Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers.

Author's notes: I may edit this chapter later. Not much but anyway. This took so long to write because I wasn't sure whose POV was the best for the last part. I tried out a little and decided that it should be written from Megatron's POV. Also, don't let this chapter fool you. This is still far away from happy ending.

Kingdom For A Heart

A day off was just what Soundwave needed. Not because he wanted a break from work, but simply because it was so quiet.

The darkness and the coldness of the Decepticon headquarters always drove the Decepticons into the warmth of the surface somewhere during day hours. Most of them pretended they were actually doing something useful. Soundwave knew better than to believe someone as lazy as Astrotrain would work during spare time.

Almost all of the Decepticons hated the Earth, but even more they hated their new submarine base.

Soundwave couldn't blame them. He felt like they were weak cowards hiding under the sea. And he missed Cybertron too.

His cassettes were outside doing whatever. Soundwave didn't really care. He was glad he got some time alone. Not that he didn't want them around, they were important to him. He just wanted to think in private sometimes. His creations were definitely not a burden to him, not like the other Decepticons, the mindless idiots he had to with stand.

Sometimes it was frustrating to be a telepath. Most thoughts he could block out, but not all of them.

It was true what the earthlings said; "They talk most who have the least to say."

It worked with thinking too. Often Soundwave could hear someone like Skywarp thinking to himself something stupid like; 'I wonder if I'd look good without my wings?' or 'why couldn't I have been built as a Triple Changer?'

Unnecessary, useless thoughts.

Soundwave was grateful for the silence in his head.

He thought about last night. He was upset.

Soundwave had always done everything Megatron had ever asked him to. He had been trustworthy and loyal. He had loved and cherished every moment they spent together. He had pleased his leader, he had tried to be patient. But still, still the tyrant wouldn't value nor trust him enough to lead him to his personal quarters. Not even once had Soundwave been there. It was unfair.

And then there was this lust Megatron had for Starscream.

Soundwave had heard him chanting Starscream's name upon his mind during their interfacing last night.

And it wasn't a rare occurrence either. Megatron had a twisted desire for Starscream, he lusted for something he thought he could never have. This desire prevented him from killing the little slagger.

Megatron knew the Seeker plotted treason. He knew how ambitious his Air Commander was. And yet Starscream meant more to him than his ever-faithful Communications Officer. Soundwave hated Starscream for it.

He knew everything the two had gone through in their past together. He had been there to witness Starscream's carefully hidden feelings towards his leader, the unspoken words he played back in his CPU. And Megatron's suppressed desires to claim Starscream his own.

It was sometimes sickening to know how Megatron longed to kiss the Seeker he abused, how the silver mech wished to caress the neck he strangled.

Starscream was an obsession to Megatron.

If the Seeker should ever approach his leader about his feelings, Soundwave was sure Megatron's obsession would turn into love, eventually.

That would devastate all Soundwave had done to keep his leader for himself. He wasn't naïve; he knew that Megatron would abandon him in a split second if he knew how deeply Starscream felt for him. Soundwave was merely a substitute to the Decepticon leader. A toy to play with.

There was only one reliable barrier between the Seeker and his leader; Hellscream.

Oh yes, Soundwave was well aware of Starscream's alter ego. He knew everything about him; how Starscream had unintentionally created him and why. He knew the Seeker wasn't aware that Hellscream was only a creation of his hurt mind, not a natural part of himself.

Soundwave had found out about everything when he had been ordered to check on the Seeker's mental state, right after the first attack against Megatron.

Starscream's mind had created the monster long before Soundwave had even met the Seeker. And the reason was simple; Starscream had been mortally wounded too many times, both physically and mentally. Soundwave had read the Seeker's memory files, all of them.

He knew everything that had happened to Starscream.

First the Seeker had been abandoned by his family, when he had barely been able to survive on his own. He had joined a gang of young, homeless Transformers. Starscream had looked for acceptance and they had been abusive towards him. He had left them.

That was when Starscream met Skyfire. Skyfire had taken the young Seeker under his wing and they became close friends.

Then he lost Skyfire, his only friend and protection against the cruel world.

The last drop, however, was the attack. Starscream had almost been raped. That was when his alter ego first appeared and took control of him.

His attacker had been killed.

Starscream's severely hurt mind had created Hellscream for defense. And later the Seeker actually thought they were the same person. In a way that was true, but usually alter ego differed alot from it's owner in personality, if not completely. Alter ego was always a sign of serious mental illness, no matter if it was the dominant ego or not.

And in Starscream's case, Hellscream was definitely the dominant ego.

Soundwave knew that Hellscream had a strong hold of the Seeker. He had even manipulated Starscream to think he was the alternative part, not the other way round. They had a sort of love/hate relationship. To Starscream, Hellscream was almost like a lover.

A lover who would look after him for as long as he obeyed his commands. Starscream was not the dominant ego, no.

And Soundwave was glad he wasn't. Hellscream hated Megatron. Soundwave had heard their mental conversations about the said mech. He knew how professionally Hellscream manipulated Starscream to do his will, he knew how easily the alter ego could take control whenever Starscream tried to rebel.

Hellscream was the explanation to why Starscream so suddenly became so ambitious. That ambition originated from his alter ego. Hellscream was also the reason why Starscream always betrayed Megatron.

Soundwave, however, never revealed any of this information to his leader.

It had been his only chance, his one opportunity. He hadn't hesitated to take it. And now Soundwave was so close to having Megatron for his own. He needed only a little more time and patience. Eventually, he would get what he so desperately wanted.

It was sad really when Soundwave thought about it; all those years of fighting each other, and all because of Starscream's alter ego. But the Communications Officer was nothing but grateful for it. Starscream's alter ego was the only reason why the Seeker and the Decepticon leader were still apart.

And Soundwave wanted it to remain that way.

As he turned from the corner, Soundwave almost bumped into the Seeker he had just been thinking of.

Quickly, the telepath analysed the Air Commander's mind. Hellscream had suppressed Starscream and was heading towards the control room. Megatron would be attacked sometime soon.

Soundwave gave way to the Seeker and continued on his way to his personal quarters.

He wasn't worried about Megatron's safety, the Decepticon leader could very well take care of himself.

Now Soundwave could do nothing but wait patiently and let Hellscream take over Starscream's mind completely and permanently. At this rate, it was inevitable and would happen soon. Soundwave had longed for that moment ever since he had discovered Starscream's mental illness. He could wait a little longer.

XXX

Megatron had almost finished the new battle plans, when the door hissed open.

"Soundwave, I was just about to contact you." He said, still facing the screen of the computer.

"Soundwave's not here."

The malicious tone was the only hint Megatron needed. He ducked just in time to avoid the blast from Starscream's null-ray. The counterattack came too soon for the arrogant Seeker, and he was hit on the shoulder.

Starscream fell on the ground, moaning in pain.

Megatron approached him carefully; the Seeker could still attack him, as he had learned from their shared past. But when nothing happened, he lowered his cannon. Starscream glanced around himself wildly, like he didn't know where he was. Megatron however, knew from experience that he was bluffing.

"W-what happened? The last thing I remember..." Starscream began.

Megatron snorted.

"Don't play with me Starscream. I don't like games."

Starscream looked up to Megatron, as if he had just noticed the mech was there.

"Megatron? What are you doing in here? Why did you attack me?" Starscream rasped.

"In case you haven't noticed, this is the control room. My control room. And you attacked me, little traitor, not the other way round."

Megatron leveled his weapon with the Seeker's head. Starscream panicked.

"Megatron, wait! I swear, I don't know what I'm doing in here or why I attacked you! I must have a virus! Megatron you have to believe me!"

Megatron lowered his weapon and went back to the computer. He logged out.

"Lying as usual, I see." He stated.

"I'm not lying! Really, I would never harm you-"

"You would never harm me?" Megatron turned around in his chair. "And yet you have attacked me about a million times. Don't lie to me."

"Megatron, please... I swear, I didn't know what I was doing. My logic chips must be overheated."

Megatron chuckled. "So, you have a virus and your logic chips are overheated? You poor thing. Let's see if Hook agrees with you."

The silver mech turned his comm. link on.

"Wait!"

Megatron hesitated, then turned the comm. link off.

"Have you got something to say?"

Starscream crawled towards his leader.

"Megatron, I... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have... Can you forgive me?"

There. That was exactly what Megatron had expected. In one second Starscream was full of himself, the next he was on his knees, pleading for forgiveness. Like a sudden change of character. And it happened alot. It intrigued Megatron.

"Tell me, Starscream, why do you defy me?" The leader asked.

Starscream only looked at him with pleading optics.

"I am not going to hurt you. I'm just curious. We both know you cannot win. So why do you keep defying me?"

Starscream gathered himself from the floor.

"I defy you because I have to." The injured Seeker said with a small voice that was barely above whisper.

"You have to? Nonsense. Tell me the truth."

"It is the truth!"

"Don't make me lose my patience, Starscream..."

"Because I would make a better leader!"

"Rubbish."

"No it's not!"

"Yes it is. You and I both know it. Why do you defy me? Last chance, Starscream." Megatron raised his fusion cannon again and the Seeker visibly tensed.

"Please, don't!"

"Wrong answer." Megatron fired and the Seeker flew few meters back from the blast. The silver mech approached Starscream again.

"I should kill you." He growled.

Starscream curled into a ball and began to sob quietly. Energon seeped from the wound on his chest.

"All I ever wanted... Was a little attention..." He whimpered.

Megatron stopped in his tracks and lowered his weapon, suddenly interested.

"Attention?" He questioned, bewildered by the Seeker's confession.

"Yes... Just a little... Attention..."

Megatron moved closer, slowly, step by step. He knew Starscream acted exactly like a cornered animal in these situations; he could attack if Megatron wasn't careful. No sudden moves. He kneeled beside the moaning Seeker and grasped his shoulder gently.

"Are you telling me that with all these foolish attacks on me, you have only looked for attention?"

Starscream whimpered and raised his gaze to his leader's face. His pleading red optics sparkled with tears, just like his whole tear-stained face. In the right light the Seeker was actually, quite... Beautiful. Megatron dismissed the thought quickly.

"I asked you a question, Starscream." He reminded the injured Seeker, as well as himself.

"Yes. I have only ever attacked you to get attention." Starscream admitted finally.

Megatron felt how his spark shifted in anticipation inside his chest.

"So... Were you specifically looking for... My attention?" Megatron barely managed to ask the question that plagued his mind. His spark was going crazy in it's casing.

Starscream's answer was vital to him. It could change everything... Megatron already imagined how he would make a loyal Air Commander out of the traitorous Seeker. They could start a new chapter, a chapter of mutual trust and respect. And perhaps something more...

"I... Yes. Please, don't hurt me!" Starscream went back to begging and covered his head with his hands.

"Hurt you, Starscream? I want to make a deal with you."

"A deal...?"

"Yes. What do you say?"

Starscream seemed a little suspicious. Megatron couldn't really blame him.

"What kind of a deal?" The Seeker asked.

Megatron smiled slyly. Now he needed to be careful.

"If I give you some... Attention, will you stop defying me?"

Starscream studied the silver mech's optics thoroughly. He was still suspicious.

"What kind of 'attention'? You aren't trying to trick me, are you?" Starscream rasped.

"I'm not trying to trick you."

"Then what kind of attention would you give me?"

Megatron grinned. He would finally get what was rightfully his. Gently, he grasped Starscream's chin.

"I was thinking of something like this."

Megatron leaned closer, hesitated a while, then captured the Seeker's lips with his own.

The silver mech invaded Starscream's mouth with his glossa, exploring carefully. Starscream tasted so sweet, so much better than any energon in the universe. And he had waited for so long... He would never get enough of the beautiful Seeker. He used his free hand to massage Starscream's back tenderly. But he knew something was wrong.

Despite the gentle way Megatron handled him, Starscream remained unresponsive.

'Oh no... I rushed into it too soon. Great. I have probably ruined everything.' The silver mech regretted his rash actions. But not for long.

Because the next he knew, Starscream was all over him, hands roaming desperately on the silver chassis, legs wrapped around his body, lips devouring his. Nothing could have prepared Megatron for that passionate response. His spark made a strong pulse, heating his sensitive circuits. Before he could stop it, a low moan escaped his lips.

Starscream only got more excited by it. He forced his leader on his back on the floor, and straddled his hips. And somehow Megatron couldn't get himself to stop the Seeker. There was something so... Arousing in the way Starscream dominated him.

The Seeker sucked on the Decepticon leader's neck and caressed the mouth of his weapon with his digits.

Megatron didn't know what to do. He wanted Starscream and would get him too, but here? Where anyone could walk in on them?

He made his decision.

Megatron grabbed Starscream's wings and yanked him forcefully down with him, eliciting a moan of pleasure from his Air Commander. Starscream leaned closer to kiss his leader. But Megatron had other ideas.

"Starscream. Stop."

The Seeker froze. His face was suddenly full of hurt. 'Such a sensitive creature...' Megatron thought with unexpected amount of tenderness.

"Not here. Not now. I don't want anyone walking in on us." Megatron explained.

Starscream's face lit up and a smile appeared on his lips. They got up from the floor, looking at each other. Megatron pulled a memory card from sub space and handed it to Starscream. Then he leaned closer to his Second.

"It's the code to my private quarters. Come tonight, when it's quiet and dark. I will be waiting for you." He kissed the Seeker's cheek quickly, smiled, and exited the control room.

Finally, Starscream was going to be his!