Hello everyone I'm getting closer to graduation and I've basically got a lot of my projects done so here is another chapter for everyone. Thanks for all the reviews and favorites! I hope everyone has a good summer! There is a little section in the beginning that had a little smut in it, so if you want to read that go to my profile on Archive of our own. I'm still movieexpert1978 there too. ;)

I don't own Transformers Prime as the show is owned by Hasbro.

Ch. 17: Speed Bumps

As much as he wanted to Megatron knew this wouldn't last. He knew this wasn't the Orion he once knew back on Cybertron. It was only a matter of time before Optimus arrived and by then he would have no choice but extinguish his spark to prevent more battles in the future. Not to mention that he didn't want Elisa to get too close to him as well. He wouldn't be angry at her as it was her nature. Elisa was a very friendly femme with everyone…well except Airachnid. He snickered at the thought as he looked her over.

"Elisa wake up." He said as he shook her. Elisa let out a groggy groan before she smiled up at her Carrier.

"Morning Carrier." She said happily before she flinched in pain. He handed her an energon cube and she took a big sip before coughing slightly. "I hate you." She frowned.

"It's medicine from Knockout." Megatron chuckled. Elisa stuck her tongue out before she had to finish the rest of the cube.

"He needs sweeter meds." She argued back.

"You're a little too young for high grade pretty girl." Knockout teased as he entered the room.

"What's up?" She said quickly.

"I have a few things for you to do today." Knockout announced as he scanned over her leg.

"But I can't walk." Elisa said confused.

"Not yet. It's call rehab. We're going to teach you how to walk again." Knockout stated.

"No…no I can't." Elisa said quickly. Megatron instantly felt her fear of the pain that was to come.

"It's alright Elisa. I'm going to help you." Megatron said gently trying to calm her fears.

"We're starting small and working our way up. You won't be able to stand for a while yet so don't get too nervous just yet." Knockout winked trying to be playful.

"It's still going to hurt." She said quietly.

"That's what the meds are for. The bitter taste is from a small dose of pain killers." Knockout explained. Elisa only nodded before leaning in close to her Carrier. "First step is to get you out of the berth." Knockout announced.

"It's nice and toasty in here." Elisa protested making both mechs chuckle.

"It's only temporary." He said before stepping back. Megatron carefully pulled the sheets off of Elisa and he flinched inside at the sight of her brace. "Turn this way and don't bend that leg." Knockout explained. Elisa only nodded before she took a deep breath. Megatron placed one of her hands on his shoulder armor for support as she gritted her teeth while she moved. She thought it felt like forever before she was finally facing forward.

"You're doing great Elisa now I need you to come forward so your leg is hanging out." Knockout said. "Don't worry I'll support it." Knockout added quickly when he saw that she was about to protest. True to his word he gently placed his palms on the underside of her leg as she inched forward with Megatron's help. Elisa bit her lip to keep from screaming as her leg felt so exposed. Megatron moved so that he was behind her and supporting her as she clutched at him hard.

"It's ok baby." Megatron whispered gently.

"Now here is the hard part. This will hurt." Knockout announced.

"What are you doing?"

"Bending you knee."

"NO!" Elisa instantly protested making Knockout jump and nearly lose his grip on her leg.

"Elisa calm down." Megatron stated. He didn't like how he felt her shaking against his chest. She closed her eyes tightly and Megtron only nodded at Knockout who was looking at him. The medic slowly inched Elisa's leg down. She started to cry in pain and buried her face into his chestplates as Knockout started to bend her knee.

"Stop…stop it please!" Elisa begged, but Knockout kept going as Megatron nodded to him. Finally Elisa let out a small scream and dug her claws into his shoulder armor as her leg was fully bent down.

"Deep breaths pretty girl." Knockout encouraged.

"Go away!" Elisa snapped at him. Megatron cautiously wrapped his arm around her just in case she might snap at him. Knockout messaged her leg and tweaked at her leg brace so it was slightly more flexible. Knockout kept count in his head until finally two minutes were up before he cautiously and lifted Elisa's leg back up. She let out a growl, but otherwise didn't move. Her claws went away from his shoulder as Megatron shifted Elisa back onto the bed. She moved to her side on her own and refused to speak. Megatron gestured for the medic to follow him as they left the room for a moment.

"She's only angry because she's in pain." Megatron explained.

"I figured my liege."

"I would strongly recommend do that once a day for the moment or at least until it the pain starts to decrease for her. It's the first step into getting her to walk again." Knockout said quickly.

"Thank you doctor you are dismissed." Knockout quickly hurried back to his own med bay as Megatron went back into Elisa's room. He was surprised to see that she was already sleeping, or at least she appeared that way. He knew she was in no mood to talk, so he gave her a quick kiss and left her alone. In the bridge other things returned to his mind so he ordered Knockout and Breakdown to retrieve the power source they had lost to the autobots before Unicron arrived.

The problem was that Arcee got on board.

"What?" Megatron snapped.

"Arcee…allow me to welcome her aboard." Arachnid smiled as she transformed into her eight-legged form and Phoenix smiled eagerly to join her.

"No." Megatron stated blocking them with his servo. "If Orion so much catches eyes on another autbot let alone be allowed to witness it's destruction, everything he currently believes will be called into question." He stated firmly to them, making Phoenix frown. "See to it that Arcee is escorted of the ship immediately!" He ordered Soundwave. He only nodded before he left in silence and Phoenix huffed in annoyance.

"That's twice now." She snapped.

"Orion believes we are the one who were wronged and it will stay that way." Megatron snapped at her.

"Why, you'll just kill him anyway…and he's not Orion. He's Optimus Prime." Phoenix snapped.

"PHOENIX!" Megatron roared as her making her jump back nervously. He gritted his sharp denta before he left the bridge. Soundwave approached him later on in a private room.

"I heard a commotion." Orion's voice came up as Soundwave showed Megatron what happened.

"That was too close and Phoenix is getting aggravating." He huffed.

Carrier what happened?

"Keep an eye on her will you?" Megatron said before he quickly left for Elisa.

"Carrier what happened? I thought I heard shots." Elisa said with concern.

"Arcee got on board."

"Oh no…is she dead?" She asked.

"No Soundwave got her off the ship." Megatron answered. "Are you feeling better?"

"Not really. I feel like I ran a gazillion miles." Elisa exaggerated to make her Carrier smile. He let out a small chuckle.

"Do I have to keep doing this?"

"Once a day Knockout suggested…speaking of which." Megtaron said before he started to leave.

"Did he let her get on board?" Elisa said confused.

"Not exactly." He answered before he left. Knockout was of course in the med bay working on his precious finish when Megatron swiped the tool out of his servo. "Why was Arcee able to board the ship?!" He demanded.

"It…it was an accident Lord Megatron!" Knockout said quickly.

"The autobots are desperate. You should have been more careful!" He roared leaning down to Knockout's level.

"But we were in the clear Master." Breakdown protested.

"You are never in clear until the groundbridge has closed behind you!" Megatron snapped.

"Uh…understood Lord Megatron." Knockout said nervously. He growled before he left the med bay and unfortunately ran into Orion.

"Lord Megatron what happened?" Orion asked with concern.

"We had a temporary malfunction. Please don't be concerned Orion." Megatron said calmly. Orion thought for a moment before he nodded in agreement, however the pause did not go unnoticed by Megatron.

"How is Elisa?" He asked quickly.

"Slow but steady." Orion only smiled gently at him before they parted. Megatron let out a frustrated growl to himself before he went back to check on Elisa.

Xxxxxxxxx

"No! Optimus Prime!" Starscream cried out before he armed himself.

"Please, I mean no harm." Orion said calmly.

"Oh…then what are doing here?"

"Research for Lord Megatron."

"Is this some kind of joke?!"

"I do not understand." Starscream blinked in surprise and lowered his rockets, but still stared at…Optimus. "And why did you call me Optimus Prime?"

"Uuuuhhh…why wouldn't I?" Starscream said confused.

"Because my name is Orion Pax. I am far from being a prime." He answered shyly and Starscream's optics went wide when he saw the decepticon symbol on his shoulders.

"Uuuh…you reminded of someone I once knew that's all." He said quickly.

"You are Starscream?"

"Yes."

"Lord Megatron told me you had been terminated."

"Lord Megatron says many things only some of which are true." Starscream answered slyly.

"You do not suggest that our leader would speak falsehoods?" Orion said shocked. Starscream let the words sink in for a moment before he burst out laughing.

"You truly are being kept in the dark aren't you?" He grinned as Optimus walked over to him.

"You speak in many riddles Starscream. Please tell me what it is that you know?" Optimus pleaded. Starscream thought for a moment before he answered.

"And in return…"

"Starscream surrender!" A drone ordered. Starscream shouted and jumped behind Optimus for a moment.

"Hold your fire!" Optimus protested. Instead Starscream jumped up, transformed and flew right down the hallway.

"Remain in the lab." The drone ordered.

"But I…"

"Lord Megatron's orders."

When the door closed behind him Orion knew he had a few questions for Megatron.

Xxxxxxxx

"Orion I am so sorry for the recent commotion. You weren't in anyway harmed were you?" Megatron said with curious look.

"No Lord Megtron, but why did you tell me that Starscream was dead?" He asked.

"Because he is dead to our cause, Starscream was my most trusted lutienant until he turned traitor and joined the autbots. Never have I witnessed a more profound act of decent. He did do or say anything troubling to you?"

"No."

"Good…perhaps it is best to forget the entire incident and return to your project." Megatron said calmly before he walked out the door.

"As you wish my lord."

Once the door was closed Megatron bared his sharp denta in a silent snarl before he walked down to Soundwave.

"Orion was never very adapted at the art of deception. I should have terminated Starscream when I had the opportunity. A mistake I do not intend to make again." He snarled.

"Carrier?" Elisa's voice called and Megatron all but glared at Soundwave.

"I don't care what Elisa thinks about him. He's been too much of a thorn in my side and he could just have ruined this whole entire operation for me." Megatron snapped before he parted for the bridge.

Elisa was getting better with her leg. She even tried to do an exercise on her own once, but it was far too soon for that. Phoenix was all but grinning as she helped Elisa as she knew that Starscream had stopped by.

"What are you smiling about?" Elisa asked as she started to move her leg with her sister's help.

"Carrier didn't tell you did he?" Phoenix grinned.

"What? What happened?" Elisa demanded.

"Starscream was on the ship."

"Starscream?!" Elisa gasped and nearly jumped off the berth.

"He accidentally bumped into Orion while trying to steal some energon cubes." Phoenix said.

"Where is he? Is he alright?" Elisa asked quickly.

"What? Are you kidding me?" Phoenix snapped. "He left the decepticons and you're worried about him?!" Phoenix demanded.

"I'm sorry, but I was with him while you went with Carrier." Elisa said quietly. Phoenix frowned and stood up.

"Figures." She mumbled before she started to leave.

"Wait Phoenix help me for a second." Elisa pleaded.

"Figure it out yourself." Phoenix snapped before she left. Elisa tried to stay calm, but the tears came down anyway. Her body shook in silent sobs for a brief moment before she wiped the tears away, but they kept coming as she slowly pulled her broken leg back up on the berth. She rolled onto her side and continued to quietly cry until she started to calm down and fall asleep.

Anger boiled inside Megatron as he saw what had happened. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he knew Elisa had a point about Starscream. He helped take care of her when he was gone and when she had been a sparkling. Phoenix was being too cruel to her for judging her like that. At the moment, he wasn't sure how to address what Phoenix just did as Orion's actions were deep in his mind. He might have to reconsider his actions if Starscream ever returned to the ship.

Xxxxxxxx

"How could I possibly be Optimus Prime?"

Soundwave showed Orion's decryptions up on his screen. Needless to say Megatron was not pleased.

"Even our encryptions couldn't keep him from the truth." He muttered bitterly. "Orion has much to accomplish and he will stay the course even if I must inflict great pain to ensure to completion of Project Iacon."