"Soundwave, assist Shockwave in his escape and retrieval of the Predacon fossil." Megatron growled, mildly irritated that his most prized engineer would go out without proper back up. 

     The lithe Decepticon gave a silent message for (Y/N) to remain as he flew out the waiting groundbridge to more or less rescue the scientific fool. She watched as he detached Laserbeak, who not only helped Soundwave in his fight, but recorded the happenings for their leader, and his pupil, to watch. Then his wing was hit, and Soundwave fell unsteadily toward the ground, though he had stunned the newly upgraded Prime. Megatron's fists clenched at the untimely blow to his most trusted, but the sudden appearance of a groundbridge in front of said mech made the leader raise an optic brow.

     Soundwave transformed behind his leader, confused, only to watch his double, as if he had travelled back in time, launch herself into another bridge and appear beneath Laserbeak. She transformed and tripped the three bots tugging for the jaw of the long dead creature as she slid beneath them, forcing their grips to loosen and hers to barely tug at the edge. Laserbeak swooped down, taking the jaw from (Y/N)'s servo and escaping through another groundbridge, created by his master. 

     Soundwave held the jaw gingerly, as if it could crumble to mere dust despite the tug-of-war it had endured, ordering Laserbeak to return to his chassis. He looked to his leader, who stared at their prize with a nearly unidentifiable expression of awe and satisfaction. Their attention was brought back to the computer screen as (Y/N) now recorded the event, using her newly learned combat training (and M.E.C.H.-learned techniques) to kick back the Scout and Rookie. Optimus had gained back his senses, and made his new target Shockwave, but the scientist's sudden disappearance through a groundbridge below him forced the Prime to pull up before he crashed.

     Shockwave landed unsteadily behind his leader and co-worker, his antenna flicking in confusion. His one, large optic peered at Megatron and Soundwave, who had turned back to the computer, though Shockwave took a moment to deduct that the silent Decepticon was indeed Soundwave by the singed armor of his right wing and arm.

         "Then (Y/N) is the orchestrator of this assist?" He droned in question.

         "A rather amusing technique." Megatron mused, dragging his digits across his chin. "I believe she responded when Soundwave was harmed, much like he had responded when Darkmount fell. They protect each other."

     The trio watched awhile longer as (Y/N) fought against the two, and even dodged Optimus' fist, which collided with Smokescreen's helm after the Prime's miscalculation. She slipped from the Scout and walked through her own groundbridge, the swirling vortex of color closing just before Optimus could enter. The femme kneeled before Megatron, holding up a tooth that had detached from the once powerful jaw. 

     Taking the trinket, Megatron glanced at the bone held by his Third in Command. They only needed a piece as small as the part he now held to rebuild the Predacon, yet their new recruit was successful to bring the whole of their target. His previous doubts were beginning to melt away as the war lord grinned triumphantly.

         "Well done, the both of you." He let the darker double stand and step to her teacher. He was tutoring her well, and their synchronization was becoming much more of an asset than a hindrance. 

         "I shall scan the fossil and begin the extraction of CNA." Shockwave held out his only servo for the bigger piece of their target, Soundwave handing it over with little hesitance. He looked to Megatron for the other piece and his reply.

         "I believe you have enough in that majority of our prize." The biggest mech of the bunch stated and offered the smaller fossil to (Y/N), who allowed him to place it in her servo. "Consider it your trophy for your first job well done."

     The femme merely nodded, letting her servo fall back to her side.

/.\

     It was not uncommon to see the two separated, as (Y/N) and Soundwave shared their duties, and it was logical for them to separate their load for different areas. (Y/N) was making her slow plod through the Nemesis to return a USB drive to Starscream. She guessed the errand was meant for Soundwave, as Shockwave had difficulty telling them apart despite being the technical creator of her new body, but after inquiring her double about the subject he informed that it most likely did not matter who brought it to the Seeker. Just as long as he received it. 

     That was not the actual message received. The explanation you just read was far longer, but so goes the difference between the silent and the vow-less.

     The last turn led the femme to a closed off area, the guards having fled not long ago in fear of the returned beast that lay beyond. Starscream could be heard grumbling as he tried to command the creature. (Y/N) frowned beneath her visor as she watched the smaller mech argue mindlessly at the Predacon, who only groaned and growled in response. 

     When it took note of her presence, however, the massive creation humbled itself, lowering its massive helm as (Y/N) neared. She was an Alpha among them, and held little fear, quite the opposite of the silver one with a clear superiority complex. The beast watched as Starscream tried to differentiate the newcomer, having a hard time of it as she gave the flier the USB without a word, and turned to leave.

         "Ah, (Y/N)." the mech finally purred, having recognized the lack of a limp Soundwave had been sporting most of that day after a mining incident. His overall guess was confirmed as the femme stopped, recognizing the vocal cue that he wanted to speak with her. "If I remember correctly, Shockwave had informed me that Soundwave was the one to give the USB to me, not his shadow." 

     The mech neared her from behind, but (Y/N) refused to turn. Instead, she used the cameras to determine what he was going to do. She had become adept to using them as another form of sight. With Soundwave's tutorage, she had become adept at many things, from transformation to the use of her visor. She would never be as skilled as him, she imagined, but as Megatron said, and Starscream tried to insult her with, she was a very good shadow.

         "This hasn't been the only time you've been mistaken for him," the Seeker chuckled as he rounded the femme, as if the taller being were prey, "yet you've never corrected the mistake, and have followed with the orders whether they are yours to execute or not. What's your excuse, human?" 

     Her silence enraged the SIC, who growled.

         "I am your commanding officer; I demand you to speak!" 

     This resulted in the slow turn of her helm to look down at the mech, and a recording began, lighting up her visor.

         -/You are to answer to Soundwave only/- Megatron stated informatively, and Starscream spluttered.

         "Even Soundwave answers to me! He is the Third in Command, not the Second! Your arrogance will cost you, wretch." 

     Reaching for the femme's visor, Starscream was thrown to the side. Not by the beast, who opened a lazy optic to watch the new commotion that had woken him from his nap, but by Soundwave. He had seized the smaller mech's servo and tossed him to the side before Starscream could make heads or tails of the action. (Y/N) remained in her place as her double stalked toward the flier like an angered panther, the groundbridge he had stepped through going dark. Starscream scrambled back before taking off, leaving the beast to wait in his chamber for a while longer. 

     (Y/N) watched the lither mech stare at the disappearing Seeker, the spark in her chest swelling. It made her straighten, and her circuits fizzled. She wanted to place the feeling, give it a name, but her understanding of a spark was not yet complete. Her only guess was excitement, though a lingering presence of an unknown word poked at her processor, annoyingly trying to make itself known.

     The mech finally turned to face her, a swift motion that suggested anger, but she did not feel that anger was pointed at her. He came close enough to inspect her visor, but nothing seemed amiss. He realized his servo was nearly touching it, letting it fall quickly before turning. She knew to follow, and they both made their way back to one of the many computer rooms Soundwave often occupied. 

         "The intervention was unnecessary." (Y/N) spoke with her gravelly, unfinished voice, not having taken a vow of silence like Soundwave despite her usual quietness, but she only spoke when no one else was nearby. "But I thank you."

     Soundwave only nodded, continuing his work as his spark thrummed dangerously. 

     What Starscream tried was nearly unforgivable, and the silent Third in Command did not want (Y/N)'s faceplate to be seen if he himself had never seen it. It was tempting, and many times he found himself wanting to give in to the temptation while she recharged, which was more often than him due to her still strengthening form. Laserbeak even wavered, but their self-control was far stronger than any temptation or frivolous want.

     He swore he felt fear, when he saw Starscream's actions through the cameras of the ship's cell for the Predacon. A fear that was not his own. He understood it was (Y/N)'s but did not understand how her own feelings were beginning to be known to him so clearly. Perhaps she felt his own but was less likely to understand. Soundwave was beginning to want more answers about their unnatural connection. Why it no longer pained them to have it, and why neither of them seemed to mind. If anything, Soundwave was enjoying their synchronization, and so was Laserbeak. 

         :Master,: the Minicon wanted to share his opinion, though was not with the Communications Officer, :your spark is warmed by her presence. Even as a human, she was enjoyable to have nearby. Many months have gone by, and she has held none of her personality from you. The femme is a nurturer, careful and precise. She is a well-trained soldier, enjoys many of what you do and frankly, I like her. You also still share thoughts in the same wavelength.:

     Soundwave sent the feeling that he was not quite amused by his statement but understood what his friend was alluding to. His attention strayed from the computer terminal, glancing from the corner of his optic to peer at the femme beside him, unknowing of her own hidden stare. They both battled with the ideas that swam in their minds. 

     Was it merely the strange connection created by the Matrix, or were they coming together as two unlikely individuals? Was it the connection that made them assume the others likes and dislikes (ultimately being correct in most cases), or was it a natural intuition and want to make the other comfortable? Soundwave's newly found fascination with plants could be the connection forcing him to appreciate nurturing such life, or it could have been him finding a new facet to his personality he had never explored because of his duty to the Decepticons. (Y/N)'s enjoyment of flight could be the same through the connection, only Soundwave had found that she had never ridden in a flight craft until her rides on Laserbeak, so like him, she was never able to explore it.

     Their visors turned with their gaze, and the two beings came to the same conclusion. The tapping word that nagged at the femme finally revealed itself, and Soundwave came to terms with his battling mind.

     They had come to love each other.

It took 43 chapters but here you all go XD