Kerri awoke with a start. For a moment she panicked, not knowing where she was. She sat up quickly, and then realized that she was in her room. "I was on Magnus' ship. How did I get back here?"

She tossed on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt before heading out into the base. She was greeted by Optimus, Ratchet, and Wheeljack, standing at the monitors near the base entrance. All three turned as she made her way towards them while still rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Good morning, Kerri," Prime spoke cheerfully. "Did you sleep well?"

"Morning, Optimus. I'm not sure. What time is it?"

"0900," answered Ratchet. "You missed breakfast."

"Not hungry anyhow. Where's Ultra Magnus?"

"He went on patrol after carrying you back to your room this morning," answered Wheeljack. He wasn't trying to hide the distaste in his voice.

"Yes, well, I have a meeting with Agent Fowler and his superiors. I should be back shortly," Optimus said to Ratchet, who shot him a "don't-you-dare-leave-me-here-in-this-awkward-mess" look.

Prime ignored the look, instead transforming and motoring out of the base.

Then there were two. Ratchet and Wheeljack stood staring down at the woman, who looked like she would rather be anywhere but there.

"Well, Doc, let me get cleaned up and-"

"Actually, kid," started Wheeljack, "I was hoping we could spend a little time together. I've barely seen you since I got back. We have a lot of catching up to do." His was challenging her and she knew it. 'I'm not ready for this yet,' she thought.

"I would love to, Wheeljack, but Rat-"

"Doesn't need you today," Ratchet interrupted, waving his hand dismissively. "Go have fun with your friend. I'll see you later," he smirked at her before turning his back to both of them and strolling into the medbay. Damn him.

And then there was one. Kerri turned back to Wheeljack and smiled awkwardly. "Well then, I guess I'm free. Um, let me get a quick shower and I'll be ready."

"Need any help?"

"I'm good, Wheeljack," she laughed uncomfortably. "Be right back."

Kerri made it back to her quarters before slumping against the wall as the door closed behind her. Wheeljack wasn't going to let her off the hook. He was going to probe, ponder, and question everything that had happened in his absence. His absence. He had left her. Not the other way around. Well, she wasn't going to back down from this. She loved Ultra Magnus. It was as simple as that, and Wheeljack was just going to accept it.

Ultra Magnus. What was he going to think? The big guy was logical, and knew that the conversation between Jackie and herself needed to happen. "Right then," Kerri mumbled. "Let's do this." She got the shower steaming hot before climbing in. It took her back to the night when Wheeljack left. The apprehension was there again, but this time for a different reason. He came back. For her. But things had changed. She was no longer that sad, lost, lonely soul that he had left behind. She had blossomed into that confident woman that she was before Knockout. She was a friend, a comrade, a lover, who had been accepted into this strange fold by the Autobots, by the children. By Ultra Magnus.

She stepped out of the shower and pulled on a pair of jeans, t-shirt, and tennis shoes before walking out into the corridor and into Wheeljack, who was leaning against the wall outside of her door.

"Bout time. I was about to come in there and get you, babe."

"No need, Jackie. I wasn't going to run away."

"You never know, now do you?" he drawled.

And so it begins. "So what do you wanna do today, Wheeljack?"

"Figured we could go for a drive. I've been flying for a while now. Nice to get some my wheels on the ground. You need to let Magnus know? He might worry."

Sigh. "Ultra Magnus is on patrol. He won't be back for a while."

"That wasn't the question, sweetspark."

"Look, Wheeljack," Kerri answered hotly, "I'm involved with Magnus. I don't belong to him. I'm a grown woman and I do what I want. So do you want to go or not?"

Wheeljack chuckled as he bowed and waved his hand in her direction. "Let's hit the road, boss lady."

The two rode in silence, save the classic rock that Wheeljack was playing low in his speakers. Kerri expected him to dive right into all of the questions that she knew were running through his mind, but Wheeljack stayed silent. 'Ok. He wants me to be uncomfortable. But I'm not playing this game. Just remember, he left you.'

"So, where all did your travels take you, Jackie?" she asked.

"Places you've never heard of and never will. Made a couple new friends. You might meet them some day."

"Sounds interesting. I'm glad you're back, although I honestly didn't expect you so soon. Figured if it was your last shot, you were gonna make it a good one."

"I did make it a good one. I made every attempt a good one. I went out deeper and deeper into space, until it finally dawned on me that I was wasting my time. I thought about what you said: I had people here that needed me. So I came home. To find out that I'm not needed after all."

"What are you talking about, Jackie? The Autobots need all of the help that they can get, and you're Bulkhead's best friend. Even Optimus-"

"I was talking about you, kid, and you know that. I came back for you. Because you said you needed me."

"I did need you, Wheeljack, and you left anyway! I stood there and I cried and I begged you not to go, remember? I was so alone. I had nobody. And you left! I didn't plan what happened with Magnus. I came back to the base the night because I couldn't stand being alone. I just wanted to be around other people, even if they didn't understand. I saw Ultra Magnus laying on the berth, looking as lost and alone as I was. And since I knew how that felt I thought we could help each other. Actually," she chuckled sadly, "I didn't even think about it helping me. I just thought that if I was helping him, then I would be serving a purpose. Because after you saved me from the Nemesis, I had none. My life was over, and I knew I couldn't go back.

"You were a soldier, kid," Wheeljack started. "You're tough. You would've gotten strong enough to go back."

"No, Wheeljack, I wouldn't have...ever. Physically, yes. Mentally, never. I-I couldn't. Not after what happened. Knockout did some...pretty bad stuff. Tell him what really happened. "I'm human, and humans don't live for millions of years. I almost died aboard an alien warship. My friends did. I'm not strong enough for that. I'm not strong enough to get patched up and head back to the trenches, and I'm ok with that. There was nothing there for me."

"And so you were in a tough spot and Magnus took advantage of that," he said angrily.

"Magnus didn't take advantage of anything. I could sit here and tell you that I was weak and vulnerable, because I was. But that wasn't what happened. He needed a friend. And I was desperate for one. We helped each other to survive, Wheeljack. It turned into more, and I'm not sorry about that."

Wheeljack vented deeply, trying to take in what the woman was saying. "How long have you two been...?" He didn't even want to finish the sentence.

"The day that you came back was the first time. Why does that matter?"

He answered her question with another one. "Do you love him?"

"I do."

"And where does that leave me?"

"It leaves you as my friend. The same thing as before, if you want to be. I just don't need saving anymore."

"Ok, I'll do my best to be happy for you."

Kerri smiled for what seemed like the first time all day. "Thank you, Wheeljack. That's all I'm asking."

"Alright, kid. So how about we go have some fun?"

It was early evening before the two rolled back into Autobot headquarters. All of Team Prime was there, including the kids. Everyone was huddled around the monitors, and turned in unison as Wheeljack rolled back into the base. Kerri climbed out of the passenger seat, and before Wheeljack could transform, Ultra Magnus was there.

"What in the hell are you thinking, soldier?" he said, before being ushered aside by Optimus Prime. "Commander, enough," he said, hand on Magnus' shoulder as he stood between Magnus and the Wrecker.

"It was foolish to leave the base for so long, and with no way for anyone to reach you," Prime looked at Kerri. Wheeljack stood with a quizzical look on his face. "What the hell?' he asked. "She was with me."

"Ratchet knew we were together," Kerri answered, looking over at the medic.

"Yes, but I had no idea where you were going. And then to turn off your comm…" hmphhed Ratchet, looking angrily at Wheeljack.

"It wasn't turned off. We were just out of range. What's the matter? Worried I wasn't gonna bring your girl back, sir?" a smirking Wheeljack said to Magnus.

Magnus pushed past Optimus to stand in front of the Wrecker. "As a matter of fact soldier, I was. But not for the reason that you think. Knockout has already made an attempt to kidnap Kerri once. It's why she doesn't leave the base without her guardian.'

Wheeljack turned his shocked visage to Kerri. "What is he talking about?"

"Magnus, don't-," she started.

"Didn't she tell you? The Decepticon medic is quite infatuated with her, apparently. The energon poisoning that she was suffering from when you brought her here? It wasn't from experiments." Wheeljack felt hot energon purging through his tank as the horror of what Magnus was about to say dawned on him. 'No, please don't say it, please don't tell me-'

"Knockout raped her. Repeatedly. Since her escape he came back for her again. I stopped him."

All of the air left the rooms, and after the shocked gasps quieted down, there was complete silence. Wheeljack stared at the Commander wildly before spinning back to Kerri.

"Why didn't you tell me?! How could you keep that from me?!"

"Wheeljack, I wanted to tell you. I-I didn't know how-"

"But you could tell, him, right?" he said, gesturing to Magnus. "You had no problem opening your legs and your mouth to him!"

"That's enough!" Magnus roared, reaching his massive servos towards the Wrecker. But before he could reach him, Prime got into between the two mechs. "Back off, Magnus," he said sternly. "Wheeljack-"

But before he could finish, Wheeljack had already transformed and rolled out of the base into the night air.

Prime turned back to Ultra Magnus. "That was unnecessary, Commander." he said, the disappointment clearly etched in his face.

Kerri turned to Ultra Magnus. "How could you do that?" she asked angrily, hot tears running down her face. Without another word, she turned and walked down the dark corridor to her room.