The sounds of battle continued raging around Jazz, though it didn't really register with him. His CPU was still scrambled after that last attack by Soundwave and Thundercracker. It left him feeling disorientated and somewhat fuzzy. He crawled his way on to where he could vaguely make out a small outcrop of rocks ahead of him. His leg had been completely ripped off, and fritzing wires, cables and energon piping were dangling freely from it. There was a huge hole in the side of his chest from a lucky shot by Blitzwing. His insides were all torn up from the attack, and his internal scanner indicated that the damage around his Spark chamber and chest area was too extensive to be repaired. His cooling systems were frantically trying to get his body back down to an acceptable temperature, but with the amount of coolant he'd lost so far it was a futile attempt.
He seemed numb to his pain, though, and eventually he reached the rock outcrop. He nestled his frame between two boulders for shelter, and found himself wondering how Dark was faring.
Darkwing.
His pride and joy, and Prowl's last gift to him. The gift of life. He remembered the first time he'd held her, feeding her a bottle of energon. Man, she'd been hungry. He chuckled and winced in pain he recalled giving her four bottles of the stuff before she was satisfied. She'd fallen straight to sleep afterwards. He remembered holding her close to his chest in sheer wonderment that this bundle of life was his, remembered her tiny fingers closing around his middle one in her sleep.
Ratchet had asked him, after about five weeks of caring for her, why he'd chosen the name 'Darkwing'. He'd come up with an immediate answer; it had been Prowl's favorite name. Although unsure where it came from, Jazz remembered Prowl mentioning it to him one night after they'd reaffirmed their bond
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
They were sitting on the windowsill watching the stars in the night sky, and Prowl suddenly said to him, "Jazz, do you like the name 'Darkwing'?"
Jazz considered the name for a moment. "Yeah, I do. It's a cool-soundin' one. Why?"
"No reason. It's just, I've always liked that name. I wondered if you did too."
Jazz nuzzled Prowl's helm. :I like your name better, though. It's so...sexy.:
:And you're insatiable.: Prowl sent back, amused, and accepted a long and lingering kiss from Jazz. He broke the kiss to moan out loud when Jazz ran a light hand over the tactician's doorwings, and he returned the favor by tweaking Jazz's horns, earning mewls of pleasure from the Porsche.
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Jazz shivered at the ghost of Prowl's touch he felt through reliving those memories. His chest was starting to ache, he realized, and immediately started clamping down on his pain receptors. As soon as he did, though, warning messages started flashing across his visor, reporting imminent total system shutdown in less than five minutes. The saboteur shuttered his optics.
--
He must have passed out, he realized, because he unshuttered his optics to see Ratchet working frantically to get his systems to stabalize. Next to him, Sideswipe was holding his hand and Sunstreaker was trying to help Ratchet where he could. A presence behind him and a firm hold in the bond told him that Darkwing had his head in her lap, supporting him and stroking his head, and her mind fully immersed in the bond to anchor him shield him from pain. He smiled wanly as he felt how fruitless the attempts to save his life were.
He could feel Dark's panic slip through her block every so often. He sent reassurance across their bond that he was okay, and she responded with the mental equivalent of a hug.
:The Pit you're okay: she sent, fiercely. Jazz chuckled weakly at that.
:Can't keep it from you, can I?:
:No.: There was a pregnant pause, before she said meekly, :You're...leaving us, aren't you?:
:If you wanna put it that way.: Jazz coughed, expelling energon and coolant. It dripped down one side of his chin as Dark barely held back a hiccupping sob. Ratchet swore violently, and Sideswipe's grip tightened.
:I'm so...so tired, Dark.: He whispered. She nodded, tears dripping silently down her cheeks. :Prowl...Prowl's waitin' fer me. He promised he would.:
:Then go to him.: She chided silently through a gulf of sorrow. Jazz sent a powerful wave of love, reassurance and pride back to her, and she relaxed marginally.
:I love you, baby girl. And I'm so, so proud of you.: Jazz hitched an intake of air as his systems slowed down.
:Tell Mom I love him. Tell him I'll make both of you proud.:
:We already are, Dark. We'll be there...when you come.: Darkwing pressed her lips gently against her father's helm as his life force ebbed away, crying for the both of them. :We'll always be watchin' you. From here.: Jazz slowly raised a hand and pressed it to her chest plates, right where her Spark was located, before it fell away limply and Ratchet's field support machines started beeping at him.
Darkwing could do nothing but weep, feel her Spark break and watch as her father joined her mother in the Well of All-Sparks.
--
"Dad died on the battlefield, as, from what I know, did Mom. They died protecting the Autobot cause, and I will endeavour to do the same. I may never live up to their reputations, but I'll create my own path to follow. Their deaths will not be in vain; I will see this war through to its end, whatever it may be. I will hold my head up high, knowing I am the daughter of two legendary Autobots and that I will never be alone. I have my friends at my side and my parents in my Spark. I am extremely proud of them, as I hope they are of me, and I know that they will forever be at peace with each other." Darkwing ended her speech and walked away from the microphone towards her father's casket. She kissed him gently on the forehead and placed a single white lily on his chest. That done, she stepped back and stood in silence to take in Jazz's still features.
She knew his body was just an empty shell now. It was his Spark that made him alive. It didn't stop her thinking that he was going to sit up, visor flashing in amusement, and tell everyone that he was joking. She didn't cry; she was all cried out now, but she stared in remorse at Jazz's handsome shell. She only moved when Sunstreaker and Sideswipe came up behind her and offered her a silent comfort when she turned and wrapped her arms around them.
--
After Jazz's funeral, Darkwing went outside the Ark to sit on the mountain into which the ship had crashed. She stared up at the stars twinkling in the night sky, wondering how many times she and Jazz had done this together. Her thoughts drifted to how happy her father must be to be re-united with his bondmate, and as a breeze picked up and flew past her she fancied she could hear two laughs from within.
Her Spark seemed to warm as the breeze danced around her, and she felt her spirits pick up a little. A whisper in her audio, a light touch on her neck and a flutter in her Spark told her all she needed to understand, and she flopped backwards to lie on the ground. Turning on her side she let a small but happy smile grace her lips, knowing her Spark would heal a little now, before she fell into a deep and peaceful recharge.
Rae: Mmmm, I little bit angsty towards the end, but I think it came out okay. Or I hope it did, anyway. Hope y'all enjoyed, please review!
