A/N: FREAKING SQUEE dude! I got 12 reviews for that last chapter, and baby am I feeling the love! Thank you all so much. This chapter will be a little shorter than the other ones, but the next chapter I promise I will make thick with plot and fluff and angst.

You all know I do not in any way own Transformers.

Turning Point – Chapter 6

Blaster and Soundwave stood on the top of the volcano for the rest of the day, simply watching everything.

Soundwave felt a little guilty at one point, saying that they should go down so Blaster could tend to his duties, but Blaster stamped the protest down, saying that Soundwave was more important at the moment and Optimus had given him full clearance. While a little of the guilt hadn't receded, Soundwave had to admit he had been glad.

Because he had finally gotten to see his first real sunset, and to savour it.

It held a symbolic meaning for him. The sunset, the close, on his life as a Decepticon, and the close on how Megatron would not touch him or his cassettes ever again. It bolstered him with a new strength, and it gave him the courage to try and sort things out – to work through this…violation.

He had told Blaster so as the sunset completed, and his friend was thrilled.

However, even the telepathic reaches of Soundwave could not have predicted the event that was to happen.

The split sparks walked down the side of the volcano in an amiable silence before entering the Ark.

They were heading down the hallway to Blaster's quarters, when suddenly a bot yelled loudly behind them.

"DECEPTICON! ATTACK!"

Both mechs span around, meeting the huge gun of Cliffjumper and the slightly smaller ones of Gears and Huffer. Blaster made to run as the guns fired, but noticed Soundwave had frozen. Making a split second decision, he leaped at the visored mech, tackling him to the ground, a shot scorching his lower back plating and tearing through the top part of his armour. He winced, but did not cry out. He span them around so that his back was to the minibots, effectively shielding Soundwave from any shots.

"Blaster! What are you doing? TRAITOR!" Cliffjumper yelled, and Blaster heard as footsteps moved forward. He would have turned and fought back, but Soundwave was shaking violently, so much so that the tremors were translating into Blaster's frame.

And then another pair of footsteps, but only this time they were running.

"Guns down mechs! Ah said, down!"

Blaster sighed in relief. That was Jazz, and surely Prime would have told his top to officers by now. He muttered in his friends audial, "Wave? Talk to me, say something…come on, Main Machine."

But Soundwave didn't speak. Only trembled slightly less.

"Oi! Jazz, why? He's a CON! He's probably come to murder us in our berths!" Huffer joined in, Cliffjumper grunting his agreement to that statement.

Jazz glared at the three minibots. Just when he had been trying to find them to tell them about the enemies on base – not why there were here, however – they already got themselves deep in slag. Jazz cursed himself for his stupidity. He could have told the minibots first before anyone else, especially these three.

"Cos, Prime's given 'em amnesty. And Soundwave has defected and is stayin' with Blaster. It's an order by Prime to treat Soundwave an' his cassettes, and Starscream and his trine like you would any Autobot or Neutral," Jazz said, crossing his arms.

"That's slag!"

"They'll kill us all!"

"No good dirty Con!"

Soundwave flinched. They'd said it…he was dirty. He was dirty…was his shame so obvious, were the stains still there? The sunset and the promise he'd made to himself to overcome this seemed a million years ago in the face of the attack. He felt Blaster's arms tighten around him, trying to provide him with comfort, but still he shook and wanted to scream. Scream out his rage, to scream out his weakness, his despair.

"Shut it! Ah don't wanna hear it, and if ya harass them, Ah'll do more damage to ya than any Con will. Now move soldiers! That's an order!" Jazz barked. He knew that those comments could do the most damaged to a bot's mentality when they had been through such an event.

Although the minibots grumbled, they walked off.

"Thanks mech," Blaster called over his shoulder.

Jazz gave him a grim smile and made to walk over. "Ya need help, Blast?"

Blaster shook his helm. "Nah, I'll be cool. I'll get him to calm down and we'll go back to our quarters. But…where are you gonna be in the next two hours?"

"Er, rec-room. Ah'll see ya there then," Jazz said, swiftly leaving to give both cassette players some privacy.

Soundwave heard the spoken words as if through a fogged night and most of the talkers were far away. It was also muffled, like he had cotton wool stuffed in his audials. Which Frenzy and Rumble had did once. It took all his will to concentrate on the arms around him, but he couldn't help the fear. The shots fired reminded him of Megatron's fusion cannon, and he feared for his cassettes. Again, weakness came back to him, because here he was, shaking on the floor, and he was not checking up on them. He frantically reached through their bonds, and was relieved to have them assured them that they were ok and playing tug of war with Blaster's cassettes.

Meanwhile, Blaster swore inwardly. Just when they had taken two little steps forward, they had taken a big step back again. But he would never give up on Soundwave until he healed all the fractures in that hurt spark.

"Come on Soundwave, they are gone now. Let's go home…hmm?" Blaster asked carefully.

Home.

The concept was slightly foreign to the telepath. Cybertron was the only place he had really felt home for all these years. The Nemesis never was. He found it somewhat funny that the sense of 'home' made him think immediately of Blaster's quarters.

Was that what happened when you felt safe? When wherever you felt safe, secure…and dare he say wanted imprinted on you that you felt like it was home?

Whatever it was, he took several deep intakes, opening up his mask which had snapped close when the first shot had fired, and wriggling. "I want to get up and go home," he whispered hoarsely.

Blaster disentangled his arms around the other mech (oh how it had felt wonderful, for a moment, to imagine what it would be like to wake up like that) and stood, helping Soundwave up as well.

"You are injured," Soundwave stated, gesturing towards his back.

Blaster turned around, noticing the scorched plating and the slight bit of energon before shrugging it off. He'd had worse. "I'll be fine. I'll go get it fixed when you are resting. Ok? Let's go home." Blaster jerked his helm towards the next hallway encouragingly. He felt angry, there was no doubt, but that could wait.

Soundwave moved forward when Blaster did and they hurried back to Blaster's quarters just in case of another incident.

When they entered, Soundwave immediately let out a spark call for his creations, kneeling down and enveloping them all into his arms, scared of just how he had feared for them, knowing about Megatron's threat. He nuzzled against them all, feeding their bond with worry and affection and receiving their love and support back. He was so relieved, so thankfully relieved to hold them. Ratbat was especially cuddly, chirring and nosing into his neck. The action made him flinch slightly, but concern overweighed the phantom sensations.

"Dad, you're beginning to squish!" complained Rumble, squirming a little.

Soundwave lessened his hold immediately, giving the lilac twin a little tilt of his helm and a mental caress in apology. He was too overwhelmed in emotions to really tell what he was doing. He bid his creations a good night before getting up and stumbling to his room. He heard Blaster tell his cassettes something before hurrying after him.

He was on the berth when Blaster entered and kneeled in front of him.

"I'm here Soundwave. For whatever. Talking, hugging, singing, whatever. I'll always be there for you," Blaster said firmly.

"You cannot promise that," Soundwave pointed out.

Blaster frowned, and then said, "Ok…so on the chance that I do go to the Well of Sparks, it doesn't mean I'm truly gone. I'll live on in memory…or I'll come back to haunt you." He added that, hoping to make Soundwave at least grin a little.

Soundwave did manage a watery smile, before he sighed, rocking back and forth slightly.

"But I mean it. You're going through something that most bots don't. And it's understandable you feel like a victim. But you've already taken a key step forward in becoming a survivor."

Soundwave canted his helm to the side in confusion. "What?" he asked.

"You asked for help. And you are letting me in. I'm going to continue to help you out, and do whatever you feel needs to be done so that you feel safe. OK? And ignore the mini's. I felt you stiffen when they said dirty," Blaster growled the word, seeing Soundwave listen attentively. "Don't believe 'em. You are not dirty. You are just hurting, and that's a difference. Can you promise me something?"

Soundwave inclined his helm slightly.

"I know it's going to be hard. Don't blame yourself. Don't blame yourself for getting raped, and don't blame yourself that I got hurt. I can see it in your visor," Blaster said gently, taking Soundwave's hands and squeezing them, anchoring the melancholy mech.

"I will try, Blaster," Soundwave choked out at least. Emotions, so long forgotten, were overwhelming him, almost suffocating him, and it had been almost painful to get the words out.

The red mech gave him an encouraging smile. "That's all I ask. Now…what can I do for ya? Right now."

Soundwave thought it over. What did he really want? The answer came to him and he replied softly, "Could you please sing me into recharge? And stay?"

Blaster frowned slightly, "Well, I'll sing you into recharge, but I'll have to go to the med-bay after that. Are you sure you want me to stay and recharge next to you? I don't want to push you."

Soundwave stayed silent, and Blaster could almost hear his processor tick over in thought.

Finally, Soundwave nodded firmly.

"I need you here. Just in case," the navy mech admitted a little bashfully.

Blaster shrugged and sat on the berth next to the other mech, who had now laid down. Taking a hand again, Blaster began to hum the intro to one of the holo-matter keyboard melodies that had been so popular back when they were younger, before beginning to sing softly. The song wove its magic around them both, and Soundwave relaxed, giving Blaster a small smile before cycling down into recharge. Blaster sung a few more bars and then stopped. He stood, settling a blanket over his recharging friend, and exited the room.

The cassettes were waiting for him expectantly.

"He's ok?" asked Ratbat.

Blaster nodded. "For now, but I have to go see someone. Comm. me if he starts to have a flux or if you guys need anything. Got enough energon?" They all nodded at him. He smiled a little wearily at them and said, "Good. Rewind, Eject, can you please pull the mattress out of the couch? I think that will be more comfortable for our guests than the floor."

His twins saluted him and he sent a pulse of thanks over their creator-creation bond and left the room.

The anger was back.

He was out of the medbay, First Aid having done an impeccable job on his back, and he was now a mech on a mission.

His faceplates clouded over with a dark frown as he stalked towards the rec-room. He needed to talk to Jazz. He went through to the rec-room, startling a few bots with his stony and furious expression as he searched and found Jazz. Plunking himself down in a chair, he growled, "What the frag, Jazz?"

Jazz sighed, looking apologetically at his friend.

"Ah should have told 'em first, but Ah was too worried about the Dinobots and tellin' them first that Ah almost forgot the minis. They were the last ones Ah told, and Ah'm sorry Blast-man," Jazz said.

Blaster vented and scrubbed a hand over the back of his helm. He couldn't take this out on Jazz. The mech had spent the day telling every mech that there were enemies who were granted amnesty on base. "How are they all taking it?"

"Well, most of them have been somewhat neutral about it if Ah told them the reason why – oh Ah didn't say 'rape,' Ah said attacked," Jazz assured, seeing Blaster's incredulous look, and the continued. "Some of them are alright with it. The attitude bein' 'whoever is not against us is with us,' so that's a positive. But other's have said they'd watch their actions and then see if the Con's are trustworthy." He snorted, "Not like they'll have it in the front of their processors with what they've been through."

"Tell me about it."

"How is ol' Sounders doin' anyway?" Jazz asked, truly concerned.

Blaster sighed. "It's a little tiring, but I can't and won't give up on him. He's was my best friend, and with him deferring, it hasn't changed. He's still the same mech I met all those years ago. Changed, certainly, but at spark, he's still the good mech I met. He's hurting so much Jazz."

Jazz nodded, wanting Blaster to continue.

"It's not only that his leader betrayed him in the worst possible way…but…" He broke off, looking at Jazz scrutinisingly, before leaning forward and whispering, "I'm not sure if I should tell ya this, but he feels worthless and dirty, and my spark just aches for him. He's also worrying about his creations, and he fears them being hurt. By who, I don't know, Con or Autobot, it doesn't matter. And sometimes what I do…it doesn't feel like enough."

Jazz whistled in sympathy. "That's heavy mech. But Ah think ya're doin' enough."

"What makes you say that?"

"He ain't tried to kill himself yet," the TIC replied grimly, hearing Blaster gasp.

"Primus! I hope not!" Blaster exclaimed, wondering if he should dash back to his quarters right then just to check on the mech he loved. Jazz put a hand on his shoulder, patting him.

"Chill. Ah think ya should talk to Prowl."

The boom box frowned at the saboteur. "Why?" he asked.

Jazz smiled grimly again, and leaned forward like Blaster had done and muttered lowly, "Ya can't tell this to anyone, as it's classified. Only Prowl and Ah can share the info, and Prowl in the thick of it." Blaster raised his optic ridges in surprise, but nodded his helm. Jazz went on, "Prowl would know what it's like to be a victim of assault. Not sexual, mind ya, but assault can take many forms."

"Ya see, his last relationship, and Ah'm talking just after he made lead tactician of the Autobots, back when the war was only startin' to brew, was with this femme. Her name was Cloudburst, and she had a brother called Cloudstrike. Now Prowler thought she was 'the One.' She had been so nice to him, been so attentive, and what mech don't want attention? So Prowler fell hook, line, and sinker. Later, much later, he found out she was only with him for how good he was in the berth and because of his status. Anyways, she started showin' her true colours little bit by little bit. Started callin' him names and humiliatin' him in front of friends and officers, cuttin' him down on his work and his battle computer…and his looks," Jazz gave a mirthless chuckle here. "Oh, how she destroyed him inside about how he looked."

"Wow," breathed Blaster. Jazz really was aware what he was going through. He had obviously had to go through it with Prowl, but a little differently.

"Oh yeah, this was hushed up big time when they found out what was bein' done to Prowl." Jazz paused, seemed to debate something with himself, and then said, "And somethin' drastic happened. Well…two things. I can't tell ya one, that's Prowler's to tell."

"But Cloudstrike was a mean brute. Couldburst had been complainin' to her bro how Prowl had cut her off from his funds, and he attacked Prowl for it…and tried to abuse him in the way that Soundwave and Starscream have been abused, but Prowl fought back and almost killed him. After that, he kinda realised what he had to do and went to Sentinel and Optimus – who was his protégée at the time – and told 'em. They got the Clouds out of Prowl's life, but it wasn't until Ah came along that the pain in his spark was finally able to go away," Jazz finished quietly, a little smile on his face. Blaster deduced he was thinking about Prowl.

"So that's why Prowl avoided you for so long," Blaster stated in wonder.

The black and white nodded. "Yup. But Ah don't regret a minute of time Ah waited for him to come around. He's my all and a part of me."

Blaster smiled fully at Jazz, feeling refreshed and determined. Jazz grinned back. "Thanks Jazz. And I'll get Prowl to talk to me and maybe Soundwave too – and maybe Starscream could do with a visit. Oh you don't know how hopeful you've made me!"

As Blaster left, Jazz sighed. Blaster was wrong. He knew how hopeful Blaster had been. He had been there and knew that in the darkest hours, the supporting mechs needed support too. He could only wish that the red mech found his own happiness as well because of it. A presence came up to him, and he looked up and lost himself within the deep optics of his mate.

"I think that was very classy. The way you did it," Prowl said softly, gently brushing the back of his fingers along Jazz's cheek. Jazz kissed the digits and smiled.

"Anything for ya, love."

Blaster re-entered his quarters for what seemed like the millionth time that day, giving a gentle smile to Soundwave's cassettes who were now in recharge on the pull-out mattress. He went to check on his own cassettes, who were curled around each other in their own recharge on his berth. He pulled his blanket up and tucked it around them. He would have recharged with them, but he knew they understood he needed to be with Soundwave.

Slipping in to the room, the Autobot moved forward onto the berth slowly, watching the other mech for any adverse reaction. Some part of him felt like he was pushing, but Soundwave had wanted him to recharge with him so much. He was relieved when Soundwave did nothing but turn over to curl in toward him, looking for warmth and security.

Putting his arms around the ex-Decepticon was slightly bittersweet. He wished the situation countless times, but not the circumstances.

No, the circumstances he had pictured with Soundwave in his arms had been after a nice, long, hot and steamy consensual interface with them in each other's arms cooling down, and then recharging together.

Blaster pushed the thought away. He couldn't think like that, at least not now.

Wrapping his arms more securely over Soundwave, Blaster finally dropped into recharge, exhausted by the ups and downs of the past day.

A/N: You want updates, I give you updates. :D But then again, I'm not feeling 100% and thus more able to give you a new chapter so quick. I hope you all review! I'm still ecstatic over the 12 I got for the last chapter! I hope you liked this.