I hope that everyone enjoyed the last chapter. It was a bit of a filler to let off steam from the previous chapter. I am trying my best to finish this story because I am working two jobs now and I have both kids in school. It is a challenge and I will not be able to update as quickly as I like but I hope that my fans stay with me.

Please take a moment to click that silly little button and review because I love to read them. Enjoy!

"Absolutely not!" Doc yelled as she looked at the couple incredulously thinking that they had lost their CPU's. "I will not have you trampling across the galaxy when you are in your third stage of carrying."

"But Doc…." Waverly tried to get out.

"No buts, I will not allow you to leave!" Docs stated as she looked threatening in her full glory as a medic. "You, I cannot believe that you would even consider allowing Waverly to leave!" Doc snarled as she waved one of her tools menacingly in the air.

"Me! I only gave in when I grew tired of hearing her beg and plead." Cliffjumper's optics darted around the examining room for a bolt hole incase Doc found one of Ratchet's wrenches.

"No means no and you sir should make your mate mind you." Doc yelled and then rounded once again on Waverly who flinched and tied to melt into the medical berth to get away. "You know better! I am tired of you milking your situation just to manipulate your mate. Grow up because you have a sparkling on the way and your actions as a mother are pitiful." Doc's eyes blazed emotion as she lit into the younger femme and Waverly started to cry.

"Don't. Even. Start. With. Me." Doc growled and Waverly immediately dried her tears in fear of the medic. Cliffjumper couldn't believe how Doc was treating his mate but when Waverly stopped the tears red anger flashed through his CPU at his little minx.

"She's my best friend…" Waverly tried to say but was cut off by Doc.

"…who would come to you if she was a true friend. Now I will not have any more of this childish foolishness. You are considered high risk and that means berth rest." Doc finished with the fluid test to make sure that Waverly was not leaking any of her much needed fluids.

"You look good but you could have this sparkling any day since you are still having unusual contractions." Doc told both of them as she finished putting away her medical tools. "I will see you in the morning and no, I will not let you leave the Hall!" Doc emphatically stated as she let Waverly up from the berth. Ratchet ran in from the office wondering why his mate was so upset and when he saw Cliffjumper and Waverly he stopped gaping at the couple. "What? I am fine my love; I just had to state the law to these idiots that's all."

Ratchet looked from one to the other and then huffed in anger. "I ought to strangle both of you for upsetting my mate!" He growled and then a well-aimed wrench put a dent in Cliffjumper's helm.

"Ow! What was that for?" Cliffjumper wailed as he flinched and looked for a place to escape to.

"Don't upset Doc again or I will be your doctor from now on!" Ratchet snarled at the two of them as they hurried out of the infirmary.

Cliffjumper took hold of his mate as they stepped out into the hallway and headed for their quarters.

"We need to talk." He said in a firm voice that meant there would be no arguing. Waverly looked at the steel determination in Cliffjumper's face and frame and knew that he was still angry from how she had set him up. He led them to the door of their quarters and then helped her to sit on the couch in the living area.

"Cliffjumper I know you are angry…" She started.

"Angry? I am humiliated. You set me up!" He snarled and Waverly winced at his tone. He turned away and began to pace. "I am trying Waverly but this is not going to work if you keep setting me up to be the bad mech in this relationship. I can't even get through the day without one of the femmes criticizing me or glowering at me for how we ended up together and now I have to take the blame for this when I originally said no? Will I always be the bad mech here or are you ever going to give me a chance?" He turned pleadingly to her and Waverly felt the guilt and remorse course through her but before she could say anything Cliffjumper huffed and walked out leaving her to think over her actions in silence.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Allie, I thought you should know this." Allie's assistant walked into her office and placed a data pad on her desk. Allie looked up from her work as she saw Tia standing there waiting for her to look at the pad she had placed on the desk. Allie looked back down and read the contents before looking searchingly at Tia.

"Are you sure?" Allie finally asked.

"Yes, we found powder residue down in the lower bunker of the Hall." Tia watched as Allie frowned and thought about the new information and how it was going to affect the investigation. It meant that they were one step closer to finding the culprit but Allie also dreaded what it could mean to the femmes. They had greatly suffered when Allie had to banish the first group that had caused trouble for the collective but now they were facing a new threat within their circle and Allie feared that they might not survive this intact.

"How many others know?" Allie asked softly as she watched Tia's face for additional body language.

"Only Ironhide and I were down there. I didn't want to alert anyone else to your investigation." Tia informed her.

"Good, Ironhide will keep quiet because he knows what is at stake. Have Soundwave join me so that we can review this step by step. Also do not let anyone down there until I have had a chance to take prints and go over the crime scene."

"As you wish Allie I will inform the others of your orders." Tia saluted and left as Allie went back to her reports.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Hey Sweetspark, are you okay?" Chelsea asked as she sat down next to Barricade. He had come in from patrol and looked troubled.

"I saw Ironhide and Tia today. They were snooping in the lower caverns." Barricade said as he stared above Chelsea's head. "You wouldn't have anything to do with the trouble that has been going on? I mean…" He stopped for a moment and looked directly at Chelsea. "I like the peace and I would hate to think that you are a part of the terrorist acts that have occurred lately."

Chelsea looked directly back. "Why would I even jeopardize my spark's desire just because it hasn't been fair for every femme?" Barricade searched her face and then opened the bond to find that Chelsea's spark was reflecting the honesty that he saw in her eyes and felt joy that his doubts were erased.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Prowl sat in his office looking at the in box and marveled at how small his work load was. Soundwave was indeed efficient and Prowl was grateful that they were now on the same side. It was his first day back and only a half day since he promised Ratchet that he would only work until just after the mid-morning rotation which would give him four hours of quality time in his office.

"Good morning Prowl." Optimus said as he stuck his helm in through the door.

"Good morning sir. It had been an interesting morning." Prowl said as he glanced again at the in box.

"Yes, Soundwave has done an excellent job in your absence but I sense that he is ready to get back to his job." Optimus stated as he walked towards Prowl's desk.

"Yes well I am glad that he did such excellent work." Prowl returned. Though Prowl was indeed glad, it still made him feel like he wasn't needed since Soundwave had cleared all the paper work from his in box. It was the first time that Prowl had ever encountered a mech that enjoyed working as much as he did and it made him feel both relieved and anxious at the same time. It was nice to come in and start fresh but Prowl missed the pile up of work and the back log of computations. It felt strange that they were working together yet it also felt right Prowl hoped that Allie would soon find the culprit behind the attacks and that it was not a Decepticon sympathizer.

"Prowl, have a good day." Optimus said as he nodded and left.

"Thank you sir." Prowl replied softly.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Kiki, he is so beautiful!" Shalon said enviously. She held the little mechling as he cooed and clicked at her. "What are you going to call him?"

"We haven't decided yet. Star wants a name with the glyphs star in it. I just can't think of any names that we are not currently using." Kiki said as she held her arms out for her son and Shalon handed the little mech over to her.

"Well I am sure that you will decide on one soon. He is so darling." Shalon said softly as she rubbed her stomach and sent loving thoughts to her own little mech nestled so snuggly within her chamber.

"You will have one very soon as well and speaking of sparklings how is Storm?" Kiki asked as she sat down in the rocking chair that Starscream had given her so that she could comfortably nurse.

"She is with her sire. He loves to spoil her." Shalon said as she rubbed her stomach again. She felt a pain low in her carrying chamber and frowned.

"Is everything alright?" Kiki asked suddenly concerned.

"I don't know. I started having this pain yesterday but I have a few weeks to go." Shalon said as she frowned when she felt another pain much sharper.

"Shalon, maybe you need to go see Doc or Ratchet. You are carrying a large sparkling for your frame." Kiki said as she shifted her sparkling to the other breast. He greedily suckled oblivious to the drama unfolding around him.

"I think I will. Kiki thank you again for letting me come by and I am sure that you and Starscream will get to take your sparkling to your home as soon as Allie finds that attacker." Shalon said as she stood up from the small berth that Kiki placed in the nursery for future use. She winced as another low pain shot through her and to her lower back and this time Kiki stopped her son from nursing to help her.

"Shalon something is wrong."

"I am going right now. I can make it on my own. Don't stop the little one's meal." Shalon said as she slowly walked out of the nursery and into the living area to go out of Starscream and Kiki's quarters. Shalon took a few more steps until a sharp pain sliced through her abdomen and settled in her back. She whimpered as the entrance door opened to reveal Starscream who was coming to check on his mate after patrol. He watched as Shalon fell to the floor grasping at the edge of his couch and he quickly ran over to help her.

"Shalon are you alright? What is wrong?" He said as he helped her to sit on the couch. He leaned over and began checking her for any visible injuries.

"It's the sparkling. I am on my way to the infirmary and thought I could make it." Shalon said as pain laced her voice and made it raspy. She cried out again and Starscream suddenly picked her up and walked with her out of the living area and headed towards the infirmary.

"Where's Megatron?" Starscream asked as he quickly headed into the infirmary.

"He and Storm went with Optimus into the city." Shalon whimpered and moaned as a surprised Ratchet looked up from his work table and then quickly took control of the situation.

"Starscream place her on that berth over there. I just communicated with Doc and she is on her way." Ratchet grabbed his tools and ran to Shalon and began scanning her abdomen. Shalon whimpered as she clutched at the bulge that was her sparkling.

"Ratchet please it hurts so much!" Shalon cried as tears started to stream down her face. "Don't let me lose him." She whispered. "I want him so much."

"Give me a moment Shalon." Ratchet said. He checked her valve and saw that she was indeed in labor but it was too early and the mechling was too big. He scrambled to get the operating room ready as Doc rushed in.

"Starscream, I need you to clear the room and wait for Lord Megatron. I have already sent for him. Ratchet I have the incubator ready. I was afraid this might happen and had already prepared for it." Doc took command of the situation as Ratchet began to wheel Shalon into the operating room. "Starscream inform Lord Megatron that we are removing the sparkling and will place him in an incubator. It will keep Shalon from bleeding out since the sparkling is too large for her frame type." Doc looked into his worried optics. "I won't let anything happen to her." Doc said as she smiled reassuringly at the seeker.