Author's Note: Sorry for the very,very long time without updating! My only excuse is I got distracted and busy. Thanks to Riptide2 (and the troubles only going to get worse) for reviewing the last chapter! I own nothing but my OCs

What It Takes To Live-First Blood

"Blu: I would love to go five minutes without almost getting killed! Is that too much to ask?

Jewel: For a bird who can't fly? Oh yeah!"-Rio

Shadow would have thought she would have gotten used to fighting by now. Fighting had been common in the Decepticon base and during the entire course of the war. It was something she should have taken in her stride by now but she hadn't. Despite the fact that Seeker frame types were built for war she longed for peace. Still she held nothing back while she collided with one of the drones in the lead. TC was right on her tail and Starscream sliced through the air in front of her faster than any rocket the humans could produce. Jetfire pulled in an assist with Shadow and they watched together as the first drone crashed to the ground.

"One down, five more to go," Jetfire mumbled before shooting off. Shadow followed him with her typical eerie grace, counting on their Autobot allies to explain the situation. Despite their superior numbers the drones had been ill trained and were now dropping like flies. Shadow couldn't help but feel a wave of satisfaction at how smoothly the remaining Decepticon Seekers worked together as a whole and as the last drone dropped to the ground dead she couldn't help the wide grin that spread across her face.

"We are good," Jetfire said with a smirk and Shadow felt her smile widen.

"No doubt," she returned as the four of them dropped to the ground. Starscream rolled his optics skyward and let out a long suffering sigh but TC was smirking widely at the two younger Seekers' confidance.

"Shockwave won't be happy about that," one of the Autobot fliers commented, eyeing the Decepticons warily.

For a moment all the returnees could do was gape at the Aerialbot. Shadow knew there expressions held different degrees of fear and shock which would have been comical at any other time but now. Now it was as if they were waking up from a pleasant dream only to find they were still living in a nightmare. "Shockwave?" Shadow finally brought herself to ask, optics incredulous.

"Seriously Jetstorm," Jazz spoke up. "What 'ave ya been eatin'? Shockwave's offlined."

"No he isn't," Jetstorm replied with an odd look fixed on his faceplates. "He's been here since the war began and no one can manage to kill him. He's like some nightmare creature out of a legend of the Pit; always looming up out of the dark when he's least expected."

The four Decepticon Seekers exchanged glances bordering on incredulous confusion. "You must be mistaken," Starscream said carefully. "Shockwave is dead. I saw him killed."

"What if he wasn't?" TC spoke up suddenly, exchange a glance with Shadow who suddenly felt her spark sink.

"He couldn't have," she murmured, the empty denial doing nothing to stop the awful feeling of truth coiling in her.

"You really think he would have told us if he had?" TC responded archly and Shadow had the uncomfortably feeling of the truth smacking her in the face.

"So what is it you two know that you haven't told me yet?" Starscream asked. TC kept his expression blank but Shadow glanced away from Starscream's dark gaze almost guiltily before she replied.

"Shockwave may have figured out how to clone himself."