Author's Note: Crosshairs hesitated once, and it cost him part of his spark. He learned the hard way – aim well, shoot first, don't miss and ask questions later.

Unhesitating – Crosshairs P.O.V

The humans of this mudball planet have a saying. ''He who hesitates is lost.''

They're right.

Though for me, it wasn't so much that I became lost when I hesitated, but that I lost everything because of it.

Amongst the Autobots that call this slaggin' planet home, I have a reputation as being shall we say – unpleasant and unapproachable. I tend ta say what's on my mind, regardless of whether anyone wants ta hear it, and I tend ta shoot first and ask questions later. I can also tend ta be somewhat self-servin'. Somethin' that flies in the face of the noble Optimus Prime's ideal of what an Autobot should be. As ya can imagine, I'm not always well received, and I'm often given a wide berth and left ta my own devices. Somethin' I'm more than happy about.

But I wasn't always like this.

I manoeuvre our stolen craft through the buildings, managing to avoid volleys of gunfire. Diving low, I growl at Bumblebee, ''Come on Bee! Take 'em out!''

Moments later there is the sound of an explosion and the human, Cade, yells, ''Ah! Good move 'Bee!''

I find myself grinnin' sadistically as I punch the guns to fire at the approachin' bridge. ''This one's fa you a'holes!'' As the bridge explodes in a shower of debris and flame, I feel that familiar surge of satisfaction as I hear one of the craft crashing into the river below.

/Yes! Gotcha!/. Pulling up hard, we soar above the city below before banking tightly around a building and plummeting back towards the streets below.

''If you're gonna do something – ya better do it!'' The other human Shane challenges.

''Come on!'' Cade shouts.

I feel a burnin' anger simmer away in ma lines as the humans goad me. ''Aaagh! I'm sick of this crap!'' I scramble out of the seat and grab 'Bee, shoving him in the direction of the cockpit. ''YOU fly, I'll shoot!''

Clamberin' over the fuselage of the vessel, I perch on the aft of the ship, glarin' back towards the oncomin' 'Cons. At once an image of his face flashes through my processor. The look of shock mixed with pain and regret as he fell to his knees, reachin' for me. I shook my helm furiously as I tried to banish the image of him, chest blown apart, the gaping wound that took him from me and tore my world apart.

''HEY!'' The human's voice snaps me to attention. ''You better let me fire this big arse gun, or find a way ta go faster!''

I grit my denta together and growl angrily at both the human and the painful memory I had tried to bury for so long. 'Bee pushes the craft to shoot upwards suddenly, banking steeply to the right and I close my optics as the memory washes over me again, refusin' to be dismissed. /My fault. It was all my fault that he died that day. I was the one who hesitated when I had the shot. I was the one who didn't take the slaggin' 'Con snipper out when I had the clear shot because I was waiting for orders! /Orders that came through a klik too late/.

I bark down to the humans, ''Listen up, crash course! Tracer guns, punch forward ta fire, slide back ta reload!'' /Never again will I hesitate! No frigging way!/.

''WHAT?'' the confused panic in Cade's voice barely registers with me and only serves ta irritate me as he delays me doing what needs ta be done.

''Punch, hold, slide repeat, punch, hold slide, repeat!'' I yell in annoyance as I gesture with my left servo to try and explain what ta do.

''Wait, what are you talkin' about?''

''I don't really know what he means?''

/Not my problem humans. You'll figure it out – hopefully/. ''Good luck!'' I begin to reach up for my googles.

''Wait! Where are you going?'' Cade demands.

As I slide the goggles down over my face, I feel that rush of blood lust travel through me. The desire ta hurt and inflict pain, just as was done ta me all those millennia ago back when he was in my life. ''Ta lay some hate!''

Launchin' myself off the rear of the ship, I flip in mid-air and produce ma trusty guns, deployin' ma chute at the same time. As the chute snaps open and drags me back, I open fire upon 'em.

There is no hesitation, no second guessin' as I pull the triggers and unleash hell. Round after round finds its mark along the vessels as they barrel towards me. The sight of the explosions, of smoke and flame draw an excited, triumphant and maniacal laugh from ma dermas as I watch the ships begin to crash towards the ground. /I will NOT miss again, I swear it!/.

As the sound of the ship carrying 'Bee and the humans disappears into the city, and I watch in macabre satisfaction as my targets fall to earth, engulfed in flame and billowing smoke, I allow the vision of his face to haunt me one more time before I lock the memory of him away again.

''I did it Pinpointer. I got 'em for ya,'' I grasp my guns tightly in ma servos and ride out the wave of loss and pain that engulfs me, as I fall steadily to the ground and the awaitin' shit storm. The sayin' drifted through ma processor again, /He who hesitates is not only lost – but in my case - they lose everything because of it/.

I feel a small smile of vindication creep across ma dermas, and I chuckle to the silence that surrounds me as I descend. ''I told ya I wouldn't ever miss again mate. I promised ya I wouldn't ever hesitate an' miss the shot.'' And I wouldn't. I hadn't. It was a hard lesson ta learn but I learned it, /and by Primus, I wasn't forgettin' it/.

Aim well, shoot first, don't miss and ask questions later.