So, you all probably noticed I changed my name. It was done out of panic, but when the panic passed, I resumed my old name, which I love and prefer. Anyways, I apologize for not updating sooner. I really don't have much of an excuse besides college, the boyfriend (sigh), and job hunting (which is finally beginning to pay off). I have four essays due tomorrow, but I wanted to work on this instead. I hope you enjoy it!

7. So You Had a Bad Day

Tenth year ended a lot quicker than Megatron wanted it to. And time didn't wait for him as he suddenly found himself thrust into the specific career field he had chosen and in the depths of the eleventh year of school. He was putting all his time and effort into his studies and maintained good grades. Life was actually going relatively well for him for once, but only academically.

He had never gone back home after that night that Megabyte had come to his house. Even though he didn't want to, Megatron stayed in the abandoned building that he had found and from time to time Megabyte would come to visit him. Unlike old times, he didn't get to see her five days out of the week. Instead, he was happy enough that she came to see him every weekend. In fact, she more than just saw him; she stayed with him while her father got drunk with his girlfriend. Of course he missed all of his friends, but it was Megabyte he missed the most from week to week. He got to see Starscream and the rest of the Decepticons every now and then, but he wasn't attached to them as much as he was to her.

And as eleventh year went on, Decepticon membership was beginning to come close to half of the Autobot membership. Unfortunately for Megatron though, he got to see Optimus all the time. They were in every single class together and completely hated each other. And even more so, Megatron hated his classes. They tried to teach him the gibberish that Optimus had been spreading, but he just couldn't believe it. He had been urged to choose a different career path, such as the military, but Megatron wasn't about to protect the Great Cybertron either. He was still steadfastly determined to take the planet over, one way or another.

His bitterness was only growing along with his disdain for the rest of the planet. Poverty, crime, homeless, murder and other similar statistics seemed to be ignored. Cybertron wasn't living in a Golden Age. If anything, it was glittering with the luster of fool's gold.

"Megatron."

He looked up only to see his teacher looking back at him with an expression of disgust on his face. Megatron sighed, "Yes?"

"That was the third time I called your name. Will you pay attention instead of zoning out all of the time? You know how important it is to pass this class; it will determine the rest of your life."

"I highly doubt that," the young Decepticon murmured under his breath. He was currently sitting in a leadership class, getting a lecture about Cybertron's top leaders. It wasn't anything new to him.

"…but as I was saying, to answer the question I asked Megatron, Cybertron's leaders are always in contact with the people, trying to find out what the latest issues are and how to benefit them the most."

Optimus raised his hand.

Megatron glanced over at his classmate and listened as the teacher looked to Optimus and asked, "Yes Optimus?"

"What happens if they ignore the people? Obviously not everyone's complaint is going to be dealt with."

The teacher smiled, "It is physically impossible to satisfy everyone on this planet and the issues that are most pressing are dealt with first. Because we live in a Golden Age, not too many people are complaining about certain circumstances."

Megatron frowned and without bothering to raise his hand, he asked, "How hard is it to get in contact with our leaders? Like Optimus said, not everyone's complaint is going to be dealt with, is everyone's complaint going to be heard?"

The teacher pursed his lips to side. "…No," he stated after some hesitation, "It's a lengthy process to get in touch with our leaders…and often times they do not reply."

"So therefore," Megatron responded with a shimmer of victory in his optics, "Our leaders are not always in contact with us."

The teacher eyed him warily and moved onto a new lecture, ignoring Megatron's statement. Megatron smiled inwardly, that's all he needed to know. He glanced out of the corner of his optic only to catch Optimus glaring at him. Really, he had never felt so proud of himself before.

The teacher turned and looked back at his students and paused when he noticed Megatron and Optimus staring at each other, Optimus looking like he wanted to kill Megatron, Megatron looking like he had just won the best prize ever. The teacher sighed and then smiled. "In the great world of leadership and politics," he stated, "There is always room for debate. Perhaps you wish to challenge Megatron's claim Optimus."

"I do," he replied, "With a realistic response."

"Which is?" Megatron asked nonchalantly.

"You need to look at things with common sense. Our leaders are not police officers. It is simply unrealistic to meet everyone's demands in a small amount of time. It's a lengthy process to get through to our leaders because they are busy, they have jobs too. No, they won't always have time to listen to us, but they are doing other things to help us in other ways."

"And what is your definition of common sense, Optimus? Our leaders do not care about us. If they cared, they would make time for us to communicate with them. They only care about the opinions of the people who are important to them. They don't know who you are; they don't know who I am, let alone anybody else in this classroom. Why are you in such strong support of them?"

"They protect us and serve us—

"They do nothing of the sort—

"Why do you hate them so much? You don't know them, how can you hate them?"

"Because they have yet to protect me, to serve me, to help me…" he trailed off, "To save me…"

The room fell eerily quiet and the teacher glanced at Optimus and then looked back to Megatron. "Megatron…will you please stay after class?"

The young Decepticon leader could barely shake his head yes. He was so angry and frustrated that he could barely keep himself from trembling. The rest of the class was a blur and he didn't hear the bell ring, dismissing the students. He only looked up when he saw the teacher sit down on the desk in front of him.

There was an odd moment of silence that passed between the two of them before the teacher finally spoke. "Megatron," he stated simply, "Could you please, to the best of your ability, clarify what you meant earlier about our leaders."

"Which part?"

"The part where you said they have yet to save you."

"Oh," he mumbled and then said, "Quite frankly sir, that's none of your business."

The teacher flushed slightly; surprised that one of his students would have the gall to tell him that. "Well then, if it's bothering you, I suggest you open up to someone," he suggested.

"I already have and she sympathizes, but there isn't anything anybody can do about my situation, not even you."

"I can't do anything if you don't tell me what the situation is."

"I have the right not to. But if you want a little hint, I've seen the not-so-nice side of Cybertron. The side that most are aware of but decide to completely ignore. Why? Because it doesn't affect them directly, like it does me."

"Megatron if you are poor—

"I am."

"…if you are abused—

"I have been."

"If you are so desperate to change society, why don't you help Optimus?"

Megatron felt the familiar anger boil up inside of him. "Because I hate Optimus! I hate everything he stands for! The glory of Cybertron, how we're all living in a Golden Age and that we need to maintain it! There is no Golden Age, at least none that I have ever seen. I am an orphan sir," he almost pleaded, "I never knew my creators; all I've ever known is a life of suffering, pain, and abuse. I ran away from home almost a year ago and have been living on my own ever since then. My stepfather nearly raped my best friend…I've fought and struggled my entire life, do you expect me to believe in this fictitious paradise you and the rest of Cybertron calls the Golden Age?"

The teacher was silent as he pursed his lips to the side. "I can understand why you're frustrated, but have you ever gone for help?"

"And just who would help me? I've been to the orphanage countless times and I refuse to go back there. The police wouldn't be any help to me because the first thing they would do is put be back in a foster home that I don't even want to be in in the first place."

"I suppose there is nothing I can do to convince you then."

"No there isn't. I'm sorry I wasted your time, I'm late for my next class," Megatron said before he got up and left the room, angrier than he had ever been.

"When is your…assistant going to be here?" Megatron asked with disdain.

"In the next few days. I talked with them a few minutes ago, while you were recharging," Medic answered, nonchalantly; "They don't know that they are coming here to work on you."

"And why not?"

"In case they are apprehended by the Autobots. You see, they know that they are coming here to do repairs on a Decepticon; they just don't know which one. However, they do know the nature of the injuries."

"Superb," he remarked sarcastically.

"If it makes you feel better," Medic stated quickly, "I've arranged for an energon bath to be transported here and that should be arriving tomorrow. Though energon baths are primitive now, it's the best we can do since I am not a professional medic. It will restore your limbs after a few hours."

"You better hope this assistant of yours is a professional."

"Oh they are, trust me. You'll like them."

"Probably as much as I like you."

Medic laughed nervously just as Thundercracker stepped into the med bay with an exasperated look on his face. "Megatron, Starscream is growing increasingly antsy," the seeker reported.

"I won't be in here much longer. My limbs will be restored tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Thundercracker remarked surprised, "Really?"

"No," Medic responded, "The energon bath will be here tomorrow, but it will take at least a day to set it up and then it will take several hours to repair Megatron, and even then he will still be weak."

"You just like to make me mad, don't you?" Megatron asked exasperated.

"Not intentionally…" Medic responded slowly.

Intention. There was a lot of ambition behind the word, if one cared enough to follow through with their intentions. And then sometimes it seemed like nothing was intentional, that things happened without reason. Like Megabyte. Why was she in his life? Megatron sighed heavily as he headed home, if he wanted to call the hell hole he lived in home. It was Friday evening, and usually he arrived there before Megabyte did. Her medical classes were extremely hard, a lot harder than the stuff he was taking.

His pace was slower than usual, and all the anger had somehow left him, but it was replaced by self-doubt. Megatron wasn't the one to pity himself or anybody else. He merely questioned his role in the larger part of society. For the first time, he was realizing how unrealistic his intentions were. Sure he had a small following of Decepticons, but he wouldn't get the membership he needed to conquer the stupid planet. And he couldn't go outright and advertise. He was already viewed as treasonous.

When he got home, he set his books aside and sat down heavily on his recharge berth. Maybe his purpose in life was to have no purpose at all. No…he knew he was better than that. Maybe his purpose was to expose Cybertron and all its faults, cripple it until it were nothing, enslave all those who stood his way or kill them, and then take High Command. It was a pleasant thought, a thought he often dreamt about and made him smile.

But what did he care about more, his intentions, or the intentions of the rest of his friends. They did join of their own volition, but they all thought it was a stupid, silly goal. How was he to know how serious his intentions were? If he were to stand up to the Cybertronian High Council, to Sentinel Prime himself and declare himself a Decepticon, bent on the reformation of Cybertron under his command, would they stand by him or make him look like a fool?

That would be his date with destiny.

"Hey Megatron!" Megabyte called as she slipped into his room suddenly.

He smiled, oh how he hated how she made him do that so easily, "Megabyte, if I were to go against the Cybertronian Council and Sentinel Prime, what would you do?"

"Well, hello to you too. That's quite a bombshell to be dropping on me right when I walk in your room."

"One that requires an answer," Megatron persisted.

"You're my friend and I wholeheartedly believe in your campaign against the Golden Age. I would stand by you, even though we'd probably be killed."

"If you are to be a Decepticon, you can't fear death."

"I never said I fear death."

"Do you?"

"No. As a medic, I can't. I have to work with it."

Megatron smiled, liking how she said that. But his question and answer session wasn't over yet. "If I were to, let's just say, suddenly be killed tomorrow, what would you do?" he asked.

Megabyte looked at him concerned, "That isn't something to joke about Megatron—

"That's why I am being completely serious. It's a real possibility, considering I live where I do. Anyone could attack me at any moment."

"Well, depending on what you want me to do, there are a few different ways I could react."

"Enlighten me."

"First, I could go on as if you had never been a factor in my life, totally dismantle the Decepticon cause and suffer through weekends by myself," she watched as Megatron frowned before she continued, "But then again I could finish your cause for you, so you will not have died in vain and find someone else to help me through the weekends. Or I could…" she trailed off and didn't finish.

Megatron looked at her curiously, "Or you could what?"

She pursed her lips to the side and reluctantly admitted, "Completely break down and cry because I'll have lost my only best friend."

"Oh…" he remarked, a little surprised that Megabyte cared for him enough to even suggest that. He felt his spark warm a little and then he said, "I would prefer you did option number two and hope that if I were to die, you wouldn't break down too much."

She shrugged, "I'm not too worried about you dying tomorrow, if that counts for anything."

He laughed; oh Megabyte always knew how to make him laugh one way or another. "That's good, because I don't think I will either. But anyways, since it's been a few days since we've last seen each other, how have things been with you?"

He always asked this question because he always wanted to know. Megabyte would inform him of everything that went on in her life and then, when she was finished, he would tell her everything that went on in his. And by the time they would finish updating each other on their lives, it would be late at night, they would be laying on his bed ready to slip into recharge. Tonight wasn't any different, except Megatron didn't want Megabyte to get up and go to her recharge berth. He wanted her to stay with him, in his.

"Megabyte," he spoke suddenly, breaking the silence in the dark room.

"Yeah Megatron?" she asked.

He sighed, not exactly sure how to say this. "You…well…why aren't you dating?" he questioned.

Megabyte was caught off guard by the question, "Well…I'm not really interested in anybody. What about you? As far as I know, you haven't ever had a girlfriend."

"I don't really see the need for one; femme's tend to get in the way of things."

"Oh really?" Megabyte questioned, looking at him.

"Well, you're an exception to that Megabyte. Quite honestly, you're the only femme I would consider taking as a girlfriend." And then he blushed.

Megabyte blushed as well and then smiled before quietly admitting, "I wouldn't mind…"

Megatron swore he had never felt his spark flutter so much. If she didn't mind having him as more than just a friend, then his feelings for her weren't one-sided. Adrenaline was pumping through his circuits and his spark was pounding. He was so happy, elated, excited that he just couldn't believe it.

"Megabyte, do you like me?"

Her blush intensified. "I do," she slowly admitted, but then she added quickly, "But I didn't say anything because I didn't know how you felt about me. I still don't really. You always seemed to really value our friendship and I just thought you didn't say anything because you didn't want to risk ruining anything."

Oh she had never seemed so beautiful before. "When you were with Optimus," he replied and watched as a combination of panic and worry illuminated her optics, "I was jealous. Heck, back when you were with Starscream I was jealous."

Relief quickly erased her panic and worry as she stated, "I never did anything with them. Starscream, we just hung out at school and talked. Optimus…I did go places with him, but I never kissed him and wouldn't let him kiss me. I never held hands with him, but we did hug and stuff…"

"I really don't care what you, Starscream, and Optimus did or didn't do," Megatron remarked, even though he really did, "It just surprises me you've never been kissed."

"Well, you haven't either, have you?"

"No. But it's not a hard thing to do, so it doesn't really concern me."

"Oh," she stated quietly.

"Does it bother you that you've never been kissed?"

She blushed, "No…not that much."

He looked down at her and she was staring blankly at his chest. He knew it bothered her and he had a strong feeling that she wanted her first kiss from him. Subtly, he moved a little closer to her and wrapped his arm around her small waist. Megatron watched as she looked up at him and caught his gaze. It was the angle he needed. Slowly, he leaned down until his face was a breath away from hers. He absorbed the beautiful features of her face—they seemed so fragile and perfect—before he let his optics slowly go offline and found her lips with his.

And he immediately realized why people liked getting kissed.

It was so sensual and erotic at the same time. He pulled Megabyte closer, until their bodies were pressed tightly together. He held her firmly, stroking his hand along the length of her back, her arms, her neck, and face. She grasped him tightly, and he knew that she didn't want to let him go.

"Megabyte…nothing's going to be the same after this."

"I know, we'll still be friends though, right?"

"Of course we'll still be friends, nothing can come between us. It's just that we, well, we're a whole lot more than friends now."

"You mean…" she watched as he nodded and her optics grinned with her, "Really?! Megatron you don't know how much this means to me!"

"Megabyte, if you liked me so much, you should have told me. You know, Starscream and the rest of my friends have been pressuring me since ninth year to tell you how I feel about you. I only wish I told you sooner."

"You've liked me since ninth year?"

He smiled, blushing slightly, "Yes. But I wasn't sure how you felt about me…and like you said I value our friendship, a lot, more than what words can express. But I want to give us a try, more than anything. But if we don't work out, I want us to go on as before."

"As best friends?"

"As best friends."

"I can do that, if anything should happen."

"As can I," he whispered, resuming the kiss.

He wasn't exactly sure what this new feeling was that was bubbling inside of his spark. It felt so good and hurt so much at the same time. But he embraced it, because it made him feel better, because he knew his intentions with Megabyte were good. And even though he had had a bad day, Megabyte always knew how to make it worth it.

He would hold her tightly and he sure as hell wouldn't let her go.

Thank you to all of you who have been reading and reviewing right along. I'll try not to keep you waiting for the next chappie. Until then, please review!