Author's Note: So sorry for the late update! Thank you all for the reviews though, it really means a lot to me. God Bless you all!

Arcee strode toward the room, her steps swift and full of purpose. Her mind was set in what she wanted to do, what she needed to escape to. If she thought long and hard about it, she could buy herself some extra time in her activity and do what she wanted.

She wanted to read.

Her servo reached out, ready to pull open the door and step into the safety of the library. The building she and the Selected were staying at had many rooms and smaller libraries. This one was the closest to where she was at.

She had one pede in the doorway when a voice stopped her from moving any further.

"Megatron would like to see you."

She turned to look at the Decepticon trooper who did not even give her a second glance. She looked back at Ark who had been trailing by her side. She could not help but frown and look back at the library with longing, yet she knew she had to follow the trooper.

Her steps were brisk and sure as she followed the trooper. She ignored her surroundings, wondering what Megatron could possibly want to see her for. Also, why did he not contact her through the comm link?

She blinked, remembering and coming to the quick realization as to why he hadn't contacted her. Because she had shut down her comm link with the intent of getting some privacy.

Well, so much for that.

She sighed as she was lead to the rooms reserved for the Decepticon leader. Her shoulders were straight and stiff, the picture of an obedient Selected. Ark stayed behind as she entered the room, well aware that Arcee was well protected when in Megatron's presence.

She nodded, aware that she might not be alone in the room with the Decepticon, so she switched to formalities. "Lord Megatron," she greeted, standing before him in the large, dim room.

He turned his red optics to her, placing the datapad he had been looking at on the desk nearby. "Arcee," he said simply.

Not, 'Selected Arcee.' Just 'Arcee.'

It was then she knew she was alone with him and could drop the pretense.

She gradually relaxed and strode toward him with a small smile. "So, what caused you to bring me hear?" she asked as she stood before him, his imposing height towering over her, yet she showed no fear. While her shortness had once irked her when she was younger, she now accepted it as she could use her size to her advantage. But no matter how hard she trained, she could never best Megatron. Soundwave didn't even fight with her when training and she knew that if it came down to it, she could never beat the masked mech either.

Megatron gently stroked her cheek, his gaze lost in memory. "Can I not see you without reason?" he asked.

"Unfortunately not," she answered. "Not in these types of circumstances."

"Well, you were not answering your comm link and I wanted to inform you of the news personally before I announced it," he said, striding behind his desk and looking through the datapads neatly stacked in place.

She frowned, feeling a pit of unease grow. "What news?"

"We will be leaving for Kaon in a week," he answered simply. "The Autobot Selected will be joining us in the next month, maybe sooner depending on circumstances."

Her frown deepened as she took in this news. "So soon?" she asked. "Won't that raise some questions? And what do you mean 'depending on circumstances'?"

"Our abrupt exit will raise some questions, but Optimus and I have come to an agreement that it is the best course of action to move things along. As for the circumstances…" He glanced upward, as if debating on whether or not he should continue speaking on the matter. "The circumstances being that there is a rise in rebel activity," he answered. "There are some who do not want to see the treaty through. Certain assassinations have taken place."

She blinked, startled. "Assassinations?" she said sharply. She was so startled at what she had heard that she did not notice how casually Megatron had delivered the news. But that was normal for him, death did not surprise him or catch him unawares.

"Two Autobot Selected's were found dead three days ago," he said simply. "The news has not yet been delivered, but I wanted you to be aware of it when the news is made known. This is one of the many reasons why we are moving things along at a much faster pace."

Arcee looked at him sharply. "And what is the main reason?"

He just looked at her with a raised optic ridge.

She huffed in exasperation. "Oh stop it. You might as well tell me now. If not, I'll go bug Soundwave and you know how he gets when I disturb him."

A corner of Megatron's mouth twitched in amusement. "A former Decepticon is a suspect in the terrorist attacks," he answered after a moment of silence. "He and a...select group were last spotted moving north of Iacon. Optimus had sent scouts to intercept them, but all they came across was an abandoned base with equipment that could only be used for a Cortical Psychic Patch."

Her optics widened. "A Psychic Patch? But I thought Shockwave-"

"Was still working on it? He is," Megatron said. "But that does not mean that someone else is attempting to beat him to it."

Arcee leaned against the desk. "But what would they need such a device for?"

"Who can say?" Megatron responded.

Arcee narrowed her optics, aware that Megatron knew more than what he was letting on. But she was also aware that she was not supposed to known about any of this. He would reveal what he could and more if he was ready.

"What select group?" she asked instead, wondering if he was allowed to divulge such information with her.

"A select group that may or may not be on the inside of our Council," he answered.

She leaned forward. "Like who?"

"Like the ones who are being investigated," he said simply. "Like the ones who are unaware of who you really are."

She frowned. "So...not Starscream." She sighed. "Pity, I was hoping to blame him for something."

He grinned, optics alight in the dim room. "The peace of this land is still young. Do not despair."

She grinned back. "Never."

He leaned back in his seat, servos folded on his lap, an air of indifference. "How have you enjoyed your stay here so far?" he asked.

She blinked. "Are we really going from a heavy talking point to a casual conversation?"

He shrugged. "I have said all that I should have. You are to never breath a word of what you heard in here once you leave this room."

She nodded. "I know." She had learned to stay quiet and just watch and listen. After all, as she had learned from Soundwave; if Primus only gave you one mouth but two audio receptors, then you should listen more and talk less.

"Besides," he said. "I have not been able to speak with you so casually." He glanced towards the wall to an object she could not see. "And we only have so little time before you have to leave, else this visit might raise some unwanted questions."

She took a nearby seat across from him. Up until now, she had been too high strung and nervous to sit down what with the news Megatron had just given her.

"Well," she began. "I have enjoyed myself immensely. I have gotten to know a few Autobots and been subjected to all the gossip. I was forced to change my paint color so as not to hurt an overly sensitive femme companion."

He tilted his helm as he looked at her. "Just a companion? Not a friend?"

She smiled overly sweetly. "Worried that I'm having trouble making friends?"

"On the contrary," he said, leaning forward. "I fear you are making a lot of friends. The Autobot Selected femme Moonracer, the Autobot twins Sunstreaker and Sideswipe and the Autobot Selected Smokescreen and Bumblebee."

She shrugged casually. "Well, what else can I do but reach out to others to pass the time?"

"Anything that I would have you do," he responded.

"Which is qualified as dangerous to some," she commented.

He shrugged, waving a servo in the air. "It was no worse than what Orion and I did when we were thrust into the trials of war." His tone became wistful as he became lost in thought.

Arcee was aware that she had over extended her stay, so she silently rose from her seat before a thought occurred to her, causing her to pause for a brief moment.

Megatron noticed her hesitation and frowned. "What is it?"

She shook her helm. "It's nothing," she said quickly. "I'll speak with you about it later when we have time."

His optics widened slightly. "Oh, one of those questions." His voice lowered, which meant she was not meant to hear that 'Dang, Optimus was right,' comment.

She frowned, wondering what he meant by that but decided to leave it for now. Just as she was leaving the room, she paused and glanced over her shoulder.

"Drift," she said.

"Nope," came Megatron's simple answer. "Too old."

She growled under her breath before leaving the room, ignoring Megatron's smirk at her frustration.

He dug at the rubble, reaching for the weapon he needed. At this point, he was on enemy territory and needed all the arsenal he could get if he was to make it back to Decepticon territory.

He winced at the large gash in his side. The explosion had taken a toll on his systems and it was a true miracle that he had survived. But transforming would be difficult on a number of reasons. One being that he would strain himself and might just collapse from the effort it would take to escape. Two, he would be easy to spot by Autobot snipers and they could easily shot him down.

He let out a growl of frustration as he flung a large beam out of the way, grasping for the weapon and pulling the large gun out. His red optics narrowed and his servos clenched harder when he saw that the gun would be useless as it was badly damaged. Trying to salvage it would be useless and a waste of valuable time.

He flung the gun away with an enraged yell, forgetting for the moment that he might be heard. He stood there, shaking with rage as he tried to formulate a plan.

A small, distressed sound caught his attention. It was so small that he might have thought he had never heard it. But he heard it once more, this time a bit louder.

He kneeled down and began moving the rubble once more, the mound of destruction no longer recognized as a building.

He stopped when he saw the body of a Cybertronian femme, her green armor ruined beyond repair. Her dim optics showed that she was no longer living, the weight of the building and the explosion killing her.

He was about to drop the debris he was holding and walk away when he heard the sound again, this time a pitiful wail. He leaned forward once more, wondering if the femme could still be alive. He reached in and grabbed her shoulders, only for her arms which had been previously curled around her chassis to uncurl and drop a bundle. That bundle let out another wail to which Megatron swiftly caught it, letting the body of the femme go in the process. He slowly laid the beam he had been holding down as he stared at the bundle that was no bigger than his servo.

He stared at the sparkling he was now holding, her blue and pink tinted body so small and fragile looking. Her tiny mouth was parted open, as if to wail once more, but she fell limp, as if the strength had suddenly left her.

His spark started to beat in panic as he wondered if this sparkling had joined the AllSpark with its carrier, but the blue light from her tiny chassis was still glowing, a sign of life.

He hummed as he regarded her. "Well, I cannot let this trip be all for nothing," he said. "Let us see if you are strong enough to brave the elements."

He traveled towards his destination with the sparkling, the tiny femme still clinging to life. She accepted what energon he gave her, but she made no more sound and no effort to move.

It was not until he was sure that he was close enough to the Decepticon lines when he felt a tiny pull at his spark. He had frozen at the spot, his thoughts going back to what he had lost. Could he…? No! Optimus would never be so foolish as to try and reach through the broken bond that had tied them together as brothers. Besides, he had destroyed the bond beyond repair, there was no way either of them could reach out to the other even if they wanted to.

But this presence did not feel like Optimus. It felt small and weak, yet new. He scoffed. Of course it would be new to him as he had never felt this presence before. But it was also new to life itself, not just to Megatron.

He glanced at the sparkling, daring to wonder…

As if sensing his puzzled thoughts, the sparkling opened her eyes to gaze up at him, her blue and violet rimmed optics meeting red.

And she latched onto him with such fierceness that it had taken him by surprise. But it was that action that would forever change his path.

Megatron opened his optics, ending the memory there. At first, he had no intention of saving a sparkling. He wasn't even sure if she would make it through the first day. She was in need of energon and if she decreased his chances of survival, then he would be rid of her.

But that never happened, she stayed silent and still, stirring only to take what energon he had to offer her.

And by the time he had staggered back onto Decepticon lines, he wanted her to pull through and survive. But more importantly, he wanted her to himself. He wanted her to live.

But it was really too bad that Starscream and Shockwave had to be the mechs who met him when he burst through to safety. Starscream had taken one look at the Autobot sparkling and was determined to kill her.

Megatron almost snapped his neck then. Shockwave had wisely stayed silent, which Megatron had come to learn was never a good sign when you were on the receiving end.

But despite all that, Megatron got what he wanted and he was determined to keep it that way.

Which was why when Dirge showed up, emerging from the shadows and threatening all that Megatron had worked for, the ex-Decepticon may as well have signed his death warrant.

Megatron slammed his fist on the desk at that thought, optics narrowed at the thought of that cursed Cybertronian.

But his thoughts took him elsewhere. Arcee had looked like she wanted to speak to him about a personal matter. He had to wonder if that personal matter had anything to do with a spark bond. If so, then Optimus Prime had been right when they last spoke. Of course Arcee would ask about a spark bond.

He sighed. Primus, he was not ready or even aware of how to deal with a conversation like that. Maybe he would have to take Optimus's advice and speak with Elita-One.

Bumblebee observed the neat shelf before him, his arms folded behind his back. He looked at the fragile pieces that were neatly and carefully placed on the display. The way they were set allowed whoever was sitting at the desk in the room a clear view of the glass flowers.

"This is new," Bumblebee commented, gesturing to a green and red glass flower. It was larger than the others, yet the glass was thinner, more fragile looking.

Red Alert looked up from her work, her helm tilted. She smiled when she saw what he was pointing at. "Yes, it is," she answered, looking back down at the datapads he had delivered to her.

He approached her desk, leaning in with a curious smile. "So that means there's a story behind it."

She hummed, not looking up. "Maybe."

He frowned at Red Alert's vagueness. "At least confirm to me that he is alive," he said, pouting a bit.

Red Alert paused in her work, optics flickering. Bumblebee could understand her hesitance, especially if the new glass flower was what Bumblebee thought it was.

That the Decepticon Red Alert had been in love with was still alive. If he was, then that meant he was sending Red Alert those glass flowers that were delicately handcrafted.

He could not keep the excitement out of his voice. "So, is he alive?" he asked.

"Yes," she said softly. "He is."

Bumblebee's spark soared at that news. "That's great!" he exclaimed happily.

She looked up at him with a small smile. "You might not think so if you knew who he was," she said.

He waved a servo. "Hey, Elita trusts you, you're her closest friend. I trust you and…" He paused for a moment. "I've seen how you talk about him, this Decepticon of yours." He smiled. "You deserve happiness after what you've been through during. You both do."

Her optics dimmed for a moment as she rose up from her chair, holding the datapads. "Some do not share your ideas on what he deserves," she said quietly.

Bumblebee frowned, watching her. It was times like this that he wondered who Red Alert's Decepticon lover was. With the peace treaty, all Decepticons and Autobots overlooked, or tried to, the crimes of war.

But the way Red Alert spoke, he had to wonder just what this Decepticon of hers had done. There were some acts of war that could not be so easily forgotten or forgiven. Had Red Alert's Decepticon committed such acts?

But then again, if this Decepticon could have Red Alert fall in love with him, then he couldn't be all bad. Right?

He remembered when he was a sparkling how often Elita or Chromia would take him to Red Alert's office for a visit. The three femmes had been so close with each other before the war and that friendship still remained. He wouldn't be surprised if they knew who Red Alert's love interest was.

He snapped his fingers suddenly, as if he had been lost in thought. "I'll bet it's Starscream," he said in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Red Alert choked. "No," she said with a laugh. "Not even close."

He held up his servos. "Hey, no need to deny it," he said. "He's...quite a catch in his own way. I wish you all the best and I will do my best not to judge you on your poor choice."

"Bumblebee!" she exclaimed.

He winced. "Oh, did I say that last part out loud?" He hummed. "Okay, then not Starscream. What of…" He gasped, staring at her in mock horror. "Bonecrusher?"

She rolled her optics. "You silly youngling," she muttered.

He shook his helm. "Not a youngling. And you can't blame me for guessing."

"How about Megatron?" a sudden voice asked. Both Cybertronians looked up to see Elita-One stride into the room, a playful smile on her face. "You haven't guessed him yet, have you?"

Red Alert scowled at her friend, whacking her arm. "That's not even funny!" she hissed.

Bumblebee tapped his chin thoughtfully. "You know, I can see it working."

Red Alert shook her helm. "That's it. You," she pointed at Bumblebee. "Out! I have work to do. Go on. Shoo!"

Bumblebee laughed as Red Alert chased him out of her office, calling out. "Can I listen at the door and see if I can divulge anything from you and Elita? Who knows, you two might slip up!"

"You better not!" Red Alert called out with a grin, shutting her office door and cutting off Elita's laughter.

Bumblebee grinned as he walked down the halls, content. Guessing about Red Alert's love life had bene a simple game to him, one that both he and the nurse enjoyed. Though he had never even come close to figuring out who her Decepticon mech was.

He spotted a familiar Cybertronian just up ahead and he quickened his pace to catch up. "Arcee!" he shouted, waving his servo.

The blue femme jumped at her name, looking up with wide optics. But she seemed to relax when she realized it was just him.

"Hey Bee," she said when he approached her. "You've been strangely absent."

He grinned. "Why? Did you miss me?"

She rolled her optics. "Sure I did. But your company is nicer then some."

They both fell into step as they walked down the halls and Bumblebee could see that they were headed towards a small library. "Catching up on some reading?" he asked simply.

She sighed. "I've been trying to. But I got called away. Not to mention I have a small window of opportunity to read before leaving to meet with the femmes." She slumped a bit. "It's kind of a requirement now that Windy has made me an official member of the group."

He frowned. "Will I still see you at the Hut tonight? There's to be another game of Territory."

She brightened up, her whole expression lighting like a star when he said that. "Of course I will! I wouldn't miss it." She gave him a sly look. "Though it won't help you if we're on separate teams."

He sighed. "Primus have mercy on my spark."

She nudged him playfully. "Oh come on. It wouldn't be that bad."

"Except for the no laughing rule," he grumbled. "What kind of a rule is that?"

She groaned. "Oh no, we are not getting back on that topic again."

He grinned. "But you love that topic of conversation!"

She laughed at his comment, causing him to smile. "See?" he said. "All I have to do is get you to laugh like that during the game and I win!"

Author's Note: Like I said before, the part with Red Alert and the glass flowers was an idea I borrowed from fanfiction author VampireQueenAkasha.