Nano-kilk - half of a Cybertron second

Klik - Cybertron second

Breem - Cybertron minute

Joor - Cybertron hour

Cycle/Lunar-cycle - Day or night

Meta-cycle - Cybertron week

Orn - Cybertron month

Vorn - Cybertron year

Deca-cycle - Cybertron decade

Mega-cycle - Cybertron century

The voice (And Dreamscape)

Siren speaking with her datapad (Or sometimes sound effects)

"Talk: excessive. Time: limited."

- Omega Supreme, "The God Gambit"

"That television... it bewitched me!"

- Galvatron, "The Big Broadcast of 2006"

Air Raid: "Why'd they make you Arielbot leader, Silverbolt? You got no sense of adventure."

Silverbolt: "Exactly."

("Forever is a Long Time Coming")

How long did she lay here looking at the gray frame that was once her friend? She honestly didn't know since the shock of finding him like this just froze her processor. Siren knew it had been some time having felt her tank rumble so many times now she lost count. Then again her tank was probably the thing making it feel like she needed to throw up. Her pedes just wouldn't move for her, she needed to leave, needed to forget this scene drilling into her processor, imprinting the image with an unforgiving nature. It just wasn't fair with Siren already losing Kickboom, now Heavyglide was gone from her life. Why? Why did Primus have to take him away from her also? Why...

The smell of old energon would for ever be stuck in her olfactory sensor, but it was another scent that lay under that she would get a whiff of. It was one she thought she would never smell again and it confused her as to why was his scent was here. No other scent was here, just Heavyglide and Howler's. A whine broke though her vocalizer, her spark hurting too much to understand anything that was happening. They were doing so good, the business had been working for them with many bots in Vos taking notice of her because of her color. Some had become regulars like Blinkguide had since the start of the business. It was too much for her to think through which brought about the feel of a crash coming that would leave her in blissful darkness. One she gladly embraced.

"Mommy!" Zoe screamed as she jumped out of her bed to hightail it to find her mom. Another flash of lightning lit the rooms as she went in her rush with thunder booming seconds later making the young girl scream in fright once more. Suddenly, she bumped into a warm body that quickly took hold of her smaller body to steady it. "Zoe, it's okay, it's just a little thunder dear."

Looking up the young girl took in all that was her mother. Short light brown hair and brown eyes. Half of her short hair had been pinned in the back up a small clip leaving some of her shorter pieces of hair to frame her oval face. Tanned skin from years of gardening peeked out from her light blue and yellow floral knee length dress that gave the older woman a more lady-like look. A soft smile was on her pale lips as she took in her daughter as she help to shush her fears.

"It scares me mommy." she replied burying her head into her mothers stomach as another deep rumble sounded. The older woman gave a soft chuckle at that but gently moved her daughter back before leading her to the livingroom. There by the corner sat an upright piano and that was where the woman had Zoe sit on the bench that was seated in front. Taking her seat next to her, she readied her hands to work the keys that would let sounds fill the room they were in.

It was a slow piece but the sound the piano produced filled the room taking away from the deep rumble of the heavens. Zoe always loved when her mom played the piano knowing during these rare times she was going to get a lesson along the way. Looking up towards her mom Zoe could see her face give off the concentration she held when playing. For once the young girl felt herself calm and relax into the sounds the piano gave letting the rumbles and at times the crackles of the sky become static in her ears. Slowly once her mother was halfway into the piece, the woman turned to her with a loving smile as her fingers continued to move to the keys she wanted played.

"Be brave, young one." At those words Zoe's brow inched together in confusion. Her mother never called her young one. It was then that Zoe began to notice something strange about her mother. Her eyes started to glow a light blue color from her normal brown eyes. It wasn't a harsh glow that would have had her fearful, but held warmth and so much love in just the gaze of them. They captivated her since she felt no ill intent from the gaze making her stay in the same calmness as before. "Do not be afraid, for you will need to be strong in the coming cycles."

Zoe gave her mother a confused look not understanding why she would be saying something like that. The piano piece continued to play even without her mother glancing between them to look to see if her fingers hit the right keys. She still hit each key rightly and it somewhat surprised her that she could do so. "Have strength, dear young one." Taking one hand from the keys since the piece was coming to a close, she laid her hand on Zoe's cheek. "Have strength. Run."

Run? Run where? Why did she have to run? She looked into the warm glowing eyes that she knew were not her mothers, but Zoe couldn't find it in her to look away from them. They captivated her so much that it was like they could see into her very soul and yet she felt no ill intent by them. Her mother then leaned forward some now that both hands were free to cup both sides of Zoe's face. "Run, dear spark, run." Who does she have to run from? Those glowing eyes took all of her focus, it was all she saw in her view now. The image of her mothers form had become muddle so much that Zoe wasn't sure if it was her mother's form anymore. When the being spoke again it was no longer that of a light lit feminine voice, but one of a deep baritone male. Just like with the eyes she looked into, the voice held kindness and warmth within it but also an undertone of warning. "Run."

That single word seemed to ring in her head in an echo-like way. Only, instead of losing volume like any echo would, this one grew and grew each time it seemed to be spoken with no one being the speaker. Trying to stop the ringing word Zoe wanted to grip her head with her hands and curled into herself but those eyes kept her frozen in place. The ringing grew even loader in her ears till she couldn't take it anymore and screamed throwing her head back and out of the beings grip.

Siren was forced into a hard reboot from recharge and the strange dream where she had screamed. The echo had followed her into the waking world. Her optics were wide with the sounds of her ventilation working several times higher than usual. The word that had rang in her dream still did so now, but it was losing the intensity she had to endure in a fast rate. What did that mean?

"It hurts, doesn't it?" Siren jerked her helm up to turn to the voice of one she held in her spark as a grandfather to her. There kneeling besides her was Howler while he laid a servo in the middle of her back strut. "The pain never leaves the spark. It heals with time, but it takes much time in order to heal." How long had he been here? When did he get here? Howler gave Siren a small sad smile as she felt his servo give her backside a couple of soft pats. "It is good to see you once more Siren."

Siren glanced from the old mech to the prone frame of Heavyglide in confusion. Shouldn't Howler be distraught at seeing the young mech like that, like she was? Why wasn't he screaming or hollering at finding Heavyglide like this? Maybe he was in shock like she was. Siren was so confused. Run. That word resounded once more in her processor but didn't do like before where it had grown in volume. Something wasn't adding up and it was starting to scare her.

Slowly she moved to take out the broken datapad to type a few words for the mech kneeling besides her. Howler watched with patience like before when they had done lessons or talked. Then once she was finished he read what she typed with a grim look. Do you know what happened to Heavyglide? I found him like this and I dont know what to do. Who ever did this may come back.

Siren turned her helm slowly towards him taking in his familiar frame. Something was off about the older mech. What it was she didnt know but it ate at her. It became clear when her optics landed on the purple symbol branded on his chest and felt her spark stop in frozen disbelief. Decepticon. Optics shot up to lock with the mech's trying to understand. "I do." Came Howlers simple answer but Siren could see that his faceplates were guarded now. Why did his voice sound so hollow to her audials now? She waited not able to keep the inching feel of needing to get away from him. But why did she? "Come here, Siren, it's time we left."

Run

Once again it sounded in her processor and the urge to runaway grew within her spark. Once more she felt her optics look between frames as the urgency pounded into her spark making her flare up her armor a little as she fidgeted. She felt her pedes move into a position as time seemed to slow down around her. It didn't really slow, but the feeling deep within her spark was blaring with such warning that her frame moved under the pounding.

Sheenk!

The maroon vixen dashed forward, narrowly missing a bump to the arm of the couch to the back of it, as she ran from the one she held so much in her spark. "Siren, please, make this easier. The brewing war that is coming will not be pretty. Dont make this harder than it already is." Howler stated jerking his short sword out from the floor before giving the turbofox a look of despair. "The both of you are so innocent that the taint of war would corrupt you. I am making it so you do not see the horrors war brings."

She was venting hard, part of it from the fear that was running through her systems and the other was from hearing his words. He killed Heavyglide. It echoed in her processor as she dodged another attack from him by jumping over the couch to land of the table. The landing sent a dent into the surface but her processor went forward looking for an exit to escape this madness. The large window to her right seemed the best bet for her and so Siren raced towards it only to skid to a stop barking in surprise as Howler threw the dented table at her having moved to strike at her before she had moved again. It landed just in front of her letting her have just enough time to slow down some before crashing into it and rolling. Quickly, Siren found her pedes again and moved her back end into the table that blocked her from her exit and a whine worked it's way out as she stared at the mech that was making her spark hurt.

"Siren, please, dont look at me like that, stop this. I have lived for so long, too long I have begun to think. I have seen so much with death and destruction in the last war that had happened that I do not want you to have to see." Howler looked at Heavyglide's grey frame with sadness. "If that means forgoing a spot within the Matrix for having your energon on my servos, so be it." In the time he spoke when he looked away Siren was trying to find the best way around him now that she didn't have the momentum to break through the window.

Even with trying to look for a way out her thoughts kept going back to the fact Howler was the one to kill Heavyglide. He killed him. In cold energon. All to appease his ideal that they shouldn't have to witness this war. She felt betrayed by him and it stung badly. The mech that helped teach her all that she now knew, that he had been the one to help get her over the fear of the whip. It hurt her spark at the actions he did, no not hurt, it broke her spark to know he was responsible. A whine came out of her vocalizer as she took several more pedesteps back making herself hunched some.

Howler had heard and looked back at the vixen and without letting his thoughts weaver him anymore, he took this chance to charge her, his short sword drawn back in a quick jab. Siren yelped at the pain the lanced the right side of her frame starting from her shoulder to just before the hip joint of her back leg, showing that she hadn't been able to dodge the jab completely. With such closeness to the mech Siren did the only thing that came to her in the fight for survival. Howler yelled out in pain this time for Siren took a lunge at his open side with her strong jaw and quickly dug her now sharp claws into the joint of his right hip seam.

He fell to the ground, his center having been thrown off from her attack. Siren desperately wrenched hard at the hip socket that her claw had a dug into until something gave way. Just as the hip of the mech came free a fist pounded into the side of her face making her jaw slackened in it's grip to his upper side. She was quick to get to her pedes knowing he only had one leg to use for walking on now. The fight left her and in its place, flight slammed into her spark spurring her into a fast limping run away from all she's known, from who she's known.

She was alone in this large metal planet. "Siren! SIREN!" His scream rang through the air as she ran farther and farther from her home. "SIREN!" There was nothing left for her there.

Vos was a distant thing now. Each pedestep was pained as Energon dripped from her at the wound to her side. She was lost now and as of now, didnt care. Numb, thats what she felt. Her helm hung low with her nose nearly touching the ground as she continued forward. Ever forward. A cycle had past by and with each breem she could feel herself losing more energy to even move another pedestep in front of her.

There was nowhere for her to go, no one she called friend or would even call her friend. Being a turbofox sucked. All she was to any other bot was a beast. One breed for racing, that was all she was good for. Running to win, breeding with top Sire's, sparking out foxlings. A snarl left her at those thoughts. No, she wasnt just that she knew that. But those that had thought the same were gone now.

A grunt sounded as Siren stumbled in several of her steps only to continue forward. Ever forward. No stopping to rest. Even with the damage to his hip Siren didnt feel safe enough to stop to rest. He could find her and finish her if she did. How far has she gone? All she knew was Vos was long gone in the distance behind her. Not even the highest building could be seen anymore. Well, not that she looked back to make sure. She didnt want to look back and see if the mech was following her.

Sounds had started to reach her sensitive audials but her possessor wasnt making the connection like it would have. It was too fogged trying to understand all that had happen and still not completely coming to a full answer. There was no answer to why Howler had done what he did. There just wasnt. Siren flared her armor out in a shiver hearing the clanking they gave doing so. If she had been paying any attention she would have noticed her going into another city-state. Would have seen the way bots stopped upon seeing her energon covered frame, the slowly moving way she moved her pedes. The limp she had as she went and the trail of energon drops that landed on the ground each time she jarred her frame.

It mattered not to her since she was too fogged in the processor to notice. When she did start to notice anything it was too late. Frame was becoming heated as infection worked its way into her system. Then it working into a virus that would at times cause her optics to blur and flicker. By the time that started another cycle had come and gone as she made her way past bots into the center of the city-state. Siren could hear the mutters they said as she past only for those sayings to not reach her fully in understanding. What they said was muffled as the virus worked it's way into her. Ventilation systems working harder to cool her heating frame that only seemed to get hotter as the cycle went on.

Finally when she couldn't move anymore she fell to her side. The bots that had seen her stopped for a few kliks before moving on with no care if she offlined or not. The warning had been slowly blinking in her HUD were now flashing in rapid succession. Low energon, overheating limit, etc. Why should she care, no bot else did. They just continued on there merry little way not once stopping to look down at her poor self. Closing her optics sounded so good to her. She was beyond tired but Howler would find her. She couldnt rest now, needed to get back on her pedes and move. Only, Siren made no move to try to do so.

"Oh you poor turbofox." a voice stated from in front of her. Pedesteps came over to her then shuffled at her backside. Gentle probes to her wound made Siren whine lowly and twitch to try to get away. "It's okay. I'm a medic, I'm not going to hurt you vixen, okay? Just lay there for a klik while I look you over. You seemed to have an infection going thats set in...but its nothing i havent handled." the voice stated soothingly. The bot was a mech from his voice and young. "Who could have done such a thing to you vixen?"

"Just leave it, looks like its nearly on it's way to the Matrix already." another voice stated with a huff and a shuffle of pedes.

"The vixen is still functional. Low on energon and overheating but still able to function. Help me carry her to the medical center." Siren gave another whine trying to get her optics to work but all she could see of the bots were blurred figures. And the colors of red and white standing out the most to her vision.

There was a pause around the pedesteps that pasted them by before the other mech gave an answer. "Fine! But you owe me got it."

"Thank you." Suddenly Siren felt two sets of servos work under her then lifted her up. "Gently, so far that wound on her side has clogged and stopped the flow but too much jerking will get it going again." A scuff came from the other mech that was helping. "I know this, were both medics, you bolt, or have you forgotten?" Siren didnt know what happened after that as recharge hit her hard.

The piano piece was My World by Florian Bur. Also i am sorry for the shortness, i just wanted to leave it at this to be mysterious I will make sure to be extra long the next chapter to make up for the shortness of this one.

Can anyone guess who the bot is that found her?

StormMoonStarLight - Here is another chapter. I just hope that i did it justice since it was a really emotional one.

Darkrose Prime - Yeah im in the same bind with MTMTE, read all but issue 1 to 25...Started with the issues with Megsy in it. YES I know Rung is just awesome! Love the little mech. And yes I know, but the mech had his reasoning for doing so. I will probably do a one shot on the side for that.

OfLifeDeathAndAllBetween - Thank you! Also, Im sorry for do that to you.

The Whispering Sage - No she cant...gods i feel so bad for her.

Steelcode - Hopefully the ending to this one helps fix some of the feels.

A big thanks to those who Favorited and followed! Spartin497, Neela4232, Chitsuki-Tokiwa, Bumblebee Witwicky, and NexUmbra.

R&R!