Wow, I'm so happy school is almost over. I need a summer break so I have more free time to write chapters! Anyway, thanks so much for the reviews; Lunarburst23, jgoss, Grace-But-Forgetful-Writer, lizy2000, SapphireSpark, AutobotCopperShadow, Bee4ever, TriGemini Prime (me too), , The Silvernote, xVentressx, mostly a reader fangirl99, CastieLunaWinchester, Storygirl747, nadillaandlaprasthefireandice, DarkshadowXsunny-sides, HTTYDTF For Life, GoldenLasgana, Xarine, Guest, Moustache Duchess, Autobot Guardian, and icanhascamaro!

Well it's a good thing some of you caught on about the "purple optics" hint ;)


Chapter Thirty: Voices Inside

(Sideswipe's POV)

"Sideswipe."..."Sunstreaker."

"Please...help me."

My optics flashed open, and I quickly sat up, panting heavily as my processors slowly repressed the drowsiness. I blinked a couple of times, looking around frantically at my environment. The smell of sterile air hit me first, and then the blinding white lights of Ratchet's med bay. I let out a sigh of relief, before the memory of Charlie's weak cry stirred inside me again. I turned to hop off the berth, but my servos didn't move. I tried again, and then stared down at my servos.

There was nothing wrong with them, they seemed fine. I frowned, and tried again, grunting loudly as i tried to pull them away from the berth. It felt like some invisible force was trying to hold them down. I snarled out in frustration. I'd be damned if I let this slagging berth keep me from finding Charlie! I'll cut my own fragging servo's off if I have to!

"Sideswipe!" A familiar voice barked.

"Ratchet,"I said, not even looking up from my servos, "Something's wrong with my servos. I can feel them, but they're not slaggin' moving!"

"That's because Jazz magnetized them."

This time I stopped, and looked up. Not only was Ratchet there, but Jazz, Prowl, and Optimus. They all stood warily around me in a semi-circle, barricading me in as if they were trying to shield me from something. Or maybe, stop me from doing something. My optics narrowed warily, as I met their stares, trying to read their gazes to figure out what was going on, but they were unreadable. Finally, I gave a resigned sigh.

"Okay, is someone going to tell me what the frag is going on, or am I going to have to guess?"

Idly, they all exchanged cautious glances, before their gazes roamed over to Optimus, as if-no, I know they were silently asking for permission. Optimus gave a small nod, and then Ratchet was the first one to speak.

"We had to magnetize you to this berth because of your beserker coding."

My optics widened, "What?" I shook my helm, "No...no, everything's fine. I have it under control."

"Do you recall any events from the last few days, Sideswipe?" Optimus spoke up, in his deep baritoned voice.

I averted my gaze to the ground, trying to think of something. The memories were still cloudy in my processors, and all I could really remember is Charlie's voice, begging me for my help.

I needed to find her.

And the only way I would find her, is if they'd let me go. I looked back up at Optimus, "No, I don't."

"You threatened a human life," Ratchet said gravely, and my optics widened again.

"H-How-"

"I know you weren't in your right state of mind," Ratchet interrupted, "You got very angry, and you weren't thinking straight. But the problem is, if you aren't thinking when you're angry, the beserker mode can and will take over just like that." He snapped his digits.

I sighed, "Look Ratchet, I'm sorry. I should've been in control of my anger, but I need to go-"

"I'm afraid we can't do that, Sideswipe." Optimus then interrupted, "With so many witnesses upon the incident, the relationship with the soldiers and Autobots are strained. It would not bode well for them to see you walking around."

My optics narrowed, "What's that supposed to mean? You're going to keep me locked up in this med bay?"

Jazz sighed, crossing his servos against his chassis, "You ain't gon' be locked up here fo'eva Sides. It's just fo' the human's assurance."

I raised an optic ridge in confusion, "How long then?"

"Until the tension from the incident settles," Optimus answered, before glancing at Ratchet, "For the time being, Ratchet and Jazz will help you with the coding problem."

"What about Charlie? I heard her calling out for me over the commlink." I said, looking up at them. They all seemed to be confused by this.

"What do ya mean?" Jazz asked.

"...Didn't you guys here her over the commlink?"

It was silent for a moment, as the four of them stared and communicated through a private line, before they turned their attentions back onto me.

"We did not." Optimus finally answered.

I looked up at him pleadingly, "Please, at least tell me she's safe." Optimus' optics darkened for a moment, but I still stared at him with a mix of determination and desperation. "Please, Optimus..."

"I am sorry, Sideswipe," His voice lacked the strong, confident baritone, and was reduced to something a little over a whisper, "Truly, very sorry."

I opened my mouth to say something, but whatever it was died in my throat as the fluorescent lights of the med bay went out for a moment, and the only thing visible were the shining blue of our optics, until the lights flashed on again. I squinted, adjusting my optics to the dimness.

"Tha Pit was that?" Jazz said, looking around.

"You think we are being under attack?" Ratchet asked, looking up at Optimus.

"I am on the comm with Major Lennox as we speak," Optimus replied, his servo pressed to the side of his helm, before he brought it down, "We are not under attack."

"Then what was that?" Jazz retorted, visor dimmed warily.

"I believe it could be a flux in the generators." Prowl had spoken up, for the first time since he had been here.

Optimus frowned deeply, "Something does not feel right."

"You feel that too?" Jazz asked, and the rest nodded.

I couldn't help but nod too, something definitely didn't feel right. Whatever it was, left a heavy feeling in my spark, and left my energon chilling. I raised my internal temperature back to standards, but something still felt off. There was a very big surge of energy that was released into the air, and it was as enticing as the Allspark. But there was something wrong about this type of energy, which made it seem more like there was an evil presence among us. My spark rolled uncomfortably in my chassis, and I put my sensors on high alert.

And then just like that, it was gone.

The heavy feeling was lifted and my optics widened shock.

"Did ya'll feel that?" Jazz asked again, his visor dimmed very lowly.

"Yeah," I said, rubbing at my chassis absently, "What the slag was that?"

"It seems there has been an enormous release of energy," Prowl spoke up again. "It is not from Earth, either."

"The Allspark?" Ratchet wondered out loud.

"No, something else," Optimus said, shaking his helm, "Something much darker."


(Charlie's POV)

My eyes fluttered open, and my arms stretched over my head as I yawned softly. I started to roll over, but froze when I realized I was on top of a warm body. Blinking back drowsiness of slumber, I stared down at the body for a moment, before my eyes widened.

Sunstreaker.

My body tensed, and I cursed lowly to myself. Haven't I embarrassed myself around him to last a lifetime? Now, I'm sleeping on top of him? I groaned to myself, and then slowly tried to shift my body so that I would at least not be laying on him. Before I could get very far, hands gripped my waist, and I froze. Sunstreaker's holoform's eyes opened up, his pupils dilating before he stared up at me.

Heat of embarrassment flushed in my cheeks, "S-Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up."

Sunstreaker glanced around the living room for a moment, before his blue eyes focused back on me, "No need to apologize. It was time to online, anyway."

"Oh," I said breathlessly, still very aware of his hands on my waist, "Are you going to let me get up?"

He seemed to notice this as well, and removed his hands while standing up in one fluid motion. I brought myself to my feet as well, looking around the quiet room. The TV had been turned off, and the curtains had been open, letting sunlight shine through the windows. I also noticed that at our feet was a tousled dark gray blanket, and I bent down to pick it up. My fingers moved against the smooth fabric, and I tiny smile came to my lips.

"This was my favorite blanket when I was a kid." I muttered, still staring at it.

Sunstreaker didn't seem to know what to say, so he just nodded.

I spread the blanket back out on the couch. Like I'd used to do all the time back at my old home, before everything had changed so drastically.

"You should say goodbye to your family." Sunstreaker rumbled from somewhere to my left.

I sighed, shaking my head softly, "I can't." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him raise an eyebrow, and I elaborated, "I want to be strong for them. If I see them now, I'll crack and break all over again. I'll want to stay."

"I'm not forcing you to come with me." Sunstreaker protested.

"No, I want to go with you. I want to see Sideswipe, because if I don't, I'll regret it for the rest of my life. And also Jenna," I sighed, rising up from the couch, and running my fingers through my hair, "I was such an idiot, she was only trying to protect me and I told her I hated her."

Sunstreaker looked away, not knowing what else to say. He knew I was right, but he just didn't want to admit it.

"We should go, Quickshift is probably going nuts in your backseat." I said, heading for the door.

"Charlotte Marie Garrison," A stern voice called out, and I froze again. There was only one voice that had that effect on me, and it was my mother's. I turned to meet her gaze, finding her blue-green eyes narrowed, "Don't you dare leave without saying goodbye." Right behind her was Cotlon.

I smiled, walking back over to them, and hugging them both as hard as I could. I took in both of their scents, trying to memorize it when I got lonely and would think about them. I only let go when I felt a tear slip past my eyes and run down my cheek. I wiped it away, and stared up at their puffy eyes.

"Hey guys, don't cry," I said, just as a tear slid down Colton's cheek, "I promised you I'd come back. And I'd never break that promise."

"I love you Charlie." He whispered.

I bit my lip so I wouldn't whimper, and pulled him into a hug again, "I love you too."

"Wait," My mother said, and both Colton and I turned to look back at her, "There's something I want you to take before you leave." She reached into her pocket, and pulled out a long, silver necklace with a tiny cross on it. It also had a charm with the word 'Family' written on it.

It was my father's.

I shook my head, "That's...I can't."

"Please," She said, "Your father would have wanted this for you. Something of him that you can carry, always." Slowly, I turned around, and my mother pushed my hair away from my neck, wrapping the necklace around so that it fitted perfectly around my neck.

I stared down at the family charm, holding it in between my fingers, "I'll never take this off."

"We'll miss you, sweetheart." My mother said, kissing my forehead.

"Take care of my sister," Colton said, directing his statement to Sunstreaker, his eyes narrowed, "Cuz if you don't, I'll track you down and kill you."

Sunstsreaker looked annoyed, but said nothing more, which I was grateful for.

I just smiled at Colton, hugging him one more time, "And you take care of yourself and mom."

"I will." He said with a nod.

I pulled away from them, and looked at them both, "Goodbye."


It has been thirty-minutes since we've left my family, and we were back on the route that we needed. Quickshift had bombarded me with questions, and I answered them. After he was satisfied with scolding me about leaving him in Sunstreaker's car to "have no fun at all," he made himself comfortable in my lap and we've been in silence ever since. I fingered the necklace around my neck absentmindedly, but looked down when Quickshift shifted in my lap again.

"What's wrong?" I asked, sensing his discontentment.

"I dunno, I just feel weird," He replied, rubbing at his tiny red chest, "You feel that Sunshine?"

"Stop calling me that." Was Sunstreaker's only reply.

I raised an eyebrow, "Can you describe the feeling?"

"I dunno, it's just pretty...deep."

"Like a heaviness that settles over you, and in the pit of your stomach, you know nothing good can come from it?" The words just poured from my mouth.

Quickshift stared at me in astonishment, "Yeah...kinda." He paused for a moment, before shrugged, "Well, whateva that was is gone now. How'd you know what was up?"

I looked out the window for a moment, and then shrugged. "I don't know, I feel like I've felt it before."

Quickshift snorted, "You're a weird chick."

"Since we are this subject," Sunstreaker's voice crackled over the radio, "I would like to know how you managed to comm me last night."

I rolled my eyes, "For the hundredth time, I have no idea. How is that even possible? Humans can't just telepathically speak to Cybertronians...right?"

Sunstreaker was quiet, and that made me nervous.

"Comm me."

"What?" I asked.

"Try to comm me, Charlie."

"How?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"Think. How did you do it the last time?"

I was about to protest again, but something came to mind, "I was calling you guys in my dreams."

"Then close your eyes."

Suddenly, the passenger seat rolled halfway down so it felt like I was laying in the seat. Quickshift yelped and scrambled off my lap, "Hey!"

"I don't know about this..." I said quietly, uneasiness swirling in my chest.

"Just trust me."

I was so taken aback by that statement. He...he wanted me to trust him. There was still a chance. Immediately, I closed my eyes. I let my hands relaxed by my side, and tried to concentrate. All the other times that I had talked, or at least, tried to communicate, I was running from something. I was scared. But now, I wasn't scared...at least, not that much.

I was in a very dark place, all alone. I tried to envision Sunstreaker there, but when that didn't work, I decided to try and call out to him.

"Sunstreaker?" I asked, looking around in the inky darkness. "Sunstreaker, can you hear me? Are you there?"

There was a long moment of silence. I sighed.

I guess it only worked when I was being scared to hell.

"...Charlie?" A voice answered back. A very familiar, deep voice.

My eyes widened. It worked.

I opened my eyes again, sitting up and staring at the dashboard, "It worked...I heard your voice."


A cliffhanger...I think? Anyway, yay the crew is off to reunite with Sideswipe! Sorry if there's any mistakes, can't wait to hear your reviews!