Author's Note:

My job has been mandating overtime for the last several months, extended now indefinitely. Every week I doubt myself that I will get another chapter done and every week I surprise myself by getting one out. Really, all your support has helped with that, I am excited to be writing this and have it enjoyed. I'm just also very tired in the same breath. This chapter was much easier to write though since things are starting to pick up and should only be able to snowball from here.

Please enjoy!

I own nothing and will put the characters back when I am done, except Gregory Witwicky who I made exclusively for this story.

…

Sunstreaker had been alive a long time and suffered through much in his life. Sunstreaker had been shot, limbs ripped off, had energon blades thrust through him and yet this was far more painful than anything he had ever experienced. Pain traveled through every tube and to each crevice until he thought he would offline from it. He heard the boys panic before and, in retrospect, perhaps he should have heeded his warning. Sunstreaker was nothing though if not stubborn. His good optic (good as in very limited vision versus no vision) went completely white and for a time he just floated in a sea of electricity. Unable to move. To react.

Slowly it started to fade away, the pain dimmed, and his consciousness returned to him and settled back into his body. He didn't dare do anything for a time. He didn't attempt to online his optics or run a self-diagnostic while small jolts of pain still coursed through him. Everything was still and silent. Eerily so. Like a battlefield turned graveyard after the last blow had landed.

His mind turned to the boy. He didn't hear him moving around or feel him touching his armor. Had he killed him?

Suddenly there was a sharp rap on his hood and his spark jumped almost in relief. There was a second rap, followed by a full fisted thump, and that caused his annoyance to surge. It wasn't like the boy, but maybe he was mad about what had happened. Though it still wasn't an excuse to leave a dent in him.

"What?" Sunstreaker hissed, pleased when the effort wasn't as painful as in the past, though his vocal processors were still clearly damaged.

"Don't give me attitude 'Streaker." The voice was familiar, one he hadn't heard in a long time now, but it wasn't the boy. "What did you to do the boy you fragging idiot?" Another thump. He wasn't mad, Hound was furious. He could hear it in his voice, the barely contained fury. He spoke in their mother tongue, forgoing the human language altogether for now.

Sunstreaker attempted to online his optics, disappointed to find that only one responded to the command, though thankfully the vision was much better now. It sounded like Hound, but the guise was what he could only assume to be mirroring the local lifeform. Sort of aesthetically pleasing, if not….squishy looking. He was glaring at Sunstreaker with Autobot blue eyes.

"I didn't do anything." Sunstreaker defended.

"Liar!" Hound ground out sharply.

Sunstreaker contemplated not saying anything, but his curiosity won out. "What happened to him?"

Hound's jaw clenched, lips curling slightly, "His uncle found him right over there, unconscious and looking like he was having a slagging seizure. He's taking him to the Hospital, a place where there are human doctors that can hopefully help him."

Guilt flooded Sunstreaker. He was unused to the emotion concerning anyone except his brother, he didn't usually care what happened to anyone else. But the boy had done nothing except try and help him….

"Streaker!" Hound snapped, regaining his attention. "I need to know what happened and if I need to take him to Ratchet or First Aid."

"No." Sunstreaker said shortly, uncertain what he was saying 'no' to. Hound didn't like the answer.

"Prowl is in this town and he's only a short drive away. Don't make me go and get him to drag this out of you." His holoform shimmered, indicating how upset he really was that he couldn't keep concentration on it. "I've known you to be a selfish aft, but don't prove the theory right that you're sparkless."

He wasn't sparkless, but compassion typically rested with Sideswipe. The red mech was usually his moral compass and without him he…..he was a selfish aft.

"I don't know how, but he used energy like the All Spark to shock my systems into rebooting." Sunstreaker admitted quietly. "He was reluctant, but I…encouraged him. I'm tired of sitting here like a scrap heap." He defended.

"So you risked a human life? Sam doesn't know how to control this energy! He could have killed himself and you! Do you ever think before you act? By Primus, the boy's heart could have given out!" Hound lectured as though he were sparkling.

"How long have you known I was here?" Sunstreaker asked suddenly.

Hound didn't look amused by the change in topic. "Today." He stated. "You really were in a sorry state, weren't you? My scanners didn't pick you up until your stunt. You're only on short range frequencies, but it's an improvement." Judging from his tone, Hound wished Sam had left him in his state of disrepair. Hound shook his head and then started walking towards the back gate. "Keep in mind that we are in disguise here on this planet. No more big events like this, you got it? Sam knows about us, but no one else in this town does. Keep it low profile or Prowl will come for you."

"Where are you going?" Sunstreaker snapped.

Hound only looked over his shoulder to answer, "To the hospital. If anything happens to the boy, I guarantee Prime will be looking for answers."

Chills ran through Sunstreaker's systems. He wasn't afraid of much, but Optimus Prime wasn't a bot he wanted to be on the wrong side of. Who was this boy that he had the attention of the Autobot leader?

Sam felt like he was floating. It was dark except for faraway pinpricks of light and blissfully silent. He wanted to stay this way forever, floating in the weightlessness of space. He closed his eyes and just let himself drift. He didn't think about anything. Not his responsibilities. Not the All Spark. Not even that Cybertronian who had wound up in his life even as he tried to run from it all. He just existed.

He felt no pain, no electricity thrumming through his veins.

Then there was a low humming that reverberated in the space around him. It was low, almost comforting, lulling him into a sleepy meditative state.

The humming increased in intensity, becoming an almost menacing growl. Sam's heart pounded and his eyes snapped open. He watched as a large metal plate floated aimlessly past him, streaked with red and white paint. He thudded onto something heavy and hard. Red lights appeared in the inky blackness, two pinprick points that drew closer and closer.

All Spark, the humming growled sharply. Bond.

'Megatron' Sam's mind supplied in blind panic. He tried to move, to get away, but found he was paralyzed and could only watch as a large form loomed in front of him. It was battered and broken, bits and pieces of the Decepticon was floating all around them, though it made the claws that sprung up around him like a cage no less threatening. No less dangerous.

'No!' He tried to scream. 'Leave me alone!'

One of the claws came down to poke at his chest curiously. He was able to writhe then.

'Help!'

He reached deep within himself, to the energy that frightened him, and willed it to spread. It didn't hurt the towering figure, it didn't even seem to faze it, but he felt something in return.

Surprise.

Sam's eyes opened with a start to a white ceiling. He wasn't floating in space but rather was grounded on Earth. He was disoriented and felt sluggish, slow. It took him a while to really bring it together and when he did he could tell he was in a hospital room. He was hooked up to machines and a drip. Panic surged up into his throat and he would have started pulling at tubes had a hand not landed on his arm.

He couldn't move quickly thanks to the drugs, but he turned his head to see the worried face of his uncle next to his bed. He'd been out for a few days judging by the stubble on his uncle's face.

"Sam!" He exclaimed softly. He cupped his nephew's face gently in his hands like he couldn't believe Sam was awake. "You had us worried!"

"What's going on?" Sam croaked, wincing at the sound of his own voice. He was sounding like the cybertronian in the backyard.

"I was hoping you could tell me." Uncle Gregory said. "I found you unconscious in the backyard having a fit so I took you to the hospital. They said you hit your head and it caused a seizure, though they couldn't get a proper scan of your head for some reason." Uncle Gregory moved to get up, probably to get a nurse, when Sam weakly reached out to stop him.

"Not yet. Please. I just want to wake up a bit first." He said. Uncle Gregory looked hesitant but sat back down.

"Just a couple of minutes." He agreed. "Do you remember what happened?"

Sam did, of course, though it was fuzzy with the details right now. "Just tripped on the chair. Stray cat startled me by rushing out from under the car and I don't remember much after that."

Uncle Gregory huffed out a chuckle and relaxed back in his chair. "You gotta be more careful kiddo. I don't want to have to call your parents to say you died on my watch."

Sam was silent for a moment. "Was I close?" He asked softly.

"You gave me a hell of a scare." Uncle Gregory replied simply, tone indicating he wasn't going to be more specific than that. "I should really call them."

"You didn't?" Sam was surprised at that.

Uncle Gregory scrubbed a hand over his face. "I didn't want them rushing out here for nothing if everything evened out. Besides, I know how Judy can get. I figured I'd let you make the call when you woke up, but I was going to tell them if you hadn't woken up today."

"Do I have to tell them?"

"No." Uncle Gregory stared at him with an unreadable expression. "You're an adult now. Though I would recommend it." He got up then, groaning as something in his back popped. "I'm gonna get a nurse, you stay put."

Sam nodded and watched him leave.

"You've got bearings kid." Sam jumped as Hound made himself known. He hadn't noticed him in the corner.

"What are you doing here?" Sam asked in shock.

"Keeping an eye on your uncle. He hasn't left your side since the incident." Sam didn't look directly at him, choosing instead to focus on the blanket, he felt guilty for some reason. "You could have gotten yourself killed doing that."

"Yeah, I figured." Sam admitted.

"I should call Ratchet. I should take you back to Prime."

"Are you?" Sam asked, starting directly at him. Hound shifted, a nervous gesture. He sighed.

"I don't know yet." Came the final answer. "Why didn't you tell me about Sunstreaker?"

"Sunstreaker? Wait…is that who? The backyard? Is that his name?"

Hound looked incredulous then. "You didn't even know if you were fixing up an Autobot or Decepticon?"

"Not really."

Hound was at the end of his rope, Sam could tell. "Yes, his name is Sunstreaker. He's currently affiliated with the Autobots, to the last of my knowledge, but it doesn't make him any less dangerous. He's always been a bit of a loose cannon with a temper you never want to see on the battlefield. He fights like a 'con."

Sunstreaker. Cool, at least he knew what to call him now. By the sounds of it, however, Hound didn't fully trust this Sunstreaker and Sam briefly wondered if he should.

"So you've been to see him? Is he doing better?"

"I wouldn't worry about that right now. What I want to know is why? Why did you risk yourself?"

"He needed help." Sam explained firmly. "He was in really bad shape, Hound. My Uncle's had him back there for years. For years he's just been…offline. What else could I do?"

"Call Ratchet! First Aid! Anyone else!" Hound snapped. "Not try some half assed experiment that could get you and him killed!"

"It wasn't-" Sam started, but cut himself off just as quickly. Hound was right. Sam leaned back into the pillows as the room spun, the drugs still doing their work.

"Rest kid. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come at you like this," Hound admitted.

Just in time his uncle returned with a doctor in tow. The doctor looked surprised to see Sam conscious, but hopeful. It was a blur of tests and questions after that. He was told a lot of things he didn't understand. He was told they were unable to get a clear reading, but that he should try and get a CT and MRI as soon as possible. Sam had a strong feeling that any machine would be unable to get a clear reading but nodded anyway. They wanted to keep him another couple of nights for observation. Sam declined, agreeing to one more night, but that he wanted to be discharged in the morning if possible. His Uncle clearly didn't agree with it, but Sam was an adult, and they couldn't hold him. The longer he stayed, the more at risk he was of NEST finding out.

Once the doctor and nurses were through with everything, Sam was left exhausted. Hound had excused himself, making a whispered excuse to his Uncle, and then it was just the two of them.

"I'm sorry for making you worry." Sam said tiredly as Gregory dimmed the lights for him.

"You got nothing to apologize for kiddo, shit happens."

"Yeah," Sam huffed humorlessly. "Hey, you should go home and get some sleep. I'll be fine, besides I want to leave in the morning anyway."

Home was an hour away and he could see the hesitation clear in his uncle's eyes, but he wanted to take care of him too and he could see the dark shadows under his eyes. He hadn't been sleeping well, clearly. Sam wasn't even sure if he'd had a proper meal in two days.

"Sam," He started.

"I'll be okay." Sam insisted. "I just want you to get some rest, okay?"

He watched the internal debate play out on Gregory's face before he came to a decision. "Okay." He gave in. "I'll be back first thing in the morning though and we will TALK about your discharge before you actually do. Deal?"

"Deal." Sam said.