Restricted Love

Attempted Rescue

(A/N: This story may need a re-write at some point, cause I finished it all in one weekend... Tell me if you guys find it boring or lacking in quality and I'll try to fix the chapter. I think it's so-so. Just so many stories that need to be completed and/or updated!!!)

Soundwave was terrified. Every conscience moment spent deliriously pleading with his 'captors' for Solis, begging them to find her. To save her from Megatron's clutches before something happened to her.

And something was happening to Solis. Soundwave could feel it. Fluctuations of pain that drove him from stasis back into awareness, the ex-decepticon screaming as he woke, lashing out at anyone close enough for him to reach.

This time was different. Soundwave onlined with a cold, heavy feeling in his spark, and it disoriented him for several moments, the mech only attempting to lift a servo in order to shield his optics when a light was shined into them.

"Ep, ep! Keep your servo at your side!" The autobot medic's familiar voice announced almost too loudly off to his left, Soundwave groaning softly as his servo was pressed down at his side.

Blinking rapidly, Soundwave attempted to sit up, a heavy servo on his shoulder pressing him back into the berth, the slim mech's feeble struggles barely slowing the process.

"No... please. Solis..." Soundwave pleaded in a near-whisper, vision clearing enough for him to make out Optimus Prime above him. A sight that would normally terrify any lesser Decepticon, but it sent a flicker of hope through the ex-decepticon's spark as he struggled to speak.

Ratchet was still moving around at his side, but Soundwave's full focus was on the autobot leader.

"S-Solis? Megatron?" Coughing out the words, Soundwave shifted against the berth, though he didn't make any attempt to sit up again.

The grave expression on Optimus Prime's faceplates was enough for Soundwave to fear the worst. Had they tried to save Solis? Was she offline? Was that why his spark felt so cold and dark?

"Soundwave, I made contact with Megatron." Optimus began, his voice grim and stoic, preventing the ex-communications officer from reading into the autobot's tone, to pinpoint exactly what sort of news he was going to receive. "I've attempted to negotiate Solis' retrieval... Megatron has refused."

Spark sinking in grief-stricken terror, Soundwave began to struggle, fighting his uprising panic. Bulkhead stepped forwards now, the green wrecker appearing from somewhere out of the decepticon's line of sight, large servos aiding his leader in holding him down.

"No! NO!" Soundwave bucked against their grips, Ratchet moving to lock his pedes down to the medbay berth, attempting to keep the desperate mech from damaging himself any further.

"Soundwave," Optimus said loudly, "Soundwave! Any attempt at locating the Nemesis has failed!"

Venting heavily as he slumped back against the berth, Soundwave fought the sobs building in his throat, the mech trembling violently as the autobots slowly released their grips on him.

Ratchet waved for the others to make room, the mech moving to scan the supine mech, mumbling softly as he worked.

"Trade me."

The words were so quiet that nobody heard it the first time, Soundwave struggling to muster up the strength to repeat it loud enough.

"Trade me!"

Silence fell over the medbay, Ratchet even looking up from the results of the scan, the only sound in the room the beeping of the monitors.

"Soundwave, any and all attempts at getting Solis has been refused. Megatron no longer responds to our messages." Optimus' response weighed heavily over the slim mech's spark, violet optics shutting briefly in an attempt to block them out.