This scene takes place after the chapter "Alliance" in A Time For Trust. Megatron has just willingly turned himself over to the Autobots in order to form an alliance. Cybertron is under threat of a Quintesson takeover and Megatron knows they can't be defeated without a joint effort from ALL Cybertronians. This bit was written based on a request on Live Journal and it just happen to fit into our little AU.

(saith antepathy):Toyz, the author of A Time for Trust (read it read it read it) has super graciously let me borrow her 'verse for a meme ficlet. The requester wanted TFA Megatron/Optimus "willing prisoner" . Toyz has also given permission (I really take intellectual property rights seriously, and it IS her 'verse!!) to post this little ficlet here for y'all.

FFN is down, but my collab Optimus Bob told me how to sneaky-deaky around it by cutting/pasting an existing upload. Awesome!!!

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"I never thought I'd say this," Megatron said, "But I am almost glad to see you . You, at least, are a familiar enemy And infinitely less annoying than Sentinel Prime." Optimus knew better than to underestimate Megatron even while in cuffs and injured.

"Sentinel Magnus," Optimus corrected. He gestured Megatron to step ahead of him on the way down to the med bay. The least the Autobots could do, Megatron thought, for all he had risked, was to tend to his injuries.

"Deliciously naïve of you, Autobot," Megatron said, blandly.

"How so?"

"You follow too blindly to these titles. All of you Autobots do, with your 'Primes' and your 'Magnuses'."

"Sentinel Magnus will be a great leader," Optimus said.

"Perhaps. Someday. But can you Autobots afford to wait that long? And don't you deserve—don't you need—strong leadership now?" He limped a little, from the gash in his leg. Even injured, he was plenty dangerous.

"What are you trying to say, Megatron?" Optimus said, warily. Megatron had agreed to the stasis cuffs a little too easily, and after he'd seen how quickly Megatron had sliced through Chromia's cuffs, Optimus wasn't entirely sure they would do any good.

"I am merely saying," Megatron stopped, turning to face Optimus directly, "That you would be a better leader than Sentinel."

Optimus broke his gaze away from Megatron's cool, red optics. This had to be a trick, some scheme. An attempt to sow dissent. Optimus was a loyal Autobot. If not to Sentinel Prime, than to Sentinel as the Magnus. The people had spoken, people who had seen and known Sentinel for years, while he, Optimus himself, had hidden away in the far reaches of the galaxy. Any doubts he had about Sentinel were nothing but old grudges, personal friction from long ago that Sentinel had grown out of. Cybertronians, the High Council, knew Sentinel better than Optimus himself. He trusted them, and in that trust he placed his loyalty.

"I am not a better leader," he said, finally. 'Sentinel has led the Elite Guard."

"Good soldiers," Megatron countered, interrupting, "can lead themselves. Leading a gaggle of space-bridge repair glitches, on the other hand, requires real leadership. And you led them…against us."

"Almost sounds like a compliment, Megatron." He hit the button to call the elevator.

"I do not idly compliment. I state the truth. You were, are, an honorable opponent."

"Sentinel has honor," Optimus said, but even as he spoke the words rang…a little flat. Sentinel hadn't displayed much honor with Elita One. No, he corrected himself, old news. We've both done a lot of growing up since then, and I cannot make him bear all the blame for that. I own as much guilt in Elita One's…alteration as Sentinel. "And," he continued, trying to gain more ground, "the war is over. So…we aren't opponents any more."

"We aren't?" Megatron quirked an eyebrow. "Then I shall simply bid you a farewell, wish you the best, and be off, shall I?" He stepped to one side, toward the exit. Optimus tightened up. Megatron relaxed, stepped back, grinning. "No…?" he purred. "If the war is truly over, if we are to be allies, why am I being denied my liberty?"

"We, uh, things need to be sorted out first," Optimus said, still on edge. Megatron shrugged lightly, stepping into the elevator, obediently.

"Sorted out. As in some of us sorted into permanent detention. Going to strand us on Chaar again to die, are you?"

"I, uh, it's not my decision to make." The door whooshed closed behind Optimus. He felt…more than a little trapped in the small elevator. Megatron seemed to fill the whole thing. No, he told himself. Megatron will behave. He's been compliant so far. And if he does try something, you'll be ready. Though, I wish I could get him to…not talk.

"It could be your decision. It should be."

"Stop talking like this."

Megatron chuckled. "The truth makes you so uncomfortable, Autobot."

"My name," Optimus said, impatiently, "is Optimus Prime."

"It should be Optimus Magnus." Megatron grinned, as if he were enjoying this immensely. Then he frowned, a bit showily. "You believe that your Sentinel will be a great leader? Learn early from your mistakes, Autobot Optimus. Watch how he treats me and my Decepticons. Notice the honor and fairness that he shows us—despite our cooperation fighting against the Quintessons."

"He will. The Autobot High Council will assure it."

Megatron laughed, throwing his head back, his torso rippling. Optimus shifted uncomfortably on his feet, glad when the elevator reached its destination in the medbay's bright, clean level. He stepped out first, aware that Megatron had an opportunity to attack him from behind.

Megtron followed him off the elevator without so much as a peep of protest, his cuffed wrists held almost daintily away from his body. "You are young yourself, Autobot Optimus. I forget sometimes. Remember, I have seen politics. Outright warfare might look uglier, but politics is by far the nastier enterprise." He stepped across the threshold of medbay with a certain uncowed dignity, somehow managing to look regal and dangerous and ferally graceful while still limping heavily. "I suspect you Autobots will come, in time, to regret this peace you claim you have created."

Until then, Megatron added to himself, I shall simply wait. I shall play your game. Willingly play your prisoner, your enemy-in-defeat. As I have before. He smiled down at Optimus, seeing, already, the seeds he'd sown taking root.