Chapter 28:

By Transformersnewfan

The next morning, one by one, the Decepticons onlined to helmaches and night-shivers. Thundercracker groaned, feeling like he'd been drugged up to his optics. He turned over, "Hey Warp?"

When there was no response, TC opened his optics and saw the empty berth. He bolted up, "O-Oh no!" he knew something must have happened again. Skywarp was still scared to leave their berthroom without his brother's protection. The blue Seeker jumped out of his berth, "Warp?!" he searched their whole quarters frantically, "SKYWARP?!"

Their door. Their front door was bolted from the inside. Thinking Skywarp had to still be inside, possibly hurt and bleeding again, just like that day with the sonogram tape…Thundercracker searched again, this time under the couch, the desks, their berths, the wash racks, EVERYWHERE. At least there were no signs of a struggle or Energon-blood!

It didn't register at first in his still-sleepy processor, but how did the door get bolted from the inside when Skywarp was out? Had he teleported out against doctor's orders? If he did, what condition were he and his sparkling in now?! Panicked, TC opened the door and began searching frantically for his baby brother, "Skywarp?! Where are you?!"

Starscream awoke around the same time. Like Thundercracker, he felt like he had been drugged; which made no sense at all, "M-Megatron?"

"Uuuggghhh," the Decepticon Leader moaned, "I haven't been this stiff since my Arena days." His joints creaked and popped as he swung his legs over the side of their berth, "What time is it?"

Answering his own question, he checked his internal clock, and was stunted, "IT'S TEN-THIRTY IN THE MORNING!"

Megatron always rose at six A.M., not having overslept in decades. He had missed the morning's scheduled target practice!

"W-What?!" Starscream jumped up, running to get their triplets, "How'd we both sleep so LATE!"

Thankfully, Darkmount, Darkwing, and Dawning seemed to be fine, chirping happily to see their Mother.

"Something's not right," Megatron realized, "What happened last night that we both slept so late?"

"How should I know!" Starscream screeched back, lifting up Darkwing and Dawning, allowing his mate to heft up the third of their trio. "Did you get me drunk or something?"

"How the pit would I have gotten you drunk?!" Megs barked back. It was their usual bickering; the kids enjoyed it.

Then Starscream's optics widen, "O-Oh…I don't know if I dreamed something or…"

Megatron: "WHAT?"

"Was Skywarp here last night?" the red and white Seeker's vocals were getting scared.

The former Gladiator shrugged, puzzled, "I don't remember anything after we went to bed!" He looked around, "Let's go find the others."

When Megs, holding his oldest son, opened the door, he was met with the sight of more than a few Decepticons holding their helms, stumbling around like they all had a night from hell.

"B-Boss," Ramjet met him, "I overslept! I'm sorry!"

"Well so did I!" Now Megatron was worried, "I DON'T UNDERSTAND ANY OF THIS!"

Starscream got frightened for his brothers, "THUNDERCRACKER! SKYWARP!" he cried down the hall, not seeing them amongst their troops.

"I DON'T GET IT, IS THERE A GAS LEAK IN HERE!" Megatron bellowed at the crowd, demanding answers, "WHERE THE HECK IS SOUNDWAVE?!" He moved towards his Third in Command's quarters.

In their quarters, the Tapedeck and five of his brood—Laserbeak having spent the night at the Autobot Base—all woke up at the same late time as everyone else, but all were spared of the strange symptoms of a drugged induced recharge. Their shared telepathy seemed to shield them.

"I can't believe it's so late," Soundwave grumbled as he headed for this work, "Megatron must think I fell in."

Rumble was nervous, "You never oversleep, Pop."

Soundwave: "I know."

He turned his front doorknob, and nothing happened. He rattled it, and it seemed to be jammed, "Great!" The Tapedeck began rattling the doorknob, growing more and more frustrated, "Come on, come on!"

On the other side of the door, Megatron reached them, with Starscream close behind, "Soundwave! Soundwave, what happened!"

Soundwave: "Megatron! Open the door!"

"WHAT?!" the Decepticon Leader, getting impatient, went to open the door from the outside, and found it locked, "It's locked!"

"It's not locked!" Soundwave shouted back, "It's jammed or something!" He rattled the knob, getting violent with it, "Come on!"

"Pop! What happened to the door!" Frenzy yelped.

"Pop! What's going on!" Rumble joined in. Buzzsaw, Ratbat, and the twins were now all frantically yelling in the Tapedeck's audials.

Ravage at least was cool, "It's jammed, Father."

"Here, help me push!" Soundwave told him. The two both tried pushing the door open as Soundwave had the knob turned.

"Soundwave! This door won't open!" Megatron barked back.

Now both sides were pulling and pushing at the door, holding against the two most powerful Decepticons in the army!

"Get him outta this!" the Leader roared.

"Here, lemme try!" Onslaught offered, pulling on the knob hard.

In the middle of this insanity, Thundercracker came running down the hallway, grabbing Starscream, "YOU GUYS! I CAN'T FIND SKYWARP!"

"WHAT?!" Starscream was frantic now, "W-WHERE IS HE?! WHERE IS HE?!"

TC: "I DON'T KNOW!"

Now Astrotrain came over, "We gotta blast the knob!" He took out a handgun and aimed, "Get away from the door!"

From the other side, Soundwave and Ravage did so, and the Triple Changer shot the doorknob twice. The Tapedeck tried to push, but the door held firm. It seemed to be GLUED to the frame!

"Oh, SLAG now!" Megatron couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Finally, Soundwave told his sons, "Alright, on the count of three, we all ram this door at once! ONE, TWO, THREE!" All six of them rushed against the door at once, and it finally broke free, sending the wood splintering and Soundwave crushing to the ground; Rumble landing on top of him.

"Soundwave!" Megatron shouted, handing Darkmount to Ramjet to help his friend up, "What is going on around here!"

"Some afthole superglued my door!" the Tapedeck hollered back as he got to his pedes, "Look at this!" He pointed to the telling signs of the yellow substance all along his quarters' doorframe, "Somebody's idea of a joke, apparently."

The Decepticon Leader, the only one truly thinking clearly over the yelling, knew that the only real prankster in their ranks was Skywarp; but the Seeker was in no frame of processor these days to pull off such a feat.

"I CAN'T FIND SKYWARP!" Thundercracker tried to remind them all.

Soundwave: "WHAT?!" he was still reeling from what happened. His sparklings yelped; "The baby!" Buzzsaw cried.

"Check the Control Room!" Soundwave told them, thinking of the cameras. As the group raced there, he looked up, "WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BRAKE LIGHTS!" They were all burned out, "I JUST INSTALLED THEM LAST WEEK!"

"Something's going on here, Soundwave," Megatron hollered back, "We gotta find him!"

Skywarp had stayed awake the entire night. For nine hours, straight. By now, his optics were hurting; everything was hurting. He waited out the night, protecting his sleeping daughter, singing to her through their Bond the lyrics he remembered from Chris' songs. He didn't want to budge, for fear of any further attacks. Gravechaser had left him alone, it seemed, after he disappeared in the puff of smoke in the hallway. The morning had come; the young Seeker could see the light gleaming from the windows; the seas' shadows dancing lazily. He recognized how no one had gotten up yet. Hour past after hour, he thought about it, wondering if they were all dead, Gravechaser having killed them all, leaving his prey for last, but not before forcing him to see the bodies of all his loved ones.

Then, little by little, he heard them all hollering and yelling. At least they had survived the night. But the flyer's growing depression stopped him from calling out to them; feeling unloved and unwanted, he didn't even think they would miss him.

"SKYWARP!" Soundwave threw the French Doors open, and they all spotted him on the couch, partially hidden by boxes of files, at the same time. The pregnant Jet had a blanket wrapped around his wings and back, but he was shivering and looked frightened.

"WARP!" Thundercracker pushed the others aside, knocking over the boxes, and scooped his baby brother up in his arms, hugging him tightly. The pregnant flyer was pretty upset, but it felt good being held. Starscream grabbed him and hugged him next, "Skywarp, baby!" They both were asking him if he was alright, their hands checking his pregnant belly, and the black and purple flyer nodded, sniffling.

He gave a surprised yelp when Soundwave pulled him away and hugged him; the Tapedeck's chassis language more like a loved one that a doctor or the normally cold, Communications Officer. He was even more surprised when Megatron put an arm around him as well.

Several other mechs filed in now, wondering what had happened.

As Thundercracker cuddled the youngest Seeker, trying to calm himself down after searching in fear for him, Soundwave contacted his second son, "Laserbeak, what is your report?" In the wake of everything that happened, the Tapedeck worried if his Condor had been a casualty.

What a relief when the Bird answered immediately, and in a mundane tone, "Well Father, firstly the Subject watched the human film, known as White Christmas, followed by Singing in the Rain. After which, Subject retired to his quarters, where he recharged for approximately eight to nine hours. This morning at seven, he joined his fellow Autobots, a group of whom led by Optimus Prime, transformed and drove off. Their destination being Public School District 17, the educational establishment of Samuel James Witwicky. The Subject is currently present there, assisting in carpentry for a set of sorts for the Christmas Pageant." Laserbeak sighed, finishing, "I have never been subjected to such banal activities."

Soundwave and Megatron looked at each other in horror. Mirage wasn't the prowler?

"Was the Subject out of your sight at any time?" Soundwave demanded.

"Negative, Father," Laserbeak affirmed.

"Continue your mission," Soundwave told his son, cutting the connection before the Bird asked any questions. The Tapedeck dove for his Computer Consul, pushing buttons frantically, and being shocked at his discovery, "Megatron, get over here."

The Decepticon Leader had taken his eldest son back from Ramjet and joined his Communication Officer at the Consul. The normally brave little Darkmount became nervous, sensing his Sire's distress.

Megatron: "What is it, Soundwave?"

"The security cameras," the Tapedeck couldn't believe what he was about to say, "their connectors were cut off at one in the morning. This has never happened before!"

The Coneheaded Seekers and the Combaticons were shouting now, demanding answers from their Leaders.

It all seems to happen at once. Thundercracker was holding Skywarp when Starscream, checking for injuries, pulled the blanket off his back, "SKYWARP!" the Trine Leader shrieked, getting everyone's attention. He couldn't finish his sentence; he was in shock. TC turned their brother around roughly to see what Star was seeing:

Skywarp had deep, six-inch long, gashes on each of his wings, marring his Decepticon insignias to the point of unrecognition. They were still fresh; ready to bleed Energon-blood from his fragile appendages.

"Geez, somebody clawed you!" Ramjet vocalized.

This was the breaking point for Thundercracker; he turned Skywarp around, gripping him by his shoulders, shaking him, "THIS IS THE LAST STRAW, WARP! YOU HAD BETTER TELL US WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE! THIS IS GETTING OUT OF HAND! DO YOU WANNA GET YOURSELF AND YOUR SPARKLING KILLED AND ALL OF US WITH YOU?!"

His tone broke Skywarp's psyche, which had already been tittering on the brink. But…How could he ever admit to his brother that he was being haunted by the ghost of his Sire? And with everything starring at him, well, that wasn't helping.

"I-I thought I heard Darkwing crying in the hallway…So, I looked for him; the lights were out in the hallway. I-I couldn't find him, but there was…s-somebody else there."

Soundwave was at his side in an instant; the Seeker went on, "I was screaming and screaming…None of you came…H-He cut me…" But he quickly changed the subject, or rather, continued on, "I went to Starscream, and…" He looked at his brother, "You said to go away…So, I came in here."

Starscream's jaw dropped, he had no memory of this, "Skywarp, I didn't see you last night."

"I came to you telling you that Darkwing was in the hall!" the darker Seeker insisted, getting upset, "Y-You said to go away, like I-I was crazy."

"I don't remember anything," Star shook his helm, shakily, "W-Was I asleep?! I-I mean, was I sleep walking?!"

Astrotrain went to Megatron, "Megs, were we all hypnotized or something?!"

"Gotta be a gas leak of some sort," the Decepticon Leader growled, before barking into his Comm.-Link, "Scrapper, get your crew in here!"

Soundwave pulled Skywarp toward himself, "I'm taking him to the Med-Bay," he practically picked up the pregnant Seeker, giving the others a scowl before leaving.

"Boss, I didn't hear a thing!" Onslaught insisted to Megatron.

The former Gladiator, desperate to gain control of the situation, gave Darkmount to Starscream and began barking orders, "Listen up all of you! We're under attack, in case you can't tell! Scrapper: Get the other Constructicons and investigate for a gas leak or a power surge! Reflector: Start replacing all the starters and bulbs in the brake lights! Astrotrain: Take Blizwing and Octane and search for any possible entry points of an intruder. I want this entire Base searched from top to bottom! Dirge: You three search from the air! Check for any nearby military operations! Ravage: Guard my family twenty-four seven!" And lastly, he turned to the blue Seeker, "Thundercracker: Bring in Mirage!"

TC nodded, narrowing his optics; at the time, he DID believe the answers still laid with the Autobot spy.

"Starscream: Keep the sparklings safe and tend to your younger brother," Megatron continued, "And Soundwave and I will investigate any further suspects." He pointed at the door, "ALL OF YOU! GET ON THIS!"

The Decepticons all set about their assigned tasks.

"Megatron, what are we going to do?" Starscream asked; he was frightened by the whole experience, "Was I glitched or something?"

"We'll figure it out," the Leader kept his tone even as to not alarm his Bondmate, "It still might be an environmental problem."

"Those scratches on his wings aren't an environmental problem!" the red and white flyer screeched, "Somebody was HERE last night!"

"The prowler could have gassed us, or," Megatron shook his helm, not able to deal with his mate when he was irrational, "we have a problem in the building and Mirage took advantage of the situation." He shook his helm, "Just calm down, okay?" He knew he would only scare Starscream if he told him his own, personally held belief.

"Just another minute, Skywarp," Soundwave instructed. The Tapedeck had cleaned the scratches and patched up the Jet's wounded wings. He also performed another ultrasound, for precaution, and determined the sparkling was unharmed. The black and purple Seeker's emotional state, however, was a different story: The attack made him feel hopeless; knowing that Gravechaser would continue to up the ante, toying with him until he had finally had his fun, and then he would offline him as he saw fit. He knew his own life was over; now he just wanted to protect his sparkling.

"Um, since everything's on track," Soundwave tried to focus on the sparkling, "we can cancel Thursday's appointment." He covered the bandaged wings with the blanket from the Control Room's sofa, "Try to stay warm."

But Skywarp kept looking at the floor; despair all over his faceplates.

"Hey," the Tapedeck lifted his friend's chin gently, "If there's someone hurting you, is it easier to tell me than it is your brothers?"

Skywarp's optics filled with coolant tears; he wanted to tell someone. And maybe…Soundwave would be the one.

"Skywarp, did Thundercracker do this to you?" the Tapedeck was picking up something that may or may not have had to do with the blue Seeker.

"No," Skywarp answered quickly.

"One of the other Decepticons?" Soundwave asked again, "If so, they are in violation of our ethics code. There is to be no violence against one Decepticon to another."

"I know that," the young flyer admitted. He had been in violation of Code 23 of the Decepticon Bylaws when he had shot Thundercracker in the faceplates years earlier, "You think I don't remember?"

"Skywarp, you do not have to take being abused," Soundwave told him, "you can tell me." He took the younger's hands in his own, "I care about you and your daughter, you know that."

Warp could see the Tapedeck's emotions even through his hidden faceplates: He cared for them; he loved him. Soundwave DID love him. Soundwave was truly in love with him.

He collapsed against the larger mech's chest, sobbing uncontrollably, hitching his air intakes and keening openly. Soundwave wrapped his arms around him, holding him tightly, "It's alright…It's alright."

Skywarp realized it was time to come clean, "I-I tried to deal with this myself…I-I can't even tell T-Thundercracker." Soundwave listened, stroking the little flyer's back while he continued, "I-I kept thinking, he was only after ME and would only hurt me…B-But now, h-he…he…"

Soundwave: "Who?"

"H-He calls himself Gravechaser," there, it was out. He said it, "I-I know that's not his real name. I don't know HOW I-I know…I j-just, know, okay?"

Soundwave finally knew, "Have you ever seen him before?"

"N-No…" Warp told him between hitches, "H-He's not…" Online? Real? "an Autobot…"

"Someone not affiliated with a faction," Soundwave nodded, understanding now, "Can you tell me about him?"

The young, pregnant flyer was afraid to say more.

"Skywarp, I can't help you if you don't tell me what happened," the Tapedeck tried.

So, Skywarp started to talk about it, "T-The day I was attacked, I-I couldn't find the sonogram tape…I looked everywhere, and, I heard somebody laughing…" he didn't want to talk about the smoke, trying to leave out the paranormal aspects of the story, "And I turned around, and the tape flew out at me."

Soundwave listened carefully as he held his Seeker, allowing the other to get it out.

"A-Another time, he tried to strangle m-me…" Skywarp whispered.

Soundwave: "When?"

Skywarp: "Thanksgiving…"

The Tapedeck flashed on the dinner and remembered how the flyer wore a scarf for the entire day, "Oh God…" he didn't even sense it. Despite his telepathy, he knew he had serious blind spots. He could sense when someone is lying, but not what they would leave out.

"It was always ME he was after," Skywarp went on, "last night was the first time he went after you guys." Coolant tears flowed down his faceplates, "It's been going on ever since I got pregnant…"

This was even more alarming to the Tapedeck, "Do you feel he's trying to get your sparkling?"

"H-He said no," the flyer told him, "I-It's just me he wants to k-kill."

This made Soundwave even more determined to protect his friend, "Describe this perpetrator."

Skywarp didn't want to.

Soundwave: "What colors are he?"

"B-Blue, mostly…" the Seeker stammered, "but he has a beard, and long, red claws. And he's invisible a lot…he's got a lot of powers…he made the lights go out…"

The Tapedeck realized that said mech could still be on Base, "Let's go back to the Control Room. There's safety in numbers." He also didn't want his Cassettes left alone. Soundwave picked up the pregnant flyer and carried him out of the Med-Bay. Skywarp didn't so much as react. He was very tired and emotionally spent. This was the most depression he had ever felt.

Starscream was wringing his hands and pacing around. Six tiny optics following him around the Control Room as he paced. He stopped immediately when his little brother was brought back though, "O-Oh!" he cried out, meeting Soundwave at the sofa. "They are okay," was the blue mech's only words. When he placed Skywarp down, Star picked him up and held him close, "Oh Skywarp, I'm so sorry you were hurt…I-I'm so sorry…" The black and purple Seeker barely made a sound; hurt and confusion written all over his faceplates.

"You poor thing," Star cooed, pulling the blanket back to look at the bandaged wings. He rubbed and stroked them, trying to comfort his youngest Trine brother. He pulled Skywarp closer, trying to get him to lay his helm on his shoulder. Skywarp was more worried about leaning on his right side, but apparently, the way Starscream was holding him wasn't putting pressure there, so he curled into his brother's side, sort of lifting his belly into a more comfortable position. He wasn't as comfortable these days with Starscream than he used to be before his Trine Leader's Bonding to a Gladiator, but for now, he was going to try.

As the two brothers spoke, Megatron, meanwhile, watched his 3ic come towards him; he explained everything that was being done by their troops. Soundwave told him what the Seeker had told him about the mech called Gravechaser.

"This is the first time I've heard that name," Soundwave told his Leader, "no one in the files Skywarp and I have uploaded into the computer has that designation."

"So, we don't know if this mech is freelance or working for someone," Megatron noted, clasping his hands together, resting his chin there, "and he took my files."

Several more Deceptions came in the Control Room to speak to Megatron. They wanted to know what had caused the strange episode the night before.

Starscream asked Skywarp now, "Can you tell me what happened?"

"Last night," the youngest Seeker began, "I woke up, I thought I heard Darkwing crying in the hallway. So, I got up, and it was super dark, and I was looking around, and, this is really weird, I heard chanting and stuff…and the lights went out, and…I saw this mech…"

Starscream held his brother's hands as he spoke. Megatron came over and listened as well.

The pregnant flyer had to come clean. He pushed past Starscream and stood, ready to address the group, standing behind a stack of chairs, trying to at least partially hide his swollen frame.

"I-It's not Mirage," he stammered at first, "I-It never was Mirage…" He took a deep air intake, trying to gather his strength; his sparkling squirmed a little, knowing he was upset, "Someone who calls himself Gravechaser has been stalking me for months…He was the one in the kitchen. He was the one that attacked me in my quarters. And he's the one we've been hearing walking in the hallway…It's been ever since I got…" He spilled his secret, "Since I got pregnant." He saw Onslaught's optics widen; Blitzwing's as well; Thrust just seemed angry; Ramjet looked concerned, and Dirge just looked away. "And, last night, I heard who I thought was my nephew Darkwing crying in the hallway…" Starscream picked up his youngest at this mention, "I went out to find him, and my door shut behind me, with the second lock and everything…" Megatron remembered how TC had come running, "The lights were all out, and…I ran into Gravechaser…and…he started…chasing me." This was hard, "That's when he scratched me…" He turned enough to show the group his bandaged wings, "I don't know how, but I think he made all of you sleep late today too. I-I think he can hypnotize us and stuff…Star doesn't remember talking to me last night." Before they could tear him apart, he admitted, "Until last night, I thought…I thought I was the only one he wanted to hurt. He was only attacking ME. T-That's why I kept everything to myself…I can't even tell T-Thundercracker." He couldn't bring himself to say Gravechaser was a ghost, or more specifically, the ghost of Thundercracker's Sire, "B-But now, I don't know what to think…he could have hurt you guys, and…I'm so sorry for whatever I did to deserve this…" He had coolant tears in his optics now, "I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I'm sorry."

He fully expected everyone to hate him. But instead, he was met with many sympathetic expressions and some angry FOR him.

"What kinda monster attacks a pregnant Seeker?" Astrotrain barked.

"And Prime claims he's not his uncle's nephew," Bonecrusher grunted as he folded his arms.

Megatron, as unnerved as he was by the attacks, could see this had been terribly stressful on the carrying Seeker, "I wish, you had come to us sooner."

Starscream wanted to protect his little brother from everyone, not just Gravechaser, but from all of the Cons' prying optics. He wanted to take him and hold him and protect him from their cruel world, but he knew that, after everything, he knew that Skywarp no longer felt he could talk to him, let alone confide in him.

Soundwave wanted this meeting over with, so he could set about finding this mech.

"Is he a flyer?" Ramjet asked.

"Y-Yes," Skywarp nodded, "A-And…he has a lotta powers. I-I've seen him teleport."

"What's he look like?" Spyglass asked.

"Um, b-blue…He's tall, and he has a beard and stuff…He's got long, red claws."

The former Gladiator, meanwhile, bit his lower lip components, trying to picture this new opponent. It all fit his personal theory, but he would sooner dance on the conference room table in a pink tutu to the tune of a Broadway musical number than vocalize his suspicions to most of his troops. Instead, he may speak alone to the Seekers and Soundwave. But not yet…not without some sort of proof.

"Sounds like a real fashionista," Dirge shrugged.

"He's a terrorist," Megatron blurted out, "And he needs to be stopped."

Thrust looked at Skywarp dead in the optics, "Is he the Father?"

If Skywarp hadn't been so dejected and traumatized, he would have made a joke about the ghost being TC's Father. But no, he understood the question, "N-No, he's not."

"That's right; he's not." Soundwave stepped forward and stood with Skywarp; the Tapedeck looked at Thrust as he addressed the group, "We know who the Sire is." In order to protect his friend's privacy, he strongly implied that he HIMSELF was the Sire.

"You tell 'em, Pop!" Rumble cheered.

"Yes," Megatron agreed, "Everyone, you are to continue your assigned tasks. And come to the Control Room and see me the moment you find any evidence of this…Gravechaser mech!"

With only Skywarp, Starscream, their sparklings, and Soundwave and family present, Megatron could drop the military leader persona and question his young, brother-in-law in a softer tone, "Skywarp, I'm sorry you've been going through this. Why didn't you come to any of us for help?"

"He said not to," the Seeker's vocals were barely a whisper now; he was spent, "Even TC doesn't know…"

Megatron didn't know what to say. He felt so sorry for the dark Seeker; here he was, a loyal soldier to the Deception Army, fighting for the Cause the former Gladiator had championed, and now, when he was carrying, at a time of extreme sensitivity, someone had come into their Base; their very home, and tormented the flyer, making feel unworthy of their help; their love.

"Don't listen to this being," the Tapedeck told him, his twins coming over as well, "you didn't deserve this."

The carrying Seeker felt weak, hanging onto Soundwave for dear life. Skywarp thought his Leader hated him now, "Just…You have to trust us, okay? We're your family, Warp…" he didn't usually use their sparklinghood nicknames that were usually reserved for their Trine, but he was trying to reach out to him, "I don't know what this mech is after or where he came from, but we are going to put a stop to him. You're not alone anymore."

Starscream too wanted to help. He brushed past the others and hugged his pregnant brother tightly.

"Do NOT," Megatron ordered Starscream and Soundwave, "for any reason, leave him alone."

Soundwave hugged the Seekers as well, with Megatron finally joining in.