Author's note:

/denotes flashback/

/denotes internal thoughts/

Chapter 168 – A Talk

Phoenix P.O.V

''We have returned with the last collection of crystals Megatron, as requested.'' I walked into the Command Room to come and stand before him.

He turned about to face me, a welcome smile on his dermas. ''Excellent work Phoenix, unlike some, you never fail to please me.''

I nodded my helm towards his towering form. ''Thank you Megatron.'' I noticed one of the screens was shut down as I approached. It was the screen that was linked to the Decepticon's own satellite that orbited the Earth. /A scary thought that they too had their own ''eyes in the sky''/. I resolved to try and discover what it was that was being hidden from me. To do that though, required a certain approach. Patience and time. /Something I have just about run out of! Equally!/. ''Was there anything else you require of me?''

Megatron turned to give me his full attention. ''Not at the moment Phoenix.'' His optics shone brightly down at me through the purplish, red mark that adorned the right side of his helm, like some handprint or brand. He seemed to stare right through me. My spark sped up and I fought off the urge to shift uncomfortably on my pedes. His gravelly voice rumbled on. ''But do not go too far, I may have another mission to entrust to you shortly. Until then, you are dismissed.''

I tilted my helm. ''Very well. I take my leave of you then,'' and I turned on my pedes and exited the room. Once I was out in the corridor, my spark slowed, and I felt myself begin to relax again. Both Megatron and Optimus have that innate ability to be able to stare into your soul. It is so unnerving to feel as though they can hear your thoughts. /Yet with Optimus, if he knew what I was thinking, I might risk embarrassment. With Megatron, I risk my life!/.

I found myself heading towards the platform of the oil rig for some ''fresh air''. I had taken to coming out here of an evening to gaze at my stars and at times through the day, when I was not kept busy running missions, to watch the sea crawl below. It helped me keep a hold on my sanity to think Optimus might be staring at the same stars, missing me like I missed him.

The sun was starting to set and finding my usual spot at the highest point on the rig, I settled in to watch the sky explode in a riot of colour. Watching the majesty of the change from day to night unfold before me, you could almost be forgiven for forgetting the scheming, the tensions and the torments that lurked below.

I ex-vented deeply as I watched the first stars of the evening flicker into view. Much had changed in the past few weeks. The mech that stood before me only moments ago was one such example of that. Galvatron was gone and in his place was Megatron. I did not know how that came to pass and neither did I particularly want to know. It simply was. The dynamic in our ''relationship'' was another change. Something I feel was due in part to what happened that day.

I sighed out loud. It had been several weeks since that moment in the storage cell between Galvatron, as he was then, and me. Even now, a shiver coursed through me as I recalled the bizarre events of that day, least of which what happened upon my return.

/The moment I arrived back at the oil rig, I was greeted by Soundwave who stood waiting on the deck. I felt a wave of concern ripple through me. /Did he know what I just done? Had he worked out the truth?/. The moment I landed and transformed back into my bi-pedal mode, he addressed me. ''Lord Galvatron requests your presence Phoenix. Come, now''. His face was as inscrutable as ever, so I had no choice but to follow him, simply nodding my assent.

I followed dutifully in silence as Soundwave led me below deck through the corridors and back into the storage cell, where Galvatron stood waiting, his back to us. At the sound of our pede falls entering the room, his voice rang out, ''Leave us!''

''As you Command Lord Galvatron,'' and Soundwave bowed before disappearing into the bowels of the structure once more.

I stood where I was, arms by my sides, poised ready to defend myself if I needed to. I did not speak as it was Galvatron who had summoned me so it must be he who had something to say. I waited. The silence hung heavy between us.

''Where did you go?'' He did not turn about to face me, but his servos were clenched by his side.

I raised myself to my full height. ''To Galveston Island if you must know.''

''Yes Phoenix,'' he slowly turned about to face me, his optics flashed dangerously for a moment. ''I MUST know where you went! I WANT to know where it was you disappeared to after..'' He paused a moment as he took a step closer towards me. ''After I made you leave.''

I snorted out loud at him, a scowl forming on my face. ''I know what you are thinking..''

''Do you just?'' He allowed a small chuckle to escape his dermas as he took another step closer towards me, his optics fixed on my cheek. ''I highly doubt that.''

I bristled in irritation. ''Well, you certainly wouldn't want to know what I'm thinking!'' I bit back at him obstinately.

He came to stand before me, leaning in conspiratorially he whispered, ''Yes - I do.'' At my clear confusion at this response, he continued. ''Actually, Phoenix I WANT you to always tell me what you are thinking. I want to know what is going on in that pretty little helm of yours.'' He began to circle around me again and I felt myself tense, waiting. ''I want you to be honest with me, even if you think I will not like the answer.'' He paused behind me, leaning in to whisper in my right audial. ''Apart from Soundwave, there were so few Decepticons I truly felt I could trust. Until you came along Phoenix.''

I felt my spark skip a pulse and I bit my lower derma as I felt the heat from his frame so very near to mine. He continued circling around until he was facing me again, his optics fixing mine with a serious gaze. ''Before when I was… incapacitated… and I ordered you to leave me, you did not. You sought to help me. Even after I,'' he hesitated a moment and his optics darted away from mine, ''struck you, you lingered.'' His voice was low and filled with confusion. ''Why? Why did you not flee when I first ordered you like so many others would have?''

I ex-vented softly and returned his gaze. /He wants the truth. I'll give it to him/. ''I did not leave Galvatron, because any bot with optics could see you were in agony. Any bot with half a processor could tell you were not yourself.'' I shook my helm slightly. ''I may not agree with how you do things. I may not like the choices you have made or continue to make.'' He gave me a small smile. ''I may not particularly like you,'' his smile faded, and his optics narrowed, ''but any bot with half a spark could not, in good conscience, simply ignore you and so I reached out to you - in concern.''

He nodded his helm slowly as he processed what I had just said. ''Concern? Not pity?''

I snorted again. ''I do not think pity is an emotion that would often be associated with you, Galvatron.''

He smiled and shifted on his pedes. ''And what did you do on Galveston Island? Why did you go there?'' He raised an optic ridge at me, questioning.

''After what happened ''happened'', I needed to put some space between myself and this place. The last thing any of us needed was for me to set this place on fire in my anger and confusion. Galveston Island afforded me a place to regain my composure. Nothing more.'' I placed my servos on my hips. ''I did not go searching for the Autobots. I did not seek them out. I know that is what you are concerned about.''

He nodded his helm, ''I confess Phoenix, the thought did cross my processor.''

''Well, I assure you I did not. I flew there, calmed down and then returned. That was when Soundwave brought me down to you. It's the truth.'' I held his gaze unwaveringly.

He studied me carefully. After a spark beat, he replied. ''I believe you Phoenix.'' His optics were drawn to my cheek again. ''May I?''

I was caught off guard by both his tone and his polite request. Unable to speak, I nodded. He slowly raised his right servo and gently touched the cracked plating on my right cheek. I flinched slightly at the unexpected contact and the delicate way he was treating me. /This is NOT the Megatron/Galvatron I was led to believe existed. This was NOT the actions of a soulless, bloodthirsty mech/. I was so confused. I focused on his digits as they gently laid against my cheek plate and wiped at some of the energon.

His voice was low when he spoke, ''You should go and see Knockout and have that tended to.'' His servo brushed gently against my cheek, his thumb brushing down towards my dermas.

An image of Optimus before me, his servo tenderly caressing my face just as Galvatron's was right now, flashed through my processor and it was too much. Wracked by guilt and confusion, I gasped and stepped back away out of his reach. I could not look at him as I nodded my helm and backed up towards the door. ''That is a good idea Galvatron. I shall make my way there now.'' I paused a moment, forcing myself to calmly meet his gaze. ''That is, if you there is nothing else you wish to speak to me about?''

He had brought his servo back by his side and he was regarding me with an indecipherable expression. ''No Phoenix. There is nothing else I wish to speak with you about – at the moment.''

I nodded and turned to leave. I had just about reached the door when his voice drifted across the room once more. ''I'm sorry.''

I halted in my retreat long enough to send a curt nod of acceptance in his direction. There were no other words. There didn't need to be. Those two words spoke volumes and I walked the remainder of the way to Knockout's Med Bay in stunned silence.

/The leader of the Decepticons NEVER aplogised. To anyone for anything/.

Until now.

''Ah, there you are Phoenix,'' a deep, gravelly voice drifted up to me atop the rig where I sat perched, lost in my own thoughts.

''Megatron! I was… lost in my own thoughts,'' he had caught me off guard and my shock registered in my voice. I rose to my pedes and made my way towards the deck of the oil rig.

As I clambered down, he continued, ''I can see that. What were you thinking about?''

My spark froze for a second as I debated whether I should tell him. ''Actually, apart from appreciating the beauty of the stars, I was recalling that moment you apologised to me for hitting me.'' I came to stand before him. /He did ask me that day to tell him what I was thinking, so I did/.

Megatron's optics flashed brightly for a moment as he too must have recalled the event. A smile tugged at the corners of his dermas. ''Well, I hope you savoured the moment Phoenix, because Megatron does not apologise.''

I grunted, ''I did not have the expectation then and I certainly do not have it now.''

His smile faded slowly, ''Good.'' Once again, a silence stretched between us.

I ''sighed'' out loud. ''Surely you didn't come out here just to enquire about what I was thinking. What is it you want of me Megatron?''

He smiled knowingly at me. ''Astute as ever. No Phoenix, I did not.'' He looked out over the darkening waters of the ocean. ''I came to talk to you.''