I've Forgotten You (TFP AU)

Chapter Twenty Two

After a long time, an older man walked over to the cell, grey curly hair sitting on his tanned skin. "Rafael? Is... that you?" A familiar voice asked from the large bellied man. 

The young man jumped a little and looked up at the door for a moment. His eyes widened as tears fell down his face and he wiped them away. "Agent Fowler? William Fowler?" He asked hopefully as he got up and went to the door.

The man smiled a little. "That's me." He said as he gripped the bars. "Your name has come up so much around here, I had to come see you." He spoke with relief that the man was alright. "I'm going to try and fix this mess but I'm not in the same position as I was before." He muttered, being at a much lower position. "What do they want from you?" 

Raf sighed shakily in relief and rested his forehead against the bars as he gripped them. "I don't know... they think I work with the Decepticons. But I don't, Agent Fowler... I hate them... even more especially after my time in Darkmount." He said as tears filled his eyes and he continued to shake from the memories. "Please... I didn't do anything wrong... you have to believe me." He rasped. 

Agent Fowler shook his head. "Easy, kid... I know you didn't do anything wrong. I know you wouldn't ever work with the Decepticons." The old man smiled a bit. "I'll try to fix this best I can but the most you can do is corporate and just sit tight. Alright?" Fowler spoke with reassurance. 

"I will... I promise... but I need to know why they are accusing me-" He stopped suddenly and paled as he thought of the photo. "Oh... wait..." he rasped and looked at him. "The picture of me and Bee..." he mumbled. 

Fowler frowned, gripping the bars. "What photo?" He asked as his eyebrows furrowed. "How did anyone get their hands on a photo of you two? Was it electronic?" He asked as he tried to figure this out with the man. 

"No... it was when we first met... no wait... a few days before we had to leave. It was all I had left of him... it was my hope that they'd come back and help us." He whispered quietly as tears filled his eyes as he realized his mistake. "I just needed hope..." he mumbled. 

"Raf, you did nothing wrong. These men are just skeptics. We just need them to believe it was an Autobot in the picture. Where is it? Do you have it on you or did they take it from you?" Fowler asked seriously, trying to keep him calm. 

He hesitated and looked around as he tried to focus. He shakily searched his jacket and managed to find it. His hand shook as he gave the man the old photo. He sighed shakily and thought for a few minutes. "How are you by the way?" He asked, trying to distract himself from the room closing in on him. The cold grip of darkness digging into his pale skin.

Fowler took it and looked at it before tucking it into his jacket pocket. "I'm alright." He sighed heavily. "Lonely." He added, shaking his head. "How are you? Other than right now." He said as he looked at the man. "I haven't seen you with a growing beard before and with a ring." He smiled. "Last I saw you, you were twelve." 

"Really?" He asked in surprise and rubbed his chin, having forgotten he had started growing one. "Has... has it really been that long?" He whispered quietly. He didn't know why that was the case.

The agent nodded. "It's been 25 years kid." He frowned deeply. "Who you married to?" He asked curiously.

Rafael smiled a little as he thought about his wife. "Sari Sundac." He said as he looked at him. "I thought you were dead... what happened to you?" He asked. 

Fowler blinked, smiling slightly, he hadn't heard that name before. "Sounds like a city girl." He chuckled, teasing. "I got separated... it's a long story." He sighed softly.