AN: … So this was an awkward, annoying chapter. Hence why I've been stuck with it for about nine months (has it really been that long?). Anyway I should be moving more quickly with the updates from now on, as large chunks of the later chapters have already been written. The end is in sight ^.^

Sunstreaker had never hoped to feel this numbness again. He'd felt it twice already, once in Prowl's office when he'd been told what had happened to Sideswipe and once long ago, back on Cybertron.

It was the feeling of the world slipping away beneath his feet ad he was falling, falling into the abyss again. The Seekers had long since gone, message delivered, Autobot mentally destroyed.

Job done. Now Sunstreaker had to pick up the pieces of his life again.

At least Sideswipe wasn't dead or seriously harmed. That was a positive. It was the only positive about the situation among a sea of negatives.

What really grated though was that he didn't know the exact state Sideswipe was in. His brother was simply too far away for Sunstreaker to feel whether Sideswipe was awake or being kept in stasis. It made it impossible to figure out what his brother would think of Sunstreaker's decision to give in to Megatron's demands.

Well he wouldn't be happy that was for sure.

And give in to the "deal" he would. There was no way out that Sunstreaker could see- alerting Autobot command wouldn't do any good, as rescuing Sideswipe alive would be nigh on impossible.

Slowly Sunstreaker's dejected form transformed and with his bodywork sunk low on his tires he started the long drive home.

Jazz was worried.

He wasn't about to show the entire Ark that he was, but anyone looking closely enough past his normal jovial expression would be able to tell that whatever Jazz's inscrutable mind was on, it wasn't on music or any other subject Jazz usually delighted in.

The mental alarms had started ringing soon after Sunstreaker had come back from his apparently fruitless search for Sideswipe. Sunstreaker had brushed off most of their questions with grunts and the heavy brooding air that had settled over him had made it hard for most 'bots to approach him. Normally when Sideswipe pulled a disappearing act (usually after an ill-thought out prank) Sunstreaker would rage on about it because, somehow, Sunstreaker always shared some sort of punishment for his brother's actions. Of course the situation was already different because of Sideswipe's debilitating injury, but you would think that that would make Sunstreaker more eager to find his twin before the latter got himself hurt (and wasn't that an odd thought- Sideswipe getting himself hurt instead of someone else).

It just didn't add up. And when things didn't add up and the only way to find out the truth was a mass of speculation, then who was better to put on the case than Jazz?

First things first, time to get the lowdown from the bot in question himself.

Jazz found him slumped over in the common room, glaring at one of their many orange walls. Everyone seemed to be avoiding him, seeing as Sunstreaker was obviously in a less than stellar mood.

"Heya Sunstreaker," Jazz said jovially.

Sunstreaker ignored him.

Since that wasn't too unusual though, Jazz continued.

"So how's ol' Sideswipe. He being stubborn about returnin' or something?"

And Sunstreaker was still ignoring him. It was as if he didn't know Jazz existed.

For a moment the Jazzmeister faltered. Most bots knew better than to ignore him and most Autobots didn't even bother trying anymore. Even the more belligerent ones like Sunstreaker. And especially since Sideswipe's accident Sunstreaker had been a lot less picky about seeking help and talking to others. So why would he revert back to silence now?

That left two options then, why Sunstreaker wasn't talking: either Sideswipe was fine (which wasn't really an option with his condition), or something even fouler was afoot than Jazz had initially expected.

The alarms were ringing really loud now and he was tempted to haul Sunstreaker to a private officer's meeting where he, Prowl and Red Alert could try and get to the bottom of this. It probably wouldn't do much good though, Sunstreaker was not a happy camper when it came to official meetings, or official business of any kind.

Jazz decided he'd try one last time before hauling out the big guns.

"Seriously now Sunny, aren't you going to let me help you annoy your brother back into the medbay? Let's go get him!"

This time Sunstreaker turned his glare on Jazz instead of the wall.

"Leave me alone", he grunted out, before standing up and stomping past Jazz to the exit, leaving the latter standing somewhat bewilderedly alone.

Sunstreaker 1, Jazz 0. That didn't mean he was going to give up until he figured out what was going on with the twins.

Sunstreaker strode as angrily as he could down the hall in the wake of Jazz's questions.

The screen of anger was hard to sustain with fear and dread clouding his spark. For the first time in his life Sunstreaker desperately wanted to talk to someone and he couldn't because that would jeopardise his brother's life.

More than anything else he wanted to talk to Sideswipe. This was about their home, their allegiance, their lives after all and he needed his brother to be there.

He hoped Jazz hadn't seen through his anger. Knowing the skillset of the saboteur, however, it was likely that Jazz would soon figure out at least something. His questioning proved he already suspected something was up, now all he needed to do would be to confine Sunstreaker and question him further in a proper briefing.

If it came to that Sunstreaker knew he would break. He'd tell them everything and Sideswipe would suffer for it. The Seekers had said as much.

How close was it to "tomorrow"? If he drove off now, he might get to the rendezvous point past midnight. The purple idiot had said they'd be ready for him, so why not escape before it was too late and the whole thing was blown?

Still striding through the ark, Sunstreaker veered towards the exit. He tried to make it look as if he was storming off in a sulk, rather than fleeing to his new, forced, allegiance.

The deception held and he transformed upon exiting the Ark.

He didn't look back.

Hope everyone has enjoyed this chapter and not to worry, I really won't leave you guys hanging so long again!

Eli