Still Shattered Glass universe, fast forward about thirteen years.

Transformers are copyright of Hasbro


The Decepticons had been enjoying relative peace when the call came.

Soundwave had relayed the message through Knock Out to Breakdown and Airachnid's quarters immediately. It was June, in the tiny house she'd bought with her highschool sweetheart-turned husband, with angry tears running down her cheeks.

Again.

"Uh-oh," muttered Breakdown. "

Boy trouble," Airachnid predicted, "I'll go."

Breakdown pouted. "But you went last time! It's my turn!" he argued.

His sparkmate shook her helm emphatically. "Dearest, boy trouble. She'll need her mother."

Knock Out rolled his optics from the door. "Stop flirting and watch the message!" he snapped, "I want to know why Junebug looks so upset!"

As soon as the message began to play, all three were on the alert. Mommy, Daddy, I really need to talk to you. She sniffled. She never called them "Mommy" or "Daddy" unless she was very upset.

"I bet it's that Darby guy's fault," Breakdown growled, "What does she see in that punk?!"

His sparkmate shushed him sharply and turned her attention back to the message.

Dad, I know your first guess is going to be that John did something to upset me. Well, this time you're right. You were right, we were too young and- Her eyes welled up with tears again. He—we fought, last night, and—Mom, can I come home? I just need to talk.

Airachnid ground her denta. "Why did we let her get married right out of high school?!" she wondered in irritation.

"Because we are—how did Lord Megatron put it? 'woefully inadequate in the ways of human social customs'?" Breakdown answered morosely. "I swear, the next time I hear someone say, 'But Daddy, I love him', I'm going to punch someone in the face."

Airachnid glared sternly at her sparkmate. "That's not what June needs right now, darling. She needs advice, and probably comfort."

Breakdown grumpily agreed and set off to ask Soundwave for a ground bridge. Before long, their eighteen year old daughter was standing in front of them, wiping tears away with the edge of her loud yellow sweater.

"Knock Out," she said shakily, "Could you run a quick scan on me? I want to make sure the bridge didn't...effect anything." The medic shrugged, but did as she asked.

Airachnid knelt to look her daughter in the eye. "Sweetspark, what happened? You and John have fought before!"

"Not like this," June choked, "He's never been this mad before!" Her parents exchanged worried looks.

"What did he do?" Breakdown asked.

"We were talking about Autobots," June began, "He thinks they're the greatest thing that's ever happened, and that they're going to solve all the country's problems. I told him the truth: that they're cowardly bullies who can't be trusted. He got so angry, Daddy. I swear I thought he was going to either hit me or break a window." She fished a handkerchief from her pocket and loudly blew her nose. "Turns out, I married an Autobot sympathizer whose father works in the N.E.S.T. division with the Autobots."

Airachnid was horrified. "Baby, I love you, but if I'd known that, I never would have let you near him," she growled.

"I know, Mom. I wouldn't have gone out with him in high school if I'd known. I just...I kept thinking I could fix his anger problem, you know?" She laughed bitterly. "Well, we both started shouting at each other. He almost smacked me, I shoved him into a wall, he broke three plates, and somebody started throwing the word "divorce" around, and then I woke up this morning and he was gone. No note, no call, just gone."

"Good riddance!" Knock Out muttered. June started to cry again and Breakdown shot a warning look at the tactless medic.

"Junebug," Breakdown said in as soothing a voice as he could manage, "When you've come to us after fights before, I've told you that your vows meant you and he had to stick it out and find some common ground, right?"

"Right."

"Ok, well I'm taking back all my advice," the blue mech deadpanned. "You just told me he almost hit you? Forget it. You're not going back there. Even if he hadn't tried to harm you, he's an admitted Autobot ally, and that makes him a potentially lethal threat to this family. He left you in the middle of the night, which makes me think he was up to no good. You're not going back to that house, and that's final."

June's reply was cut off by Knock Out's confused query: "Junebug, why does the scan show you with two heartbeats?"

The human woman blinked in surprise. "Oh my Allspark, I forgot!" she gasped, "I was going to tell you yesterday, but then John and I had the fight."

She turned to face her parents, twisting her fingers nervously. "Mom, Dad...you're grandparents."

The stunned silence was broken by Breakdown toppling over backwards with an almighty crash.

Airachnid stood frozen, stuttering, "You're—You're—p-p-p-"

"Pregnant, Mom. I'm pregnant," June sighed and wiped her eyes again, "John doesn't know yet, I was going to tell you first, and then him, but I don't think he's going to hear about this for a while. Not until I know we're safe."

Airachnid broke out of her trance and hovered protectively over her daughter. "That Autobot lackey isn't coming anywhere near you and my grandsparkling!" she snapped. Knock Out helped Breakdown off the floor behind them.

"And what if he ends up changing? Do we tell him then?" June wondered, despite having no intention of going back to the tiny house.

"Heck no!" her father cut in vehemently, "He's clearly demonstrated that he cannot be trusted with any member of this family. He's an Autobot!"

There was nothing further to be said.

It had to be admitted, of course, that being the sole human patient on the Nemesis had its perks. June never had to wait for an appointment in all the nine and a half months she carried her child, and the Decepticons went out of their way to appease her on her grumpy days.

It was with pride and joy (and a just a little bit of wailing and gnashing of teeth) that the Nemesis welcomed into its ranks Jackson Pax Darby.

Airachnid and Breakdown hovered nervously over the exhausted June while Knockout, Megatron, and Soundwave curiously examined the tiny infant.

"That," said Soundwave, "Is one angry little human."

Megatron smiled sadly, barely touching the tip of his servo to the newborn's fuzzy black hair. "Yes, yes it is. He reminds me, in a way, of Orion before the War."

The Decepticon glanced up at June. "Perhaps I might call him Pax Minor?"

The tired woman smiled. "As you wish, Lord Megatron. Pax Minor for most days, Jackson Pax when he's in trouble."

She looked at the way Soundwave and Knockout were staring, shiny-opticed at her son, and sighed. "And I get the feeling he's going to be in trouble a lot if those two hang around him." The doctor and the spy pretended to take offense.

"We're the uncles!" the doctor exclaimed, "We're supposed to spoil him!" The glare June sent them was enough to send even Megatron shuffling towards the door.

The warlord's blue optics twinkled as he ushered his younger companions out of the medical bay. "Welcome to the family, Pax Minor," he murmured as the door shut, "I foresee that you will have a role to play in the War one day, whether that be for good or ill, I cannot say. Still, you will know peace for as long as I can ensure it."

He let the hint of a smile tugging at his lips become a full-blown grin as he returned to the bridge. Pax. Perhaps the child was an omen that peace was not as far away as he feared.