Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers or its canon characters. So please, don't sue.

Theme Song: Hilf Mir by Rammstein

"Why am I here?"

Shockwave's prisoner had asked that question many-a cycle. He answered her patiently each time, even when her moods became erratic. She was a highly valuable prisoner of war and a skilled medic and scientist. And since Lord Megatron had no one else to spare, she seemed to be the logical choice to assist him in his research.

She was placated by the answer, at least somewhat, while Shockwave was not.

Despite her many benefits, he could have terminated her just like the rest of her team. It would have been the logical course of action and no one would have blamed him for it. Still, her piercing blue optics tore his processor asunder in a way that no other mech or femme could.

Shockwave loathed emotion. As a scientist, it had no place in his work. It was simpler this way. His past as a Tarnian senator could not harm him. His ritual disfigurement by the Council? It ceased to bother him. All that was left was his desire to aide Lord Megatron and his cause.

And yet…

This femme. She managed to awaken emotions in him that he had thought he had destroyed.

"Why am I here?" the question met his audial receptors again.

He turned sharply to find the red and white femme staring at him intently, brow furrowed. Rare emotion flashed in his optic, fear, uncertainty… hope? He no longer had control of himself anymore, and it frightened him.

"Your questions are erroneous and do not pertain to the situation at hand," he answered gruffly as he turned back to his work. "Red Alert, fetch the-"

He stopped short when her gentle servo touched his shoulder plating. He turned to face her. "Why? Why do you keep me alive here? And don't give me that slag about needing me. I'm not that important to Megatron's cause. Why did you save me? I want to know," she asked, determination written across her features.

"Your question-"

"Is what? Illogical?" Her optics narrowed. "I'm not going to up easily this time. It's been three stellar cycles, Shockwave, and I want to know. Why am I here?"

Shockwave shrugged her hand away and continued his work, trying to drown out the sound of her voice and the pounding of his spark. Still, her voice only increased in volume as she continued to berate him.

"Why? What are you so afraid of me knowing?" Still, he did not answer.

Her facial plating contorted in a snarl. "Don't you dare ignore me! Why am I here?! Answer me, you fragging Decepticon!"

She softly gasped as Shockwave's arm shot out, sending test tubes and beakers flying in the process. He grasped her arm tightly as his optic met hers. "Because for some unknown reason I cannot be rid of you! You have corrupted my logical circuits and I cannot find myself to kill you. Every waking moment, my processor is preoccupied with thoughts of you and I cannot shake them." His voice lowered dangerously. "Tell me, if I promised to set you free, would you release me from your spell? Would you leave me in peace? Can you possibly repair this damage?"

A tense silence fell over the laboratory before, much to Shockwave's consternation, the femme began to laugh. "Is this why you're so upset? Because the great Shockwave can feel, after all?" After some time, she softened. "See, that's what your problem is. You can hide yourself away from society but you still have emotion. Beneath all that scientific and logical slag, you still feel. Admit it."

Shockwave tensed, servos slightly shaking as he gripped the examination table. "Leave me…"

"No," the femme replied as she crossed her arms over her chassis. "And you know I'm just as stubborn as you are. So, tell me, why me? Why do you have feelings for me?"

"... I do not know."

He nearly chuckled at how illogical it all was. Felled by a mere femme. Primus must have deemed to play a cruel joke at his expense.

So lost was he in his own thoughts that he did not feel the femme's servos pull his helm towards her until it was too late. Before he knew what was happening, a gentle kiss was laid on the edge of his optic.

His processor scrambled to come up with an explanation as his frame tensed and his spark threatened to tear his chassis asunder. And the femme dared to laugh again, that beautiful sound that chased away rationality. "Ah, proof. You can feel."

She dared to mock him when he was in such a state? "It would be wise not to test me right now, Red Alert."

"Oh, but I think it's the perfect time. You won't harm me." She gently caressed the side of his facial plating. "My love."

Something resounded in his spark again. Yes, he believed he could distinguish it now. It was hope. "So you've sealed your fate?"

"Perhaps, if we really want to be overdramatic," Red Alert chuckled.

Shockwave caressed her facial plating with a clawed servo and she even dared to smile up at him, those pit-spawned blue optics glistening. "You know, it's usually the mech that admits that they love a femme first."

It was then that Shockwave uttered a phrase that he never thought he would ever say to anyone. "I love you, Red Alert," he whispered.

"See was that so hard?" She kissed him again. "I love you, Shockwave."

When interrogated why he kept the Autobot femme, he naturally replied that she was a vital part in finishing his research but he knew differently. She was what made him feel, she was the light in his darkness, she was everything to him.

Others called it logic, others curiosity, but only he knew the real answer.

Love.

D/N: Okay. After reading some really tear-jerking Red Alert and Shockwave stories on fanfic, I decided to make a little one-shot of my own. I've always been such a fan of this pairing, seriously. In Animated, most fanfics portray her as having a thing for Long Arm and then getting captured when she finds out it's Shockwave and they find love anyway. Perfect love story in my optics. Though blondie did kinda turn me over to the dark side when it came to the 'Cons. :3

Anywho, I hope you enjoyed it and that y'all had a wonderful Father's Day.

"Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love" 1 Corinthians 13:13

And if you could continue to pray for my father and sister who are still ill and my friend's brother who was walking pneumonia, I'd be much obliged.

May God bless you!

Until next time, Dream'sRealm