Hellooooo! I'm back! Didya miss me! *silence with a grasshopper noise in the background* Ooooookay. Anyway, moving on!
My deepest apologies for this chapter's shortness, and general lateness. I have just started school again and the workload was shoving me down so much that I just didn't feel like writing.
And though I used to write in class, the heat the past few days really made me feel ill combined with the medication I'm on. I was sat in my History lesson in room 160, right above the canteen, in a building that cannot turn the heating off.
I kept drifting into lala land (daydreaming), and then snapping back into reality every five minutes literally saying "Huh, what's going on?" Though the teacher didn't seem all that mad, because I'd finished the work in the first half hour of the two hours of the lesson (it was a double lesson).
I'm a fast worker :)
I managed to get this chapter out though, because I was feeling guilty about leaving you all hanging. Just in case people thought that the fic had ended last chapter, it most definitely hasn't, as you can see. I've got some more stuff stuffed up my sleeve :D
A few of you (especially the one who requested this, you know who you are :D) will probably be very happy, as there is some Optimus/Megatron brotherly bonding in this chapter.
So, enough rambling from me. I hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.
"Megatron! Are you alright?" Optimus yelled at his older brother as the other mech fell to his knees in front of him. He couldn't see his brother's face, as his back was to him, but he had heard the cry of pain as the bullet had hit his chest.
"I'm fine." Megatron growled out, not in a vicious way, but more of a masking pain way.
Optimus spun and shot at another hostile approaching them. He looked out of the corner of his optics at his brother, his concern gnawing at his processor as he watched him struggle to his feet again.
Riots had been springing up all around the city as the civilians became displeased with the way things were being run. The current Prime was trying his best to keep them in line, and Optimus and Megatron, the next Prime and The High Lord Protector, could only do so much.
Their unit desperately held off the enemy to their limit, struggling against the sheer number of them. They just had to hold on a little longer, back-up was on the way. They would help and everything would be fine. He could get his brother to the med-bay, and make sure he was safe.
"Optimus!" He heard Megatron yell. "Look out!"
He spun around in time to see a fist heading towards his face.
"OPTIMUS!"
The red and blue mech started out of his thoughts as he heard Ratchet yell for him.
Everyone looked towards the door, and then the humans held on tightly as the ground shuddered under Optimus as he ran like a bomb was strapped to his aft to the med-bay doors and slammed in, the doors shutting behind him.
"What? What's wrong? Has he gotten worse?"
"Quite the opposite." Ratchet smirked, giving his leader a knowing look. The red and blue mech had been extremely worried despite all that had happened between the brothers.
He looked down at Megatron again and watched as the rusty red eyes flickered open. The eyes looked a little glassy, but at least they were finally open. They roamed around the room in an almost dazed and confused manner before falling on the medic.
"Ratch'?" The hybrid murmured, his eyebrows pulling together. "Wha-?"
"It's okay Megatron. You're back at the Vern base. You're safe and recovering nicely it seems."
"What happened to t-that guy?" The weak voice said. Ratchet looked over at Optimus, who shifted uncomfortably.
"He's dead." The human looked like he wanted to ask more, but his exhaustion took over as he fell back onto the bed, his tired eyes closing as his head throbbed and the world span slowly.
"How are you feeling Matt?" Ratchet asked him. Optimus started at the human name, not used to it at all.
"Fan-fucking-tastic." Matt muttered under his breath, making a smirk come to the medic's face, and a shocked look come to his brother's.
"Sooo...tired, sore throat, head ache, dizzy, throbbing wounds and just a little hungry?"
"...What the hell Ratch'?" A red eye opened to stare at the medic in confusion as to how he managed to know all of that.
"Well, I AM a medic." The hummer glanced over at Optimus, and he took pity on the mech.
"I'll be back soon. I have some things to do. Look after him while I'm gone Optimus." He flickered an optic in an imitation of a wink as he passed his leader, before exiting the room.
He shook his head, hoping that this wouldn't end badly.
The room was silent as the two brothers watched each other. The mech and the human.
"Take a picture. It'll last longer." Megatron said quietly, a hint of sarcastic humour in his voice.
"It may have had to have lasted longer if we were any later."
Matt flinched as the memories started flooding to the front of his mind. He threw up a mental wall, refusing to think about it and cause himself any unnecessary stress.
"If we were just a few minutes later, you could have been de-"
"Optimus..."
"-ad. We could have lost you all because I couldn't find you. I would never ha-"
"Optimus..."
"-ve been able to forgive myself if something terrible had happened. Maggie would have been devastated. Mikaela too. They've become so attached to you lately. And plus the friends you've made. It would have been all my fau-"
"OPTIMUS!" The red and blue mech jumped out of his rambling, staring down at his last living family member, who was now panting slightly from the effort of yelling his name in such a weakened state.
His optics widened as he sat up, covering his mouth with a hand as he started coughing harshly. He stepped forward and carefully rubbing his back in a soothing gesture with one large metal finger, waiting for the fit to pass.
The coughing finally stopped and he was left breathing heavily, Optimus still stroking his back.
It felt strange after his month in captivity, to be touched in a gentle manner. Though it was comforting as his ribs rebelled against his efforts to regain his breath. He winced at the sharp pain, wrapping an arm loosely around his middle.
"Are you alright Megatron?" His brother's deep, rumbling voice said from behind him. He nearly jumped, but restrained himself. He nodded enough for the Autobot to see, the mech then falling silent, his hand now still, but resting on his back.
He hated that every little thing was scaring him out of his skin. Ever tiny, insignificant thing making him shiver in terror.
He rested his head in a hand as his breathing evened out and returned to normal.
"So...what exactly happened to all the people at that base?" He asked.
His eyes narrowed in confusion as his brother suddenly looked ashamed, like he was afraid of what he would think or something.
"Optimus?"
"We killed them. Every last one." Matt paused, his heart threatening to stop for a minute in his moment of shock.
His brother watched his face nervously, searching for any disgust at his actions or pain from his injuries. Even after the war, after all these years, he still wanted Megatron to think well of him. It was just something that existed because he was his older brother. He wanted to look good to him, and for him to be proud of him.
Yet he also wanted this, because he secretly admired his older brother a little. His spirit was incredibly hard to break, his attitude and hidden intelligence often making people stop and stare in wonder. His attitude made him seem like some common thug, yet his intelligence sky rocketed past many, many beings that had ever been on Cybertron. He simply knew what he was doing. Whether it was his processor telling him to do things, or simply gut instinct, no one would ever know. But he was just...amazing at times.
"What about Simmons?" The red eyes stared at the floor, an emotion the Prime couldn't indentify flickering through them.
"He's fine. He helped us find you in fact."
"And most likely got hurt in the process."
"It was nothing too serious."
"He still got hurt. Because I wasn't strong enough to get out on my own. It's my fault."
Blue optics flared in disbelief and a hint of anger as he crouched in front of his brother, fixing him with an icy glare.
"Not. It. Was. Not. Don't you dare ever think that, ever. You are one of the strongest individuals I have ever had the pleasure of knowing in my lifetime. You were injured. You were wounded so badly that you could barely hold yourself up off of the floor. Of course you couldn't get out on your own.
The only ones at fault here, are Sector 7, and their monster of a leader. We would have come to save you even if it meant putting our lives at a high risk. Believe it or not, people started to see the real you, and they liked what they saw. They saw past that frustrating thug exterior you keep up and saw exactly who you are. Someone who cares about their loved ones, someone who would do anything to keep them safe, even if it meant risking his own life. Someone who is a little rough around the edges, but still kind and pure in a way that cannot be destroyed. Someone who was tied down, and taken advantage of when at his weakest. Someone...who is my brother."
Megatron stared up at Optimus, absolutely speechless. The icy blue optics softened and the mech lifted a hand, the large metal appendage curling around the human's left side as a reassuring touch, much like another human would put a hand on another's shoulder.
"I know that you truly believe that it was your fault. But there was nothing you could have done. You were defenceless, and in serious need of medical help. Simmons decided to help by his own choice. A choice he stood by even when he was threatened and beaten down for it. So listen carefully, and know that I am telling you the absolute truth... It was not your fault."
The hybrid looked down at the floor again, shivering slightly as fluid started to rise in his eyes against his will. A tear rolled down his cheek, more following afterwards.
Prime's optics widened slightly in response, before he grabbed his brother gently, sitting back and pulling him to his chest. It was comforting to feel the small form resting against his chest plating, right over his spark.
He would never let this happen again. He point blank refused to let his brother go through this amount of pain and suffering again. He WOULD protect his brother if it was the last thing he ever did.
He held him close as he cried, whispering meaningless words to him, comforting him as best as he could.
After all, what were brothers for?
Well, there you go. I hope you all liked it, and please review! I need the extra encouragement right now.
Until next time!