Disclaimer: Don't own, and there is no way I'm making money off this. Really!

Author's note: Hey there! Sorry it's taken me so long to update this time—RL walked in and KO'd me, and I'm trying to get back into the swing of things with school starting up and everything. Thank you to everyone who reviewed! (and faved and alerted!) For those few people I didn't reply to: Sorry! I lost the e-mails somehow, before I could reply… Anyways, LESS ANGST YAY! Only a little bit in the beginning, pretty much. Not totally happy with parts of this chapter, but I've spent long enough fiddling around with it, so I figured I'd go ahead and post it. Review if you have a second, and I hope you enjoy!

Victory Is So Sweet…For Some

Part the fourth

By Elora Vashara

Optimus sank onto his own berth with a groan. He'd been up most of the night waiting tensely for Ratchet to come out with any news on Starscream's condition. They'd managed to stabilize the distressed spark enough to get him to the med bay, and Optimus had followed, feeling reluctant to face the medic's wrath when he found out who had caused this, though he suspected the gruff mech already knew, given the glares he'd been tossed. After an eternity, Ratchet had come out briefly to inform him that Starscream was fully stabilized and recovering, then curtly ordered him to leave. Optimus had whispered a spark-felt "Thank you" before exiting.

Now, with only a few hours to recharge before his usual waking time, he lay wide-awake, unable to shut down after the tumultuous series of events. That was how he remained for the rest of the night, passing the time by trying to shut out his thoughts and count the seconds. Minutes before his internal chronometer would have beeped to rouse him, his comm link flashed an incoming signal.

/Yes?/ He answered, trying to sound less tired than he was.

/Starscream wants to see you./ Optimus sat up quickly, realizing just then that it was Ratchet speaking.

/He does?/ Undoubtedly the seeker wanted to chew him out. His spark sank a little at the thought.

/Yes, Primus knows why, though. I've never seen a couple of mechs meant for each other like you two mess things up so quickly. And I swear to Primus, if you hurt him again I'll disassemble you so fast…/ Ratchet let the (nearly) empty threat hang there.

/Right, right,/ Optimus interjected hastily, /I'll be right over./ Meant for each other? That was a new one.

Optimus stepped into the med bay quietly, and with a small huff Ratchet strode out, leaving them with some privacy.

"Starscream," Optimus began, striding over to the berth where said seeker was resting. "Star, I am so sorry, I should've known better, and it was awful for me to do that to you, and I don't expect you to forgive me—"

"You're not Megatron," Starscream rasped lowly, cutting off the long-winded apology.

Optimus shuttered his optics briefly.

"Well, that's…good to…know?" He gazed curiously at the still-recovering mech before him, his servos resting lightly on the edge of the berth. He had expected cursing and screaming, or tears and silent rage, or something, but he hadn't expected dimly glowing crimson optics to simply observe him. It was a bit unnerving, so if that was Starscream's goal, he was succeeding.

"Not literally, bolts for brains, I mean that one fairly Decepticon-like act does not make you into your worst enemy—don't even try to pretend that's not what you were thinking—and…and I suppose I can forgive you for it. This time. But it is never, ever going to happen again, clear?" He narrowed his optics into a glare that might've melted a lesser mech. The worry and guilt piling itself into Optimus' voice was clear enough proof for him that the mech truly hadn't meant to hurt him, and reinforced the conclusion he'd drawn while unconscious.

"Crystal." Optimus didn't dare to say anything else, not wanting to break the fragile truce forming between them once more. He felt like they were back to square one of their friendship, except they knew each other this time around.

"Good," Starscream murmured, "now, you do realize I'm going to hold you to finishing what you started yesterday, right?" The corner of his mouth quirked at the shocked expression he received.

"Buh—I thought—you were mad?" While his processors were stuck trying to interpret Starscream's words, his spark had already picked up the general sentiment of them and was doing a good impression of a supernova.

"Well, I'm still a bit upset, yes. You'll just have to make it up to me." He smiled and arched one brow, still waiting for an intelligent response. A guilty and apologetic Optimus was an easily manipulated one.

Optimus sighed, his expression melting into one of slightly exasperated affection as he reached out to cradle the seeker's face with one servo.

"Anything for you," he whispered, their optics locking.

"So…" Starscream began uncertainly, "Where does this leave us?"

"Where do you want this to leave us?" Optimus asked in reply, wishing he had a better sense of how the elegant seeker before him felt about these things.

"Not fair!" Starscream chuckled, "I asked first. Where do you want this to go, if…if you want it to go anywhere at all?"

Optimus grinned hopefully. "I was hoping this could go to a nice secluded beach somewhere for dinner and a night out, once you're well."

"That would be nice. What about after that?"

"I'll leave that up to you, but I think dinner together every night would be…" Wonderful, amazing, incredible, everything he could hope for? "Perfect."

"Mmm, I think so too." He gently tugged the Prime down to his level and was about to touch those kissable lips with his own when they were rather rudely interrupted by the generally grumpy medic. Optimus planted a chaste kiss on the top of Starscream's helm and promised he'd visit later as Ratchet shooed him out the door.

Two seekers, weary from their arduous journey, landed at the entrance to the Decepticon base on the moon. The slightly taller of the two was a rich blue that allowed him to blend in with the clear blue skies of the nearby planet. He was lean and long in frame and moved with a silent determination that lent him grace, his mouth slanted towards more of a neutral frown than anything else. His companion was something like his opposite. The bouncy seeker was mostly a gleaming black with generous splashes of purple adorning his smaller, more curvaceous—but still strong—frame. A nearly ever-present smile lingered on his lips, dimmed now only by exhaustion. A short hail to the guard inside opened the doors for them, and they strode through the familiar—if somewhat ruined—halls to the control room.

::Do you think Screamer is here, TC? I…I still can't feel him here. You don't think he's…?::

::I don't know what to think, 'Warp. Maybe Megatron finally got tired of him. Maybe he's on the other side of the galaxy. We don't know, and it won't help us to guess. We've been a long time getting here but we've got good news; Let me do the talking and don't interrupt, and maybe we'll get through this mostly unscathed.::

::Wow, feeling talkative today, huh? I guess you're right. And don't worry so much, I bet ol' Megs will be glad to see us! We are two-thirds of the elite trine after all.::

The two entered the control room and came to stand at attention before their leader, snapping up sharp salutes.

"Megatron, sir, Thundercracker and Skywarp reporting for duty, sir!" The blue seeker barked out, his crimson optics wandering up to meet those of his commander. The huge silver tyrant smiled, though honestly it was more like he was baring his denta in a fierce growl.

"Excellent. Report?"

"There are no lingering Autobot forces in the outer arms, sir. They pulled out all their forces and went into hiding. The Decepticon army holds the region quite firmly, sir." Thundercracker still stood rigidly at attention while he gave his report, but Skywarp had dropped the salute and the stance and was now inspecting the tips of his fingers while he casually rested his weight on one leg. His head bobbed ever so slightly to a tune he had looping in his processors.

"Good work, Thundercracker, you've done well." His gaze lingered on the inattentive form of Skywarp but he didn't bother with a reprimand. The idiot soldier was loyal and followed his orders without question, though his attention span was severely lacking. "You both have the rest of this cycle off, and you'll start on the duty roster tomorrow. You may leave."

"Ah, sir, if I may ask…"

"You wish to know the whereabouts of your commander Starscream, yes? He's gone. I had his frame melted down for scrap several of this planet's orbital cycles ago. I must say, things have been running exceptionally smooth since then." Megatron smirked as he leaned back in his throne, observing the shocked expression that flitted over the blue seeker's face before he regained some semblance of composure.

"Ah, thank you, Lord Megatron." Thundercracker bowed, then elbowed the still oblivious Skywarp. The black and purple seeker jumped in surprise then grinned at the expectant tyrant. "Thanks Megatron, good to be back!" He bobbed his head briefly then grabbed Thundercracker's arm and warped them out of the control room.

Starscream was sick of the med bay. Ratchet had kept him there for the past three Earth days and nights to monitor his condition, but the seeker felt fine. Never better, in fact. So as soon as the medic left him unattended he slid off the hard medical berth and crept out the rear exit of the med bay. He felt like he was going crazy, his wings were practically itching and all he could think about was how nice it would be to soar high into the atmosphere and feel his wings slicing through the icy clouds. With that goal in mind, he sneaked down the corridors with ease, his pedes hardly making a sound and his systems running silent. Thankfully, it was just past midday and most mechs were either in the rec room for an energon break or still working in their offices. He made it through without catching attention and finally strolled out of the base, engine practically purring at the fresh air filling his intakes and the warmth of the California sunshine on his plating.

With a small leap and a boost from his thrusters he was airborne, shifting into his alt mode with practiced ease. The sensation of the smooth air caressing his wingtips made him giddy with delight and the heady rush of forbidden freedom left him cackling as he flew in loops and corkscrews, climbing ever higher. Eventually his exultation waned and he set a high-altitude course away from the base. He needed a little time to himself, not to think, just to be. It was at times like this that he missed his trine-mates. He felt so alone in the sky, no one flanking him, no one always within range for backup and support. Their trine-bond had been broken when his spark had been transplanted, he was fairly sure of that. He'd felt for it many times out of reflex but encountered only an empty space where once the soothing calm of Thundercracker and the uplifting exuberance of Skywarp had helped stabilize him. Perhaps it had been best that they were far away when the break occurred. The bond had still been there, but he could not actively sense their presence at the time. He wondered if they were back from their mission yet.

Starscream let out a growl of frustration at himself. They had been close out of necessity through the bond and their place as the elite trine, but he had never treated them with the kindness they had always shown him. He regretted that now that he knew what good a bit of kindness could do for others. Living with the Autobots for so long had either made him soft or made him a better mech, and seeing as how he was still just as deadly now as he had been before he decided on the latter option. The sleek jet resolved to try and make up for his past behavior towards them if they met again. He checked his instruments and realized he was something like halfway across the continental United States, so he executed a flawless Immelman and set course for the base. Ratchet would probably yell and throw a wrench or two at him on his return, but it was a small price to pay. The long flight had done wonders for his mood, and his spark felt much lighter now.

Skywarp and Thundercracker soared across the middle of the western coastline of the landmass known as "North America," heading inland. The organic planet fascinated Thundercracker, and as he perused what the planet's inhabitants called the "World Wide Web" his respect for them grew. For such small, weak organisms they had a varied and bloody history, and an ever-increasing thirst for knowledge and technology that pushed them to keep advancing their culture. The human nation they flew over now was known as the USA, and from what he could tell it was fast becoming a sort of melting pot comprised of many other cultures and peoples from the far reaches of this planet. He was glad now that Skywarp had insisted that they explore this planet a little before retiring for some much-needed recharge.

He still found it hard to believe that Starscream was really gone after all these vorns. Skywarp was still hurting from the news, he could feel it, but his bondmate was doing his best to stay chipper and distract himself while their new situation sank in. They were no longer part of a trine, they were just a pair of bonded seekers. Not that anyone besides Starscream had known they were bonded, of course. To everyone else they just seemed awfully in-tune to each other's moods and thought patterns, which was to be expected as they were part of a trine. He wondered what Starscream had done to finally get Megatron angry enough to slag him. Or, perhaps he had been shot down by one of the Autobots. It was a possibility, he supposed, though Starscream had always been the best of the three in the air. Maybe he could get something out of Hook. Starscream had been in the repair bay often enough that the constructicon and the seeker had been slightly closer than polite acquaintances.

Skywarp, uninterested in Thundercracker's more cerebral pursuits, had discovered human music and entertainment in the form of the web and movies and was absorbed in his perusal of the various foreign delights when his long-range scanners blipped, alerting him to the presence of another Cybertronian in their airspace. His long-range scanners reached much further than most; it was a necessity, since he needed to know if there were enemies in the airspace he was warping to. He adjusted his altitude, Thundercracker absently following his lead.

::Hey TC, heads up on my long-range, bearing west north-west. Who do you think it is? I can read the spark signature but I don't have any file—Autobot or Decepticon—that matches it.::

::Hm? Oh, that's odd…I was under the impression that we were the only true flight-capable mechs here. It would appear I was incorrect. Correct course to meet head on, flanking.::

They fell into position easily, boosting their speed until they fell within easy hailing comm range of the unidentified flyer. Thundercracker cautiously enabled an open hail channel.

/Unidentified flyer, this is Decepticon elite seeker Thundercracker. Please state your designation and affiliation./

There was a tense, lengthy pause in which the approaching flyer dropped speed considerably, and Thundercracker and Skywarp slowed as well. Then a faint crackling noise came over the line, indicating the other was about to speak. It carried on for a few seconds.

/…Thundercracker? Skywarp? Is that…is that really you?/

The voice was a little different, but that didn't stop Skywarp from joining the conversation.

/Screamer? How is that you? You—you're different! Your spark signal has changed. Well, not much, now that I look at it, but enough that it didn't quite match. What's going on? Why do you seem so much smaller than before? I thought you were dead? Megatron said you were gone and he'd melted you down for scrap ages ago! Why can't I feel you over the trine-bond? What—/

/Would you shut up for a moment so I can reply, you idiot!/

Thundercracker and Skywarp grinned. That was the Starscream they knew, alright. Apparently their commander had thwarted death once more. Transforming, Skywarp grabbed Thundercracker and warped them right over to Starscream, who transformed himself and hovered upon their appearance. Their grins faded when they saw not the familiar hulking gray-brown mech but a sleek red, white and blue one with a black helm. The optics were the same shade of red, though, and the expression—a haughty sneer with the barest trace of a smug grin—was the same as expected. Though the precise frequency of Starscream's spark was very slightly altered, they could all feel the barest of connections this close together. Skywarp was the first to break the silence.

"Wow, Starscream…you got hot!" A grin worked its way back as Thundercracker tried to elbow him for his comment.

Starscream snorted, his expression relaxing with a small smile. Of all the things Skywarp could have said…but he wouldn't have it any other way. Apparently the black and purple seeker felt the same, because he was suddenly being crushed in a hug that, before his transplant and subsequent joining of the Autobots, would have had him threatening Skywarp with the dangerous end of his null rays. He went stiff out of reflex—he still didn't get many hugs—then made himself relax, tentatively returning the embrace. Eventually they parted, and Thundercracker shook Starscream's servo offered a tiny twitch of his lips. To Starscream, coming from Thundercracker, that was like a welcome home party.

"It's good to see you both after so long apart…"

"But…?"

"But, you have to understand, things have changed for me, quite drastically." Starscream paused. He didn't want to lose his trine-mates so soon after reuniting with them.

"We have optics too, Screamer," Skywarp interjected, trying to lighten the mood with a bit of humor.

"This is only one of the big changes; I…I've…defected. I'm with the Autobots now." He forgot to cycle momentarily as he waited for a reaction.

"What?"

"I saw the insignia. I…can't speak for Skywarp, but you know the only reason I joined the Decepticons was because of you."

"I know, and I—I've seen the light, I suppose. Megatron is not who he used to be, and Optimus Prime is a very gracious leader."

"You mean a very attractive one!" Skywarp, having recovered from his shock, decided that some long-overdue teasing was in order.

"…Excuse me?"

"I saw the misty look in your optic when you said his name! Someone's having fantasies about tall, blue and handsome!"

"Hmph, well I'd say what's going on is certainly more than an idle fantasy."

"Wha—really? Aww, mental image! I was only kidding! Come on now!"

~Fin~