Another update for you guys <3

I'm literally so tired, I work at a preschool. Literally love my job and hate it at the same time.

~ Hope you enjoy

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Hands were touching all over her.

She couldn't get them off. She couldn't cry for help.

Lynlee felt utterly terrified.

With tears in her eyes, the young girl squeezed her middle at the many thoughts and images playing through her head. Her father, who's hands would never be loving again. Megatron, who's hands formed claws- they scratched and pinched and caused painful discomfort.

Calm, child. Stay calm.

She gulped down a cry and forced herself to look around. Despite knowing she had left her necklace with Soundwave, she still felt that all-too-familiar beat on her chest. It was warm and full of energy and life.

From what felt like miles away, Soundwave could also feel that same pulse around his chestplatings. A sharp pain erupted in his body, but he forced himself not to make a sound. He forced his optics to gaze around.

His own nightmares ran through his processor. There were screams and cries. Some were loud and filled with pride. Others with pain and sorrow.

Calm. Stay calm.

That same voice he'd heard before rang out through his processors. The beating on his chestplates grew more frequent. Out of instinct, the silent mech drew his blaster and twisted around in the now dark space around him.

She is waiting for you.

"Who is waiting for me." He bit out.

The words felt forced. Soundwave cringed.

Your sparkmate.

A bright light erupted in the darkness, making him flinch. Pain filled his entire body, growing worse and worse as the seconds ticked by. His sparkmate? Impossible. There was no sparkmate created for him. Primus would not allow it.

Guilt spread through his spark as his optics glanced down at his Decepticon insignia.

Lynlee is waiting for you.

Lynlee.

The light grew brighter, and the images suddenly appeared again. It felt like every moment of Soundwave's life was flashing before him, from the moment his first cries rang through the night until now.

What caught his attention were the moments with Lynlee. Her cowering before Megatron when he'd first introduced them, the concentrated look as she doodled on a blank piece of paper. The smile she'd had plastered on her face when he had retrieved all of her things from her previous dwelling.

The fear on her face when Megatron attacked her.

Go to your sparkmate.

The warmth in his spark grew and the pain increased, flashes of light erupting around him until suddenly there was a loud ringing- then, silence.

Unknowing to the two, Lynlee and Soundwave shot up at the same time in separate areas of the Autobot base.

June jumped at the young girl's gasp as she sprang up. Sweat ran down her face and her hand immediately went straight to her chest. An emptiness filled her when she realized her necklace was not there.

"How are you feeling sweetie? Do you need some water?"

That was the least of her worries, but she struggled to push the words out of her dry mouth, so Lynlee nodded quickly. No other Autobots were in sight, which caused a pang of worry in the girl.

"Here. Take it slow."

Yeah, right. Lynlee nearly choked as she chugged down the water, flinching at the sting in her throat and the throbbing in her ribcage as she struggled to stay upright.

"H-how long have I been out?" She mumbled to herself. June glanced towards her phone to check the time.

"Not nearly as long as I would have expected. About three days now. It's about five in the morning. You gave me a scare, not waking up after that stunt you pulled with Optimus and the others."

Lynlee's eyes widened. "Where are the others? Where is Soundwave? Is he here?" Somehow, she could feel his presence close by. Fear shot through her body, but also an alarming amount of peace.

June hesitated, her eyes trailing down for a few long moments before giving a tight smile. "Soundwave is here."

"Where is he?"

"Woah, you can't get up."

The girl tried to dodge the nurse's arms but failed. "I want to see him. Can I please see him? Where is Optimus?"

A huff escaped the woman. "Soundwave was hurt pretty bad. They managed to get him back here but not without Arcee getting injured as well."

Soundwave was hurt? The thought made her nauseous, but she did not want to act like a scared coward anymore. "I want to see him. Is he okay now? What were his injuries?" Part of her felt bad for skipping over Arcee, but after seeing the string will the female Autobot had, Lynlee knew she was too tough to die.

At least, she hoped so.

"I don't really understand Cybertronian anatomy. Ratchet took good care of Soundave, but it took a couple of days. He's in a holding cell now-"

"Take me to him."

"Absolutely not!" The voice brought both of them to turn their heads. Ratchet huffed with crossed arms as he suddenly appeared out of some long hallway. "Soundwave is dangerous and most likely temperamental in his state of distress."

Lynlee scowled. "I've been with Soundwave for months now. You can't force him away from me."

"I can and I most certainly will." The old bot snapped back.

The two stared at each other, long and hard, before Ratchet finally looked away towards the screens.

"Is he at least okay?" Lynlee pushed out. This Autobot was already her least favorite in the bunch, but at the same time she understood his disdain towards Soundwave. He had been on the opposite side of the war for so many years.

"Fractured helm, multiple contusions in separate parts of his body, twisted limbs, metal burn-"

"Is he okay?" her voice cracked.

Ratchet paused, suddenly feeling bad for his quick temper. A soft vent escaped his lips. "Yes. Technically speaking, he should not be awake for a long while, but Optimus has informed me that he is out of recharge and being interrogated as we speak."

June grunted as she gently pulled the girl back onto her bed. "You can't hurt him!" Lynlee shouted.

Ratchet twisted around. "You do not have to worry about Optimus hurting Soundwave. Unlike the Decepticons, us Autobots are civil with are means of interrogation." Lynlee slumped with relief.

"Will I be able to see him at all?" Lynlee whispered.

June placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "I'm sure Optimus will let you talk to him soon."

It didn't sound too convincing, but it was enough to give Lynlee hope, despite Ratchets grumbling behind her.

In a cell on the other side of the base, Soundwave had jerked away suddenly, optics wide and frantic as he searched around him.

Go find your spark-mate.

His arms were cuffed to the large platform he stood on, along with his legs and servos. Optimus also jerked at Soundwave's sudden movements. Before he could step forward, Soundwave's recordings crackled through the air.

"W-where is... human. Where is Lynlee?"

Optimus forced himself not to smile at the Decepticons question. Part of him hoped what the femme had said was true. Maybe this mech had changed.

The cell was silent as the two stared at each other. One gaze was filled with pain and uncertainty while the other was full of caution. Optimus tilted his helm.

"The femme is safe. We received your message and retrieved her immediately. Her injuries were severe, but a human doctor stabilized her."

Soundwave's visor glew as he hurriedly scanned the area around him. A basic map of the Autobot base was now in his processor. Optimus refrained from stopping the bot, knowing that this information could easily be used to Megatron's advantage.

"Soundwave, is it true that you are no longer with the Decepticon cause?"

Despite knowing the truth, it would take time for the mech to get used to being addressed so casually by the Prime. His enemy for eons. But then the image of Megatron standing over his carrier passed through his processors.

Optimus stood there, awaiting a response. There was still a chance this communications officer was playing one of his tricks- and he would be fully responsible for his team's destruction if Soundwave escaped with important intel.

When there was silence, the Autobot leader stepped closer. "I will not hesitate to offline you in the name of this war, Soundwave. While I wish for there to be another way, Megatron has proved time and time again that he will stop at nothing to destroy earth and everything on it, just as he did Cybertron. So I will do everything in my power to make sure the earth is protected from harm.

I wish to know your obligation towards Lynlee, and her association with Megatron."

Soundwave tilted his helm. A sudden wave of protectiveness kicked in.

"Lynlee s-stays with...Soundwave."

Optimus, despite the situation, smiled.

"I understand, from the femme's perspective, the two of you have grown close."

Soundwave thought back to the moments the two had spent together. While it seemed illogical in all ways, the girl had grown close. The feelings had been strange to Soundwave at first- his spark had never felt these things before.

His first and most important job for centuries had always been to protect Megatron. End the war. win the war.

And now, Soundwave knew the truth behind Megatron's lies. Everything he had fought for was now for nothing. His promise to his sire and carrier held no meaning.

There had never been any emotion towards his duty. There was never any attachment.

Despite the visor masking all emotions from his faceplatings, he could sense the confusion from the silent mech.

"It has taken much persuasion to allow you to enter our base. Ratchet mended your wounds to the best of his ability, and Lynlee is also healing. All I ask, in return, are answers."

"Soundwave... demands to-to see ...Lynlee."

"You are prohibited to see the femme, and her you, until I have decided you to hold no threat."

Soundwave jerked on his restraints in anger. Optimus took another step forward. "You will not see Lynlee until you give me answers."

The mech weighed his options. So far, Optimus had yet to give a real threat. He was sure he could escape with little trouble in mere minutes. But was it worth the risk, taking Lynlee to a place where Megatron could possibly find them?

He would not leave her alone with the Autobots either.

Those blazing eyes filled his processors again. His carrier's cries rang out, and he could see Megatron having his way with her. That image would stay with him for eternity.

"S-soundwave... give Optimus-Pr-Prime answers. Lynlee s-stays with... Soundwave."

Optimus nodded his helm. "Show me I can trust you, prove that you are no longer a Decepticon, and you will be allowed to see Lynlee."

Soundwave felt rage burning within him. He had meant every word he'd told Megatron. He was going to offline him, but not before giving every dirty little secret he'd collected over thousands of years.

Optimus could not help the surprise that covered his faceplatings as Soundwave slowly pulled his visor up. Something dangerous swirled in his optics as his lips turned into a snarl.

"What do you need to know?"

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I apologize for this chapter. I haven't been feeling the greatest and was really bored, so I kind of just rushed through.

Thoughts and feelings?

The only thing I can say, is I know and acknowledge that Soundwave speaking or growing accustomed to Lynlee so quickly might not be so realistic, but isn't impossible. I feel like everything is moving so fast, but at the same time this is chapter 46, and most of you want it to end already XD

Anyways, I hope you guys liked it! Stay safe out there! I will update as soon as possible.