You're Darkside

Prowl was giving a speech on the importance of maintaining and preserving nature. His disdain towards those who use nature for their own personal gain couldn't be made any clearer. Well it could if anyone was listening. Prowl saw Rachael sitting on a window sill, staring off into space. He kind of assumed she wasn't listening, seeing as how she was still upset at him. He wasn't surprised. He knew she wanted an apology, but he didn't know how to word it. As for Sari and Bumblebee, they were ignoring him with the mind bending powers of the virtual world. He pulled the head phone off bumblebee's head, "Have you heard a word I said?" he exclaimed.

"Maybe if you were saying something interesting," Bumblebee went back to his game. His game was stopped when prowl unplugged it. "HEY, I WAS ON LEVEL 230."

"Have you ever considered that maybe you spend a little too much time playing these childish games?"

"The reason these games were created was to blow time." Bumblebee shot back. "And time is all we have these days. The Cons are underground, we need to relax." Then they heard a beep coming from the control room. The bots, Rachael, and Sari ran to the room. Ratchet and Optimus were studying the monitor. "What's going on boss bot?" Bumblebee asked.

"There's a small anomaly in the woods outside of Detroit," he stated inquisitively.

"Decepticons?" Rachael asked.

"No, something else," Ratchet said, punching a few keys. "It may be nothing, but it's coming up on our scanners. It's still worth investigating though." He turned to the others, "but we need to be inconspicuous. If we know about it, the Decepticons may know about it as well."

"In that case I'll go," Prowl Volunteered, "I can get a chance to study the wonders of nature up close."

"That's not a bad idea," Optimus approved. Prowl nodded and adjusted his com link for long distance. Optimus caught Rachael sneering at Prowl. Maybe… "Hey Rachael, why don't you go with him?" Optimus suggested.

Prowl had shivers running down his spine. He felt Rachael glare at him. "I already spent a day with the ninja bot, now you want me to spend a whole night with him." Prowl could hear the venom dripping from her mouth with every word. "In case you forgot Optimus, I'm not exactly IN THE MOOD to go out."

"Good point," Sari said, "Bumblebee, Prime, Bulkhead, and Ratchet over to the corner please." She pushed on Bumblebees leg and they all went into a corner. Prowl and Rachael sat in awkward silence.

Bumblebee looked from the two back to the group. "What's up?" bumblebee asked.

"No matter what, we have to makes sure that Rachael and Prowl take this mission." Sari urged.

"But I thought Rachael didn't feel like going out?" Bulkhead questioned.

"Don't you see," Sari whispered, "She's only saying that because her feelings are still hurt. Ratchet looked back at Rachael. "With her and Prowl not speaking, both are empty shell of broken hearts." Ratchet looked back into the huddle, Optimus cocking an eye. "This is perfect," Sari continued, "if these two go after whatever's in the woods, they'll have no choice but to communicate with each other." The bot's eyes widened. "They'll have to talk."

"I get it," Ratchet said, "They can't ignore each other when they have to cooperate."

"Are you sure Rachael will go for this?" Bumblebee asked doubtingly. "I mean, she doesn't seem like she'll budge."

"Then we tug at her conscience," Optimus declared. "She and Prowl are the best when it comes to hiding in the shadows. And Rachael will do anything to help us." Everyone agreed and joined Rachael and Prowl. "Prowl, you and Rachael are going into the woods and investigating the strange energy."

"Wait a minute!" She said putting a hand in the air, "I already spent a day with this bot, now I have to spend the night with him. No thanks." Prowl turned away. "Why should I go with him, I might decide to kill him." She said with a hint of sarcasm. Prowl took a direct hit to the heart.

"Because we trust you," Optimus said. Rachael scoffed at the comment, "And it's surrounded by nature. You and Prowl are the main team members who work best in the woods. You're also good at keeping things in one piece."

Rachael knew Optimus was right, but the thought of working with prowl made her a bit uneasy. "What if Starscream shows up? He's been following me somehow."

Now Optimus and the others were at a standstill with this plan. Starscream did seem to be intent on possessing Rachael. Prowl slammed a hand. "Then I'll keep you safe," Prowl declared, "I won't let him touch you."

"If only you showed that kind of devotion last time he showed up," Rachael snapped. On the outside Prowl remained unmoved by the comment. On the inside, he was kicking himself. Prowl tried to save her last time, but Starscream left as quickly as he came. He did all he could. But it wasn't good enough.

"Then don't go for him!" Optimus shouted, "Do it for the fact that you might be keeping Sari safe." Rachael blinked and looked over to Sari. That's not fair Optimus. She pouted. "I'd recommend dressing warmly," Optimus advised. "It gets pretty chilly at night."

I*I*I*I

Rachael came back with a thick blue snow coat. She was wearing a blue skirt and a black turtle neck. She even brought a pair of goggles Ratchet made for her. They were night vision trackers. He even put rockets in her boots. "Why did you put rockets in my boots?" she asked out of curiosity.

"Just in case there's something in the woods that flies faster than you," Ratchet gave them a quick scan, turning her leg left and right. "Now these may have been made from cybertronian parts to give you an advantage in the air, but I still want you to take easy with these. They haven't been fully tested." He advised. Rachael smiled in approval.

"Now I know you prefer flying," Optimus said, "But I highly recommend you let prowl give you a ride."

"Why?" she asked, this time trying to hide her resentment, "shouldn't I practice using the new boots Ratchet gave me?"

"You can practice when you get to the woods," Ratchet said, "We don't have time to waste waiting for you practice." He nodded over to Prowl. Prowl responded by changing into Vehicle mode. Ratchet gave Rachael a backpack, "Here are some supplies you'll need. Now get going!" Rachael sneered at the motorcycle. She knew protesting wouldn't get her anywhere at that point. So, reluctantly, she got on Prowl and they both dashed off.

"I hope this works," Optimus prayed, "Otherwise we'll never get any sleep.

T%T%T

Prowl was tearing through the city. Rachael was amazed at how fast he was going. But she wouldn't show it. This was like a fate worse than death for those two. They haven't really spoken since the events on Dinobot Island. They would indirectly talk. They would ask sari or one of the other bots to relay messages, or they would hint insults and see if they could get a rise out of each other.

Right now, all they could do was drive through city traffic and streets, all the more while trying to ignore each other. Thoughts roamed through their minds as they remembered how all of this came to pass. Rachael didn't want to say it but she did blame prowl for everything that happened to her on the island. But she also blamed herself. She couldn't believe she allowed Starscream to get in her head the way he did. He tore her down like a slave being beaten. And she allowed it.

Prowl felt that he was as much at fault. If he would have believed Rachael in the first place, Starscream never would have hurt her like that. The two never would have had to fight. And maybe they would be talking. Arguing, but talking. Well one of them would have to talk. Sooner or later.

The sun was beginning to set as Prowl and Rachael neared the woods. Since they were out of the city, Rachael looked over the skies, making sure no one would pull a surprise attack from above. Nothing was there. Good. She sighed in her head. She looked ahead, seeing the woods approaching. "We're less than a mile away," she announced. "According to Optimus, we're to take as much time needed in order to find out what's in there. So slow down so you don't blow all your energon." Prowl eased up on the power.

"You should sleep a little bit as well." Prowl suggested, "You'll need the energy." Rachael didn't respond. In all seriousness – since the trip started – those were the first words that those two said to each other. Prowl wanted to keep the silence, but broke it when he saw the scar on Rachael's leg. "What happened to your leg?"

"Starscream gave it to me." She rumbled.

"When?" he gasped. "It's a bit old to be from when we last encountered him," he expressed. Rachael dropped her head. Her expression turned dark and frightened. Then it occurred to him. What Starscream said the last time they met: so you are alive. Starscream and she met sometime prior. He continued to think on when it could have happened. "When you fell through the window?" he concluded.

Eris let out a shaky breath. "That was the first moment I laid my eyes on him." She clenched her fist, "That was the first time we crossed weapons." Her eyes turned to slits of rage. "After that it just seems like he's following me. How he knows where to find me," she growled animally, "I don't know."

"I might," Prowl guessed, "He tracks you through us," he said solemnly. "He locates us and assumes that you're with us. And his assumptions have been correct so far. We-no-I'm the reason you got hurt." He rasped. "I'm so sorry Rachael."

"Believe me," Rachel said tenderly, "what he said hurt way worse than anything you've ever done?" her fangs protruded. "His words tore at me."

"What did he say?" prowl pressed, "What did he say that caused you to become so angry. Rachael stalled on an answer. Just long enough for something to catch her attention. Or rather a smell to catch her nose. She sniffed the air like a blood hound, "What is it?" Prowl asked hastily.

"Something's burning!" she saw smoke coming from the woods, "Someone's starting a forest fire! Punch it!" Prowl put on the gas, and the duo was off.

(T)%(T)%(T)%(T)%(T)

When they arrived, the two were highly annoyed. The only thing burning was a bon-fire. Prowl threw some snow on it, "Well there's your fire." He grumbled. He stomped a foot on it. "I must admit though, your nose is quite perceptive." He noticed Rachael wasn't there, "Uh…Rachael?"

"Over here." He went into the woods. He looked around one of the trees, and saw Rachael holding something. "Found something."

"What do you have?"

She showed him. Her hands began to tremble. "It's my old hammer."

"The one that broke?" she nodded, "how did it brake?"

She brought out her fan, taking a defensive position, "I hit Starscream in the face in the face with it! End result was that it broke in half!"

"Then it must have fell down in here when it broke," he shrugged, trying to convince her to calm down.

"Prowl," she said shakily, "it broke over the construction site." Prowl became nervous. If it broke near the site, why was it in the woods? Rachael began to panic. "Oh my god, Starscream's here! He's stalking me!" She hugged prowls leg.

He put his hand on her back, "Calm down. Here," he put a belt around her waist. "It's a cloaking device. I asked Sumdac to make it."

"Thanks Prowl." She said dreamily.

"My pleasure," he smiled. He lifted her into a tree, "now turn it on and stay hidden. I'm going to scout ahead."

"Prowl," she cried, "please don't leave," she said, grabbing his hand.

He put his hand over hers, "don't worry," he said tenderly, "as long as you have the belt on, no one will see you." He let go, "And as long as I'm with you, no one will hurt you."

Rachael gazed at him with hopeful eyes. Prowl went off into the darkness. "Please be safe." She whispered.

RRRR

Prowl was ever vigilant. The thought of running into Starscream made him edgy. He tried to convince himself that maybe someone else brought the hammer to the woods. It didn't necessarily have to be Starscream. But then there was the other possibility that it might be him. He did seem to appear everywhere they were.

He put his scanner on full blast. Not even a micro fly could go past him without him seeing. He heard owls, bats and various other things that made him jump, but he still kept his guard up. "Okay Prowl," he panted to himself, "You're obviously on edge from….not getting enough sleep. Yeah, that's it sleep." He leaned on a tree. "Rachael's fine, you're fine. Everything is fine." Snap! Prowl drew his stars, preparing to throw them.

"Prowl wait! It's me!" Rachael called from the brush.

Prowl let out a loud breath of relief. "Rachael, I told you to stay put!" He hissed.

"I know, but…I wanted to see you…badly." She said pleadingly.

Prowl became a bit flustered. He looked around, making sure that it was only Rachael he was hearing. He went over to the direction of her voice. Seeing as how he couldn't see her. "Turn off the cloaking device so I can find you."

"I-I can't!" She shrieked. "Something's wrong. I think it's malfunctioning."

"Okay," he moved his hand through the air, trying to feel for her, "Where are you?"

"I'm right…" Something grabbed prowls wrist, putting a clasp on it, "HERE!"

The hand threw him. Prowl landed near a cliff edge. He shuffled back. He heard loud footsteps approaching him. "Rachael?" Something was pushing back the trees. Something big. "Rachael?" he called again. When it came into view, Prowl circuits nearly went off line. "No! Starscream!"

"Hello there Autobot," the con greeted, "So good to see you again." He purred.

Prowl stood defiantly. He held his shuriken at the ready, "Why are you here?" he spat. "Where's Rachael?"

"Rachael?" He said trying to act dumbfounded. "I don't who you're talking about." He said with mock innocence. Prowl put a shuriken to the Con's neck, growling. "Oh yes, her. She really was a lot of fun."

"Was?" Prowl said shakily.

"Yes," Starscream purred menacingly, "I took great pleasure in…relieving you of your burden," he smirked. Seeing Prowls expression turn grim made his smile grow even bigger. With his guard dropped, Starscream shot Prowl in the gut, sending him off the cliff edge. As he fell, Starscream flew after Prowl and grabbed him by the neck. Prowl pried at the hands holding him, to no avail.

Starscream slammed him into the ground below, knocking the wind out of Prowl. The ninja bot was pinned to the ground by the neck. "It's almost poetic," Starscream mocked, " you tried so hard to protect her. What with giving her this lovely cloaking device." He held up what looked like a belt.

BUT THAT'S! He remembered giving the same belt, "You!" He growled. The clasp on Prowls' glowed a deep crimson color, "You killed her!"

"Why do you care?" he hoisted Prowl up and threw him into a riven. Prowl staggered to stand, looking upon the murdering oncoming Con, "You never cared for her. You wanted to kill her yourself."

"THAT'S A LIE!"

"Is it? Weren't you the one who said that you couldn't trust her?" Prowl wanted to rebuttal, but Starscream put a hand up. Prowl obeyed the hand. "Admit it. Deep down in your circuits you despised that girl."

"That's not true! I trust her with my life." He shied away. "I would have…" he trailed off shyly. Then his voice became loud, "I would have given every spark in my body to save her!" Prowl declared.

"Let's say you did trust her," He asked ignoring the comment, "why did you leave her behind?"

"Because…I…I…" he trailed off. He diverted his gaze.

"She even considered you both to be friends, and yet you won't even be alone with her." The clasp grew brighter, "If you were any type of friend, you would have brought her," brighter, "If you wanted to protect her, you wouldn't have brought her with you," the glow encircled his arm. Starscream smiled animally, "I nearly blew her to pieces when we first met, then tortured her the second. And now," Starscream jumped. Prowl had thrown a powered shuriken. When it made contact, there was a gash in the cliff side. "Now you want to silence me?" Starscream mocked from the air. Prowl dug his foot into the Cliffside and jumped, slashing at the con.

"I'LL MAKE YOU PAY!" He shot a cable line. It wrapped around Starscreams foot. Prowl jumped back and dived for the ground. Starscream was dragged down and grounded. Prowl launched two more shuriken, missing, and slicing the trees.

"It's ironic," Starscream continued, "you cursed Rachael for being like a demon – even called him a murderer," the jet spoke as he dodged Prowls attacks, "And yet here you are, fighting like a decepticon." Starscream knew he was winning in the fight, so he pushed harder, "Megatron would be so proud of you." Prowl landed a blow, cutting Starscream's shoulder. "Oh yes," Starscream purred, running a large finger down the wound, "you would have made an exceptional decepticon. And maybe Rachael too."

Prowl punched him relentlessly, "DON'T…EVER…SAY…HER…NAME….YOU…SLAGGER!"

Starscream caught both of Prowls hands, and pinned him against a tree. Hands above his head. The jet used his other hand to hold Prowls torso. Prowl struggled, futile as it was. "You're pathetic, to let the organic be the center of your anger. Just like you were hers," The jet pressed his pointed hand into prowls chest plate. He screamed in pain, "When I played that recording of you talking about Acree, you should have seen how distraught she was," Prowl stopped. "Her love for you turned to jealousy when she heard you say you loved Arcee."

"How?" prowled groaned, the pain increasing.

"I have friends who supply me with information." Starscream explained, "You were playing with Rachael's emotions this whole time."

"I never played her," Prowl loosened one of his hands, and grabbed the hand penetrating his chest, "I care…I care…I care…" he chanted, "AND I ALWAYS WILL!" The clasp was glowing even brighter. Starscream noticed, and was displeased. This bots putting out too much energon, he thought. His thoughts were interrupted, the clasp on prowls wrist sent out a burst of energy, throwing the con into a small hill. Prowl sprang from the tree. He stood over Starscream, shuriken in hand, preparing to destroy the con.

"PROWL!" Someone called. The two bots looked over, it was Rachael. She was panting heavily. Her cheeks were red. "YOU HAVE TO STOP!"

"Rachael?" he said relieved. "GAAAAH!" he cried in pain, Starscream shot him in the side, taking the clasp.

"PROWL!" Rachael cried. Prowl fell like a rag doll. Rachael jumped down to him, sitting on top of his chest, "Prowl, please wake up!" She pleaded. She was about to attack Starscream, but he was gone. Hearing prowl moan, she turned on the communicator and called for help.

V^V^V^V^V

Prowl had awoken in a daze. He was in his room; it was the middle of the day – from what he could tell. Then he remembered. He was shot. He felt his side, it was all patched up. Ratchets handy work, no doubt. He then saw Rachael. She was sleeping on his bed. He sighed with relief, and petted her. You're alive, he thought, I'm sorry. She stirred from her sleep. Prowl moved his head back. Rachael rubbed her eyes. "Good morning sunshine." He greeted.

When Rachael saw Prowl was awake, she jumped up and hugged him, tears coming from her eyes. "You're awake," she wheezed, "you're finally awake."

"And you're alive," he whispered. Thank Cybertron you're alive. "How long was I asleep?"

"The last four days," she answered, wiping her eyes, "Ratchet said that Starscream and the cold wind did a number on you." Prowl felt his side. "He had a feeling you'd be in stasis for a while. I just didn't think it would be this long." She pulled out the cloaking belt, "This is the belt that Starscream had," she showed the one around her waist, "And this is the one you gave me. That grey pigmy made this for Starscream."

Prowl cursed himself. "Youre right," he dropped his head, "I'm a glitch head."

"It wasn't your fault," Rachael giggled, "it was a convincing duplicate-"

"Not that," he snapped. Rachael stopped laughing. "I cursed you for letting your demonic habits come into light. I even despised the way you recklessly destroyed the island," he explained, "And yet there I was. As mindless and destructive as a decepticon." He gently hugged her, "Too many times have I not been able to protect you. One of these times I might lose you. And i-"he began to cry.

Rachael returned the hug. "Don't protect me," she stated, "Just fight with me. I want to be by you by your side, not some burden that you feel you need to keep an eye on."

"But Starscream-"

"Attacks us when we're alone," She input swiftly. "He corrupts and twists our minds so we'll turn into his puppets. If you weren't on the rampage, he would have used you," she put a hand to her neck, the choker imprint still on it, "Just like he did me."

Prowl put a hand to his wrist, still seeing the clasp. He could only wonder, was he strong enough to fight with her? Since he fell under the control of a charm bracelet. He put Rachael in his hand, and had her look at him, "But by doing so he made you stronger."

Rachael smiled and sat on his hand, stroking it, "made us stronger."

Outside the door were Optimus, Sari and the others, watching the two. "It worked," Bumblebee said in disbelief.

"Was Starscream the energy you sensed?" Bulkhead asked.

"Maybe, I'm not sure." Optimus replied.

"Either way," Ratchet folded his arms, "He brought them closer."

"I am wondering why Starscream keeps bothering Rachael." Sari said.

RRRR

Standing on a tower, Starscream stared into the distance, laughing to himself. "Those two are so much fun," he chuckled. "Especially you," he looked at a small choker, "You were the most fun…Rachael."

"You know Starscream," said another Con. Starscream turned around and saw Blitzwing, "I am curious as to why you keep harassing zhat organic girl."

"Because I love it," he answered simply.

"Are you sure you don't just love her?" Blitzwing spat.

Starscream smiled devilishly, sending chills down Blitzing's spine. Starscream grabbed blitzing by the chin, pulling him close. A slight blush on Blitzwing's face. "Are you jealous Blitzwing?"

Blitzwing slapped his hand away, "Don't flatter yourself," Then he left.

Starscream chuckled. Then stared back into the distance. "Now to figure out who Lugnut's been talking to this whole time."