Finding Home

Chapter 49

By Voodoo Queen

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Hello, Dear Readers! Here's a fun fact! Each time I upload, I save a fresh copy to iBooks as an extra backup just in case I need it. As of Chapter 48, this story (including Author's Notes) is 568 pages long! That blows my mind and makes me wonder what I'm doing with my life. I know I promised you all a treat for being so patient with me. I've been sitting on this, unsure if I really wanted to post it, but thought long and hard and decided they've suffered long enough. I've definitively decided to stay away from the typical human-holoform story because it's too easy and I like the idea of them trying to figure things out, ya know? That said, I had to think outside of the box on this one to give you guys something juicy. They have no clue what they're doing, FYI, and it shows. So...BE WARNED! This chapter contains SEXUAL CONTENT! It's not your typical smut, but smut nonetheless. If that's not your thing, please don't read. I think I mentioned before that I don't usually write this kind of stuff so please be gentle. I hope you enjoy and that I don't get in trouble with the fanfic police.

As always, my most sincere thanks to all you beautiful people who've taken the time to read, follow and fave this story. Special thanks to those who've taken time to drop a review. I truly value all of your feedback: "Guests", shelby20125, SkyenhaMarisa, MayTylers, o-dragon, TC Howl, monkeybaby, jellybeanz513 (aka "Amazing"), poppycakes, LaurenA007, TerrorTwinsFan, G-AME5, Deimoss, shizzlethis1, PepperCornPie, Brianna, xIliadx, guadadominguez4, Anonymous, SolusPrimeLightblast, Halie, .Princess, Cinematronix, MayTylers, Voos Guest, the everchanging, TheHeizeEffect, Guestqueeen, mary123ciel, ParaDoxa Vulpine

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers, just my own original characters and plot.

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Amy eyed Sideswipe warily, "What kind of science experiment?"

"The fun kind," he responded with a flirtatious grin. "Remember when I asked if you'd be alright with being seduced?"

"Uh," Amy stammered, immediately feeling her face go hot and her stomach do a nervous somersault. "Y-yeah..."

Sides' grin widened and his optics sparkled mischievously. "We'd like to give it a try...if you're still game, that is."

"Oh, um..." Amy swallowed, suddenly feeling extremely anxious and more than a little apprehensive. "I, uh...what exactly, um, did you have in mind?"

"Try not to sound so enthusiastic, Squishie." Sunstreaker snorted in amusement. "You look like he just asked you to scour your paint off with a Brillo pad."

"S-Sorry," she stammered, a touch of embarrassment weaving its way into her anxiousness. "You guys just, uh, kinda caught me off guard, is all."

"No worries, sweet spark," Sideswipe assured, beckoning her closer. "We get it. It's kinda scary."

"It's not supposed to be scary," Sunstreaker grumbled as he settled back down to sit on the edge of the berth. "It's supposed to be fun."

"It will be," Sideswipe promised. "Just as soon as we figure out what we're doing. We're all just...a little nervous."

"You're nervous?" Amy looked at the mech skeptically as she allowed him to lift her from the floor and plop her gently down atop the berth next to his brother.

"What do you think, Squishie?" Sunny raised a brow plate as Amy turned to gaze up at him. "That we just go around in search of humans to play house with? This isn't exactly our area of expertise."

"Right," Amy nodded in understanding, her face flushing. Sometimes she forgot that all of this was just as new and strange for them as it was for her. "Sorry."

"So, Ames," Sideswipe clapped his hands together, drawing the full attention of the rest of his little family as he began to pace slightly back and forth in front of them like some sort of college professor giving a lecture to his students. "As you may already be aware given Ratchet's tendency to share completely inappropriate information at completely inappropriate times, typical Cybertronian interfacing works pretty much the same way human sex does." He illustrated his point by making a circle with the thumb and forefinger of one hand and inserting the forefinger of his other hand into it in order to pantomime a sexual act.

Amy's eye's widened, fixated on the movement. It didn't leave much room for interpretation. Yes, she had some idea of how it was supposed to work that she'd gleaned from the CMO's ramblings but this was rather blunt and to the point. She'd gone to high school with teenage boys. She'd spent the last couple years of her life stationed onboard a warship with a predominantly male crew. She was very familiar with that particular gesture. A thought dawned on her then. He couldn't possibly think they could...fit together like that? Had he forgotten that she was a human much, much smaller than they were? Had he lost his mind? She felt herself pale at the implications.

"Primus," Sunstreaker muttered, picking up on the woman's change in mood from curiosity to concern. He kicked out with one leg, not too hard, but it did catch his brother in the right knee with enough force to interrupt him.

"Ow!" Sides stopped what he was doing and bent to rub the offended area. "What was that for?"

"Cut that creepy slag out," Sunny warned. "You're traumatizing her. Get to the point."

Amy twisted slightly and looked up at Sunstreaker. She wasn't sure if she was comforted by his interruption or more worried about whatever would happen next. She tried and failed to keep her eyes glued to his face, to those sleek metal features she'd grown to find so handsome. It was a losing battle. Almost as though they had a will of their own, her eyes slid down over his torso and, though she did admire the view on the way down, they decided to settle at the junction of his thighs. Now that her mind had been sent in that direction, she couldn't help but wonder what exactly they had hidden in there. Her thoughts whirred, equal parts morbid curiosity and apprehension. It took every bit of her resolve to rip her gaze away and refocus on his face only to find him looking back at her with clear amusement written on his face plates.

Sunny smirked at her knowingly, "You wish."

More than a little flustered, Amy looked away quickly and tried to ignore the low chuckle from the mech seated next to her. She reached to press her cool palms against her cheeks to find them burning hot to the touch. She was certain her face was scarlet. Tamping down the urge to giggle maniacally, she forced herself to concentrate on whatever Sideswipe had to say next.

"Sorry, sweet spark," the silver mech mumbled as he flexed his leg a couple times before turning to face her fully. He gave her an apologetic smile. "Obviously, that's not going to be an option for us. Sunny and I are pretty good at adapting to different scenarios but there isn't too much we can do about this one. It's just the way things are, you know?"

Amy nodded, feeling much relieved and, surprisingly, kind of disappointed. Her curiosity would remain unsatisfied, at least for the time being, it seemed. "I understand."

Sideswipe moved toward the berth and knelt down in front of her, the action bringing them almost eye to optic. Carefully, he reached out to brush the pads of his fingers along the side of her face. His tone softened as he said, "That doesn't change the fact that you are, literally, the best thing that's ever happened to us and that we really want to share this type of physical connection with you. So, we had to come up with a Plan B."

"Plan B?" Amy swallowed, "Is this where the experiment comes in?"

Sides nodded. "I have a theory. Some of which," he stated, "I've already shared with Sunny. That's what we were talking about when you came in."

The yellow mech simply grunted in acknowledgement.

"Okay..." Amy's brows furrowed in concentration. "What kind of theory?"

"I thought you'd never ask!" Sides beamed at the woman, "So, based on what we know about imprinting, our exchange of energy with each other, and the way you and Sunny were able to spontaneously sort of 'merge'...what would you say if I told you that I believe that you actually do possess the human equivalent of a spark?"

Amy sighed, a disbelieving chuckle escaping from between her lips. "I'd say that would be very convenient and it would definitely help a lot of things make a lot more sense but...I really don't think that's possible, Sideswipe. Humans don't work that way. With all of Ratchet's poking and prodding, I'm pretty sure he would have found something if that were the case."

"What if it was something dormant?" The mech's optics glowed with countless possibilities as he explained further, "When we shocked each other, we could have stirred something up or...or activated something."

"I don't know..." Amy sounded unsure.

"Look," Sides reasoned, "I've been doing a lot of reading. Ratchet compiled a bunch of info and he let me borrow it." He gestured to the discarded data pad. "There are a lot of different human cultures that believe in this very type of thing. Like, people having a built-in life force or energy inside of them that they're able to activate and, given enough practice, even consciously control under the right conditions."

"Yeah," Amy reluctantly agreed. "I know what you're talking about, but," she added, "a lot of that is New Age hippie mumbo jumbo stuff and Eastern philosophy. People from the West...we don't really believe in that kind of thing so much anymore...unless you happen to be a New Age hippie."

Sideswipe shrugged, "Does it matter where it came from? Just because you don't personally believe in it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

"Did you believe in 'aliens'," Sunstreaker air quoted, "before you met us?"

"Well...no..." Amy admitted to the mech. "Not really."

"But here we are," Sideswipe grinned as if his brother had just made his entire point for him.

Amy turned to look up at Sunstreaker. "Do you believe this, too?"

Sunny shrugged, "I believe that Sides believes it. I'm willing to humor him for the moment."

Amy nibbled her bottom lip and shook her head. "Oh...okay, then..."

"The fact is," Sideswipe continued, "if you completely ignore everything else I've said, you and Sunny were still able to somehow connect with each other. In order for that to happen, there has to be something to connect to, right?"

Amy mulled that over for a moment and had to admit that it made logical sense. "Yeah...I guess."

"What I'm proposing is that we try it again...the three of us. Maybe we can figure out how to make it happen on demand." Sideswipe explained, "Interfacing isn't the only way for Cybertronians to be intimate with one another. We're pretty versatile like that. We're able to use our sparks in certain situations to form a connection with someone else...kinda like what you and Sunny did. It's not something we've ever wanted to try with anyone before but we'd like to give it a shot with you. If..." he added, almost uncertainly, "if you'll have us."

Amy swallowed hard and looked back and forth between the twins. Sideswipe wore a look of cautious optimism while his brother looked more solemn, as if he fully expected her to laugh in their faces at such a request. She was far from an expert in Cybertronian relationship etiquette, or human for that matter, but she was definitely getting the impression that this was a tad more serious than just propositioning someone for sex. She got the distinct impression that her answer, agreeable or no, would have a lasting impact on their relationship with each other.

Her gaze wandered back over to the tense, yellow mass of mech seated to her left. Her fingers tingled at the memory of the night they'd spent alone together in the very berth they now sat on. They'd started off tentative and unsure but, in the privacy of her own mind, she admitted that she's been enjoying herself quite immensely right up until the point he'd suddenly pulled away. She'd been left feeling dazed and dizzily aroused, her entire body humming with that strange, electric feeling that never seemed to leave her chest. She'd never felt anything like it in her entire life.

More amazing than physical sensation was the almost overwhelming mental and emotional connection she'd felt. She couldn't claim to have ever had a spiritual experience, but if she had to guess, she'd say she came pretty damn close to having one that night. It was like for that brief moment of time she could "feel" everything that was Sunstreaker. Every thought. Every motivation. Every emotion. Every word he wanted to say but couldn't. It had put a great many things into perspective for her in a very difficult and confusing time and that was more precious to her than all the riches in the world.

She wanted they were offering, she realized, as a pang of longing rolled through her chest. She wanted another glimpse of what made Sunstreaker who he was and she desperately wanted the opportunity to experience Sideswipe the same way. Her entire life all she'd ever wanted was to belong somewhere, to be wanted by someone. Not only were they willing to give her their time and company, they were willing to share something with her so beyond the realm of her experience that she could scarcely even comprehend it. Not even in her wildest imaginings could she have ever seen herself in such a ridiculously improbable situation but now that she was here, she didn't think she could have things any other way and still be content.

"Of course, I'll have you," she answered shakily. "Why would either of you ever think otherwise?"

Relief spread across Sideswipe's face plates, "Really?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "Really."

"Primus, I love you," Sideswipe breathed as he pressed his forehead to hers. "Thank you, sweet spark."

Amy sighed, leaning into him. Though Sunstreaker said nothing, she felt him relax next to her and offered a soft hum of appreciation as his fingers carefully traced down the length of her spine. Even through the damp layers of uniform she still wore, she imagined she could feel little tingles of electricity follow down that same path.

All was silent for a moment, as if everyone was taking time to digest what they'd just agreed to. In the stillness, a thought came to Amy. Despite her 'condition', it wasn't something she'd spent too much time dwelling on. With everything else going on, she supposed she'd put most of her curiosity on the back burner. Now, with new possibilities laid out before her, the questions she'd filed away came shuffling back to the forefront of her mind.

"You know," she began softly, "with all this talk about sparks and energy exchanges, I still really have no idea what a spark even is exactly."

The room grew almost eerily silent once more and, for a brief moment, Amy worried that she may have spoke out of turn or possibly even offended the mechs with her words and timing. Right as she decided it would be prudent of her to apologize, Sideswipe chose to speak up.

He pulled away from her slightly to look her in the eyes. He studied her for a moment before casting his optics to his brother, an unspoken conversation seemingly passing between them, before turning back to her. "Do..." Sideswipe began hesitantly, "do you want to see? We can show you...if you want."

"Show me?" Amy's eyes widened in realization. "Show me...your sparks? You can do that?"

Sideswipe gave a self-deprecating chuckle. "We don't want you to feel obligated or anything but...yeah. I mean, if we can't share them with you, who can we share them with, right? If you'd rather not, though...we understand."

"No!" Amy quickly caught on to the seriousness of what the mech was offering. "I-I'd love to see." She glanced between the two of them. "This...this is a really big deal for you guys, isn't it?"

Sunny nodded, looking uncharacteristically apprehensive, and motioned for her to move to the head of the berth and get comfortable. He waited for to settle atop her little nest of blankets before sliding in beside her once more. "I can count on one hand the number of people who've actually seen our sparks. Our creators," he ticked off on his fingers, "each other, and Ratchet on a couple of occasions for some routine medical scrap. You don't go around exposing your spark to just anyone and not without a slagging good reason."

"It's something reserved only for those you most care about and are committed to," Sides chimed in as he slid into the berth on her other side, nuzzling the top of her head. "And there's no one else on Earth, or in the rest of the universe for that matter, that we'd rather do this with than you."

"I'm honored," Amy answered sincerely. "I honestly don't know what else to say."

"You don't have to say anything, sweet spark," Sideswipe assured. "You're here and that's more than enough."

"Alright, Squishie," Sunstreaker steeled himself for a moment and then, "You want to see what a spark looks like..."

Amy sat, riveted to her spot, as a much softer sound of transformation filled the otherwise quiet quarters. Instead of collapsing into a vehicle form as she'd seen him do countless times by now, she watched as the bright yellow armor that covered Sunny's chest seemed to fold back in upon itself until it all but disappeared into his chassis. Underneath, the exposed metal was a smooth gunmetal gray color. Situated in the very center of his chest, where his heart would have been had he been human, was what she could only describe as a large metal cube. A flicker of recognition filled her as she realized this must have been the object she'd been caressing beneath his chest plates.

She was only able to admire this hidden piece of his anatomy for a brief moment, however, before the nearly imperceptible seam that perfectly bisected the cube's front panel split open. The two halves retracted back in nearly the same manner as his armor had. Before she could register anything else, her skin pebbled into goosebumps at the sudden crackle of static that filled the space between them. The slight scent of ozone, not unlike the way the air smelled right before a thunderstorm, reached her nose. She breathed in slow, deep lungfuls of it as her brain tried to decipher what her eyes could see.

She recalled Sideswipe's description of what a spark was way back when they were first trying to figure out exactly what had drawn them together. He'd called them "big balls of glowy-energy". At the time, her imagination had conjured up pictures of a plasma globe that had been in her 10th grade science classroom as it was the only frame of reference her mind could come up with. Her imagination, however, hadn't come anywhere close to doing it justice.

Nestled inside of the exposed cavity within Sunstreaker's chest was what Amy could only describe as a small sun. Nearly the size of a beachball, the spark glowed brilliantly within its metal confines. It was bright and, though Amy's first reflex was to instinctively look away from such an intense light, she couldn't bring herself to avert her gaze. It was a a phosphorescent blue, she mentally noted, nearly the same color as his optics. Flares of energy licked across its surface in a turbulent fashion, as if she were witnessing a miniature solar storm.

She only managed to pull her eyes away when she heard a sound of similar transformation to her left. Shifting, she watched, no less fascinated, as Sideswipe's armor parted in a fashion not unlike his brother's had to reveal an almost identical cube-like structure within his own chest that opened to reveal an equally impressive luminous blue orb of what Amy could only define as his very essence. For all their observable similarities, they were also profoundly different. Whereas Sunstreaker's spark appeared almost tempestuous in nature, Sideswipe's seemed to gently flicker and flare within him, almost as though they were in direct correlation to their personalities. She took a moment to gaze at the silver mech in awe and wonder as her eyes drank in the sight.

The reaction once both sparks were openly exposed, was something wholly unexpected in her experience. In an almost lava lamp-type fashion, tendrils of spark energy seemed to reach for the other from within the confines of each mech's chest. Amy watched, fascinated, as the wispy coils of light tried and failed to close the distance between them in the space above her head, as if trying to twine themselves together into one.

Twins, the voice in Amy's head reminded her. Split sparked. Two halves of the same whole trying to put themselves back together again. It was infinitely captivating, causing Amy's breath to catch in her throat.

She felt her heart squeeze. Goosebumps raised the nearly invisible hairs on her arms as the electrical charge filling the air seemed to intensify. Her skin tingled and prickled. She wasn't sure if it had more to do with her overwhelming emotions or a side effect of the alien energy that had taken up residence in her own body but she felt an almost impulsive need to reach up and swirl her fingertips through the gauzy aura their exposed sparks had created around her.

"Oh, my God..." she whispered in an awed voice. "I've never seen anything like this. It's...you're...amazing."

Without thinking, she raised her hand, a strange yearning filling her to connect with the energy flowing around her only to find her arm loosely shackled in Sunstreaker's grasp.

"Don't." The mech's voice sounded oddly strained.

"We're not sure if that's safe, sparklet," Sideswipe finished in a husky tone. "Not yet."

As if on queue, a snap of electricity arced from somewhere within the twins commingled essence to strike her fingers. The resulting zap and crackle of static pulled an involuntary strangled gasp from Amy's lips.

Sunstreaker immediately released her arm, his chest plates slamming shut as he cursed eloquently. "Frag it all to the Pit! I knew this was a bad idea!"

Sideswipe followed suit, hastily closing his own spark chamber, before leaning in to check on his femme. "Primus, sweet spark! Are you alright?"

"I'm...I'm fine," Amy stuttered. Her fingers tingled and a strange warmth ran the length of her arm and settled in her chest. The constant low buzzing she'd grown used to constantly feeling was now more akin to a steady vibration within her. She didn't feel bad, though. Nothing hurt. She had no sense of panic or anxiety. Only amazement. She repeated again in a steadier voice, "I'm fine."

"Let me see your hand, Squishie," Sunny practically demanded.

It took Amy a moment to realize that she had said appendage pressed tightly over her heart. It took another moment for her to will it to move in order to grant the mech's request. She noted offhandedly that her hand shook slightly as she stretched it in his direction for him to inspect.

Carefully, the yellow front liner turned the woman's fragile hand over, inspecting both sides with narrowed optics and intense scrutiny. In his time on Earth, he'd seen some of the human soldiers be treated for burns of varying degrees and cause. Even the heat from their own sun was enough to burn their skin if exposure was of a long enough duration, he'd learned. A disturbing bit of information to say the very least. Just the thought of cooked human flesh repulsed him to the point where he was almost afraid to check whether or not Amy had received any injuries from the jolt. He had a duty and an obligation to ensure she was safe and cared for, however, and so he forced himself to examine her for any damage.

Sunny vented in relief when the only thing to meet his optics was smooth, undamaged skin. "You're fine," he rumbled, releasing her.

"I told you," she mumbled as she examined her hand herself.

"Maybe..." Sideswipe cautiously ventured, "maybe we should wait before trying that again. Just to be safe."

"Really?" Sunstreaker glared at his brother. "You think so?"

Amy shook her head, "It's not that big of a deal."

"Not that big of a deal?" Sunny directed his ire onto the woman next to him. "You were almost slagging electrocuted."

Amy tried and failed to stifle an amused laugh, "I wasn't almost electrocuted. It was just a little static, that's all."

"A little static..." Sunny grumbled and rolled his optics. "Femme has a fragging death wish..."

"Seriously, though," Amy focused her attention on the silver twin, giving the other a moment to calm himself once more. "Thank you seems like a really inadequate thing to say but...thank you." He voice softened, taking on an almost bashful tone. "You're both...incredibly beautiful."

"Beautiful...heh..." Sideswipe looked away. For all his flirtatious bravado, he looked embarrassed by the compliment. "That's a first."

Amy sensed there was a lot of hurt behind that statement but instead of opening up a whole new can of worms, she offered a softly spoken, "It's true," instead. She looked back to find Sunstreaker had settled once more and was now eyeing her with an almost bewildered expression, as if he couldn't quite reconcile her compliment as being aimed at himself.

"I mean it," she assured the mech. "That was absolutely breathtaking."

Sunny's optics softened slightly and he raised a plated brow as he attempted to mask just how much the woman's words affected him. "Has anyone ever told you that you have extremely questionable taste in mechs?"

"Just you and...maybe Mirage." An amused smile played at the corners of her mouth as his optics narrowed. "I'm kidding," she assured, her smile widening. "Mostly."

More than anything else at that moment, she longed to touch them. Now that she'd seen what really lie hidden behind their armored facade, she longed to press her palms against that warm, smooth metal compartment and feel the vibration of energy move through her. Her fingers tingled with the need and the staticky fizzling behind her breast bone practically thrummed in encouragement. How exactly was one expected to initiate these types of things? Was there a protocol? Some sort of etiquette that needed to be followed? Her stomach did a curious flip as nerves began to settle in once more. The pink tip of her tongue darted out briefly to wet her suddenly dry lips as she drew in a deep, steadying breath. Her restless hands tangled together in her lap, her brows drawing together in concentration as she tried to translate her thoughts into words.

"I...I want..." she started out in an unsteady, faltering voice before trailing off into silence.

"Sweet spark?" Sideswipe's voice was a low rumble in the quiet of the room. "What is it? What do you want?"

Amy forced herself to meet the mech's warmly glowing blue gaze. What she found there was heartfelt worry and an affection so deep that it nearly stole her breath. There was no reason to be afraid. There was no reason to hold on to the fear of rejection here in this moment. She could let it go, if only for the time being. She could do this. "Can..." she tried again, more confidently. "Can I touch you?"

Sides' optics widened, his earlier enthusiasm tempered by concern for her wellbeing. "Are you sure? You don't," he shook his head, "you don't have to. If you need to think about it..."

"I want to," she answered, sounding more sure of her decision. She looked back over her shoulder at Sunstreaker. She'd never been so bold in her entire life. "If...if you still want to."

Sunstreaker's gaze was intense as he stared right back. "You better be slagging sure this is something you really want to do."

Amy swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded, "I'm sure."

The yellow mech studied her for a moment longer, searching her face for any sign of hesitancy or uncertainty. Once he'd managed to convince himself of the woman's resolve, Sunny reached out to pluck at her uniform shirt. He moved slowly, almost as if he were afraid she'd change her mind and bolt at any moment. "Take this off," he murmured, tugging at the fabric. "It's wet."

Mouth suddenly feeling like a desert, Amy nodded. She'd been drawn into conversation with the twins so quickly and completely that her previous desire for a scalding hot shower and dry clothes had been completely pushed out of her brain. She was amazed that her hands didn't shake any more than they did as her fingers fumbled to undo the buttons. Shrugging the damp garment off her shoulders, leaving her in her thankfully dry undershirt, Amy felt like she was watching the scene from afar as Sunstreaker pinched the offending textile between his thumb and index finger and dropped it unceremoniously over the side of the berth where it hit the floor with a dull thump.

It almost sounded to her like someone else was talking when she asked, "What do we do now?"

"What did you do before?" Sides asked curiously, "When it was just you and Sunny?"

Amy shifted to look up at Sideswipe, her eyes wide and bright. "I had my hands under his armor and just sort of..." She raised her hands and made a rubbing motion. "And it just happened."

"Ok..." Sides nodded, his mind working quickly to sort out the logistics to make such an arrangement work for the three of them. "Do you want to...try that?"

Not trusting herself to speak, Amy only nodded. She felt as though everything was moving in slow motion as the silver mech slid down in the berth and arranged himself into a more accessible position for her to reach. He ended up lying on his side facing her. She felt only marginally better at seeing that he appeared just as nervous and anxious for everything to work out as she was.

The mech asked uncertainly, "Think this will work, sweet spark?"

"Yeah," Amy agreed. "I...I think that's fine." She studied him for a moment, trying to determine how best to proceed. "Do, uh...could you do that thing again?" She brought both her hands up in front of her chest and motioned as if she were opening a set of double sliding doors. "That...might be easier..."

"Retract my armor?"

Amy nodded.

"Of course," Sideswipe immediately complied with the woman's request. "Whatever you need, sweet spark."

Amy watched as the mech's armor once more parted to reveal the perfectly symmetrical cube nestled within his chest. She almost wished he'd expose his spark for her again but it remained safely sealed within. Taking a moment to settle her nerves, she took a deep breath, scooted closer, and then she reached for him.

She wasn't sure what she'd expected to happen but as soon as the palm of her left hand pressed into the center of his chest, her fingers splayed wide, she felt a shudder run through the length of his frame and heard her name leave his vocalizer in a breathy tone. An electric buzzing, almost like the popping of champagne bubbles against her skin, began the slow familiar creep up her hand, into her arm and beyond, igniting her nerves along the way. The energy centered within her seemed to flare excitedly, sending a rush of warm tingles all over her body. An involuntary gasp escaped her throat and her eyes fluttered shut at the sensation.

"Sideswipe..." his designation whispered passed her lips. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she focused on the rhythm and cadence of the spark beneath her palm. She dug back into her memories of her brief encounter with Sunstreaker and tried to recall if it had felt anything like this. The pervading warmth. The effervescent tingles. The all encompassing emotion. It was similar, maybe, but this was uniquely Sideswipe. There was no way on Earth she'd ever be able to mistake one for the other.

"Ames..." Side's voice broke through her internal analysis. "Sweet spark, please...look at me..."

Amy forced her eyes open. The expression on the silver front liner's face was nearly enough to undo her. Love, awe, and disbelief in equal measure. She was certain her own face displayed much the same. Just like that, any reservations she may have still been clinging to suddenly seemed meaningless in the moment. In a sudden burst of impulse, she surged forward onto her knees, her right hand joining her left to pass over his spark chamber in a slow caress as her lips sought his for a passionate, If not clumsy, kiss.

Sideswipe responded instantaneously, his hand wrapping around her hip to pull her even closer. He pressed his forehead to hers, his warm ventilations washing over her in tantalizing waves, murmuring terms of endearment in his native tongue. "I love you," he proclaimed as she continued to stroke her fingers over him. "Primus, I love you."

"I love you, too," she whispered against his lip plates.

Another set of fingers assaulted her from behind, running down the length of her spine and tugging gently at her hair with just enough force to dislodge the bobby-pins that held it in place and cause her hair to tumble loosely over her shoulders. Hands that could have easily crushed her bones, completely encompassed her both her upper arms and shoulders, carefully massaging the muscles there.

"Sunstreaker," Amy murmured. Turning her head, she pressed her lips to his right thumb as it grazed the junction of her neck and shoulder.

The yellow mech nuzzled the top of her head, drawing her scent down deep into his intakes and burying his nasal plates in her freed hair. "So soft," he purred. His fingers moved beneath her jaw, exerting careful pressure to force her to look up at him. When her green gaze met his smoldering blue one, he rumbled in a tone she more felt than heard, "Kiss me."

Amy shivered as her soft human lips met warm, living metal ones. Another part of her brain registered the fact that Sideswipe's fingers had somehow found their way beneath her T-shirt and were grazing along either side of her rib cage even as she continued to run her own fingers over his spark chamber. The dynamics of the situation hit her then. Never had she ever, even in her wildest fantasies, considered the possibility of sharing herself with more than one person at the same time before meeting the twins. She'd viewed those situations as deviances from the norm that only happened on raunchy porn web sites and in the back room of sleazy clubs, vile and degrading. She didn't dare touch on the fact that they weren't even fellow human beings. Though she'd probably have a lot to unpack in the morning, in the moment, it felt more right than she could have ever imagined and so she kissed Sunstreaker back just as fiercely as their differences in size would allow.

Sunstreaker paused only long enough to make another demand of her. "Touch me."

Not trusting herself enough to form a coherent reply, she could only nod. It took more effort than she'd expected to wrench one of her hands free from Sideswipe's spark chamber. Even the idea of losing even the slightest contact with the pulse of energy centered in his chest caused her senses to rebel. She'd soothed herself with the notion that they were both present, that she could experience them both if she wanted...and she did want that very much. It was enough to convince her muscles to move. Moving to better center herself between the pair, she pulled her right hand away from Side's chest plates, leaving her left to continue tracing sensuous circles, and reached for Sunny.

She wasn't sure what she'd expected to happen when she felt that first prickle of energy begin moving up her right side. Later, after all was said and done, her analytic mind would liken the experience to the completion of a circuit. It was as if the electricity shared between the three of them had been given free reign to flow as it saw fit. Amy had suddenly found herself awash in sensation. Her entire body filled with what felt like a deep, resonant hum of energy. It made her breathing quicken and her heart pound. Blood surged through her veins and the sharp throb of arousal began low in her belly.

The twins must have felt it, as well.

"Ames..." The name left Sideswipe's glossa in an almost guttural moan as he pressed as close to the woman as was physically possible. "You feel so good..."

"Primus, bright spark," Sunstreaker shuddered. "Whatever you're doing, don't stop."

Amy shook her head. She had about as much control over what was happening as she did over the changing tides. She didn't think she could have stopped what was happening even if she wanted to...and she definitely didn't want to. Her entire body tingled, her skin hypersensitive to even the gentle touch of her clothing as it shifted against her when she moved. The energy contained within her chest seemed to expand exponentially to fill her completely in a way that made her nearly dizzy with desire. Elsewhere in her body, an entirely different variety of pleasure bloomed as nerve pathways were stimulated by the ebb and flow of electricity. Almost on instinct, she clamped her thighs tightly together.

Something shifted then. That otherworldly feeling of not quite being in focus with her body that she'd been experiencing off and on began to prickle at the periphery of her consciousness. Edges began to soften and reality seemed to blur. Though a part of her mind remained cognizant of the physical sensations her flesh still experienced, it didn't seem to matter so much as what was happening in that moment.

Her awareness of her physical self was slowly usurped by a feeling of weightlessness as she found herself suspended in what she could only describe as a void. It was wholly unlike the void in her dreams. This one was bright, almost blindingly so. It took her a moment to realize that is wasn't the void itself giving off the light, it was the atmosphere that swirled and danced around her. It took her another moment to realize that the energy surrounding her felt hauntingly familiar.

The twins, her subconscious mind provided.

She could feel them twine themselves around her bodiless form, seeping into her most vulnerable and intimate spaces. Likewise, she allowed herself the luxury of exploring them in the same fashion. The entanglement of consciousness and emotion more intense and profound than anything else she could possibly imagine. She could feel what they felt and vice versa, she realized with a start. The awe, the wonder...the unequivocal pleasure of coalescence. It was intimacy in its purest form, igniting senses and emotions beyond the physical form.

If she hadn't had a spiritual experience before, she certainly was now.

She wasn't sure how long they'd remained there, seemingly suspended in both time and space. In the far reaches of her consciousness, she became aware of an almost static-like sensation that seemed to build and wash over her. When it came again, in a tantalizing wave of bliss and pleasure, she realized that this is how their connection must feel for the twins. She was experiencing herself through them and, she was certain, they were doing the same. Any doubts that either party may have had in regards to being able to completely fulfill the other fell away with the knowledge that, while they may have been mismatched in some ways, they fit together perfectly in others. The charged feeling grew and expanded until Amy was sure she could feel it in every molecule of her form. It surged and receded, over and over, filling her with anticipation.

'So close,' a ghost of a voice echoed through her mind. 'So close...please, don't stop.'

'No', she wanted to answer. 'Never.'

''I love you,' came the response. 'I love you...I love you...'

Amy was slammed suddenly back into her body by an immense crash of energy that left her ears ringing and her vision double. Her nose was hit with the heavy smell of ozone and the popping of cooling metal met her ears. The palms of her hands, that she'd had pressed against the mechs' sparks, tingled furiously. Her heart beat a quick, staccato rhythm and her lungs labored to fill her body with oxygen. Her entire being felt alive with pulsating energy. Heat pooled deep within her, an incessant ache that hadn't quite found relief. She shifted uncomfortably, her breath hissing out from between clenched teeth as an almost painful throb of need moved through her. She became hyper aware of the wetness that had pooled between her thighs at some point and the fact that her uniform pants were most likely ruined.

"Frag, bright spark," Sunstreaker murmured. The mech had ended up splayed on his back, one hand pressed against his spark chamber as he recovered from a rather powerful overload. Residual energy still licked along his synapses, eliciting small shivers of pleasure. His spark fluctuated wildly in his chest as it attempted to regain equilibrium. He'd never felt more completely satisfied in his life. "That was intense."

"That was amazing," Sides agreed. An aftershock passed through his frame, eliciting a shudder as he pressed close to the woman. "I've never experienced anything like that in my entire life. What about you, sweet spark? How do you feel?"

Amy opened her mouth to speak, to tell them both that the experience had been incredible and beyond anything she could have possibly imagined but the only sound to escape her throat was more akin to lewd moan.

Sides' head shot up, the mech instantly alert. "Ames? Are you alright? What's wrong? Talk to me sparklet..."

Sunstreaker quickly rolled to hover above her at his brother's worried tone, fears of electrocution jumping back into the front of his processor. His sharp optics quickly took stock of her flushed face and heaving chest. Her entire body trembled and a almost pitiful keening came from her throat with every breath. She wasn't hurt, he noted with more than a little relief. She also hadn't overloaded/orgasmed, he realized, but she was close. Painfully close. That was unacceptable. He surmised, "She's right on the edge."

Sideswipe cursed under his breath. "It'll be okay, sweet spark. We can fix this."

Sunstreaker refocused on their partner, on the femme who despite being so much smaller and more fragile than they were, had him bent completely to her will without even realizing it. He would have done anything for her. Absolutely anything. He demanded more than asked, "Tell me what you need, bright spark."

A shuddering breath left her and she shook her head as nervousness started to slowly creep back in to her thoughts. She was sure she looked like a complete mess to them. Even through the maddening arousal she still felt, she was keenly aware of her disheveled clothing and the sweat-soaked hair that clung to her neck and forehead. "It's...it's fine. It'll pass. I'm fine..."

"You're not fine," the yellow mech vehemently disagreed. "You're over charged and you need a release. Tell me what I need to do to get you there."

"You don't..." Amy shook her head once more, swallowing hard. "You don't have to..."

"Ames," Sideswipe's voice pulled her attention away from his brother. His optics still shown overly bright from his own overload as he cuddled close to her. "We want you to feel as incredible as we do. I guess humans are just wired a little different than we are, that's all. We can work around that. You just need a little push. Let Sunny help, sweet spark."

Unable to hold it in any longer, she whimpered once more, her breath hitching as another pang of need rolled through her. She pressed her thighs together in a death grip, rubbing them together in a futile attempt to generate friction.

"Please," Sides added softly, "you need this. He wants to do this for you."

His words the encouragement she needed. Bordering on desperation, she relented, nodding. In a quiet voice she murmured, "O-okay..."

Sunny groaned, feeling the tingle of arousal stir within him once again. "I'll take care of you," he promised.

Amy could have wept with relief as the mech trailed his fingers slowly down over her body, her back arching as he skimmed over her sensitive breasts and stomach. She mentally cursed the clothing she still wore for preventing her from feeling him directly against her bare flesh but found all rational thought fleeing when his questing digits finally reached her lower abdomen and pressed lightly against her in question. A needy groan and her pressing back against him was the only answer she was capable of giving in return.

"Open," he rumbled, as he tried to gently separate the woman's trembling thighs with his fingers. "I'll make it better."

"Sunstreaker..." the mech's name left her lips in a ragged sigh as she allowed her legs to part without any rational input from her brain. She had no idea what exactly the mech's intentions were but she couldn't have cared less so long as he kept touching her.

"I'm right here," he assured as he coaxed her knees as wide as the pants she wore would allow. "I'm not going anywhere."

He hesitated for a moment, his brow plates drawn together in concentration as he planned his course of attack. Perhaps, he mused, he should have taken his brother's 'research' more seriously. He knew humans and Cybertronians were similar in structure but wasn't entirely sure if they worked the same.

"Touch her..." Sideswipe's voice startled his brother out of his thoughts. The mech's optics wide and attentive as he watched. "Touch her, Sunny," he directed his twin to the junction between the woman's thighs. "Pressure and friction...slow and steady."

Trusting his brother had looked into the matter enough to know what he was talking about, Sunstreaker followed his direction and carefully pressed the pad of his thumb against her most intimate place, twisting his wrist in a gentle grinding motion as he did so. The strangled sound that left the woman's throat at the action bordered on the obscene. He wanted to hear it again.

"Yes...just like that," Sides encouraged his brother. He looked down at Amy, brushing some of the hair that clung to her forehead away with careful fingers, before pressing his lip plates against that very spot. "Feels good?"

"Oh, my God," Amy gasped, her back arching as Sunstreaker suddenly repeated the motion a second time a bit more forcefully than before.

"Yeah," Sideswipe chuckled, his own fingers petting her in a soothing manner. "She likes that."

"So do I," Sunstreaker rumbled, his optics fixated on the woman before him as he gauged her reaction and adjusted his technique accordingly. He settled on a rocking/twisting motion that quickly had her hips thrusting back against his hand in perfect rhythm with his movements and her breath escaping from between her swollen lips in desperate little puffs. Watching her was almost hypnotic.

Pulling her captivated gaze away from the absolutely sinful things Sunstreaker was doing to her, she raised her head to look up at Sideswipe. She reached for him, needing to touch him more than anything in that moment. She pressed her palms into the velvety smooth metal of his cheeks and drew him close until their foreheads touched. Her chest heaved as she tried desperately to pull air down into her starving lungs. Her heart pounded in her chest and the pleasure Sunstreaker stoked within her seemed to wind tighter and tighter. She was rapidly losing her ability to put together a coherent thought. The only word she could think of slipped from her tongue as she begged the mech, "Please..."

Sideswipe pressed another kiss to her forehead. "Let go," he encouraged. "It's okay, sweet spark. Just let go. We've got you."

It was almost as though she'd been waiting for permission. The sensations coursing through her seemed to reach a crescendo. She felt herself teetering on the razor's edge of bliss for a breath...and then everything shattered. The force of her orgasm stole the air from her lungs. Her entire body shuddered as wave after wave of ecstasy crashed through her.

Sunstreaker cursed eloquently in his native tongue, refocusing his efforts in determination to draw the moment out for as long as possible. "Good femme," he praised in a husky tone, continuing to work her as she shivered beneath his touch. "Just like that...don't stop..."

"Oh, God," she panted over and over. Her fingers scrabbling for something to hold on to and anchor her. She found purchase in the grooves of Sideswipe's armor. She clung to him desperately as his brother continued to assault her senses.

"Beautiful," Sides purred into her ear. "You're so beautiful like this..."

It wasn't long before it grew to be more than she could handle. Overstimulated did not begin to describe how she felt. Her overworked nerves finally rebelled. She pushed at Sunstreaker's hand in an attempt to stop the onslaught of sensation. Though she was no match against the strength holding her in place, the mech must have been in a merciful mood. He withdrew from her and she quickly scooted away lest he change his mind. Before she even realized what was happening, she found herself scooped up and carefully ensconced within Sideswipe's comforting embrace.

Sides' chuckled and gathered the woman close. His hands moved over her in a calming gesture as she trembled against him. He shot his brother a lopsided grin. "I think you broke her, Sunny."

"That wasn't so slagging hard," A smug, satisfied smirk lifted the corner of Sunstreaker's mouth as he surveyed the utterly disheveled, panting woman in his brother's arms. "But, now that we know that it works" he added in a low, teasing tone, "I think we can do better."

"I'm willing to give it another try if you are," Sideswipe agreed, his voice growing deeper at the thought. "I've studied a couple of different scenarios I think we may be able to modify for our purposes." He nuzzled Amy affectionately. "What do you say, sweet spark? Feeling up to another round? You know," he grinned, "for science?"

Amy managed to rein in enough control over her scattered brains to stare up at the pair incredulously, even as she still struggled to catch her breath. She was dead, she realized at that very moment.

So, so dead.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Initial subterranean grid search has been unsuccessful in locating the target." Shockwave's single, blood-red optic glowed eerily in the dim, flickering light of the abandoned warehouse. His monotone voice continued, "Faulty intelligence responsible for mission failure."

Megatron stood rigidly still, his back to his Military Operations Commander and his optics fixed on the pods containing the remaining protoforms. His sparkless soldiers floated lifelessly, suspended in the vats of viscous fluid, and utterly useless. Without the Allspark, they would remain little more than scrap metal and Prime and his Autobots would retain the upper hand.

Megatron grit his denta together, his servos balling into fists as he slowly began to pace. "Remind me," he growled, "who was responsible for providing this...faulty intelligence?"

"Lord Megatron..." Starscream spoke up from where he cowered near the furthest pod. "Shockwave was provided with the most up to date reconnaissance information we had available."

"Ah, Starscream." Megatron stopped his pacing, turning slowly to glare menacingly at his Second in Command. "If memory serves, it was you who were responsible for tracking the movements of both the Autobots and the Allspark while I was...incapacitated."

"I-I did as you commanded, your Lordship." The mech seemed to shrink in on himself as his leader drew closer. He defended, "I tracked their movements while you were away. You recalled me here."

An dangerous glint entered the Decepticon leader's optics. "Are you attempting to deflect the blame for your failure to perform your duties onto me?"

"You wanted soldiers," Starscream spat. "I've been in this miserable, ramshackle building tending to them as you asked!"

"Excuses!" Megatron lashed out at the mech, striking him hard across the face. "All you ever offer me is excuses!"

Starscream reeled backwackwards, clutching his face. The tip of his glossa peaked out from the corner of his mouth, tasting the energon where the metal had split. "The protoforms require around the clock care and monitoring to prevent them from becoming nonviable! You can't possibly expect me to properly maintain their upkeep and track the Autobots at the same time!"

"I expect you to do as you're told!" Megatron lunged for the mech, his sharp, taloned fingers latching on to the mech's neck and dragging him forward, causing him to choke and gag as airflow was cut off from his vents.

"High probability Autobots are in possession of the Allspark following its relocation," Shockwave droned. His head tilted ever so slightly to the side, whether in curiosity or amusement was anyone's guess, as he watched Megatron berate his SIC. "Unlike humans, they possess knowledge allowing them to mask the shard's energy signature. Likely why it hasn't been acquired. Recommend refocusing efforts on locating their base of operations."

"Of course," a sneer split Megatron's face. "You're fortunate I still find use in your existence," Megatron spat. "Find them," he hissed, releasing his grip on his unfortunate Second in Command and causing the mech to drop to his knees as he desperately tried to suck in much needed oxygen. "Find the Autobots," he echoed Shockwave's suggestion. "Find them and we find the Allspark,".

"Yes, Lord Megatron," Starscream grit out, eager to be out of the crazed mech's reach. "As you command...and the protoforms?"

Megatron waved a dismissive hand as he once again took up his former stance, observing his would-be soldiers. "I suggest you learn to multitask." He shot the cowering mech a dark, promising look. "Should any more of them perish, it'll be your head."

End of Chapter 49

I'm mortified, ya'll. Completely mortified. *goes into hiding*