Prowl's POV:

I entered my quarters that I now shared with Autumn to see her sitting on the 'couch', as the humans called it. Her knees were drawn up to her chest with her arms around them. It was as close to a fetal position as possible for one who was sitting up. I glanced at her wings to get a read on them, and saw that they were hanging listlessly down her back in a position that indicated confusion, depression, and even a state of fear.

That was when I realized something. Fear, terror, apprehension, and nervousness were such common states for her, that they must have become a natural state by now. After all, there was certainly nothing for her to be afraid of while alone in our quarters, was there?

I looked over at the 'television' that she was watching to see a few commercials ending. Suddenly my mouth plates dropped open, and my optics shot wide in stark disbelief. I knew that my wings were straining against the limitations of the joints as they painfully flared straight up behind me. I could do nothing but stare and listen in complete shock as the short song played through to the end.

Knowing that I was getting dangerously close to glitching, I finally used my battle computer to filter out the feeling of extreme shock as I heard the words of that song. A more perfect description of Sunstreaker and Sideswipe may never be put to music. I simply could not believe my audio receptors! The individual who created this 'Dukes of Hazard' must have known about those two in order to have described them so accurately.

I ignored the throbbing ache in my processors as I went over and sat next to Autumn. I had learned from experience during the past few days, that she responded very well to comforting touches, calm words, and soothing sounds. Indeed, it seems that Bluestreak had inadvertently used this same method with her to gain enough of her trust to form a spark bond. I knew from Ratchet's reports that my brother was emotionally drawn to her even before her human body was somehow altered into a Cybertronian frame. I also knew from Bluestreak himself that he had offered such comfort and reassurances to Autumn almost as soon as she had arrived on the base.

Avoiding her sensitive wings, I ran my digits lightly down her back.

"What are you watching?" I asked softly in an attempt to distract her from her thoughts.

"A Dukes of Hazard marathon, so I can see how to drive better. I've only been in my alt. mode twice." She answered softly. "The first time I tried… you… you put me in the brig."

I felt my own door wings start to droop slightly from regret at those words. I remembered what I had said to her. 'You are acting like a spoiled sparkling!'

Of course she had been acting like a sparkling! I am still not certain how I didn't see it then, but she was a sparkling. A sparkling who had simply been trying out her wheels for the first time. What should have been a joyous and momentous occasion in her life had been turned into a horrible event to remember. I had done that… I had made the memory of her first outing into a traumatizing event that had broken her spirit. To make the issue even worse… I had forgotten about her. Those had been mistakes that the sparkling femme had not deserved. While it was true that she could have been needlessly endangering human lives, she had possessed the sense to use the long runway for her antics at a time when it was unlikely to be used. She had not deserved my reaction!

"I… Autumn… I… I owe you an apology."

I was unable to keep stuttering out of my speech patterns. This was much more difficult them it sounded. Pure emotionless logic was simple and elegant in function, but the unyielding reliability that I had always derived was not available to me at this moment. I knew that I would not be able to explain it. This apology was logical, it was merited, and my own behavior warranted my issuance of it. Still… it was not something that was easily accomplished.

She turned her helm to look at me with both curiosity and confusion in her optics. There was also some level of fear expressed in her faceplates.

"That night that I caught you driving on the runway… I over reacted. While you should not have been on the tarmac without permission… I should not have spoken as I did. I should not have placed you in the brig, and I certainly should not have become so engrossed in my work that I forgot about you. You did not deserve that."

I watched as she shrank back from me, sliding away on the couch. Her fear was obvious in the position of her wings, and the look in her wide optics.

"In retrospect, I realize that what you were doing was nothing that anyone else would not have done. You were eager to try out your wheels for the first time. That is something that all ground based forms have done. Much unlike others though, you chose a time and place that was relatively safe for you to do so. Simply chastising you would have been far more appropriate than the course of action I chose. Your actions that night are perfectly understandable, and had I known that you had never been in an alt. mode prior to that night, I would have expected you, or any other bot for that matter, to do such a thing."

I released a vent of overheated air as I sought a means to make reparations for what I had unknowingly taken from this sparkling femme. That was when I realized that the solution already within my servos. I knew that I would end up regretting this, but in the interest of giving her a proper and thorough education, it needed to be done.

"You do not need to view these programs. I will request that Sunstreaker and Sideswipe teach you to drive. Primus knows they are undoubtedly the best."

"Really?"

The sudden hope that sounded in her voice was also evident in the rise of her wings. Autumn looked at me with wide disbelieving optics. I nodded firmly as I continued to stroke her back.

"You really mean it? You'll get someone to teach me how to drive?"

"Yes, Autumn… I will. I am your guardian now, and that means that I am not only responsible for your safety and wellbeing, but I am also in charge of ensuring a proper education for you. That includes learning to utilize your alt. mode to the fullest potential. Make no mistake, they will be very harsh in their criticism, and they will not go easy on you, but once they say that you are ready to drive, then I will have no doubts that you will have learned from the best. Besides… I believe those would be lessons that you will actually enjoy!" I answered with a slight smile on my face plates.

"Thank you!"

It was almost a squeal that emerged from the femme, as she turned and curled into my frame while her systems began accelerating rapidly. Her excitement and elation was obvious even without reading the new position of her wings.

Simple kindness. That was what caused her to respond in a positive fashion. It made no difference that that there was a very strong warning included in what I'd told her, what mattered was the manner in which I'd said it. It seemed that all this femme needed was compassionate encouragement, and positive motivation. I couldn't help a smile at both her exuberance, and at my realizations.

One would think that pure logic could solve almost any dilemma, salvage any situation, rectify any wrong, and never falter. The problem I was now forced to deal with, was that logic and reason was of absolutely no assistance at all with this femme. Logical reasoning would dictate that those in a position of authority, those with the authority to enforce law would have been of assistance to Autumn when she needed such help. Experience had shown her that she had much to fear from those in positions of authority, because such help had never presented itself.

Now I, who have always relied on logical, rational thought processes, would have to cast almost all logic aside so that I could deal with Autumn on an emotional level. It would be difficult to state the least.

I had allowed Autumn to curl up against my frame, which was a position that she seemed to draw some form of emotional comfort from, and was idly stroking her back soothingly, when my attention was drawn back to the television.

'We interrupt this program to bring you a live News broadcast from Tranquility Police Station…'

Autumn POV:

A man stared out at the crowd of gathered reporters from a position at the top of the steps of the police headquarters. Somewhat tall and thin, he had dark hair and was clean shaven. It was clear that he hadn't worn his suit in quite some time, since it didn't fit properly, but it was clear that he'd cleaned himself up for whatever announcement he was about to make.

"My name is Sterben Mondschein, and I am guilty of more crimes than I can possibly name. I have beaten my wife on more occasions than I can remember. I eventually beat her to death a long time ago. I am here before you to say that our system of child protection must be changed! I have used drugs and alcohol to commit atrocities against a child that should never have happened. My own daughter, Autumn was repeatedly beaten to the point of hospitalization, only to be returned to the care of her relentless and merciless tormentor… me! When she was no more than a toddler, yet still, I cut her throat because I didn't want to listen to her screams while I beat her daily. As she grew older… I not only beat her physically, but I abused her mentally, and emotionally as well. Once Autumn was seven years old, I ensured that she suffered even more. I made absolutely certain that she always had at least one broken rib, and usually many more. Bruises, broken ribs… I've even broken her arms a few times. Forget about being properly investigated… not once was I ever investigated at all!"

Sterben drew a deep breath to steady himself as the crowd of reporters began giving him dirty looks. He looked past them seeming not to even notice that they were there as he drew himself up and continued.

"Several weeks ago… after breaking several of her ribs in a beating; I waited until the next day. I chained her up, stabbed her in her left lung, drug her out to the woods, smashed her in the back of the head with a rock, and left her to die by either bleeding to death, concussion, or drowning in her own blood. By some miracle, she was found and taken to a hospital, where her life was saved. I understand that she spent three weeks in a coma because of my actions that day. That she nearly died at my hands wasn't enough. The moment I got her home from the hospital… I laid into her with a bull whip. I called her a whore in a thousand different ways as I beat her with that whip. When I was finally convinced that she was completely unable to resist; I shackled her and drug her upstairs where I again stabbed her with a knife, and chained her to a pole. I then tore her clothing off and raped her while calling her a slut like her mother. The next day, she was given no food or water, and I allowed those I called my friends to rape my own daughter while she was still chained helplessly to that pole."

The cries and remarks of outrage from the gathered reporters forced the man to stop speaking for several long moments. When he finally resumed, it was with regret obvious in his voice, and posture.

"I kept her a prisoner in that fashion, had her subjected to multiple rapes on a daily basis for a week without giving her any food or water. It was at that point that several large men barged their way into my home and freed Autumn by sheer bruit force. Although I was badly beaten by one of them, it wasn't even close to what I deserved."

Suddenly Sterben Mondschein seemed to steel himself as he looked directly into the cameras.

"Autumn… I don't know if you are even still alive… but if by some miracle of God, you are alive, and you are seeing this, then you need to know something. I don't expect your forgiveness. I will not ask for it, because I… do… not… deserve… it!"

Those words were almost shouted as they were stated clearly and loudly.

"If there is any place that is actually worse than Hell, then that is where I belong. I have taken and stolen so many things from you Autumn, that there is no punishment named that can give me what I truly deserve. I took your mother from you while making you watch as I killed her, I took your voice when I cut your throat, I took your health with countless beatings, and maybe I even took your sanity… I don't know. I admit to you and to the entire world that I stole your virginity from you while hurling insults that I will not repeat, because none of them are true. I will say it to you again… not one of them is even close to being true! They were absolute lies meant to hurt you. I can only hope that those men who rescued you from my clutches are giving you the kind of loving home that you so rightly deserve. Whoever your saviors are, Autumn, you should know that they must truly care about you! They would never have gone to such trouble to rescue you from my control if they didn't. Not even steel bars and chains were able to stop them from coming to the rescue that you so desperately needed and deserved. So for what little it's worth… I am truly sorry."

There wasn't a single tear in Sterben Mondschein's eyes as he went silent and finally looked at the gathered reporters. There were now numerous police officers standing and waiting for him to finish speaking so that they could take the self confessed murderer into custody. Many of those same officers were obviously angry and disgusted by the man in front of them, but they held their silence, and surprisingly, were polite enough to let him finish.

There was total bedlam and chaos as everyone gathered started shouting when he announced that he would now accept and answer questions. Finally, he held up his right hand to signal for silence as he prepared to say something else.

"I am well aware that what I have just admitted to will put me in prison for the rest of my life. For what I have done… I deserve far worse! Not even the death penalty is good enough for my crimes."

As soon as he finished saying that, Sterben Mondschein whipped out a pistol gripped double barrel shotgun that had been sawed off to a total length of maybe six inches, and fired both barrels at his throat beneath his chin. The result was that he was immediately decapitated by the blast. His now headless body seemed to remain standing for a brief moment before toppling lifelessly to the ground.

Soundwave's POV:

Immense satisfaction coursed through my circuits as I vented a mass of hot air through my vents while I released the gathered reporters, along with that worthless and now lifeless mech from my control. Manipulating that many at once had taxed even my prodigious telepathic skills. The most difficult part of all of it, was ensuring that the femme sparkling was viewing one of the stations airing the broadcast, without damaging her in any way. I was now certain of one thing… that there would never again be a threat to the sparkling femme from her mech creator. I made certain to keep a copy of his memories in case they would ever be needed for some unexplainable reason, but I find that they are so hideous that I believe even Shockwave would be revolted by them.

I am uncertain as to why exactly the Allspark altered her from human to Cybertronian, but I can and will ensure that she remains free to discover that reason. My skills will also ensure that no Decepticon ever targets her for capture or anything else; and certainly not to be used as a sparkling factory in the way that I originally intended. I do not believe that even Shockwave would defile a sparkling in such a fashion. Had I only known her true age prior to undertaking her enslavement, she would never have suffered needlessly at my hands. May Primus forgive my actions during that time, because I will never forget them. I have done what I can to ensure that the Autobot medic has both the software programs that the sparkling will need, and that the other Decepticons remember nothing of her existence. I can do no more for now, but I will be keeping an optic on her in the future. The last creation of the destroyed Allspark would be safe from me and the Decepticons as long as I could ensure it.

Autumn POV:

I stared at the TV in shock. I couldn't believe it. He was dead. He was actually dead! I knew it, because I had seen it with my own optics. My father was dead. He would never be able to hurt me again. I'd never have to be afraid of him… ever again. I didn't know what to say, or if I should even say anything. I was so scared of him. I had been terrified of him for as long as I could remember, and I had hated him for just as long!

The problem was… he was still my father! I didn't know whether to laugh in relief, or cry because he was gone. Without him, I could never find out what my mother had been like. I sort of remembered brief flashes of things about her… but there wasn't anything that I could really hold on to. That thought made my spark ache for her. It wasn't so much that my father was gone, but that he had been the only real link to my mother.

I didn't know what to say. I didn't even know if I should say anything. I didn't even know what I was supposed to do now. That was when I felt someone stroking my back in a way that felt wonderful. I could feel those servos pass along every last millimeter of my frame's back. I turned my helm to look up into the optics of none other than Prowl. He had a worried expression of his face plates while he looked at me. Did this mean that he really cared… about me? Why?

Prowl's POV:

I watched in silence. I had set my battle computer to operate at peak capacity to filter the emotions from my thoughts as I watched that broadcast. Even so, I could feel an anger bordering on rage being filtered by my battle computer, and I was truly thankful for that. The last thing Autumn needed right now would be for me to glitch and leave her to her own devices.

I had known about some of the abuse that was being stated, but I had no idea that it had been such a prevalent part of Autumn's life, or that it was so extensive. The abuse suffered and experienced by my siblings and I might equal that of Autumn's… if added together… but our suffering had been spread out over several vorns… more than twenty times longer than Autumn had even been alive!

As that horrid broadcast continued, I learned what had actually happened to Autumn's carrier. To know that such… such evil existed was almost beyond comprehension. Now… I think I understand exactly why Autumn is so afraid of those in a position of authority. Not only did her creator cause her lasting and maybe even irreparable mental harm, but those who should have protected her from her creator had also done nothing to help her.

The sudden and unexpected demise of her mech creator was not a comforting sight! Autumn might well be further traumatized by witnessing that. I however, am actually glad that this universe will no longer be plagued by that one's existence. I know that I am close to glitching right now, because numerous emotions are starting to seep through the filtration of my battle computer, and there is nothing I can do about it.

I struggle to remain online and functional for Autumn's sake. She is in dire need of her guardian right now, and she needs to know that there is at least one individual who cares about her. I run my servos down her back as soothingly as I can, trying to offer what comfort I may while I am still online. That is when she looks up at me with an expression of utter confusion. I am worried about her, and I think she can see it in my optics. Suddenly she's crawling into my lap like the sparkling she is. All I can do is hold her and offer her my presence. I can only hope that it's enough for now. I can't help but vent softly in relief when the exhausted femmeling slips into recharge. Perhaps tomorrow she'll feel up to discussing what we both saw this day. I send a comm signal to Ratchet to apprise him of my condition. Fortunately, he is on his way.

I held the small fragile frame close to me, my wings tense as an intense pain swept through my processors. I could hear an odd popping and sizzling noise as my glitch began to act up. Just then the door swept in and the volatile medic stepped into my quarters. Suddenly a loud pop filled the room, the vents on my helm opening up to allow cool air into my overheated processors.

Ratchet was suddenly at my side, his armor shimmering as he picked up the small frame of Autumn and set her on the couch. The look he sent me was dry and comprised of pursed lip plates and narrowed knowing lazuline optics. Reaching around my helm I felt him touch something and then everything went black.

Autumn P.O.V.

When I awoke again I was still on the couch, but I was alone. My sensitive door wings couldn't pick up on any movement, spark signatures or bot signals in general. Curling into a ball I looked around the quarters wearily. Alone... all alone. I shuttered my optics, remembering a time when I was all alone just like now.

A dark room, a belt... a pole... I gasped in a sharp vent and fell off the couch only to land on a door wing quite painfully. My chassis was heaving, cooling fans working harshly. A keen left my lip plates, panic swirling through me. The sound of pede-steps alerted me to someone coming close. Looking up I jumped to see the saboteur. When did he come in?!

"Ya alright lil lady?" I shivered and sat up, wincing when pain lanced through my right wing. Flicking my wing I stared at him in silence.

"What are you doing in here?" I asked in a snappish voice, pain making static lace through it. I winced internally. I sound like a spoiled sparkling!

"Sorry lil lady, Ah forgot ya didn't remember. Prowler is in med-bay with old Hatchet. I heard dat thump and came ta check up on ya." I winced and gave him a guilty look.

"Sorry my wing just hurts, I didn't mean to snap." I whispered softly. I saw the gentle smile, his EMP field generating a soothing feeling that ghosted over my wings. I jumped, startled, I had never felt an EMP field so intense before.

"No hard feelings. Lets get ya ta old Hatchet, yeah?" I nodded and let him help me up. Staggering silently I attempted to flick my damaged right wing to feel another blast of pain. Wincing I walked with Jazz to med-bay to see Prowl sitting on a berth speaking with Ratchet. They both looked up when the door opened, I smiled impishly when Jazz pointed at me and ran. Really?! I wanted to scream after him, slight irritation could be seen in both officers optics.

"What is it now youngling?" I flinched at his tone and walked over, turning my back to them I slowly flexed my right wing as much as I could.

"I f… fell on my right w… wing... it hurts..." I whimpered softly. An exasperated warm vent ghosted over my helm as a firm, yet surprisingly gentle, servo ghosted over my helm.

"I don't see anything wrong, I'm guessing you probably pinched a neuro sensor, I'll have to go under the plating to see femme." I nodded and let him guide me to a birth. After getting situated on my front I felt him reach to the back of my helm and pinch some random wire, then everything went black in a forced stasis.

Ratchet POV

After pinching a stasis inducing wire I carefully pulled the paneling armor off of her door wing and took a look. Low and behold a small wire was being pinched between the door wing joint and her back plating.

Transforming a pair of tweezers from my index digit, I very carefully got the wire out of the joint and inspected it. The yellow-gold insulating tube wasn't damaged and the wire felt and looked fine so I knew it didn't need to be replaced. Carefully placing the wire out of pinching distance I replaced her paneling and turned to Prowl.

"I understand that you do not wish me to perform the scans of yet, but I do need your consent as her guardian to go into her processors to make sure Soundwave hasn't done any more harm. Besides, I need to see how much damage has been done to her psyche. The last time I went into her processors it was for a basic evaluation." Prowl was completely silent throughout my small speech, his optics distant while wings were tense.

"I understand Ratchet; however, I just feel like it is too soon to be going into her processors. We should not be having to do this at all!"

"It will always be too soon with you Prowl! Look at her! Can't you see it in her optics? Her sanity is being stripped by the joor!"

"Do you think I have not seen this?"

"I didn't say that," I snarled and shook my helm. "All that I am saying is that either you give me permission or I will ask Prime to stand witness for you!" Doorwings shot up in the air.

"Under paragraph three hundred point four of sector eight B (300.4/8B) rules-"

"I know very well what the rules are Prowl, but I am CMO and I have authority over both you and Prime should the need arise; and you and I both know I have no qualms about using it. So get it through that fragging processor of yours that this needs to be done and be a mech!" With that I hit him in the helm with my trusty wrench then walked off to my office.