Things felt too quiet in the room Terra was waiting in. She had been pacing back and forth, worrying about Starscream and her sisters. When pacing didn't calm her, she went to sit on the giant berth.
A shiver ran down her spine when she recalled seeing her mother die. More tears welled up in her eyes as she tried to push that awful image away. She didn't want her sisters to go through a similar fate.
"They'll come back. Starscream and the others will bring them back," she muttered to herself. She sniffled, unsure of what to do next. Not doing anything was driving her nuts. She had to do something to help.
"Hey, how are you holding up in there?" A voice asked, breaking Terra out of her thoughts.
She looked up and saw Miko standing in the doorway. There was a sorrowful look in her eyes...along with a hint of mischief.
"Umm, I'm...trying to manage. I'm just worried sick about what's going on at the Nemesis," Terra sniffled, pulling her knees up to her chest.
"I'm sorry about what Megatron did to your parents. He's crazy, but I didn't think he'd do something that bad. I'm sure Optimus or...Starscream will give him a good beating for that and they'll bring your sisters back in one piece," Miko said while pulling up a step-ladder and going up to sit next to Terra on the berth.
"God, I hope so," Terra replied, giving Miko a faint smile before turning her attention to gazing at the space before her. She was growing exhausted, but she didn't want to miss any updates if she were to sleep.
"I just can't help but worry. I don't want to see Starscream or anyone else get hurt," she continued, ignoring the distressing thoughts about all that could go wrong on this mission.
"Then go after him. Your earlier plan sounded great. Nothing could possibly go wrong with you sneaking onto the Nemesis. You distract Megatron and then Starscream can stab him right in the back," Miko chimed while making stabbing motions with her hands. Terra looked at her like she was crazy. Starscream obviously wouldn't approve of her going through with her plan, but if it meant helping in some way, then she would do it.
"I'd love to, but how can I go without getting caught? I'm sure Ratchet is keeping a close eye on the bridge," she said, frowning.
"I can think of a distraction. You wait in the hall and watch until I get Ratchet away from the bridge. You probably won't have long, so when I put in the coordinates, you run like wild," Miko chimed. It was risky, but she would do it.
"Thanks for helping me, Miko. Let's go quickly," Terra said while pulling the ladder closer and climbing down onto the ground. Miko followed close behind her, looking beyond excited. She couldn't help but wonder how often she did things like this if she knew what exactly to do.
"I'd go too, but that would make things a bit too quiet around here and Ratchet and Bulkhead would know I'm gone," Miko replied with a giggle.
"Is Arcee around? I think she'd get suspicious too," Terra said while following Miko into the hallway.
"She's somewhere, but she's not in the main room right now," Miko said.
They kept walking before Miko paused at the opening to the main chamber. She looked back at Terra with a finger to her lips. Terra glanced behind her and saw Ratchet in the main chamber. His back was turned to them as he typed away at a giant computer.
"Wait here," Miko whispered while sneaking off behind Ratchet. Terra watched her go into a connecting room. A few moments passed before a loud crash filled the air followed by a surprised cry. Ratchet's shoulders dropped as he looked in the direction of the sound with an angry yet worried look in his optics.
"Ahh, Ratchet! I think I broke something!" Miko's voice called out.
"Primus give me strength," Ratchet grumbled as he went into the room where Miko had gone. As soon as he went into the room, he let out an annoyed groan.
"Miko, I needed that!" He exclaimed. He made more angry sounds as more crashes filled the air.
"I'm sorry! I'll go get Bulkhead to help!" Miko replied before rushing out of the room. She smiled over at Terra as she went to a control panel and started typing away. The bridge came to life and Terra knew this was her only chance to go. She took a deep breath and rushed into the bridge. She would have taken time to take in the beautiful lights around her, but she was on a mission to help the ones she loved the most.
It wasn't long before Terra found herself back inside the Nemesis. She stopped running and took in her surroundings. It was the same as before, but it still filled her with dread.
She quickly rushed to a dark corner when she heard footsteps approaching. She didn't look out from her hiding spot as the footsteps got closer. The ground bridge had disappeared, but she felt like it was probably already spotted from somewhere else. From what she had heard about the other Decepticons, she was sure Soundwave knew she was on board along with Starscream and the Autobots.
"No, there'd be a lot more chaos all over," she whispered.
The footsteps got closer, putting her more on edge. She tried to take in her surroundings again to check if something was familiar from last time. She frowned. Nothing looked familiar.
A faint cry in the distance caught her attention. Terra looked in the direction of the sound and saw an air vent across from her. She could easily fit in there.
The footsteps eventually disappeared and when she was sure she was alone, she went to the air vent and pried it open, glad that she had strong robotic hands.
"I really hope this is the right direction," she murmured as she began crawling into the vent. The cries in the distance were getting louder and much closer. Terra picked up the pace, growing all the more anxious.
What was going to happen when she found her sisters? The only way they could get away was if they met up with Starscream and she was sure that wouldn't go well. There was always the escape pods, but she had no idea where they were at the moment. She would have to meet up with Starscream. He was going to be furious, she was sure of it.
A distant explosion shook the vent around her, making Terra stop in her tracks. That didn't sound good. The cries got louder, forcing her to keep moving. She was so close now! No turning back.
Terra came across a vent opening and looked out to see Megatron shooting at someone out of view. She froze upon seeing him. He looked beyond angry as he rushed out of view, snarling like an enraged animal.
"You will suffer for daring to leave me for such an insignificant creature, Starscream!" He bellowed. A pained cry that sounded a lot like Starscream soon followed. Terra gasped softly, unsure if she wanted to rush out and help or keep going to find her sisters.
More gunfire filled the air, followed by an angry grunt from Optimus and a series of angry buzzes from Bumblebee. Terra was sure they had Starscream's back. She took a deep breath and kept crawling in the direction of the screams which were getting louder. Starscream was going to be okay. He could manage with the help of the Autobots.
She came across another vent opening where the screams were coming from. She looked through the opening and saw her sisters in the room. Cassandra and Daniela were already strapped to those awful machines while Bela was still in a cage. The Decepticon named Knockout was working on a data pad while looking at an open doorway with a worried look in his optics. He looked back at her sisters and smirked.
"I think I can join in on the fun. You three won't be going anywhere anytime soon," he crowed as he rushed out of the room, the door closing shut behind him.
This was her chance. Terra grabbed the metal surrounding the vent and pulled hard with a grunt. It came free with a loud creak and she pushed it out of the way. The screaming from her sisters stopped immediately.
"Wha...What's that?" Cassandra asked.
"I don't know," Daniela whimpered.
Terra tried to put on a smile as she crawled out, brushing off the debris from her pants. She was met with surprised cries from her sisters.
"Terra!" Bela exclaimed. Terra put a finger to her lips, looking over at the closed door. She didn't want anyone to barge in except for Starscream, Optimus, or Bumblebee. When she was sure no one was coming, she crawled into the room and went over to the giant desk where her sisters were.
"What are you doing here?" Cassandra asked, her voice a raspy whisper.
"How did you get here-Oh! Your poor hands!" Daniela gasped, her eyes going wide when she saw the condition Terra's hands were in when she crawled up onto the desk.
"I'll tell you guys everything later. Just try to be quiet," Terra murmured as she went to Bela first. She looked at the cage she was held in and found the opening to it. She grabbed the edges of the door and pulled with all her might. It was tighter, but she was still able to get it open. She was unsure how she was going to get the other two free from those machines. Maybe her sisters had some idea of how they worked.
Once free, Bela rushed out and pulled her into a tight hug, weeping softly. Terra hugged her back, tears running down her cheeks.
"This...This is a terrible place, Terra. We have to get out of here as quickly as possible," Bela murmured before turning her attention to Cassandra and Daniela who looked more and more impatient.
"Get us out of here before those monsters come back!" Daniela groaned.
Terra nodded and went to Daniela first. She was strapped into the machine that killed their mother while Cassandra was strapped to the machine that she was told skinned people alive. There was still blood and gore on the machines, making Terra shudder in disgust as she tried to figure out how to get her sister out. Getting her loose without having her fall on the saw was going to be risky.
"Daniela, move your legs to the side while I'm freeing you. I think you might fall and I don't want you to get hurt," she said while getting a grip on the restraints on Daniela's hands. Daniela nodded and did what she was told, moving her legs out of the way as best she could. Terra remembered the location of the button and saw it below her. There was no way she could accidentally press it, but the thought of it coming to life scared her.
She glanced over at Bela and saw that she was busy trying to get Cassandra free. The machine she was strapped to looked a bit easier to get out of, but anything could happen now.
A distant explosion rocked the room, putting Terra and her sisters on edge.
"Hurry up, Terra. I think they're coming back any moment now," Daniela murmured. Terra could feel her sister's arms trembling as she worked.
"Be quiet, Dani," Terra said while giving the restraints a good squeeze. They came loose and Terra grabbed a hold of her sister before she could fall. Daniela's right hand swung around and hit the saw, cutting it a bit. Daniela hissed in agony, holding on to Terra tightly. Terra grunted and carefully put her sister on the ground next to the machine.
"Fuck, that sucks," Daniela grumbled while quickly stripping off a piece of her shirt and applying pressure to her wound.
"How 's Cas, Bela?" Terra asked, looking over at the other two. Bela had successfully freed Cassandra from her restraints. Cassandra fell to the ground with a pained grunt, rubbing at her wrists before immediately getting to her feet and rushing over to Terra to pull her into a tight embrace.
"We thought you were dead," she whimpered. Terra hugged her back and wanted to pull the others into a giant hug, but they didn't have the time for that just yet.
"We have to go now. There's a vent down there. We can go in and meet up with the ones trying to help us," Terra explained while pointing to the vent she opened. Her sisters looked over and all nodded in agreement.
"Let's hurry," Bela said while carefully climbing down to the ground. The others followed and Terra checked the door one last time before climbing down.
As they approached the vent, the room shook from another explosion. Terra stayed on her feet, helping Bela who had fallen to her knees.
"This place is hell," she groaned.
Another explosion engulfed the room in dust and debris, making her sisters cry out in surprise. Terra shielded her eyes, keeping a firm grip on Bela's hand as she tried to lead her to the vent. She strained her eyes and lost sight of the twins.
"Cass? Dani? Where'd you two go?" She called out.
The ground continued to shake, but it didn't sound like it was coming from the explosions. The dust settled and Terra could see the twins across the room, frozen in place. Their eyes were wide with terror as they stared at what was standing in the ruined doorway. Terra looked in their direction and gasped softly, gripping Bela's hand tightly.
"It's him," Bela whispered.
Megatron glared at the twins in disgust before whipping his head around to focus his gaze on Terra. The hate in his optics filled her with pure dread. She opened her mouth and let out a whimper, causing him to chuckle darkly.
"I knew you'd show up, little one. I would have smelled you when you first got on board, but Starscream's stench is all over you. It's absolutely revolting...and that glow. I know exactly what you two have been doing. It's unnatural," he hissed in disgust. Terra felt a tug on her arm, but she didn't budge. Her cheeks grew hot from embarrassment and anger. he had no right to talk like that.
"Terra, he's going to hurt Cass and Dani," Bela murmured. Megatron smiled cruelly as he looked over at the twins who held onto each other for dear life.
"I had wanted these wretches to suffer, but I think I just might make it quick. What do you think I should do with them, Terra?" He asked while activating his arm cannon and aiming it at the twins. There was a sudden explosion coming from the hallway followed by an angry cry that sounded very familiar. Megatron growled softly and closed the door behind him.
Terra's mind was racing. There was only one way for her to protect the twins, but it would mean getting hurt or worse in the process. She could stall for time, but how long could she keep that up? A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she managed to take a step forward. Bela still kept a hand on her, trying to pull her back.
"Take...Take me instead and leave them be, please. I'll come quietly and I won't fight back," she said, trying her best to look brave. Megatron looked puzzled for a moment before his optics turned to red slits. He chuckled darkly as he looked over at the sisters.
"A tempting offer, but I want all of you dead," he crowed. His cannon came to life with a bright flash, illuminating the room in a horrible white light. The twins cried out before the light engulfed and silenced them. Terra screamed in horror and fell to her knees when she saw that they had been replaced by a bloody crater. She heard Bela scream from somewhere, but she had lost track of her as she stared at where her sisters had just been. She couldn't move. She couldn't speak. All she could hear were her sister's screams and a horrible laugh. The ground shook around her and she felt a tug on her arm.
"We gotta run, Terra! Let's go!" Bela screamed while dragging her toward the vent. Terra wanted more than anything to just give up, but something within her wanted her to keep going.
"You're not going to die yet," that voice whispered.
Terra gasped and jumped to her feet. She looked up and saw Megatron reaching out to her. She screamed and turned to run, letting Bela lead her into the vent. They got in and Terra didn't dare look back as she crawled as fast as she could away from that monster. Megatron let out an angry roar as he tried to reach inside, but he couldn't stick his hand all the way in. They weren't going to be safe in the vents for long. She was sure of it.
"He killed them...He killed them," Bela whimpered.
"We...We gotta keep going, Bela. Just keep going until we find Starscream and the others," Terra replied as she kept on going. Her vision was blurry from the unending tears.
"They're in the vents! Check all vents and catch them if they escape!" Megatron's voice echoed through the walls, sending chills running down her spine.
Terra saw a vent opening in the distance and paused when she saw lights moving to and fro followed by unfamiliar voices. She looked over at Bela who had stopped as well. She looked beyond terrified and trembled nonstop.
"Let's...stay put for a few moments. They'll move on eventually," Terra said, turning her attention to the lights ahead. They were safe for now until Megatron found a way to get them out.
As time went by, Terra saw the lights go away. Was the coast clear? She listened for any sign of the Decepticons being nearby, but only heard footsteps from afar that weren't getting any closer.
Terra wiped her brow, feeling very hot all of a sudden. A drop of sweat fell to the ground and immediately turned to steam with a soft hiss.
"He's turning the heat up! We have to get out!" She hissed as she began crawling toward the opening. She was glad her hands were metal and that she couldn't quite feel the worst of it, but she could already feel it on her legs. Bela began to cry out in pain the more she crawled.
"We're almost there," Terra said before getting to the opening. She glanced out and saw a retreating shadow in the distance where the sound of gunfire was coming from. That had to be where Starscream was.
She crawled out and helped Bela to her feet. There were nasty burns on her hands and on her knees. Bela looked at her hands with wide eyes before turning her attention to Terra.
"Where do we go now?" She asked.
"If we hear fighting, we go to it," Terra said while cautiously approaching the huge hallway. She looked to and fro and heard gunfire down the left side of the hallway. That was the way to go.
"This way," she said while leading her sister in the direction of the fighting. They walked slowly and carefully, taking the time to look around for danger. The closer they got to the gunfire, the more nervous she became.
The hallway shook again from an explosion followed by angry cries. Terra wanted to hide, but something told her to keep going. A tug from her sister made her look back to see the panic in Bela's eyes.
"If there's fighting, then it's likely we'll find my friends," she explained.
"I hope you're right," Bela murmured.
Terra nodded and continued on her way to the fighting. Moments passed before the two of them turned a corner and came across a scene of absolute chaos. Megatron's back was turned to them as he shot at Optimus while Bumblebee and Starscream fought some grunts. The grunts were falling quick, letting Starscream and Bumblebee get closer to Megatron who growled angrily.
"You fools have already failed! I already disposed of those little insects and you three will be next!" Megatron bellowed.
"He lies. Keep fighting!" Starscream exclaimed while shooting nonstop at his former master. Optimus lunged toward Megatron but was stopped when the last few remaining grunts got in his way. Bumblebee assisted him, buzzing like an angry robotic hive. Starscream rushed past him and leaped toward Megatron, guns blazing. Megatron swatted him to the side with ease, making him cry out in pain. Terra gasped softly as she watched Megatron stand over him. This was what she thought would happen in her original plan. She had to act now.
"You're little mate is here, Starscream. Once I'm done with you three, I'll hunt her down and make her suffer," Megatron crowed, reaching down to grab Starscream by the neck. Starscream struggled weakly as he was lifted into the air, trying his hardest to scratch at Megatron's hands. Terra's heart was racing as she let go of Bela and ran forward. She was probably going to regret this later, but it was going to be worth it if it meant Starscream being safe.
"Megatron!" She exclaimed, balling her hands into fists as she stopped to stand less than twenty feet away from him. Megatron paused and looked over at her with that cruel smile on his faceplates. Starscream's optics widened when he saw her. He appeared confused before a wave of terror replaced the confusion when Megatron chuckled darkly.
"I thought I told you to stay at the base, Terra!" Starscream shrieked before groaning in pain when Megatron gave him a squeeze.
"You should have listened, Terra. Now, those two sisters of yours are dead because of you. It's a shame I never got to see them die in those machines, but blasting them myself was still wonderful," Megatron said before chuckling darkly. He then aimed his arm cannon at her.
"Megatron, stop! It's me you want the most! Leave her be!" Starscream begged. Megatron didn't even look at him. His focus was all on Terra. She glanced behind him and saw how Optimus and Bumblebee were nearly done disposing of the remaining grunts. They just had to stall for time.
"I almost missed hearing you beg, Starscream. Do it some more and I might give her a quick death," Megatron chuckled as his cannon came to life. Starscream grunted in pain, spitting up some energon.
"Harm her and...and I'll show you a whole new world of pain, Megatron," Starscream hissed. Optimus and Bumblebee were having trouble as Knockout came out and engaged them with the help of Breakdown.
"Oh, this should be interesting," Knockout crowed.
"Bold words for a coward, Starscream. Perhaps I'll just blow her legs off and let Knockout have some fun experimenting on her," Megatron said while redirecting his aim on Terra. Terra remained rooted to the spot. If she could just hold his attention a bit longer, Starscream could figure out a way to stop him.
"Please...Master...I...I love her and...and she loves me-," he was cut short by Megatron's cruel laughter.
"You don't love this disgusting insect. You're sick in the head and I will rightfully punish you for having such a sick fascination with that thing. Say goodbye," Megatron said while smiling like an absolute maniac at Terra. Terra heard a soft cry from Bela who still hid in the shadows. She wanted more than anything to run, but this plan had to work somehow. She just had to count on Starscream finding the courage to act.
She glared back at Megatron and then turned her gaze on Starscream who looked beyond terrified. That terror soon turned to anger as he lunged forward with his claws, striking Megatron's face nonstop. Terra watched on in fascination as Starscream plunged his claws into one of Megatron's now purple eyes, making him bellow in agony. Megatron tried to pull him off, but Starscream held on, still clawing at his face with all his might.
"No one hurts her! You won't lay a claw on Terra or else I'll kill you!" Starscream hissed while raking a claw across Megatron's chest, leaving nasty wounds that bled purple and blue energon. He kicked Megatron's lower regions, stabbing him in the legs and waist with his sharp feet and knees. Megatron got a hold of Starscream and threw him across the room before falling to his knees.
"Kill them!" Megatron bellowed while rubbing at his ruined eyes. Knockout and Breakdown were by his side, helping him up while more grunts rushed in. Terra felt a hand on her back and turned to see Bela behind her with eyes full of shock.
"Ratchet! Get us a ground bridge immediately!" Optimus called out while blasting the grunts away. There were fewer of them now while most followed Megatron.
Terra rushed over to Starscream who was back on his feet again. Energon that wasn't his, dripped from his claw tips and stained his armor, making him look absolutely macabre. He breathed heavily and looked down at her with a mix of anger and relief.
"I'd...I'd be furious with you if I weren't so tired and...relieved, Terra," he said while lowering himself and holding out his hands to her. Terra smiled back at Bela who appeared frightened.
"It's time to go, Bela," she said while clambering into his hands. Bela looked up at Starscream, still looking scared before she joined Terra. She kept a hand on Terra as Starscream stood to his full height and turned around just as the ground bridge appeared.
"We must hurry before more Decepticons show up," Optimus said before running in. Bumblebee followed and Starscream went in after them, holding Terra and Bela close to his chest. Terra sighed softly, feeling absolute relief now that they were safe. She swore she heard an angry growl from somewhere, but she paid it no mind. There was no way Megatron would find them again.
The moment they were back in the Autobot base, Starscream fell to his knees with a grunt. Terra noticed how his limbs shook and could only imagine how tired he must have been.
"Are...Are you okay, love?" She asked, reaching out to touch his chest. It was still warm to the touch as always.
"I was going to ask you the same thing, Terra," Starscream replied while letting Terra and Bela get on the ground.
"Where...Where are we?" Bela asked, looking up at Starscream nervously.
Terra looked around and saw a furious Ratchet with a solemn Miko sitting on his shoulder. Bulkhead crossed his arms, looking at Miko in disappointment before turning his attention to Terra and the others.
Optimus approached, letting his battle mask drop to reveal the serious yet sad expression on his faceplates. Bela backed up, looking around in awe despite the tears welling up in her eyes.
"You're safe now, Bela," Optimus said.
Terra knew he was going to go on a long explanation about the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons and proceeded to get up. She needed time to be alone for a bit, plus she felt sick.
"Where are you going, Terra? We need to have a talk," Ratchet grumbled while approaching her.
"I...I need to be alone for a moment," Terra replied, still walking in the direction of the main hallway.
"This isn't the time for that, Terra. You did something incredibly reckless and dangerous," Ratchet said while stepping in front of her. Terra looked up at him tiredly before looking over at Starscream who still looked exhausted.
"I don't...feel so good," she whispered as everything suddenly became dark and fast. She heard Starscream somewhere crying out her name as the darkness took over.
"Terra!" Starscream exclaimed while diving down to stop her from hitting the floor. He caught her in his claws and looked over at Ratchet with wide optics. The one named Bela cried out, looking absolutely mortified.
"What's happening to her?" He demanded.
"I...I believe this is a result of extreme stress or shock. I don't know what she was thinking when she snuck away, but it's obvious everything has taken a toll on her. I should have listened to her when she said she wasn't feeling well," Ratchet said.
"She put herself in grave danger to assist us. She needs some much needed rest," Optimus said before turning his attention back to Bela.
Starscream sighed and looked down at Terra. Poor little thing. What she did was stupid and ended up only saving one sister, but she did give him a chance to do some serious harm to Megatron. It felt good hurting him. He could only imagine the pain his former master must be going through at the moment.
He stood to his full height and made his way to the room where he had left her. He got another look at her and realized his claws were trembling. He needed some much needed rest as well. He was almost certain that he was going to lose her back on the Nemesis. He pulled her closer with a heavy sigh, glad that she was safe with him.
He got to the room and went to the berth, carefully laying her down. He grabbed a nearby blanket of hers and laid it over her. Terra groaned in her sleep and pulled the blanket closer. He could only imagine the horrific things she saw when trying to rescue her sisters.
"I hope they didn't suffer," he murmured while sitting next to her. She would tell him what happened sooner or later.
"Things will get better eventually, my love," he whispered. He reached out to her and paused when he saw the energon coating his servos. He couldn't help but smile at his work before getting up to find a towel to wipe it off. He found a big enough towel and cleaned his claws the best he could.
He heard movement from the doorway and looked around to see Miko standing in the doorway. He let out a warning growl, not wanting to deal with the annoying brat at the time.
"What do you want, girl?" He muttered while going back to sit next to Terra.
"Well, I just wanted to say that I'm kinda responsible for all of this happening. I encouraged Terra to go out and help. I just didn't know it would end like this. I'm...sorry," she said, rubbing her arm nervously. Starscream glared at her, making her shrink back a bit. Of course she would do something like that, but Terra was nothing like this reckless child.
"You should have kept your mouth shut and let the more experienced work. Terra isn't like you, child. My poor little mate had to go through unspeakable horrors in order to help me and her sisters," he said, balling his servos into fists.
"At least she helped. I heard you managed to claw the shit out of Megatron. I bet that was awesome," Miko replied, staying where she was despite the excitement in her eyes.
"Go bother Optimus or Bumblebee about that. I just want to be with Terra when she wakes up," Starscream said while trying to focus on Terra. This gained a chuckle from the girl, making him all the more annoyed. How did the Autobots tolerate this little brat?
She looked like she was about to say something else before she looked to the right as the ground shook. That had to be Bulkhead.
"There you are, Miko. Optimus needs to talk to you right now. Let's go," Bulkhead's voice called out. Miko groaned before turning to go.
"Ughh, okay," she murmured as the door shut behind her. That brat was probably going to get the scolding she properly deserved.
Starscream sighed and adjusted his wings so he could lay next to her. They were safe now. That was all that mattered at the very moment.
A soft whimper from Terra broke the silence. The whimpers grew louder before Terra began to cry, opening her eyes wide and looking around in a panic.
"They...They're dead. All dead!" She cried, sitting upright and pulling her knees up to her chest. She was breathing fast, not good for humans. He wanted to say that she was okay, but she wasn't. She watched her mother and two of her sisters die. She wasn't going to be feeling okay for quite a while.
"Terra, you're safe now. Not everyone in your family is gone. Two of your sisters are still with us. Saving just a few in such an awful war is considered a blessing to some, but you've never been in such a war like this," he said while carefully scooping her up in his claws and holding her close to his chest. Terra shivered and continued to whimper, resting her head against the spot where his spark was located.
"I'll..I'll never see them again and...and I never got to say goodbye," Terra murmured. He could recall losing close allies suddenly and feeling a bit of sorrow, but he never really had time to mourn. The war was his main focus for so long.
"Well...you take your time to mourn, Terra. I'll be here for you along with your sisters and the Autobots," he said, rubbing her back with one hand as she continued to cry.
He couldn't help but think about what would have happened if she didn't show up. He probably would be in even worse shape, but he was certain that the other sisters would be alive right now. It was clear Terra tried her hardest to save them. She would tell him every detail about what happened when the time was right. For now, he would let her mourn.
"I hope Megatron is in a lot of pain. He fucking deserves it for what he did to the twins and my parents," Terra said, her expression turning to anger. Starscream smirked and ran a claw through her soft hair.
"He will be, my love. He's going to need a new eye after what I did to him," he crowed while imagining doing worse things to him. He should have carved out his spark, but he knew that was a difficult task due to Megatron's thicker armor.
"Good," Terra said before sniffling and looking up at him with tired and sad eyes. He smiled back at her tenderly and reached forward to caress her cheek with a claw.
"You should get some rest, little bird. I'll stay right by your side," he said. He covered her body with a single servo, holding her close to his frame. Terra let out a tired sigh while getting comfortable once again, curling up into a ball under her blanket.
"I want to go back to the cabin someday, Starscream. Just the two of us together," Terra whispered. Starscream nodded in agreement. That would be a wonderful time, but once she was feeling better after her time of mourning, he would consider taking her back there.
"Someday, my love," he purred before proceeding to hum a gentle tune. He had heard Terra humming this tune before, but he never got the name of the song. Terra smiled in response before yawning softly and slowly closing her eyes. He watched her as she slept and felt overcome with adoration for her. So much had happened in such a short period of time and he still loved her more than anything.
"I love you, Terra," he whispered before turning the lights out in the room remotely. In the dimness and from the red light of his optics, he could see Terra's smile grow in response.