Sentinel Prime noticed the uneasiness in Megatron's voice. In Sentinel's short time of raising the orphaned younglings, he'd never taken them into intensive care. He knew not how they behaved around a team of doctors, or how they reacted to medical energon. What especially troubled Sentinel was, he knew not what fears of medics and 'surgeries' Deadlock could have embedded in Megatron's processor. He looked at the open wound left on Megatron's right shoulder. His outer armor had curved around cut energon lines in order to self-heal.

"Megatron. There is nothing to fear." Sentinel soothed. "The medics here are professionals who have dedicated there lives and sparks to healing others. No one will hurt you as Deadlock did."

"I know!" Megatron yelled, wanting to avoid the subject. He vented before speaking again. "I know. I'm not afraid of medics. It's just, I won't be whole again." Megatron looked to his side where his arm should have been, for emphasis.

"No Megatron." Sentinel stated. "We have your arm, and it will be reattached easily. You will be whole." Megatron tried to look enthusiastic. Even though he was glad to get repairs for his backstrut and arm, this gave Megatron more weight on his shoulders; more dark truths to ponder. Deadlock wasn't lying when he said he'd given the severed arm to Sentinel Prime and bargained with him. Deadlock truly was willing to release the younglings peacefully, for the right price. Megatron felt so ashamed. Deadlock could have killed all five mechlings, due to Megatron's defiance pushing him over the edge.

"Really?" Megatron beamed, forcing a smile.

"Yes." Sentinel confirmed. He meant to say more, but a mech medic stepped in the room, gave the Prime a serious look and walked out. The mechlings thought the action was strange. But Sentinel knew exactly what it meant. "But before that happens," the Prime continued, looking to Optimus now. "I must talk with Megatron alone." Optimus was caught off guard.

"Oh, okay." Optimus replied. He took his energon cube and slid off the berth, but stopped there. He looked up at Sentinel.

"It will only take a moment, Optimus. I won't be far away." Sentinel assured. Optimus nodded and slowly exited, while at the same time the medic who signaled the Prime entered. Megatron felt on edge at the presence of another mech stranger. The medic moved calmly to the side of Megatron's berth, opposite to Sentinel.

"Hello Megatron. How are you feeling this cycle?" the medic chimed. Megatron scowled in response. He remembered the medic now. This was first face Megatron saw when he woke from stasis in the medical center. He treated Megatron's most serious wounds which included sealing up Megatron's cracked spark chamber. Megatron wouldn't have minded and would have even felt grateful, if said medic hadn't treated him, hadn't touched him without his consent. No matter how necessary the procedure was, Megatron held an unwavering grudge against this medic. "Megatron." the medic continued. "I'm sure your guardian has informed you of your upcoming surgeries." Megatron nodded. "I want inform you that there is absolutely no risk to you in these surgeries. You'll be able to walk, bend, and use your arm better than you ever did before." Another thing Megatron hated was this mech's chipper personality. "However there is one injury that concerns me..." Suddenly Megatron felt very claustrophobic between the two meches. The medic spoke as gently as he could. "Did you know you have indenting scratch marks between your..." 'WAIT!' Megatron screamed inside his processor. 'We're talking about THIS?! RIGHT NOW?! In front of some stranger I met cycles ago, in a medical energon induced haze that I hardly remember?!' Ignoring the pain, Megatron pushed his backside off the berth and sat up. Immediately the medic protested this action and tried to make Megatron lay down again. "Megatron! You're only damaging your backstruts inner disks even further!" The medic reached for Megatron's shoulders, but Sentinel Prime blocked him with a single arm. The medic locked optics with Sentinel then looked down at the frightened youngling, curling in on himself. The medic headed Sentinel's paternal warning and backed away.

"I'm not telling you anything!" Megatron fumed through gritted denta. He pulled his knees to his chest and leaned on them to lift the strain on his shattered backstruts. Sentinel moved closer and carefully put an arm around Megatron. The youngling didn't flinch. He trusted Sentinel.

"I think it is best Megatron and I are left alone, for now." Sentinel sighed.

"Oh no, sir. That is against our regulations. I have to be present to document any patient's report of abuse or..." the medic babbled. The Prime gave the medic a stern look that instantly muted him. Then Sentinel let go of Megatron and stood at his full height. The Prime's intense optics never left the medic as he walked around the berth, putting purpose in every step. When Sentinel Prime and the now trembling medic stood face to face, the mighty Prime threatened in his lowest and most haunting voice,

"I am the sole Prime of this planet. If there is anything to report that is endangering my charge's health you have my word of honor, you will be the first to know." Then the Prime's voice changed, escalating with anger. "But if you do not grant us privacy, I swear by the Matrix you will suffer a fate worse than my charge's assailant!" Sentinel roared. Without a word of protest, the medic fled the room. Megatron smirked at the sight; a grown mech running for his life with his tailpipe between his legs.

"You told Optimus you needed to speak with me alone." Megatron pointed out, having regained his confidence and snarky demeanor. 'Alone with a doctor, yes.' Sentinel thought to argue. But there was no point in it. He sighed, sat down on the end of the berth, and looked Megatron in the optics.

"I apologize for misleading you, young one. I never considered... how much you've changed in two orbital cycles." Sentinel said solemnly. Megatron nodded. "You know we cannot ignore these injuries." Sentinel reminded the youngling.

"My self-healing systems will take care of it." Megatron interjected.

"Yes, I know young one." Sentinel placated. "But I am more concerned about how you sustained these wounds, rather than how they will heal. And I suspect you know why." Megatron shamefully hid his face with one servo.

"I wish I didn't." he nearly sobbed.

(Flashback)

"Soundwave." Megatron called. He tried leading Soundwave silently out of the berthroom. The task seemed simple enough. Deadlock's back was turned and the door was still wide open. They were only a few paces away from the door, when the light tread of Soundwave's peds disappeared.

"Forgetting something, Megatron?" The voice gave Megatron surges down his backstrut. He turned around and gaped at Soundwave trapped in Deadlock's clutches.

"Don't." Megatron pleaded.

"You don't want me to send his creators a keepsake to remember their youngling by?" Deadlock teased, flicking through the retractable knives and scalpels in his claws. Megatron shook his head. Deadlock's expression lost its humor and became very dark. "Then get on the berth." he commanded. Megatron obeyed and bolted to the berth. He watched Deadlock drag Soundwave to the door so he could lock it, then Deadlock took Soundwave and shoved him into his private wash rack room. Megatron watched Deadlock lock up the door. He was petrified at the edge of the berth; scared to death to see he and Deadlock were alone again. "You want to play outside, Megatron?" Deadlock asked. Megatron scooted back to the center of the berth and grabbed the golden covers nervously. Deadlock crept up to Megatron and stroked his claws down Megatron's chest. "I know a game we can play right here."

"You stay away from me." Megatron could hardly form the words. He swatted Deadlock's servo off his chest, and instantly regretted it. Deadlock pounced on him and pinned him to the berth. One clawed servo latched around Megatron's neck, crushing fragile cables and suffocating him of energon flow. Instinctively Megatron put all his strength into trying to pry Deadlock's servo off his neck. It was the perfect diversion on Deadlock's part. While Megatron struggled to free himself, Deadlock took his time with his free servo to explore every detail of the mechling's frame; especially the lower half. Megatron gasped at the sudden gentleness of Deadlock's strokes. What was he doing to him? Petting him like some cybercat? Megatron noticed Deadlock stopped looking him in the optics, since he was distracted with other areas. Taking advantage of the moment, Megatron jerked to the side with all his might. That set Deadlock's servo off Megatron's throat for a nanoklick, long enough for Megatron to slip his chin under Deadlock's servo and sink his fangs into the servo as hard as he could. Deadlock growled at the sudden pain, and switched his claws out for jagged knives. He mercilessly carved into Megatron's inner leg armor. Megatron howled as the horned mech dragged his knives agonizingly slowly down his legs. To make things worse, he pierced the next leg and etched a zig-zag motion half way down. For extra measure, he reached up and ran four claws straight down Megatron's face. Megatron's silver faceplates were highlighted with blue droplets of energon seeping through the scratches.

Now Deadlock wasn't taking anymore chances. He held his victim to the berth via two servos on the mechling's shoulders, and practicaly sat on the rest of him. Deadlock admired his work on the youngling's legs. Not exactly an optic for an optic, but he didn't care. At the same time Megatron evaluated what just happened to him. His logic sensors were pushing their limits to comprehend the situation. No one had ever touched Megatron there before. No one had ever harmed him there before. He had been taught at a young age about private components. Though most of this early education revolved around the spark which was only meant for the optics of the holder and his or her mate. He had no idea of just how much Deadlock intended to violate him. That is, until he read the evil mech's thoughts via Soundwave.

(End Flashback)

"Soundwave... Soundwave..." Megatron mumbled, slowly coming out of the memory. He'd told Sentinel everything thus far, but it was getting difficult now.

"You say he gave you a data burst?" Sentinel asked.

"Yes." Megatron whispered. "Soundwave saw Deadlock's thoughts... and then he data burst them to me as Deadlock... removed my pelvic armor." The youngling's optics leaked and Sentinel Prime's spark ached for him.

"Megatron I..." Sentinel started.

"I saw what he'd done to other younglings!" Megatron cried out. "And in an instant I knew what he was going to do to me!" Sentinel stored his comment away and let Megatron continue. "That's when Soundwave came in. He picked the lock on the door, I guess. And he... came running with a bucket of hot cleansing fluid from the wash rack." Megatron's speech slowed. He contemplated the words like he was on the verge of discovery. "Soundwave threw the cleansing fluid on Deadlock and... grabbed a knife off the wall. He challenged Deadlock."

"And then?" Sentinel questioned.

"Deadlock was furious. He went after Soundwave and picked him up by the scruff bar. Before Deadlock could do anything, Soundwave jammed the knife straight through one of Deadlock's horns. I think Soundwave tried to stab him in the chest next, but Deadlock threw him against the door. So he missed his mark and cut Deadlock's mouthpiece up instead. That's when I ran for the door... and we got out. I don't know why Deadlock didn't chase after us right away. Maybe Soundwave did something to his processor that... I don't know... short circuited his logic sensors?" Megatron realized he was rambling now. He looked directly at Sentinel again. "But that is what happened. Soundwave risked his life to save me; more than once while we were captives." Megatron spoke in a humbled tone.

"Did Deadlock make anymore advances on you?" Sentinel asked.

"No." Megatron insisted quickly. Of course he left out that incident when Deadlock successfully snuffed out his spark. That was irrelevant. "No sir. He came close, but he didn't get me." Megatron confirmed. Sentinel vented a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry for worrying you earlier. I just didn't know how to talk about it." Megatron apologized.

"It is quite alright, Megatron. I understand" the Prime said. After a few nanoklicks of comforting silence, Sentinel voiced the comment he meant to say before. "Megatron. It breaks my spark to know you had to see Deadlock's true intentions. You are so young, and so fragile of spark and processor. No youngling deserves to witness or experience such horrible things." Megatron nodded in acknowledgement. "But you mustn't blame Soundwave for databursting you. It was a warning. I am sure Soundwave only meant to protect you."

"I know, Sentinel. He is a good friend." Megatron agreed. "I miss him so much."

Crystal City - Mansion of Sentinel Prime - Five orbital cycles later

Megatron looked down from his berthroom window at Optimus and Dion playing in front of the mansion. Dion had been abandoned by Deadlock's meches and found by enforcers three orbital cycles after Optimus and Megatron were rescued. Optimus was overjoyed. Ever since the mechlings came home from Simfur, Dion and Optimus were inseparable. Megatron scrutinized the scene of the two blue mechlings playing under the careful guard of Sentinel Prime and the Ultra Magnus. Megatron felt well enough to play with them, but his doctor strongly suggested he stayed in the berth and rested for a whole orn; and frankly Sentinel agreed. So while his brother gleefully played outside, and his guardian watched him like a cryo-condor, Megatron sat alone in his berthroom with a lot of time to think.

He survived. He saw so much and he saved his little brother from so much. If he ever got the courage to tell this story to anyone, it would certainly be his story to tell. He wouldn't end the story with him and Optimus going home; happy to never roam far ever again. Megatron hardly felt like he'd received a happy and Primus blessed ending. Unfortunatly the finale to his grand and terrifying adventure was rather unsettling. Tephrablow, the Wretch, was in custody but Deadlock was still out there. His trail went cold and with it went any chance of finding Soundwave. That was the most dreadful thought that kept rising in Megatron's processor.

Late that on cycle, when the atmosphere turned a deep purple color, Megatron woke from his a cybercat nap, hearing a buzz at the front door. 'Sentinel or a Shadow Sentry will get it.' Megatron figured lazily. Megatron looked out the window once more and noticed Ultra Magnus and Dion were gone. Sentinel Prime was speaking with two new Cybertronians, one a grounder and one a seeker. They stood so close to each other Megatron figured the two were bonded. 'How unusual.' he pondered. Then he saw Optimus standing at Sentinel's side, looking expectantly up at Megatron. The buzzing continued. So Megatron left his berth to see who was visiting. The three adult Cybertronians and Optimus who were more than likely accompanied by the secretive Shadow Sentries had full view of the front entry way, Megatron pondered. Were they waiting on him to come outside? Was this a surprise? A joke? The front door slid open on Megatron's command.

"By the AllSpark..." Megatron gasped. The visitor was quiet for a few astroseconds. Then the visitor raised his right servo to his helm; a gesture of highest respects on Cybertron.

"Hail Megatron." an emotionless voice saluted. Forgetting all formalities, Megatron threw his arms around his long lost friend.

"Hail Soundwave!" Megatron exclaimed. "You saved me, my friend. And you helped save my brother. I am in your debt." He released Soundwave from the hug.

"Repayment: unnecessary." Soundwave responded. "Megatron's demand, 'never be left behind': accomplished. Soundwave's promise: kept." Then he added almost mournfully. "Soundwave's task: complete."

"This isn't the end." Megatron said. "We're friends now and we're free. We don't have to... negotiate our alliance for survival anymore." It sounded so weird describing out loud. But that was basically what tied their friendship in the first place.

"Affirmative." Soundwave agreed. "Freedom: achieved at last." Megatron smiled. He hadn't done that for a while. Looking at Optimus, Sentinel Prime, and Soundwave's family not far away, Megatron had a new perspective of life. Yes, Deadlock had shown him a lot of darkness. But Soundwave gave Megatron a new light. Upon becoming aware of his dark and cruel reality, Megatron knew now to look for more lights in the dark in the coming future.

(8/1/15)
Author's Note/FINAL WORDS TO THE TRANSFANS: Wow I thought I would never get this done! So that's the end of my Transformers fanfiction. Ironic because this is story comes first in my series' chronological order. Thank you readers for reviewing, favoriting, and even just clicking on the title. It's been fun writing in this fandom for so long. Though my love for Transformers of any generation will never die, I must admit that my desire to write for this fandom has died out. And I must move on to other things.

This is Tessa Honeybee saying farewell to Transformers Fanfiction.

"Until All Are One." -Optimus Prime