Soundwave arrived minutes after Knock Out did, the silent communications officer studying the bland area before shifting into his alternate mode and taking flight. It didn't take him long to spot Knock Out, the red Decepticon being the only streak of color in the otherwise monotonous desert.

He followed the medic for some time, idling himself when a large building appeared on the horizon. Soundwave dropped onto a nearby plateau, shifting into his regular form and studying the metal shop. Knock Out had gone inside, but the large door had shut behind him, leaving Soundwave frustratingly blind.

The officer touched one long finger to his side, a soft click sounding before a part of his body seemed to fall away and unfold itself. The piece continued to shift until it was able to stand on it's four legs, the thing's long tail moving into place and twitching about as it finished it's transformation.

Soundwave didn't need to speak to Ravage for the feline-like Decepticon to know what had to be done, he and his pets were able to speak without speaking.

Ravage took a moment, snarling as it understood what Soundwave wanted. Go to the shop, get information, easy. It clicked softly, leaping off the edge of the stone plateau and scaling the cliff side, headed for the shop in the distance. It would find what Soundwave wanted.

"He's, dead?" Diana spoke quietly, both of her palms resting on Knock Out's face as the bot held her in his hands.

"Yes, Airachnid." Knock Out sighed, leaning forwards into her touch. "I couldn't find her, or Breakdown's body. I couldn't... I couldn't do anything-"

Diana pressed her hands over his mouth, silencing him. "I'm sorry."

The medic sighed again, shoulders going slack. "Me too."

She touched her lips to his cheek. "Can I do anything?"

"No, listening is enough." He murmured, holding her close.

"Do you want to do anything today?" She spoke, a warmth to her voice as she hoped to cheer him some.

"I don't care, did you have any plans?" He knelt down, setting his hands to the floor so she could step from his palms.

"Garden duties, weeding and watering."

He made a face at her mention of water. "What is, weeding?"

"Pulling out the plants I don't want, the bad ones." She moved towards the shop doors, gesturing for him to follow her to the various flower beds she maintained along her shop.

"And who decides which ones are the bad ones?" He followed after her, watching as she halted before one of the little gardens.

Diana frowned at the dark tone to his voice. "You decide, you're the only one who really can. There will always be popular belief and opinion..." She trailed off, plucking a dandelion from the bed and turning to him, lifting the white fuzz to her lips. "But that doesn't mean you need to follow it, you are free to live your own life, to keep your own special garden." She blew gently, the seeds fluttering from the plant to dance about the air. "Take dandelions for example, they're called a weed, but everyone loves to do this. To blow the seeds around, play with them."

Knock Out watched the little fluffs move about, caught on the breeze.

"In the end, what's good and what's bad is up to you. Whatever you decide to weed out of or keep in your garden."

He glanced back to her, studying her face before speaking. "What if you can't do it alone?"

Diana smiled, stepping towards him and beckoning him down until his face was level with her. "Then you find a little gardener willing to help you, one who'll help no matter how many thorns there are and be there to clean your cuts afterwards." She leaned forwards until her forehead met his chin, closing her eyes and smiling.

"I love you."

Diana blinked at the words, his voice soft and deep. He had said them with such emotion that it make her heart flutter. "And I love you, for as long as you'll let me."

He smiled, cupping one hand about her. "I hope you're okay with forever."

The scene was frozen, playing back on Soundwave's visor aboard the Nemesis.

Megatron was watching with disgust. "Knock Out, has taken a human for a mate?"

Soundwave nodded.

"This is, most interesting." Megatron turned away, his jaw working as he thought.

Soundwave stepped beside him, an image of Diana on his visor. Megatron watched as Soundwave disintegrated the image, her form almost seeming to burn inside the dark glass.

"No, we won't kill her, not yet anyways." Megatron spoke. "Knock Out is still useful to us, but he sounds as if he his beginning to doubt the Decepticon cause." He looked to Soundwave. "Keep an eye on him, if the good doctor falters, we shall act."

Two weeks had passed, and Knock Out was relived that Diana had finally gotten over her apparent illness. She had still been violently sick during the first week, but it seemed to subside until it had vanished altogether.

He had his holoform up and was lying on a mechanics dolly, tucked underneath one of the cars in the shop so he could get at the drive shaft. Diana has said she was feeling funny when he arrived that morning and wanted to sleep in, so he could only smile when he felt a tap on his feet, knowing she was up and about.

He rolled himself out from under the car, arching a brow at the sight of her. "What's the matter?"

Diana had her quilt pulled about her shoulders, hiding all of her body save her head. Her eyes were blank. "I, I need to show you something." Her voice was so quiet that it sent a pang of worry through Knock Out.

He bounced to his feet, running his hands over her face. "What's wrong?"

"This!" She exclaimed, letting her blanket fall to reveal herself in the baggy tee shirt she'd been sleeping in, only her belly was protruding now.

Knock Out blinked, not understanding. "Wuh..."

"Pregnant! You twit!" She flicked her fingers at his nose.

He stood frozen, the holoform's mahogany gaze locked onto her belly. "But, but that's-"

Diana's laughter interrupted him, the blonde reaching under her shirt to pull one of the throw pillows from her bed out. "Oh my GOD! Your face was priceless!" She bopped him with the pillow, still laughing hysterically.

The medic blinked, his mind eventually falling back into place. "A prank, why you audacious little skin job!" He snatched her up in his arms, twirling her about and nibbling at her neck, tickling her with his lips.

Diana squealed in response, trying to wriggle out of his grasp.

"Oh no squishy, you're not getting out of this one so easily." He growled against her neck, trading the light tickling action of before for longer and sweeter kisses.

"I'm absolutely petrified." she giggled, ceasing her fighting as the mood shifted.

"You'd better be." he purred, carrying her to where his true self sat in alternate mode and setting her on his hood. "I'm going to make you scream."

"Bring it on bucket head."

Blargh, I'm so tired! So if this chapter is crap, I blame my husband for keeping me up until 5 a.m.

In case someone is wondering, why Ravage over Laserbeak? I love Ravage, so very much. *happy squees* I do like Laserbeak too, but he's so annoying sounding! How are you supposed to be sneaky when you sound like a barbie doll police car siren?

Anywho... thank you as always to those who've read. *huggles*

I forgot to mention, the pillow prank was the brain child of the wondiferous Rahamed. 3