Title: When You're Gone

Summary: Sideswipe looks for Sunny when the Autobots return.

Note: Special thanks to justagirl0985 for suggesting the song. It went perfectly for what I had planned for this chapter! So this one is dedicated to her! Also, I'm thinking this will be a few more chapters long instead of the original 4 that I planned for it.

I always needed time on my own

I never thought I'd need you there when I cried

And the days feel like years when I'm alone

It was the middle of the night when the loud roar of engines was heard, signaling the return of the autobots who had gone to stop Megatron. Sideswipe could hear the pounding of feet as those who had staid behind came out to help and hear what had happened. The red twin opted to stay in his room and wait for his twin to return.

The minutes ticked by as Sideswipe stared at the door. Any moment now his brother would walk in, just as he'd promised. More minutes passed and Sideswipe stood up, it seemed as if all the commotion had ended. So what could be keeping his twin? Maybe he was injured and in the medbay?

The red twin left the room, hoping that his brother was okay, he'd know if he wasn't because of their bond. He made his way to the medbay and spotted Ratchet working on Brawn. Several others were in the medbay, injured and waiting for repairs. Red Alert ran about nearly having a CPU melt down, and Wheeljack tried to help the injured while at the same time keeping the little medic from losing it completely. But, there was no sign of that brilliant golden color of his twin.

"Ratchet..." Sideswipe was cut off by a flying wrench that made contact with his forehead, startled the red twin staggered back and clutched his head.

"Can't you see we're busy?! GET OUT OF MY MEDBAY!" The ever cranky medic commanded without even looking up from the work he was doing on Brawn.

"But, where's Sunstreaker?" Sideswipe asked as Wheeljack came over and began pushing him out.

"Your brother's a hero, kid." Was all the inventor said as he pushed the crimson twin out the doors and shut them.

Sunny was a hero? Good to know, but that didn't answer his question. At least he knew his brother, where ever he was, wasn't injured. If Sunny wasn't in the medbay where else could he be, the lounge? Sideswipe decided to look there since Mr. Cranky-Pants-Medic was no help.

When you walk away

I count the steps that you take

Do you see how much I need you right now?

As Sideswipe made his way to the lounge he could hear the roaring of laughter and cheers. If Sunny was a hero and all this noise was coming from the lounge he had to be in there. The crimson twin broke into a run and soon stood in the entrance and the sight the greeted him was not what he had expected. Some of the autobots who were on the mission were gathered with others who had staid behind, all were drinking high grade and looked to be celebrating.

"Did you see the look on Megatron's face?" Bumblebee nudged Mirage in the arm causing the taller bot to stagger a bit.

"No, I wasn't there, Bee. Remember?" Mirage grumbled and sipped his energon.

"SIDESWIPE!" Apparently the little yellow bug had noticed him and began making his way to the twin. Bee's smaller hand reached up and patted him on the arm, a wide grin on spread across his face.

"'Swipes, you should have been there! Your brother launched Rumble into the air for messing up his paint job! It was the funniest thing I have ever seen in my life!"

"That's great, Bee. Where is my brother?" There was no sign of Sunstreaker in the lounge, and his spark was beginning to fill with dread. Where was his brother?

Warpath came over, spilling high grade all over the floor as he walked, "Forget the slagging nerd Rumble! Did you see the look on Megatron's face when Sunstreaker charged him? WHAM BAM!"

"Does anyone know where my brother is?" Sideswipe was getting a bad feeling in his gut, none of the other autobots had ever talked about his brother like this before. Most were too scared of Sunny, or were too busy bad mouthing him.

"What about Soundwave! Did you see him after Sunstreaker got down with him? The slagger could barely stand!" Now something was definitely wrong. Cliffjumper had just complimented his brother? What the hell had he missed.

"WHERE'S MY BROTHER?!" Sideswipe shouted over all the voices, he was tired of being ignored. He'd hear the story when he was damn well ready to. Right now he just wanted his brother.

A long silent pause filled the room,"Has anyone seen Sunstreaker?" Jazz asked from his spot beside Hound.

"Haven't seen him since Megatron's weapon blew up in front of him and Megatron." Bumblebee said thoughtfully.

"WHAT?!" Sideswipe screamed, and before anyone else could say anything he was out of the lounge and in the hallway.

Megaton's weapon had blown up, in front of Sunstreaker? Sunny was okay, he'd know if he wasn't. But where was he? And all those over energized idiots were talking about him... like he were gone...

When you're gone

The pieces of my heart are missing you

When you're gone

The face I came to know is missing too

When you're gone

The words I need to hear to always get me through the day

And make it okay

I miss you

No, Sunny couldn't be gone... someone would have said something. Sideswipe could feel the energon tears pooling in his optics. He and Sunny were bonded, he would know if something happened. He reached out to touch his twin through their bond, but got nothing. Panic slowly rose within the young mech as he walked the halls.

"Maybe... I missed him somewhere, and he's back in our room... waiting for me..." Sideswipe mumbled to himself and began running toward the room he shared with his twin. But when he got there he found it to be exactly how he had left it. Empty.

"Sunny... you can't be dead... you promised!" Sideswipe fell to his knees in the middle of their room, things were coming together. Ratchet hadn't so much as looked at him when he was in the med bay. Wheeljack had told him Sunny was a hero and the rest of the autobots were getting energized off their afts and talking about his twin in a positive way. And he couldn't feel his twin.

"No... it's not true..." But hadn't Bumblebee said Megatron's weapon exploded in front of Sunny? How could he have survived something like that?

"He promised..."

Slowly the red twin stood up, Sunstreaker had promised him. And Sunny never broke his promises, not to him. He had to be here, somewhere. Sideswipe went back out into the hall, intending to go back to the medbay and make someone give him some answers.

He passed Prime's office and heard the door open behind him, but didn't stop.

"Sunstreaker, you did a fine job today. Not only did you save my life, but the lives of the others."

Sideswipe had stopped dead in his tracks the moment he heard Optimus say his twins name, he'd turned and saw the back of Sunstreaker and had to fight to not run to him and tackle him in front of the mech praising his twin. Optimus paused as something caught his eye. "Sideswipe, would you mind escorting your brother to get some energon? I'm sure by now you've heard about the battle. If not, Sunstreaker can tell you all about it."

The leader then turned back to Sunstreaker and smiled, "I'm proud of you, Sunstreaker. We all owe our lives to you. And I'm sure Megatron will be licking his wounds for while."

"Thank you, Optimus." It was the first time Sideswipe had heard his twins voice since he'd left, and the crimson twin decided right then and there that nothing sounded better then his Sunny's voice.

Optimus nodded his head at the twins and went back to his office, the twins stood there for a moment in silence.

"You blocked me." Sideswipe stated simply, not looking at his twin.

"Had too, I was almost another Wheeljack, I nearly went BOOM!" Sunstreaker turned to his twin and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Sorry, I just... if it had ended like that, I didn't want you to see it."

Sideswipe nodded his head, he would probably do the same if the roles had been reversed, but Primus he'd been so scared. He threw his arms around his brother and held him tight.

"I... I thought..."

"Shhh... I'm okay. My paint job however... not so okay."

Sideswipe gave a small laugh at his brothers attempt to comfort him. "What happened?"

"I'll tell you later, I believe I have a promise to keep. Something about having my way with you all night, if I remember correctly."