Hours upon hours of sobbing, Sideswipe finally exhausted himself. He seemed a bit more at peace and was resting on Sunstreakers shoulder. Sunstreakers faceplates were scrunched up, holding onto his brother tight to keep him calm as he slept. Sunstreaker was very worried for his twin, the dark sensation that Sideswipe felt within his spark was...disturbing. Sunstreakers spark was clenched and he had a strange sense of Déjà vu...

Sunstreaker knew not to trust himself to get too close. But the fact that this disease (yeah, Sunstreaker figured he could roll with that) was feeling oddly familiar, as if he experienced this before made him want to come closer if anything so he may protect his twin.

Anything that felt familiar like this needed to be stopped. 

It made Sideswipe sick, disoriented, experience hallucinations, and...scared. Sunstreaker could feel it all in the bond they shared. Sometimes, at night, he could've sworn the dark...whatever it was-disease-this sickly disease that made the once carefree red maniac warrior turn into...this. He could feel his brother changing. The disease...was reaching out to him through his spark, almost tauntingly. Sunstreaker had to always block off his brother in the bond just to keep it from spreading. It made is spark ache, knowing how much his brother needed him.

Sunstreaker felt beyond frustrated. He was helpless. The golden warrior was known to attack any problem he would encounter so it could be solved as quick as possible. 

He couldn't do that here.

Sunstreaker had to be (primus forbid)...patient. Patient with his own brother. His spark ached a little at that as if the disease was calling to him, laughing at his misfortune to watch his brother turn into another twitching Red Alert, to be able to do nothing as he didn't understand.

But Sunstreaker felt something familiar. He knew it. And whatever this disease was...it could go frag itself. 

Nothing harmed his brother without Sunstreakers say in it. 

Nothing.

So, Sunstreaker decided to put his foot down. Enough was enough. This disease would not win. 

::Ratchet, It's me Sunstreaker,:: Sunstreaker began. ::I'm in the training room. It's Sideswipe again.::

...

A slow rhythmic beeping noise filled the tense atmosphere of the medbay along with the tapping of Ratchet's anxious pacing. Sunstreaker watched Ratchet silently as he sat next to his brother.

Ratchet was pranked on many times, causing unrest in the medic. He often threw things, screamed, growled due to a harmless glob of paint on his faded armor. But now, Ratchet was beginning to wish this prankster returned. Not that the medic would ever admit it...

Sunstreaker watched Ratchet pace back and forth, almost to keep his mind off the situation. He could see it was getting to Ratchet and shook his helm. "What is it, Ratchet? What's wrong with him?"

Ratchet sighed, stopping in his footing. The old medic looked away, his optics dimming in regret. "I don't know what's wrong with him," he whispered. 

"What do you mean you, 'don't know'!?" Sunstreaker suddenly snarled, getting off the chair next to his twins berth where he currently was restrained and hooked up to several cables and wires. Ratchet always knew what was wrong, why was this different?

Ratchet whipped around with a glare, frustrated with himself. "It means I don't know!" Ratchet shouted. "it means he may die or he may not! It means I can't do anything to help him right now!" Ratchet snapped, his voice wavering. His spark ached and he turned away once more.

Sunstreaker wanted to strangle the medic, anger rising within him. He went to step forward but decided against it. Ratchet was smart...he could fix this...soon. So, he slumped back down in the chair with an uncomfortable slouch. 

An awkward and tense silence filled the air along with the beeping. Most would consider it annoying,  but they knew it reminded them Sideswipe was alive...for now at least.

Sunstreaker shook his helm. He needed to stop thinking this way. Sideswipe needed someone to be optimistic for him. Sunstreaker wasn't good at it but he sure as slag would try for his twin. 

Sunstreaker leaned forward and put his helm in his servos. Primus, how did they get into this mess? All because of a stupid explosion? All because his twin was stupid? Sunstreaker wanted to groan in exasperation. it couldn't be. Sideswipe had to have been sick before, right? Sparks don't get diseases after they almost blow up...right? Familiar diseases don't pop up like that. 

Familiar...

It made him sick himself. Why was this disease so nagging? So ruthless? So cruel? How could it be felt only between the two? Why did it make Sideswipes optics violet sometimes when he-.

........

Sunstreaker stilled, his systems freezing. His optics widened and his spark clenched. 

No.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, NO!

This could NOT be happening!

This...disease hasn't shown up in...since they were on Cybertron. 

It couldn't be! Yet...it felt the same. It did the same effects, just...reversed. 

Sunstreaker felt a small terrified whine escape his vocalizer. 

"It's...sentient," Sunstreaker whispered with a squeak. 

Ratchet turned back around, glaring at him in confusion. "What in the pits are you talking about!?" He sneered. He didn't have time for random guesses. Sideswipe needed him. 

"It's sentient," Sunstreaker repeated firmly but his protoform seemed to have paled in color. The golden warrior trembled as he stood up. "And that thing in Sideswipes spark is dangerous. Sideswipe is going to get us all killed if we don't do something right now."

Ratchet stared at him, confused and hesitant. Should he trust him? He apparently seemed to know what was wrong...

"What would need to do exactly?" Ratchet rose an optic ridge. 

"It's something...I must do with a bit of help." Sunstreaker glanced at his brother then back to Ratchet quietly and by his look Ratchet began to regret asking his question. "I must try to offline myself."