Return of the Checkered Board AU. Went on a big hiatus for writing due to getting used to Sixth Form, and I'd been intending to do something like this for a while. I also want to add more to "Comes back to bite you", since I have a few ideas there too.

In any case, enjoy this tid-bit and the fluff it shall provide. Please review and give me ideas, since I'm itching to get going again!

"It's been... a long time, Shockwave."

"I'd say so." Soundwave smiled, despite himself and the bitter tone in his brother's voice. They raised their hands – Soundwave's left and Shockwave's right – and pressed their palms together, finger tips meeting in warm acknowledgement that they were together again, that their brother was safe and alive.

"You look good. A little rusty, but good." Shockwave made a hiss of static and batted at his younger brother's helm, making Soundwave chuckle.

"Watch your mouth, I'm still the eldest," He muttered, but didn't lower his hand away. They stood there with their hands together, almost never wanting to let go. Cybertronian customs were embedded into their code, pressing palms together being the equivalent of an embrace. "How have you been?"

"... Slowly developing a CPU tumour, I'm sure." Shockwave made a rattling chuckle, optic flashing with humour.

"It can't have been that bad."

"Not two months ago, he terminated perhaps the most loyal soldier I've ever met," Soundwave replied with a growl, then lowered his helm. "In favour of letting Starscream live." Shockwave stared for a long while, then twisted his servo diagonally, interlocking their digits together and giving his brother's servo a squeeze.

"My condolences. What prompted Megatron to think?," He asked, in no way inclined to believe Soundwave had let the gladiator do something so illogical.

"Knock Out. He was panicking, Dreadwing was extremely angry."

"For what purpose?"

"Starscream was responsible for his twin's death, and also raised him from the dead with Dark Energon," Soundwave explained plaintively, looking down at the ground between them. "I couldn't blame him for his attempt on Starscream's life."

"I'd have killed him, if it was your corpse he defiled." Soundwave returned his gaze to Shockwave's, feeling quite touched and squeezing his servo back.

"And Megatron had been given the choice. To his credit, he gave Dreadwing a chance to flee, and in a twisted way I'm proud of him for not simply destroying him the moment he stepped into med bay," He paused, then hung his head again, leaning forward and resting his helm on his older brother's shoulder. "But Primus, why kill him?"

"Because he's an idiot," Shockwave simply replied. "We know that."

"Yes, and I wish Dreadwing had known that. He might not have turned his back on that bumbling moron." Shockwave began swaying from side to side, rocking his sibling where they stood.

"It sounds as though you were very fond of this Dreadwing." Soundwave tensed against his shoulder. "... I see."

"He was beautiful," He mumbled. "His twin, Skyquake, was beautiful too. But I never got to speak to him." Shockwave tilted his head to give his brother a queer look. "You know what I mean."

"I do, your choice of words just confused me." They were quiet for a moment, before the violet Cyclops sighed. "It was never going to be easy to tell you, but I wish this conversation hadn't occurred before hand."

"What do you mean?"

"When the Space Bridge imploded in my lab, the day the two Autobots escaped," Shockwave began. "I was the only one to survive."

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry, Ravage was in the lab with me." Soundwave whimpered, and his brother squeezed his servo again. "Forgive me, Soundwave. I did all I could."

"Did you bury her?"

"I cremated her, then scattered her ashes over Kaon," He replied. "So she could keep running with the wind, like she always loved to."

"Thank you. I forgive you, there was nothing you could have done. Because I know she'd be here if you could have." Once again they fell into silence, overlapping their magnetic fields and sighing in their presence.

"I have a surprise for you, though," Shockwave suddenly spoke up, making Soundwave jump. "It's a big surprise, and I don't expect him to replace Ravage, but think of him as an apology present."

"I do like presents," Soundwave chuckled softly, trying to appear in good spirit. In truth he'd been looking forward to seeing Ravage almost as much as seeing Shockwave. His brother let go of him, then walked towards the doorway. He made a sharp whistle through his vents, and a rumbling growl hit Soundwave's audials.

A creature so large it struggled to wriggle through the doorway slithered into his sight. Its horns were grim, its wings were arching with primal power, and its tail swung in preparation. Soundwave stared in awe, both amazed and terrified, by the beast prowling towards his brother. Shockwave raised his servo, and the creature lowered its muzzle, obediently allowing the Cyclops to pet it. "Come, he won't bite." Soundwave walked closer, carefully, until he stood beside the violet mech.

"It is... a Predacon."

"I created him from fossilised CNA during my time alone on Cybertron."

"Him. I'm sorry." Soundwave continued to stare, and the Predacon gazed back up at him with glowing, golden eyes.

"He is my apology to you for being unable to save Ravage. He is yours." Shockwave took hold of his brother's wrist, carefully guiding it to rest on the creature's snout. It sniffed into Soundwave's palm, assessing whether the servo was a threat or not. His creator had placed it there, thus he decided it must be friendly, and nuzzled into the delicate touch.

"You've cloned a Prehistoric creature to apologise for losing my cat," Soundwave remarked. He then tossed his head back and laughed, warm and bubbly in its own right. He crouched to one knee, scratching the Predacon under his chin as he once did with Ravage. It purred and almost immediately became putty in his servos, dropping onto his side and drinking down the gentle attention. "Brother, you are mad. And I love you."

Shockwave would have smiled, if he had a mouth, as he watched his younger sibling pet and play with the Predacon. The creature soaked up the affection like a sponge, greedily nuzzling and silently begging for more and more. He shook his helm – gluttonous thing – but took pride in knowing his creation made Soundwave happy.

"I shall leave you two to get acquainted," He finally said, turning to climb over the Predacon to reach the door. Soundwave looked up in surprise.

"Where are you going?"

His brother peered down at him, half-way over the dragon's hip. "To assess the current situation." And with that, he pushed himself over the beast with his one hand and made his way into the corridor. Bemused as he was, Soundwave left him to it, in favour of smothering the Predacon with more tenderness.

Shockwave found his 'brother-in-law' – one could call him – in his throne room, of course. The Vehicons had vacated the platform once the Predacon had left, and only Megatron, Starscream and Knock Out remained. All three looked around at him when he entered, a purposeful stride making the two smaller mechs nervous. "Lord Megatron, I wish to speak with you."

"About?"

"Issues that have recently arisen that have come to my... attention." Megatron rose an optic brow, in no way inclined to jump to Shockwave's requests as he was Soundwave's, but still felt it necessary to listen.

"Then speak, dear Shockwave. I am all ears." The Cyclops turned his gaze to the Seeker and the medic, making them both flinch, Knock Out slowly creeping behind Starscream's wing for cover.

"Alone, please," He rumbled, keeping the façade of a monotone in place while still creating an illusion of a growl. They almost instantly bolted from the throne room, scampering down the hall like frightened field mice, leaving Shockwave with his brother's burden. The Cyclops then sighed, and began to pace in slow circles around the gladiator. Megatron began to feel uneasy.

"And... what is it you wanted to speak to me about?," He inquired, watching the scientist with growing nervousness. Shockwave rose his servo swiftly, silencing his brother-in-law.

"Sit." Like a dog, Megatron obeyed, seating himself snappily on his throne. "I want to make one thing perfectly clear to you, Megatronus."

Megatron cried out in pain as the Cyclops' sharp digits dug into his head, surprising strength making the chrome metal buckle under his grip. "If you cause my brother anymore grief, I will slice out your biomechs one by one; slowly, wash the cuts with acid, and make you watch as I feed them to the Predacon!" The Decepticon lord wailed, falling to his knees out of the throne, clawing at the ground. Shockwave released him, then went back to pacing. "I honestly feel terrible for leaving him alone with you. For letting my brother endure your stupidity, Starscream's infernal arrogance," He snarled, planting a frustrated kick into the mutt's abdomen, making him collapse much like the Predacon had. Megatron whined, uncertain whether he should fight back or take the punishment as he would if it were Soundwave beating him. Instead, he decided to try and block the strikes, but not retaliate. "Maybe if I'd met this 'Dreadwing', I'd feel more guilt than I already do." Shockwave paused, his back to Megatron and staring at the twinkling stars above Darkmount.

"I... I have already... been forgiven for that..." He looked down; Megatron was on his hands and knees, looking up at the scientist with mournful optics. "I upset Soundwave, I know that. I've made up for it though, haven't I?"

"Have you?," Shockwave grunted.

"Starscream's dignity evaporates more and more everyday. If I continue belittling and humiliating him, he'll eventually crumble away to nothing!," He explained desperately, now sitting up on his knees. "All for Soundwave's amusement!"

The Cyclops watched him with undying spite, but Megatron would not be able to detect it. That lack of empathy left him feeling paranoid and twitchy under Shockwave's apathetic gaze. No facial features, no body language. Nothing for someone so out of touch with emotion as Megatron to feed off of. Shockwave scared him when Soundwave was not around.

"Does Soundwave ever laugh?"

"I feel his mirth through the bond!"

Shockwave shook his helm, at what fell short to Megatron, and he turned away. He was still for a moment, until his pede began impatiently tapping on the floor. The gladiator panicked, wondering what the gesture could possibly mean, before the scientist turned around so quickly it startled him, making him lurch back onto his aft. "The Predacon is not for you. I built him for Soundwave; for the public eye, you are allowed to pass him orders. But he is not your pet." The Decepticon lord nodded frantically, on his hands and knees once again. "Remember this talk we've had. I intend to keep my promise, should you ever make Soundwave miserable again."

"I promise you I won't, I swear!," He pleaded. Shockwave stared at him, for the soul purpose of instilling paranoia into the gladiator, then stalked out of the throne room, leaving Megatron to gather his dignity.

When he returned to Soundwave and the Predacon, they were laying on the floor together. His creation was curled protectively around his brother, tail coiled around his middle loosely, and Soundwave's spindly arms were looped around the creature's neck, just under its helm. Their helms rested against one another, one of the dragon's wings lazily draped over the smoky blue mech. Their intakes were slow and gentle, informing Shockwave they'd fallen into recharge, so he shuffled towards them quietly and lifted his creation's wing. The Predacon half awoke, opening one optic to glance at his creator. Shockwave glanced back, then wriggled his way into the dragon's embrace, pressing close behind Soundwave and resting his helm on his shoulder. The beast merely snorted softly, curling a little tighter around his creator and new friend, shielding their sleeping forms with his crimson wing.

Hail to the princess, baby!