[I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS! Okay, I apologize for any chaos and confusion. Um…Guess I should make an end note so as too explain things?]

Chapter Fourteen: Just Kidding

So, what was I doing sneaking around the Autobot base? Okay, Sam had taken over the surveillance room. In order to make sure we all did our dares-the more elaborate dares wouldn't be able to be done in that room. Well, not if the person in question wasn't there. What had the dare been? Well…I'd best not over think it until its done. My target was Prowl, and I found him in the hanger with some new arrivals. My mouth dropped open at the sight of a yellowish-gold-like Lamborghini beside the silvery stingray of a car I think Sideswipe was suppose to be. Okay, Sideswipe had been here for a while. Sunstreaker? I was sure he was a new arrival. Maybe that's why Sides had been in such a rush lately looking at new car models. He'd been trying to locate the perfect one for his brother. I wondered about why Sideswipe remained non-Lamborghini. Wasn't my problem. My main problem…I had to do the dare. Now that I'd located Prowl. He was in one of his moods…go on and on about rules this and regulations that. I was certain neither twin was listening. The twins transformed into their Robotic forms and I stared harder. That was definitely Sunstreaker alright. I could feel his arrogant ego from where I stood. Sideswipe had never looked happier then he did now. Must be that twin bondage thing going on. Prowl seemed to realize that neither was paying attention to him. He muttered something under his breath before turning to go and stopping when he spotted me.

"Oh, That's the one called Prowl's Mini," Sideswipe told his brother. I felt Sunstreaker studying me with distaste. "She experiences glitch periods like Prowl…Prowl's gone all unique on us…We have to be 'CAREFUL' with him."

"Um…Hi Prowl…uh…," I said kind of nervous. My heart was pounding wildly. Okay, it was a simple dare. Even for a double dare. But I had a lot of respect for Prowl, and his unique case. I didn't want to be the result of one of his glitches, but Sam had left me no other choice. I DID NOT want to jump into a pool in the middle of December, especially with NO CLOTHES on. That was the punishment for not completing this dare. It had sounded fun…up until I now had to perform it.

"Yes?" Prowl asked and opened his hand to lift me to his face to see me better. Now I was talking face to face with him.

"Uh…Well…I'm suppose to ask…Uh….," I beckoned for him to come closer. He obliged and I whispered very quietly to him. The results were instant. He sat me down quickly and took a few steps away before his joints seemed to lock up on him and he fell over. I face palmed as applause came over the loudspeaker.

"Congratulations on Completion of your first dare," Sam's voice said," Report back to Surveillance Room to complete the rest of your turn." I sighed in relief as Jolt came over to help Prowl recover.

"What is this….dare?" Sunstreaker demanded of me. He plucked me up between two fingers, with an expression that matches a married woman picking LINT off of her clean floor. I could tell how repulsed he was by me…he probably wanted to throw me. I could feel the stitches in the back of my scrub shirt starting to tear from where he was holding it. Oh, this did NOT bode well for me.

"uh…it's a game…We kind of test our strengths and courage by….You know what…Check the web for it. Look up Truth and Dare as well as Dare and Double Dare…I'm sure you'll get tons of results," I said loudly, praying to Primus that my shirt held. I really didn't want to fall from this height. Sunstreaker was silent as I suspected he looked it up.

"Interesting…" he finally mused aloud and let go of me. Oh yeah. FROM WHERE HE HELD ME. I didn't scream. Not as I fell. Not as I thudded into the ground. Not even when something in my shoulder seemed to pop and roll out of place. Nope. Not a sound. Not even after Ratchet hurried in to get me. Not even when we got to medical bay. Lennox and Epps were somehow there, arguing with Galloway about something. Oh, I hoped Sunstreaker wasn't in any trouble. I was aware of Ratchet trying to tell me something. His holo-form anyway. I couldn't quite make it out as he messed with my shoulder. The pain fizzled in my brain and I found myself unconscious once again. I'm pretty sure the normal person doesn't PASS OUT nearly as much as I had since joining the Transformers reality.

/Wake up…/ a voice seemed to command me. I was asleep-or trying to-in the medical bay again. I grumbled something.

"Just a few more minutes," I muttered aloud, snuggling deeper into the warm blankets of the bed. I felt tired and here was where I was most comfortable. I just wanted to continue to lay down and sleep-

/WAKE UP!/ the voices roared in my mind and I was jolted awake. I had the sense that I needed to do something. Something important. Well, I usually always had that feeling-but this time I knew where my problem inlaid. Galloway and Sunstreaker. I entered the large conference room where Galloway was busy making his point on some issue to somebody on a large screen. Gathered in this room were several people I didn't know, along with a few that I did know.

"Sunny didn't mean to,' I said loudly to attract Galloway's attention.

"He harmed you-Miss. Rayne, I don't think you're in any position to make a case-" Galloway started and glared at me. I had my arm in a strange sling-for my shoulder. It'd been dislocated but now it was better. Just needed some rest.

"I think I'll be the judge of that," I snapped at him. Even for a small woman, I could make my presence known. "Excuse me, Mr. Secretary of State. Sir~" I sang the last bit out slightly as my brain jumped in to actively think mode." You see, sir. Sunny just arrived here today. Surely you can not have expected him to learn and utilize all the skills of human criteria that took even the longer staying Autobots to learn-considering they are still learning of our ways. You can not inlay blame upon Sunstreaker for…miscalculating the physical limitations of the human body that is as alien to him as he is to us still at this time. I take full responsibility for the actions dealt out to me. I after all am to blame for the temporary short-circuiting of their senior officer who just prior to the incident was doing his duty in trying to explain the rules and regulations of the N.E.S.T. commanding base here. In that brief amount of time he could not have possible explained the fragileness of the human structure…." I trailed off realizing everyone was staring at me. I wasn't a public speaker after all. In fact, Sam was technically the human liaison of the Autobots when it came to Autobot-human relations. "uh…" The discussion ended shortly afterwards-much to Galloway's immense displeasure-and Sunstreaker was pardoned.

I was sitting on top of Cascade's alt-mode's hood when Sideswipe found me. I was listening to Rebel in his alt-mode. Beautiful SL-100, still played kick-butt music. Popular choices actually. "Make me feel-Like I'm the only one in the world~" I sang out to the song on it.

"Organic-" Sideswipe started and trailed off as I continued singing along. He waited until the song had ended and I had unplugged the headphones to look at him," I came to thank you for helping my twin out-"

"Sunny can thank me himself Sides," I said and put the headphones back in. Sideswipe watched me for a few seconds before walking off. "Picture perfect memories scattered all around the floor~" My eyes were closed as I sang. "And I wonder if I ever cross your mind~" My ankles were crossed and my foot was moving to the beat of the song. "-it's a quarter after one and I'm a little drunk and I need you know~" A soft rumble beneath me was Cascade's engine warning me of someone's approach. "-cause I'd rather hurt then feel at all~" I opened my eyes to see Galloway standing not too far from me with a scowl on his face. I blinked innocently and slid off of Cascade's hood to stand up. I left Rebel on top of Cascade's hood. Cascade had been declared my guardian unspoken. I remained touching him with the backs of my legs. Oh, and I'd taken off that stupid shoulder brace-much to Ratchet's distaste. I just didn't like having it on. "Galloway? Anything I can do for you?" I asked innocently.

"You think you're safe for now…You've got everyone fooled, but I know better," Galloway told me in a dangerous voice. I could see the anger in his eyes from all the times the Autobots had somehow gotten a handhold over him. "I know people. You…One look at you and I know you for what you really are. An untrustworthy, disloyal freeloader…You'll use the Autobots and N.E.S.T. to get your dirty work done-even assist them on their mission here on earth…" Quiet accusations. Reminded me of Starscream and the chill in my heart seemed to spread through me. Chasing away any warmth I'd previously felt. Galloway didn't seem to really notice the change. "I bet you can't wait to stab your new 'family' in the ba-" I attacked him. Cold blind rage. I was set to kill. Galloway didn't know what hit him. Only that he suddenly found himself on the ground and unable to breath as something constricted his throat. My hands did that. People were suddenly shouting and screaming around us. I was being tugged at but I was unrelenting-Blind Rage could do that to a person.

"Rayne," it was Chromia's holo-form," My sweet little sparkling…You need to let go for me…Just let go Sweet…You can do it…Let go for mommy." She was murmuring in my ear. I relaxed and Galloway was pulled away quickly from me-as if I'd change my mind about not killing him.

"Y-you'll….pay…for this," he snarled at me gasping still for air. I was mute and said nothing to him, letting Chromia hold me against her holo-form. She was stroking my hair like a mother might to a panicked child.

"Sparkling of mine…What happened?" Chromia asked me as Galloway stormed off flanked by some officers.

"The truth…," I told her and left, walking away. I exited the base and only stopped walking when I felt like my legs would carry me no further. I wasn't sure where I was anymore. Nothing but desert around me and night had fallen. My breath came out in thick clouds before me. I laid down against the cold unrelenting ground, at least it was solid. I started to cry again.

"…I can honestly say I never expected to see you again," a slightly dead-sounding voice said quietly. I got up, stumbling backwards in my haste-I even tripped over my own feet, landing hard on my butt. Red optics glared at me. How had I NOT noticed-

"BARRICADE?" I shrieked startled. I was aware of a strange whine-like noise along with several odd clicks. It was Barricade alright…but he looked like crap. I expected he should've off-lined a long while ago. "Wh-what happened?"

"I got careless," he replied almost monotonous. I realized he'd propped himself up on some large boulders. The area nearby was soaked in Energon. I smell the sickly-sweet scent of the stuff. "Failure is not…acceptable…to Lord Megatron." Wait. There was a name I NEVER wanted to hear. Especially not when someone was saying it was ALIVE. I was confused. I thought for sure Megatron had been dead. What about Starscream? "Organics…are trivial to him…He was away…on business…"

"So Starscream was-" I started to ask. Barricade groaned slightly and his frame shook violently, as if threatening to simply fall apart. "Damn Barricade, you had a number done on you…"

/Help him/ the voices whispered in my head. As much as I wanted to, I didn't know the first thing about alien-/We will guide you/ I swallowed nervously.

"Okay Barricade…I'm going to try and help you," I said climbed up on to him. The guy could barely move, and judging by all the wire out of place…I seriously wondered HOW he was still online. It looked like someone or something had simply started to pull handfuls of his inner working out as fast as they could.

"Pah…Organics aren't…smart enough…," Barricade was wasting energy.

"Well, if you're going to waste energy talking-You might as well do something else then complain about my lower level of intelligence," I ordered him. He fell silent as I began to poke at his wirings. He was in enough major pain that I doubted I could SERIOUSLY hurt him any more then he already was. I didn't know WHAT I was doing…but I sort of got feelings of what needed to be done. It was the Primes working through me." So…What did you do wrong?"

"…" The silence continued and I expected he wasn't going to answer. "I became attached…" His answer sort of shocked me-attached to who? I paused amongst stripping part of his wiring to expose the slender metallic wires underneath that I could hook together and twist back into shape. I ended up slicing my palm open.

"OW!" I exclaimed in pain. Blood dripped off my palm and straight into the exposed tubes of Barricade's inner-workings. Which began to glow slightly and pulsate as a newer, lighter color of Energon worked through his system. "Shit!"

"What is wrong?" Barricade demanded-unable to see me. I stared at the blood dripping from my hand. It was red…with some tints of silver in it. I looked at the wirings I'd sliced my palm on to begin with. My blood had acted like a sealing agent to meld the two wires back together. A flare of excitement went through my stomach as I began rubbing my bloodied palm over more of his attachments. I watched in wide-eyed fascination as his system recharged and an increase in healing was noticeable. Cracked tubes quickly sealed shut flawlessly. "…Human…What are you doing?" I could hear the surprise in his voice.

"Fixing you," I replied excitedly as I scrambled around him, doing my best to make sure EVERYTHING was working correctly," Yay! Done…" I squeaked as Barricade stood up-I almost tumbled to the ground but he caught me in his hand.

"Human…I have been…repaired?…But…How?" he said and his red optics flashed brighter as he brought me closer to his face for inspection. I wasn't afraid. I completely…trusted him. Me? Trusted a Decepticon…What was WRONG with me?

/Rayne?…Where are you?/ a voice weakly asked in my mind. It was Sam. He was trying to locate me. /Rayne…please don't hide…We're worried…Rebel told us about the things that have been said…/

"I owe you…my life," Barricade said quietly, breaking through my thoughts. I ignored Sam and concentrated on Barricade's broken speech." I do not…pretend to comprehend your logic…and…I have nowhere to go except ba-"

"Claim neutrality and live with the Autobots," I suggested and Barricade snorted," Come on Barricade. It can't be that hard. Be neutral like Cascade!" Barricade flinched at that name.

"How…is he?" Barricade inquired. I wasn't too sure what the interest in Cascade was.

"Meh, he's fine. Ratchet thinks he can replicate his vocal processors-" I said and hesitated. Was it alright to tell him all of this?

/Ask him/ the voices insisted in my mind /Ask him of his son-/

"HIS SON?" I screeched aloud startled. Barricade froze. Wait…The 'cade part of their names…Barri-cade….Cas-cade…Surely that was coincidence. But, could it possible be that they were…NO!

/ASK!/ the voices shouted at me. An order.

"Barricade…Is Cascade your son?" I demanded. Barricade was silent. See, this wasn't RIGHT! I was in a Transformers reality…that was ALTERED. I don't know if Barricade has any kids or not in the real series…I didn't recognize Cascade from the movies or the few cartoons I'd seen. So I was fairly certain he wasn't a REAL character.

"He is," Barricade replied quietly. My mind was reeling with shock.

/Rayne! Where are you?/ Sam demanded even louder. I could feel the worry and anger rippling through the link. Words weren't AS easy to pass through the links as emotions. Which were much stronger. I guess my shock had gotten back to Sam somehow.

/I'm…with Barricade/ I sent back. The link instantly broke, as if Sam had been shocked out of it. I knew he didn't have pleasant memories of him. "Does he know?" I asked softly. My voice came out a tiny whisper but I knew Barricade had hear me.

"Not that I am aware of…" Barricade replied," I…had to remove his vocal processors so he could live…and to prove myself…as a Decepticon…"

"B-BUT! You watched over him from a distance right?" I demanded, slightly horrified by what I was hearing. Barricade had saved his son's life at the expense of his son's silenced life. Barricade gave a slight nod,"…and what about Rebel? Where does he come into this?"

"The little one…One of Soundwave's…pets…given to Cascade at a younger age," Barricade told me emotionlessly," Rebel was fine-tuned so that Cascade could make himself heard when necessary…"

"Does…Who all knew about…about him?" I asked.

"Megatron, Sideways…and Soundwave," Barricade said dismissively," Starscream might have guessed…" I sighed feeling the beginnings of a migraine. "I am a Decepticon until the end…"

"But you can claim to be NEUTRAL!" I argued back with him hotly," The Autobots could take you in and-"

"I would rather die," he said coldly and I stopped talking. He seemed to glare at me," I will return to the Decepticon base…"

"THEY LEFT YOU FOR DEAD!" I screamed at him in fury.

"And I am alive…I must return…to serve my purpose," Barricade told me quietly. I looked at him with a pained expression. "I am a Decepticon…It is how we are…Those to weak to live…Will die…"

"But I saved you," I whispered, tears pouring down my face again. Something in his tone of voice softened.

"For which I am indebted to you," he told me seriously before setting me down. "I must return…Rayne…If you are ever in need of help…" He looked away," Or rather…When you find you have no one else to turn to…You can always find me…" He grinned rather sinisterly," In fact…Lord Megatron was v-e-r-y interested when he heard about you…" Before I could say anything, Barricade was holding me up to his face again," I will tell of how you saved me…You will be invaluable to us…I am indebted to you…But you are now tied to me…Your blood flows within me…" He gave me a shrewd look," And my Energon flows through you now…" He was right. While I'd repaired him…I'd gotten soaked in a large amount of Energon, some of which had gotten into my mouth. It hadn't tasted bad. Kind of sweet. "I will be able to find you anywhere…and you will be able to find me…" I felt a cold chill run through me. "I suppose in a way…You might refer to us as 'bonded'…but a loose-one…" He set me down and transformed into his police car mode. His holo-form appeared on the hood of his car beside me. "Good-bye…" He kissed my forehead…and I closed my eyes. When I opened them…the car was gone…and it hadn't even made a sound.

[Alright. An end note. I'll try to clarify anything I think might bring up questions…But I'm open to any other questions you guys might have. Okay, In this…I totally just made my made-up character Cascade the Son of Barricade. Oh yes, a new twist. Rayne's blood can help 'speed up' the healing process in the robots-blame the all-mighty Primes for this. She's not a super-human though. Uhm, Yes. Barricade is going to go back to the Decepticons. He's a Decepticon after all. Um, I've never really know the Lamborghini twins…So, I made the interactions brief. Descriptions are brief and MIGHT even be wrong about them. Uh, Megatron's back. I had him like…out in the galaxy doing WHO KNOWS what…so, Starscream being 'second in command' was in temporary control when they got a hold of Rayne…Uh…Any other questions I didn't address?]