Torment is still cradling her protectively against him in his recharge when Athena early in the morning wakes up, and she feels her love for him suffuse her whole being as she lies there and feels him recharge calmly against her back.
It feels so right to wake up in his home with him still in a deep, peaceful recharge. The only place in the world where he can let his guard drop and let go of his constant alertness. She turns around as stealthily as she can to not wake him and looks at his relaxed facial features, a fond smile growing on her lips as she carefully studies his new face up close to familiarize herself with it.
Her digits itch to run along the hard edges and fine lines sculpturing his handsome face, and she leans in to touch her lips to his in a light kiss.
He still doesn't wake up, too lost to recharge and clearly in need of it.
As she curls against him and offlines her optics to go back into recharge, she thinks about how stressful it must have been for him to handle her kidnapping on top of her brutal breakup with him. This must be the first time in a long time he has been able to relax and get a restful recharge, and it pains her to know she is one of the reasons he so desperately needs it. Their breakup had hurt him more than she could imagine, but now she is here and they are together once again and she will do anything to make it all up to him. Because she wants her assertive and resolute Torment back, and a sufficient recharge is a step in the right direction.
Sometime later, she is woken by a gentle tickle on her nasal ridge and onlines her optics to stare into Torment's wide-awake ones.
"Hello there." His voice is deep and husky and there is a wisp of emotion in his optics.
Athena knows Torment never will be the lovey-dovey type, and she doesn't need him to be because that wisp of emotion in his optics is enough to show her how much he loves her.
"Hello you." She shoots back, her lips curving into a smile.
His optics focuses on her lips and she waits with bated breath as he leans towards her and kisses her. A muffled sound of pleasure escapes her as she reciprocates the kiss, and when his arms snake around her to pull her firmer against him, she wraps her arms around his neck.
Everything about his physique is different compared to his small, sleek and agile frame, but she isn't complaining. He is now the epitome of masculinity with his hard lines, heavy plating and broad shoulders, and she loves the feel of him pressed against her. His hands wander down her frame as he keeps her locked in the kiss, his exploration of her slow and gentle, and when his digits get near her valve cover, it slides aside without a thought.
Torment immediately stops his exploration, breaks the kiss and looks sharply at her.
"It is too soon. You need to recover still."
She bursts into tears at the sight of his steadfast resolve, feeling his love for her in the resolute refusal.
He pulls her against him again and lets her cry until the tears slip up, caressing her back comfortingly in silence. And when she finally stills and relaxes in his hold, he looks down at her.
"I should bring you back to the medical bay as I promised Flux last night when he asked about your whereabouts, but if you have the energy for it, I want to introduce you to Talon and his inner circle first."
While Torment had told her about Talon and his relationship with the leader of the Polyhexian Cartel, she had listened attentively and been curious to learn more about the one who had become such an important creator-figure for her loved one.
She has of course heard of Talon like any other when the news media brings up news of new conflicts breaking out between the various criminal organizations, but aside from that, she knows only a little, and most of it is myths and rumors.
"I would love to meet your creator-figure and his inner circle."
He leads her out of his private quarters and they walk down the corridors, meeting more and more sentinels on their way. As the day before, she acknowledges them with a respectful nod in passing while Torment ignores them. They finally come to an intersection that leads directly to a set of wide double doors flanked by two heavily armed sentinels on their right side.
"This is our Command Center." Torment tells her before he opens the double doors and gestures for her to enter ahead of him.
She steps into the massive room and her attention falls upon the gathered group standing at attention and looking at her in silence. They are a motley bunch of various frame types, sizes, and personalities. She deduces the last simply by the look in their optics. Some optics are cold and indifferent, some show curiousness, and others hold a welcoming warmth.
There is a single carrier among them, and she finds that it pleases her deeply to see this diversity in the group.
The large black flight-frame in the front of the group steps forward when Torment moves to stand by her side.
"Athena."
His deep baritone is pleasant and welcoming as he stops a respectful distance from her so that she won't get forced to crane her neck uncomfortably to look him into the optics.
"It is good to see you are awake and well. And that you have found Torment."
There is a glint of humor in the intelligent optics.
"You must be Talon." She concludes without hesitation.
Talon nods his head graciously in confirmation.
"Indeed I am. And this is my inner circle." He says with a gesture of his hand to the group behind him. One after one, he introduces his inner circle to her, providing information about each of them and explaining their position in the organization.
Shade is the last to be introduced, and when the black and silver carrier has been presented, he excuses himself and leaves the Command Center. Athena looks after him, but Talon explains Shade's duty to be there for Nacelle, Thundercracker and Skywarp as the reason for the carrier's departure.
It reminds her of Nacelle's offer, and as she and Torment walk toward the medical bay, she decides to take Nacelle up on it. It is not healthy for her to bottle up all the trauma, and as sooner she starts processing it, the easier it will be. Her mental state will not improve before she does so. And she needs to be mentally strong to be there for Torment whenever he needs her support.
Her first session is traumatic as she opens up to Nacelle about everything Torrent did to her. But as the sessions progress in the following months, she slowly begins to feel better and better, and finally, she has come so far that she is ready to go back to working with Hotspot to help Thundercracker.
But this is where her first real challenge in her new life comes.
Convincing Torment to let her go to Praxus.
They have a heated argument, Athena standing firm on her decision to return to work, and Torment likewise firm in his refusal to let her outside the protection of the Polyhexian Cartel's underground stronghold - citing it is too dangerous. That the tense aftermath after their operation within enemy territory hasn't blown over yet and that the Tarnian Syndicate still will be waiting tirelessly for any opportunity to strike against them to get revenge.
Finally, they find a compromise, Athena accepting that she can work with Hotspot from a distance if Torment sets up a suitable working space for her. And with the assistance of Talon, it is arranged within a day.
What looks like a former weapons storage turned laboratory complete with all the equipment she could ever want greets her optics as Torment shows Athena her new workspace for the first time.
"If you need something special, let me know and we will acquire it."
She stands stunned in the doorway, looking at it all, not sure how to react to the sight of all the costly specialized equipment and machinery the Forensic Institute would never have been able to afford in a million years. She is especially overwhelmed at the sight of the highly specialized processor scanner that takes up a whole section of her new laboratory.
"This is-" She shakes her head in disbelief, a warm smile growing on her lips as she meets Torment's optics. "-perfect."
"It will please Talon to hear. He has wanted a psychiatrist on our medical team for a long time. I know you want to use this to help Thundercracker and Retrograde's other victims, but Talon hopes you will also use it afterward to help us as an organization. There is no pressure, but think about it."
Then he leaves her to take it all in on her own.
She steps into the center of the room, the door swooshing shut behind her, and walks among the workbenches, studying the equipment closer and listening to its quiet whirring. She ends up at the large screen and her new work computer located in an area sequestered from the laboratory by a simple glass wall that allows her a full view of the laboratory while giving her a feeling of privacy and peace to think and analyze results.
She sits down in the chair and taps a key on the keyboard, and the screen comes to life, asking her to confirm her identity by placing her digit on a touchpad. She follows the instruction and the computer's system unlocks, providing her with a few preinstalled suggestions. Contact Hotspot is one of them.
Her spark melts at the thoughtfulness Torment has put into all of this, acquiring Hotspot's communication ID and adding it to the communication system.
It proves that he has accepted her need to do this.
She inhales and exhales slowly to steel herself before clicking the suggestion and sending a communication request. Several long seconds pass before Hotspot accepts the communication and the vid-link establishes with him frowning down at her in confusion. She smiles warmly at seeing him.
"Athena?" He asks, sounding as perplexed as he looks, his optics blinking rapidly as if he doesn't believe what he sees.
"I didn't... I thought..."
She takes pity on him and holds up a hand to gently silence his rambling words.
"I know. I know."
He finally silences and looks at her, his optics wide.
"I am aware a lot has happened since we last spoke. My kidnapping, first and foremost. And I know you have questions. But before I let you go at me, I just want you to know that I am safe and as well as I can be. I don't know if you have heard anything after my rescue, but I am here now to update you on what has happened on my end and to hear what you have found out while I have been indisposed."
"Indisposed! You cannot simply brush it all off as being indisposed, Athena!" He protests, looking scandalized at her. "Anything could have happened to you! For Primus' sake, you could have died!"
"I know, Hotspot. I almost did, according to those saving my life. But trust me. I am fine. And I am not alone. Nacelle has been following me the last few weeks to make sure I am good and well, both physically and mentally."
Hotspot regains some of his composure, but his brows remain furrowed in a deep, skeptical frown.
"Now that you mention it, where the frag are you? I didn't recognize your communication ID and almost denied it because of that. Furthermore, the connection is encrypted in a way I have never experienced before. And you know I have worked some sensitive, high-profile cases in my professional life."
Athena hesitates, and Hotspot instantly clues in on it, his expression darkening.
"Athena..." He says gravelly. "Where are you?"
"Inside the headquarter of a criminal organization in Iacon." She answers with a sigh, preparing herself for his reaction.
Hotspot blinks in surprise. Then fury fills his optics.
"You! What!"
His roar of outrage fills the laboratory, and she briefly wonders if anyone outside would have heard it at their passing but concludes that the room is most likely soundproof. Something she is sure Torment would have made a priority when he chose the location of her workspace.
"I know. I know." She repeats herself, once again holding her hand up to silence his tirade. "There is a lot I need to update you on, and I promise I will tell you everything. All I ask of you is that you don't interrupt before I have finished, okay?"
Hotspot nods and Athena goes into a deeper explanation of what had happened with her kidnapping, her experiences at Torrent's hands and how her health had deteriorated during her stay with him to the point where she became unconscious.
"When I woke up, I was in a recovery room at an unknown place. I later learned from Nacelle, who was staying at the same place, that I was within the Polyhexian Cartel's underground stronghold and that the criminal organization had been the one, alongside rogue members from the dissolved Joint Investigation Unit, to save me from Torrent. It was only later in my talk with Nacelle that I found out that Torment is a part of the criminal organization. I went to see him and we mended our broken relationship when I found him. He is the heir to the organization, and I have decided to stay with him. During my time as Torrent's captive, I regretted breaking up with Torment and missed him so much. And now that I have a chance with him again, I need to take it. I know how crazy it sounds. He is a wanted criminal. A killer. But it doesn't matter. I still love him with all my spark and simply can't live without him."
Silence reigns when she has finished, Hotspot looking contemplatively at her.
No longer raging.
"The two of you had something the moment you met. It has stood clear to me from the beginning, and while it does seem crazy, you need to do what feels right for you in your spark. No matter what I or others think. I, for one, should know how mysteriously our sparks work, and from what you explain, it sounds like you and Torment have a deep connection. I am not saying on the spark-mate level of deep, but it could be."
He remains silent in thought for a little while.
"I have never liked him because of what he is and how he hurt you, but if you are certain he is your one, then I will not cause you any grief. I will do my best to like him and accept his position in your life."
It means a lot to Athena to hear Hotspot say that.
As her colleague and closest friend, his opinion means a lot to her, and to have him onboard instead of against Torment will make their work together less tense and more like it used to be without the topic of her loved one hanging as a shadow above them.
Now it is out in the open, and Hotspot has accepted her choice with a minimum of argument.
She doesn't expect him to like Torment immediately, but that is fine.
As long as he is giving Torment a chance to prove his sincerity.
"Now that we are past all that. Tell me about your work while I have been away."
And Hotspot delves into the complex salvaging process he has undertaken to restore the corrupted data on the datapads containing Thundercracker's lost memories.