The injured young man continued to run as he panted heavily and limped away from his new pursuers. Why couldn't they just leave him alone? What did he do to anger them? He kept running and wished it would stop snowing as he made it to the lake. He started across and got half way before the ice broke under his feet.

He cried out and managed to hang on to the edge as he struggled to get out. He gasped at how cold it was and looked around for anything to help him out. he stabbed the ice with his dagger then tried to pull himself out again. He looked over to see the two that had chased him and they just watched him struggle. He ignored them and continued to try and get free.

"We need to help him." Prowl said seriously as he watched him struggle and try to get out of the freezing water.

"Why?" Arcee snapped as she glared at him. "He's going to die either way and we were going to kill him anyway." She muttered bitterly.

"You were going to kill him. I am going to help, and if you need to stop me or want to, you know how to try." he said seriously knowing he could easily take her down. She glared and watched him make his way out to the young man.

She crouched down and stayed hidden as she watched him, knowing he was going to die. Prowl crouched down and made his way over to the young man then scanned the are for danger before he got closer. He managed to get to him and gripped his arm as the young man shivered.

"J-j-just... end... m-my... m-m-m-misery." he shook and the older man narrowed his eyes as he carefully pulled him out of the ice and made his way to shore with him.

Arcee watched him then looked up to see someone on the other side of the lake. Her eyes widened as she looked at Prowl then at the figure. The person shot an arrow and hit the older man straight in the back.

Prowl gasped in pain as he tried to muffle his cries, not wanting to give their position away to anyone else. He fell to his knees and panted quietly as the shooter ran towards them. He shot another arrow and hit Prowl again making him fall over. Arcee ran to her friend as well and grabbed his bow and arrow when she got to him.

The woman dodged an arrow as it went for her head, she dropped to one knee and spun a little on the ice as she aimed. She shot the villain in the chest and he cried out as he fell back and into the icy water. She loaded another and aimed at the water then over at the tree line. When it was safe she quickly went to the other two.

She carefully pulled the arrows out of Prowls back then tied her jacket over the wounds. She looked at the young man and saw he was almost gone, then she decided to try and save her friend instead. There wasn't anyway she could save them both.

She got out a knife and the teen stared at her as he shivered. She covered his eyes with one hand so she didn't have to look at him as she prepared to end his life. Arcee killed the young man then took his supplies and looked around as the cannon sounded. She wrapped her arms under Prowl and grunted as she dragged him back to their safe place.

Once there she tended to his wounds as he lay by the fire. She stared blankly as she thought of the young man and hugged her knees to her chest. The woman was never bothered when she had to kill someone, but for some reason the kid got to her, and she didn't know why.

The way he looked at her as if he knew her or worse, trusted her. She shuddered and buried her face in her arms as she tried to fight the images in her head.

~

Bulkhead continued to run through the woods as he held on to Miko and looked around with worry. He stopped and crouched down as she woke and looked at him. He put a finger to his lips as he heard movement nearby. She hugged him tightly and shivered a little as they listened to some fighting then it fell silent as a cannon sounded. He waited for a few minutes then continued on his way to the lake.

He stopped again and crouched down as he saw a man trying to help another out of the frozen water. He was a good distance away and watched the man work on taking the victim back to shore. Another person across the lake came out of hiding and shot the man in the back then shot him again. A woman ran out and dodged an arrow then shot the villain before she went to the fallen men.

Bulkhead watched as she killed the young man the other saved and robbed him. She then took the injured man away and disappeared. Bulkhead furrowed his brow, wondering why they bothered saving him if they were just going to kill him.

It was sickening.

He waited for a few minutes then continued on until he saw the cliff side the doctor spoke off. It was icy now and he knew it would be hard to get to the top. There wasn't anyway to get up to it except for the sheer cliffs. He looked at Miko then around the lake, they were out in the open.

He carefully set her down and zipped up the jacket so it didn't fall off, then had her get on his back. He quickly went to the cliff as she held on and shivered.

"It's okay Miko. I'm going to get you up there and you'll be safe." he whispered as he looked around then sighed shakily. He couldn't mess this up.

He tied knife blades to the bottom of his shoes and gripped two others in either hand. He kicked the side of the cliff and smirked when his foot got stuck. He then proceeded to climb up the icy cliff face.

"You know, Bulk..." she whispered as she buried her face in his shoulder while he climbed. "You don't have to keep me with you... you can just leave me somewhere." she said and he stopped suddenly as he thought about her words.

"Now why would I do that?" He asked as he smirked a little and looked back at her. "I can't leave you by yourself to terrorize the others. I want to have fun too." he chuckled and continued onward. She blinked in surprise then smirked a little.

"You big softy." she scoffed a little and buried her face again. "Thanks... for everything." she whispered and he smiled.

"No problem kid. I'm never going to leave you." He promised as he looked at the lake far below then up at the top. "Half way." he smirked and she felt him shaking a little. This was hard for him to do.

"Take it easy Bulk." She said as she looked around to see if anyone had spotted them yet. "Don't go to fast and rip the cliff apart." she teased trying to make him feel better. He smiled a little as he chuckled, stopping for a moment to rest as he panted.

He rested his head against the icy cliff as he shook from the effort and cold. She stared at him then looked up at the top as she tried to see how far they had to go. Too far. No wonder this was a good place, it was almost impossible to get to.

"Come on Bulkhead, don't let a little rock beat you." she smiled encouragingly and he chuckled again as he looked up to the top. He grit his teeth and forced himself to keep climbing.

It was still slow but he was almost there, even though he had to stop on occasion and rest. Miko kept encouraging him as best she could, without being too loud. He got to one spot and the blades on his shoes snapped off. He grunted as he held on and hung there for a moment. Miko had buried her face in his back to muffle her scream.

They stayed perfectly still for a minute then looked up to the top again. He grunted tiredly and made himself go a little higher, but stopped again as he stared up at a ledge over his head, the only way around it was to jump.

"Miko..." he panted quietly as he held on to his knives as tightly as he could. They felt like they were bending and going to snap. "Climb...." he rasped as he shook. She hesitated then nodded slowly and looked around. She saw a figure on the other side of the lake looking around. She knew they probably didn't see them yet.

She slowly climbed up to his shoulders and reached for the ledge above them. She grabbed the slick rock and tried to pull herself up but slipped. She shrieked in surprise and managed to grab on to him. He grunted as he held on tighter and his knuckles turned white.

"You okay?" He asked quietly and she nodded quickly as she whimpered. "Don't be afraid... I got ya." He whispered.

"Bulkhead... I'm scared..." she admitted as she held on to his back for dear life.

"I know.... I know..." he rasped and felt the blades bending a little more. "But we can't stay here. I need you to climb to the top... with the supplies." He said seriously. She nodded slowly and shakily looked up at the top again. She already had the backpack on. The young woman slowly moved up to the ledge as she shook.

"There you go.... easy now." He whispered and watched her try to grab another slick rock. "Are you seriously going to let a little rock defeat you?" He teased. She glared at him then smirked as if to say 'watch me.' She then climbed over the edge and he grunted as he pushed her foot to get her over.

"Ya! I showed you!" She smirked as she looked down at him. He chuckled softly as she disappeared again to find a way to help him.

"That's my girl..." he rasped and scanned the frozen lake below. He saw a figure running towards them and he growled lowly. He blinked in surprise when something hit his head. Looking up he saw an end of a rope.

"There's a bag of supplies up here, it had the rope." Miko grinned and he tied it around his waist before he put the knives away. She had anchor the rope to a big tree and he started to climb. She didn't like how long it was and he had let the slack hang down. He was at the top and just coming over the lip, he just had to pull himself up. She grabbed his hand and he chuckled at her attempt, then his eyes widened suddenly and he grunted in pain. She furrowed her brow then saw an arrow sticking out of his back.

"Bulkhead!" She involuntarily screamed as she gripped his hand. He closed his eyes and started to fall backwards. "No! No no no!" She sobbed and tugged on him to remain there. "Come on! Help me lift you!" She screamed as she sobbed silently. He wheezed weakly and slowly looked at her. He tried to finish pulling himself up, but couldn't. He was to exhausted and hurt. Miko wasn't giving up though and continued to tug on his arm.

"Mi... ko... let... me... go...." he rasped as he slowly pulled out his knife from his pocket. He set it by her then pulled his other one out.

"No. I won't. You're going to get your butt up here, and we're going to terrorize everyone." She choked. "Remember?" She asked sadly. He slowly cut the rope and looked at her, his eyes full of pain but he smiled a little anyway. His other hand held on to the rocks beneath him.

"Let... go... kid...." he rasped again and she shook her head as she sobbed uncontrollably. "Don't.... cry. Be... tough... for... the... both of... us." He whispered and she nodded quickly as tears fell down her face. He felt himself slipping and he grunted weakly as he closed his eyes. Miko felt his hand slip and she sobbed as she tried to hold on. He fell from her grasp and disappeared over the edge.

"Bulkhead!" She screamed then sobbed silently as she hung her head and gripped the ground. She heard the cannon sound and cried harder then screamed with sorrow. She curled up on the cold ground as she hugged his jacket close and continued to cry. She didn't care if anyone found her. The girls only friend was gone.

~

Wheeljack looked to the sky as he heard yet another cannon. He sighed forcefully and went back to the cave where the healer was resting. The soldier sat by him and checked the man's wounds to see the infection. They were worse. He sighed shakily and closed his eyes as he hung his head. He couldn't save the man. He couldn't return the favor.

"Wh.... wheel.... jack..." Ratchet rasped quietly and barely opened his eyes. The other man quickly looked at him.

"Ya Doc?" He said hopefully and looked at the meal he made for them, hoping it would help the sick man. Ratchet managed to give him a look but didn't have the energy to say anything about it, either that or he didn't feel like caring.

"Thank.... you... for... trying..." he whispered as he stared at him then grunted in pain and winced.

"What do you mean trying?" the other man asked as he furrowed his brow and the doctor grunted again as he closed his eyes. "Doc?" he asked as he watched him then narrowed his eyes before he smirked. "Don't make me say it." he teased but the man didn't responded as he wheezed weakly. "I know it'll get a reaction out of ya." he grinned as he waited for him to protest, but didn't get that either.

"Alright then... Sunshine." he smirked as he stared at the other man but his smile faded when the doctor didn't move in anyway. Not even a flinch. The soldiers expression became one of concern as he felt the mans forehead. He was colder. "Ratchet?" he whispered and heard the man exhale then stop moving completely. Wheeljack heard a cannon and stared at the sky as his face became blank.

"Oh no... Doc... you were supposed to hang on..." he rasped and looked back at him as he felt bitter tears fill his eyes. "You were supposed to hold on..." he muttered and sat against the wall at the mouth of the cave. That night they all looked to the sky as they saw the names and pictures of those that had fallen.

~

"Jack.... I didn't even know his name..." Arcee whispered as she stared at the young mans picture. She sighed and looked down as she buried her face in her knees.

Miko stared at the picture of Bulkhead and sobbed silently again as she read his name and hugged her knees. She had made herself look off the cliff in false hope that he was still alive. But all she saw was a hole in the frozen water where he broke through and sank. She read the doctors name and sniffed sadly. She realized she didn't have anyone anymore.

Wheeljack stared at the names and pictures as they each came up and the fanfare played it's sickeningly happy tune. He looked in his jacket pocket and pulled out a list then marked out the names. He stared at the few remaining and looked at the sky as everything fell silent and still once again.

"Only six of us left... what happens when we're all gone?" he asked himself as he stared up at the stars and sighed forcefully. He closed his eyes and silently hoped this would all end soon.