Author's Notes- Hello all. From the little I've watched of TFPrime Starscream, Knock Out and Breakdown have become my absolute favourites so this fic is partially to give Knock Out some comfort over Breakdown's death and, considering what I'm doing to Starscream in my other fics, a chance for the Seeker to give Megatron a dressing down over Airachnid. Apologies if the characters are OOC (I may come back and edit it once I've watched some more) and if the plot has been overdone.

Bold- Comm link.

Pairings- Knock Out and Breakdown. Megatron and Starscream. Knock Out and Starscream (friendship).

Warnings- Major Character Death, slash (mainly implied includes kissing), violent imagery and Transformer swearing.

Disclaimer- I do not own Transformers or its characters.

Recognisable lines are from TFPrime episodes.

Contains spoilers for the episodes 'Partners' and 'Crossfire'.

Unbetaed.

All mistakes are my own.

Hope you all enjoy it.

Was She Worth It?

Creeping into the seemingly deserted med-bay Starscream's spark swirled anxiously, a significant part of his processor demanding he turn back now while he still could, but his pedes kept inching forward, optics flying about searching for the vain CMO. The flier was sure Knock Out would have been affected by his partner's sudden deactivation especially, especially, because it was that freak that was responsible.

The medic had been sure since Airachnid arrived that she would steal Breakdown away eventually. It was spark wrenching that the red mech, even if it was in a different way to that expected, had been completely correct in his fears.

With all the enemies that glitch had in both factions the former Decepticon was baffled as to how she was still online.

Oh, that's right. Megatron has a soft spot for her.

Or at least the tyrant had done… Starscream was no longer privy to the intricate goings on in the relationships of his past comrades but Knock Out and Breakdown had always seemed solid.

Untouchable.

It wasn't fair but war and life had never been known for being just… or merciful.

Knock Out had pieced him back together more times than, the flier was sure, any other medic would have tolerated. He owed the smaller mech something in return and this was something he could give at no cost to himself apart from a small calculated risk.

Barely ventilating the winged mech listened hard as he was sure he had caught the sound of something dripping in the dimly lit room. Slowly sidling round a medical berth he found the smaller mech, knees hugged tightly to his chassis and cube of high grade glistening on the floor beside him untouched providing most of the light in the med bay, optic fluid running silently down his faceplates and onto the metallic floor.

The medic's paint was streaked where he had sat crying in one place for so long and his frame was scratched particularly along Knock Out's arms where the medic had dug his digits into them, holding himself protectively.

The state the smaller mech had allowed himself to get into said clearer than words ever could the state of the CMO's processor.

Gracefully, Starscream glided across the distance between them like a ghost and scooped the CMO into his arms, rocking the shivering automobile gently as if the medic were a sparkling. After a few moments Knock Out began to hit the flier's chassis snarling and sobbing. 'Idiot promised not to leave me,' he hissed before whimpering, 'who's… who's going to…?' Look after me. What am I going to do?

Holding the medic tightly and wrapping his frame defensively around the red mech, Starscream revved his engines to warm and massage Knock Out's metallic body. 'You have my private comm line,' the former Decepticon murmured unfazed by the CMO's sudden violence, 'we can meet if you need someone of intelligence to speak to.'

Knock Out shuddered. The thought of being permanently alone in his domain unless he was needed and to be forgotten about otherwise as the others already seemed to have done with Breakdown clawed gouges into his spark. 'He was going to be my bondmate,' the red mech keened into Starscream's arm, 'and… and…'

'I know,' the Seeker whispered against the medic's audio, 'I know.'

'Miss him,' the red mech whispered then growled half enraged half agonised, 'she had no right to take him from me!'

'Someone will get her if not us then Megatron or that Autobot femme,' the flier promised soothingly, 'one orn she will be made to regret her actions one way or another. Just think of the humiliation she'll suffer if the little Autobot gets her or how we could tear her insides out little by little. No matter who gets the rusted little poacher she'll learn to leave claimed mechs alone.'

Knock Out's frame convulsed in what could have been a snigger before exhaling in a stuttered pained sigh and going lax against the winged mech's frame, 'tired.'

'Rest then and afterwards for the love of Primus clean yourself up! You look like slag,' Starscream smirked without venom.

The medic muttered something unintelligible but the tone sounded vaguely sarcastic as he began to fall into an exhausted recharge giving the flier a brief nuzzle before his optics offlined and his systems shut down.

Standing with the smaller mech carefully held in his arms, the former Decepticon SIC carried Knock Out to the medic's berth and settled him into it comfortably.

Watching over the finally slumbering CMO for as long as he dared, Starscream backed out of the berthroom, helm slightly dipped. Heading for the exit, careful not to disturb anything lying around, the flier froze at Megatron's silhouette in the door.

Backing off, venting deeply to calm his nerves, the former Decepticon put a medical berth between himself and the Warlord, keeping himself out of his old Master's reach. The larger mech glared viciously, aiming his cannon at Starscream's spark chamber and charging it up, 'traitor!'

Frag! The flier opened his mouth to recite his usual pleas and excuses but his optics caught sight of Knock Out through the berthroom door and something snapped in his processor. 'Me?' He cackled scornfully, 'I'm the traitor? You've lost three soldiers due to your own lack of foresight and your ridiculous trust in that vile piece of slag. You sent me with her and she abandoned me, and I notice you never looked for me either. You knew they weren't a match for her and yet you still sent Breakdown and Dreadwing after her, why couldn't you have done it? It was you she wanted! And you knew it!'

Megatron made to speak but Starscream overrode him, the Seeker's wings rose and flicked out as suppressed anger came out in a torrent, voice rising to a barely contained screech.

'Pit, Soundwave beat the little slagger once why didn't you send him to do the job? Would you have discarded me so easily if I had come crawling back straight after escaping the Autobots? Would it be me lying dismembered on the ground? And if you think your medic, the single best medic in the army, is ever going to be the same again you're sadly mistaken! So, all in all, you've forfeited your SIC, one of your strongest fighters and your CMO for that glitch and she never even pretended to be loyal to you! Ha! She wanted to make a trophy of you.'

The flier's engines revved as his claws dug into his metallic palms, tone lowering in pitch and darkening as he reached his finale, two simple questions, accusations. 'Was it worth it My Lord? Was she fragging worth it?'

Breathless, tanks churning and engines roaring as the med bay fell into a hollow silence, Starscream stood tall and glared at the older mech waiting for his response.

Megatron looked at him for a moment, optics darkening, then powered down and subspaced his weapon to dive over the berth, taking the flier to the ground with the tyrant's larger frame resting on his. Hissing and squirming to try to get out from under the Warlord, the winged mech swiped at him with his claws only to give a furious exclamation when his wrists were grabbed and slammed into the floor above his helm.

'My little Seeker,' the Decepticon Lord smashed their lip components together, how I have missed your smart mouth and acid glossa.

Not yours! Never! Starscream denied hotly.

Mine Starscream, always mine. Megatron whispered smugly.

You had your chance for me to be your humble servant and you wasted it, you made your choice. The flier snarled; spark twisting in his chamber painfully at the remembered rejection.

Ah my little Seeker, after all of the chances I have granted you, could you not spare one for me? I could make it worth it for you… your old rank… a shiny new T-Cog… The larger mech tempted having heard of Starscream's troubles, crooning to the smaller mech as he caressed the Seeker's left wing. Come home.

To be a punching bag again? The Seeker thought as the promises grasped his spark and processor. A flash of Knock Out curled up helplessly on the floor burst behind his closed optics and the reason he had come in the first place nagged at him. He needs someone to care for him and Primus knows I owe him…

'A new T-Cog you say? And my rank?' Starscream simpered into the tyrant's mouth, 'Master how could I refuse?'

Hope you all enjoyed it and thanks for reading. Please review- I'd love to hear what you think.