Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was one of the less eventful days on the
ex-prime’s ship. He sat re-routing a course for an energon signature in deep space. His ship was running low on energy and so was he.

           He followed it like a beacon of hope and although he had done this many times, something felt different. His chest ached where his matrix once shone brightly, now used up and no longer active.

          The signal took him to a planet where an old vessel had landed and it seemed the crew was long gone. A strange occurrence, but it didn't matter to him. He felt like he had been dragged to this place. Something was magnetic.

          That odd ache led him on. He assumed it was the thirst for energon and the lack thereof causing his instincts to lead him to where he needed to be.

          With a few more steps, he found himself opening the entrance doors. Walking in, it hadn't seemed infected with anything he should worry about and the place was clear of any deceased Cybertronian or other life forms. It was surprisingly empty yet the signal drove him deeper within.

          Through a hallway and to the left, there it was. An untouched energon store room. There were crates of the stuff lining the walls. His conscience wouldn't allow him to take too much seeing as the ship almost seemed inhabited although it had no power and there wasn't a bot in the vicinity.

          He took two crates and felt the aching grow stronger and a voice came from within him, “Take what you need. You have a mission, my Prime…”

          With a gasp he looked over and stacked two more on top of each other and sent them to the ship. Without the matrix, he had no idea what he was doing or what was going on. He assumed he should drink some energon and get some rest.

          With that, he got back to his ship and sat up, grabbing a cube of the energon he had found, and prepared it into a glass and sat on the recharge slab of his vessel. Sipping it, the voice continued, “Rest, my Prime. I have a message for you…”

          He was so confused and yet, once he finished the large glass of energon and felt decently charged again, he drifted into recharge.

—-

           As his frame lost consciousness, his processor threw him into a vivid dream. He was in a place filled with biomechanical life. That same instinct helped him traverse the forest he had been thrown into, glowing grass and a darkened sky above.

          A light appeared on the horizon as the figure he had only seen on occasion came into view.

          “Ah, yes. My child. I have led you to this place with another task. Your matrix has lost its power, but you are no doubt still the soul you have always been.” He continued looming over him, awaiting Optimus' response.

          “But without the matrix, I am simply Orian. The war has ended. You've taken my power.” He looked down, thinking on his empty spark chamber before feeling a glow against his enamel even in this dream.

          “I know how you can repair it. I'm sending you back to the right time and place and I need you to follow your heart, my child. Your world is not the same and the sparks that once littered the surface of our planet have dwindled. I'm using you as a tool for my next plan. Be strong. Are you ready to follow through with this plan? It is unlike anything you have dealt with before.”

          Optimus seemed confused, instinctively raising an Optic ridge, “Yes, but what will it require of me?”

          “To go to the Lost Light and mend the ties between chaos and order to create Harmony…” That's when the light died and he was abruptly awoken. With a gasp, he sat looking at his coordinates. They had very much changed.

          He couldn't stay on the slab anymore. He was far too curious as to what Primus had meant. That's when he began receiving a transmission.

           “This is Lost Light Captain Rodimus speaking. You've seemed to appear out of thin air and we are all very confused. Please respond.” The Lost Light was literally right there. Primus had never done anything like this to him before. Nethertheless he assumed this was his new purpose where he once lacked one.

          “This is Optimus Prime. Allow me access and I will explain further.”

___

          “Optimus!? Primus sake, I thought you were dead!” Rodimus paced side-to-side then gave the ex-prime a tight hug.

          He smiled, enjoying the contact after what felt like, and what could possibly have been, years, “I know, Rodimus, I know. We have to speak on important terms now.” He let go and put his battle mask back with a grin, “Primus spoke to me again even without the matrix. He said I need to come to the Lost Light and mend the ties between chaos and order to create Harmony… I'm not sure what he means, but that was the message that was engraved in my processor before being teleported to you.”

           Rodimus stared for a moment and Magnus who sat aside looked inquisitively at the two of them, “Odd. Maybe you need to join us to keep the peace. We've had a few simple fights start up lately, but nothing important enough for Primus to be involved.” Magnus said, servos on his hips.

          “Well, regardless, I'm so glad you've decided to join us!” Rodimus continued to irradiate excitement as he did and that magnetism grew and his expression went serious as his spark ached even heavier. He was drawn to the corner of the room where he saw Megatron. Of all bots to cause him to lose all focus, why Megatron? Was Megatron the chaos and him the order? Who was order? Did he need to mend their relationship?

          “Prime? You okay? Hey, let's get you a room! There is a very nice one on the Captain's level. We can get caught up being close beside-” Rodimus’ words drew out as Optimus smiled at Megatron.

          Megatron was shocked that Optimus was joining them. His spark was feeling a bit differently since Optimus' ship magically appeared in the Lost Light’s course. Something was off. Nothing wrong, just… odd.

          With a nod, he waved back and a fuzzy feeling took over. It almost made him want to purge, but in honesty, he missed Prime in more ways than one. He would need to stay professional, but he badly wanted to talk to him like they used to. On simple mech to mech terms. About writing and history and the past. About their past, about their falling apart, and even about his own failing as a friend. He needed to apologize. He felt like he hadn't done so. At least not enough.

          “Megatron, are you okay? You've been staring at Prime with the ugliest smile on your face for a while now…” Rodimus had noticed before they left to find his room and couldn't help but comment.

          “Oh, I'm sorry. I'm just amazed and lost in thought. I'm thinking about how in the world his ship just appeared out of nowhere…” Megatron left the bridge while still starting at Prime but eventually stumbling out the door.

          Optimus chuckled, feeling that spark that he used to, “Clumsy as always, I see.”

          Rodimus laughed back, “Yeah, he's a serious pain in my aft. He just kinda mopes around, but anyway let's keep our Prime stuff away from the rest of the crew. No one else needs to know about all of this.”

          “You are right. Until I know what's going on in particular, I'm going to have to keep this secret.”

___

          Once Prime was shown his room, he began unloading his ship and filling the habsuite with the things he had collected on his travels. He got cozy and the pressure on his spark caught him off guard. His HUD began blipping and he was honestly a bit confused. He had taken care of his needs. He was well fueled and at least decently recharged. That's when it dawned on him what was going on.

          :Warning: One hour until heat cycle begins:

          He had not had a heat cycle since the beginning of the war and this was more or less sudden.

          His spark had led him to medbay. Luckily Rodimus had told him where it was or he was going to have to contact Ultra Magnus about the situation.

          Hurrying along, he walked into the door to see Megatron and his frame froze up in pure, unexplainable tightness and want. Of all the bots his frame desired, why Megatron and why now.

          “Ah, Optimus” Ratchet spoke, looking over a panting and worn down Megatron, “What's the problem?”

          “This hasn't happened to me since before the war, but…” He struggled to speak and looked to the floor.

          That's when Megatron spoke up, “H-heat cycle?” He rubbed the back of his neck and took in his HUD’s warning, “I'm at thirty minutes. You?”

          Prime's optics widened and he nodded slowly, “Thirty minutes…” They were synced and the heat between the two of them were filled with enough charge to power the medbay.

          “If it were up to me and I knew any better, I’d say you two were synced up. Both of you need to get to your rooms as soon as possible, lock the door, and do your best to care for yourselves. Take a bit of energon from storage and keep fueled. That's the best advice I can give you. If someone wants to risk the heat, they can frag, but if not, you two better be careful.” Ratchet scanned Prime and looked at the readings, “Yep, you're healthy. Get to your habsuites pronto. Both of you.”

          Optimus and Megatron's optics locked before they both grabbed a few cubes from energon storage and headed back to their rooms.

          ___

          “O-Optimus!” Megatron grabbed a blanket and began rutting his aching spike into it. His heat started early and in a fury. Luckily he was in his room because he would have probably overloaded on himself just thinking about what had been crossing his mind.

          He needed him. It was almost painful. His abdomen ached with tightness and his valve and spike both dribbled to coat the blankets he was using in place of Optimus for now.

          On the other side, Prime hid under his, valve and spike exposed. He panted, trying to keep his composure but the feeling was far too much. Occasionally he would yell out into the habsuite as his spike pulsed and shot fluids across his recharge slab. It was nauseating how badly he needed a valve. His spike was sensitive to the point where if it brushed the blanket at all, it would send him into a fit of pleasure that crashed down hard enough to have him fall face first.

          What had Primus done to him? Why was this his plan. That's when he began hearing his com blip, “Who is it?” He gruffly responded, pants filling the com.

          “It's Megatron. L-look, we are both in heat and I can't quell this alone. We need to meet. I need you…” Megatron's hand was pumping his spike as he spoke and at one point while Prime thought about it, he heard Megatron let out a high pitched sob as he spurted transfluid into his blanket again.

          “You're right. I'll come to you. I think I know what's going on. I'll talk more when I get there.” Prime unsubspaced a cloth and cleaned himself up as he hung up on Megatron. His spark knew where to go. It was room 113. It was engraved in his mind at this point and led him on.

          His steps heavy and each one made with a heavy breath, he finally made it to Megatron's door, “Its Prime. Hurry…” he knocked and Megatron unlocked the door. He opened it and walked in and Megatron had gotten back on the slab to whine and press his digits into his valve again.

          The heavier mech got on his knees, flashing his valve, dripping with transfluid from the heat and amounts of charge already cycling through him. The door shut and locked behind him as Prime wasted no time at all in spreading his legs further and allowing his spike to pop out and press into that tight, hot mess.

          Megatron screamed more than moaned into the blankets he held onto and pressed back in a fury, “Prime, what is this? Urrrh…” he pulsed around him, almost overloading as Prime began thrusting in a quickening rhythm deeper and deeper into him.

          “P-Primus gave me a-ouh- a d-dream! Th-then I appeared here and he wanted m-me to… Megatron, not now! Aaah…” He held him down and Megatron began rubbing his own spike. The feeling of it was almost enough to cause him to overload again, but he couldn't, something felt like it was stopping him.

          Prime trembled and felt every sensation in his spike before he uncontrollably overloaded deep into him causing Megatron to finally crest over. He pressed his face into the slab and took it blissfully. Each twitch of Prime's spike pulsing against the waves of his valve and something shifted around in his abdomen before he sighed and laid down fully into the wad of blankets he had bunched up.

          :Caution: gestation in progress:

          “W-wait, what!?” Megatron sat up and panted in panic, “P-Prime! Y-you've given me a sparkling!” He pressed his servos into his face and growled in anger yet was, in all honesty, confused and terrified, “Is this what Primus wanted!? D-did you know?”

          Prime pulled out with a sigh as his frame relaxed and cooled down, “N-no, I was simply quelling your heat! I promise… Are you sure?” He leaned back, allowing Megatron to sit up properly, “I was simply told to go to the Lost Light to bind the ties between Order and Chaos. Nothing more…” Prime unsubspaced another clean cloth to wipe up some of the mess, “Clean up and we will go determine what we should do at medbay.”

          _____


           After a few moments of silent clean up, the two awkwardly followed each other to medbay. Megatron opened the doors staring at Ratchet, “We have a major problem…”

          Ratchet was currently checking out skids and stopped scanning to face him with his servos on his hips, “Lemme guess… You hurt yourself or someone else getting a bit too rough?” He sighed in annoyance and his optics drifted as Optimus walked in, “Far worse. We believe I have accidentally caused him to carry.”

          “You've what!?” His optics widened as he stared in panic at the two of them, having dropped his scanner. Skid’s optics widened as well and he covered his mouth, “Sweet Primus, really? Uhm… Congrats?”

          Megatron grit his denta and walked to Ratchet in a defeated manner, sitting on the slab, “My HUD readout said I was, but … I need to be absolutely certain.”

          Ratchet scrambled for his scanner, looking him over. Every alert that popped up was indicative of him carrying, including the way his frame was in a post transformation state as if it was making space for a sparkling, “Ooh yeah. As incredibly rare as this phenomenon is… It has happened to you. This has not happened since before the war I'm assuming unless I've lost some records. At least not that I'm aware of…”

           Optimus closed his face plate, trying to stay calm and professional, yet groaned in discomfort, slamming a fist into his desk, “If this was Primus’s plan, I'm not sure I want this to happen…”

          “Follow through the process. Trust me, my child”

          The voice of Primus he assumed filled his processor and audials again as he sighed and relaxed his shoulders, plopping down in a chair beside Megatron on the medbay slab.

          Megatron growled and stood, “I'm going to need to go think on what I've allowed to happen…” he stomped quickly out the door and headed towards his room.

          Prime stayed, looking over at Ratchet, “So, tell me. What am I to do about this?” he looked down to the floor in shame. He equally allowed this to happen. Prime wasn't one to give into instincts and fall for these urges yet it felt more magnetic, drawing him in. It wasn't simply explained, “Look, I'm hearing what I'm assuming is Primus speaking to me and he told me that I could get the matrix powered up again if I came here and then my ship just appeared here… I was told to bind the ties between Chaos and Order to create Harmony.”

          Ratchet chuckled and reviewed the scans he had taken of Megatron's systems, “Well I'm assuming that's their name, isn't it?”

          Prime stopped for a moment to see Ratchet’s scanner and smiled as a thought crossed his mind, “I think I'm beginning to understand what I'm here to do- I don't agree with it, but if it's Primus's plan, I'll have to continue on with this.”

          Being completely non-religious, he gruffly sighed and sat beside him, “Prime, I don't know if it's you or Primus or whoever, but with Megatron's condition, you will be responsible. Under your request, he is here. He will have to stop taking the chemo-sedative and drink a stronger charge of energon to power himself up for carrying this thing.”

          “Excuse me?” Prime raised an Optic ridge and tapped his foot on the medbay floor, the ticking of it filling the air between them.

           “Yeah, I know. The sparkling. Not thing… Anyway, I'll have to keep him in view for the next month or two. By my scans, they will be growing rapidly. His frame is already beginning to make space.” He typed in a few notes on his medical profile and looked Optimus in the eyes again, “For now, make sure he stays rested and fueled up. Make sure he listens to what his systems and HUD tell him and come to me with any other concerns. Velocity knows more about this kind of thing so she will probably be the bot to talk to with any questions on delivering the th- them…”

          Prime stared, confused and slightly horrified. Why had Primus caused him to deal with this? “Alright… I'll let you know and I'll have Megatron talk to Velocity when he's… Not panicking? Anyway, goodbye old friend. I'll see you later.”

          They separated and Prime made his way down the hallway to check on Megatron. He could only put faith in Primus that he would lead him down the right path. What could possibly go wrong?

Chapter Text

          Once Optimus made it to the correct hallway, he heard a yell and crash from the place he expected to hear it.

          Ravage sat at 113’s door and directed his sights to Optimus, “Hey, what's wrong with him? Did you say something? I left for the day assuming his cycle was still in effect and then came back to him punching the wall and telling me to leave with the most angry yet hurt look on his face…”

          He stood and continued to think of the right thing to say, “To be honest, it was a coincidence that turned out to be a problem for both of us. I'm not sure Megatron or myself would be ready to disclose the information.” He sighed and walked closer to the door to attempt to enter and Ravage stood in his way.

           “He's my friend, Prime. I refuse to let you in until you tell me what's going on.” He arched up a bit as an angry cat would and stayed positioned, keeping optic contact, protectively.

          “Well, I assume you're right. And you're his roommate.-” He stood back and rubbed the back of his helm in confusion and embarrassment, “He's-carrying now…”

          Ravage stood down but his ears folded back in fear. “W-what have you done to him!?” Ravage growled yet Megatron opened the door at the sound of the bot yelling at him.

          “Stand down, Ravage. It's my fault. I asked him to deal with the cycle. We were synced. It ended immediately after my HUD notified me. Sorry, I-I'm still a bit out of it. I just needed to get that out of my system… Anyway, come in, Prime. Let's talk this over.” He turned, walking back into his room as Ravage looked up at him.

          “I'll give you two some space, but I expect to get an explanation. From both of you…” He walked away down the hallway and disappeared down a turn in the corridor.

          Prime sighed, letting his guard down for a moment and Megatron closed the door behind him. Not too much longer and he saw him turn immediately and press him against the wall, his lips pressing against his in a firm, yet passionate kiss. Prime's optics widening while Megatron's shut, lost in emotion. It wasn't certain but he was pretty sure he had felt a wetness under his optics as if he had been crying from anger.

          The passion that built up in him had become a bit too much and he embraced his face, parting from the kiss and opening his optics to look into Prime’s, “Thanks. I'm over it. On one occasion. Are you willing to have what we had before the war? If so, they are your sparkling as well…”

          Lost in thought, he gasped at the feeling of their frames touching. There was so much charge between the two of them, building again as if they had been lovers the entire time. “Are you positive, Megatron?” He glanced over at the wall, noticing the large dent he had punched into it.

          “I've never stopped wishing you would join my side. I'm just glad I'm on yours, now. It was the best decision I had ever made.” He sighed from the feeling building in his chest, “What I want to know is, if you are truly ready to continue life together with a little one, then are you ready to make the ultimate sacrifice?”

          Optimus moved a servo over to one of his sides, rubbing against it with his thumb and moving close enough to press against him for another kiss, “If a sparkling isn't, then what is ?”

          Optimus obviously hadn't thought about this in the first place but Megatron's spark chamber opened, revealing his bright green glowing spark, “Take my soul forever. I can never deceive you again if we become one and officially bind these ties …”

          Optimus felt the energy buzz against his face and the warmth of it all felt as if it was seeping into every seam and panel. His spark felt that fuzzy tightness again and he knew exactly what Primus wanted him here for. Not for him, not for Harmony , but for Megatron to survive and join him in protecting Cybertron. He prepared himself and grinned, looking into his darkened optics and spoke, “As long as I get to name them…” Prime opened his darkened blue spark to him and immediately melded, feeling every circuit and jolt of energy intertwine.

          This was a feeling like no other he had felt before. If being electrocuted was a good thing, he'd assume that it would feel like this. Like instead of a numbing pain it had felt like a numbing warmth with a twinge that caused every joint to relax until he had to begin pulling the both of them to his recharge slab, “O-of course… That was sudden-haaah, what is this feeling…?”

          Optimus felt it too. This is what he had been told a spark bond felt like, he just hadn't felt it with another soul. Only with the matrix of leadership, “Some say it's better than any other form of interface.” Prime leaned over him, their spark’s energy enveloping each other and pulsing sparks into one another.

          “Wooow…” His legs wrapped around Prime's waist and pressed their panels together, “Why not do both, hmm?” his panels sprung open and it hadn't been but a few seconds before Prime’s followed with a loud groan.

          “A fantastic idea, my love.” As he said it, it caused his face to heat up to a pinkish color and he pressed it into the other mech's shoulder mumbling, “I can't believe I said that, already…”

          A rumbling laugh left him and he looked into his optics, pulling his hips closer, “Go ahead. Talk to me like you have never before. We have each other forever. It won't be the first time you call me a pet name.”

          Prime's spike pressed in with a whine, energy from his spark and spike combined in adding to his charge. His instincts led him to begin rolling his hips into him and pressing Megatron down in a deep and passionate kiss.

          He tightened his grip that his legs had around him and fought to control his thrusts, eventually giving up as another jolt of energy pulsed through his spark, ripping a yell from his vocals.

          Once he had given up, he allowed Optimus to control the movement. It was nice simply relaxing and allowing his spark to envelop itself in his new partner’s. With a few more pumps, he felt another wave of energy as Prime started trembling above him, “I-I think I'm gonna-”

          That's when Prime pressed into him harder shouting and whimpering, spike coating the inside of him as Megatron shared in it. His back arching up and servos grabbing at the slab as their sparks fully merged in overload, sparks flying and fluids dripping from them.

          The satisfaction was unbelievable. He was sure he would never feel this amazing with anyone else doing anything different. This was the most satisfying thing he had done and looking into his optics once again, Prime slid off and laid beside him in an exhausted mess.

          “Primus, that was amazing… ” He looked down at his spark and the matrix was no longer hollow and glowed in it's old glory. This was exactly what Primus wanted. The matrix was once again energized.

          “N-no kidding…” he closed his chest panels and looked over at him, “So this is what you were sent to do?” he stared at the beauty of the matrix. “It's gorgeous. Just like those beautiful blue optics. I always wondered what it was like to have blue ones.” He sat up and smirked at him.

          “I've decided to name the sparkling Harmony. Primus had mentioned Chaos and Order to make Harmony . How about it?”

          Megatron wrapped his arms around him, noticing that Prime didn't want to talk to much about the situation and agreed with a nod, “That is a lovely name, Prime.”

__________

          They tidied up and headed to the washracks down the hallway to get properly cleaned up together. No doubt they needed to catch up. Prime walked in and turned the water on, starting to suds up as Megatron walked to a different shower and Optimus laughed, “Get over here. We're conjux now. Let's share…”

          Megatron couldn't help but remember him when he was Orion Pax, much younger and longer ago. He had missed them being so close and there was something about the bond that kept them even closer, “Ah, yes, of course. Let's do that.” He walked in beside him and grabbed a cloth sudsing it up while opening his panels and allowing the water to rinse the transfluid from his mesh and seams.

          Optimus did the same and looked over, pressing a servo to Megatron's abdomen and rubbed a bit, “So, I'm not sure how this works but I think you are about to get a bit rounder right here…” Optimus started with his helm and face then neck seams moving to his shoulders.

          Megatron grumbled and rubbed the solvent into his hip and thigh plating, “It already aches in my hips and it feels like something is happening to my valve and lower frame. It may not be very big yet, but something sure does feel different… I don't think anyone on this ship can even give me advice on what to do.”

           Optimus had remembered that Ratchet mentioned Velocity knowing a thing or two about the process and had further information, “Ratchet informed me that Velocity may have some information on your predicament. Should we go talk to her after we shower? It isn't recharge hours so we should have a bit more time before she heads to her habsuite.”

          Moving up to his chest and face, he moved to Optimus and began washing his back struts, “That sounds wonderful. Hopefully she knows something.”

           They both finished up in a hurry, both drying and hurrying out the door. Once they made it to Velocity, they knocked on her door.

          “Come in! I'm just doing some research.” She wasn't expecting anyone that evening so she continued to sit at her desk until she saw Optimus walk in, “Optimus! Oh gods, I heard about you and Megatron! Ratchet let me know. I was actually brushing up on old notes I took back in my earlier days. I've always been super interested in this type of thing…” She tapped a few more words into a datapad before turning her chair to look at them.

          Megatron sauntered in, looking one thousand times more exhausted than usual. They both knew he probably was. “Hello there, dear.”

          Velocity perked up, “Now what seems to be going on. Any concerns?” She pulled up the file Ratchet had made and one she had separated for information on his medical reactions and what-not. Not much on there, but there really didn't need to be.

           “Well, I don't know what's normal and what isn't. That's what I was hoping you could tell me.” He sat down heavily on a slab in front of her and held his helm up with his servos.

          “I'm exhausted and simply walking makes me feel heavy. I'm feeling like I might purge right now and my tanks feel like they are pushing down on my valve…” he grumbled and held the space above his crotch panel.

          “Normal, normal, and yep. Normal. It's more along the lines of the gestation chamber that your systems have created, is pushing up on your fuel system and down on your waste tank and valve. You'll notice you'll probably be spontaneously purging in the middle of recharge or when you wake up and you'll probably have to stay close to waste extraction because you'll be needing to void waaay more often than before. Just saying.”

          Megatron stared for a moment with a raised optic ridge, “Wh-whaat?” Megatron leaned back on a servo. He did feel sick, but he was assuming it was nothing to worry about. “So I'm going to have to deal with every embarrassing physical ailment known to exist?”

          “Basically, yeah. It's going to be a tough three or four months. You're a war frame so you may be able to get them completely finished in two to three if you're lucky.” Velocity tapped a few things down, “On a positive note, no more chemo-sedative. It was a placebo, anyway. We can let you know, now. You will need a special charged energon because it will need to be gentle enough to keep you from purging and strong enough to keep the little one charged.”

          Megatron pressed a servo to his helm, “What about the helmaches?”

          Velocity responded, “Very common.”

          “Is valve bleeding common…?” He raised an Optic ridge.

          “Yup, that too. As long as it isn't that heavy.” Velocity typed notes then saw Megatron whine and lay his face into his servos, “Mood swings? They are one of the most common symptoms. If you spontaneously begin crying, don't tell yourself what's wrong with me? It's very normal.”

          “Ah, Lotty, I hate this…” He grumbled and continued to sit there a moment.

          “Aw, Megs, it's gonna be okay.” She put a servo on his shoulder and then Optimus stepped in behind him, looking down and putting his arms around him.

          “Hey now. I'm with you now and we have gone from the worst of enemies to far more than friends. You won't be alone anymore.” Prime kissed the top of his helm and sat beside him.

          Velocity tapped his shoulder, “Anyways, I'll do a check of your valve through a scan and get a sample of energon to make sure your charge is good and you'll be good to go.” She stood to walk over for a different scanner and continued on.

____

          After all of the tests were run, he was sent back to his room with some energon and a small bottle of something to keep the nausea down. On top of the problems he had already had with the crew and his own mind, now he had a small version of him and his lover forming inside of him. Not to mention it hadn't even fully formed and he felt so heavy.

          Optimus walked beside him but soon he couldn't help but hold Megatron's servos. The way their digits intertwined was lovely. It had been years since he had a servo to hold.

          Megatron looked over and grinned at him, “I really do appreciate you and your dedication to this cause. I also appreciate that you seem to care about her…” Megatron's free servo drifted to his midsection again, with a gentle pat.

          “They're a she?” He chuckled and squeezed tighter with a hum of content.

          “Yeah, they feel like a she to me…” he looked down but all of a sudden, he felt his footing get ahead of him and his systems lit up. He swallowed hard for a moment before covering his mouth and sprinting for a random container in the hallway and purging into it.

          Optimus hurried over to him and looked down at him, “You okay…?” He pet his helm and tried helping him up straight.

          “Ugh, I think she's angry…” The room felt like it was spinning. He purged again a little bit more before sitting up, supporting himself against the wall, “Let's just get to your room…” 

          Optimus pulled one of Megatron's arms around his neck and shoulder to help him down the hallway through the points where he got too dizzy and eventually made it to Optimus' room. It had been much closer and wasn't inhabited by another bot like Megatron's was.

          “It's about time we recharge. I need the rest.” Megatron laid down with a sigh, unsubspacing the energon that he had got from Velocity and the medication and took it with four big sips before chugging the whole thing.

          Optimus smiled, “Luckily my slab is bigger than yours and against the wall. You can recharge on the wall side so you don't fall off. Do you still twitch around in recharge like you used to?”

          Megatron laughed and laid down, scooting to the wall side, “Maaaaybe.” He placed the empty energon glass on a wall shelf sunk into the wall he was sleeping towards then shut his optics.

          It hadn't been too much longer that Megatron felt Prime's warmth press against his back, servos wrapping around him. With how exhausting the day had been, he knew he would be recharging like the dead this time around.

Chapter Text

          They had both drifted into recharge and the two of them snuggled as if they had never been enemies. Whenever Megatron thought about it, he felt even more comfortable knowing that he had someone to hold and love again. It felt right.

          The next day came quickly when Megatron woke from a vivid dream and a heavy pressure between his hips.

          “Uurrrrh, Priiiime…?” Megatron had been pinned to the recharge slab in a death grip of love. Prime was spooning him with one leg twisted around his. As nice as it was, his HUD was blipping at this point.

          “Prime, c'mon, wake up, I need to get up…” he shoved at him a bit and his optics fluttered online.

          “Ugh, why now? It's early… Of all mechs, you need your rest.” Optimus kissed his helm then felt his aft squirm against him.

          Megatron let out a grunt of discomfort and couldn't agree more, “I know, but I have to go. Badly. Please let me up.”

          Prime protested with a grumble, but rolled over to sit up as Megatron got up, leaving for the washracks in a hurry. If this was going to be every morning, he would need to start recharging earlier.

          Optimus went ahead and sent a message to Ratchet, being the head medical officer, to see if they could move to a room with washracks in them for both of their sakes.

          He stood, walking to the door and heading out down the corridor to grab some energon for the two of them and he headed back.

          Once he was back in his room, Megatron still wasn't there. He assumed everything would be fine.

          He opened his container of energon and began refueling. That's when Megatron came back in, sitting on the slab with another sound of disapproval.

          “You alright? I've got you some of your energon.” He smiled and handed it over while sitting beside him.

          “No, not really. I was only at 60% and I felt like I couldn't hold it any longer…” He cleared his throat and looked away, covering his face which had begun to heat with color from embarrassment.

          Prime laughed a bit, “You're fine you know. Velocity said this was normal.”

          Megatron put down his energon and continued sitting there tensely, tapping a pede to the ground, “Yeah, but it's humiliating. I also had to purge halfway there and nearly leaked the hallway floor so no. I'm not fine. I'm incredibly embarrassed about this.”

          As Megatron laid back down onto the recharge slab, Optimus did as well, “Ratchet said we can move to a room with a washracks connected if that's something you're interested in. Also, the both of us have duties halved. That means you and I split the workload of reports and I will be accompanying you with any duties on the ship. Does this help in any way?”

          Megatron admired how helpful Optimus was and how kindness just came naturally, “That would be fantastic, actually. Thank you, my dear…” he felt Prime cuddle up next to him again like earlier and couldn't help but turn around, “I do love you, dearly. You've known that for years though, haven't you?”

          Optimus looked into his optics with a smirk, “Of course. I was pretty sure you wanted to kill me but you and I know for a fact that neither of us would commit.”

          Megatron's lips met his with a comfortable pur before holding onto him, their chests separating them somewhat. His spark felt warmth that he had not felt before. It was a completeness that caused his tense joints to relax. Like every care became a background worry. He had more important things to focus on other than his own indecisiveness about joining the Autobots. At this point he knew he was making the right choice. He could feel it in every fiber of his being.

          Their embrace was interrupted by his HUD signaling another change in form. His midsection transformed with a bit more room for the sparkling he assumed and there was an incredibly subtle yet evident glow coming from the seams there.

          As if the little one was upset about it, he felt that jolt in his fuel tanks again and sat up to go purge. This was indeed going to be the longest four months of his life.

___


          After a session of sickness from Megatron, they slept a couple more hours together. Megatron eventually sat up and sipped the glass Optimus got him and watched the Prime rest beside him. So gorgeous, He thought to himself. That's when Megatron's com blipped at him. Who in the world was it, “Hello? Who is this?” He asked before even checking the com codes.

          “So how's motherhood?” Rodimus chuckled a bit into the com and could hear Megatron groan in annoyance.

          “If you are calling to annoy me, I will let you know that with this sparkling growing inside me, I am severely agitated and am trying even harder not to hurt anyone.” Megatron grumbled again, walking to a side of the room where Prime had a few trinkets sitting.

          “I'm actually sorry. I couldn't help myself. I was actually curious how you were doing because we have quite a few reports and I assume you aren't feeling well. Ratchet told me to take it easy on you.” He sat at his desk with a stack of datapads up to his helm crest.

          Megatron puffed a sigh, “I can handle it. I'm in Optimus' room. If you don't mind dropping them off, I would appreciate it. I'm in a situation where I don't think leaving for your office would be a great idea.” he rubbed the abdominal plating that had begun to curve slightly with a glow under it's seams. He wanted as few bots to know about this as possible.

          Rodimus wasn't about to ask because he knew what some of the problems of carrying were from past experience with others prewar, “Alright, I don't mind dropping them off by Prime’s place. Can you leave the room at all?”

          Megatron sat in a desk chair, realizing that he had begun to feel heavy again, “I have to. I can't just stay in here. I have to get energon and those such things, I just… try to time it right because the sparkling is starting to show. No one else really needs to know about this.”

          Rodimus knew that Drift knew from Ratchet and Velocity had told Nautica who was so excited and Ravage went to Swerve’s and told Cyclonus… “Look, I'm not saying this to worry you but Nautica, Drift, and Cyclonus know through their conversations with the rest of the crew. It's only a matter of time before everyone knows. That and when there is a tiny feral bot running around screaming, the ship will know about it.”

          Megatron needed to face it. He was right, “I don't say this often, Rodimus, but you're right. I can't hide this but when you stop by, you'll see what I mean.”

          Optimus had onlined his bright blue optics in the dark room and Megatron saw the glow as he woke up, listening to Rodimus. Rodimus agreed to show up in a few moments and Megatron went to pat Prime's shoulder, “Rodimus will be taking some reports over to have us look at in a few moments. Just informing you.”

          Optimus woke fully, sitting up and pressing a button to turn on the lights around the recharge slab. Standing he looked over and saw Megatron's curved frame and smirked softly, “Ooh, look at that…” he walked over and kissed Megatron's face and laid a servo on the plating with compassion, “I can't believe you are creating life. Just like Cybertronians used to be able to.”

          Megatron laughed under closed lips as Rodimus knocked on the door, “It's me, Rodimus. I have the datapads for you.” He spoke into the small door speaker as Megatron strutted over with a bit more confidence than earlier. Optimus had given him the jolt of energy he needed to do this on his own without hiding away in shame.

          As the door opened, Rodimus couldn't help but look down. In the dark doorway, Megatron's ‘bump’ was glowing. It was kind of pretty. “Oh my god, that is so cool!” Rodimus said excitedly while handing him the ten datapads he had for them to work on.

          Prime walked up behind Megatron and looked into his optics, “It is, Rodimus, but he is still worried about others knowing so at least try to take it eas-” Megatron laughed as he held the stack of datapads.

          “No, it is cool. The symptoms, though… Not cool. I urgently have to void twice a day and purge far more than that. It's a humiliating living hell and I don't wish this upon anyone. Maybe it's less cool and more complicated.” He awkwardly smirked and honestly was fine with it, but maybe reminding Rodimus that it was serious would change his tone and keep him from getting distracted.

         Rodimus looked down, sort of ashamed that he had said anything, “Sorry, Megs. Didn't mean to bother ya.”

          Megatron smiled, strangely enough. It had become a common occurrence with Optimus around now. “Really, Rodimus, it's okay. Once they get here, it will be worth every terrible second.”

          Rodimus nodded, “Alright. Did Lotty and Ratch let you know how painful delivering them will be? If not, you really need to know because no one deserves that kind of surprise…”

          Megatron stared down at him, “No, but this is where you leave so I can get this work done.” Megatron gave him a glare and he backed up.

          “Oh yeah! I've also got reports to do. See ya!” He turned and walked away as Megatron closed the door behind him.

          Megatron sat in the chair, rubbing the bump that was forming on him, “Painful, huh…?” He sighed and began working on a supply report, reading it thoroughly.

          Prime sat at the edge of the slab closest to his desk and grabbed one on an incident report, “Yes. I know for a fact that you're filling that bump with energon and our sparkling is growing in it. Once it's grown, it pushes out of your valve.”

          Megatron made a gasp-like sound and dropped his datapad, “Ugh, I had a feeling that's where they came out… and all that spare energon just releases? Frag, that's going to be disgusting. For all three of us…”

          Optimus grabbed a personal datapad, reading what Velocity had sent them both, “You should really read what Velocity sent you. There will also be contractions to get them out. Like spontaneous cramps that you have to push through. It sounds… Indescribable. I'm so sorry I'm putting you through this. I had no idea this is what Primus wanted.” The mech laid down the other datapad and sighed while he read the incident report on a simple safety hazard in Swerve's bar. He signed that it be fixed before facepalming in disgust with himself.

          Megatron thought about it and it did sound bad. He was strong though and was certain that he could make it through this. He signed and agreed to schedule a pickup of supplies from an outpost nearby before grabbing another and sitting beside Optimus, holding him tightly, “It doesn't matter to me. You may not believe this but your presence is calming me. I can finally relax. I missed you so much that, to me, this is a beautiful dream with horrible consequences.”

          In confusion, he hugged him back. He was pretty sure these were the mood swings Velocity had mentioned. Megatron was never this affectionate. “Are these the mood swings Velocity was talking about? This isn't like you.”

          He wrote down a small report on his opinion on a subject then laid the datapad down for another few things to say, “I know. It isn't like me and truthfully, I am uncomfortable, but it isn't either of our faults. I am also not one to look on the bright side of things, but at least I'm not going to be executed and we are together. Now neither of us have to be alone.”

          Prime worked on his report as well, filling in boxes. It came so naturally from his archiving days. He thought to himself if Megatron had any hostility left in him, it wasn't going to be to start another war. It was probably going to be saved for protecting him or their new addition, “Megatron. I need you to know that through all of this, I'm proud of who you've become. You have learned to use those terrible feelings of anger for something so much better.”

          Megatron signed the report he wrote, setting it down once more. He felt those feelings welling up inside and he wished crying was acceptable because he felt like it would be nice right now, “Thank you, Prime. I really needed to hear that…”

          Optimus smiled and snuggled his helm under Megatron's chin, “Just call me Optimus. Please. Or Orion. That feels nicer. I don't want you to see the mech that fought you anymore. If anything, we've both changed.”

          Megatron dropped his report and simply held him. No words were needed, but as a tear ran down his face, he kissed him as a way to cover it up. He knew he didn't have to, but shame still filled him from everything going on.

          “I love you, Orion…” Megatron's lips parted just long enough for him to speak.

          “I love you too, Megatron. I always have.”

Chapter Text

          The reports got done and time went by. The days were mundane and after about a month, Megatron's bump had grown to a substantial curve and eventually he had gotten even more uncomfortable about it.

          Optimus had found a cloak hidden in his ship that he knew could cover it up a little, but the glow and curve poked through just a tad.

          That hadn't stopped Megatron from using it on the occasions he had to leave the room during working hours.

          As promised, they were able to move to a room with a washracks connected and Optimus helped him with the reports he had gotten daily. The work was boring and he had been used to going back and forth to Rodimus to take the reports to him. Not to mention the few missions off planet he tended to join for backup if needed.

          Now he was told to avoid any situations that could put the sparkling in danger. He didn't care, though. He had been getting stir crazy and ready to leave at the first sign of a pickup mission.

          Rodimus called a monthly meeting, which luckily he was invited to. He wasn't forced to go, but he was so tired of sitting around doing nothing. A meeting was better than a lot of things he had done lately.

          Optimus went as well and Megatron made sure to wear the cloak he had given him for the comfort factor. He wasn't sure who would be there but he assumed Preceptor and Magnus would. They hadn't known exactly what was going on with Megatron, only that he hadn't been around lately nor in his original room.

          Usually the head of each division would be at the meeting. Rodimus being captain, him co-captain, and the others. He figured Brainstorm may be there too and hopefully Chromedome wouldn't. Fear filled him every time the mech walked in due to his issues with Mnemosurgeons. He still felt uneasy about him.

          Megatron and Optimus headed to the meeting room and Megatron hid underneath the dark grey cloak, wrapping it around him yet nearly failing to completely cover the pink glow coming from underneath it.

          “Megatron, just let it show. They will know sooner than later.” Optimus grabbed for his servo and walked beside him down the hallway, “Did you fuel up and use the washracks before, as well?”

          Megatron scoffed annoyed, “I'm not a new build. I did take care of those things before though, yes- and I guess you're right.” Megatron opened the cloak where it gently rested on his shoulders and cascaded down past his bump.

          Optimus stared and nearly hit the corner of the wall.

          Megatron's optic ridges furrowed, “What are you staring at, Ori…?” he covered back up, shyly 

          Optimus wasn't about to lie. There was no need, “You just look so gorgeous in that cloak with the sparkling glowing underneath you.”

          Megatron blushed to add to the glow of the bump and covered his face with a bit of a cough, “Th-thank you.”

          Once in the meeting, he noticed that his prediction was correct. Preceptor and Brainstorm were there. So was Nautica. He knew for a fact she knew. She had sent him a message congratulating him on the new addition and he had never responded. Realistically, he would say he just didn't feel up to it when in all honesty, it was fear of others knowing.

          It didn't matter now. He simply walked in and sat down in his normal spot, Prime sitting beside him. Rodimus waved childishly at Optimus before standing, “Hello, group. I've called you all with good news. We've found a planet with energon deposits on it. In most cases, I would send Megatron, Trailcutter, and the others that have experience with this sort of thing, but with Megatron in a weakened state, we are looking for someone else to take care of the job. Any takers to head down there and mine some energon?”

          Megatron glanced over at Optimus as if asking for permission, but he knew what he would say.

          While Preceptor raised his servo with Brainstorm immediately following suit, Megatron looked over to Rodimus, “Hey, if I may, I could get cleared from Ratchet and head there with them. I can't just stay in my room for the complete four months.” Megatron looked over, seeing Ratchet scoff and shake his helm.

          “Absolutely not! If we determine there is life down there-” Optimus interrupted, clearing his throat.

          “I think it would be good for us both to get some fresh air… Or at least the possibility of fresh air.” Optimus looked over at Rodimus then back at Ratchet, “Also, Ratchet, with his condition, I can send him back whenever I believe it is necessary. Would you trust me to protect him?” Optimus put down the datapad he had brought with him and focused on the two for an answer.

           That's when the moment came and Brainstorm leaned back in his chair, “What is his condition anyway ?” 

          Optimus looked into Megatron's optics as he sharply sighed and gave up. His servos grabbed the shoulders of his cloak, pulling it down and allowing it to fall at his waist, his bump glowing in it's full glory. 

          All of the ones that hadn't known, Preceptor, Brainstorm and Magnus stared in awe as Nautica let out an excited squeak. Preceptor was the first to speak, “Dear Primus, this is such a rare phenomenon! You need to be hidden away from all danger. What you are carrying is precious beyond words! This has not happened in millennia…”

          Magnus looked over nervously, trying to stay professional yet saying, “It's quite beautiful.”

          They all talked amongst themselves as Megatron leaned back with a grin. Letting them know was the best option. He went from being a useless problem to a prized possession in moments.

          Optimus blushed and covered his face and Rodimus stood clapping and and looking around at everyone, “Okay, yeah, Megsy has a lil’ baby bump going on, but focus guys. Back on track!” 

          “Yes, very mature of you Rodimus, we need to get back on our subject. Will Megatron be staying or going?” Magnus responded.

          Ratchet sighed and couldn't help but allow it. After all, Optimus was his weak spot, “Alright, fine. But I'll be joining you and will be checking on you non-stop. I'm going to be scanning the slag out of you…” 

          Megatron and Optimus both sighed in relief. They'd been stuck in their room for what felt like forever. This would be a vacation. It was going to be hard work, but pleasant nonetheless. 

          Once everyone calmed down, the meeting continued. It felt like it went on and on, but eventually after a few comments on the health of the ship, the meeting ended and Ravage walked up to him from a corner. Megatron had not even noticed him, “Hey, I'm not mad at you or anything but why…?”

          Megatron looked over at Optimus as he stood, “This is a personal matter we need to speak about in private.”

          Once the three of them made it to the room they had called home, Megatron and Prime explained everything. Maybe not the details he didn't need to hear. He told him about Primus and the voices that, in the past couple of days even Megatron had begun hearing.

          Ravage sat and listened and was all but impressed, “To be honest, I think this is crazy, but I've seen weirder so I can't say you're lying. That and it would explain you showing up out of nowhere, Prime.” He shrugged.

          Optimus nodded, “It was all so very odd. I'm still trying to figure it all out but I'm assuming Primus wants us to keep the peace between the two sides. Having a sparkling definitely brings two bots together for sure.”

          Megatron sat on their recharge slab as he received a message from Rodimus.

          :We will be meeting in the hangar in two days. We are readying the equipment right now.:

          He gave the exact time and place in the note as a reiteration and Megatron looked over at Prime, “It's settled. We are going on this retrieval mission.” Megatron stood and smiled at Ravage, “You don't mind being alone in room 113, dear friend?”

          Ravage nodded, “I don't mind at all. I kind of miss the company, but it's nice to have a room all to myself.” The room still had Megatron's overpowering energy in it, it felt like his room, but that made it all the better. He felt even less lonely because of it.

          They had parted ways and continued on with some reports and answered a few messages and Megatron got one from Drift of all people.  Such an odd occurrence. He answered the message though.

          :Hey, I don't know what's going on, but Ratch and I have the same problem you and Prime do. Now I'm carrying. I'm not sure what's going on.:

           Megatron looked over at Prime, showing him the data pad. He stared in shock, “Primus used me as the first, but this was all done to create more Cybertronian life I assume. This may not happen to just us. We may just be the first of a whole new generation of carriers.”

          Optimus tapped away, explaining it all to Drift as well and looked into Megatron's optics. They felt drawn together with a kiss. There was something romantic about being the first carriers of a sparkling in thousands of years.

          Once they broke away, they went to see Drift in Ratchet's habsuite.

_____

          Drift sat on his slab, staring into the distance in panic, “I-I don't know what to do. I'm so scared …”

          Ratchet walked over from a corner, “It's okay, dear, I've gotcha.”

          Megatron sighed and kneeled a bit, his cloak staying on just for now, “If it helps, I'm at month one and the purging gets much better at that stage. Also, what helps me is having something to do. Locking yourself away makes things harder to cope with. Hobbies are wonderful. I don't really have anything other than writing but you like to paint, yes?”

          Drift saw his airbrush in the corner, “You're right. A touch up of paint would be nice. A few designs on my abdominal plating once it curves would be interesting.”

          Megatron chuckled and patted him on the shoulder, “Indeed. Of course I would test it elsewhere, first.”

          Drift looked down at Megatron's belly glowing between the two of them, “Well, I could paint a gladiatorial style on you. Give you a warrior vibe while you carry for added strength, hm? Maybe add a bit of confidence.”

          Optimus couldn't help but get a little excited thinking about such things. He knew that the red details on his gray frame that he had in the gladiatorial pits would make him look so much younger and more attractive. He probably wouldn't be able to take his servos off of him. “Megatron, you would look so good.”

          Megatron hesitated yet could simply feel the excitement radiating from his spark from Optimus, “If you say so…” he stood up and smiled over at Drift, “Are you ready? I am pretty sure I am.”

          Drift lit up excitedly, “It would be an honor! Let me get my brush ready and I'll get started.” Drift scurried to his tools while Ratchet went to kiss his helm.

          “I'm going to go to the medbay and work on a few patient records. You have fun.” Ratchet walked to the door and left after flashing a smile back at Drift. 

          Drift eventually had Megatron sit in a chair at a desk that faced the left wall of the habsuite. He began painting beautiful red blocky shapes on his helm and chest then focused on the ones on his face. 

          Prime sat patiently on the recharge slab, occasionally speaking back and forth on topics about the ship and how their missions tended to go. He got caught up on things that had happened recently and simple gossip.

          Once Drift had got to the abdominal plating, Megatron's HUD began blipping. He kept it to himself, but wouldn't be able to ignore it for very long.

          “What was your HUD blipping for? I don't know too much, but I do know that's never a great sign.” He continued painting and his midsection was halfway finished, obviously not complete, though.

          Optimus chuckled, knowing exactly what it was and now was not the time for it to be going off.

          “Frag, got to void again…” he grumbled in annoyance 

          Drift made a distracted hum sound from concentration, “Weren't you in there this morning?”

          “You're carrying too, don't tell me you don't have this problem.” Megatron shifted to get comfortable and noticed that Drift didn't even have a curve to his frame yet, “I realize that there is a lot you haven't experienced yet…”

           Drift looked up into his optics, “So you need to void more than once a day and purge a lot by what I've already learned from you… That doesn't sound great at all.” He tried to focus a bit harder to finish a line when he heard the very faint beep of Megatron's HUD again. 

          “It's - ngh… No doubt a struggle. You'll feel even heavier as time goes by and they will require you t-to drink more energon.” He began getting far too uncomfortable and looked over at Prime then back at Drift, “I know you aren't finished, but I'm going to need to get up. My apologies. I will be back very soon.”

          Drift pulled the brush away and laid it on the desk and allowed him to get up and leave while he looked up at Prime, “Would you like a little something on your helm and shoulder plating? Gold would look beautiful against the blue and almost like a crown. Fitting for the last prime I assume.”

          Prime allowed it. Drift cleaned out the brush and switched out the paint and added some simple yet delicate detail to his shoulder and helm plating.

          Megatron walked back in to them conversing about Primus and the words in his head. Drift responded, “Wow, Optimus, that is amazing. Megatron must be grateful to have you here with him. I know I am happy you're here.” He looked over at Megatron.

          He continued to stand looking at the progress of Optimus' paint job, “I'm glad there's a mirror in the washracks. You've done a fantastic job so far. It's beautiful. And now Optimus is equally adorned. Fantastic job, Drift.”

          Drift grinned, content and went back to finish just a couple more details, “Thank you, Megatron. I do appreciate the compliments. I really enjoy doing this, I just never have the time anymore.”

          Megatron laughed, “Oh you will, now. You'll have all the time in the world.”

_____

          About an hour or so and they finished up and made their way back to their habsuite, “I think this will give me a bit more confidence in these next few days. I don't think of it as remembering the past, it's just a reminder that I am stronger than my frame ever was and I am currently a fortress to protect our little one.” 

          Optimus laughed and trailed his digits down some lines Drift had drawn on his belly, “That is what I love about you the most. You were always so protective of those you held dear to you and were strong enough to do so.”

          Megatron felt a tightness in his chest and a smile ripped it's way from his lips, “Are you thinking what I'm thinking…?”

          Optimus looked into his optics, winking and looking back ahead of him. Indeed they would be interfacing tonight.

Chapter Text

          Two days had passed and the crew had got their things together and prepared the ship for landing. Rodimus stood in the hangar as Optimus and Megatron made it in.

          Megatron hadn't refueled that day as a way to avoid any issues while working yet carried energon in subspace. He decided to keep the cloak on. There was something about it he liked. Especially while he was carrying. 

          Optimus packed his blaster and spare energon as well. He had worried about Megatron's safety even though he knew everything would be alright. Ratchet would be scanning him every so often to double check his systems for any sign of fatigue or damage to their sparkling. 

          There were two teams set up. There was Trailcutter, Megatron, Optimus, and Ratchet on one team and Rodimus, Magnus, Perceptor, and Brainstorm on the other.

          Megatron knew that he was indeed constructed for this. Just because he believed he was made for much more than his frame had been built for, he was definitely good at this. Him and Trailcutter could mine quite a bit of energon if needed. 

          The other three lightweights were simply here to scan and search for the energon deposits as the others mined. It was still work and they would be doing their fair share once they had finished tracing every vein in this specific cave system.

          Once everyone had gotten together, Perceptor grabbed a vehicle to the side with a flat part on its back and an open top to carry the tools since his alt mode couldn't keep up as well as the others.

          The team stood around Rodimus, “Alright, as the notes I totally wrote and sent you suggest, we will be leaving the hangar and heading northeast. Once we get to the cave, Brainstorm and Percy will direct us where the deposits are and we'll split up. We've all got a few tools in the back of Percy's loader to get the job done.”

          Magnus chuckled being the obvious one who wrote the notes as he transformed and drove to the edge of the hanger.

          Rodimus looked over at Optimus with a big, dorky smile, “Say the thing.” 

          Megatron rolled his optics as Optimus silently agreed, “Autobots, transform and roll out!”

          The hangar filled with laughter as the ones that did have a sense of humor found it funny while Megatron and Magnus sort of just rolled with it. They would definitely be talking that pun over in Swerve's when they got back from the mission.

          They headed out onto the planet. It had a dusty metallic ground and tall, cyber-organic trees dotting the surface. There was quite a bit of driving, following a frustrated Perceptor and they eventually made it to the cave. They gathered picks and drills, and Perceptor pointed them to the right, “Go ahead and take this direction. There are more deposits this way. We will head left for any sign of others.”

          Trailcutter grabbed a cart and they headed down the corridor to the right. It had been a tight squeeze with their frame’s sizes, but it was what it was. 

          Ratchet followed them with his own scanner, keeping optics on Megatron and also keeping watch for any life signs. He had noticed that this cave was narrow. There was a chance of a collapse if they mined too close to it. They would need to move further down for a preferred mining area. 

          Megatron and Trailcutter were already more than aware. Optimus simply followed behind, watching Ratchet as they went along. 

          Eventually the group walked into a large opening that had a long drop. As dangerous as it was, Trailcutter decided to be the first to grapple down into it, “You guys stay up here. I'm seeing a glow down there that isn't Megatron.”

          “Hah, very funny. At least I have a built-in flashlight.” Megatron smirked as Optimus chuckled. In all honesty, he was incredibly attractive. His frame glistened with condensation from the heat in the cave and his pink glow radiated light along with the red patterns dotting the most flattering parts of his frame- thighs, hips, belly, and helm. It was so hard to stay focused. He was bleeding with energy he hadn't seen in years. Strength seeped from every seam on him and he loved it. He just wanted to mount him like a wild animal.

           “You coming or what, Prime?” Ratchet's voice echoed in the cave as he held his servo out, “Megatron and Trailcutter have already grappled down.”

          He had noticed he'd been staring at the ground and thinking about how aroused he was getting and completely zoned out, “My apologies, Ratchet, I was lost in thought.” He stared as he watched Megatron slide down to the ground, majestic as ever wearing his cloak.

          “You're absolutely smitten, aren't you? You've gotta focus, Prime. We have a mission and even I'm going to be helping mine. That and Megatron is probably going to have to stop for some energon in a bit. He's got a lot of positivity about him right now, but he's shaking like he hasn't fueled up in a while.” Ratchet shot a grapple to the bottom of the pit and began sliding down as well, Prime following behind.

          Trailcutter and Megatron got to the bottom and looked around. This place was absolutely covered in energon. There was another section of the cave that had a large exposed deposit and in habit, Megatron began hammering away at it. Trailcutter pumped his fist as if a victory had been won, “We've struck a large deposit over here, guys!”

          Ratchet and Optimus came over and Optimus joined Megatron. Ratchet came over, scanning the darkness behind them, “We are safe. No organic or non organic life forms in the vicinity.”

          Megatron, picking up a large deposit, attempted to head back to the cart up the grapple, began to slow down in his pace and Ratchet grabbed him by the shoulder, “Did you forget to refuel this morning?” He turned him around and scanned him as Megatron held his helm. An ache was beginning to start up and the scanner beeped at him, “Megatron, when this sparkling comes into the world, I'm going to metaphorically murder you…” He unsubspaced a vial of concentrated energon and forcefully pushed it into his chest.

          “Don't worry about it. I've got my own. I came prepared.” Megatron held a servo out in rejection and unsubspaced his own while laying the large crystal of energon at his feet.

          “Drink it or I'll force you to.” Ratchet said and Optimus laughed, grabbing the crystal and grappling back up to the cart.

          “But I'll have to void again.” He said plainly, sipping a small amount of it and holding his helm again with a groan.

          “You are a big bot and have millions of years of war behind you. If you can't leak on the ground then I don't know what you did back then.” Ratchet gave him the second one again, “ Both of them. I'm the medical officer and I know what's best for you, got it ?”

          Optimus laughed and came down the grapple again. Trailcutter looked back at him, “Listen to him or he's gonna send you to your room like a bad boy.” Trailcutter chuckled, sounding as if he had had a tad bit of high grade stashed away. There was a high probability he did seeing as he was working with his drinking problems at the moment.

          Megatron grumbled and chugged the thing and promptly stared into the distance with optics widened before turning around to kneel and purge on the ground.

          Ratchet sighed annoyed, “See, that's why you don't chug this stuff. It's highly concentrated. This is exactly why I knew I'd need to be here. You guys need a sitter because even the grown ups don't know how to take care of themselves…” he unsubspaced a vial of anti-nausea meds and put it to his left after patting his shoulder.

          Ratchet walked over to Trailcutter and picked up the energon scraps to get them sent up to the cart.

          Optimus walked over to Megatron, helping him up as he took the vial of medicine and stood shakily, “I thought I was doing the right thing… Ugh…” 

          He pet his helm and smiled, “So what have we learned? Drink your energon, take your medicine, get your rest, and stop when you feel tired. It's as simple as that. Do you need more rest, or are you okay?” He kissed his cheek before Megatron gave him one back.

          “After that second energon, I should be good to go. Thank you… And thank you Ratchet. We would all be an absolute mess without you.” Megatron sipped the energon vial and went back to help Trailcutter.

          He sipped his own secondary vial of energon as he grumbled under his breath, “Yes, yes. I know ya would…”

          After two hours of work had passed, the whole lower area had been cleared out and he had gotten a com from Rodimus, “Hey, guys! We've found another huge vein of energon close by you! If you mine through the secondary wall to your location, there is enough energon to call it a day.”

          Megatron heard and was grateful because he was beginning to get tired and his tank was starting to get full. “Good, I'm exhausted.” 

          Trailcutter put the axe over his shoulder, looking over at Megatron, “Hey exhausted, I'm Trailcutter.”

          “You can frag right off, Slagcutter…” Megatron said, all of a sudden filling with annoyance and confusing Optimus a bit.

          “You okay, Megatron?” Optimus said gently, laying a servo to his shoulder and diffusing his anger immediately as it unfurled into a knot of sadness and uneasiness.

          “I'm sorry I'm just getting a bit irritable I think. Sorry, Trailcutter…” he felt like a disobedient child at the moment, sort of disgusted with himself but also just uncomfortable in general.

          “No time to let emotions get in the way. Let's start mining.” Ratchet looked at the far end of the corridor at a small section of cave again, determining that the coordinates on his scanner was correct before moving onward.

          They all followed, Megatron lagging behind and Optimus walking with him. Megatron didn't want to go back and he seemed to be well fueled. He was just feeling a little fatigue. He knew it was normal and pushed away the need for his fans to kick in. Ratchet may hear it and send him back to the ship.

          Optimus could tell he was starting to wear down yet didn't want to bother him too much about it. He quietly eased a servo around his waist, “Do you need to go back? You seem tired.”

          Megatron forced a smirk and looked into his optics, “Nah, I'm good. I've been through far worse. Really need to take a leak, but that can wait. You?” He hurried up to follow closer behind Trailcutter.

          Optimus let go of him and also moved ahead, keeping his pace, “I'm okay. A little tired as well, but I will be fine.”

           After taking a right turn, they had managed to work their way up to the area near the entrance. That same narrow cooridoor. Trailcutter insisted on going to get their cart of energon and the others found it. The scanner began blipping like crazy on one area of the wall.

          “Here it is.” Ratchet said and Optimus and Megatron began digging. Ratchet did a scan of the area and warned the two, “Don't forget to be careful. This section of the cave is unstable… I can't believe I missed this earlier…”

          As they began mining, they got another transmission from Rodimus, “We are going back to the Lost light to drop off the cart and we will be back. Hang in there for a bit. We will probably lose com signal.”

          Ratchet answered, “Alright, just be quick. We will have another complete load for pickup when you get back.” He ended the com and soon after, he heard a loud thud as the ground began shaking and dust came from the corridor where Trailcutter had been. The words Slag were heard down in that direction as a dust covered Trailcutter came into view.

          “Uhm … Oopsie.” He said, pick missing from his servos.

          Optimus and Megatron turned to look at him and down the corridor to see the dust clear and rocks piled in their way out. The were at a dead end. “Ah frag. We're gonna have to dig our way out…” Megatron responded, holding his helm in his servos and leaning against the wall he had just started mining on.

          “What in Primus's name have you done?” Said Ratchet looking over at Trailcutter.

          “I uh… I saw a really big cluster and took the chance. I didn't realize it was connected to a long inner shard that was holding the wall up and when it broke, the ceiling fell in and- Ah, frag, I'm so sorry…” Trailcutter went to them, looking guilty as Megatron grumbled and went to the wall of rubble.

          “Rodimus and the others just went back to the Lost Light to deliver their deposits of energon. We are probably going to be stuck in here for around three hours and I need to lay down…” Megatron picked at the wall of rubble, dust falling from it and dropping it to the ground to sit there and rest.

          Ratchet walked to him to do a scan and he was indeed fatigued and needed to sit down for a moment, “More energon might keep you going, too. Give you a boost of energy.”

          “Really, I can't. Not now.” He pushed it away and nestled between a corner in the wall, “I'll rest until Rodimus gets back then I'll head to the ship.”

          Optimus came over to sit beside him, “You going to be okay?” He pet a dip where his face met his helm and traced a thumb against his cheek, “If you drink one and really have to, I'll stand behind you while you void. I don't mind. Really, I don't. I'll make sure no one sees or hears it. Including myself.”

          He grumbled, annoyed yet comforted by the pets to his face and the kindness in his words, “Fraaag, alright, Ori…” he puffed a quick sigh and started drinking one, in defeat, as if he had lost in some sort of battle.

          Optimus smirked at him, “You are so stubborn, you know. I wonder if Harmony will be just as stubborn. That's another thing I like about you…” 

          Ratchet overheard, “Pfhah! That's what you like about him? Really? ”

          Megatron groaned in annoyance again and Optimus spoke up, “When one is stubborn, they tend to stick to their beliefs to the end. If he's willing to love me, it will be until the end. What's not to love about stubbornness?” Optimus snuggled up closer to him and heard his HUD beep, giggling.

          “Just because it's blipping doesn't mean I'm doing it now. I'm waiting until I'm so desperate I can't think straight.” He sipped a bit more and saw Trailcutter sit down on the other side of the room.

          “Can I have some energon? I only brought high grade.” Trailcutter crossed his legs and put his arms behind his helm.

          “I swear, I'm surrounded by idiots.” Ratchet said before grabbing the last vial of energon he had. He had no idea why he was sacrificing his reserves for these bots.

____

          Rodimus headed towards the ship and sent a com to the group, but heard nothing back. He assumed it was proximity but wasn't too certain. He sent Brainstorm and Perceptor back out to scan the area, but they knew it would be another hour before they even got there.

          In the meantime, Trailcutter drank the last vial of energon and subspaced the container before beginning to pick at the walls again.

          Optimus continued to sit beside Megatron who was shifting side to side with his servos between his thighs with denta gritting. Ratchet scanned the area and occasionally Megatron or Trailcutter in disgust with the whole situation.

          Prime found it quite humorous how dysfunctional yet effective the Lost light crew was. Everyone had issues yet they all completed each other.

          Trailcutter was a drunk, Megatron could not handle even a drop of shame, and Ratchet felt responsible for everything even though he didn't have to. It was indeed an interesting mess. Currently it was his mess. That was fine. He didn't mind helping them pick up the pieces. He would start with Megatron, first.

          As if Primus told him to, Megatron's HUD blipped longer this time and he sat up on his knees, vents roaring with embarrassment, “Urrrh, can't hold it…”

          Optimus grabbed his shoulder and led him to a corner and pushed him into the wall, “Take care of yourself or I'll force you to open your panels.” He said forcefully yet kissing his cheek turning around and walking to Trailcutter who was giggling like the drunk he was.

          Prime grabbed the high grade he had sitting on the ground and dumped it into the dust.

         “Hey! It was almost empty…”

         “If you don't ignore him and give him privacy, I'll report your problem to Magnus. Focus on mining us out of here and I'll join you in a moment.” Prime went to Ratchet who smiled at Optimus.

          “You just have to clean up our messes, don't you Prime?” Ratchet stood and put a servo on his shoulder.

          “Of course. I can't live without something broken to fix, old friend. It's my purpose, I suppose.” He chuckled and looked to make sure Trailcutter was mining and Megatron was taking care of business. Luckily Trailcutter was mining loud enough to almost completely cover up whatever noises Megatron was making.

          “Yeah, a purpose, huh? For me it just feels like a curse.” He laughed sarcastically as Prime gave him optic contact.

          “Ratchet, it's all in how you see it. If you see everyday as an adventure then the problems you repair are just checkpoints along the way.” He removed his servo and looked at him. 

          He smiled back and looked down, “You've got a point. Thanks, Prime.”

          “Hey, Megs, direct it over here and you could probably bore a hole to the entry with that pressure washer you got there.”

          Ratchet's smile immediately disappeared and turned into a frown of disgust as his palm met his face.

          “I swear when I finish I'm gonna use you to bore a hole to the entrance!” Megatron growled and then immediately sighed in relief loud enough to echo against the walls.

          Optimus smiled with a snort of laughter he tried to cover up, “Knock it off, you two. We had a deal!” Prime said, glaring at Trailcutter. 

          “Yes, Prime!” he continued picking with a quicker pace, focusing on his own work and managing to bring down some of the blockage.

_____

          “Hello, squad, it's Perceptor! We have brought the drill to get you out! Give me a moment…” Perceptor began digging for them and once they had finally been found, they had a pile of energon in large crystals littering the floor.

          Brainstorm looked around at everything, picking them up and throwing them in the air like confetti, “Woohoo! It's food!”

          “Stop it…” Perceptor said

          “Stop playing with my food? Okay, yeah. You've got a point.” Brainstorm started picking up what he had thrown around and packed them into the back of the truck.

____

          Once they had gotten back, they had enough energon to save for a while. Megatron and Optimus went back to their room and Megatron grabbed the blanket and hid underneath it with a whine of discomfort, “I think I'm going to sleep for another month. Wake me up when it's sparkling time…”

Chapter Text

          In the next three months, things got tense. They tried their best to make sure they were ready for what was coming. In response, Megatron had spent more time with the crew to keep his mind off of it as instructed but Optimus. 

          Eventually, the two had a few reports to do and decided to take them to Swerve's. Megatron took his own highly charged energon with him so he would have something to drink while Optimus enjoyed engex.

          As they sat and did their reports over energon, Megatron could feel Harmony’s tiny little servos touching against the walls of his belly, almost as if she was there , wanting to see what he was doing. As the two went silent, Harmony kicked him and he let out a small ‘ oof ’ sound as she did.

          Optimus smiled and looked down, “Is she trying to spar with her mom again?” He sipped a bit of engex and leaned back signing another report. 

          “Indeed… I'm starting to worry, though. I'm feeling heavier and she's feeling more… Active. ” At that moment, he held his lower frame and leaned against the table with the sharpest pain in his belly he had ever felt in his life that shot straight down to his valve. 

          With a loud shout, his optics widened. He looked down to see energon running down the seat underneath him, “I-I fragging knew it! Grra aaah!”

           Optimus' optics widened and he stood, leaving the reports laying on the table. He grabbed Megatron's servo and pulled him up forcefully and began carrying him, energon dripping from his thighs and now coating Optimus' arm and hip, “I'm carrying you. Hang in there…”

          Swerve had heard and hid under the bar, comming Ratchet about what had happened. He wasn't the only one to experience the incident. A few other crew members were there as well. “Megatron started having the sparkling and we've got a bio-cleanup in the bar again. Of course it would happen in the bar…”

          Optimus could feel every spark of panic that Megatron felt, his spark aching at every sharp pulse that struck like lightning down his frame. Megatron was obviously in severe pain. He would occasionally scream and grab onto him for dear life and Optimus instinctively begin running.

          Once in the medbay, he laid him on the slab, but Megatron immediately started scrambling up, “P-please! L-let me stand… Ah slag, this is horrible! I've never felt pain like this in my entire time online!” He began tensing up again as Velocity came from the side of the room and looked into his optics.

           “Hey, Meg's, it's okay. Try to focus on staying calm. Ratch is prepping an injection. You've got this. The fact that you immediately knew to stand and crouch is good. That's one of the best positions. It will go quicker, but wear you out, too.” That's when Ratchet jabbed him in the arm with a pain injection.

          The sharp shocks immediately began to turn into a heavy ache, making it tolerable to begin pushing if needed. He continued crouching, looking over at Ratchet who was preparing more injections and laying them to the side, “So, Megatron, we've let you know, it's going to hurt. Just stay focused and when you get that pulse of pain down your abdomen, push like you're trying to get something out of your valve…”

          Megatron's vision went hazy from the constant ache, but he nodded weakly, pedes trembling and fans roaring as he panted as well. It wasn't too much longer before he felt it with a scream and pushed as if his life depended on it. 

          Velocity was hesitant, but looked down at the mess and smiled, “You are already doing great, Megs! Try that again, and you'll be on your way.”

          Optimus stared in horror and shock filled every vein in his system. He looked away and gagged a bit before Ratchet patted his shoulder, “Hey, you've seen bots mauled and torn to bits still alive. This can't be any worse…”

          He reached out to hold the servo that laid on his shoulder, covered in energon, “Yes, but this is different.” 

          “OPT IMUS!!! ” Megatron started panting harder and scrambling for steadiness yet being almost too weak to do so, “Give me some s-support, here!” At that moment he trembled a bit harder as the pain got too intense and he turned to the side to purge on the floor.

          “Are you sure he's fine!?” Optimus looked at Velocity and she immediately nodded back.

          “Sadly, yes. He just needs to stay calm. He's panicking and it's making it-”

          “ HNNGH! I've NEVER been in this much pain in my life !!” he began sobbing in agony as his servo went down to feel what was going on and his valve was stretched open but he hadn't felt anything else yet. Of all the things that would best him, it would be delivering a sparkling. He had lost limbs, been tortured, shot at, and this is what had him the weakest he had been in millennia.

          Optimus ran to his side, “I'm so so sorry! Why is this happening to us… I-I'm here, though. I'm here.” he helped him up a bit and felt Megatron jerk against the slab, pushing once more with increased force and energon gushed onto his pedes a bit. He felt a bit faint, but Ratchet was right . He had seen worse. What about this was so bad?

          Megatron pushed through harder that time and Ratchet noticed that it had successfully pressed her helm to it's exit.

          Megatron immediately began dealing with a spell of weakness. The dizziness and helmache started hitting him hard, “Am I pissing on you? I feel like I'm-”

          Ratchet sat up and looked at him with a serious look, covered in it, “Ya don't say…?”

          Velocity laughed out loud before responding, “Hey, there she is! Good push! Now be careful or your fans’ll give out. You'll pass out if you overheat, okay?” Velocity could see her pushing through as well.

          After a while, things had normalized. Time had gone on, but everyone knew this would be a lengthy process. Megatron had caught on to how he should be breathing and eventually it was the last push. Optimus was determined to help, but knew he couldn't do much. Ratchet was down doing the bloody work while Velocity and Prime helped keep him steady up against the slab.

          Ratchet looked up, snapping in front of Megatron's hazed optics, “C’mon, tough guy. One more huge push and we've got her.” 

          Megatron could feel cold from the lack of energon and knew this push was going to possibly knock him out, but he pushed with everything he had left in him and Ratchet said woah as he stood, completely dripping in energon and waste fluids, “Frag… That was disturbing yet amazing all at once…”

          Optimus heard a couple of clicks and cries from Ratchet as they all three stared in awe. She was grey like Megatron, but onlined her optics that were a brilliant bright blue.

           Velocity covered her mouth and sobbed a bit, grabbing Harmony and handing her to Megatron who was half awake. He could still feel the bleeding going on and his pedes slid to allow him to sit in the mess on the floor to give his legs a break. He sat up after he felt a little tink against his chest of metal touching him.

          He opened his optics and they met her's. So beautiful blue and that knot he had been waiting to force back for a while turned into deep sobs as he wrapped his servos around her. She was so beautiful and he had gone through so much pain to get her here and was going to enjoy every second. That's when his HUD began blipping and his vision went black.

______

          Once Ratchet had given him an energon IV, he pumped some pain meds into him and helped Velocity get him up on the medbay slab.

          Meanwhile, Optimus stared at the new femme. She was astounding to say the least. She cried and he held her, her tiny little clicks and whirrs were adorable and he couldn't help but cry too. He cleaned her up as best as he could in the medbay and eventually Megatron woke up.

          “Where is she? I need to see her…” he said, grumbling from the soreness. All he could think about was her right now, though.

          Optimus smiled and put her up against his chest and she immediately shut her optics and purred against him, her spark’s rumble matching his and causing a pleasant little hum. She recharged on his chest as he sobbed again.

          Prime embraced them both and looked over at Velocity, “There's a lot we don't know right now. This is only the beginning of a crazy journey…”

          Velocity smiled and gave Optimus a tiny thumb sized bottle of energon, “Get her to drink this.” She said smiling then going back to helping a grumpy Ratchet clean the viscera from the floor panels.

          Megatron looked her over. She had his color and yet her little pedes were like Optimus'. She had his helm style, but Optimus' soft facial features, including those gorgeous optics that he couldn't stop thinking about day to day. “She's s- so magnificent. Such a work of art…” Megatron grabbed the tiny bottle of energon and the femme’s optics fluttered open, looking over at the energon as Megatron eased it to her mouth. 

          There was an excited chirp as she moved her tiny servos to it and Megatron began helping her drink it. “She's struggling. Is there another way?”

          Velocity blushed and looked away, “There is another way but I'm not sure I… Alright there should be an energon line near your spark chamber that disconnects and-”

          Megatron opened up his spark chamber as Optimus blushed and Ratchet and Velocity looked away shyly as he pressed her closer and she did the rest.

          “Have you no shame, Megatron? Well, you did just shoot me with valve energon and void on me so I guess you don't anymore, do you?” Ratchet threw in a towel he had used to polish up the last bits of the floor. 

          “It's just a spark. We all have one and she's gotta eat, no?” She sucked on the cable that he was pretty sure was the right one before energon of a softer pink color came from it. He rubbed her back as she looked back at him smiling and purring.

          Optimus felt that magnetic pull again and couldn't help but snuggle them both. That's when he heard Ratchet talking to Velocity, “Once you get done feeding her, you'll need to get a shower. You look like you crushed a mech's helm with your thighs while messily pissing on his corpse. Not my words, but Velocity's…” she chuckled and typed down a few records and added to the list of things she hadn't known about sparklings.

          Soon there was a knock on the medbay doors as Ratchet opened them, “Come in.”

          It was Nautica and Ravage both and Ravage walked over to Megatron, hearing the little suckling sounds, “Hey, Megatron. You okay?” Ravage sat beside him, “Is she drinking energon from a cable by your spark?”

          Megatron nodded but also waved at him, “She is and we are all fine. I'm dizzy but I'm connected to a line of energon now so I'm not going to run out again.”

          Nautica saw her and noticed one thing he hadn't. She had little tank tread winglets on her back and she squealed from an overload of cuteness, “Oh wow, she's so cute! I came to congratulate you guys for being the first father's in thousands of years and also asking if I can be designated sparkling sitter! Only if that's alright of course.”

          Optimus and Megatron made optic contact and nodded, “We would be honored Nautica and thank you. We appreciate you coming to check on us.” Said Optimus, Harmony unlatching and Megatron closing his chest panels. 

          Nautica smiled at her, “Is it too early to ask if I can hold her?” 

          Megatron immediately felt panic, holding her tighter. The medical screen beeped, showing that his spark had jolted with excess energy in a mild panic.

          “Yes, I'm sorry, Nautica. He had a rough time bringing her into this world.” He pet Megatron's helm and couldn't help but feel drawn even closer to both of them at this moment. He never wanted to leave their sides.

          Nautica nodded, “I completely understand. I wish the best for you three.” She left happily as Ravage stayed.

         “Frag, Prime, you two made a beautiful kid.” Ravage hopped up on the slab and curled up against Megatron's leg.

          In normal cases, Megatron would have shoved him away, but now he felt a strange comfort in it. Patting the cassette-con on the helm, he continued to comfort Harmony with a gentle hum.

          Optimus remembered the human term family and he figured that this was probably the closest thing he could ever get to it. Now he understood correctly what family was. He was assuming Megatron did as well with how protective he was of Harmony at the moment.

          Eventually Ratchet cleared him to go get cleaned up and the three of them did so together. They brought Harmony along and handed them to each other back and forth so they could equally get cleaned. Megatron suds her up as well, the water pouring down her frame confused her at first but then she relaxed into it.

          She smiled and giggled with cute little chirping beeps as the suds drifted onto her and she instinctively grabbed at them.

          Megatron's optic ridges furrowed. He was struggling to keep the tougher facade that had become instinct, but his grip on it failed as he gasped with a breathy, drawn out awww .

          Optimus giggled and rubbed her helm in acknowledgement, a grin spreading on his face, “You're going to have to lighten up a little. She's the cutest thing I've ever seen and I know you also think so too.”

          Megatron nodded, holding her close again, “I could not put words to the feelings going on in this old damaged soul right now. It's like there's something stuck in my chest and processor that's trying to break out. The only way to alleviate it is to… laugh? Or cry? I don't know, Ori, I just don't.”

          Harmony, as if she felt it too, looked into Megatron's optics and turned her little treads a few quick rotations as she squirmed around and held onto him closer with a bigger grin.

          “Megatron, she has your smile… ” Optimus said, stepping out of the shower and grabbing a towel.

          “-But she has your face , Optimus…” He allowed that playful laugh to slip as he rinsed the suds off of her and grabbed his towel as well.

          “-And your intricate helm… ” He dried off and grabbed his datapad which was filled with messages at this point and yet he ignored them.

          “-But your optics, Prime . Those gorgeous, soul piercing optics… ” Megatron didn't know what else to say. Hopefully she carried his writing skills and strength with Prime's positivity. That's all he could ask for. Only time would tell.

Chapter Text

          The three of them got back to their room and Megatron opened the door to see the cloak he had been wearing draped over the desk chair. He smiled in thought as Optimus walked in to sit at the edge of the slab.

          He went to pull it up off of the chair and draped it over himself, wrapping the ends around Harmony.

          She snuggled into it and began to happily squeal before purring and drifting back into recharge in his arms.

          Optimus smiled and looked over as Megatron sat on the slab. As he made impact, he winced in pain. His valve and the mesh in his interface array was so sore . “Ahh, frag…” he covered his mouth and grumbled, continuing to lay back on the slab until he had successfully laid onto his back with her on his chest. 

          Prime laid with him and pet his helm, a gentle kiss pressing against his face, “You will need to take it easy for a while. Your valve and lower frame will be sore for a week to a month depending on how well you rest. That's what Velocity had told me.” 

          Megatron began closing his optics, still caressing little Harmony as his mind drifted in thought. They were both slipping into recharge together and Prime couldn't help but stare. They were adorable all bundled up in his cloak in recharge. 

          On the other hand, Megatron began dreaming. It was never a good thing when he started to dream. His processor went to thoughts about his past, the unsure future, and now, adding onto it all, his daughter's safety. 

          Those thoughts twirled around and danced against every idea, creating a terrible whirlwind of madness in his head. He had flashbacks of losing his friends, of those who wished he was dead, including crew members, and immediately yet subconsciously worried for Harmony's future again. It all added up, forcing him awake with a gasp. 

          Optimus had leaned back on the slab seeing Megatron wake with a violent twitch, Harmony was startled and began crying the loud cry that the other bots had warned them about. It was terrible and some feral sense in both Megatron and Optimus pleaded for them to make it stop.

          Megatron began groaning, holding his spark as Optimus felt it too. He had another panic attack of sorts, “Another bad dream? Are you alright, my love?”

          Harmony, although she was being held, was still screaming. “Yes, dear…” he panted and took some vents in and out to calm down as a tear dripped down his face silently.

          Optimus saw it and scooted over to him to hold him, “I've told you before that I have forgiven you.” He held his servo.

          That hadn't mattered in his mind. He still had done those things. Nothing was going to take it back and it didn't help that his processor wanted to tell him it's okay simply for the fact it was a mistake made from madness and confusion. It would never be okay. Now he had to worry about his daughter making these mistakes, as well.

          “Ori, I still did those things. I still can't forgive myself. I would feel disgusting for forgiving myself. And now I have a sparkling- that is screaming from fear because I woke her up…” he growled loudly, causing her to get even more restless.

          Optimus leaned over and took her, looking into her optics and smiling. Megatron felt bad knowing that his attitude wasn't helping her feel any better. He continued to sit up and hold his helm. Feeling nauseous and dizzy from all of the stimuli. He wished it would all end. Now that he had so much to live for, he couldn't keep allowing these terrible flashbacks to get in the way. That's when Harmony immediately calmed down and he heard a voice in his head.

           “Follow Prime and he will show you the path you seek for forgiveness.”

          Megatron grunted again and continued to hold his helm, “It's rather an auditory hallucination from the recharge or Primus spoke again…”

          Optimus raised an Optic ridge, “Really? What did it say?” This hadn't happened in a while. He was curious to know what it said. 

          “It said to follow you to the path of forgiveness… Frag, I wish I understood these things. I wish the answers to my problems weren't solved by fragging riddles.”

          Optimus laughed a little and kissed his cheek, “I wonder if my idea of taking you back to Cybertron is what he means. There's a lot of things going on between Autobots and Decepticons even now. I've been checking news articles while you were having trouble with recharge and the like from carrying.” Harmony purred and grabbed for Megatron, making a clicking sound and staring at his chest.

          “I think someone needs energon again…” He sighed and grabbed her. He opened his spark to allow her to get some energon while he sat back, “Maybe defeating Decepticons is the only way I can atone for the many Cybertronians I had unrightfully murdered.”

          Optimus thought about it and knew it would be hard to convince his people to accept Megatron again, but he wanted to try. “I will write some notes and see what we can do. I would love to see your guilt eased even a little.”

          Megatron smiled and leaned back, hearing a blip on his com. He answered and it was Drift. “Megatron, Ratchet told me what happened. I fear that this is just how having a sparkling is … I'm terrified. I don't know how you did it. I felt like congratulating you, but also thought I would ask for any advice I could.”

          Megatron chuckled, “It's simple. Have him numb the lower half of your frame. He hadn't done it to me. Also, have him hook you up to an energon IV. You'll not want to pass out in your own energon and etcetera like I did. Also, it's disgusting . Be prepared to have no control over your voiding and you'll probably be horribly nauseous and purge a couple of times without proper pain management.”

          He heard Drift groan in discomfort on the other side of the com, “Frag, that's gross . Thanks for the details…” he said, “Well, numbing me would probably help a lot. Thank you for the little help you could offer me. Hopefully this goes well. I only have a week to go.”

          Megatron looked down at Harmony, “I will say, when you see their beautiful face, it makes everything so worth it… You rest well, Drift, and I wish you luck. I have to care for Harmony, now. Goodbye.” Megatron hung up after hearing him say goodbye in response then laid down looking at Optimus, “So a plan to live life on Cybertron, huh? I don't think that's possible.”

          “Anything's possible with a little hope. I know you still have trouble staying positive after the sparkling and all of those past memories, but trust me. We will find a way.” Optimus snuggled closer and pressed a kiss to Harmony’s finial and saw it twitch and a tiny giggle and purr slipped around a sucking sound as she dripped some energon down his chest.

          “Aw, she's made a mess again. This time it was your fault.” Said Megatron, still thinking hard on what Prime had said. He leaned to the shelf on the wall on his side of the berth and grabbed his datapad as his HUD blipped and felt his abdomen shift. Everything felt back to normal in his midsection. “Ah, thank Primus. Harmony no longer has a perch to sit on, but at least I won't have to piss so fragging often anymore.”

          Optimus looked at him with a concerned look, “Do you want her to talk like that, too?”

          “Why not? A little sass is cute, is it not? Give her a bit of a tough edge about her speech like her carrier.” He chuckled, looking down and realizing that had gone a bit too far, “No, you're right. That word is slang for something she needs not know about for a while. I'm going to be struggling until she is older to watch how I speak.”

          Optimus saw her unlatch and picked her up, “You know, Primus chose the perfect person to carry my sparkling. We complete each other perfectly.”

          “We do, don't we?” He responded with a sneaky smirk, “Just a little calmness to my chaos. A little order. Not to mention a little discord to your order as well.”

          “What do you mean, Megatron?” He perked up and leaned back allowing her to sit on his chest, fidgeting with his wiper blades on the windows still there from his Earthian altmode.

          “Well, you have always been so uptight, worried about what people will think about you whilst I feed into that uncertainty because I have never cared too much for others after all that I had been through before the war. I'm starting to rub off on you. You are beginning to consider yourself instead of everyone else. That is good for you, you know.” He started typing in a new document on his datapad. This one labeled “New You Plans”

           Optimus smiled and thought to himself, “I wouldn't say I've completely given up on others. I'm simply taking proper time to care for myself. Now that I have a conjux and family I'm going to need to forward all of that energy from before on focusing on you two.” he leaned over to see the document Megatron had started, “What do you have there?”

          “Oh, this? Well, it's a mixture of things to keep in mind so I don't slip up on my good behavior and also plans to convince Cybertron that I have changed and deserve life. I can't do much more than plan and hope as you said.”

          Prime heard his own com blip and he answered, noticing the com code on his HUD, “Hello, Ratchet. Is everything alright?”

          Ratchet seemed a bit annoyed in his speech as he responded, “I'm not sure what you've done, Prime, but Cyclonus and Chromedome are now carrying. I guess it's contagious.” He sighed and shifted through the new records on a spare data pad, Velocity looking over them as well.

          Optimus gasped and covered his mouth, looking over at Megatron with a mild blush, “So the ship has more carriers, now? Do you believe it has something to do with spark bonds?” Responded Prime, looking away from Megatron and back at the wall ahead of him in thought.

          “I dunno, but I will say, this ship was never supposed to turn into a daycare. We have a mission and if even one more mech has a sparkling, we'll have to head back to Cybertron and drop the lot of you off.” By the grumble in Ratchet's voice, he was stressed out. 

          “Relax, old friend. If it does come to this, I was planning on going back anyway. We need to reconsider plans on Megatron's situation.” Optimus grabbed his datapad and started typing in on a second bullet point.

          Megatron smirked in his direction. Things were beginning to look up.

          “Well, alright, but that's up to you and the captain.” Ratchet said, handing the stack of datapads to Velocity, “We will take you two in to do a look over of you to see if we can find any reason why this is happening.”

          Optimus nodded, “Absolutely. We'll await your response.” Optimus closed the com and smiled, snuggling his new family tightly.

          “I don't think you'll be waiting very long to see Cybertron again, Megatron. It looks like we have a chance to be happy after all.”