Still in Soundwave's arms, Megatron gasped and clenched his fangs together. Soundwave let him go and continued to oversee the birth. Megatron couldn't help but push even harder. So what if it was excruciating? This was his sparkling and he was going to deliver it. As he brought himself back into his familiar swing, the hard, strong pushes began to feel amazing again.

"Slow down!" Rumble told Megatron, grabbing his arm. "You wouldn't wanna hurt anythin' now, would ya?"

Megatron's response was to squeeze Rumble tightly in his fist, causing the minicon to cry out in pain. Soundwave couldn't help him, as he was too busy focusing on the sparkling itself, trying to guide it out without hurting it or the mech who was delivering it. Truth be told, he had never performed this exact procedure before, but he was used to working with machines and carrying out delicate tasks, and, having had so many sparklings himself, he knew how these things worked.

Soundwave remembered his first birth—Laserbeak. That hadn't been so hard, because eggs were easier to make than sparklings. Waiting for it to hatch almost drove him nuts, but it was worth it, seeing a baby chick using its beak to peck out of the egg, so trusting, letting his new caretaker hold him on his finger. This inspired Soundwave to give his first live birth—Ravage—about a year later. Ravage had been quite painful, and having to be stitched up afterwards had not been fun, but what Soundwave got in return, another cassette to call his own, was all he needed.

It was now time for Megatron to push a little more gently and relax, so as to let the little thing emerge gradually, but that wasn't exactly easy on him. The pushy feeling was so strong by now that he had to use every shred of his willpower, along with plenty of encouragement from Soundwave and the minicons, to counter it. And he didn't want to stop pushing. It hurt too much to stop or even slow down.

"Breathe, breathe," Soundwave was repeating, and when that didn't work, "Blow."

"I thought you said—do what feels right!" This combination was horrible. There was still an urge to push yet every time he did so, the acute pain got even more unbearable. Worse of all, Soundwave was telling Megatron that it wasn't the time to push. Well, he'd better have a slagging good reason!

"This is the widest point of circumference," Soundwave was trying to explain, making a sort of diagram with his hands.

"One push too hard, and you're going to need stitches," Rumble clarified.

Megatron was made to do a lot of panting and blowing, almost to the point of hyperventilation, crying out in frustration as Soundwave stayed on his knees, focusing intensely on the sparkling in between Megatron's legs, reminding him to still push on the contractions but GENTLY. Megatron just felt dizzy.

"I-I…" Megatron was trying to talk, but the ability to speak had long since abandoned him.

"Push, just a little," Soundwave repeated. Megatron tried to obey, the rational part of his mind knowing that Soundwave was right, pushing gently when he felt another sharp tightening in his abdomen, even though his body was begging him to just go nuts and push as hard as he could. Finally, the burning faded when the sparkling's chin emerged, and on the next push, Megatron put in every bit of his effort.

"Soundwave…" said Megatron quietly. The urge was coming again…but when he obeyed, it began to burn again, and worse, he felt no progress.

"The shoulders." Soundwave realized that the sparkling was turned on its side, and that the shoulders, already bulky, were stuck fast.

"PUSH!" Rumble yelled at the top of his lungs.

Not this again! The shoulders were probably square, like Megatron's, and of course they were made of tough metal, which stung and pinched and brought on more raw energon. Even with strong pushes, hardly anything happened, and it was beginning to make Megatron feel helpless.

"I can't do it," he mumbled.

Rumble looked a little horrified. "What are ya, a quitter?"

"Just push a little bit more and it'll be out," Frenzy begged.

"I-I said I can't," Megatron groaned. "It's STUCK!"

This normally would have gotten him killed, but Soundwave (to everyone's surprise) slapped Megatron and yelled, "PUSH!"

"I know." Putting his chin to his chest and moaning, Megatron seized the next contraction and pushed even though he didn't know if he was even getting anywhere and probably the only thing this sparkling was doing was causing him misery.

Soundwave quickly readjusted Megatron against the wall and had him spread his legs further apart, telling him to please just relax and keep pushing. The blue mech took a deep breath, reached inside and gently grabbed his son/daughter's arms, turning the sparkling on its front rather than the side, pulling a little but not yanking, while Megatron continued to push. With some loud yelling, raw energon, and exertion, Megatron finally managed to push the sparkling out to its chest. As the sparkling was kind of…blocky, it still wasn't exactly easy, but at least it wasn't stuck halfway inside of him anymore. Megatron considered that to be progress.

"The sparkling bears a strong resemblance to you, my Lord," said Soundwave.

"Oh—oh my—" panted Megatron, hardly able to talk. From what Soundwave could tell, the sparkling would be out in around two or three big pushes. It was such a strange combination—the feeling of being painfully stretched yet gloriously pushing, repetitive and relentless, leaning against the wall with his legs spread and his fingers digging into the floor, feeling, literally, the sparkling's progress as it moved out. It was just a combination of so many feelings, and that was what made it feel so incredible.

"It will soon be over," Soundwave coaxed him. "Estimation of remaining time: 3.2 minutes."

Megatron still wanted to give a giant push. So bad, SO BAD, please…what could only be described as a howl left his mouth as he bore down again, the minicons still crowding him, Soundwave's hands still on his knees.

"Oh dear Primus, it's—it's coming out…" Megatron bit his lip as he felt the sparkling continue to emerge. It was uncomfortable because his contractions brought great pressure very low down, and not only was he stretched to the limit but now it was like he had almost no control over this; he could only cry out at the sensation and obey. Tears began to sting his eyes as his lip began to bleed; he howled out not only because of the pain but because another unbearable demand to push seized him. But then again, he felt worse if he didn't push. So maybe this was for the better…

Soundwave kept his hands on Megatron's knees, keeping his legs far apart enough that he could see the sparkling and make sure everything was still going all right. This way was also easier on Megatron. So far, the Decepticon leader's energy signal was fine, and the sparkling's was just getting stronger. There would only be a problem if it was growing fainter.

"I am picking up a strong energy signal," said Soundwave.

Every one of Megatron's pain sensors was telling him that Soundwave was right. On the next contraction he pushed again, reminding himself that very, very soon, this little guy (or girl) would be out. Soundwave couldn't help but admire him. Megatron was being brave, paying more attention to the goal than the pain as he pressed his chin to his chest, grabbed Soundwave's hand, clenched his teeth and pushed again. Again, the horribly blocky sparkling caused him discomfort, but Megatron knew that progress had been made, and it felt quite empowering.

"I'm pickin' up the signal now too," said Rumble. "It won't be long now!"

"You're doin' great!" said Frenzy enthusiastically.

"ONE more push," said Soundwave. Excitement was building up inside of him; he had always wanted to have a big family, and no matter how many sparklings he had, all of them were precious to him. Whether it was staying behind when retreating to wait for them to catch up or reading them bedtime stories or even just giving Ravage an affectionate stroke on the head, Soundwave's main purpose in life (besides being a Decepticon) was being Daddy Soundwave to his cassettes.

Megatron, as he prepared for the birth of his sparkling, reminded himself that yes, soon he would be holding his new son or daughter in his arms. And all he could do now was picture the birth in his mind.

The sparkling had ceased to be an empty frame—by now, gigabytes (well, terabytes, actually) of programming were pouring into its developed frame, supplying every bit of its body with CNA code. Most of it went to the sparkling's brain, but it also filled his body with color, gave him the power to live and eventually think for himself—to become more than just a machine, in other words. Previously, this small but extremely powerful microchip had been stored in Megatron's brain, while the frame was in his chassis/stomach area, but now the sparkling had his own brain, his own body, and a fair amount of binary code.

Megatron couldn't even see the sparkling and yet he liked the sight of it in his mind. All he felt now was a warm, relaxing feeling as, with a rush of lubricant, the young sparkling came into the world…

"IT'S OUT! IT'S OUT!" Rumble smacked his brother aside to climb up on Soundwave's arm, but Frenzy hit him back, and the two minicons started fighting. Soundwave ignored them and quickly caught the energon-coated, wet sparkling. The minicons hovered around, trying to get themselves a good view of him. The afterbirth slid out, messy but painless, as Soundwave wet a towel and began to clean the sparkling off. Finally, Soundwave picked up their last clean towel, swaddled the little thing in it to keep him warm and comfortable, and handed him to Megatron.

"Lord Megatron," said Soundwave respectfully. "You have a son."

"Can ya shut him up?!" Rumble hollered, hands over his audios. "I can hardly hear myself think!"

"My son," Megatron repeated, ignoring Rumble and holding the sparkling a little closer. "My wonderful son."

The sparkling was mostly blue, but he had a black pelvis, hands and shins, and his frame looked a lot like Megatron's—in fact, they had the exact same arms, except the sparkling's were blue instead of gray. Although he was born with Soundwave's visor, he unmistakably had Megatron's mouth, nose, and bucket-shaped head. The crying was a little loud, but Megatron was pretty sure sparklings were supposed to cry like that.

There was a big mess but no tearing, just abrasion. Soundwave was thankful for that. Later on he'd help Megatron get a bath and he would clean up Megatron's suite somehow, or else the minicons would do it. But for now, he wanted to spend some quality time with his new family member. Part of Megatron was still sore, but mostly he was focused on his little sparkling. Soundwave sent Frenzy to put the towels in the wash and get a bottle, and Rumble asked, "So…what's his name gonna be?"

"I have an idea," said Megatron. "How about…Sound Rage?"

Rumble did a thumbs-down, probably just to be difficult, but Soundwave nodded. It had part of his name in it, and he knew "Rage" would be perfectly fine with Megatron. They could call him "Ragey" for short…well, maybe not.

Megatron realized, as he kissed the tiny blue helmet that looked otherwise just like his, that he couldn't believe all those things he'd been thinking before. Both he and Soundwave had wanted a sparkling so badly, and then Megatron was willing to give up just because the birth hurt a little? Megatron decided that was the most ridiculous thought he'd ever had. Everybody had been telling him, don't give up, it will all be worth it. And he hadn't believed them for a second. But now he realized that they were all, well…right, after all.

Soundwave reached over and let Sound Rage grab his finger. By now, he had stopped crying, and when Soundwave tried to use his other hand (the broken one) to stroke Sound Rage's head, his hand fell right off.

"Did I really break your hand?" Megatron laughed. "I guess I don't know my own strength."

Soundwave shrugged and gave a slight nod.

Unfortunately, that was when the three jets and a few other Decepticons burst into the room, probably drawn by the sound of crying. They ruined the moment completely. Megatron had forgotten that the door to his suite was unlocked—and now everybody was in his room. When they got there, they stared at the scene in front of them in shock.

"Woah, is that a sparkling?" Skywarp asked, eyes widening.

"Of course it's a sparkling," said Starscream disparagingly. "Didn't you hear it crying earlier?"

"Why didn't you tell us your sparkling was here?" Thundercracker asked.

"Because it is no business of yours," Megatron said hotly, holding the sparkling tighter and feeling a little self-conscious, all too aware of everybody's stares. "Now leave and let the sparkling be alone with his parents."

"This is me leaving," said Skywarp hurriedly, bolting out the door, prompting the others to follow him.

Once they were gone, Soundwave used his remaining hand to stroke the sparkling's head, then told Megatron that he really had done a fantastic job.

"Let's put it this way, Soundwave," said Megatron. "If we ever have any more sparklings, YOU will be having the contractions."

"As you command, Lord Megatron," Soundwave replied.

"I wish we could see what he transforms into," said Megatron. "But he won't listen if we tell him to do it, will he?"

So Megatron and Soundwave just played with Sound Rage while waiting for Frenzy to come back. Soundwave insisted that playing with him would stimulate his mind, which could also prompt him to transform and show them his alt. mode. To their great joy, he finally did—the little sparkling was a cassette, similar to Soundwave's minicons. Part of Megatron was disappointed that he wasn't a gun, but he was mostly happy about having a new son in the first place…just like he had wanted for so long. They both had.

Soon after, Frenzy returned with a bottle, and Sound Rage got his first meal. Once he'd finished all the sparkling formula, he fell peacefully into stasis…and so did Megatron, in fact, both of them collapsing onto Soundwave. Rumble laughed, and Frenzy took the empty bottle back to the kitchen, but Soundwave stayed right there with Megatron and Sound Rage. Never would he abandon his sleeping family…even if he had to stay there all night.

-the end-