How come I get the feeling you're going to hate me after this chapter?

Chapter 21:

Nicole POV

I studied Barricade's sleeping faceplates, head propped on my arms.

After our conversation, the Mustang had turned his holoform off and laid on his back so I could lay on his chest. Not long after that, Barricade had fallen asleep, and I soon followed. But now I was awake and listening to the steady thrum of Barricade's spark under his armor.

It's time, youngling.

I sighed as the AllSpark interrupted my peace. What?

You must leave. It's time.

My heart froze. You're kidding me. Now? Just up and leave?

Yes. Do you know what time it is?

I looked at the little clock on the wall, and was just barely able to make out the time in the dark. I winced. 9:42, in the evening. And?

If you stick to the halls and become invisible, you could slip out unnoticed.

And then what? Call the Decepticons? I don't exactly have them on speed dial. And what happened to the whole I-have-to-decide-the-fate-of-the-universe crap?

By leaving, you are making the decision to save the universe.

I almost snorted out loud. Oh, I forgot. If I leave, I die. If I don't, I still die, just with everyone else. I paused. Either way, I die.

There was a pause, then, Girl, I'm not making you choose. This is your choice. But the reason you were picked was because you would make the right choice.

It suddenly occurred to me that I did have a choice. A choice to stay, and live, enjoying the last moments with family, not away from them. But I looked back at Barricade's peaceful faceplates, and knew that no matter how much I wanted that, it wasn't the right choice. It was selfish, even if it was a more desirable one.

No, Barricade and everyone else I loved deserved to live life. I'm not saying I didn't, but I could at least give them that chance.

Fine. Give me a few hours.

Silently, careful not to disturb him, I slid off of Barricade's chest and landed on the berth with a soft thump. I walked up to his helm and gently reached out to run my hand across his faceplates, trying to memorize every detail.

After I couldn't stand it any longer, I leaned forward and kissed Barricade on the lip plates. The memory of our first kiss came to mind, and I smiled sadly. "I love you, Barricade. Today, tomorrow, forever."

Then I transwarped outside the door. I looked up at the security camera pointed towards our quarters. "Goodbye." I whispered. Then I made myself invisible and took off down the hall.

A single tear slid down my cheek. It took all of my will power not to look back.

I transwarped to the monitor room. The one place in the base that had a connection to all of the security cameras. It was surprisingly empty. They must have been changing shifts. In that case, I would have to make this quick. The reason I had come here was to see everyone one last time before I left. The one way to do that without actually seeing them face-to-face was to use the security cameras to locate them.

In Prowl's office, Jazz was trying to get the tactician to stop working by sitting on his desk, holding the datapads just out of Prowl's reach. Frustrated, Prowl tackled Jazz and started wrestling him for it. Some how, the saboteur managed to escape and dashed out the door and down the hall, laughing, with Prowl chasing right after him.

In the Rec room, Optimus and Elita-1 were sitting at one of the tables with Ironhide (who was petting Spice with one finger; the black mech had taken a liking to my cat, saying that he liked cats a whole lot better than dogs) and Chromia, just talking and drinking Energon. Also in the Rec room, Smokescreen was playing Poker (and winning) with the Chevy twins, Beachcomber, and Wheelie. At a human table, Lennox, Epps, Simmons, and Leo were doing the same thing.

On a different camera in the Rec room, sitting on the couch, it looked like Bumblebee was talking to Arcee. Since the cameras weren't equipped with sound, I couldn't hear what Arcee said, but I saw Bumblebee nod slowly. Arcee smiled before leaning up and kissing the Camaro.

I smiled. "Good job, 'Bee."

In the Med Bay, Ratchet had pulled out a table and four chairs and was sitting with Wheeljack, Perceptor, and Bluestreak. The two scientists and one medic were drinking what looked like high grade while listening to Bluestreak ramble. Ratchet muttered something, cutting off Bluestreak in mid sentence, and Perceptor laughed while Wheeljack's earfins flashed in amusement. Bluestreak just looked confused.

On a different camera, this one in the quarters of Red Alert and Inferno, it showed the Security Director getting up from the berth again to check the upgraded locks on their door. When Red Alert got back, Inferno pulled him back down on the berth before closing his optics. I waited a few seconds, and sure enough, Red Alert started to get up again.

In the Corvette twins quarters, Sideswipe was sitting on their couch playing a video game against Willow, and I was willing to bet that he was letting her win. On the other side of their quarters, Sunstreaker was showing several paintings and sketches of his to Taylor, who was standing on a table. I knew Sunny could draw good, and it made me sad that I had never seen one of his works.

Sunny asked Taylor something and she nodded. The golden Corvette pulled out a drawing pad and stylus. Taylor sat down, legs crossed and hands in her lap, and became very still. It took me a moment to realize that Sunny was sketching her. At the same time, Willow started jumping up and down on the couch, pumping her fist in the air. Sideswipe smiled as he watched her.

I smiled. Maybe Willow and Taylor had finally found someone to love. I hope they had. They were both good people, and deserved to have that happiness. I wondered if Willow had told Sides about her twin.

Yes, this was my family. One big bunch of crazy idiots that I loved. Some of them were alien, some of them human, and I wasn't blood-related to a single one of them.

But I still considered them my family.

I forced myself to not look at the camera that showed Barricade sleeping peacefully. It hurt too much.

I leaned back from the little screens, making my mind up about something. I couldn't very well just leave with no explanation, even if Jazz knew. So I was going to write letters for them, for one final goodbye and an explanation they all deserved.

Especially Barricade. If anyone deserved an explanation, it would be him.

Subconsciously, I blocked the bond as I thought about it. He would want to know why I had lied to him, betrayed him, and broke my promise to never leave.

In the end, I just hoped he forgave me and kept his promise.

Though I wouldn't hold it against him if he didn't.

Two hours and several tears later, I had left the letters addressed to each bot or person in a box. I put the small box on the table in the Command Center (where I knew they would find it), the room that Director Fenner had first made her argument about me being a threat. She would've been a great lawyer, I I was standing outside the base, staring up at the stars. I saw the Big Dipper, the Small Dipper, the North Star, and the milky way. It was a new moon, which made them stand out even more. Now what? I asked the AllSpark quietly.

You know what to do.

And I did.

12:23 AM

I transwarped to one of the more woodsy areas of Nevada. Looking around, I recognized the familiar clearing that had been one of the site my parents had taken me camping when they were alive. Good memories resurfaced, temporarily lightening my mood.

"Okay, Nicole, let's get this over with." I muttered, then laughed. "Look at me, talking to myself."

I held my hands out in front of me, much like I had done when I created a new spark for Jazz. I focused on gathering up all the AllSpark energy I could spare and pouring it into one ball, only this time I wasn't putting enough energy to become an actual spark. So, in other words, it was just a ball of energy. Slowly, a bright glowing orb the size of a basketball grew in my hand. When I couldn't pour anymore energy in it, I threw the orb as hard as I could at the sky.

When it reached as high as it would go, a good four hundred feet high, I willed the AllSpark energy to disperse.

Like a mini bomb, the orb exploded in a bright but quiet explosion, particles floating down around me like snow. A shockwave went through the air.

If I was right, and the Decepticons were watching for any AllSpark signature, then that little trick I had just done would be like getting whacked in the face with a two-by-four.

I studied the little glowing flakes of what was left over from the explosion as they floated down. They covered the ground and made the clearing light up. It was beautiful.

Ten minutes later, the glow had almost faded. Something sailed across the sky silently and circled the clearing. From the outline, I could tell it was Buzzsaw. I waved at the Casseticon cheerily. If I was gonna go down, might as well go down with a bravado.

Buzzsaw dropped a few degrees in altitude, apparently surprised. Once he was flying steadily again, I listened into his comm as he sent out a ping. It must've been a signal for confirmation that, yes, I was there. On the other side of the comm Soundwave spoke up.

::Buzzsaw: Continue to monitor the Host. Estimated time before arrival: 30 seconds.::

Oh, crap.

For a moment, my throat closed up and I couldn't breathe. I had that urge to run as far away and as fast as I could from here. The time I had waited for, prepared for, dreaded, had finally come, and I was terrified.

There was a small 'vop', a flash of purple light, and Megatron, Starscream, Thundercracker, Skywarp, and Soundwave dropped in the clearing.

They stared at me. I stared at them. Then I smiled and said, "What? You didn't expect me to scream, did you?"

Obviously they did expect it.

What I didn't expect them to shoot a fragging net at me.

Basic survival instincts took over and I immediately started struggling. Which only got myself tangled up in it. Fat lot of good that did me.

Three of them - I couldn't tell which ones - turned their holoforms on and held me down. "Disgusting." I heard Starscream mutter. I cursed as someone pushed my head down so my neck was exposed. "Calm down, fleshie!" Thundercracker hissed.

There was a small pinprick in my neck, and immediately I went still because if it was a damn needle, I didn't want them to jab something vital. Sedatives weren't supposed to work on me, but it must've been something they made, because seconds later I started to feel numb spread from the spot.

When they pulled the needle out, I started struggling again. Never said I would make it easy, did I? But my movements felt slow and sluggish, and my limbs felt too heavy to move. My eyes started to close and I stopped moving. As unconsciousness started closing in, I felt someone pick me up.

The last thing I saw before darkness claimed me was the stars, probably the last time I'd ever see them alive.

5:19 AM

Barricade POV

When I woke up, I felt a tingling sensation lingering on my lip plates.

I sighed, wondering if there was another dead mech somewhere on base that Nicole was resurrecting. Because the last time I woke up alone, Jazz up and walking and talking had been the result.

Sitting up, I reached through the bond, only to find it blocked. Okay, so Nicole didn't want me to know where she was. She might've been upset still. I was worried, but all I had to do was find her on base.

Easier said than done, as Nicole had proved many times.

I opened a comm to Jazz. ::Jazz, have you seen Nicole?::

There was a groan on the other end. ::Fraggit, Fairy! Are ya crazy? Do ya even know wha' time it is?::

::Did you seriously just call me Fairy?:: I snapped.

There was sigh. ::'Cade, I haven't seen her. Who would at this hour?::

::I just figured she may have went to you. She was real upset before we went into recharge.::

Jazz was quiet for a few moments, before asking, ::Upset 'bout wha'?::

::Director Fenner told her about the eight soldiers that died during the last battle.::

::Oh. Well, ya might check with Prowl. Red Alert's takin' a two day vacation and Prowler's got live feed ta all the cameras wired ta his computer.::

::Why don't you ask him?::

::Because last night I stole his datapads and the fragger locked me outta our quarters.::

::So where are you now?::

::On the couch in the Rec room.::

::….Oh. So where would Prowl be? Your quarters?::

::Nah, this hour he'd be in his office. Prob'ly locked me outta that, too.:: He said huffily.

::Thanks, Jazz.:: I said quickly before he could start ranting about it.

::Whatever, mech. Tell me if ya find her.::

I cut the comm and instead of just opening another one to Prowl, I left our quarters and made my way to the SIC's office. There was only a few waking humans and one or two bots that I passed. It was a huge change from when I first arrived at the base, seeing as no one glared at me or snarled threats.

I knocked and waited for the tactician to admit me. He was sitting behind his desk, doing datapads as usual. Prowl barely glanced up at me before looking back to his work. "Barricade. I thought you were in recharge with Nicole. What can I do for you at this hour?"

"I'm actually looking for Nicole. Have you seen her?""No. Have you checked with my idiot of a bondmate?"

"Yes, I did, and he said to ask you since you have live feed to each of the security cameras."

"I do. The camera in your quarters or the one in the hall?"

"The one in our quarters, I guess." I said reluctantly. "Do you ever-"

"Watch you in your quarters?" Prowl snorted, doorwings flicking absently as he turned to his terminal. "Of course not. I don't watch anyone recharging in their quarters. That would be, as the girls put it, too much like a 'stalker'. Something I am not. Although I have been watching Jazz fall off the couch every time he goes into recharge…."

I moved behind his desk so I could watch over his shoulder. "You do realize what your designation is, right, Prowl?"

He turned and gave me that piercing gaze he gave the twins when they had been caught for a prank. "And?"

I opened my mouth, but whatever I had been going to say went down the drain, just because Prowl was staring at me with the infamous Look. Yes, it had a name. "Never mind." I muttered, looking back to his terminal screen.

I could've sworn the Dodge Charger looked smug as he turned back around. "I'm rewinding it backwards twelve hours."

Twelve hours backwards, it showed Nicole asleep on my chassis and me in recharge. Prowl grunted, and two seconds later I got a not-so-innocent smack in the faceplates by a doorwing. I glared at it and considered flicking it, but decided I'd rather not get my servo torn off by an angry tactician or saboteur.

Around 9:30 PM, Nicole woke up, but didn't actually get up. Then around 9:45 she slid off my chassis, walked up next my helm and ran her hand over my faceplates. At 9:50 she leaned forward and kissed me. Again, I felt that tingling sensation on my lip plates. Nicole was saying something, but the slagging security cameras didn't come with sound.

I was getting frustrated. Nervous. Scared. My sparkmate look so…..sad. Nicole acted like she was saying good bye. The kiss, whatever she was saying, not waking me up. It would make sense as to why the bond was blocked. Primus, she was saying goodbye. No, I told myself. Don't go down that road. You're overreacting.

Next she transwarped to the door. Prowl hurriedly switched camera views to the one in the hall, just as transfixed as I was. Nicole looked directly at the camera and said something else, but I wasn't a lip reader. Then she went invisible and was gone.

Prowl paused it and sat back, looking confused and shocked. I moved back around the front of the desk so I could see him better. His optics flicked to mine, but he looked away quickly. Too quickly. When I still was a Decepticon, interrogations were one of my specialties (not something I'm proud of). I could always tell the bot I was interrogating knew something or not just by the fact that they couldn't keep eye contact.

Then it hit me. Prowl knew what Nicole had said in the video.

Anger, my natural defense response that arose when I felt desperate, welled up inside me to block out the fear that was threatening to take over. "What did she say?"

Prowl just shook his helm. "I….."

"Dammit, Prowl! What did she say?" I nearly shouted. Frustration, fear, anger, irritation, terror….

When the tactician still didn't reply, I nearly reached across the desk and hit him. But finally he looked up into my optics. "At first she said she'd love you, today, tomorrow, and forever. Then out in the hall she said…."

I knew what he was going to say, but I wish with all my spark that I was wrong.

"Goodbye."

My spark froze. In that one moment, fear took over.

I don't know what happened, but when I regained some sense of what I was doing, I was pinned against the floor in the hall by Prowl, who was shouting something over a comm out loud. I remember throwing Prowl off and running again, only to be tackled by two more mechs. The twins. I heard myself snarl, struggling. I nearly had thrown them off when another larger mech sat literally on top of me. Skyfire. I heard Ratchet shouting, then a small prick on my neck and a sedative was administered to my main Energon line.

It worked fast. I soon felt too heavy to move. There was voices. Shouting, angry, confused, some afraid. Someone was picking me up by my arms.

I didn't care. Nicole was gone. My sparkmate had left. She had broke her promise.

One question echoed in my head. Why?

Darkness closed in, and I accepted it as an escape from the confusion, hurt, and fear.

"What the frag, Prowl? What in Pit was that?"

After getting Barricade sedated, Prowl, Ratchet, and Optimus had accompanied the twins in taking the Mustang to the brig for everyone's safety, including his own. Now the SIC, CMO, and Autobot leader were watching Barricade twitch in his recharge in the corner of the cell.

The tactician winced at Ratchet's angry expression. "It's hard to explain, but Barricade came to me, wanting to see the security camera footage for the past twelve hours. He said when he woke up from recharge she was gone. As we watched the cameras, Nicole… She… woke up and-" He stopped, finding it hard to explain something that looked so private in words. "She told Barricade she loved him and then left their quarters."

"And?" Optimus asked.

"She looked at the camera and said goodbye before becoming invisible." The tactician finished quietly.

"Goodbye? What the slag did she mean by that?" Ratchet started pacing, just feeling the urge to be moving because being still felt unsettling.

Optimus watched Barricade through the Energon bars. "And that was what caused Barricade to-"

"Go on a rampage?" Ratchet snorted, shooting a glare at the SIC and Autobot Leader. "That was exactly what caused it. How would you feel if either of your bondmates did what Nicole did? We need to find Nicole now."

The semi truck nodded, before looking at Prowl. "We need all footage of the time between now and when Nicole disappeared pulled and reviewed for any clues as to where she is. I'd like to see the footage that you and Barricade watched. Also, we need to have an emergency meeting with all of the commanding officers in the Command Center."

Prowl nodded, looking solemn, while Ratchet growled mostly to himself. "There's something bigger going on here. Nicole didn't tell us something."

"Something bigger, indeed." The tactician murmured as they walked out of the brig.

Jazz nearly ran into Optimus just as the semi truck and Prowl arrived in front of the doors to the Command Center. "What's goin' on?"

"We're having an emergency meeting." Optimus said as the doors swished open.

"Why? Did I miss somethin'?"

"Where were you when Barricade went on a rampage?" Prowl asked, giving his bondmate a stern look.

"Tryin' ta crack the code ta quarters. The code ya installed." Jazz retorted, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"Well, don't take my datapads."

"I won't when ya remember to refuel."

"Prowl, Jazz, can you work this out later? We have a problem right now, and this isn't helping." Optimus said from the head of the table, looking a tad exasperated.

"No one's told me the problem yet." Jazz said, sitting down on his left side.

"Nicole is missing." Prowl explained, sitting down on Prime's right side.

The silver mech nodded. "Yeah, 'Cade told me. And why was he freakin' out 'gain?"

Prowl shuttered his optics, helm hurting from the illogicalness of it all. "Wait until the others get here."

Ratchet, who had said he needed to get something from the Med Bay, walked in two minutes later, with the twins and Taylor and Willow, all of them looking tired. The twins set the girls, who were still in pajamas, on the table. Sunny glared balefully at the three bots already in the room. "Why are we here again?"

Prowl glared sharply at Ratchet. "Yes, Ratchet, why are they here? Unless the twins have been promoted, something that I doubt, they don't belong here."

Ratchet matched Prowl's look with one of his own, if not more heated. "Can it, Prowl. You're not the only fragged off and confused bot here. They deserve to know. Especially Taylor and Willow, seeing as they're Nicole's best friends."

"What's wrong with Nicole?" Taylor and Willow asked at the same time.

"We're waiting for everyone else to get here so we can explain this just once." Optimus said.

Just as he said that Wheeljack and Red Alert walked in. Soon everyone had taken their respective seats. The twins stood along the wall, watching, while Taylor and Willow had sat on the table. The Autobot Leader looked around the table. "Is that everyone?"

"No." A sharp voice came from the ground near the door. Director Fenner stood there, looking like she had hurriedly thrown something on. "You do not start an emergency meeting without me."

From the back of the room, the twins both growled lowly. Prime silenced them with a look, before nodding to the Director. Wheeljack helped her on the table, though she didn't look exactly happy about it, and went to stand near Willow and Taylor. "Now, what is this about that couldn't have waited until-"

A banging on the door cut her off. "Prime? What's wrong? Does it have to do with Nicole?" Bumblebee's voice sounded from the other side.

"He is not permitted here, and neither are they." Director Fenner said quickly.

Optimus just ignored the woman and said, "Come in, Bumblebee."

The scout rushed in, looking worried. "Sideswipe said it was about Nicole."

Everyone turned to look at the frontliner.

He shrugged. "He deserved to know, too."

Prowl copied the human act of clearing his throat, gaining everyone's attention. "Now, if that is everyone…. This is what we are here for." He activated a screen to drop down from the ceiling at the back of the room, behind Optimus. On it, it showed Nicole and Barricade's quarters. The room was silent as they watched the very footage that Barricade and Prowl had watched. With a small click, Prowl paused it just as Nicole disappeared.

Everyone was silent.

Then, "What was that?" Taylor's voice seemed small.

"That," Wheeljack said, "was bad, wasn't it?"

"Very bad." Optimus said. "Nicole has been missing since then. That's why Barricade is in the brig right now, sedated."

"But why?" Blaster asked. "Why'd she just up and leave? Surely she's on base, right?"

"We don't know. But, at the part where she looks up at the camera, Nicole says goodbye. There's a high percentage that she's not on base. As for why she just left, we don't know that, either." Prowl looked at Red Alert. "We need the tapes for between now and when Nicole left reviewed. There may be something, anything, to let us know where she went. Get some bots to help you review the tapes, so it will go by faster. Clear?"

Red Alert nodded. Blaster and Perceptor stood up at the same time. "We'll help."

As the three bots left, the SIC looked at Director Fenner. "We should have security perimeters checked and more patrols of both humans and Autobots. I'll set that schedule up-"

"Wait a second." Director Fenner snapped. "You're overreacting. That girl could just be playing a joke for all we know, or setting up something-"

"Slaggit, would you shut your mouth for two seconds?" Ironhide snapped.

"Ironhide!" Prime said sternly, but the weapons specialist went on. The black mech stood up, towering over the woman. "You don't know Nicole! 'That girl' may seem like just another liability, but we actually give a frag about her! She does stupid things, sure, but she knows when it's gone too far! Nicole wouldn't play a joke like this!"

"'Hide." Jazz said calmly, speaking for the first time since the meeting had started. Everyone turned to look at the saboteur. His arms were crossed and his visor had darkened to a deep sapphire. "Sit down. She ain't worth it. We got bigger problems right now."

"Guys?"

Now everyone looked at Willow, who was looking through a small open box. "Look at this. They're letters. With names on them."

"In Nicole's handwriting." Taylor added. She held one up. "This one's mine. And there's one with your name, Jazz. You, too, Prowl. Optimus…." She began to take out several letters and hand them to different bots.

There were thirteen letters in all. Jazz, Prowl, Optimus, Ratchet, Ironhide, Bumblebee, Taylor, Willow, the Twins, Arcee, Director Fenner, and Barricade. There was even one addressed to everyone on base. As each bot or human received their letter, the room was quiet. The three letters that hadn't been taken, Barricade's, Arcee's, and the one addressed to everyone, sat by the box on the table.

Everyone started reading.

Nicole POV

Consciousness came fast. Fast, as in, someone-zapped-me-with-a-slagging-cattle-prod-to-wake-me-up fast.

And it hurt.

I clenched my teeth, feeling very stiff and sore at the moment. "What. The. Frag?"

"Look, Megatron, your pet's awake." I heard Starscream sneer.

Groaning, I turned on my side and opened my eyes to a dim blue glow. I turned my head side to side, trying to figure out where I was. The walls were made of a solid blue, just like my force fields. But the ceiling…..was made of metal. And the room was too small to hold a Transformer. No, I realized. This wasn't one room.

It was a cage. I was in a cage.

And had Starscream seriously just called me a pet?

Megatron's, no less. I shuddered. Or, I would've if the motion didn't hurt like heck.

Then I felt it. Something around my neck. Uncomfortably snug, cold, metal, and thrumming just barely. I reached up (Ow, ow, ow) and felt of the thing. It took my poor muddled brain a few seconds to figure out that, yes, it was a collar. A damn collar. There were no words to describe how I felt right now.

Well….. There actually was a few choice words, but they're not really…..appropriate. (AKA clean.)

"The AllSpark couldn't have chosen a more pathetic excuse for a Host."

For a moment, I froze. I had never been this close to Megatron unless it was in my dream, which didn't even really count, or in the battle that had nearly taken Barricade's life. All of my fear I had felt that day had come rushing back.

I'm still here, youngling.

The AllSpark, something that I considered sparkless and cold and the start of all my problems, was offering comfort when I needed it most. So I grabbed at it like a drowning man - er, woman - would at a life preserver.

Almost instantly I just felt…..calm.

I sat up and looked at Megatron, who was leaning down to look in my….cage, square in the optic and grinned. "Frankly, I think the AllSpark choose a great Host, Megatron."

The Decepticon leader studied me, almost warily, before saying, "Soundwave, I think the collar messed with the Host's processor."

I gaped at him. "My head is perfectly fine, thank you very much!"

Again, if felt like someone stuck me with those cattle prods. If I had to guess what getting struck by lightning felt like, I would guess this was it. Who-knows-how-many-volts of electricity going through your body….. Yeah, I'm pretty sure this is what getting struck by lightning feels like. Only this lasted for at least five seconds, and it felt like I was on fire. It hurt. Bad.

I laid on my back, unable to do anything for a few moments, feeling literally stunned. Sounding almost faraway, I heard Megatron. "Silence, fleshie. You do not speak unless I permit you to. Now, get up."

"Can't." I said, my voice hoarse. More fire coursed through me, but I refused to scream. But, God, did it hurt.

The electrocution stopped, and I very faintly heard Starscream say that Megatron had broken me. The 'Con leader snapped something back, before commanding me to get up again. Still, all I felt was numbness. I waited to be electrocuted again, but instead I felt myself moving. The AllSpark took control of my body and stood up for me. Part of me was scared that it could do that. Part of me was glad it was doing. Because I sure couldn't right now.

"Just what is so special about you, girl, that the AllSpark would bestow such power on?" Megatron asked. My head felt fuzzy right now. And….sort of tingly. I ignored it. "You are so small, so weak, so unworthy of it. You have nothing to do with it. No worlds to conquer. No enemies to destroy. You are insignificant."

It amazed me how easily he could put someone down without so much as twitching.

I think I can hold myself up now, I told the AllSpark. Feeling returned to my limbs and I glared up at Megatron, trying to stop my hands from shaking. "So. I'm here, Megatron. What do you want?"

The silver mech sneered at me. "And here I thought you might actually have a little bit of intelligence. Isn't it obvious, girl? I want power. I want to rule this universe. I want to crush your dear Optimus Prime under my pede. I want to rule over all Cybertronians."

"All Cybertronians?" I threw my hands up. "What Cybertronians? Cybertron is a dead planet! No one can survive on it in the condition it is! Thanks to you, there isn't any Cybertronians left to rule over!"

Megatron growled lowly. "Last time I check, fleshie, the Autobots were Cybertronians."

"Yeah, but if you won the war, you'd turn them into slaves! Or just kill them all!"

"I see nothing wrong with that."

"Of course you don't." I snapped. "You're sparkless. And an idiot if you think I'm just going to do anything you want."

Ignoring me, he turned to face Starscream and Soundwave. "Starscream, leave. I'll summon you when it's done. Soundwave, stay."

"Of course, Lord Megatron." Starscream said sarcastically. As he walked past me towards the only door in the room, I couldn't help but say, "Since when do you follow orders like a dog, Starscream?"

The Air Commander hissed at me but said nothing as he left. I smirked to myself.

Megatron turned around to a table, almost like a medical berth, but whatever he was messing with I couldn't see around his frame. "I don't need you to control the power, girl. I just need you to drain the power."

"Hate to say it, Megsy, but the AllSpark only works for me and me only."

"That's not true. You're a Host. Merely a shell for the power. If you can hold the power, than I can hold it, too."

I didn't mention that if he really did try to contain the AllSpark energy, that he would burn up. Instead I said, "And what makes you think I'll just do anything you say?"

Megatron hummed thoughtfully, rearranging something on the table. "Your bondmate's life."

I froze. "What?"

"I'm not stupid, girl. I can read the signs. Soundwave helped in confirming my suspicions."

I turned to stare at the Communications Officer, who stared back with a blank expression. It all clicked into place. "Get out of my head!" I snarled out loud, pushing that tingling feeling out of my head brutally fast. Soundwave staggered backwards, visor flaring brightly.

Megatron paused in whatever he was doing, looking at his TIC, then back to me with a smile. "Your powers are strong. Good."

I stared at him, then to Soundwave, who was holding his helm and leaning against another table in the room, and back to Megatron. "One of your highest ranking officer is hurt, and you say that is 'good'? You make me sick."

"I've been told worst, girl." Megatron finally turned back around, holding something small almost delicately in his servos. I didn't see what it was until he set it in front of my cage.

A sparkling protoform.

I stared at it, hoping this wasn't going where I thought it was. I looked up at Megatron. "A protoform?"

The silver mech was looking at the protoform with something like excitement. "This will be the heir to my throne. My successor. And the new Host of the AllSpark."

I stared at him in shock. "What?"

"You are going to drain all of your powers into this protoform, girl. It will be the new Host, one fit and trained to rule the Decepticons."

Well, Starscream sure wasn't going to be happy.

Me: Hi, readers! Did you like this chapter?

Abusive Me: No, they didn't, and I didn't. Get that into your head.

Me: *pushes Abusive under the table* Don't mind her. She's just…..

Random Me: Moody? HAHA, MOODY OFF HARRY POTTER! *laughs maniacally* OHH, COOKIES!

Me: Moody is a good word. And who gave Random cookies?

Liar Me: I shall tell a lie. It was me.

Nice Me: *looks noble and raises hand* It was me.

Me: *sighs* I live with idiots.

Smart Me: Hey!

Me: Wow, you speak up now?

Abusive Me: Yeah, where have you been? God knows the Original Me over here needs you 95% of the day.

Me: Hey! I'm the creative one here, writing all these good chapters!

Smart Me: No, Creative Me is over there. *points*

Creative Me: *looks up from laptop with pencil between teeth, pausing in writing new chapters, waves, and goes back to writing*

Smart Me: She's always writing, so she doesn't get to talk.

Me: Why does she have a pencil if she's typing?

Smart Me: *sighs*

Abusive Me: *gets down on knees in front of Smart* Please, please, please, become the Head Me! I'm stuck here with idiots.

Me: Hey! That's my job!

Abusive Me: And you suck at it. *turns back to Smart* Please! I'll even knock off Original Me to make it easier!

Me: Uh, hello? I'm right here!

NEXT CHAPTER: I can't say anything with out giving anything away, so… yeah.

Just review! Reviews make me write faster! And my goal is 200 before I finish this story!