(Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers; just Anwen and every other OC I've mixed into the puree that is this story :).)

(Authors Note: Bonjour dearest readers, fellow writers, fangirls, fanboys and TF fans of every genera, faction, race, sex, religion, country, and background! First of all, I'm super glad you're all still enjoying the story thus far because I certainly enjoy writing it. Now, I've included a new character in this chapter and I'm hoping to give her a story of her own one of these days. Granted, she has a seemingly small role in this chapter, but I also plan for her story to tie into this one, albeit cameos and screen time when the situation calls for it. My initial goal is for her to blossom and develop into a lovable/relatable character like Anwen, but also be uniquely different in her own special way. Story aside, I apologize for not uploading this chapter sooner, but life happens sometimes and can be rather distracting. Regardless, I hope your Spooktober is going horrifically fabulous so far and I hope you enjoy this latest chapter :) In the meantime, feel free to leave a comment (no hate please) as I always enjoy reading your inspiring and kind words of encouragement and take inspiration from them :) Until next time, stay safe, stay sane, and stay awesome!)

(Warning! This chapter contains some rather graphic scenes that may be disturbing to some viewers.)

"English/French"

'Mental thoughts'

"Flashbacks"

'Sarcasm' (or emphasis)

{Cybertronian}

::Sparkbonds::

:Speaker talk:

::Comm. Link::

*:Phone calls:*

Chapter 46

"Soooo, you two were essentially put on a BRAT diet this morning?"

Sunstreaker gave her a nod as he casually twirled some vegetable linguine onto his fork, "Mhmm. Ratchet prescribed that to all Autobots as soon as the holoform upgrades were installed. He didn't want any of us to have a negative reaction to organic foods, so we had to ease into the process throughout the day."

"Well, I guess that explains why I didn't see either of you after I was dropped off this morning."

"Yep. Sunny and I spent most of our day in the Med Bay eating crackers…and not the good ones either. These were unsalted and had little to no flavor."

"Oh, so they were similar to communion wafers."

"I'm not sure what those are."

"They're small styrofoam-like discs that get passed out at churches during communion services. Patrons are expected to eat them and like it."

"Sounds awful."

"They are. But that aside, you two only had crackers?"

"At first," Sunstreaker admitted as he casually took a sip of his wine. "Of course, Sideswipe is merely exaggerating the story to a certain degree," he added with a slight eye roll that was directed towards his twin. "But he is correct in that we did spend the majority of the day inside the Med Bay. However, we were there trying a variety of different foods to see if our holoforms would have any negative side effects. Basically, we had to ease ourselves into consuming solid organic material so as to not shock our systems."

"Ah, smart move. So, what else did you eat besides crackers," she gave Sideswipe a wink, which brought a smile to his face:

"Well, we tried an assortment of fruits and vegetables, as well as cheese and tree nuts."

"And before you ask: No, we didn't try meat," the older twin added. "None of us Autobots were comfortable with the idea of consuming the flesh of another creature. But we did try tofu and plant-based meat substitutes. They weren't too bad; however, I would have to make some improvements if I were to use them in a dish."

"That's probably a good idea, seeing as how they're not quite as flavorful as real meat."

"Well, we don't have anything to compare them to, so we'll just have to take your word on that," Sideswipe replied with a wink as an adorable blush appeared across her cheeks.

XXXXX

Shortly after finishing dinner and cleaning up the dishes, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe's Comm. links went off, followed by the base's air raid siren, which meant the island was about to be under attack!

Cupping her cheek within his palm, the older twin donned a serious expression as he met her piercing gaze, "Anwen, listen carefully: you need to take Kenobi and get to the safehouse bunker as soon as possible. As much as Sideswipe and I want to escort you there ourselves, we need to help our fellow Autobots defend the island."

"But don't worry, we'll stay in touch through the bond," Sides chimed in as he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close, "Just promise us that you'll stay safe."

"Only if you two do the same," she stated with tears in her eyes as she tightly hugged them. "I love you both so much."

"And we love you, sparklight."

After sharing a kiss with her, both Sunstreaker and Sideswipe dismissed their holoforms, leaving Anwen to frantically grab a few essentials and toss them into her backpack before slinging it across her shoulders and scooping Kenobi up in her arms, to which she then exited her apartment and headed over to the stairwell with her neighbors following suit.

While descending down the stairs, a series of loud explosions were heard coming from outside, causing people to scream in fear and panic as the building began to shake. Although her mind kept flashing back to Mission City, Anwen remained calm amidst the chaos and protectively held Kenobi against her chest, while mentally praying that the building would continue to hold and that everyone within would make it out safely and over to the bunker. The last thing she wanted was to be entombed underneath another pile of rubble and debris.

Upon exiting the building, Anwen and her neighbors were met with the sights, sounds, and smells of battle as they frantically ran in the direction of the safehouse bunker. The smell of gun-smoke and burning debris was thick in the air as the battlefield was less than a block away from their current location.

The sounds of gunfire and explosions rang out across the landscape, but they were soon replaced with screams as a bomb suddenly landed nearby, sending bits of shrapnel flying everywhere. Unfortunately, Anwen was struck in the back of her right leg, causing her to emit a pained yelp as blood heavily began streaking down her calf and ankle. However, she quickly ignored the throbbing pain as she rushed over to help one of her fallen neighbors that had been severely injured by the blast.

"DAGNY! Oh mon Dieu," her amber/cerulean eyes widened at the horrific scene: the brunette's entire right arm and shoulder were coated in blood as bits of bone and debris protruded through her torn muscles and flesh. Granted, Anwen wasn't a stranger to such sights and injuries, but it was still a shock nonetheless.

"...B-Bleu…is my cat okay," the young woman worriedly asked while gesturing to a small, overturned pet carrier that was lying a few feet away from where she herself lay bleeding. Although she was in obvious discomfort and pain, she was far more concerned for her feline friend than her own well-being. If the situation wasn't so dire, it would actually be really sweet.

Picking up the small carrier, Anwen looked inside and saw that it contained a young black cat. Other than it obviously being scared and confused, it looked perfectly fine. "Your minou (kitty) is safe, but we need to get out of here. Can you still walk?"

"I...I think so," she shakily stood up while avoiding the carnage that was her right arm. She knew it was bad by the amount of blood she was losing and by the pain she felt; however, she dared not look at it for fear of passing out.

"Here, let me carry the kennel while you hang onto me," Anwen graciously offered and picked up the carrier with one hand, while the other kept a secure hold of Kenobi. "Now, grab onto my arm and stay close."

"T-Thank you," she cried and held onto her as they then made their way to safety.

XXXXX

Shortly after entering the bunker, a team of field medics arrived to assist the wounded while the battle continued to rage on outside. Meanwhile, Anwen stayed next to Dagny as the doctors worked to stop her bleeding, all the while hoping that her sparkmates' were alright and that the battle would end soon.

Looking over at the brunette woman, Anwen's mind flashed back to Mission City, causing her to mentally shudder in discomfort. She worried for Dagny's physical and mental well-being, and wondered what sort of fate was now in store for her. Looking back, she realized that the two of them only ever had brief encounters with one another during their time at N.E.S.T. thus far. Yes, Dagny was a nice girl, but she was rather introverted and shy when it came to others, so their interactions usually consisted of work-related discussions or brief greetings in the hallway of the apartment building.

As she sat next to the brunette, a soft *meow* emitted from the carrier, which brought a sad smile to Anwen's face. "Bonjour, little one."

*meow*

"I know you're scared, but you're safe now, and your Maman is going to be alright." She stuck her finger through the gate of the carrier and gently scratched the cat's soft head, to which it loudly began to purr. "So,what's her name," she curiously asked, to which Dagny gave her a pained smile:

"..Morticia."

Looking back into the carrier, the young ginger tenderly scratched under the cat's chin as it continued to purr in contentment, "Morticia...that's a fitting name. Was she named after Morticia Addams from the Addams Family?"

"Yep," she smirked before asking, "What's your puppy's name?"

"Kenobi," she answered as said pup licked her arm, to which the brunette's eyes lit up:

"Kenobi? An in Obi-Wan Kenobi?"

"Oui," she smiled, delighted to know that she was in the presence of another Star Wars fan.

"That's awesome."

"Merci." As she continued to give both Kenobi and Morticia attention, Anwen felt her sparkmates' trying to contact her through their shared bond:

::Ani, are you alright? Please tell us that you made it into the bunker.::

::Oui. Kenobi and I are safe, but what about the two of you? Where are you and what's going on?::

::We're driving the enemy forces back at the moment,:: Sunstreaker gruffly answered as his tone suggested that they were still in combat. ::Damn Decepticons teamed up with human terrorists and thought they could get the drop on us.::

::But we showed them,:: Sideswipe added with an obvious smirk in his voice. ::We'll let you know if the situation changes, but until then, please stay hidden.::

::I will. I love you both so much.::

::And we love you, sparklight.::

::Love you, Ani.::

::Please stay safe out there.::

::We will.:: They then sent her waves of love through the bond, to which she reciprocated their affections while trying to ignore the pain in her leg. She just hoped that the battle would end soon so they could all be together again.

XXXXX

-Later-

Dagny and several other civilians ended up being transported (via military humvee) to the base hospital for further treatment as their injuries were far more severe and required extensive surgery. Although she too had been injured and would require stitches in the back of her leg, Anwen remained in the bunker with her fellow coworkers and neighbors as the field medics tirelessly worked to aid her and all those who were wounded in the attack.

Before she was taken to the hospital, Dagny had asked Anwen if she'd take care of Morticia while she was away; to which the young ginger willingly agreed. How could she refuse? She'd never turn away an animal in need, especially in this type of situation.

Looking into the carrier, she couldn't help but smile as a beautiful pair of bright yellow eyes stared back at her. "Bonjour, Morticia. Your Maman asked me to look after you while she's in the hospital. She said to tell you that she loves you and hopes to see you again soon."

The little black cat licked her nose and made biscuits on the blanket in her carrier, while emitting a soft purring sound. "Aww, you're so cute. Isn't she just the sweetest little kitty, Kenobi?"

Said puppy happily wagged his tail and snuffled the carrier, to which Morticia stuck out her paw and playfully batted at his nose while continuing to purr. In response, Kenobi licked her paw and laid himself in front of her carrier so as to keep her company while they waited for the battle to end. As she contently watched the adorable scene, Anwen felt her sparkmates' trying to contact her through the bond:

::Sparklight, are you still awake?::

::Oui, I'm awake. I haven't been able to sleep knowing you both are still out there fighting.::

::Well, you can rest easy because we have some good news for you,:: Sideswipe chimed in with a smile in his voice.

::Oh? What is it?::

::We drove away the enemy and also managed to capture one of their own.::

::Really? Who is it? A human or a Decepticon?::

::It's a Decepticon scout known as Barricade,:: Sunstreaker answered with a slight growl in his tone. ::It seems his comrades left his sorry aft behind when they retreated. I guess loyalty isn't a common trait among their ilk.::

::So now, Sunny and I are dragging his stasis aft into the brig for interrogation. Hopefully, when he wakes up, he can tell us why the Cons have suddenly decided to join forces with human terrorists. I'm sure Prime and Lennox will looOove to hear his explanation,:: he stated with obvious sarcasm in his voice, bringing a smile to Anwen's freckled face.

::So, does this mean the battle is over?::

::Yep. We gave those fraggers quite the beating. I don't think we'll be seeing them again for quite some time, but we'll likely be increasing the security around the island as a mandatory precaution.::

::When can we leave the bunker?::

::As soon as Prime gives the all clear. But until then, I'd stay put just in case there's some stragglers skulking around out there. If Barricade was left behind, there's a chance someone else was too…well, someone who isn't offline, that is.::

::How many casualties were there?::

::Vehicons, 9. Enemy humans, 47. Allied soldiers, 3. Civilians, 5...that we know of,:: Sunstreaker neutrally answered. ::But we'll likely have a more accurate number by morning.::

::Oh...I see.:: Mentally shaking her head of that thought, Anwen emitted a sigh as she glanced down at her leg. ::...Sunstreaker? Sideswipe?::

::Yes?:: They answered in unison.

::I um…I need to tell you something.::

::What is it, Ani?::

::When my fellow tenants and I were fleeing the apartment, a bomb was dropped near our location and many of us were injured…myself included.::

*sigh* ::We had a feeling you were somehow harmed during the attack as we could feel your pain through the bond. I imagine you weren't able to feel ours because your pain receptors likely masked our pain as your own.::

::Wait! You two were injured?!::

::A little, but it's nothing that we haven't experienced before. Trust us, we've had WAY worse.::

::However, our physical pain is nothing compared to the thought of losing you, sparklight.::

::Pareil ici (Same here),:: she replied with tears forming in her eyes. ::I don't even want to imagine my life without you both in it. Je vous aime, Sunstreaker (I love you, _). Je vous aime, Sideswipe.::

::And I love you, Anwen.::

::I love you too, Ani.::

Hearing those declarations of love brought a smile to the young ginger's face as she fondly looked over at Kenobi and Morticia (who were now sleeping). ::Salut les gars (Hey, guys)?::

::Hmm?::

::Yes?::

::...I've got some other news to share with you.::

::Oh? What is it?::

::Well, during the attack, my neighbor, Dagny, was also struck by shrapnel, but her injuries were more severe and she ended up being rushed to the base hospital for treatment. However, before she was taken away, she asked if I could look after her cat, Morticia, until she's discharged. I just thought I should let you know that we'll be cat-sitting for the next few days or longer, depending on her recovery.::

::Oh, lucky us,:: Sunstreaker stated in a sarcastic tone, causing Anwen smile:

::Maintenant mon cher (Now my dear), it's not a permanent thing. Besides, I couldn't just say no; especially not to such an adorable little minou (kitty).::

::You're too sweet, sparklight::

::Oui, but you both love me for it.::

::Damn right we do,:: Sideswipe answered with an obvious smile in his voice. ::Don't worry, Ani. We'll quickly adapt to the added company.::

::That's comforting to hear, but what'll likely happen is that I'll leave Morticia in Dagny's apartment and frequently check in on her throughout the day and stay with her for a few hours after work. Cat's are rather prone to stress if they're in unfamiliar territory, so I'd rather she stay in her own space where she's familiar with her surroundings. Plus, all of her supplies are in Dagny's apartment and it just seems easier to care for her there than bring everything over to my place.::

::Makes sense.::

(Another Authors Note: First off, for those who are unfamiliar with the term BRAT, it stands for Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast. BRAT diets consist of soft, bland foods that won't upset the digestive system. They are primarily used when battling nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Just some helpful information in case there was any confusion at the beginning of the chapter :) As a note, I thought incorporating BRAT was kinda like a little tribute to when I worked as a caregiver. On a second note, I'm adding Barricade into the mix, whaaaat?! Yes, I thought it was finally time to add a Con into the story :D Granted, this fan fic primarily focuses on Anwen and the twins relationship, but a little change is welcomed here and there. Now, with that being said, I hope to give Dagny her own story sometime as I recently thought of some interesting developments for her...and for Barricade ;) Also, I couldn't resist adding a cat into the story at some point. And her name: Morticia?! Oh, that's just too cute! Especially for a black cat. It suits her so well :D. Anyways, until next time, stay awesome!)