Ratchet woke in a dark, empty room, laying on cold flooring, shivering from an icy draft. What? Where am I? He sat up, looking around, biting his lip. It could be a room of the Nemesis, it was dark and gloomy enough... but in reality, he's in the Autobot base. Perhaps this was a dream.

"Ratchet," an angry sounding voice growled from behind him. "Welcome to your subconscious."

Ratchet spun around to face Megatron. "Megatron? What-"

That's all he was able to say before the warlord swiftly backhanded him, snarling in agitation. Ratchet yelped, as the impact sent him onto the ground, and left a stinging cut on his cheek. He stared up at Megatron in fear.

"You will refer to me as 'Lord Megatron', pest. It is your place." Megatron hissed, narrowing his red optics.

Ratchet whimpered. "H-How are you in my subconscious?" He asked, averting his optics in submission, hoping not to anger the warlord further.

"That data chip in your spark allows me to do so. But I don't expect you to know what the chip is, given we've erased your memory." Megatron growled, glaring down at him. "I wouldn't have to do this if you hadn't fragging set Prime free!"

"But... why are you doing this?" Ratchet flinched at his master's harsh tone. "I-I'm not one of the enemy..."

Megatron snarled and slammed his ped down onto the medic's chest, pinning him beneath his ped. Ratchet screamed in pain, squeezing his optics shut tightly, as the warlord pressed down hard, a dark look coming to his optics.

"S-Stop.." Ratchet gasped, as Megatron only smirked down at him. "P-Pleas-se..."

"Why don't you call for your precious mate to come save you?" Megatron sneered, pressing harder on the medic's chassis. "After all, we need him here, don't we?"

Ratchet cried out again, digging his digits into the cold ground he laid upon. "Please stop-p..." He begged, as Megatron unsheathed his blade, and lowered it so it hovered above Ratchet's helm, in between his optics. The medic whimpered.

"Scream for him," Megatron ordered, his smirk growing. "You know you want to."

Still gasping in pain and fear, Ratchet didn't respond or obey, only stared up at him, terrified. Megatron growled in response, and in one swift movement, flicked the tip of the blade across Ratchet's cheek, making sure to dig deep enough so energon began to drip from a thin blue line. The medic cried out, closing the optic closest to the wound.

"Scream for him." Megatron repeated threateningly. This time, Ratchet obeyed.

"OPTIMUS!" He screamed desperately, feeling the warlord press down on him even harder. Waves of distress, fear and pain drove across the bond rapidly from his side. "OPTIMUS!" He screamed again, as Megatron smirked and dig the tip of his blade into his chestplating. Ratchet never thought that he'd be calling to the Autobot leader for help so desperately, but he found that somehow, the Prime would protect them, would appear at any time from their bond and help him.

"That's it, pest." Megatron laughed, watching the medic with a dark smile. "Do you feel his pain, Optimus!?" He called out, slashing his blade across Ratchet's chestplates.

Ratchet screamed again, as energon splattered across his chest, and Megatron's blade and arm. Surely Optimus would come... they were bonded, he was capable of traveling to Ratchet's subconscious while they were recharging, or in stasis. Optimus had to come.

"Please..." Ratchet begged, panting hard and gasping in pain. "L-Lord Megatron..."

"Oh, how pathetic. Your begging for mercy." Megatron rolled his optics. "Look, medic. You spoiled our plans by setting Optimus free, and allowing him to take you back to the Autobot base. Now we can't carry out the brilliant plan... ugh! Well, at least I can punish you and Optimus for that now. If you tell Prime ANYTHING that you know about the Decepticons, any secrets Palladium told you, I'll rip out your spark, DO YOU UNDERSTAND!?"

Ratchet nodded desperately. "I-I won't... just p-please stop..."

"Release him!" Optimus's voice suddenly commanded, earning Megatron's attention. "Now!"

"Ah, Optimus Prime. So glad you could join us. I hope I didn't cause you too much pain..." Megatron smirked.

Optimus rested a servo over his sparkchamber, feeling Ratchet's pain and fear almost as violently as the medic felt it himself. "Stop. If you harm him any further-"

"You'll do what?" The warlord interrupted, rolling his optics. "Remember, dear Optimus, that anything you say that upsets me, results in your mate's torture and pain, so I suggest you stand down."

"Ratchet," Optimus looked down at him worriedly. The medic knew Megatron would punish him if he responded, so he stayed quiet, giving a whimper of pain every so often.

"He's quite the obedient pet once you prove who's dominant, I've noticed. Perhaps I'll keep him." Megatron taunted bending down to stroke Ratchet's cheek. The medic whimpered, biting back tears of pain. "Bad news, Prime. Your short a lapdog."

"Let him go!" Optimus clenched his servos into fists, anger lacing his tone. "You've already erased his memory, he's scared and confused. Just leave him out of this!"

"I've been requiring an entertaining pet for a while, and Starscream just doesn't suffice. I think your precious mate will do." Megatron roughly grabbed Ratchet's chin and forced their gazes to meet; he smirked at the medic. "You'd like being the mighty leader of the Decepticon's pet, wouldn't you, Sweetspark?"

When Ratchet didn't say anything, Megatron hissed, and dug his claws into the poor medic's jawline.

"Answer me, pest!" He growled.

"Y-Yes..." Ratchet choked out, finding it best to obey the warlord's command, for his wellbeing.

Megatron smiled maniacally. "There, see? He's the perfect pet for me. I'll have to regain him outside his subconscious, of course."

Ratchet looked at Optimus pleadingly. The Prime couldn't allow him to become Megatron's pet... he just couldn't!

"Let. Him. Go." Optimus growled, transforming one servo into a blade. "I'll rip out your spark."

Megatron laughed, stepping off of Ratchet, who rolled onto his side and clutched his now dented and scratched chest, gasping in pain. "Oh, why would I do that? He's proving useful to me."

"Useful how? A weak link? Something to play with every so often? A slave to torture?" Optimus snarled fiercely. "I won't allow you to treat him in such a manner."

"You know, all of those things sound ironically the same as what I was planning to do!" Megatron looked down at Ratchet. "Doesn't it, Ratchet?"

"Y-You'll never g-get the chance, Megatron-n... I'm n-not your... slave!" Ratchet choked out, his voice shaken with pain, and his wounds leaking energon rapidly. "And I-I never will be...!"

Megatron hissed an anger and raised his blade to slash at the medic. When he swung downward, something met his blade head on.

Optimus stood, his blade clashing with Megatron's, an angry look on his faceplate.

"He'll never be yours, Megatron." He hissed, transforming his other servo and slashing at the warlord's abdominal area and leaving a long gash. "Not while I function!"

Megatron gave a small cry of pain and leapt backwards, only to be hit again in the bicep, and again on his side. Optimus leapt at him, slashing his blades repeatedly, driving him back.

"Never. Touch. My. Mate. Again!" The Prime growled before kicking Megatron square in the chassis and sending him onto the ground.

The warlord snarled, energon dripping from his wounds. He sent one last glare at Optimus before vanishing, leaving Ratchet's subconscious, after deeming it wasteful to remain.

"Ughkk..." Ratchet groaned in pain, breathing hard. "O-Optim-mus..."

Optimus immediately rushed to his side, and pulled him close.

"Sweetspark... your alright..." He said softly, cupping the medic's cheek, careful not to touch the cut. "The wounds will go away when you wake up."

"Th-Thank you..." Ratchet whispered, snuggling up to him, feeling secure. Sure, this mech had abducted him, but he protected and cared about him... perhaps it wasn't a forcebond.

"It's time to wake up, Sweetspark." Optimus said softly, before pressing a gentle kiss to his mate's lips.