Disclaimer : Beast Wars © Hasbro

A/N : There is the continuation of From Death Comes Life. You can consider it a sequel or see the first story as a prologue for this one. It will be probably a 10 to 12 chapter’s story if everything goes as I want it to… And if the muse don’t die on me early! I sure hope not! Well, here it is, so… Enjoy!

Dinobot’s Heritage

Chapter 1: The cat’s out of the bag

There had been a month since Dinobots death, and ever since, the Predacons had been more active then ever. Like if they wanted to make them all pay for not letting them eradicate the primitive humans.

Like if they would… What a bunch of stupid fools! As for me, poor, lonely old me, I am stuck in monitor duty for two more cycles and I’m already bored to death… At least, I’m not completely alone! I smirk and let a servo rest on my swollen belly, which is starting to show more and more. I won’t be able to hide it much longer, I’m afraid… Ha, whatever… The secret would’ve been out soon, one way or another. It’s not like I can only pretend I’m getting, fat, can I? I chuckle and then put on one of my favourites games. It’s not like the Predacons are going to attack in the next few minutes, are they?

I am coping surprisingly well with Dinobot’s death… I though I would be more of a wreck but no… maybe it’s because I’m carrying his Heir. I don’t know, I’m not a shrink, and I suck at auto-analysis. But that’s a good enough explanation for me. I groan and shift position a little when I feel the larger than usual sparkling growing inside of me move a bit. This little slagger is gonna be big… Just like his dad. And I bet he’ll look just like him too. Is the Raptor’s genetic code stronger than rat genes? Maybe… Whatever it is, I won’t complain…

I’m going down the third level of my computer game when I heard the door open behind me. Hastily and with a muffled curse, I hide the window and look busy. Whoever it is, I hope they go away in the next nanoclick… But I don,t have such luck. I heard heavy footsteps coming behind me and soon, I have to turn around as the mech didn’t seems to want to move.

“Rhinox, waddya want? I’m busy!”

He looked down at me like I was some really interesting specimen to study, and honestly, I hate when he uses this look on me. It makes my metallic skin crawl like I had ants running all over me. And I instinctively took a posture that would hide the tell-tale bump on my lower belly. It is still small enough for me to do it. And I glare at him with narrowed optics.

He don’t looks impressed in the least. And he looked at the screen behind me with a lifted optic ridge and a little half-smile that I don’t like at all. Come, on, Big Green, go away and let me alone… That’s all I ask… Is it too much for Primus’s sake?

No such luck…

“Primal wants me to do a complete systems check-up on you, Rattrap. You are avoiding the monthly exams for three months now. It’s time that you comply and come with me. Or do I have to drag you here?”

“Aw, c’mon, Big Green! I’m 100% functional! I don’t need a check-up!” I reply with my most convinving tune. I hope he swallow it…

“No can do. It’s the same rule for everyone, even you. So either you come with me peacefully or I drag you there. Alright?”

Well, crap…

I’m on my feet in a nanoclick and taking a run for the lift and I heard Rhinox calling me back as I managed to get out before the big dummy can stop me. And after this, I take my comm. Link off and continue to run until I cannot run any longer. And not so surprisingly, my apparently blind run for it brought me to Dinobot’s funeral Pyre. Or his tombstone, if you may, ‘cause the Pyre part is done for a long time now.

‘Heh… I suppose it wasn’t such a blind run after all…’ I think and look up at the high Pyre as I transform back to robot mode. ‘Hope ya could hear me Chopperface. I… Miss ya. Honest! I wish ya could be there ta see yer son when he’ll be born…’

I put my hand on the golden plate on which is engraved Dinobot’s epitaph and I trace the edges of the letters with a deep sigh. I really miss the rough, strong and ruthless warrior. I feel oddly good standing here, next to his last resting place. Like I can suck some strength for what remains of his presence here. He had the strongest, hardest Spark I ever merged with, and I did it often when I was still on Cybertron. I can feel him still if I concentrate hard enough. I let out a little chuckle and talk like he can still hear me. That’s funny, I never believed in primus and all that crap about the Wheel of Allspark and the Pit before but now… I really hope that exists somewhere and that Dinobot’s spark is not gone for good, vanished into nothingness.

“I wanna know somethin’, Chopperface… Is it always that hard to cope with someone’s death?... Maybe I’m jus goin’ crazy… I can almost feel ya still…”

I put a servo on my belly, stroking the swollen bump lovingly, and look at the beautiful scenery. That place was great… Primal had taste for picking the most interesting sites. Even more for that kinda purpose. I feel a tiny, barely noticeable movement beneath the plating and smile. I stroke a little more and said, sounding peaceful and uncharacteristically calm.

“Yep, yer dad’s not gone for good… Ya can feel ‘im too, can ya? I knew it…”

I was about to say something else when I heard something behind me and, already in full alert, I turn around… And had to jump out of the way as a shot hit Dinobot’s monument behind me and shattered it to pieces. My optics widens first in surprise and slight pain and then narrowed in rage. How DARE they?! Thos no-good pile of scrap metal! I heard the cackling voice of Quickstrike boasting like the fool he is as I find some cover behind a boulder.

“Ha! Serves him right! That bastard was a slaggin’ traitor, anyway, didn’t deserve a monument!”

That done it. I saw red and jumped from behind my hiding place the land some well-aimed shots right in the slagger’s faceplates. I heard him yelp in pain with mush satisfaction and aimed at the second slagger, that insufferable idiotic loyalist Inferno. And he shouts that slag about Royalty as he fire on me his infamous flame thrower.

“For the Royalty! Take him ALIVE!”

“Take THIS, ya oversized moron!” I said and fired at the red ugly bastard with all my might. They destroyed all that remained of Dinobot’s passage on this world. I’ll make them pay… Dearly! “Waddya wait fer?! COME AN’ GET ME! Or are ya ‘fraid of a small lil rodent?! Cowards!”

I was about to shot again when I heard a noise right behind me, and I curse. I was careless! I focussed on the opponents in front of me and forgot to cover my back! And a large purple arm arap around my beck and lift me bodily from the grounds, making me choke.

‘Ho slag… Megatron… I’m done for… Stupid rodent! Why didn’t I look behind me?! A beginer’s failure… An’ prob’ly my last…’

“I don’t think so, vermin.”

The evil and twisted smirk he gave me then could’ve made the bravest mech run for cover... And it’s not even the last of the shocks I’d got today! He pressed me harshly against his platings, almost crushing me, and I feel one large, clawed servo snake its way to my abdomen plating, prodding there painfully. And what he had then makes me shiver with dread.

“That’s not you I want, but I’ll have to do with your disgusting, fouls Maximal stench for a couple of months… What I want is still inside of you. Yeessss…”

‘Ho no… Ho nononono… Mega-Butt knows! How did he manage to know?! No one knew apart from me! Ho, man… What am I gonna do?!’

I was panicking. I knew I was but there was nothing I could do to prevent it. I was crushed in Megatron’s embrace and he wanted to take my sparkling from me! Me and Dinobot’s sparkling, his only Heritage, the only thing that I would have from him! I struggle and fight and bite and claws at him but the slagger’s too strong for me. I’m trapped! And I’m starting to loose consciousness because of the crushing that’s taking a toll on my systems.

“N-no… Lemme go… B-bastard! I’ll… d-die before I l-let ya take my sparklin’!”

“Ho, but that can be arranged… Yesss… As long as your body functions, I don’t need you annoying mind!” He hissed in my audio and I shiver again.

As I finally drift into unconsciousness, I thought I heard a familiar voice reach my audio…

oOo

Many cycles later…

Im wake slowly, my systems rebooting after a forced shutdown. I am briefly blinded by the bright light and I let out a pained whimper. My head is killing me… I finally manage to focus on what’s around me and I see a familiar face leaning over me. And I sighed in deep relief.

I’m on the Axalon… Primus be blessed… Megatron didn’t take me away!

“Nng… Wha Happened?... Ma processor’s killin’ me…”

I try to move but I’m restrained by a magnetic field. I narrow my optics and huffed, annoyed.

“What the slag is this?! Why am I restrained?!” I asked a little harshly, and I see Rhinox coming into view from somewhere behind me. “Hey, Big Green! Lemme go! ‘M fine, I swear!”

I feel a sharp pain in the abdomen as I move a little harder, and I wince. Ho Primus, what happened to the Sparkling? I feel something’s wrong! I try to look but a screen in blocking my view. I try to struggle more but I’m thoroughly immobilized. And I’m starting to panic again. Scrap those fragging mood swings!

“Calm down, Rattrap! Stop struggling, you’ll only exhaust yourself!” he said and put a reassuring servo on my forehead.

“Wha… Wha’ happens? Is… Please, is da sparklin’ alright?!”

For a klick the green mech looked saddened and angry, and Primal looked like he would like to tear something to pieces, and that didn’t reassure me in the least. What was happening?! Was my sparkling dead? Aborted? I let out an anguished keen and I felt another jolt of pain wash through my abdomen. Rhinox stroke my forehead soothingly and his expression then change to a hopeful reassurance.

“He’s still there, don’t worry. He got through some heavy trials but he clung to life with claws and fangs…”

He then had a little amused smile and a chuckled and it made me feel better. If he laughed, than there was nothing to worry about, not really. The mech was bad at hiding anything. Primal then took over and explained.

“We received and automatic distress signal from Dinobot’s Funeral Monument when it was destroyed. We detected tour signature… along with Predacons near this position and we got there as soon as possible. Just in time to prevent Megatron from taking you away but…” He sighed and added, saddened and angered. “Not before he could cut you open and take something from the sparkling. A sample of cells, I think…”

I feel a dreaded shiver run down my spinal unit at those words. Cut me open?! I let out another whimper and a low keening sound, trying to feel the sparkling. I am relieved when I can feel it, though, and relaxed. He’s weak but he’s there nonetheless. As strong and stubborn as his father, and I’m glad for it right now… Rhinox then take over the talking again and he then take a concerned and reproachful expression.

‘Ho slag…’ I think and frown. ‘I’m in for a lecture now…’

“You should’ve told us you were carrying, Rattrap. We could’ve prevented this kind of situation. It was foolish of you to keep it for yourself for so long. If Megatron had succeeded, he would’ve had a second Dinobot to manipulate and grow the way he wanted him!” he sighed and shook his large head, then add, concern taking over. “At least, now, you’re safe. Both of you.”

I’m a little ashamed now. Yeah, I should’ve told them… Now I realise this. I put myself and the sparkling in high danger by running away in the first place! What a pitiful idiot I am… I think Chopperface would’ve given me a rough time for it was he still there. Pounding some sense in my tick processor… And he would’ve been right to do so!

“I’m sorry… Really, I am! What a fool I am… I never wanted ta run ‘way like that, honest! I… I think I was jus’ a bit ‘fraid of what ya all though ‘bout me… And da sparklin’”

It was Primal that answered this, coming closer and squeezing my shoulder tightly, friendly. I look at him with a tired, ashamed smile and he smile back with reassurance. I now know that I had worried for nothing. I would have been accepted whatever I told them.

“We wouldn’t have though lesser of you if we had knew. Did he knew? About the sparkling?”

“No.” I answered honestly. “I neva told ‘im. I…” I sigh and a little tear, a treacherous little tear, left my right optic to roll down my cheek. “I think I was ‘fraid of da way he’d react ta it… And now, tis is nothin’ that I regret more than neva tellin’ ‘im… He died neva knowin’ he had an Heir…”

It’s then that I break down and start weeping like a sparkling myself. I just can’t help it. I can make up Primal’s form still leaning over me. And saying reassuring and kind words to me. I don,t really catch anything he says, then, but it’s about the fact Dinobot would’ve been proud to know it and is probably watching it from wherever he is now. And this only makes me cry harder. And I feel like a pile of scrap. An unworthy pile of dirty, cowardly slag to never told him I was carrying his Heir.

He died knowing nothing, and I don’t believe in the afterlife so… For me, he never knew and thought, in his last moments, that he would let nothing behind him to reminds the world of him and take over his heritage. I don’t know how long I kept crying and crying until I fell into recharge from exhaustion, but when J woke up, Rhinox is there doing some checks on my systems and probably the sparkling too. He turned to see that I’m awake and asked, in a friendly tune.

“Feeling better?”

“Yeah… I think so… Thanks Big Green… For… Savin’ ma sparklin’ an’ all… I owe ya, mech…”

He only nods and I smile back at him, then I feel I can move again and sit up slowly, with his help. I’m feeling weak and sick but I can manage to get to my pedes. He helps me until I motion to him to let me be. I walk to the screen were the results of the sparkling’s scans are displayed.

“What does it says, Rhinox? That’s all gibberish ta me…”

“Well, it says that now all his functions are back to normal and that he’s healthy and growing at a normal rate.”

“He? Ya mean it’s a mech?” I said with a hint of excitement.

“Yes, it’s a mech, and as far as I can tell, he looks a lot like his father. It will be a raptor, I think, and probably a splitting image of his father.” He nodded and smiled down at me. “You see, even in death, this stubborn mech managed to stay online in a way… through your sparkling.”

I looked at the monitor for a long time after that, trying to make out the details of the immature protoform displayed there. He was so tiny and fragile yet… A speck of life holding on with ferocity. I am so proud of him… I will probably name him in memory of his father.

Dinobot will be reborn.

oOo

Predacon’s base, in the meantime.

“Tarantulas, is the protoform ready yet?!”

Megatron was striding back and forth in the mad scientist’s lab and looking at the glass container in the middle of it, hooked with so many tubes and wires I was barely visible. But he could see the tiny proform in the middle of the shining, bluish liquid.

“Yes! The sample you brought me was of a perfect quality! I would’ve liked to have the real protoform to experiment and work on, but that will made it anyway! It is alive, now, Megatron! Mwahahaha!”

“Excellent! Yeesss…”

Megatron stopped in front of the glass container and looked at the barely visible protoform growing into it. Already he was looking like a three months old growing protoform, and the process had been accelerated by Tarantulas to make it so he will be ready in two months instead of the six it would’ve taken in a normal gestation. He narrowed his optics for a moment and then laughed loudly, a dark, sadistic and maniac laugh that was both chilling and frightening to hear.

“So it is in motion! Soon, I will have a new and improved version of Dinobot to command! And then, I’ll et rid of those Maximal pests once and for all! Yessss…”

He looked at the protoform again and hit the glass softly, making the tiny being inside stir and move, and laughed again, very satisfied with his latest victory. An half-victory, as he would have preferred to get the rat and the sparkling he was carrying, but he got the sample he needed. And he would get rid of the rodent and the little parasite he was carrying and therefore get rid of any traces of the old Dinobot in one decisive strike!

-TBC-

Note: Ok, here's my try at a seeker christmas fluff. I hope I can do as well as what I did last year! Everyone seemed to like this one, including myself lol. Anyway, here it is...

Warning: Will contains reference to abuse and rape and MPreg. You have been warned. Dark themes and character death...

Rating: Teen

A little miracle

The night was still and the silence was deep in the desert, the rocky cliffs and duty plains looking like it were in a deep slumber in those deepest, darkest hours of the night. In the distance, very far away, the very faint sounds of engines in an highway could be heard, but those alien sounds, unfit to this calm, wild landscapes, didn't disturbed the peace. After a few more moments, small white snowflakes started to slowly, lightly fall from the heavens covering the ground in a white, cold shroud that seemed to put everything in an even deeper slumber.

Nothing, it appears, would even dare to disturb this peaceful place. Until...

Whit a roar of tortured engine, a jet plummeted from the sky at high speed. Trailing behind it was a trail of black, thick smoke and soon, a loud crash could be heard. Everything seemed to freeze, waiting, watching as the fallen jet stopped to an alt against a boulder and then, after one last explosion of sparks and fire, stopped moving. Yet again, peace and silence shrouded the area and the snow, undisturbed, continued to fall, slowly covering the fallen form of the dark jet that crashed so unceremoniously only moments before. Pings and creaks of cooling metal could be heard, and small hiss and puffs of vapor were seen rising from the twisted frame. Anyone seeing this mess would've thought that the pilot had either left the falling plane before it crashed, or died upon crashing... But there were no pilot to worry about here. Only a fallen jet that was slowly fading into nothingness. And he would, if no one found him in a very brief period of time.

But, fortunately for the jet, this little incident hadn't gone unnoticed.

oOo

December 24, 21h32, Control room, the Ark

It was Sideswipe on monitor duty that night and he was bored out of his mind. If there was something he hated more the being cooped up in the medbay for a long period of time, it was probably spending hours to end in front of a screen watching in case of a hypothetical threat. The red twin was already half-dozing on his chair, but the worst wasn't even it. no, it was that he could hear the sounds from the celebrations coming from the rec room, and as a punishment duty, he had to stay here, locked in that fragging, pit-forsaken control room while everyone else INCLUDING his brother were having fun. He could already hear him rubbing it in for weeks to come. Sunstreaker could be SUCH an aft sometimes...

SIdeswipe didn't really understands the concept behind the celebration of the human holidays but, since their human friend insisted that they all learned a little bit about their traditions and customs, Optimus had indulged Spike and his dad by taking time to listen to their stories and explanations about Christmas and its meaning for the humans. And somehow, the Autobot leader had been positively impressed by this holiday that was basically a celebration of good will and charity, and peace for all sentient being on Earth. And why not on all the Universe? The kind Leader had taken this to heart and had taken time studying it more closely. And so it had lead to tonight's celebrations in the rec. room, and a order from Prime to 'spread the valor's of Christmas' to his troops for the next two weeks, until the Holydays were over.

Though it had became a tradition since they were on Earth. It had been more than twenty years by now, but every single year, the Holidays were also a time for celebration and charity towards anyone needing it for the Autobots. It had not only made their integration into Earth customs easier, it had also greatly increased the Autobots' public image to the humans. The Earthlings were very glad to see them so eager to follow one of their strongest tradition and takes it to heart like that. Well, Optimus, and many others, did at least. But not everyone... Sideswipe was one of those who never understood, along with his brother. And some others like the rough Weapon Specialist and the twitchy Red Alert. But Optimus's orders and his example were law around here so...

Well, that was all good and well, but the red twin didn't really see the point. And the Decepticons would certainly /never/ agree to a 'Season ceasefire'... SO here he was, on Christmas Eve, sitting on his aft on the control room watching screens where nothing would happens. Oddly, the Decepticons never attacks at this time of the year, and it certainly have nothing to do with some kind of 'good will' for the Season. SIdeswipe tried to bit back another yawn, but he was completely unsuccessful and ended up yawning for a good two minutes.

Until one of the screen beeped loudly and wrenched him out of his half-asleep slumber. He sat upright and looked at the concerned screen. There was a decepticon signature in the vicinity! Damnit, the guy chose his moment to show up... Who was the fragger? He looked closely and saw that there was no other signatures, only one, and faint too. As if the mech was severely wounded and almost about to offline. And indeed, a few moments later, the signal seemed to almost vanish and came to a halt a few miles away from the Ark.

Maybe it was dead... If it was the case, Sideswipe wouldn't even bother to tell anyone until after the party. But it was his duty to inform his superiors of this, and he really not wanted to have another duty shift on New Years Eve so, he pinged Prowl and quickly got an answer.

"Report." Was the sharp, curt command and Sideswipe quickly said.

"A decepticon energy signature just popped on one of the screen, and vanished a few moments later. It was already faint, and it disappeared from the radar a few miles from the Ark. Seemed like the guy was injured to me, signal was very faint."

There was a brief silence, as if Prowl was telling something to another bot, then the precise, sharp voice spoke up again.

"Acknowledged. We will investigate. Coordinates?"

Sideswipe databursted him the coordinates and a received ping was sent back to him when the datas were received. Prowl sounded slightly annoyed when he said, almost making the red twin cringe.

"Those Decepticons really have no respects for customs... Meet me and Ironhide at the base's entrance. Bumblebee will take over monitor duty for the rest of the evening."

Sideswipe almost let out a cheerfull 'woohoo' at being relieved from monitor duty but manage to hold it back and replied in a tune that was clearly saying he was grinning goofily.

"Be right there, Boss!"

oOo

Two hours later, Ark Medbay

The purple and black seeker was lying on the med berth, motionless, and he looked peaceful, but Ratchet knew that it was only an appearance. Ratchet sighed deeply and shook his head, having now finished his initial diagnostics and repairs on the broken seeker, and he looked at the still form with a deeply concerned frown.

They had brought him in a little more than one hour ago, and Ratchet could already tell that, whatever happened, it was bad. Really really bad... Apart from the broken limbs, internal injuries and major energon loss, two things were even more worrying for the medic. The first and most important was the head injuries that Skywarp seemed to have endured, and by the look of it, it had probably been caused by the crash. And honestly, Ratchet had rarely seen a mech with such extensive processor damage still function after more than two hours. SO the seeker's time was ticking, and he probably didn't have much more time before him.

But still, the medic had to fight with him to keep him unconscious and maybe save his life, even if it would be at the cost of parts of his motor and processing functions. But the seeker was fighting against the sedative, trying to online and forcing Ratchet to forcefully keep him in stasis lock. Because... The second most worrying thing about Skywarp right at the moment were the sparklings he was carrying.

Ratchet had been shocked when Prowl and Ironhide, with Sideswipe following, had dragged the unconscious and seriously damaged seeker into his medbay more than an hour previously, but he hadn't immediately noticed that the seeker was carrying. He had been more concerned with his head trauma and other life threatening injuries... But when he had to remove the plating on his abdomen and chest in order to mend and repair internal injuries and leaks that he had sustained in that part of his body, he had blinked and stared. The seeker was carrying, and probably far along. How he managed to keep this a secret was above the medic... Because he had obviously been hiding it.

And he had been for the beginning. The sparklings, upon examination, appeared malnourished and smaller then they should. Skywarp had been hiding it and therefore had never sought help. Why he did this and how he managed not to be discovered were questions that would probably never be answered...

A loud beeping wrought Ratchet out of his musing, and he saw Skywarp twitching and faintly moving, about to wake up yet again. He swore and reached for the seeker's emergency shutdown switch to put him back into stasis for the tenth time since he got there. Stubborn slagger... Cant his systems understands that they /have/ to stay in stasis in order to heal?! But then something else caught his attention...

"Ho frag! First, Aid, bring me the emergency c-section equipment NOW!" he shouted over his shoulder, seeing the seeker's port seals had broken and they were leaking lubricant, preparing for the sparklings' arrival.

No, no, NO! That wasn't good! Skywarp was in such a terrible condition still that giving birth will kill him for sure! First Aid hadn't asked any question and ran to a storage room to quickly come back with the requested equipment. He set it up beside Skywarp's berth and started to prepare it for the incoming birth. He looked at the seeker's red optics, blinking between online-offline status, until the settled in a faint online light. A low pained moan escaped the vocalizer and Ratchet immediately injected him something for the pain that won't hurt the sparklings.

"Zzt- frrzzggzzt.. Ha-zzztFRzzZZt."

Statice was coming out of the seeker's vocal processor as he was obviously trying to voice something. Ratchet took a look at the medbay chronometer and saw 11h42. fraggit, the seeker was going to wake up and there was nothing he could do. He couldn't sedate him again and he had to keep focused on the labor that had just started, preparing for the emergency c-section. First Aid placed a soft hand on the seeker's forehead and said gently.

"Don't try to talk, your vocal processor had been severely damaged. Please, relax, and don't try to move."

But the seeker was stubborn and another burst of static came out of his vocal processor, until something almost comprehensible could be heard.

"ZZt-Sspar-ZZtzzt-My sparzztgfrrrzt-klingzzztzz."

The young Medic and Ratchet shared a look, compassion and painful realization between them. Skywarp was well aware of what was going on apparently... he wasn't as damaged as Ratchet had thought. First Aid said soothingly, trying to reassure the upset and pained seeker.

"They are alive, and they are coming now. We will not let them die, I assure you."

A low burst of static answered him, sounding a little less panicked this time, and the seeker laid still yet again, his dim optics starring at the ceiling without seeing it. But soon he let out another moan as another contraction hit and Ratchet had to quickly finish preparing. When he was ready and about to cut the soft dermaplating to take the sparklings out, his comlink pinged. He almost hissed in frustration and thought about not answering but it was Prime pinging him... WIth a slight movement of his head he activated it.

"What?! I'm busy so it better be important!"

"We have two seekers in detention right at the moment. Starscream and Thundercracker surrendered themselves ten minutes ago and had been brought to the brig." There was a pause during which Ratchet tried to process it, but Optimus spoke again. "I granted them temporary amnesty, Ratchet. They are demanding to see Skywarp, they know he's here. I didn't had to tell them anything they already knew..."

The surgeon was silent for a moment, merely noticing the time on the clock. 23h49. Only five minutes since the beginning of this crisis... Oddly, he thought that it would be Christmas in ten minutes too... What a present, he thought ironically, three seekers including a dying one and race against time to save twin sparklings that haven't even seen the light of day yet.

"I'm busy! I don't need anyone getting under my pedes while I try to SAVE THEIR WINGMATE'S LIFE!"

he then cut the comm and started to delicate work of cutting through dermaplating to push it open and uncover the gestation chamber that was still protecting the sparklings. He was halfway through removing the first one when the door of the medbay where roughly opened and a screechy voice could be heard, a very recognizable screechy voice that made ratchet cringe and still his movements.

"I want to see him! Where...?" Starscream stopped dead in his track when his optics laid upon the still, unconscious and cut open seeker on the medberth. "Skywarp..." His optics shone with anger, pain and relief and he tried to walk closer, but was forcefully restrained by Ironhide whom had entered behind him.

Thundercracker was following but in a calmer pace even if his optics alone were telling how upset, angry and worried he was. He was firmly held back by none other then Prime, and he shared a concerned look with his medic when their optics met. Starscream stopped hissing and spitting and became still, he had obviously caught the gravity of the situation. He gulped and asked in an almost inaudible voice.

"How is he?"  

Ratchet resumed his work, then, cutting the line that was wrapped around the little one and pulling him delicately out of the abdominal cavity, answering as he worked.

"He's bad, I won't lie to you. There is a 89% chances that he do not survive this operation, but the sparklings... will live. I am positive about it."

And as if to answer his statement, loud wails could be heard then and First Aid was gently cleaning and wrapping the wailing sparkling in a blanket. For what they could see from their position at the door, the sparkling was gunmetal grey with hints of purple and red, and his helm was very similar to another mech they know so very well.

Starscream hissed and his optics darkened. He knew it! He knew that something awful was going on with Skywarp! That slagger... he'll kill him, he'll tear him apart, shred him to pieces! Skywarp had become so secretive, silent and sad over the course of the last year... It had to be something terrible to change the dark seeker's cheerful, playful personality so much!

Megatron... So HE was the problem. He knew something was going on with his trinemate but he had never thought... He thought that there was merely because of the way Megatron had been treating Skywarp more... harshly, then usual. Not very openly but Starscream was used to decipher the tyrant's moods. But this...

Megatron had abused and raped their trinemates for an entire year and they never ever suspected it. He felt guilt and rage swell inside him. They were a trine! They were supposed to protect one another! And he was their trine Leader... it was his duty to protect them! ANd he failed... Skywarp was dying and it was all because of him and his blindness!

Starscream was cut from his thoughts when a second wailing could be heard, and he saw a second sparkling, this one looking a lot more like Skywarp, but with grey wings and stripes on his limbs, being wapped in a blanket as well. They were both placed in a special premature crib because they were so small and underdeveloped. Painfully so... Starscream felt a lump in his throat and felt Thundercracker's hand on his shoulder, his deep, soothing voice speaking in his audio.

"It's not your fault Star. Don't blame yourself. It's Megatron's fault, and no one else..." He almost hissed the last words in his deep barytone voice and added. "We'll take care of those sparkling for Warp, that's what he would've wanted..."

Ratchet looked at them with sadness. he would've loved to be able to tell them that their trinemate would live but he wouldn't lie to his closest 'family'. A sudden and loud beeing from the life-support machine wrought him back from his musing and he swore loudly. He looked at the reading and swore again. NO! Skywarp's spark was fading quickly! He grabbed the reanimation equipment and worked at waking the seeker back on, trying to jump-start his spark back on.

"come on, come on! Come back to me!" He pleaded and tried again, for many long minutes. Until it was clear that there was nothing more he could do. The damages were just too extensive... "I'm sorry..." He said with real pain and sorrow. Losing a patient was his worst nightmare and it didn't matter if it was a Decepticon.

Starscream's eyes shot wide open and he wailed in agony, having felt their trine's spark fade before the medic told them. Thundercracker was just as shocked and pain was written all over his features. He let out a low rumbling keen of similar pain and watched as Starscream threw himself at their mate's gray body and tried to wake him, screaming at him to come back.

"No, no NO! Skywarp, come back! Come back, you can't leave us! Not like that, not like that! Please! PLEASE!" He wailed and hugged him tightly, nuzzling and crying into his chest with a pain so deep that it was almost unbearable to witness.

Thundercracker felt it then, the pull at his spark, familiar yet alien. He looked around the room, and his expression turned confused and slightly hopeful. he looked at Skywarp's shell and knew it wasn't coming from there. Skywarp was still in the room, though... And he felt Starscream reacting as well after a moment. A trine bond was so strong, some had said that it could cross through death... And this was Skywarp they were feeling. His love and mischievous presence... He was trying to reassure them, tell them everything was going to be alright.

"Skywarp..." Starscream sighed and there was a faint smile on his lips. "Please be safe..." He leaned on TC whom wrapped his arms around him and rested his helm against his. "We'll see you again..."

Then it was the sparklings reacting to something and reaching out with clicks and coos. They were apparently being touched as well. This was like a miracle... A Christmas miracle, and Starscream, whom had never really cared for this, suddenly felt like there were thrust behind the beliefs of this Season. They says Christmas is the best time of year for Miracles...

They had just witnessed one.

oOo

Skywarp's POV

Everything was so dark and cold... Where was he? He wanted to go home... to be with his trinemates and protected by them, like ever... He was lost and couldn't find his way back! And he was terrified.

Pain... He could feel pain, but it was far away and very faint.

And voices, yeah voices, all around him, talking, but he couldn't make out the words. Like they were speaking in a foreign language...

What was happening to him? Why was he so cold, and feeling so lost and empty? He tried to reach for his mates through the bond they shared but it was hard... he could feel them, faintly, but he couldn't do anything else. He couldn't tell them he was there and needed their help. He had flashes of his last flight, and the crash, and cringed.

Then he remembered why he had flew off the Nemesis. Megatron's beatings, his abuses and... the sparklings... The sparklings! He tried to reach for them but they were gone! He felt panic starting to rise. Where they dead?! Did they die in the crash?? He tried to speak, but something was wrong with his vocaliser. Around him were blurry forms and shadows.

Someone answered him in a soothing voice, he didn't know who they were or what they were saying. The tune managed to calm him down a bit though.  Some time passed and pain rise again, the forms moved again around him faster and he felt that he was proded and the pain fadded some.

Wails, sparkling wails. He heard them wail. They were alive, they were his little miracles, alive and they would live! He felt his mate's pain and sorrow, faintly, and tried to sent them his love and reassurance that all was good and was as it should be.

Skywarp was one of the few on the Nemesis that had taken time to learn about human traditions and customs, and he had always thought that Christmas was their most interesting celebration. Every year he would carefully prepare and execute some christmas-themed pranks and try to make a little bit of the season's spirit enter the Decepticon's warship.

And he had somehow understood the spirit of Christmas. He knew that the greater gift someone could give another was life. The miracle of live, or one forfeiting his/her life to give another a chance to live...  At that very moment, he understood the true meaning of those words. he would give his life so his sparklings will live. He was ready and willing to do it.  he was too damaged... he couldn't think properly or even speak or see. And he couldn't move... His CPU send him error messages every times he was trying to send his limbs order to move. he was paralyzed, maybe permanently disabled.

His spark was faintly pulsing, he knew it was fading... He slipped into darkness, barely hearing the shouts of many voices around him as he felt his spark leave his body and float away. He could see the room under him now, and Ratchet working on his limp, grayish body to try and jumpstarts his spark back online. Starscream was there too, and Thundercracker, and he saw them, after a few minutes, when ratchet shook his head sadly and stepped away from the berth, launch themselves at him and try to shake him, slapping him to wake him up.

But he wouldn't wake back up...

Starscream was wailing over him now and TC looked blank and shocked. He turned away from them, unable to see their pain. But maybe... He tried to reach for them one last time, and TC was the first to react, looking around with a confused expression.  The Starscream reacted too and looked at the spot where he was floating, disincarnated, and his mouth opened in what was probably shock and sadness too, but also relief. He said something but in his current state Skywarp couldn't hear. He came closer and brushed against their sparks, sending them all the love and reassurance he could, he wanted them to know it wasn't their fault...

They shared a look and seemed to relax, calming and smiling faintly. The other mechs in the room just looked puzzled at their sudden change on behaviour...

After that, Skywarp turned to his sparklings and looked at them. They looked back and reached for him, trying to touch his disincarnated spark. They were so cute... They'll live and this was the most important, even if he felt pain and sadness at leaving them. He brushed against their sparks too and they cooed, trying to grab him again. He would've loved to kiss then and hold them but he had to go... The pull was becoming too hard to ignore...

Turning away from them all he saw a warm light calling for him and he went to it, leaving behind the ones he loved but that he knew he would see again someday. This was his gift his little miracle, for Christmas.

Because life is the greater gift one can give.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Note: Well, I hope you have some tissues in hands cause I bet you need them right now... I cried writing this. Bwaaaaaa!

WARNING: SLASH! NO LIKE NO READ!

Chapter 1: Forbidden

It was something forbidden and shameful for the both of them, but it was incredibly worse for him.

Neither of them could say afterwards what had started or when; all they knew was that it had been a long time in coming, stirring, waiting to break to the surface. Every time they met on the battlefield, every time they fought each other the tension, the need increased and in time became an obsession of sorts.
As mentioned before, Optimus Prime couldn’t explain how this had happened and, to be honest, he didn’t want to. He didn’t even want to think about it, but at one point he had to admit to himself that it was indeed an obsession and this kind of obsession wasn’t easily ignored or put aside, for it overcame him every single time they met. Pit, it had even begun to consume most of his time offside the battlefield, away from him, and then a new level was reached when during a battle a couple of months ago they both were trapped in a cave and literally forced to face the unthinkable ...

*~*Flashback*~*

This wasn’t good, not at all, Optimus decided when he slowly came on-line after what felt like an eternity with the worst head ache he ever had had; as if his cranial unit would be cut in two.

He had been fighting with Megatron at the base of the natural rock formation the Decepticons’ latest super-weapon had been placed on when the cave-in occurred. The last thing he remembered was Starscream heading straight for them in a nose dive, firing his lasers madly, then nothing.

The Autobot moaned silently and raised a hand to his head, frowning when found a large dent sporting the left side of it. Well, that certainly explained the pain.

“Finally you’re coming around, Prime. I was beginning to believe you were out for good” a deep and familiar, but right now oh so unwelcome voice startled him out of his musings. The sarcasm and coldness was almost calming, in a way. It reassured him that he was still functioning, but then it made him worry.
Why in the name of Primus hadn’t Megatron killed him while he was out cold? He had had plenty of time, the tools and good reason seeing that were actually mortal enemies, but then the odd feeling, the . . . obsession he was experiencing towards the other mech for a while now returned to him with full force and he turned to look at the silver warlord, not bothering to rise. For a moment he wanted to come true with his feelings, just to have it off his processor, but then he didn’t.

‘I’m not going to let my emotions overcome me. Not this time, nor any other’ the red and blue mech thought, unable to turn his optics from the broad grin spreading on his nemesis’ features.

“It needs much more than that to kill me, Megatron; you should know that” replied Optimus in what he hoped to be a stern, but neutral tone, trying to keep his raging emotion in check.
He didn’t want the leader of the Decepticons to get wind about his mad and sickening infatuation for him. The consequences would be disastrous, but the silver mech seemed oblivious.

“Don’t you wonder why I haven’t killed you yet, Optimus” the silver giant suddenly changed topic, again startling the blue and red semi.

“You could say that…” he replied wearily, fighting hard to keep the slowly building tension inside him from showing on the outside, but it was a losing battle; especially when he noticed another oddity.
He had called him “Optimus”. Megatron never call him “Optimus”; it was always “Prime”, nothing else, and his tone . . . There was something odd about his tone, too.

The Autobot leader looked at the other thoughtfully, trying to figure out what it was that made him sound so different and slowly it became clear: Megatron’s voice was devoid of his usual rudeness, his slicing anger and the coldness that he always used with him. It was a little ... scary, but maybe ... no, impossible. It just couldn’t be; there wasn’t even the tiniest of a chance that this mech could have the same odd feelings for him he was experiencing.

The grin in Megatron face faded and was replaced by a more suitable angered and annoyed expression. It was almost a relief, but his next word shattered that feeling to shreds.

“We need to talk, Optimus. I can’t go on like this and I want to get rid of these disgusting feelings as soon as possible. This mad crush on you isn’t something I want to deal with any longer, understood?
Tell me – and for Primus’ sake, be honest with me – do you feel the same? If you do we must finish it, here and now! I won’t let you weaken me like this; I can’t afford to let this ... this infatuation get in the way of my plans.”

“I…” began Optimus, but then stopped, unsure of what to say. So Megatron was feeling it, too – it send shivers of fear, shame and desire down the Autobot leader’s spine, all melting together and making him sick in the tank and light in the head – but could he trust Megatron not to just trick him?

He locked optics with the silver mech and sighed, deciding that the other wouldn’t stop this low and so he collected his courage and went on.

“Yes, I must admit - and I’m ashamed to do so - the feeling is mutual. You ... you’re still sickening me. You’re a psychopathic megalomaniac, but I can’t help this feeling, this ... mad desire towards you just won’t go away! I agree with you: it can’t go on like this. These feelings towards you, you, of all mechs ... it’s too much of a burden. I can’t take it anymore.”

Megatron is silent for a while, only the tension in his frame and a small, disgusted frown telling Optimus he wasn’t made fun of until the other revealed he believed to have found a solution for their problem.

“It’s fairly simple actually and if we both manage to get rid of those unholy feelings we can continue fighting each other and escape this madness.”

“And how exactly are you suggest that we ‘get rid’ of these feelings, Megatron?” asked the Autobot Leader hoping against hope he was wrong, but he knew the answer quite well and was just as sickened by the thought alone as the Decepticon was and the other’s next move confirmed his fear: suddenly Megatron was all over him, pulled off the battle mask and locked their lips in a fierce, demanding, but also quite painful kiss.

At first Optimus only tensed in the other’s crushing parody of an embrace, but those unwanted feelings that had build up inside him for longer than he wanted to remember took over and made him response in kind.

It didn’t take long before the kiss deepened; Megatron’s glosser teased the other’s lips, demanding entrance, and Optimus complied letting his own glosser meet the others’. He let out a muffled moan as Megatron hands began exploring his sides and back rather roughly, greedy, letting no chance open for rejection, then the warlord broke the kiss again and let his lips slid down the other’s jaw line and neck, light as feathers in contrast to the rough talons scratching his paintjob, sending delicious shivers through Optimus’ frame.

When one of those talons pressed firmly into a seam of his hip joint, foundling a sensitive bundle of wires, in a hip joint, the Autobot leader groaned in pleasure and let in an attempt to return the favour his blue hands explore the silver chassis above him, sliding down the broad chest and tracing the Decepticon insignia engraved there. It earned him a cry of pleasure and another fierce kiss, the other broke again to follow an invisible path down the mech’s neck, but this time he didn’t stop the ministrations there, but went lower and ran his glosser over the windshield of his alt mode and the front grill of his soon to be lover, rewarding Optimus’ feverish explorations of his tights and hip joints with cries of pleasure of his own, that drowned out the sound of their cooling fans running wild in fruitless attempts to keep their systems from overheating.

“Ooooh . . . Megatron . . .” breathed Optimus, unable to form any coherent words as he rapidly came closer to reaching his climax. Megatron understood the unspoken message and ran his hand down to the other’s groin and over his codpiece, slowly unlatching it, teasing the sensitive seem. It earned him another lustful moan.
Continuing his caressing purple insignia with his glosser Optimus let his now free hands wander down the silver mech’s body and unlatched the other’s codpiece, too, wasting no time to plug the usually covered interface cable in his port, as Megatron did with his. Instantly waves of spark-energy were flowing through their systems, clouding what was left of rational thinking processors completely with want and the need for more, so much more that it soon became unbearable.

“Open me, now!” the Decepticon half bellowed, half purred into the other leader’s audio sensor and moaned, sending another powerful wave of energy though their link.
Optimus complied without hesitation, finding the clasps that opened the other’s silver chest plates nearly at the same time Megatron found his. All thoughts about the consequences of such an act had left them, for if they would have been able to remember they would have sooner terminated themselves than committing such a sacrilege. A bond of the spark was eternal and impossible to undo, but right now, lying in each thers’ arms, they couldn’t remember and they merged, seeing the other for all he was, naked, their very sparks exposed with nothing between them anymore and their memories and feelings melted until they were one. Soon overload washed in cascades over them and they off-lined in each others’ arms, oblivious to their chests closing automatically as they disconnected from each other.


It was only a couple of hours later when the Autobots finally found the cave and came to retrieve their commander. Megatron escaped as soon as he saw the clear sky and Optimus returned to the Ark with his men, both believing they could finally return to fighting each other without those unholy feelings getting in the way.

*~*Flashback End*~*

Optimus sighed, rubbing his chest compartments in an unconscious motion. He had noticed the bond almost immediately; for the anger, the coldness and the sadistic bloodlust he had felt shortly after they had parted that fateful day couldn’t have been his – Megatron must have punished Starscream for yet another failed attempt to over throw him that moment – and it had scared him greatly. Bonded for all eternity to greatest enemy, fate certainly had a cruel humour, but it wasn’t even the worst.

When realisation had slapped him in the face the Autobot commander had stood in the middle of the rec room, the full energon cube slipping out of his hands and bursting with a surreal loud noise on the ground when these foreign feelings flooded through the new link to his nemesis. He had had a hard time convincing his men, especially Prowl and Ratchet, that he was alright, just a bit tired from the fight. He considered it a miracle that they had believed him and wasn’t so sure if it really was a comforting thought that Megatron had to face the same problems – probably had it worse seeing how Decepticons in general were like. Well, it was soothing that he wasn’t completely alone in this, but the thought that it was Megatron, his worst enemy, would have made him pale if he would have been a human. At least they had managed to keep this forbidden, this unholy bond secret until now, but the constant fear of being discovered wore him out and that was only the beginning.

The Prime had expected this to happen, usually it was impossible to separate newly bonded couples – for good reason he had to discover – but he had hoped to have more time until his spark started to call out for the one it was now bonded to and, Primus, it was painful.
They managed to ignore it for a whole week, through, but as battle hardened they were, an aching spark was something entirely else and so he had to admit defeat and contact Megatron before it destroyed them both and he knew the Decepticon was too proud to do it. At least he was reasonable enough to agree that they would have to meet regularly from now on, since merging their sparks again was the only way to end the pain for a while.

It went on like this for half a year: they met once a month, always in the very same cave where it had started, and did what they had to, not exactly happy with it, but also unable to come up with a better solution and as long as they could keep up the status quo they figured it could be worse, but of course fate or whatever was responsible for it decided for “worse” to happen and when they lay in each others’ arms, sparks merged just a bit longer than necessary for the comfort of a few seconds of not being alone, they didn’t notice the miniscule speck of light nestling itself next to Optimus’ own spark when they parted and allowed their chest plates to close again over their life-forces.

Unable to look at each other both leaders sat in silence for a while, before the silver mech rose first, as always.

“I have other businesses to attend to, Prime. See you in a month for our next… talk” he grunted, his tune cold, emotionless, like every time. He never called it anything else when they met, as if “bond” and every related word were somehow jinxed, as if calling it by what it was would truly make it the reality it already was.
Well, if he preferred to play it that way Optimus was quite comfortable with it and as childish as it was, he couldn’t bring himself to speak the “forbidden word” either.

“It’s not as if we have much of a choice” the Autobot replied in the same tone, forcing himself not to watch Megatron leave and stay put for half an hour to make sure eventual by passers, although he seriously doubted someone other than them would voluntary come to this Primus forsaken place, wouldn’t even think about connecting the Decepticon’s departure with his own, before he went back to the Ark, blissfully unaware of his spark already nurturing a new, pulsing orb full of life.

-TBC-