Brawn had been giving you dirty looks since the beginning of your energon break. He was sitting across from you with his arms crossed and one foot furiously tapping against the floor. You were doing your level best to ignore him. Ever since you gave your report to Optimus concerning the incident with Starscream, Brawn had been in a foul mood. You knew why. Optimus had already given you an hour long lecture about how you should always stick with your partner and never, EVER wander off during missions. You got the same lecture from Ironhide. And Ratchet. You just knew that Brawn was chomping at the bits to give you the same lecture, too, just with much rougher language. It was annoying. You weren't a kid. You made a mistake. You made a mistake that could have been fatal. You knew you were wrong and you wouldn't do that again. They didn't need to keep harping on you about it!

You took a sip from your energon and made optic contact with Brawn. His scowl deepened. You scowled back. The incident had really rubbed Brawn the wrong way. He'd avoided you for a while after he found out. Whenever you spoke to him he would either grumble or give you a curt, one-word response. Normally, when something was bothering Brawn, he dealt with the issue right away, usually with a fist. This pouty, sullen behavior did not suit him at all.

"Okay. What crawled up your exhaust?" You asked, finally.

Brawn gave you a startled look as if he hadn't been expecting you to speak. Then his expression scrunched back into a glare.

"Oh nothing. Just my partner seems to have a death wish. That's all." he grumbled.

"Brawn..." You paused to reign in the annoyance in your voice. "Brawn, I've been lectured three times now. I don't need another."

"Hey, you asked me what was wrong!" He defended. Then he added, "I'm not gonna lecture you. I just..."

You waited. Brawn struggled to put his words together. Finally he mumbled something that you didn't quite make out.

"I didn't catch that." You said.

Brawn looked annoyed, then ashamed, then annoyed again. You had no idea what was going on with him.

"Brawn?"

"I said, I was worried." He looked positively embarrassed to say that out loud and even glanced around the mess hall in hopes that no one over heard.

You had to strain to keep from laughing at him. Tough guy Brawn had a soft spot after all.

"Well, you didn't need to be." You said. "Nothing happened..."

"Something could have!" he cried.

Here we go, You thought.

"I thought you weren't going to lecture me." You said, giving him a pointed look.

"I'm not!" he corrected. "It's just that... Look, I've seen you fight. You're no pushover. I know you can hold your own. That's not the problem. Starscream's a coward but he's tricky. Who knows how he could have turned that situation in his favor?"

"Brawn, this is sounding dangerously close to a lecture." You said with a wry smile.

Brawn looked like he was going to put his fist through the table for a second before he sighed in frustration.

"Fine. Okay. Just don't expect that Decepti-creep to show you any gratitude!" he warned.

You rolled your optics. Why did everyone treat you like you were some green-horn, new recruit with no knowledge of how war works? Sure, you may be a new recruit here on Earth but you've been an Autobot soldier for a long time now. What exactly did they all think you did back on Cybertron? Desk work? You decided not so say anything.

"Let's not talk about it anymore." You said. "There's no point in fretting over the past. Everything's fine now."

Brawn looked like he wanted to argue but he just nodded instead.

"Yeah. We got patrol duty later. I'll see ya then." he said, giving your shoulder a playful, yet slightly too rough, shove.

"Ow. Okay, dude. See ya." You said with a grunt.

There was an uncomfortable atmosphere on the Decepticon base. The base wasn't exactly a cozy place anyway, but for the past few weeks things had seemed more than a little tense. Even Megatron himself felt it. His SIC had holed himself up in his quarters, no doubt brooding over some ridiculous thing or another. But this felt different. Starscream did not brood over things this long. More than that, he was never quiet, especially not this long. He was up to something. Megatron could always sense it when his less-than-loyal lackey was plotting something. Megatron didn't like not knowing what Starscream was planning, but he wouldn't let it worry him. The fool would reveal his plans sooner or later and he would deal with the treachery the way he always did.

Starscream had indeed been planning something, but found he could not concentrate. He hadn't been able to do anything lately. All he could do was sit at his desk and think. He'd been there for days, not recharging, not even leaving his room to refuel. All he could do was think about you and fume. No matter what he did he couldn't get your gentle touch and soft-spoken words out of his head. You had done something to him and now he could only think of you. He hated it. It made him feel weak and even used somehow. How dare you do this to him! How dare you fill his processor with your voice, your touch, and your face! How dare you make it so he could think of nothing else!

Starscream pushed away from his desk and began pacing the room. This was madness! How was he, the great Air Commander for the Decepticons, so deeply effected by the kindness of a lowly Autobot grunt!? He had to figure out how you were doing this and put a stop to it. If he did nothing... if he just let these feelings overtake him, he was certain that he would go mad. There was simply no logical reason for him to be this greatly effected by you after only encountering you once. Starscream stopped pacing and put a hand to his forehead. Now he was starting to think like Shockwave. Ugh.

It was at that moment that his trinemate Skywarp decided to teleport directly in front of him. Starscream let out a cry of surprise and then one of rage.

"Skywarp! How many times have I told you not to do that!?" he screeched.

"I dunno. I wasn't keeping count." The purple seeker snickered in response. "Megatron says we're going on another energy raid. That means you've gotta quit moping and help out."

Skywarp added that last part in that mocking "tattle-tale child" voice that Starscream hated. The trine leader glared at Skywarp a moment before a barely visible smile formed on his lips.

"Tell Megatron I'll be there in a moment." he said.

Skywarp gave him a weird look. It was highly unusual for Starscream to comply with Megatron's orders so readily.

"You feeling okay, Screamer?" Skywarp asked.

"My name is Starscream, fool! Not Screamer! Now do as you're told!" Starscream shrieked.

"Yeah, you're okay." Skywarp muttered and warped away, leaving the Air Commander to his thoughts.

An energy raid! This was perfect! No doubt the Autobots would come to stop them like the pathetic do-gooders they were. You would almost certainly be with them. Starscream was almost giddy thinking about it. But no, no he couldn't let these horrid feelings control him any longer. He had to remain calm and handle the situation rationally. In spite of the threat he'd given you the last time he'd spoken to you, he never planned on meeting you again. But now he was determined to seek you out so that he could carry out his threat. He knew that there was only one way to end these uncontrollable thoughts. You would have to die.