* * *

Steve found Nick in one of the many labs that honeycombed the lower five levels of West Central. Most of them were large enough to accommodate Cybertronians, but this one was human-sized. A good place to hide if the person in question didn't want a Cybertronian -- or Sentinel -- to waltz in. It was somewhat of a private workspace for the engineer, cluttered with all kinds of things. Nick sat on the battered looking couch that had been shoved against one wall, glaring at the opposite wall. An even older looking table with a lot of paperwork and various disks, and an armchair completed the entire furniture in the room. One wallspace was plastered with technical diagrams Steve could make no sense of. Nick looked up when Steve entered, but only slid deeper into the cushions.
"Hey," Steve said softly.
Nick grunted something, returning his glare to the hapless wall. He appeared paler than usual, his eyes hooded with suppressed emotions, and there was an undeniable tension in his body. Steve knew this only too well. He had been like that after his first verbal fights with Midnight as well. Angry, confused, hurt, wanting nothing more than to go back to what had been before, wanting to end the nightmare he had been tossed into.
"That bad?"
A sigh answered him. "Worse this time. I wish he would get it into his thick head that I'm not a fragile glass doll!"
Steve smiled and sat down in the armchair. "They have a hard time accepting that, Nick. Each and every one of them. There never has been an exception."
"They accept it in total strangers! Tornado has no problem treating Spike or Mel or even another Interface like anyone else, but I feel like even the slightest breeze could topple me! He's.... mothering me!"
A chuckle. "I know the feeling. Mid and I had had similar problems. Nick, it's not the simple fact that you are smaller, it's also that the moment you Interfaced, Tornado acquired a new program of sorts. He has to protect you, he wants to protect you. It is what the Tji entered into the basic programming of each Sentinel and Seeker: the moment they Interface, they have the first priority to take care of their new partner."
Nick sighed. "I know.... it's just... It's getting worse instead of better. I thought that after we had acknowledged the link completely, he would lighten up after a while. I understood he wanted to be close, that he wanted to make sure I was okay. I understand what hangs in the balance from my survival and sanity, but he's driving me insane like this! I can't make a single step without him hovering by my side!"
Steve nodded. "It can have its advantages, but for now, it's mostly an annoyance," he spoke out loud what Nick was thinking.
"Where's the advantage?" the younger man asked darkly.
"Whatever might happen in the future, Tornado will be there to help. When you were injured in Metroplex..... if you had Interfaced properly, Tornado would have been able to help. We nearly lost you because Midnight had to guide your partner through the process of holding your life spark. Tornado wouldn't have known what to do otherwise. He was in shock and fading just like you."
"Thanks for the reminder of my stupidity," Nick growled.
Steve chuckled. "We all make mistakes. Mid and I weren't much better in the beginning. And we had a much worse start, Nick. We Interfaced completely, without the comparatively gentle foreplay of the normal Interface. It just happened. Wham. That's it. I was severely injured at the time, almost delirious with pain and dehydration, and terrified of what this black robot wanted from me. Suddenly he was part of me, my soul, and I was part of him. I shared his whole life within a second of touching his soul, and it nearly tore me apart."
Nick gave his friend a curious, surprised look. "I didn't know..... I never really thought much about what this complete Interfacing meant."
"It means being two people while still having your individuality. It means sharing a life within seconds that the other took centuries, even millennia, to live. It means having a soul mate that is you." Steve shook his head. "It's hard to explain. This complete phasing is widely unknown among all other Interfaced Sentinels and Seekers. Wild Card and Jeff are close as well, almost as close as we are, but they still went about it slowly. The exchange of 'information', so to speak, didn't happen in  mad rush. For Midnight all of this meant being confronted by my pain and terror, having no clue how to help me.... and trying to do so nevertheless. Phasing was a way to keep me stabilized, but there was no food, no water, no medical help...... until we stumbled upon this strange planet."

.......

A black jet streaked through the darkness of space, slowly but surely approaching a purplish-blue planet. Midnight was almost completely depleted of his energon reserves, most of it going into keeping Steven Parker save. They had been running for two days now, with barely any rest, using stealth and secrecy when passing by satellite devices and space probes. There were no manned space crafts near, but it never paid to be careless. Two days without rest or time to regenerate, two days of being phased on the most intimate level with his new Interface. It was exhilarating as it was tiring, and the exhaustion was taking over.
Steve was weak and barely conscious at the best of times now, hadn't been for the last hours. Midnight had little knowledge of human physiology and what he knew didn't help. Steve had five broken ribs, one of them lying at a dangerous angle that threatened to pierce his lung. As long as he was phased, there was no danger of it happening, but prolonged phasing was eating away at them both. They were way too new at this. Then there were dozens of bruises, cuts, strained muscles, as well as the mental and emotional shock. It all combined into a dangerous mix.
Midnight was too big to do anything of consequence, so what he could do, he did. And that meant finding a safe haven while keeping Steve protected inside the cocoon he had woven, and finding medical help.
With his dwindling powers, the Seeker finally approached a backwater planet that, according to the information he had stored from Braintrust's computer about the inhabited planets, was populated by humanoid life forms. They were called Kreekan. Landing was an effort and he more crashed than touched down close to a purplish colored lake. Transforming, Midnight tried to get his bearing, energon clouds dancing in front of his optics.
<<Where are we?>> Steve's weak voice asked.
<<Kreek>> he answered. <<Rather unknown world. All I know about it is that the natives are judged as helpful, they are organized in tribes, and they know about healing. Braintrust kept notes on them for some reason. I think they are psychic to a degree>>
One of his internal systems went out with a warning screech and Midnight gasped. It hurt. He needed energon, badly!
There was a rustle of something leathery and the young Seeker whirled around, which was more of a stumbling anyway. A figure about half his size approached. It was humanoid, having two arms and two legs, as well as one head, but the skin was striped in olive and brown colors, the eyes black with a yellow, slitted pupil. A mane of equally brown and olive hair fell down the being's neck and it had cat-like ears on top of his head. The legs were shaped like an animal's as well, not straightened like a human's, and it was dressed in a loose gown.
Midnight tensed as those strange eyes regarded him intensely but calmly. "My name is Midnight," he said softly. "I'm a friend." He was in no shape to fight anything at all.
"You need help," the creature said, voice soft and almost musical.
Mid felt a shiver of fear from Steve, who was drifting off into unconsciousness again. <<It's okay. They won't hurt us>>
<<How do you know?>> Steve wanted to know, even his mind-voice sounding slurred.
Yes, how? Midnight had no clue, but he believed in what had been written down in the archives. The Kreekan were not aggressive by nature and though they had neither space-flight, nor a civilization based on technology, they were advanced. His instincts told him this was help. It was what he needed, what they both needed.
"My name is Brokk. We can give help. Come," the being said.
Midnight felt his muscle cables protest, but he managed to walk after Brokk, though his senses were diminishing fast.

.......

"Midnight made it to the settlement, but he broke down soon after that, with me still phased," Steve told his attentive listener. "I didn't have the strength, nor the wish to phase out of him. I was too terrified of the aliens. I had experience with aliens from my job as a Rift pilot, but my last encounter had been with a maniacal dragon who had tried to kill me."
"So what happened?"
"They separated us."
Nick stared. "They what?!"
"The Kreekan-Bay, as the tribe was called, have psychic powers. They somehow knew about me, even if I really don't know how; they knew what we were, and they somehow got me out. I can tell you, I was beyond mere terror by then....."

......

Steve fought the strong, leathery hands as they reached for him, screaming in horror, trying to push away. His robs exploded into pain, but the adrenaline rush only spurred him on, giving him more strength than he really had. Gentle faces with stripes and spots were above him, soothing voices were trying to calm his terror-filled soul. But he wouldn't be soothed. Midnight was an unresponsive presence in his mind and over and over again, Braintrust's leering face filled his vision, blurring with those of the aliens.
"No!" he screeched, kicking weakly, hitting one of the aliens, though it didn't seem to have any effect.

Steve stumbled and fell to his knees, doubling over, gasping with pain and nearly losing consciousness. Something seemed to crackle into life, some kind of energy barrier, locking him inside this prison cell. He was alone.

Pain lashed through his abused body, the broken ribs flaring up with more vengeance, and he gasped. Darkness threatened and he tried to get away, but it was nothing but a weak twitch.
"No...." he protested, tears welling up. "Please, no...."

A gigantic, dragon-like creature stood in front of the cell, staring down on him with evilly glistening, yellow eyes.
Icy, calculating eyes.
Laughter.
Pain.

A hand touched his forehead and a strange warmth passed through his mind. 'Sleep,' a voice said.
No......
He fought it. He wouldn't surrender to Braintrust. He wouldn't die as his experiment!
The world around him blurred and instead of the yellow eyes he gazed into two dark ones, filled with sadness and shared pain.
<<Steve>>
The voice of his new Interface partner. Steve reached out, trying to hold on to him as Midnight seemed to slip away. The void this created was unbearable, even though they had been Interfaced for barely three days.
<<NO!>>
But the darkness claimed him.

*

Midnight was half conscious, propped up against the wall of the large cave-like room, watching the Kreekan work on his partner. For all their size, being larger than Steve, they handled him gently. Their hands had stripped the human of the dirty, torn clothes, had palpated for injuries, then gone about the healing process. He tried to fight the protective feelings rising inside him, but it was hard. Seeing aliens treat the frail, human form, chattering among themselves, giving him strange looking medication, it was nearly too much. And then there was the emptiness. Inside, he felt so lonely, as if Steve had already left forever, but he knew he was there. Separation from a phasing that had lasted so long had been emotionally painful, especially since Steve had desperately called for him. His presence was there, but no longer like before.
"We will help him, young one," Brokk said. "We will not hurt him more."
"I know," Midnight whispered. "It's just so hard....."
The Kreekan regarded him with soulful eyes. He seemed old for his kind, though Midnight had no way of telling so for sure. At least he held a position of power, having ordered others to help Steve and Midnight. The cave they were in was huge, spreading out into the depths of the mountain, but instead of being dark, it was filled with warm light. There was no definite source for the light. It was simply there.
Kreekan came and went, either called or sent off by those treating Steve or Brokk. There were men and women, old and young. It was hard for Midnight not to watch their every step and he hoped he wasn't breaking a taboo. He had been fed several energon-like substances and his abused body was slowly regenerating. His skin no longer looked so washed-out gray, and his systems were slowly going back to full strength.
"Thank you for your help," the young Seeker finally said.
"It is our honor to give help to those in need. Your need was audible from distances away."
Midnight stared at him. "What?"
Brokk smiled. At least it looked like a smile. "You know little about my kind, but we know a lot about yours, Seeker."
If he could have paled, Midnight would have done so. "I.... I'm not...." He stopped. The sign on his wings told otherwise. And if Brokk knew about Seekers, it could only be in the worst possible fashion.
Brokk touched the accusing symbol. "You are by designation, though you are different." His long-fingered hand trailed over the yellow veins. "Very different. We know about your kind because the winged one has stolen from all tribes, trying to merge with them. He failed."
Midnight felt like sinking into the floor.  Oh gods! That was why Braintrust had kept the records. He had kidnapped Kreekan to try and Interface with them. And he was a Seeker, one of those who had abducted and killed Brokk's kind. Fear rose in leaps inside him.
"What... what are you going to do with me now?" he whispered.
"Nothing, young one. We are not each other's enemies. You have managed what he is seeking. You are different."
"Yes," the black robot managed. "But I never forced it, Brokk. You have to believe me!" He was almost desperate. "Steve was not forced into this partnership. We merged freely."
Another smile. "We know. You radiate the completion of this bond. You care. You love him."
The simple words gave Midnight a jolt. The Kreekan had said what he felt. Love. "Yes," he mumbled. "We Interfaced and we had to flee. Braintrust hunts us for it." He let his green gaze fall to the floor. "He will never stop."
The gentle fingers touched his arm. "No, but you have the ability to get away from him. You are special, young one. As is your soul partner. We will cure him of his injuries."
"I wish I had known how to help him," Midnight mumbled, desperation rising again. "I know so little about the important things, how to take care of him....."
"It will come in time," Brokk simply said. "You have done for him what your instincts told you to do, and it was good. You helped him survive the shock and the pain. All else will come later."

......

"I know of this conversation because of the link," Steve explained to his listener. "Midnight also told me about it much later. I think we spent three planetary months there. My ribs had been pretty busted and I was still living through the shock of the Interface. Like I said, going right to the top of the scale isn't fun."
"I never thought it would be so extreme," Nick confessed.
"It is."
"So what happened after you left?"
Steve chuckled. "Midnight was the worst mother-hen you could think of. I know Brokk tried to tell him that protecting me wouldn't help this partnership, but he subconsciously did just that. He clung to me like a leech."
"Oh, I know *that* feeling," Nick mumbled. "Ever since Metroplex, I get little reminders of what can happen to me. I got through forty years of my life just fine and suddenly I'm in danger of dying from a fly on my wall!"
The older Interface grinned. "You tell me nothing new. The whole thing finally came to blows on a planet called Arafa......"

* * *

Tornado sat at his desk eyes not really focusing on the paper he held in his hand. Though they both had their shields up, he occasionally caught glimpses of frustration and anger from his other half. Was this what Interfacing was about? Always being angry at each other? He sighed. He wasn't angry at Nicholas, he was..... hurt. He could never admit it, he could barely acknowledge it to himself, but he was hurt by Nicholas. Not that his Interface had done it on purpose, but his reaction had done it. Couldn't the human see he needed his protection? He would protect him.
"May I come in?" a voice asked softly.
Tornado looked up, startled, at Midnight who was peeking in the door he hadn't closed all the way. "Why ask? You'll just come in anyway," Tornado snapped not in the mood.
Midnight smiled. "Probably," the Sentinel leader admitted, closing the door behind him. His darkness was like a black splotch of paint against the light gray office walls and Tornado felt an involuntary shiver run down his neural pathways. Midnight wasn't his enemy and he wouldn't hurt him, but the old fear was still there and hard to shake. They had been enemies for nearly three millennia. It had left its marks, even if the young leader had done all in his power to show he wasn't.
"But if you really don't want to talk, I can't make you," Midnight now said.
Tornado sighed, drawing in on himself. "What makes you think there's anything to discuss?" he asked, optics averted.
"Well, how about that fight at the front door for starters?"
Tornado tried to ignore him, but a flash of fresh anger pierced him. It was Nicholas.
"Steve is talking with Nick isn't he?"
Midnight nodded, pleased that Tornado’s and Nicholas's link was getting better. "Hopefully he won't be as stubborn," Midnight commented.
"Probably not," Tornado sighed.
Midnight’s visor flickered. amused. "Do tell."
Tornado gave Midnight a dirty look, but the Sentinel was oblivious to it. Tornado let out a sigh, he couldn't be mad at Midnight, he wasn't mad at anyone, just... frustrated. Utterly frustrated. Nick and he had gone through so much already, had nearly turned each other's life into hell because they wouldn't phase, and finally, after such a long time, it had happened. And they were at each other's throat from then on.
"How do you do it, Mid?"
Midnight looked confused. "Do what, Tornado?"
"Stand back as Steve does something dangerous. How can you stand seeing him get into trouble or hurt?" Tornado asked voice searching.
Midnight pondered his answer for a moment. "I can't stand it actually; no Interface can," he started. That surprised Tornado. "But it is not always our choice to make. Just as I go on dangerous missions, so does Steve have the right to. Neither of us likes seeing the other get hurt, but we are individuals with the right to individual action and thought. We are equals in this partnership."
"But he’s human," Tornado said in exasperation.
"And proud of it too!" Midnight chuckled holding his hand up before Tornado could blurt something else out. "It's okay, Tornado, we all go through this when we first Interface. It is only natural for us to want to protect our partners, no matter what, even if it means going against our Interfaces' wishes," he explained pulling up a chair. "So how did it start this time?"
Tornado was quiet for a moment. "Grimlock nearly stepped on Nicholas and I knocked him back," he explained with a sigh.
"Grimlock or Nicholas?"
"Grimlock!" Tornado blurted, horrified at the thought of striking his partner.
Midnight was visibly pleased with the reaction. The Seeker leader sent him a dark look.
"Cheap shot," he muttered.
Midnight smiled. "What happened then?"
"Not much. I apologized to Grimlock and explained why I had done it. Grimlock was upset I think, he said he'd never step on a human, but he congratulated me on having a good right."
"That sounds like Grimlock. I'm glad he took it well."
"He was the only one," Tornado sighed, staring beyond Midnight. "Nicholas got mad. I was just trying to protect him."
Midnight nodded, he and Steve had had some really drag out arguments whenever Midnight grew too overprotective of his human partner. It had taken a long time for him to let Steve stand on his own two feet.
"Was Nicholas aware he was about to be stepped on?"
"I don't know, I never asked." Tornado admitted.
"He probably was. It is real hard to miss Grimlock. Nick's a grown human, I'm sure Grimlock wouldn't have stepped on him, just as I'm sure Nicholas is more then capable of getting out of his way if he was," Midnight said.
Tornado started to argue but Midnight stared him into silence.
"I know it's hard Tornado, trust me, I really know. But Nicholas is a part of this partnership, not the center of it, he has a right to make his own decisions and to take his own risks."
"He'll get hurt," Tornado argued.
Midnight nodded. "Probably, but that's his right, just as you get yourself into danger." Midnight leaned toward the Seeker leader. "You have to learn he's a free willed creature, no matter how much you want to bundle him up and guard him. You'll only kill him with kindness." Midnight leaned back and a trace of a smile came to his face. "I nearly did the same to Steve," he admitted.
Tornado looked intrigued. "But you two are interfaced 100%! You never seem to have these problems."
"Ho, you should have seen us early own. It was worse because we are 100% and I could feel his every fear, pain, anguish. It was early on and we weren't good at shielding yet. It tore me apart every time I felt him in distress. It hurt when he got angry at me for protecting him." Midnight paused eyeing the Seeker. "Just as it hurts you with Nicholas."
Tornado’s face grew rigid, but he didn't say anything. He didn't need too. It was only too visible.
"They are just as protective of us, you know," Midnight sighed.
"But it's not the same!" he protested.
"Oh, isn't it? Have you ever seen Steve when I've gotten my fool butt injured? Now tell me that this man wouldn't rip all Cybertron open if he thought it would help," Midnight snorted, jabbing a finger at Tornado in emphasis.
A ghost of a smile came to Tornado’s optics. "How long did it take for you and Steve to sort it all out?" he asked.
Midnight dropped his head in thought. "I don't think you ever really work it out. I think it just gets to a tolerable level. You have to accept, learn to accept. There will be times when you get mad at each other, for thousand reasons, but you'll get over it and go on," he said. "I remember when it really hit me that Steve could stand just as well on his two feet." There was amusement in his voice.
"What happened?"
"If you're ready for an embarrassing story," Midnight chuckled. Tornado seemed ready and at least it lightened his mood.
<<Any luck?>> Steve called from outside before he could begin.
<<Some. You?>>
<<Yeah, Nicholas is at least being reasonable. Let me know if you need anything>>
"Is Nicholas okay?" Tornado asked, knowing the look Interfaces got when communicating along the link.
"You should know better than me," Midnight reminded him gently.
Tornado paused feeling out for his partner. There were shields still in place, but the sharp edges were gone and there was a sense of calm now.
"He's better," he said, satisfied. "You were going to tell me this story of yours."
"Yes, I was. It started shortly after Steve had recovered from his injuries from Braintrust’s capture. I had help caring for him throughout that time because I had no clue about what to do, what he needed, and when he had recovered, we sought a new place to stay. We were on nondescript planet. Arafa, I think. Primitive state, early evolutionary development with no energon supplies, but it was a good place for Steve."

.....

The sun rose casting its hazy red light across the rock edges of the cave. Midnight was standing at its entrance, quietly watching a distant heard of grazing herbivores. Steve called them Springloaded. It was a fitting description. Whenever the herd was disturbed they all moved in this crazy bouncing run that ate up the miles.
He turned as he felt Steve coming to consciousness, the fuzziness of sleep slowly fading away as his Interface sat up.
"Morning," Steve called stretching.
"Good morning," Midnight returned cordially as the human joined him, looking out at the world.
Steve let out a sigh, stretching to get tired muscles working. "It is beautiful," he stated. "How often I look at it, it's never enough." He smiled, eyes lost in the spectacle around him.
Midnight could only nod. It was unlike anything he was used to. Braintrust and the other Seekers had lived on various old bases, never on lush planets like this. Always underground or in hiding, on asteroids, in old mine shafts. This world was too..... organic. It scared him sometimes. He longed for straight lines and geometric curves. He started at the soft touch on his leg.
"We can leave if you want to," Steve offered and Midnight squelched his embarrassment. He didn't want Steve to feel his unease.
"This is as good a place as any," Midnight said simply and Steve left it at that, as the Seeker formed a hesitant wall around his thoughts. Steve wasn't bothered. They had both been practicing shielding. Even Interfaces needed a little privacy.
"Well, I'm going to get washed up," Steve announced, striding out of the cave.
Midnight unhesitantly followed and Steve stopped turning on him.
"You don't have to follow, Midnight. The stream is only a couple yards away," he stated flatly.
"Fifty-three yards actually," Midnight returned.
Steve’s frown deepened.  "Look, I'll be okay, just stay put. You don't need to follow me everywhere," he said firmly.
Midnight hesitated, catching glimpses of annoyance. "I'm your partner," he said simply.
"And I'm yours, but we're not joined at the hip, Mid," Steve said turning on his heel.
Only by soul, a small voice inside Midnight whispered.
"Just relax I'll be right back," the human added.

.....
 
"I was a wreck," Midnight chuckled, seeing a mirror image in Tornado’s optics. "I hadn't let Steve out of my sight since we'd escaped. My worry was doubled by the fact that he was so vulnerable, as it had been shown to me right from the start. I knew he could die of things that barely even scratched me. I was terrified of losing him, but equally terrified of separating him from me by being over-protective. Even though I knew he was only a couple of yards away, I imagined every possible thing that could go wrong because I wasn’t there to protect him."
"He came back okay?"
"Oh yes, but there was even more tension there now. I was the cause, but I didn't want to see it."
Tornado nodded slowly. "So what happened next?"
Midnight sighed. "I overdid it with my care. You see, I had no real idea what organics could do. Those I had met had been killed by Braintrust. They appeared weak and helpless, and so I projected the exact same thing into Steve. Yes, I had seen his life as a Rift pilot and had experienced his ups and downs, his joy and pain, but the rational part of me was not in control."
The Seeker leader snorted.
Midnight gave him a mild frown. "No smart remarks."
An innocent look answered him.

....

"What are you doing?!" Midnight exclaimed in distress.
Steve was twenty feet up in a tree, holding onto an overhead branch as he jumped repeatedly on the branch beneath.
"Getting firewood," Steve returned, never stopping. "This branch is dead and I've almost got it lose."
As if his words were magic, the limb cracked, then snapped, falling from the tree in a splintery explosion. Midnight cried out in alarm as Steve swung precariously over the sudden gap, one hand coming free. He didn't even think about it as he caught Steve in his hand, cupping the frail human carefully to him.
"Put me down!" Steve snarled and Midnight took a step back as Steve’s anger coursed through him. He threw his shields up, but it wasn't enough to stem the Interface's anger. He put him down and Steve glared at him, blue eyes piercing.
"You could have been hurt," he said in consolation.
It only made Steve madder. "Maybe, but damnit, it was my risk, not yours! I'm a fully grown adult, not a child, Midnight!" he snapped.
"You’re human," Midnight protested.
"And you're a Seeker," Steve threw back and Midnight flinched. He hated remembering what he was, more so now than ever, now that he was interfaced. "We're partners, Midnight. I don't need you fussing over me every second of the day. I did just fine on my own before I met you and I can do just fine now," Steve went on, all his pent-up frustration flooding out.
"Braintrust caught and hurt you," Midnight heard himself protest and immediately wished he hadn't said it.
Steve's face was a mirror image of a thunder storm. "I might not be made of metal and larger than life," he hissed, "but my kind has survived for millennia without being Interfaced! I know how to handle myself!"
He stopped, breath coming fast, and stared at Midnight who had nothing to say that wouldn't upset his Interface more. Steve turned, then paused.
"Just give me some breathing room, okay?"
With that the human pushed his way through the thick underbrush and disappeared from sight, though Midnight could feel his presence, shields and all. An angry presence. He hung his head, gazing at the broken branch. Somehow he knew Steve was capable of living his life alone, but the instinct to control every step of it was too much.
He didn't follow his friend, though. Steve needed time alone.
He regretted it.
 

Midnight was back at the cave, a small fire crackling behind him as he stood at its entrance. He didn't need the warmth, but Steve did, and the human refused to phase into the robotic half of the partnership at night. It was one of the many little fights they had fought, one Steve had won.
He had lost track of Steve. He knew he was alive. He could feel that much, because of the Interface link, because of the steady warmth inside his circuits, but Midnight didn't know where he’d gone to and the sun was going down.
<<Steve?>> he called hesitantly, expecting an angry snap in return.
There was no answer and he felt his circuits constrict. What if Steve had gotten lost? This land could be confusing if you weren’t paying attention and Steve had been distracted. Distracted by him. Midnight sighed. Couldn't Steve see, he didn't mean him any harm? The opposite in fact was true,  wanting to just keep him safe.
"Steve!" he called not trusting their link yet. Maybe Steve was still shielding and didn't even hear him.
His voice echoed of the surrounding woods. Midnight let out a sigh. He had to find Steve. He started out toward where they had fought earlier, hoping  he would find some track of his Interface.

*
 
Steve blinked in surprise as he heard his name and he rolled onto his side. He was high on the hill above their cave formation and he had fallen asleep. He yawned and blinked, suddenly aware at how dark it was getting. Midnight would be worried sick. Steve felt a sharp pang of guilt. He didn't want to hurt the Seeker, never. Even if the robot could piss him off royally. He knew a lot about his new soul partner, and he understood the Interface link. Midnight was young, he had gone through a lot, and he had suffered as much under Braintrust as Steve had. They both had been thrown together in a time of emotional and physical pain, both not wanting what they had gotten so suddenly, and now they had to live with it.
A lot of his pain, Steve knew, came from the inability to return home. Ever. Even if they found the Rift that had catapulted him here, what then? Steve was forever bonded to an ageless being that was hard to kill. He would be close to immortal, watching the world age as he remained the same. He didn't even know how much time had passed at home. He had most likely been declared dead and the Rift was forbidden.
Shoving himself up, Steve rubbed a kink out of his back. It was time he and Midnight had a heart to heart. He had to apologize for his behavior, he knew, and he had to tell the Seeker once and for all how this partnership had to work. Sharing such an intense link meant sharing each other, but they were still individuals. Steve had accepted it because Midnight was so much larger than him. He was still rash and showed his relative youth in word and action, but he was capable of taking care of himself. Midnight still needed to come to this conclusion himself. Just because Steven Parker was smaller didn't mean he was defenseless.
 
*

As Midnight reached the broken tree limb he felt something change in the Interface link. It was starting to glow warmly, as if smoothed over, and it felt so good. He brightened. Maybe he was getting closer to Steve.
<<"Steve?">> he called hopefully, using the link again, as well as his voice.
There was still no answer but at least he could sense much better Steve now. He found a light foot print of where he had gone earlier and cautiously followed, nearly bent in two to inspect the ground.

*

Steve paced through the empty cave worriedly. Where was Midnight? Had he gone out looking for him? Wouldn't that be a mess. In the darkness, the Seeker would be hard to see. Steve paused at the cave's entrance as a warm night breeze ruffled his hair.
<<Steve?>> came a soft question, accompanied by hesitant probing of the basic shields.
<<Midnight?>> he tried, feeling a flutter of warmth.

*

Midnight stiffened as he heard his name. Steve! He had called to him through the link. Midnight couldn't suppress his smile as he tried to reach out to his Interface.

*

Steve watched the dark forest. He wanted to find Midnight. It wouldn't be hard to follow the robot once he found a first trace. He left one ton footprints wherever he went on the soft ground, but it wasn’t the best idea. It wouldn’t do any good to have them both wandering out in the night. Steve retreated to the fire, warming his hands as he felt another type of warmth brush over his mind. It was alien and familiar in one, touching his very soul, warming him more profoundly than any fire.
With a smile Steve felt Midnight return his call just as there was a pop and a piece of hot coal landed on his wrist.
"Shit!" he cursed, batting at the offending piece of glowing wood.

*
 
-Pain-
-Surprise-
-Pain-
-Anger-
Midnight flinched as Steve’s pain hit him, bringing him to a skidding halt. Steve was hurt! Damnit, he should have never left him! The Seeker started crashing through the woods peel meel, following the sensation heedless of where he was going. Suddenly his foot was caught in a large root from the gigantic trees that grew sporadically among the much more normal-sized vegetation. He lost his balance as he fell forward, then crashed hard on the ground.
Circuits severely shaken, he was momentarily overwhelmed by the projection coming to his unshielded mind.
<<Steve!>>

*

Steve blew on the small burn, the pain ebbing away as it cooled, then sucked at it. It would most likely leave a little blister, but he had had worse. He felt a sense of rising fear and stood. Was Midnight in trouble? Steve went out of the cave, hesitating for a second before jogging along the trail Midnight had left which was barely visible in the dim moonlight, not really paying attention to what was going on around him. All he could think of was the fear and worry his partner emanated.
 Then there was a sudden rush of emotions he couldn't classify, followed by desperation.
<<Steve!!>> a voice yelled in his head, blinding his senses.
Steve came to a stumbling stop, gasping. He fell to his knees as the link flared to intense life, washing over him like a tidal wave.
<<Stop!!>> he screamed before he could catch himself.
As if on his command, the emotions ebbed away, leaving only a remnance of their intensity behind. Panting, Steve remained where he was, kneeling in the dark on the forest floor, trying to get his thoughts back into order. A presence sneaked closer and he batted it away before he realized what he had done.
<<Mid?>> he whispered hoarsely.
The presence returned, more gentle this time. <<Steve? Where are you? Are you hurt?>>
<<Yes...no... it's just a blister. Nothing bad. What happened?>>
He heard footsteps, softer than he would have at first thought a robot this size was capable of. It was Midnight, he knew, even if he barely saw more than the glowing visor. He felt himself getting picked up, not protesting much.
<<I felt your pain>> Midnight whispered.
<<It was just a little burn>>
<<I see that now>> An apology coursed through him.
<<What happened? I felt... danger....>>
Midnight sighed. <<I was trying to find you, then there was the pain. I .... got carried away>> Embarrassment accompanied the words. <<I fell over a root when I tried to get to you>> More embarrassment.
Steve had to laugh despite the lingering headache and was rewarded with an indignant mutter. <<Guess that's why you have wings, flyboy>>
Midnight grunted something and set his partner down outside the cave, mind carefully scanning for injuries.
"I'm okay, Mid. Really. This happens to us fleshlings. It will heal and it's not life-threatening."
The Seeker didn't seem very convinced and Steve sighed.
"Listen, we have to get some things cleared..... First of all, I'm not as fragile as you think I am. We organics are rather enduring, as evolution can tell you. We didn't make it this far out of the pond because we fall apart at the slightest bruise."
Midnight started to protest, but Steve raised a hand.
"Second, being Interface partners means we share a special, intimate bond. But it doesn't mean we have to baby-sit each other. Mothers let their children play alone, Midnight. All I'm asking of you is to stop mother-henning me. I can take care of myself and if I'm in danger of being seriously injured, you will know. Third, the shields. We have to really work on those. We can't go on experiencing little incidents like dolby surround events. This will drive us crazy!"
Midnight bowed his head, kneeling down. "I understand what you are trying to say," he said softly. "It's just so... hard. I want to....protect you."
"Don't you think the feeling isn't likewise?"
That got him a strange, surprised look.
Steve laughed. "This link is two-sided. I feel the same about you, metal head. I appreciate the thought. I know this is something very special about the link, even if I might never understand the details behind Interfacing, but we have to accept that protection is not meant to be all day, all week, all our lives. We have to live!"
Midnight reached out and gently touched the burn mark on Steve's wrist and the dark-haired human let him. There was an almost wistful expression in the robotic face. "I don't want you to be angry," Midnight finally said. "I don't want to lose you either. We are one. I cannot stand to lose you, Steve. The separation on Kreek.... for the time of the healing... it was painful. It showed me how much I needed you."
Steve gently touched the larger hand. "We need each other, but we also need freedom. We are individuals. This is a symbiosis. Giving and taking. We are equals, we work together, but are still separate in mind. Never in soul," he added softly.
<<Never in soul>> Midnight echoed, smiling.
Steve mirrored the smile.

.......

Tornado looked thoughtfully at his friend. Midnight smiled.
"What I'm trying to say is that you make more mistakes through good intentions than help. Nick is a free individual, even if he shares a part of you no one else can ever reach. We are bound to protect our partners by what the Tjineran put into our programming. The partner we gain by Interfacing acquires the same through us. But we can work around this fierce initial protection, we can chose whether it will govern our life or not. You will destroy more than just a friendship by insisting to bundle Nick up. Let him live, Tornado. He gives you the same freedom and choices."
The Seeker leader sighed softly. "It's so hard.... I understand what you are trying to say, but it's so hard!"
Midnight nodded. "It wasn't meant to be easy, but it's not impossible. We all had to go through this and we all had our fights and sacrifices to make. It's worth it, Tornado."
The dark blue robot was silent for a long time and Midnight saw a slightly distant expression enter the silver optics. Communicating, he knew.
"Thanks," he finally said quietly.
"Hey, no problem. Like I said, we all had to work through this. It isn't a matter of how closely you have bonded. It is a simply fact of Interface life." He grinned.
Tornado gave him a lop-sided grin of his own. "I'll try to keep this in mind."
<<Everything oki-doki on your end?>> Steve's question arrived through the link.
<<As best as you can have it after a simple talk>>
<<And spreading embarrassing details from our past>>
Midnight sent a chuckle. <<I wasn't the only one>>
<<Hey, it worked, right?>>
<<Right>>
<<Nick wants to talk to Tornado>> Steve went on.
<<I believe Tornado is ready for it>>
Midnight gave his friend a nod and rose. "I believe you have some things to discuss, hm?" he said aloud.
Tornado nodded. "Thanks, Mid."
"No problem. My pleasure to be of help." With that he left.

*

Tornado had chosen to wait for Nick. His friend was in his private office room, somewhere he couldn't fit, and it was Nick's choice when he wanted to talk. He hadn't bothered him over the link, had upheld the basic shields, and waited. From where he sat, on the roof of West Central's parking space for visitors, he could see most of the new complex that had been erected in the last months. The Constructicons had outdid themselves and they were proud of the light gray and dark blue building that now housed the guest quarters, as well as eighty percent of the convention center and conference halls. It was a beautiful construction of metal, plastics and glass-like fabrics. Overhead, a shuttle passed and made slowly for the small intraplanet port.
"Hey," a soft voice reached his audios and he looked down.
Nick stood there, hands stuffed in the pockets of his old jeans, an equally old jeans jacket pulled over a white shirt. His 'civvies' he called the attire. Normally he walked around in a coverall that identified him as the chief engineer.
"Hey," Tornado answered.
They were both silent for a while and Tornado wondered where to start. Finally he said,
"I'm sorry, Nick."
Nicholas looked up, a mild frown on his features. "What for?"
The Seeker thought for a moment. "Everything," he finally said. "Except for meeting you, for Interfacing," he added, a warm smile lingering on his lips.
Nick swallowed and Tornado felt a ripple along the link. "Thanks. Listen, I..... I know I said some things.... and I didn't mean them. It's just, at that time, I was angry....."
"I'd say 'madder than hell'....." Tornado teased and it got him a dark look.
"Well, I was angry," Nick repeated. "And I said things I regret. I never really regretted Interfacing, only that I wasn't given a warning. Looks like no one gets one, though." He shrugged. "I appreciate what you are trying to do for me, but you have to understand that despite how small I look from your point of view, I am an individual. I have lived my life happily and controlled by no one but my parents while I was a kid. I know how to take care of myself. I have worked with Cybertronians for fifteen years before you came along."
He looked up and met the warmly glowing, silver optics.
"I know it all, Nick. I know it only too well, but something inside of me," he touched his chest plate, "insists I spare you any harm."
"And because of that, we both get hurt even more," the human finished softly.
"I understand that now."
Nick sat down beside his soul partner. "I know we can't solve this from one day to the next, but... we have to. Otherwise, it will kill us."
Tornado nodded. "I'll give it my best shot. Mid and Steve managed it, everyone managed it. We should, too."
Nick chuckled. "Think so? Two stubborn individuals like us?"
The Seeker gave him a soft smile. "Two individuals bonded by soul," he said calmly. "Yes, we can do it."