A/N: Guess who's still trying to update! Sorry it took me a while to get to this, guys. I really am trying to work on this fic, I promise.

Chapter 15

Riella didn't know how long she stayed curled up in Prowl's arms, head resting on his shoulder and one hand, the uninjured one, brushing against his chest. She could feel his spark pulsing against her fingers, warm and steady and calming.

Safe.

Is that what this is?

He came all this way for me. He gave up everything on Earth and Cybertron for me.

That's love.

Love's not safe.

Maybe this isn't the time to worry about safe.

Her mental block slipped when she wasn't paying attention, and she became aware of other 'bots nearby. One in the corridor – the fembot who'd been working on her. Ember, that was her name. Road Rage, near the cockpit, with...Blackarachnia? And someone else Riella didn't recognize from thoughts alone.

She tensed, shivering and lifting her head. "Prowl, who – who –"

"Shh, it's alright." Prowl wrapped his arm around her back and pulled her close again. "It's Jazz and Blackarachnia."

"W-what?" Riella's optics widened and her spark rate picked up. Primus, no – no - "No, no, no, they can't – you can't – what were you thinking? What were you – "

"Easy, calm down, Riella." Prowl's servo cradled the back of her head, trying to soothe her. It didn't work. "It's okay. They won't hurt you. Blackarachnia wanted to find you – I trust her, you liked her, I let her tag along - but Jazz didn't want me going off on my own with an ex-Con. They're on your side."

"No, no, no, no, no – " Riella pushed him away, struggling up, gasping at the shock of pain from her broken hand. "No, no, no –" She could feel her spark racing out of control again, skipping pulses and racing too fast and suddenly her vents were fighting to cool her down again. "You don't know – he can't be here, he can't – "

The door slid open with a hiss. Riella turned to face it, saw the all-too-familiar Elite Guard insignia, and froze.

No.

No!

I won't – I can't –

- not again –

- I won't go back, I won't, I won't –

Jazz held up his servos and took a step back. "Whoa, there, I'm not gonna hurt you. Riella? I'm not gonna hurt you. It's okay – "

"Get away from me!"

She couldn't see. Her vision was blurring again, light flaring in front of her optics, and her spark pounded so fast it hurt. All she could see was that Elite Guard symbol, too-bright red and white and wings and no, no, calm down I'm not back there, not yet not yet I'm not going back –

She could hear Prowl's voice from right beside her, both out loud and in her processor. "Riella, calm down. Calm down. I'm right here. No one's going to hurt you. It's alright. Can you hear me? It's alright."

It's alright.

You don't know that.

That was the first coherent thought to flash through her processor, cutting through the panic and replacing it with a sudden cold realization.

I can find out.

I can find out – if Prowl's wrong, if Jazz knows, if he's going to – no, it doesn't matter, I won't let him –

I could find out.

"Riella?" Prowl's voice echoed faintly behind her, close enough that he could have touched her shoulder if he wanted to. She could sense his concern, feel him reaching out mentally in an effort to comfort her. "It's okay, Riella, it's alright, I promise. Talk to me. What are you doing? What's going on?"

She pushed herself upright slowly with her good hand, realizing she'd frozen in place staring at Jazz. Without taking her optics off the Elite Guard mech, she forced her vents to slow down, ignoring the pain from her spark. I'm alright.

She wasn't. But saying it made it more likely.

"He won't hurt you, Riella. I promise. It's okay." Prowl reached out tentatively and rested a servo on her shoulder. "Just take it easy."

Riella didn't look away from Jazz, but she forced herself to look up at his visor. The mech tried to smile at her. It didn't work. The sense she was picking up from him was all wariness. He was scared of her.

What do you have to be afraid of? Fear crashed through her processor again, panic rising in her chest. What are you hiding?

She curled her right servo into a fist, in, out, clinging to that single thought that kept her from running. I can find out.

I should find out.

Prowl's grip on her shoulder tightened slightly, and his other servo reached down to wrap around hers. "Riella, easy. Easy. He's okay."

"Right," Jazz added nervously. "I know you're not good with the Guard right now. That's fine. I'm not on the job. Just here to make sure you're not dead. We cool?"

She watched him for a long moment, optics locked on his visor. Still wary. Still nervous. He wasn't comfortable around her, and that told her all she needed to know.

He knows. Her spark raced too fast, pounding in her chest. It hurt. She took a step back, knees shaking, and almost fell into Prowl. He knows. He knows. Oh, Primus, he knows…

Prowl's arms wrapped around her again, pulling her back against him. She closed her optics and let him support her, realizing how badly she was shaking. I can't – I…

"It's alright now. It's okay." Prowl's arm tightened around her back, holding her protectively and letting her hide her face in his chest. "Jazz, what's our location?"

"We're in orbit." Riella could sense Jazz's relief at the change of subject. "Blackarachnia thought hangin' around on the ground with Lockdown still active was a bad call. Even if I didn't agree, I'm not arguin' with her."

"Good. I don't want another run-in with him." Prowl's tone shifted toward something hinting at anger. "Yet."

"Yet? Prowl, we're not pickin' a fight with the guy…"

Something flickered in the back of Riella's processor, a vaguely familiar sense brushing against her radar. She lifted her head, trying to find it again. "Prowl. C-can you…" He can't feel it. "Who else – who's on the ship?"

Prowl looked down at her with a slight frown. "Besides the three of us? Blackarachnia and the other two fembots. Road Rage and Ember."

Riella shivered, letting her radar extend until she could pick up all five of the others. It wasn't any of them. "No. N-no. Someone's out there."

"Lockdown?" Prowl's hold on her tightened even more. He didn't seem to notice.

She shook her head, realized she didn't know, and curled her fingers through his, reaching for some kind of support. "I – I don't – "

"Riella!" Road Rage's voice cut through her mental radar so abruptly that she jumped. "Are you getting this? Riella, if you can hear me – "

I can, I – what's going on? Riella closed her optics again in an effort to keep her thoughts controlled. What are you – what is that – who –

"Calm down and listen to me! I need you up here. All of you. Get the mechs. We have a problem."

Before Riella could respond, everything snapped into sharp focus. Her optics flickered white in realization.

Patrol ship.