This fic is courtesy of me and Sentinel Prime/StarscreamSkydancer and I only own my OCs.
Disclaimer: Transformers belongs to Hasbro/Michael Bay.
Optimus, Bumblebee, Ironhide, Smokescreen and Arcee and Bailey returned to the base with Sentinel in their arms. The Autobot leader lowered the elder Prime to the ground as Smokescreen lowered Bailey to the ground. Ratchet approached Sentinel's body and inspected him.
"Primus dammit," grumbled Ratchet, "this is all my fault."
"I don't blame you," sighed Optimus, "we just couldn't save him."
"Bullslag," objected Ratchet, "I'm the one that set him off. I said something that I shouldn't have."
"Should we place him in his quarters?" asked Ironhide.
"Do you mind, Bailey?" insisted Optimus.
"I don't mind," nodded Bailey.
Optimus nodded and quietly took Sentinel to his quarters, where he laid him on the berth and covered him up. When he was finished, Sentinel looked like he was only sleeping, except for his faded dull colors and dark optics. As the Autobot leader turned to leave, he noticed that Bailey had been following him, since she stood outside the quarters.
"Do you wish to be alone?" whispered Optimus.
"Yes," answered Bailey, "it's just…..I wanted to save him, but I couldn't."
"It's ok," assured Optimus, "I'll leave you be. Call me if you need me."
Optimus scooped up Bailey and placed her on the berth and left the quarters as she wept on Sentinel's lifeless body. Of course, the old Prime did not respond. His face was still frozen in the look of pain he had when he died.
Outside, Optimus wandered through the hallway until he came across Elita.
"Optimus?" called Elita, "I heard what had happened, and I'm so sorry."
Optimus didn't say anything as he tried to hide the tears he was fighting back. Elita gently placed her hand on his face.
"It's ok," assured Elita, "you can let it out."
Optimus nodded and hid his face in her shoulder, his body shaking with sobs.
"I'm sorry, Da," sobbed Optimus, "I'm….so sorry."
Elita didn't say anything, but she gently wrapped her arms around Optimus. Lennox and Epps soon arrived, having finished cleaning up the mess the Decepticons made on the road.
"Hey," called Epps jokingly, "we won! What's with all the long faces? Who died?"
Epps didn't know that he made the wrong choice of words, until Elita turned her glance at the human soldiers and glared at them.
"Optimus just lost Sentinel and you offended him," barked Elita.
"Oh God," exclaimed Epps, "I didn't realize somebody actually died. I'm so sorry. What happened?"
"I heard Megatron killed him," explained Elita.
"He did," agreed Optimus, his body still shaking with sobs, "he slaughtered him. His own father, who was helpless to defend himself, and my fragging brother slaughtered him!"
Optimus was full on bawling now. No one had ever seen the Autobot leader so sad and angry at the same time.
"Oh man," commented Epps, "I knew that Con was an asshole, but I never knew he was that much of an asshole."
"I guess it's up to Optimus to lead us from now on," added Lennox.
"He was already leading us, dude," reminding Epps.
"I know," clarified Lennox, "we can't just rely on Sentinel anymore. I wonder how Bailey is doing."
"Let's go see," suggested Epps, "I think we've done enough damage to Optimus."
Lennox and Epps wandered through the hallway until they reached Sentinel's quarters. Inside, they could see Bailey curled up to the elder Prime's face as she continued to weep.
"Bailey?" called Epps.
Bailey didn't respond.
"Bailey," insisted Epps, "you ok?"
Bailey made only one brief glance at Lennox and Epps before she turned her head back without saying anything.
"I think this is an Optimus repeat," assumed Lennox.
"Really?" paused Epps, "then how can we cheer her up?"
"Could you cheer Sentinel up when he did this?" reminded Lennox.
"Not really," admitted Epps.
"Exactly," confirmed Lennox.
Without saying anything further, Lennox and Epps left the quarters and wandered through the hallway until they reached the hangar. There, Simmons was conversing with Smokescreen.
"Simmons," asked Epps, "you hear the news?"
"Yeah," nodded Simmons, "and I feel sorry for poor Bailey."
"I know," agreed Epps, "what can we do?"
"For now," suggested Simmons, "maybe we should proceed taking down the Patriarch Syndicate. We were able to locate it, thanks to Bailey's plan."
"Yeah," added Epps, "and those bastards probably helped get Sentinel killed."
"Were Decepticons involved with the Syndicate?" asked Lennox.
"Yeah," answered Simmons, "Dylan claimed that they were the Syndicate's clients."
"Oh," commented Lennox sarcastically, "that's just great."
"Not only the Syndicate consists of women-haters," agreed Epps, "but they also consist of traitors."
"Yeah," replied Simmons, "we gathered that."
Meanwhile, Clayton just finished his interview at the Sammy Lee Tailor Shop and he was now leaving the building. He stood outside and waited for a few minutes until Bumblebee showed up.
"Sorry I'm a little late," apologized Bumblebee, "something bad happened; really bad."
"Really?" warbled Clayton, "what happened?"
"Uh….well," answered Bumblebee, "Sentinel…..is dead."
"What?!" exclaimed Clayton, "that's terrible! How's Bails?"
"Not good," explained Bumblebee, "you'll see what I mean when we get to the base."
Clayton hopped into Bumblebee's alternate mode and buckled up, allowing the yellow Camaro to drive down the street. Suddenly, Clayton could see Laserbeak flying above the building before diving down at Bumblebee.
"Oh, shit!" panicked Clayton, "it's Laserbeak!"
"Scrap," exclaimed Bumblebee, "Bee to base, I need a bridge!"
"What's the situation," asked Prowl over the com-link.
"Laserbeak!" explained Bumblebee.
"Just hang on," advised Prowl over the com-link, "I'll notify Optimus."
Little did they know, Soundwave's alternate mode appeared from a corner.
"AAAAHHHHH!" screamed Bumblebee.
Soundwave transformed and blocked Bumblebee's path while Laserbeak began scratching at the hood at the same time.
"I'll be taking the boy, now," sneered Soundwave.
"No, you're not!" countered Bumblebee.
Bumblebee began speeding in reverse, only to realize that there were several cars blocking his path.
"Base," called Bumblebee, "backup, NOW! ASAP!"
As if on cue, Arcee and Smokescreen arrived at the scene.
"Guys," requested Bumblebee, "take care of the Cons while I get Clay to base."
"You got it," nodded Smokescreen.
Bumblebee drove past Soundwave as Arcee and Smokescreen charged at him. After a while, Bumblebee arrived at the base and allowed Clayton to hop out before transforming into his robot mode.
"Bailey's in…..well," said Bumblebee, "I think you can guess where."
"Thanks," smiled Clayton.
Clayton and Bumblebee entered the hangar and wandered through the hallway until they reached Sentinel's quarters.
"Bailey," called Bumblebee, "somebody came to see you."
Bumblebee knelt down to Clayton's level.
"Don't freak out," whispered Bumblebee, "but the body's in there."
"Ok," nodded Clayton.
Clayton and Bumblebee crept into the quarters and saw Bailey still curling up to Sentinel's head.
"Bailey," whispered Bumblebee.
Bumblebee gently shook Bailey as he lifted Clayton to the berth. She wiggled out of the yellow Autobot's hands.
"Go away!" snapped Bailey.
"You try, Clay," instructed Bumblebee.
Clayton knelt down next to Bailey.
"Bails," asked Clayton, "you ok?"
"I need to be alone," replied Bailey.
"He wouldn't want this, you know," said Clayton, "you being like this. It's not what he'd want."
"So?" countered Bailey.
"What would you think he'd say if he saw this?" reminded Clayton, "this isn't the Bailey he knew and loved."
"I," muttered Bailey, "I don't think I'll….ever move on."
"You gotta at least try," advised Clayton, "that's what Sentinel would want. That's what he'd tell you to do."
Bailey shook her head in disagreement.
"Yeah, it is," argued Clayton, "he'd want you to be happy."
"Why should I care?" protested Bailey.
"Because this was a person that you cared about more than anything and that you would do anything for," explained Clayton, "you'd do anything to make him happy."
Bailey didn't say anything, but she turned her head away from Clayton, prompting him to turn to Bumblebee.
"Geez," sighed Clayton, "not even my advice could console her."
Clayton turned back to Bailey.
"Will you at least think about it?" asked Clayton, "for Sentinel?"
Again, Bailey didn't say anything. Sighing, Clayton climbed into Bumblebee's hands.
"Say, Bee," requested Clayton, "can we play Mario Kart? I'll play as Princess Peach."
"Yeah," nodded Bumblebee, "sure. You mind if we use your game system and stuff?"
"Sure," chirped Clayton, "it's at the recreational area."
"Great!" smiled Bumblebee.
Bumblebee left Sentinel's quarters with Clayton in his hands.
"We've got to do something for her," continued Bumblebee.
"Yeah," agreed Clayton, "but I don't have some good ideas."
"Me neither," sighed Bumblebee.
Meanwhile, Olive just finished eating lunch when she suddenly heard a knock on the front door to her apartment. She walked through the lobby and opened the door, revealing Dylan.
"Who the hell are you?" demanded Olive.
"I am Dylan Gould," replied Dylan, "and I would like you to come with me somewhere."
"Oh, hell no!" snapped Olive, "I'm not going anywhere with a creep like you!"
Olive slammed the door and was about to call the police, but then jumped back as Blitzwing smashed through the wall.
"Oh, shit!" exclaimed Olive, "Sideswipe!"
Upon cue, Sideswipe transformed into his robot mode.
"Yo, flyboy!" taunted Sideswipe, "want an aft kicking?"
"About time you showed up," smirked Blitzwing, "because ve're here for you, too!"
"Shove it in your afterburners, Con!" shouted Sideswipe.
Sideswipe shot at Blitzwing, but the Decepticon dodged the shots with ease. Little did the silver Autobot know, a Vehicon appeared with a grenade-launcher-like gun in his hand.
"Sides," warned Olive, "behind you!"
By the time Sideswipe turned around, the Vehicon fired a net at him, trapping him and electrocuting him before knocking him unconscious.
"NO," shouted Olive, "YOU BASTARDS!"
Upon cue, Blitzwing reached in and snatched Olive. She screamed as she struggled to free herself.
"Nice work," praised Dylan, "now all we need to find are Fred, Sunstreaker, Clayton and Bumblebee.
"I will never forgive you!" thundered Olive, "the others are gonna come and kick your ass, you creep! Just wait until Sentinel gets ahold of you!"
"Sentinel?" paused Dylan, "Megatron and Saburou told me that he's dead."
"Liar!" snarled Olive, "he's gonna kick your damn ass!"
"Megatron has footage to prove it," replied Dylan, "you'll just have to ask him."
"Megatron's a rapist and a bigger creep than you!" snarled Olive.
Dylan didn't say anything, but he motioned Blitzwing and the Vehicons to take Olive and the unconscious Sideswipe aboard the Nemesis just as it was flying over.
The following morning, Clayton and Bumblebee went into Sentinel's quarters to check on Bailey. They could see her playing Alice: Madness Returns without paying attention to her surroundings.
"At least she's not moping," Clayton sighed quietly.
"Yeah," agreed Bumblebee, "hey, Bailey. Have you eaten?"
Bailey paused her game and turned her glance at Bumblebee.
"Yeah," nodded Bailey, "I had a fried egg sandwich for breakfast."
"Good," chirped Bumblebee.
Bumblebee and Clayton left the quarters while Bailey continued her game.
"Say," asked Clayton, "do you mind if we go out on a date sometime?"
"Why would I mind?" objected Bumblebee, "though, don't you think it's a little soon? I mean she just lost Sentinel."
"I wasn't talking about Bailey," corrected Clayton.
"Oh, well then," clamored Bumblebee, "who?"
"You," answered Clayton.
"Me?" warbled Bumblebee, "why me?"
"That's because I'd feel happier if I dated a guy instead of a girl," admitted Clayton, "I'm a homosexual."
"Uhm, ok," replied Bumblebee, "I'll have to think about it. I've never done that kind of thing before."
"No prob," smiled Clayton.
Just then, Bumblebee and Clayton entered the hangar just as Optimus answered a transmission on the computer terminal.
"Yes?" said Optimus.
"I have your human friends and your Autobot allies!" sneered Shockwave over the transmission.
"What?!" exclaimed Bumblebee.
"What have you done to them?!" demanded Optimus.
"Nothing harmful, yet," answered Shockwave.
"What the hell do you want with them?!" shouted Clayton.
"Lord Megatron wants all Autobots to meet up with him at the coordinates I will provide to you shortly," explained Shockwave, "that is, if you value your friends' lives."
"You fraggin' murderers!" thundered Ironhide.
"Show us they're still alive!" snarled Optimus.
"Make me," smirked Shockwave.
Without saying anything further, Shockwave hung up. Optimus flared his optics as he clenched his fists. Just then, Prowl, Smokescreen, Mirage, Arcee, Chromia, Elita, Wheeljack and Ratchet entered the hangar.
"What happened?" asked Wheeljack.
"They have Olive, Fred, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker," answered Clayton.
"Oh, frag no," gasped Ratchet, "one death is too many."
Optimus noticed the coordinates appearing on the screen of the terminal.
"We have no choice," said Optimus, "we have to go."
"I'm going with you," clamored Clayton.
Optimus led the Autobots and Clayton outside the hangar after withdrawing the Pillars from the vault. He noticed Akane leaving the hangar as well.
"Is something wrong?" asked Akane.
"Akane," advised Optimus, "watch over Bailey.
"All right," nodded Akane.
"Autobots," commanded Optimus, "roll out!"
Optimus pressed on the top of the Control Pillar, activating the space bridge. He led the Autobots and Clayton through the portal, leaving Akane behind.