Funny story, I got pink eye this weekend and got to stay home all the time trapped in my bedroom to study for midterms, and now I'm using what little freedom I have until work and class to write another chapter. The end. 

~Enjoy

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"You have to help him! Please, you have to!" 

The frantic voice was beginning to make Arcee's helm hurt. She wanted to say Soundwave was nothing more than a manipulative Decepticon, but it was obvious this child was brainwashed in some way. The way this femme cried every time his name was brought up was strange. She wouldn't even cry at the pain from her injuries.

According to June, this sparkling had multiple broken bones and fractures around her body. There were bruises everywhere- all black and purple and nowhere near healing. They would be there, evidence of the abuse she'd gone through, for several weeks- possibly months.

Even now, as the nurse was trying to force a boot onto the girl's foot, she would not budge. Instead, she looked at Optimus pleadingly as he stood quietly to the side. Lynlee, as she said her name was, had a strange connection with the Autobot leader despite never meeting him beforehand. 

The other Autobots stood next to the children, making sure none would attempt to talk to Lynlee or overwhelm her in this frantic state. Raph looked scared, and Miko annoyed. Jake knew better than to say anything, but Arcee could tell he was saddened by Lynlee's current state. 

"You have to believe me! Please you have-"

"Would you lower  your voice box?!" Ratchet huffed. His holoform reached out and gently held one large hand over Lynlee's leg in attempts to keep her still, and one over her mouth to keep her silent.

Lynlee immediately flinched backward with a sudden fear in her eyes when his hand grew closer. Ratchet frowned and hesitated before pulling his hand away slowly.  "I apologize, but would you just quiet down for a few moments? This is not simply a matter we can come to an agreement on right away."

"Right. Soundwave is con." Bulkhead pounded his fists together. 

Bumblebee hummed in agreement, while Arcee silently stared at the human femme. She looked so torn, as if she'd known this would happen. 

"I get it! I understand enough about the war to know which side is good and bad." Lynlee changed tactic, trying to calm herself down and make the Autobots see reason. 

"You're not wrong," Arcee grumbled.

"Which is why I completely disagree with a Decepticon coming here! And Soundwave of all bots! He's practically their eyes and ears-" Ratchet stopped, noticing the young girl's distress. 

"Aww come on Ratchet! It would be cool to have a Decepticon around." Miko pumped her fists, "I say we keep him!" 

"He's tried to kill us." Raph panned out, looking at the punk rock girl.

"several, several times," Jack added on.

Lynlee looked around, suddenly realizing that the entire group was against her. She looked pleadingly towards their leader.  "You don't understand. He saved me." She sniffled quietly. "He could have killed me when he had the chance. When Megatron told him to get rid of me. But he didn't. And he protected me when Megatron tried to-" 

Her voice caught in her through and she stopped. Silent tears fell down her face at the memories, but she wiped them away. She would be strong. For Soundwave. He wasn't going to be let in with open arms, especially by his enemies, and Lynlee wasn't going to sit around crying. 

"Young one, I know you care about Soundwave." Optimus finally spoke up. His voice was deep and soft, calming the nerves in her body. "It is obvious that the communications officer took risks in order to bring you here. If what you say is true, he disobeyed Megatron's direct orders." 

"He could be a scrap heap now for all we know." Bulkhead murmured. Lynlee flinched at the words but mentally reassured herself. Soundwave was strong. He could take care of himself.

But not for long.

"I know about his parents." 

The room went silent then, all optics wide and on the human child. Optimus himself looked shocked as Lynlee continued, "I know that you didn't kill them. I- I know that it was Megatron. I don't know how to explain it, but I think Soundwave should know too. And he can't know if he's still being manipulated by them. He's saved me more than once. I know he cares. I can feel it. And I think Megatron feels it too."

Optimus blinked slowly, staring down at the small human. Arcee glanced away, while Bulkhead and Bumblee looked towards each other. 

"Well if that isn't going to change his mind, Optimus wouldn't be Optimus." Ratchet grumbled lowly, knowing good and well now that the Decepticon would be inside their base soon. The very thought made him squirm, but he knew better than to fight against Optimus.

They sat in a pregnant silence, and Lynlee felt like she was about to explode with nerves. Her body hurt so badly. She wanted to cry and scream and pass out. But she wasn't going to. She was going to be strong. Not someone who quivered under another's authority. 

She wasn't going to tremble at the thought of her father anymore, and certainly not at Megatron. 

June noticed the girl's energy slowly draining as she finally secured the boot onto her leg, and quickly rushed to the girl's shoulders to grab her. "I think you should lay down sweetie." 

Lynlee ignored her, forcing herself upright despite the pain in her ribs, and stared at Optimus. Pleading. Hoping.

Optimus thought over his options before speaking. "I will allow the Decepticon to take haven here. But he will not be free to roam around. There will be restrictions and interrogations until he has proven himself to truly be free from Megatron's rule." 

Lynlee's vision blurred from both tears and exhaustion. June gently helped her lay down as her mind began to lose consciousness. "T-that's all I need," Lynlee said. 

As long as he wasn't in the hands of Megatron, she would be happy. 

Ratched stared at the now sleeping girl as June took note of her vitals before turning to Optimus. 

"Are you sure about this, Optimus?" 

"It could be a trap," Bulkhead said hesitantly.

"Or brainwashing." Arcee continued.

But they all knew that the girl would be completely against the Autobots if it was a form of brainwashing. No, she hated Megatron and seemed to care deeply for Soundwave. There was more too it than that. 

"We must lock onto Soundwave's coordinates and attempt communication," Optimus said. 

Ratchet nodded and turned towards the screens just as a signal appeared. He squinted his optics. "Soundwave's energon signal just came online." 

"Which means he's not on the Nemesis." 

"Not only that..." the old medic's eyes widened. "There is synthetic energon as well." 

"So that's it then? We go and have a meet and greet before letting him in?" Jake asked cautiously. The young boy wanted what was best for everyone, and while Lynlee acted so certain Soundwave wouldn't hurt anyone, he couldn't not be cautious.

Optimus stood tall, looking to Ratchet. "Prepare a holding cell, Ratchet, and open the groundbridge." 

They had a Decepticon to save. 

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Okay, so I feel like things are finally falling together. The plot, I mean. I had a short time there of me just wandering around, adding random stuff in- in hopes that everything would make sense in the end.

That's how I've always written. Even for serious stories I want to publish. I can never plan ahead XD

Anyways, how did you like this chapter? Give me your thoughts and feelings!

Feel free to comment and vote! I'll try and update soon. Break is coming up for school, which means a full week and a half of opportunities!