Author's note. Hee, I was very evil with last chapters cliff hanger. I can't believe nearly everyone thought I'd actually killed off Rad.

With thanks to Mrs Bumblebee and Kaitamis for their suggestions.

Enjoy and please review.

There was a ringing silence as everyone stared in horror at Rad's still body. They were all in shock, especially Megatron who's mouth was slightly open. And then there was sound.

"RAD!"

Both Alexis and Carlos yelled their friends name as they struggled to reach them. Carlos had finally managed to reach his feet while Alexis was crawling forward on her knees. Both were still tightly bound, they hadn't been able to free themselves.

The Mechs still didn't move as the kids managed to reach their friend and tried to see if he was alright. As Alexis gently pressed her head to his chest, Carlos rounded on Megatron.

"Look what you did, you bastard."

"Is he still functioning?" Cyclonus asked as Megatron didn't say anything.

"Yes," Alexis exclaimed, tears falling from her face as she raised her blood smeared face.

"But he needs medical attention, now."

"Take Prime back to the brig," Megatron said quietly.

"Scavenger, you can clean him up. Cyclonus, go with Scavenger."

"Yes sir,"

Optimus didn't say anything as he was hauled to his feet but the cold fury in his optics was enough. And they all knew the only reason he didn't let rip was there was no time to delay in getting Rad to the Med Bay. He went quietly with Scavenger and Cyclonus.

"Oh Rad," Alexis whimpered as Carlos continued to glare at Megatron, tears of anger in his eyes.

Megatron still didn't respond but walked over to them and bent down. He examined Rad carefully before saying in a low voice.

"Demolisher, go to the Med Bay and get it ready."

"At once, Megatron," Demolisher replied and quickly left.

Megatron nudged Alexis out of the way so he could very slowly and gently wrap his fingers under Rad's body. The boy didn't respond in the slightest, just hung limply as Megatron started to raise him.

"You need to support his head," Alexis said and Megaron actually did as she suggested, to their surprise.

He scooped the young boy up and held him close. He looked down at them.

"You two will stay here, do not attempt to move from this room. I will send Starscream to collect you," he told them sternly.

They nodded and Carlos then said.

"He's going to be alright, isn't he?"

"He should be," Megatron said shortly as he rose to his full height.

He started to walk away but then paused and said softly.

"He will be well taken care of."

And then he walked away.

They were left, staring after him. After a moment, they both collapsed on the floor, it was too much of a strain to remain upright when they were so tightly bound. A short while later, Starscream entered the room, looking very confused.

"Alexis, Carlos," he said in shock as he spotted them lying on the ground.

He rushed over to them but then stopped dead as he saw the blood on Alexis's face.

"Alexis, your injured."

He took hold of her quickly but carefully and lifted her up.

"I-it's not my blood, Starscream," she said tearfully, looking into his optics.

"It's Rad's."

"Rad? What….what happened here?" Starscream asked, looking very confused.

"Megatron happened," Carlos said angrily. "He was torturing Optimus in front of us, after tying us up. But Rad got free and tried to stop him and that's when.."

Carlos broke off, pain flashing across his face.

"Megatron hit him with his whip and sent Rad flying into that block."

His fists were clenched against his sides as he angrily glared at Starscream.

"Did Megatron mean to hit him?" he said slowly, in total shock.

"No," Carlos said bitterly. "But he still ending up hurting him."

Starscream didn't say anything, just looked grim.

"Do…do you think we could see Rad later?" Alexis asked in a very small voice, causing Starscream to look down at her.

"Maybe," he said quietly before reaching up to undo the bands on her.

He then bent and scooped Carlos into his hands with Alexis. And there he undid the young boy's bands. He started to walk out of the room, away from the blood and chaos.

In the Med Bay.

"Well Demolisher?"

Megatron asked this question tightly as he stood with folded arms in the Decepticon bases Med Bay. His loyal soldier was standing in front of an examination berth which also included some busy Minicons.

"He's stable now, sir," Demolisher answered as he turned to face Megatron, wiping his hands on a piece of cloth.

"But he'll need to remain here for a few days, till he's fully recovered."

Megatron nodded and his optics fell on the small form of Rad. The boy was lying on a Minicon sized berth, covered in gauze. His eyes were closed and for the moment, he was sleeping peacefully. He had been given a sedative to ensure he slept for quite a while until the shock had gone from his body.

Megatron felt a brief, very brief pang of guilt as he examined Rad. He honestly hadn't meant to hit him in such a fashion, just tell him to get back. But now the boy lay with black eyes, a bruised face and a vicious gash on his front. It would take time for him to recover but recover he would.

"Have one of the Minicons near him at all times," Megatron ordered Demolisher.

"I'm not losing one of my pets."

Demolisher nodded and glanced at Rad. The beige Decepticon had been Rad's carer and couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Even if he'd been pretty distant and stern with him.

Megatron gave Rad another long glance before turning on his heels and marching away. Primus, but he needed a good stiff drink.

Some time later.

"Have something to eat," Starscream coaxed gently to the two kids lying gloomily side by side.

Starscream had taken them back to his room after removing them from the Throne Room. He had carefully cleaned them up before settling them on a comfy pile of clean cloths. They had huddled up to each other, needing comfort as they worried about their friend.

Starscream had let them rest for a while but he had decided that they needed something to, even briefly, take their minds off what had happened. So he had chosen some nice pieces of food for them and was now trying to get them to eat it.

They looked miserably up at the food but didn't seem very inclined to eat it.

"Come on, you need something," Starscream persisted.

Alexis reached out a hand and took one of the offered bars. She stared a it for a bit before starting to chew slowly. Carlos however, shook his head.

"No thanks, man. I really don't feel like eating at the moment."

Starscream sighed but before he could persist, his door chime went. He laid down the food and quickly went to the door.

"Megatron," Starscream said in surprise as he saw who it was. Megatron gave him a tight smile.

"Starscream, what are you doing at the moment?"

"Um, I've been looking after Carlos and Alexis for you," Starscream said slowly.

Megatron smirked.

"How good of you Starscream but I believe you have duties to attend to."

Before Starscream could answer this, Megatron continued.

"Give the boy to Cyclonus and I'll take the girl. That will leave you free to get on with stuff."

Starscream didn't look very happy about this but he couldn't argue. So with a sigh, he went and got the kids who glared at Megatron. Megatron merely smirked and plucked Alexis out of Starscream's hand.

Without another word, Megatron turned on his heel and strode away, leaving Carlos sitting in Starscream's palm.

"Oh well," Carlos sighed. "Back to the crazy copter."

In the Throne Room.

Alexis sighed as she sat in Megatron's lap. The large Decepticon had barely spoken a word to her, just told her to sit quietly. She was angry, very angry at what he'd done to Rad, to Optimus. But after such an emotional day, she just didn't have the energy to get worked up and shout at Megatron.

But as she relaxed, she gradually became aware of an ache growing in her abdomen. Her eyes widened as she recognised the familiar ache. She felt panic rising, what was she going to do?

Though she and the boys had access to certain necessary facilities, she knew for a fact they didn't contain what she needed at this moment. And though she didn't need them at this precise moment, she would soon.

She looked up at the brooding Decepticon. Dare she ask?

"Um, Megatron?"

"Hmm, what?" he growled, glaring down at her.

"Can I see Starscream?"

His optics narrowed.

"Why?"

"I uh, need to talk to him. About something."

"And what might that be?" Megatron asked.

"I just..," she began but then stopped, blushing furiously.

"Look, I need to ask if he can get something for me, nothing bad or anything."

"And what do you need him to get?" Megatron said, narrowing his optics at her.

"Just…just some girl stuff."

But Megatron wasn't to be put off, he wanted to know actually what she wanted Starscream to get.

"Stop dodging the issue girl, what is it you want and for what purpose."

She looked at him, her face flushed. But then she set her jaw and said.

"I'm going to be having my period, okay."

Megatron's brow wrinkled with confusion.

"Your period? What in Primus name is that?"

She blushed before giving an odd giggle.

"You don't know, Megatron?"

"If I knew, I wouldn't be asking, now would I?"

"Suppose not," she said with a small smile.

"Well, you see, girls of a certain age get periods, it's a sign that we can have kids."

Megatron looked even more confused so Alexis continued.

"Well, having kids isn't easy, our bodies need to prepare for it. So every mouth before an egg is released, our wombs become lined to protect the egg when it's fertilised."

Megatron's lip had curled.

"How….interesting," he said silkily. "But what has this got to do with Starscream?"

"Well, you see," she began with a blush. "If we don't get pregnant, our body doesn't have any need for the lining. So…we get rid of it."

As Megatron continued staring at her, she said with a small shrug.

"I need Starscream to get me something that deals with the excess blood."

"Blood," he said slowly. "I thought that was your life liquid?"

"It is but that's what the lining is made of. It doesn't affect us or anything," she explained, hardly able to believe she was having this conversation with him.

He raised another optic brow.

"So you bleed out of your pores? How revolting and typically organic."

She gave him a tight smile.

"Actually no, we don't secrete them out of our pores."

"So how does it come out?" he demanded.

So she told him.

His jaw slowly dropped in shock and horror as he simply stared at her. And then his face twisted in absolute disgust.

"Urgh, that is disgusting,"

"It's Mother Nature," Alexis said simply with a shrug and a small smile.

"Can't do anything about it, I'm afraid."

"And are you leaking right at this moment?" he demanded before suddenly realising what he had just said.

He took hold of her and quickly dangled her at arms length, making sure she wasn't over him. She rolled her eyes and said.

"Megatron, I'm not having it now, I'm going to have it. But not yet,"

"Are you sure."

"I'm sure, trust me, I'd know," she said with a sigh. "Now will you let me talk to Starscream?"

He eyed her with distaste for a moment before growling.

"Yes, alright girl. You may speak to Starscream about getting what you need."

He then promptly dumped her on the arm rest before turning away from her, a sulky look on his face. She suppressed a giggle at this, he really was something at times.

"Don't worry, it doesn't last long," she assured him but he only grunted in response.

She watched him for a bit, feeling much better for some reason. Megatron shot her an annoyed look as she began to giggle.

"What is so amusing?" he demanded grumpily.

"Oh, I was just wondering," she said with a smile.

"How does sex work, for you?"

"For me…..What-what?" Megatron spluttered, looking utterly shocked.

This only made her giggle even more.

"Not you personally," she assured him and he scowled with embarrassment.

"Well," he finally said silkily.

"We Mechs have something called a Spike."

He leered down at her as he said.

"And I believe you know what that looks like."

It was Alexis's turn to blush, causing him to laugh.

"Femmes have something called a Port, which is what we insert our Spike into," he continued, suddenly enjoying himself.

His leer widened.

"Shall I describe a typical meeting?"

"No, that's okay," Alexis said with a deep blush but still smiling.

She didn't think her imagination could take it.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" she asked instead.

"Not at the moment," he said offhandedly. "But it isn't difficult to find plenty of willing Femmes."

He gave an almost dreamy smile.

"More than one in your berth is certainly enjoyable."

"Hmm," Alexis responded with a slight roll of her eyes.

"Oh, don't give me that look," he said, giving her a firm nudge.

"It is how things work in our society, the strongest and most talented Mechs typically end up with more than one mate. And I'm talking about both sides."

As she looked up at him, he said.

"Although I have no actual mate yet, Prime has two."

Her jaw dropped.

"Really?"

"Oh yes," Megatron said with a smile before adding.

"It is expected of him as Prime to have more than one. I believe the Prime before him had at least five."

"At least five?" Alexis though in total shock and wonder. She'd need to ask Optimus at some point about that, she was really curious now.

"What are their names?" Alexis asked curiously.

"Elita One and Bumblebee."

He considered something for a moment before saying.

"Elita One was his first and is actually in charge of the Femme faction of the Autobots. The other, Bumblebee is quite young I believe."

"Wow," she said softly.

"Don't they mind, um, sharing him?" she asked after a moment's pause.

"I don't think so," Megatron said with a shrug before adding with a chuckle.

"I suppose you could say, there's plenty of Mech to go around."

Alexis was just absorbing this information when Cyclonus suddenly burst into the room.

"Megatron sir," he said as he skidded to a halt.

"What is it, Cyclonus?" Megatron asked, annoyed at the interuption.

"It's my human, I think he's broke," Cyclonus explained, holding out Carlos for Megatron to see.

The Mexican boy was lying on his side, clutching his stomach and groaning.

"Carlos, what happened?" Alexis said in shock.

"Yes, boy, what happened?" Megatron growled.

"Cyclonus was messing about with some food," Carlos moaned. "You know, adding stuff to it, and mixing it up. He wanted me to try but I said no. So he dared me to eat it all and…"

"You did," Alexis finished in exasperation. "Oh Carlos."

"Cyclonus, you fool," Megatron roared as Cyclonus ducked his head and looked sheepish.

"Now I've got two sick brats to worry about."

Just as Alexis was about to angrily protest this, Carlos suddenly retched and threw up on Cyclonus's hand.

"Ewww," Cyclonus gasped but he couldn't get rid of Carlos.

Megatron slapped a hand to his face.

"Hmm, maybe I shouldn't have added those chilli things," Cylonus mused. "The really spicy ones. Or the liver. Or the mustard. Or the tuna. Or the.."

"Enough," Megatron barked.

He stood up and plucked Alexis off the arm rest. Glaring at Cylonus, he said.

"I'm going for a wash, clean that brat up and then bring him to me. After you've given him something to settle his tanks, I don't' want him purging on me."

"Yes Megatron," Cyclonus said mournfully as Megatron marched away.

Glancing down at the still groaning Carlos, he sighed and said.

"I never get it right,"

Author's note. In the next chapter, Rad wakes up and Megatron and Optimus talk. How does that go? Find out next time.

Yeah, you will notice with me, I always have to pair Optimus with Elita, except ofr some rare cases. But what can I say, I really love that pairing. Oh and just to be clear, Bumblebee is a Femme in this story.