Shockbox: (blinks stupidly) Yay! I updated again! (pops confetti) This chapter was a litle harder to write, seeing as I had less to work with with inspiration wise, but meh. I got it up and that's all that counts. (winks) Transformers and such is not owned by me. I just own the plot and my laptop and such.

/Watching me, wanting me/

/I can feel you pull me down/

/Fearing you, loving you/

/I won't let you pull me down

Haunted - Evanescence

000

The darkness never erupted. It only remained.

Sideways unlined his optics slowly as he came to, the pink light of his narrowed eyes contrasting horribly with the shadows around him. Taking in his surroundings with an unsteady mind and frail concept of where he was, he laid on the ground uncomfortably settled on his back tires for perchance a little under an hour. Perhaps it took him more than an hour or so to know exactly where he was, let alone wake up from his dazed state, but it did little to matter. He was no longer on the side of the road where he collapsed, but he was surrounded by total darkness. Somewhat panicked, he sat up slowly and got to his feet while wobbling a little, managing to not fall over in a stroke of luck of its own.

"Dammit…" Sideways looked around him, knowing he was in the darkness of recharge once more like that of his nightmares, although the air here was different. There was no hostility that loomed over him like a wet blanket on a freezing night. It seemed warmer somehow and all that much less threatening on a whole.

For the record, it surprised him. Even more so when he heard something and was struck.

Abruptly, like something out of all haphazard surprises he had ever known, Sideways felt something hit the back of his head. It was a small object-slightly squishy as well-but it had enough force on impact to cause him to stumble slightly. His footsteps echoed ominously throughout the eerie blackness and, for the sake of himself, it was something that made him momentarily terrified. Regaining his proper footing, he felt the high wave of apprehension regarding turning around and looking at whatever had struck him. Still, nonetheless, he did turn, making a slow turn on his heel and looking over his shoulder expecting to see Unicron…

He saw no such thing as demonic as his prior lord. Instead, his pink optics settled onto the feathered creature lying on the ground several feet away from him. It was a small white bird. Its innocent and light blue eyes stared blankly at him and clearly it died due to impacting his head.

Sideways knew right away what kind of animal it was since Ruby mentioned it several times in some church sessions. Of course, he never actually saw these sessions because he was never allowed to. He could only listen to them through a small crack in the wall in his room that lead to the main church hall. The small bird was a dove, more commonly known as a pigeon. In Earth religion, some considered them sacred…

Frankly, he noted with a painful start he killed the dove. Accidentally mind you, but he supposed it came with the brand of being a monster created by the chaos god.

"…I'm so sorry," Sideways whispered to no one in particular. He knew the statement had been directed to the corpse of the dead bird, even if it wasn't like it could ever hear him. It wasn't like he could give back the life he had taken from the small white bird.

Sideways kneeled slowly and picked up the deceased bird, holding it in his left hand as a sense of guilt came over him like a powerful wave crashing on a beach. He stood up and wobbled slightly again looking into the bird's eyes. He lifted up his right hand and, with his index finger, stroked the soft white feathers on the dove hoping that it would wake up and be alive again. To no avail, and in a depressing sense, it stayed lying on its back not moving an inch. Those dead eyes continued to stare at him like they were begging from a release of some sort of pain, and Sideways felt worse realizing the impact with his head had not killed the small dove. Hitting the ground had. The poor creature, minding its own business and flying through the darkness like an angel, had not seen him and had struck the back of his skull before it could avoid him. The agony of breaking all of its fragile, organic bones had been agony for the beautiful animal and, tragically, it had to suffer through its pain until it finally hit the ground.

…The frightening thing was, it reminded him of himself.

Sideways could barely remember when he was normal… When he was still that of a regular and average young and energetic mech on a planet he could no longer remember. Nor could he remember his own name from his original origins-he could barley remember anything really after awakening up reborn in Unicron for the first time as a slave to the unholy god-but a part of him knew he was like the dove. He had been carefree as far as he could remember and, although he knew nothing of his past, he knew he was free.

Free was a word that Sideways knew could never describe him. Something like that never could.

He had no clue whether he was the first or final casualties when Unicron devoured his planet, but he knew he died painfully. He knew nothing of his death or why Unicron had chosen him, but he had. He was reborn within Unicron's dark heart in the darkest corners of the chaos lord's innards-delusional, weak, and in pain with no recollection of how he had gotten there or who he was-and enslaved. Essentially, he was no longer free.

He wanted to be free from Unicron's overpowering grasp for the longest time.

There were times he tried to resist Unicron, true, but he always ended up on his knees and screaming in agony when Unicron assaulted him inside his own CPU and darkening spark. Eventually, he was broken entirely, any evidence of his past self entirely gone. All that remained was the twisted beast called Sideways.

He was like the dove because he had hit something he could never avoid, fell in a downward spiral, and, eventually, became an empty shell and only the reflection he once was. Unicron killed him just as he had slain the sacred white bird.

Sideways felt a moisture-alien to him, but familiar al the same-built up at his optics. He snarled and tried to blink them away. He only managed to succeed slightly noting his face still burned from the sort of grief he felt. He kneeled down and set the cream colored pigeon down gently, careful to not ham the frail body with his massive fingers. He stood up again and turned away so he wouldn't have to face the innocent creature he had unconsciously stolen life from.

He sighed and never looked over his shoulder, afraid he would break down in disbelief he saw the body once more. "…Forgive me." With that, and with nothing else to do but to think and figure out how to get home, he began walking in the opposite direction-

Ruffling of feathers. Flapping of wings. Coos of a small animal.

The sounds were so random and so quick in succession, Sideways nearly jumped out of his own casing. He whipped around unconsciously, only realizing he did so when a flash of white caught his optic.

Turning around, Sideways saw the dove flying right over to him.

"Okay, if that isn't a fluke then I don't know what it is," Sideways said surprised as the bird perched on his shoulder. It cooed lightly, letting its claws tap lightly on his mauve shoulder plating as it settled into a comfortable position. The last time a bird had ever perched on him, it had been a seagull on Earth that refused to leave him alone while he was in vehicle-mode. He preferred to try to not remember shifting to robot-mode when no one was looking to throw the animal into the nearest lamppost, but that was another story all together. Here, the dove was no where near aggravating on the scale the brain dead seagull was, and the dove was so much quieter now, so much more innocent…

…So much more alive when it had been dead moments earlier.

"Thank you for your kindness towards me."

Sideways felt his spark skip a beat and he looked around him quickly. The bird remained perched on his shoulder, true, but he couldn't find anyone else with him currently that had been the source of the small, almost feminine voice…

Then the bird on his shoulder shifted and cooed again. In an instant, Sideways snapped his head to stare incredulously white bird. He'd never seen any animal other than a human that could speak but… Had the dove really spoken to him?

"Yes, Sideways, I'm talking to you." The bird's beak never moved, nor did the dove itself, but the dove radiated the air of more sentience than it should've held to begin with. "You shouldn't be so surprised, really. A giant virus machine created by a demonic being is much more impressive than a small white bird, you know."

The thought was confirmed in an instant. Suddenly, the bird flew off Sideways' shoulder and landed on the ground. Then the small animal was engulfed in a bright light and Sideways had to cover his optics from the intense brightness. Then the light died down and the realized it had died down enough for him to uncover his optics. When he did, it was still hard enough for him to see still. A woman stood before Sideways where the dove once was. She had dirty blonde hair, light blue eyes that would lighten the darkest of souls, and a sky blue robe on that reminded Sideways about Sapphire's own sky blue optics.

It still didn't stop Sideways from making a strangled noise in his throat when he realized just who he was looking at. Sideways had seen pictures of her in the church and knew her well.

It was the mother of Jesus Christ, Mary.

Sideways gulped when he saw Mary before him. He couldn't believe it. Aside the fact this made him a prophet of sorts, he knew Ruby would have a conniption if he dared even try to convince Ruby he was one. Just as he finished the thought, Mary began to walk towards the stunned bot in light, delicate steps more suited for that of a cat than a dove. More so on impulse. Sideways backed away slightly, optics wide in shock and awe.

Mary didn't smile, but something along the lines of one radiated off her like the soothing warmth of a fire. "Do not worry. I wish to not harm you again," she spoke with a soft voice that pierced the silence in the darkness.

'Again…?' Sideways thought before he realized what she was talking about. "Are you saying you caused me to collapse on the side of the road?"

Mary sadly nodded her head, her face still entirely neutral. "I didn't wish to harm you but it was the only way I could get your attention," she spoke walking up to Sideways again. Her moth never moved when she talked, nor did the light that radiated of her form lessen as she spoke. She truly held the air of an angel, and Sideways felt a pang of self-consciousness take over when he realized he was nothing compared to what the angel before him was.

The virus kneeled down beside the mother of Christ without him even noticing as Mary looked up at him. His red optics met the human's blue ones and he held out a hand to her. "Well, you got my attention," he said just as Mary got on his hand, seemingly ignoring his silent invitation to get on.

Standing up, Sideways stared down at the human in his palm. Suddenly, the smile on her gentle face vanished. "Please, Heaven and those seeking sanctuary there are in grave peril," she said with a voice not nearly as steady as it had been prior. Her tone wasn't Sideways' first immediate concern though.

This got Sideways' attention as he stared down at her. Not nearly as much so as when she had pain lance throughout his entire system, but the point had gotten across nonetheless. "What do you mean," the virus asked confused by this. Mary looked at him with a pleading look on her face. The neutral air held to it before had lessened slightly, and the only emotion that got through to him from her was utter fear.

That was never a good thing. Sideways knew that all too well.

"The devil himself threatens to return to the world of mortals again. The Lords that control the essence of all that lives cannot stop him, but there are those who can. I believe that someone is you along with two others," Mary said as Sideways bit his lower lip behind his faceplate. "Please, Sideways. It has become a mater of life and death."

"Why me?" Sideways asked still in shock that the devil threatened to return again…

Wait. Again?

"…The devil's risen to the world of mortals once? When did that happen?" Sideways eyed Mary, looking at her with confused optics. A moment later, Mary looked at him surprised.

"Why, I thought you would have known who your old master really was," Mary said as a look of sheer horror appeared on Sideways' face. His optics widened slightly and he clenched his teeth behind his faceplate.

"No… Are you saying Unicron is the devil himself!"

Mary nodded her head in response to the bot's uttermost shock, her reddish brown hair falling over her eyes slightly like that of a veil. "Indeed, he is. But that is why you have been chosen to help the other two destroy him," she said as Sideways tried-and miserably fail-to regain his composure.

The cyclist shook his head mentally, clearing his thoughts and trying to reorganize the once that wouldn't clear from his processor, and looked back to the angel standing on his palm. "Who are the other two that can help me," he asked as Mary frowned.

The red headed woman looked around her, almost nervously, before turning her attention back to the cyclist. Her voice was softer now, almost as if she were afraid someone would hear their conversation. "Unfortunately, the first has been tricked by a priest into believing that he can revive her lost love by using the power of a stone that once belonged to my son. Even worse, the one she loves, the second, is in the reincarnated body of a creature that has no way of warning her of the danger," Mary said worriedly. She made an entirely un-useful gesture with her hands and looked at Sideways with even more seriousness than before. "I fear for both their lives."

What she said began to make sense to Sideways until she had mentioned the priest involved. From what he knew, priests were supposed to be holy people-good people at most-who tried to help others. Sideways did a mental double take and stared down at Mary with a slightly raised optic ridge. "What does the priest have to do with this," Sideways asked the female angel in his palm. Mary took her gaze away from him for a moment and stared in the darkness. Sideways turned his head to look as well and he swore he heard soft whispers from the shadows. Mary turned back to him with a worried look on her face.

"I must explain quickly. The devil's followers will kill you if they see you with me," she said quietly, eyes slightly wider and her voice even twice as soft. So there was something other then them in the shadows, and the mention of the Devil's followers got Sideways on edge.

All he remembered being in the darkness was Unicron… Unless… Oh, Primus…

Mary broke him from his horrifying hypothesis and almost made conclusion. "The priest's name is Father Benjamin Burrougs. He refers to himself as Father Ben, but his name is not of importance. Only the horrors he wishes to unleash in greed to increase his own power." Mary stopped and made another quick look about her. "As for the two that will help you, you know the first as Alexis-"

Sideways blinked at attention at the familiar name. "She was one of the humans that always followed the Autobots…"

"Yes," Mary said quickly, maybe almost impatiently. "She was the brown haired girl that was on the Autobots when you were on their side. Aside that, after Starscream died, she began to mourn for him very much. She loved him and never got to chance to tell him that. She began to slip into depression after the Autobots departed for Cybertron and she needed to get extra credit in school because that sadness prevented her from getting good grades… Alexis went to an old church to get some information for her project. Unfortunately, Father Ben, the priest of that church, had been contacted by dark sprits telling him that he could have the power of Satin himself if he revived the Dark Lord with the stone she obtained from inside the chaos god. He was so consumed with greed that he didn't realize the consequences of such foolish behavior. When she came to him, he made up the lie that he would revive Starscream if she gave him the stone."

Suddenly, an evil but soft laughter filled the air and Sideways felt a cold chill travel through his body. Sideways shivered slightly and Mary resumed her explaining even more hushed and quickly than ever.

"She gave him the stone that belonged to my son, Jesus. They then preformed a ritual that the priest said was supposed to revive Starscream. It was really a curse Ben put on the whole room. After Alexis left, he took the stone and replaced it with the body of a dove. The following day, Alexis went to the church to find Starscream's figure behind the curtain leading into the room. It wasn't Starscream. It was a demon created by the bodies of doves that Ben killed using poison. It had no physical body yet so its spirit could morph into the figure of Starscream. Even as we speak, that demon grows into its physical form. It won't be useful for bringing Unicron back. Ben needs it to kill Alexis and the second. The second that will help you knows of the danger but cannot warn her."

It became deathly cold and Sideways could see Mary's breath in the chilled air. Then, Sideways felt a dark presence in the room and felt like he had weights tied onto him. Mary gasped.

"…They're here," she whispered just barley under her breath. Her face was paler now and her breath was thin as if she were on edge. After a moment-and a moment that was nearly as short as perhaps Hotshot's own attention span-Mary turned her blue eyed gaze back to Sideways. Fear was etched onto her face in an obviously painful manner, and that said manner frightened Sideways a great deal at the moment. "You must leave."

The ominous feeling he had in his nightmares began to creep back into his existence and Sideways felt utter and raw fear begin to rear its ugly head. But there were still things he needed to know! Mary had not yet even come close to finishing any sort of explanation of what was happening and, in an even more frightening sense, he knew not what to do with the information he now possessed. Tel Sapphire? Go back to the Autobots and, Primus forbid, tell Optimus? The thought seemed unlikely and so likely all the same, but he didn't know what it was exactly Mary wanted him to do exactly!

"What about the priest! When will he revive Unicron!" Sideways felt panic etching into his voice as his 'nightmare' escalated. Sideways was always used to the looming presence of Unicron, true, but it had increased in ferocity, The feeling of having a wet blanket over his head turned into a choking veil of darkness that kept him from breathing and made him feel as if he were drowning in a freezing stem like mist. It was horrible and he felt his spark pulsate faster in fear.

Mary looked about her wildly, her body almost distorted by the feeling of fear that overcame the cyclist mech. He felt tears unconsciously stinging his optics in frustration and frightened anxiety when the human angel didn't respond immediately. After a moment, she looked to him again, her eyes looking wild and scared. "Yes, he will have the demon kill Alexis at 11:47 tomorrow and, at the exact hour of midnight thirteen minutes later, he will revive the chaos lord. He'll gain the powers and strengths of Unicron as well before then perhaps, but nothing is for sure unless you act quickly."

Sideways felt something touch his leg and he stepped backward quickly in surprise. Turning his head to look at Mary, he saw was as white as a ghost.

"You must wake up! Now! They'll kill you!"

Suddenly, Sideways felt a sharp pain in his back as if someone stabbed him. He screamed only when the pain twisted in his lower back and ripped up to his shoulder like someone had jerked a sword from inside him up his body unmercifully. He stumbled forward in pain as Mary fell off his hand. Without so much as even a scream, she swiftly transformed into the white dove and flew off into the darkness. Sideways stood up again when he recovered and looked around, searching for Mary with terrified optics.

"Mary! Mary, you forgot to tell me who the second's identity was! MARY!"

Perhaps as even out of a horror novel or gross slasher movie, two red eyes appeared in front of the virus and something along the lines of being cold and unforgiving hands grabbed him around the neck. The dark force, whatever it was, then tossed the virus to the floor and suddenly jumped on his stomach, pinning Sideways down like a cat would pin a small dove. Like Unicron pinned Sideways under his control.

Sideways snapped his eyes shut and desperately tried to wake himself up from the unfolding nightmare.

"Sideways, open your optics. There is no escape."

Sideways tried to flail his arms and legs but he couldn't move, the weight of the creature on top of him too much of a load. Suddenly, he felt whoever it was grab the cross around his neck and, with a monstrous force, rip it right off. Sideways gasped suddenly, seeing that the cross was Sapphire's and meant so very much to her. Now, because of him, it wasn't around his neck anymore. Without even realizing what he was doing, he opened his optics. Sheer horror, terror, and a sudden regret for opening his optics filled him as he saw the creature on top of him.

If he could find his voice or anything real part of him, he would have either screamed or cried. Crying was weak, true, but he had nothing left to loose now.

Sapphire smirked down at her prey. "It's time to go to Hell, Sideways," the demon smirked as tears began forming in the virus' optics.

"No! You're not Sapphire!" He began to flail around again and suddenly glared at Sapphire, finding the energy to get his legs free and bring them to his chest. "Go rot in the Pit!" He kicked the femme in the breast plate and she flew off him, landing on her back.

A sickening crack echoed out as Sapphire landed on the ground. Her back snapped and she lay motionless. A sudden realization filled the virus. He killed her. He had broken her back and neck when he kicked her off him, killing the femme. Sideways stood and stared at the limp body across the room. Against his own will, tears forced themselves out of his optics as he walked towards her corpse.

"No. Sapphire, I'm so sorry." His voice was trembling. He kneeled next to her body and lifted her head slightly. He extended another hand towards her face and stroked her cheek. Suddenly, she opened her optics. Sideways gasped and dropped her head and, falling backwards onto his rear, backed up using just his hands and legs, not finding the strength to stand. Sapphire's optics were red instead of blue. Unicron red.

"Oh, come now Sideways. Are you really afraid of me?" Sapphire's voice sounded just like Unicron's as she stood up and began to walk towards Sideways. The manner was almost seductive-a walk that was never used by the real Sapphire-as her hips swayed from side to side in an intoxicating manner. Her body suddenly changed its form, growing bulky and evil looking to form the horrible figure of Unicron. In all his hideous glory, he continued o advance on the virus without missing a single beat. "You really are a weakling. Just as you were when I found you and just as you are now."

"St-stay away from me!"

Unicron came closer to Sideways. Suddenly, something grabbed him by the shoulders and prevented him from backing up further. He was trapped. Unicron then dropped down in front of Sideways and grabbed his neck. Sideways gasped as air was forced out of his mechanical lungs. Although Transformers didn't need to breathe oxygen, they still had to breathe, taking intakes, to keep their normal involuntary functions functioning. Suddenly, Sideways realized Unicron was going to strangle him.

Something behind him bit him and started digging into his armor. Sideways tried to scream but his voice box was being crushed by Unicron's grip around his throat. Something else scratched him followed by more bites. Sideways realized that Unicron wasn't the only one he needed to worry about. His other demons were trying to kill him as well. Sideways tried to thrash around but he was firmly pinned. No escape.

Sideways snapped his optics shut and tried to mentally break free from the nightmare. It wasn't working as he felt the creatures rip at his armor and Unicron's grip tighten. Those monsters were trying to eat him alive and Unicron was trying to throttle him. He didn't know which was worse.

"You will die for your betrayal and your pet will perish."

A sudden anger and determination arose in him as he snapped his optics open. "No!" He found the strength to extend his arm and gabbed Unicron's face. He dug his fingers into Unicron's metal flesh and screamed. "I WON'T LET YOU PULL ME DOWN!"

He felt a sudden hate for Unicron and a sudden loss of caring for himself as he gorged his fingers into Unicron's ruby and emotionless optics. The scarlet glass of his lord's eyes shattered and, holding back the urge to want to vomit, he dug his fingers into his prior master's optics. Unicron said nothing but, the demons around Sideways, howling and laughing, escalated their attempted feeding frenzy into an all out attempt at mutilating Sideways. His tires were ripped away from his body, his chest plate was shattered and his chest was dug into, his legs were torn… That pain was greater than any time Sideways could ever remember and it was nothing compared to when Unicron made him his slave and when Unicron stole the cross Sapph had given to him.

Frankly, and aside all Mary had said, he didn't care if he died now. All he wanted to do was give the bastard a piece of his freaking mind.

He hooked his fingers in Unicron's skull and, with a pain and hate filled battle cry, he jerked his hand forward with as much strength as possible. It was a sick thing really when he managed to tear Unicron's face off. Unicron did nothing as much as even trying to resist or scream as he whole upper face was torn away, spilling hot Energon onto Sideways' tear stained face and exposing sparking cables of light that flew off in every direction.

There were thousands of screams and Sideways snapped his optics shut again, the pain reaching a huge climax as he screamed in agony once more. Suddenly, he felt groggy and he felt his body go limp. The tight grip around his throat lessened and the creatures stopped biting him.

He slowly let his optics flicker online and he found himself staring at the sky, awake.