Chapter Twenty-Four

Crystal watched the scenery below her as Starscream flew through the air. He wouldn't allow her to ride in Thundercracker thinking that she might still be lying about the experiment no longer existing. She sighed and tried to look behind her to get a quick glimpse of the blue seeker but all she could see was sky and even that seemed to mock her. "What are you going to do if the Autobot want you back?" Starscream's question to her going round in her mind. She looked down at her lap and thought of her friends of Surefire, of Tazer and most importantly of Moongaze. How would she cope when she told them all that she wanted to stay with the Decepticons? She was rudely pulled out of her thoughts when she was ejected falling through the air and landing with a bump on a blue hand with red optics looking down at her and smug smirk on their face.
"Enjoy the trip?"

"Funny." She replied in a non-humorous tone. "The facility was over there." She pointed out over a hill.

"I don't like it, Starscream." Skywarp said "looks like an easy place to set an ambush."

"I agree, Skywarp." The air commander agreed as he surveyed the area. "Thundercracker," he said looking over at the blue seeker "go check it out." He ordered. After a huff the mech walked over the hill and disappeared behind it. "If you're playing a trick on us he'll be the first one to get it, Human." Starscream said cruelly.

"I keep telling you my name is Crystal." She told him "and there isn't any trick, Starscream. Just a big hole in the ground."

"Then why has he not told us that it's safe to continue." Skywarp contradicted.

Crystal looked over the hill confused. None of the security systems were working so why had Thundercracker not contacted them? "I don't know. He should have at least said something by now."

Starscream narrowed his optics, "Skywarp, fly overhead and see what's going on."

"Right," the black seeker said with a nod. He transformed and flew over the area. Autobots! There are Autobots down there and they're holding Thundercracker captive.

Starscream snarled, "You lied to me you worthless Human!" he said angrily as he closed his hand around her and shook her. "The Autobots are there."

"I didn't know! I swear to you I didn't know!" Crystal told him in fear. "I don't know how they knew the location I never told them."

Skywarp came back transforming and landing next to Starscream. "There's quite a few of them standing near a huge hole in the ground that's fenced off."

"See I told you there was a big hole in the ground. It's where…sorry." The woman apologised meekly upon seeing the glare Starscream gave her and looked away.

"They'll no doubt want a trade-off. Thundercracker for the human." the red seeker mused.

"Crystal." She reminded quietly.

"You want to stay with us, right? Or rather with TC." Skywarp asked her receiving a nod in reply. "I've got an idea but you're not going to like it." Looking over at Starscream.

"Surefire, can-can I have a word with you?" Moongaze asked the white Ferrari nervously.

"What's wrong, 'Gaze?" he asked as he followed her far enough away from the others that they couldn't be heard.

"I want to be honest with you, Surefire." The femme began as she looked over at the ground. "You're probably going to hate me for this but…I-I never meant to lead you on, I was just trying to get Skybolt jealous. I'm sorry."

"Wait, are…are you telling me that you never really…that you never loved me?" he asked in shocked stupor.

Moongaze gave a hasty nod. "I'm so sorry, Surefire. I never meant for it to go this far. I just wanted Skybolt to notice me. He never did though, always kept me at arm's length."

"You used me." He said hurt lacing his voice.

"Surefire I'm sorry!" she said both sincere and sad at the same time as she looked at him.

"I fell in love with you and the only one you wanted was Skybolt!" the Ferrari said rising his voice.

Moongaze looked over at the others noticing how a few looked their way at hearing Surefire's outburst. She saw Skybolt shake his head and walk over to Prime. She looked back at Surefire and saw anger rising in his optics. She instantly hugged him, pinning his arms to his sides so he couldn't push her away. "If it hurts you that much," she said quietly next to his audio "I'll leave with Prime's team so you'll never have to see me again or have to remember this moment." She let him go and walked back over to everyone.

"Everything okay?" Tazer asked seeing the sadness on the first aider's face.

"Fine, Tazer." She lied.

Silence consumed the Autobots and their Decepticon prisoner for a long while when Sideswipe suddenly said "who is that?" looking over the hill. Everyone looked and saw a human cautiously making their way down the hill. "It's Crystal." Thundercracker told them. Moongaze looked over at the seeker in surprise, was she hearing things or was that tenderness in his voice when he said her friend's name?

Crystal stopped a few meters in front of them. "It's been a while." She said as she looked at Moongaze, Surefire and Tazer. "I'm afraid I cannot go with you so please let Thundercracker go."

"You gotta be kidding?" Ironhide said.

"The cons have done something to your head. You're coming with us." Sideswipe said in a voice that left no room for argument.

"We have done nothing to her." Starscream said as both he and Skywarp landed behind the woman. "This was her choice to make."

"You forced her into this somehow." Ironhide said.

"No-one's forcing me to do anything. I made the decision of my own freewill." Crystal said getting annoyed.

"Even knowing who they are and what they do?" Moongaze asked. She received a nod in reply.

"Please," the golden brown haired female asked "let Thundercracker go."

All the Autobots looked at Prime each of them bewildered by Crystal's refusal to go with them and stay with the Decepticons. The semi looked at the human a moment before looking over at Moongaze who gave a nod.

"May I speak with you privately for a moment, Crystal?" she asked. The woman gave a nod and the two walked away from the group.

Everyone watched as the two femme's talked. They saw Moongaze facepalm and Crystal blush as she looked away from the Ford. Suddenly the two of them smiled and walked back over to everyone, Moongaze continued over to Prime and leaned up to whisper something in his audio to which he gave a nod. He turned to his Autobots, "let Thundercracker go." He said.

"W-What?"

"He said let him go, Slaghead." Skywarp said getting a glare in return.

"Crystal will not be returning with us." Optimus informed them.

"Thank you." The woman said and walked back over to Starscream and Skywarp. "Do you believe me now?" she asked Starscream.

"That still remains to be seen, Human." The red seeker replied.

Crystal sighed though she had a humorous smile on her face. "Will you ever call me by my name, Starscream?" she gasped as she felt herself being picked up and looked over smiling happily as she saw the blue seeker.

"Let's get out of here." Starscream said moodily.

Moongaze watched the three seekers fly off. Be safe, Crystal. She thought and be happy most of all.