If you made it this far, then you should be aware of the warnings.

Ch. 17

"I can't believe you guys are forcing me to go." Jazz's grumble turned into a whine towards the end as not only Ratchet was pulling him closer to a large building, but Ratchet, Cliffjumper, and Wheeljack. "I know why Blaster is making a big deal out of this, but why does Ironhide care? And why are you here Cliff? Who bribed you?"

"No one Jazz, I'm in town for a bit before the team goes back down to Earth. Still hate Earth, would much prefer to be stationed on Cybertron or Moonbase-1!" The red minibot shouted loud enough for Ratchet to hear him. The medic waved his servo in the air.

"You make it sound like Autobots are still a thing. Why don't we trade, let me run away and hide on Earth? Get away from Cybertron. Slag, I'll even take Planet of Junk right now." Jazz tried to dig his heel into sidewalk, but Ratchet pinched a wire in his hips, and he jumped enough for them to get him into the line.

"The Autobots are still a thing. Just because there is no war, doesn't mean that we abolished the team. Some of us joined Hot Rod's team, and some stay here in case something happens." Wheeljack said with a cheery tone. "Trust me Jazz, Planet of Junk is not a place you want to go. They are a bunch of heathens that would rather take you apart and make use of your scraps."

The taller Polyhexian gave the scientist an unphased look, clearly not seeing the problem in that. He started weighing out his options with his servos as a visual, "Cybertron where I am constantly reminded of the failure I am or get ripped apart by crazy bots and used for scraps. Hope they let me pick what is ripped off first! I don't want to go in there."

"Geez, you're a party pooper. You're just a coward, afraid you'll maybe enjoy yourself? Let me know when my friend is around, cause at least the Jazz I know would have pretended to be enjoying himself and make jokes." Cliffjumper gave Jazz his signature scowl. Jazz crossed his arms and looked away with his field closed off.

"Blaster commed me about how he was concerned for you. Cliff here was already coming here before returning to Autobot City on Earth, and Wheeljack and I are experimenting a few things. And you are here to see if a few things work still, because frankly you should've had a heat cycle after I removed the blockers and opened everything. Jazz, we aren't going to leave you alone in there." Ratchet explained as it was their turn to go inside.

I'm going to strangle everyone. Jazz revved his engines with his arms still crossed. "Maybe I won't ever have one? Fine I'll go inside and pretend that I want to have mechs and femmes grinding themselves all over me." He lowered his arms, as they walked inside the club. There were mechs and femmes everywhere; some on tables dancing, a couple on the main stage dancing, several were inside cages above the floor, and the place smelt like high grade and interface fluids. He tapped his comlink and grumbled even then. ::I really hate you all.::

::Come on we'll get the drinks. Ironhide said as long as we keep an optic on you, he doesn't care if you get overcharged.:: Wheeljack said as he led Jazz to the bar. Ratchet, you sure it's a good thing to bring Jazz here? He did basically live as Soundwave's personal pleasure bot.

It's not a solid study, but a few collogues from the hospital said that they sent some patients to pleasure clubs to give their interface a bit of a jumpstart after either unused, new parts, or lack in performance. If anything happens, I'm here. Ratchet said through their bond, that most didn't even know was a thing. The only ones that really knew it was a thing was Ironhide and Optimus. ::Cliffjumper and I are in the back booth. Five kliks before Cliffjumper ditches us.::

::Because of that I'm going to say twelve before Jazz finds someone to frag.:: Cliffjumper joined in the unintentional betting pool.

The Polyhexian leaned against the bar with his friend. "I just want normal grade; I really don't want to drink Jackie." He was uncomfortable with the situation and was growing more uncomfortable when not only one, but two femmes stalked over to them. "Not interested." He quickly said before moving closer to Wheeljack as he got a tray of drinks.

"Oh, come on baby, we'll be gentle. What are you hiding under all of that plating?" The femme on the left was a deep violet Seeker. Her friend was a scarlet with a lighter shade of red as highlights and had two short Polyhexian horns. "I'm Fantasia and this is Harmonic. What's yours handsome?"

Kill me. Jazz leaned into his servos with a quiet groan. "Please go away. I'm not interested." He thanked the bartender when he handed him his cube of energon. A large built Praxian walked over and dropped a few credits in their servos.

"Leave the poor mech alone you energon eaters." He pushed them away before leaning against the bar with his wings fluttering, and a sultry smile on his face. "Name's Nitro, I know who you are. Care to dump gramps here and dance with me instead?"

Jazz felt if he had ears like Ravage or Steeljaw, they would be lying flat right now. "No, I'm not interested in dancing. Thanks for getting rid of them though." Wheeljack looked to Jazz and told him that he was ready to head back. While they were busy talking, Nitro quickly dropped something into Jazz's cube and then walked away.

The two returned to Cliffjumper and Ratchet at their booth. Wheeljack sat right beside his mate while Jazz sat beside the red mech. "You must be really broken down there if you turned down not only one, but three bots!" Cliffjumper said in amazement before drinking his specialty drink quickly. He slammed his empty glass with an unnecessary amount of strength. "I'm going to go find someone to frag."

Jazz drank the energon slowly before setting it down with a heavy sigh. "I don't want to just frag anyone, why is that a problem? What are you two wanting to test out?"

"Wheeljack wants to face in public." Ratchet said casually before sipping his high grade slowly. "You don't want to face anyone because you're scared of interfacing, or is it because none of them are Prowl?"

The Polyhexian opened his mouth to defend himself, but he said nothing as he drank his energon to hold his glossa. Wheeljack finished off his drink and then looked at his partner with a cheeky look in his optics. "Ratchet, leave work at work. Ask him after tonight. This is the first time in like ever that we get to be in the same room besides in the office."

"Ratchet, have you ever had someone control your interface array since your first heat cycle? Have someone only let you feel aroused when they want you to? All I know is what Soundwave d-did… Primus." Jazz leaned forward with a groan, which quickly got the other two mech's to move to his side. His cooling fans were slowly churning, and he shivered when Ratchet touched his arm. "I-I'm fine, just a bit feeling… weird. Sound… Soundwave did to m-me." His helm was pounding, he felt his spike pressing against its housing while his valve was on the verge of leaking lubricant, and all he could think about was needing someone to help him achieve the only thing on his mind. I need to overload.

"Jazz, you okay? Your spark temperature has increased by fifteen percent." Ratchet was concerned that Jazz actually started his heat cycle. The Polyhexian nodded with a whine, and he starred venting slightly hard. His vision was blurring, and he slouched in the booth when he remembered this feeling from a long time ago.

That slagger spiked my energon. Jazz stood up with a pained groan, and he instantly regretted it when Wheeljack and Ratchet both touched his frame. His helm rolled back, and a moan left his lips. The mech covered his mouth when he realized that he just moaned. "F-Frag, seriously not again."

"Again? Jazz, we need to cool you down before your spark is endangered. Come on, forget your pride and stubbornness for a moment, and find someone to interface with." Ratchet was scanning Jazz's core temperature, and he was getting really worried. "Did you get ahold of interface parasites?"

He shook his helm with a whine as his vision was getting blurry even more. Hot. I'm so hot. Jazz pointed to his energon with a wave of his digits. "S-Spiked. Ratch' I'm so hot, please help me before I-I do something stupid."

During the war, Ratchet didn't mind helping Jazz because he wasn't with anyone, but now that he was with Wheeljack, he wasn't sure it was okay. Wheeljack looked at his mate with a nod of his helm. I trust you Ratchet, and this is Jazz. He isn't going to want to steal you from me. But I'm joining you both to make sure you remember who has your spark. He winked at his mate before they helped carry Jazz to a private room. "Alright, come on we'll help ya out kid." Jazz didn't remember anything after he heard the door lock behind them. He was so out of it, that when he onlined the next morning he was confused.

"How did I get home? Ugh my processor." He held the side of his helm when he sat up slowly. Jazz looked around with even more confusion when he felt his valve was still hot, and leaking lubricant slightly. His cooling fans were on a low enough setting, that he knew exactly what this was. "Am I… in heat? I-I started my heat cycle!" The Polyhexian didn't know why he was happy about the news, but he was thrilled to discover that at least one part of him wasn't broken.

Then the reality sunk in, and he groaned as he collapsed back on the berth. "I'm in heat. Now what am I supposed to do?" Blaster, I can't work. What happened last night? I don't remember anything.

Don't 'member much, yer side of dah bond was kinda wonky. Hatch' commed meh and said dat ya were partyin' it up, thanks tah some mech. He told Optimus dat ya would be outta commission for a while, but Ah can stop by with your work and tah visit ya. We gotta strengthen dah bond. The Host informed Jazz while he was working with Telatraan on where all of these new citizens were coming from. Blaster was gathering any information he could from the readings that the computer could get.

The Polyhexian rolled out of the berth with a groan but sat back down immediately when his world started spinning. "Okay, Jazz take it slowly." He took his time getting on his peds before leaving his room to refuel before retreating back into his quarters. Once his tanks were full enough, he went to his room and flopped on his berth with a groan. Primus my valve is really lubricated.

Jazz leaned against the wall behind his berth and his valve cover slid open, and he noticed a bead of lubricant sliding down it. He bit his lip as he rubbed a digit over the outer rim of the sensitive area. "F-Frag yes."

Later that day, Ratchet stopped by to check up on Jazz. Ironhide told him that Jazz had left his room since this morning. Which didn't entirely concern the medic, since it was preferable that anyone who experienced heat to be isolated during the first few solar cycles of their cycle to avoid any accidents. He went to the door, knocking on it before entering. "Jazz, it's Ratchet. How's your heat cycle going? I came over to check on you, since it has been awhile since your last cycle."

"Terrible, I have been stuck in here all day. It's like the first time all over again, and it sucked aft." Jazz was curled up on the berth with music softly playing and his body covered up by several thermal blankets. "Ratchet, this may sound dumb, but what is a standard age for heat cycles to start?"

Well you should know? The medic went over to the mech and started scanning him while answering. "Around the time they get into their third upgrade, which is two deci-vorns. Why?" As soon as Ratchet gave an estimation, Jazz hid his face and a whimper escaped the Polyhexian's voice box. "Jazz, you can talk to me."

Jazz's hardline cable peeked out from under the pile of blankets. The older mech sat beside the berth before connecting each other. Ratchet was shown immediately one of Jazz's memories.

"Was barely one and half deci-vorns old." Jazz looked at Ratchet before Soundwave walked into the room that was used a punishment. A young Jazz was sitting in the middle of the berth, whimpering as he rocked.

"Pet, what's the matter? Are you feeling okay, you're looking a little antsy?" Soundwave asked playfully as he walked over to the mech. He reached out and touched his shoulder before pulling away mockingly. "And your frame is burning up."

The Polyhexian looked up with small trickles of tears sliding down on his face. He didn't know what was going on, and he felt funny in his pelvic area. "M-Master, what's happening to me? It feels funny here." He pointed to his pelvic plating with whimpers.

"Do you love Master, Pet?" Soundwave crawled onto the berth, forcing the mechling to crawl further on the berth. Jazz nodded with Soundwave caressing his face. "I started your heat cycle for you. Don't worry Pet, I'll make you feel better. Would you like Master to make you feel better?"

Jazz nodded with a grateful smile. Soundwave purred in delight before manually opening his valve plating. It wasn't long before the Lord started massaging the area.

Ratchet pulled out of his helm, getting the hint at what happened after that. They put their hardline cables away in silence. "Oh, kid I'm so sorry that happened to you. You shouldn't have had interfaced until you were much older and ready." He climbed onto the berth just moments before Jazz tackled him into a hug, and bursted into tears. Ratchet held him in his arms, gently rocking with Jazz clinging holding onto him. "You're safe now Jazz, Soundwave can't hurt you again. I promise."

"Why would Prowl want me still even with what I am? What is so special about me that he wants me to be his sparkmate? Everything about life I know is what that pit spawn taught me. I'm so broken I don't know what is normal." He hugged onto him tighter before bowing his helm with a shaky whimper. "I just want to get a new protoform and frame and forget everything Soundwave has done to me. Just remember only the good parts."

"And what are the good parts?" Ratchet asked while Jazz looked up with a frown on his face. He shrugged and the medic gave him an unconvinced look in his optics. "Don't shrug at me Jazz."

The Polyhexian sat up with a heavy sigh. "Earth, the war, and that feeling of that I'm safe in big… strong… arms. I want to remember all of the times where everything outside his arms disappeared. No pain, no memory fluxes, no Soundwave, no… no doubt of the mech I can be. That's what I want to remember Ratchet."

"Is that what Prowl did for you? Made you feel things that you never did before?" The medic inquired and Jazz nodded with a bit of shame. "Jazz, there is no need to be ashamed of! That's what love is kid." He partially laughed in astonishment and pulled away with a smile on his face. Jazz went to argue, but Ratchet put a servo between them with a smirk. "Kid, I am a medic and I am in love with a brilliant mech. And if I were to scan your spark readings as you thought of Prowl, it would escalate ten jolts."

Jazz looked down with a heavy sigh. "I can't be in love. Not with a mech that I've hurt. What if he hurts me?"

"Jazz, this is Prowl we're talking about. He was the one who arrested Soundwave because of you. He spent since the end of the war wanting to talk to you. Prowl wouldn't hurt you out of rage. Take your time to see that if you need to, but Prowl is and has been in love with you since you both awkwardly flirted with each other." The medic chuckled before pulling away to look him over. "Now you should be fine with leaving the house after a couple solar cycles, but I highly suggest that if you want to leave you take someone with you to avoid any crazed mechs. Polyhexians have these general rules about Carriers and their heat cycles."

The mech nodded in understanding before pulling away and sighing heavily. "Hey Ratchet?"

"Hm?"

"Do Carriers leave any signs of previous carryings? When I wasn't in a heat induced haze, I kept seeing myself with this huge bump and my spark was purple. I know it sounds weird, and you're just going to tell me that it's the heat, but I have this feeling. Like my body or my processor is trying to tell me something." Jazz looked up at him with that hopeful expression.

The older shook his helm, "There is no way to tell when someone has carried unless they say. The only way to tell is through residuals of creation bonds, but those disappear when the creation enters its third upgrades."

"Oh." The Polyhexian said with genuine disappointment. Then what is my body trying to tell me?

::Ratchet, it's Hot Rod. Need you at the hospital right now.:: The young council member said in the medic's comlink.

"Looks like duty calls. If you have any pain comm me, I see no reason you should need any pain buffers at the moment." The mech stood up after hugging his friend one last time. Jazz smiled at him before laying back down with a heavy sigh.

The medic rushed to the hospital to see what got the young mech so riled up. He found Hot Rod and Drift standing in front of the hospital, waiting for him. "What is it? Are either of you hurt?"

"No, we met with Meister and Skids. It's not what we thought." Hot Rod whispered as they stepped out of view of anyone. "It's like they're Autobots. They kept going on about finishing our job."

"They're trying to abolish slavery in Kaon, Vos, and Tarn. And they have DJD members helping them, they were as loyal to Megatron as Soundwave and Shockwave." Drift said as he leaned against the side of the building. "And the kid, Skids and Meister are brothers. He was hooked up to this machine, Skids said something about a grid."

The future Prime nodded with a big smile. "They mentioned their Carrier was a slave. And they revealed they have two different Sires!"

The medic as going along with the rambling until the very end. "Wait that can't be right, when we looked through their files they were the same age. They'd have to be split sparks. And there were millions of slaves during the golden age."

"But they had two different optic colors." Drift shook his helm with a frown before quickly turning to Hot Rod. "I have to head to work. I'll see you tonight."

"Oh, okay. Love you." The mech was slightly caught off guard with the quick kiss on the cheek and then his lover taking off for Velocity. He looked back down at the quiet mech across from him. "What if they are twins, but sired by two different mechs?"

"I'll see what I can find on split sparks." He said with a slightly annoyed sigh.

Five days had pass, and Jazz was on a drive with Ironhide. They needed a few things from the store, and the red mech said something about needing Jazz's opinion on somethings. Loud sirens got their attention and they pulled off the road to let several fire trucks, enforcers, and ambulances rush past.

::What's that about?:: Jazz asked as they slowly got back on the road and returned their drive.

::Not sure.:: Ironhide replied as he led them back on their way to the store. As they went under the highway bridge, that was the same time they saw the smoke in the sky. Jazz pulled into a boxed area and transformed quickly, despite Ironhide's advising against it. "Kid, come on let them deal with it."

A crowd was formed safely away from the apartment complex. Jazz saw Inferno and Red Alert took care of the situation. "Okay, that's everyone!"

"Come on Jazz." Ironhide tried to get Jazz to focus, but the Polyhexian saw a frantic femme looking around from an area where they were getting their intakes cleared. Jazz looked up at the building and then quickly took off past everyone. "Jazz!"

"Jazz! Jazz get back here!" Inferno shouted as Jazz quickly scaled the building. He flipped inside a fourth story window before it was engulfed by flames. "Jazz!"

The Polyhexian covered his face as he shouted. "Anyone in here!?"

"Carrier!" A voice cried out before coughing, and then screams. Jazz looked around and while coughing from smoke inhalation. "Help! Sire, Carrier!"

"Carrier will always protect you my little blue stars." Jazz heard his voice play in his thoughts as he maneuvered through the burning areas. He continued calling out until he found the origin of the voice. Without thinking, Jazz stepped back and ran into the door. "Hey, where are you!?"

There was a long pause before Jazz's auditory horns picked up coughing and chirps of distress. He looked around the room, seeing outlines of a small berth and some toys scattered around. There were parts of the support beams and the upper apartment falling inside the room. He could feel the paint literally peeling off of his frame. Jazz found a tiny femme huddled in the corner of the berth.

They were both coughing, but Jazz carefully climbed through everything. "Hey, it's okay. I'll take you to your Carrier. How old are ya?" He tried to say calmly to keep her from stressing her systems out more than they already were. She was shaking and whimpering while holding up a servo. "Five, wow. Okay, I'm going to pick you up and I want you to hide your face in my frame."

The multicolored mech wrapped her up in a nearby blanket before lifting her up in his arms. He held her tightly as he ran back through the maze while more of the building was falling around them. The femme was crying and coughing as Jazz was nearing a window. As he got closer to their escape, a part of the floor from below it fell. Scrap. The youngling continued coughing, and then Jazz's own systems were struggling. Gotta make it. You can do it Jazz.

He clutched the frame to his own before running as fast as his legs could. Jazz leapt out before rolling to the ground with cold water immediately dousing his frame. He let the youngling go as a medic rushed over and covered his mouth. "F-Focus… sparkling." Jazz coughed as he tried to push it away.

"Someone is with her. Come on we need to take you to the hospital." First Aid was the medic on sight, and he laid Jazz on a gurney. The femme's Carrier ran over to her creation, hugging her tightly as they both cried. Seeing the sight warmed Jazz's spark before he was lifted into the back of someone's alt mode. "Ironhide, we'll meet you there!"

"Got it. Primus kid nearly gave me a spark attack. What happened here Inferno, Red?" The red mech asked them while others were taken to the hospital.

The Fire chief shrugged, "we got a call of someone smelling smoke. And then calls started piling in on a giant fire. We won't know where it started until it burns out."

"And the size of this, it will be a while. So, Jazz is still as reckless as ever. Or is that an act too?" Red Alert looked at them with a deep frown. When Jazz's betrayal became known to the rest of the team, Red Alert was the first to declare that none of it would have happened had they listened to him about Jazz.

"Come on Red, seriously?" His partner narrowed his optics at him before going over to the other fire fighters and assisted at putting out the flames. The red mech decided that it was best to go see how Jazz was doing. At the hospital, Jazz was more annoyed by Ratchet scolding him for doing a quote dangerous stunt. He was more worried about the femme than his own life.

Is this my heat cycle making me feel like this? Who did I call my little blue stars? The Polyhexian removed the respirator mask from his face to speak. "I'm fine, maybe a little ashy and sounding like I've been hitting up some cygars, but I am more worried about the youngling. I was only barely able to hear her because of my horns and receptors cranked up. She would have deactivated if I didn't do something."

"Jazz, you could have gotten hurt while saving her. What you did was brave, but you're not trained to deal with these situations. You have to leave it to the professionals." Ratchet informed while applying cooling pads to his steaming frame.

"I am a professional Ratchet, and you had no problem with me helping the rescue teams during the war! Is it because I've been stripped and banned from the little club that I can't do what's right?! Just because I don't have the stupid insignia doesn't mean I'm not still a part of the team." Jazz pulled his arm away and sat up with his legs going over the edge.

"That is not what I said or meant at all Jazz, and you know it. The war was different than now; you were a soldier back then. You're a civilian now, whether you like it or not." Ratchet went over to face Jazz and cleaned out the wounds before repairing the areas on his back. "First Aid is with the family now."

The Polyhexian nodded as he stared at his servos. "That's good. What's going to happen to all of those families?"

"Live with relatives or move somewhere else while the team salvage what they can before rebuilding again." Ratchet looked up as the door opened, they both looked to see who it was. "Ironhide. Hiding from Chromia again?"

Jazz chuckled while the medic just smirked. Ironhide laughed mockingly before going over to look at the damage his charge had. "No, I came to see how damaged the idiot was. Chromia might hit him this time for once when she finds out."

"Well nothing permanent, surprisingly just a lot of cosmetic damage. A lot of the warped plating, I was able to repair without any issues. He's fine, not as damaged like the time he thought it was important to go volcano diving to get one of Preceptor's projects." Ratchet tried to be angry at Jazz but seeing him laughing at himself he couldn't do it. "There's a small wash rack in there, clean off the ash, and then you are good to go."

"Got it Hatch'." Jazz slid off the berth and went into the room that Ratchet pointed at. Wasn't kidding when he said it was small. He hummed as he quickly scrubbed himself clean in cool water, not wanting to irritate anything too much. Would I be ready to see Prowl in person? No, not yet. But… maybe I should talk to Sunny and Smokey about a new frame?

So, what do you think will happen next? Let me know in the comments. :)