shaking and slowly went back to 'normal'. Finally, she ceased to move and Ratchet sighed again, standing up straight. Sideswipe did the same. "I need to talk to Prime about this. I think I have an idea about how to cure her.. but we need somebody else to help get the job done."

"Wait, what's the idea?" Sideswipe asked frantically, getting in the medic's face. "Tell me!"

"I don't want to spoil it or get any hopes up too high," Ratchet shook his head. "So don't ask. Just give me my space to get slag done."

The twin nodded repeatedly in excitement and saluted with a hand. "Right! But for now, before you start.. wanna get some high grade?"

Even Ratchet wasn't going to deny a cube or two.

"Am I having vision malfunctions, or is Ratchet really having a deep conversation with Sideswipe peacefully?" Ironhide asked and then added, "while drinking high-grade?"

Will shrugged and snorted. "No, you're vision's fine, but.. they've been acting like better friends ever since Demonator.. you know.. was knocked out. Speaking of, you know what's wrong with her? She hasn't come out of the med bay since she got back."

Ironhide was about to confront the Colonel on how stupid he was, but then he paused.. realizing that Will had no idea what happened to her. "Will," the mech cleared his throat. "Demonator is suffering from a mental illness."

Will frowned, "What're you talking about? How?"

Ironhide sighed, "When Demonator's body was brought back, she was already dying-"

"Because she killed Ram, right?" Will asked.

Ironhide nodded. "Correct. Anyway, Ratchet, in order to keep her alive, forced a bond with her. It worked.. but because of it, she's now suffering from a mental illness. Well.." Ironhide sighed heavily. "Sideswipe is trying to convince him that it's a physical problem and that she can understand what they say and do."

"So, if it's just a physical problem, what're they gonna do?" Lennox asked.

Ironhide shrugged at that, not sure what to say. "I don't know. That's what they'll have to figure out, I guess."

Before Will could even nod or blink, a loud explosion erupted in the distance. Fully alert, Ironhide activated his cannons without a second thought and aimed them in the direction the noise had come from. Ratchet and Sideswipe, on the other hand, were already running towards the med bay.. which, coincidentally enough, was where the med bay was.

Ratchet was the first to burst through the med bay doors. "Demonator?" He yelled frantically, searching the large room. One of the med bay walls had been blown out and Demonator was nowhere inside. "Slag! Sideswipe, search the area!" Ratchet ran as fast as he could to the other side of the med bay and grabbed his PA system. Optimus had ordered one installed in case of emergency. "All human beings: report to any nearby building and stay there. This isn't a drill. It's an order. All Autobots: stay outside and stay alert!"

"Medic!" Ironhide roared as he entered the med bay. "What the slag's goin' on here?"

"Demonator got out," Ratchet replied quickly as he dashed past the weapons specialist. "Look for her! She's heavily armed!"

Ironhide looked baffled. "Well, why in the pit does she have weapons to begin with if she's not mentally or physically stable to use them?"

Ratchet had no time to argue. "Just get the damn job done, Ironhide! Find her!"

Ironhide didn't think or hesitate; he ran.

Sorry for the cliffy and the short chapter! D: