The Holiday Killer ✔️

Ch. 4 Are They In Danger?

Sideswipe doesn't know what to say as he eats breakfast with his brother. As far as he can tell, everyone knows there's a killer in the city, but only Ratchet believes it's Sunstreaker. He'd rather not get everyone arguing with Sunstreaker right now.  
Sideswipe feels how happy Sunstreaker is while looking at his phone.
"Jamie is finally over that fragging cold, and the three of them are coming back," Sunstreaker tells Sideswipe, "I'm going to see if Lily wants to come here."
Sideswipe is worried the two femmes are in danger.
Do I ruin his mood now or wait until tonight? He questions, uncertain which action puts the femmes in more danger.
Sunstreaker is happy as he leaves the cafeteria. Sideswipe fears following him will piss Sunstreaker off.

Optimus is talking to Ratchet as he gets a text from the guards that Sunstreaker has left the base.
"He's been seen leaving the building, has he?!" Ratchet asks angrily, "you better inform Prowl! And Jamie's guardians when the three of them get here!"
Sideswipe walks by as Ratchet is raging, uncertain if he should even ask what's going on. Ratchet angrily walks away as Optimus asks Sideswipe if he knows where Sunstreaker is.
"He.. uh... I don't know where he went, but...," Sideswipe trails off.
"Sunstreaker is not in trouble, Sideswipe. I just want to know what he's up to."
"He's happy that Jamie is coming here and that it's Sunday, so Lily can come here."
"Then he must be going to Lily's house or getting the femmes a treat."
Sideswipe isn't sure if he should be worried about Optimus' lack of concern that Sunstreaker left the base, considering there's a serial killer in the city.

Sideswipe still feels how happy Sunstreaker is. He tries to tell himself if Sunstreaker was looking for someone to kill, Sunstreaker would block his side of the bond. He still feels how happy Sunstreaker is, but Sideswipe had learned that Sunstreaker gives off a different feeling of happiness when he's about to kill a human — which he hadn't felt since before they left for the vacation.
"Or maybe I have been distracted while he's been killing this past week?" Sideswipe questions, hating he denies for once Sunstreaker isn't the killer.

"... the nightmares are back," Lexie informs Sunstreaker. Sunstreaker is waiting to be accused of being the holiday killer, "has she had nightmares while with the Autobots on vacation?"
"No," Sunstreaker replies, unable to hide his concern that Lily's nightmares are back and that  Lexie will accuse him of being the killer.
"I'm hoping time with you and the other Autobots will help Lily, but she's still going to school."
Sunstreaker hates feeling how worried Lexie is about asking him to let Lily stay with him and bring her to school. 
Come on, femme, do you forget that Lily loves me? Sunstreaker queastions. She'd be happy to stay with me.

Neither Sunstreaker nor Optimus thought Lexie would request that Lily has a room at the base, and they both thought that was another thing Lily would have to wait until she was sixteen to get. Of course, this didn't mean Lily could live here full time, but she's happy with the arrangements, along with how her room is down the hall from the twins' room. 
"Yet she ignores how she's close to the female Autobots' rooms," Lexie notes in disbelief, "or how she's close to her brother's room."
Sideswipe watches as his brother talks to Lily and her mom before Sunstreaker goes to the hangar. Sideswipe follows his brother but stays out of the hangar. 

The two don't have to wait long before Jamie and her guardians walk through the ground bridge. 
Still can't believe how much he cares for Jamie and Lily. Sideswipe thinks as he watches his brother hug Jamie.
"Two years, and it's still hard to believe," Crosshairs comments, referring to Jamie and Sunstreaker's relationship.
"Come on, let's go get Lily and do some art," Sunstreaker suggests and takes Jamie's hand.
Sideswipe watches the two walk out of the hanger, uncertain if he should tell Crosshairs and Drift what's been going on. Wondering if Optimus will tell them.
"Hey? What's troubling you?" Crosshairs asks.
"N-nothing," Sideswipe replies and walks away, hoping Crosshairs and Drift will stay with Jamie even though she's with Sunstreaker.

Sideswipe tries to relax in his room, playing video games. The number of times he'd had to restart the level within the past hour tells him this is not a distraction.
Sideswipe, are you ok? Sunstreaker asks through the bond.
I'm fine. Sideswipe lies.

Sideswipe avoids Sunstreaker the rest of the day. He struggles to relax as he walks by Autobots, expecting them to tell him that Sunstreaker killed Jamie or Lily, and everyone would talk about it; there'd be no way to keep Sideswipe from knowing.
He finds Sunstreaker with the two femmes, Crosshairs and Drift.
"Not now," he hears Crosshairs tell Sunstreaker.
Sunstreaker frowns but walks away with Lily.
What was that about? Sideswipe asks.
Jamie is struggling again. Sunstreaker tells him, disappointed, Lily is having nightmares. I'm sleeping in her room tonight.
Sideswipe panics but knows he can't say anything about how he believes Sunstreaker is the killer while Sunstreaker is with Lily.

Sunstreaker sits on the bed, regretting Lily's nightmares are back.
She has to have heard about the holiday killer from kids at school and remembers watching me kill a human. Sunstreaker suspects. Is it really a good idea for me to be near her?
While Lily is in the shower, Sunstreaker asks Ratchet for advice.
Ratchet: I'm not sure if having her sleep with you will help her. This is tricky if you're right about why her nightmares are back. Be careful with her. Maybe talking to her when she wakes up from having a nightmare will help her.

Lily smiles at the idea of sharing a bed with Sunstreaker. Even after he says not to get used to the arrangement. Lily likes feeling Sunstreaker's heartbeat, which helps her fall asleep. Sunstreaker is uncertain if he should sleep or not, and he likes having her sleep on him.
Sideswipe feels how happy Sunstreaker is. He still can't relax even though Sunstreaker gives off a different feeling when he's happy he killed a human.
What did you do? Sideswipe asks.
Nothing, she's sleeping on me. I'm hoping this will help her.
The two say goodnight and hope to sleep.

Sunstreaker wakes up to the sound of whimpering. He sees Lily is still asleep as he sits up with her on his lap, having her head rest on his shoulder. He has her in a loose hug, hoping she won't panic when she wakes up.
"Lily, you're safe. It's Sunstreaker."
He tries what he's seen Drift do to calm Jamie down, hoping it'll work. He didn't think Lily would wake up, hug him and cry.
"You're safe."
I don't know what else I can say. Is there even anything I can do until that aft is caught? Sunstreaker questions, hating this will be a problem for a while.
At least she cried herself to sleep quickly. Sunstreaker tells himself, but knows that's still not good.
"I will not hurt you. You know how much I care about you."

Sunstreaker goes back to his room after bringing Lily to school. He sees Sideswipe sitting on his bed, and Sideswipe looks at him, worried.
"What's with you?" Sunstreaker asks.
He feels fear from Sideswipe through the bond.