"SHOCKWAVE!"

I shot from my space in front of the computers, and went to find Soundwave, bypassing even Starscream as my anxieties grew. The last I saw was the exploding of the lab on Earth, I didn't see if he escaped the blast, he was late in getting the last of his materials because of having to take care of me... his death may be my fault... Sliding to a sudden stop, I scrambled to find my footing once more, and entered the throne room finding a great relief when I saw Shockwave.

"(Y/D)?" he questioned, and I couldn't help but let the tears fall, but I stayed in place, to afraid of the war lord that stood beside him.

"This vehicon continues to be a constant sight, Shockwave," Megatron stated, "What is your reasoning?"

Shockwave was silent for a time, his gaze still towards me and my overly relieved self. I tried to reign in my emotions, but the tears kept falling.

"She is... my chosen sparkmate."

Those words sent my spark into a state I did no understand. It hurt but this pain was something I hoped to feel for the longest time. It hummed with new vigor as I smiled, and Shockwave walked over to me, his gentle servo touching my soaked cheekplate.

"Why did you come here? It is most illogical."

It took me a moment to find my voice, but I soon answered.

"I-I was watching the footage on the computers, I saw the blast b-but I didn't see you escape in time." The sobs rose and I couldn't choke them down, and I felt embarrassed in front of my leader, as well as my commander as Starscream stomped in, grumbling about a certain not-so-careful vehicon. He froze when he realized that vehicon was me.

"It appears you have matters to attend to, Shockwave," Megatron stated, his servos clasped behind his back, "Though I trust this new distraction will not hinder your work."

Distraction?

"She has created no hindrance in my work," Shockwave answered flatly, "(Y/D) has been anything but."

I was led out of the throne room, and to the lab, where I was told to sit on the berth. I always seem to find myself in this position, always the one needing help... I looked to the cycloptic mech who had called me his sparkmate... is that true, or just something he used to get out of that situation? He made no sound as he found a small torch, and began to repair a few scratches I had attained in my frenzy to find him. I sighed, flinching as he brushed over a particularly deep cut.

"I am sorry for worrying you," he stated.

"Don't," I replied, "I should have had faith that you would have made sure of your own safety... I'm sorry I barged in like that."

"You're apology is not accepted."

I frowned at his answer as he finished with the last cut, and huffed.

"And why is that?" I questioned.

"Because you were in a position that most would have froze, yet you ran to find me, you're choice of action was quite logical considering your concerns are very unlike other vehicons."

I was silent at this... I guess we were at a form of stale-mate when it comes to apologizing... but the logic of it makes sense. But, I still wonder about his earlier statement. Shockwave placed the torch in it's rightful place, and I slid off the berth, my pedes landing with a soft clack. I was about to simply go to the back where I often spent my time, but was stopped by the sudden apearrence of the mech I love in front of me. His optic burned with something I could not recognize. So many see nothing but a blank, emotionless stare, but if you look long enough, and hard enough, you'll see those little changes in his mood simply by how bright his optic glows. I felt his single servo come up to my cheekplate, and I closed my optics at his touch.

"Did you mean it?" I breathed, bringing my own servos to hold his in place by my helm before he could pull it away, "When you said I... that I was your chosen sparkmate?"

It was his turn to be silent as he chose his words carefully. His antenea swiveled, up and down, and I watched them, entranced by their movement.

"You are fatigued," he stated bluntly, "I suggest holding such conversation for a later time, when you are no longer under as much stress."

With a sigh I nodded, feeling the fatigue he had mentioned. This topic can wait, it is something I fear the answer of. What if it was simply an excuse?

Shockwave led me to the joined office, and lowered the hidden berth that was attached to the wall, helping me to be comfortable without hurting myself as I laid on my side. He placed something on my helm before taking it away seconds later, and looked to the device. He made no comment, and I felt myself slowly drift into recharge.

"Recharge well," he said before my optics no longer saw the mech I had come to love.

What if he does not love me the same I do him?

I woke up from my recharge to a strange silence. My inner clock said that it was rather late in the day, perhaps 3 O'clock, maybe 4. I lifted myself up from the berth, finding that my helm ached quite a bit, though perhaps that is the stress that I endured yesterday. I opened the door of the office after putting the hidden berth up, and looked around, finding no one. I checked Shockwave's schedule, though I knew he should have been here, he had another experiment scheduled. Alas the scientist is not present, and I can't leave unless I know that it's safe for me. Deciding to com him, I sighed, putting a digit to the side of my helm.

"(Y/D) to Shockwave, I fail to know your current location."

There was no answer, just static.

"Shockwave, come in."

Still only static.

I didn't know what to do, so I chose to be brave, and venture out of the lab. I took a deep breath before opening the sliding door, wishing I had kept it closed. Vehicons littered the floor of the Nemesis, their sparks torn form their very chassis, some having their masks torn and broken by their sides. I kept in the sobs as I carefully stepped over the carnage, going faster as I thought of Shockwave. Soon I was running, not caring for the many dents I was developing as I tripped and fell over the offlined bodies of my fellow vehicons. Some were burned, others torn, another's helm was crushed inward, and almost completely severed form their neck cables. I gagged as I walked through the energon stained walls, trying to find any sign of Shockwave. I tripped over another vehicon, and stumbled into a room, the throne room. Steadily getting up, I looked around. Soundwave lay on the floor, his visor shattered but there was nothing to see under it, an empty faceplate void of all emotion. Knockout was pinned to the wall with his own electric rod, his once red paint stained blue and scratched down to it's silver primer. Lord Megatron was on the floor, his faceplate frozen in the last moments of terror he held... and Shockwave... I ran to his offlined form, wailing as I pleaded for him to wake up, just wake up. But his once bright red optic continued to stare on, grey, and lifeless. His canon was torn away from his arm, and antenea bent, one broken off completely...

"We have shown you mercy."

I whipped around to find Optimus Prime and his team, staring down at me, their armor blemishless, not a spec of the spilled energon on them.

"Join us," their second in command stated, "Or fall to the same fate."

I stared at them, intake agape. I brought Shockwave closer to my chassis, despite the fact he could not feel my embrace. For my faction, or for my safety? For my love, or for my selfishness?

"I'd rather go to the PIT then side with you!"

"So be it."

The Prime took steady aim.