Twist

Chapter 18: Bonds

They took refuge in an old wheat factory that was rather packed with machines, but it was easy to move them out of the way. Megatron explained how he'd found the ruins of their old base and how their teammates were missing. Temptest was worried, but at least Megatron hadn't found their bodies. And there was no way Optimus killed them, or he would have said something.

The issue of her muteness was easily repaired. Watching Ratchet repair the cut wire in her voicebox was eerily familiar and largely uncomfortable, but he was, admittedly, the most qualified one for the job. That was proven once Temptest opened her intake.

"Hiiii," she tested it out. "Huh. Just like normal."

Megatron didn't look as relieved as she felt. "Then we need to talk."

"I've heard that one before," Arcee muttered.

Temptest ignored that rude comment. "Actually, Megatron, I need to ask Optimus something first."

Megatron paused. "Oh... okay."

"In private."

Megatron shifted uncomfortably. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Temptest grabbed Optimus's arm and yanked him toward the doors. "I'll be fine."

Optimus watched as Temptest shut the door and then turned on him expectantly. "We bonded?"

"No, I bonded," Optimus corrected. "You were giving me your spark energy, but considering I was mostly offline, you didn't get any in return. It was barely amica endura, but I did receive a vague impression of your memories while I was unconscious."

Temptest rubbed her helm. "I'm so sorry. I did not mean to force that on you, I was just trying to..."

"Save my life?" Optimus asked. "I know. And you did."

"Is that why you came here with Megatron? Because you bonded to me?" Temptest questioned.

"No," Optimus shook his helm. "I came because it was the right thing to do. In more ways than one."

"And now you're stuck here," Temptest sighed. "I'm sorry about that too."

"You weren't even there when we negotiated with Ultra Magnus; it is not your fault," Optimus assured her. "The one to blame is him. Besides, I'm sure we can find another way to get home."

Temptest raised her eyeridges. "Really?"

He paused. "Well... I'm not sure how, but there must be a way."

"You're an optimist and you're delusional."

Optimus smiled. "As my former prisoner, I think you of all bots should appreciate that."

"Well," Temptest looked away. "I guess that's true. You treat everyone with kindness, even those who shout profanities at you... everyone except for yourself." Temptest headed for the door, figuring she'd need to talk to Megatron now. "Maybe you should work on being nicer to yourself too."

Optimus didn't say anything.

Temptest slipped into the temporary base and found Megatron sitting on a machine in an isolated part of the factory. He looked up as she walked over and sat down next to him.

"I'm sorry," Temptest started.

Megatron shook his helm. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Temptest scratched her pede against the floor. "I think so."

"Last time..." Megatron's voice cracked. "I thought it would end like last time."

Temptest looked over at him. After a moment of hesitation, she leaned over and rested her helm against his shoulder, snaking her arm through his and holding his servo. "Last time, I wasn't ready, but you prepared me. You told me it wouldn't happen again and it didn't. Physically, maybe, but not mentally. Not where it counts."

Megatron breathed in heavily. "I hate him. I hate him so much... what he does... to you... to everyone..."

Megatron pulled his servo away and stood up, lubricant shining in his optics. "I'm so sorry, Temptest. I'm so sorry."

"No," Temptest stood up and hugged him. "It's okay. It's okay. I promise. This is not your fault. He's crazy."

Megatron sunk to his knees and she followed, still tightly hugging him. He broke down. In relief or sadness, Temptest didn't know. She only knew that he needed to know everything was okay this time.

"Sire," Temptest offlined her optics and pressed her helm against his shoulder. "It's over."

"It was supposed to be over a long time ago," Megatron whispered. "He ruins everything."

To that, Temptest had no comeback. It was true that Optimus ruined everything. Their team was broken. Breakdown and Starscream were dead, although the former was really MECH's fault. It was Optimus's war that brought them here. That killed their friends and family. That tore them apart through both distance and death.

He hurts everyone, in some way or another.

Temptest onlined her optics, but stared into the grey of Megatron's shoulder. She missed her friends. She missed her life. There was a short time, between the times when she and Megatron were on the run from those who ruled the Pits of Kaon and when Cybertron was experiencing the earliest premonitions of war.

That small time nestled between chaos... it was the peaceful, happy part of her life that Temptest looked back on. When it was just her and Megatron, living small but feeling larger than life. She was a teenager then, but she hadn't quite understood the coming chaos like he did. He shielded it from her.

Megatron might not have been the sperm donor, but he gave her more than her true sire and carrier ever could have. Her gave her a purpose, skills, life lessons, and most importantly, he loved her. It was a love that extended from a pat on the back when she hit the bullseye of a target for the first time to shielding her frame from battlefield dangers when she couldn't do it herself... and finally, to him getting PTSD for the traumas that she experienced.

This mech was her sire.

"No," Temptest tightened her grip. "Optimus can never ruin love."