The awareness of Thundercracker's dream state did not reach the conclusion he expected. The scenarios stopped, but the chaos remained. He did not understand how he was supposed to identify or locate anything within. Where he was inside was not a computer system with a well-structured file system. This was subconscious twisted and reformed, taking on the appearance of Alexis' world and imagination.

Since his retrieval of his own awareness, things changed for the much different. His understanding brought back Alexis' awareness, that as ill-defined as it was, made what he needed to do that much more difficult. For one, he couldn't find her, and not for a lack of trying. He searched more places and constructs than he would have ever believed possible. He traced and followed paths of data that led to her home, her school, different years and time frames and even places of employment.

He was getting frustrated and fed up. How easy it would have been to forget his purpose, to allow the flow of her subconscious to catch him and put him back into the stream of dreams that ebbed and flowed, rippled and spread through and within, turning mundane reality into provoking glimpses inside Alexis' psyche that he could interact with.

"She doesn't like you here," a small voice said.

He just entered the playground of a preschool. Tiny little versions of humanity were playing outside, rushing and running along. They were shouting and crying, screaming and talking, most breaking off and forming groups as they played with toys and large interactive constructs that were made just for their size.

Turning around, he had to angle his neck-piece quite a way to see who was speaking. It was a young girl; she had her hair pulled back into long flowing pig-tails, pink bows adorning the wrapped tresses. A yellow dress adorned the child that clashed with her bright green eyes.

He recognized her immediately.

"Alexis?"

The kid stuck her tongue out.

"Don't talk to me, you are a stranger."

He frowned at that. "You spoke to me first."

"I did not." She shook her head firmly and once more shot her tongue out at Thundercracker with a great show of disrespect. "Don't look at me! Go away." She ran away and joined the other kids.

TC followed. Between the time he talked to the child and his first steps that he took, something changed. Screaming began as kids and teachers alike reacted to his Cybertronian presence. His view was changing; everything became smaller as he grew back to his original height. The air became cloudy and thick, the sun blinking away as the moon shot out overhead, waning high above.

"I just want to help," Thundercracker spoke. "Let me help you."

"By invading my mind, using my imagination to create your own fantasies? I think you have been here long enough." The voice echoed around TC, but had no fixed point. "I will give you one more try. Find me and perhaps I will listen."

"Where are you?"

"The only place you haven't bothered to look, but is more important to me than you realize."

With that the mist pulled back, the darkness faded, the sun burst into the sky as a ray off light escaped, highlighting a path.


He found her in a church. The building was large. The front double doors were wide open, allowing him easy entrance. Or it would have, if he was still of human size. Getting on a knee plate, he peered through the open doors. Thundercracker tried to catch a glimpse of the girl inside.

The building held no one within. It held many empty seats inside, but no one was within. Frustrated once again, he got back up. Ready to continue his search, he suddenly heard music playing; people were singing and shouting, and a bass was traveling underneath the cement, rattling along the street.

Getting back down, he made a visual sweep. The humans noticed TC right away, people once more reacting to his presence as the building cleared out of all except one.

"Alexis, come out."

She didn't move, just sat there with her head bowed, her hands folded over in her lap.

"I'm sorry. I lied. I don't want to talk to you. And now you should leave." Her hand swiped over her shoulder; the church doors slammed shut. TC's body was thrown back into the parking lot.

And that was all it took for Thundercracker to wake up.


Three days had gone by since Alexis fell over the walkway. Three days of Starscream sulking and throwing blame his way, of Skywarp glaring at him because of where TC went that he wasn't even considered, three days of the girl in the medical lab still unconscious.

He was only in her head for a couple of hours, and yet if felt like a couple of lifetimes. Thundercracker could recall every scenario, every word, every touch and every moment. The clarity of the dream and the detail put into it was so real to him despite all the inconsistencies, that to wake back to his reality and circumstances was unsatisfying.

Was that how dreaming was for all humans? Did they all dream so deeply? Did they all feel and experience so much in so short a time?

Ratchet tried to convince him to go back in, yet after he finally decided to try again, the connection modules refused to function. Somehow the unconscious human locked them out.

"So much for that," Starscream groused, the aggravation in his tone multiplying. "Now what?"

Ratchet shook his head, showing signs of disappointment. "Alexis must wake up on her own; that is all there is to it."


Finally, she did wake up. Of course, Thundercracker was never informed. So to come upon the small human standing before the view port that Starscream made for her, as she stared out at the barren landscape of Cybertron, was not only a surprise, but a shock. If Starscream's emotions hadn't been on such an overload to the point that he had to filter their link, he would have surely been made aware sooner. Perhaps, the fact that he had been unable to recharge since he connected with Alexis, was another factor that was clouding his usual sharp perception.

"You are awake." The moment he spoke he felt incredibly foolish. Of course she was awake, that was Alexis standing there, Alexis turning around and looking up. His spark jumped when she offered him a small smile. He ignored the irregular trepidation. Thundercracker knew he had questions to ask and things he needed to know.

She was just about to say something when Starscream exploded on the scene. The Supreme Air Commander sent a severe dismissive stare TC's way. Standing there just a moment longer, he watched as Starscream carefully placed some food on a nearby table. Then he left the two alone.


He wasn't to see much of her over the next week. Even the humans and the Autobots saw more of the female than he and Skywarp. Or at least Ratchet and his two human companions, it seemed that Bumblebee was on a list of limited access to Starscream's female.

"This sucks," Skywarp complained bitterly, his words chosen revealed his familiarity with human phrases, and his time spent among them. "I want to see her." Flopping down upon his berth, he vented air. "I mean it was you and Starscream that damaged her, not me... Speaking of which, after what you did, why did Starscream allow you to go inside her head? What the slag is wrong with me?"

Thundercracker decided not to answer. He hadn't bothered all the other times Skywarp brought it up, and he still felt no need. He knew, however, that it was because Alexis liked Warp, and because they got along quite well. TC was chosen because of the distance he had maintained from the human, an irony that now grated along his processor.

"You ever going to tell me what it was like in her mind? What did you see? What did you do? And did you do any of it to her?" Skywarp sighed at his lack of an answer. "Fine, don't tell me. But how long is it going to take before Starscream forces you to? You know that as soon as he isn't distracted anymore, he will force you to show him."

That possibility had crossed his processor. However, whatever he wanted to know, Starscream could get it from the female after her recovery was through, if the Seeker could wait that long. Perhaps that was why Starscream was even more possessive of the female of late. Perhaps he knew some of what happened, what he experienced and what took place. TC shuddered to think of such a possibility. He didn't want Starscream to know. Thundercracker didn't even want himself to know. But it was now a glitch in his mainframe, everything replaying repeatedly as the memories wouldn't fade.

"We received a message from Moonbreaker. It seems he's going to join our party after all."

Thundercracker recognized the designation. He was behind in some of his duties and had yet to place the name with a visual record, but he knew the reputation of the mech.

"The bounty hunter? Have we gotten that desperate?"

"He's an afthole that's for sure, but Screamer has something planned for him, although I am pretty sure it is not what Moonbreaker thinks. Starscream doesn't trust him."

TC scoffed at that. "Starscream doesn't trust anyone."

"Yeah, but if he passes the usual loyalty tests, he will be sticking around for a while. And with the humans due to arrive any day now, well, as they say themselves... there goes the neighborhood."

Thundercracker cringed. That thought didn't mesh well with his systems. But Starscream was allowing humans access to Cybertron. Some were outcasts who had worked with the Decepticons; others were just refugees who needed a place to stay and food to survive. Of course, they would have to work for such a security. TC was pretty sure part of Starscream's decision had to do with Alexis. Bringing more humans to her, would make the female think less about the home planet she left and distract Alexis' overstimulated mind. Somehow though, TC didn't believe that making her forget was going to be that simple.


The routine of having dinner began again. This time though, Alexis brought along her friends Sam and Mikaela. Never an expert in gauging a human's emotional state, he could not ascertain exactly what she was feeling.

The three humans were talking amicably about earth, about their families and the youngling Alexis' female friend had birthed, about the rebuilding of homes and constructs and about starting over. The humans monopolized the conversation, but no one complained. Starscream, however, by his subtle restlessness was having a difficult time dealing with it, whether out of jealously or because of their enthusiastic prattling, Thundercracker couldn't tell.

However, TC had been unable to fix Starscream's emotional capacity since a little while after Alexis' accident. Their link was being filtered as the Supreme Seeker kept distance from the two. Which meant he was angry at one or both of his trinemates as he held a severe grudge.

Hours after the strange dinner, he was in his quarters when the chime sounded off. Finding out who it was had a marked feeling of apprehension settle in his circuits. Pressing the release, his door slid open.

Alexis stood below. Seeing her closer than he had in a while, he recognized that her skin was back to its normal hue, her eyes once more clear and alert.

"Hi," she greeted him amicably. "I am sorry to bother you... but can we talk for a moment?"

"I'm rather busy. Another time," he said curtly. All the time he waited for a chance to talk to her, and now the opportunity right in front of him, he filled up with unidentifiable aggression.

"Just a moment and I won't bother you further." Alexis promised, her mouth curving downwards as her brows scrunched together. "Starscream knows I am here, so you don't have to worry about him."

"Is he now your keeper, besides your mate?"

Immediately, Thundercracker regretted his words. And when Alexis pivoted of her left foot and walked quickly away, he knew he went too far. He left his quarters and followed.

"Human... wait." He tried again. "Alexis... I..."

She stopped at the sound of her name but didn't turn around.

Alexis began to speak, her tone soft and reflective. "I remember you calling me by name before. I remember hearing the concern. I... I liked it and I like it now. I just wanted to thank you for saving my life. Thank you for all that you did. I don't remember much after we were attacked, but I do know that I owe you for everything you did."

This time when TC saw his chance, he didn't hesitate. "Do you remember..."

"Remember what?" She turned around to face him. Alexis' head angled on her shoulder as she looked up.

"Do you remember the dreams?"

She answered quickly, eyes diverting to the wall on the left. "Vaguely. Even the most detailed dreams have a way of fading. Starscream told me what you did. I know Ratchet said it ended up doing no good, but I am sure he is wrong. I just wish I remember more."

Thundercracker frowned, both disappointed and relieved. "So you don't recall anything?"

She looked away; her voice twisted with concern. "No. Did I do anything... anything strange?"

Thundercracker thought about the offered kiss, thought of her delicate hands upon his chassis, thought of her standing before him and at the perfect size.

TC shook his head. "I don't remember anything either," the Seeker lied. Suddenly, he felt safe once more, blanketed by the falsehood and assured by her lack of remembrance. Nothing needed to change, everything could stay exactly the same.

Inexplicably, knowing that did not make him feel any better.