Hello friends of MERCY! Great news! Awesome news! I finally got a new apartment and the location is great! I'm finally moving out of this little town of mine and making it out to the city! WOO! As for the story, I will do my best to keep up with it. This chapter is a little short, but I think I like how Cass's character is developing through this, and Steve is… Steve, not much new stuff going on there XD.

Special shout out to my favorite reader (ya'll don't get jealous please! I love you all! D:) Cao dreams in books. I love how you always have time for me, and I just wish I could properly return the favor for your stories. (Check out her stuff she is very talented and writes in two languages. She is awesome.) Love you lots and be safe on your trip.

Remember! Don't be afraid to review and ask questions. I love to hear from my readers.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any stocks, trades, or licensing from the Transformers franchise. All rights are reserved for HASBRO entertainment.

MERCY

Chapter 37

The weak can never forgive.

Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.

-Mahatma Gandhi-

It was cold and wet all around the carrying mech, and he couldn't remember why it felt so empty around him. Last thing Cass remembered was falling into recharge in his lover's berth, but there it felt warm and safe. He felt protected by the security of his surroundings, and the faith that Megatron would soon return to his side. He wanted to be held by his master so badly that the little drone could almost feel those large, strong arms encased around him. His CPU registered a flicker of warmth, and he inched himself closer to it. This wasn't a flux, that much Cass could tell. He had too many by now to not know the difference, and he held out hope that perhaps this meant Megatron had returned. He was home, and now holding him as he rested. Watching him in his recharge as the giant mech admitted he enjoyed doing.

"M' Lord…" Cass cooed as the side of his helm nuzzled against a broad chassis. It must be Megatron, and as he slowly opened his optics, he could have sworn he saw the wonderous shape of the warlord's helmet loom over him. A sight that was once intimidating was now a great comfort. He smiled as he closed his optics again and reached up towards the helmet intending to touch him lovingly. "M' love… You have returned to me."

There was no reply, which was odd. Normally, Megatron would answer right away with a cherished quip, or whisper sweet nothings over his audios. Even the texture of his faceplate felt different. Almost like he was… Wearing a mask?

"Megatron?" The little mech tried to widen his optics and through almond shaped slits he observed the shadowy shape of his lover's helm merge into the image of his kidnapper. His memories flooded back to him immediately and he remembered he was no longer safe in his master's berth, nor would he be there when his lover returned. The arms holding him in suspension were that of his captor and right away he began to panic. "No! Let me go!"

The carrying mech screamed in terror with flailing arms and hitting the taller drone against his chest. Realizing his limbs were no longer bound he even clawed the other mech against his neck-cables, but he still wasn't strong enough to do much damage. Primus willing, he was going to try with all his might to get away.

"Put me down! Put me down! Please! I beg you! Spare me and my Sparkling!"

"Ah!" A new thrill of fear raced through Cass's spark chamber when he felt himself falling through open air and upon instinct, he grasped his servos over the other drone's shoulders. He braced himself for impact, but he felt a sudden pull hoist him back upward. There was a few moments of quaking before he slowly felt himself descend onto the muddied dirt below. The arm struts holding him loosened and Cass quickly took the opportunity to back away. He scrambled on his rear end as fast and as far as his heavy frame would allow him. Only until he hit what he assumed was a boulder, did he stop and curl in on himself. First thing first, protect Mercy at all cost and Cass did his best to mentally prepare himself for a fight if necessary.

"I… Have no intentions of hurting you…" His kidnapper wavered on a drawn out breath. "Please believe me… I wish for nothing more… Then to help you get home."

"And I'm just supposed to take your word for it!" Cass cringed further against the cold stone upon his back. "You kidnapped me! You…! You…!"

"Don't panic…" A voice whispered in the young model's mind. Immediately Cass realized Mercy was trying to communicate with him and he practically froze in place. His first feeling that registered to him was a rush of relief being able to feel his young one was alert. The next thing he noticed was how she vibrated in the center of his gestation chamber. She wasn't afraid, but she wanted attention.

"I hear you little one…" Cass straightened himself into a seated position and with a small grin he cradled his black plating. It was the first sign he had felt from his unborn in a long time and gave him such joy. "I hear you, and I have you. Hold on my little one and I will keep you safe."

"Help…" The signal between them seemed off. Weak and barely stable, but Cass would not give up on her.

"Yes… Help is coming… Be strong my love."

"No… Him… Help him…"

"Who?" Now Cass was confused. There was no one else here, but the mech who kidnapped them. Of course, now that he had a moment to think about it, he didn't know who was carrying him. Steve or Antaeus.

"Who are you talking to?" An agonizing groan rumbled beside Cass's pedes which answered his question. He now knew he was with Steve. Considering how he could have easily been stuck with Antaeus he counted his blessings for having the lesser of two evils. And upon second glance, the weaker of two evils. Cass finally noticed how the taller grounder was favoring a badly damaged wrist. So damaged that the strut at the base of the wrist was snapped clean, and the servo was hanging lifeless. That was why he suddenly set Cass on the ground after he started struggling so hard to get away. Steve must have been in so much pain, the carrying mech was lucky he didn't drop him like dead weight.

He must have been injured by Antaeus. Seeing the two battle drones preparing for a fight was the last thing Cass remembered before he passed out. In fact, it appeared Steve was trying to protect the young model and even saved Mercy from being severely hurt. Maybe that's why his sparkling was so intent on showing understanding to their kidnapper since he was also their rescuer. There were things Steve had done that were unforgivable at the moment, but it was obvious Mercy was willing to show pity if she was asking the same from her Carrier.

"Did Antaeus do this to you?" Cass slowly crept over to the wounded Vehicon and knelt in the softened dirt beside him. "Let me see?"

"What? Why?" Curiously, Steve watched the rounded mech inch closer through small patches of mud. It had rained earlier that afternoon which turned the earth into slush beneath Cass's shins. He slid right into the taller mech, so he had little choice but to brace himself against Steve's knee-joints. "Are you alright?"

"Yes." The carrying mech flinched a moment when a large servo reached for him, but it was now the perfect opportunity to take hold of the opposite arm strut. He was gentle, but the injury was clearly still tender since Steve growled painfully. It was a sound Cass was familiar with from his days helping in the Energon mines. His love for his brothers and companions compelled him to learn new ways to help with such injuries. The young model wasn't a medic or surgeon by any means at all, but he was very clever and knew how to be resourceful. "Hold still for me and try not to pull away.

Steve was very confused by such a turn in the little drone's focus. First, he was terrified, and judging by the shaking in Cass's servos he was still very frightened. However, the larger Vehicon was not expecting this much kindness, not when he felt he didn't deserve it. However he did as he was instructed and remained still while watching Cass rummage through a very tight subspace. From the small opening below Cass's chassis emerged two glass vials. One was auburn, and the other cobalt blue with a strange pattern on it. There was also a collective small print below the pattern, but it was to worn off make out what it said.

"I've seen injuries like this before in the mines, and because there is no direct way to get help from the ship, some of the Miners devised a method to repair broken struts without having to weld them." As he explained this Cass picked at some of the random logs and thick sticks around him. He found the smoothest and cleanest one he could, then snapped it in half. He neatly set them over his lap above the vials he set between his knees, then went back to his subspace to pull out a long tattered cloth. Mindlessly, the young model tore the cloth into strips unknowingly dropping a small data drive onto the ground. Steve noticed it but left it where it dropped and brought his attention back to the other grounder.

"What method is that?" He asked as Cass continued to prep for Primus knows what.

"Acidic melding." It was such a straightforward answer that nearly sucked the oxygen out of Steve's air vents. He almost pulled his arm away at the nightmarish thought then briefly imagined Cass was joking. He wasn't seriously suggesting that he melt the metal around the busted strut in an attempt to mend it together.

"Ha, ha… Ah-ha… Funny kid. Real cute." Steve fumbled awkwardly and tried gently tried to stand away from the crazy mech in front of him. Cass returned the hesitation with a serious twinkle in his optics, but he could see why his abductor would have reservations to the recommended treatment.

"I know how this sounds, but when done properly acidic mending can be very effective. It is more painful, but it's the best alternative when you have little to no resources on hand."

"And you just happen to have a vial of acid in your subspace." The taller mech smiled nervously under his battle visor. "Isn't that a little…? I don't know… Reckless?"

"It's an unsealed vial. I always have one on hand just in case. More so since I broke my leg strut in a cave in." Cass finished tearing the cloth apart then returned to the blue vial. He gently swished it in the air before opening the dropper cap.

Steve was beyond hesitant, but he didn't say no out right. Cass could feel the wounded mech tense through the metal rod beneath his digits. He sighed in sympathy as he gently turned the broken wrist on its side at a one hundred-eighty degree angle.

"Once I apply the acid, I will have to be quick to combine the strut and let the two pieces set. This is diluted industrial acid that is used in some of the drill bits too soften and breakdown rockfaces. So it does dissolve quickly, but tricky part is keeping still long enough for the strut to fuse properly. I know this is asking for a lot… But stay as still as you can for at least half a minute, or the metal will combine crookedly."

"Maybe I should…?" Steve stopped himself, because he was about to say he should wait until he returned to the ship to weld the strut there, but that wasn't going to be an option. He had plans on earth yet, and he wouldn't be able to go to the Nemesis for a long time. This was a strange option, a terrifying option, but it was the only option he had. The taller drone drew in a deep intake and held it briefly, and when he let it go, he nodded in acceptance. "Do it. Before I change my mind."

Cass was careful, but true to his word, he was quick. He didn't add one drop at a time like Steve would have expected, instead the temporary medic saturated the strut not once, but twice. He refilled the dropper quickly then lathered the metal again, and just as quickly as he filled it, he closed the bottle and stuck it in the mud. With practiced procession he went right back to the broken strut and pushed the two pieces together. The smell of melting steel was instantly nauseating. The sickening burn in Cass's ole factory stung his optics enough to make him tear up, but he didn't allow it to bother him. He wasn't the one in pain, Steve was.

"Uhn… Primus on a raft that burns like the pits!" Steve cringed and shivered horridly from his struggle to keep still. The sound of acid sizzling ringing in his optics reflected the burning sting crawling up the length of his arm and pooling in his chassis. The taller grounder groaned from the strain of keeping in his voice. There was nothing Steve wanted to do more at that moment then to scream his vocals raw, but if he didn't want to draw any unwanted attention, he needed to remain quiet. Cass could see him fighting the urge to struggle and scream and noticed the dripping cycled energon dripping from the base of his battle visor. A clear sign that Steve was in so much pain that he bit his bottom lip to relieve the pressure building in his gut.

"Just a little longer Steve." Cass spoke softly, trying to be comforting even though he knew it wouldn't do much to alleviate the agony. "It's almost over. We just have to wait for the sizzling to stop."

It was seconds later, but it felt like an eternity for Steve and even when the acid finally dissolved away the pain remained. It seemed to intensify now that he stayed in place and had room to think about what actually just happened. A little more time passed before he even noticed his optical visor went offline. Steve's vision returned just in time to see his kidnapped victim take the branches he broke and wrapped them in the cloth strips he made.

"Try to keep these bandages clean and dry and leave them on for a week at most." The younger model mindlessly dressed the strut as he gave further instructions of care. "When you take them off you will notice a small burnt bulge were the metal fused. When you have time you can smooth it down with a belt or disc grinder, but you will have a black stain… Oh?"

A large servo grazed over Cass's arm and he felt Mercy circle slowly. She seemed to be happy with the results of the procedure and her Carrier agreed.

"Thank you…" Steve whispered weakly. "You didn't have to do this after all you have been through… I was half expecting you to throw that acid in my face and make a run for it."

"Where would I run to?" The little mech commented while he finished tying of the bandages. "Like it or not, at the moment you are my lifeline out here… I have no choice but to follow the intentions you have set for me." Or at least until a better opportunity presented itself, he thought to himself.

"My only intention is to get you back to the Nemesis and return you to your mate safely." The masked Vehicon heaved lightly as he still felt his arm burn and ache. "I know you have no reason to trust me, but it's the truth. I never wanted to bring anyone else into harm, I just wanted…" Steve paused and thought carefully about what he would say next, then shook his helm. "Never mind, that's not what's important now. What is important is getting you back to the ship before Megatron returns."

"I don't understand." Cass also shook his helm. "If you never wanted to take me away, why support my abduction?"

"As the humans say, 'I made a deal with the devil'." The taller mech snorted a little. "To put it bluntly, I needed very important information and Antaeus and Arachnid said they could provide it. I know they were probably manipulating me from the beginning, but I was desperate. When I discovered the full intentions of their plans, I was too late to stop Antaeus from taking you. My part of the scheme was to take you to different check points on Earth so it would be difficult to find you. Then deliver you to Arachnid."

"And then what?" Cass knew there was more to this than Steve was letting on. The smaller drone could tell by the way he turned his helm and couldn't bring himself to face him. But Cass needed to know the full story. He could see it through the flicker of his captor's visor that he was holding back something he thought the young model couldn't handle. "What is the rest of the plan Steve?"

"You don't want to know—."

"I need to know." The aggression in the carrying mech's voice threw Steve off for a moment. "I need to know Steve. I need to know what is happening."

The battle drone sighed heavily. He understood now why Megatron was infatuated with Cass. He wasn't just good looking; he was smart and brave. "The plan called for your kidnapping and ransom… There was no instruction for your return, so I assume… That means…"

"I will be disposed of…" Even someone as innocent as Cass knew when a conversation didn't merit any sugar coding. The truth was too obvious to ignore so there was no point in trying to glance around it. Mercy felt the dreed push heavily on her when her Bearer cradled her housing and it was beginning to feel uncomfortable. So she pushed back, and let Cass know she was still in there and she wasn't going to put up with slacking on her watch. "Oomph! Alright! Alight. I hear you my love… And don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you…"

Steve blinked through a flustered haze behind his visor. Cass was the first carrying mech he had ever encountered, and he constantly forgot that there was a life growing behind that plump abdominal plating. Now that he had time to focus on this thought, it felt somewhat intimidating.

"Well… If we're going to keep her safe, we're going to need to get you back to the ship and permanently dampen Arachnid's schemes. We only have another mile to go till the final checkpoint. Let's go."

"Wait…" Cass tugged on the taller mech's opposite arm while he tightened the blue vial of acid and tried to restore it in his subspace.

"Oh! No, let me carry that now." Steve insisted and took the vial out of the little mech's servos. While he was back on his knee joints, he remembered the small data drive that fell to the ground. He also picked it up, and whatever compelled him to secretly subspace it with the acid, he did not know. But he had it now, and maybe it could provide something useful for him in the future. "It's dangerous for you to carry this now that the seal is broken."

"Speaking of which, I have one last vial to break and I need you to slip your mask up." The young model announced as he unsealed the auburn vial. Steve questioned this at first but didn't see why he couldn't still trust Cass after all the help he provided him. Even when he still didn't feel he deserved such pity. So he unclasped his mask and slid it upward, exposing his dermas.

"Is this high enough?" He asked curiously.

"Yes. Perfect even." Cass swished the vial while squeezing the dropper. He stuck the vial back in the mud and tucked his free servo under Steve's chin to hold it in place. "Now lift your glossa and say ah."

"Ahhhhh… Ack!"

Something thick and bitter was dropped below his tongue and was so horrid tasting that it made the battle drone heave. He turned away so he could hack and shake his helm before cringing and shivering. "What was that?!"

"Nitroglycerin." Steve nearly bit his glossa. Or maybe he did bite his glossa and didn't even notice since it was starting to go numb. Nonetheless, the answer he received shocked him.

"Come again?" He slipped his mask back on to hide his fear filled expressions.

Cass didn't mean to laugh but found the large Vehicon's reaction so funny he couldn't restrain himself. "Don't worry. It's also diluted and is used as a cheep pain reliever. You're not in any danger from taking it."

Steve also laughed lightly and helped the carrying mech to his pedes by linking his good arm under Cass's shoulder. They walked a short distance before his nerves got the better of him and he just had to ask, "You're sure I have nothing to worry about?"

"I promise," Cass smiled, but followed up with a joke he knew would make Steve squirm, but part of the small drone thought he deserved it, "just try not to grind your dental plates."

-END-