Beginnings

The first thing you think about when you come out of recharge is: was that real? The second is: how long have I been out? You turn on your optics and look around, wondering if any of it actually happened.

You feel like all of your energy is depleted. You try to raise your hand, but that doesn't amount to much, so you turn your head to the side. You see Perceptor over in the corner of the room.

"Perceptor?" You croak, vocalizer sputtering to life.

You watch Perceptor pad over to your side and look at you. You watch as your arms and legs are moved, then Perceptor sits you up. You feel like you're going to fall over, but Perceptor holds steady.

After a few more minutes of movement, Perceptor lays you back down, only this time on your side, so you can watch.

"I assume you actually agreed to Wheeljack's bond idea and you weren't forced." Perceptor says, hooking you up to an energon dispenser.

"'Jack never forced me to do anything." You say, trying to keep the offensive tone out of your words.

"I didn't say 'Jack forced you, just that I assume there was mutual concession. Autobots have more integrity than that, I hope." Perceptor puts a hand over your head, like your mother used to do when feeling for a temperature.

"Where is Wheeljack?" You ask in the most tired voice you've ever heard.

"You've been out for almost an Earth month, so Wheeljack is probably in the quarters you've been assigned, waiting for you to wake up. Not being able to feel you caused more problems than 'Jack took into account." Perceptor says, rolling you onto your stomach.

You feel Perceptor looking at your skin. You notice you don't have your alternate mode, so someone must have turned that program off or removed it.

""Wheeljack?"" You ask into the bond, hoping you aren't actually dreaming.

You don't hear anything from your mate, but you feel 'Jack's presence in your spark. You were out long enough to have gone past the whole "being one" phase. You can feel Wheeljack's presence traveling along your body with your own energy, almost like mapping out each and every crevice of your being.

This causes you to snort as the movement sends a tingling sensation throughout your being. ""Wheeljack, what are you doing?""

""I'm memorizing every part of your existence."" Wheeljack says. ""I was told to leave you alone until you woke up.""

""We have the rest of our lives to do that."" You say, holding in a laugh.

""I'm not taking any chances."" You are utterly shocked at the forwardness of your new bond mate, so you decide to do the exact same thing. You send energy pulses through the bond and attack Wheeljack in the same manner you are being attacked right now.

You don't care how exactly you are able to move as you do, but you feel your energy fingers feeling every part of the energy that is your mate and you realize, this is much better than what you had with your bond mates. This must have been what Perceptor and Bumblebee were talking about.

You continue exploring, but bring your mind back to Perceptor's lab. The mech is currently removing your energon line. You watch as Perceptor picks you up and places you on a table, then turns on a projector that creates a three dimensional image a few feet above you.

You watch as Perceptor looks carefully at your insides, without actually cutting into you. You can see the different energies within your chassis and you can actually make out where Wheeljack is still mapping out.

"You should tell that twitterpated mech to let me check you out before you two explore one another."

This causes you to start cackling. "Did you really just say twitterpated?" You ask in between cackles.

"Blame that on Rewind. Mech was in here watching "Bambi" earlier and that word, although ridiculous, stuck in my vocabulary." Perceptor says with the air of a mech who needs a good recharge.

"I will have to thank Rewind for that, I needed a good laugh." You say, telling Wheeljack about the conversation you just had with Perceptor.

"What's it like?" Perceptor asks while magnifying your hologram.

"What's what like?" You ask.

"Being bonded to someone who actually cares for you, as opposed to five strangers who volunteered."

You think about that one for a moment, trying to see if there is one word you can use to describe the sensation. There are so many differences, yet just as many similarities.

"I think the feelings Wheeljack and I share are mutual, but I'll always care about my bond mates. With Wheeljack, I don't feel the need to know how to use the block Sunstreaker and Sideswipe showed me. I don't know if this is what love is supposed to feel like because I never felt this way with Kelsey, but I look forward to finding out."

You try to think back to your life before this but after meeting the Autobots for the first time. You didn't really love Kelsey; in fact you can't say you outright love your kids, especially if this is what love is supposed to bring about.

Wheeljack sends a vibe across the energy that connects the two of you, telling you that this actually surpasses what humans think of as love. There isn't a human out there who would be willing to put themselves in this position, unless they were extremely uneducated about the process.

""That would be me, before and after the bond."" You say. ""That block is the only thing that kept my sanity.""

""Do you want to use the block right now?"" Wheeljack asks. This question, although straightforward, is hiding something, you can feel it.

Fear. Fear is hidden within the bond, one that is rooted deep within the core of what the two of you share. The fear is a mutual feeling, not completely based on rejection, but mixed with the fear of regret.

""I'm not going to reject you."" You say in the most reassuring tone you can muster. ""I don't regret this either.""

""Ditto."" This causes you to laugh and soon Wheeljack joins in.

The two of you continue to delve deep into the memories that are housed within each other's CPUs. Learning everything about one another, all the while making you stronger.

Perceptor speaking to you brings you back out of the pool of memories.

"We have another group of volunteers; they call themselves the Metro Squad. They're stationed on Earth." Perceptor informs you. You can tell the mech is interested in your opinion on the matter.

"I'm not doing that again. I can't stand to lose any more bond mates. Five was enough." You watch Perceptor take an even closer look. "Is Wheeljack going to lose me?" You ask nervously.

"The radiation has been evicted. Baring either of you dying any time in the near future, you should both be fine." Perceptor turns off the projector and moves you back to the berth.

""Wheeljack, I'm going to be okay."" You say excitedly. There is a burst of energy as you feel Wheeljack embrace you through the bond.

""Can I come get you now, or will they throw me in the brig again?""

You laugh out loud, causing Perceptor to look at you quizzically. You shake your head slightly and say, "Wheeljack."

Perceptor nods and walks out of the room.

""They threw you in the brig for that?"" You ask, wondering if you'll succumb to the same fate when you're mobile again.

""I doubt they'll throw you in the brig now, but at least I had company. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe tried that Traalian water again and were running around here in the nude, offending people. I'm not sure what Sideswipe did to get Sunny to go along with that, but both of them said it was worth it.""

This causes you to laugh again. You get a mental image of the three of them singing and dancing like that chick in the second Bridget Jones movie. This mental picture also causes Wheeljack to laugh.

""What are we going to do now?"" You ask, wondering if you will still be required to be a front line fighter.

""You'll be released from duty permanently, or at least until you're ready to return. I'm free to do whatever, unless there's an emergency. We can do whatever you want."" You get a mental picture of Wheeljack lounging on a berth, in the same position you are currently in.

""I want to help Bluestreak."" You say, without missing a beat. ""Then I want to see my kids. I want you to do everything with me. I want you to help me make my first invention.""

There is no vocal answer, but you can feel Wheeljack in your spark, so you don't push words. The two of you lay in silence for a while longer, just enjoying each other's presence.

""I think I'll be there to pick you up shortly, Perceptor just knocked on the door."" Wheeljack tells you. You smile and mentally nudge 'Jack off the comfortable berth to make that long trip to where you are waiting.

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