A/N: Don't own nothing but the plot.

The next installment to this story. Be prepared.

"italics" - talking on Autobot Comm.

Morning came rather quickly for the trio, and Mikaela had since crawled back into the Red Lamborghini's cabin when she started to get cold, noting a long time ago how his cabin was always warm, no matter what the temperature was outside. Sideswipe had not moved or made any sign that he was awake. She drifted in and out of sleep as she thought about everything they had been through. Was there some way that Optimus would accept them for what was happening? One cannot control who they fall in love with, being a giant robot from another planet or not. Why had he placed that stupid law anyways? She sighed as sleep took her.

About 30 minutes later, Sideswipe started to slowly online. His body and systems humming to life as he felt his repairs had been done. Now… to wake his brother.

"SUNSTREAKER!" Sideswipe yelled over their private line. He about laughed when he saw the yellow Lamborghini behind him jerk awake, "Frag you," came the dry reply.

"Aww, are you not the morning person, Sunny?" Sideswipe cooed sarcastically.

"Don't call me that," He started to sound like a broken record, and knew damned well he would say it over and over again for the rest of his life, for no matter how much he despised the nickname, his brother called him that all the time, "Get Optimus," Sunstreaker groaned as he continued to online his systems.

"Yeah," Sideswipe replied with dread, switching channels until he was on the Autobot frequency, he was met by a sudden burst of data and Prowl's voice, "Where the frag are you two?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," Sideswipe responded briskly, "I don't want to talk to you, Prowl, get me Optimus Prime," Sideswipe demanded.

"And just who are you to be demanding? You're not even an Autobot anymore!" That stung.

"Listen, just …. Just let me talk to him, alright?"

Another voice cut in the line, "Sideswipe, I am here, what is it you want?"

"It's simple, Prime," the twin replied, "For you to accept that nature takes its course. There is no logical reason for you to have such a silly law in the first place."

"I do for the safety of the humans and for the Autobots. You should not be questioning my authority. A law is a law,"

"A law is law," Sideswipe mocked with a sneer, "Optimus, don't you get it? Don't you care for your fellow Autobots and want to see them happy?"

"Of course, I do, Sideswipe,"

"Then why are you being so stubborn and not thinking about other's feelings?"

Wow, bro, you are being really bold. Sunstreaker thought as he listened to the conversation.

"Stubborn and not thinking?" Optimus' voice had a small growl in it, telling Sideswipe that perhaps he had gone too far with the Leader, "I'm trying to protect all of the Autobots and humans. How do I know what could possibly come out of a relation with a human?"

"That's the point. You don't know. Are you afraid?"

"No,"

"Careful bro, you're gonna make him mad,"

"And he isn't already anyway?" Sides retorted.

"Then let me and Mika be together and let me and my bother back in your ranks again." Sideswipe sighed, "You and I both know it would cripple the Autobots in battle should you lose us completely." Sideswipe held that trump.

Optimus was silent on the other line. Sideswipe knew that silence. He knew he was right.

"Sideswipe," there was a sigh, he could hear it, "You realize what happens to us when we lose a spark mate, correct?"

"I am not mated with her…" a sharp grin that Optimus couldn't see as he glanced at Mikaela, "yet,"

There was another long silence, and Sideswipe spoke to his brother instead, "I think I got him,"

"Probably. But you know how many of the others are going to be peeved?"

"Do I really look like I care?" Sideswipe looked out the back window of the car with his holo-form, a dark grin on his face.

"Humph,"

"Sideswipe, what you are asking is illogical. But if it's what you want. If it will make you happy, I will lift this law to all of the Autobots, not only you."

"Y-you mean it? Really?" Wow, that was fast. The red twin thought to himself, still unsure if Optimus may have been playing a practical joke on him.

"Would I have said otherwise?" It was a dry reply, but it had a hint of amusement to it.

"Are we safe to return to base then, sir?" Sideswipe questioned, uneasy at the fact that the others might wanna tear into them both.

"I will alert everyone about the change in plans, Sideswipe, proceed when you can," came the final reply.

Sideswipe's body was nearly vibrating in excitement. The vibration alone had startled Mikaela. When Sideswipe saw her rouse, he flickered his hologram to life, and he had a grin on his face that would make the Cheshire Cat jealous, "Oh, you're awake, I have great news, Mika!"

"What's that, Sides?"

"Optimus is gonna allow us to continue our relation. He is calling off the others and we are welcome back into the ranks!" He reached over and touched her hand lightly, she instinctively curled her fingers around his. A broad smile crept onto her face, "That's so great, Sides!" She reached over and hugged him. His strong arms came around her waist as he pulled her to him, over the shifter and over the center console.

Sunstreaker sat back watching the exchange. He had never seen his brother so happy and it pleased him.

A deep worry, however, started creeping its way into his processor. What if Mikaela took his brother from him? What if he alienated him? Sunstreaker let out what could only be thought of as a rev in frustration as these new feelings came at him.

The rev got the wanted attention and both Sides and Mika turned their heads to glance at the yellow car sitting there, "What? Can't I enjoy a moment with her?" Sides commented cheekily through their link and then faced Mika again, "Mika, I am not sure how far the word love goes in human terms, but I wish I could tell you in our own."

She gave him a coy smile, "Really? She then turned her head and glanced at Sunstreaker again, then looked back to Sideswipe, "I love you, Sides. Maybe later you can tell me how it is you Cybertronians tell your love, hmm?" She leaned in and planted a kiss on his lips. Sides, still somewhat unfamiliar with the motion, only followed, returning the kiss.

Their kiss was short lived when Suddenly, out of apparently nowhere, Sideswipe's front need was suddenly smashed into by another body. It was that damned cruiser who just apparently would not die. Mikaela lurched from the sudden force and slammed her head off the windshield, effectively knocking her unconscious as she slumped against the dash and went over, her head landing in his lap.

"Fuck you, Decepticon!" Sideswipe roared, but his attention was also on his girl, who was now in his arms. Without even thinking, he grabbed her and started pulling back, wanting to protect her as Barricade went to slam him again and started to transform, "You can't catch me!" he cried as he burnt rubber and ran, Sunstreaker staying behind.

"Sunstreaker, let's go!" Sideswipe yelled.

"No! I am gonna gut this fragger!" He roared and Sideswipe heard the resounding crash of bodies clashing, "Get her out of here!"

"Optimus, come in!" Sideswipe yelled over the pain of his nose and the pain he felt for his hurt girl.

"What is it, Sideswipe?" Optimus asked.

"Barricade is at it again! He just hit me full force, Mika is out cold in my lap, I am on my way there to you, please, have Ratchet ready to receive her!"

"Did your brother get away also?"

"No, he is still engaged in battle with him to distract him from me,"

Sideswipe almost hiccuped with a snicker. He knew that Sunstreaker was a force for Barricade to reckon with. He had no longer said that, and another vehicle came at him from behind, going as fast as he was which happened to be around 120 mph at the time. He saw them coming and saw their fender transform into a launcher, "Slag," Sideswipe cursed as he prepared for evasive maneuvers, gripping Mikaela tightly so she didn't move too much, using his holo-form as a shield for the impacts he knew were coming as he performed the moves needed to avoid getting hit. He dodged the first one without incident, but the second one that came didn't miss its mark as it hit him right in the rear bumper, shattering it to oblivion with such force it caused the entire ass end of his alt mode to fly upwards as parts flew, forcing his nose to rub on the pavement violently. He let out a hiss of pain as he felt his ass end go higher and higher and he clamped down on Mikaela harder, realizing he was going to flip. There were no other attacks on him as his body flew through the air, other parts of his mangled body flying with him or landing before him twisting into a sideways barrel roll in the air before finally falling to the ground with a loud crunch and sliding on the roof. It was as if Murphy was smiling down upon him. No one wanted that. He didn't think his luck could get any worse as he slipped, he hit a bump and he realized with horror that the worst was yet to come as he flipped sideways and through the air again landing with an abrupt stop against a guard rail in the opposite side traffic with a semi coming right at him. More red parts landing with him, including a busted up fender.

"Mikaela," He whispered harshly as his holo-form flickered then abruptly went out, dropping the girl with a loud thud in his interior. The last thing he saw was the semi suddenly jackknifing as it approached, much too fast to stop before hitting him.

Sunstreaker hadn't heard the crash, but he knew something was horribly wrong when his spark lurched violently in his chest. He fought off Barricade even harder, who he had effectively torn an arm off of already, "You shithead, don't you ever die?!" He growled as he pushed the Decepticon backwards, causing him to fall off of the road, giving Sunstreaker the advantage he needed to peel off, headed in the direction of his brother, "Sideswipe?" He called.

No answer.

"SIDESWIPE!" He cried out louder, thinking he wouldn't hear him. He quickly approached where he had seen red parts strewn all over the road, "Fuck," he snorted and looked about. He suddenly turned his attention to the other side of the road when he heard the tires of a semi squealing and he saw his brother in the way and knew from his point there was no stopping the truck from hitting him, "NO!" He cried out, transforming right there, cringing and turning his head violently from the loud crash and heard the screeching of metal grinding on the ground, "Sides," he said in a whisper as he turned his head slightly to look, his shoulder slumping as his optics went wide, seeing Mikaela lying half in and half out of his brother.

Hey, I warned you. Man, can't these boys catch a break? Just when you think everything is going right. Murphy isn't really nice...

Next chapter: Aftermath