Author's Note: The second book of TF: Lux Eterna. And yes, this is a completed fic, so don't ask when I'll be updating it, okay? ~_^
Warnings: Death, destruction, mayhem, telepathic teens, robo-yaoi, mostly OCs
Disclaimer: Transformers and it's canon characters belong to Hasbro/Takara. I claim all the OCs and take full responsibility for conjuring up the plotline of this fic. Lyrics quoted as listed.


If You Be Only Human
Interlude: Never Surrender, Never Forget
Heart beyond repair
All the edges worn and frayed
Magnifying love betrayed
Through blood, through soul

- Harry Connick, Jr., "Heart Beyond Repair"

September, 2001

"An unprecedented attack on home soil. . . ."
"A nation in shock. . . ."
". . . the world watched in horror. . . ."
Nayla stared at the main screen of Teletran-1 in mute horror, unable to look away as she watched the first tower of the World Trade Center collapse for the third time. It felt unreal, as if she were watching some terrible movie, and not the BBC. The giant screen was subdivided into four main areas ringed in over a dozen video feeds from around the world, replaying the horror that had only just occurred moments before.
She, like the myriad Autobots in the control room with her, had been drawn to Command and Control by the shrill cry of red alert klaxons in the pre-dawn hours of what should have been a normal September day. And like the Autobots around her, she felt herself frozen in disbelieving shock, unable to truly comprehend what Teletran was relaying.
"Prowl, organize a response unit. Hot Spot!"
"Sir?"
"Get your team to New York, ASAP."
"Sir yes sir!" the Protectobot leader responded, snapping off the video connection. As if galvanized by that action, Prowl stepped forward, relaying orders as easily as if he were reading off the morning duty roster.
"Response teams Alpha and Omega, set up a command post outside D.C. Beta Team, dispatch to Pennsylvania. Delta Team, coordinate aerial patrols. Zulu, inventory our specialists. Echo, Foxtrot, the Ark and Autobot City sites are in your hands."
In a rush of noise and color, the Autobots dispersed. Within moments, the command center was all but empty once more. Aside from herself and Variance, only Morpheus, Sunstreaker, and Sideswipe remained.
"Var, take Nayla home. Sun, Side, organize the home guard."
"Sir!" the twins chorused with crisp salutes.
"Morpheus, I want to help."
"I appreciate that, Nayla, but for now, your place is at home. Once things are organized, then I may have something for you. Until then, please stay home."
Nayla sighed, but she knew better than to argue. Despite telepath ethics, she knew he would happily put her into a deep sleep if she fought him. The privilege of teacher over pupil.
"Stay here, Nayla. I'll be back soon," Variance said as he keyed open the door to their apartment.
"You . . . you are leaving me?"
"I have to get my assignment. You'll be fine on your own for awhile. And I promise I'll keep checking in with you."
"I have no choice, do I?"
"Part of living with warriors."
"You need not remind me," she groused. Variance smiled, briefly touching her shoulder before leaving. She paced their quarters, anxious for something to do. She hated to feel useless almost as much as she hated feeling unwanted. The news was insisting on playing the video over and over again, and it was all the major American networks would air. Not that she didn't understand, of course, but all alone in the single-occupancy quarters she shared with Variance . . . she was bored.
"Nayla?"
"Yes, Variance?"
"They need me to run courier to Autobot City and back. Are you going to be okay?"
"I think so, yes. Certainly I can contact you if it becomes too long. Is there anything I can do to assist?"
"Morpheus didn't say anything to me. I'm sure he'll let you know as soon as he has something."
"Of course, I just . . . wish to help."
"I know you do, Nayla, and I'm sure Morpheus knows too."
Nayla sighed, collapsing into her chair.
"I know, I know," Variance chuckled softly. "I really do need to sign off, hon. Be good."
The line was dead before Nayla could respond.
He can't possibly mean anything by it, she told herself. Probably just trying to mimic human behaviors.
Still . . . may the Light shine brightly for you, Variance my darling. Keep safe. . . .


* * * * *

"Morpheus. . . ."
"I'm on my fortieth hour, Tracks; find your own solution and take care of it."
"But. . . ."
"If you can't handle that, call Waverunner over at Autobot City. I'm off-duty for the next five hours."
Before Tracks could continue to protest, Morpheus strode out of the command center, Neo following like a shadow.
"You've been watching me," he murmured as they walked down empty corridors.
"Of course."
"You were supposed to go off-duty fifteen hours ago."
"I switched with Sideswipe. I've got five hours off now too."
Neo smiled at the startled look on Morpheus's face. He dragged his mate the last few paces into their empty suite, then rushed him into their sleep room.
"Did you think, after all these years, I wouldn't know how you think?" he whispered, reaching up to cup his mate's cheek. Amusement flickered across their bond.
"Now I remember why I chose you," Morpheus purred, his voice a deep note of pleasure.
"I'm glad Prowl ordered us to stay here," Neo sighed, drawing Morpheus closer. "I don't think I could handle being out there."
"You always were more empathic," his mate replied, gently folding his arms around Neo's waist. Contentment blossomed within the specialist as he rested his head against Morpheus's shoulder.
"Guess it's a good thing we're home guard now, even if Strike 'n' Duo don't like it."
"They'll learn to adjust, as they have before. . . ."
. . . but you didn't swap shifts with Sideswipe to talk about home guard or the team, Morpheus sent gently. So tell me, darling, what has you in such a state?
"We could have been in the middle of that," he whispered, a tremor shaking through him. The idea that they could have been caught at Ground Zero, would have been assigned to swing through New York if not for Nayla's link to Variance . . . it shook him to the very core. Intellectually, he knew they would have been okay. And yet he couldn't shake the fear that they had very narrowly escaped tragedy.
"Shh . . . easy, Neo . . . it didn't happen. . . ."
"But it could have, Morpheus. . . ."
"But it didn't."
"But. . . ."
Morpheus clasped Neo's face gently, pulling him off his shoulder so their gazes met.
I'm here, you're here, we're fine. Variance is fine, even.
But. . . .
Shh . . . enough, my love. It is a moot point. You can't spend your life worrying over things that didn't happen.

Neo sighed deeply, cobalt optics switching offline. Morpheus shifted his hold to draw Neo closer, lightly kissing his cheek. When the tension failed to go out of Neo's body, the elder telepath trailed tender kisses along his jaw.
"Mm. . . ." . . . and now who's in a state?
Only trying to get you to relax
, he sent back, gently stroking the ridge around Neo's shoulders. The younger telepath obligingly leaned into the caress, a low purr of pleasure seeping out of him.
"Just you and me and five hours off-duty," Morpheus murmured. "Think you can handle that?"
"Mm . . . you can't stop me," Neo whispered, pulling his mate into a fiery kiss. Gentle hands soothed and caressed the lines of his body, coaxing the tension out of him. He could feel Morpheus's pleasure as he relaxed, could hear the low purr of contentment as he gently nipped at his mate's cheek and neck. Neo nuzzled his mate's neck, his thoughts reaching to Morpheus, sliding across his mate's mind in a sensual caress.
Be one with me, he sent, kissing Morpheus again. In response, the telepath nipped at his lips.
I love you.
The words had no source, but it didn't matter as they belonged to them both.