I believe I've been bitten by what's so commonly referred to as a "plot bunny" for this story has been on my mind and won't go away, so I've been forced to write it down. This fic stars our favorite little miscreant red and yellow twins.

Btw: this is my first fic starring them, so I hope everyone enjoys and plz….don't be afraid to leave a comment ;) Also they cuss alot for some little kids, but their bad as hell anyway so no surprise there :P

Disclaimer: Oh how I wish I owned this wondrous franchise, but such things shall never come to pass, oh well. On with the story…

The young mech sat on a cliff watching with a far off gaze as the earthen sun set behind the clouds, casting a fierce effulgent glow across the horizon.

The scene was surreal really, a paradoxical beauty in a desert barren waste land. Sunstreaker could easily appreciate the vista for what it was as he loved art in any form it came. But even he who loved it so grunted as he looked upon the hazy sky. He was angry, the femme commander was the source, and he grunted again as his processor still harped on the day's earlier events.

It'd been right after combat training with the other Autobots when whole mess had begun, Sunstreaker had yelled at the femme commander spouting a cruel accusation before running out the Ark, not stopping until he found himself outside on the cliff where he now sat pouting.

"Stupid femme commander, who does she think she is anyway?" Sunstreaker groaned absently flicking a pebble off the cliffs edge.

"I think she told you already." And Sunstreaker smiled automatically hearing his twin brother's lighthearted voice, "So this is where you've been hiding, huh?" Sideswipe said coming up beside his brother, "see why you chose it," and he plopped down, "nice scenery."

"Yeah, even this dump has some pretty decent spots to look at." And Sideswipe snickered at his comment before falling silent. For a long while a questionable silence hung in the air, and Sunstreaker waited anxiously before he harrumphed at the question his brother obviously wasn't going to ask, meaning he would have to.

"Let me guess, Elita One sent you out here to come look for me, right?" He asked.

"No, actually it was Prime who sent me out here since we couldn't find you inside."

"Oh." The gold mech breathed distractedly as drew circles in the sand beneath him.

"Mom was crying too much to say anything..." Sideswipe said uneasily awaiting his brother's response, and Sunstreaker paused thoughtfully before looking up. Elita One was crying? That wasn't anything like the tough, beautiful femme commander he knew and lov—but he shook his head clearing his thoughts before speaking again.

"So?" He said nonchalantly looking away and folding his arms.

"Sooo…I think you should go back in and apologize, bro."

"And why should I?" Sunstreaker snarled agitated and Sideswipe flinched at his tone. His brother wasn't the most emotional youngling in the universe but still he knew Sunstreaker was not this uncaring, there had to be a reason behind all this.

"Sunny, do…do you hate Elita One?" Sideswipe asked uneasily and Sunstreaker blanched actually taken aback by the question as he stared into his twin's helpless face.

He didn't hate the femme commander at all. In fact when he really thought about it he could never hate her, even if he wanted to it was simply impossible. He did love her after all, and then he sighed, he did love her. It was undeniable at that point but still he wouldn't say it, he'd never say it aloud—to her, or even his brother for that matter.

"Look, I don't hate her okay?" He relented.

"Then why'd you say that stuff to her?" and Sunstreaker sighed heavily taking a moment to gather his thoughts before turning to his brother and speaking.

"Sides, do you remember our mom, our real mom back on Cybertron before it was destroyed?" Sunstreaker asked actually dreading the response that might come out his red twin's mouth.

"Nope, not at all." Sideswipe said rather cheerfully even adding a bright smile at the end of the statement and Sunstreaker blanched, raising both optic ridges.

"B-but…doesn't that bother you?"

"Nope, not at all." The red youngling replied not missing a beat and Sunstreaker growled flopping back around to his original position.

"Well it bothers me." Sunstreaker spat, and they fell into an uneasy silence once more.

"But why does it bother you bro?" Sideswipe asked quietly looking at the back of his brother's head and Stunstreaker began to tremble, feeling unwanted tears well up in his optics. Sideswipe moved closer to wrap a comforting arm around his brother's shoulder's and pulled him close.

"I-it…it just," Sunstreaker stuttered trying to keep him self together as Sideswipe tightened his grip slightly letting his brother know he was safe to talk. Sunstreaker took a breath before speaking again.

"It's just fragged up you know? I mean it's not like we were little sparklings when Elita rescued us. I even remember calling out to mom, looking at her before she was killed…but still, I can't remember a single thing about her," Sunstreaker said sadly drawing his knees up to his chest, "her face, her voice—there's just nothing there."

'Only…Elita One.' He thought to himself. Sideswipe didn't know what to say to comfort his brother so he just opted to rub his arm affectionately and they went quiet again.

"Sides?" Sunstreaker asked after a moment, leaning into his brother's warmth.

"Yeah?"

"Does it ever make you sad whenever you think about her? Our real mom?"

"Nope." He simply said cheerfully again and Sunstreaker scoffed.

"I'm serious Sideswipe." Sunstreaker said irritated at his brother's jovial retort. Usually his brother's jocular demeanor was appreciated as it kept him fairly calm during a crisis, but not now though, he wanted a serious response.

"I am serious Sunny it doesn't make me sad at all." Sideswipe reiterated, the gold mechling could tell by the rare toning of his brother's voice that Sideswipe was telling the truth.

"But why not?" Sunstreaker asked confused.

"Because every time I think about our mom, the only person I can and want to, picture is Elita One." He said sincerely. Sunstreaker groaned, he could concur in all honesty but still the gold youngling was relentless about accepting it.

"She's not our mother Sideswipe, she didn't spark us."

"So? She didn't have to, she still loves us doesn't she?" The red youngling asked, but Sunstreaker didn't respond.

"She cleans our armor when it's dirty right?" Sunstreaker kept quiet.

"She takes us to Ratchet when we're sick…right?"

"Yeah…" Sunstreaker mumbled.

"She makes us breakfast in the morning before training, tucks us in at night before recharge." And Sideswipe paused smiling, "Pit, she even let's us recharge in the bed with her sometimes." He said, smile broadening from audio to audio and Sunstreaker couldn't help but snicker himself.

Elita really was a selfless femme, risking life and limb to save two strange younglings from a Decepticon bombardier, and willing to train them to become the strong frontline Autobot warriors she knew they could be. Not to mention all the slag she had to put up with from the both of them over the years like Sideswipes silly little pranks and his undomesticated nature, running around the base with nothing but a codpiece on and Sunstreaker's less than appreciative attitude towards her making snide comments behind her back that he knew she'd heard. Everything the twins dished out Elita took it in stride, with love and patients.

Not once did the femme commander ever tell the twins that she didn't love or appreciate them for who they were, they were her sparkling's after all and she loved them as is. Every 'I love you' she spoke was always met with a warm smile, kiss or hug and Sunstreaker smiled as he recalled each occurrence, especially those before bed. Elita One was incredible, she was smart, beautiful, strong, and above all else she was a loving and caring femme.

Everything a youngling could ever possibly want in a mother Elita One was it and Sunstreaker smiled wider at the thought and his spark swelled with glee, he really did love his mother and everything she did for them. Yet when he did think about it, the words he spat to her earlier came rushing back, stinging at his very core and making his smile fade quickly. He sighed miserably knowing he'd made a terrible mistake.

"I really hurt her feelings, didn't I?" He muttered despondently.

"Well you did say 'You're not my fragging mother so stop pretending' which in turn did make her cry," Sideswipe spoke casually then flinched realizing the words that'd came out his vocalizer.

"I mean uh, oh…s-sorry bro." He stammered.

"No…no your right Sides, I screwed up." And the yellow mech stood suddenly, quickly wiping his optics as he began traipsing down the cliff almost into a sprint.

"Whoa! Wait…Sunny, where you going?" Sideswipe called trotting to catch up to his brother.

"I gotta go back Sideswipe, I have to apologize to her." He stopped allowing his brother to come to his side, "I wish I'd never any of that stuff to her, none of it's true. No matter how mean I've ever been to Elita she's always been there for me. She's my mom…and I love her to death." He said optics threatening to well up again and Sideswipe smirked cupping the yellow mech's shoulder.

"Well, we better hurry up before everyone comes out here looking for us." And Sunstreaker smiled before flipping off the cliff and landing on his peds some fifty feet below, his twin followed suite as they ran as fast as they could back to base.

It was night fall by the time the twins had returned to the Ark, Optimus Prime and Prowl shined they're headlights at the entrance, allowing the youngling's to find they're way back in as they approached the entrance.

Once in range, Optimus turned his headlights off and reached out a hand touching both younglings on the head with a welcome home smile.

"Sire, where's mom? Can I see her…please?" Sunstreaker pled nervously looking up at Optimus Prime, and the colossal mech smiled.

"Of course young one," and Optimus moved aside, "Elita?" He called and Elita One stood for a moment, tears in her optics as she approached the twins and knelt before them taking both her sons in her arms.

"Thank Primus your alright." She wept kissing their cheeks affectionately.

"Are you alright? You're not hurt are you?" She asked pulling back to examine them both.

"We're fine mom, no scratches or nothing." Sideswipe piped blithely and Elita chuckled wiping her face.

"Mom…can I talk to you, please?" Sunstreaker spoke quietly. Elita's optics widened at his words but then she quickly nodded before turning to Optimus with a knowing look.

"Time for bed young one." Optimus announced before quickly scooping Sideswipe up in his massive arms.

"B-but I'm not even tired!" Sidewipe whined struggling to get down.

"Yes you are." Optimus laughed walking down the hallway with his son over his shoulder and his SIC in tow.

Elita waited until they disappeared before moving off to the side and pulling Sunstreaker in front of her.

"What is it sweetspark?" She asked in that deep soulful voice of hers that Sunstreaker loved so much, but the gold mech looked to the ground optics welling up again. How could he tell her he was sorry? How could he possibly explain why he'd said such hateful words to the one femme in the universe that loved him more then breathing? And tears began to fall, he couldn't…he simply couldn't, it was impossible to explain.

Utterly gilt ridden the gold youngling began to tremble and sob.

"Honey, what is it?" Elita asked lifting his chin up. Meeting her concerned blue optics Sunstreaker instantly threw his arms around her neck and sobbed loudly.

"I'm sorry mama! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean what I said I swear…please...please forgive me!" He wept clinging to the femme commander as he buried his face in her neck and Elita One smiled, slowly wrapping her arms around his little body pulling him close.

"Shhh…calm down honey, calm down." Elita spoke calmly hushing her crying son, "its ok sweetie its ok, shhh…I know you're sorry," she smiled pulling him back to wipe his tears, "and I do forgive you."

"You…you do?" Sunstreaker asked with disbelief and Elita just smiled, "B-but, Sideswipe said I made you cry...I didn't mean to."

"Well when we couldn't find you inside the base I got scared, I didn't know what to do." She said reaching up to caress his wet face, "I know you can't feel me in your spark but you are my sparkling honey, and I love you…so very much." She wept pulling him into a tight embrace.

"I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost you or your brother. You two are my everything." She cried and Sunstreaker tightened his grip weeping as his mother held him close.

"I'm sorry about what I said mama, I'll never say anything like that again…I promise I won't." Sunstreaker sobbed and Elita smiled pulling back to wipe his tears before scooping her beloved little mech up into her arms and lovingly kissed his cheek.

"I love you Sunstreaker, I love you so much." Elita spoke nuzzling her son's nose affectionately and Sunstreaker giggled laying his head comfortably on her shoulder, "I love you too mama." He said looking up at his mother as they trotted off down the hall to their chamber for the night.

Well now, Sunstreaker's not the soulless little bastard everyone thought he was, was he? xD