" I am going whether you like it or not, Soundwave. I won't let those scrap piles destroy Kaon-"

" Which is why I am going with you." Soundwave said, confidently. Solarlight looked at him, his visor hiding his emotions, as always.

" Megatron needs you here. You his right hand mech. And trust me, their won't be any of those 'Autobots' near Kaon when I'm finished with them."

Soundwave sighed lightly at her words. He looked over her sleek framed body, her brilliant white and red armour shining. Her armour followed the contours of her figure, hiding her own weapon systems capable of great damage....like a hunter alluring its prey into a trap. He then turned to look at the sun set on a world on the edge of a new era, for better or worse. Events had been placed. The one called Orion Pax, once one of Megatronus's closest friends, was now Optimus Prime, now the leader of Autobots. The war, he could see, was beginning to destroy everything. It would be a miracle if there was any of Cybertron left for the two fractions when it was all over.

" Soundwave.." He turned back to his spark mate, Solarlight.

" Do you really think you can stop me?" She asked sarcastically. Behind his visor, he smiled.

" No." He answered. He could never cage a spark like hers, he had to let do as she pleased. She smiled, her own red optics shining brightly. She tentatively reached for his visor, and he didn't pull away as he did when she had first tried, not long after they had met while at a gladiatorial contest in the pits of Kaon. She pulled it away as she heard the click. She smiled happier, looking upon the optics that only she ever saw. The kindness and love for her that shone through, the beautiful silver face...She leant up and kissed him gently, and he returned pulling her closer.

" I will be fine. I promise you, I will live to see the era of Cybertron, and under the rule of Megatron, we will live in great and prosperous times, and you and I...shall have our own sparkling, our own place, our own lives...."

" And I promise you, I will fight to make that dream a reality." Soundwave spoke into her audio processors. He embraced her, and he looked back out over the sunset.

" I know you will. But, when you do so, there won't be a Cybertron left for either of us." Her voice changed, and as her looked down at her, he no longer saw Solarlight, but Arcee, staring with cold sparked hatred.

Suddenly, Soundwave stood in the middle of a battle. The wreckage was incarnate, the great cybertronian buildings destroyed, and its glory burning without mercy. The outskirts of Kaon, reminded him of the takes of the destruction caused by the Chaos-bringer.

"For Lord Megatron!" A voice erupted, and all of a sudden, a mech rushed through Soundwave, leaving an icy chill in his spark. Racing to meet the onslaught of the Autobots, amongst the many decepticon warriors, was Solarlight. Soundwave called out to her, but she didn't turn as she attacked an autobot without mercy, with such fierce determination. Soundwave suddenly saw the blue femme fighting in her place. The debris of a nearby building suddenly collapsed, but not upon the one called Arcee. It collapsed upon Solarlight. He felt his spark sink, as he saw her trapped. He raced to help her, but found his own servos pass through her, as though she was a ghost. Panicking, he looked around, and suddenly saw a another group of decepticons surge forward, and the remaining 'cons suddenly receive a morale boost. But none came to help the femme, struggling to free her legs. An Autobot suddenly stood over the both of them, But Soundwave couldn't make out his details. He looked to Solarlight, fear and shock shone in her optics...and then that fateful blast that had killed her....he tried to lunge for the Autobot, but he was gone. But the battle still raged. Footsteps announced another's approach. He saw himself, pulling of his visor, his faceplates stained with tears...Kneeling beside his spark mate... Holding her close...

Everything was quiet. The other Soundwave was gone. No noise came from the burning wreckage. He looked down, praying to primus that the nightmare would end, but found no such folly granted. The injured shell of Solarlight became Arcee once more.

" If you hadn't had joined the decepticon cause, she would still be here." She spoke coldly.

" No, we were fighting for a new era, a new Cybertron!" Soundwave suddenly spoke vehemently.

" So, alone, what are you fighting for now, now there is no Cybertron left for either of us?"

Soundwave awoke abruptly, and looking around his room, he relaxed as reality returned. He turned to the holo-image, and for a moment, feared he would see Arcee instead, but the familiar face of Solarlight stared back, happy. His internal fans worked hard to cool his systems down, and as he sat up, he reached for his visor. As he went to put it on, he paused. This visor...part of his silence... his very life...and he felt as though it was obsolete, unnecessary....Never had he felt like this. All his life, the visor had been his protection, and the only one who had ever taken it off had been Solarlight. He Clenched his servos into fists, and pushed the painful memories of Solarlight's death and the strange visions of Arcee away. He just needed to forget about the strange dreams and continue. He would one day return to a new Cybertron, that he knew. Soundwave got up with out waiting any longer. If anything could take his mind of the turbulence and the past, it was his work.

Arcee had been lucky. Ratchet had not thrown a wench at her, and she thanked Primus for it. He hadn't truly been sympathetic to her, treating her wound a little roughly as a reminder, but he had patched her pretty well. His scans indicated there was hardly any damage to her cranium processors, yet she may feel slight tiredness over the next few hours, and that a day or two of rest should see her back one feet in no time. She rested comfortably on the med berth, reading through some data pads. She flicked through old mission reports, current assessments on there energon supply, but seemed to find her mind constantly wandering to other thoughts...The way Soundwave had looked upon her...

" Arcee?"

She looked up, momentarily caught of guard.

" Optimus, you gave me quite a shock." She spoke, relaxing again.

" Forgive me, I had no intention. How does you recovery go?" He said, apologetic.

" Fine. Ratchet says I'll be good in a day or two. What about you, bee and bulk?" She asked, recalling the three insecticons heading in their direction just before Optimus sent her to find the relic.

"I am glad to hear you recovery will be swift. As for the rest of us, just few scrapes, but nothing of great concern. ." He replied calmly. Arcee nodded.

" Any sign of more relics or the 'cons?" She asked.

" Activity has been quiet since the relic. But I doubt it will be silent for long." Optimus said, his tone dropping slightly. As he looked back to Arcee, he noticed her optics seemed to be elsewhere.

" Arcee?" She seemed to jump again.

" What? Oh I'm sorry...guess that hit to the head was little harder than I thought." She said, smiling, but looking away. Her head felt a little cloudy, as Optimus pulled up a crate and sat beside her.

" Is everything okay, Arcee?" She looked at him, concerned again. Always concerned about others...not himself...just like Jack..

" Yes...it's just..." She held herself back. She was going to say she was tired, but she considered telling him about Soundwave....She looked back to him.

" I...In the fight between me and Soundwave, I cracked his visor. I didn't stop to look then, I grabbed the relic and tried to run, but he pulled me down. While I was down, his visor shattered...and he looked...sad. His optics, his face...as though he was the one wounded...not me.." She looked down as she waited for Optimus to reply. He himself, was surprised at the information.

" In this war, we often perceive our enemies in the light we imagine them in, normally closely associated with their actions. But the truth is we are all the same, we all feel emotions, sadness, pain, and happiness. But they are obscured by the ideals we choose to fight for, and hidden by the harsh lessons of war itself." He momentarily considered his own emotions, hidden for so long. But he could not share them with anyone.. Not until the war was over. Even then, he would still have act as the leader. He paused, turning to look at Arcee.

" Why Soundwave showed such emotion, I do not know. Perhaps the situation reminded him of something..."

" Maybe...he hadn't wanted to fight.." Arcee suggested, although she doubted her words greatly. Optimus smiled a little. If only that was a true prospect.

" Anything is possible. But also understand, that sometimes displays of emotion are not exactly what they appear to be. Rest now, Arcee." He said gently as he got up to leave. Arcee thanked him silently. She felt recharge slowly begin to creep up on her, and it wasn't long before she fell asleep, and the strangest dream she had ever had took hold...

" Arcee!" Arcee turned to see her two former partners, Cliffjumper and Tailgate. She smiled sombrely.

"Cliff! Tailgate! It's so good to see you." She said as she walked over to them. They were standing above the Autobot base, facing the setting sun, casting its warm red and amber shades over the landscape. Suddenly she felt a hostile sense, and she looked around for any decepticons...there were none.

" Arcee." She looked back to the two mechs.

" How could you?" Tailgate asked looking disappointed. Arcee felt taken aback. Dark, despairing emotions began to surface.

" I'm so sorry...I couldn't save you..."

" How could you love a Decepticon?" Cliff asked. She looked at him shocked. What in primus's name had he just said? The shadows cast started to slowly loose their warmth and colour.

" What are you talking about? I don't love-"

" Don't lie Arcee. You hide the truth, but you don't lie." Tailgate said, silencing her. " You have fallen for the enemy, the very enemy that took us away from you." Arcee looked between them. What were they saying? She felt a gaze stare at her back, and she turned around. Soundwave stood, his visor gone, with the same sad optics. She looked back to see her partners where gone, and the sun had set. It now seemed so cold, isolated and lonely. She turned back to Soundwave. He approached her slowly, and she was frozen in place. He now stood so close, She felt his optics burn deep into hers. He raised his right servo, and gently stroked the side of her face. She didn't know what to do. Suddenly, he looked back over his shoulder. A darkness seemed to grow, and as he looked back, she saw a tear fall. He suddenly walked into the darkness.

" Wait!" She called out, but he didn't return. Tailgate and Cliffjumper suddenly appeared, flanking her.

" Leave what belongs in the darkness, in the dark, Arcee."

Soundwave's optics suddenly came into her mind again. She closed her own optics tight, hoping the hauntingly beautiful red glow would disappear. But they didn't.. she was still able to see them clear as day.

" Arcee?"

Arcee nearly jumped out of her armour. She looked up to Ratchet, who walked quickly over, concerned.

" I'm... I'm fine... I..just had a strange dream...." Ratchet looked questionably over her.

" Is their anything you want to talk about?" he asked. She laughed a little. She hadn't considered Ratchet to be the type to listen to over people's problems.

" No, it was just a dream. But thank you for your concern." She said, giving Ratchet a small smile. He nodded, and left to let her rest. Arcee calmed herself down, and settled down again to fall into recharge.

It was just a dream...just a dream...She thought as she fell asleep again.

But the dream only returned, and the final haunting words repeated themselves again.

" Leave what belongs in the darkness, in the dark, Arcee."