Work Text:
The Solar Cycles on the Nemesis keep growing longer and more painful by the Earth hour.
It's been like this for an orbital cycle now, ever since Breakdown joined the AllSpark.
And Knockout hated it.
Everyone treated it as if Breakdown never existed. Like Breakdown didn't give up and sacrifice so much to the Deception cause.
They didn't even give Knockout time to greive. Megatron, in all of his inimical wats gave him less than an Earth hour before it was
"Back to work!"
Megatron has stepped up his belligerence towards Knockout as well.
Somedays, rare occasions, it would just be verbal. Calling him ugly, incapable, a waste of space.
But most solar cycles , it was physical. Megatron would often slap Knockout whenever he tried to voice his medical concerns.
Beat him up whenever he tried to help Soundwave or Dreadwing.
Knockout knew the only reason Megatron hadn’t offlined him yet was because the Deception’s needed a doctor.
Knockout also knew most of this was because of of his and Breakdown’s relationship.
The others think it’s simply because Knockout is stepping out of line and Breakdown isn’t there to protect him.
But Knockout knows better, knows more. It’s went deeper than stepping out of line.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today started off as any other solar cycle.
Knockout woke up cold and alone, which wasn’t new anymore, but made his spark ache.
He checked his reflection, making sure he looks flashy enough to show his face before heading to the Medbay.
From there, Knockout’s solar cycle rolled on with few bumps. His only patents were Insecticons, who got into a fight, and a few Terrorcons who needed checkups.
No sign of Megatron and his belligerence. Yet.
Knockout had closed the Medbay and sat in his office filing out the leftover documents, nursing a cube of energon when Megatron strolled in for his daily ‘Scream at Knockout’.
“Knockout. May I ask why you were decoding the Iacon database yesterday instead of sticking to the tasks I gave you?” He asked, voice cold and angry.
Knockout stifled a sigh as he set down his data pad.
“Soundwave had asked me to continue his work while he was out running your errands.”
Even with the truth, Megatron fumed.
“You listen to Soundwave but not me!?”
Knockout scooted back the best he could in a chair. “I had already finished your tasks!”
It was true.
For the past few solar cycles Megatron has been giving Knockout ‘tasks’. With each one, the more he was convinced Megatron wanted him away from the other Decepticons.
The solar cycle before, Knockout had finished his work early.
By the time Soundwave contacted Knockout, he was sitting in his office practicing banging his helm on the desk with boredom.
This has been going on for orbital cycles, yet one thing Knockout was still never saw coming was Megatron’s cold, hard slap.
Knockout recoiled fast, falling out of his chair.
He spat energon onto the floor, he stood back up just as quickly and shouted, “why are you trying to keep me away from the others!” Before he could stop himself.
Megatron simply slapped him again.
This time, Knockout stayed down.
Megatron digs through his subspace, pulling out a data pad and tossing it on Knockouts desk.
“I want you to go through that. Think about what you’ve done. Then take care of the…issue.”
Megatron hissed. Optics flickering to his chest for a short nanoklik before he turned to leave Knockout’s office and Medbay altogether.
Knockout could feel his spark rate speed up as he gingerly picked up the discarded data pad.
Only for it to drop into his tank with dread and fear when he powered it on.
‘Take care of the issue.’
Megatron’s words echoed hauntingly through his processor.
No, no.
He couldn’t.
He’s already lost Breakdown.
He can’t lose this too.
He refuses, this is the last gift Breakdown gave him.
Can’t he at least have it?
But no.
Megatron won’t allow it.
He won’t allow ‘distractions’.
But Knockout knew if he didn’t do something, if he stayed, Megatron would make his life a living pit.
Knockout sat on his knees in despair, coolant filling his optics.
He can’t take it anymore.
Won’t take it anymore.
And there is only one place to turn.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It took another four solar cycles before Knockout was finally able to meet up with the Autobots.
It was a little embarrassing standing in front of Arcee, Bumblebee, Bulkhead and Optimus Prime in the middle of nowhere asking to join the Autobots.
He couldn’t tell them the whole truth.
Only bits and pieces.
He must look like a faking idiot, shifting his weight from pede to pede as Arcee and Bumblebee glared at him.
Bulkhead stared with a stunned expression.
Optimus’s optics softened.
“We will take him to the base.”
Everyone’s optics snapped to him in disbelief.
Arcee and Bulkhead were about to protest but the Prime cut them off with a small wave of his servo.
“He will be monitored until we can trust him and know he truly wants to join our cause.”
Optimus’s glowing, trusting blue optics met Knockout’s flickering, deceiving red ones.
Knockout was thankful to Cybertron and back Optimus answered his call. Even more that he was taking him to their base
The Autobots had no reason to trust him.
“Ratchet, we need a ground bridge.” Optimus said into a com link. We the green portal opened Optimus and Bumblebee lead the way into the ground bridge. Arcee and Bulkhead taking up the rear so they were flanking Knockout.
Much to his displeasure.
But he didn’t complain.
The Autobots had taken him in.
For the most part.
But they got him far away from Megatron’s grasp.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Knockout spent the next few solar cycles sitting around the Autobot base, being babysat.
And even though it bothered him, reminding him of what he was trying to escape, he refused to complain.
He couldn’t.
He needed to earn the Autobots full trust.
Today, like usual, Ratchet was on ‘Knockout Babysitting Duty’.
At first the Autobot medic wasn’t thrilled.
In fact, he cursed out Optimus for bringing him to the base.
While the doc still doesn’t like Knockout, he adjusted to him hanging around base. Usually in recharge, eating energon and fixing his own injuries.
For the most part, Ratchet ignored Knockout.
He would simply spare the ex-decepticon a glance every now and then.
But today, Ratchet called him over to help work on one of his many projects.
He sat Knockout at his work bench and directed him to hold parts of the object while he welded them together.
The doctors worked in silence. The only words spoken were Ratchet asking for a tool.
Ratchet was busy fixing the wiring when he asked “why do you want to join the Autobots?”
Knockout was startled by the question. “I already told you, because —“
Ratchet cut him off.
“No mech sleeps that much Knockout. Your story isn’t the reason. Or at least all of it. I want the real reason.”
Knockout dropped the wrench he was fidgeting with.
So this is why Ratchet asked for his not needed help. Knockout should be able to trust Ratchet.
Besides they had to know at some point.
“Ever since Breakdown died, Megatron has been treating me worse.
It was more than whatever you guys saw. He tried to isolate me, he tried to keep me locked away in the med bay or my quarters.
He would hit me whenever I tried to do more outside of those spaces.”
Ratchet put down his tool, and met Knockouts optics. “Do you have any idea why he did this?”
Knockout vented.
Now or surprise.
“I’m carrying.” Knockout whispered. Lowering his gaze. “I deleted the tests and the results from the med bay database.
But Megatron somehow and for some reason found them.
He showed me he found them.
He told me to ‘get rid of the issue’.”
Knockout’s servos were shaking and he could feel the coolant filling his optics.
“Megatron doesn’t like sparklings, nor ‘distractions’. And I refuse to get rid of Breakdown’s last gift.
I knew if I stayed would take my creation away and make my life a living pit.
I knew the Autobots wouldn’t though.”
Ratchet ex vented heavily. “I knew Megatron was evil, but not to this level.” He muttered shaking his head.
He layed a servo on Knockout’s shoulder. “Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me this.” He said. “I know that isn’t easy. And I promise, you and your youngling will be safe and protected here.”
Knockout nodded, turning back to his wrench, avoiding the medics gaze in hopes he doesn’t see the coolant now falling from his optics.
Ratchet took the hint and turned back to his work.
And Knockout couldn’t be more thankful.