Chapter 35:
By Transformersnewfan
Gravechaser was absolutely seething with burning rage. An inferno of wrath embodied in a horrid, clawed form.
"The slagger actually referenced to my death with glee!" the ghost couldn't believe it! Being able to 'hear' their memories, the monster was enraged anew by Skywarp's blithe attitude towards his memory! The only thing keeping the ghost from tearing Skywarp limb from limb was the rodent's current proximity to the one he once called his son. And now knowing the truth, the sight of Thundercracker disgusted him now. It was Skywarp that poisoned his son's thinking! It was his fault! IT WAS ALL SKYWARP'S FAULT!
The two Seekers have been recharging for around an hour, with TC snoring loudly as he always did, when Skywarp opened his optics. He thought he had heard a strange noise. His sparkling shifted around, apparently awake as well. His belly still felt tight and full. And then there was a pain that felt as sharp as a stab wound.
That frightened the pregnant Jet; he sat up, worried because this wasn't the same pain on his right side that he was still experiencing, THIS one had come from his gestational chamber.
Twenty-six weeks was too early for labor pains, wasn't it? Panicking, he thought about waking his brother, but part of him was just trying to stay calm.
His pregnancy datapads were in their berthroom. He didn't want to go in there. Maybe TC's tablet would have the answers. It was on the desk.
Skywarp got up carefully, still aching, it seemed like ten miles to get to the desk when it was actually less than ten steps. Panting now, he grabbed the tablet and began searching. Finally, he found it.
"Braxton Hicks contractions," he whispered to himself, reading. At twenty-six weeks carrying, it was actually more common than he realized. The website described it as the muscle cables practicing flexing for labor. As long as the pains were not frequent or severe—his were not—it was nothing to worry about.
Skywarp sighed in relief, turning the tablet off. He yawned now, turning to go back to bed…
The tablet's light turned back on, as if someone touched it, illuminating the whole living room like a lighthouse.
The carrying flyer figured he didn't turn it off property, "Pregnant processor again," and walked back and again turned it off.
And it lit up for the third time immediately, making the Seeker yelp! Then the tablet shot off the desk and clear across the room, whizzing by him and crashing into a corner, knocking it offline. At least this time it didn't hit him in the helm!
Thundercracker stirred but didn't wake up.
Skywarp's spark was pounding very fast; he didn't want to be attacked again. He bolted to the wash racks, locking the door behind him, panting and holding his tummy protectively. After a few minutes, there were no further sounds. The pregnant Jet went to the sink and splashed some cool water on his faceplates. He was both feverish and chilled at the same time; he wasn't sure if these were more pregnancy symptoms or more indigestion or if he was just getting sick. He stood fully to look at himself in the mirror. And saw not only his own reflection but the image of a torn, battered Seeker standing right behind him!
"AAAAAUUUUGGGGGGHHHHH!" he screamed at the top of his air intakes, the apparition was horrific: Wings broken in several places; Energon-blood was seeping from multiple wounds; a few metal dentra missing, the being looked like it had gone fifteen rounds with Megatron in the Gladiatorial pits in Kaon and lost.
The shouting retched TC from his sleep immediately, "SKYWARP!" he shouted back, rushing to the wash racks.
"W-What are you?!" Skywarp rasped out, twisting around suddenly.
What it said was both sarcastic and ironic.
"Pavement pizza." Gravechaser grinned. He sucker-punched the carrying Seeker in the smell receptors, before pushing Warp against a wall.
Thundercracker couldn't open the door. It was locked! He began banging his fists against it, trying to break it down! "SKYWARP! OPEN THE DOOR!"
"L-LEAVE ME ALONE!" Skywarp fought back, using all his strength to push himself away from the wall.
Gravechaser reverted to his evil form and slashed across Skywarp's chestplates and canopy glass with his claws, leaving long, Energon-bloodied scratches, just like the ones that had healed over on the backs of his wings.
"Listen to me, you little fool," the ghost snarled, using the same words that Starscream had used months earlier, "everything up until now has just been a warning." The monster leaned in within an itch of Skywarp's faceplates, black optics flaring, "After what I heard tonight, I swear, when I offline your worthless steel hide, I'll make YOU look like what you so-called 'Pavement Pizza'!" he spat hot Energon through his fangs at the last two words.
"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Skywarp was keening hysterically now, "YOU'RE DEAD! GET AWAY FROM ME!" He was being driven insane, and he knew it. But he still had to protect his unborn daughter. He pushed back against Gravechaser's force, freeing himself and opening the door! He ran out of the wash racks and into his big brother's arms, sobbing, and keening, "AUUUGGGGGHHHH, AUUUGGGHHH!"
Thundercracker grabbed him and held him, "I gotcha, I gotcha!" looking into the wash racks, and, typically, seeing nothing there.
"AAAUUUUUUGGGHHHH!" Skywarp continued to cry out, pointing at the empty space. "H-HE'S IN THERE!" His chestplates burned where the scratches were.
"I believe you," Thundercracker told him firmly, seeing the injuries and becoming absolutely fed up with these attacks. He kept a firm hold on his carrying brother, grabbing the nearest object—a lamp—and tossing it at the spot where the attack had taken place, shattering the lamp.
"THIS IS THE LAST STRAW, AFTHOLE!" the blue Seeker bellowed at the thin air, "YOU EVER TOUCH MY BROTHER AGAIN, AND I'LL TAKE YOU APART WITH MY BARE HANDS!"
Skywarp was in full hysterics now, hurting and screaming, everything he should not be doing while carrying.
"SICK, SON-OF-A-RETRORAT!" Thundercracker roared at the room, "STAY OUTTA HERE!"
It was almost dawn, and the loud screaming and hollering awoke the Coneheaded Seekers in their quarters across the hallway.
Dirge and Ramjet came to the front door, with Thrust covering from behind.
"TC!" Dirge called as he knocked hard, "What's all the racket?!"
Thundercracker held his little brother close, "I'm coming!" But first, he grabbed a towel and held it to the other's wound and led him towards the door.
:T-TEECEE,: Skywarp realized something awful, :T-They're gonna think y-you did this…:
"I don't care," Thundercracker told him as he moved the file cabinet with one hand; not letting go of Warp with the other. He didn't want the attacker pulling him away from him. He opened the door and told their Comrades angrily, "Something attacked him again."
Dirge's optics widened, "Which way did he go?"
"Think he's still inside," he pointed at the wash racks, "check around while I take care of him."
Dirge and Thrust, guns drawn, checked the entire quarters, while Ramjet helped Thundercracker clean and bandage the newest cuts. Poor Skywarp started chewing on the towel to keep from screaming again.
Finally, the Coneheads pronounced the quarters safe, "We couldn't find anything," Thrust told their Lieutenant, "there's nobody here."
"No, SOMEBODY was here, Thrust!" TC insisted, standing up, "Somebody is after him!"
The maroon Conehead slung his gun across the back of his neck cables and gave his superior a sideways glance, "Thundercracker, you had the door locked. There's no other way for anybody to get in and outta here."
"What the slag's THAT supposed to mean," the blue Seeker crossed his arms, taking a defensive tone.
"All I see's a broken lamp and stuff thrown around here," Thrust continued, "maybe…you two had a fight or something?"
"Absolutely not," Thundercracker shook his helm, "and if you're gonna accuse me, I can just as easily turn around and suggest one of YOU'VE been breaking and outta here!"
"Come on, Thrust," Ramjet told his friend, "TC wouldn't do nothing."
Thrust shrugged and turned to leave.
Dirge seemed to sit on the fence.
"FINE!" Thundercracker threw his hands up, "I was gonna ask you guys to let him stay with you but forget it!"
The three Coneheads left, with Ramjet giving TC a look to say, he believed him.
Thundercracker groaned and re-barricaded the door.
From the time the Coneheaded Seekers entered to the time they left, Skywarp had not uttered a sound. He just sat on the side of the sofa bed, one of the thin blankets wrapped around him, rubbing his belly, trying in vain to calm his squirming sparkling.
:Momma! Momma!: she was upset, :Crystal scared!:
Skywarp tried rocking himself back and forth as if to rock his child, but his own silent sobbing was belying his movements.
Seeing them like that, the blue Seeker felt like he failed as a brother and an uncle. "Warp?" he whispered, "Can I help?" He came over and hugged him again, one hand rubbing the other's belly tenderly, "I know you're scared. I'm scared too. But, I'm gonna protect you two, okay?" He got him to lay back down, "You gotta rest…you need your rest," he covered Skywarp with both their blankets, continuing to rub his belly, "Listen…I-I figured this out. This stuff happens when I'm asleep, right? S-So, I'll stay awake and watch over you."
Skywarp's optics were exhausted, :TC…I'm so sorry.:
"Why are you sorry, kiddo?" Thundercracker smiled at him, using his other hand to stroke his little brother's forehelm, "You didn't do anything wrong."
:They're blaming you…: Skywarp let a small sob escape his vocalizer, :I told you, they're gonna think you did this to me.:
"Doesn't matter what those guys think," TC whispered, "I'll explain everything to Megatron, and he'll handle them. All I care about is you and Crystal."
The rays of morning sunlight began to shine through the windows; it had been one hell of a night. But Skywarp was finally settling down, closing his optics as Thundercracker continued to stroke his forehelm, "Shhhh, I'll watch over you…" The black and purple Seeker was finally soothed enough to go back into his recharge mode. As promised, his older brother stayed awake, letting the other sleep on his shoulder. Then, if he had blinked he would have missed it, he saw the tiny shift in the other's belly.
"Hey there," TC whispered, almost in a sing-songy way, "are you, Crystal?" He knew Skywarp didn't like anyone feeling his belly, but tonight he seemed to let Thundercracker rub it a couple of times, so he hoped the other wouldn't mind, "don't worry, okay? Momma's gonna be alright…"
The sparkling could distinct her uncle's vocals, settling down and curling up, falling asleep.
Thundercracker hummed a little lullaby since he couldn't remember the words exactly. He would have to learn new ones soon, he smiled.
The plan was set in motion; it seemed, Gravechaser scowled from his attic lair. It was the ghost's plan now to not only torment Skywarp but to pin his actions on Thundercracker, thus having one destroy the other and vice versa. He decided he would lay low for a while, just to keep the Cons guessing. And above all, he didn't want Thundercracker to put the pieces together.