Three and a half years later...

"Ugh…" Spectra groaned, as she slowly opened her optics. Her vision was blurry and her helm was pounding like crazy, as she straighten up she blinked a couple of times to regain her vision; as her vision became more clearer she narrowed her optics in confusion glancing around trying to figure out her whereabouts. The room where she was, was illuminated by a couple of white neon lights hanging from the ceiling; in the distance she could hear a dripping of water falling from a great height. The walls were made from solid rock, and as the cold breeze blew it carried a mixed scent of earth and moist. Spectra immediately realized she was in a cave. But who brought her here and why she did not know. She slowly rose to her feet and as she did that a sound of metal clacked below her feet; she looked down only to find her ankle wrapped in large chain and the other end of the chain was connected to the wall. Spectra slowly squat down and trailed her claws along the chain before trying to rip it apart, but the chain wouldn't budge; she groaned in frustration as she rose up and walked towards the wall her chain was connected to, and leaned against it; she closed her optics trying to remember what happened. The last thing she could recall was talking to Ironhide. She also remembered turning away from him and beginning to walk when she felt the most intense pain she could ever imagine and then everything went black. She tried to remember more, but she couldn't. Suddenly Spectra opened her optics; she knew someone was in the cave with her, she could feel his presence lurking in the darkness observing her.

She narrowed her optics.

"I know you are there," she said, annoyed.

"Good you are online. For a nanoclick I thought I offlined you," a deep mech voice said with a laugh, as he stepped out of the darkness and into the light.

"Of course, why am I not surprised," Spectra said, when she saw who her captor was; she took a deep breath and leaned against the wall again.

"I really did not want to do this, but you left me no other choice" the bulky mech continued, taking a step toward her. "I couldn't let you ruin everything."

"Excuse me?" Spectra said, shocked turning her helm to look at the mech. She could not believe what she had just heard. "I hate to break it to you, but I would not ruin anything because you already did that long time ago."

"Maybe, maybe not" Ironhide calmly replied.

Spectra sighed, before she spoke.

"How did you find us?"

"My spark led me here," Ironhide replied.

Seeing her confused expression Ironhide quickly continued.

"I saw Sandra in Washington three solar cycles ago when I was searching for Prime to inform him about Ratchet's death," he said, recalling that day. "I stopped at a traffic light and as the pedestrians were crossing the street I saw her. At first I could not believe my optics; she was crossing the street a few meters from me," he said, as he walked up and down. "The moment the traffic light hit green I followed her into a small street, keeping a safe distance from her so she would not see me….."

"Why?" Spectra suddenly asked.

"Why what?"

"Why did you follow her?"

"Because, I wanted to talk to her, but before I could do it Prime stopped me," he explained. "After that I couldn't find her anywhere. Months have passed, and one night a sharp pain in my chest plate woke me up from my recharge. I know something was wrong. My spark was trembling with fear and uncertainty; it took me a couple of nanosec to realize what was happening to me….."

"You were feeling Sandra's emotions," Spectra said.

Ironhide nodded.

"Yes, and I knew I had to find her. Couple of nanosec later I was on the highway rushing toward the hospital," he said, as he walked up to Spectra and release her ankle from the chain. "Don't do anything stupid," he warned her, but Spectra didn't hear him, she was lost in her thoughts.

How is that possible? She thought to herself. She knew they were not bonded, because if they were Sandra would have his mark on her body and she would see it so far, plus their sparks would not allow them to be separated from each other for so long, unless…..

"Selena….. "she muttered quietly as she raised her helm to look at Ironhide.

She did that.