"Absolutely not."

Jazz rose an optic ridge to the CMO. "Why not? Tha mech is clearly sufferin'." He placed his servos on his hips in question. Ratchet turned around from his filing cabinets with a sigh.

"I understand Sideswipe gets anxious when he doesn't burn off some energy, but," Ratchet moved past him and out of his office and into the med bay. His optics searching. "He's already walking when I don't want him to be. That explosion within his spark chamber could've killed him, Jazz. Do you get that?" He asked sharply as he began turning off monitors near empty berths.

"Of course ah do, Ratchman, but ah saw him not too long ago and something ain't right with him." Jazz shook his helm.

Ratchet paused and slowly turned to face Jazz with a concerned rather than annoyed expression. "What do you mean?"

"What ah mean is," Jazz began, sitting himself down on a berth to face Ratchet fully. "Something ain't right in his spark or helm. He was screamin' and hollerin' before ah got ta 'em." Ratchet leaned against the monitor, troubled.

"This happened today?"

"Yeah. And ya know how he called askin' if anybot heard screamin'... ah don't think somethin's right. And whatever it is," Jazz frowned. "He didn't want me to know about it. He was resisitin' me and snappin'." Jazz rubbed the back of his neck, his worry for Sideswipe starting to show. Ratchet hummed and rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Perhaps I'll start physical therapy with him for just his legs. They must be very weak by now..." Ratchet heaved a vent and nodded. "Yes. This should do him some good then. A little physical therapy won't hurt and maybe it can help whatever is going on in his helm right now." Jazz smiled slightly.

"Hopefully," he agreed although getting a strange dark feeling about the proposal.

"I want you to alert Sunstreaker that Sideswipe will come tomorrow... but not in front of Sideswipe. He'll listen to his brother better. He's depending on him." Ratchet sighed and began walking to the next monitor. Jazz nodded.

"Sure thing, Ratch'." Jazz hopped off the berth.

"Good. Anything else I should know?" Ratchet asked, knowing he could take Jazzs word for it.

"Nah, mech. Ah think dats about it."

"Alright then get out of my medbay." Ratchet snapped his fingers and pointed to the door. Jazz snorted and waved a servo.

"Ahm going, ahm going." Jazz chuckled and left the medbay to the puzzled medic.

...

Sideswipe thrashed and gasped as hot pain erupted throughout his spark. He then looking up to the ceiling with wide optics as he snapped them open. His frame was trembling. He tried taking steady vents but his systems didn't seem to respond. He choked and sat up, holding his chest in a servo. His optics watered as he felt himself losing control. Sideswipe shook his helm violently in refusal. He wouldn't give up. The dark power within his chest was spreading. His body felt strangely hot and he gasped and panted, desperate for a steady vent.
A whine escaped his mouth, scared out of his mind. He hadn't felt this dark being since...
A warm servo touched Sideswipes cold back.

"Sideswipe?"

"Don't...don't touch me," he wheezed, his optics frantically looking about the room.

Sunstreaker couldn't see through the darkness but he knew something was clearly upsetting his brother. He felt it. So he sat up anyway, keeping his comforting servo on his shoulder.

"What's up with you?" Sunstreaker frowned. Sideswipe didn't normally push his brother away especially when he was upset. Sideswipe jerked his shoulder out of his grasp.

"I said don't touch me." He almost hissed before he began climbing off the berth. Sunstreaker watched with a confused expression as his brother headed for the door. He could barely make out his frame but the bright red he knew was still there, even if blurry. Sideswipe began taking in heavy, sharp vents. He rubbed his chest and groaned in pain and agony. But Sideswipe stumbled down the hall anyway.

Sunstreaker lifted his digit and activated his comm but not before silently standing and following after Sideswipe.

...

As Sideswipe approached the mirror of the training room, his tired optics stared at his reflection.

"Disappointing you have made the decision to push your own brother away...but I guess we can make due without him."

"Who are you?" Sideswipe asked, his voice hoarse. The dark sensation within his spark had eased up a bit, making the pain bearable for now. His stance was off but he was still on gaurd. His reflection was dark, but he couldn't tell if he was seeing things again, or if it was just the room because he couldn't believe his red frame seemed to darken.

"I'm you." The dark figure within his spark spoke simply.

"No your not," he shook his helm. "You're nothing like me."

His reflection chuckled. "How can I be nothing like you when I am you?"

"I don't understand..."

"Of course you wouldn't. The humans made you soft...but we'll change that, won't we?" A flash of pain shot through his spark and Sideswipe stumbled, running into the mirror of the training room. He gripped it to hold his weight as he tried to control his intakes.

"Who are you!" He demanded, his optic ridges furrowing. A sinister laugh echoed in his audios.

"I'm you."

"No. I'm me and you're you." Sideswipe squeezed his optics shut as he leaned against the mirror, his legs struggling to hold him. He felt drained.

"Sideswipe, you better tell me what's going on with you," a voice spoke. Sideswipe slowly glanced up to see an approaching figure in the darkness. The bright gold reflected light from the hallway as Sunstreaker entered the room. He didn't look pleased. Sideswipe knew he was worried.

"I-I..." Sideswipe collapsed onto the floor, having slid down the mirror too far.

"The Sunshines curious...how about that?" The voice hummed, a rumble in Sideswipes chest.

"Shut up! You don't get to call him that! You don't have that privilege!" Sideswipe shouted, anger flowing through him as he grew protective. Sunstreaker rose an optic ridge and crouched down to his brothers side. His pirecing bright blue optics stared into his brothers deep blue ones. Sideswipe flinched at Sunstreakers scowl beginning to form on his face and he looked away. Sunstreaker only grabbed his twins face and moved it back to him.

"What's wrong?"

"Stop, Sunny..."

"Don't 'Sunny' me." Sunstreaker snarled. Although his demeanor seemed gruff, his expression said otherwise.

"Stop! Please," Sideswipe looked away again, unable to look at his brother in this state. Sunstreakers optic ridges furrowed in serious concern. He'd never seen his twin this distraught before since...

Sunstreaker shook his helm, clearing away the thought.

"We're going to Ratchet." He told him sternly and stood, grabbing underneath his twins arms. Sideswipe resisted as he began to panic. He couldn't have his spark get poked at again...

"No! Sunny, stop! I don't want to go! Please don't take me!" Sideswipe whined childishly as he kicked weakly and stared at his brother with wide pleading optics. Sunstreaker stopped and shoved a digit in his brothers face.

"Then you better start talking cause if I can't help you then Ratchet will. Take your pick." Sunstreaker said sternly. Sideswipe flinched at his words.

"I don't know what's wrong with me..." Sideswipe mumbled as he brought up his knees and hugged them. Sunstreaker frowned and studied him for a moment. With a deep sigh he sat down next to him and pulled him into his protective arms.

"It's going to be okay, Sides." He mummured as his brother leaned into him trembling.