A/N: We find out a little more of TC's past in this chapter and it marks the beginning of some dark days ahead. Enjoy!

Chapter 18: Demons, Past and Present

"Bumblebee to Optimus."

"Yes, Bumblebee."

"I've secured the human female. ETA approximately 12 earth hours."

"What's her condition?"

"Not good Optimus. The S7 agents roughed her up pretty good. She's been unconscious so far. I've scanned at least one broken appendage, two fractured chest supports, as well as severe bruising and multiple burns. Ratchet will have his work cut out for him that's for sure."

"Hmmm. I will notify him immediately. I will also have Sam and Mikaela stay nearby for assistance. If she wakes, it will be helpful having them here to help get her settled. She's been through much over the past several solar cycles."

"I'll say. Staying with the Cons would be bad enough, but getting beaten and betrayed by your own people…"

"I know, Bumblebee. We'll do our best to help her recover. See you soon. Bumblebee?.......Bumblebee do you read me?"

"I may have a problem, Optimus. I've got two flying shadows tailing my exhaust fumes…looks like it might be Thundercracker and Skywarp."

"Are they preparing for engagement?"

"Hard to tell, but I don't think so. If they were going to attack they would have done so already. It looks like they're just following me for now."

"Interesting. Starscream appeared really interested in keeping the girl alive. If they know you have her, and it appears that may be the case, they will not risk a full-scale assault."

"What should I do, Prime?"

"Continue on to the base. Don't fight them unless they fire upon you first."

"And if they try to take her?"

"Let us hope it doesn't come down to that."


Flying just within scanner range of the yellow and black Camero, Thundercracker and Skywarp easily kept up with the ground-bound Autobot. It really aggravated Thundercracker's circuits to know Dezba was within grabbing range, but he was under strict orders to not interfere. Starscream was right. The Autobot's medical officer was far more capable of helping her recover quickly than they were. Still, it unsettled him to know she was in Autobot hands; not because they wouldn't care for her, but because he knew it would be difficult in getting her back. Old memories began flashing across his CPU. Some were of him battling the Autobots; others were of him and Solarflare patrolling the skies of Cybertron before the War. The images continued to alternate between violent battles and serene moments—screams of the dying mixing with the melodical laughs of his sibling. Growling lowly, he shoved the tortuous images to the back of his processor and constructed a firewall to prevent access. Thankfully Skywarp chose the same moment to strike up a conversation. The blue Seeker gratefully accepted the distraction.

"So tell me again why we can't turn that mobile scrapheap into slag?" he asked, an almost pleading tone seeping into his vocal processor.

"I've already told you. Screamer wants the Autobots to give the human medical attention. They can't very well do that unless we let her get there, now can they?" Thundercracker replied patiently.

"So what? Screamer fixed her when you first brought her to the base. What makes this situation different?"

"A good bit, Warp. The S7 humans tortured her pretty extensively. Believe me when I say I felt every bit of it," the navy jet growled causing his thrusters to rumble like thunder involuntarily.

Skywarp harrumphed his concurrence but said nothing more on the topic. For a long while they flew in silence, keeping a silent vigil over the lone Autobot like two hawks stalking a rabbit. Each was primed for battle; the slightest hint that anything was out of place and the heavens would rain fire. But as the miles dragged by, not so much as a blip on their scanners indicated anything with hostile intent. Finally, Skywarp broke the silence once more, but when he spoke, his question took Thundercracker totally by surprise.

"TC?"

What Skywarp?"

"What exactly happened to your sister?"

Thundercracker nearly stalled his engines at the suddenness of the question. It was totally unexpected, yet deep down Thundercracker had expected it to surface sooner or later. Skywarp wasn't present during those painful events that changed his life forever. Of all the mechs that should know, Skywarp should be one of the precious few, but that didn't make drudging up old memories any less agonizing.

"It's a long story, Skywarp," the older mech finally replied, trying to evade the question. But Skywarp was having none of it.

"Like we have anything better to do?" Skywarp snorted through his intakes.

"I don't want to discuss it, Skywarp."

"Why not, TC?" Skywarp goaded, "Afraid?"

That caught the blue Seeker's attention. "Warp, there are some things in this life that are not meant to be dug up once they've been buried. Now, unless you have a sick desire to join Dezba in the Autobot's med bay, I suggest you drop the subject."

Skywarp ignored the warning as easily as passing through a cumulus cloud. "You two must have been close, huh?" he prodded.

For the longest time, Thundercracker didn't reply. Skywarp really had no idea. Actually, none of the other Cons with the exception of Starscream had an idea. That one reason alone was why Thundercracker obeyed Starscream, normally without objection. He knew the truth. Blackmail was a powerful persuasion to do what one was told. But Thundercracker was beginning to tire of being under its influence. Thousands of vorns had slowly dulled the razor-raw emotions that at one time would have put him at the risk of losing his life or having it taken. Plus, it wasn't as if he could return to that life anyway; he was a Con now, for better or for worse. Since Skywarp joined the Decepticons after those tumultuous events, the teleport did not know of his past. Now, Skywarp wasn't ignorant; the younger Seeker had known that his indigo counterpart carried a very guarded, dark history. Despite that, the two flyers had developed a comradery that transcended most of the "friendships" in the Decepticon ranks. In battle, few other soldiers could compare to their precision, teamwork and lethalness. In fact, Thundercracker had only ever worked smoothly in tandem with one other. Perhaps it was time.

After a prolonged silence, he answered Skywarp's question. "Yes, Warp, we were. Her name was Solarflare."

"Wait one nanoclick. Solarflare was your sister!?" he asked, surprise edging his voice.

Thundercracker grunted his affirmative. "Before the War began we were members of the Cybertronian Elite Aerial Guard and we were the best Vos had to offer."

"I knew that Solarflare was a Guardsmember, but I didn't know you were too. And you said you were from Vos? Isn't that where Screamer is from?"

"Yes. We all knew each other then too, but on a name-only basis. Things have changed drastically since then," Thundercracker conceded.

"So what happened?"

"The War happened. Sides were picked and battles were fought."

"That's not what I meant!" Skywarp snapped. "What happened to Solarflare and for that matter you? I never heard your name mentioned in the Guard and I know I'm not the smartest mech around, but I've always thought it kind of strange that the Guard's best flier would suddenly crash in a training accident, especially one caused by her own partner."

"It was no accident! Of that I can assure you!" Thundercracker growled bitterly.

"Why's that?" Skywarp asked. Now something definitely wasn't adding up. TC had said he was in the Elite Air Guard, but Skywarp had not once seen his name associated with anything having to do with the Guard. Was TC lying? Or did this thing go deeper than what the Council had told the populace those many vorns ago? As he thought these questions over, Thundercracker's voice wrecked his train of thought.

"Because I was her partner!"

Before Skywarp could ask any more questions, or for that matter recover from the surprise of this new development, the Autobot base came into view. Even from this distance, the two Seekers could see all the Autobots standing outside waiting, weapons drawn and pointed skyward. To make matters worse, Starscream's voice cut across both of their com links.

"Thundercracker, Skywarp! I am enroute to your position. Continue to the Autobot base and stand-by for further instructions. Do not engage the Autobots. Starscream out."

"A little late for that," Thundercracker rumbled as he watched the figures of the Autobots grow larger and larger. "Looks like we have a welcoming committee, Warp."

"Well, I sure as slag don't want to turn tail and run!" Skywarp asked. He forced himself to temporarily forget TC's revelation and concentrate on the problem at hand. But their conversation was far from finished, of that he would make sure.

"As long as the girl is in the crossfire, they won't do anything rash," The blue Seeker replied. "And neither will we. Land a few hundred meters away from them and don't make any moves that would be construed as hostile."

"Huh, this coming from the mech who only yesterday wanted to turn their medic into a garbage compactor," Skywarp snorted derisively.

Thundercracker ignored the barb, true though it was. Together the two Decepticons transformed and landed gracefully in front of the Autobots, a large cloud of dust and grit surrounding their feet. Both stood tall and proud, their dark colored wings catching the desert sunlight and reflecting it back brightly. Standing like two metal statues, the Cons waited for the Autobots to make the first move; they didn't need to wait long.

The tall red and blue-flamed leader of the Autobots took two steps forward and asked in a commanding voice, "State your business here, Decepticons."


The Autobots watched their enemies warily, each and every one of their weapons humming a lethal song. Just because their last meeting did not end in violence did not mean that this one would follow suit, especially now that they had the girl.

Thundercracker and Skywarp exchanged looks before the dark blue mech spoke out loudly, "Starscream seeks to hold a council with you, Optimus Prime."

Prime seemed to mull the information over; he stroked his chin with a great, blue hand before replying. "That may be well, but why are you here, Thundercracker?" Optimus countered.

Thundercracker shifted ever so slightly, the only indication of his discomfort. His optics brightened to a brilliant ruby before dimming down to a glowering russet. "I wanted to ensure that the girl made it safely to your base." His optics rested briefly on the Camero before returning to Optimus.

"Liar!" Ironhide shouted, taking two steps to be even with Optimus. "We know you want the girl, Decepticon, and will do anything necessary to get her back!"

"Enough, Ironhide!" Optimus commanded, barring the black mech from further progression with his forearm.

"If I wanted to take the human, Skywarp and I would have trashed that rolling scrap pile long before we got here!" Thundercracker retorted angrily, taking a step forward while simultaneously balling his fists.

"His point is valid, Ironhide," Ratchet said. "If these two were going to take her back to Starscream, they would have done so already. Now can we please end this discussion so I can see to the girl? She certainly isn't getting any better whilst we stand here arguing!"

Optimus looked at Thundercracker who in turn gave a curt nod to the Autobot leader. "Do what you must, Ratchet," Optimus replied.

"Sam, Mikaela, I will need your assistance," Ratchet called out towards the base. Two tiny figures looked hesitantly from the large open door. One appeared very reluctant to leave the base's relative safety. Finally, Mikaela gave Sam a shove, thus making the boy's mind up for him. She ran over next to the yellow car and quickly opened the door. While she was doing this, here bright blue eyes never left the two Seekers for more than a few seconds.

The tension in the air was nearly palpable. Thundercracker tentatively reached out mentally to Dezba's mind. Her unconsciousness had prevented any contact during the trip from Denver, but he felt her presence beginning to stir ever so slightly as she was helped from the car. She was slowly waking up.

Dezba, can you hear me?

Thundercracker? Is that you?

Yes. I am here, he replied, taking a small step forward as he watched her body exit the car. Sam and Mikaela were supporting her between them, one bloody arm stretched behind each of their necks. They each had wrapped one of their arms around Dezba's waist to help support her weight. At the touch of his gentle, mental probing, her head seemed to perk a little. She was weak, very, very weak, but even in her decrepit condition, she tried to shove Sam and Mikaela away.

Who are these people? What's going on? Where are you!? She asked, each question becoming more frantic than the last. Did Sector Seven still have her? Where was that creep who shot Miller? And where did all the blue lights come from? She struggled to catch her bearings and to find Thundercracker among the large, dark blobs that constituted her vision. She vaguely heard two youthful voices try to comfort her, but at this point in time her panicked mind would only find solitude in one being.

The blue Seeker felt her mind beginning to panic, he began to reassure her while slowly stepping forward. But Ironhide had an objection.

"That's far enough, Deceptiscum!" he snarled, cannons humming madly and pointed straight at Thundercracker's chest.

"The girl needs to see me!" Thundercracker growled, raising his fists once more. He had already let Starscream come between him and Dezba, not to mention S7; he would not let some fool of an Autobot stop him now.

"I don't know a human yet that wants to go willingly with a Con! And I don't know what kind of fraggin' trick you're trying to pull, but it stops here!"

"Watch it, Autobot! You mess with one of us, you mess with both!" Skywarp interjected, "And I've always wanted a shot at knockin' you down a peg or two!" Gearing and wires smoothly moved about to reveal two large cannons on either forearm; both were glowing with a deadly rosy light.

"Ironhide! I said 'STAND DOWN'!" Optimus repeated forcefully. His voice left no room for misinterpretation. "Any further insubordination will result in consequences, am I clear?"

"But Optimus…!"

"Am I clear?" Optimus repeated softly.

"Crystal, Optimus," Ironhide said grudgingly while glaring daggers at the two Seekers.

During this time, Dezba's struggles were growing more and more frenetic as she fought against Sam and Mikaela. "Uh, Ratchet? We have your patient, but I think she's a little psyched right now," Sam said while struggling to keep his grip on Dezba.

"Here I will take her," Ratchet said softly, reaching down to scoop the girl up in a large yellow hand. No sooner had the words left his processor then Dezba completely lost all composure.

"NOOOOOO! YOU WON'T TAKE ME AGAIN! THUNDERCRACKER, HELP ME PLEASE!" she wailed. As if Ratchet's words were a source of power, she yanked free from Sam and Mikaela both, stumbling away as fast as her injured body would let her.

Thundercracker felt his spark rend, as he heard the desperation, fear, and anger coalesce in her voice. He could feel every emotion running rampant through her brain. He could feel her panic as she tried to stumble away from the unfamiliar masses surrounding her. But her cries…Dezba sounded identical to Solarflare in her last hours.

Flashback…

"Thundercracker, help me, PLEASE!"

"NO! Let her go Megatron!"

"Oh, I think not, Thundercracker!"

End Flashback…

With a feral growl the blue Seeker stepped up to Ironhide and then roughly shoved the black mech aside as easily as a person parts tall grass.

Ironhide roared in rage and despite Optimus' warning began to raise his cannons at the Seeker's back. He felt a strong pressure on his forearm and looked over to see that Prime had clamped a hand onto his cannon and was forcing his arm down. "Now is not the place, nor the time, my friend. Let us wait and see what happens." Optimus looked over at Skywarp who also had his arm cannons raised, but was slowly beginning to lower them. Had Ironhide fired a shot, Optimus had no doubt that both he and Hide would be the first injured on this unnecessary battlefield. Skywarp rarely, if ever, missed.

All the Autobots, Sam and Mikaela included, watched in stunned silence as the Con and the girl came together. Thundercracker crouched down before her and extended a large, clawed hand to the young woman. Dezba, now sobbing, fell short of his hand but grasped onto one of his fingers as if her very life depended on it. Hot tears spilled from her eyes and onto the dark, blue-black metal as she cried from both relief and pain. As gently as possible, he scooped her up into his palm and then held her close to his chest. He cupped his hand over her shivering body and brought her up to the metal plating that protected his spark chamber, just above his canopy, allowing his spark's warmth to ease the girl's chills. Mentally, he soothed her as a parent reassures a frightened child; he pushed his own consciousness into her mind and tried to relax the tensions and pain coursing through her thoughts. Slowly, his efforts began to show. Her mind reached out to his own and began to slow from its rampaging panic attack. Her shivering began to subside and her sobs eased into steady breathing. She tried to huddle closer to his chest, savoring the warmth that his spark brought to her ravaged body.

"I thought I would never see you again," she whispered hoarsely. "I've lost everyone I ever knew and I feared I had lost you too."

It'll take more than a few pathetic squishies to keep me from you, he reassured her. Now, you need medical attention and there are those here who wish to help you.

"Who are they?"

"They are Autobots," he replied out loud. "They will give you care that we cannot."

"Autobots? But aren't….aren't they the guys you've…been fighting with?"

"Yes, they are, but things have changed slightly since your capture by Sector Seven," he said, looking up to see every optic focused on him. He raised his helm high and returned their stares defiantly. "Do you now believe that I mean the human no harm?" he said addressing the Autobots. He turned around to face Optimus, a granite-like glint in his optics. "I will explain our connection to you, and you alone, provided that I am allowed to be with the girl from here on out."

Optimus nodded his head in agreement. "It is quite clear to me that she is deeply attached to you, Thundercracker. As long as we agree to a temporary cease-fire, I have no objection to your request."

"A cease-fire it is."

"Well come on then! Let's get this girl fixed up; I haven't got all night!" Ratchet groused, turning to enter the base. Thundercracker hesitated ever so slightly before following the neon yellow Hummer. He was about to enter the Autobot base; he was about to be surrounded by mechs that he at one time had known closely, but now they regarded him as an enemy. It was a very disconcerting feeling, but for Dezba's sake, he quashed those doubts and strode forward confidently. During his brief conversation with Prime, Dezba had fallen asleep in his hand, her breaths even and steady. He tightened his fingers protectively around her; he was all she had now. Primus had seen fit to give him another chance to be a guardian, human though she was, but it was a chance that Thundercracker now deeply appreciated.


Thundercracker paced back and forth irritably as he watched Ratchet's hologram gingerly work on Dezba's various wounds. They were severe, numerous and painful. Of all the injuries for the human body to sustain, burns were one of the worst. As many as thirty torch burns dotted the girl's upper chest and stomach; the ugly black and red spots glared viciously under the bright lights of the med bay. Even a person with a strong constitution would be forced to look away, if not for the sight, then for the sickly smell of burnt flesh. Dezba's burns weren't the only injuries either. Sure enough, she had re-fractured her arm and two ribs. Large black and purple contusions blotched both arms and covered her right cheek. Blood matted her raven hair and dirt and filth made what remained of her clothing nearly indistinguishable. It truly was a miracle she had withstood the torture that Miller had given her and in truth, had not the blue Seeker intervened when he had, she would have been very close to opening death's door.

Once in the med bay, Ratchet had gently taken the girl from Thundercracker's reluctant hand and gave her a sleep-inducing inoculation. For the past three hours, the meticulous medic cleaned, stitched, and bandaged the many wounds, using his human hologram to speed the work. With a long-suffering sigh, the dark brown-haired doctor turned to face the agitated jet.

"You realize that if you wear a hole in my floor, you're going to be the one to fix it," he said, his cerulean eyes carrying just a spark of humor and warning.

The navy-colored Seeker only grunted in response. Autobot humor was the last thing he wanted to deal with at this time. However, the warning wasn't overlooked and he forced himself to remain standing, red optics glowering.

"I'm going to need your assistance, Thundercracker," Ratchet said suddenly.

"Why?"

"Well, unless you haven't noticed, you and I are the only ones in here at the moment, and I'm going to need a little help wrapping this girl's chest supports. Now, do you or do you not have a holographic matter projector?"

Thundercracker's optics darkened to a bloody crimson. Of course he had a holographic matter projector! Every Decepticon did, but he was loathe to use it. To use his human hologram was degrading and humiliating; he was above such ground-hugging filth! His optics focused back onto Dezba's unconscious form. It is to help her, he rationalized with himself.

"Well?" Ratchet said expectantly, an impatient look creasing his normally placid features.

Thundercracker growled softly before his optics darkened altogether and his metallic body slumped benignly against the wall. On the other side of the table, the air shimmered with heat-wave-like ripples before slowly materializing into a human-shaped form. Ratchet raised a dark eyebrow as he regarded Thundercracker's holoform.

The being before the medic was a powerfully tall and muscularly-built man. By human standards, the blue Seeker had to have stood right at 6'8 or 6'9". His hair was as black as coal; a few unruly locks hung over deep, wine-red eyes. Broad cheek bones and a sharp nose and chin complemented his facial features and large, powerful muscles stretched the fabric of a navy-blue T-shirt. What skin that did show was as pale white as the first winter snow. To finish off his holographic image, Thundercracker wore a pair of faded blue jeans and black combat boots. Overall, the Decepticon exuded an air of quiet danger and sleeping hostility, just waiting for the right moment to ignite.

"What do you want me to do?" Thundercracker growled in his deep, baritone voice.

"I need you to prop her up and support her while I run the bandage around her rib cage," Ratchet replied, taking a crisp, white roll of bandages from the supply tray.

Thundercracker nodded his understanding and then as gently as possible slipped one broad hand under Dezba's back. He lifted her up into a sitting position and placed his other hand over her clavicle in order to steady her. Once she was stable, Ratchet began wrapping the bandage around her chest.

For the first time since meeting the human, he marveled at just how delicate she really was. In fact it deeply puzzled him how a creature this fragile could have withstood so much brutality in the past solar cycle. How was it possible? He abhorred his human form, despised it's weaknesses and organic shortcomings, namely the lack of flight, yet here was Dezba, living proof of just what a human was capable of withstanding, both physically and mentally. His black brows creased together as he pondered this seemingly paradoxical relationship. Irritably he shook his head to clear his thoughts, black hair falling loosely against his scalp.

"Something wrong, Thundercracker?" Ratchet asked innocently while still continuing to wrap the bandages.

"Nothing's wrong, Autobot," he snapped a little too hastily.

Ratchet merely quirked an eyebrow, but didn't call the Seeker's bluff. It was better to let him "stew in his own juices" as Sam liked to say when Ironhide became ill-tempered. But there was one thing that had been tickling Ratchet's processor since the Decepticon's arrival. He decided to broach the subject.

"It's good to see that you haven't abandoned all your morals, Thundercracker," he said off-handly, not even removing his eyes from the job at hand.

The man across from him jerked his head up as if he had been slapped; blazing crimson irises boring into the medic. "What's that suppose to mean!?" he spat venomously.

"Not every Autobot has forgotten what you once stood for," Ratchet replied, returning Thundercracker's heated gaze with his own. They stared at each other long and hard, cool ocean-blue eyes meeting fiery, cherry red ones. After a full minute of intense staring, Thundercracker finally broke and jerked his head away, black hair shielding his face. He closed his eyes tightly and tried to ignore the well of emotions threatening to explode from his spark. Ratchet continued on with his work, a tiny smirk pulling at the corners of his lips; he had gotten to the Seeker. Perhaps he wasn't as lost as they said he was; the young girl before him proved it.

"Done. Lay her down nice and easy," he said after a prolonged silence.

As Thundercracker eased Dezba's body back onto the table, the door of the med bay hissed open to reveal the Autobot leader. Instantly the hologram disappeared and Thundercracker's optics brightened to a flaming red as he reanimated his metal body. It felt good to be back in his root form; unconsciously, he stretched his wings, the red-striped tips nearly touching the ceiling.

"How is she doing, Ratchet?" Optimus asked as he stepped through the doors and approached the med table.

The doctor's hologram flickered once, before disappearing completely. Across the room leaning against the far wall, Optimus watched as his friend on-lined and reacquainted himself with his larger form. "She's doing well, Optimus, much better than I thought she would at this point. The child's got a warrior's spirit. I've put her into a drug-induced sleep so that she wouldn't feel any more pain while I attended to her injuries. She should wake in a few hours."

"That's good to hear," Optimus replied. He then turned and looked at Thundercracker. "Now that Ms. Collins seems to be in good condition, would you like to explain to me how the two of you met?"

The question was innocent enough, but the blue Seeker knew exactly what Prime was asking—an explanation. His processor was still reeling from Ratchet's earlier comments; Primus why did Autobots have to be so fragging difficult!? He shifted his optics warily to the medic.

"If you're worried about me repeating anything you and Optimus discuss, don't be. I am a medical officer after all, and I have yet to violate any of my patient's confidentiality," Ratchet said smoothly, catching Thundercracker's objection before he could even voice it.

"You have our word that anything we discuss, stays in this room unless you deem otherwise or it becomes a threat to my soldiers," Optimus added, understanding filling his blue optics.

Thundercracker's optics darkened as he mulled over what the Autobots' had said. He had known Optimus and Ratchet both for millennia and he had yet to know of either of them breaking their word, enemies or not. It was still a very touchy subject for him to reveal this strange phenomenon between himself and the human; so far revelation had caused him nothing but trouble, but from out of the muddle of indecision, one fact remained crystal clear—this connection could not remain a secret for long. It would be better to let Prime know now what he was getting into, than to wait for Starscream to arrive and announce it to the world. At least this way, he had some face time to sway Prime in his favor without the influence of the other Autobots, namely Ironhide.

"Very well," he finally conceded. "I first met this girl deep in the area of what the humans refer to as the Mojave Desert…" and so he related the tale of their meeting, the strange connection that they shared, as well as the tumultuous events with Soundwave, up to Skywarp's defeat and her capture by Sector Seven. When he was finished a veiled silence filled the bay, the only sound being Dezba's steady breaths as she slept on the table.

"I now understand why you two are so close. As far as I know, this type of connection is unprecedented for our race," Optimus murmured.

"I must admit I've never heard of it before either. To my knowledge, the only mental connections between Cybertronians that are shared to this degree, are between the telepaths and their cassettes, such as Soundwave or Blaster."

"Well, that is as much as I can tell you, Autobots," Thundercracker rumbled, crossing his massive arms over his canopy. Restlessness was seeping in once again. He looked quickly over at the table and watched the gentle rise and fall of the girl's breaths.

"We have much to discuss when Starscream arrives. For now, I'm going to take my leave of you. You're welcome to walk around the base if that is your desire. I believe Skywarp is outside waiting for Starscream's arrival," Prime said, turning to approach the doors.

"I would prefer to remain here."

"Very well," Optimus replied, "Someone will notify you when your leader arrives." He gave Thundercracker a respectful nod then disappeared out the doors.

"If you need anything, the rec room is down the hallway, the first door on your right. You'll find energon supplies in there," Ratchet offered, preparing to leave also. He really didn't like the idea of leaving a Decepticon in his med bay unattended, but he did not want a repeat of the girl's reactions if she should wake in the med bay alone or with an unfamiliar mech. His other option, staying in the med bay with them, would only serve to aggravate the blue jet further than he already was. The tension was tight enough already.

Thundercracker merely nodded and patiently waited for Ratchet to leave.

"You do realize that your connection will be discovered sooner or later," Ratchet said just before leaving. He paused to listen to Thundercracker's reply.

"I realize that, but I wanted Prime to be aware of our situation before the meeting takes place."

"A wise move on your part." He gave Thundercracker one last, studious look before exiting the med bay.

Thundercracker waited until the doors hissed closed and then slowly walked over to Dezba's table. He watched her sleep for several long minutes, slowly replaying the past few breem's events. He dreaded the meeting, but knew it was necessary. He would be prepared for the onslaught of outrage from both sides; after all, he had walked down that pathway once before and here he was, still functional. Reaching a hand down and as gently as possible, he cradled Dezba's sleeping form in his palm and walked to the far end of the med bay. He sat against the wall and eased himself into a comfortable position, pistons and gears clicking softly with the movement. A long sigh escaped his through his intakes as he prepared to get some well-needed rest. He placed his hands against his canopy and checked one last time to ensure that Dezba was safely nestled in his palm. He wanted to be present when she woke and this was the best way he knew. For some strange reason, he did not want her to leave his sight. Over the past several solar cycles, every time she did, something bad would occur, resulting in one or the other encountering intense pain. Well, he'd put a stop to that!

Slowly, one by one, he powered down his systems, leaving only his short-range motion detectors at full power in case anyone got any ideas to sneak up on him. He doubted that any of the Autobots would be foolish enough to do so, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Finally, after several long minutes, his optics dimmed and then darkened completely as girl and Decepticon slept peacefully for the first time in days.