Hope's Return

The Familiar

Hope sighed as they left the military base. Though they were met with open arms, the constant questions had been overwhelming.
Soundwave glanced over at her quiet sigh and flashed a question mark across his visor. The cassette, worn out from the busy day had retired for the night and were being carried inside his front compartment. 

"I'm okay Sounds, just tired of repeating myself. Are you up for a short flight? There's a hanger nearby where we can spend the night with friends."

At his nod, she transformed,  with him following suit. They had been flying for only a short while when she gracefully landed in front of a large steel bunker. After waiting for him to transform,  she reached out and rapped on the steel door. Stepping back, she gestured for him to join her.

The door rolled open revealing a flashy red mech who upon seeing Hope, threw himself into her open servo's.  Hugging him tightly in return, she laughed.

"You never change,  do you Knockout? Still as flashy as ever."

"Someone has to make this group look good."

His optics widened as he took in Soundwave standing beside her before he grinned in delight.

"So, you've found another lost mech in your travels. Come in you two and make yourselves comfortable."

Turning, he went back inside and beckoned to them. Hope followed but Soundwave hesitated, wondering who the others could possibly be. Cautiously he stepped forward into the lighted room.

"You know, you could have dropped by sooner. We've all missed you. Did you at least find what you were searching for?"

"I found that and much more, including a certain yellow mech who's back on Earth."

Knockout stopped in his tracks and whirled around.

"Where?! How? When?!"

"Crown City, through a space bridge he hijacked on a gut feeling and roughly a year ago."

She smiled as a flurry of emotions flew over his face plate.

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind a visit from a certain cherry red doctor." she teased.

Knockout settled for a mocking glare before he smiled at her.

"Then I might have to take a road trip hmm?"

Hope's expression grew serious.

"Just be careful. There's a rouge group of Decepticons from a prison ship that crashed near his base. His team is trying to round them up."

Knockout looked down at his Decepticon insignia.  It had faded somewhat over the years but it still showed him as he was, a former Decepticon.

"Afraid they'll try to recruit me?"

"I'm afraid they'll use you as bait if they catch you."

He waved off her concern and smiled, his processor already planning his trip to surprise Bumblebee.  She started to protest but found herself being picked up from behind.

Turning her torso, she found herself looking up in Megatron's slowly changing optics. His laughter caught her off guard and she smiled in return.

"Hello old warrior, life seems to be treating you well since last we met."

"I could say the same of you. Your optics are starting to change to blue again."

"I am finally at peace. And you? Have you found contentment?"

Hope's smile was bright but her optics still held a trace of pain. He supposed that they always would with Optimus's passing. 

"I am happy with my life. I fear the past will always be a sore spot for me but yes I am content. I have Ratchet as my sparkmate now and I found a brother whom I had thought lost. There is so much that I have to be thankful for that it overshadows the pain."

"Optimus's oldest friend?"

At her nod he half laughed. "I always sensed there was something from him regarding you but at the time you only had optics for Optimus."

Hope smiled wryly in response but her good humor remained. Looking over her shoulder, she gestured to the shadows where Soundwave had remained hidden. He was unsure if he would be welcomed by his former warlord and leader.

"But speaking of family..."

Soundwave finally bowed to the inevitable and stepped forward from the shadows. He was unprepared for the welcome he received.

The former warlords optic's widened as he took in his former communications officer and spy. As the mech went on the defensive,  Megatron simply stepped within a few feet of him and examined his visor enclosed faceplate.

Soundwave watched for a negative reaction and was stunned when the former warlord just shook his helm and extended a servo. Hope's gentle laugh broke the tension and he found himself returning the gesture.

A flurry of emojis ran over Soundwave's visor before ending up on a smiley. Hope just laughed and patted Megatron on the shoulder before looking up at Soundwave.

"Welcome to your new home Sounds, that is, if you wish it.

At Megatron's nod, his visor brightened and a voice dusty from disuse spoke.

"Soundwave...accepts."