I'm here

Chapter 2

Jazz walked around the scrapyard trying to find Sideswipe, the young mech now hiding from the veteran Autobot after revealing his awareness of what happened to the young mech. He would spot him every now and then but before he could get to him Sideswipe would run off in another direction, ducking and leaping over obstacles. Jazz wanted to help Sideswipe but he wasn't keen on playing hide and seek in a scrapyard all day.

"Kid, let's talk," he called out.

"Leave me alone," shouted Sideswipe, his voice projecting his misery.

"I can't do that," shouted Jazz, catching a glimpse of red armour.

"Yes you can," snapped Sideswipe, "just turn around and go!"

"You need to talk to somebody," argued Jazz, climbing up one of the piles of scrap metal to get a better vantage point. "Talkin' is the first step you need to take."

"I don't want to talk," cried Sideswipe.

Jazz followed the voice back to its source and spotted Sideswipe trying to hide by some scrapped vehicles. The young mech hadn't notice Jazz and the veteran quickly manoeuvred his way over to the young mech before he was spotted.

"Your team and  family is worried about you kid," shouted Jazz, taking care not to be seen, "they all blame themselves."

"G-good," snapped Sideswipe, "it is their fault. They let it happen to me!"

"That ain't true kid," argued Jazz, "and you know it!" He rounded a corner and spotted Sideswipe with his back to him, peeking out from behind some junk. Not taking a chance, Jazz quickly strode over and reached for Sideswipe's arm, the young mech reacting too late.

"Let go!" Sideswipe shrieked as Jazz's hand clasped around his arm, smacking it in an attempt to get it off. "Let me go," he begged, trying to pull himself free, "j-just leave me alone."

Jazz didn't want to restrain him like this and it wasn't a pleasant sight to see Sideswipe so desperate to get away from him whilst his face was plastered with fear and shame, but he had to for the young mech's sake. He stepped a little closer and used his free hand to gently place it upon Sideswipe's shoulder. "I just want to talk kid," he asked in more gentle tone.

"N-no," snapped Sideswipe, still trying to yank his arm free.

"I'm not gonna leave 'til we talked," declared Jazz.

"I don't want to," argued Sideswipe.

"It ain't a matter of you wantin' to, it's a matter of you needin' to," countered Jazz.

Sideswipe ignored him and continued with his vain attempts to free himself, smacking and even trying to bite at the hand that held him. Jazz kept his grip firm but not too firm as he held the young mech, waiting for Sideswipe calm down. It sounded cruel but Sideswipe needed someone to talk to and constantly running away wasn't going to solve anything. It only took a few minutes before Sideswipe gave up and fell to his knees, sobbing almost uncontrollably and trying to hide his face with his free hand. Jazz released Sideswipe's arm and knelt down next to him, pulling a polish rag from his sub space and offering it to him.

"C'mon, dry those optics," pleaded Jazz, not trying to shove the rag in Sideswipe's face. The young mech sobs became discreet sniffles and he didn't dare look at Jazz but he did take the rag and wiped his puffy optics. Jazz waited until Sideswipe had finished sorting himself out before standing back up. "Can we please have a talk," he asked gently, "and no, I ain't leavin' till we do."