They walk through the ground bridge. Everyone else is already on the other side. Waiting for their return. Shelby is the last one to walk through, holding tightly to the small device. One that brings back so many memories. Well dream like memories. It had all felt so real while she was in the coma. She was sure the others would remember. She was really there and so were they. They all stand around watching her come to the center. She looks up at the group standing before her. A small smile playing on her lips, but she feels a part of her died along with Silas. 

"He's dead. It's over." She says loud and proud, pushing away the small feeling.

The room fills with cheers. Even Optimus has a smile on his face. Dreadwing walks up to her and places his servo in front of her. She carefully climbs on, and he raises her high in the air. The children jump for joy, minus Raf, and the Autobots shove their fists in the air. Shelby's smile only grows. That is one threat down. She can't help feeling relieved but saddened. She has killed people before, but that was in battle. Being shot at, the enemy running at her. This time the enemy was her own father and she killed him. Not with a fight. He was down and she took the shot. 

"I'd like to go lay down. I'm exhausted." She says after Dreadwing brings his servo down.

"I'll take you." 

"No, stay, celebrate." She feels the need to be alone. If only for a moment. 

"Are you sure?" He keeps her up to his face, looking her over. Maybe she had an injury he missed. 

"Yes, I'll be fine." 

He is reluctant but lowers her servo to the ground. She holds the device close to her chest and starts to walk away. That is until she is stopped. Bulkhead mentions Knockout showing up to the scene and what he gave her. 

"You brought something back that a Decepticon gave you?" Ratchet growls, stomping a few feet towards her. 

"It belongs to me." She says quietly, not looking to fight. 

"It could be a trap. I need to see it, check it for bugs. You should have never taken it." He holds his servo out for her to put it in. 

"Knockout wouldn't do that." She tries to argue.

"Knockout is a Decepticon. What about the word Decepticon don't you understand? Give it to me. They could already have our location already." 

Not wanting this to continue. She hands it over. The energy she had left is slowly leaving her. Without a word she turns back and leaves the bay. Her bed calling to her. Ratchet gets straight to work debugging the device. The others continue to celebrate, and Optimus goes back to decoding the Icon Database. With Silas being a problem, he hasn't been able to devote his time to it, but now, that is all he will do. 

The party dies down after the kids have to go home. Dreadwing makes his way to his and Shelby's shared room. He takes a breath before entering, hoping she is still awake. To his surprise, Shelby is curled up in her bed, sleeping restlessly. Her body tosses and turns. He frowns and he shifts to his holoform. He takes off his shoes and his jacket. Without trying to disturb her, he crawls into the bed with her. She doesn't wake, but as he wraps his muscular arms around her, she curls in tight. Her movements settling into him. He watches her for a moment before his eyes begin to droop. 

Even with Silas dead, he still plagues her mind. Shifting between her father as a human, torturing her to him as Breakdown, killing her brother. The way he had Dreadwing slung by cables, his body torn apart. His spark barely glowing, dimming more as the days went by. His mind being probed and prodded. Everything Silas ever did was for himself, and he could care less who he hurt. She remembers her childhood. How her father was there most of the time. He went to work but would be home almost every night. There were some weekends he would be gone to for work, but she never knew why. Now she wishes she never found out. 

"Where are the other?" He sneered, walking around her. 

"I don't know what... your talking about." She says coughing up more blood.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. You went to visit them that day." He gets up in her face, pushing her chair back. 

"I didn't visit anyone. I told you I went for a walk." He drops the chair down and she hisses in pain. 

"That's a lie and you know it. Tell me where the giant metal monsters are. Your so-called friends." He growled, his hands on her shoulders, digging in harder, wanting the right answer. 

"I don't have any friends remember. You wouldn't let me leave the house or call anyone. You wanted me isolated. Well, it worked. I got no one. Not even those you wish to seek." She spit in his face. 

He wipes the bloody spit from his face. Before she has time to breath, he lashes out, punching her in the face. The punch so hard, the seat goes flying back. She hits the ground, her head bouncing off the concrete floor. She groans from the pain. Dizziness consumes her, the pain pounding inside her skull. Her hair falls around her, splaying across the floor underneath her. Blood seeping from her wounds. 

"Get her out of here." He orders. The last thing she heard before finally passing out. 

Shelby awoke with a start. Her breathing heavy and she feels restrained. Not realizing that it's Dreadwing wrapped around her. She pulls and fights against her containment. Struggling, she starts to panic. 

"Shelby?" Dreadwing says groggy. 

Her breathing rapid and heart rate speeding out of her chest. He wakes quickly and lets go of her. She pushes away from him and is in her hands and knees. Her hands grip tightly to the sheets on the bed, trying to settle herself. 

"Shelby, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" He doesn't dare touch her. Afraid she would further herself from him even more. 

"I didn't...I thought..." She starts but can't seem to finish. 

"You thought what?" He sits up and watches her carefully. Though dark, he can still see her form. 

"I felt like I was back there. My hands and feet were tied, I couldn't move." She cries out. She tries to stop the tears, but they only keep coming.

"I'm sorry. I would have never...I'm sorry." He struggles to say. He looks ashamed and can't look at her. He caused her to panic. He never meant to hurt her. 

She turns and cradles his face in her hands. His eyes stare into hers, loving the feel of her hands touching him. She shuffles as close as she can. 

"Do not apologize. You didn't know. I am happy you are here. I am sorry." She whispers. She leans her forehead against his. Her eyes closing. 

"Shelby, I want to comfort you, but I don't know how." He admits. 

She opens her eyes and leans back on her feet. To tell the truth, she doesn't know either. She lets go of his face, bringing her hands down in her lap. 

"I don't know either. I just know I want you here. I want you around. Even in my coma, you were always there for me. We were there for each other."

"After we were told you died, I lost it. I had lost my brother, my life, then you. I couldn't lose you. Then when I found out you were alive. I was beaten and broken, but you didn't leave my side. I only fell more in love with you. You were all I thought about while I was being tortured. I prayed to the allspark that you found peace and weren't hurting anymore. I was ready to join you. Then the moment I heard your voice, I knew I had to keep fighting. I love you, Shelby. I will always be here for you. I'm not letting you go again." 

Tears came back to her eyes, only these were happy ones. Words she never thought she would hear again, felt better than in her dreams. She leapt forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. It took him a moment before he wrapped his arms around her. 

"I love you too, Dreadwing." She whispers into his neck. 

They hold each other for who knows how long. All she wants is to stay in this moment. Holding the man or mech for the rest of her life. He eventually lays the two of them back down. His arms never leaving her. She pulls back for a moment. She looks him in the eyes and leans forward, giving him a kiss. He pushes into the kiss. Both of them waiting for this moment. Her hands climb around his neck. Their mouths molding into each other, fitting like a puzzle piece. When they finally release, they stare into each other eyes. Engrossed by the feelings of finally getting what they have been feeling out. Soon sleep passes over them again, but instead of a restless, painful sleep, they are happy with a clean air around then.