When the Sun Goes Dark

Request fic for: RATCHETROCKS (let me know what you think)

CRAZY little Dragon- Yes, I've been working diligently to give my readers some extra reading materials. ;) Yes Smokey has style… we're not just sure what to call it. Lol

Starfire201- No, Sideswipe is a typical male I'm sad to say. And I would pay to see him prance around like a courtesan, wouldn't you? Lol And I think he'd laugh off Smokey's joke. He never takes anything too seriously, including himself.

Kimmie98- Yes, Sides just never learns. I think he enjoys the idea of losing himself to something more potent. And your Lambo is on its way. I'll meet you at the track… I've driving the black Reventon. ;)

Lambor Terror Lep- Well, our little Lamb is going to be experimenting until he gets it right. He is DETERMINED to beat Smokescreen at drinking games. And updates are coming every 2-3 days to help ease your fix. I've been spoiling ya'll!

VaRa129- Well, nothing bad happened per say. Sideswipe just lost at a drinking game… again. It rubs his circuits he cant beat Smokey! Hehehe Revenge is sweet… shhhh

AD Axel- Yes, bad bad bad. j/k Yeah, I don't drink either. I get the same effect if I stand up too fast and I get the added bonus of remembering WHERE I am and WHAT happened when I wake up… and I still have my underwear! Bonus! Yes, Sides was channeling his inner Prowl… he can be commanding when he wants to be. snickers

DitzyMusicLover- As a child of an abusive grandmother, yes, you are right. It happens and most of the time, no one is aware. But, what doesn't kill us only makes us stronger, and I believe I have a stronger constitution because of such early 'lessons.' Yeah, Sunstreaker's line sounded like my hubby when we were dating. He always wondered where my insanity came from.. then he met my family. Smokey never does anything without reason. He's a sneaky bastard. Comes with his job. *Sings Foreigner with you*

Prowls-little-angel- Oh, I like that idea! His helm IS vacant… though I see Sunstreaker putting it on his interface panel instead. *snort*

Young- Well, the dust is double on him and let's face it.. he's just gorgeous! Can't blame the dust now my dear. I'll add your suggestion to my pile and see what the muse comes up with.

Blitz-Krazi-1- Good news… drunk Sideswipe staggered into my life again and my muse is currently cooking up some deviousness with him. God help us. Admittedly there are some lines that crack me up after I write them. I don't know WHAT the twins are going to be doing until the words appear.

StarlitDawn- The muse is now working with Sideswipe and they are 'expanding' on what happened this time when he was hammered. Hint… its NOT going to be pretty.

SEZwho94- Nope, poor slagging bastard never learns. Typical male. I daresay that Sideswipe will eventually find a 'cure' and Smokescreen wont know what hit him. Lol

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL MY REVIEWERS! I almost have 200!

(squeals and dies from excitement) That's never happened to me before! If I hit 200, I'll do a double post in celebration. Course, they will be uploaded a day apart… I already upload every 2-3 days… I've spoiled you lot. ;) But I love every minute of it and the comments are like food to a starving person.

AN: This chapter is kind of quick/short, but I didn't want to drag it out. I'm bumming myself out with all the angst/drama as of late. I wanna post a couple of happy/upbeat chapters here soon.

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Battle raged on.

Bots shouted, weapons fired, the dying screamed their last song to the heavens, seekers sped over head, their ire rained down from above and to those who didn't have sufficient cover. Voices pleaded for mercy. Some shouted for a quick termination to end their misery. Most of the fatal understood their fate, and accepted it. Others were still screaming for the world to heed their pleas.

But none of that mattered.

All that mattered was for Sideswipe to find Sunstreaker and stopped the pain. Using his bond as an internal position detector, Sideswipe raced along the battle field, ignoring orders filling his comms and dodging through war zones. Enemy or alley, they all blended together and they didn't register to Sideswipe's focused gaze. Only one other spark mattered. And it was sending out a distress so clear, Sideswipe could have detected it galaxies away.

A flash of gold and Sideswipe changed direction, shooting at a purple mech and hearing him curse as he retreated to a safer location. Sideswipe saw Sunstreaker lying on the ground, his back scorched black from weapons fire and energon pooling beneath him.

"Sunny?" Sides shouted, sliding next to his twin and grasping his shoulder. He could feel Sunstreaker's spark sending out waves of raw agony, crying out as his soul bled upon the battlefield.

Sunstreaker offered a low groan, his optics fluttering in semi-awareness. His frame trembled as Sideswipe grasped his shoulder, trying to find a non-damaged area to get a firm grip to turn his brother over. Sunstreaker's frame was charred and warped, making it difficult.

"Oh, Sunny," Sideswipe muttered, turning his bother over with more care than he had ever shown.

Sunstreaker cried out from the movement, the pain making him delirious to the world around him. His optic shutters had a hard time opening, his blue optics dimming as he fought for consciousness.

"Sides….?" Sunstreaker asked, using a nickname though he hated such titles. The usage of such an endearment alerted Sideswipe to just how far gone his brother was.

"I'm here," Sideswipe said, cradling his twin to him.

Sunstreaker coughed, energon spraying from his lip components and hitting Sideswipe, but the red warrior didn't care. He scanned his twins form, trying to figure out the best course of action. He had basic field repair training, but he knew it would be insufficient for the horrible rending of the golden frame.

Sideswipe didn't know where to begin. There were several ruptured lines along Sunstreaker's frame, painting his golden armor to the pearly cast of spilled energon. The pool of pale lavender fluid was being absorbed into the ground, drinking in thirsty gulps of the life blood of a warrior. Sideswipe fretted, not sure how to staunch the flow of energon from his brother. There was a gaping hole in Sunstreaker's chest. Circuits sparked and sizzled, and as Sideswipe inspected the wound, he realized that Sunstreaker's spark chamber was breached. Sunstreaker's spark flickered in fretful flashes like his optics.

"Just hold on, Sunny," Sideswipe said, sending out a call for assistance on all Autobot frequencies. He prayed Ratchet was near by. He didn't have a clue on how to begin treatment for such injuries.

Sunstreaker had a hard time retracting his optical shudders. He didn't even rankle at the nickname. He merely gazed into his twins face, his expression soft. The pain was falling away, taken to places where it could no longer hurt him. A gentle peace flowed into his spark, wrapping it in comfort and serenity. Sunstreaker couldn't recall feeling so peaceful in his entire, brutal existence. It was a welcomed respite that he clung to with desperate servos.

"It's okay Sideswipe," Sunstreaker uttered, his venting slowing.

Sideswipe felt hot, like his internals were boiling in his frame ready to burst like a volcano regurgitating lava. He didn't like the quiet surrender of Sunstreaker's presence in their bond.

"No, its not okay," Sideswipe said, his face plates getting hot from the emotion he was trying to keep at bay. He could feel his twin slipping away.

"It's going to be alright, Sideswipe," Sunstreaker said his body going lax in his brother's arms. "It's okay. You can let me go."

"No!" Sideswipe snapped, shaking his twin and screaming through the comms for Ratchet to hurry.

Sunstreaker's optics darkened, his vents a pale whisper. His fans slowed, then stopped, throwing the war zone into silences.

Sideswipe felt the warm thrum of his twin's life fade, giving one last weak pulse of life before falling silent. The bond closed, throwing Sideswipe into cold isolation. Out of instinct he pushed along the bond, waiting for Sunstreaker's answering call. But it never came. Only the still emptiness where once a spark beat echoed in his soul. A part of his soul that now gone. Missing, lost to places unknown

Sideswipe tried to scream and rave, to shout his misery to the heavens, but no sound escaped. He was mute in his pain. He held his brother's cooling form against him and rocked, trying to push the warmth of his body into his twins and feel that pulse of life beat in tandem with his own. But his efforts went unanswered. All the warmth was stolen from his frame. The life drained away as it had left the battered golden shell clutched against his chest.

Like an animal clawing its way out of a cage, Sideswipe pushed all his fear, misery, and agony into the world and gave it a voice, his vocalizer straining with sorrow. Sunstreaker's lifeless frame disintegrated, leaving the ruby warrior all alone.

As Sideswipe found his voice, he shot upright on the berth, his optics flying open to reveal the orange walls of the ARK. Spark pounding he looked around the room and saw his twin stretched out on his berth, his paint as flawless and polished as ever. Sideswipe scrambled off his berth and without invitation, crawled onto Sunstreaker's berth, his helm on his brother's chest, listening to the beat of life within the golden chassis.

Sunstreaker kept his optics closed, allowing his brother the quiet comfort. Many times Sideswipe had suffered from bad memory loops or horrific memory purges. Each time he woke from one of these episodes he always sought the sanctuary of his twin. Sunstreaker never complained. He accepted his role as shelter for his brother, allowing him the time and physical contact needed to affirm his consciousness in this reality and not be plagued by the things that haunted his charge.

Sunstreaker always knew when Sideswipe was in distress. His spark would send out a pang of stress and sorrow that awoke Sunstreaker and alerted him to the mental torment his brother was enduring.

Sideswipe listened to his brother's steady beat of life, reassured that they still survived. If Sunstreaker lived, then so too did Sideswipe.

Sighing in resignation, Sunstreaker scooted back on his berth, giving his brother room to curl up next to him. Whatever haunted Sideswipe would not plague him while charging next to his twin.

"Promise that you won't leave me," Sideswipe said knowing his brother was awake. Sunstreaker's consciousness brushed his own in a constant caress to his mind. They were always linked. Forever.

"I'm not going anywhere," Sunstreaker said, wondering what had his brother so upset. Whatever it was it must have been bad to invoke such a reaction.

"Promise?" Sideswipe whispered, burying his face in his brother's neck.

Sunstreaker could feel the trembling of Sideswipe's form and resigned to placing his arm over his brother's that was wrapped around his midsection so tight, Sunstreaker was thankful he didn't have to breathe.

"I promise," Sunstreaker said patting his brother by way of showing affection. Sunstreaker wasn't an emotional mech. Touchy feely moments weren't his forte. Moments such as this made him feel awkward and inadequate, as if he couldn't fulfill the emotional need of the one seeking his presence and reassurance.

Sideswipe smiled, accepting Sunstreaker's answer. He felt a huge swell of relief expand form his body and threaten to burst his seams.

"That's good," Sideswipe muttered, feeling the call of charge pulling at his consciousness once again. "Because I don't think I could survive without you."

Sunstreaker felt his brother fall into a peaceful slumber, Sideswipe's hold tightening in his charge. Resigned to the fact that he was confined to his brother's death grip, Sunstreaker closed his optics and fell into a fitful charge.

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Remember… almost 200 reviews! (does happy dance)