I own nothing.  TF slash.  No like, no read.  PLOT BUNNIES ATTACKED ME!!!  A very strange pairing.  G1 Transformers.

Preview: Why does he put up with it?  Why does he let it happen?  Why won't he fight back?  Who the hell am I talking about?  All shall soon be made very clear.

*************************************************************
(Starscream)

Oh, crap.  I screwed up, again.  I was in for one HELL of a beating from Megatron.  It was a bittersweet thing.  Bitter because of all the pain it caused me and my love.  Sweet because the only time I ever saw my love.  I both hated and adored it.

Who is my love, you may ask?  Well, continue reading and find out.

*************************************************************
(Starscream)

Wednesday.  I hated Wednesdays.  I ALWAYS screwed up on Wednesdays.  The strange thing was that I also loved screwing up.  It meant that I would get beaten.  That meant my love would fix me.  The problem was that he - yes, he!  Got a problem with that?  Then stop reading! - was not a Decepticon.  I was.

I was ready to fight.  Ready to lose.  Ready to  be beaten.  Ready for HIM.  God, was I ready for HIM.  I couldn't wait for night to fall.

The plan was to raid the nuclear power plant.  I knew we would fail.  I was ready.

We arrived and easily overthrew the pathetic humans.  God how I loathed them.  The weak, pathetic creatures.  I would never kill one, though.  My love thought they were good.  What he saw in them I would never know.

The Autobots arrived and I saw him.  He was gorgeous.  I couldn't help but let his name fall off my lips.  It just felt so right.  It fit.

We were defeated, my love and I never touching each other.  We had promised each other that we would never fight unless it was absolutely necessary.  If we did, I would let Him win so that I would be beaten and we could make up.

Oh, crap.  I screwed up, again.  I was in for one HELL of a beating from Megatron.  It was a bittersweet thing.  Bitter because of all the pain it caused me and my love.  Sweet because the only time I ever saw my love.  I both hated and adored it.

"Beaten!  Again!  Your incompetence amazes me, Starscream!  You are no longer necessary.  I am going to appoint a new second in command," Megatron's words were like ice bullets.  I would disappoint my lover tonight, and every night that would follow.

His first blow tore off my right wing.  I shouted in agony.  Next was the left wing, followed by my right leg, then my left arm.  Finally, an amazingly strong blow to my head and I was out.

The last thing I saw was my lover's face.

"Ratchet," I whispered as I fell into darkness.

**********************************************
(Ratchet)

I left HQ to await my love, tools in my hand.  Something felt wrong, though.  I had a feeling that there was more going on tonight than I had imagined.  I was worried.

Hours passed and I realized I would have to come to him.  I had to sneak into the Decepticon HQ, find Starscream without being noticed, sneak him out, and take care of his injuries.  Easy enough... Right?

I reached the base to see two Decepticons guarding the front door.  I looked again and realized there were at least half of them at the front.

I went around to the back to find only two Decepticons.  I could handle that.  What I couldn't handle was one of them alerting the others.  Side door it was.

I snuck in through the side window and looked around.  No Decepticons.  So far, so good.

I looked around and saw a sign that read, 'Starscream' in bold, metallic letters.  Jack pot.

I threw the door open and stifled a scream.  Starscream was almost dead.

I grabbed him gently and heard footsteps approaching.

I ran back to the window carrying the smaller Mech and leapt out just as Megatron rounded the corner.  I prayed he didn't see me.

I got Starscream a safe distance from that Hellhole and took a look at his injuries.  I realized I had no choice. I was going to have to bring him to the Autobot's HQ.  Shit!

I shook Starscream gently until he awoke with a weak groan.

"Ratchet?" his normally high, smooth voice was strained and crackling.

"Shhh, love.  Don't talk.  I'm here for you, now.  You must answer me something.  Do you want to keep living, even if you have to become and Autobot?" I asked.

"Yes.  I truly wish I could join you, but I fear that your leader would treat me worse than my previous one," Starscream explained.

I told him that I would save him as I lifted him up and headed quickly for Autobot HQ.

I arrived to see Optimus awaiting me.  Strange, he was usually asleep.

"Nice of you to finally come back.  Where were you, Ra-" I interrupted Optimus.

"I was busy!" I shouted as I rushed for the Med Bay.

I laid my love on the table and began examining the extent of his wounds.

After hours of no one daring to enter after I talked back to Optimus, not to mention interrupted him and disobeyed orders to stay at HQ, I was finally finished.  My lovely Starscream would live.

I draped a blanket over his now colorful form and kissed his lips gently before exiting the Med Bay to be met by every Autobot on the team.

"What the HELL where you doing helping a Decepticon?!" Ironhide shouted.

"Why should you care if they live or die?!" questioned Bee.

"They're the enemy, Ratchet!" Optimus pointed out.

"Are they?" I asked.

"What do you mean, Ratchet?  Of course they are.  They work for Megatron!" Jazz exclaimed.

"Ever wonder if it's out of loyalty to the cause or fear?" I was beginning to get through to them.

"Explain to us why you were out in the first place, Ratchet," Optimus prompted.

"It's a long story," I stated.

"We have time," Optimus countered.

"Alright," I began. "I'll start from the beginning.  Two months ago, after that huge battle, I was going out for a walk when I stumbled upon the Decepticon's HQ.  I decided to check it out and when I did, I saw Starscream being brutally beaten by Megatron.  He took blow after blow, begging for mercy but never daring to fight back.

"When Megatron left, so did everyone else in the room except Starscream who was too weak to do anything.  He wasn't as bad off as he was tonight, but he was close.

"I carefully took Starscream out of that place and into the desert where I laid him down and hid him so that I could run back to get my supplies.  When I returned, I saw him trying to transform, but unable to.  I coaxed him to lay down and convinced him I wasn't going to hurt him.

"I took care of his injuries and he could have easily killed me, so close was my body to his, but he didn't.  He merely glanced at me hopefully and transformed.  

"Before he could take off, I stopped him and told him to contact me the next time he got hurt.  He didn't even acknowledge if he heard me, but two nights later, I got a call on my phone from him to meet me in the same spot.

"It went on like that for two or three weeks, him calling me for help and then never saying a thing.  Finally, one night, after a particularly rough beating, he thanked me.  It was just one word and yet it meant the world to me.

"He began to slowly open up and tell me which days he knew he would get beaten so that he didn't have to call me.  He told me about the plans of the Decepticons after making me swear not to say anything and I did the same.  He told me about how he hated being a Decepticon and about how much he wished he could be one of us.  I told him that he could join if he wanted.  He said he was afraid of you, Optimus.  He was afraid you would hate him so much, you would treat him worse than Megatron.  I told him you weren't like that.  We made promises and kept them.  We became friends.  He means so much to me, I couldn't let him die," I confessed as the team stared at me in amazement and horror. "I'm sorry."

"No, Ratchet.  I'm sorry," Optimus looked at me with hope in his optics. "Can you forgive me for jumping to conclusions?"

"Of course," I replied.

"Of course, what?" A voice from behind me asked.

I whirled around to find myself face to face with Starscream.  I wrapped my arms around the smaller bot and held him as close as I could without affecting his injuries.

"What were you talking about, Ratchet?" he asked.

"Oh, you know.  The usual, how we met, et cetera," I informed.

Starscream glanced at Optimus and fear filled his optics.  It was the same kind of fear that he had the first time we met only hundreds of times more pronounced.

Optimus must have noticed this, too.  He walked over to Starscream and offered him a place as an Autobot.  Starscream looked nervous as he accepted and Ironhide accused him of being insane.

"He could be a spy!  He might be sending every word of this to Megatron!" Ironhide shouted skeptically.

"Or he might be a friend with no place to go.  A friend who was horribly abused and left to die.  Why would he aid them if they did that to him?" Optimus questioned.

"Because of this!" Ironhide shouted as he pointed to the Decepticon symbol on Starscream's shoulder. "That is what he is!  He's a monster!"

Starscream took one look at the offending object and tore it off before blasting it into pieces.  He was one of us, now.

"Welcome to the team, Starscream.  Is there anything you can tell me of Megatron's plans?" Optimus inquired.

Starscream told him that at dawn the Decepticons were going to attack the power plant.  Optimus said that we'd be there, waiting.

"For now, Starscream, I want you to get some rest.  Tomorrow, you will be assigned a partner.  You will do as he says.  Am I clear?" Optimus questioned.

"Perfectly, sir.  Rest then assignment," Starscream summarized.

"That will be all," Optimus spoke as he turned to recharge for the night.

***********************************************************
(Starscream)

I watched Optimus Prime as he left, watching his every motion.  One wrong move and I was out of there.

Ratchet placed his arm carefully around my middle and lifted me effortlessly onto his shoulder.  I would have objected to this had he been anyone else, but I felt safe with Ratchet.  He was always allowed to carry me.

We entered Ratchet's room and he laid me down on a bed.  It was strange to feel something so soft and warm beneath me.  I was used to the hard, metallic feel of a standardized recharger, not this soft one.  Not that I was going to complain.

I glanced around the room and noticed that there was only one recharger.

"Where is this?" I asked, curious as to where my love intended to recharge.

"My room.  It will soon be our room, though, love," Ratchet stated.

"Where will you recharge?" I questioned.

"I don't need to.  I am too overloaded from you almost giving me a spark attack to recharge, anyway," Ratchet was going to skip recharging?  That could be very dangerous, especially since there would be a battle tomorrow.

"Why don't you recharge with me?" I offered.  It was innocent enough at the time it was said.

"Love, you know that I can never resist you and in your condition you would not be able to properly function in tomorrow's battle.  Now, stop worrying about me and go offline.  I will be here when you return," Ratchet seemed dead set on me recharging alone and I was too tired to argue, so I shut down for the night to recharge and dream of my beautiful love and his kindness.

***************************************************
(Ratchet)

Watching him sleep, I could hardly have known that he had ever intended anything cruel to anyone.  He looked so innocent.  So pure.  It was all I could do to keep from putting him back online and telling him to screw the consequences.

I gently stroked the young bot's head, whispering that tomorrow night we would recharge together in that very bed.  It would be my treat for finally joining the Autobots.

I swore that I saw a look of joy and wry amusement on his face as he recharged.

------------

Morning came and long before the sun began to rise I gently nudged Starscream until he was fully online.  He smiled at me and told me how wonderful it was to wake up to a kind, smiling face rather than that of a homicidal tyrant's.

Optimus summoned us all to the main room where Spike (I think that was his name) and his father awaited us.

"A Decepticon!" Sam shouted, pointing at Starscream.

"No," I corrected, kneeling down to get Spike to look at me. "A friend."

"Well, okay.  If you say he's a friend then I'll believe you," Spike stuttered.  He was unsure, but trusting my word faster than the other Autobots had.

Optimus stood infront of everyone and began to speak.

"I have an announcement.  Spike and his father are going away for a few months.  Let us wish them a safe journey and a swift return," Optimus nodded at Spike and his dad and they said their goodbyes before heading out of the cave.

"Starscream?" Optimus asked.

"Yes, sir?" Starscream seemed nervous.

"You will do as Ratchet tells you to.  He is your master and you will show him respect.  Am I clear?" Optimus glared at Starscream.

"Yes, sir.  Perfectly," Starscream seemed to shrink away from Optimus.

As we headed out, I told Starscream that the glare was just to be sure he was listening.  Starscream seemed satisfied with that and led us all to the power plant.

We arrived and were greeted by many happily working humans.

Optimus had them clear the area as we awaited the arrival of the Decepticons.

Megatron burst through the wall and stared at Starscream.

"I thought you said he was dead, Thundercracker!" Megatron shouted, enraged.

"He was!  Well, almost, anyway," Thundercracker admitted.

"It matters not!  Decepticons, ATTACK!" Megatron screamed.

The battle started, everyone fighting the one they thought they knew the best.  I kept an eye on Starscream.  He was doing pretty well considering the fact that five hours ago he almost died.

I was suddenly attacked by a rather persistant Decepticon and lost track of Starscream.

As soon as I had knocked the Decepticon offline I heard a sound-splitting shriek.  It was Starscream.

I rushed over to him and time seemed to slow to a halt as I leaned over my lover's battered body.  I scanned him and realized there was nothing I could do.  My dear Starscream was going to die.

I was vaguely aware of shouting and cheering.  I angrily though, 'How can thy cheer at a time like this?  Those slag-bags!'

I turned to my cheering team and shouted, "SILENCE!"

The room went deafeningly quiet as I tried everything I could to keep my Screamer alive.

I told the twins to go as fast as they could to the Med Bay and bring me my belongings.  As their engine's roaring dispersed into an uneasy silence once more, I fell into dispair.  There was no way Starscream would live through this.

I feel a light tug at my arm and look down to see my love gazing up at me gently.  It was the same look he had given me after the first time we kissed.  I felt tears blur my sight as Screamer whispered, "You always said I was fragile.  I guess I finally broke.  I love you."

With that, he shut his optics and went grey.

I froze.  He was dead.  It had to be someone's fault.  The twins arrived and had almost brought me my bag when they saw Starscream's lifeless form.

I turned on them and shouted, "This is your fault!  If you two had gone just a little faster, I would have been able to save him!  Why can't you do anything right!?"

I sank back to the floor as Prowl gathered up the courage to tell the others to let me have a moment.

"Ratchet?  You okay?" Oh, that was rich!  Was I okay?  Was I OKAY!?

"Am I okay?  Yes, just fucking peachy!!!  I mean, the only thing that happened was that my love died because I was too distracted showing off my new moves to keep track of him!  Sure!!!  I'M JUST FUCKING FINE!!!" I shrieked at Prowl.

I let my head fall into my hands as I wept for my beautiful Screamer.

I felt tears glide between my fingers and heard them hit the floor.

I heard Prowl say that he was in his office if I wanted to talk.

I heard him leave me alone with my love.

I felt a warmth on my back.

I turned around and saw... SCREAMER!!!

I jumped up and lifted him up bridal style, not caring how hard I was crying.  Not caring that I was shouting my love for him to the world.  Not caring about anything except the bot in my arms.

"You knew I wouldn't leave you.  Not after the promise you made last night," I gave him a puzzled look.

"Tonight we will recharge together, Screamer.  I distinctly remember hearing you say that.  Are you staying true to your words?" Screamer didn't even have to ask.

"No," I replied, much to his shock. "I can't wait until nightfall.  Besides, I really need to recharge.  Let's go recharge together, now."

"As you wish, master," Screamer answered in a tone that sent tremors through my circuitry.

"You'll stop talking like that or I'm afraid I'll have to drop you and shag you here where everyone can see," I reprimanded.

Screamer laughed and asked innocently, "Like what?"

We laughed as I carried him back towards the base.

I opened the doors and everyone stared and gasped.

"Sorry, Sunny and Sides.  I guess I was just upset.  You two are very good at a lot of things.  Sorry, Prowl.  You didn't deserve that, either.  Now if you'll all be so kind as to excuse me, I have a 'check up' that must be performed.  Please, do not interrupt us," I requested as Screamer and I transformed and raced home.

**********************************************
(Starscream)

We arrived home very quickly and once we were there I transformed again and was quickly lifted off my feet by the bot I loved.

We entered our room and he locked the door before turning to me.

"You have been a bad bot, scaring me like that.  Now, you must be punished," Ratchet spoke seductively.

For the first time in my life I was unafraid of what my punishment would be.

"How shall you punish me, dear master?" I asked in the sexiest voice I could manage.

"I have man forms of punishment, and if it takes all day to punish you, then so be it," Ratchet said as he crawled onto the bed beside be.

"I'm afraid that if this is how you plan to get me to repent, I shall not be in the least bit sorry for my actions," I laughed.

Ratchet grinned, "We shall see, after all, as you said, you break easily."