Author's note. What has Starscream done to ensure that Skyfire is cured and what about the other Sparklings, are they going to get into trouble again? Read on to find out.

Enjoy and please review.

Continued from last chapter.

"Pipe down," the figure in front of Skyfire snapped. "You'd think I was a Sharkticon that was going to devour you the way you're carrying on."

"But, but, but," the poor confused Shuttle stuttered as he stared in disbelief at the sight in front of his optics.

He was ill, he was delirious, there was no way that this could be real, it was just impossible.

"But what," sneered Starscream as he bestowed a contemptuous look on the gaping Sparkling.

Well that was real enough, Starscream seemed to do nothing these days but sneer and look contemptuously at his former partner. But none the less, the vision just couldn't be true, it just couldn't........could it?

"Well, are you just going to sit there all day gawking?" demanded the sneering Mech....no, not Mech, Mechling.

For the Seeker standing before Skyfire was not a full grown Mech but an exceedingly cute red and white Sparkling with little wings and thrusters. This was why Skyfire was finding reality a bit difficult to grasp at that moment.

"You're a..."Skyfire started to say but as Starscream's optics flashed, he quickly changed tack.

"Why?"

"I needed to test something out," Starscream said in an unconcerned voice, turning away.

"And before you ask," he snarled over his shoulder just as Skyfire was going to do precisely that.

"I was testing the cure that I have devised for you. My antivirus is similar to yours so I was the perfect test subject."

"But....why are you a Sparkling," Skyfire couldn't help but ask, this was all just too confusing.

"You were too ill for me just to give it to you," Starscream said flatly as he walked over to a table and climbed up on a chair.

Turning back to face Skyfire as he sat, he said.

"I needn't to test the results on a Sparkling and since none of the other Autobots have as a good a system....well, i think you can work out the rest."

Skyfire couldn't say anything, he felt himself choking up. Without thinking, he jumped off the berth and raced over to where Starscream was and leapt up to throw his arms around the scowling Seeker.

"Oh, Starscream, you did that....for me," Skyfire sobbed as he clung tightly to the smaller Sparkling as tears flowed down his face.

"No, I did it so that Megatron would not punish me and Skywarp wouldn't wail about losing one of his brats," Starscream hissed as he tried to shove the bigger Sparkling away.

But Skyfire wouldn't let go, he just sobbed that Starscream didn't hate him after all, causing the little Seeker to roll his optics. Such nonsense, it was so....childish.

"Hook," he said, giving up on pushing Skyfire away and simply activating his comm.

"I've perfected the vaccine for Skywarp's brat but I am unable to administer it, will you come and do it?"

"Why can't you?" the medic asked suspiciously over the comm.

"You'll understand why when you get here," was all Starscream would say before cutting the connection.

Some hours earlier.

Skywarp's POV.

"Skywarp,"

"Oh hey, Soundwave," the purple Seeker greeted as he turned around to the TIC approaching where he and Thundercracker were working at a desk.

They had been the last few hour taking inventory, and were now writing up their results. Skywarp had been his usual cheerful self, except he worked nearly twice as hard as normal. As his Trine mate knew, he was on fire to return to his Sparklings and wanted to finish as early as possible.

"What's up," Thundercracker greeted as Skywarp said.

"Are my Sparklings okay, they're not being naughty are they?"

"Sparklings fully functioning," Soundwave stated, meaning they were completely alright which made Skywarp grin. But then Soundwave said.

"However, I suspect they have been up to mischief,"

As Skywarp's face fell, Thundercracker said.

"But you don't know?"

"Affirmative,"

"So what makes you think they have done something?" Skywarp asked, a little confused.

"Answer, Sparklings looked worn out and have human contraction called roller blades which they were reluctant to explain," Soundwave said before adding.

"Suspect they have been wondering the base,"

Skywarp groaned as he said.

"They probably tried to go and see Skyfire, I'll have to talk to them."

"Sounds like their okay for now," Thundercracker said gently. "Let's finish the shift, and then we can take them back to your room."

"Okay," sighed Skywarp as he turned to Soundwave.

"Thanks for telling me, you didn't punish them did you?"

"Negative," replied the large blue Mech as he turned and walked away, leaving the two Seekers.

"I hope there's nothing reason for those roller blades," Skywarp said with a sigh. "I don't want to have to punish them."

"They do need to learn about obeying us," Thundercracker said gently, as he paused in his reading of a report.

"I know, I just...don't like it," Skywarp sighed again as he returned to work.

A few hours later.

Skywarp smiled tiredly as he entered the Rec Room, there were his babies, happily playing with their toys and laughing together. They stopped as they spotted him and rushed over to the edge of the play pen, looking excited.

"Daddy," Elita and Chromia cried as he rushed over to him.

"Hey babies," he grinned as he unlocked their play pen and let them put.

To his never ending delight, they all rushed out and hugged him, even Ironhide. Laughing, he led them from the room and through the Nemesis corridors. By now, he was confident that he could handle them without fear they'd try to get away which was why Thundercracker wasn't with him.

"Did you have a good day?" Elita asked as she and Chromia clung to his hands, the two Mechlings holding thiers.

"It was alright," Skywarp smiled. "But boring without my Sparklings."

"Weally?" Ratchet asked as Elita started swinging his and her hands.

"Definitely, you're all the light of my day," Skywarp replied causally which caused all of the Autobot Sparklings to have teary optics for just a minute.

After they got back, he gave them their evening Energon and while they happily ate it, he called Starscream. He'd been worried all day but Starscream quickly assured him that everything was under control, and no, he wasn't being mean.

He did warn Skywarp not to call for till at least the next day as Skyfire had become sicker and he needed to concentrate on making him better. Skywarp felt both relieved and worried as he switched his comm. off.

"Is Skyfire okay?" Elita asked, having heard who he was calling.

The other Sparklings looked expectantly at him.

"Yes, he's fine, just a little poorly now," Skywarp replied softly.

"But he didn't seem....."Ironhide started to say before clapping his hand over his mouth.

Skywarp sighed.

"You went to see him earlier didn't you?"

They looked at each other before Ratchet said.

"Yeah we did. But he said how he could make us ill if we came near him so we left."

"We just wanted to make sure he was alright," Chromia said in a pleading voice. "Please don't be mad."

Skywarp stared at them all for a long moment before gathering them for a huge hug.

"Oh, what am I going to do with you all," Skywarp sighed as he held them close.

"Do you understand why I couldn't let you be with him?" he asked softly as he kissed the tops of their heads.

"Yes," said Ratchet softly.

"I realise I probably didn't make his condition clear enough to you, so I'll overlook this, this time," Skywarp said, releasing them to look them straight in the optic.

"But I will have to punish you if you do something like this again," he added seriously and they all nodded their understanding.

For the rest of the evening, they watched human cartoons and then he read them a bed time story before putting them to bed. As he went to his own bed, he wondered how Skyfire was doing and sent a pray to Primus that he would be okay.

The next morning.

Skywarp woke to the beeping of his comm. With a groan he on-lined his optics just long enough to fumble with his comm. and switch it on.

"Skywarp here," he sighed into it.

"It's Hook, I'm at Starscream's quarters,"

This made Skywarp sit up and waken up a little.

"What's happened?" he asked in alarm.

"It's alright, Skyfire's better now," Hook said calmly and Skywarp sighed in relief.

"Oh that's great Hook, so you want me to come pick him up?"

There was a pause as though Hook was hesitating. Then he spoke again.

"Yes but....there's something you should know. Starscream had to take a rather drastic step to ensure Skyfire was cured."

"What kind of step?" Skywarp asked, not liking where this was going.

"He's turned himself into.....a Sparkling."

Author's note. How does Megatron react to the fact that Starscream is now a Sparkling? And wait, what about the Autobots, what have they been up to? Find out in the next chapter, until then.