Arcee knew they would all be waiting on the other side of the ground bridge, waiting to hear what had happened. Truth was, she didn't want to go back. Not after what had...transpired. She didn't even know if she would be able to look any of her fellow Autobots in the optic. However duty called her to make the call, but even hearing Ratchet's relieved voice didn't settle her. She thanked primus Jack was quiet as he was, and hadn't spoken. She didn't think she'd be able to hold her cool. The familiar green light transformed the surroundings from forest to base, and she pulled to a stop. Jack climbed off and was met with a huge embrace from his mother.

"Oh Jack, I was so worried."

" Its okay mum, were both okay." He said, reassuring her, and looking to Arcee. Yet he seemed to sense Arcee's disconcertion, and doubted his words were the entire truth.

" I can't thank you enough Arcee." June spoke, releasing her son and looking to the blue femme, who now stood in her bipedal mode. She seemed slightly melancholic, cradling her left hand, but she returned June's comment with a smile.

" Don't mention it." She turned to face the rest of the team.

" You've not done well at staying out of harm's way over the last week, have you?" Ratchet spoke, as he stepped closer to get a better look at the scratch under her left optic, and various parts of her armour that were slightly dented, largely along her back. He gently took her left servo and examined it closely, shaking his helm as he did so. Arcee shrugged her shoulders, which ached considerably.

" Well, a fight's a fight." She said, flatly.

" Relax Ratch, she's probably in better shape than the 'con. By the way, who was it?" Bulkhead said.

"Soundwave." Arcee spoke again flatly. Everyone looked at her surprised.

" So, what happened?" Bumblebee beeped excitedly. Bumblebee looked like he would practically explode if she didn't start talking. As far as he was concerned, she was here, and Jack was safe. That meant their was probably one bruised or dead decepticon somewhere, and another great story for the records.

"Well...a fight happened." Arcee said, replying to 'bee unsure of how to describe it. To her, it had a different explanation. One they would never understand.

" That would explain why we could not identify the voice, and why my attempts to keep in contact failed miserably. But Soundwave can't- or doesn't speak...." Ratchet said questionably.

" Well...he did. It was his voice." Arcee answered. " Look, I'd love to chat, but I really need to rest now." She spoke, letting the tiredness show in her voice, hoping to end the conversation quickly.

" Well you can rest in the med bay. Your wrist is heavily damaged-"

" I'll rest in my quarters. You can sort it out tomorrow." Arcee said, a slight harshness in her voice. She turned to leave, but Jack stood in her way.

" Arcee...You really should let Ratchet check you over. I don't exactly what Soundwave did to injure you but-"

" But I'm fine. Just a little banged up." She spoke, feeling irritated. She just needed to be alone, and to get a few hours of recharge.

" Arcee." She turned to Optimus. " It would be wise to listen. I understand you may be tired, but as Ratchet said, you can rest in med bay." Optimus spoke, concern in his optics. Arcee looked away, and turned her gaze to Jack. She couldn't ignore Optimus' advice just to be alone...could she?

" I just need to be alone."

She snapped viciously, but she had already left the command room before she could even apologise for the way she had spoken. She left them all confused by her words, and all of them looked to Jack for an explanation, but he quickly left to follow her. I might be able to convince to see Ratchet. He thought, but he had his doubts.

As Arcee walked, she felt her frame ache. She was glad she had left; she felt as though much longer on her feet would have resulted in her collapsing, and that would have drawn even more unwanted attention. She also felt like she could have shouted at all of them. Soft padding of little feet alerted her, and turned to see Jack.

" Arcee!"

" Jack, I really need to rest-"

" Are you okay?" He asked, ignoring her words. She looked away.

" I'm fine....just a little sore." She said, again with the same flatness in her voice, frustrated at hearing the same question twice already.

"I wasn't referring to your injuries." Jack spoke, looking at her seriously.

"I'm FINE." She said a little strongly. Jack looked upon his guardian, hoping a slight sad face might get her to open up.

" Then why are you hiding?" She looked back at him, unsure of what to say. Jack looked upon her, trying to figure her out. His eyes traced the small cut under her left optic.

" Jack, now is not the time-"

" Arcee-"

" NO!"

She paused as she saw she shock on his face. She quickly made to apologise, kneeling down to his level "Jack, I didn't mean to-"

" It's okay. I..just thought I could - actually, never mind. I'll let you rest. See you tomorrow." He spoke, feeling dejected as he walked away. Arcee watched, feeling her spark ache. She felt confused, and she didn't know exactly how to explain it to anyone, despite Jack being present when Soundwave had kissed her. She hadn't meant to be so harsh.

Not to Jack.

Megatron optics widened as the footage Knockout had manage to capture. As it played on the screen, Megatron's face was beyond belief. His most trusted, most loyal, most dependable servant, had kissed an Autobot. Worse still, it seems he had saved her also, and her pathetic human pet. . He wouldn't have cared if she had been but a desire of lust...but Knockout seemed convinced that that was not the case, and Soundwave's feelings were truly of compassion, having watched and listened silently outside the cave, and when Soundwave had appeared with both the femme and the human in his arms, he had watched the scene unfold with as much surprise as his leader.

Megatron's thoughts swelled with anger at the impudence of Soundwave. The silent mech was making a big mistake.

"Knockout, you have done well," Megatron said, but it was hardly with any sound of congratulation.

" Why thank you, Lord Megatron." Knockout said, flattered either way, as he delivered an elaborate bow, wasted as Megatron stood with his back to vanity driven mech. "So, what now?" he asked, expecting punishment to be delivered upon Soundwave, which he looked forward too.

" For now...nothing." Megatron said contemplatively.

Knockout looked surprised.

" Nothing? Surely you should-"

" Punish him? What good will that do? In due time, yes, but... I need to fully ascertain the mech he has evolved into, now he is no longer the silent mech I have known since the early wars...If something as trivial as a femme can make him fall, who knows what Intel he might give to Optimus...but rest assured, Knockout, he will suffer for this treason, and his little femme Arcee, will suffer as well."

Soundwave walked unashamed through the halls of the Nemesis. Every Vehicon he passed, every insecticon he passed, stared at the new mech. Soundwave's visor was gone, and the face many thought had never existed was there for all to see.

" Is that...Soundwave?"

"He has a face?"

"Hey, do you think he can talk too?"

" Who knows..?"

The whisperings seemed loud, but Soundwave couldn't have cared less. As he walked down the corridors, he took two lefts, then a right, and entered Knockout's laboratory. A few Assistants working pause to look, but quickly resumed their work. Knockout was nowhere to be seen. He was about to leave when he heard Knockout's angry voice emit from behind another door.

" For primus's sake hold still you blasted insecticon! Do you want to fix this or not?!"

" I would prefer a better surgeon, and my name's Turn claw." Came the gruff deep voice of an insecticon. Soundwave pause as he heard the insecticon suddenly wince in pain. He let a small bemused smile cross his faceplates. Suddenly the door opened, and a growling Insecticon stomped out, completely ignoring Soundwave who had to side step out of his way.

" And keep yourself out of trouble!" Knockout shouted after the insecticon, not as advice, but more as a warning, as he stood in the doorway. By the way he was holding one of the tools he had obviously used, Soundwave ascertained that the mech was doing his very best to resist the temptation of throwing at the large beast. Knockout let out a sigh of frustration, and as he turned to clean up, his optics caught the bemused face of Soundwave, watching the insecticon leave. He was surprised not to see his faceplates hidden by his visor, yet he had seen his face only on a few occasions before, when it needed repairing.

" Soundwave?"

The silent mech turned to Knockout, and nodded a greeting as he approached.

" My, that's a nasty slice you have their...where have you been?" Knockout questioned, as the cut that traced diagonally across Soundwave's face came into view. Soundwave considered his words for a second.

" A minor...situation arose while I scouted a few energon deposits." Soundwave's voice was cool and quiet, and Knockout found it defied his expectations, and still shocked him greatly. Yet he didn't seem to buy it.

" I see...I take it, it was an Autobot?"

"Yes." Soundwave said, reacting stiffly as he followed Knockout back into the operating room.

" Which one?" Knockout questioned, despite already knowing the answer. He pretended to admire a tool of his own design. Soundwave again seemed to reply with the same stiffness.

" The one they call Arcee.." Soundwave spoke, sounding as nonchalant as possible. Knockout grinned, but hid it from sight, before turning to Soundwave.

" You know, for an Autobot, she isn't that bad looking..." Knockout winked.

" Lord Megatron would have you voice box ripped out for such words." Soundwave said seriously, with a slight hint of intimidation. Knockout sensed a darkness coming from him, and decided to end the conversation.

A voice box in exchange for bad words? That can be replaced. And megatron wouldn't care less. It would be all but Forgotten. But a kiss, Soundwave of such compassion, saving an Autobots life...now that's going to leave you in the scrap pile...sooner than you think. He thought, waiting for the day Soundwave would pay for his mistake.

" Well, what can I do for you? Wait, I know, a new visor. I believe I have another-"

" I don't want a visor."

" Off course you- What?! Did I just hear you correctly?" Knockout paused in complete surprise.

" You did. All I need, is for you to repair the damage done to my faceplates."

When Soundwave left, the cut but a thin scar, Knockout watched pensively as he left. The small repair was done in complete silence, and Soundwave had only nodded at the superb workman ship Knockout had put into it. It seemed Lord Megatron's suspicions about Soundwave were a little to far of the mark. Having refused his visor, Knockout now found he no longer knew who exactly Soundwave was, and all that came to mind was one word;

Stranger.

Soundwave relaxed once he was in the work room. Lord Megatron had seemed mildly surprised with his sudden change, that he had expected. He lack of questioning into his unauthorised absence however, was not comforting. He had sensed a shift in his master's attitude, that told him something was a foot. Even Knockout's behaviour, earlier on, and now, seemed like he was suspect to something....

He wondered if they knew...But they couldn't. He had left without anyone's knowledge... but could my frustration have given them all the proof some bot would need? He shook his thoughts out of his mind, and decided now was not the time to worry. His weight he had carried was gone, and everything seemed different.

As he continued to decode the Iacon database, managing to successfully decode a set of vital information, he found his thoughts drifting to Arcee, and the kiss. He thought of her, all the times he had seen her over the years, only as an enemy. Her determination not to tell Starscream the encryption code...in which he felt guilty for having her and her partner referred to Shockwave...He remembered Shockwaves anger at the femme for having shot him in his single optic. Starscream had also killed her very partner, a while ago. Her ferocity in trying to find their leader when he was on board the Nemesis...How she would do anything to protect the human.

If only he knew more about her... But would she even want to know me? What I did... seemed to shock her...Her shocked face came into view as he thought about her reaction to the kiss. He hoped he hadn't frightened her, but he suddenly had doubts that the femme would ever return his feelings. It doesn't matter. He thought. I no longer need to hide...because of her.