Since I've made it this far I think it should be obvious that I don't own anything aside of the plot of this story.

forgive any misspells please! I'm still editing!

"We Must Forgive Each Other, Because there is One far worse than You and I."

-Elizabeth Comstock

Ratchet sighed sadly and began rocking the little seeker back and forth in his servos, "Maybe this was a bad idea Optimus. Maybe we should have never…"

"Ratchet," said Bulkhead, "You can't really mean that."

"Look at us, Bulkhead!" cried Ratchet, "We're falling apart!"

"S-s-sa'nok?" squeaked Starscream, looking up at his carrier.

"Ratchet…What are you saying?" chirped Bumblebee his door wings drooping down to their lowest point.

"I'm saying that…Maybe Arcee is right, maybe we shouldn't have taken in Starscream."

Shocked silence followed that remark, blanketing the silo's atmosphere and causing the air to become heavy and thick.

"Ratchet…You…You can't really mean that," buzzed Bumblebee, his door-wings hanging low on his shoulder-struts, "you love Starscream, I know you do."

Ratchet's shoulder plates shook as his optics filled with fluid and static "It doesn't matter," he croaked, rubbing the static out of his optics with his digits, "Look at what is happening to this team. We can't continue living like this. I can't continue on like this."

"W-what are you saying?" asked Bulkhead, jaw slack, "Ratchet?"

"Sa'nok?"squeaked Starscream, wings and derma quivering. What was his creator talking about? What is happening?

"I can't…I can't…This team is falling apart," whimpered Ratchet, "I can't fix it."

Bumblebee's doors stood erect on his shoulder struts as Bulkhead and Arcee tensed.

"Ratchet?" Arcee whispered, her spark pulsing erratically in its chamber. Ratchet never whimpered, he never allowed himself to look this vulnerable and exposed. Ever. Ratchet was strong and composed, the Doctor who cured, fixed and supported the team. This was wrong. This entire thing was just wrong!

"Ratchet, give me the sparkling." Said Optimus sternly, stretching his servos out to take the sparkling from the now trembling ambulance.

Ratchet only held Starscream to his chest plates, tightening his hold on the seeker as Optimus' servos drew nearer.

"I don't like this," said Rafael quietly as his hands clenched nervously into fists. He had the feeling that the situation would get ugly really quickly if someone didn't intervene soon.

"I don't either. Miko go get Dreadwing, NOW," whispered Jack, not taking his eyes off the scene before them.

MIko nodded once and quietly walked down the resting area's steps before quietly walking down one of the silo's hallways before taking off into a run towards the Brig.

Thankfully none of the Autobots noticed Miko's exit.

"Jack I'm scared."

Jack shook his head and put his hand on Rafael's shoulder,"I'm scared too."

"Ratchet, give me my son," said Optimus firmly, taking a hold of Ratchet's servos. Starscream whimpered in fear as his Sa'nok's grip only tightened. What's going on? Sa'nok was hurting his wings.

"Ratchet you are hurting him. Let go,"Optimus commanded, gently rubbing the Medic's servos with his own.

The little seeker whimpered again as Ratchet shook.

Optimus took a deep cycle of air, trying to calm himself down as Ratchet refused to release Starscream.

"I…Optimus…," whimpered Ratchet, grimacing as his protoform spasamed painfully underneath his chest plates, "Please don't think-"

"Medic if you know what's good for you, give the sparkling to me now. The rest, get to the escape pod, you are running out of time." Said a commanding voice, ripping through the tension in the room, "Except you Two-wheeler, shut your mouth and stay with me. You and I have a lot to discuss."

"Dreadwing,"gasped Bulkhead in relief, "Am I sure glad to see your ugly face."

"Aw now Bulkhead you're going to make me blush, "sighed Dreadwing sarcastically as he sauntered over to the Autobot Medic, gently prying apart Ratchets trembling digits and taking Starscream with a comforting croon.

"Miko, thank God,"sighed Jack in relief as Miko ran up the steps to the entertainment area.

"I hope he knows what he's doing,"panted Miko, "they need to hurry up before that new 'bot becomes scrap."

The Medic let out a shuddering cycle as the larger seeker crooned and patted his trembling shoulder struts, "Take a deep cycle and go help your team. When you return I will help you with your burden. On my honor I swear I will," hummed Dreadwing, gently rubbing the wiring between the Medic's shoulder struts with his digits while his other servo held Starscream close to his windshield, "Prime, I suggest again that you discuss this later, I will deal with the younglings while you are gone."

"You are correct Dreadwing, we'll discuss this at another time," said the Prime, looking thankful and relieved before straightening his posture and squaring his shoulder-struts, "Autobots get ready."

Bulkhead and Bumblebee nodded in unison and quickly made their way to the ground bridge.

"Arcee," he said firmly, staring down at the guilt stricken two-wheeler, "No more arguing, you are to stay here IN base and be kept under Dreadwing's supervision."

Arcee blanched at the idea of being watched over, by a Decepticon no less, "I'm not going to be babysat by the enemy! I'm not some naughty sparkling you can just leave behind or ground!"

"That is enough, Arcee."

"I am an Autobot soldier and I am entitled to-"

"Arcee, I said ENOUGH."

Arcee froze as the Prime's voice echoed throughout the silo. He never raised his voice…

"Arcee from the moment Starscream has entered our base you have acted like a spoiled sparkling. Your constant insubordination and disrespect for what we stand for has grown very, very, old. You have consistently questioned my orders and acted on your own. As your leader it is my decisions that are final, it will be so until I am deemed unfit for duty and relieved of leadership. If, and I do mean if, that day should ever come, YOU may throw in your bid to lead the Autobots, but until then you will obey orders, you will show respect to both my decisions, as well as your comrades, are we clear?"

"But-" protested the two-wheeler.

"Do you not have any sense of self-preservation you foolish youngling?" hissed Dreadwing, flaring his wings as the sparkling in his servos whimpered in distress, "You have disrespected not only your late partner but your entire team and the Autobot cause! You have committed an atrocity that even a Decepticon would condemn and yet you still have the audacity to disobey orders, defend your act and criticize your leader's choices?"

Arcee growled at Dreadwing as he spoke, "That creature-"

"You as well as everyone in this room know that Cilffjumper was no martyr or saint," hissed Dreadwing, flaring his wings and baring his fangs. "He has beaten, interrogated- and in the eyes of many Decepticons "murdered" countless souls in the name of the Autobot cause, just as much as you have or anyone else that took part in that hideous war."

Arcee gnashed her denta, "How dare-"

"Shut your mouth!" spat Dreadwing, baring his denta again, "The only way to redeem your-self is to follow this simple order. You are to stay inside this base and you are going to leave Starscream alone, if you do not wish to interact with him you have no obligation to but you WILL respect Ratchet's decision as well as the Prime's to keep Star in this base and to keep him as a team member and a son."

Arcee flinched at the word, glaring down at the silo's concrete floors before whispering "He's not going to repl-"

"I would rethink those words Arcee," growled Bulkhead warningly from his position near the ground bridge, his servo balling into a fist. Next to him, Bublebee buzzed quietly from his spot and shook his helm in disappointment.

"I don't care if you feel that Star's presence here is inappropriate," sighed Dreadwing, "he will grow and stay as a part of this team whether you like it or not."

Arcee huffed disbelievingly.

"If you cannot accept that then know this… Arcee. Not only is a Decepticon getting a second chance, but the second in command of Megatron is also getting a second chance," stated Optimus, off-lining his optics for a moment, "This is an opportunity we cannot miss. You yourself confirmed it to me earlier. Please… Please… Arcee, see that reason again. I don't want to give up on you. On what we all have now. I do not… want to lose my son again."

Arcee's optics were wide as her mouth hung open, derma quivering, "I-I...I..."

" Do you understand what I am requesting?"

"Y-...Yes, sir,"said Arcee feeling like a naughty sparkling that was just being scolded by its sire. Well…actually… this felt worse, "I...Understand," she whispered, as her helm lowered and optics shuttered. This day was going to hell.

"Good, Bulkhead open up the groundbridge."

"Yes sir."

"Ratchet give me your medical kit, whoever is out there might need it."

"R-Right Optimus, I'll get the kit ready and see what else I can bring-"

"Ratchet you are in no condition to come with us-"

"EP! I'm the medic on this team, if whoever is out there is hurt beyond your knowledge- Despite your best intentions you won't be able to help them. Now please, let me do my job. I'm fine!"

"Ratchet-"

"Optimus just-! Ugh…Just please. Let me… Let me…"

Optimus sighed quietly as the medic wiped his optics and headed towards the medical bay.

"Dreadwing-"

"I know my place here, Prime. Have faith in my honor and abilities, I will see you all when you return," crooned Dreadwing with a bow.

Optimus nodded and cast his gaze upon the sparkling in the seeker's servos and groaned quietly in pity,"Star…"

Starscream was still whimpering against Dreadwing's chestplates, wings low and trembling. Starscream hated shouting and loud noises. Starscream hated everything that was happening right now. Did sa'nok and sempu hate him now? What was going on?

Optimus reached out slowly and caressed the smaller seeker's helm as Dreadwing purred in an attempt to soothe the distressed sparkling.

Starscream only squeaked and burrowed further into Dreadwing's chest, rejecting his sempu's touch.

Optimus shuttered his optics and puffed a cycle of air before letting his servo drop down to his side.

"It will be alright," crooned Dreadwing.

Whether that was directed toward Starscream or himself Optimus didn't know. Turning away Optimus squared his shoulder-struts again and cleared his voice box.

They had a job to do.

"Autobots Roll out!"

So uhhhhh... wow... been a while huh?

I would first like to apologize to everyone for taking this long to post this I mean... Jeez.

I've been busy and not the "oh i'm just procrastinating busy" the "I have a job and family to take care of busy." you know? but still I am sorry you guys. but don't give up on me. I'm still writing and I still know what I want to do with this story.

happy anniversary by the way too.

this story is now three.

Yay?

but still sorry. I love you guys.

I would like to thank all the people who have reviewed thus far and have stuck with me for so long. Don't lose hope okay?